Simon Said:

Posted by mobile phone:
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“An hour early” was a form of birthday present at my Boarding School. It was not really a present; it was more like a plank!

This involved changing his clocks, watches to an hour early while he is fast at sleep. So he would get up an hour early!

I don’t know if this still exist amongst modern boarding schools but this is a classic.

Of course I did get the same treatment. But I made them work hard! As in those days I never took off my watch, so it wasn’t easy for them to change the time on my watch without waking me up.

So they did, and so I did wake up at an hour early. While I was getting dress and ready for Breakfast, I was surprised that no one was up, everyone was still asleep. I turned on the radio a little to find out that I have been done. My roommates were pretending to be sleeping and started to laugh at me.

I said “You bast@rds!”, before I burst out laughing too!

I know I soon be another year older. Although I don’t have any roommates, but this morning the time on my alarm clock was set to an hour early. It must be me during my sleep! As I was about to leave the flat, I noticed the real time from another clock. I was done… by myself!

Happy Birthday to myself then, my inner self send me a present, thank you! LOL!

It means that I am at work an hour early, so I am finishing early, after all its date night on Monday nights!

Take Care
Simon

To compliment the so far boring World Cup, I hope this can bring some laughs out of you!

My Goalkeeping CV

95-98 Truro School – 3^rd Team

98/99 UMIST – 3^rd Team

99/00 UMIST – Chem Eng Team

Then I retired!

I love playing in goal, even though I was rubbish! My reflex is very good, it is just my handling is poor, and so is my kicking.

The feeling of catching a ball or making a great save is magical! I rather save a goal than score one.

I can remember lots of great saves but I also can remember lots of mistakes too! Most of those mistakes end up giving goals away. (Even now, playing in 5-a-side!).

It is a huge understatement to say that I know how “Green” feels. Even a world class keeper makes mistakes. You are really playing with luck sometimes.

To a goalkeeper, you have to wait. You have to wait for a shot, a cross to come at you. A goalkeeper can only respond and play then. Sometime you only get one chance to show your skills. Lack of concentration will make you do silly things. Well Green you just have to wait until your next match. Although I think James should play, Capello will probably stick with Green. Finger crossed, you are not cursed with making blunders like me.

When I was in Hong Kong, I noticed something under my bed. It was my violin. My name was written across the case. Then a flurry of memories came back to me.

BTW It was a waste of money because I wasn’t any good and I gave it up early.

I did not start learning until first year (aged 12 ish) in secondary school. I was still in Hong Kong then, in my “Form 1″ at a school in Aberdeen.

School Choir, Trips and First Experience of the Violin

Every student was encouraged to take some extra curriculum activities. I chose to learn the Violin with a few of my school friends. However I had experienced playing the Violin a few years before that. It was while I was in Primary School, I was part of the school choir (yes I was!). It was seen to be a “cool” thing to be included in the choir. There was not many other external activities. To be in the choir, it meant school trips to Competition, Music Concerts and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. It was that trip to the HKAPA where I first got my hand on a Violin.

The building itself was an art on its own. There are number of theatres and practice rooms. While touring inside the building, you could hear and feel the music coming from various musical instruments. We were all sat down inside one of the theatre rooms. Our guide at the academy was showing us a range of musical instruments. She pick me out as a volunteer to demonstrate some of the instrument on display. I picked the Violin. There I was in front of 30 odd0 people, played my first few notes on the Violin.

Violin Class and Teacher

I went to a boys school, and our Violin class was in a group. I think we muck about more than actually learn to play the thing. I am sure that our teacher was more focus on getting us to behave rather than teach us to play the violin.

But I did start to learn and like it. It made me feel more talented and whatever…

Taking the Violin to the UK

I didn’t stop when I came over to the UK. I asked my Hong Kong teacher to source me a violin, it wasn’t a top of the grade but it was expensive enough. I continue my lessons at school but it was becoming *uncool* and a burden. I didn’t really practice, so progress was extremely slow. Even more so in my school at Truro, everyone had to have some after school activities. My housemaster Dr Allen was so kind to arrange me to join the orchestra. I was only Grade 2 or 3 then ie not good enough to play there!!! But I went along, it was an horrifying experience. I didn’t know how to play, all I could do was “Pretend”, I was such a good actor that I didn’t get found out! So there I was playing air violin all that hour, so painful! Of course I never went back for a second time, even though I was sharing a music stand with a lovely girl. (Still have a thing about girls playing the violin, *wink*)

Unique hand-recorder player

In the end, my love of sports has taken over me. It was becoming more and more difficult to pick up the violin. I have no doubt that I will play again. I have no doubt that my violin will be used again, but for the time being it is safely stored under my bed in Hong Kong.

However there is one instrument that I am still practising and playing with, that is my hands-shaped like a bowl-sounded like a recorder thing. I have been playing it for more than 20 years. Never failed me as a party trick, or impress people. When I am brave enough, I will queue up for Britain’s Got Talent. But I think I will youtube it first and blog about it.

