Laissez Faire
I’m home for Christmas and I’m really looking forward to it this year. The last few years haven’t been particularly special for me (and 2 years ago I had the worst hangover I’ve ever had on Christmas Day) but this year feels different somehow. Maybe it’s because of my mum but I can just tell that I’m going to enjoy the holidays. The house has already been decorated and looks very festive. As per usual, we have 2 trees up, a real one in our living room and a fake one in our front room.

The Spirit of Christmas
To add to the Christmas spirit, and despite my dwindling finances, I bought “The Best… Christmas Album in the World Ever”. As well as featuring the typical Christmas hits such as ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ and ‘White Christmas’, it also features more recent songs such as Slade and Wizzard’s offerings. However, to my horror, it doesn’t have Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ in all its glory, just a poxy instrumental version. Worse still, no East 17 with ‘Stay Another Day’, and most insulting of all, it has a Spice Girls rendition of Christmas classic ‘Sleigh Ride’. Now, I can just about live with Chris de Burgh’s ‘A Spaceman Came Travelling’, and I really like Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s ‘The Power of Love’, but to put them on and NOT ‘Last Christmas’ is frankly ludicrous. “The Best Christmas Album in the World Ever”? More like “A Decent Christmas Album But Not The Best Christmas Album Ever By A Long Shot”. Bah humbug.

Does a one-legged duck swim in circles?
In terms of me me me, I haven’t really asked for anything specific for Christmas. I don’t have much money because I’m a poor student, and my parents don’t have any money because my mum isn’t working and my dad has been on strike a lot recently. (He’s a fireman and there’s been lots of strikes over pay rises in Britain the last few weeks). So, if Santa decides to only leave me some socks, a musical tie and woolly jumper with Rudoplh emblazoned on the front, so be it. I would really like the Lord of The Rings extended edition on DVD though. But of course, Chistmas is about giving rather than receiving, about spending time with family, and about celebrating the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ. Christmas would never become a shameless capitalist exploitation strategy in the name of ever-increasing profit margins. Never in a million years. But I digress. I honestly don’t care what I get, I just want to have a nice Christmas and think about nice things, like Turkey dinner and snowfall on Christmas Day.

Put your hands in the air like you just don’t care
I was trying to remember what I’ve got for Christmas in the past, and for the most part I can remember pretty well. Interestingly though, I have absolutely no idea what I got for Christmas last year. Seriously, not an inkling. I’m hoping this is because I was so blind drunk that even if the man in the big red suit had left me an island in the Caribbean inhabited solely by a group of twenty-something Blonde beauties, I still wouldn’t remember. Sadly, he didn’t leave me such a wonderful present (maybe this year?) and I wasn’t that drunk. So I have no idea why I can’t remember. Perhaps my present was so hideous that I’ve repressed the entire day. Or maybe it was so insignificant in the grand scheme of things that at the time it didn’t seem like it was worth remembering it.

I have had some pretty wicked presents down the years though. When I was 4 I got a massive Thomas the Tank Engine stuffed toy that I still own to this day (though I can’t ride it in the same way I used to and it’s a little bit grubby now), plus my first Mountain Bike which was so big when I got it I had to mount it with me on the pavement and the bike on the road, and my Super Nintendo which I still have tucked away in my wardrobe and occasionally bring out to reminisce with. Childhood is such a wonderful, innocent time and I’ll never forget the excitement of coming downstairs to find the mince pie and beer I had lovingly laid out had gone and the massive bags we left under our tree were full of presents. Running upstairs and shouting repeatedly at my parents “He’s been! He’s been!” has to be one of the most magical moments a child can experience. It’s not the same now, especially as I know that the mince pie and beer were wasted on my dad all those years, but seeing the faces of my nephew and niece when they come round on Christmas morning is almost, ALMOST, as good as being 7 years old again.

Space Year 2003
I’m fast approaching the halfway point of my second year at Uni, and I still have no idea what I want to do when I finish. I would really like to go into journalism, but its extremely competitive and the pay isn’t great. I don’t think I have what it takes to be the next David Beckham or the Extreme Ironing World Champion (actually, I haven’t done any ironing for over 12 months, quite a feat I think you’ll agree) so I’m going to have to go back to the drawing board and think of something a little more realistic. Hmmm, perhaps when the clock strikes midnight on New Years Eve, in my 100% sober state, I’ll have an epiphany that will map out where my life is heading in the next few years. Or maybe I’ll just stagger a few feet before collapsing in the middle of the road.

Quote of the Day
“The definition of a beautiful woman is one who loves me” - Sloan Wilson

Which WWE finishing move are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Groovy
I know I keep promising, but I really will do a proper update soon. To keep you amused in the meantime, check out my lovely computer game reviews at:

http://vision.york.ac.uk/articles/142/games.shtml

Living in the Past
York Vision, my University's award-winning newspaper, has just started a computer games section, and lo and behold they needed someone to edit said section. Can you guess who the new editor is?

Wayne Rooney? Er...
Ruud van Nistelrooy? What...
The imfamous Andy Cole? Closer...
The immortal D'lo Brown? Almost...

Alex Rimmer? Wooo!

That's right, I get sent free computer games, have to write a couple of hundred words on them, and then (this is the best bit) I get to keep them! That's right, anything you review you get to keep. God does indeed work in mysterious ways. Ah, bliss.

Quote of the Day
"Fashion, which elevates the bad to the level of the good, subsqequently turns its back on bad and good alike" - Eric Bently, "Introduction to Naked Masks by Luigi Pirandello", 1952

Quote of the Day

Stumbled across this in a politics journal today:

"New Labour is a lot like sex... it's not as good as you expected it to be but it's better than the other available alternatives - Can't Remember

Indeed

That thing they call life
Well, I'm a little later than expected but better late than never. Hopefully, this will be the first of some more regular posts. I don't want to say too much now as I'm pressed for time, but I have been enjoying:

- GTA: Vice City and Pro Evolution Soccer 2 on PlayStation2 (plus the new SmackDown! game on Friday)
- Star Wars Episode II on DVD
- Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head on CD
- The new series of Buffy on BBC2 (Season 6, yeah I know we're behind but that's British TV for you)
- 28 Days Later at the cinema (a good British film that ISN'T a romantic comedy with Hugh Grant)

Oh, and of course that little thing I like to call my Politics degree. But you know, you need to get your priorities straight.

Simply the Best
A quick congratulations to my housemate Laura, who won Best Student Website of the Year at the Guradian Student Media Awards last week (she's the web editor for the site). Her photo was in the Guardian yesterday, (not the best photo of her mind you, but she cooks a mean pasta dish so I can't make too much fun of her). So, congratulations to her, she wins a week's work experience at the Guardian which is highly amusing because she reads the Telegraph and is really right-wing. Haha.

Anyway, peace out people, I'll be back soon.

