I Like What I Write

2010-08-12T11:45:00.002+01:00

I get the keys to my new house this evening and the anticipation is killing me.

I'm currently sat in the office, at work, trying to forget all about the manic couple of days I have ahead of me.

We have known about the move for some time now and so, in accordance with the girlfriends' wishes, we started packing about 3 weeks ago. This has meant that we have lived our lives dodging boxes all around our current abode.

Luckily we both have the day off work tomorrow in order to get as much of the move done as possible. We have a van hired, including 2 young lads, the new fridge freezer arriving and what feels like an unlimited amount of offers to help from many friends and family members.

It shouldn't be a difficult move but I can guarantee that it will probably be stressful. Starting with the stress of trying to get from work to the lettings agent in the space of about 30 seconds later on this afternoon. If I get there on time it will be a minor miracle but a worthwhile exercise I'm sure.

I'll let you all know whether I succeed in my quest and may even put some photos of the house up for you all to see.

If you're lucky!

Feeling Like A Child

2010-08-11T15:27:00.002+01:00

I asked my Dad for money earlier. This isn't a regular occurrence but then again it's not like I've never asked him. Because of the house move, Dad has already paid for a brand new fridge freezer from John Lewis for us and will be taking me to the upcoming Cobblers game away at bury in 2 weeks time. I will be paying him back for the fridge, he offered to be my credit card after I told him we were applying to get a credit card from our bank account people.

Dad has always said yes in the past, when he has been able to, and no when he has not.

Maybe it's the way I asked him. I didn't exactly talk to him. I text him. This was probably a bad idea.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Annoying the parents isn't

HotelEnders

2010-08-09T11:41:00.002+01:00

The following was written by me for the Cobblers fanzine, HotelEnders. I'm quite proud of it so thought I would post it up on here for you all to see.

For those Cobblers fans that are interested, the first HotelEnders of the season is out on Saturday at the Accrington game and is "still only a pound!"

Well that was a bit shit.

England succeeded in doing what they do best by playing really badly and then getting hammered in the 2nd round of the World Cup. Andy Murray is Scottish once more after failing to win Wimbledon and I haven’t seen the sun since I flew back into Liverpool airport on the 19th of June from Majorca.

On a brighter note, my second team (Warrington Wolves) sit 2nd in the Super League table and are in the semi final of the Challenge Cup tomorrow. I hope by the time you read this we will be pencilled in as opponents to Leeds Rhinos at Wembley on August 28th.

For the last two years I have been, like most Cobblers fans, been very nervous about the start of the football season. Everyone acts like we are a big fish in a small pond, the Chelsea of Division 3 (or 4!) and we should be right up there come the business end of the season. Well how wrong were we?!

Last year was probably the first time I really spotted a momentum in the Cobblers side. A downward momentum. After being relegated the previous May, Stuart Gray’s side still looked down and out come that first game against Macclesfield. I had placed a bet with a mate I went to Uni with that we would beat his Silkmen side 3 or 4 goals to 1! Even when in attendance of my first game of the season, a 3-0 win away at Accrington, I was still aware of the negativity around the players and fans alike.

We all know that after we got rid of that nice man, Stuart Gray, the losses turned into draws and the draws turned into wins but it still wasn’t enough for that much wanted Play-Off spot. In truth, we didn’t deserve to reach the play-offs. Plan B was still sat in his recording studio writing the album he once promised his fans he would never write, a hit. We only had one way of playing and as someone else has written before, if the opposition sat a holding midfielder in front of their defence with the main aim of stopping the ball reaching Plan A, our attacking threat was null and void.

Luckily, Bayo buggered off in the middle of May to try and find the love of his life closer to London. Don’t know why he thought that would happen, I had to move 160 miles North West of Raunds to find mine.

So with some new signings on board, some deciding it would be better to buy a retirement home in Southend than wear the Claret and White, a fresh optimism for the new season was in the air.

Surprisingly, I have managed to see one pre-season Cobblers game this year, the last friendly against those Blues from Birmingham. I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting much from either side. Birmingham had played a friendly only the day before and played a pretty decent side, including the likes of new recruit Ben Foster and Barry Ferguson. They had beaten a strong Derby side 2-1 so all I was expecting to see were kids. For the Cobblers I thought it would be fairly routine, with all members of the squad getting some form of run out in a 7-0 battering or boring 0-0 draw. Luckily my expectations were cut to shreds.

Birmingham played the now not so famous Kevin Phillips, Cameron Jerome and James McFadden in a fabulous 2-2 draw that had my tongue wagging. The

partnership that was building between Billy McKay and Bayo’s apparent replacement Tadhg Purcell, Thornton looked like he had slimmed down to a 36 inch waist and Marcus Hall was commanding and very talkative.

There were some negatives I thought. When the Cobblers changed to a 4-3-2-1 formation with Steve Guinan up front on his own, the beautiful passing football disappeared. Franz Beckenbauer would have hated watching the next 15 minutes or so as I began to watch that favoured English tactic of “kick and rush” unfold below me. I will admit that Sammo did change it by bringing on a pacey Courtney Herbert and telling Liam Davis to get out on the flank and do some running, but not before we were 2-1 down.

Another, more worrying thing for me was just how slow Dean Beckwith looked. Maybe it’s because he was stood next to the ageing Craig Hinton all last season, but I thought that, at 26, Deano had a bit of pace about him.

I don’t to be too critical. I’m sure that Sammo is doing a better job than I could ever do (*cough* decent Football Manager CV *cough*) and the game did make me really start to get that start of the season expectation and nervy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

That feeling disappeared today and was replaced with something much more familiar and somewhat comforting. The feeling of doom and gloom.

I didn’t go to Torquay. Don’t tell Hong Kong Cobbler but the English Riviera is just too far from Warrington. Plus, I’m moving house this week and did I mention tomorrow’s semi final? My Dad did go though (text), as did Jefferson Lake (twitter) and the boys from BBC Radio Northampton (Cobblers Player). In retrospect I’m quite glad that all these people went for me. A 3-0 defeat against a team including Guy Branston is enough to make anyone take the rubbish to the tip.

By all accounts, Town started with pretty much the same team that finished last season’s campaign against Bury. Maybe I should have written this article earlier and posted it to Sammo. Why didn’t Purcell play up front with McKay? Why didn’t we pass the ball as if we had 11 Lionel Messi’s on the pitch? Why didn’t Rodgers get left behind in Towcester services?

