Note To Self

Do not Blog after wine and beer...

New Jumper

I bought a new jumper today. It is green and chunky and just what I was after. I wanted something to keep me warm now winter is approaching.

It wasn't expensive, but I like it. It has the potential to become an all-time favourite. I once had a black jumper than I loved dearly. It was very comfortable and I thought looked very cool. Unfortunately it developed a hole and is long since gone. I am thinking this new one could become as much-loved as that one.

RIP black jumper.

West Sham United

The viewpoints and arguments regarding the whole Tevez-West-Ham-cheating scandal are many. Some I agree with and some I disagree with.

However, the following comment about it on TalkSport (which can be entertaining at times, but does tend to employ a rather high number of ignorant, racist halfwits) really got my goat. Apparently Sheffield United should "leave West Ham alone" because "the 'Ammers 'ave got, like, a good tradition and, you know, like, had people who, like, won the World Cup, or suffink".

Ah, so that means cheating is OK. But if a club with a less illustrious past (say, Sheffield United) should cheat then they should be taken to the cleaners. How fair.

Commuting Commotion

I spent three hours commuting to and from work today.

Not only that, but I estimated that this pleasure also cost me about £15 in fuel.

Three hours, £15, to sit in a boring, tedious, irritating meeting for nearly five hours.

Work, to use an Americanism, sucks.

The Trouble With Bosses

I think I have had a quite bad run when it comes to bosses. My first was a particularly unlikeable chap, homophobic, racist and sexist.
The other seemed OK at first, but then showed his true colours by being ignorant, bad at his job, manipulative, hypocritical and fat (well, he was always fat, but the other traits came out as time wore on).
Mysteriously, both of these unpleasant individuals are called Ian.
My current boss is not particularly my cup of tea. She isn't called Ian, but we don't quite see eye-to-eye. I think it is just a personality clash, but I know my predecessor had similar difficulties with her.
I think the only answer is to work for myself. Then I would be my own boss - but who knows, maybe he will be the worst of them all...

Good News Day

Sometimes one can have a day when things just work out. Today was one such day. Both myself and my fiancée had great news about jobs that suggest our future is looking very rosy indeed.

We are enjoying a glass (or two) of wine and toasting our continuing good fortune and happiness.

Bad Luck Claude

I am a curse to whichever sports team I follow.

Whenever I start to support a team you can guarantee they will never win anything. Ever.

Want proof?

Sheffield United (football). I suppose I started to support them in 1981 after my first game.
Major trophies since then = 0
(before I was born, one English League Championship and four FA Cups)

Miami Dolophins (US football) started supporting in 1987.
Superbowl wins since then = 0
(they won two in the 1970s).

New York Yankees (baseball) started supporting in 2002 after seeing them play in New York.
World Series since then = 0
(they won it three times in a row in 1998, 1999, 2000).

England football team. I would have to say supported them all my life, really, but first memory is the 1982 World Cup.
World Cups and European Championships since then = 0
(before I was born, one World Cup).

So, you see, I really am a bad luck charm. Just hope, nay pray, I don't start supporting your team...

A Right Monkey

A good few years ago I worked for a magazine in Sheffield. During the sometimes long, boring days, we created a fictitious character whose life-long ambition was to become a stand-up comic.

We called him Barry Monkey and one of the reps (Andrew) agreed to take on the role of Barry and try to secure a spot at a local club.

He called up, and in his best Bernard Manningesque voice, tried to persuade the club's manager to "give me a break". His woeful attempts to impress him included telling the following gag:

"My sister never married. She has though just given birth. That makes me a Monkey's uncle."

The manager was not impressed by Barry's efforts and he got increasingly desperate: "Please just give me a chance - I'll bring me own microphone."

How Andrew kept up the charade for so long was quite something and mightily impressive.

Needless to say, Barry didn't get the gig.

11th September

It is seven years since the terror attacks in the US.

I remember the day very well - it touched me especially as I had been in New York and Washington just a few weeks before.

That day changed the world, sadly for the worse and it is a much sadder and intolerant place than before.

Good Old England

Just beaten Croatia 4-1 in Zagreb.

Well done boys, I am sure we fans never doubted you for a second...

Quote Of The Day

In a tedious two hour marketing meeting today, we were shown a quote from the Big American Boss. It was:

"In our company we are twice as good at marketing as we think we are and only half as good as we could be."

Wow. That means I am actually decidedly average at marketing. Twice as good as I thought...

Being Late

I hate being late. I don't know why, but it seems to be happening a lot to me lately.

I was late for a business meeting last week - which was down to horrendous traffic on the dreaded M1.

