Greetings fellow earthlings. This is going to be brief. Between it being summer, and my brand new-ish orthopaedic issues, I’m going to pause #HHOTW, and take a short hiatus. That doesn’t mean I’m disappearing, I’ll still be around on social media. If I go dark, it’s because I’ve had to have emergency surgery, which obviously I’m hoping to avoid.
If I make anything fun, or write anything interesting, I’ll still post it here, and share links via social media. I can’t promise I will do much, as sitting at my desk is less than ideal.
All this is about as far from the basic idea of #HHOTW as can be. It’s a lowlight, not a highlight.
Anyway, I’ll be back in around the end of summer for more of whatever it is I do around here. Wish me luck with my faulty spine. Catch ya later masterbators!
Firstly, I owe you all an apology. I didn’t manage to post anything for #HHOTW last Friday. Blame my boring new health issues, along with a mini-heatwave for preventing me from posting anything. I let you down, I let the internet down, and more importantly, I let myself down. What’s worse is this week’s #HHOTW is not an all time great. It’s mediocrity at its mediocre best.
Hippy Health Update
Will keep this super brief. Saw a GP at my surgery this week, who sent me straight back to A&E, telling me my spine might be crumbling. Spoiler alert: It’s not crumbling, but it is in bad shape.
Had a much better experience at A&E this time. It wasn’t as busy, and I was seen relatively quickly. The doctor was fantastic, did the most thorough exam that I’ve had since this bullshit started, and tried to get me some tests done that same day, as she said my problems were urgent. Urgent, perhaps, but not urgent enough for the radiographers to squeeze me in. I was actually a bit relieved as I am dreading the test, but also because my spine isn’t as bad as some doctor’s have thought. I am going back on Monday morning, bright and early for the test with the same sense of dread. On top of all that, it’s meant to be 30C+ on Monday, so I am not looking forward to the whole thing. I hate extreme heat, London doesn’t cope with it well.
500 Days
Technically, this is a highlight from last week. And if we really want to get pedantic, it’s not really even a highlight, as it has been overshadowed by my “crumbling spine”.
Staying with the theme of mediocrity, here’s are two very quick ones which might illicit a guilty giggle or two.
Not sure why you’d want to come back next week, but the invitation remains open. Some weeks are much better than others. I have a lengthy list of things I want to write, and graphics and videos I want to make. For the last couple of weeks, I just haven’t been up to it, which sucks. I think once I am properly diagnosed, and I know what the treatment will be, I might feel a bit better, and more creative. Unless I need surgery, which could be possible, in which case, I will continue on my sad, depressed path. Hey ho. See you next week, you glorious mofos!
The hippy reflects on 500 days without a major seizure. You’d think he’d be happy about it, but you probably know him well enough to think otherwise. You would be correct.
I hit a significant milestone this week. I haven’t had a major seizure in 500 days. That’s a new record for me, beating my previous record of 361 days. The last time the paramedics made a house call to me is also over 500 days ago.
You might have noticed I used the words “major seizure’. Not having any major seizures is an extremely good thing. I should be celebrating, I guess.
Are my seizures now well controlled? Sorta. I continue to have occasional partial seizures, both simple, and complex.
Partial seizures are what trigger my major seizures. Major seizures are my shorthand for tonic-clonic seizures. They’re the ones that can kill you. I haven’t had one since February 2024.
Even though I haven’t had a major seizure in what seems like a long time, I still worry about them. Constantly. The continuing partial seizures don’t help. And as much as I want to believe the big ones are now under control, there’s a part of me that still expects one every day. It limits what I do to a worrying degree. I continue to have a lot of anxiety around the possibility of a new seizure.
The fear itself is not new. I was referred for counselling by my neurologist over a year ago, as my reaction to my epilepsy diagnosis is not uncommon.
I’ve now have had around half a dozen telephone sessions with a really nice psychologist who specialises in epilepsy, over the last 6 months. I was given a choice between 6 sessions over 6 weeks, or 6 sessions randomly over a period of months. I chose the latter.
I had made a bit of progress. I went for longer walks, I went up to my local high street too. The high street was especially hard, as the last time I went up there, I had a seizure on the way back home, outside. That’s my biggest fear, my next seizure happening outside of my home.
Then a couple of weeks ago, a brand new health issue presented itself, just to cunt my life to fuck just a little bit more.
I have altered sensations in my feet. It feels like a combination of “pins and needles”, and numbness. It has now crept up my calves a bit. In other words, it is worsening.
