I haven’t been fishing for a couple of years, but when I found my self with a free day I thought I’d give it ago and had a walk down to Ramsgate harbour and fished off the Harbour Wall.

Sufficed to say I didn’t catch anything apart from sunburn and some crabs, which could be misconstrued for something altogether different if this were an 18-30s holiday. I never go fishing expecting to catch fish, and just use it for a bit of a time-out and an excuse for some fresh air.

It wasn’t just me who was failing though and apart from a few flatfish there was little being caught and so I accepted my fate, and headed home after a few hours. I think I’ll have to go elsewhere to catch any sizeable fish which casts my mind back a few years when I caught this Moray Eel on holiday in Gran Canaria.

There are several charter boats running fishing trips out of Ramsgate and that might have to be the next option if I’m ever to catch a fish again…

There are some footballers who made my blood boil and my bile bubble, so without further ado here is my top 5 of footballers I hate.

1. El Hadji Diouf
2. John Terry
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
4. Wayne Rooney
5. Ashley Cole

Anyone you would like to add to the list?

I’ve never really watched American Football before and have only got tastes of it from the movies (Last Boy Scout anyone?) which I doubt really gives a true representation of the sport. I do however know the basic rules of the game and always liken it to Rugby League for simplicities sake. Of course there are lots of ‘time-outs’ too which seem to be integral to American sports.

So anyway, I found myself watching the Super Bowl match between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts and I quite enjoyed it, although I only made it to halftime before having to get to bed (just before 1am). This morning I found out the Saints had won the match 31-17. We Brits usually dismiss the game as rugby but with padding, but I guess that’s because we don’t know a great deal about the game. Don’t get me wrong, some of it is still very ‘different’ to sports I’ve played but I guess I’ve got a little more respect for it now having actually watched a real game.

The only thing that would annoy me though is the adverts which come on at every possible moment, but luckily for me I was watching the match on BBC1 so when the adverts came up they just went back to the studio for some more insight from the pundits (and from @Aravis and @LegalEagle).

The other week I wrote about how I’d been cycling to work as part of my Targets for 2010 and I thought I’d give you an update.  Last week I didn’t cycle at all, but this week I have so far cycled in twice, which I think makes up for missing out on last week as my aim was to ‘Cycle to work at least once a week’.

Here are dates so far that I’ve cycled to work:

• 18th January 2010 (4.8 miles)
• 19th January 2010 (6.3 miles)
• 20th January 2010 (4.8 miles)
• 2nd February 2010 (6.3 miles)
• 3rd February 2010 (4.8 miles)

n.b. The days with 6.3 miles are when I cycle to 5-aside football after work which takes me on a detour.

Bloody ankles! I went along to Sunday football today, had a little knock-about whilst the team were warming up and it didn’t take long to get a pain in my ankle to signal that they are not better yet. I sprained the right one before Christmas, and then did something weird and muscular to the left one a couple of weeks back. I was hoping they would be fine as I’d been getting through 5-aside, maybe taking a knock on them, and then being able to run that off after a few minutes. A boggy grass football field is no substitute for the flat surfaces of a sports hall and so it shall be a couple more weeks before I think I’ll happily run on grass.

On a positive note though, I started a book for our football tour so that people can start paying in a few quid every week and then have less  hassle when it comes to summer as most of the costs will be paid. We haven’t had any big tours (weekend away/piss-ups) for a while now, so it’s good to start planning with 6 months to go, and will also mean that we should be able to get more people to come along.

The team had a cup game today and won 2-1, although it was very close for the last 20 minutes and we almost threw it away. Nice work lads.

Now that the snow has gone, my ankles are feeling much better, and my car is at the mechanics, it has been a good time to get one of my ‘Targets for 2010‘ started this week and that is No.4:

4. Cycle to work at least once a week – I like cycling, I am only 2.4 miles from work, so I should cycle more. Yet again it’s that simple.

