With a large amount of activities that I do, I plan and think about them meticulously in advance. I'm not the best on the fly, hence why I blog rather than stand on the street or in front of a crowd with a microfone spouting my thoughts or bad jokes. I make some decisions impulsively, but they are usually the ones that don't require much thinking.
Betting on sports, writing on sports, working on sporting events are all areas I have done or do, and all require significant thinking, planning and research. I do the same in my spare time when it comes to hobbies and fantasies in particular. The extent of my fantasies are in Fantasy Football, specifically NFL.
Fantasy sports require thinking if you want to earn bragging rights. The research required for selecting your team is essential. I want to avoid those players with injury problems, I want to avoid those inconsistent guys, I want to avoid those guys who shoot themselves in their thigh in nightclubs. I am looking for a solid group of guys who will consistently produce the goods for me, and one or two gems that I think will provide me with some value at some point through the season.
I play two main fantasy NFL league...I won one of them last season, and lost in the playoffs in the other. This season has not been a success. I tried a different strategy, and it just didn't work too well. There was one main reason for my failure however and I put it all down to one guy - DeSean Jackson. DeSean's contract with the Philadelphia Eagles finishes this year and he should be busting his cojones to get a nice new big contract. Instead, DeSean is sulking. DeSean is not showing up to practise and getting dropped for games. DeSean is getting injured (allegedly) early in games and not doing much. DeSean is fumbling balls. DeSean is dropping easy catches in the end zone when my two year old nephew could make the play. DeSean is not even looking like he is trying.
Me and DeSean are going our separate ways at the end of this season. I have had enough of him. I actually had a dream that DeSean died in a plane crash one week. Thankfully that was not the case, but it is over between him and I. If he had woken up and done what he should have been doing, this season would have been another success. Instead, it is now over and my team, just like DeSean, has nothing left to play for.
All I can assume is that DeSean did not pick himself in his own Fantasy team and he decided to sabotage his opponents by not playing well in the real game. That can be the only logical explanation. Folks in many sports and the likes of FIFA and UEFA worry about match fixing and illegal gambling on matches, but I think the real risk is Fantasy Football. Players are sabotaging other teams and under performing throughout and thus influencing the results of matches. I shall be forwarding this blog post to various authorities and suggesting they investigate.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Rest in Peace Gary Speed
When you’re a kid, there is inevitably a role model or hero that you look up to. They may sing, act, play sport, they may be your parents. Like so many young boys, mine were largely footballers, and being an Evertonian, I desperately tried to find a Toffeeman that I could imitate. Sadly, as the mid-eighties came to a close, I was left with the likes of Preki, Robert Warszycha and John Ebbrell to try and imitate and that just didn’t cut it for me.
My first real memories were largely based around the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. I was mesmerised by Diego Maradona and he stole the show for me even though I was hardly skilful….a boy can dream. There were some iconic figures for my beloved Everton as the nineties kicked in however. Duncan Ferguson was right up there for me and so many Everton fans. Aside from the big names players or the top goalscorers, fans often develop soft spots for home grown talent or players that are fans of the team themselves. Ultimately, you know that they will give their absolute all for the team and fight until the last whistle.
As I grew up and developed as a player, I still hadn’t honed those Maradona skills, but I was as committed as anybody. Along with Laurence Budd’s left-wing magic, I often scored a fair number of headed goals – not because I was particularly tall, but I was willing to put my head in places where others were not, and I worked on timing my jump. Duncan Ferguson was an Everton legend as he was 6 foot 4 and scored a number of headed goals for them. However, there was another player, another Evertonian, who I tried to imitate when playing myself, as I was short of 6 foot, like him, but he was a master at timing his leap to perfection.
When I was Junior Bobby, the only football I could watch live was Leeds United. My Uncle Ken would take me to games and I was just happy to be watching live football. I was mesmerised. I was around 11-12 years old when I watched my first game at Elland Road and I would wear my Everton shirt deep under 17 layers of clothes so none of the scary Leeds fans would spot it, but I knew deep down that I was not betraying my team. I was fortunate however to witness one of the best Leeds teams in history, and the Leeds midfield at that time was as good as any around at that period. There is just one other conventional four-man midfield that I have viewed that was as balanced as that Leeds quartet of Strachan, Batty, McAllister and Speed and that was the Valencia midfield of Mendieta, Gerard, Farinos, and Kily Gonzalez.
And it was the latter of the quartet that caught my eye as a player to try to imitate. Gary Speed was the player who was not quite 6 foot, but was superb in the air. He was the Evertonian. He was the guy who was perhaps not the most pleasing on the eye like Maradona, but clearly worked incredibly hard to master the skills that he did have. He was the left-footer with a decent right, which encouraged me to use my weak foot as much as possible and become more comfortable with it. He was the player who clearly looked after himself extremely well on and off the pitch that enabled him to have such a long playing career. He was the guy who was so well respected in the game, that transitioning to become a coach proved successful in such a short space of time.
When I woke up to my mum’s text last Saturday to hear that he had died, I had a lump in my throat. I had absolutely no idea of the reason – I just assumed it must have been some illness that had been hidden, an accident, or a sudden heart attack which has seemingly become more common among active players in recent years. I was pretty shocked when I learned that it was suicide, as it seems so many others have been, as there were clearly no indicators to those in football, and certainly not to the regular fan like myself.
I have not had the opportunity to read much in the last day or so about it, but I can only assume that there was some form of depression involved. The PFA statement saying that players would receive information on suffering from depression and their acknowledgment that it was an issue, suggested as much, and in truth it is surprising that it has taken this news for them to realise that. The numbers on divorces, alcohol and drug addictions among recently retired players is scary, and the void left by retirement for so many is something that requires attention from football authorities.
The news reminded me of an article I read a few weeks back from a television personality in Canada – Michael Landsberg. He is the presenter of a sports TV show called Off The Record – one of my favourites. It came following the death of a former Hockey player called Wade Belak. You can read it here - http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=375694. It is as thought-provoking a read as you will find, and I suspect the case of Gary Speed is probably something similar. Sad times. I can only hope that the likes of the PFA further acknowledge depression as a major issue and work hard to build awareness and provide the tools and support for the guys like Belak and Speed, who have been role models to so many.
My first real memories were largely based around the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. I was mesmerised by Diego Maradona and he stole the show for me even though I was hardly skilful….a boy can dream. There were some iconic figures for my beloved Everton as the nineties kicked in however. Duncan Ferguson was right up there for me and so many Everton fans. Aside from the big names players or the top goalscorers, fans often develop soft spots for home grown talent or players that are fans of the team themselves. Ultimately, you know that they will give their absolute all for the team and fight until the last whistle.
As I grew up and developed as a player, I still hadn’t honed those Maradona skills, but I was as committed as anybody. Along with Laurence Budd’s left-wing magic, I often scored a fair number of headed goals – not because I was particularly tall, but I was willing to put my head in places where others were not, and I worked on timing my jump. Duncan Ferguson was an Everton legend as he was 6 foot 4 and scored a number of headed goals for them. However, there was another player, another Evertonian, who I tried to imitate when playing myself, as I was short of 6 foot, like him, but he was a master at timing his leap to perfection.
When I was Junior Bobby, the only football I could watch live was Leeds United. My Uncle Ken would take me to games and I was just happy to be watching live football. I was mesmerised. I was around 11-12 years old when I watched my first game at Elland Road and I would wear my Everton shirt deep under 17 layers of clothes so none of the scary Leeds fans would spot it, but I knew deep down that I was not betraying my team. I was fortunate however to witness one of the best Leeds teams in history, and the Leeds midfield at that time was as good as any around at that period. There is just one other conventional four-man midfield that I have viewed that was as balanced as that Leeds quartet of Strachan, Batty, McAllister and Speed and that was the Valencia midfield of Mendieta, Gerard, Farinos, and Kily Gonzalez.
And it was the latter of the quartet that caught my eye as a player to try to imitate. Gary Speed was the player who was not quite 6 foot, but was superb in the air. He was the Evertonian. He was the guy who was perhaps not the most pleasing on the eye like Maradona, but clearly worked incredibly hard to master the skills that he did have. He was the left-footer with a decent right, which encouraged me to use my weak foot as much as possible and become more comfortable with it. He was the player who clearly looked after himself extremely well on and off the pitch that enabled him to have such a long playing career. He was the guy who was so well respected in the game, that transitioning to become a coach proved successful in such a short space of time.
When I woke up to my mum’s text last Saturday to hear that he had died, I had a lump in my throat. I had absolutely no idea of the reason – I just assumed it must have been some illness that had been hidden, an accident, or a sudden heart attack which has seemingly become more common among active players in recent years. I was pretty shocked when I learned that it was suicide, as it seems so many others have been, as there were clearly no indicators to those in football, and certainly not to the regular fan like myself.
I have not had the opportunity to read much in the last day or so about it, but I can only assume that there was some form of depression involved. The PFA statement saying that players would receive information on suffering from depression and their acknowledgment that it was an issue, suggested as much, and in truth it is surprising that it has taken this news for them to realise that. The numbers on divorces, alcohol and drug addictions among recently retired players is scary, and the void left by retirement for so many is something that requires attention from football authorities.
The news reminded me of an article I read a few weeks back from a television personality in Canada – Michael Landsberg. He is the presenter of a sports TV show called Off The Record – one of my favourites. It came following the death of a former Hockey player called Wade Belak. You can read it here - http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=375694. It is as thought-provoking a read as you will find, and I suspect the case of Gary Speed is probably something similar. Sad times. I can only hope that the likes of the PFA further acknowledge depression as a major issue and work hard to build awareness and provide the tools and support for the guys like Belak and Speed, who have been role models to so many.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Not for the Faint of Heart
In the past I have definitely touched upon a few sensitive topics in my blogs and have perhaps offended one or two people in the process. Well, you ain't seen nothing yet - this particular blog is going to knock your socks off and is not for the faint of heart.....don't read if you're squeamish...
If you haven't sponsored me and my Movember tache and you are reading this blog, you're a disgrace!!! I don't care if it is one dollar or one turkish lira, get your hand out of your pocket and sponsor Blogger Bobby's tache....you won't see it again after this next week!!
This is where it is at - http://mobro.co/robesteva
I'll put my money where my tache-laden mouth is and say that I will match all the donations made to me. I also don't care about birthday or christmas presents, a donation will suffice.
Don't be shy, and don't think of the tache or me, think of the good deed you are doing to a worthy cause.
If you haven't sponsored me and my Movember tache and you are reading this blog, you're a disgrace!!! I don't care if it is one dollar or one turkish lira, get your hand out of your pocket and sponsor Blogger Bobby's tache....you won't see it again after this next week!!
This is where it is at - http://mobro.co/robesteva
I'll put my money where my tache-laden mouth is and say that I will match all the donations made to me. I also don't care about birthday or christmas presents, a donation will suffice.
Don't be shy, and don't think of the tache or me, think of the good deed you are doing to a worthy cause.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Surprise Surprise
Who likes surprises? I kinda feel as if you dislike surprises, there is something strange about you. If you dislike shocks, then fair enough. I can understand that. If you are unsure whether it is a surprise or a shock, it may be like eating asparagus for the first time. The lovely taste and texture is a pleasant surprise, I like mine steamed with a little pepper on. The side effects that come with it however can be considered a shock. It took me months to work out there wasn’t something wrong with me.
Shocks are not nice. I consider these negative generally. A phone call in the night is generally a shock unless I am in North America and it is my bank's fraud team being over efficient. When I was a child, I assumed a call overnight meant bad news....for no real reason other than having old grandparents in a different country. My parents know the rule, death and illness means updating me wherever in the world I am. Anybody who lives away from their family, or perhaps even just for holidays, is likely to have a rule on this. It’s not a pleasant thought but essential to have a rule in place.
Surprises are great. I associate surprises with positivity. I love nothing more than surprising people. I enjoy coming up with great ideas for gifts, random gestures such as turning up on people's doorsteps in different countries, and generally doing things that will raise a smile on people's faces. I feel as if that has not happened as much as I would have hoped recently due to the fact that HJ and I have been so busy, but I am planning on raising my game in 2012 in this department.
Shocks are overrated, I have to say. Surprises however are underrated and I would propose that anybody who reads this blog post comes up with a pleasant surprise that is going to raise a smile for somebody else. It doesn't have to cost money, though a random bouquet of flowers never harmed anybody.....a gesture will do! Carry an old lady’s shopping bags up the street. I’ll never forget doing that once as a kid. An old lady asked me to help her and I duly carried her heavy shopping bags a mile up the road to the bus stop. I was thinking that I was in for a great little tip, until the bus came and we were still some way short of the stop. I flagged it down and the driver waited – the old lady hopped on, and as the doors were closing, she said ‘I’d love to give you a little something but my bus is here! Bye!’ I was gutted for a short period of time, but found it funny more than anything. I quickly realised that doing such gestures and providing surprises, and potentially receiving them, is a great reward for spending a bit of time, care, and effort on somebody else. I feel a new year's resolution coming on!
Shocks are not nice. I consider these negative generally. A phone call in the night is generally a shock unless I am in North America and it is my bank's fraud team being over efficient. When I was a child, I assumed a call overnight meant bad news....for no real reason other than having old grandparents in a different country. My parents know the rule, death and illness means updating me wherever in the world I am. Anybody who lives away from their family, or perhaps even just for holidays, is likely to have a rule on this. It’s not a pleasant thought but essential to have a rule in place.
Surprises are great. I associate surprises with positivity. I love nothing more than surprising people. I enjoy coming up with great ideas for gifts, random gestures such as turning up on people's doorsteps in different countries, and generally doing things that will raise a smile on people's faces. I feel as if that has not happened as much as I would have hoped recently due to the fact that HJ and I have been so busy, but I am planning on raising my game in 2012 in this department.
Shocks are overrated, I have to say. Surprises however are underrated and I would propose that anybody who reads this blog post comes up with a pleasant surprise that is going to raise a smile for somebody else. It doesn't have to cost money, though a random bouquet of flowers never harmed anybody.....a gesture will do! Carry an old lady’s shopping bags up the street. I’ll never forget doing that once as a kid. An old lady asked me to help her and I duly carried her heavy shopping bags a mile up the road to the bus stop. I was thinking that I was in for a great little tip, until the bus came and we were still some way short of the stop. I flagged it down and the driver waited – the old lady hopped on, and as the doors were closing, she said ‘I’d love to give you a little something but my bus is here! Bye!’ I was gutted for a short period of time, but found it funny more than anything. I quickly realised that doing such gestures and providing surprises, and potentially receiving them, is a great reward for spending a bit of time, care, and effort on somebody else. I feel a new year's resolution coming on!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Painful Reading
Bookshelves and book collections say a lot about people. Imagine my parents feelings when my sister started her serial killer book colllection in her teen years. Not something which gives you a warm loving sensation and confidence that you've raised a normal child, but she didn't turn out too bad I guess.
On my bookshelves - you'll find one in Leeds and one in Lausanne - there is a wide and extensive collection of sports books...largely autobiographies and some historical and reference books, but the common theme is sport. You will also find the Dexter collection which I love and somewhere in the loft, you'll find the complete works of Shakespeare but there is as much dust as pages.
One of the most enthralling but harrowing books I have read in the last couple of years is the Theo Fleury autobiography. If you don't know who is, he was a star ice hockey player in the NHL and for Team Canada, and he shares his life and particularly how he was sexually abused during the early days of his hockey career by one of his coaches. Not an easy read, but pretty compelling and sad at the same time.
It was around a year ago that I read the book and I was reminded of it last week when a similar story hit the headlines. If you don't live in the States or love american sports, you may not have heard the story, but the most successful coach in College Football was fired due to him being aware of one of his coaches allegedly abusing a number of young students in the last 10-15 years. Another story broke this morning of another accusation in another university.
Pretty scary to think that we put our faith and trust in coaches, trainers, and teachers to guide and educate children, and this kind of thing can happen. I have a high tolerance of hearing and watching blood and guts....that may come from my love of Dexter, UFC or maybe my sister's influence, but I cannot abide with this kind of stuff and I think it is one of the worst crimes that can be committed. I hope the book gets thrown at these guys, and I don't mean any from my bookshelf, if they are guilty. It's the only way kids, schools, and communities can get over it and recover their belief. I fear that this is more rife than we realise.
On my bookshelves - you'll find one in Leeds and one in Lausanne - there is a wide and extensive collection of sports books...largely autobiographies and some historical and reference books, but the common theme is sport. You will also find the Dexter collection which I love and somewhere in the loft, you'll find the complete works of Shakespeare but there is as much dust as pages.
One of the most enthralling but harrowing books I have read in the last couple of years is the Theo Fleury autobiography. If you don't know who is, he was a star ice hockey player in the NHL and for Team Canada, and he shares his life and particularly how he was sexually abused during the early days of his hockey career by one of his coaches. Not an easy read, but pretty compelling and sad at the same time.
It was around a year ago that I read the book and I was reminded of it last week when a similar story hit the headlines. If you don't live in the States or love american sports, you may not have heard the story, but the most successful coach in College Football was fired due to him being aware of one of his coaches allegedly abusing a number of young students in the last 10-15 years. Another story broke this morning of another accusation in another university.