Sammo has come out and said, to his credit, that he got it wrong. I respect that. No other manager has said that in the last 5 years and then had the balls to actually change the starting 11 for the next match. I believe Sammo will. Jacobs should probably start, or at least be brought on earlier. Purcell and McKay will work well together and maybe Liam Davis won’t have a hissy fit in full view of the lip reading specialist Geoff Doyle? (Is there any end to the BBC Cobblers Head of Sport’s talents?)

So roll on Brighton and today’s game (as you read this) against Accrington Stanley. I won’t be there/here as I will be too busy moving boxes from one side of Warrington to the other but I’m hoping for a 4-0 win.

Up The Cobblers!

Same Old Same Old

2010-08-09T11:21:00.003+01:00

The new season started on Saturday with high expectations, as usual, that the mighty Cobblers would do well. That feeling didn't last very long let me tell you.

After 75 minutes we were 3-0 down and my only consolation as I turned off the radio was that I hadn't made the 4 and a half hour journey from Warrington to Torquay and back again.

The thing that makes it worse for me is that Torquay holds one of my fondest Cobblers memories. Ten years ago, we spent a lovely day down on the English Riviera and watched with complete joy as first Steve Howard and then Jamie Forrester fired the Town back into Division 2 at the first attempt.

Back then, Plainmoor only had 3 sides, 1 of which was made of cardboard. At the final whistle, the travelling army of fans tore onto the pitch from all directions and sang for about an hour as we waited for our heroes to come out and join the celebrations before then hopping back on the coach to Sixfields.

These scenes were never going to be repeated on Saturday, mainly due to it being the first day of the season instead of the last, but also because the Cobblers haven't won at Torquay since that day. I just hope that we won't be playing Torquay again next season.

Hmmmm... Work

2010-04-09T13:36:00.001+01:00

Work can be one of those places that never seems to change. You can be willing the paint on the wall to go purple or the ceiling to evolve from its usual shade of beige but still, the next day, the whole place remains dull and boring. I'm aware that my blogging hasn't been kept up to date recently and I have an amazing amount of mind whirring things to say. Which is why, when I should be working, I am writing this instead. To be honest, I'd rather be cleaning up my fairly untidy flat right now than be sat at my desk in the office. Anything to get away.

Good news though.

I have applied for a new job and have been successful in getting to the point of having an interview. I'm happy with this, as I should be. The only bad thing is the place in which this new job is set… Preston.

I have nothing against Preston. Its just that its 35 miles north on the M6. A motorway so inept that 9 times out of 10 a badger can crawl along the hard shoulder quicker than Lewis Hamilton's F1 MacLaren can "speed" it along in the fast lane. I will be very happy if I get the job, don’t get me wrong, but I'm not looking forward to the getting out of bed early, traffic jams and speed cameras.

As always, I shall let you know how I get on.

I'm Not Dead

2010-03-31T18:04:00.001+01:00

A very quick post to declare that I am still alive and have many things to blog about but very little time to do it. I promise a catch up blog is on its way.

For now though, lets all celebrate life.

Woo!

The Science of Man Flu

2010-03-13T10:55:00.002Z

Every man in the world will at some point during the year experience the powerful force of man-flu. This is something that I seem to have contracted myself in the last couple of days. It's a horrible disease that I tend to get around the changing of the seasons, a change in the atmosphere is one possible explanation according to some scientists. I won't name them, mainly because I just made that fact up.

One thing I have noticed this time around though, is that the man-flu bug is lying heavily on my chest. Another good result of quitting smoking I think. It's amazing how I have managed to turn around the nastiness of man-flu and create a positive from it. The last time I had a cold, I felt like there was no way i would be able to get out of bed in the morning. Once I was up and about, my chest would feel tighter than a lady's g-string and would leave me coughing and spluttering throughout the day. Now, I find that the devil is only inhabiting my nasal cavity and is unable to spread his nasty ways down to my chest.

I was going to write this yesterday, but when I arrived home from work, I found myself unable to do anything other than lie down on the sofa and watch tv. This is how I was able to diagnose myself with the dreaded man-flu. I find it funny how, as soon as I declare the fact that I am unwell, my girlfriend runs a mile. I'm sure she loves me dearly but as soon as she knows I'm ill she keeps 200 yards between us. Yesterday, she spent the evening tidying the bedroom from top to bottom, even clearing out the two wardrobes. This is not something she would normally do, believe me. I'm sure the last time that she felt ill I turned into the most kind, giving, sharing boyfriend in the world, but for her it just doesn't want to happen.

I'm looking forward to feeling better, hopefully by the time the weekend is out. One bad thing about this whole man-flu business is that I shall be unable to participate in a good swim for the time being. It did mean however, that last night I was bought a rather delicious pizza. Mmmm...

2010-03-11T22:15:00.002Z

I think it's about time I wrote something serious about myself. At the start of the year I set myself a goal, not a resolution but a goal. That goal was to quit smoking. That was it, just the one, no more. To be honest, I thought that would be difficult enough and didn't even think that I would be three months in and already over the whole smoking thing and working on other goals.

It was definitely a surprise how easy it was to just give up the fags like that so I think, a month later, I just set myself another goal out of boredom and sheer excitement. This second goal was a lot easier than the first. I was addicted to the nicotine I had inhaled for several years so if I could give up that I could give up fast food for a month. On paper: easy. In reality: not so easy, but I got there. Thirty days later I had reached my target and once more set myself a new challenge.

I think I maybe got a little bit ahead of myself this time. After two relatively easy challenges (retrospectively, of course), I set myself the now seemingly impossible target of losing weight. In order to try and achieve March's goal I have started swimming again. I have now been four times in a week and have notched up about three miles. Pretty good going you'd think. Not for my aim though.

Tonight, I had my fourth trip to the pool. I had been looking forward to it all day. It seems I feel a lot happier now I have something to look forward to each day, especially when it comes with the added bonus of getting fitter. I even managed to get out of work two hours early so I thought that today would be a good day. Wrong. Because of the extra time I had, I didn't know what to do with myself and so, as always I did something that is going to hinder March's goal. I ate. To be honest, I didn't just eat any old rubbish, but the thing to remember is that I didn't need to eat. I wasn't hungry. Then, about 2 hours later, I found myself in the pub eating tea with the girlfriend. In total, I think I have had about five meals today. Far, far too much.

I haven't been back from the pool long. I didn't get in as many lengths as I had wanted, nor planned to do tonight. The reason? I was too full. I had eaten too much. My body couldn't cope with the exercise because it hadn't finished digesting all the food I had eaten during the day. I swam half a mile tonight, half of what I had wanted to do. I didn't swim with any conviction either. I had to keep stopping all the time to catch my breath, let my body catch up. The swimming was making me feel sick. I had to stop and this has made me angry.

