"It wears him out"

Evening all. My 24th birthday has been a good one, complete with lovely gifts and warming messages from friends old and new. You can tell I'm coming of age - my eyes lit up at the sign of a new shaver (Jen), some new jumpers (Mum and Dad) and the complete, seven part map of Great Britain (Janis and Mike). Last night the Argos crew were out in good force to celebrate mine and Baz's birthdays at the Hollywood Bowl, to take part in what has become to me a forgotten past time. I hope everyone had a good time as I know I did. Thanks again for coming out in droves!

As you may know by now, especially if you read the South Wales Echo, I am a rubbish superhero. My working alias, Bagman (a bloke who wears a coat covered in plastic bags), was exposed to Glamorgan and beyond and with no hope of retaining my secret identity, my standing amongst mates has taken a bit of a knock. Understandably. But despite this dent to my social dignity, the publicity stunt has widened the scope of what I am doing at Sustainable Wales, with people taking more of an interest in the plastic bag free cause.



Sad thing is now, I feel like plastic is taking over my life. I seem to be humming Radiohead's classic, 'Fake Plastic Trees' wherever I go - and in everything i do, I analyse alternatives to everything plastic, not just plastic bags. When picking up a chinese for tea (food not person), I was trying to discuss with my mum the practicalities of using less plastic bags in chip shops and takeaways, stating that they should at least use more paper, but not too much. I had to stop when I realised I was actually inspecting the plastic bags used for the prawn crackers. This over- enthusiasm isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is when you are the one who is driving.

Sometimes, I just wish I could stop thinking.

Feeling Haggard

I feel rough. I don't think it is down to being tired; in fact, I feel like my new sleeping regime is actually beginning to work. My body clock is in the process of being reprogrammed as it was one of my New Year's resolutions to try and get regular sleeping patterns. It will be the first time since going to Mexico last summer that I have tried to get some normality back into my sleeping schedule. So its not the lack of kip. And although I have started a full time job, I surely can't be so tired after such a break over the Crimbo period.

Maybe it is the fact that I have just played football and I continue to sit in my own sweat filled filth. But lets be fair, those who know me will know I don't play much of the game to even create a drop of sweat on my brow. To say that football has given me this lethargic aura would not do any justice to any of the other players who graced the pitch for twelve minutes plus compared to my pitiful five.

Maybe it is paranoia and pure fear which is draining my reserves. With some strange sightings of the odd housefly and field mouse in my house over the past week, my senses have been thrown into overdrive. I would be kind to myself if I said I didn't suffer from paranoia or freak worry; triple-checking the front door is locked when leaving the house will certainly prove that I'm prone to some petty OCD. When a mouse does find a way into the home it always causes minor panic for even the mightiest of men; in fact, it made a nearly-24 year old man scream his lungs out in fright last night (no names mentioned). For me however, the common housefly is an even greater nemesis. One thing I hate about the summer are the swarms of flies which to-and-fro and in-and-out of the house, flying around, buzzing, perching themselves on living room walls, rubbing their legs together with glee... you get the picture. For the record, I vehemently hate all flying things from gnats to locusts and if they were to disappear tomorrow and with it destroy food webs everywhere, it would be a sacrifice worth making. However with such a passionate hatred of these winged fiends, there exists a resounding fear of them which is just as strong. I find it hard to be in the same room as a fly not just because I hate them, it is because I am simply shit-scared of them. So when one, average sized bluebottle appeared out of the blue in my bedroom the other day on a January afternoon, my self-defence system went berserk. Normally emerging in April, this premature launch of my 'fly-radar' may have some effect on my overall energy levels. But let's face it, that can't be the reason for feeling this way - that's just plain stupid.

Maybe I have caught a stomach bug or some kind of winter cold/virus. If I had, I probably wouldn't be typing. I moan like a bitch when I'm ill (I'm sure Jen could vouch for that) and although I have a daily love affair with my PCs, my grumpy mood swings would deter me from having the patience to allow the computers to boot up.

I guess it is just must be the winter blues then. I'm sure the most miserable day of the year is soon approaching; calculated by scientists who combine all the aftermath woes of the Xmas period, the cold weather, lack of money, shorter days etc. and pinpoint it to one day a day in mid/late January which emphasises them most. If it's on my birthday this year, there will be hell to pay - I'm not optimistic as my b'day is on a Monday this year....

2007 - A year in review

Is it really New Years already? The festive season has crept up so quickly this year, it only feels like yesterday that I was writing about the start to my Annus Horribilus - where I my organisation was seemingly inept. The time just moves way too quickly these days!

But to be fair, the awful start to the year did not carry further into the following months and I was lucky to have a fairly good year overall. Although I spent all year moaning how I couldn't get a job, I embarked on some volunteer work at Sustainable Wales in May and in the past few weeks, I have been offered a full time position at the organisation. I look forward to going back in January to take on an exciting role. Our annual holiday this year was to Mexico, which was simply fantastic. I have seen some brilliant gigs this year, inclduing the Foos, Stereophonics and the Manics who never disappoint. TTFE has had a great year too - be it singing Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau on St. Davids Day or dressing up in Hawaiian outfits for the 100th recorded game, the organisation has been pretty eventful this year. The TTFE Xmas party was also good fun, and my TTFE history was well-received too.

