On Saturday morning I woke up early because I had a really sore throat. A few minutes later, I realised that actually I didn’t have a sore throat and instead it had, presumably, just been a very vivid dream. Very odd.
Yesterday, we put some major thought into our summer holiday. We plotted out a route that involves flying to Munich and then travelling by train through Austria, Switzerland and France and then home on the Eurostar. However, having costed it all out, it seems like a pretty expensive trip and would cost about the same amount as when we went to Canada last year (we only paid £100 for our flights to Canada though, so it isn’t entirely a fair comparison, but even so…). It’s the accommodation in Switzerland that is so expensive. I am now trying to think of a plan B, which will either mean finding a cheaper way to do this or thinking of a new destination. Much to ponder.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Eras
Last night was the leaving do for the big boss. It is his last day today and it will be the end of an era. I have worked for him twice in the last nine years (as I have returned to work somewhere I worked several years ago) and he certainly set the tone of the organisation and made it a decent place to work. We will wait to see what the future holds for us next.
Yesterday morning on the tube on the way into work, I quite clearly saw a police officer reading a classified document. I did have the urge to lean across to him and suggest that a tube train was not the right place to be reading such things, but then decided that a police officer has more power than me and that maybe it wouldn’t be the best decision.
I wrote to Nick Clegg this week. He really miffed me with something that he said during the leadership debate last week. As it still bothered me this week, I decided that I should write. Do I think it will make a difference? Not really. But at least I gave it a go.
Yesterday morning on the tube on the way into work, I quite clearly saw a police officer reading a classified document. I did have the urge to lean across to him and suggest that a tube train was not the right place to be reading such things, but then decided that a police officer has more power than me and that maybe it wouldn’t be the best decision.
I wrote to Nick Clegg this week. He really miffed me with something that he said during the leadership debate last week. As it still bothered me this week, I decided that I should write. Do I think it will make a difference? Not really. But at least I gave it a go.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Write
Lately, a number of things have made me think about writing letters. I mentioned this last week actually. I have decided that this is something I should take action on, whether it be writing someone a letter or a card with a message in it.
It might help to make sure that when the postman turns up each day he is bringing more than bills. I have also decided that at least some of the letters need to be handwritten (in legible handwriting!) and that I need to look for opportunities to write to people. I know someone who is off long term sick and so I could write to her, as well as phone. There is also someone who I meant to write to a long time ago just to give them a brief bit of encouragement/ positive feedback on something, and doing it now will still be a relevant. I feel this might take a while to become a more normal thing to do, but taking the time to write to someone and to put the card or letter in the post to them strikes me as something that is important not to lose as a form of communication in the instant world in which we live.
It might help to make sure that when the postman turns up each day he is bringing more than bills. I have also decided that at least some of the letters need to be handwritten (in legible handwriting!) and that I need to look for opportunities to write to people. I know someone who is off long term sick and so I could write to her, as well as phone. There is also someone who I meant to write to a long time ago just to give them a brief bit of encouragement/ positive feedback on something, and doing it now will still be a relevant. I feel this might take a while to become a more normal thing to do, but taking the time to write to someone and to put the card or letter in the post to them strikes me as something that is important not to lose as a form of communication in the instant world in which we live.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Alternatives
One of the good things about the Icelandic volcano is that it has pushed the ever tedious election coverage further down the news rankings. It has meant that we have at least had some other things to think about than parties peddling policies and taking swipes at their opposition.
I have, however, raised an eyebrow on more than one occasion at what people have done or, more accurately, spent to get back to the UK. I have heard a number of tales of people who have spent about 2000 Euros on taxis etc to get back. Admittedly, some people probably have strong reasons to get back – if they are self employed or have serious commitments that they can’t break. I also know that some hotels have, somewhat cynically, hiked their prices. But it would take an awful lot of reasons to get me to spend ever mounting amounts to get home.
When we went to Jersey, there was the prospect that BA might strike, so before we went we talked about what we would do if we had problems getting back. We concluded that we would wait it out. We’d see if we could stay on at the B&B and wait until we could go home. We were not willing to get a ferry across the Channel and then a train or coach back to London.
Admittedly what has happened with the volcano was rather unexpected for the travelling public, but if it were me, I would stay where I was unless I had no alternative. Epic journeys at great expense just don’t do it for me, unless it is part of the holiday of a lifetime. I suspect there are some people who have made it home with a great story to tell of their intrepid adventures, but wondering why they shelled out all that money.
