My Life!!!

Whitney Houston

2012-02-12T15:07:00.001-08:00

What can I say, I grew up on her music, it got me threw tough times and also made me cry a lot. I have all her music and will treasure it.
RIP Whitney, you're a legend!

Very interesting!!!!!!!

2012-02-11T05:01:00.000-08:00

Death threats made on Facebook to new mum

10:00am Tuesday 29th November 2011 in

By Melanie Vass »

A NEW mother was left fearing for her baby’s life after receiving death threats and vile abuse on her Facebook site.

Sophie Barrett-Daborn, 17, was horrified when she saw that someone had written: “Leo is going to be murdered” on her Facebook wall.

The same person also bombarded her site with taunts about three-week-old baby Leo and left a mobile phone number.

When Sophie’s partner Tommy rang it, he was told: “Your baby is going to be killed.”

The terrified couple called the police but were told there was nothing they could do and they should stay away from the site.

Sophie, who lives in Christchurch, said the abuse occurred after she accepted a stranger as a friend.

She had been visiting a parenting site hoping to meet other young mums when she received the friend request.

But within moments of accepting the stranger, the abuse started to appear.

“It was frightening,” she said.

“I had no idea if they knew me and whether they lived locally or not.

“They were saying they were going to murder my son and for all I knew they could have been living just round the corner.

“I didn’t understand how they could write that about my son or why they would want to do so.

“We phoned the police but they basically said they couldn’t do anything about it and told us to stop using Facebook.

“We couldn’t believe it – a three-week-old baby is receiving death threats and they won’t act until it’s too late.”

After a bit of investigation, Sophie discovered that other mums had received similar abuse from people using several different names.

She is now warning other Facebook users to be careful: “I would just say be careful who you accept as a friend, particularly if it’s someone you don’t know or someone with no profile picture.

“Make sure you can see who you’re accepting.

“I don’t want anyone to have the same traumatic evening we had.”

A spokesperson for Facebook said every user was able to block people who harass them and to report them to the site administrators.

Dorset Police did not wish to comment on the incident but said Sophie could make an official complaint which would be looked into.

ALSO in the news....

A polish man who smuggled 46,650 cigarettes into Manchester airport in two suitcases was allowed to walk free with a caution from customs officials but leaving his stash of cigarettes behind where they would be destroyed...

AND IT HAPPENS AGAIN BA!!!!!

2012-02-07T01:52:00.000-08:00

'Terror link' pilot who flew 747s for BA can be identified for the first time

By IAN GALLAGHER

Last updated at 1:55 AM on 5th February 2012

A Muslim pilot arrested over an alleged terrorist plot involving an aircraft was a senior first officer for British Airways and flew Boeing 747 jets.

He can be identified for the first time today as Surrey-born Samir Jamaluddin.

The 39-year-old is suing the airline for racial and religious discrimination after losing his job.

He was judged a security risk after his arrest by Scotland Yard counter-terrorism detectives in 2007, and the airline decided it was in the national interest to ensure he never flew again.

He was eventually dismissed three years later.

The pilot was unmasked when employment tribunal reporting restrictions were lifted on Friday after 12 days of highly charged evidence, allowing the case’s extraordinary circumstances to be revealed for the first time.

'Proud to be British': Pilot Samir Jamaluddin

During the case – described as unique and unprecedented – the tribunal heard that BA became increasingly ‘frustrated’ at the previous Labour Government’s failure to act over the issue.

In private, the security services and the Department for Transport’s security arm, Transec, backed the airline’s decision to prevent Mr Jamaluddin from flying.

But they failed to pursue the matter or support BA officially, even after BA’s former chief executive, Willie Walsh, raised the matter with then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.

BA was told the Government was not prepared to instruct the firm to withdraw Mr Jamaluddin’s airside security pass because, at the time, it was ‘particularly sensitive to its handling of terrorist threats’.

The tribunal heard this was because some suspected terrorists had recently had their convictions overturned on appeal.

Final ruling: BA chief Willie Walsh arriving at the tribunal

Mr Walsh said of his meeting with the Home Secretary: ‘Among the issues we discussed was the involvement of various Government agencies in Samir’s case, their reluctance to confirm many of their oral recommendations in writing, and the difficult position this put BA in.’

Tim Steeds, BA’s director of security, accused Transec of ‘sitting on the fence’ and said he too asked the Home Secretary ‘to move things forward’.

But help was not forthcoming and the airline was left to resolve the problem alone.

‘They [Transec] were clear they did not want Samir to fly again, but that the decision to allow Samir to fly or not was BA’s,’ said Mr Steeds. ‘We became so frustrated.’

The tribunal heard that at a briefing attended by MI5, MI6 and senior police officers in October 2007, BA was warned that two businessmen wanted to fly a ‘747 by Christmas 2007’ and had paid for lessons upfront in cash.

Both had been having up to four lessons a day, which the tribunal was told was ‘extremely unusual’.

But BA believed they would have had time to learn only to ‘steer a 747 mid-flight, not take off or land’.

The two men were arrested along with Mr Jamaluddin later the same month, after his close links to them were uncovered by police.

None of the arrests resulted in convictions, but after conducting two inquiries the airline concluded Mr Jamaluddin was in a ‘position to cause considerable harm’ and should not fly again.

Ultimately, the final ruling on his future was made by Mr Walsh, now chief executive of BA’s parent company, International Airlines Group.

The pilot, a practising Muslim of Indian descent, believes the decision to end his ten-year career was unfair and taken against a background of post-September 11 paranoia and prejudice.

More...

He said his job with BA represented the ‘pinnacle of commercial flying’, insisted he was proud to be British and said he was effectively judged, wrongly, as ‘guilty by association’.

But in his evidence Mr Walsh insisted: ‘I emphatically deny that I have discriminated against Samir.’

BA acknowledged that the ‘stakes were high’ for both sides. While the pilot’s career was at risk, ‘a wrong decision could have . . . potentially catastrophic consequences for BA and its passengers’.

'Security risk': As a senior first officer, Samir Jamaluddin flew jumbo jets for British Airways

Mr Steeds said that after the Twin Towers attacks in 2001, it became apparent anyone who knew how to fly posed a potential threat and that ‘airlines would need to have absolute trust in their pilots’.

He revealed that BA persuaded counter-terrorism officers not to arrest Mr Jamaluddin under the Terrorism Act because it would cause the airline ‘significant public relations issues’.

He said it would also have been bad for the Government’s relations with the US.

In the event, Mr Jamaluddin was arrested over money-laundering offences connected to the alleged terror plot and, much to BA’s relief, the news never became public.

The pilot’s brother, Yakoob Jamaluddin, an active member of the Islamist extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, was questioned over the same offences but never charged.

Mr Steeds first became aware of the alleged plot on October 9, 2007, when he was briefed under the Official Secrets Act.

He was told how two men – Adam Mohamed, 32, of Chessington, Surrey, and Imad Shoubaki, 35, of Merton, South London – had ‘sought flying lessons in order to achieve a private pilot’s licence as quickly as possible’.

Mr Steeds said police ‘disrupted that activity’ because of fears about what they might be planning.

BA documents relating to 747 aircraft were discovered in Mr Shoubaki’s home after his arrest.

The discrimination case is being heard at the tribunal building in Havant, Hampshire

Mr Steeds said he was told at the briefing that ‘information suggested these documents had been passed at a dinner party in Chessington. I was asked for details of BA pilots who might live in that area’.

The airline came up with Mr Jamaluddin. Not only did he live a mile away, he had also been the subject of an informal inquiry a year earlier after allegedly expressing support for the September 11 attacks while on a flight deck – a claim he denies.

Police then established the first of several links between Mr Jamaluddin and the two men. The first was that his brother Yakoob was in business with Mr Mohamed.

The pilot and his brother were arrested on October 23. Mr Steeds said police told him it ‘seemed as if Samir had been expecting to be arrested’ as they found the name and number of a prominent human rights lawyer who specialises in race discrimination issues punched into his mobile phone.

‘They also informed me that copies of the flight documents previously shown to BA had been found in Samir’s flight bag.’

He added: ‘I considered it was too much of a coincidence that Samir had documents in his possession which were the same as those found in Mr Shoubaki’s possession, given the links.’

Police did not find Mr Jamaluddin’s fingerprints on the papers and, despite the airline’s suspicions, it was never proved that the pilot was the source.

But it also transpired that the pilot and his brother were co- signatories on a safety deposit box next to a box rented by the father of Mr Mohamed.

It was found to contain a large amount of cash and records showed both boxes had been opened at the same time.

Unique case: The Mail on Sunday revealed news of the tribunal two weeks ago

Mr Steeds said he was equally ‘troubled’ by a cheque stub found at Mr Jamaluddin’s house recording a payment of £10,000 to Mr Mohamed.

The pilot claimed it was a payment for the rent of a flat, but BA did not find the explanation convincing.

Mr Steeds said it was also suspicious that Mr Jamaluddin applied to join pilots’ union Balpa only after Mr Shoubaki and Mr Mohamed were arrested.

Again, he said it suggested that Mr Jamaluddin was quite possibly expecting to be caught up in the terror investigation and ‘might need representation’.

Mr Mohamed and Mr Shoubaki were accused of a range of terror offences, including conspiring to possess money for terrorist purposes.

All charges against Mr Mohamed were dropped, and in September 2008 a jury cleared Mr Shoubaki, an IT specialist, of possessing items of use to a terrorist.

He was accused of seeking to amass a library about making explosives and collecting ‘practical, step-by-step instructions’ for anyone interested in founding a ‘worldwide Islamic state’ on violence.

Jurors at Southwark Crown Court cleared him after he said he did not own the items found in his house and did not know how they got there.

His boss had told the court that Mr Shoubaki described the 2001 attack on the Twin Towers as ‘God’s will’.

When the trial ended, BA began an internal investigation which eventually found that Mr Jamaluddin had no case to answer.

However, he was still deemed a security risk and unsuitable to fly a jumbo jet.

Explaining the decision to withdraw Mr Jamaluddin’s airside pass, thus ending his BA career, Mr Steeds said: ‘I concluded there was a more than trivial security risk in allowing Samir to operate BA aircraft.

‘I know from many years of working with the Metropolitan Police that releasing an individual without charge does not necessarily mean there are no longer any suspicions.

In some instances, the Government’s policy is to disrupt a plot before it reaches its final stages, in the interests of public safety, even if this means that ultimately there is insufficient evidence to prosecute.

‘I was satisfied on the evidence that there was more than a trivial security risk in this case, and therefore I could not be satisfied that Samir was suitable to hold a security pass.

My suspicions were not unfounded.’

He was supported by Mr Walsh, who dealt with Mr Jamaluddin’s appeal against the decision. Mr Walsh told the tribunal: ‘In all the circumstances of this case, I agreed with Tim Steeds that BA could not permit Samir to fly BA aircraft.’

The hearing continues.

Much to offer

2012-02-06T03:19:00.000-08:00

As a person, a human being, and to whoever wanted to employ me, i have so much to offer, i am totally customer focussed and that is my ultimate goal within my job, when passengers leave happy i can drive home knowing i have done a good job.

Customer satisfaction need only be a small gesture but it could turn a single moment into a customer everlasting memory, something they would talk about when amongst friends and you could call that free advertising.

I have worked in the past for companies i was not that keen on but it never affected the way i worked as i am motivated by customer praise, the more i get the more i do it can only be a "great place to be" not only for employee, but for employer!

Is flying for me? Can i put my hand on my heart and say i am enjoying it 100%? Will i move on? What will i do?

I am still surrounded and supported by many 1988-1995 friends and 2010-2011 friends but anything in the middle is a grey area, am i forgotten?

