Counting pennies

Haven't posted anything here for a while. Probably because I couldn't be bothered, or else there wasn't anything groundbreaking enough to write. Well, sure there was. But laziness is the rule, not the exception.

Dissertation is going well, but progress has been pretty slow, since there's a lot of stuff that having been going my way. It's planned pretty well, most of the chapters have been outlined, and I got enough material and books for the time being. But I'll definitely be needing a few more books and analytical papers which will probably mean I'm either gonna have to dish out more cash on books (Note: I'm willing to do odd jobs, like looking after your alcohol cabinet at home, or even, if necessary, the fridge. It's a hard job, but I'll go that extra mile for anyone willing to pay. Contact me if you got such a job available) or else travel to London to get that little bit extra material from a library, photocopies and all.

Although I think my American passport won't save my ass from British airport security officials when they open my luggage and find several hundred pages worth of analytical information on terrorism and al Qaeda. But then again, I wouldn't blame them, security being what it is today. But somehow I don't think a short, blue-eyed dude who can barely grow a stubble on his chin really poses a security threat to anyone, right?

If anything, the University's student card will prove my case. Right? Yeah, probably not.
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It's funny. Last year, Chelsea made it to Moscow where they played against Man Utd (and lost, damn you Terry! Buy some decent fuckin' cleats dude!), and I spent a week scrounging for every penny I had to make the trip to Moscow. Alas, I didn't have enough pennies, and I guess it worked out ok. I don't think I would have been able to deal with the disappointment of watching Chelsea lose on penalties.

This year is another story. I had no idea Chelsea would be in the semi-finals at this point, it just didn't figure into my long term planning really. So I planned to travel to London in order to get some research done at the Institute of Strategic Studies. They have some decent literature about terrorism and security, and that's exactly what I need. So I planned to go between June 1st and June 5/6th. No problem.

But

I wasn't planning for Chelsea to be one step away from the Champtions League final in Rome on May 27th. All they have to do is defeat Barcelona, who's been the best team in Europe this season in both domestic and European competitions, thanks to their young prodigy/son of the devil Lionel Messi. (I'm just kidding, just because he scores more goals against the best teams in Europe than most normal people can in front of an empty net doesn't make him a demon. Fuck it, yeah it does.)

So, my plans hinge on a 21 year old's golden foot and Chelsea's ability to stop him on the 28th of April, and the 4th of May. If they lose, ah well. Maybe next year, right? If they win.. Rome beckons. The Champions League final is on May 27th, as I said, and I planned to go to London on June 1st - 6th. Going to both would stretch my pockets like a midget hanging upside and tying his head to the floor in order to get that few inches taller.

Fuck it - both if possible, Rome takes priority. London can wait a few months, right? It ain't going anywhere. For your viewing pleasure.

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For your viewing pleasure. Would have shown it here, but the width was fucked up.