"Sitting in a cocoon of hush,
surrounded by life and it's hectic fuss,
watching as society runs by your eyes,
caught up in unnecessary pressure and confusion,
stepping away from that pain to unwind"
I'm sorry poetry is not really my forte! Was never really interested in it at school, other than the poets of World War 1 or dirty limericks!
But what I am trying to say is that over the last few days I have spent quite a bit of quiet time, by myself or with others sitting and watching the world racing by. Sitting outside Ruby Lounge on Newland Avenue (with Sister I), in Manchester (waiting for friends watching the complimentary entertainment of two buskers dancing outside Piccadilly station) or at the airport, killing the four hours until I can check in.
The Ex and I were always very interested in our environment (when we got out together). I think you could probably call it being nosey! It was a great game to work out the back history of other people when we got out.
"What do you recon that argument is about?" indicating the couple three of four tables over, where there would be a definite air or disagreement.....he obviously with a few beers to many in him.....she making her displeasure quite clear.....or the four women out for a night! Where did they come from.....what was their history......where were they going.
I love just stepping out from the constant pressures of modern life. We spend most of our lives rushing around without really stopping to enjoy the moments that we have. It is one of the reasons that I love France and Edinburgh so much.....there is such a cafe culture, where you can spend two or three hours just sitting and watching (okay that sounds very creepy! I don't mean night vision goggles in the shrubbery kind of thing!) Watching as the rest of humanity does exactly what you would be doing were it not for the fact that you had stopped - taken those precious moments out from the rat race!
Okay hands up! Think I've probably spent far too much time in this Costa coffee! Should probably have stopped after the fourth latte!
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Holiday - First night!
Living in Hull, but working and flying out from Manchester, and after the last few months, I felt that it was important to start my holiday the right way. Therefore instead of four hours on trains back and forth and then on to the airport.....
"hey why not treat yourself!"
A quick look online (typically on last minute cheap room sites) I found a suite available in the Malmaison in Manchester.....and I have to say for the price it's the type of pampering that I wish I had the money to become accustommed too! Being just outside Manchester Piccadilly station, and a few minutes from Picadilly Gardens, it was really nice to sit outside and watch the world go by, with a cold beer.
After settling in.....and a bath that at 6 foot 7 I was able to stretch out in! It was onto the tiles with some friends who live in Manchester.
It was fantastic to wake up knowing that your on holiday........that all you have to do is get on a train for 20 minutes till your on the plane! Can't wait!
Yet still don't have to check out till 12:00 so time to wander down to the brasserie for brekkies, maybe a pamper session in the spa.....or as it happens ended up just lying in bed.....loving the opportunity to lie in!
If you are in Manchester and you are looking for a hotel I can highly recommend the Malmaison! The food, service and hospitality is fantastic. Whilst you can pay for the place if you check their wsebsite there are often deals available and it is great value in the heart of the city with very close transport links!
Would give it five thumbs up
Thursday, 5 August 2010
Just one more sleep!
I can almost smell my holiday!!!!!
Typically for me (and I'm kind of thinking most men!) I have as usual left the packing till the night before I head off. I must admit that unusually I have been buying stuff in for a couple of weeks that I would need. Usually it is a mad dash around the airport finding things that I knew I would need, but had failed to get.
I have known people who have would carry out their first pack about a month before the holiday, the cases would sit on the spare bed, with their clothes already packed......the case would be then re-packed four or five times as clothes were reconsidered, worn, washed, decided against, and yet still a few hours before we would leave the cases would still not be closed. I have long decided why bother with all the stress, if you can save it up until the last minute! It adds a little excitement to the final few hours! (and lets face it, unless you are travelling to the far end of the world you are never going to be too far from a supermarche, supermarcado or supermarkt) There is always going to be somewhere that you will be able to pick up toileteries or clothes! (I am also a firm believer in emersing yourself totally in the culture that you are visiting......when in Rome.....wear a toga! - bring on the striped T-shirt and beret! Okay I know this is hugely stereotypical and completely inaccurate :) )
I have spent the last hour pulling clothes out of my wardrobe and draws, and pilling them into a case! Lets face it as a bloke away for a week a couple of jeans, a couple of pairs of jeans, T-shirts and a shirt or two, pants, socks, washkit.....what more can you need! I was quite surprised therefore that my bag was only half full.....that was until people decided that......
"Oh you're coming out, can you bring me my......!"
All of a sudden my half full case is now bursting at the seams!
So:
Passport - check
flight details - check
hotel reservation - check
insurance - check
money - check
= happy bunny!
