I was at a 'celebration of life' yesterday - one of these occasions when a minute's applause would be more appropriate than silence.
John Beirne lived life to the full, a charming, witty man, a great raconteur, but also caring and compassionate. In fact all the qualities of a first class tennis coach - which he was.
My attendance there relied on Flybe doing Edinburgh to Southampton in an hour, foot hard down, followed by a hair-raising taxi ride on the M27. Even then I was 7 minutes late for 'kick off' and did a Hugh Grant / 4 Weddings entry into Romsey Abbey, which by the way has the creakiest back door on the planet.
But it was certainly worth it - and to share the occasion with special friends.
I am off to see family in Connecticut tomorrow. If anyone fancies breaking into my home in my absence, I have a very big son living there, plus a dog who chews ankles for supper.
Now I don't want to reveal any personal things here, but there are 5++ daily text messages I'm going to miss - may well suffer serious withdrawl symptoms!!
PS One of John's sayings at a social gathering was "I'm seriously at risk of enjoying myself". What a great advert for life!
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Dirty Dancing
Yeah you're right - there's nothing like an eye catching title to attract attention!
Anyhow I was a bit disappointed when the 'celebrities' for the new Strictly were announced yesterday - thought I had a fair shout to be honest. I always feel equal rejection when I'm missed out in the New Year's honours list, or Scotland 50 most 'eligibles' - I mean what more have I got to do!
I've always fancied my prowess as a potential John Travolta, although any attempt at the passadouble is likely to put me in plaster. In reality, I would probably fall into the John Sergeant category and end up dragging my partner round the dance floor.
I've always reckoned that Michael Jackson or Fred Astaire (or even Elvis) would have made fine tennis players on the basis of their footwork alone. Tennis is more of a 'moving' game than a 'hitting' game. If you're not in the right position, then no matter how good your technique, you will struggle to control your shot.
So there you are folks - forget grips, slices and topspin, put on your dancin' shoes!
My tip for Strictly - well Paul Daniels could be a tricky customer, but what about Felicity Kendall, former belly dancer, or Michelle Williams (she is some mover).
Welcome to the fall!
Anyhow I was a bit disappointed when the 'celebrities' for the new Strictly were announced yesterday - thought I had a fair shout to be honest. I always feel equal rejection when I'm missed out in the New Year's honours list, or Scotland 50 most 'eligibles' - I mean what more have I got to do!
I've always fancied my prowess as a potential John Travolta, although any attempt at the passadouble is likely to put me in plaster. In reality, I would probably fall into the John Sergeant category and end up dragging my partner round the dance floor.
I've always reckoned that Michael Jackson or Fred Astaire (or even Elvis) would have made fine tennis players on the basis of their footwork alone. Tennis is more of a 'moving' game than a 'hitting' game. If you're not in the right position, then no matter how good your technique, you will struggle to control your shot.
So there you are folks - forget grips, slices and topspin, put on your dancin' shoes!
My tip for Strictly - well Paul Daniels could be a tricky customer, but what about Felicity Kendall, former belly dancer, or Michelle Williams (she is some mover).
Welcome to the fall!
Monday, 2 August 2010
Standing On Your Head
There is a lot of mystique - and misunderstanding - about yoga.
Most think it's all about 'oms' and chanting - and standing for hours on end in unnatural poses.
I started doing yoga a few years ago, the idea being to slow down in an increasingly hectic life style. Can your relate to that? Most of us can - the pace of life has never been faster.
What surprised me - at the ripe old age of whatever I am - my tennis confidence began to improve. I also found I was moving better on court.
Have you ever watched Kim Clijsters movement on the baseline. Her centre of gravity is so low she can do the 'splits' and recover for the next shot. It seems almost unnatural - inviting all sorts of painful injuries. It was only recently I read she has been doing yoga from the age of 17.
Like Andy Murray, she practises Bikram yoga - 26 poses done in a minimum temperature of 105 degrees f. If this sounds a good idea to you, dont play around with the central heating - you could end up with massive gas bills and peeling wallpaper.
