Monday, September 24, 2007
Misery guts
I have spent the weekend looking after my flatmate's dog while he (Davey) has been away in Slovenia. The dog is very cute and mostly very well behaved and low-maintenance. Davey has been texting or calling a couple of times a day to make sure the dog (Hamish) is alive and well.
The dog is alive. He is so eager to prove his live status that he threw up on my bed last night. I got home and wanted to go straight to bed, but had to stay up and do laundry instead. I had to get up at 5:30 this morning. In the DARK. We are not amused.
My weekend was fun, but relatively quiet after all as I got a sore throat and a massively swollen eyelid, so looked and sounded like Quasimodo. Slept a lot. Watched dvds. Walked the dog. Tried to avoid people in case they threw stones at me. Caught up with spiritually superior friends who were able to overlook my deformity.
Today my eye is just kind of red, but my throat is still sore and I'm starting the week feeling run-down. My life is just a box of treasures, really.
In other fun news, I just locked myself out of the office (at 7:10am). Fortunately, my workmate has the key to my boss's office, so we're now in there feeling powerful but unable to access most of our usual work until someone rescues us at 9am. At least we can answer the phones like common receptionists.
And, obviously, it's raining.
The dog is alive. He is so eager to prove his live status that he threw up on my bed last night. I got home and wanted to go straight to bed, but had to stay up and do laundry instead. I had to get up at 5:30 this morning. In the DARK. We are not amused.
My weekend was fun, but relatively quiet after all as I got a sore throat and a massively swollen eyelid, so looked and sounded like Quasimodo. Slept a lot. Watched dvds. Walked the dog. Tried to avoid people in case they threw stones at me. Caught up with spiritually superior friends who were able to overlook my deformity.
Today my eye is just kind of red, but my throat is still sore and I'm starting the week feeling run-down. My life is just a box of treasures, really.
In other fun news, I just locked myself out of the office (at 7:10am). Fortunately, my workmate has the key to my boss's office, so we're now in there feeling powerful but unable to access most of our usual work until someone rescues us at 9am. At least we can answer the phones like common receptionists.
And, obviously, it's raining.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Little News!
I'm putting the 'big news' mentioned in my last blog on hold. But in the meantime I do have little news for you!
I had my first pay review yesterday (after 3 months) - with a positive result! At first my boss offered me a measly £500 per annum. So then I had to say how great I was and how well I fit in with the team and how I was in the middle of major projects (implying he couldn't afford to lose me right now). He countered by highlighting all the things I can improve on, foremost of which was that I shouldn't be leaving work on time as it shows a lack of committment. I should be staying late more often to show that I'm working hard. So I said it seemed silly to sit at my desk doing nothing for an extra half hour every day just to look like I was working hard, but that when I had tasks to complete I would of course put in the hours needed to complete them. I forgot to mention that I work right through most of my lunch breaks eating at my desk and tapping away.
Anyway, he asked me what I wanted. I told him. He almost threw up. So we wrangled politely for around 30 minutes before settling on a figure we were both happy with. So now I have a £2000 raise! Yay! Afterwards he was in a really good mood and went out and bought us all coffees. He's been laughing and saying what a hard bargainer I am ever since.
In other news, I have a fun-packed month ahead! My Mum, Dad and sister are all converging on London for a few days starting next weekend and I have a three days off to hang out with them. Then at the end of August I'm going to watch Neelu race in Bordeaux and traveling with her to Paris for three days afterwards. I'll finally get to see more of Paris than the inside of a phone booth! We're staying there with Charlotte, who I worked with at the University Bookshop, and even though we only knew each other for a month we got on really well and I'm really looking forward to seeing her again!
Speaking of Paris, I need to book my tickets for the Eurostar. Bye!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Better late than never...
Wow! It's been over a month since I last blogged!
Part of the reason is that my close family all seem so close by. Ali is in Gurnsey, Mum's in Oxford and I talk to her on the phone, and Dad's still in NZ but I chat to him all the time on Google Mail.
BUT, there is so much reason to blog. There are lots of people who don't know what I'm up to now!