Then today was my cousin''s wedding and somehow, I managed to be late twice. The first time was because it took so long for us to get ready and out of the door - then we went the wrong way - and had the misfortune to arrive at the church just as the bride was making her way down the aisle. We sheepishly took our seats and at least saw the whole service.

The second was because we decided when waiting in that rather boring time between service and reception, to pop home to let the mutt out and give her some dinner. We set off being reassured that the meal and speeches would start at 5.30. They didn't. They started at 4.45. We arrived back at 5pm, happy to have made it in plenty of time. So, we stood at the back listening and then, once more, made our way sheepishly to our table.

I have a meetig at 10am in Manchester tomorrow. I am planning on leaving home at 5am to make it...

TV-Tastic

I often bemoan the quality of TV, it is often vacuous and soulless. However, just once in a while TV can throw up the kind of programme that delights, horrifies and prokes thought as much as any movie or play.

The BBC delivered such a treat last night with God on Trial, a brilliantly acted and directed drama about prisoners in Auschwitz debating how their God could allow them to suffer such cruelty and brutality.

I would strongly advise watching this - you will not be disappointed.

A Tale of 3 Cities

My favourite cities:

1. New York
2. London
3. Prague

Still to visit Sydney, Wellington, Tokyo, Moscow which could usurp the above...

Summer in England

So, today is the last day of August and, true to form, it has been miserable, rainy and sticky.

What a terrible summer we have once again endured. It really makes one think about the quality of life we have in this country and inspired me to make a list of what is wrong with this isle of ours:

• The weather really is miserable
• It is unreasonably expensive (fuel, food, energy etc)
• The yob culture continues to grow
• We have little concept of how to enjoy alcohol
• The traffic is horrendous - everywhere
• Every high street is exactly the same - nothing is different or special (every shop in every town is either WHSmith, McDonald's, Boots, Marks and Spencer, HMV etc)
• Our benefits system is a complete joke
• Taxation is unfair and far too high
• Our achievements are historical and unlikely to be superceded
  

In fairness, there are some good points too:

• Freedom of speach still exists
• The English language
• We gave the world many major sports (and then struggle to be good at any of them)
• Democracy
• Some stunning scenery
• People are in general friendly
• For a small island, we have contributed hugely to the world of literature, science, art, music and politics
  

Back

Returned from a rather splendid time in the Czech Republic yesterday - tired after driving more than 2,500 miles in total.

There is much to share, digest and divulge, but for now, here are some thoughts and observations made during the past nine days:

• There was a distinct smell of sprouts as we neared Brussels...
• Sharing a sauna with a naked German man was a unique experience
• My word, beer is cheap in Czech - best I found, 15p a bottle
• Table tennis can be a lot of fun
• Fried cheese is a very tasty dish
• Returning from holiday is rubbish
  

Czech Here We Come

Tomorrow we leave for Czech - just in the final throws of packing now.
We have decided to opt for the automobile as our mode of transport. Yes, it takes a long time - probably about 18 hours door-to-door - but does have its advantages. No airports, no flying and having a car when there will be extremely handy.
We travel down through England, into the Tunnel, enter France, fly through Belgium, spend a long time in Germany and hit Czech from the west. We then skirt Prague before arriving at our final destination, having clocked up over 950 miles.
We are well prepared - lots of Red Bull and music to stave off unwanted shut eye on the Autobahn.
Ahoj for now...

Heroes and Villains

In what will be a recurring item for this blog, here is the first of my (constantly changing) Heroes and Villains list. In no particular order, Villains:

• Robbie Williams
• Christian O'Connell
• Jon Gaunt
• The price of fuel
  
• Tomatoes
• The M1
• Corruption in football
• Bad service
• Taxation
• High School Musical
• UK Medical Ltd
  

Heroes:

• John Lennon
• Neil Finn
• Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes
• Audi A4 cars
• Italian food
• The internet
• Tag Heuer watches
• Dave Dobbyn
• White Stuff
• Gibson Les Paul guitars
• Cinema
  

Happy Birthday To You

It is my fiancée's 30th birthday today.
Have a great day, sweetheart.
Všechno nejlepší k narozeninám
Miluju tě.

Czech Them Out

As I am in a Czech mood, due to my impending holiday there, it is interesting to note some of the worthy (or at least famous) people that have originated from this proud country.

• Franz Kafka
• Gustav Mahler
• Antonin Dvorak
• Eva Herzigova
• Ivana Trump
• Ivan Lendl
• Martina Navratilova
• Milos Forman
• Alfons Mucha
• Jan Hammer
• Good King Wenceslas
• Sigmund Freud
  

We also have the Czechs to thank for beer and Skoda cars.