Category: Personal

How many do we really need ?

I’m talking about blades on my razor (what else) I had inadvertently bought 5 blade heads for my 4 blade handle an easy mistake but an expensive one. No chance to return them given I am on a different continent so forced to buy a 5 blade handle.

Now why are you not keeping up with the latest trends I hear you ask (well I think I heard you ask). Do I really need that extra option to trim my sideburns I don’t think so I have never been able to grow any. So to put it simply I don’t need 5 blades I actually don’t need 4. I was very happy with 2 or maybe even 3 but time moves on. Once the world decided it could not live without adding yet another blade to its already high performing razors I had to reluctantly move along with it. The down side was the shave came so close I had to stop using aftershave as it actually hurt, not just the initial sting but it went straight through and man it made my eyes water.

Now I know from the initial trials that 5 is one too many I can not seem to complete the task without nicking myself. It may be that I so early in the morning my hand is not so steady or my eyesight that good. It may be the fact that peering into a foggy mirror and seeing my older brother Joe staring back at me is too much of a distraction but whatever the case 5 is one too many but of course now I have 5 brand new blades to get rid of. I am not disposing of them (that’s a pun) and to cap it all when I buy the handle guess what I get another 2 free so now I an around $20 down and know that I now have 6 weeks of “be careful” shaving to look forward to. Managed to cut myself twice already one quite severe and I think they originally called them “safety razors”.  My theme of impressing people with my array of crisp white shirts took quite a knock with clumps of dried blood on my face. (maybe nobody noticed (I think not))

Now one has to ask if all this is necessary I mean really necessary or is it just marketing pushing things forward. I already know I will not enhance my life by adding yet another metal strip. In fact it may even endanger me but maybe there are millions out there who are actually looking forward to the next generation of cutthroats and maybe would even preorder them like you do with Cd’s to download or books on Amazon before their release. The fact that for some reason you can not interchange blades with handles seems somewhat unfortunate how easy life would be if like Microsoft all things were backwards compatible but alas no this is not possible. Whilst we can put men on the moon (granted it was a while ago) see out to the farthest reaches of the universe. Send emails right around the world in the blink of half an eye we can not master having the same locking mechanism for razors made by the same company. One might even believe they may do it on purpose. I apologize for even thinking it.

There are many things which are new and improved however I am not sure they are life enhancing although my flat screed high definition TV could be said to make mine that little bit more palatable and of course I still miss the tivo.

I suppose I am destroying my own argument but still there are some things which don’t need incremental improvements what they need is radical changes like the leap from tape players to walkmans. Now that is a radical change so lets hope the next “improvement” in shaving is radical maybe the “No blade” razor now wouldn’t that be something.

“they are all short they are Japanese” I said

I was responding to the minder at the customs at Moscow’s Domodedevo airport who was instructing us to “choose the short queue” and given we had just landed behind a Jumbo Jet from Tokyo all the queues were full of “shorts” which is not stereotyping or racial profiling its just they are not tall. Anyway my humor was lost on her and I headed for the line with the least people in it.

As I wandered up 6 of these diminutive tourists step across so the queue was not that “short” by the time I joined it. My flights had so far gone quite well. A couple of hours hanging around OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg which is fine I can get into the lounge and play on face book. They have some good snacks but for some reason some terrible wines, one from Tasmania which given all the local choices seems slightly perverse of them. I also know where the smoking area is so not too much stress.

We had to get bussed out to out plane through a quite severe thunder storm, this is after waiting whilst all the crew filed passed (late) all laden with Duty free bags some so late they were on the bus with us the “Guests” we took off almost an hours late but given we are flying for around 10 hours I doubt we will be late in.

A couple of drinks and some fish later I am ready for sleep, so ready in fact that I fall asleep with my ear plugs and mask still in my hand. I had tried to watch a film with Michelle Pfeiffer in but got bored and flicked it off (she was on my laminated list I say was as I think I need to renew it and I fear she won’t make the cut). I was woken abruptly by loud talking and the clanking of cups. This is the point where I think the ear plugs would have saved me but no matter I get coffee then another and another. I should be awake by the time we land in an hour and a half.

