It was great to hear the classic scoreline of 1-0 to the Arsenal at the end of the game on Saturday. 3 points, from 17th we jumped to 11th and the Season can slowly start to get back on track.
I'm not one to write match reports, there are several blogs that do this well enough, so will leave them to that, but I do have my thoughts and observations I'd like to share.
The team is slowly getting stronger and with Song and Gervinho coming back now things can only continue to rise. We saw what Gervinho can bring and I think we all know if he's fit he'll start on Tuesday.
Arteta for me had a great debut and you know as they train/play together more frequently that the midfield will get stronger and stronger.
Mertesacker did his job well, yes caught out a few times, but we didn't concede so lets look at the positives, he's gonna bring something to this team and you can see he's not just reliant on his height, he knows where to be be and what to do. Really think him and Verm could become a killer defencive duo.
Yossi only got 30 minutes so I don't feel I can comment too much but he didn't let himself down and after reading some blogs over the weekend it seems people expecting him to start Tuesday. We need all the experience in Germany we can so it would be fully justified if he was.
I am looking forward to see what Park and Santos will bring to the Arsenal but not sure when we'll see them start.
Szczesny was brilliant and whilst not many keepers who concede 8 goals in a game would deserve player of the month, he does, and I don't think he can take any blame as such for the display at United. A good goalkeeper still needs a good defence and on that day we let ourselves down, with bad positioning and silly tackles/fouls etc. He made another World Class save on Saturday and several on international break. Long live Shezzer!
Arshavin is coming back, the way the ball just appeared in front of him and his instinct took over was amazing, a cracking shot from quite a wide angle. There's many top class strikers who would miss that but not our Andre. He looked good throughout too and hopefully he's turning a corner. Maybe he is appreciative that he's no longer alone in regards to the older heads, maybe less pressure equals a better Asharvin?
1-0 at home to Swansea though is a bit different to Dortmund in Germany on Tuesday and this is the test that will show what we've got. No matter who you play you should always be wary and play to your best but this game will require playing in a different gear. The experienced heads will have to look after the younger players and they need to remember that, generally as a rule for Arsenal, attack is the best form of defence. The more the ball is in their half the better. A win would be great but a draw wouldn't be a bad result away from home to the German Champions.
Will be interesting to see Goetze as we were linked to him throughout the summer.
Here's to Arsenal and to getting back to winning ways.
Monday, 12 September 2011
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Entrance music please...
The Arsenal are back. Well they will be on Saturday anyway.
I always hate the 'interlull' but like most Gooners, I would imagine, have hated this one a bit more then the others.
Who doesn't want the team to come straight back out and right the wrongs of that disastrous Sunday - and it was disastrous - but maybe we've done something better.
This Summer Arsenal have spent approximately £50,000,000 on signings and brought in (and I'm only mentioning players here that can be of use now to the first team):
Gervinho
Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain
Mikel Arteta
Yossi Benayoun
Per Mertesacker
Andre Santos
Park Chu-Young
Carl Jenkinson
That's eight players that we could use right now, that's over two thirds of a team. Arsenal have strenghened the depth of the squad. We occasionally purchase a new player but normally it's one maybe two and they go into the first team straight away.
This time we have cover for a number of players. I also feel that Frimpong is like a new signing as is Ryo but I don't mention either in the list above because they were Arsenal players some time ago.
I think we've already seen what Gervinho can bring to the team. He has genuine attacking flair and like Henry looks like he wants to float here, float there and just be everywhere. He could be a beast for us.
Alex has shown what he can do for the England under 21's in the last week. 3 assists and 1 penalty earned in one game alone. That's impressive. Will be interesting to see if he can bring that same flair to the senior Arsenal squad.
I think most of us know Mikel Arteta from his time at Everton but he's always been one of their best players and is happy to play anywhere in the midfield, though you would think his preferance would be to link with the Attack as much as he can.
Yossi was great for Liverpool but through injury has hardly featured for Chelsea and in a double whammy we signed him without a proper medical. Now who's gonna be laughing at that? Arsenal or Chelsea? Time will tell but if he finds that Liverpool form he will add lots of experience and quality to our attack.
