The Dean & Kev Lottery Syndicate "It Rocks"

We have a character at work called Geoff! You may work with a person who is the same, basically everything that Geoff does is of the highest importance and is the best when done by Geoff, everything is a job that really only Geoff is capable and/or qualified to do......he is the man who can!
He holds it in high regard, that he facilitates the departmental lottery syndicate, and to show his importance and his authority, today he kicked my friend Dean out of the syndicate because he had missed a couple of payments, which highly amused Dean and the rest of us.
In addition to this, when I first started in the 'Fine Chemical Plant' (FCP) about two and a half years ago, I asked if I could join the syndicate, to which Geoff replied "No, there is no room for you." Since then we have had three new people start in the FCP who have all joined his syndicate, while I still waited for my invitation.
So, just for personal amusement, and because we know it will annoy the hell out of Geoff, Dean and I have gotten together and bought a lottery ticket and started our own rival lottery syndicate with the funky title 'Dean & Kev's Lotto Syndicate'.....and "It Rocks" written on the photocopy of our ticket and placed it on the wall in the place where Geoff likes to put his photocopy! We eagerly await Geoffs reaction when he sees there is a rival threat to his lottery syndicate facilitation! It's just like being at school again isn't it!
Already people are asking us if they can join our lottery syndicate because Geoff annoys them so much! I think we shall tempt them by telling them they will receive a free 'Dean & Kev's Lotto Syndicate' badge and be invited to attend "dress-up Fridays" but maybe not having to deal with Geoff would be enough to tempt them away! I have never wanted to win the lottery as much as I want us to win this weekend!

Got drunk!

I was out last night to Lamp, to watch my friends band 'The Strands' perform, unfortunately I had too much to drink as it had been six weeks or so since my last night out, due to working in that other area at work for 6 weeks. However I managed to retain a level head when talking to my friends beautiful cousin and managed not to make a fool of myself, she really was very attractive! The same cannot be said for my playing at the pool table which was in a typically drunken style, hence I didn't play very well.....so no change there then! I woke up late for work this morning and with a sore head, and felt quite sickly all morning, I even forgot to take my allergy tablets, so my nose kept bleeding. I was glad to get home at 2 o' clock and have a little sleep! I even bought myself some triple chocolate cookies to help with my recovery.

After six weeks of our dog Layla being ill, it looks like she is finally turning the corner and making a recovery. We don't know what is actually wrong with her, even after spending a lot of money on an endoscopy, a biopsy and several courses of antibiotics, the vet still don't have a clue either! But at least she's starting to look a bit happier and lively!

08 Specialized Rockhopper Disc

I just popped along to a bike shop that is a dealer of 'Specialized' brand mountain bikes, for a look at what he had in stock and to see if I could get any discount, I was also looking for a friend as well. I ended up putting a £150 deposit on this superb red Rockhopper and managed to get £50 knocked off it's price and £25 knocked of the price of the the next model down which my friend wanted, it's a bit higher specification then what I wanted, but I couldn't resist! I had been doing some research over the last few weeks and the reviews are excellent, it's all top notch stuff for the price bracket, I just have to scrape together another £400 next payday and it's all mine! Some friends are planning a trip up to Dalby Forest soon, to tackle the red route, so I'll be able to enjoy it to it's full potential! Can't wait!!!

I want to ride my bicycle...

Today I was back settling in to my old job after finishing my six week secondment in the factory were I work.......it's good to be back! Although the other job wasn't in itself terrible, it came with a lot of unnecessary hassle!

Just as an example, when things went wrong (as they often did) and there was going to be a delay in the production line getting their liquid for bottling and packing, I would have to ring up the man in charge (at all sorts of stupid hours) and inform him so he could organize some help, he would then ask me to go and tell another guy that he would not in fact be finishing his shift in a few minutes but would have to stay back until 2 in the morning! Even though that little devil inside you thinks it would be funny to wake your boss after he has just gone to sleep, you do feel some anguish at having to do it, and feel even worse when your the bearer of bad news to the guy who is going to have to stay while 2am!

Whilst I was working in this new area I also caught the bug for mountain biking and as I earned some extra cash due to overtime, I will be getting myself a newer and better mountain bike in a few weeks!
Last Saturday my brother and I went for a ride on our bikes cross country into the Yorkshire Wolds, only about 15 miles or so! There were some lovely places we rode by and next weekend I will take a camera so I can get a few nice images along the route, and as I explore a little bit further afield!

