Y Wegof Di-Reswm

WED
I woke early then slept some more so that I awoke late – I did nothing except get ready to catch a train… To Middlesborough – I needed change of scene.
I met Dai near to Yarm station on the out skirts of ‘Boro’ – it seemed a pleasant affluent suburb. It was a fair walk what with my bag and ropey tendon, but a cup of tea helped. Dai though that evening had to go out in a last minute change of plan with some TA business, I stayed in and watched some of his DVD collection – I hadn’t seen Sin City and some of the others.
THU
The next day we popped into Boro and Dai was on call and had to go to work – Boro centre seemed pleasant enough – however I was utterly unable to find a t’interweb café and gave up after a while as the ambulation was painful – Dai had no web access at home.
I got back to Yarm and watched a few more DVD’s – but skipped movies this time and watched Bill Bailey – He does a very good Welsh accent as it happens and I did laugh at the Cheese On Toast gag! Lol!
FRI
I got back to Manchester just after midday on Friday and just sorted out some odds and sods… I’m now wondering if anyone’s out ce soir?

This is probably a mistake, but here’s the post…

T’was so boring, I’m house bound due to injuries, I ended up cleaning – rubbish. Thankfully Jon was working in Chorlton and popped in during his lunch for a brew... welcome relief.
Today saw the relief of the diaries of the Egotistical Alistair Campbell – Twat – the telly says the diaries, at least what is published is old news, however one interview did amuse me at one point: Campbell, “I never wrote these diaries with the intention of publishing them”, Interviewer, “Did it come as a surprise when they came out in hardback then?” LOL – I did laugh.
I’m otherwise stressed - I think, despite the St. John’s Wort I’ve come out with a bad complexion, another reason maybe not to leave the confides of the house…

Some pictures from the BBQ on Saturday should be available on the Hyperdoopelator - although they did work initially when I checked later they weren’t appearing for some reason…

Tuesday was much of the same – however Beckie rang and mentioned that she had to go to Bolton for this and that and did I fancy going for a drive - I did but her motives between you and me puzzle me – there’s no thaw I think, though sometimes I almost convince myself otherwise – if feigned, her indifference is subtly done, most impressive… but yet she remains in contact… why? The most obvious reason would seem to be that it keeps guilt at bay? I don’t know maybe it’s something else, but what? Genuine concern possibly, but I don’t want charity then in that case. Women!

I hope this isn’t read by too many people.

I think my brain has slowed down - I’ve been ‘sipping’ okay swigging at some quality ales as I’ve wrote this and the songs that I’m listening to on the headphones (so they’re as loud as possible – but not enough) seem faster than normal – especially with the current track – Bowie’s China Girl ;-). It’s good beer though. Shepherd’s Neame – a Kentish ale, Bishops Finger and Spitfire… I was invited over Rolf’s tonight – a Cardiff lad resident near here and a regular touch Rugby player – but I’ve had o reject due to my current situation in various respects – I think I’ll visit Middlesbrough tomorrow, I know two people there and need a change. Maybe a job awaits up there, but the North East… or maybe the fates amass in the Big ‘C’ – Cardiff.

As mentioned earlier – a favourite quote of mine by an unknown critic was about the short lived sitcom ‘Rhona’ starring Rhona Cameron – the critic said of it: ‘The last time I saw something so wooden and fundamentally unfunny… it was being lowered six feet in to the ground’ – now that is Comedy Gold!
It also makes me think of Bob Monkhouse’s line… ‘When I told the I wanted to be a comedian, they laughed… well, (pause) they’re not laughing now!’

Friday was another day badly affected by the weather – and affected by my ropey Achilles tendon, which has stopped me cycling and hurts now when I walk beyond 20 meters… Why is it being like this? I’m I now to be house bound as well?

In addition, although the rain stopped in the afternoon, the cricket for which I’d brought a ticket – Lancs v Leics in the Twenty:20 competition was cancelled due to the rain, the ticket was only £9 but I can get most of it refunded minus a £2.70 admin charge apparently.

To keep occupied, I brought some protein (different to my other – no simple carbs) as suggested by Marek, the physio, and a decent Vino Tinto or two for the following day’s party thingemejig. I also picked up some Ginseng for it’s healing properties… I’ve also been taking Turmeric for it’s properties too.

I also put up a punch bag which I drilled into a doorframe although I can’t really use it properly at the moment due to my various injuries. Shame!

In the evening because on the previous evening Spencer couldn’t make it out he’d suggested popping out Friday instead, it so happened Jon and Vix called around so we went out to the pub quickly expecting Spencer to catch up, Spencer being Spencer didn’t…!!

I left the house in the morning to try and watch Australia v South Africa, it wasn’t a bad game I suppose but disappointing as South Africa’s depleted side struggled to hold their lead.

I was late getting to the rest of the day’s entertainment – Soo’s annual Bouncy Castle BBQ, it’s the fault of Luke and Phil who were sorting the lift out and had gone out and got, it would seem particularly leathered the night before!

It had started at 11am but we didn’t arrive until 3pm. Handily the weather for once held and was even quite warm and sunny for much of the day. Keeping off the beer I’d decided to sip at red wine, and picked up a few decent bottles to consume.

I took Goldberg with me who as usual was a hit with the ladies – Wincey Chan in particular. All in all was good fun!

Sunday was pretty much a write off I didn’t get home till the afternoon, and my Achilles was worse – do you know when you try to stretch old rubber and it slowly cracks along it’s length? That’s how my tendon feels when I move it now – it’s quite disconcerting.

Chess – I’ve moved twice as below… I’m not quite sure what I’m doing as I’m not really taking enough time over my moves… sill it’s early on!

I Don't Know Where I'm Going, But I Sure Know Where I've Been...

I was up a little later again ths morning – it’s creeping up on me, maybe it was just the powernap that caused it though?

I tried to keep busy, I cycled to Sale which isn’t really far – Jo from the house who works for the Job Centre was at a Jobs Fair there… I went along to say hi to Jo primarily, I did have a quick look around but jobs wise it was pretty rubbish. Jo had mentioned to one of her work’s colleagues about my ‘thighs of steel’ who asked specifically, so I duly obliged and she was suitably impressed. Apparently now the talk of the water dispenser…

Whilst I was in Sale I had a quick wander as I used to be there most lunchtime when I worked at Lex, I doesn’t look too much different but suffers as always from having easy access on the trams to the City Centre.

I brought some spot pads whilst I was there – I can’t use them properly yet but have been meaning to pick some up for a while, I’ve after all got mitts, boxing wraps and a punch bag. Maybe it made me feel better to buy something in such a fashion. Funny, I also brought a lotto ticket – the first time in quite a while, I suspect the rationale is linked.

I didn’t hang about too long in Sale and shot home, and the on to the gym. There wasn’t much I could do there but the cycling there I considered some additional exercise. I had previously in the week used one of those machines like a cross-trainer but without the arms, some sort of skiing thing due to the low impact nature of it. When using it though, my feet get numb and I get pins and needles after about half an hour, and earlier in the week I’d pushed on for a full hour on it and my Achilles on my injured leg was a touch sore after. The soreness hadn’t really gone and when I got to the gym I went to an empty hall, stuck AC/DC on the sound system and skipped for about forty minutes, I was hoping to do an hour, but my Achilles really started to be painful so I had to stop, now it was hurting during the cycle home to the extent that I had to stop on the way to buy some painkillers.

Handily I had a session with my Physio – Marek Holowenko – Nice chap, i haven't the heart to tell him I'm an athiest though – apart from hammering my shoulder area, he had a quick look at my heel and there was some damage there, I’ve got to stretch off and rub tiger balm into it… and rest :-(

Social touch rugby still continues on Thursdays but I’d find it too frustrating to watch, I had popped to the nearest pub afterwards on a regular basis with the others even whe injured but it’s too far to walk, but I met two from touch Toby, and Jason afterwards around the corner in Chorlton ‘The Bar’ for a swift pint. The Bar is owned by Marble – a micro organic brewery but they also have guest ales and has a reasonable crowd, so if I do have a regular then that’s it. Anyhow The Cat (Jason) was lending me a drill and also had my book which he’d ordered on my behalf – ‘Freedom Next Time: John Pilger’, I’m currently reading ‘The New Rulers Of The World’ by him too, I suggest you check it out.

But you and I, We've been through that, and this is not our fate,
Let us not talk fasely now, the hour is getting late

The day started reasonably early, considering I didn’t have to get up – I’m sure it won’t last even though I despise wasting the day in bed… I’m not sure if power naps really come into that equation as they almost a necessity – I must have been tired, where as staying in bed is often just down to plain laziness. I did have a mid after noon nap as it happens, but feel mitigated as cited above – so there!

The Job didn’t materialise, no feedback yet but they gave the job to someone with whom they needed to check GCSE’s with? I must have asked for too much or not shown enough commitment! Hopefully something will turn up in the city centre as it’d be much better for my karma!

It rained so hard during the day I barely left the house, only for a ‘sensible’ haircut – I was going to go to the gym to skip but it was too wet, an attempt to clear space in the lounge to skip proved disastrous, but would have worked had it not been for the lampshade!

Touch rugby was called off for the first time due to the rain – the pitches were waterlogged – even though I can’t play, I’ve adopted an organisational, co-ordinater role for the team, ‘Beyond Thunderdome’, but the enthusiasm is on the wane as the results cease to favour us and my inability to personally intervene is more pointed. My observations fall on deaf ears I long since realised anyway, even though I wrap them in cotton wool.

In the evening instead I cycled to town to the corner house to watch a film, I intended to see Nuovomundo, but the main screen was flooded so I watched instead ‘La Vie En Rose’ a biopic about Edif Piaf, I knew of course about Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, but not much else and I assume it’s pretty accurate on the matters of fact. It’s a tragic story, with some accursed bad luck but she seemed to be a nightmare to be around – a right little Madam as some might say! – but the film wasn’t too shabby at all!

Before that though I was pretty bored and after my power nap, I decided to count the money in my loose change jar – nothing above 20p coin. Over £25, despite the donation to Christian Aid and a handful of Euros too. Might come in handy!

Recently I tried buying some Horlicks as it’s supposed to help you sleep – I also heard the same about a double tot of brandy before bed does the same so I got some of that too. I’ve had it a few nights and it’s hard to tell if it does work but I’m sure it ain’t doing any harm either!

I'm a Gambler, And I'm A Runner, But You Knew That When You Lay Down...

The morning started early as Jon rung me as he was passing to give me some spring grips for a tricept bar – Yawn I know! We had a quick chat before he had to go I got ready to cycle to Altrincham to go to the nearest Yorkshire Bank Branch… I was ready to set off at half 8… I opened the front door – it was absolutely lashing it down with rain… I don’t mind cycling in the rain per se, it’s just sometimes an issue if I get places when I’m wet.

I twiddled my thumbs for a few minutes and decided it wasn’t going to let up so headed off on the six odd mile ride – it didn’t let up and I got utterly drenched - I haven’t been that wet since the time I fell asleep in the bath.

