OooooooooooooooohLaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!

I've always been a bit of a softie when it comes to things that evoke a sense of nostalgia. Maybe its the warm fuzzy glow you feel when you remember good times from the years past or the people who you feel fondly towards and you remember the times you had together. Some things really do stay with you and you never forget them, sometimes that's a kind of magic in itself. I have always lived my life on the belief that you meet the people who shape you as a person for a really deep reason and whether it was a good or a bad time in your life, all that kind of melts away.

I think I was about 18 or so when I first heard Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of "The War of the Worlds", and I remember that rather drizzly afternoon all too clearly. I was playing the Sims 2 while my boyfriend at the time (who was my first real boyfriend, we were together from when I was 16 till just before I turned 21) Mike, he was playing a game on the PS2 and he found his mother's (who practically raised me from when I was 16 and changing from a teenager to a full grown woman, I am very fond of Shirl, Mike, Richard and Kirsty to this day and still in a way see them as family) cassette copy of the work in his wardrobe and he was so excited as this meant so much to him as it had formed a vast part of his childhood. I was honoured when he played it for me and I loved it, from the first song, I was wrapped deeply in this cocoon of a deep story of Victorian London being attacked by Martians with the intent on destroying our civilisation and taking over Earth. I never wanted to stop listening and was saddened when the music came to an end.

That Christmas when we all gathered in the living room to watch a DVD of the stage show, we were all glued to the screen and when the giant fighting machine descended on the stage, I remember how I gripped Mike's hand in shock and awe. Right away I ripped the music on to my then new laptop (this was Behemoth, I loved that computer) and we were soon in HMV to get our own copy of the DVD of the stage show. I must have watched it so many times, heck I remember one of those days when we all huddled around the Gallery in the college TV studio and watched it from my computer. We were all mesmerised by it and we had several of these impromptu screenings that half term, even the tutors would come in and watch with us. It became a kind of thing for a group of us and occassionally we would break out singing portions of the music.

After a few years, I kind of forgot about the music and the way it drew you in to this scary yet fascinating place as things in my life did start going sour. I'd moved through relationships which broke down for one reason or another and it wasn't until recently when I was pottering around the flat, I started humming the melody for "Forever Autumn". Then when my friend Ant told us about the "New Generation" recording, I was right on my scooter to obtain a copy. As I listened, I felt this amazing feeling of nostalgia and I downloaded the original without delay. Both Becky and I were brought in to
that world once more.

All the more incredible was one Saturday, I had been so unwell that I was unable to go out, better suited to my bed, and Becky came home from her usual wander around with a couple of special presents, a copy of Rae Earl's "My Mad Fat Teenage Diary" (I'd watched the TV adaptation, I really liked it) and a CD copy of the "War of the Worlds" from 1978. I think I was so touched by her action that I was smiling for the next month or so. I feel so happy whenever I put it on the big CD player in the living room and I feel that warm fuzzy feeling again. Becky is an amazing friend, not just for her kind gestures, but because she came all the way from one life to another just to take care of me. She became my friend, knowing about the flaws that so many others abandoned me or mocked me over without any judgement or intention to use me for material gain. We are like sisters, despite our different family backgrounds, sometimes we can't work out where one of us begins and the other starts.

Today she really found something amazing and I can't believe her luck and her kindness. We were nosing around the charity shops (laugh if you will, but we occasionally find some gems in them) and she found an original 1978 Vinyl copy. For £4 no less as well, and she got me this amazing gift. It was when we got home and actually looked the set over, we found out how perfect it was in both condition and as part of the growing collection. It inspired me to listen to the CD of it this evening and I find myself drawn back in to that story and almost wanted to check outside the window for the Fighting Machine! So I'm a very happy bunny this evening needless to say and I have Becky to thank for that. I love her, she is awesome!!

Loves
Wendy xx