Readers,
I have arrived back home to good old London and thus the holiday is officially over, which sucks.
Still, its better to be thankful it happened than upset its over right?
I been back for a couple of days now but been so busy catching up with three weeks worth of neighbours episodes missed, unpacking and trying to overcome jetlag which I am still struggling with - that I havent been able to share the story of how fantastically lucky my plane ride home was!
First off - being an Indian - my suitcase was always going to be a tad on the heavy side - ok ok a lot on the heavy side! My allowance was 20 kg's - my suitcase weighed in at 23.5. Still, it was an asian lady who was checking my bags in and she must have understood the asian code of travelling (ie - gifts for everyone who is brown and you have spoken more than two words to in your entire life) - so anyway - she checks my bag in without batting an eyelid and also offered to hook me up with a window seat. So naturally I said yes - a plane ride is so long and boring that the only fun parts are take off and landing and what fun are those if you cant even look out the window to appreciate whats going on?
So with my flying experience already off to a flyer... when I got onto the aeroplane and took my seat right by the window, the plane quickly filled up. However, two of the very few seats on the plane which didnt get taken were the two seats next to me!
Thats right - as soon as the seatbelt sign came off - I could lie down and use the three pillows and blankets that were provided for me and my two non-existent buddies!
To make things even better - when lunch times came around - the good airhostesses provided me with food even though i hadnt requested them. still - dont look a gifthorse in the mouth - and if we are honest - plane food isnt exactly great or worth much!
So there you go.. back to the UK with all my luggage and given virtually a bed-like space to relax in for the duration of the flight - i bet there were ppl who travelled first class that didnt enjoy their flight as much as me - and to think the return trip costed just under £250.
God Bless MyTravel!!
Friday, 14 September 2007
Saturday, 8 September 2007
Anger
Readers,
Felt angry recently? It isn't an emotion I personally experience a great deal but from my few and far between experiences of anger and through observation of other people when they are angry - what I have come to realise is that it is generally counterproductive.
We are at our best when we are cool, calm and collected. Therefore, why do we allow ourselves to slip into a rage when it impairs our skills to reason logically, our interpersonal skills and can cause sometimes irreparable damage?
Surely, by keeping your anger in check, you will control challenging situations with far greater skill than possible if you submit to the rage.
Furthermore, if you virtually eradicate your anger from your personality - imagine the effect it will have when you decide it must be utilised? People who are always angry or grumpy get ignored or dismissed because nobody can be bothered with constant negativity - lets be honest - its hard work. On the flip side - people who are always calm will have the whole world sit up and take notice when they decide an issue is worth getting angry about because their reputation of coolness personified being impregnable.
Anger has been made a part of our make-up so we cannot pretend it doesn't exist. However, utilise it too frequently and it will only come at a cost to yourselves.
As the old cliche says it so well - anger is only one letter short of Danger....
Felt angry recently? It isn't an emotion I personally experience a great deal but from my few and far between experiences of anger and through observation of other people when they are angry - what I have come to realise is that it is generally counterproductive.
We are at our best when we are cool, calm and collected. Therefore, why do we allow ourselves to slip into a rage when it impairs our skills to reason logically, our interpersonal skills and can cause sometimes irreparable damage?
Surely, by keeping your anger in check, you will control challenging situations with far greater skill than possible if you submit to the rage.
Furthermore, if you virtually eradicate your anger from your personality - imagine the effect it will have when you decide it must be utilised? People who are always angry or grumpy get ignored or dismissed because nobody can be bothered with constant negativity - lets be honest - its hard work. On the flip side - people who are always calm will have the whole world sit up and take notice when they decide an issue is worth getting angry about because their reputation of coolness personified being impregnable.
Anger has been made a part of our make-up so we cannot pretend it doesn't exist. However, utilise it too frequently and it will only come at a cost to yourselves.
As the old cliche says it so well - anger is only one letter short of Danger....