I have, however, raised an eyebrow on more than one occasion at what people have done or, more accurately, spent to get back to the UK. I have heard a number of tales of people who have spent about 2000 Euros on taxis etc to get back. Admittedly, some people probably have strong reasons to get back – if they are self employed or have serious commitments that they can’t break. I also know that some hotels have, somewhat cynically, hiked their prices. But it would take an awful lot of reasons to get me to spend ever mounting amounts to get home.
When we went to Jersey, there was the prospect that BA might strike, so before we went we talked about what we would do if we had problems getting back. We concluded that we would wait it out. We’d see if we could stay on at the B&B and wait until we could go home. We were not willing to get a ferry across the Channel and then a train or coach back to London.
Admittedly what has happened with the volcano was rather unexpected for the travelling public, but if it were me, I would stay where I was unless I had no alternative. Epic journeys at great expense just don’t do it for me, unless it is part of the holiday of a lifetime. I suspect there are some people who have made it home with a great story to tell of their intrepid adventures, but wondering why they shelled out all that money.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Plans
So it’s back to work today. It was really nice not to be in work yesterday, despite G using a lot of the time to write a job application.
The freeholder is being a pain again. Having out up with well over a year’s worth of building works, we thought being disturbed by them was now over. However, the next thing they are tackling is the garden next door, which is currently just mud. They have laid grass seed and it needs to be regularly watered in order to stand any chance of growing. The freeholder told my new neighbour to use our tap – for which we pay for the water supply. My neighbour did have the manners to come and ask and I did say how unimpressed I was with her landlord (who is my freeholder), but said it was ok. Then on Sunday the freeholder came round and asked to use it and ran a hose pipe for ages.
When I went outside later there was lots of mud outside my back door and they had also made it really wet, so it was impossible to step outside my back door without getting mud on my shoes or traipsing through the water. They had also left part of the hose-fitting on the tap, presumably so that it was easy to attach a hosepipe to it whenever they (or my neighbours) want to do so. The tap is right outside my back door and kitchen window, both of which have clear glass in them, so it means that, once again, we are having our privacy invaded by the freeholder (and now my neighbours, who I don’t even know) and are dealing with their mess.
At the moment I am dealing with it in a very passive aggressive way – by standing in the back garden and complaining to G about the mess that was left and detaching the bit of the hose that was left on my tap and putting on their windowsill for them. I really just want to be able to live undisturbed, without feeling that I might walk into my kitchen and find my neighbour standing outside my back door, or stepping over their hosepipe to get into my garden or dealing with the mess they leave behind. Grrrr…
I know I should perhaps just go and talk to my neighbour, but that would be too sensible and reasonable, so instead I shall carry on dealing with it in a passive aggressive way in the hope that they will somehow pick up from this that all is not well and go away. Somehow, I doubt this cunning plan will work.
The freeholder is being a pain again. Having out up with well over a year’s worth of building works, we thought being disturbed by them was now over. However, the next thing they are tackling is the garden next door, which is currently just mud. They have laid grass seed and it needs to be regularly watered in order to stand any chance of growing. The freeholder told my new neighbour to use our tap – for which we pay for the water supply. My neighbour did have the manners to come and ask and I did say how unimpressed I was with her landlord (who is my freeholder), but said it was ok. Then on Sunday the freeholder came round and asked to use it and ran a hose pipe for ages.
When I went outside later there was lots of mud outside my back door and they had also made it really wet, so it was impossible to step outside my back door without getting mud on my shoes or traipsing through the water. They had also left part of the hose-fitting on the tap, presumably so that it was easy to attach a hosepipe to it whenever they (or my neighbours) want to do so. The tap is right outside my back door and kitchen window, both of which have clear glass in them, so it means that, once again, we are having our privacy invaded by the freeholder (and now my neighbours, who I don’t even know) and are dealing with their mess.
