MRS FRETWELL - COLD WAR SONG LYRICS

Mrs Fretwell's Cold War Song lyrics

OH I JUST WANNA TAKE YOU ON A HISTORY TOUR

BACK TO THE START OF THE COLD WAR

THE LEADERS HAD TO SORT OUT WHAT TO DO

COS WE'D WON WORLD WAR TWO.



THE FIRST CONFERENCE WAS IN TEHRAN

1943 THEN YALTA BEGAN

PER-CEN-TAGE DEAL WAS DONE, HITLER DIES

POTSDAM ALL IN '45.



AND THE NEXT YEAR

THE IRON CURTAIN SPEECH

SECRET TELEGRAMS

AND THEN WE MOVE TO NINETEEN FOURTY SE-EV-VEN

THE DOCTRINE AND THE MAR-SHALL PLAN

THE EAST BOUGHT IN CO-MIN-FORM

THEN THEY ADDED CO-MEC-ON

USA BACK WITH N-A-TO

STALIN BLOCKADES BE-ER-ER-LIN

...

BUT USA WIN.



THEN 1945 BRINGS THE WARSAW PACT

KRUSCHEV COMES IN, AND HUNGARY REACTS

END OF UNIT ONE, UNIT ONE

FORWARD TO '61 YEAH.



IN DIVIDED BERLIN KRUSCHEV PUT A WALL UP

AFTER FOUR SUMMITS, USA WERE OUTTA LUCK



KENNEDY SAID WALL NOT WAR, WALL NOT WAR,

HE SAID WALL NOT WALL YEAH



ARMS AND SPACE RA-AC-CE

INCREASED AT PA-C-E

LET'S MOVE OUR PLACE YEAH,

LET'S RECAP CUBA IN JUST ONE PHASE.



SIX-TY TWO, BAY OF PIGS AND THIRTEEN DAYS

CZECHOSLOVAKI-YEAH-YEAH-YEAH

SIX YEARS LATE-R-R-R

REMEMBER BRESHNEV'S DO-OC-TRINE

SORTED OUT THAT PR-OB-LEM

UNIT TWO IS DO-ON-NE

BUT WHY'D THE WAR END?

...

DE-TENTE IN THE 1970S

SALT TREATY AND HEL-SIN-KI

PROTEST AND THE VIETNAM WAR

SOVIETS GO INTO AF-GHAN-I-STAN

AND THEN WE GET TO RE-A-GAN

COLD WAR NUMBER TWO-OOO-OOO, TWO-OOO-OOO.

IN RUSSIA GORBA-CHEV'S IN CHARGE

NEW THINKING WILL, TAKE HIM FAR

TALKS IN EIGHTY FIVE SIX AND SEVEN, AND EIGHTY EIGHT.



WALL COMES DOWN IN NINETY-ONE

GANG OF EIGHT MARK GOR-BA-CHEV

BUT THEY MESSED IT UU-UU-UP, UU-UU-UP



BY CHRISTMAS NINE-TY-ONE,

SOVIET UNION IS ALL DONE

SO USA SAID YEAH, YEAH, YEAH



COLD WAR'S FINISHED.

Travelling

It's late, I have a mild form of insomnia as Adelaide isn't here (kent seeing relatives) and although I have work tomorrow, i'm still up.

I'm excited though, which may have something to do with it. On Saturday night I fly to Thailand, Bangkok to be precise. Then it's off to Phuket, spend some time being tourists around Koh Phi Phi and the beaches, then back to Bangkok, after five days onto another plane towards Sydney. Ad and I will stay there for a bit, fly up to Cairns, stay there for a bit more, then we've hired a Wicked Campervan (that's the name, will let you know if this lives up to it later) to drive back down to Sydney in over the course of 3 weeks.

Then I get to spend xmas and New Year with Ad, before flying back to NYC on the 2nd Jan, spend a few hours in the airport clearing immigration, then back to the UK for 8am on the Sunday morning, to sleep until the 4th when I go back to work.

