Travels with Dinno: Yorkshire Cup: Cleckheaton

The day started early  - like most days. I felt like crap but rugby is a harsh mistress and so after dragging the boy out of bed we set off for West Yorkshire. The night before I had stood on my glasses and so I was having to make do.

First stop was the boy's home town where we met up with the Williams family and spent an hour discussing rugby, school and life in general. We set off for Cleckheaton just after 11. When we arrived the chaos at the club was matched only by the chaos that is the M62. I think not having to deal with that on a daily basis is worth moving to Nottinghamshire for.

The hospitality at Cleckheaton was as good as ever. I have been coming to this club for many years and the welcome is always good and the refreshments are excellent. An added bonus was to see Huddersfield U11s and their coach Martin Leeming. Also good to see Gill and Tommy from the U13s.

We went down to the stand to prepare for the day's entertainment. The time came for kick off. Dinno set off out of the blocks very quickly and it looked like a rout might be on the cards. Luke drove across for a try and shortly after Brandon went under the posts for try number 2. Both of the conversions were missed but the second only because it hit the post.

At this point I joined the general hunt for the team's water bottles. This meant that I missed Brandon's second try and the subsequent conversion. Half time arrived and we led 17-0.

The second half did not go to plan. The team lost two players to injury. But the remaining players did not seem to have any idea how to kill the game off and Cleckheaton demonstrated that tenacity I have seen before and scored twice through breaks down the right and converted both. This brought the score to 17-14. The last few minutes were tense and nervous for everyone but the team got away with it.

The boy wasn't happy but this is a team game and you have to do what you think is right to try and win.  Weather permitting next week is Wetherby.

Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories

I have just read the last of these stories, Death of Kings. The stories follow the life of Uhtred of Bebbanburg and how he influenced the history of England around the time of Alfred the Great. Broadly speaking I am a fan of Bernard Cornwell. The way he weaves fiction and fact is something I wish that I could also do. He is intensely readable. His tales of Richard Sharpe and the Starbuck Chronicles are very strong.

My criticism is that he just doesn't seem to know when to stop and move on. With Sharpe I always got the feeling that with the way stories were being shoehorned together we might well end up with a tale such as Sharpe's Sunday Roast where in the dramatisation Sean Bean can be seen trying to carve the side of beef with his sword and he struggles to overcome a range cooker constantly referring to it as 'You Bastard'.

I didn't much like Stonehenge, although my wife thinks it an excellent tale. Nor was I fond of the modern adventures or Crowning mercy or Gallows Thief. I have found that when Cornwell sticks to the same characters he develops a feel for them and this comes through in his writing.

However, by the time I got to the 6th volume of the Saxon Stories with potentially at least one more volume to come I was just wishing for an irate Dane  to not waste time trying to fight Uhtred with a sword but to use a bow and put him out of my misery.

The first few books of the series are well written and accessible. Cornwell at his best is a phenomenally good read. he keeps the action moving and you care for the characters. Now in terms of history Cornwell always sets his books in context, Hollywood film makers take note please. Part of my problem is that my particular area of historical interest is the Stuarts and as yet Cornwell has not yet really tackled this period.

The Dangerous Book for Boys recommends Cornwell as a good author for boys to read.  I would wholeheartedly agree. I just feel that the character of Uhtred is past his prime and should be laid to rest. I want to see a set of books set during the English Civil War of the 1640s.

Catholic but with Buddhist tendencies

In his science fiction masterpiece, Dune, Frank Herbert looked at humanity 8000 years from now. Many of the existing religious themes we know today appear in it. However, Herbert has merged many of these. There is reference to the 'Orange Catholic' bible and also the Fremen are referred to as Zensunni adherents who have mixed Buddhism and Islam. When I signed up to join Facebook some years ago and was asked for my religious opinions I described myself as being a Catholic with Buddhist tendencies, a zenroman if you will.

I was raised as a Roman Catholic and as regular readers may have picked up I have some issues with the path that the church proposes.  I have no problem with the underlying ethics of trying to live a good life and helping others etc. My problem is with some of the decisions taken by the hierarchy of the Church, some of its social attitudes etc. I am at the liberal end of the Catholic faith in terms of social doctrine but I am conflicted with the way the liturgy has developed, particularly in recent years. I love the Latin mass and the incense and the mystery of my faith. I also love what is known as the Low Mass where the prayers are spoken rather than sung.

I think the church is too obsessed with image rather than substance. In these pages previously I have said that I think that people should say the words of the Mass and mean them rather than sing them repeatedly and have no underlying belief or understanding about what they are saying. I have particularly criticised the recent adoption of the so called new liturgy.

At school my RE teacher once asked me in a lesson if I would be surprised if there was no Adam and he was just a myth. The look of horror that crossed her face when I said 'No I wouldn't be surprised,' was a picture. I try to be logical and keep an open mind about most things. I had practiced martial arts for some years and had always been interested in eastern philosophy. This doesn't mean that I intend to take the hippy trail to India. I found a particular liking for Buddhism which is a philosophy rather than a religion.

If you are Richard Dawkins you would no doubt say what is the difference? Well whilst I accept that there is only a small difference unlike the good professor I at least would acknowledge that there is one. Most of the major religions are based on the premise that you should live your life in such a way as to not harm yourself or others and that by living good lives you will receive your reward in the afterlife. I have no problem with the concept of the afterlife. The scientist and philosopher Blaise Pascal suggested that belief in God was a safer bet than not doing so. He argued that if you did and you were right the rewards would be great and that if you did and you were wrong then it didn't matter anyway.

To me this is rational. The problem with belief, as Kevin Smith in his film Dogma suggests, is that it can lead to zealotry. I don't like zealots because they are close minded and are unready to accept the humbling possibility that they might be wrong. Smith's character, Rufus, argued that it is better to have an idea because ideas are easier to change. Zealotry is the kind of thing that leads to Galileo being imprisoned and then it taking 500 years for the church to admit it was wrong and he was right.

It is in the realm of science that I find myself leaning more towards Buddhism. Buddhism is open to the idea that science and scientific advance can be good. The basic tenets of not harming oneself or of harming others are still there. All life is precious in the eyes of the Buddhist. Knowledge and reason are seen as things to be lauded not ignored. If as a society you abandon these skills you end up with Intelligent Design and Creationism. To its credit the Catholic Church accepts that evolution is entirely compatible with faith and the existence of God. Many scientists are open to the possibility that God might exist but that does not prevent them trying to seek explanations for things traditionally left in the domain of religion.

I am not sure if I could ever give up my faith and become a Buddhist I like my mystery too much and I believe in the possibility of an afterlife. I like my hybrid status and it gives me direction and comfort. I would rather be where I am than to be somebody who rules out the possibility that they are wrong. Whichever road you are on I wish you the best and I hope that you find what it is that you are seeking.

