The Saturday list #352 - Ten things I never thought I'd say

 Life is strange. My Dad had a saying "Men make plans and God laughs". It is true. I'm 60 in just over a months time and I've come to realise that it is almost impossible to predict the future and when we say "I will never do/say that". This morning I tweeted something I never thought I'd say, but I am big enough to admit I'm wrong. So it made me think, when have I made a confident prediction and been proven horrendously wrong. These may surprise you.

1. Brian Coleman. Following his atrocious assault on Helen Michael, a good friend of mine, I wanted to see Brian Coleman slope off and diasppear. However, this morning, out of curiosity, I found myself reading his latest blog, detailing the events at the recent AGM of Barnet Council. It is actually a very good blog. I still hate his guts, but maybe he's found his niche. Now we have a Labour administration, we need quality Tory blogs and if Brian can be bothered, he may fill the breach. Councils need critics. Brian is the only person from the Tory side that I've seen in Barnet, who is able to string two coherent sentences together. 

2. Manchester City. I well recall the Third tier play off final at Wembley in 1999. Manchester United had just won the treble. City were 2-0 down to Gillingham with 89 minutes on the clock. They'd played atrociiously and the club was badly run and facing bankruptcy. I was with my nephew, he was not sure whether to support City or United, who my brother Frank supports. I felt embarrassed, and said "When you follow City, you will never get the experience of winning the Premiership or a treble, but at least you know who you are and this prepares you for life's ups and downs." Then City scored two goals and won on penalties. It seemed redemption was at hand, they were back in  the second tier. I said "Who know, one day we may be back here to see them play in the League or FA cup final. Little did I know that in little over a decade they would overtake United and become the Kings of the Premiership.

3. Finchley Catholic High School. When I left, I left under a cloud. I'd been a naughty boy. I hated my time there. I vowed that if ever I had a son, I'd never send him there. Guess where my son went? Why? because he wanted to go there and the school had changed. He's now at Uni doing pretty well. It is a good school now and I'm going to speak to sixth formers about careers this week. 

4. Disco music. When I was a sixteen year old, I hated disco music. I had a "Death to Disco" T-shirt. I thought people who liked disco music were idiotic morons who simply hadn't got a clue about anything. Then one day, the then lead guitarist in The False Dots said "Have you listened to Nile Rodgers guitar?". I hadn't. Much as I hated disco, I had ultimate respect for Criag Withecombe as a musician. I listened. He was right. It took me a long time to come out to my mates as a fan of disco, but now I can be honest. 

5. America. The Clash wrote "I'm so bored with the USA" and I agreed. The USA has always seemed a hedonistic and cruelly capitalist society. In 1980, my parents announced "We're going on holiday to Florida, we'll pay for you". My response (I was an ungrateful sod), "I hate America, I'd rather die than go there". They were flabbergasted. They thought I was mad. How could I not be tempted by Xmas in Florida. I was 17 and at school. My sister Caroline went and had a blast. What I didn't tell them was that I was planning to have my girlfriend come over and have a party. The house got trashed and all of my mum's jewellery got nicked. I thought they'd go mad, they were fine. God bless them. My Dad simply said "You'll learn", my mum was quite pleased as she was able to claim on insurance and get some new jewellery. By about 1988, I decided I really wanted to go to New York. We did and it was great. We also went to Florida. New York is one of three places I could imagine living.

6. Johnny Cash. I used to hate Johnny Cash when I was a 16 year old punk. I just didn't get it at all. I'd berate people who listened to him in my company. I thought he couldn't sing and the arrangements were dull. I've no idea why, other than an ex of my sister liked them and it wound him up no end to slag off Mr Cash. Then one day I mentioned my dislike to Boz Boorer, who gave me the Folsom Jail album and said "Listen to this". When Iactually bothered to listen I realised I'd been a dickhead. My sister recently gave me a right pasting for this when she turned up for dinner and Johnny Cash was on the play list. 

7.  Marks and Spencers. I used to hate shopping in Marks and Spencers. My mum would make me accompany her on the 113 bus to Oxford Circus and she'd go shopping for knickers in M&S. It seemed that there were endless counters full of dull knickers. In some ways it's a miracle that I ended up heterosexual given my dislike of female knickers from M&S. I avoided M&S like tje plague for donkeys years. Then I discovered their outlet shop in Hatfield and the good value black jeans that they sell. It is now where I go when need news strides.

8. Flying. Given my Dad was a pilot, I developed a major aversion to flying. I went through a period where I thought I'd die every time I got on a plane. I hated it. People would suggest going on holiday and I'd not go because I hated flying. I was always in a state of panic. I realised I needed to do it, but my mantra was "I do this but I hate it". Back in 2010 I had to go to Washington on business. I was flown business class. It was amazing. All the free drinks, seats you could sleep in and great food. I loved it. I've done thata  few times since. It is the way to go.

9. Paved gardens. I hate paved gardens. I love flowers and the unruly way nature grows. I always vowed I'd never pave my back garden. Then we got dogs and the lawn became a quagmire and they walked mud through the house every time they did a poo. In the end, I paved the lawn and got a gazebo. I have to say it was the best thing the family did. It is like another room and during lockdown was a Godsend.

10. Church. I was raised a Roman Catholic. By the time I was 16 I'd completely rejected the faith. I hated the rituals, the conservatism, the hypocrisy. I vowed that I'd never go back. When I was 33 my brother in law had a terrible accident and was in a coma. As one tends to do, I made a deal with God and said "If Tim gets better, I will go to Church every Sunday that I can for the rest of my life. Tim made a miraculous recovery. Being highly superstitious, I was lumbered with going through a ritual I didn't buy into and didn't enjoy. Then Fr Perry Gildea turned up at The Sacred Heart. He was a man I liked and he spoke forthrightly. I started to enjoy going. At his suggestion, I volunteered to help with HCPT, a group that takes people with disabilities to Lourdes. This was one of the best things I've done. My mother had a stroke and I took here several times as well as my cousin Tessie who had Downs Syndrome. I still have reservations about many aspects of the Church, but I love the fact that it creates a sense of community. Without local church halls and church volunteers our communities would be immeasurably poorer. To me the critics of churches miss the point. I believe in community and Churches help build that. I just wish that Atheists had their own Churches and groups with community halls as I get why religion puts many community minded people off helping. I've actually got a couple of atheists to help with the HCPT group. They have all said to me it was a positive experience and that they'd like to have a non religious version. What shocked a few of them was the irreverent humour and the strong group bond, which they bought into. 

That's my ten, what are yours?