I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to do all this and come back to my job, but I also have to say i've still been working hard to get this fa and be able to do this. I'll also miss Adelaide a lot as she'll be away from me for a while, but i've put a ring on her finger in order to try and keep her thinking of me while she's out there :)

I've been intimidated at work with amazing staff around the place, while i'm the new kid fresh out of uni. I've also had a lot to deal with personally, with friends, driving into work and also family. But for everyone who has helped me throught it, you know who you are, and i'm eternally thankful.

Should probably stop rambling and go to sleep, but just thought i'd keep you all updated. Will try and keep this up when I'm in Australia (now i've set my blogger a/c and pw to my usual ones!). Speak soon x

I finally have time to write!

So, everyone is out of the office. It's the New Car Honours and save for a few dedicated designers, sub editors and freelancers, the office is very quiet. Ok, not quiet, as George has Spotify on, but still.

I am surrounded by products - 3 sat navs, car care products, bluetooth headsets, picnic backpacks (don't ask) and mobile phone holders. I have a to-do list in front of me, with at least twelve bullet points. Only one is ticked off. I also have a filofax. If you were wondering where all this came from, I suppose I should fill you in from my last post.

I spent my last two weeks in Bournemouth dossing, doing the student thing, getting all sentimental with friends and places, and now I live back home with my Dad, Step-mum, half-brother and half-sister (who I refer to as brother and sister - for ease). Adelaide has also moved back in with me, taken a massive pay cut working at a job she hates, and now gets me up at 6AM so I can leave for work at 7am and get in after 8. I love my job, but I love my girlfriend more, as she has sacrificed a lot to allow me to take it. How many partners would do a job they dislike for worse money while they put up with living one partitioned wall away from your dad and step mum?

I've had to scale back my trip to Australia, cut it back to 6 weeks so I can start work in January. That's a lot of time off and I'm really thankful to HR for letting me taking it, but I will miss Ads while she is still out there, and i'll probably start looking for somewhere for us to live and i'm looking for us to move in as soon as she's back from Oz.

In other sad news, the family dog Harry had to be put to sleep after 13 years of happiness. He had a good innings and a remarkable sense of timing, choosing to go before everyone went off to Spain, but it is still weird to go into the house and not hear him. It has made me want a puppy of my own, but for now Drexy is keeping us company as we couldn't do it to my dad or sister.

As for my old student life - I haven't graduated yet (Roll on November) but know that I was awarded a 2:2 for my degree. I'm pretty happy with that, my dissertation pulled it up a lot and I got 59.25 for all of my units, so technically I wasn't even 1% off a 2:1. That's spilt milk though...

Work is awesome, and I've already been go-karting as part of a networking afternoon, as well as getting in remote control cars, stereos and a slot car racing set. On sunday we washed all the cars on the driveway in the name of testing, using a wide range of products, and I've got more opportunities to travel both within the UK and overseas coming up. I've also thought of so many ideas for the website, and how to improve the online presence of products, but that can wait until I have fully settled in. I don't even know if I get to keep the job yet - my three month review doesn't come up until September!

All in all i'm happy, while it isn't easy doing 14-hour days and living with your parents, I'm close to the people I want to be, get to see the Bournemouth lot soon-ish, and I'm doing a job I love. While I don't love everything (see stupid pic above) what more could I ask for?

Job news

That job that I went to the interview for... I got it.

So i suppose that makes me a fully qualified bona-fide grown up adult now. I should be upset that a part of me feels my childhood has well and truly been swept out from under my feet, but bizarrely, I'm not.

What's actually happened is that I'm happy that I've got security. I can start planning a family. I've been looking at getting a place of my own, sharing it with Adelaide of course, but buying rather than renting if I can get away with it.

I've also been looking at getting a new addition to my family, though, currently this is one with four legs rather than two. It's a very exciting prospect I can assure you.

