Goodness. I seem to have gone brain dead (or brain deader) and can’t think of much to say. Nothing of value, anyway. I just returned from Alaska and maybe I indulged in too much visual and sensual stimulation (there can be no question that I indulged in a few other things to excess, too) and it has sucked any remaining vestiges of creativity out of me.

I just thought that I should post something to indicate signs of life.

And I have been a bit nostalgic.

I am a bit nostalgic quite a lot, to be honest.

So I entitled this post ‘It’s only love’ because, right now, I think everything is about love (certainly every story or silly poem I have ever written is about love in one way or another) but it really doesn’t have to mean that much …. you know? It’s only love. Get over it.

And the picture above is of my old pals Mike and Bill (Bill left the planet a few years ago, alas) but they did once produce a little tune with the same title as my post.

You can listen to it here if you wish.

And they did another song called ‘Disco Dilemma’ which I understood so well …. but if you weren’t a male in the 70’s it would mean nothing to you. But the last few lines echoed a teenage experience for me ….

She can’t hear what you’re saying

Another record is playing

So you don’t get to say

Goodbye

As you push through the crowd

The music’s playing so loud

No one hears you’ve got tears

In your eye

****

As I say …. I’m feeling a little nostalgic and melancholy.

But this is just me saying hello, really.

Hello.

As some of you may recall – I am in Alaska at present for the purposes of attending a wedding which will occur in a matter of hours from now.

I have been sitting this morning with the groom and best man attempting to come up with a suitable speech. The majority of attendees, we are assuming, will be Alaskans but there will be a strong contingent of Australians as well. The event is, after all, to some extent at least, to mark a union between the two cultures. The trick will be to come up with something that is sensitive to both but remains unashamedly Australian.

We have conducted extensive brainstorming and research. Most of the jokes have been, reluctantly, discarded.

In the end we have based something vaguely around the following (admittedly a 21st birthday speech and admittedly by a New Zealander).

What do you think?

Bear survival techniques have thus far proven successful. Speaking to them (politely but firmly) seems to do the trick.

Killer Whales (Orcas) seem, on the other hand, to be completely disinterested in idle chit chat. We spent a few hours this morning thinking that we were chasing them but we were, in reality, just keeping out of their way.

Majestic creatures.

OK. So ….. people have let me know that this bear threat is very real. So I have been doing some research via the signs that I am seeing more and more of on the paths that I tread. Apparently it is important to let the bear know that I am human. Bears take issue, it would seem, with visitors from other galaxies. Fair enough. Me too.

Apparently I should talk ‘normally’ to the bear. That is not a problem to me, of course. These are American bears that I am dealing with, and they are comfortable with English. But I saw some Japanese people earlier this morning and I am very worried that their lack of conversational expertise with bears may be, potentially, life threatening.

Anyway ….. I climbed Mt Roberts today. It was an act of utter insanity. I may be crippled for life, as a result

But, up the top, the view was special.