Major shampoo explosion!

I had one of those 'why do good things happen to bad people' moments today - when I got out after my trip to the swimming pool, I discovered my bag was full of pink shower gel. Very annoying... but at least it just filled one of the pockets and didn't go all over my clothes...

Another one bites the dust

Another Watford player falls victim of a long-term injury! One of our few players with genuine Premiership experience has gone the way of the physio's room - like so many before him. This time Damien Francis is out for up to 6 months with ligament damage and adds to a current mini-crisis in the WFC squad.

Despite having the potential to score from midfield, I've been disappointed with Francis this season. I think he was one of those players who could have helped guide the Hornets to Premiership survival but he didn't have the outstanding season we were hoping for. To be fair though, he is in good company as a number of the WFC players have failed to raise their game as one might expect. Only Bouazza, Foster, DeMerit, Shittu and perhaps Ashley Young have really risen to the Premiership challenge...

Oh well, too late now... Get better soon Damo, we'll need you for the Championship push next season!!

Chelsea edge out toothless Reds

It is soo nicely poised... Noone is truly in control and favourite to make it to the final. United and Chelsea have slender advantages, with perhaps the Blues having the best chance of going through. After tonight's cagey affair, they'd fancy themselves scoring at Anfield and they managed to avoid an away goal. But, the games are wide open - any of the 4 teams can realistically make it still.

But Liverpool will have to find a way through the stingy Chelsea defence if they are to proceed and Man United will have to score in Milan to give themselves any chance of beating AC. And they're definitely going to have to tighten up their defence and eradicate any Evra-esque goofs!

The second legs are going to be out of this world!!

A true classic!

The first Champions League semi promised much - not least the prospect of an all England final - and delivered even more. A right belter of a game with twists and turns as well as a last minute Rooney winner!

It was billed as the battle of the two best players in the world - but frankly it was Kaka that won the battle. He was considerably more influential than Ronaldo and until Rooney popped up to change the match, he looked likely to be the one to be the match-winner. Two awesome goals and the constant threat of more. Ronaldo constantly wiggled his legs as usual but without much end product but Kaka was a cut above

But I'm glad that United won it in the end (don't often say that!!) as it sets up an awesome second leg at the San Siro and still the strong chance of an all-Premiership final...

Family Guy in the A-Team

Saw this episode of 'Family Guy' tonight and loved this class A-Team spoof...



The Family Guy and 'that' magical song that can remove any repetitive song from within your brain...

We are Premier League...

Well, WFC might have slipped quietly back into the realms of the Championship but there is one Watford team that still has Premiership status. Watford Ladies have just clinched their league title to gain promotion to the Premier League, thanks to a 5-1 win over West Ham Ladies. Nice one ladies - keep flying the Premiership flag for Watford

Game 7 - time for the crunch!

Tonight is the big game (so far) of the play-offs... the Canucks blew a 3-1 lead in the 7-game series against the Stars and now it is tied at 3-3 and is the last-chance saloon. The Canucks-Stars match is the only 1st round still to be decided - and I hope that Vancouver don't choke at this critical stage.

So while I sleep tonight, two of the stingiest defences and goaltenders will go head-to-head for the last time for the opportunity to progress in the Stanley Cup. By tomorrow morning, I could be wearing my Canucks jersey with pride or I could have gone back to not caring about Ice Hockey one little bit...

Taking responsibility

So, what's going on? Are the Conservatives right?! Should we be taking more responsibility and not expecting the Government to solve all our problems? David Cameron says that Labour has gone for 'knee-jerk' reactions to society's problems - bringing in laws to curb the problems and turning us into impotent and apathetic people. The Tories, apparently, will encourage teachers, parents and buisness people to take responsibility to bring up our children better... But how will they do that? It's one thing to say it but quite another to do it...