Pretty scary to think that we put our faith and trust in coaches, trainers, and teachers to guide and educate children, and this kind of thing can happen. I have a high tolerance of hearing and watching blood and guts....that may come from my love of Dexter, UFC or maybe my sister's influence, but I cannot abide with this kind of stuff and I think it is one of the worst crimes that can be committed. I hope the book gets thrown at these guys, and I don't mean any from my bookshelf, if they are guilty. It's the only way kids, schools, and communities can get over it and recover their belief. I fear that this is more rife than we realise.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
White Mo-Rabbits
You are probably thinking that today is November 1st, the day after Halloween, the first day of the month before December, and you may even have whispered ‘White Rabbits’ wherever you may be. To others, it may just be another day. To me, it is something different. Today, ladies and gentlemen, is the start of Movember.
I think it is fair to say that Movember is pretty North American and it is slowly reaching Europe, though I know some folks that did it last year and probably received plenty of abuse because of it. As I scribbled randomly in my last blog, I aim to do more for charity and this is where it begins.
So what is Movember I hear you ask? Well, for the month of Movember, men all around the world are growing moustaches…..they start the month cleanly shaven, and proceed to develop a Tache for one month……usually in comical fashion. It is a charity campaign with the funds raised going to prostate cancer and other cancers which affect men. My dad has been doing Movember for years…..perhaps he should do the reverse this month and shave it off. I don’t think that will go down too well but I’d like to see it in the name of charity. Unfortunately, no beards nor goatees are allowed neither.
If you read my blog regularly and did so prior to our wedding, you’ll know the dilemma I have between pleasing two pretty important ladies in my life in terms of facial hair. I do my best but it is not easy. I am assured by my Mo Sista that growing a moustache…..a comedy and likely itchy and irritable moustache….will have no impact on the number of cheeky kisses I will receive in the month of Movember. And we are spending much of the month in America so my mum will not have to suffer the view of my tache apart from the occasional photo update.
You can find more information and see my profile – it is pretty tame right now but I promise to post photos on a regular basis to keep you fully informed on the growth and comical development. I ask each and every one of you who reads this blog, to make a small donation. Don’t click the X and pretend you don’t read my blog – I know where you live. Remember, it is a good cause and it will not be funding my blackjack session in Vegas I promise. My Mo Sista and I would greatly appreciate any donations (http://mobro.co/robesteva) – however small, however big – you can then say you have done your good deed for the month and done something for charity. I’ll be the one to look daft and I’ll be your Mo Bro for Movember.
I think it is fair to say that Movember is pretty North American and it is slowly reaching Europe, though I know some folks that did it last year and probably received plenty of abuse because of it. As I scribbled randomly in my last blog, I aim to do more for charity and this is where it begins.
So what is Movember I hear you ask? Well, for the month of Movember, men all around the world are growing moustaches…..they start the month cleanly shaven, and proceed to develop a Tache for one month……usually in comical fashion. It is a charity campaign with the funds raised going to prostate cancer and other cancers which affect men. My dad has been doing Movember for years…..perhaps he should do the reverse this month and shave it off. I don’t think that will go down too well but I’d like to see it in the name of charity. Unfortunately, no beards nor goatees are allowed neither.
If you read my blog regularly and did so prior to our wedding, you’ll know the dilemma I have between pleasing two pretty important ladies in my life in terms of facial hair. I do my best but it is not easy. I am assured by my Mo Sista that growing a moustache…..a comedy and likely itchy and irritable moustache….will have no impact on the number of cheeky kisses I will receive in the month of Movember. And we are spending much of the month in America so my mum will not have to suffer the view of my tache apart from the occasional photo update.
You can find more information and see my profile – it is pretty tame right now but I promise to post photos on a regular basis to keep you fully informed on the growth and comical development. I ask each and every one of you who reads this blog, to make a small donation. Don’t click the X and pretend you don’t read my blog – I know where you live. Remember, it is a good cause and it will not be funding my blackjack session in Vegas I promise. My Mo Sista and I would greatly appreciate any donations (http://mobro.co/robesteva) – however small, however big – you can then say you have done your good deed for the month and done something for charity. I’ll be the one to look daft and I’ll be your Mo Bro for Movember.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Bobby's Ten Commandments
I have been giving some thought to what we should all learn from 2011 and abide by for 2012. If you’re wondering why I am blogging about this now, it is because Christmas will be here before you know it.
They don’t all apply to me directly….some of them are things I have witnessed and experienced from others, but I am sure you can work it out for yourselves. There are some that can be considered as New Year resolutions, others that I should really apply now rather than wait until then.
Thou shalt:
1. Not lift yourself up out of my seat in an aeroplane by pulling the seat in front to raise myself - there's nothing worse than it happening to you when you are sleeping.
2. Not write stupid things on Facebook when your auntie, grandma, or anybody else you respect and respect you can read it. Especially relevant for juniors but adults are daft too. NB: This one is not for me!
3. Not waste as much food as we do. It is bad planning and caused by a lot of travel, but I need to be more resourceful.
4. Not shop as much at the big supermarkets and will support local producers more.
5. Not get my hair cut after six pints. In Manchester. In a non-English-speaking Japanese hairdressers. Have an inch taken off. And pay £17.
6. Not offer to help friends with their Fantasy Football draft if they cannot be online. Picking Peyton Manning was a genuine mistake….could have happened to anybody.
7. Not suffer from man-flu and be a drama queen whenever I get a cold this winter.
8. Directly do more for charity in 2012. Whether it is a sponsored run or something, I should do more and I will.
9. Not leave an Everton match early despite having to catch a flight or attend a party. They can wait, missing late goals and action is more important.
10. Continue to travel plenty but ensure that A. there is a gym in the hotels we book and B. when I take my running/gym gear, I actually work out instead of bringing it back clean.
11. Not to watch any more international friendlies – the players don’t care about them so why should i?
12. Not to come up with twelve commandments when I promise to only give ten.
They don’t all apply to me directly….some of them are things I have witnessed and experienced from others, but I am sure you can work it out for yourselves. There are some that can be considered as New Year resolutions, others that I should really apply now rather than wait until then.
Thou shalt:
1. Not lift yourself up out of my seat in an aeroplane by pulling the seat in front to raise myself - there's nothing worse than it happening to you when you are sleeping.
2. Not write stupid things on Facebook when your auntie, grandma, or anybody else you respect and respect you can read it. Especially relevant for juniors but adults are daft too. NB: This one is not for me!
3. Not waste as much food as we do. It is bad planning and caused by a lot of travel, but I need to be more resourceful.
4. Not shop as much at the big supermarkets and will support local producers more.
5. Not get my hair cut after six pints. In Manchester. In a non-English-speaking Japanese hairdressers. Have an inch taken off. And pay £17.
6. Not offer to help friends with their Fantasy Football draft if they cannot be online. Picking Peyton Manning was a genuine mistake….could have happened to anybody.
7. Not suffer from man-flu and be a drama queen whenever I get a cold this winter.
8. Directly do more for charity in 2012. Whether it is a sponsored run or something, I should do more and I will.
9. Not leave an Everton match early despite having to catch a flight or attend a party. They can wait, missing late goals and action is more important.
10. Continue to travel plenty but ensure that A. there is a gym in the hotels we book and B. when I take my running/gym gear, I actually work out instead of bringing it back clean.
11. Not to watch any more international friendlies – the players don’t care about them so why should i?
12. Not to come up with twelve commandments when I promise to only give ten.
Monday, October 10, 2011
There Are No Endings, Only Beginnings Part II
Random thoughts often pop into my head – sometimes they are totally new random thoughts and sometimes they are the same random thoughts that I have previously had which are triggered by events and occurrences that I experience or see.
I wrote a blog post back in May 2010…it surprised me to see that I’ve been writing this blog for so long. The title of the blog post was ‘There are no endings, only beginnings’ and as I read through it, I’m pleased to say my feelings haven’t changed on this one, so here is the sequel.
I was recently reminded of this blog by a good friend of HJ and mine. Back in 2005-06, we studied together on the Fifa Master degree and we met a German-speaking Italian called Erika Riedl. She will be the first to admit that her English was not the best back then and with my sultry but strong Yorkshire accent, I don’t think we understood each other for a good three months. Thankfully, after Erika spent some quality time with HJ, everybody’s favourite MC Megha Shah, and Dani, her English improved and our conversations slowly but surely began to make sense.
Fast forward to 2011, and we have all been great friends for some years now. Hj, Erika and I lived together for a good period of time while I was commuting to and from London and we spent many an evening on our couch in Montchoisi watching random tv shows….Erika usually napped during them, but that is just between you and I.
Last month, Erika quit her job and has decided to follow her dream by competing internationally as a Skeleton Slider. She will not thank me for giving away her age, but think of mine and you won’t go far wrong.
If you do not know too much about Skeleton, watch this and imagine you are wearing this helmet - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snMCJa6nYCk
My admiration for Erika runs much further than having the cojones to stick a helmet on and shoot down an ice track at some 150km per hour. How many people you know make a decision to leave a great job without something lined up, never mind to test themselves in such a tough sport at the highest level? I have absolutely no idea what it takes to be a top class Skeleton slider, and if I am brutally honest, I don’t really want to find out. Erika has been doing this part-time for two years now and I am not sure I know many other people who have the single-mindedness, determination and ability to do what Erika is doing.
The new season is just around the corner now and Erika will be sliding to Canada, the US, Germany, Latvia and around Switzerland. Check out her website: http://www.erikariedl.com/Erika_Riedl/Hola%21.html. Erika is looking for sponsors and donations right now, so anybody reading this and wanting to support her, contact her through her website. If you don’t have a spare quid and you are on Facebook, click this link and click ‘like’ on her page – it will give her a better chance of seeking sponsors if she has a great FB following, and you can follow her journey this winter.
HJ and I are going to be avidly following you this winter Riedl – we are so proud of you and good luck!! Whatever comes of the next six months, win or lose, rain or shine, you will never sit back in your rocking chair in forty years’ time wondering what could have been. You may have severe arthritis and a few creaking bones, but your mind will be at ease in the knowledge you have done everything possible to succeed!
I wrote a blog post back in May 2010…it surprised me to see that I’ve been writing this blog for so long. The title of the blog post was ‘There are no endings, only beginnings’ and as I read through it, I’m pleased to say my feelings haven’t changed on this one, so here is the sequel.
I was recently reminded of this blog by a good friend of HJ and mine. Back in 2005-06, we studied together on the Fifa Master degree and we met a German-speaking Italian called Erika Riedl. She will be the first to admit that her English was not the best back then and with my sultry but strong Yorkshire accent, I don’t think we understood each other for a good three months. Thankfully, after Erika spent some quality time with HJ, everybody’s favourite MC Megha Shah, and Dani, her English improved and our conversations slowly but surely began to make sense.
Fast forward to 2011, and we have all been great friends for some years now. Hj, Erika and I lived together for a good period of time while I was commuting to and from London and we spent many an evening on our couch in Montchoisi watching random tv shows….Erika usually napped during them, but that is just between you and I.
Last month, Erika quit her job and has decided to follow her dream by competing internationally as a Skeleton Slider. She will not thank me for giving away her age, but think of mine and you won’t go far wrong.
If you do not know too much about Skeleton, watch this and imagine you are wearing this helmet - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snMCJa6nYCk
My admiration for Erika runs much further than having the cojones to stick a helmet on and shoot down an ice track at some 150km per hour. How many people you know make a decision to leave a great job without something lined up, never mind to test themselves in such a tough sport at the highest level? I have absolutely no idea what it takes to be a top class Skeleton slider, and if I am brutally honest, I don’t really want to find out. Erika has been doing this part-time for two years now and I am not sure I know many other people who have the single-mindedness, determination and ability to do what Erika is doing.
The new season is just around the corner now and Erika will be sliding to Canada, the US, Germany, Latvia and around Switzerland. Check out her website: http://www.erikariedl.com/Erika_Riedl/Hola%21.html. Erika is looking for sponsors and donations right now, so anybody reading this and wanting to support her, contact her through her website. If you don’t have a spare quid and you are on Facebook, click this link and click ‘like’ on her page – it will give her a better chance of seeking sponsors if she has a great FB following, and you can follow her journey this winter.
HJ and I are going to be avidly following you this winter Riedl – we are so proud of you and good luck!! Whatever comes of the next six months, win or lose, rain or shine, you will never sit back in your rocking chair in forty years’ time wondering what could have been. You may have severe arthritis and a few creaking bones, but your mind will be at ease in the knowledge you have done everything possible to succeed!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Dying in the Wool
You are sat at the blackjack table and you have 13 in your hand. The dealer has 5. The correct thing to do is to stick with what you have, but sticking with 13 feels filthy. It is the sensible thing to do however, and that is what the book tells you to do. Assuming nobody is fiddling the cards, that’s another blog for another day, you are playing percentages and there is nothing you can do that will affect the outcome of which cards will be turned over. The only decision is whether you take the next card, or you leave it to the dealer. It is one of those situations where you will likely be left kicking your heels if you hand the dealer the six, but when the two Queens come, you sit there smugly knowing you made the right call. Losing and still knowing you made the right call is a small consolation, but you know it is the line you should continue to follow.
I have had a lot of random thoughts and discussions recently about a variety of things which have had me thinking about how I approach certain things and even as I write, I know what the right things to do are, but I don’t always do them.
My beloved Everton are going through something of a crisis right now. Average results to start the season and selling some key players in the squad and not replacing them, have led to ever growing dissatisfaction amongst the natives. To say they are restless is an understatement and the anger towards the chairman and board is reaching a head. If we win games and beat Liverpool tomorrow, everybody will forget the problems and rejoice. That is unlikely to happen, and so the deafening minority will continue to hammer Bill Kenwright and company.
I have always sympathised with Kenwright and I like him as a person. I have had a couple of conversations with him and always found him to be genuine and a good guy. Sadly, the time has come for him to make way – if and when somebody else comes in with the money. I am left in a situation where I like the guy and what he has done for the club, but I know that my team are slowly dying a death until there is significant investment in the club. I read the message boards and I hear the abuse in the stadium, and it will be these people who ultimately force the change at the club. It is sad, and I cannot bring myself to participate or speak up, but I have a feeling deep down that it is needed.
I have had similar discussions with my family about England recently. I admit that I am not particularly patriotic – that may be due to a confused heritage of English, Spanish and Brazilian. Anybody would be. When I see the rioting on television, it embarrasses me. When I watch Leeds Utd v Man Utd and all I hear is Leeds fans singing songs about the Munich air disaster and Man Utd fans celebrating the death of a couple of Leeds fan in Istanbul by wearing Turkish shirts and unfurling huge banners, I cringe. The first thing I will say is that stuff like this happens in many other countries – this is far from an England beatdown. But it is where I am from, and it is not something I am proud about.
HJ and I had a small wedding celebration for all of our family who did not attend our wedding in Canada a couple of weeks ago. The chap in the flower shop was talking about litter and how it is a real issue for him when he sees people blatantly throw litter on the floor. Don’t ask me how we got on to the conversation. He said that any time he sees somebody doing it, he taps them on the shoulder and says ‘Excuse me mate, I think you have dropped something!’
It got me thinking about the role I play when I see and hear things like this happening. In general, if it directly impacts me, I would do something about it. If it is something that I witness passively, while I may not be happy about it, I turn a blind eye and avoid potential confrontation. It is not the right card to play, but in this day and age, it can often be the safest one. I know that one person is not going to change the way a significant group of people chant at a football match. But I do know that until people, myself included, do confront such situations, nothing is going to change.
I feel like that is the general situation in England right now regarding a whole range of issues. We are incredibly lucky to live in Switzerland. There are plenty of problems in Switzerland also – who ever thought an impenetrable Swiss bank could be hit by a rogue trader? It is not pleasant waking up to see your own bank hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons. That said, there are a lot of things they get right and it is a decent place to live. There are quite a few family members who would have moved to another country if the circumstances were right. I am the only one that has. I wonder how many of my old schoolmates, colleagues, friends have moved away or think of moving abroad. How many of us strive to find something better or do we just put up with what we have through a fear of changing or because we simply just do not know that there is something better out there?
I fear for what the UK will look like in 20 years time. Are the economic problems, the social problems, the education problems so deeply ingrained now that it will take 20-30 years to change them? I don’t know, but I am not hopeful. Protesting and rebelling may be the best way forward as long as it is done in the correct manner. I do not have a great deal of confidence in Politicians – but again that is for another blog and another day. The same situation at Everton – I don’t like what so many are doing but similarly, change will be forced for good or for bad. If not, the situation remains the same and a slow painful death is inevitable. I just hope it is done in the right way. If I had been at that Leeds/Man Utd game, I would likely have kept quiet despite vehemently being opposed to such comments.
Unfortunately, I am no protester, even if I know I should do more and I guess I take the easy way out. I pick my right fights, and I avoid getting into losing battles. I guess not all situations in life have a guide book telling you how you should play your cards, but I’ll be the first to buy it if it does come out.
I have had a lot of random thoughts and discussions recently about a variety of things which have had me thinking about how I approach certain things and even as I write, I know what the right things to do are, but I don’t always do them.