EURODISNEY THE EVENT

2012-02-03T05:30:00.000-08:00

Things livened once people started to arrive on 1st February so i had people to socialise with.
The evening started with meeting old Caledonian colleagues and EasyJet colleagues to walk over to Walt Disney Studios for the event, it was very very cold, around -9 so we were well wrapped up in coats, scarves, gloves with our finery hiding underneath which would be revealed once we were in a heated building.

Lesley joined Caledonian Airways with me in 1988 so lovely to see her again and spend quality time catching up.

Once we arrived at Walt Disney Studios Theatre, we were warmer and settled in ready for the awards ceremony.

Mandy is Base Manager at Gatwick and a lovely lady, she has the right mix of business and spending time engaging with crews which is motivational, she won the Overall Spirit award and as you will see her name will appear on G-EZFO for 12 months until the next ceremony in 2013 when someones elses name will appear on the aircraft.

Me and Lesley again but with Tina Milton ( nee Sherry) in the middle, she is head of Cabin Services for Easyjet and to think at Caledonian she was junior to us both, but nice to have a reunion photo all together.

my lovely friend Andy Lyons, i used to fly with his partner at BA James and this is the first time i had met Andy but he had heard all about me!!

The dress code for the night was Hollywood Glamour or dress as your favourite movie character, i, along with Line trainer Sarah mc Sweeney decided to go on a mission to have my photograph taken with all the people who had made the effort to dress up, so here goes!!! First of course.....Jack Black

Who you gonna call......GHOSTBUSTERS!!!!!

Hannibal Lectre

Prince Charming and Fairy Godmother from Cinderella.

Shrek's Fiona.

Charlie Chaplin.

ooops. Not Fancy dress....Andy again!!!

Dracula and ???? no idea!!!!

Maverick.

As i dont drink i was not in the hangover state of some people so i was able to enjoy 4 hours in the disney parks as we had a free pass, it was very very cold just like the day before but the sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky.

Cinderellas castle as taken through the band stand from the top of Main Street.

Cruella De Villes car.

We queued for 45 minutes to get on the Tower of Terror, one of the most popular rides, i have done it in California and Florida so to do it here was weird as when the doors open when you are on the 13th floor about to drop i was used to the nice heat blast not a cold freezing wind. But i hung on like a did last time and closed my eyes!

Buzz Lightyear

As we came off the Tower of Terror we caught the afternoon Disney Main Street Parade, so nice when the sun is shining but the characters must have been wearing thermals, above, Mary Poppins.

Ariel.

Aladdin and the Princess

Woody and friends.

And the grand finale.
Mickey and Minnie.

The train journey home was a nightmare, firstly we were delayed in Disneyland to Lille by 20 minutes which made our connection to Eurostar very very tight.....we arrived with 5 minutes to spare so ran to Eurostar gate to be told you have to check in 30 minutes before departure so in the real world had the first train been on time we still only had 7 minutes connection time so i feel an email complaint coming on.

In Lille after leaving the station heaters and getting into the departure area we met Aaron Crow, i had no idea who he is but if you watch the BBC "The Magicians" on Saturday night he was travelling to appear in that, nice guy, and i will watching the TV this Saturday 3rd February to see how good his tricks are!!

As the sun sets over France we enter the channel tunnel darkness and i eventually turned the key in my front door at 2215, shattered, cold, but pleased to be home after a lovely two days away in the land of make believe.

Plug-gate

2012-02-01T04:24:00.001-08:00

Decided to leave my room and steal French electricity, maybe I will see a familiar face if I hang about down here

Day two Disneyland Paris

2012-02-01T02:44:00.001-08:00

When I evaluate my life now it is like an old man trying to fit into a young persons environment, they are all excited about getting drunk, their take on that is, the loudest drunkest group then makes the best EASYJET base......Wrong!!! It makes the most immature base!!!
This morning I was given my welcome pack of 1/4 bottle of champagne ( handy for a tee totaller ) why do nights out have to include alcohol as a give away, people just assume everyone will like it and loosen up, I don't need alcohol to function or enjoy myself and never will!! It's the biggest addictive drug on the market alongside cigarettes but too much tax is made on it to ban it. Oh yes, back to the welcome pack, 1/4 bottle of champagne, 5 euro Starbucks card ( where I am now using free Internet) 6 free drinks tokens for tonight's function ( drinks again!! ) and a Disney pass for after 12pm today or tomorrow, saving mine for tomorrow when I will have people here I know to enjoy it with.
If I am honest I am pretty bored now , Disneyland no fun on your own so let's hope today livens up a little and I am sitting with people I know later at the function, photos will follow in a later blog. But for now I will leave you with my complimentary venti latte.

Day one eurodisney

2012-01-31T11:57:00.001-08:00

Apart from the temperature being about -6 it's a strange place to be in the cold here in Paris when I am used to sunshine in either Florida or California. Don't really know anyone here as yet as most arriving tomorrow. Last time I travelled Eurostar it was first class and direct , this time it was economy with a change in Lille of 26 minutes, but as the train was 13 minutes late leaving St. Pancras it did not seem so bad.
The hotel is what you would expect, rammed with kids who be never seem to go to bed, the selfish parents would rather see them fall asleep on bar furniture than take them to bed, allows them another beer... Selfish!!!!
The rooms are decorated in a "lodge" style, well it is called the Sequoia lodge hotel, I have to twin beds, flat screen tv with more Disney channels than you can imagine and the rest French, German and Italian with the odd CNN and bbc world news thrown in for good measure.
I went for a stroll to the Disney village but every restaurant had queues outside and when I looked inside Mickey, Minnie or some other character from my past was wandering about with the photographer, not ideal for billy no mates on a table for one so I scuffled back to my hotel room and found a bag of mixed nuts and Tesco cheese and onion crisps in the bottom of my bag and yet again enjoyed, NOT, another Disney channel kids programme.

Funny!!

2012-01-28T09:21:00.000-08:00

TEN THINGS NOT TO DO ON BOARD AN AIRCRAFT!

Here it is, the ultimate list of what NOT to do on board an aircraft or you risk being offloaded, downgraded or blown up.

Don’t press your call bell – this will have a flurry of dollies on you like a tramp on a sandwich.
Don’t say “Can I have another drink?” – this will infuriate even the calmest dolly and they’re sure to put bleach in your top up.
Don’t leave your seat – you WILL be in the way. The end.
If you MUST leave your seat, make sure the service is finished because we’re not letting you passed even if you’ve imploded.
If you have to travel with children then a gag or duct tape usually keeps them quiet. Failing that; Night Nurse and two Neurofen.
Asking for a special meal when you haven’t ordered one is like asking to borrow a dolly’s toothbrush – it ain’t gonna happen.
Complaining when the person in front reclines their seat to a dolly is pointless a bit like asking for that second drink.
Whinging when you have to hand over your boarding card is a bit like complaining when a mechanic wants to look at your flat tyre – it needs to happen; get over it.
If you must visit the bathroom, men, wear shoes, you know what you are like for poor aiming skills. Women, hurry the fuck up it’s not a day spa!
Claiming an overhead locker as ‘yours’ is like claiming that the Euromillions is too, unless you have proof then you’re a loser….especially if you’re in economy.

Eurodisney 31-2nd Feb

2012-01-28T08:22:00.000-08:00

On 31st January i will be heading to Eurodisney on Eurostar from St.Pancras to join many other colleagues from all over the UK and Europe for the Spirit Awards, as in a previous blog i was nominated from many passengers and crew alike for my attitude to the job, my customer service, personality and spirit towards the airline.

I will update you on my return with full details of how it went including photographs, i have absolutely no idea what to expect, but it is so nice to be recognised in this way, hard work and dedication pay off in the end.

Someone's loss is someone elses gain!!!

Functioning normally!

2012-01-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes i wonder how i function on a daily basis, my life has been controlled by my job, going away, staying in hotels, being jet lagged and it is very very hard to adjust to life when this factor is taken away.
Every song i hear reminds me of flying , every tv show, every mouthful of food, tv ad, facebook comment, and even just driving clockwise on M25 can bring back a memory of days gone by.
Simple facebook comments like "leaving the rain behind and off to the sun" or " little shopping trip to New York" can set me off, i used to take things for granted when on longhaul and it is incredibly upsetting when you do not have it anymore.

One thing i have noticed is i have made more friends since starting my new job than i made in all that time at LHR, they were friends for the length of the trip and not friends for life, there is a huge difference there, shallow? possibly..... Selfish?..More than likely, but i still had good times during those trips with a lot of down to earth people even the ones with the " i work for BA and i'm the best" attitude. ( snobs)..
No more pictures of large houses and kids horses being pulled out of handbags!!

Do i miss it? of course i do, everyday, every minute of every day, it was what i had aspired too, it was my goal and after many failed attempts i was given my dream in the form of a job, i was a role model, passionate about my job, my uniform, my work and the reaction from passengers, i loved to anticipate passenger needs and look at their faces in amazement while i all but read their mind about what they needed, a gift which comes with experience.

Trying to "adjust" now is hard, eleven months since that day in March 2011 when i gave it all up to pursue something else, similar in job description, very disimilar in business ethics.

Today i was placed on more tablets by the doctor, my kidneys are not functioning properly so placed on Ramipril daily, also to help sugar levels i have an Saxagliptin to take on top of four Metformin per day, so on six pills a day now as well as the unprescribed sleeping pill which is the only thing which gets me to sleep with an active mind after all that has occurred.

BMI

2012-01-23T10:13:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe it, the telephone rang today and on the other end was BMI recruitment (British Midland International) offering me a training course on 12th March at LHR, the ironic thing is they have recently been bought out by BA, I could end up back in the uniform I just recently gave up, shocker eh !!! Now, let me think about this seriously.
Watch out, I could be back!!!

Nurse Visit

2012-01-20T07:48:00.000-08:00

20/01/12

Blood Pressure 126/84
Cholesterol 2.7
Blood Sugars 10.7
Liver\Kidney function ok

Doctors on 24/01/12 to talk about medication and next move to reduce sugar levels

Under the Weather

2012-01-15T06:58:00.000-08:00

For the last 4 days i have felt very poorly, symptoms are shivers then i will be very very hot, aching all over, pains in my stomach, base of back and between shoulder blades, headaches and my sugar levels are very very high, 12.1 on Friday then Saturday they had dropped to 10.6 and Sunday back up to 12.6 for no reason, colds, flus and stress affect sugar levels so we know who to blame for that.

I do not know how i drove from Newcastle to London on Friday, the journey seemed to go on forever but i needed to get home and into my own bed.

Last night my legs were so cold but sweaty as if there was no circulation and the blanket i had over me became damp from my skin.

This is not the face of a well person....

For those of you who contributed to my decline in health, watch out as i have not finished with you yet.

Gatwick - Sharm- Gatwick

2012-01-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

This day starts at 0805 and finishes around 2130, long day with a flight time of 4hrs 45 out and 5hours 40 on the way home, it was a complete gym work out with more trips from trolley to galley than my clicker could count.

Lovely passenger and using my past entertainment experience i was able to have a great time, we even had a celebrity onboard on the way home, Clare from the newly reformed "Steps" was flying back to the UK with her husband and two beautiful children. What a lovely lady she is, so polite and down to earth, a true star in my eyes, though i have never been in awe with celebs, they are just ordinary people, usually with no talent who are put into the limelight and we are expected to adore them, well i just treat them like everyone else, in God's eyes we are all special!

WTF!!!!!!