My GP sent me to A&E, and they discovered I have some compression fractures in my spine. I am now waiting for more tests. Walking is not easy, as the altered sensation is bad for my balance.
I had to pop out to buy a lightbulb from a nearby shop earlier today, which I managed to successfully do, but I am now paying the price. My feet feel super weird, and my lower legs too. I am sure I overdid it, and it was literally a 5 minute walk there, and a 5 minute walk back. FML.
The weirdest part of all of this is I have no back pain. The theory from the doctors is that the compression fractures are pressing on a nerve, or pinching my spinal cord, cause the issues with my lower extremities.
The doctors told me I could end up paralysed. They also told me if I find myself unable to walk, to get to A&E urgently. That would involve the paramedics, again. Obviously, all this is adding to my anxiety. So much for making any progress of trying to be normal again.
I have too much wrong with me, and too many ongoing conditions. I am now taking 24 assorted pills, tablets and capsules daily. Depending upon what these new tests show regarding my spine, there will probably be more drugs to come.
I never thought I would ever say this, but I take too many drugs. If I were a horse, they would have shot me by now. This isn’t my depression talking, I have genuinely had enough, and that newly approved assisted dying bill won’t be implemented quickly, so it probably won’t help me.
I’d hit my limit when I was diagnosed with epilepsy, and I’ve been in a bonus round ever since. Piling more health issues on top of that, and the others, is a recipe for madness.
What’s a poor, sad, sick hippy meant to do? Wait for more health issues I expect. Eventually, one of them will be bad enough to finish me.
My life actually ended a little over 6 years ago, when I stopped working, just as the partial seizures were ramping up. Had I known what was going on with my health at the time, I wouldn’t have resigned. But I did.
Sure, I might have some occasional fun making weird shit for the internet, but mostly the last 6 years have sucked ass. I could have just as easily done without them. I spend a great deal of time wishing things turned out differently on the day of my worst cluster of seizures. And I waste even more time being angry about my birth.
With so much time on my hands, I reflect on my life a lot, and I think it was mostly a good one. I’ve done some cool things, been some cool places, and had some cool friends. You might not believe it, but there was a time when life was good for me. It’s a long time ago now. Looking back, I only have three real regrets, which isn’t that many when you think about it.
Regret number one is that I didn’t become fluent in a second language. It would have been useful at times.
The second is not having a dog as an adult. My family had dogs when I was growing up, but I didn’t manage it myself.
My third regret, is by far the most significant. I regret surviving my tragic premature birth. That’s the root of nearly all my problems. Had things gone differently, I wouldn’t be suffering today. Or any day. I guess ultimately, I mostly regret my existence. It’s not a fun regret to have.
After a 30 year career as a journalist, working for some of the largest news organisations in the world, including Associated Press and Reuters, and 15 years as a duty news editor for BBC News, Doug – the northlondonhippy is now a full time hippy, and writer. And for the last few years, he’s been #EpilepsyHippy. His life was a whole lot more fun before gaining that new title. For real.
Doug is also the author of “Personal Use by the northlondonhippy.” “Personal Use” chronicles Doug’s years of experience with mind altering substances, while calling for urgent drug law reform. It’s a cracking read. You will laugh, you will cry, and you can bet your ass that you will wish you were a hippy too!
If you want even more, (and who wouldn’t?) you could always check out Hippy Highlights – which is the best of the best stuff on the site, and it’s all free to read. What are you waiting for?
Gotta be honest, didn’t plan on edition 113 of #HHOTW to coincide with Friday the 13th, but there you go. And if you’re here, today, how lucky are you? So much for superstition.
I won’t say the pickings are slim this week, but I haven’t had any time to make much new stuff. That’s a lame excuse, I know, since this is what I’m allegedly doing full time. Anyway, onwards, and upwards towards the fun.
Made these a while ago, but haven’t published them here until now.
Three Film Posters
Don’t judge. A cheap laugh is still a laugh. It counts.
Speaking of laughs. Or not. This is the first posting anywhere, and it’s inspired by events at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC earlier this week
One Shitpost
That’s it for this week. Told you not to get your hopes up too high. I trust you followed my advice. Next week’s will be super kickass to make up for my lacklustre material this week. Until then, have a groovy time, whatever you’re up to for the next 7 days.
Greetings fellow Earthlings, and all the space aliens, and inter-dimensional beings snooping on our internet. Such wonders, and horrors you all must see. Not sure where I fit on that particular scale.
I’m back for another week of fun, games, and a minor health update.
