Who is this Jackcabnory......

London Cab Driver, part-time Singer, micro/macro blogger, runner and primary school teacher in the making.....

Monday 29 December 2008

.....erm where did 3months go to??

Sorry folks (he says assuming anyone has been an insomniac in need of my witterings!)..... but you know how it is, with work/kids and various other bits'n'bobs, I seem to have found it almost impossible to find the time to scribe!

It's been an eventful time, chasing the ever decreasing pound...... preparing for Christmas, racking my brain for what to by my mum (sorry, I'm sure I'm not the only off spring to have the same conundrum every year!). But having said that, I'm now in the middle of an overdue and much needed two week break until the 7th.

Had a great time over the 2 main days, the purchase of Nintendo's finest gaming products were greatly received - "Wow I can't believe Santa new we wanted a Wii and a DS!" - and it must be said are being enjoyed by young and old alike!

Then had the great privilege of being Usher (click here if you are unaware of the duties of said person at ye olde British wedding - not to be confused with rap star of same name) at one of my best friends wedding, attended by the great and the good (and one or two of the not so good, but hey what would a good wedding be without the someone who should have stayed at home!) it was a bloody fantastic day, the best of all worlds, having your outfit provided, getting fed for the day, and being able to sing with the band, but not be involved with the setting up/breaking down!!

I did pay for it yesterday, and some of today, if truth be known, but think I'll be chipper tomorrow......

On the work front, it's been very interesting.... let's spin the tombola of memories and see what falls out....... these are not necessarily in chronological order......

So far, I have picked up 3 people who work at the HQ of M&S (v large department store in the UK) one lady worked in Men's Pants - not literally, but she was responsible for making sure that each store had required number of Y-fronts etc. Next a lady who sourced and arranged transportation for all the exotic fruits that discerning folk like to keep in their cupboards. And lastly a lady whose job it is to go round and buy set items to see if their up to scratch - a secret buyer if you will.

Celeb watch


picked up the v funny Justin Lee Collins which was the week of the Jonathan Ross/Russell Brand affair (those not aware pls see here for synopsis of "scandal"). His comments among many were top notch, best of all "I don't know Russell Brand but I think he's F'ng Sh*t"... along with amazement that Jonathan Ross had come out with the comments he did.


Another friend phoned me one night and asked if I'd heard of Paolo Nutini, yes says I, being aware of the Scottish singer/songwriter..... he had been conveyed by my friend from Soho one night in November, back to North London. He and friends had partaken of the hospitality and wares of several establishments and was unaware that his credit cards and phone had been left in my friends cab, luckily this was quickly realised and my caring cabby friend (is there another type!) made use of phone and located them (for they were neither walking quickly or in a specific direction) to return them.

I saw the rather brilliant Eddis Izzard in another cab unfortunately - and he was plugged into his Ipod, so maybe not one to engage in too much chat....

I must pass on a great web find that I've made (with thanks to Radio 5Live for putting me onto it....) the great/witty/knowledgeable and talented Stephen Fry has, for sometime now, been producing podgrams from his website, and they are quite brilliant, stand out episode has to be the "Compliance Defiance" where he waxes lyrical about the "PC" attitude taken with the production of some TV programmes..... get yourself to Stephen Fry.Com to see what I mean....

All that leaves me nearly finished, save to mention two completely different nuggets of information that I'm sure you've been missing ..........

Mash ups? yeah me too, but they're the collision of two songs that together are altogether more brilliant that either song on their own - well maybe I'm over egging it, but listen to this one below of Snow Patrol and the Police and you'll get an idea of what I mean




And finally, you couldn't make this one up, and I promise you I haven't...... In recent weeks as I said at the top, I've been working many hours to get to this hallowed holiday. One such way is to work nights, which led me 2 weeks ago to Canary Wharf one Friday night at around midnight. Here I was hailed by a couple, asking to go to London Bridge station. It's fair to say they made themselves very much at home in the rear of the cab, VERY MUCH AT HOME, if I were not already certain of the activity (she going up and down in a very sustained rhythmic pattern) then I was left in no doubt when, nearing London Bridge Station, I see that roles have been reversed, and her good gentlemen was now assuming control (!), and I turn to see a quite hairy rear end practicing his press ups (!)...... the story, if not unusual enough, gets better. We arrive at London Bridge, where suitably satisfied female passenger alights, and matey says "Highgate pls driver" - off we jolly well go.... we arrive and I ask for the £48 fare, and he dully gives me £50 and...... yes you may well have guessed, waits for change and asks for his RECEIPT!

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! (as they say in Wales) to one and all, and one of many resolutions is to be more frequent in the writing of this column......