2012-01-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Girl gang who kicked woman in the head while yelling 'kill the white slag' freed after judge hears 'they weren't used to drinking because they're Muslims'

Yobs ripped lump of hair from Rhea Page's head during High Street attack
Three sisters and cousin escape with six-month suspended sentences
Maximum term for assault occasioning actual bodily harm is five years' jail
Judge: 'Those who knock someone to the floor and kick them in the head can expect to go inside, but I'm going to suspend the sentence'

Seems very unfair that others get tough Criminal records and fines for very little when these girls were caught on camera kicking the crap out of a girl and get away with it......SHOCKING... I smell a rat!!!

2011

2012-01-03T06:18:00.003-08:00

Just like a damaged painting can be restored, or stained shirt can be cleaned – we often describe ourselves as 'broken' after going through something that can psychologically and emotionally drain us. Human damage often comes from loss. Whether you lose a loved one, a job, your patience, health, energy or even your way - there is always a route to finding it again and we're never too far from fixable.

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time for sketching out plans to address your own cracks and scratches, and work out how to fix them. After all - 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'.

I had an interesting 2011. At the time, everything was moving too quickly to step back and see what was going on; in hindsight it was a year about growing, learning and making decisions. Unfortunately, not all of this was done the easy way, which has left a few creases that need ironing out and fixing for the future.

What I think is important is to know your damage and understand the best way to fix it. If deep, deep down you don’t actually want a gladiator body by the end of the year, then is there much point trying to get one? If it isn't what you're really looking for, you probably won't achieve it, and even if you do it's unlikely you'll feel fulfilled.

If your favourite jumper has a hole in it , hiding the damage under a scarf or coat collarwill not fix it. If you want to fix the jumper, you find the hole and deal with it. Simple. As a result of many things – most good, one bad – all I feel like I’ve lost is my feet. And a temporary halt to my progress!

My antidote to find my feet is to just keep looking, learning and listening - and to not let them leave the ground.

What do you need to fix, this year?; and how are you going to do it?!!

I'm totally unsure how i will fix my life but i damn well will, with or without help!!!

Bad few days

2011-12-31T12:50:00.001-08:00

Everything is catching up with me, one minute I have something to look forward too, the next I'm crying as if the world is about to come to an end. Everything about my old job I miss, music reminds me of destinations , movies recall big cities I have been in, hotel chains take me back to the hundreds of nights I have spent away from home. Not sure what I want or where I want to be, cannot find happiness, I'm lost at a crossroads, which way do I turn, where will the road take me, who will help me along the dark and dusty road, who will trip me up as I try to get there ?

Standby

2011-12-30T00:08:00.001-08:00

This is one duty I loathe, 0500-1300 home standby, actually got up at 0600 showered etc now on sofa awaiting the phone ringing, it's now 0806 and so tired but with an hour and a half from phone ringing to arriving at work is tight so I have to be ready to throw the uniform on and head out the door. Brings back late 80's memories, I seem to be going back in time and career rather than forward. Ah well, life can be cruel sometimes and we have to deal with what cards we are dealt!!

Christmas efforts at work.

2011-12-23T11:33:00.000-08:00

It is amazing how much you can sell when you make the trolley attractive to the eye.

Two of my crew

Exhausted in the flight deck!

Dire Situation

2011-12-18T14:54:00.000-08:00

When you are in a Dire situation you will turn to anyone for help, but, however, if the groups you turn too are feuding stay clear, lesson learnt today.
I have also learnt that people can be easily manipulated by words and propaganda without really being told the truth.
For an organisation i paid into for many many years i am today embarrassed to say i supported, they have only been there for me when a paying member, currently they will look for any excuse to be rid of you, this is how i feel, used, abused and dumped into the gutter.

However i now put my faith in another organisation that supported me through rough times and still continue to do so, thank you for that.

well well well!!!

2011-12-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

BA crew: I was ﬁred after pro-Nazi row

The air steward claims his colleague said Jews ‘deserved’ the Holocaust
An air steward has spoken of his anger after being sacked by British Airways after an incident in which a colleague allegedly shouted antisemitic abuse and glorified the Nazis.
Jean-Paul Van der Velde, whose father survived two concentration camps, was dismissed for misconduct after the row with the fellow crew member in a New York bar. He had worked for BA for 23 years.
He said airline staff had been enjoying a drink during a stopover, but tempers frayed when his colleague became "drunk and aggressive".
The 48-year-old said he had been having a discussion with the Munich-based British cabin crew member, when the man allegedly launched his antisemitic tirade.
Mr Van der Velde, who lives near Lisburn, Northern Ireland, said: "We were talking about life in Germany and unemployment and the increase in neo-Nazis. We discussed the war and he said: 'All the Jews deserved it. They are a nuisance'.
"I told him I was Jewish and my father had been in the Buchenwald and Bergen-Belsen camps. He said sarcastically: 'Well, you [Jews] got a monument out of it'. I was really upset and I walked out. I told the rest of the crew how shocked I was."
Around half a dozen colleagues were in the bar, but none saw or heard the argument. Mr Van der Velde said he calmed down and the incident passed, but the issue was raised again when his colleague appeared with a black eye for the return trip to the UK.
The man later complained to BA that Mr van der Velde had punched him.
In April, three weeks after the argument, Mr van der Velde was suspended and accused of a number of breaches of company policy, including physical assault and failing to uphold the prestige of BA. He was later investigated on the assault charge and was dismissed for misconduct last month.
The Amsterdam-born steward said he felt he had been "stitched-up" by his colleague and denied attacking him,
"They said I had confessed, but it is not written down anywhere or taped. What was said was an insult to my family and all Jewish people."
It is understood that a counter-claim by Mr Van der Velde over the alleged antisemitic comments is being investigated by the airline.
A BA spokeswoman said: "Following an internal investigation a
male employee was dismissed for misconduct."
She said there had been a "full and vigorous" investigation and BA takes all allegations of antisemitism, racism or sexism "very seriously".

TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
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DICTIONARY EXPLANATION ON THE WORD SCAB!!!!!

2011-12-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

It says if all really, it is a word from the dictionary and why should it offend people, you are what you are by your actions!!!!!!!

scab
noun
1.
the incrustation that forms over a sore or wound during healing.
2.
Veterinary Pathology . a mangy disease in animals, especially sheep; scabies. Compare itch ( def. 10 ) .
3.
Plant Pathology .
a.
a disease of plants characterised by crust like lesions on the affected parts and caused by a fungus or bacterium.
b.
one of these crust like lesions.
4.
a worker who refuses to join a labor union or to participate in a union strike, who takes a striking worker's place on the job, or the like.
5.
Slang . a rascal or scoundrel.

Strike Christmas Party

2011-12-10T08:19:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the night i get to meet with like minded people, people who actually care about others .....SCABS are the lowest form of society but it is was their choice and we should let them have that, however it does not mean we have to speak, or socialise with such low life, KARMA has already arrived and removed some of them, lets hope a few more get their arses bitten, the social climbers are now on their way down the ladder and will land with an incredible bump!!!!!

Everyday i learn to accept things, everyday i get to smile a little more, and one day those who saw me fall and were the cause of it will be looking up at me from their gutters and i will continue to smile with NO duty of care for them, after all, i will only be returning the favour won't i??

Things in the pipeline, paperwork organised, we are coming to get you...!!!!!

Off to Paris

2011-12-07T03:40:00.000-08:00

I have received and email to say the "Spirit" awards which recognises people across the airline for their hard work and customer service has come to an end, the points have been tallied up and i am one of the winners of a VIP trip to Disneyland paris, below are some of the comments made about me by colleagues and customers which is very humbling.

Gary Marshall-Gleghorn (Cabin Crew - Cabin Manager, GATWICK AIRPORT)
Gary was an absolutely fantastic cabin manager on todays Lapland charter. He really got involved in the spirit of the flight, entertained the children with his Santa stories and was exceptionally organised during the very demanding day especially with the oven when we must have had 30+ items on order at one point. Gary showed excellent orange spirit and ensured all passengers (young and old) and the rest of the crew were enjoying the flight. A number of comments were made from regular passengers and first time "easyjettters" that they had an absolutely excellent flight and wouldn't hesitate to fly with us again. Personally I think that's the best compliment passengers could give!!! A real credit to easyJet! Hope to fly with you again SOON!
By Darryn James O'Brien (Cabin Crew - Cabin Crew, GATWICK AIRPORT)on 03 December, 2011 for CUSTOMER

Gary Marshall-Gleghorn (Cabin Crew - Cabin Manager, GATWICK AIRPORT)
Thanks for demonstrating your energy and passion for product awareness and sales knowledge. You keenly stepped up to the challenge of passing this onto to your fellow colleagues whilst raising awareness of new retail update' For Your Information' well done and thank you
By Louise Hanmore (Cabin Services - Assistant Cabin Crew Manager, GATWICK AIRPORT) on 29 November, 2011 for PASSIONATE

Gary Marshall-Gleghorn (Cabin Crew - Cabin Manager, GATWICK AIRPORT)
We would like to commend you for showing true Orange spirit by entering and taking part in Gatwick's got Talent. Your performance was outstanding and was an essential part in making the whole evening an resounding success. Thank you from us all.
By Gatwick Cabin Services Team (Cabin Services Team, GATWICK AIRPORT) on 22 November, 2011 for PEOPLE

Gary Marshall-Gleghorn (Cabin Crew - Cabin Manager, GATWICK AIRPORT)
Gary has a wealth of experience within aviation and it shows (even with the handheld hoover!). He has a great passion for both the company and the industry. We started with an excellent briefing and had a great day onboard with wonderful service and great morale. Passengers all had great feedback on disembarking. A great asset to the company!
By Stephen Higgins (Cabin Crew - Cabin Crew, GATWICK AIRPORT) on01 October, 2011 for PASSIONATE

Gary Marshall-Gleghorn (Cabin Crew - Cabin Manager, GATWICK AIRPORT)
17/08/2011, flight 5437: "Gary has saved my life by handing in my wallet left in the cabin to lost and found at Split airport. Not only did he hand it in, but I actually got a text message from him confirming he had. Lost and found also called me as well so I have an everlasting fondness of easy jet and Croatia. Thanks Gary! Honestly over and above what I had expected!!! Thank you, I'm forever in your debt!"
By easyJet Customer (Customer, easyJet Flight) on 21 September, 2011for CUSTOMER

Gary Marshall-Gleghorn (Cabin Crew - Cabin Manager, GATWICK AIRPORT)
I flew with Gary yesterday on our flight LGW – PMI – LGW and would like to nominate him for a spirit award. • Gary created such a great karma at the briefing, making the whole crew relaxed and instantly positive about themselves. • Gary identified everyone’s qualities at the briefing and used these to get the most from the crew. • I worked up the front as No4 with Gary and he constantly maintained a positive, happy attitude with a big smile which the crew also maintained for the duration of the flight. • Gary greeted all passengers on boarding with a smile and had a laugh with them as they got on. • Gary constantly used his link-selling, up-selling and down-selling skills which boosted our SPH which the whole crew exceeded. • Gary when using the PA mentioned everything required but also added hilarity to them which always gets the attention of the pax and increases sales. • Gary always gave encouragement to his crew and communicated all the time with us. • He is a true leader and I must say the “BEST” Cabin Manager in LGW. He deserves more than a spirit award, I commemorate him for his positive attitude as it makes the day real fun and full of enthusiasm. Gary thanks for a great day, it was a pleasure to fly with you and I look forward to doing it sometime again.
By Ross Knox (Cabin Crew - Cabin Crew, GATWICK AIRPORT) on 01 September, 2011 for TEAMWORK

Gary Marshall-Gleghorn (Cabin Crew - Cabin Manager, GATWICK AIRPORT)
I would like to nominate Gary Marshall-Gleghorn because his entusiasm and team work spirit during the flight 5381/5382 (LGW-MUC-LGW). Since the very first moment that we start our briefing until our debriefing, Gary was so enthusiastic, positive and upbuilding that make everyone working with him enjoying a very good experience! We was very buzy on board, doing all the services and he always showed a very friendly atitude towards passengers and crew. Despite all that he kept in our minds the need to beat the SPH. And we did it with 191% over! He got the Orange Spirit and deserve to be recognised. I can't wait to work with him again as my cabin manager.
By Duarte Rodrigues (Cabin Crew - Cabin Crew, GATWICK AIRPORT) on01 September, 2011 for TEAMWORK

Gary Marshall-Gleghorn (Cabin Crew - Cabin Manager, GATWICK AIRPORT)
06/07/2011, flight 8604: "I was travelling home to a funeral and Gary noticed i was upset when i arrived at the aircraft door, he took me to one side, offered me tissues and asked if i was ok, i told him the reason and he comforted me in the professional way i guess he is trained to do, he checked on me at regular intervals during the flight and when his work was done we sat together at the back of the aircraft where he actually made me smile. He seemed to be very respected with his crew who were all happy and jovial and obviously love their job or just highly motivated by Gary. I wish i had taken his email address and would love to thank him personally. What a credit to Easyjet, he is a star!"
By easyJet Customer (Customer, easyJet Flight) on 22 August, 2011 forCUSTOMER

sad

2011-12-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

Why won't someone, anyone just love me!!

