Where to go

It's been a couple of weeks since I failed and as of yet haven't taken anymore lessons. My instructor hasn't called me either so not sure where I stand there. I do intend to take lessons again as the money I've spent and the benefit of driving outweigh not carrying on. However I'm not how to go about it now. Start afresh or carry on with the same bloke? One thing I have noticed is the weight lifted off my shoulders after failing. Less stressful now. New year new start, pass my test and start my degree.
Watching the Albion lately hasn't given me much joy, a defeat and a draw from the last two home games isn't much to shout about. I'm hoping the boxing day game is better as it will be my nephew's first game, plus hopefully I'll be in the Christmas spirit by then. Not feeling much like it this year with all thats gone on. But new year new start like I said. T.L.M.S

Failed Badly!!

Ok so still got my provisional. Couldn't have done any worse really, got 2 serious and, ahem, 20 minors. Now I do dispute some of those minors and the one serious was nit picking. The other one I really hate the choice of road it happened in. Put it bluntly my two serious was for my reversing manouvres. One round corner, the other turn in the road. The turn in the road was on a road which led to a school, and as my test was at 8.20 this morning it was bound to be busy. True I didn't perform it well as it took 5 turns instead of three but I didn't hit the kerb. Reverse round corner was fine apart from I didn't check over my shoulder enough. Those alone would be a fail added to the over the top minors!! I can say hand on heart some, at least 10 were not minors. However they were marked down and the end result is fail. Not too downhearted now I've had a few hours to mull it over. A lot I can put right quickly and the nerves I suffered with today won't affect me again as I know what to expect. So I am booking up again quickly and will pass. This time it won't be a early start, I want at least a couple of hours to be awake and I want a full lesson beforehand. I will overcome!! T.L.M.S

The Night Before

I've just had my final lesson before my test in the morning. I'm feeling much more confident than I was two hours ago. I did a couple of things wrong like going too fast for a corner and a couple of times stayed in second gear instead of first, plus on my emergency stop didn't check all around when pulling off. I must remember to do all these in morning. However I feel like I can do it now. Reverse round corner, i know where I was going wrong, turn in the road, use footbrake more than clutch. Reverse parking, perfect everytime. It's all there now just need to believe in myself that I can do it. Hopefully this time tomorrow night I will have a driving license. The main worry I have now is that we are having a heavy frost tonight so the roads could be icy, if they are too bad then my test will be cancelled. I really hope it's not, even if I fail at least I've tried, would hate all this worry over the last few weeks to be for nothing if they say not today too icy. So I will get a early night, get up at 6 and have a good breakfast ready for half hour driving before test and hopefully all nerves will go and the test will go ahead. T.L.M.S

Nerves Kicking in

Two days to go and the nerves are kicking in. I'm hoping by the time I take my lesson tomorrow night they'll have gone. The thing that is annoying me is that I've a lot of stress at the moment. Can't afford the mortgage this month, pressure from work and the ex is threatening to stop me from having my son as much as I do, because he has played up all weekend and has told her things that haven't happened. Feels like I'm a unfit father now which couldn't be further from the truth. All this is putting un-needed pressure on my test that I had banished. I've a huge urge to scream out as loud as I can!
Only just had a look at the show me tell me questions for the test. No idea about half of them so probably just chance it and hope I get the ones I do know. T.L.M.S

The final countdown...

So only five days to go till test day and I am really looking forward to it. On Tuesday I had another lesson and it went really well. Practiced reverse round corner a lot. I couldn't get the hang of it though and this carried on for at least four attempts. My instructor then noticed where I was going wrong. Instead of allowing the car to straighten I turn the wheel too much and end up going round in a 's' shape. Once I corrected this I nailed it! Was so relieved! Moved on to practice the reverse park and did that fine. As for general driving did everything right apart from when I should have been in third not fourth and I did go through lights on amber. But my hill starts are perfect now and with two lessons left before Tuesday I feel really confident.