Here on One Man, I have also tried to keep writing consistently over the year. Apart from November and December, I thought I was pretty good at it! I have written about the horrors and sequential collapse of ITV Play, the Welsh smoking ban in April, the meteoric rise of 5-a-side football in society and even the value of what's free over the past year. I promise more of the same next year!

The Knave

A poem that I wrote a while ago, one that I am quite happy with. Enjoy.

The Knave

The knave, who finds himself at the edge of a sword,
Finds relief in profusely pleading for his life.
His desperate lies, his empty promises,
Each word of weakness measures the sweat on his brow.
His face, a glowing shade of yellow,
The man's next of kin, irrelevant in his mind
Those cowardly eyes speak of incompetance
Foolish ways, a stolen valour of man once slain.
This pauper was in haste to murder another,
Now he lies in wait at the iron grip of justice.
In this man's world, everything has a price
Pride is a mere shilling or too, power proves costly
But honour is to be taken from a broken man.
A naked throat exposed to a cold, metallic consequence
With the a sheath of dirty honour to save his life.
No matter how many men slain, the caged bird always sings
Mercy is the only avenue for those of inferior cloth.
A rogue proclaims his freedom from the knife
A life on rent from the righteous,
But borrowed honour will enslave this man forever.
If only he could accept death like he could accept life,
He could be free and have honour for himself.

Beating the Honesty Box : I just can't do it

It was a long time coming but when it came the idea still hit me for six. With Prince giving away his latest offering via a Sunday newspaper tabloid and the Charlatans new album soon to be available as a free download from the XFM website, Radiohead’s In Rainbows album shouldn’t be too much of a shock in comparison. The album is now available for free from their newly branded website. However, this album isn’t just free. In contrast it is you- the loyal fan, the musical connoisseur, the first time listener – who has a choice of what to pay.

Now we are faced with a moral dilemma. For the first time, we hold the fate of the band in our hands through our own philanthropy. The ‘honesty box’ on the Radiohead website allows anyone to place any amount they wish, how much they think the band deserve, how much they can afford, all in one act of swift judgment. The thing is if something is free and we are told it is free, then we have no problems in accepting it’s free. If a CD costs a tenner in the shops we often moan and grumble, but we know that certain factors have made it that price; such as CD production, the record company’s cut, the band’s cut and so on. But what they are asking us to do is to consider all that and make us decide what we deem a fair price. It’s not free; but it is if you want it to be, or if your conscience would let it be. That’s the conundrum and the internal struggle.

I haven’t tried the site out yet but already I am thinking of a price I could offer. Why can’t I just get it free I hear you ask? It’s the damn box – the opportunity of a free download is always irresistibly tempting to me, but I just can’t put three noughts in those boxes. It just doesn’t seem right. That’s the genius of it though isn’t it; when faced with the band you appreciate directly through their own domain, you just can’t rob them blind. If you download illegally through a third party I guess you could feel rather better about yourself. Maybe there are a lot of people like me out there; too gutless to say to the band that they’re stealing your music from right under your nose. It’s like trying to take the whole chocolate cake from the table before dinner when your mother isn’t looking; then to your shock and amazement, your mother returns to offer the whole cake to you willingly. We, the confused children, can only take a small slice or even nothing at all, because we think something is afoot; or we know that mother is gonna be pissed if we now decide to take the whole cake. If you have the balls to take the whole thing in her face before eating your roast dinner, I salute you.

This isn’t to say that Radiohead will shop anyone who is downloading for free. This isn’t what they want to do. To be honest though, I don’t know what they plan to do by doing this. Are they making a statement about the music industry, about how it has forgotten its real artistic roots for the sake of a quick buck? Are they trying to revolutionise the way in which we listen to our music, by further manipulating the internet and the download trend? Is Thom Yorke going off his rocker even more than usual? Probably not; my hunch is that with frontman Yorke, being as intelligent as he is, there must something we are missing here. Never one to shy away from making a bold statement, I’ve a feeling he knows exactly what he is doing with this box. I wouldn’t be surprised if this album, fully realised by the band before hand, was not up to scratch with OK Computer, Kid A or The Bends; and was subsequently a B-Side album in an A-side album guise to be given away in a sensational, traditional breaking manner. The critics have already said this album possesses no Street Spirit, no Paranoid Android, no Creep, no No Surprises. If this is the case, Yorke is conducting a very interesting social experiment; one in which I am deeply fascinated to hear about.

