Adam Bird - My Personal Blog

It maybe a long standing joke amongst our circle of friends that Stuart never wins anything and always finishes runner up, although he knows that isn't exactly true. This weekend sees him marrying his long term beau, Aimee, a partnership in which he has always been a winner. Although we were in the same year at school, it wasn't until our GCSE year that Stuart and I became friends outside of school and Stuart started coming to occasional Gillingham games with me. Becoming friends with Stuart was a defining point in terms of the basis of our group dynamics. If I hadn't have become friends with Stuart, I wouldn't have become as good friends with Gareth, nor introduced to Mark, Reaso or Will. Like me, with Steph , Stuart met Aimee at a fairly young age. The exact circumstances on their meeting are a little frosty, but I think it was through a friend of the golf club, Darren, whose sister, Sarah had a stunningly beautiful best friend called Aimee, or at least ...

Millions of people are blogging just as you read this, for millions of different reasons. It may be about their favourite football club, Formula One team, sport, political party, sharing technical knowledge or for business. They may be like me and use it as a place to keep family up to date with their personal goings on. My blog started on July 20th 2006, and this is my 100th post! I have written much about nothing, from the Gills, to various goings on in the footballing planet, the story of Stephs pregnancy and the experiences we have had as a new family. I have shared books that I have read and paid tributes to friends and wished them luck as they have entered marriage. Stories have been told about trips I have made and exposed secrets of stag weekends abroad. All in all, it has been a pleasure to write such random ramblings and long may it continue. Thank you to everyone who has posted a comment or told me personally that they have enjoyed, cried or laughed at my mutterings. I...

I am not much of a birthday fan, I really don't know why. They contain all the things that I enjoy and love; beer, presents, champagne, chocolate, cake, clowns, balloons and bouncy castles. But on Saturday I 'celebrated' my twenty-eight birthday and wasn't in the mood to shout it from the rooftops. In the build up to my 'big day', Stephanie asked me on a daily basis whether I wanted to have a BBQ and get everybody around. In all honesty, no I never, it would mean drawing more attention to the fact that I was another year older. It would also mean getting drunk, which I wouldn't have minded but have been doing a lot of that recently and so wanted to do something a bit different. I have no idea where my fear of ageing comes from. It is a fact of life, as soon as we enter the world we are a moment older than we were just now. I wouldn't say that I sit and dwell upon my mortality, but for me an annual birthday is a reminder that your one step closer to y...

When we were growing up, I doubt very much whether Mum and Dad ever imagined a scenario whereby they would have five grand-children with the possibility of more on the way. On Friday, with the birth of Elijah, Jessica's fourth and probably final child that scenario became a reality. Stephanie and I are really happy for both Jessica and James, and indeed the girls too for finally having the boy that they both craved. Thinking from a personal point of view, I am particularly glad as it means Oliver will grow up with some male company on the Bird side of the family, and takes off some of the pressure on Stephanie and I when we get around to Baby Bird MrkII . If Jessica had another girl, and Baby Bird MrkII was also a female, poor Oliver would be surrounded by women and be bossed around incessantly, eventually driving him loopy. As it is, Oliver will have Elijah to play football with and climb trees etc, allowing Stephanie and I to pray for a girl, giving us the "perfect" ...

It used to be, or so I am constantly reminded Stag parties consisted of a curry in the local town, followed by a bar crawl and maybe a stripper chucked in for good measure. With the opening up of cheap flight routes across Europe Stag parties are now weekend affairs and life experiences - none more so than the weekend away to Budapest. Best man for the occasion Mark, declared that Groom to be Stuart should not know where we were heading for his stag weekend and so we were all sworn to secrecy, succeeding where most thought we would fail. I was so determined not to be the one to let the cat out of the bag that I even went as far as telling Stuart I was just as much in the dark as he was. Flying from Luton helped us massively in our task, as driving around the M25 at three thirty in the morning, past the M11 junction missing Stanstead threw Stuart even further off the scent. It wasn't until arriving at the check-in desk that the mystery was finally solved. Even then it wasn...

