precantrix's Xanga

As much as I...

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:51:10 GMT

Yup as much as I want to wax lyrical about the lovely Xmas I had with my family... Boxing day whooping my brothers butt at games with his gorgeous wife and my mum, salsa with mel, chillin' with SJ and getting drunk with my relatives... I won't.

It was a brilliant Xmas. Went ti Norwich for new year. Flat hunt hit some snags so am back next weekend for more hunting.

NYE has been great. Spent it with Adam and the gang at the Brickmakers. Had a great night but I didn't make the choices I expected to make.

Evening started well on the girl front with mutual smiles etc... but ended in a less satisfactory manner. I am wonering how much of that is due to a lack of balls on my part and how much is due to random other conversations that ended up feeling spanner shaped.

The best I could do was an 'I hope to see you next week'

I also might have been a tad too honest with someone else. Not in a rude or unpleasant way, but in an 'oops I might just have showed you all my cards' kind of a way.

This city clearly has a bad effect on me.

It is 4.44 and I can't stop going over bits of the night. It's uber frustrating because I can't do anything about the girls doing the mental equivalent of the Macarana around my head.

But on the other hand what would be the point of life if your libido and hormones never had a say in how you frame your life?

Blessed Be

-- From the iPhone of Technominx

Christmas Party Memo

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:44:50 GMT

For anyone who has had to sort the office party at this time of year.....

Company Memo

FROM:
Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director

TO: All Employees

DATE: October 1, 2009

RE: Gala Christmas Party

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd, starting at noon in the private function room at the Grill House.

There will be a cash bar and plenty of drinks! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols... feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus!
A Christmas tree will be lit at 1:00 PM. Exchanges of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10.00 to make the giving of gifts easy for everyone's pockets.

This gathering is only for employees!

Our CEO will make a special announcement at that time!

Merry Christmas to you and your family,

Patty
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Company Memo

FROM:
Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director

TO: All Employees

DATE: October 2, 2009

RE Gala Holiday Party

In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Hanukkah is an important holiday, which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year. However, from now on, we're calling it our "Holiday
Party." The same policy applies to any other employees who are not Christians and to those still celebrating Reconciliation Day. There will be no Christmas tree and no Christmas carols will be sung. We will have other types of music for your enjoyment.

Happy now?

Happy Holidays to you and your family,

Patty
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Company Memo

FROM:
Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director

TO: All Employees

DATE: October 3, 2009

RE: Holiday Party

Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table, you didn't sign your name. I'm happy to accommodate this request,
but if I put a sign on a table that reads, "AA Only", you wouldn't be anonymous
anymore. How am I supposed to handle this?

Somebody?

And sorry, but forget about the gift exchange, no gifts are allowed since the union members feel that $10.00 is too much money and the executives believe $10.00 is a little
chintzy.

REMEMBER: NO GIFTS EXCHANGE WILL BE ALLOWED.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Company Memo

FROM:
Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director

To: All Employees

DATE: October 4, 2009
RE: Generic Holiday Party

What a diverse group we are!

I had no idea that December 20th begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours.

There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon at this time
of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs. Perhaps the Grill House can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party or else package everything for you to take it home in little foil doggy baggy. Will that work?

Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Weight Watchers to sit farthest from the dessert buffet, and pregnant women will get the table closest to the restrooms.

Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with Gay men, each group will have their own table.

Yes, there will be flower arrangement for the Gay men's table.

To the person asking permission to cross dress, the Grill House asks that no cross-dressing be allowed, apparently because of concerns about confusion in the restrooms.

Sorry.

We will have booster seats for short people.

Low-fat food will be available for those on a diet.

I am sorry to report that we cannot control the amount of salt used in the food. The Grill House suggests that people with high blood pressure taste a bite first.

There will be fresh "low sugar" fruits as dessert for diabetics, but the restaurant cannot
supply "no sugar" desserts. Sorry!

Did I miss anything?!?!?

Patty

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Company Memo

FROM:
Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director

TO: All F*%^ing Employees

DATE: October 5, 2009

RE: The F*%^ing Holiday Party

I've had it with you vegetarian pricks!!!

We're going to keep this party at the Grill House whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death," as you so quaintly put it, and you'll get your f*%^ing salad bar, including organic tomatoes. But you know,
tomatoes have feelings, too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard
them scream. I'm hearing them scream right NOW!

The rest of you f*%^ing wierdos can kiss my *ss. I hope you all have a rotten holiday!

Drive drunk and die,

The B*tch from H*ll!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Company Memo

FROM: Joan Bishop, Acting Human Resources Director

DATE: October 6, 2009

RE: Patty Lewis and Holiday Party

I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patty Lewis a speedy recovery and I'll continue to forward your cards to her.

In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay.

Happy Holidays!

Joan

More snow

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:11:00 GMT

Snow

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:06:56 GMT

GeoTagged, [N51.50058, E0.15248]

Can't find a way to remotely post more pics....