It's a shame this week that Per Mertesacker has been singled out a bit for a dodgy display for Germany but I have been informed by several very cool tweeps that there was a lot of people missing in that game and we shouldn't make any impressions on him based on that. I'm not going to anyway, 75+ caps for Germany, played in World Cups, European Championships and more, he will add something to Arsenal it's just a shame Tommy Vermaelen has an injury and operation as Per arrives. We'll have to wait a bit for that pairing but I imagine that will be our new back two central defenders once he returns. Just a shame Tommy can't show him the ropes. Please don't let SebSquil be the one to teach him, I'd rather it was the Emirates Groundsmen.
I don't know a lot about Santos but he has 22 caps for Brazil and is heading towards his late 20's so I can only hope he brings some Brazillian flair and trickery and can be the one to slowly nurture Gibbs.
Park had a stormer for South Korea in the last week, scored 4 goals, I'm hoping to see much more of that. I've watched the goals and he can finish. This guy knows where the net is and fires with deadly accuracy. Whether he will start straight away I can't answer but with Robin van Persie and Park both scoring 8 or so goals between them in the last week internationally surely the signs are good.
Which brings me to Carl Jenkinson and I feel a bit sorry for Carl. He's going to be brilliant in the future you can see he has the work ethics on the pitch to succed but right now he's gone from conference to premier league to champions league in a matter of weeks. He's got a steep learning curve in front of him but the bonus is this... he gets to learn for Bacary and how often do you have a bad word for him?
So how will we line up against Swansea? I can only guess but I can't imagine that he's gonna change formation/tactics too much straight away. We could play a nice 4-4-2 right now with the added depth we now have. It's a shame Wilshere is out at the moment but Ramsey was very good for Wales this week and deserving of his man of the match award against England. I found myself cheering him on more then once and I'm an England supporter.
So I'd go with something like this:
Szczesny
Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santos
Ramsey, Arteta, Rosicky
Walcott, van Persie, (either Park or Arshavin)
This line up will dramatically change when Wilshere, Gervinho, Song, Frimpong, Vermaelen et al return but a great chance to see several new signings with maybe a sub appearence from Benayoun and hopefully Ryo as I really wanna see this kid play - he is highly rated.
I always hate the 'interlull' but like most Gooners, I would imagine, have hated this one a bit more then the others.
Who doesn't want the team to come straight back out and right the wrongs of that disastrous Sunday - and it was disastrous - but maybe we've done something better.
This Summer Arsenal have spent approximately £50,000,000 on signings and brought in (and I'm only mentioning players here that can be of use now to the first team):
Gervinho
Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain
Mikel Arteta
Yossi Benayoun
Per Mertesacker
Andre Santos
Park Chu-Young
Carl Jenkinson
That's eight players that we could use right now, that's over two thirds of a team. Arsenal have strenghened the depth of the squad. We occasionally purchase a new player but normally it's one maybe two and they go into the first team straight away.
This time we have cover for a number of players. I also feel that Frimpong is like a new signing as is Ryo but I don't mention either in the list above because they were Arsenal players some time ago.
I think we've already seen what Gervinho can bring to the team. He has genuine attacking flair and like Henry looks like he wants to float here, float there and just be everywhere. He could be a beast for us.
Alex has shown what he can do for the England under 21's in the last week. 3 assists and 1 penalty earned in one game alone. That's impressive. Will be interesting to see if he can bring that same flair to the senior Arsenal squad.
I think most of us know Mikel Arteta from his time at Everton but he's always been one of their best players and is happy to play anywhere in the midfield, though you would think his preferance would be to link with the Attack as much as he can.
Yossi was great for Liverpool but through injury has hardly featured for Chelsea and in a double whammy we signed him without a proper medical. Now who's gonna be laughing at that? Arsenal or Chelsea? Time will tell but if he finds that Liverpool form he will add lots of experience and quality to our attack.