I really hope I pass now as work is crazy. Today was the fourth job of the week I've been on and three of those I've had to get back on the bus. That is really annoying as I have so much gear to carry. But the positive of that is that my boss obviously trusts me enough to run my own jobs and hopefully when I pass will have a works van and, fingers crossed, more money! I'm trying not to get carried away with passing but it's constantly on my mind. I'm not sleeping thinking about all the possibilites it entails. Even though I am very busy with work the money situation is getting worse and my spending has more or less stopped. Still can't afford bills which again is where driving comes in! Everything is linked to it and as much as I try I cannot stop putting pressure on myself to pass, even though I'm excited. A calming weekend is required with my son and tonight a few cans of beer and a hot bath to relax should sort it!! T.L.M.S

Top again

Got a soaking going to, and back from, the match today but it was worth it. 4-1 and it could have been more. We looked very good attacking today and made a good Bristol side look average. They did score a cracking goal but given they had had about 4 free kicks in the same area beforehand they had enough practice! For the last 3 games we have kept the same side and Simon Cox is looking more lethal in front of goal, plus we have two big players returning in the new year so things are looking rosey in the Albion garden.
I had another driving lesson this week and it went superb. Compared to last week it was like two different people drove. I even pulled away on hills perfectly and nailed TIR first time. The one problem I have is reverse round corner and only have 2, maybe 3 lessons before my test. Was going to have one next Saturday but can't now because of work. Hopefully will get it perfected enough to pass. Its really playing on my mind now all this driving business. I really want to pass and can't think about anything else! Even though I have no money for a car I still want to pass could even get a works van out my boss if I do. Only 10 days to go, I expect the nerves will kick in over the week, luckily I've a early time booked so it shouldn't affect me too much. Pass or fail I will not give up. T.L.M.S

Gone to pot

I have probably had the worst lesson in about 4 months. Everything i did tonight went wrong. Mounted the kerb twice, kept forgetting to check my mirrors, going too fast for corners, almost pulled out on a van on a island, wrong side of the road etc etc. Since I booked my test my driving has gone downhill. Obviously I'm thinking of my test. I'm not nervous about taking it just it's playing on my mind. Tried reversing round the corner, couldn't get that right at all, kerb one time, second time too far away. Selected the wrong gear on more than occasion. Kept going down the road too fast in tight areas. It's really pissed me off cause there was things tonight i did right. My gear changes were very smooth but my overall awareness tonight was shocking. I need to snap out of this cause last week wasn't very good but it was a hell of a lot better than tonight! Probably put this down to a one off. I'm giving myself two more lessons and if I haven't got out of this I'm gonna cancel my test for a few weeks. I know I'm almost there and having lessons like this feels like I'm gone backwards. Even my instructor said so, but he also said everyone has bad lessons, and it always happens before their tests. Lets hope so. T.L.M.S

Turning Back

Last night I had another lesson. This time is all about reversing. And to be fair I nailed it! Turn in the road took a few attempts but will have it perfect come test time. Did reverse parking as well and first time it was perfect. The trouble,and with my lessons there is always trouble, was that I seemed to forget the basics! Start off I didn't check or arrange my mirrors before pulling off, I kept going too fast for corners, my gear changes were all over the shop etc. I need to sort this out next week. I think it was because I'm excited about my test I believed I was already passed. Won't be making that mistake again.
Been working hard lately, more work coming in. Trouble I haven't got the time to do them. I'm struggling with the one I am doing now. Need to get it done sharpish so I can start the other one but I don't want to work weekends as I miss out on spending time with my son. This is a important month for me work wise and the extra money will hopefully help me pass my test and able me to earn more money to provide for my son, and to also clear my debts. I'm trying hard to juggle both but I don't want to tire myself out too much which is where I'm heading. T.L.M.S

Test awaits

On Tuesday had another driving lesson. Overall was very good, slowed down in time for junctions and islands, good clutch control, drove at the right speed, etc. Had one mishap on my favourite hill again. On the hill top there's a junction with traffic lights. If you aren't the first two cars you're on the slope. Over the past 28 weeks I have stalled on there a number of times but not for a while. However on approach to the junction I had a young lady decide to follow me right up my arse! Must have thought it to be fun as she was obviously a qualified driver now. She couldn't have been older than 19. Anyway when I stopped she did about a foot away from me. Now lately this hasn't bothered me as I've been pulling away lovely but this time I went to pot. For some reason I panicked and burnt the clutch out and stalled, then to make matters worse she overtook me and I stalled again and missed the bleeding lights! This played on my mind for the remainder of my lesson, which was only 10 mins, and I had a couple of little errors on route home. Something I need to work on again. I was told to move on and forget once I do something like that but I have a tendancy to dwell on things longer than I need to.