Travels with Dinno (18/11/12): Harrogate

Well on a bright frosty autumnal morning we set off for the frozen north in search of Harrogate. I went there once or twice before to the convention centre but always by train. Everything was going well until we followed the directions provided by Google maps. We left the A1 at J45 and drove into Wetherby (I think). At this point it said to go through two roundabouts which we duly did and then ended up back at the A1 at Wetherby services.  Having retraced our steps and found a sign directing us to Harrogate we quickly made up for lost time.

We were not actually playing at the club but rather at the High School down the road. The pitch was not so much a pitch as a swamp. There were no facilities on the site. Note to the general organisers of such things. If you are shipping people half a mile down the road it would make some sense to ensure that there are adequate toilets and some food and hot drinks might be nice. Particularly since these are the facilities that you get at virtually every other ground. Rant over.

The first XV were simply unable to cope with Harrogate's style of play. They kept the ball moving and there was always support. They were well drilled in everything they did. Even with the Harrogate ref apparently doing his best to penalise his own side our lads just kept doing the same things and didn't seem to be able to work out that they had to try something different. At times they kicked away too much possession. The final score of 26 - 0 (which included a penalty try) didn't flatter Harrogate. Harrogate were able to pass the ball out in the tackle all the time.

Next up were the development team. Boy was playing at centre as the regular stand off had returned from the first XV. This was, as ever, a much closer match. Dinno took the lead through a try by Josh. After a brief period of domination Harrogate went over for a try which they converted. The score was now 7-5. There was plenty of effort and commitment, even if the Boy didn't think he had contributed. In once encounter he lost possession but got up and tackled the guy who had taken it and then pursued and caught the guy he passed it to. Harrogate scored again 12-5. After some good work the ball went out to Kieran who went in at the corner to score a try. 12-10. The referee called it as 12-12 and that would have been a fair result but Harrogate won.

Everybody watching agreed that it had been a fantastic game of rugby and the only difference was a conversion. If the development team need to learn anything it is to take their chances. They could have been out of sight at half time. They tackled hard, passed well and had better decision making. They keep the ball in hand and make it do the work. They are becoming adept at getting the ball out in contact areas. If as a very biased observer I have one issue it is that I would have liked to see Boy carry on at stand off as he has performed well there.

The development team are developing very quickly. It is noticeable that even in training the gap between the teams is closing.

Next week we have a training session I think and then a home fixture against Goole. Well see you at pitchside soon.

Travels with Dinno (11/11/12) Yorkshire Cup Round 2: Morley

On a cool, crisp, bright November morning we arrived at Lodge Lane for this vital match. A win would see us continue to storm on towards the finals. A loss would leave us with a few Sunday's spare in the months to come.  The Remembrance Day part of the morning was observed impeccably by everybody. The bugler playing the last post was haunting as you could hear and feel the wind blowing across the ground through the silence.
How was the team feeling in the build up to this important fixture on the back of two relatively poor performances in recent weeks? Were there doubts that we could see off Morley? Well actually to be truthful there weren't. Morley had announced midweek that they couldn't put out a team and so by default we won.
Morley did bring a combined twelves and thirteens team down. During our spell with Huddersfield we had played them three times and the record was won 1 lost 1 drawn 1. It was planned that this would be a chance for the development team to get some match time together.
The boy was starting at fly half again. By the way, in case you haven't worked it out yet my blogs are entirely biased. I support the team I am playing for wholeheartedly and am like any other parent I want my kid to do well.  The first half was a tight run affair. The boy was involved in at least two of the tries. The air was turning blue on a regular basis as he kept taking the ball into contact areas. This was a problem that the first XV seemed to have a couple of weeks ago. The boy was getting the ball out of contact and creating space. Morley were first to score. However, the reply was quick. Brad scored a try followed by another from Olly. Morley then brought the scores level again. Then after an impressive backs move where all of the backs were involved the ball came out to Brendan on the wing who went in to score. You could hear the groans from his dad's wallet. Half time Dinno 15 - Morley 10. The feeling was that over the second half the development team could win this comfortably purely because of the way they played the game. Driving forward play supported by backs at the breakdown and then strong team work from the back division who were playing flowing creative rugby.
At half time the coaches decided to change everything and put on the first XV. Naturally the parents of the development side wanted to see them play out a whole game. That is because there are the makings of a strong team and they are starting to gel as a unit. We wanted them to win but were more interested in the performance. To quote Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition sketch there was trouble at t'mill.
After half time it became something of a rout. At times the scene reminded me of the final battle scene from The Last Samurai where a group of noble warriors are being cut to shreds by a mechanical army. The first XV weren't in a merciful mood and the sight of Morley players on the ground wasn't great. They gave a great effort but ultimately the introduction of the first XV and then the return of Ben on kicking duties told. The second half saw 5 tries (2 from Rupert, 1 each from Harry, Will and Todd) along with 3 conversions lead to a final score of 46-10. The boy was named man of the match.
Other results from the 2nd Round saw Cleckheaton, Rishworthians, Otley, Middlesbrough, York, Harrogate progress. There are still two results I haven't been able to track down. The more mathematically gifted among you will have noticed that with those two results to come there will be 9 teams in the next round. Enquiring minds are keen to know what the hell is going to happen to get down to an even number.
This weekend we are either away at Harrogate or playing Otley or Wath.
By the way the bacon rolls and hot chocolate at Dinno are excellent.

Travels with Dinno (4/11/12): Sheffield Part 2: The Revenge

Hello again rugby fans. It is that time of the week when I regale you with my travels around the country in support of Dinnington u13s. This week's fun and frolics were at Sheffield RUFC at Abbeydale Park. This was our second visit of the year and as ever the ties were much anticipated. Local bragging rights were on offer.

The weather was dull and icy cold. The boy had goosepimples on his goosepimples. Like a typical teenager he just stood there shivering. He refused the offer of hot chocolate (which was very nice by the way especially with the bacon sandwich). It didn't occur to him to keep his tracksuit bottoms on. He stood there like a typical teenager grunting when asked questions and trying to convince the world that he is tough and that the icy cold didn't bother him.

So on to the match. First up with the two first XVs. Sheffield quickly set about their business of getting revenge for the absolute thumping they got last time. They went 12 - 0 up. Shortly after a try was not awarded to Dinno but we couldn't see why but then Adam shot down the wing and got one back. The difficult conversion was missed and the score was 12-5. After that we didn't trouble the scorers and Sheffield ran out 29-5 winners. The first XV did not seem to be up for the match and there was possibly a hangover from last week's match. Their usual fluency was just not there and Sheffield made the most of it.

While all this was going on the second XV were spending their time periodically running laps around the pitch to keep them warm and limbered up.