But as you can probably guess I am really excited about a week away, nothing to do but read, relax, paint, drink wine, swim, eat fantastic food.....okay this seems like quite a list of things to do......but I can't wait!
I will update you as how things are going.......(and maybe make you hugely jealous with the photographs!)
Typically for me (and I'm kind of thinking most men!) I have as usual left the packing till the night before I head off. I must admit that unusually I have been buying stuff in for a couple of weeks that I would need. Usually it is a mad dash around the airport finding things that I knew I would need, but had failed to get.
I have known people who have would carry out their first pack about a month before the holiday, the cases would sit on the spare bed, with their clothes already packed......the case would be then re-packed four or five times as clothes were reconsidered, worn, washed, decided against, and yet still a few hours before we would leave the cases would still not be closed. I have long decided why bother with all the stress, if you can save it up until the last minute! It adds a little excitement to the final few hours! (and lets face it, unless you are travelling to the far end of the world you are never going to be too far from a supermarche, supermarcado or supermarkt) There is always going to be somewhere that you will be able to pick up toileteries or clothes! (I am also a firm believer in emersing yourself totally in the culture that you are visiting......when in Rome.....wear a toga! - bring on the striped T-shirt and beret! Okay I know this is hugely stereotypical and completely inaccurate :) )
I have spent the last hour pulling clothes out of my wardrobe and draws, and pilling them into a case! Lets face it as a bloke away for a week a couple of jeans, a couple of pairs of jeans, T-shirts and a shirt or two, pants, socks, washkit.....what more can you need! I was quite surprised therefore that my bag was only half full.....that was until people decided that......
"Oh you're coming out, can you bring me my......!"
All of a sudden my half full case is now bursting at the seams!
So:
Passport - check
flight details - check
hotel reservation - check
insurance - check
money - check
= happy bunny!
But as you can probably guess I am really excited about a week away, nothing to do but read, relax, paint, drink wine, swim, eat fantastic food.....okay this seems like quite a list of things to do......but I can't wait!
I will update you as how things are going.......(and maybe make you hugely jealous with the photographs!)
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Danny and Tasha get hitched!
Last week was something of a mad dash, running back and forth across the Country and then down and up it, but it was all worth it!
Thursday saw a 5:00am start to make sure that I could leave work early....as usual things never quite run to plan, and so standing on the platform waiting for the 5:40pm train home.....I was supposed to be picking up one of The Guys at 7:30!!!!! Raced home, packed, showered and was on the road again travelling down to Litchfield (a great journey down! Why can't the roads always be this quiet!!!!)
We were staying with some friends on the night before the wedding, and a few sly beers, and we were ready for bed after a very busy day! Sleeping on the floor, whilst my friend got the bed, imagine my great delight when the mate woke me up at 6:30am to tell me that it was morning, repeatedly, till I was awake enough before he fell asleep again! Well I was awake and at that annoying point of still being extremely tired, but too awake to slip back to sleep again!
Up and downstairs making a cuppa and after a shower, feeling a lot better, we started planning for the day ahead! We had booked into a hotel close to the reception and as the ceremony wasn't until 3pm we thought we would check in to the hotel and change there before heading on.....another hour long journey around Birmingham.....to arrive at 1.30pm. At last we could get ready and catch up with the wedding party!
"Of course" said one of the friends, "you can check in anytime after 12pm!" Great!!!
Except "no check in time isn't until 3pm!"
"But that's when the wedding starts!"
"Well for an extra £20 we can check you in early!" (at least Dick Turpin wore a mask!)
So scrubbed up and into best kit a race to the hotel and then catch up with the rest of the Guys!
The Bride looked blushing, and the Groom looked flushing (as expected.....it was a hot day and he had his full dress uniform on!) After a very nice ceremony we were released back outside to sit by the Severn (I think) whilst the official photograph were taken!
And after the photographs back into the bar and a very drunken night!
A great night, with lots of laughter and dancing (and the a few drinks!)
Good luck to both of you, may you have everything you desire and wish for nothing!
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
The Joy of Text!
I have not grown a dodgy beard, and there are no pastel pictures of compromising positions!
It's amazing how much you grow accustomed to that lump of plastic and LCD screen in your jacket pocket.
I was probably the last person in my family, Uni class, group of friends to get a mobile phone......and even then it was the most basic block of plastic, that did nothing other than make calls. Slowly it progressed from a brick, to a brick that could text, to a brick that could text and take pictures!