Anyhow I got sorted at the bank and popped into Specsavers to chat quickly with Miss Victoria McKenna – I dripped all over their floor so soon headed back to Chorlton, and topped up the maximal saturation of my garments on the way.

I had an interview- it seemed to go okay, I don’t really care for the job but of course said otherwise, the location is the main issue and I’d much prefer the city centre not Salford. It would be much better for my Karma. Anyhow wait and see – it did mean I had to have a shave and spend £16 on taxis – rubbish!

I tired cycling to Toby’s in the evening, which is in Altrincham too, I did in fact but he wasn’t in, the weather held and I appreciated getting out on the bike to burn a few calories and to vent some frustration physically.

But I retuned home early and went to an off-licence which Spencer mentioned to me - they apparently sell Nigerian 7%ABV Guinness, but I was unable to find it and settled for a verity of ‘World Ales’ which were okay I guess…

What with m recent injuries and my inability to exercise properly, I’ve obviously adjusted my training and have reduced my calorific intake – it seems I’ve lost a umber of pounds and am now 12st – 168lbs (76.5kg) so a Super Middleweight! I’m restricted in my training and am generally restricted to gentle, low impact cardio like skipping and skiing, but hope to build a wide base of cardiovascular fitness to utilise when I arise again.

I’m still playing online chess – this game against Gabrielle from South Africa, I’m white and now it’s her turn…

Out 'neath the arms of Cassiopeia, Where the sword of Orion sweeps
It's me and you, Rosie, cracklin' like crossed wires

Well then a quick update. Wow it's July already - it doea mean i can turn the page on my free Wing Yip calendar - which i can do only every two months to Miss Yuan Li, who is certainly pretty.

Work – unemployed, I resigned (not sacked Hywel), there are redundancies and the atmosphere was moribund, not a healthy situation – I’ll be fine if I don’t find work straight away, but something will turn up as a stop gap as I’ve an eye ona job a little down the way.

I was home last weekend – it passed without incident but was good to catch up, my nephew Dion has made me sign up for Bebo… I’m on facebook but have duly obliged and have replied to his msg!

I crashed at my brother’s place – Gareth that is – and duw! It’s like a poor student place, to an extent I guess you get what you pay for… but I did also bump into Phil and Debbie Liles who I ain’t seen in absolute years – weird ain’t it!

I’m currently injured – I require knee surgery and may also need shoulder surgey if my shoulder doesn’t respond to physio, and it could be doing better.

It’s very disapointing as I would be doing loads of training to keep busy but find I’m restriucted in the upper and lower body – I can still cycle gently, so I can keep the cardiovascular fitness ticking over but I would do so much more – it means I can’t play touch rugby which I’d signed up for – team picture below anyhow – I did try to play one game but was in absolute agony afterwards – I’m likely to be debilated for a few further months.

And the personal side – well not good. I was very keen on a young lady but was dumped last weekend... I was pretty upset about it – the cited reason is something I can do nothing about so I’m at a loss on how to talk her ‘round – I fear it’s a lost cause. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself, but since I told my ego about it, he’s pretty angry and bitter about it all… there may have been a few manifestations elsewhere of the normally supressed inner rage! Whoops!

Today… not too much to get up for, I am unemployed after all, so I had a lie in but felt some lethargy, I slowly got in gear and put on a few washes, hung them out, did dishes, vaccumed etc.

Then I tired to go to the bank to pay rent but I can’t it seems pay a giro thingymejig there. It was for Yorkshire bank, and I seemed to remember one in town. I thought I’d go to town anyway and combine it with a gym trip. The branch actually turned out to be Yorkshire building society – totally different and the one I wanted had it’s nearest branch in either Altrincham or Stockport! As a result I’m cycling to Alty first thing tomorrow morning - I have an interview in the afternoon!

The gym was trying – I still felt lethargic as if there wasn’t enough glycogen in the tank – I struggled on the skier and skipped, buti decided to try the stair climber and stopped after 10 seconds as it wasn’t good for my knee.

I cycled back via the kebab shop above which I used to live – they vet my mail and visitors ;-) so I buy a curry every now and again and regale them with my latest so-so anecdotes.

I was expecting some particular post but it wasn’t ther so I headed home and decided I’d go back to town but would get 30 mins kip in first… however the power nap lasted much longer and I missed the film at the Cornerhouse – as it was a re-showing it’s only on the once, so I’ll have to keep an eye out for it (Election 2 – Hak Se Wui Yi Wo Wai Kwai) as I saw the first one.

I think the rest of the day is written off so I’ve got on to this… wonder if it lasts!

Blog stuff

Here’s loads of previous stuff I haven’t posted, actually there is some duplication, but it’s too much hassle to sort out!!!!!

DIRTY PROTEST
310506 - Wednesday

I had to bus/walk it to rugby - what a mission, over an hour it took, it's a maximum fifteen minutes on the bike.

Anyhow we got there and our league game was against 'Withington Warriors', this team was full of Kiwi's and were pretty useful.

We lost 4-3 but were robbed, I could have lived with a draw, but the loss was nasty - despite a hatrick by yours truly not proving enough we had two tries disallowed (1 from me) for rubbish reasons and a number of dubious and inconsistent descisions... Apparently our acting captain, Chris, has stepped on his toes before.

So to summarise - DAYLIGHT ROBBERY!

010606 - Thursday

I went to pick my bike up today, and had to power walk the three miles from work to the shop to pick it up - I wasn't happy that the repairs cost £70 but at least I'd be mobile. I shot back to the flat on it, got changed and headed to the gym, after about a mile as I crossed a junction, the effing chain snapped (It was new and I'd fitted it the week previously) NFW!!! Why is it being like this? I had to wheel it back then catch a sodding bus to town... It's just not fair!

Have you seen those Milky Way magic Stars? they're small star shaped bits of chocolate - if you lick the back you can stick them to your forehead and feel reminicent of Vivian from the young ones, I left them on for a while, but had to eventully remove them at the behest of my team leader - however due to the body heat a swear of chocolate was left behind - akin to a dirty protest!

WhenI got back from work - the landlord, Vik, called me into the shop, 'I want to introduce you to someone' - The music plays and everyone must dance - it was a camp bus driver from north wales who spoke Welsh and tried to get my phone number, we had a brief chat, I also turned down the opportunity to go to chapel that Sunday. The funny thing is that I've been in Manchester for two years but not met another Welsh speaker but in the space of a month - four have turned up! Did I mention the girl from work, Lowri from Aberystwyth? She's pretty - but a bit young.

020606 - Friday

As I left the house at half seven in the morning and was locking the door a bus beeped at me - it was the bus driver form the night before waving at me from the cab of a bus - Yikes! But it must have been coincidence as he wouldn't have been wating around with passengers on board.

I was supposed to have a drink with Toby as he was getting maried the next day - as it happened he was too busy. Thusly I went out with Jon (et al.), who's brother was celebrating a birthday and a promotion, again we met in the Waterhouse - strange, never before then two weeks in a row, at least they had decent cask ale there. I also bumped into the Wong's older brother, Anton, the week previously he been in Cardiff to see his hometown play and had shared a hotel room with his younger brother and sister. He got back in two hours after them with two girls in tow... What a guy! But how the hell did he manage to talk them into that? What line did he use?

Anyhow the rest of us went to the Tiger lounge which managed to play the Stones, Led Zep among others, class!

030606 - Saturday

I awoke with a start, the wierd flatmate was exiting my room wearing only a pair of kegs! WTF!? I managed a coherent 'Morning James' as he stumbled out he mumbled that he'd got it confused with the bathroom, I guess we've been in the flat less than a week - but I'm definately getting a lock fitted.

I wasn't up for the gym as it was too sunny, I checked out some of the cycle paths (new chain on the bike) which run along old railway lines, nice except for the 'checkpoints' which maut have been put in to discourage motorbikers but also halt/impede the progress and more importantly momentum of cyclists.

I had been meant to go to Toby's wedding but, with out an officail invite I hadn't realised that it was on the otherside of Knutsford, and therfore too far to get to without a car - but at least it meant I didn't have to bump into Anna. I hope it all went well nonetheless.

I tred some ethical shopping today - strewth it was expensive, I got groceries at Unicorn (unicorn-grocery.co.uk) and meat from a butchers. To be fair It seemed like an effort, but thatmorning, anything requiring anything slightly organised was always going to be a struggle. I think I'll have to phase in this sort of shopping and I'm not into a routine at the new place yet.

040606

WEDNESDAY

Touch Rugby - our league match was against a team called Scraping the Barrell, an effort at deceptive self depreciation perhaps?

Well we won 12-1, I claimed four myself and could have had another, i was clear and five meters from the line but elected to give one of our ladies on the team a try, she didn't drop it but caught it cleanly but then promptly ran into touch! D'oh!

There's caouple on our team and two of their kids come along Salesi and Te'ea, they're 7 & 5, and a bundle of mischeif. Apart from being jumped on/attacked repeatedly and participating in singalongs, I also ended up chasing them around and as Salesi proved mainly immune to tickling I made him do press ups - much to the amusment of the fifty strong audience who were sat on the rugby club's patio! "Owain, What the hell are you doing to those Kids?"

THURSDAY

There another touch rugby tournament being held in the north of manchester - I figured I'd check it out as it's only nine miles away by bike. The venue was just at the top of Moston, where Spencer is from. He advised that I shoudlcycle via Rochdale Road, looking at the map it created a bit of an inverted 'L' shape, but surely local knowledge counts for something? Well Spencer must have been giggling to himself as apart form being longer, the route had two bar-steward long hills, which were an utter mission. I did manage it without stopping, but it was close. Needless to say by the time I got there I was gasping - handy then that I was an hour and a half early!

I went to this new tournament as a ringer and was placed in a team from Eccles Ladies. The league was of a much lower standard than the Didsbury league and a little frustrating. BUt they are all new so it's expected - but why don't they listen to me!?

FRIDAY

We had a works do to the dogs, I didn't gamble as it doesn't bother me really. I've been once before two tears ago, and I think I'll be leaving it even longer 'till the next time I go. The place is full of scum, and has few inherent reedeeming features. Maybe if I'd won cash I'd talk differently, but without knowing the sport, it seemed that for the work colleagues it was a bit of a lottery. Nothing particually scandalous ensued however (?) some titbits did come to light reagarding previous occurances, again I can't divulge without compromising myself - so you'd have to ask me in person.

To ease the pain of the dogs, there was nothing wrong with the compnay I hasten to add, I swiftly consumed my quota of free booze - and ended up in Revolution down Deansgate locks, which actually an improvement from the track - Sometimes I'm too easily led.

SATURDAY

BBQ at Phils, They were watching the football world cup - I obvioulsy wasn't interested, the rest of the people were English (or one case of a English supporting Kiwi), but it was blazing outside and some weren't interssted in the soccer either, so we played a bit frizbee untill I sent it skimming over the garden wall, for the second time, this time not to return. I wasn't active particually but I was shattered afterwards, I think it was the sun!

