Bored

Work is really boring today, it's my turn in student services and it's so quiet it's untrue. At the moment i am drooling over the new Fiat 500 and eating chocolate biscuits. Nice.

How beautiful is this car!? Wish i could get one.

I do like my 'green machine' though (although i'm sure i could get a good price for it) It's caused me no end of worry this week though. The starter motor went on Sunday and i had to be bump started home by the AA. Luckily i've got parts cover on my AA breakdown cover so i could get it fixed for free at one of their recognised centres. The nearest one is in Bolton so i got bump started again Tuesday morning and we took him in to Bolton. Just going down Dene Road into Bolton however and the engine completely over heated and started billowing smoke out of the bonnet, cue another phone call to the AA. They towed me to the garage and i was told that my head gasket may have gone. Cue virtual hysterics as the price of fixing this sunk in.

I spent all day Tuesday having people saying "ooo it might be time to cut your loses" etc etc, and me figuring out how i could get another car and my loan paid off without dipping too far into my savings until the bloke from the garage rang me back. My head gasket is perfectly fine, it's just low on anti-freeze!

It's now back in my possession and running like a dream. My radio and clock are buggered though :-( However they have put some WD40 in my locks. Whoop!

Got a day off work on Monday as it's Christophers birthday (i booked the day off, chris hasn't been promoted to a patron saint or anything) so i get a lie-in and a nice day off relaxing. Certainly need it at the moment!

Big Brother USA

Ok so i've watched this briefly in the past, but this year it's being shown on British TV, which means it's a must watch!

Now the American version of BB is completely different to the British version. There are no fame hungry show offs wanting to win over the voting public, here it's purely tactical and everyone is in it to win at any cost. Contestants compete for 'head of Household' which then means they choose who gets nominated for eviction. There is then a contest to win 'veto' which means the victor can choose to save one of the nominess if they wish. On eviction day each contestant is pulled into the 'diary room' to choose who they want to leave. The person with the most votes goes.

This year is different however. It's been named 'til death do you part' and each couple on arrival in the house was paired with someone who (based on answers to questions before they went into the house) could be their soulmate. So now each couple plays the game together, nominates together, and get's evicted together.....

The contestants:

Alex and Amanda

Ryan and Allison

James and Chelsia (my favourites!!)

Matt and Natalie

Joshuah and Sharon

Adam and Sheila

Parker and Jen

Jen and Ryan went into the show as a real life couple, the unwisely chose to keep this from the group but when the couples were announced they were paired with other people! All this came out into the open and ultimately, it got Jen and Parker evicted first.

Who'll be next to go? Keep reading my blog for the latest news.

Wigan Athletic 1 Paul Jewell 0

Wigan Athletic 2 Derby 0

A home tie today saw us beat Derby County (the worst ever premier league team) Scharner and Valencia the scorers. Now the script was all written for Derby to come to the JJB and beat us. With Ex Wigan manager Paul Jewell at the helm, no win in 21 games and a team that have virtually been relegated since October i was certain we'd lose.

The first half was pretty nonedescript, not many chances and not much happening, the second half was slightly better, Scharner got the first goal on 60 minutes with Antonio Luis Valencia scoring a peach shortly afterwards. Can't understand why Bruce won't drop Heskey. He's got an abysmal scoring record (1 goal all season!!) and tbh just doesn't look up for the fight, at least he's seen what a lazy shit Bent is and has dropped him for the only marginally better Marlon King. Sibierski got 10 minutes or so, but for me he has to be starting with King (the best of a bad bunch)

Best of luck to Arsenals Eduardo. He suffered a horrific broken leg today against Birmingham. Hope he makes as quick a recovery as possible and is able to get back to entertaining us once again whilst playing superb football with Arsenal.

Happy Valentines Day!

I've been a bit quiet on the blog front lately, but to be truthful nothing of note has happened!

It's half term this week at work so it's really quiet.

Last week we lost to Sunderland but still stayed out of the relegation places, phew! This weekend is FA cup 5th Round (something we don't have to worry about yet again) then we play Derby at home. That match sees Paul Jewell returning to the JJB and it could also make or break our season. If we win and other fixtures go our way everything could be looking bright and rosy!

