Day three on the new job, and what a horrible job it is.
I'm working on a passenger ferry that is travelling from Dover in the UK to Dunkerque in France continually. I leave for work at 08/45 and board the ferry for 09/30 then cross to France and back twice in 12 hours, this means I usually return to my hotel at around ten in the evening. Because of the start time I miss breakfast as the staff have closed down the galley by the time we arrive, Lunch is at 12/45 which I usually eat as I'm starving and then dinner is at 18/45 after a heavy lunch I'm not ready for it so I usually just pass. For the last three days I've eaten one meal a day and a pot noodle at eleven pm...it's a weight loss plan made in heaven, not at all good for fighting a cold though!
I've worked on ships for years and do not suffer from sea sickness. However the effect of sailing for two hours with a stop of an hour in between each crossing to allow cars, buses and trucks to embark and disembark is causing me discomfort. I'm not sure if the fact I'm suffering from a bad cough, runny nose, sore throat, a sore ear and even more bizarrely a sore eye is adding to my plight! I'm frazzled, I don't feel 100% and I'm getting a little precious with the people around me, I'm not usually a moaning Minnie but folks, if you can, just allow me to be for a bit...It's been a busy year so far and I've had a grand total of two days off since the third of January, the rest 12 hour days non stop, I'm burning out quickly and I'm aware of the fact, I'll do nothing about it mind, but I do like a whinge now and again..It's cathartic x
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Monday, 5 March 2012
The Date
It's on like Donkey Kong!
It's a date, I have a proper date with AB, after all the false starts, the silly misunderstandings, the senseless bickering the over analysing, the fretting about nothing and the endless talking we have a date...Wow it's A game time, time to impress, to woo, to shine, to not apparently compliment, show affection in public or act in anyway keen...Yes it's AB, dates have rules!
So I book a (twin ) hotel room, it's £60 a taxi from town to AB's and I'm in the city staying anyway so it makes sense for us to just stay. This it seems is fine, so AB arrives from work, I've bought her a little gift and it seems to go down well so not a bad start. I go fetch some wine whilst she changes and showers to give her some privacy, when I come back she's dressed and looks breathtaking, she's a vision and I'm choking back compliments, she gets uneasy with compliments so I try not to give her reason to be, but trust me on this, it's not easy, this woman is beautiful and she lights up the room by just being in it, she has eyes you could swim in and I melt looking at her. We share some wine and head out, I want to show her a little of what I like so we head to one of my favourite restaurants.. we're too late for food, they offer us deserts or wine, kitchens closed...sh*t, this was my ace in the hole, AB would have loved this place...slight panic, but plan B...Yep plan B is a bust too, so it's plan C...Mercado in Merchant Square..
We get a table with a half hour wait, chat, have a drink and get on with our night. We have fun, sitting chatting and the wait flies bye. We get our table, order food, drinks and have a good night. Every thing's great and the night is going well, AB relaxes, opens up and has fun. We finish the meal, sit for drinks and chat, it's a good night, relaxing and not at all awquard, time flys and it gets late so we move on to a club. A couple of more drinks and we are all good, it's a good night..a success, a triumph... tired and happy we head hack to the hotel. We hold hands, kiss and laugh over the whole evening and it feels good. We go to sleep, have a cuddle and I'm thinking 'this is working out well,' so I retire happy.
I'm off to work for a month next day and I know I'll miss her, I'm not supposed to tell her this as she's not sure how she feels, so I just say I'll keep in touch, she says not to, I kind of know she's joking but I'm still a little put out by this, it's the kind of know she's joking thing... because I kind of know she's not too. I don't know this girls past, but someone must have really hurt her once and right now I'm paying that piper. She lets go for a while, relaxes and allows herself to be loved, then she closes down and retreats into herself, I'm trying to figure out how to get more of the former from her as every now and again she lets slip she's thawing a little, am I mental for pursuing her, yeah probably..but is she worth the chase, definitely.. She says she wishes she could be like me and wear her heart on her sleeve, I say just give it a try, she'll never know if she stays on the fence..I'm not a bad bloke, she could do worse than give me a chance.
It's a date, I have a proper date with AB, after all the false starts, the silly misunderstandings, the senseless bickering the over analysing, the fretting about nothing and the endless talking we have a date...Wow it's A game time, time to impress, to woo, to shine, to not apparently compliment, show affection in public or act in anyway keen...Yes it's AB, dates have rules!