SUNDAY

Work on a Sunday? What a bummer. I didn't stay too long though - not that I really made the most of the weather, I was lobster pink from the previous day and had chores to do. It costs £7 for a large wash at the laundrette next door - I had two to do after a week, and I'm obviously going to have to manage a clothing rota better.

It was Wales Vs Argentina in Patagonia (Where Welsh is spoken) - I managed to pick up a very fuzzy S4C on the tv which I set up, and could sort of mostly make out the action. We had a young team out and I guess I wasn't expecting to win but, was raised up for a while and thought we deserved to win with the Argentinian try that wasn't... read a review here & here.

030706 MONDAY GYM

040706 TUESDAY - GAUDZI

I went to the gym straight from work and again it was too busy for free weights, I was there for a while though as I resorted to CV work, and back t'flat by seven pm. It meant though that I had time to catch a film at the Cornerhouse, it only took ten minutes to cycle and I watched 'Dumplings' (Gaudzi).

'The gleeful tale of everyday horror is both excruciating and enjoyable. An immigrant has a thriving business selling her homemade dumplings with incredible rejuvenating properties to rich Hong Kong matriarchs, including a retired actress. But what is the secret ingredient that is so successful? Excellent performances, costume and sound make this a mouth watering, stomach turning treat.' It's clear from the off and from the trailer that the key ingredient is the foetuses spare from China's one child policy. It's not all grim but not for the squeamish - especially an abortion sequence. But it is entertaining nonetheless, it's different enough to warrant seeing, and Bai Ling is hot!

050706 WEDNESDAY - THE JOINT IS JUMPIN'

I had to miss our touch rugby quarter final, we were to play the top seeds, and apparently were 'robbed' blind again. We lost 6-7, again amidst controvecy, poor reffing which has blighted this tournament. One of their tries was awarded due to momentum after a touch? Like awarding a goal as it would have crossed the line had a legitimately placed defender not kicked it away first - a total travesty. There was more but I can tell you're drifting... Anyhow where was I?

I got a lift straight from work to Rhyl with Delayed Promise in their tour van, to attend a gig in Bar Blu - Rhyl's premier, coolest, most happenin' venue - one to put straight at the top of the list. Shame about the generic beers. Anyhow we were there early of course to set up etc - I felt a bit like a roadie heaving stuff around and propping up a deserted bar as all the bands sound-checked.

Luke, who doesn't live too far away turned up too - DP were really good and the band of the night - donning a new DP t-shirt I stageside sold t-shirts and handed out feebies as well as lunging the odd band member and unsuspecting local. But, dear me there were some funny looking freaks in there - Luke and I pondered where they trying to say something? What were they trying to say - and what was one with black tear streaks so sad about? I suspected that much of the statements that some undoubtedly were trying to make were insincere and inprincipled - still, to each their own.

The problem was that I got back to the flat at 4 in the morning, feeling very tired and with the last of the alcohol leaving my system...

060706 THURSDAY - DEATH WARMED UP - I was up at just after six and in work by 7:15 - totally shattered, and it showed. People noted it and the next day had to be booked off as I had loads to do and wouldn't get it done without a bit a decent kip. Mid afternoon where I often hit the wall (I'm sure my body clock's designed for a siesta lifestyle) this time floundered in the flowerbed at the wall's base, where the creepers scale the brickwork. It didn't end when I got home either - Chores! Strewth.

070706 FRIDAY - THE FLIGHT OF ICARUS

Thank god for the day off! More chores in the morning, laundrette, haircut etc. as my brothers, Gwilym & Gareth were coming up for the weekend. They were due up at 2pm and I met Kelly for Lunch in Chorlton, hoping for perfect timing to guide the grusome twosome to my flat. But not quite. They turned up a bit later - complaing about how unnecasarily flat Manchester was as I had often remarked when I first embarked on the urbanised plains laid out before the Pennines.

After unpacking it was getting on and we headed for a swift few pints in the Marble Beer house - an outlet of an Organic Brewery based in Manchester. We headed back to the resturant below the flat for some food. Vic, the landlord/PRoprietor and his two brothers (I pointed out we could have a race/fight/dance-off with even numbers) - there was quite a feast laid on Gwil and I I had trouble finishing our share. We were totally stuffed and the food did seem to sit there which slowed us down for the rest of the night as we headed into city centre. We tried out a few pubs - The Thirsty Scholar, The Temple Of Convinience and The Grand Central where Luke also popped in for a pint.

They were tired from a long day and so was I from a culumative few days - indeed Gwilym was woken by a bar man in the Grand Central with the aid of some handy smelling salts!!

080706 SATURDAY - QUARTER FINALS

I'd arranged for us the next day to p[lay in a touch rugby tournament in Widnes, it meant though being in Stockport (The opposite direction) by 8 in the morning and thereofre getting up by seven at the latest - I think I was up at around half six - Gareth complained loudest, where as Gwil muttered loudly.

We got there (Widnes St.Maries RLFC) in time - and there were two Teams from Cardiff, containing the Welsh touch rugby squad - one of whom I knew and had played with in Cardiff with the 'Gwladers'. We had some novices on our team, but some old Touch rugby heads including a girl Helen who was excellent as well as really pretty, and apart form us it seems the rest of our team had been leathered the previous night. But were up against well established teams. We lost every ame but it turned out we were drawn in the toughest pool by far - we lost every game but as only eight teams had entered we still made the quarter finals. Result! We were the bottom seeds of course and came very close to the top team of the other pool (Cardiff B effectively) but the ref was from 'Cardiff A', and did us no favours - she wasn't a Welsh speaker as I criticised and swore at her on and off to no reaction unlike the feedback in English which she recieved which had one of our team sin-binned. maybe the least said the better... when it was all over we were out of there pretty damn quickly.

We had a brief break to realx back at the flat afterwrds, very brief. We went soon enough to the 'No.1 Internation Buffet' on whitworth street for some all you can eat delight, they woudl have heeded my talk of elasticated trousers and tupperware, had it not been for the subsequent night out. Gareth it seemed had acquiered a serious ankle injuly during the time when he was sat on his ass during the last game of the tournament earlier in the day and was struggling to keep up.

BUFFET

SAILSBURY

CORNER - JON VIX TOM ADAM NIC

GRAND CENTRAL

PHIL SOO

JUKEBOX snooker

JILLY'S

ROOMS

TSHIRT

ONE STEP EBYOND

LUNGING

090706

SUN

The flat was the busiet that it had ever been, Gwilym and Gareth were still around by the time Jon and his older brother (but shorter - only 6'5" 197cm) turned up to use some of the equipment in my room for some training. Eventually it all cleared out and i also got a lift to Sale with Jon & James, who after a quick cup of tea at their place dropped me off in the centre, at the Waterside, as I was meeting up with Chaw and her friends for lunch. I had a bacon and cheese melt - noice, but I'd almost forgotten what I'd ordered. I can't remember everyone, but I chatted a lot to 'Mish' (Geordie with Polish Parents - Moving to the land of the long white cloud - Auckland NZ) and Natalie ('Na') who were both top notch it must be said! I ahven't mentioned the 'Soccer' wolrd cup at all but I was persuaded as one on the hard core of four to watch the final - the first game I was to watch - in the Hogs Head where I decided to support les Blues not the Azzurri (Sorry Sofasurfer, but you won anyhow!). It wasn't to be for the frogs - a touch of bad luck and an infamous headbut, these soccer players are conditioned I think to hit the deck at the slightest touch. Anyhow

We had a problem with the nearest wall mounted telly over heating and switching itsef off for the second half of the game, I tried to help out by blowing on the tv, i think it worked a bit at least - but as I was geting heckled by the natives - someone picked up on my accent - a cornishman, often based in Abertawe who spoke a bit of Cornish - nuts eh? But I still think it sounds like ropey Welsh!

Anyhow, I went and missed the last bus and taxied it home - bummer! Expensive weekend! But great fun damnit!

100706 Monday

I was so tired - shattered at work, but I soldiered on bravely. But boredom beckoned in the evening so I cycled to the corner house to watch: ENRON: The Smartest Guys In The Room. The oscar nominated tale of the convicted deregulatin' Texas conmen (Dyba Buddies) who cooked the books and rode the bull market into spectacular bankruptcy - all whilst grooming California for the triumph of the 'Gubernator'. "Less corporate Noir than capitalist disaster film". There are some 'No Way Pedro' moments, but it didn't quite find the balance I think it was looking for in between a blood letting and humour. But it's very relevent especilly that week as just before, Ken Lay had died only the week before.

110706 Tuesday

120706 touch rugby - just friendlies, but a run around - great weather still!

130706 Thursday - I went ot see 'Secuestro Express' kidnap express, a film with a political undercurrent in Venezuala in which it is set. Semi-autobiographical, the tale is a frentic story of lucrative swift kidnap businesses that are springing up accross parts of Latin America, and here roaming the mean streets of Caracas. The controvecy stems from an accusation that the film is Anti-Chaves, the Socialist President of Venezualia. he film is made by a young director from the established right, and the accusation levelled is that his stated aim to pull the poor from poverty, has not born fruit (or maybe a poor harvest) and may just be the rhetoric they espout where as really it's all about having power. Is it backed up by stats? I hear that it's not - A weak argument then, typified in this by a continued reliance on extorsion and violence by the less well off. The protagonists are indeed repulsive, and there's more than a whiff of decadence eminating from the rich. But it's not as simple as that - beyond all of the politicking, i'm sure this happens, and worse, and it's not a bad film - just a sad reflection on most of the characters in it. Can society's ills be resolved, or reconciled without the co-operation of the the rich through verbal persuation and spin when they can shout louder to the aspirational consumers and tell them with such ease what they themsleves want?

