Monday Night

I haven’t written here in a while. So here’s a quick update:

- Still very into the World Cup, still despairing at the US coverage of it. This was not helped by texts at the weekend telling me what the mighty Beeb was doing. All I can say is hurray for Five Live.

- Delighted at the progress of the Ukraine. The boys from Kiev* did indeed qualify and progressed through to quarter finals after penalities today. I didn’t predict them to go further than that so that’s enough now chaps, if you could see your way clear to get beaten by the Italians I would be most grateful. Predictions are a great way to make me care about every match.

- I wish I could be delighted at the progress of England, well I am (probably confusing it with amazement). I wish they wouldn’t make it so painful on themselves. Oh come on, you know it’s more exciting when England are still in. I hate it when people will a home nation to lose.

- I am enjoying being mosquito bite free. Yes!

- I learnt how to throw an American football at the weekend. I’m hoping I can transfer this skill to a rugby ball, a skill I never managed to learn despite working with Nicky for the best part of a year and getting it thrown at me approx. 5 times a day.

- This however has resulted in me straining a (must be) much underused muscle in my hand, making it hard for my little finger to hit return.

- I totally embarrassed myself in the swimming pool when I was challenged to swim a length/as far as I could under water. Thankfully I pre-empted my challenge with predicting where I would get to which turned out to be spot on. I put my inability to go any decent distance down to my deep deep hate of water up my nose and around my eyes. Let’s not forgot I was on the Grammar Swimming Team. Alright so it was first year, but still! I am so an athlete!

- It poured from the heavens today. It’s funny here, people are actually glad when it rains, the weather people, sorry meteorologists usually refer to it as ‘much needed rain’. I am still in NI mode, rain is depressing.

*Other Ukrainian towns are available…I’m sure.

The new great scent, eau de bug spray

So help the next person who tells me I have sweet Irish blood when they see my bug bites. I hate that. Really I do. It has nothing to do with it. I think the reason why I react the way I do because I’m not used to it, my body hasn’t spent years building up resistance to them. I might also have some sort of mid allergy or something. But, even though I have no medical qualifications, I highly doubt it is because of my ‘sweet Irish blood’. Like the mosquitoes can tell that before they bite me. I think they think they are the first person to tell me that when they say it which results in my having to do my fake laugh as if this was the first time I heard it (which even then, wasn't that funny).

I’d take a photo of a bite for you, but in the interests of taste and decency I’ll just tell you that they are red and are about the size of circle your thumb and fore finger make. They also itch like almighty.

Oh woe is me.

Is today Saturday?

Crazyness! A Saturday post! Has the world gone mad?! I just thought I'd take the opportunity to write a wee update.

-Had probably the most stressful week so far. It all kicked off on Wednesday and it was one of those times when you don't know what to do first. But yadda yadda yadda, boring for you to hear.
-Maggie and I went to the Lake, yes I am aware we live at the lake but this was a different lake with a beach. Very nice, very hot. It actually made me miss camp. Oh to spend a summer swimming in a lake. Well, miss it except for the mosquitoes.
-Which reminds, the bites have healed. Must try harder to avoid more bites. They ruin the tan.
-Doing surprisingly well in the Fantasy team league, although I had to change my team a bit after the first games. I have managed to stick with Ruth (a major success, she is a true footballing knowledge) and am kicking Nicky's butt (not Nicky Butt...he's not playing...never mind).
-Made June's playlist and realised just how country I have become. Let me give you the tracklist so you can agree:

Standing Outside the Fire - Garth Brooks (classic!)
What Hurts the Most - Rascal Flatts
Bless the Broken Road - Rascal Flatts
Life is Highway - Rascal Flatts (from the new Pixar film 'Cars', very good, aren't they all)
Breathe - Faith Hill

I think Rascal Flatts are my favourite country group. However, I find the fact that I have a favourite country group slighty disturbing.

But providing me with a small glimmer of hope that things are not all that bad, also making an appearance on the playlist are:

Never Went to Church - The Streets (see my previous appreciation for The Streets)
Rooftops - Lostprophets (you can't help but sing this at the top of your voice)
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol (amazing song)
Three Lions - Baddiel & Skinner and the Lightning Seeds (well you've got to, the World Cup is on!)

