UK Watercooler 4: A New Beginning

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UK Watercooler Conversation 3: The Revenge of the Cookie

― Sophisticated Boom Boom (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:21 (twenty years ago)

I know, I'm paranoid, but still. What was all that about soup?

We had soup yesterday in the studio. Yummy soup.

― Sophisticated Boom Boom (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:24 (twenty years ago)

this is my spammyspam email address anyway. my super secret real address is super secret.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:26 (twenty years ago)

Well, this used to be my messageboard only email address, but after I got rid of the other one, now it's my real address.

― Sophisticated Boom Boom (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:27 (twenty years ago)

how the heck do you get ilx emailed to yourself?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:28 (twenty years ago)

just found it, so you can 'subscribe' to threads? it's a bit pointless innit?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

i have the internet on CD.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:31 (twenty years ago)

You can click a little button that says "follow thread by email" - I'm not sure where it comes up. Definitely does when you start the thread. Not sure if there are other times you can request it.

I mean, if you start an informational thread where you want to know if, 6 months from now, someone tells you how to make fennel soup, fair enough. But following a chat thread like this by email... it just seems weird to me. And a bit...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/kenjuggle3/stalker.gif

― Sophisticated Boom Boom (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:31 (twenty years ago)

you say it like it's a bad thing. stalkers just have too much love.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:33 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, say that when you have psychotic Dutchmen and Texan lesbians just turning up at your house randomly.

― Sophisticated Boom Boom (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:34 (twenty years ago)

i'm all for random Texan lesbians coming round my place, thanks.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

Let's not go there.

Argh, I've had so many letters this weekend. You want mail? Buy a house! I've had notes from my insurer, MASSIVE FUCKOFF REPORTS from my surveyor, and a big packet of strange legal documents and deeds and titles and things to sign from my solicitors. I'm so confused by it all. I just need the bloody mortgage to come through now!

(Not to mention the money from my mum!)

― Sophisticated Boom Boom (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

Pink, I want your soup.
I'll let you know how it goes Beanz!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

I want that soup, too. Mmmmmm. Where's Emsk? She makes the bestest winter soup in the world.

― Sophisticated Boom Boom (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

Omg I thought I just saw Pinkpanther on telly! But it turns out it was a woman called Sarah Walker (stage name, eh, pink?) presenting a show called To Buy or not to Buy.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:48 (twenty years ago)

Really? haha! One of my bestest friends is called that & she told me she was on holiday, ha! Do we have a picture so we can compare & contrast Mark?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

No, I even had a look online - the BBC site for the prog only has her presenting partner - and google isn't helpful either. Oh, hang on - this might be her, though this photo looks nothing like you but I promise she did on telly!

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

Hm, she better have looked different! haha! ;-)

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:03 (twenty years ago)

God, I need sleep. Even the coffee isn't helping.

I hope I'm not coming down with my FOURTH cold of the winter, when it's only November.

― Sophisticated Boom Boom (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

Been handling poultry recently?

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:24 (twenty years ago)

Nope. Only Irish DDBs.

― Sophisticated Boom Boom (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:25 (twenty years ago)

DDB?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:44 (twenty years ago)

Dirty Dronerock Boy. See the ILX glossary, etc.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:44 (twenty years ago)

Hi all - did I miss anything?

We've had a desk move in the office at the weekend, so everything's in different places and my brane needs re-orientating. Furthermore, I'm sitting at the "bosses" end - all the top people are at the far end of the office, and I'm with them - eeek! They actually want me to do some work! The keyboard's nicer though (old and clacky and tactile instead of new and silent).

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:45 (twenty years ago)

Ooh, you've moved up to Management now, JB! You'll be the boss of us, yet!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:46 (twenty years ago)

No representation without taxation if you ask me - I'm still getting pad a loaf of stale bread a day.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

Pad Loaf Stale Bread?

is that like a new Thai dish? ;-)

(mmmmmmmmm, Thai food.)

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 12:59 (twenty years ago)

Yes, exactly like a new Thai dish. You're exactly right.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:13 (twenty years ago)

Oh, I wanted to do a fun html thign, but it wouldn't let me! Waaah!

It was (/Daria), but with < and > instead of ( and ). How do I do that these days?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

I'm hungry now.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:16 (twenty years ago)

</Daria>

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

How come it won't let me do that?

grumble grumble grumble

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

I tried to put (/mutley) on the end of that last line as well!

Pah, ILE sux0rz.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:22 (twenty years ago)

your not l33t enfu wiv teh html lol

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:23 (twenty years ago)

just typed in the ampersand lt; code, but you did that anyway in your post to get the angle brackets didn't you?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:25 (twenty years ago)

or do you not have to, let me see ... <

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:26 (twenty years ago)

so you only need to code it when it's used as a tag, I see.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

Oh I get it, fair nuff.

That's a rubbish rule!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:37 (twenty years ago)

Still hungry after lunch so I got some carrot cake to eat at my desk. Totally unnecessary :( but tasty :)

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

I came in so late I'm trying to delay eating my lunch. Hummus, as usual.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

Carrot cake sounds nice. mmmmm carrot cake.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:53 (twenty years ago)

Oh yes. 'mmmmm' is right.

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

I had a blueberry muffin yesterday & it was very tasty!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

I feel a bit sick after my lunch, even though it was nice. Tomato and mushroom soup. Maybe I need cake.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:57 (twenty years ago)

Cake always helps (NB I am not a doctor)

xpost The problem with blueberry muffins is that they're always next to chocolate muffins, and chocolate wins every time

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

I've never been keen on chocolate muffins for some reason - it's almost like the muffin is an afterthought.

Kate, am I still making you a carrot cake, or sending you a recipe and we bake together, or what's happening?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

Well I never understood why chocolate cake isn't made entirely of icing, so I can't see the issue here

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:03 (twenty years ago)

I like almost any kind of muffin... mmmmmm. I especially like banana walnut (one of the few cooked banana products I really like) but can't seem to get those in the UK.

JB, dunno. What do you feel like? I'm not going to be in that house for a few weeks yet. But if you are coming on the walk on Sunday, perhaps it would be good to bring it then! Then we could all share in the carrotty goodness.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

Well you see I'd usually agree that chocolate muffins are better than blueberry, but not in this case. They were so light & fluffy, although the actual blueberries were a little "gritty".
x-post
I want to come on your walk for carroty goodness!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

I just left my desk for five minutes, and when I got back I found someone had left a home-made jam tart and a home-made mince pie on it! Woo!

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

Banana walnut muffin sounds like an AMAZING idea - I could have a go and bake them as well!

Okay then, walk it is. I can't find my 1p0d anywhere - I hope I find it by Sunday so I teh bus ride is a little less painful.

Good work FP - I want a mince pie now. Maybe I'll make some tonight . . .

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:10 (twenty years ago)

I love how the watercooler threads have evolved from cookies so quickly

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

Mmmm, I took mincepies to the session yesterday. They were gone quicker than the greenandblacks!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

Mince pies are one of my most favourite things.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:19 (twenty years ago)

Somerfield's "So Good" mince pies are k-rad.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

Thanks everyone, now I want mince pies too

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:50 (twenty years ago)

Somerfield on Berwick Street, Beanz :)

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

Markelby is a mince pie pusher!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

Nooo quit it you enabler

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

mince pies, fruitcake, christmas cake - bleurgh. anything with candied fruit makes me want to vomit.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

Oh no, Lauren, I used to think that until I moved back to the UK. They know how to DO CANDIED FRUIT RIGHT! Bring on the brandied butter.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

So no Christmas pudding either Lauren?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

hmm. the candied fruits in fortnum & mason are a delight (whole greengages!) but nothing nice like that ever goes into the supermarket pies from what i can tell.

xpost - i eat pudding, but like a tiny sliver with about half a jar of brandy butter dumped on to kill the taste.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:01 (twenty years ago)

You need to eat some of Ed's Christmas Cake. It is truly a Thing Of Joy.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

Home-made mince pies beat shop ones by a MILE.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:21 (twenty years ago)

But of course... though when I was little, I hated mince pies, and always insisted that my mum make mine with jam. I have since learned the error of my ways, but still crave homemade pies.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:22 (twenty years ago)

Argh you're all a bunch of FEEDERS on this thread!

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

i'm sure ed's cake is fantastic. someday i'd like to try making my own, similar to the one my mother's friend used to make - dense, black, evil-looking, and doused with liquor to the point that the family drunks weren't allowed to have any.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:25 (twenty years ago)

Come join us Archel!

http://www.schwartz.co.uk/assets/MincePies_GIF.gif
http://www.irlandando.it/speciali/natale/images/christmas-pudding.jpg

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:27 (twenty years ago)

Mmmm, family drunks.

And on that note, I'm going to get some coffee. Unfortunately, not Irish Coffee.

I was looking for a photo of our producer to put on our blog - oh my lord, he's so adorable. Surprisingly, it's not the sexual Horn or anything, but I would just like to put him in my gigbag and take him home with me. Musical crushes are good.

x-post DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLS ::wipes drool off keyboard::

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:28 (twenty years ago)

I am disappointed that the thread I started last night has not taken off :-(

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:52 (twenty years ago)

Now I REALLY want a mice pie. CURSE YOU ILE FOR MAKING ME THIS WAY!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

A mice pie? Oh no, the poor mice!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/places/mjt01.jpg

Mice Pie, apparently.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

Since when did hauling people up for typos become big or clever?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

Because you're making so many of them today, and they're all funny!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:06 (twenty years ago)

Right, I just went to the canteen for carrot cake but I only had 50p. So I had to have a Snickers instead. FEEDERS.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:08 (twenty years ago)

feeders = those that feed? surely everyone is a feeder? else we'd... yknow... die.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:10 (twenty years ago)

That's what you're supposed to think Sailor boy!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:11 (twenty years ago)

Feeders are like screwed up codependent manipulative partners who keep getting their weak-willed other halves to eat stuff, so they end up the size of a whale, unable to leave the house, and totally dependent on the feeding partner. So, THANKS.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:13 (twenty years ago)

::blows kiss that smells ever so faintly of pastry::

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:14 (twenty years ago)

Luckily I am probably going to be able to leave the house for a while yet, thanks to my amazing soup diet (not actually a diet, just eating soup at lunch time instead of pies. The Snickers was just a blip.)

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

i didn't make you do nothin, sister.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

the generally accepted term is SAILOR BRAT, btw

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:19 (twenty years ago)

Every partner I've ever had I've fed with tasty stuff, and I always cook for friends. I thought I just liked cooking for people, but maybe I'm a nasty evil not-good person, oh no!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:22 (twenty years ago)

can i be your friend?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:23 (twenty years ago)

Don't worry Johnny, if you don't actually hold them down and shovel second helpings into their throats, you're probably ok.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)

I think I am a feeder to myself! ONG I feel so dirty! *cries*

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:49 (twenty years ago)

Don't be upset! Here, have a twix

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 16:49 (twenty years ago)

I'm really flagging this afternoon. I could seriously do with some cookies/cake/muffins etc.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

i'd love a coffee, but the kind we've got here tastes rank without milk (of which there is none).

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 28 November 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

Wish I could send one of our coffees over to you - we've got really nice coffee. But I can't have caffeine at this time of night. Bah, I've got to stay until at least 7pm since I got in so late today.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

mmm nice coffee. but yeah - i have to be careful at night or i'm up and anxious too late. just like my mother!

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 28 November 2005 17:24 (twenty years ago)

It's amazing how much better my insomnia got since I switched my "I don't drink coffee after..." time from 6pm to about 3pm.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

Heh, mine is 11am now :)

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 28 November 2005 17:39 (twenty years ago)

I'd never get through the afternoon without that afterlunch coffee!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Monday, 28 November 2005 17:39 (twenty years ago)

Ugh so tired

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 28 November 2005 18:15 (twenty years ago)

Morning! I'm here on time for a change, today...

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 08:58 (twenty years ago)

Good morning!

My flatmate left the heating on all night for some reason. I woke up dreaming I was suffocating in a coal mine. This is the same flatmate who has been known to turn the water temperature right down, as well. Maybe I should find a manual for the boiler and leave it in a conspicuous place.

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:22 (twenty years ago)

Argh. I'm going to have to learn how to operate one of those things. They scare me. are the timers hard to work out? Also, how long does it take to warm up, do you have to set the boiler to come on an hour before you want to take your bath?

Heard back from our producer this morning. Yay, photos! Should get some mixes on Thursday or Friday. I'm so excited!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:23 (twenty years ago)

Our flat's small-ish and the boiler's pretty fast. We have hot water as soon as it's burning. I thought the timer was easy to work out, but my flatmate would disagree I guess.

When are the photos available for public consumption?

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:27 (twenty years ago)

They're on the What Do You Look Like thread already!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:28 (twenty years ago)

The timers are a doddle, the water should heat up fully within only a few minutes.

My house mate can't get the hang of the toggle option for the central heating, where you flick it to turn the heating on/off and then it will automatically be switched back on/off when it reaches the next time position. He just keeps turning it off completely and thus forgetting to turn it back on.

We've had the temperature on extraordinarily high so far this year.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:40 (twenty years ago)

because it's been so freaking cold! Even I've turned my radiator up and I usually keep the thing on about 3.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:46 (twenty years ago)

Oh, I'm so bored today. I don't have much to do. Argh.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:55 (twenty years ago)

yes brown rice!

― howell huser (chaki), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

V cool pics. I'll never believe you again when you say you photograph badly.

It was a relief to get out into the cold this morning.

Wish I had nothing to do (snifF)

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

Great photos!

This will be my fourth winter running without central heating... woe is me.

Still, I got home last night to find that Matt had secretly bought a Christmas tree and decorated the whole room with home-made paper snowflakes, popcorn on strings, the nativity scene my sister made for us, advent candle, fairy lights etc. Bit early of course but I am feeling uncontrollably festive as of now :)

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 09:59 (twenty years ago)

Thanks! I actually used all the hints given on ILX, that's why they look halfway decent for a change!

x-post oh NO!!! I couldn't do one winter without central heating. Blimey. I hope you have 3-bar heaters at least!

That's really sweet - must have been a lovely thing to come home to! I hate Xmas, but I must admit I love trimming the tree and hanging light. I might just put up Xmas lights in my flat, regardless of whether I have a tree or not.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:01 (twenty years ago)

my xmas lights are on all year round, it's always christmas at my house!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

I used to have great Xmas tree lights all year round, but they got lost in one of my moves. :-(

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

I have never had a real tree in the flat before, but I have never had Xmas day itself at home before.

We have:
1 storage heater (front room)
1 half-hearted electric heater (bedroom)
1 fan heater (peripatetic)

I basically wear all my clothes at once from November - February...

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

Archel - that sounds awful, although loading up on layers sounds cosy!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:16 (twenty years ago)

You know it's cold when you start wearing a woolly hat indoors.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:17 (twenty years ago)

Lovely pics Kate & Shimuras!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:20 (twenty years ago)

hey, i don't have central heating either. s'ok though. i was pretty toasty last night.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:24 (twenty years ago)

Thanks, Pink.

Though grrrr, honestly, I know that you take what you get when you post stuff on ILX. But I post the first band photos I've been really happy with in ages, and certain people just can't seem to resist being negative about them!

Like, am I not allowed to feel good about myself and the way I look for half an hour before someone gets the boot in? Honestly! Why do some people have to be *so* negative? If you don't like me, or think I'm ugly, keep it to yourself.

But I refuse to let this put me in a bad mood. I'm going to go and try to find some work to do.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:35 (twenty years ago)

Can you please find some *interesting* work for me to do too? I'm supposed to be generating phone usage reports and our crap phone reporting programs are driving me mad.

(plus, my boss got me to install a "light" version of Oracle on my desktop machine, and it's now running soooooo slowly it's unbelievable)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:38 (twenty years ago)

I shouldn't have opened my mouth. I've got the most *tedious* thing to do - update individual employee quotas.

::snore::

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:07 (twenty years ago)

Kate - ignore the hataz, it's always going to happen!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

wow, beautiful pics! *please* tell me there are some colour ones?

i don't get how our heating works. i mean, i understand how it's meant to work, and i set the switches accordingly, and then sometimes it works and sometimes it didn't. i had no heating in my room all last winter but couldn't really be arsed to sort it out so i just added an extra duvet. this winter all the heating works apart from the russian's room, which is extra-annoying because she's more predisposed to be bothered by that sort of thing than any of the rest of us. yay amsterdam yay! and effectively my trip is ALMOST FREE - i don't have to pay for the gig, and i went to check my stash of euros and there are 125 there, way more than i'll need in a day. yay surprise money! i will actually SAVE £££ just by not being in london. and i am taking a picnic for the bus. hurrah! oh, need to recharge cd player batteries.

― emsk ( emsk), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:27 (twenty years ago)

When do you leave for Amsterdam, Emsk?

David did take some colour photos, but I don't think he was as pleased with them. I liked them, though, as it made Anna's hair really pretty. He wants to take some more proper ones - as those really were done off the cuff after recording.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:35 (twenty years ago)

bus leaves at 8 tonight! the austrian is doing a talk thing in the houses of parliament beforehand so i might pop down to that on the way.

aces, we do need some colour ones. i saw amp last night at the smooosh gig and she was talking about the ones you're planning to do - sounds perfect!

― emsk ( emsk), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

Blimey! You are going to be back for the walk on Sunday, yes?

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:44 (twenty years ago)

I mean, uh... YAY! Have a good time, etc!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

what the hell does 'mulled wine' smell like? My house mate bought a new air freshner yesterday of mulled wine and now the house stinks like fag ash.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:53 (twenty years ago)

yes i am back for walk sunday! leave london 8 tonight, arr amsterdam 7.45am tomorrow, day in city, gig in evening, paradiso shuts at 4am, 24hr caff for 3 hours, bus leaves at 8am, arrives london 6pm, brakes @ luminaire thurs night :) what's the plan for sunday anyway? d'you know who's coming?

ste, all air fresheners smell like shit. tell them to stop buying them.

― emsk ( emsk), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:54 (twenty years ago)

Certain people, who have fucking names, were trying to help.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

I don't know why your "help" always involves you being so negative about me. In the future, kindly don't bother.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:05 (twenty years ago)

Anyway, I will not let this wind me up.

I love the smell of mulled wine. I hate the smell of air fresheners. However, I've got some scented candles which are supposed to smell like frankinsence and myrhh but really they smell like mulled wine. They are delish.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:06 (twenty years ago)

argh! kate it was a touch convoluted but it was a compliment. andrew people are quick enough to have a go at kate on here that it's not hard to see why she read it negatively.

― emsk ( emsk), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

num num, i have some burner oil stuff what smells like mulled wine and mince pies and christmas cake and oranges all mushed into one, perhaps it's time to get it out again.

― emsk ( emsk), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:10 (twenty years ago)

"Ugh horrible lighting, what's that crap on yer face, are you trying to be Adam Ant? Hope you didn't pay the photographer for those!" is supposed to be a *compliment*?

I know I'm bad at taking compliments, but I can't think of any bizarroworld in which that's positive.

I'm cranky now, I'm going to get lunch. :-(

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:20 (twenty years ago)

in this one: "b-but i think you're much better looking irl than you are in these photos!"

― emsk ( emsk), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

In the future I just won't bother being photographed at all. Better than being the hideous lurcher at the back of the group shots. :-(

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:26 (twenty years ago)

You are not your photos. I am not trying to compliment the photos, I don't think they do well by any of the members that I know.

It was the 'certain people' that pissed me off. If you're going to bitch about me in public, call me by my name. Unless your invective was aimed at the other person who didn't like them - Marianna?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:29 (twenty years ago)

Grr. Angry at myself for being angry now. Sorry, Kate.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

I've heard that scented candles are actually terribly bad for you, and you're inhaling all kinds of petrochemicals and stuff. But I don't care, I love them so much. They make my room smell nice, plus candlelight is so lovely.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:32 (twenty years ago)

Kate - calm down. Andrew's first comment was a bit off, but read & re-read his second comment. I'm sure he didn't mean to be derogatory. Saying that he didn't like the pictures does not mean "I think you are all ugly!"

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

bah kate stop being testy! i disagree with andrew about the photos being bad but really, he wasn't having a dig.

can i make my custard cream comment now? you know the stuff you get in the middle of custard cream (and similar, i presume) biscuits? it's not classifiable as food. it has to have some nutritional value for it to count as food and they can't do it, ha! (but i will still eat it.)

― emsk ( emsk), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:46 (twenty years ago)

What are petrochemicals (and can we eat them)?

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 12:47 (twenty years ago)

okay i re-sprayed the mulled wine air freshner to see if it was any better but's nope it's still awful, not as good as the vanilla festive spice one we had last time.

someone has nicked our oil burner

― Ste (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 13:30 (twenty years ago)

it's not classifiable as food

Do you have a ref for this? It's just that this "fact" gets repeated at me all the time, and no-one can give me any reference, nor any kind of figure of how much "nutritional value" (whatever that is) something has to have before it's "food" - it's sounds apocryphal to me. Anyone have any ideas?

Oh, hi all!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 13:34 (twenty years ago)

Celery is supposed to provide less energy than it takes to digest, isn't it, so is that therefore not a food?

Someone has brought muffins into the office, yay. I'm saving mine for an hour or so.

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

Argh, I have a whole new level of hell to go through with my mum...

I cannot believe this.

She said that she was mailing me some Euros in cash. A bit of a risk, but OK, I mail cash all the time and so long as it's well disguised, I'd never had a problem with it. The package finally gets here. It's not cash, it's travellers checks. (note to my mum: if it says AMERICAN EXPRESS across them in big letters, it's not cash)

Not only are they travellers cheques, but she's forgotten to endorse them. If she'd left them blank, fine, I could have signed both lines. If she'd signed both lines and put my name in the "pay to" line, fine.

BUT NO, I'VE GOT 70 SLIPS OF COMPLETELY WORTHLESS PAPER!!!!

Argh. I think she's on the phone to AmEx trying to get her money back for them now.

::bashes head against desk::

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I know "blah blah stupid trustafarians and their whinging problems" but this shit is annoying. I've been to a bureau de change, my bank and the American Express office already to find this out.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

That sounds infuriating. Have you run out of stresstwigs, Kate?

I like how they were checks when she mailed them and cheques when they got here!

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

ha ha, I didn't even notice that. I was making a conscious effort to call them checks because they're American but must have slipped back.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

Actually, it says CHEQUE on them, so I was right!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

Does she usually sign cash? Is your mum actually The Queen?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

(of Europe!)

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

My mum frequently signs her cheques "Queen Elizabeth II" to check if the bank notices, but as far as I know, she's not the Queen. Of Europe. (though I shall call her this in the future.)

American Express has now designated me a Merchant so I can cash them. I will try this as soon as I've finished this piece of carrot cake and this gingerbread latte. (Dealing with banks is too exhausting to be done on an empty stomach.)

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:41 (twenty years ago)

Although hunger can fuel a swell of polite righteous indignation if you need to get shirty with them.

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

No, because I don't get righteously indignant when I'm hungry. I get cranky and downright DANGEROUS. I don't want to be arrested after all.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

OHMIGOD, halfway through eating my carrot cake, my fork snapped in half! Typical. I nicked it from Joe's - thought it was solid steel but turned out to be made of plastic!

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

It's a conspiracy!

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)

she is Uri Geller!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

My colleague just told me his advent callender goes up to new years day, wtf?!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:11 (twenty years ago)

For non Christians? Seems a bit weird. I'm not Christian and I don't feel envious of having a calendar. I can eat chocolate whenever I want.