TITS UP FOR BA AGAIN!!! HA HA HA!!!!

2011-12-06T07:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3978081/BA-pilot-gets-teen-stewardess-pregnant.html

BA pilot gets teen stewardess pregnant

Baby on board ... randy pilot slept with air hostess after British Airways' Hug A Pilot schemeBy STEPHEN MOYES

A TEENAGE stewardess is having a married captain's baby after they took British Airways' Hug A Pilot scheme a bit too far.

Bosses at the airline — motto To Fly, To Serve — had ordered cabin crew to socialise with cockpit colleagues to boost morale. It is understood the hostess slept with the £100,000-a-year-plus captain during a boozy stop-over between flights.

A BA insider said last night: "The Hug A Pilot edict was not supposed to lead to this.

"It is an example of a night out which got out of hand."

The randy pilot is believed to have initially denied having sex, but later confessed to pals to a "moment of madness". His wife, who also works for BA, is said to be devastated but is thought to have decided to stand by her husband.

The stewardess has been grounded due to her condition.

She has also been moved from BA's base at Heathrow's Terminal 5 to a regional engineering centre to keep her out of the wife's way.

The insider added: "The girl's pregnancy and move to engineering is the talk of the airline. She was stunned to find she was expecting, but wants to keep the baby. She will be looked after financially because of the captain's pay."

The Sun revealed two months ago how BA had told its 13,500 cabin crew to link up with its 3,000 pilots on foreign trips.

Dubbed Hug A Pilot by staff, it was meant to restore relations after recent divisive industrial disputes. It was also designed to blend in younger cabin crew, who had been brought in on lower money and less perks than established older workers.

The source said: "The new crews are young and want to have fun. They joined BA to travel the world and enjoy the perks of the job on nights out between flights.

"Landing at exotic far-flung destinations, all the crews go out and get smashed." BA would not comment.

Christmas decorations 2011

2011-12-05T14:30:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas, can't you tell!!

Megan's Christmas toys

Swarovski Crystal Decorations £50 each.........

In Memory of Megan who died 07/12/2010

Her ashes under the tree as she loved Christmas

A day with Rafael Nadal

2011-12-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

Need i say anymore!!!!

Famous Passengers

2011-11-26T08:34:00.000-08:00

Being a huge Tennis fan for years i was more than pleased to have Rafael Nadal sitting opposite me for take off and landing and also to be serving him, he signed autographs for passengers and took time to have a picture with me, he is not like a celebrity and very shy and unassuming but obviously loves his Tennis very much indeed....something tells me he would prefer to compete without an audience as he is so shy....

adjustment disorder

2011-11-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Adjustment disorder

Last reviewed: February 14, 2010.

Adjustment disorder is an emotional and behavioral reaction that develops within 3 months of a life stress, and which is stronger or greater than what would be expected for the type of event that occurred.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Adults often develop adjustment disorder due to marital or financial problems.

In adolescents, common stressors include:

Family conflict
School problems
Sexuality issues

Other stressors for people of any age include:

Death of a loved one
General life changes
Unexpected catastrophes

There is no way to predict which people who are affected by the same stress are likely to develop adjustment disorder. Financial conditions, social support, and career and recreational opportunities can influence how well a person reacts to stress. A person's susceptibility to stress may be influenced by factors such as:

Coping strategies
Intelligence
Flexibility
Genetic factors
Social skills

Symptoms

For a diagnosis of adjustment disorder, a person's symptoms must be severe enough to affect his or her work or social life. Some of the symptoms include:

Agitation
Conduct disturbances
Depressed mood
Palpitations
Physical complaints
Trembling or twitching

Symptoms of adjustment disorder typically begin within 3 months of the stressor, and usually do not last longer than 6 months, unless the stressor continues to be present (such as an illness or living in a dangerous neighborhood).

On occasion, symptoms can be severe and the person may have thoughts of suicide or make a suicide attempt.

Signs and tests

The following criteria need to be met to establish a diagnosis:

The symptoms clearly follow a stressor
The symptoms are more severe than would be expected
There do not appear to be other underlying disorders
The symptoms are not part of normal grieving for the death of a loved one

Treatment

The main goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms and help the person return to a similar level of functioning as before the stressful event occurred.

Individual therapy can help the person:

Get support
Identify his or her abnormal responses to the stressor
Maximize the use of his or her strengths

Most mental health professionals recommend some type of talk therapy to help the person identify or learn different responses to the stressors in their life. Types of therapy may include:

Behavior therapy
Individual psychotherapy
Family therapy
Self-help groups

When medications are used, they are usually in addition to other forms of treatment. Depending on the symptoms, these may include:

Anti-anxiety medicines
Antidepressant medicines
Antipsychotic medicines (rarely)
Stimulants (for patients who are very withdrawn)

Coronation Streets Schmichael

2011-11-13T04:41:00.000-08:00

It is nearly a year since we lost dear Megan and being a fan of Coronation Street it is so hard for me to watch poor Chesney lose Schmichael, he has been in the show for many years and i know it is just acting but it is so close to what i went through it is like a reconstruction all over again.....the scenes of the death have not been shown on TV yet and i do not know how i will react to it all.

Driving North to South

2011-11-11T12:41:00.000-08:00

This can be a sad time for me, i say goodbye to my parents and drive the long journey home, i leave behind everything i love and drive to a place that although has been home for 24years+ it has never actually been "home" as my real home is not here but in the north.
The south is full of bad memories, back stabbing ex friends and a constant reminder of red, white and blue flying over my home.
I have a new circle of friends but once again i do not have a "best" friend, never have and doubt i ever will now....these friendships start at school and carry on through life, they don't start at my age, however my new job has produced some decent people who i like to call friends but we do not live in each others pockets so to speak!!! We all have our privacy, and i do not talk about intimate relationship details with anyone, i think we need that at times, someone to bounce off, offload onto and clear your head with, bottling things up can lead to illness and stress which i have seen.

Convinced i have PTSD ( Post traumatic stress disorder)..what happened to me is haunting me daily....im scared, panicked, stressed, and as long as i live here it could happen again.....i need to get away, escape or indeed visit someone who will help me recover. I don't seem that bad when i look in the mirror but others seem to think i am different, changed and i have no idea how.

Silence does not mean Happy!

2011-10-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

Happy comes in all forms, those who are truly happy and show it, those who look happy but deep down they are not, and some don't know if they are happy or not.

Being an avid forum user i find myself tempted to tell it how it is.....i am happy, i look it, but am i?

There are some people i have crossed paths with should not be working for the national airline, some have weight problems and nothing worse than seeing a size 18 stewardess in a size 12 skirt....it rides up to the crotch after being seated and it is just pure ugly....also some have speech issues, skin issues, some even continue to fly with HIV, nothing wrong with that i guess but you would think the old red white a blue brigade would be looking for perfection....far from it.....they have their share of MUNTERS !!!!!

I am now plodding along, work is for money, i try and enjoy it but it takes a long time to leave behind something you loved and were passionate about, something you know you could still do and make a difference to passengers and turn moments into memories but it will never happen, those days are over, finished, and i should seek closure from that chapter in my life and look forward to a promising future.

Orange is a good place to be.....someone quoted last week....."red white and blue can only get worse and orange can only get better".. i liked that a lot.

I love the friendliness of pilots, we work together as a team, they have never been put on a pedestal like some, they do airport standbys and sit in the crew room for 6 hours just like crew, they eat meals out of foils, just like crew, they drink out of paper cups, just like crew and they help in the cabin when on the ground.

Red white and blue pilots have ruined any relationship they could ever have with cabin crew and i hear there is a new scheme going on to "hug a pilot" WTF!!!! stick that right where the sun don't shine, i'd rather pick up a dog turd with my bare hands!!!

Crew are a breed of their own, set in their ways and motivated by propaganda on "how good they are" and "they are the best" when in fact they do not see that the motivational tool has been set in motion and they are thriving on it....the people delivering the motivation do not give a shit, they are motivating you to work your tits off and mean none of it!

Back to Happy......all i can say is just because everything looks fine it not always is??

airline annoyances

2011-10-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

As a flight attendant i have come across many many annoying people and i will continue to add these annoyances frequently from home or some hotel around the world.

1. Is it me or do people who control in their workplace unable to be asked politely to do something as so used to telling people what to do!!!

2. Mobile phones arghhhhhhh!!!! why oh why do they have to be turned on at all....it seems going back years to the payphone PHONES PLEASE (this is the rule for the airline i work for)

3. Seat belt signs goes on for turbulence so everyone gets up and goes to the toilet!! do people get visual dyslexia and think its off.

4.OH the drinks are free lets get totally bladdered and make a total arse of ourselves then get arrested on arrival for disrupting the flight and now you have ruined your entire families holiday....Great move!!!!!NOT!!

5.People who say the following......
where are we??? (what am i a walking map)

as they board " is this plane going to ????"(if its not someone is in the shit)

after a 16 hour duty day for the crew " do you just turn around and go home again"!!! ( yes we change our batteries and work for another 16 hours)

6. how is the chicken " fine last time i looked"!!!!

7. Has this plane ever crashed!!!!

8. when captain goes to the toilet....."who's flying the plane" duh duh

9. after an announcement on what food will be served first passenger row says..." what food have you got"
( open your ears dumb arse)

What to talk about!!!!!

2011-10-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

This picture appeared on Pontins facebook page by a guy who is in his thirties now who was just a boy when this was taken in 1983 at Pontins Middleton tower, i was amazed at the clarity of it being almost 28 years old, but apparently his mum kept it in a plastic cover and it is pristine.

In case you were wondering i am bottom row second from the right sitting next to my ex partner Nick Gee who is now a drag queen in Tenerife, and my boyfriend before him is now a drag queen in Tenerife, gosh, you would think i had them banished to the island never to be allowed off!!!

1983

2011-10-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Middleton Tower 1983

When someone tags you in a photo on Facebook from 1983 it brings back such good memories, this was my first time away from home, i was independent, free, no one to answer too and on a fantasy island of happy times surrounded by a brick wall to keep the reality of the outside world out, these were times of depression, miners strikes and the Yorkshire Ripper, holiday makers wanted to escape this reality and step into our world or laughter and fun, we provided that for six months of the year.

