It’s my birthday tomorrow. That’s not interesting in itself, but as with every year it does make me think now about how my thinking’s become slightly different over the years, and in particular the last couple. Being both painfully socially awkward and British, I tend to be very apologetic for everything and also tremendously self-conscious about the things I like to do and what people think of them.
Before the minds out there start racing, I’m not talking about kinky stuff here. I reckon if you’ve got a passion for all the whips and chains and all that get up, I reckon the “self consciousness” ship has already sailed. Nah, I’m talking things a bit more like what I like to watch on the TV, or what I like eating, or especially what I like drinking!
When it comes to the tele, I’ve got more guilty pleasures than you can shake a stick at. Game Of Thrones? Love it! Lord of the Rings? Just spent a week in Bordeaux with Michelle from Rockin’ Red Blog quoting it every day to each other! Fantasy/historical adventure stuff (you know the stuff that used to get you beat up at school?) is just my bag.
When it comes to the food then I’ve become a foodie bore to all my friends. There’s only so many times I can check if people have tried golden beetroot before, or tried to put mustard plant leaves in their salads, before eyes start to glaze over and fists get clenched. But being a food nerd is cool these days, so I’m comfortable with all that.
Why then am I still apologetic about my interest in wine? Is it that thing about being a walking cliché? Ex banker turned wine knob? Every other day “Charmless Man” by Blur pops into my head. The line “educated the expensive way, he knows his claret from his Beaujolais” just makes me cringe. Am I that guy all of a sudden?
Luckily over the past few months I’ve come to a conclusion. Sod what anyone else thinks! You want to watch crappy TV programmes? Watch them! You want to experiment orris root and turmeric buds or whatever? Go for it! And when you, like me and a whole host of guys and girls round the world, are lucky enough to have a passion and a pleasure in something as deep as I have in wine, then for god’s sake just go for it.
A nice glass of wine, eating good food, whilst listening to some good music with some good people around you is right up there as one of the most pleasurable things I can possibly do. I hope to keep that up for years and years to come.
So cheers to pleasure, cheers to living for the things you enjoy, and cheers to telling whoever thinks it’s daft or twee or whatever to do one!
Cheers
This blog is for the Monthly Wine Writers Challenge