The match started and as with the match a few weeks ago this was a tight affair. The forwards were pumped and were driving and mauling and stealing possession. The thing they did differently this time was that they moved the ball out to the backs. The boy was playing at Fly Half (his fourth position of the season) and seemed to thrive. He is not a natural there as he has no kicking game at all. What he did do was keep things moving. He worked with Sam at scrum half dictating moves and with Kieran and James in the backs. They were communicating with each other. When they got the ball they ran it. The icing on the cake was that they passed the ball early after drawing in the man and created space.

After an aggressive forwards move the ball came out to the boy who popped up a pass to Brad who ran it in  for a try in the corner 5-0 at half time.

The performance continued after half time as before. The boy got into a position near the try line and could probably have run in the try himself but he gave the ball to Kieran who scored near the posts and then Brendan put the conversion over. After that Sheffield started to feed in their first team players partly due to injuries (all three hookers were injured in the matches). They scored two tries due to speed and pace on the break.

Personally I think the draw flattered them a bit. Dinno were worthy of the win. The most pleasing aspect was the all round display. There were forwards running down the wing, making driving runs through the middle of the pitch. When it came to picking the awards after the match the award could have gone to any number of players.

It was rugby at its best. Next week Dinno face Morley in the Yorkshire Cup 2nd round.

PS any suggestions of bias in my reporting of matches is entirely justified because like everybody else involved I am biased. Happy rugby.

Travels with Dinno: Aireborough

Greetings fellow travellers. This week's installment takes us up the road to Leeds. Dinno visited Aireborough RUFC. Despite them being relatively local to Huddersfield where I coached and where the boy played our only meeting with them had been at Keighley festival a couple of years ago. For the record Huddersfield won comfortably.

We set off slightly later than planned and the rushed back because I had forgotten to bring the directions. I tend to travel using the force. The dark side is strong within me and I can go somewhere once and more or less find the way there again even if I take a wrong turn.

Aireborough is based in Yeadon which is the next 'town' along from Rawdon where I used to work. For the record I don't much like Leeds as a place and went there very infrequently. As a driver the place is a nightmare as the road signs are terrible. But that is by the by.

We regularly passed the club on our way to Ilkley or Otley. When we arrived we had difficulty finding anywhere to park. We headed towards the clubhouse then up to some rugby pitches where we ran into Kev who said we were on another pitch. We headed over in the direction we had been sent and just about managed to avoid the people doing the orienteering. The pitch we were on was reached by going down a bank with some very dodgy steps carved into it, over a bridge which was slippy beyond belief and up another bank.

The track was saturated and the mud was deep. It felt like some kind of endurance course just to get to the pitch.

The match started and straight away Aireborough put us under pressure. They preferred the kicking game and it seemed to work for them. We had most of the territory, most of the possession and looked more likely to produce something. However, we didn't play with our brains and we lost a game we should have comfortably won. The score finished 5-0 to Aireborough. Our problem was that we kept running into contact when we didn't need to. As a team we need to learn that individuals cannot beat 15 players on their own and the support needs to be better. There is no faulting the effort and work rate of the team at all.

On a slightly irritable note the referee did appear to be a bit of a 'homer'. Three times in the first half he gave Aireborough (he was an Aireborough coach) the put in at scrums which should have gone to Dinno and when a similar thing happened in Aireborough's favour in the second half he made the correct call and gave them the scrum. I don't like criticising refs because they do a hard job and even the top refs make mistakes but such obvious oversights only fosters resentment amongst young players and supporters alike. That being said even if the ref had been from Dinnington it is by no means certain that he would have favoured them over Aireborough.

It is a bit difficult to judge the food on offer as it had taken so long to actually get to the club and with the state of the ground I didn't actually go and get anything to eat until after the match. By that time the bacon was cold but appeared to be well cooked. The players meal was pasta which seemed to go down well by and large.

This weekend we were due to operate a dual site policy with half the players going to Sheffield and the other half back up the M1 to Moortown in Leeds. However, last night Moortown cancelled the fixture and so everybody is now going to Sheffield this weekend.

Wherever you are enjoy your rugby and glory in this marvellous sport which we support week in and week out.

Golf: What is the point?

The title of the this post is probably a little bit disingenuous. That is because I can answer the question from my point of view relatively easily. Many greater experts than I have written about golf in the past and this post is really only about how I enjoy it even with my extremely limited capabilities.

Last week after the ten pin bowling triumph I took my son and his best mate for a round of golf on a pitch and putt course in Mansfield. The King George V course is on Blackscotch Lane in the Berry Hill area of town. It is set in a very tranquil part of town and the course is covered in trees. Wildlife can be seen all over the place. Last week there was an abundance of fungi on every hole. The course is well maintained and the staff there are generally very friendly. The price is pretty good and you can hire clubs should you need them.

The course is generally a benign one. None of the bunkers are too taxing. The rough is sparse and light. If you make a mistake you are never far from being able to get back to where you need to be. It is a good place to learn to play and make mistakes. You can also practice your short game. The greens vary but are generally relatively welcoming.

I enjoy a round of golf. It gets me out walking and in the fresh air. For me golf is not necessarily about beating your golf partners but of challenging yourself and the course. This is not the course I first played golf at. That honour goes to the Grianan Golf Course at Burt in Co Donegal. The picture on the top of this blog is the view from Grianan Castle and the golf course played on the side of the hill leading up to the castle and so the views were equally as good.

When I came back from that holiday I started to go up to Berry Hill to play the course there. It was a half hour walk at most and I would spend an afternoon hitting golf balls around the course which is a par 3 course. My best round was 58. I remember one round where a group of elderly gentlemen were ahead of me and caught them up. The convention in golf is to allow somebody to play through if they are quicker than you. These gentlemen invited me to join them for the rest of the round. Golf is a friendly game when played in the right spirit.

So  last Thursday on a dank overcast Nottinghamshire day I returned to the course after a couple of years away. In fact I have only played golf a couple of times in the last decade. Time, family, finances and all the other pressures of modern life got in the way.

My opponents golfing pedigree was slim. Tom had previously only played on a course at Moville which had some very short holes. His friend had never played. So if we examine the evidence closely:-

• I had played the course many times
• I had had a golf lesson once and so had some technique
• I generally didn't use any club bigger than a 9-iron (except for a couple of holes where I used a 7-iron)
• I can read greens and can get height on my drives

My opponents had some good aspects to their game. I did suggest that they played alternate balls but they didn't take my advice. Matty was the better driver of the ball. They were about even in the middle and Tom was better on the greens.

My son kept asking how did you do that every time a played a half decent shot. As with most sport and most pastimes there is no mystery to how you improve. First you need to get basic techniques right. Then you need to pit yourself against people who are better than you are. That way you can see your improvement.

The final scores weren't close. In matchplay terms I won 6 & 5. However, credit where it is due around the turn the lads won a couple of holes to keep the match alive. In stroke play I was about 30 ahead of my nearest challenger. That being said it was as if I hadn't played for a long time and so I need to get back on the course more often.

