Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

Last night we watched the Lowestoft Players presenting ‘Anything Goes’. Written by Cole Porter, it’s set aboard the luxury liner S.S. American sailing from New York to London. Billy Crocker, a stowaway, is in love with Hope Harcourt, who’s engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Nightclub singer and former evangelist Reno Sweeney, and Public Enemy NumberContinue reading “The Benefit of Mistakes”

A few years ago, we heard about a new café and restaurant that was planned for the Lowestoft sea-front. We saw the plans. Construction work started in April 2024. We’ve watched each week as the building has slowly materialised. This week’s Lowestoft Journal tells us: A council spokesman said: ‘The project is on track forContinue reading “Taking on a Project”

Yesterday… …enjoying the North Norfolk Railway. A steam train took us the five miles from Sheringham to Holt. We explored Holt and returned to the station… where the learnt that trains to Sheringham had been cancelled. We returned to Sheringham on a bus, along with other disappointed passengers, also missing their steam train ride.  Continue reading “When Things Go Wrong”

Reflecting on Bob Dylan’s 80th birthday on Sunday… Apparently Dylan wrote ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ in 1962 – so he was just 16! This protest song, posing rhetorical questions about peace, war, and freedom, included: ‘How many years can some people exist Before they’re allowed to be free?’ Where can freedom be found? (WCFBF?) TheContinue reading “Where Can Freedom Be Found?”

Who? Yesterday was Bob Dylan’s 80th birthday. His song ‘Knock, knocking on heaven’s door’ reminds us of our mortality, questioning who will be allowed into heaven… At church yesterday Stephen reminded us of the old joke… St Peter is giving a new arrival a conducted tour. Walking down a long corridor they pass a blueContinue reading “Three Questions…”

Last night ‘When I Grow Up’ from ‘Matilda’ was on TV. This fun, feel-good song got me musing: When I grow upI will be tall enough to reach the branchesThat I need to reach to climb the treesYou get to climb when you’re grown up And when I grow upI will be smart enough toContinue reading “When I Grow Up”

Yesterday… …At ‘Singing for Wellbeing’ we sung the old song ‘Mama Don’t Allow’. Covered by many artists, in many styles… Verses list many things that Mama don’t allow, but her children are going to do anyhow. Mama don’t allow no music playin’ round hereMama don’t allow no music playin’ round hereWell, we don’t care whatContinue reading “What the Parents Thought?”

On Wednesday… …watching Miss Saigon, we heard the song: They’re called Bui-Doi, The dust of lifeConceived in Hell, And born in strifeThey are the living reminder of all the good we failed to doWe can’t forgetMust not forgetThat they are all our children, too ‘Bui-Doi’ in Viet Nam originally were starving country people, who cameContinue reading “It’s the People that Count”

Yesterday, reading Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ I came across the Latin phrase ‘ad astra per aspera’. Literally it means ‘ad astra’ – ‘to the stars’; ‘per aspera’ – ‘through suffering’. It’s a familiar idea. Every problem is an opportunity. Difficulties can lead to learning and personal development. Hardship and suffering aren’t obstaclesContinue reading “Ad Astra Per Aspera”

Last night I was reminded of the children’s chasing game ‘Stuck in the Mud’. I played it when I was a child; I’ve watched children playing it… One child is chosen to be ‘it’. They chase and attempt to touch the others in the game. If they’re touched, they’re ‘stuck in the mud’, standing stillContinue reading “Stuck in the Mud”