More musing...

Well, the editing of the thesis is going quite smoothly - with only one piece of duplication so far, which in itself can be justified . Two more chapters to go, then the final chapter to write, then a final edit. Its a good feeling to think of the end being in sight!

Thought I would talk a bit about another one of my passions and interests, Everton FC. I am a latecomer to the joys of the beauthiful game. As a short-sighted, unathletic child, football held few fascinations, even the thighs of the most attractive players seemed to pass me by. Before I moved to Liverpool, I got to know Graeme Dodd, who is sadly no longer with us - he died back in 1993. Graeme was a passionate Evertonian, and I think some of the enthusiasm rubbed off on me, as when I moved to Liverpool, in the shadow of Goodison Park, I started to take a once-removed interest in the fortunes - or rather, the woes and troubles, of Everton FC! A few years later, I had the opportunity to witness the police procedures at Goodison, and got a freeticket to see the game afterwards - and I was totally hooked. I went to nearly every remaining home match that season and for the past two seasons have held a season ticket for the Blues.

As a club, we have a very strong and durable local following - I think even Reds would agree that they are outnumbered in the city by Blues ( and look at the attendance for Liverpool midweek home matches for evidence) - and last years poor season, followed by the boardroom troubles and the departure of Shrek to MancScumUnited, meant that we Evertonians were gritting our teeth for relegation. But now we sit at third in the Premiership, there is a financial deal on the horizon, David Moyes has re-signed as manager, and things are looking good. There are no real 'stars' in the team, but they work together well as a unit.

We all keep wondering if the bubble will burst, but if we can hold our nerve over the Christmas period, then some new signings ( I hope James Beattie and Scott Parker?) will help strengthen us further.

We have got tickets for the stage show of Little Britain - which we had to buy a year in adavnce. Just shows what a phenomenon the programme has become...

On Saturday we went over to Yorkshire, where I used to live, to give a talk to the Yorkshire LGCM on the future of the Church. I used to be an active member of that group,. and I am now part of a local Changing Attitude group for this diocese - our role is to work for the affirmation of gay and lesbian people within the Anglican church. I am inderpendent minded, and I think my considered view that the Anglican Communion should be swiftly confined to history may not be the dominant view amongst those in Changing Attitude nationally, but it was interesting that many seem to have reached the same conclusion although are not saying so quite as clearly. The Archbishop of Canterbury, to his credit, has raised the issue in a very fair and well considered Advent message, but has been criticised by conservatives as expected. Its a great shame that a wise and insightful Artchbishop, who is no politician, and who has on occasion lost his nerve and not stuck by what he thinks in the name of seeking unity, will probably see both the break-up of the Anglican Communion and the Church of England during his time of office. My own view is that these splits will be a beneficial thing.