The Vernal Equinox is past; I recently found out that the sun rises half an hour earlier in Norwich than it does in Plymouth, and that the railways are responsible for GMT; also that Christchurch College in Oxford has resisted all blandishments to conform and is still using local time.
Three months of playing poker in the pub have gone well; won outright once, and finally got to the end of round 4 on the software poker tournament. Proof on file!
The dining table has six piles of assorted paper on it, representing six months of unclaimed expenses and the funding for me to get really silly and start playing poker for pounds not points.
Terrific news is that Mark, having waited the longest time, has now got three jobs on offer; one certain, one with crossing fingers, eyes and legs; one left-field independent with a safety net and sky-high limits. That, my imminent escape from this nightmare project, and Paul having full-time work for a few weeks even if it is crucifyingly minimum wage which is TAXED ffs!
Sad and not good news, ouch: I know Sid will read this, and that awful rule of three only just occurred to me. His mother is extremely ill, and he is doing a lousy job of being uncaring. I need to call my mother to talk to her about my aunt, and my ex-father-in-law, both of whom died in the last week.
Sunday 28 March 2010
Monday 22 March 2010
un autre weekend
action packed weekend here; I'm proud of me: left Markk's feeling relaxed and peaceful Saturday lunchtime( thank you, again) Had a thoroughly pleasant eveining and night with Bill & Claire: lasagne was off the menu, having remembered Claire is allergic to dairy stuff, but I provided an antihistamine tablet so she could polish off my ancient Green and Black's icecream, and she washed it down with a cheap but very creditable eight cans of cider: I stuck to cokking whisky and coke; Bill restricted himself to two bottles of wine and read 'Unseen Academicals' with much chortling and pissing off of Claire since he was meant to have organised getting the book into her Christmas stocking. Claire and I watched episodes 1-4 of Mrs Brown's Boys, laughing out loud a lot and toddling off to bed around 3am, content with the world.
Morning arrived, sun was shining, guests were still asleep, shower was hot, all was right with the world.
Shorts arrived after lunch looking adorable and lavishing 'we love you' attention on me BEFORE I directed them to the princess and pirate goody bags: missy got herself caked in mud playing in the garden, Alex managed to read the word 'bubbles', by himself, on a container with no clues. My son is still my favourite man walking this earth; he remembered the password for my home wireless thing for my new notebook (TGFT); and Dee called me later to thank me for the sweeping bag collection of bog roll and assorted hotel-liberated coffee sachets and milk tubes, and the Nike (sod the tick symbol, they're too tight for my trotters) trainers that I've only worn twice in ten years.
Did washing, hacked the jasmine triffid to a manageable size with the shears (battery or charger or both on the hedgetrimmer having expired) and discovered garden yardage while doing a Charlie Dimmock impression, which amused my son greatly. oops!
Small bit of freecycle moderating and off to Skiddley's with a very lightweight baggins since I haven't been reading much lately: LOTS! of vampire movies waiting for me, pint of S&C, much twittering in the marsh and a massive tease with a Phillip Larkin book of everything he ever published ; gah! how can anyone *read* a poetry anthology? I want my own copy! High Windows:
~ And beyond it, the deep blue air, that shows
Nothing, and is endless, and is nowhere.
to quote Agnes "I'm happy too"
...... but I still haven't done my vexing expenses
Morning arrived, sun was shining, guests were still asleep, shower was hot, all was right with the world.
Shorts arrived after lunch looking adorable and lavishing 'we love you' attention on me BEFORE I directed them to the princess and pirate goody bags: missy got herself caked in mud playing in the garden, Alex managed to read the word 'bubbles', by himself, on a container with no clues. My son is still my favourite man walking this earth; he remembered the password for my home wireless thing for my new notebook (TGFT); and Dee called me later to thank me for the sweeping bag collection of bog roll and assorted hotel-liberated coffee sachets and milk tubes, and the Nike (sod the tick symbol, they're too tight for my trotters) trainers that I've only worn twice in ten years.
