Red05

... oh my lord, what the hell happened to the Football Manager series!? I went to install with Steam first, but very quickly changed my mind and re-installed everything. I'm not dealing with a 3rd party, I'll download the patches manually, thanks. And the skin... it's... it's... atrocious. Horrible! It's everything that FM doesn't need to be. The skins on 05/06/07 have all been SPOT ON, a nice, subtle, professional, mature look, with gradients changing slightly every year to give a fresh edge. The skin made FM amazing, for me. This is like they're trying cash in on "cool" and look all slick and stuff... which for me, is going over the top. FM is now trying too hard to be cool. :( The 3D engine is terribly clunky. Admittedly, I don't have the best graphics card, but it's a pointless add on, for me. Thankfully, disabling 3D camera views is an option. As is getting rid of those LAUGHABLY PATHETIC computer generated faces. Jesus, they're terrible! Even with them gone, though, that whole picture area is still far too big. Gah, I'm dissapointed! FM looked sublime, from 2005 - 2007 I bought all the games and the look was perfect. Perfect! And now it's all HEY LOOK AT US WE'RE COOL. What the hell happened? Who strode into the office and decided that FM wasn't "happening" enough. The absolute fool! I really can't believe the new look, it''s mind boggling how FM has gone from being the coolest cat in town...to being something chavs would bring in for a round of bukkake.

Welp, after diving back into FM 07 (and winning the Conference North with my created team!)... I have just come back from town where I bought - you guessed correctly - Football Manager 2009. I'll be sad to leave my 07 team behind, I only started the game again a few days ago, and I'll never know if Tom Craddock would have repeated his form (41 goals in 42 games, yes sir)... or if Toby Hinchcliffe would've bettered last season's tally of 17... or even if Steven Simmonds would've become my first choice right winger after a string of impressive performances from the subs bench... ... it's kind of sad, but I actually remember my favourte players from each of my past created teams. Liam Phillips... he was a rocket in front of the goal, couldn't stop him scoring. And Ryan Hutchinson, possibly the best ever. He was a left winger, but he scored so many goals, and set so many up it was unbelievable - he was immense. Never found him again though on any other games, just that one, special time. So many memories; it's time to create some more! So now I'm going to uninstall FM 07, whack the new disc in and let the game take over my life.

... on the contrary, I want to go to the same uni as my girlfriend. I get that being apart would be a 'test' and such, but I couldn't bare to be away from her. All I want to do is get passed uni, and have a job and a house somewhere, where I can wake up every morning... and she's there. Every time. Additionally, despite a roaring bank balance, I find it agonising to buy anything. I don't know exactly what it is, but it's a major struggle to buy myself a t-shirt online, or anything anywhere. It's a habit I need to break, and break it I will.

... on the contrary, I want to go to the same uni as my girlfriend. I get that being apart would be a 'test' and such, but I couldn't bare to be away from her. All I want to do is get passed uni, and have a job and a house somewhere, where I can wake up every morning... and she's there. Every time. Additionally, despite a roaring bank balance, I find it agonising to buy anything. I don't know exactly what it is, but it's a major struggle to buy myself a t-shirt online, or anything anywhere. It's a habit I need to break, and break it I will.

A t-shirt from ArtusClothing. It was an easy purhcase...

Liverpool 3 - 0 Bolton I'm thrilled that we won this game comfortably, and particularly happy to see Robbie Keane bag himself a brace. Here's hoping his good form (and subsequently, ours) continues. EDIT - Also, what do we make to Phil Brown conducting Hull City's half time team talk on the pitch? I think, personally, it wasn't a smart move. Just a bit of a stunt to try and show people how he as a manager is a hard ass and crap. The team would have been feeling like sh*t already, so I don't think embarrasing them like that will have helped at all. It's all the more confusing because Hull City should, by rights, be fighting for their lives at the foot of the table. They're surpassing all expectations, so to do this after a couple of defeats (and alright, yes, one of them pretty heavy)... it all seems a bit over the top.