Last day in paradise

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:54:54 GMT

...ok so the paradise thing is a bit extreme, but tomorrow morning I have to move my stuff out of the place i've been looking after. *sigh* it's been nice while it lasted. I really like my own company....and having an internet connection to myself. So very speedy. Oh well...all good things come to an end and as long as I think of it as a sort of working vacation I am happy.

Went to see F today. Sang some Singstar, even though I'm full of cold. Actually I can hardly talk now. I think going out in the cold coupled with forcing my poor swollen throat to sing has taken it's toll. Hopefully I'll be improved tomorrow. F made chocolate muffins while I was at her place. They were so good - I miss her culinary skills. I'd call her a master baker...but it sounds a bit rude if you read it fast!

Got a lot of stuff to do tomorrow. Really have to pick up my painting from Russell and get things sorted for the trip up north and to Norwich. I think my normal little travel case is going to prove too small. I need to take a computer as well as all my party frocks and Christmas prezzies...I need a Mary Poppins style bag. Oh well I guess I'll just have to taken an extra bag as well as my case. Not the easiest thing for travelling, but needs must.

Right. I'm off. There is house work and packing with my name on it.

Blessed Be and Joyous Yule.

So Much Better

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:51:55 GMT

I feel so much better now. After the shock of the divorce notification wore off a little - I had a bath and watched a couple of episodes of Lie To Me, drunk some coffee... and now I feel fine. Just call me the Mistress of Resilience. The correct way to address me is obviously "Yes Mistress". Go on say it... SAY IT! You know it makes me happy.

I now have plans to see F on Sunday afternoon. I'm looking forward to it. The only potential spanner in the Singstar works is that I appear to have a bit of a cold coming. It was there yesterday...in fact it started the night before...but I actually feel better today than I did last night. Maybe it's because I've stayed inside where it's warm and toasty? Well we'll just have to see what happens...but there are industrial strength cold and flu tablets in my bag if I need them.

Right, that's all I wanted to say. Apart from my art is finally available for collection...maybe I'll get off my arse and go get it tomorrow.

Blessed Be
X

A big email

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:59:42 GMT

The email just came through. I am finally divorced.

I don't know what to say or how I feel. I don't know what I thought I'd feel, but this isn't it.

I don't feel particularly happy, or specifically unhappy. If I had to put a label on things I would say I felt grief. It feels like a big hard lump in my chest, a jittery , fluttery lump that is making me want to sob. My eyes keep welling up but the lump hits my throat and I swallow it back down. I don't want to cry again or any more for my marriage.

But I know I will.

I do still wonder from time to time if I will ever heal properly or is part of me no longer retrievable? I just don't know. I don't suppose it matters. It's not like you get to choose how you turn out. You make the best life with the choices you have available and hopefully find a little happiness along the way.

I think I'll let myself have a quiet day today. Maybe I'll want to celebrate tomorrow.

Blessed Be and Joyous Yule.

Unexpectedly good time...

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:08:14 GMT

Well yesterday was the CHS (centre for health Sciences) Christmas lunch. It was held at a place called Toynbee halls - and basically the dining tables were set up on the stage in a theatre...it was really nice to be in such an unusual venue.

Anyway chatted my way through lunch - finding it much easier to know what to say to people than I thought I would. I really didn;t think i knew that many people here at QM - but apparently I know pretty much everyone in this particular centre which was really nice. Anyway lots of people lingered after lunch to have a drink and continue talking. i was one of them and finally got the chance to have a proper conversation with N. When things began to break up we went off to the pub to continue our night and ended up leaving at closing time. I really enjoyed myself...just talking about life, family, all sorts of things. It was an easy good time.

Even better i don't have a hangover! I have no idea how that is the case, but suspect the large piece of Pizza I had on my way home and the copious quantities of Tango guzzled in front of the TV might have something to do with it!

Work today is very busy. I only have 3 more working days before the Christmas break and we have a lot of new staff starting on 4th January, so I need to have all their equipment built and installed today really. Most people have taken next week off - so I suspect getting any IT help next week will prove difficult. I probably shouldn't be taking a little break to write this....but I am...so there!

I like being in a good mood. I still don't feel Christmassy...I don't think this time of year will ever be particularly special to me again. I used to love it- but the kid part of me is not as close to the surface now i'm not with G. It's like it went into hiding when she left. Maybe it'll turn up again - who knows. Grown up Minx is doing just fine for the moment.

Ooh! I've just been given a bottle of wine for Christmas. How lovely!

Right, I should probably crack on with this PC build.

Blessed Be and Joyous Yule

X

My Birthday

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:43:48 GMT

Happy Birthday to me!

Went out last night to see my birthday in as it were. My friend Ian was playing at Ronnies Bar at Ronnie Scotts for the second time so that's where I went. I met some friends for dinner first and then went to bop to the Jazz. I had a lovely time. Evening started well before I even got to the restaurant with a couple of nice messages coming in by text and Facebook – which put me in a good mood. This pattern continued throughout the night and actually through today as well. I heard from a lot of people I care about, and who apparently care about me.