My make-believe advertising agency signed up a brand new imaginary client this week. Here’s the first, and I expect only advert I will produce for them.
One very short video
A brief hippy health update
After my A&E adventure, I saw a GP at my surgery. I need some tests, and supplements, and probably yet another prescription drug. I have compression fractures (plural) in my spine. It doesn’t sound good, does it?
I’ve written about my health before, rather extensively. Many of my health issues can be traced back to my tragic, premature birth. I was born 6 weeks early, in the early 1960s’s. I was a miracle baby, which sucks. I don’t recommend it. One of the many things I was born with, was a hiatus hernia, which is where a bit of your stomach pokes through your diaphragm. It causes chronic heartburn, and can be confused with an ulcer. My issues began when I was 13 years old, and I wasn’t properly diagnosed until I was 18.
There is a surgical option, but I was advised against it by a gastroenterologist, as my condition has been well-managed via medication for a very long time. The meds are called proton pump inhibitors, and I have been on various forms of them for decades. They keep me symptom free. The downside to them, as I’ve recently discovered, is that long term use causes bone loss, and osteoporosis. In laymen’s terms, my skeleton is fucked.
The good news is my GP says it is treatable, they can prevent it from worsening, and hopefully restore some of my bone loss. I asked if there were any activities I should avoid, and my GP told me I should not do any extreme sports. I was way ahead of her, as I have been avoiding them my entire life.
So you see, my current new health issue, is related to effectively a birth defect, which was caused by my premature birth. It’s the circle of life, or some such nonsense.
Anyway, that’s it for this week, but I will be back next week, fractured spine and all.
It’s the last #HHOTW of May, and I have an overwhelming amount of stuff to share with you. And check it out, I added the “S” to the end of “Highlight” The second “H” in the hashtag is now plural. #HHOTW now translates into “Hippy Highlights of the Week”. Update your records accordingly. And thanks for your attention to this matter.
Before I get into the highlights, I’m going to start with the lowlight. Cue the violins as I solicit your pity. I lost an entire day, yesterday, at the Whittington A&E.
My GP insisted I go, and the staff was amazing, as always. But the lack of resources, and funding means people with non-urgent issues need to wait. My GP told me I needed to urgently get myself to A&E. The A&E people told me it wasn’t urgent, and I had to chill in the waiting room for a long time. Having been an actual urgent case several times myself, I was cool with them dealing with heart attacks, seizures, and the like, before getting to me.
Once I saw the doctor, he didn’t rush with the exam, he was thorough, he did several tests, explained the results, recommended some further, future tests, and sent all of that info to my GP surgery. And when I spoke to my GP again today, she was able to quickly read the results of everything they did to me. It’s a very joined up system. When I’ve had ambulance rides to A&E in the past, the ambulance, and A&E reports were accessible by my GP immediately.
And before anyone gets too worried, I’m fine. I had a minor complaint, that out of an abundance of caution, meant my GP had to send me to A&E. I was at risk of a very rare syndrome that could cause paralysis. Already forgot its name. I didn’t think I had it because I lacked most of the symptoms, but I was a good boy, and did what the doctor told me to do. Guess what? I didn’t have it. They ruled out all sorts of stuff, and found something brand new.
They discovered an issue with my spine, that requires more tests. Yawn. I am so bored of having stupid health issues. Getting old sucks so much. Nobody tells you, but it is really no fun. I one-hundred percent don’t recommend it, so start working on your eternal youth cure, before it’s too late. Big hint, aging is in our genetic code. Turn off the right gene, and you won’t age. Don’t worry, A.I. will figure it out. You could still get hit by a bus though. There’s more about A.I. fun further down. Please try to contain your excitement.
All this leads me to what I wanted to say, and that I am so lucky to have access to the NHS. If I still lived in America, I would be sooooooo fucked. Or already dead. Hey ho.
Something from the Lazy Hippy Kitchen
Speaking of America, how’s that for a smooth segue? I’m about to share with you another Lazy Hippy Recipe. This time it’s Lazy Hippy – Ranch Dressing & Dip. It’s easy to make, and it tastes so good.
It only takes about 5 minutes to make it
I wrote a thing this week
And staying with the American theme, I’m not actually American any more. Nope, I’m not. Not me. I’m Canadian Again. Can you blame me? It’s embarrassing to be an American these days. And it’s not the first time either.