At the moment I am dealing with it in a very passive aggressive way – by standing in the back garden and complaining to G about the mess that was left and detaching the bit of the hose that was left on my tap and putting on their windowsill for them. I really just want to be able to live undisturbed, without feeling that I might walk into my kitchen and find my neighbour standing outside my back door, or stepping over their hosepipe to get into my garden or dealing with the mess they leave behind. Grrrr…
I know I should perhaps just go and talk to my neighbour, but that would be too sensible and reasonable, so instead I shall carry on dealing with it in a passive aggressive way in the hope that they will somehow pick up from this that all is not well and go away. Somehow, I doubt this cunning plan will work.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Leisure
So, we didn’t get to go to Scotland. I was not desperately upset by this, but clearly it was inconvenient. We were going there for a christening (G’s niece), so we missed that, but might go in June instead. So we had a free weekend and we went for a really nice walk in the sunshine, bought a new vacuum cleaner and went to my parents’ for Sunday lunch. Neither of us are going to work today because we had already booked the day off, as we were due to fly back today, and so figured we might as well take the day off anyway.
I was wondering how much food we get by air? Are we going to start seeing panic buying at some point if this flight ban continues for a bit longer? Should we be stocking up on tins and learning to become more self-sufficient? I suspect we are a long way off from being a nation that starts to run out of staple goods, but perhaps I will buy extra supplies of tea bags just in case. It really would be a crisis to run out of tea.
Anyway, I hopefully have a leisurely day ahead. I might spend some of it reading – I have so many books that I want to read at the moment – or doing other such things. I could get used to a life of leisure.
I was wondering how much food we get by air? Are we going to start seeing panic buying at some point if this flight ban continues for a bit longer? Should we be stocking up on tins and learning to become more self-sufficient? I suspect we are a long way off from being a nation that starts to run out of staple goods, but perhaps I will buy extra supplies of tea bags just in case. It really would be a crisis to run out of tea.
Anyway, I hopefully have a leisurely day ahead. I might spend some of it reading – I have so many books that I want to read at the moment – or doing other such things. I could get used to a life of leisure.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Plans
So… tonight the plan was to fly to Glasgow. I hadn’t quite factored in volcanoes as a potential way to scupper this plan. It’s that Iceland again. First they don’t refund us our money when their bank collapsed and now they send plumes of volcanic ash in our direction. This beginning to miff me. I think I might not buy any of their frozen food just to get back at them.
I am reading The Wind Up Bird Chronicle at the moment, which I am really enjoying. I have found it really engaging and think it is a great book so far. Except in one part. One part that involved a very graphic description of a man being skinned alive. Oh my goodness. Skinned alive. I have to say that I skimmed read that part and skipped parts of it entirely. It was very descriptive, shall we say. It’s a good book though.
I am reading The Wind Up Bird Chronicle at the moment, which I am really enjoying. I have found it really engaging and think it is a great book so far. Except in one part. One part that involved a very graphic description of a man being skinned alive. Oh my goodness. Skinned alive. I have to say that I skimmed read that part and skipped parts of it entirely. It was very descriptive, shall we say. It’s a good book though.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Praise
It has been a busy week so far. I have felt a bit like I had jet lag, which isn’t really possible given that Jersey is only a 35 minute flight away and is on the same time zone. I think perhaps I am just lazy then. I did, however, go back to a mountain of work and have done volunteering a couple of nights this week (which included being told off for having a clicky pen, but also getting some praise for my tough line that I took with someone I had to deal with. I got praise from scary man!).
I have noticed that the number of books I have read this year has seriously declined compared to the past two years. If I carry on at this rate, I will read half the number I did last year – only ending up somewhere in the mid-thirties. I have read one very long book this year (The Count of Monte Cristo), but feel that I need to up my pace because there are so many books that I want to read and so little time…
I have noticed that the number of books I have read this year has seriously declined compared to the past two years. If I carry on at this rate, I will read half the number I did last year – only ending up somewhere in the mid-thirties. I have read one very long book this year (The Count of Monte Cristo), but feel that I need to up my pace because there are so many books that I want to read and so little time…
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Cross
I was away last week when the election was announced, although I did see some coverage of it on the rare occasions we were allowed to sit down while we were away. However, even the little bit that I saw bored me. The coverage I have seen since has bored me all the more. I just find all the bickering and politicians trying to outdo each other absolutely pathetic.
