false advertising

Never mind the media – in my opinion, the world’s most widespread case of false advertising can be witnessed in cafes and kitchens in every country on the globe. So what am I talking about? Coffee.

My question is this: how can something smell so amazingly good and yet taste so amazingly bad?

I know I’m not really in step with most of the population in thinking this, but I find the taste of coffee absolutely disgusting. The Boy is the complete opposite – just the thought of a 4 shot flat white with a sprinkle of cinnamon sends him into a Homer Simpson-style trance (“mmm, coffee…”). Not me. Give me a nice green tea over that any day.

if in doubt, give presents

One thing I do find kind of odd are those moments when co-workers bring their babies & toddlers to the office to visit. These aren’t children you see more than once or twice a year, if that, and I’m never quite sure what to do with them. Especially when the co-worker is also a friend, so you can’t get away with just ignoring them.

You don’t know really anything about the child’s likes or dislikes, or even about their basic personality type. They’re looking at you like the stranger you are, and generally seem paralysed by any questions you might ask to try to break the ice. Older kids are happy to chat about themselves, but strange toddlers can sometimes be a bit more of a challenge, especially when they're in such an unfamiliar environment.

As a non-parent, I’ve always found bribery works well in these situations. Fortunately, in my office I usually have a few little toys or pins or suchlike that my suppliers have given me (some of whom are big-name child magnets). I’ve always found that handing over one of these works a treat.

Yes, its bribery and corruption, but hey – it works!

only in Ireland

I don’t really want to re-start the whole debate on the merits of football players, but I just read a very bizarre article. Apparently, Belfast has just named the smaller of their two airports after Irish football star George Best, who passed away in late 2004.

Now, I have nothing against things being named after local sporting heroes, but is George Best really someone who should be held up as a hero and role model? Alcoholism put an early end to his career, and his incessant drinking put him on the liver transplant list. Even after receiving the transplant, and being told he would die if he didn’t stop drinking, he defied doctors’ orders and drank himself into the grave. What a waste of a donor organ – I feel sorry for the family of the donor and the family of the person who was next on the list.

This is surely the most “Irish” decision I’ve seen in a long time.

one shoe

Why is it that whenever you’re in a hurry you can only find one of the shoes you need? You can find dozens of other pairs, but not both shoes of the pair you really really want.

And why is it that you can always find one of the shoes? Finding one of them just rubs salt in the wound. After all, if you can find one of them then, seriously, how far away can the other one be??? But no – you never lose both shoes, just one. And yet as soon as you come back home from wherever you’ve been (wearing 2nd choice shoes), there they both are. Right where you’d swear you’d already looked a dozen times.

I don’t believe in Santa (sorry kids), the Tooth Fairy or The Monster Under the Bed, but I’m perfectly willing to believe there is a Shoe Thieving Elf out there whose sole purpose in life (no pun intended) is to hide my shoes. One at a time.

dark & dangerous

The Boy is wearing his black shirt today – coincidence or reaction to the pretty in pink posting? I wonder…

pretty in pink

As those who work with him may have already noticed, The Boy has been pretty in pink this week. After a weekend shopping expedition netted him 6 new work shirts (3 of them pink) and a couple of new ties, this week has seen The Boy modelling an array of new gear.

I must admit I was pretty surprised that he agreed to even try on the pink ones, but he did. I guess he must trust my judgement. Either that or he figured the quickest way to get out of the store was to agree with whatever I said. Hmm, yes – I think that scenario is much more likely. A fan of shopping The Boy is definitely not. Either way – you’re looking good, babe.

ah, the passion…

Seems like my wee posting yesterday struck a few nerves with The Boy…

Thanks for your comment FMF – you do have a good point. I’ve personally always found rugby better for that, though – they tend to be bigger than the soccer (oops, sorry – FOOTBALL) players ;o)

the things a man does for love

It’s amazing the things a man will do for his one true love. Get out of bed at the crack of dawn (or earlier), dress in clothes to match his loved one and support that loved one to death and beyond. The Boy has a love like that. If only it were me…

Yes, I’m talking about football (aka soccer). I’m sure there are many women out there who can relate to my pain here – especially those with Brazilian partners (or British, or Iranian, or Italian…). The World Cup starts in a few weeks, and I know I’m going to have a month with a lot of free time on my hands – just another soccer widow. I think I should seriously consider sending The Boy for a full medical check-up before the World Cup starts, though. Having seen how seriously these guys take the game, I’d like to be sure his heart is up to the stress!

there's no place like home…

Corny but true – much as I love travelling, nothing beats that moment when you first get back home. The Boy had a lovely dinner waiting, and seemed to be as happy to see me as I was to see him. It’s been a long and busy couple of weeks, so getting home & putting my feet up felt nearly as good as winning Big Wednesday. Nearly.

