OTHER THINGS THAT ANNOY ME

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Once upon a time I posted an article about the things that annoy me. And if you remember correctly I promised you another one of that kind, because, come on, there’s way more than just 4 issues that are annoying. Annoying me. And maybe you as well. 

1. Getting no replies! And this is something I really, really hate. I’m not talking about a couple of hours not receiving a reply to a text message I sent, especially when I’m waiting for the answer to a question. I’m talking about all day, days, even weeks … it’s so easy today to keep in contact with simple text messages, Whats app and other messengers, email, etc … so to me it’s just disrespectful not receiving an answer. And it’s even worse if it’s this one special person in your life, having discussed this issue a dozen times, how important it is to you to at least get a short reply, some information, to not be kept totally in the dark … wondering … and this one tiny wish is still being ignored. Doesn’t something like that makes you mad as hell?
2. Women. And I’m allowed to say that because I am one myself. Sometimes I can’t help rolling my eyes watching other women in my surroundings. One cliché chasing another. Sitting at a café, having to listen to a bunch of them having brunch together at the next table … it’s like a soap opera. Main topics: kids, husbands, dating, other people … ohhh … I feel another article coming up. Soon. Very soon.
3. Telephone surveys. Oh yeah. And guess when their preferred time slot for calling you is? Right … in the evening when you are comfortably ensconced beneath the blanket on your sofa, looking forward to your favourite latest episode of whatever series you are currently watching … when suddenly the ringing phone chases you to the other end of your apartment … just to be asked about local politics you have no clue about anyway.
4. People jostling each other to get onto busses, trains and subways! How much I wish to be back in the UK and their incredible queuing skills. No hustle. No panic. Patiently they are standing left and right at the opening subway doors, letting the departing passengers off before calmly getting onto public transportation. It’s beautiful to watch. Back here? Crowding the doors, people barely manage to get off before everyone is pushing into the train.
5. Hair stylists! I guess I’m the only woman on this planet who doesn’t like to go to the hair dresser. Of course, it’s nice to see the end result, feeling pretty, coiffed … because, let’s face it, you never manage to style your hair the same way back home. But … to me it’s just a waste of time. For the whole procedure of colouring, hair masque, cut and blow drying it takes me more than 2 hours to sit around … being exposed to constant chatting, feeling interrogated … hair stylists would be perfect spies. Making you feel comfortable and relaxed … and bam … you don’t even remember the secrets you have just revealed to them in your blissful state.

Alright, I’m done for today. Think this will have a follow-up? Maybe. Probably. Certainly. Have a blissful week! XXX, MJ

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WHAT I REALLY WANT

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Being alone and single again I’ve been asking myself recently: what do I want? What do I really want? And basically, the answer is quite simple. I just want everything to be back the way it was. Well, everything IS back the way it was. As if the past two years hadn’t happened. And that’s good for me too. But that’s not what I’m talking about. It goes back way farther. I want my parents back. And Aunt Do. And my uncles. I want to laugh and enjoy the get-togethers we had. Simple visits, festivities, holidays. It didn’t matter. We always had fun. Before they became sick. I want to feel loved again. Hugged. Spoiled the way just parents manage to do. Or people very close to your heart. Because no matter how old you are, you will always be their child and being home means exactly that. And that’s what hurts the most. Making it hard to breathe. The knowledge that they are gone. That I don’t have a home to return to, no safety net, no safe haven. Not being cooked for. No birthday cakes. No one to really care. No one to give advice. Gone. They are gone.

What makes me mad, though? If someone proclaims, he’s not much into birthdays, Christmas, etc. but doesn’t even know what it feels like to not have a single gift to unwrap or have someone surprise you with flowers or a cake. Cause that’s normal for them. And more than often too unappreciated. Well, I know. I know how it feels like. It’s MY normal. And it’s awful.

And sometimes it’s so hard, watching my surroundings, my colleagues, knowing that most of them – even those who are way older than me – still have their parents. Still have a place to go for Sunday lunch occasionally to be spoilt with their favourite Sunday roast. And they don’t understand. How could they. Apart from that, since most of them have their own little family, married, with kids, it’s a totally different situation again.

The relationship issue? Of course, it would be nice to have someone to go on vacation with, share the important things of life, to find someone who really appreciates me and puts me first. But thinking back to the whole exhausting online dating thing … I’m not sure if I want to go through that again, certainly not now. Despite my loneliness, I can’t do this at the moment. And there is still “my old life”. Which is important to me too. And good for me! And frankly, I wouldn’t know how to deal with the situation if everything changed …

So, that’s what I want. And I know I will never get that back. I’ll just have to muddle through, go on and try to be happy with myself and what I have, right? XOXO, MJ

QUEEN MARY II – THE ONE AND ONLY

Some might think I’m crazy, and I guess I am. It’s plain crazy to go on a transatlantic cruise from New York to Southampton / Hamburg all on my own. When most of the travellers treat themselves to such a cruise for an anniversary, a honeymoon, a long saved for special occasion … or rich old ladies who don’t know how to spend the money from their late husbands.