Quote of the Day
"Luck is just the residue of design" - R. Branch

Apology
The last time I blogged was quite a while ago and I do apologise for it, but I’ve had a pretty rotten couple of months. I don’t want to go into too many details, but basically my mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer which has hit the family pretty hard. At first, it wasn’t known whether it would be terminal but she had an operation and is now receiving chemotherapy and is (hopefully) going to recover. It’s been hard for all of us but we’re just trying our best to get on as normal. Things have been particularly difficult recently with her hair falling out and having to explain it all to my little sister, but we’re just soldiering on. I did manage to get myself a job, though ironically as my mum’s replacement at the library, and then I had to go into hospital myself for an operation which has basically ended my summer and meant I can’t go back to work at the library before I go back to Uni. Not quite the summer I had in mind, but beggars can’t be choosers.

The Foreseeable Future
I go back to Uni next Friday and I really can’t wait for it. It’s a new year, I’m living in my own house, and I guess in many ways it’s a fresh start of sorts, a clearing of the slate. It sounds awful, but I’m also looking forward to getting away from home in a way, not because I don’t want to be home with my family, but I guess just because getting away from it all for a while will clear my head a bit. Normal blogging duties will be resumed on my brand-spanking new PC over the next couple of weeks, that I can promise you.

Sorry about my extended absence but I've been a little distracted recently, which I'll fill you in on soon.

And now for something completely different

Murphy's Laws
- Nothing is as easy as it looks.
- To succeed in politics, it is often necessary to rise above your principles.
- Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.
- Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.
- Two wrongs are only the beginning.
-If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop.
- Nothing is as easy as it looks.
- Every solution breeds new problems..
- If there is a worse time for something to go wrong, it will happen then..
- If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.
- Exceptions prove the rule ... and wreck the budget.
- Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first.
- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
- If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong.
- Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.
- Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
- Trust everybody ... then cut the cards.
- Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first.
- Everything takes longer than you think..
- Two wrongs are only the beginning.

- Money can't buy love, but it sure gets you a great bargaining position.
- The best things in the world are free --- and worth every penny of it.
- Every kind action has a not-so-kind reaction.
- Nice guys(girls) finish last.
- If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Availability is a function of time. The minute you get interested is the minute they find someone else.

Link-me-do
Dancing Bush - a website where you can make George Bush strut his stuff
Frog Guts - dissect a frog online. Go on, you know you want to
Stupid Quotes - hilarious quotes that are plain stupid

Quote of the Day
Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye - H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Needle in a Haystack
I’ve spent the last week doing pretty much what I intended to do: bugger all. However, I’m now at the point where I’ll admit that I’m bored. Yep, you heard me, I’m bored. Much as I enjoy sitting about the house all day doing nothing and sitting in the garden when the weather’s nice, I need to be doing something. Anything. And of course, the most productive and practical thing I could be doing would of course be working. I’ve sent some letters and CVs off to various places but still no luck. Apparently ASDA (a supermarket chain) are looking for people so that’s always an option, and they supposedly pay quite well too, so I might pop in and ask for an application form. The thing is, I want someone to phone me up and say “Hey Alex, we love you, why don’t you come and work for us? You don’t have to do anything and we’ll give you shit-loads of money!” Yeah, like that’s gonna happen. So instead, I have to trawl through the local papers and look for something, anything, that suits me. Hell, I’ll do anything that isn’t at a fairground. It’s a thankless life. I keep thinking I should buy a lottery ticket, it’s a 1 in 14,000,000 chance but you never know.

Where do I go from here?
I feel that I’ve reached a cross-roads in my life. I went for a walk on the sand dunes before and I found myself reviewing the last couple of years of my life. I realise that the next 2 years are set for me because I’ve got to finish my degree, but after that I’ll be into the big wide world all on my own. I really don’t know what direction my life is heading in at the moment and I feel quite uncertain about things. I just don’t know if I feel ready to “grow up” and become an adult. I’m 19 now but I feel I’m growing up just a little too fast. I want to be able to just have fun more, not worry about money, just let loose once in a while. Instead, I’m thinking about when my next rent payment goes out and what furniture I’m going to buy for my house.

Minority Report
Went to see it on Wednesday. I thought it was good, but not brilliant. Great special effects, decent acting, and the script was quite good too. But I felt just something was missing that stopped this being a great movie. Tom Cruise was excellent, and generally Spielberg handled the material well, including his typical touchy-feeling ending, but still, I felt there was just some intangible lacking. I’d recommend it because it is a good film, and unlike most blockbusters, it actually makes you think. Perhaps this was bad, but I couldn’t help comparing it to AI (another futuristic film, also done by Spielberg in part) and I really don’t know which I preferred. I thought AI was brilliant, a sublime film ruined by a “nice” ending. Minority Report is a merely good, but not ruined by its nice ending. Hmm, too much thinking, need more caffeine.

Quote of the Day
“There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but only one view” - Harry Millner

The Return
Sorry about the extended delay in bloggage, I’m trying to think of an excuse but it’s really down to sheer laziness. As I type this now I am currently at home enjoying my return for the summer holidays. Despite plans to originally stay in York over the summer in my house whilst working up there, things didn’t quite work out and now I’m back at home. We had this careers convention at Uni and I went to it and signed up to a job agency but all they offered me was 2 days silver service in the middle of July – yep, 2 days work. I politely declined. So now I’m at home, with no money and in desperate need of a job. I could go back to the fairground, and I probably will if I haven’t found anything within in a couple of weeks, but I’d really prefer not to. The fairground was okay, but the hours are long and the people you have to deal with… [shudders]. I saw an advert in the local paper asking specifically for university students for a job at an art studio (nude modelling perhaps?) so I might give it a ring and ask for some more information. At the moment, I’m paying £46 a week rent so I really need to get some money, not only to pay the rent, but also to save up for the rest of the year.

So I face the final curtain
So that’s it, my first year at Uni is over already. I honestly can’t believe it because it seems to have gone so quickly. To think, this time last year I had only just finished my A-levels and was about to go on holiday to Ibiza. It really doesn’t seem like a year ago and I guess it shows you should enjoy things while they last. Looking back, I had a good year at Uni and I’m really glad I chose York. I made so many new friends and have such good memories. Being in halls was great and I’ll think I’ll really miss it next year when I’m living off-campus. I also can’t believe that this time last year I didn’t know any of my friends from Uni and yet now some of them are my best friends and I feel like I’ve known them for years. I guess living in each other’s pockets helps but even so, it’s frightening to think how different things could have been. I’m also glad that I chose Politics, because although it hasn’t been a laugh-a-minute, it’s been pretty much what I expected and, to be honest, probably easier than I thought as well. I got all my first choice-modules for the second and third years, and I’m really looking forward to some of them. I got my results back for the exams I took when I went back. I got 57% and 56% respectively, and, when I first saw them, I was really disappointed, but when I looked at everyone else’s results they were actually about average so that wasn’t too bad. I also did a group project where we had to do a half-hour presentation that got video-taped and I got 71% for that, which pleased me greatly. Afterwards, we watched the video of our presentation where our tutors analysed our performances, and mine said I was a really good speaker and could communicate with an audience well. Who’s the daddy?!

