Another Post-Midnight Entry

Yes, the time of 23:59 for today's blog is yet another giveaway that this one was written after midnight. Admittedly it's only 00:04 as I write this, so it's not as bad as some recently. Compared to some in the past - where 4am was a regular update time - this ranks as positively timely!

Today I've spent most of the time doing not very much and watching sport - quite a lazy day. I was for no apparent reason feeling quite tired, despite being to bed around 1am last night and not up until gone midday.

I watched the Tottenham-Everton match, although missed the start as I thought it kicked off later. No real reward from that as despite a good second half, a two goal deficit was too much to recover from. I wasn't planning on watching the Carling Cup final, but upon seeing Villa take an early lead, I was hopeful. Again, no such luck, as Manchester United eventually also won 2-1.

After taking a break from sport to do my ironing - ratcheting up the excitement factor, I know - I returned to the world of sport by spending the evening watching the Canada-USA ice hockey gold medal game from the Vancouver Olympics. It's an interesting sport to watch, I think, and after a while I was gradually following the puck a bit better. I actually cheered at the second goal just for the amazing fact that I saw what happened first time, without having to wait for a few replays to understand what had gone on. It's quite fast.

Tomorrow I make my own contribution to sport by stumbling around a football pitch after work. More to follow on this one tomorrow I'm sure!

Unscheduled Spotaneity

Yesterday evening was another random trip to the pub after work, which was most entertaining and enjoyable. Considering a couple of years back we used to go to the pub regularly, it's actually much more enjoyable to be going on a more ad-hoc basis.

Yesterday's conversations raised included work topics, the pros and cons of Harry Potter, Disney films and the relative ability to grow a beard. As you are all familiar with, after a week of non-shaving I am left with barely a stubble; a fact my colleagues were baffled by. Some of them seem to need to shave on a daily basis to just keep it down to a stubble. A charity beard-growing event was discussed. This could be entertaining, especially as it won't cause much of a difference for me!

This morning I was intending to achieve something, but being awoken to the sound of rain hammering at my window put me off somewhat!

Moments of Repartee

You know that feeling when you are in the middle of an exchange, and the perfect response fails you, and then comes to you later? Where you want to reply with the rapier-like wit of a sitcom character, but just end up stammering like a gibbering idiot?

Well, that didn't happen to me today, as I actually found a line for a near-instant comical response.

Discussion in question was at work, when Nimesh said "You can't mock me, because I have a plan," and I was able to respond instantly with, "Nimesh, Balderick always had a plan."

Comedy gold. For those of you who may not get this, brush up on your Blackadder.

In case you're wondering why so many of my blogs of late have been posted at 11:59pm, it's simply because they're post-midnight but backdating them to this time means they're in the correct day. Nothing more sinister than that.

Consistency

I notice today that I'm pretty much hitting the same amount of blog posts on a monthly basis. Either I have little to say, or feel compelled to post just enough to keep it updated with the lack of events!

This evening I have suddenly remembered I need to sort out booking the football pitch for next week - a great responsibility - after a week filled with non-events. The most exciting of these was my shoe nearly falling off as I ran for a train, requiring me to buy new shoelaces.

To be honest, I'm impressed I manage to squeeze as many blog entries as I do out of the mundane minutiae of may everyday life!

Maybe I Was Right ...

Yesterday's comment may've been correct, as tonight - having not had any exercise - I'm staring blankly at the blog seeking inspiration.

Bizarrely, the last time I did 'proper' exercise before last night was Saturday, which also prompts a story for me. I'd gone for a run in the morning, because I was up absurdly early - well, 8:30am is early for a Saturday - and felt quite awake. It was a moment at inspiration or motivation.

However, upon returning to the home after my run, I came back through the door - logically, you might expect, only to a few minutes later find my Dad wandering around the house having wondered what the noise was. The best part is he had half-speculated it was Rachel returning unannounced. Unlikely!

Speaking of Rachel, I am getting depressed at seeing pictures of her in Australia enjoying exciting summer times. This week it was her and Chris taking surfing lessons! Very exciting for them, I'm sure, but not so fun for me looking out at the dark, damp winter nights!

It Must Be The Exercise ...

I'm not sure why I always seem to blog on Mondays. It must be the fact that I come home from Monday utterly exhausted, and lacking motivation to do anything more. In this scenario, blogging is quite easy!

Today we had football with lights (hurrah!), but lacking people. Massive traffic jams ensured that for about 30 minutes it was 6 people conducting a pitiful 3v3. This was actually not too bad, as playing two-touch and only being able to score from within the area put some nice focus on control, movement and passing. Eventually enough turned up to make it a 'proper' game.

