Cryptic

Some people react far too quickly and with anger (some might say over-the-top) at people. Especially if they already dont like those people. Maybe people should calm down and see past their own disposition.

A bit cryptic? Yes. But I'm not giving any more details!

Moochy

It's been a great few days away, just what I needed really. And the weather certainly held up its end of the deal, being rather too warm.....but I'm home again now with my usual sunday night feeling, though it's lasting somewhat longer than normal since I came home earlier (:-((((

Back to the beginning, at any rate. Tuesday morning last was quite chilled, only had to get up, wash and pack last remaining items before Dad arrived for the journey south. And this was accomplished successfully, and we hit the road pretty early. Blazing sunshine on the way south, getting progressively warmer and warmer as latitude decreased, thank bollox for air-con, what did we do in those heady days of the 80s when it hadnt been installed in cars? Sweated to death, no doubt.

The M1 is a very dull road, though it does get you where you want to be quite quickly. Few stops on the way down, just enough time for me to snap my keyring somewhere in the vicinity of Oxfordshire and hence lose my front door key. I reckon it's nestling somewhere inside Dad's car, but we couldnt find it..... anyroad, not a lot I could do about it since it wasnt until much later that I noticed it had gone!

Arrived in Romsey, which is a very nice little town and somewhere I could see myself living quite easily, given half the chance. Though would probably go slightly insane quite rapidly too, I've turned into far more of a city boy than I'll admit to myself (not surprising, considering where I've lived for the past 10-odd years or so). Pottered around with Dad in the evening calm - most pleasant - and then picked up P from the station for first meeting-with-the-family event, most stressful but went off without too much uncomfortable on all sides. One thing about my family, we can be quite stilted if not watched carefully, but also are quite a formidable monolith of *mmph* given half a chance. I mean, we're very good at just clamming up and making tracks, rather than facing things head-on, though the presence of Jason (bro-in-law) ameliorates this somewhat, he having a more outspoken character.....anyhow...... once everyone arrived, it was time for dinner (very nice, very rich, very expensive! Not my money though....). And then bed. Our room (mine and P's, if I may) was quite nice, but with one major flaw. The window looked out onto a little nook in the roof, though we werent too bothered about that. Problem is, this nook prevented any kind of flow of air into the room and hence the place was baking hot and didnt even seem to cool down with the coming of night. Poor P, who suffers in the heat at the best of times, had a hell of a time. Coupled to this were the thunderstorms in the night and a sleepy me who didnt seem to be bothered at all! I never knew I was the 'fall asleep on a pole' type, but it appears I am. And have random conversations which I then do not remember in the morning.

Wednesday. Day of silly hat wearing, for which we had to get up very early and high-tail our way to Southampton. My sister, though very sensible in herself, seems to have an inordinate lack of ability to take directions, or give descriptions of where she is. Hence snappy phone conversation was had, but nothing too bad. Got hold of my silly outfit (for which I can no longer find a picture online, dammit) and put it on, to be fussed over by P [which was a very nice feeling (:-) ] and then had to go and sit down. It was OK, I suppose, not much to do but walk up and get hood put on, and shake hands, and there were plenty of people there and mostly those from 'the year above', if I can say that (though owing to odd start times etc etc etc....), and very only four of us who started in the same October, at least that I can remember. Nice to bump into people, though not a lot of time for talking what with the family in tow, and a desire not to drop P in the deep end too much and abandon him to their tender cares, though I did have to a bit.

Photo taken in the whole get-up, which we'll see what comes of it in a short while. No doubt I'll look like a pillock, but it only took one shot from the photographer and he seemed happy with it (and it looked OK in the proof), so hopefully it'll be good! Since I will no doubt see it every time I go home now. Then went and picked up my copy of thesis to go with my certificate, and left. No time to talk to boss, unfortunately, since this will now entail exchanges of e-mail, and discovered that italian post-doc following on from my work cant get my solid-phase stuff to work properly. Oh dear, what an arse, which made be a bit jittery for quite a while, but I've resolved that issue now. By trying to forget about it (:$

Rest of day spent in Winchester, which probably now vies with York as my favourite place in the country (I've grown very attached to it), in the sweltering heat. And finally home to a nice dinner, and back to bed but with added fan in the room. P still had a swelter-y night, and I feel a little bad for him about that - sorry! Weather is at least cooler now.

All in all, I think the event came off as quite a success, I now can return to work safe in my Dr. and can fact the Ugrads next year with a slight sense of superiority. Ahem. Actually, it doesnt feel like it's actually happened, and will probably sink in more later. Still, good excuse for a small holiday.

Rest of week and weekend spent with P, not doing very much because of the hot weather except playing of computer games. I'm rediscovering my inner teen in this line, since I was about 14 or 15 when I gave up playing them as excessively as I did.....but I think the market has come down to a level now where I can probably get back in without it costing me an arm and a leg....but we'll see. Had to come home early to make sure I could get into house (though housemate had forgotten entirely and wasnt in, grrrr, but no matter), and so I've spent the last few hours in my usual *sob* state. It doesnt get any easier, but I cope better these days. P, I miss you big style, as well you know.