19 and counting
It was also my birthday last week and I reached the age of 19. My corridor bought me Predator Special Edition DVD (which was greatly appreciated!), as well as a stress boob (like a stress ball, except it’s a breast) and a blow-up doll! Unfortunately the blow-up doll didn’t have any holes in so I couldn’t use it to… er… store things in but it’s supposed to be the perfect girlfriend that doesn’t talk back so I guess in that capacity it works pretty well. Speaking of which, I am still single, so keep that fan mail coming. I must confess, I am actually enamoured with somebody but it ain’t going anywhere so I’m open to all offers.

My parents got me a PS2 game (Medal of Honor) for my birthday as well as a bit of money to ease my overdraft and everyone else gave me money too, which is greatly appreciated. I had my birthday whilst still at Uni and we all went out for a meal, which was nice, before getting drunk. My parents offered to come up and see but I really didn’t want them to and it was only a week before I came home anyway.

Spider-Man
I went to see Spider-Man last week and I really enjoyed it. I wasn’t expecting it to be absolutely amazing but I didn’t think it would be awful either. Thankfully, it exceeded my expectations. One of the best things about it for me was that it stayed very true to the comics (except for Spider-Man firing web out of his wrists – in the comics he makes the webbing himself, this is something that was left in from James Cameron’s original screenplay of a few years ago when he wanted Leonardo di Caprio to play Spider-Man!). When I first heard Tobey Maguire was to play Spider-Man, I was initially disappointed because I didn’t think he’d be able to play the role well. After watching it, I thought he was perfect for the role and he really surprised me. Apparently, he had to do 6 months intensive working out to build his body for the role but it paid off as he looked (and sounded) great. Kirsten Dunst was also a good choice to play Mary-Jane Watson, and Willem DeFoe rounded off a good cast as Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin. It was also nice to see former WWF superstar Macho Man Randy Savage in there, along with Sam Raimi’s old Evil Dead pal, Bruce Campbell, in cameo roles. Contracts have already been signed to make 2 sequels, and hopefully they’ll be able to surpass this film, which was really just a scene-setter, and a way to introduce the characters and the world of Spider-Man. Some of the CGI in this film has been criticised and I guess in parts there is a bit of the “George Lucas syndrome” – too much reliance on computer generated special effects. One scene in particular just looked completely fake and reminded me of a fight scene in Blade 2 where it was blatantly obvious that it wasn’t real actors. Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed Spider-Man and can’t wait for the inevitable sequel.

World Cup Extra
The World Cup’s over now and Brazil won thank God, because I really didn’t want Germany to win it. England probably could have won it had they beaten Brazil but they didn’t. Bygones. They can win Euro 2004 and possibly the next World Cup so it’s not all bad. I thought they had a good World Cup – they got further than France and Argentina – conversely they didn’t get as far as South Korea. I guess you can’t have it all (unless you’ve got buck-teeth and the most ridiculous haircut known to man).

Quote of the Day
“Cannot find REALITY.SYS… Universe halted” - Anon

Today's Agenda
Hey everyone, sorry you haven't heard from me in a while but I've been busy and just generally haven't really got around to blogging. I apologise but to be perfectly honest, I don't have a great deal out of the ordinary to say. Hopefully, I'll be staying in York over the summer if I can get a full-time job, despite threats from my Mum to give my room at home to my little sister. I've filled in a form for a job agency, and hopefully they'll be able to find me something decent to do that pays well. I liked working at the fair, I got what I needed out of it and the people were great (except Rob of course) but I don't know if I could do it full-time over the summer. Ideally, I'd like to be in an office or testing computer games. or running a brothel

Stoopid
I'm doing a group project in Politics at the moment and yesterday we had to go into York and ask people this questionnaire we designed about why people hold anti-EU views. A lot of the people we spoke to were incredibly stupid and didn't really know a lot about Europe and one guy was just totally thick and didn't have a clue about anything. One interesting thing is that most people we spoke to were pretty much anti-EU and the single currency but everybody said they think Britain will eventually join it so I guess there's a sense of inevitability about it.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
I went to watch Star Wars Episode II on Thursday and it generallys gets a thumbs up. My expectations weren't that high, as before Episode I they were, and I was disappointed. I wouldn't say Attack of the Clones is the best Star Wars film but it was still pretty good and everyone should go and see it. The special effects were just incredible and I thought the chase sequence at the beginning and the final battle were particularly well done. I also thought Anakin Skywalker was well-played by Hayden
Christensen alsthough some of his emotional scenes felt a bit forced. I did find it hard to make the connection between Jake Lloyd in Phantom Mencace and Christensen in Attack of the Clones. I don't know, I found the continuity in that difficult to follow. Anyway, a good film, poor
screenplay and not great acting but visually and viscerally, it was amazing. And thankfully, not too much of Jar-Jar Binks to stomach...

End of an Era
The football season came to a close last weekend and for the first time since 1998 Man Utd ended up trophyless. I'm not going to moan like the rest of the United fans and say "we was robbed" because it's not true. Arsenal won the league because they were the best team (apart from Everton of course) and deserved to win it. They played the best football, had the best team and had the second best player. If Arsenal had Andy Cole, then they would never have lost a game all season (and how is Darius Vassell in the England squad ahead of Andy Cole? I don't know, sometimes I think maybe I'm the only person that sees the ability he possesses).

United had a good season, they finised third and got to the semi-finals of the Champions League. For the majority of clubs, that would be an outstanding season. It's only because such high standards have been set in the last few years that this season is deemed a "disappointment". If Southport had done what United did this season then I think Phil Wilson's job would be a little more secure. As it is, United think the whole world is against them and that events conspired against them. It isn't and they didn't. Be realistic, we're still one of the best teams in Europe and it's not like this was the last ever football season and there's never any possibility of them winning anything ever again. Of course, if they hadn't sold Andy Cole, it could have all been so different...

The W..W..E?
Yes, that's right, the WWF lost their court battle with the pressure group World Wildlife Fund and they have had to re-brand with the outcome being that the WWF is no longer associated with wrestling but with giant pandas. Instead, there now exists the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) which is similar but doesn't quite have the same ring to it. On the plus side, the immortal D'lo Brown has returned and is feuding with William Regal over the European Title (go D'lo!) and Edge is getting the push he fully deserves. Hogan is still champion (but for how much longer?) and Benoit should be returning soon. Despite all this, ratings have dropped in America and it seems the wrestling industry's high of the late 90s may well have passed (despite D'lo's reappearance). However, I'm still a loyal fan and will continue to be so until I mature.

Quote of the Day
"I'd rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are; because a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star. I'd rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far; for a might have-been has never been, but a has was once an are" - Milton Berle

Dave's Inferno
Okay, well it's been over a week since I last posted so sorry about that. Not a great deal has happened to me this week since I've been revising for my exams and there's nothing organised at Uni for the first week of term. I had my 2 exams on Thursday and yesterday (having an exam on Saturday is not good) and they went alright. The one on Thursday was the one I thought was the easiest of the 2 but actually turned out to be harder. Yesterday's exam gave me some pretty sweet questions, especially the one that I actually did my essay on. I just rewrote it in the exam so that was good and the other 2 questions I did were okay as well, although one of them I was doing some major blagging on. I'm just glad they're over and hopefully I'll do alright in them but they're not particularly important so it doesn't matter that much.