It's a shame this week that Per Mertesacker has been singled out a bit for a dodgy display for Germany but I have been informed by several very cool tweeps that there was a lot of people missing in that game and we shouldn't make any impressions on him based on that. I'm not going to anyway, 75+ caps for Germany, played in World Cups, European Championships and more, he will add something to Arsenal it's just a shame Tommy Vermaelen has an injury and operation as Per arrives. We'll have to wait a bit for that pairing but I imagine that will be our new back two central defenders once he returns. Just a shame Tommy can't show him the ropes. Please don't let SebSquil be the one to teach him, I'd rather it was the Emirates Groundsmen.
I don't know a lot about Santos but he has 22 caps for Brazil and is heading towards his late 20's so I can only hope he brings some Brazillian flair and trickery and can be the one to slowly nurture Gibbs.
Park had a stormer for South Korea in the last week, scored 4 goals, I'm hoping to see much more of that. I've watched the goals and he can finish. This guy knows where the net is and fires with deadly accuracy. Whether he will start straight away I can't answer but with Robin van Persie and Park both scoring 8 or so goals between them in the last week internationally surely the signs are good.
Which brings me to Carl Jenkinson and I feel a bit sorry for Carl. He's going to be brilliant in the future you can see he has the work ethics on the pitch to succed but right now he's gone from conference to premier league to champions league in a matter of weeks. He's got a steep learning curve in front of him but the bonus is this... he gets to learn for Bacary and how often do you have a bad word for him?
So how will we line up against Swansea? I can only guess but I can't imagine that he's gonna change formation/tactics too much straight away. We could play a nice 4-4-2 right now with the added depth we now have. It's a shame Wilshere is out at the moment but Ramsey was very good for Wales this week and deserving of his man of the match award against England. I found myself cheering him on more then once and I'm an England supporter.
So I'd go with something like this:
Szczesny
Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santos
Ramsey, Arteta, Rosicky
Walcott, van Persie, (either Park or Arshavin)
This line up will dramatically change when Wilshere, Gervinho, Song, Frimpong, Vermaelen et al return but a great chance to see several new signings with maybe a sub appearence from Benayoun and hopefully Ryo as I really wanna see this kid play - he is highly rated.
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Sunday 19th September 2010
October, November then December and we're over halfway through September already. This year is fading quickly.
It's on a Sunday, usually after a few drinks or similar, that I wake up wanting an adventure. Sunday's the best day for that but I don't have time to set an expedition to Antarctica - to me the most amazing place on this planet - so I have to do with the TV. It's amazing what putting a DVD into your DVD player can do.
This morning it took me to the edges of the planet and David Attenborough was my guide. I know Planet Earth as a series is a few years old and now its likely been preceded by LIFE as the the ultimate voyage of discovery the TV has to offer but to me it's still a big favorite and I will still one day, if it's available, by it in Blu-Ray to experience it even further.
I watched the first episode this morning which started in Antarctica with the King Emperor Penguins huddled together as the eternal 4 months of night settled in, in temperatures of minus 70C, and then it whisked us to the Arctic where spring approaches the Polar bear roles out of it's mound and down the mountain. It's so happy to be free of the 4 months of darkness that it comes out of its hole and slides and rolls down the hill side in triumph, shortly followed by it's two month old cubs. It's a sight to behold. It's a wonder of nature.
We think we have it hard but we don't and that's one of the reasons I need to sit and watch the wonder of nature and this planet so that I can realise how minuscule our problems and survival are compared to these beasts of the snow. Gracious, even cuddly I would not knowingly walk into one's path!
The episode then continues to follow the flow of the planet as spring then summer comes and goes. We fly into distant forests one of which houses a third of all the worlds trees. They start off like conifers, needle like leaves that can't really support much of life but can survive the harshness of a proper winter and we move into a forest with much more edible fauna, that whilst only covering 3% of this planet (3% is pretty big on a planet wide scale by the way) houses over 50% of it's wildlife. All that nature together in one spot, amazing and scary.
Scary because as a population we're destroying it and in some cases just killing it meaninglessly.
My second DVD of the morning was the Long Way Round Episode 6. That's the one where Ewan and Charley travelling through Russia come up against the Road of Bones. I wanted to put a picture here but because I don't own my own images I'm worried about copyright.
