An Introduction
Blog, July 2023
Many years ago (1999-2005), I was the proud editor of the Wirral Mind Fountain Club’s ‘A Peace of Mind’ Magazine. A publication which was run by and for the people who needed the mental health services of Wirral Mind. When I took over this position, I felt my main objective was to co-produce something that reflected the contributors’ talents in a professional manner.
Well, that started well. I received a feedback letter which acknowledged the hard work that went into making the magazine, then also highlighted that most of it was unreadable due to the medley of different fonts and colours used. Basically, I was like a kid with a new set of coloured felt-tips or pencils. I had a new PC and wanted to try out all the desktop publishing features on it. The end result, to be honest, had no continuity and the bulk of the text was illegible, particularly to those living with Dyslexia. A lesson learned! From there on in, I adopted a far more refined style.
Anyway, as editor, I took the liberty of giving myself a regular slot in the magazine, entitled ‘Jarmin’s Thoughts’. The idea behind these articles was to discuss subjects close to my heart. Many of these written pieces were accompanied by a bit of my abstract poetry. In forthcoming blogs, I will share these articles with you, updated to also reflect the current times we live in.
‘SING FOR ENGLAND’
July 2001, Adapted & Edited July 2023
Thirty-five years of hurt (as of 2001) and it still goes on. The British Lions Rugby Union Team, Tim ‘Timmy’ Henman (British tennis player) and our (England) national men’s cricket team all had another summer with the same old story of failure. A far cry from when our footballers won the World Cup back in 1966. I wonder if a certain ‘Eddy the Eagle Edwards’, (Ski Jumper) being made a British hero for coming last in the 1988 Winter Olympics, may have had something to do with this?!
Talking of sporting ‘Eagles’, how can I forget when Palace (Crystal Palace FC) qualified for the European ‘UEFA Intertoto Cup’ 1998.
Extract from Wikipedia…
“The UEFA Intertoto Cup originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition between European clubs. The competition was discontinued after the 2008 tournament.
The tournament was founded in 1961–62, but was only taken over by UEFA in 1995.
The cup billed itself as providing both an opportunity for clubs who otherwise would not get the chance to enter the UEFA Cup (now Europa League)”
If I remember correctly, Palace were entered into this competition because we had the best ‘Fair Play’ record in the PL (Premier League) for the 1997-1998 season. We finished bottom of the league that year and were relegated, after only gaining promotion a year earlier.
Well, it’s over twenty-years later, and England have won a few international trophies since 2001. The Rugby Union World Cup 2003 in Australia, England’s Lionesses won the European Women’s Football Championship, 2022 and we’ve won the Ashes a few times, arguably the most memorable in 2005 after 18 years of hurt.
As for Palace, we’ve just completed a record-breaking 10th consecutive successful season in the Premier League without relegation (famous last words). Still no trophies, but we came close in 2016, almost beating Man U (Manchester United) in the FA Cup Final. However, like the 1990 final, it was so close, yet so far…
‘OH TO BE ENGLISH IN THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY’
Written June 2000, edited July 2001 and adapted July 2023
Summertime 2001, when the leaves are green,
Our national sporting teams screw up again,
Now what have we to offer the world?
Not a lot, according to the tabloids.
But then we beat the Aussies
In 2003 & 2005,
And the Lionesses Roared
To Glory in 2022.
And Who Knows, in 2023
Win, Lose or Draw?
As long As Our Teams Try,
We Can Hold Up Our
Heads With Pride!
It could be debated that commercialisation has tainted top class professional sport. Marketing of the English Premier League across the world, in my opinion, has taken our national game away from the local communities and made the price of seeing their favourite team play at home, so exorbitantly high that fans who have supported their team for many decades can no longer afford to do so.
However, many clubs like Palace have invested in initiatives, such as projects aimed at getting people away from knife crime. In my mind, it’s the engagement at the grass roots level, where real, long-term, success will come at any level of competition. There needs to be a sense of personal pride to achieve the best, regardless of the field of expertise. Our governments need to be investing in all sections of society. The media, rather than setting up people to fail, need to be genuinely getting behind our heroes, no matter who they are.
In my next blog, I shall be discussing the dumbing down of television and other forms of creativity.
Jarmin Apple
July 2023
"Drop-in and Chill Out" 