Other than that I got this term's timetable and it's much better than last term's. I only have one morning start which is good but a couple of late finishes. I guess you can't have the best of both worlds. I also joined the campus gym and went for my induction on Friday which was pretty basic stuff but important nonetheless. That really is all I have to say because I really haven't done much this week. I went out on Thursday and again last night but nothing special.

I'll try and post again with something more interesting to say soon.

Return of the Jedi
Following on from my post the other day, hopefully this will get published today (Friday) albeit in small parts because of stupid blogger. Anyway, to update you all on my 5 week Easter break, I’ll start off by telling you all about my dire financial situation and new-found wealth. When I got back for Easter I checked my bank balance and found I was £230 overdrawn which was a lot worse than I had expected. Although my parents owed me £200 for the deposit on my house next year, I was still theoretically £30 in debt with the next 5 weeks to get through. Sadly, I needed a job. I had a look in my local paper and noticed that the fairground were heavily advertising part-time jobs and I knew Robin worked there so I thought I’d ask him what it was like. Not only did he tell me what it was like but he also got me a job with him. What a guy.

I am The Game
My job was on the game stalls (you know, having to get a ball in a basket or knocking bottles down, that sort of thing) which is relatively straightforward. Also, because I’m 18 I was on a whopping £4.10 an hour (suck on that Partners) which I was very pleased with. Over the two weeks that the fair was open over Easter I worked most of it and a couple of weekends afterwards. Although it’s pretty easy, (really all you have to do is give out prizes and keep an eye on the games) it’s very tiring and you have to deal with loads of idiots. It’s tiring because the hours can be quite long (an average day is 10.30am – 9pm) but that’s good because you get more money (which I desperately needed). I enjoyed working there, everyone was really nice to me and I made quite a few new friends including some very attractive young women. I can go back in the summer to work full-time and I’m leaning towards it but I may still have a look around for something else when I come back in the summer because ideally I’d like to work in an office of some description.

Moolah
Basically, thanks to working and the money my parents owed me, I not only cleared my overdraft (yeh!) but gave myself a surplus which I immediately wasted on alcohol, Wipeout Fusion and 4 DVDs. I had been intending to buy some new clothes but alas, my money has now all gone. I also set up my standing order for the rent on my house next year. I’m paying £200 a month for my house starting on July 1st and I probably won’t even move in until the end of September. What that means is I’m paying £600 for 3 months rent when I won’t even be there. D’oh. It’s not like that’s unusual with student housing though so I shouldn’t complain. If I’ve said any of this before (and somehow I think I might have) then sorry but I can’t remember if I’ve explained all this or not. Over the summer I really need a job, not only to keep up with my rent but to save some up for bills and utilities as well. I worked out that if I paid for everything on my student loan, I’d have about £2 a week left to spend on drink and entertainment. Stable income is a necessity, not a luxury.

The Infamous D’lo Brown
Regular readers will know that I am obsessed infatuated a big fan of WWF wrestler D’lo Brown. So it was to my delight that with the WWF’s recent roster split brand extension that D’lo was put on Ric Flair’s RAW roster and has since wrestled a couple of house shows and been on Jakked. Not long now until a monumental feud for the World Title surely. It’s good to hear he’s back (without the frog splash though – that’s the preserve of Eddy Guerrero and Rob Van Dam) and fingers crossed he’s in line for some sort of push. They’re not doing much with the European Title at the moment and since D’lo is a 4 (5?) time champion perhaps they should start there. Also, whilst on the subject of wrestling, I won tickets to see The Scorpion King at the cinema, starring The Rock, and I go to see it tonight. Based on preliminary reports, the film is what most expect it to be (mindless action) and The Rock is a lot better than most predicted. The comparisons with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the next big action hero are inevitable. (N.B. Arnie and The Rock are very good friends in real life so you never know, one day we could see them on celluloid together)

Back for Good
I go back to Uni on Sunday and I’m only half looking forward to it. I say “half” because I’ve got exams the first week back for which I haven’t done nearly enough work and because I’ve also got used to being at home again. It’s weird because I didn’t particularly want to come home for Easter but after having been here for a sizeable period of time, I don’t particularly want to go back. I could quite easily spend another couple of weeks sat at home doing nothing all day. Oh well, I’m sure once I get back I won’t even remember what home looks like. Anyway, I’ll try and post again next week, before my first exam. See you in York.

Quote of the Day
“We all know that we have to put up with a bad government when it is bad; the problem is to find a good government” - Jean Jaques Rousseau

Apologies
Hopefully, this will be my first successful post in 4 weeks. Although I've been lazy and haven't done much (attempted) posting I have at least tried a couple of times but blogger seems to have problems working with my computer and it never lets me post. I apologise for this but it isn't entirely my fault. I've so much to say yet it all eludes me now. I go back to Uni on Sunday and have my dreaded exams next week (for which I have done hardly any work) and I got a job over Easter thanks to Robin at the fairground to pay off my overdraft which I succesfully did. In fact, I have a slight surplus. Also, I won tickets to see "The Scorpion King" at the cinema on Friday so I'm looking forward to that. Watched Blade 2 as well, was nowhere near as good as the original. Anyway, this is all I have time for now. I'll try and do something a little more substantial before the weekend.

N.B.
The reason I'm posting in such short measures is because Blogger only seems to accept posts of a small length. Bah.

Whole Again
I’ve finally returned home for the Easter holidays after another tumultuous term at Uni. I promised I’d blog more often this term just gone than I did last term and I think generally, I stuck to my promise I as I actually did manage to make a few posts. However, it still wasn’t good enough and I shall strive to do better next term. I had a pretty good term overall, nothing out of the ordinary happened, but I still enjoyed it. I was sick once (which has left a big purple stain on my carpet) and I’m still single but there’s still a term to go this year. I also got all my work done on time, which I was very pleased with and I also chose all my modules for my second and third years.

Home is where the heart is
Anyway, I’m home and at the moment I really have nothing to do. I’ve got exams when I go back so I really need to do some revision over these 5 weeks, but apart from that I have nothing else to do. One thing I really ought to do is get a job, and thus some money. However, I’d only be able to work for 5 weeks and I don’t know if I can be bothered putting the effort into getting a job just for a month or so. I am tempted to go through a temping agency but as of now, I don’t think I’ll be getting one.