Oh yes, and the beardage has currently vanished, for purposes of looking smooth at ceremony. I look weird without it, but I'm growing used to it not being there again. Think I'll grow it back though!

Changes

Well, it's been a funny few days, and I'll blog properly about the graduation when I get home, since there's a lot to tell. In the meantime this is a therapeutic blog to order my thoughts, since there's been a lot to think about!

I've managed to loose my front door key, which is a bit of a pain since it means I have to coordinate with only remaining housemate in order to get inside. Which means I'll have to get back to Leeds not silly late, meaning have to leave P's much earlier than normal (:-(((((( Also have discovered that last remaining housemate is also moving out, meaning I've got the whole bloody place to myself (which is nice) and all the bloody bills to myself too (which is not so nice and in fact, a bit of a monetary arse with the council tax and the garden rubbish). So I'm being a bit annoyed and stressed about that, and will have to spend Monday evening ringing people up and sorting it all out.....bit of a pain......

Also a bit stressed since did not get to talk to boss on graduation day (with running around with family and not wanting to abandon P with them totally) and also discvoered that someone is finding it impossible to repeat my work. This also leads to much stress, and more Jonster (:-(((( Which will probably ruin my weekend down here too. I'm going to have to have more time off to recover from having time off!

Unmoose - sorry I did miss you too, hope it wasnt all too nasty and bad, and that I can get to chat properly sometime in the future - hey, I might even phone.....

A few days away

Right, I'm off today to do my wearing of a silly hat - Unmoose, I'll see you there, hopefully! - so there may be very little in the way of bloggage until next sunday, but I'll try and knock one out whilst at P's.

However, I'm not likely to be going anywhere anytime soon if I dont actually start packing anything. And my Dad gets here in officially an hour, which means he'll probably be here in 20 mins time......best get cracking....

Out of sight, out of mind

Interesting little proverb, that, and contains within it a lot of philosophical speculation about existence. Do things persist whilst not perceived, or do things only exist as the object of an act of perception? If things persist whilst unperceived, then is this because of an eternal perceiver (call it God if you must) keeping tabs on it all? [not a job for a slacker - whoops, there goes an electron with more than -1.6 x 10E-19 C of charge!] What did your face look like before your parents were born?

Well, it's been a funny day at work today. Usually a Monday is time for starting off a load of new work, so that there's plenty to be getting along with. Today however was my last day for a while, since I'm off for graduation come Wednesday and spending the rest of the week with P, a well-deserved break. Which meant no point in starting anything big and new, like what needs doing, rather just pottering about tying up some loose ends. Most dull. And by three o'clock I was droopy, flagging and totally knackered! Probably need to drink a bit more since had almost nothing throughout the day.

Lookin forward immensely to tomorrow, yet a little bit nervous on the 'meet-the-family' event. Sure everything will go OK, but butterflies are in the stomach. Also, if I'm honest, it's partly because I've got a crazy idea that something will go wrong and I'm not going to be awarded a degree at all, that there's been some kind of phenomenal mistake! Dear oh dear......

My bum hurts

Shame on you all for thinking THAT!

It's been a rather exhilirating weekend, all told. Let us begin with the traditional point, the beginning. Seems sensible yes? We like sensible. So Fridat rolled along nicely, quite warm by the end of the day. Much achieved, I'm in a real rolling place as for as work is concerned, this may have to change because people will expect too much! Anyhow, day was almost ruined by a collision at work, but that's another story. best be careful what I write here regards that, ruffled feathers are a bad thing and I can deal with it in my usual way of silent de-fusion. And on that note, wrapped myself up in leathers and hit the M1 south......quite a big rush to be heading away for the weekend with nothing in mind but bike riding. And I feel quite relaxed from it all, especially since I have only one day at work next week!

I've also eaten rather well, and not too expensively all told, though I shall be tightening belt for August. And beerage too, though wooziness was noted after only 2 pints and hence that was entire imbibage of an evening. So much for my wild young days of knocking it back, sic transit gloria Jon-steri.

Keith is very much how I remembered, I suppose people who dont move house dont change much within six months! Though he has been through the mill somewhat on the emotional side of things, but is very healthily through it. Good bloke. And I'm most grateful to him for the free night's stay, most generous!

Saturday we headed for the coast, out to the delights of Lincolnshire and Skegness. The county is rather flat, boring, and probably quite a nice pretty place to live (though lashed by the North Sea), but personally I'm not sure I'd enjoy it. Skegness is very much as you'd expect from an English seaside resort (cheap and tacky beach ball, tattoo, chips anyone?) with plenty to do if all you want to do is eat chips and play crazy golf. Amusement enough for an afternoon (and very good chips), but I dont think I'd stomach a whole holiday there. As a bit of light relief, half the promenade was closed off owing to an enormous bomb scare (nothing to do with me, guv), which had lots of police and fireman lurking about in their delightful luminous jackets, and in the case of the firemen, huge overalls. On a very hot humid day. Bet they were loving that. And hordes and hordes of people just standing about, watching to see if anything would explode! Typical.