Only three weeks to til I leave for the conference now. Time is a-ticking.

It’s only going to get worse

I got my first bites of the summer. Ten of them to be exact. I hate mosquitoes. They are only on my right side because of the protection of the citronella thing guarding my left side.

I think I may have shown a bit too much faith in Ukraine qualifying for the next round. 4-0 to Spain. Oh dear. I watched the second of the Tunisia-Saudi Arabia game at lunch time today. I had Tunisia winning that. Dammit. Incidently the American commentators called it Tunisya. Also I’m fairly sure that Paraguay is not pronounced with a ‘k’ sound.

Other things annoying about ESPN’s coverage of the World Cup.
-They list match results W-L-T not W-D-L throwing off any quick glance at a table. And it’s a draw, not a tie!
-They talk about goals being points. No really they do. Points are the result of the match, three for a win, one for a draw, not what you score in a match.
-Adverts and telling us who the programme is presented by.

So in conclusion the presenter might say something like this:

(Imagine a loud American cheesey voice) ‘Welcome to the FIFA Soccer World Cup presented by A-dee-das. Today’s game is Parakauy versus Tunisya. Parakuay have got to score a few points in this game, a tie isn't enough for them. And later we have an interview with England’s Michael Beckham. But we’ll be back after the commercials.'

I suppose I shouldn’t complain too much, at least now I can watch the games in English.

We’re on the slippery slope towards the conference, time is running out and we have an awful lot of work to do. That boring for you to hear, but it goes some to explaining why my blogs might be MIA (missing in action) over the next few weeks. I’ll do my best to carry on writing at home but sometimes life stuff gets in the way.

Come on Ukraine! You can do it, you can still qualify!!

The Soccer World Cup

I think it’s fair to say that most, if not all Americans know nothing about football and I am in the unique position, for the first time in my life, as being regarded as a footballing knowledge. Now, don’t get me wrong, I keep up an interest in the game, but I will be the first to admit I actually know comparatively very little. I like to watch the FA Cup, and could probably tell you who won the Premiership for the past few seasons. But as for watching Match of the Day religiously, no, not so much. However when it comes to the short sharp tournament, count me in. Add to that the national event aspect and I am so there!

So I’m quite enjoying the World Cup thus far. I have seen loads of games, despite the kick off times here (9.00am, 12.00pm and 3.00pm). I have downloaded podcasts from Five Live and I have made my predications on who will beat who. It’s kind of a competition with the people in Greenville. I hoping I won’t let down my European heritage by coming last in that.

But back to my point, Americans know nothing about football. I was watching David Letterman last week, I’m sure you’ve heard of him. Anyway in his little stand up bit he said, and I quote, ‘later this week the soccer World Cup starts, it’s on every six years…’. Every one of the 5.75 billion people in the rest of the world know it’s every four years. And in what other country, with a team in the finals I might add, needed to be reminded that it started last week? And where else but America do they have to define the World Cup as being soccer? During the England game there were some remarkable statements made during the commentary. England were referred to as ‘Germany’ and he actually called the captain ‘Michael Beckham’. That’s when the first tear slowly fell from my face.

The coverage here really isn’t that far away from that piss take (at least I thought it was a piss take) of an advert that we had when Budweiser took over sponsorship of the Premiership. Sorry the ‘Premiere League’.

I suppose I should just be glad they run the full 45 minutes without an advert. I do miss the punditry at half time though, no diabolical defending here.

Fun for all the family

Finally we get to arguably the most important bit of any family camp, the arrangements for children and yoof. At LJHW they would be well catered for. There’d have to be a team brought over to run things, so of course Pam you’d be there!


Going up in the world, no longer will a marquee do for the 12+. No no no, they get a beautiful building with grandiose pillars and everything.


Earl and Martha Wilson Children’s Complex – a complex? I’m sure the 4-11s will enjoy their purpose built complex.


No more leaky tents for the Y&C team, cabins are the way forward. These ones even come complete with rocking chairs!


The food marquee is also surplus to requirements at LJHW, a purpose built dining hall with loads of room for special guests (we might invite the main committee to eat with us!).


Joan would be located here opposite the dining hall. It’s practically a mansion compared to her caravan. And she has a terrace to smoke on! (It's not really on a hill, it seems I didn't have the camera straight!)