I did reasonably at times, although the moment I was proudest of was a beautiful pass from one end of the pitch to the other with the outside of my foot which I curled around another player. It looked quite impressive. To me, anyway!

I'm also tired and my right knee aches in a bad way. This could be entertaining tomorrow!

Prompt ... Since Forgotten

This blog is simply a frustrated placeholder. I was intending to post this earlier, and then forgot what I was going to say. There was a conversation this evening at the pub after work, which made me think of something I wanted to write.

And now I've forgotten it ... which is incredibly annoying!

It'll come back to me. Anyway, nearly the end of the week, and I'm quite tired. Being up quite late having only got home at half ten may be part of this - but oh well. Only one day left in the week!

Perhaps I'll remember tomorrow ... time will tell.

Third Day of the Weekend

Yesterday was somewhat bizarre in that I woke up convinced that it was Monday. I wasn't awake terribly early, but due to having Friday off I had a nagging feeling throughout the day that somehow I should have been working that day.

Today I was, in fact, actually working as it really was Monday. Slightly tedious, undoubtedly, but it has to be done.

The main thing about Mondays though is that it's not the first work day, it's football day! This was not to be, however. While we all assembled at the five a side pitch, it appeared that we would not be playing. The person responsible for the floodlights wasn't. Instead, he decided that he'd ignore us waiting in the dark, ready to play. He would even ignore us when we said we were waiting and offered our receipt as proof of this.

In the end, no football. But on the upside, an earlier evening and more of it to be enjoyed at home.

Four Day Week

So I've taken this Friday off - hence why I'm writing this at a lazy 1pm and not being at work instead - as time off in lieu for working last Saturday.

Overall, it's been a successful week. Not a great deal has happened, which is good considering I was expecting to be rushed off my feet with unexpected issues! I played football again, in the snow, which was needed considering that I want to kick-start my exercise regime once more (What exercise regime? I hear the crowd cry).

Also poker last night, which was fun as always. I came in a respectable second place, very consistent as that was also where I finished the first month. I'm definitely getting better and playing more aggressively - however, I need more practice on final heads-up as I have been tame here two months in a row and unable to drive home an advantage despite being comfortably up on chips.

So far today I've done some sorting out of old things lying around my room, which was overdue. This weekend will be filled with exciting things such as ironing and the like - all of which are overdue!

Normally Timed

So this evening was the first I got home at a 'normal' time for nearly two weeks. This sounds either like I'm a workaholic or a crazy socialite.

In fact, the truth is neither, or a bit of both. Two of those days I was late because of football; twice because of random pub trips and once due to a meal out after work. The other three were, admittedly, work related late days, but there you go.

This Thursday I will be staying late for poker. However, that's it for the week, as I'm only working a four-day week. I have Friday off in lieu after working last Saturday. Three day weekends help to balance out one day weekends!

Full Weather Collection

Tonight I completed my collection of weather types that I've played football in. Having previously persevered through baking heat, gusting winds, torrential rain and biting cold, today I added the final piece to the collection: driving snow.

To say it was surreal is an understatement. To turn around and suddenly be unable to see because you have snow coming at you is odd when playing football. To see the ball leave a trail in the snow on the pitch is extremely odd.

Overall, it was good, if only for the entertainment factor. I must admit that I somewhat tempted fate on this by reciting the first part of this post prior to playing, when I thought the snow had stopped. I was wrong.

How Not To Park

So this evening while waiting for a bus, I witnessed an odd yet hilarious scene unfolding opposite me.

Some member of the public, in all their genius, had parked their Landrover right in front of the entrance to the small parking area of a taxi firm. There was a small gap through which they could squeeze out a car. This in itself is amusing, considering the amount of times you will find taxis parked in bus ranks, the road, and generally in the way.

Unsurprisingly, the taxi drivers were not best pleased at this. So they got two people carriers and parked them extremely close either side of the intruding vehicle so it would be unable to leave. In the process, as well, they hit the Landrover. At this point, by way of irony, they had managed to completely close off the entrance to the parking area.

This entire scene was played out right before me to my great amusement - you almost wanted someone to have been planting it for a hidden camera show. The drama concluded when someone wanted a taxi to somewhere, forcing a driver to use one of the two blocking vehicles and ending the blockade.

Return of Routine, Featuring Pain

So this week I was back to playing football once more. I think the last time I must've played was early December. Since then lack of numbers, holidays, snow and lack of numbers once more have prevented any further opportunity of play.

So it's about six-seven weeks since I last played. To put it mildly, it showed. I was not in my best form. I don't really have a best form, but whatever I have, it was a long way below it.

It's a start, though. Playing regularly tends to get me slightly more used to it, both physically and in terms of being able to kick the ball in the right direction.