My beloved Everton are going through something of a crisis right now. Average results to start the season and selling some key players in the squad and not replacing them, have led to ever growing dissatisfaction amongst the natives. To say they are restless is an understatement and the anger towards the chairman and board is reaching a head. If we win games and beat Liverpool tomorrow, everybody will forget the problems and rejoice. That is unlikely to happen, and so the deafening minority will continue to hammer Bill Kenwright and company.
I have always sympathised with Kenwright and I like him as a person. I have had a couple of conversations with him and always found him to be genuine and a good guy. Sadly, the time has come for him to make way – if and when somebody else comes in with the money. I am left in a situation where I like the guy and what he has done for the club, but I know that my team are slowly dying a death until there is significant investment in the club. I read the message boards and I hear the abuse in the stadium, and it will be these people who ultimately force the change at the club. It is sad, and I cannot bring myself to participate or speak up, but I have a feeling deep down that it is needed.
I have had similar discussions with my family about England recently. I admit that I am not particularly patriotic – that may be due to a confused heritage of English, Spanish and Brazilian. Anybody would be. When I see the rioting on television, it embarrasses me. When I watch Leeds Utd v Man Utd and all I hear is Leeds fans singing songs about the Munich air disaster and Man Utd fans celebrating the death of a couple of Leeds fan in Istanbul by wearing Turkish shirts and unfurling huge banners, I cringe. The first thing I will say is that stuff like this happens in many other countries – this is far from an England beatdown. But it is where I am from, and it is not something I am proud about.
HJ and I had a small wedding celebration for all of our family who did not attend our wedding in Canada a couple of weeks ago. The chap in the flower shop was talking about litter and how it is a real issue for him when he sees people blatantly throw litter on the floor. Don’t ask me how we got on to the conversation. He said that any time he sees somebody doing it, he taps them on the shoulder and says ‘Excuse me mate, I think you have dropped something!’
It got me thinking about the role I play when I see and hear things like this happening. In general, if it directly impacts me, I would do something about it. If it is something that I witness passively, while I may not be happy about it, I turn a blind eye and avoid potential confrontation. It is not the right card to play, but in this day and age, it can often be the safest one. I know that one person is not going to change the way a significant group of people chant at a football match. But I do know that until people, myself included, do confront such situations, nothing is going to change.
I feel like that is the general situation in England right now regarding a whole range of issues. We are incredibly lucky to live in Switzerland. There are plenty of problems in Switzerland also – who ever thought an impenetrable Swiss bank could be hit by a rogue trader? It is not pleasant waking up to see your own bank hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons. That said, there are a lot of things they get right and it is a decent place to live. There are quite a few family members who would have moved to another country if the circumstances were right. I am the only one that has. I wonder how many of my old schoolmates, colleagues, friends have moved away or think of moving abroad. How many of us strive to find something better or do we just put up with what we have through a fear of changing or because we simply just do not know that there is something better out there?
I fear for what the UK will look like in 20 years time. Are the economic problems, the social problems, the education problems so deeply ingrained now that it will take 20-30 years to change them? I don’t know, but I am not hopeful. Protesting and rebelling may be the best way forward as long as it is done in the correct manner. I do not have a great deal of confidence in Politicians – but again that is for another blog and another day. The same situation at Everton – I don’t like what so many are doing but similarly, change will be forced for good or for bad. If not, the situation remains the same and a slow painful death is inevitable. I just hope it is done in the right way. If I had been at that Leeds/Man Utd game, I would likely have kept quiet despite vehemently being opposed to such comments.
Unfortunately, I am no protester, even if I know I should do more and I guess I take the easy way out. I pick my right fights, and I avoid getting into losing battles. I guess not all situations in life have a guide book telling you how you should play your cards, but I’ll be the first to buy it if it does come out.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Short Sharp Jabs
It’s been a while since I have scribbled a few random sporting thoughts, so here goes.
Did anybody see the Floyd Mayweather fight? Youtube it if you didn’t - a truly amazing end to a fight. My take on it is this – the referee is 100% the one to blame for not having control over the situation and it is time for Cortes to be struck from the list. I love plenty of old people, but refereeing two world class fighters is not for them. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if it was Floyd that had gotten knocked out – I suspect many boxing fans would have not been so critical then.
Great news that Sid Crosby is back skating at 100% again. Hopefully he will be cleared for full contact soon and he can get back to his best. Concussions are scary. Looking forward to seeing him play again this season – can you tell I am excited for the NHL season to start? Funny to see how even when they are both injured, Crosby steals the limelight over Malkin, just like when they are playing.
I have often written about my sympathy for coaches and the expectancy and demand for instant success. Kansas City Chief have lost arguably their three best players for the whole season – Moeaki, Berry and Charles – and after losing their first two games heavily, their coach is under pressure. Unfortunately, it is going to be a long hard season for them now, but changing the coach will not help.
Basel aside, this is as ruthless a Man Utd team as I have seen in a number of seasons and they are getting that degree of invincibility back. Last season, I didn’t rate them at all, but they are looking strong and sharp this season. It will be necessary as City will push them all the way in the league season, though it is still hard to see them getting past Barca again in the Champions League. They may not have started the season particularly well, but the connection between Messi and Fabregas is already looking immense.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Ireland v Australia match in the Rugby World Cup group stage – absolute cracker of a game. There have been a couple of decent matches but I am looking forward to the quarter-finals onwards. Rugby has a similar problem to Cricket in that they do not have enough top class teams to make a great competition throughout such a long period of time. This is hugely elitist but seeing South Africa beat Namibia 80-something to nil is not fun.
On the rugby lines, I have to say that the press about the England team having a few beers and bungee jumping was wildly exaggerated and unnecessary. I do not and will not understand while a guy like Mike Tindall would play away from home – did he honestly think he would get away with it? Muppet.
It is flying under the radar to a degree in European football but the Man City style has rubbed off in Malaga where they too have received a load of cash and a load of decent players. Aside from Valencia, Barca and Real, there is no reason why they cannot push for fourth place. It may be Europa League at best, but if they keep up this strong start to the season, and sign a few more players in January, then they really could fight Atletico for fourth.
November 12th promises to be a sensational day of fights if you like MMA and Boxing. Cain Velasquez v Junior dos Santos and Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez are gonna be two quality fights, and I am truly excited for both of them.
Carlos Tevez? I have to admit to finding the situation at Man City quite humorous. I felt a touch sorry for him in the summer….suffering from homesickness and wanting to return to Argentina….it felt like Man City held all the cards….with no club in Argentina or Brazil being able to afford him. Now, it seems like the situation is reversed….he can cause them all kinds of problems until they agree to release him for an affordable price while he can sit back and pick up his ridiculous salary. City have nobody but themselves to blame for A. paying stupid salaries and B. signing incredibly temperamental strikers…..Tevez, Adebayor, Balotelli etc.
Did anybody see the Floyd Mayweather fight? Youtube it if you didn’t - a truly amazing end to a fight. My take on it is this – the referee is 100% the one to blame for not having control over the situation and it is time for Cortes to be struck from the list. I love plenty of old people, but refereeing two world class fighters is not for them. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if it was Floyd that had gotten knocked out – I suspect many boxing fans would have not been so critical then.
Great news that Sid Crosby is back skating at 100% again. Hopefully he will be cleared for full contact soon and he can get back to his best. Concussions are scary. Looking forward to seeing him play again this season – can you tell I am excited for the NHL season to start? Funny to see how even when they are both injured, Crosby steals the limelight over Malkin, just like when they are playing.
I have often written about my sympathy for coaches and the expectancy and demand for instant success. Kansas City Chief have lost arguably their three best players for the whole season – Moeaki, Berry and Charles – and after losing their first two games heavily, their coach is under pressure. Unfortunately, it is going to be a long hard season for them now, but changing the coach will not help.
Basel aside, this is as ruthless a Man Utd team as I have seen in a number of seasons and they are getting that degree of invincibility back. Last season, I didn’t rate them at all, but they are looking strong and sharp this season. It will be necessary as City will push them all the way in the league season, though it is still hard to see them getting past Barca again in the Champions League. They may not have started the season particularly well, but the connection between Messi and Fabregas is already looking immense.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Ireland v Australia match in the Rugby World Cup group stage – absolute cracker of a game. There have been a couple of decent matches but I am looking forward to the quarter-finals onwards. Rugby has a similar problem to Cricket in that they do not have enough top class teams to make a great competition throughout such a long period of time. This is hugely elitist but seeing South Africa beat Namibia 80-something to nil is not fun.
On the rugby lines, I have to say that the press about the England team having a few beers and bungee jumping was wildly exaggerated and unnecessary. I do not and will not understand while a guy like Mike Tindall would play away from home – did he honestly think he would get away with it? Muppet.
It is flying under the radar to a degree in European football but the Man City style has rubbed off in Malaga where they too have received a load of cash and a load of decent players. Aside from Valencia, Barca and Real, there is no reason why they cannot push for fourth place. It may be Europa League at best, but if they keep up this strong start to the season, and sign a few more players in January, then they really could fight Atletico for fourth.
November 12th promises to be a sensational day of fights if you like MMA and Boxing. Cain Velasquez v Junior dos Santos and Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez are gonna be two quality fights, and I am truly excited for both of them.
Carlos Tevez? I have to admit to finding the situation at Man City quite humorous. I felt a touch sorry for him in the summer….suffering from homesickness and wanting to return to Argentina….it felt like Man City held all the cards….with no club in Argentina or Brazil being able to afford him. Now, it seems like the situation is reversed….he can cause them all kinds of problems until they agree to release him for an affordable price while he can sit back and pick up his ridiculous salary. City have nobody but themselves to blame for A. paying stupid salaries and B. signing incredibly temperamental strikers…..Tevez, Adebayor, Balotelli etc.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Timing Is Everything
Being brought up in a tough comprehensive school in Leeds, its inevitable that one has a tough, hard man reputation. After publishing my wedding day vows last time out, I feel the need to recover some of my man pride...hence this random blog full of masculinity.
Over the years, I've come to learn that timing is everything. Hard work, intelligence and common sense certainly help, but timing is often just as key. My career path has been one example of this where things have just seemed to have fallen in place at the right time and the right place. The timing of my movements has worked well for me and among the networking, lengthy hours, risks and decisions, there has unquestionably been some fortunate timing to coincide. Had I not decided to study for a sports masters degree, I would never met HJ.
I was reminded of my impeccable timing a week after our wedding as we walked down the street alone in Prince Edward Island. As I occasionally do, I grabbed HJ's butt.....and if anybody recalls the size of my hands, it constitutes a heck of a grab. Behind us, about ten metres back, a local lady with her Starbucks coffee in hand shouts over 'Nice Grope Buddy' at the top of her voice. Lesson learned and timing impeccable as always.
It got me thinking of plenty of other embarrassing and uncomfortable situations that I have gotten myself in over the years. Ikea is not what I would call my greatest preference for a Saturday morning. Anybody who is fortunate to have avoided it in their lives thus far, will not know that they have this clever layout whereby you have to walk through and see the entire store even if you want to get one thing. That means everybody is walking and pushing trolleys in more or less the same direction.....not ideal if you have bad wind one day and are unable to wander away to a quiet area and let one go. All you can do is make your excuses and try and get to the scented candle section as quickly as possible. This may or may not have happened to me, just saying.
That takes me back to an old classic when I was in middle school...around 14 years old. I liked to try to be a cool kid, make classmates laugh and if I did get in trouble, charm the teachers my way. It usually worked for me. I also liked playing football and would be found kicking a ball every break and lunchtime. One lunch in particular, there was no football so I found myself particularly bored. After lunch, I was out with a group of friends kicking stones around and I launched one across the playground. With my impeccable timing, one of our teachers stepped out into the playground, as my stone skipped off the surface and drilled her in the side of her head. I had some sweet talking to do after that.
I would never suggest sitting around waiting for things to happen....they inevitably don't when you do. But it is funny how things turn out when you least expect them. Caught up in your own world, until it affects or involves somebody else whether you are walking down the street, shopping in Ikea or playing in the playground. Timing is everything.
Over the years, I've come to learn that timing is everything. Hard work, intelligence and common sense certainly help, but timing is often just as key. My career path has been one example of this where things have just seemed to have fallen in place at the right time and the right place. The timing of my movements has worked well for me and among the networking, lengthy hours, risks and decisions, there has unquestionably been some fortunate timing to coincide. Had I not decided to study for a sports masters degree, I would never met HJ.
I was reminded of my impeccable timing a week after our wedding as we walked down the street alone in Prince Edward Island. As I occasionally do, I grabbed HJ's butt.....and if anybody recalls the size of my hands, it constitutes a heck of a grab. Behind us, about ten metres back, a local lady with her Starbucks coffee in hand shouts over 'Nice Grope Buddy' at the top of her voice. Lesson learned and timing impeccable as always.
It got me thinking of plenty of other embarrassing and uncomfortable situations that I have gotten myself in over the years. Ikea is not what I would call my greatest preference for a Saturday morning. Anybody who is fortunate to have avoided it in their lives thus far, will not know that they have this clever layout whereby you have to walk through and see the entire store even if you want to get one thing. That means everybody is walking and pushing trolleys in more or less the same direction.....not ideal if you have bad wind one day and are unable to wander away to a quiet area and let one go. All you can do is make your excuses and try and get to the scented candle section as quickly as possible. This may or may not have happened to me, just saying.
That takes me back to an old classic when I was in middle school...around 14 years old. I liked to try to be a cool kid, make classmates laugh and if I did get in trouble, charm the teachers my way. It usually worked for me. I also liked playing football and would be found kicking a ball every break and lunchtime. One lunch in particular, there was no football so I found myself particularly bored. After lunch, I was out with a group of friends kicking stones around and I launched one across the playground. With my impeccable timing, one of our teachers stepped out into the playground, as my stone skipped off the surface and drilled her in the side of her head. I had some sweet talking to do after that.
I would never suggest sitting around waiting for things to happen....they inevitably don't when you do. But it is funny how things turn out when you least expect them. Caught up in your own world, until it affects or involves somebody else whether you are walking down the street, shopping in Ikea or playing in the playground. Timing is everything.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Last Supper
There comes a moment in everybody’s life when you realise it may well be the last opportunity you have to do something you have always wanted to or something you just love to do. For some, that moment may be death. For others, that may well be your stag do. Some people may actually believe they are the same thing, but there is a subtle difference....you can die more than once on your stag do.
Thankfully, I made it through the rain to coin a famous song. Starting at 4pm on Friday and finishing at 6pm on Sunday, I survived the weekend in my home town of Leeds. There was a bit of pain involved, and a serious lack of sleep, but sleep is overrated. And so are headaches allegedly.
People asked me if I was nervous and I genuinely was not. I have an excellent best man, and he planned a fabulous weekend with just the right mix of everything – rugby, football, golf, drinking, eating and a comedy Red Bull Flugtag. It certainly did cross my mind as I flew to Leeds on Thursday that I should appreciate a comfortable bed, normal clothes and good food however.
I prepared for the weekend on Thursday with the delights of my mum’s cooking. With my impending deaths on her mind, Mum wanted to cook me a good meal and I went for my all-time favourite last supper – Roast Beef, Yorkshire Puddings, Potatoes, Vegetables and Gravy. Hit the spot as always.
There are a number of moments where I am satisfied enough that if I am going to be struck by lightning any second, then so be it. Mum’s dinner is one, Everton scoring a last minute goal to win a key game is another, and a particular cuddle with my girl where our bodies just fit perfectly into each other’s arms is the other. I guess death and stag dos help remind us what are the key things in life and what they mean to us.
What I realised more than anything however is what a great group of family and friends I can count on. Leeds may not have been the first choice for many, but they braved the miserable weather and some incredibly rough women to spend a special weekend with me. Some dragged themselves across Leeds, some drove across the UK, and others flew in from other countries to be there and for that I am extremely grateful. I have hinted once or twice before that I am not always the most eloquent when I have to verbally speak about feelings but I hope that all the gentlemen who attended the weekend feel that I reciprocate the efforts that they put into our friendships. And even if it was just the anticipation of my impending deaths that enticed them to be there – the fact that I had had my favourite last supper ensured I was calm and prepared for what was to come.
Thankfully, I made it through the rain to coin a famous song. Starting at 4pm on Friday and finishing at 6pm on Sunday, I survived the weekend in my home town of Leeds. There was a bit of pain involved, and a serious lack of sleep, but sleep is overrated. And so are headaches allegedly.
People asked me if I was nervous and I genuinely was not. I have an excellent best man, and he planned a fabulous weekend with just the right mix of everything – rugby, football, golf, drinking, eating and a comedy Red Bull Flugtag. It certainly did cross my mind as I flew to Leeds on Thursday that I should appreciate a comfortable bed, normal clothes and good food however.
I prepared for the weekend on Thursday with the delights of my mum’s cooking. With my impending deaths on her mind, Mum wanted to cook me a good meal and I went for my all-time favourite last supper – Roast Beef, Yorkshire Puddings, Potatoes, Vegetables and Gravy. Hit the spot as always.