I cycled in yesterday and also today which is certainly better than just driving in which is what I normally do. I put it down as one of my targets as I need to do more exercise, need to spend less on petrol, and also want to cut down on my carbon footprint.

There’s also an added bonus. I’m having showers at work in the morning so I’m saving on my water and gas bills!

I’ve added a new page to the blog imaginatively called ‘Targets for 2010‘ (see top menu) where I’ll be able to give updates on how they’re coming along.

It has got a little boring around here hasn’t it, and who really wants to know what ‘s been going on with me? Yes it looks like it’s going to be one of those posts whichs goes on about having nothing to write about, which rambles along, and then actually turns into a post. Or not.

Tom posted a list of ‘Targets for 2010‘, and clearly defined them as “not new year’s resolutions” which is probably the way to go as I would say that New Year’s Resolutions usually have some negativety attached to them rather than being something positive to aspire to e.g. Give up sweets, drink less alcohol, etc.

So I might as well put a few targets on here, and see if I can complete any of them, and just like Tom I’ll try and keep you updated as at least I can always come back to this post as a reference.

1. Decorate spare room – I have a room that is currently storing junk, but which needs to be fully decorated (plastered, painted, carpeted, etc).

2. Pay off credit cards – I’ve currently got £2439.30 on my credit cards which is mostly debt I racked up whilst renovating the house having spent the majority of my savings on my deposit (plus some other bits). It is interest free until May, so I’ll try and get rid of some of it and then find another interest free card to transfer over to.

3.Lose a substantial amount of weight – OK, this is always in there. We know what needs to be done, so just do it.

4. Cycle to work at least once a week – I like cycling, I am only 2.3 miles from work, so I should cycle more. Yet again it’s that simple.

5. Take more photographs - and ones that other people may find interesting.

6. Visit more places - Okay so quite wide-ranging but I now have a ladyfriend who I would like to take to places other than Thanet.

That’s it for now then, and we’ll see how things go.

Yes, that really is what this post is about, so prepare to be amazed by the following film someone has made.

For those of you who wish to see more elevator action go to www.youtube.com/user/benobve or who could forget my Schindler’s Lift post…

Division 4 Pool trophy

So yesterday was my birthday and after being on a course all day I went to my Mum’s for dinner and then went to the pub in the evening for what was going to be a couple of beers. Let’s just say I had more than a couple and ended up going to bed at 2am. It wasn’t fun getting up this morning for work, but I made it which is the important part.

Since the pool season finished I haven’t been to the Wheatsheaf that much and so yesterday it was good to catch up with people and I also picked up my winners trophy (Division 4) for the Thursday Night Thanet Pool League. I was actually suitably impressed with the rather swish looking award as I was expecting something small and plastic but all the members of the team got a glass trophy about the size of a DVD (see the photo). I’ve never actually won anything sporting before, and so I’m actually chuffed to get this, and it will take pride of place on my bookshelf in the front room.

The new pool season starts next week and as we’re playing in a higher division the competition should be harder but it will mean that we do get to go to some different pubs too which is always a bonus.

I’ve got a Birthday meal with friends on Saturday so it’s not the end of the celebrations yet.

After all this talk of ferries I feel I may be going slightly mad, so I thought I’d let you know about a deal Eurotunnel are doing at the moment to promote their 15th anniversary. They are offering travelers the chance to go to France and back in a day for just £15 per car travelling from Folkestone to Calais. The offer is limited to travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays until 17th December 2009, but is still a great saving as it is return travel for a car and up to 9 passengers.

You can read the details of the offer on the Eurotunnel website, but to benefit from it, simply call the booking centre on 08705 700 800 and quote ’15 years’. You can’t book online or on the day of travel and booking must be made at least one day before you leave. Tickets are non-amenable and non-refundable and the offer will last until all the cheap tickets run out so book quickly!

What a good offer.

I’m contemplating getting a day off work and getting some booze and bits for Christmas and New Year… oh and baguettes, you can’t go to france without buying a baguette… it’s the law!