Today is Friday, but not just any Friday, but the last Friday of the working year, before I have 11 days off.
Bloody hurrah.
It is fair to say, this year has over-stayed its welcome, and I am very happy to be saying bye and getting on with, as I have said so many times I may start to be filed under "senile old timer", eating my own body-weight in mince pies.
Today sees my doing a lot of tidying up of loose ends. All those little to do items that are important but not urgent, and so as a rule do not even get a look in. It is actually quite satisfying, in lieu of simply doing nothing and eating mince pies, and I hope to be in rude health with my day book having just a couple of things that will need to be done in the New Year, not so much because I don't do it this year, but more that I need to remind myself of anything and everything I may need to take on in the new year.
I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and New Year. See you next year.
Thursday, 20 December 2012
New Stuff
As we set about our unplanned renewal of many of our household appliances, this week sees us take ownership of a new hoover and a new cordless DECT phone. The former is a mighty fine piece of engineering, I am sure, but to be honest, all I should really report is that it picks up dirt, and is much easier to move around than the old Dyson we temporarily borrowed off my parents.
The latter is a thing of beauty. Actually, to be precise, it is fine as a DECT phone, however we have come to realise that with all the smartphones around these days, your average DECT phone looks just that - average. Nevertheless, it does all the things a phone should do; it rings people, has an address book, you can ring the other extensions (we have 3 handsets) and you can transfer external calls to other handsets - hold the line please caller - and you can do hands-free.
This final feature is my favourite. When I work from home, I spend around 3-6 hours per day on calls. In know, bonkers, however that is the nature of a remote organisation such as Starfleet. Anyhow, as a result of often hours of back-to-back calls, a chap does not have much time to do the essentials in life, such as have a pee, make a coffee, answer the door and make lunch. So, I can often be seen with the phone on speaker, microphone muted, and the phone tucked in the collar of my shirt. This provides me with a hands-free experience for life's essentials, whilst enabling me to nominally keep in touch with the discussion, to avoid those "what do you think Mark?" embarrassing silences.
Otherwise, I have been limbering up on the mince pie challenge. I had two yesterday, just to loosen up the muscles, and my goal is to eat my own body-weight by the new year. Wish me luck.
Until tomorrow . . .
The latter is a thing of beauty. Actually, to be precise, it is fine as a DECT phone, however we have come to realise that with all the smartphones around these days, your average DECT phone looks just that - average. Nevertheless, it does all the things a phone should do; it rings people, has an address book, you can ring the other extensions (we have 3 handsets) and you can transfer external calls to other handsets - hold the line please caller - and you can do hands-free.
This final feature is my favourite. When I work from home, I spend around 3-6 hours per day on calls. In know, bonkers, however that is the nature of a remote organisation such as Starfleet. Anyhow, as a result of often hours of back-to-back calls, a chap does not have much time to do the essentials in life, such as have a pee, make a coffee, answer the door and make lunch. So, I can often be seen with the phone on speaker, microphone muted, and the phone tucked in the collar of my shirt. This provides me with a hands-free experience for life's essentials, whilst enabling me to nominally keep in touch with the discussion, to avoid those "what do you think Mark?" embarrassing silences.
Otherwise, I have been limbering up on the mince pie challenge. I had two yesterday, just to loosen up the muscles, and my goal is to eat my own body-weight by the new year. Wish me luck.
Until tomorrow . . .
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Mid-week is the new [blank]
You are free to fill in the blank with your own word, but mine is "can't be @rsed".
Don't get me wrong, some stuff is getting done, but not with the usual vigour. I really hope that an overdose of mince pies will sort me out, and I can start the new year with gusto.
In the meantime, there are a few final purchases to be made - sadly, mostly to replace failing household appliances, the latest being the hoover and the phone.
Otherwise, it is just a matter of waiting for Friday when School's Out, and so is Scobi.
Don't get me wrong, some stuff is getting done, but not with the usual vigour. I really hope that an overdose of mince pies will sort me out, and I can start the new year with gusto.
In the meantime, there are a few final purchases to be made - sadly, mostly to replace failing household appliances, the latest being the hoover and the phone.
Otherwise, it is just a matter of waiting for Friday when School's Out, and so is Scobi.