140706 Friday - Phil needed it to look like he had friends, It'd heard of the Belgian Bar, but hadn't been and was eager to go. Phil's missus was over from Toronto, Canada - Jess. Loud, but a real nice girl and we got on well. I met some old Lex buddies in the Beligan bar, i was first there so chatted to Matt & Claire who are still at lex until the others turned up. The bar is known for it's strong beers seved as a precaution in halves - I'm sad to say that I became drunk, but I was not alone. In fact most were drunk - it was also table service which is unusual I guess, but in line with the continental, and they had young friendly female staff - tiptop. I had a lfit back to the tram stop from Jon who wasn't drinkning

************************************************************************8

15 Saturday means laundrette firat thing. As I waited for the wash early in the morning I sat out side the front of the Laundrette reading a paper - it was already so hot I'm sure the newspaper was yellowing and curling in the sun as I read it. I did some other chores popped to the gym and the day was almost over.. Excpet that I headed to a bbq at VIx's

CURLING PAPER LAUNDRETTE - BBQ VIX'S

16 SUN -BBQ WONGS PINT

17 MON PIRATES OF THE CARRIBBEAN

18 TUES SPAG BOL - GYM

19 WED - TOUCH

20 THURS - BRASSERI ALTY

VIX WORK MATES, COCKTAIL ANDY JESS PHIL

21 FRI CHORLTON

CANANDIANS

SUE JAMES KERR SPENCER RACH MARTIN

22 SAT

KEITH BIRTHDAY

SPACE

CANADIAN GIRLS TRIBECCA

MINT LOUNGE

23 SUN

BIKE GYM

24

MON - nada

25

TUE - nada

26

WED - nada

27

tHU

pay day the cave of the yellow dog

28

fRI lITTLE FISH - SOO VIX NICOLA - RICH JESS PHIL - GREEN ROOM - LATE ROOM LUNGING CYCLE

27

SATUDAY

LEAON BIRTH DAY

BARCA -DUKES - POSH PLACE - BRANIGANS - FENCH GIRL AREULIE - PERPINYA

30 dim

31 rina

1Angel A Aurelie perpingan bretomn

2 rian off touch- MIGRANE

3 - SOCIAL TOUCH TOBY

4 FRI THATCHED COTTAE - CHEESE, BIKE NICKED - RENAISSANCE- VOICES, DIALOUGE

5 DPERCUSSION, DELAYED PROMISE GREEN ROOM LOWRY

6 SU, GREEN ROOM LOWRY -

7 MON - WALKING

8 NEW BIKE WALK GYM

9 - WED, SUMMER TOUCH

10-thurs social touch - mick, etc

11 friday. PRINCESS RACCOON. SOPO L ILFE ETC

12 SATURDAY - SANTO contra LA INVASION DE LOS MARCIANOS

I cycled around town in the late morning, looking for a Currys or Dixons but was unable to find one. Instead I ended up cycling around almost aimlessly. I headed home, close to home Jon rang me as he was going to store his weights equipment at my place, what with my stuff being there already, I'd have a veritable gym. I foolishly answered the phone as I cycled, as I stood on one leg on a pedle, the seat twisted and on trying to remount the saddle the twisted seat meant that i lost my balance and came off the bike. i amanged to stay on the phone and on my feet, but have twisted my shoulder, and as my leg went through the frame it tried to rotate giving me some large bruses on my thigh and calf.

Anyhow after Jon dropped his stuff off, he gave me a lift to town to see ' Santo Contra La Invasion De Los Marcianos' - a mexican wrestling film from the 60's, Santo Versus the Martian Invasion'. A low budget cheap film that was unintentionally funny and really silly in places.

As I left there I headed around the corner to the Oxford Road station to catch a train to Withington, where I was supposed to be going to a house party for some departing Kiwi's. As i entered the station I was litirally grabbed by a random oung woman called Leanne. She explained that, a: She liked my Shirt. b: I looked like I needed to have fun and wake up (I was yawning after coming out of the cinema) c: She just split up with her boyfriend, and d: Did I want a drink? We went for a drink, it was soon apparent that she was leathered - after a while she reminede me of Anna, but without the violent, aggressive drunkeness. Just the unpredicatable folly and inappropriatness. She dissapeared eventually after downing a few extra pints of cider... It was probably for the best.

I figured I was a little too late for the Kiwi's party, but there was another one going on, a friend of Soo's, Priyanka and other fmiliar faces would be there: Keith, Phil, Vix & Jon. I made it there just after eleven, chated with some venezualian girl, amoung the usuals. Then I spent most of the night chatting to a girl called Rafflyn, from Vienna - a very nice girl, iwas however, inevitably maybe shot down in flames...so no such luck!

RANDOM DRUNKEN NUTTER - LEANNE -

PARTY PRIANKA'S - USUAL SUSPECTS - AND ... VENEZUALIAN, RAFFLYN

13 SUNDAY NOT WORTH MENIONING

14 - it was almost eleven at night, there was a knock at my door. It was 'Y Dyn Yn Y To' flatmate, James. 'There's a stabbing' he said. 'Eh'? 'There's a boy lying at the bottom of the stairs in a pool of blood'. 'Really'? I'd been watching Newsnight and was waiting for the interview which they had with Ahmadijad - I'm indifferent to the sound of the traffic by now, and that it seems even included sirens. I peeked from behind the curtains, to my suprise there were three Police vans, two squad cars and an ambulance no more than ten meters from my window. I walked to the door of the flat (which doesn't lock), edged it ajar and looked down to the corridor which we share with the shop below where I keep my bike. Sat at the bottom of the stairs was a youth being attended to by two paramedics asking simple questions but recieveing indistinct, mumbled answers. A Policewoman looked on as facing me was the blood smeared expanse of his bare back with two deep crimson leisions from where the blood must have flowed, but now looked to be on the way to congealement. The mentioned pool of blood was not apparent, save for a few drips as I presume there had been earlier a garment to cover his. He'd I think been stabbed twice in the back and was going to live even if he was obviously shocked. Three other youths had set upon him around the corner apparently, he said he did not know who they were, but a questioning of a witness to the subsequent chase, which I overheard from my room above the front of the shop outside, stated that the persuers had called his name. John. John, had been to the shop before and was regular enough to be known by name - he dived in for cover, and was guided out of sight hence being at the base of the stairs, not visible from the road, as the authorities were summoned.

15 - Tuesday.

Damn it, I have to go for a meeting in Solihull tomorrow, and the hire car to have been arranged for me from work hasn't materialised. I'll have to get up at five in the morning.

16 - WED TOUCH RUGBY LOST BOTH

17 - THURS - SOCAIL TOUCH

18 - FRI - DIDS NO SHOW - TOWN, NORTHERN QUARTER, KERR, VIX SOO, JON - DIMITRI'S ELVIS, NO TOM

19 - IN WON'GS JASON - MIGHTY BOOSH - TRANSPORTER... EARLIER - SPENCER GYM

20 - GYM, STORM FROM THE EAST.. WONG IN TOWN

21 MONDAY - THE DEATH OF MR LAZARESCU

22 GYM

23 WED - LEAGUE FOFEITED.. RIENDLIES

24 SOCIAL TOUCH

25 SCANNER DARKLY- SOO

26 harsh TIMES

27 - NACHO LIBRE - KRO PICCADILLY

28 - SALLY ADAM TOWN - NOVOTEL - CROMA

29 - NADA

30 - TOUCH RUGBY

31 - THURS TOUCH

1 FRIDAY TRAIN OUT

2 SAT TOURNEY - PARTY SPENCER - ACHE

3 SUN ACHE SHOPPING TWO POWER NAPS

4 MON WORK

5 TUES WORK READ

6 WED TOUCH

7 THUR TOUCH

8 FRIDAY - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

9 SAT PHIL LK TRENT OTHER AHNN ELLE OUT

10 DRINK HANNH MOTORCYCLE DIRAIER

11 SEVERANCE

12 GYM

13 LEAGUE FRIENDLY, OOT

14 SOCIAL TOUCH

15 NEWMARKET - MOON SLUG DUNC LISA IAN SPUD

16 RUGBY CEFNEITHIN 4 TRIES CONVERSION DION

17 - BACK

18 - AN INCONVIENIENT TRUTH

19 - THREE TIMES

20 – dead man’s shoes

21 – crawley - TOUCH

22- BLACK DAHLIA - WHITEFIELDS

23 – GREAT WEATHER – SATURDAY TOUCH – GYM POLICE – OUT NORTHERN QUTR

COSGROVE HALL

24 – SUNDAY – BARS CHORLTON

25 – MONDAY - SPENCERS

26 TUESDAY – BIKR EPUNCTURES

27 – WEDNESDAY

28 – THURSDAY – CLERKS2

29 – FRIDAY WORKS DO - ETC

30 – SATURDAY – ROUGH, SOD ALEMONADE CHORLTON

1 – SUNDAY – GYM BLEEP TEST

2 – MONDAY – CAR PICK UP

3 - SPIN

4 SPIN

5 THURS -

6 18 MILES – FILM CHILDREN OF MEN

7 TOUCH - ???????? – OUT AHNNAH SPENCER

8 WORK CLARE

9 - BLEEPTEST

10 THUES SPIN ROW - CLARE

11 WED – SPIN YOGA - SPENCERS

12 – THURSDAY – TWO FILMS , MOUTAIN PATROL- ECHO PARK LA QUINCEANERA

13 – FROG AND BUCKET – NORMAN LOVETT, DISCO ADAM,

14 – JAI SPENCER PINTS – TOUCH – BOXING KEBAB

15 – WORK THE DEPARTED

16 – pork, pint flicks - unconcious

17 – Tuesday, spin class

Monday 12-06-06

ELECTION - HAK SE WUI

I caught this flick at the Cornerhouse - I'm reliably informed that it's already avaliable on DVD and I understand has a sequel out in Hong Kong.

It was described as 'A Triad thriller minus guns but full of wit, excellent peformances and moody camerawork'. I did like it but I thought the lack of guns was taken too far, planned killings were ad-libbed it seemed with what came to hand, rocks, branches etc, surely leaving too much to chance... come off it. Anyhow there's a few twists and so on, and I won't spoil it any further. Except to say that it sought to be quite Machiavellian, with two main contrasting protagonists as pretenders to the throne. Oh - I've seen it advertised in the paper, and the sequel is out in Hong Kong already.

Tuesday 13-06-06

LOVE YOUR BIKE

There's been a lot this week in the Independent about bikes. Bike usage is up, bike rhetoric is up as is bike and car user antagonism. There lots being said and oscilates wildly betwwen the negative to the converse positive. I cycle myself and am usually over cautious as it pays to be, tons of metal flying past. It would be better if more people did cycle but more needs to be done, like banning rain during the rush hour. The operator of the building that I work in have spartan facilities, despite spouting their 'green' credentials. There are eleven floors and over a hundred people per floor, but there are no showers. I rang the main office in Manchester (they operate up to a hundred bildings), it seems they have plans to install only one shower for the whole building. Even if the office workers cycled en masse (and believe me, they really need the exercise) there are only racks for eight bikes to be locked up. At a rough estimate, that's less than one percent that are accomodated for, utterley pathetic. There a town in the Netherlands where useage is sixty percent! If only.

Wednesday 14-06-06

SHOCKERS

Our touch rugby league tonight was against a team called Shockers United, We'd heard they had a mouth on them, and so it proved. They had a few, for the sake of diplomacy, idiots on their team. They were dispatched 8-3, two for myself. Again we had no subs, unfortunate as I was carrying an injury a pulled hamstring/buttock, we'd had a sub earlier but he pulled his hamstring in our friendly game. I spent the second half loitering on the wing as we cantered to the result.

FW: Forwarded E-mail.

Now some are rubbish and erring on annoying, but some are works of comdey genius, of emails that I forward I do try to act as a filter. So generally I only forward decent ones, however I was sent a 'big brother' TV, not 1984 I'm afraid and forwarded it, which propmted this reaction and subsequent apology:

Thursday 15-06-06

HAMSTRUNG

I had to skip the touch rugby in northern Manchester, I've pulled the upper part of my left hamstring and left buttock(I told everyone in work - I've a sore bum), cycling and walking are painful and running out of the question. It's a total pain, I can't even get to the gym as an alternative, and staying in sucks - but is at least cheap. ZZZ!