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:13 (twenty years ago)

If it goes all the way, then surely it should go to Epiphany, which is the end of the traditional 12 Days of Christmas?

Anyway, I'm back from the bank now. After loads and loads of palaver, they finally did it. I had to endorse 70 cheques and man, my wrists hurt now. I think I need a liedown. And possibly some coffee.

― Please Snap StressTwig (kate), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

A lot of advent calendars have gone through to New Year's Day in recent years. It started in 1999 with the New Milnellium, but has seemed to have continued ever since.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:10 (twenty years ago)

Oh, hello. There you are. I knew something was missing this morning, but too tired to figure out what it was.

God I need sleeeeeeeeeeep.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

Morning guys! I am very excited for tomorrow.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:13 (twenty years ago)

Oh & weetabix are my cereal of choice this morning.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:14 (twenty years ago)

Yay! Fingers crossed about tomorrow for ya, PinX0r!

I got up too late for breakfast this morning. Rehearsal ran waaaay overtime last night so I didn't even get home til after midnight. Woke up at 7am and had to hop in the shower and run for the train to make it to work on time. Got an egg sammich at the local cafe but I still feel out of sorts. Probably just haven't had enough coffee yet.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:15 (twenty years ago)

I went to see the new Harry Potter film last night, and annoyed my companion by pointing out David Tennant's sexiness in every scene he was in.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

Thanks Kate!

I never have time for breakfast at home, I always have it at work.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:20 (twenty years ago)

I hate eating breakfast at work - I always feel like I'm skiving. Plus, I end up dripping half of it all over my desk. I am just such a slob.

Is the new Harry Potter good, then, FP? Still making up my mind whether to see it or not. Can't really find anyone to go with. Still arguing with my mate over what film we're going to on Friday. I want to see either The Libertine or Stoned but she wants to see Flightplan or The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Bah.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:24 (twenty years ago)

I can't wait to see the new Harry Potter. Does that make me really sad? I just thought it was the best book so far (although I'm currently reading the latest book) & I'm looking forward to seeing it.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:27 (twenty years ago)

Nah, my filmfriend has been gushing about it for weeks. I would like to see it. I've never read the books, but the films are good fun.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:36 (twenty years ago)

I wrote a review of it on the blog, if you're interested. I don't *think* I gave any spoilers away.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:41 (twenty years ago)

Argh. OK, how do I handle this.

I've been email flirting with this bloke I deal with through work. Nothing serious, just laughing about pirates and crap like that. It's just one of those things that makes the day go faster.

Now today, at the end of his email, he asks "are you single?"

How do I answer that? Do I just lie and say "no, sorry, mate, married with two kids" or tell the truth and risk him getting weird on me?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:46 (twenty years ago)

If you want it to ever be more than flirting? If even MAYBE yes, don't say you're married.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:49 (twenty years ago)

Morning all!

I presume the fella is a nice guy, otherwise you wouldn't be bantering with him. Hence you can say your single and no problem.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:50 (twenty years ago)

I have no idea. I've never met the guy. His emails are funny but I've never thought of it as anything but something to pass the time. All kidding about Boris Johnson lookylike aside, I'd never even consider getting involved with someone I met through work. Though honestly, we don't work for the same company.

Why am I even thinking about this? I don't have time for boys and dating. :-(

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:52 (twenty years ago)

I always think that unless there's a REALLY good reason, it's best to always tell the truth. EVen if neither of you are thinking about dating, tell the truth.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

I just don't want things to get weird. That could make things really awkward.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

'Happily single' would be a good answer in that case.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:02 (twenty years ago)

Just to confirm, you're going to invent a husband and two children because you don't want *him* to get weird? Isn't telling the truth easier?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:05 (twenty years ago)

Just tell him that you are single. He'll only get weird if you let him!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

I'm sorry, but it's just a weird question (for a guy especially) to ask, unless you're kind of gearing up to ask someone out. For the most part, I don't think it's any of their business if my colleagues ask me if I'm single or what. The question has made me feel awkward. So I would feel justified in lying and saying I'm not single to forestall any future awkwardness.

I mean, what if he's completely misinterpreted my flirting as my actually being interested?

Argh. x-post

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:10 (twenty years ago)

Well to be honest, that's not his fault. If you've been flirting with him then he probably thinks you're interested. Isn't that how it's supposed to work?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:11 (twenty years ago)

Ponies are ok?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:12 (twenty years ago)

Except it's not sexy flirting, it's just stuff I do normally, like speaking like a pirate and crap like that. By "flirting", I mean "acting in a less formal manner than I would with most business contacts". It's not like I've been talking dirty or anything, I've just been very informal. Argh, maybe I should just dodge the question and send him the files I'm supposed to.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:13 (twenty years ago)

Supposing you lie to him and he thinks "fair enough, flirty casual emails & chat it is then" and somewhere down the line you start chatting about your band and moving into your new house and getting away from your housemates and he thinks "hang on a second..."

Or suppose he says "Oh I love kids! What ages are they? What are their names? Tell me more!" Are you going to invent a whole life for you and your imaginary children just to avoid saying no to someone asking you out?

xpost

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:15 (twenty years ago)

Well that's not flirting then, it's just being friendly surely?
x-post
Onimo OTM

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:15 (twenty years ago)

I suppose you're right. "happily single" it is then. I should make a joke out of it and say "do you think I have time for boys with this job?"

But on a happier note, HURRAH!!! MY MORTGAGE OFFER JUST CAME THROUGH!!!! Looks like I'll be exchanging as soon as!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:16 (twenty years ago)

when a man flirts = taken in jest
when a woman flirts = man thinks MARRIAGE!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:17 (twenty years ago)

'i'm dating'? would that work?

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:19 (twenty years ago)

Good morning. Busy first hour - makes me feel like the day's even longer. Should be lunchtime by now.

Archel's 'happily single' suggestion is a good one I think.

Yay mortgage! Grown up. I was listening to the radio this morning and they were talking about pensions. It put me in a bit of a panic, as I haven't got round to sorting out an ISA or anything yet. But just typing out that sentence makes me feel like a s.q.u.a.r.e.

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:21 (twenty years ago)

Argh. I knew it. He just asked me for a drink.

OK, in one way, it's kind of flattering. But still. WTF?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:50 (twenty years ago)

give him a drink then

ARF!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:52 (twenty years ago)

Argh, how do I handle this? I mean, part of me is thinking "dude, do not even go there. besides, does he even *know* that I'm a 35 year old computer geek?" and then part of me is thinking "you know what? apparently most British people meet their partners through work related things, so why not? what's the worst that could happen? What's the difference between meeting someone through a dating site and meeting someone you flirt with via office email?"

Maybe I should say something noncommittal like "maybe after the whole Xmas thing is over."

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:56 (twenty years ago)

I really don't see what the big deal is here. Do you want to go for a drink with him or don't you?!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:57 (twenty years ago)

At least this is making the day interesting. A bit funnier than MM's rants on ILM.

x-post I don't know!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:57 (twenty years ago)

Morning all! I am impressed, I ordered two DVD boxsets yesterday afternoon and they were waiting for me at work this morning!

Kate, you and the rest of the Shimuras were in a dream I had last night!

Saying, "maybe after the whole Xmas thing is over" sounds like you're going through a messy divorce or something. (xpost)

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:59 (twenty years ago)

Christmas is a busy time of year! Plus, I'm buying a freaking HOUSE. I'm so busy I don't have time for this. Sigh.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:01 (twenty years ago)

Yeah you might as well meet, can't do any harm. Just say 'after new year would be good, let's pick a day later'.

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:02 (twenty years ago)

Would it be cheeky to say "well, send me a picture and I'll think about it" ?

Yes, it would. Very cheeky.

All the same, it's kind of nice. I'm flattered and somewhat flabbergasted that someone actually asked me out for a drink.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:04 (twenty years ago)

why not go for a drink with him?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:07 (twenty years ago)

you might get a free drink.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:07 (twenty years ago)

i watched Sailor Moon last night.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

Because I'm a total Clever Elsa about this kind of thing, and I think up two scenarios:

1) we meet, I like him, but he thinks I'm a horrible, fat, middle aged harridan. We never flirt again and work emails become tense.

2) We meet, he likes me, but I think he's horrible. He pesters me and work emails become tense.

I just like having someone sending me funny emails to break up the monotony of work!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:11 (twenty years ago)

besides, what else are we going to talk about this morning? Cookies? Ponies?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:11 (twenty years ago)

Why not make a light-hearted comment about how you think you should stick to emailing for the time being, and if he's cool about it, you can become chattier, flirtier (if appropriate), maybe swap pics etc - it'll give you both breathing space, time to find out if there's more of a connection, and how he behaves will make a longer-term outcome clearer. Maybe?

All the same, Kate, enjoy it for what it is - someone likes you and that's always nice!

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:16 (twenty years ago)

My tiny dilemma: I write for a magazine. I don't want to accept gifts from companies or individuals we write about, so we can't be accused of bias. I don't even pick up free pens at conferences. But there isn't a company policy on this cos I'm the only one writing. Will people understand if I send back their stack of note paper which will otherwise clutter up my desk and remind me of their existence daily? Strange to think this problem hasn't come up before, but it's xmas and people will send more and more of stuff like this. So do I just send it back with a polite note? Or give it to a colleague? Is that any better than keeping it myself?

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:19 (twenty years ago)

bin?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:22 (twenty years ago)

I wouldn't send it back, I think that would be kind of rude. But pass it on to colleagues or friends. I wouldn't make a big deal of it.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:22 (twenty years ago)

Have a box where you put any goodies that you get Beanz, then everyone can helo themselves. That way you can't be accused of anything. it would be very rude to send it back.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, stick it in the stationary cupboard or something.

Anyway, I suggested waiting til the New Year and he was cool with that.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:34 (twenty years ago)

Yeah I really don't like the idea of sending it back. Goodie box is a good idea. Or maybe keep them for my secret santa ~~victim~~ recipient.

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/images/400/goodies_1.jpg

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

Errrrrrr....

Ha ha, I've just looked at his website and it's all about skiing and snowboarding and jumping out of planes and extreme sports. It's just a bit... WTF? Why are you asking *me* for a drink?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:43 (twenty years ago)

mebbe he thinks u r teh funneh

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

Just nipped out for a cig. There's a van outside delivering burger rings. To think there are people who spend all day giving people burger rings. Ho ho.

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:54 (twenty years ago)

What on earth is a burger ring? I dread googling it...

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

Are burger rings like shimura curve multidimensional toroids of burger pipes?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 12:00 (twenty years ago)

I was given a ton of free fresh bread last night which I'm using for my soup at lunch time. Incidentally I dreamt i was making bread this morning.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

Freud says you want babies

Burger rings appear to be 'O-shaped snacks'

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

I remain tired. may prop my eyelids open with matchsticks for the remainder of the day.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 12:44 (twenty years ago)

The band van has quite spectacularly failed its MOT. I have to phone the drummer to see if he's going to stump up to get it fixed, or buy another one. It's going to cost 480 quid to fix. I don't know yet what he's going to do. Yesterday, the mechanic took the keys in the morning, telling me he wanted to check the extent of the welding it'll need. I gave him the keys, and told him that I NEED THE VAN BACK AT 2PM. This is because I have to pick the little feller up from school - Jill is sick, & no-one else can pick him up, b/c of his autism. So, at 2 o'clock, I walk across to the mechanic's yeard. It it locked up, no sign of mechanic or van. I wait 'till 2.15, then I have to get a taxi. It costs 35 quid. I go and see the mechanic to-day. The reason he was away is because he'd gon to a breaker's yard to buy a used leaf spring for it (another mot failure point) Never mind the fact that I hadn't even okayed him to do the job! So when I tell him that him not being there had cost me 35 quid, he tries to make it into some kind of equivalent - "yes but I spent thirty eight quid on (points) that leaf spring" THE LEAF SPRING THAT a/I NEVER YOU TO BUY, and b/YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU WERE GOING TO BUY!!!!

God!! What an idiot!!! ARGH.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 12:53 (twenty years ago)

Garg, what a fuX0r.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 13:10 (twenty years ago)

That sounds like a miserably frustrating experience :(

Stationery supplier X keeps enclosing free packets of biscuits in their packages to me. Today: 'rich shorties'! Although I like to think the warehouse guy might have a crush on me, I know it's really just to make me order more from them (and not deadly rivals Y). And I think it might be working.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

I'm SOOO glad I don't drive - whenever anybody gets any work done on any motor vehicle, there is always a horror story attached.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 13:19 (twenty years ago)

Come to think of it, maybe I can play each supplier off each other and keep myself in free biscuits for life.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

Arch, you hussy!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 13:25 (twenty years ago)

Archel is not a hussy, she is wise!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

Well, she gets free biscuits so perhaps...

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 13:33 (twenty years ago)

Then again, I'm contemplating getting free drinks off my credit card processing dude!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 13:34 (twenty years ago)

All men are fools, and what makes them so is having beauty like what you have got.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

that's the funniest thing ever!

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 14:20 (twenty years ago)

Oh no, it's the afterlunch drop. I'm staying off dating and relationship threads for a bit.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 14:41 (twenty years ago)

Drink tea and post more! No wait, work more!

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:01 (twenty years ago)

better yet, http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:01 (twenty years ago)

I'm drinking Ribena at the mo, and it's brilliant.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

I love ribena light, which is odd because i never realley used to like it.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:08 (twenty years ago)

Well I used to love Ribena and now I hate it. Remarkable :)
That website's interesting Kate

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

I am scared of Ribena. I had a bad moment with it when I was little. One day I went missing, it's a bit of a hazy memory but I remember being found later the same night by a kind family but they gave me warm Ribena to drink, yak! I mean wtf? warm pop?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

When I was little, I used to be given lucozade if I wasn't well. Now I can't smell it without feeling queasy.

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:31 (twenty years ago)

oh i know what you mean, lucozade original just reeks of illness to me now.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:35 (twenty years ago)

SQUASH DRINKERS

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:38 (twenty years ago)

I never drink squash or fruit juice any more. In fact I don't think I drink anything but tea, coffee, water, wine, beer, vodka and coke in the vodka. And soup, if that counts. I must be forgetting something – that list doesn't seem very long.

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:40 (twenty years ago)

Melted ice cream from the bowl.

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:41 (twenty years ago)

you people have no shame.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

I always drink squash. I drink no added sugar orange, pineapple & lemon flavour as it happens.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:48 (twenty years ago)

NO SHAME

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:49 (twenty years ago)

Squash is brilliant! You get all the healthyness of water + all the taste of fruit.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:58 (twenty years ago)

Er, have I missed something, why should I be ashamed?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:03 (twenty years ago)

i hate fruit juice (or squash) save for white grapefruit juice. people tend to react with disbelief totally out of proportion to the information when i tell them - "YOU DON'T LIKE ORANGE JUICE OMG WHAT HOW CAN THAT BE??".

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:03 (twenty years ago)

"squash drinker" is an insult in some circles.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

In fairness lauren, that IS a bit weird ;)

Kitten, I don't go into a pub and proclaim in a loud voice "I'D LIKE A PINT OF BLACKCURRENT CORDIAL PLEASE!", but at home when you don't fancy tea it's perfect. WHat do YOU drink then?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:09 (twenty years ago)

i also dislike stevie wonder.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:10 (twenty years ago)

i'll drink anything other than squash.
i'm not talking about drinking squash in pubs. i'm not saying "omg squash, have b33r!"

there's just something very unsavoury about squashdrinkers.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:13 (twenty years ago)

xpost Oh I don't like Stevie Wonder either - can't see what the fuss is about.

I'm sure there IS somethign unsavoury about squash drinkers - tell us what it is, please.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:14 (twenty years ago)

Hm, I am not unsavoury! :-( Orange squash is pretty rubbish. it's all about the orange & pineapple for me.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

squashdrinkers are sinister. like they know something the rest of us don't.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

Yeh, we know squash is brilliant!

JOIN US!

And yeh, orange squash is rubbish. Reminds me too much of childhood, and not in a good way.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:21 (twenty years ago)

I just can't think of anything else to drink if I don't want tea/coffee & I'm not drinking alcohol.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:22 (twenty years ago)

it's all about the orange & pineapple for me.

OMG sooo OTM, Robinsons!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

SQUASH ADDICTS

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

UK SQUASHCOOLER Conversation

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:30 (twenty years ago)

OMG sooo OTM, Robinsons!
Yup!

I drink squash in the evening & switch between water & decaf tea during the day.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)

Ohmigod, I've just sat through half an hour of brainmelting legal jargon, and you lot are talking about SQUASH!??!? What has this world come to?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:34 (twenty years ago)

Unsavoury traits in squash drinkers, example#1:

1573-50 MOWRAY says:
haha it's funny, because I've ALWAYS thought there's something unsavoury about squash drinkers
1573-50 MOWRAY says:
although I don't dislike squash
Sailor Kitten says:
wise
1573-50 MOWRAY says:
I think it goes back to when I was a kid, and a guy I didn't like very much accidentally poured squash all over my nes
Sailor Kitten says:
haha
1573-50 MOWRAY says:
to this day it still works, but I still hate him for it
1573-50 MOWRAY says:
the same night, he stayed over my house, and drank squash after brushing his teeth
1573-50 MOWRAY says:
imagine waking up with SQUASH MOUTH

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

DO YOU SEE?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

can i mark you down as anti-squash then, Kate?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)

Actually, I am completely neutral on Squash.

It's just a bizarre gearshift for me.

Oh man, now I have to try to find a damp and timber expert. Anyone? Beuller?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

Asda is very good for cheap and tasty fruit juices - I LOVE the pear and blackberry, and the one with raspberry is pretty yum too. And you can buy 4 for £2.50!

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

g-kit OTM throughout. (It was my nintendo :( )

― melton mowbray (adr), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:44 (twenty years ago)

that's another kettle of fruit.
fruit juices, no problem with them.

just ease up on the squash, people. do you hate yourselves THAT much that you have to imbibe such a monstrous liquid?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:45 (twenty years ago)

Oh man, now I have to try to find a damp and timber expert.

http://www.hsus.org/web-files/Beaver/281x144_beaver_closeup.jpg

"You called"?

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

~~Nice beaver.~~

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

No, I don't really like squash. It's all a bit 'mm, weak lemon drink'.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

I am truly teh gayest person in the world as I am allergic to a) lettuce and b) lemon squash.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:53 (twenty years ago)

"I am allergic to ... lemon squash"

that's called an immune system, you silly sausage.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:55 (twenty years ago)

Blimey, what a range. I called to ask to have someone come and give me a quote - first person I rang said £375. I said OK, then thought for a bit, then thought hang on... for a QUOTE?!?!? That sounds like a survey!

Rang the second person, who said £30 for a callout. Blimey! Think I'll go with that one!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

just for kicks, offer the guy a glass of squash when he arrives, then check out his reaction. FEAR, i guarantee.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:59 (twenty years ago)

Would it fucking KILL an estate agent to call me back once in a blue moon? This is so annoying!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 17:12 (twenty years ago)

> It's all a bit 'mm, weak lemon drink'.

ha ha, i take lemon squash (robinson's R no-added-sugar) to parties and drink it whilst everyone else is drinking beer (what else can you drink if you don't do alcohol? coffee?)

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 17:16 (twenty years ago)

I can't freaking believe this... by the time I finally got through to the freaking Estate Agent (of course they didn't call me back - I had to ring them) to confirm the appointment, the bloody damp expert had gone home for the night. If I lose the appointment, I'm going to scream bloody murder. Grrrrrrrr.

OK, I'm so cranky and tired now, I should just go home.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

Morning all! EVeryone happy today?

I'm sooooo sleepy - housemate arguing with boyfriend at 2 in the morning - eurgh!

Saying that, I made chocolate brownies last night, so I'll be Most Popular Boy again this afternoon.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 1 December 2005 09:34 (twenty years ago)

Good morning
Happy-ish. Slept through my alarm but somehow only 20 mins late. Didn't matter anyway cos all the bosses are out. Still a pile of work to do. Finding it hard to motivate myself though.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 09:46 (twenty years ago)

It's always hard to motivate yourself in the winter - I think I need one of those groovy SAD lights that wake you up in the morning.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 1 December 2005 10:02 (twenty years ago)

The sunrise-emulating ones? Definitely. Also a marching band invading my bedroom at 6.30am would be useful.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 10:06 (twenty years ago)

I don't have a marching band, tho John Humphries shouting at politicians usually does the trick.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 1 December 2005 10:10 (twenty years ago)

hello squash drinkers.

kate - estate agents never call back.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Thursday, 1 December 2005 10:13 (twenty years ago)

JH really pisses me off. It's a combination of the smug wrong-headed questions, the tiny bit of pre-interview research that always lets him down, and the way his voice goes very high then slows to a quiet, deep mumble. Although, ignoring the voice – I guess asking simple but slightly misinformed questions is a good tactic really, cos if the interviewee can't adequately explain why JH has it wrong, then they aren't dealing with the topic properly.

I did a search for one of those SAD lights and I also found this ingenious bit of millinery:

http://www.lighttherapyproducts.com/images/visorhea.jpg

Wearable – this bright light source that is light weight, adjusts to fit comfortably around your head and is powered by a rechargeable battery pack that leaves you free to move about. Delivers safe, gentle glare-free light. Super efficiently because the light is fixed close to the eyes. Does not interfere with vision, so the light Visor can be used as you walk, do housework, prepare a meal, eat, watch TV, ride an exercise bike - or travel.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 10:16 (twenty years ago)

Jesus, wearing that would just make me more depressed.

Morning all. I just heard I've got a job interview - yay! But it's on the same day as my department 'away-day' which I can't at the moment think how to get out of - boo.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 1 December 2005 11:01 (twenty years ago)

Hi Archie - can you ask them to change it? Or is it one day of interviews only? Perhaps you should just tell your present employers that you can't attend the away day ebcause you have a job interview. That should shake them up.

In other news, I have enjoyed work this week but REALLY don't fancy it today. However, I do have tomorrow off! Gnarly! I'm going to go with Sgs to the Victoria and Albert Museum in the morning, pick up some baubles for the tree we're going to buy on Saturday - it'll be my first ever Xmas tree (as opposed to the one I am always obliged to put up, trim etc. at my folks' house).

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 1 December 2005 11:22 (twenty years ago)

kate - estate agents never call back

mine did yesterday, even if it was to tell me i could only have half of my deposit back.

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Thursday, 1 December 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

V&A has quite cool xmas cards

http://www.vandashop.com/shopimages/products/normal/penguin_detail.jpg

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 11:34 (twenty years ago)

I have discovered shops selling *local* Christmas cards, with a cartoon picture of the local docks. So, if anyone wants one, let me know.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 1 December 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

I can't wait for our works e-xmas card. it always raises a hoot around the office, uniting all the departments in the fight against the MAN

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 1 December 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

Finally in! Spent the morning at the shrink - it was a bit hard work this morning, set off a crying jag, but I guess that means it's working or something. Who knows.

But! I have had an email from my estate agent and two callbacks from builders. Blimey! One had a £75 callout and the other a £30 callout charge. Guess which one I picked. "No, I don't need a survey. I *know* there's damp - I just want someone to replace that bit of the wall and put in some airbricks!"

I just wish I could not stutter so much on the phone. I have spent so much time calling people lately which is my worst nightmare. Bah.

