The Philanderer
Friday, February 15, 2008
Talking 'bout my Generation
I saw a trailer for a new film last night. Its call 'The Bucket List' and features two old guys working out what they still had to do in life before they popped their clogs. It got me wondering.
I had a list when I was at school identifying bands I wanted to see, and sporting events to go to, and much of that list was successfully ticked off. I got to see The Stones, The Who, Simon and Garfunkel and Led Zep, and went to an England International at Wembley, and the League Cup Final, under whatever guise it was called then.
I never saw Cream, although I have seen the sum of its parts separately since they disbanded, and I have not been to an FA Cup Final as I vowed only to go when Spurs or Argyle actually made it there.
So if I started a new list, what would I put on it?
Well the Cup Final would be a carry over, although I have seen Argyle win at Wembley in the playoffs some years ago, Spurs getting there is a bit out of my hands though, so it would be sensible to include events over which i have some control.
I decided to start learning the piano when I was 40, with a view to being able to go into a pub, lift the lid on the beer stained Joanna and bash out a tune before I was 50. I missed that deadline big time, but am still persevering. I will be able to do it one day.
All golfers want to shoot a score lower than their age, on current form I would need to live into my eighties to do that. It could happen though, check this interesting article out about age expectancy.
Holidays have started to be linked with the bucket list. I want to cruise to Alaska while there is still ice up there, and visit the Indian sub-continent, probably to watch some cricket. Seeing Aussie play in Aus would be good too, although whether they would better the Windies in St Lucia for atmosphere, I am not sure.
I have done an Olympics, and seen the All Blacks in Auckland and attended a Rugby World Cup or two. The kids are all reasonable settled so there is not anything I particularly need to do for them over and above the usual parental bit. It would be good, though, to see a grandchild play or perform on a major stage or sporting arena, something else over which I have no control though.
Culturally, I have done the last night of the Proms a couple of times, but never been to a ballet or opera, Paris or Rome seem good venues to do that in. I have stared in wonder at the Grand Canyon and taken the tram to the top of the Peak in Hong Kong.
So it looks like I need to spend some time getting my top ten together, and then hope I don't find a bucket where a footie should be, in the foreseeable future!
I had a list when I was at school identifying bands I wanted to see, and sporting events to go to, and much of that list was successfully ticked off. I got to see The Stones, The Who, Simon and Garfunkel and Led Zep, and went to an England International at Wembley, and the League Cup Final, under whatever guise it was called then.
I never saw Cream, although I have seen the sum of its parts separately since they disbanded, and I have not been to an FA Cup Final as I vowed only to go when Spurs or Argyle actually made it there.
So if I started a new list, what would I put on it?
Well the Cup Final would be a carry over, although I have seen Argyle win at Wembley in the playoffs some years ago, Spurs getting there is a bit out of my hands though, so it would be sensible to include events over which i have some control.
I decided to start learning the piano when I was 40, with a view to being able to go into a pub, lift the lid on the beer stained Joanna and bash out a tune before I was 50. I missed that deadline big time, but am still persevering. I will be able to do it one day.
All golfers want to shoot a score lower than their age, on current form I would need to live into my eighties to do that. It could happen though, check this interesting article out about age expectancy.
Holidays have started to be linked with the bucket list. I want to cruise to Alaska while there is still ice up there, and visit the Indian sub-continent, probably to watch some cricket. Seeing Aussie play in Aus would be good too, although whether they would better the Windies in St Lucia for atmosphere, I am not sure.
I have done an Olympics, and seen the All Blacks in Auckland and attended a Rugby World Cup or two. The kids are all reasonable settled so there is not anything I particularly need to do for them over and above the usual parental bit. It would be good, though, to see a grandchild play or perform on a major stage or sporting arena, something else over which I have no control though.
Culturally, I have done the last night of the Proms a couple of times, but never been to a ballet or opera, Paris or Rome seem good venues to do that in. I have stared in wonder at the Grand Canyon and taken the tram to the top of the Peak in Hong Kong.
So it looks like I need to spend some time getting my top ten together, and then hope I don't find a bucket where a footie should be, in the foreseeable future!
Labels: All Blacks, Aussie, golf, grand canyon, last night of the proms, olympics, Paris, Rome, The bucket list
¶ 12:23 PM 0 Comments
Monday, October 22, 2007
'It was on the line, chalk flew up'.......well actually no it didn't........
I started this blog to record my effort at selling my house, so I guess an update is due. Its still on the market, the price has dropped to reflect the slowdown in the number of viewings, and I am resigned to being its proud owner now into 2008. Whether I do any more work on it is something my work profile will influence, and early signs are that I will be fairly busy between now and Christmas so likely not.
I keep dropping hints at work about being offered a separation package, but the management team just grin inanely, say nice try, and farm me out somewhere else to ply my trade. The share price went up to $119 recently and is now back to about $112, but while the firm is doing OK I can't see any brown envelopes being distributed.
That will, therefore, put my professional sports watcher role on hold as well. Just imagine being in Moscow, Paris and Sao Paulo last week, well perhaps not eh!
F1 is not something I would stay in to watch usually but I was gripped by the drama yesterday, and as Maclaren blew it, so went \Lewis Hamiltons chances of winner the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. I suspect he will get the young sportsman award, and if Ricky Hatton wins in Las Vegas, the major award will be his. Padriag Harrington is from Southern Ireland so I am not sure he qualifies for the top prize, he may have to settle for the International award.
Team of the year is the hardest one to call, have we still got a synchronised swimming team? Talking of which, if one synchronised swimmer drowns, do they all have to?
I keep dropping hints at work about being offered a separation package, but the management team just grin inanely, say nice try, and farm me out somewhere else to ply my trade. The share price went up to $119 recently and is now back to about $112, but while the firm is doing OK I can't see any brown envelopes being distributed.
That will, therefore, put my professional sports watcher role on hold as well. Just imagine being in Moscow, Paris and Sao Paulo last week, well perhaps not eh!
F1 is not something I would stay in to watch usually but I was gripped by the drama yesterday, and as Maclaren blew it, so went \Lewis Hamiltons chances of winner the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. I suspect he will get the young sportsman award, and if Ricky Hatton wins in Las Vegas, the major award will be his. Padriag Harrington is from Southern Ireland so I am not sure he qualifies for the top prize, he may have to settle for the International award.
Team of the year is the hardest one to call, have we still got a synchronised swimming team? Talking of which, if one synchronised swimmer drowns, do they all have to?
Labels: lewis Hamilton, moscow, Padraig harrington, Paris, ricky hatton, sao Paulo
¶ 5:20 PM 1 Comments
Friday, June 1, 2007
"I think you've had enough old son......."
I am off to Wembley tonight for the England v Brazil game, and this, together with some incidents over the weekend, got me thinking about why football followers seem to be so much more aggressive than those of other sports.
At the family barbecue I referred to, there were a mixture of young people. Some from Liverpool had gone to school with Kieran at St Mary's, a Christian Brothers school, some who had gone to Merchant Taylors, next door . Others where at Uni (or Poly ;-)) in Liverpool and had come from other parts of the country, and some were work colleagues of Kieran from the Wirral and around. They all mixed extremely well, and people commented on how well mannered they were.
One poor girl had had a hell of a few weeks with boyfriend problems, and she got absolutely trashed. Rather than leave her to fall about the furnishings and smash the ornaments, two of her flat mates took her home, put her to bed and returned later to the party.
Sometime after that one of the St Mary's lads got some abuse from another of the boys there, and the St Mary's lads closed ranks and suggested to one of the rogues friends that it was time he helped him home, which he did. This passed off unnoticed by most people at the party.
It reminded me of my own experiences as an 'old fart' who regularly attends rugby internationals at Twickenham, in Dublin and in Paris. There are usually six of us, and we do like a drink. It is fair to say though, that in the 25 years we have been acting the fool, we have at worst made bus travel between Twickenham and Richmond noisy, and the ride out of Dublin on the Dart a joyous singing occasion. Any activity likely to provoke violence, either physical or verbal, is quickly stamped on by the group, and the offender parked in a corner and told to behave.
Why then is it not the case at football matches that there is not this same self policing? The tribal nature of the supporters seems to add an 'edge' to the whole atmosphere. It can't be associated purely with the Public school, grammar school, secondary school differential outlined yesterday, as many of the perpetrators are from good stock?
Personally I blame the lager, as we all know London Pride has no alcohol in it!!!
At the family barbecue I referred to, there were a mixture of young people. Some from Liverpool had gone to school with Kieran at St Mary's, a Christian Brothers school, some who had gone to Merchant Taylors, next door . Others where at Uni (or Poly ;-)) in Liverpool and had come from other parts of the country, and some were work colleagues of Kieran from the Wirral and around. They all mixed extremely well, and people commented on how well mannered they were.
One poor girl had had a hell of a few weeks with boyfriend problems, and she got absolutely trashed. Rather than leave her to fall about the furnishings and smash the ornaments, two of her flat mates took her home, put her to bed and returned later to the party.
Sometime after that one of the St Mary's lads got some abuse from another of the boys there, and the St Mary's lads closed ranks and suggested to one of the rogues friends that it was time he helped him home, which he did. This passed off unnoticed by most people at the party.
It reminded me of my own experiences as an 'old fart' who regularly attends rugby internationals at Twickenham, in Dublin and in Paris. There are usually six of us, and we do like a drink. It is fair to say though, that in the 25 years we have been acting the fool, we have at worst made bus travel between Twickenham and Richmond noisy, and the ride out of Dublin on the Dart a joyous singing occasion. Any activity likely to provoke violence, either physical or verbal, is quickly stamped on by the group, and the offender parked in a corner and told to behave.
Why then is it not the case at football matches that there is not this same self policing? The tribal nature of the supporters seems to add an 'edge' to the whole atmosphere. It can't be associated purely with the Public school, grammar school, secondary school differential outlined yesterday, as many of the perpetrators are from good stock?
Personally I blame the lager, as we all know London Pride has no alcohol in it!!!
Labels: brazil, Dublin, england, London Pride, merchant taylors, Paris, Richmond, St Mary's College, The dart, twickenham, wembley, Wirral
¶ 2:32 PM 0 Comments