In an attempt to open communications with the people behind the Ebbsfleet Landmark I was provided with contact details for Land Securities by a fellow blogger who shares similar opinions to me. I list below the transcript of our email correspondence (so far) in the belief that by sharing this information other people can learn more about their take on the project and have a further understanding of what's being planned. Good afternoon, I am writing in the hope that this email is one of many concerns voiced regarding the five shortlisted designs for the Ebbsfleet Landmark. Upon hearing of the idea initially I was led to believe that the landmark was being developed for the residents of Ebbsfleet as a vocal point, a place that made them feel "at home". I asked myself the question - How can you build something for somebody who isn't even there yet? Surely the people of Gravesend, Northfleet, Swanscome and the local area, the people who have been there for years need to f...

For claiming the anonimously sent vouchers! Proof that a) at least one person visits the website b) online marketing/advertising is the future and c) blondes live up to the stereotype!

Just a quick posting to thank everyone who came to our party on Saturday evening and we hope that everyone had a great time! Both Stephanie and I have been overwhelmed by the gifts that we have received and we hope to send out individual thank you's shortly. The reason for this post is an SOS! Someone sent Stephanie and I some Next vouchers and we don't know who they are from! If you were at Bluewater Next on Thursday 12th June at roughly 6.50pm, can you let us know who you are so we can give you a big hug like everyone else?

It has been very quiet in the blogging stakes since the 22 nd May when I wrote "10 conclusions for the European Cup Final". Things should hopefully pick up again shortly with our engagement party this Saturday night, and Stuarts stag weekend at the end of the month. Although the European Championships have been on over the past week I cannot say that I have been entirely enthusiastic about the whole affair. The games that I have managed to sit and watch have been tepid affairs, and I seem to flick over or walk out the room just as a goal is scored. The pick of the teams after the first round of matches has been Portugal, Holland and Spain. Of those three I would like to see Spain go all the way, purely because of the Liverpool connection and the fact that I dislike Ronaldo (verging on hatred) about the way that he seems to be treating Manchester United with contempt over the whole Real Madrid saga. Finally, Holland, very pleasing on the eye to watch, play amazing football, ...

After yesterdays post looking ahead towards last night's European Cup Final I thought it would be only fair to keep the same format in summarising the event. 1) I would not like to be John Terry this morning. Good job I am not a betting man! I would have bet big money on him scoring as he walked up to that penalty spot. He was distraught after that, and you can hardly blame him. The 2008 European Cup, ten years down the line will be remembered for John Terry's miss if anything else. 2) Ronaldo confirmed that he is an arrogant muppet . Just what the hell was he doing with his penalty kick? If anyone deserved to be in John Terry's shoes last night it was him for the way he ran, stopped, jiggled and missed his penalty. 3) I must have had a premonition about Drogba , deserved to go. Shame it wasn't earlier. For a man of his size and stature he doesn't half throw himself about easy. 4) Manchester United should have been out of sight by half time. 5) Chelsea shou...

Tonight sees the very first European Cup final featuring two english sides in what is quite possibly the most overhyped game ever in the history of football. Yes, it is good that two english sides are playing, but does anyone remember last years FA Cup final, which was quite possibly the most boring game ever? Here are ten things that I hope to see in tonights game: 1) Chelsea lose 2) Drogba gets sent off in the first minute and walks off crying 3) That I am still awake before the end of the first half 4) Ronaldo takes his premier league form onto the 'big stage' 5) There is more than one goal 6) The winning goal is scored by Englishman 7) Someone mentions that 'massive' Chelsea couldn't sell all their tickets 8) It doesn't go to extra time and penalties (except if it is a 4-4 draw) 9) If Chelsea win there is a blackout so we don't get to see the celebrations 10) Avram Grant and Alex Ferguson have a punch up on the touchline

