For Pete’s Sake

Well had to make the title at least vaguely interesting as right now I don’t think I could come up with one that’s relevant. Currently I’m quite tired as I’m on earlies at work 8-4pm though I’m up at 6am and not home till around 5pm. This doesn’t bother me at all, just makes me tired and means my brain turns off slightly sooner.

Anyway, since my last post I’d say I’ve been fairly busy. Monday night 5-a-side has been fun even if we’ve lost, quite heavily, the last two games. I enjoy it and the main thing is the run out for me, the exercise and that. I’m also in the last two weeks of my small sided referee course. This will mean I’ll be qualified by the FA to referee 5,6 & 7-a-side matches which is cool. Aside from that I’ve obviously been busy at work and, this past Saturday went to see Terry Pratchett talk and discuss in Bath which was fantastic. He was very informative, genuinely funny and hell just good fun, he even managed to sell 3 pages (signed & dedicated) of his next book for £425 with proceeds going to Alzheimer’s which is also fantastic. Then just recently, I upgraded both my Macs to Leopard (oooh shiny!) as well as iLife and Office ‘08 respectively. Been meaning to do that for a while and it’s nice to finally get it done.

This weekend however I feel I’ll be doing naff all other than sleep and relax which it seems I’m better at now. Even Cat has noticed that I’m more relaxed and that, in my book, is a good sign.

So, here I sit after my first week (well 4 days) of my new job. I feel happy, refreshed still and well quite pleased with the situation I’m now in. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking at this all rose-tinted, I know things aren’t always going to be fantastic and there’ll be times when it’ll get tough but the change has been fantastic. I don’t feel in the wrong if I talk to a colleague about the weekends football or whatever. Finally I’m working somewhere where there is a bit of banter going on, actual team spirit! I’m still finding my feet in someways like with some bits of the software and the like as well as this contracting lark but on the whole it’s been a positive start.

Aside from that I ran my fastest mile the other day, clocking in at 9″44′ which I’m quite pleased with and thats because I’ve started running at work. Because of where I work there’s a good amount of area to go running in and that’s hopefully going to help me train up for this half-marathon I’ve got to do in June. Elsewhere I’ve been having fun gaming away on Assassins Creed and Burnout still and just generally feeling that bit more relaxed. I’m sure this’ll pass or fade away a little in time but to be honest I’ll be trying my hardest to make it last!

Well if there was a result that I was very happy in predicting then it was New York’s win over New England last night in the Superbowl. For the last couple weeks some of my friends who knew I had an interest in NFL had been asking me on my thoughts. So naturally I said chances are New England will win it but that I had a feeling New York, if they turned up on the night like they have been the last few games, could win. As the Superbowl came closer I was more confident in the prediction so much so I had a bet on that they’d win it. So to see that drive in the 4th Quarter, that pass from Eli Manning to David Tyree for a big gain and finally Plaxico Buress’s catch in the end-zone to give New York it’s most famous 17-14 victory.

It was the best game I’ve ever watched, regular or post-season, even surpassing the first Superbowl I watched between my Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks (well maybe not) but still it was a fantastic game. Unlike last year the two teams were evenly matched trading blow for blow. New York’s defence were massive last night giving up hardly anything and making Brady look surprisingly average. Eli showed that he could do what his brother did and in my opinion did it better. Last year Peyton and the Colts had it fairly easy against Chicago, Eli had to work hard and give it everything for this one. Don’t get wrong it takes a lot to win a Superbowl and Peyton should get all the plaudits I just think that now if anything people should break Eli away from his brothers shadow.

It was one hell of a game and one hell of a victory for New York. I’m sure it’ll be a lovely notch for New York over their Boston rivals and certainly add some spice when the BoSox visit Yankee Stadium during the baseball stadium. However whatever comes of Eli and his Giants next season, no-one can take away their perfect game against their nearly perfect opponents.

So there we go my time at my place of last employment is over. In some ways I’m sad to leave, I got to know quite a few people well and will miss their banter. However in a lot more ways I won’t miss it. I’m not going to spend to majority of this post bitching and whining and picking apart things. It’s behind me know, forgotten and forgiven and I’m looking forward to the new adventure which is my next post which starts Tuesday.

My last day was ok as far as days go, quiet but that’s not unusual for a Friday. Got some lovely e-mails wishing me good luck and that jazz and a small congregation was had at the pub for lunch. I did have a leaving meal which, since it was short notice was just four of us. It was lovely and good company as well as good food. The think that’ll made me chuckle a little and shouldn’t in many ways was the fact that the person brought in as my replacement left before I did!

Other than that yesterday was spent watching Westbury lose 2-1 in the dying minutes thanks to “el flappo” who is their goalkeeper. Both goals were conceded when in my opinion he came for the ball and missed. I don’t know whether its a lack of confidence on his part in himself or his defence or he plain just can’t make the right decision on balls put into the box. Either way it cost Westbury a win and sometimes it’s harder to take. If it was two corkers from 25yrds that no goalkeeper could save you can live with that. However, when both goals come from errors it makes the pill hard to swallow. However I didn’t go away too down hearted thanks to a linesman who whenever the ball was played forward seemed to constantly give the opposition offside.

To today then and that’ll be spent in Slough watching a hockey game that formed a present for my birthday last year. It’ll then be a quick drive back to meet a friend here at home to watch the Superbowl between the NY Giants and the NE Patriots. The Pats are odds on favourites simply because they’ve won every game however, for sheer fun of it I’m putting a punt on the Giants.. you never know! Thankfully I have tomorrow off and then it’ll be “back to school” so to speak in my new job. See you on the flipside!