The clocks do not go forward in South Africa so we get in around 5:20 am so lots of hanging around time. Customs in terminal 5 are very good and you can get from the plane to the street in 15 minutes. They do have some broken chairs which clutter up the place and seem to have been there for a couple of months making the first impression of the place less than ideal. Anyway I have my expenses to post so I try and find a Post Office I of course go to the Airport information who are not sure if they have one, I casually suggest they may want to Google it and they find on in terminal 3 but is does not open until 9 am and by the way they are on strike I am informed with a smile.

Wandering off to buy Judi some entertainment magazines and get some more coffee I pass a Marks & Spencer’s and pick up a couple of Pork pies (a very English thing).

I also pick up 2 CD’s live sessions from the BBC which if you like live music are extremely good value. I stick as much as I can into my case and get my ticket. These automated machines are a bit of a pain and it soon gets confused by an English man going to Moscow with a ticket purchased with an American Visa without a British Airways card and it suggests I get assistance ( I think I heard it sigh). Only a slight delay whilst someone checks my Russian visa and I am though to scanning which is always fun. They got the design wrong and there is no enough room for the hundreds of people queuing and the solution is a series of mini queues where nobody really knows where they are. The whole system is over engineered. It is almost worth a blog of its own. Just go with the flow ant 20 minutes later I am clear. I want another coffee but boarding is showing so decide to go straight through. The plane is possibly a third full and I have a whole exit row to myself. A snooze and a couple of coffee’s later and we land to light snow. I notice the Nippon Airways jumbo but was not quite prepared for the nigh on 400 tourists who have managed to slip off before us.

We are held up by the swine flu check. Not as bad as it used to be. They used to come on in gumboots latex gloves and masks as a team and keep you for 30 minutes. Now there is only one girl and as she passes me I am sure she gives me one of those “you again” sort of looks but maybe not.

So here I am in the queue which is going very slowly as these are first timers. One guy tries to go through the electronic gate too early and gets a rather nasty reproach from the burly customs girl. I did think for a moment she was going to call the boys over but it soon passes. Ok now only 4 in front of me and two customs girls. Then of course the crew arrive and it would seem the ratio of crew to passenger on Nippon Airways is quite high there is a long line of them and they are all going to get straight to the front of my queue. I barge over to another queue but now back in 12^th place. Deep breaths it will all be over soon. Ok through and waiting for my bag, excellent it comes quite quickly and out through the green channel. Nobody takes any notice of me as they are scanning the very small bag of a girl in tight leather trousers and 4 inch heeled boots. In fact all the guards seem to be involved in this exercise nice to see them being so though although given she could be described as stunning this may have influenced them somewhat.

Dashing through the airport (you have to go all the way to the other end) to get my train I wonder why the taxi drivers are a little more aggressive today. Buying my ticket I work it out I have just missed the 4pm and need to wait 55 minutes for the next one.

Now a guy in a blue suit and white shirt with loafers on standing on the snow laden station platform next to people in great coats hats scarf’s and gloves one feels who ever is playing “spot the tourist” will have an easy game.

Note to self pack some warmer clothes next time and get some decent winter shoes.

Back after the break they have lifted another ring into place and whilst a girl dangling from the roof is trying to distract us we are all actually watching them build a rickety cage and as expected it is soon filled with 5 lions 1 tiger and a rather reluctant and rather small black panther (or maybe a cougar who knows). Anyway the ring is quite small so they take it in turns to do their tricks. The tiger having seen it all before keeps falling asleep and the lions a left to lead the entertainment. Walking in and out of poles and jumping through hoops and over fire (quite small fire sticks actually). Out ring master is also the lion tamer however I doubt the animals are bothered. They go through their routine and then escape down the tunnel to what ever feast they get for supper. The Small black thing is last to leave and seems bent on refusing to be involved in any of the activities. I have to say the Tiger was rather large and I am sure had it wanted to it could have taken them all out with a couple of easy swipes of some huge paws.

