Counting Down
Posted: Wed 18 December, 2024 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season 2 Comments »
Thank god there’s only a week left of this bullshit.
I am truly sick of somehow everyone deciding that “Christmas” means “all of December”.
Just fuck off. All of it.
Over and Done
Posted: Mon 1 January, 2024 Filed under: D4D™, Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment » Welcome to 2024
Back to the normal intermittent rubbish, as and when I think “I haven’t written anything there for a while!”
I’ve got a bundle of things bouncing round my head that I should jot down – thoughts and plans for the coming year that are emphatically not resolutions , that kind of thing.
But in the meantime, it’s really just a sigh of relief to get to the end of another Festering Season.
Humbug
Posted: Mon 25 December, 2023 Filed under: Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season 1 Comment »And at last, Christmas Day is upon us.
That means that at least we’ll be getting rid of adverts for perfumes, excessive food, trite festive bullshit, and other horrors.
In return, we’ll now be seeing ones for holidays, diets, and stopping smoking. (I assume)
And we’ll be back to this old garbage in eight months or so.
In the meantime, may this bring to you and yours whatever works for you.
Festerous Advertising
Posted: Thu 2 November, 2023 Filed under: Advertising, Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »“It gets earlier every year!”
We’ve entered November, and it seems like all the advertisers have gone “Fucking hell, Christmas is coming!“, so it’s all turned into a retail frenzy of fuckery. They’ve already thawed out Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé (Or “Mickey Bubbles” as I tend to call him) in ads, as well as a couple of other “celebrity-laden” ones where I know the faces and couldn’t give two shits about any of their names.
So by the time we’re on November 2nd I’m already sick of the entire bloody thing.
Bah Humbug indeed.
Christmas Debts
Posted: Tue 17 January, 2023 Filed under: Bankruptcy, Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Finances, I Don't Understand, People, Rebuilding Leave a comment »This week, the BBC has had a couple of pieces about Christmas Debt – the people who’ve overspent, or put Christmas purchasing entirely on credit cards etc., and now don’t know how it’ll be paid off.
According to that piece, in a poll of people who used credit to help get through Christmas and the holiday season, a third of them said they were not confident about their ability to repay what they’d borrowed. And that’s pretty scary.
You can open up the Excel Spreadsheet from that survey here : The BBC News Cost of Living Survey, Jan 2023. (It’s not mine, I got it from a link in that feature about Cost of Living and so on, but it’s a useful reference point)
Now I’ll admit that I don’t have a whole lot of sympathy for people who overspend and/or borrow in order to “have a good Christmas”, but equally I do understand that lots of people feel pressure to do that, to make everything “ideal and perfect and shiny and happy” despite whatever is going on under the surface, and to hell with the cost. I understand that even more when they have children, and the thought of a bleak Christmas can be too much to handle. (Although it’s entirely beyond me why it’s too much to handle a bleak festival of gifts but OK-ish to have a bleak year as a result of paying off those presents)
But all the same, I don’t quite get that whole thing of “We’re going to buy these things even though we’ve no idea how we’ll actually pay them off“. Even in my own worst times, I wasn’t in that situation – when I bought stuff, I knew how I’d pay things off, and what I was committing to, and I was managing that as best I could until the time when I couldn’t.
It’s a terrifying situation to be in, to see those bills coming in and knowing that they can’t be paid. (Although, as always, it’s better to talk to the lenders and explain the situation, rather than hiding or running away) My own debts were the result of furnishing houses, rather than buying the latest/greatest gadgets, or just “whatever was cool” – I imagine it’s even worse when you’ve actually not even got anything to show for it other than the ephemeral “but everyone had a good Christmas”.
I don’t know where I’m going with this, really. Life’s expensive and complex enough for everyone at the moment, and we all know it – so I just don’t quite get why some people are so willingly throwing themselves even further into the shit for no really good reason.
Going Dark
Posted: Thu 13 January, 2022 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »Weirdly, this week is one of my favourites in the year.
It’s the time when all the exterior Christmas decorations on houses are extinguished again, and everything goes back to being properly dark.
It’s really surprising, just how much extra light pollution those decorations cause, and I just like having things back to normal.
Obviously it’s still pretty heavily grey during the day and so on, and I’ll be far happier as the days get longer again, but it’s nice to have nights back to being properly night-like again. (Also, as it turns out, I wrote something very similar two years ago)
The End of 2020
Posted: Thu 31 December, 2020 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Politics, The Future, Thoughts 1 Comment »So here we are, at the end of a true bin-fire of a year. Covid, Brexit, Lockdowns, it’s all been more than a bit bollocks, hasn’t it?
In many ways, I’ve been lucky this year – as I’ve said before, I’ve not been too badly affected. I’m still working, I’m still healthy, I’m still solvent, I’m still going.
I’m not saying that to be smug, or to belittle anyone else. I know that in many ways I’ve been fortunate, and that some of my privilege is probably showing. But equally, I’m not complacent about any of it, and I’m not going to tempt fate along the way.
In other ways, I’ve not done well at all. I’ve missed out on seeing friends, and on doing stuff – and again, I know that’s true for most people.
This year has definitely affected me, it’s left me with less motivation to do things, and with more loose ends than I’m used to. I don’t like not doing stuff, don’t like not having plans. I’m better at having plans changed last-minute – but that’s more because those things are outside my control.
I don’t know what 2021 will bring. (Obviously – no-one does. This time last year, no-one expected Covid) I do think there’s going to be a lot of hardships still to come, but I also hope it at least gets easier than 2020 has been.
Onwards and upwards, anyway. Have a good one, and let’s hope it’s a better one.
December Already
Posted: Tue 1 December, 2020 Filed under: Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Lockdown, Thoughts 2 Comments »Somehow we’re already in December. How time flies when you’re having fun locked down for half the sodding year.
It’s been weird this year already, in that I’ve seen a number of people who’ve already put up their Christmas trees and so on, even more prematurely than usual. There seems to be a school of thought that says it’s OK because “we need something to look forward to“, but that rings with the dull plop of bullshit. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m more of the viewpoint that even if I started today, I’d be sick of the bloody event by the time it comes round. Adding another two weeks to that is surely just a way to be even more jaded about it all.
But then, as we know, I’m a grouch.
I’ve also been gobsmacked about the hysteria around “We’ve got to have our Christmas“, and the mindset that people would’ve broken all the rules in order to have “a proper normal family Christmas“. We’ll get past the horrific racism of the government being quite happy to cancel the festivals of other religions (The first Lockdown was announced less than 24 hours before Eid, and the second one blocked Diwali – and I’m fairly sure there’s been at least one more festivity that’s taken a kicking) while Christmas is apparently the be-all and end-all of UK Civilisation.
Honestly, I’ll be glad when this year’s over and done with. I don’t think 2021 is going to be any easier, although there’s some hope on the horizon with Covid vaccines etc. But it’s still looking like it’ll be another ongoing hellscape – just possibly slightly less of one than this year has been.
Again, I can’t deny, I’ve been lucky throughout the whole Covid thing this year, and I’ve been affected far less than a lot of people have. I know that, and I accept it. But I’ll still be happy to be through this year.
Going Dark
Posted: Tue 7 January, 2020 Filed under: Domestic, Driving, Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »Now we’re at the end of the Festering Season, and it makes me happy.
With Twelfth Night having just passed, it’s the time I honestly like the most – all the decorative lights are off again, and the streets return to being much darker.
I don’t really know why it makes me happier, but I noticed it again this week, that whole “Oh, this is different, it’s really nice” thing as I drove home.
I know, I’m a grouch and so on – it’s not something I could ever deny, after all.
Twelfth Night
Posted: Mon 7 January, 2019 Filed under: Charm School, Domestic, Festering Season, People, Thoughts Leave a comment »Unsurprisingly, today is probably my favourite day of the Festering Season™
All the real Christmas trees are down, and waiting by the bins for collection, all the lights and decorations are down, and even the radio is back to playing normal music instead of being bloody carols all the time.