I only posted one shitpost
Not sure what generation would get this. Definitely not mine
I did make another, first posting below
It made me laugh, and isn’t that what really matters? 🙂
A.I. is coming for your job. And yours. And yours too
Did you read the big scary warning from the head of Anthropic, CEO Dario Amodei? You really should, because he says half of all white collar jobs are about to disappear. I don’t think anyone realises just how fundamentally our lives are already changing due to A.I., except bosses, who are already plotting to replace you with an A.I. Agent. It’s already happened in some call centres. But the joke’s on the bosses, as they’re even more replaceable. Seriously, click that link, the source is the Harvard Business Review.
Chords – G C G F G C Am F G C if you want to play the home game. Send me a video of you performing the song, and I’ll send you a free copy of my book, Personal Use.
I considered performing it for you myself, but then I remembered two key things. I haven’t touched a guitar in a really long time, and I can’t sing. I thought that was justification enough for simply including the lyrics.
Told ya it was a busy #HHOTW. Go me and whatnot. Next time I post one of these, it will be June. This year is already flying by way too fast. Wasn’t New Year’s Eve just a few weeks ago? Catch ya next week.
A few months back, I had an awkward interaction with an Uber driver, and I hadn’t had one like this in a very long time.
I requested the ride, and the driver picked me up in less than 2 minutes. Turned out, he lived very close to me, and I was his first trip of the day. We got chatting and he asked me if I was American.
Technically, I am American. I was born and raised there, but I self-deported over 30 years ago, and have not even set foot in the country in over 20. I don’t really identify as American, even if I sound like one. I have a British first name, a British surname, a British passport and I’ve lived in London longer than Iived in the US of A. At this point, I’m am much more British than American.
I replied to the driver in the affirmative, that I was indeed American. He said he recognised my accent, because he had spent a lot of time around Americans.
I then asked my driver where he was from originally. He said he’d lived in London for over 20 years, but was originally from Iraq. My driver didn’t need to tell me why he left when he did.
Then there was a bit of silence, before I uncomfortably, nervously began laughing, while apologising for America’s terrible actions in his country. I was against the Iraq War, but that didn’t stop me from feeling guilty, and embarrassed about it. It was shameful. He didn’t seem to hold a grudge, or if he did, he kept it to himself. Like I said, it was awkward.
Similar interactions used to frequently occur to me during the second Gulf war, and it was just as uncomfortable back then. So much so, that when a stranger asked me my nationality, I began to say I was Canadian.
Everyone likes Canadians, They are friendly, non-controversial, and innocuous, so pretending to be Canadian made my life easier. My interactions with strangers of all nationalities suddenly became more pleasant. There were no pregnant pauses, no awkward silences, and no judgement, or criticism. People stopped telling me George W. Bush was a total dummy. As if I need to be informed of something so basic.
It wasn’t hard to pretend to be Canadian. My accent is neutral enough, and influenced by living in London so long that no one ever questioned my claim.
Once the war ended, and Obama was president, the USA became less of an international pariah, and I returned to being American again.
America is once again disliked by the rest of the world, perhaps more so than at any point in my life. And that’s not hyperbole. In just a few months, Trump has resurrected the whole evil empire thing, only this time it’s a domestic policy, with a level of intentional cruelty that I didn’t think was possible.
I’m not doing this out of fear. It’s embarrassment. I’m ashamed of what America has become. The Trump regime is attacking freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, freedom of everything. They’re even attacking institutes of higher learning, like Harvard, one of America’s oldest, and most prestigious universities. And don’t forget all the illegal deportations, er I mean the kidnapping and trafficking folks to other countries – US citizens and non-citizens alike. No one is safe in Trump’s America.
I’m hoping I won’t have to be Canadian forever. I’m not a fan of deception. That said, I don’t know how America comes back from this. If Trump really fufils his dream and becomes “President for life”, then I might be Canadian for quite a while. It’s cool, I already like maple syrup, and I’m sure I can get a Canadian hockey jersey online. After all, I’m Canadian, again.
After a 30 year career as a journalist, working for some of the largest news organisations in the world, including Associated Press and Reuters, and 15 years as a duty news editor for BBC News, Doug – the northlondonhippy is now a full time hippy, and writer. And for the last few years, he’s been #EpilepsyHippy. His life was a whole lot more fun before gaining that new title. For real.
Doug is also the author of “Personal Use by the northlondonhippy.” “Personal Use” chronicles Doug’s years of experience with mind altering substances, while calling for urgent drug law reform. It’s a cracking read. You will laugh, you will cry, and you can bet your ass that you will wish you were a hippy too!
