In a period of great boredom (first working day back at work this week, and nothing - seriously, NOTHING - to do), here's a list of random stuff going on in my head. A list of things that probably need sorting out, if only I had the time... you know how it is / I am:
1. After Jack's birthday sleepover this weekend (5 and 6 year olds x 5), why is it that other people's kids seem better behaved than ours?
2. Our garden is finished (finally!). Are we going to spend enough time in it to justify what it has cost us (which will require adjusting our evening tradition of collapsing in front of the TV and instead decamping to the new al fresco majlis - that's me being multi-cultural there!).
3. With less and less to do at work each day, where is my career going and what am I going to do about it?
4. With more and more free time at work each day, would it be worth signing up for a subscription to The Times (the only UK newspaper that is printed locally here), so that I don't have to buy a paper that is at least a day old by the time it has been imported?
5. Where should we go on holiday this year - having spent Christmas in the UAE, I have a little more annual leave available than usual, so it would be nice to go somewhere other than the traditional two-centre summer holiday in Dorset and Crawley. I have an unexplainable sudden desire to go to somewhere like Japan. No idea why.
6. My parents and my Nan arrive this coming Wednesday, which I'm very much looking forward to. But will Nan 'get' Dubai? Am dying to show her around our home, our neighbourhood, our city, but I think it will be like nothing she has seen before or will see again. A little concerned as to whether she will be able to restrain her occasionally age-attributable, no-offence intended, but nevertheless slightly racist remarks!
7. Are we giving Rhys enough time and attention, or is he forever destined to suffer third child syndrome?
8. Willl Southampton make promotion this season, given their apparently impressive yet ultimately unsuccessful bid to cause a big FA Cup upset?
9. Why do mouth ulcers now seem to come more frequently than they used to, and always in two's?
10. Are the Egyptians just cashing in on recent instability in Sudan and Tunisia, or has a hostility to their 30 year President actually been building for more than the mere 5 days that have seen demonstrations taking place? And on the flipside, given that if Mubarak were to merely stick his head out of an open window it seems likely at present that there would be at least one Egyptian among the angry mob crazy enough to shoot him, what possible reason must he still have to want to remain in power?
11. Why have my music tastes recently regressed to the early 1990s (for example, R.E.M.'s "Automatic for the People", Sting's "Ten Summoner's Tales", Phil Collins' (yes, I know!) "Both Sides" - actually a great album -and Crowded House's "Woodface")?
12. Is anyone actually reading this blog apart from immediate family? Who am I really doing it for?
Just stuff that's on my mind...
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Band of Brothers
For Christmas, I was given the box set of The Pacific. This is a WWII miniseries which focuses on the war in (of all places) the Pacific. A war about which I previously knew very little. Some will no doubt proclaim it to be just another US TV show which excessively over-dramatises the emotional impact of the history involved for the sake of good ratings. But I was very keen to not only watch it, but to own it, because I think that these types of TV dramas still do more to keep the history of the time both alive and accessible to those who did not live through it than they do any kind of disservice to the memories of those who died.
This was a sentiment that I first felt when I previously watched Band of Brothers (made by the same production team as made The Pacific). Band of Brothers is the story of Easy Company (part of the US 101st Airborne division), and was entirely developed from the single book of the same name (which I have also read), written and compiled by the late historian Stephen Ambrose from direct interviews with those who were there. Each episode in the series is book-ended with on-camera interviews with those same men; principal among them was their accidental leader, Maj. Richard Winters, who died this week.
The history of Easy Company's war is a virtual history of the war itself. Parachuting into Normandy the day before D-Day, they were tasked with paving the way for the landings themselves. They then fought through Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, and ended the war in the wine cellar of Berchtesgarden (Hitler's own Alpine home). The portrayal of Major Winters in Band of Brothers is understated and, according to those of his 'brothers' that are still alive and whose tributes have been published online this week, entirely appropriate to his natural character. The fact that Major Winters is included as one of the principal interviewees at the beginning and end of each episode seems to reinforce this.
