EAB, ZO, Tan & Sock!

Ok, so did you instantly recognise these as types of tape used in sport? Over the course of a season you get through a lot of tape. At our level, where money is tight, every metre of tape matters in the budget. I've been very lucky that the team for whom I've been working for this last year have supported the cost of buying the tape we've used.

We've been quite frugal in our use of tape, but we've not skimped either. I was wondering the other day how much tape we'd actually used and I did a bit of maths. Overall we used around 1.8Km of tape. That would go the length of the pitch 18 times and it would cover an area of around 110 sqm.

I suspect that a Premiership club uses 4 or 5 times that amount of tape!

This year we introduced lifting blocks for the line-out jumpers. These are small foam blocks taped to the thigh just above the knee. They are single use normally because the tape sticks to the foam and you can't separate them without tearing lumps out of the blocks. They're only £1 a pair, but that would cost £25 per player each year on average. With at least three jumpers, £75 is a lot to spend on bits of foam! I discovered that if I covered the blocks in ZO (zinc oxide) tape before taping them to the players, then they've lasted the season saving us £65! At first I wrapped them in cling film, which worked well but needed doing every week. I tried sock tape (electrical tape) but I think that made the blocks too stiff, so ZO tape did the job.

I've really enjoyed my season and I'm looking forward to next season. Part of me wishes I could go back and study either sports therapy or physiotherapy in more detail. But time travel isn't an option and I'm not sure I have the energy to embark on yet another degree now! So I'll keep reading, going to CPD courses and do my best. I just hope there's a special offer on tape before the season seats and we can stock up!

Obstacle runs, boot camps and other madness!

I've just caught the end of a programme about the London "Survival of the fittest" obstacle run. It's a 10K run with a difference. Running through drains, streams, over hay bales, under wires and nets. Name an obstacle and it's probably in the race.

The best part about the whole things was the obvious fun everyone was having. Even the elite competitors had big smiles of their faces. Oh to be younger, more agile and considerably fitter! I suspect I might not even make it over the first hurdle in such a race. Interestingly, this sort of outdoor exercise is probably far better than working out in the confines of a gym. Every muscle group is put through its paces and worked hard. you are constantly climbing, crawling, pushing, lifting and moving in ways that are typical human movement patterns. No isolated exercises, just all-round movement requiring to shift your own body weight, nothing more, nothing less. It reminds me of the principle espoused by Mark Sissons in his Primal blueprint stuff about walking more, running sometimes, lifting heavy things from time to time or however he describes it. The idea is simple, exercise in a way that mimics what you do normally.

Of course, if normal is sitting on the sofa watching endless drivel on the TV, then things will need to change. But let's assume we all know that being a couch potato is not what we were designed to be.

I've just finished my 100-day challenge to move the equivalent of 5 miles a day every day. I'm currently on day 104 by the way! This is a good start if your goal is simply to be healthy, to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. So now I'm beginning to think about what to do next. What to add to my routine. I'm thinking of planning my own variation of a boot camp. I've done some interval training before and I like being outside and doing primary body weight based exercise. I'm hoping I might be able to find a training partner. I think it will make some things easier, and it certainly helps with the motivation.

Watching the obstacle run made me wish I was able to do that sort of thing, but it also made me think about what I can do, or what I might be able to do. It's easy to wish away your fitness goals on the basis of what you can't do today. It's much harder to put a plan into place and get out there and do it.

So, over the next couple of weeks I'l work on a plan. I was going to say "perhaps I'll work on a plan", but that's a get out clause and is really just another way of saying I'd like to, but I know I won't.

My first attempt with a sewing machine!

I talked Anne into buying a new sewing machine on the basis that I would have a go with it too. I wanted to make a thin hoodie to replace one I used to have but wore out. When I play tennis in the winter it's nice to use several thin layers, but most hoodies are relatively thick and too warm for me.

And this is the result of my efforts with help and encouragement from the aforementioned Anne who helped me understand the pattern, cut the pieces and figure out the assembly process. But I did all the sewing, which is probably the most straightforward bit of the whole process!

Fun with telemarketers!

So, I'm working away at a project in the kitchen and the telephone rings. "Hello, I'm [whatever her name was] calling about personal injury compensation. Have you have an accident or injury?"