Forecast for Saturday had been encouraging, but we drew a short straw in the end. Heading back westward we rode through a thunderstorm, most impressive (and far away, we only went past the edge) but very windy, enough to give me a huge sideswipe along an exposed bit of the road and move be right from one side of the lane to the other. Scary. And the rain, reminds me why biking in the wet aint so much fun. Though perfectly do-able, not so much fun and a lot more nervy at first. But settled into it quite nicely, especially once the rain let up! Home again, to lounge about and eat and more beer, though not very much more.

Today has been a mixed bag of weather. A lazy morning, we only headed out after 10 and went to Nottingham. Which is a most odd place and very badly signposted. Like all towns, really. A little brekkie (I now notice that I really dont like milky coffee) and then we parted ways, since K lives in Swindon and it would be daft for me to head too far south with him. So I trucked up to the M1 for a little bit of a ride in the rain, until getting to just before Sheffield where the sky opened up beautifully and it was glorious sunshine! Which it has remained for the rest of the day, most appreciated. Tootled back up the M18 for a bit of a change and then through god-knows-where and Wakefield to get home at just after three.

Not so impressed by what I found at home. Alarm had obviously been set, but incorrectly and so had turned itself off. This is because someone had decided to crack all the windows open, and leave my skylight wide open. So house with wide open skylight and no alarm. Now I will swear blind I closed that skylight, and the other windows certainly werent open before (and I've never seen them open since the rooms have been empty), which means one of two things. Either my housemate decided to open the windows and then forgot to close them (possible, but I cant see him going around all the rooms to open them in all honesty, though his was closed) or landlady has returned from abroad and decided to open all the windows (but she didnt leave a message and she usually does!). Puzzling. Nothing is missing though, and I've closed everything again and rebooted the alarm. All right again, but a worrying thing......

After coming home, went straight back out again for a bit more riding! I've covered another three hours and quite a lot more miles. Over the whole weekend it's been about 500 miles, and this is why my bum is so sore, I've got saddle sores. A bit odd considering I've never got them before, but then again I've always been wearing different pants so this could be the case. Or it's the temperature/leather/sticky combination. Anyways, I've got two tender ridges on my buttocks, which make sitting in certain positions most interesting. Shall have to be careful in future! Also noticed that with new pair of gloves I'm getting a lot more juddering through my wrists. Now this could mean my suspension is knackering or needs fiddling with (buggery knows how) or else these gloves are a lot less padded than my old ones. We shall see.

And now onto the driving rantage. Have seen some stupendously shocking work from people in cars, and have to say the main culprits are VW and Vauxhall drivers. Drivers, please do not sit so far up my bum that I could shit on your bonnet, especially in clearly signposted areas of low speed limit (and where I'm following another car). Also people, make sure you look around before you pull out. Let us list the main offenders here; there are four.

Offender the first. Traffic jam outside Newark, queue of cars going up to a roundabout. Me going quite slowly (no more than 40) up the outside, well over into the other lane since nothing else coming other way. Stoopid git just in front of a truck decides to do a U-turn right across the road immediately in front of me. The man is incredibly lucky not to have a Suz parked in his drivers door with a a nice tyre mark on his leg, and this because I was watching for stuff coming from behind said truck. Not that he actually did anything about it, despite me doing sharp braking to put my nose up against his side window. No, just very calmly continued his 3-point turn in the road and sped away. Now there's care for you.

Offender the second. Coming into Leeds off the M621, there is quite a stretch of road where you wind about with different routes going off all over the place. There are, however, ample signs and lots of lane markings to show you where to go. So Mr. Vauxhall this time decides that since he needs to be in my lane, he'll just pull across into it. Despite having just overtaken me after following me a long way. Here it is a very good job I spotted him moving early enough to check the leftmost lane and make an escape; but gave him a very annoyed 'oh look, it's someone there' wave in his wing mirror.

Offender the third. Pretty much the same situation, but coming from the other side, and this time I had nowhere to escape to! So had to parp rather loudly to stop idiot from pulling right the way over - fuck knows what he'd have done if I was a car.

Offener the fourth. This one was quite scary. A bloody bus this time, that decided to pull out right in front of me from a right hand side road - and here it is most fortunate that I was paying lots of attention and gave him a warning toot, to which he stopped dead - cant believe that one, because I was right in the middle of a moving queue of cars, no less.

Obviously my run-in with idiot lady in southampton last year has made me paranoid enough. This is good. But please, please please, dear car drivers, make sure you check where you are going into. And remember that which you have just overtaken and cant be bothered to check out for.

A few other bugbears. Why do car drivers insist on blocking the carriageway maliciously to prevent progression of bikes? So many people pulled out to put their cars dead on the middle white line and try and prevent overtaking, while they are sat in the queue. How petty is that? Just think, if I were not on two wheels, rather on four, there'd be another car in this queue of traffic you are in! To be fair though, I must credit the large number of very nice people who in the same queues moved over to the left to allow us to pass more easily. I doff my hat to you all. And the most irritating one of all........incredibly bad lane discipline on motorways. People seem to just sit in their own little world once they are on the M-way, hogging the middle and outer lanes; move the fuck back over!!! You overtake, you move back to left. Simple idea, isnt it? Admitedly it does break down a little when there are several large trucks crawling up inclines and everyone does tend to have to sit in the middle lane to get past them all, but not really on huge open stretches. The number of times today I've been tootling along at 70 (so not even doing silly speeds like a lot of people obviously were) in the left hand lane (hey - no other traffic ahead of me there!) and been going past people who resolutely cant face the shame of being over that side. In fact, going past huge queues of people doing this in the middle lane; why are you all there! You're actually causing more blockages that way as you're forcing others to all use the RH lane! Dammit, dammit dammit, that one is always going to irritate me and even did when I was in a car.......

