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The Blitz

Here's to the good times, and all the fun we had, then and now.

Cheerio Boffin!

 
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zeonchar said:
I lost a good friend recently too who I also served with in WWI in our past lives. I know not a lot can make it better, just time. You think you have almost forgotten about it and then suddenly you remember that they are not in your life anymore and you get that little sinking feeling in your chest.
Yes. That sinking feeling that he's not 'here'. He's 'gone'.

 
Oh wow! I hope to have the depth of memory you have some day. This is all so fascinating and dramatic, please tell me you are writing a book about this life. I would definitely be in line to buy it!
 
Thanks TMarie


No, I hadn't thought of writing a book about it. It took me many, many years to get all this info. It has come in bits and pieces over the years as I describe. It's fairly detailed because it's relatively recent. It seems to be the way that the recent ones are easier to remember.
 
The way you describe it all, I feel like I'm there! This just begs to be turned into a book, please do consider it!
 
Those are sometimes the best ones, if you framed it in the context of reincarnation and built a lesson into it, it could still turn out with a positive meaning for someone out there. :)
 
Yes. I guess it would work if the two stories were interwoven - then and now. A lot of the same people are involved, after all.
 
Yes! When placed in the context of transformation it's a beautiful thing, even with the pink tub incident. <3
 
I was thinking about this yesterday and thinking how would I go about writing it? Would I just go straight to the reincarnation approach or try some other ruse? It got me thinking how many other books and movies might actually be about past life memories / romances, but are disguised in the forms of dreams, time travel and so on. For instance, there is a lovely book about a past and present love affair that uses the ruse of old letters between the lovers discovered by a pair of modern day literature professors, Possession, by A.S. Byatt.

 
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Just curious, I know that the title of this is the Blitz, but do you have any memories of the Blitz events themselves and if so, what were they like?
 
I've written about how all of a sudden all the men were in uniform and how some of my friends were in the airforce involved in bombing raids.


As for what went on in London, I remember the sirens going off and I remember how people would rush to the shelters. I recall that when there was an air-raid alert going on, was a time that was very good for 'business', because a lot of people felt sort of defiant about it all and decided if they were going to die, they wanted to die 'happy'.


They are mainly just impressions. I seem to remember spending more than one air raid getting completely plastered, as did many people. :)
 
I had a bit of a flashback on the weekend. I went to a local pub where they have music outside in the beer garden on the weekends. It's all terribly pleasant. There was a band playing who specialise in 1920s music. The band leader is seriously, seriously obsessed by the 1920s. He dresses the part and brylcreams his hair, has a little moustache and the whole bit even when he's not on stage. This is them at the same venue, but inside. The film is just made to look old. (Told you the band leader is obsessed!)


Paddlin Madeleine:


Anyway, so they played a song called 'Should I' which the band leader introduced and said was from a musical made in 1930 (so still technically part of the 1920s). I don't think I'd heard it before. They play some fairly obscure stuff that he gets from old 78s he collects. I think that's part of the fun for him - reviving old songs that have been forgotten.


But, while the song was playing I 'remembered' being taken to see a show by my 'mentor' when I was very young and impressionable. I don't think it was a stage show, but was a band playing in a ball room, probably in a hotel somewhere. They used to have what they called 'tea dances' in the afternoon which were very popular at the time. They played the latest show tunes, which were the pop songs of the day. I remember I wanted to dance but didn't really know how. I recall him thinking this was all very 'cute'. Of course I was being 'groomed' but didn't know it at the time.


Anyway, just a nostalgic little flashback. Nothing of monumental significance or anything. I wished I could have danced the other day too, but there was no dancefloor and nobody else who would have the first clue how to dance to this music. I was with NB, but he's not a dancer. Oh well! (But he bought me one of their CDs :) )
 
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Interesting. Not many younger people today are interested in 1920s music. The "Old Music" played today is mostly 1960s and later. There used to be radio stations in the U.S. that played "Big Band" music from the 30s and 40s. But they all switched after the audience "went away" (died). This band leader obviously had a past life as a musician in the 20s. Do you know who Johnny Crawford is? He was a popular child TV actor in the U.S. in the 1960s, he could sing and dance. He is now in his 60s and has his own band in Los Angeles. They visit nursing homes and play the "Old" music. He loves it. He doesn't need the money. His old 60s show, "The Rifleman" is still being shown and he gets income from that. But now thanks to the internet we can listen to any kind of music we like. :)
 
Yes. Andrew Nolte, the band leader, is quite young. Only late 20s, maybe early 30s I'd say. He's third from the left in the video playing the saxophone and signing. His girlfriend tends to dress up in a 20s style too, just for fun. I see them around a bit where I live.
 