Is the intention to see how honest we are? A test of moral fibre if you will? Are we being prompted to think about how we conduct ourselves in obtaining our music? Surely too moralistic! I could choose to join the cynics and ask ‘is he being just plain selfish’? Going back to the whole ‘in it to stop illegal downloads and possibly make more money’ argument, touched upon briefly earlier in the child and cake scenario, if more downloads were carried out in this way, the illegal downloads would soon decrease as they would just not be needed. Bands themselves would soon be the face of the downloads, not download sites. This way, the band gets something out of it; well mainly from those who fall victim to their consciences. Oh and of course from those who are easily swayed into buying a CD and DVD twin pack made available next year for a massive £40 or so. That too.

But maybe it isn’t about tackling the problem of illegal downloading by offering an honesty box. Please excuse the egoism here, but as much as I like to think there are lots of people out there just like me, there aren’t. I would imagine that a fairly large amount of people will end up entering zilch, nada, dim byd in the In Rainbows online payment box. The question is: why pay more, when you don’t have to? That cheeky Del Boy attitude is infectious here in the UK and is something we shouldn’t necessarily be ashamed of, where a nagging, silent morality sometimes takes a back seat to make way for the financial nous. Of course, we do this in small doses to avoid the risk of becoming too obsessed with making money at whatever cost, like our friends across the Atlantic pond. For many, the cost dodging is justified in a talentless pool of mediocre music. Many people are sick of paying well over the odds for a weakly made CD these days, where albums have only one or two strong tracks.

So for those who beat the honesty box, I salute you, just like the child who took the whole cake. But remember one thing – nothing in life is free, just like the 45p album card handling fee upon placing the three zeros will clearly demonstrate.

Tick Tick Boom

Can't for the new Hives album. Should be awesome.

October 1st

I could have named this post after anything remotely interesting. You all know how much I love my witty, often alliteration ridden titles. Today however I have decided to dedicate the day to the very date which it is commonly defined - October the first.

Today has been important on so many levels in the realm of current events, as newsrooms had a field day with all of these significant happenings. Today, we observed a severe hike in fuel prices, with the price of diesel topping and overtaking the pound mark. No surprise that the Haulers United will soon rise again and convoy back down the M4. Today, the Sustainable Development Commission released their report into the Severn Barrage proposal - a monumental environment 'see-saw saga' which is begging for a swift and definite solution. It is clear that this report will have a massive effect on which way this project is going to proceed, with both the government and pressure groups in locked horns over what to do. Today, the minimum legal age that one can purchase tobacco in Great Britain has become 18 - meaning that all those nicotine-addicted 16 year olds should feel cheated towards what is clearly an unsympathetic ruling, but at the same time, they should feel appreciative at the prospect of avoiding the Big C many years down the line.

Besides those events, there's been a few changes and new beginnings closer to home. Today I started my second work placement in Porthcawl, working for Sustainable Wales. Today, I looked outside my bedroom window and realised that the torrid and harsh rainfall against a darkened morning sky ended any hope of a much needed Indian Summer. Today, after work, I drove home from the seafront with the winter blues slowly coming on, despite the best attempts of Katrina and the Waves on the radio to keep me thinking of sunny Mexico only a few weeks ago. Today, I knew for the first time that summer had finally disappeared and Christmas (or should I say seasonal?) lights will soon be glowing in the hallway.

Today, I just feel different. I think I know why too. Today was also the first taste of university lectures for many newly enrolled students across the nation. Of course, the younger ones had gone back to school a month ago. The date however, isn't important. The point is - whether it is September or October in which the younger generation begin their studies, it's clear that to them the scholastic year is the calendar which just feels the most natural. January to December maybe the default year we all reflect upon and use clearly for establishing one numbered year from the other, but just like the awkward and disjointed football season runs from August to May, it feels right to treat each scholastic year the real one to plan the 'year' by. In September and October, I make plans for the next twelve months if it is possible; I certainly do not plan my year in January - and if I do, it is only the crappy New Year Resolution which I barely maintain until Valentine's Day. Even the tax year runs across two numbered years - from April to March - which is the most important timetabled record you can think of when it comes to earning your bread. So I ask - does anyone actually think of a year, as a year?

Well I don't. Therefore it makes complete sense that I decree this day, October 1st, the very first day of the year. Which means a new start and all that - quite appropriate really, considering what this day has served to represent for many students, environmentalists, smokers, SAD sufferers and lorry drivers. I say with complete and utter confidence; this day will be the first day of the rest of your life. Or failing that, can I take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy new year?

I have very little time to blog this evening, in between writing the match reports for the TTFE league team and finding time to sleep. I have however found time to jott down some lines I wrote on the train the other day. The world can sometimes seem so different on a train and I guess thats where this came from. Enjoy.

Petty/Beautiful

This dream; mysterious and vain, echoes beauty in bouncing tones.
Each tapping the real and entrapping the mind
A glorious green which I had never seen before
With a herd of glowing sheep all fleeing and being so kind.
This beauty does not strike one in the face
It is a silent spectacle - the dormant damsel;
Taken away from your grasp at the first sign of rapture
Stripped, broke down, evaporated even
into a jar to sell.
Back and forth, to and fro, stolen and giveth again
Like the hot potato of horticulture in my hands.
Yet, Tall trees tell tales of age and wonder
But they are lost in the forest of their own making
Their own beauty, the ripe red and free fruit
And it all makes sense in the event of my waking.
These elegant lies sent to sky before your puzzled eyes
The dark clouds of day, the busy sounds of microwaves and motorways;
They've no place in a one second sequila paradise
And the images we see are only ours to give away.