If you want even more, (and who wouldn’t?) you could always check out Hippy Highlights – which is the best of the best stuff on the site, and it’s all free to read. What are you waiting for?
Yep, it’s Friday again, and I am here to rock your world. And by “rock your world” obviously I mean providing you with bitter disappointment. I’m setting the bar high this week.
Strategic Vertically Integrated Re-Brand Synergy
After threatening to make some new graphics, I finally got around to it this week. I’m not a graphic designer, but I have been playing at it for a while. I’ve gotten faster at it, if nothing else. I hope they are an improvement. I was aiming for more depth, and texture, while still maintaining my historic multicoloured theme. The palette is deeper this time, and more spread across the spectrum.
While testing out the graphics on various websites, I noticed that my new logo, and banner don’t display on phones. It looks much better on a real computer screen, or an iPad. That’s how you get the full-on hippy experience. Anyway, here’s my new banner, in case you can’t see if by default.
My giant clear out continues, slowly, and for good reason. I don’t want to toss out anything I’d like to keep. The plan is to be extra careful, and thorough.
For this one, please grab a violin, and a box of tissues. It’s a sad tale, with a happy ending.
I don’t have many photos of myself. It’s a combination of me moving continents, and a dysfunctional family. Hey ho. So imagine my surprise when I discovered a treasure trove of old photos. And by trove, of course I mean around a couple of dozen, and more than half of those snaps are from a 2 week stay in Mogadishu in 1992.
Here’s one of the most sentimental things I found: It’s my baby picture. I thought it was lost a very long time ago. I hadn’t seen it in decades.
This little guy was me a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away
I was a miracle baby way back in the olden days of the early 1960’s. They didn’t think I’d survive. Spoiler alert: You already know I did.
And that’s not all…
Here’s the coolest thing I found. And I’d been trying to find it for ages. Yes, I should have definitely taken better care of it. But then, come on, there’s lots of things I should have done, but didn’t.
Check this out:
Someone else got that autographed photo of Springsteen for me, way back in the olden days of 1978 or 1979. I didn’t meet Bruce myself until the summer of 1982.
I mentioned Mogadishu. I was there in December of 1992. I arrived just before the US military did, on what was meant to be a humanitarian mission. It was long before Black Hawk Down.
Sat-phones back then weighed nearly a tonne, and were bulky to carry as well. Also they were worth a small fortune, and the per minute call charges were insane. My new iPhone can connect to a satellite in an emergency, if I don’t have normal mobile service available. I’ve not needed to test it out, which is a good thing, but the fact that it’s possible still blows my mind.
One shitpost
I’m a meme now.
That’s probably more than enough for this week. Perhaps even too much. I’ll try and tone things down for next week. Don’t want anyone to overdose on me, I just want you hooked.
A hale and hearty hello from sunny north London. Welcome once again to another edition of Hippy Highlight of the Week!
I had another busy week IRL, so I didn’t get to make nearly as much as I would have hoped. That’s true most weeks, and my list of fun ideas of stuff to write, or make, just keeps getting longer. And I still want to give my website and graphics a fresh coat of digital paint. It’s time I blew the cobwebs off this place.
Three shitposts
Here’s the first one. It’s a little late, but I haven’t it posted here yet.
And this second one is brand, spankin’ new, and I haven’t posted it anywhere until now.
And finally, Signalgate, the sequel!
From the hippy archive:
“My Summer of Springsteen” is a piece I wrote a couple of years ago, and it has become the most read piece on my website. It’s about me meeting Bruce, and seeing him hanging out, and jamming all around the Jersey shore. It’s also about me “growin’ up”. It’s part of the “Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll Collection”, which is a series of pieces I wrote and published online that’s an unofficial sequel to my book, “Personal Use”.
That’s it for this week, but in 7 short days, I’ll be back with more high quality, you know, whatever it is I do around here. Until then, keep on groovin’, you groovers!
A very pleasant Friday to one and all. Greetings from north London, and whatnot.
Remember I said that #HHOTW could be anything I wanted? It’s okay if you don’t recall, but I really did say it, and it’s never been more true than this week.
My highlight was coming up with a new recipe, making it, and it being a massive success. I call it “Lazy Hippy – Welsh Rarebit Mac & Cheese”, and I’ve shared it online. I don’t think I’ve ever published a recipe before. It’s really easy to make, and it is seriously tasty.
