Comment: The Music That Moved Me

Shortbread › Comments › View Comment Thread

Thread Details

This comment was originally left on the short story The Music That Moved Me.

Please login or join for free to comment

Fran Strahan said "Yes I could sing along to most of that. Nice little musical trip down memory lane. Thanks for that."
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "You got it in one. I think if she tried it on the London Underground she would barely be able to knock out leaflet......"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "I would imagine she got more people to talk to her in the States then on the London Underground! Sounds a fascinating exercise though."
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "I know what you mean.... I read a book a few years back about a girl who used to travel around London on the circular line people watching. She then expanded her idea and decided to travel a circular route around America. Being a smoker she would meet up with other smokers in the designated compartment. The book was her journal of the people she met - a fascinating travelogue about people as opposed to places."
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "Must say I love trains. Or love travelling by train. Not that I've done it for years, with the dogs etc. Its 'Old Faithful' (the car) when we go anywhere."
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "Have you ever tried resting or sleeping on an Eastcoast Line train? How do they manage to design a seat that is so bl**dy uncomfortable - and why do I always end up travelling backwards???? It was a long day in London - but good fun......"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "Very good and true, and yes I read your email! I trust you're now at least resting if not sleeping somewhere after a very long day. Best Wishes."
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "I totally agree. Life is a series of chapters and events, ups and downs, with hopefully a few wins and ocassional losses along the way. Its what one does with them that makes one who one is. So endeth todays lesson...which is not bad for 4.30 in the morning!!!....A"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "Yikes! But think it takes a lot more then just your working life to make a person who they are. :-)"
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "Oh Yes, you could say my working life has been rollercoater complete with white knuckles, churning stomach and ocassional screams!!!!...... but it has made me who I am, be that a good or bad thing I'm not sure but I guess thats for others to judge..... Andy"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "Oh heck! Its been a bit of a rollercoaster then, your working life."
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "My hotel lost me a lot of money at the time!!!"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "Well, it made me a lot of money at the time..."
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "Little Red Hotels in Mayfair? They are without doubt the best ones to own...trust me!!!!....Andy"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "Ah, well I had a feeling you'd worked closely with the general public at some point so the Red Cross shop and owning a hotel explain it. Owning a hotel must have been quite something. I had one in Mayfair once, but it was a little red plastic thing. The Fairy/Mirror Challenge is on!! Great, looking forward to that one."
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "I wouldn't say Awe in respect of Co Sec stuff - more dazed and confused would sum it up. Re shopkeeper, I currently volunteer at the Red Cross shop and I once owned a hotel if they count! Re the Fairy/Mirror challenge - you're on....Andy"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "Oh heck Andy. Jay will be ever so cross when she sees that last bit! I meant 'To ACCEPT, simply write it.'"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "Still in awe over Company Secretary. I had you pegged first as a shopkeeper. Later you became a school teacher or possibly a librarian. Then a professional musician. Me, I'm a pet-sitter/gardener. Looking for part-time evening work in factories, supermarkets etc. I could get 'back end' shifts in the food processing factories round here poss, but with hours 6pm - 2am I'd need to give up the petsitting. Just depends how bad things get! Hopefully as that Dickens character said 'something will turn up' in the part-time area. Now I have a little challenge for you. I'm so glad you're sticking with the writing despite what I'm sure will be a time consuming new job - I've read two stories of yours featuring fairies and two more featuring mirrors. My challenge to you is lets have one about fairies and mirrors! To except, simply write it!"