Did washing, hacked the jasmine triffid to a manageable size with the shears (battery or charger or both on the hedgetrimmer having expired) and discovered garden yardage while doing a Charlie Dimmock impression, which amused my son greatly. oops!
Small bit of freecycle moderating and off to Skiddley's with a very lightweight baggins since I haven't been reading much lately: LOTS! of vampire movies waiting for me, pint of S&C, much twittering in the marsh and a massive tease with a Phillip Larkin book of everything he ever published ; gah! how can anyone *read* a poetry anthology? I want my own copy! High Windows:
~ And beyond it, the deep blue air, that shows
Nothing, and is endless, and is nowhere.
to quote Agnes "I'm happy too"
...... but I still haven't done my vexing expenses
Friday 12 March 2010
Thursday 11 March 2010
IQ
some kid on TV has just been quoted as having an IQ of 141 which "puts him in the top 1% of population" - huh? Mensa minimum was 146 last time I looked, and that was the top TWO% - but this kid could read at 2 and, at 10 is more articulate than most adults : ...... ah. and also asian background, photogenic, engaging personality, and on a prog about scholarships to Harrow . hmmmphhh
141 sounds a bit low to me; scary kid! But damn cute.
hmmm: looked up the mensa website (must re-do the membership sometime) and the limbo poles are at 132 for one form of measurement and 148 for the 'Culture Fair' one. Best news for my alcohol damaged brain is that you don't need to resit their tests once you've passed; it's a ticket for life. All I can say is that it explained to me, to my satisfaction, why I have such trouble communicating with the rest of the world.
In mensa terms, I'm in a class of my own: too clever for most and not nearly clever enough for the rest.
but I still have good legs, good friends, and good times ;)
141 sounds a bit low to me; scary kid! But damn cute.
hmmm: looked up the mensa website (must re-do the membership sometime) and the limbo poles are at 132 for one form of measurement and 148 for the 'Culture Fair' one. Best news for my alcohol damaged brain is that you don't need to resit their tests once you've passed; it's a ticket for life. All I can say is that it explained to me, to my satisfaction, why I have such trouble communicating with the rest of the world.
In mensa terms, I'm in a class of my own: too clever for most and not nearly clever enough for the rest.
but I still have good legs, good friends, and good times ;)
Monday 8 March 2010
freezing
Discretion and perhaps sense has struck: I've called the plumber and arranged for him to come today and not Friday; called work and declared a cheeky working from home without a laptop. Leaving London in briliant sunshine this morning, ahead of the Boris bite, I used the windscreen washers and caused an instant whiteout as the wipers smeared water across the glass where it instantly froze.
At least it only took the usual hour and a half to get from Mark's to mine, instead of the two and a half hours to get there on Saturday. Who would have thought a traffic lights failure on the Hanger Lane gyrotary would cause such an impossible crawl on the A40?
I've had a fabulous weekend, feeling back on form, thoroughly enjoyed having my demand for a 'proper date, not a poker date' met - in spades. Rib Eye steak and whisky seasoned mustard sauce - mmmmmmmm: eat your heart out, Jamie, he's better looking than you are and a brilliant chef
Managed to get to the LAM for the first time in 7 months and to catch up with people I haven't seen since then or before then, meet a few new people, collect a promise for free lighting crew for my birthday (if I do manage to book the Broken Chords to sing at it) and spend rather a lot of money on finally finding cufflinks interesting and suitable enough for my brother's 50th birthdays.
Almost time for the 9:30 conference call: the Rammy battalion of champagne glasses have made it back into the attic as part of my fetching the radiant eye-damage heater down and the fingerless gloves are working a treat.
Scaring myself now; it's morning, I've been up for hours, achieved something, and I'm in a good mood!
At least it only took the usual hour and a half to get from Mark's to mine, instead of the two and a half hours to get there on Saturday. Who would have thought a traffic lights failure on the Hanger Lane gyrotary would cause such an impossible crawl on the A40?