Friday, 14 December 2012
And . . . relax
I am a self-fulfilling prophecy in that Bad Man said that the Scobi would end up blogging only one a week, and had even invented "doing a Scobi", and here I am doing just that.
Blogging has not been my highest priority over the last few weeks. Let's see what the New Year brings.
In the meantime, both LO and I are ill; not chucking up or listless in bed ill, but ill enough to get to 8pm every night and wonder what the f### that day was all about. We are at Brad and Angelina's this weekend, and we have even fleetingly considered whether we will be well enough to go. I for one will be, but I have to say LO is suffering a tedious and persistent cough that is keeping her awake at night*, and sometimes me, and irritating her beyond belief, even beyond that of which I am capable. She has an important event tonight, the leaving do of her boss and mentor. Here's hoping she is able to get through that without making herself worse. So, hopefully, we shall be travelling north to B&A for, amongst other things, a drumming workshop, something us lads are very much looking forward to.
Have a great weekend, speak next week.
Blogging has not been my highest priority over the last few weeks. Let's see what the New Year brings.
In the meantime, both LO and I are ill; not chucking up or listless in bed ill, but ill enough to get to 8pm every night and wonder what the f### that day was all about. We are at Brad and Angelina's this weekend, and we have even fleetingly considered whether we will be well enough to go. I for one will be, but I have to say LO is suffering a tedious and persistent cough that is keeping her awake at night*, and sometimes me, and irritating her beyond belief, even beyond that of which I am capable. She has an important event tonight, the leaving do of her boss and mentor. Here's hoping she is able to get through that without making herself worse. So, hopefully, we shall be travelling north to B&A for, amongst other things, a drumming workshop, something us lads are very much looking forward to.
Have a great weekend, speak next week.
===============================
* Last night, to add insult to injury, we had what was presumably some drunken d##k-head calling us at zero hundred hours, otherwise known as midnight. "Hello, hello" said I, to silence. Nice.
Friday, 7 December 2012
And . . . relax
Another Friday comes by, and it is, as usual, more than welcome. The working week was more normal, which is nice, and we are slowing getting all our chores done at home in preparation for Christmas.
LO said the other night that we would quite like to get off the hamster wheel sometime soon, since things are soooooooooo full on soooooooo much of the time. That moment will probably be our last day of working this year, which for me is Friday 21 December. Can't wait.
Just want to get in writing that I owe Brad a call. My evenings are at the moment not much more than eat and sleep. I am, as usual for this time of year, very tired, my sleeping is suffering probably caused by the stress of too much work, so it really is Luge Time, lie flat and don't die.
This weekend we are at a school fayre tonight. Actually, sorry, not a fayre, a fair, since it is really just a matter of a few stalls, a bit of tat on sale and the requirement just to attend for half an hour and spend a bit.
Saturday evening we have the in-laws over for tea and Strictly. The Strictly Sweepstake is hotting up, and I have to say my own chances of winning are slim, since I only have Lisa Riley left in the draw, and while she is popular, I think her dancing skills may have reached their limit and she will be voted off either this week or next.
Have a fantastic weekend, and speak next week.
LO said the other night that we would quite like to get off the hamster wheel sometime soon, since things are soooooooooo full on soooooooo much of the time. That moment will probably be our last day of working this year, which for me is Friday 21 December. Can't wait.
Just want to get in writing that I owe Brad a call. My evenings are at the moment not much more than eat and sleep. I am, as usual for this time of year, very tired, my sleeping is suffering probably caused by the stress of too much work, so it really is Luge Time, lie flat and don't die.
This weekend we are at a school fayre tonight. Actually, sorry, not a fayre, a fair, since it is really just a matter of a few stalls, a bit of tat on sale and the requirement just to attend for half an hour and spend a bit.
Saturday evening we have the in-laws over for tea and Strictly. The Strictly Sweepstake is hotting up, and I have to say my own chances of winning are slim, since I only have Lisa Riley left in the draw, and while she is popular, I think her dancing skills may have reached their limit and she will be voted off either this week or next.
Have a fantastic weekend, and speak next week.
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Vanity
I am well aware of the dangers of Googling yourself. The two principles of self-Googling state:
And so it was that the second principle of self-Googling came true. Just check this out for confirmation.
