Would like to start by saying I have been busy sorting Strike Towers out, hence being a little quiet on here. But with a lot more furniture coming through thanks to community care grant, it finally feels like I am at home! Though still no cooker or fridge!

I went to see an interesting Paris based American electro act Uffie at Concorde 2 on Saturday, with her rapping behind French electro house! Good artist, but should have been on stage longer and not let her co French DJs (pronouncing Bry-tonne was one highlight) be the show. Plus I should have chatted to nice blonde Danish bar girl a lot more than just asking for drink and where she was from shyness kicking in again! Damn!

I will be attending the REMF match between Brighton fans and P*lace fans on Friday, as tradition! Plus will be marking the 5th anniversary next month of Strike Factory with a special blog entry looking back over the last five years the highlights and lows in this exciting and strange period of my life. From the stresses of home (plus Crawley) and returning to college, to saving the WTA Eastbourne tennis event, and the classic comments of Abi Jones (boo sticks!), Andy Rumble and Steve Valder etc in response to blog entries.

I have started exercising again in a bid to try and get back into long distance running, influenced by Andy Rumble running at this years Brighton Marathon, I am now training to return to long distance running at club standard, and take part in the 2011 Brighton Marathon, in return Strike Factory sponsors and endorses Mr Rumble and his charity the Rockinghorse appeal.

My grant is still yet to frustratingly arrive, the flat is still generally bare (apart from a kind donation of chest of draws by Andy Rumble!). I hopefully should get some help from Signpost (organisation that helps young people that have gone into homes).

I was a non playing guest at the World Marble Championships, which take place in the Greyhound, at Tinsley Green. I was curious about the history of this great Sussex event which according to local legend marbles has been played here since the late 16^th century when a Sussex man took on a Surrey man in a bid to woo a local maid! The World Marble championships have therefore taken place since 1932! I hope to enter a Strike Factory team next year to take on teams from the local Sussex and Surrey area, Germany, USA, and New Zealand. Hopefully some of my blogger friends can arrange some warm up events.

Today I met a former work colleague (will keep her anonymous) from my days at Sports Soccer. She was shocked that apparently I was the only guy she knew from her sports soccer days that is single and has no kids still! I ended up saying to her so what I am happy being single, and free though want a lady in my life one day but not too fussed at the moment! She was also funny about my taste of music. At the end of the day who cares, I am happy and comfortable with my life, yes it can be a bit improved. But there is plenty of 20 something guys that are single and have similar music taste, except the majority that worked at Sports Soccer I guess!

Finally I was shocked and sad about the death of Polish president Lech Kaczyński  and other people that perished in the plane over the weekend. Kaczyński was in general a respectable president of Poland, who oversaw Poland be one of the few country’s in Europe cope well during the recession and was a patriot who reached to Poland’s Jewish community and was anti-Lisbon Treaty. Only negative was he was a critic of gay rights but otherwise seemed a good man that cared about his country! Yet another tragedy in the history of these brave people!

Well it is now my third week at the flat, and things have generally been fine, apart from a tragic event involving a neighbour below my flat on Saturday! I hope to start decorating the flat this week.

I made my long awaited return to playing tennis this week at Crawley LTC, partnering a lovely woman named Connie I made a glorious return losing 6-0 in the mixed doubles, but won my next two matches after that. I am now working out my finances to see if I am able long term to return playing regular tennis at this fine tennis club.

I had an exciting Saturday night, starting off at Northern Lights Brighton’s quality Nordic themed pub/ restuaurant, with its legendary eccentric master from Finland Manu Lappenen entertaining the regulars, and chatting to regulars regarding anything from girls, Green South Africans to Norwegian Black Metal, rumour has it that the place celebrated 2 years the other day with wild exciting scenes at the birthday party esp involving Mr Lappenen himself! I will certainly love to consider it as one of the venues to celebrate Strike Factorys 5^th Birthday Anniversary in late May, following the successful Albion Roar Xmas and New Years Eve partys at the same venue!

I then joined up with Paul Hayward and his friend whose name escapes me, to see Transformers at Audio, and I was stalked by some former Holy Trinity pupils that are closet fans of my good self who knew I was Charles Ball, but thought I attended Holy Trinity school which I never did, getting me mixed up with my younger brothers who both attended the school, although a blonde girl in the group did excite me.

Finally a special mention to Brett Mendoza, who recently has entered the field of video and web media, he is well known to Brighton & Hove Albion and Sussex cricket fans as ‘that Chinese guy’, but is an English Gentleman born and bred to Filipino parents to be accurate. He has recently produced this quality video on information about his home city of Brighton and Hove, and is worthy of the five starts to win an online event he has entered check it out at here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01sa_B6Knes  for more information check out TEAM BRETT : Please Vote For Me !!!!! on Facebook!

That’s all I am off to play some classic Tekken and then sleep. Take care people!