So what is the point of golf? Does there need to be one? It is a fun activity. Maybe when I am older I will spend my days on the golf course. The upper body workout I got from the round was great. The walk and fresh air was great. I also enjoy challenging myself. I want to improve how I do on each hole every time I play. That was how I got down to 58 in the first place. I would like to play that well again but it will take time.

Epilepsy and how to survive it

I have written before about the fact that I have epilepsy. I have had it since I was eight years old and will, according to my specialist, have to put up with it until the day I die.  It is one of those much misunderstood conditions that attract fear and misunderstanding.  During my youth the fact that  was 'different' did not help me and because I had no confidence I was an easy target for bullies. Although it has to be said that if I had taken the advice I was given by a friend and just ignored things, that would have all gone away. But as they say hindsight is always 20/20.

My first event happened after playing football. I went into the house of the lady I was staying with that day sat down and as far as I recall went to sleep. I woke up several hours later in the local hospital. That was the Saturday before Remembrance Sunday 1978. I spent the next week being poked and prodded and moved about the East Midlands whilst somebody tried to work out what the problem was. It happened again a couple of years later in the car park of the Emerald Isle club in Mansfield. The trigger this time was probably a video arcade game.

This time the doctors decided I had epilepsy and I was put on Epanutin tablets. I had difficulty swallowing them and so ended up on Epilim syrup. I then spent the next couple of years getting by having occasional attacks. I tend to have tonic clonic seizures. One morning I was at home and a doctor came on to Jimmy Young's Radio programme on Radio2 and began to talk about 'photosensitive epilepsy'. At last I now had a name for my condition. Research had shown that flickering lights, sunlight through the trees, tvs, computers could all trigger attacks. Since that day I have had to manage my lifestyle to accommodate these. Over time and with the improvement in technology I use many of these regularly. I still avoid strobe lighting and this has meant I have missed out on going to gigs by my favourite bands. I didn't go to discos and nightclubs.

After a couple of years I came off the medication and was OK apart from minor seizures 'petit mal'. The thing with epilepsy is that once you have it you are prone to have it again. Another of my triggers is stress and tiredness.

I was in the Lower VIth form and one Sunday night after watching, Cat Ballou (weird how you remember these things) I went to bed but I could not settle and became more and more agitated. An ambulance was called and I was taken to hospital. I had managed to stop one of my attacks but the energy that it had taken had completely exhausted me and I was off school for a week and was back on medication shortly after. I was given a combination of phenytoin and carbamazepine. It didn't stop the attacks and so the dose kept going up.

About this time two things happened which changed my life and also one article in a newspaper. The BBC had a science series called QED. One particular programme was about epilepsy. The first person was a Scottish guy who had epilepsy and was seen at a  swimming pool. He had learned to swim and had told nobody about his condition and had got away with it.  Was what he did the right thing? The answer can only be is that it worked for him. In these more litigious times, it is often safer to be honest. The DVLA once praised me for returning my driving licence following an attack.

The other thing was one of my teachers at school. He had asked my sister where I was following the incident above. When she told him he went away and wrote me a letter. He apologised to me for not spotting the signs earlier and he gave me some sound advice about how to handle the condition. He told me to be careful about who I told, but that it need not stop me achieving my ambitions. Oddly enough that is exactly what it did do, combined with a bit of 18 year old stubbornness but that is another story.

I took his advice. The drugs didn't work, in fact they made things worse and the dosage my doctors had me on nearly killed me. The article followed shortly afterwards and was by Rev Lionel Blue. He said that he treated epilepsy as an unwanted relative that comes around from time to time. All of these things together gave me a sense of perspective about my condition. When I was twenty two, I had my wisdom teeth removed and had an extra dose of my epilepsy medication and ended up flatlining, according to the patients around me in the ward.

Once you learn to embrace your condition, you can handle it. It has given me trouble, heartache and pain in my life. But it has also enhanced my phenomenal memory, taught me how to handle stress and pressure, given me immense powers of focus and concentration.

If you get good healthcare that is an advantage. During my twenty years in Huddersfield I had excellent care from the doctors and staff at the University Health Centre. In other parts of the country the care has been less good. I know that I will have to take sodium valproate for the rest of my life. I know that there is no guarantee that I won't have another fit. I have learned to take each day and each moment as it comes and it is hard work to do that.

Some tips I picked up along the way:-
1. Reduce your caffeine intake - I was always lucky enough to get an aura before my seizures. Unfortunately the buzz from caffeine is a similar sensation and I have had to leave shopping at the till to get home just in case.
2. Alcohol - I don't drink, which is irritating, but I was never a heavy drinker because of the way I had been raised. In the end it isn't worth it.
3. Drugs - what is the point. If you are going to spend your life on the type of drugs you have to take for epilepsy, just what is the bloody point of destroying your mind and body with that sort of crap.
4. Be bloody minded. - People will tell you that you won't be able to do all sorts of things because of your epilepsy. Don't believe them. Find a way to achieve your dreams. Everything that I wanted to try and achieve I have tried. I may not be a high powered lawyer but then I'm not prepared to take the stress levels required to succeed in that profession
5. Find love. Sounds simple I know. My wife learned to put up with many things. Until she met me she had never been in an ambulance. The benefit is that since we have been together my health has stabilised. It took a few months initially but I have, touch wood, not had any problems for 16 years.
6. Believe in something. - This is a personal one. I am not a religious fanatics and every religion has its problems but the fact that I have some belief, cobbled together over many years, helps me.

Lastly learn to recognise and use the benefits that your condition gives you. If you treat it like a burden it will become one. I know many epileptics and have given talks to doctors about how I cope with it. The thing is that it is different for all of us. Epilepsy is a broad 'church' and there are many types of the condition. You just need to find your route through it. You may have one episode and never have another. You may, like me, have it until you shuffle off this mortal coil. Don't ever let it dominate you. Control it and live your life. Embrace your life and make it work for you.

The New Liturgy

About a year ago now the Roman Catholic church introduced a 'New Translation' of the liturgy. For the uninitiated in the dark arts and terminology of Holy Mother Church the liturgy is the prayers that are said by the priest and the congregation during Mass.  It was supposed to be a more accurate translation but still keep with the post Vatican II tradition of Mass in the vernacular.

In the weeks and months leading up to the introduction different churches appeared to handle things differently. My local parish at the time announced the changes in a series of articles explaining what the new language was, how it had changed and how it was better than the language which we had been using for the better part of half a century.  I am not opposed to change by any manner of means. I think change handled well can be good a thing. The problem is that the Catholic Church doesn't change very often and when it does it isn't usually handled very well.

I am old enough to have learned the Latin mass. The parish I grew up in held Latin mass once a week and once a month had a special choir come in to sing the mass. Once a year there was a special Missa Cantata. I loved the Latin but was perfectly content with the Mass in English.  In my youth the mass books had Latin on one side of the page and English on the other. Over time either by rote, by osmosis or in my case by having a  semi-photographic memory I managed to work out how the translations compared. They weren't strict word for word translations but the translation still got the essential meaning behind the original text.

The introduction of the Mass in the vernacular has had an unintended outcome. When the Mass was in Latin it was the same everywhere. No matter where you would go you could understand the Mass. The Second Vatican Council seems to have been taken by many within the church as an excuse to have regional variation. Now for McDonalds that is OK you are simply catering to your clientele. The Catholic Church proclaims itself to be the universal church. This is problematic if Mass is not the same at two churches in the same town let alone between two countries.

The 'New' translation it turns out is not actually new. A friend of mine showed me a missal that had the exact translation in. That missal was 40 or so years old. So the church was being slightly disingenuous.  Another of my friends argues quite rightly that words like 'consubstantial' which replaced the phrase 'of one being' are not exactly vernacular. If you want to move the Mass to a more liturgical translation that is fine but at least be honest and say so. If you want to have the Mass in the vernacular don't use terms like 'consubstantial'. This is an example of the church not handling change well.

A more effective change would have been to stop the obsession with singing everything. Simplify the liturgy. The liturgy is a thing of beauty and the words are powerful and have meaning. The problem is that we rarely focus on what we are saying. I question the point of singing 'Amen' 8-times. It is better, surely, to say it once with feeling and mean it than gabble it.  The church has forgotten this one simple truth at the expense of giving work to musicians, and in many cases I use the term loosely.

It will probably take the church another 50 years to realise that this was a mistake and it will then go about irritating already dwindling congregations by changing it back again. The only winners will be the publishers of missals.

Ten pin bowling with the brood

We are currently playing host to my son's best friend from Huddersfield, Matty.  They have known each other since the first day of primary school and are still best friends.  They share an interest in rugby and until April of this year they played for the same team, Huddersfield RUFC in the u12s.   They were never in the same class at school and then went to different secondary schools. Then when we moved to Worksop this year Tom left the area completely. They have remained friends and through the miracles of texting and Skype they have kept in touch. They rib each other about how bad their respective rugby league teams are doing.  The friendship is strong.

When it was arranged that Matty was coming to stay with us I was keen that they didn't spend all their time sitting on laptops playing Football Manager. This morning we went over to the ten pin bowling alley in Mansfield. The drive through the fog was an experience  but we arrived unscathed.

We purchased 2 games of bowling and drinks and set about playing. The first game was not the highest scoring game ever seen. Matty was OK, Tom was dreadful and Jenni was lucky. I started slowly and it was a close run thing until the last round. Matty was ahead after his final bowl and then Tom piped 'You've lost dad because you won't get a strike or a spare in this round!' On my performance at that stage this would appear to have been a fairly good judgment. However, it overlooked a number of factors. Of the four of us I was the most consistent. I had the best technique of the four of us and I wasn't using the bumpers like the others. I promptly hit the spare with the last bowl and then with the bonus throw overtook Matty. The atmosphere was not good.

Matty complained that as the guest I should have let him win. I advised him that winning that way is the worst kind of winning. If he was going to wn then he should do it on his merits. I went to collect the drinks and whilst I was away the lads insisted that Jenni should aim her own ramp as she had beaten Tom in the first game.  The game started with Jenni bringing up the rear after the first few rounds. Matty was again out in front but Tom was starting to find technique, or what passed for it in his case. At the start of round three Matty and Tom then announced you have no chance of winning this game as you are so far behind.

For two supposedly intelligent kids they really can be dumb on a grand scale. I have epilepsy and all my life people have been telling me that I can't or shouldn't do things. Now some of these things I take heed of. I don't drink, I don't take drugs and I avoid flashing lights wherever possible. These changes have been necessary for me to manage my condition effectively and this I have done for the last sixteen years. However, the thing with epilepsy is that like most conditions there are compensations. I have immense powers of concentration and focus. My short term memory is going a bit but my long term memory is phenomenal. I am available for pub quiz teams at reasonable rates. The other thing the condition gives me is the ability and determination to prove people wrong.

I have been told the following ( not all in relation to epilepsy):-

1. In all likelihood you will never drive - I am a reasonably good driver and have held a licence for thirteen years
2. I was never allowed to swim at school  - I learned to swim in my 30s and am OK within my depth
3. Some people suggested that I probably wouldn't marry and have kids because they wouldn't be able to cope - I am very happily married and have two wonderful kids
4. You won't ever get a job in the legal profession aged 18 with no qualifications - I got one within a couple of weeks and held it for four years and am partly qualified as a lawyer.
5. You will never be able to give up chocolate for a year - My son said this to me, I gave it up for a year. So you would have thought he would have learned not to make challenges to me by now.

So taking all of the above into consideration a couple of kids telling me I am not going to win 3 rounds into a game is hardly going to phase me. 

I quickly got into my stride with 5 strikes and and a spare in the next 6 rounds. My score at the end was double their combined scores. This was after not having bowled for 3 years. I am planning on taking them for a round of golf later this week at a golf course which I used to play several times a week and which I played a couple of years ago.  I am no great shakes as a golfer as my friends Emmett and Mark would testify but I would guess that I will comfortably beat these two.

Travels with Dinno: Back Home Again

It was a cold sharp but bright and sunny morning as we set off to Dinnington for this week's festivities. We were to play in a 5 team round robin tournament against teams from Ashfield, Wath and Barnsley. Dinno were split into two teams and were wearing black armbands in memory of a former player, supporter and coach at the club Rob Hurdley. Before the match began all the teams lined up on the first team pitch and observed a minutes silence, The only sounds that could be heard during the minute was the tweeting of the birds and the sound of cars in the distance. All the teams were a credit to their clubs and to the game of rugby.

Reporting duties were split between myself and Pete whose son, Brendan is in the development team with my boy. We looked at the fixture list and worked out that the first couple of matches were OK as there was only ever one Dinnington team on at a time. The last scheduled game was the two Dinno teams against each other. So only for two rounds of matches would we have to split up to cover the game.

First up was Dinno's first team against Barnsley. This was something of a mismatch. Early in the game our flanker, Rupert got over to score and then it might have been Kai who converted to give us a 7-0 lead. The reason for the uncertainty is that just before the match a mist came over the pitches and a hazy sun ttried to break through. So in the stygian gloom it was a little difficult to see who was actually doing anything. Shortly afterwards Sam, who was playing at scrum half scored another try and following a missed conversion Dinno led 12-0 at half time. In the second half the team ran riot. Kai ran over for a try shortly followed by another for Elliott 22-0. Kai scored another with a conversion by Jake who as the morning progressed showed that he was a pretty good place kicker. 29-0. Centre Harry ran over for another. If he could add passing to his game he would be brilliant. 34-0 . At the end Adam ran over for another score which was converted. Final Score 41-0.