Believe it or not, I didn’t make a single shitpost this week. Either my mental health regarding the state of the world is improving, or I’ve been staying occupied with other things. Trust me, it’s number two. I’ve been occupied. When I have more free time, I will produce more shitposts.
I did manage to make another full moon alert animation. It’s on Monday if you’re keeping score. Duck and cover motherthuckers!
I’ll be back next week for more #HHOTW fun. How about you?
Hey ho to all you hippies and hooligans hangin’ out with me on a Friday! Welcome to another edition of Hippy Highlight of the Week.
#DJHippy
I’ve had a fairly busy week. Well, busy for me anyway. So this week my main highlight for you is a ten song playlist of some of my favourite Soul and R&B tunes from the 1970s. Chances are you’ve heard them all before, but you never know… You might discover a groovy new fav for yourselves as well.
When I was a kid back in the olden days of the 1970s, I had a clock radio in my bedroom. I’d lay in the dark, and listen to the local top 40 station just before I slipped into slumber. Many of these are the songs that sent me off to dreamland back then. I am still digging all of those tunes today.
I make a new playlist every month, and all of these songs have been in heavy rotation in my house for a while, and are still going strong. Welcome to “the northlondonhippy’s 70s Soul/R&B Vibe Playlist”.
I subscribe to Apple Music, so that’s the first place you can find my playlist. If you click THIS LINK, it will open the playlist in the Apple Music app, as long as you have it installed.
I know not everybody has Apple Music, so I’ve also put the playlist on YouTube. You can check it out by clicking on THIS LINK. YouTube won’t let me embed it here.
You could always make your own version of my playlist on the platform of your choice. Here’s the list:
1) Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up – 1970
2) Me and Mrs. Jones – Billy Paul – 1972
3) What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye – 1971
4) Midnight Train to Georgia – Gladys Knight & the Pips – 1973
5) Across 110th Street- Bobby Womack – 1973
6) Living For the City – Stevie Wonder – 1973
7) Backstabbers – O’Jays – 1972
8) Can’t Get Enough of Your Love – Barry White – 1974
9) Fantasy – Earth Wind and Fire – 1978
10) When Somebody Loves You Back – Teddy Pendergrass – 1978
I could have added more to the list, loads more, but I thought 10 tunes was a reasonable length. It’s around 45 mins of music, which is the standard duration of an album or CD.
I did mention I would be sharing some playlists, and if you guys dig it, I’ll do more of this.
I defy you to sit still while listening to this music. At a minimum, your toes will be tapping. And if you end up dancing around your place, carried away by the groove, you can blame me for bringing a tiny bit of joy into your life.
Clear Out – Discovery
My giant house clearing exercise is ongoing. My goal is to get rid of as much junk as possible. It’s slow going because it’s amazing how much crap you end up with over the years. I do keep finding interesting things. Like this flyer from the early 2000s, when magic mushrooms were sold openly, and (quasi) legally. The loophole in the law was shut tight in 2005. It was a sad day.
I used to shroom regularly back then, and it was the most mentally healthy I’ve ever been. It’s also why I started writing stuff online, and why I have an entry in the Urban Dictionary. They even sell NLH branded mugs, but I don’t get a cut, so please don’t buy one.
One Shitpost
This one’s a #HHOTW exclusive, so far. I only made it this morning, and I’m saving it for social media, when this horrible little man undoubtably does something else unpleasantly newsworthy. He’s Trump’s border creep, and he has a hard-on for illegal deportations. Gross.
That’s it for this week. Have a bitchin’ bank holiday weekend if you’re in the UK. Catch ya later you wonderful human! Come back soon!
A very warm welcome to my website. I hope you enjoy your stay.
I’ve had a relatively busy week IRL, which means the pickings are slim for this week’s #HHOTW.
I have been trying to clear out old junk that’s accumulated around the house for about 30 years, and it seems to be an endless task. Last week, I showed you one of my finds, my MTV baseball cap from the mid 80s. This week’s discoveries were photos, mostly of me. One of them is from 1991 or 1992, which makes it the oldest photo of myself that I have, outside of old press credentials, and passports. I won’t be posting my photos online. I expect that won’t cause too much disappointment.
All I have to share are two shitposts, both related to the passing of the Pope.
The first one features JD Pants:
And the second one was snapped especially for Instagram:
Oh, and I’ve got one quick GIF that I made. Full disclosure: The version I’ve posted here is video because for some reason GIFs stutter when I post them here. I have no idea why.
That’s it for this week. Told ya the pickings were slim. I’ll aim to do something double extra special next week, to make up for my piss poor performance today. Catch ya next Friday for more #HHOTW hilarity and fun.
