Open Letter; Dear World...

Dear World,

In recent months, I have been spending a rather large amount of time around American’s... one in particular. This one will probably be the one I spend more time with than anyone else here, and to tell the truth I’m not too upset about this.

It is in light of this that I unashamedly proclaim that I have been saying, with increasing regularity, phrases with “foreign” words in, such as bathroom in place of toilet, and soccer in place of football. I have had a few American mannerisms developing. I’m married to an American and half of my family is now American.

It is with no hint of aggression or bitterness that I say; “World… Get over it”. I love my heritage, and am just as grateful that I get to experience another culture, variation of mother tongue and ways of life… Thank you world, my life is richer for it.

With love,

Your favourite 23 year old.

Lag Off...

The last few days in America down in Asheville, NC, were not ones of significant rest and relaxation. Spooner has an array of colourful and interesting friends- whom we would be out visiting and having fun with until earlier hours. In addition Nathan (who kindly lent us his spare bedroom) was a talkative and lovely young fellow who we would wake from his sofa-based slumber and keep up for another couple of hours. It would often be 2am before Liz and I were bedward bound. I say often, we were there for 2 nights!

As much fun as this was, it did not bless my soon to be jet-lagged induced body.

On the morning of departure (and all times will now be GMT!) we arose at about midday… we arrived in the UK 18 hours later at 6am (when we were catapulted 5 hours into the future- where I now remain) and pushed through to 10pm that evening before heading to bed- meaning I’d been awake for 34 hours continuously. Phil Brown’s body continues not to fall asleep on aeroplanes.

Then comes a weekend. A weekend where a stag/bachelor party is a must, meaning arising at 7.30am. On a Saturday. An exhausting day of football and beach shenanigans featuring a wonderful curry at the end later leads to my mother and little sister visiting from Newcastle. Having not seen them for a good few months we chatted until late, set their beds up and went off to a well needed deep sleep.

3 seconds, or so it felt, later my alarm went off at 7am so that I could shower, eat and go and play in the church band. (After sleep talking a significant amount and keeping my lovely wife up).

Not the kind of jet lag recovery I was hoping for… now we’re back at work, and I can’t work out if I’m falling asleep due to lag, or just no sleep.

I say; LAG OFF!

2008 Christmas...

With my mind still on American time and my body just not coping with thinking it's going to work at 4am on a Friday morning, I cannot work, alas I fear I cannot blog. But despite the fact my Math teacher isn't too bright and gave us exactly the same question for our assignment that he did for our work in class, I still cannot work.


Returning from America, people expected me to have many new anecdotes and stories, but I really don't! I had a wonderful Christmas with the in-laws and met some wonderful new brothers and sisters-in-law, and it was just lovely being with Liz's family, on their terms, where they are comfortable. But there were no exciting adventures, I just felt at home and chilaxed American style- which is very similar to English style and which I'm pretty adept at.


Not being with my family for the first Christmas ever was a real strain, almost willing them not to call up because of worry that it would be too emotional. I'm so glad they did though, my affection for my parents is only second to my wife, and hearing their voices was a real godsend. My in-laws gave me many highlights to remember:

Playing in the snow. We get coatings of snow in Britain, flashings of snow, if you will. It was great to have about a foot of snow for the majority of time we were there. It was so much fun to be able to hurl myself to the ground, or simply trip up spectacularly in front of my mother and sister-in-law just before the entrance of the Carousel Shopping Mall, and feel like I'm falling on pillows and marshmallows. I even enjoyed feeling like my face was going to freeze off just so that I could stand amidst a snow storm.


Meeting new family. We had a wonderful wedding celebration while in America- hosted by Loretta- in which 30 or 40 new people (cousins, uncles, aunts and close friends) came along and I had to meet each one and try in vain to remember each one. It was quite the day! But luckily I had Brad, Brad, Bobby and Bob to keep me company and save my bacon, especially Mindy's Brad! I was able to cling on by having fun with a great brother-in-law who had this same initiation only a few years back. Thanks Brad Mac!


Pride FM- where they play Star Spangled Banner and Proud to be an American all day long, non-stop.


Gaining a niece! As mad as I have been getting at Liz for having too many pictures of her (now our) niece around the flat, upon meeting her, I instantly knew why. She was adorable and we had a lot of fun together. Teaching children naughty things that I know I won't have to deal with is something of a speciality of mine, this was no different. We learnt that picking your nose and eating it was fun, that bouncing on sofa's and beds is not wrong, and that hitting people in the face is hilarious. T'was wicked. But I'm not broody just yet. Honest?


Nintendo Wii. Bobby and I ruled the Wii, or the Olympic Games at least- beating each other to World Records was the new Beer Pong. Fencing was a particular highlight, with Bob and I locked into what seemed like a genuine duel of hatred, getting steadily closer to each other and the TV screen while slashing violently, but accurately. My arms are now stacked. Although I'm not sure what's more frightening, how much I unexpectedly enjoyed it, or that my sister also received a Wii and apparently is kicking butt at WWE!


Food. This will be a surprise to no one. If anyone stays with the Watkins' you have to request Loretta's pulled pork and chicken. I will leave it there, it's making me hungry.


Overall, the best thing was seeing where my lovely wife grew up, the sights and sounds of Canastota and the surrounding area's. Meeting her influences, seeing how she is around her family in a comfortable environment. Observing as she engages in conversation with older and wiser generations of her family. How she is the same with me as with them and knowing that I've fallen in in love with someone genuine to the highest degree. I have married a truly remarkable woman and into a great family.


God bless America.

Olympic Fever Has Hit...

It's fast. It's furious. And it's here! The Olympic Games, held in China in 2008, have commenced! Not without well documented issues and controversies, but nonetheless, it's well and truly here. Typically, England have already won 0 medals to USA's 98, but this time is completely different for me... I have a legitimate claim to chant and cheer on our American hero's. I've not got my Green Card yet, but thanks to bagging me a blond-haired stunner of an American, I can celebrate sporting excellence!

It means the Olympics will never quite be the same for me. True, as long as triple-jumping, rowing and Paula Radcliffe are around, we have guaranteed gold medals (I mean, even I can jump a length that would qualify me for the women's triple-jump competition!), I will never really have the build up of one unheard athlete who has freakishly made it to a final and could hit the giddy heights of bronze. From here on out, only gold is good enough for me.

There is nothing quite like it when Great Britain have a chance of a medal- I really can't explain it. Whoever the competitor, in whatever the event; I scream and urge them on with all I have within me. Never again, I am now an elitist!

Still... this following video is immense. The first qualifying heat of the 100m men's freestyle; then Eric the Eel was born. I can't help but laugh, this was fro the 2000 Sydney Games. Quality.

P.S. I apologise that this is an Australian studio broad casted programme. Watching this live was one of the greatest moments of my sport-watching history. Please bear with the whole 4 minutes!