First we followed the Trans Pennine Trail from near my house along the banks of the Humber estuary along to the village of North Ferriby, we then crossed through the village and then followed the Wolds Way, a national trail which runs 79 miles up to the seaside town of Filey, for about 7 miles before heading back home and waking up the next day with sore thighs and lots of cuts and scratches from thorny bushes!

I thought i would serve half my sentance for good behaviour!

Tomorrow will be the end of my third of six weeks on secondment in the Liquids processing area of the factory, an area notorious for it's high demand and expectation of it's workforce. The factory used to be my old stomping ground before I moved to the chemical plant where I now work!
The first 2 weeks were absolutely shit, with a pitiful amount of training on a new manufacturing process that wasn't even fully operational and full of problems. On the Wednesday of last week I went to see the boss and gave him a stern telling off, telling him that my time over there had been a complete waste of my time and that I would prefer to go back to my regular department, he asked me to to stick it out to the end of this week as they were going to be really stuck for people who are on holiday or off sick (which is why I am working in this new area) I agreed and low and behold I was given some proper training this week and he then came back to me and asked me to stick out the rest of my 6 weeks, I agreed on the basis that there had been a marked improvement and I had agreed to a 6 week secondment in the first place.
I know what is coming next....they are going to try and keep me there for good (why would they spend 3 weeks training me just to run the process for another 3 weeks?) however, I have a cushy number where I usually work, it took me 5 years to get in there so I am not giving up without a fight. As i suspected they would try and keep me when first offered the secondment, I asked for it in writing that I would be returning to my department in 6 weeks time, which I received, so I am covered.

I love the song (There's Nothing) 'Sweet About Me' by Gabriella Cilmi, it's fantastic and really well sung, I can't believe she is only 16. I am going to buy her album based on the strength of this one song!

I have been really lazy this last few months, I have not been doing anything musically! I have just started to get back into it and plan to record some serious songs rather then the alternative/comedy/bizarre/piss take stuff I usually do, but all in good time!

I am getting excited now that Hull City AFC are signing new players ready for the start of their debut season of football (soccer if your American) in the Premiership! Just a few weeks and my season pass should arrive in the post!!! I will reserve judgement on these players until we are a few games into the season and I have seen them play!

Since my last post which was a good while ago (I should keep off playing XBox Live) I have started taking driving lessons, it's about time, I should have taken them 13 years ago when I was 17, although I wouldn't have been able to afford a car anyway! Even so, I wish I had, as I am a bit nervous, saying that, I have only had 3 lessons, but I feel I would have been more confident when I was younger, as much as trying to drive a car about whilst paying attention to whats in front and behind and to the side of me and trying to change gears and all that is taking it's toll on my nerves, I think my driving skills are also taking it's toll on my driving instructors nerves!......I'll see how I get on over the coming weeks I suppose!

WEMBLEY '08

Visited Wembley Stadium yesterday afternoon for the Championship playoff final, Bristol City Vs Hull City. Had a great day out, especially as Hull won! Next season we will be playing in the premier league for the first time in our 104 year history.....bring on Manchester United.....bring on Liverpool.....bring on Chelsea and bring on Arsenal and the rest of them!!!!

The Weekend Has Arrived!!!

A picture taken on my phone last weekend as Hull City walk around the stadium applauding the fans whilst the fans applaud them in return, in the last home game of the season!

Yes it's the weekend, it is supposed to be good weather tomorrow so I think the family and I shall have a BBQ in the garden, except for my sister who is going to Blackpool for the weekend for some nursing convention thingy (Jolly).
On Sunday I will be taking the 5 hour coach ride with my dad and brother to watch Hull City's final game of the season away at Ipswich, no matter what the result is, it's been a fantastic season of football! At the very least we will only finish 3rd with a playoff place, but if we win and Stoke lose then we will gain automatic promotion to the Premiership!
Can you believe my boss asked if I would work tomorrow!!! I said HA! NO CHANCE!!! Not on a bank holiday weekend! I shall be taking it steady though, my liver took a pounding last Saturday when my friend Alex, my brother and I went for a night around town, we didn't get home while 3am!.......I'm getting too old for this kind of behaviour!