Well, I took the job with the recruitment company and have worked over two months for them now. I'm coming up to my 3 month pay rise at the end of this month, which will be cool. I'm hoping to go up to around 23 or 25k. That'd be a big raise, but I think my boss is pretty happy with my work. Just have to make these next three weeks count!
So far I've written a proposal for London schools regarding intervention programmes for kids at risk of failing GCSE, along with all my usual stuff. That was the most fun, cos I had to research it from scratch. My boss also had me doing a whole lot of cold calling for a while, which I hated (sales calls, effectively), but we talked about it and I don't have to do it now. Basically I'm my boss's PA, but I do more interesting stuff than most PAs :)
I've made some really cool friends here, chiefly this awesome Canadian guy called Matt (coincidence?) who reminds me a lot of my other Matt! Miss you by the way, except there's no way you're reading this, seeing as you don't even use email...
I've kept going to the theatre even though I can't afford it... it's just so cool! Most recently I saw an acrobatic troupe from Australia called, originally, Acrobat. They did this amazing set of three solo performances, performed mostly naked or semi-naked with minimal theatrics. It was very cool. Bleak, tragi-comic, striking, at times painful (naked rope climbing anyone?), with amazing tumbling!
In my own world of fun, I've found a climbing buddy called Rich (another coincidence?) who kicks my ass on indoor stuff. Which is good, as it gives me a challenge to keep up with him. Climbing is pretty damn expensive here though, at £10.50 a pop. I go to this AMAZING place called the Castle. It was built by the Victorians as a pump station. Of course, being the Victorians, they built a pump station in the shape of Stirling Castle... so there's a massive space inside with three floors of climbing, including some stuff that goes all the way up. Plus they're seeking permission to put in repelling/abseiling down the outsides of the towers, which would be so cool!
Alright folks, next time I blog I might have some big news, so stay tuned!
Take it easy :)
Part of the reason is that my close family all seem so close by. Ali is in Gurnsey, Mum's in Oxford and I talk to her on the phone, and Dad's still in NZ but I chat to him all the time on Google Mail.
BUT, there is so much reason to blog. There are lots of people who don't know what I'm up to now!
Well, I took the job with the recruitment company and have worked over two months for them now. I'm coming up to my 3 month pay rise at the end of this month, which will be cool. I'm hoping to go up to around 23 or 25k. That'd be a big raise, but I think my boss is pretty happy with my work. Just have to make these next three weeks count!
So far I've written a proposal for London schools regarding intervention programmes for kids at risk of failing GCSE, along with all my usual stuff. That was the most fun, cos I had to research it from scratch. My boss also had me doing a whole lot of cold calling for a while, which I hated (sales calls, effectively), but we talked about it and I don't have to do it now. Basically I'm my boss's PA, but I do more interesting stuff than most PAs :)
I've made some really cool friends here, chiefly this awesome Canadian guy called Matt (coincidence?) who reminds me a lot of my other Matt! Miss you by the way, except there's no way you're reading this, seeing as you don't even use email...
I've kept going to the theatre even though I can't afford it... it's just so cool! Most recently I saw an acrobatic troupe from Australia called, originally, Acrobat. They did this amazing set of three solo performances, performed mostly naked or semi-naked with minimal theatrics. It was very cool. Bleak, tragi-comic, striking, at times painful (naked rope climbing anyone?), with amazing tumbling!
In my own world of fun, I've found a climbing buddy called Rich (another coincidence?) who kicks my ass on indoor stuff. Which is good, as it gives me a challenge to keep up with him. Climbing is pretty damn expensive here though, at £10.50 a pop. I go to this AMAZING place called the Castle. It was built by the Victorians as a pump station. Of course, being the Victorians, they built a pump station in the shape of Stirling Castle... so there's a massive space inside with three floors of climbing, including some stuff that goes all the way up. Plus they're seeking permission to put in repelling/abseiling down the outsides of the towers, which would be so cool!
Alright folks, next time I blog I might have some big news, so stay tuned!
Take it easy :)
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Picture commentary
So the London Eye was actually pretty cool. As you can see, there's a wicked view from the top, including some famous building with a clock. I think it has a catchy name, but you probably wouldn't recognise it...
