Goodnight Paul, Paul Hunter. Blog By Sophie Cox-O'Shaughnessy

 

Very sad to hear of the recent passing of musician friend Paul Hunter.

I met him many years ago and we jammed.

He was a fantastic drummer, Bodhran player and the first live Bodhran player I have ever witnessed. 

 As a multi-instrumentalist, I'd always wanted one and years on, after saving up, I got around to purchasing a Bodhran for myself.

I think quite possibly If I hadn't met Paul and experienced him playing one maybe I wouldn't have taught myself to play it. 

An inspiration.  Mischievous, fun loving, oftentimes troubled, Paul was an exceptionally talented musician. 

Rest In Peace Paul Sir 

Save Money Tips Blog By Sophie Cox-O'Shaughnessy

Cost of Living Energy Crisis Hack

Save money by going au naturale and plaiting your hair, then having another new hairstyle when you choose to unplait them.  

No hairdressers costs, save on shampoo purchases/usage and electricity by not using a hairdryer crimper hairstyler etc.!

The hair cleans itself after a while, then the natural oils help to unplait as well.

Personally, nothing wrong with them like but, unless you want to have dreadlocks, I think it's best just before your hair feels like it's going to form dreads or when it starts to matt at the top of the plaits to undo them then.  

At first I had a good laugh at myself. Thoughts of Hagrid, without the beard obvs., (the brilliant character by the recently late very talented actor Robbie Coltrane) in the Harry Potter films; stepping out of the eighties; a labradoodle etc. sprung up in my mind.

Then, sensible Sophie tamed the mane and I love this look.

As well as saving money it's also fun!

I got creative with a portrait pic. today and made a collage to show the result:

#Selfie #SavvySave #FreeAndTempPerm #Artist #Creative #NoFilter #JustForFun! #KeepOnTopOfTheMop! - #OoErMissus!

Photography c. S. Cox-O'Shaughnessy 2022 

To Honour and To Remember! By Sophie Cox-O'Shaughnessy

Let's all be hopeful that for This Halloween

it's goin' to be A Treat for us !

It seems our late Queen Elizabeth II

with all due respect, woz not going to be one to miss out on a 'a jam' also:

*

So glad I got to see Clive's one man show during this pandemic/covid era:

Clive Jackson (also, apparently, 

 from the band, Dr & The Medics and known as a Rev.! )

Couldn't be more Gothic/spooky, I suppose really Ha! this, the relevance of, posting, in this particular blog and I would've posted before now, however, prior experiences/commitments in my life just seemed to take precedence.

Yes, it happens, sometimes !

[ Anyhows, it was a bit like a reunion !]

Although, I'm evor hopeful it'll be a propah reunion ! when I can, also, meet up with, other, fellow band members from when, I was, fortunate to be chosen to be, a backing Singer, way back when:  during my music degree studies, in a UK tour, with the said band .

Apparently, it was the band's come back tour .

I've always liked the song 'Spirit In The Sky'.

For it to be part of my performance history and repertoire, I consider it a blessing indeed.

Anyways,

 Happy Halloween !

in advance !

Still going to put the posters up, courtesy of the council/police/library organisations etc. - trick or treaters do not need to become bullies to folks, who, are, maybe, vulnerable and/or live on their own etc., you know. 

Did the traipsing trick or treating years ago and again, for/with my son (when he was a lad), dressing up - what fun!

However, I shall, still, get dressed up for it, anyway !

...

*

...

What else !

THEN,

Oh, yes !

My email recently received an invite to submit more, recent, music from, no less, the BBC !

Thanks!

****** clarification alert ******

Does an artist have to explain themselves?!

Really?!

Billy Holiday's song "Don't Explain" has  always resonated with me, on various levels.  

I also feel it summises my reference here for me.

However, sometimes, even if not literal, like, in this 'scenario': "mushrooms", or anything maybe pertaining to magic mushrooms therefrom, in this instance, I can understand, such a phrase, could possibly lead to a misinterpretation, obviously,...,  unfortunately.  

****** This particular song of mine actually pertains to domestic violence experiences, coping with the trauma therefrom, intersected with the powerful imagery of soldiers parachuting (looking like mushrooms), as in war - another form of survival/violent experiences, etc.. ******

I expect the soldiers who served us, who fought for our freedom, many moons ago, now, well, I really hope that what they witnessed was magic, 'not real' or, that, they perceived, as they would, magically, come through it.

Some did.

Many didn't.

My life, has been influenced, like numbers of others, by such a fact, indirectly for me, but ever 'overhanging' in a way.

I don't know if the visions of a skeleton, at the top of the stairs, whenever, I slept-walked, as a child, had anything to do with such.

Hmmm,... just shared some, very, personal, information, about myself, with the general public.

Oh well, so wot!

Hey ho!  Ha, hah, ha Happy Halloween! Wooh!...

Anyway,..

Maybe, it did/was... !

Maybe my Grandad, who I never met, ever reached out to me, even when I didn't know it! (and still does)

They are blessed to live Forever.

Who are we to know?!

I submitted my song, 'Sand 'A Swirlin'' c. March 2021.

*

See link, here (second song):

https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2016/10/singersongwriter-sophie-cox-oshaughnessy.html

Upcoming:

The 5th of November:-

Let's Celebrate!

Stay safe everyone!

 I dedicate my "firework" song, as mentioned: 

'Sand a Swirlin''

song, irrespective of meaning/interpretation etc. 

To my recent late brother

Born on this date, Guy Fawkes

5th of November

Myles O'Shaughnessy 

(also known as Myles Cox, from our Step-Dad M. Cox)

Love you big Bruv Forever! XXX

Little sis,

Sophie

NB.

It has materialised, that my very good friend, and former boyfriend passed on this year, more or less on the same day/date, as my brother, therefore, I'd like to request, my friends and friends yet to make:  

if you celebrate bonfire night, to let one off for Jim (third in list of blogs deemed relative to this post) as well as my big brother Myles, (second), this year !

Take care

God bless

Stay safe !

Relative Articles:-

• https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2022/09/my-blog-for-her-majesty-queen.html

• https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2022/08/my-blog-dedicated-to-myles.html

• https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2022/09/dedicated-to-dear-friend.html

• https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2020/06/s-cox-oshaughnessy-photography.html

* Copyright S. Cox-O'Shaughnessy 2022

My Blog for Her Majesty The Queen

Thankyou Your Majesty! Thankyou Ma'am! 

Due to unfortunately experiencing two bereavements, to the date, within the last month, it seems, I only feel ready now, to express my sentiments for the Queen and her passing, today.

It seems most people have a story or stories where they have been inspired by the Queen and it is difficult not to feel moved by her passing, subsequent events and Britain's response on the whole since.

Some stories are grander than others.

I feel grateful that as a little girl, in the Brownies, I started to learn the meaning of the word "promise", positive outlooks like "do my best" and guidelines to live by "to serve" with positive reminders on living a good life rewarded with badges (that, incidentally, I still have to this day!).

Such simple things that can have a massive impact on the formation of a young person's life and the Queen supported this endeavour:  In 1953, when she was coronated, she became patron for Girlguiding.

I started Guides, but I had to forego continuing to progress and attend Guides though because it clashed with my dancing classes!

When I was sixteen, I attended the Stage School, The Arts Educational Schools London, and in my second, of a three, year, diploma, I was amongst the ones chosen to perform at a Gala charity event at The Royal Albert Hall in aid of The Red Cross.  At the time Princess Diana was patron for the said charity.  The members of the Royal family were present in the audience, therefore I can safely say I have danced for royalty.

As a young woman I was invited to and attended a garden party, as a guest of my father and his partner, now wife, in his RAF service capacity, at Buckingham Palace and got to see the Queen then.

As a mature student I was fortunate to be successful when I applied for a bursary and because of such was able to achieve a level 2. City and Guilds qualification in Equine Care, however my intuition to see if I could work with and for horses in the first place and ultimately discovering yes I can as well as the therapeutic process that they are capable of offering as a "thank you back" even, are gifts I might not have ever experienced without the Queen's funding support.

Rest In Peace Queen Elizabeth II

The guidelines for the Queen Elizabeth II's funeral can be found here.

See the following article link/screenshot for more:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62861617

Relative Articles:

These are a few of some of my articles referring to the Queen.

• https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2021/04/at-your-service-maam-by-sophie-cox.html

• https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2018/12/sophie-cox-oshaughnessy-just-horsin.html

• https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2017/02/congratulations-your-majesty.html

Dedicated To A Dear Friend

I was shocked and distressed to hear of the passing of a dear friend recently.  It was untimely, unexpected as apparently he suffered a heart attack, at only age 42.

We became friends and then bf/gf at university, studied music together, and when asked I contributed to his final piece for his degree.

We enjoyed each other's company and a, mostly, platonic relationship for a while.

We kept in touch and stayed friends for many years.  From time to time we would chat/text/randomly cross paths and always have time for each other for a chat right up until just last month.

I learned of his passing on the Sunday, the 4th of September, however he had passed on 25/08/2022.

He was a kind, gentle and intelligent soul, with a dry sense of humour, an exceptionally talented musician and although he had struggles found a way to express himself using his talents.

His YouTube music channel is 'Ether Jay': 

https://youtube.com/user/soapymongoose

Please watch/listen to remember him by.

Rest In Peace James/Jim (Turnbull)

Take care my friend

Up there

your friend,

Sophie

fist pump/hug 

xx oo

For friends and musician colleagues: his funeral and wake are on 23/09/2022.

If interested in attending please contact me for further details, as provided by his family.  

My contact details are on my main website/blog page:

https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2016/10/performance-artistteacher-miss-sophie.html

A song for Jim and more songs and music at his vigil can be found on my YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/g8bQJmM_q5g

https://youtube.com/@sophielcox-oshaughnessy289

#LookOutForYourFriendsAndFamily

#MentalHealthMatters

Photo c. S. Cox-O'Shaughnessy

My blog Dedicated to Myles

 

Myles O'Shaughnessy

05/11/1968 - 18/08/2022

I feel very fortunate to have had a big brother.  Thank you so much for being my big brother Myles.

So a family member asked

show us your dress

This one's for you Myles !

These " selfies " for my family .

Yes, my big brother is watching over me , but he was always looking out for me anyway .

So I don't give a hairy monkey's ass if big brother is watching me .

Becos he's my big brother .

You'll always be my big brother Myles .

and, he loves me

I love you big brother 💕

See the following link for my song for Myles, played live, at home, on the day of his funeral and at this vigil dedicated to him:

https://youtu.be/jVz0c7veXPk

Rest easy now brother .

Love, your little sis 

Sophie

XXX OOO

Photo c. S. Cox-O'Shaughnessy 2022

Nature Art Photography by Sophie Cox-O'Shaughnessy

Moon Phenomena

More magic moons again, though in the BBC, article, news today it's the last supermoon this year:-

Brilliant pics.!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-62518102 

Apparently, it's called the Sturgeon moon.

I managed to spot it, including with a passing helicopter and with my basic camera phone even really like the rainbow/refractions of light in what look like sideways on bow-ties, well to me anyway.  

However, for the geeky, nerdy or scientific outlook kinda person a geometric description would more than likely be bow-tie hexagons!  

Yeah, me too, I prefer my description!

Here my pics.:

Relative Articles:

• https://handeldoesit.blogspot.com/2022/07/moon-phenomena-by-artistblogger-sophie.html

Photos c. S. Cox-O'Shaughnessy 2022