Life just keeps interfering…

Today's reading: I'm on to Benedict Anderson's Imagined Communities, which I've been meaning to read for years, and the second Anne of Green Gables novel, Anne of Avonlea. And no, I don't feel any need to defend it. I'm a professional literature teacher and I can read whatever I want. I'll hold fire on critical judgement for a while though. My colleague Steve says that Imagined Communities is his desert-island choice - weirdo.

Stoke City won their Carling Cup match on Tuesday - we're through to the quarter-finals for the first time in thirty years. I'm hoping to draw Arsenal at home (so we can rub victory in Arséne's face yet again) or Blackburn - because we can beat them and I can mock Laura mercilessly.

The Guardian is having a bit of a laugh at Stoke's expense and Rory Delap in particular. Smug metropolitan gimps. They won't be laughing when we win the cup and qualify for the Champions' League. 

I had a fantastically unsuccessful lecture today - one of those sessions which makes you want to work in a shop. No enthusiasm, intellectual engagement or respect from the class. It was like a primary school class pumped full of Ritalin. I gave up a few minutes early because I couldn't keep track of my points amidst the childish giggling and interruptions. 

Oh well - it's my Sappho and Catullus poetry session this afternoon - which would be OK except that I'm being observed for my PGCE in FE/HE, which makes me a little nervous. Then after that - off to coach the fencing team. Must resist murderous urges…