----------------
Now playing: David Bowie - Life on Mars?
via FoxyTunes

Hate drives the hunter

What a film. What an even better trailer. They should do trailers just like this nowadays!

Back home

Its been a while but if you are an avid One Man fan you will know where I've been. For the last two weeks Jenny and I have been in the sunny lands of Mexico, enjoying some much needed holiday time. Although my initial response is the typical British gripe about the scorching heat and the extreme weather conditions, it was great to see the Mayan ruins of both Chichen Itza and Tulum, whilst the all natural Xel Ha waterpark was absolutely breathtaking. The holiday was just so unbelievably different to any I have been on before, considering the long haul flight of 9 hours each way, the crystal blue Caribbean beach water and the interesting Mexican culture. We took 400+ photos, some of which can be seen on Jen's Facebook profile but I will put a few on here to give you a glimpse of what was a wonderful holiday.


With that said, its always good to come back to enjoy the fruits of this nation once again. I know I couldn't live in another country because I would just get homesick way too quickly. But now I'm back - ive been all too quick to moan about the weather and the usual grind at work, and all too quickly Cancun seems ever so tempting once more! One just can't win when it comes the old trip abroad.


One aspect which is even more frustrating however is jetlag. I read that for every time zone you have passed through, you can expect to feel the affects of jet lag for that same number in days. Cancun was six hours behind the UK, so I'm not really too thrilled about the prospect of a screwed up body clock for nearly a week!! All ready I get tired at the wrong times - like at tea time instead of night time and I find it hard to get to sleep at night. Here's hoping some good quality sleep tonight will put this madness to bed (excuse the pun).


Besides the jet lag, the holiday has offered some post-trip benefits. For example, after some time off in a different environment you come home a with renewed focus on things and a mind refreshed. Before leaving for Mexico I felt that I was becoming not only drained physically from working every day, but mentally also. It became hard to think things through rationally, with the day to day rountine becoming seemingly banal and leaving me with little time to reflect on what I want to do next. I guess after a while I felt like I couldn' really blog, because my brain was slowly turning to mush. But now I have taken chicken soul for my mind I am ready for more job applications and rejections over the upcoming festive season.


I would write more but the lag is kicking in now. Nite.

Dr. Steadman can't fix 'em all

Well it has been a while since Mark Delaney has graced a Welsh shirt - almost a year in fact. He stood out as the excellent defender he is against a strong Czech side on their own turf and although the 2-1 defeat in Teplice still hurts me and many Welsh today, it was a performance to remember from Mark. Sadly, that will be his last game for Wales as he has announced with heavy heart that after a torrid campaign of injury after injury, he could no longer rest his hopes on a return. During his absence from playing for Aston Villa and Wales he has even visited the expert sports knee specialist, Dr. Richard Steadman, who was also seen by fellow Welsh international Craig Bellamy not so long ago. However despite the hope that Mark would return to bolster a young defence, it now seems that one of Wales' finest defenders will only be watching from the stands.

Delaney's journey to the Premiership is one which amazes me every time I hear it. Straight out of Haverfordwest, he played for Welsh Premier team Carmarthen Town before charting a meteoric move to the capital playing for Cardiff City. He soon found himself playing for Premiership Villa and quickly became a key figure in the side. He was also a favourite among the fans and won the approval of the managers who came to and fro over the years through the Villa Park revolving door. The Birmingham team's latest boss and managerial genius, Martin O'Neill, had particular respect for him and it was a shame that he was never really able to include Mark in his plans. He was enthusiastic to play for Wales and wore the red shirt with a particular sense of pride and purpose. He played in the historic 2-1 win over Italy at the Millennium Stadium and played a blinder then too.

I was already longing for his return especially as next month we face both Germany (home) and then Slovakia (away) and he would have inspired a fine performace from what is currently a largely young and inexperienced back four. Gabbs and Delaney were always the real bosses in the defence during the Hughes era and to see one of them leaving the game now when Wales are starting to take shape in the Toshack years is a real blow. But we are Wales - Cyd Chwarae, Gorau Chwarae - we will play on. But here is a big thanks for you Mark and all the best for you in a potential coaching career. Get on the blower and have a word with Chris Coleman in San Sebastian- I'm sure he'll hook you up and I hear the weather is nice!

I'll sleep when Im dead

Hello all, as my Facebook profile predicted my August will have very little blogging, so here is a progress report just in case I lose touch. I am still working in Porthcawl and happy to see some sun. Its good to see this seaside town baking in sunshine, it needs it. Im now preparing to work 26 days in a row - which shouldn't be too hard, but I have had trouble in getting sleep earlier so I am trying to get that sorted before it will grind my daily routine to a uncomprehendible halt.