Here are a couple of iphone snaps from last night...

It's funny, I can't remember my last birthday at all. I know I must have done something as I would have been determined not to sit about obsessing over it being the anniversary of 'The Awful Dinner' AKA the night it became apparent that my marriage was likely over. But like much of the first year A.G (that's After G) it's a blank. I'm glad I have this blog to look back over. With the exception of Alaska and leaving The Guardian, I really don't have many memories of 2008.

I think I'll remember this birthday. I enjoyed it. To be honest I didn't do much with my actual day. I opened my cards and gifts. I had lot of cards this year. The one from my Auntie Pam was particularly lovely. I had a lovely bath using some of aforementioned gifts and spent the rest of the day watching Movies and catching up on a few TV shows. It's been brilliant to have a place to myself on my day off. Especially one that has a cleaner! The kittens have been most appreciative of my presence. Nothing makes you feel more welcome than a cat that wants to spend time with you. So yes – low key day but a lovely one that followed a great night out.

Got my QM Xmas lunch tomorrow. I'm a bit nervy about it – in some ways I don't feel I know people that well....but I suppose it's just in comparison to working in a close team at GNM for so long. I can be a bit of a fraidy cat about these types of event. Which is silly.

Right. Enough random rambling. I have the end of Brideshead Revisited to watch. I love Sky Anytime. So handy! Time to sprawl on the sofa methinks.

Blessed Be

Moorfields

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:24:49 GMT

Well I spent yesterday afternoon at the A&E Dept of Moorfields Eye Hospital.
I had noticed a certain itchy dry stickyness to my eyes before I went away for the weekend. But figured it was a bit of an infection – probably caused by makeup, and thought I'd pop to the optician this week.
Yesterday I stopped working at lunchtime and looked about, and it really struck me how much my vision had deteriorated throughout the day. I called NHS direct to see if it was better to go to my own doctor or an optician, to be told to go to A&E….

So I did.

There are various things amiss. Spots on my corneas (both eyes) that may be related to the LASIK surgery I had several years ago. These need investigating – but are apparently not what is affecting my vision. I also have me some blocked tear ducts and a bit of an eye infection which I have drops and some instructions to follow to fix. Ho hum. I feel much better knowing that it's nothing earth shattering and that my sight is not at risk. The visual deterioration appears to have stopped getting worse – but it has got no better. I'm glad I have glasses otherwise I couldn't have worked.
Hospital on your own when you can't see is pretty scary. I wouldn't recommend it. I was just feeling pretty sorry for myself – and tweeted as much when I got a couple of messages – some from twitter followers, some on Facebook and one text from an old online salsa friend who said he was off work and asked me if I needed help. It felt wonderful and I felt much less alone. I love the modern age. I love the variety of the support networks we build for ourselves in the absence of family. However although the whole afternoon is hopefully nothing more than a storm in a teacup – i am more certain than ever that my move to Norwich is the right thing.

Not only do I have family there – but it's so much smaller. It is far less of an imposition to ask a friend to drive 10 mins to pick you up from the hospital and take you home than it is to call a friend who then has to get her husband to come home from work and pick up the car to drive an hour to collect you from the hospital – then drive you home – then drive another hour back to their place…..just for example. I was very grateful for black cabs yesterday.
Anyway I'm in the office today. Eyes are a bit sensitive, but no pain – hurrah! Last night was kind of funny. They dilated my pupils in order to look at the back of my eyes, so I couldn't be anywhere bright…I couldn't focus properly so TV and books were out. Thank the goddess for Podcasts, and in particular Wil Wheatons Memories of the Futurecast. I hadn't played the last episode and he cheered me up no end. I also had a Radio Free Burrito episode to listen to squee! I enjoyed my little low visual geek out.

Trying to decide whether to go out tomorrow – several salsa Xmas parties to choose from. Not sure if I'll fancy it after a day at GNM – but I guess I'll just keep my options open. Then Saturday I have house-warming drinks at K's and then the Southside Xmas party. Can't recall Sundays shennanigans, but Monday is my birthday bash filled with dinner and Jazz until 3am. Really looking forward to it.

I really must remember to buy some wrapping paper. I've sorted nothing at all for Christmas and time is running out….Hmm where did that little thought come from? je ne sais pas…or something like that. I watched the first couple of episodes of Leverage the other day with the French subtitles switched on. I keep getting little flashes of French in my head now. Funny how little it takes to trigger it.

Right – back to the grindstone. Software Audit project is calling… it's muffled…maybe my subconscious has gagged it in the hope I surf Facebook instead?

Can't remember if I updated much about last weekend in Norwich. Had a lovely time. Did much better at Articulate this time! I felt much less like a useless muppett. Enjoyed the Lee Vasey band and just hanging out. can't wait for New Year.

Right GOT to go….why do I feel like I'm being dragged kicking and screaming from my keyboard while my fingernails grip the desk creating gouge marks as I am forcibly removed? *sigh*

Blessed Be.