We saw U2 at Twickenham Sunday a week ago. Awesome, awesome, awesome show. These are not my pics - we were in the stands, this guy was right next to the stage! Everything ws magnificently produced - staging, lighting, sound mixing, performance - they still have so much energy it's thrilling to be there. Loved it! 

Where the Streets Have No Name 

Bono on the drums... Set list below...  

Vertigo
All Because of You
Electric Co
Elevation
New Years Day
Beautiful Day
Still Haven't Found...
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
City of Blinding Lights
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can't Make it...
Love & Peace Or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky
Running to Stand Still / Walk On
Pride
Where the Streets...
One

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Zoo Station
The Fly
With Or Without You

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Yahweh
Vertigo 

Semi-recent pic of me on the balcony...chubby squirrel cheeks post-exams caused by eating too many Pringles. Whoops! 

Brad with monster dhufish he caught and my little darlin' princess Lauren... 

Dublin Update

Flying out 14th July (Thursday) in the evening after work, flying back 17th July (Sunday). Staying at...Trinity College, in residential apartments within the university itself! Soooo excited. We've scoured the internet trying to find places to stay, but this was the most interesting of all! Stu gets to wake up on his 30th birthday in a place founded in 1592 - that's kinda cool! Read more on the history here.

Aaaaaaah, 32 again today. Pass me my pina colada will you? Our weekly planning meeting was held on the lawn at the rural campus yesterday - I sat there thinking 'I'm getting paid to sit in the sun surrounded by green fields'. Until a nettle stung my foot but that was only a minor irritation! Oh, that and the massive sunburn in a V shape on my back due to the V-shaped top I was wearing! My worse cases of sunburn have always been in the UK! Alas, of course, the forecast for this weekend is showers. But showers AND 27 degrees >:) .

Where do the days go??

Hot hot hot!
Currently enjoying our fifth day over 27 degrees – the weekend was up to a delightful 33 degrees! My tan is coming along verrrrrry nicely 

Holiday! Celebrate!
Stu is 30 on July 15, and we’re celebrating it in Dublin. I’ve never been there so recommendations of things to see and do welcomed! Was thinking tour of the Guinness factory, Trinity College, Windmill Street, general wandering and drinking loads of Guinness, and perhaps a gallery. We’re only there three nights, then the day after we get back we’re doing a tour of Arsenal Stadium with former player Bob Wilson. Very exciting  And Stu gets a five day birthday celebration!

Exams over – phew
Aye carumba, the last exam was difficult. I spent a week slothing and doing very little following it. It was the one covering a year’s worth of material, I know I passed but probably not as well as the other two. Three essays to write and 20 short answers, my hand was cramping an hour in! And I got to totally diss Freud for one of them, he’s not my favourite. Very male-centric and places too much emphasis on childhood in forming the adult personality. Yes it probably does have an impact, but so do experiences in adult life. So there!

Coaching
Continued on the path to my coaching qualification over the weekend just gone in Warwick, with a two day training course. Next stage is coaching people so I can be assessed on it, so you might be hearing from me soon! Coaching is fascinating, it’s future-focussed and action-based, unlike things like counselling which work from past experiences and don’t set actions. People sometimes confuse the two, but they are different. Coaching is about moving you forward, and kick-starting you into action. So if you’re feeling there’s something you’d like to change in your life, even if you’re not sure what it is, send me email and we can work it through during coaching sessions.

New job…is going well. In my Camden office I can hear a cow (who is called Honey, she did a Houdini last week and was wandering on the driveway when I arrived at work!), there were pigs yesterday, and often sheep too. Vaguely bizarre hearing farm noises in the middle of London! Lovely people, interesting work, embarrassingly short working hours for London, decent money, all in all pretty darn good!

Social Diary
- Saturday last week - BBQ at Simon and Claire's place. Sampled Simon's home made burgers and I have to say they were impressive. I'm sure I tasted coriander seeds in there!
- Sunday last week - lunch/dinner/boozy extended afternoon with Cath and Bill. Gorgeous meal and fabulous company as always.
- Saturday just gone - Carl's 25th birthday, started at 19:20 then moved onto Smiths. Stuck to cocktails all night. Still had one too many. I'm getting too old for hangovers! Especially when I have to get up and keep studying!

My last exam is this Friday. Then I get to let loose for a few months!

Happy 25th Carl, you young thing! 

The lovely Lynn in Smiths. 

Carl et al at a bar in Smith's in Farringdon. I went one cocktail over the edge...  

Liverpool came back from 3-0 down to win the Champions League. This is my buddy Geva (from university) after the last penalty was saved and Liverpool won. Who says it's just a game?? I watched grown men cry and hug and jump up and down with strangers! I think Geva is still smiling! 

Stu decided to grow his beard over the last few weeks. I think he just couldn't be bothered shaving! Sadly he shaved it all off this weekend. The baby face is back.