Self-serving post

Ok a random post to add a code so my blog gets added to a directory.

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How Competitive Can You Get?!?

As you may have seen on my facebook page (as most of my traffic comes from there), I have announced a competition as a silly little thank you for the 400+ views my blog has received.  I mean let’s face it, I’m surprised I received 4.  So, the completion goes like this:

The 1000^th person who views my blog, get an extra special prize.  I will run a marathon of their choice (god that could be risky), to raise money for a charity of their choice!  Pretty interesting eh?  But wait, there’s more!  For the run, I will wear a t-shirt with their name and a message of their choice embroidered on it.

Now then, a couple of rules.   Firstly, you must send me a screen shot of the page view counter, with the magic 1000 number, as well as some of my blog, just to be sure!  Secondly, the message has to be appropriate i.e. no racial slurs of Justin Bieber comments.   Thirdly, I will need time to train and as I will most likely need to travel back from Nepal, we will need to discuss timeframes etc, but that can come later!

So there you go!  Be a part of something a bit different and get this lazy ass off his blogging seat and get him to do some goddamned exercise for once, all the whilst raising money for charity!  Tell ALL your friends about this via the links down the bottom or by facebook to make me run even faster!  If you have your own blog or an interesting website, let me know as I am always looking for new ways to spend my time!

Finally, some changes are coming to One-way Ticket, so watch this space!

The Cake Isn't A Lie, 'Size Doesn't Matter' Might Be

Ok, between watching ‘Unknown’ (part of my accidental Liam Nesson-athon) and getting a glass of cider, I decided to right another short blog.  Hopefully, I will actually achieve short, as opposed to my usual attempts, which lands somewhere north of short, in ‘Toolongville’.  What is new?  I passed my driving test!  Finally!  After about 7 years of being a learner (though I wasn’t practicing all this time), I finally did it.  The same as my mum, dad and sister, I passed on the second time, which means I will continue the tradition of telling my future children (insert unknown illegitimate child joke here) that the best drivers pass second time.   I haven’t actually drove on my own yet sadly (thankfully depending who you ask) so still have that honour to come.  Though it does mean I am one step closer to becoming a grown up, which lets face it, I pretty much am but hey, the internet  is full of self-denial.

Anyway, personal accomplishment aside, onto my fourth and final point!  This is by far the most difficult to achieve and will need, at the very least, an Olympian effort.  That’s right.  I’m talking about the date with Ellen Page. 

*Pause for collective gasp*

I know, I know,  I’m somewhat delusional.  However, the reasons why?  Firstly, the most obvious, I find her attractive.  I mean, that is a given.  I’m hardly going to want a date with somebody that I’m not attracted to, either physically or mentally(?).  Secondly, I like her style of acting (which is partly why I specified date, as opposed to anything else).  Finally, she is short.  Like me.  Strange I know but it can be quite intimidating to try and date taller people (at least for me).  I mean, this obviously reflects something about me but quite often, I have felt like I have been overlooked by my height (maybe I was behind a step or something).  It may sound stupid but hey, it is my blog and my beliefs.  I have dated someone who was much taller than I and it was fine, though I keep reading or hearing or seeing that women are looking for someone taller.  This poses a problem as I am somewhat short, kind of eliminating me from numerous lists!  Again, it is slightly stupid and I know, in the end it is what is inside that counts but we all have our foibles right?  That and good things come in small packages (please insert own double entendre).

So, enough about me and my ramblings.  Time of links!    

PHD Comics - Another web comic, with thanks to my friend and fellow blogger, Ulla.  The comic examines the day to day lives of a group of grad students.  Hilarious and freakishly accurate (for me anyways), it is well worth a read! .

Hmm who to link for the song of the day?  Another personal favourite, Clutch.  An unique band which I discovered when watching an old music video I got free with a magazine and I have loved them ever since.  The song is Ghost,  more mellow song from their repertoire.  Ignore the video.

   

Well then, enough from me.  So night except to say, has there been a film where Liam Neeson hasn't kicked someone's ass?

Noisy Beagle Smothers Young Man.

Ok, here I go trying to type this whilst the Beagle snores on my lap.  Not sure how such a small animal can make so much noise.  He is like a furry blender.  However I digress, as I have a confession.  My last blog entry wasn't brilliant.  It was quite poor even for my low standard.  I blame this on the fact I wasn't sure what I was going to write.  Thankfully, I have a general idea today!
So, going way back to my various points, I want to become a lecturer.  As for why, there are several reasons!  However, one will suffice for today (as otherwise the blog will end up long again and nobody wants that).  As we all know, the world is in dire straights.  There is poverty throughout the world; crime all about; and idiots in control selling war like it was the flavour of the month.  However, one thing I have studied through my degree is other problems that plague the world, problems that tend to be overlooked somewhat more than most (though not necessarily ignored).  An example is that this year, the world should hit 7 billion.  An unimaginable number (and about 3.5 billion women to reject me) that brings with it a plethora of issues.  142 million people live in Bangladesh, an area prone to massive tropical storms and flooding despite being similar in size to New York state.  In other countries, people are living 12 to a room.  Rural villages are being abandoned so that youths can end up living in the city streets.

By no means am I an expert in these issues.  I have studied them and learned them.  However, this is the reason I want to lecture.  Not only can I continue to spread what knowledge I do have on these subjects, but it would allow me to further my knowledge in all these issues and hopefully do some good in the world.

Well, once again, the blog has become a serious and heartfelt ramblings.  Sorry about that!  Though if you want funny, go to lolcatz (not that I actually find it particularly funny).  So my links of the day!

xkcd - A web comic!  A funny one at that!  If you're bored and enjoy science, maths or all things geek, then this is a great way to spend your time.