Yet another ring is lifted up from the subterranean area and this one starts to fill with water. We muse maybe dolphins or at the very least sea lions. There is a lot of water being pumped into the thing and it takes probably 10 minutes to get to a decent depth. What do we get? We get “parrots” which seem pretty tame after all that build up and to cap it all one flies off into the rafters and can not be induced to come back. The handlers are probably the most scary part, the guy looks like he is albino far too pale but maybe it is the costume. Now parrots are colourful but not really attention grabbers so the act soon passes.

After this we get the boxing kangaroo which keeps forgetting the script and needs reminding to punch (then kick) its opponent who has a very hefty chest protection suit on. Maybe the water is to stop it gettign away or maybe they are just showing off that they have it anyway the significance escapes me.
After this they start to call it a day and we get another parade with all the girls and anyone else they can muster prancing around the outside of the ring. There is so much sparkle it is difficult to focus on any single item and it sort of fizzles out as the ring master and the young boy who started it all climbing a large set of stairs and waving as hard as they could until the lights come on and everyone get up to leave.

We queue for our coats along with everyone else and make our way to the exit and the Metro. All in all a very entertaining evening and one which will live in memory for a while. It is not often you get to visit one of these iconic things. I remember as a child watching the famous “Moscow State Circus” on the TV along with the annual Military Tattoo ( they pulled guns around and took them to pieces in a race ) and of course who could forget the Brian Rix Farce’s wich were also an annual event. (Hey its my blog so I will be as nostalgic as I want) Google these if you think my memory is failing I am getting on a bit now but they were a big deal back in the day.

 

And after a short interlude we will recommence with

Not quite sure where I left off but need to tell you about our visit to the “Moscow Sate Circus” something which was our surprise for Mike and Lan when they visited the other week. One of the reasons for the surprise was it did not allow them any time to say they objected given there would be animals involved and you never know these days what people object to. Anyway Mike worked out where we were going about 4 stops before we got off the Metro. You see there is still an art to decoding maps and working out where you are and what the options are.

The actual metro we were on was packed to the rafters as it was on the same line used by the Russian soccer fans on their way to the World cup qualifier with Germany being held locally which they lost however there were no riots or fights and given the high police presence and the massed ranks of army personnel hanging around not a complete surprise (you don’t mess with those guys you just do what you are told).

We emerge from the Metro opposite the State Circus building which is a huge round thing. You could tell we were in the right place as there were two humped camels and pony’s giving rides to excited kids. There were stalls selling bright coloured animals and windmills, you know those plastic things on sticks which no self respecting kid or adult in Western Europe would buy any more as they are not sophisticated enough don’t need batteries or have remote controls or 5 pages of warning about choking hazards or safety instructions.

The Russian kids I find still have an innocence and are allowed to be “children”. The rest of us hurry them through this phase and quickly into designer clothes and gameboys or what ever the current fad is. Not sure why we do this maybe we are embarrassed about them playing with a hoop and a stick or maybe we are paranoid about the fact they may even laugh and get a bit dirty (god forbid).

So into the building and to the cloak room which stretches right around the inside of the building. There is no charge for this it is a service given everywhere and needed given the weather is turning quite cool these days. I go off to try and find some sustenance to keep us going and joint a long queue to buy some coke and water. Now this is something the Russians need to get a grip of. There are 4 places to buy things serving the whole building. Each has one person serving and there are probably 3 thousand people in the audience. The Americans would have a booth every 5 meters and several people eagerly waiting to detach you from you money with a smile and an “enjoy the show”. Here it is still somewhat of an imposition to want to buy food or drinks but I eventually get to the front and a sour faced guy takes my money with a bored sigh.

