What should we talk about today?
The world according to Kirkey
iankirkebc 
According to Ian Dury in his 1977 hit, co-written with Chaz Jankel, ‘Sex and drugs and rock and roll is all my brain and body need. Sex and drugs and rock and roll are very good indeed’. If I were being picky, I would add good food, some cash in my skyrocket and a nice … Read more
As I kid, I remember the double entendre placed upon the street signage: ‘Bill Stickers Will Be Prosecuted!’ under which was daubed, ‘Bill Stickers is innocent!’ A funny play on words but illustrative of the power of English language. Last night in Bristol a demonstration labelled ‘Kill the Bill’ reminded me of this flexibility of … Read more
When did we actually get mugged by the big corporates? Why can’t I simply buy a pair of black plimsolls and walk with my head held high? How come we yearn to be labelled? Like the perimeter advertising hoardings that enclose the Meadow Lane pitch of Notts County. And when did buying a cup of … Read more
The older I get, the crankier and more miserable I appear to become. I would like to be able to put this down to old age, yet the reality is that I have sometimes allowed my mindset to perpetuate this notion, since not everyone I know of a similar age is necessarily so. COVID-19 has … Read more
Two events, separated by hours, which collided one Sunday afternoon connected several seemingly diverse subjects: the British Royal family, the cover of a magazine containing words of a foreign language I do not speak, court jesters, a psychological theory developed in the 1960’s, and my mum. The common thread holding together these odd bedfellows is … Read more
The thing with opinions is that everyone has one. Even if you choose not to engage that is nonetheless a view. As the author of this piece, it shouldn’t be that shocking to note that there will be a clear bias towards my own judgements. If you weren’t moved in some way by the events … Read more
When the disappearance of Sarah Everard was reported I immediately thought of my own daughter. Not too dissimilar in age or beauty. As an ex-cop I instinctively knew that the probable outcome was bleak. As the full tragedy played out on the TV news bulletins, I heard the testimony of several women. One affirmed that … Read more
What a goal! Off the upright, into the bottom corner! A Les Bradd piledriver from just outside the box with only minutes remaining! I couldn’t contain my excitement and did a lap of the garage in celebration. My Notts County Subbuteo table football team were invincible! Each plastic figure, hand painted in the famous black … Read more
Welcome back to the final leg of my round the World sprint. Having written this I know that there are a fair few episodes still yet to be written. Especially, those last two continents that I can, so I have found out, elegantly fuse from the southern tip of Argentina. COVID-19 you haven’t beaten me! … Read more
I like Harry immensely. As a young boy he endured the life changing pain of the premature death of his mum within the gaze of the world. The iconic picture of him at his mother’s funeral reduced me to tears. His enforced royal dignity for one so young was truly heart-breaking. As a frontline soldier, … Read more