I worked 6 days out of 7 and this went on for 6 months, tiredness did not come into it as you survived on adrenalin and the excitement of running competitions, starring in shows, having your photo taken with guests who adored you and people chasing you for autographs.

Not only was it escapism for people on holiday it was fantasy island for us to, a bunch of nobodies given the title of "Bluecoats" and we can live the celebrity life on £39.18 per week or just over £6 per day...imagine that, you cannot get 20 cigarettes for that these days.

My Bluecoat life starter on a cold winters day at my interview in Newcastle, my interviewer was Robert Towell, the process was relaxed and in weeks to come i received a "you have been successful letter". I had to attend a training court at Brean Sands in March 1988 and i would be spending the summer season based in Middleton Tower Morecambe. My course was basic mainly concentrating on Cine racing, Bingo, how to run a darts/snooker competition, those obligatory line dances, eg slosh, chucky chucky and those involved in the Touring show had to stay and extra few days for rehearsals. I met all of my colleagues who i would be working with and all seemed like a great bunch. In fact 1983 turned out to be one of my best summers ever, Maybe it was a combination of excitement at fulfilling a dream job and unaware of the things other people would fight for, i was happy to plod along and have fun and did not get involved in what others quibbled about.The team thats year were led by Robert Towell , his assistant was Marrie Phillip, with Steve, Craig Storton, Helen Hamilton, Paulette Clarke, Paul Peck, Nick Gee, there was also Geordie from Newcastle, Alan from Scotland and Dale as well as a couple of others i cannot remember. We were in the traditional Blue and White uniform which was to change the following year.

Our chalets were situated at the back of the camp, very basic (similar to HI-DE-HI) two single beds wedged between them was two sets of drawers, one standing wardrobe and one built in one which was always mouldy, a sink and in a slim room was a bath and a toilet. This was going to be home for over 6 months and we made it what we could.

I will add to this blog on a regular basis and if you click on the following link you will see pictures in motion of the seasons i worked.

Middleton Tower 1984

Former "Mr and Mrs" hostess Donna Mayer was a regular weekly cabaret act and a great singer. A WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE scottie!!!!

Kaos played the Berengaria Theatre.

Maggie, Helen, Panda, Pianist and Gary outside dining room.

Elegant Gran weekly heats ( could be very competitive)

Gary and Tom on Noddy train

Gary and Maggie, Keept fit

in the Ballroom

Geordie, Guest, Tom and Gary

I hated doing spotlight as Berengaria was haunted by "George" who had been seen and heard many times and to get to this spotlight was a dark and dingy walk, some girls refused to do it!!!

Tom, Gary, Maggie and ???

1984 was a strange old year. 1983 had been such a good one it was going to be a difficult year to beat. Only a handful of bluecoats from 83 returned for 84 so we had a lot of new joiners, the problem lay with cliques forming and team work collapsing. There is a selection of people who were made for this job and others who slip through the net and arrive at camp feeling like a duck out of water,you cannot be shy or afraid to use a microphone or it's time to leave.Peter Piper and Aunty Jaqui were the on site children's aunty and uncle. Peter had been at Middleton Tower in 1982 and had missed 83 returning 84 as he was a good friend of our Entertainments manager Robert Towell, Peter was great with the kids and organised a kids show every week with hundreds of kids to organise, a true tough job!!!This was the year of the new uniform. A darker blue and a little drab and boring,i really felt like a Bluecoat in 1983 in white trousers and blue jacket, this year i felt like a pilot ( ironic to think i went on to work in the airline industry)With the bad feeling that was going on this year, our CEO Jan Kennedy was called in and we all had a grilling about how our important role and holiday makers do not pay money to see miserable faces and atmospheres. This sorted things out in a way, however i remember calling my dad to come and pick me up as i had had enough myself but i was talked out of it. Tom McDonald a former restaurant worker was given the job as bluecoat when someone left and he moved into my chalet which i had been used to having to myself.He was a fellow Geordie and we got along ok. He was the kind of person who could wear anything and look good, grrrrrrr!!!!!
Anyway the season went by and over with and i think i had outstayed my welcome at Middleton Tower so this is when i decided to move onto another centre, welcome Sand Bay, cripple creek, it had many pseudonyms and all very apt.

Blues that i can remember were from 83 Helen Hamilton, Craig Storton, Paul Peck, Sharon Payne, Robert Towell and of course me,newbies were, Elaine, Wayne, Colin Milne, and Uncle Peter and Aunty Jacqui.

Sand Bay 1985

I really do not know where to start with 1985, what a year it was, and as you will see by the photographs the faces change time and time again. The reason for this was our Entertainments Manager Ricky Gee ( now deceased), he was a task master, we were scared, he was a short but stocky guy and had been with Pontins for many years and his wife worked on the catering side and moved around with him to different centres so they could be together. They both had the aura of "yes you should be scared" about them. We all had to work from 8am until 1230am the next day, not much time off during the day, we could even be publicly humiliated, once he marched us all from the ballroom, infront of guests, into the entertainments office and we got a right roasting. We lived in fear, he thought he was the only person who could sing and none of us were allowed to sing in bluecoat shows. This all changed one afternoon, he organised a game of "hoy" everyday, it was very popular with guests and we were about to realise why it was popular with him. It as a game of bingo but with playing cards, a deck of cards were dealt to 4 players sitting around a table so all players had 13 cards, we used a pack and called them out as they were turned over and first person to get rid of all their cards won. He charged £1.00 per table, per game and there were sometimes 40-50 tables and some only playing with 2-3 players so had 2-3 dead hands on table, There was no gambling tax as there was with "proper" evening bingo!! He collected money and disappeared back stage to work out the prize money, i was not bad at maths and knew that 40-50 tables meant £40-£50, prize money would be £30 so he was making in his pocket £20 a game and we played about 5 so that was £100 per day and X that by 6 working days and very handsome £600 per week or £2400 per month, my wages were £65.00 per week so once a a guest questioned the prize money he was urged to investigate more, Ricky was watched, caught and fired on the spot, he was given 1 our to pack up his stuff and leave the centre, this was Pontins rules on sackings.
I was asked to become temporary Ents manager until a replacement could be found, Sand bay was one of the camps with a long summer season from March to November with some centres running May-October. The lovely childrens aunty, June from Brean Sands, ( another pontin's centre about 8 miles away) filled in and was a great lady who allowed us to sing and pushed us forward, then Roland Hall arrived, a smooth, 007 type who was well into his forties but thought he was still 23 with a trophy girlfriend in tow but not on camp.
The season went well, right at the end we hosted the Disco Dancing Finals hosted by and ex of mine John Sharples. He is in the guinness book of records ( or was) for dancing the longest, i was so proud of him, it was a case of wrong place, wrong time, i was 19 years old when i first met him and never been away from home, i think he would have given me his right arm if i had needed it but i was too blind to see it all as i was in a whirlwind of freedom and being allowed to be openly gay amongst openly gay people was like Christmas to a country boy from a small village. It was a little like Billy Elliott .
John was, and is a kind person and i think he still holds a grudge for the way i behaved and i would one day like to personally apologise. He was funny, intelligent, but once again i was swept up in everything else and could not see what was staring me in the face. Maybe life now would be totally different but who knows.
The picture beneath shows happier days without Nazi regime!!! I enjoyed my long summer in Sand Bay but after working two summers in a camp that held 3800 when full to a camp of 650 was a huge change, also Sand Bay was adults only so no children, a blessing sometimes and a big miss at other times.

Meeting a coach 1985

Blues 85 Sand bay

I think the picture is drunk!! The War Show

Bkuecoat old time music hall show and also with the twins from "Hi de Hi" who toured in their own show.

Mike Terry, Pianist cabaret, "grand"

Comedian Cabaret 1985

Osmington Bay 1986

This was the year i was re-united with a bluecoat from 1983, Paulette Clark, she would be Assistant Ents Manager, She was very fair and great to work for although did have her moments. I suppose we all liked the limelight and the loudest cheer at the end of the week in au-revoir, but Paulette always won. She was popular with guests due to her bubbly personality and because we knew each other i sort of got a little bit of special treatment and my daily rota was usually ok.
Osmington was also an adults only camp and on a very steep incline, people in wheelchairs almost had the people pushing having heart attacks trying to get them from the dining room to the ballroom. This was my second season without kids and starting to enjoy adult conversation and entertainment and not having to do the sunday morning dishing out of captain croc t-shirts in a million sizes and it took hours in the peak school holidays.
I liked Osmington, it overlooked the naval base at Portland, Weymouth and the only thing i disliked was the shared bath facilities. I did initially share a wooden cabin but David ( left in picture ) he left half way through and i managed to hang onto the large chalet for myself which housed 2 beds 2 sets of drawers a sink and a toilet. Paulette had a guest chalet with proper bathroom and i was so jealous of that as having to leave my cabin when it was raining and windy and walk 3-4- cabins uphill to the bath block was not good. As bluecoats we could have sometimes 30-45 minutes from day duties and then change and bath into evening wear so if the bath was occupied i had no time to wait and sometimes had to miss out which i hated. The biggest mistake Pontins made in 1986 at Osmington was to trial 18-30's guests for 6 weeks from end of July until beginning of September, what a disaster. The centre housed about 1500 guests when full and some weeks we had 150-200, and the line dances the children and "normal" pontins people liked did not go down too well, neither did the muppet style orchestra in the ballroom, we struggled. Some cabarets had been specially booked for this and went down well in the smaller disco/venue next to the ballroom. Other acts struggled as this type of guest wanted to stand by the bar swilling lager and looking at us making complete fool sof ourselves doing ths chucky chucky and wondering " what the hell am i doing here"?
Bingo also suffered and this was a huge profit making twice daily event for Pontins, afternoon sessions never took place due to lack of numbers and evening bingo had prize money of pittance!!
Colin Green was the entertainments manager and sort of blended in at the bar chatting with the guys and trying his best, Paulette was most popular with the groups of lads and she managed to win over some great mates and actually get them to enjoy themselves.
The ramble was more like a mountaineering expedition to Lulworth Cove, it took hours and steep ocean side cliffs had to be climbed. I was exhausted after that but great views in good weather.
When September came and the Cauliflower brigade returned ( white permed hair) the camp was buzzing again , bingo was packed and so was the ballroom floor, i always seem to be able to communicate better with older people and loved their stories from years ago which were not only interesting, they made them feel special just because i was interested.
We had so many staff leave and join i really do struggle with names, we had two great life guards who worked long hours and looking back never got recognition or motivated and their job was pretty boring staring at the water all day. We had two dedicated people for sports, a guy called Stuart and a female colleague, we also had Paul who was in charge of the sports centre, snooker, darts etc. He sort of loved the girl attention when we had the 18-30's but got bored when the oldies returned. The highlight of my week was Thursday nights when our band was off and Jack Hawkins band filled in. They had a great reputation and had worked Cunards QE2 and other ships. Their singer, Phil Blackmore ( in one of pictures at bar to my left) he melted me when he sang and i sort i had a little stupid crush and used to blush if i was within 10 feet of him. He was straight and was seeing one of our waitresses who was a pretty young blond girl. Jack and his musicians wowed the crowd, you could always tell when a cabaret or band were good as at midnight the ballroom was still full. If you had a naff night the last waltz would be played to bluecoats only as everyone else had gone to bed, that happened a lot in all centres. The other venue then took over for Disco music until 1am, i hated doing the DJ as we all had to take it it turns, it was usually full of staff spending their hard earned pittance of a wage and handing it back to Pontins over the bar!! I always tried to save a few hundred quid each season as to work long and hard and walk away with nothing would have been pointless.
Osmington was also my first ever experience with drugs, NOT taking them but a member of staff had been seen with them and his accommodation searched and drugs were found. He had the normal one hour to pack and leave and was escorted off camp. This caused the camp FM to start up and gave us something to talk about and also frighten those who were maybe also taking drugs, i am now and have always been ANTI drugs. My 5 seasons at Pontins taught me to enjoy myself and be able to do anything without drugs or alcohol and this is how it remains today. I did smoke then but that was my only vice.
A bluecoats training included the art or "circulating tables" within a venue a keeping it to 10 minutes per table, however if you had a group of great guest who smoked, offered you cigarettes and bought you the odd coke you often found yourself there for hours and sometimes reminded by management who had sadly been timing you.
The season ended at beginning of October and i suppose i was used to the tearful goodbye's of colleagues who you had just spent 7 days a week with for many months and probably would never see them again. I packed up my things a few weeks before to sort of get them into some or order and waited the dreaded last day, Uniform, ID, chalet check and many other formalities had to be completed before you were given you last pay packet and bonus and permission to leave. All very regimental but a thing which happened in all the camps as some people did wreck their chalets or cause some damage and this came out of their last pay packet.

