Comic Sans walks into a bar and asks for a beer. Says the bartender: “Sorry, we don’t serve your type here.”
(Heard on my new favourite BBC programme, The Culture Show. Must get that new Francis Bacon book.)
It seemed strange to gather in the club house while the courts were covered with a significant amount of snow and then be told ‘the season starts in 4 weeks time’.
I haven’t been a paying member of a tennis club in a while. Seven or eight years when I was in school and two seasons in the late 90’s. But I’ve been playing on and off for thirty years and it’s probably the sport I like best despite being very keen on softball as a teenager.
Nothing much has changed, from the looks of it. The club is 101 years old, though the facilities are all brand new. Tennis is still a little ‘elite’. 99% of the people invited to this new members introduction evening looked preppy. The ladies (Ponytail, lambswool sweater, getting a little too old for the student look. I mock, but in another dimension that would have been me.) were flirting with the pro within minutes. (No, not my type.)
Membership fees have changed. Quite a bit. I forked over 280 euro for a full membership and applied for advanced lessons (115 euro). Swimming’s cheaper, but I hate it so very, very much.
So, by golly, I WILL show up for round robin evenings and social events and I WILL play with strangers, scary as they might be, and I WILL improve my serve after 30 years of mucking about.
Deep down I think I find ‘money money money’ quite distasteful and I’ll avoid thinking about the act of paying. This means I end up paying full price for everything everywhere I go and would rather die than dispute a bill.
Just a second ago while booking my hotel room in Dublin, I was quoted 70 Euro for a single room en suite (‘weekend charge’). Having paid 50 to 60 for same on previous occassions, in a surge of assuredness, I said ‘I’m a returning customer, have stayed with you many times, can you do anything for me?’ and was given the same room for 60.
I feel quite the adult.
Do you haggle?
‘I murdered him to death!’, he says.
You can take the boy out of the Northside…
Christmas hampers are quaint survivors of an age when workers were poor and sickly and employers provided food to strengthen the work force.
A lot of companies go for the ethereal these days, picking gifts of glass or wood items (made in Eastern Europe) that are very, very useless. I’ve had my share of two-part vases and oddly shaped napkin rings. Worse still were the tasteless tins of fruit and bags of ancient walnuts. My current employers go for booze.
Did you get a Christmas hamper (or other gift) from your employers? If so, what was in it?
To kick off with mine: Red, white and bubbly. Australian. Also, a Christmas bonus (which was tiny, since I’ve only been officially employed since Dec 1.)
Christmas in my country, as you can see, isn’t that big a deal. You are, however, supposed to spend it with your family and yes, trees are involved.
This year, I’ll be working on Christmas Day, spend Boxing day hopefully in peace and on my own. Back to work on Monday.
Our Queen’s father, His Royal Highness, Prince Bernhard, has died. He
died of a malignant tumor in his lungs and his bowels.
Asked how he wanted to be remembered, the prince told the press: “I hope the Dutch people remember that I broke my balls for them my whole life.” He was a scoundrel and a real character and I liked him for it.
BBC News: Prince Bernard dies
Derek Guggi Rowan’s exhibition at the Osborne Samuel gallery in London officially opens tonight and on Friday to the general public.
Break a leg, Gugs.
If you want to see his work, the Osborne Samuel gallery is at 23a Bruton Street, nearest Tube: Bond Street and Green Park. Or view the exhibition online at Guggi.com and more on the Osborne Samuel website.
Michael Koubi was the chief interrogator of Shin Bet, Israel’s security service.
This interview with him in New Scientist (more on his ‘methods’) gives me the creeps, but his thoughts on language are relevant to understanding people in general and the art of interviewing in particular.
Especially interesting to me since his ideas support the theories I have on why the interview I mentioned recently failed.
This is for those Dutch politicians claiming four more years of the Bush administration is a victory for its policy on the ‘war on terrorism’.
And also:
Europe can be proud. We sent our religious nuts packing, look where it’s got us now.
My Tumblr My Delicious My Last.fmThese are the sites I've built.
Stay updated. Subscribe via RSS (Syndicate).
