Wednesday 27 February 2008

Earthquake

There is a magnitude 5 earthquake in the UK once every twenty years. The last was in 1984 in Cardiff. The area around Norfolk isn't great for transmitting earthquake waves as they are too soft. So, when a largish earthquake shakes all the houses in Norwich, it is the main topic on the local news and all the kids were taking about it, I was asleep and didn't stir. I am thinking of linking a seismograph to my alarm clock so if it happens again then it will wake me up for the next one. Or move to Japan.

Monday 25 February 2008

Sometimes I say something a bit risque in the attempt of humour. This seems to offend them and when I contact them I am ignored. Either that or I am a bit senstive to what I say and they are really busy. Hope it is the latter. You think that I would learn.

Saturday 16 February 2008

It has been mooted that all the Premier League Football teams play an extra game abroad each year. I have no issues with this although why people in Dubai might come to see Bolton versus Blackburn when it does not sell out in either Blackburn or Bolton is beyond me. The surprising fact is that all the fuss is about the location of the games not playing an extra game. Since the first pro league in 1888 you play everyone else twice. By adding an extra game you play one team three times which is patently unfair and will benefit one team and could be crucial in deciding who wins.

Wednesday 13 February 2008

Sunday 10 February 2008

On Wednesday one of the small screw holding the lens in my glasses come out and I can't wear them. With the fieldtrip and tournament I have not been able to get them fixed. I can only wear contacts for about 10 hours before they get sticky amd hurt so in the evenings I have to wear my sunglasses as I gave my old glasses to a charity. This is fine if a bit wierd but it also makes you feel really tired. Last night I went up to bed and was about to get in whem I noticed it was 8.25, it just felt a lot later.

Friday 8 February 2008

Korfball Tournaments

I love korfball but dislike the UEA tournaments. You spend a lot of time sitting around in between matches. The constant warming up and cooling down means you ache the next day. For a national tournament I seem to end playing lots of teams from Norwich and Cambridge who we play regularly anyway. There is nowhere to sit and watch easily. I never play well at UEA where the courts are very short and shots are hard to gauge. A lot of the student teasm are really driven while I play for enjoyment and I will miss the rugby. I still volunteered to play - not sure why.

Field Trips

So it was the time of year were I went back to Kingswood with my Yr10's and revisited my old stomping ground. I love taking people on trips and helping them improve their understanding of the world around them. I love the atmosphere that is generated in the centre, a form of almost constant excitement with lots of children from different places all experiencing something new. You form a bond with the students who are there littered with in jokes and common experiences that makes it easy when you return to the classroom. I know that pay was rubbish, the food awful, the hours unsocialable, hassles endless and accomodation unsaniatry but the job satifaction was huge and I kind of miss it. Standing on Overstrand beach on a cloudless blue sky with a chill wind form the NW with the waves swashing up the beach whilst throwing oranges into the surf is just great. It was odd as I saw someone who was at the same level as I was in 2001 who is now at head office as operations maanger and it makes you wonder what might have happened if I had stayed. The whole trip ran smoothly except for the bus driver getting in a pissing competion with an Audi and the fact I got blisters from abseiling.

Monday 4 February 2008

Stupidity

It is rare that I feel stupid but when I do it is usually to do with cars. There was the time that on a run to pick up some kids to go to summer camp I ran out of diesel having done 50 miles around Wolverhampton thinking there must be a petrol station soon (it was 25 miles each way. As it was a diesel it was particularly stupid as it meant repressurising the engine. I should have just stopped and rang the AA for a top up and directions. There is the blank looks I give to various engineers as they try and explain why fixing my car will be quite so expensive but today I surpassed myself by locking my keys in my car. I stopped as there was a strange sound coming from the car and as I stepped out I must have flicked the door lock switch so when the door shut it locked the keys in the ignition. Watching the process of opening the door is interesting whilst seeing someone be able to get into your locked car in about three minutes is vaguely disturbing. I wonder how long it would take him to get it started and drive off. The feeling of stupidity in ringing up and sheepishly admitting to having locked your keys in your car doesn't pass quickly

Saturday 2 February 2008

Rugby

1. I hate it when England lose
2. I hate it when England lose to Wales
3. I hate it when England lose to Wales having dominated the first half
4. I hate it when England throw wway winning positiion thorugh bad play
5. I hate it when the Jonathan "The Whinger" Davies claims that it was Wales plan to be crap and let England get a big lead and then then England would make lots of mistakes and give Wales points
6. I hate it when the commentators ignore the fact that England had 4 major injuries in the match

The back row and its link to the half backs is the key to a game and if you suffer injuries to more than one player in that area it really shows. Moody and Rees being injured stop Enlgand attacking effectively, stopped England turning over Wales ball or at least slowing it down and took away Englands control of the game. Make no mistake England lost this game it was not a case of Wales winning and Jonathan Davies would do weel to be cautious about future progress. Bring on next week.