On My Way

Posted: Fri 29 September, 2006 | Author: | Filed under: Travel, Work-related | Leave a comment »

Travelling home from Week the First.

It’s been good, but I really do hope that the trains aren’t delayed or anything. I do want to just get home…

Day Five

Posted: Fri 29 September, 2006 | Author: | Filed under: Getting Organised, Travel, Work-related | 3 Comments »

So, that’s the first week over and done with. And so far it’s all gone pretty well, I’m pleased to say.

No, the entire situation isn’t ideal – I’m not a great fan of the entire “being away for five days” thing, for a start – but it’s a means to an end, and it has to be done. I’m sure I’ll settle into things a bit more from here on, but the first week was always going to be a bit of a weird one, what with one thing and another.

On the plus side, I’ve worked for the last week of the month. Because of the way Parasol works, I now need to send in my timesheet for “the month”, as well as my expenses. (which I have to photocopy first, so I’ve a copy in case Inland Revenue decide they want a word with me at some later as-yet-unspecified date) But it means that effectively I’m going to be getting paid twice for this week, once by Parasol and once by my now-ex employers, who paid me to the end of the month. (and the same is true of October, effectively, as I also got paid off with a month’s pay in lieu of notice)

Not a bad way to start, is it?

Along the way I’ve started learning more about the layout of Cambridge, signed up at the local library, sorted out a different place for me to stay next week, and generally just getting things more figured out. I think next week will actually be a better week than this one.

Evenings

Posted: Thu 28 September, 2006 | Author: | Filed under: Geeky, Travel | 5 Comments »

One thing I think I’ve done more this week than I have in ages (and get your minds out of the gutter – pervs) is watching – or at least listening to – some really bad TV. The two B&Bs I’ve stayed in this week – the first one was already booked solid for Wednesday night, so I was in another one for that night – have both had the strangest set-ups of TV I’ve ever come across, with the channels all messed up (Channel 1 was actually Channel 4, Channel 2 was ITV, Channel 3 was BBC2 and Channel 4 was BBC1 – in both places!) and only four channels anyway. Channel 5? Not a chance.

So I’ve ended up having on some background noise, and it’s been bloody awful TV. Things like Channel 4’s “How Clean Is Your House” , and whatever the thing is with the poo-inspecting obsessive fuckwad twat Gillian McKeith, for example. It’s amazing just how much really really bad TV can be made to fit into four channels.

Anyway, I’ve ended up making a decision, and ordering myself a little USB TV/Freeview receiver which should at least allow me to a) get more channels and b) record them if I want to. I’ve just had the email from Amazon telling me they’ve sent it out, so I should be able to install that on the laptop this weekend, and then we’ll see how it works out next week. Should be interesting, if nothing else.

Gideon

Posted: Thu 28 September, 2006 | Author: | Filed under: Thoughts, Travel, Weirdness | 1 Comment »

What on earth makes the Gideon people believe that people in hotels or B&Bs will want a bible to look through?

It’s something that’s always befuddled me, and the point is just getting reinforced yet again this week. I’ve never wanted to read a bible while in a hotel. OK, come to that, I’ve never really wanted to read a bible.

But if someone’s enough of a believer to want to read a bible in a hotel room, surely they’re more likely to have brought their own one with them?

Or am I missing something?

Comment Problems

Posted: Wed 27 September, 2006 | Author: | Filed under: D4D™, Geeky | Leave a comment »

OK, I don’t know why, but currently D4D™ is having major problems with a couple of bits. Commenting is the primary problem, and is currently down and out for the count.

It’s something to do with the server at 34sp.com, but currently there’s nothing showing about it on the status page, which is a bit of a worry.

So for now don’t try commenting. I’ll update as and when I get the chance.

[UPDATED : – Fixed the problem – for some reason the comments table had locked itself up in the database, so when I could finally log in this evening, I fixed the damn thing. Yay]

Stanislav Petrov

Posted: Wed 27 September, 2006 | Author: | Filed under: General, News, Weirdness | Leave a comment »

Amazing, the things you find out sometimes.

Twenty-three years ago today, Stanislav Petrov saw multiple missile launches reported by his early-warning satellites and waited, knowing the satellite had been reported faulty, rather than reacting instantly to those American missile launches by launching the Soviet nuclear missiles under his control. He’s since been awarded two “World Citizen Awards”, and can be seen as pretty much saving the world from World War Three.

Hand and Foot

Posted: Wed 27 September, 2006 | Author: | Filed under: General | 2 Comments »

One thing that’s very odd at the moment is that because I’m staying in a B&B , and having meals every night, I’m not actually doing any cooking or really anything for myself. And that, to me, is very strange – I’m not used to it, and I’ve never been overly keen on the entire “being served” concept in life.

Obviously I don’t mind on occasion, or when an event requires it. I don’t object to restaurants and waiters, for example. But I’m just not used to not doing stuff for myself on a regular basis. I wake up, get breakfast done for me. The room at the B&B gets cleaned up, hoovered etc. while I’m away at work, and then when I get “home” to the B&B, I then go out and have a meal somewhere. Yeah, it’s great for purposes of Wheres Good, but on a personal basis it’s bloody weird.

I think a lot of people would say that’d be their ideal lifestyle – always being looked after and cleaned-up after. For me, I’m too independent to be comfortable with it, I suspect. All very strange.

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