On the other pitch Ashfield beat Wath 14-7. Apparently the boy who played at flanker helped set up a try.

My next match was Dinno development v Ashfield. The Dinno first team supplied the extra players. The morning was planned as a chance for everybody to get plenty of game time and to help develop confidence among the development players. It backfired in this match. Ashfield scored 5 tries 4 of which were scored by Dinnington players and their confidence was gone. There were some good things but the damage was done. Final score 29-0 to Ashfield. On the other pitch Wath beat Barnsley 29-0.

My boy had aggravated an injury sustained running cross country at school. He was unable to play in the development team's next game against Wath. Wath were convincing 31-0 winners. The second half display by the development team was good and for most of the half they contained Wath but they were playing without confidence. One of Wath's tries was controversial. Their smallest player was tackled. He did not release the ball on the ground there followed a ruck and general melee and out of the side emerged the same player with the ball who played it off the floor and Wath scored. The first team beat Ashfield 44-0.

I then went to cover the first team versus Wath. This was a tightly fought affair but Dinno always looked the more likely winners. Wath were tough players but they were unable to cope with the aggression and the expansive play shown by our team. Jacob scored a try but missed a conversion. There was a heated debate as to whether or not he had been held in the tackle or not. The referee awarded the try end of debate. 5-0. Shortly afterwards Rupert ran over for another try and Jake converted the try 12-0. Connor added a third try under the posts on half time and it was not converted 17-0.  Just after the break Wath got a try and brought the score back to 17-7. Jake scored another try and added an excellent conversion which hit the bar and bounced over. 24-7. Kai  added a final try in the mist and Jake added the points. Final score 31-7. On the other pitch Dinno Development lost to Barnsley 33-12.  After what had been a torrid morning. some pride was restored. 

It was decided not to play the final round of games as time was dragging on and Dinnington play each other every Wednesday in training. The morning probably did not achieve what it was designed to but much rugby was played and lots of commitment was shown by all players. The winner was rugby.

Travels with Dinno Yorkshire Cup edition: Hull Ionians

Apologies for the delay in posting this week but things to do places to be in my ever exciting life.  Last Sunday morning Dinno took on Hull Ionians in the first round of the U13 Yorkshire Cup.  The draw for the cup was intriguing as there were seventeen ties so at some point  there has to be a play off between two teams to get the numbers down. However, since that is a logical way to do things it is unlikely to happen.

The boy had not been picked in the first team but on my insistence had got his kit ready and was going up to support his teammates.  I then turned my mobile phone on at about 8.30 to see a flood of texts and voicemails from the coach. I rang back and spoke to Tracey who is Dave's wife and she said that two players had been injured the day before and would Thomas be able to play. I got Tom to change into his match gear and we set off on a bright autumnal morning heading towards Hull.

The traffic was light and we arrived in good time. This time we actually managed to find the club by using the directions rather than using the force which we did the last time we went there a couple of years ago with Huddersfield.  The ground is set in rolling countryside and the clubhouse at Brantingham Park includes a fitness centre.

After the usual pleasantries I went with my namesake, Jonathan and a guy named Phil to go and sample the delights of the cuisine on offer in the clubhouse. I had my usual, bacon sandwich and hot chocolate.

The bacon was OK but could have done with being cooked a bit more. The hot chocolate came with optional marshmallows. You will be very proud to hear that I resisted this temptation.

We returned to the pitch for the start of the game. Just as we reached the pitch the Hull team all trooped off to the changing rooms. As our coach put it 'Mind games won't help them.' The referee appeared and called the teams in. Unfortunately Hull had not reappeared at the appointed time. There were some anxious looks from the Hull contingent and the referee kept glancing at his watch. At one point there was a possibility that Hull could have lost there own home fixture because they weren't ready on time.  Hull eventually appeared and the game started.

Dinno have a tendency of not playing for 80 minutes. They will sometimes have a very strong first half or a strong second half but rarely both. This is partly down to making substitutions which affects the flow but which is also necessary for the development of the squad.  We got out of the traps very quickly. After a strong passage of play our winger Adam cut inside and went over for a try. Ben then converted the kick. a few moments later Rupert, a flanker burst through and went over for a second try. The conversion did not follow but within ten minutes we were 12-0 up. After some good defensive work from a lineout the ball got into the backs and the ball came out to Jacob who went over for a try which was converted 19-0. That was the half time score.

At the start of the second half we won a penalty. Rupert sold a dummy  and ran in under the sticks 26-0. Hull came back through their number 7 with a try and a conversion 26-7. From a scrum our scrum half Kai drove over the line. By this time we had lost our kicker Ben to injury and so the score moved to 31-7. The Hull team then came back with two tries but I am still not sure if they even attempted conversions or not. The match finished 31-17.

The boy was disappointed because he was on for 10 minutes hardly saw the ball and was substituted.

In the next round we face Morley. It will be a tough match but if we can neutralise their star player we should make it.  Next week we are at home in a 4 team something or other with Ashfield, Wath and Barnsley.

TV Books and films of the week

I haven't updated this article for a couple of weeks. Since I last wrote to of my favourite programmes have returned to the screen. Both feature intelligent, good looking women with attitude. The first is Only Connect. The program is an intellectual quiz and shows on BBC Four. This channel is worth the licence fee alone. It is presented by the delightful Victoria Coren. The format is fairly simple. There are four rounds:- The connections round, what is the last in the sequence, the wall and the missing vowels round. This is no average quiz. The winners are usually capable of beating mastermind champions, University Challenge winning teams. It requires the ability to think laterally and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Those who know me will be able to tell you that in relation to the kitchen I do have other gods before me. I enjoy cooking when I am in the mood and tend towards using the force. I don't measure stuff. I was taught this by my parents who were taught it by their parents.  I am definitely a cook not a chef. Whilst I enjoy Masterchef I think it is all a bit poncy. I like to have a plate of food and to be full after eating. I do not like plate decoration. My other gods or in fact goddesses are called Delia and Nigella. However, my allegiance is to Nigella. A friend once described her programs as 'food porn' and she has even been impersonated along those lines by a number of heretic comedians. What is it I like about Nigella? She is intelligent. She is gorgeous, curvy and the way she licks her lips or licks her fingers after eating is frankly indecent. The bottom line though is the food and it is gorgeous. I have all her books and they are well thumbed tomes. I am looking forward to when I get my hands on her...new book.

In terms of books I am in the middle of reading Bernard Cornwell's Alfred series following the exploits of Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Cornwell is easy to read. I don't like having to work to get my pleasure when reading and I think literary fiction to be as bad as the Turner Prize. I have never read one of these sort of books and been satisfied. I am currently in book three, The Lords of the North. In and amongst finishing The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman I also read the novel on which the film Let The Right One In was based. The cover proclaimed that the novel was worthy of Stephen King. Maybe during the phase when he wrote The Tommyknockers. Whilst I was initially interested in the story I found myself gradually being left with a sense of disappointment. I no longer cared about who lived or died. I was also unsure of who all the characters were. It was all a bit unsatisfactory.