I have not advanced far from the brick, although admittedly it now texts, calls, takes photographs and has access to the tinterweb (most of which I can't actually access cos I managed to do the typical MAN thing of plugging it in and throwing away the manual!)
All a sudden this piece of plastic, that was a necessary evil should your car break down (and having had some complete wrecks in my time this really was a necessity!) , has become an extension to your self.......something that sits in your pocket during the commute, that sits on your desk throughout the day and on your bedside table at night......something that you seem to check every 20 minutes or so to check whose contacting you! I had no idea that this piece of modern technology had become such an intergral part of my life.........
........that was until a very drunken evening at one of my great friends weddings (or to be exact on the way back in the taxi from a very very very drunken wedding at which a lot of dancing took place [I will put some photographs up if I'm allowed]) when I realised that my modern lifeline was not in my pocket......
"where is it?" frantic searching through each pocket.....emptying them onto the taxi seat.......nothign......"Argh.......". All my contacts, all my friends.....I couldn't think of anything worse that trying to contact all my friends/colleagues/taxi companies/takeaways to get those numbers back!
At times I have to say it seemed to be the longest 4 days of my life, constantly reaching for my empty pocket, to only realise that it was not there! ARGGGGHHHHHH.
But huge thanks to The Guys who managed to find it at the reception venue, although I have yet to discover where it was found! ( and given that the reception was full of equally [if not even more drunken] Guardsmen I should really check what photographs have been taken)
It's amazing how much you grow accustomed to that lump of plastic and LCD screen in your jacket pocket.
I was probably the last person in my family, Uni class, group of friends to get a mobile phone......and even then it was the most basic block of plastic, that did nothing other than make calls. Slowly it progressed from a brick, to a brick that could text, to a brick that could text and take pictures!
I have not advanced far from the brick, although admittedly it now texts, calls, takes photographs and has access to the tinterweb (most of which I can't actually access cos I managed to do the typical MAN thing of plugging it in and throwing away the manual!)
All a sudden this piece of plastic, that was a necessary evil should your car break down (and having had some complete wrecks in my time this really was a necessity!) , has become an extension to your self.......something that sits in your pocket during the commute, that sits on your desk throughout the day and on your bedside table at night......something that you seem to check every 20 minutes or so to check whose contacting you! I had no idea that this piece of modern technology had become such an intergral part of my life.........
........that was until a very drunken evening at one of my great friends weddings (or to be exact on the way back in the taxi from a very very very drunken wedding at which a lot of dancing took place [I will put some photographs up if I'm allowed]) when I realised that my modern lifeline was not in my pocket......
"where is it?" frantic searching through each pocket.....emptying them onto the taxi seat.......nothign......"Argh.......". All my contacts, all my friends.....I couldn't think of anything worse that trying to contact all my friends/colleagues/taxi companies/takeaways to get those numbers back!
At times I have to say it seemed to be the longest 4 days of my life, constantly reaching for my empty pocket, to only realise that it was not there! ARGGGGHHHHHH.
But huge thanks to The Guys who managed to find it at the reception venue, although I have yet to discover where it was found! ( and given that the reception was full of equally [if not even more drunken] Guardsmen I should really check what photographs have been taken)
Monday, 2 August 2010
Thank God for remote access
Today was supposed to be a day off, to finalise the flat, and then to relax after a hellish few weeks of constant running around. After a weekend (extended) which saw me racing from Manchester on Thursday night, home to Hull to then travel to Birmingham for a wedding on Friday and then back up to Hull for a re-enactment event over the weekend the thought of a lie in sounded fantastic.
This was until Friday evening when the landlord telephoned to say that The Girl had returned her keys early and they had been round, and could I just pop back to the flat to re-clean the oven and wipe over the shower screens again! (pretty sure that the place had been spottless when I moved out....but not going to argue when they have my deposit money!)
“Sure, is Sunday evening okay? I can then drop the keys off at 9.00am on Monday morning!”
“That is was fine” - so a start slightly earlier than I had hoped, but the keys were handed in and the relationship was finished! Dead! No More! There was nothing else now that would be part of US, and I could become ME again! (Word to the wise though……apparently it is hugely inappropriate to say thank you to your friends for their support as a status update on “Stalkerbook” – was accused of publicly bitching about her, at which point I received the lash of her friends collective tongues).
The only thing left to do with the flat was to collect the final meter readings for electricity and water.
Advice from the agents - call the property manager.
Advice from the property manager – speak to the agents.
Further advice from the agents – Oh yeah we took over the keys about 2 months ago!