Oh yes. He certainly does. They played a few of those the other day. As I say, he is an expert on that period and style of music.
 
... but the War was bad. Very bad. Make no mistake.


This is a 'propaganda' piece from the time. It gives people at least some idea what it was like. Personally, I did my best to sleep through the worst bits... I did not always succeed.


https://youtu.be/eiW_yYOm2e8
 
I had a bit of a flashback of sorts this evening. I have barely been out of the house in the past few months since my friend X died, except to go to work and get my shopping. I've been a bit of a hermit.


But I ventured out tentatively tonight to hear some music a musician friend of mine was playing (jazz of course). He's an older guy, someone I've known for many years. A nice man, who I am fond of, but no more than that, who has had his share of 'woe'. It was a special night for him (long story) so I made a bit of an effort. Between sets, he was talking to me about how 'attractive' he finds me (blush).


That's nice and everything and all very flattering - nothing too serious, just fooling around (musicians! :) ). But, later on I was talking to his lovely girlfriend. She noticed how he was 'flirting' with me, as he often does. ... She was not upset about it or anything, or jealous or anything. She knows she has his 'heart' and his love which she does. More she was sort of curious /wondering / asking 'how do I do it'? What is it? Why do guys fall over you the way they do? How do I get them fluttering around me like moths? She's a very attractive lady and all, but she was just asking - 'what's the secret?'.


I was saying, it's no secret - I just smile and flatter them a little, tell them they're doing great, bat my eyelids, laugh at their jokes, make them feel good ... I don't even really know what it is that I do. I'm not bad looking which helps, but I'm no 'super model'. I am good company. I smile. I listen. I'm nice ... ??? Surely it's simple enough?


But ... as I was walking home later I got to thinking about it. We were talking in another thread today about 'be careful what you wish for' and it got me thinking somehow I guess. As I was walking along, I had a flashback to England around the 1800s somewhere, when I met X, but he disappeared and I never saw him again.

...I remember many happy times of walking along the hills of the cliff tops with him, him showing me all his little samples in jars. I thought he was terribly exotic and clever (he still is and I still do). Anyway, off he went on his voyage, with a promise to be back within a year, except he never came back....
The flashback was all about how at the time I wished I knew how to 'beguile' a man. I thought there was something wrong with me - which was why he left and never came back. Did I do something wrong? Did I not know how to speak to men or something? Was I too boring or stupid or innocent or something? I wished I knew more about the world, and about men and what to do to make them 'fall in love' with me.


Then, well, the Blitz life obviously fixed all that. Now I find it super easy to be charming to men, if/when I want to. It's really not that complicated! It's not just a matter of flirting, or flattery or simple attractiveness. It's, like most things, practice and the confidence that comes with that I guess? It's understanding. It's being relaxed about it.


Little did I know of course, that what is/was going on with me and X has/had very little to do with any of that, although, of course, it doesn't hurt I suppose.


I wish I could tell myself back then not to worry about it so much. Love is love. Fate is fate. It is what it is. Ah me! :(
 
Hi T,


Wise words! Also, it seemed like a good time to wish you the best for the new year!


I looked farther up the thread and saw your post about hearing a band and wishing you knew the right dance for that kind of music in your PL. It seems, apropos your thoughts about wishes coming true, that you found both the dances you liked best and the way to dance them in this life. So, that may be another wish come true to go along with the ability to "beguile" sought in another PL. wine**


Still, I think I was attracted to this thread by the title. We have a nice church luncheon on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month, and like to find our historian friend to sit with and talk to while we eat. Of course, there was much said about current politics and trends in the U.S., historic trends in populism and nativism, the progress of the presidential race and so forth; however, some of the most interesting conversation was about the current international situation. He's a chipper person and a wise man, but he sees echoes of the same patterns from the 20s and 30s repeating themselves--with new variations, but possibly leading to just as much pain and bloodshed in the end. However, to say much more would be to say much more than was concluded. It is enough to say that the world is a very dangerous place, that history has a way or repeating itself with new variations, and that the bad old days continue to come back in new forms.


