Things that cheer you up

[SuperBacon]

My youngest absolutely lives and breathes football. It is her whole life. 

This is her second season, and she's playing in a pretty good Division 2 team. Last season she wasn't really playing a lot  and the coaches were very honest that the level might be too high. She was of course devastated, but wanted to fight for her place in the squad, and would often just come on in the second half (squads too big but that's another story)

She knuckled down, she trains in the gym at home, she never misses training and if she's home, she's in the garden with a ball. I've never known a kid try so hard. She's improved massively.

Anyway, she has scored in friendlies and she did score earlier on in the season (bit scrappy) but today she scored twice, including a first time banger over the keeper from 20 yards and came off absolutely beaming. Sadly her Mum was working so missed it, but I was there to see it. The coach bought her on in the first half, and she stayed on the whole game. All the girls celebrated with her for her first as well, it was lovely.

I couldn't be prouder of her. It's a really high standard and she has grafted and grafted for this. It's so well deserved. 

When she scored her second I told her I'd give her a ton if she got a hat trick, and you should've seen her haring around 😆 Probably good for my bank balance she didn't get the third.

Bless her. Very proud parents today.

[waters44]

4 hours ago, wandshogun09 said:

Chilled Saturday afternoon, the kids upstairs playing and Mrs Wand just about to head out to meet her sister to do some shopping. I’m sat in the living room doing nothing. Bliss. All of a sudden the tranquility was disturbed by a commotion in the hallway. I could hear my wife raising her voice and then a man’s voice I didn’t recognise. I rushed into the hall to see my wife giving this middle aged bloke a right bollocking on the doorstep. Turned out it was some Reform twat. He was posting leaflets through doors on our road and had clearly timed it all wrong as he approached our letterbox, only to be met with the door opening before he got there and a 5’2” tornado with an Irish temper coming out to go shopping, who was in no fucking mood for his bullshit. I didn’t have to say a word, he couldn’t get out of the gate quick enough. Very proud of her. 

Haha this is brilliant as I also have a 5”2 Irish wife so it hits home for me! What they lack in height they make up for in power and confidence don’t they! Mine is like a Mama Bear, you do something to upset her cub and she will rip you to pieces

I was scared at first but I love it now, after all someone has to tell the waiter they’ve forgotten my garlic bread side and it isn’t gonna be me 

Edited February 7 by waters44

[DavidB6937]

Did a Mental Health First Aider course recently and then a further exam which I passed. Really happy to be spending time doing something that is personally motivating and being able to use my own experiences in a positive way to help others. 

Hoping to do some sessions with my work and aiming to start working with the Samaritans soon. Life's obviously been shit the last year and I really want to focus my time and energy positively.

I've never really been confident in much I've done in my life but this does feel like something I could genuinely be okay at.

[Chili]

16 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

Did a Mental Health First Aider course recently and then a further exam which I passed. Really happy to be spending time doing something that is personally motivating and being able to use my own experiences in a positive way to help others. 

Hoping to do some sessions with my work and aiming to start working with the Samaritans soon. Life's obviously been shit the last year and I really want to focus my time and energy positively.

I've never really been confident in much I've done in my life but this does feel like something I could genuinely be okay at.

Lovely stuff that @DavidB6937 well done pal.

[deathrey]

3 hours ago, DavidB6937 said:

Did a Mental Health First Aider course recently and then a further exam which I passed. Really happy to be spending time doing something that is personally motivating and being able to use my own experiences in a positive way to help others. 

Hoping to do some sessions with my work and aiming to start working with the Samaritans soon. Life's obviously been shit the last year and I really want to focus my time and energy positively.

I've never really been confident in much I've done in my life but this does feel like something I could genuinely be okay at.

That's amazing @DavidB6937, I volunteered for The Samaritans for a while years ago. You used to have to do night shifts compulsory back then so I ended up giving it up as it was too much with a full time job but I think the rules have changed now. 

Childline are also desperate for volunteers if it's something you would be interested in

Edited February 8 by deathrey

[tiger_rick]

Read a comment about Hull this morning. 

I heard it's the only prison where the prisoners ask the warders to check the doors are locked. 

Proper cracked me up.

[Devon Malcolm]

Welcome back, @HandsomeButchIII ❤️

[HandsomeButchIII]

Cheers D-Mal, I've missed you too. I had no one to complain to during the Ashes, and nor to eulogise Robin Smith.