Finding our seats we are surrounded by families with children in fact the place is crawling with kids. The show starts with a monolog from someone which we do not understand but I think it this young boy is talking about how he wants to grow up and run away to join the circus or something similar anyway this done the show starts with a flourish of lithe ladies in skimpy sequined costumes and large feathered headdresses flouncing about in the ring. A grand parade with performers wandering around in different directions all sparkling in the spotlights. A real circus begins with the acrobats jumping around and throwing and catching each other with “some” element of danger. Clowns entertain us as they clear the ring of some items and arrange the next. A troop of Dalmatians are next performing a routine which seems at times a little random although some of the dogs do seem distracted by the audience and have to be reminded it was their turn to jump over or through something.

There is a vast array of animals which is slightly surprising Horses, camels, various monkeys / chimps, antelope, zebra’s even porcupines. Now one has to ask how you train porcupine however their trick is to jump over a pole which is possibly something they could do in the wild anyway so maybe not that tricky really.

To set the mood for these antics the floor of the ring is littered with animal skins. Maybe as a scene setting or as a warning of failure for the cast. This seems to have an effect on one poor zebra who is galloping around with a monkey on its back it manages to slip on one of these skins and tumbles over. The monkey clearly confused that this is not part of the rehearsed script decides to make a break for it and dashes off in the direction of an exit. With several of the “minders” in tow. Getting to the exit it may have though it better not to given it did not have its coat check with it and it was cold outside and decides to come back into the arena. Not wanting to rejoin the antics in the ring it decides to wander around the audience ending up in the row right in front of us. It manages to terrify several people before deciding to settle down in a seat just in front of us to watch the rest of the show. I assume it just though I will sit here quietly and nobody will notice. Not much chance of that as several people close in on it and it quietly gets led away.

There is a ring master who I should have mentioned before as he seems to be the animal trainer for “all” of the none human acts. He is only slightly weird, that is his hair is too long and slicked back making him look a little creepy. He must have a lot of influence or someone would have had the nerve to tell him he looks a bit of a prat.

Maybe there will be a feedback form I could not it down on. Anyway he keeps reappearing in different costumes but always with a stick of some sort to make sure his prodigies keep to the script (escaping moneys exempt of course). Jo and Trina will remember our visit to the famous “Circus Apollo” in Conway where the girl who sold us our tickets was also the same one who sold us popcorn and balanced on the high wire and rode around on the horse troop, well similar to that this guy seemed to be everywhere doing everything.

An interlude is called after a couple of hours like a time out as there were no gaps in performances. A constant array of acts running around on two or four legs leaping up to or down off things. We stretch our legs but decline the opportunity to have our picture taken with an angora rabbit. Judi describes it as a “hat waiting to happen” which I find rather amusing.

Which is not the Cradle of Mankind which I keep calling it after which the locals correct me. Anyway it is about an hour away from Johannesburg through the countryside. The ride is fairly pleasant as the city melts away and opens up into rolling hills. I am reminded constantly that these are the oldest hills in the world. Fine they just look like hills to me. We pass by various ostrich farms and fishing lakes and on beyond the many chicken places. You can always tell the chicken farms large low metal sheeted buildings and there must be 15 or 20 in the area which ever way you turn there is one. We pass by a small hotel which is actually the entrance to the caves where the remains of what ever Neanderthal I am off to see were found. They have some paintings down there but not being a particular fan of caves I decline. I am ok to see what they brought up I don’t need to go down and see the hole they left. Now this is a mistake which I will find out later.

Arriving at the Cradle of Humankind you can see it as a dot on the landscape as it is right in the middle of nowhere. You enter through a barrier (after paying) and get a plastic card. On to the car park and then to the actual building. Buy you tickets and you are in. Now it looks very much like it was designed on a Disney theme as the first things that happens is you get in a little boat and drift down past some simulated ice flows then volcanoes neither of which is impressive but it does get cold then hot. I think I should have invited some kids to come along. Off the boat and onto the exhibition which is constructed of bright colorful plastic with lost of “Press me” buttons where random facts are blurted out at you. Not quite what I had expected. I though is would be more sedate and museum like. I understand the need to get people engaged in history but this is dumbing down a little too far. There is no need to bring people all the way out into the middle of nowhere you could have built this in the middle of the city. There are a few bones at the end but they are only replicas so maybe the caves would have been a better bet. I have seen the area in Tanzania where they found one of our early upright ancestors (I think it was named Lucy) and you could feel the atmosphere there were people passionate about it and it came across in their explanation. The discovery was accidental by a German who was traveling the length of Africa collecting butterflies who really stumbled over it. Here it is push the button to find out what sound a dinosaur might have sounded like. I may sound disappointed and that is because I was somewhat.

