And to think I used to want to do this

I have just been even more affirmed in my decision to teach in secondary school. Primary schools could do that to anyone I think.

'She said that CBeebies was babyish and I watch it.'

'He knocked into me and I hurt my hand.'

'I can't find my pencil.'

'She hurt my feelings.'

Neither are there any emergency blue trousers with secondary students (thankfully the others were just ripped and not weed on). But why are the emergency trousers always really obvious looking?

On the plus side however:

-they are quite cute

-the marking is gifted

-you don't get Gerrard the Tortoise coming in for show and tell in GCSE History classes. 

Genius.

I still have an iPod! And my ears pierced!

A quick check today revealed that today is myPod's birthday! Two years together (and since I got my ears pierced)! So in a fit of celebration I thought I'd share my Top 25 Most Played.

25. Rebellion (Lies) - Arcade Fire (the first song I ever downloaded on iTunes, 68 plays)

24. Let Me Go - Three Doors Down (Truly don't know how this got here but it has 69 plays)

23. Consuming Fire - Third Day (Reminds me of walking round the Lake, 70 plays)

22. Stop Crying Your Heart Out - Oasis (I love this song, surprisingly this is the only Oasis song on the Top 25 but it's not my favourite of theirs,  71 plays)

21. Never Went to Church - The Streets (I downloaded this after their Live Lounge, 72 plays)

20. It's a Great Day to Be Alive - Travis Tritt (the first country song, but not the last! 73 plays)

18. You and Me - Lifehouse (this reminds me of the summer, 75 plays)

18. Move Along - The All-American Rejects (this was another early download, 75 plays)

17. Make a Move On Me - Joey Negro (on the Running playlist, 76 plays)

16. Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts (I actually prefer this to the original! 77 plays)

14. Naive - Kooks (I would walk past them on the street even though this song has 80 plays)

14. Praise You in this Storm - Casting Crowns (my US church used to sing this a lot, 80 plays)

13.What Hurts the Most - Rascal Flatts (another Rascal Flatts song, 81 plays)

12. My Deliver - Rich Mullins (reminds me of driving from Greenville,  83 plays)

11. Over My Head (Cable Car) - The Fray (this song came out first when I was in America, 85 plays)

10. Bless the Broken Road - Rascal Flatts (I like them! 86 plays)

9. The Long Way Round - Dixie Chicks (this is my theme song! 87 plays)

8. No Tomorrow - Orson (have they had other songs? 91 plays)

7. She's in Love With the Boy - Trisha Yearwood (a former number 1 on my Top 25, 93 plays)

6. Nature's Law - Embrace (Great song, 94 plays)

5. First Time - Sunblock (another Running song, I actually think I ran round the Lake with this too, 101 plays)

4. Standing Outside the Fire - Garth Brooks (how he only has one song on my Top 25 is a mystery, 102 plays)

3. In the Light - DC Talk (an oldie but a goodie, 104 plays)

2. Cowboy Take Me Away - Dixie Chicks (this could well have been the only song I listened to driving home from Washington, DC, 114 plays)

1. I've Always Loved You - Third Day (I woke up to this song on the radio one Easter Saturday and sang it all the live long day so it's no surprise it's number one with 121 plays)

I have just worked out I have listened to about 3 of these songs every day since I got myPod! That's scary! But encourages me that it was money well spent.

So there you go, 2 dance songs, 5 Christian and 8 country songs amongest others. But the number one was not country. Who'd have thunk it?!

Seriously, who buys this crap?!

It won't have escaped your notice that I got a fair few flights recently. And what does flying mean?!

Sky Mall!

So here we go with another round of crap!

Are you kidding me? As if the prospect of moose head on your wall wasn't bad enough! You're supposed to put up a dinosaur head! Nobody will believe you killed it you know (unless you're Jeff Goldblum...maybe).

No, now you're kidding me. A sumo wrestler garden sculpture?

This, quite frankly, is taking the piss.

If you had this with this you really would look quite the nobbit.

Forget about the door screen Sky Mall, where can I get that outfit?!

Of course, the welfare of aging pets was once again taken care of.

But there were three main problems that this issue dealt primarily with. Problems we've all had I'm sure.

1. Unsightly litter trays

Does it help with plant growth?

I wouldn't want my handtowel in the same room as the litter tray, let alone in the same unit!

2. Packing shoes

Five pairs of shoes in just one pair?! I never thought it possible! But it is, all with the simple switch of a sole.

Shoes are so bulky aren't they? Not these fashionable articles though! They flatten and fold!

3. Cleaning high up

Wowzer! Look at all the attachments!

But wait! Which one Sky Mall, which one?!

There was, however, one thing in the entire magazine that I thought was cool.

Sleep suits in adult sizes!

I managed to restrain myself from ordering one. I don't think I could bear the indignation of 'Sky Mall' showing up on my credit card. They might think I got the Garden Yeti.

Team Sweeney

I feel like I joined the elite! Well, I thought it would be rude not to join in the shenanigans that Team Sweeney et al often has in well known local bar of a Sunday night. And once you get invited and don't show up, it looks like you're not interested and then they might not invite you again.

It was a great night's craic. Good conversation and a good laugh. Plus I got to meet the future Mrs. Owen, she's lovely.

Owen, apparently a fan of my blog, wanted me to write about the night on here, so I am (again, for fear I might not get invited back again). Owen thought that he would need to say something profound or funny in order for me to write about it. Just a shame for him it was the latter.

The moment came as we were talking about bras and boobs. (Well aside from Owen it was an all girl group and he was related/engaged/close to three of the four girls. I take myself out of it because if it were just Owen and I at a table I imagine one of the last things we'd talk about would be bras or indeed boobs.)

So I quote Owen, 'anything more than a handful is just a waste'.

Actually, I take it back. Maybe in this plastic surgery, image is everything world it is a profound statement.

Or maybe not.

Anyway, spurred on my blog, Owen has decided now to start writing his own. If this is a sample of what we can expect, I cannot wait to read the rest!

Sunday afternoon

I have the house to myself! It's like the old days of living on my own. Except with a cat.

Anyway this week there was considerably more meeting people and general going out which was a plus on last week. And it had the bonus of Brian being home so I got to see him for the first time in well over a year! Always good craic.

So today when we were in church this old lady came up to us and mimed something. It turned out to be 'Don't cry for me'. I don't know why she thought we might or whether she was playing Charades (what would you do for Argentina?) but it made us laugh no end. I love laughing in church when you really shouldn't. It feels like you might explode from laughter building up inside you.

Now I'm watching TV, 'Where Eagles Dare' is on. I Sky Plussed it for Dad so we can watch it later and maybe attempt to actually understand what is going on in it, although this wouldn't be the first time. But it does have great music. And cable cars.

Sunday afternoons are great!