Another trip to the agents to get the keys to the meter cupboard, and the flat keys back, and another two trips through town and I was again saying goodbye to the flat (I hope for the last time!)
Okay I thought……it’s now time for me…..just check my work e-mails so that I am not faced by four days worth tomorrow morning (really should learn not to do this, as it means that they can contact you, and the emergencies just happen a day earlier!)
Having spent the day off, running around sorting other peoples problems, I fancied a coffee……okay I am addicted to the stuff (the first one usually hits the system shortly after 5:00am and then throughout the day they keep coming! I think it is a defence against work mechanism…..the longer I can spend making coffee……the shorter the amount of time I have to spend at my desk!) I have to say that nearby we are really spoiled for coffee shops, especially down Newland Avenue. So with my laptop, and a latte it is amazing how much you can get done! The environment is far nicer than home…..the coffee is fresh…..and if you want a break you can watch the world go by for five minutes (alright you can spend 30 minutes watching the world go by, trying to listen in to the very interesting conversation at the next table without them realising, and then doing five minutes work!)
So as it is, I have solved the problems from work….restored my caffeine levels to around that of the gross national export of Columbia…..and updated you lovely people about my exciting (okay not really that exciting at all!) life. I can only say god bless remote access working…..and caffeine (now I only need to convince my bosses to let me telecommute everyday and I would be a happy little bunny!)
This was until Friday evening when the landlord telephoned to say that The Girl had returned her keys early and they had been round, and could I just pop back to the flat to re-clean the oven and wipe over the shower screens again! (pretty sure that the place had been spottless when I moved out....but not going to argue when they have my deposit money!)
“Sure, is Sunday evening okay? I can then drop the keys off at 9.00am on Monday morning!”
“That is was fine” - so a start slightly earlier than I had hoped, but the keys were handed in and the relationship was finished! Dead! No More! There was nothing else now that would be part of US, and I could become ME again! (Word to the wise though……apparently it is hugely inappropriate to say thank you to your friends for their support as a status update on “Stalkerbook” – was accused of publicly bitching about her, at which point I received the lash of her friends collective tongues).
The only thing left to do with the flat was to collect the final meter readings for electricity and water.
Advice from the agents - call the property manager.
Advice from the property manager – speak to the agents.
Further advice from the agents – Oh yeah we took over the keys about 2 months ago!
Another trip to the agents to get the keys to the meter cupboard, and the flat keys back, and another two trips through town and I was again saying goodbye to the flat (I hope for the last time!)
Okay I thought……it’s now time for me…..just check my work e-mails so that I am not faced by four days worth tomorrow morning (really should learn not to do this, as it means that they can contact you, and the emergencies just happen a day earlier!)
Having spent the day off, running around sorting other peoples problems, I fancied a coffee……okay I am addicted to the stuff (the first one usually hits the system shortly after 5:00am and then throughout the day they keep coming! I think it is a defence against work mechanism…..the longer I can spend making coffee……the shorter the amount of time I have to spend at my desk!) I have to say that nearby we are really spoiled for coffee shops, especially down Newland Avenue. So with my laptop, and a latte it is amazing how much you can get done! The environment is far nicer than home…..the coffee is fresh…..and if you want a break you can watch the world go by for five minutes (alright you can spend 30 minutes watching the world go by, trying to listen in to the very interesting conversation at the next table without them realising, and then doing five minutes work!)
So as it is, I have solved the problems from work….restored my caffeine levels to around that of the gross national export of Columbia…..and updated you lovely people about my exciting (okay not really that exciting at all!) life. I can only say god bless remote access working…..and caffeine (now I only need to convince my bosses to let me telecommute everyday and I would be a happy little bunny!)
Sunday, 1 August 2010
The best laid plans.......
........of mice and men!
I am a huge on planning! Often not the little things, as I love spontaneous nights out, deciding last minute that maybe a few drinks or a cinema trip would be fun, and often these are some of the best nights out (unfortunately the Girl could not do spontaneous). I do however seem to keep tumbling into plans, especially when I am in a relationship.
I hate the question "where do you see yourself in five years?"
I would love to say "well in a nice house, with a wife who I make happy, in a job that I enjoy, with enough money to pay the bills and do the things that we want to do (I don't have expensive tastes, an occasional meal out, the odd trip to the cinema.....I don't even have or want a flash car!) Instead I always mumble something about "I don't know.........somewhere else?"
