!!

I was going to post a little update on my progress as n00b programmer (programs = 2.5 (from the tutorial)). But then I stumbled upon this over at Twenty Major

The sight of the dude at the Hammond (Henry?) made me have to click it and what would be it be, but an impromptu jazz jam of “The Grandstand” theme tune. To non-Brits, Grandstand was the weekend sports show in the UK. I think it might be off air now, but it was an absolute staple in my house as a kid and in my houses/apartments/flats as a young man, first away from home. Me and the lads would gather round the telly with a few beers and cheer, yell, scream & vomit as appropriate.

I’ve not heard this tune in 11 years, since leaving the UK, and I’d completely forgotten it, and Grandstand the show.

I’ve not been back to the UK in almost a year. Richard just moved over there, I’ve got to now a lot of Brits through Nature Network, I have a lot of mates getting ready for their holidays and a lot are going back to the UK/Ireland for a break. I was hoping to be back in August for me mates wedding, but it’s off cos of work. So, no trip this year. I am increasingly feeling overwhelmed and in need of the solace of Albion, if only as respite. In other words, I am feeling desperately homesick recently

The YouTube clip started to play, I saw the words “Grandstand theme Tune”, and from the opening notes I was suddenly back in England, in London, with my friends, in my 20s, having the best time of my life. In reality I was sat at my desk, sobbing like an infant, blinking through the tears at the monitor, but “seeing” my dad on the sofa waving his arms and yelling at the football.

What a strange organ our memory system is. So vital and so intricately connected to other centers, so that emotions I’d not felt in years came back, memories of long forgotten faces, places and friends suddenly swam into clarity. Were these things forgotten? Or were they just indexed away somewhere? How many other thoughts and memories lie dormant, synapses, not yet re-routed for other tasks? My next experiment: record my dreams for the next few days. Let’s see what else got stirred up just now that might re-surface when my conscious mind takes a break…