During their journey in this episode they have to work with the camera crew and other truck drivers passing through to get along the roads, its amazing and really shows the harshness of this land. Why is it called the road of bones? Simply put the Road of Bones is named because wherever a prisoner died building it, they were buried - not taken back - just buried where they died along the road.
I talked earlier of meaningless killing and this episode shows the harshness of that. As a black bear is killed and skinned for its skin (worth $600 to the skinner) and its Gall bladder sold too. They leave the carcass to rot beyond that point, they can't eat the meat in these parts - it's poisonous.
Ewan and Charley both have things to say on this and whilst Ewan is 100% against it Charley isn't but also for the right reasons. He believes that if you kill something to eat that's fine - I agree - but anything else is pretty damn cruel, killing something for it's skin is murder lets face it.
If you feel like an adventure on a Sunday morning I can't think of better shows to watch but it makes you realise how big and scary this world really is and how much beauty it has. We need to keep it that way however hard that seems.
It's on a Sunday, usually after a few drinks or similar, that I wake up wanting an adventure. Sunday's the best day for that but I don't have time to set an expedition to Antarctica - to me the most amazing place on this planet - so I have to do with the TV. It's amazing what putting a DVD into your DVD player can do.
This morning it took me to the edges of the planet and David Attenborough was my guide. I know Planet Earth as a series is a few years old and now its likely been preceded by LIFE as the the ultimate voyage of discovery the TV has to offer but to me it's still a big favorite and I will still one day, if it's available, by it in Blu-Ray to experience it even further.
I watched the first episode this morning which started in Antarctica with the King Emperor Penguins huddled together as the eternal 4 months of night settled in, in temperatures of minus 70C, and then it whisked us to the Arctic where spring approaches the Polar bear roles out of it's mound and down the mountain. It's so happy to be free of the 4 months of darkness that it comes out of its hole and slides and rolls down the hill side in triumph, shortly followed by it's two month old cubs. It's a sight to behold. It's a wonder of nature.
We think we have it hard but we don't and that's one of the reasons I need to sit and watch the wonder of nature and this planet so that I can realise how minuscule our problems and survival are compared to these beasts of the snow. Gracious, even cuddly I would not knowingly walk into one's path!
The episode then continues to follow the flow of the planet as spring then summer comes and goes. We fly into distant forests one of which houses a third of all the worlds trees. They start off like conifers, needle like leaves that can't really support much of life but can survive the harshness of a proper winter and we move into a forest with much more edible fauna, that whilst only covering 3% of this planet (3% is pretty big on a planet wide scale by the way) houses over 50% of it's wildlife. All that nature together in one spot, amazing and scary.
Scary because as a population we're destroying it and in some cases just killing it meaninglessly.
My second DVD of the morning was the Long Way Round Episode 6. That's the one where Ewan and Charley travelling through Russia come up against the Road of Bones. I wanted to put a picture here but because I don't own my own images I'm worried about copyright.
During their journey in this episode they have to work with the camera crew and other truck drivers passing through to get along the roads, its amazing and really shows the harshness of this land. Why is it called the road of bones? Simply put the Road of Bones is named because wherever a prisoner died building it, they were buried - not taken back - just buried where they died along the road.
I talked earlier of meaningless killing and this episode shows the harshness of that. As a black bear is killed and skinned for its skin (worth $600 to the skinner) and its Gall bladder sold too. They leave the carcass to rot beyond that point, they can't eat the meat in these parts - it's poisonous.
Ewan and Charley both have things to say on this and whilst Ewan is 100% against it Charley isn't but also for the right reasons. He believes that if you kill something to eat that's fine - I agree - but anything else is pretty damn cruel, killing something for it's skin is murder lets face it.
If you feel like an adventure on a Sunday morning I can't think of better shows to watch but it makes you realise how big and scary this world really is and how much beauty it has. We need to keep it that way however hard that seems.
Monday, 5 July 2010
The Wedding
Went to a wedding on Saturday. Had it planned for months. Nearly didn't get there though.