And naturally, I've been thinking about all this 'settling down' business and marriage/engagement has entered my mind. I mean, once you plan the tangible things that you'd like to own, you start asking the question 'what else?" "What else do you want your life?" And the answer is inevitably, a family.

This weekend, I went out thursday night, friday night, saturday night, and came home early or didn't drink or decided I didn't even want to be out. My days of being a student are well and truly over. But i'll keep enjoying the life of a student until I move out in 2 weeks. I plan to go the beach and have a bbq at least once before I start the new job on 15th June.

What else? I hear you ask... Well, I don't know for sure at the moment. But i'm looking forward to finding out :)

Growing up

Growing up, moving on, however you want to put it, I feel like I'm getting old.

Today I went to a job interview and asked for more than £5.50 an hour. It is a very interesting concept, as I have previously never done so. It also means that I have to face my Peter Pan fear and grow up. Yes, that's right, go out into the big wide world and out from under the protective wing of education.

It should be a moment for joy, happiness etc, as I have handed in my dissertation, and look set to finish my course with a low 2:1 or high 2:2. Yet, I cannot help but think of the fond memories I have from Bournemouth, the skills I have learned from the wonderful people I have met, or the friends I have made and look to take with me into the next chapter of the book of my life.

Unfortunately, I don't want to grow up. As previously mentioned (i'm writing in dissertation style now, this is odd) I have the classic "never-grow-up" fear, as made famous by Peter Pan. I still listen to any music from Christmas songs in may to tv themes, to 80s hits and 90s rock. My life is not defined by music, as many of my friends find themselves. Instead, it provides a soundtrack to the various moods I often find myself in, so I speak freely when I say my taste in music is a sign I have not grown up.

I still cannot cook a decent meal for myself, struggle with the concept of ironing and dislike washing up. Likewise, I frequently find myself with the garment I want to wear still being in the dirty laundry pile. This encapsulates the life of Jamie Fretwell.

Fortunately, as I keep telling myself, my education has made me much better organised, and I can now handle more responsibilities than I could have possibly dealt with 3 years ago. I hold down 2 jobs, still study full time, have a reasonable well maintained relationship, and haven't starved or been found in a ditch yet - although I believe the last two are connected somewhat).

I have plans for the future, savings and still get to play on my playstation and mess around with my car and tomtom. All in all i've not done too badly. The fact that I have managed to land an interview for my dream job underlines my personal development really. I've come on quite the journey, and to anyone who doubted me or helped me through, thank you. Without your help, guidance and support I wouldn't be half the person I am now.

Without bragging too much, or sounding egotistical, I'm quite happy with my life. Lets just hope that continues.

First blog of 2009?

I really thought i'd updated this more regularly, but clearly have become confused between my own personal blog and that of sugeneralsec.

Ironically, I only tend to write when my emotions get the better of me. The following musings are due to sheer annoyance that I put pen to paper (or in this instance, finger to keyboard).

Having worked for Auto Express for 3 months now, I have been fortunate enough to ride up to London on South West Trains every week, and can now see why sceptics doubt the UK's public transport system.

With the Olympics coming up, and from looking around the carriage of the train of my Friday train, it's safe to say that the Waterloo-Weymouth line is fairly busy, and needs to be well maintained. But the current service is no where near that. When you buy something in a shop, online, or even pay to use any other service, you can expect a reasonable level of care and rights. None of this happens when you pay to use a train. Firstly, they hardly ever arrive on time. Then, all number of things can delay your journey, things that never happen with personal transport. Leaves in the way? Car doesn't care, neither does a bus for that matter. But it can grind a train to a complete standstill.

Next, it's the on-board service. Now, it's taken as a given that you'll be in your chosen method of transport for a considerable amount of time, so you'd expect a reasonable degree of comfort. Well, as with cars, not unless you pay extra for it. First class customers get comfier seats and more legroom, but like their carriage-mates in cattle-class, have to walk miles to at best, a smelly and small area, or at worse, an out-of-order or non-existent excuse for a toilet.

