Sunday, 24 February 2008
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
7-3 To the Whites
We won 7-3 tonight.
We went 1-0 up early on and then a genuine struggle kept the game at that score for some time.
They equalized when I was left exposed. My opponent had all the goal to shoot at and made no mistake hitting the far post as I covered the near one.
More midfield battles followed before we started to get the upper hand with 2 or 3 goals in quick succession. The remaining goals all came when the players were tired and the result was beyond doubt.
I feel confident and it is in large part due to my Arsenal heroes setting a fine example for me to follow. Watching both Lehman and Almunia make mistakes but come back from them to perform where necessary is a great lesson.
The best lesson is watching Hleb, Rosicky, Flamini & Fabregas dominate the game most of the time. They must use the language of football as they all speak different foreign lingos.
Teamwork does not require dialogue but it does require understanding and experience.
Did I tell you we won 7-3 tonight?
Yeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssssssss!
I think my competitive streak is back.
We went 1-0 up early on and then a genuine struggle kept the game at that score for some time.
They equalized when I was left exposed. My opponent had all the goal to shoot at and made no mistake hitting the far post as I covered the near one.
More midfield battles followed before we started to get the upper hand with 2 or 3 goals in quick succession. The remaining goals all came when the players were tired and the result was beyond doubt.
I feel confident and it is in large part due to my Arsenal heroes setting a fine example for me to follow. Watching both Lehman and Almunia make mistakes but come back from them to perform where necessary is a great lesson.
The best lesson is watching Hleb, Rosicky, Flamini & Fabregas dominate the game most of the time. They must use the language of football as they all speak different foreign lingos.
Teamwork does not require dialogue but it does require understanding and experience.
Did I tell you we won 7-3 tonight?
Yeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssssssss!
I think my competitive streak is back.
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Saturday, 9 February 2008
Sidmouth Today
It was a good day.
We started out this morning by taking my suit to the cleaners.
We then drove down the hill to pick up some liquid assets from the automated teller machine before picking up some medication and a newspaper, popping in to see our well-known local parrot and a lop-eared rabbit, some budgies, guinea-pigs and wide awake tortoises.
While we were shopping we picked up some gift cards and got money put on them to act as birthday presents for a couple of girls with birthdays. One of the girls we forgot about back in January and the other we rarely see, so we can only hope that this is a satisfactory offering for them both.
We had been invited out for lunch by a friend, so we set off to pick him up, but were attracted by the record low level of water in the local river, by the quay, so we stopped to take a few photos before picking up our friend by the side of the road in Heavitree.
Before heading for Sidmouth we visited my wife's sister to present her with a birthday invitation. As my wife is approaching a big one we are having a friendly function in a nearby local pub to celebrate the passing of the years. She provided us with tea as we sat and discussed the craft of making birthday cards.
A short stop to drop off one of the birthday gift cards was followed by a drive to an out of town health food store. My wife picked up an assortment of healthy eating from Joshua's Harvest Store in Ottery St. Mary. The choice there is excellent and I am glad the place is still an unsung secret. Our friend got himself an assortment of unusual jars.
The drive down to Sidmouth was pleasant with the car windows open on a warm winter's day in February. The views of wide open countryside meant we had left town life far behind until we arrived on the edge of Sidmouth town where I was introduced to a free car park that I had not been aware of before.
We wandered down into town and ate at a place called The Chattery where the food was very hot, delivered to the table very quickly and exactly as ordered. I could not fault the catering but I have no idea of the cost as our friend met the bill.
We then visited a shopping mall and picked up two 'missing items' from earlier shopping trips. We found birthday balloons with the right number on and a reasonably priced pot of superglue.
After that success we headed for the seafront and enjoyed the bright sun directed painfully straight into our faces (due to the low level sun at this time of year).
Wandering along I was introduced to Jacobs Ladder. I think originally it was a steep cliff walk but today it is a metal structure to take you from the bottom of the cliff to the top. I am very sorry but I had to prove I have not lost it so I ran up the steps. Recovery period may be extended slightly but I have still got it.
We wandered back through the gardens and down the hill into town for a coffee at Moccha's.
Then, after a lovely and productive day we wandered back up the hill to pick up the car and head home. Our friend, Jim, fell asleep in the back of the car. That is a good indication of a great day out enjoyed by all involved.