- Why are you doing it? Vanity, fear or self-doubt. Whatever it is, it is probably not savoury.
- What do you hope to find? Chances are, at least something you find will not be to your liking.
And so it was that the second principle of self-Googling came true. Just check this out for confirmation.
Friday, 30 November 2012
And . . . relax ahhhhhhhh
It has been a lovely week. That is not to say it has not been hard, but it was a normal week, and that means I have been able to do some normal things. I played tennis on Wednesday*, I have taken the boys to school two days in a row, and I even managed to catch up with Golfy, to find out what the old bugger has been up to, and I have to say, it mostly had an 18 certificate. I have never heard such filth.
This weekend LO is going to London for the day with Samantha, to go to a special at the V&A I think. This visit is a re-plan from a few weeks ago, when Samantha fell ill and so they had to cancel. This means it is just me and the Maggots. Actually, Maggot 1 is at a friend's birthday bash, so until mid afternoon it is just me and Maggot 2. He has a swimming lesson, but we will need to find something good to do, to get some quality father-son time. I expect there may be a bit of Fifa 12, and hopefully some other things that do not require electricity.
Depending on when LO and Samantha return from London, we may then spend the evening with their family, so that will involve beer and food and chat, which is nice.
Other than that, I have nearly finished the remix of the Snow Patrol track, the third of my remixes and one I am very much enjoying, which surprises me slightly. The first two were dance tracks, which are very much conducive to being remixed on a computer - lots of electronic sounds, farts and beeps as they are often called. With the Snow Patrol, I am able to listen to other remixes submitted and they all took the basic track elements and added it to a very electronic track. When I started to think about my remix, I had thought that I would do a Radiohead on it, some electronicness but with an indie edge, but in fact I have now gone for a very indie remix. The original track is fairly acoustic, indie of course, but fairly acoustic with acoustic guitar, violin, piano and some delicate elements. What I have done is made it much heavier, with none of the thrill - a real head drill track now, with the repetitive nature of the some really doing it for me. Let's see what others think when I upload, probably Sunday.
On that note, have a great weekend, and speak next week.
==============================
* even though I did damage my shoulder - I guess I really am getting older, and need to acknowledge that, rather than charging round like a young Red Setter who has been licking the cafetiere.
This weekend LO is going to London for the day with Samantha, to go to a special at the V&A I think. This visit is a re-plan from a few weeks ago, when Samantha fell ill and so they had to cancel. This means it is just me and the Maggots. Actually, Maggot 1 is at a friend's birthday bash, so until mid afternoon it is just me and Maggot 2. He has a swimming lesson, but we will need to find something good to do, to get some quality father-son time. I expect there may be a bit of Fifa 12, and hopefully some other things that do not require electricity.
Depending on when LO and Samantha return from London, we may then spend the evening with their family, so that will involve beer and food and chat, which is nice.
Other than that, I have nearly finished the remix of the Snow Patrol track, the third of my remixes and one I am very much enjoying, which surprises me slightly. The first two were dance tracks, which are very much conducive to being remixed on a computer - lots of electronic sounds, farts and beeps as they are often called. With the Snow Patrol, I am able to listen to other remixes submitted and they all took the basic track elements and added it to a very electronic track. When I started to think about my remix, I had thought that I would do a Radiohead on it, some electronicness but with an indie edge, but in fact I have now gone for a very indie remix. The original track is fairly acoustic, indie of course, but fairly acoustic with acoustic guitar, violin, piano and some delicate elements. What I have done is made it much heavier, with none of the thrill - a real head drill track now, with the repetitive nature of the some really doing it for me. Let's see what others think when I upload, probably Sunday.
On that note, have a great weekend, and speak next week.
==============================
* even though I did damage my shoulder - I guess I really am getting older, and need to acknowledge that, rather than charging round like a young Red Setter who has been licking the cafetiere.
Monday, 26 November 2012
And . . . I did relax
Missed Friday due to the madness. Actually, that is a lie. The madness subsided just a bit on Thursday evening, so Friday was actually akin to climbing out from your basement storm shelter to see what was left of your property after a hurricane has visited. There might have been many things I could have done, including blogging, but to be honest, I just need to do some simple stuff like breathe, eat and sleep.
