Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Communication Strategy, Corporate Evil, Corporate Gaslighting, Customer Service, Technology
A few months ago, I decided I needed to sort out my emails.
Specifically, how many I was receiving each day.
That’s not a fucked-up, humble brag … it was because after decades of internet use, I’d acquired so many companies sending me their shit because I’d either once ordered from them or made an enquiry to them, that it was genuinely costing me time in my day.
So, over the period of a week I vowed to ‘unsubscribe’ from 98% of every company email I received – with only a few organizations surviving the cull because I either found them genuinely valuable and interesting and/or their were legal implications if I didn’t act on what they sent me.
So off I went.
Every morning, I’d go through each email … find the ‘unsubscribe’ button, which would be hidden somewhere in the body copy, normally at the very, very bottom … and then watch my browser open up to the corresponding website so I could ‘click’ on the metaphorical, ‘FUCK OFF AND LEAVE ME ALONE’ FOREVER button and say goodbye to them forever.
Or so I thought.
Because some of those links didn’t open.
Some of those links didn’t automatically let you unsubscribe.
Some of those links had a messed-up UX that manipulated you into resubscribing without initially realizing.
Some of those links demanded you then jump through all manner of hoops before they would acknowledge you had achieved your goal.
And some of those links just ignored your request and kept sending you emails like a technological cockroach who refused to die.
And even after spending FIVE WORKING DAYS pressing ‘unsubscribe’ so often that I probably need a job number to justify all the time I spent doing it … and even after giving every one of these companies a week to get their shit together … there’s still 7 companies who keep sending me their bullshit.
EVERY. DAY.
Despite me unsubscribing from them again and again and again.
In some ways I’m almost impressed at how little they care about upsetting their audience … even though I have to admit, it has made me hate them with a zeal normally reserved for the true bastards of the world/
But what is also weird, is the companies who made unsubscribing easy – without fuss, mess, complexity or further demands – has made me want to sign up to them again. Because nothing shows how much a company really cares about their customers than how well they treat them even when it’s so they can say goodbye.
Have a great weekend.
Today is the 5th of November.
A day – back in 1605 – where some people tried to blow up the British houses of parliament.
And failed.
Yet despite that, the Brits celebrate it by blowing up shit. Fireworks mainly, but depending where you live, it can be homes too.
Yes it’s a bit weird, even by weird Brit standards …
A bit like celebrating losing the lottery by burning all your cash. Or something.
But for all the people not in the UK, I thought I’d let you feel part of it by igniting your ability to go “Ooooooh” and “Ahhhhh” at endless fireworks exploding in the sky in a spectrum of stunning colours.
And how will I do that?
By providing you with a TEN HOUR video of them.
And while I accept this won’t capture the full experience of a British Bonfire Night – which includes burning your mouth on a crappy, 10,000 degree, questionable hot dog as well as burning your hand on a crap sparkler while trying to spell out rude words in the sky – it’s a way for me to help bring the world together.
Like a Temu version of the UN. Enjoy.
You’re welcome.
Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, Aspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Customer Service, Food, Planes
This is going to be the most First World Problem post I’ve ever written – and I’ve written a lot!
So as many of you know, I fly a lot.
And – given the distances I travel – I get to fly a lot of that as business class.
I know … I know …
The reality is I don’t take advantage of any of the benefits because I tend to fall asleep as soon as the engines start [literally] and when I do eat on a plane – which isn’t very often – I tend to ask for an economy meal because my tastebuds are pure 1970’s Nottingham and I much prefer it.
However recently I was in the US, flying United, when I got served this …
How fucking beautiful does that look?
Appetizing.
Freshly made.
Relatively healthy.
It was such a shock I photographed it and sent it to my wife and she was as shocked as me.
Even more than that, it tasted bloody lovely and I don’t mind telling you, I was in shock. So in shock I’m writing this post about it.
And just to help put this in comparison – here’s the equivalent I once was served by British Airways business class.
I rest my case.
As many people have said, we eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths … and I just don’t understand why so few airlines understand this.
Too many either cram the tray with every possible item to try and seduce you with abundance or surround you with fancy cutlery and glasses to distract you from the slop in front of you. But this is a perfect example of ‘less is more’ – acknowledging the ‘less’ is still done with obvious care and craft.
