Month: November 2006

Dunno about you, but our Friday night was spent avoiding Children in Need. It’s just awful. But then I feel the same way about can-shakers on street corners… same thing, different exposure.

Saturday and, after a quick stop off at Costco, we headed through to Dumbarton to help prepare the rest of the buffet for the leaving party that night. My brother-in-law, who really enjoys cooking and is a very good chef, had already prepared enough food to feed about 150 people so we didn’t have that much to do. Especially as we were only expecting somewhere between 50-70 on the night… Needless to say there was a LOT of food leftover, there are only so many chicken and sweet chilli blini a man can eat (37, in case you were wondering).

That aside it was a good night. My nieces both looked gorgeous, our youngest nephew was dragged up to dance and even managed to LOOK like he enjoyed it. and our oldest nephew, the guest of honour, had a great time. Allegedly there are even photos of me dancing with my wife! (shock horror!). It was an emotional night, obviously, as our nephew flies to Amsterdam on Wednesday from where he will sail down the coast of South Africa and then on to South America. Of course in this age of modern communication, we’ll be keeping in touch via email as the ship is equipped with a wireless network (man, there must be some range on THAT!).

We got home at around 2 am (I was driving), and I struggled out of bed on Sunday morning for a long, and very muddy, run. Sunday mornings are always harder than most, probably because I’ve not been up and about for most of the day, but yesterday was even harder. I spent the rest of the day, quite literally, sprawled out on the sofa, dozing in fits and starts. Still a little tired today although Louise is off her work so I hope we both haven’t caught the same bug (or if so, it’s only a 24 hr thing).

Still, I’m glad I struggled out for the run as I’ve signed up to run a 5K in December. My number? 13. Seriously.

It’s a small affair, Louise has entered (she’s number 14) and so have my Mum and Dad. Mum will walk it with Louise, and Dad will be jogging it with me. He used to do a lot of running (several half-marathons, 10Ks and one Scottish marathon under his belt) and has been back in the gym, pounding the treadmill, since his heart attack. He reckons he’s on for a 40 minute time, and I’m aiming for 35 (just under hopefully). Sponsorship still to be sorted out but don’t worry, I’ll be chinning you lot too! (go on, a couple of pound won’t hurt your wallet half as much as my legs are gonna ache after the run!).

I am becoming a little too reliant on parenthesis.

And yes, my hosting company, who also hosts several other blogs you may read, had a few “issues” today. Just in case you were wondering where I’ve been.

I know it’s still November, I know we’ve yet to pass Christmas and Hogmanay, but January is already looming large, heralding not only the beginning of a new year but a new beginning for me for, on 8th January 2007, I’ll be joining a new company.

I’m hugely excited, a little nervous/scared, but very eager to start and, despite the fact it’s a couple of months away, I’m already looking ahead.

It’s going to be a huge wrench to leave my current employer; I’ve had many opportunities here that I doubt I would have had elsewhere (an advantage of working for a smallish company), I work with some very smart people and have enjoyed some epic nights out, and as the office is situated in the heart of Glasgow the commute and shopping opportunities have me spoiled.

But.

I’ve been here for seven years, through three changes to the company name, a merger with a sister company, a round of redundancies and several changes of boss and team members. All that’s in the past now, but the environment of change is one I thrive on and as things have been stable over the past couple of years I guess that’s been a factor in my growing desire to seek pastures new.

I’ve learned a lot, more so than on any other job (mind you it’s the longest I’ve been in a job so that says something too), but my enthusiasm has been on the wane for the past year or so, I’ve turned down one job and was short-listed for another (losing out to an internal candidate, why do they do that? I know they must but… meh..) and when this job came along I still wasn’t that sure, until I met with them and chatted about the role.

So, it’s bye bye McLaren Software, hello Graham Technology.

And, whilst I will be sticking to my “don’t blog about work” rule, it would be remiss of me not to mention the new office in which I will be working. Nice, huh.

Tonight we are boiling eggs.

Lots of eggs.

We will then turn the mountain of boiled eggs into a feast of epic proportions… or maybe just slather them with mayonnaise and add a dash of paprika. Slather. Now THERE’S a good word!

No we are not starting some new fancy schmancy diet, we are helping prepare some dishes for a cold buffet to be served tomorrow evening at our nephew’s going away party. Why? Because he’s going away.

To see.

On the sea.

In a boat.. umm.. ship… tanker?

He leaves later this month and will spend three months at sea, learning his craft as a deck officer (I think) in the Merchant Navy. He’s off to South America – I’ve still to find out if he’s “caping” (and yes I may have made up that term, but I don’t think so) – and will miss both Xmas and his birthday, so tomorrow he gets both rolled into one.

I’ve not yet mentioned the reputation that the seas around Cape Horn hold, and I certainly won’t be pointing them out to his Mum!

Glad you all liked that joke, Louise was most pleased as she told it to me in the first place. My Mum is likely to be disappointed as it’s not a dirty joke (my mother’s specialty) but as she’s up to her ears in an IKEA delivery fiasco at the moment, she’s not had time to visit and correct my grammar.

Me?

I’ve been fighting an FTP server, completing a survey about blogging, running in torrential rain (ace!), getting quotes for a new front door as we are sick and tired of having to mop up the leaks, and possibly, maybe, buying a 40″ LCD TV (can get about £200 off it).

AND searching for a DVD Recorder that doubles up as a home cinema (surround sound wotsit) system, to try and reduce the number of boxes and cables that will sit under the new TV.

AND fighting with a loan company to get them to give me back the payment they shouldn’t have taken, causing me to go into overdraft, WHICH reminds me to look into how to reclaim unfair bank charges which in turn will have to wait until I get an outcome from my recent complaint. Depending how that turns out I might try this anyway, so even if they tell me to bugger off I can just change accounts (like wot I’m gonna do anyhoo!).

AND some other stuff for that other thing I’ve not mentioned yet.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got stuff to put in the loft and kitchen blinds to hang (this evening), and that’s before we start the ominous “Christmas List”. Thankfully Louise has a few pressies bought already, and the voucher scheme she was in didn’t go tits up! Next year we’ll just put it in a 30 day notice savings account.

Ohh and finally (yes, I’ve updated this post as more things have happened today!) has anyone used LOVEFiLM? I’ve signed up for the trial period (in the hope of winning, um, a 40″ LCD TV…) and depending on how it goes I might stick with it for a month or so? I have until the 21st to cancel my account with them…