I've had a fabulous weekend, feeling back on form, thoroughly enjoyed having my demand for a 'proper date, not a poker date' met - in spades. Rib Eye steak and whisky seasoned mustard sauce - mmmmmmmm: eat your heart out, Jamie, he's better looking than you are and a brilliant chef
Managed to get to the LAM for the first time in 7 months and to catch up with people I haven't seen since then or before then, meet a few new people, collect a promise for free lighting crew for my birthday (if I do manage to book the Broken Chords to sing at it) and spend rather a lot of money on finally finding cufflinks interesting and suitable enough for my brother's 50th birthdays.
Almost time for the 9:30 conference call: the Rammy battalion of champagne glasses have made it back into the attic as part of my fetching the radiant eye-damage heater down and the fingerless gloves are working a treat.
Scaring myself now; it's morning, I've been up for hours, achieved something, and I'm in a good mood!
Sunday 7 March 2010
technology challenge
I make my living in IT, I get paid to know stuff about computer systems and applications, and I can't Xing work out why the [post comment] link thing has diappeared from my blog: Hadn't even noticed it was gone till I was told I'd blocked them (eh?)
so, maybe, just MAYbe, now I've twiddled the settings it'll be back
so, maybe, just MAYbe, now I've twiddled the settings it'll be back
Saturday 6 March 2010
the old boiler
Saturday, Mar 6th, 2010 -- You may run around trying to do one too many things today, which actually could prevent you from doing any of them effectively. Finding a sustainable balance between work and play is more difficult when you cannot catch up. Making one too many promises might even prompt you to think about walking away from your commitments without even trying to fulfill them. Don't be foolish; it's smarter to pare back your responsibilities before the day gets under way.
Too true.
I thought the house was a bit cold last night, turned the thermo up on the boiler as usual and didn't give it another thought. House was bloody cold this morning when I eventually surfaced; thought I'd set the timer to go off at 9. Nope, little flashing fault indicator says the fan or the flue is f*** (cough*faulty) I checked the flue thingie outside to see if the local yoof had choked it with something forra laff, but it seems not.
Wondering if it's worth asking my neighbour who drives a van that says 'plumbing and heating' to have a look, but more likely to need to call a 'professional' who'll have an extravagant call out charge and make sure he goes over the included half hour inflicting a patronising monologue about how it's really old, and they don't make these any more, and I really need to replace it, but he'll see what he can do, doesn't have the right parts but will bodge it with this cheap wahtever 'as a favour' and generally tee me off completely. Accompanied by drinking my tea and alternately sucking his teeth and shaking his head at the awfulness of the price he's going to charge me to fix it.
The flying plumbers installed it about 7?8 years ago so it probably is a bit old as these things go, and saving three grand on the original installation means it doesn't owe me much
Checked the net; probably need a new PCB which costs about £100
OK predictions over. Let's see how it goes
5pm : he's been and gone, I am £90 poorer and will be another £300 more poor on Friday when he comes to supply and fit a new PCB board. If only I was good at electrickery: I'd already netted the fact that it was either fan itself or PCB, and it's a straightforward take it out put the new one in. If only. Damn cold; gald I'm staying out tonight - at least I hoep I am! waiting for the washing machine to finish and then I can head for London
Too true.
I thought the house was a bit cold last night, turned the thermo up on the boiler as usual and didn't give it another thought. House was bloody cold this morning when I eventually surfaced; thought I'd set the timer to go off at 9. Nope, little flashing fault indicator says the fan or the flue is f*** (cough*faulty) I checked the flue thingie outside to see if the local yoof had choked it with something forra laff, but it seems not.
Wondering if it's worth asking my neighbour who drives a van that says 'plumbing and heating' to have a look, but more likely to need to call a 'professional' who'll have an extravagant call out charge and make sure he goes over the included half hour inflicting a patronising monologue about how it's really old, and they don't make these any more, and I really need to replace it, but he'll see what he can do, doesn't have the right parts but will bodge it with this cheap wahtever 'as a favour' and generally tee me off completely. Accompanied by drinking my tea and alternately sucking his teeth and shaking his head at the awfulness of the price he's going to charge me to fix it.
