Swing Low (2015)

[Last Hussar]

Are those of us with only an idle interest in the subject not allowed in here?

Its just you said you don't follow sport with much interest.  Same way as when my wife goes clothes shopping I don't hang about the shoe department.  Not when there is a lingerie department, anyway.

[Subedai]

Its just you said you don't follow sport with much interest.  Same way as when my wife goes clothes shopping I don't hang about the shoe department.  Not when there is a lingerie department, anyway.

If I am ordered to go clothes shopping with Ma Subs or when the daughter comes to stay, I always take my kindle and find somewhere out of the way near the entrance to read while they shop. Works for me...especially since the changing rooms in our local Primani are next to the ladies under-bits department and I don't want to be called a perv while I am waiting!

Anyway, back on thread. I can't say I am a rugby man, I much prefer football or Aussie Rules which I still maintain is a cross between football, rugby, high jump and a number of martial art styles! Years ago my mate -who is a big rugby fan- reckoned I would make a good bloke-who-puts-the ball-into-the-scrum. At 5' 7" and -at the time- 10 stone soaking wet, I disagreed with him and still do.

The only reason to watch the American version of football is to work out who has the ball, apart from that, it's far to stop-start for me. No flowing play or nuffin.

[Ithoriel]

Its just you said you don't follow sport with much interest.  Same way as when my wife goes clothes shopping I don't hang about the shoe department.  Not when there is a lingerie department, anyway.

When my wife went shopping for shoes I went too. It pays to know what's new and needs favorably commented on and it provides the opportunity to damn with faint praise the things that would leave you bankrupt if purchased

Similarly with sport - I now know that when sporting friends turn up on Saturday or Sunday afternoons over the next few weeks I need to complain about the problems with my TV feed and how irritating it is that I can't get BBC1 at the moment 

[Subedai]

When my wife went shopping for shoes I went too. It pays to know what's new and needs favorably commented on and it provides the opportunity to damn with faint praise the things that would leave you bankrupt if purchased

I only went shoe shopping with my daughter once. We got off the bus in the centre of Brum and there was a shoe shop opposite. There was a pair in there that she liked but said we could come back as it was near the bus stop. In my naiveté I agreed. TWO AND A HLAF HOURS LATER

[Subedai]

Try again to get it all in this time!

When my wife went shopping for shoes I went too. It pays to know what's new and needs favorably commented on and it provides the opportunity to damn with faint praise the things that would leave you bankrupt if purchased

I only went shoe shopping with my daughter once. We got off the bus in the centre of Brum and there was a shoe shop opposite. There was a pair in there that she liked but said we could come back as it was near the bus stop. In my naiveté I agreed.

TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER and after going in every single shop in the city centre and trying on every pair of shoes in each shop  twice, we were back at the first shoe shop where she paid for the first pair she had tried on.

NEVER AGAIN.

Later she said that she would never go shoe shopping with her friend because she is a nightmare!!!!!

[Ithoriel]

I only went shoe shopping with my daughter once. We got off the bus in the centre of Brum and there was a shoe shop opposite. There was a pair in there that she liked but said we could come back as it was near the bus stop. In my naiveté I agreed. TWO AND A HLAF HOURS LATER

Had the same with my younger son. In his case it was down to having size 13 feet and therefore limited choices. We eventually got a pair of the first shoes he'd looked at but in the interval we'd had a great afternoon daundering around, chatting, getting coffee and in my case getting some much needed exercise! I had a good afternoon but then I enjoy shopping.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

I only went shoe shopping with my daughter once. We got off the bus in the centre of Brum and there was a shoe shop opposite. There was a pair in there that she liked but said we could come back as it was near the bus stop. In my naiveté I agreed.

TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER and after going in every single shop in the city centre and trying on every pair of shoes in each shop  twice, we were back at the first shoe shop where she paid for the first pair she had tried on.

NEVER AGAIN.

Later she said that she would never go shoe shopping with her friend because she is a nightmare!!!!!

Ditto with my Sister - when I was about 12 - after 2 hrs disappeared to Central Station, and got a bus home from Woodside.

IanS 

[Hertsblue]

I had a good afternoon but then I enjoy shopping.

That's just plain unnatural in a bloke, Ithoriel. 

[getagrip]

That's just plain unnatural in a bloke, Ithoriel. 

It really is...unless it's for lead!