I will vote though because I think it is really important for people to do so, and it is difficult to complain about the system if you are not willing to be part of it yourself. But I can imagine that there could be a low turn out due in no small part to the real turn off that this election campaign seems to be. I will have to vote tactically though because my MP is in such a safe seat that there really isn’t much chance of him losing it, but I exercise my vote to put a cross in the box for the party I think might oust him, in the hope that others might turn out and do the same. It’s a slim hope, but a hope nonetheless.
However, regardless of my tactics, a website that might help you to decide who to vote for (and please do vote if you are in the UK…) is one called Vote for Policies. Interestingly, the Greens are in the lead in terms of who people “should” vote for based on their answers, but a colleague pointed out to me that their policies are rather more aspirational and not weighed down by things like facts and figures. (They might well be more grounded in reality, but not in the way they are summarised on the site.) So if you are bored by the campaign but can come to terms with the fact that we are going to have a government of some sort following election day, then it might be worth your time finding someone to vote for*.
*Unless you are going to vote Tory, in which case, please ignore all of the above.
I will vote though because I think it is really important for people to do so, and it is difficult to complain about the system if you are not willing to be part of it yourself. But I can imagine that there could be a low turn out due in no small part to the real turn off that this election campaign seems to be. I will have to vote tactically though because my MP is in such a safe seat that there really isn’t much chance of him losing it, but I exercise my vote to put a cross in the box for the party I think might oust him, in the hope that others might turn out and do the same. It’s a slim hope, but a hope nonetheless.
However, regardless of my tactics, a website that might help you to decide who to vote for (and please do vote if you are in the UK…) is one called Vote for Policies. Interestingly, the Greens are in the lead in terms of who people “should” vote for based on their answers, but a colleague pointed out to me that their policies are rather more aspirational and not weighed down by things like facts and figures. (They might well be more grounded in reality, but not in the way they are summarised on the site.) So if you are bored by the campaign but can come to terms with the fact that we are going to have a government of some sort following election day, then it might be worth your time finding someone to vote for*.
*Unless you are going to vote Tory, in which case, please ignore all of the above.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
South of the border
It was really hard getting through a day’s work yesterday. I am not used to spending so much time sitting – although G might have appreciated the opportunity. I have also got out of the habit of getting up early. I need to win the lottery tomorrow night (there’s a £17 million jackpot…) and start my life of leisure immediately.
I might get round to uploading my Jersey photos on to my computer some time soon and then will possibly post some here. However, what those photos won’t show is that there are a lot of Scottish people in Jersey. I am not sure if it is as far as they are allowed to travel and therefore they congregate there or there is some other pull factor but everywhere we went there seemed to be a lot of Scottish people (and G was, of course, boosting the numbers). I bought some petrol in Jersey one day and the chap behind the counter was Scottish and I made some comment about how he wasn’t a local and then said that G was from Glasgow. The chap was decidedly shifty and I reckon he was on the run from something judging by the rather evasive answers he gave me. So maybe Jersey is a place that harbours lots of Scottish criminals. Where is Bergerac when you need him?
I have also been disappointed to learn that the weather was fairly good in London while I was away in sunny Jersey. I was hoping that whilst we basked in sunshine, London was suffering a deluge of rain. I did go away with this image in my mind that we were going to be in glorious sunshine though and it seems that I was right. It is a shame that I can’t use my intuition for something useful like picking tomorrow night’s winning lottery numbers.
I might get round to uploading my Jersey photos on to my computer some time soon and then will possibly post some here. However, what those photos won’t show is that there are a lot of Scottish people in Jersey. I am not sure if it is as far as they are allowed to travel and therefore they congregate there or there is some other pull factor but everywhere we went there seemed to be a lot of Scottish people (and G was, of course, boosting the numbers). I bought some petrol in Jersey one day and the chap behind the counter was Scottish and I made some comment about how he wasn’t a local and then said that G was from Glasgow. The chap was decidedly shifty and I reckon he was on the run from something judging by the rather evasive answers he gave me. So maybe Jersey is a place that harbours lots of Scottish criminals. Where is Bergerac when you need him?
I have also been disappointed to learn that the weather was fairly good in London while I was away in sunny Jersey. I was hoping that whilst we basked in sunshine, London was suffering a deluge of rain. I did go away with this image in my mind that we were going to be in glorious sunshine though and it seems that I was right. It is a shame that I can’t use my intuition for something useful like picking tomorrow night’s winning lottery numbers.