On the way home, I sat in the car thinking about what an idiot I had been this afternoon. I barely said two words to my passenger and must have looked as if I was sulking. It was at this moment that I realised the one thing that is the most important part of my third challenge. Until I start eating more healthily, I will fail. It doesn't matter how hard I try to exercise, if I don't cut out the extras in my diet I would make it under the 18 stone 2 pounds I weighed in at at the beginning of the month.

I'm not talking about doing anything special here. All I need to do is have three meals a day and no more. It's not rocket science but it is something I need to train myself to do. If I am to stand any chance of meeting my third challenge of 2010 I must eat better.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I realise that the above may not have been the easiest thing to read and for that I do apologise. It was something I had to get out of my system though and I hope you can understand that. I am still going to go swimming as often as possible, I enjoy it too much to quit now. The difference is in my mind-set. I hope that this splurge I call my blog will help me to succeed and has helped me to finally realise my greatest downfall.

Quality Over Quantity

2010-03-10T15:49:00.003Z

I'm one of those people that likes being liked. I have always hated being disliked by anyone. Maybe that's why I have always been quite sensitive, sometimes too sensitive. At school I had a good group of people that I was able to call my friends and the same thing happened at college and then at university. Even now, at my current place of work, I have people who I would consider as friends. This is where it all gets a little confusing though. You see, these friends I have at work, they aren't the same type of friends I have had before; the type where we all meet up at the pub and have a smashingly good time; or the type who will go on mysterious adventures together. No, these are the types of friends I work with and do very little else other than work with. In the time I have been in my current job role, I have had one night out with my work friends and I have been there for almost a year now.

To be honest, this post isn't about my work friends at all. I know they like me to some extent and enjoy my company. My point is actually about a different sort of friend altogether. In fact, the type of friend I am referring to I may not even be allowed to use the word friend to describe.

I am talking about internet friends. For years I have used message boards and the two that I most often use are connected to my football team. When I first started using The Hotel End, I knew no one. Then, as I gradually became more involved in posting on it, I began to be recognised, not just on the internet but at the football matches as well. I would now say I know at least half of the population of both The Hotel End and the board I now help to moderate: Sixfields Boys. These people I hold as friends in their own right. I have met, as I say, about half of the membership and speak with some on a day to day basis.

I recently joined a brand new forum, one that had only opened 2 days before I joined. The forum is for well known TV comic Mark Watson. One of the things he is currently running is called his Ten Year Self-Improvement Challenge where he hopes to become a more positive person over the course of the next decade. Many of Mark's fans have followed suit and declared that they too will be running a TYSIC and blog to go with it. People are challenging themselves to do many things but the one that relates to this post is "to be better, socially."

Back in the 90's when I joined my first message board it was quite uncool to use the internet for such things and you were immediately classed as a geek if anyone caught you. Now, it is a much more accessible thing (the internet) and not so frowned upon to use a message board. Many people however, still find it easier to make friends on the net than in real social situations. There is nothing wrong with this whatsoever, let me point out. In fact, I think its a good thing. The first board I ever posted on I made loads of friends. Friends that I actually met up with to go to gigs with and as I already said, the two football boards are full of people I have consequently met and become friends with.

The point to my post is that the tides have turned and I am now struggling to make new friends on the internet. Maybe its the fast paced nature of it now. I looked the other day and one of the posters to the Mark Watson board had been online all day and the majority of the night. Some members have already made upwards of almost 1,000 posts. I can't keep up with them. The first day I posted, I managed a paltry 39 posts and to date I have made 78 posts in 7 days. I wanted to be apart of something new and exciting but now find I am lagging behind.

Perhaps in many ways I am being too negative. You don't have to be the top poster on a message board to make friends. Maybe just posting an average amount but all with some meaning and thought will be enough. This is what I am trying to do with my life at the moment. After all, its about quality, not quantity.

The Message Boards

The Hotel End

Sixfields Boys

Mark Watson Fans

Finding Nemo

2010-03-09T20:49:00.002Z

I have visited the leisure centre twice now and I am starting to get into it. Well, I say starting.

My first visit, last week, was more of a scouting mission really. I didn't want to end up going somewhere that was falling apart and full of tramps* now did I? I went with the girlfriend who, luckily, also enjoyed the swim. We spent just under an hour in the pool before getting out, rubbing the chlorine from our eyes and collecting all manner of paraphernalia regarding the centre and it's owners.

The second visit was different.

We got to the pool just after 9:15 yesterday evening and I was in no mood for playing about. Straight into it I went. 100 metres (4 lengths) at a time. I meant business and quickly set myself a target of 32 lengths, which equates to half a mile. Now, back when I was young and a very regular swimmer, I could swim half a mile in about 20 minutes. I'm not boasting, I just could. Last night it took me half an hour. Only 10 minutes slower, but slower all the same, mainly through stopping to chill for 30 seconds between 100m sets. By 10 o'clock I had managed a good 3 quarters of a mile plus 2 lengths. I didn't want to leave on 48 now did I?

So I'm sold. Swimming is going to be my way back. I'm going to try and get to the pool at least every other day for at least an hour. Judging by last nights display I will be able to get quite a comfortable mile under my belt in an hour. That being said, I'm going to need some equipment to help me train.

I've already ordered myself and Nic some new goggles and they should arrive, direct from Swim Shop UK, tomorrow. I'm also going to need a kick board and pullbouy, plus a drinks bottle.

Now that's starting to sound like I mean it!

*By tramps I mean the homeless, using the pool as a personal shower, ew!

I know Kung Fu

2010-03-04T18:46:00.003Z

It's March. Woo! Another month down in 2010. Only 10 more to go.

February's challenge don't forget was to go the month without fast food/take-away. I'm proud to announce that I succeeded. I'm less proud to announce that last night, only 3 days into the month of March, I succumbed to the one thing I have lived without for 30 days;

I wouldn't mind but it didn't even taste nice. Then again, it may have just been the guilt. I admit it. The moment that greasy burger touched my lips, the guilt flooded my conscious. It was as though all the hard work had been wasted. Fear not though, for as long as I now don't have another for at least a week or two I shall be fine.

So what of this month's challenge? What is it going to be? Well, I've decided that I'm gonna step my game up. Pounds are the aim. Not Sterling, but weight. I'm not going to set myself a target, just an aim. I currently weigh 18st 5lbs. By the end of March I want to be less than this. Preferably quite considerably less.

It's gonna mean a lot of hard work but I'm well up for it as they say. I have now been a non-smoker for over 60 days and I have gone for 30 days without fast food. Both of those previous challenges were tough but I succeeded in both. That's how I know I can do this.