Putting that aside I bite the bullet tonight and have booked my test for the 1st of December. I've worked out that i can get a further 8 lessons before then. I've got a few extra jobs coming up and have been working more hours at work the past fortnight, which is not worth it if I keep getting paid less hours than I work! All this means I can afford a bit extra towards this and my bills and my new car fund, at the moment stands at £0, just means I have to work a few more nights. Trying not to do weekends as it means not seeing my son but I do need to work them. Hopefully I'll be able to do it all in the week but depends on where I'm sent with work, oh well if I pas my test it will be worth the extra hours put in. Still on course for being able to drive my son on Christmas Day, if that happens then this year will have a happy end which for the majority of it has been one of the worst in my life.
T.L.M.S

Driving and Baggies

Its been a while since my last lesson but tonight had another. Still no manouvres practiced but it was quite busy on the roads tonight so kind of glad I didn't do any! I'm still making mistakes and that is to be expected, the main one tonight was slowing down early enough. Even though I should know I seem to have a fear of slowing down too much too early and then having to speed up again, so I end up doing the opposite. A few idiots were out and about tonight. Had one car pull out on me while I was coming down the hill at a set of lights so I had to put the brakes on quickly. Didn't expect it as the lights were on green and there wasn't that much of a big space between me and the car in front. In fact it was another learner that pulled out! Plus he stalled the car doing so! Fair enough he must believe he's at the stage where he can take the chance but I'd rather he did it in front of someone else.
Still looking too much to the right when I approach islands as well. I did get better as the lesson progressed however and I had great control over the clutch. Only a couple of times was I told what gear to be in so at least I'm doing that right and for the first times in weeks I didn't stall the car! that itself is a major triumph. Booked another for Tuesday night so not as long to wait. Hopefully book test very soon.

Since I last wrote the Albion have played two home games. Won one, lost one. Saturday against Reading was very much a game of two halves. First half we were shocking, they controlled the game and it took a error for us to get back into the game. Once we did we dominated and could have had more than the 3 goals we scored. Tuesday against Swansea we never got going. Had a fair bit of possession but didn't do anything with it. Obviously Beattie was going to score against us! Thought some of the managers choices were odd, such as allowing 17 yr old Chris Wood play upfront alone for 25 minutes in the second half. He hasn't played that many games for us, scored only once, and to be honest is still very raw. Tuesday his first touch let him down. I don't want to be hard on the lad as he has a great future ahead of him but he needs to be nurtured. We had a player in Simon Cox, who scored 30 goals last year, on the bench who can't get a look in. When he eventually came on he almost scored with his first touch. If he had played a few more games he'd have tucked it away whereas you can see he's short on confidence. Some fans are saying he's not cut out for this level, I think that is very harsh. He needs to have a run of games to be properly judged. No good coming on for 10 minutes here and there then going 3 games without a sniff of action. Di Matteo should use him more because Luke Moore isn't scoring, Bednar is injured as is Miller, Rueben Reid is one of the worst players to pull on the shirt and Wood is learning. We can't rely on the midfield getting al our goals cause we will quickly slip down the table if we do.