Sons of Liberty
The game that many people bought a PlayStation2 for, Metal Gear Solid 2, was released a couple of weeks ago, and I diligently went out and bought it because I’d finished my work and had nothing to do for my last week at Uni, despite my financial situation. A weekend and 14 hours of gameplay later, I had finished the game and now I can share my thoughts on it with you. MGS2 was probably the most-hyped game on the PS2 if not on any system ever. I tried not to listen to the hype too much but after played through the first game and having completed the demo you get with Zone of the Enders many times, my expectations were admittedly high. After finishing the game, I wouldn’t say I was disappointed with it, but I did expect more. I can’t really give away many details without ruining the plot but I thought the storyline was nowhere near as good as the original Metal Gear Solid’s on the PSOne. In fact, it was downright confusing and I’m still not entirely sure what happened. The plot was very similar to the first game and was doing okay until you get towards the end of the game (it was kind of like A.I. in that respect). It just got a little weird and I’m not entirely sure what it all means. Like the original game, the voice acting is generally pretty good but some characters are worse than others (*cough*Raiden*cough*). The actual game itself is more or less unchanged from the original and includes several parts that are virtually identical to bits from MGS, however this is partly explained (I think). Some of the new bits are pretty cool including using the excellent first-person viewpoint, coolant to defuse bombs and holding up guards to get their dog tags.

Looks are Everything
The graphics are great, the weather effects are spot on and some of the set pieces are really good. The attention to detail is astounding – ice cubes melt in real time, you leave wet footprints when coming in from the wet and condensation steams up the camera. The cut scenes are all rendered using the game’s graphics engine and they all look superb and many of them could have come straight out of a Hollywood action film. Speaking of Hollywood action films, the music from the game is done by real-life Hollywood composer Harry Gregson-Williams, who has done scores for The Rock and Enemy of the State among others. The music fits perfectly and it’s hard to believe that Gregson-Williams didn’t have anything visual to work with – he only had lists of adjectives. The music too adds to the whole Hollywood feel of the game, which creator Hideo Kojima was aiming for. So, in conclusion, MGS2 has great graphics, great music, good voice acting and excellent gameplay. The only downside as far as I was concerned was the plot. And yet for me this still makes it a disappointment. The fact that it only took me 14 hours to finish didn’t bother me too much, even though I skipped Very Easy and Easy modes and went straight onto Normal because the game has lots of replay value. No, the only real downer was the storyline. Yet, because of the nature of MGS, this is exactly what makes it such a great experience. I don’t know, the plot just seemed a little clever for its own good and ended up just confusing me. At the end of the game I didn’t really feel like I’d achieved anything and that it hadn’t particularly been worth all that effort. It was worth the money and I’m glad I bought it but I just can’t help feeling that it could have been so much better. I’m not saying it’s a bad game, in fact it’s a great game, but still there’s just some intangible missing. Of course, things were left open for another sequel but right now, I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

Wrestlemania
The highlight of the Wrestling calendar took place last night but for those of you who haven’t seen it, I’m going to leave my discussion on it for a couple of days (so that I get time to watch it too!) The main event was Jericho against Triple H, but the showstopper was undoubtedly what I’ve called the “legends” matchup – 80s icon Hulk “Hollywood” Hogan against the latest living legend The Rock. Hogan and Rock aren’t the two best workers in the WWF but with the crowd behind them it isn’t so much about the wrestling side of things as the psychology and the spectacle of the match. And maybe D’lo Brown could enter the fray and make it a triple-threat legends match? Or maybe not. And in the future we can see what I consider an even bigger match-up: Southport vs. Everton Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Hogan; 80s vs. 90s; old school vs. the attitude era. I can’t wait.

The End?
I think that’s all for now. After venting my frustrations about MGS2 I can’t remember what else I wanted to talk about. Oh well. I am still playing MGS2, despite its plot, just to try and show that maybe I was wrong about it. Wishful thinking.

Quote of the Day
“Respect for the truth comes close to being the basis for all morality” - Frank Herbert

What's to come
Hey everyone, I've come home for the Easter holidays regular bloggage will commence. Coming soon: my thoughts on Metal Gear Solid 2, Wrestlemania and life in general. I bet you can't wait.

random scousers joke

A Leeds fan, a Man United fan and a Liverpool fan were all in Saudi Arabia, sharing a smuggled crate of booze. All of a sudden the Saudi police rushed in and arrested them. The mere possession of alcohol is a severe offence in Saudi Arabia, so for the terrible crime of actually being caught consuming the booze, they were sentenced to death! However, after many months and with the help of very good lawyers, they were able to successfully appeal their sentence down to life imprisonment. By a stroke of luck, it was a Saudi national holiday the day their trial finished, and the extremely benevolent Sheikh decided they could be released after receiving just 20 lashes each of the whip.

As they were preparing for their punishment, the Sheikh suddenly said: "It's my first wife's birthday today, and she has asked me to allow each of you one wish before your whipping." The Leeds fan was first in line (he had drunk the least), so he thought
about this for a while and then said: "Please tie a pillow to my back." This was done, but the pillow only lasted 10 lashes before the whip went through. The Leeds fan had to be carried away bleeding and crying with pain when the punishment was done. The Manc was next up (he almost finished a half a bottle), and after watching the scene, said:" Please fix two pillows on my back, under my
shirt." But even two pillows and one shirt could only take 15 lashes before the whip went through again.

The Liverpool Fan was the last one up (he had finished off the crate), but before he could say anything, the Sheikh turned to him and said: "You are from a most beautiful part of the world, your city has some of the best bars, nightclubs and restaurants in Europe, your city and football team is known throughout the world. For this, you may have two wishes!" "Cheers mate, your Most Royal and Merciful Highness", The Liverpool Fan replies. "In recognition of your kindness, my first wish is that you give me not 20, but 100 lashes." "Not only are you an honourable, handsome and powerful man, you are also very brave." The Sheik says with an admiring look on his face. "If 100 lashes is what you desire, then so be it. And your second wish? What is it to be?" the Sheikh asks."Please tie the Manc to my back."

Life in the Fast Lane
Well, first off I'd like to apologise for not posting anything for a whole 2 weeks. There hasn't been a great deal happening here really so that's part of the reason why I haven't posted in so long and not solely down to my ravenous sex life sheer laziness. A couple of weeks ago York University had a sit-in about 24-hour portering being taken away in some colleges (including mine, Derwent) and approximately 400 students with nothing better to do with their time laid siege to Heslington Hall and staged a protest. It worked and the decision on portering has been put back for a year. However, this was really a bit of a cop-out because the current Vice-Chancellor stands down soon so by delaying the decision he is just giving the problem to his successor. Tsk. So really it didn't accomplish a great deal.

Onto other matters and I have barely any money left for the last 2 weeks of term. Life's a bitch. Renting a tuxedo for next week's Easter Ball probably didn't help matters but there you go. I really want to buy Metal Gear Solid 2 for my PS2 when it comes out next Friday but I may have to wait a week or two until I can persuade my parents to give me a temporary loan. Also, I have to choose before the end of term my modules for my second and third year which I think is a little silly. I mean for next year isn't too bad but for 2 year's time? It just seems a little premature. My choices could change or something. Also, because I'm single subject politics as opposed to a joint degree my freedom of choice is relatively restricted. I really want to do a module on the Security of the European Union but I can't because I have to do a compulsory politics module. D'oh.