Monday, April 12, 2010
More sitting needed
We’re back from Jersey and we had a great time. The weather was fantastic and there was lots to do – G would say we did too much and should have done more “sitting”... We did a lot, an awful lot. We saw castles, went to museums, played mini golf, went bowling, went to the cinema, went to the zoo, did an eight mile walk, ate lots of food, drove over 200 miles on what is an island that measures about nine miles by five miles, and even more than that. Can you understand why G might have wanted to do more sitting? Many years ago, I used to go away on holiday with a friend and I would do all of the travel logistics – book flights, car hire, hotels, work out how to get from A to B etc and she would work out what we would do while we were away. It seems that I am a bit of a demon if the activities are left to me to arrange. We did enjoy it though, in a very worn out sort of way. I would recommend Jersey and I think we might go back some time. We did still find time to send postcards. I am an old fashioned sort who still thinks it is nice to send postcards while on holiday.
The Channel Islands were under German Occupation during World War II and we learned quite a lot about that while we were there and it has made me interested to learn more. It is quite a sad history and some Channel Islanders were sent to Concentration Camps, which I was rather shocked to learn. I was also reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society while I was away, which is actually set just after World War II and says quite a lot about the occupation. It meant more to me having learned about some of it while I was in Jersey and was a reasonable enough read – even though Guernsey and Jersey are not the best of friends, so it was probably sacrilege to be reading the book whilst in Jersey. I must update my book blog, as I am now three books behind on that.
The book did (again) make me think about the lost art of letter writing though (It is primarily made up of a series of letters). I used to be a prolific letter writer, but over the years I have given up writing letters, but sending e-mails and texts is not the same and it is a shame to be losing this form of communication. I shall ponder this further.
The Channel Islands were under German Occupation during World War II and we learned quite a lot about that while we were there and it has made me interested to learn more. It is quite a sad history and some Channel Islanders were sent to Concentration Camps, which I was rather shocked to learn. I was also reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society while I was away, which is actually set just after World War II and says quite a lot about the occupation. It meant more to me having learned about some of it while I was in Jersey and was a reasonable enough read – even though Guernsey and Jersey are not the best of friends, so it was probably sacrilege to be reading the book whilst in Jersey. I must update my book blog, as I am now three books behind on that.
The book did (again) make me think about the lost art of letter writing though (It is primarily made up of a series of letters). I used to be a prolific letter writer, but over the years I have given up writing letters, but sending e-mails and texts is not the same and it is a shame to be losing this form of communication. I shall ponder this further.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Response
On the way home tonight there were various delays on the tube. As I went to walk out through the barriers, my Oyster card didn’t work and the woman behind me did a slightly sarcastic and exasperated “oh God...”. I turned round and said, rather dryly, “sorry to have inconvenienced you”. I think the woman had not expected me to hear, let alone respond to, her comment. However, I think she then suffered one of those moments where she hoped the ground would open up beneath her, and she skulked out of the station.
Today is my last day in the office for a week and a half. Hooray! I seem to have lots to do with my day. Not least because I am in a meeting all afternoon. When I agreed to the meeting, I hadn’t really taken much notice of the specific date and that it was not actually terribly convenient in that sense. One of my team still has to hit her target as well, and she might achieve it if I have got enough time to turn her work round for her. I think I am going to need a holiday after today.
I might be back here some time in the next couple of days, but if not, I am away on hols on Saturday for a week. So, Happy Easter, just in case.
Today is my last day in the office for a week and a half. Hooray! I seem to have lots to do with my day. Not least because I am in a meeting all afternoon. When I agreed to the meeting, I hadn’t really taken much notice of the specific date and that it was not actually terribly convenient in that sense. One of my team still has to hit her target as well, and she might achieve it if I have got enough time to turn her work round for her. I think I am going to need a holiday after today.
I might be back here some time in the next couple of days, but if not, I am away on hols on Saturday for a week. So, Happy Easter, just in case.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Licked
We had chips with our dinner last night. G got them out the oven and went to test one and put it done on a plate before eating it. I picked it up and ate it instead. It seems G had already licked the chip. Nice.