Paul Jewells also been in the media this week moaning because Tottenhams secretary took the team sheet into the ref rather than a member of the playing staff. Freakin' Hell Paul! Concentrate on not getting relegated with the lowest points total ever eh?!

Re-reading that, it could come back to haunt me!

Tomorrow me and Chris are going to an Italian for a meal to celebrate Valentines. It's also out anniversary tomorrow, 1 year and 8 months together! Double celebration! Can't wait!

Book Review - Punk Football by Andrew Vaughan

"According to The Clash there was no Elvis, Beatles or The Rolling Stones in 1977. Maybe not - but there wa a silver jubilee, The Sex Pistols, Rock Against Racism, Buzzcocks, Pigeon Wars, Space Invaders, Bluto's and Wigan Athletics final season as a non-league football club"

This book charts Wigan Athletics final season as a non-league club in the 77/78 season against a backdrop of Wigan life in the 70's and a burgeoning Punk scene. The author tells tales from terrace fashion to massive cup ties against division 1 clubs to nights out at the now defunct Bier Keller and Wigan casino to the also defunct Unit 4 cinema in Pemberton.

The book is packed with funny stories, i nearly split my sides reading about the Invacars! He also gives an insight about what it was like to follow Wigan back in the 70's as no doubt one of the most famous non-league clubs, what Wigan nightlife was like, and who can forget the Pigeon Fanciers!

Overall this is an extremely well written articulate book from a man who is quite clearly passionate (and clued up) about both Wigan Athletic and Punk music, and is a fascinating insight into a time in history that i didn't get to witness first hand. Interviews from old favourites such as Noel Ward and (my mums favourite) Tommy Gore make the book a must read for any Wigan Athletic fan looking to piece together the history of their club.

Farewell

To Emily, who has resigned from the international office at work. She's gone back to America after the breakdown of her marriage, and i'm very sad to see her go. We didn't even get to say goodbye to her. She was a lovely lovely woman and i wish her all the best.

After threatening a few times in the past, today i finally had my hair cut into a bob. I just decided this morning whilst drying my hair that it was getting on my nerves and i finally took the plunge this dinnertime. It's really really nice and i'm so pleased with it. It's made my hair look so much thicker and my colour stands out more too. There was loads of hair on the floor when she;d finished!

England 2 - 1 Switzerland

What a crappy match. Now it was only a friendly granted, but it was the first game under Capello and he'd called up a couple of lesser capped players like Jenas and Bentley. I thought they both played pretty well especially Jenas, and Shaun Wright phillips came on later in the match and scored a good goal from some good build up play.

One thing though. Steven Gerrard. MOTM. Who the bloody hell votes for these things! and more importantly were the people in question even watching the match! Gerrard was completely ineffective last night and went missing for large parts of the game. He'd been made stand in captain whilst Capello asesess his options. Doubt Stevie La will have much of a look in now after that sort of a performance.

Also today the Premier League want to play some matches all around the world, places including America (surprise) Australia and the UAE (no doubt due to them opening that new celeb haunt in Dubai). Now this is preposterous. Every week there's some sort of player/manager/official stating that the players are playing too much and are nearing burn-out. Make your bloody mind up! Do you want the season extended or cut? It's one or the other. Soft arses.

Giddy Stratospheres

Wigan 1 - 0 West Ham

After a one nil win today we're 15th in the table! I feel slightly dizzy!

The match today was the worst i've seen in a while. First half no-one had a shot on goal until Zinedene Kilbane scored on the stroke of half time. We relied quite heavily on hoofs up to Heskey and didn't create much at all. Second half was a slightly different story. We kept West Ham pinned back, and whilst we didn't add to our lead, we didn't let them slip back into it either. Good battling performance but we seriously need to improve as we'll get found out against bigger teams than West Ham.

Chant of the day today was aimed at West Hams Robert Green. After the West Ham fans started singing "England number 1" and Robert Green started clapping them etc, we hit back quick as a flash "You're not even in the squad"

Special mention also to Portsmouth fans who i've been informed were chanting "One Cheryl Tweedy" to Ashley Cole. Ha serves you right for treating her you did you bastard.