I know I’m a grumpy bastard, but getting rid of all the tat for another nine months is A Very Good Thing.
Seven Days
Posted: Wed 19 December, 2018 Filed under: 2018/19, Domestic, Festering Season, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Thoughts, Time Leave a comment »Just think – this time next week, Christmas will be all over, and we’ll be starting to see the adverts for holidays, and stopping smoking.
Days will be getting (slightly) longer, and we’ll be over the worst.
Two weeks’ time, and we’ll be in 2019 and seeing what that brings.
How time flies when you’re having fun, eh?
Ambivalent
Posted: Wed 12 December, 2018 Filed under: 1BEM, Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, People, Thoughts, Weirdness Leave a comment »This year is currently a weird one for me with regards to the Festering Season.
Usually by now I’m totally done with it, had enough, and generally pretty fucked off with the entire thing.
This year, though, I’m just ambivalent about it. And I don’t actually know why.
We’re still being faced with the same inanity and vapid bullshit on TV adverts and the like. We’ve had Christmas Shit™ (cards, confectionary, blah blah) in the shops since September. Now we’re in December they’re playing sodding christmas carols and tunes in the shops and on the radio, and various fuckwits are already blithering about “It’s christmas”. (No it’s fucking not, it’s just December)
And on the face of that paragraph, you’d think I am hating it. But I’m not. I still feel the same, that it is all crap and bollocks, but it’s not enraging me this year the same way it has in the past.
It annoys me that I don’t know why it’s not annoying me as much as usual. But I’m also not going to complain – in some ways it’s quite nice to be a wee bit more tolerant of the whole farce than usual.
I don’t like (let alone love) the season and what it does to people – and I honestly doubt I ever will. But at least this year I also don’t hate it the same way I usually do.
Post-Valentine
Posted: Fri 16 February, 2018 Filed under: Advertising, Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Marketing, Thoughts Leave a comment »As usual, I did absolutely sod-all for Valentine’s Day. (A revelation that comes as no shock at all to anyone who knows me)
However, I am glad it’s over and done with. To me, it’s the end of the really useless marketing cobblers for a while, all the materialistic shite about presents, cards, gifts and the like. Sure, there’ll still be useless marketing cobblers about other stuff – Easter, Holidays, Hallowe’en and whatever, but at least that’s all at a greatly reduced level than the shite that goes around the Festering Season and Valentines.
Onwards and upwards, and all that piss.
1 Month Passed
Posted: Thu 25 January, 2018 Filed under: Cynicism, D4D™, Festering Season Leave a comment »Already, it’s a month since the Festering Season.
How time flies when you’re having fun…
Only eleven more ’til the next one.
364
Posted: Tue 26 December, 2017 Filed under: 2017/18, Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Getting Organised, Thoughts 2 Comments »And there we go, it’s over for another year. Now we’ve got the perineum of the year, the days between Christmas and New Year, where no-one seems to know what the hell they’re doing. (Me, I’ll most likely be working, but there we go)
And then this time next week we’ll all be back to work, and it’ll be 2018. Time flies, and all that piss.
I’m also taking the opportunity to plan things out a bit for at least the first half of 2018, so I know what the hell I’m doing. (Well, at least have a pretty good indication of what I’ll be doing) I’m already solid for January, but from there I’m hoping to cool things off a bit. (I know, I’ve said the same thing for the last two years as well)
Anyway, for now I’m just happy that we’re about as far away from the Festering Season as it’s possible to be. And that’s definitely a good thing.
Countdown
Posted: Fri 15 December, 2017 Filed under: D4D™, Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »Eleven Days to go. That’s all. Eleven days.
You can do this, Lyle. Just breathe. This too shall pass.
Charitable Christmas
Posted: Thu 14 December, 2017 Filed under: Charitable, Domestic, Festering Season, London, People, Thoughts Leave a comment »This year, I haven’t been as ratty as usual about the whole Festering Season thing. It still annoys me, but I’ve been able to ignore most of the retail bullshit around the season (due to not visiting shops as much, primarily) and so on, and avoided most of the raw sentimentality and commercialism that hangs around the entire process.
However, I’ve also been looking more at some of the charity stuff that’s being done – particularly for the homeless.
One of those things – and one I’ve contributed too, both this year and in previous ones – is the “Reserve A Place” scheme by Crisis. Paying £26.08 per place reserves a place for a homeless person at one of the Crisis centres over Christmas, along with support, health checks, and a bundle of other things. I’m all for that, to be honest.
The other one, only announced yesterday, is a slightly different thing, but still pretty brilliant. London’s Euston Station, which would usually be closed for Christmas Day, is instead going to become a homeless shelter for the day, filled with decorations and tables for 200 rough sleepers. I think that’s pretty fucking brilliant, to make use of that sheer space in a different but decent way.
It’s being organised as a collaboration between St Mungos and Streets Kitchen, with about 30 Network Rail staff also involved.
To me, as always, I think these are the things that should be promoted, that are what the whole Festering Season should be about. I truly hope they’re both successful ventures, this year and into the future.
New Year
Posted: Wed 15 November, 2017 Filed under: 2017/18, Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Food, New Year, Sociable, Thoughts Leave a comment »Normally, I don’t celebrate New Year – I couldn’t give a shit about midnight, Auld Lang Syne, fireworks and so on. Entirely not my thing.
However, over the last few years, I’ve been going out for meals on New Year’s Eve, and being back home (or, more usually, still driving home on beautifully clear and empty roads) by midnight.
This year though, it’s all a bit underwhelming – even the offering at Helene Darroze (where I went last year) is disappointing, as there’s very little change from what I had last year. There’s nowhere else that’s massively grabbing me as a “want to try” (or at least nowhere that’s currently released their menu) so for now, I’m really not sure what I’m going to be doing.
Mind you, right now I’m actually quite OK with that, of actually doing sod-all for New Year.
For Fuck’s Sake
Posted: Fri 15 September, 2017 Filed under: Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Marketing, Shopping, Sweary Leave a comment »Last night, I went in to my local Tesco.
And was greeted with this.
No, Tesco. It’s September. So you, and your “Christmas is coming” bollocks can fuck right off.
So There It Was
Posted: Tue 27 December, 2016 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »And there we are, done with the Festering Season for another year. Well, nine months.
This year has actually been vaguely decent, as it happens – with a kind-of enforced break happening due to it all being on a weekend, and thus including two days of pretty much sod-all squared.
My only outstanding job on Christmas Eve was to collect pre-ordered foodstuffs from two places, both of which had happened before 9am (as planned, even with one of them being an absolute clownshow) so I was home before most people had even got out of bed. And from there on in, I did pretty much nothing – caught up on some recorded TV, read a book (well, Kindle, but same thing) and went out for a walk round the village in the evening. And that was pretty much it.
Christmas Day involved going over to the parents – once the cats had been appeased with food and biscuits, and I’d sorted out what was being taken over there – and a decent day was had by all. Home for about midnight. And that’s about it.
Boxing Day was similar to Christmas Eve, except with even less visiting of retail emporia – I went out for two shortish walks to achieve my daily steps goal, and that was it.
So for me, Christmas has been properly quiet, and probably the laziest I’ve been all year. Which was exactly what I wanted and needed, and just how I’d planned it.
So yeah, that’ll do.
So Here It is
Posted: Fri 23 December, 2016 Filed under: Charm School, Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Introspective, Personality, Thoughts Leave a comment »And now, the Festering Break begins. Not that I’m taking much of a break – that’s not even a surprise these days – but still, it’ll be four days of doing very little. And I’m OK with that.
As it turns out, the entire Festering Season thing hasn’t annoyed me too much this year. Sure, it’s got the standard annoyances and irritations – the same old, same old adverts on TV that you can’t miss for a good couple of months, the inane bollocks that shops do (filling the shelves with tat, blah blah blah) and so on, but that’s all pretty much par for the course.