Ocean's Eleven and American History X
I went to see Ocean's Eleven at the cinema on Saturday. If you haven't already heard, it's a remake of the 1960 original but instead of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin we have George Clooney and Brad Pitt. This is one cool film. Clooney, perhaps surprisingly, overshadows Pitt throughout the entire movie and this could prove to be his one real breakthrough film. I mean, it's not like he's had complete duds in the past but he hasn't quite topped the mountain yet. There aren't any great special effects and the plot is pretty straightforward but this is still one hell of a film. I was actually quite surprised because despite the movie getting good reviews I wasn't convinced it would be that good. I was proved wrong and you should all go and see it. Now.

I finally got around to watching American History X as well this week. My friend has had it on video since I've been at Uni but I just never got around to watching it. Well, I sure as hell am glad I did eventually get around to it. Starring Edward Norton and Edward Furlong (God, his career has nose-dived since the heights of his debut in Terminator 2) American History X tells the story of Derek who at the beginning of the film kills two black men who are trying to steal his car. Derek is sent to jail and through the rest of the film we see flashbacks of his experiences there. His younger brother, played by Furlong, is a lot like Derek: in the sense that he too is a member of a white supremacist group who is opposed to all non-White people living in their town. Essentially, the film tells the tale of how Derek began by being a narrow-minded fascist who slowly comes to realise that his views aren't right. This was an incredibly powerful film and the ending is just brilliant. This is a film with a clear message and even though racism isn't anywhere near as prevalent now as it has been in the past I think American History X can teach us all something. Norton's performance is stunning and this just goes to show why he's rated so highly. Another film you should all see now.

Love's Labour Lost
Oh yeah, and the 2 girls I sent Valentines to? Well, they both have boyfriends. D'oh!

I'll be back soon with more literary delight.

Quote of the Day
"The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them" - Albert Einstein

Valentines Day
Today is February 14th and you all know what that means. [Cue soppy music, a box of chocolates and red roses] Despite going against my better judgement, I did indeed send a couple of Valentines cards and hopefully something fruitful will come out of them. I've had 2 so far but both of them were from girls down my corridor who already have boyfriends so I think I can discount them. I'm just assuming there were so many of them being sent to me that the postman couldn't carry them all and they'll just come to me in batches. Yeah right.

The Score
I went to watch "The Score" at York Student Cinema last night and I thought it was excellent. Released last year and starring Robert de Niro, Marlon Brando and Edward Norton (wow!) The storyline wasn't that good (de Niro's character wants to do one last robbery before he retires) and Brando didn't have that much to do (about as much as Apocalypse Now) but it was still a great movie. There weren't any really big action scenes and it took a while to get going but overall it was worth it. De Niro was amazing and Norton's portrayal of a reatrd was phenomenal. There was a great twist at the end followed by another and these provided a satisfying climax to the film. This is by no means a classic but something definitely worth seeing.

Buffy and Angel
I borrowed a couple of DVD sets off a friend - Angel Season 1 and Buffy Season 2 - and I'm hooked. These sets consist of a whole series, a couple of documentaries and the odd commentary plus every episode in the series. They're about £70 and you can get them for quite a few series (they've just released the first series of Transformers on DVD). It's just great being able to sit and watch an entire series in a matter of days without having to wait a week inbetween each episode. If I had the money, I could so easly go out and buy all the Buffy season box-sets. They're addictive. I just can't get enough of demons being slain! (or Sarah Michelle Gellar)

Quote(s) of the Day
(I've decided to put 2 in today because they both caught my eye)

"The thermometer of success is merely the jealousy of the malcontents" - Salvador Dali

"A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. Unfortunately, they don't have a J.O.B" - Fats Domino

Bar Antics
Last night I went to an Indie night in Goodricke College on campus. The music was cool but I wasn't in much of a dancing mood for some reason. It was hell trying to get to the bar and it always took about 20 minutes to get served. I like to think I'm actually quite good at ordering drinks because I always seem to get served quicker than some people. I don't know if there's that much technique to it but I just try and get my hand on the bar as early as possible and try and get the attention of the barman/barmaid. Maybe if I attached a big neon flashing sign to my head saying "Serve Me" I'd get served quicker. On second thoughts, maybe not.

Valentine's Day
It's Valentines Day in a couple of weeks and I don't know whether to send a card this year. I had a bad experience 2 years ago so I don't know if I should bother. Hmm, I'll think about it.

Mulholland Drive
I went to see David Lynch's critically acclaimed "Mulholland Drive" at York's art-house cinema last week and it was an absolutely amazing film. Sadly, I can't tell you much about the plot because that would be giving it away but suffice to say I left the cinema feeling a little confused. I went on the Internet though to check out what other people thought of the film and when I found out what it was all about I just couldn't believe it. It's such a clever film because of the little things that you don't notice and then when the climax comes it all fits perfectly. Kind of like "The Sixth Sense" except completely different. Much of the film is satirising Hollywood and many of the genres associated with it. The Tarantino-esque scene is hilarious and the whole cinema was laughing at it. It's not a film that everybody will like and to be frank the ending left me feeling dazed. It was like you walked out of the cinema thinking to yourself "What the hell just happened?" But it was all worth it and it was just such a clever film. It's funny, it's surreal and it's excellently acted. It's obvious that this came from the same person as "Twin Peaks" and this may even surpass that in terms of surrealism.

Happy Birthday
Big it up for Mikey D who hits 19 today everyone. That's all from me for now, not really much to say sorry.

Quote of the Day
Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real. - Tupac Shakur

Sheer Laziness
Ok, well because I'm lazy and can't be bothered doing a proper post I've decided to just post my results from one of those e-mail tests here so you can all see what a great person I am:

1. Name: Alexander William Rory
2. Nicknames: Al, Ali, Rimmer, The Punisher, Sex Kitten
3. There isn't a number 3 suspiciously
4. Height: 5ft 8"
5. Hair: Dark brown
6. Siblings: 1 brothers, 2 sisters.
7. What are you wearing right now? Nothing... er, adidas trainers, jeans, black t-shirt and a woolen jumper.
8. Star sign: Cancer.
9.Where do you live: At the moment York but also Southport
10. Sex: Male
11. Righty or lefty: Righty.

ON GIRLS FOR GUYS(LADS ONLY)
23. Regular underwear or thong: Regular
24. Painted nails or not: Without.
25. Bra or sports bra: Sports
26. Cute n' mysterious or wild n' sexy: Both.
27. Dressy or casual: 'Casual'
28. Dark or blonde hair: Has to be blonde.
29. Long or short hair?: Long-ish
30. Dark or light eyes: Light
31.Long or short nails: Not that long but longer than mens.
32. Hat or no hat: No hat
33. Good or bad girl: Good-ish
34. Fat or thin: Thin
35 Hair up or down: Down
36. Jewelry or none: A couple of rings would be ok
37. Tall or short: Shorter than me!
38. Curly or straight hair: Straight.
39. Trowser or dress: Dress.
40. Tan or fair: Tan.
41. Freckles or none: None.
42. Pretty indoor chick or party chick: Erm, Party?
43. Accent or Canadian: Canadians have accents don't they?
44. Shy or outgoing: Both when appropriate