A radio phone-in I heard today seemed to miss the point too - like it was either / or. Either we let the state control our children or we get off our butts and do it ourselves. Learn to raise our kids properly. Like it's as simple as waking up one morning and deciding you're going to be better parents. Parents work bloody hard, doing their best to make the right decisions. Teachers too, do a tough job in near-impossible conditions. Problem is that everyone still blames everyone else for the state of our society, our kids, whatever. Noone is prepared to admit that we are all responsible for making a difference to these kids - not just the parents and teachers. People say 'we should have more police' or 'schools should teach respect to our kids' but these things alone aren't going to work. They are still looking for someone to blame and to pass responsibility away elsewhere.

So, we do, as Cameron says, all need to step up and take greater responsibility for influencing our young people. But this has to be coupled with genuine Government investment in positive measures to help developed our young people - greater investment in schools, youthwork services, measures to help make parenting easier, encouraging the media to focus on positive stories about the young and educating the whole of society not just the parents and teachers...

I guess this is where my wisdom stops. I'm no politician nor do I aspire to be one. I don't envy anyone who has to make these policies happen but I will continue to pray for God's wisdom for those in power and for more Christians to engage in politics and want to become politicians themselves.... But, again, this comes back to people taking responsibility to do something, to make a difference and change their world!

Bill Bailey and the BBC theme

"This is the BBC..."

A truly black day...

It's a black day...

But not simply because Watford were relegated with a relative whimper, rather than the defiant roar of a home victory. It wasn't that today's game at Vicarage Road was truly dull. It wasn't even the fact that our super goalie handed Man City's goal to them embarrassingly on a plate - a mis-hit clearance straight to Vassell who slotted home. It wasn't even the fact that apart from this tragi-comic goal, Foster didn't have a save to make (meaning that WFC should have won). No, it was the fact that, for the first time in my football 'career', I left before the final whistle!!!

I must state that I did only leave around 23.5 seconds before the end and I only left to ensure I got home in time to take M to her bridesmaid's birthday do in Canary Wharf, but still I felt hypocritical and just a little dirty...!!

Any positives from this day of utter relegation-themed gloom? Well, Priskin's goal was pretty special (considerably better than anything else produced by either side all afternoon) and Marlon King played a full game - his first back since his terrible injury. He looks rusty but you can tell he still has it! Just hopefully will mean that the Premiership teams won't be sniffing aroung the King too much in the summer...

The Simpsons turn 20

It is now 20 years since the Simpsons was first broadcast and as someone who watched at least 2 episodes tonight, I can say I will not tire of this always funny, always fresh, often poignant 'adult' cartoon (I call it this, not because it is in any way inappropriate but rather because it is wasted on kids...!). It boasts some of the best satirical humour found anywhere on TV (let alone in a cartoon) and even manages to be one of only a small handful of TV shows, both homegrown and from the US, that actually grapples (if often in an affectionately mocking way) with issues of faith and religion. What's more, there's a movie coming out this year... I'm in heaven!!

Took the BBC website's Simpsons quiz... and got 8 out of 10. Feeling just a little smug but there's still room for improvement!

New Pirates trailer - very exciting!

Lack of Tickets

Heard an astonishing story about the FA Cup final. Apparently, despite the new Wembley having a 90000 capacity, the mega-clubs of United and Chelsea have only be allocated 25000 each! Bearing in mind that Watford took 37500 fans to the play-off final at the old Wembley in 99 and were allocated (although didn't quite sell all of their) 30000 tickets for last year's play-offs, this number seems ludicrous for clubs with such a massive following. I know that there are always tickets sold corporately and to FA employees etc but surely they can spare more tickets than that for the true fans...

Anyway, I don't care cos it really should have been Watford there...right?!

Blessings are all around

Lent now seems a while ago but I spent the time reflecting on what I have. In addition to this I was able to raise some cash for Mum and Dad's work out in South Africa. By the end of the 'journey', I had raised £47 - just by counting what I DO have!

I haven't got the foggiest...

