Monday, August 29, 2005
Where does the time go?
Another bank holiday weekend draws to a close and now it's the long hard slog on the home straight to Christmas. We really need to petition the government for another holiday between now and December - four months is far too long to go without a reason not to do anything for three days on the run.
Went kitchen hunting today... been in our house for so long and finally finally getting a proper kitchen put in. So exciting! Funniest part of the day was venturing into a local kitchen showroom, which turned out to be a 'kitchen supplier to the stars'. The Mercedes, Jaguar and BMW parked outside should have been a clue to what lay ahead really. My husband and I unknowingly ventured into this rather posh looking showroom and were met with a number of show kitchens, looking extremely swish and spotlit, a far cry from the section of our local DIY store where we'd been an hour ago looking at the cheapest options. 'Well, we're here - let's look around.' we thought and my husband took quite a liking to the worksurface presented before us that had a nice matt look, but was amazingly smooth to the touch. "That's really nice!" he said... then we picked up the description plaque and our eyes nearly popped out when we saw the figures on the sheet. TWENTY THOUSAND POUNDS ??? That was for the whole kitchen setup, but just the surface alone cost over 90% of our entire kitchen budget! After recovering from the shock, laughing out loud and then looking around to make sure no-one saw us, we made a sharp exit.
Ahem... we stick to B&Q from now on.
Back to work tomorrow, wonder how the troops got on today without anyone from Planning in to wipe their behinds.
Another bank holiday weekend draws to a close and now it's the long hard slog on the home straight to Christmas. We really need to petition the government for another holiday between now and December - four months is far too long to go without a reason not to do anything for three days on the run.
Went kitchen hunting today... been in our house for so long and finally finally getting a proper kitchen put in. So exciting! Funniest part of the day was venturing into a local kitchen showroom, which turned out to be a 'kitchen supplier to the stars'. The Mercedes, Jaguar and BMW parked outside should have been a clue to what lay ahead really. My husband and I unknowingly ventured into this rather posh looking showroom and were met with a number of show kitchens, looking extremely swish and spotlit, a far cry from the section of our local DIY store where we'd been an hour ago looking at the cheapest options. 'Well, we're here - let's look around.' we thought and my husband took quite a liking to the worksurface presented before us that had a nice matt look, but was amazingly smooth to the touch. "That's really nice!" he said... then we picked up the description plaque and our eyes nearly popped out when we saw the figures on the sheet. TWENTY THOUSAND POUNDS ??? That was for the whole kitchen setup, but just the surface alone cost over 90% of our entire kitchen budget! After recovering from the shock, laughing out loud and then looking around to make sure no-one saw us, we made a sharp exit.
Ahem... we stick to B&Q from now on.
Back to work tomorrow, wonder how the troops got on today without anyone from Planning in to wipe their behinds.
Labels: shopping
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Workin' too hard...
Whoever had the bright idea to let half the team take annual leave at the same time needs their head lopping off with a blunt butter knife and then throwing into a pit of shite. Then poor ol' muggins here is left to pick up the pieces and work 11 hour shifts, but still not managing to get all the work done.
Then the managers saunter in at 9:15 and saunter back out again at 17:30 without noticing that you haven't left your desk since 8:30 this morning and are still getting inundated with work left right and centre.
I would say 'Thank goodness for the bank holiday weekend...', but I won't tempt fate. They could turn round tomorrow and make me work it.
Need sleep...........zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Whoever had the bright idea to let half the team take annual leave at the same time needs their head lopping off with a blunt butter knife and then throwing into a pit of shite. Then poor ol' muggins here is left to pick up the pieces and work 11 hour shifts, but still not managing to get all the work done.
Then the managers saunter in at 9:15 and saunter back out again at 17:30 without noticing that you haven't left your desk since 8:30 this morning and are still getting inundated with work left right and centre.
I would say 'Thank goodness for the bank holiday weekend...', but I won't tempt fate. They could turn round tomorrow and make me work it.
Need sleep...........zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Labels: life
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Today's positive thinking...
1. I have plenty of 'Wars of In-Laws' tapes to keep me going.
2. 'Monsters Inc' CD's arrived - another ebay bargain!
3. My colleague gave me a lift home, so I didn't have to waste half an hour waiting for the bus.
*uhummmmmmm* - I'll be yogic flying before you know it!
1. I have plenty of 'Wars of In-Laws' tapes to keep me going.
2. 'Monsters Inc' CD's arrived - another ebay bargain!
3. My colleague gave me a lift home, so I didn't have to waste half an hour waiting for the bus.
*uhummmmmmm* - I'll be yogic flying before you know it!
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Positive Thinking
Senior manager upset me again today - work's going through a negative patch lately, so I think I need to put my positive thinking therapy back into action. List three good things to happen to me every day...
