The Book ‘Blues By The Inch – Blues By The Mile’ is a work in progress and will be

Published on the web during the coming months. In the meantime here is the Introduction:

Introduction:

Blues By The Inch – Blues By The Mile

By: Jim Pates – 2005

Introduction: What is this book all about?

My name is Jim Pates and whilst I originated from the depths of Derbyshire I have inhabited a variety of

locations in the UK and during my various careers I have traveled the world extensively. During my colourful

life I have enjoyed a huge variety of different situations, some have been hilarious at the time others only

became funny after the fact. I have been scared to death for my life and worried sick by the lack of funds and

the pressures of work, but if I walked under a bus tomorrow – what would be left? Not including my family, I

mean what would be left of my life’s experiences? Whilst I don’t crave celebrity the one thing they (celebrities)

have assured by their nature is that their place in history is guaranteed as a result of what they did or what they

did not achieve. Therefore, in the future any interested party can find out a myriad of facts and details about

their lives, not to mention a huge wealth of elaboration courtesy of the media, who have never let the truth get

in the way of a good story. Not so for the rest of us. Unless we take the time to document at least the high (and low)

lights of our lives for posterity, it will ultimately be lost to history with our passing. So, this is my chronicle laid

bear in the form of anecdotes and experiences from my perspective. Some might find comfort in the knowledge

that Murphy affects us all and that if it can happen, it generally does, and at the most inconvenient and

embarrassing moment. My intention is firstly to commit the most important aspects of my life, so far, to the

written form so that my off spring and eventually theirs can have a read and hopefully a laugh or two. Secondly I

would like to think that the world at large might also find some value in these pages if only as something to stand

on so that they can reach the top shelf to get a really good book down. Thirdly I hope that some readers that are

just starting out on the great adventure such is life will find it in some way a comfort to know that life has never

been a push over. It can be hard, things seldom go how you would guess or desire but if you take the ‘half full’

perspective rather than the ‘half empty’, things often (That is to say – Sometimes, On the odd occasion) have a

way of working out. – Enjoy!