We can go ‘not swimming’ here.


How cool would we look driving around in these?! Golf cart wacky races anyone?


Cosy – many opportunities for those new relationships to develop over the course of the week!


There's no toilet block for to hang about outside, but I'm sure they would be happy enough with these little huts in order to defy the curfew.

So you see Helen, all the elements are covered. I hope you got on well with the committee?!

Hi-de-hi

[Currently watching the Poland v. Ecuador...in Spanish, don't ask! How much do I miss Gary, Alan, John et al!]

Although I refer to the lake fondly as Hicksville there is still a fair bit that LJHW could use for activities. Only last night I discovered antoher string to the bow, a tour boat on the lake. No, really. I laughed out loud as Maggie and I were walking round the lake. She's promised me that we can go on it sometime. Sad as I am, I am actually looking forward to it!

So activities. Here are some photos!


We can show them that Irish folk can't jump!


Pool party?!


Beach volleyball?!


Paddle boats?!


And of course golf, for those who want to spoil a good walk.


No Castle boules, but how about Shuffleboard?

And let's not forget about the Museum, and there's fishing, tennis courts, and tell Lisa there's a big open field for hockey.

There is still one important component that I’m trying to work out. I haven’t found a suitable hill yet for the water slide but I haven’t given up hope. I'll keep looking.

LJHW essentials

No blog yesterday. That was in respect for the dead. Sadly Cleopatra passed away on Tuesday night. She had an all too brief life and yet was able to travel widely (all the way to my house). I’m sure the four days we spent together were some of the happiest of her life, they were mine. Please don’t send flowers, if you feel like honouring her memory you might consider giving to your favourite fish charity (Oxfish, Fish Concern, Christian Fish, Save the Fish, Fish Relief, RSPF, Guide Fish for the Blind).

But back to the matter in hand and the proposed LJHW. I decided the best way to drum up support from everyone was if you were to see the place for yourself, but as much as I want you and the committee to fly over here for a recce Helen, I know it’s just not going to happen. So I did the next best thing I could - I took a few photos instead. Today’s batch are the LJHW essentials.


The George R. Stuart Auditorium, the proposed site for main worship.


Inside the auditorium, a sizeable venue. Although I noticed that there were no fly killers hanging from the ceiling but I'm sure we could arrange something. They always provide a nice distraction, especially for those fools who sit below them.


A class system is still available, with a small minority able to stay at the ‘high quality’ Lambuth.


There’ll be no need to pitch a small tent beside a caravan. The kids could have their own wing in one of these.


Betty's registration tent. I'm sure she would feel right at home here.


The Sunset Café, handily located beside the Stuart Auditorium. I'm not sure they serve Morelli’s though.


I'm sure the Americans would put something up in Irish for us, you know because we all speak it so fluently.


Ample free parking for all the SUVs we’ll rent. Maurice won't have to make those annoying announcements about driving up the hill and we don’t have to feign injury or illness, pretend to transport something large and awkward or to be staying in the castle to drive up. Everyone’s a winner!


Of course there would still plenty of opportunity to contemplate by the lake.

Tomorrow I'll move on to potential activities.

CHW spin off? (Think Frasier, not Joey)

Helen, I know you are a fan of my blog (not big headed, you said as much when I saw you in May). So I have decided that we should combine forces. The Seventh Day Adventists being here last week got me thinking what a Lake Junaluska Holiday Week might look like. No honestly, hear me out.

There are many advantages to be had with a LJHW:

- Americans love Irish people. Half the country have (tenuous) ‘Irish roots’. The other half think they have Irish roots because they once had a Guinness. We can play up our Irishness to our advantage. Sure I’ve been doing it for months.

- The weather. People even plan their weddings outside they are that confident of good weather here.

- The lake has a road that goes right around it, making it easier to find young people late at night.

- The locals shouldn’t cause any trouble whatsoever, mostly to do with the majority of them being retired ministers. The only trouble I can foresee is them talking us to death with their three points (of the sermon variety, they don’t have horns or anything).

Ok, four advantages so far, but I’ll go into more detail in the coming days. This post is only the beginning. I’ll leave you now to consider how you might broach the subject with the main committee. I think if you can get it to sound like it was their idea then we’ll be well on our way. Obviously we’re too late to get something sorted for 2006, but if we get moving LJHW ’07 is a distinct possibility.

