Well, that was a relaxing half term (oh, I mean 'reading week'...)

Relax. No need to cover your ears! This week's 'show' is being 'broadcast' using my keyboard only. You don't have to hear my dolcit tones through your speakers this week!

To briefly cover last week's attempt...

Apologies to everyone. I owe you all 25 minutes of your life back (although I'm sure it's MUCH more if you read this dribble every week). The response was varied, from 'I feel dirty' to 'You had me in tears with laughter'. Not everyone pur their comments on my Blog, some just resorted to that old fashioned method of speaking to me! Thanks to my brother Ian for doing the news, Comedic Dave (to avoid Radio 1 copywright). When we recorded the interview (me and Comedic Dave were in my car, at the Uni car park out the back of the Art block. Yes, there was a skip full of rubbish).

Before we get onto this week (WARNING: LONG BLOG ALERT) I need to cover some house keeping. First off, my digital camera is just about dead - in Monty Python's words, it's an Ex-Parrot (or camera). My pictures from now on are pretty rubbish. Sorry.

Also, the winner of the Mars bar (sorry to all others) was Scott Harris for getting joint top score of 70% on the Bebo October Quiz, and for contacting me first after last week's podcast. Congratulations Scott! We had a lavish awards ceremony on Friday (and after the photo was taken, I nearly walked off with the prize!!!).

Scott wins the OCTOBER QUIZ (only on catcouk.bebo.com)

So, on to this week. I had the week 'off' Uni this week, as it's our version of half-term, laughably known as 'Reading Week'. I have been working flat out over the last couple of weeks, whilst also trying to recover from clinical depression and stress. I know this will come as a shock to the CATCOUK faithful, but it is the truth. So anyways, I'm not after sympathy, you just need to understand that I really needed a rest this week!

Driving home Friday afternoon last week, I sat in my car, and laughed! Relax! This week. Chance would be a fine thing! Here is my week of fun:

Last FRIDAY: TS Intrepid host an open evening. A big event for my youth group, as it was pretty much make or break. It being the case that I'm the general dog's body on the ship (and I do most things) I was racing around like a blue ar**d fly trying to get everything ready in time. Everything was just ready as doors opened at 7.30pm, and I threw my uniform on, so that I could play with the band.

Things calm down after a really succesful evening, and I'm talking with the boss (Commanding Officer Brian). He said to me, 'years ago, he would have been really worried about an evening like tonight. But it was nice not to worry tonight, because I knew my junior officers were taking care of it. Years ago, I would have been running about like a mad man organising it, and it was nice to see someone else doing it for a change!' Yeah - ME! Thanks Brian! You can keep the CO's badge for many years yet...

Sorry Holly, this was why I couldn't come to Shieks that night!

Last SATURDAY/ SUNDAY: I attended an RYA Safety Boat course in Portsmouth (NSTC Lion), whilst my Marching Band (with NTC youth group) had a band training sleepover weekend. The course wasn't stressful, but it was important to take note - I might have to use the knowledge to save lives one day. But after the course was finished on the Saturday, I drove the 40 miles back to Lancing to spend the evening with my band.

I drove 40 miles to get a bad back sleeping on a rock hard stage (that amplified farts into earthquakes - me an my fellow officers were woken up at 5 with the loudest fart in the history of mankind - Hi Shaun). I drove 40 miles to get one of my cadets say to me 'Why aren't you here? We need you! You're out of order and just not committed!' I'm sure you can imagine I had some choice words for him (Hi Sam). I drove 40 miles to then drive 40 miles back the next morning for part deux of the Safety Boat course. I am now a fully qualified RYA Safety Boatman now though. To find out if how the band did, read on...

TUESDAY: Having missed Mum's birthday last Tuesday (busy at Uni, left home at 8am, got back at 10pm) I took Mum down to Gun Wharf Quays, Portsmouth. We also went up the Spinnaker Tower (a birthday treat for Mum - Happy 51st Birthday Moo!).

Happy Birthday Moo (Mum's nickname, whilst I am Roo - AndROO), waiting in the que to go up Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower. For more happy snaps, check out the album on my Bebo.

THURSDAY/ FRIDAY: Shock Horror! I actually went to University on these two days! I really had to do some work, as I have a 2000 word psychology assignment for next week. And I just couldn't get motivated. Ironice really, seeing as how motivation was the subject of the assignment...

SATURDAY: My friend Rob was down from London (Hi Rob), so we went out for the day with our friend Scott. And then we spent the evening watching Littlehampton Bonfire parade! I eventually got home at 11pm!

SUNDAY: Oh my god. I can't even begin to tell you how stressful Sunday was. The Nautical Training Corps National Band Contest (what the band was practicing last week). Anyone that has ever performed in a competition of any sort will know how stressful that is alone, but I also had to do the PR for this event, so again (like last Friday) I was running around like a headless chicken. But it was worth.

Really I should devote a whole post to this, but I think this makes my point subtly enough:






WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON!
WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON!
WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON!

Point made. All of the hard work paid off. The Marching Band of TS Intrepid NTC had it's most successful contest EVER! In the ship's 45 year history, we have never won so many awards: 7 trophies (there were only 3 we didn't get!): Best Percussion, Best Mallets (bell lyres), Best General Music Effect, Best Display and Showmanship, Best Dress and Turnout (smart uniforms), Best Drum Major (person at the front with big stick), and CHAMPIONS OF NOVICE CLASS with 590 points (4th highest score accross ALL of the bands in ALL of the classes).

The multi-award winning Novice Class champions - 2006: the Marching Band of TS INTREPID. Look - that's me on the right!

Just incredible. 5 weeks ago, we didn't even really have a whole band (only 9 people). Most of all (and I've chanted this all day) I am so impressed with our Drum Major (well done Lizzie). She only JOINED THE SHIP 6 weeks ago! I just asked if she'd like to have a go, and she was 1.25 (that's one and a quarter) points away from winning best drum major out of any of the classes (all above awards are best in Novice Class).

I can't type enough for you to feel my excitement. I am so proud of all of my cadets. Regardless of who takes the mick out of me for doing what I do with the NTC (yes Chris Hodgson [Uni Lecturer] - I mean you!), I am amazed. We even won best percussion with ME playing a drum - what is going on? If I can get some paperwork done, I'll put our performance on YouTube. Brilliant.

So, that was my nice relaxing (ha ha) week away from Uni. I'm now up late tonight telling you, and I'll be sleeping... no I mean sitting and listening intently in a lecture tommorrow. Have a good week y'all!

If you think I'm a wuss, and really, I did have a relaxing week, and I should try working for a living instead of a being a scumbag student, why not leave a comment telling me how much you hate me.

If you understand what I'm saying, and would like to help me 'relax' (females only - not you Abdulha...) leave me a comment starting with 'Relax, don't do it, when you want to go to it'.