Writing instructors will tell you that you must read with almost the same intensity with which you write. You must learn to see, hear, observe and absorb your environment like a writer. The other day, my three-year-old asked me, Can you wonder? Indeed. It occurred to me that the answer to this question may be the primary pre-requisite for any kind of creative writing.
Hamilton wins Chinese Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton drove a near-perfect race in Shanghai today to win the Chinese
Grand Prix, bringing himself closer to a first world championship.
Flying Dutchman downs Wigan
Exciting come-from-behind victories for Arsenal and Liverpool may thrill the fans but the pedigree performances from the thoroughbreds of Chelsea and Manchester United were the significant results in the Premier League yesterday.
Celtic go three points clear of Rangers but injury woes deepen for Strachan ahead of Champions’ League date with United
Second-half goals from Scott Brown and Glen Loovens helped Celtic to victory in the Highlands yesterday as they beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2-1 to move three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League. But Celtic’s manager, Gordon Strachan, arguably has more reasons than his counterpart, Craig Brewster, to wake feeling rueful this morning. Strachan’s side were unconvincing winners and Celtic’s pre-match injury woes have deepened into something approaching a crisis ahead of Tuesday’s crucial Champions’ League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Middlesbrough 0 Chelsea 5: Belletti is hot shot as Chelsea use Boro for target practice
Middlesbrough managed to upstage Chelsea yesterday but they did so by being
an embarrassment. In conceding five goals in just over an hour, four in 16
second-half minutes, Boro at times displayed a lack of the basic competitive
spirit. The players and their manager, Gareth Southgate, were rightly
harangued by Teesside’s faithful. This was as joyless as the bitter times
under Steve McClaren, and Southgate described it as "a humiliation. It
might have been eight".
Liverpool 3 Wigan Athletic 2 : Kuyt rises to the occasion for Liverpool
The Liverpool programme is, as you would expect, on message. “Impossible is nothing” it preaches in a style that would win nodding respect from Peter Mandelson, and to be fair to the team they are doing their utmost to live up to the slogan.
Arsenal 3 Everton 1: Walcott’s wizardry saves Arsenal from back trouble
The intention was to allow Theo Walcott a rest after his recent exertions, but Arsenal, a goal down and struggling for bodies, suddenly found themselves in need of youthful zest. Cometh the hour, cometh the boy. He may have been subdued in midweek, as well as guilty when England conceded their goal, but sent on at half-time here Walcott transformed a game that was looking likely to extend the home side’s run of a single point from two games, largely because of trouble at the back.
Bolton Wanderers 0, Blackburn Rovers 0: Bolton escape with Roberts missing in action
For once in his life, Jason Roberts let Bolton off lightly in this lacklustre
Lancashire derby. The much-travelled striker has frequently punished
Wanderers with his various clubs, but must be developing a sympathetic
streak for them, because on either side of half-time he missed the chances
that should have won the game.
Manchester United 4, West Bromwich Albion 0: Red-hot Rooney puts Albion to the sword
"No rest for him," Sir Alex Ferguson said before this game of the
man who can’t stop scoring goals. There was a good excuse for Carlos Tevez
playing second fiddle to that man yet again – the Argentinian arrived from
World Cup duty barely 24 hours before this game.
Outside the Box: Turner prize is consolation for finishing runner-up to Sir Alex
Most football fans could name Sir Alex Ferguson as the longest-serving manager
at a current English League club, but how many would know the
second-longest?
Fulham 0, Sunderland 0: Richardson misses a vintage moment
It was a day for nostalgia at the homely old Cottage by the banks of the
Thames. At lunchtime, Mohamed Al-Fayed, the Fulham chairman, unveiled a
statue of Johnny Haynes, three years to the day after the ultimate passing
of the man Pele hailed as "the best passer of the ball I’ve ever seen"
Loovens gets jump on unlucky Caley: Inverness CT 1, Celtic 2
The travelling supporters were comfortable enough at 2-1 up with 10 minutes left to sing: “Who the fuck are Man United?”
Round up: Jerome helps Blues escape from Burnley unscathed
Even the most well-planned of road trips can go awry as two of the
Championship’s top three, Birmingham City and Reading, discovered on their
travels to the North-west.
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