I don’t often get jealous but the thousands, predominantly women of ‘my generation’ of course, who managed to get tickets to see the legendary Bay City Rollers perform at the Barrowlands this week make me jealous. I don’t care what so-called musical buffs say I love the Rollers and that is that. I made Tommy sit and watch a Roller documentary the other night and even he was stunned at just how successful and popular this uniquely Scottish band was at the height of their success in the ‘70s. Comparisons with the Beatles were made throughout that show.

Me, my big cousin Collette and tens of thousands like us in our early teens were simply Roller crazy. We loved everything about them. Their songs, their looks, their cheeky boy innocence. We sang Shang-a-Lang like there was no tomorrow. Many were surprised when their Glasgow gigs sold out in minutes. I wasn’t. This band was a rites of passage for many of my peer group. It wasn’t just the music it was a way of life, while it lasted. Sure the boys are a lot older, and wiser, now but they and their music still stir so many happy memories and I’m glad they are back on the stage and giving many the excuse to look out their old tartan scarves, stripped shirts, skirts and flares. Keep running with the gang girls.

Glasgow Times:

The bridge is way ahead of Luther

It probably takes years of studying and lots of hard work to become a successful script writer and I may therefore not be fully qualified to comment but how can the BBC ‘blockbuster’ Luther get the plaudits it attracts with a script so farcical? Did you watch it last Tuesday? We had the main character, Idris Alba, kidnap and imprison a London gangster, a senior police officer get blown up in an apartment which he and his female partner were searching, Luther deciding it was time to return to work so looking out his shirt and tie, the female officer confiding in Luther how far she would go to track the killer and all of this, in this budget busting drama, took place in the space of one day… come on BBC if you are going to serve up prime time programmes that took millions to make at least inject some realism into them. I fully appreciate poetic licence is required to make these shows work but when I watch the likes of he Bridge and compare it with Luther I find myself wondering how the gap in acting, scripts, storylines and quality grew so vast.

Merry Christmas

The miracle was the roof didn’t fall in. That was my thought as I watched Tommy with the chapel hoover in hand as he hoovered the carpeted areas of Lourdes Chapel yesterday morning. To witness this ‘non-believer’ with his Merry Christmas jumper on move up and down the aisles like Mary Poppins on a cleaning spree was a sight to behold. He is not a regular at the chapel but in the spirit of the season and in light of the fact he will be attending the Christmas Eve service on Thursday night, and both his wife and daughter will be part of the mass he decided to chip in and help the cleaning patrol get the place ready for the busiest time of the year.

Sure this Friday is about presents and decorations and big family meals but as a Christian I hope everyone also pauses to reflect on the fact that it is also about much more. It is about celebrating the birth of Christ and the love, caring and compassion for humanity that this birth entails. The Nativity story itself is one of strangers seeking safe refuge and shelter from a community with little to spare. The symbolism of Jesus being born in a stable surrounded by love and support and compassion is surely the real message of Christmas. It is a time to challenge ourselves and ask the question ‘are we treating others as we would have them treat us’? Whether they be members of our family, close friends or complete strangers the fundamental message of Christmas is one of love and human solidarity.

So over this next few days make contact with loved ones, old friends and neighbours, new and old. Show some kindness, compassion and care. Spread more love and less hate and indifference. That will make our world a better place. Merry Christmas, peace and love to each and every one of you.