The past two days have been unusually summery. As I sat at home yesterday, the atmosphere was heavy yet comforting; cheerful and just a tad sweaty. In fact it could have been summer. And it was similar all of last week, all over the UK. Everywhere, it seems, except in Skegness - where we have just come back from Spring Harvest!

Sadly, we had cold, wind and enough murky sea fog to stage a Shakespearean tragedy... What a truly odd place Skegness can be - now, it seems, impervious to the very elements themselves!

The ultimate 'American' smack-down

I am an occasional ice hockey fan and my team has been Vancouver Canucks since I went there one summer with the family. It's just reached the end of the regular season and the Canucks have just clinched the North West Division and now it is on to the Stanley Cup play-offs. The play-offs are brilliant as they mean there is always something to play for. All the teams down to 8th place can still win the biggest trophy of the season. To my knowledge the Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup but this year's team is very strong and it could be their year... Let's hope so

Chocolate and Jesus

It's Easter time and so that means one thing - chocolate! Oh, and something about Jesus... God coming to man in human form and dying to remove our sins and restore us to him. This day Jesus rose again to overcome death and reunite mankind with the Father. And yet this particular day is far better known for the giving and receiving of chocolate eggs. Seems like the two ideas are not especially compatible.

So a whole bunch of religious types are up in arms about a sculpture of our Lord made entirely (and completely anatomically correct) of chocolate - Cosimo Cavallaro's 'My Sweet Lord' that has been pulled from a New York art gallery this Easter - but it strikes me that it is a fitting piece that brings these two traditions together. I have no idea about the artist's intentions and what he was trying to say but at the very least a chocolate Jesus figure has much more to do with the Easter story than a choccie egg will ever do...

Easter time also offers plenty of interesting comment and programming about Christianity all over the media. One such example was Louis Theroux's fascinating documentary about Christian extremists in America - The Most Hated Family in America - a challenging, inspiring and somewhat scary depiction of what happens when believers take their convictions too far. Louis had clearly done his homework on the Bible and the message and person of Jesus and his objections to the Phelps family's 'twisted' Gospel message were one of the best witnesses I've seen on TV recently.

The flip side of this focus on faith is the tediously inevitable radio debate about the role of religion in society. One overly cynical female journo on 5live today was bitterly complaining to a vicar wheeled on to discuss the subject. Her major complaint was that Christian leaders always appear on the radio talking about homosexuality - thereby reinforcing her own objection and forcing this particular Christian leader to comment on the same tired old subject. It's not that there isn't a fixation in the Christian world about homosexuality but it just doesn't help when people constantly dredge up the same old objections...

Still, it makes a nice change to hear matters of faith discussed in any way, shape or form!

Final blessings

Been away for a few days so here are the final few challenges for Lent...

Thursday
At the Last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples' feet.
Give 5p for every bottle of cleaning product in your house.

Good Friday
Today marks the day that Jesus died on the cross.
Pray for all those who suffer because of injustice, poverty or broken relationships with friends and family.

Saturday
The world's 50 poorest countries have less than 3% of the vote at the International Monetary Fund.
Give 20p if you had the right to vote in the last general election. Give another 30p if you don't get round to it.

Easter Sunday
Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full.
Give thanks for all you have been given. Give a final donation of your choice if you wish.

Two or three more crazy weeks

What started on a freezing Luton rooftop and ended with cars smashing into one another, via booze-fuelled trips to North Somerset and the Scottish Highlands? Well, my crazy twenty days did actually... Here's an attempt to give the highlights, using some pics and as few words as possible (and probably completely incomprehensibly too...)

Starts on the roof of Kestin House, in the freezing cold, filming an appeal for support for forthcoming Hope 08. Laughed with Roy and Gav as they plugged the new website and all that and then headed inside before it snowed!

Later that week, M & I kicked off our new cell, with folks from the last Alpha course. We can only hope and pray that the group grows and develops and becomes a fully-functioning community - a place for people to explore their faith!

