Cracking Up - In More Ways than One

Thanks to Cork Opera House for making me chuckle this morning.

In fact, I've been laughing quite a lot this week despite stuff happening that will change the entire course of the rest of my life - and I've no idea where this path is leading.  How exciting is that?

I was chatting to Judith on Thursday morning, catching up with events and deciding what we needed to tap on.  Usually, one or other of us has had an emotional run-in with someone we need to tap out of our system.  Not because we are grumpy menopausal old women, you understand, but because we are so programmed for love and abundance to all living creatures that the odd little spat disturbs our equilibrium and we have to clear it out quick so we can get back to the business of deeply and completely loving and accepting ourselves and them. 

I told her that I'd gone to bed the night before and read something inspiring and wonderful in the book I'd picked up "The Astonishing Power of Emotions - Let your Feelings be your Guide" (Abraham-Hicks).  And I'd picked up that book because in the Great Clear-Up I had tidied away the book I was already reading, Patrick Veitch's "Enemy Number One" and couldn't find it.

I heard a sharp intake of breath at the other end of the line.  "You've lost your book?  God, that was some clear-up", she said with awe.

At which we both lost it, our composure that is, and had a right hearty laugh.  Clearly, she has never known the joy of emptying the laundry basket and finding the cat food or spotting a much-loved CD at the back of the fridge, or indeed unzipping a pocket in her handbag and discovering a long-forgotten two hundred quid.

It's simple pleasures like these that add sparkle to the day.

This morning, Cork Opera House have added a bit more sparkly stuff.

I went online to book tickets for a forthcoming production and naturellement, there was the obligatory booking fee.

When they emailed me my booking confo, I was delighted to see I hadn't been charged a booking fee after all - no, just a convenience fee.

This might mean I am paying in advance for the use of their toilets but if not, the management have obviously been reading The Power of Positive Thinking, and decided that booking online is something that makes life so wonderfully convenient, it really shouldn't be classed as a 'booking' fee at all.

Talking of paying to use the toilets, I also happened to pop over to the Ryanair website to see where I would be taking the lovely Mary Spain later this year when we go away somewhere European for three days of laughter therapy.  (Note to self - no more German hair cuts). 

I had to check the calendar - is it the 1st April today?  Ryanair are polling their visitors: would you be prepared to stand up on short flights if they made the tickets even cheaper?  What is cheaper than zero, I wonder?

Helpfully, they have provided a visual so you can make an informed decision:

I know, I know, I've promised never to fly Ryanair again, since they made me prove my bag was the right size when flying home after my mum's funeral.  I started flinging things out of my case until it fit into their wretched frame and then they relented.  But then I did fly with them again and they were on time and didn't give a rat's arse about the size of any of our bags.  So I'm quite glad I took a look at the website this morning as they've given me another laugh.

I wonder how many extra people they can fit in if we're all standing?  It could end up feeling quite claustrophobic as naturally, it's a space-saving exercise.

I do remember trips to work on the Drogheda-Dublin train when it would be so jam-packed, I would fantasise about hopping up and lying in the luggage rack.  I've done it before.  Not in Ireland, admittedly, but when travelling on buses in China.  Perhaps it's all changed now but when I was there, they wouldn't sell us (Westerners) tickets for the lower bunks.  We could only get top bunk tickets.

If you have had the great pleasure of not travelling in China, let me tell you their top bunks are based on the luggage rack model.  You have about six inches between your face and the roof of the bus.  HORRIBLE. 

Dangerous places too.  While I was dangling out the window, waiting to leave whichever city we were in, my flippin glasses were pinched out of my pocket.

Someone tried to steal my brother's shoes too.  A less successful operation as he was wearing them at the time.  He was lying dozing in the top bunk (luggage rack) and could feel his laces being undone and then someone pulling at his heels.  He shuffled his feet to let the criminal know he knew what was going on but they kept at it.  I can't believe anyone in China even has feet that big!

Ok, that's enough laughter for a Sunday morning.  I've got nothing to laugh about right now anyway.  Nothing, nothing, nothing.  Life is cracking up.  Thank God I still can too.

Comments

[Account Deleted]

Talking of cracking up. i went to see Thriller at the theatre yesterday as it was my goddaughter's birthday. Now I expected to see the odd oddball wearing a rhinestone glove and Fedora. I actually didn't see one and what I did see were people aged 7 to 70 and there was something wonderful about that There were however what I would call the ardent fan Like the bloke from Teddington who had been to see it 75 times. So much so that he was very proud to say that the box office staff gave him his own box if one was available- Well quelle surprise! -Not so long ago they would have led him to a special box which then took him to a place called bedlam. What was interesting was my goddaughter's reaction- she took out her phone and calculated that he had spent around 3k on this endeavour. Although we had a great time and shed a little tear for Michael J and his undoubted genius her reaction cracked me up - her comment - "That's about 12 months shopping in topshop or 6 pairs of Blahniks ( cant even spell it)-what a waste of good money". Oh to be 15!

[Marion Ryan]

Nice story, Marie, heard it was a great show too. Funny how we prioritise our spending and what is affordable and what not.

Not sure I would want to be 15 again as that was the era when I was falling over in the high street in my platforms. But I could certainly go 20!

[Toby]

I too have an allergy to congested travel conditions. When I was at Uni in the UK I recall an Irish guy describe his experience of commuting to college on the london underground. He became so vexed about having to stand up, that he resorted to just sitting cross-legged on the carriage floor. Trouble is, they pulled into a busier station and masses of suited commuters got on. He still just sat there, with his legs crossed, holding onto his portfolio. But at the next station, every person in his carriage Except for him seemed to all want to hurry for the doors at the same time. With all the jostling, he ended up being rolled over like a stone, till his head and torso ended up going down the gap between the train and the platform (between the doors) while his legs were still in the train. It was quite a spectacle. Fortunately, commuters did come to his assistance.