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "Thanks Fran, during the last seven years I managed to gain a degree in the school of life, full of ups and down with extremes in both, but I think I'll skip the Doctorate if I can!! Sorry to hear that your self-employment is in downward spiral at the moment - what is it you do? These are extremely tough times with, unfortunately, no real end in sight. One thing however, it does drive one to look at oneself to discover what one can do - which in many ways how I took to writing and so now when I go back into work it will be as someone who is also a writer and I do not intend to let that one drop!!.......now I see there's a two part story appeared in the recently published list so I'll just grab a coffee and settle down....Andy"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "Well, very big CONGRATULATIONS on that new job! Company Secretary. Would never have guessed it in a million years. The last seven years must have been tough. I'm currently looking for part-time work to run along side my self-employment, which is in a downward spiral at the moment. You're looking at one helluva commute! I'm guessing it will be home for weekends only now. As someone recently said to me, if you get out of your comfort zone, the work is out there. So I am seriously toying with the idea of nightshifts right now. Hope you still find time to be creative with 'real life' about to make a welcome comeback."
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "Alas no, I am not a professional musician - I don't think I could handle the late nights and groupies!! No, music is for fun, pretty much like writing but if either go in a direction that is favourable then I will travel that way for a season so to speak. I like to think of myself more as a wordsmith who uses different mediums to communicate, and one of those mediums is just about to open up for after not being in full time employment for seven years I am about to start a new job in London as a Company Secretary - which is what I am trained in - and which in a legalistic format is just another form of wordsmithing!!"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "So these are your own songs and your getting local gigs. Sounds very accomplished. The Swaledale Music Festival sounds great but I'm a bit worried about the 'wandering minstrel' bit. Sounds fun but, yes - our wonderful weather! Are you a musician then, for a living I mean?"
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "Hi Fran, good luck with the download thing.... The music I play is I suppose ballard folk/country - none of that finger in the ear stuff but more contempary. Since moving up to the dales the songs have been based more on these surrounding, the history and characters. Yesterday i was asked if I would play at a fundraising concert for the local museum and next month I will be taking part in the Swaledale music festival providing a musical interlude on one of their guided walks. What that actually means is that I will be standing quite literally in the middle of nowhere somewhere up on the moor tops and then when the walkers turn up, hopefully all together, i play a 15-20 set for their edification and delight!!!! I just hope its not raining!!!.....A"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "I will definetely have another go at that clip of you. My computer was playing up yesterday as it turned out. Died on me altogether yesterday evening! (INet). Can only put it down to the windy conditions blowing down a mast - or something. Let me know about the recording. Sounds interesting. The few seconds I've heard of you so far were great! So the prospect of a recording is exciting. What do you do, Folk, Country or all-rounder?"
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "More a man of 'mini' talents I'm afraid, not many - but I enjoy playing and I hope to be able to make a recording sometime before the end of the year....but that is a plan not a definate...A"
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "Seeing and hearing me briefly is probably the best way!! Sorry you weren't able to download the clip - maybe some other time.... Thanks for trying....Andy"
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "OK I got my Flash Player, went to the web address... Maybe its me - but you play for a couple of seconds then stop. Probably me. I'm not very techie. Doesn't help that all the instructions appear to be in German! Nice to see and hear you though albeit briefly..."
1 year ago
Fran Strahan replied saying "A man of many talents! Singer/Songwriter too. You say 'on occassions when I play' and 'gets people trying to work out' so I'm guessing you play in public? See the guitar there, but I need to download something called a 'Flash Player' before I can see it. But I will get back to you!! You write music and lyrics then? My dictionary was right. Of Distinctive Quality!"
1 year ago
Andy Bottomley replied saying "Ah-Ha you've found one of my other strands of writing - songwriting. This is a piece that gets an airing on occassions when I play. It tends to get people trying to work out how many songs are included in it. About thirty I think. For my sins there is clip on YouTube of another of my songs which can be found on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxQtzZHJ8R8 Enjoy??!!......Andy"
1 year ago

Thanks for Reading Short Stories at Shortbread!

Thanks for delving into Shortbread! If you've enjoyed reading the short stories and listening to the audio short stories available at Shortbread, you might like to read the story behind Shortbread, on the Press page. You might also consider passing on your valuable thoughts via our form, or contacting our editor.

© 2013 Shortbread Stories | Copyright | T&C  Developed by Gary Duncan, Red Barn Studios & the team at Shortbread

Feedback