Friday 16-06-06

THE HILL

I didn't end up staying in, Jon offered to pick me up for a informal bbq at his place, Noice! Then we went to town to meet Vix, Soo & Luke. Neither Jon or myself drunk at all - we met them in a grotty Whetherspoons, The Paramount. I was persuaded fromthere to go to a place called Fifth Avenue, I knew there was something wrong when they were checking ID on the way in. "Whay are we here? I don't need ID, I'm over 18?" In we went never the less, on questioning it seemed they hadn't been there for years either - for a reason maybe. The music wasn't bad, indie & rock. But due to the dress code in the place, as Luke noted, fat people, got closer to passing for passable, even then it was mostly students and If I was drinking I'd have welcomed oblivion, offered by the drink.

Saturday 17-06-06

ARGENTINA 45 - 27 WALES

A disapointing result, however we were only outscored 4-3 on tries, but again place kicking and kicking from hand was a let down. There should be twenty one further players avaliable for the forthcoming season and the positives should be taken from the tour - as there are legitimate excuses to use to mask the negatives. Review Here.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT

Jon picked me up to take it easy at his, with the usual suspects (Vix, Soo & Luke) as well as his bother James and his Girlfriend Louise. Didn't really do much except to mention that my team (Jon & me) in Trivial Pursuit won despite having Jon on the team!

Sunday 18-06-06

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING

The Lay of the Land.

A disection of the immediate past would be problematic, I'd miss things due to forgetfullness (real and supposed) and there's too much to unearth to do it even justice of adequate proportions. I'll leave it at that but try to provide a snapshot of the moment, which I'll break down in segments in an attempt to ease my comprehension of events...

Work.

I'm still working at the same place (here), and am still a temporary member of staff. But only just, I've been here an incredible (in the sense that - 'has it really been that long?') ten months. They've been threatening to make me permanent since last year but ongoing postponments mean that only last friday an hour before I left for the afternoon was I offered a permanent position. I envisage that I shall accept their proposal, there's more to it than that but that's be TMI here. There was a sense of doubt in the last month or so as opposed to the first few months of employment assurances as the nature of my role has changed and I find myself being taken on as a dogsbody troubleshooter. I've added the 'troubleshooter' moniker to make myself feel better, but I'm still a credit controller.

There's a good buch of people at work though, which as everyone who's worked in an office knows is a great help - but ultimately it's still office work and at times I'm unable to contain my subdued real nature - 'The Spirit Of Monkey Is Irrepressible!'

Abode.

To go back a bit, after my split I spent a month generosly put by Steve Dyson from work and his wife Mila in Whitefield in Northen Manchester. From where I moved to Chorlton in Southern Manchester. I had to wait for the propery to be ready but it has many advantages. I can cycle easily to work, it's close enough that I don't have to put in too much effort as there are no shower facilities. I coudl easily walk should there be a need.

The house is excepionally close to the centre of Chorlton, an 'up an coming' young proffessional area apparently, 'more raw than Didsbury and with less pretention' to paraphrase. Walking distance to 'trendy' bars and pubs (closest is less than 100m) and to shops in general including a supermarket.

There are plenty of buses to the city centre and Spencer lives a few roads away.

But... I have to move out! A bit of background first though. The house is rented accomodation and can have up to six bedrooms, as it was there were three of us in there. Ray from work and Jim, a local spark(electician). The landlord wasn't best pleased with a half full house and was making grumbling noises. But then Ray, decided he was off around the world at the end of the month and for the landlord the property became untenable as a group would only move en masse if they had a house to themselves.

To cut a long story short, the landlord had found alternative accomodation, above his kebab shop... Nice! There are a few advantages, Bigger kitchen, Bigger bedroom, rolling contract, And As I'm in first, I'll be able to set up the internet for myself. (there is internet where I am currently but due to politics, and boneheaded stupidity I'm unable to use it - even more so as I splashed out on a laptop). On the flip side, the location isn't quite as handy and extra five to ten minute walk and of course should I misbehave, (as if!) the landlord would be on hand to know immediatley about it!

Gym.

I've joined a gym! It's about time, since I've been up here two years. I was pondering where I should join: A council Gym close to Work, a different Council Gym In Chorlton, or maybe one in Town - Spencer is a member of the Virgin Active gym (in Town) and it'd be handy having a training partner for spotting and so on. So I joined there as it also turned out to be the cheapest.

As I trained there after joining I felt a bit perturbed, afterwards I mentioned to Spencer, "Fellah, um... isn't it a bit... well... Gay in here?" (ie - not proportional to the world outside or other gyms). Spencer agreed, "Yes there are a few Muscle Marys, pumping up for a night out on Canal Street." "Didn't you think to say anything?" But he had too embarrased to do so!

But further evidence piled up, A poster informing of a gym night out to meet eachother was meeting in canal street. There were two notices in the showers; 'NO CAMERA PHONES' and 'THE SHOWERS ARE FOR SHOWERING ONLY - ANYTHING ELSE IS FOR THE PRIVACY OF YOUR HOME', so obviously a problem there previously! There have been other intances too, but in comparison too insignificant to mention...Spencer, What have you done!?

Then wort of all, this one time after a work out Spencer got back from the showers to find (if you can find an absence) his boxer shorts gone (There it was, Gone!). He was sure some dodgy looking preening dude had been giving him the eye but couldn't prove it of course. As the girl on reception noted as he reported it on his way out, "That's very wrong".

Rugby.

Part of the gym rational is for a contact rugby comback in the style of a demented scrum helmeted Lazarus, but I'm hankering after league action as opposed to union due to the cliques, and fancy myself as a dummy half. I'm not sure what position I'd fit back into in union... Similary I fancy scrum half, but am a novice at that position of course.

I've been back playing touch rugby for a while and joined a team in the official league (which started last Wednesday) with a team rather mundanely called the 'Goonies' (The best team name in the league is 'Racing Mullets') with a bunch of League boys from Oldham (two are actually Tongan but live there).

I missed out on playing the friendlies the week previously due to a badly damaged big toe, and took painkillers the next week to ensure that I could play. We had our first league game last Wednesday against a team called 'Shell White Sox'. They had two very proficient New Zealanders on their side, a fellah and a slight girl (who we agreed afterwards was undoubtledly a screamer!) and had us on the back foot for much of the game. We generally held firm and leaked two tries, however we scored three, a well worked passing movment accross the pitch drawing and giving to put the winger away in the corner and two tries by yours truly!

Wales.

I popped back a few weeks ago to Cardiff, staying at Steve's via Brum getting a lift from Clare. We didn't go out, financial contraints an all, but it was certainly good to catch up even if the revelation from Po was that most things I did were annoying and only vaguely endearing after a lengthy period! You cut me deep man! Nah - good fun!

I think I mentioned before how I've been up here for a ges but only bumped into people who were tenusously Welsh qualified and Manchester resident, with the exception of Adam. However I've bumped into two recently who spoke a smattering of Welsh, A gym instructor from Rhuddlan in the north who worked at the gym, and a girl called Laura from Llanfair-ym-Muallt, whom I met in a bar. I didn't pick up on their accents, but they heard me speaking (loudly no doubt) and picked up on my accent so had a chat... she had a boyfriend it eventually turned out though! Why don't they say straight away? ;-) D'oh!

Social.

I'm probably popping out a little more often than I should currently, maybe it's adjusting to the lack of television and internet, and not forgetting my single status! I'm still catching flicks at the Cornerhouse, and have seen too many since last mentioned to go back over them... So same old, same old in a way!

Generally I'm tending to drink cask ales if I can, handily there are a few more places around than there used to be and Jon and Spencer are similary inclined. However there isn't the choice in many establishments, so I stump sometmies for a stout (Guinness, ain't seen any Murphy's recently in thinking about it actually) or a Lager, ho-hum.

Media.

I generally get The Independent, as I'm currently without internet and have forsaken television, it's the best source of information on the news stands and as the name suggests isn't as prone to slanted reporting. As you probably know there's a huge problem with the biased media interpreting and influencing in an underhand fashion. It's very much a current problem not that they want you to know that, In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.

I'm currently reading 'The Great War For Civilisation: The Conquest Of the Middle East' by Robert Fisk, a correspondent of renown with the Independent and formerly the Times. It's grim reading at times but a well written eye-opener and toe curler - Some of the torture implements described are quite horrific, especially as it's unequivically certain that it still goes on. It's a hard slog at over one thousand pages but I think it shoudlbe read. I do have trouble with finding the time to crack on with it properly, what with my gereral activities, unfortunatley the activity I feel I could most do without is however essential - work. Damnitt!

A few months back I managed to get free tickets from the Independent for an audience with Robert Fisk at Manchester City Hall, one of only two dates in the UK as he lives now in Beirut. He was very well spoken and eloquent and didn't dodge the serious questions, no sitting on the fence, or pulling punches. Impressive stuff, he was very well recieved.

Wheels.

I getting around a lot on a push bike with a ropey rear cassette cogs which keep jumping if I pedal too hard. There's a banger of a car too an 'L' reg Ford Escort that goes - Jurassic Park!

Today.

Not too much going on today, Bono was guest editing the Independent, under the (Red) scheme, a union that doesn't seem to make that much sense but I guess the money's best in charities pockets than in big business' - I'm sure the tokenism does wonders for their PR. All the usual stuff too of course has been going on.

I stayed inafter work - it was raining and I was saving my energy for tomorrow's rugby. I did make a huge amount of Blognaise sauce from scratch with tinned tomatoes. I'm pretty pleased with it on a taste level (I used some West Indian Hot Pepper Sauce for a bit of Zing) and that it'll last me a week, as at the moment I'm pretty lazy preparing food every night as it's just for me, if it's every few days I won't begrudge the effort so much.

Messages:

Thanks for the messages from the last post - Had I been that down they'd havve surely helped, but to be honest I was quite relieved. A load off!

FIRE IN THE DISCO

MIERCOLES

Fire Alarm

Every Wednesday in work at 16:00 in the afternoon the building staff test the fire alarm. Nothing remarkable in that, but sometimes it'd be a short burst of noise and other times would just seem to go on and on. As the alarm pulses in approximately one second cycles it's easy to count, ranging from about twenty to seventy. What started as a bold prediction turned into a highly contested betting contest at 50p a bet, run by 'Smutty' Steve Dyson, whom it should also be said skims off the top as the jackpot is always a strangley rounded figure. You've more chance of drawing at random from a pack of cards the rules of international bridge, I rest my case! Anyhow, quite often no one wins and the jackpot rolls over maning we once had a bumper prize of £45.00 (How Much!? - That's right £45). This week the jackpot stood at £30.00 (exactly - see what I mean? As if!), my two bets were 34 & 46. Needless to say that despite the howls of protest, and lynch mob threats it was 34 and I pocketed the cash.

Rugby & Rain

The rain's a pain. In the mornings I tentatively gaze varying grey skies over Manchester, and often despite the odd drop of rain, risk the ride to work. Much like this Wednesday. On the way back I seem to get drenched more often, which is preferable to it happening on the way in - worse still the rain was that heavy that that evening's rugby was cancelled (last minute, i was suited and booted and just about to leave the house as soon as I'd finished my cup of tea), but maybe a blessing in disguise as in freindly for that night we were due to play a team of ex-professionals, but it's just put back for a week as it looks like we'll play them next week! Eek!

