Black Friday

Posted on November 29, 2013 by tashfriday

Good morning Tash Appreciators,

Yesterday saw the United States come to a halt as people got together with family and friends for Thanksgiving. Today will see a fair few of those same people heading to malls and department stores to do their Christmas shopping. However, this isn’t any normal day of shopping, today will be the biggest shopping day of the year: Black Friday:

I had thought that Black Friday was just an American thing, but judging from the adverts on TV and the subject headings of the emails in my inbox, the hysteria has made its way over here. I saw it in person too – at a shopping centre earlier this week when, even at 9 pm, there were still thousands of people shopping for presents.

I don’t care what people spend their money on – it’s theirs, they earned it, they can spend it however they like. I’m not that interested in snooty arguments about consumerism, either. What struck me was that, in all probability, the people who are shopping on Black Friday or mid-week at shopping centres are not doing it for themselves, they’re surely buying Christmas presents for others.

That got me thinking about why we all go out and spend so much of our hard-earned cash on other people. I don’t think it’s because we’re all slaves to consumerism. I don’t necessarily think it’s because we expect to get something back in return, either. I think we all just like to see the look on the faces of our friends and family when they open a present, which we’ve given to them, and it’s immediately clear that the present was what they wanted. With that in mind, maybe we don’t all need to be shopping at 9pm on a Wednesday, maybe we just need to spend a bit more time thinking about what we should get and whether it’s actually going to be appreciated.

Speaking of appreciation, with this being the day after Thanksgiving, I feel it’s appropriate for TF to give thanks too. Surprisingly enough, TF gives thanks that Tom Selleck decided that this look didn’t suit him:

But that this one did:

Have a great weekend folks!

#keepgoing

Wait until the weekend…

Posted on November 15, 2013 by tashfriday

Morning Tash Appreciators,

TF isn’t always easy to write, you know. Some weeks the editorial staff have nothing interesting to say and other weeks – usually following a mediocre week – there just isn’t the motivation to get a solid edition done. Those weeks’ editions are generally prefaced with something like: “just a brief TF this week…”.

It seemed like this week’s edition was going to be a short one: I was sitting on a later train than I’d hoped (the one I wanted to get having been cancelled); I was tired; and I couldn’t think of anything interesting to say [*insert joke about never having anything interesting to say*]. Then this man came to my rescue:

James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem and their anthem “All My Friends” are TF regulars. However, tonight, as I stood on a crowded train in a day-dream, not really listening to what was blaring through my earphones, a blast of synthesisers came forth and I heard Mr Murphy sing, mid-way through the track “Dance Yrself Clean”: “wait until the weekend and we can make our dreams come true.”

And then I remembered – tomorrow is Friday! Things didn’t seem so bad after that. Now, when you’re reading this, it really is Friday, and everyone knows good things happen on Friday.

It is therefore with renewed enthusiasm that I turn to this weeks’ Tashes. I’m delighted to say that I have two superlative offerings from Appreciators.

The first is of a bouncer in a Boston, MA, bar. It was confirmed that, despite it looking too good to be true, this was an authentic Tash. It was also confirmed that, somewhat unusually for our friends across The Pond, Mr Bouncer was also wearing a poppy for Remembrance Day. I believe the correct description of this kind of display – using the “Baastaan” vernacular – is Boston Strong:

Go Sox.

The other Tash comes from Bristol, the cultural heart of South-West England. Now, I was under the impression that I had a fairly good grasp on TF’s demographic. However, the short message accompanying the photo suggests that TF may have reached non-English speaking countries:

“Here you, ya mad raj! Huv yae seen ma Tash? It’s v-dot-beeeaaauuuut an’ the burds go pure daft fae it!”

Make of that what you will, but my interpretation is that this chap is pretty delighted with his Tash; as he should be:

Keep the entries coming folks!

Have a great weekend!

#keepgoing

A Mo should be for life, not just Movember (telegraph.co.uk)

It’s that stage of proceedings

Posted on November 8, 2013 by tashfriday

Good morning Tash Appreciators,

It may not quite be panto season yet, but we seem to have reached the stage of proceedings where we take a slight pause from the action to make some shout-outs. Feel free to whoop loudly if you, or someone you know, is mentioned…

This week, a steady trickle of Movember-related Tashes have been submitted for TF’s consideration. Here are a selection of my favourites:

From the world of professional sport comes a Tash which must surely have been on the go for some time. This chap is a South African rugby player who has played for the Lions in the Super-14 and, more recently for the Glasgow Warriors. I think this effort may take some beating:

From across the Pond comes a Tash of a sweeter kind – a sugary effort from the stupendously named Glory Hole Doughnuts in Toronto:

Last, but not least, comes another offering from Scotland. I am reliably informed that this chap is known for smashing his way up and over various high mountain passes around west central Scotland. I also hear that the shape of his Tash is the result of exhaustive aerodynamic testing – a man must be aerodynamic, after all. Mr Russell Bridges, take a bow, sir:

Thanks for all the submissions and #keepgoing to those taking part in Movember.

