Lewis McGreatGoal

As much as I hate not working, I’m enjoying being able to do pretty much anything I want, when I want.

I went to see Forest play yesterday, beating Ipswich 2-0 and seeing Lewis McGugan score with one of the greatest free kicks ever seen! After sitting in the chilly Upper Bridgford stand, freezing my arse off in the name of NFFC, I headed back to the pub and eventually into town where a group of the LTLF regulars were going out on the piss. As I’ve said on here previously, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a few from the forum so it was really good seeing them again. Plus every time I go to watch the Reds, I end up meeting somebody new from the forum.

I actually amazed myself with lasting the distance. Anyone who knows me will know I peak with my drinking far too early, most of the time ending up at home by midnight. I was up till 3.30am last night! After singing and dancing in the Approach (again with the dancing, I can’t dance so why do I try?), we went to Rock City. After about an hour in there, the remaining five of us then went for a curry – at 1.30am. The Mogal-E-Azam near the Theatre Royal stays open until 2.30, so in we piled for the best curry in Nottingham. I last went there, also with LTLF, in about 2004 – it hasn’t changed. It’s still amazing curry! I did let myself down by ordering a Tikka Masala, which is the equivalent of ordering a steak in a turkish restaurant, but it was really tasty. And I could blame the drink too.

The next Forest based get-together would seem to be the ‘Audience With…’ night on the 4th of November. The last one was good fun, hope this one is as well.

Lastly, I got offered a four-week contract at Royal Mail from the end of November. I knew I would, shame it isn’t a bit longer though really. The confusing thing now is what do I do till then. Keep signing on? Sign off? I’m actually going to the job centre tomorrow so I guess I’ll find out then.

Know Your Audience

I had a great time at the ‘Audience with…’ a few weeks ago. The three former players (John Robertson, Gary Birtles and Tony Woodcock) were very good value for money, with perhaps Robertson worth the admission price alone. After he’d had a few, he seemed intent on getting up from his seat and launching into his own personal audience with! The place was pretty full, and it’s made up my mind to attend the next one of these events, featuring – bizarrely – Mark Crossley, John Sheridan and John Roberston (again!). I can’t think what binds the three together, Sheridan’s link with Crossley in their respective coaching careers might be the reasoning here. Anyhow, it promises to be a good night – and I get to go free, thanks to friends in high places.

Watching my first game in years was also a good day, forgot how much I like being in a football stadium watching real live football! What I hadn’t missed was the misery that seems to be inherent in the old blokes up in the Brian Clough stand. We were 2-0 up and they were still being negative! Nevertheless, I’m going back to the City Ground for the Ipswich game at the end of the month. There is a forum get-together afterwards, and with my last one five years ago – it is definitely time to get drunk in the name of LTLF!

Job hunting? I think some of the jobs I’ve applied for, I’d have got no question a few years ago. Even the shittiest jobs I’m not getting! I went to the job fair in Nottingham, which on the whole was a rather pointless exercise. I’ve since discovered that Royal Mail are taking on staff for Christmas. I know I left RM for better things, but needs must. The ‘interview’ for the Christmas casual job is as simple as checking you are who you say you are, and ‘what times can you do?’. If i get turned down for this, then kill me now.

I’ve also took it on myself to find this years new music. Every year I happen upon some new music somewhere. Whether it be new albums of artists already on my ipod, or music similar to what I like, I always end up with something new. Not so far though, not at least until I discovered last.fm. A rather handy tool to expand your music library, it’s led me to get into quite a few bands I’d never considered before. Electric Soft Parade, Easyworld, Turin Brakes, Black Kids, South, Broken Bells? I’ll browse Fopp in the next few days searching for these artists albums. There’s nothing better than discovering new music.

Come Back To What You Know

Not a great deal to report, just the few odds & sods.

Firstly, money. I needn’t have saved up £2000 while I was still at the ILF. I thought I’d need it in the months ahead, but the dole I’m receiving sees the £2000 total topped up every two weeks. I’m scared of unnecessary spending, but I really shouldn’t be. Obviously I’d much prefer work, but I never thought I’d be unemployed and financially stable. Hurrah!

It’s this extra bit of money which is leading me to rediscover my inner Forest fan. I’ve let all things Forest take a massive back seat in the past few years. Whether it’s the forum, or actually going to games, I’d let my interest slide. It never helped that for a long period over these past four years I’d been working on a Saturday, but it was a situation that needed rectifying.

I’ve bought a ticket to the Forest v Swansea game at the end of the month. It’s my first game in what I believe is about two seasons! I’ve also managed to buy a Forest top – my first in a good few years. In my time away from the City Ground, the members of Forest Forum Extraordinaire – LTLF – have made the Globe pub on London Road a designated area for members of the forum. This has meant that the few times I’ve been there already this season, I’ve met plenty of people off the forum, as well as a few old faces. It certainly enhances the matchday experience.

I’ve also bought a ticket for the “Audience With…” they periodically have at the Approach in Nottingham. Last month it was Billy Davies, this month it’s former Forest players Gary Birtles, John Robertson and Tony Woodcock. Entry into this gets you a free copy of Gary Birtles new book – exciting! – I’m expecting plenty of Brian Clough inspired anecdotes, as the rest of the crowd is.

So I’m ramping up the Forest fan side of things, making up for lost time! The last LTLF get together I attended was in 2005. Lot of catching up to do…

Lastly, the 4.1 update for the iPhone fixed the speed issue that hampered the 3G when I last updated it. Now it runs at a decent speed, with the added cosmetic adjustments that the iOS4 update brought. I may jailbreak it – once it becomes available – to give the 3G one last hurrah before I no doubt buy an iPhone 4 next year, but I’d have to check on any jailbreaking slowdown issues first.