And so it was that I broke one of my golden rules, and that is to pretend I have any golden rules.
This week, I am hoping for a bit more sanity, tidying you the mess left from the "hurricane" and generally getting back in touch with the things that, until two months ago, constituted my actual job. I will still have some extra-curricular activities to complete, but they will be at a relatively normal level and things a chap is more than capable of taking in his stride.
Have a great week, and we really will talk later.
And so it was that I broke one of my golden rules, and that is to pretend I have any golden rules.
This week, I am hoping for a bit more sanity, tidying you the mess left from the "hurricane" and generally getting back in touch with the things that, until two months ago, constituted my actual job. I will still have some extra-curricular activities to complete, but they will be at a relatively normal level and things a chap is more than capable of taking in his stride.
Have a great week, and we really will talk later.
Thursday, 22 November 2012
Thursday, is that all?
Another nuts week, the third in a row at this too-high intensity.
Need my working life to get a bit normal, so that I can continue to contribute to society in ways other than profanity and body odour*.
Apparently I always say this, but things are nearly over now for this madness. By the weekend some key things will no longer be on my plate, and while I am sure that other things will take their place, they will be things more willing to form an orderly queue and are able to speak at lower volumes.
Does Starfleet not know that there are things I need to do; get the antlers on the Christmas reindeer**, feed the Christmas cake, go fishing again, finish some DIY chores, spend time with my family etc. etc.
I hope your week is not as bad as mine, and if it is, blinkin' 'eck but we are busy, ain't we?
** Don't ask
Need my working life to get a bit normal, so that I can continue to contribute to society in ways other than profanity and body odour*.
Apparently I always say this, but things are nearly over now for this madness. By the weekend some key things will no longer be on my plate, and while I am sure that other things will take their place, they will be things more willing to form an orderly queue and are able to speak at lower volumes.
Does Starfleet not know that there are things I need to do; get the antlers on the Christmas reindeer**, feed the Christmas cake, go fishing again, finish some DIY chores, spend time with my family etc. etc.
I hope your week is not as bad as mine, and if it is, blinkin' 'eck but we are busy, ain't we?
============================
* I apologise for the vulgarity** Don't ask
Friday, 16 November 2012
And . . . relax
And relax I am very much going to do. Nuts week, can't wait for 10 minutes time when I go for a bath with a beer.
Have a good one.
Have a good one.
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Time, the most scarce of resource
I know I am telling you what you already know, but modern life is busy. The Scobi version or reality is no less busy. Work is providing an awful lot of busyness right now, with an almost perfect storm of three key projects, plus a couple of escalations, plus a need to submit my appraisal feedback by the end of the week, plus a job interview that needs some preparation, plus we are going away 'vannin' this weekend.
I keep telling myself that we are lucky to be busy, because that means we have an engaging job and a demanding family and a busy social life, but do you know what, just once or twice that argument has worn a bit thin.
My expectation is that within a week, things will have settled down just a bit, so maybe I just have to Luge* it.
And in that spirit, I must bid you farewell, hopefully to return tomorrow.
Be good, and keep busy.
==================================
* It does not take much time in my company before you have heard all my little "gems", but just in case, the Luge has been described as a sport that requires you to lie flat and don't die. I think this can be an excellent analogy for those moments when you just have to get through something is to keep doing it and allow time to pass. Oh, and don't die in the process.
I keep telling myself that we are lucky to be busy, because that means we have an engaging job and a demanding family and a busy social life, but do you know what, just once or twice that argument has worn a bit thin.
My expectation is that within a week, things will have settled down just a bit, so maybe I just have to Luge* it.
And in that spirit, I must bid you farewell, hopefully to return tomorrow.
Be good, and keep busy.
==================================
* It does not take much time in my company before you have heard all my little "gems", but just in case, the Luge has been described as a sport that requires you to lie flat and don't die. I think this can be an excellent analogy for those moments when you just have to get through something is to keep doing it and allow time to pass. Oh, and don't die in the process.
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Ice
Was not much pleased to be scraping ice off my car. Thought I would be a good knight and clear LO's car as well, only to be told when I went back inside that she was not using it until Midday. Aaarrrggghhhhhhhhh!
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