Open Mind

I’ll start this week with this…..

‘I wanted to write something about mental health day last week but I was knee deep in work. And some days it’s hard to write your feelings if your not in the right place.

The last few weeks I’ve been in a really weird place… I find it hard to talk about it… I guess it’s anxiety and pressure of life… and when I actually reached out to someone they said I was draining. ‘I feel like this is why some people keep their emotions to themselves. I certainly hate talking about my feelings. And being a burden is my biggest fear… ‘I’m lucky to be able to pick myself up when things feel s**t. But what happens if someone can’t. Be nice to people. You never know what’s going on. Ever.’

Beautifully written, not by me but by Caroline Flack back in October.

When the awful news about Caroline Flack broke last Saturday, I don’t think anybody could believe it. She was obviously having problems but why? This was the girl who’d won Strictly Come Dancing, appeared in Chicago on the West End and was the presenter of one of TV’s biggest and most successful shows filmed here in Majorca.

Mental Health is a subject we all find difficult to talk about whether you’re suffering from it or not. A lot of people are blaming the media and social media, now they might have something to do with it but I think it’s a society problem that has grown over the years. For me it’s about educating the right things to say and do and we all need to be part of it. Not easy I know but we must try and prevent these awful events as they are happening all around us. If you don’t think you can open up to your family or a friend, in the UK there’s the Samaritans that can be called 24hrs a day, 365 days a year for free on 116 123. Here in Mallorca there’s a group called Open Mind Mallorca.

Their purpose is to spread amongst our community an awareness of illness of the mind, to reach out to friends who need a hand and to arrange help for individuals or on a group basis. They do an amazing job and Martin Bell does a feature on Diablo V’s show on Radio One Mallorca every Monday. Please whether it’s for you, a family member or a friend reach out as a kind word never hurt anyone.

After my rant last week about being fined for so called illegal parking, I have this week reluctantly paid the fine. I conducted a poll on Facebook and Twitter and the majority of people told me to appeal. But I also spoke to a couple of Police friends who said I am better off paying. The fine was 80€ but 40€ if I paid within 20 working days. If I appealed and lost I would lose my right to the discount so I paid which by the way you can do online. Although it meant that I was denied my last moan. It was pointed out to me last week that I was sounding like my colleague Frank Leavers, so that’s it now, I’ll leave all that to the blue rinse pin up. Lastly, since last week there’s been people parking there every day and no fines handed out. I’m done.

This week on the radio I interviewed two up and coming tennis players. I’ve followed Rhys and Murray Watters on social media through their Mum. Adrienne Watters is my football equivalent in tennis, she’s their Mum Taxi. The boys are 13 and 11 but have been playing tennis from a very young age. Originally from Edinburgh in Scotland the family decided 4 years ago that in order to enhance their tennis ability it would be better that they move here to Majorca. Quite an undertaking especially for the boys but they’ve adapted tremendously. They not only travel around the island playing tennis but have been to tournaments on the mainland and in Croatia. Rhys recently had his best result beating the number one in Majorca who is also the number 5 in Spain. One thing they haven’t done yet is play doubles together which might well come in the future. Rhys says his favourite player is Roger Federer and Murray likes Dominic Thiem. Keep your eyes on these boys.

A man who has stored a big snowball in his freezer since a ‘merry’ snowball fight 10 years ago is now selling it on eBay.

Lee Thackaberry has kept the snowball in a freezer bag and is surprised it’s survived a decade – and a house move.

Lee says he decided to keep it after hearing a news report about someone selling a snowball they’d kept for the same amount of time for £15,000.

Lee says he’s not expecting to match this huge sum, but remains hopeful despite the bids so far reaching £3.20.

After 3 straight defeats, Real Mallorca got back to winning ways with a deserved 1-0 victory against a very disappointing Alaves side. It looked like it might not be their day as a missed penalty from Salva Sevilla and a controversial disallowed goal for Dani Rodriguez. But after a header from Cucho Fernandez was brilliantly saved by the Alaves keeper, Cucho followed up to slam home the winner. All the other teams in the relegation area managed draws last weekend meaning Mallorca stay in the relegation zone but they’ve also closed the gap to Eibar, Valladolid and Alaves. Real Betis away for Mallorca last night in which they managed a 3-3 draw. Only their second point away from home this season. They have a home game coming up a week on Sunday against third placed Getafe.

Better news for Atlético Baleares who drew away last week 1-1 against Coruxo. They are currently 4 points clear of second placed Atlético Madrid B and five points clear of third placed UD Ibiza. More importantly they’re 17 points clear of fifth placed Coruxo now. With 13 games to go you would say a play-off place is secured now but first place is the aim as that gives them two chances of going up.

Not so good for my two lost last week, Judes team got gubbed 5-2 against Calvia his old team unfortunately and Jake lost 4-2 against Collerense. They’re both at home this week and Jake plays directly after Jude so an easy Saturday for Dad Taxi.

Enjoy your weekend!

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday07.30-11.00am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online atwww.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance!

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com