"No. I don't need or want compensation for an accident thank you."

"Ok, Goodbye."

So went the first conversation. But we have two telephone lines, and a few minutes later the other 'phone rings and hear the same background noise that I heard in the first call, preceded by the same silence. So I guessed it was the same company.

" Hello," said the same voice I'd just heard.

"Hello," I replied, "I don't need personal injury compensation, I haven't had an accident, and I guessing you're trying to figure out how I knew what you were going to say!"

Silence. Possibly stunned silence. Eventually the voice returned, said thank you and hung up. What joy to feel like you scored a direct hit. It won't stop the calls, even though we're signed up to TPS on both lines, but it did make the second interruption bring a smile rather than a frown to my face.

Back to the kitchen project then.

Not quite ATP, but fun!

Well, with Wimbledon just around the corner, I thought I'd share my current tennis status with you! I started to play about three years ago and, after some pushing by my coach, decided to have a go at a few competitions. I don't have any pretension towards greatness. In fact winning a first round match would be nice! But, because I've entered one competition and just taken part is a pre-qualifier for a clay court tournament (lost again!), I now have a national ranking! It's not that impressive, but it's fun to see oneself on a list! Here are the details after one result.

I'm in a few grass court competitions over the summer, so you never know by the end of the season I may have accumulated a whole two or even three points!

Getting through a first round match is my first goal. After that we might just have to try and take over the world!

Making notes while browsing the web

There are lots of ways to make notes, capture information and collate stuff while you are browsing the internet. I've used iClip, when it existed, Circus Ponies Notebook, Textedit, Pages and Scrivener to name a few. It's never usually a problem having two applications open at the same time, I've often got more than that, and tabbing between them or having them side-by-side doesn't pose any real problems.

But what if you could do it all in your web browser? Well apparently you can! There's a simply command line that you can type into the address bar of your browser which will allow to you type notes directly into a blank web page.

You can save or print or email the contents of the page.

I discovered this through the Lifehack Blog, but if you don't want to go there to get the command, then this is what you need to type:

data:text/html,%20%3Chtml%20contenteditable%3E

I guess you could even save it as a bookmark, or set your browser to open a notes page every time you start it up. Just in case you find html hard to memorise!

Bohemian Rhapsody... but not as you may remember it!

There are many version's of Queen's BR, I even have the original on vinyl in the loft. But this one makes me smile. I was looking for a piece of music for someone, and came across this brass ensemble version.

Welcome Bogdan!

After many day of journeying to UK from Yakov's workshop in Meerkovo, Bogdan, a handsome officials replica villager toy is arriving on my doorstep. It is taking long time to get here because Postkat have worse sense of direction than penguin in Sahara, but he is finally making it to our warm home here in UK.

Royal Mail peoples made final delivery safely.

Thanks go to Captain Borislav who had to navigate mongoose-pirate infested waters to get to England on his fine ship the Meer-maid.

Cufflinks

We have a wedding coming up in a few weeks now and as both father of the bride and the minister officiating, I thought I'd get myself some new cufflinks for the occasion.

I rather like wearing cufflinks, not sure why, but I do. I suppose I think of them as something rather smart.

Anyway, I came across Cufflinkman via Google and I just wanted to say what a great service I received from them. I only ordered some nice mother of pearl inlaid cufflinks yesterday and they arrived this afternoon.

Very impressed.

Liked the site too. Plenty of choice and now I'm the proud owner of five sets of cufflinks, not all bought yesterday, and including a rather nice pair that actually came out of a Christmas cracker, I bought a storage case for my growing collection. And I'm rather pleased with it all!

Mind you, I've just checked and today's shirt of choice doesn't have cufflink friendly cuffs!

Seen outside the newsagents

The billboard sign outside the local newsagents simply read:

Wedding joy for tragic couple

I'm assuming it's not connected to the royal announcement made earlier this week!

Losing track of time

As I walked back through the town on my afternoon walk I met someone standing outside a solicitors office trying to get in with some papers in their hand.

"Excuse me," she said, "can you read that?" pointing at the sign on the door. "It says, 'Monday to Thursday 9:00am to 6:00pm, Friday 9:00 to 5:00', but it's not 5:00 o'clock yet is it?"