Have a great weekend folks!

#keepgoing

Winter Warmer

Posted on November 1, 2013 by tashfriday

Good morning Tash Appreciators,

As the clocks fall back, the nights draw in, and the cold winds begin, we could all do with a winter warmer. This weeks TF will offer two types of warmth: practical advice for avoiding a winter chill and fire for the soul.

First, the practical advice. As this is TF, the most obvious tip is to suggest that you all rock a Tash. This appears to be good advice – even for the ladies – as there is plenty of cosy looking Tash-wear which would both be fashionable and a public proclamation that you appreciate the Tash:

For the gents, Movember begins today – why not join in? I understand that the key advantages of having a Tash in November are as follows: looking fly; using it to pick up chicks – I understand they dig them (apologies for the sweeping generalisation and crass language, ladies, I’m sure you understand that it is done in the name of charity); and that you will be helping to combat prostate and testicular cancer as well as mental health challenges. As if that wasn’t enough of an incentive, if you decide to participate in Movember then you effectively are this week’s Tash – Nick Offerman:

For chaps like myself, who are not blessed with facial follicles capable of bashing out a worthy Tash in 30 days, we can always donate to the cause. I already have:

Naturally, any Appreciators who decide to sport a Tash will, if they wish, be included in one of this month’s TFs.

Now for the fire in the soul stuff. As I think I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been working my way through the West Wing (again). It’s the ideal winter warmer – when the nights are cold and dark, and hibernation seems a very attractive proposition, there’s nothing better than watching President Bartlett and the gang blow the walls off every room they enter just by being good folk. It may be a political drama but it’s very accessible and the characters are likeable. If you have any doubts about it, ask someone for a loan of episode one – I’ll be surprised if you don’t stick with it.

I’ve just finished season 2 and – without giving away any of the plot – the President has a decision to make. He’s challenged God; he’s seen the ghost of an old friend; and has made a deal with his wife. However, with the words “If you think we’re right and you won’t speak up because you can’t be bothered, then God, Jed, I don’t even want to know you” ringing in his ears, he stands at the lectern, puts his hands in his pockets, looks to the side, smiles and…

It’s magnificent on too many levels to list but, if you like reading TF, then you must watch it.

Have a great weekend folks!

#keepgoing

Same Rules Apply

Posted on October 25, 2013 by tashfriday

Morning Tash Appreciators,

A couple of weeks ago I saw Filth, the film adaptation of Irvine Welsh‘s book of the same name. For the first 45 minutes or so the audience laughed as Bruce Robertson – a dirty, racist, sexist, drug- addled cop – strutted around Edinburgh causing chaos and doing his utmost to manipulate his way to a promotion:

After that though, the perception of his appearance changed as the audience discovered the reasons why Bruce is the way he is. I don’t think I’m ruining the plot by saying that, while he is all of the things I’ve already mentioned, beneath his filthy veneer is a broken, lonely man struggling with mental illness. At the end of film, as the credits whizzed by to “Love Really Hurts Without You” by Billy Ocean, I was in bits. It’s stuck with me since then and I’ll never listen to that song (or a cover of “Creep” by Clint Mansell) the same way again. This week’s Tash, by the way, is Billy Ocean:

I was thinking about the film afterwards, and what really upset me was that Bruce was totally alone. He was alone because of the way he treated those around him but it struck me that he had lost his family, he bullied his only “friend” and he hated his colleagues. Even without any underlying issues, circumstances like those would pose a problem for any person. After all, by my reckoning, we spend the majority of our lives in three ways: asleep; with our friends and family; or with our colleagues. If something has upset our relationships with one of those groups then that would be upsetting, but if something is wrong with all three then that’s a perfect storm – just like the tempest in Bruce Robertson’s mind.

The same rules apply to family, friends and colleagues: we don’t often choose them; we don’t always like them; we will in all likelihood be around them for a significant time; but, if by some quirk of fate we find ourselves with people who end up being a blend of family, friend or colleague then that’s something to really cherish. In the film, Bruce’s problem is that once he’s lost his family, his friends and colleagues follow shortly after.

TF usually has a point and this week’s is two-fold: firstly, people who appear to have filthy characters tend to be that way for a reason; and, secondly, most of us are driven, intelligent folk who could, if we wanted, manipulate those around us for our own ends. The most common example of that is in the workplace but, to my mind, getting ahead in that way is a pretty hollow victory – is it not better to be able to say your colleagues are friends rather than being promoted but without any support? The other thing is that if you act in a way that is manipulative or underhand then, when someone has the opportunity to get you back, the same rules apply.