Just went for an interview, I think it went well. Soon to be going out for a meal to Old Orleans, which I also hope will go well. Glad to see Fowler is a Bluebird and Im glad the Shambo issue has been resolved finally. Hate HSBC for changing the student/graduate overdraft conditions. The TTFE league team have made it two wins out of two and in a recent football tournment in which the Argos weekend team entered, we sucked quite hard.

Still reading Dostoyevsky; trying to fit it in around this new working lifestyle. I am also still working on the TTFE history, which i am still knee deep into the second chapter and writing sections whenever I can. I still think I will have it ready in time for Christmas. Its 'sod's law' isnt it - I started writing it when I find work, not when I had nothing to do!! Jen and I are looking forward to going to Mexico and are booking various excursions like the Chichen Icha and the Xel-Ha waterpark. Can't wait to go now.

Shabba over and out.

Graduation... revisited

Christ has it been two years already? I cant believe that in 2005 I got my last degree! This week I attended my graduation for my MSc Econ in Poltical Theory, thus also ending my academic career for the immediate future. Although that could change if I am successful in some of the jobs I am applying for, as they offer studentships in Housing at a Masters level. Im keen to get into the world of work and get cracking on my mountainous student debt, but also the opportunity to learn more and receive another qualification gives a warm feeling inside. I have often siad that I started to embrace university and the life that goes with it way way too late, and now I am trying to grasp it all over again.

But enough about potential university courses. For this post is a reflection of those years gone by and possibly my last tie with anything related to tertiary education. The graduation ceremony was predictable but enjoyable, with a host of honourary fellowships up for grabs. In my last graduation I had no other than Mike Ruddock, the grand slam winning Wales rugby coach, to give a rousing speech which was supposed to gear us up for life. Of course, it was littered with references to his own experiences and the famous Six Nations grand slam win of 2005 - where Wales overcome the odds and achieved the seemingly impossible. In this ceremony, we had three fellowships but only one of them had really caught my attention; the fully fledged environmentalist-journalist- novelist, George Monbiot.

I admit I hadn't heard very much about him before my stint at Sustainable Wales, just who he was and what he stood for really. It is funny how one day you know very little about a person, then all of a sudden their life is thrusted straight in front of your eyes! I first spied one of his more recent books, Heat, which outlines his thoughts on how to stop climate change without creating too much discomfort to our extravagant lifestyles. I then noticed on the BBC website his strong thoughts on the proposed Severn Barrage and how it would not have the desired effect predicted by the planners of scheme. It was then I started to read his blog and then I realised how addictive his comment can be. Then, out of the blue, he appears at my graduation ceremony and delivers a ballsy, meaningful speech which I think I will remember well for years to come. He said that in today's society we are faced with choosing between liberty and security, and although security presents the illusion of a safer world, it is not a free one. In addition to this point, he distinguished the need of doing things that you want to do, not what you compelled to do.

Very simplistic point - but at this stage of our lives, it carries a heavy message which all would be wise to follow. To lose sight of what we are through working that job which would clear the debts and get the lifestyles we need would be a travesty to yourself. Many people settle for the life they always said they was to be temporary, as they become fixed to their new lifestyles and to coin the phrase, 'slaves to the wage'. What Monbiot was saying was getting through to me perfectly clear - because it was the very thing I tried to do myself. I'm in the position where I don't have to rush to get a job and although I moan about doing nothing, I will bide my time and wait for something I want to do to come along. And to those who have no choice but to work in any job they can, I appreciate it can be hard to keep looking down the line of that vacancy of choice. But like the man says, remain true to yourself and I'm sure that you will prosper.

A big well done to Jen, who also graduated this week and she will now go on to do a Masters in Computing. Lets hope it will not give her too much grief!! It looks like before long Jennybear.co.uk will be undergoing a revamp so check it out over the summer!!

I myself will be working at Sustainable Wales over the summer on a placement, so it is finally good to get a job on the go in an environment I enjoy working in and one where I am also learning so much. So please don't expect a lot of updates here on One Man, but don't switch off completely. Shabba never disappoints his audience.

The future of football has arrived

The TTFE League team c.2006 pre-match at the Gol centre (left to right, Dale Thomas, Chris Phillips, Gareth Jenkins, James Pugh, bottom, Dave Weller). Taken from Chillout Central (thanks again Dale!)

Sunday mornings, dog mess littered everywhere, oranges in halves and quarters at half time and the occasional walker who stands to admire twenty-two men trying to emulate their idols. These are the things you associate with when you think of park football, a tradition which is as a British as the red telephone box. Yet football stands at a crossroads - evolving into something quite different. Today is the golden age of five-a-side football; a game which before was condemned to the school gym halls, the local leisure centres and the city arenas when Masters Football is in town. Now the roots of this game are embedding deeply into the very foundations of our society, creating a new craze for everyone to enjoy and a new niche market for entrepreneurs to exploit.