I'm so tired all the time lately. Maybe I should get one of those SAD lights.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

I have been interviewed for another job there before and they do make it quite difficult to change times, iirc. I suppose I mind less about pissing off my current employers than I do about putting my future ones (hopefully!) to any inconvenience... guess I'll just invent an appointment that I can't get out of, or yes, tell the truth...

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 1 December 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

Arch, there was an article in the Guardian a few weeks back about how to get time off for job interviews without throwing sickies, etc. It's probably still sitting in my mountain of recycles so I could cut it out and mail it to you if that would help.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

I can't keep it inside any more.....
ihttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v510/Pinxor/littlepersonX.jpg

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

gosh!!!

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

(did you already announce this and I missed it? congratulations!)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:16 (twenty years ago)

who's that then?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:16 (twenty years ago)

Haha, nope this is the announcement! ;-)

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:16 (twenty years ago)

squash drinkers be breeding.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:17 (twenty years ago)

Congratulations, that's so cool! And look at the little hands and feet!
(You are going to have to keep it inside for a few months at least though)

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:19 (twenty years ago)

Haha, oh yes! Thanks all! x

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:21 (twenty years ago)

well congratulations!!!

(xpost)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:25 (twenty years ago)

I said this in email, but CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!!!!

I'm so happy for you and James, PinX0r! You're going to be the best parents evah!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:27 (twenty years ago)

Aww thanks darl! xxx

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

Congratulations Pink! Did you get your car fixed?

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:35 (twenty years ago)

Car? What car? ;-) It's in the garage as we speak.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:38 (twenty years ago)

Ah.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Thursday, 1 December 2005 12:40 (twenty years ago)

WOW

Hurrah for the Pinxor!!!!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 1 December 2005 13:14 (twenty years ago)

Oh wow! Brilliant brilliant tiny pink BABY yay yay! Congrats xxxx

(Kate, I aleady have that article, I was thinking about it just now... I would just do the taking a half day's leave normally, but don't think they'd approve it on a training day.)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 1 December 2005 13:17 (twenty years ago)

Thanks guys!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 December 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

Lunchtime. I cannot get my end of month reports to balance. There's one case which is turning up on one set of reports which is in our database, but according to my downloads does not exist. ARRGGGHHH!!!

Every month, why does it do this?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

Month end sucks, too much work to do & absolutely no concentration!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 December 2005 14:10 (twenty years ago)

I just hope I've downloaded enough data from the database. It sucks because even since this afternoon, the database has moved so the current reports' totals have changed. I have to lock it down in one go, and hope for the best.

Ah well, busy is better than bored, which I was most of the rest of the week.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)

Congratulations pink.

Ah well, busy is better than bored

I’m supposed to be busy, but I’m bored of doing what I should be doing. I’m also here til 7.

Motivation speech needed.

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Thursday, 1 December 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

Only 40 more years until you can retire!!!

Sorry, if I was any good at motivational speeches, I'd work more myself. ;-)

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 15:00 (twenty years ago)

big congratulations, pink! that's fantastic.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 1 December 2005 15:06 (twenty years ago)

Thanks Lauren!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 1 December 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

Only 40 more years until you can retire!!!

40!?!? i ain't working til i'm 72, that's just mean.

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Thursday, 1 December 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)

(My apologies, I thought you were younger. Take it as a compliment on your fresh skin!)

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 15:22 (twenty years ago)

how did you think i was younger?

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Thursday, 1 December 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

Wow Pink that's fantastic! I'm so pleased (and jealous!) Well done you
x x x x x x x x x

― Rumpie (lil drummer girl parumpumpumpu), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

Oh, why did I drink so much champagne at the work birthday bash? Now I feel too sleepy to finish my reports. Zzzzzzzzzzz...

Does anyone want to go see a film with me tomorrow? My friend who said she'd go with me has just stood me up. :-( I was thinking either the Libertine or Stoned.

Emsk? Are you back from Amsterdam back?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I'm still at work. Bah. Champagne buzz worn off. We've just got a new FD, and he was all "are you still here?" as he was leaving. I replied that I didn't get in till 11.30 today, so I'd stay til my work was finished. He said "Yeah, that's fine, I don't really care what hours you work, so long as it gets done."

Which has me thinking... why shouldn't I just change my hours to 10 to 7 every day? I'm always here this late anyway, why can't I just cut out the annoying bit of the morning where I'm too tired to get anything done?

I wouldn't be so exhausted all the time if I get to sleep later, I could stay up later on schoolnights, I could ride the train when it's less crowded, and when I'm living by myself, I can use the shower at whatever time I like.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

I'm still here too... It's late so I should be working but for some reason I'm posting instead

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

Funny thing is, during the last two hours of the day (funnily enough when most other UK Watercoolers have gone home, so ILX is a bit boring) are my most productive. I get more work done during these two hours then during the 4 or so hours before lunch.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

Same here, often. Post-lunch fuzz is beginning to lift and is replaced by panic about not getting anything done at all.

If you can do flexi-time you should, I reckon. But you'd need to get up at the usual time every day and do something for an hour, or else you'd have the same first-hour problem. I don't know anyone who gets anything done before 10am really.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 19:28 (twenty years ago)

I find that if you don't set an alarm clock, you're less useless for that first hour. The uselessness comes from interrupted sleep where your body still wants more. If you sleep until your body has had enough, then you're perkier much more quickly when you wake up.

Except I haven't been able to do this since I was a consultant... damn. I want those hours back!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 19:31 (twenty years ago)

I'm only ever perky on weekday mornings when I look at my clock, realise I've slept through the alarm and get a mammoth oh-shit adrenaline kick.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 19:33 (twenty years ago)

you're still working ?!!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 1 December 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

Yes! Pity us! Part of it is my fault, because I just overwrote something like a freaking idiot... but at least I caught something I wouldn't otherwise have seen!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

I am so excited about posting to this thread! I worked in a Proper Office for the first time ever today, with a watercooler and everything. I earned half an ipod!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 1 December 2005 20:00 (twenty years ago)

One of us! One of us!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 20:01 (twenty years ago)

I'm always at work (sniff). Reckon I'll leave in about an hour.

Hey I have something to report that's actually about a watercooler: The watercooler in our office was serviced and now it dispenses water faster.

Oh the thrills.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

Thrill a minute round yours!

I am actually finally going home. Hurrah. Talk to youse tomorrow!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 1 December 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

Our office watercooler dispenses water faster the first time you use it after a full bottle has been fitted, but not afterwards.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 1 December 2005 20:11 (twenty years ago)

Same here! So satisfying. Pow Wow? (I can't believe we're actually having this conversation)

Goodnight Kate

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 20:18 (twenty years ago)

haha :)

Today I learnt that "fax" means email. Also what tea people like.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 1 December 2005 20:20 (twenty years ago)

Fax means email? I think I've been cocking up somewhere, in that case

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 1 December 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

HOLY CRAP! G, you're working in an office now?

― marianna lcl (marianna lcl), Thursday, 1 December 2005 22:47 (twenty years ago)

As a temp yeah! The fast-paced refridgeration industry DEMANDS THE BEST.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 1 December 2005 23:08 (twenty years ago)

You know, Pink, I read your comments upthread yesterday about drinking squash in the evenings, and had a vague memory from earlier that I was sure you were a red wine drinker (like me) and I thought "hmmm, I wonder if she's pregnant now" since I know from your posts it's been a dream of yours for some time and wondered if that's why you weren't drinking, but thought that was a silly conclusion to jump to and put it to the back of my mind. But, as it turns out, I AM TEH PSYCHIC!!!

Congratulations, btw, I hope it makes you as happy as you expected it to be :)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 1 December 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

i) The tea people sound a sinister bunch Gravel! What DO they like?

ii) Haha ailsa, people around me + the wife are spawning like mad, I understand your reasoning.

iii) CONGRATS PINK!!!

iv) The 10 to 7 idea is not bad Kate, as long as you're able to not let 10 to 7 be the new 9 to 6 (or 8 to 5, or whatever), thus requiring 11 to 8 as the new 10 to 7 (etc). (This is The Curse of the Internal 27 Hour Day; I know it well.)

v) Apparently I haven't checked this thread all day! Must've been busy at work.

vi) Good thing we have a watercooler that records all chitchat then, so you'll all hear my somewhat drunken blahblah tomorrow. Nighty!

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 2 December 2005 00:20 (twenty years ago)

(Er that's "people around [me + the wife]", not "[people around me] + the wife", just to make that clear.)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 2 December 2005 00:31 (twenty years ago)

So I learned tonight that I'll definitely be staying in NYC over christmas all on my own. Fairly excited about this.

i'm a little drunk too, am I allowed to post to the watercooler thread in this state?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 2 December 2005 01:16 (twenty years ago)

Drunk on the watercooler at 1 in the morning? What is the internet coming to?! For shame! Christmas in NYC is beautiful. Best window shopping and decorations in the world.

10 to 7 is the new 9 to 5... err, basically at the moment I'm pretty much working 8.30 to 7 (last night till 8.30) so what I want to do is sneakily *reduce* my hours to the normal 40 or so.

I don't know... though... bah. Something my shrink said yesterday has been bouncing around in my head painfully, but I might have to make a separate post for that because I am teh WHINGER this morning.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 08:49 (twenty years ago)

8.30 'til 7 is nightmarish! Poor you!

I'm a ball of nerves at the moment - Take That tickets go on sale in 7 minutes and I'm paranoid of missing out!

― marianna lcl (marianna lcl), Friday, 2 December 2005 08:53 (twenty years ago)

Good luck getting tix! Awww!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 08:55 (twenty years ago)

taking it way back.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 08:59 (twenty years ago)

Thanks all for your lovely words, they're much appreciated. I DONE GOT KNOCKED UP! Sorry, you'll have to bear with me, as I've had to keep quiet for 7 weeks!!!!!!
Marianna - are you in possession of said tickets yet?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

Good morning!

Radio 4 this morning – Chris Martin talking about fair trade (cos he's an expert, you know): "Nothing rhymes with 'tariff' or 'subsidies' and I've tried, I've really tried."

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:15 (twenty years ago)

Morning all!

Ahh shucks, cute proto-baby photos! Fair play pink, you always struck me as the baby type.

10-7 would be good for you kate, but I couldn't hack it. I like going to bed earlyish (9.30-10?) and only having 3 hours left at COP would be rubbish.

Yeh - have you got the tickets yet? I bet you they'll be a sobbing Robbie reunion on the last night of the tour.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:16 (twenty years ago)

Did I just use COP? OMG, shoot me now.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:16 (twenty years ago)

FFS!!!!!!!!

― marianna lcl (marianna lcl), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:17 (twenty years ago)

so confused

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

Keep trying Marianna!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:33 (twenty years ago)

I gal in the office here has just got her tickets at the NEC - she didn't seem to have any problems at all. What problems are you getting?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:41 (twenty years ago)

OK, stand back and get ready for a big, angsty moan. I'm not looking for advice or sympathy or anything, you don't have to say anything, I just want to get it out.

I'm freaking lonely. I don't mean in an "ooh, I need to get laid" way or a "ooh, I want a boyfriend" way. I mean that I just want someone to get together with for a pint after work, someone to go to the movies with, that sort of thing.

I had to cancel a date date with TEC earlier this week because of the band. I wanted to go to the shoegazer club last night, but no one I knew was going, so in the end I just didn't bother. I had a movie date with a girlfriend, but she's cancelled twice now this week. Which means that I won't get to see this movie unless I go by myself. I texted a couple of other friends, but they're busy. Well, those that returned my texts. I've started to become really bummed out by people who just don't bother.

I know part of this is my fault, because I've been working such crazy hours. I've had to cancel or worm out of things either because of work, or work-related exhaustion. And I'm just really starting to feel it.

I'm really looking forward to living by myself to get away from my horrible housemates. (Yesterday, the Wife was in the kitchen when I went down to breakfast. I tried my best to make conversation with her, but she just made it so clear I wasn't welcome. It's not fun sitting in your own kitchen at a breakfast table with someone who is just ignoring you. I knew I should have eaten in my room but I just felt annoyed by that.) But I worry if the loneliness is going to get worse when I live by myself. It's not like I'm wildly social in that house - most of the time I'm lying in my bed by myself, reading a book or watching TV.

And something my shrink said yesterday is still rattling me. He gently suggested that I was a workaholic. That actually I used my long hours as an excuse *not* to get close to people, and to keep people at a distance. Which is *exactly* what my father used to do. To be honest, if I've got nothing planned of an evening, and there's nothing to do at home, I will stay in the office and catch up, write email and that kind of thing. Because I've got nothing better to do.

I feel like I have loads of friends, but no one I could really just call up and say "hey, I'm bored, do you want to go see a movie - grab a coffee then chat about stuff?" Everything has to be planned and I can't really plan because of my job. It feels like half my friends I've alienated, the other half are busy with their partners. And I'm too shy/scared to ring up people I don't really know.

I don't know. Like I said, I'm not asking for advice. I just wanted a moan. I think I've definitely got to do something about these hours. And the stress of moving isn't helping - maybe it'll be better when I feel like I have a place of my *own* that I can invite my mates back to for dinner. I just needed a moan.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:42 (twenty years ago)

Sorry. Threadkillah. :-(

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:47 (twenty years ago)

"I feel like I have loads of friends, but no one I could really just call up and say "hey, I'm bored, do you want to go see a movie - grab a coffee then chat about stuff?" Everything has to be planned and I can't really plan because of my job. It feels like half my friends I've alienated, the other half are busy with their partners. And I'm too shy/scared to ring up people I don't really know."

I know what you mean here Kate. I was thinking about this the other day. When I was younger I remember just ringing up my friends & saying let's go out for a beer, but now everything has to be planned. I think it's just about getting older & ppl having more commitments. I think it's all about making the effort, not saying you aren't btw. If you have to cancel something with someone, make anbother definite date. You will have attempt more social contact once you are living on your own, otherwise I fear loneliness will set in.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:55 (twenty years ago)

it's da troof: now that i live on my own, i'm hardly ever home.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 09:59 (twenty years ago)

BAD JOKE ALERT!

courtesy of Stephen Fry (heard last night on Saturday Night Fry)

"I'm alone. And boring. Boring and alone. What use does anyone have for an interest-free loan?"

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 10:05 (twenty years ago)

wow, congratulations pink!!

kate, 8.30-7 is NOT ON, they are stealing your life! if you keep doing that you will turn into b (as in old flatmate b), and look how sick he got.

ok, just got to kate's big post. kate, my brane is still a bit fukt from sleep deprivation &etc so i'm not thinking particularly clearly, but i can tell you you're DEFINITELY not alone in feeling this, more than one friend of mine has talked about the same thing, recently too. some of them have it worse because they're feeling as though they have *no* friends (er, does that make me a shit friend? i hope not, i'm always asking people to do stuff they can't make, and if they chose to tell me about feeling like this i suppose i must be doing something right...). i do think it makes a difference that you live comparatively far away from a lot of your friends (eg s&r being down in morocco with you means i'd barely see them if they didn't have to make regular sojourns to trendy nitespots norf of the river) so it's harder to do stuff off the cuff, and your working hours are def part of it, but if you can swing - and crucially STICK TO - 10-7, that should make a whole lot of difference. anyway let's talk irl, are you moving this w/e? am i helping you? i went out last night as soon as i got back to london and i'm working today (actually i need to leave NOW fuckfuckfuck) and out again tonight so i'll desperately need a lie-in tomorrow morning but i should be able to be at yours for 12ish at the earliest or 1.30ish at the latest.

xpost yes also what pink said abt more commitments.

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 2 December 2005 10:06 (twenty years ago)

Work/life balance angst comes in cycles for me, usually coinciding with monthly deadlines. I sort of accept that I'll see far fewer friends in the last few days of the month than at the beginning. Don't want to be smug, but having a partner helps. Not having a partner would just mean I'd have to make a different sort of effort.

We should also have more post-work mini-faps.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 2 December 2005 10:10 (twenty years ago)

Thanks Emsk!
Also, Emsk is wise & what she has said is true IMO.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 10:14 (twenty years ago)

Oh, Emsk, no, you shouldn't feel like a bad friend! Because I really do appreciate your invites and stuff - *I* feel like a bad friend because I can accept them so rarely. But that's a work thing.

I need to, need to, need to, lie in on Saturday morning just because I'm so exhausted - but I'll see you on Sunday for the walk. The walks are always good.

I don't know - WRT the South London thing. It pisses me off something, because I really don't live that far away. It's half an hour by train when it's not rush hour, but for some reason people are just afraid of the overground. I get annoyed when people act all "ooh, but you live so far away" when it's like - DUDE!!! it is just as far for me to come and see you in North London but you don't see me complaining. [/whinge]

I think perhaps it's the time of year. Christmas is always really FAMILY FAMILY FRIENDS PRESENTS EVERYBODY LOVES EACH OTHER which can make you feel more isolated if you're not part of it.

I've got to do something about the work hours, seriously. Because if I don't get out of work until 7 or so, and then I've got to be in bed by 10 to get up for work by 8.30 - I just have *no* life. And that sucks. I can't carry on like this.

Post-work mini-FAPs would be good, too. Little ones. I get intimidated when there's too many people and just feel more isolated. They used to be a lot more spontaneous, but now they have to be organised way in advance because there's so many people. (it also doesn't help that there are one or two people who are often at these things that I have been actively avoiding. And that's shit.)

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 10:27 (twenty years ago)

I would suggest a miniFAP tonight, but I've got to go South to pick up the mixes of the Shimuras recording! That, at least, is exciting.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 10:42 (twenty years ago)

I got that "you live too far away, you shuold come & see me" crap just after I moved to Cambridge. hardly anybody ever came to my house, I always had to go to where they lived. I thinks this is pretty sucky really & in the end I was like "bollox, if you can't come to me then you can't be tht bothered!"

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 10:45 (twenty years ago)

That is the suX0r, Pink. Bah. It's not like I don't know ~~people~~ Barms in Streatham. But I've been really put off inviting people round my house for the past few months because the housemate situation has been so dodgy. This will change when I've got my own flat.

Also, I just have to say this on this thread, because I daren't on the other. But ROWR! OK, that is all.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:05 (twenty years ago)

eh? what other?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:16 (twenty years ago)

Never mind. I'm just perving.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:17 (twenty years ago)

Stu Francis?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:22 (twenty years ago)

Totally Kate! Just bide your time until you're in your lovely new home & then you can invite as many ppl round as you want without having to deal with * fuckwit newlyweds!

*At this point of typing I got an image of a lovely veggie burger in my head & now I really want one! Not just any old veggie burger, oh no! The beautiful organic veggie burgers we had at Glastonbury with sunshine salad. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:23 (twenty years ago)

Who the hell is Stu Francis?

No, I'm just being stupid. Instead of just being a grownup and telling someone that they look good in their photo, I'm giggling like a little girl behind my hands and being all neurotic going "oh, no, I can't say they look good cause they'll think I liiiiiiiiiiiiike them" which is even worse and more stupid and crazy-neurotic-looking than just saying "hey, you look good" in the first place.

So just ignore me. I'm going to go and boil my head. I can't even blame PMS for this.

x-post oh dear lord... your cravings are starting!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:25 (twenty years ago)

oh I thought the picture on the advent calender thread was going to be Stu Francis in Crackerjack. but it's not.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:26 (twenty years ago)

I want the Cauliflower fungus that Ed River Cottage Bloke had on the other night. That looked GOOOOOOOOOD.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:26 (twenty years ago)

That looked so yummy didn't it kate!
Cravings are here already, but then I've always had cravings. haha!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:33 (twenty years ago)

then again, River Cottage Bloke almost succeeded in making me want a hamburger, his looked so good! I mean, goat cheese... I only wish he made a veggie version with the goats cheese and roasted veggies. Then again, on second thought, you could probably just leave out the burger entirely and eat that as a toasted sammich!

Yumn, it's almost lunch. Halloumi time!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:34 (twenty years ago)

I can't wait for lunch, i think i've got to eat my sammich now!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

how do i crush grape

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

What do you want to crush grapes for? Are you making wine? (Like Madonna's dad?)

Or do you have a crush on a grape?

I'm trying to avoid picking up any new crushes as they're just inconvenient.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

crush one grape

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

stu francis was the crush-a-grape guy, right?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

Who is Stu Francis? I google grape crush, and get this, which is pretty:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/annuals/images/impati_celebr_grape_crush.jpg

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

yesterday i had BISCUITS AND CREAM for dessert.
like cereal & milk, but it was biscuits and cream.
how good's that?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:40 (twenty years ago)

Ah, I've had that, it's great comfort food! If I'm really feeling winter, I make cookie porridge out of biscuits and hot milk. YUM.

What's crushing Gilbert Grape?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

http://static.flickr.com/7/6863962_25ebb91ea8_m.jpg
oh noes, crush grape!

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

Stu Francis used to present an old childrens tv show called Crackerjack, one of his catchphrases was "oooh I could crush a grape"

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:43 (twenty years ago)

i wish i had a catchphrases sometimes

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:44 (twenty years ago)

ooh I could arm wrestle an action man

― Stu (GerryNemo), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:44 (twenty years ago)

ooh I could jump off a doll's house

― Stu (GerryNemo), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

oooh i could cack me pants?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:47 (twenty years ago)

I'm so confused I could run away screaming!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:48 (twenty years ago)

I DID IT

― Stu (GerryNemo), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:51 (twenty years ago)

Oooh I could roger a dolphin.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:51 (twenty years ago)

Oooh i could test drive a tonka

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

oooh, i could sail a moon.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:53 (twenty years ago)

Forget this. I'm going back to that other thread to look at the cuteness until you cease and desist all this.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:54 (twenty years ago)

Oooh, I could mow a lawn.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:55 (twenty years ago)

Oooh, I could kick a football.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

Ooh I could punch the crackerjack people on this thread!!!!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:57 (twenty years ago)

dmon, the sail-a-moon one was good.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

Oh shush, we're just playing with ya!

Come back and play kate, we won't be mean anymore!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

oooh, i could crush a kate.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:00 (twenty years ago)

I have halloumi and carrot cake. Have you stopped now? Good.

I hope it's extra squeaky today!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

How do you make a carrot cake with halloumi? Oh I see. ha ha... ha.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:30 (twenty years ago)

It would be a seriously yummy cheesecake, ha ha!

JB, you are bringing cake on Sunday, right?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

I cannot get any fricking tickets ANYWHERE!!! I'm so heartbroken.

― marianna lcl (marianna lcl), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

HOW CAN THAT BE!?!?!?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

*crushes kate*

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:35 (twenty years ago)

I'm crushing your head, I'm crushing your head!!!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:36 (twenty years ago)

ok, this is kinda random and probably futile, but i don't suppose anyone has/knows where i can get Al's Alphabet Rap from Quantum Leap?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:36 (twenty years ago)

See, I can do totally random and meaningless pop culture references, too!

I'M CRUSHING YOUR HEAD, I'M CRUSHING YOUR HEAD!!!!

http://static.flickr.com/3/3484646_1bf10a350f.jpg

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:38 (twenty years ago)

I do love you, Watercooler. I do - honest!

::mwah mwah::

I'm just jealous when other countries post photos of their FAPs and things and they look like they're having a better time because no one ever posts photos of Watercooler events, cause, well, we don't have any.

Shall we have a Watercooler FAP? It might have to be a travelling one to get between Oxford, London, Southend, Brighton and Cambridge.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:57 (twenty years ago)

that would be awesome!

(still no luck finding Al's rap)

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

Sorry marianna!

