Sort it out Argo!

Another away game which I go to - another defeat for the might Argyle boys. On Saturday Dad and I made the trip over to Derby and met up with Owen, Giles and Kev. The ground was quite nice (sorry - hate that word but can't think of another one). It was very much like any of the modern bigish stadiums - could be any team's gound. I had to put up with Owen and Giles taking the mick out of me all game. The mick taking is always worse when they're together. It started off with the usual can't support 3 teams stuff, and then at half time it turned into girls shouldn't like football.
The Argyle boys lost 1-0, and had Paul Connolly sent off. I thought that the goal was actually going wide and high - and did start cheering ironically- until it went in! The sending off was 2 yellow cards - both deserved so can't really complain except it means that he will be suspended, and we already have problems at the back.
To make matters worse - England lost the Calucutta Cup! No Grandslam this year. Not a good day.

Alan Smith

Ok – even though Alan Smith is not my favourite player in the world (in fact he is prob my least favourite player), I cannot believe what happened to the ambulance that he was in last Saturday. If you don’t know what I’m talking about – Alan Smith was really badly injured (i.e. broken leg and dislocated ankle I think) in the Liverpool Man U FA cup 5th round game last weekend and was stretchered off. He was then taken to hospital and while on route the ambulance that he was in got things thrown at it, and shaken. I know that he’s a Man U player, and it happened in Liverpool, and let’s just say that Man U and Liverpool fans don’t exactly get on (and that’s putting it mildly!), but that is still no excuse for acting in that way. I wish him well, and hope he has a speedy recovery, and will one day return to play for England.

School Practice 2

On Monday I start my second school practice, at a school about 15-20mins away, depending on how many trains I have to wait for and the crossing. I am in a lovely y4/5 class, with a fab teacher who is really supporting me. The other teachers seem really fantastic as well, making me feel really welcome on the preliminary visits that I have to make. By this end of this practice I will be teaching 85% of the time, which basically means that the only times I wont be teaching will be during my professional development time – when I go into other classes to observe other teachers, and PPA (planning, preparation and assessment) time - which is one afternoon a week where we plan, prepare and do some assessments etc. Another thing which is quite scary is that at least one day during the 5 weeks that I’m there the class teacher wont be there, and they are not getting a supply in, which basically means that I will be left totally in charge of the class – with the head just popping in and out to check up on me! Ok I know that in September I will hopefully have my own class which I will be in charge of, but its still quite early to be left in charge by myself – plus technically they are not meant to use us as cover when they’re on a course. I can see it from their point of view though – why pay for a supply to just sit and observe a student? It does not make economical sense. This practice is also assessed, with my college supervisor coming out to observe me about once a week after my first week - which means she will be sat in the corner with a clipboard making notes on everything that goes on. Fun Fun Fun!

"The best laid plans......"

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go wrong" (simple version), is a famous quote by Robbie Burns.
We look at that quote and we can work with it - basically the best-laid plans of men (meaning men and women), often go wrong, we can understand that and most of us can relate to it. However, let's now look at the part that is often overlooked.
"The best laid plans of MICE often go wrong". Has any one actually seen a mouse making a plan? It's not as if we go round our homes and say "oh don't step there, there's a mouse making a plan", and then see some mice with flipcharts and think, "ah these are the best laid plans". So if the best laid plans of mice often go wrong, does that mean that the less well thought out mice plans are better, and if mice just go with the flow they often pull off quite a strategic move?
Did Robbie Burns see mice one day and think – “ah I see mice, they plan, they plan to nick cheese. Oh he’s broken his stick – what a jesse!” (Direct quote from Mr Izzard)
Ok, I know I've pinched this from Eddie Izzard, but I think he has a point.
WHAT MICE PLANS IS HE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT?

"Sticks and stones".............

How many times did we say "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" when we were little kids? Unfortunately, as we grow up, we realise how untrue it actually is. Sticks and stones may break bones, but physical wounds can generally heal. However, emotional wounds left by unkind words can last a lot longer, even when you thought that pain had gone. At church last night, Martyn Shea (aka the Sheamiester - as named by James, my home group leader - the one that has named me Frankie B) was preaching on James 3, which talks about taming the tongue, as "it corrupts the whole person"(v6). James also implies that we cannot tame our tongue by ourselves, as if anyone can "he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check" (v2). Therefore, we need to really think about what we say before we say it. We also need to pray for God's help in taming our tongues.
Words can also be encouraging, as I found out last week when one of my friends text me and said “I was just thinking today how lucky I am having such fab friends”.
That is how I feel that God wants us to use our words, to build people up rather then put them down.

Back on the booze!

As I seem to be getting a reputation among my mates for drinking alcohol, which I only really found out before Christmas, when I was at my home group leader’s house, and he was offering drinks, he said “You’ll have a glass of wine wont you Frankie B?” (which, clearly, is his nickname for me), and also inspired by Chris Moyles, I decided to go without alcohol for a month (except communion wine, because we figured it didn’t count). Well I’m happy to say that the month is now up, and as of tonight, I am back on the alcohol!!!!! (ok maybe my mates have a point.) I may celebrate this with a beer (or maybe more) during the Liverpool Manu game tomorrow.
Seriously, it has actually been fairly easy to go without wine or beer or anything alcoholic for a month. I might even give it up for Lent. Oh hang on – the last two years I’ve given up something for lent, I’ve ended up failing on Ash Wednesday! Last year I gave up chocolate, and forgot and ended up having a chocolate ice cream on Ash Wednesday. The year before I gave up talking about football outside the stadium, and then at CU on Ash Wednesday, one of my curates from Plymouth asked me if I had watched a particular football match the night before, I naturally answered and we discussed it. I then remembered what I had given up, so stopped the conversation.

"I am fearfully and wonderfully made"

On Saturday morning I was reading "the word 4u 2day" and it was talking about the way in which we are bombarded with images of "aribrushed perfection". We are constantly being told that we should be thinner, more fashionable, anything other than who God made us to be. Those that know me, know I am always putting myself down about the way that I look.
It then asked the question: "Do you realise that by constantly putting yourself down, you're insulting your Maker?" This is something that I've often thought, but never really believed. Somehow someone else telling me it made me really think about it and accept it. The Bible tellls us that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" Psalm 139:14 (New International Version). Therefore in God's eyes we're all "just right" because God doesn't make anything that isn't. God made us unique and each of us has a special purpose.
I will just try and remember this the next time I complain about the way I look.

Sniper in the crowd.

Metropolitan Police are investigating reports of sniper activity in the crowd at Stamford Bridge on Sunday 5th February 2006, some time between 5.30 and 6.00pm. They believe that the intended victim was a Mr Arjen Robben. One eyewitness, a Mr Rafa Benitez was so concerned about it and said that when Mr Robben went down “it looked as though he would spend a week in the hospital”. Police are also questioning a Mr Pepe Renia, who they believe was nearest to the incident. They have been given a week, due to Mr Renia not being needed by his colleagues in Charlton, Wigan or Arsenal!
All joking aside – I did watch the game, and yes Renia should have got a yellow card for it – but not red and as for Robben, well I'll be generous and give him about a 7/10 for the dive! Can you tell I’m annoyed? So apart from that – nothing else much is happening. College is very much the same as ever. I am on placement again soon at a Catholic school near here, which is going to be good.