We stopped off at home for an hour before I had to take my wife for her induction at the gym that she has just joined. I am seriously impressed by her eagerness to train and I know it will do her the world of good as long as she remains injury free. I considered whether I should swim wile she had her induction but I opted for the pub over the road and had a pint while I read the paper.
I found out that Phil Beer (a local musician) has started his own record label. I found out that the M1 had been blocked at junction 18. I found out that I could complete the puzzle and the medium sudoku and I am halfway through the hard one. My wife joined me after her session and after a short drink (she was on the sparkling minerals) we headed for home and a deserved rest after a glorious day.
Tomorrow we are going to a concert with Steve Knightly as the main attraction.
We started out this morning by taking my suit to the cleaners.
We then drove down the hill to pick up some liquid assets from the automated teller machine before picking up some medication and a newspaper, popping in to see our well-known local parrot and a lop-eared rabbit, some budgies, guinea-pigs and wide awake tortoises.
While we were shopping we picked up some gift cards and got money put on them to act as birthday presents for a couple of girls with birthdays. One of the girls we forgot about back in January and the other we rarely see, so we can only hope that this is a satisfactory offering for them both.
We had been invited out for lunch by a friend, so we set off to pick him up, but were attracted by the record low level of water in the local river, by the quay, so we stopped to take a few photos before picking up our friend by the side of the road in Heavitree.
Before heading for Sidmouth we visited my wife's sister to present her with a birthday invitation. As my wife is approaching a big one we are having a friendly function in a nearby local pub to celebrate the passing of the years. She provided us with tea as we sat and discussed the craft of making birthday cards.
A short stop to drop off one of the birthday gift cards was followed by a drive to an out of town health food store. My wife picked up an assortment of healthy eating from Joshua's Harvest Store in Ottery St. Mary. The choice there is excellent and I am glad the place is still an unsung secret. Our friend got himself an assortment of unusual jars.
The drive down to Sidmouth was pleasant with the car windows open on a warm winter's day in February. The views of wide open countryside meant we had left town life far behind until we arrived on the edge of Sidmouth town where I was introduced to a free car park that I had not been aware of before.
We wandered down into town and ate at a place called The Chattery where the food was very hot, delivered to the table very quickly and exactly as ordered. I could not fault the catering but I have no idea of the cost as our friend met the bill.
We then visited a shopping mall and picked up two 'missing items' from earlier shopping trips. We found birthday balloons with the right number on and a reasonably priced pot of superglue.
After that success we headed for the seafront and enjoyed the bright sun directed painfully straight into our faces (due to the low level sun at this time of year).
Wandering along I was introduced to Jacobs Ladder. I think originally it was a steep cliff walk but today it is a metal structure to take you from the bottom of the cliff to the top. I am very sorry but I had to prove I have not lost it so I ran up the steps. Recovery period may be extended slightly but I have still got it.
We wandered back through the gardens and down the hill into town for a coffee at Moccha's.
Then, after a lovely and productive day we wandered back up the hill to pick up the car and head home. Our friend, Jim, fell asleep in the back of the car. That is a good indication of a great day out enjoyed by all involved.
We stopped off at home for an hour before I had to take my wife for her induction at the gym that she has just joined. I am seriously impressed by her eagerness to train and I know it will do her the world of good as long as she remains injury free. I considered whether I should swim wile she had her induction but I opted for the pub over the road and had a pint while I read the paper.
I found out that Phil Beer (a local musician) has started his own record label. I found out that the M1 had been blocked at junction 18. I found out that I could complete the puzzle and the medium sudoku and I am halfway through the hard one. My wife joined me after her session and after a short drink (she was on the sparkling minerals) we headed for home and a deserved rest after a glorious day.
Tomorrow we are going to a concert with Steve Knightly as the main attraction.
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Rejected AGAIN
My latest job application resulted in the standard 'you have not been selected' letter.
I am aware more so than when I was younger of the rampant ageism that exists in society. I will not argue against it, however, because I knew when I was younger that older more stuck in the mud types are blockages to development and advancement. I have found myself making classic 'old person' mistakes like not having the latest mobile phone and not caring about my appearance.