There are a number of moments where I am satisfied enough that if I am going to be struck by lightning any second, then so be it. Mum’s dinner is one, Everton scoring a last minute goal to win a key game is another, and a particular cuddle with my girl where our bodies just fit perfectly into each other’s arms is the other. I guess death and stag dos help remind us what are the key things in life and what they mean to us.
What I realised more than anything however is what a great group of family and friends I can count on. Leeds may not have been the first choice for many, but they braved the miserable weather and some incredibly rough women to spend a special weekend with me. Some dragged themselves across Leeds, some drove across the UK, and others flew in from other countries to be there and for that I am extremely grateful. I have hinted once or twice before that I am not always the most eloquent when I have to verbally speak about feelings but I hope that all the gentlemen who attended the weekend feel that I reciprocate the efforts that they put into our friendships. And even if it was just the anticipation of my impending deaths that enticed them to be there – the fact that I had had my favourite last supper ensured I was calm and prepared for what was to come.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Let Me Entertain You
There is a common feeling throughout that sport stars are overpaid. How is it justified that some skinny kid from Manchester can earn £150,000 per week, when so many people would aim for that in a decade? I actually have no problem with it. I like to be entertained, and clearly so do millions of other people whether it be on television, in the stadium or the arena. Last week I saw The Killers and Bon Jovi – both of which are totally different performances, but entertained me and the masses thoroughly. Brandon is shy and introvert, but he doesn’t really need to be anything else – the music speaks for itself. Jon is a natural entertainer and gets the crowd going as much as the music does. I love both of them.
Tonight is boxing. David Haye and Vladimir Klitschko will earn over £10m from 36 minutes of scrapping tonight. It may be less than 36 of course. It is not just a conversion - £10m divided by the number of rounds or minutes that the fight lasts though. The training, the PR, the general effort that has gone into building this fight up has been huge, and it is more than just the time in the ring tonight which makes this such a big fight. Plus, anybody who is prepared to be punched in the face by either of these two chaps deserves £10m.
I’ve mentioned this a few times but HJ and I have this ongoing joke about how I get an idea about going to a UFC, football or Boxing event, and I build it up and justify going by saying it is the biggest event ever or in ten years. This one actually is….seriously, I’m telling the truth this time HJ! It’s been years since a great heavyweight fight, and finally we have one. I was happy to pay the 200 Euros to get into the stadium tonight, as are 50,000 other folks, and millions will pay the £15-20 on PPV. Why? Because it will entertain and intrigue us.
Aside from the actual cost of watching or attending, what price or value does entertainment have for us? It is huge for me. I love to be entertained and I love to entertain. It doesn’t have to mean stepping into the ring with a Ukrainian beast to do that though. I enjoy nothing more than seeing my girl, friends or family smile, enjoy a moment or two, playing with my niece and nephew….although I suspect the big bag of sweets has more to do with their smiles and laughter.
I would never risk my boyish looks by fighting (stop laughing over there) so I would always have to find other ways of entertaining. I always fancied myself as a singer in my mid-teens, but when it got even remotely close to being possible that I would sing in a crowd, I bottled it. Singing wasn’t for me, didn’t like the sole focus or attention nor had a good voice. Not positive characteristics to replicate a Bon Jovi or The Killers. Playing football was slightly different. Perhaps it was because I formed part of a team, but for some reason, I always raised my game the more people were watching…especially if there were one or two girls viewing. Bowling or batting in the last over playing cricket was always something I relished and enjoyed. Knee and ankle injuries later didn’t help that, as well as discovering alcohol, so my next form of entertainment was and is to make people smile. Whether that is a joke, having fun, or a gesture that lets somebody know that I am thinking about them. The small things that entertain or make people feel good about themselves.
As I get older and maybe think a bit more than I did when I was a young pup, I realise the small stuff is just as important if not more so, than the grand gestures. My lady has certainly been key in that realisation. She is the most kind, caring and thoughtful person I know (will they make good vows?!). You don’t have to take the punch in the face, score the winning goal in the cup final, or blast out Mr Brightside – the card in the post, the smile, the phone call is just as important. But just accept that the love and smile in return is better than the £10m.
Tonight is boxing. David Haye and Vladimir Klitschko will earn over £10m from 36 minutes of scrapping tonight. It may be less than 36 of course. It is not just a conversion - £10m divided by the number of rounds or minutes that the fight lasts though. The training, the PR, the general effort that has gone into building this fight up has been huge, and it is more than just the time in the ring tonight which makes this such a big fight. Plus, anybody who is prepared to be punched in the face by either of these two chaps deserves £10m.
I’ve mentioned this a few times but HJ and I have this ongoing joke about how I get an idea about going to a UFC, football or Boxing event, and I build it up and justify going by saying it is the biggest event ever or in ten years. This one actually is….seriously, I’m telling the truth this time HJ! It’s been years since a great heavyweight fight, and finally we have one. I was happy to pay the 200 Euros to get into the stadium tonight, as are 50,000 other folks, and millions will pay the £15-20 on PPV. Why? Because it will entertain and intrigue us.
Aside from the actual cost of watching or attending, what price or value does entertainment have for us? It is huge for me. I love to be entertained and I love to entertain. It doesn’t have to mean stepping into the ring with a Ukrainian beast to do that though. I enjoy nothing more than seeing my girl, friends or family smile, enjoy a moment or two, playing with my niece and nephew….although I suspect the big bag of sweets has more to do with their smiles and laughter.
I would never risk my boyish looks by fighting (stop laughing over there) so I would always have to find other ways of entertaining. I always fancied myself as a singer in my mid-teens, but when it got even remotely close to being possible that I would sing in a crowd, I bottled it. Singing wasn’t for me, didn’t like the sole focus or attention nor had a good voice. Not positive characteristics to replicate a Bon Jovi or The Killers. Playing football was slightly different. Perhaps it was because I formed part of a team, but for some reason, I always raised my game the more people were watching…especially if there were one or two girls viewing. Bowling or batting in the last over playing cricket was always something I relished and enjoyed. Knee and ankle injuries later didn’t help that, as well as discovering alcohol, so my next form of entertainment was and is to make people smile. Whether that is a joke, having fun, or a gesture that lets somebody know that I am thinking about them. The small things that entertain or make people feel good about themselves.
As I get older and maybe think a bit more than I did when I was a young pup, I realise the small stuff is just as important if not more so, than the grand gestures. My lady has certainly been key in that realisation. She is the most kind, caring and thoughtful person I know (will they make good vows?!). You don’t have to take the punch in the face, score the winning goal in the cup final, or blast out Mr Brightside – the card in the post, the smile, the phone call is just as important. But just accept that the love and smile in return is better than the £10m.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
To Be Wronged Is Nothing Unless You Continue To Remember It
Most people who know me will know that my glass is never half full, or at least not for very long. I do however lean towards being half full, or quarter full, rather than half empty or three quarters empty. I have the same feelings as most people, I am far from being anything different or special in that department. I get down sometimes, I can be a miserable bugger at times and rumour has it that my patience at random times can waver. What I try to do however is not dwell on things and move on, and usually, after a bit of sulking or a quiet spell, I snap out of it pretty quickly and the smile returns.
I have had a few conversations in recent weeks which have inspired me to write this blog. I was telling a story about how my girlfriend’s car was stolen on the last day of the first year of university when we were moving out. About 95% of everything I owned was in the car and we had just booked a holiday. Given that the car was stolen when I was in the shower, I didn’t have a clean pair of socks to my name, nor a change of clothes, and we had just booked an expensive holiday. I was heartbroken.
That was horrendous at the time, but far worse was when I lost my laptop/had it stolen last winter. More than possessions, losing photos, files, work, ideas, personal details and information is far worse.
When you are 31 years old, these things happen at some point in your life. Loved ones die, accidents happen, mistakes are made. Nobody takes any joy from these things, but after a period of sadness, upset and sometimes anger, there is a reflection period and then I try to look for positives. There may not be many, but in everything we do, you can always find a positive or an opportunity – something that can offer hope.
I am in Edinburgh today. We got up and headed to the train station to find that the first train was delayed for 21 minutes which would mean that we would miss the main connecting train to Edinburgh. There may have been a curse or two I admit – why can’t trains run in the UK like they do in Switzerland? After ten of the 21 minutes had lapsed, it had dawned on me that I had left the Bon Jovi tickets at home. A quick phone call to Uncle George, who zipped down the road to pick me up and we got the tickets and back to the station with two minutes to spare. If the train had not have been 21 minutes late, we would have been sat on the train to Edinburgh without our tickets. Some strange and affected people I know may say it would have been a blessing to miss the Bon Jovi concert, but I don’t see too much hope for them.
Funny how these things happen. I am not comparing it to death or stolen items, but it is amazing how these things happen. Coincidences just come around the corner when you are not expecting them and instances which may appear to be negatives can turn into positives. With virtually everything I do, or what happens to me, I try to find opportunities from them. It keeps me sane rather than dwelling on the consequences or what may have happened.
And the exact opposite is the same for me. I always try and keep grounded when great things happen. I sometimes get called out when I say something is ‘not bad’ rather than great. I like to keep things in perspective, and when I think something is great I certainly show it. I am the guy at Goodison Park who tries to keep people grounded when we are doing well, and tries to remain calm and steady when things are desperate. It is not that I do not have the highs and lows, I have plenty of them. Controlling my emotions and balancing them is key to how I deal with things and then I make my decisions.
I got lucky this morning. If the train was 18 minutes late, we would have been in trouble. There are some days when you hit every red light when you are in a rush. These things even themselves out, you’ll get the green lights some days, you just need to remember them when everything appears red.
I have had a few conversations in recent weeks which have inspired me to write this blog. I was telling a story about how my girlfriend’s car was stolen on the last day of the first year of university when we were moving out. About 95% of everything I owned was in the car and we had just booked a holiday. Given that the car was stolen when I was in the shower, I didn’t have a clean pair of socks to my name, nor a change of clothes, and we had just booked an expensive holiday. I was heartbroken.
That was horrendous at the time, but far worse was when I lost my laptop/had it stolen last winter. More than possessions, losing photos, files, work, ideas, personal details and information is far worse.
When you are 31 years old, these things happen at some point in your life. Loved ones die, accidents happen, mistakes are made. Nobody takes any joy from these things, but after a period of sadness, upset and sometimes anger, there is a reflection period and then I try to look for positives. There may not be many, but in everything we do, you can always find a positive or an opportunity – something that can offer hope.
I am in Edinburgh today. We got up and headed to the train station to find that the first train was delayed for 21 minutes which would mean that we would miss the main connecting train to Edinburgh. There may have been a curse or two I admit – why can’t trains run in the UK like they do in Switzerland? After ten of the 21 minutes had lapsed, it had dawned on me that I had left the Bon Jovi tickets at home. A quick phone call to Uncle George, who zipped down the road to pick me up and we got the tickets and back to the station with two minutes to spare. If the train had not have been 21 minutes late, we would have been sat on the train to Edinburgh without our tickets. Some strange and affected people I know may say it would have been a blessing to miss the Bon Jovi concert, but I don’t see too much hope for them.
Funny how these things happen. I am not comparing it to death or stolen items, but it is amazing how these things happen. Coincidences just come around the corner when you are not expecting them and instances which may appear to be negatives can turn into positives. With virtually everything I do, or what happens to me, I try to find opportunities from them. It keeps me sane rather than dwelling on the consequences or what may have happened.
And the exact opposite is the same for me. I always try and keep grounded when great things happen. I sometimes get called out when I say something is ‘not bad’ rather than great. I like to keep things in perspective, and when I think something is great I certainly show it. I am the guy at Goodison Park who tries to keep people grounded when we are doing well, and tries to remain calm and steady when things are desperate. It is not that I do not have the highs and lows, I have plenty of them. Controlling my emotions and balancing them is key to how I deal with things and then I make my decisions.
I got lucky this morning. If the train was 18 minutes late, we would have been in trouble. There are some days when you hit every red light when you are in a rush. These things even themselves out, you’ll get the green lights some days, you just need to remember them when everything appears red.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
A Hairy Situation
Two of the most important ladies in my life have a major conflict. You always hope that your mum and wifey-to-be will get along, but sometimes there are pretty major obstacles that get in the way of a harmonious relationship. For almost six years, this has been a major obstacle, and leading up to our big day, it could be even more contentious. So I have decided to end the debate here and now.
Some people like facial hair and others do not. It makes a difference I guess if you have to come into contact with it. Thankfully HJ loves it and has never complained even when I have gone for the Stanley Cup Play-Off style beard.
Mum however has not been Bearded Bobby’s biggest fan. Anything longer than a millimetre and Mum’s fading eyes miraculously spark into action even on the webcam, and a new shaving kit is ordered. When I make it back to Leeds and there is a welcome home kiss or a farewell kiss on my departure, I’m forced to pucker my lips out as far as possible to avoid any major bristly contact.
So you can see my dilemma and there is a compromise to be reached. I can hereby confirm that there will be facial hair on August 4th, albeit a shadow, nothing too bristly, but enough. Nothing too outrageous, but I am calling it now.
Shaving and trimming can be a pain sometimes, but I much prefer the facial hair to baby face. I remember being 13-years-old and sprouting my first little fury moustache, and finally plucking the courage to shave it off one day under the supervision of my dad and sister. They were ever so forthcoming in their help and advice, and suggested the use of after shave immediately after. So kind and thoughtful as they are.
Back at school, I was one of the most developed in a hairyfying sense. Nothing too monkey like, but I was one of the youngest to have hairs on my legs (apart from one unfortunate girl), and rather than revel in my maturity and masculinity, I always found it a little embarrassing. As soon as school broke up for summer back in 1994, I sat in the bath and impulsively decided to shave my legs. I thought it may make me look slicker, maybe run a little faster on the football pitch. And if I looked like a complete fool, I had six weeks to grow something back. Nobody warned me of the science behind shaving and that it tends to grow back faster.
I guess most kids go through this kind of stuff. The irony is that we are often desperate to get rid of it when we are younger and we are desperately clinging on to it when we grow older. Having a hair-challenged dad, I have asked two hairdressers in the last couple of years as to whether they think I will lose mine, and both have said not. Thankfully, I followed Dad’s advice for the aftershave, but got mum’s genes there.
So as I am reaching my prime, I am aiming for a happy medium and going for just a little facial hair, nothing drastic and nothing that will cause any facial rashes to any unsuspecting wife, mum, sister, auntie etc. But I’m calling it, so do not be surprised on August 4th. Hopefully the ladies will resolve their major differences and we will all live happily ever after.
Some people like facial hair and others do not. It makes a difference I guess if you have to come into contact with it. Thankfully HJ loves it and has never complained even when I have gone for the Stanley Cup Play-Off style beard.
Mum however has not been Bearded Bobby’s biggest fan. Anything longer than a millimetre and Mum’s fading eyes miraculously spark into action even on the webcam, and a new shaving kit is ordered. When I make it back to Leeds and there is a welcome home kiss or a farewell kiss on my departure, I’m forced to pucker my lips out as far as possible to avoid any major bristly contact.
So you can see my dilemma and there is a compromise to be reached. I can hereby confirm that there will be facial hair on August 4th, albeit a shadow, nothing too bristly, but enough. Nothing too outrageous, but I am calling it now.
Shaving and trimming can be a pain sometimes, but I much prefer the facial hair to baby face. I remember being 13-years-old and sprouting my first little fury moustache, and finally plucking the courage to shave it off one day under the supervision of my dad and sister. They were ever so forthcoming in their help and advice, and suggested the use of after shave immediately after. So kind and thoughtful as they are.
Back at school, I was one of the most developed in a hairyfying sense. Nothing too monkey like, but I was one of the youngest to have hairs on my legs (apart from one unfortunate girl), and rather than revel in my maturity and masculinity, I always found it a little embarrassing. As soon as school broke up for summer back in 1994, I sat in the bath and impulsively decided to shave my legs. I thought it may make me look slicker, maybe run a little faster on the football pitch. And if I looked like a complete fool, I had six weeks to grow something back. Nobody warned me of the science behind shaving and that it tends to grow back faster.
I guess most kids go through this kind of stuff. The irony is that we are often desperate to get rid of it when we are younger and we are desperately clinging on to it when we grow older. Having a hair-challenged dad, I have asked two hairdressers in the last couple of years as to whether they think I will lose mine, and both have said not. Thankfully, I followed Dad’s advice for the aftershave, but got mum’s genes there.
So as I am reaching my prime, I am aiming for a happy medium and going for just a little facial hair, nothing drastic and nothing that will cause any facial rashes to any unsuspecting wife, mum, sister, auntie etc. But I’m calling it, so do not be surprised on August 4th. Hopefully the ladies will resolve their major differences and we will all live happily ever after.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Sleep is Overrated
As I sat in the O2 arena on Friday night, it crossed my mind for the first time that it may be time to seek help. We all do crazy and random things occasionally, some more than others, but it is often when we reflect on them, that we delve deeper into the reasons why we did them or why we do them.