I went into work a week or so ago and one of my sets of drawers had disappeared. This was particularly concerning because it had my tea in it. After a bit of head scratching, I identified the culprit and asked him to get them back for me, as the ones he had replaced them with were broken. He was not thrilled by this request, but I was less thrilled by his having taken them and stood my ground. When he had finished moving furniture around, he had a bit of a go at the chap who sits next to me about something entirely unrelated. Afterwards I said to him that I thought he’s rather got the wrath of the furniture moving chap’s annoyance with me, to which he replied “Don’t worry about it, it was like being savaged by a poodle”. Fair enough.
Those Australians are rather more direct than us Brits I feel, take the reference to their latest driving campaign as an example.
I went into work a week or so ago and one of my sets of drawers had disappeared. This was particularly concerning because it had my tea in it. After a bit of head scratching, I identified the culprit and asked him to get them back for me, as the ones he had replaced them with were broken. He was not thrilled by this request, but I was less thrilled by his having taken them and stood my ground. When he had finished moving furniture around, he had a bit of a go at the chap who sits next to me about something entirely unrelated. Afterwards I said to him that I thought he’s rather got the wrath of the furniture moving chap’s annoyance with me, to which he replied “Don’t worry about it, it was like being savaged by a poodle”. Fair enough.
Those Australians are rather more direct than us Brits I feel, take the reference to their latest driving campaign as an example.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Time
As you are probably aware, the clocks went forward this weekend (and if you’re in Britain, I certainly hope you are aware of this or else you are probably late for work!) and the debate has raised its head again of whether we should ditch Greenwich Mean Time and move permanently to British Summer Time or even have a combination of BST and moving forward an hour from that.
I have to say that I am not very pro this suggestion. I know there are arguments about the lives that could be saved, and that is a significant point, and the counter arguments about how we have a uniform time across the UK, people in Scotland would be particularly negatively impacted because they would end up having to do more in the dark i.e. it would still be dark when they got up in the north of Scotland.
We have actually experimented with sticking with BST before – from 1940 to 1945 i.e. during World War 2 (and actually we had Double Summertime, so the clocks went forward a further hour in the summer during that time and then back to BST in the winter), and from February 1968 to October 1971.
The reason I am loathed to give up GMT though is that it is the first formalised time that existed. Until relatively recently we did not have a uniform time across the UK, and that was fine because a few minutes difference the further you headed west was ok because you were moving at no great pace yourself. It just wasn’t very noticeable. However, with the advent of the steam engine, the discrepancies began to matter. People could travel much faster – and I guess it was rather difficult to have a timetable if there was no standard time. Being a few minutes out, as would be the case where people knew the time based on the sun hitting a sundial, could make a significance difference and actually depending on which direction you were travelling you could, presumably end up going back in time. Interesting. Anyway, to overcome this the time in London (Greenwich Mean Time) was taken as the standard time for the country. The UK was the first country to standardise time and after that other countries followed suit, with GMT remaining the “base time”. So to give up GMT, we would actually be giving up a huge piece of history. Maybe that is old fashioned to not want change for the sake of history, but it does seem pretty significant to me and to no longer have GMT in the UK would somehow seem like a step too far.
I have to say that I am not very pro this suggestion. I know there are arguments about the lives that could be saved, and that is a significant point, and the counter arguments about how we have a uniform time across the UK, people in Scotland would be particularly negatively impacted because they would end up having to do more in the dark i.e. it would still be dark when they got up in the north of Scotland.
We have actually experimented with sticking with BST before – from 1940 to 1945 i.e. during World War 2 (and actually we had Double Summertime, so the clocks went forward a further hour in the summer during that time and then back to BST in the winter), and from February 1968 to October 1971.
The reason I am loathed to give up GMT though is that it is the first formalised time that existed. Until relatively recently we did not have a uniform time across the UK, and that was fine because a few minutes difference the further you headed west was ok because you were moving at no great pace yourself. It just wasn’t very noticeable. However, with the advent of the steam engine, the discrepancies began to matter. People could travel much faster – and I guess it was rather difficult to have a timetable if there was no standard time. Being a few minutes out, as would be the case where people knew the time based on the sun hitting a sundial, could make a significance difference and actually depending on which direction you were travelling you could, presumably end up going back in time. Interesting. Anyway, to overcome this the time in London (Greenwich Mean Time) was taken as the standard time for the country. The UK was the first country to standardise time and after that other countries followed suit, with GMT remaining the “base time”. So to give up GMT, we would actually be giving up a huge piece of history. Maybe that is old fashioned to not want change for the sake of history, but it does seem pretty significant to me and to no longer have GMT in the UK would somehow seem like a step too far.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Missions
As I walked to the station after work last night, I saw a man walking along with the back of an office chair under his arm. It made me wonder if it would be possible to steal an entire office piece by piece and then put it back together again elsewhere – and how long would it take anyone to notice. Imagine how every evening you could sneak out another key from someone’s computer keyboard and then 110 days later (this is obviously the more time consuming method of doing it), you could take a manual to work out how to put a keyboard back together. Then you could start on the paper clips... I’m not sure that I have really thought this plan through.
