About Me

I'm a freelance artist, designer and demonstrator and have been involved in arts and craft my whole life in one way or another. I design stamps for top British company Personal Impressions, under the "Lindsay Mason Designs" brand, as well as papers, templates and other crafting products. I'm a certified Ranger Educator and my first book,"Stamping", was published in 2009. I also design regular projects for Crafts Beautiful magazine and have made guest appearances from time to time on QVC. I've recently joined You Tube under the name of LindsayMason1000 where I'm posting short technique videos and you can buy my paintings and hand crafted pieces from my Etsy shop. My work takes me all around the country demonstrating stamping, papercrafts and general inkiness! When I'm not working, I love gardening, church & community activities, nature watching, journalling, music and theatre and just relaxing at home. Email me at: ljm.design1@virginmedia.com

Monday 13 August 2012

Two minds

I'm in two minds having just watched the closing ceremony, or do I mean pop concert?!? It seemed to have a pretty specific audience as the focus and must have made a lot of viewers switch off I'm sure.
It was certainly a very happy event and I enjoyed quite a lot of it, but I did keep wondering why, in a celebration of fifty years of British music, almost everything seemed to be from the eighties onwards, and why there was almost nothing from other musical genres than rock and pop.
I loved the Welsh male voice choirs singing the beautiful Olympic anthem whilst the flag was taken down and I thought the sets were terrific. Completely out of my normal tastes I do love Muse...can't explain that one really! I think We Will Rock You would have benefited from a strong male voice rather than that of Jessie J, but that's just me. Most annoying thing of the whole programme wasn't to do with the ceremony but with the BBC presenters who just didn't know when to shut up. Freeview viewers like myself didn't have the option to choose the "no presenter" version, so I shouted "shut up!" quite a few times when they were blethering on for no apparent reason over what was going on in the stadium.
There were a few puzzles.....how come I didn't notice the London Eye, Gherkin and London Bridge etc being removed from the centre stage? What was the inflatable octopus all about? Why was the high wire walker shaking hands with a mannequin that burst into flames? And, probably top of my list...I was always a huge fan of the Kinks, and it was a blast from the past to hear Waterloo Sunset but what was Ray Davies wearing on his head?!?!?
Too much pop culture for me, but I'm an old stick in the mud I know! So, with my ears still ringing, I am off to bed now and will await your opinions of the festivities with interest. Night night all.

4 comments:

misteejay said...

I too had mixed feelings about the 'pop concert' although I can understand up to a point why the music was mainly from the '80s onwards. I think they were trying to capture the attention of the younger audience as part of the drive to "Inspire a Generation".

Let's see what the Paralympics brings.

Toni xx

SusieJ said...

I asked the same question re Ray Davies....it quite put me off!
I've only seen half so far (recorded the rest) so will wait to pass judgement...
Hugs xx

Carole said...

I think the queen got it right! she didn't go! - kept thinking it would get better,but it didn't for me, much preferred the opening ceremony - and that had its moments! BUT all in all Well Done Britain!

Gez Butterworth said...

I can't comment... I was one who just had to switch off! Joined it at the Spice Girls and thought what?? after a few more songs and that was it.. knowing I will be able to find the highlight on somewhere today!!