I don't know if this post was published back in Feb
Most times when I go to this magic convention I come home whacked and say never ever again.
Until the next year around December when the names which are due to appear arrive in my email.
The names are big and the magic dealers will all be there. I spent £24 on props last year, nothing really.
I worked too hard coming up to the event and I fell asleep through much of the action.
So never again for sure.
Flights were affected by weather and trains were cancelled both ways. The train to Manchester airport was cancelled and coming back was very chancy. But I got a train to Preston and from there to Manchester Piccadilly. No one I asked knew if there was a train coming to bring us to the airport. Then I asked one guy in uniform and he told me to get the tram! Where do I get it from? and he told me. No luck! I asked 4 people to find the tram, instead of saying they didn't know they sent me in a different direction. Then I asked a taxi driver and was finally on my way.
The tram was very slow. It took us through some of the most deprived areas of Manchester that I have ever seen. Shit! but the UK is in a really bad way.
I was in Newcastle a few years ago and I went into a bar to try the famous Newcastle brown ale.
The barman said I could have a small glass not a pint as it would "Blow yer ed off" He was right it was strong, so I had a few words with the lads at rge bar and not one of them had a job, they had skills in the shipbuilding and the work was gone. One of the lads pointed to a man at the end of the bar. "Ya see im dn dere E is a right romeo him he is a postman, a job, holidays. A great catch for the women"
I bought the 4 of them a pint and was amazed when I went outside to see that WW3 had broken out Police in paddy wagons with Alsatian dogs and clubs breaking up fights.
One thought always stays with me is of groups of 10 to16 year old ferrule kids running wild. I asked Nobby how come they are out going wild ?." These kids are dealing drugs. The parents are on drugs or they are alcoholics, or the parents just don't just give a shit"
FUTURE WHAT FUTURE?
So I arrived and had a sandwich and tea. Big mistake! I headed down to security and it took over an hour and a half to get through security. Bags were being taken from the front of the conveyor belt while others were being placed in a queue. No order to the method. An American lady standing beside me told me that her bag had been placed up at the back and no one was paying any attention to it for the last hour.
Her flight was soon.
I saw these Zombie like people drop my bag on the floor and I exploded.
I let a roar which woke them all up and in a few minutes security and a supervisor came.
What's the matter Sir? Look into that guys eyes he is on drugs, stoned out of his mind.
This lady here, her bag is way up the back and she is heading for Hollywood.
He grabbed my bag and hers and started to whip his staff into shape.
The lady threw her arms around me and gave me a big kiss. What a wonderful perfume.
She was crying with relief as she ran for her gate.
I ran for my gate only to see.
MY FLIGHT WAS CLOSED.
So I ran for it anyway away in the far end of the airport it was.
A BIG RED SIGN FLIGHT CLOSED.
The Guy standing there called me by name was glad to see me and he let me in.
HOORAY FOR RYANAIR. (I thought that I would never say that again)
Covid saw a lot of staff laid off and replaced by minimum wage with no skills and no one to train them.
A young lad from up the road worked on cruise ships. A while ago he went back to work with no pay, The trainee staff will not be paid for 6 weeks or will the regular staff. But they will have a place to stay and be fed until they sail again. Now the BOSS has a salary as big as a New York phone number is taking a zero hit, the other big one was P& O shipping, they parked the ships and let all the skilled men go.
Many things happened, one thing in particular comes to mind.
The engine stopped and the novice crew rang for help to start it. It was a calm night, but the ship was drifting. No one knew how to start the engine..Panic. A tug headed out and if he landed a line on the ship he could claim it for salvage. But before it got there a captain was air lifted to the ship.
Big fines followed..
by the way I am paid up for Blackpool in Feb,