Being Smug

Just a quick post to those who claim I am a lazy student. This is me this morning just about to deliver my dissertation to uni.


No, it didn't reach two volumes, I had to submit two copies. However, each one is 303 pages long, mainly statistics but still over 100 pages of text, around 23,500 words. Hopefully I'll get a good mark for it, we'll see on November 19th I think it is. But as Cat's mum said this morning, "it looks good, but I don't know, it could be crap." So I'll have to wait a while. I just wanted to point out I haven't been sitting on my arse all summer long though!

Oh and before I forget, I received an email yesterday. It was the monthly newsletter (although I've never noticed previous editions) from the Revesby Workers Club. If you've never heard of this place, I feel for you, you've missed out. If you know of this place, I feel with you, I miss it incredibly too. I guess the silver lining of this situation is that today is one day less than yesterday I have to wait until I visit the Workers again. Anyone else coming?

Oh, finally to those in Nova Scotia. See you tomorrow!

Preparations

Things are looking good for my latest excursion to Canada. Last night I extended my winning Cranium streak and put up a good fight in Scattegories. Although I lost to Catrin, she's almost a professional word-ist-person-type-thing, so there's no shame in losing there.

Laura, take some time to warn yourself and your silly little friends Dan and I expect to dominate the world of board gaming and indeed earn a huge sum of money in the process. Hey Dan, let's challenge Meghan and Laura to a wager, beat them and then buy something we can prominently display in our bachelor pad which can be named appropriately. Something that can have a plaque put up by it that says "kindly donated by Laura and Meghan's shortcomings."

I'm going away now to practice being smug.

Modern Britain

So what did I get up to this weekend? Yeah, I went up to Manchester to see the United - Arsenal game. I don't think I really need to talk about this as Arsenal's winner with 5 minutes to go speaks volumes by itself.

However, I will show some photos of the lovely area of Manchester we (whole family went) stayed at. This is the hotel we always use, situated in the Salford Quays (pronounced keys) area of Manchester and only a 15 minute walk from Old Trafford (United's ground). (Note to self - stop using brackets).


This area of Manchester was tarted up in 1987 and is now a very trendy, funky part of the world to live in. Just look at the local office blocks.


And this is a really cool hydraulic bridge, which can be completely raised to allow big ships to go to Liverpool. Why they would want to go to Liverpool is beyond me, the British version being just as bad as the Nova Scotian one.


Salford Keys are so popular, they have been used for the Commonwealth Games' rowing events and the UK Triathlon. In fact, there was some rowing event taking place this weekend to maximise the levels of toffness in the surroundings.

So, nice place then? Well...some parts are.



But then other parts are too 'British' for my liking.



Yeah nice one Britain. Typical.

Canadianisms

I tell you, bloody Canadians, they're all the same. Nelly Furtado was on the Chris Moyles Breakfast Show this morning (really popular radio show over here) and she's just like the rest of them. Apparently it's really amusing to try and English accent and over-pronounce the words 'knickers' and 'bitter' (but without the t's in bitter). Grow up Canada!

Nevertheless, listening to Nelly Furtado gave me the chance to bore people once more with the encounter (of sorts) Doctah J had with her. You know, the one when she was singing in a bar in Calgary about a year before she became famous. Then she was sitting by said bar after the set and despite fancying the pants off her, Doctah didn't have the guts to chat her up. In hindsight, I should have emailed the show today and asked for a personalised autograph that said 'To Doctah J, grow some balls!' In fact, I've been kicking myself since that I didn't think of that one in time. Next time though!

Another situation you Canadians would have enjoyed in a sadistic way this week was my friend getting attacked. He's ok by the way but works for Securicor, moving big amounts of money around in an armoured van. You know, to and from banks and atms etc. Anyway, he got jumped this week and 4 guys made off with about £30,000. But he did happen to shit himself when they came at him with iron bars as he thought they were the barrels of guns at first. But no, don't be silly. Not in Britain. And being in Britain, of course he had nothing to defend himself but his protective hat. Hence they got away with the loot. Like I said, he's ok but the whole story did make me think of them Eskimos over there who find it bizarre the British police only have truncheons to protect themselves, echoed in the Simpsons when thats all the Queen's guards had in London. And whistles.

Bloody Canadians.

Coolest Music Video Ever

Check this out. Yeah, I know it's not as enjoyable as a Holly Valance video but you have to admit it's a pretty cool video.

Cheers Stevo!

I'm going to miss Steve Irwin a hell of a lot. No, I never had the privelidge of meeting him or knowing him personally but I loved that guy.

Since I was really small, I've always had some bizarre fascination with snakes and reptiles, fuelled by the interest and knowledge of my Grampy. Therefore, whenever Steve Irwin has been on TV I have found my self incredibly enthused, interested and entertained by his work. I loved his personality and passion for his cause. Whilst most people will recognise him as an unorthodox and eccentric television personality, I have been fortunate enough to visit his zoo in Australia and witness how much work he does to try and preserve various animals and that the whole purpose behind his 'entertainment' shows is to educate people and make them aware of their environment.

Don't get me wrong, I am by no means someone who will chain themselves to trees, buy a Toyota Prius or refuse to eat meat. But I have a huge amount of respect for what Steve Irwin achieved in that I could never understand or condone poachers/hunters who I may not have been aware of without watching his shows.

What's more, Steve Irwin always involved his family with his work. I feel I 'know' his wife Terri and children Bindy and Bob as well as I 'know' him. Which makes today's horrible news a thousand times worse. They have my deepest sympathies and I hope they will find comfort from the millions of people who am doing what I am doing right now, publicising my appreciation for one of my heroes in how he improved my life despite living on the other side of the world.

Steve Irwin made me interested in learning about nature and put a smile on my face every time I saw him. He also showed everyone to be themselves, stamp their own personality on the world and to live life doing the things you love. I wish his friends and family all the best. Steve Irwin, you are a legend, thank you for being you.