Friends uncoupled

Well I could not think of a better opposite to reunited. Is it a sad day when a web site like Friends Reunited has to close down because it is unable to cover its running costs? I am not sure. i have never been a subscriber to web sites, unless they are offering something cheaper than I am buying regularly in the shops. On-line newspapers are the obvious items as far as I am concerned, and if a group of you subscribe to different ones and share the log-on then the price is pretty much rock bottom.

I visited Friends Reunited quite a lot in the early days to see what my classmates were up to, and to look up a few ex-girlfriends and neighbours. Nothing much of outstanding interest to be fair, although it was reassuring to see there were no deaths posted. That might have changed now though.

One of my next door neighbours is now the chief fashion buyer for Marks and Spencer although I think she is keeping a low profile given the decline in their non-food sales.

I continue to keep my LinkedIn profile up to date although, again, I do not subscribe to the Premier service. I do hear from old work colleagues from time to time so it serves its purpose.

Otherwise its good old e-mail, text, telephone and face to face discussion which keeps me abreast of developments. The tried and trusted processes are still the best.  Must dash, I think a pigeon has just flown into the loft with a message!!

4077 M*A*S*H

I am not a great social networking user. Facebook and Twitter don't really add to my day to day routine. The only one I do register with is LinkedIn. The main reason for this is to keep abreast of any changes people may make to their e-mail contacts, or other aspects of their life I may be interested in.

Today I have just been doing a bit of tweaking to my profile, and have added a link which will hopefully allow people to see the film which inspired the IBM living legend comments.

It's called 'Doggin Around' from 1994,  and stars Elliott Gould as a beaten up American jazz pianist who comes back to England to do the Northern club circuit. The support cast is a who's who of British character actors and it is a good view if you get the time.

Elliott Gould utters the immortal words which inspired my by-line, when asked by a young lady whether he was one of those American musical old timers, to which he replied, " Where I come from mam, we like to call them living legend"

I had cause to use it face-to face in IBM when a female colleague similarly enquired of me in a derogatory tone. I was in the company of my business director when the exchange occurred and he too adopted the retort,  particularly when summing up individuals careers  at retirement parties.

It ranks up there with the wonderful line from the film, 'The Likely Lads' which charted the holiday adventures of Bob and Terry one particularly wet week in Scarborough. "Eh",  said Terry, "lets go to Boots, there's always women in Boots"