Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Seven things I hate about Christmas

1. Panic Buying
Food disappears off the shelves like people are stocking up for a nuclear war and alcohol is brought like the public expect prohibition to start in the New Year

2. Pub Price Hike
Just because the pub puts up a bit of tinsel and the bar staff all don Santa hats it does not mean that they can double the entrance price and put a quid on the cost of drinks.

3. Christmas Food
Mince Pies, Xmas Pudding, bread sauce, cranberry sauce; the list of awful food goes on.

4. Shit Songs
I hate Xmas songs and the same old shite is thrown into the charts again and again every Christmas – will Slade please write a new song and Cliff Richard stop writing songs.

5. No Snow.
Years ago we were guaranteed a good two foot of snow and now if we are lucky we get a miserable half inch of slush.

6. Shit TV
Five hours of Eastenders, Xmas special after Xmas special and endless repeats.

7. Carole Singers
Three ASBO wielding youths singing (off key) the first verse of “Silent Night” over and over again is not my idea of entertainment.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Manners, manners everywhere but no-one stops to think

Arriving at University today I was in a bad mood - lost to do and not enough time. my bad mood did not improve when I started work and found that the computers were very slow ! I went outside for a breath of fresh air (cigarette break) and opend a door for someone. To my surprise she turned to me, smiled and said thank-you. All of a sudden my bad mood had lifted. It is amazing how such a small gesture can do so much. I returned to my desk and even the slow computer seemed to be working faster now my mood had improved. Time passed and I popped outside for another break. I opened a door for another person - not a good move. She turned away, said nothing and carried on walking !!! Instant bad mood. Are manners being rationed out at the moment as they seem to be in short supply.

Here is what a few other people have to say on the subject of manners.

“The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any.”
Fred Astaire quotes (American stage and motion pictures Dancer, Actor and Choreographer, best known for a number of highly successful musical comedy films in which he starred with Ginger Rogers.1899-1987)

“Children are natural mimics who act like their parents despite every effort to teach them good manners” Anon

“Good manners sometimes means simply putting up with other people's bad manners.”
H. Jackson Brown, Jr. quotes (American best selling writer, author of Life's Little Instruction Book)

“Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot.”
Clarence Thomas quotes

“Good manners is the art of making those people easy with whom we converse. Whoever makes the fewest people uneasy is the best bred in the room.”
Jonathan Swift quotes (Irish Author and Satirist of prose, 1667-1745)

“You can get through life with bad manners, but it's easier with good manners.”
Lillian Gish quotes (American Actress, regarded as one of the most creative cinema artists. 1896-1993)

Friday, December 01, 2006

National AIDS Day

Today is National AIDS Day and I hope that people who support this cause are doing their bit to help. As I am going out into town tonight I am sure that I will be tapped for money in every pub I go to. Have fun and be safe.