I got an e-mail from one of my bosses yesterday. I had asked if I could refuse to go to a work meeting because it was scheduled at 12-2pm. I was told that I couldn’t really get away with an outright refusal but that she would see what could be dine about providing edible bribes. I really object to meetings at anti-social times be that early in the morning or that take up the entire lunch period – and anything that affects my ability to consume food (or to sleep) is always going to draw my ire. I’m on a mission to bring a work life balance back into the working world.
I got an e-mail from one of my bosses yesterday. I had asked if I could refuse to go to a work meeting because it was scheduled at 12-2pm. I was told that I couldn’t really get away with an outright refusal but that she would see what could be dine about providing edible bribes. I really object to meetings at anti-social times be that early in the morning or that take up the entire lunch period – and anything that affects my ability to consume food (or to sleep) is always going to draw my ire. I’m on a mission to bring a work life balance back into the working world.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Better
I was looking at the website for my high school last night. I was rather bemused by what it is like and as much as I didn’t really feel that it was a school I was suited to while I was there, I think that even more based on what it is like now. It has very high academic standards, and when I was there it brought out rather an inertia in me because I had no interest in the focus on academic achievement, seemingly at the expense of a number of other things. While I was there, it actually made me not want to go to university and the only reason I went was because I realised I’d have to get a job if I didn’t! I am glad I went to university (and it had to be a university because applying to go to a polytechnic* would have probably got me expelled from school).
Many years ago I had a friend whose mum one day said to me “the girls at your school are so well turned, out and well spoken. What happened to you?” I didn’t really have an answer to that one, but somehow I don’t think it the worst insult ever to not be seen as a typical product of my educational background.
I was talking to a friend from work recently and she was being rather dismissive of private schools, so I thought it was probably best to mention that I went to a private school – and she was another person somewhat surprised by this. I take it from this that I would continue to be a disappointment to my former school, not quite presenting the required image and, as my school reports used to say, “could do better”.
*yes they still existed (just) when I went to university.
Many years ago I had a friend whose mum one day said to me “the girls at your school are so well turned, out and well spoken. What happened to you?” I didn’t really have an answer to that one, but somehow I don’t think it the worst insult ever to not be seen as a typical product of my educational background.
I was talking to a friend from work recently and she was being rather dismissive of private schools, so I thought it was probably best to mention that I went to a private school – and she was another person somewhat surprised by this. I take it from this that I would continue to be a disappointment to my former school, not quite presenting the required image and, as my school reports used to say, “could do better”.
*yes they still existed (just) when I went to university.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Inspired
Two nights ago, I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t get back to sleep for over two hours. As someone who normally sleeps the whole night through without stirring, this really was a shock to the system. In the end I read a chapter or two of a book in the hope that my mind would stop whirring and I would lull myself back to sleep. It seemed to work (and also had the added bonus of meaning that I have finally finished The Count of Monte Cristo). I haven’t been very well over the last few days and I think it was actually that which disturbed my sleep, rather than having lots of things on my mind. But it seems that if I wake up in the middle of the night those things that wouldn’t bother me during the daytime become more significant. The other night it was that the big boss is leaving and I was trying to work out how to encourage people to sign his leaving book (people seem to find signing a book rather than card somewhat scary and so just keep passing it on without writing anything). It worked though because I came up with a solution.
It is the end of the reporting year and I have lots of work to do, but not terribly much brain power to do it with. However, the highlight of the day ahead is that my old boss from many years ago is due in for a visit and so I am hoping to see her. She is probably the best manager I have ever had and she still inspires me to this day, so it would nice to be able to say a brief hello if nothing else.