Again, I found myself asking you to wish me luck!

Working At Home

2010-02-23T23:07:00.003Z

Today, I have had to do something I have never done before: work from home.

Now being a call centre agent, this isn't something I ever thought would happen, but it seems that the more well known you get by the toffs at the top, the more work you are given to do and the less time you have to do it.

So tomorrow I am playing at teacher and I'm going to be telling everyone how to use one of our wonderful systems. I won't bore you with the details, all you really need to know is that it is a very simple system and will take Average Joe about 20 minutes to learn how to use. I have a 3 hour training session with 4 people! That's it! FOUR people! How the hell am I gonna fill that amount of time teaching one easy peasy system?!

Well, that's why I have been doing some work from home today. I have been filling those 3 hours. I think I have anyway! Never sure to be honest. The hardest thing is that I don't have anywhere to do this training as yet. Its gonna be a game of pass the parcel tomorrow morning when I get it as I think we are going to have to be moving from room to room as and when one becomes available.

Being honest, I have just used writing this as an excuse to pause my working for 15 minutes and do something I enjoy. Looks like that has now come to an end and so I must get back to my work and get it sorted. Wish me luck!

Important Announcement

2010-02-23T20:00:00.003Z

My radio show is moving.

As of now I shall be on Radio Warrington on Wednesday nights rather than Mondays.

The show will include all your old favourites and new material and will start at 8 o'clock.

The announcement comes after 2 weeks without a show while I have had to commit to my full time job and miss out on my greatest hobby, radio and entertaining the Warrington community and nation on www.radiowarrington.co.uk

So don't miss the first show on Wednesday 3rd March at 8pm!

2010-02-23T19:47:00.002Z

A lot has happened since my last post.

My weekend was pretty full with sporting events on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday my Dad came up to see me and we went to Crewe to see the Cobblers throw away a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2. A travesty in my book. We were a goal up and looked very comfortable. My sister also came up, she drove on a motorway for the first time so well done to her! She spent the day with Nix and they went shopping in Warrington before going back to the flat to watch films on Sky and eat cookies they had bought themselves.

When I arrived back home from Crewe it was time for Warrington versus Wigan in Super League, live on the telebox. I won't talk too much about the game because Wire lost a proud record at the Halliwell Jones that had seen Wigan go home empty handed on every visit since the ground opened in 2004. The game was fantastic though and although its a sporting cliche, it was a great advert for rugby league.

On Sunday, me and Nix had a bit of a road trip to Coventry. The last time we went to the ice hockey, I promised my friend Tim that we would get to a home game before the end of the season. Nix also wanted to go to a game at the Skydome, which in my book is the best arena in the country. In terms of a result, it was much more favourable; Blaze ran out 5-4 winners in overtime. We then travelled back up to Warrington late in the evening, taking a massive detour around Stafford and Stoke as the M6 was shut between the two towns.

Getting in after 12 on Sunday night lead to a very tired Chuckie and Nicola the next day at our prospective work places and when we both arrived home on Monday night, we practically fell in the front door, straight into bed.

In other news, I have applied for a new job. I don't want to say too much just yet in case I jinx it. Wish me luck anyway and I'll let you know what happens with it as soon as I can.

She Has The Loudest Mouth... Official

2010-02-16T09:45:00.002Z

I feel like I have only just recovered from the madness of our weekend away in Castleford. It was fabulous. I had a great meal with the directors of the two clubs, lots of sponsors and some riff raff (from Cas, not Warrington) followed by a great game of rugby I was certain the Wire were going to lose by half time. But the boys stood tall and managed a fairly comfortable win in the end 28 points to 16.

All throughout the game, we sat in the posh seats. They were made of wood and hadn't been painted since 1923 and gave a rather sore/numb feeling to your exterior by the end of 80 minutes gameplay. This meant that we were surrounded by Cas fans. Its been a long time since I went to a game and sat in with a whole bunch of opposition supporters, so at first found it a little strange. My girlfriend on the other hand, didn't flinch. Within 30 seconds of the teams emerging from the tunnel, she was on her feet shouting as loud as possible:

"COME ON WIRE!"

"RILEY, I LOVE YOU!" and,

"WIRES! WIRES!"

It just set the occasion and the mood perfectly. Well, that was it. We were all screaming and shouting, cheering on the boys until the end.

It turns out that if you watch the BBC's Super League Show on the iPlayer (here), you can even hear my Mrs in the background!

And so, after a lot a beer and a lot of oggling from the girls in our group at the players that came into the lounge for a post match feed, we headed off back to our hotel and for a night out inside Cas' Xscape. Not a great deal can be said about the night as one too many tequilas has left me with only minor memories and I would like to keep those stored up nice and safe for a rainy day I think.

So for now, I'll just leave you with this picture.

Lovely

2010-02-12T20:32:00.002Z

Sorry no posts for a few days. Been very busy.

Going out in Castleford tomorrow after watching the big Warrington game. I'm very glad the rugby league season has started again. I have dearly missed it.

Went out today looking for an outfit to wear tomorrow. I sound like a woman, I know. We are watching the game in hospitality though, which is good but means we can't wear any colours and must be smart. That's why I have gone out looking for an 'outfit'. It was a nice day. I walked, didn't take my car and enjoyed the fresh air. I have made a mental note to do that more often.

Here's to a lovely day tomorrow after a lovely day today.

Too Early

2010-02-09T21:18:00.002Z

Just a quick one tonight...

The Cobblers are currently winning 4-0 at home to Accrington Stanley and as Sky Sports's live league table suggests we are currently 8th in the League 2 table and 3 points off the play offs. Win on Friday night and we are right back in it.

Ian Samspon also won the manager of the month award for January and has so far put the curse to bed by winning our first 2 games in February.

You could say that I am a very happy boy right now.

Graphic Happiness

2010-02-06T23:48:00.004Z

The Computer is back and I have a very happy girlfriend.

It had to go away for some repair work as one of the fans decided it didn't want to work for only 5p a year and committed suicide by melting itself all over the graphics card. Without this working graphics card, my girlfriend has been unable to play on her beloved Sims game that she bought herself about 6 months ago. For the entirety of those 6 months, I have had a very annoyed and upset girl on my hands.

So I thank her Dad for fixing the thing and bringing some happiness back into her life and allowing her to spend even more time ignoring me.

Finally, some peace and quiet.

A New Experience

2010-02-06T23:22:00.002Z

I may have mentioned a rather long meeting that was had at Radio Warrington last Monday night. Well it may have been long, but it was also rewarding.

