Life has moved on and now I know why

Sometimes, when things happen in my life I'm left sitting around wondering why. Why did it happen, why did it happen to me? What is the reason it happened? What next?

So awhile ago now my life went through a considerable amount of change. At the time I wasn't sure what the next step for me was, I wasn't sure what I wanted and I was sure as hell not sure what I was going to do next.

I guess it's par for the course that things like this are met with confusion and not as much understanding as you might have got had you been more informed before it happened. But then it wouldn't be the same. I am rambling a bit but you get that, and you'll realise if you've read other posts that its not unusual for me to do so.

All in all my point is this. I never subscribed to things happenning for a reason. I always thought that fate was someone spelling fete the wrong way. I did and still do however believe very strongly in karma.

BUT...

Things do happen for a reason. Good things come from bad and if you wait long enough what you're looking for generally does show up. Maybe not on time but they do...

So thanks to Zain for coming out for 'a few beers and a counter lunch', thanks to Cath for not giving me her number but writing 'I heart Cath' on my hand and texting at stupid o'clock the next day.

Oh yeah and thanks for Cath for saying yes, that she would like to be my Wife. Catherine Whitehead is by far the best thing that has ever happened to me. Without question this is the person that i need in my life that makes me feel whole. I'm a new person with a new outlook on life that had formed partially on it's own but is now so much better for the inclusion of my one and only.

Big smiles, good times!

Benny

The Cudas

This year has been my first playing competitive cricket for a very long time. I've missed it and had an absolute ball. Met some great people and have realised that I want to keep playing until the body says no, well says it louder than it is now.

We play in the last man standing 20/20 tournamnet at Regents Park in London. It's a good thing and is designed to be more exciting than league cricket and is over quicker so your Sunday isn't all about bat and ball.

We did ok this season, finishing fourth in a tough competition and then beating the guys that came first to make the finals. We ended up losing which was as much down to how poorly we played as it was the hangovers that most of us were carrying. All in all we played well in the first game and had a good laugh.

Next season is on the way. Long live the Cudas, it's a manouvre...

Change

Life’s changing, for me at a rapid rate everyday. It’s always been something that has scared me. Well maybe not scared but made me wary. Not anymore. Oh no.

So people close to me will understand what I’m saying when I mention change and just how significant it is for me right now. Everything is new, and well despite some initial fear and consternation I’m 100% comfortable and loving the road ahead. It was however a slightly rocky journey to get to this point. But now I’m here it’s a revelation how much strength and happiness I really do have in my life.
A wise young lady (my mother dearest) offered up some fairly significant advice a few months ago. It went something like this:

‘Most people are so focussed on the destination that they forget to enjoy the view on the way.’

If anything summed my old self, that was it. Always worried about where I was going, not enjoying the getting there. Never has something been said to me that resonated so deeply within. Now now you might say, that’s all a bit fluffy. It’s not. It’s insightful, it fits me like a bespoke suit and it’s made me realise what life is all about, that it’s about having fun today, planning for tomorrow and only worrying about the things you can change.

So all in all I’m happier, a better person for myself to be around and a better person for all the poor sods around me to be around.

Now onto some other things that are happening. Spain, I’m off on a boys holiday with Rafe and Zaino. Looking to get brown, get my drink on and see some sites. I’ll be travelling light and for the first time in my life we’re allegedly staying in hostels. Being the wanker that I am I’d have to say that it’s pushing me out of my comfort zone a little but Zaino assures me it’ll all be good. I’m hoping to take a heap of photos, spend a lot of time on the beach and dance all night with pretty Spanish girls. I’m also heading down to Nice before Spain to get a little tan on and see what the Riviera has to offer a young man like me. I’m pretty excited about both trips. Nice will be well, nice. The company should be exceptional but will have to wait and see. Pics to follow shortly.

So before I sign off from my first update in a little while I’d like to say thanks. To the fly, Herb and Z-Train. You know why.

Life starts now.

Woody

Technology in cricket

Before I even get into the debate that is tech in sport I want to highlight just how impressive Andrew Flintoff was through the entire Lords test. When you have man of that skill and talent in your side him just being there makes a huge difference. The heart that he showed was what the England side needed and it lifted not just them but the entire crowd.

Onto the other stuff.

After 5 days of some pretty ordinary cricket by the Australians, the better team won. There can be no question that the Poms played well and more importantly worked out what needed to happen based on the conditions. Lords is a very intimidating place. The crowd, the slope, it all culminates in a high pressure environment where the weak are exposed and the strong prosper.

I do appreciate the 'members bounce' and agree that you get it where you can but throughout this test there were a few wickets that were just not out:
1. Simon Katich caught off a no ball
2. Phi Hughes given out when Straussy clearly grassed it. Not even a referral!
3. Mike Hussey given out caught after the umpire mistook his bat hitting the ground for his bat hitting the ball. Fairly straight forward when you're an umpire I would have thought.
4. Ricky Ponting given out caught off his pad in the first innings

It all begs the question that to what extent should technology play a part in international cricket? It's improved tennis, the challenge system and bespoke tech they have introduced has meant that the better player, not the luckier player wins.

In my humble opinion we need to get to the same stage in cricket where it helps and not hinders. We need to develop more technology that ensures that a higher percentage of the wickets are out.

70,000ft UP

This is some of the most amazing footage I have ever seen.

James May from BBC's Top Gear program going up in a US Air Force Lookheed U-2 plane 70,000ft above sea level!

Watch it, all 10 minutes and you'll have a new realisation for awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJoMDq4AyLc

So is summer finally here? Like really here?

As I look out the window from my executive work station (read: non descript grey desk in a pod with another six non descript grey desks) the sun is shining, people are out drinking cider and Wimbledon is on. Meanwhile I'm inside enjoying the aircon and the mind numbing regularity of the work I'm doing day after day.

All sounds about right huh? Well it's a shedload better than what I experienced in Salzburg at the weekend. Bloody non stop raining! All weekend. It was a lovely place though with a lot of beautiful buildings and it's very much still olde world. There are however some awful 80's buildings there that do no blend in at all well.

This weekend it's off to Amsterdam. Hopefully for the Assen TT but tickets are scarce and I'm having trouble tracking one down at the moment which is not real good.

I'm bike shopping at the moment as well. I was looking at Aprilia RS125's but I'm not sure it's very practical as a commuter and weekend away bike. So I've changed tact somewhat and I'm now looking at a Suzuki GSXR750. An older one that I can afford to purchase and insure. Either way I'm not too excited just yet but if it can happen then I'd be over the moon. I've wanted a bike for such a long time and to finally get one would be awesome. I do have to pass it by the boss as well first but I'm sure with what I have in store that should be no problem...

Where I've been in the world

So I need to keep this list somewhere! Every place I go to I get a little cloth badge. I haven't decided what to do with them yet. They were stuck to a wall but they should really be sewn onto something, I'm just not sure my Country Road bag is the right thing. I'll take a photo and upload them tomorrow!

For now, here's where I've been!

Hong Kong
Singapore
Thailand
Abu Dhabi
UK
France - Paris, Montpellier, Chamonix
Germany - Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt
Ireland - Dublin
Czech Republic - Prague, Brno
Italy - Milan, Lake Como
Switzerland
Denmark - Copenhagen
USA - New York, Texas
Austria - Salzburg

I'm hoping to get to a lot more places this year.Stay tuned!