bookmark_borderBe prepared

It’s slowly dawning on me that we fly to Spain on Monday. I’ve not even thought about planning what to pack, let alone consider packing itself. I mean it’s round about now that you need to start to make decisions, isn’t it.

You know the type of decision I mean.

The “ohh I COULD wear that t-shirt but then I wouldn’t be able to take it on holiday with me” type decisions. Yes we are only away for a week, but we have the advantage of easy access to a washing machine to we reckon we can pack clothes for 4 days and be fine. But, of course, once you add in clothes to wear in the evening and the newer “running clothes” for me, then we’ll probably need a case each anyway and there’s no point in a case being half empty…

The “what do I REALLY want to put on my iPod” type decisions. Every time I fill my iPod I do it with the greatest of intentions of listening to something new, however as I normally use it on my commute to and from work, most of the time I end up picking something familiar as, after all, it’s only really background noise whilst I read the paper or a book. But on holiday I should have time to contemplate and consider the music, I should be expanding my horizons, but I know it’ll end up being Massive Attack. Again. Double trouble this time though, as I’ll be taking my Nike+ system for the iPod so I also need to cram on my “Running” playlist.

The “I SHOULD take a classic with me but I think I’ll nip to Asda and buy the latest few paperback thrillers instead” type decisions. I have a few (more than 2, less than 6) classics on my bookshelves, gathering dust and unread. Every year I go away I consider taking one with me. Every year I go through the same reasoning: Rarely do I have an entire day to spend just reading a book, let alone a string of consecutive days, so I should make the most of the opportunity.

And every year I decide that, as I’m on holiday, having to concentrate on something isn’t what I want to be doing, so I pick up all of the Dan Brown* novels in a 3 for 2 (* insert current ‘bestseller/hypester’).

This year I’m going to try and buck the trend. I WILL listen to that Yo-Yo Ma recording of Dvorak’s Concerto in B minor. I WILL, finally, listen to Ali Farka Toure’s album Savane. I WILL read the Count of Monte Cristo, and I WILL only pack two pair of speedos!!

I’m joking about the last bit, obviously. I’d need at least three…

bookmark_borderPromotion

Sunday morning, 11am, and… ohh wait, I wasn’t going to blog about my jogging so much was I. Ohh well, my site, my rules etc etc.

Sunday morning, 11am, and a glorious sun stretches up into the sky. I felt really good as we started the run and pushed myself pretty hard, something noticed by the jog coach who, as we were walking back to the centre to do some stretches, suggested I move up a group. I very quickly, and firmly, said no. Flattered as I was, I just know that if I move up a group (which equates to running for longer) I’ll likely end up sore, or injured, and sicken myself of this new regime that I’m so enjoying.

I’m going to start doing a longer run myself though, and as my Nike+ arrived today (cheers Keith!!) I’ll be using that from here on out to keep a track of distances covered and what not. I’ll probably double post it to the Fetch Everyone (yes, that’s my stats) site I currently use.

Anyway, that capped out a nice weekend. Not only do I FINALLY have a large cheque in my bank account, but my parents popped over last night and brought with them some ‘stuff’. Namely a lot of old school reports, jotters, and random snippings from the local newspaper that my Mum had kept over the years. It included a card I made for my Mum, presumably when she was in hospital awaiting the birth of my sister, which read: “… I hope it’s a boy!”. Although I’m glad it wasn’t, then I wouldn’t have a wee sister to look after (and laugh at.. 😉 ).

And so, as the last remnants of last nights dinner (red pesto chicken pasta, made by me) are consumed, the weekend fades out of sight. I wonder what this week will bring?

bookmark_border10 minutes

Jesus H. Christ on a bike.

A quick recap for ya, whilst re-mortgaging Louise and I freed up some extra funds. The mortgage has been processed and we got our cheque for a not insubstantial amount of money (well, to us anyway). However as the mortgage is in joint names, the cheque we received was made out to the same, which is a slight problem as Louise and I don’t have a joint account. It’s one of those things we’ve always meant to do but have never really had a reason to until now.

So, two weeks ago, we nipped into the local branch of my bank to get Louise added onto my account. Simple enough, right? We sat with one of the staff, filled out a form and were told it would take around 10 days to process as the form had to go to ‘central processing’. Despite the faint whiff of bullshit, we let it pass after garnering assurances that everything would be in place in 10 days (and yes, we asked if he meant “working days”, but no, he was going by the calendar).

10 days passed and I phoned my bank to check if the details had been added. They hadn’t and, worryingly, nothing was showing on the ‘system’ as pending. I phoned the branch and was told that I would be phoned back. Guess what…

I phoned again the next day, three times, and the final time was told that the information was “being keyed into the system” today. That was Thursday. Friday I phoned the bank to see if the details had been added or, at the very least, were pending. Nope. Nothing. Nada.

Four phone calls later I was assured that I would be phoned back. Go on, guess.

This morning we went to the branch to find out what was going on. A very helpful young lady answered my question with a puzzled look and said that she could get that done today for me.

Slightly bemused we followed her to the desk where, after confirming that we’d completed the form and that, despite having it with us, proof of identity wouldn’t be required (understandable as we were sitting in front of the guy whilst we completed the form), she turned to her computer and started, and I’m guessing here, “keying in our details”.

10 minutes later, job done. She took our cheque, made sure it was successfully processed into our account (bar the usual nonsense about “3-4 days to ‘clear’ “) and we left the bank. Fuming quietly and already drafting a complaint letter in my head – more on that later.

We did a little shopping, including some yummy Baklava from the market, and headed home. On the doormat was a letter from the bank stating that we had neglected to supply enough information and would need to re-complete the form before they could process our ‘application’.