It doesn't stop there. Food and drink prices are extortionate (£1.20 for a Red Bull normally, priced from £1.75-£2.40 in most cases), and it's not like you have any other alternatives. Any excuses for delays are often barked out formalities, and barely pass for an apology. Then, much in the same way to RyanAir, if the train by some miracle has delivered you to your destination in peace, without discomfort and on time, the operator commands some respect, saying "thank you for travelling _______, enjoy the rest of your day."

Ironically, you want to shout back, "well i didn't have much choice, and i'll enjoy my day a lot more now i'm not on your bloody train". But you can't, because you'll seem silly to your fellow commuters (rule No. 1 - never annoy those in your carriage). But also because, 90% of the time, you have to travel back on the train, and use the same services repeatedly.

This is what happens to me. I think myself fortunate enough that currently, I only have to commute once a week. But think of what I have to look forward to in the future...

I'll be the first to admit, I may be a little bit harsh at the moment. But as previously mentioned, I'm writing because of sheer annoyance. Being human, I mislaid my ticket, and attempted to travel on an out-of-date ticket rather than the in-date ticket. It wasn't deliberate, but I was caught, and the guard said i'd be okay as long as I could prove that i'd bought a ticket.

Say i'd been into a shop, bought something, and as walking out got collared by the security guard accusing me of stealing. If i didn't have a receipt, i could get a bank statement to show that i'd paid for the offending article. This isn't applied in the case of train services. Except that it's the guards discretion to fine you or not. Highly discriminating, but if you're a lovely old granny who has forgotten her ticket, chances are you'll be let off, as opposed to a twenty-something lad, who'll face the full wrath of the money-hungry train officer.

If you're like me, you have to pay twice the amount of an adult single (regardless of any discounts you're entitled to), and then the lovely man will tell you that you can appeal, and will probably be okay in an appeal if you can prove you bought the ticket.

Not the case. I for one am living proof that you can spend as much money on telephone calls, stamps and appeals, but no refund. It's only after kicking up a stink to the train operator, not the appeals commission, that I can make any progress, and surprise surprise it's not my money back, but a voucher to use on their service again...

Anyway, rant over, as Bill Gates said, "life isn't fair kids, deal with it". It's my birthday on Monday, I've got another job to look forward to, and although I failed law, I'm optimistic about life. Just.

Update!

It's been a busy couple of weeks, and I'm finally allowed to start thinking about christmas! I know, one week before the day and I'm only starting now...

I've completed my TV project, had a few hiccups here and there but as soon as I get it marked i'll stick it on youtube for all to see. I pulled a presentation out of the bag in Professional Perspectives, but have a dragon's den style pitch to present when term starts again. I passed my 80WPM shorthand exam, so only need to sit the 100wpm now and if i pass that i'll be a happy boy. I sat my NCTJ Central Government exam and was fairly pleased with how that went, because I managed to pick questions that were short terms and that was all i'd really revised. I landed a dream job at Auto Express, and start there tomorrow, updating the website, a bit like when I worked for listed except this time it's in my specialisation.

On a presonal - non-uni - note i've booked my flights to Australia. Fly on the 21st November 2009 after I graduate, spend a week in Thailand, landing in Bangkok, flying to Phuket and then getting a boat to Koh Phi Phi to have a look around Maya Bay... Then fly back to Bangkok and then onto Sydney, stay there for a year, hopefully get a job, and then fly back on December 6th 2010, spend some time in NYC and arrive home on the 11th, just in time for Christmas. So yeah, that cost a lot of money, but I have picked up and extra shift at work and hopefully will be ok by the time I have to stump up the cash.

But for now I have a dissertation to crack out over the Christmas holiday, a law exam when I get back, and a few other exciting projects here and there, which should be good. I have managed to get all my lifetime acheivements onto one page a-la CV, courtesy of Dan Hogan, so that's quite cool to see it all on one page. And i'm going to Ad's family for xmas, then seeing my lot on boxing day, so busy busy busy!