I got deodorant. No socks, though. I also got a pretty decent t-shirt and some cash.

...that's not sarcasm?

A pair of brown / black Jeans 3 pairs of PJ botttoms (one pair is extremely jazzy) 2 USB sticks (4 gigs on each of them) 2 Lee Evan's DVDs (The World of Lee Evans, and So What Now? - Series 1) A brown woven beanie hat An A4 and A5 notepad Skittles Heroes (the chocolates) Ben Sherman socks A collection of mini EDTs. ... *sigh* ...this is all well and good, but my little brother and sister paid little to no attention to the cool laser tag set I bought them. I was really pumped up to see them open it...but they tore through their gifts with such pace, and so little care and appreciation. It's kind of ruined the day for me. These past few years I've really switched my focus towards giving, I really look forward to it...and each year, they've gutted me with their...their...childishness. I know I'm older and I can't expect the same crazily high mountain of goodies, but it seems there's no joy in giving either...stupid kids. :( Tommorrow I go to my Dad's for a second Christmas. I guarantee I shall return with deodorant and more socks................ :bawl

I always used to create my own team, starting from the Conference North. It was always brilliant, because I'd wheel and deal, discover good young players, and generally work my way up a few leagues... ...before finishing mid table somewhere and getting sacked. And after that, it would never be the same. :( ...so I'd start again! Wheeling and dealing...discovering good young players... ...I have FM05, and FM07. I might buy this one, even though I know it consumes too much personal time.

For lovers of John Terry... [Youtube]ClpckdW9FFs

Miracle on 34th Street. Frankly, this film should be illegal. It's so absurd in that despite the major plot holes, it still, everytime, makes me actually believe in Santa Claus. Madness!

Some of you might be interested to see this interview with Rowan Atkinson where he discusses the last scene of Blackadder Goes Forth. He seems like a really intelligent, decent chap. -Gr0Fa_QPNU

Phew; well done Everton, you scumbuckets.

Depends how it's used. :)

There's another cover of this song that beats Burke's... [YOUTUBE]1SPnjDJTkIM[/YOUTUBE]

Hmm...I was sure I typed "retarted ape". Oh well...

Damn it Kanenite, I'm gutted for you. :(

Buckley. For me, they've given her this song not because she connects with it and can pour out her soul in performance and try to establish herself as a true, real artist...it's just so she can do all that warbly singing shit and look all "good" on stage. Like "hey, look at me, I take any song and do it in my big lungs warble style and make it a new classic. Hooray for music." Burke is a poor man's Lewis, and she beat a poor man's Ray Quinn.

Another question for Darkstar: if you're such a smarty-pants....why aren't you in a better position right now? Like, in terms of work and accommodation etc? Where's it gone wrong? :lol

Another question for Darkstar: if you're such a smarty-pants....why aren't you in a better position right now? Like, in terms of work and accommodation etc? Where's it gone wrong? :lol

If anybody types 'lol' on the internet (excepting ironic purposes), they always - always - look like a retarted. If somebody types using any sort of text spiel, I can't help but read it as if it were coming from a really dumb ape. In short, the smilie wins.

Saz; have you gained weight? DS; have you lost weight?

I just watched Hot Fuzz, and found it to be a bloody brilliant film. It definitely wasn't the laugh fest people have built it up as, but then I don't really think Wright / Pegg intended it to be. I found it to be very gripping; the pace and mood (the music worked a treat) really built up the tension so that by the time the shit hits the fan, it's awesome. I got behind Pegg's character so much, it was really well crafted indeed. My only gripe is that, especially in the first half of the film, it seemed to employ the Wright-esque quick cut transitions a bit too much. But this didn't detract too much from what was otherwise a great watch, and confirmation that Shaun of the Dead wasn't a fluke.

Strangely enough I'm just watching the tipping scene on YouTube, and have been sat here wondering if it's downstairs somewhere as I'd like to watch it - tonight, ideally.