What’s different, and has been for the last couple of years, is that I have less and less people trying to tell me how I should feel, or how I should be, around the Festering Season. I’m rotten at doing (or feeling) what I “should” do at any given time anyway, but for some reason this Season always exacerbates that, with people telling me I “should” be more festive, or “should” decorate my office, or “should” do a Christmas meal/party with clients, and any number of other things that I should be doing, because ‘everybody else does it’.
So it turns out that really, my enjoyment (or at least tolerance) of the Festering Season is more than a little dependent on (and inversely affected by) the number of people who feel it’s their place to tell me what I should do or feel in that season.
This year, far fewer people have done it, so conversely I’m OK with the season. More or less.
The Last Bits, and The Next Bits
Posted: Sun 18 December, 2016 Filed under: 2016/17, Day Trips, Domestic, Festering Season, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Food, Getting Organised, Solo Dining, Thoughts, Travel Leave a comment »It’s hard to believe that it’s only a week to Christmas Day, and two to the end of 2016.
This week we’ve had temperatures up around 10-13° C – which is ridiculous for mid-December – and I’ve been wandering around in shirt-sleeves. (While also wondering just how people are walking about fully clad in coat, gloves, and even furry hats. What the bollocks are they going to do when it gets cold, for fuck’s sake?)
Yesterday was my penultimate Michelin-starred restaurant visit of the year, so it’s all coasting down to the end of year. Which is no bad thing, to be honest.
I’ve got some plans and ideas for 2017, but really I think the theme is “do less”. I’ll still be doing all the stuff I’ve been doing in 2016, just less of it. That’s the idea, anyway. Whether it’ll work out that way, well, only time will tell.
One Month
Posted: Sat 26 November, 2016 Filed under: 2016/17, Domestic, Festering Season, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Getting Organised, Thoughts Leave a comment »Among other things, it’s good to know that in a month’s time, the Festering Season will be over and done with for another nine months.
Then there’s just New Year to get done with, and we’ll be all “Hello 2017!”
I’ve a lot planned for 2017 – although it’ll be a very different year to 2016. A lot quieter – intentionally so – in order to get done a bundle of stuff I’ve been thinking about this year, and wanting to have the time to do it.
In general, I’m currently quite optimistic about things, so it’ll be interesting to see how things work out.
Final Weeks
Posted: Fri 25 November, 2016 Filed under: 2016/17, BurgerCrawl, Day Trips, Do More, Domestic, Festering Season, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Food, Getting Organised, London, Milton Keynes, People, Solo Dining, Thoughts, Travel Leave a comment »We’re coming to the end of 2016, and things are (kind of) calming down a bit here.
Mind you, in the next month the main events are
- Seeing Glenda Jackson in King Lear at the Old Vic in London
- Seeing The Tempest in Stratford-upon-Avon
- A Festive BurgerCrawl in London – only Christmas Special burgers allowed. (That’s pretty much planned already)
- Meals at five Michelin-starred restaurants, including one for New Year’s Eve
and alongside that there’s also
- at least one techie meetup/socialisation night
- two social things with other friends and contacts
- a minimum of three films (that’re already booked) including Rogue One and Passengers, plus any others I choose to see
That’s about it – except for the standard stuff around the Festering Season as well.
And yet still, that’s a lot quieter and calmer than a lot of the year has been. Which just goes to show, sometimes I can be a spectacularly busy idiot…
It’s Begun
Posted: Wed 9 November, 2016 Filed under: Advertising, Charm School, Cynicism, D4D™, Festering Season Leave a comment »So here we are. Not even ten days into November, and the run-up to the Festering Season is fully underway.
The Christmas adverts have kicked in- and the ‘event’ ones like John Lewis etc. will be launching over the next few days.
The supermarkets have got all their tat out already, the cards, mince pies, chocolates etc., and even the fucking Christmas trees in the entrances, for shit’s sake.
Of course, the TV schedules are filling up with the standard reality TV run-ups, the BBC’s “Strictly” and ITV’s “X-Factor”.
Seven weeks or so to go, and it’ll be over for another nine months or so. In the meantime, D4D will be brought to you courtesy of the words “For”, “Fuck’s” and “Sake”. As usual.
The End Is Nigh
Posted: Sat 27 August, 2016 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season, Television Leave a comment »It’s the first post of the year to see Scrooge!
As of tonight, we’re officially in the run up to the Festering Season. How do I know? Because tonight on TV there’s the first episode of the new series of X-Factor.
Not that I’ll be watching it, but it’s definitely the harbinger of the year’s end…
Run Down
Posted: Fri 8 January, 2016 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Health, Single Life 1 Comment »The first week of 2016 has been quiet round here, mainly because my health took a bit of a kicking.
Over the Festering Season I’d developed a cough/cold that was annoying and persistent, but was fading out as we went into the New Year.
Then this week, it looks (on current evidence) like I got a dose of food poisoning from the meal on New Years’ Eve. Nothing major, but enough to debilitate, with a reduced level of sleep (and when you sleep as badly as I do, that’s relevant) and knock-on effects.
The food poisoning has been reported back to the restaurant, by the way, and we’re going through that process.
That’s pretty much gone now, thankfully.
What I’m left with is another vile hacking cough/cold – which I’m keeping an eye on, to make sure it doesn’t turn nasty and infected, as some of them do with me – and just feeling ropy, with weird aches and twinges elsewhere.
None of it’s serious, none of it has stopped me from working. It’s all just a bit annoying.
Still, onwards and upwards, and all that rot.
New Year, Same Ads
Posted: Sat 2 January, 2016 Filed under: Advertising, Festering Season Leave a comment »As always, now we’re out of the Festering Season, the TV is full of ads for holidays, sales, weight-loss and stopping smoking.
Regardless, I’m just happy it’s over once more, and some semblance of normality can return.
I haven’t yet seen any full-size Easter eggs in the shops – although I have seen Creme eggs and Mini Eggs – but I bet they’re on sale already.
An Organised Christmas
Posted: Thu 24 December, 2015 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Getting Organised, People, Shopping, Shopping Leave a comment »It’s well-known that I’m not the greatest fan of the Festering Season. I do observe it and sort things out for family and closest friends, but still tend to avoid the overboard hysteria of the entire season. There’s a whole number of reasons for being this way, and I can’t be arsed with going into them on this. It’s a subject that’s been pretty much done to death anyway.
This year,the run-up to the Festering Season has all been remarkably organised and gone very smoothly, which is a thing of joy.
Everything possible was done, bought, organised, and (where necessary) posted or delivered a couple of weeks ago. The only thing that remained – albeit in two stages – was food-based, getting the week’s food order in, and then today collecting the final pre-ordered bits, which was all done at Antisocial O’clock this morning, when the roads and shops were still blissfully empty.
I hate food shopping in the week before Christmas – the shops are just full of tosspots going mad because the shops are going to be closed for a whole 30 hours. I never understood why there always seem to be more people at Christmas, all of whom are buying more. Surely if it’s all about entertaining and having guests, there’d be half the number of people but buying twice as much? Only it doesn’t work out that way.
Internet-based shopping (and delivery thereof) has made this whole process as painless as possible. So long as you’re organised, you can book a slot in the week up to Christmas, order everything you know you want, and that’s it. Yes, there’s the slight roulette of out-of-stock items and so on, but that’s more about luck and timing than anything else. In my case, I got the delivery on Monday and everything I’d ordered was in stock and all was easy and fine. Indeed, the worst thing about it was that I had to lock the cats out of the living room while everything was delivered, which disturbed them quite a lot – I don’t think they’d actually realised the door could be closed, let alone be closed with them on The Other Side.
Collecting the final pre-ordered bits today was also painless – in and out, no hassles.
It really is a most civilised way to do things.
A Christmas Lunch
Posted: Tue 22 December, 2015 Filed under: Festering Season, Work-related Leave a comment »Weirdly, today I’m going to a Christmas Lunch with my current client company. It was completely unexpected – I’ve heard them talking about it on the days I’ve been in their office for the last month, but hadn’t been invited. Fine by me, it’s hardly something I’m going to take offence at.
But last week the boss invited me, and changed my day in the office in order for me to be there. At which point it’s kind of churlish to refuse. (Even by my standards)
So there we go – my fourth work-based Christmas thing ever. At least it’s only a lunch thing.