Outside the view of these old hills is quite good. You can tell the rains are due as everything has that dry parched look. I can imagine it would be quite spectacular in a month or so once the summer comes.

Moving one we encounter the crying child in the souvenir shop, I say crying more whining and so was the man muttering about the price of drinks being 3 times the norm. (he had 5 kids so some sympathy goes out to him). We hand in the card at the barrier and I wonder if we really needed it. The barrier stops us so not sure what the card in actually for. Maybe to stop people stealing cars but we are in the middle of nowhere with a fence around us nobody could walk in and steal a car without the barrier people spotting them. Maybe I am just not getting the logic. So on to find lunch which is at some cheese farm a very nice little place where they say they are full and we need to wait 45 minutes until I point out the 4 empty tables and suddenly we are seated. A nice veranda with a great view, kids, dogs and chickens wandering around the tables and a great salad it was nice to just sit in the warm sunshine and watch the world go by. One of the guests causes a bit of a stir by leaving in their own helicopter which excited the kids and scared the chickens but other than that it was quite peaceful. I imagine our house in France will be something similar but the cheese will come from the market and not be made by me.

Driving back to the city over the dam which I think is more cosmetic than functional it may be more for sailing as it is not generating electricity but is surrounded by holiday homes and hotels. As the city approaches you realize the mines are really close in fact the book I read says the town sort of grew up around the mines and there are several redundant pit heads which are inside the perimeter. The mine spoils are all around like big monumental scars. A big lump of earth standing out against the flat city ground. They are reclaiming them as they think the new extraction methods can eek out a little more gold. They reckon if there is 4 oz of gold per ton of spoil it is worth doing and given glod has just topped $1000 an oz well worth the effort. Lets hop they don’t just put the rocks back where they are perhaps they could be a little more inventive and hide them.

I am not talking about work because in the main it is not exciting but on the back end of my trip so off home soon. Maybe my trip back will provide some excitement. I have a 50 minute gap between landing and taking off again and not sure if I should book my luggage through or try and pick it up, oh the excitement of it all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I seemed to have gone missing in action for a while but back home for a few days so a little catch up for anyone who might still be following this.

I managed to spend a little time in Soweto which is really South Western Township (and they had a competition to come up with the name “Soweto”, go figure. Now normally all you see of this place is on the TV and mainly to do with something going wrong, riots and the like and even last year there was some trouble with xenophobic attacks on people. The South Africans are concerned that given the economic state their neighbors are in having lots of other nationalities there is taking jobs from the locals.

Anyway the place itself is fairly well organized and so it should be with 2.5 million people in it. It has hospitals and several hundred schools, universities, shopping malls and all the facilities of a town. In the main the houses are small probably only 2 or 3 rooms but I have to say they do seem to take care of them and most look well managed. Not a lot of open space or flowers but maybe that is because spring is just arriving. Surprisingly not a lot of litter or graffiti some but not to the extent you might expect. Driving around people are just getting on with there lives and doing normal things. There is a cemetery where they claim there are 300 funerals a day which might be interesting to see but it is not on our itinerary. We do pass by the worlds largest taxi rank but to be honest you don’t see much so you have to take their word for it. They have 2 old power station cooling towers which are no longer in use which they have painted which is quite a sight. All bright with adverts and religious pictures on. Plus some bungee jump thing strung out between them for people who can hold their dinner down. Also not on my list. The actual power station they belonged to is still there but no longer working. My guide pointed out that despite its location it never supplied power to Soweto it was all for the people in Johannesburg not sure where the locals got theirs if they did. There is a section of the town called dark town as it has no electricity so as you would expect it is dark at night. Net it does not look as scary as you might imagine however not sure I would want to be wandering around on my own or at night.

