What a Pantomime!

…and what a pantomime it was.

“He’s behind you!!!!!!” is my favourite comedy line.

Whether it is a fox {like it was last night in the panto my daughter performed in} or monkey or gorilla or monster – the bit where the man in drag gets followed by a man in a costume completely cracks me up.

One year in Castleford {Home to KAOS – an awesome theatre company} it was a werewolf. The littlest kids were terrified.

As the years go by I get louder and louder. Some places love me and ask me to come again. Others think I scare the kids.

Sometimes I want to run on stage and make Widow Twanky confront the bloody gorilla and shout as I bang her head into his “See! I told you he was behind you! Don’t play games with me!”

I love panto. Its so very safe. Completely nuts but safe.

Village halls. Tea and a raffle in the interval. Un-necessarily loud prompters. Plots that make no sense. Women dressed in costimes made from 10 year old curtains. Men in women’s clothing. Plumbers as dames.

Its bloody marvellous. Completely marvellous!

Oh yes it is!!!

Tim Ocsko

http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/

Expect…

A woman gave me a piece of paper with one word on it.

EXPECT

Great word. I spent all day today with its meaning [or at least the one I had firmly lodged in my head] rolling round shaping my thought life. By the end of the day I thought that I should do the grown up thing an research what EXPECT actually means…its a shocker!

Here’s me thinking it was about being confident in how someone will behave {which is sort pf true in one sense} BUT the literal meaning is to look forward. EXPECT is derived from a latin word ‘EXSPECTARE’. here’s the full definition:

a. To look forward to the probable occurrence or appearance of: expecting a telephone call; expects rain on Sunday.

b. To consider likely or certain: expect to see them soon. 

c. To consider reasonable or due: We expect an apology.

d. To consider obligatory; require: The school expects its pupils to be on time.

e. To look forward to the birth of one’s child. Used in progressive tenses: His sister is expecting in May.

f. To be pregnant. Used in progressive tenses: My wife is expecting again.

Wow! Cool or what?

This is now my word. I own it. I wrote it on my hand today, and will do so again tomorrow.

I am in a state of expectancy. How fitting, as this is advent after all and I remain steadfast on my journey.

Thanks to all of you lasting the course with me – you are very patient, kind and forgiving,. Apologies to those whom I have confused, tired, befuddled, irritated and started speaking in a language you don’t understand. Don’t stay stuck there – safe and sound – for too long. Come on in the waters choppy!

Tim Ocsko

http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/

Secret Santa…

On the subject of advent and journeys etc, Santa will of course be making an appearance soon.

I knew this woman once who wanted a red portable radio for Christmas. She never got it and always mourned the fact. Like everything else she ever got was nice but just not a red portable radio.  One day her husband bought her one – almost the exact model. She cried. Not with joy or relief but with sadness because she had always wanted her father to buy her it.

I want the compilation of Laurel and Hardy DVDs. I just don’t want anyone in my family to buy it! Odd or what! I have a romantic notion that life could be so good that a total stranger or someone on the periphery of my life could buy me something precious – could dispense such generosity and grace.

This year I am going to buy someone on the periphery of my life something which I am going to guess they not only want or need but hanker after. I am going to take a chance. It could be you. Imagine if we all did it. We all bought and gave extravagantly outwith the normal circle we move in.

Its nearly advent. He’s coming.

Tim Ocsko

http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/

Jingle Bells…

Our local pub has a Christmas Tree in its window. Seriously. I noticed it this morning.

Tesco is bulk stocking chocolate mountains of Roses, Heroes and Quality Street.

Booklets have starting arriving flogging Christmas Cards neatly shaped like next year’s shopping lists.

Yet…..

Its a beautiful sunny day. My garden is full of life. The breeze is warm.

If you listen very quietly. No very quietly. Hush……………

That isn’t jingle bells you can hear – its spring. Can you hear it? Season of change. New beginnings. Fresh starts.

Let me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas, but more importantly the first to applaud your new spring. Your new start. Make it today.

Listen…..

Tim Ocsko