Welcome to this first Southern Cross Enews for 2013.
2013! Ye gods what has happened to my life? T’was only a year or so ago we were excited about the new millennium surely! The swift passage of time has been brought home to me by my sudden realisation that I am now old. What the hell happened? I am still wondering what I am going to do when I grow up! Two particular incidents of late have driven this home to me. The first happened over the Christmas holidays. The Job family was skiing in Japan (as you do…). Now surely the fact that I continue to try to ski is testament to my youthfulness? That I can fall over so many times each day without going to hospital must mean something, surely. But no. There we were, all clad in the last word in ski fashion (from Aldi) waiting excitedly as Jenny bought our lift passes. The great thing about skiing is that if you don’t move people can’t tell that you are a clueless gumby that is a danger to anyone within a ski pole’s radius of them. So I am standing there waiting, ski’s clipped on, trying to look cool and not move. Oldest son skis up to me with a grin like a split watermelon. “Your pass was half price because you are a senior here” he couldn’t wait to tell me. That you are now officially old is shattering news for someone, particularly when you are trying not to move. I demanded that he tell his mother to pay full price. I wasn’t going to spend the week with a senior’s pass dangling of my Aldi ski jacket! Yes in some places in Japan you are a senior at 50. Thankfully the next mountain was far more respectful of its visitors and a senior’s pass was 65. But by then the damage was done. I had become a ‘senior’ somewhere in the world.
The next reminder of my fast approaching old age was last weekend. We went to a concert. Now how young is that? The soundtrack of my youth were playing. The Sunnyboys, Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons and Elvis Costello. Ah, I thought, this will make me feel young again!
But then, one by one they came on stage. Where were the wild men of my youth? They were all fat, with neat short hair and wearing buttoned up chambray shirts. And they were now old guys. My god, I realised, if they are all old then so am I! It was bad enough that the President of the United States was younger than me, but now there it was – living proof that we must all get old.
I am thinking about buying a motorbike. Or growing my hair long. But I think I will just go sailing. The wind is the same age as me!
So folks there is no time to wait. Don’t let your life pass you by without achieving that Day Skipper certificate. Do it now whilst you can. Luckily for you we have places available in our Intensive Day Skipper theory course next week Monday 11 to Friday 15 February 2013 and the 14 week course Day Skipper theory commencing next Tuesday 12 February 2013.
But sorry, no seniors discount. We wouldn’t insult you by offering that. Until next time, stay young!
Cheers Mike Job.