If you get the chance to see Filth, take it: James McAvoy is unbelievable:

Have a great weekend folks!

#keepgoing

Movie review: Filth (18) (dailyrecord.co.uk)

Hurry up with my damn croissants

Posted on October 4, 2013 by tashfriday

Morning Tash Appreciators,

I’m a bit behind in listening to it but this week has seen Kanye West’s eighth album – Yeezus (yeah, it’s very like Jesus, isn’t it) – getting a lot of airtime in TF HQ. For those who don’t know who he is, this magazine cover tells you everything you need to know about who he used to be:

This album is good – really good. The lyrics and melodies are imaginative and quite different from any hip hop album I’ve heard before. The only difficulty with it is it’s also one of the angriest records I’ve ever heard. Parts of it make for difficult listening.I don’t have a problem with an album being difficult to listen to, nor do I think that many Tash Appreciators are interested in what Kanye raps about on this album. What is interesting, I think, is that he wasn’t always an angry guy. In his first big release in 2004, his lyrics were about consumerism, being self-conscious and modern racism. It was all pretty insightful and constructive:

We buy our way out of jail but we can’t buy freedom.

We buy a lot of clothes when we don’t really need ’em:

Things we buy to cover up what’s inside.

I don’t know what’s happened to Kanye to make him seemingly change his outlook on life so dramatically (maybe it’s just as he predicted in 2004: “the people highest up have the lowest self-esteem”) but it seems a shame that it’s come to this, even if it does make for entertaining music.

We’ve probably all had times when we’re angry or disappointed about what’s going on around us and that can sometimes seep into our attitude towards life in general. It’s also difficult for us to always see those changes in ourselves. The aim, I guess, is to ensure that we have folk around us who will say when things are getting out of hand. It’s a shame, but maybe Kanye doesn’t have someone around him to say: “Here, you know that song when you say ‘I am a God’ over and over again and then use that line which talks about you wanting a “damn croissant”? That’s too far.” They should perhaps show him a picture of this week’s Tash:

The croissant Tash is a first for TF.

I’ll leave you with one final Tash this week. It’s a picture of Kanye from his High School yearbook. As you can see, he was awarded best dressed, he’s happy, he’s rocking a Tash (just about) and he’s wearing a polo shirt:

As a matter of fact, he chastises himself in this current album for ever wearing a polo shirt. However, I wonder when he was happier: when he was wearing that shirt or when he was writing this album.

Have a great weekend folks!

#keepgoing

You’re having a laugh!

Posted on September 27, 2013 by tashfriday

Good morning Tash Appreciators,

I’ll keep it short and sweet this week.

As was discovered in one of TF’s satellite offices this week, most people enjoy a good prank; particularly when they have masterminded and implemented it. Just like a good Tash, pranks can lighten the mood when folk are a bit down and can also invigorate people when they’re lacking energy.

Just for the hell of it, here are a selection of TF’s favourite pranks:

Pranks can go wrong though, badly wrong. The most obvious example of that is where the person upon whom the prank is being played does not find it funny. Perhaps worse, though, is where the person doing the pranking takes it too far. This might be where there have been a series of pranks and the ante has been raised to such an extent that something must eventually go wrong. There are a fair few examples of these too:

In the wrong hands, the Tash can be a dangerous thing too. For example, at a recent beard and moustache championship held in New Orleans there were stunning examples of superlative moustachery (not a word, but I’m having it) such as this:

While, in New York, Justin Bieber was trying to pull off this monstrosity (you might need to look closely):

Tashes, like pranks, should only be attempted by those who know when they can and, more importantly, can’t be pulled off.

Have a great weekend folks!

#keepgoing

‘Star Trek’ Teleportation Prank Confuses Mall Shoppers (mashable.com)
Guys Prank Buddy by Replacing All the Tap Water in His House with Beer (gawker.com)

Tashcrawl 2014

Posted on September 20, 2013 by tashfriday

Good morning Tash Appreciators,

First this week, an announcement. Quite independently of TF HQ, a sub-crawl (it has apparently been christened by one particularly poetic Appreciator as a “Tash-Crawl”) will take place tomorrow in Glasgow. I understand it will start with a large lunch at the Counting House and the first stop will be at around 2pm at Times Square, next to St Enoch Square station. All are welcome and although Tash related apparel is recommended, it’s not essential. The arrangements will be on Facebook and twitter. There is a fair possibility that, during the course of the afternoon, this:

May turn into this:

For those who may not be familiar with Glasgow’s subway system, the Tash-Crawl is but the latest incarnation of a very old Glaswegian activity – the subcrawl. Only in Glasgow would people willingly spend the best part of a day travelling in a smelly old orange train purely in the interests of finding a novel way to have fifteen drinks. What makes this even stranger is that Glaswegian comedy duo Francie and Josie used an entirely complimentary song about the subway in their set:

It’s strange where people get their enjoyment from, I suppose, and another example of that is the release this week of Grand Theft Auto V: the fifth incarnation of what must be one of Scotland’s most successful exports.