It is the end of the reporting year and I have lots of work to do, but not terribly much brain power to do it with. However, the highlight of the day ahead is that my old boss from many years ago is due in for a visit and so I am hoping to see her. She is probably the best manager I have ever had and she still inspires me to this day, so it would nice to be able to say a brief hello if nothing else.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Noise
My neighbour upstairs seems to be about a lot more at the moment. She is often not about for weeks on end, and then suddenly reappears briefly, maybe only for an hour or two and then disappears again. However, more recently she has been about a lot more and I know this because she just seems to walk about incessantly. There are probably track marks across her carpet where she paces back and forth, back and forth, back and forth… you get the idea… We also think she maybe does some kind of full gym workout at various points or else she is up to something very odd.
So the neighbour above is like a herd of elephants, the neighbour on one side has a crying baby and the neighbour on the other side has a barking dog. I think it might be time to look for a house to buy at some point in the future, or I’ll find a new home at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.
I heard back from the woman I knew from school and we are meeting up next Tuesday for lunch, so that should be good. If we can recognise each other.
So the neighbour above is like a herd of elephants, the neighbour on one side has a crying baby and the neighbour on the other side has a barking dog. I think it might be time to look for a house to buy at some point in the future, or I’ll find a new home at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.
I heard back from the woman I knew from school and we are meeting up next Tuesday for lunch, so that should be good. If we can recognise each other.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Location
We went out for lunch with my mum and sister on Saturday, and that was quite nice. We did it on The Times dine for £5 deal and so it was quite a bargain meal. But, we did feel that we weren’t treated quite the same as other customers (a badly located table, despite some tables in far better locations not being used while we were there etc). The food was nice though and they didn’t actually take The Times vouchers from us, so we can use them somewhere else too.
I felt really unwell most of the weekend though. Although I normally have to get out in the fresh air every day to feel that I can stay sane, yesterday I managed to put the rubbish out and went to the post box around the corner and that was as much as I could bring myself to do. Perhaps not taking any leave for three months is taking a bit of a toll. Still, I only have to keep going until the middle of next week and then I am on leave for a week and a half.
I felt really unwell most of the weekend though. Although I normally have to get out in the fresh air every day to feel that I can stay sane, yesterday I managed to put the rubbish out and went to the post box around the corner and that was as much as I could bring myself to do. Perhaps not taking any leave for three months is taking a bit of a toll. Still, I only have to keep going until the middle of next week and then I am on leave for a week and a half.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Power
I did actually manage to get into work about mid-afternoon yesterday, so that gave me the opportunity to briefly say hello to the new member of my team. I do actually already know her, but have never done overly much work with her before. We’re going to have a proper chat today because she wanted to leave early – and actually my brain was not functioning very well yesterday afternoon, so it was probably for the best.
I went on a work related visit yesterday morning, and although it was not to exactly the sane place, it required making exactly the same journey as I had a couple of weeks ago. When I made the journey a couple of weeks ago, I saw this woman get on the train and spread herself and her bags and other possessions across five seats. She then made a phone call, which went as follows:
“Hi is that Mark?”
[Reply]
“Oh hi Mark, I was wondering who the driver is on the train that leaves Sutton at 9.30 this morning”
[Reply]
“Oh, so it’s you. Well, I’m on a train that arrives at Sutton just before that and I need to get on your train. Can you hold your train a couple of minutes in case mine is running late?”
[Reply]
“Great, see you in a bit then”
I couldn’t decide if I was really impressed that she had so much power that a whole train full of people could be delayed just for her, or if I was aghast at a huge abuse of power. I wonder...
I went on a work related visit yesterday morning, and although it was not to exactly the sane place, it required making exactly the same journey as I had a couple of weeks ago. When I made the journey a couple of weeks ago, I saw this woman get on the train and spread herself and her bags and other possessions across five seats. She then made a phone call, which went as follows:
“Hi is that Mark?”
[Reply]
“Oh hi Mark, I was wondering who the driver is on the train that leaves Sutton at 9.30 this morning”
[Reply]
“Oh, so it’s you. Well, I’m on a train that arrives at Sutton just before that and I need to get on your train. Can you hold your train a couple of minutes in case mine is running late?”
[Reply]
“Great, see you in a bit then”
I couldn’t decide if I was really impressed that she had so much power that a whole train full of people could be delayed just for her, or if I was aghast at a huge abuse of power. I wonder...
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