Tag: England

bookmark_borderMonday Miscellany

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1. Being linked from Dooce brings in a few extra hits. A few being something around the “60” mark, and certainly not as many as I would’ve thought… however the link was in her sidebar, not from the main content. I’ve had a similar number of ‘referrers’ from Reluctant Nomad (to whom I placed the link that Dooce linked to in the first place… if that makes sense).

2. My Google pagerank is 6, not 7 as I previously thought. Apologies to those who, when I mentioned the erroneous figure on Saturday, voiced their incredulity. I am sincerely sorry for wasting your incredulity, something which should be kept for REALLY incredible things… like Scotland beating France. Have I mentioned that?

3. Scotland beat France at football. Admittedly France did have the ball in our net a couple of times, but they were cheating, and we are the best team in the world. Or something. I don’t really care. We beat France. England couldn’t even beat that part-time team from Burger King.. um.. McDonalds… or wherever it was.

4. I did not watch Robin Hood. I will not watch Robin Hood. I have an irrational dislike of “popular” TV, this may be why I don’t understand all the fuss about that sci-fi programme that was on a while back, you know, the one with the dodgy production values and ‘star guests’ as baddies. Doctor How.

5. Still jogging. Sunday was harder than normal but then I don’t normally spend several hours in the pub on a Saturday, stumbling from bed 20 minutes before you are due to start probably isn’t advised either. Thankfully it was still the first week of the new block (of ten weeks) and the actual running time was low. Not so on Wednesday.

6. Why the FUCK does it take 10 days to “process a form”. I’m adding Louise to my bank account as we don’t have a joint account. This hasn’t been an issue in the past but is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while now and as the dribble of extra funds that we now have owed to us after the re-mortgage (which is almost complete, just waiting on first payment date) was presented to us via a cross cheque made out to, yes that’s right “Mr. Gordon McLean and Mrs. Louise McLean”… well our need to have an account that both of us can access suddenly leapt up the priority list.

Yes, I should have done something about this beforehand. Yet that still doesn’t explain why, having gone to the bank on Saturday morning with twenty-zillion different forms of ID for both of us, having completed the required form in triplicate, signing the form in our own blood, and providing DNA samples from the back of our eyelids, they still want to take 10 days to process the form. When I asked why the not-so-helpful wan… er.. assistant said that he wasn’t entirely sure but it had to go to the “central processing office”.

When I asked, with some vehemence, that that didn’t really explain why it would take so long he replied: “Well, I’m not exactly sure where it is but I think it’s somewhere south of the Quatanga Nebula, and hey, those little froolongs only have two fingers so maybe you should cut them some slack”.

Bemused and slightly befuddled I left the bank.

7. Thanks to all who left questions (well nearly all, some of you buggers just LOVE to be contrary). I’ll be tackling them over the coming weeks, and maybe keep a few back for the end of the month as we’re away to Spain for a sneaky week in the sun.

8. WE BEAT FRANCE. Sorry, this may take some time to sink in.

9. There is a possibility that I’ve fabricated one of the above items, part of it at least. However it’s quite subtle and I doubt many of you will spot it, but I thought I’d best be honest about it. There are parts that I made up.

10. I don’t really have something to add here but, well, by the time you get to 8 you sorta havta keep going to 10, right? You certainly can’t finish at least at 9, that’d never work. There are no “Top 9” lists (although maybe there should be?).

bookmark_borderThat World Cup question

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Our First Minister caused a bit of a stooshy recently by stating that he wouldn’t be supporting England in the World Cup. But why should he? He’s not English after all..

As for me, well it’s a tricky one, that’s for sure. Ach, who am I kidding, it’s very straightforward. ‘Mon the Soca Warriors!!

Actually that’s not strictly true. In truth I wouldn’t mind England winning the World Cup but for the inexorable press coverage it’d get. I mean it was pretty bad after the rugby World Cup but if they won the footie version? Jesus, it’d be awful.

I was actually listening to a phone-on on the Radio about this during the week. And for most people the decision of whether or not to support England was an easy one to make. You either don’t support them as a matter of principle (and state your allegiance to whoever is playing them next), or you don’t mind them winning, and might support them in a few games.

Most people on the phone-in who said they’d be supporting England did admit that the downside would be the programmes, and articles and endless loops of speculation about whether this team was better than the ’66 winning team, if Gerrard IS the best midfielder in the world, and if Beckham should retire. Meh.

And that’s the thing. It’s not the supporting of England that’s the problem, it’s the constant stream of hyperbole that goes along with it.

Anyway. I’m off to buy a Brazil top, or maybe Argentina… France anyone??

bookmark_borderTime flies

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Didn’t venture over the door yesterday, not even to put the bins out. Awful weather, cold wind, driving rain, yeuch.

So we stayed in, Louise made some cards, I hacked on with a mockup of a site (one of two on the go at the moment), and gave a little more thought to the seminar on Blogging and Communities I’ve been asked to present at. The initial nerves have subsided and whilst previously I’d been worrying that I wouldn’t be able to fill the 45 minute slot, my main concern now is that 45 minutes may not be long enough!!

Ohh and lest I forget, I’d like to thank mike for his generous help, very much appreciated indeed. I may already have thanked him but if that’s the case, better to thank twice than not at all!

Louise made a very interesting comment the other night, concerning my current employers. She said that I must be enjoying things there because I was working later than usual. And she’s right. Partly because we have a new toy in our department – AuthorIT, a single source publishing tool – and partly because I’m finally getting into the new (upcoming) version of our core product and actually learning new things. Previously I’d been ‘stuck’ on updates to the current, released, products which was proving less than challenging, and more than boring. All’s good now though, our new stuff is bloody smart… but enough of that. I don’t talk about that here!