[Ithoriel]

Never understood the fuss people make about shopping with SO or one's children. Time spent with someone you (supposedly) want to spend time with, a wonderful chance to people watch, an excuse to strike up conversations with random strangers, a chance to go "while we're passing I thought I'd just pick up ...." (hard for them to say no when they're still looking and already have fifty quids worth of stuff in bags), so many advantages

[fsn]

I'm very good at shopping with women. I'm a regular Gok Wan.

[getagrip]

I'm a regular Gok Wan.

Has anyone else ever jiggled the letters in "Gok Wan?"

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Ok Gwan!

[getagrip]

Ok Gwan!

Yep, that's it 

[Ithoriel]

Gwan, gwan, gwan, gwan, gwan

[getagrip]

  

[Orcs]

Never understood the fuss people make about shopping with SO or one's children. Time spent with someone you (supposedly) want to spend time with, a wonderful chance to people watch, an excuse to strike up conversations with random strangers, a chance to go "while we're passing I thought I'd just pick up ...." (hard for them to say no when they're still looking and already have fifty quids worth of stuff in bags), so many advantages

I am afraid I have to dissagree.

You want to spend quality time with them  not walking up and down  the shopping centre looking in endless shops at stuff that has no interest to you.  Unless you have a liking for womens clothes    or Teenage fashion 

Striking up conversations with random strangers can be problematic as if :-

1  Significantly younger - You could be mistaken as a weirdo or worse
2  Significantly older - You either get a rant about the "Good Old Days" or you look condescending
3  If its an attractive female you incur wrath or SO
4  If its a plain female (non Pc word is Fugly) you incure Wrath of SO as she thinks that you find Fugly woman
    attractive, and by womens logic that makes SO think she is less attractive than said Fugly woman, so even
    more wrath is incurred.   (Note:- Womens logic is probably an Oxymoron)
5  While theu might have bought £50 of clothes they do not need you will have a job justifying picking up a few
    paints or some wargame stuff, as they will be deemeed non-essential.  Its far better to pop in somewhere on
    your own whilst out getting Legitamate stuff for home

EXTREME NOTE OF CAUTION
In the case of 3 you might find out that random attractive lady finds you attractive.  This can open up a world of dangerous but very enjoyable possibilities.   Should SO find out it will make shopping for a Ferrari look cheap.  _ I know I have first hand experience in this   

You have been  warned!!! 

[Ithoriel]

I'd sooner be walking around a nice warm, safe shopping centre than a wet windy hillside or standing on cold drafty terraces expected to cheer for a team I don't care about playing a game I have no interest in.

A pleasant potter about while chatting about fashion, music, where to grab "coffee and a bun" later, plans for the coming days/ weeks/ months, etc, etc counts as quality time for me.

I want my SO to look good, but be reasonably frugal, so I'm happy to have input into what they buy.

As to my kids, I trained them well, we have similar tastes in casual clothes.  Picked up a couple of nice t-shirts and a very comfy hoodie last time I was out shopping with one of them.

Significantly younger people can be engaged in conversation quite safely when it is obvious you are somebody's father. Unless of course you actually are a weirdo

Significantly older people are increasingly harder to find but I can do "in my day policemen were older, prices were reasonable and politicians were honest" with the best of them.

Never found conversations with the opposite sex caused much problem providing I made a point of dragging SO into the conversation at some point.

The whole point was that I agreed they needed the clothes, just as I needed some paints or a unit of High Elf Spearmen. Problems came if I bought stuff when on my own, where I was accused of "sneaking off" to buy ....

As to the extreme note of caution, I'm the type of guy that women chat to, confide in and occasionally cry on the shoulder of; I am a best friend/ the brother they never had/ such a comfort. Alas, I am not the type anyone is going to sneak off to a cheap motel with in the middle of a weekday afternoon

[Orcs]

As to the extreme note of caution, I'm the type of guy that women chat to, confide in and occasionally cry on the shoulder of; I am a best friend/ the brother they never had/ such a comfort. Alas, I am not the type anyone is going to sneak off to a cheap motel with in the middle of a weekday afternoon

That is not necessarilly a bad thing, and I don't think you have anything to need to feel "alas" about.  Not being tempted is far easier to deal with.

[Nosher]

So we were discussing the REAL Beautiful Game and the conversation has become 'All W.I' and attempting to solve the impossible conundrum that is female logic... Mark my words: It will lead to madness/sobriety 

We will be discussing Victoria Sponges and Jam making next