I think that I've blogged enough for now, maybe I'll come back later this evening, but I dont think so! Have to miraculously create food and then get ready for tomorrow.....

There isn't a complete word....

....for what I want to express right now. So I'm going to have to make one up and then describe it all. So, I'm right calroggered at the moment. Why? Well, every week these days I make sure I swab round the kitchen and bathroom floors with the mop and the industrial cleaner, since landlady told us off in-so-many-words for being messy buggers, which was a fair point. What irks me more is that I'm the only one doing this, and the only one who wipes the hob down, or sweeps or does any hoovering. Arse, eh? But what are you supposed to say to people? Demand that they clean? Dont think so. Anyhow. Just done my weekly swab down - and this cleaner smells pretty distinctive, it's the public building cleaner smell - and so bathroom floor is still a little wet. And so housemate decides, less than one bloody minute after I've cleaned it, to wander across it with muddy outdoor shoes and leave footprints all over it. Which he does all the time anyway, and doesnt seem to notice in the slightest. I'm calroggered, and that's all there is too it.

I also seem to have turned into a comedy housewife from the 1950s.

This is a disturbing development, and will need sorting out (hopefully this weekend with lots of mile-munching (:-) ) though it does mean I'll be turning up to work tomorrow in my out-and-out get-up, and will no doubt face quite a bit of stick.....hmmmm......

Off to launder some trousers. Again with the housewife bit. And after all the cooking incidents too, I'd be quite concerned with myself if it wasnt for the fact that I kicked some serious chemistry arse today!

Ooooh, dear......

Have to watch what I say, html has ears.....

Take a look......

Glass-blowing fun

Pulled a load of capillaries at work today. It's quite therapeutic, and if I do say so myself they are pretty good, nice and thin and long. Only thing is, I'm having to do it really regularly because I never seem to have spares, and the crazy thing here is that - I dont really use them much, trying to keep a good one on the go for as long as possible! Which means someone has been pinching them, grrr.......

Today has so far been very nice. It's much cooler, rained in the night, and though I personally could do with a bit more sun, everyone is much more lively and it is less horrible to be working in the lab. And with that, everyone is in a much better mood! Always more pleasant. Hope it gets nice again for the weekend though. And as for the rest, I'm doing my two oxidations and have finished my reduction, so we are most happy with the chemistry. Oh yes.

Random visit last night from ex-housemate that I didnt particularly like (as opposed to housemate that I didnt particularly ever see), come to pick up a folding chair he left behind. And so I will be getting me leccy cash after all *thumbs up*. And last night was most culinarily delightful, with gorgeous chicken-and-red-wine stew affair. I like cooking, should do it more often! Probably will now that I basically have that kitchen to myself - since less-than-fastidious housemate is a bit of a ready-meal king.....

Looking forward to this weekend, off for a random little biking weekend with friend Keith round the midlands. Should be a lot of fun, though I'm going to have to achieve an amazing feat of packing for the whole weekend into a tiny bag, since I want to wear my red stripy stuff rather than the all black (less oppressive in the heat), but that means I cant take my backpack because of the aerodynamic hump on my back! The trials and tribulations of it all........bike seems to be running OK, though I'm permanently paranoid about non-aligned wheels and concomitant slippage.

Back to some more work......

I should bottle this stuff

I'm sweaty. All over. And this is without being in the south, where it will be far worse!

Today has been another day of achieving stuff, even if 'stuff' includes finding out the my chemical stuff is dirty. Natch. But I'm cracking on nicely with it, so things are still looking up on the nucleoside front, though to be fair they are all pretty nasty......

Bike chain has finally been dealt with, courtesy of very helpful friendly man at uni mechanical workshop who used an eight foot metal tube to extend his ratchet and thereby bent said ratchet whilst undoing my nut. Hmmmm. But it does mean I've retightened the chain, enough for me to be paranoid it's too tight and that my wheels are out of kink. Ah well, if it aint one thing it's another!

Only 2 cups of coffee today, though one was an espresso. Heat obviously moderates my coffee intake, which is good. Must buy cordial to take to work tomorrow for cold drink-ness, to keep me hydrated enough to sweat more, dammit......

Seems also like I'm in a good mood, huh? Apologies to friends who are going through slightly more rough patches, but I'm going to enjoy this one while it lasts. And bless the Italians for all their amazing culinary gifts to us; where would I be without pasta and pizza? In a very dark potato-shaped space, no doubt (which can also be good, but not in high summer, no?).

Just going to chow down and watch some video, and then go for an ickle ride - going to be fun!

Grackle

A nice Monday, though a trifle too warm for my taste. Got cracking on with work very nicely, and it all seems to have gone smoothly and will continue to do so on the morrow! We hope, at least. I'm part of the way done, any rate, which is reassuring......