We pass some “unregulated” dwellings which is a euphemism for tin shacks put up where they shouldn’t have. These have nothing at all except a few tin or canvas walls although I have to say there were many washing lines with clothes on them. The pigs running around the edge of the small river next to it completed the scene and you have to wonder how people survive this type of existence although my mother used to tell me you can get ued to anything.

We swing up past Nelson Mandela’s house and that of Desmond Tutu and the common quote that it is the only street in the world to have produced two Nobel peace prize winners add another layer to the place. Lunch is in a local place with local food. I have a lamb curry which is full of bones and comes with some vegetables which I do not recognize. Why did you not remind me not to have the chef special you are supposed to be looking after me. Anyway I survive and we continue wandering around . There are a couple of huge Football stadiums we see (sorry soccer) one is the new world cup stadium ready for next year and the other a local team the Orlando Pirates. Both places look like they hold 60 -80 thousand people and I know the local population is almost as devote about football as they are religion. There is an “unregistered” settlement next to one and I have $10 on that being moved before the worlds TV cameras get here.

They have put in a brand new bus lane system which people are already complaining about as it takes work away from the local taxis which are white vans really. It is strange when proposed improvements are seen as detrimental to local culture. Not sure anyone would say the taxi system which is stop anywhere and pick up people is ideal but it seems to work and people are used to it so having to find a bus stop, which by the way are in the middle of the road and queue seems to be a little too much “improvement”. We shall see,

Off for a drive in the country next to the “Cradle of Humankind” should be enlightening.

Nothing much

That’s what I have been doing all day nothing much. Today is Thursday and it is Heritage day in South Africa and the whole place is closed. I am working out of my apartment which is not the ned of the world. All the locals are off and many of them watching a cricket tournament which started this week. I am staying in the “Mapungubwe” an apartment hotel. Not sure what it used to be but it has been converted from something. To get to my room I take an elevator to the second floor then down the corridor out into another section. Take another elevator up to the sixth floor then go out onto the stairwell and up half a flight of stairs and here I am home.

A nice little room but none of my adapter plugs (and I have two different sets) work. I had of course forgotten this is the only place with the three pin round plugs (like the old English ones). No should that be a problem surely I can survive, well probably not with two Pc’s a Blackberry an iPhone and a camera it is difficult to be too far away from a power source. Anyway I manage to borrow one from reception so all is not lost. The Mapungubwe is right opposite where I am working so convenient if nothing else. It of course also means I have not seen anything of the city. The usual round of taxis and conference rooms, dont get me wrong it is still somewhat exciting but you never really get to enjoy a new place on your own you need someone to share it with.

I did go out for a stroll in the later afternoon after getting a little stir crazy in my room. Johannesburg has a physical style of a mid western American town. Built with very tall solid square buildings with few embellishments. Tall buildings do not allow much sunlight through and there is always one side of a block in shadow. My walk only took me a few blocks everything was closed and whilst I probably saw a hundred people the only Caucasian I saw was my own reflection in a shop window.  Not sure if I was worried or not I have to say I was aware but not much more.

Looking for something to do this weekend and there are probably too many things to choose from. Soweto is probably a must along with a tour of the city. Not sure I need a shopping expedition so maybe the Maropeng exhibition which is the “Cradle of life” site.

An interesting anecdote from my arrival. My taxi was not there and I was struggling to raise them on the phone. A woman near by offered to help and said she would phone them for me. Anyway it did not get answered so I wandered off to check the 50 + drivers stood around none with my name on. After about 5 minutes I get tapped on the shoulder and it is the woman again. The taxi firm had called back and she came looking for me through the crowd (and it was a big crowd). I thought that was very kind she was obviously waiting for someone herself and to leave her position and come and find me. She even still had them on the line. So I managed to get myself into town only 15 minutes late. You know sometimes people amaze you. There was no need for her to look after me especially trawling through the arrivals area to find me. I suppose its one of those “Random acts of kindness” they talk about.