Rugby yesterday and I thought the Italians were going to do it… until England clicked up a gear and predictability returned. However the game itself wasn’t particularly enthralling, unlike the try-fest that was France vs Ireland. I’m so glad I watched the second half though, as the first half was awful and at times made it hard to believe this was international rugby I was watching.

It’s all looking nicely setup for what could be the deciding game of the tournament – France vs England. Hard one to call for, as ever, if the French get their running game going early then I think England will be in trouble as they are still a little too reliant on their front rows. Then again Wales showed that if you try and go around the front rows, England just drop back and offer a sold white line through which it’s bloody hard to break. Intriguing though it may sound, I’d be less than surprised if the game itself is a boring kick-a-thon. Isn’t it always the way?

Well a long week stretches ahead of me, I’m hoping to get a couple of things out of the road as soon as possible as I’m currently breaking my own rule of “one job at a time”. On the other hand there are opportunities to which you just can’t say no, it’s just unfortunate they’ve all come at the one time. Not that I’m complaining. Honest.

How’s your weekend?

UPDATE: What a cracking game of rugby, open, free-flowing and full of passion. Well done to Wales for a professional performance and well done to the Scotland team for playing with such heart and passion.

bookmark_borderCatches win Matches

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Before my Mum returned to work she knitted. A lot. But I’ve mentioned that before, so let’s move on.

Cricket then, and yes there is a link between the two because my Mum spent a lot of time knitting she liked to watch something that she could follow whilst glancing up and down from the clacking needles and mohair and cricket fitted the bill perfectly. As it was on, I found myself watching as well and soon picked up the basics all the while marvelling at Ian Botham as he bowled and batted like a mad thing (it was ’81).

Fast forward to today and I’m sitting at work with Radio Five on my headphones. It’s ten to five and England have, essentially, won the Ashes and all the while my mind is flashing back to my childhood. What a lovely day.

bookmark_borderPlanning

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Dragged the suitcases down from the loft last night and started compiling lists of things to be taken on holiday. Clothes, towels, toiletries, books, shoes, camera, various electrical chargers, and… well that’s the thing. I keep thinking we’ve forgotten something, I’ve got travel directions, booking confirmation codes, AA membership (which I thought had lapsed but doesn’t expire until 1st August, bonus!), sunglasses, hat, suntan lotion (ever hopeful), travel sweeties (the ones in the tin all coated in white magic dust)… what the hell are we forgetting about?

Friends are going to pop in and water our plants, my Dad has offered to cut the grass, there is nothing I need to get done at work, nor any other “projects”… yet still there is a nagging voice, picking away at my brain.

I wonder if it’s things like plug adaptors, passports and whatnot, as this is the first time we’ve taken a UK-based holiday (other than the odd weekend here or there), maybe my “holiday mode brain” hasn’t yet realised we’re stopping when we hit the south coast of England, or rather the English Riviera (chortle).

Anyway, further planning of the days ahead are now crucial. Firstly I have to consider what clothes I’m going to be wearing, not because I’m a fashion icon or anything (come on people, you’ve seen the pictures) but by and large because my wardrobe doesn’t have a work/play split. The clothes I wear to work are similar to what I’d wear at the weekend, and barring the addition of shorts and flip-flops, what I wear on holiday. So tonight the careful selection of t-shirts begins, bearing in mind that I’m out for dinner tomorrow night, what will I take, what will I leave behind, what will I be wearing tomorrow and Thursday (I’m off on Friday).

Then there is the small matter of a couple of movies that we want to see – Batman Begins and War of the Worlds – but I don’t think we’ll be able to fit them both in to our schedule. Louise is out tonight, I’m out tomorrow night and Thursday is “last pack” night, but I’m hoping we can sneak one of them in on Thursday. The alternative is to go when we are down there, and given the vagaries of the British weather system that might well be an option.

Nope, this hasn’t helped. I had hoped that posting about this might jog the old brain cells into action, what the hell am I forgetting?

bookmark_borderDahlings

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So Chelsea have won their first trophy. I have to admit to taking a shine to their manager, he may be arrogant but there always seems to be a wee twinkle in his eye. If nothing else he’s a tad more exciting than Arsene Wenger. The king of ranting will always be Sir Alex though, who can forget his rant just after his Aberdeen side had WON the Scottish Cup when he said he was disgusted at the way his team had played. Barking, obviously.

Enough of football. Let’s talk about the rugby. Scotland scraped a win against Italy, Wales destroyed France in a fantastic second half and I didn’t see Ireland beating England.

Indulge me for a minute will you – “Ireland beating England”. Ohh that feels good.

Anyhoo, more awards tonight and, as is tradition, my wife will be watching the Oscar ceremony. If Jamie Foxx and Hilary Swank don’t win the best actor and actress awards, respectively, then something is seriously wrong. As for the other awards, I’d have to say Million Dollar Baby should sneak Best Picture, but Martin Scorcese should nip the Best Director award from Clint Eastwood. Cate Blanchett MUST win for her turn as Katherine Hepburn but I’m not sure about Best Supporting Actor. I’d like to see Morgan Freeman get it as I he is very rarely bad in any movie I’ve seen him in but having not seen Closer I can’t comment on the Clive Owens performance.

I’d also expect the Cinematography award to go to The Aviator – if you’ve seen it you probably noticed how the film slowly developed more and more vivid colour matching the progression of the film industry at that time. It was quite subtle but very effective – bit like the muted tones of Saving Private Ryan, or the green tones used in The Matrix trilogy.

Of course as is usual I’ve not even had the opportunity to see some of the nominated movies in the cinema yet so it’s always a bit odd to try and make these kind of predicitions. Of course we shouldn’t forget the fact that this is all one big love-in for the Hollywood set – I wonder if Imelda Staunton will enjoy it?