So why does all this matter? Well, without wishing to be mawkish, I still believe this to be a fascinating period of history not just because of what went on, but also (perhaps more importantly) for what might have happened were it not for the courage, spirit and determination of the people at the time (whether American, British or otherwise). It was, it seems, a time when everyone pulled together out of a sense of pride and duty for their countries; some did massively important things and led major operation after major operation (Winters is a prime example). Others, had smaller, more localised roles (my one remaining grandparent - my Nan who, I am overjoyed to be able to say, is coming out to Dubai to visit us in 3 weeks time at the age of 89 - worked for the WAAFs, stitching together barrage balloons). But regardless of whatever military positions or medals may have separated them at the time, none that you ever meet today display any sense of arrogance over their personal triumphs, achievements and contributions. The war was a great leveller it seems.
Today, when celebrities, footballers and the like are worshipped, idolised and overpaid in a way which only feeds their already over-conceited egos, the comparison with those who genuinely have done something of which they can be proud is striking. I enjoy watching and re-watching Band of Brothers (and will look forward to watching The Pacific) for the same reason: to be able to forget that the world today is selfish and self-obsessed, and instead to wonder if there will be ever again be a time when people can derive collective pride from serving a greater common good together.
At the end of the last episode of Band of Brothers, Major Winters tells the story about a question that his grandson once asked him. I believe that the response he gives applies to all who lived and worked through that time. If you only click on one link from this blog, let it be this one.
This was a sentiment that I first felt when I previously watched Band of Brothers (made by the same production team as made The Pacific). Band of Brothers is the story of Easy Company (part of the US 101st Airborne division), and was entirely developed from the single book of the same name (which I have also read), written and compiled by the late historian Stephen Ambrose from direct interviews with those who were there. Each episode in the series is book-ended with on-camera interviews with those same men; principal among them was their accidental leader, Maj. Richard Winters, who died this week.
The history of Easy Company's war is a virtual history of the war itself. Parachuting into Normandy the day before D-Day, they were tasked with paving the way for the landings themselves. They then fought through Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, and ended the war in the wine cellar of Berchtesgarden (Hitler's own Alpine home). The portrayal of Major Winters in Band of Brothers is understated and, according to those of his 'brothers' that are still alive and whose tributes have been published online this week, entirely appropriate to his natural character. The fact that Major Winters is included as one of the principal interviewees at the beginning and end of each episode seems to reinforce this.
So why does all this matter? Well, without wishing to be mawkish, I still believe this to be a fascinating period of history not just because of what went on, but also (perhaps more importantly) for what might have happened were it not for the courage, spirit and determination of the people at the time (whether American, British or otherwise). It was, it seems, a time when everyone pulled together out of a sense of pride and duty for their countries; some did massively important things and led major operation after major operation (Winters is a prime example). Others, had smaller, more localised roles (my one remaining grandparent - my Nan who, I am overjoyed to be able to say, is coming out to Dubai to visit us in 3 weeks time at the age of 89 - worked for the WAAFs, stitching together barrage balloons). But regardless of whatever military positions or medals may have separated them at the time, none that you ever meet today display any sense of arrogance over their personal triumphs, achievements and contributions. The war was a great leveller it seems.
Today, when celebrities, footballers and the like are worshipped, idolised and overpaid in a way which only feeds their already over-conceited egos, the comparison with those who genuinely have done something of which they can be proud is striking. I enjoy watching and re-watching Band of Brothers (and will look forward to watching The Pacific) for the same reason: to be able to forget that the world today is selfish and self-obsessed, and instead to wonder if there will be ever again be a time when people can derive collective pride from serving a greater common good together.
At the end of the last episode of Band of Brothers, Major Winters tells the story about a question that his grandson once asked him. I believe that the response he gives applies to all who lived and worked through that time. If you only click on one link from this blog, let it be this one.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Never judge a New Year by its cover
Oh dear. More than two months since my last blog entry? Oh well, New Year, new renewed vigour, perhaps.