David, Piata, Guest, Paulette and Gary ( me).Copacabana ( seem to be doing this a lot)

Gary and Paulette after a lunchtime sing-a-long.

Paulette in her cabaret in ballroom backed by jack Hawkins

Colin Green Entertainments manager

Andrea, Gary, Colin and ???? maybe Sue!!

Our spoof on Fergie's wedding in 1986, i was "HRH THE QUEEN" Paulette was Fergie, Asst camp manager was Prince Andrew, The two camp nurses are in frilly frocks ( dont't know why) and even Ged was a Paige boy as he visited me a lot from Newcastle and he had to save to come as his earnings were low then and the coach journey from Newcastle to Weymouth too about 8-9 hours. ( bless!!!).

Jack Hawkins and his fine Orchestra.

Andrea on her day of followed by the trombonist from Jack Hawkins Orchestra who sadly committed suicide, Gary and Phil the singer from the band i mentioned earlier.

Broadreeds 1987

My summer at Broadreed was to be a challenge, i would be working as Assistant Entertainments manager under Colin Green whom i had worked with the previous summer. I was impressed with Broadreeds as it was modern. I had my own room and full Bathroom. WHOOPEE!!!!!, the swimming pool area was spanish style and really nice, the ballroom was modern and spacious with nice seating and the spanish bar had a homely feel with a gallery around the sides.
I worked with some fantastic people. Kathy Henry was chief hostess and we worked well together but we did have a fall out which did not last too long, Mandy from Leeds was great laugh, Joanne from North London, Wendy from Blackpool and Clare from Burton on Trent, her boyfriend who came to visit ended up as a bluecoat, Jock from Scotland ( surprise surprise) left and we needed a replacement, he had been at Broadreeds the year before and expected to be offered promotion and i got it over him so there was some bad feeling there on his behalf.
I organised some great shows and used the skills of Wendy who was a dancer to choreograph new routines which we practiced outside the chalets in good weather, this motivated her and instilled confidence in her. I tried my hardest to motivate everyone and i think looking back we all had a great season. Colin Milne who i had worked with at Middleton 84, Sand Bay 85 showed up as Children's uncle working alongside Aunty Vicky who was about 4ft8" and a bundle of fun who the kids love, if i remember correctly she was from Nottingham.
Cabarets were great and the lighting system helped us out as it was modern and i colour coded all the switches so everyone knew what was what.
This was the year i took 2 weeks off in May to go to Corfu with ged, it was not the normal thing to do and usually not allowed but i was given permission by the asst camp manager unaware that he had not cleared it with the Manager so i had that to deal with when i got back and a lot of grovelling. Anyway i settled back in and the summer continued.
Looking back now we did so many dangerous things like, i drove the noddy train with up to 30 kids riding on it, it had a mind of its own and took off quite quickly, i did it last minute when driver we usually used went sick. I was not insured and could only imagine the claims if something had happened.
We still had comedians that told racist jokes and covered delicate subjects that we cannot even think about these days without being accused of non-Pc behaviour.
I used as much talent in the shows as i could and everyone who could sing/dance/act had their chance to do it, we ended up with an International show containing Copacabana, Dont't cry for me Argentina, Western Section, Cockney section and a all singing all dancing finale. It was great fun and we all looked forward to the Friday night show.
Alas this was going to be my last season and i would be saying goodbye to Pontins but talk about going out with a bang!!! Remember Michael Fish saying " there is no hurricane coming" well it did, one October night. Broadreeds was situated south of Chichester in Selsey-on-Sea in Sussex which took the brunt of the storm. We were all called for an emergency meeting the next morning in the ballroom. The swimming pool surrounding walls had collapsed, there was damage to many chalets and roofs had been blown off chalets. Police wer stopping coaches heading south with holiday makers and turning them around as the site was not habitable. I really am a little blurry as to what happened the rest of the season as there was only a few weeks left so if anyone can fill me in on that i would appreciate it.
I am hoping some of my old colleagues will get in touch and we could organise a re-union. Once again to those who are unaware, check out www.bluecoats.net and register yourself free.

My personal favourite, Broadreeds Bluecoats 1987 with the man who started it all, Sir Fred Pontin Himself.

Bluecoats 1987 evening wear

Bluecoats 1987 in daywear

Gary and Fancy Dress competition, Gary and Garry in corridor leading to Ballroom from Dining room.

Aunty Vicky and Chief Hostess Kathy

Aunty Vicky and Uncle Colin Milne in childrens theatre.

Western

Copacabana ( again)

Western Show

Friday night Finale show

The trio in the Spanish bar

Richard and Lar Jarmain. A personal favourite.

Please pass this onto others you know within Pontins and lets try and get a community Blog going from guests and staff.

Also please check out the bluecoat page on Facebook if you were, or are a bluecoat and register yourself online free and some blasts from the past may just appear!!!

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/YI8RM3vh

Meeting my great niece for the first time.

2011-10-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

This was an amazing experience, this bundle of joy lights up the lives of many without even knowing it.

She was a twin but the other baby died early on in the pregnancy, she was tiny when born 3 weeks early at 4lb 12 and only filled half the baby crib.

since then she has flourished, mum and dad cannot go shopping without wandering in the baby department and baby shops and always buying her something, little knitted sweaters, booties, tiny socks, books, and last week dad bought the entire Beatrix Potter book collection for when she is older.

She can put a smile on peoples faces just by saying her name LEXI......( i'm smiling now)

Meeting her for the first time since she was born was exciting, i fed her, winded her, cuddled her, and loved every minute of it, she is the most placid baby, never whinges and rarely cries, what a joy, something our family have waited a long time for as mum and dad had two boys and my brothers wife had two boys and my nephew and his lovely girlfriend produced the first little girl.

God Bless you Lexi, and i wish you a happy. healthy and prosperous life. You will always be in mine whatever happens.

XXXX

Update 11/11/11 ( great date)

Called into to see Lexi today, she is almost 11lbs now and so bright and alert....pictures below.

She is a princess, a beauty, and something which has brought untold joy to our family as a time when we need to smile, things happen for a reason and Lexi is the reason to smile

A North East Visit

2011-10-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy a visit back home to see my parents, the house is the one they moved into when i was 4 and they have been here ever since, we always say it is too big for them but there answer to that is "if we move and you come to visit you will not be coming "HOME" but to a strange house.

Today we went for a drive to boundary mill, a huge discount store selling everything, from there it was a trip to Royal Quays, another discount shopping area, then for freshly caught fish with chips, mushy peas and bread and butter, delicious!!!

The scenery and coastline around this area is amazing, crisp white sand, beautiful water and secret coves and bays which i used to come to from when i was a baby, to revisit was great and to have the stories told to me as i drove made it all more real and lovely to look back and smile.

This is North Shields, a lovely aspect, the daily DFDS leaves through here heading out to the north sea and Amsterdam,

Mum and dad have left here on the Boudicca, the Fred Olsen Cruise ship, for their cruises, one to the Norwegian Fjords and the other was a cruise around the United Kingdom clockwise.

When i do visit i wonder if i really want to be here when my parents are no longer with us, could i live with all these memories all around me day in day out, will there be anything here for me, even my lovely boxer dog Megan had been to North Shields and i pictured her walking along the sea front with mum and dad when i was on some god forsaken trip somewhere. Life is short, we should cherish those we love and give them all our time and attention as we can no longer do this once they have been taken from us.

My brother went on his holidays today to Las Vegas with a "mystery" person who none of us have met yet, i am sure he is happy as never seen him looking so happy in a long time, Vegas is a place after 25 years of flying that i have not even been myself, flying longhaul as a passenger is not something that appeals to me, i have seen the world as crew and loved being able to eat, drink, and do what i wanted when i wanted without being hemmed into a seat that was made for a hobbit!!!

Not sure what my next blog will be about but hope you are all enjoying this, even the ones i would kick off if i could!!

How to ruin a life

2011-10-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have contributed to the following i would just like to say thank you...

1) fear of open spaces and semi agoraphobic

2) i see people walk past my home i cower, shake and have panic attacks as i think someone is coming to the front door.

3) My diabetes was all brought on with stress and also suffered nervous rashes on arms and legs

4) If the doorbell rings i have panic attacks and rapid breathing.

5) Irregular heart beat which races and slows within seconds if i become stressed.

People will answer to this, i will have my day, i will not be beaten or turn my back on evil, there are many evil organisations all backed by red white and blue and if they think i am scared they are wrong, the people that once knocked on my door will soon by knocking on theirs, let us see if they like it, we will see how it affects them, how it destroys lives and causes illnesses that can not be reversed but just controlled for an entire lifetime with medication. Is it fair that people can leave a person in this state and walk away brushing the dust off their hands in dismissal of the fact??

I was born a fighter and i will die a fighter.

TICK TOCK, your secrets out!!!

LIFE IN GENERAL

2011-10-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

Having to be aware of who is reading this and how they will us it has to be considered now in everything i write.
There are some nasty, vicious, vindictive people out there, some in high places who have contributed to the attempted ruination of people's lives, they did not succeed with me, quite the opposite, they did me a favour, i have almost found happiness but i am currently like a 1000 piece jigsaw and i have a couple of pieces missing, once in place, i am sorted!

When you get into your mid forties you have no idea that you will have to pick yourself up and start over again, find the niche that you feel most comfortable with then mould it to suit you. There is a great job out there that i have re-applied for, it is so for me, i can make that difference, turn moments into memories like i do everyday with my flying job, it is the small things that make a lifetime of difference and memories, i always make time for people and always put others before myself, this is a family trait and no matter how much i try and change it, i cannot, i do not think i would want too, as seeing others happy and content makes me happy and motivates me into producing excellence within me job so it is a win win situation for employee and employer!

For those who battle daily with the red, white and blue airline i wish you luck, it will never get any better, the things those strong enough to fight for have been granted, but if you did not fight the cause what right have you to accept them....it is like fighting on the front line while others hide in the bunker....disgraceful and i know, as have many reports, that those are the people who shuffle around CRC with their heads down....however, if they were so proud of what they did they should shout it from the rooftops and hold their heads high...something tells me the real emotion is embarrassment, shame, cowardice and loss of any respect in whatever rank they hold.

Red white and Blue is not the place to be, believe me..i have not laughed or smiled as much in years, my colleagues are hard workers and dedicated and the flight crew are friendly, helpful, approachable, and "normal"....and if you reverse those statements it will describe pilots in red, white and blue, the pilots who are the only ones mentioned in the latest TV ad, what a kick in the teeth for cabin crew, this was the ideal opportunity to mend old wounds and create harmony at work and to the general public, but no, they got their biggest knife and split open those wounds to create more bad feeling and lower morale....who are these people who think this is the way to move forward.

