Hello all -
Happy Sunday!
This week in the UK the sun came out, and, of course, we all had to rush out and enjoy it. I picked up my mother and we went into Christchurch for a coffee. We sat outside looking over the square and spent 25 minutes watching the world go by. Thoroughly recommended.
The last time I did this with Mum was in exactly the same spot at the same time last year. On that day, we were watching a salesman just in front of us (Brian, as it turned out), overheating and with a disturbing case of workman’s bottom, dismantling his garden furniture set displays. I wondered why he needed so many. I couldn’t imagine too many people picking up an oak 3-seater garden bench on a whim and walking it back to the car.
It turns out that the more you display, the more kits you sell. “It’s all about the display,” Brian said proudly.“ I lay out a large area of benches, chair-swings and tables so people are almost tripping over them as they walk by.”
“How many have you sold today"? I asked. "Not a single one. I set up at 7 a.m., have been here all day, and no one has shown even a sign of interest!"
Funny old world.
Latest podcast episode...
Episode 47. Hurricane Michael and the Compassionate Captain
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Manley Hopkinson to hear about his nail-biting voyage around the world as a skipper in the 2000-01 BT Global Challenge, a 32,000-mile sailing trip around the world the wrong way.
To make life even more challenging, they sailed right through Hurricane Michael with eight of his crew who had never sailed before.
If you haven't listened to the episode yet, take a look at the trailer. Of course, Manley reveals in the podcast what sailing around the world 'the wrong way' actually means, but suffice to say for now that it's a pretty tough way of doing it.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music or just about any other. podcast player of your choice. Check out the show notes and transcript to learn more.
My favourite quotes from Manley...
"And there also had to be a medic on board. We were very lucky to have a fantastic doctor on board - clearly called 'Bones'.
But one of the boats didn't actually have a doctor, they only had a vet. But, you know, it's the same thing isn't it?"
"I told my crew before we left, I said, "Team, you can only panic if I panic first. If I'm panicking, then you're welcome to do whatever you like. Because if I'm panicking, we are in serious, serious trouble... so, you know, if I'm cool then you're cool.""
"I got the commitment to attack Hurricane Michael."
And on his favourite subject, Compassionate Leadership....
"If empathy is to understand, compassion is to work with that knowledge with positive intent. In other words, compassion is 'understanding with positive action'."
Check out more about Manley's work on Compassionate Leadership over on the show notes.
Dates with History...
Today...
87 years ago today, 12th May 1937, George VI and his wife Elizabeth were crowned King & Queen of England at Westminster Abbey in London having ascended to the throne unexpectedly when his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated on 11th December 1936 in favour of marrying the American socialite, Wallis Simpson.
George battled with a stutter throughout his life, particularly when under stress; not a particularly helpful attribute for a King in wartime. His fight against this impediment was made famous in the film The King’s Speech (recommended by the way).
George VI was considered a stable influence throughout World War II and died in 1952. His wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, lived on for a further 50 years, known to most of us as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
Exactly 100 years ago today, Tony Hancock was born. Some of us are just old enough to remember this unique comedic talent. He was best known for Hancock’s Half Hour and if I could pick out perhaps his most classic line of all in a later iteration just known as Hancock in 1961 and an episode called The Blood Donor:
“I don’t mind giving a reasonable amount, but a pint - that’s very nearly an armful!”
Hancock is of particular interest to me because he was brought up in my home town of Bournemouth. Hancock was brilliant but like many comedians, he was a complex soul and died by suicide on 25th June 1968 in Sydney, Australia.
Today’s birthdays also include Florence Nightingale (1820), nursing pioneer most famous for her during the Crimean War (1853-1856) and let’s not forget our much-troubled UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who is 44 today. And one more, happy birthday to my brother David!
Later this week...
Happy 79th Birthday on Friday to one of my favourite ever tennis players, Australian Tony Roche, who was born on 17th May 1945. Although he just missed out on most of the big men’s singles titles (barring 1 win at the French Open in 1966), he was a prolific doubles player, winning 12 Grand Slam men’s doubles tournaments.
By the time I was old enough to follow him, he was really playing for fun and loved entertaining the crowd around the world (and for me at Wimbledon) with his Grand Slam partner John Newcombe.
Sticking to the Australian theme, Thursday marks the death of the popular Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke (in 2019), who served for nearly nine years between 1983 and 1991. Remembered for his straight-talking and quick wit, one of his most famous lines was…
"By all means, let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out."
By the way...
Do you remember in this week’s podcast episode that Manley referred to Chay Blyth, the founder of the BT Global Challenge round the world yacht race? On Tuesday, Chay Blyth will be celebrating his 84th birthday. He was born in Hawick, Scotland and became most famous for being the first person to sail single-handed around the world the wrong way non-stop on his 59-foot yacht ‘British Steel’ (and if you still don’t know what “the wrong way” means - listen to the episode!)
In 1986 he sailed with Richard Branson as they co-skippered the fastest trans-Atlantic crossing by a surface vessel (ie a powerboat). It took them 3 days, eight hours and 31 minutes. He was knighted for his contribution to sailing in 1997.
Question of the week...
On 14th May 1998, one of the world’s most loved singers died in Los Angeles, California. In 1935 he started singing with a group called The Three Flashes who then became the Hoboken Four. What was his name?(answer at bottom of newsletter)
And finally...
We love honesty and integrity at Batting the Breeze so I’ll leave you with this quickie:
A young operations trainee sits down with his new line manager.
Line manager: “What is your weakest attribute?”
Operations trainee: “I think I am too honest.”
Line manager: “That’s no bad thing; I think honesty can take you a long way.”
Operations trainee: “I don’t care what you think.”
Spread the word...
If you've enjoyed this newsletter, please help me spread the word by forwarding it to a friend.
If you have received this newsletter from a friend and would like to receive your own weekly copy of The Breezer, then feel free to sign up here.
Thank you for joining me. Have a great week!
Steve
HOST & CHIEF STORY HUNTER
P:S: Incidentally, I am always keen to receive your feedback to help me continuously improve this newsletter and the podcast. Just hit reply to this email and...... let it rip! I respond to every email that I receive.
Answer to Question of the week: Frank Sinatra. This is a picture of him in one of my all-time classic films, “Von Ryan’s Express”.
20th Century Fox, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
NEXT WEEK'S BREEZER
Extracting tacit knowledge one tale at a time
LAST WEEK'S BREEZER
Sir David walked straight past Prince Philip to give me a hug!
THIS NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED ON THE BATTING THE BREEZE WEBSITE WITH A 2-WEEK DELAY. TO RECEIVE YOUR PERSONAL NEWSLETTER ON THE DAY, WHY NOT SIGN UP NOW. THANK YOU.
You can listen to the Batting the Breeze podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music or any other podcast player of your choice. See podcast player links at the top of this page.
Copyright © 2024 Logical Business Ltd. All rights reserved.
