June 25th 2024 Today Jim tried his best but couldn’t influence an enjoyable watchalong of England’s last group game in Euro 2024. We went to the Bottle of Sauce. We had a private room. Brad was there. Jim was there. England were shit. And that’s not Jim’s fault, but it probably is Gareth Southgate’s. With all that being said, I have a weird feeling England will do well in this tournament, and we’ll look back on this period as one of “aha, we were just saving ourselves” but also, we’re fucking shit. So there’s that. First place. Five points. Two … Continue reading Watchalong

June 24th 2024 Today I’m sorry that this is the way I’m telling you, but Hannah and I have broken up. She’s moved most of her stuff out tonight, and taken the cat. I can’t talk about it yet, so don’t ask me. I’m fine. Probably. It’s been done for over a week but I just couldn’t face talking about it. But now she’s gone and the cat’s gone and it’s just me and the puppy. Until tomorrow, please just give me some space for a week. James Continue reading Cat

June 23rd 2024 Today Dad and I dodged the cows to play a round of golf and Minchinhampton old course. I am almost positive that I’ve not played there before, but I suffered from a chronic Deja Vu the entire round which informs me that I might’ve. Either way, it was a fun day out. I was potentially more competitive than I would usually be for a round of golf with my dad, and that’s probably directly attributable to losing my matchplay competition yesterday. I couldn’t play two rounds of golf in a weekend and not win either of them. … Continue reading Attributable

June 22nd 2024 Today I lost in the quarter finals of the Gloucester Golf Club summer match play series. He was there for the taking. I played against a 5 handicapper who had to give me 9 shots, but he was playing like a 15 handicapper for most of the front nine, but I was playing like a 25. I was actually driving the ball better than I have done in a little while, but I could not chip for toffee. And that was the difference. So now I’m going to spend a week in the garden with my chipping … Continue reading Chipping

June 21st 2024 Today at 30 years old I finally have a regular barber. And by that I mean I have one I have been to twice. And I’m fairly sure he recognised me from the previous time, so that’s an instant win. And this one isn’t my cousin’s girlfriend, or my dad’s barber, but my very own! I say this every time, but I always forget how much a haircut changes my view of myself. My hair has gone. But it was so long before. It’s been so long, long, since I haven’t seeeeeeeen your face. Et cetera. I … Continue reading Recognised

June 20th 2024 Today is the summer solstice. Traditionally one of my favourite days of the year, because fuck winter that’s why. It is almost 11pm and it is light outside. And I am so warm, uncomfortably warm, and my brain is fried, and England played shit in the Euros but have probably still qualified. It’s hard to tell whether the summer solstice is a good thing or a bad thing, because it means that summer is here, and that makes me happy, but it also means that every day that passes the world gets a little bit darker a … Continue reading Darker

June 19th 2024 Today I felt very weak during my lunchtime F45 class. I just really hate any type of bodyweight exercises. Planks? Nah. Press ups? Fuck that. Chin ups? No thank you. Burpees? Especially not. Give me a rowing machine over bodyweight pods any day. There’s a poetic irony in the fact that I can’t even support my own weight, I just can’t be arsed to find it. Until tomorrow, carry me. Jacn Continue reading Bodyweight

June 18th 2024 Today I went to my local chess club for the first time. I’ve played a lot of chess online over the last few years. Like everyone else my age who plays chess, I watched The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix during covid, downloaded a Chess.com account, and have since played 9,396 online games of chess. I got a bit addicted. Eventually, I decided to translate some of that experience/addiction/enjoyment into a real thing, and so I Googled “Cheltenham chess club”, and went along to my first session tonight. I enjoyed it. I played six games, won four, and … Continue reading Classical

June 17th 2024 Today I got home after a long day of travelling home from a long weekend in Germany, and immediately it was like my lifeforce left my body. If I squinted I could see it leaving. Until tomorrow, I need to sleep for a long time. Jacn Continue reading Lifeforce

June 16th 2024 Today I was at Schalke’s Stadium in Gelsenkirchen to watch England beat Serbia 1-0 at Euro 2024. We had literal front row seats, but the entire stadium was on their feet the entire game. The atmosphere from both sets of fans was intense in the first half particularly, but a nervy second half quietened the England fans. The stadium is beautiful though. One of the nicer stadiums I’ve watched football in. It’s been a long day. We got to the fan park before midday and stayed for the first game as England fans slowly filtered in: The … Continue reading Gelsenkirchen