Last week was a hectic week. Great fun, plenty of travel, a thousand laughs, the occasional uncomfortable moment or two, a bit of sun, a lot of rain, some new faces, some old faces. All combined make some great moments. Even the bad moments, they all contribute to memories. The secret is trying to have some great memories and trying to ensure the great ones outweigh the tough ones, and not letting the tough ones weigh more heavily on one’s mind than the ten amazing ones. So, when I was bent over a Toronto toilet last weekend, producing the goods from my stomach, it was not exactly a moment I hoped would stick in my memory for too long. Note to self: several beers and car rides are not a good combo for sensitive Bobby. They never have been and they never will. Walk Bobby, walk. Hardly a proud moment but we move on.
Fast forward to Friday night and I find myself sat in the fantastic O2 Arena in London watching an old favourite of mine. Barry and I go a long way back. Back to the old days when Auntie Joan and Uncle George used to take my sister and I on these great long road trips to Primrose Valley and Filey. Thankfully I had not been introduced to alcohol at that point, or my love for Barry may not have developed so positively.
Friday night was fantastic. There is absolutely nothing like singing at the top of your voice, no matter how bad a singer you are, and just not having a care in the world apart from that very moment. Whether it be in the O2, in the shower, or in the car, there is something very cleansing about it, even if it is Barry. So, to give you a taste of Barry, I strongly recommend you click here and enjoy this song – bare with me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5IifdSv9Gk
Rewinding back to midweek and I found myself in Barcelona. I have been to one Clasico before – Figo’s return in white. While this was not quite the best game I have ever seen, it was a fantastic occasion and what better way to get absolutely drenched in a downpour than to be sat in the Camp Nou enjoying one of the greatest teams in the history of football. That may seem like a slight exaggeration, but I cannot think there has ever been anything better than this Barca team, and this Lionel Messi and I doubt anybody could genuinely oppose that. My man of the match was Lassana Diarra – amazing display for Real, and I was amazed once again by the midfield duo of Iniesta and Xavi. Everybody talks about their play on the ball which is special, but their work rate as that of the team itself, is often underrated as they work so hard to win the ball back. A different world to the O2, but an absolute pleasure to watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIw-J60gsZM&feature=channel_video_title
Rewinding further back to Toronto and UFC 129 – the first ever Mixed Martial Art event in Ontario and 55,000 fans came out to visit – some further than others. An amazing event, even when one is struggling with a hangover. We visited the Expo on the Friday and enjoyed a fantastic Q&A with Dana White – the UFC president. Fans could ask a question to the Dana, followed by any request they would like, and Dana would do his best to make that come true. Requests ranged from tickets, to sitting with the ring girls, to putting the belt on the champion, and Dana did his utmost to make them reality. What sporting organisation or federation in the world does that? I am unaware of any and that is what puts the UFC at the top of the chain as far as interaction with their fans goes and many could learn from this. A slight contrast to Barca and Barry, but an absolutely fantastic event but for different reasons. The highlight of the event for me was the gutsiest display I have seen in a long time from Mark Hominick, who will now have more fans after this fight than he did prior to it. This one is neither for the feint hearted, nor those with a queasy stomach from a hangover but here goes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YROSBBBlDE4
I sincerely hope you watched all three videos. It will give you a clearer idea of why I was sat watching Barry on Friday night, wondering what exactly was wrong with me. Maybe there is a reasonable crossover of fans between football and UFC, but throwing Barry into the mix, in the space of a week, has psychologist written all over it. I guess we cannot help how we are, and how we are made up, and there is not always a reasonable explanation for any of it. Probably best just to enjoy it all, even the less glamorous moments in the bathroom, keep smiling and store the moments in the memory bank.
Last week was a hectic week. Great fun, plenty of travel, a thousand laughs, the occasional uncomfortable moment or two, a bit of sun, a lot of rain, some new faces, some old faces. All combined make some great moments. Even the bad moments, they all contribute to memories. The secret is trying to have some great memories and trying to ensure the great ones outweigh the tough ones, and not letting the tough ones weigh more heavily on one’s mind than the ten amazing ones. So, when I was bent over a Toronto toilet last weekend, producing the goods from my stomach, it was not exactly a moment I hoped would stick in my memory for too long. Note to self: several beers and car rides are not a good combo for sensitive Bobby. They never have been and they never will. Walk Bobby, walk. Hardly a proud moment but we move on.
Fast forward to Friday night and I find myself sat in the fantastic O2 Arena in London watching an old favourite of mine. Barry and I go a long way back. Back to the old days when Auntie Joan and Uncle George used to take my sister and I on these great long road trips to Primrose Valley and Filey. Thankfully I had not been introduced to alcohol at that point, or my love for Barry may not have developed so positively.
Friday night was fantastic. There is absolutely nothing like singing at the top of your voice, no matter how bad a singer you are, and just not having a care in the world apart from that very moment. Whether it be in the O2, in the shower, or in the car, there is something very cleansing about it, even if it is Barry. So, to give you a taste of Barry, I strongly recommend you click here and enjoy this song – bare with me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5IifdSv9Gk
Rewinding back to midweek and I found myself in Barcelona. I have been to one Clasico before – Figo’s return in white. While this was not quite the best game I have ever seen, it was a fantastic occasion and what better way to get absolutely drenched in a downpour than to be sat in the Camp Nou enjoying one of the greatest teams in the history of football. That may seem like a slight exaggeration, but I cannot think there has ever been anything better than this Barca team, and this Lionel Messi and I doubt anybody could genuinely oppose that. My man of the match was Lassana Diarra – amazing display for Real, and I was amazed once again by the midfield duo of Iniesta and Xavi. Everybody talks about their play on the ball which is special, but their work rate as that of the team itself, is often underrated as they work so hard to win the ball back. A different world to the O2, but an absolute pleasure to watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIw-J60gsZM&feature=channel_video_title
Rewinding further back to Toronto and UFC 129 – the first ever Mixed Martial Art event in Ontario and 55,000 fans came out to visit – some further than others. An amazing event, even when one is struggling with a hangover. We visited the Expo on the Friday and enjoyed a fantastic Q&A with Dana White – the UFC president. Fans could ask a question to the Dana, followed by any request they would like, and Dana would do his best to make that come true. Requests ranged from tickets, to sitting with the ring girls, to putting the belt on the champion, and Dana did his utmost to make them reality. What sporting organisation or federation in the world does that? I am unaware of any and that is what puts the UFC at the top of the chain as far as interaction with their fans goes and many could learn from this. A slight contrast to Barca and Barry, but an absolutely fantastic event but for different reasons. The highlight of the event for me was the gutsiest display I have seen in a long time from Mark Hominick, who will now have more fans after this fight than he did prior to it. This one is neither for the feint hearted, nor those with a queasy stomach from a hangover but here goes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YROSBBBlDE4
I sincerely hope you watched all three videos. It will give you a clearer idea of why I was sat watching Barry on Friday night, wondering what exactly was wrong with me. Maybe there is a reasonable crossover of fans between football and UFC, but throwing Barry into the mix, in the space of a week, has psychologist written all over it. I guess we cannot help how we are, and how we are made up, and there is not always a reasonable explanation for any of it. Probably best just to enjoy it all, even the less glamorous moments in the bathroom, keep smiling and store the moments in the memory bank.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Drama Queen
If you live in Switzerland and are not Swiss, chances are you watch a lot of television series on DVD. I think HJ and I have watched more in the three and a half years we have been here than ever before. So, as I am sat on another plane to good old Barcelona, I have decided to rank my favourites and also those that have bombed in my view. Why are mindless random exercises far more appealing than the things (ie work) I have to do?
1. Top of the list for me undoubtedly is Dexter. I love the books and the show is just as good. Killing is not good kids, but killing those who do genuinely bad things and get away with them? Hmmm, now there is the dilemma. The other issue is, Dexter is a charmer. A fantastic show which has to rank at the top of my list.
2. A very close second for me is The Sopranos. Absolutely quality show and one that had me completely hooked. A little brutal at times, though still possibly comes second to good old Dexter in that ranking also. Tony is another character that is kind of hard to dislike too much, despite doing some pretty shocking things.
3. Next on my list is a show which I have only seen two series of but I have been hooked – Burn Notice. This one seems to fly under the radar a little, but is fantastic nevertheless. This one is a bit of an underdog, and if you have not heard of it, this one gets my recommendation. Not as brutal as the first two, but action packed and a ridiculously cool and hot lead couple.
4. This one may not exactly increase my street cred but HJ and I are huge fans of The Good Wife. An intelligent show with some great characters .We are halfway through the second series right now and we are in the painful situation of having to wait a whole week for the next episode – the one advantage to DVD sets! We hope you have switched the DVD player on recently Mum!
5. This one is pretty much English I think and does not seem to have transferred to other countries particularly well, but Spooks is one of our all time favourites. This may be controversial, but it just nudges 24 out of my top five, which gives you a fair reflection of how good I think it is.
Honourable mentions go to The Wire, Hustle, 24, Friends, Brothers & Sisters, Grey’s Anatomy and Prison Break.
Selecting my worst and most overrated five does not seem quite so easy but I will give it a shot.
1. This may upset a fair few folks but I have to say Lost ranks as my overrated and disappointing series. The first season caught my attention, but I drifted pretty quickly as the storylines wandered. The initial idea seemed good, but trying to squeeze more than one season seemed unrealistic. Failure to keep my attention past the first season is a clear sign of a failed show and for that reason Lost tops me list.
2. Next up is certainly going to upset one or two people fairly close to me as Gossip Girl gets my vote here. I don’t particularly find the ladies particularly attractive (that definitely will upset one or two folks) and the story lines are a bit of a joke really. It is overrated and reality is, folks watch it for the hot girls and boys, or the fashion, and it doesn’t do it for me I’m afraid.
3. As an all-time lover of Friends which should really be in my top five as I can watch that show day or night, I have to say that I was hugely disappointed with the spin off Joey. I watched it, but can’t say it particularly thrilled me and it could have been so much. Bit of a shame.
4. Maybe this should be a little closer to the top of this list but The Hills is pretty much a fine example of everything that is wrong about television these days. At the risk of sounding like an old man, it is absolute garbage.
5. Glee. No need to say much more I don’t think.
So there you have it. That is the official Bobby Rankings for tv shows. Apologies if I upset anybody, I'm just not quite at the Gleek level just yet.
1. Top of the list for me undoubtedly is Dexter. I love the books and the show is just as good. Killing is not good kids, but killing those who do genuinely bad things and get away with them? Hmmm, now there is the dilemma. The other issue is, Dexter is a charmer. A fantastic show which has to rank at the top of my list.
2. A very close second for me is The Sopranos. Absolutely quality show and one that had me completely hooked. A little brutal at times, though still possibly comes second to good old Dexter in that ranking also. Tony is another character that is kind of hard to dislike too much, despite doing some pretty shocking things.
3. Next on my list is a show which I have only seen two series of but I have been hooked – Burn Notice. This one seems to fly under the radar a little, but is fantastic nevertheless. This one is a bit of an underdog, and if you have not heard of it, this one gets my recommendation. Not as brutal as the first two, but action packed and a ridiculously cool and hot lead couple.
4. This one may not exactly increase my street cred but HJ and I are huge fans of The Good Wife. An intelligent show with some great characters .We are halfway through the second series right now and we are in the painful situation of having to wait a whole week for the next episode – the one advantage to DVD sets! We hope you have switched the DVD player on recently Mum!
5. This one is pretty much English I think and does not seem to have transferred to other countries particularly well, but Spooks is one of our all time favourites. This may be controversial, but it just nudges 24 out of my top five, which gives you a fair reflection of how good I think it is.
Honourable mentions go to The Wire, Hustle, 24, Friends, Brothers & Sisters, Grey’s Anatomy and Prison Break.
Selecting my worst and most overrated five does not seem quite so easy but I will give it a shot.
1. This may upset a fair few folks but I have to say Lost ranks as my overrated and disappointing series. The first season caught my attention, but I drifted pretty quickly as the storylines wandered. The initial idea seemed good, but trying to squeeze more than one season seemed unrealistic. Failure to keep my attention past the first season is a clear sign of a failed show and for that reason Lost tops me list.
2. Next up is certainly going to upset one or two people fairly close to me as Gossip Girl gets my vote here. I don’t particularly find the ladies particularly attractive (that definitely will upset one or two folks) and the story lines are a bit of a joke really. It is overrated and reality is, folks watch it for the hot girls and boys, or the fashion, and it doesn’t do it for me I’m afraid.
3. As an all-time lover of Friends which should really be in my top five as I can watch that show day or night, I have to say that I was hugely disappointed with the spin off Joey. I watched it, but can’t say it particularly thrilled me and it could have been so much. Bit of a shame.
4. Maybe this should be a little closer to the top of this list but The Hills is pretty much a fine example of everything that is wrong about television these days. At the risk of sounding like an old man, it is absolute garbage.
5. Glee. No need to say much more I don’t think.
So there you have it. That is the official Bobby Rankings for tv shows. Apologies if I upset anybody, I'm just not quite at the Gleek level just yet.
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Rain In Spain
It has been a while since I posted some random ramblings and after a week in Spain, it seems like the perfect time to do so. Here is what I learned…or remembered….last week.
The word drizzle does not exist in Spain. When it rains, it pours, and boy did it pour this last week. It is rare that we get time just to chill and relax – we travel plenty but usually it is fast and frenetic. Every so often, when the batteries are a little depleted, we try and get away for a good old fashioned break. When you want to relax, you want sun. Hence why we went to Sevilla. They were vicious rumours about the city being one of the hottest cities in Europe. It rained all week. Still, it was heartening to know that there was a heat wave in the UK and Switzerland was glorious.
The good old Spanish media. Real Madrid scrape a draw against Barca with ten men and the media hammer Jose Mourinho saying that it was no way for a Real team to play against any team, especially after spending hundreds of millions. Fast forward to Wednesday night and their Copa victory playing virtually the same style and Mourinho is suddenly a tactical genius. No team can live with this Barca by taking the game to them but Mourinho has got them well drilled and organised enough to compete. Kudos to Javier Clemente who was 100% correct in supporting Mourinho and the style in his Marca column – if only the rest of the paper wasn’t so blinded and fickle.
I have wanted to go to Sevilla for a number of years now so it was great to finally get there and see what the buzz is about. I can confirm that Semana Santa is not the best week to go there however. That said, wandering around with Oranges hanging from the trees every few yards was fantastic. Buying a huge box of strawberries for less than two Euros was just as pleasant. I could get used to stuff like that.
As cool as some elements were in Sevilla, there was one slightly bizarre trend. Every chap has to make the occasional crotchal rearrangement, but the number of rearrangements among the Sevillanos was extreme and slightly disconcerting….so much so that Burns and I were rolling around laughing if cringing every time we spotted it. It was common. We are not weird. Just for the record.
So we moved from Semana Santa and the rain in Sevilla to Madridand their rain midway through the week. Madrid is a pretty cool city, but I think undoubtedly our favourite place is the Mercado de San Miguel. Always full of people, but they are worth fighting through for a sandwich or two. Anybody wanting a reason to go to Madrid or planning to go soon, check it out – I am prepared to put my reputation on the line for this place. Heck, I’ll even put Burns’ on there too.
My last random thought from the week, that I can remember anyway, was from the Copa del Rey final. Having spent a fair amount of time in Barcelona, I know the sentiments that run there so I was not surprised to hear the Catalan fans boo the Spanish national anthem before the game. I was surprised though that TVE muted the sound from the stadium and isolated the anthem, while other television channels played it normally. English fans were hammered when they booed the US anthem in Vegas for the Hatton/Mayweather fight and rightly so. This is no different. Gerard Pique spiced things up after the first game by telling the Madrid players that Barca were going to win ‘their king’s cup’. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the next training camp of the Spanish national team after some of the things that have gone down between Barca and Real in the last few weeks.
The word drizzle does not exist in Spain. When it rains, it pours, and boy did it pour this last week. It is rare that we get time just to chill and relax – we travel plenty but usually it is fast and frenetic. Every so often, when the batteries are a little depleted, we try and get away for a good old fashioned break. When you want to relax, you want sun. Hence why we went to Sevilla. They were vicious rumours about the city being one of the hottest cities in Europe. It rained all week. Still, it was heartening to know that there was a heat wave in the UK and Switzerland was glorious.
The good old Spanish media. Real Madrid scrape a draw against Barca with ten men and the media hammer Jose Mourinho saying that it was no way for a Real team to play against any team, especially after spending hundreds of millions. Fast forward to Wednesday night and their Copa victory playing virtually the same style and Mourinho is suddenly a tactical genius. No team can live with this Barca by taking the game to them but Mourinho has got them well drilled and organised enough to compete. Kudos to Javier Clemente who was 100% correct in supporting Mourinho and the style in his Marca column – if only the rest of the paper wasn’t so blinded and fickle.
I have wanted to go to Sevilla for a number of years now so it was great to finally get there and see what the buzz is about. I can confirm that Semana Santa is not the best week to go there however. That said, wandering around with Oranges hanging from the trees every few yards was fantastic. Buying a huge box of strawberries for less than two Euros was just as pleasant. I could get used to stuff like that.
