We like good days, don’t we? It’s rhetorical obviously and a bit of a pointless statement. What a I mean by this is that I’ve not had too many good days since I’ve been here, so when one comes along I invite everyone round, pop open the champagne and show that good day a really good time. Get it so drunk that it can’t remember its own name and its vomiting in the toilet and spends the next 3 days with a hangover saying “I’m never drinking again”.

That’s not to say I haven’t met loads of great people and had good fun on nights out and parties. Of course I have, but when I speak about a good day I mean that for no apparent reason you just feel fantastic from the moment you get up to the moment you go to bed and that things just seem to be going your way; there is no one telling you they can’t process your Social Security Number for another month, or that you will have to literally cut off one arm and one leg to pay for car insurance or that you cannot get finance to buy a used car as you have no credit history or that you have to learn a whole ring binder of useless information to pass a driving test or that you have to repeat yourself 15 times as the customer sales person on the phone can’t understand you or you order a prawn curry and get a paneer curry or get a parking ticket or go to the parking office to renew your temporary parking permit to find that they can’t find you in the system (later to find out that some aegid has entered your name in the system as Simon William (My middle is William)) so you have to come back the next day with all the documentation required. You get the picture I’m sure.   There have been so many not so good days that I forget that good days exist and I really appreciate it when they knock on my door first thing in the morning. I hope you can see where I am coming from on this. (If not, just enjoy reading about “My Good Day”)

My Good Day – Sunday 18th April

I can’t explain why I got up (early for once on a Sunday) with such a smile on my face. Maybe because I had been out the night before and didn’t have a hangover. That extra spring in my step makes the difference as I bound into the kitchen for the morning cup of tea. I make a great breakfast. Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. I have decided to go into Manhattan as I need to buy some jeans. I was in Midtown the day before so I had a look in some shops so I have a fair idea of what I want. I make a list of items to purchase. I need to go to a number of shops due to the diverse nature of my proposed purchases, so I need to make sure I don’t forget something, hence the list. I’m not stupid, me. (No comments on that please).

The list

Jeans, face wash, scented oil for burners, software for my Mac, files for documents, replacement iMac cord with US plug, ipod lead for aux car jack and maybe additional clothing if anything takes my fancy.

I go to the Path Train and it is there waiting for me and it takes approximately 1 minute before it sets of for 33rd street. I’m on the train and remember somehting. Damn! I forgot to look up where a Staples is to buy some stationery. Oh well I think there is bound to be one around somewhere. I’ll just ask someone in one of the stores I go into. I’m sure they will know.

I get off at 23rd St. and switch to the Subway to go uptown. Yesterday I got off at 63rd but today I decide to get off the stop before. I don’t know why I decided this but I did. Variety is the spice of life I guess! I re-join the bustling streets of Manhattan from the subway to be greeted by a big sign “Staples – entrance this way”. Bingo. I even picked out a nice pen holder container for my desk too.

I make my way to the Apple Store. Yesterday it was crazy. People were literally queuing to get in. I didn’t even bother. The queue for the tills would just be horrendous. Sunday morning however, I thought it would be fine and it was. However the queue looked like a 30-45 minute wait. (sigh). I had to buy some stuff so I carried on. I couldn’t find what I wanted straight away so I asked an attendant who was happy to help and knowledgeable (Rare I find wherever you are). We discussed Apple software and although they do not sell one of the items on the list, he advised a good website for me to get it. I actually didn’t think they would sell the cable I wanted but whilst I was there I thought I would ask. He also got the software from the back as it wasn’t on the shelf, it was good that they had it in stock.

I also got the ipod lead for the car, and he asked if I needed anything else.

Me: No that’s everything.

Salesperson: Are you paying cash or credit?

Me: (slightly confused as why should he care how I’m paying) debit actually.

SP: I can make that purchase for you right now.

Me: You can?

SP: Sure just give me your card.

Me: (Hand card over)

SP: (Gets out iphone but I can’t actually remember how or if he did swipe the card)

SP: Sign here (on iphone).

Me: (I sign, still in absolute awe that I don’t have to wait 30-45 minutes in a queue with the rest of New York and yet another reason why an iphone is better than a crapberry, sorry, blackberry. Stephen (CEO of Pharmalink Consulting Inc) – when are we getting iphones for Pharmalink US? – shame he doesn’t read this blog.)

SP: Your receipt will be emailed to you.

Me: (I bring my jaw back to its normal position,) Thank you!

Today is My Good Day.

I walk to the other shops to make the other purchases on my list. I’m in the Body Shop and I get what’s on my list and I go to the checkout.

Salesperson: Do you have bag?

Me: Yes, I do. I’ll just pop them in here (Pointing to my Apple Bag and very pleased that at least they ask the shopper if I wanted to use my own bag, rather than put it in another bag, as it is a waste of plastic, but I would expect that from Body Shop.)

SP: Oh, thats great, because you now get 20% off as its Earth Day.

Me: Wow, really? It’s today?

SP: Yes really, but even though it isn’t Earth Day today we are running this promotion for the weekend.

Me: Great.

I’m in a store buying jeans. I pick out the style I want and ask the salesperson if I can have this size. I’m not sure what size I am these days due to losing a few pounds recently so I give her a size and I try that. I hate shopping for trousers as normally I try on millions of pairs before I found some I like. First pair however is a good fit so I take those. That is pretty much unheard of the world of Simon Shirreff’s trouser purchasing stories. (I’ve got some great stories – like the time when i went to buy a pair of corduroy slacks and there was a mix up with the tags……it was hilarious……). I even picked up a T-shirt reduced (in price).

Later on that day on the wonderful Skype I am informed that I will be seeing my father at Caitey’s wedding in Canada. I actually stayed up until 1am that evening just because I did not want that day to end and too see if I could squeeze anything else out of My Good Day.

Unfortunately the old adage regarding buses did not apply and the next day I was quoted $2500 for my car insurance……..for 6 months. Yes indeedy. Business as usual.

Come back Good Day. You are sorely missed and have an open invitation to pop over for tea and biscuits anytime.