The discussion of this topic is brought on by the opening of the new Powerleague 5-a-side arena here in Cardiff later this month. Powerleague, a new chain which is slowly building its footballing empire across the country, claim to host the hottest and most modern football stadia around, trouncing the competition with its state-of-the-art pitches and plush sitting areas with a fully licenced bar. They will boast a massive nine pitches for general use and to host their own tournaments and leagues, not to mention that the latest in astroturf technology will be used in each. The brochure could wow any self-respecting football enthusiast. The leagues are open to all and anyone can set up their own team and compete against others in the hope of winning their own trophy.

This however is not a new idea. Leisure Leagues first came to Cardiff over five years ago and their arena has proved to be real success, opening up leagues on almost every day of the week. Gol opened their arena roughly two years ago and have tried to muscle in on the dominance of Leisure Leagues in Cardiff, by enticing teams to try out the new ground technology used by none other than Real Madrid. Other minor places have even tried to emulate the success of Leisure Leagues and Gol, but have so far failed to rival them. Now that Powerleague is on the scene, things in the 5-a-side market will undoubtedly get a little heated. With three major players in the city all crying out to host your teams, the race is on to see which one will be crowned champions and which one will be relegated into oblivion.

So why has this type of football proved to be so popular? Complete and utter convenience. By playing in a 5- a-side league you have control over the team, not some over-zealous coach who wants to relive his playing days in the dizzy heights of the WPL. You can pick the day you play on, you can pick which mates you want to play with and you can decide your own team name. Not many pub football sides can offer that type of freedom and flexibility. In some places, the commitment doesn't even have to be great - you can quit instantly and walk away if things go pear-shaped. You can start up teams with workmates, schoolmates, uni mates, family etc. and represent places of work, institutions and so on. With more people liking this idea of a more 'casual football' which fits easily into everyday twenty-first century life, it is easy to see why this type of football is inundated with requests of new teams very week. There seems to be no saturation point either at present.

It is also no surprise that this surge into football is so great, even here in the Welsh capital, the very centre of what is still classed as a rugby nation. Football, unlike rugby is a big market to tap into from any angle, whether it's selling scarves on Queen St. before a big clash in the Millennium Stadium, or even using tired old cliches and corny innuendo on gimmick t-shirts such as 'I like to score', 'have you seen my balls?' or 'back of the net'. Football, very much like sex, sells. It amazes me how much advertising is based on using some kind of football associated item to flog a shaver, a crate of beer, or even ethical issues such as the stamping out of bullying. Football is powerful - and the 5-a-side craze rides the wave of this hysteria in the media quite happily. The government's drive on keeping the nation fit also does the business many favours.

Which brings me onto the image of the 5-a-side football arena. The beauty of the industry is that it is incredibly two faced, but not in a deceitful way might I add. In one light, these arenas display themselves to be a service to the city, delivering facilities in sport which the council can only dream of. I know this because I play at the outdoor 5-a-side facilities Sophia Gardens every week and it fares very poorly to the pitches of Gol. Yet, they are primarily cold-hearted businesses, which does its utmost to blow the competition out of the water and increase profit margins. This latter point I have no problem with, but from the constant pressure which can placed upon slightly interested parties to sign up and leave their current league can be little unsettling. Business is business, just like football is proving to be nowadays, but when one place is egging you on to quit one arena for another you get an idea of 'cut throat' this industry is proving to be. Cut throat? I guess it is - in a world where one badly officiated game can give you doubts about the integrity of a venue, it is no wonder people tend to jump ship to find the fairer green.

Which of cause, means it is essential to grab punters and keep them. But it is even more important to pay the bills and in 5-a-side football, there is no denying that the whole business can be a fairly hefty financial venture. Consider the mass capital one must provide to create an arena and the facilities which accompany it. It quite simply must succeed quickly or face the wall if it has no real financial backing behind it. Llanishen Arena felt the pinch after it faced closure - failing to get the interest it needed to survive. Gol received a grant and both Leisure Leagues and Powerleague are safe as they are chain businesses. The mighty Powerleague is even sponsored by technology juggernaut Microsoft. As a result of this tremendous support, the economies of scale would soon kick in and I can imagine the rewards would be massive. With match fees around £21-£25 and the size of some of the leagues, on average around 24 teams paying each day you can do the math. Although it maybe expensive to maintain a football arena I find it hard to accept that these companies are making little profit. Powerleague will charge a £25 match fee here in Cardiff, but in other places in England they are known to reach the £40-£50 which again begs the question of who the real winner is in this game.

This post may seem like a vendetta against this new capitalistic breed. But on the contrary, I play regularly in both Leisure Leagues and Gol, and will soon be representing my Argos store in a retail tournament at Powerleague. I have no problem with them and I must admit, I enjoy playing in each to have an idea of what they are all like to play in. I have never won a trophy in my five years at Leisure Leagues, nor have I ever won anything at Gol. I am not a great player, but I can claim to be a 5-a-side veteran who has witnessed the game at first hand, day in day out each week for five years. With this experience I can only say that the golden age of football has arrived. But will it be the end of park football as we know it?