Southgate getting the sack didn't come as any surprise to me, thought he'd have gone much earlier as he had lost the fans. Once they go you're on to a loser which is why Rafa Benitez should be worried. I look at that Liverpool squad and its very weak. True they have some great players but the back up is shocking. Too many second rate foreigners. In my opinion, (which is probably not worth much!!), I'd bleed the youngsters in. someone with some spirit who will play with no fear. They have to do better than what the current lot are doing. If it wasn't for the fact that the club is in debt and he signed a big contract last season I would have expected him to get the sack Monday if they lose to Man Utd.
T.L.M.S

New lesson

Had another lesson tonight and it went very well. Feel like I've got clutch control now. The thing I still struggle with is hills.Either I slow down too early or panic about pulling off and over rev the car! Practice does make perfect however and a lot of things are coming naturally now. Still haven't worked on manouveres yet and to be honest that worries me. I need to book my test soon but I want to be able to do everything without worry before I do. I thought tonight we'd be doing some as he asked me if we'd worked on any. Funny that as he's been teaching me now for over 25 lessons so surely he'd know!

We drove around the priory tonight for a bit and normally that is where most learners go to these, but we just drove around the estate a couple of times like we did on my first few lessons. Granted this time I didn't stall and panic when cars come round the blind corners but it would be nice to do something different. We went round islands, no problems there except I perhaps slowed down too early or not early enough to get in the right gear. Went down national speed limit roads which was good driving faster and did right turns which is easy now. Thats probably my main gripe, I know I can do all this now and do it well. My overall perception of the flow of traffic, slowing down, pulling off, changing gear when needed to is good. He doesn't tell me what gear to be in or anything anymore so the thing holding me back is manouveres. Plus I haven't got another lesson till a week thursday so thats 9 days I have to wait again.

I don't want to change instructors as I do get on well with him but I need to pass my test. I have a lot of thinking to do over the next week about where I go from here. The only plus I can see is that I save £20 this week not having a lesson but in the long run I can't afford it anyway so the longer I go without taking my test, the more chance there is that I won't have the money to pay for any more. Don't want to get this far and have to stop, something has to give soon.

Also playing on my mind tonight is work! Got some wallpapering to do tomorrow. Now I love wallpapering and I can do it well. the trouble is I don't do it enough. Not my choice, my bosses choice. I'm fully qualified and better than some others I work with but in the 10 years I've been here I can count on my two hands the amount of times he's let me do it. And when I do, he loves to pick faults in my work. Not much in the way of confidence building!! So when I do some I panic that I'm doing it right. He only does it so he hasn't got to pay me the rate others get. The sooner this test is passed the better! T.L.M.S

Factor life

Just watched the x factor results show, and watched it last night as well, and I can honestly say that not one of them have the x factor like Robbie Williams. That man oozes showmanship. If that is what stage fright does to you then everyone on that show needs it. True he might not have the best voice in the world but he is a natural performer. He had the crowd eating out of his hand and he looked like he really enjoyed himself out there. The rest of them, well that opening song they all sang was a joke. Horrible in fact. I pressed mute after 15 seconds cause not one person was in tune! That said I'm sure I'll watch every week otherwise I'll be the only one on site who will be quiet every break!

Managed to watch the England game online and for free as well, wasn't too depressed with our overall performance, thought we had a few chances, second half was the better side. It was the 10- 15 mins after the sending off which affected the game. As Sven said at half time if you give a penalty only book the player. The punishment of a penalty is enough. True if the penalty is missed you might have cause for complaint but I agree with Sven. I remember in 93 when Koeman fouled Platt in Holland. He should have been sent off for that foul but only got booked. We didn't get a penalty only a free kick then minutes later the aforemention player scored from a free kick at the other end and we got knocked out. But that is football and that is why we love it. It wouldn't be the same without talking points. In 2002 when West Brom got promoted we had a perfect goal dissallowed in the game against Rotherham as the ref said it hadn't have crossed the line. Now if it had been given we would've been promoted earlier but I wouldn't have experienced one of the best away games I went to at Bradford when Igor Balis scored from a penatly in injury time, which meant if we beat Palace at home we would be up. Things like this make football and the feelings we as fans have. We take the pain and embrace the glory, and I know being a West Brom fan!