To clarify for those of you who hadnt guessed, the porn reference yesterday was supposed to be a random joke. I do not, in fact, own any porn, much to my apparent chagrin as every poofter is supposed to have a huuuuge collection of it. Well, I dont. So ner.

Still havent acted on the chain issue. Procrastination of this thing however is keeping even worse news at bay, meaning that by not doing anything about it I'm holding off some even worse news! At least that is what I like to think, no?

Not much to blog today really. Havent even got any nice cookery tales to tell. Life just keeps rolling on! I'm happy today.....

A day of doing not very much

Today has been quite relaxing. I've really done very little, having once again wrestled with the demons of motorbike and decided that I really need to sort it out before going for a long haul, I settled into the day. Scones for breakfast with less cream than yesterday (clotted goes a LONG way), and then a trip out to the supermarket to pick up a cheapo kettle to fix the boiling-water-for-drinks-and-cooking issue. It'll do the job, and I had immense fun heating up quantities of water which entertained me for oooh, all of one minute. Boiled the arse out of it to clean off the soluble plastic bits and coatings (not good in your cuppa!) and then had the first of many cups of tea.

I opened the back door to let some light and fresh air in, and it's actually been very pleasant all day just sitting about in the half sunshine, reading and solving sudoku (sudokus/sudoki? That is really beginning to annoy me more than it should), then a big bowl of strawberrried for late lunch, which a spot more of the clotted cream *lardarse*, which was most nice. I then began the mammoth cooking operation, the concoction of a stiphado so-called, requiring extended cooking at low heat in the oven, for a total of five-and-a-hours. Lovely, lovely, lovely strong sauce, and a gazillion herbs that I put in there, so though it is very nice it is also rather rich, so small portions are the order of the day (and NO, there is no cream in the sauce). It isnt quite a rich as the hideous thai dish I once tried, requiring the reduction of about three pints of coconut milk, but it's in the same direction. But very nice.

While that was simmering away, I did of course have to have the remainder of the scones, with just a little bit more cream - I could see myself becoming highly addicted to this stuff - and more hot beverages, so that I feel like I'm really getting my money's worth for this kettle. A quick chat with P on the phone, washing-up and here I am now. Blogging merrily away like no tomorrow. Except that there is a tomorrow, and it holds quite a lot of work for me to do, but I'm actually quite looking forward to it! I know exactly what I have to do and can just crack on with it rather than fanny-arsing about, which will make a change......

In the meantime though, I've got the whole of the rest of the evening to play with. Now shall I play some computer games or watch some porn? Hmmmmm.......I think neither, rather will do some laundry activities and have a bath!

Things that are great about having the house to yourself

1) I can wander about the house naked if I want [not that I want (:$ ];

2) I can leave the bathroom door wide open, regardless of what I choose to do in there - Claire, I'm coming round to your way of thinking about how freeing an open-air pee can be!;

3) I can dance around like nobody is watching through the whole house because, hey, nobody is watching;

4) I dont have to look at piles of washing-up left by less-than-fastidious housemate;

5) I can sit in the bath for hour upon hour, guilt-free as regards other people's bladders;

6) I can pretend the whole place is mine, all mine;

More to be added as I think of them.....

A nice lazy saturday

Yes, it has been. Slept in for quite a while as I wrestled with the dilemma of whether to go biking or not, and decided in the end: not. And so slept in a bit more. Eventually got up to have shower, shave head (badly need to order more razor blades for my thingy, but that'll also cost!) and then mooched about in room playing Tetris for ages. Nice. Eventually got around to going to the supermarket, where I spent lots of cash and managed to carry it all home, put it away and get trash my keyring. Not so clever, huh?

Discoveries of the day include the fact that clotted cream on scones is incredibly nice, but also that it is very filling. I think I've already had all my calories for the day, and I've got curry to make for this evening yet! Also discovered that the invention of the kettle surpases perhaps even that of sliced bread, since it took me about ten minutes to make a cup of tea this afternoon by boiling water in a saucepan on the stove. And then had to use a plastic measuring jug as a teapot. This situation needs remedying, I think it will be a job for tomorrow!

Figging

Hmmm. Most interesting. Uses for the rhizome of the monocotyledonous perennial plant Zingiber officinale I never would have thought of.......

I'm so glad I'm the flavour of the pods of Vanilla planifolia........ but also grateful I know certain people who let me see other things of life!

That was the week, that was

And what a week it was. Lots achieved in terms of paperwork, but not a lot else. And getting a bit annoyed with certain people, but it's diffused itself now. Why do I have to take things so personally? Back to breathing heavily in a seated position - which I managed to do for a five minute stint one lunchtime out in the sun, felt good. As I always say, have to start doing that again. I'm starting to notice myself doing little things (like getting annoyed with people, and being so stressed I'm constantly grinding my teeth - where did that come from?!) that I didnt do before, and that I'm sure would go away with a little work.......Bastille Day motto; throw off the yoke of tyrants and meditate a little more!)......