So I book a (twin ) hotel room, it's £60 a taxi from town to AB's and I'm in the city staying anyway so it makes sense for us to just stay. This it seems is fine, so AB arrives from work, I've bought her a little gift and it seems to go down well so not a bad start. I go fetch some wine whilst she changes and showers to give her some privacy, when I come back she's dressed and looks breathtaking, she's a vision and I'm choking back compliments, she gets uneasy with compliments so I try not to give her reason to be, but trust me on this, it's not easy, this woman is beautiful and she lights up the room by just being in it, she has eyes you could swim in and I melt looking at her. We share some wine and head out, I want to show her a little of what I like so we head to one of my favourite restaurants.. we're too late for food, they offer us deserts or wine, kitchens closed...sh*t, this was my ace in the hole, AB would have loved this place...slight panic, but plan B...Yep plan B is a bust too, so it's plan C...Mercado in Merchant Square..
We get a table with a half hour wait, chat, have a drink and get on with our night. We have fun, sitting chatting and the wait flies bye. We get our table, order food, drinks and have a good night. Every thing's great and the night is going well, AB relaxes, opens up and has fun. We finish the meal, sit for drinks and chat, it's a good night, relaxing and not at all awquard, time flys and it gets late so we move on to a club. A couple of more drinks and we are all good, it's a good night..a success, a triumph... tired and happy we head hack to the hotel. We hold hands, kiss and laugh over the whole evening and it feels good. We go to sleep, have a cuddle and I'm thinking 'this is working out well,' so I retire happy.
I'm off to work for a month next day and I know I'll miss her, I'm not supposed to tell her this as she's not sure how she feels, so I just say I'll keep in touch, she says not to, I kind of know she's joking but I'm still a little put out by this, it's the kind of know she's joking thing... because I kind of know she's not too. I don't know this girls past, but someone must have really hurt her once and right now I'm paying that piper. She lets go for a while, relaxes and allows herself to be loved, then she closes down and retreats into herself, I'm trying to figure out how to get more of the former from her as every now and again she lets slip she's thawing a little, am I mental for pursuing her, yeah probably..but is she worth the chase, definitely.. She says she wishes she could be like me and wear her heart on her sleeve, I say just give it a try, she'll never know if she stays on the fence..I'm not a bad bloke, she could do worse than give me a chance.
Sunday, 4 March 2012
First Class..My Ar*e....Virgin on the ridiculous
The following is cut and pasted from Virgin Trains first class train service page...
From Monday to Friday our team offer at table service, so you'll be able to sit back and relax whilst tucking into complimentary mouthwatering delights from our First Class menu.
The menu can be found here..
Click
Monday to Friday only.......I'm travelling on a Sunday, my ticket has cost more as it's a weekend and guess what..no food or complimentary booze! WTF? It's a seven hour journey and I boarded at 1-26 pm. Shortly after we set out there was an announcement that there would be no staff to man the services in First Class until Carlyle...I paid for a First Class journey, you took my money for that, not three fifths of one..So Carlyle comes and goes, no service....we hit Lancaster at 3-47 before I was offered my complimentary service...a bag of Tyrells ready salted crisps, a small packet of shortbread and a paper cup half filled with weak lukewarm coffee. I'm not moaning for moanin'sg sake here but honestly Virgin, does this seem First Class to you?
Why the massive difference when the ticket price is higher, however the service is minimal? What justification are Virgin offering for the reduction in standards for a higher paying customer at the weekend? I've to get by on a coffee or two and a biscuit and crisps for 7+ hours....no wait, there's a shop in standard that I can walk 6 carriages to get to where I can purchase a sandwich or a salad for an additional fee...Dick Turpin wore a mask..overall a rather shoddy third class service if you ask me, and not worth the pretty penny it's costing.
I'm going to e-mail Virgin's customer services department tonight and complain..I'll post their reply if and when I get one.
Bah Humbug..
First Class travel
Travel First Class with us and experience the difference. We offer a special space, somewhere for you to stretch out and unwind, work, sleep or just watch the world pass by while we take you where you want to go.From Monday to Friday our team offer at table service, so you'll be able to sit back and relax whilst tucking into complimentary mouthwatering delights from our First Class menu.
The menu can be found here..
Click
Monday to Friday only.......I'm travelling on a Sunday, my ticket has cost more as it's a weekend and guess what..no food or complimentary booze! WTF? It's a seven hour journey and I boarded at 1-26 pm. Shortly after we set out there was an announcement that there would be no staff to man the services in First Class until Carlyle...I paid for a First Class journey, you took my money for that, not three fifths of one..So Carlyle comes and goes, no service....we hit Lancaster at 3-47 before I was offered my complimentary service...a bag of Tyrells ready salted crisps, a small packet of shortbread and a paper cup half filled with weak lukewarm coffee. I'm not moaning for moanin'sg sake here but honestly Virgin, does this seem First Class to you?
Why the massive difference when the ticket price is higher, however the service is minimal? What justification are Virgin offering for the reduction in standards for a higher paying customer at the weekend? I've to get by on a coffee or two and a biscuit and crisps for 7+ hours....no wait, there's a shop in standard that I can walk 6 carriages to get to where I can purchase a sandwich or a salad for an additional fee...Dick Turpin wore a mask..overall a rather shoddy third class service if you ask me, and not worth the pretty penny it's costing.
I'm going to e-mail Virgin's customer services department tonight and complain..I'll post their reply if and when I get one.
Bah Humbug..
Family
Where do I start on family? I have a family, most people do, my relationship with mine is however perhaps a little different from most. I have two brothers, one is a waste of space, he's a user and a hopeless drunk. He fathered a child and then became a world class illusionist for 14 years, as he just disappeared out of his sons life like a puff of smoke..gone. This boils my piss so much I can't abide to be in a room with him, to hear him talk the world owes him a living, nothings ever his fault, he's a constant victim of injustice, the worlds best father and a loving son who's misunderstood, nope you're a total pisshead who only cares about drink and to hell with everyone else..as I type this he's back in hospital as he went on a drinking binge Friday (he's not allowed to drink as he has no stomach lining left) and has jaundice and sky high blood pressure now. I know I'll get a call one day soon informing me of his death, I've worked with two guys who drank themselves to death, I've seen this before and know the signs, I feel detached from the situation and that is I think all I need to say on bro one.
Bro two, family man, loves his son, works hard and is the most stubborn man on the planet. He and I had a falling out over a silly argument and never spoke for 9 years, we started talking around March last year and went to a football match yesterday, our first outing as brothers in a decade, our team lost 2-1 and we chatted without fighting..We still don't have each others mobile numbers or E-mail addresses, but we shook hands and had a decent day out..it's a start.
My mother, Jesus where do I start... I love the woman but avoid her as she is a constant critic and I'm a hopeless disappointment! I'm not married, don't have kids and never visit, I live out of a bag, never attend any family functions ( I was invited to, but never attended a 40th anniversary party for my Aunt and Uncle in Motherwell of Friday night as I had a date and my brother dropped me in it!) and I'm standoffish...That's her overall opinion of me...Now bearing in mind no woman I've ever let her meet has been good enough for me (she has met two,) and she has been pretty vocal in this respect is it any wonder I don';t bother now? I know she loves me and that's a great thing, but on her list of favourite sons I'm firmly bottom and I'm happy with that.
My two nephews are utter stars, one is fast approaching fifteen and is a good guy, he has been in a single family situation since birth, and if I'm honest I don't care for his mother, however he's worked out fine and is a credit to himself, I could not be more full of pride. The other is two and a half and a ginger haired bundle of fun, I love kids, I'd have made a good dad, I think, and if I had a son I'd want one like him, he's a thing of beauty and I hope he grows into a well rounded man. I love them both equally and they love me too...all is good here..
My mothers ex husband and the father of my siblings and myself is an utter bastard, I hope there's a hell as I'd like to think he'll spend eternity there..Christmas Day 1988 was the last I spoke to him, he's dead to me and my family know not to even bother me with a call to inform me of his eventual demise...
Yep complicated...
Lastly I've edited this back in as I've removed it twice thus far because it's very personal and I'm not sure I'm going to post this yet. I had a sister Amy, she died when I was two, I know she was born on the 16th of July and died on the 6th of June, I know she had jet black hair and I know she was sick her whole short life. My mother ripped up every single photo of her in her rage filled grief, I understand this, as grief is a monster and it affects everyone differently, my mother stopped teaching the day Amy died, and has refused to talk about either part of her past since then..I only know she goes to the graveyard alone on both those dates every year and still suffers the loss...that and I just wish I had a memory of her, I'd have liked a sister..