On Thursday afternoon I received a text from Radio Warrington's Head of Sport, Kevin Farrell, inviting me to be a part of the Saturday Sports show. The show, which is broadcast live from Warrington Town FC's home ground of Cantilever Park, includes live updates from that days Unibond North fixture. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance of having a go at a bit of commentary. I knew that I wasn't going to be the new John Motson overnight, but you never know... I might turn out to be good.

Luckily, I think I did alright. The match was an exciting one, with Warrington hanging on at the end to claim a 2-1 win against lowly Ossett Albion from deepest Yorkshire. I even managed a bit of live commentary as Warrington went agonisingly close to scoring from a peach of a cross from my Man of the Match, Jimmy McCarthy.

All in all it was a great afternoon and although I did read out an incorrect full time Premier League game scoreline of Tottenham nil, Aston Villa nil at 5:15 (15 minutes before the match kicked off!), I now feel slightly annoyed that I didn't put a bet on it as I seem to have managed to predict the scoreline wonderfully!

I certainly hope to do it again very soon. You can catch me next on Radio Warrington on Monday night at 6pm. If you want to contribute, visit the Facebook group and post a message.

Scott Carson Really Is A *******

2010-02-04T14:43:00.003Z

Last night's football match was brilliant. In fact it was more akin to a game of NBA basketball. Every attack ended in an opportunity for a goal to be scored for both sides. The balance of play swung from one team to the other and produced an excellent value for money return.

5 goals, a dodgy penalty decision and a clearly blind linesman giving a goal that was scored by Roman Bednar who was about 10 foot offside when the ball was played to him.

Everything about the match was entertaining, even if the result went the wrong way, however, the most entertaining aspect of the whole thing was seeing Scott Carson for the first time since that dreadful night at Wembley Stadium. For those of you who don't remember, Scott Carson was playing in goal for England against a Croatia side who couldn't hit a barn door with a football. England had to win to stand a chance of being involved in the Euro 2008 finals. Scott Carson seemed to think that it would be a good idea to DROP THE BALL INTO HIS OWN NET! Yes, that Scott Carson was playing in goal last night for West Brom.

I can't really print some of the abuse he got from the Blackpool contingent behind his goal in the second half. The cleanest was a huge chant of "You'll never play for England!"

The reason for the title of this post is not really because of what he did to all of England's hopes and dreams of winning a major tournament for the first time since 1966. We all already knew he was a bit of twit. No, last night he confirmed to me that he is an absolute ******. At the final whistle of the Albion's 3-2 victory, Carson decided it would be a great idea to turn and face the crowd that had been berating him and jump up and down, punching the air and screaming "Get in there!" Or words to that effect anyway.

Now I appreciate the constant abuse he had been getting was probably worse than what he did, but he is a professional footballer and should be able to take it. He gets paid enough! If Carson had simply turned to the crowd and given a wink or applauded, I would have applauded him back for being a sport. What he did however, was stupid and could have resulted in something so much more. At the start of the season West Ham played Millwall in the League Cup and crowd trouble was rife. Does Scott Carson not realise that it only takes one idiot to start a brawl?

That is the reason that I have given this post the title that it has. I don't want to see violence in football. I was born into a generation that, hopefully, condems football hooliganism and doesn't want to see it back in the game. My message is simple really. Professional footballers have a responsibility to be role models and Scott Carson has failed to do that for me.

John Terry Has Nothing On Me!

2010-02-04T10:58:00.002Z

I have always loved football and always will. Unfortunatley I grew up in Northamptonshire and after much badgering to be taken to a proper football match, my Dad took me to watch Northampton Town. I was hooked. It was Division 3 football, but to my pre teen mind I might as well have been watching England against Brazil! The Cobblers won that day and I was hooked to them. They are the love of my life and just like with any relationship, there are highs and lows.

One of the great cardinal sins in any relationship has to surely be cheating. Lately, cheating has been in the news a lot lately. What with England Captain John Terry, allegedly, deciding to shack up with Wayne Bridge's ex-wife while Mrs Terry stole some more tea bags from Tesco (obviously this didn't happen and I am simply joking). Well, since I went to university I have watched more teams play, and not against my beloved Cobblers. I have seen Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League, Wigan against Hull City in the Premiership to name just two games. But one team I have seen more than any other. Blackpool FC.

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing my good friend Jonny and paying a visit to Broomfield Road for Blackpool's Championship fixture against West Brom. This was my second visit there this season. I have only seen Northampton 4 times since August! In a way i feel as though I have been cheating on The Cobblers by watching, and supporting I must add, The Tangerines. Over the years, i have seen Blackpool play, both at home and away, about 10 times. Now, I know for a fact that I have been to at least 4 Cobblers' games for every one of those Blackpool matches but I am worried.

Blackpool have managed to creep into my heart. In essence, you could say, they have become my second team. I used to hate people that supported more than one team. Granted, the two teams would usually consist of one Premiership side that the person would never actually go and watch in a stadium, but nontheless, I despised them. I couldn't understand how someone could have a split alleigence. Now, I am finding that I have become one of the despised.

Am I cheating? Is it wrong? Does anyone really care?

I don't know the answer to any of those questions. A few years ago I went to Blackpool against Northampton in League 1. It was our last away game of the season and we were all in a party mood. I travelled with my Dad and other Cobblers fans on the coach, watched the match in the away "end" of Broomfield Road and saw the Cobblers get torn apart 4-1 by a Blackpool side that, a few weeks later, were promoted after winning the Play-Off Final at Wembley. I remember being annoyed by the result. i had wanted to see my team win. But I also remember thinking about how good Blackpool were as a side and that I was pleased for them.

I guess I will have to wait until the two sides meet again to re-examine the answers to those questions. Sadly, I think I may be waiting a long time.

2010-02-02T21:55:00.002Z

I haven't really gotten used to this whole blog thing just yet. So I decided I would have a look at some other blogs that are floating around the internet, just for some experience, if you like.

Using the Next Blog button, that I'm pretty sure you can all see at the top of this page right now, I began to scroll through the random thoughts and posts of strangers from all around the world.

I soon realised that in the majority, I am not interested in any post or site that is written by:

Location: United States
About Me: I like Jesus, he likes me. I love my family and here is a blog all about that

I am not bashing all American, Christians here understand. I am simply saying that I'm not interested and that isn't a bad thing. There are however, some very good blogs out there. Firstly I would like to point you in the direction of Faptoid, a blog written by a group of friends I knew from uni who are very good. They mostly post reviews and thoughts on current games, films and the like. Next, a blog that I have found and only find amazing because this person seems to have gone on holiday to Wicksteed Park in Kettering, Northants. Now I grew up near there and Wickey Park, as we called it, was not a choice holiday destination. Even Billing Aquadrome was more appealing... and that flooded every year! So a big mention for Hieronymous Anonymous who, on her 3rd November 2009 post has even added pictures of her wonderful holiday in East Northants. Wonderful work! Finally, a little mention for Secret Spineless Whine, a collection of whining drivel that is just amazingly funny. Try it, I'm sure you will like it.