God is in the rain

(Picture is courtesy of Chillout Central)

Well it has been a while. I can now talk in depth about my struggles with One Man and dispel any theories and rumours about my prolonged web absence. Indeed, I have not blogged properly since May and it is now July. But my reason for such One Man neglect has been purely technological as I exceeded my disc quota and so I was unable to blog until I off loaded some old posts to make way for newer ones. Therefore if you want to look at anything from 2005 I'm afraid for now you are out of luck. I am in talks with our generous sponsor Plasmo to secure some more space for One Man and hopefully a hiatus of this kind will be thing of the past. But anyway, how are you?

I myself am fine. June may seem like a lost month now, but I do remember it very well. Above you will see one delightful image of the hijinx typical during the TTFE Pub Golf outing, where most of us dressed in golfing attire and attempted to complete 18 holes (pubs) each with a fiendish feature - a different alcoholic drink! I played it safe by missing the shots but I still felt the aftermath very clearly in the morning! It was a great night and was enjoyed by all, especially Karl who had to play catch up on the sixth (Gassy Jacks I believe)!! For more pics from the night, check out Dale's site here.

June is more rememberable however for the volunteer work I had been doing at Sustainable Wales in Porthcawl. I have enjoyed my time working for a charity with such a good cause, met some really nice people and I have learnt a lot about how the work in the third sector is carried out. Not only that, it was finally good to be doing something again. As you may have guessed I have had no luck in finding a job - but since last time I posted I have been asked to attend some interviews which is at least a step into the right direction. Next week I have an interview for a student scholarship at Cardiff University through Newport Council in the field of housing, something which does interest me greatly. My fingers are crossed.

Jen and I will also be going to Mexico in September (have I told you that already?) and I am now pretty excited about that. My first transatlantic flight and my first long haul flight all in one! And of course those firsts apply to Jen too! Cant wait!

My title comes from V for Vendetta - my current favourite film. I have watched it several times lately and am hooked. Have watched An Inconvenient Truth again too in sync with the whole Live Earth hysteria (or lack of it or the negative press) and once more it is a thought provoking heart-squeezer. Also Election - another brilliant film. Just got Hundred Reasons' most recent album Kill Your Own - so far not a bad listen. I have also got back into some vintage Offspring too - Ixnay on the Hombre is a brilliant album which I can listen to from start to finish. The new Artic Monkeys album is also predictably pretty good.

Well that's your lot for now - I'm merely waving to you from behind the window in this encounter. Maybe next time I will open my curtains, undo the latches and unleash some proper literary delight into the open sky with my next exciting post. I know that I want to blog about Porthcawl and the new niche market of 5-a-side stadia pretty soon, but for now you'll have to settle for my rather constipated look above. Enjoy!

Intermezzo

Expect a catch up post soon... I haven't forgotten about One Man! Please for now admire one of the greatest pieces of music ever written; it is the Intermezzo taken from composer Pietro Mascagni's masterpiece, Cavalleria Rusticana. Watching the end of 'The Godfather Part III' made me remember how beautiful this music really is, when I was lucky enough to be in the Welsh National Opera's production of this brilliant piece of theatre. Enjoy!

No Surface All Feeling

What a song. As you can probably tell, I've tapped into the Manics again. Big time. Review of the new album coming soon!

Yesterday I finally broke through what has been an inpenetrable barrier for weeks and weeks - I have actually been called back by a company for a further assessment for a job vacancy. It was for a graduate trainee job at the Vale of Glamorgan council, and I am glad because it was one of the main jobs I really wanted. It was the assessment centre day yesterday and I am hopeful to get to the next stage, the interview. Here's my fingers crossed - but if anaything, at least I have the confidence I once had instilled back into me. There was a time where I honestly thought no-one was even giving me a chance, but now I hope that with this opportunity I will go on and work harder at improving my approach to vacancies in the event of not making the grade here.

This is a post in dedication of Dale who requested that I write another blog as it has 'been a while' and I should take the plunge and go 'daily'. I have a lot of respect for those people who regularly maintain their blogs on a daily basis, but I just can't do it! I know I have discussed the role of my blog on One Man once before but I just don't 'blog' like that. I try to post every week without fail, mainly with an anecdote of the past seven days or maybe some topic I have been thinking about which I a particular urge to write about. I'm sorry Dale, as much as it has indeed helped with the TTFE history project, I just cannot do what you do with an log of every day events!

One topic which has got me down was the announcement that the 'rainbow coalition' in Cardiff Bay has been shot down by the Lib Dems. Lembit Opik... oh wait not him, despite being the Welsh Leader of the Liberal Democrats he is an MP... Mike German, announced late last night that the party's interests now lie in the opposition and not in government. Even as a conservative, I did think that the rainbow was the way to go - Welsh politics needs to enter a new era after eight years of pitiful Labour rule at Crickhowell House. Now it looks like Mr Morgan will get his throne and septor back, we can look towards another four years of pitiful rule. Thanks a lot! If one good thing has come of this it is the Conservatives renewed attitude of the Welsh Assembly. Their unanimous decision to support the coalition is an example that the Welsh Conservatives have finally come around to the idea of the assembly, and that it is here to say. As a real advocate of Welsh devolution this can only be a good thing for Welsh politics and the healing of a Welsh Conservative party in a land still scarred by Thatcher.

