Race of the races at the races.

The good thing about football is the way it shows us how shallow some political 'beliefs' are.
Take nationality for example, in a lot of European countries there is political friction about migrants - yet every european football team has at least one or two players that are children of -or first generation- migrants, they can kick a ball so they are the good ones.
I was watching a game I think it was Turkey against Czech Republic, one of Turkey's best players was a young 18 year old 'Turk' who was born and raised in Denmark, Dad was a Turk, Mum was Danish.
The lad spent his whole youth in Denmark, was football trained in Denmark, school in Denmark, but he plays for Turkey, no problem but where is the logic?
In the German national team ,one of their best players -is -so say- Turkish, his Mum and Dad are Turkish ,yet he plays for Germany.
All very interesting, and I love it, getting to choose which nationality you want to be should be extended even further, I'd like to be Swedish and very logical. If I were a footballer ,I'd play for England, or look into my DNA history and try to get a place in the Welsh team, or Irish, I'm sure there are some genes in there somewhere.
Racists must have difficult times when they support their national team.
Speaking of which- in Belgium, some Flemish nationalists (and I suppose Walloon Nationalists) will not watch the Belgian national team because they are seen as .... well Belgian and not Flemish. A Flemish person from African roots isn't a problem, it's just these pesky Walloons or Brusselsians(or whatever). Football is fast becoming the great bringer together of peoples.
So how does that work with hooligans? Russian hooligans will attack only white English hooligans ?

or do Hooligans recognise all colours and creeds as 'brothers' -brothers that should be kicked beaten and stabbed, but none the less Brothers.
Strange times we live in.
PS Give Ronaldo a British passport, he looks pretty 'Essex' to me.

shine!

That time of year. 

I’m writing this blog entry sitting outside in the garden, my favorite hideaway, a place -although small - that reminds me that we humans - we ‘sapi-apes’ -are just one small part of life on this planet.

The sun is shining and, at the beginning of the summer, that puts us off guard, the sun shines and we think ‘good times’! “lazy days and crazy nights” (unless you’re of my generation then you think “did I remember to get mosquito repellant?”).

The harder the sun shines, the less news and political showmanship interests us. Politicians posturing on television seems all too tiresome when you could be outside sipping your favorite cocktail.

The summer is also the time when my ‘core business’ -stand-up Comedy - takes a hit, people don’t need us to have fun, they have pools and drinks and music and friends, laughs are there for the taking, nobody needs a person with a microphone and sharp wit telling them what’s funny.

Still love it though! So bring on the summer. 

Rituals

Every day I get up and write three pages of whatever comes into my head, sound difficult? well it is, sometimes it’s gibberish sometimes it’s deep, sometimes it’s lists of stuff I have to do ,just whatever is on my mind. It helps, it clears my mind, it sets me up for the day, it’s relaxing and it’s addictive. I just write, I try to think as little as possible about what I’m writing I just try to let it all flow out. It’s like opening the windows and letting fresh air blow through the house. 

This may sound a waste of time for some people, but it works for me, I know it’s not for everyone but it’s my little ritual to kick off the day. 

We all have rituals, they’ve always been important to humans, religions were quick to pick up on this and incorporate them big time in their little clubs of ‘followers’, whether it be fasting, praying,meditating, pilgrimages, coming of age ceremonies ,they are all just rituals, giving people something to cling on to when life becomes a bit overwhelming, it’s just ritual and so long it isn’t used to enslave or endanger others, go for it, starve yourself, chastise yourself, get on your knees and speak to the invisible, do what ever it takes to get by- but just remember it should be a personal experience, a thing that helps you. If you’re just doing it because it’s ‘expected’ of you by communities or by others, then it’s probably not right. Find your own personal ritual and get to know yourself, it’s fun, and hey! you exist.