Solsticial
Posted: Mon 21 December, 2015 Filed under: Depression, Festering Season, Health, SAD, Weather Leave a comment »Happily, today is the Winter Solstice for 2015 – the shortest day, the longest night. (technically it’s tomorrow at 4.20am, but traditionally it’s today, the 21st, so I’m sticking with that)
From here, the days get longer – and that’s always a good thing. I suspect the impact of it will be lessened this year, as we’ve had such a stunningly warm December anyway, whereas the impact is always greater when November and December have been consistently grey and crap.
The day’s won’t feel longer it for a while – the increase is only seconds until at least the new year – but just knowing that it’s happening is A Good Thing.
And once the Festering Season is over and done with, it’s all improvements from there.
Ghost Town
Posted: Fri 18 December, 2015 Filed under: 1BEM, Cynicism, Domestic, Driving, Festering Season, Travel, Weirdness, Work-related 2 Comments »According to the BBC, today is the peak day for travelling around the Festering Season. Schools break up, companies close down, and people piss off on holiday – so there’s travellers alongside the commuters and so on. Supposedly, there’ll be more than 13 million journeys of at least 20 miles, which makes it even less of a joy than usual. (Which seems about right for the Festering Season, but then, I’m a cynic)
That figure’s an odd one though – journeys of at least 20 miles? Does that even qualify as a journey these days? In my head (which we all know is a strange place at the best of times) 20 miles is barely a trip, let alone a journey.
Round here, it’s been weirdly quiet all week – regardless of whether it’s on the roads, in town, or in the office, a lot of people seem to have already stuffed off. Which makes it all very peaceful. I suppose it’s easy for small companies (2 or 3 people at most) to take longer breaks and so on.
As it is, I’m working right through ’til the 24th (as usual) and so are the companies I’m working for at the moment. I don’t mind – but then, I’m not travelling, or doing much over the Festering Season.
Slightly Less Festering Than Usual
Posted: Fri 11 December, 2015 Filed under: Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Own Business, People, Work-related Leave a comment »This year, most of my working week has been spent in my own small office, away from people and corporate bullshit. It’s been highly beneficial to me in general – despite realising I’ve been doing this all year with no breaks – and I’m far, far calmer and more content than I’ve been in a long time.
The run-up to the Festering Season has reminded me of this again – primarily because I’m just not filled with as much loathing of the Season as I usually am. I’ve not been nagged about being a Scrooge, or had to listen to all that interminable “Oh, but the run-up to Christmas is the best” bollocks, along with all the witterings about who’ll do what (or did what) at the annual work Christmas Do.
In short, doing my own thing has been hugely beneficial all round.
I still don’t like it as a season – it’s not something I dislike just because of the bullshit of others – but I’m certainly feeling less hateful than usual. It’s really quite odd, but in a good way.
Mind you, I’m still glad it’ll be all over in two weeks’ time…
Looking Forward
Posted: Thu 26 November, 2015 Filed under: Cynicism, D4D™, Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »This is almost a part of the tradition of the Festering Season round here now, but I still feel it’s quite fitting anyway.
Just think, in one month’s time, we’ll be done with Festering Season stuff for another nine months. And we’ll have Easter Eggs on the shop shelves tomorrow. After all, it’s only three months away (March 27th 2016 is Easter Sunday)
The Beginning of The End – 2015
Posted: Tue 1 September, 2015 Filed under: Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Media, Television Leave a comment »It’s the start of September, and that means that we’re in the run-up to the Festering Season.
The signs are all there – X-Factor started last weekend, and Strictly Come Dancing starts this coming weekend. I don’t watch either of them, but they’re both timed to finish up just before the Festering Season, and as such they qualify as the harbingers of doom.
I’m sure there are other pre-cursors to it (perfume ads on TV, for one) but these two are the main ones I notice now. It’s a sad state of affairs.
January
Posted: Tue 13 January, 2015 Filed under: Domestic, Driving, Festering Season, Finances, Getting Organised, Thoughts Leave a comment »Financially, January for me is always a bit of an odd one – mainly through being slightly disorganised, but slightly through the whole ‘working as a contractor’ thing.
For a number of reasons, January has a number of extra expenses in it that are a pain in the arse. High among those extras is the car MOT/service, and car-tax/road-tax renewal, which come in as well as the usual monthly bills. Additionally, a couple of utility bills come in within that time as well – quarterly billing being the shit-head bastard it is – which also adds to it.
And of course December is always a short month (i.e. I don’t work the full month, because it’s got a bundle of Bank Holidays and so on around the Festering Season) so unless I work the bit between Christmas and New Year, it all becomes a bit tight anyway.
All combines, it just makes January a bit interesting. Doable, but interesting.
The car MOT is booked in for this time next week. I’ve already had to buy two new tyres – I know they’re borderline OK, but that means it’s time to replace them, I’m not risking an MOT fail and having to buy them from the garage! – and also a new headlight bulb, as that went while I was driving last week.
So yeah, it’s all a bit interesting, but still fine and dandy. Life could be worse, frankly.
Bah Humbug, and all that
Posted: Thu 25 December, 2014 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season 1 Comment »Yes! It’s here!
It’s Christmas Day, which means that by the end of the day all the Christmas tat will be over and done with. Happy, happy day.
I’m offline for the day, so have a good one, whatever you’re up to.
Worryingly Organised
Posted: Wed 24 December, 2014 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Festering Season, Getting Organised, Shopping 1 Comment »At the moment, along with being quite chilled and content with things (as written about previously) I’m also feeling quite organised – far more so than is common at this time of the year.
With the exception of one present that hasn’t arrived (despite being ordered on the 3rd) it’s all been pretty easy this year. Of course, it helps that I don’t buy stuff for loads of people and all that, but even so it’s all come together and been organised way in advance. By mid-month I didn’t need to buy any more presents – things had suddenly come together for the two more-awkward-to-buy-for people through odd confluences of coincidence, none of which I was complaining about at all.
I’ve managed to avoid all the festive retail bullshit – some of which was due to being organised, some due to the absolute joy of online shopping and letting the stuff come to me – although I did have to make one collection from a local food store. (Mind you, even that was organised to happen between 7 and 8am, enabling me to go in, collect, pay, and piss off without the hysteria of other people’s panic-purchasing) The rest of the supermarket food shop was done online and delivered painlessly – although working from home has helped on that score too, enabling me to be available when I’d usually be at work.
I’ve even got a number of things organised for next year – even down to having pre-booked the necessary parking requirements, as well as pet-sitter/feeder and the like.
It’s really quite worrying – things aren’t supposed to run this smoothly! But I’m going to appreciate it for the moment, and all well and good.
Knackers
Posted: Tue 23 December, 2014 Filed under: Advertising, Charm School, Festering Season, News, People Leave a comment »Among the things that have amused me today, the image on this BBC story about German Christmas Markets made me chuckle.
After all, how many times do you get to see the word “Knacker” on the BBC? And particularly in connection to the whole Festering Season…
Knackers to German Christmas Markets
It probably says a lot about my mindset that it was the word ‘Knacker’ that I noticed first out of the entire thing…
Christmas Cheer
Posted: Sat 20 December, 2014 Filed under: Creativity, Cynicism, Festering Season, Media, People, Thoughts Leave a comment »As always in the run-up to the Festering Season, the BBC is currently promoting the Eastenders Christmas Day special.
I don’t watch soaps, haven’t in years, and I really don’t get the appeal of them in general. But even in that sector, I truly don’t understand why so many people keep on watching Eastenders. It’s such an unremittingly depressing programme, one where nothing has a truly positive outcome. Even happy occasions – births, marriages etc. – have to have a downside, a negative touch. (Who’s the father? Who’s had an affair? What other explosion of emotion will happen?)
Christmas is, as always, the worst of all. There’s apparently going to be someone effectively going through the throes of a breakdown, so on Christmas Day there’ll be millions of people watching this whole thing of someone’s life collapsing around them.