Today was rather interesting though. Bad karma in the lab paying off, with several people smashing things, an overflowing reaction, and me giving myself a little shower in DCM which was not very pleasant. Lots of it splashed in my face, such that I then had to rinse myself rather promptly with the eyewash! Which explains why my face is rather dry now, but it also means I probably have cancerous eyeballs. Or rather suspected cancerous eyeballs. Lovely.

Still havent managed to do the chain thing. I'm rather useless, aren't I?

This weekend shall be spent in a flurry of cooking, I think. I've not had the chance to do much of it in recent times, and this will be my first weekend in Leeds in a month, what with going to see P and trips to Edinburgh. Makes a change to be home, so I may as well enjoy it at home. And I suppose I can always escape into town if it gets too much! Potter over to WYC for some nice cake and a read of the papers, maybe........As good as anything else, eh?

Empty house this evening. Quite nice.

Mmmph

Kinda how I'm feeling right now. Nice relaxing bath (also known as 'sitting in warm water' rather than anything to do with washing) and I'm just about ready for some more liquids.

Today has turned out all right, I've managed to achieve a considerable amount, really, but it shas been extrordinarily dull. Also have been fielding several phone calls regarding the free rooms in the house (why do I end up dealing with all this kind of crap? It's somebody else's turn) and so I'm having to be at home for them to come have a look, not very convenient since I cant just go and do anything else (which reminds me - I need to make lunch for tomorrow!). Nice enough lass came around this evening, but I think she was a little bug-eyed having looked at a gazillion other places. Whoever moves in, I just hope they are nice and pull at least half their weight in keeping the place nice looking.....

More crap to be done tomorrow, no doubt; I still havent sorted my chain issues, or any other issues come to that? Maybe I should just go free for all on the group psychoanalysis, and you can all tell me what is wrong with my life and what I have to do about fixing it. So much easier than figuring it out for myself, which alas, is what I have to do.

Mmmph.

Bored

One morning spent reprocessing NMR spectra. One afternoon to be spent assigning said spectra and then more typing in tomorrow. Crap-o-rama.

Life just doesnt get more exciting, does it?

Slowly going round the bend

I'm sick of typing in my experimental details. 'Specially since I'm finding holes to fill in a not terribly nice manner! What an arse. You'd think it would be a simple little breeze after the enormous bloody thesis I wrote just six months ago, turns out it's even worse. I'm going to go home now and lay off it for the evening, since I've got cleaning up to do at home and no desire at all to do it; shopping is required too, arses, and I need to magically purchase food without spending any money.

I'll probably end up blogging again this evening......

*harumph*

My life sucks

Or, alternatively known as, Jon-ster wants to have a moan and a whine.

Writing report-y bollocks is dull dull dull. And tedious in the extreme. And is going to take me far too long to sort out, that I'm going to have a little cry about it. And end up staying late at work. Also, I'm in my usual Monday low period which isnt helping, 'specially when I think about all the extra work I'm going to have to put in in order to get some other kind of job in a bit. Not, not fun. And so I'm in a yawning pit of mid-range despair......

At least it isnt raining, I suppose, but I do get the feeling that it is going to.......and there's the ever-present worry of money, which is never good. Have less than I thought, and have to pay out in bills soon, so maybe I'm in for another lean month, and I really really need to save something. How is it that I've got to this age in my life with no money to speak of? Bloody annoying.

Back to the grindstone......more whinging later this evening, no doubt......

Another weekend-end

Yes, it's that time late on a sunday evening when it is in fact early monday morning, that I've rolled in from the train in my slightly woe-stricken state and land up making my regular sacrifice on the altar of blog. Sit back, relax, and enjoy, people.

Re: doors on trains. GNER have fantastic, loveable train doors that spring open without you even having to push the button by some miraculous technology. This makes me weep with pleasure and make promises to the virgin perhaps-immaculate to be a better person for just one more door like it. Virgin trains take note. However, I've noticed that every train these days seems to have gone in for the electric-lock-by-button-push on the toilet door. These are most disconcerting, are they not? Because you are never actually sure whether the door is locked or not, giving rise to all sorts of embarrassing scenarios involving you, a toilet and a door whipping open with maliceaforethought (1 word?) just as huge crowds of people walk by. And you cant even do a quick check of rattle-the-handle-a-bit, because there is in fact no handle. Modern technology seems to require a helluva lot more faith in it working and no possible manufacturing cock-up than most religions. The digital age, though fantastic in some areas, is much less desirable in others. I'd rather have a door I can lock myself and machines that have analogue parts that a non-specialist can look at and go 'this is what is buggered' without having to call out specialist company employees at an enormous rate of overtime to fix a problem that may or may not be included in the design (how do you know? if independent examination cannot ascertain the nature of the problem?! Now there's a conspiracy theory for you). Grrrrrrr. And no, the previously indicated situation of a whipping door did not in fact occur to me personally.

Spent my weekend with P again, doing very little and not really wanting to do very much. Bit of a scary asthmatic moment, which I've not had for a while but made me quite worried - though I did eventually have a very good night's sleep. Saw Pirates of the Carribean film, not bad though a bit of a let down as the savvy-count was shockingly low. And the film was over long, and bottom-crampage set in after a while. But I did get some more ice-cream out of it (after being accused of dithering), and then proceeding to dribble it all down my front. Brillyunt. An uneventful journey home, though as always getting a bit more sad with every mile that comes between me an the south and a certain person. And you know, I'm not sure I want it to get easier because that would be a bad thing in a 'familiarity breeds contempt' kinda way. Far rather not have so long a journey, and obviously the main aim at the moment is the return a bit more southerly, though bollocks knows where to, to do what and for how long!