I have few red, white and blue friends left on facebook, most were friends for "information" purposes as they feel it would help them on within their careers....don't make me laugh you shallow morons....one excuse for ending a friendship with me was..."you did not return my call and you have changed"...they only had to think about what i had been through to realise YES....... i think i have changed and who changed me...the very employer who pays their wages.!!!! Pause for thought!!

I am tempted to run a Backing the red white and blue name and shame list...hmmmm....just imagine how many daily hits that will generate on my blog? ( still thinking about it).

I am just back from an amazing cruise ( blog online) my brand new car with private plates is amazing, the mortgage is so low we can have two/three holidays and year, i still have savings, money in the bank so life goes on and for the better.....there is only one person who will have the last laugh......

ME

ADVENTURE CRUISE

2011-10-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

Adventure on the Adventure of the Seas

Day One
Embarkation in Malaga was not the quickest ever with queues to check in desks but was organised well so went quickly even though it took about an hour to get through the formalities, once on board at 1230pm our cabin was ready, we settled in, and luggage was delivered after the Muster drill.
The ship sailing from Malaga had 2000 Spanish people onboard so everything was in a multitude of languages, this did not spoil the cruise as you could check into a hotel and find many nationalities but this would not ruin your vacation, the only thing which was annoying was everything in two languages.

Day Two
We arrived in Valencia, this was also a port some guests had started their cruise from so there was a disembarkation process on this port of call too, we got off and took the shuttle bus into the town, chargeable $12 per person and walked about the city which was mostly shut down being a Sunday as we did not dock until 1200pm so it was Siesta time...we did find a market, a nice church and the salesmen from Ghana selling their fakes....they seem to be everywhere these days!!

During dinner we were informed that for the next thirty hours we would be in heavy seas and 100km per hour winds as we headed east to Civitavecchia, this would be our day at sea.

Day Three
If anyone tells you a 137,000 ton ship will hardly move in rough seas is telling lies, it rocked, rolled, dived into waves, vomit bags were all over the ship for public use but luckily it did not affect us and we had a pleasant evening in The Portofino restaurant onboard, it is centrally located which does help a lot.
The theatre production shows and ice shows were cancelled for the safety of the performers and deck loungers were strapped down, all pools and jacuzzis were emptied.

Day Four
Civitavecchia is located 1 hour and 40 minutes by road from Rome and having done the Vatican and city tour on a previous NCL cruise we walked into the small town, shuttle buses were provided as it was quite a walk but after what we had eaten we thought the exercise would be good, we were joined in port by Mariner of the Seas, Costa Atlantica and Sovereign ( ex sovereign of the seas RCCL) so all in all about 11,000 cruise passengers roaming Rome, Civitavecchia or just lounging on board.There was a small promenade with palm trees and water feature, the town itself was typical Italian with lots of hustle and bustle and horns honking but pleasant all the same.

Day Five
Livorno for Florence /Pisa but as we had doen both of these we took the shuttle bus into Livorno ( chargeable $8 per person) not really much going on here, weather once again great so grabbed a coffee and an ice cream before heading back for even more food.

Day Six
My favourite port, we had never been to Ajaccio before even though i work for the airlines and had flown in and out of the airport but never stayed over, the ship docks in the city centre so no shuttle buses which is refreshing, Corsica is also the home of Napoleon, there is a huge statue in his honor and his home is now a museum which is 7 euro per person to visit, quite interesting but a total tourist trap.
The ships were charging for this tour and we found it all by foot with the help of a city map which is handed to you as you leave the ship by the local tourist board.
We also found a beautiful beach and the sea was warm but having no costumes with us we just paddled our feet.
The city boasted nice shops, restaurants, and attractions as well as great views and turquoise clear waters, a place i will visit again independently for a weekend

Statue of Napoleon who lived on the island of Corsica

Napoleon house

one of many rooms in the house

Day Seven
A quiet day at sea with not a sun bed to be had on deck, luckily all balconies on the left of the ship bask in the sun all day so we stayed on our own balcony in peace and quiet. An ideal opportunity to give you a tour of this great ship.

The spa

Pool deck

Central Promenade of shops and bars

Three tier Restaurant

The Lyric Theatre at the front of the ship

The cabin ( 9524)

Sky bar on deck 14

the one board ships ice rink

The ice show

Theatre Production show

Day Eight
We left the ship at 0700, the earliest time possible and made our way to the airport, taxi charges Euro25-Euro30 for a single journey and if you try to barter they point out the bus so its a take it or leave it scenario and with flights to catch we just payed up and were at the airport within 15 minutes of leaving the port as it is very close.
We loved the cruise, the storm did not bother us, the group Take4 in the Sky Bar are very entertaining, the ice show is worth a watch and the production shows are ok, great singers but same same as other cruise ships, nothing you would fo WOW over!

09/11

2011-09-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

I try to reflect on 09/11 every year if i can, a day etched in our minds of those old or young enough to remember and as far as i am concerned this will stay in my mind and thoughts for the rest of my natural life.

What people went through is not worth thinking about, sitting on a 767 as it skimmed the top of skyscrapers as a passenger or crew member knowing what had already happened must have been horrific.
What about those poor people clinging onto the world trade centres outer concrete over 100 stories up as the heat, smoke and fire was forcing them out of the windows, and to make the decision to jump knowing it was guaranteed death is beyond thought.

We all complain about our friends, our colleagues and our jobs but i would not swap for what happened to those people so we should get to grips with what life throws at us and get on with it.

As the world mourns those souls lost on this day 10 years ago we are still able to shed a tear, find a quiet corner to reflect and watch those aircraft slam into the twin towers, pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania and wonder was it their time.

We should also not forget the 280,000 people killed in the Tsunami which always seems to go forgotten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSfYmBCzIOo&feature=related

We should have this here in UK!

2011-09-09T02:29:00.000-07:00

Germany to ban employers from snooping on Facebook

27.08.10 @ 09:27

BY VALENTINA POP

The German government has tabled a draft bill that would ban employers from profiling job applicants on social networks such as Facebook and prevent clandestine video surveillance at work.

Germany wants to ban employers from tracking their job applicants on Facebook (Franco Bouly)

Under the envisaged law, employers would still be able to run Internet searches on the names on the persons they want to hire, as long as the information is publicly accessible or present on professional websites, such as LinkedIn.

But becoming friends with the prospective employee or even hacking their Facebook account in order to get personal information will be illegal and punishable with a fine of up to €300,000.

The measure may be difficult to enforce, however, as the employee would have to prove that personal information landed in his hiring file.

Presented by interior minister Thomas de Maiziere, the draft bill also includes a ban on secret video surveillance at work, after a series of scandals with big companies spying on their employees.

Discount-supermarket chain Lidl, car manufacturer Daimler, as well as the state-owned railway operator Deutsche Bahn have been criticised in the media for having installed secret cameras at the cash-desks, in the fitting rooms and in toilets, and for having snooped on employee's emails and private accounts.

Installing video cameras will still be allowed, but not in restrooms and fitting rooms and only as long as the employees are informed.

The bill still has to be debated and approved by the country's parliament after summer. It is expected that some of its provisions will be watered down, as powerful employers' associations have already signalled their opposition.

The retailers' association HDE said some of the regulations go much too far, and outlawing clandestine video surveillance would be wrong. "Here we hope for changes in the government draft," HDE said in a press release.

Germany's data protection watchdog, Peter Schaar, applauded the government's effort, calling it long overdue.

It is "a substantial improvement on the status quo in dealing with employee's data," he said. Germany's privacy rules are among the strictest in Europe, as a consequence of the secret surveillance imposed by the government during the Nazi regime.

After an outrage in Germany sparked by its street imagery programme, Google introduced an online tool just for Germans where they can request in advance that their properties do not appear on Street View.

A criminal investigation has also been launched into Google's collection of unencrypted Wi-Fi data as part of Street View, which the company said was a mistake and has stopped.

What Future employers look for!

2011-09-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

When faced with several equally qualified professionals, employers look for the possession of certain traits to help them make a selection. These traits go beyond intelligence and communication skills and into the qualities that indicate you will be a great person to have on the team. In no particular order, here are the eight traits employers are really looking for.

1. Comfortable confidence
Employers want to hire professionals who are comfortable with themselves. These professionals know who they are and what they want. They are confident, but never cocky. They are friendly, engaging and, as a result, a pleasure to be around.
2. Willingness to listen and learn
Employers obviously want to hire professionals who have the skills necessary to do the job. However, that doesn’t mean there will never be anything they need to learn. Know-it-alls are rarely appreciated. Humility (and humanity) often is.

3. Adaptability
In some fields, a job is changing and evolving day by day. Employers want to hire adaptable professionals who can change with it. This may mean someone who can follow directions one day and figure out his or her own direction the next. Or perhaps someone who can spend some days behind their desk and other days in the field, equally productive in both environments.

4. Flexibility
Employers want to hire professions who are flexible. Those who are stuck in their ways tend to be more difficult to work with than those who can go with the flow. Flexibility goes hand in hand with adaptability.

5. Self-reliance
Babies need not apply. Employers do not want to hire people who require handholding or constant praise in order to feel appreciated. They are looking for employees who can motivate themselves, figure out what needs to be done and then do it. Everyone appreciates a pat on the back from time to time, but it shouldn’t be required to do your job well.

6. Teamwork
You’ve heard it before, but there is no “I” in “TEAM.” Even those who are hired to fill individual positions may eventually find themselves working as part of a group. Employers are looking for those who can collaborate well with others, not behave like divas.

7. Dependability
Employers want to hire professionals who will be there to do the job every day. They do not want to waste their time with someone who is going to use all of his or her sick days, demand vacation time during the busy season, or abuse a flexible schedule.

8. Honesty
Once a liar, always a liar, or at least in the eyes of potential employers. It almost goes without saying, but if an employer discovers an “inaccuracy” or “exaggeration” on your resume (perhaps while conducting a reference check), you will quickly find yourself resuming your job search.

How do your qualities stack up against the list of traits employers are really looking for? An honest self-assessment will give you a good idea of what you need to work on. If you possess all eight traits, your chances of impressing during an interview and getting the job are very good.

My Great Neice

2011-08-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

A great niece born into the family is a joy in itself, the first girl born into our family since the 1930's!!

She was originally a twin but one baby died just a few months into the preganancy, little Lexi was bron a few weeks premature weighing 4lb 12oz and as you will see by the photographs she was like a little doll only half filling the baby crib.
She has truely blossomed and is loved even but people like myself who have not even met her yet,i just see her in pics that i get sent but to hold her would be a joy.

I just wish her a long, happy, healthy life with lots of great opportunities and an abundance of love.

We are all very proud of you Lexi

xxxxxx

ARMAGEDDON 2011

2011-08-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

I had a dream some years ago but rioting in our streets, burning of buildings and people who had been relatively sane hours earlier doing things which were totally against their character, and then there is the opportunists who want everything for nothing, never lifting a finger except to sign for benefits then complain they have nothing.
These people who complain they cannot get jobs, live in rented accommodation are probably the ones that bunked off school as it was clever, who have no qualifications as it was classed as "big" and "clever" to stand in an old shop doorway smoking or terrorising innocent people in parks and other public areas, then whinge when those who are educated and attended school have all the jobs.

The dream scared me so much that when i saw this i panicked, i was in a sweat at home, heart was racing and felt physically sick, i wanted to have metal shutters on my windows so i could pull them down and feel safe, i felt for my nephews and great niece and indeed the entire younger generation who would have to live in a world with human vermine walking the streets pillaging and causing havoc.
Friends who posted about this on social networking sites annoyed me as i did not want to read about it or see images, we never watched the news on television and avoided the media like the plague but i was still scarily reminded about it wherever i browsed on the internet.