But yoga is all about breathing - and you don't need a hothouse to do it. When I'm stuck at traffic lights - a regular occurrence for most of us - I try to be aware of my breathing. It's amazing how calming it can be - and it passes the time!
Ps I have never actually stood on my head - well not literally!
Most think it's all about 'oms' and chanting - and standing for hours on end in unnatural poses.
I started doing yoga a few years ago, the idea being to slow down in an increasingly hectic life style. Can your relate to that? Most of us can - the pace of life has never been faster.
What surprised me - at the ripe old age of whatever I am - my tennis confidence began to improve. I also found I was moving better on court.
Have you ever watched Kim Clijsters movement on the baseline. Her centre of gravity is so low she can do the 'splits' and recover for the next shot. It seems almost unnatural - inviting all sorts of painful injuries. It was only recently I read she has been doing yoga from the age of 17.
Like Andy Murray, she practises Bikram yoga - 26 poses done in a minimum temperature of 105 degrees f. If this sounds a good idea to you, dont play around with the central heating - you could end up with massive gas bills and peeling wallpaper.
But yoga is all about breathing - and you don't need a hothouse to do it. When I'm stuck at traffic lights - a regular occurrence for most of us - I try to be aware of my breathing. It's amazing how calming it can be - and it passes the time!
Ps I have never actually stood on my head - well not literally!
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Dont Panic!
The other night I was wakened from a blissful sleep by a nerve shattering ringing noise. I thumped my alarm clock a couple of times to no avail, then looked at the time.
It was 1 o'clock in the morning. I was in an hotel room and the incessant ringing was the fire alarm. I've had a bit of training in fire evacuation in the past and, believe you me, if I'd smelled smoke, I would have been tieing sheets together and bailing out the window. I've seen too many blockbuster movies to hang around combing my hair and selecting my wardrobe.
So I raced down the stairs with the bare essentials - grateful that I was wearing my best boxers - and joined a gaggle of confused and half asleep residents in the hotel car park. There was fortunately no billowing of smoke or people hanging from window ledges. As it turned out, a romantic couple had decided to light a candle to finish a perfect evening - and ended up having a rapid cool down in the car park.
So the group of ladies on a 50's hen night trundled back to their rooms and fell asleep dreaming of hunky firemen with long hoses (where were they as a matter of interest!) - and I scoured about 100 channels on the telly hoping (in vain) to find something interesting to watch.
So that was my bit of 'excitement' for the weekend - absolutely nothing to do with tennis, but was delighted at my turn of speed at getting from the 3rd floor to reception.
Just a little word of sympathy this morning for the England goalkeeper. If you make a mistake at tennis, you could lose a game, or even a set, but poor Rob Green will be remembered forever for his little fumble.
At least it's not as bad as Tiger who will be remembered for many little fumbles!
Have a good summer!
It was 1 o'clock in the morning. I was in an hotel room and the incessant ringing was the fire alarm. I've had a bit of training in fire evacuation in the past and, believe you me, if I'd smelled smoke, I would have been tieing sheets together and bailing out the window. I've seen too many blockbuster movies to hang around combing my hair and selecting my wardrobe.
So I raced down the stairs with the bare essentials - grateful that I was wearing my best boxers - and joined a gaggle of confused and half asleep residents in the hotel car park. There was fortunately no billowing of smoke or people hanging from window ledges. As it turned out, a romantic couple had decided to light a candle to finish a perfect evening - and ended up having a rapid cool down in the car park.
So the group of ladies on a 50's hen night trundled back to their rooms and fell asleep dreaming of hunky firemen with long hoses (where were they as a matter of interest!) - and I scoured about 100 channels on the telly hoping (in vain) to find something interesting to watch.
So that was my bit of 'excitement' for the weekend - absolutely nothing to do with tennis, but was delighted at my turn of speed at getting from the 3rd floor to reception.