*~EVERYONE~*
45. Chocolate, white or milk? Chocolate.
46. Root beer or dr. pepper? Dr Pepper.
47. Mud or Jell-O wrestling? As long as it's wrestling it's good but i'll go with mud.
48. Vanilla or chocolate? Chocolate.
49. Skiing or boarding? Boarding.
50. Day or night? Day.
51. Summer or winter? Summer.
52. Cake or pie? Cake.
53. Silver or gold? Gold.
54. Diamond or pearl? Diamonds
55. sunset or sunrise? Sunset.
56. Have you ever broke/sprained/fractured a bone? Yes. I've broken my little finger several times and shattered the bone in it once. All playing as a goalkeeper.
59. Do you wear any rings? No.
60. Do you hate any one? Yes.
61. Do you believe in fighting? Only if the outcome is pre-dertermined and the fighters have stupid names, wear spandex and have entrance music.
62. What's your favorite bands? Radiohead/Stereophonice.
63. Who/what do you dream about? Recently, Osama Bin Laden trying to kill me.
64. Do you have a HUGE crush at someone right now? Yep and the feeling ain't mutual.
65. Whos ur loudest friend? Nicola.
66. Who's ur quietest friend? Jonny.
67. Who do you turn to for advice? Hannah.
68. Whos the first person to ask if you're ok? Me.
69. Who do you tell your dreams to? Anyone and everyone.
70. Who is most likely to respond? Erm.

I promise to give a proper post this weekend.

Quote of the Day
"It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved." - Niccolo Machiavelli

Recent Developments
Well, I'll start off by apologising for not updating my blog for so long. It's just been a combination of things really rather than anything in particular. I always intend to make a post but something always gets in the way whether it be laziness, the call of alcohol or someone nosey sat next to me. Anyway, moving on.

Making Films is Easy
I've been spending lots of time with the Cinematography Society recently and I've made 2 films in the last couple of weeks. The first one was called "Boy Meets Girl" and although I was only an extra it was a great laugh filming it. We had to go to a local club (during the day) Ikon & Diva to do some filming and basically all I had to do was stand in the background and pretend to dance. What made it fun was the free alcohol! We started drinking at 2, finished filming at 5 and came back to Uni. But instead of stopping drinking then I thought it best to carry on and went down to the bar. By 11pm I was paralytic pretty wasted and can't even remember going to bed. I really don't know how much I had to drink but when I woke up at about 3am to go to the toilet I was still drunk. The next morning I felt absolutely abysmal and I guess the moral of the story is "never go on a 9 hour bender". Good advice.

Then last weekend, the Cinematography Society decided to do something special and somebody suggested a few weeks ago doing a 48-hour project. Basically the writing of a script can take weeks, plus filming and editing, which means making a film, even a small one, can be a lengthy process. Well, we were going to try and write, film, edit and premiere a short movie in one weekend. And by God, did we do it! I had serious reservations about our success but we managed it. Admittedly, the film only lasted about 8 minutes but what was so gratifying was that all of us were involved in every aspect of the production - writing, acting, editing. We spent all of Saturday morning writing the script and then the rest of Saturday and Sunday morning filming. All of the editing was done on Sunday afternoon and then the film was premiered in my bar on Sunday evening. My acting, was, as always, immaculate and so far an incredible one person has asked me for my autograph (albeit she was a friend and only joking). But making films can be relatively straightforward if everyone is working towards a common goal. I know 2 people who are applying to film school and I think it would be such an amazing experience to do.

House Hunting
As a first year at Uni I get to live on campus which is great as I'm right next to the bar and I don't have to go far for lectures. Next year however, all first years have to move out and find a house nearby. To that end, the last week I've been frantically ringing landlords up and asking them if they have a house available. The Uni publishes a housing list so you just look through that and find the contact details of a landlord whose property you're interested in. Today, I had a look round 2 houses and the first one was okay, not great, but the second one was really nice. We said we'd take it there and then and we just need to sign the contract on Friday. I'm moving in with Tom, Hannah and Laura, all people down my corridor. It's a good mix with 2 girls and 2 boys plus it won't feel like it's crowded. The house is terraced with one bedroom downstairs and 3 upstairs (typical student house really). The rent is £46 a week which for York is about average. However, because I'll be paying my rent out of my student loan and the others are getting their parents to pay it for them (lucky buggers) it means I'll be much more strapped for cash next year. On top of the rent we'll have bills and a television license to pay so I'll really be scrimping for money. Hopefully, I'll get a ridiculously well-paid job over the summer (yeah, right) and I'll be loaded by the time I get back to Uni. Here's hoping.

Other Matters
They're pretty much the main things that have happened to me recently. I'm full-swing back into my course now and I've finished reading J. S. Mill's "On Liberty". It was interesting but hard-going and I think I need to read it again to fully grasp everything he was saying. We're doing ethics in Philosophy at the moment and that's so interesting. Today our lecturer tied in what we've been doing with the war in Afghanistan and some of the things he said made sense. He was basically asking whether it was morally right for so many civilians to be killed during the attacks on the Taliban as between October 7th and December 7th something like 3,500 civilians have been killed due to the war. What's interesting was the lecturer's point that during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre, they were attacking what America stood for and the civilian casualties were just a consequence of that attack, and during the war in Afghanistan the American attacks were on the Taliban and Al Quaeda and the civilian casualties were just a consequence of those attacks. So, was the American action justified or are Bush, Powell, Rumsfeld and co. just as bad as Bin Laden and Omar? I think the attacks were justified but it's an intriguing point of view. Certainly something to consider, especially in light of the recent furore over the treatment of Taliban prisoners.

United all the Way
I could talk about how great Ruud van Nistelrooy is and how United are back in the title race but after last night's performance I don't think I want to. I knew they'd lose to Liverpool.

The world of the WWF has become very exciting recently with the news that they may be signing all 3 of Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Hulk Hogan. I think this could be either great or very bad for the WWF depending on how they're handled.

That's all for now, hopefully more at the weekend.

Quote of the Day
If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. - J. S. Mill

Sorry
Ok, so I promised I would update more and I haven't. Well, I've been pretty busy these first two weeks (ok, so the first week I didn't do anything but details details). I swear I will do a proper update tomorrow or in the next couple of days. Loads to talk about, I promise.

I gotta get through this
Ah, it's great to be back at Uni. Complete freedom, nothing to do. I got my timetable for this term and it's not too bad, pretty similar to last term actually. Thankfully I only have one 9:15 instead of 2 and no 5:15 tutorials. Woo! However, I had to buy all the books for my course and that set me back £50 (thank God for the student loan). To be fair, last term I spent £90 on textbooks so I really shouldn't complain but it's just that the money could have been put to better use on something like alcohol or seducing women. But anyway, I'm doing some J. S. Mill, Immanuel Kant and Jean Jaques Rousseau this term so that should be fun. Interestingly enough, though I haven't been able to confirm this (nor would I want to) but my old Politics teacher told me that Jean Jaques Roussea wrote an entire book about male masturbation. Hey, don't shoot the messenger!