Been having problems with my car of late and in the latest of incidents I have lost my indicators and my brakes weren't great.
Driving without indicators is a whole new experience but unlike on a bike your right arm does all the signals, and to turn left any passer by will see you with arm out of the window frantically doing a royal wave. All you can think is that I hope no-one sees me - well no-one I know - but everyone else obviously otherwise I'm in trouble.
To cut a long story short people are starting to say I jinx cars - that's how many problems I keep having.
So I was meant to be driving my brothers up to Lincolnshire the night before the wedding. I had my car in the garage the same day. I was hoping both brakes and indicators could be sorted. It wasn't to be as the electrician didn't show till gone 3 so barely had time to check the car - but at least find the problem - before I needed to go. However the brakes were done.
My Dad, forever helpful of which I'm forever appreciative of, drove me to pick up my car and we headed out of the industrial estate. I heard a weird creaking noise. Not good. Pulled over, Dad did the same - he was following me home since no indicators for me - and looked at the front wheels. Seemed OK. Dad said everything looked fine, prob brakes bedding in, so I got in and drove about 3 meters when the noise came back worse. Again we stopped and I jumped out except this time - and thank god Dad saw - my wheel looked ready to fall off, another few meters and I was going round a tight bend and the wheel would have got home before me. Luckily we spotted this in time and the mechanic said come bring the car back we'll sort this - I told him we're going nowhere and he diligently came out and sorted the problem.
Eventually got home but with no indicators it was down to Dad to drive us to Lincolnshire and try and get back home for a darts match. (Before coming to get us Sunday.)
We arrived in Lincolnshire and spent a relaxing evening with some now new and old friends, including the Groom.
Saturday came. Surely nothing could go wrong now. One of the guys offered to drive us all to the hotel, so me and my brothers alongside the Groom jumped in the car and we were followed by the best man in his as we headed to the hotel. So far so good...
Overheating Light.
At oh, that's not good, so the driver pulls over and lifts the hood. No problems with car before and did the 150 mile journey there fine on Friday. My brother makes a comment about the car jinx. I wave it off.
Nothing, so we move off again, no problem, cross two level crossings and on a major single lane A-road come to a hill where we promptly lose power. We have 35 minutes till the wedding and no car for us all, even worse we're stopped by a ditch and can't push the car further off the road, it could tip over. The best man takes the groom and my brothers jump in another car that's appeared - luckily the best man's parents - and I say I'll stay and help get the car moved.
'You've got AA or Green flag right?' I ask
'Not anymore, think it run out ages ago.'
'We need a towing co. then quickly.'
The driver makes a call to a 118 directory co. and tries to get info. We don't even quite know where we are. That doesn't help. I go online via Nokia Maps and pinpoint our position. OK we're on the A607 I tell him and point at the junction we're near.
The driver is now searching through his wallet and finds his AA card, he tells me maybe it is still in date, he can't remember as his brother pays it for him. We go to call the AA but his phone battery died.
Good job I stayed here then, no other had a mobile on them and he would have been stranded uselessly along the A607 on a Hot Saturday morning.
After several calls back and forth with the AA it is agreed his accounts still active and that help was on its way. An AA Van almost immediately goes past us in the other direction - coincidence?
I say he'll be back and a second later we get a text saying the AA man will be 10 minutes. Result, we've missed the wedding but we shouldn't hold the food / reception up at least. We can get towed to a garage in town and get a lift somehow to the hotel. Job done.
The AA turn up and after my friend proves that he isn't a woman - honestly they had his down as Miss, his brother's obviously laughing at that one - he reveals the nasty truth - the truth my brothers will mention again during the day, the car jinx has struck again.
Dirty mud like watery oil only means one thing and you don't have a warning (except maybe an overheating light?). Thanks for inventing the head gasket guys. Bloody good at its job but no half way point is there. No one says you need it changed; a car light doesn't come up saying change head gasket does it. Dam.
The AA man tows says his priority is to tow us to safety. I'd like to say this guy was a legend, someone else was coming on this job but he;d been the guy we saw drive past, he'd spotted us and as the job flashed on his screen and was allocated elsewhere, he said no. Give me it. I've seen them. I'm close and they're in a dangerous location. Legend.