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

Picked up a hockey stick for the first time in 2 years today. A year ago I weighed over 21 stone and thought Id never get back to it. Worked hard at Slimming World with my wife and I've got just over 3stone lighter and thought 'I'll give it a go, helps with my fitness training for the stairclimb coming up and all that'. 

We lost 3-2 but just being back out there and having a run around and a few shots and the camaraderie has given me a big lift mentally too. What surprised me was the weight loss is such a difference maker and I didnt feel half as achy or tired as I did before. Glad I'm down for 3-4 matches before the season ends and next season I'll be back full time!

 

Can't underestimate the power of fresh air and sports to clear the head!

[wandshogun09]

Pissed myself at this. Little prick tried to belittle this Somali bloke and he only turned out to be a literal hero. Look at Yaxley’s face when the penny dropped. Ha!…

 

[Lorne Malvo]

Depressingly, my dad has been slowly going down the Reform / right-wing rabbit hole the past few years (completely down to him reading Facebook misinformation bullshit) to the point I've been avoiding speaking to him because every conversation would turn into some iteration of 'immigrants are ruining the country'.

I've no idea what's changed and I don't want to press him on it too much, but we spoke earlier and when the subject got onto politics, before I could even begin to argue or tune him out he came out with 'I'm not voting for Farage because he's a gobshite', and said how much he admired Zack Polanski and that the Greens have got his vote!

Like I say, I don't know why the sudden 180 but it cheered me up no end. 

[Carbomb]

1 hour ago, Lorne Malvo said:

Depressingly, my dad has been slowly going down the Reform / right-wing rabbit hole the past few years (completely down to him reading Facebook misinformation bullshit) to the point I've been avoiding speaking to him because every conversation would turn into some iteration of 'immigrants are ruining the country'.

I've no idea what's changed and I don't want to press him on it too much, but we spoke earlier and when the subject got onto politics, before I could even begin to argue or tune him out he came out with 'I'm not voting for Farage because he's a gobshite', and said how much he admired Zack Polanski and that the Greens have got his vote!

Like I say, I don't know why the sudden 180 but it cheered me up no end. 

That's great!

I would venture to guess it's because he's one of many people who wants direct answers, clear solutions, and no pussy-footing around, and, unlike Farage who offers them but is obviously lying outright or by distortion, Polanski's also doing the political Route One, but going after the actual problems caused by the establishment and the 1%.

[JLM]

Person I’ve been coaching and auditing at work and one of her areas to work on has been showing a bit of empathy. We quite often deal with people reporting from the roadside after an accident and she sometimes sounds a bit blunt when you can tell the caller is on the verge of tears. It doesn’t come naturally to her so I’ve even given some stock phrases and wording suggestions. Saying “are you/is everyone involved OK?” sounds  a bit more personal than “were there any injuries?” little things like that. 
 

Listened to her today and this guy said his truck had been stolen along with thousands of pounds worth of tools and equipment. She goes “ahh that’s really one of my pet peeves”. 
 

It was genuinely heartwarming to hear her giving it a go but I really don’t think “having your vehicle and all of your valuables stolen” is a peeve you can domesticate. It’s a wild peeve. 

Edited February 25 by JLM

[FLips]

33 minutes ago, JLM said:

Person I’ve been coaching and auditing at work and one of her areas to work on has been showing a bit of empathy. We quite often deal with people reporting from the roadside after an accident and she sometimes sounds a bit blunt when you can tell the caller is on the verge of tears. It doesn’t come naturally to her so I’ve even given some stock phrases and wording suggestions. Saying “are you/is everyone involved OK?” sounds  a bit more personal than “were there any injuries?” little things like that. 
 

Listened to her today and this guy said his truck had been stolen along with thousands of pounds worth of tools and equipment. She goes “ahh that’s really one of my pet peeves”. 
 

It was genuinely heartwarming to hear her giving it a go but I really don’t think “having your vehicle and all of your valuables stolen” is a peeve you can domesticate. It’s a wild peeve. 

I think we both have the same job and that’s cracked me up. 

[BomberPat]

I'm finishing work early today, heading to Jersey for a long weekend. Having a break and catching up with mates isn't the bit that's cheering me up right now, though.

That would be knowing I'm finishing at 3pm, and that I'm not in work Monday or Tuesday, so just firing off every "you need to sort this out" email I can think of from our shared inbox, and leaving it for someone else to deal with.