As we move towards a multi-polar world we do not move onto safer ground, but back towards a pattern that is much more typical in the world's history--and both more chaotic and less peaceful than the last 60 or 70 years have been for the West. Good luck to all of us in the new year. I hope we will not be subject to things at least as bad as the blitz in the years to come, but I fear that this is one area where our luck--in the West--is running out. However, not to make things too grim--your thread reminds one that the sun will rise again after darkness and there will always be dancing and romance again after a bit, whether in this life or the next.


Cordially,


S&S
 
... 'the war' oh gosh! I feel very 'funny' tonight and very sad missing my best friend. :(

Seeing this movie, years ago, was one of the things that 'broke the dam' and I knew that 'love is love' and that is what's most important. Vale to the fallen. I will miss him. The music from this movie popped into my head tonight. Another story of 'star crossed lovers'. Ah me!

Map of the Human Heart:

The journey continues I suppose. (Lucky me. :) ) (Holy boy!)
 
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SeaAndSky said:
...As we move towards a multi-polar world we do not move onto safer ground, but back towards a pattern that is much more typical in the world's history--and both more chaotic and less peaceful than the last 60 or 70 years have been for the West...
Yes. Thoughts like this are often also on my mind.
 
Hi Tang,


Everyone has been foreseeing a "storm" of some kind up ahead for as long as I can remember. Some are now indicating that it is very close--but some are always indicating that. However, my take from the future life scenarios that some have foreseen is that it has to be very close. Otherwise, things wouldn't be as settled out and placid as they seem to be in various memories(?) from these future lifetimes--some of which seem to be no more than 30-50 years away and seem to look upon whatever took place as being a good ways back. Anyhow, I'm feeling very cautious about the next ten years, and even the next two.


Cordially,


S&S
 
The one answer to his four questions then begets many more, such as: What is Love? Where does Love come from and where is it going? Does it find us or do we find it?


Perhaps such questions could also be refined down into a very few. However, I think all the answers to all the questions that could be posed about Love also have a single answer.


Blessings,


S&S
 
I remembered various snippets of 'period' conversation during this recent 'flashback'. It was very clear and lasted quite a long time - about 5 minutes. I've quoted a few above 'smashing' and the nicknames - Boffin, Bunny and Puss...
In some sort of lovelorn exercise this evening I was trying to find a reference on 'the internet' to my Freddie. I don't know why. Just because... Something to do. Feeling nostalgic... [deeply in grief mode]


There are various possible WWII pilots with the name Frederick or Alfred or Wilfred. None of them fit his description. None of the photos, those that there are (so many young men killed!) look anything like him, so that's no good. There was one Philip Noel Charleton, (Charlton?) nickname 'Freddie' who was a pilot shot down in 1941, but not enough information to confirm anything in any case. No photo.


I found a site that had WWII pilots by nickname though, which does confirm what I said about 'everyone' seeming to have some kind of silly nickname back then. I could not find 'Boffin' or 'Puss' but there was definitely a 'Bunny'. Seems like he got a bit famous later on, so there is a record of his exploits. He doesn't look especially familiar or anything. Neither does he look unfamiliar, mind you. But they all looked a bit like that back in the day - what with the uniforms and the haircuts... He may have been there that night. I only had eyes for 'Freddie' of course that evening. Who knows?


I might never know who my 'Freddie' really was, or if there is any record of him. I'm not prepared to sign up to ancestry.com to find out at this point anyway. Maybe he was in the same squadron 605 as 'Bunny'? Might be worth a look later on. It certainly all sounds like the sort of 'hijinks' Freddie was getting up to with the 'gang' anyway.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_Currant

In the second week of The Battle of France in May 1940, his squadron was moved down to RAF Hawkinge in Kent; from here the squadron flew sorties in France where enemy aircraft were attacking the retreating British Expeditionary Force. On one early sortie the engine on his Hawker Hurricane failed, forcing him to crash land in a field, breaking his nose[2] and he was forced to make his own way to Calais where he managed to get a lift on board a vessel back to England.
605 squadron was then moved to RAF Drem where it took part in the interception of the famous Luftflotte 5 raid which took place on 15 August. Currant claimed two Heinkel He 111s shot down. The squadron was again moved south again – this time to RAF Croydon and was soon in the midst of the heaviest fighting in September 1940...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...rs_by_nickname


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ited_Kingdom#C


http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...hawks-1941-ish
 
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Whenever this song came on the radio or the dance floor, back in the days, I would probably have reacted very sarcastically.


Now probably not as much.
 
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