Song of the day?  Hats of to Michael for sending me this: Revolting Cocks' cover of 'Me so Horny'.  Not for everyone but I love them.

So, another day, another random selection of words as I try to write what I'm wanting to say.  On a side note, just finished the film 'Hanna'.  It is worth a watch.  Check it out. 

An Amusing Title to Break the Ice

Ok, so it is time for an update.  Originally, I had no real idea what to talk about (read as ramble) but then it hit me!  Lots of things!  Well, three.  Ok, three and a half.  As we have a lot to get through today class, let’s begin.  With that segway, comes the first topic!  My TEFL course or its full name:  My 20 hour in the same warm room, drinking too much coffee and periodically pretending to be a non-English speaking child TEFL practical course.  To be honest, it was pretty good and I enjoyed it!  Mostly, it was useful because it helped show practical skills related to teaching English that online course can’t convey.  However, this leads me to topic 1.5.

So, once again, I have stared into the deepest depth of hell and had to suffer one of the worst fates that could possibly befall me.  The ICEBREAKING ACTIVITY.  Even typing the name (and narrating it in my head) gives me shivers up my spine.  I loathe icebreaking activities and I am not quite sure why.  They just bug me and I cannot stand them.   They are the kryptonite to my superman (I am watching Smallville); the empire to my rebel (I’m a geek); the Bieber to my proper music (cheap shots for the win!  After all, it is the internet).  The odd thing is that I understand and approve of their usage.  I mean, who wants to sit around groups being awkward?  They help bring together work groups and improve team work.  I just don’t like them.  Isn’t enough ice melting due to climate change without us breaking more?  Ok, bad joke but I felt the need to through at least one in. 

Moving on from odd pet peeves and bad jokes, comes my second topic!  Which I just forgot.  Moving onto my third topic (for now).  I started watching Smallville again.  I say again but I never followed it majorly and only watched a few episodes from the first season so most of it is new.  Anyway, I have to say, it is really good.  Once you get past all the high school drama, it seems to be quite solidly building up the character of superman nicely, partly due to drip feeding his skills but also due to well built out characters.  However, its biggest plus (on a superficial level anyway) is the music.  Rarely does a tv series get music so well matched to the mood and story.  It just meshes very well and allows me to listen to Weezer and other oldish classics as well.  I like this.

Time for my links!    

Two more of my blogging friends (and real life friends).  Both are quite different in their approach but both are well written, entertaining and exponentially better than mine!

Never Enough Tea - A fairly new but well written blog detailing the thoughts, memories and life of one of my dearest friends (and one of the three mentioned previously who saved me from my hangover).  I would recommend following, especially if you are aware of the name Wil Wheaton.  Check it out!

So I wrote - A blog from one of three of my friends who shares the same birthday as I.  It follows the ups and downs of her life in Sweden.  Worth a read, so flick over there and read it!

For my song of the day, I travel to the small island of Japan to introduce 'Head Phone President' with the sing 'Groan and Smile'.

Right, I have probably typed enough for today.  So, if you can excuse me, I need to go get way too emotionally attached to the characters in Smallville and also finish The Big Bang Theory (I am already emotionally attached here).

Chicken Teriyaki, Buffalo and a Bet

And so, another day goes by!  Each of us that bit older and quite possibly not much wiser.  At least for me this is true.  Though being unemployed (technically not true but there is no place on the internet world for semantics), I have an excuse for overloading my mind with Big Bang Theory and films.   However, to my point!  I had chicken teriyaki for my lunch amongst other things and it was glorious.  I also watched a buffalo smash through a wall in a film.  Today has been a good day.

Anyway, enough rambling.  Finally back onto my previous points and today is number 3, as it is quite late and I can discuss this fairly quickly.  So, number 3 is become UN Secretary General.  Why and Do I think I can do it?  Firstly, I’ll be straight up honest with you.  This started as a bet.  You read correct people.  I can just imagine your shocked and horrified gasps of despair.  I can read your thoughts: ‘This man is the worst thing to happen to the world since reality tv’; ‘He is an awful human being’; and ‘my god, he is so short, pale and hairy!  Peter Jackson should have just cast him as all the damned dwarfs’.  You may be right but notice I said started.  A friend, whom shall remain nameless (but rhymes with various words) challenged me, that if I became the Secretary General, he would give me £10000 with no negative stipulation for me (other than the soul crushing feeling of failure of course).  So, I was like heck yeh!   

However, I started thinking and decided that whilst an unlikely and difficult endeavour, I think it is the right career trajectory for me.  I mean, the UN does a lot of good work but I feel some things need to be changed about it and I would love to have a career where I can help change the world for the better.  Sorry, nothing funny here, I just want to help the world!

Now then onto my suggestion! Today, I feel like a change!  So, I am going to recommend a film!  *Gasp* I know.  The film is 'Little Big Solider' and above is the trailer.  I watched it tonight whilst sorting a few jobs and was genuinely impressed with it.  It mixes up martial arts with slight (and funny) slapstick all the whilst managing to keep a coherent, interesting and fairly serious overtone throughout it!  I would watch this if you like any of the above, as they are combined fairly flawlessly.  The only main problem I had with it was the inclusion of some tribesmen, which I felt where fairly flat and overly stereotyped  (8 out of 10)

And for my song of the day! Linkin Park - Rolling in the Deep.  It is just a damned good cover.

So that is me for the night.  Better post soon I hope!  Robbie