Ok enought of the drivel I put out it is Friday so I thought I would cheer you all up with a few websites you can visit.


They should provide you with some entertainment but no laughing out loud please people will start to look at you funny and avoid your cubicle (or room)


idiotic signs and things
http://thechive.com/2008/11/this-week-in-fail-112808-16-photos/


i still love walmart (think I may be in a couple of these)
http://peopleofwalmart.com/

Just for young elaine,  “when duck tape just do’nt cut it”
http://thereifixedit.com/page/19/

This one is very very worrying on many levels
http://www.slideshare.net/guest08a8ae/awkward-family-photos-slide-show

Have a really great weekend have fun and remember
“A job is for now and not for life” 

Regards Steve

It is surprising what you can see in 30 minutes. That’s how long I had to go out this morning and get the dry cleaning. It has been ready since Monday but you know how it is there is no rush except I need to get it before I depart this weekend as I doubt Judi will have the opportunity. The reason I have 30 minutes is because it does not open until 10 am and I have a conference call with someone in Sophia at 11 so I allocate quarter past until quarter to to dash out.

The first thing is to get outside then remember to go back for the rubbish, remember you have to take it out yourself. Ok second try and I am out, dump the bag and out onto the road. The first thing I notice is there seems to be leaves everywhere. Possibly a sign Autumn is here which probably means it will be over by the time my trip is over in two weeks. People diligently clearing up the leaves alongside the people sweeping their allotted section of the street. These people all seem to wear overalls which have florescent rings on which improves their safety but not their style. Cut through at the lights and cross the small park. Only a couple of people drinking beer but it is only 10:18.

Down the side alley passed the fish market. On the other side of the alley there are a few stalls selling various produce, fruit and veg, Honey, biscuits, ladies underwear?. Anyway there is an old dear selling chrysanthemums from a shopping trolley. Not in itself an unusual sight many old people will bring there surplus products and sell them on the street. I have purchased before but not today. I need to get on. Around the corner to the small mall where the dry cleaners is. I need to visit the supermarket as well and need to do that first or I will have a problem with the bag of cleaning.

They don’t like people taking bags into supermarkets in fact any supermarket. I think ti is a throw back to times when perhaps things were different. Anyway it is a pain so I avoid taking excess bags into these places. The guard eyes me suspiciously as she is busy cutting up strips of sell tape which the use to seal the plastic bags they make you put your stuff in. This should be easy, nuclear milk (so called as it never goes off). We go through a lot these days and I think the 0.5% on the label means there is only 0.5% milk in there and the rest is well not sure but whatever it is it takes a lot to change the color of my coffee. Next onions not sure why but useful. Cat litter as Eric seems to spend 25 minutes rearranging the contents of her litter tray so I think maybe she does not like the brand and hey she needs looking after as well so I am getting something different. Now I need to find some little spongy pan scrubs. Judi declared the one I was using a health hazard and threw it away. Now given I am the only on using it maybe I would have survived or maybe she has saved me from a fate worse than death we will never know. After quite a hunt it find them and am surprised at the range I can get 10 for 18 rubles or 2 for 68 rubles, I vote for 5 at 9 rubles and happy I have everything now move on towards the checkout. Today I get the lass grumpy one so almost pleasant.

The Dry Cleaners is a tiny place which must be a pain to work in. below ground no windows and tucked away in a corner so no view of passers by. Possibly why they always seem excited when you go in. I struggle to find the receipt even though I know I have it. Search everything and find it at the third attempt in my wallet. (am I becoming forgetful, I cant remember). Ok done and ticked off swing around the back of the first Metro and decide as I am in front of schedule I will take 5 minutes for a cigarette at the metro nearest the flat and people watch.