So we're taken to a services where we find out, getting better now, that his policy gives his a courtesy car and the vehicle will be towed the 150 miles back to his nearest garage to home. Result!
So after much paperwork we're at an enterprise, we're about to get to the wedding, he's paid his deposit, we have a car, and we get in to go.
RRRRRRIIIIIIIPPPPPPP.
'C'mon I say lets get there', sat nav on, we're about to go.
'We have to go back' he says.
'What? Back where?'
My friend puts his hands down his trousers - yes extremely dodgy - and his hand comes out the bottom of them underneath the fly.
'I ripped them sitting down here. We need to go back to the Groom's house for my jeans'.
So we did, no other choice, 25 mins back to the house, quick change, jump in car, I call the hotel and say we're on the way and we get there 3 hours after the wedding but in-tact and to a reception of claps for making it. Everyone friendly - although maybe some sarcasm there, I imagine many starved why we valiantly tried to get there - the groom couldn't 't hold up the wedding - nor should he not - but he did hold up the dinner.
40 people had to wait for us to eat. We were kings for a moment.
Can't count the number of drinks I had the rest of that day but I felt it didn't matter. We'd deserved them. We'd missed the wedding that we'd travelled so far to get to but made the reception/disco. Everyone had a great time.
I wish the happy couple well. I think my friends at home thanking the lucky stars he's with the AA and although I'm still a car jinx - don't think that stops overnight - at least
I'm not a mobile phone one.
Been having problems with my car of late and in the latest of incidents I have lost my indicators and my brakes weren't great.
Driving without indicators is a whole new experience but unlike on a bike your right arm does all the signals, and to turn left any passer by will see you with arm out of the window frantically doing a royal wave. All you can think is that I hope no-one sees me - well no-one I know - but everyone else obviously otherwise I'm in trouble.
To cut a long story short people are starting to say I jinx cars - that's how many problems I keep having.
So I was meant to be driving my brothers up to Lincolnshire the night before the wedding. I had my car in the garage the same day. I was hoping both brakes and indicators could be sorted. It wasn't to be as the electrician didn't show till gone 3 so barely had time to check the car - but at least find the problem - before I needed to go. However the brakes were done.
My Dad, forever helpful of which I'm forever appreciative of, drove me to pick up my car and we headed out of the industrial estate. I heard a weird creaking noise. Not good. Pulled over, Dad did the same - he was following me home since no indicators for me - and looked at the front wheels. Seemed OK. Dad said everything looked fine, prob brakes bedding in, so I got in and drove about 3 meters when the noise came back worse. Again we stopped and I jumped out except this time - and thank god Dad saw - my wheel looked ready to fall off, another few meters and I was going round a tight bend and the wheel would have got home before me. Luckily we spotted this in time and the mechanic said come bring the car back we'll sort this - I told him we're going nowhere and he diligently came out and sorted the problem.
Eventually got home but with no indicators it was down to Dad to drive us to Lincolnshire and try and get back home for a darts match. (Before coming to get us Sunday.)
We arrived in Lincolnshire and spent a relaxing evening with some now new and old friends, including the Groom.
Saturday came. Surely nothing could go wrong now. One of the guys offered to drive us all to the hotel, so me and my brothers alongside the Groom jumped in the car and we were followed by the best man in his as we headed to the hotel. So far so good...
Overheating Light.
At oh, that's not good, so the driver pulls over and lifts the hood. No problems with car before and did the 150 mile journey there fine on Friday. My brother makes a comment about the car jinx. I wave it off.
Nothing, so we move off again, no problem, cross two level crossings and on a major single lane A-road come to a hill where we promptly lose power. We have 35 minutes till the wedding and no car for us all, even worse we're stopped by a ditch and can't push the car further off the road, it could tip over. The best man takes the groom and my brothers jump in another car that's appeared - luckily the best man's parents - and I say I'll stay and help get the car moved.
'You've got AA or Green flag right?' I ask
'Not anymore, think it run out ages ago.'