Maybe it’s about making people feel better about their own lives – that no matter how bad they get, the people on Eastenders are suffering worse. I don’t know. But it’s a mindset that I simply can’t get my head around.
Decorative – the Exception
Posted: Thu 18 December, 2014 Filed under: Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »Of course, following on from my post yesterday morning about Christmas house decorations being more tolerable this year, I came across this twinkling monstrosity during my evening walk in the village.
I’d take it all back, but actually this one – from what I’ve seen – is more the exception than the rule this year…
Decorative
Posted: Thu 18 December, 2014 Filed under: Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »I don’t know if I’m mellowing out, but for whatever reason I’m not finding myself taking offence at lots of the Christmas decorations that are around this year.
Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t like the damn things, but it seems like there’s either less of them this time – or at least less offensively chavvy ones – and on some occasions I’ve actually found myself liking a couple, which is very scary. (Round here, Woburn has used exclusively the white icicle-type lights, and they make the place look really nice, which is a shock to the system)
It could be about this area not being as chavtastic as Bracknell or Manchester, and not as remote as Norfolk – where people seemed to feel it was OK to use as many lights as possible if they were in the arse-end of nowhere and not affecting anyone else. I don’t know.
Regardless though, it’s meaning I’m not feeling quite as ranty and FFS-y as usual about Christmas lighting. It’s all very odd.
Christmas Parks
Posted: Mon 24 November, 2014 Filed under: Advertising, Charm School, Customer Services, Cynicism, Festering Season, Marketing, People, Stupidity, Sweary Leave a comment »I don’t know when/why it started, but it now seems that part of the media’s Christmas tradition is to have a report/story about a “Christmas Park” that opens in November and closes down after one day because of its general shitness, and the resultant litany of customer complaints.
This year, the ‘honour’ has apparently gone to ‘The Magical Journey‘, which was designed/proposed by arch-tossrag Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
But really, what does anyone expect? These arseholic fucktrumpets are paying up to £20 a head to go and ‘see Santa’ – in November, in unseasonably warm/mild weather – and then get upset that it’s muddy, that they’ve got to queue for ages to see sodding Santa, and that really it’s all – gasp! – a bit shit.
Rather than talking to Trading Standards, I’d suggest probably getting mental health professionals involved, and getting every single one of those paying customers to take a good long hard look at themselves. For fuck’s sake.
Two Months
Posted: Sun 26 October, 2014 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 3 Comments »Just think – in two months time from today, the whole Festering Season bullshit will be over for another year.
Not that I’m counting or anything. Honest.
[And yes, I’m aware that I do this every year. Live with it]
Just Over The Horizon
Posted: Fri 17 October, 2014 Filed under: Advertising, Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »The Festering Season is coming.
How can I tell? (Other than the simple method of ‘look at the bloody calendar’) It really is quite simple…
- The bloody X-Factor has started
- There’s already a load of TV ads for Perfume, new console Games and shitty music compilations
- There’s also adverts from Park for “an Affordable christmas” for Christmas 2015, for fuck’s sorry sake.
- Supermarkets, not content with having chocolate selection boxes etc. out are now starting to put decorations and cards on the shelves too. (And yes, it’s still only mid-October, I know)
I’m just wondering now how long it’ll be ’til I hear the first bloody carol somewhere
All Over
Posted: Mon 6 January, 2014 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »So here we are, January 6th. Twelfth Night has been and gone, and all the Christmas decorations should have done the same.
This is A Very Good Thing.
The shops seem to stock Christmas tat earlier and earlier each year, but at least we should be free of it from now til September or so.
Normality resumes.
New Year’s Eve
Posted: Tue 31 December, 2013 Filed under: Change, Charm School, Cynicism, Festering Season, New Year, People, Resolutions, Thoughts Leave a comment »Unsurprisingly, I don’t really do New Year’s Eve. Partly it’s that whole “Everyone else does it, so I don’t” thing I’ve written about before on here, but primarily I just don’t quite get the whole concept. OK, we go from [old year] to [new year]. Big whoop. I get it – or at least more so – with birthdays, the anniversal thing of being another year older. (Or, more pessimistically, the celebration of having got through another shit year) But celebrating a new year leaves me cold – let alone the whole ‘resolutions’ thing.
I suppose it makes sense in a “The new one will be better than the old one” spirit of hope and optimism over [x] years of experience, although one assumes that leaves most people really quite disappointed.
I’ve never been a fan of it though – I did too many New Year’s Eves working in pubs, dealing with pissed idiots singing “Auld Lang Syne” and being all ‘love thy fellow man’ at midnight, and kicking the shit out of each other by quarter-past. New Year’s loses its happy glow when you’re sat (for the third year running) waiting for an ambulance by half-past.
I know, I’m a grouchy old sod. I accept that about myself, and try to stop it from affecting others, and their decisions.
All the same, I’ll be quite contented tonight to be at home, just doing my own thing.
Have a good one, wherever you are, and whatever you choose to do.
Christmas Day
Posted: Wed 25 December, 2013 Filed under: D4D™, Domestic, Festering Season 1 Comment »And lo, Christmas Day is upon us once more – and hopefully some semblance of retail sanity will return soon after. (I’m not entirely convinced it’ll happen, but we can still hope/dream)
Have a good one, whatever you do, whoever you are, and whatever you believe in.
Milton Keynes
Posted: Mon 16 December, 2013 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Getting Organised, People, Shopping Leave a comment »On Friday, I realised I needed to do some stuff in Milton Keynes that couldn’t be done/sorted anywhere else. On the penultimate weekend before Christmas. Oh tits.
As it worked out, everything went really well. I was in, parked, and ready to do everything I needed to by 8am. One thing was a look round the M&S to see if there was anything that appealed – and a bit of web-checking had shown that they were open from 7am. (God knows why they felt the need to be open for 13 hours when the rest of the shops weren’t open ’til 9, but I digress)
So – a quick belt round an almost-deserted M&S proved there was nothing I actually wanted – excellent. Back to the car to wait for 9am when everything else opened.
From 9am, I got everything done within 30 minutes, and was completely out of Milton Keynes by 10am. By that time there were already queues of cars to come in to the car parking, but my deeds were done.
Surprisingly organised, and surprisingly easy.
Even better, I think I’m now done and dusted for the entire Festering Season stuff. Next weekend should be spent avoiding retail environments completely, all being well with the world…
Missing Moosen
Posted: Fri 6 December, 2013 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Festering Season, Mooooose!, Thoughts 1 Comment »Long-term readers will know that for a long time back at the start of D4D I had a fair collection of moose and reindeer soft-toys. This collection also received substantial additions from Herself in the first Christmas we were together. It wasn’t a serious collection – probably more of a conglomeration than anything else – but it amused me, and I liked most of the moosen therein.
Post-Herself, and over four moves, a lot got despatched to other homes. Charity shops, toy stalls, friends with kids, all that kind of thing. And the remaining ones got abused to various degrees by the cats, and particularly the bloody Bengal.
So now I have no moosen.
And it’s stupid, but at this time of year in particular, I kind of miss having a couple of stupid soft-toy moose/reindeer around the place. I know they’d fall foul of the felines again, but I may just end up buying a couple if I see any I particularly like.
And yes, I’m 42, and should know better. But you know what? I really don’t care.
Christmas TV Clash
Posted: Thu 5 December, 2013 Filed under: 1BEM, Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, News, Television, Thoughts Leave a comment »I don’t know why, but somehow it’s ‘news’ that major TV programmes will clash in their scheduling over Christmas this year. (And every year in the last 30 or so, I’m sure)
Now really, are these clashes something that will even affect most people any more? Since the advent of the video-recorder, we’ve been able to watch one programme and record another to view later. With DVRs/PVRs (Sky+, Freeview Boxes, TiVo etc.) it’s even easier, with two (or even three) recordings able to happen at once.
So – why is this a problem? I know not everyone has such a set-up, but I’d guess that the great majority have something that can record a programme. Plus there’s also all the VOD stuff (BBC iPlayer, ITVoD, 4OD et al.) allowing us to catch up later on anything that we do happen to have missed.
