Back to Churchills Birthplace, then an amusement park

Yesterday we decided to use our annual pass and head back to Winston Churchills birthplace (for free!). We noticed a few little things that we didn't notice the first time, but for the most part it was still the same amazing place. This time we rode the train and tried the nearby park and playground. The hedge maze is great!

Today we went to an amusement park called Paultons Park. It has an area inside it called Peppa Pig World. The park has a few "big kid" rides, and Peppa's world is of course designed for those that watch her tv show. We enjoyed both sides, they also have a farm animal area, which is pretty impressive. We watched them feed penguins!

Let's watch a tv

It sounds simple to watch a tv. It's quite tricky when you're looking to watch DVDs and game consoles from another country.

We brought all of our gear except for a tv. So we have a DVD player, DVDs, Xbox, wii, cables, etc. We even brought a power converter because we knew these devices wouldn't work on UK power.

I did some research and found its going to be tough. But of course I'll try. First question - where do you buy a tv? Certainly we can order online, but this is a great case where I'd love to walk into a store and ask for help, maybe even bring my DVD player.

I tried a few stores and found decent help at a place called Currys. It seems to be related to PC World, and it's a tiny tiny bit like Best Buy. 3 people there seemed to think the tv would work.

I checked the return policy, then bought a tv. I brought it home and tested it. It has a builtin DVD player, so I tried that first. I grabbed a professional Disney film and a more local Virginia Tech DVD. The Disney film said "unsupported country code" and the VT one showed the home screen, but wouldn't go further. 

I actually opened and read the instructional manuals. They didn't mention country codes or ntsc/pal. So I googled it and sure enough, there were some fancy codes I could secretly press on the remote to unlock the country codes! The VT DVD then worked perfectly! The Disney one played all the previews, but went black for the main movie.

We tried other DVDs and found that older DVDs seem to work, but newer ones are a bit more locked down. So then we tried the Xbox. The home screen came right up, but our controllers are hiding somewhere, so we couldn't get much further than that.

For fun, I plugged in the cable from the wall. We pay for sky tv, but the box for that is also hiding somewhere. I put the cable straight into the tv, it scanned for channels and found them! I know we paid for a tv license and we even transferred it to this address, so I wonder if that's why we have service, or if all those cables just always have a basic service. 

More to come on this, as we keep testing and trying...

Daylight Savings, Mothers Day and "Red Nose Day"

Daylight savings doesn't happen in the UK. So we're only 4 hours apart from the east coast right now as opposed to 5 hours. Pretty phenomenal power for governments to decide what time it is, right?

Mother's Day is a month earlier in the UK, so we'll be celebrating tomorrow. I doubt my mom, or wife, or mother in law will have any problem with celebrating on the UK day and the U.S. day :)

Red Nose Day is unique. I honestly haven't looked up its definition or origin, so I only know what I've heard. It's very well known in the UK as a day to donate to charity. Many people dress up funny, especially young students. You can buy cakes and lots of other little things anywhere you look, and the money goes to charity. That night, they hold a big TV show where they talk about the amount of money raised, and where it's going .  The TV show consists of 2 anchors that introduce a famous act and then a heart-tugging story. They go back and forth between those from 7pm to midnight. The acts this year were Mr Bean, famous comedians, singers and other acts. The stories were often about villages in Africa and places that needed help learning or healing. I read this morning that over £1 billion was raised. Wow.

Top 10 UK Experiences (so far!)

Wow, tomorrow marks exactly one year of living in the UK. What a year it's been. I'm often asked for my perspective on the differences, and then I'm often asked what I've enjoyed. I suppose that previous post covers some of the differences (or surprises), here's a list of happy moments. I wish I could list everything, but I guess that's the reason for blogging quite a bit :) I have to categorize them a bit otherwise big time highlights get left out!

Pubs

There's a pub in Kings Cross that I've stumbled upon at least 3 or 4 times to meet friends, family or colleagues. I honestly don't even know the name of it, but that place brings good memories. I remember a pub in Marylebone (which is where all the a-listers live) that felt amazing. I have a personal fav pub in a town called Frimley, the pub is called Ye Old White Hart. There's something great about taking sweet time and hanging out at a pub. I recently read that it shouldn't be called b2b or b2c or b2g anymore, it should be called h2h (human to human). I also heard someone say "there's magic when people just get together and freely talk". Sure, it's similar to happy hour, but different enough to mention I think. 

Airports

Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, London City, even the tiny one in Farnborough. So many excited moments of jumping on a plane after a bit of planning to visit a new place. 

