We're gonna party like it's 1999

This Tuesday was my parents' Silver Wedding Anniversary! As my cousin said to Dad, "25 years is longer than a life sentence, you should be a free man now."

We had a great day. Ga and I surprised them with presents in the morning. This was done at 6am as my Dad and brother have to get up then, I promptly went back to bed. There were several deliveries of flowers during the day and family visitors before they posed for some photos.






We left the main surprise for the evening, however. Gareth and I had reserved a very posh dinner at the Vale Hotel, just outside Cardiff. This is a luxury 4* hotel, golf course and leisure complex used by people such as the Welsh soccer and rugby teams, Liverpool and Arsenal FC when they play in Cardiff. And not only had we booked a meal, we also booked one of the biggest, executive rooms for them Tuesday night with a balcony overlooking the 9th (I think) green on the championship course.







And that left Mum and Dad to spend the night at the hotel and enjoy the facilities the next day. Apparently the sauna was "like a sauna in there" if you were wondering Igor and they had a great time, thankfully. I would like to thank my Grandma, as the event would not have been possible without her Corporate Sponsorship.

Congratulations Mum and Dad!

Skill or Chance?

Very interesting article today in The Times. Apparently there has been a recent surge of member clubs in Britain that facilitate the game of poker. An investigation is out to rule whether or not this is allowed according to how poker is defined. If it is deemed a game of skill, these clubs are ok but if it is deemed a game of chance, they will have to stop hosing poker tournaments.

This got me thinking. I have always thought of hold 'em, especially no limit, as a game of skill as I am always in control and playing against opponents, not the house. I don't like 7 card draw because I find you're playing against the odds. Therefore, my opinion is that certain forms of the game should be classified as a game of skill.

Obviously, there is always going to be an aspect of chance. But this is the case for all games/sports. The chance the goalie might go the right way in soccer, the chance the putt will break more than you think, the chance you might hit Adam's door playing indoor darts.

Hold 'em, however, I believe your skill dictates the chance. For example, if I was playing Cole, I know he'd have no chance of winning.

The jury is deciding. However, whatever the verdict, I am sure it won't stop me taking Lois, Cat and Sarah for all they've got!

Winter Golf

This is my brother, Gareth.


He has followed a different career path to his older brother. Instead of travelling around pouring people drinks for not much money, he left university straight into a swish poncy job as a civil engineer. I think he plays with sand all day, something like that but has a fancy new company car that takes him to the sandpit and is given a lot of money.

Which brings me to the point of this blog. Normally Gareth spends his money on crappy CDs or surfing stuff, but has recently invested in some new technology for his PS2. Check this out - we are actually playing golf inside using our real swings. I think it's awesome.





Hey Dub & MJ, check out the shorts!

However this is quite energetic and I can't imagine the stereotypical PS2er bothering with all this as they're too fat. We also have some fighting game as well which I don't like but do enjoy actually punching and blocking to play the game.

The thing works by strapping gloves on that are attached to chords to another thing which replicates your movements on the screen depending how your hands are moving with these gloves on. I think that's the technical jargon.

So that's what I've been upto recently in between the gym and soccer. I have a wedding suit to fit into soon enough so have to keep in shape. And not to contradict my last post, I'm no big computer gamer, I still suck at it.

Till next time, Ciao for now.

Tagged

So the Emmj tagged me. I'm not really sure what she expects me to do but I believe I need to describe 5 things about me. I'll give it a go.

1. I am extremely competitive

- I'm still pissed off about conceding two goals in soccer the other day. Although they were taken very well, I could have stopped them if I was at my very best. Still annoys me though and I do not like losing at pool. But I think I keep this to myself and am not a sore loser.

2. I am really bad at computer games

- There is a reason that half-pissed Scotty and Bri could beat me and Dub at FIFA and NHL this year, I am awful at computer games. However, because I am super cool, this is because I hardly play the things.

3. I don't stay in the same place for long periods of time

- The last five years have seen me move from Swansea to Canada back to Swansea back to Canada and now to Barry. Although I do want to return to Canada for an extended period of time soon (ie. next year), after I've been to Australia. Also linked to this is that I've only ever managed to keep one girlfriend for more than three months at a time.

