Attack of the Killer Spider!

I thought it necessary to report to you a frightening encounter I just had with a Killer Spider!!!

Actually, I exaggerate... It was the size of a 10pence piece (5cents equivalent), including its legs!

Those of you that know me well will know I have a particular distaste for spiders. Though recently, I have tried to embrace spiders in as positive manner as possible, being that my beliefs lie with Gaia (Mother Earth) and respecting all living creatures (not as fluffly a philosophy as it might sound!).

As I went to the shower, not but 20 minutes ago, I was faced with this little ball of black with little legs curled up into its body. Clearly the gushing of the shower awoke this foul beast from its slumber. It could smell my fear. As slowly and as quietly as I could, I started to back away from this spawn of Evil. The beast uncurled its legs and slowly moved its body so that it now faced me head-on. There was nowhere for me to run to. The beast started to lower itself down the glass door of the shower cubicle. I was frozen in fear. It had me in its sights. Ready to pounce. Ready to... Kill! And then, just as I was about to scream my inevitable and child-like cry for my mum (no longer actually living with my mother would have made this cry pretty futile!), the spider got itself caught up in its own web! MWAHAHAHAHA! I triumphed over the beast! My David beat the fell beast's Goliath... I was the Ruler of my Kingdom once more!

I know... That was an overly dramatic recount of events in the shower! Apart from the fact I spent the next 10minutes in the shower (whilst washing, obviously!) looking around the bathroom making sure there were none of his friends creeping up on me, waiting to have a pop! Some ruler I'd make! Haha!

And the moral of the story is... Humans are bigger, so squash the buggers! (only joking!)

Glory Arsenal

It has been a considerable while since my last post.

Having been pretty inactive over the half-term I have decided to try and be as pro-active as possible... As if that will happen!

So, Tuesday night brought on what could have been a disastrous evening. Arsenal versus Real Madrid in the first knock-out stage of the European Cup.

Arsenal, with a lackluster league form and having already suffered to two domestic cup exits hardly looked like the power-house they were last season, or indeed the season before that. Real Madrid, with a dominating league form, hot on the heels of their La Liga rivals Barcelona, were obvious favorites. The Galacticos with their Zidane, Ronaldo, Carlos et al, were surely favorites to bury Arsenal... Alas, the story's outcome was not so!

Arsenal with a defiant and determined attack, maintained constant vigilance over the 90mins, paid of in the 46th minute with a superbly taken goal by Arsenal captain and living legend, Thierry Henry.

Could this be the jump-start Arsenal have so desperately needed? With Van Persie, Cole, Bergkamp and Campbell amongst those to return to full fitness for the second leg... Time will tell...

And at last we come to the end of the week!

With my plans firmly set in place, I can now relax. Or so it would seem.

Recently I have been doing a spot of teaching - a far cry from working on film sets or treading the boards! Now is the winter of our... No, that's not right. Now it is Half Term. That celestial week-long escape from the throngs of whining children with their "street" lingo, bad dress sense, poor personal hygiene and their childish giggling - I remember now why I left teaching in the first place!

Whilst many teachers will be either spending time with their families and friends or going on short half-term breaks, I have decided to return to another former place of employment, to help out a good friend, during this rather busy period... The London Dungeon awaits!

Aren't I lucky?!

We are GO for launch!

So, it had seemed that my plans had been confirmed. Having spoken to the charming K at STA Travel, my ticket was being finalised with, what seemed like, a little reward attached to it!

When confirming my purchase today, with the final payment, I was to discover that Malaysian Airlines, for reasons unknown to me, had included a FREE "side-trip". "What is a "side-trip"?" I hear you ask... (well, at least that's what I was wondering!)

Basically... Malaysian Airlines was offering a FREE domestic return to anywhere within Malaysia! Now, who am I to turn down an offer like that? So, my supposed long-haul flight has now been spread out, somewhat. (Thank the Lord!)

The plan...

24th July
Leave from Heathrow (London) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

25th July
Arrive in KL... Spend a couple of days sight-seeing.

27th July
Catch a midday flight to Singapore (courtesy of Malaysian Airlines, thank you!)

30th July
With shopping bags at bursting point, fly back to KL to catch my connection to NZ.

31st July
Arrive in Auckland, NZ (finally!)

So, all in all, a nice little suprise start to my "adventure of epic proportions!"

So, my friend S was right when she said to me that in my last post I sounded more jubilant than sad at the prospect of leaving... Well currently, I'm ECSTATIC!

The Deed is Done...

I never, in a million years, thought that I would try, once again, to make my way over to New Zealand. But I have done it!

With a ticket in my hand I can only wonder what my friends and family are going to say. I'll be happy with... "You're mad!" :-)

So, it has come to pass, that this young Englishman will embark on a journey of epic proportions (Sounds like Tolkein - how apt, being that I am going to "Middle-Earth"). The thought of leaving my dear mother behind and all my friends will, no doubt, burn a hole deep in my heart. But, this journey must be made... I certainly intend to go "there"... And hopefully not "back again".

So, when does my journey start? Monday 24th July 2006... It'll certainly be a novelty writing this blog from the otherside of the world. The adventures to be encountered certainly wet the appetite of any adventurous soul.

Without becoming too philosophical, I do find myself imagining being in NZ, amongst my new surroundings. Wondering whether it will be everything I had hoped it would be. To look down upon a valley from the highest mountain range on the South Island. To find myself out of my "comfort zone" but in a truly beautiful place. Where one can truly escape the hustle and bustle of a city in exchange for rolling hills and a landscape unimaginable, even in dreams!

So, now comes the time when I must relish the challenges that lie ahead... And the challenge of tying up loose ends here in London... A mighty task, not for the faint-hearted!

And the nominations are...

It's that time of year where the red carpet is rolled out again... the nominations are in and I have to be honest, there aren't many big suprises. Perhaps, maybe, that a certain large ape didn't make the two major categories comes as a slight suprise given the director's past exploits.

So here are the nominations in the four main categories (for a full list go to www.oscars.com)

Actor in a Leading Role
Philip Seymour Hoffman - CAPOTE
Terrence Howard - HUSTLE & FLOW
Heath Ledger - BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Joaquin Phoenix - WALK THE LINE
David Strathairn - GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK

Actress in a Leading Role
Judi Dench - MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS
Felicity Huffman - TRANSAMERICA
Keira Knightley - PRIDE & PREJUDICE
Charlize Theron - NORTH COUNTRY
Reese Witherspoon - WALK THE LINE

Directing
Ang Lee - BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Bennett Miller - CAPOTE
Paul Haggis - CRASH
George Clooney - GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
Steven Spielberg - MUNICH

Best Picture
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
CAPOTE
CRASH
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
MUNICH

And would you believe it, but the only category I said I would vote for Munich in (Best Actor - Eric Bana) does not even include the lead actor in the nominations list!

That is all for this morning. Be sure to put Sunday March 5th, 2006 in your diaries, as this will be Oscar night! I would imagine the Red Carpet will be televised around midnight in the UK with the ceremony kicking off at around 1am.