Beating ManUre

My wife and I spent yesterday out of the home for a lot of the day.  We had lunch with friends and I watched the Arsenal game there.  Afterwards my wife rested while I went to the pub quiz where I relaxed and had a few drinks.

When it came to the Arsenal game, the score does not reflect the game.  It was a tight thing and we could have easily lost.  In fact, Tony, whom I was watching the game with, said that he thought a point was a good result before ManUre scored what turned out of be an offside goal (only just).  I felt that with the way ManUre organised themselves, it was either going to take a break, luck or Jesus running through the crowd of players to unlock the game.  Normally Saka would do that, but I think that our draw last week where he gave away possession may have affected his confidence. ManUre marked Martin Ødegaard for much of the game and he showed what happens when he is allowed space near the opposing goal. 

Anyway, considering that I did not think that we would get a result, three points is much appreciated!

Apple products

I have not posted recently as I have not been too well.  I had to take a lot of Wednesday off work (which was easier as I work from home on that day) and while unwell, I went into work on Thursday against the objections of my wife and needed to nap during the day.

I was better, but not back to normal on Friday and yesterday felt well enough to travel with my wife to get the laptop my son needs for his school.  She had ordered this online.

My wife and son had travelled to Lakeside yesterday to be told that the laptop was not there and when they got back she got a message that the laptop had arrived!  So yesterday, she drove down and I went with her.  While there, we fixed her apple watch that she has not used in a while.  On the way there, we saw a lot of traffic on the A12 as one interchange was closed, so we drove back via Maldon.  

On the way to Maldon, we stopped for some rest and fluids at a lovely family run Italian restaurant and ended up staying there for a few hours.  Days like this, were my wife and I just do something in a spontaneous manner are not as common as I would like, but we both loved it!

The only downside to the day was listening to a remix of a track that I am sure was different to how it had been when it was originally released.  Turns out, on streaming, the remix is the only version you can access!

Tax the super-rich

I get fed up when Labour does not show leadership. The last big example was throwing Sadiq Khan under the bus about ULEZ when the simple counter argument is to ask people how much pollution is acceptable.

Another example is a promise not to tax the rich. A message to tax the rich is going to be viewed as a tax on aspiration as many work to be better off. While it will reassure many high earners, there would be no problems at the ballot box by promising to tax the super-rich. Such plans could be presented with a commitment not to raise taxes below a certain threshold at the same time. I think that this has been another opportunity lost to lead.

The oldest profession

My daughter is watching a TV series featuring underage prostitution. I do look forward to a question about the grey areas with her. This is an issue that I have discussed in the past, and there are blurred lines between what is acceptable to society and what is not. 

Let me be clear from the beginning. No person should be forced into sex work and those in it should be offered the help to leave it as well as help to address any addiction issues they may have.

But there are those for whom working in this or related areas has been a positive choice. I have even met one of them, though most of those who I have cared for had left it (one was in it to fund her then drug habit). The one who was still working in it appeared to be a good mother, but she had housing issues which I suspect may have been related to her line of work and the alcohol issues she later came out as still having (which I suspect helped her cope with her job).  Needless to say, I suspect there have been many others who I have looked after who I was or am unaware worked in this role.

The grey line is when relationships or marriage is involved. Does having a sugar daddy mean that you are a sex worker? How about if you marry one? Caroline Aherne, in the guise of Mrs Merton, opened an interview with Debbie McGee, the partner of magician Paul Daniels, with the query: "So what attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?" We can see similar issues now with Melania Trump and her husband, many wondering what attracted the foreign born model to the (then twice married) millionaire Donald Trump.  The reason that I bring her up is that Stormy Daniels is often called a prostitute for having had sex with Donald Trump, but Melania, who many see as marrying for money, is not considered to be a sex worker herself by most.

There are those who call for a ban on prostitution, this has consequences for those working in that field, just as it does on other areas of sex work.

I do have concerns that this can demean women in the eyes of some men, but I suspect many of those men would not have much respect for women. I have one patient who has found it hard to have a relationship due to his behavioural issues. I do think that seeing sex workers is going to make it much harder for him to find the love that he craves, but is meets his desire to have sex. He has had issues with getting attached to some of the women he pays for due to his need for love. The bottom line is that I would rather he paid for sex rather than raped a woman to satisfy his primal urges. He is not alone, there are many men who are going to find it much harder to find love. It is really right to forbid them from ever having sex so long as this can be done in an ethical way? 

The only 3 points Arsenal are going to get next week is if Suella Braverman drives the team bus back to London.

I was hoping any dropped points would happen later in the season. Not at home against a side reduced to ten men though. 

While have stated that I do not think that Arsenal are likely to win the title this season, keeping the dream alive for longer would have been nice.

I watched the highlights, and I guess the mistake at the start affected the side, as going a goal behind so early changes how the game is played. But it was two points dropped at home and it should not have happened.

Man Ure will be looking forward to the game with us next month… 

Back at home

We are back at home. I was a bit too tipsy to post on our last day in Rhodes after I drank a whole bottle of wine.  My wife, daughter and I, had spent the morning at the beach, but I returned to our room just before two, to have lunch in the restaurant with my son. In the evening we had a meal in one of the hotel restaurants, this being a pizza restaurant. They made good American pizza’s, but I much prefer Italian ones which have a thinner crust and base.  This also meant that we missed out on Casino night as I decided to power nap and my son decided not to gamble. 

Our day travelling to the UK was uneventful apart from me forgetting to claim VAT back on purchases until after we had gone through passport control.

My son and I started to watch Ashoka, but we were both too tired to continue this and had to retire to bed. Hopefully we will get to watch it together again. I do wonder where all the people trained in the force hid during the rule of the Empire. It was bad enough with how Snoke came to be about in the poorly written sequel films (episodes vii-x). Now there are more Jedi? 

Also, we now have Leia back. She was ecstatic to see us when we got her from the dog sitter. I got in trouble for taking treats with me but she has been for a short walk with me and a longer one with my daughter. I also have had a nap today and she has slept with me, but has woken me up each time she has decided to jump off the bed to see what the other family members are up to.

Day eleven on Rhodes

Tomorrow is our last full day on Rhodes. I am going to miss it. My wife and son went with me to Rhodes were we went on a city tour, had an amazing lunch. The pick up and drop off point for the tour was at the cafe, which is where we rested before and after the tour.

The heat in the town was oppressive but the sights were impressive. My son and wife shopped and on getting back I cooled off with a swim in the ocean. My daughter found a school of fish, a sea snail and a crab using my goggles.

Back at the room, my son pushed me in the pool which was appreciated as I needed to wash the salt off me while my daughter showered first.

Tomorrow the plan is to relax for our last day and I guess do some preparatory packing. While there have been annoyances staying here, overall, it has been a great holiday.