Bro two, family man, loves his son, works hard and is the most stubborn man on the planet. He and I had a falling out over a silly argument and never spoke for 9 years, we started talking around March last year and went to a football match yesterday, our first outing as brothers in a decade, our team lost 2-1 and we chatted without fighting..We still don't have each others mobile numbers or E-mail addresses, but we shook hands and had a decent day out..it's a start.
My mother, Jesus where do I start... I love the woman but avoid her as she is a constant critic and I'm a hopeless disappointment! I'm not married, don't have kids and never visit, I live out of a bag, never attend any family functions ( I was invited to, but never attended a 40th anniversary party for my Aunt and Uncle in Motherwell of Friday night as I had a date and my brother dropped me in it!) and I'm standoffish...That's her overall opinion of me...Now bearing in mind no woman I've ever let her meet has been good enough for me (she has met two,) and she has been pretty vocal in this respect is it any wonder I don';t bother now? I know she loves me and that's a great thing, but on her list of favourite sons I'm firmly bottom and I'm happy with that.
My two nephews are utter stars, one is fast approaching fifteen and is a good guy, he has been in a single family situation since birth, and if I'm honest I don't care for his mother, however he's worked out fine and is a credit to himself, I could not be more full of pride. The other is two and a half and a ginger haired bundle of fun, I love kids, I'd have made a good dad, I think, and if I had a son I'd want one like him, he's a thing of beauty and I hope he grows into a well rounded man. I love them both equally and they love me too...all is good here..
My mothers ex husband and the father of my siblings and myself is an utter bastard, I hope there's a hell as I'd like to think he'll spend eternity there..Christmas Day 1988 was the last I spoke to him, he's dead to me and my family know not to even bother me with a call to inform me of his eventual demise...
Yep complicated...
Lastly I've edited this back in as I've removed it twice thus far because it's very personal and I'm not sure I'm going to post this yet. I had a sister Amy, she died when I was two, I know she was born on the 16th of July and died on the 6th of June, I know she had jet black hair and I know she was sick her whole short life. My mother ripped up every single photo of her in her rage filled grief, I understand this, as grief is a monster and it affects everyone differently, my mother stopped teaching the day Amy died, and has refused to talk about either part of her past since then..I only know she goes to the graveyard alone on both those dates every year and still suffers the loss...that and I just wish I had a memory of her, I'd have liked a sister..
Thursday Night's All Right For Fighting
Alright so I'm two days out from the Bernie Taupin penned classic however I'll just wing it here. After the coffee night I discovered I had some free time, and with this in mind I text AB to ask her out on a date on Saturday night. Easy right? Obviously you know the answer to that!
She can't do Saturday however Friday is do-able so I try and get something sorted.. It's a simple thing (you may think,) to ask someone you fancy out for food and drink, I know with this woman it would be complicated, it turns out that's the understatement of the century. I go from asking her out to having a heated discussion about.....every single thing in the world being my fault and I'm Satan's son.....Africans Starving...My Fault.... War...My Fault.....Global Economic Meltdown...Yep Me too...Well so it seems to me, I'm asking her out on a date and I'm getting my ass handed to me, so I, in exasperation, hang up the phone....
OK not smart I know, I was annoyed as hell and had a count to ten moment...so I count to ten and dial back......I try and remain calm and point out a few things....that goes well...! And this time fizzing I actually cut the call dead and hang up...again. So that's that, I'm raging, Obviously she will be too, after all I've just hung up on her again.......She's mad, I'm mad, it's too complicated, It's too much effort, it's such a hassle, it's not the right time, she's busy at work,
We're going out Friday.....
She can't do Saturday however Friday is do-able so I try and get something sorted.. It's a simple thing (you may think,) to ask someone you fancy out for food and drink, I know with this woman it would be complicated, it turns out that's the understatement of the century. I go from asking her out to having a heated discussion about.....every single thing in the world being my fault and I'm Satan's son.....Africans Starving...My Fault.... War...My Fault.....Global Economic Meltdown...Yep Me too...Well so it seems to me, I'm asking her out on a date and I'm getting my ass handed to me, so I, in exasperation, hang up the phone....