Nb. If you are a owner/poster of any of the above mentioned blogs, as payment for the above advertising I will take Pound(£) Sterling only. Oh, or a night down the pub on you, Rob!

Every Little Helps

2010-02-02T21:40:00.004Z

You will be glad to know that I did manage to full-fill my wish of having tea before 8 o'clock tonight. I didn't eat it with the Mrs as she has disappeared off to her piano lesson which means her tea is sat on the kitchen work top... very cold.

As I said in my last post, I went to Tesco straight from work to get the veg and cheese needed to complete my meal. Anyway, I can't be in the supermarket without checking out the DVD section, hunting for bargains. And guess what? I found 3 classic Herbie movies for £3 each!! Amazing! I love that bug, and with 3 of the originals in hand, I now only need Monte Carlo to complete the collection. At this point, I would like to point out that the 'new' one with Lindsey (lezza) Lohan does not count as a classic and will never adorn my DVD shelf!

As I type, I am watching The Love Bug and loving every second. If you haven't seen Herbie since you were 5... buy one of them and relive your childhood.

Stress

2010-02-02T17:57:00.002Z

At the moment I'm sat in work feeling a little tired, slightly hungry and very bored. It doesn't seem like its been a very busy day. Having said that, I think I have been asked to do more things by other colleagues/managers today than I have since I started here.

Last night I had my radio show. Firstly I think I need to apologise for the fact that i was late. Working until the first half hour of your show has passed by can be very frustrating. When i did get into the studio, I found that the previous presenter, a great chap called John, had left the third fader on the desk down. This meant that every third song that the computer played, nobody heard! Love it. Wouldn't happen on the BBC, but then thats what makes community radio so great if you ask me. Mistakes can be made, communities can be informed and locals will laugh, mainly at us!

So after all that kerfuffle I didn't really settle down until 7pm which was of course half way through the show. Oh well. After the show i popped down to the bar (yes we have a bar downstairs!) for the monthly meeting. I was still there just after 10pm!!

So off home I go, popping to Tesco on the way to pick up some stuff and finally I had my tea at 11pm!!

Tonight I am planning on eating before 8. Here's hoping!

Landmarks

2010-02-02T10:31:00.004Z

I know that this is a day late but my home PC seems to dislike google at the moment and therefore dislike blogger.

Anyway, this is the post I wanted to write yesterday, 1st February 2010.

This day is full of landmarks; in 1952, the governement introduced the tv licence detection van to weed out all those students who didn't pay for their right to watch television; the Columbia Space Shuttle broke up on its way back to Earth in 2003; Lisa Marie Presley was born in 1968 and I, Charles Commins, celebrated 1 month of being a non-smoker!

I think you will agree that this is most certainly an occassion that should be deemed as a landmark. I'm very happy and please with myself and feel as though I can now accomplish anything. So much so that I have now decided to embark upon another, new, task.

This new task will be just as difficult and dangerous as the last, but will this time involve food. Or, more significantly, take away food.

If you know me, you will know that I am fairly easily led when it comes to the food I choose to eat. If you say you fancy a KFC, I will not hesitate to agree. If you want a trip to Pizza Hut, i will be there in a flash eating a Super Supreme and garlic bread with cheese. Couple all that with having a job where I sit at a desk all day and you get a fairly unhealthy, unfit Chuckie.

My plan is to say no to fast food of all varieties for the next month. I have pledged to cook a meal each evening, no matter how late I finish work, and take sandwiches with me for my lunch. McDonalds will lose my £4.99 and KFC will miss my £9.99. Tesco however, will start to reap the benefits of my £7 daily shop for fruit, veg and fresh bread.

So onwards to March I go. One foot in fron of the other, one step at a time. I know it will be hard but I look forward to that next landmark and the warm, fuzzy feeling it gives me inside.

It's Puzzling

2010-01-29T22:07:00.003Z

During yesterday's visit to Toys 'R' Us, the one thing that I really wanted to buy was a jigsaw puzzle. I used to really like puzzles when I was younger and stopped doing them when my ever so geeky Uncle started asking me a little too much about how many I had done. I soon fell into the bracket of teenager and found a thing called alcohol.

When I was at Uni, I came back into contact with a puzzle that one of my friends was completing. It was a monster of a jigsaw. 5,000 pieces and a picture made up of lots of different, smaller pictures. I hope you can understand what I mean. Anyway, I have always wanted that same puzzle to work on myself. The particular one was of Homer Simpson.

I've noticed that it is very easy to find and buy puzzles for children and puzzles for the old age pensioner. But it would seem that someone of my age (25 by the way) gets left out. I don't particularly relish the thought of puzzling together a Chaucer masterpiece entitled: "Flowers", and I would feel rather dyslexic and like a paedophile if I was to complete a 25 piece Hannah Montana/High School Musical jigsaw.

So where are all the awesome puzzles at? I have been scouring the internet for a good hour now and have still only managed to come up with a rather cool Star Wars jigsaw. Its only downside is that it is only 1,000 pieces and probably only an afternoon's work. Whereas, what I search and long for is a mammoth of a puzzle that could very well take me months to complete. Yet, having completed this one huge task, will fill me with all the pride and glory of England.

I'd love to find such a jigsaw puzzle. If you know where I can find one, please post a comment and let me know.

A Map in 2010 Just Won't Cut It

2010-01-29T18:12:00.003Z

Earlier this week I wrote an article about getting lost in my local park. Today, I am writing about my pure frustration at getting lost whilst in my car.

One of my great hates its not being in control of my own destiny. This includes not being in control of the transport device I am using. If I am sat on a train and that train is going to be late, I am extremely annoyed and want to know exactly why I shall be late. The same goes for all kinds of public transport, from buses to taxis, trains to planes and is why I hate travelling on all of them. Well, except planes, I love flying.

Hopefully that has now explained what i am about to tell you. Yesterday, I had a day off from work and so did my girlfriend. it was the first day off we had shared for a few weeks and decided we didn't want to waste it. So, having got out of bed at 11am and showered and dressed, we headed off out the door to the pub for some lunch. We took the car so I couldn't drink and truth be told, although I had mentioned walking, the Mrs was feeling lazy (ok, so was I).

