January 8 (Saturday): Panther Dash. Saturday morning, wake up to good times. Last night was a gas and today I’m full good stuff. I head out to the Layer Road shop to get the Saturday newspapers (Guardian Guide day!).

Today I am focused and busy but find myself hampered when one of the two disks of work I did at my parent’s house yesterday, today does not work (for the second time). Regardless, I find myself able to get on with enough stuff to make today productive enough.

Mid morning I find myself rummaging through several boxes of old NMEs and Melody Makers I was forced to bring home from my parents and I then hit paydirt as I come across the infamous NME On piece/interview with Hirameka where Tom and Steve argued their way through it. This is classic stuff, really fantastic to read again and the photo is totally hilarious, in a serious kind of way.

Around midday Stevo phones. It is the first time I have heard from him this year. He sounds OK, the normal. I ask him why he isn’t watching AFC (AFC Wimbledon) today and apparently it’s an away game and none of PISA are interested nor going. He points out that Colchester are playing at Milton Keynes next week and wonders if Ben would fancy boycotting going to MK Dons to go and see AFC instead (do teams still do that?). I remember falsely getting my back patted the first time I went to an AFC Wimbledon game because the same day Millwall were playing the old Wimbledon.

While I’m on the phone to Steve, the phone beeps and it is a text from Mark. He asks “are you still scanning shit in Clacton?” and I reply “no, I’m uploading shit in Colchester”. He asks about doing lunch but I really had my day planned and stuff to do. I suggest a compromise at later but no dice, he’s off to London later.

Today is FA Cup Third Round day and as usual BBC are in the act, showing Sheff Utd v Aston Villa at lunchtime. I watch it half arsed, more concerned with getting Millwall v Wolves on internet radio. Cyberspace lets me down and while I find myself at war with technology, Wolves score after about seven minutes. And then before I know it, they have scored a second a few minutes later, this even before I have had chance to look at the lineup. And the lineup is unbelievable, reserve players, players playing out of position, Braniff playing up front and reserves I doubt have half dozen first team games in total to their name. Either Dennis Wise has gone insane or the club has injury problems. Looks like no Cup Final or Europe this year.

I revert to the Sheff Utd v Aston Villa game on TV and the second half actually turns out to be a cracker when Aston Villa take the lead early in the second half only for Sheff Utd to happen upon an equalizer before scoring a couple of really dubious late goals from the same guy (Liddell, who he?) which would/should have left Aston Villa feeling pretty aggrieved.

After that game ends, I finally manage to get Millwall on internet radio and it all sounds fatal. The two early goals obviously killed off Millwall, who by all reports with a really weakened side put in a really good battle whilst also Barry Hayles apparently misses a sitter of an open goal. Shouldn’t have sold Neil Harris. The game ends 2-0 to Wolves and I believe the first game Wolves have not drawn 1-1 since Glenn “God” Hoddle took over as manager. Geek manager.

3PM hits and the full day’s FA Cup Third Round programme kicks off. By the end of the day, non-league come away with a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford against Man Utd reserves and Colchester come away from in-form Hull having won 2-0 at their place.

Afternoon TV sees Brewster’s Millions on Channel Four. You should always have time for Richard Pryor and this is a pretty interesting/cool movie, typically eighties with a great support from John Candy. And it features baseball, bonus! I have to admit I had never noticed Rick Moranis in the movie before.

Then on ITV, Dr Doolittle turns up, talking of Richard Pryor and his “son” Eddie Murphy. I actually really like this remake, being a huge fan of Norm MacDonald and generally a fan of talking animals. I half watch it (with one eye), having seen it enough times to know where/when the good jokes are coming from. Cool to see Paul Giamatti (American Splendor dude) on TV.

That ends and BBC are showing Plymouth v Everton. When I start watching it, Everton are already winning 2-0 and the game looks a bit of a mess, the referee really looks bad, making way too many mistakes. Tim Cahill isn’t playing strangely but he comes on as a substitute late in the second half (replacing the debuting James Beattie), as another ex-Millwall player Nick Chadwick comes on as a substitute and scores the third to make it 3-0. Football on a Saturday evening is the best!

Like a proper geek, I spend the rest of my Saturday evening working on websites and actually feeling some accomplishment as a result (coupled with nerd satisfaction). I really need to go out and just get pissed and offensive methinks, a blow out may be on the horizon. How long is it to All Tomorrows Parties?

Tired with that and done for the evening, I finally get around to watching a DVD I picked up in the sales: The Adam And Joe DVD. This stuff is really funny; I had forgotten how good they were. The hard chore of laughing out loud is made easier as they do all kinds of inventive stupid shit like organising a piss up in a brewery, going into a supermarket and only taking (eating and drinking) the “free” percentages of goods. And of course there are the great Star Wars figures TV show piss takes of TFI Friday and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire etc. How could they desecrate their Star Wars figures in that way though?

During watching the DVD, Sara comes online and hits me on MSN. I really can’t be arsed to speak to her (again). She tells me how her old man has the arse with her because of her antics with the 37 year old squaddie with Gulf War syndrome apparently. She is stressing about her period being late and basically: bothered. I’m more concerned about getting my ticket money back but to be honest this is a girl who chose to spend her money on nose candy instead of pay her council tax/rates, all to the point of her being taken to court in some kind of judgement and court order (or something). She asks me if I DJed last night and I ditch the bitch.

Jerry Springer night comes on TV and I figure I might as well wallow in shit and check out what I missed four weeks ago exactly. The show is ok. I reckon it would actually have been pretty good to watch in person, it would have been a really good night. I fail to see what all the fuss was over; it isn’t really all that shocking, just generally pretty silly. It does portray some sacred cows in a new, unique light but its nothing worse than anything else on TV even if it does affect people’s sensibilities.

Then I pass out.

np: Jesus & Mary Chain - Snakedriver