One more thing before I go, a dear friend of mine lost someone close to him tonight and my thoughts are with him.
The Lord is My Shepherd, I'll shall not want, he leads me down to lie, in pastures green, he leadeth me, the quiet waters by

Down time

Just got my broadband back up and running, wasn't the providers fault, just the nations friend Royal Mail. I had my new router delivered but as I wasn't in it wasn't left. Now as usual they leave a card to tell you how to collect your parcel, what they don't do is have a collections office open at times to suit the customer! The one by me opens after I start work and is closed way before I finish. No problem, they can redeliver. Errr no, not if you can't get online! The phone service was useless. Three times I tried to get in touch and the first two the phones were down and the third it wouldn't connect if the time was after the one on the card! Cut my losses on that and went up this morning to fetch it. A nice outing for my son who was desparate to see Postman Pat, I warned him he wouold probably be on strike!!

I've had a week of constant travel with work, 3 different jobs and yesterday took over 3 hours to get home. I do get sick of travelling to jobs miles away and getting a pittance in travel costs. Would much rather work away. However some good news for me is that I'm trying to get my bank charges back. Had the statement come through and it's a nice amount to claim for. Would've had the letter sent back by now but as I scanned the list the ink in my printer ran out! Typical really but no fear shall sort it out over the weekend. Anyway time to play with my son when he finishes watching spongebob! Hopefully find some way of watching the game later without paying for it, lets see if one of my mates was silly enough to do so!
T.L.M.S

Away forward

Had a lesson last night and overall was good. At times felt more confident about my ability to drive and could see progression, but at other times did some silly things which made me think again. Now last night I was close to just giving up but after a good nights sleep (actually thats a lie cause I haven't slept well in months!) woke up and could see all the positives. So much of what I did yesterday was good and the frustrating thing now is that I know exactly what I'm doing wrong so it's a case of sorting my head out to put them right. Also need to try and be less hesitant when it comes to junctions and islands. Once these are conquered my license will be mine!!!
Today was a good day at work, not money wise as the tight fisted one still pays my wages but for what I was doing. The day flew by and I felt I did something productive. Worked hard for my money and enjoyed it. I only wish I was paid what I'm worth. That day will come soon.
As for paying to watch England play on the net they can get stuffed. I already pay for sky and espn and my license fee so there is no way I will pay £5 to watch online. For god's sake this is our national team! In my eyes the national team should always be on free to air channels, not who bids the highest. Plus the pubs around this fine nation will miss out on punters would normally go to their local to watch the game as they have been told they can't show it. I'm interested to see how many go to the cinema to watch the game, considering we've already qualified. That leads me to another thing, if our qualification depended on this game, would one of the other networks found the extra capital to pay for it or would they have allowed it to go the way it has? To me the football fan is been fleeced once more and I await the day when it crashes down around the companies and big clubs cause fans have had enough.
One quickie, watched a wonderful comedy last night on the Big British Castle (Adam and Joe, I doff my cap!) 2 at 10 called Home Time. I've watched from the first episode and loved it. Maybe it's because its based around characters the same age as me or that the music reminds me of then or that it's set in the midlands (well Coventry but close enough!) that i like it but its really good and I suggest that you give it a look, it's on next Thursday at 10pm.
T.L.M.S

Oh and I know Coventry is in the West Midlands but to us black country folk it ain't really!

Stressful week

All in all a stressful week this week, lost two days money (one due to someone else), the albion lost to Barnsley and everything else seems to have got on top of me! Sometimes in life you think that you are owed a break, that some things have to start going right for you, at the moment that doesn't seem to be the case for me. I shouldn't allow it to get on top of me but that is much easier said than done. Its started to affect my everyday life. I'm more angry and depressed at the same time, I get less sleep due to everything been on my mind and I'm more or less stuck indoors all day. Its a vicious circle. The sad thing is I can see the light at the end of the tunnel but it's getting further away from me each week!
Another driving lesson tomorrow night and I am really looking forward to it. Seems like ages since my last one. The longer between lessons I go the more I think about driving. You know that light? Driving is it. I'm so close but with money the way it is its getting further away. It makes you want to scream!!
The football the past week hasn't given me any more joy. True yesterday we got a point at Preston and really we should have got all three points but after Tuesday's performance it was good to stop the rot we've got in. The worry now is goals and where they are coming from. I really do think we need to start playing Cox and Tex, not sure why they haven't been given more of a chance. Glad martis was dropped yesterday as he has started to become a liability, hopefully he will take stock and come back stronger. International break now for two weeks so no Albion fix next week, it's like pre season again!
Anyway time to join the rest of the country and waste a hour of my life and watch X factor. Might as well see who everyone will be talking about on site tomorrow, so far I haven't got a clue who anyone is so it's fair game for me! Just wish they would stop bleeding crying!!!!
T.L.M.S