After lunch we paid a little visit to Tesco and then to Toys 'R' Us to peruse some board games. This is where the fun begins. Our Toys 'R' Us isn't the biggest. Its not the smallest either, kind of a medium sized shack of a Toys 'R' Us that isn't really big enough for a town the size of Warrington. This got the Mrs thinking. There was no board game of interest for her and was a little disappointed. Now, a little over a year ago, we went hunting for an Xbox360 for myself. But, as it was near to Christmas, our local stores didn't have any. This included Toys. They did however say that they would hold one at the Altrincham store, about a 20 minute drive.

Result!

No!

We got lost!

Thats right, we never found that store and never got the Xbox (for a week!). My girlfriend remembered this event last night and thought it be good to go over to Altrincham, find the store and shop for our board game there. As if that was ever gonna be a good idea!

So we go, we get lost and I get annoyed! That's why, after years of saying no to myself, I am going to buy a Sat Nav. I'll probably never use the thing either!

Got Milk? (Cup)

2010-01-28T00:07:00.005Z

Well, what a night for the City of Manchester.

I have just sat down for a night of entertainment on my tele, beer in hand and what did I get? A night of full on English passion thrown into a football match.

Pleased with the result. If only so that I don't get abused by the United supporting girlfriend!

Now I just hope for a Man City, Chelsea FA Cup final with a win for Manchester in that one.

Only a short post tonight, but after the game a switched to Sky Movies and watched Liam Neeson in Taken.

Its a film I have been meaning to watch and to be honest, it certainly didn't disappoint. Neeson is a brilliant actor and an even better hard man. I mean, just look at his wonderful promotional photo above. He looks every bit the Vinnie Jones. Oh my god, thats it! Eureka! I am going to make Liam Neeson play Vinnie Jones in my new movie. Vinnie Jones: A Thugs Game. I can't believe how good I am! I'm off to phone Steven Spielberg.

Oh and one final note to Sir Alex, Mr Mancini and Liam Neeson....

More please.

Orienteering Ain't My Thing

2010-01-26T23:27:00.003Z

I know, 3 posts in one day is a bit over the top but I'm excited. I've made a few changes. I hope you like them. I'm especially happy with the title and the twitter feed.

Anyway, I went out for a walk yesterday. Not a long one you understand, my legs wouldn't have coped. I decided that I was in need of some fresh air and a ramble through Sankey Valley Park. If anyone is reading this who also hails from Warrington, they will know this usually invokes a reaction of:

"did you take your own needles?" or "I hope you wore your dark mac so you wouldn't get caught?!"

Of course, these reactions are silly, designed to take the Michael, not only out of me, but the parkland, which is actually rather nice... as long as you ignore the druggies and the peeping toms!

Forget that last bit. Just a joke. So, I have never set foot in the SVP (I just made that up. See, I'm well down with the kids!) before and that means I have no idea how to get in it, let alone where to go once I'm there. This inevitably leads me up the wrong garden path... literally!

I swear I spent 20 minutes walking around the outside of the park, on the wrong side of the St Helens Canal(pictured below), that turned out to be just a muddy overflow and not the real canal anyway, before finally finding the right path and then having quite a lovely 90 minute stroll.

I used to be a Cub Scout and then a full on Scout, Scout, when I was a kid. I have just phoned my Mum and checked that indeed, I did have my orienteering badge attached to my uniform. Only Baden Powell knows how I earned that one then!

One more thing before I go off to my bed for a nice little sleep. My football team, The Cobblers, won 2-1 away at Darlington tonight. That result has made me very happy and we are now unbeaten in something like 7 games. A minor miracle if you ask me.

See you next time.

2010-01-26T21:09:00.000Z

So I quite liked the ending to the last post. It was a cliffhanger of an ending and I was quite proud of myself for it. So, I left it there and decided to start writing another one. It was quite long as well.

Well, I did quit smoking and have been without smoke since the 1st January 2010. New decade, new start I thought. I'm 26 days in and I'm pleased to say that there have been no cravings, no whiteys or lack of nicotine illnesses. My girlfriend has even been supportive. So supportive in fact, I have just found her packet of 10 sat right in front of me under the computer monitor with her lighter on top. She must be at home with her parents if she hasn't got them with her!

I read through the two posts I made in 2008 when I first opened this blog (and failed to keep it up). I was quite surprised that the feelings I wrote about back then were the same as the ones I have had this time around. One prime example of this is the lack of cravings but the massive need to talk about the quit... constantly! I think I must have bored everyone I know to death with my constant ramblings.

I had wanted to use this blog as my little black book. (Read the first post back on 22.10.08 to understand.) It didn't work, I think because of my lack of experience. This year, I used Twitter. For the first week at least, one of my daily tweets of the day would read something like:

"@charlescommins Day 3 another success. I wonder what day 4 will bring?"

I didn't really keep it up for all that long, but it was enough to help me through. In fact I was amazed when on the 21st Jan, a follower of mine asked how I was doing on the quitting front and my response was "oh, I've not really thought about it. Good thanks though".

So, what am I going to use my blog for now? Well, if you will allow me to, I shall give you a dose of my thoughts on some silly, some serious and some downright rude goings on in this crazy world. I'm planning on keeping it mainly up to date to coincide with my radio show as something that you, the good listener, will be able to keep up to date with things during those long days without my voice.

I hope you will enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing it.

Have you missed me?

2010-01-26T20:24:00.000Z

So its been a while hasn't it?

The last time I made a post on here was 1 year 3 months and 3 days ago. That, I think you will agree is a fair old time.

So what happened?

Well naturally, as you can see, I didn't keep up with the blog and I didn't quit smoking. A fairly obvious assumption to make if you ever did find yourself stumbling over this poor excuse for a blog over the last 14 months or so.

After 3 days without a cigarette, my body gave up. According to my girlfriend, I was whiter than a ghost who had just chained smoked on a bong for 12 hours straight. And so, she told me to have a fag. Quite a big thing to have not only your girlfriend, but a fully qualified nurse against you! I obeyed and that was that, back up to 20 fags or more a day.

In the last year plenty more has happened. My two best friends got married, Nic and I spent our first Christmas together (instead of 150 miles apart) and I have a new kettle. Which, annoyingly, sounds as though its about to take off. Stopping absolutely all of my concentration as I try to write this. I also had my first ever adult holiday. No, not to Ibiza with a bunch of pissed up lads looking for women and to get as drunk as possible, or to Amsterdam either for a taste of the porn industry. Instead, Nic and I got on a plane and flew to Corfu for a week. It was great and I would definitely go back.

It was in Corfu that I made 3 promises to myself.