Which is a pretty good lesson for the industry at large because we seem to spend an inordinate amount of time and effort creating everything other than what is actually needed … either because certain clients think overloading their partners with expectations gives them control and power or certain agencies think giving their clients loads of stuff demonstrates they are good value.
Which reminds me of something a friend of mine recently told me:
“The easiest way to tell if someone knows what they’re doing is by what they’re requiring or producing. The more they want, the less they understand who their audience is, what their problem is and what they need to change their situation”.
Or said another way – and quoting the chef we interviewed for Tabasco, years ago:
“The more confident the chef, the less ingredients they use”.
The problem is right now – thanks to lack of clarity, lack of truth, lack of authority and abundance of procurement – we’re making soup with 10,000 ingredients and it doesn’t even taste good, let alone nourish people.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Anniversary, Birthday, Death, Family, Love, Mum, Mum & Dad
Today would be Mum’s 94th birthday.
And even though she died in 2015 – aged 83 – there is a part of me that still thinks she could have lived to this age if her heart operation hadn’t gone the way it did.
Not that the surgery was bad … the problem was that Mum’s heart condition was caused because of an illness she had as a small child and no one had realised its impact until things started to go a different way in the operation than anyone expected or had planned for.
But if that hadn’t happened … I fully expect Mum would be alive.
Actually, not just alive, but living.
Slower – for sure – but still curious, interested and engaged in life because as I’ve said many times, she always told me to be interested in what others are interested in, which was a belief she didn’t just follow, but lived every day.
In a perfect world, she’d now be living with us in NZ … and despite her being fiercely independent, I think she would have done it.
I even think she would have loved it.
Being nearer only son.
Seeing her only grandson.
Chatting to her daughter in law.
Patting the lovely – but slightly stupid – Bonnie.
God I would have loved to have witnessed this. To have witnessed her living in the peace and tranquility of our house in the trees. And while I am sure she would have occasions where she felt far from home – be that Italy or England – I really believe that would be countered by the safety, comfort and warmth she’d experienced being close to people who love her and that she loved.
I always remember how much she loved me coming home to visit her.
How she loved how the house because a cauldron of noise as I – and my friends – filled it with laughter and chatter.
And while we would have ensured she had her own space for her own life, I suspect that she would have spent more time with us than alone. Or she would once we told her we loved her hanging out with us – as I also suspect she’d be so worried she was crowding us out, she would stay out of her way.
Because Mum always was doing more for others than herself.
Looking out for them.
Wanting to do the best for them.
And while that is kind and generous and loving – I wanted her to feel cared for.
I wanted her to feel loved, protected and put first.
And while we had our moments of niggles as I tried to do this for her – while she did all she could to resist it – towards the end we had found a place of harmony and understanding which meant the world to me, because that is how we were for most of our life together and how I would have loved to have seen our life together if we had ever been able to bring her to NZ.
But alas that didn’t happen.
In fact, when Mum died a lot that I am quoting in this fantasy extention of my family life, hadn’t happened either.
We hadn’t left China and moving to NZ wasn’t even on the radar.
Hell, we had to move to America and England before that was to happen – and even then that was motivated as much by COVID as it was by Colenso.
Then there’s the fact we had only just had Otis … and don’t even get me started on Bonnie.
And yet, that image of Mum with us resides in my heart. I’d truly have loved it and so today – in her honour – I’ll be cooking a dinner that I know she would have wanted to cook for us.
Nothing fancy, but a true Italian pasta sauce – simple and yet delicious as hell.
Because the one thing Mum taught me was that love isn’t complicated, it’s just showing you care.
Happy Birthday Mum, I love you so much.
I wish I had more photos of you that I could use in these posts.
The fact I don’t just reinforces how you have gone and how much I miss you.
So a big kiss to you and to Dad.
You’re forever with me.
Rx
Filed under: Comment
If last week was a week of depressing posts, then this week will be a week of slightly less depressing posts.
A reason for this is because tomorrow is what would be Mum’s 94th birthday.
NINETY BLOODY FOUR!!
But that’s for tomorrow … instead, we’ll start the week with something that ensures everyone is in a good mood for tomorrow, which is the only reason I’m posting this clip – because it made me laugh and given it’s a Monday, who doesn’t need that?!
See you tomorrow for my Mum.