POSITIVE THINGS FOR TODAY:
1. Heating got fixed! We have hot water again!! Woohoo....
2. My 34 metres of brown paper arrived. All set for Sunday's ebaying.
3. It's Wednesday, 'The Apprentice' is on TV.
*deep breath* - happy again...
Senior manager upset me again today - work's going through a negative patch lately, so I think I need to put my positive thinking therapy back into action. List three good things to happen to me every day...
POSITIVE THINGS FOR TODAY:
1. Heating got fixed! We have hot water again!! Woohoo....
2. My 34 metres of brown paper arrived. All set for Sunday's ebaying.
3. It's Wednesday, 'The Apprentice' is on TV.
*deep breath* - happy again...
Labels: life
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
More distractions... cool!
To quote 'erik' from the TVBspace shoutbox:
Erik: Oh man! STOP BEING LAZY AND UPDATE THE NEWS NOW! WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU? DID YOU DISAPPEARED FROM THE EARTH OR SOMETHIGN? I WANT NEWS NOW! UPDATE IT!
Usually when I read stuff like this from silly people, it makes me mad. This time, I just laughed. Why? Probably because it felt strangely satisfying that he depended on my site SO MUCH to get so worked up and the more I continued living my life, the more this poor soul would get tortured because he or she has nothing better to do with their lives than to leave me antagonising messages. Haha!
I'll catch up this weekend hopefully when I am back at my parents' place, trying out my new toy... that is if the Sims don't attract my attention first.
Been looking for the next destination to visit on Em's travels. Too much work makes me a dull Em, so even if it's a short hop over the water to Europe is not too bad, but need to keep an eye on the pennies. Considered Prague, because everyone says it's so beautiful there, but the prices in September aren't that cheap. Then got really attracted to a luxury 5* hotel spa break in Stockholm that is in fact quite reasonable, but would have been hard selling it to my 'careful' hubby, so good ol' easyjet came to the rescue. Visited the site, plugged in 'Liverpool' into the 'Fly From' field and out popped a list of places where I could get to for not very much money. The usual suspects appeared, Spain, Italy, France, Amsterdam and Belfast... but Tony had wanted to go to Germany, so I checked out the prices to Cologne/Bonn. Not bad at all... so when I went on to check the hotels out and what there was to do there, one thing sold it to me - SCHOKOLADE MUSEUM!! That we get there for less than £200 including two nights in the 4* Radisson SAS Hotel no less is just a bonus! Soooo cool......... thank you Stelios!
Now, where to go next?
Christmas Markets sound good - how's about Berlin next time.....
To quote 'erik' from the TVBspace shoutbox:
Erik: Oh man! STOP BEING LAZY AND UPDATE THE NEWS NOW! WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU? DID YOU DISAPPEARED FROM THE EARTH OR SOMETHIGN? I WANT NEWS NOW! UPDATE IT!
Usually when I read stuff like this from silly people, it makes me mad. This time, I just laughed. Why? Probably because it felt strangely satisfying that he depended on my site SO MUCH to get so worked up and the more I continued living my life, the more this poor soul would get tortured because he or she has nothing better to do with their lives than to leave me antagonising messages. Haha!
I'll catch up this weekend hopefully when I am back at my parents' place, trying out my new toy... that is if the Sims don't attract my attention first.
Been looking for the next destination to visit on Em's travels. Too much work makes me a dull Em, so even if it's a short hop over the water to Europe is not too bad, but need to keep an eye on the pennies. Considered Prague, because everyone says it's so beautiful there, but the prices in September aren't that cheap. Then got really attracted to a luxury 5* hotel spa break in Stockholm that is in fact quite reasonable, but would have been hard selling it to my 'careful' hubby, so good ol' easyjet came to the rescue. Visited the site, plugged in 'Liverpool' into the 'Fly From' field and out popped a list of places where I could get to for not very much money. The usual suspects appeared, Spain, Italy, France, Amsterdam and Belfast... but Tony had wanted to go to Germany, so I checked out the prices to Cologne/Bonn. Not bad at all... so when I went on to check the hotels out and what there was to do there, one thing sold it to me - SCHOKOLADE MUSEUM!! That we get there for less than £200 including two nights in the 4* Radisson SAS Hotel no less is just a bonus! Soooo cool......... thank you Stelios!
Now, where to go next?
Christmas Markets sound good - how's about Berlin next time.....
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
My senior manager came and sat next to me for a chat today and ended up peeing me off something chronic. Just when I thought I was gonna start actually enjoying my new role and get some real results, all I need is to be totally trampled back int the ground. He calls it 'motivation and inspiration', I think he is from another planet.
"You just aren't working smart enough..." - stop sending me all your work on email and maybe I'll have time to work smarter
"Your team don't have a leader to follow..." - since when were they MY team? If you care to cast your eye over the team hierarchy, I have NO STAFF!
"You need to make time for the priorities..." - EVERYTHING is a fricken priority though.
"It's my job to challenge the way you work..." - okay, but you're getting in the way of me DOING my work.
"I'm not having a go at you..." - Of course not, you're the boss, I get paid to be spoken to like this.
"Get the worst jobs done first..." - EVERY job is the worst job
"Let me know how I can help you..." - OK, Get out of my face.
"You need to take time away from your work to think..." - I need to take time away from my work to breathe
AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Labels: life
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Tired of the usual haunts tonight (that is e-bay, TVBspace and internet window shopping) and decided to catch up on my friends' blogs after not visiting for a fair while. Even left a couple of comments as my Norton is not disabling every piece of javascript it finds tonight. Surfing back at my own blog, it's time I cleaned off some of the cobwebs and left my mark.
Another three months sails by... what do I have to show for it? Hmm, let's see...
I got promoted - whoopee! At long last! Okay, so I've been doing the goddamn job without the credit since February and now I get paid the same for doing even more work. Something extremely illogical about all this, but hey at least I get the 'Manager' title back again. Actually I was getting quite comfortable as an 'advisor' and then an 'analyst', but if you don't move on, you get kicked out - such is working life.
Also done some more reading. After watching the film version of 'Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy', I found the movie rather unsatisfying, so I set about looking out for copies of the five books in the 'trilogy' on e-Bay. Managed to get four of the five in mint condition (and very used) for little more than £10, so not bad at all. I am currently nearing the end of the fourth book 'So Long and Thanks for All the Fish', which is the most abstract one so far and doesn't feature Marvin very much, but it's been an enjoyable read so far and it brings home the feeling of 'true Britishness' through all of the eccentricities that the narrator highlights every now and then. I have also started on a more serious read 'The Time Traveller's Wife' and read the first chapter of 'The Book, The Film and The T-shirt' that I managed to pick up for 99p on e-Bay brand new! Bargain!!
Thought the day would never come, but I am getting bored with translations for TVBspace News. I think I have just found myself a life again.... haha! Talking TVB, I am currently watching 'The Gateau Affairs' and 'The Herbalists Manual'. TGA is quite enjoyable with a strong anime feel to it and THM is typical Frankie Lam fare. I don't mind him, but he has built such a stereotype role for himself that his series are just totally unstimulating now. Looking forward to 'Wars of In-Laws' and 'Fantasy Hotel' - both seem like a good laugh! Enjoyed 'The Gentle Crackdown' as well - very impressed with Niki Chow.
Random CD choices in the last couple of weeks include Aaron Kwok, Sandy Lam and Samuel Tai. The last couple of days, I have been listening to the OST of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (that 'Kidnap Sandy Claws' song cracks me up every time!) and it's given me the itch to go and catch a musical. Must check out the Palace and see if there is anything worth going to see. It's about time I get out and enjoy the summer evenings before it gets dark and cold again.
Toodle pip.... as my friend Carole used to say!
Another three months sails by... what do I have to show for it? Hmm, let's see...
I got promoted - whoopee! At long last! Okay, so I've been doing the goddamn job without the credit since February and now I get paid the same for doing even more work. Something extremely illogical about all this, but hey at least I get the 'Manager' title back again. Actually I was getting quite comfortable as an 'advisor' and then an 'analyst', but if you don't move on, you get kicked out - such is working life.
Also done some more reading. After watching the film version of 'Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy', I found the movie rather unsatisfying, so I set about looking out for copies of the five books in the 'trilogy' on e-Bay. Managed to get four of the five in mint condition (and very used) for little more than £10, so not bad at all. I am currently nearing the end of the fourth book 'So Long and Thanks for All the Fish', which is the most abstract one so far and doesn't feature Marvin very much, but it's been an enjoyable read so far and it brings home the feeling of 'true Britishness' through all of the eccentricities that the narrator highlights every now and then. I have also started on a more serious read 'The Time Traveller's Wife' and read the first chapter of 'The Book, The Film and The T-shirt' that I managed to pick up for 99p on e-Bay brand new! Bargain!!
Thought the day would never come, but I am getting bored with translations for TVBspace News. I think I have just found myself a life again.... haha! Talking TVB, I am currently watching 'The Gateau Affairs' and 'The Herbalists Manual'. TGA is quite enjoyable with a strong anime feel to it and THM is typical Frankie Lam fare. I don't mind him, but he has built such a stereotype role for himself that his series are just totally unstimulating now. Looking forward to 'Wars of In-Laws' and 'Fantasy Hotel' - both seem like a good laugh! Enjoyed 'The Gentle Crackdown' as well - very impressed with Niki Chow.
Random CD choices in the last couple of weeks include Aaron Kwok, Sandy Lam and Samuel Tai. The last couple of days, I have been listening to the OST of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (that 'Kidnap Sandy Claws' song cracks me up every time!) and it's given me the itch to go and catch a musical. Must check out the Palace and see if there is anything worth going to see. It's about time I get out and enjoy the summer evenings before it gets dark and cold again.
Toodle pip.... as my friend Carole used to say!