1. Get back into Radio

2. Get back in the pool

3. To have another holiday

I have, so far, achieved 1 of the above. I am back on the radio! Radio Warrington to be precise. I now present a 2 hour show on a Monday night from 6 until 8pm. Its pretty good too. Getting all the better each week. You can tune in by going to www.radiowarrington.co.uk and clicking on the listen live tab.

My plan to get back in the pool hasn't quite got off the ground yet. I want to lose some weight before I subject others to my celebrity belly (most famous for being the starring role in the "Belly's Gonna Get Ya" ad from the early naughties) and force them to keep their children in doors on their Playstations and Xbox's. Once I am somewhat slimmer, I will be happy to get to the local swimming baths and get my fitness level back on track.

The third of those promises was to go on holiday again. Well considering we only went to Corfu in October, I am pleased to say we are planning our next holiday to be in July and to a sunny Perpignan in the south of France.

Right, so what else has happened?

Hmmm... oh yeah... I quit smoking.

The Empire Strikes Back

2008-10-23T20:25:00.000+01:00

Well its coming up to the end of Day One. Its been a success. I've not smoked a single cigarette today and to be honest I haven't wanted to either. There is one thing I will admit to though, I have talked about it an awful lot. There's a reason why you dont tell people these sorts of things. They get bored of it very quickly!

Im only going to write short updates as I fear that thinking about it too much will lead to a crazy 20 minute craving that I will almost have to lock myself in a cupboard for in order to stay on the wagon.

One thing I am going to mention is how tired I am! I think its a combination of working the early shifts I'm on and the constant mental battle I am having with my head and lungs! They both so desperately want nicotine that if they were kids begging for ice cream, you wouldn't be able to resist their cute, blushing faces and twinkling eyes. Well they ARE NOT children!! They are the Devil, Megatron and Darth Vader all rolled into one huge craving for a harmless drug that it seems you can only get if you are prepared to fill your body with cancer causing shite. No, the fight will go on. Truth be told, I'm kind of hoping that the tiredness overwhelms me and removes me from this nightmare. I need sleep. To recuperate and continue the fight.

Now I have mentioned Star Wars I have a craving for that... and ice cream! Oh well, I'm not giving them up!

Last Cigarette: 22/10/2008 23:55
Blimps: 0
Days Successfully Completed: 1

My Little Black Book

2008-10-22T23:53:00.000+01:00

This blog, unlike others I have read before, will, hopefully, serve a purpose. Hopefully it will give me inspiration to achieve my goals and help me through the times I know will come, when I want to be lazy, give in and ultimately lose. I've decided, after about 7 years that I am no longer going to commit myself to the tobacconist cause. Just before I started typing this article/diary entry/piece of inspiration* (delete where applicable), I stubbed out, what I am willing to be, my last cigarette.

Now I know that some hopeless soul may stumble upon this blog and think: "Oh, no. How depressing. Another quitters story." Well I'm sorry to be so blunt, but this blog isn't really for you. It's for me. The last time I attempted to stop smoking, and ultimately failed, I had a small black diary. One of those you get given for free when you're at college that you're supposed to put deadlines into. I used that diary to showcase the fact that I hadn't smoked on each day. A typical entry would simply read:

Nov 14
3 days, No Fags.

Simple. That was all I really needed. I would wrote those 4 words each night, just before I went to sleep, proudly scribing them as if it were a work of art that was only to be discovered after my death. That little black diary would act as a stepping stone each morning when I awoke, reminding me of how far I had come and how much I didnt want to tarnish my record. I don't want to think about the ultimate failure I had in giving up that time. I only want to think about the way it helped me stop. I mean, 3 months wasn't a bad little effort. This blog, is my little black book. Thats why it isn't really for you, the rambler of blogs. It's sole purpose is to guide me through what is, I'm sure, going to be a really tough time of ups and downs; cravings and near failure.

I know its going to be hard. Some of the closest people around me are smokers, either on a full or part time basis. I will be the first to admit though that I am the worst of the lot. I, ashamedly, smoke around 20 cigs a day. That works out at around £35 a week! £150 a month!! £1500 a year!!! I need to stop, not just for the money I will save but for my health. Now don't get me wrong, I've not been diagnosed with lung cancer, and I have full use of my entire body, but as any smoker will know, I tire easily. I can't play a game of football in the park without getting out of breath so much I start coughing my guts up. I want to get fitter. Thats on a whole by the way, not just stopping smoking, but losing a bit of weight (alright, a fair bit of weight!) and giving myself more energy. The plan is to quit smoking, join a gym and maybe even get back into playing water polo and swimming again. Thats the aim anyway.

I started smoking when I was 17. I've got no one to blame but myself. The girl I was going out with at the time was a smoker, and an open smoker at that. Both her parents new and didnt seem fazed by it at all. I had my first cigarette at her house. Well, in her garden to be precise, during a GCSE results party. I dont know why I did it. I guess I just wanted to try it, see what it was like. My Dad had been a smoker all my life up until that point and maybe I just wanted to see what he got out of it. I don't know. I do know that I in no way blame my Dad though for my stupidity! It wasn't for another 6 months or so that I actually became an addict. I remember going outside the school gates during break and dinner times with my friends who smoked, just to spend time with them, not to smoke at first, and then gradually I built my way up to buying a pack of ten on my way to 6th form. The ironic thing was that no sooner had I become a smoker, my Dad, had stopped. One of those things really. But it made it even harder to hide it from my parents. Of course I had the age old lines of;

"I've been in the pub"
"...(insert friends' name) smokes"

but after a while I couldn't hide it anymore. My Mum was so angry and upset. She made me cry once, laying it on nice and thick about worrying everyday that Dad would arrive home with positive test results for cancer. I told her that night I would quit. I didnt.

This might sound a bit too biographical... "Charles Commins - My Life As A Smoker". Its not meant to be. I'm trying to remind myself of what it was like to get found out. I mean it was horrible. The snide comments from my Dad (I still get them to this day, and I've been comfortable smoking in front of him for about 2 years now), the "where's all your money gone?" questions from my Mum and worst of all: the looks of disgust on my sister's face. All of these are reasons to quit. And now I have.

Its taken me about 40 minutes to write this. Useless information, I know. But it means that 40 minutes ago, I finished my last ciggy. Did you know that after just 20 minutes a smoker's blood pressure and pulse returns to normal? Now that may not be an incredibly significant fact. Other than on breaks at work, where I have had 2 fags one straight after the other, I've never had more than one fag within at least 45 minutes of the previous one.

So this is it. My little black book. Live on the internet for the world to see. Or ignore. Whichever you choose, I won't take it personally.

Last cigarrette: 22/10/2008 23:55