4. My jokes aren't funny although I say they are

- Several times I have tried to tell a joke to my friends that they heard five minutes earlier from my Dad who'd originally told me. That's sad. Any good ones I hear I tend to forget very quickly. Apart from: What do you call a black man flying a plane? A pilot, you racist.

5. I like being in control

- Because of my competitive nature I like being able to get on with things on my own so I can strive to be the best. It doesn't come easy to be looked down upon (bit of arrogance as well there). In my current job, one of my bosses is a total control freak and has her head shoved so far up her arse it's coming out of her throat again. We have to do things his/her way (trying to avoid getting in touble) or no way. So I'm now looking for another job, one that stimulates and challenges me.

On another Note:

I noticed the other day a girl walking in front of me making a big effort to pull her jeans up and top down so I couldn't look down her crack from behind. Not that I was though, not very attractive to me you see. But I thought to myself if she doesn't want people staring at her, why wear a skimpy top and low-cut jeans without a belt? I'm honestly not defending people perving on strangers but questionning if someone is flaunting something they don't want seen why flaunt it in the first place?

See yas!

9 weeks to go

So I booked my flight to Australia. I leave on Monday December 12th and fly home January 4th. It's gonna be so cool, can't wait. Don't have a complete plan of what to do, or even a partial plan so am now gonna do some research. MJ and I have talked of some time in Queensland, to see the Doctah and Mrs Doctah. Tasmania looks pretty stunning if we have time and of course Sydney. I'm already communicating with those British rejects, I mean Aussies, to arrange a day at the cricket. That would be cool. I've seen Australia play before but never in a test match so that will be something else. Apparently Igor can't make it. That's the only bit that sucks, there'd have been no end of trouble if he was there. Dan, its up to you and me mate. We'll have to fly the flag without him. All cos he has to do some presentation about some robot that no-one really needs and it doesn't do anything. That's right yeah?

Right now I'm at uni, waiting for my lecture to start. I'm studying an MSc Masters in Marketing and we've been discussing branding today. For those of you who think marketing is a subject unlike medicine or law or environmental studies (cole) with no ethics or purpose or vitality in life today, you'd be right. This evening, my lecturer is appearing on TV discussing butter. It turns out there is a brand of butter called "Sir Gar." This means Camarthen, a county in Wales. The butter is advertised as being made with a traditional Welsh recipe, with a Welsh name, in a traditional circular package with a Welsh (fictional - Dan) dragon la de da de da. However, it is made in England and owned by an English company. But I wonder how many people will ever know that? Marketers are such evil people.

Updating

It's been a while but here is a little description of my past week.

Have started back at university doing an MSc Masters in Marketing. It's got something to do with learning how to extract money from innocent money unneccesarily. I'm quite good at it as I have a totally evil streak in me. This week was full of induction lectures which we kind of repetitive but now I'm in the learning mode and it seems only the other day I was sitting in lectures although it's been about 18 months since the last time. However, this gap has left quite a thirst for knowledge and I'm very motivated, especially as I only have to turn up monday and thursday afternoons (but thats for now - watch this space!).

I've also got round to redecorating my new room at home which used to be my sisters. The pink carpet is no more and tomorrow so to will be the floral wallpaper. So a day long of stripping awaits. And tomorrow evening I have a gym induction with my brother, Gareth as we've now decided its gonna get too wet outside to go running.

Saturday night was pretty cool. Went out with my brother, Richie, Lois, Cat and Sarah to Cardiff which is always fun. Managed to blag our way past the queue and paying part of Cardiff Uni's student bar as Rich was breaking there. He's pretty good, I have to be fair but I did teach him everything he knows.

This weekend we got to dog-sit my auntie's dog, Holly. She's very cute and the sweetest, most innocent animal you could ever meet. Have a look.





And Mum and Dad bought a new car today, a Ford Galaxy. What are those type of cars called in Canada? I can't remember but I do recall MJ laughing at the fact we call them 'People Carriers' over here. Here's Mum and Dad with their new toy.



Smell ya later!