Tasks for the coming week are to include: tidying up all my shite; sorting out my axle nut issues; sorting out bills issues; writing this bloody report at work; phoning everyone I know throughout this week so as to catch up - there's far too many of you I've not talked to in far too long......

Evil vegetables

.....are coming to GET YOU!!!!!

Failure

It's true, I'm a big failure. Well, not manly and 'grrrr' enough, at least. I cant undo the bloody axle nut on my bike, even with the help of a bloody big ratchet. Not shifting. Which means I cant sort out the chain without some help. Which probably means I'm going to have to go to a garage and be all pathetic, which is not good and in fact, completely embarassing. Arse.

On the happier side, there was a fun sports day kinda thing going on at work today, so I've basically had the afternoon off. And it turns out I'm really good in the sack. Or sorry, a sack, since I managed to win my sack race *thumbs up*. And I'm good at carrying eggs about too. Fun fun fun!

Tomorrow should be a bit of a lighter day, since I'm going to start doing this reporty bollocks that I have to do. Because there isnt much else for me to do without trying to put on a load of reactions, and I need to leave early to go and rescue my gaffa-taped-up man (according to my Unmoose). So tomorrow is not going to be highly productive. Also, I should write up what I'm currently doing so there is much less stress later....methinks a day of melting points is in order.....blah blah blah......

It's TOO BLOODY WARM.

Delightful smells

Our kitchen seems to be ever-so-redolent of something rotting. Not quite sure what it is, but suspicion would land on there being some secret food stash that has been forgotten. Certainly not me (though the potatoes I bought last week in a fit of teutonic culinary fervour are starting to sprout very nicely - more fool I), but I do suspect the bin. May have to fill it wil bleach tomorrow.

Also noticed that there's something piquant about the smell of cow shit. Or is it horse shit? Well, whichever, as you go zipping along nice country roads, you dip in-and-0ut of areas of stink. And it certainly adds a bit of spice to life! Even if that spice is 'crap'.

And now the really interesting observation. Annoying housemate is now completely gone, left his keys and everything. What I'm more worried about is the fact that he hasnt paid me for the fuel bills yet, and I dont have any contact details. Hmmmmm, methinks he's pulled a fast one. Git. But the observaton; apparently he has been living in a room with no bed. Because there aint no bed in there now, unless he swiped that as well! Weird. Not that I didnt already know all of that. Never have to endure crimes against food while biting my tongue again! Though I'm more than annoyed about the cash fiddle.

Might have a shower later tonight, badly need to razor my head. I've become far more lax with it than I used to be, could barely go three days without feeling scruffy, but now I'm far less anal. And my head is much the better for it, time to recover! But it's really 'orrible right now; plus it means I'll not have to shave across the weekend, too. Off to see the man again, cant wait - long-distance thing is not easy, but we've got staying-power, and I'm damned if I'm letting him get away now *winks at P*

Another warm day

It is rather sweltery. And I've cunningly decided to wear a black T-shirt and the synthetic material trousers, rather than my nice linen top and something cotton. More fool I - but luckily there are enough smelly things in the lab that anything from me is quite inocuous by comparison!

Yet again am failing to get on with any computer-report type stuff - though I have managed to run a load of IR spectra and collated everything. Filing, work for the terminally non-motivated! Just have to sit my arse down and measure a load of melting points, and then I'm pretty much there on the data side; shame the major part of it is the actual writing, eh?

Tonight I'm going to go for a nice ride. And then once again have pasta, which is actually not something quick to cook when you dont have a kettle! This situation needs remedying pretty soon. Likewise the bin-bags; annoying housemate has been petty enough to run away with the bin-bags to his new house. But then again t'other housemate has been getting out a fresh loo roll to use, when there is still quite a bit of mileage in the one still on the holder. This puzzles me; why do it? I mean, to start a new one but then just leave it on top of the loo rather than replacing the old (which still has a good half-cm thickness of paper on it), which implies that 'you can use the old roll, but I'm too good for it', or something along those lines. Mystifying. Not least because I've only been buying loo roll in the past four months. And I'll end up buying all the cleaning products and the new kettle too, no doubt.....*sighs*. The delights of shared living. I dont mind it most of the time, just begrudge the non-shared aspect here! Maybe with the new people we can set up a kitty or something.........

Back to work, I think; though there's not much to get on with bar the stuff I'm avoiding........maybe I'll do some more job canvassing......

Hot

It is. Warm. Actually, it feels warmer now than at work during the middle of the day, if that's possible! Yes, it is very, because I've only got the little skylight in my room to let the fresh air in, and though this is fantastic in the winter for keeping it toasty, right now it's a bit much!