Annoyed

Had a annoying weekend, boiler broke so my flat has been like a sauna and it's no closer to been fixed. Money is tight so calling someone out to fix it isn't a option thats why I'm hoping for a friend to sort it out tonight. The main thing I'm annoyed at is not been picked up for work again. This happened friday, was sat waiting on the car park over the road for the chap who was meant to pick me up to turn up, phoned him at half 7 and he said he wasn't meant to pick me up! Wouldn't have minded but no-one told me so there goes another £6 on travel. Samr again this morning, waiting in the usual place for nearly a hour and no sign of him. This time making my own way isn't a option as I just haven't got the money, phoned my boss and he had no idea why he hadn't picked me up. Absolute joke. This is why I need to get a new job, cause of someone not doing what they should have I've lost a days money, plus I'm off Thursday to look after my son so thats 2 days short I'll be next week and I can't afford that. I feel like punching the wall I really do T.L.M.S

Driving to defeat

If my mate wouldn't have rang me this morning I know I would have overslept for my driving lesson! That said it didn't excuse my laziness. The lesson wasn't too bad, was took around Wolverhampton ring road today, first attempt at a busy road in a city and did very well. Stalled on the way to the said road. Me and my instructor both knew I was going to the minute a bus pulled up behind me! Throughout the lesson did some silly mistakes like not slowing down enough for the island and getting into gear early enough, forgetting to check my mirrors when indicating and the best was thinking I could already drive and deciding to keep my hand on the gear stick! Overall though my general awareness and driving have improved but I know I need to work on manouvres which I've hardly done so far and my next lesson isn't for a week Monday so got over a week to worry myself into a frenzy about driving again.
The Albion lost their unbeaten record today and with that performance can't have any complaints. Rubbish from start to finish and it was a terrible game to watch. The ref missed a lot of fouls and to top it off their goal came from a handball (which I can't be sure of as it was down the smethwick end but many have said it was). But I didn't expect anything less from a Neil Warnock side and Palace have turned into a bogey side over the years for us. Next two games are against teams we normally do poor against and they are both away from home, but that said we have performed better away than at home this season so heres hoping.
a happy note to end on, perma-tan pricks Hull side lost badly today so relegation looks likely for them! T.L.M.S

The tiredness is setting in!

After two days of working 15 hours each day and four days of hardly sleeping I am now extremely tired! A early night tonight is definately on the cards. I can't complain about the work as I really need the money plus I've done enough times over the years I should be used to it, what is doing my head in is not being able to get to sleep. Every night its the same and when that alarm goes off in the morning the snooze button gets used too much! I think five hours is the most this week I've managed to get.
Spent Tuesday night working whilst listening to the Albion game. Couldn't make out too much of the game but from what I could hear it seemed like we was on top. It wasn't till I got home when I found out we'd lost and had a man sent off. Thomas. Typical thats four left sided players out for the Palace game so god knows who will be playing left midfield Saturday. Probably Dorrans or Tex. One positive from the game is that Jara played well on his debut so thats encouraging. Also the Wolves lost so thats another positive! After they beat Fulham some fans on the radio reckoned they'd make the europa league this season! Trust me if it wasn't for Pompey and Hull been so rubbish they'd be struggling more as the season goes on so in theory they are playing for one relegation place, and they come down with Hull and we take their places i'd be a very happy man.
Got another driving lesson Saturday and I have been looking forward to it all week long. Had a promise of a better paid job if I pass my test so all thoughts have been on that. Gonna book it next week so hopefully by november I will be driving. I was told by my stars a few months back that October will be a profitable month so here's hoping! Weekend tomorrow, pick my son up after work, driving lesson and Albion match so heres to a good one! T.L.M.S