Only on person drinking, some policemen as usual although on has a machine gun over his arm, this happens when there is some event or someone is visiting Moscow. They just put a few more frighteners on view. There are a couple of guys dressed in army fatigues with guitars and a stand with their own CD’s on. They don’t sound that good but neither do s lot of people these days. I spot a woman who must have gone into the clothes shop and asked for something which will make me stand out in a crowd and look overweight. She of course got exactly what she asked for. A lime green checked pants suit. She really stands out in fact it is difficult not to focus on her. A gut in one of those very very shines suits they have over here. They are so shiny you think they may have a plastic cover or at the very least be buffed up with pledge every now and again. They are always light colored and the nearest thing I can think of is silk, shiny silk that is. There is an old woman selling flowers but she has lots of orchids and roses so I think she may have cut out the grow you own bit and just selling on. A few people handing out flyers and some with “sandwich boards” not something you tend to see in other countries.

I finish my cigarette and head back. I need to prep for my

Well I have to comment on some interesting things which happened over the weekend which relate to respect.

My mum got quoted on Facebook the other day the quote was “There is no excuse for bad manners” which sort of explains itself. However I think there are some people who many not know this yet as over the weekend we had outbursts from Serena Williams at the US Open, Kanye West at the VMA and Emmanuel Adebayor an English soccer player. All of these I think may be classed as bad manners or maybe being disrespectful which is a worry.

Serena’s outburst is probably the most forgivable as I really believe it was a heat of the moment thing and was just a reaction to the event. What is not forgivable was it took two days and the threat of a possible ban before an apology was given. I can understand with imposing manner she could be viewed as aggressive but the reality is that she has never done this before, admittedly she has had the odd moment but there are normally confined to chastising herself for failure rather than targeting other people. (Her fine by the way was $10k and she earned $350k go figure if that is enough of a deterrent)

Kanye West on the other hand got up on stage when his personal favorite did not win an award and took the microphone from the winner to give “his” opinion. Subsequently he has apologized 3 times (once on Jay Leno) but of course the transgression can not be taken back. This of course is not the first time he has had an outburst on a show. He famously stated he was robbed of the top prize at some awards and that he would never return, well until the next year that is. I wonder if he gets invited back next year, well he has apologized so its ok, isn’t it ???

Adebayor’s outburst and there were actually two of them in the same game is slightly more worrying. After scoring a goal he ran the full length of the pitch and taunted the opposing fans (he used to play for them). What is interesting is when both Managers were asked for an opinion both said “I did not see it” well excuse me the 35,000 people there saw it and the millions watching on TV saw it. Both of them as professionals in a sense acted in a way which either condoned the action or worse still accepted it as ok and part of the game. Well it is not ok. It is not ok that he subsequently stamped on another player (a case not proved yet but my vote is yes he did) and it is not ok for people to ignore the actions. One of the most worrying things about the players behavior was that he had spent the week disrespecting these fans and their team. In a sense you could say maybe it was inevitable. In retrospect it is less of a surprise than the others.

This type of behavior in people is not that uncommon. I could quote hundreds of people who have acted inappropriately so what’s the big deal why bring it up now (apart from the fact I need to blog on something)

Just as our children shaped by us we are shaped by the people around us. There is lots of talk about role models but do we want a role model who ignores or condones unsportsmanlike behavior. Do we think it ok to be disrespectful to others. What is so smart about imposing you view on someone else. I can not say I am white as snow here my mouth has got me into trouble lots of times. The worry for me is who is left to hold the line who stands up for respect when the very people we are expected to respect don’t.

So the question is really how to deal with this type of behavior and where do people get the impression that it is ok. If they get it from us then we need to shape up. I think it is our own tolerance for inappropriate behavior which allows these things to get out of hand. The person dropping litter or pushing into a queue is possibly where it starts. I got a very sour look from a guy outside of Athens airport the other day when I got up from my bench and picked up the cigarette butts he was dropping on the floor and put them in the bin. He seemed offended I saw it as the right thing to do. Maybe next time he might do it himself you never know.

Sometimes the right thing to do is not easy and it takes courage. To stand fast when the world is hell bent on brining itself down is not easy but if I don’t do it who will. Maybe I am in the wrong century and my views are long out of date but I was brought up to believe “there is no excuse for bad manners“.