Me? I was in my late 30s, when I decided to book my lifelong dream trip. Alone. I debated whether to take the original trip from Southampton to New York, flying back from there. But the good sense won. Knowing myself and my love for shopping – I already had a page long list of what I needed to get in New York – I decided not to take the much-preferred Southampton/New York route but the other way around. Flying to New York, having two full shopping days ahead of me and boarding the ship with 3 full suitcases instead of the two with which I arrived in New York.

As usual the preparation for my cruise was as much fun and as exciting as the trip itself. I had to buy evening attire – three evening gowns no less, plus the one or other cocktail dress – and planned the rest of my wardrobe accordingly. After all a change of clothes – twice at least – was mandatory in my imagination of travelling on the QM2. Cruise attire like white pants and bright flowy tops for the mornings and something more elegant for the obligatory and not-to-be-missed Afternoon tea. I managed to stuff everything in my small and medium sized trolley, with the medium sized then put into the large one. Clever me! So, I had a whole suitcase just for my shopping treasures. And I needed it.

What can I say? Everything I write pales to the real experience. It was exciting and just wonderful! Starting with my personal steward, who took care of my miniscule interior suite without window at least twice a day, to the service in general, the food, the atmosphere, the people. (Even though I would have preferred to sit at a table with English speaking people – will definitely request that on my next trip. But, of course then I wouldn’t have met the lovely elderly couple I’m still in contact with years later.)

I could have hurried from one activity to another. Sports, dancing lessons, lectures, planetarium, pool … but I didn’t want to. Most of the time I was just sitting on deck, watching the sea, or in the library, watching the sea. Or somewhere else, just watching the sea. Always watching the sea. Just listening to music and letting my mind wander. It was the most relaxing holiday I’ve ever had. To really recharge my batteries. Peace and quiet. Calming. In an atmosphere, you won’t get on any other cruise ship. The Cunard Line, though more expensive than others, is one of a kind and reminds you of times past, when travelling like this was common but a luxury nevertheless. Cruises in Europe, doing the famous island hopping, being in another port every other day, herded through the sights and being back on board in the evenings for dinner … that’s not me. Doesn’t appeal to me at all! Being surrounded by the sea, for days, as if there were nothing else. Travelling in style on this beautiful, elegant ship, like 100 years before. What an incredible feeling. My ultimate goal, though? To experience this with the love of my life …

THE LIFE OF RANGEY

In the year 2013 I was born in Halewood, England. Gleaming and white, with a whopping 150 horsepower and lots of marvellous features. Even though they completely forgot to equip my beautiful self with Xenon eyes and automatic light and rain sensors … BUT: my navigational skills are up to date and all in all I’m the most gorgeous Range Rover Evoque around. Who needs gleaming eyes when you have a skylight in the form of a scenic roof. I was excited when I left the hallowed factory halls, awaiting all kinds of adventures. Dreaming of rural country roads to carry my handsome Lord from his mansion to his hunting lodge or sea cottage.

I was quite surprised when I was shipped abroad … well, I guess I should have known I wouldn’t stay in my home country with the steering wheel on the wrong side …

I landed in the Netherlands, of all places, and it took ages until I was picked to be leased to a business man. Oh, what a horrible experience. City and highways. Nothing else. And he not only lost his access to me by losing my keys (can you imagine?), no, he also managed to feed me the wrong fuel. Euw, who wants petrol if he can have Diesel?

Ha, I paid him back by making sure the automatic gear drive needed to be replaced. Unfortunately, he got my face hurt badly and the front parts, my beautiful eyes and cooler had to be replaced. I was sooo happy when time was up and I got rid of him, hoping my next owner would be more considerate with a car like myself.

Shady characters bought my poor little gorgeous self and had me shipped to Germany, Berlin. BERLIN! I had heard being sold in Berlin would always lead to troubles. My new owner? A car dealer. Who seemed quite shady as well … which proved my point when I was squeezed into a tiny car park with merely a dozen other luxury cars. Who all told me the same story, similar to mine. Due to my first owner I was “spoiled goods” … oh, I was so worried! Who would be next? A smoking, kebap eating guy?

But then SHE stepped into my life! She was looking at me with excitement, softly touching my shiny hull, carefully taking me on a test drive. Oh, how I had wished to tell her about my past, my imperfectness due to others’ faults. But I couldn’t. I just could be on my best behaviour so that she would take me home with her.

And she did! It happened in a flash! One day I was there, the next day I was driving to the Western part of the country. I even got a protected parking space! And she calls me “sweetie” whenever she sees me. Smiling happily. Even though I had to trouble her in the beginning since I needed new brakes and my differential pressure sensor needed to be replaced. I wish I could have avoided being stranded in the middle of the night on our way to Austria, which I had been so looking forward to seeing. Finally, some more excitement by going up and down mountains, narrow and bumpy roads. She was crying so hard when I couldn’t drive on, reducing my motor power … and I couldn’t do anything. I just got sick. But she forgave me and still loves me to pieces.

We’ve been together for over two years now and she is taking very good care of me. Having me checked regularly … quite a new experience as well. Even though I would enjoy soapy car washes more often. I even forgave her our little parking garage accident, where she rammed a column even though I warned her very loudly by beeping and beeping and beeping. (My parking sensors are top notch as well!) The screeching noise as my doors got dented was more awful than the pain. But she is a girl after all and I don’t really care that much! She got me repaired immediately and I’m better than ever. My life is just awesome … and it’s getting better and better!