Friday, May 30, 2008

Its Better to Travel....

Hi,
Well its been 3 years and 8 months since I left the shores of the "united" Kingdom and headed for a better life in New Zealand, and now I am heading back for a holiday. 4 weeks to remind myself of my family, my mates and drink in the things I most miss about living in Swansea. Which are my Family and my Mates actually. Oh, and the drink!

We are traveling on one half empty suitcase. The 3 of us, which I believe is a record. This is because we will need all the space I can get for food and stuff that expats have asked us to return with (Walkers Chicken crisps? Malt loaf? M&S underwear? Elite Bass strings?).

I am seeing Bruce Springsteen in Cardiff, and Leeds beat Castleford, and I am having a party on the 20th at Neath Athletic RFC. (Everyone is invited. If you fancy a nighht in the metropolis of Neath, e mail me)

What I am not looking forward to is 27 hours on a plane. But there you go. I am also looking forward to decent commercial free TV


Smoke me a kipper, i'll be back for breakfast

Be Good

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Childern growing up old friends growing older...

Hi,

I don't know how many of you out there have Facebook, but I do. I am not a particular fan of it, as I don't see the point of getting fairy wings or being a time-lord or some such rubbish, but a load of my old mates and family are on there so I am.

I clicked a few of the guys this morning to say hi, and I checked out a couple of photographs. Kids I remember playing with Lego are now handsome young men and beautiful young women. People I remember as hot 20 somethings are now resembling their parents.

I looked in the mirror this morning and a tired looking, greying old man looked back at me "Soft in the middle, and the rest of my life is so hard" Mind you, I am ill at the moment. A cold if you must know (but I suspect dengue fever (I also woke with an increadibly painful wrist, which means I am typing this left handed)).

I have never chased youth. I am not one of these 40 year old who wishes he was 27 again. (Actually I wouldn't mind getting my 27 year old body back, but that's just time and hard work) and I believe that I am a better man now than I have been before. I just wish that time would stand still, and stop messing with me.

I also know that one day I will write this blog, substituting parents for grandparents, and children for grandchildren and eventually one day I won't write no more, and neither will anyone I read and enjoy. That seems a waste to me, but that more that likely is just egocentric arrogance.

There is no point to this post, I have a sore neck, a painful wrist, and I don't want to grow up. Thanks for listening.

(ps well done if you got the numerous Rush references through out this blog)

Sunday, May 11, 2008

The Joy of Giving....(and why tipping makes me cringe)

Hi Guys,
One of the most rewarding things you can do is giving. Whether that is time, gifts or cash, to give to a deserving cause gives me a wonderful feeling.

As an example, when I returned from the USA on Saturday, I was greeted by my 11 year old son Ieuan. Now I love this kid more than my life, and I really like making him happy. So when on this little trip I bought him a Chicago Bears jersey with Brian Urlachers name on the back, and a PSP.

I showed him the shirt, and he was chuffed, then I handed him the PSP and said, "put this over there will you kiddo?" He took it from my hand, not realising what I had given him.

Then he looked down, and I thought his face would peel off from the grin he had on his face. Honestly, he couldn't speak properly because he was smiling so much.

That is why I like giving, the reaction you get in return, the joy of knowing that someone really loves you at that moment. Its even better with Ieuan, because I know that if I didn't buy him anything, he would still love me as much. He is a little star.

Now knowing that, you think I would like tipping, but it gives me the hebbie-jeebies. You see, in my job you cannot accept gifts at all, and I would feel insulted if someone were to offer me a tip for doing my job, because my level of care and professionalism does not, and never will depend on how much cash I am paid for doing my work.

As well as this, giving a tip seems to me like bribery on my part, and begging on the part of the receiver. Now when in the UK, if I had gone out for a meal, if the service was good, and the food good, I tipped. I feel that good service deserves reward, and I am grateful for good food, but tipping is not regarded as either compulsory or even expected in the UK, so the people who received the tip were often genuinely pleased with the tip.

However in the USA, tipping is a part of the meal, just like tax. In fact in one place I went to, it was added to the bill "for my convenience". Hmm..cheeky tossers.

I do know that these guys are paid a crap wage, and they live on their tips. But I would say, charge more on the food, pay your staff better, then I will be happy to tip, knowing it is neither expected or compulsory, and the receiver of my tip knows it is a genuine expression of my appreciation, and not just a reflex action.

Of course, I tipped freely for the reason I gave above, and so that I didn't appear cheap. I am so vain.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Been around the World ayeyeye...

Well, to Australia and the USA at least.

What an eye opener. Australia was interesting. In comparison to NZ, it felt old. The buildings reminded me of Cardiff (except hotter), and the town was nice. Sydney was bigger, and a bit more anonymous. Though the Opera house is beautiful, and the restaurant we went to in Darling harbour was ace.

The USA was a giggle. We arrived after 12 hours in LAX. What a dump, really dishevelled looking and tatty. The immigration guy was a laugh mind, he said "You going to Chicago?" I said I was "My condolences" Which was nice.

We caught the plane to Chicago, arriving after nightfall. The city stretched out below us mile in every direction, it was quite a lovely and awesome sight.

O'Hare gets my vote for World's best airport (I have been to). Apart from the great amenities and clean airy buildings the people were great, genuinely pleasant to talk to. We stayed in the Raddison O'Hare overnight, then flew on to Rochester.

O'Hare is the busiest airport in the world, and to look back and see 10-20 aircraft in mid air was just surreal.

Rochester is a good little town of a million people, though it looks like the city needs a cash injection, or at least some of it. Everyone here was great, including the store clerk who tried to convince me that my son would be better off with a Bills shirt than Urlachers' Bears jersey. I bought the Bears top, and a Cubs baseball shirt. I figure a side that hasn't won a world series in 100 plus years needs my support.

After the viewing of the gear, we flew back to LA, and I was dragged down to the Chinese theatre and all that jazz. I thought it was tacky, sordid and a bit sad really, watching people dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow offering to get their photo with you, for a little bit of cash.

I must say I did not like LA.

I rode the subway through Watts and Compton, and saw the state of those particular neighbourhoods, and then we drove through some really expensive real estate, complete with barred windows and razor wire on the gates, and I thought, if those poor guys in South Central were less poor, you rich tossers could have windows you can see out of.

Roll on an Obama Presidency I say.

I also sampled a few beers, all local, all good. Met some nice people, and one or two tossers (Hello LAX check in staff! Hope you get something unpleasant you surly wankers) And saw a lot of the US in not a lot of time. I would go back to Chicago in a shot, but LA you can have boys and girls.

So after another 13 hours I arrived back home to Napier, and I am so glad I don't do this very often. Ieuan love the shirt, and I love the fact that he loves it. The US is a great place (in parts) and full of good people. I would be happy to go back there, though LA I will miss

Thanks for listening