Thursday, 6 September 2007
Stupidity
Readers,
Ever wondered what the true meaning of stupidity is? I am not talking about what the latest version of the Oxford dictionary tells you it means - rather a photograph or a short film which everybody who sees can for the rest of their lives say with all conviction on the issue - I know what stupidity is because I have seen it with my own eyes.
Dont get me wrong - I think if there is something you dont understand - go to the dictionary - it is an incredibly useful tool. However, the following link will allow you to see stupidity manifested rather than merely defined.
Now i think after watching it you should all thank the Lord for mercifully preventing you from turning out that stupid.
Reminds me of an Age Old quote that i think is absolutely genius:
'Better to be silent and considered an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt'.
Dont know who came up with this quotation but i tell you something for free. The lady in the video could sure benefit from that wisdom and soon before she commits more horrendous gaffes!
Ok thats all from me for today. Ciao.
Ever wondered what the true meaning of stupidity is? I am not talking about what the latest version of the Oxford dictionary tells you it means - rather a photograph or a short film which everybody who sees can for the rest of their lives say with all conviction on the issue - I know what stupidity is because I have seen it with my own eyes.
Dont get me wrong - I think if there is something you dont understand - go to the dictionary - it is an incredibly useful tool. However, the following link will allow you to see stupidity manifested rather than merely defined.
Now i think after watching it you should all thank the Lord for mercifully preventing you from turning out that stupid.
Reminds me of an Age Old quote that i think is absolutely genius:
'Better to be silent and considered an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt'.
Dont know who came up with this quotation but i tell you something for free. The lady in the video could sure benefit from that wisdom and soon before she commits more horrendous gaffes!
Ok thats all from me for today. Ciao.
Tuesday, 4 September 2007
Small Talk
Readers,
Ever wonder how many conversations you have had with people you dont really feel like talking to? I guarantee you its too numerous to recollect.
Being an Indian, it is almost guaranteed to happen to me every time i visit a shop owned by somebody who is also of the same skin colour as me - ie brown.
'Where are you from?' they always ask.
'England' I always used to reply proudly - I got the red passport, pay taxes (when working at least!) so surely i can use british as my nationality right? Wrong!
'No no, where are your parents from?'
'Oh right - i see - they are from East Africa'. (There's no lie here - that is well and truly where they are from)
'No no - where are they really from?'
Now by this stage I am thinking - why are all corner shops owned by Indians - i just wanna buy some milk so i can get home - get the kettle on and enjoy the latest episode of neighbours!
But by now - you know the conversation has almost come to its natural conclusion so you decide to polish it off as you have done in the past - 'oh riiight i see - we are Indian'.
The shopkeeper flashes his best smile baring all his teeth and then starts speaking in Urdu. Now of course *I* dont know what he is saying - so i politely tell him i dont speak urdu to which he half jokingly tells me i should be ashamed that i dont know my mother tongue even though urdu isnt even my mother tongue - and i sheepishly laugh - pay the man for the milk and curse myself for not saying I am Mauritius or something in the first place to avoid the unecessary stupidity involved in the lives of brown people trying to do some simple grocery shopping locally. - after all, this isnt the first time I have had such a conversation!
By now - i am assuming you are all wondering what the point i am trying to make actually is - i promise you when i started i thought it had one..
Something you can take from this I suppose is that next time someone talks to you about the weather - Thank the Lord with all your heart and soul that you are speaking the same language without any expectation to speak another language or any shame for being unable to speak another language wholly unrelated to you!
Right now - I need to go buy some milk for my tea!
Just kidding - its late and I am going to turn in for the night. Hopefully there will be milk in the fridge in the morning!
Ciao
Ever wonder how many conversations you have had with people you dont really feel like talking to? I guarantee you its too numerous to recollect.
Being an Indian, it is almost guaranteed to happen to me every time i visit a shop owned by somebody who is also of the same skin colour as me - ie brown.
'Where are you from?' they always ask.
'England' I always used to reply proudly - I got the red passport, pay taxes (when working at least!) so surely i can use british as my nationality right? Wrong!
'No no, where are your parents from?'
'Oh right - i see - they are from East Africa'. (There's no lie here - that is well and truly where they are from)
'No no - where are they really from?'
Now by this stage I am thinking - why are all corner shops owned by Indians - i just wanna buy some milk so i can get home - get the kettle on and enjoy the latest episode of neighbours!
But by now - you know the conversation has almost come to its natural conclusion so you decide to polish it off as you have done in the past - 'oh riiight i see - we are Indian'.
The shopkeeper flashes his best smile baring all his teeth and then starts speaking in Urdu. Now of course *I* dont know what he is saying - so i politely tell him i dont speak urdu to which he half jokingly tells me i should be ashamed that i dont know my mother tongue even though urdu isnt even my mother tongue - and i sheepishly laugh - pay the man for the milk and curse myself for not saying I am Mauritius or something in the first place to avoid the unecessary stupidity involved in the lives of brown people trying to do some simple grocery shopping locally. - after all, this isnt the first time I have had such a conversation!
By now - i am assuming you are all wondering what the point i am trying to make actually is - i promise you when i started i thought it had one..
Something you can take from this I suppose is that next time someone talks to you about the weather - Thank the Lord with all your heart and soul that you are speaking the same language without any expectation to speak another language or any shame for being unable to speak another language wholly unrelated to you!
Right now - I need to go buy some milk for my tea!
Just kidding - its late and I am going to turn in for the night. Hopefully there will be milk in the fridge in the morning!
Ciao
Friday, 31 August 2007
Car Crash!!!!
Readers,
Post title get your attention? Well try daydreaming and crashing back to earth in the midst of the realisation the vehicle you are passively relaxing in on the backseat has just started playing bumper cars with the chap driving the car in front.
ok ok i admit it was nothing like that at all but I can now say that I have experienced my first car crash - and i was the passive passenger on the backseat. That aside - it was a fair bit different. A nutty driver pulled out onto the road in a junction in front of the car i was in and so my bro - the driver - changed lanes to try to allow the chap to go into his lane without bumping into him. Sounds all good yeh? Like - no problem - but no - there was one because the madman changed into my bros lane (the one he kindly moved into in the first place) - so my bro brakes hard and gives the madmans car a pat on the back who then went on his way - and fast - seems he didnt fancy stickin around to inspect the damage together and get the insurance companies involved.
Thank God - the damage on the car was very minor compared to what it could have been - and of course all the passengers and driver included were all alright.
So as far as car crashes go - it was perfect... no injuries and minimum damage to the vehicle i was in.
Please dont get me wrong - i am in no way, shape or form saying i wanna do that again in a hurry - exciting as it was - i cannot dispute that part - its too much of an expensive and arguable dangerous way of having fun -although no-one was hurt on this occasion. Cats may have nine lives - I only fluked one!!
Anyway, on a positive note - which is what this site initially promised to deliver - it provided a days woth of material for my blog.
Peace.
Post title get your attention? Well try daydreaming and crashing back to earth in the midst of the realisation the vehicle you are passively relaxing in on the backseat has just started playing bumper cars with the chap driving the car in front.
ok ok i admit it was nothing like that at all but I can now say that I have experienced my first car crash - and i was the passive passenger on the backseat. That aside - it was a fair bit different. A nutty driver pulled out onto the road in a junction in front of the car i was in and so my bro - the driver - changed lanes to try to allow the chap to go into his lane without bumping into him. Sounds all good yeh? Like - no problem - but no - there was one because the madman changed into my bros lane (the one he kindly moved into in the first place) - so my bro brakes hard and gives the madmans car a pat on the back who then went on his way - and fast - seems he didnt fancy stickin around to inspect the damage together and get the insurance companies involved.
Thank God - the damage on the car was very minor compared to what it could have been - and of course all the passengers and driver included were all alright.
So as far as car crashes go - it was perfect... no injuries and minimum damage to the vehicle i was in.
Please dont get me wrong - i am in no way, shape or form saying i wanna do that again in a hurry - exciting as it was - i cannot dispute that part - its too much of an expensive and arguable dangerous way of having fun -although no-one was hurt on this occasion. Cats may have nine lives - I only fluked one!!
Anyway, on a positive note - which is what this site initially promised to deliver - it provided a days woth of material for my blog.
Peace.
Thursday, 30 August 2007
A Tribute to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Readers,
Unfortunately, one of my all time favourite football players retired yesterday. After 7 glorious years and 4 injury stricken years playing for my beloved Manchester United, Solskjaer was forced to retire due to persistent injuries and didnt even get a chance for a known final appearance let alone season for the Old Trafford faithful to cheer the legend that walked - albeit slightly hampered for the last 4 years - amongst men.
Solskjaer was the epitome of class - class that is so visibly lacking in todays game where you have diving, invisible card waving and revenge tackles. None of this was ever seen emerging from the personality of Solskjaer on or off the pitch. Never in his 11 years as a representative for my great club did i read about him on the front pages - only ever the back pages and didnt he glorify those? It almost brings a tear to the eye.
Now before a bunch of people complain about Solskjaer's foul on Rob Lee when he was clean through on goal many moons ago - it was a deliberate trip - which was given the appropriate punishment laid down by the law - it was hardly going to cause Rob Lee an injury - it was merely another example of one of the qualities of the great man. - that being loyalty!
How many players are willing to spend so much time on the bench when they would walk into a good 75% of the teams in the premier division of our country alone? They are indeed a dying breed. Does this make him lazy? unambitious? 6 league titles, 2 FA Cups and the Uefa Champions League to his name along with 120+ goals mainly scored over the first 7 seasons which werent injury stunted is your answer - he may have been a substitute - but not a lazy, unused, unambitious or ineffective one! Rather the opposite in every one of the above!
I like every other true United fan firstly thank him for his loyalty and gracing us with his class on and off the pitch for the last 11 years and wish him all the best for the future whatever he decides to do in the future.
Unfortunately, one of my all time favourite football players retired yesterday. After 7 glorious years and 4 injury stricken years playing for my beloved Manchester United, Solskjaer was forced to retire due to persistent injuries and didnt even get a chance for a known final appearance let alone season for the Old Trafford faithful to cheer the legend that walked - albeit slightly hampered for the last 4 years - amongst men.
Solskjaer was the epitome of class - class that is so visibly lacking in todays game where you have diving, invisible card waving and revenge tackles. None of this was ever seen emerging from the personality of Solskjaer on or off the pitch. Never in his 11 years as a representative for my great club did i read about him on the front pages - only ever the back pages and didnt he glorify those? It almost brings a tear to the eye.
Now before a bunch of people complain about Solskjaer's foul on Rob Lee when he was clean through on goal many moons ago - it was a deliberate trip - which was given the appropriate punishment laid down by the law - it was hardly going to cause Rob Lee an injury - it was merely another example of one of the qualities of the great man. - that being loyalty!
How many players are willing to spend so much time on the bench when they would walk into a good 75% of the teams in the premier division of our country alone? They are indeed a dying breed. Does this make him lazy? unambitious? 6 league titles, 2 FA Cups and the Uefa Champions League to his name along with 120+ goals mainly scored over the first 7 seasons which werent injury stunted is your answer - he may have been a substitute - but not a lazy, unused, unambitious or ineffective one! Rather the opposite in every one of the above!
I like every other true United fan firstly thank him for his loyalty and gracing us with his class on and off the pitch for the last 11 years and wish him all the best for the future whatever he decides to do in the future.