GTA, as it’s usually called, has made Dundee/Edinburgh’s Rockstar North over £500 million in it’s first week and is apparently even more popular than a good Subcrawl. Some people will find it difficult to understand where the fun is in a game where the player is encouraged to commit a variety of pretty awful crimes. Some may even think the game is dangerous.

TF isn’t a platform from which to preach morality and I’ve got nothing to add to the debate about whether games like GTA should be allowed. However, what I will say is that we should be pleased that a Scottish product has managed to be so successful for so long. What is clear is that regardless of whether it’s a subcrawl (which could hardly be said to be healthy) or a violent video-game, people tend to be interested, now and again, in things that aren’t good for them.

This week’s Tash is a man whose activities would easily fit into the plot of GTA. Although he’s a dangerous and unpleasant chap, we still find him interesting. There have been numerous news reports about him over the years and Eric Bana even starred in a film about his life. I’m talking about Mark “Chopper” Read:

If you’re wondering where his ears are, he asked one of his pals to cut them off with a razor blade while in prison. See what I mean, you’re interested, aren’t you!

Have a great weekend folks!

#keepgoing

GTA 5 is criminally good say video game fans (scotsman.com)
Grand Theft Auto V Jacks Global Sales Record from Take-Two Interactive (technabob.com)

Can’t Hold Us

Posted on September 13, 2013 by tashfriday

Morning Tash Appreciators,

The subject of TF from a few weeks ago has been on my mind. The future starting slow can be a pain in the neck for all of us – waiting just isn’t fun. So, this week, I’ve got a few examples of people for whom the wait was worthwhile.

First up, for the hipsters, a rapper who seemed to emerge from nowhere with a track about fly second-hand clothes:

Macklemore, complete with Tash – a man with style.

For most of us, the first time we came across this chap was with his track “Thrift Shop“. Personally, though, I preferred his second single, “Can’t Hold Us”. From a TF perspective, this is a much better song. It’s about raising yourself up and generally not taking no for an answer.

Perhaps surprisingly, “Can’t Hold Us” was first released in August 2011. It was only after the monster success of “Thrift Shop” that Macklemore spent big bucks on a good video to accompany the track and effectively re-released it. As of July this year, over three million copies of “Can’t Hold Us” have been bought in the US alone. He’s also playing in Glasgow tonight, if any Appreciators happen to be in that part of the world.

Looking back in history, there are numerous examples of people who have had to wait half a lifetime or more before getting where they wanted to be.

Benjamin Franklin didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence until he was 70, making him the oldest signatory:

Ray Kroc was in his fifties when he started to think about turning his family owned business into a franchise which now serves 68 million people every day – McDonald’s:

Susan Boyle didn’t hit the big time until she was 48:

And, this week’s Tash didn’t become President of South Africa until he was 76:

If we think the future starts slow for us, imagine what it must have been like to spend 26 years waiting in prison. I think sometimes we can be too impatient. Sometimes, but by no means all the time, we should sit back and prepare ourselves for the moment when the right chance comes along; at which point, we’re ready to grab it with both hands.

Have a great weekend folks!#keepgoing

TGI Friday

Posted on September 6, 2013 by tashfriday

Hello Friday Appreciators,

The last few Tash Fridays have seen some examples of classic Tashes. While that’s all well and good, I wonder sometimes whether TF focuses too much on the Tash and not enough on the Friday.

Like the Tash, Friday is one of those things that is universally appreciated (hence the change to this week’s usual greeting). I bet that if you all looked on your Facebook news feeds today, at least one person will have posted something like this:

For most of us, Friday at 5pm is the point where we are furthest from our next day of work and for that reason we can’t get enough of it. To prove that universal appeal, you only need to look at the global chain of restaurants which uses an acronym of “thank goodness it’s Friday” as it’s name.

It may mean something different to all of us, but the feeling of turning the computer off and flying out of the office on a Friday evening is common to us all. I think that feeling it’s a combination of this :

And this:

Of course, there is a Tash connection to both of those clips. The song in the first video is “You Make My Dreams” by Hall and Oates and the second is an example of Carlton Banks’ dance from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air (essential Friday viewing when I was younger). John Oates had one of the greatest Tashes in rock and roll:

And both Will Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro are well versed in the ways of the Tash:

The point is, both Tashes and Friday are part of that long list of small things that make life worth living (along with cider on a hot day, showers with good water pressure etc) and it’s no wonder that the combination of them seems to have an appeal.

Have a fantastic Friday and a great weekend.

#keepgoing

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles