Do You Remember Your First Love?

Well okay .. Do you remember your first car?

Fond memories i’d imagine,  it gave you a sense of freedom,  the ability to take off on your own .. and without having your parents pick you up or drop you off and no expensive taxi fares.

My first car when I passed my test in 1985 was an ancient Triumph Spitfire 1500 .. well it was first registered in 1974.

But I loved it.

It was a soft-top which round about Glasgow in those days was pretty unusual and I loved it ..  did I say that already?

My and my pals posing round Glasgow thinking we were the bees-knees and if I’m completely honest driving far too fast.

Because we can-can-Cannes!

Cannes playground of the rich and famous certainly lives up to that description. 

It’s a gorgeous place,  the marina lined with huge luxury cruisers,  the promenade a list of every top brand designer. 

It’s not too bad for a wee boy from Govan either, even if I can’t afford Cartier or Gucci! 

There’s nothing like seeing or imagining how the other half live to make you feel …

What?

Jealous?  Small? Poor? Insignificant?

If that’s the case then you my friend need to reevaluate yourself.    Money,  or the lack of it does not make you who you are. 

If you’re reading this,  you’re probably already quite fortunate in the grand scheme of things. 

Probably at home, work or you’re commute killing a bit of time browsing the crap available on the Internet. 

You and I really are quite fortunate. 

Enjoy what you have. 

If you don’t believe me, look at the news it could be a helluva lot worse. 

—

On a personal note lying here in the sun just had a call and an email cancelling my contract and giving me a few weeks notice. 

Should I worry?

Maybe?

But why bother, life throws these curve balls,   It’s more important to focus on dealing with it than worrying about it. 

Nobody Mention The W word?!

Thursday 3pm and the sun is near vertical overhead as we laze on our loungers on the top deck of the Norwegian Epic moored in the port of Livorno. 

It’s too hot,  too damn hot ..  I repeat. 

Thankfully the waiters seem friendly and my outcry seems to inspire them to bring another pint .. Or is half litte ? ..  Of cold refreshing Stella Artois. 

All thoughts of what we did this time last week or what we will be doing this time next week are lost. 

Nobody mention the W word!

No Florence For me!

Today we are docked at Livorno, the port for Pisa and Florence.

It’s a beautiful sunny day, the sea is calm and there’s only the gentlest cooling breeze.

Do we make the 2 hour journey to Florence, spend a few hours walking around its historic sites such as the beautiful Doumo and Michaelangelo’s David or do we give it a miss as we already visited this time last year?

Florence is beautiful,  the birthplace of the Renaissance,  were science and art first combined to stand against the rule of the church.

September Blue?

Gets me every time. 

Even here sitting in the sun in Rome with a glass of Prosecco in my hand,  tears running down my cheek. 

4 years passed and I remember that day as if it was this morning. 

Miss you mum.  Always will x
I’ll be all right though I may cry

The tears that flow they always dry

It’s just that I would rather be with you now

And every time I see that star

I will say a prayer for you

Now and forever September blue

’cause I’ll always love you

September blue

Inferior Crusing? … #travel #perspective

Bongiorno!

My last post before we left port in Barcelona was regarding my experience of being upgraded to club class.

It was a nice treat, but I want really comfortable with this curtain divisor.

Today we are on the way to Roma having spent the past few days on the Norwegain Epic cruise around the med.

It’s hard not to compare the experience with my last two years cruising with Roysl Caribbean.    But I’ll save for a later post when there’s more time and the holidays over.

The irony of this cruise is that we are in the other side of the curtain as NCL operate a VIP section called The Haven,  which isn’t actually VIP just an upgrade but has the choice parts of the ship reserved for its members.

Now if you know me .. I’m second best to nobody.    That doesn’t mean I think I’m better than anyone.   I just don’t like division based purely on money.

Superior Flying? #travel #perspective

So there we were waiting on our flights to Barcelona from Heathrow, last minute fuss about the tickets as we’d rearranged our flights from yesterday to spend another day in London with family.

London, vast sprawling metropolis but surprising leafy suburbs with large detached houses. We spent a few nights near Camberley.    The Ferrari and Bentley dealerships tells you all you need to know about the area. 

Today we are up early for our flight, last minute panic as we pack the stuff we’d used in the past few days. 

At the gate we are upgraded to Club Class. Oh yes please, nicer food, champagne on demand. 

It’s just a shame that all travel isn’t like this. 

Once upon a time, air travel seemed glamorous. I remember my aunts going on holiday dressed to the nines. It was a big deal in the late 60s, early 70s. 

We are on the last row of the club area. First to board, settled, paper open and headphones on. 

The rest of the passengers are boarding, looking at us as they pass.  

They’d already heard the decisive call at the gate. 

“Would all passengers in Club World rows 1 to 6 please proceed to gate A”

They pas us as the board taking their seats behind. 

I can see the expression on their faces.

How come your getting club class and we’re not?

Snobby bastards think they are better than everyone else?

I get it, I’ve been that guy. I usually am.  

We take off without issue, sailing throw the little puffy clouds. 

Then just to emphasise the difference, the gulf between club and economy, the hostess pulls a curtain over behind us. Dividing us from them. 

Us? Them?

There is no us and them. 

There is no superiority here, no divide for a bauble such as upgraded good and free champagne. 

We are all the same. 

Is it a shame the airlines don’t see it that way?

Or is it marketing and price that divides us?

Do the people who pay for upgraded seats feel superior, or do they just enjoy the little luxury?

I imagine it’s mixed. 

But one thing I do know is if people think that they are superior because of the price they pay then they are only fooling themselves. 

But it’s nice to feel treated. 

Particularly on a freebie. 

Now descending to Barcelona. The Mediterranean looks blue below us. 

A couple of goes from now we’ll be on the ship sipping cocktails and waiting to depart. 

Love it. 

From Dusk Til Dawn …

its after midnight and I’m channel surfing.

Even although I was awake at 5am yesterday,  I can’t sleep.

No idea why.

Nothing on my mind,  zero stress and I’m looking forward to my holiday that I only booked the other today leaving tomorrow.

Flicking channels I came across this beauty ..

The actress Salma Hayek or the film?

Isn’t she stunning?

Once upon a time 10 years ago I was newly divorced and channel surfing at 5am …  Old habits die hard  .. when I came across the movie.

At first it seemed like you’re average gangster movie with the usual Tarantino styling.  I’m a big fan.

So probably like most people I watched the movie, enjoying the interaction between George Clooney, Harvey Kietel and Quentin himself.

They get to the Titty Twister bar just over the Mexican border which is a hotbed of debauchery, topless lap dancers etc.

It was 5am and I’m thinking this looks interesting!

Then Salma does her snake dance,  striding across tables and pushing her foot in Tarantimos wide mouth,  pouring tequila down her leg then swapping it from her mouth to his.

Wow!!

Not that I find feet sexy but it’s an extremely hot scene.

A fight follows were the sight of blood converts Salma, the dancers, bouncers, band etc into vampires and I’m thinking. WTF happened there!!

Watching the scene again last night,  it was enough to send this boy to sleep with a smile on his face!!

—

Got a fantastic cruise deal, the week before the offer wasn’t as good still on the brochure price. 

This late?  They’re having a laugh when there was obvious availability. 

But when I booked it online on Sunday night we got the ultimate drinks package worth 250 pounds each in the price. 

On checking in last night,  as an additional bonus we have complimentary access to the spa facilities. 

Late bookings are the way to do it. If you can handle that little bit of uncertainty. 

My experience is that it always works out okay. 

Glasgow, London, Barcelona, Naples, Rome, Florence, Palma, Cannes .. Champagne and cocktail drinks and Spa package.

It’s going to be amazing.

It’s going to be Norwegian Epic.

 

 

Me .. Me .. Me!!

Why is it that people often ( mostly ) speak with an agenda?

Me me me … 

It’s usually how good I am or please feel sorry for me.  

Either position is to gain attention from their viewers. 

Take Facebook for example.  Every time some people go out for a drink they need to post about it. 

Oh look yes we’re having a really good time.  Honest!  

Or if they’ve fell out with their partner its the usual crap about the right person in your life will stay blah blah fucking blah. 

Yep you’ve been dumped or dumped the other person. . Now you’ve got to bleat about it .. Posting messages about karma etc. 

God save me from any sad fucker who constantly puts up pics of their pet. 

Yeah you’ve got a dog / cat / budgie. 

Yes it’s cute. 

But seen that .. Don’t need to see it again or at least not five times a day. 

And worse ..  you’re putting up shit about other people’s pets .. That’s even sadder .. Is your pet not entertaining enough?

One of the saddest things tho is people who constantly post music videos after 10pm. 

You just know that their sitting on their own, probably after a few drinks and a bit lonely and looking for attention. 

A good friend of mine is like that.   Married but him and his wife sit in different rooms. The guy is desperate for a life. But she’s ill and he feels sorry for her and is trapped in circumstances. 

Or maybe he just loves her and that works for them?   

The thing that irked me into writing this was a family member sending out the above pic of two women .. One the  traditional young model, tall slim gorgeous. 

The other, a bigger girl, no less gorgeous … Although if she drops her arms her tummy is going to cascade over her pants like a wobbly waterfall of fat. 

But if that works for you ..

No prizes for guessing what camp my family member falls into!

But that’s not what irked me. 

What did irk me is that it wasn’t enough to say that this bigger girl was gorgeous. 

That’s ok by me. 

It’s the negativity towards the slimmer more traditionally good looking girl. 

And the negativity to men who find slimmer girls more attractive. 

That just stinks.  

It crossed the line from being about heavier girls being attractive to slim girls being unattractive and the men who like them being “dogs”. 

It went from being about boosting herself to bringing down someone else. 

I don’t like that. 

Still here’s the thing ..  we all have opinions.  

Hers is no less valuable than mine, or the cat lover, or the sad fucker, or the attention seeker or the person who’s been dumped wishing karma to take its revenge. 

Opinions .. We’ve all got them. 

Thank heavens we live in a society were we can have an opinion and are free to voice it even if it’s only about cats music pubs holidays etc. 

But wouldn’t it be interesting if we took all that time and energy wasted on our public profiles, looking at cats etc and did something positive with it?

My instinct tells me that while we are looking at a screen all day then we are missing out on what’s going on in the world around us. 

All part of the deliberate dumbing down of society where people live in mediocrity surrounded by the banality of Facebook and are afraid to stand up and say what they are really thinking for fear of being ostracised. 

When in reality many people are already thinking the same thoughts. 

But that’s only my opinion!’

Are Women A Mistake? … #humour

Are women a mistake?

So says Jack Nicholsons character in The Witches Of Eastwick. 

Personally I can’t agree with him ..  Apparently my mum was one. 

Once upon a time my mum went to the docs and he told her that she had acute angina. 

Dirty bastard!   My dad was going to burst him. 

5am and I’m wide awake .. Watching the witches on TV,  first time I’ve seen it,  missed the start so will catch up later. 

Fecking early morning means early nights and repeats.  

Don’t you hate that?