Greetings groovers. It’s already Friday again. How’d that happen so fast? I’ve got a small selection of treats, but you don’t need to wait till Easter to enjoy them.
The main highlight this week is a piece I wrote about the rapidly deteriorating situation in the US of A. Whether you follow the news closely, like I do, or you just dip in and out, this piece pulls together a whole bunch of evil stuff that the Trump regime is doing. You can read the piece RIGHT HERE, or you can click the distress graphic below.
One photo
I actually went outside this week. It was good. I should do it more often.
One Shitpost
I’ll let it speak for itself. Additional commentary is not required.
An Easter treat!
If you need some entertainment this weekend, I suggest you check this out. If the special is successful, we’re hoping to take to a full series.
And that wraps us up for this week. Make sure you pop by again next Friday for even more hippy hilarity!
Good morning, afternoon, or evening, depending upon your exact location on our dying planet. Welcome to another edition of Hippy Highlight of the Week, or #HHOTW for short.
Here’s a piece I wrote about the year 1975, specifically about some media that you really should check out. You can find it RIGHT HERE, or you could click the link to the graphic below. The choice, as always, is yours.
Prediction
I made this graphic a while ago, and posted it on Twitter, and Reddit. It’s a prediction that I totally want credit for, should it come true. I’d wager it’s about 50/50 that Orange Shitler actually does it.
And for the interests of transparency, here are links to my original posts from February on TWITTER, and REDDIT. Would it surprise you if he did this?
Discovery
This is kinda cool. I have been clearing old crap out of my place for a while, and as I have been doing it, I’ve discovered things I thought were lost. Here’s one of them:
I was given that hat when I completed my internship at MTV in NYC nearly 40 years ago. If you would like to read about my time at MTV, I wrote a 4 part series about it, called MTV Redux. You should check it out.
Two quick shitposts
First there’s this one:
And here’s number two:
Housekeeping, sorta
I’ve been doing this on Twitter for a long time now. I don’t know why exactly, but I do know the full moon affects me, especially my sleep. The moon influences the tide, and humans are mostly made of water, so it must be high tide in our heads. I choose to believe it’s true. Anyway, this month’s full moon alert is animated:
That’s it for this week. Check back next Friday for more #HHOTW fun!
Getting old sucks, but I don’t need to tell you that. You’ll find out on your own, if you’re lucky/unlucky (delete as appropriate). I find it really weird to be able to say shit like “50 years ago blah, blah, blah”, but that’s exactly what I’m about to do. How’s that for a warm up?
Fifty years ago this year, two films, and one album came out that remain on my list of all time favourites. All three are well worth remembering, and revisiting. And if you’ve never enjoyed them yourself, then let the 50th anniversary of all three be the nudge you need to check them out.
The first film is “Jaws”, and if you’ve never seen it, you absolutely should. It was the very first big summer blockbuster. I don’t mean it was the first big Hollywood movie, but it was the first hyped-up film released in the summer, that went on to set box office records. But it wasn’t just a commercial success, the film was also critically acclaimed.
“Jaws” was promoted heavily, and had a lot of pre-release buzz surrounding it, prior to it’s debut. The way the film was successfully marketed became the blueprint on how to advertise new films. The pre-release excitement had people queuing around the block just to get a ticket.
I was 12 years old in 1975, and I got caught up in the massive hype too. The film was based on a very successful novel of the same name, written by Peter Benchley. In anticipation of the film, I devoured the paperback, much like a great white shark might, in big giant bites. And I read it more than once.
The film is a fairly faithful adaptation of the book. They omitted a minor subplot involving Chief Brody’s wife having an affair with Matt Hooper. It was a smart decision, as it would have been a distraction, and it would have made the character bond between Brody and Hooper weaker.
I saw the film at the very first screening on opening day. The film was a blast, and a half! Dramatic, exciting, action-packed, and just a tiny bit gory. Who knew shark attacks could be so messy?
The shark in the film, named “Bruce” by the crew, was a practical effect. There was no CGI back in the olden days. Could they make the shark look better today? Of course they could. Should they remake the film? OMG no no NO! The film still stands up today, and is as watchable now, as it was when I saw it in 1975. It’s extremely entertaining.
The second film I’d like to highlight from 1975 is “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, which was also wildly popular, though the subject matter was far less commercially appealing.