If you look carefully in the neighbouring pod, you'll see Mike Richardson reading a newspaper, apparently under-awed by the sight. I don't know what he was doing in London, or why you didn't wave hello, Mike!
That river is so bad! Apparently there's been a massive cleaning/pollution reduction policy in effect for about 20 years or so. Even harder to believe, apparently it's had a huge positive effect! The barge is about 20 metres long. The eye is quite high.
I have some other photos of Mum, Ali and I on the eye, but in most of them I take up almost the entire frame. Can't think how that happened...
Emily actually was stealing that bike. She had got through two by the time I got there (broke them, don't ask me how) and thought she'd help herself to another. Serial bike thief, and never caught. Thanks for letting me stay Emily, it was wicked! Oh, these are the bike racks outside the Hague Centraal railway station. There are about fifteen rows of bikes like this.
PS: Could someone please comment so that I know I'm not just writing this into the ether?
Pictures!
I haven't got this fully down yet, but here goes.
The London Eye!
And this is the bit that screwed up before, so finger's crossed...
The Chocolate River!
Phew! it worked. Doesn't that barge look teeny tiny?
Next! Cheesy family!
And lastly, The Bicycle Thief! (Ah, good times)
Someone let me know if you can click on these and view them bigger... And nice one Emily! She actually got accused of stealing this bicycle while I was taking this photo. But come on, there were plenty of bikes to spare!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Strange things
London is full of things. Words, places, people. Weird stuff.
What is 'fly tipping'? All I know is it's forbidden across the street from my house.
In town tonight I kept on seeing people in sets of three. A guy and a girl, together (holding hands) with another guy tagging along. Like three-for-two deals they have in supermarkets. Once there was a tall girl with her taller boyfriend. She held the umbrella. Her boyfriend was eye-level with the umbrella, catching the drizzle. The tag-along guy was short, fit comfortably right under the shelter.
Walking around Soho, I was handed:
a prayer card for pentacost
a little silver icon of Mary
and a flyer inviting me to try out for Gay Porn Idol
When it's grey and gently raining, at least it feels fresh. On warm days I slide under the ground and come out feeling like I just worked eight hours at McDonalds. Tonight I saw a movie called Sunshine, then walked around in the drizzle watching my breath fog in the red and pink lights of West End theatres and strip clubs. A woman yelled out to me, calling me Honey. I walked past a church. I stopped in a square with a fountain and a stone Roman guy with a pot belly.
I even had the best falafel in London, served by a guy from Lovely Slovakia.
I saw people I'd like to meet, but didn't. I looked in the windows of restaurants I'd like to eat in. I started to know my way around back streets, and gave all my change to a guy sitting on wet cardboard. It was wicked. Got any change? I gave him change. Got a fifty pound note? *cue laughter*
There is a food bar near where I live called the Juicy Pattie Shack.
And somewhere in all that there is an important lesson. Learn it well.
What is 'fly tipping'? All I know is it's forbidden across the street from my house.
In town tonight I kept on seeing people in sets of three. A guy and a girl, together (holding hands) with another guy tagging along. Like three-for-two deals they have in supermarkets. Once there was a tall girl with her taller boyfriend. She held the umbrella. Her boyfriend was eye-level with the umbrella, catching the drizzle. The tag-along guy was short, fit comfortably right under the shelter.
Walking around Soho, I was handed:
a prayer card for pentacost
a little silver icon of Mary
and a flyer inviting me to try out for Gay Porn Idol
When it's grey and gently raining, at least it feels fresh. On warm days I slide under the ground and come out feeling like I just worked eight hours at McDonalds. Tonight I saw a movie called Sunshine, then walked around in the drizzle watching my breath fog in the red and pink lights of West End theatres and strip clubs. A woman yelled out to me, calling me Honey. I walked past a church. I stopped in a square with a fountain and a stone Roman guy with a pot belly.
I even had the best falafel in London, served by a guy from Lovely Slovakia.
