Tuesday just gone, a fellow Trooper from 2Sqn, of the Honourable Artillery Company was killed by a roadside explosion in southern Afghanistan whilst serving with 4/73 Special Observation Battery, Brigade Reconnaissance Force. I didn’t know him but he joined about 9 months before I left the regiment.
MoD news bulletin here. BBC article here. Read from his friends on Facebook here.
21 years old. What a bloody waste.
Despite having had a ridiculous fancypants 3 metre widescreen TV installed, we thought we deserved another television, for the bedroom. Found one on eBay a few weeks back, paid straight after ‘winning’ the item and duly waited… and waited. Called the seller to see what was going on. Firstly they hadn’t sent anything in a hurry and then put the blame with the courier, I understand that couriers can be unreliable but they didn’t even leave a calling card after supposedly attempting delivery on 4 occassions. After asking for a refund, they eventually paid but only after saying “we’re waiting for other customer’s money to come into our PayPal account before we pay you. Which is an odd way of doing business IMHO. So I left this negative feedback for the sellers that call themselves ‘provisuals’:
Worst eBayers I’ve dealt with. Weren’t interested. Didn’t deliver after 2 wks.
Leaving negative feedback is not something I do lightly or take pleasure in (I think I’ve done it once before), so I was never going to sing their praises if I felt the need to give them a bad mark. This was the tit-for-tat feedback I received:
A LOSER, BAD EBAYER, BAD ATTITUDE, BAD MAN, TERRIBLE LOSER IN LIFE GENERALLY!!!
Nice. This is the inherent problem with eBay’s feedback system. If you leave them negative, they’re bound to return the favour even if you’ve done everything as nice as pie. Personal slights are a tad unecessary although the guy’s clearly a switched on cookie to realise that I am indeed a terrible loser in life generally. Exclamation mark exclamation mark exclamation mark.
I thought that would be the end of it, I didn’t reply, but the messages kept coming via the eBay messaging system:
Loser james – thats what you are.
righty-ho, and then…
You are a big loser James!
err ok, and then…
The item is back with us due to the COURIER not being able to deliver it. big word for you I know and was readvertised on thursday. I know these are very big words for your to understand as you are only one years old.
which was good, but then this was the clincher…
The couriers let you down. But I could always tell you were a loser. Can I tell you that the anger in me right now. If I could meet you I would do time for you. That means I would beat you so that you would be in hospital for months and months and months because you are such a small minded little prick with a small cock and and even smaller brain. I so want to beat you up you wont believe it. I think I may leave my comfortable chair and hunt you down. Simply because you have a small cock and brain. I want to hurt you James so much I really do. So you think that because a little courier couldnt deliver a parcel that you can leave negative for the innocent people that work so hard. whilst my partner protests I say you are going to get it your little tiny prick!!!
Absolute genius. If you happen to be on eBay and come across some kit being sold by ‘provisuals’, do not buy.
Rolled off the ferry at Dover on returning from our Paris weekender. Now, I’ve got one of those luxurious/poncey passport holders and inside that I also have a passport sized notebook. Handed said passport over to some policeman, he seemed to be taking a little longer than the normal casual glance, then he passed my passport over to his partner, both smirking they then handed it back asking who Frankie was. (in case you’re not aware, Frankie is the name of our baby due in 4 weeks). The last entry I had was:
Things To Dress Frankie As:
Do send in any further suggestions.
Bit of a jaunt over to Spain for a loverly long weekend. This is what we did:
Train up to Luton, shuttle bus to the airport, checked in, drank, ate, chatted, got on the plane, flew in dark o’clock to Girona, picked up the hire car, drove up to Empuriabrava, checked into the hotel, went out, ate, went back, slept, got up, ate, drank coffee, skydived, landed badly, skydived, flared far too early, proper f*cked my heel and knee on landing, tried to act like it didn’t hurt, limped off, drove to Barcelona, DO NOT DRIVE IN THAT CITY, dropped car in the tightest car park ever, got out the car, realised my leg was worse than I thought it was, limped on to find our hostal, got lost, got a cab, checked in, went out, sat, drank, ate the wrong order, chatted, people-watched on La Rambla, hobbled back, slept, drank and ate, chatted, tubed around town, checked out some big church, drank coffee, walked (sort of) around town, down to the waterfront, shopped, ate, drank, chatted, watched some breakdancers flexing it, went to a market, drank coffee, went to a museum, back to the hostal, sauntered over to Barcelonetta down by the water, took in a bar where god and santa’s little helper were seated, found a very nice little seafood eatery, ate, drank wine, chatted, headed back, slept, woke, picked up the motor, drove to Tarragona, past some amphitheatre, parked up, saw no herbs, ate, drank, chatted, drove lots more, arrived at Torre Del Visco, wondered why we hadn’t got there earlier, wandered around in awe of the luxuriousness of the place, drank, chatted, drank, ate (far too much), watched half the Constant Gardener, slept, watched the other half (very good), ate, drank coffee, took photos, lounged, drank, packed, drove to the AP7 then up to Girona airport, filled up, dropped car back, queued, checked in, queued, paid additional bag charge, drank coffee, went through, ate, drank, chatted. looked at the phot from the past few days, flight delayed, waited, boarded, chatted, flew, drank coffee, landed, picked up luggage, worked out bus would get us back quicker than train, got on bus, sat, checked email, arrived at Vic, found cab, drove home, got in, went to sleep.
Perfect city breakage.
Last weekend, with only hours to go on the final day for entries, I eventually sent in a photo to the BBC’s ‘In Pictures’ monthly competition: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6192631.stm
In work this morning (yes the Saturday before Xmas, woe is) working hard as normal, I checked to see what next month’s competition is (shouldn’t use a verb at the end of a sentence). Last month’s entries were up, and lo and behold, mine’s amongst the 10 that had been selected. Even better, amongst the voting results, #10 James Spratt is currently in the lead with 25+%.
[Update, 04.01.07: “We asked you to vote for your favourite photo sent in by our readers and with over 25% of the votes James Spratt’s picture (No.10) has been declared the winner.”] Woohoo.
Moshi Moshi