A Segway Into Politics...

It feels like ages since I sat down to write an entry for you all. Emma has been keeping this blog burning and to be honest she has done a better job than me. The hits are up which just goes to show that she was the best writer all along. It’s my blog though and I’m in charge. I have therefore decided to make a comeback whether you cats like it or not. I am not here to pander to you people. Or indeed to be a Panda, as I am not a fan of bamboo.

Since I wrote to you last a few ‘amusing’ incidents have occurred to little old me. The first happened when young Felicity Furness was staying with Emma and I. We had gone out for a bite to eat one evening (at our favourite diner called ‘Swingers’). We had a jolly nice time and I ordered my normal turkey roast dinner. During the meal I felt that I was getting something of a stomach ache though. I don’t think it was the food, but perhaps a virus picked up from Emma (as she had recently had a stomach thing). By the time we left I was in agony. This meant that on the walk home I was meandering behind the Furness sisters. I was also looking a bit weird I guess as I was kind of hunched over, holding my stomach as I was walking along.

Before I knew what was going on a cop car pulled up next to us. The policeman asked Emma and Felicity if they were ok while he gave me the Barry Evils. It was then I realized that he thought I was some weirdo or rapist that was following them. If I hadn’t of been in so much pain I would have given that doughnut eating cop a piece of my mind. It’s probably a good job that I didn’t as the policeman have guns over here. He could have shot me in the head if I had given him too much lip. I think they are just allowed to do that as they are always killing people in ‘Without A Trace’. They are FBI though which is different than your normal cop. Anyways Emma and Felicity found this dead funny, even though I was in mucho pain. As a positive aside I was ok the next day.

I also went on a tour with Mr. Furness. This wasn’t any old tour readers. The father in law and I went traveling on some segways for a couple of hours. For those of you who don’t know what these are please look above at the photo. Mrs. Furness has a picture of me on one that I will try and obtain. I will then put this on the right hand side of this site with the other random pics that are already there.

I am getting off the point! I bet you want to know how Mr. Furness and I ended up on these babies? Don’t worry, I shall tell you. The ladies wanted to go shopping, as they normally tend to do, and it was then that Mr. Furness put the idea to me we could try hiring some of these segway things. We had seen quite a few dudes both here and in San Fran driving them around and they looked like great fun. We went to the Segway place to enquire if it was possible. We were told that we could join a group outing with some other dudes and that he would take us on a beach tour of Santa Monica.

This sounded like too good an opportunity to turn down and before we knew it we were in training! We had to watch a safety video and everything. It is actually harder than you think as you don’t move them by pushing or steering, it’s all to do with how you lean. If you lean to the left then you will turn to the left for example. In our training Mr. Furness did the best, and he was better than me and the rest of the group. I did get the hang of it though and before I knew it we were out and about, and touring the beach.

Even though we were only doing this for fun we got some abuse from the public. They were shouting things at us like “Geeks”, and “Get some exercise”. This was a bit rich as the man who shouted this was in a car. We cared not one jot though as it was great fun. My best moment came when our instructor made us go down a steep hill. I think I did it the best and it was dead exciting. I wasn’t so good getting up the hill as apparently I stuck my bum out too much. Anyway, we enjoyed the Segways very much. It was a top afternoon and a much better way to spend it than shopping.

It’s also gone a bit election bonkers here too as we get closer to November 4th. Most people in LA are wooly liberals, so they are still wetting themselves over this Obama dude. I get the impression they think he is better than Jesus. I’m not so sure he is as I have not seen Obama or his running mate Bin Laden (I think he is called) make bread and fishes for the masses.

Don’t get me wrong, I would vote for Obama (and Bin Laden) too but all I would say is that he is still a politician type. He will no doubt be as disappointing as the rest. He might be all smiles and niceness now but the power will go to his head, and before you know it he’ll be bombing some country for a laugh while getting sexual favors from an intern. Back in 1997 I thought Tony Blair was the business. When he first got into power the young, innocent and politically naïve Marc was dancing in the streets. I could have been David Bowie or Mick Jagger circa 1985. A few years later though dear Tony was bombing Iraq like some power crazed bufoon. If only I knew that as I sang along with gusto to ‘D:Ream’s’ ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ on that glorious summer morning in the late nineties.

These days the love and passion I had for politics as a student has all but died. I still like to know what’s going on in the world, and all that jazz. And I will still read tomes like ‘The Alistair Campbell Diaries’ with interest. I have no real affiliation with anyone anymore though. I do, of course, have an opinion, and I will always take the time and effort to vote (you should always vote kids. I’m not sure why these days, but that’s what I keep telling myself). Anyways back to the point… Do I believe Obama is better than John McCain? Of course I ruddy well do, and to have a black president would be a huge step forward. Is he as great as everyone is making out? I doubt it very much sadly. Hopefully time will prove me wrong. I am not always right, as hard as it is to believe. I thought Keane were rubbish at first until I realized they write quite magnificent pop songs.

I can’t wait to watch the results and everything come in though. I think it will be an amazing couple of days and I am very grateful to be living in the States during this time. It will almost be as good as last weeks ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. I am glad Jessie Wallace and Kathy Beale have been voted out, as I hate all the common scrubber women from Eastenders. I am still able to tune into this show via downloads off the interweb, and it’s good as ever this year. If I was Rachel Steven’s fiancé I would punch out Vincent Simone. He is all over her, and he kisses her whenever he can. I know he was publicly dumped last season when his girlfriend went off with that dude from Eastenders but that is no excuse. I did like it though when asked to talk about her nerves he said “She was shaking like a leaflet”. Genius! I think my favorite this year is Cherie Lunghi. She is very nice for an ‘older’ lady and I enjoy her dancing too.

I would like either Diane Vickers or the Spanish Lady to win X-Factor this year. I am liking Cheryl Cole as a judge. She is actually very good and makes Danni Minogue seem the most pointless person that has ever walked this earth. Her husband Ashley Cole is still a greedy twerp though.

I shall sign off now. I had started to write about the visit of our friends Mr. and Mrs. Spoons but I should save that for next time, and I should give them their own entry. That is something else to look forward too I hope.

Marc x