I have even lost friends over this but they did not understand how scared i was, i am sure there was more to that than meets the eye, some look for the feeblest excuse to end friendships and maybe this was their ideal "get out" clause and the grabbed it while they could and since then i have deleted 30 facebook friends. if only i had listened in the past to advice and not trusted others.

As for the future, i am saying nothing, something big is about to happen, something substantial, the walls are coming down, the cracks are truely forming and i can stand back and watch the empire collapse.
( How many assumptions will that cause and gossiping tongues will continue to wag).

Read into it as you wish. I know i am a good person, i know the truth and some out there will think different but are wrong and i do not even have to justify this, inner strength knows who i am and what i am and what i have done for others, jealousy alone causes back handed, sly, vicious comments.

By leaving vicious comments to this blog only tells you what kind of person you are, something i would never rise too and rides over me without a hint of hurt.

With all that is going on it needs people to stand together against these people and not waste energy on petty fights and who said what to who it is pathetic.

I have never been happier in my life, love my job, my home, my relationship, i may have not had a holiday in two years but that will be remedied soon with a well earned cruise in the Mediterranean. Just changed my car and it is lovely with a private registration and it drives like a dream.

The world could be a happier place right now but we all have to contribute to that by taking out the hatred hurt and pain and thinking, " am i really that unhappy" because i could find you millions of people who are worse off than you.

nee naw nee naw nee naw

2011-08-01T04:37:00.000-07:00

The police now know......they are investigating, they are checking, they will get a result and i cannot wait!!

BIsexual friends

2011-07-08T03:45:00.000-07:00

This is such a difficult one, you have friends from the mid eighties, they marry, have kids then you find out HE has been having sex with half of the southern population of men....SHE has no idea but is your friend, where do you turn, do you tell her? do you keep quiet?

Well i am on the verge of spilling the beans, i think she deserves the truth and she should have known something was up when he volunteered happily to move up north after being born and bred in the south, he could then leave all his skeletons behind then start again in the north!!

This has been silent for too long, watch this space....it may be YOU who gets the news!!!

2011-06-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

LIfe is good, Life is great.....Karma Karma Karma!!!

For those who scoff, start looking over your shoulder and never answer the door to strangers....tick tock!!!!

THE 200TH AIRCRAFT

2011-06-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be on the inaugural flight of the 200th Airbus delivery, the aircraft had never seen a passenger before and smelt just like a new car!!

I took it to VLC ( Valencia) and then two days ago to LPA ( Las Palmas), great passengers, hard working crew, what more could a cabin manager ask for!

Thoroughly enjoying my new job and new role, lots of challenges but over come them and other different problems as i go along.

2011-06-12T13:36:00.000-07:00

Thinks the word S C A B is a lovely word!!!

Also like Gleggers.........don't you JF

The Week AHead

2011-06-04T10:49:00.001-07:00

Hab=ving just completed my cabin managers course i am looking forward to being " Incharge" on an aircraft,something i have wanted to do for a long time so very excited about it. tick tock tick tock!!!!!

"GLEGGERS"

2011-05-28T05:15:00.000-07:00

Only two people in my life ever called me Gleggers and disappointed at both of them for their comments!!

However it narrows it down nicely......Now who is being watched??

The Muppets!!!

2011-05-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

The real danger to air passengers is not the ash cloud – it's these men
Willie Walsh and Michael O'Leary have spent the week arguing it is safe to fly. They are wrong

The two forthright Irishmen at the helm of Ryanair and British Airways have been outspoken in their criticism of the Met Office and aviation authorities over their assessment of the risk posed to aircraft by the plume of volcanic ash drifting in and out of UK airspace.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group, formed from the merger of BA and Iberia, has joined his business rival Michael O'Leary, who heads Ryanair, in condemning the forecasts and risk assessments from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Met Office.

Mr Walsh said yesterday that he had sent one of his aircraft through an area designated a "red zone" by the CAA and found "absolutely nothing" in terms of visible damage to the cockpit windows, aircraft surfaces or engines.

Related articles
Flights back on schedule after eruption dies down
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He aligned himself with Mr O'Leary, who had done something similar the day before with a Ryanair test flight at 41,000ft in Scotland, using some very colourful language to describe the "mythical" idea of red zones established by the CAA and the Met Office.

The chief executives have a track record of decrying the attempts by aviation authorities to bring some science to the assessment of the risks posed by volcanic ash. Last year, Mr Walsh said that the closure of UK airspace in the aftermath of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption was "a gross overreaction to a very minor risk", while Mr O'Leary said that the closure was "completely unnecessary".

But the men are guilty of playing to the gallery of public opinion in their criticism of the measures taken to minimise the risk to air travellers. They know their stock will rise by condemning those whose job it is to ensure airline safety – even if it means flight cancellations.

A single satellite snapshot apparently showing no volcanic ash in an area designated a red zone does not disprove the methodology used by the CAA and the Met Office, as Mr Walsh implied. And a single test flight at one altitude does not show that the entire concept of a red zone is a myth, as Mr O'Leary suggested on Tuesday.

The idea of a red zone, where the concentrations of volcanic ash exceed 4,000mcg per cubic metre, was instigated to get around the need for the blanket closure of airspace applied last year. This is the concentration of ash that is recognised as posing a significant risk to aircraft.

There is little scientific dispute over the risk to any aircraft that flies though a cloud of volcanic ash, which acts like a harsh, abrasive powder that can enter the smallest nooks and crannies of a plane's engine. The ash is composed of tiny fragments of pulverised rock and glass and it can grind away an aircraft's exterior, such as the windows of the cockpit and the blades of a turbine. But it also melts at the high temperatures inside a jet engine and sticks to the moving turbine blades, which alters their aerodynamics and causes the engines to stall.

This happened to a British Airways Boeing 747 in 1982, when at 36,000ft it flew too close to an ash cloud from the Galunggung volcano in Indonesia.

All four engines failed and the pilot only just managed to restart them after descending to 12,000ft, at which point the engines had cooled down enough for the melted volcanic glass to splinter from the turbine blades.

A study published earlier this year by Icelandic and Danish scientists supported the measures taken in 2010 to minimise the risk to aircraft from the Eyjafjallajokull eruption.

Tests on volcanic ash indicated that it retains its highly abrasive nature for several weeks after it is sent into the air.

The difficulty for the Met Office and the CAA is predicting where the current plume of ash from the Grimsvotn volcano will drift. They use a plethora of scientific instruments, from optical sensing machines on the ground to satellites in space, to gauge the thickness and whereabouts of the ash. They also model its future drift and altitude using sophisticated computer models of changes to wind speed and direction. When Mr O'Leary denounced the red-zone concept on Tuesday after a single flight at 41,000ft, he failed to mention that the Met Office had predicted that the ash cloud would not be at this altitude at this point in time.

Equally, when Mr Walsh said his own test had found absolutely nothing, he failed to say that the red-zone idea is based on a probabilistic notion, where dangerous concentrations of ash are likely, rather than definitely, found.

The next time Mr Walsh holds up a small vial of volcanic ash to emphasise just how small and insignificant the concentrations in a red zone are, he should be made aware that he, along with the CAA, may be held to account if one of his aircraft falls out of the sky after flying through an ash plume.

2011-05-16T05:50:00.000-07:00

My choices of words really do keep people on their toes, i have done nothing to be ashamed of and i will continue my charity work at the Hospital.
I have a great job and work with lovely people.
For those of you who publish negative comments, you really need to see the whole picture and not just your shallow, hurtful opinions, also anonymous which just proves what cowards you are!!

Decorating

2011-04-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

The day had arrived, i would have a decorator in full painting stroke and another company trying to fit a brand new VERY EXPENSIVE front door with knocker, built in spy hole, and about 3"thick with leaded murano glass panels.

The mess was unbelievable but thank goodness they were all very good at clearing up after themselves.

I was also very pleased with the painting job and the choice of wallpaper we made but are happy with now it is on the, tres chic and classy.

I Should have retired years ago, who needs money, i have enough and as happy as larry or a FLYING INDIAN PIG in shit!!!

Quiet

2011-04-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Things are now going to go quiet on here for a few weeks, things happening, things moving, plotting, planning scheming, can say no more.
Maybe those twats reading this to laugh and jeer, well allow me to have the last laugh as i will.

Your day will come you bunch of no hopers and i will once again smile, laugh, joke and enjoy life, you will not take this away from me.

I am currently sleeping well, eating healthily, going out cycling daily, exercising, the crying has almost stopped, the grief over the loss of my dog is the only thing which gets me every time.

Work related stress has dried up like a desert, SEE YA...NEVER!!!

2011-04-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

It will shortly be time to name and shame.....you ready for this!!!

I hope the alley cats enjoyed their celebratory drink in wankerworld.... As i said in my previous post, God Taketh away with one hand and Giveth back in the other.

Also friends should remember they should be their in good times and bad and not just because they want to be....real friends, Just realised i have never had any, just wasters, users, fakers and me me me people.

The thing is now, i am free, i can say, do, advertise, print, write, contact, whoever i wish about whatever i wish and be warned, i will.

For those of you seeking fame, well, you may see you name in print in the future.

Threat....NO......!!! Promise....YES!!!!

Goodnight....ah....the warmth and comfort of Tempur matresses, egyptian cotton sheets and sleeping pills!!

2011-04-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

God taketh away with one hand and giveth in the other...Thank You xxx

Making Megan's Memorial Photo Album

2011-03-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

When Megan died on 7th December 2010 i was absolutely mortified but also wrapped up in so much drama and distress that i failed to realise how distraught i was really.

This week i have cried for Megan as i have tried to do an online photo album in her memory for Ged, the photographs of the holidays we had, the days at the beach, the drives in the car and walks to the park all came flooding back and she is a massive miss in our lives. The house is quiet, there is sometimes nothing to get out of bed for when i would normally have been up and out walking, the car still contains little memories and even the hoover has a few hairs in.

I have yet to get her collar and lead back after she last wore them to the vets and i know they will have her smell on them and i will just break down, all i want to do is hold her one more time, cuddle her and feel her in my arms but that will never happen as she is in a 8x4 wooden box on top of the fireplace, she still gets kissed and always will.

Even typing this has brought on the waterworks.

BA Employee

2011-03-18T11:56:00.001-07:00

I see the guy who planned and plotted to blow up BA jets has been jailed for 30 years, maybe if others were doing their jobs properly and investigating in t he right areas instead of wasting time and energy on complete shite this would have been noticed sooner.

What a waste of time you are!

BALLOT 2011

2011-03-03T04:39:00.000-08:00

The cross is in the same box it has always been so F@@@ you!!!

THE SAVOY

2011-03-02T13:34:00.000-08:00

I have never stepped into an establishment and felt the warmth of it's staff, i was engulfed in riches, the best of everything was all around from the carpets to the Murano glass chandeliers in the rooms.
The views from the suites are incredible as the hotel is situated on the bend of the Thames so the Houses of Parliament, the London eye, the Gherkin, St Paul's catherdral are all framed in the panoramic view from both the bedroom window and the lounge area.
The bathroom is perfection, clean as clean can be, everything has its place and it placed perfectly, the free standing bath and walk in wet room were incredible.
If anyone wants a once in a lifetime treat please consider this option, you are in the heart of London on the Strand, the staff are passionate about everything they do and the experience all in all is wonderful.
The Savoy are a family, and their slogan "turning moments into memories" is everything it is all about summed up in four little words.....i could say it is one word.....perfection!!!