Month: July 2003

Regular readers will know that on Friday we have cakes at work. This Friday I have a meeting at 10:30 so I decided I would go and get them (we work on a volunteer basis). Now bear in mind that for the last 4 days, we have had glorious sunshine, and it’s been lovely walking around the city with the sun and the breeze from the Clyde wafting round the buildings.

Of course, as I had decided to go and get the cakes it rained.

I suppose it’s karmic retribution for my posting on Wednesday: “Apologies for those in the south of England, I gather it’s raining every so slightly down there… shame… “

(Ohh I’d have linked to the post but the archives are screwed again, and hey, it’s only a quick scroll down the page)

This post was drafted whilst walking along Argyll Street. Does anyone else compose posts in their head when they are not at a keyboard?

Since moving to our first house, and having our first front and back gardens my fortnightly moan is now a predictable one. It concerns mowing the lawn in the front garden and comes in a variety of forms.

I don’t mind doing the back as it is only about 10ft square, the front however is much larger as we are on the corner so have the front of the house and the side to do as well (summer projects to remove some of this grass and replace with plants and gravel have yet to be finalised).

Of course when we moved in it was very exciting.. gardening! The new sex! I could pretend to be Alan Titchmarsh and Louise could wear thin tops and no bra. Then there were all the new toys to buy, a lawnmower being the main one.

Needless to say the novelty soon wore off and has since become a bit of a drag. Cut the grass, edge the grass, sweep up the cutting from the paths and pavement, rake the grass to lift the bits that my useless, inefficient Flymo doesn’t catch (tip: don’t buy on unless you like raking up grass as it spits the cuttings all over the damn place). Thing is it’s one of those chores that, once I get into it, I enjoy. I know it’s just the endorphins being released through physical exercise and the satisfaction of a job well done. But like any chore it’s, well, a chore…

Anyway, I’ll stop rambling on about the mundane. I mean What Do I Know?

Forgot to mention that it was K’s birthday (Happy Birthday!) yesterday, so we all trooped off to the pub, and then onto a mongolian restaurant by the name of Kublai Khan.

Of course, when I say pub, I mean trendy ‘Bar Gandolfini’, and the restaurant was more of a glorified barbeque. It was one of those, “pick your own stuff and we’ll cook it” places. You work your way along the tables selecting rice or noodles, then veg, then meat, then you have to make your own sauce from a huge variety of oils, sauces, spices and other bits and bobs. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but the choices were heavily Chinese based, and the available meat was the main difference. I have to admit the Kangaroo was nice, but the Ostrich was far better. You are encouraged to ‘make’ small portions and go back up more than once, but having had a few beers by this time, the primary focus was on FOOD. All in all it was very enjoyable and I’ll add that one to the list of ‘safe’ places to go. Recommended if you find yourself in Glasgow’s Merchant City.

And then it was onto the Metropolitan (our K likes her glitzy bars) and cocktails.

Needless to say this morning will be a bit of a drag and will require several cups of coffee just to make it to lunch.

Wanted to mention the sad deaths of the co-joined twins.
Wanted to have fun with the man who has just come out of a coma and still thinks it’s 1984.
Wanted to discuss a possible Agony Uncle column for the Blogathon (as I’ve not had any suggestions from anyone else).

Instead, I’m pissed off. Fucking pissed off as a matter of fact. I don’t talk about work on here much, but one thing I have said before is that I HATE office politics and as a team lead I try to avoid them at all costs but I know I have to deal with them now and again.

This is one of those ‘now’ moments. Although it has more to do with professional courtesy, and … ohh loads of other stuff I don’t wanna mention here.

Sidenote: Do you feel the need to be validated, reassured, praised now and again? Made to feel of value? Or is it just me?

Arse.

OK, let’s set things .. straight(ish).

Karen voiced her opinion about Blogathon 2003, and I couldn’t agree more with what she said.

Now obviously I’m participating and yes, I’ve asked people to donate, and yes I know that ‘guilt’ feeling she mentions. I get it too, walking past the Big Issue seller, or the can shaker (that’s illegal by the way), and I choose not to give to them as I already give to charity via standing order.

However part of charity work is asking for donations. I’ve done it, stood in the cold rain with some damp stickers your only reward for dropping 17p and a button into the plastic can I’m proferring. The old adage “If you don’t ask, you don’t get” is uttered in every charity meeting I’ve ever been involved with, so I can see both sides of the coin (hey I’m a Libran, gimme a break).

Karen also rightly points out something I’d been worrying about. How do I maintain a ‘standard’ of posting over a 24 hour period. And that’s where you guys come in! I’ll be breaking the posting down a bit, and require 24 ‘themes’ to work with, I’ve got a provisional 14 already, so I only need another 10.

So if you have any suggestions, please head over to the just launched (but still not complete) Blogathing. Further Blogathon related postings will be put there (although I will still keep you up-to-date here too).

And Karen, your acknowledgement of my superiority as a coffee drinker wasn’t required (even if it is true… *ducks*)

P.S. There is a whole other thing about comment etiquette, the inability of the British to REALLY offend someone*, and other bits and bobs. Suffice to say that I haven’t fallen out with anyone over this, and don’t intend to, your opinion is, after all, your opinion.

* This is NOT a challenge

(Not all of this may apply to you)

1. I realise that, as a smoker, your morning fag is all part of your routine. However YOUR morning fag isn’t part of MY routine so kindly stop blowing it in my direction, or at the very least don’t give me a dirty look when I cough and walk further up the platform.

2. Every morning my main focus is to get into work. I’m not in a particular hurry but I would like to get there in reasonable time. So when you and your four friends decide to walk four abreast along the pavement, could you let me know in advance? Ohh and comments like “ohh someone’s in a hurry” do not go down well when I’ve just taken my life in my own hands and scooted round you onto the road.

3. Why do you need to give the revolving door, at the entrance to our building, that little extra push when you are leaving? Don’t deny it, I SAW YOU DO IT!

4. Ohh and should I stop posting a bunch of links like I did yesterday and just post them one by one. Is it easier for you that way? (Cos, I thought someone would’ve commented on the cold soup recipe at least…)