The only thing I can think of is that it screws the viewing figures for people watching [Programme X] right now, and viewing figures like that still seem to be the main reference point for how succesful a programme was. (And surely that has to change or be updated, with all the developments above?)
But still – does that make this newsworthy? Or should it really read “Newsflash : TV Schedulers Screw Up Again“?
Only A Month
Posted: Mon 25 November, 2013 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »One month today, the shops will be shut, and the Festering Season will be over.
Rejoice and be happy. There’s just a month to go.
Festerous
Posted: Thu 21 November, 2013 Filed under: 1BEM, Advertising, Charm School, D4D™, Festering Season, Marketing, People, Shopping, Thoughts Leave a comment »This year I’m trying hard to not get ranty about the Festering Season – which is no mean feat, I can assure you. (I’ve also just discovered that I’ve not used that Scrooge image for nearly three years in a Festering Season post, so welcome back owd fella)
After all, my local Tesco Tosspots had Christmas Cards on sale at the end of September, for fuck’s sake. They’ve had mince pies since August, but I didn’t even bother getting any photos of those.
Since then, it’s just been going on and on. Their tree went up (fully decorated) before Hallowe’en was done. The foodstuffs have been in since November 1st.
I know shops need to have the time to sell all their festive shit. I suspect that they’re also stretching out the season ‘because of the financial climate’, allowing their customers to spread the cost of the Festering Season over greater time, rather than being crippled in December. I get that, and I don’t mind. (Too much)
It still narks me that everything is so obsessed with materialism, gifts, and the social-status inferred therein. I can’t help it. I don’t like seeing it in the shops for three damn months, or hearing poxy bastard carols on shop sound systems for two months. But it’s pretty much unavoidable – I try to limit my exposure to it all, but there still has to be some, sadly.
But I’m trying hard to not be too ranty about it. For now. That may change over the next few weeks – after all, there’s still a month to go…
Approaching Year-End (Part 2)
Posted: Mon 23 September, 2013 Filed under: 1BEM, Advertising, Cynicism, Festering Season, People, Shopping 1 Comment »At the end of August, I wrote about the signs that we were coming to the end of the year, and the Festering Season. Obviously X-Factor and Strictly being back on TV are the two primary harbingers mentioned in that one.
Now though, I’m seeing more signs – and they seem to be earlier than ever.
- On TV, we’re starting to see the adverts for perfumes/fragrances (for both men and women) and also the music compilation CDs that only ever seem to be on the shelves for the Festering Season. It’s always the “Oh god, I don’t know – get something” gift of last resort.
- In the supermarkets, hard though it is to believe, there’s already Christmas confectionary and mince pies on the shelves.
- And then there was this, spotted yesterday…
Yep, Christmas Cards are already on the shelves. I despair.
I’m surprised at how early all this tat is hitting the shops- I assume it’s retail’s way of handling people having less money than usual, so making the items available ever earlier. Personally I think that’s bollocks, and they’re just hoping for as many sales as possible – but as you can see from the picture above, people are actually buying the damn cards already…
The Beginning of the End (Of the Year)
Posted: Fri 30 August, 2013 Filed under: 1BEM, Advertising, Cynicism, Festering Season, Television 1 Comment »It’s only August, but we’re already building up towards the end of the year.
This weekend, it’s the return of evil Saturday-night ITV drivel ‘contest’ The X-Factor. Knowing that the target for this is (as always) the Christmas Number One single, you know it’s only [x] weeks ’til the Festering Season is upon us once more.
Next weekend, BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing is back on. In the same way, that’s now part of the run-up to the Festering Season.
I won’t be watching either of them, but it’s still a signpost that that fat old bearded bastard is on the way, red suit, reindeer and all.
Bah Fucking Humbug.
Season Change
Posted: Wed 2 January, 2013 Filed under: Advertising, Cynicism, Festering Season, People, Thoughts 2 Comments »Now that we’re over and done with on the Festering Season, it’s a season change in the advertising world.
Away go all the ads for perfume, shitty music compilations, and Christmas stuff in general.
Instead, for the start of the new year we get adverts for
- Dating sites – eHarmony, Match.com, etc.
- Weight-loss programmes – WeightWatchers, DietChef and Slimming World
- Holidays (and airlines)
- Banks
One advert is missing from the list though – I think this is the first time in about a decade that I haven’t seen an advert for stopping smoking . I assume they think everyone who’s going to quit has done so by now. Or maybe it’s an extension of all the other laws/rules about not advertising cigarettes – they now also can’t advertise stopping smoking?
Anyway, it’s all interesting, in that it shows how much advertisers expect people to be ‘normal’, to do certain things at certain times of the year. I find that fascinating.
Christmas
Posted: Tue 25 December, 2012 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season Leave a comment »Happy Christmas, and all that.
The Festering Season, 2012
Posted: Tue 18 December, 2012 Filed under: Advertising, Festering Season, Introspective, Shopping, Thoughts 1 Comment »For whatever reason, 2012’s Festering Season hasn’t really had as much of an impact on me as usual.
Maybe I’m mellowing. Maybe I’ve just given up on it as an unwinnable fight. I don’t know.
I still get annoyed by the bullshit commerciality of the entire enterprise – things like
- seeing Christmas cards in the shops before Hallowe’en
- Hearing Christmas Carols in November
- Mince Pies with a ‘best before’ in November
- All the insane consumer-driven shopfests in December – particularly in supermarkets
But for whatever reason, I can’t really find it in me at the moment to rant about it. Maybe I’m feeling pretty chilled at the moment, maybe it’s just (as I said before) because it’s pretty much an unwinnable fight. Maybe I’m just a bit tired of being ranty.
Whatever the reason, it just hasn’t annoyed me as much as usual.
Counting Down
Posted: Mon 26 November, 2012 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »Did you realise that one month from today, the Festering Season will be all over and done with for another year?
How time flies…
Signs of the Season
Posted: Sun 11 November, 2012 Filed under: Advertising, Festering Season Leave a comment »TV Adverts for perfume, gadgets, books, furniture sales and so on.
It must be the run-up to the Festering Season.
Hallowe’en
Posted: Wed 31 October, 2012 Filed under: 1BEM, Charm School, Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Hypocrisy, People, Thoughts, Weirdness 1 Comment »Yes, once again it’s that time of year.
The one where, after telling children all year that they shouldn’t talk to strangers, let along accept sweets etc. from strangers, it’s now acceptable – but only for one night (and the following weekend, of course) – to go knocking on doors and – um – accept sweets from strangers.
What could possibly go wrong?
I feel the same about Santa in the Festering Season – again, don’t talk to strangers, but oh, it’s ok this time because you’re talking to Santa and accepting presents. Hey, good move.
In short, ’tis the season to introduce your children to hypocrisy and double-standards. Enjoy.
Crackers for Easter
Posted: Mon 2 April, 2012 Filed under: 1BEM, Charm School, Cynicism, Festering Season, Sweary 1 Comment »Over the weekend, in Sainsbury’s, I spotted packs of Easter Crackers. Yeah, like Christmas Crackers, but for Easter.
What. The. Fuck?!?
(Looking on Google, it appears that this is becoming a common thing, somehow)
I didn’t get any photos this time – I’ll try to get some next time I’m there.
But really, what the hell is going on, if Easter Crackers are now a thing?
Advertising
Posted: Sun 26 December, 2010 Filed under: Advertising, Festering Season Leave a comment »Out with the ads for Perfume, Chocolates and Food.
In with the ads for Kitchens, Holidays, Sales and Diets.
Know what? It must be Boxing Day.
Ho Effing Ho
Posted: Thu 16 December, 2010 Filed under: Art, Charm School, Festering Season, People, Shopping, Sweary 3 Comments »
Nice to see that someone else feels roughly the same way about the Festering Season as I do…
In this case,
a ‘disgruntled employee’ of Harrods disabled the correct lights until he could spell out his feelings to Harrods bosses and Christmas shoppers alike. He was removed by security guards after an hour-long stand-off, then handed over to police.