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

There are so many, and yet they're so outstanding. Bath, Stonehenge, Cheddar Gorge, waterfalls, Devils Punchbowl, South Downs, Cornwall, Devon, Causeway coast, Kynance Cove, Lizard, lakes district, the list goes on and on. The stunning stroll from Lizard to Kynance Cove is one that I think about a lot. Causeway in Northern Ireland is right up there too (and partially because it absolutely poured rain on our walk back and we were drenched which is funny). Some of those places aren't technically AONB, but you get the idea :)

Castles and Cathedrals

Again, what a list this would be. Arundel and Leeds always pop to mind, but Dover and Canterbury are right up there. St Paul's, Westminster, Windsor, the list goes on and on. Highclere Castle for Downton Abbey!

Sport

Wimbledon, premiere league, St. Andrews and rugby - amazing. I even enjoy cricket and croquet :) Watching a match at centre court was surreal, and walking the course at St Andrews literally healed my severely sprained ankle.

Music

Linkin Park at the O2 was unforgettable. Such a great show, and of course it's a great way to meet people and learn "real" local culture. I can't believe I'll mention this, but Nick Grimshaw does a decent show on BBC Radio One every morning and I've definitely gained some perspective there. 

Shows

The NFL UK was strangely awkward and fun. Seeing my first ever Panto - and understanding it - love it! Seeing shows on West End (like Broadway), fun! Having heard about the Farmborough Airshow for many, many years never dreaming of being there, then walking the tarmac as an employee, how do you describe that? Learning that the UK very rarely shows national pride, but then sitting at a castle while an orchestra plays, spitfires fly over, cavalry charge and UK flags proudly fly - and feeling like I was welcome there - stunning.

Bridges 

This is because I love water. Bridges and waterfalls win my heart all around the world. The bridge at Blenheim Palace comes with a special family memory, but the golden jubilee bridge in central London is still my fav. 

Food

Rumwong is in my top 5 restaurants in the world - there's something special there, at least in my humble opinion. Eating my first ever cronut - whilst sitting at the Marble Arch - YUM! And I can't forget that it's Europe that has enticed me to start making chocolate from scratch, let's see where that goes.

Friends 

I wish I could list hundreds of names. Maybe I should. I hope I'm at least half as kind, generous, thoughtful, helpful, appreciative, smart and loving as all the people I've now met in person. David Gurteen gets an absolute special callout - what a friendship, right David? Chris Collison for coming over to my house, Euan Semple for the London walk, Priya for another great walk - even with untied shoes :) Charlotte - you've taught me so much! Ah, Dominic, Paul, Clair, Estelle, John W, Heather, Tracey, Lucy, Hannah, Emma, Anne, so many great people!! And then we have amazing Anna and Philippa. Anna, Anna, Anna - how great was the Christmas singing? And our kids playing? Philippa, not only welcomed me in to an Easter family dinner when I was here all by myself, she invited the whole family back the next year - which was truly a moment for me. Not to mention all the lending of clothes, furniture, cutlery, etc - truly couldn't do it without Philippa :) 

Family

Of course it's all about family. Seeing my daughter act on stage, let alone in a foreign country and with my parents in town, well, that's just beyond words. Being there for my youngest brothers wedding engagement moment, again, speechless. Walking London with visiting uncles on different days - so great! Seeing my parents, as huge Beatles fans, walk across Abbey Rd together and then laugh to tears because it's so fun, well that's phenomenal. Meeting a senior leader at a company that produces a game my daughter loves, and getting her a tour of their studio, wow.

Uhoh. That's a top 11. Well, perfect, I think that proves it can't even be categorised down to 10 :) And I didn't even allow myself to mention travel outside the UK!! Wow, blessed.

How British presenters present

It probably goes without saying that presenting to a British audience is different from presenting to an American audience. After watching British presentations for almost a year, I think I've finally picked up on a few themes. I'm not necessarily saying these are rules, I'm mostly saying these approaches almost seem to be what's expected by the audience.

Minimal hyperbole and pithy/poignant/dramatic statements.

I didn't realise it, but it's quite common for presenters to use "attention grabbing" statements. You won't hear much of that here. 

Ask questions as opposed to making statements.

Thought provoking stories and examples are common. It's also common to insert multiple pauses, audiences seem to appreciate a moment or two to think. (Oh but definitely stay short of "awkward", the line is crossed there)

Provide multiple perspectives, almost apologising that you're only one person.

This one goes along with asking questions and telling stories. If you share multiple ways of thinking about something, that seems to be valued.

Use ironic and/or self effacing humour, maybe cynicism, but stay far away from sarcasm. 

Audiences are primed to pounce on humour, but it's very easy for the "wrong kind" of joke to go completely flat or even cause damage.

Broad, sustainable and diplomatic. 

Similar to sharing multiple perspectives, this one is more about being reasonable in the words you use. There's usually an undertone of "is this person credible and professional", which seems to be driven by this slightly challenging capability of diplomatically making a strong case. Keep it simple and memorable, strive to deliver with humble confidence.