"No, it's not 5:00 yet," I said, "but it is Saturday!"

"Oh, dear," she said, "How embarrassing."

Puts me in mind of the story a friend used to tell about her mother. Apparently she went to the opticians with her new prescription and asked, "Can you make me a pair of glasses to this prescription?

"No, I'm sorry madam we can't do that."

"Call yourselves an optician," she said.

"No madam, we're the dry cleaners, the optician is next door."

Bill Bailey's guide to the orchestra

I was given Bill Bailey's remarkable guide to the orchestra for Christmas. I saw this some time ago on TV and really enjoyed it, so I was rather pleased to get it for Christmas. I love the bits about the bassoon and the trombones.

Many favourite bits, but here's Bill doing the Doctor Who theme!

God bless the sports commentator

During the presentation of a year in sport on the BBC's Sport's Personality of the Year, I heard one of those wonderful commentary moments. I can't remember the commentator being referenced but I remember the line:

It's deja vue all over again.

Only a sports commentary is worthy of such a line!

Confused

Our local fishmonger has a sign up: Now taking orders for Christmas turkeys.

How exactly does a fisherman catch a turkey?

With a line or a net?

I wouldn't want mine caught in a net just in case an innocent chicken or duck gets caught by mistake.

Maybe a more intriguing question is this: Who teaches the turkeys to swim?

Wedding videos

I'm sure by now you've all seen the video of the couple updating their Facebook status at their wedding. If not you can see it here. I for one thought it was really funny and am in no way offended.

But thanks to Ed Stetzer, I came across another great wedding video of the most unusual entrance of the bride. Ed threatened to post it if too many angry pastors commented on the other video. Well here's the link for you watch it for yourself.

Weddings are significant markers but they are meant to be a celebration not a dirge. Well done to everyone who makes their wedding a celebration and who also go on to make their marriages a celebration too.

How true the advertising slogan

We went out for dinner with Anne's parents this evening. Very nice it was too. On the way to the restaurant a Virgin Media van pulled onto a roundabout in front of me, rather too close for comfort.

Mind you, I should have paid more attention to the advertising on the side. After all it did say, "Near miss" in very large letters!

Another year, another birthday

Well I have now reached the ripe old age of 52 and awoke yesterday, not only to that realisation but also to the news that I belong to that elite age group that was about be told that we'd have to work another year before we get our pensions from the government. Not that I expect to get much.

Having been through higher education twice and then worked for several years without paying National Insurance, I suspect I won't ever catch up with my contributions. The funny thing is that I could probably afford to make some additional contributions, but it's almost impossible to work out how to do that or if it's even possible. As far as I know it's now to late for me to do anything about the missed years, and to be honest I'm not about to add that to my list of jobs to do.

The sad thing is that for those people who will be reliant upon the state pension, their working lives will be extended without any choice. It's usually the low paid, poorer members of our society that fall into this category. Dare one suggest that a state pension age is irrelevant to the bankers and money market people who have handsome pension pots.

I suppose we've come to expect to be able to retire early enough to have 20 or more years of playing golf and non term-time holidays. It's a rather middle-class ideal, early retirement. When I set up my personal pension, I was advised to choose 60 as a retirement age to avoid having to work until I'm 65 to get my pension. Having said that, ministry doesn't really seem to lend itself to retirement, although the thought of not carrying the responsibility can be very appealing as you watch the paperwork and jobs pile up on the corner of your desk.

Perhaps, now I'm 52, I should reflect on life. Perhaps I should take the time to think seriously about what I've done with my life and what I should be looking to achieve in the later stages of my ministry. On the other hand I think I'll open the Liquorice All Sorts, stick the DVD of "The Big Bang Theory" in the DVD player and laugh a lot!

Tag lines

See as a tag line on a message thread:

The box said 'You need Windows XP or better' .... so I installed Linux.


It just made me smile

Date and time

As Ally has just pointed out to me...

As we sat in Milton Keynes earlier today it was 12:34:56 on the 7th of the 8th 2009. Which gave us 123456789 as the time and date!

Little things.

More than one way to use a post-it

Thank you Michael for pointing out this video.