The only song I can play is the English National Anthem. Who would want to see/hear that? It beats the violin anyday!

Sorry for not writing a post for a while. Back with some deep stuff I guess…

Do you reflect? Reflect on what you do? How’s your day been? Where you are heading?

When I was little, my mum taught me to reflect every night before I go to sleep. Consider what I have and haven’t done well! Sometime I have to admit that looking back can be painful. I would rather look forward only. But you cannot really go forward without looking back, as your baggage becomes heavier and heavier.

One must learn about how ones behave today to correct ones behaviour tomorrow.

Reflecting is like facing your demons. I am human and make a lot of mistakes. Do I go over every mistake and learn from them? Probably not, but I try to. There are good days and there are bad days. But as long as you are honest with yourself then you can really clear your mind burdens.

Reflecting helps me, and gives me strength to get up the next day, do the things I do well and tackle the things I don’t do well. It is not all above criticising either, sometime it is also very positives. I can be jumping up and down before I go to sleep, because I have done something I am proud off. Give yourself a pat on the back!

You answer to no one, you answer to yourself. Why would you let other people judge you when you can be your own judge?

Reflection or Reflecting is actually a learning and self continuous improvement technique. You can probably find out more from Google.

Reflecting….

Simon

I can shuffle a pack of cards.

The actually name of my shuffle is called “The Riffle Shuffle”.

When I was very young in Hong Kong, we used to play alot indoors, whether it is cards or board games.

My auntie Iris and Peggy taught us (the little ones) how to play cards and shuffle.

Few weeks back, I went along to a poker game with colleagues. I just pick up the pack of cards and did my shuffle.

I kind of announced myself to the table, since no one else can shuffle like Simon!

This shuffling technique is actually very simple, watch and learn.

Every a number of week, our (now Australian) parent company would hold a Beer and Pizza event. It is an after work social to get people together. Free Beer and Pizza!

First I got conned by the low alcohol beer. It was a Carlsberg but only got 0.5% alcohol. I thought it was a proper one, but conned by the label until someone told me.

The emails went around the office before promoted the after party to be some kind of a must attend event. So I prepare myself for that and went along.

Got the tram into the office (was annoyed it had took me ages), so that I can drink.

After the beer and pizzas, we went over to the bar over the road from office. The turnout was actually quite poor; there were about 10 in the bar.

We had a couple of drinks and half of the people left and there were only 5 of us going into town to meet our new colleagues from our parent company.

As we were about to go pass Castlefield, one said: “This is interesting, I like to look into people’s flat and see them watching TV.”

Then I said: “I live in one of these!” and as the Tram went pass my flats, I point out where my palace was and offered to come out naked and wave next time his tram passes by.

We met the others in a pub on Deansgate, had a couple of drinks, spoke to a funny Kiwi guy who surprisingly live in one of those “you can look into on the tram flat”.

It was always the plan to go to Dukes 92 (my favourite and kind of my local), but more faffing about, not in sync drinking, forced the parent company colleagues to go first.

As we were about to head off some 10 mins later, some came back into the pub and said they have lost people who went home, oh…well…..

Once we have had another drink, we went to Dukes finally. On the way to Dukes, one has asked me what I thought about a Chinese Restaurant he’s recently been to in the Northern Quarters.

Well my answer was: “It’s excellent; I go pretty much every day!” No I didn’t say that exactly, I said “I am bias, but they are very good, next time you mention my name you might get an extra prawn cracker!”

It was Friday night and it was busy but wasn’t full at Dukes.

We sat outside for some more drinks and chit chat.

A pair of my lovely colleagues: Celena and Sharon, with Tony Morris from ITV Granada in the background! Who? You know who, the Trevor Nelson lookalike.

I went home at about midnight, but the rest of the gang headed out towards town for more drinks until 3am I was later told.

It was a shame that not more have came out. But I’m sure when the weather gets better; those party animals will come out.

Take Care

Simon

My account of a not very typical but fun packed week (couple of weeks back…)

Can I start from Saturday? oh go on then

Saturday

I went to an Retirement Show with my girlfriend, we started the day with some Tai Chi. It was so fun, we both enjoyed it very much.

In the afternoon, she was assisting her sister in their cooking demonstration on stage. I was “the assistant to the assistant”, they gave me a sale target just like at work, to sell her book. I help sold 3!

Sunday

I went to see Suede at The Ritz in Manchester. I was very excited. It was one of the best, brought me back to school days when I used to play their songs very loud in the boarding house. Some YouTube links here, a prize for who can spot a jumping Simon!

Trash

Animal Nitrate

Everything will flow

The Beautiful Ones

Brett was awesome! The very best of britpop and what a gig.

Hope they would come back and do it again.

