My Favouritest Things In The Whole World Here are some of the things I like to get up to when I’m not slaving my guts out at work, recovering from work or sleeping. If you have any idea how I could get a real life, please drop me an e-mail at Smokingunn@ntlworld.com Sports and Healthy stuff Cycling, golf and cricket are my main sports – I’ll play anything from Badminton to Bowls but the bikes and bats are what I enjoy most. I play cricket for South Nottinghamshire village league side West Bridgfordians. Last season I mostly played in the 1st team but I was making up the numbers – my average was about 2. In the couple of games I played for the 2nds I averaged 8.5 and in a glorious friendly match I got 26. I like to keep wicket but didn’t get much of a chance last season and my bowling is a thing of ridicule. Winter nets start indoors at Trent Bridge in January – if you’d like to come along to nets or to watch us play during the season, check out www.wbcricket.com for all the information and contact addresses. Guaranteed fun, especially when I’m at the crease (don’t blink, you’ll miss it). When not playing cricket and otherwise feeling healthy you’ll often find me out on the roads of Nottinghamshire on my bike. I own a Holdsworth Criterium (no link, as the company has ceased to exist), lovely hand-built racing bike; 501 frame and Shimano Bio-pace (remember that?) 12 speed derailleur with a freewheel that just goes forever. Someone once came up to me in the street and offered to buy it from me so at least one other person out there likes them. This summer, I’m planning to do the Lands end – John O’groats thing, which is something I’ve always wanted to do. Read my diary of my Lands end to John'O Graots trip: Click Here ! I’m currently a member of the Springwater Golf Club at Calverton. This is a nice fair 18 – hole parkland course with a good mix of gradient and length. The clubhouse also does an excellent burger and chips with creamy Mansfield ale. I try to get out at least once a week – currently playing off 24 but coming down. The course welcomes visitors so check out www.springwatergolf.co.uk for green fees and information. I also make sure I take my clubs home to Edinburgh whenever I can – I learnt to play on Swanston Golf Course; www.swanston.co.uk/sgc/ - a course apparently designed for people with 1 leg shorter than the other and totally resistant to a howling gale - nice views though. I can also personally recommend Braid Hills (tricky, with lots of gorse) and Carrickknowe (nice wide open fairways without too much to trouble you). In the 4 years I spent at St. Andrews I only managed to get on the Old Course once – it was, however, an unforgettable experience on a sunny, totally still morning. I did par the 10th as well as avoiding the Road Hole bunker and putting my drive on the 18th onto the road across the fairway. Only time I’ve putted out on the last hole with a gallery watching! I am NOT a Trekkie! Or trekker, to be exact. See, I even know the lingo. I do like Sci-fi and fantasy stuff though. In particular, Babylon 5 and Terry Pratchett books. For the uninitiated, read on….. Babylon 5 – our last best hope for peace Also the finest television sci-fi series ever made. Created by Joe Michael Straczynski, the program charts the story of Space Station Babylon 5, a quarter of a million humans and aliens, wrapped in 2,500,000 tons of spinning metal, all alone in the night. With a feature length pilot, 5 series and 4 feature length movies plus a short lived spin off series, B5 has plenty to get your teeth into – the first sci-fi series really to construct, develop and maintain a full 5 year/series story arc which, unlike Star trek, didn’t involve everybody instantly forgetting everything they learnt the previous week. There’s plenty of stuff out there that will tell you all about how great a show this was. Best sites include; www.midwinter.com/lurk/lurker.html Terry Pratchett – a literary genius I first got into Pratchett when I bought ‘Feet of Clay’ to keep me amused whilst my then girlfriend moved flat. I got so hooked I bought the rest of the Discworld series at 1 a month. 25 later (paperbacks) and I just bought the latest – ‘The Truth’. Pratchett’s characterisation, descriptive prose and literate humour create a comic structure behind which hide real issues and conflicts whilst his ability to create fully drawn pictures of characters in your head with only a few sentences surpasses even Dickens. Multi-layered, moral without being moralistic and rewarding rereading by hiding great jokes and puns so well that they poke out later on, like an unwelcome erection at the swimming baths, Discworld novels are refreshingly accessible – you don’t need to have read any of them to understand the latest. Without hesitation I would advise you to read one NOW – stop looking for internet porn and go read a book. My favourites are the city Guard series – Guards!Guards!, Men at Arms, Feet of Clay, Jingo, & The Fifth Elephant. All true fans should join the Guild of Fans and Disciples, www.geocities.com/Area51/1777/menu.html	View my latest figures in the gallery: