Meh

See above.

What About That Summer?

So, since we've gone to British SummerTime, it has been barely noticeable. Every evening it's just dominated by rain. Rain, rain, rain - annoying. So much for light evenings, the skies have been dark every night!

Clearly, the thought that I was being bitter on Saturday with my comment about rain is somewhat unfounded!

Debate, Decide, Defer

So this evening I actually watched the Chancellor (and would-be-Chancellors) debate on Channel 4. Somewhat interesting.

However, nothing we didn't know. Nothing new, or exciting, or really positive revealed. Cable was by far the most convincing, but that's not a surprise either. It won't make a difference to the outcome - and whichever way you think, that's probably a bad thing too.

All doom and gloom ahead, he says cheerfully!

Well, We're Done With That

It was an entertaining titling concept but I'm returning back to my normal, mundane, make it up as I go along style.

Today I've been mostly procrastinating and wondering about the changing times in confusion. I didn't twig when it was nearly eight because it was still light outside. I know this is obvious, but it still takes you by surprise when you're not thinking about it.

My major task today was checking all the clocks I rely on to get me up in the morning are in fact set to the correct time. This will ensure I am up promptly tomorrow! While changing the time, I have also taken the opportunity to correct my bedside alarm clock, which has been for ages about ten minutes fast. The trick is now remembering in the morning that I've done this!

Tomorrow at work I have an important unimportant meeting. I know that sounds contradictory, but it's true. It's not important per se - it's simply reviewing a lot of the ideas submitted over the past month or so for systems improvements (among other things). However, because this meeting will feature at least one if not a couple of senior directors, it is relatively important. Exposure! Perhaps.

I've even polished my shoes to look the part. Yes, this is as crazy as it sounds.

Tomorrow

So while I sit inside today, looking outside at the gloom and rain that has filled the day, my Dad packs his bag and prepares to head to sunnier climes.

It always seems that every time any member of my family is going on holiday, and I am here, that it is greeted with torrential rain. Perhaps I'm just bitter - they're off to somewhere sunnier and I'm not! This time Dad and Gill are heading to Costa Rica, which does sound like it might be quite fun. It'll be better weather than it is here, too!

Come Back Around

So the weekend has come back around once more. This week seems to have both gone really quickly, and taken ages. The week itself, on a day by day basis, has seemed to take an age. I think this is partially to do with the fact that I wasn't expecting to work one and a half days of it!

On the other hand, it seems to have gone really fast - it seems like only yesterday that Chrissi was here! Would be nice if she still was, grumble grumble, etc.

Today work went really quickly in the morning, then dragged all afternoon. Even more bizarrely, I think I got only two emails all day - and one of those was asking if I was going to the pub after work. As can be deduced from the time of this post, I obviously didn't - a little tired at the end of the week!

In other news, Mike wins a bonus prize from yesterday for spotting my random theme that I started for no reason whatsoever with the first title, and decided it was fun so kept going. I'll probably stop over the next couple of days, but I may do this one again sometime - it's an entertaining little challenge to set myself about blog titles!

Turn

I was pondering earlier that the week can, in a way, represent a game of Texas Hold'Em Poker. Each day represents a card!

The weekend represents your pocket cards. These are safe, yours, noone else can steal them or use them. Sometimes, however, they can still be unimpressive. Then you have the flop, the first three days of the week that all seem to bunch up together. You don't really get to the 'midpoint' of the week mentally until Thursday. Appropriate that this (today, in fact, hence the title) is known as the turn. I have no idea how Friday is a river. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

(Did you see what I did there? I know, I'm sorry.)

This rubbish insight was brought to you courtesy of my randomly self-imposed blog title rules for this week.

Under the Weather

So this week I've been suffering from a bit of pain - mostly self-inflicted. Literally. I bit my tongue last Friday while eating, and thought nothing of it. Except when I looked in the mirror, it's still got quite an indent in it. I thought it was a mouth ulcer, and it was in fact a rather painful bite into my tongue. Clever. Nearly a week later, too.

However, in a more literal definition of today's title, I'm quite happy with the weather this week - lovely and sunny. Long may it continue, and I know full well it won't!

Just The Way I'm Feeling

Last couple of days have been a little quiet and muted at work - there have been a few people off, and it's felt a little quieter. As I've been taking a little time to get back into the working mode, it's not surprising that I don't think I've accomplished much so far this week.

However, this afternoon things started to get busier again. This seems quite ironic considering I was only planning to start the week this afternoon. Lots of questions to answer, things to clarify and annoying people to shake. Main reason for the annoyance this time is that someone - having signed off a specification I wrote about six weeks ago - has now, what with it having been developed, suddenly realised that they had a completely different understanding of how one point worked than I did.

That's not really the best time to tell me, you know, especially when you've been really pushing this project to tight deadlines.

Comfort in Sound

One thing I've blogged on before is how I always feel better listening to music, especially when there's something I'm more down about! Two songs which I've been listening to last day or so that have made me feel better are, randomly, Buck Rogers by Feeder - principally for the upbeat chorus line, I think we're going to make it. Good sentiment.

Also, for the semi-ironic value, the other one is REM's Half A World Away. This is actually my ringtone when Chrissi rings me, and despite the lyrics being seemingly the opposite to how I feel, it does make me feel better!

Of course, the other way to feel better is to have a good rant. Here's the Guardian podcast from yesterday about the BA strike, with the reporter telling the story of a woman who was having difficulties getting back to Los Angeles and quite annoyed ... yes, you know who!

Just A Day

So the plan was that at the moment, I'd be looking forward to a day off tomorrow, a lazy day with Chrissi. Baking was planned, and I'd be doing exciting things like ironing in preparation for work on Tuesday. Chrissi would then be leaving the Tuesday morning.

However.

Chrissi's mother saw an additional flight on Sunday that was reinstated. Chrissi was able to go on this. While it had always been planned that Chrissi was to go on the Sunday, it was bitterly disappointing for it to happen so late - Saturday night - that this changed. It felt like we'd had that extra day robbed from us.

So today Chrissi and I did a little in the morning, and then we went to the airport. And that was that.

Weekend ... Really?

So today is a weekend, although having been off the entire week I'd have been hard placed to guess this myself. It's quite straightforward to ease into the routine of not working, and losing track of what day it is forms a natural part of this!

Due to Chrissi's delayed flights back courtesy of the BA strike, I also have all of Monday and Tuesday morning off work - meaning a nicely shortened three and a half day week coming up for me next week, and extending the non-working vibe for a couple of days. Add to this the Easter weekend, giving me consecutive two four-day weeks, and it will be four weeks between working a normal five-day week!

Today my grandparents are here - they are in the country because it was my grandfather's 80th birthday last Wednesday. He was here to share that achievement with his twin brother, who obviously was also 80 at the same time. They're flying out on Tuesday I think, so they're here for a couple of days. It's going to be surprisingly busy here!

Day Off

So ironically yesterday, the day I had least to do this week, was the one day that I didn't post a blog. I kept intending to post one later and then never did! Clearly this is the root of my problems - when I have something to talk about, and no time to do it in, I will write.

Today Chrissi and I went up to London. We went for a walk via Westminster Bridge, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square and through St. James' Park and Green Park, having lunch in the park on the way. We then went to Hamleys - as always, this brings out the kid in me. Chrissi bought some bears or something equally silly.

Then British Museum, where I bought more books to add to my long reading list, and then other places. Then home!

Five Minutes

I went onto here to write a post, but was then distracted by other people's recent updates and end up with barely five minutes to write this post. Why five minutes? Well, Doctor Who is on in five minutes, and while yes I can watch it on the iPlayer, it's become a nice ritual to watch it with Chrissi.

So, let me hope that the time-pressure has helped to focus my writing abilities.