No time but here we go anyway

I don’t really have time for this because Rev. Ignorant from Korea is here and we’re going out for dinner but just a few things:

- I have a greater appreciation for The Streets after hearing them on Jo Whiley’s Live Lounge. You should seriously consider listening again. You can do it here, but be quick, it’s only there for the week after. You can also listen to Nelly Furtado and The Automatics (Is it a monster?!)

- I laughed out loud in the office today hearing about Chris Moyles and the X-Factor. Funny stuff. I also laughed when I saw that Bolivia’s country domain suffix is .bo . I’m not sure why that made me laugh. Also laughed at a man that came into the office with the strangest handlebar moustache ever. Seriously, Killer (BHS legend) has nothing on him. I only wish I had had my phone to take a quick surreptitious photo.

- I am seriously worried about my overuse of the word ‘seriously’ over the past few blogs. What’s the deal there? Seriously.

- I am addicted to playing ‘Color Block’. Not good when there’s work to be done.

-Final thing is when you fill in a form, you know any sort of form, registration or otherwise why wouldn’t you use capital letters, or at least make your writing legible? My goodness the handwriting I have to trawl through. This is especially annoying when it comes to email addresses. A name wrong is bad enough but get one character wrong in an email address and it’s not going to get there. Grr.

Spelling big words is over rated

Last night I saw the very end the National Spelling Bee Championships. Although I only saw three words, Hard Spell has nothing on these kids. Seriously.

Judge: The word is [phonetically spelt] velschmurts
Speller: Can I have the definition please?
Judge: Velschmurts, sadness over the evils of the world, especially as an expression of romantic pessimism.
Speller: Velmert?
Judge: The word is velschmurts.
Speller: Can I have the language of origin please?
Judge: It is German, velschmurts.
Speller: Velmerts?
Judge: Velschmurts.
Speller: Velschmurts?
Judge: That sounds correct, yes.
The speller looks to her left hand, which she is using as a notepad for her right hand pen. Suddenly a clock appears in the top corner of the screen, revealing she has only 5 seconds left.
Speller: Can I have a bonus minute please?
Judge: Bonus minute granted.
Commentator: (whispering) That’s a very wise move.
Speller: (After more nervous seconds, she looks up from her left hand notepad and begins) v, e, l, t, s, c, h, m, e, r, z
DING
Speller looks crest fallen.
Judge: The correct spelling is w, e, l, t, s, c, h, m, e, r, z

The girl that won they had to spell two other impossibly hard words to win. ‘Kundalini’ (energy that lies dormant at the base of the spine until it is activated, as by the practice of yoga, and channelled upward through the chakras in the process of spiritual perfection. Origin: Sanskrit) and the winning word ‘ursprache’ (a language that is the recorded or hypothetical ancestor of another language or group of languages. Origin: German)

Are you having a laugh? Why would anyone ever need to use those words, let alone spell them!

Unless of course you were suffering from ‘megalosdiatyponoary’ (the unavoidable use of large words that no one has ever heard of before to make yourself sound much more intelligent. Origin: Tina)

Yeah, so I made that one up.

Have I missed the boat?

Am I the last person in the world not to be on My Space and/or Bebo?

Seriously what’s the deal with these things? I don’t really get them. What’s the point of them? I’m not saying that I don’t see any point and therefore am starting a fight with you because you have one. I genuinely am asking the question because I don’t know.

I get those emails from friends telling me to join but why? If you would like to educate me and try to convince me to get one, then perhaps you’d be so kind as to leave a comment pointing out the, no doubt, many advantages. (Also if you could, explain the difference between Bebo and My Space. Is there one? Is one better than the other? I have really have no clue!)

I saw a report on CNN last week about how some colleges here were getting background information on prospective students from their My Space profile. That’s scary. But if you put information about yourself (I include myself in that, I am more than aware I have a blog where I talk about semi-personal things) out there on the world wide web, then you are saying anyone and everyone is welcome to read it. Tough luck.

Which then leads me on to another point – who are you when you think no one is watching? Is that person different to who you are when you know you are being watched?

Now that’s a scary thought too.