Just a little word of sympathy this morning for the England goalkeeper. If you make a mistake at tennis, you could lose a game, or even a set, but poor Rob Green will be remembered forever for his little fumble.
At least it's not as bad as Tiger who will be remembered for many little fumbles!
Have a good summer!
Friday, 30 April 2010
A Little Bit of Rough
Welcome to summer!
I've noticed around these parts that, the moment the sun comes out, the roads are jam packed with 'roofless' cars. Where they hide over the winter goodness knows! Despite the trendy shades and baseball caps, most of the drivers fall into the middle age bracket, and arguably going through a crisis. Ah now I can identify with that!
One big advantage of a hatchback is that when you hit a pothole, your head doesn't bounce off the car roof. I don't know about you, but my whole driving ethos these days is swerving and manoeuvring round speed bumps, pot-holes and patches of road like the back-end of the moon.
Talking about rough patches, Andy Murray is on a real slide at the moment - well according to the press anyhow who have written him off into the annals of 'nearly but never made it'. But if you look into the careers of 'greats' like McEnroe, Becker, even the almighty Federer, they all went through bad times, and came out the other side. And what about Tiger - he certainly knows what a bit of rough is!
So what do you do if your own tennis (or any other part of your life) is going through a bad patch. Well perhaps it's not wise to over analyse it - you can't be on top of your game all of the time. Sometimes it's good to have a few 'diversions' - like playing golf or doing some yoga - to help restore your mental balance. It's also good to have feel good things and morale boosters - like buying new shoes or a nice shirt.
That's why I have two wardrobes full of shirts!
Enjoy the sunshine.
I've noticed around these parts that, the moment the sun comes out, the roads are jam packed with 'roofless' cars. Where they hide over the winter goodness knows! Despite the trendy shades and baseball caps, most of the drivers fall into the middle age bracket, and arguably going through a crisis. Ah now I can identify with that!
One big advantage of a hatchback is that when you hit a pothole, your head doesn't bounce off the car roof. I don't know about you, but my whole driving ethos these days is swerving and manoeuvring round speed bumps, pot-holes and patches of road like the back-end of the moon.
Talking about rough patches, Andy Murray is on a real slide at the moment - well according to the press anyhow who have written him off into the annals of 'nearly but never made it'. But if you look into the careers of 'greats' like McEnroe, Becker, even the almighty Federer, they all went through bad times, and came out the other side. And what about Tiger - he certainly knows what a bit of rough is!
So what do you do if your own tennis (or any other part of your life) is going through a bad patch. Well perhaps it's not wise to over analyse it - you can't be on top of your game all of the time. Sometimes it's good to have a few 'diversions' - like playing golf or doing some yoga - to help restore your mental balance. It's also good to have feel good things and morale boosters - like buying new shoes or a nice shirt.
That's why I have two wardrobes full of shirts!
Enjoy the sunshine.
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
On The Lips....
Hi Everyone
For those of you who tune into my blog and wonder what happened to March - well I haven't done a runner, or gone off with somebody's mother (a constant temptation!)
No, for those of you who haven't seen the photos, I spent a fair whack of March in the upper reaches of Thailand. To get there, I had a 12 hour flight to Bangkok, followed by another 12 hours overnight by train, then another 4 overland to the banks of the Mekong river. It was worth it - every minute - to attend my son's wedding, a truly memorable occasion.
Lucky you, I hear you say, when much of the UK was up to eyeballs in snow.
Now you might be reading this on the basis of the Title, which suggests something a bit more stimulating than a cross-court forehand. Well you're right - the best bit comes next...............
To recover from the rigours of travel, I chose to have a week in Koh Samui, which is an island paradise an hour's flight from Bangkok. By the way, it's worth taking a flight there just to see the airport which is a paradise in itself.
My hotel was on the main street in Chaweng where all sorts of things were on offer ..........so being a mature westerner on his own (trying desparately not to look like a tourist) I was a prime target for every taxi driver, tailor, or anyone else trying to sell their wares.