As cool as some elements were in Sevilla, there was one slightly bizarre trend. Every chap has to make the occasional crotchal rearrangement, but the number of rearrangements among the Sevillanos was extreme and slightly disconcerting….so much so that Burns and I were rolling around laughing if cringing every time we spotted it. It was common. We are not weird. Just for the record.
So we moved from Semana Santa and the rain in Sevilla to Madridand their rain midway through the week. Madrid is a pretty cool city, but I think undoubtedly our favourite place is the Mercado de San Miguel. Always full of people, but they are worth fighting through for a sandwich or two. Anybody wanting a reason to go to Madrid or planning to go soon, check it out – I am prepared to put my reputation on the line for this place. Heck, I’ll even put Burns’ on there too.
My last random thought from the week, that I can remember anyway, was from the Copa del Rey final. Having spent a fair amount of time in Barcelona, I know the sentiments that run there so I was not surprised to hear the Catalan fans boo the Spanish national anthem before the game. I was surprised though that TVE muted the sound from the stadium and isolated the anthem, while other television channels played it normally. English fans were hammered when they booed the US anthem in Vegas for the Hatton/Mayweather fight and rightly so. This is no different. Gerard Pique spiced things up after the first game by telling the Madrid players that Barca were going to win ‘their king’s cup’. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the next training camp of the Spanish national team after some of the things that have gone down between Barca and Real in the last few weeks.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
What's In A Name?
If you were sat at school and a classmate called you Little Pea, would you be offended? How about Semtex? Now that is a bit more like it. Nicknames were not always great fun back in my day at school and I suspect it is the same now, but there are some pretty cool nicknames in the world of sport.
Boxing and UFC are full of nicknames, and usually they are pretty darn cool. After all, whoever is coming up with the name dare not risk the wrath of the guy who will likely punch you if you say something offensive. The Haymaker, the Ice Man, Rampage and El Terrible are just some of the great nicknames knocking about right now which offer pretty fair reflections of what is likely to happen to the chap standing opposite him when the bell sounds.
There are of course some nicknames not exactly designed to strike fear into their opponents but are still cool nevertheless. I am particularly fond of Sid The Kid, The Professor, The Golden Boy, heck even Golden Balls is pretty cool. Those can be a touch misleading at times, but as with many nicknames, there are those that fall into the category of reflecting the personality or the looks of the sport star….none of which I would be too offended if I had been labelled any of those.
Another category and probably the most popular in most sports, are those that derive from the actual name of the athlete. It may bear no relevance to what they do on the pitch, rink or in the cage, but it is just a natural given their name. Manny Pacquiao’s nickname of Pacman is pretty cool and a good example of this. Visualising the game of Pacman does not really give much of a clue about what he actually does, but the guy is just cool and his nickname fits well.
Some are however not so lucky. Audley Harrison was nicknamed A-Force early in his career until several knockouts and embarrassing performances led to Fraudley and Audrey. Pretty unfortunate, but pretty accurate. Many others are just abbreviations which often come from teammates in training.
When I was a kid, we usually just added a ‘y’ on the end of a one-syllable name and that was about it. We were young and innocent in those days so there were no innuendos or anything, just plain and simple. The classroom was slightly different however and I was not always so fortunate. I often embraced my Spanish roots and surname, but it caused me no end of grief at times. The fact there was a popular Hispanic singer called Gloria with a similar surname at the time was simply a recipe for disaster. You can fill the gaps in yourself, but how I prayed for her record sales to plummet and peace and a normal nickname like Bobby would return.
Nowadays, I have a pretty solid set of names. Rob is the usual name and I get a combination of Bob, Bobby and Robby, and when I am really in trouble, I get Robert Christian. I am usually behind the couch or hiding under the table if anybody mentions that one. I have a couple of random ones – Ginger (I have no clue), Lobster and Bobinho, all of which I respond to. Nicknames are funny old things and fighting them never helped anybody. Like it or lump, most of them stick so just embrace them even if it is Bobby Estefan or Gloria.
Boxing and UFC are full of nicknames, and usually they are pretty darn cool. After all, whoever is coming up with the name dare not risk the wrath of the guy who will likely punch you if you say something offensive. The Haymaker, the Ice Man, Rampage and El Terrible are just some of the great nicknames knocking about right now which offer pretty fair reflections of what is likely to happen to the chap standing opposite him when the bell sounds.
There are of course some nicknames not exactly designed to strike fear into their opponents but are still cool nevertheless. I am particularly fond of Sid The Kid, The Professor, The Golden Boy, heck even Golden Balls is pretty cool. Those can be a touch misleading at times, but as with many nicknames, there are those that fall into the category of reflecting the personality or the looks of the sport star….none of which I would be too offended if I had been labelled any of those.
Another category and probably the most popular in most sports, are those that derive from the actual name of the athlete. It may bear no relevance to what they do on the pitch, rink or in the cage, but it is just a natural given their name. Manny Pacquiao’s nickname of Pacman is pretty cool and a good example of this. Visualising the game of Pacman does not really give much of a clue about what he actually does, but the guy is just cool and his nickname fits well.
Some are however not so lucky. Audley Harrison was nicknamed A-Force early in his career until several knockouts and embarrassing performances led to Fraudley and Audrey. Pretty unfortunate, but pretty accurate. Many others are just abbreviations which often come from teammates in training.
When I was a kid, we usually just added a ‘y’ on the end of a one-syllable name and that was about it. We were young and innocent in those days so there were no innuendos or anything, just plain and simple. The classroom was slightly different however and I was not always so fortunate. I often embraced my Spanish roots and surname, but it caused me no end of grief at times. The fact there was a popular Hispanic singer called Gloria with a similar surname at the time was simply a recipe for disaster. You can fill the gaps in yourself, but how I prayed for her record sales to plummet and peace and a normal nickname like Bobby would return.
Nowadays, I have a pretty solid set of names. Rob is the usual name and I get a combination of Bob, Bobby and Robby, and when I am really in trouble, I get Robert Christian. I am usually behind the couch or hiding under the table if anybody mentions that one. I have a couple of random ones – Ginger (I have no clue), Lobster and Bobinho, all of which I respond to. Nicknames are funny old things and fighting them never helped anybody. Like it or lump, most of them stick so just embrace them even if it is Bobby Estefan or Gloria.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Strawberry Fields
There are a number of negatives to living away from home, but the hardest and saddest thing about coming back to Leeds is forcing myself to walk past Greggs Bakery and their sausage rolls. They are immense, and anybody reading this who has yet to have one, has not lived.
Our wedding is a big motivator for me to lose weight. I was motivated last summer to do so, and I am focused on doing the same and getting in even better shape this summer. That Lockhart Boss suit has to look good. Looking in the mirror is another one. I don’t quite have that sideways view of a pregnant lady, but it could be better and after a couple of weeks training, I can see the improvements and that is a huge motivator to keep going.
Forcing myself to walk past Greggs is brutal though. Cutting out the alcohol for a few months is fine, sure I’ll treat myself occasionally, but there are some foods like these infamous sausage rolls that tempt me.
I have always enjoyed my food, but I guess unless you have those perfect genes, you have to watch what you eat more the older you get. It may be hard to believe but I was like a stick until I hit twenty years old. I would go to the gym when I was 15-16 years old and trying to lift weights, and it was so demoralising to see my little arms gain nothing. It was only when I was introduced to alcohol did I show signs of putting weight on, and then when I started cooking for myself at university did I start putting weight on. It was only a few years later did I actually learn that the ratio between the effort required for putting weight on and losing it was not equal.
Thankfully I have always liked fruit. Virtually every fruit and vegetable so that is a bonus. HJ and I have eaten a ridiculous number of mangos and strawberries in the past month. I have yet to meet somebody who has told me that they do not like strawberries….i am not even sure that person exists, but I would like to talk to them if so. Sprouts are fair enough, but strawberries? I just feel there is something clinically wrong if you do not like them.
HJ and I have committed to doing a marathon this year. The thought of that is as brutal as not eating a sausage roll from Greggs in 2011, but we will give it a shot. There are a number of fun marathons, but I’ve got my eye on Las Vegas in December – hint hint Burns. It is my birthday after all. The challenge of a marathon is huge but I am determined to do one…another motivating factor alongside the wedding to get in great shape. Then, I’ll fly back to the UK, buy 4 sausage rolls for £2 and fly back to wherever we are living.
Our wedding is a big motivator for me to lose weight. I was motivated last summer to do so, and I am focused on doing the same and getting in even better shape this summer. That Lockhart Boss suit has to look good. Looking in the mirror is another one. I don’t quite have that sideways view of a pregnant lady, but it could be better and after a couple of weeks training, I can see the improvements and that is a huge motivator to keep going.
Forcing myself to walk past Greggs is brutal though. Cutting out the alcohol for a few months is fine, sure I’ll treat myself occasionally, but there are some foods like these infamous sausage rolls that tempt me.
I have always enjoyed my food, but I guess unless you have those perfect genes, you have to watch what you eat more the older you get. It may be hard to believe but I was like a stick until I hit twenty years old. I would go to the gym when I was 15-16 years old and trying to lift weights, and it was so demoralising to see my little arms gain nothing. It was only when I was introduced to alcohol did I show signs of putting weight on, and then when I started cooking for myself at university did I start putting weight on. It was only a few years later did I actually learn that the ratio between the effort required for putting weight on and losing it was not equal.
Thankfully I have always liked fruit. Virtually every fruit and vegetable so that is a bonus. HJ and I have eaten a ridiculous number of mangos and strawberries in the past month. I have yet to meet somebody who has told me that they do not like strawberries….i am not even sure that person exists, but I would like to talk to them if so. Sprouts are fair enough, but strawberries? I just feel there is something clinically wrong if you do not like them.
HJ and I have committed to doing a marathon this year. The thought of that is as brutal as not eating a sausage roll from Greggs in 2011, but we will give it a shot. There are a number of fun marathons, but I’ve got my eye on Las Vegas in December – hint hint Burns. It is my birthday after all. The challenge of a marathon is huge but I am determined to do one…another motivating factor alongside the wedding to get in great shape. Then, I’ll fly back to the UK, buy 4 sausage rolls for £2 and fly back to wherever we are living.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Concussive Questions
Many people would say that I need some sense knocking in to me at times, and I have been feeling recently as if I have actually had something knocked into me, albeit the traces of sense are thin on the ground. Whether it was the ice skating incident or some other random thing, I’ve had concussion-like symptoms the last week to ten days and it is not pleasant.
I had concussion once before when I was about 20 years old. I was working at UPS sorting mail during the university summer break and we played football at lunchtime. I collided with a guy and smashed the back of my head on the grass, and I was left seeing double for several days afterwards. It has been similar this time around but over a longer period of time. Whether it is a concussion I am not sure, but it coincides with another similarly talented hockey player suffering from concussion right now.
Sidney Crosby has been out of action for something like thirty games due to a concussion and that has to be pretty worrying for everybody concerned. First and foremost, it must be a major concern to him and his family. Secondly, he is a massive loss to the Penguins. And in the bigger picture, the NHL must have serious concerns about it. The calls for greater protection for players have increased over the years, but I cannot help but feel that it will take such an injury to a major star like Crosby to force their hands.
I read a fascinating story about the NFL and the potential lockout. It supported the players and their demands for greater support and protection from the league. Life expectancy among the players is ridiculously low with so many early deaths coming from long term damage to the brain. Drugs are another issue but let’s focus on the innocent stuff. A former hockey player also recently died in his forties with similar issues – the kind of head injuries found in former boxers.
It got me randomly thinking. Would you do the thing you love and adore for big money but risking that you may live for 15-20 years less than average? Tough tough question and I do not know how I would answer that. It does not have to be NFL or Hockey, it could be any sport or job with the big money and the low life expectancy. If I could be an Everton legend for twenty years, earning big money, but the likelihood of that activity resulting in me corking it a good twenty years earlier, would I do it? That is a tough call and I do not know.
So many folks go to work every day being pretty unhappy and not looking forward to what they do. The first thought when you get to the office is what you are going to do tonight, and that feeling on a Monday morning when the weekend seems oh so far away is brutal. Would you swap it for big money and doing something you love, but with the serious health risks that go with it?
I had concussion once before when I was about 20 years old. I was working at UPS sorting mail during the university summer break and we played football at lunchtime. I collided with a guy and smashed the back of my head on the grass, and I was left seeing double for several days afterwards. It has been similar this time around but over a longer period of time. Whether it is a concussion I am not sure, but it coincides with another similarly talented hockey player suffering from concussion right now.
Sidney Crosby has been out of action for something like thirty games due to a concussion and that has to be pretty worrying for everybody concerned. First and foremost, it must be a major concern to him and his family. Secondly, he is a massive loss to the Penguins. And in the bigger picture, the NHL must have serious concerns about it. The calls for greater protection for players have increased over the years, but I cannot help but feel that it will take such an injury to a major star like Crosby to force their hands.
I read a fascinating story about the NFL and the potential lockout. It supported the players and their demands for greater support and protection from the league. Life expectancy among the players is ridiculously low with so many early deaths coming from long term damage to the brain. Drugs are another issue but let’s focus on the innocent stuff. A former hockey player also recently died in his forties with similar issues – the kind of head injuries found in former boxers.
It got me randomly thinking. Would you do the thing you love and adore for big money but risking that you may live for 15-20 years less than average? Tough tough question and I do not know how I would answer that. It does not have to be NFL or Hockey, it could be any sport or job with the big money and the low life expectancy. If I could be an Everton legend for twenty years, earning big money, but the likelihood of that activity resulting in me corking it a good twenty years earlier, would I do it? That is a tough call and I do not know.
So many folks go to work every day being pretty unhappy and not looking forward to what they do. The first thought when you get to the office is what you are going to do tonight, and that feeling on a Monday morning when the weekend seems oh so far away is brutal. Would you swap it for big money and doing something you love, but with the serious health risks that go with it?
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
A Bug's Life
This week I seem to have had more random thoughts then ever. There’s no particular reason for it, it just happens I guess. Anyhow…I’m going to share them, so here goes.
Receiving a personal letter or card in the post is an amazing feeling. They are so rare these days, you know that when you do get one, somebody has taken time, care and effort out of their day to post that little treat for you. We have received a couple recently and it made our day, and it is something we should do more often. Unfortunately, most of the mail we receive these days are bills. I guess that is what happens when you grow up.
Weddings are expensive. I cannot deny that. It has crossed my mind more than once to change the industry I work in based on that alone. Making decisions on colours, styles, and meals is not easy at all. I am actually enjoying it though and while this may be the most daft and naïve comment I have ever made, I do not think it will be too difficult to organise. Don’t get me wrong, I know there is plenty of work to be done, but I’m just excited and enjoying it so far. We’re still waiting for some major hiccup, but we’ll deal with it and move on!
I have decided that the only reason people mock my musical taste is because they are envious – it is the only conclusion I can reach given how common it is discussed here in Lausanne and potential further afield.
Coming from a recent trip to Ikea, I have to admit that I cannot think of a similar kind of store where you can, spend time and money, and come home wondering why you ever picked up that piece of junk in the first place. It’s not expensive so you think you have a bargain, but it is never going to work in your home. There is probably 95% of the stuff they sell that I do not really like, but my blue Ikea bag seems to be full every time. They must be doing something right.
Speaking of Ikea and all things household, I can recall my mum saying to me when I was at university that I would have to get a good job just to pay for all the builders, plumbers, plasterers, electricians to come and do work in my home when I eventually got my own place....so useless was I at anything DIY. Well mum, times are changing….I’ve been doing all kinds of DIY things recently and I’ll show you when you come to visit. Just don’t touch any sockets, or anything electrical for that matter.
I was contacted this week by a journalist from the Wall Street Journal – I posted the article on my wall. It was an interesting read having been part of both the betting industry and Brentford myself. I did not actually speak to the lady, but I thought it was well written. I do have a hard time trusting some journalists and I would have refused to speak about the matter regardless. That said, I thought the article was well written by Hannah Karp and I suspect that would not have been the case if it had been a story in England where a huge slant would have been put on it no doubt.
Receiving a personal letter or card in the post is an amazing feeling. They are so rare these days, you know that when you do get one, somebody has taken time, care and effort out of their day to post that little treat for you. We have received a couple recently and it made our day, and it is something we should do more often. Unfortunately, most of the mail we receive these days are bills. I guess that is what happens when you grow up.
Weddings are expensive. I cannot deny that. It has crossed my mind more than once to change the industry I work in based on that alone. Making decisions on colours, styles, and meals is not easy at all. I am actually enjoying it though and while this may be the most daft and naïve comment I have ever made, I do not think it will be too difficult to organise. Don’t get me wrong, I know there is plenty of work to be done, but I’m just excited and enjoying it so far. We’re still waiting for some major hiccup, but we’ll deal with it and move on!
I have decided that the only reason people mock my musical taste is because they are envious – it is the only conclusion I can reach given how common it is discussed here in Lausanne and potential further afield.
Coming from a recent trip to Ikea, I have to admit that I cannot think of a similar kind of store where you can, spend time and money, and come home wondering why you ever picked up that piece of junk in the first place. It’s not expensive so you think you have a bargain, but it is never going to work in your home. There is probably 95% of the stuff they sell that I do not really like, but my blue Ikea bag seems to be full every time. They must be doing something right.
