Skip to main content

Eyes Down!


It's been a while since I wrote one of these and this is quite a short one. 

*Revised note: it's longer than I thought it would be (no that's not what she said).

Anyone who knows me knows that I spent around 15 years bouncing between jobs. I was like a frog on a lilypad trying to leave the pond but always finding themselves back to the safety of their lilypad. Gala Bingo Aylesbury was mine.

I wasn't even meant to stay for too long, about a month as I recall, helping Essie on the bar. However they noticed I was pretty good on the mic so kept me on as a nember of the team and over the course of those years I went from Bar Assistant, to Team Member, Fruit Machine Engineer, Mainstage Caller and Assistant Manager - and in the dark times - with the fall of Palpatine (if you know, you know) - I shared an unofficial role as General Manager with my brother -  my number 2 - Ryan Adams.  (yeah I'm never going to let that joke die).

It was a strange place to have as my spiritual home - a bingo hall. It must have been all those years of history that made it feel so special to me. 

I can honestly say it was the first place I ever felt I truly belonged! I'll also admit that I do find myself missing it from time to time. Missing my extended family. Both colleagues and customers alike. 

I did my growing up there! I know some of you may not agree that that I ever grew up. And if that keeps me young, I'll take that :-)

I learned about life, death, love, how to treat people, how to win, how to fail, how to deal with disaster and all of the emotions a human can possibly experience in one place. 

I even learned how to be an entertainer and performed my first performance as a musician in that very hall. Ironically I was also the last to perform on that stage on its closing night. A stage I shared with many greats including The Rolling Stones - albeit decades apart!

l gained my humanity from Noreen, my comedy from Sean, my mental toughness from Joy, my passion for life from Essie - the list goes on.

I learned so many things from so many people before me and taught so many of those things to so many after me. Deep down I hope that they passed those things on to the people that came after them. 

That hall, that job, those people, brought out the worst in me, and more importantly the very best in me! I am proud and so very grateful to have been part of its history and it gives me so much to reflect on when I need some reflection. So many lifetimes in one place!

There are far too many people to mention here but know that I appreciate you all. 

Thank you to my Gala family, for everything. I hope you're all well and that life is treating you to all the good things that you deserve.

With freedom day fast approaching, there may even be a reunion on the cards, so to whoever is organising it, count me in!

Eyes Down.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wise Words

 For the last couple of days I have been showing appreciation to and recognition of people and their actions which have had a significant and specific influence on me.  If you're not sure what I'm on about please feel free to check back on my previous posts.  Yesterday I received a message from someone, very concerned that I was reaching out for help and that I was contemplating suicide. I can assure you that I'm not and that I am totally ok. In fact I'm more ok than I think I've ever been in my whole life!  This kind of thing is one of the reasons why I'm doing what I'm doing. I'm feeling great and I want to pass that feeling on to as many people as I can. That's my goal here. So today is the turn of my fourth year middle school teacher at Oak Green - Michael Wise. I warn you this might be a bit long winded lol. There were other, more popular teachers and I don't even think that I liked Mr Wise at the time if I'm honest, but he had one of th
Post a Comment
Read more

My "Microcare" Family

  Not all of these posts will follow a chronological order, so you'll never know when your name is going to be called. The following actions weren't big actions but they had lasting effects. When I was 17 I moved to Wales. A small village in the then Borough of Newport called Rhiwderin. Which means blackbird on the hill. That has no relevance to this story but I thought you might appreciate a little bit of history. I dropped out of school at 15 without finishing my GCSEs and I'd had a couple of jobs since leaving school but I didn't really have any prospects for the future. I signed up for a Youth Training Scheme and got an interview at a local computer store called Microcare Computing. Fans of Goldie Looking Chain may know of this place ;-) The interview was held in the basement office and I had one of those out of body moments like I did in Miss Amos's music class.  I am convinced that these moments are signs of something that is meant to be! I was nervous but was
Post a Comment
Read more

Mom

 I want to start a wave of positivity on Social Media and in life in general. No scratch that, I want to contribute to the wave that is already there, by showing appreciation for people in my life. The people that have had the most specific influences on me.  I'm not trying to be soppy or "woo-woo", just a little more vulnerable and honest. A little more human! If you don't see your name pop up please don't be disheartened. I may not have worked out what you have given me yet or I may not have found the words but know this - you all inspire me in some way 🙂 I also challenge you to do the same. In life and especially on social media (if you want to). Let's weed out the negativity and replace it with positivity!  So first up.  Mom.  Vi Adams  My mom has struggled a lot in life. Emotionally and financially. I know we all have.  When I was a kid Mom worked 3 jobs just to keep us on the bread line. To steal a line from JK Rowling,  we were about as poor as you cou
Post a Comment
Read more