Today we went up to London and went to the Globe Theatre. I've never been there myself, so it was enjoyable for me as well as Chrissi! We wandered along the South Bank - I think at that point it's called Bankside - and also saw the Golden Hind, Sir Francis Drake's ship. Stopped for a nice pub lunch which I'm still full from, and then went on our way to Covent Garden.

I always love Covent Garden. Every time I visit, I leave with a nagging feeling that I should've bought something. I often see things I like, typically witty t-shirts. But fearful of adding to my already full collection of witty t-shirts, I never buy any. Perhaps I should simply dispose of the older ones and get in some new ones - it might be an idea!

Three minutes. Excellent, a minute break, then Doctor Who!

Stay A Little Longer

Every time either Chrissi or I have to leave at the end of our trips, we go through this whole routine where we ask if we really have to go or if we can just stay for another day or two, nobody will notice.

However, this time, that actually happened. Chrissi is flying with BA, and was due to fly back on Sunday. The flaw is that her flight on Sunday has been cancelled due to the strike action. I'm not going to go into details of the strike - I feel the union has been unfairly vilified by all, but there are perhaps elements of compromise that both sides could have taken.

As a result, Chrissi is now here until Tuesday. An extra two days, really. This is great - yet also because of the hassle, not as ideal as it would be in our fantasy worlds where we can stay forever without it actually impacting on anything in the real world!

3D Wonderland

So yesterday Chrissi and I saw as our film - I think I mentioned this in my post yesterday - anyway, we saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D.

I'm not sure what exactly I expected of it, but I was still nevertheless quite impressed. I think that it being by Tim Burton reassured me that it was going to be interesting and not a horribly twee Disney-rampage. But it was very well constructed.

As anyone might not be surprised considering my tendency to occasionally quote from Jabberwocky, I did find that particularly entertaining. The characters and voices were also brilliant - Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat! Superb. Alan Rickman as the caterpillar! Possibly the best one, however, was eternal-villian Christopher Lee as the voice of the Jabberwocky.

The whole 3D experience was good too - although I had this continual nagging feeling that I wanted to take off the glasses now and again to see if it's really making any difference or not! It was, but sometimes I wasn't too convinced of this fact.

Disappearing Saturdays

So far in March, I've blogged every single day besides Saturday. Not sure why not Saturdays, but there's obviously some reason!

Yesterday I had intended to blog in the morning, about how I was up early and had everything ready before I went to go get Chrissi from the airport. Then I was going to blog on the coach as to how annoyed I was that a broken down coach meant I was unable to get to the airport as early as I liked - not that it mattered as it turned out.

Then I was going to post some happy random comment as to how Chrissi is here, but with one thing and another I never got around to it. So I posted nothing!

Today we're going to head into Woking, see a film, and probably call into St. Johns on the way home to the fabulous Thai/Vietnamese restaurant for a meal. Sounds like a plan!

16-and-a-half-ish Hours

Not that I'm counting down, but it's only 16 and a half or so hours until Chrissi lands.

I have things to do! Rooms to tidy (well, room), shopping to do, making myself look beautiful ... well, the latter will take a bit longer than the time I have available, but I'll do my best with what I have!

Poker and Poking

So tonight was poker, which was fun, and now I arrived back late at night as usual. This may be followed tomorrow potentially, depending on whether I go out tomorrow night or not!

Also, two days until Chrissi is here (whooo!). The poking refers to my prompting of people to organise something while she is here to meet up with other people. Should be good. The theme may be poker too.

Good Deeds and Nagging Feelings

So this evening, on the way home, I noticed someone had left a purse on the bus as I got off. I handed it in to the driver, but can't help myself wondering if it'll ever get as far as lost property. If it does, will anyone even believe people have enough integrity to hand it in to go hunt it down?

And are these questions just really cynical about humanity as a whole?

Cursed Inspiration Timing

I've been pondering over a problem for a couple of days at work now. This has been on-and-off over the last month. I have to draw out the requirements for a major development that noone is quite sure what it is and what it does, and have been constantly presented with this stumbling block - just what are we doing? And why are we wanting to do it?