'We need a towing co. then quickly.'
The driver makes a call to a 118 directory co. and tries to get info. We don't even quite know where we are. That doesn't help. I go online via Nokia Maps and pinpoint our position. OK we're on the A607 I tell him and point at the junction we're near.
The driver is now searching through his wallet and finds his AA card, he tells me maybe it is still in date, he can't remember as his brother pays it for him. We go to call the AA but his phone battery died.
Good job I stayed here then, no other had a mobile on them and he would have been stranded uselessly along the A607 on a Hot Saturday morning.
After several calls back and forth with the AA it is agreed his accounts still active and that help was on its way. An AA Van almost immediately goes past us in the other direction - coincidence?
I say he'll be back and a second later we get a text saying the AA man will be 10 minutes. Result, we've missed the wedding but we shouldn't hold the food / reception up at least. We can get towed to a garage in town and get a lift somehow to the hotel. Job done.
The AA turn up and after my friend proves that he isn't a woman - honestly they had his down as Miss, his brother's obviously laughing at that one - he reveals the nasty truth - the truth my brothers will mention again during the day, the car jinx has struck again.
Dirty mud like watery oil only means one thing and you don't have a warning (except maybe an overheating light?). Thanks for inventing the head gasket guys. Bloody good at its job but no half way point is there. No one says you need it changed; a car light doesn't come up saying change head gasket does it. Dam.
The AA man tows says his priority is to tow us to safety. I'd like to say this guy was a legend, someone else was coming on this job but he;d been the guy we saw drive past, he'd spotted us and as the job flashed on his screen and was allocated elsewhere, he said no. Give me it. I've seen them. I'm close and they're in a dangerous location. Legend.
So we're taken to a services where we find out, getting better now, that his policy gives his a courtesy car and the vehicle will be towed the 150 miles back to his nearest garage to home. Result!
So after much paperwork we're at an enterprise, we're about to get to the wedding, he's paid his deposit, we have a car, and we get in to go.
RRRRRRIIIIIIIPPPPPPP.
'C'mon I say lets get there', sat nav on, we're about to go.
'We have to go back' he says.
'What? Back where?'
My friend puts his hands down his trousers - yes extremely dodgy - and his hand comes out the bottom of them underneath the fly.
'I ripped them sitting down here. We need to go back to the Groom's house for my jeans'.
So we did, no other choice, 25 mins back to the house, quick change, jump in car, I call the hotel and say we're on the way and we get there 3 hours after the wedding but in-tact and to a reception of claps for making it. Everyone friendly - although maybe some sarcasm there, I imagine many starved why we valiantly tried to get there - the groom couldn't 't hold up the wedding - nor should he not - but he did hold up the dinner.
40 people had to wait for us to eat. We were kings for a moment.
Can't count the number of drinks I had the rest of that day but I felt it didn't matter. We'd deserved them. We'd missed the wedding that we'd travelled so far to get to but made the reception/disco. Everyone had a great time.
I wish the happy couple well. I think my friends at home thanking the lucky stars he's with the AA and although I'm still a car jinx - don't think that stops overnight - at least
I'm not a mobile phone one.
Sunday, 24 January 2010
2010
So we head into 2010 and have lots of things I'd like to do this year. I'm sure I start every year the same but feel this one could be a bit different. I'd like to learn the guitar. I've tried before but I think if I try to do it little and often then eventually somethings got to rub off right?
Would be nice to give up smoking too but I need to look into the best way of doing that. Going to Amsterdam this year, first half of year hopefully, and think it might be too easy to jump back on the smoking wagon if I do it straight away.
Oh and need get on the big screen,either as a writer or star, write a block busting novel and start a famous band. Hmmm.
Would be nice to give up smoking too but I need to look into the best way of doing that. Going to Amsterdam this year, first half of year hopefully, and think it might be too easy to jump back on the smoking wagon if I do it straight away.
Oh and need get on the big screen,either as a writer or star, write a block busting novel and start a famous band. Hmmm.
