That is inspiring! If you ever need a reader, hit me up. Was an Englsh teacher for 37 years. I agree about the crosswords. New York Times has a “spelling bee” puzzle that ive found very effective for the same thing.
Oooo let us know when it’s available. I enjoyed your first book very much and have been looking forward to your 2nd one.
I used to do some running just for pleasure. My mobility isn’t great since my stroke so no running now but one day…you never know.
Hi @TennBob , I played the drums until my 20’s possibly badly but was in a band with a group of people I met training martial arts and we were better at that, mind you nobody told us we were bad possibly due to being black belts?
Writing is not my strong suit- dyslexic but love to read at times as escapism actually just finished The Count of Monte Cristo.
Love some humour and have been blessed by working along with the comedian Kevin Bridges uncle who is even funnier.
Ah - Count of Monte Cristo - I always see Alan Badel in that role. Remember that series? Gave me the oomph to read the book.
Yes bob I have a great sense of humour in fact the poor young doc asked me how old I was and I shouted out 23, he looked at my daughter and asked us she joking ? Just got words mixed up no 73 he proceeded to scold me mustn’t joke where in life would you be without humour didn’t do it on purpose ![]()
Count of Monte Cristo? Tjhat’s a real badge of honor! Great book! What’s next? War and Peace?
Scolded? Ridiulous.
In January, My bandmates came in to town to play. I had sung some and played guitar in the band before stroke so I did my best with both. But at the climatic part of a Springsteen song, where I supposed to sing :“beauty,” instead I sang ":booty.’ That’s my apraxia. I dont know what “booty” means in England, but…
That’s also an amusing mondegreen, I bet everyone in the crowd were shocked when you were heard to be singing about stolen treasure.
I’m not sure @TennBob as my issue tends to be if it doesn’t grab me by end of first chapter my dyslexic disinterest tends to kick in, one of my colleges suggested Anna Karina as a challenge.
As a guitarist holding a plectrum again was my biggest problem. After two years of experimentation and disasters I finally achieved success with the Deighpick.. Made of leather it is threaded over the thumb and cannot be dropped!
So you’ve made your own joke, right?
Writing tends to be one of my best therapies. If interested, in addition to books, I write "The Retired Life " on Substack. Free. I post every Tuesday morning: Tired of Money - by Robert Bires - The Retired Life
I did, couldn’t help it I’m afraid.
I have heard this discussed so many times as this does happen quite a lot and I am terrible at hearing lyrics properly. One of the most famous, though there are quite a few is :
Jimi Hendrix: The lyric “Excuse me while I kiss the sky” is frequently misheard as “Excuse me while I kiss this guy”.
Thanks Rupert - now whenever I hear these I shall think of the word mondegreen.
A mondegreen is a misheard word or phrase, particularly song lyrics or spoken phrases, where the listener incorrectly interprets the words to sound like something entirely different. The brain often fills in gaps in sound using more familiar terms, resulting in amusing or bizarre new phrases.
Yet again, I learn something new from you and this forum ![]()
Wonderful. Still working on recalibrating my sense of humor so I wasn’t sure!
My own mondegreen came from years of singing Eddie, are you walking? Until recently when I got my cat Annie, and heard people singing, Annie, are you okay? to her. I asked them what song they were singing? They said Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson, I had to go and read the lyrics of the song to realise I’d spent the last thirty-seven years, singing Eddie, are you walking? whenever I heard the song.
That’s a good one
Well, to be frank, I have a dry and acerbic wit. My partner and my friends often can’t tell I’m winding them up unless I annotate it for them. This often provides good oculomotor strengthening for my partner as she rolls her eyes a lot. Thankfully, for me but not for her, my youngest son has the same sense of humour.