The apartment now looks like a tip, with piles of washing & suitcases everywhere, which I know is driving The Boy crazy. Sorry, Boy, but at least give me a few days to sort myself out. Remember how long it took after you got back from your sister’s wedding!

Did I get on the wrong plane?

Just to make the visitor feel safe and secure, there was a ‘Safety Tips’ pamphlet in my rental car. Here are a few selected highlights:

1. Do not idle your car in neutral. You may need to accelerate quickly should someone approach you.
2. Avoid travelling in curbside lanes whenever possible. When stopped in traffic, always leave enough room between your car and the one in front of you so that you can pull around it if necessary.
3. As you approach your car, check inside and beneath your car to make certain no one has hidden in or near your vehicle.

Remind me where I am again? Orlando, Florida (one of the world’s top family holiday destinations) or Baghdad?

and so it goes…

Well, the rental car collection fun & games continue… I picked up another rental car at Orlando Airport this evening. The guy at the counter was great – very friendly and efficient – and I thought all was good. Until I got to the car. After (of course not before) I’d traipsed to the far end of the lot where my assigned car was & put all my heavy bags in the boot, I discovered the car wouldn’t start… doh. After getting all my heavy bags back out of the boot and traipsing all the way back to the customer service desk, they managed to give me a car that worked. Of course it was right back by the first one. On the far side of the lot.

Oh well…

it’s really not cheating…

Is confession really good for the soul? So maybe I should confess that I’ve just been out wining & dining with two lovely, intelligent, funny, gooorgeous men… I did tell The Boy about it, though, if that makes it better - I even sent him pixts of us. Kinky, huh??

Two very lovely friends took me to the Gypsy Den in Santa Ana for dinner, a café which had been recommended to them. It was a quirky wee hippy-ish café – loads of, ummm, loads of character is probably the best description. They also have live entertainment, and I’m very thankful that we went tonight, which is Wednesday (local time). It means we missed Poetry Reading Tuesday and Open Mike Night Thursday. The thought of either is just too hideous to contemplate. Tonight was a jam session with some pretty good jazzy-type musicians.

The food was good, though, and they had a great selection for the veggie guy. Plus, the desserts were definitely yummy. Besides, you’ve got to love a café that has a sign on the counter saying “Friends don’t let friends go to Starbucks.”

All in all, an interesting & fun night to add to the memory box. Mind you, any night in the company of these two lovely lads is bound to be a good one. Thanks guys (and thanks Howard for picking up the tab!).

Is that cheese I smell?

I went on a quick tour of San Diego this morning. Overall, it’s a pretty nice city, although it seems fairly quiet. The lowlight of the tour had to be San Diego’s “Old Town”, though. What a crock – its 99.9% over-priced touristy shops & cafes, 0.1% actual history (if that). It’s a shame that the longest single part of the tour was spent caged in this tourist trap – a full hour they left us there, when there are far superior parts of the city to explore. Talk about cheesy. This isn’t a nice low-fat edam, it’s a full-on, overly-aged roquefort. Yes, that is cheese I smell…

Panda eyes – and not just in the mirror this time…

Let’s be honest – when most kiwi chicks talk about panda eyes, they’re talking about the consequences of not taking their mascara off the night before. Not today, though. This afternoon I took a look at the pandas in San Diego Zoo. They really are so much cuter up close & personal than they are in pictures. As an added bonus, one of them was being hyperactive – running around & climbing trees. I had no idea pandas could climb so well (or at all, for that matter). All together now – awww, how cuuute….

past my use-by date

Well, here I am in San Diego on Sunday afternoon (local time). After a 12 hour flight immediately followed by a 3 hour drive (trying the whole time to remember that I have to drive on the other side of the road, and that the car/tank I'm in is twice the size of my wee mx5), I've finally checked into my first hotel of the trip. I'm definitely feeling well past my best-before date, even after a shower.

I would like to ask whats up with staff at car rental counters, though. Has anyone out there ever picked up a rental car when the counter staff didn't have some sort of issue that meant you had to stand around for half an hour arguing with them until they pulled their fingers out of their butts & did what they were supposed to? I've had a good experience maybe once or twice in all the times I've had a rental car, but today wasn't one of them. Enough said about that.