I’ll be returning that form with my complaint letter which will ask why we had to wait 10 days for something that we were told, this morning, could’ve been done there and then. I’ll also be pointing out that they’ve cost me 10 days interest on the money, and that as far as I could tell, between the original staff member of the branch, who obviously didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, and the phoneline staff who, whilst helpful, obviously don’t have access to the right information as at no point did ANYONE tell me that the ‘application’ was awaiting additional information, they might want to look at how they treat their own customers.

After all, I could’ve walked into one of their competitors who would’ve happily opened me a new account and I’d have had access to MY money within a couple of days.

Not that I’m gonna have the money for long, part of pays off some debt, the rest goes on servicing the car, new tyres, and a new front door. Ohh but I do get my new camera, hopefully in time for taking to Spain..

Anyway. Banks. Complaint letters. Suggestions? There are a few of you out there who are infinitely better than I at drafting these things, so I’d welcome your ideas.

First draft of letter below the fold (names changed to protect the.. er.. incompetent?)
Continue reading “10 minutes”

bookmark_borderLoom

Gosh time flies, doesn’t it.

Or not, as the case may be.

STILL waiting to put a large cheque into the bank. STILL having to phone THEM every day. STILL not able to get things done as we need the cheque processed… and we head off to Spain at the end of the month so time is running out.

[insert gratuitous swearing here]

Wankers.

Ohh wait..

bookmark_borderCold and lonely in the deep dark night

Aye the nights are fair drawing in, and that’s before the clocks change.

Last night, jogging alongside the water at Strathclyde Park, the sun was low over the trees and by the time we’d finished had disappeared completely. The path isn’t lit and so it looks like I’ll be needing to invest in something a little more visible for the coming months. Thankfully a new running store has opened a few blocks from my office, and JogScotland members get a 10% discount! Add some funds given for my birthday and I get to buy a new running top.

But the question is, long sleeved or ‘gilet’ (no sleeves). I have two long sleeved tops at the moment, and I do get quite hot when I run. So I’m thinking just a gilet for the time being, and when it starts getting REALLY cold, I’ll break out the running tigh… er.. leggings (and no, there will NOT be photos), and get a heavier sleeved top. Ohh and gloves. This is the one advantage of starting a new hobby, new toys!

God, I hope I’m not becoming a bore with all this, although I fear it’s only going to get worse once my Nike+ widget arrives (cheers Keith!!). I promise I’ll try not to become a ‘running’ bore (boar?).

Another nice present arrived today, the first of the Glass Books I mentioned in the sidebar a while back, chapter one of ten which gives me a nice pace to get me through the winter. Mind you, I’m still deciding what to take away with me to Spain at the end of the month. We’re only there for 6 nights so I reckon 4 books should do it.. any suggestions?

bookmark_borderQuestions Answered #3

In a desperate effort to gain some weird form of validation, I stole an idea for a blog post and begged my readers to ask me a question. And they did. The buggers. Now I have to answer them.

Question 3: Lyle cheated and asked two questions (sort of). The second, “The Joy of Clients” I’ll ignore as I’m just too nice a guy to tell the truth about some of the fuckin’ idiots I’ve had to deal with in the past year or so. Ach, who am I kidding, there was only really one client who may have provided enough material for this post but the ‘relationship’ didn’t develop much further than me saying.. “WTF? Er.. no, too busy at the moment, sorry”. So I’ll tackle his other suggestion instead, “Redesigns I have hated, and why.”

Redesigns I have hated, and why
Those of you who have been visiting for a while will be used to me re-designing this site (also known as ‘de-branding’). In fact I think the current design (current pinkness aside) has been one of the most enduring, probably because, to my eye at least, it hits the mark between minimalism and functionality, without being overly fussy or particularly “in yer face”. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever re-designed this site and hated it… after all, I’m my own best client, right??

So, and I’m guessing this is what he was really asking, I got to thinking about other sites that have been badly re-designed (note: that’s not “badly NEED a re-design” an entirely different topic which would produce a very, VERY long list). There have been a few high profile website re-designs recently, the new look New York Times being one of the more major undertakings. Trouble is, to find a website re-design I hate, I’d have to spend some time browsing sites that I don’t like the look of and, well, what kind of masochist do you take me for?

Broadening the field to look at design in general, one candidate for “redesigns I have hated” leaps out and shakes it’s big ugly ass in my face. The Renault Megane.

Having owned the previous, sleeker, model which, whilst not exactly at the cutting edge of fashion at least retained a modicum of style, the re-designed Renault Megane was a bit of a shock to the system and, essentially, was the car that switched me away from Renault (we’ve had three previous Renaults all served us very well). I have no idea what they were thinking, and whilst the Clio hinted at what was to come, the new Megane’s “booty” and tiny rear windscreen just seemed wrong. It doesn’t matter what angle I look at it from, it is NOT sexy. I do not get images of J-Lo’s curves, nor do I want to ‘shake that ass’ when I see one, on the contrary, I want to take a sledgehammer and pound that big ugly bump into submission.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for unique design and I’m more than happy for car designers to take different approaches to make their car look unique but, and the question has to be asked, who the hell sold this design to the senior management at Renault? There is a hint of twisted evil genius at hand here, either that or s/he got them all completely blotto and managed to get them to sign off after only seeing the re-designed steering wheel or something. I mean come on, if you saw a car THAT ugly would YOU want your company to make it?

I just don’t understand it, most car designers (and, yes, I’m projecting here) must surely spend their day doodling sleek powerful beasts, with bonnet mounted missile launchers and custom painted flames ripping up the side. How do you get from THAT to the fat arsed lardy looking Megane? It beggars belief.

I wish I could give a better reason, but, basically, I hate the design because *I* think it looks ugly, and that’s all that matters to me.