The start of this New Year sees our swiming pool complete, but the garden that surrounds it under a continual state of development (as is appropriate perhaps for a Dubai garden). Guarantees from our British builder of a foreman (slightly bolshy, slightly balding, slightly overweight and no doubt not far from retirement; not sure how he takes his cups of tea though) that it will all be done by the end of January are, in my mind, dwindling in their reliability day by day, but we shall see....
Meanwhile - and prepare yourselves for two rather random and unexciting, but to me slightly quirky facts:
(1) I have already managed to start and finish reading a book this year;, and
(2) (For no other reason than it was there when I was standing in the office kitchen boiling the kettle and I thought I'd try it) I have taken a liking to green tea. Not only because it gives me something to do to break up the otherwise long, devoid-of-work office mornings, without having to go buy/make another cup of coffee (which, by lunchtime, is usually all I can taste after maybe 3 or 4 cups). But also, apparently, because it is Good For YouTM.
The book that I read though was called The To-Do List by Mike Gayle. A throw-away trashy novel admittedly, it relates the story of the author's quest to complete a 1,277 to-do list in a year. I read it in 6 days, which by my recent standards is a minor miracle. I'll admit though that it's been a while since I read something quite as easy; a break at least from the political biographies that line my shelves. I'm not convinced that, come the end, the author felt that he had achieved the life-change that was originally his motivation, but it was entertaining none the less. And rang many a few bells.
Next up: A Week in December by Sebastian Faulks. It's one of 6 books (including "The To-Do List") that I recently bought here in the Borders sale - all for less than £20. Am already at page 30(!) after 2 days. I hope that I maintain this new found enthusiasm for reading.
And one side point (again, of questionable interest to most) that I will at least admit is that I have rediscovered that there is nothing quite like the smell and feel of a new book. I had been almost sold on the appeal (due mainly I'll admit to its inherent gadgety-ness) of the Amazon Kindle. But now, I'm fairly sure that I don't really want one. There are some things in life that you can't improve on. Brand new paper books are one.
The start of this New Year sees our swiming pool complete, but the garden that surrounds it under a continual state of development (as is appropriate perhaps for a Dubai garden). Guarantees from our British builder of a foreman (slightly bolshy, slightly balding, slightly overweight and no doubt not far from retirement; not sure how he takes his cups of tea though) that it will all be done by the end of January are, in my mind, dwindling in their reliability day by day, but we shall see....
Meanwhile - and prepare yourselves for two rather random and unexciting, but to me slightly quirky facts:
(1) I have already managed to start and finish reading a book this year;, and
(2) (For no other reason than it was there when I was standing in the office kitchen boiling the kettle and I thought I'd try it) I have taken a liking to green tea. Not only because it gives me something to do to break up the otherwise long, devoid-of-work office mornings, without having to go buy/make another cup of coffee (which, by lunchtime, is usually all I can taste after maybe 3 or 4 cups). But also, apparently, because it is Good For YouTM.
The book that I read though was called The To-Do List by Mike Gayle. A throw-away trashy novel admittedly, it relates the story of the author's quest to complete a 1,277 to-do list in a year. I read it in 6 days, which by my recent standards is a minor miracle. I'll admit though that it's been a while since I read something quite as easy; a break at least from the political biographies that line my shelves. I'm not convinced that, come the end, the author felt that he had achieved the life-change that was originally his motivation, but it was entertaining none the less. And rang many a few bells.
Next up: A Week in December by Sebastian Faulks. It's one of 6 books (including "The To-Do List") that I recently bought here in the Borders sale - all for less than £20. Am already at page 30(!) after 2 days. I hope that I maintain this new found enthusiasm for reading.
And one side point (again, of questionable interest to most) that I will at least admit is that I have rediscovered that there is nothing quite like the smell and feel of a new book. I had been almost sold on the appeal (due mainly I'll admit to its inherent gadgety-ness) of the Amazon Kindle. But now, I'm fairly sure that I don't really want one. There are some things in life that you can't improve on. Brand new paper books are one.
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