The flying plumbers installed it about 7?8 years ago so it probably is a bit old as these things go, and saving three grand on the original installation means it doesn't owe me much
Checked the net; probably need a new PCB which costs about £100
OK predictions over. Let's see how it goes
5pm : he's been and gone, I am £90 poorer and will be another £300 more poor on Friday when he comes to supply and fit a new PCB board. If only I was good at electrickery: I'd already netted the fact that it was either fan itself or PCB, and it's a straightforward take it out put the new one in. If only. Damn cold; gald I'm staying out tonight - at least I hoep I am! waiting for the washing machine to finish and then I can head for London
Thursday 4 March 2010
whoroscope
General Daily Horoscope Influences
Although our empathy makes us more compassionate today, the emotional intensity could be quite strong. Fortunately, we are able to flow with the powerful currents rather than exhaust ourselves fighting against them. Our reactions may be extreme as the Scorpio Moon tilts our perspective away from the center. However, it's not necessarily easy to express our thoughts in words; we may be better off just letting our actions speak for themselves.
Thursday, Mar 4th, 2010 -- You know that you are bringing something important to your job today, and it's not just that you show up. Your ability to sympathize with others blends well with your desire to make your workplace a happier and healthier environment. Almost everything you suggest now is looked upon eagerly by everyone involved, but that's just because you are also willing to listen to what's being said.
Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. I did get some flattering feedback from my sidekick support that the Config Manager (who is quite tassty actually, despite his strange taste in hats) reckons I'm totally up to speed on everything that's going on; not entirely reassuring as that might mean that I have to stay on beyond the end of the month. I'm not sure if I gained or lost points in chasing a super-senior VP off using my desk this morning but I do know that the news of what I said to him hit the rest of the project within half an hour. No, it wasn't rude; I saw him hovering around my desk, looking shifty, caught his eye contact and said 'No, D... , I *am*planning to use my desk today'.
What??? What's wrong with that? I'm as human as he is (though Sid assures me I will probably recover from that and go back to being a real person)
and, especially, wtf does what and how I said something to a VIP type have to do with my ability to do my job?
Besides: said chap and I had a very long and interesting conversation a while back, about his childhood in Scotland, and his upcoming holiday revisiting his pre-teen haunts. No wonder I never got anywhere climbing that greasy pole.
So, what else. Bawd wwiv it now: Watching, well, more listening to Question Time: Carol Vorderman has a better presentation as a presenter than as a person; and poor old Boris has hardly got a word in
Although our empathy makes us more compassionate today, the emotional intensity could be quite strong. Fortunately, we are able to flow with the powerful currents rather than exhaust ourselves fighting against them. Our reactions may be extreme as the Scorpio Moon tilts our perspective away from the center. However, it's not necessarily easy to express our thoughts in words; we may be better off just letting our actions speak for themselves.
Thursday, Mar 4th, 2010 -- You know that you are bringing something important to your job today, and it's not just that you show up. Your ability to sympathize with others blends well with your desire to make your workplace a happier and healthier environment. Almost everything you suggest now is looked upon eagerly by everyone involved, but that's just because you are also willing to listen to what's being said.
Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. I did get some flattering feedback from my sidekick support that the Config Manager (who is quite tassty actually, despite his strange taste in hats) reckons I'm totally up to speed on everything that's going on; not entirely reassuring as that might mean that I have to stay on beyond the end of the month. I'm not sure if I gained or lost points in chasing a super-senior VP off using my desk this morning but I do know that the news of what I said to him hit the rest of the project within half an hour. No, it wasn't rude; I saw him hovering around my desk, looking shifty, caught his eye contact and said 'No, D... , I *am*planning to use my desk today'.
What??? What's wrong with that? I'm as human as he is (though Sid assures me I will probably recover from that and go back to being a real person)
and, especially, wtf does what and how I said something to a VIP type have to do with my ability to do my job?
Besides: said chap and I had a very long and interesting conversation a while back, about his childhood in Scotland, and his upcoming holiday revisiting his pre-teen haunts. No wonder I never got anywhere climbing that greasy pole.
So, what else. Bawd wwiv it now: Watching, well, more listening to Question Time: Carol Vorderman has a better presentation as a presenter than as a person; and poor old Boris has hardly got a word in
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