Other than with The Girl about which I have bored enough people with already, I have often been drawn into plans with partners. My second fiance and I were going to be junior Doctors together and start our own practice. She is now a Doctor in New Zeland and I am a Solicitor in England. One of my other previous GF was, I have to admit, my secretary at a previous firm of solicitors. We were effectively living together and working together......whilst we were both very happy together we both realised that spending 24 hours a day with each other was not healthy. We both had our own interests but knew that to let us have any realistic prospect of staying together we had to have some distance. We also both loved Newcastle and decided that with time we would look to move up there.......
As a solicitor the prospects of me getting alternative work at the time were good, although she said that she wanted to get a job elsewhere. It was agreed after long discussions that she would move elsewhere so that we could really make a go of it. She found another job although again I asked if she was sure, that she didn't want to stay and I would find a job elsewhere......
"No, I want to do this for us!" After some pretty horrendous relationships previoulsy I was hugely touched by someone wishing do this for me.....for us! Of course as the title suggests two days before the end of her notice period she told me that "it wasn't working.....and that she didn't think she made me happy!"
In fact her ex-boyfriend had been in touch, who she gone back to a number of times, and who she had always said was horrendous to her. In the end she was drawn back, and I was set adrift. Of course all I could then associate with the office was of seeing her sitting out in front of my office, smiling in at me! I moved on three months later.
Three weeks later I met the Girl and on a whim asked her out for meal! Things seem to go really well and we got on....and the rest is as you say.....history!
There is a saying that the best plans do not survive initial contact with the enemy. I find that they do not survive the vagaries of a woman's mind..........
P.S. - Just to conclude I should add that six weeks after the break up the ex-GF telephoned me to say that she was very sorry, and whilst she knew that she had hurt me, she wanted to give it another go as she had made a mistake. As it was I had started dating The Girl and in any event had been really hurt by the unexpected nature of the separation.
I do not consider myself a catch but it made me wonder how often it turns out that the grass really isn't any greener on the other side!
I am a huge on planning! Often not the little things, as I love spontaneous nights out, deciding last minute that maybe a few drinks or a cinema trip would be fun, and often these are some of the best nights out (unfortunately the Girl could not do spontaneous). I do however seem to keep tumbling into plans, especially when I am in a relationship.
I hate the question "where do you see yourself in five years?"
I would love to say "well in a nice house, with a wife who I make happy, in a job that I enjoy, with enough money to pay the bills and do the things that we want to do (I don't have expensive tastes, an occasional meal out, the odd trip to the cinema.....I don't even have or want a flash car!) Instead I always mumble something about "I don't know.........somewhere else?"
Other than with The Girl about which I have bored enough people with already, I have often been drawn into plans with partners. My second fiance and I were going to be junior Doctors together and start our own practice. She is now a Doctor in New Zeland and I am a Solicitor in England. One of my other previous GF was, I have to admit, my secretary at a previous firm of solicitors. We were effectively living together and working together......whilst we were both very happy together we both realised that spending 24 hours a day with each other was not healthy. We both had our own interests but knew that to let us have any realistic prospect of staying together we had to have some distance. We also both loved Newcastle and decided that with time we would look to move up there.......
As a solicitor the prospects of me getting alternative work at the time were good, although she said that she wanted to get a job elsewhere. It was agreed after long discussions that she would move elsewhere so that we could really make a go of it. She found another job although again I asked if she was sure, that she didn't want to stay and I would find a job elsewhere......
"No, I want to do this for us!" After some pretty horrendous relationships previoulsy I was hugely touched by someone wishing do this for me.....for us! Of course as the title suggests two days before the end of her notice period she told me that "it wasn't working.....and that she didn't think she made me happy!"
In fact her ex-boyfriend had been in touch, who she gone back to a number of times, and who she had always said was horrendous to her. In the end she was drawn back, and I was set adrift. Of course all I could then associate with the office was of seeing her sitting out in front of my office, smiling in at me! I moved on three months later.
Three weeks later I met the Girl and on a whim asked her out for meal! Things seem to go really well and we got on....and the rest is as you say.....history!
There is a saying that the best plans do not survive initial contact with the enemy. I find that they do not survive the vagaries of a woman's mind..........
P.S. - Just to conclude I should add that six weeks after the break up the ex-GF telephoned me to say that she was very sorry, and whilst she knew that she had hurt me, she wanted to give it another go as she had made a mistake. As it was I had started dating The Girl and in any event had been really hurt by the unexpected nature of the separation.
I do not consider myself a catch but it made me wonder how often it turns out that the grass really isn't any greener on the other side!
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