It could be is photoshopped, I don’t know. But it is excellent. (Updated : The story is originally from The Poke, a spoof news site. The original photo pre-photoshop is visible here.)
FO at Christmas
Festive Doom
Posted: Wed 18 August, 2010 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Weirdness Leave a comment »I’ve just realised that last night there was a sign of the upcoming Apocalypse, and I missed it. Arses.
The sign was this : It’s August, and I had a dream about the Festering Season.
Not, thank the Deities, a good dream. Instead it was a dream about Festering Tat being in the stores way too early (again) and me going rather ballistic at the shop-owners/managers who had allowed it to happen.
Very very fucking weird, and I’ve no idea what on earth it’s meant to be about, or what it says about my subconscious.
That is all.
Christmas Done, Easter Coming
Posted: Mon 28 December, 2009 Filed under: Advertising, Business, Cynicism, Festering Season 3 Comments »Yet again, you can tell that the Festering Season is over and done with, the fucking Easter Eggs are in the shops!
Tesco, you utter utter bastards.
All Done
Posted: Sun 27 December, 2009 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »Yep, that’s Christmas over and done with for another year.
Well, another nine months, ’til it all starts coming in to the shops again.
Christmas Cheer
Posted: Wed 9 December, 2009 Filed under: Animals, Creativity, Festering Season 1 Comment »(via FailBlog) This has to be one of the best (and darkest) uses of Christmas Lights yet seen…
Bambi in Lights
The work of a fantastically sick mind.
I Love it.
Organised for Festering
Posted: Sun 6 December, 2009 Filed under: 1BEM, Domestic, Festering Season, Getting Organised Leave a comment »Today, I get to post off the menu choices for the entire family for Christmas Day.
Yes I know, the Scrooge of the family somehow gets to do the organisation of Christmas Day. Bizarre, but true. And it’s been this way now for three damn years.
In some ways I don’t mind, to be honest. It’s epically demoralising getting the sodding menus in August/September, and then dealing with who’s coming, who’s not, what’s going on, where we’ll be going, and getting back everyone’s menu choices. It also appeases the control-freak side of my nature, because it means I’ve got it sorted, I know what’s going on, and I know it’s all done.
This year it involves both Herself’s family and mine, which is a new one. My lot are coming up and staying with us over the Festering Season. Fortunately my father and brother are pretty much as Scrooge-esque as me, which’ll help. But still, it’s going to be fairly fraught. (More cynical souls than I would say that the Festering Season was always thus)
For now though, at least it’s all organised. I can go back to being a grumpy old Christmas-loathing bastard – not that that’s a change : just because I’ve organised the sodding day doesn’t mean I don’t still fucking hate it.
Next year, someone else can do it.
December
Posted: Wed 2 December, 2009 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season, People, Photography 1 Comment »It seems like loads of people around us spent last weekend putting up all their fucking manky house decorations for the Festering Season. some of them really do have to be seen to be believed.
In particular, two houses on my regular commute have gone hysterically over the top. I’m going to have to stop off some time this week on the way home and see what I can do about getting a couple of photos.
The TV’s full of shitty ads about perfume, CDs, chocolates, and fucking scumshit bastard Iceland.
And to top it off I’ve just had a spam email of “Festive Offers from Tesco Credit Card”. Fuck off, you dirtbags.
Well hellooooo, December.
Festering Generosity
Posted: Wed 25 November, 2009 Filed under: Customer Services, Festering Season, Work-related 3 Comments »Details of the work Christmas Party are now coming out. I’m still not going, but even I have to admit that the directors here are being remarkably generous…
Consider these points :
- The party has been booked at the (apparently good) restaurant at one of the local NT Properties.
- There’s also a disco/dance thing after the meal
- The company has booked the entire place
- Everyone who’s going will be collected by taxi from home, taken to the do, and taxis have been booked to take them home again. That’s paid for.
- The only thing that people attending the do will have to pay for is their own drinks from the bar. All the food and wine at the table is being paid for by the directors.
- People going to the party can leave work in mid-afternoon to go and get ready. They’re also not expected to come in to work the following day ’til mid-morning.
I reckon that’s pretty generous, and I’m not even going!
Evil Santa
Posted: Sun 15 November, 2009 Filed under: 1BEM, Festering Season, People, Weirdness Leave a comment »Now this is my kind of way to scare kids in a Christmas Parade…
Santa cart with deer heads instead of reindeer...
From There, I fixed it
Festerous
Posted: Fri 13 November, 2009 Filed under: Festering Season, Work-related Leave a comment »In a bit of deja vu from roughly this time last year, my new workplace is organising a big Christmas Party, and I’m doing my best to avoid it.
Thankfully I’ve got a couple of decent non-Scrooge reasons for not going (no partners, an hour’s drive afterwards, not actually wanting to be sober amidst a bunch of pissed bastards) as well as the fact that I simply don’t want to go, and have no interest whatsoever in going.
This year I’m not quite in the position of “I don’t like you when I work with you, why the fuck would I want to socialise with you outside work hours” (yet) which is somewhat of a novelty in itself. But just because I don’t (yet) want to maim them horribly doesn’t mean I want to socialise with them on a Festering Season do either.
So I’m making my excuses and not bothering to go. Suits me fine.
Fuck You, Tesco
Posted: Thu 8 October, 2009 Filed under: Advertising, Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »In an early front-runner for “Smuggest advert of the Festering Season”, the fuckstick bastards at Tesco have dropped a blinder. Not just smug and insanely early, but as sexist and shit as it’s possible to be.
A rough version of the text (it’s engraved in my brain having seen the cocking advert once) goes as follows…
Toys.
Come December 25th there’ll be Action Man for boys and Barbie for girls.
And yes, we know it’s only October. But Christmas comes quickly round here.
Smug overbearing materialistic shit-flogging sexist fuckbag cunts. Fuck off with your shite, you weaselly tossbags.
iEverything
Posted: Thu 8 October, 2009 Filed under: Advertising, Cynicism, Festering Season 2 Comments »The latest marketing ‘trend’ seems to be to emulate Apple by branding any given product with an “i” at the start, in the theme of iPod, iPhone, iDontCare etc. etc.
The one that boggles my brain more than usual in the current adverts is the Babyliss iTrim. It’s a fucking razor. Nothing iconic, nothing trendy. A fucking electric razor. That’s it.
Of course, we’re now in the advertising run-up to the Festering Season, so it’s all go for adverts about shit like this, so I’m sure it’s not going to be the last product this year with an i at the start of the name.
It’s still bullshit though. Sorry, iBullshit.
Chopped and Chipped
Posted: Tue 6 October, 2009 Filed under: Festering Season, News, Thoughts 2 Comments »Now this is my kind of Christmas Spirit.
Random mobs of ‘tree-surgeons’ going round, cutting down christmas trees and shoving them through the chipping machine.
Sadly it’s not the case in this instance, which appears to be more “mistaken identity” than “Bloody christmas”.
Which is a pity.
Still, it gives me an idea for later in the year…
It’s Fucking September
Posted: Sun 27 September, 2009 Filed under: 1BEM, Charm School, Festering Season 2 Comments »I’m seriously thinking (allbeit for next year now) of getting some big stickers printed up that just say
For christ’s sake, it’s still only fucking September!
Where will I use them? In supermarkets, when they’re already selling Christmas cake, pudding, mince pies, and general Festive Tat.
I mean seriously, we haven’t even got the bloody Hallowe’en stuff out in some of the shops – let alone feckin’ fireworks – and yet there we are, all the food and tat for the Festering Season is on the shelves already.
One of the local garden centres even has on display all the chavtastic house-decoration shit.
It’s fucking September. I despair.
It’s Coming…
Posted: Sat 22 August, 2009 Filed under: 1BEM, Charm School, Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »Tonight, “The X-Factor” returns to Saturday Night TV. “Oh joy, oh happiness, oh bliss” etc. etc. in a suitably sarcastic tone of voice.