Kate - I might be coming to London & in need of a little meeet up!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:59 (twenty years ago)

yay, PinX0r! Since you can't drink, can we go back to that lovely veggie restaurant where we got the fantastic mushroom pies last year?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:00 (twenty years ago)

ooh ooh marianna - they're releasing more tickets for another date at wembley at 1 o/c!
x-post
Yep!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:01 (twenty years ago)

alphabet rap sample here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000001P1G/202-4018131-5359869

and it's on the cd.

― koogs (koogs), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:03 (twenty years ago)

haha, thanks!

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:13 (twenty years ago)

full version (2m05s) ?
http://www.quantumleapuk.co.uk/Music/AlphabetRap.mp3

― koogs (koogs), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:13 (twenty years ago)

OMG I LOVE YOU

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

holy shit there it is

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:16 (twenty years ago)

Kate, I CAN bring cake if you want me to - however, there's still the issue of me trying to get to wherever it is I need to get to. Did we resolve how I'm gonna get there? I need to know from Victoria!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:25 (twenty years ago)

According to Ed, there is an overground from Victoria directly to Greenwich.

My trains are messed up due to engineering, and I can't figure out what's going on with them. I think I may have to take the bus to London Bridge and then take the train from there.

Like I said, I can meet you at Greenwich station and we can walk up the hill together from there. really, we should be having this conversation on the other thread because more people there may know more about trains and thing.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

we had out first christmas card at work this morning - one of those from the v&a that were posted yesterday. spooky.

― koogs (koogs), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:35 (twenty years ago)

I had what I thought was a Christmas card but on the front it says "you're expecting a little bump". I nearly cried, again!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:38 (twenty years ago)

Awwww! how sweet!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:39 (twenty years ago)

Shall we have a Watercooler FAP? It might have to be a travelling one to get between Oxford, London, Southend, Brighton and Cambridge.

Don't forget Grimsby!

I am suspicious of Ed's claim that there is an overground train from Victoria to Greenwich. There is, I think, an overground from Victoria to Lewisham (from whence DLR to Greenwich) and Blackheath, but not Greenwich itself.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

There is normally a train from Victoria to London Bridge, and thence to Greenwich. I think.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:57 (twenty years ago)

Does it do a reverse at London Bridge?

(the London Bridge - Greenwich section is, as you probably know, the oldest passenger railway in central London)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 2 December 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

No, you have to transfer at London Bridge to get a train to Greenwich. I think... at least that's what the TFL site reccomended I do.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

Post-lunch crankies... oh no! Grrrrrrrrr...

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

I am starving today!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

I feel slightly ill from eating too much. I always do, every Friday after binging on halloumi and carrot cake. But then I always do it again.

I'm bored now. I have one more end of month report to run, but it's the really complicated and difficult one and I've fogotten how to do it. I know I took notes last month on how I did it (basically imported it into Access and chopped it up) but now I can't find them.

Need more photos of pointy nosed boys to cheer me up.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

I'm getting post-lunch crankies as well - I just gave someone a hard time for using spreadsheets AS WELL AS the shiny dbase I built for them for the same task. The idea was to ensure that things don't get lost - in fact it means things have been replicated and BOTH sets of data will be inaccurate. OK, so it's an elementary mistake, and she shouldn't have done it, but even so, i was a bit harsh on the lady, and I'm feeling really guilty now. I need to be meaner, GRRRRRRR!

And Im feeeling sleepy for downing my smoothie too quickly - I'd have thought the fruit would have given me a sugar rush, but no, I just want a nap. Because I start early tho, Im off home in an 1 1/2 hours - yay!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

And pointy-nosed boy:

http://www.ffzh.ch/download/event_spalte/168_child_catcher_5.jpg

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

fuck, it's only half two

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

Sleepy.

http://www.cinekolossal.com/star/m_n_o/martin/martin4.jpg

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

That is not a boy, that is a cartoon monster. And not a cute one. x-post - that is not a boy either, that is Steve Martin and SO NOT CUTE.

I have just seen a picture of an ex looking like ABSOLUTE SHITE which cheered me up immensely.

Time is dragging today. Snooorrrrrre.

I have about 3 databases I have to combine into one to make the bonus statements. However, it's an excuse to go upstairs and look at the state of the Boris Johnson lookylike's hair today.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

Pointy nose, but OMIGOD, WHAT IS UP WITH THAT TASHE?!?!?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/JaredHarrisPhotoGallery/As%20himself/Events/pritikinharris.jpg

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

I haven't seen this one before, either, even though I've slow-moed through the scene several times...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/JaredHarrisPhotoGallery/TV%20Series/The%20Ends%20of%20the%20Earth/bvgold02.jpg

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

He's just been asked if he wants a glass of squash.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:00 (twenty years ago)

Of course he doesn't! It would get in his extravagent whiskers!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:03 (twenty years ago)

at least the weekend holds promise, well sunday does. i'm going to see flock of seagulls in liverpool and i have monday off work so i can get droonk.

what's everyone else up to ?

(and i'll quietly ignore the fact i wasn't included in the WCfap list)

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:17 (twenty years ago)

OK, it's turning into less of a FAP and more of a Watercooler UK Tour 2006!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

ah, i like that squash and whiskers are mentioned even in my absence. i kiss you all.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:20 (twenty years ago)

Either we hire a tour bus for this FAP or we pick the point exactly in the centre of all our locations and pitch a tent.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

Then we'd end up on the Isle of Mann!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

Well I've never been there and I hear it's nice this time of year

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:25 (twenty years ago)

I've never been to the Isle of Mann either - Kate, that's a brilliant idea!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:25 (twenty years ago)

um...

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

i'm going to randomly throw in my two cents re: getting to greenwich: transfer at london bridge for an overground train to greenwich rather than switching at lewisham for the dlr. it's a bit longer on the latter than you'd expect on the latter.

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:28 (twenty years ago)

Not embankment?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:29 (twenty years ago)

i don't know about embankment. i should have said that if strange engineering works are afoot, then i'm no help.

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:40 (twenty years ago)

Also, the TFL site is a bit rubbish for anything except the tube.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

AAARRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!

they've been doing uploads from the old, crap non-balancing database to the new, lovely, balancing database. And now the new database. JUST. DOESN'T. BALANCE. any more.

I want to scream and beat my head against the desk.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:49 (twenty years ago)

I keep looking at real estate websites in BC. It's not making me happy, but I can't stop.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

I'm trying not to develop a new crush.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

how YOU doin?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

Sigh.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:17 (twenty years ago)

Who is the new non-crush?

Awake again in the last few minutes and getting things done! Not sure how.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

It's not a crush, it's not a non-crush and I'm not saying!

Argh. Finally got my reports to balance. Now I've got the big uploading to do on it - but there's ten minutes left of the day and I don't want to start it now or I'll be here all night.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

Aaaaah, I know I will forget this over the weekend, so I'll ask now and revive on Monday morning. Does anyone want to do PickMeUp Xmas carolling in Trafalgar Square?

http://www.putmedown.com/73/fight/sing.htm

Next Friday, 9th December, there's a slot booked for Pick
Me Up to sing carols in front of the Norwegian Christmas
Tree in Trafalgar Square from 8pm to 9pm. Bring everyone
(last year there were 50 of us). Meet 7.30 upstairs in
The Chandos pub:

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:24 (twenty years ago)

My fridge job has finished :( I HARDLY KNEW IT

I am waiting for it to stop raining so I can go and see another rubbish flat, if this one is awful too I will just give up and live somewhere nice in the middle of nowhere.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

Ok, well, I've still got stuff to do but I'm forcing myself to go home. Even though I've not got a clue what I'll do. I kind of want to go out, but I feel a bit lost and lonely. I thought about seeing the film by myself, but turned out I'd missed it, and it was no longer playing. Maybe I'll see if there's anything even halfway decent at the Odeon because I can't face going home by myself with nothing to do. :-(

I've got to pick the rough mixes on my way back. At least that's something exciting. Maybe something will magically appear as I make my way across London.

Our Xmas gig is now not happening. I'm actually faintly relieved - I wasn't really looking forward to it.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:56 (twenty years ago)

Kate, I know exactly what you mean. I am married, so it's certainly not an "i need to get laid/need a partner" thing, yet still when I want to do stuff, I have very few people I can call on to do it with.

Take Friday. I had vague plans to go to a gig. Mate let me down. I probably might have met people I knew at it had I gone, but I didn't want to be the no-mates loser turning up on my own and then the people I know wondering why I was a no-mates loser there on my own. I spent this afternoon on my own in the pub watching football because I have no-one I can call and ask if they want to go to the pub to watch football. I'm nearly 33, and I have next to no-one to do the things I want to do with. I don't know the answer (if I did, I wouldn't be whinging about it) but I thought I would get it off my chest anyway, in case it makes you feel better that it's not just you (which you know it isn't since other people have said similar).

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 5 December 2005 00:24 (twenty years ago)

2005:12:05 09:53
office christmas tree lights on for the very first time.

everybody's lonely. that's why they invented books.

(um, don't know what to say. am in exactly the same boat, can't remember the last time the phone rang and it was one of my friends (actually, i do, it was tim, about a month ago) but i try to not let it bother me and just get on with something else)

10:01 christmas tree lights off again.

― koogs (koogs), Monday, 5 December 2005 10:01 (twenty years ago)

Good morning
We aren't having xmas decorations in our office. Too expensive or frivolous or something. I don't care either way, but one of my colleagues is pretty upset about their absence. She's Sikh.

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 5 December 2005 10:19 (twenty years ago)

i think it's a bit of a waste / fuss given that a) it's a real tree and b) the office closes on the 19th but i doubt they are doing it for me.

oh, and it has the crazy frog in place of a fairy / star.

― koogs (koogs), Monday, 5 December 2005 10:41 (twenty years ago)

We have an angel made from a shuttlecock on our tree at home, classy. I am going to get the office decorations out today. Just heard that we're not putting any fairy lights up in the corridor though, because they'll get stolen. What's the world coming to etc...

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 5 December 2005 10:49 (twenty years ago)

If any of you guys want to buy an amo, I know someone who's selling one....
"I have a VOX Valvetronix AD120VT Guitar amp and the VC-4 foot controller for sale, to give you a brief intro to the amp:

120w (Selectable output 2w, 30w, 60w, 120w)
Stereo
2x12 combo (looks exactly like an AC30)
Selection of Fender/Marshall/Boutique amps modelled
Selection of Overdrive/Comp/Boost stomp boxes modelled
Selection of Chorus/Flanger/Phase/Rotary modulation FX modelled
Selection of Spring/Gate/Natural reverbs modelled
Full amp control
Built in Chromatic guitar tuner
Left/Right line outs on rear for direct recording/PA or external speaker cabs with seperate line out volume
Headphones socket
LCD display
Many presets and user definable banks
VC-4 foot controller allows easy access to user banks/presets and guitar tuner, complete with expression/volume pedal.
Original Manual for amp and foot controller

This is a proffessional level live/recording amp and because of the variable output wattage and headphones can be used perfectly in doors for home practice use.

more information can be found here http://www.voxamps.co.uk/products/valvetronix/ad120vt.htm

I am looking for offers in the region of £400"

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 5 December 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

We have the builders in at the office today. My ears are hurting.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 5 December 2005 12:12 (twenty years ago)

Hello folks! I am very hungry today. Not sure what to get for lunch though. Suggestions?

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 5 December 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

Hummus!

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 5 December 2005 12:27 (twenty years ago)

I am starving & have just eaten my lunch! :-(

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 5 December 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

Given the time it'll probably be the dregs of Tesco's sandwiches. Yay.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 5 December 2005 12:45 (twenty years ago)

Going to wagamama. I have very mixed feelings about that place.

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 5 December 2005 12:46 (twenty years ago)

i ate too much. gonna vomit.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 5 December 2005 12:50 (twenty years ago)

Going to wagamama

Have only been once, tasted cheap and was too stodgy.

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Monday, 5 December 2005 13:02 (twenty years ago)

I had chips for lunch, and some kind of yoghurt that tasted like a strawberry opal fruit ie nothing like yoghurt or strawberries :(

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 5 December 2005 13:08 (twenty years ago)

if we go out in london it's always wagamama - everybody knows what they like there and it's vegetarian friendly. very noisy though.

new sainsbury's in hammersmith, lots of people wandering around it wondering where stuff is. the aisles go all the way from the back to the front without a break so you've no option but to go up and down, up and down. bad.

fireworks at 4am on saturday morning. grrr.

― koogs (koogs), Monday, 5 December 2005 13:24 (twenty years ago)

I quite like Wagamamas. Last time I went I had potato cakes & they were so scrummy. The issues I have with this place though is the way they try to et you out from the moment you sit down. I got my meal about 15-20 mins after everyone else & they weren't busy at all. it was just us (8 of us) & one other table of 4!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 5 December 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

all of yau's restaurants do that (though he doesn't have a stake in wagamamas anymore. it's about a billion times more annoying when you've booked at, say, yauatcha (sp?) for a special occasion and are paying about £50 a head. we were told by the maitre d' that they needed our table about 5 seconds after the waiter had taken a large drink order, which they still tried to make us take even though it was unclear where we'd be able to drink it.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 5 December 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

I am back! I had a shite sandwich and a bag of crisps whilst sat in the car wash at Sainsburys! DECADENT.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 5 December 2005 14:19 (twenty years ago)

Full of wagamama ramen. Wasn't bad today. But I think I always feel like I've been defrauded when I go there.

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 5 December 2005 14:22 (twenty years ago)

semi-cooked chicken the last time i was at one put me off for good, i think.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 5 December 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

I went to burger union last time I was in london. I had a veggie sausage patty, it was so scrummy, but hella expensive if I remember rightly!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 5 December 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

The burned out pier is quite sad - I can remember when it was still just about structurally sound enough to take architectural walking tours on it. Though I never did, and now I never will. It's slightly creepy the way just the tarot booth remains unburned. Ooooh, spooky.

xpost from watercooler2: Kate, I'm sorry to report the tarot booth fell into the sea last weekend. Incidentally, I went on an architectural walking tour of it back when it was still possible. Our guide was quite, quite mad and finished the tour by saying "and of course we'll have to raise the whole structure by 3 feet to account for rising sea levels over the next 100 years".

I got the feeling then that the West Pier wasn't in entirely safe hands.

― angle of d... (tingo), Monday, 5 December 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

Good morning

A new computer was delivered to the office today, for a new staff member who joined last month. So far he's been 'hotdesking' i.e. hoping someone else is off when she's in, or else sitting with a notepad in the meeting room, looking lonely. So, hooray, new computer. Her desk is arriving a week on Friday and her chair some time next year.

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

Thanks for that info Beanz! ;-)
Good morning to you too!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 10:01 (twenty years ago)

Ack, did it really fall in the end? I haven't been down there. So sad, I thought it was invincible :(

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 10:04 (twenty years ago)

Hi Pink
Sorry, just in one of those moods when grumbling about weird work nonsense seems the only option. Feeling sorry for pitiful hotdesking new person too. (It's a she, not sure where first 's' went.)

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

I love the phrase "hotdesking"! haha, how sad am I? In other baby related news, my boobs are massive!! :-(
Where's kate? Is she like the candyman? KATE! KATE! KATE!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 10:09 (twenty years ago)

hotdesking sounds so dynamic and silly

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 10:11 (twenty years ago)

"my boobs are massive" sounds like fun though.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 10:15 (twenty years ago)

kate has fucked her back up :(

― emsk ( emsk), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 10:17 (twenty years ago)

Trust me dude, when you start out with 36E it's not fun. I will look like Jordan before long! *cries*
x-post

What? What happened Emsk?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 10:18 (twenty years ago)

in an attempt to tie all this together, is kate's back problem something to do with the weight of her boobs?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 10:21 (twenty years ago)

i should stop talking about boobs?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

Haha! You can talk about boobs if you want, do you have a nice pair?!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

I feel I may have joined this thread at the wrong moment.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

my boobs are somewhat lacking in size and shape.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 12:03 (twenty years ago)

Tissp - you joined at exactly the right time! How are your baps huh?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 12:06 (twenty years ago)

Poorly defined.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?p=dict&String=exact&Acronym=BAPS

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 12:45 (twenty years ago)

Hi all! Kate was with me yesterday - she's done her back in randomly, and I got stuck in London on Sunday night, so we spent Monday chatting enjoyable nonsense. I she still absent? Bless her!

Emsk, I'm copying March of the Penguins and Wallace & Gromit for you - THAT'S why I needed your address! You should get them by the end of the week.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 12:48 (twenty years ago)

Hi guys-

Yes, I have indeed done my back in, and I'm typing from the web cafe becuase I haven't been in to work in several days. In fact, I've been flat out on my back since Saturday morning. Argh.

I didn't even DOOO anything to deserve this, it's just stress, pure and simple. I was walking down the street, not even carrying heavy bags or anyting, and it just went POP and I was in agony. I have been resting and stretching, which is all I can do, and can now manage about 20 minutes standing/walking at a time.

Hurrah to the Psychogeographical Walking Association, as I was lying around on Sunday feeling really sorry for myself, as I had to cancel the one thing I was looking forward to, hanging around with my mates - and then EVERYONE TURNED UP AT MY HOUSE~!!!! bearing wine and chocolate and cheese and curry and everyone fluffe3d my pillows and made me tea and took care of me and it was the BEST THING EVAH!!! I love my friends, they are aces. Thank you guys, I really really needed that.

And now the good/bad news depending on how you look at it. Things at the house are deteriorating so quickly, more rows with housemates, argh. But... I AM CLOSING ON FRIDAY!!!! HIPPEE SKIPPEE YAAAAAYYY!!! However, this means I have to move on Saturday. Which in my current condition is going to be bloody difficult. I'm trying to round up friends to help me pack and stuff.

Emsk is going to be coming round on Friday afternoon to help me pack the heavy stuff, then I am BEGGINg (most people I have sent text to already) for help on Saturday. It's only round the corner. Im trying to find anyone with a car but really I just need bodies to carry the boxes that I can't right now. Please text me if you are free. There will be pizza and beer for everyone.

Hope everyone else is very groovy. Web time nearly over. Talk again tomorrow.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 12:49 (twenty years ago)

Aw, sorry about your back Kate - what terrible timing! (Though not entirely, it obviously means HAVE A REST. Hopefully you will be able to do this properly after the move.) I would help carry stuff but I have to stay in Brighton this weekend and study :(

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 13:03 (twenty years ago)

johnny do you still wanna come see clearlake tomorrow? i think i have enuff list places. me an the belgian are going.

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 01:57 (twenty years ago)

Gah, work is crap today - I'm getting that if-one-more-thing-goes-wrong-i'm-going-to-slit-my-wrists feeling. Remember, kids: down, not across!

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 10:38 (twenty years ago)

Thanks for the tip FP! I am so bored today it's not even funny.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 10:40 (twenty years ago)

I only just got in to work because I've been to view a flat. Ooh it was lovely, but very wee! I don't know what to do. Matt wasn't with me so he'll have to see it separately anyway, but it might get snapped up if we're not quick. What do you think? Would you give up a bit of space in exchange for 1) central heating 2) nice garden 3) new fixtures and fittings?

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 10:59 (twenty years ago)

I think I would Archel. Is it bearable?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:00 (twenty years ago)

Morning
Busy. Shouldn't be posting...
Kate hope your back gets better soon
FP hope your day improves
Pink hope your day gets more interesting
Archel hope you find a place soon
Psychic happiness to everyone.. back this afternoon

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:03 (twenty years ago)

It was completely full of stuff, so it was really hard to get a sense of what space there REALLY was, or to imagine our own things there. It's a tiny bit more expensive than our current flat, and less convenient for Matt's work (though in an area we both like). Argh.

Cheers beanz.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:05 (twenty years ago)

I think central heating & a garden would swing it for me.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

Thanks Beanz! x

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:10 (twenty years ago)

i woukdn't give up space for central heating or new fixtures and fittings or both, but i might for a garden. depends on the garden, and how much space you're losing inside.

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:13 (twenty years ago)

Do you have any other places to look at Archel?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:14 (twenty years ago)

No, this one just caught our eye. We're not actively flat-hunting and we don't HAVE to move out of our place, but wouldn't mind.

The owner lives upstairs, and might at some point build steps down onto the back (raised lawn) part of the garden, which is maybe not great...

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

Our current flat is not very big either, mind. (Haha I don't know why I'm debating this here before I've even spoken to Matt. 'Hi darling, yes I saw the flat and ILE thinks we should take it, ok?')

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:40 (twenty years ago)

Haha! I'm sure he's used to ILE deciding his fate by now!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 12:10 (twenty years ago)

I am working in: watercoolers! How appropriate.

I have a phone interview in an hour for something else.

Lunch!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 12:38 (twenty years ago)

Hello! I'm back. For a few hours at least. I came in to fix a database and discovered that there have been all kinds of network problems while I've been gone becasue MICE CHEWED THROUGH THE NETWORK CABLES. I have never laughed so hard in my life.

The damp is fixed. The nice builder came down to give an estimate, but it turned out that the vendor had fixed the big damp patch. Life is good.

Except for my curent landlord who is being a bastrrd and a half asking me to pay to fix a window which has been CRACKED AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN THER. Grrrr. I told him I'd pay to have the carpet cleaned, and I'd pay for a new curtain rail (even though it was held up with electrical tape when i moved in) but as far as the window was concerned, he could jump in the dry lake.

Makes life a bit difficult, but...

Archel, a garden is worth just about anything. You can use it pretty much 7 to 9 months of the year if you get a good table and an umbrella, and it really can function as an additional room.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

The ex-gf of my co-worker Big Dave was the network admin at one of the local schools; they once had a problem with rooms disappearing off the computer network, and found it was caused by squirrels eating the outdoor parts of the network.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 12:50 (twenty years ago)

I did not realise how wacked out on this meds I was until I sat down and started looking at spreadsheets and there are little paisleys swimming between all the columns.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:00 (twenty years ago)

Hello there swirly paisley girl! How are you feeling?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:12 (twenty years ago)

(I just did the interview IN THE OFFICE bcz my phone ran out of batteries) (they will not hire me anyway so um everyone is even I guess) (get well soon kate!)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:25 (twenty years ago)

Shit, shit, shit, I feel like crying. Just heard back from the solicitors and they are saying that they can NOT complete on Friday which means I am homeless on Saturday. Oh Jesus Christ, I can't take any more stress.

I can't ask my housemate for any more favours because he's going to chase me for his fucking window.

I'm fucked. x-post I'm in an emotional rollercoaster right now, as you can probably tell.

I just burst out crying at work - my boss offered to let me stay with her if it doesn't complete. And my other colleague advised me to just threaten the current landlord with small claims court. I bet he thinks I'm so busy and stressed with the move that I won't bother, but just watch me. "Talk to my solicitor" is going to be my new phrase.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:26 (twenty years ago)

Calmer now. I think it's the codeine. My advisor just said that they had got the bank to fax over the mortgage offer to them.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

Oh Kate, why can't they complete? Argh, it's such a horrible time! *hugs*

In other news, I have just bought Mighty Boosch tix!!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:48 (twenty years ago)

Yay for the Mighty Boosh. Johnney B will be so jealous. :-)

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

Along with Anna, by the sounds of her recent crush! ;-)

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

Uh-oh, who's Anna crushing on now?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

Noel Fielding (guy on the right)
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0563527544.02._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

(Just googled Noel Redding by accident!! Haha, gotta love that!)

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

Oh, that's right. He was also the annoying SoundArtist in Nathan Barley, wasn't he?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

he wasn't annoying ?!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

hellos.
i have nothing to say again.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

Yes, but not annoying, just genius!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:03 (twenty years ago)

All soundartists are inherently annoying. Plus, he was annoying! He kept playing the TIMETOGOTOSLEEP song really loud when Sistra Ahsecroft was trying to sleep.

Hey, kit, how's yer Jag?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:03 (twenty years ago)

still loud, still sexy.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

God, I missed ILX when I was away. I was lying in bed on Monday morning as JB made my tea moaning "quick! correct my spelling! make a joke about Squash! Arrrrgh!"

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

squash is no joke.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

Yes it is. Anyway, you know it's bad when you ever miss the pedants.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

...that would be *even* miss the pedants before any pedants correct me.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:17 (twenty years ago)

squash is teh ebul. and and and and if somebody PLAYS squash as well as drinking it, wow... that's just hellish.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:19 (twenty years ago)

Did anyone see Secrets of the Marriage Bureau last night? They had this woman on there complaining about the way that sport was clumped together in the interests for computer dating. Saying "Now, I *love* squash, but I hate golf! I *loathe* it! So why are they bundled together?"

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:20 (twenty years ago)

(also the job was as a corporate spy and to be like dropped into companies with a cover story and shit! ALLO MONSIEUR FLIC SECRET, AVEZ-VOUS UNE POSTE VACANTE, POUR UNE FILLE COMME MOI)

(Kate what is the new palce like?)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

they're both for cunts. (xpost)

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

My new palace is lovely, I cannot wait to move in. Oh, my big windows, I was admiring them again yesterday.

Ooh, I think it would be exciting to be a corporate spy. Think of waht you could tell the chiX0rs. Better than James Bond!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

Er, so is the move going through on Saturday or not? Kate, I've texted you from my mobile if there's late breaking news (and who'm I kidding, I'll probably see any such here).

I get the impression that it would be a disservice to Anna's long-standing and passionate imaginary affair with her possible cousin to describe it as "recent" :)

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

Sorry, Andrew - I just texted you back. At the moment, still waiting with baited breath for news from the solicitors.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

I know that optimism is unusual for me, but I'm just going to be sheer bloody minded about this, and assume that the move is going to happen as planned. I mean, I have to move on Saturday, no matter what. It's going to be a question of whether the stuff goes around the corner to the new flat (as I hope) or across town to a temporary storage.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:56 (twenty years ago)

Still no word...

Why did I come in today? Nothing is working, I have had to go back to excel, compute the totals and re-import because Access is such a big fat piece of rubbish.

I wanted to leave early but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. Now I'm scared to go home because I anticipate the shit hitting the fan when my housemate gets in and finds my note.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)

Fuck. Now my landlord has started ringing me. I didn't answer the phone because I don't want to have it out while I'm at work and trying to concentrate.

What the f*ck do I do? I don't know how much more firmly I can tell him "I'm not paying for damage I didn't cause."

He started with the note-leaving thing. I know this is conflict avoidant, but I am under so much stress and on so many painkillers that I fear I am not going to be able to handle this without exploding. :-(

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 16:25 (twenty years ago)

I'm *really* scared to go home now.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

Oh Kate, I wish I could give you some advice. Is there anywhere else you can stay for the nest few days?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 16:31 (twenty years ago)

I don't know... and what about my *stuff*? I've got several thousand pounds worth of music and computer equipment in my room.

My IFA is trying to say "how about we complete next Friday and you just pay the difference in rent?" and I'm all "I doubt that my landlord will negotiate if I'm refusing to pay for his cracked window."

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

I just feel sick. I feel like everybody has me over a barrel right now, and WTF are my legal rights?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

Phew. My advisor came up with a solution to the moving date dilemma - since it's empty, rent the flat for a week until the completion comes through. One week in a 1-bed in Streatham wouldn't be more than about £150.

Everyone at work is suggesting that I get someone to go home with me tonight in case my landlord makes any trouble.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 17:15 (twenty years ago)

When will my life *ever* just not be so complicated?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

Can you rent your new house from the vendor until you own it?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

If the house is empty, surely the vendor will be amenable? And for free - you're paying them enough, and it's been amicable, right?

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 17:24 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, that's what he was suggesting - to rent the flat that I'm going to buy for a week so I can move in now. Can't be more than £150.

Doesn't help me with going home and facing the old landlord tonight, but at least it means I know there's an end to that particular hell.

ARRGGHHH!!! Just heard from the agent and the freaking vendor is in CHILE until the 12th. For fucks sake... every time I try to get hold of him, he's in a different country.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 17:28 (twenty years ago)

I am not looking forward to going home tonight. My back is killing me again and I need to lie down.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 17:29 (twenty years ago)

Surely things will be simpler in a week Kate? I guess just focus on that and good luck and stuff.

I passed the first interview for spying! I don't know how, I think the only questions I answered well were the pre-announced one and "do you have an ethical problem with this?". Second interview tomorrow!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 20:00 (twenty years ago)

Surely you're not actually supposed to be telling us about this?

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 20:05 (twenty years ago)

Haha probably. PERHAPS I AM LYING EVEN NOW

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 20:06 (twenty years ago)

argh kate!! sorry, i didn't get yr message til too late last nite, i was halfway through making dinner and then had to hotfoot it to clearlake. was it ok? are you ok? is yr stuff all ok? are you here? bloody fucking hell, this is way more complicated than it needs to be :(

― emsk ( emsk), Thursday, 8 December 2005 11:15 (twenty years ago)

work is good today, it's always good when it's busy/managable.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 8 December 2005 11:31 (twenty years ago)

I know - poor kate! Ain't it rubbish? I think I may need to send her cake thru the post (maybe one that's cooked all the way through this time). Saying that, she's made of strong stuff, and she's surrounded by good people, so she'll be fine. I'm sending a brain-hug now for her . . . . there, she should get that sometime next Tuesday between 18:00 and 21:00.

Kate, if your out there and you need me for lugging, drop me a line, yeh?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 8 December 2005 11:57 (twenty years ago)

Poor Kate!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:04 (twenty years ago)

Hew hey, I'm in now. Spent the morning at therapy which was the best thing possible in the situation. CBT is actually really good, seems quite helpful, at least it's helping me get through this.

Landlord wasn't in last night, but there was another note, trying to guilt me into paying for the window because "he let my mum stay at his house" and all this other crap that I just want to reply "Dude, this is a shared house" to.

Apparently he never gave me a lease or a tenancy agreement - which has been a pain in the arse for the past year and a half, because I couldn't get on the electral rolls, couldn't get a credit card, all this kind of stuff - but it means basically he doesn't have a leg to stand on. I've acted in good faith - offering to pay for my damages, but that's it.

Emsk, you're still coming around to help me pack tomorrow, right? I just want to make sure that there's someone around as a witness if he tries to have it out.

The good news is, however, my back is almost completely better. Still a bit stiff, but very little pain.

Hope everyone else is having a somewhat less eventful life!

Good luck with the spying gig, Gravel!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

On the plus side, my boss is off today and tomorrow.

On the downside, people are drilling holes in the walls of my room.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

Not so busy today, but a regular stream of stuff from other people. They've probably been saving up all this crap they want me to do until my deadline was gone.

And today was supposed to be doughnut day but the person whose turn it is hasn't bothered to go and buy any. Humph.

Glad things look brighter today Kate.

Gravel if you get this job will you have to wear disguises? Can you turn up to work dressed as a pirate? Or will it just be Groucho moustache, nose and glasses combo?

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

Argh, that's always a problem, Beanz. All that stuff that gets held while your deadline is coming ends up piled at the other end. Bah.

Why are they drilling holes in your walls, Forest? Are they putting the Torture garden in your kinky colleague's office? ;-)

Mmmm, donuts. We've got chocolate filled advent calendars.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:20 (twenty years ago)

Sadly, no - they are rewiring this part of the building, and putting in new ceilings. My ceiling now has a complex mesh of mains leads running across it, which will be hidden when the new (lower) ceiling is put in.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

Argh, I've got to go back on the Oracle system today.

::shivers::

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

yeah kate i'm around tomorrow! what time ish? haha he let your mum stay at his house!! wot a bleedin' heart. ffs, that is the pettiest thing i've heard yet in this debacle.

― emsk ( emsk), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:50 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I mean, he let his Welsh friend stay round the house for MONTHS at a time, if we're going to get into that.

But I'm not getting caught back up in that coz it's a thoughtworm and I'm not having it.

Come round, I don't know - early afternoon? I've got yummy hummus and veggies for lunch, and plus, we have to drink up the beer in the fridge before I move.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:56 (twenty years ago)

(I did consider asking to have a BDSM dungeon installed in my new office, but I wasn't sure what the rest of the staff would think)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 8 December 2005 12:57 (twenty years ago)

Excellent news Kate! x

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:08 (twenty years ago)

New completion date: Tuesday. Apparently. Argh.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:11 (twenty years ago)

Hired! C'EST UN ROLE QUE JE PEU JOUER, JE VAIS DESCENDRE CE QUE JE PEU TUER etc.

The lady next to me is playing Hung Up through barely-there headphones and it just cuts through everything and sounds amazing.

Glad things look brighter!

― Gravel Puzzlespy (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:24 (twenty years ago)

Hired? Yay! Congrats, super-spy!

Solicitor on phone. It may not be Tuesday now, that's the *earliest* that it can happen - they are sending me my completion package to my current home tomorrow. Argh.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

More cheery stuff, please. Should I go out for Krispy Kreme?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:40 (twenty years ago)

Puzzleworth, Gravel - International Man of Mystery!

My fingers are tightly crossed for you re everything Kate!

Despite (OR BECAUSE OF?) being overwhelmed with dissertation, work, Christmas organisation, possible move and possible new job (interview on Mon), I am feeling incredibly sunny at the moment. Going to see Lion, Witch etc tonight which is probably helping.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

Archel is it because of BLINDING INEXPLICABLE SUNLIGHT, or is this only happening in Oxford right now?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:47 (twenty years ago)

Ha, the weather here is ominous black cloud/fog... so no.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:48 (twenty years ago)

What's the new job, 'chel?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

New job, new flat, it's all go around those parts, Arch! Good luck with both. (Did you manage to get out of the training day to go to the interview?)

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

Yes, pls go out for krispy kreme & pls bring me some back! :-)
Archel 0 did you decide on the flat?
Gravel - we have glorious sunshine too!

In other cheery news - I've got a bump! :-D

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

A bump, a bump! You're showing already? Wow! How exciting! Photos, please! We want full details of fabulous maternity fashions and all.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

Hit your head, huh?

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

I've noticed the inexplicable sunlight, is really is strange and disconcerting. Awfully pretty tho.

Well done gravel you SpyCorp you! Are you gonna start drinking martinis and wearing white dinner jackets?

Bumps on pregnant women freak me out. I mean, pregnancy is quite freaky anyway, but just being reminded that THERE'S A PERSON IN THERE! is enough to space anyone out.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

Thanks for that Johnny! :-(
Yes Kate I am showing already, although perhaps it's one too many baby cravings rather than the actual baby itself. :-/

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

It's not freaky! it's the coolest thing evah! there's a little PERSON in there!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

Interview - I told my boss that I had an appt I couldn't get out of (ready if he pressed me to confess that it was an interview) but he didn't, he just chuckled and shrugged. Couldn't care less, in other words :)

Job - it's 'assistant information adviser' in a university library.

Flat - going back with Matt tomorrow morning for a second viewing.

Bump - wow! can we see a pic of you Pink, pleeease? There was a whole page of pictures of bumps in the Guardian today, with boys' hands on them.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

sorry, but it's freaky.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

i'd like to have the courage to post a pic of me with no top on (just of the belly) but i don't have the guts. I'll try to take a picture in a tightish top, so you can see.
x-post

Yeah thanks guys i really appreciate your freaky comments. No really I do, pls keep them coming.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

OK, you know what's freaky? Feta flavoured hummous. I'm not sure that this is a success. :-/

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

Oh no pink, I meant freaky in a GOOD way - it's like, wow, there's an actual real life person in there! Blows your mind. Do you not look down at your bump and just go "WOW"?

And hummous is odd flavoured anyway, so I would suspect oddness squared is actually a good thing.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

No, chili flavoured hummous or roasted pepper flavoured hummous or lemon and coriander flavoured hummous is yummous.

But there's something about Feta hummous which was either going to be great or just too strange. It's tasting better as I eat it, and was probably just particularly nasty after the mouthful of strawberry yoghurt, but I don't think I'll be getting it again.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

Feta flavoured hummous = WRONG!

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

What does an 'assistant information adviser' do, then?

Wait wait FLAVOURED hummus? I though hummus was like earth or something! WE ARE LIVING IN THE FUTURE.

― Gravel Puzzlespy (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:50 (twenty years ago)

It's YOUR job to find out, as a super-spy!

What do you want?
INFORMATION!
Right, then, we'll just call our assistant information advisor, then... ARCHEL!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

Feta-hummus doesn't sound good, but then I have a problem with roasted pepper hummus etc anyway. Oil or nothing. (See what I did there?!??!!!1!)

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 8 December 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

I think I have eaten feta-hummus already, come to think of it! During my "feta with literarily everything" experimental phase. It wasn't very nice.

I did buy 0.56 KILOGRAMS of feta for one quid at the market yesterday though.

― Gravel Puzzlespy (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

I don't really know what an AIA does, to be honest... librarian-y things. Enquiry desk etc. Currently I'm an Assistant Resources Coordinator, which is equally vague. This means I have interpreted my job description to be 'read ILE and listen to BBC7 all day'.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

That's mine too! Perhaps I was an Assistant Resources Coordinator all along.

Awww temp agency ladies are so nice! The lady from Hays just called to offer me some work and was supernice and congratulatory and stuff when I explained about New Job. I am seriously gonna get Laura from Brook Street a huge bunch of flowers, we had this really really excited ten-minute yaychat when the spies hired me.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:28 (twenty years ago)

Doughnuts arrived. Everything's rosy again.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:31 (twenty years ago)

Owowow ow ow ow. Filing all pm and COVERED in sodding paper cuts now :(

That's gotta be the best bit about being a spy G - no paper cuts! Maybe off top secret documents I guess, but spies probably aren't clumsy enough to do that.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:33 (twenty years ago)

What is BBC7 like?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:36 (twenty years ago)

BBC Heaven!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:37 (twenty years ago)

Sorry, I could not resist.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:37 (twenty years ago)

Be careful of getting paper cuts from the Russians.

BBC7 is fantastic - it's all repeats, but of teh best kind. Comedy every night from 7 - 8, where you can expect to find old Just a Minutes, old SOrry I Haven't a CLue, Goon Show, Round the Horne . . .

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:39 (twenty years ago)

xpost

hehe. BBC7 is mainly old episodes of The Goon Show and GK Chesterton/Wodehouse serialisations. People Like Us is getting an outing at the moment though, yay.

In my interview on Mon if they ask me about my weaknesses I think I might say 'well, I can't work with paper I'm afraid'.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:40 (twenty years ago)

BBC Heaven!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:41 (twenty years ago)

Gravel, you're a bit slow for a spy! ;-)

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

Archel that is a great answer! LAUGHS AND HIRIN' will follow surely.

xpost: Kate I didn't realize it was heaven until I realised it was JEEVES ALL DAY LONG!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:43 (twenty years ago)

But... but... I was quoting Austin Powers! The original Spy Who Shagged Me.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:45 (twenty years ago)

BBC7 is also repeating Saturday Night Fry, which is my New Favourite Thing.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

my lack of popculture knowledge will blow my cover :(

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

I still want Krispy Kreme. I wonder what time it closes...

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)

17 days holiday left to take this year. how is that going to work?

in sainsbury's at lunchtime and i could tell the girl hovering by the tomatoes was having the same dilemma as myself - packs of tomatoes were 2 for 1 but i can't eat 2 packs of tomatoes on my own before they start rotting.

i can only get radio 7 via freeview and having the tv on just to listen to the radio seems a bit odd.

― koogs (koogs), Thursday, 8 December 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

koogs you should have offered to split the price!

I have the same problem with 1xtra :(

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 18:08 (twenty years ago)

johnny i got the vids, thank you!

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:13 (twenty years ago)

Can't you get radio 7 and 1extra over the internet instead?

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:16 (twenty years ago)

Morning
Today is my last day at work until 3 January hahahahahahahahahaaaa
Now I've got to spend several hours pretending to be doing things.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:28 (twenty years ago)

what is this internet of which you speak?

(i listen to radcliffe and the odd radio 1 show via the listen again thing and then switch to ripped cds most of the time. i can't work with spoken word stuff in my ears anyway, it just doesn't work.)

― koogs (koogs), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:49 (twenty years ago)

Beanz, you lucky sod, we have to work right up until the 23rd. And then we're back in on the 3rd again.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:53 (twenty years ago)

You have my sympathies. I've not had a chance to take leave this year much at all, and I've still got days left over after this

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:05 (twenty years ago)

Ahem.
In some industries, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's eve are amongst our busiest times, so lets hear no more of this God I've only got a week to go and have fun in, eh?

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:17 (twenty years ago)

No probs emsk - hope you enjoy them!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:28 (twenty years ago)

And do we know if Kate was okay yesterday with landlord and packing and things?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

Eek, it's all going off here today! Colleague M is in tears because someone else in her office accused her of being slow at her job, and they had a big row about it, which ended up with their boss wading in and taking the other woman to one side for Words, of the "you're not her boss so you shouldn't be checking up on her" variety.

Plus, the MDs of our two main suppliers are here for a big meeting (our most profitable line of work is in being their UK importer). I have my eye on the executive buffet leftovers.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:07 (twenty years ago)

Lots of leftover choc biscuits from a meeting...
Are we all really busy working, or all at the pub?

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:05 (twenty years ago)

Neither. I played 32 levels of this game earlier - it was zer addictive!

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:15 (twenty years ago)

Bump.

Morning, guys, how you doing?

I've had a drama and a half over the weekend. Still not moved, no. More after I've waded through my work inbox.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

Hey Kate! Glad ur good - is your back back in working order? Was thinking of you over the weekend - what happened?

My morning has been brilliant - a particularly nasty problem involving electricity meter reads being sent to the Data Collectors has been solved down to me and my l33t sk1llz0rz, so I'm well chuffed, and have rewarded myself with a cup of tea and some quality streets the boss bought in.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:12 (twenty years ago)

Kate - I hope you're OK.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:14 (twenty years ago)

Back is OK, thank goodness, apart from a few twinges!

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:15 (twenty years ago)

I got bitten by a dog on the weekend. That was a surprise!

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

Oh no! How awful! How did that happen?

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:33 (twenty years ago)

OK, plus I have just successfully negotiated for flexi-time. Hurrah and phew.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:35 (twenty years ago)

And with regards to your house & your drama....?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:42 (twenty years ago)

Yeh, tell me about drama, though top bombing on the flexi-time.

Mark, how did you get bitten by a dog? I didn't think that happened in real life. Was it on your backside for extra comedic value?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

Oh, I was walking to the shop and this youth had a dog (a boxer it was, I think), and it was snapping at this bloke crossing the road. The bloke stopped to have strong words with the youth, and the dog walked round behind the youth and lunged at me! I had my hand in my (external) coat pocket at the time but it grabbed it and chomped! I was quite shaken, though not really hurt other than a few scratches and bruises.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

Sorry, I was just in a meeting with my boss.

Spoke to the estate agent, and she basically said that if I could get the money to the solicitors and the signed forms back, then I could at least move my stuff in, even if *I* couldn't move until we had actually completed.

I spent all day Friday waiting with baited breath (not even taking a shower or running the hoover in order to hear the doorbell) for important documents from my solicitors, to sign and return, and get the bank transfer of my deposit through ASAP. Waited, and waited until about 3 when I rang the solicitors. Yes, it was sent. Rang the Royal Mail. Yes, it was delivered, even signed for. Emsk and I were running around my neighbourhood, ringing doorbells to see if they'd got my package in error.

Landlord comes home about 4 - I ask him if he's seen my package. Turns out the bastard was WITHHOLDING MY MAIL until I "sorted out" the window thing. He's had the thing ALL DAY.

I nearly hit the roof - I would have totally lost my temper had Emsk not been there. He came in like a ton of bricks, yelling at me and insulting me. I tried to stay calm and repeated that the window had been broken as long as I had known. That I was *not* trying to rip him off - I would not have offered to pay for the carpet or the curtain rail if I was, nor would I have left him my new address if I was planning on cutting and running. What's more, withholidng my mail was a CRIMINAL offense, and got on the phone to my solicitor.

Solicitor was outraged, but said that I'd missed the deadline to get the money in the bank, so I'm double screwed. Argh. I'm freaked out, making plans to stay at Emsk's for the weekend, because if landlord is stealing my mail, I'm scared to stay at the house.

Anyway, I run to try and make the bank before it closes, and a very contrite landlord appears at the door. Says it's OK about the window, that he takes my mum's word for it, that it was already broken when she was there. Just keeps saying "relax, be cool" and asks when I'm moving. I tell him that I've no idea now, as his little stunt has made me miss my exchange date. So he tells me not to worry about it, that I can stay as long as I need to complete, and even offers to help me move since I had arranged everything for Saturday.

Total change of heart, no idea what that was about. Anyway, things are calm right now.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

Ah bless ya! (sends hugz etc) - haven't you been in the wars!

At least landlord has come round to your way of thinking. Maybe "You've held back my mail? I'm going to speak to my SOLICITOR!" scared him into being nice! Glad everyone is friends now though. So you're just waiting till you heard from your solicitor to find out when you're moving, yes?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 12 December 2005 12:08 (twenty years ago)

Bah. My department went out to lunch, right after I took my painkillers. Which always make me dizzy. I lasted 10 minutes in the pub before I had to come back and sit down. Bleurgh.

― Control your ponies, children! (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 13:06 (twenty years ago)

Oh no, that's harsh - dizzy painkillers = bad painkillers, surely?

I was wandering round Teascos wen realised I was laughing REALLY loudly as I'm SOrry I haven't a Clue and was getting funny looks. I turned off my ipod and felt like a right berk.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 12 December 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

Usually they just make me silly but I hadn't eaten anythign before I took one, so I feel very very strange now. Argh.

Tee heee hee, that reminds me - saw an advert over the weekend for the DVD of Have I Got News For You with a SPECIAL BONUS BORIS DISC!!! The advert for which was just a ten second cutup of spliced "Erm, uhm, sputter, wot? ha-hem ERRRRRM sputter ::confused look to camera:: EH?" total Boris discombobulation. I almost spontaneously orgasmed. I nEEEEEEEd it.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 13:30 (twenty years ago)

dude, don't worry. i walked around Tesco with a penguin puppet on my hand last christmas.

xmas rush in a supermarket? keep getting nudged, jogged, jossled? put a glove puppet on your hand. no motherfucker gets in your way. for reals.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 12 December 2005 13:32 (twenty years ago)

I saw that DVD kate & immediately thought of you! Glad your asshat of a landlord has finally become human again!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 12 December 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

I've been making "Yeah, I wouldn't mind having Boris Johnson in *my* Shadow Cabinet" jokes all weekend. ;-)

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 13:48 (twenty years ago)

Argh, now I wish I'd had lunch at the pub, even though I didn't feel well, because I'm really not sure I can face hummous again today.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

gee, do i have a penguin on my hand or something?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 12 December 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

Why, hello, Sailor. Is that a puppet on your hand, or are you just glad to see me?