Lounge Bar

What to do instead then? People mentioned about watching Wendyball but I wasn't fussed so I had food read the paper and some of my book until it was over and then popped over the road to the Lounge Bar as we'd noticed that they had three bands on that night.

I remeber when I was a student I didn't feel that much affinity with many other 'studenty' students, this was generally shared by the lads from the Aman Valley and West Glamorgan, The feeling bordered on contempt. I felt the same feeling for the 'young-professionals' often habiting these bars in Chorlton, despite that they would seem to be my contemparies. I was complaing generally to Ray about this (He was in full agreement being 44 yrs old) and in particular at one prat wearing a stupid hat inside. He turned out to be the first act. It was an acoustic guitar set and he was undoubtedly talented, he played a number of self induldent barely melodious self compositions. Someone noted that it was like a suprising quick moving parapleigic, impressive speed yes, but ungainly to watch.

The second act was more like it, folk blues band or something or other, but still not one to write home about, I harly had any interest left for the last muffled sounding rock band who were quite forgettable.

JUVES

Tonight I met Adam for a drink and a chat, then headed to the new flat to sort some of it out - it's coming together and I should be able to move in at the end of the month as expected. Strangley Adam's off to Bristol on Friday, by plane from Manchester to Bristol Airports. What with check-ins and the normal hassle with airports I'm pretty certain it'd be quicker to drive, if you timed it right. I 'understand' that it can be driven in under two hours.

PUNCH DRUNK 19.10.06

Believe it or not I‘ve a half written update for the last three months, which has the bones of what I’ve been up to but it’s hardly fleshed out. I may well get around to finishing it.

I was running late in the morning, but got a move on and hopped on the bike and headed into work – I’d cut it fine but was just on time. As I neared the building I gestured ‘hello’ to Sean Platt (Splatt) who was outside having a swift last cigarette.

I’m not sure how fast I was going, but you know when you pull up on the handlebars to ride those little lumps so that you don’t bump – well I did that to get over a curb right outside the office... however this morning the front wheel came loose as I did that. I have a brief recollection that I had gone too far forward then my next recollection was of having my face sliding along the pavement.

I came around as Sean rushed over to check if I was okay – I must have been spark out for a second or two. Like a punch drunk boxer I attempted to get to my feet – but no joy. I slumped back on to my backside as my legs had failed my Sean picked up the twisted bike. I pulled myself to my feet and remained there with the help of some railings. I remember struggling generally to breathe and to think straight.

I struggled into the building and got into the lift, Karen and Joyce were also in the lift and I remember laughing at Sean as they were gassing non-stop so much that they didn’t notice the blood smeared over one side of my face! My ear it seemed being between my head and the ground and had been pulled the wrong way and had cut badly and had to be later glued down. My memory at this point was still patchy – I went to wash my face and was talking utter rubbish to those I’d pass. What day was it? What happened? Had I lost something? Did I go to spin last night? I’d totally botched washing off the blood and as I got to my desk I jumbled my words to the extent that people turned around to ask are you okay – my vision was blurry and thankfully Adele took me to a hospital – as I had obvious concussion. I think I can safely say I’ve never been hit that hard on the head before or been quite so ‘punch drunk’. I waited less than an hour (that’s an estimate) in the hospital before I was seen – I was a little more coherent at this point and I’m wondering if maybe I did a good enough job to convince the doctor I was okay. He waggled a finger in front of my eyes, got me walk toe to heel which I only just got through and made me squeeze his hands. I also saw a nurse who cleaned my wounds where the skin was broken. My hands, arms, face, ears, shin, knee & shoulder were scratched to different degrees and I had an uncomfortable bruise on my buttock which I insisted on showing to the nurse. Apparently a tetanus ‘booster’ jab can go in the shoulder but possibly in retaliation she evened it up my jabbing my other cheek – she was insistent that it was best there so I asked her to be gentle.

The doctor came back and seemed to think I was fine and I’m a bit perturbed that I didn’t get a scan but they sent me on my way regardless – I went home and slept for a few hours before having to wake up to go out to buy painkillers, then I just knocked around the flat for a few hours until I popped out for a drink at half nine with Hannah.

THURSDAY

FRIDAY DIDN’T DO FLICKS MAINWARING DYSON TONY SOO CURRY

SATURDAY WORK JON KEITH VIX – JANEY STREET PORTER, RACHEL LIME

SUNDAY WORK

MONDAY WOLVERHAMPTON – SHOP WITH ADIL

DAZED AND CONFUSED

VIERNES - WHAT DO WE WANT?

I thought that I was going to see a film tonight, i must have got the wrong end of the stick, as thought it'd been sort of arranged with Spencer, but obviously not - lost intranslation. It must be me.

As it was I met Spencer out, he'd gone straight from work and was with a work mate, Alistair. After an introduction he asked, do you mind Welsh jokes?

I don't mind my friends making Welsh jokes, but from a stranger? You don't know if it's malicious or not, it's certainly not good form to chance your arm in such a fashion, besides I could tell that it was in fact antagonistic in nature.

I explained that I get the odd joke in work, and an organised campaign, usually manifested in a chant started by a Ringleader of the Tormentors:

ROTT: WHAT DO WE WANT?

ALL: WELSHIES OUT!

ROTT: WHEN DO WE WANT IT?

ALL: NOW!

I can live with that, it's the placards I find more worrying, reading, 'TAFFY GO HOME' and 'GO TO HELL VALLEYBOY' as they're obviously planned unlike the spontaniety of the chanting...

This guy didn't want to let it rest, and yes maybe he was a little drunk, and I shoudln't have risen to the bait, but we had a very loud argument in this pub about the 'UK' & Wales role in particular. Which started when he implied I was fascist. It was in fact his imperialistic delusions of grandeur, and will to impose for his ego's sake which swung alarmingly accross to the right of the political spectrum. He was desperate to cling to the remnants of empire, which seemed to directly influence his sense of well being. Tosser.

'Why do you want to split up this Great Country?' he asked. Great Country? Says who you fucking idiot!? A bit later I asked, 'So you wouldn't have been in favour of the independence of India at the end of the fourties?', he declined to answer that and wasn't able to answer or counter any statement and in fact brough nothing to the discussion, until he admitted that 'he took it personally' that certain places didn't want to be subject to rule from London.

Needless to say I won the discussion hands down, and he stood down.

After three pints the night was over, Spencer and I headed back to chorlton, where he talked me into a Fish Supper... You can take the boy out of North Manchester, but you can't take North Manchester out of the boy!

SABADO - ONLY HEINEKEN CAN DO THIS

It was going well initially! I poped out early and got a paper, then went to the gym. So far so good. I popped into Wing Yip's while I was in town to pick up a new wok and some Oolong tea. But on the way back as I approached home... BANG! The exhaust fell off, and the car sounded like a baritone tractor blowing a prolonged raspberry... I pulled over as soon as I could. It was raining, and as I had generous assistance from a young couple and a carpet shop owner I had to get on my back ina puddle under the car and remove the dragging rusted appendage. Not much like fun, oily, drenched & embarrased. I wasn't far from home and handily got the car home wihout further incident. This poses an interesting dilemma, car tax is due as is a new MOT, and the added cost of repairs and parts certainly could be done without, can I get by without it? My bike needs attention too though! The cogs on the rear wheel I think are worn and the gears there are playing up... It's all adding up. It never rains, but it pours! There's never a handy time though.

As I pondered that, I decided to watch the Heineken cup Final, I traked down a pub, Lloyds Hotel in Chorlton and as it was quiet found a decent seat to watch it from. They had a decent local IPA (Lees Greengate) which I stuck to for the duration of Munster V Biarritz. I was backing the Munster Men, and despite the try from Biaritz in the opening encounters, I didn't doubt that Munster would prevail. After twenty minutes of the game or so, a wedding party and decided to populate the otherwise deserted section of the pub in which I was sat. I ended on the edge of this party of people, except for what must have been judging by the accent the scouse off shoot of this family, they sat on my table... The teenage mum was appropriately dressed as were her parents, but who I gathered to be the father of the child has grubby trainers, tracksuit trousers and a hooded top. Nice. Two young scallywags with them also in tracksuits had a football which I heard someone else from the well to do side complain about it's presence in the ceremony itself. As soon as the game had finished, I headed straight home and had a power nap no doubt aided by a few pints and some hefty food intake.

I awoke as aranged by a call from Jon. I had to get ready to go out as I'd be able to get a lift with him from Vix(Vicky) into town. I managed it but It was a struggle and I didn't really wake up until half an hour or so after getting into town.

We headed to one of the less pretencious bars in the Northern Quarter, Cords, where after a bit we were joined by Luke (I stayed at his place with jon, Vix et al in North Wales (Caerwys nr. Rhyl) a month or so ago). Luke's a practicing vet, hence being a Manc in the land of the Gogs, he told a disturbing story about a farmer for whom he assisted in the birth of a calf, This farmer decided that he wasn't pulling the calf hard enough and decided to encourage him by saying, "Pull harder... imagine it's a nigger on your mother." What!? You can't say that!

As Vix was driving, we went along with her whim to go have a dance somewhere and unfortunately ended up in Jabez Clegg (Don't ask me why - I've been there before on a weekend and knew it woudl be pants). It got worse when we got in there, some really ropey clientelle, plus no decent beer. We'd all been having Guinness in Cords as the cask ale had just run dry. To ease the pain (we weren't about to leave as we'd had to cough up £5 to get in) we tried the Stella, which didn't taste quite right. It soon became apparent after a few pints that this would not be enough - Rather unwisely gin & vodka made an appearance and after another hour we'd all had enough and headed home. I didn't think I was that drunk.

DOMINGO - HOW THE WEST WAS WON

I awoke pretty damn ill - that's what you get for mixing cheap gin, ropey Stella's and a number of Guinnesses. I felt that I needed to be sick, I wandered to the bathroom in a reconaisance capacity... A dressing gown was stuffed in to the bowl of the toilet and was drenched...? What? Why? Is it somw sort of dirty protest? I could really be doing without such a vexing occurance. My head was banging, I couldn't entertain the consumption of any substance, liquid or solid so popped out to get a paper. I sat down to read it but lolled nearing fatigue induced delerium. I was supposed to be going to the gym, but it clearly wasn't going to happen thnat morning, in my mind I postponed the gym till the late afternoon, only to then cancel it of course totally.

I was quite dehyrated so decided to force down some water, it didn't make me feel better, it was worse, it gave bulk to what may have been in my stomach and despite the myterious disapearance of the dressing gown (retrieved rather than flushed I'd warrant) I opted for the likely greater privacy of the downstaitrs bathroom as I went to pry to the toilet god. puke plus interest, yuk! The worst thing was, I was going to be on driving duty the night before until the exhaust expired.