I also went across to visit ABC to do some more filming with them. We re-shot with Kate Middleton and then witnessed the sight of Tracey having a phone conversation with 'herself' so convincing that I thought Kate was in the corridor feeding her lines! I also dispatched Gibbo out to Luton town centre to film people eating and wandering about the place...

Then a group of Bricket Wood blokes headed down to Minehead for a walking weekend, with probably more drinking and eating than actual walking. Copious amounts of wine and beer as well as lasagne and steaks made for a perfect weekend. Hill and coast walking added wonderful views and the opportunity to chat and banter around the group. Add to that the very poor England-Israel match and even the chance for drinking tea in a Minehead seaside cafe and a busy steam fair at the local preserved railway. A great weekend with great banter and camaradarie...

Spent the early part of the next week preparing for Spring Harvest - gathering leaflets and equipment to take to Minehead and Skegness. Right up until the last day I was in the office, we were waiting for our new exhibition stand to arrive but it was worth the wait. It is pretty impressive

But before I got to see the stand in all it's glory, I had to race off to catch a flight to Inverness. I was up staying with Pete Gilbert and his family so I could film Pete speaking on Friendship Evangelism for Re:Act 08. It was fascinating to meet the family and real-life situation behind someone who has become something of a spiritual hero of mine - not to mention a good friend. Great to meet his wife and kids and share in some of the joy and challenges of their family life. Plus I got to look out over hills and valleys and even had a boys night, watching Bond and eating lasagne with Pete, son Josh and Tim who also work for DNA. We did a draining 7 straight hours on the filming but had lots of fun either side of it!!

That took us up to the following weekend and Ruth came up to join M and her other bridesmaids to go shopping for dresses. They seemed to have a good time while I stayed at home and pottered! Then we hung out in the evening and ate together. Sunday after church, one of my best men Stanton joined us for lunch before I sent Ruth off back to Bournemouth and headed down to London to see Tim and Pete (and reunite the 'backrow mentality' for one night only...) and witness the gratuitous auto-wreckage that is banger racing at Wimbledon stadium!
It has to be one of the most low-brow, chav-tastic, white-trash forms of entertainment imaginable but I defy most people not to get some sort of thrill when they start seeing those crazy cars smashing into one another. Pete was a total convert by the close of play and by the time the carbage of the demolition derby (last car moving wins) kicked off, he was baying for more... well, almost!

Just about capped off my crazy few weeks. Now I'm looking forward to going to Spring Harvest with M as I haven't seen as much if her over this period as I would have liked. It'll be nice just to be able to relax together with her a bit.

Globe-trotting

Many people in poor countries never travel beyond their own village.
Give 10p for every country you've ever visited.

"Get orf my laand!"

Although 60% of Brazilian farmland is unused, 4.8 million families have no land of their own.
Give 10p for every house plant you own.

Proof of Global Warming

I get loads of these silly photos every week sent through the email cyberspace and usually I just delete them - sometimes sneaking a peek and laughing politely and other times avoiding dodgy sounding titles altogether - however, this one made me laugh out loud and I saw it as the perfect foil for all my talk about global warming and 'An Inconvenient Truth'...

Singing songs and washing hands

There's not long to go now in Lent as we raced past Palm Sunday, complete with the handing out of the Palm crosses in church (the ones that always make me want to engage in mock sword fighting - fortunately Ruth was on hand this weekend to help me regress back into my childhood...!) - I ended up spending the latter part of my Palm Sunday watching banger racing but more about that later hopefully...

Anyway, here are the next two 'blessings':-

Sunday
Today is Palm Sunday, when we celebrate Christ's entry into Jerusalem.
If you went to church today, give 10p for each song or hymn you sang

Monday
The government of Nicaragua is trying to privatise water sources - lakes, rivers and ponds - as well as water supplies. Hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans won't be able to afford water.
Give 10p every time you wash your hands today.