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 14:44 (twenty years ago)

Which reminds me, I still haven't seen that penguin film. Anyone seen it? Is it really just a posh wildlife documentary?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 12 December 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)

Of course it is.

Me, I've still not even seen Harry freaking Potter. :-(

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 14:56 (twenty years ago)

me either. the first one, i mean.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)

I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE LAST OF THE FORMS.

THE HOUSE IS MINE ON WEDNESDAY!!!!!!

(Well, maybe as early as tomorrow but I'm not holding my breath this time.)

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:17 (twenty years ago)

Yay, hugz0rz etc.

COngrats!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:36 (twenty years ago)

::bounce::

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:36 (twenty years ago)

Mr. Nite is coming by some time around 4pm with the getaway van, and then I am freeeeee!!! If anyone is free that afternoon, and is willing to shift a few boxes in exchange for pizza and beer (though I expect most of you will be working) then let me know!

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:37 (twenty years ago)

Working away that afternoon, v. sorry, I'd be along like a dart otherwise.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:50 (twenty years ago)

excellent news fellow homo!!! *hugs*

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:51 (twenty years ago)

Who you calling a homo, breeder? ;-)

I believe the correct term is "member of the landed gentry". Oh yes.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:53 (twenty years ago)

my girlfriend is gonna move into my house.

my house what i pwn.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

Moving the girlfriend in? Oh no, how will the jaguar feel?!?!?!?

;-)

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

*dirty joke resisted*

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

Oh go on...

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:04 (twenty years ago)

i refuse. use your imagination. it involves the digits that extend from one's hand.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:07 (twenty years ago)

I'm thick, you have to explain these things to me. I don't get dirty jokes. (Unless they involve back alley Glaswegian barbers.)

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:10 (twenty years ago)

I haven't seen the first three Harry Potters, but I did go and see the fourth.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:11 (twenty years ago)

Was that because of David Tennant, by any chance?

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

Hahahaha. Only *partly*

(and I'm not going to be watching that ITV drama that's on tonight where he plays a scary stalker boyfriend. But only because i'm going to be out.)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:13 (twenty years ago)

I've seen all of them except the current one, but I haven't read a single one of the books.

No one will go with me to movies any more. ::sobs:: Though my new house is closer to the Odeon, so I might have to start going more. Especially as I've not got a telly.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

*sigh*

jaggy won't be upset. i'll finger them both equally.

k thx bye.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

That looks rubbish. I am slowly coming to the realisation that David Tennant can only play one character (the bug-eyed slightly-lost-it childishly-enthusiastic maniac), but he does it quite well. (xpost to FP)

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)

And sexily too.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

Boom, tish. I'd have never thunk it.

I haven't seen David Tennant in much, but he does seem a bit one dimensional. Pretty, yes. But he can get behind Bobby G and James MacEvoy in the "boys who want me to adore them" stakes.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

i feel dirty now, ARE YOU HAPPY?

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:20 (twenty years ago)

Yes.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:21 (twenty years ago)

I'm confused by my new hours now. Trying to figure out what time everything is now. Instead of 4.30 meaning "I go home in an hour" it means... what? two and a half hours? three hours? I'm so confused.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)

Bored now.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

OK, this is weird. I've been in such a state of high flap and stress for the past week or two, that now I've finally got nothing going on, and everything is OK, I'm actually freaking out because everything is *too* normal.

Someone distract me with a crush or something. Please.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:10 (twenty years ago)

Morning!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 10:38 (twenty years ago)

Blimey, is no one around today? I feel like I'm talking to myself here lately.

Anyone see the David Tennant film last night? Argh, it was creepy as f*ck. Now I'm never going to be able to fancy him again, as he was acting like a cross between two ex boyfriends. Ick, ick, ick.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 10:59 (twenty years ago)

I'm about. Everyone in the office seems really mardy today for some reason.

Kate: that's WHY i didn't watch it!

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:06 (twenty years ago)

What does "mardy" mean? Or should I look it up on the Scottish Grandmother thread?

God, he was creepy. Though I did actually want to shout at the sister, as well. "tell your freaking sister HOW he knows that you slept with her first boyfriend! He nicked your keys, broke into your house and RIFLED THROUGH YOUR DESK UNTIL HE FOUND YOUR DIARY!!!"

But it's really hard to see the psycho alerts ringing when you think you're in love. :-( Depressing, really.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

Morning everyone! Kate, welcome to the land of normality! It's brilliant round here!

The reason why I've been quiet today is that my fixed problem just opened up a huge can of work for me, and I'm trudging through all that, and none of my queries work, and aaaaaagrgh! So busy day for me today.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:15 (twenty years ago)

mardy = pissed off

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:17 (twenty years ago)

Drunk?

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:17 (twenty years ago)

Oh, and also "resembling mard", of course ;-)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:18 (twenty years ago)

Do I dare ask what "mard" is?

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:21 (twenty years ago)

That was a joke, actually. Mardy *should* clearly mean "resembling mard", even though there's no such thing.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:22 (twenty years ago)

mard = mead brewed with lard.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:23 (twenty years ago)

I thought it was the Auld Alliance Scots version of Merde.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:24 (twenty years ago)

David Tennant is a warning to us all.

Back at work after study day on Friday, then interview and 'away-day' on Monday. I didn't get the job, which is no surprise as it was a really awful interview. There was one total bad cop who started his questioning with 'well, as you haven't really got any EXPERIENCE of REAL academic libraries these questions might be tricky for you to answer, but...'. Then proceeded to look alternately bored and disgusted at me for the rest of the interview. Also I had a cough and hadn't had a chance to get water, and nobody offered me any. Never got into my stride really. I didn't even particularly want the job - but I did want the nice salary and I would prefer not to feel like shit on a geek's shoe for 40 minutes in the pursuit of it :(

On the plus side, we are moving into our new miniflat next month. Small but perfectly formed :)

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:26 (twenty years ago)

Argh, that sounds awful, Archel! But if the interview was that bad, the job would probably have been horrible. Would you want to work with those people? I don't think so.

But you got the new flat? Hurrah! Garden party in the spring!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:27 (twenty years ago)

David Tennant is a warning to us all.

But he's so cute!

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

Not in this film he wasn't. He was just PSYCHOTIC. ::shivers::

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

And you just KNOW that it's going to go downhill tonight, because the whole thing started at Miriam's grave, so she's clearly dead now and he's already hounded her brother to suicide so who knows what he's got cooked up for her. I'm really glad I'm going to be down the pub.

It was, as my mum would say, just GROTESQUE.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

Oh man the garden is so nice :)

Yeah I really didn't want to work there by the end. Plus they were all like 'oh restructuring blah not sure which dept your job will be in blah blah fixed term for a year blah staffing review' which is all classic university speak for 'we have no money and are trying to recruit one member of staff for five people's jobs'.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

Ugh. I mean, always remember that job interviews are as much about you interviewing *them* as them interviewing you. If you're uncomfortable with the people who are interviewing you, it's a good sign you won't like the job.

Damn, my meeting just got cancelled which means now I have to do... ::shudders:: the targets! I wish we could upload them, but we can't. It's going to be manually changing every single employee. Shoot me now.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:10 (twenty years ago)

I HAVE OFFICIALLY JUST COMPLETED!!! I OWN A HOUSE NOW, MOFOS!!!

Wow, that was exciting. The phone call came in the middle of a meeting and the whole department cheered.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:38 (twenty years ago)

YAY!

(Kate, I'm bored of my programming now - I'll do some of your employee stuff id you do some of my programming!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:40 (twenty years ago)

ha ha, my estate agent just emailed asking what lender I got the mortgage though, as the bloke who is buying the flat upstairs is having trouble getting a mortgage because it's next to a cafe. So I sent them the link to our website.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:45 (twenty years ago)

I'm so excited! I should run around the block a few times, I think!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:52 (twenty years ago)

yay kate!!!!

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:54 (twenty years ago)

Woo, a propertied lady!

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 13:03 (twenty years ago)

i'm a real boy.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 13:04 (twenty years ago)

Brilliant stuff, Kate!

Greg, everything okay?

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

Sssssshhhhhh! He's a SPY and he's under cover!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 14:10 (twenty years ago)

wrong greg.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

Ha ha, I always forget your real name isn't actually G or Kitten. Sorry!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

Post-lunch slump. Bah.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

question for kate (or, indeed, anyone who uses sql)

i have a query across half a dozen tables (ok, 5). the where clause has a bunch of conditions on it half of which are there to join the tables and half of which are there to filter out rows. how should i order the conditions? is there a prefered method?

ie:
SELECT mis.mid
FROM sub, mis, mi, d, s
WHERE sub.id = mi.sid
AND mi.id = mis.mid
AND mi.device_type_id = d.id
AND mi.service_id = s.id
AND sub.stopped = 0
AND mis.status IN ('blah', 'blah', 'blah')
AND mis.date IS NULL
AND d.state = 'STATE'
AND d.notify = 1
AND (s.end_date IS NULL OR now() BETWEEN s.start_date AND s.end_date);

that's join conditions first followed by filtering conditions. or should i mix them up?

― koogs (koogs), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:27 (twenty years ago)

Err... blimey. Trying to think how I do it... I think yeah, join conditions come before filter conditions. Filter conditions in the conceptual order of importance - or filter the big stuff then the details.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

Yeh, it'd be something like

select mis.mid
from sub
inner join mi
on sub.id = mi.sid
inner join mis
on mi.id = mis.mid
inner join d
on mi.device_Type = d.id
inner join s
on mi.service_ID = s.id
WHERE sub.stopped = 0
AND mis.status IN ('blah', 'blah', 'blah')
AND mis.date IS NULL
AND d.state = 'STATE'
AND d.notify = 1
AND (s.end_date IS NULL OR now() BETWEEN s.start_date AND s.end_date);

WOuld that work? SQL is killing my brane today.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:40 (twenty years ago)

Hang on, you don't joins in there do you? Sorry, scrub all that.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:41 (twenty years ago)

inner joins would make it a lot clearer, yes. it's odd, have been doing this for years but until now have just listed the conditions in the order i thought of them, pretty much randomly, and never really gave it much mind.

― koogs (koogs), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

I've NEVER EVER EVER used WHERE like that, to specify joins I mean. Is there a good reason why you wouldn't use a join, or is it just habit?

Writing down the res of where clauses are pretty random though, and I can't think of a reason why it doesn't have to be to be honest, apart from maybe some arcane speed diferences.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:50 (twenty years ago)

have never used inner joins, well not ones including the words INNER or JOIN, have always used the implicit join in the where. i'm not a db person, i write code. some of the code i write is sql...

subselects seem popular here but i never used those either (mainly because mysql didn't support them until recently)

― koogs (koogs), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:04 (twenty years ago)

They're cool for avoiding temp tables and the like, and they let you do mad complex stuff with enormous tables. They're a bugger to debug tho.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:09 (twenty years ago)

HOW CAN YOU PROGRAM IN SQL WITHOUT JOINS, INNER OR OTHERWISE?!?!?

This sounds like madness to me. SQL is all about the JOINs!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:09 (twenty years ago)

yay! The bossman just came round and gave everyone in the department a bottle of wine! Hurrah!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

Wow! Our bosses cannot even stretch to taking our annual Xmas 'away-days' off campus (ie to a nice hotel) this year. SWIZ. Fortunately I did win 4 bottles of wine in a pub quiz last night...

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

ha ha, my mum just told me "if you want a 4 poster bed, for goodness sake, get one!"

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

I might as well give in and get some cats now:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/6633189.htm

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

(on the offchance that the "greg" mentioned was me I am good, job is really involving, spies really are all dauntingly smart and driven and well-dressed and handsome and posh, I'm already by day two really sick of lying to people (haha okay "implicit misrepresentation") but yeah everything else is grand).

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:42 (twenty years ago)

kate i thght that argos link was for cats :(

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:42 (twenty years ago)

On Thursday, I have to get to work by 8am and may be stuck there until 6. Only because I had to arrange to have concert tickets delivered there. I didn't even mean to select the special delivery box, ordinary post would have been fine. Bollocks.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

No, it is for sad middle aged ladies who will die alone and be eaten by alsations. Or cats.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

Like Koogs, I also usually use implicit joins when I write SQL.

Whether the order matters depends on what database you're using. PostgreSQL, for example, has a cunning Genetic Query Optimiser that will reorder the clauses of your query in an attempt to find the most efficient-looking query anyway.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

kate. dude. GET THAT BED!!

seriously, HOW HAPPY WILL IT MAKE YOU?

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 01:07 (twenty years ago)

depends how sleep you are.

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 08:47 (twenty years ago)

SLEEPY ffs

― Sailor Kitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 08:48 (twenty years ago)

Wise man say, you spend most most of your life working or sleeping, so make sure you've got a good job and a good bed. And that's a GOOOOOD bed!

Morning all, incidentally. I bought my secret santa presents (a box of chocs and 100 school dinners from Oxfam) and have wrapped them in an ENORMOUS box for giggles. I'm doing subversive secret santa, you seeeeeeee!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 08:55 (twenty years ago)

Yay Archel & Kate on your new flats!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 09:21 (twenty years ago)

when are christmas trees supposed to go up?

― snowkitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 09:25 (twenty years ago)

Week before christmas, isn't it? Or is it twelve days? Or do you take them DOWN before 12 days . . .

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 09:37 (twenty years ago)

office christmas tree has been up for a week now and is already beginning to smell bad. still, only three more days and i won't have to suffer it.

office party this afternoon. meal in kings road, pub then a club. me? i have an opticians appointment at 14:20.

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 09:44 (twenty years ago)

we had our xmas meal in Zero Degrees in Bristol yesterday. The service was shocking and it didn't look very christmassy, but the food was v.nice.

no decorations in our office so far, in fact i'd be surprised if any go up. But then I don't care because I am off from this Friday until the 29 Dec. Yay!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 11:54 (twenty years ago)

We've got our team's xmas dinner in half an hour - at harvester, would you believe. Oh well, gets me out of teh office for a couple of hours, even though my app is working away quite nicely . . .

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 11:59 (twenty years ago)

Oh, hell.

I've just found out that my best friend at work is going to lose her job. The only thing is, *she* doesn't know about it yet.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:07 (twenty years ago)

Oooooh, that's harsh. How do YOU know? And more importantly , when will SHE know?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:08 (twenty years ago)

a) it came up during a planning meeting with her managers
b) i have no idea

Her manager's manager took me to one side after and strongly hinted that I should keep quiet about it until after her manager has told her - but it makes me feel like shit.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

Take manager to one side and say that if manager doesn't tell her today, you will. It's only fair, and stops you being in an awkward position.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:12 (twenty years ago)

it's not your fault. don't worry about it.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

Mmm. They *know* that we're pretty close - at least, we're both closer to each other than anyone else in the office.

(xpost)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

G: I know it's not my fault she's lost her job, but it makes me feel like a Shit Friend to have to keep it to myself.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

Which is why you need to have words. I'm sure that if you tell her manager that she needs to know, then it'll be sorted. It's still shit tho.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:16 (twenty years ago)

a good friend would understand.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:35 (twenty years ago)

FP, it's far more important hnere to remain professional.It's a shitty thing to know, and I know how you must feel, but for the job's sake (yours and the office as a whole) you have to keep silent. I also suspect that pushing the manager to do the sacking will not endear you to him or her - it's hard enough to do in any event.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 13:38 (twenty years ago)

Thanks Mark

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

that's what i said, kinda.

thanks, snowkit.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

Thank you, Mr Kitten. Have some milk.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

barry lasagne, voice of reason. who knew? 8)

(once went down the pub at lunchtime with someone who hadn't been able to get to the school to check his a level results whereas we all knew he'd failed them all and we'd all passed. v awkward.)

christmas lunch is actually christmas dinner (ie, teatime) so i didn't miss anything. more's the pity.

and who'd've thought specsavers would be such a den of hottness?

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:21 (twenty years ago)

In the end, I didn't get the 4-poster bed. I got the normal iron framed bed with the brass knobs. I figured that the 4-poster would make my bedroom look small, which I really don't want.

I also bought a dining room table and chairs... only to have my mum send me an eBay link to an AMAZING antique table and chairs... but honestly, it's too big for the room.

First night in my new house last night. I didn't sleep at all. It was too weird. I still haven't got my head around it yet. Started to dawn on me today when I went to Homebase and started buying things like hooks to put on the back of doors and realised that I COULD put hooks wherever I liked!

In the end, my landlord was really nice - even helped us move when my friend with the van got sick.

The only thing that could possibly spoil my joy is that the washing machine doesn't work. Oh no!

― Kate Classic (kate), Thursday, 15 December 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

aceness kate.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 15 December 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

House, house, house!

I need to name my house. Though everyone keeps telling me its name is Sizzlers when I try to have things delivered to it, but that sounds like a male strip club.

Actually... hrrrmmmmmmm. Sizzlers it is!

― Kate Classic (kate), Thursday, 15 December 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

Oh yes, and I have no key to my own mailbox.

At what point do I get a receipt or something? I keep waiting for the piece of paper that says GET ONE HOUSE!!! but I never seem to get one.

― Kate Classic (kate), Thursday, 15 December 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

no idea, never bought my own house ever. Always lived in a rent fuelled world.

why is your house called Sizzlers? that's pretty neat, i would keep it.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 15 December 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

great news Kate, pls can you email your address!

I had some bloods taken this morning, or at least I tried to. After 2 separate ppl made 4 attempts they couldn't get any blood from me. I have to wait for the holes & the bruising to heal & then go back for more of the same next week!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 15 December 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

bloody hell pink, hope you're ok!
kate, sizzler's is a wicked name for that hoose, specially once it's all pink innit. did you talk to them about the washing machine? you must get that receipt or the guarantee's not valid. then i don't know whose problem it becomes.
they have cut our internet off at home, fuckers, despite us having paid the bill! i am in a webcaff and...i think...i am getting... bitten...

― emsk ( emsk), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:06 (twenty years ago)

Congrats on your house! One room set aside for a studio, I presume!

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just needs to have some routine tests done for baby stuff. Also, I need to see if I'm high risk or low risk for having a baby with Downs. That's pretty scary really.

Wait just one moment, you are painting your house pink Kate? Why wasn't I informed?!!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)

not the entire thing!

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 16 December 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

Ha ha, Koogsy pointed out OH NO YOU CAN GOOGLE YOUR HOUSE but note to any stalkers: my house doesn't actually turn up if you google Sizzlers, though you can go and peek in the windows of the cafe in Mile End if you like. ;-)

I am not painting my house pink! One room is going to be blue with fuschia accents, and the other room is going to be purple with pink accents. I am still trying to figure it all out from the paintchips, and if I'm going to use "Velvet Ribbon" or "Purple Infusion" and "Royal Regatta" or "Oxford Blue". (Though I think Bermuda Blue will win again, because I love it.)

Argh, PinX0r, that sucks about the blood. They can never get blood out of me, I have no veins. I am a vampire. Though in your case, I think your wee bump might be a vampire and is taking all your blood, oh no! Crossed fingers that everything is all fine.

Now I am going to eat my mince pie and see what fresh horrors await me in my inbox...

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 11:01 (twenty years ago)

Ooh some of those colours sounds lovely. Purple infusion sounds intriguing. What kind of purple is it?
I have suspected for a while that I am a vegetarian vampire, so maybe the little one is too. Although, I'm certainly not losing any weight! Bump is definitely getting bigger too. I am in a bit of a stroppy mood today, you know one of those you just cannot shake & you're not really sure why?!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 16 December 2005 11:16 (twenty years ago)

Aaah, it's called hormones. Go and punch a punching bag or something like that, it will make you feel better.

Purple Infusion is a blue-y cobalt-y purple, while Velvet Ribbon is more auberginey. I think that Purple Infusion would be better with all the blues in my house... but then again, it also depends on whether I go with Flamingo Fun or Special Sundae for the pink. (I may be misremembering some of these names, I need to go and look at the Dulux site.)

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 11:20 (twenty years ago)

Can you give us some links?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 16 December 2005 11:33 (twenty years ago)

They do not look as good onscreen as they do on the paintchips, but here are the Purples and here are the Blues and here are the Pinks.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

Argh, family!

My brother has just sent round a roundrobin email to my entire family, trying to coordinate housewarming gifts for my new house.

Now, this is very lovely and very nice and considerate of him, BUT... he's added "I have it on good authority that Kate has or will be getting... ::inserts list of things::" and it's all fancy kitchen stuff that I really neither need nor want...

I sent back an email saying "thank you for the sentiment, that's really lovely, but I could do with far more prosaic things like an iron and an ironing board and a hoover and a reading lamp right now!" and then added that if anyone really wanted to get me something, that the best thing would be to get a gift certificate for Homebase or John Lewis.

Now I feel like a total brat, because I'm honestly not shopping for gifts... but at the same time, if anyone gives me something, I would really like it to be something I actually need.

I don't know. My brother just really likes to kind of... take over and organise my life for me. Argh.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 12:00 (twenty years ago)

Where is everyone today? My first day back at work and I'm bored!

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 12:37 (twenty years ago)

i'm right here. hellos.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Friday, 16 December 2005 12:39 (twenty years ago)

Hello! What shall we talk about? I've been so stressed for so long that it's strange to not have anything to stress about.

I know! Using your amps as chairs because you've got no furniture: classic or dud? The Marshall makes a really good chair, but the Voxes not so great because the volume controls are on the top, and tend to stick in yer arse when you sit on them.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

did you ever see that comedy thing on bbc1 about a man and a woman who never meet? (it clashed with CSI i think so...). anyway, she visited someone who was an interior decorator and instead of paintings she had those actual dulux paint charts on the wall. worked quite well. ha, like a cubist damien hirst.

last day at work this year. had deadlines though so was in early.

― koogs (koogs), Friday, 16 December 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

I would love to have colour charts on my wall - like I'd love to have font charts on my wall (I did when I was younger). I think Anna has a couple, but they are the BIG ones which are samples of just one Pantone colour. These are the kinds of things that happen when you live with designers.

Damn, I've got another 3 days after today. And then I'm done.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 12:46 (twenty years ago)

Garg garg garg garg gargh, I hate W0rk$mart.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 13:30 (twenty years ago)

I am so bored. Mods, please make ILX interesting today? K, thanx, bye.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 13:47 (twenty years ago)

*Pazamm!*

oh no wait, I don't have the power

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 16 December 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

I'm off work today, so unless telling you about cleaning the sink and playing poker gets your rocks off, I doubt I'll be much use!

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 16 December 2005 13:57 (twenty years ago)

That reminds me, I need to get some sink cleaning materials. Oh, yes, and ring all the utilities and things. I can't face it. I'm going back to the WDYLL thread to look at the Glaswegian boys.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

On a completely different subject, my stilton soup (I got sick of hummous for lunch) smells revolting but tastes delicious.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

It was yummy. I want to eat the other half, but I suspect my colleagues wouldn't be too happy about the smell.

It's only been two days, and living alone is already getting to me. I'm seriously talking to myself.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

Just make sure you always put some music on or the listen to the radio when you're at home.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 16 December 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

I do sometimes. But other times, I talk to my house. It's bad when you come home and tell it "Look at these lovely glasses I bought you - wineglasses! Isn't that great? I'm going to get you shelves, next!"

I worry I'm becoming peculiar.

yeah, I know. What do you mean "becoming"?

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

i'm constanstly embarrasing myself coming home and talking rather loudly to myself, only to be surprised at my house mate being home early in the front room.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 16 December 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

If you get a pet you can always use it as cover for talking to yourself.
I do this with my budgie all the time.

― Greig (treefell), Friday, 16 December 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

Nothing is working at the moment, and I just had to close a report without saving the changes and lost the past half hour of work. Argh.

Why do I always get so upset after lunch? It doesn't seem fair.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 15:11 (twenty years ago)

It's because you have no more food to eat!
I always talk to things. If I pass cows in a field I'll say hello to them. I always talk to my cats too, even outside so I'm sure the neighbours think I'm "a bit funny"!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Friday, 16 December 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

No, I mean, I actually get really cranky after lunch, always. I've been having to keep a close hourly track on my moods for this new therapist, and it's a really striking pattern that I get really cranky after lunch.

I talk to almost everything - I greet my flowers when I get home. I don't think it's abnormal to talk to animals at all. I say hello to cows, horses, dogs, etc.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 15:35 (twenty years ago)

oh no I've started clock watching already, maybe because this is my last day at work until 29 Dec. oh yeah

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 16 December 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

I just wish that there was a thread going that wasn't about Xmas or Xmas parties or Xmas dinners or Xmas gifts. :-(

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 16:08 (twenty years ago)

well, it is christmas.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Friday, 16 December 2005 16:10 (twenty years ago)

Don't remind me.

::sobs::

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 16:11 (twenty years ago)

are you pheobe cates?

― snowkitten (g-kit), Friday, 16 December 2005 16:19 (twenty years ago)

Ah well, I should count my blessings. I least I still love my job. Maybe I'll just come in the office all through Christmas. Even though I've been given the days off.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 16:20 (twenty years ago)

just enjoy it.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Friday, 16 December 2005 16:21 (twenty years ago)

This report just isn't working out. And it's thrown up a whole bunch of data entry I now have to do manually because the initial upload didn't populate all the fields that I need for it. Sigh.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)

Ha ha, my boss and I have been having a good bitch session now that all our ~~minions~~ colleagues have gone home. Plus, they gave me a bottle of wine and a card as a housewarming gift! Hurrah!

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 18:08 (twenty years ago)

Argh. Just had email from my mum saying I was mean in my email to my brother. For gods sake... that was the *nice* version that I sent.

Now I feel really rubbish, like I'm sitting in the corner singing to myself while everyone else is having a party around me.

― Kate Classic (kate), Friday, 16 December 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

morning! so a mate who works on a (not particularly interesting to me but not offensive like heat or whatever) mag has asked me to be in it - they're looking for people with "interesting" (hem hem) physical features and apparently my hair counts (if you don't know me, my hair is sort of cool but not that unusual; it's red and v curly and enormous) so they want to put me in it. they'll give me a makeover (which i'm ambivalent to) and a goodie bag of cosmetic stuff (i have asked if it can all be non-animal tested etc and they said yes) but i would have to be in a magazine. should i do it or no?

― emsk ( emsk), Monday, 19 December 2005 10:09 (twenty years ago)

surely, it'll probably be hella fun.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Monday, 19 December 2005 10:12 (twenty years ago)

yebbut it is like the big brother question - i'd love to do bb if i wouldn't have to be on tv. do i really want to have my mucky mug in a mag?

― emsk ( emsk), Monday, 19 December 2005 10:23 (twenty years ago)

only you can answer that, yo.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Monday, 19 December 2005 10:24 (twenty years ago)

Definitely go for it Emsk!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 19 December 2005 10:24 (twenty years ago)

Go for it, Emsk!

Lots of office gossip going around today. My friend who is going to lose her job has decided she's not going to bother coming in any more, because she'll be better off spending her time looking for something else; fair enough really. And then someone else, who has only been working here a month, has handed her resignation in; she's refusing to come back after Christmas, so has got away with only giving a fortnight's notice.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 19 December 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

Emsk, I'm a big fan of doing something unless you can think of a good reason not. I can't see any reason why you WOULDN'T want to get a makeover and a big bag of goodies - it's only your face in a poxy magazine, it's hardly gonna be on billboards 20ft high plastered all around the capital. If you can cope with the fame of having your pretty face and cool hair plonked into page 17, I reckon the allure of a goodie bag and being pampered for a bit should be too much to reject. That is, of course, unless you can think of a good reason not to . . .

No office gossip here - had our office christmas party on thursday, hence my no-show on Friday. I'll get round to describing it on the xmas party thread later, but suffice to say it was rather more hedonistic than you would expect from this lot, but not in a good way.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 19 December 2005 11:48 (twenty years ago)

I hope you're writing about it RIGHT NOW Johnny!

Emsk, do it, definitely.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 19 December 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

yay, people agree with me \o/

― snowkitten (g-kit), Monday, 19 December 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

Emsk: yes!

I kept having major stupid stresses about my dissertation and Christmas over the weekend. I actually started to cry in the middle of Montezuma's, I was so depressed with the Xmas shopping experience. In a CHOCOLATE shop!! How can I cry in a chocolate shop? Sadly (or happily maybe) Matt is not stressed AT ALL, about ANYTHING, and refuses to empathise one iota with my flapping which just makes me more flappy because I feel alone in my madness.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 19 December 2005 12:24 (twenty years ago)

Emsk, do it! You are GORGEOUS!!! (it's funny because a friend of mine who has not seen you in a while told me "blimey, has Emsk lost weight? She's really fit!" but in a nice way, not in a pervey way.) and the world deserves to see your lovely face instead of the horrible pastic yucky models they would put in a magazine anyway. Think about it that way.

I mean, makeover, urgh, but who knows - it might be fun, so long as they don't do anything stupid like change your hair.

Today I am happy because my BED was delivered this morning. Blimey, it's massive. My bedroom is going to be nothing but BEDBEDBED - so I might have to make the studio part of the bed. Now that I can store my back issues of Country Life in their proper place - that is, the loo.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

I get it. It's like the toys in the attic - you all stop talking as soon as I turn up. :-(

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 13:40 (twenty years ago)

actually i stop talking when people are agreeing with me. if i say something else, i'm just gonna fuck up my good record. k thx.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Monday, 19 December 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

I am still waiting to hear about the hedonism at JB's Xmas doo.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 13:44 (twenty years ago)

ok, i will do it. thank you all! (blimey kate, er who was that?)

― emsk ( emsk), Monday, 19 December 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

Not telling, he'd be v. embarrassed if he knew I'd told you. :-)

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 13:48 (twenty years ago)

haha g-kit + good record in the same sentence. roffles did happen.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Monday, 19 December 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

aw kate no fun! ok i am not telling you my gossip then. giz a clue...

― emsk ( emsk), Monday, 19 December 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

Well, who is your gossip about? It's clearly not about me, because I am boring, so I don't care. :-P

Oh, alright, here is your clue: he is also Welsh and ginger.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 13:57 (twenty years ago)

Emsk, loads of people find you fit. Leaving me aside, my housemate Richard made positive comments when you came round for curry. Don't be so surprised!

Big bed = good bed - yay for Kate's bed!

Now that I can store my back issues of Country Life in their proper place - that is, the loo.

Amen to that.

I haven't quite got round to the hedonism yet - I'm still trying to make sense of it all myself, actually.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 19 December 2005 13:57 (twenty years ago)

Emsk, post a picture & we can decide! ;-)

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:03 (twenty years ago)

Oh hush, you were reading Country Life along with everyone else, last time you were round mine! There was a big advert on the back for a CARPET SALE and I am going to wait until after Christmas because I knew that white carpet in the front room was a bad idea, as I've already managed to stain it with red candles. :-(

Were *you* involved in this hedonism, then, JB? Is that what you're trying to tell us?

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

kate y'r NEVER boring and my gossip is about me har har! i will tell you irl or by email. ok now i know who it is innit thank you! and johnny thank you! *blushing* wow. har i look like shit today though cos of l's birthday last night! i am having serious sunday night syndrome atm. pink i got no pics! i don't show up in photos anyway, or mirrors. and yay bed!

― emsk ( emsk), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

I am boring. I am working very hard at Being Boring. I spent all yesterday doing laundry and then writing pr0nography about pointy nosed ginger sea captains. How dull is that?

Tell me this gossip! Now! Email me!

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:10 (twenty years ago)

I am quite pleased. I got to use the word "unmentionables" in context.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

I still have that picture of you in a tree, emsk, but it is mostly tree tbh.

I have reached new heights of boringness since I inadvertently discovered sudoku for the first time on Friday.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

I know I should like sudoku, what with me being into maths and all, but it just doesn't measure up to crossword puzzles. I managed to do the entire Guardian crossword on Saturday - well, except for one clue, because I don't know what Russian moon shots were called. :-(

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:17 (twenty years ago)

I have a photo of Emsk, but all you can see is the big red mushroom of her hair. (I am also in it, but I am partially obscured by a Typographer. Sigh, whatever happened to the Typographer? He disappeared off the face of the earth. :-( )

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:19 (twenty years ago)

I WAS involved in some hedonism I must admit, but I'm now thinking that it's all been hyped too much. If I leave it to your imagination it'll be FAR more interesting than if I described what ACTUALLY went on.

I hate private gossip, it's rubbish, esp. since I NEVER have any gossip about me or anyone else. I think it's the unknowability of it - I don't mind not knowing stuff, but I really dislike not being ABLE to know stuff! (that's not a hint to tell me by the way, I didn't want to know your stinking gossip anyway ;)

And Kate, everyone's boring sometimes. People who use the word "unmentionables" are not boring, it's a rule.

I don't have pictures of ANYONE, but that's cos I don't have a camera - yet!

Sudoku has NOTHING to do with maths.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

Sudoku's nothing to do with maths though (xpost). I love them, but I also love those logic puzzles and similar things. My new obsession is Sumdoku, which is like Sudoku but you don't get numbers to start with, but you do get the grid divided up into littler grids and it tells you what all the numbers in the little boxes should add up to.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

If it's not maths, then WHAT IS THE POINT?!?!? Actually, everything is maths. So it is maths after all.

I don't really like logic puzzles, because my brain doesn't work like that. I prefer the more intuitive puzzles - rebusses and things like that.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

The infuriating thing about my sudoku habit, as opposed to my crossword habit, is that I don't feel the burning need to FINISH the crossword. It's possible to get some satisfaction of each clue solved, whereas with sudoku there's not really any sense of achievement unless it's complete, obviously. Being a bit rubbish, I'm doomed.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

The only crossword puzzles I've ever been able to finish completely were the ones in the Weekly World News because it was all about space aliens and Freemasons and stuff.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

Although thinking about it, if I was reading p0rn and the word "unmentionables" cropped up, I'd be put right off.

I don't like puzzles at all. Life's confusing enough without putting extra obstacles in my way. If the combined brainpower blah blah mankind would have cured diseases blah blah blah . . .

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

It's not maths, it's logic. It could be any other symbols, letters, whatever, but for whatever reason they've chosen to use numbers. Which makes people look at it and think "I can't do that, it's numbers" but IT ISN'T!!! (this is my mother's main reason for not doing sudoku puzzles, she thinks it's a maths thing)

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

Unmentionables are not what you are thinking at all! It is 19th Century slang for TROUSERS!!! (However, yes, Miss Gordon *is* thinking about what lies beneath Captain Anderson's unmentionables.)

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:35 (twenty years ago)

One of my colleagues sneered at me this morning as I frowned over my sudoku, because according to him puzzles are like 'mental running machines' and entirely pointless. Read a book or something.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

So what? Crossword puzzles are mental masturbation or something, as well. They're still fun.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

Oh I see, writing 19c p0rn, as opposed to p0rn set in the 19c!

I don't like puzzles, but I DO like computer games. How does that work? Why can I spend hours on Civilization, but can't be bothered with a crossword?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:50 (twenty years ago)

simple: civ pwns.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

But it is both! Pr0n set in the 19c would have to be written in 19c prose! That is half the fun!

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

I just can't get into computer games. I tried to play chess with my mac the other day and couldn't even get into that.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

noob.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

Stuff and nonsense! Poppycock!

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

Unmentionables:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/images/bank/programmes_tv/drama/ends/300_rites.jpg

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 15:01 (twenty years ago)

You can always tell when I'm bored at work...

http://www.songsmyth.com/men/1800youngmanunknownartist.jpg

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

Emsk, I am STILL waiting for this gossip of yours to hit my email account! I'm starting to feel a bit cheated. Humph.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 16:01 (twenty years ago)

No more hott 19c boys, I promise, but I just wanted to say this:

OHMIGOD, M+S LUXURY MINCEPIES ARE THE BEST!!!

They are the most brandy-y mince pies in the world. Yum!

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)

Also, I lied:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/JaredHarrisPhotoGallery/TV%20Series/The%20Ends%20of%20the%20Earth/bvgold02.jpg

Oh well. :-)

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

And back to talking to myself because it's safer. Dodgy mustache, but who cares. Look at that eyebrow-raised grin:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/JaredHarrisPhotoGallery/Movies/Mr%20Deeds/002MRD_Jared_Harris_002.jpg

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 17:41 (twenty years ago)

Ooh, errr, that's a bit big.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 17:41 (twenty years ago)

Ha ha, the head of the department just asked if he could clone me. Uuuhhhh... I can't think of anything more terrifying.

However, if my clones could do my work for me, while I lay around at home writing 19c pr0n, that might not be a bad idea.

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 18:33 (twenty years ago)

...and I just got given another bottle of wine!

― Kate Classic (kate), Monday, 19 December 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

Good morning - anyone here? Blimey, this thread is getting lonely lately.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 10:44 (twenty years ago)

i am here, i am kitten, i am snow.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 10:46 (twenty years ago)

Snow kitten. Aren't they that lesbian shoegazer band?

I had the funniest dream last night, and I'm trying to figure it all out. I don't know if I should post it here or on the ILX dreams thread because Ally C and The Pinefox were in it, but then it went off on a strange tangent and I got propositioned by Kurt Cobain.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 10:51 (twenty years ago)

did he have his jag?

― snowkitten (g-kit), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 10:52 (twenty years ago)

Unfortunately, no. He was wandering around a hotel, looking a bit lost. But then again, so was I, because I got locked out of my room since they were trying to clean it and I'd gone off in a huff because his wife had gone off with the boy I was trying to get off with, and it was all going a bit Valley of the Dolls, and I bumped into Kurt in a teary mess, and told him what was going on, and he was all "That's OK... I'll sleep with you!" But not in a creepy or awful way, more in a cross between Ducky out of Pretty In Pink and the nice bloke in the Austen novel who rescues the girl who doesn't have a partner for the waltz, all "I'll take you to the prom..." and I was all "No, you don't have to" and he was "No, that's OK, I'm kinda horny." and I was all "but... but..." (I was trying to decide between "but you're married!" and "but you're DEAD!") and then he was all "Well, I'm going down to my friend's band's room, come with me - if you don't fancy me, I'm sure one of them will sleep with you."

It was a bit farcical. But not quite as funny as Ally C being a Turner Prize-Winning artist showing me his painting, and The Pinefox wandering in like Matthew Collins and telling me what to think about them, what novels they were based on, and the like.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 10:57 (twenty years ago)

I'm still here, more or less. Hard at work planning all the things I have to do in the office next week, during Christmas Shutdown.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:21 (twenty years ago)

After saying I could have next week off, during the Xmas shutdown, they're now trying to get me to work. Bah. And I've lined up drinking sessions almost every day!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:24 (twenty years ago)

I'm only coming in one day. Unfortunately, I now have a long list of databases that need taking offline and rebuilding, file shares that need moving between servers, and machines that need taking down for hard-disk addition and replacement. Right now I'm trying to plan a big job list that takes account of all the dependancies involved.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:27 (twenty years ago)

So that I can get it all finished within the one day I agreed to come in for, you see.

Also, we have a new member of staff this morning, to replace the one that resigned yesterday (that was quick). She appears to be wearing Boots Of Sex, which are distracting me from work somewhat.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:28 (twenty years ago)

Ah, it's easier to do that stuff when no one else is around. I have a feeling that I'm going to have some stuff dumped on me, but I'm getting to the point where I'm going to INSIST I need a holiday, becuase, like, my house needs painting!

Boots of sex? Oh dear. describe said boot, please. Or better yet, provide pictures.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

Black stilettos with pointy toes.

I am not sure how far up they go (she's wearing trousers), but if they are more than just ankle boots they would be ROWR.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

Blimey. We used to call such things SLUT BOOTS when we were in high school.

I'm still giggling over my dream. I wonder if I'd have slept with him if he'd had the Jag.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:35 (twenty years ago)

Finally a competent nurse has taken my blood! Although not all of it of course.

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

Hello! I'm hanging around in my SPARKLY new job, trying to learn how to use Ingres before the woman I replace leaves on Thursday. And then this afternoon, CISCO routers! How I've missed SysAdmin*. But soon, off to the centre of Oxford to be trampled underfoot by a horde of Christmas shoppers.

* perhaps A Lie.

― carson dial (carson dial), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

Oh no, Pink, I was going to say! Watch out for those ObGynVampires!

Sparkly new job - hurrah! But boo for short lead times. At least you've got a few days to talk to the person you're replacing - mine had long gone and left minimal to no notes!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

True! Somehow, though, it's not an entirely wonderful start if your some-to-be-assistant tells you that he applied for the job, didn't even get an interview, and is slightly pissed. I have a feeling I'm going to be on my own soon ;).

― carson dial (carson dial), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:47 (twenty years ago)

Oh dear. If you like him and want to keep him around, you might want to take him down the pub sharpish and try to ask him what's going on, and if there's anything you can do to facilitate things for him. You know, get him on your side?

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

I've had a little word with him, getting his side of certain events that the others have told me about, and tried to be helpful. The manager doesn't even want him to touch the main serves anymore, but at the very least, he'll be with me when I do major changes, just so he can feel a little appreciated. And we're all going out for lunch tomorrow before he flies home to Slovakia, so he'll be bought a drink or two then!

― carson dial (carson dial), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 12:17 (twenty years ago)

GOOD: Lots of Boots of Sex visible in Oxford.

BAD: I lost £25 because I'm an idiot. Important advice to remember: An advice slip is not money. Do not idly think about my American crush when withdrawing money. Grrr...

― carson dial (carson dial), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

Is it lunchtime yet? I've got parsnip soup.

Also not sure if the meeting with the bossman is happening now because the bossman isn't in. Confused.

There are fortunately no boots of sex in this office. However, there is a hott blond auditor.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 13:34 (twenty years ago)

I have had my lunch already.

I'm not sure why Boots Of Sex are so sexy. They just are.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

Because stiletto heels are impossible to walk/run in, therefore the woman is trapped, and CANNOT RUN AWAY?!?!?

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

Hahaha. No.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 13:48 (twenty years ago)

Perhaps it's a combination thing: boots can be sexy, stiletto heels are sexy, thus when they combine: ULTRA SEX!

― carson dial (carson dial), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

I will never understand men. :-(

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

That's OK Kate - I never understand *anyone*

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

Actually, alls I know is, that was the BEST lunch I've had in ages. The parsnip soup was DELICIOUS.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

That was the best lunch I'd had in ages. The Carling was MORE DELICIOUS.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:20 (twenty years ago)

Carling? As in the beer? Ugh!

Not a patch on the parsnip soup.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

Euw carling is one of the rankest beers ever!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:22 (twenty years ago)

I know, so its singular pint of tastiness is odd and unexplained. Predictably it's made me super sleepy - fortunatly I have an ENORMOUS chocolate cake waiting for me at around 3ish.

http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/dessert/cakes/cakeimg/ultchoc/devilcake.jpg

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

mmm, that looks wonderful! I have a Christmas pressie gathering/dinner with friends tonight, so I shouldn't spoil my appetite, but we'll be going past lots of shops with cake in shortly...mmm

― carson dial (carson dial), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

For some reason I've just got really sore nipples - I hate it when that happens. I need to keep pulling my shirt away from my chest otherwise it hurts.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

Ah, network access at last! I've been here since 9 twiddling my thumbs because some maintenance work that was supposed to finish at 10am, didn't. Also we had no heat for some reason and STILL DON'T! My fingers are blue.

Like the dark ages - at work with no computer and no heat! Why did I bother? Oh yes, because of Xmas lunch where people bought me wine.

The lack of computers has made everyone in my department clean out their offices for something to do, and guess who has ended up with all their rubbish dumped on her desk?

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:50 (twenty years ago)

Why YOUR desk?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

Oh because it's the language centre enquiry/reception desk and people think I can give stuff away to students, I suppose.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:25 (twenty years ago)

I am so cold. Feel like Bob Crotchett.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)

Mmmmm, cake. Dammit, I've just got out of a TWO HOUR IT meeting. Ack.

At least I got the Oracle machine working again - I had the Sys Admin crawling under my desk, ha ha. Now I wish it would go down again, coz I hate it.

man, sounds like Scroogeville around yours, Archel!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

You shouldn't refer to your sysadmin as 'it', it's not nice.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)

THE ORACLE WORKSTATION going down, not the Sys Admin, god, you pervert.

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

We called them to complain about the no heat thing at TEN this morning, but they've done bugger all. I am leaving in 20 minutes to go home and eat roast duck though, so hopefully that will warm my cockles up again.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:44 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't Madchen having this problem a few months ago? And she got to go home early, but then again, that was in Scotland.

My day has gone due to this meeting and I've got nothing done. Wah!

― Kate Classic (kate), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

Just arrived at work. Still no heat, and now I'm hungover as well. Yay.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 09:02 (twenty years ago)

Archel, that sounds awful, make a fuss & go home telling them you'll come back in when the heating's on!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 09:15 (twenty years ago)

Ah bless! Wave the 13 degrees rule at them (or is it 16?) and scarper.

I'm sooo tired this morning - John Humphries failed to rouse me at the proper time, so leaving me with minus 5 minutes to sort myself out before getting to work. Didn't get to shower or have breakfast or anything - I'm gonna be a wreck by 3.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 09:24 (twenty years ago)

Still no heat, Archel? that's awful!

I'm in a fantastic mood today. I was bouncing around my kitchen listening to the Smiths and singing into the wooden spoon I was making my porridge with. (It's a good thing my rosebush was outside or it would have ended up down my pants! Though ouch, that might be a bit more prickly than lillies.)

Probably because it is my LAST DAY OF WORK FOR TWO WEEKS!!! WOOO!!!

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 10:46 (twenty years ago)

Visit from electrician. Sadly he took one look and said, 'oh I'm only hot air blowers, this is radiators' and vanished again. Also we are 'low priority' because somewhere else on campus they have no power at all.

In a way I hope the radiators stay cold and then I can go home and bake biscuits.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 10:48 (twenty years ago)

It's a good thing my rosebush was outside or it would have ended up down my pants!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've got to work until Friday. :-(
Archel - sabbotage the radiators, or you could just turn them all off in case it starts working again.

Also, I'm getting online at home, woo hoo!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 10:49 (twenty years ago)

Mmm, biscuits.

Damn, I need to get a plumber in because my Etonian showers are becoming a bit too... BRACING in the morning. But it certainly does wake me.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 10:49 (twenty years ago)

I have really hot showers to the point of making my back tingle because I can't have hot baths. :-(

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 10:50 (twenty years ago)

Awww, I'm jealous. I've been having BRACING showers. I have to heat water in the kettle if I want a hot bath. It's not totally cold, straight out of the mains, but I don't know what's going on. The water in the kitchen is plenty hot, but the water in the bathroom (where the boiler is, curiously enough) is only tepid. It's not so bad once you get in it, but oh my god, that first bracing moment as it hits your back. ::shivers:: Reminds me of boarding school. But without the nuns, natch.

How's yer bump doing? Blood tests all clear?

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:17 (twenty years ago)

Bump is getting big!!! I'll take some pictures over Christmas for you. I wont get the blood test results til next week, maybe the week after, so I'm a bit nervous about that, but all should be fine.

What is your boiler temperature at? Does it need adjusting?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:24 (twenty years ago)

Awww, can't wait for lovely pregnant pink photos! Crossing fingers for the tests, I'm sure it will all be fine.

Boiler temp is fine. It's up as high as it can go, and scalding in the kitchen. It's something to do with the way it gets to the bathtub, I think cold water is getting mixed in or something. Bah.

Oh well. It wakes me up and makes me dance about singing Smiths lyrics so it's not all bad.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:26 (twenty years ago)

Pervert? Me?

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:28 (twenty years ago)

Thanks darl! You might be interested to know (or not) that currently my baby is about 4-4 1/2 inches head to rump. :-)

Hm, not sure what's wrong then. I couldn't stand that though, it would drive me mad!

x-post

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:29 (twenty years ago)

he took one look and said, 'oh I'm only hot air blowers, this is radiators' and vanished again.

f'some reason that reminds me of that gilliam film. what's it called? oh yeh, brazil.

i also woke up late this morning. 11am!! why? i wasn't even tired! i didn't need that sleep! bah. so i am in the living room in my pyjamas with coffee and bread and olive oil num num. kate careful or you will wish nuns through your new house. nuns. i have never met a nun. i think. nun nun nun.

actually you need to sort that water out or ~~pointy-nosed ginger boys~~ nuns will never want to stay at your house. nun nun nun.

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

STOP WITH THE NUNS!!! I went to a school run by nuns and I still get THE FEAR every time I see one in the street, that they will give me detention for being Out Of Uniform or not at class or consorting with boys (showing my knees like a shameless hussy).

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

My whole life is a bit like Brazil, unfortunately :(

But, good news! Water is aflowing through our pipes again and I'm actually getting warm!

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:33 (twenty years ago)

pink that's massive! blimey they grow fast. bit freaky (in a good way)! also you can all stop moaning about working cos i has no job baaaargh!

kate you see nuns in the street? which street? i'm not sure i believe in nuns.

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:33 (twenty years ago)

Four inches of Pink Jr! Oh wow!

I am glad you have radiators again, Arch.

Just curious, how do you pronounce the word "Radiator"?

I always thought it was Ray-diator, like a ray of the sun, but my former housemate got me saying it Radd-iator, like what surfer dudes say when they catch a gnary wave, and it stuck.

I sometimes see nuns on the Tube. Or tourist nuns on the street. Or if I go to look at pretty architecture of churches, I sometimes see nuns. I want to decline Latin verbs at them because of Sister Seymour. (She sees more.)

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

It's a good thing my rosebush was outside or it would have ended up down my pants! Though ouch, that might be a bit more prickly than lillies.

OK, I finally figured you mean like Morrisey's flower-waving thing, but for a couple of minutes there you really REALLY did my 'ead in.

the last week here has been like that chapter in "Nausea" where is says "Tuesday. Nothing. Existed."

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

Oh no, Pash! Are things that tedious? Surely it should be Xmas rush in retail and all.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

I've sold a couple of bikes, but most of the cycling gear we sell is the sort of stuff people buy for themselves not for presents.

I found this today:

http://www.e-m-s.com/front/front.html

Lute kit, hammered dulcimer kit etc. yum.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

Yay for heat Arch!
Kate - it's ray-diatorrr!
Emsk - they grow so fast it's unbelievable! I can't really hide my tummy any more & I'm in maternity jeans which are soo comfy it's like wearing my pyjamas all of the time! :-)

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:43 (twenty years ago)

Ohmigod, that's amazing, Pash! I want a hammer dulcimer, cause I've been listening to Dead Can Dance (yes, I've only opened one box of CDs so far and it just happens to be the one with all the 80s teenage stuff).

Also, a harpsichord, oh yes. But I'm not sure I could build that from a kit.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:44 (twenty years ago)

Oh my lord, there's a London Recorder Centre? I need to go there! I've only got one (two?) recorders with me in this country - soprano and alto, I think. I'd love to get some nice tenor recorders.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:47 (twenty years ago)

It's terrible, isn't it? I was looking for a waldzither or a cittern on ebay, and they had an ebay shop. I'm going to scrape up for a lute kit and a plucked psaltery kit early next year. The prices are pretty cheap! I'm itching to finish the album I'm working on and get started on the early/folk instrument meets subotniquesque bleep thing I've had in mind for a while. I've thought about making this a vocal album, though I'd need a good singer (he hinted broadly)

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:51 (twenty years ago)

radiator like pink said.

i think i might have an anti-nun force-field. perhaps i give off a massive-waste-of-your-time vibe wot keeps them away.

pash if i lived near you i would come in and buy some um oh er i dunno inner tubes or brake blocks or something (cannot afford anything big).

yay arch!

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

I'm so tempted by those instruments, Pash, you have no idea - well, yes, you do, but I'm going to have to wait till next year as I'm skint due to the mortgage. Bah. I mean, harpsichords start at £2000 and that's from a kit you have to build yourself! But how much do I want one?

Errr... if you want some kind of girly folky shape-note harmonies well I know some lady(ies) who are quite proficient at that sort of thing, however ~~they~~ we live quite far away, so it would have to be done by post or something.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

Heat is good - my shower's actually too hot in the mornings, I need to turn it down otherwise my back goes red and horrid.

I have a grudging respect for nuns, but they'd better stay well away from me. Whenever religious people start trying to convert me I always engage them in philosophical conversation, like the nun at the start of Dogma or something.

I DESTEST harpsichords. Pianos were invented so we don't have to listen to the bloody things. All plinky plonky, like a toy piano after a funotomy.

And yay for Pink's little person in her tummy getting mad big!

cos i has no job baaaargh!
I thought you had a mini job emsk - what happened?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

HOW CAN YOU HATE HARPSICHORDS?!?!? Even Momus and his plinky plinky plonk could not make me hate them. I was looking at the photos of Handel's House in Country Life (I know, it's in London, why is it in Country Life? just because it's Georgian?) and he had his own little composing room with nothing but a harpsichord in it, and even the curtains removed to improve the acoustics. And I WANTS one.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:03 (twenty years ago)

I watched Dogma the other night, I love that film, I guess it was when Ben Affleck was still OK & not a total twat!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:04 (twenty years ago)

Do any of you musical people own an AUTOHARP? Whenever I went in the local music shop when I was little, the autoharps were always the instrument that impressed me the most, for some reason.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:04 (twenty years ago)

i can't 'member that nun at the start of dogma. what happens?

yeh i did have a mini-job but they haven't got enuff for me to do (bah, knew i should have done everything r e a l l y s l o w l y and made it last as long as poss!) :(

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:05 (twenty years ago)

I just can't get past the bit in Dogma where Alan Rickman strips off to reveal his barbiecrotch.

OK, it's a great film, but I have to watch that bit over and over coz I'm mesmerised by it.

Anyway, yes, Emsk, what happened to your super record company job, please tell me that's not over.

And no, I don't have an autoharp, but the SHortwave Set had one the other night. nice.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:05 (twenty years ago)

i saw JTQ. that was good.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:07 (twenty years ago)

What's JTQ?

And I'm sorry, but this needs illustration:

http://www.dogma-movie.com/pics/rickman/images/alan5sm.jpg

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:08 (twenty years ago)

James Taylor Quartet.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

An angle cannot make love, an angel *IS* love, etc...

Wait, sorry, wrong movie.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

we now return to our regular programming.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:17 (twenty years ago)

James Taylor as in "I've seen fire and I've seen rain" James Taylor?

(Sorry, I will try not to derail into Alan Rickman lust too much.)

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

teh super record company ain't got enough work for me to do! i mean y'know there may be a day here and there but nothing constant. the russian needs someone to work for her but um it would involve working for the russian :/ and also they haven't got music on in their office and that would drive me a bit nuts.

kate please derail more. rowr.

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:19 (twenty years ago)

Methinks a different James Taylor, not the "you've got a friend" james taylor!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:19 (twenty years ago)

If you want a couple of days of temping, I have a project I will have to get done next year, but it's REALLY boring.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:21 (twenty years ago)

kate yeah! how boring is really boring? you know i find mindless repetetive stuff quite soothing really, yes? (eg i LOVED doing that stock-count the other week...)

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:25 (twenty years ago)

It's going through about 200-odd employees and adding their targets by hand. It's super-repetitive and has to be very accurate. And then marking down if any don't *have* targets, and investigating why, and making them inactive.

I sat here and did it the other night, and I was here until 8pm and going mad with the tedium. It's going back and forth between a spreadsheet and a database.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

y'know i love the sound of that...

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:48 (twenty years ago)

Well, I've been asked if I want a minion to do it for me, so I will see if I can get you the job. (Do you have a temp agency or do you just do cash in hand?)

Heh heh, I get to have a minion. Can I call you Minion, too? Also, part of your job will to keep our coffee mugs replenished from the Machine Of Joy but I don't think you'll have a problem with that.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:51 (twenty years ago)

you can call me whatever you want if you're paying me cash in hand! i don't have a temp agency... i like your coffee machine... i like being busy... umm...

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:55 (twenty years ago)

you can call me whatever you want if you're paying me cash in hand!

Something to keep in mind . . .

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

Ha ha, oh my...

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 13:37 (twenty years ago)

Three guesses (I nearly typed geeses) what I'm having for lunch today.

1........

2...................

3............................

Give up? Hallumi sandwich and carrot cake, oh yeah!

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

When you have hallumi in your sammich do you cook it first?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 13:47 (twenty years ago)

well, I don't grill it but the nice lady at the cafe does!

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

Ahh I see, so it's warm, that sounds yummy!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

It is lovely and squeaky.

But I've just discovered that someone has nicked my broken fork! (probably bloody health and safety again) so I have to eat my carrot cake with a bluddy Poon. :-(

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

with a bluddy Poon

Save that sort of talk for the menstruation thread, please.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

OK, my colleague just gave me a Ferrero Roche on top of all that carrot cake and now I am in SUGASHOCK!!!!!

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

Shhh... shhhh... shhhhhhh... HOLD ON!!! It's never enough! It's never enough until your heart stops beating, the deeper you get, the sweeter the pain, don't give up again, until your heart stops beating... all I get from you is SUGASHOCK!!!

Now I know... that song was about diabetes!

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

mmm ferrero rocher, gimme! I've got a lip balm that resembles the shape of one & it always makes me want one, especially because it's chocolate flavoured!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

Ambassador, you are SPOILING us!

I keep getting double shots, because the Finn does not like chocolate.

I think I shall explode soon.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

I didn't have my chocolate cake yesterday, so I'm having it today at 3 instead. Yay for me!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

Sorry, but I need to post this here to avoid putting it on the "what is sexy" thread...

http://www.digitalhit.com/fest/tiff/2000/10/d10-c-1896.jpg

hope no one minds...

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 14:41 (twenty years ago)

Damn, where did it go? Sigh.

I just got to talk to the hott auditor. He is very blond and pointy-nosed and has a great accent. I think he might be German?

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 15:50 (twenty years ago)

How can german be a great accent?!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

Because he is blond and pointy-nosed and has a very messy hott hairdo.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

(He might be Scandinavian, not German, but what do I know? I'm just bored at work.)

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

[Late into discussion as usual]
Harpsichords are supposedly hell to keep in playable shape; apparently they require v freq retuning due to the strings being plucked when the thing is played.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 15:59 (twenty years ago)

How hard can it be to turn a harpsichord? I mean, honestly...

::remembers the infrequent visits by the piano tuner::

Actually, I used to really enjoy when the piano tuner visited, because he took the piano to pieces so I could sit with my head inside it, with my forehead on the sounding board, just feeling the vibrations, which I used to love.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:01 (twenty years ago)

I wasn't called for cake, so no cake, and I'm feeling awfully sad this afternoon - no reason for it, just am. I have to go and see my dad after work (groan) and I REALLY don't want to - I'll just get it in the neck again for being single and rubbish.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:01 (twenty years ago)

For gods sake, why would your DAD give you grief about being single being rubbish? That's your Mum's job. Your Dad is supposed to wink wink nudge nudge you about sewing your oats and playing the field.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:02 (twenty years ago)

Bored now. Two more hours until I can go to the pub.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:25 (twenty years ago)

Oh my god. I got called into the office for what I thought was going to be a catching up chat, and a "here's the stuff you have to finish before you can go on holiday..." and instead, my boss was all "well, you've been here six months..." and I did actually say "wow, I didn't notice, because weirdly enough, I actually love my job" and she said "fantastic, here's your Xmas bonus, and a payrise!"

LIFE = STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL!!!

This is the first payrise I think I've ever got without having to ask for it. Wow.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

Wow, excellent news Kate! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous. :-(

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:56 (twenty years ago)

Yes, well, you GET ONE BABY!!!

A raise is kind of small potatoes compared to that. :-)

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

I've never had a bonus before... well, no, that's a lie, actually. I had a Christmas bonus before, but it was only a few hundred dollars.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:59 (twenty years ago)

Anyway, also, before I forget, I asked my boss if you could be my minion, Emsk, and she said sure, what's your daily rates. HOpefully I'll remember to talk to you about this next time I see you if we're not too drunk.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 18:12 (twenty years ago)

Ha ha, I have just set up my Out of Office autoreply. It's only mildly sarcastic. :-)

And on that note, I'm going down the pub. I won't be at work for two weeks, but I'll be checking on the interweb from caffs and friends' houses, but if I don't speak to you, have an excellent Winter Consumerfest and a happy and healthy New Year! Rah, etc!

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 18:20 (twenty years ago)

Merry Holidaymas, Kate!

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 22 December 2005 08:11 (twenty years ago)

Yeh, Marry Happy Xmas, one and all!

Saying that, I'm feeling really down today - I guess it's the longest days which is making me feel rubbish. I need cheering up.

Emsk is good at cheering me up. Emsk, make me happy.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 22 December 2005 08:21 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't it the longest day yesterday dude?

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:07 (twenty years ago)

Yay Kate's payrise!

I'm feeling sick and don't really want to be here this morning, not helped by having to wait around for half an hour until somebody would let me into the building (oh, for a set of keys). But! I have already fixed a DNS problem and looked askew at a bunch of SQL, so maybe I can crawl by the server and hibernate until it's time to go home...

― carson dial (carson dial), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:10 (twenty years ago)

Longest day - shortest day, even. Yes it was yesterday, but if it's lack of light that causing my rubbishness then I'm gonna feel it today, I guess.

Our server's died this morning which means that no-one is doing any work - or rather, everyone's phoning me at quizzing me to the problem. I'm just responding by saying "try it again in an hour and hope the people in Staines are working on it". BGAS had the bright idea of moving our server to STaines to make it work faster (!) with predictable consequences.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:15 (twenty years ago)

Unlocking the main gate is about the only productive thing I have done so far today.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:18 (twenty years ago)

Oh yes silly me, shortest day! Does this help...

http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9712/24/teletubbies/sun.jpg

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:22 (twenty years ago)

Well, it isn't unhelpfull . . .

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:27 (twenty years ago)

Haha, it's awful isn't it? If I was a kid this would freak me out!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:32 (twenty years ago)

Most kids TV these days does that. Old kids TV is so sedate and chilled compared to all the modern stuff. If I was seven and saw pokemon for the first time I'd be terrified.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:55 (twenty years ago)

Emsk is good at cheering me up. Emsk, make me happy.

aw! but um i just relentlessly take the piss. (affectionately, people.) i can do that if you want?

so last night i was the most hideous jammy schmoozing thing evah... somehow managed to go to the rough trade christmas do AND the beggars banquet one, was there just at the right time for the free bar at the rt one and yowsa the beggars one was free all night, although they'd run out of vodka by the time i arrived (music industry be vodkamonsters?). lordy. i think i r still a bit tipsy.

― emsk ( emsk), Thursday, 22 December 2005 10:42 (twenty years ago)

also DUDE i nearly forgot i got the new mogwai album yesterday! and i just had to run upstairs and get it and put it on and it has made me smile big. johnny, THIS is what you need. assuming you like mogwai.

― emsk ( emsk), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:20 (twenty years ago)

I do quite like mogwai, so that may work. New album, hmm . . .

Adn yes, relentlessly taking the piss will work just fine - being reminded of how cool I am won't work - beign reminded of my rubbishness will probably cheer me up, paradoxically!

Did you watch them DVDs in the end? I still haven't seen the penguin one!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:57 (twenty years ago)

i haven't watched anything bah! i have been too busy watching the internets. i realised recently ilx has pretty much just replaced tv in my life... oh, i did spend the weekend on the settee with viggo mortensen actually, but that was different because i was ill. i will watch teh pengins over christmas... are you coming to the foundry fap? also where IS everyone today?

tell me what colour clothes you're wearing.

― emsk ( emsk), Thursday, 22 December 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

Black work trousers with pin-striped squares on, and a blue-patterened shirt I got from Cult Clothing ages ago (which, because i have a very limited wardrobe, you've probably seen before). No brown! Under my trousers I've got knee-high stripy socks and a pair of CK boxers.

Why, what are YOU wearing? ;)

I've tried lifting my mood by going and buying food that might make me happy today - when I get home I can curl up with a book and a hot water bottle and I'm sure I'll be fine. So I've got lots of cans of tesco value red bull (I'm sure it comes from the same factory as real red bull), a cherry yoghurt, and a huuuuuuuuge bottle of strawberry and banana smoothie. I've been wolfing down bananas all morning - potassium = seratonin = happiness, but it doesn't seem to be doing much good.

I tried getting my hugs from my iPod, but the shuffle was being rubbish. I wanted to listent o some early SIntra, but I must have moved it off - the nearest I got was the Richard Hawley album, which although being alright, is hardly an adequate substitute.

What foundry FAP? I guess it's on a weekday, otherwise I'd have clicked on the link. It's alright for layabouts like you, you can go to all night disco parties on weekdays and be fine - I've got to be at work 50 miles away! Sigh. (I actually sighed there as I wrote that as well - I MUST be feeling down)

I guess everyone's gone away because it's nearly xmas, so everyody's going out and having fun, while I'm a fool for staying at work and having none.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:05 (twenty years ago)

I'm at work still, not that that will really help you but you know...

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:13 (twenty years ago)

I'm still at work, and I will be until 5pm tomorrow apparently.

I'm soooo sleepy right now. And I was only out drinking until 11pm too!

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

i was up GAMING like a PRO til like gone midnight.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:31 (twenty years ago)

pin-striped squares

i don't get it.

knee-high stripy socks

but i sincerely hope this is true! it's definitely brightened up my day and i'm not the one wearing them.

i am wearing boring bike clothes - bikeleggingthings, bikeshortthings with hundreds of pockets, and my green hammer & sickle t. and green socks.

you can't drink red bull in the evening! you will never sleep.

i am not having fun today yet (i did have a cup a soup though). i have to start my christmas shopping today... i have NO IDEA what to get for anyone! i think i am just going to walk in fopp with my eyes shut and buy the first ten things i knock over. actually no, i know what i want for my bro, but i can't say in case he is lurking.

― emsk ( emsk), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:44 (twenty years ago)

I am wearing an unclean shirt, because it was a LAUNDRY CRISIS MORNING

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

have nice christmases, anyway.

― snowkitten (g-kit), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

we have CAKE!

(blue jumper and khakis, because I am a boring sysadmin)

― carson dial (carson dial), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

Black square patterns, only the squares are not solid lines, they're pin-stripes. Can't find a pic worse luck.

I love my knee-high stripy socks - I keep meaning to buy another pair,
because they are amazing.

The red bull isn't for this evening, it's for NOW - I don't escape this place for another 2 1/2 hours! I was hoping that it may provide artificial buzz for a bit, but no joy.

Aaaah, cup a soup - I've got some of those - THAT might make me happy!

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 22 December 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

Happy Christmas G!

― Panther Pink (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 22 December 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

Cake has been had, but the possibility of an early closing seems to have evaporated. Oh well, I have Pimms and lemonade for later on! ;)

― carson dial (carson dial), Thursday, 22 December 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)

Oh dear lord, all the flirting on this thread! HOpe you are feeling cheered, JB.

Yestreday I did NOTHING AT ALL, oh except go to Sainsburys and buy loads of xMAS food. And I bought a beautiful peacock coloured Tiffany lamp. And I assembled my bed. My goodness, it's BIG. It takes up the whole room, but then again, I've always wanted a room that is nothing but bed. And then I made nummy winter soup with neeps and everything.

What are we doing for Xmas, Emsk, or maybe I should check my email. Hurrah. Happy happy to everybody.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

Hello!

I'm halfway through my three weeks' leave. I love not being at work. (Controversial, huh?)

I've been to the dentist three times and the optician twice and got one haircut and bought two pairs of trousers. Now my car's having an MOT so I'm hanging out at my parents' house, which is near the garage.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:33 (twenty years ago)

Beanz, I was wonderfing where you'd been! I thought you were super busy at work, so I'm glad to hear you are OFF.

― The Hills Are Alive With Celibate Cries (kate), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

And you've moved and got a pay rise! I got a pay rise and two fillings.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

I'm at work. Stacks of repairs in in the last 2 days "can I get it fixed by christmas" wtf.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

Merry Christmas to everybody! And yay for house and job things working out, Kate!

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:50 (twenty years ago)

I’m at work, so so bored. Someone entertain me, please.

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

My aged car passed the MOT! Just 2 new wiper blades. I half-thought it was going to have to be sold for scrap.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 23 December 2005 15:25 (twenty years ago)

I am still at work. There is nothing to do. We have just all had a big chinese dinner, and I want to fall asleep.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 23 December 2005 15:48 (twenty years ago)

i have spent yesterday and today finishing my christmas shopping and it did not kill me! by the end of yesterday's ordeal i was fairly zonked - not by the people; usually it is the people who drive me insane in central london STOPPING IN DOORWAYS and WALKING R E A L L Y S L O W L Y DOWN OXFORD STREET FOUR ABREAST WITH THEIR ARMS LINKED aaargh wtf are you selfish or thoughtless or just thick or all three?, but yesterday i was quite zen about the people - it was just this profusion of STUFF, the trinkets and tat and identical things and harsh lighting and dreadful music and the horrible acrid-stinking perfume sections you have to walk through to get to the other bits in department stores and the buy!buy!buy!sale! shops and the recorded announcements with a reek of wall-eyed madness ("we've got all your christmas needs covered! buy everything in this shop! we've got dedicated trained Gift Specialists to help you!") and the way they make it hard to get out of shops and how everywhere and everyone is so overheated... i went in john lewis and debenhams and house of fraser and oh god another one like them i don't know what it was, none of which i had ever been in before, and i kept getting lost and feeling trapped by merchandise and pummelled by light and assaulted by smells. weirdly, topshop provided some respite - half their lights had gone so it was quite dark and soothing and almost empty. i wandered around in there for twenty minutes just because the dark was nice. i had to sit on the steps by centrepoint and eat a bun before i felt capable of getting back on my bike to come home. today it was far more peaceful though... possibly because i stuck to charing cross road and skipped oxford street...

d at work was shopping on upper street on mon or tues and some woman barged into and past him, he said something like "you just have to say excuse me, you know!" and she looked at him and said "it's easier if i don't." :0

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 23 December 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

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