Before I get any stick concerning the 2007 Champions Legaue Final I will get in first - it took a deflection to beat us? C'mon, we dominated the game! We just didn't take our chances and maybe Bellers should have had a go. But I do concede that Pippo was on fire last night and his second goal was pretty sweet. Just like revenge really.

To end this 'weekly' post I feel that in the spirit of the filming of the 'The Edge of Love' in New Quay (yes there is a space, I'm talking about the Welsh one in Ceredigion!) I should really pay homage to Dylan Thomas, one of Wales' finest poets. You may have heard that beauties Sienna Miller and Keira Knightley have recently been in the coastal town filming for the new film, based on the love triangle which surrounded the fine wordsmith. So here for your literary pleasure, here is a poem from Thomas which I particularly enjoy:

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To Others than You

Friend by enemy I call you out.

You with a bad coin in your socket,
You my friend there with a winning air
Who palmed the lie on me when you looked
Brassily at my shyest secret,
Enticed with twinkling bits of the eye
Till the sweet tooth of my love bit dry,
Rasped at last, and I stumbled and sucked,
Whom now I conjure to stand as thief
In the memory worked by mirrors,
With unforgettably smiling act,
Quickness of hand in the velvet glove
And my whole heart under your hammer,
Were once such a creature, so gay and frank
A desireless familiar
I never thought to utter or think
While you displaced a truth in the air,

That thought I loved them for their faults
As much as for their good,
My friends were enemies on stilts
With their heads in a cunning cloud.

By Dylan Thomas

Dw i eisiau bod yn Gymro

Jen and I enjoyed watching a excellent programme of 'O Blaen dy Lygaid' where it described the extraordinary relocation of Chris Cope, an ordinary American man from Minnesota, who had learnt Welsh online and fulfilled his desire to move to Cardiff. The programme looked at the highs and lows of such a giant leap into the unknown, from starting at Welsh degree at Cardiff University and the prospect of being the 'outsider'. His courage to do something of this kind is truly astounding.

My failure to complete the same course a few years back when compared to this gentleman's efforts certainly puts me to shame. I have mixed feelings about dropping Welsh at university. I am glad in a way that I dropped it to pursued history greater in depth and as a result, I have taken a further qualification in politics, which i probably wouldn't have done. At the same time, I have let my desire to learn Welsh wane and wane, too frightened to use it as my confidence is still rocked from the experience. But overall, I feel sorry for myself - I walked away from a challenge; turned my tail and ran when I needed to stick with it and overcome my fears to get something. I failed myself.

Well done Chris - I hope that one day in the future I can emulate the same courage and get the hiraeth again.

Bored in the month of May

Its been an interesting May so far I guess. We have elected a new Welsh Assembly, but so far we have no idea who will actually run the country as the coalition talks go on and on. There was no way we were ever going to oust Lorraine Barrett from her seat here in Cardiff South and Penarth, but at least it was a close contest here in the constituency where the Senedd actually stands. So another victory for Labour, but at least their support here is not completely unwavering. Well done to all those who did vote by the way!

The new Manics CD is out and I am still undecided on it to be honest. I'm going to review it real soon.

I am still looking for jobs and as the title suggests, the search has taken its toll on me. I am just so bored now, and becoming almost robotic in punching out form after form, CV after CV, attached with covering letter after covering letter. This rambling is not new for any of you I'm sure but to be honest, it isn't new for me either!

It is this boredom which has prompted me to do something else whilst I plod on with the job hunt. I am currently writing a dissertation/extended essay on the history of TTFE, the beloved football institution and community that I have been a part of for just over three years. It all started when I dug out one of the old forums we used in 2004 and noticed how things have changed. Being the historical enthusiast and political animal that I am, I decided to embark on a project into how TTFE has changed over the years - complete with the debates, the attitudes of the times and the new faces that we have welcomed over the years. So far I have written the first chapter and have written a good 5,000 words, but I know and my next two chapters will be substantially longer than that, not to mention the conclusion and the several appendices I plan to include! Everyday this essay is turning into a book and its life span keeps extending with each passing paragraph. But this is not to say I am daunted by the size of the project - no no, its been liberating; I have really been able to keep my writing skills fresh, not to mention the prospect of improving them (looking at the old forum made me realise how bad my writing used to be). It has also been met with the full support of TTFE which has also made me all the more eager to get on with it. Check out the progress at the home of the TTFE.

What a maniac!

Here's a great clip with Jen in mind. She adores Top Gear and I though of her when I saw this great skit about how law enforcing speed cameras really are! If you are interested in some 'speed camera politics' from the Top Gear Trio, click here. Enjoy!