Now, all that said, I've sat through several presentations that seem to break all the "rules". I've asked dozens of people how they felt about it, and they say it was fine! So of course there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and I guess one measure of success is how much conversation is generated in the room and thereafter. Maybe these ideas help if that's something you're seeking.

Saint Andrews - Golf Mecca

I'm up in Scotland for work. I had one afternoon to do some sightseeing. I talked to lots of work friends up here, the top recommendations were Glencoe, Loch Lomond, Edinburgh, Saint Andrews and Glasgow. I flew into Glasgow and drove an hour or so up to Saint Andrews.

I saw a huge Quaker Oats factory and a massive Amazon.com warehouse. I didn't see any drones though. The drive was beautiful. Picture a two lane road like you'd see in a car commercial. Lots of rolling green hills lined with perfectly lined up trees. 

I arrived at Saint Andrews and it was unreal. Here's a course I've watched on TV for decades, never thinking I'd actually be there. Much like Wimbledon, it has such a nice quaint, real feel to it. I walked straight into the pro shop, looked around and bought a framed photo also with a scorecard in it. 

I walked into the main lobby and they said I'm free to walk the course as much as I'd like. What?? Apparently on Sundays they close the course for playing and it's open for people to walk and enjoy. It's like a park, only the greatest park you'll ever walk :) 

My ankle hurt no more. I guess it was adrenaline or something, but I walked those 18 holes like I was 110% healthy. Walking the 18th, heading to those famous buildings was stunning. It seemed as though I could see and hear the crowds, and of course I'm looking at the divets wondering which top golfer put  them there.

Maybe this is embarrassing, but I actually felt a touch of sadness driving away from the course. I think I wanted to sit there and soak it up for as long as possible. I did walk across the street to west sands beach, which was great too - they have real seashells everywhere!

I drove back to Glasgow, but I went through Edinburgh to check it out. The drive down was even more beautiful than the drive up. I think that's because it was closer to the water. Picture green fields with sheep and lots of long little handmade stone walls. Lots of little villages to pass through as well.

Edinburgh is great! I knew it was a college town, but wow is it. It's got a proper castle (eg stunning) and cathedral, but it's mostly got an exciting vibrant group of people actively making the place fun. I was shocked to hear lots of American accents, not to mention other diversity. There were many cobblestone roads, I walked them for hours.

I used the Yelp app to find a good restaurant and sure enough it was amazing. 

I had heard Edinburgh was one of the most haunted places. There were many tours happening, they take you into castles, cathedrals, etc. I didn't make it on a tour this time, but maybe next time!

Ankle Saga

The pain in my ankle gets worse each day. I fought my stubbornness and went to the doctor yesterday. Fortunately my wife had done the hard work of registering us for a specific doctor. They don't seem to be called doctors offices here, they seem to be called surgery offices. Maybe they perform surgery in the offices as well, I don't know.

I drove up to the building which was more of a house than an office building. The first room looks like a pharmacy. The second door is a registration and checkin area. They had my name from when I called in the morning, so they allowed me to take a seat in the waiting room.

The first sign I noticed said "time to get your flu jab". The flu is bad enough, but they punch you too? Just kidding, I realise that means flu shot, but that was my first time hearing it as a jab.

There were only 2 other people in the waiting area, which had about 30 separate chairs. Names were being called over a speaker system in the ceiling, and I instantly realised I had no idea where I was going after they call my name. 

10 minutes pass whilst I visually study the signs, corridors (hallways) and doors. My name is called and I act confident as I walk through the door that the two other people previously went through. I thought they said "platt room", so I was hoping for an obvious sign. After 2 long minutes of searching, someone walked by and I asked where the platt room is, somehow they understood I meant "black room" and they said "the black room is right there". 

The door was closed and like a haunted house I had no idea what to expect on the other side. Narnia went through my mind. I half knocked and pushed through, not even faking confidence this time. 

There was a white man, probably in his 50s, leaning back in a chair at a desk just inside the door. I said hello and outstretched my hand. He shook my hand and asked me to take a seat. 

He wasn't interested in exchanging pleasantries so we got right to business. I explained the hospital visit, he looked at my ankle and confirmed its not broken. He said that doctors "and a third party" review X-rays at the hospital so they would have notified me if they found anything. 

I asked "do you think the pain is increasing due to swelling, or tears in tendons, or tears in ligaments". He used paper and pen to draw the bones, tendons and ligaments in an ankle. He said it will take 2-3 months for it to heal and probably 12-18 months for all pain to subside. He did offer orthopedics, but I declined (back to my stubbornness).

So I left feeling better that it really shouldn't need any special treatment, but it sure will hurt for awhile. 

As I hobble for miles each day, it's bringing new perspective for me. It's easier to ascertain your environment and situation when moving at a slower pace than you're used to. I suppose that's stating the obvious, but it's a new distinction for me.