You might want to close your eyes for the next bit - or turn the volume down.
Returning innocently to my hotel one evening, I was aware of a lady in a lovely red outfit entering my personal space. My hands immediately shot down to protect my assets (wallet & mobile phone) but I was caught unawares. She wasn't going down the middle - she was going crosscourt. Her lips slapped against mine - and stayed there long enough to play the opening stanza of Flower of Scotland. Now on reflection, thinking back, perhaps I should have enjoyed the moment. But instead I fled back to my hotel and went through half a tube of Colgate Ultra Sensitive followed by a quarter bottle of Johnny Walker from the fridge.
Now you'll be glad to know, no symptoms of malaria, tetanus, yellow fever or foot and mouth have developed since my return.
Phew, another lucky escape..........................
Hope you had a good Easter
Colin
For those of you who tune into my blog and wonder what happened to March - well I haven't done a runner, or gone off with somebody's mother (a constant temptation!)
No, for those of you who haven't seen the photos, I spent a fair whack of March in the upper reaches of Thailand. To get there, I had a 12 hour flight to Bangkok, followed by another 12 hours overnight by train, then another 4 overland to the banks of the Mekong river. It was worth it - every minute - to attend my son's wedding, a truly memorable occasion.
Lucky you, I hear you say, when much of the UK was up to eyeballs in snow.
Now you might be reading this on the basis of the Title, which suggests something a bit more stimulating than a cross-court forehand. Well you're right - the best bit comes next...............
To recover from the rigours of travel, I chose to have a week in Koh Samui, which is an island paradise an hour's flight from Bangkok. By the way, it's worth taking a flight there just to see the airport which is a paradise in itself.
My hotel was on the main street in Chaweng where all sorts of things were on offer ..........so being a mature westerner on his own (trying desparately not to look like a tourist) I was a prime target for every taxi driver, tailor, or anyone else trying to sell their wares.
You might want to close your eyes for the next bit - or turn the volume down.
Returning innocently to my hotel one evening, I was aware of a lady in a lovely red outfit entering my personal space. My hands immediately shot down to protect my assets (wallet & mobile phone) but I was caught unawares. She wasn't going down the middle - she was going crosscourt. Her lips slapped against mine - and stayed there long enough to play the opening stanza of Flower of Scotland. Now on reflection, thinking back, perhaps I should have enjoyed the moment. But instead I fled back to my hotel and went through half a tube of Colgate Ultra Sensitive followed by a quarter bottle of Johnny Walker from the fridge.
Now you'll be glad to know, no symptoms of malaria, tetanus, yellow fever or foot and mouth have developed since my return.
Phew, another lucky escape..........................
Hope you had a good Easter
Colin
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Middle Man
Well that's it at long last. Switzerland's 6 month wait for a 'Grand Slam' trophy is finally over. They were 'dancing in the streets' of Berne on Sunday morning - whilst poor Andy retreated to his cave in the Highlands, with only tears for souvenirs.
Roger Federer is a phenomenal tennis player, but there's something about him that makes me want to punch him on the nose. Apart from being iritatingly good looking, he has a lovely wife, millions in his Swiss bank, his own cosmetic range, a gold rimmed kit bag, and speaks four different languages. To compound it all, he has even stolen the heart of my favourite rally partner - well that's another story!
On Monday morning, blearly eyed and still battle fatigued, I turned on Radio 2 just as Chris Evans was announcing to the nation that the great man has a flaw. Yes - Mr Perfect Federer has got a bit of a tummy. Of course, when he changed shirts after the 2nd set in Melbourne, all females eyes on the planet were honed in on his Amazon chest - I wonder if he combs it (oops touch of jealousy there) - but the Swiss roll round his middle was there for all to see.
Now I'm going to stop all this churlish talk - but remain focused on Roger's middle. One of the reason's the world's greatest never gets hurt is because he is so perfectly balanced. Have you noticed how he glides across the court. He has "dynamic balance" - the ability to keep his centre of gravity inside his base of support (the area between his feet) even when stretched to play a shot. As tennis players, it's something we can all learn from, even by just keeping our feet slightly wider apart and bending our knees.