Speaking of Ikea and all things household, I can recall my mum saying to me when I was at university that I would have to get a good job just to pay for all the builders, plumbers, plasterers, electricians to come and do work in my home when I eventually got my own place....so useless was I at anything DIY. Well mum, times are changing….I’ve been doing all kinds of DIY things recently and I’ll show you when you come to visit. Just don’t touch any sockets, or anything electrical for that matter.
I was contacted this week by a journalist from the Wall Street Journal – I posted the article on my wall. It was an interesting read having been part of both the betting industry and Brentford myself. I did not actually speak to the lady, but I thought it was well written. I do have a hard time trusting some journalists and I would have refused to speak about the matter regardless. That said, I thought the article was well written by Hannah Karp and I suspect that would not have been the case if it had been a story in England where a huge slant would have been put on it no doubt.
Monday, March 7, 2011
La Vida Loca
My favourite fiancée and I were in Madrid this last weekend. We spent some time with a couple of great friends of ours, Megha and Erika, and while it was far too short, it still ranks as a great weekend with some good fun, good food, good weather and some great company. I will not ramble on too much about Madrid, as you can read all about it in this lady’s great blog (we want more Burns!).
However, I will share my random ramblings and thoughts on good old Spain. I spent my year abroad at University in Barcelona. My decision on choosing a university came down to the same criteria I used when selecting Liverpool Uni for my degree – somewhere I could watch a decent football team (no jokes!), somewhere I could have fun, and somewhere I could travel to Leeds easy enough if I wanted or needed to. I narrowed it to Barcelona or Madrid, and I was accepted at Barcelona Uni.
It was a great year. Plenty of ups and downs, but I thoroughly enjoyed the year. By the end of the year, my Spanish had developed well despite a virtually entire group of ex-pat friends. What’s new? I guess it makes most sense that we make friends easier with fellow foreigners who are share similar experiences to ourselves, and I am no different.
I came away from Barcelona at the end of 2001 wondering if I could live and work in Spain. I had one year left of university and I was ready to plunge into the world of real work and life. I had the same doubts as I have now to be honest, and our weekend in Madrid emphasised that more than ever. I love the thought of the lifestyle – generally quite relaxed, good weather, working hours that suit my style and a strong social and family ethic. Opportunities in sport and salaries even more so are pretty major negatives however. I also wonder whether the lifestyle would be counter productive to me professionally – I can see myself lacking motivation and drive with such great distractions. That is not to say that I want us to live in a miserable or boring place, we would go to Edmonton (so I am told!) if that was the case, but I feel that I may well struggle in a number of Spanish cities. That said, both HJ and I have considered a short spell in Barcelona again – you never know!
Spain is a charming place and having been there so many times for family reasons, it will always have a place in my heart. Many of the people lack manners and the customer service is not great, but for some reason, it never bothers me like it does here in Switzerland as they seem to have a certain charm at the same time. We had a comedy taxi driver this last weekend – he was smoking, while being on the phone three times in a 15 minute journey, and was chatting away to us. A total character.
I recall a particular Spanish-ism from my days back in Barcelona and I was reminded of it this weekend gone when I stumbled across a shop called a ‘Guitarreria’. No prizes for guessing what they sold there. It is common in Spain that they add ‘eria’ to a noun and it basically means a shop for whatever precedes it….cafeteria, pizzeria etc. It took me back to my Barca days when I childishly chuckled to myself every time I walked past the Ferreteria. I glanced in the window every day searching for a little Ferret to be sat in the window only to be disappointed with it actually being a hardware store.
There are still plenty of places in Spain we have yet to visit. Everybody I speak to raves about Granada and Seville to name a couple, and my lady has plenty of good stuff to tell me about San Sebastien. Annual or twice-yearly trips to Barcelona are a given, as is a return to Mallorca where I have not been for years, but there are plenty of gems in Spain that we have yet to see. It’s just a matter of time.
However, I will share my random ramblings and thoughts on good old Spain. I spent my year abroad at University in Barcelona. My decision on choosing a university came down to the same criteria I used when selecting Liverpool Uni for my degree – somewhere I could watch a decent football team (no jokes!), somewhere I could have fun, and somewhere I could travel to Leeds easy enough if I wanted or needed to. I narrowed it to Barcelona or Madrid, and I was accepted at Barcelona Uni.
It was a great year. Plenty of ups and downs, but I thoroughly enjoyed the year. By the end of the year, my Spanish had developed well despite a virtually entire group of ex-pat friends. What’s new? I guess it makes most sense that we make friends easier with fellow foreigners who are share similar experiences to ourselves, and I am no different.
I came away from Barcelona at the end of 2001 wondering if I could live and work in Spain. I had one year left of university and I was ready to plunge into the world of real work and life. I had the same doubts as I have now to be honest, and our weekend in Madrid emphasised that more than ever. I love the thought of the lifestyle – generally quite relaxed, good weather, working hours that suit my style and a strong social and family ethic. Opportunities in sport and salaries even more so are pretty major negatives however. I also wonder whether the lifestyle would be counter productive to me professionally – I can see myself lacking motivation and drive with such great distractions. That is not to say that I want us to live in a miserable or boring place, we would go to Edmonton (so I am told!) if that was the case, but I feel that I may well struggle in a number of Spanish cities. That said, both HJ and I have considered a short spell in Barcelona again – you never know!
Spain is a charming place and having been there so many times for family reasons, it will always have a place in my heart. Many of the people lack manners and the customer service is not great, but for some reason, it never bothers me like it does here in Switzerland as they seem to have a certain charm at the same time. We had a comedy taxi driver this last weekend – he was smoking, while being on the phone three times in a 15 minute journey, and was chatting away to us. A total character.
I recall a particular Spanish-ism from my days back in Barcelona and I was reminded of it this weekend gone when I stumbled across a shop called a ‘Guitarreria’. No prizes for guessing what they sold there. It is common in Spain that they add ‘eria’ to a noun and it basically means a shop for whatever precedes it….cafeteria, pizzeria etc. It took me back to my Barca days when I childishly chuckled to myself every time I walked past the Ferreteria. I glanced in the window every day searching for a little Ferret to be sat in the window only to be disappointed with it actually being a hardware store.
There are still plenty of places in Spain we have yet to visit. Everybody I speak to raves about Granada and Seville to name a couple, and my lady has plenty of good stuff to tell me about San Sebastien. Annual or twice-yearly trips to Barcelona are a given, as is a return to Mallorca where I have not been for years, but there are plenty of gems in Spain that we have yet to see. It’s just a matter of time.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Ring of Truth
Many sport stars are given an unfair reputation for being slightly thick at times. There are actually plenty of bright and intelligent athletes and players but make no mistake, there are loads of muppets. A classic example today. Florent Malouda took around three minutes to remove his wedding ring in the first half of the game and had to stay off the pitch until he could get it off. Had Everton scored during that period and I was Carlo Ancelotti, I would have been absolutely furious with Malouda. Rules prohibiting jewellery on the football pitch are hardly new – heck I remember it being one of the first things I was told when I was a junior. As you can see in the picture, front row second from the left, no sign of any rings or necklaces on junior Bobby….just a goofy Everton sweatband.
It also reminded me of one of the funniest comments I have heard while working on a Champions League game. On the morning of all matches in UEFA competitions, an organisational meeting is held between officials and team representatives. One of the instructions from the referee is to ask the representatives to remind their players that jewellery on the pitch is forbidden. The referee at one particular game asked the club representatives to tell the players to just think of it as going to a nightclub and that should help them remember to take their rings off!
I have mentioned in a previous blog that I would hate to be a referee and I have absolute respect for those that do it. I have met a fair few referees and I have yet to come across a bad guy. Seeing them after the games is a real eye opener in that they are physically and mentally more drained than the players. I love having a degree of intensity and pressure in my daily life, but every decision they make is under huge scrutiny and they are only human after all….despite what people say. Knowing you are going to have a coach hammering you after the match, fans screaming obscenities at you during the game, and if you read the newspapers or the internet, you may well be the headline act….that cannot be easy. What does not help is players blatantly trying to cheat, being disrespectful and vehemently complaining about things when so many times they are in the wrong. I would have loved to have seen what would have happened had Everton scored when Malouda was off the pitch and he would have had nobody to blame other than himself.
It also reminded me of one of the funniest comments I have heard while working on a Champions League game. On the morning of all matches in UEFA competitions, an organisational meeting is held between officials and team representatives. One of the instructions from the referee is to ask the representatives to remind their players that jewellery on the pitch is forbidden. The referee at one particular game asked the club representatives to tell the players to just think of it as going to a nightclub and that should help them remember to take their rings off!
I have mentioned in a previous blog that I would hate to be a referee and I have absolute respect for those that do it. I have met a fair few referees and I have yet to come across a bad guy. Seeing them after the games is a real eye opener in that they are physically and mentally more drained than the players. I love having a degree of intensity and pressure in my daily life, but every decision they make is under huge scrutiny and they are only human after all….despite what people say. Knowing you are going to have a coach hammering you after the match, fans screaming obscenities at you during the game, and if you read the newspapers or the internet, you may well be the headline act….that cannot be easy. What does not help is players blatantly trying to cheat, being disrespectful and vehemently complaining about things when so many times they are in the wrong. I would have loved to have seen what would have happened had Everton scored when Malouda was off the pitch and he would have had nobody to blame other than himself.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic
Laying there on the cold hard surface looking at the stars in the sky. My young hockey career may be over before it has even started. This was not the way it was supposed to end. The silence was deafening, the sensation was numbness. Bobby Ovechkin had gotten a little excitable and over-confident and one slip and crack of the head brought me right back to reality – the local Leeds headlines read Bambi Ovechkin.
I think many of us are bad losers and hate to admit failure. I do my very best to try and hide it, but it is true enough. I skated once at Bradford ice rink when I was 14 – somebody told me it was a cool thing to do and a great place to take the girls. Nobody told me that if you have the balance and coordination of one-legged baboon, that would not be so cool if you invited your first girlfriend. I said to myself that day that I would never skate again. It was something that I was bad at and I could not accept it.
Well, fast forward around 15 years or so and Bambi received a set of ice skates for my 30th birthday from one of my favourite couples. A great gesture and it spurred me to get back on the ice. I skated once last year but this year I have been on the ice several times and it is gradually getting easier. Apart from the one severe crack on the head which clearly did not knock enough sense into me, I will continue to practise to hopefully get to a level where I can hold a stick and shoot a puck.
I am actually determined to master it now or at least be able to skate properly. NHL is unlikely now I guess, but I’m further on than 15 years ago. I guess failure or a lack of understanding and knowledge of something makes many of us avoid confronting a situation – whether it is eating a new food, trying to speak a foreign language in public, wearing a V-neck sweater or learning to skate. When I was younger I never had the confidence or the cojones to try some things. Folks often say kids will try anything and throw themselves into things. That is not always the case, and it wasn’t much for me. I was hardly a choir boy, and I got into plenty of mischief, but I always had reluctance with certain stuff. Ice Skating and Ice Hockey is a challenge for me now.
For my 31st birthday, I received a pair of skis from an equally generous couple! I am making my debut next week in Zermatt – hard to believe given that I have spent four years in Canada and Switzerland. So basically, the moral of the story is if you have any friends who have birthdays coming up, buy them some equipment or book an activity for something they have never done before and you should shame them into trying it. The fact is, I would do neither of the two if I was left to my own devices, and I am glad I am giving both of them a go. This may of course be my last blog, so wait until the end of next weekend to see if you should recommend skiing.
I think many of us are bad losers and hate to admit failure. I do my very best to try and hide it, but it is true enough. I skated once at Bradford ice rink when I was 14 – somebody told me it was a cool thing to do and a great place to take the girls. Nobody told me that if you have the balance and coordination of one-legged baboon, that would not be so cool if you invited your first girlfriend. I said to myself that day that I would never skate again. It was something that I was bad at and I could not accept it.
Well, fast forward around 15 years or so and Bambi received a set of ice skates for my 30th birthday from one of my favourite couples. A great gesture and it spurred me to get back on the ice. I skated once last year but this year I have been on the ice several times and it is gradually getting easier. Apart from the one severe crack on the head which clearly did not knock enough sense into me, I will continue to practise to hopefully get to a level where I can hold a stick and shoot a puck.
I am actually determined to master it now or at least be able to skate properly. NHL is unlikely now I guess, but I’m further on than 15 years ago. I guess failure or a lack of understanding and knowledge of something makes many of us avoid confronting a situation – whether it is eating a new food, trying to speak a foreign language in public, wearing a V-neck sweater or learning to skate. When I was younger I never had the confidence or the cojones to try some things. Folks often say kids will try anything and throw themselves into things. That is not always the case, and it wasn’t much for me. I was hardly a choir boy, and I got into plenty of mischief, but I always had reluctance with certain stuff. Ice Skating and Ice Hockey is a challenge for me now.
For my 31st birthday, I received a pair of skis from an equally generous couple! I am making my debut next week in Zermatt – hard to believe given that I have spent four years in Canada and Switzerland. So basically, the moral of the story is if you have any friends who have birthdays coming up, buy them some equipment or book an activity for something they have never done before and you should shame them into trying it. The fact is, I would do neither of the two if I was left to my own devices, and I am glad I am giving both of them a go. This may of course be my last blog, so wait until the end of next weekend to see if you should recommend skiing.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Eyes Wide Shut
Football is great and I love it. I am talking about real football, not the egg-shaped football that some claim to be the real football. I love NFL, but football edges it just. It has been an interesting week or so in football. Despite Everton’s poor result against West Ham taking the gloss off an otherwise fascinating week of football, there have been some great developments in football and the next week is another hugely anticipated week.
What am I talking about? The transfer window! This time of year, along with the summer, is when every football fan wakes up in the morning, and scours his newspaper and the internet to see which players are being linked with their team. First port of call – the BBC Gossip Column. I would love to know the number of hits they receive on this one page, and I’ll bet it is up there with their most popular pages at this time of year. Then I’ll put Sky Sports News on – if my boys have signed somebody, I will hear about it there first.
I am an Everton fan in case you were not aware. They are skint. They have less than zero money. That is not a good situation to be during the transfer window. There is a far greater chance of one of our players being signed by another team, than us signing somebody and that is not a nice situation to be in. Yet, I still for some unknown reason check the Gossip column and all the fan websites wanting to get a sniff of who we might be signing. We have lost Pienaar and Yakubu this transfer window, yet for some inexplicable reason, I hold out hope that we are going to make a signing of the century and it will propel us up the league.
There is no logic to that at all, but how many people do the same? My guess is a huge percentage of fans in England especially. The media sell transfer stories and speculation to us to sell their newspapers or boost their viewers. This was more common in Spain and Italy historically with teams like Real Madrid deliberately feeding information to Marca to keep their profile at the forefront, unsettle players they are interested in, and to claim an interest in another player when they are bargaining with one club for a different one and trying to force the asking price down.
England and the Premier League has gone one step ahead now. The transfer window was hardly greeted with delight when it first came into action as newspapers had months in which to make up ludicrous transfer stories when general news was quiet. That has all changed now and the media have clearly seen a niche and they put huge resources into promoting it now. Wait until transfer Deadline Day and see what I mean. It is actually pretty enticing stuff – watching SSN or surfing the internet to get all the latest rumours and gossip. Sadly for me, that is what they will likely remain, rumours and gossip. But I will hold out hope until the door shuts. Somehow, hopes and dreams across the world have been raised artificially, and then that big door just slams shut. For most fans, it will close with disappointment after a month of hope and optimism, all of which has magically been generated by the media.
I am not criticising it, I enjoy it as much as anybody. It is just an amazing phenomenon which has developed in the last few years. I shall be tuning in on Transfer Deadline Day waiting to see who my boys will be ‘close’ to signing, who they just missed out on, and who they wanted but could not agree a deal for.
What am I talking about? The transfer window! This time of year, along with the summer, is when every football fan wakes up in the morning, and scours his newspaper and the internet to see which players are being linked with their team. First port of call – the BBC Gossip Column. I would love to know the number of hits they receive on this one page, and I’ll bet it is up there with their most popular pages at this time of year. Then I’ll put Sky Sports News on – if my boys have signed somebody, I will hear about it there first.
I am an Everton fan in case you were not aware. They are skint. They have less than zero money. That is not a good situation to be during the transfer window. There is a far greater chance of one of our players being signed by another team, than us signing somebody and that is not a nice situation to be in. Yet, I still for some unknown reason check the Gossip column and all the fan websites wanting to get a sniff of who we might be signing. We have lost Pienaar and Yakubu this transfer window, yet for some inexplicable reason, I hold out hope that we are going to make a signing of the century and it will propel us up the league.
There is no logic to that at all, but how many people do the same? My guess is a huge percentage of fans in England especially. The media sell transfer stories and speculation to us to sell their newspapers or boost their viewers. This was more common in Spain and Italy historically with teams like Real Madrid deliberately feeding information to Marca to keep their profile at the forefront, unsettle players they are interested in, and to claim an interest in another player when they are bargaining with one club for a different one and trying to force the asking price down.