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Star Trek, and revenge of the uncomfortable cinema goer
I saw Star Trek the other week. It was fantastic and I recommend seeing it while it's still in the cinema. The effects are brilliant.
I don't want to ruin the story, so I won't, but it really does bring back the franchise. All the hype is actually true. Go see it.
How good does Terminator: Salvation look? The clips look amazing. My disappointment with this set of films is that number 3 was rubbish - and you can't tell me otherwise - as well that this and the last film have been rated 12A. What does this say about a film.
Terminator was never meant to be a family film. The first one was scary for its time and the second a riot. I think the 4th Installment will improve things again but I wish they had stuck to being at least a 15 so that we knew its something more the grown ups. We need something to keep as ours.
Tranformers 2 is also on the horizon. I am looking forward to that. I don't often go to the cinema. I can't sit still long enough, I feel uncomfortable, not enough leg room, and if you need a toilet break or whatever then you end up missing too much.
I prefer to watch at home, where the sofa is big enough for us both to relax and I have that all handy pause control by my side.
Should the film companies start to think outside the box on this one. How about the opportunity to watch the film online, you can stream, download it for one watch only, but you can pause, rewind whilst watching it. I'd happily pay the cinema entrance fee for this and maybe more because they know yout mates or your partner will be with you. How about £10.00 to watch the film online, in all it's glory - we can all connect our pc/media centre's to the tv nowadays.
Rules:
One watch but you can rewind, pause etc.
Once watched fully (or within 5 hours of delivery) the film delete's itself from your hard drive or you can't access it anymore.
BUT
You get to watch the film the day it goes on nationwide release at the cinema.
Enough people enjoy the cinema that it won't effect it too much but people like me, who can't sit through 3 hours of movie without feeling quite unconfortable could also watch it.
Simple idea, but could it work?
If anyone is reading this then let me know what you think.
Marcus, 28/05/09
I don't want to ruin the story, so I won't, but it really does bring back the franchise. All the hype is actually true. Go see it.
How good does Terminator: Salvation look? The clips look amazing. My disappointment with this set of films is that number 3 was rubbish - and you can't tell me otherwise - as well that this and the last film have been rated 12A. What does this say about a film.
Terminator was never meant to be a family film. The first one was scary for its time and the second a riot. I think the 4th Installment will improve things again but I wish they had stuck to being at least a 15 so that we knew its something more the grown ups. We need something to keep as ours.
Tranformers 2 is also on the horizon. I am looking forward to that. I don't often go to the cinema. I can't sit still long enough, I feel uncomfortable, not enough leg room, and if you need a toilet break or whatever then you end up missing too much.
I prefer to watch at home, where the sofa is big enough for us both to relax and I have that all handy pause control by my side.
Should the film companies start to think outside the box on this one. How about the opportunity to watch the film online, you can stream, download it for one watch only, but you can pause, rewind whilst watching it. I'd happily pay the cinema entrance fee for this and maybe more because they know yout mates or your partner will be with you. How about £10.00 to watch the film online, in all it's glory - we can all connect our pc/media centre's to the tv nowadays.
Rules:
One watch but you can rewind, pause etc.
Once watched fully (or within 5 hours of delivery) the film delete's itself from your hard drive or you can't access it anymore.
BUT
You get to watch the film the day it goes on nationwide release at the cinema.
Enough people enjoy the cinema that it won't effect it too much but people like me, who can't sit through 3 hours of movie without feeling quite unconfortable could also watch it.
Simple idea, but could it work?
If anyone is reading this then let me know what you think.
Marcus, 28/05/09
Thursday, 16 April 2009
And onwards
Still no luck with the job hunt so lets forget that for the moment.
Arsenal did fantastically well last night to set up a Champions League Semi-Final with Manchester United. Brilliant 3-0 win and well deserved. We always looked the better team on the night. Great Walcott goal too.
Not really a lot to write today but soon, I'll start to update much more regularly.
Arsenal did fantastically well last night to set up a Champions League Semi-Final with Manchester United. Brilliant 3-0 win and well deserved. We always looked the better team on the night. Great Walcott goal too.
Not really a lot to write today but soon, I'll start to update much more regularly.
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