A Kick in the Ballack's

Portugal 2-3 Germany.

Never, ever, write them off.

Gary Lineker had it right: "Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win."

Proof of the Pudding

Today was my first day in my new job as a proof reader. I don’t think it matters how much work experience you have or how far you’ve progress in your career, there's always a few butterflies in the stomach on your first day in a new job.

What can ease the nerves is the probability that, along with your last day, your first day at work is probably the optimum time for getting away with either: a) doing very little work, or b) making cock-ups.

I did manage to start on a bit of work today, although much of the day involved meeting the colleagues I’m going to be sharing the same bit of carpet with; being shown where the toilets and fire exits are; drinking copious amounts of tea; making a valiant but short-lived effort to remember everybody’s names; and being told by most of the people you meet ‘it’s difficult remembering everybody’s name, isn’t it?’

Oh, there weren’t too many cock-ups either. Certainly nothing as costly as the £5m of damage this guy managed to cause on his first (and last) day at work. Blame the butterflies.