Barack Obama / Lewis Hamilton

What a week!  These guys have changed the face of history.  They dared to believe they could achieve what had not been done before.  They were told they were too young and had not been in their game long enough – needed to wait their turn.  

Yet they possess great self-belief based on real ability. They were able to keep themselves going when others doubted them.  With focus, determination, hard work and lots of talent they have won the race and secured a place for themselves in the history books.  They could not have done it alone.  Having demonstrated their gifts to those around them they have been supported by their own very loyal team; despite criticism from their peers and the opposition.  Both have a strong family base to retreat to and be nourished by.

Of course, there are no guarantees.  Winning is the first step, legacy is a whole different ball game.  That requires delivering again and again.  But it’s symbolic for all of us.  When/If we’re made to feel different and out of place we can use that to motivate us to move forward, to dream big.  Stepping out on a limb is scary but to fulfill your calling – that’s incredible!  It gives us the audacity to hope for a better future for our world and to strive for excellence.  Passion – calmly executed.

Fun and free

On saturday several of us had a lovely evening in the audience of a live radio show.  Although it was done on a whim by the time I got there I was very excited to get in.  Of course they issue more tickets than they might be able to accommodate so the advice is to get there early.  Many of us turned up just in time and was at risk at being turned away.  After the queuing comes the security checks. Then we were in a bit of a holding bay – not sure if we’d get in or be forced to watch it on a live feed.  Twenty  numbered strangers stuck in a small room hoping their number comes up and anxiously eyeing everyone else.  What will happen next?  The minutes pass as a few more enter the room.  A few more minutes.  An announcement.  Numbers 1-20 can go in – hurray!  Looks like we’ll get to see the show after all.  By the end I think everyone gets in.  And so we got to cheer and laugh at Nicolas Parsons and the Just A Minute crowd including Paul Merton and Graham Norton.  It was hilarious – especially the part talking about new year’s resolutions!  Yes it will be out around Christmas time. Fun, free and very enjoyable.  Have you been to any fun and free things that you are happy to share?

furniture delivery

A month ago I ordered some furniture on a buy one get one free offer.  To my surprise only one was delivered.  Sometimes its not the size of the problem to sort out but just having to pay attention to something that should have been so simple.  Its bad enough that I had been waiting from 7am as they need a 5 hour window.  Anyway I phoned the delivery people who then told me to return to my local branch where I paid for it.  At the branch they were a bit flummoxed but tried to sort it.  Thankfully it was early and not busy so the assistant made a few phone calls to try to resolve the issue.  I need the furniture in a week’s time so can’t wait another month for delivery.  I tell her this but aware that it is not her fault.  Eventually she lets me know that I can leave the store while she continues to get to the bottom of this.  I appreciate this as I have other stuff to be getting on with.  I later receive a call saying there is nothing they can do I’ll have to come in and start the whole process again. No, that’s not what I want to hear.  I decide to let it go and plan to go in tomorrow to re-order.  Next she calls back to say that I don’t need to come in as they will reorder the items for me. Okay there is still a delay but I will get them.  An hour later someone calls to ask me if I can be in for a delivery in two days time! Yes, definitely.  I am so pleased.  No need for the various back up plans I was brewing as it should be sorted by the end of this week.  Surprisingly I get yet another call asking me if I am happy with the service!  Well at the moment I am ecstatic but that assumes both items will be delivered on Thursday.

Open Forum

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Looking forward to it

Best film, best book, best theatre experience…

I don’t know about you but I struggle to have a best anything.  It’s not like desert island disks where participants are expected to choose a favourite for all eternity – imagined not real.  I like the fact that I can always find a new film etc that I really enjoy and don’t feel the need to rank them in any way.  I guess that might change in the future. I imagine it’s partly explained by the fact that I often see things after they’ve been around for a while.  I can never be bothered to do the latest thing just because it is the latest thing although occasionally it is fun to know what all the hype is about.

Live shows are different because you hesitate and they’re gone.  I remember missing the all-male swan lake to be confronted by review after review proclaiming its excellence.  Not a good one to miss.  Then again there was a lot of media attention around God of Carnage and I was disappointed by it – more slapstick than expected.  However Prince, Madonna and Kanye all lived up to their hype – brilliant!

In keeping with being just behind the curve I went to see The Dark Knight last night.  I thought it did very well to create Gotham city – not a very nice place.  But what was more interesting for me was to see how the characters responded to their environment, their experiences and the expectations of others. The story is at once complex and simple.  Human greed for power or money or status are all present.  An upstanding citizen behaves like a criminal and criminals demonstrate decency.   I’d love to see the script as there were lost of interesting psuedo philosophical lines in it.  It seems we can all justify anything we choose to do – good or bad.  In the film there was talk of the Gotham getting the hero it deserves (in Batman). [ I recently went to a discussion entitled ‘we get the press we deserve’ – for another time.] As his flaws become apparent he is no longer considered a hero but a guardian angel (?).  There is also an interesting aside between Batman and the joker when the joker deduces that they need and thrive off each other. Hmm. How does that speak to us and what heroes do we deserve in our world now?  Let me know what you think of any aspect of this and tell me about your favourites…