Tomorrow I will be buying refreshing drinky type things. I'm getting a lot dehydrated, what with the lab, the warm and the coffee. So we turn to the marvellousness that is orange juice, chilled and spangly. Perfect for drinking, vitamins and rotting your teeth! Also I need to buy electric white goods (since our toaster and kettle have mysteriously vanished), and a tin-opener. Nearly a disaster this evening with that, as I discovered that the good one had gone! All worked out in the end though, without attendant grevious injuries with the spurting blood and the rusty metal.....

Going to have a bath soon and rinse off the day's grime, ready for more of the same tomorrow. Lovely. And must rejig my music, too.....

Gripes

Have managed to gouge a nice piece out of the back of my hand thanks to the broken glass shelf in the fridge that I was cleaning. Not that I should have, I've never used that fridge (and I cleaned out the other one when I first arrived), but it was full of mingin' nastiness, so I just had to do it. Managed to throw away some juice (BBE May), some mouldy bacon (that takes something, huh? BBE Jun), some cooked mussels in a sealed packet (BBE beginning May, but you could smell them through the unbroken seal of the plastic - AND they'd obviously been rotting since the package was like a balloon *retches*) and some eggs (BBE Jan, of all bloody times). Someone in my house is totally rancid when it comes to food! That fridge did stink. But less so now.

I also love utilities companies. Well, specially Scottish power who seem unable to send us a bill, ever. Also, I hate the fact that you ring them up and are expected to be delighted that the phone is picked up straight away, to be held in a queue forever. Only to be told 'you can go and fill in all these details online so we dont actually have to do any work - or talk to you or in fact deal with your problem in any way'. Actually, I'd prefer it if you didnt have automated response, so that I dont bloody well pay for the privilige of listening to shitty piped music while you arse about. Would much prefer to just have a dial tone (and not pay for it for sitting around for hour after hour) and then get dealt with by a human person, in my own country. Dear oh dear.....

Also have been out riding today, but shockingly badly. Need to crash course myself in doing corners again, somedays it's fab, others it's shit. Need consistency here, people.......

Work is a bit depressing at the moment, but only because I've got this bloody report to do that's hanging over my head like, well, some rotting mussels in a fridge. Just have to crack down and get on with it, but the thing is, it's actually quite difficult to concentrate in the office, but it's too lonely upstairs! Can't win.....

Curious

And now my wee smells of smoked onion-skin stuff. Bizarre. Yet oddly satisfying. Which means it wasnt the Japanese stuff that was responsible for my dodgy guts today - rather the dodgy chicken on Saturday lunchtime!

Bonnie Scootland

A good weekend. A beautifully sunny day on Saturday with soaring temperatures and whatnot, so I lubed the chain on my bike and got a little bit greasy replacing my tax disc (now purple), before lounging about for a bit. Then went and caught my train northwards. I've noticed that I spend a lot of my life on trains recently!

Straight up to Edinburgh no troubles, into beautiful sunshine and to meet Carole. Now this in itself was an unusual experience for me, since every time I've been to Scotland in the past, it's rained. And constantly, relentlessly and awfully. Not that I've been to Scotland very often, it must be said. But we had a nice catch-up, she's getting along very nicely and also has a job for when she finishes her phd (lucky lady), and will move to Bristol. So I'll know more people there again, and will have an excuse to visit more, perhaps! Though one thing I've noticed, is that I dont have the desire to move back to Bristol again like I have the desire to return to Oxford or Soton. Funny, eh? Bristol is a lovely place too......

Anyhow, we climbed up Scott's Monument (without scaffolding for the first time in donkey's years) to take in the fabulous view. There'd be an even more fabulous view of the Firth of Forth if they flattened a selected few buildings though....*grin*. Also waved at some random guy sunbathing in the gardens and promptly ran away when he waved back! Admitedly this was half-way up the monument, and I'll never meet the man, but still (:$ . An afternoon of coffee and chat in various locations around the city (nice place too, bet it's crap in winter though), and then dinner.

Dinner was a little bit of an adventure, my first trial foray into Japanese cuisine (rather apt considering the recent previous post - no raw prawns though). I got Carole to do the picking but under instruction not to be too outlandish, and sat back for the results! A bit of a mixed bag really; wasabi did not blow my head off like I've been warned (though I only had the most miniscule dab of it), tuna sashimi was nothing but bland to my taste, though quite palatable and not retch-worthy, and the sushi rolls were very nice, and I shall be having those again. Followed by grilled prawns and noodles to make a most seafood-y meal, though there was some weird stuff on these noodles that wasnt so nice - the best description I have for it is smoked onion-skin, but it definitely wasnt. Just an over-powering smoked flavour, one I'm never very fond of. But otherwise very nice. Something I shall be trying again.

And then we were both knackered and went home. I'm so far past it these days.....

Sunday was spent chasing cows around town. Well, kinda. Ever heard of the famous Cow Parade? Well, Edinburgh is having one at the moment, and we managed to get hold of a map and go hunting, collecting about half of the available cows. Good fun, and it gets you around places! Unfortunately some cows have been vandalised, and even totally removed. Shame.

Throughout the course of the weekend there were also many varied moments that I thought 'must blog about that' but I've forgotten them now. Never mind!

And why not?!

..........

Biblical inconsistency is fascinating. And people still claim it is 100% true (for all values of Messiah). A flexible approach is required here, methinks......