Football fun day

Spent most of today watching football, in between playing with my son, who has now gone back to his mothers for the week. The Manchester derby was a quality match, had a feeling Owen would get the winner, even if it needed 6 mins of injury time to get it. I can understand Man City's frustration but when the ref signalled for 4 minutes Bellamy was still celebrating so all in all I think he got the right amount added on in the end. Tried to watch the Chelsea game but I really hate watching them so after 5 minutes had to turn it off. They must be the one team who I despise, obviously Wolves and Blues are top added to that list are Hull City and West Ham, so actually 5 teams. Amazing how many football fans have teams they hate, and for the silliest reasons as well!
Good to see England win in the cricket one dayers for once. I really think that we can't understand the fact in one day game we need to attack the ball and get runs on the board, cause the amount of times I've watched us we seem to play like we are in a test match. Hit the bloody thing!!! Plus we tried our best to throw this game away, the other sides in the Champions Trophy must be glad that we're playing, any total over 200 and the game is theirs.
Also watched Great Britain fail to win in the Davis Cup. How many more years must we suffer from players not being up to the required standard? You can understand why Andy Murray gets so pissed off every Wimbledon. I don't agree that it's a lack of funding, I reckon it's a lack of drive in the players. In sport if you haven't got the drive and desire to win you won't get anywhere and to me a lot of these young players don't have it, they are just happy to pick up whatever funding they can get and spend a few more years away from getting a proper job. I do hope I'm wrong and in the future Britain will be celebrating. T.L.M.S

Sunday Ramblings

Woke up again after another night of dreaming about driving. It consumes most of my life now, I dream about driving my own car (which I can't afford to buy), I dream about the little things which I struggle with driving and I dream about how my life would be now if I'd done this 10 years ago. Would I still be working for the company I'm at now? Probably not. I don't really want to be here now but the way things are I'm lucky to have a job, a underpaid one at that but a job none the less.
To help get extra money to pay some of my debts I decided to play a little bit of online bingo today with the little funds I had. Didn't win anything, not to say I haven't before. In the grand scheme of things I am up overall by a good amount just wish I saved some of it when I did win! The good thing is I managed to get some extra work Tuesday night so that should pay for this weeks lesson, only thing is I need to get in touch with my mate who's assistance I will need and he's away for the weekend! I hope he'll help me cause it could lead to some more work for us both and with christmas and stuff coming up we could both use the money it would bring in. But yet again this boils down to fact I can't drive! The amount of work I've had to turn down because of it is staggering and it's hit home this year big time. Need to get this monkey off my back quickly.
T.L.M.S

5-0!

Couldn't let the first one go without a mention of the Baggies brilliant win away at Middlesborough today. Top of the league, goals coming from all over the team and still undefeated, lets see if this record stays the same after visiting Arsenal tuesday night. T.L.M.S

First one!

Hello all, decided to start writing down the thoughts I have and the trials I'm having in life and with my mission to learn to drive.
As of today I have had 22 driving lessons and was told to put in for my test today. This is what I've wanted to hear for a while even though I still haven't done any manouvers yet!! The lack of driving is holding me back in my job, and stopping me from earning the money I need to pay off my debts! I never realised this until I lost my job in Febuary and had to look elsewhere, and at each one the response was we really need someone who can drive. Stupid I know putting it off all these years, I'm 30 now, so now I'm playing catch up.
Work wise I'm a painter and the firm I work for is the same which laid me off 7 months ago. They always say that footballers should never go back but muggins here has gone back 3 times now! I think I work for the only company which likes to not pay you the hours you actually work, pay you a lower rate than the majority of other firms then come up excuses why not to increase them and has a boss which will constantly criticize your work. The shocking thing is I work a lot harder than some of the blokes who work here and they get all the rewards, this is why my driving test is so important to me.
Hopefully I will be able to get the funds together soon to pay for the test, always looking for extra work to pay off some of the debts my ex has left me with, and the minute that test is passed they will be.
Anyway I shall try to update this often, but knowing me will fall by the wayside! Time to try and get my excited two year old son to get ready for bed, speak soon.