As for Andy - well only tough guys cry (I have a Masters degree in it) and one day he'll slip under the radar and win a Slam - when nobody's watching. Aye, right!!
Ps Did you notice the stain on RF's white linen jacket?
Pps Speaking of Chris Evans, you probably don't read my blog Christoff but thanks for playing my favourite song every Monday morning.
Roger Federer is a phenomenal tennis player, but there's something about him that makes me want to punch him on the nose. Apart from being iritatingly good looking, he has a lovely wife, millions in his Swiss bank, his own cosmetic range, a gold rimmed kit bag, and speaks four different languages. To compound it all, he has even stolen the heart of my favourite rally partner - well that's another story!
On Monday morning, blearly eyed and still battle fatigued, I turned on Radio 2 just as Chris Evans was announcing to the nation that the great man has a flaw. Yes - Mr Perfect Federer has got a bit of a tummy. Of course, when he changed shirts after the 2nd set in Melbourne, all females eyes on the planet were honed in on his Amazon chest - I wonder if he combs it (oops touch of jealousy there) - but the Swiss roll round his middle was there for all to see.
Now I'm going to stop all this churlish talk - but remain focused on Roger's middle. One of the reason's the world's greatest never gets hurt is because he is so perfectly balanced. Have you noticed how he glides across the court. He has "dynamic balance" - the ability to keep his centre of gravity inside his base of support (the area between his feet) even when stretched to play a shot. As tennis players, it's something we can all learn from, even by just keeping our feet slightly wider apart and bending our knees.
As for Andy - well only tough guys cry (I have a Masters degree in it) and one day he'll slip under the radar and win a Slam - when nobody's watching. Aye, right!!
Ps Did you notice the stain on RF's white linen jacket?
Pps Speaking of Chris Evans, you probably don't read my blog Christoff but thanks for playing my favourite song every Monday morning.
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Big Snow
Welcome to the New Year!
Ok I'm a bit late - but the last couple of weeks has been something else!
My normal route into Edinburgh takes me past the courts at Mortonhall. People of all ages play there in wind, rain, storm and tempest, 24/7, every month of the year. Foolhardy perhaps but I admire them for their stoic perseverance, their courage in the face of adversity, their strength of character -well you get my drift. Call me a wimp if you wish but, at this time of year, I'm happier with a smooth dry surface and a roof over my head.
Over the past 10 days, the courts at Mortonhall have been empty. You can play in all weathers but you can't when you are up to the eye balls in snow - and we've had the white stuff in abundance since Christmas. Great if your hobby is skiing, sledging or sitting in front of the telly. Not so good if you are a tennis player.
Take heart. Today the temperature leapt to 3.5 degrees (almost shorts and T shirt weather). The days are definitely getting longer - Spring is not that far off.
Have a good 2010 all you tennis addicts out there - and roll on those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
Ok I'm a bit late - but the last couple of weeks has been something else!
My normal route into Edinburgh takes me past the courts at Mortonhall. People of all ages play there in wind, rain, storm and tempest, 24/7, every month of the year. Foolhardy perhaps but I admire them for their stoic perseverance, their courage in the face of adversity, their strength of character -well you get my drift. Call me a wimp if you wish but, at this time of year, I'm happier with a smooth dry surface and a roof over my head.
Over the past 10 days, the courts at Mortonhall have been empty. You can play in all weathers but you can't when you are up to the eye balls in snow - and we've had the white stuff in abundance since Christmas. Great if your hobby is skiing, sledging or sitting in front of the telly. Not so good if you are a tennis player.
Take heart. Today the temperature leapt to 3.5 degrees (almost shorts and T shirt weather). The days are definitely getting longer - Spring is not that far off.
Have a good 2010 all you tennis addicts out there - and roll on those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
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