In terms of films I have been watching some have been good, some have been interesting and some have been so bad they were good. Last weekend I watched The Fifth Element and Serenity. I also watched Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer. The Fantastic Four Rise was an improvement on the original FF film. Well that is not a particularly hard task. It is a diverting film but no more than that. Chris Evans, who plays the Human Torch, has since gone on to play Captain America. The Fifth Element is Luc Besson's Sci Fi film. Besson seems to be a bit like the late Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick made genre films such as The Shining and 2001. Once he had ticked off a genre he went onto something new. Besson is similar. He made Leon which was a work of brilliance. The Fifth Element is his sci-fi film. It features Mila Jovovich, Bruce Willis and Gary Oldman. The plot is a little weird but show me a sci fi film where it isn't. Oldman gives an incredible performance as the slightly deranged arms dealing servant of the dark powers. The supporting cast is brilliant apart from Chris Rock who is even more irritating than normal.  The other film was Serenity. A western in space. This film is an underrated masterpiece. Joss Whedon did a reverse Buffy with this one. When he made the film Buffy the Vampire Slayer it bombed so he made a series. The series went on too long in my opinion. the last series of Buffy featured Nathan Fillion. Whedon cast him in his new series Firefly which was cancelled by the network so Whedon made Serenity. The film has good and evil but they are blurred. The action sequences are stunning and Chiwetel Ejiofor as a government assassin is brilliant. The ideas in the film are intriguing and interesting and this film along with The Fifth Element comes with a high recommendation.

In the last couple of days I have started something of a Clint Eastwood fest. It started with Firefox. Not one of his greatest performances and not a particularly good film. Lots of British actors doing fairly ropey Russian accents. The special effects which in the 1980s were quite good do not stand up well against today's effects. The book on which it is based is by Craig Thomas and is well worth a read.  I have just started into the Dollar Western Trilogy - A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More and The Good The Bad and The Ugly. All are worth watching but the best by some distance is The Good The Bad and The Ugly.

Eastwood is at his best in these films and laid the groundwork for his later masterpieces The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven. The score is memorable and with able support from Lee Van Cleef, Gian Maria Volonte and Eli Wallach these are amongst the best westerns ever made.

Happy media watching I feel some cheesecake coming on.

Being Goosed ... Or should that be Fleeced in Nottingham

A couple of weeks ago we started to see flyers advertising the annual Goose Fair. This is a fair which was established around 1284 so it can be said to be well established in the calendar.  In its history it has been cancelled due to bubonic plague, war (WW1 and II to be precise) and their have been deaths at the fair in fairly recent history due to gang violence. The fair only appears to be missing Famine and then it will be associated with all four horsemen apocalypse.

I grew up in Mansfield about 14 miles from the fair and managed to never go. I am not sure why this was exactly but I don't recall ever having a huge desire to go anyway. There were very good reasons why I couldn't go. All this is by the by. My daughter expressed a desire to go. She has never been to a fair that I can recall and so why not start at the biggest one going.

We took the train from Worksop to Nottingham. Passing through such hotspots as Langwith-Whaley Thorns and Shirebrook along the way. You probably just had to be there. We hopped on to a tram at Nottingham station and went to The Forest which is where the fair has been held since 1928. Prior to this it was held in the Old Market Square. The trams are excellent and quick and efficient. In recent months I have been using trams in Sheffield on most days to get to work and it makes you wonder why some idiot got rid of them in the first place.

The fair is an explosion of gaudy flashing lights, unhealthy food and gullible idiots paying over the odds for tat.  It is possibly a microcosm for today's society packed into one small area.  My daughter got some candy floss and we walked around trying to decide where we would consent to get fleeced. We eventually found a bungee trampoline which my daughter thoroughly enjoyed.

I then said something which I deeply regret. 'Jenni would you like to go on the big wheel?' I though it would be OK it is not fast, it doesn't have flashing lights how bad could it be? We got into our metal cage and set off rising above the Nottingham skyline. The view might well be wonderful but I was in the process of crushing the metal bars in sheer terror.

I don't like heights but out of a parental wish to make my child happy I put myself through the terror. There is a self help book called Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. The author is an idiot. I spent five minutes of terror whilst my daughter smiled, laughed and tried to get me to look around. Then to cap it all off somebody stopped the cage at the top. We were hanging there forever and there was a breeze rocking the cage. It was then that my eye was drawn to the signs of wear and tear and to the natural sense of panic to which I feel I am perfectly entitled.

Will I go back? Probably not. It is very much a case of been there done that. The Goose Fair is just a steroid pumped version of smaller fairs.

Travels with Dinno - Dinnington

On a glorious warm summer morning with the sun breaking through the clouds we set off for our first home match of the season. Most of the team's matches are away this year so it is nice to have a home game.  As I write this I am sitting on a bench looking across the first team pitch. I have just eaten a very tasty bacon sandwich and am sipping at my hot chocolate.  There are clouds of water vapour rising from cooling towers in the distance and there are farmers at work in the fields surrounding the club.

The more observant amongst you will notice that the accompanying picture is not of today's glorious scene. The reason for this is that my camera broke yesterday and I can't get the photos from my phone because I do not have the right type of memory card and so I am improvising. Hopefully you get the picture anyway.  So back to the glorious day that has enfolded before my eyes.

Today's visitors are Selby. They have a strong reputation. The last time we, Tom and I, came across them was in the Under 7s where they beat us in the final of our own tournament at Huddersfield.  Nobody was under any illusions that this would be a tough test ahead of our Yorkshire Cup match against Hull Ionians next week.

The match started and Dinno got the bounce of the ball and it came back to them from the kick off. They attacked but were taken into touch. Selby were penalised for not throwing a straight lineout and we took a scrum. Our scrum half, Kai, is something of a magician. He moved the ball out from the base of the scrum and the forwards advanced. The ball was popped up to Kai who dived over for a try. Then came the conversion. Ben struck the ball confidently and everything seemed to be going well until the ball hit the right hand upright. 5-0 Dinno.

Unfortunately the team went to sleep and Selby went straight up the other end and under the posts. Dinno 5 - Selby 7.  That was how the score stayed. Both teams were well matched and the general assessment from both sets of supporters  was that it was an excellent game of rugby and will help both teams for the struggles ahead. The boy came on as a second half sub and had an OK game.

The only downside was the attack of the flying spiders.  Dinnington is a nice little rugby club and we have been made to feel welcome from day one. So if you are ever down here call in and say hello.

Next week Travels with Dinno goes to Hull and back.

