Over brekkie I had a
look-see at the world of social media (as I often do). And
again I found myself amazed by people's attitudes and reactions to
organised sport. Why is it that any hobby that I might pursue is a
fair subject for ridicule? I regularly receive insult and banter
(often quite personal and nasty) concerning any hobby I've
ever taken up (geocaching, kite flying, fishing, oil painting,
hiking, stargazing, trekkie-ing and drinking to excess all come in
for ridicule). I take it all with a smile.
However if I say a single
word which isn't glowing praise for organised sport, serious insult
is taken. I once made a throwaway comment about "Mighty
Morphin Queens Park Rangers" and was actually threatened
with assault by someone I had hitherto thought to be a very good
friend. This was no joke; he made it crystal clear that it was only
the fact that I was a friend of his sister in law (and she would
be upset) that stopped him striking me there and then. Yesterday
a good natured jibe was made on-line about the American Superbowl and
some rather nasty comments were made by the over-defensive sporting
afficionados.
What is it about
organised sport that provokes such strong feelings? Why would someone
throw away a friendship of years in favour of an alleigence to a
sports team who has never even heard of them?
I've ofter wondered. I
wish I knew the answer. I must be missing something.
I took "Furry
Face TM" for our morning’s walk. It was
something of a disappointment. I had intended to go flood-spotting,
but the waters had abated somewhat. Whilst we were crossing the
footbridge over the bypass we saw an old mucker. Or thought we did.
It was only when the chap was two feet away I realised it wasn’t
Chippy. He smiled nervously at me; probably terrified of the badinage
I’d been throwing his way.
Seeing that the floods
under the railway bridge had subsided we then walked down through
Frog’s Island into Willesborough. I checked on a couple of my
geocaches as I went. And having checked on one I saw a couple walking
down the footpath brandishing sat-nav equipment. We got chatting;
they were geocachers from Norfolk who were passing through the area.
They particularly like puzzle caches, and had targeted some of mine.
I was pleased about that.
We made our way home via
Hythe Road and Pets at Home. To anyone who doesn’t know the area
that journey is not unlike travelling from London to Birmingham via
Margate. Once home my dog had a shower to wash off the dirt, and I
then settled him down with a pig’s ear I’d bought him. With him
chewing away in his basket I attacked domestic drudgery. Washing and
washing and Dyson-ing and sorting undercrackers.
As the washing machine
chewed its second load I had a go at the astro club’s accounts. I
like to check them immediately after a club meeting, but Friday had
been a busy day for me, and I was working over the weekend, so today
was the first chance I had to make sense of them. We seem to be just
over fourteen quid better off than I think we should be. I wonder why
that might be. If the worst comes to the worst I shall balance the
books by embezzling that excess cash. After all, that’ll get me
four pints of ale.
I then made a start on my
latest
on-line course - it's about the history, technology and security
of the Internet. So far so good. I've done all the first week's stuff
and got eighty per cent in the first test. Let's hope I can keep this
up.
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