Look at the youth of today and having good looks is all important. I am increasingly aware that my intelligence is no longer relevant in todays society. There is always a specialist in the USA on the end of an internet connection that knows more than I do, so what relevance can I possibly have in the world where 'now or sooner' is the requirement and I am used to doing the full analysis before arriving at the option with the least danger factor.
In my current job I am always being told not to spend too much time curing the underlying problem when a quick fix will do. This is after all modern throw away society, and by the time the problems occurs again we will probably be using a new system, or a new account, or be in a new place with new software and new people operating it.
I accept that in my younger years I got just about every job I went for and I was supremely confident as a result. I would not swap that for a new job now. My young luck was important to me at the time and I will never regret the life I have had to date. Nowadays, however, my age is left off my C.V. because it is a positive handicap to getting an interview.
The world wants young people that, in theory, will be around for the next forty years. They seem not to notice that most move on and up within two years. Leastways those with ability and ambition do. I honestly believe that older workers are far more likely to stick around due in part to the past experience of 'job for life' thinking.
Worry not about me. I do believe in divine guidance and my guidance has simply been to stay where I am and do what I am doing. I know I have been useful in my current role, breaking the rules that others would not have broken. This has meant that my group of accounts are in much better shape than many others who have followed the 'management think' and got themselves into all sorts of problems, mostly because management have decided that profit is more important than customer satisfaction. I personally disagree.
Yes, profit is important, but you should see how some managers argue for weeks over £3,000 yet happily refund £500,000 to large companies because politically it is bad news not to. Size does matter and we all know it, but making losses for political gain, only to have to charge small customers to make up the loss is bordering on pure evil. Welcome to the world today.
Rant over - Normal service will be resumed once I have quit my job.
I am aware more so than when I was younger of the rampant ageism that exists in society. I will not argue against it, however, because I knew when I was younger that older more stuck in the mud types are blockages to development and advancement. I have found myself making classic 'old person' mistakes like not having the latest mobile phone and not caring about my appearance.
Look at the youth of today and having good looks is all important. I am increasingly aware that my intelligence is no longer relevant in todays society. There is always a specialist in the USA on the end of an internet connection that knows more than I do, so what relevance can I possibly have in the world where 'now or sooner' is the requirement and I am used to doing the full analysis before arriving at the option with the least danger factor.
In my current job I am always being told not to spend too much time curing the underlying problem when a quick fix will do. This is after all modern throw away society, and by the time the problems occurs again we will probably be using a new system, or a new account, or be in a new place with new software and new people operating it.
I accept that in my younger years I got just about every job I went for and I was supremely confident as a result. I would not swap that for a new job now. My young luck was important to me at the time and I will never regret the life I have had to date. Nowadays, however, my age is left off my C.V. because it is a positive handicap to getting an interview.
The world wants young people that, in theory, will be around for the next forty years. They seem not to notice that most move on and up within two years. Leastways those with ability and ambition do. I honestly believe that older workers are far more likely to stick around due in part to the past experience of 'job for life' thinking.
Worry not about me. I do believe in divine guidance and my guidance has simply been to stay where I am and do what I am doing. I know I have been useful in my current role, breaking the rules that others would not have broken. This has meant that my group of accounts are in much better shape than many others who have followed the 'management think' and got themselves into all sorts of problems, mostly because management have decided that profit is more important than customer satisfaction. I personally disagree.
Yes, profit is important, but you should see how some managers argue for weeks over £3,000 yet happily refund £500,000 to large companies because politically it is bad news not to. Size does matter and we all know it, but making losses for political gain, only to have to charge small customers to make up the loss is bordering on pure evil. Welcome to the world today.
Rant over - Normal service will be resumed once I have quit my job.
Saturday, 2 February 2008
ARSENAL BEATING JUVENTUS 2-0 AT HIGHBURY
This is the match that told me Arsenal would be fine following the loss of Patrick Viera to Juventus.
Spot Cesc Fabregas upending Viera in a tackle that leads to the first goal, then admire Henry as he gets the ball behind him but corrects to score a brilliant second goal.
Then check out that odd character who was managing Juventus at the time. He has moved on.
P.S. Arsenal beat Manchester City today and by deliberately throwing the Cup match by 5-1 gave Tottenham Hotspur the confidence to draw with Manchester United and thus return to the TOP OF THE PREMIERSHIP.
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