Arshavin pities the fool who's content with 3rd place

"There was nothing special last season for me to think back about. The season was normal - even pitiful."

- Andrei Arshavin, not impressed with a 3rd place trophy

Andrei Arshavin pities the fool who is content with 3rd place, a financially-sound business plan and a manager who loves to play kamikaze football. He pities those of us who are content with normal seasons that aren't laced with success. He pities the mundane.

Mr T pities anyone who doesn't acknowledge his innate superiority. Mr T is an icon of American bravura, and like Arshavin, he's proud of his accomplishments and pities the fool who doesn't measure up to his own standard of excellence. As he said in Rocky 3:

"I don't hate Balboa. But I pity the fool and I will destroy any man who tries to take what I got."

I pity the Arsenal, because unless we start changing the way we approach the season, we're going start off with promising form, then fade away as winter settles in and injuries whittle down our squad, and then make a brief comeback to finish in 3rd or 4th. I pity the gooners who'll go into the season thinking things will be different, when we've done nothing to correct the mistakes of the past.

I pity Cesc Fabregas for the difficult choice he has made. Barcelona is calling to his heart, his head and his stomach. But he feels loved at Arsenal, and even at Barcelona, he'll never have a home club as safe and nurturing and supportive as the Arsenal. Expressing his desire to leave Arsenal would be like killing a baby elephant by pelting it with week-old baby chickens. But it's something he's got to do. He owes it to himself.

So on the 326th last day of my 20s, I went for a jog, went to work in Doncaster, had lunch with my mate and his wife, went back to work in Wandin, then came home and had a cold dinner.

I had a great idea to ask the girl of my dreams out. It's by far the best idea I've had in years. I ran it past my mate and his wife, and they both loved it. They didn't think it had a snowball's chance of working, but they loved the concept. And I'm thinking that it's an amazing idea, and I shouldn't waste it on a hopeless cause. I think I'll save it for the day when I know she'll say yes.

I dealt with the fallout of my resignation today. My bosses wanted reasons why I want to quit, and kind of want me to stick around at their clinic on my spare Friday. I'm of two minds about it - the clinic's still under-stocked and it's frustrating to work at that place - but it is extra money and I need a bit of spare cash at the moment.