Travels with Dinno - Goole

Following our family's move to the Costa Del Worksop we needed to find a new rugby club for my son. He had played at Huddersfield RUFC since the age of 5. We had a number of club choices in the 'greater' Worksop area. Worksop has a rugby club but not one that plays age group rugby. So the choices were Mansfield, Sheffield and Dinnington. We were invited to the end of season festival at Dinnington and were given a very warm welcome.

So that is where we started the season. The coaches seemed to like Tom and were excited that he could play in a few positions. First match of the season was against Market Rasen. This was a team which we had never played before.  When I was just a parent standing on the sidelines I used to judge a club by its bacon rolls and hot food. Market Rasen served very good bacon rolls and hot chocolate.

Tom started his first match at blindside flanker. He performed reasonably well and did the job he was asked to do. Unfortunately the team lost 31-25. It was a game of two halves with the development team starting the first and showing promise. The first team came on and scored 5 unanswered tries.

The club's next game was a local derby against Sheffield. The last time Tom visited this club he had to play without boots. the last time he played against them he was on a losing team. Two matches were played. The first team played the first game. After a slow start the first team absolutely dominated and came out 31-12. The second team won their match 15 - 13. This was a display of forward power. Two tries were drive over tries and one was a piece of individual brilliance by our beast of a flanker who is henceforth known as Rupert. The boy played on the wing and had a reasonably good game again. Since joining Dinno his tackling has improved somewhat

The food was very good but the parking was lousy.

Today we visited Goole another new club for us. So what did I learn today? That Google Maps has no idea about how to get somewhere. The food was pretty good. Bacon and brie rolls and very good hot chocolate. Only one minor criticism. When you are serving a customer don't tell your helper to give the customer a smaller mug for his hot chocolate.

The rugby was good. The squad was smaller than usual (a mere 24 players). The stars were new boy Jake and the beast that is Rupert. The club has a definite first team and a number of the players in the 'development' team are good enough to be in the first team. The coaches have made a point of telling the whole squad this. The boy started on the wing and made some good drives and some good tackles. At half time the game was comfortable. Changes were then made and the team switched off and then Goole got back into the match. However, the team kept the scoreboard ticking over and ended up winning 36 - 26. The boy had another solid performance and just needs to get the ball in space and he will start to do some serious damage.

The players meal was, according to the boy, the best he has ever had. For the record it was some kind of stew inside a huge Yorkshire pudding.

Throughout the season I will be reporting on our travels around the country to points north, south, east and west.

Come on Dinno!!!!

TV books and film of the week

Well what have I been watching of late.

Since my last post last year the current Mrs K and I have got into a few programmes.  Each week we both watch This Week. For those not in the UK this a political discussion programme hosted by Andrew Neil and featuring Michael Portillo and various other luminaries from the worlds of politics, journalism and entertainment.  The discussions are relaxed and at the same time challenging on the issues of the week.

We also started to watch Once Upon A Time. The premise here is that all your favourite fairytale characters have been dragged into our world and are living in some sort of bubble. The series started out and looked promising but like Flashforward it never managed to sustain our interest to the extent that we recorded it for weeks and eventually gave up watching it.  The series has been recommissioned but I am not sure where they can go with it to be honest. After a while we stopped caring about the characters and decided to move on.

Our new favourite TV series is Person of Interest. The lead is Jim Caviezel who went from playing Christ and then to Number 6 in the remake of The Prisoner. He plays an ex CIA/black ops type who is recruited by an eccentric billionaire ( aren't they all!!!) to help prevent crimes. Featuring the talents of J J Abrams (Lost, Star Trek) and Jonathan Nolan (who helped to write Memento, The Prestige and The Dark Knight) the series is intelligent, action packed and leaves you wondering what is going to happen next. The series has been renewed for a second season. Think of it as a cross between The Equalizer, Enemy of the State and any other series featuring ex CIA agents.

In terms of reading I currently have a couple of books on the go. As you can see from the front page of the blog I am reading Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom, the first part of his Alfred series. I am in fact re-reading it as part of a process to try and decide which books to keep and which to give to charity. One of my rules is never throw a book away.  I am also reading Steven Eriksson's Gardens of the Moon. Apart from the incomprehensible plot it is well written and I will definitely read the next book in the series. Recently I read The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. Pratchett's non- Discworld stuff is variable in quality but this shows promise. I have also read two books based around the premise of stopping the assassination of JFK. Tim Kring's book Shift was decidedly unsatisfying. Stephen King's 11.22.63 was a much better book. The story is excellent and the ideas underlying are also strong. The weakness comes in the execution of it. The book is overlong. I have also recently read new James Bond stories. Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks is very much written a la Ian Fleming and is set in the time of the original Bond's and is very good. Jeffrey Deaver's Carte Blanche is a different beast and is overlong. Fleming would have taken half the space to tell the same story.

I have been exploring my DVD collection in recent weeks. In the last few days I have watched Avengers Assemble. It was much hyped and in the hands of Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly and Serenity) it delivers. Of the films featuring the characters leading up to this only the Iron Man films have delivered. This is largely down to the fact that Robert Downey Jr is an excellent lead. This is not to say that the other films were bad. They weren't but they could have been better.

Plans are afoot for more films featuring the characters. The film is funny, dramatic and you get the impression that the actors had a ball making it. The best line for me is when Downey Jr challenged by Tom Hiddlestone's Loki claiming that he is a God says yes 'But we have a Hulk'. Hiddlestone is then smashed up later by said Hulk who calls him a 'puny God'.  I have also been watching the deliciously violent Desperado with Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek.

Happy viewing and reading.

Well hello again followers I am back in the blogging business.

Since my last post in August last year a lot has changed. I found work then left work when the family moved to a new town. I am now living back not far from where I grew up. My son is going to the same school I attended nearly a quarter of a century ago.

We have changed rugby clubs. My son now plays for Dinnington RUFC. Currently he is in their development team. This isn't a reflection on his ability more the fact that their first team is very strong and he has to learn the Dinno way and work his way into the first team. He made his debut last week in a 36 - 25 loss to Market Rasen.

Today we were at Sheffield RUFC. The A team beat Sheffield 31 - 12. The boy then came on to play in the B team match. He played at wing. Dinno won 15 - 12.  We have both been made welcome by the people at Dinnington and so the change has been made easier.

Apart from irritations caused by doctors the move has been a fantastic success. Since moving I have found work. The house we are renting is fabulous and we are trying to buy it. We have also seen other houses in case we can't. I am walking more because everything is so close that I don't need the car. We go out walking in the forest regularly and the bike is getting dusted down.

My job at University of Sheffield has been great. So all we need to do now is find our own house and get my wife a job nearer to home. There are plenty of jobs out there you just need to be flexible in your outlook and be picky about what you apply for.

Well in the coming weeks more travels with Dinno and other exciting things.