It seems as if we have been catching up for lost time. No sooner had we announced our engagement just a month later we have booked a venue and set a date for our 'Big Day'. We will be getting married at the Little Silver Country Hotel on September 11th 2010 at 2pm! During the saga that was my proposal of marriage I assumed that Stephanie would want to get married abroad, a European destination such as Cyprus, Greece or Turkey. I had actually told people when asked that this would be the plan! It surprised me therefore that she wanted a slightly more traditional wedding at home surrounded by her nearest and dearest. In the week that followed our proposal I hit Google with vengeance and our postman seriously considered retirement due to bad back having been forced to deliver brochure upon brochure advertising wedding venues across the UK and Ireland! Admittedly I did go overboard looking at stately homes and medieval castles fit for people with larger budgets than ourselves. Eve...

A little while ago I read about an idea about placing an "icon" on top of the hill as you head down Swanscombe Cutting entitled "Angel of the South". Today, my fears which were highlighted at the time became reality as the five shortlisted designs where revealed. It is quite clear that the whole pretentious idea is flawed, and that none of the designs, which I have listed below are in fitting with the local community, not on any level; culturally , aesthetically , historically, artfully - the list is endless. Am I being a little harsh? Judge for yourself. 1) Christopher Le Brun This design from Christopher Le Brun looks like a huge satellite dish which has been crashed into by a huge bird, which is stuck with it's arse hanging out of the ground! 2) Daniel Buren The Far East or Gravesend , where would this look more appropriate? I cannot see it remaining shiny contemporary white for too long. Some lad from Swanscombe with a spray can will see to that! 3) Mar...

The current football season is drawing to a close with the lucky supporters of those teams in the playoffs anticipation promotion glory, or in the case of Manchester United, Chelsea, Portsmouth and Cardiff City the chance to see their teams winning some silverware. Unfortunately, for us Gillingham fans we have a long three months ahead of us as we deal with the ignominy of relegation back to the 'basement' division of League Two. The commercial people within the FA may have rebranded the names of the leagues in an attempt to make them sound more appealing, but as supporters there is no fooling us as we look forward to playing the likes of Morecombe , Accrington Stanley, Macclesfield Town and Grimsby . When Paul Scally took over the club back in the spring of 1995 nobody would have predicted the wonderful journey and realms of success that we would be given over the next ten years. An immediate promotion to League One (although it wasn't called that then), glorious cu...

Stephanie, Oliver and I would like to offer our heartfelt best wishes to Will and Olivia, whom celebrate their marriage on Saturday at Christchurch, followed by a reception at Turkey Mill, Maidstone . I mentioned previously in a blog posting when Will and Olivia got engaged that these two people had a certain destiny together and that their marriage was long ago conceived to be part of a life long journey between them. Like Stephanie and I, Will and Olivia met at a young age. In fact, they were both younger than ourselves, and so the formative experiences that Stephanie and I have experienced are certain to have been felt by them. What sets Will and Olivia apart, however, is not only there continued devotion to their relationship but the way in which they have handled and managed their individual aspirations. For many, and I would probably include myself in this had I followed the same path, leaving home and going off to university is not only an educational experience, but a social ex...

Walt Disney had a vision, a place for people to spend with their children, a land of make believe, a place where dreams came true. On Wednesday 16th April 2008, I asked Stephanie to marry me at Disneyland Paris, not quite the conclusion of a new Disney production, but a highlight in the road of our own personal story. A highlight in which Stephanie had her own dreams come true. Like all good stories, this one contains a beginning, a middle and an end. Although we are still only really at the beginning, there have been plenty of plot twists and sub plots which would make Walt Disney himself proud. Back in December of 2007, I realised that with the sale of the house and debts paid off now would be as good a time as any to finally get engaged. I decided that I would need to get permission from Steph's Dad in order to proceed, but straight from the off Steph made my task more difficult than it should have been. Very rarely have Colin and I been around The Boat for a beer on a Sunday af...