A laugh a minute read

A couple of times this week I have been asked the equivalent of “will you put this in your blog?” so before I begin, I thought I would just recap on the Rules for you.

1. Everything in the blog is true – for a given value of true. So incidents may be slightly embellished for artistic or narrative reasons, or perhaps things will be tied together because the story is better that way.
2. But the fact that everything in the blog happens doesn't mean that everything that happens gets in the blog. I don’t give you the boring stuff (I hope) and I don’t give you stuff that I choose not to share. My blog, my rules.
3. I don’t share things that allow others to be identified without their express prior consent. That’s called manners. (I wouldn’t tag you on Facebook without asking for the same reason.)
4. I try to keep posts manageable in length. So I often omit back story. If something absolutely needs 2,000 words of explanation, it probably doesn’t get in the blog

On with the show.

It’s being a tiring week. And I've felt that today, so have tried to take it quite easy. Still managed a decent walk and the gym, but apart from that it has been a day to lounge around, and I am sure tomorrow will be the same. I was so tired I even had an afternoon nap today, which was lovely but very unlike me.

So, given desired laziness, it is good that the second volume of Danny Baker’s autobiography came on my Kindle this week. I know that some people loathe Baker – usually because they think he is some sort of gobby know-it-all. I disagree. Well, no, I don’t, because he is. But he is someone I have a lot of time for – for some reason I am drawn to gobby know-it-alls.

‘Going Off Alarming’ is hysterically funny. Those of you who know my rare but impressive ability of getting into a giggling fit which is uncontrollable will be delighted to know that his exploits in ‘painting’ a ceiling treated my fellow passengers to an example of this between Balham and Colliers Wood today. This was I think the fifth chapter of the book, and it is all just as funny. His stories of his father in particular carry a warmth that is touching but are gut-wrenchingly funny too. And his meetings with celebs (for example Kenneth Williams and Frankie Howerd) bring through so much about all concerned.

I suspect that the third thing I share with Baker (this isn't an editing error, read the post again if you think ‘what’s he on about, third?’ is that some incidents are embellished for the purpose of the narrative. So what? This is reading for pleasure, not learning about World War II.

In the past I've played that game ‘pick x number of people alive or dead that you would invite to dinner’. 95% of me would have Baker on that list, and near the top. The other 5% just wonders whether it would be a waste, because none of the others would get a word in edge-ways.  I’d be happy just to listen.

And on the subject of list memes, I had a lot of fun this week doing the ‘Twenty albums that changed your life’ thing on Facebook. That was difficult, but gave me a great excuse to soar widely through my music collection to make choices. I doubt Joe Jackson reads this, but if you do Joe, you were so close – on another day maybe you would have got in, but maybe next time.

That’s enough – more Danny Baker awaits.