However that helped and by the early afternoon I was able to venture to the pub for a cup of tea with Dyson who was hanging around Chorlton. However I was lethargic for the rest of the day and a number of activities were totally scrubbed, in addition to the gym, the flicks and some general chores. I listened to a live Led Zepp album, 'How The West Was Won' and that was it... a bit crappy especially when you realise that the sooner you fall asleep the sooner tomorrow comes and as is the case normally with Sunday nights... the sooner you have to be in work!

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING

WEDNESDAY 21-06-06

I was unable to play in our touch rugby league match tonight due to my injury, but went along to provide support. It was the penultimate pool match, the next weeks match was against the unbeaten pool leaders who try difference was only +1 better than ours. So in theory a good victory this week against a team (Hudson) who had yet to win would set us up for a potential winner takes all clash the next week against the table toppers and previous year's overall champions, The Blue Town Rats...

We however due to a raft on injuries and only one female sub, and then when it came to the game, the designated ref failed to materialise, so was reffed on gentleman's terms, which benefited the the lackluste offside adherance of our opposition. We took the result 6-1 but we didn't play well, being a frustrated spectator, I turned the air blue. I confidently predict that due to our defficiencies we will lose next week and due to the team in third having the same win to loss ration as us, that we'll end up in honourable (Is there honour in Defeat?) third. I pondered what might provide the extra edge for victory...

*******autopsy

So it ain't going to happen.

Otherwise the week is mudane, I can't train properly, and can't do anything really that costs money due to the change over from weekly to monthly pay. What a crock. Boring!

Oh I got an email, it seems I've been asked to join Manchester's squad for the UK open touch rugby championchips in August.

FRIDAY 23-06-06

I had a couple of swift pints of IPA and a chat with Spencer tonight, to break up the routine. Home by 10!

SATURDAY 24-06-06 ********thankyouforsmokingmovie.com

I watched 'Thank You For Smoking' at the Cornerhouse, a satire about lobyists in the states who's influence in general is disproportionate. It really was quite funny, see it if you can. Home early again, a swift couple w/Jon,Soo,Vix,Phil first,Home by 10!

SUNDAY 25-06-06

What a bollock. I went to work this morning, there'sa desk move been on over the past week, and I was due to be moved on Monday, and I'd had it confirmed as such. But on Saturday it seems that they gone ahead and half done the move. In addition to shuffling my paperwork, and I wasn't connected to the network so couldn't do what I'd intended. Not good news for a Sunday morning, which resulted in an impromtu power-nap in the afternoon. An end to another mouch of nothing weekend.

KNIGHT TO KING PRAWN

The lethargy of Sunday seeped into Monday, I fobbed off the gym again, and I narrowly avoided a snooze by going to the new flat to check some things out, which pretty much didn’t end up getting sorted out.I got back and in an instant of bored petulance had cut some of my hair, suddenly the gravity of the situation revealed itself, I’d have to cut all my hair to that length – to zero. it's not a good look it must be said.

There were comments, some of them even amusing - the best gag had to be from Mick, who anounced to anyone that'd listen that I had a sympathy hair cut... as my girlfriend and been shorn over the weekend... So back to the sheep jokes it was!

RED HOT PAWN, just joined this site and

Far away in the tropical waters of the Caribbean, two prawns were swimming around in the sea - one called Justin and the other called Christian.

The prawns were constantly being harassed and threatened by sharks that inhabited the area. Finally one day Justin said to Christian, "I'm fed up with being a prawn, I wish I was a shark, then I wouldn't have any worries about being eaten."
A large mysterious cod appeared and said, "Your wish is granted", and lo and behold, Justin turned into a shark.Horrified, Christian immediately swam away, afraid of being eaten by his old mate.
Time passed (as it invariably does) and Justin found life as a shark boring and lonely. All his old mates simply swam away whenever he came close to them. Justin didn't realise that his new menacing appearance was the cause of his sad plight. While swimming alone one day he saw the mysterious cod again and he thought perhaps the mysterious fish could change him back into a prawn.
He approached the cod and begged to be changed back, and, lo and behold, he found himself turned back into a prawn. With tears of joy in his tiny little eyes Justin swam back to his friends and bought them all a cocktail. (The punch line does not involve a prawn cocktail - it's much worse).
Looking around the gathering at the reef he realised he couldn't see his old pal. "Where's Christian?" he asked.
"He's at home, still distraught that his best friend changed sides to the enemy and became a shark", came the reply.
Eager to put things right again and end the mutual pain and torture, he set off to Christian's abode. As he opened the coral gate memories came flooding back. He banged on the door and shouted, "It's me, Justin, your old friend, come out and see me again.
"Christian replied, "No way man, you'll eat me. You're now a shark, the enemy, and I'll not be tricked into being your dinner."
Justin cried back "No, I'm not. That was the old me. I've changed."

Wait for it....

"I've found Cod. I'm a prawn again Christian"

25.05.06

Not Much to Report Except for the Touch Rugby.

It was almost rained off again as it was particularly glum first thing in the morning. But it brightened up and stopped raining later in the morning, quite a pain as I didn't cycle to work based on the depth of grey hanging in the sky.

We had a new player, Leanne, handy as previously we’d had no subs for the women and they’d noticeably tired. The Oldham Rugby League Boys were missing as they were on a stag do to Magaluf (I assume it was there it was continually referred to as Megamuff!). Anyhow, we didn’t have a warm up game this week, but were straight in against a team called the Badgers.

It so happened, that I knew most of the Badgers team from the social touch rugby that was on Saturday mornings. So they should have known what they were doing, as it was we gave them a hammering, 8-1. We let in a sloppy try, and to be honest the tries we scored against them I’d have considered sloppy if they’d been scored against us on the whole.

I was slightly miffed as the ref miscounted the score at half time, 4-0 he reckoned but it should have been 5-0, with a hat-trick to myself as it was I had to settle for a brace, but didn’t add to it in the second half. I was feeling it a bit, due to our lack of substitutes I was the only team member not to be rolled off for a breather. This week I really needed the break, I’m not totally well, (just a shade ill – not man flu) and I didn’t feel full of running, lethargic!

I think I got a chill as well hanging around, it wasn't warm and I was outside with shorts and a t-shirt on for a good few hours and woke this morning with further enhanced flu symptoms. Not enough to get off work with however, and I’m not up to going to the gym tonight.

MONDAY 240606

I borrowed X-Men 3, Mission Impossible 3, XM3 is utter rubbish and MI3, total tosh! Seriously don't bother.As Dyson says, "I wouldn't with yours and there's nothing wrong with mine". He must mean eyes when looking.

TUESDAY 250606

I watched Flight 93 which I also borrowed, it's for those who don't know is about the aeroplane that didn't hit it's target on '9/11'. It's a frustrating film due to the situation that the innocent people caught in the crossfire find themsleves in. The calls made from the plane are transcribed from actual calls, but not overloaded with 'Hollywood moments' - the passengers eventually take action from which they don't survive, but are covered with glory when they face up to their likely fate. The film treads carefully and as such isn't making any political statements, just statements about the human spirit.

WEDNESDAY 260606

BLUE TOWN RATS

Our final pool match was against the Blue Town Rats, we'd watched bit of their games in previous weeks and knew they were very competant. I wasn't fully healed but good enough to play, I told people as I got my excuse in early. They scored first quite quickly but we hit back with two tries where I gave the scoring pass (No tries for me this week I'm afraid - my first blank). They scored again and early in the second half we led 4-2, we shoudl have sat on the lead but looked to finish them off but they were far too capable and fitter and we didn't score again as they late on opened up a 7-4 lead to win. A dissapointment but they were a good team. We've qualified for he next round as eigth seeds from eight so are likely to play the number one seeded side in the quarters. Yikes!

THURSDAY 290606

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY

I rushed around straight from work, the shops twice & over to the thursday social touch (which I don't play anymore due to wooley rule enforcement) for a quick chat with Toby. I wasn't expecting to have time for anything else and had written off my chances of making it to the flicks but it turned out that I woudl have time and I legged it to town to watch 'The Wind That Shakes The Barley'.

The film won the Palm D'Or at cannes but was rubbished by the English media for being Anti-British. That's bollocks, for starters hoe do you defend the 'Black and Tans'? Besides any colonial power is there by force which is a sin, and as a proviso - you can only sin if you're in a position (having the power) to be able to. All without sin are potential sinners, given appropriate, and probably not particually testing, circumstances. There are sinners on both sides in this film, as the Irish also fight amongst themsleves, culuminating in sibling rift and execution. I'll leave you watch it.

FRIDAY 300606

I had strangley been given as my holiday allocation for the rest of the year, eleven and two thirds days... They weren't about to round up the number (more likely to round down) so I could work an additional few hours to make it a full day, but I chose to take the two thirds off. My weekend started at half ten on Friday morning, but it was of to a hectic start. The laundrette, shopping, a haircut (I had to try and explain the Crankies to the Iranian barber - I shouldn't use words like fandabydozo when there are normal words such as marvelous and fantastic that will suffice) and the gym before fitting in a power-nap in preperation for a work's night out.

The work do was at the La Vina tapas bar, Kelly insisted on giving me a lift in, and met her brother Anton ('The Wong of Legend' - you'll have to ask me in person!). It's a new joint, and they've teething problems with service at times but the food was good, but I was strangely full pretty quickly, as were many others - I wouldn't be suprised if it had MSG in it. There wasa prob with the bill too, more a problem with people sticking down £10 and dissapearing, Dyson bore the brunt and I had to contribute £25. There are always some.

We were in some club called prohibition after and not all made it - then I was persuaded later with a few to go to a club called Pure, it was awful. It was opening night not the kind of place you'd expect to find me going. That's sometimes what you get for following your nose. I was pretty sober which didn't help I guess and too old, but did some spaz & 'Night At The Roxbury' dancing to help while it away. TMI.

********picture

SATURDAY 010706

I-I-I-KEA

Jon was kind enough to give me a lift to Ikea for asome bits and bobs that I needed. He reckoned Leeds was closer than Warrington, so we went to that store, but also called in on his brother's place for a brew. I got a set of chairs and a table all for £60 - can't fault it really!

I went out pretty late that night with Jon, Vix & Soo who came round the Flat for a G&T first then we went to town an met up with numerous others, we ended in some club called 'South' where I got roped in to some rounds as my drinks and computational abilities swiftly decended. When I realised it was time to go I didn't have a clue what the time was and the concept of catching the night bus was quite frankly beyond me. Taxi!

SUNDAY 020706

I woke up at seven feeling rough, breakfast woudln't be a possibility until the afternoon. I tried to be busy nonetheless, it was baking hot out, and later I popped to the 'Chorlton Festival' (Bands, rides, stalls BBQ's etc) down the green area of chorlton, with Spencer and his housemate Andy. It was about five in the afternoon but still hot and humid. the warning signs were there, the odd drop of rain, and distant rumbles. Suddenly a torrential downpour the likes of which I haven't seen in years struck, it killed much of the festival and people ran for cover to pubs or whereever. We shelterd in someone's porch but not before being soacked under an insuffienct tree, it soon became unfunny as we all had just shorts and t-shirts on and were soaked to the bone. I was prepared for the house owner asking what we were doing not only in his garden but huddles up to his front door, i would have grabbed his lapel (or whatever in the absence of that) and pleaded 'For the love of god, Have Mercy!'.