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Ever been mistaken as a daddy at 24?
Readers,
I went for a swim down the residential pool today and met this 11 year old kid down there. Pretty ordinary 11 year old kid - so there we are both swimming along - him yappin about how much he looooves swimming - me nodding my head and smiling - it was fun - for him! I digress.
So anyway, about an hour or so later a mummy and her three kids come to the pool right.... now this 11 year old kid told me he is on holiday from new york.. and he got on so well with the other kids even though they just met thatI gathered it was his family.
So there they are swimming along.. happy families or so it appeared - i got out the pool and was just chilling in the sun trying to pick up a tan - rumour has it women like us men tall, dark and handsome... now i cant really do anything with the height i been given.. handsome.. well i dont like to boast as such and now a chance to dARKEN up - 2/3 cant be bad!
so anyway back to the story, this nice lady.. who by the by already earlier fed me a cheese cracker she prepared direct in my mouth when i came out the pool - dont get me wrong - she offered it in my hand - but my hands were wet.. one thing led to another.. and the next thing the cheese cracker was in my mouth. I was thinkin is this mamma like hittin' on me? but then i thought naww - its just a nice american lady - be happy!
so on the story goes.. she is feedin some fish in the lake next to the pool... and she summons me over.. summons is a bad word.. again she was being nice... so i went over and watched the fish all make a dash for the bread as she chucked it in.
AND THEN theeee moment.... 'do you want to call your boy over to see the fish too?'
I didnt hear right - i mean of course i didnt.. sure i hadnt shaved in a while - but damn im on holiday - its one of the perks! but no - she repeated and repeated again... and followed an akward silence followed by me returnin to my seat and perhaps her realising im a lot younger than i look - or then again probably not!
Moral of the story i hear you all pleading - did i ever say there was gonna be one?
Have a shave before a 40+ somethin feeds ya crackers and mistakes ya for a daddy - or if that aint good enough for ya - then make up your own!
Ciao folks - be back tomorrow hopefully.
I went for a swim down the residential pool today and met this 11 year old kid down there. Pretty ordinary 11 year old kid - so there we are both swimming along - him yappin about how much he looooves swimming - me nodding my head and smiling - it was fun - for him! I digress.
So anyway, about an hour or so later a mummy and her three kids come to the pool right.... now this 11 year old kid told me he is on holiday from new york.. and he got on so well with the other kids even though they just met thatI gathered it was his family.
So there they are swimming along.. happy families or so it appeared - i got out the pool and was just chilling in the sun trying to pick up a tan - rumour has it women like us men tall, dark and handsome... now i cant really do anything with the height i been given.. handsome.. well i dont like to boast as such and now a chance to dARKEN up - 2/3 cant be bad!
so anyway back to the story, this nice lady.. who by the by already earlier fed me a cheese cracker she prepared direct in my mouth when i came out the pool - dont get me wrong - she offered it in my hand - but my hands were wet.. one thing led to another.. and the next thing the cheese cracker was in my mouth. I was thinkin is this mamma like hittin' on me? but then i thought naww - its just a nice american lady - be happy!
so on the story goes.. she is feedin some fish in the lake next to the pool... and she summons me over.. summons is a bad word.. again she was being nice... so i went over and watched the fish all make a dash for the bread as she chucked it in.
AND THEN theeee moment.... 'do you want to call your boy over to see the fish too?'
I didnt hear right - i mean of course i didnt.. sure i hadnt shaved in a while - but damn im on holiday - its one of the perks! but no - she repeated and repeated again... and followed an akward silence followed by me returnin to my seat and perhaps her realising im a lot younger than i look - or then again probably not!
Moral of the story i hear you all pleading - did i ever say there was gonna be one?
Have a shave before a 40+ somethin feeds ya crackers and mistakes ya for a daddy - or if that aint good enough for ya - then make up your own!
Ciao folks - be back tomorrow hopefully.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)