Monday

Meet my girlfriend for dinner (Sushi – yummy…), went for a drink near my place, in the middle of the quiz night. yuk!

Tuesday

Nothing, it was just a boring day…

Wednesday

Took my school mate to  my girlfriends’ place to eat before heading off to the football game at Manchester City against Everton

Dinner was great, thank you my dear. We loved it!

The game was dull, referee was diabolical. Everton won 2-nil but the game was played like a nil-nil.

But I did see some retired ex-gunners Paddy Vieira  and Kolo Toure.  They look relax and enjoying their retirement. (They have past it unfortunately!)

Shame I didn’t see the handbags fight from both managers at the end, I was at the opposite end.

Still fun to go to a live game.

Thursday

I was busy at work, but quite as productive though…

After work, I went to the office mixed five a side, started in goal again, but got beaten twice by a girl. She is streetwise, apparently.

The lowest point in my career? Well unfortunately not! I was in goal once for UMIST and lost 12-1 >_< It was the defence! not me…

Still it was fun, good exercise to keep my weight loss plan on track……

Friday

Busy at work again but it was dress down day so I came in with my Coca Cola Delivery Man shirt with Coca Cola badges and COKE written on the back. I love this shirt. Only recently that I could fit back in it.

For my round of drinks, I asked: “Tea, Coffee or COKE?”

Then I tag along to cricket nets with a colleague from work. It was so much fun, I love cricket, haven’t played for donkey years. It is slowly coming back to me, my leg breaks, top spinners and the ‘Chinamen’ (one that goes the other way…)

My bowling was dissapointing but batting was much more fun, even did a cheeky sweep (my trademark!). Oh I did get a caught and bowled.

Saturday

My whole body was shattered. But got myself up though for a special haircut at Trevs, then met my girlfriend to find something to eat.

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That was it, my not very typical but fun packed week…

WoW! This is my 200 Blog Posts…

I am “Simple”, I am “Simon”, I am “Happy” and this was my “Day” today.

7:00am – Woke Up

7:15am – Got Up – Put my work face on and my HAIR up at a cool but looking professional angle

7:30am – Wondering around my flat to get myself more woken up

7:35am – Got dress, picked a tie!

7:40am – Left the flat, took the lift to the car park

7:42am – In the car, setup the TomTom, picked an album (Escala was today’s pick)

7:45am – On route to site

8:00am – Humming inside the car along the motorway, hurray! no traffic was stopping me today…

8:30am – Arriving on site, what a lovely sunny spring day…above the GIANT chimney…

8:45am – Met up with my manager

8:55am – Got kitted up, safety boots, hard hat, safety specs, big yellow jacket…

9:00am – Met the client

10:00am – Meeting over then went around for the site tour

10:30am – Breathing in and eating wood dust

11:00am – More breathing in and eating wood dust but now enjoying it!

12:30am – Lunch – Thank god, they ran out of “Wood” Chips.

12:35am – Talked Football

12:45am – Talked Chinese New Year

12:55am – Talked Hong Kong

13:00am – Talked Climate Change & Work

13:30am – Proper engineers’ discussions

14:00pm – More of above

15:00pm – More of above

16:00pm – More of above

16:45pm – Got into car, stayed in the car, first Tweeted then returned missed calls and voicemails, then checked emails

17:15pm – Drove off back to the office

18:00pm – Arrived at the office, my-happy-self said “GOOD MORNING” to people who were still there *joke*

18:05pm - A colleague said “He was worried by the cleaner’s ringtone last night when he was the last  one in with him. It sounded much like those religious music!”

18:06pm - Simon said “Don’t worry about it, but if he takes out a video camera with a tripod and some black curtains then run for your life!” Cracking up haha…

18:15pm – Got changed into my football kit sporting the Arsenal colours

18:30pm – Drove off to the football place

19:00pm – Kick off, started in goal – of course!

19:02pm – First Save

19:05pm – Second Save

19:07pm – Third Save

19:10pm – Fourth Save – lost count then…

19:15pm – Swapped and played outfield

19:20pm – Bad dribbling

19:25pm – More Bad dribbling

19:30pm – More Bad dribbling

19:40pm – Dribbled pass one, shaped to go left but went right, saw a gap to bottom right corner, curved the shot around a player and the goalie in the tight bottom corner GOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL (it was a good goal but very much dramatised by my words…heh!)

20:00pm – Game Over, said Goodbyes, drove home…

20:25pm – Got home, checked facebook, twitter, skype, emails

21:00pm – Dinner – just made something quick…

21:30pm – Writing this blog

22:00pm – Publishing this blog

22:30pm – Getting ready for bed

23:00pm – Updating this blog and checking my loudsy spellings and grammar.

23:30pm – Will be reflecting on a good day, feeling happy and smiling to myself

00:00am – Sleep & will be having a dream or two…(greedy me…)