OK not smart I know, I was annoyed as hell and had a count to ten moment...so I count to ten and dial back......I try and remain calm and point out a few things....that goes well...! And this time fizzing I actually cut the call dead and hang up...again. So that's that, I'm raging, Obviously she will be too, after all I've just hung up on her again.......She's mad, I'm mad, it's too complicated, It's too much effort, it's such a hassle, it's not the right time, she's busy at work,
We're going out Friday.....
Thursday, 1 March 2012
The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley!
My plans have been changed last minute, normally I'd be in a rage by this occurrence, not today, no sirree, not today....you see peeps...drum roll please.....
I have two days off....yes.... two, count them TWO whole unexpected freaking wonderful days off.. I'm heading to Dover by train on Sunday (First Class of course) now instead of flying to London tonight and starting work tomorrow. Am I happy with this news....hell yes, I'm as happy as little piggies in poo, life just got a whole lot sweeter. I'm going to visit my mum tonight, get a night out with my friends tomorrow night, catch a football game Saturday and hopefully make some plans for Saturday night too.
Glasgow you big, old magnificent city, may I have the pleasure of your company this weekend? I may!
How wonderful..
My plans have been changed last minute, normally I'd be in a rage by this occurrence, not today, no sirree, not today....you see peeps...drum roll please.....
I have two days off....yes.... two, count them TWO whole unexpected freaking wonderful days off.. I'm heading to Dover by train on Sunday (First Class of course) now instead of flying to London tonight and starting work tomorrow. Am I happy with this news....hell yes, I'm as happy as little piggies in poo, life just got a whole lot sweeter. I'm going to visit my mum tonight, get a night out with my friends tomorrow night, catch a football game Saturday and hopefully make some plans for Saturday night too.
Glasgow you big, old magnificent city, may I have the pleasure of your company this weekend? I may!
How wonderful..
 |
| Joy. |
Packing Is Such Sweet Sweet Sorrow.
So that's the job finished, all squared away and looking stunning. Another one in the bag and time to move on, it's been a great job work wise, as usual the lads have been top quality, a great laugh but ultimately very professional. It's at this time I get a little sad, I love my job, I love travel, and I positively adore the fact I'm constantly challenged by different tasks and no two jobs are the same, it keeps it fresh even when the hours are racking up and the contracts are long. However I hate to pack up and go, it's the only time I don't enjoy, I hate packing with a passion, I can never work out quantities of stuff I'll need for a job so end up with 50 t-shirts for a 20 day job ...just in case, in case of what!! I can't help it, underwear ditto, 25 day job...75 pairs and don't get me started on socks, I could keep a Southern cotton plantation working overtime churning out socks for me on a refit.
I over pack work wear, I always take gym gear..(irony be thy name!) and then I take clothing for evening wear...I hardly ever go out anyway so why? Add to that I (if on a cruise liner) take formal wear so I can drink on decks instead of in the crew bar with the commoners...:-) Given that I don't have to conform with airline baggage allowances, as we usually fly charter or privately I oft resemble a human packhorse. Add to this toiletries, shoes, trainers, flip flops, computers, I-pods, I-phones, kindle various chargers, batteries ect and you start to see the logistical nightmare of a move for me!
Now did I happen to mention every job I go on has a next day free laundry service where your washing is taken away, washed, pressed and returned....wait for it... next day! and you realise I'm just a freak! I can't help but take the stuff anyway...
Just in case......
Because you just never know when you'll need clean jockeys..
I over pack work wear, I always take gym gear..(irony be thy name!) and then I take clothing for evening wear...I hardly ever go out anyway so why? Add to that I (if on a cruise liner) take formal wear so I can drink on decks instead of in the crew bar with the commoners...:-) Given that I don't have to conform with airline baggage allowances, as we usually fly charter or privately I oft resemble a human packhorse. Add to this toiletries, shoes, trainers, flip flops, computers, I-pods, I-phones, kindle various chargers, batteries ect and you start to see the logistical nightmare of a move for me!
Now did I happen to mention every job I go on has a next day free laundry service where your washing is taken away, washed, pressed and returned....wait for it... next day! and you realise I'm just a freak! I can't help but take the stuff anyway...
Just in case......
Because you just never know when you'll need clean jockeys..
 |
| Socks and pants getting loaded |
 |
| On the road again. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)