Independence, Limited

More hate being directed Spurs way in recent days with the keyboard warriors taking to their weapon of choice to berate Spurs (in general) and Gareth Bale (in particular). Bale’s crimes are to (a) be a bit of a diver (true) (b) look like a chimp (yeah, classy commentary there, ironically, from neanderthals) (c) complain […]

Yeah, so I went to see Rascal Flatts…

Rascal Flatts. The musical act who, until a few short weeks ago, I thought was a rapper What do you do when someone offers you a free ticket for a band – the aforementioned Rascal Flatts – you’ve never heard before?  I mean I’ve turned down free tickets before, notably to see The Corrs (after all, […]

Passing the American Entrance Exam

Every time you enter America as a non-immigrant you have to make a series of declarations about your background and your physical and mental well-being so the state feel assured that you are an asset to them and not a mad man of some sort. Now some of these questions make sense such as whether or […]

O’Neill ready to stand up to Liverpool again

Martin O’Neill has said he will not take a Liverpool bid for his services lying down.  The Irishman was named as 6/4 favourite for the manager’s role at Anfield after Rafa Benitez left by mutual consent on Thursday. But after rebuffing repeated attempts by Liverpool to sign his captain Gareth Barry in 2008 and 2009, […]

Top Ten things to say to trick-or-treaters

I hate Halloween.  It was a great excuse for burning stuff and drinking flagons of cider when I was 14 but I have no use for it now.  I’m currently sitting in the back room of my deliberately pitch-dark house in the hope of keeping the usual array of greedy children and their imposing parents […]

My first acupuncturism

After over a year struggling with this bloody Achilles injury and having chalked sports massage, physiotherapy and reiki off the list of possible solutions, I decided to drop in to the herb and acupuncture store* – for yes, we have such a thing – at my local shopping centre. I’ve never once walked by it in the […]

My first man-ssage

With a string of female sports masseuses having moved on at my gym I was left with the ultimate dilemma today – do I let a boy touch my naked body? Over the last five years I’d gone through a number of masseuses: a former Olympian badminton player (badmintor?), an Asian girl who asked me […]