Based upon the 1962 Ken Kesey novel, the film went on to sweep all five major academy awards; Best film, best screenplay (adapted), best director, best actor, and best actress. It was also a commercial success, and surprisingly funny, considering the seriousness of the subject matter.
Michael Douglas was one of the producers on the film. At one point, his father, Kirk Douglas, was attached to star in the it, but that was more than a decade before this version was produced.
The story centres around Randall Patrick McMurphy, a boisterous, somewhat morally challenged, wise-ass, petty criminal, who feigns mental illness, and his locked up in a psychiatric hospital. He does this to avoid a worse fate, hard labour in prison. McMurphy is played by the great Jack Nicholson. Nicholson’s performance really drives the film. It is easily one of his best.
Jack Nicholson is one of my all time favourite actors. And he’s my homeboy, as we’re both originally from the same bit of the Jersey shore, though I didn’t know it back then.
McMurphy’s nemesis in the film is Nurse Ratched, played by Louise Fletcher. She is in charge of the ward in the mental hospital he ends up in, and she sees wise-cracking McMurphy as a threat to her authority. Both Fletcher and Nicholson won well deserved Oscars for their performances in the film.
And if you’re really paying attention, you should spot a young Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd in the supporting cast. The film was rated “R” in America. As I was only 12 years old, it meant I wouldn’t be admitted unless an adult accompanied me. I was ultra-hyped for the film, having read countless articles, and reviews about it, as well as seeing clips on TV. I spent weeks begging my father to take me to see it.
My dad wasn’t really a cinema goer, and I can count the number of times he went to the cinema with me on one hand. But I was persistent, and extra helpful around the house. He finally relented, and off we went.
I am not going to spoil the plot, as the less you know going in, the more you will enjoy it. As I said, there are parts that are laugh out-loud funny, but there are other elements that are extremely sad. Some might even say shocking, certainly to an audience 50 years ago. I expect it would be the same for an audience today.
If you ever get the chance, watch it. You really will laugh, and you will cry, and you will thank me for turning you on to such an amazing film.
“Born to Run”, is the album that made Bruce Springsteen a household name when it was released in 1975. All I ask is that you listen to it once. I’ve listened to it countless times, but I can remember the first time I heard it, like it was yesterday.
It was a few years after it’s release that I went Springsteen mad, but it was hard to miss the publicity he received when “Born to Run” came out.
Sure, we have NJ in common, but I think it wouldn’t have mattered where I lived. I would have still been into his music, and would have still become a huge fan wherever I grew up. That said, it didn’t hurt that Bruce and I lived in the same area, it was actually very cool.
When the record was released, Bruce was on the front cover of both Newsweek, and Time Magazine at the same time. That was pretty much unheard of, back then. Talk about hype!
Jon Landau, who was a music critic back in the day, provided this often quoted line, after attending a Springsteen performance: “…I saw rock ‘n’ roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen”.
Landau was right. He also went on to work with Bruce for a while, as a producer and manager. And he helped Bruce get out of his terrible first record contract, that was signed in the dark, on the hood of a car.
There are only 8 songs on the album, and it’s a just under 40 minutes long, but those 40 minutes insured that Bruce became one of the biggest rock and roll stars in the world. And 50 years later, that is still true.
I would suggest you listen to “Born to Run” at least once in track listing order. Think of it as a journey, follow the stories, and see where they lead.
In the 1970s, albums were considered an art form of their own. There were even radio stations that followed a format called AOR, which stood for Album Oriented Rock. You’re actually meant to listen to them their entirety. “Shuffle” is something else that wasn’t a thing back in the olden days.
Don’t think of all this as a homework assignment. Take it for what it is, a small, curated list of my top three pieces of media from 1975 that have more than withstood the test of time. I know there are many other films, and albums I could have name checked, but these three are special to me. One day, they might be special to you too.
After a 30 year career as a journalist, working for some of the largest news organisations in the world, including Associated Press and Reuters, and 15 years as a duty news editor for BBC News, Doug – the northlondonhippy is now a full time hippy, and writer. And for the last few years, he’s been #EpilepsyHippy. His life was a whole lot more fun before gaining that new title. For real.
Doug is also the author of “Personal Use by the northlondonhippy.” “Personal Use” chronicles Doug’s years of experience with mind altering substances, while calling for urgent drug law reform. It’s a cracking read, you will laugh, you will cry, and you can bet your ass that you will wish you were a hippy too!
If you want even more, (and who wouldn’t?) you could always check out Hippy Highlights – which is the best of the best stuff on the site, and it’s all free to read. What are you waiting for?