In other news, well there really isn't any. This week I don't do anything while some poor souls have exams to do. It was great to get back to my corridor because I really missed everyone. Living with 9 strangers for a short while, you kind of get close to them and it's strange not being around them. I'm not sure whether home is "home" or at Uni. Or the WWF. But anyway, since I'm really doing virtually nothing all day at the moment, I'll leave you all in peace. Please keep leaving me your comments, they're much appreciated.

Back to Wonderland
Hey everyone, I'm back at Uni now and this is my first of many regular posts. Not much to say at the moment except a thank you to my esteemed friend and colleague, Mr. Solid_Ichelma (Mike). Without him this blog would just be a twinkle in my eye. I promise to repay you in some shape or form one day. But nothing unsavoury.

I'll be back with more soon. Don't go away.

Be my sadistic co-worker
After months of ignoring the trend, comments have been installed! You can now easily reply to Al's posts, or at least until the popularity of YACCS outways the available bandwith (like the other free systems).

Anyway, maximum respect to YACCS and to Popdog for recommending the service.

How could I forget?
Of course, I need to add England's 5-1 THRASHING of Germany to the highs of last year.

New Year New Year
Another year has been and gone. It’s 2002 already. New Year’s eve saw me going into town and just generally getting drunk with some friends. To be honest, it wasn’t really much different to a typical night out but it was the end of a year and everybody was merry. I’m looking forward to 2002 and hoping that it is a year in which everybody can go on to do what they’ve always dreamed of and find happiness. Last year for me was generally a good year, but I think that for most people, with September 11th and everything, it is a year they will never forget. The shadow of terrorism and instability that came in the aftermath of that horrific tragedy will live on in the memories of many people for years to come. 2002 represents a fresh start for everybody – a clean slate – so let’s all try and make a real go of things.

Testing my Resolve
Well I haven’t written any new year resolutions in stone or anything, but there are a couple of things I would like to do:

1. Lose weight – yep, this year I’m determined to finally make a real effort and get in shape. It’s not like I’m a complete slob and never do any exercise and eat junk food all the time or anything (well, maybe sometimes), but I sure could do with a healthier lifestyle

2. Blog more – whilst at Uni I hardly blogged at all. Although I didn’t get a computer at Christmas, I’ve decided that I’m going to make an effort to blog more. I might only be posting once a week but surely that’s better than once a term

3. Read more – ever since I can remember I’ve always read a lot but in recent years, probably due to academic commitments more than anything, I’ve hardly read at all. Well I’ve decided I want to get back into reading regularly, if only to break up all the reading of textbooks I’m doing! I’m starting with the Harry Potter series and inevitably I’ll move on to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. God, I’m such a sheep

4. Live life to the max! – I just generally want to improve myself as a person. How do I do this? Your guess is as good as mine is but I’m going to start by working hard and playing hard. I want to treat people as I want to be treated myself and just be nice to people and make more friends, join more societies etc. I think you know what I’m getting at

So, do I have a chance of achieving (any?) of these resolutions? Maybe.

A Space Odyssey
Right, I was thinking about my personal 2001 and what happened and I thought about some of the good things and some of the bad things that happened:

Good
- Getting a PlayStation2
- Getting 3 A’s in my A-level exams
- Going to Uni, loving it and making loads of new friends
- Manchester United winning the league for the third time in a row
- Turning 18
- Watching “Apoclaypse Now Redux” and “Fellowship of the Ring” at the cinema
- Leaving work
- Never having to go to another goddam boring 3-hour Governor’s meeting again
- Going to Ibiza on holiday and getting a kick-ass tan

Bad
- September 11th (even though I wasn’t directly affected by it, I don’t think I’ll ever forget the feeling I felt as I watched the pictures unfolding on TV)
- Getting a B in my Politics A-level
- Andy Cole leaving Manchester United
- The Rock only being in “The Mummy Returns” for like for the first 5 minutes
- Leaving work
- Not getting onto the Derwent JCRC at Uni

So based on that list I’d say all-in-all 2001 was a pretty good year for me. If one of the worst things that happened to me last year was The Rock only being in his first film for the opening sequence, then surely I must be doing okay. I’m sure I’m missing some things out, both good and bad, but they’re the only ones that spring to my immediate memory.

Something to Look Forward to
Here’s what I’m looking forward to in 2002:

- Star Wars: Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones
- Spiderman: The Movie
- The Scorpion King starring The Rock
- Metal Gear Solid 2 (PlayStation2)
- Final Fantasy X (PlayStation2)
- Seeing the world premiere of my first feature film, “Fear”, made by York Uni Cinematography Society
- An exciting title race in the Premiership for a change
- The World Cup (Come on England!!!)
- D’lo Brown’s long heralded return to the primary roster of the WWF
- Becoming WWF champion
- Moving into my own house for the second year of Uni

Okay, nothing particularly earth shattering there granted, but for me if I can get to see or experience half of those things then surely I’ll be able to look back and say “not a bad year”.

Happy Birthday!
This wonderful little blog is now just over one year old. My very first post was tapped out on 31st December 2000 and reading through it I noticed that the title I called my blog, “The Secret World of an Average Guy”, was only temporary in my mind until I could think of something better. Well, as you can tell I couldn’t think of anything better. No, only joking. I’ve stuck with it because I think it’s relatively applicable (I’d say I’m fairly average apart from the exceptional good lucks and ridiculously oversized peni… er, brain) although my world isn’t so secret if you’re reading this! So, happy birthday to my blog. Of course, none of it would be possible if it weren’t for Mike to make it all happen and give me sexual favours encouragement and inspiration. Forever, I am indebted. And it’s down to him for the snazzy new design too. If only I could have comments… (nudge nudge wink wink)

Life
Now all the sentimental crap is out of the way we can get down to business. It’s Friday today and I go back to Uni on Sunday. It’s been great to come home for a couple of weeks, get all my washing and cooking done for me and see all my friends from college, but I can’t wait to get back to York. Maybe I just prefer the independent lifestyle and can’t stand being moaned at by my parents for staying in bed all day or leaving dirty plates lying around the kitchen. That never happens at Uni! So it’ll be another 10 weeks away home for me and more chances to kill of my liver once and all with alcohol. Ah, I can’t wait.

On a completely unrelated note I bought a TV reception booster yesterday from Currys for £20 so I’m hoping it will the reception in my room at Uni and actually make at least one channel watchable. It makes a difference in my room at home so I’m confident it will have the desired effect. I also bought some new trainers that were reduced from £40 to £15. I didn’t need new trainers but you know, you need a bit of variety in life. This week I also caved in and bought the boxset of “The Mummy” (which doesn’t feature The Rock) and “The Mummy Returns” (which does). “The Scorpion King” looks good from the trailer and will probably be the best film to star a wrestler until “D’lo Brown: The Movie” comes out. Probably.

I’m not sure if I’ll post again before I go back but if I don’t I’ll try and make a post as soon as I can from Uni. Until next time everyone. Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Quote of the Day
“A good Media essay features Madonna or goats but not both combined in the same sentence.” - Michael Dale

[don't panic...it's only me again, posting for al]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!