But suddenly, tonight, after having this in the back of my mind for most of today, I was walking back from the busstop on the way home. And out of nowhere, inspiration strikes, and I think I have an idea that I think would be quite neat. Out of nowhere, I seem to have possibly a clue as to what to do here. I don't know the solution, but I think I may have accidentally defined the problem.

So I've now just gotten home, and am having to really fight the temptation to log into work and start exploring this further. It can wait until tomorrow.

Why couldn't I have these ideas at the START of the day!?

Disappointment

So FotC sold out within minutes on Friday morning - 9am being a not-so-great time for me to do such a thing as purchasing tickets. Being a mere two-three days late to the party, I feel I've missed out.

Sad face.

Early Weekends

So both yesterday and this morning I woke up bizarrely early. I have no idea what that's about!

Having gone to bed around 2-2:30am on Friday night, I was wide awake at 7am yesterday morning. I couldn't even get back to sleep. Of course, I then fell asleep later in the day (while watching the football - clearly a gripping and involving game). I then followed that up this morning with being wide awake at 8am having gone to bed around 1am. I did doze for a bit longer, however.

Typically my weekend involves a large amount of sleeping to catch up for the week's lack of sleep. It's quite odd to be up and awake so early, I'm never quite sure what to do with myself!

Race Against the Clock

So, as I return home from another late drinking session (this sounds far more crazy if you are unaware that I don't drink), I am once more cutting it fine to actually make a post before midnight. However, this time I am determined to make it!

This evening was a weird evening, as most discussions at the pub tend to be. This included long, in-depth discussions of music, and also oddly serious discussions about how all men are selfish (I'm sadly not paraphrasing), and whether you can believe in geography or not. I was also alleged to be a very dominant personality, which sounds utterly hilarious to me. Maybe it's true though, I don't really know - it's hard to comment on yourself objectively! A good evening, however, as always.

Finally, thanks to those who responded to my rather silly postering about how I am unloved and noone responds to me. I am clearly quite randomly insecure and paranoid about non-responses!

Flight of Fancy

This morning I saw an advert in the paper that (the legendary) Flight of the Conchords are touring the UK in May. It is quite tempting to go to one of the London shows. I'm very much thinking about it.

However, so far noone else is interested, and I'm not particularly tempted to go on my own. So is anyone else interested? Having sent out several texts this afternoon to get a grand total of zero responses, I'm seeing if the blogosphere holds more luck.

Also, when was the last time someone made a comment on my blog? Have all my readers deserted me now I've actually resumed a regular service? All very mysterious.

Nearly Single Digits

This is the first time in ages I've gone an entire week (or seven consecutive days at least) of consistent blogging. Impressive, since I have not much to say at the moment.

Today was another standard work-related day. Not exciting, but true. Work is okay at the moment, but still spending far more time than I'd like there. However, I have a week off - not next week but the week after. Reason being because Chrissi is here! Only ten days to wait.

Recently I've been watching a lot of QI. I'm not sure why this is the case, or why I felt like mentioning this, but it's true nevertheless.

Writing and Raving

I've been in an oddly creative frame of mind recently - well, by my standards. This has resulted in writing!

I've talked for years and years about writing. Recently I've actually started to put the proverbial pen to the proverbial paper, and make some (non-proverbial) progress. This is exciting. I'm far too embarrassed to share my work of art with anyone, though, although Chrissi has had a peek and declared it good. Then again, she has to, merely to sustain my fragile ego.

I've also been blogging a lot, as if you haven't noticed. But enough of that.

Continuing the Run

I've been posting for a few days in a row now. I'm not sure why this is a notable achievement that needed highlighting, but I feel it is.

This evening, I'm home slightly earlier than I may have expected. This is because - in an utterly predictable display of petty timekeeping - the groundsman for the football pitch turned the floodlights off at exactly 7pm. Now, we play for an hour, but usually can carry on for a bit longer.

I have a feeling after the events of a couple of weeks ago (see previous blog for details) someone may have had a word, and our favourite curmudgeon is responding by being excessively petty.