England and the Premier League has gone one step ahead now. The transfer window was hardly greeted with delight when it first came into action as newspapers had months in which to make up ludicrous transfer stories when general news was quiet. That has all changed now and the media have clearly seen a niche and they put huge resources into promoting it now. Wait until transfer Deadline Day and see what I mean. It is actually pretty enticing stuff – watching SSN or surfing the internet to get all the latest rumours and gossip. Sadly for me, that is what they will likely remain, rumours and gossip. But I will hold out hope until the door shuts. Somehow, hopes and dreams across the world have been raised artificially, and then that big door just slams shut. For most fans, it will close with disappointment after a month of hope and optimism, all of which has magically been generated by the media.
I am not criticising it, I enjoy it as much as anybody. It is just an amazing phenomenon which has developed in the last few years. I shall be tuning in on Transfer Deadline Day waiting to see who my boys will be ‘close’ to signing, who they just missed out on, and who they wanted but could not agree a deal for.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Airplanes
I don’t often have time to sit and watch people. It is actually great fun to do when I do manage to forget everything else in the world and just sit, watch and observe other folks. Humans are random, very random, and if it is not something you do often, I would recommend trying it occasionally.
Today I am people watching. I am sat on a plane and watching people. Most folks don’t really realise I am watching them, but I am. Today, I am Big Brother. People act randomly all the time, but especially on aeroplanes and in airports and you can find all breeds. Today, I am watching the couple with four kids and how effortlessly they manage to deal with the kids and enjoy the journey. How many times have you been on a plane where there is just the one kid and parents and he is causing absolute havoc and upsetting everybody? I have seen plenty. These guys have four and they are all stars.
Airports and planes bring out a nervousness in people, and that is understandable I guess. We are thousands of feet in the air and as much as I learned about how aeroplanes fly and how boats float at school, I think I will always have a degree of awe about how they actually do what they do. You can scour the plane and look around and you will always find one or two people nervously watching out the window or clinging on to the arm rest or their partner when there is turbulence or when landing. I guess over a period of time it becomes normal. I have flown a ridiculous amount in the last four to five years and it is second nature to me now. If you fly once a year or less, it will surely be a bigger deal. I find take off incredibly relaxing and often drift off to sleep. Others are clinging on for dear life. I want to reassure them and tell them that I fly all the time, they have nothing to worry about, and the percentage of me one day meeting my end on a plane is far greater than theirs and I am not worried about it. I then hold myself back as I suspect they will wonder if today is the day.
Coming through security today, one chap realised he had left his passport at home. Quite how he got that far, I am not so sure, but he managed it as he had hand luggage only and went straight through. Luckily for him, he didn’t live far from the airport. The panic which ensued was spectacular. Rather than just bolting and getting it sorted, they preferred to hysterically scamper around and waste precious time. He is now sat next to me on the plane so it turned out well but only now after an hour have they visibly calmed down.
Some folks decide to get well and truly hammered to deal with their nerves or to have fun with their friends. I have been known to have a beer or two myself. In fact, every time I fly to Canada, it is my ritual to have a Molson Canadian on the way over without fail just to get in the mood. The worst situation I have encountered was on a flight with my parents to New York – the first trans-atlantic flight ever from Leeds & Bradford airport. One Canadian chap was with a few mates, and he was quite a big boy and quite a big drinker. The guy sat next to him was with the party but they obviously did not know each other that well. So, big boy ordered another wine to go with his food and he could not squeeze his table tray past his belly. The chap next time called him a name in jest, and the big boy responded by elbowing him in the face and getting him in a headlock and punching his head. Pretty horrific given this guy was some 25 stone, and was literally sat on the same row as me and my folks. To make it worse, he had a beast of a perm. The other issue was that we were about two hours from any land – if big boy went on the rampage, it would be tough to stop him. Thankfully the air hostess, who looked like she would bite, sorted him out swiftly and calmed things down. I would not like to have been him when I saw the armed police get on the plane in New York to escort him off. Brutal and it did not help any of the nervous folks on there.
Today we have no such shenanigans. Everybody is in pretty good spirits and everybody is looking forward to a great holiday. I’m going home, and I am just as excited to see my girl. I feel as if over the last five years I have had loads of places that I call home. I even called the hotel I used to stay in when I worked in London home. Mum didn’t like that. Those flights are always easier when you have something to look forward to at the other end and as long as there is no meathead causing troubling, they can be quite enjoyable. No need to stress over the kids, nor the lost passport, or the guy next to you cracking rude jokes, just sit back and enjoy the flight.
Today I am people watching. I am sat on a plane and watching people. Most folks don’t really realise I am watching them, but I am. Today, I am Big Brother. People act randomly all the time, but especially on aeroplanes and in airports and you can find all breeds. Today, I am watching the couple with four kids and how effortlessly they manage to deal with the kids and enjoy the journey. How many times have you been on a plane where there is just the one kid and parents and he is causing absolute havoc and upsetting everybody? I have seen plenty. These guys have four and they are all stars.
Airports and planes bring out a nervousness in people, and that is understandable I guess. We are thousands of feet in the air and as much as I learned about how aeroplanes fly and how boats float at school, I think I will always have a degree of awe about how they actually do what they do. You can scour the plane and look around and you will always find one or two people nervously watching out the window or clinging on to the arm rest or their partner when there is turbulence or when landing. I guess over a period of time it becomes normal. I have flown a ridiculous amount in the last four to five years and it is second nature to me now. If you fly once a year or less, it will surely be a bigger deal. I find take off incredibly relaxing and often drift off to sleep. Others are clinging on for dear life. I want to reassure them and tell them that I fly all the time, they have nothing to worry about, and the percentage of me one day meeting my end on a plane is far greater than theirs and I am not worried about it. I then hold myself back as I suspect they will wonder if today is the day.
Coming through security today, one chap realised he had left his passport at home. Quite how he got that far, I am not so sure, but he managed it as he had hand luggage only and went straight through. Luckily for him, he didn’t live far from the airport. The panic which ensued was spectacular. Rather than just bolting and getting it sorted, they preferred to hysterically scamper around and waste precious time. He is now sat next to me on the plane so it turned out well but only now after an hour have they visibly calmed down.
Some folks decide to get well and truly hammered to deal with their nerves or to have fun with their friends. I have been known to have a beer or two myself. In fact, every time I fly to Canada, it is my ritual to have a Molson Canadian on the way over without fail just to get in the mood. The worst situation I have encountered was on a flight with my parents to New York – the first trans-atlantic flight ever from Leeds & Bradford airport. One Canadian chap was with a few mates, and he was quite a big boy and quite a big drinker. The guy sat next to him was with the party but they obviously did not know each other that well. So, big boy ordered another wine to go with his food and he could not squeeze his table tray past his belly. The chap next time called him a name in jest, and the big boy responded by elbowing him in the face and getting him in a headlock and punching his head. Pretty horrific given this guy was some 25 stone, and was literally sat on the same row as me and my folks. To make it worse, he had a beast of a perm. The other issue was that we were about two hours from any land – if big boy went on the rampage, it would be tough to stop him. Thankfully the air hostess, who looked like she would bite, sorted him out swiftly and calmed things down. I would not like to have been him when I saw the armed police get on the plane in New York to escort him off. Brutal and it did not help any of the nervous folks on there.
Today we have no such shenanigans. Everybody is in pretty good spirits and everybody is looking forward to a great holiday. I’m going home, and I am just as excited to see my girl. I feel as if over the last five years I have had loads of places that I call home. I even called the hotel I used to stay in when I worked in London home. Mum didn’t like that. Those flights are always easier when you have something to look forward to at the other end and as long as there is no meathead causing troubling, they can be quite enjoyable. No need to stress over the kids, nor the lost passport, or the guy next to you cracking rude jokes, just sit back and enjoy the flight.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow....
You are sat at work. You are thinking about dinner tonight. You are thinking about your next holiday. You are thinking about the big game on Saturday. You are thinking about anything but what you are supposed to be doing which in most circles is called work. It may be work, it may be making a decision. I get the feeling that humans are amazing procrastinators and dawdlers when we want to be. I wonder if animals are – does the cat give serious thought to whether he is going to climb the curtains today, or does the bird analyse the scene ahead and deliberate which unsuspecting human he is going to swoop over and poop on? I am not so sure.
We either delay the inevitable, or often take the long route rather than just ploughing ahead and just doing something or making a decision. I remember writing about this subject when I first started my blog and it randomly came back into my head recently. Unquestionably, most folks are at work and spending time surfing facebook and spying on what Little Jimmy has been up to today. They actually have 27 emails sat in the inbox waiting to be dealt with, but learning about what Little Jimmy had for dinner seems far more appealing than replying to them. I suspect many folks are reading this rather than doing something they should be doing – you’ve made the right decision – those emails can wait. Promise!
I have gone down the route recently of setting up a company and working independently. The pitfalls of good old procrastination are more evident than ever when you work for yourself. There is nobody keeping track of what I am doing, there is nobody to report to, there is nobody dangling a bonus at the end of the year if I perform well, and there is nobody to sack my butt when they want to. There are positives and negatives. I can sleep in if I want to. If it is cold outside, I don’t have to go outside. If I am sulking one day, I don’t have to talk to anybody. All of which are positives and negatives – if you work in an office, you will think they are massive positives, but I can assure you it is not as glamorous as one may think. The overriding factor is that for all the time I spend on Facebook, wasting time on decisions I have already really made in my head but have not followed through on, I am not earning money. Effectively, if I don’t get busy, I am not going to eat.
Well that sounded dramatic and is obviously not the case, but the reality is that nobody is going to motivate me other than myself and I have to produce. Some folks would struggle with it. It is certainly not easy, I have to admit, but thankfully I am generally quite motivated to do well and succeed so I have never found it a major problem. Of course I have days where I waste too much time and productivity levels are lower than usual, but more often than not, I know I have to produce and I do. I do not have to worry about what anybody else is doing, Little Jimmy is whingeing about Big Bertha, Judy leaves early every day and I am left having to do her work. I do not have to deal with any of that. I just have to produce.
As I have said, there are good elements and not so good elements to it and so much depends on your personality. I think I was back in high school when one teacher threw out a saying which always stuck with me – ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow, what can be done today.’ It is so true and something that I have always found to be worth remembering. Easier said that done I know, but if you are reading this, and you have a few items on your things to do list that you have been putting off, get your teeth into one of them, and ban yourself from facebook until you do. Don’t be so hasty and stop reading my blog, but give it a try!
We either delay the inevitable, or often take the long route rather than just ploughing ahead and just doing something or making a decision. I remember writing about this subject when I first started my blog and it randomly came back into my head recently. Unquestionably, most folks are at work and spending time surfing facebook and spying on what Little Jimmy has been up to today. They actually have 27 emails sat in the inbox waiting to be dealt with, but learning about what Little Jimmy had for dinner seems far more appealing than replying to them. I suspect many folks are reading this rather than doing something they should be doing – you’ve made the right decision – those emails can wait. Promise!
I have gone down the route recently of setting up a company and working independently. The pitfalls of good old procrastination are more evident than ever when you work for yourself. There is nobody keeping track of what I am doing, there is nobody to report to, there is nobody dangling a bonus at the end of the year if I perform well, and there is nobody to sack my butt when they want to. There are positives and negatives. I can sleep in if I want to. If it is cold outside, I don’t have to go outside. If I am sulking one day, I don’t have to talk to anybody. All of which are positives and negatives – if you work in an office, you will think they are massive positives, but I can assure you it is not as glamorous as one may think. The overriding factor is that for all the time I spend on Facebook, wasting time on decisions I have already really made in my head but have not followed through on, I am not earning money. Effectively, if I don’t get busy, I am not going to eat.
Well that sounded dramatic and is obviously not the case, but the reality is that nobody is going to motivate me other than myself and I have to produce. Some folks would struggle with it. It is certainly not easy, I have to admit, but thankfully I am generally quite motivated to do well and succeed so I have never found it a major problem. Of course I have days where I waste too much time and productivity levels are lower than usual, but more often than not, I know I have to produce and I do. I do not have to worry about what anybody else is doing, Little Jimmy is whingeing about Big Bertha, Judy leaves early every day and I am left having to do her work. I do not have to deal with any of that. I just have to produce.
As I have said, there are good elements and not so good elements to it and so much depends on your personality. I think I was back in high school when one teacher threw out a saying which always stuck with me – ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow, what can be done today.’ It is so true and something that I have always found to be worth remembering. Easier said that done I know, but if you are reading this, and you have a few items on your things to do list that you have been putting off, get your teeth into one of them, and ban yourself from facebook until you do. Don’t be so hasty and stop reading my blog, but give it a try!
Monday, January 10, 2011
A Stick Of Gum
Well we are in the second week of January and it is fair to say that Christmas is well and truly over. That may not be quite the case for some folks I know who have a couple more days of celebrating on the beach to go, but for most normal people, it is a distant memory now.
Our Christmas was excellent once we eventually got to Canada. Good times, with good food, good drink, and good friends and family. You cannot really ask for much more. It was a little short after the cancellations and delays, but HJ and I were just happy to have gotten there. That said, waking up on Christmas Day in a hotel was slightly surreal, but the fantastic free cooked breakfast made up for it.
Our return back to Switzerland was less eventful though there was one moment that sticks in my mind. We had to take a shuttle from Freeport to Halifax – a small minibus if you will – that squeezes around eight people including a driver in. The journey was smooth and pleasant apart from an hour in when the chap behind me found a piece of chewing gum in his pocket. I have mentioned before that I consider myself to be a relatively easy going fella, but somebody chewing gum in my ear is one of those things that will bug me until the cows come home. It is irrational in some ways though I have yet to meet somebody who loves the sound of gum being chewed in their ear lug. I well and truly hate it. With a passion. It got me randomly thinking about what annoys other people. If I chew gum in your ear, will that annoy you as much as it does me? And if not, what things really really annoy you?
Living abroad has many advantages but Christmas time is always a tricky and difficult situation, filled with highs, and then ultimately the final low. Going home is great, and means the world to most folks. Leaving is tough. Apart from the odd whinge about some attitudes in Switzerland, we are pretty lucky to have the lifestyle that we have. I notoriously hate saying goodbyes however. The worst ever was when my mum and dad dropped me off at Liverpool University back in September 1998, the first time I had ever lived away. The car pulled away as I marched off to my Halls of Residence with my note book and pen and as I turned back, Mum mouthed ‘I love you’ through the window. An absolute killer for me. It certainly gets easier the more I come and go, and it definitely makes seeing my family much more enjoyable when I do get to spend time with them all. But it is never easy and I feel for everybody who goes through it.
I deal with it by thinking of the next time I will see them. It comes as no surprise to anybody to see me online searching for flights, planning my next trip. It is not always possible to do, but if I can have that next trip in mind or booked, it makes the world of difference to know when I will see them again. I would recommend that to anybody to solve the early new year blues. Alternatively, if you cannot afford the flight or have the time to take off work, buy a pack of gum and hand it to the guy sat behind you on the bus, and you will feel a different emotion.
Our Christmas was excellent once we eventually got to Canada. Good times, with good food, good drink, and good friends and family. You cannot really ask for much more. It was a little short after the cancellations and delays, but HJ and I were just happy to have gotten there. That said, waking up on Christmas Day in a hotel was slightly surreal, but the fantastic free cooked breakfast made up for it.
Our return back to Switzerland was less eventful though there was one moment that sticks in my mind. We had to take a shuttle from Freeport to Halifax – a small minibus if you will – that squeezes around eight people including a driver in. The journey was smooth and pleasant apart from an hour in when the chap behind me found a piece of chewing gum in his pocket. I have mentioned before that I consider myself to be a relatively easy going fella, but somebody chewing gum in my ear is one of those things that will bug me until the cows come home. It is irrational in some ways though I have yet to meet somebody who loves the sound of gum being chewed in their ear lug. I well and truly hate it. With a passion. It got me randomly thinking about what annoys other people. If I chew gum in your ear, will that annoy you as much as it does me? And if not, what things really really annoy you?
Living abroad has many advantages but Christmas time is always a tricky and difficult situation, filled with highs, and then ultimately the final low. Going home is great, and means the world to most folks. Leaving is tough. Apart from the odd whinge about some attitudes in Switzerland, we are pretty lucky to have the lifestyle that we have. I notoriously hate saying goodbyes however. The worst ever was when my mum and dad dropped me off at Liverpool University back in September 1998, the first time I had ever lived away. The car pulled away as I marched off to my Halls of Residence with my note book and pen and as I turned back, Mum mouthed ‘I love you’ through the window. An absolute killer for me. It certainly gets easier the more I come and go, and it definitely makes seeing my family much more enjoyable when I do get to spend time with them all. But it is never easy and I feel for everybody who goes through it.
I deal with it by thinking of the next time I will see them. It comes as no surprise to anybody to see me online searching for flights, planning my next trip. It is not always possible to do, but if I can have that next trip in mind or booked, it makes the world of difference to know when I will see them again. I would recommend that to anybody to solve the early new year blues. Alternatively, if you cannot afford the flight or have the time to take off work, buy a pack of gum and hand it to the guy sat behind you on the bus, and you will feel a different emotion.
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