#r2bcheerful39 – Taking Mum to Paris

Last year we were fortunate enough to travel to travel to Europe for a few weeks. Although we mainly spent time in the UK we did get a chance to travel to Paris for a few days and enjoy the sites. As it was a family affair, I can strictly say that I was taking mum to Paris (albeit the mother of my children!)

And what better way to celebrate this then an image of Gustav Eiffel’s famous iron tower?

Built as a temporary structure for the 1889 World’s Fair this remains the tallest building in Paris and is the most visited paid monument in the world, over 125 years later. Looking up at this icon how can one fail to have a reason to be cheerful?

~ Richard

January 17, 2018 3

#r2bcheerful35 – Health Service glasses

It’s been a long time since I lived in the UK and when I was there my eyesight was better than it is now so I didn’t need glasses for reading. However, it was nice to know the National Health Service (NHS) offered free glasses, at least to the young, old, and less well off members of British society. I checked on their website and it still seems to be the same, so that’s good. When the NHS was established, on 5 July 1948, during Ian’s childhood, it was surely a reason to be cheerful, as it is today, to be able to get your eyes checked out and glasses if you needed them courtesy of the good old “Health Service.”

170205_r2bcheerful_glasses
Yes, I know these aren’t NHS glasses, but to be honest they’re not too dissimilar from the old black-framed ones that used to be issued when we were kids.

~Richard

February 5, 2017 1

#r2bcheerful24 – Going on forty

Ian was born in 1942, so when he and the Blockheads wrote this song in 1979, he was the grand old age of 37 years old. Given he was at the height of his musical career at this point, after a fairly late start, I would think it fairly obvious that “going on forty” was a reason to be cheerful for him.

It’s been a long time since I was 40, but I was on a number hunt over the last couple of weeks for my photo site and did happen upon this great 40lb dumbbell in the gym which I offer as an interpretive image.

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~Richard

January 24, 2017 1

#r2bcheerful25 – No Electric Shocks

My understanding is this phrase was the inspiration for Ian writing Reasons to be Cheerful (Part 3). During a tour in Italy in 1979 one of the band’s roadies, Charley, was nearly electrocuted during a soundcheck at one of the venues because of poor electrical wiring at the gig. Thankfully, he survived but the show was cancelled and this song was written in the hotel that same evening.

Anyhow, we all know that although essential for modern living, electricity is dangerous unless treated with respect.

This sign is from an old disused rail bridge near to my home, and warns of the dangers. Not having an electric shock is always a reason to be cheerful!

~Richard

January 14, 2017 1

#r2bcheerful27 – The Smile of a Parrot

I started this 66-image Reasons to be Cheerful challenge off in 2016 with no time limit. However, I intend to see how many I can complete this year starting with this shot I took of a parrot at the Ardastra zoological gardens in the Bahamas. I have no doubt that this parrot is smiling and it’s certainly a reason to be cheerful!

170107_r2bcheerful27-smileofaparrot

~Richard

January 7, 2017 1

#r2bcheerful42 – Bantu Stephen Biko

Today is the memorial of Stephen Biko’s death in custody of the South African police, back in 1977. He was founder of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) and I first became aware of him though Ian’s reference in Reasons to be Cheerful (Part 3) in July 1979, ahead of Peter Gabriel’s iconic tribute to him in the song “Biko” the following year. Bizarrely, “Biko’s” was also the name of the burger bar at my Student Union in University in the UK in the 1980’s. It is odd how the SU chose to memorialize people, but hey, that was the 80’s for you. I am sad to see that it is no longer the case.

Now, obviously I do not have any photographs of Steve Biko that I have taken myself and in some ways it’s odd to include him in a list as a “Reason to Be Cheerful.” I can only assume that Ian was eluding to the fact that heroes like Steve Biko are a real reason to be cheerful. For that reason it seems appropriate for me to not post a simple photo but rather his likeness in the style of the famous Obama “Hope” imagery.

~Richard

December 18, 2016 2

#r2bcheerful1 – Summer

Yesterday I wrote about the Reasons to be Cheerful photography challenge and explained that I have started it now as I wanted to kick off with the word “Summer.” Well, apparently our summer officially ends this Thursday in Pennsylvania so here’s my image:

Summer to me is associated with days the beach, both as a kid and an adult. This image was taken in the summer at Cape May, New Jersey with my little Recesky plastic camera, a fun device I described in a prior post. I am not a sailor by any means, being the sort of guy that gets seasick when crossing a bridge, but I still loved the look of this beautiful little wooden sailing skiff pulled up on the sand.

A Reason to be Cheerful, for sure!

~Richard

#r2bcheerful #r2bcheerful1

September 18, 2016 4

Tag: r2bcheerful

#r2bcheerful39 – Taking Mum to Paris

#r2bcheerful35 – Health Service glasses

#r2bcheerful24 – Going on forty

#r2bcheerful25 – No Electric Shocks

#r2bcheerful27 – The Smile of a Parrot

#r2bcheerful42 – Bantu Stephen Biko

#r2bcheerful1 – Summer

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