I saw people I'd like to meet, but didn't. I looked in the windows of restaurants I'd like to eat in. I started to know my way around back streets, and gave all my change to a guy sitting on wet cardboard. It was wicked. Got any change? I gave him change. Got a fifty pound note? *cue laughter*
There is a food bar near where I live called the Juicy Pattie Shack.
And somewhere in all that there is an important lesson. Learn it well.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Seeing London
My mum and my sister have been in London since Monday night, so we've been doing all the touristy stuff.
Oops, start at the beginning. So, I accepted that job on Tuesday morning, and asked to start the following Monday, which was fine. So I've had the whole week free to hang out with my Mum and Ally, who arrived on Monday night!
Tuesday we just hung out and walked around a few places. Went on the London Eye, which was actually pretty cool. Wednesday we did a big bus tour round central London and checked out Harrods, then Mum and Ally came back to Pascale's flat for tea. Yesterday we went to the Tower of London and had a very dry-humoured Scotsman as our guide. He was great. In the afternoon I split to do some shopping for work clothes, then met up again in the evening to see the Lion King. It's fantastic, and I highly recommend!
So today I slept in. I'm catching up with Ally later to go to the London Dungeon, but right now I'm off to the gym. So, fun Dungeon today, and work begins for real on Monday...
Also, a couple of guys from Christchurch (James and Lyndon) are here now, too, so maybe catch up with them tomorrow. So busy, it's great!
Have spent so much money this week. Will be great to start earning pounds!
Oops, start at the beginning. So, I accepted that job on Tuesday morning, and asked to start the following Monday, which was fine. So I've had the whole week free to hang out with my Mum and Ally, who arrived on Monday night!
Tuesday we just hung out and walked around a few places. Went on the London Eye, which was actually pretty cool. Wednesday we did a big bus tour round central London and checked out Harrods, then Mum and Ally came back to Pascale's flat for tea. Yesterday we went to the Tower of London and had a very dry-humoured Scotsman as our guide. He was great. In the afternoon I split to do some shopping for work clothes, then met up again in the evening to see the Lion King. It's fantastic, and I highly recommend!
So today I slept in. I'm catching up with Ally later to go to the London Dungeon, but right now I'm off to the gym. So, fun Dungeon today, and work begins for real on Monday...
Also, a couple of guys from Christchurch (James and Lyndon) are here now, too, so maybe catch up with them tomorrow. So busy, it's great!
Have spent so much money this week. Will be great to start earning pounds!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Progress
- is having a job offer. So I've made progress!
I was phoned on Friday night, right at the end of the day, and offered a position with the company I interviewed with the other day. It's a research and development position with a recruitment company, possibly turning into a position as a recruitment agent later on. So far they've offered me a trial period of two or three weeks where I can go along and observe and do some basic work and figure out if I like it or not (and they can see if they like me, which seems fair). The good thing is it's not a full-on committment, so I can keep on looking around and seeing what's out there.
I've also applied for a position as a Junior Technical Author, which I'm pretty excited about. It means training to write documentation for computer programs and stuff, like users' manuals etc., but it's pretty well paid, and after a little while (couple of years experience) I could be commanding salaries of £35-50k. Also, a lot of well-know authors started out as technical writers or journalists. So I hope to hear back about that this coming week.
Either way, I have something to go on with.
Take care everyone!
I was phoned on Friday night, right at the end of the day, and offered a position with the company I interviewed with the other day. It's a research and development position with a recruitment company, possibly turning into a position as a recruitment agent later on. So far they've offered me a trial period of two or three weeks where I can go along and observe and do some basic work and figure out if I like it or not (and they can see if they like me, which seems fair). The good thing is it's not a full-on committment, so I can keep on looking around and seeing what's out there.
I've also applied for a position as a Junior Technical Author, which I'm pretty excited about. It means training to write documentation for computer programs and stuff, like users' manuals etc., but it's pretty well paid, and after a little while (couple of years experience) I could be commanding salaries of £35-50k. Also, a lot of well-know authors started out as technical writers or journalists. So I hope to hear back about that this coming week.
Either way, I have something to go on with.
Take care everyone!