It kept for two hours at least solid and after an hour and a half trapped by it I had to just grin and bear it for the two miles home on the bike.

FRIDAY: 26th

I had to get up at 5am as I had to attend a meeting in Solihull for half nine in the morning. I left at six and totally misjudged the traffic and adverse weather and was there for half seven. Nowhere was open and I was bursting for the jacks. So I took a walk around the centre of Solihull and it is rather plesant - I'd heard it was posh and it's upkeep was certainly in keeping with that. That didn't kill the two hours though, as everywhere was closed apart form the odd newsagent, so I least picked up a paper and was able to retreat from the elements back to the car and have a read.

The drive back to work in Manchester was a nightmare, two seperate accident on the M6 which brought everythign to a halt, left me with a mild, yet annoying headache.

I'd borrowed a pool car from work, and in a normal display of the company's effieceiency and organisation, as I went to return the car to it's place in the secure car park, it transpired that no one (well someone in particular) thoguht to mention that I needed a pass let alone to give me one. So as I went to go in a queue of beeping irate cars formed behind me. How thick are some people - I reversed two out of the avaliable three yards, normally an obvious signal for the blocking car to make room surely? Well apparently not.

After some words on both sides that were delivered with a serated edge, she made room so I could get out of the way. So she got her car into the car park, as the gate was then open I nipped in! BUt she took it personally and started screaming at me that I wasn't allowed - being agitated my self I retorted in a forceful baritone - no good, she lost it and continued going mad, as I almost was myself as I added choice expletives to my next retort.

She went and reported me to the building's operators for openly flouting the parking regualtions then it seems, as I walked back to the office, one of the guy's who worked there came up to me and asked if it was me, it was fine as they knew me and he was laughing as the woman was going crazy in reception and they'd sent the fellah out really just to placate her and not to incurr her wrath.

I went to return the keys to the person, who's sieve like attention to detail had meant that I'd got into the predicament in the first place. Now it turned out whenI eventually tracked him down that I was to make a note of the mileage despite that he was about to drive it home and I had to go back down the ten floors and back outside to write it down. Again as with the car park pass, INFORMATION THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE USEFUL TO ME YESTERDAY. TWAT!

It seems that that the root cause of this unprofessionalness, was that the pool car, if not needed was to be used indescriminately by this guy and he wanted it back for the weekend and resented that I'd had it the previous night. He treated it, nay, considered it his car. I stand by by my judgement as just mentioned - TWAT!

It had already been a long day and was set to be further extended as that night was the leaving do for both Ray Prescott and Mick Freeman. I needed to fit in a powernap, but was struggling to find a window in my schedule. I'd worked one out in theory but straight from work had to have a pint in the pub next door then walk home. It became two pints and on the walk home, bumped unexpectedly into Adam who was curb crawling or something down the back streets of Chorlton. I was already behind schedule then and only just had time to iron a shirt nad have a shower before I had to catch a bus into the city centre for the agreed time.

I was only a few minutes, but bar one other person, half an hour before everyone else! Damn them all! We met in a Whetherspoons (The Waterhouse) that came accross as surprisingly posh, the toilets, which I've learned since have won an award, had a fireplace in them, which I was tempted to try and put out. But I'll tell you what's really posh - having your servants flogged for insolence.

The rest turned up and many were much the worse for wear, none more so than Julle Garner (who Laughs like Sid James), who was absolutely out of it to the extent that she blew a raspberry on my stomach - in a distant second place (relatively speaking) was Mick who was eventually refused entrance to one establishment due to the extent of his inbtoxication. Or it could have been due to his shirt, not that I'm one to talk on that count!

We headed to another cheap pub - The Old Monkey, which I guessed seved it's purpose initally, but it wasn't long before people were wanting to head to somewhere where they could have a dance. Some peeps not connected to work came out and met us there, Jon, Vix & Sue - due to a diferential in drinking up time the group fractured but had as a whole the same destination in mind, some smaller fragments headed their own ways. Out of some misguided sense of loyalty to the work group I went after to them only to find they were not in the agreed venue (one of the number had been refused entry), Dyson & I were stuck wondering where they had gone along with the immoral Dawn. We had an inkling that they may have been in Brannigans across the road, We certainly weren't going to accompany DAwn so headed to Space, where Jon et al. were and were I'd been on the verge on going with them initally...

On a barely cryptic note: don't you remember how it was funny that after a half of playing into the wind, at the five minutes at half time the wind seemed to switch 180 degrees, to leave you up against it for the whole game. Not quite the same, but equally unlikely but yet happend is when a gentle tropical breeze of the Sargasso sea in a few minutes of turning your back becomes, a frigid icy northern blast from the depth of the Artic, as Dyson mention - painful to watch!

It's been a long day, and certainly not the best one ever - writing off my losses I headed home a few hours before many of the others - missing out on many of the subsequent goings on - but good news travells fast!

SATURDAY: 27th

I had a call from The Wong far too early in the morning - She had some juicy gossip to share from the previous night, most of which I won't mention (despite it being rather scandalous!) to protect those who might retaliate, but I will mention that a former employe who turned up and was my dumb blonde vestigal former assistant, Dawn, is in the habit of paying for sex. It goes to prove that what we oft repeat from Family Guy's Quagmire in work, "Fat Chicks need love too... BUT They Gotta PAY!" Mwhahaha!

Not all Big Issue sellers are homeless are they? I was in the middle of town and brought a copy from a vendor - I generally find the articles about pop culture boring and don't bother with them anymore, there is the odd cocial comment article, I often look at the adverts for voluntary work and wonder if I should do something like that - anyhow, it was the vendor's last copy and as I noticed I said in an off-hand fashion, 'oh it's your last one, you'll be able to knock off and sod off home then?', he'd just have to go and get some apparently but it wasn't until I was sat at the bus stop that I realised the comments could have been taken the wrong way if he'd been living in a cardboard box. Whoops. But I don't think the comment was mis-interpreted.

I went to the gym late in the day and the day flew buy far too quickly - I stayed in to save cash and watched a few borrowed DVD's. I'll mention now that the X-Men flicks are totally riduculous, it was a major effort to disengage my brain, and the Blade flims were okay but samey.

SUNDAY: 28th

I moved to the new flat today and spent all day packing - I was thankfull of help From 'Smutty' Steve Dyson, who earned himself a pint in the process.

MONDAY: 29th

Still unpacking - where am I going to put all this stuff? Made it to the gym though. Had a pint - James insisted, to mark moving in.

TUESDAY: 30th

Back at work & I eventually finished unpacking. Now where did I put the claw hammer, I need to put a picture up?

Things that make blokes proud of themselves :

1. OPENING JARS - She's struggling. You take it from her hands, open it

effortlessly and pretend she loosened it for you. She didn't. Jars

are men's work.

2. CALLING SOMEONE 'SON' - Especially policemen but even saying it to

kids makes you the man.

3. DOING A PROPER SPEAR TACKLE - TGR Davies side-steps - camp. A Scott

Gibbs tackle is the pinnacle of the game, simultaneously winning the

ball and crippling the man. Magic.

4. SHARPENING A PENCIL WITH A STANLEY KNIFE - Blunt, is it? Hand it

here, love. No, I don't need a sharpener, I've got a knife thanks!

5. GOING TO THE TIP - A manly act which combines driving, lifting and -

as you thrillingly drop your rubbish into another huge pile of other

rubbish - noisy destruction.

6. DRINKING UP - Specifically, rising from the table, slinging your

coat on and downing two thirds of a pint in one fluid movement. Then

nodding towards the door, saying, "Let's go" and striding out while

everyone else struggles to catch up with you. You're hard.

7. HAVING A THIN BIT OF WOOD - in the shed, solely to stir paint with.

8. HAVING A SCAR - Ideally it'll be a facial knife wound, but even an

iron burn on the wrist is good. "Ooh, did it hurt?" "Nah".

9. HAVING A HANGOVER AND THICK STUBBLE - When birds have been partying

they just whinge. You on the other hand have physical evidence of your

hardness, sprouting from your face. "Big night?" Grr, what does it look like?

10. NODDING AT COPPERS - A moment's eye contact is all it takes for you

to share the unspoken bond. "We've not seen eye to eye in the past",

it says, "but someone's got to keep the little scrotes in line".

11. USING POWER TOOLS - Slightly more powerful than you need or can

safely handle. Pneumatic drilling while smoking a fag? Superb.

12. ARRIVING IN A PUB LATE - And everyone cheers you. It doesn't mean

you're popular, it just means your mates are pissed. However,the rest

of the pub doesn't know that.

13. NOT WATCHING YOUR WEIGHT - Fat is a feminist issue,apparently.

Brilliant. Pass the pork scratchings.

14. CARVING THE ROAST - And saying "are you a leg or breast man?" to

the blokes and "do you want stuffing?" to the women. Congratulations,

you are now your dad.

15. WINKING - Turns women to putty. Doesn't it?

16. TEST SWINGING HAMMERS - Ideally, B&Q would have little changing

rooms with mirrors so you could see how rugged you look with any DIY

item. Until then, we'll make do with the aisles.

17. TAKING OUT £200 FROM A CASHPOINT - Okay, so its for paying the

plumber later but with that much cash you feel like a mafia don. The

only thing better is peeling notes off the roll later.

18. PHONE CALLS THAT LAST LESS THAN A MINUTE - Unlike birds, we get

straight to the point. "Alright? Yep. Drink? Red lion? George,it is then.

Seven. See ya."

19. PARALLEL PARKING - Bosh, straight in. First time. Can Schumacher

do that? No (because his car's got no reverse gear which, technically,

makes you the worlds best driver).

20. HAVING EARNED THAT PINT - Since the dawn of time, men have toiled

in the fields in blistering heat. Why? So, when it's over we can

stand there in silence, surveying our work with one hand resting on the

beer gut while the other nurses a foaming jug of ale. Aaaah.

21. HAVING SOMETHING PROPERLY WRONG WITH YOU - Especially if you didn't

make a fuss. "Why was I off, nothing much, just a brain haemorrhage".

22. KNOWING WHICH SCREWDRIVER IS WHICH - "A Phillips? For that? Are

you mad, bint?"

Re-Boot...

Here I’ve found some old posts that I’d mailed to m inbox, but had not posted.

Some is coherent and in sentences and much of it isn’t – it’s in a form of keywords, which were supposed to jog my memory but time has diminished the significance of much of it. I have posted them regardless as a reference for myself, so apologies if it’s ‘uncodeable’

Where am I now?

On a train back to West Wales… I should have been sat at a café in Madrid with a coffee or even maybe a cerveza. What happened was…

I’d booked the flight a while back, to Madrid and had saved enough cash to cover it.

But then…

I came off my bike, two days after my birthday and was concussed, I was taken to hospital