Not just a celebration of lip-syncing, unoriginality, freakshow auditions and an almost terminal lack of talent (in the presenters and judges as well as competitors) it’s also the first sign that yes, the Festering Season is soon(ish) to be upon us.
Fucking Hell, 2009’s going past fast…
Bye Bye, Christmas
Posted: Tue 6 January, 2009 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Work-related Leave a comment »And there we go, that’s the Festering Season™ over and done with for another eleven months.
In the office, all the decorations are down – I’ve no idea who won “Best dressed department”, and nor do I care – and it all just feels that bit saner than it did last week.
I’ve still got one or two thoughts that I need to put into writing, but that’ll be done over the next few days, I should think.
Festering Review – The Good
Posted: Tue 30 December, 2008 Filed under: Customer Services, Festering Season Leave a comment »So yes, the Festering Season.
All told, it actually went OK – the meal we’d booked at Weston Park (one of the local golf clubs) went smoothly and was as good as last year, so they’re still highly recommended. It wasn’t perfect for the children involved – more food than expected, and some of it filed under “What’s that?” – but we’ve spoken to the place, and they’ve said that next time, just let them know what things would actually be eaten/preferred by the children, and they’ll do that with no hassle or worries at all. (And I have to say, I’m impressed with them on that score too – they seem to be pretty unfazed by anything we can throw at them)
The evening at the outlaws went OK too – and amazingly no-one went to sleep – with games and more food, most of which didn’t get eaten (but the majority went on to be used over the next couple of days, rather than just being binned) although it did mean that Hound got a load of the cooked cocktail sausages on the 26th, which she thought was fantastic – all told, she pigged about 30 of the damn things. Still, she doesn’t get treats like that often, so it’s no bad thing.
So as things go, it went. With the bonus of a quiet Boxing Day, not bad at all.
There’s some more thoughts for another time, but that’s the basics of Christmas Day.
So now you’re back
Posted: Mon 29 December, 2008 Filed under: D4D™, Domestic, Festering Season 1 Comment »Yes, it’s Monday, and the world returns to normal post-Festering-Season. There’s only New Year this week, and then roll on Jan 6th, when all the tat comes down too.
The world hasn’t ended, and all those tosspots who went out and bought eight extra loaves (etc. etc.) in order to survive the calamity of one whole day where the supermarkets were shut are now wallowing in slowly-greening bread. (And you just know that the majority of it will be chucked away, rather than going out as bird food or whatever)
Here, all’s still trolling along at its usual pace. Nowt special, back to work for both of us, and all’s well.
I’ll write a bit more about the Festering Season at some point today. ’til then, have fun…
26th
Posted: Fri 26 December, 2008 Filed under: Advertising, Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment » So, there go the adverts for Jewellery and Perfume, here come the ones for Holidays, Sales and stopping smoking.
It must be Boxing Day, and Christmas must be over and done with for another year.
Bah, Humbug
Posted: Thu 25 December, 2008 Filed under: Festering Season 1 Comment »And a merry fucking christmas to you lot, too.
Christmas Decorations
Posted: Mon 22 December, 2008 Filed under: Festering Season, Work-related 2 Comments »As it comes closer to the Festering Season, the header image for D4D™ has done it’s usual (automatic) change.
And that’s it for decorations, so far as I’m concerned.
In the office, it turns out that there’s some kind of bizarre competition for “best decorated” section, with some kind of prize. So the entire place (with a couple of notable exceptions) looks like some fucked-up version of Santa’s bloody grotto. There’s trees, tinsel and tat all over the place as well as some frankly weird things – papier mache camels are a prime example – just for variety.
Of course, round me there’s chuff-all. And that’s fine. I suspect I may end up with recognition for making least effort, or somesuch rubbish. That’s fine. I haven’t grouched about any of the other decorations, so people shouldn’t grouch about my lack of effort/decoration/festive tat.
All the same, roll on Jan 6…
Ethical Gifts
Posted: Tue 2 December, 2008 Filed under: Animals, Customer Services, Festering Season, Thoughts 1 Comment »In general, if I am going to be buying people gifts come the Festering Season, I’d rather get them something they actually want. Yes, it means it’s not such a surprise, but personally I don’t see the point of buying something that the recipient will find to be utterly useless.
For that, wishlists are bloody great – they keep the surprise, but at least you can list a number of things that you actually want, rather than “Oh, just buy me anything. You know me, you’ll find something“.
Anyway, for those times where people don’t have a wishlist, and do stick to the “Buy me any old thing” ethos, I now tend to buy an ethical gift (Water supply, chickens, etc. to some remote third-world area) rather than buying something useless. And so I thought I’d bung up a quick list of places with ideas I think are great…
- World Vision‘s “Must Have Gifts” for projects around the world.
- Sponsor A Tree do a number of Trees for Individuals in packs of 5,10, 20 or 30 trees
- Slightly more expensive is WaterAid’s shop where you can buy water supplies etc. for projects around the world
- In the UK, Garden Organic have the ability to Adopt a Vegetable, where £20 pays for the seed handling, propagation and storage in the Heritage Seed Library. There’s a list of the veg varieties available here.
- Still in the UK, you can also support the Cats Protection League or sponsor a dog through Dogs Trust (something Herself does already)
I’m sure there are plenty of others, but these are the ones I tend to support/use. If you know of any other good ones, add them to the comments!
Secret Satan
Posted: Mon 24 November, 2008 Filed under: Charm School, Festering Season 1 Comment »Sometimes, you just have to love ScaryDuck. Today is one of those days.
The post “On Christmas Cheer really does take some beating. An ace idea for the office Christmas Party.
Christmas Events
Posted: Fri 31 October, 2008 Filed under: Festering Season, Work-related Leave a comment » I’ve just been reminded of another of the down-sides of being in a “proper” job… The Christmas Do.
Over the years as a contractor, I’ve been able to avoid even being invited to office Christmas events, and that state of affairs has suited me fine. In fact, it’s pretty much the way I plan to keep on doing things.
But today I got invites to not one but two Christmas meals in work. I don’t plan to go to either – a useful excuse being the 40 minute drive home – unless forced, but I’m sure there’ll be other things coming up.
Bah, Humbug indeed.
30-Second Nativity
Posted: Thu 2 October, 2008 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 1 Comment » I love this story from the BBC about a competition to tell the Christmas story in 30 seconds.
It’s one of those things where it’s just such an easy target.
My version?
Single mother gives birth in Bethlehem.
Refuses to say who the father is.
Hype ensues, and the world has religious wars for the next 2,000 years.
Job done.
Organisation of the Festering Season
Posted: Wed 3 September, 2008 Filed under: Customer Services, Cynicism, Festering Season, Getting Organised 3 Comments »Today, I’m deeply deeply traumatised. We’re already organised for what’s happening on Christmas Day – and that’s a truly depressing thing to have happened by September 3rd…
It had actually started being discussed on Sunday, and then on Monday we got a brochure from the place we went to last year. A quick email of the menu to other interested parties, and it was agreed that we really should go back – everything had been really good last year, and everyone had come away deciding that it was a really good way to do the Festering Season.
So I called them yesterday, and it’s all booked. Of course, we still have to pay for the bugger, but this way we don’t have any of the late-November “Who’s doing what, where, and when?” discussions and last-minute plan changes as well as all the stress of anyone having to be up at 6am to start off cooking etc.
All the same, it’s pretty depressing to have got this all in place in September. I swear I’m never this organised usually…
Bah Humbug
Posted: Wed 13 August, 2008 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 3 Comments »Already, it’s apparently time for the first sign of the oncoming Festering Season™. Oh goody, I hear you cry.
The new season of ITV’s X-Factor starts on Saturday – and the hype is already starting.
And why is it a sign of the Festering Season? Because it normally ends roughly 7-10 days before December 25th, thus ensuring the Christmas Single is (yet again) going to be by some eminently forgettable twat. Or – for a change – it might be some longer-running eminently forgettable twat. You never know.
All gone, All gone
Posted: Sun 30 December, 2007 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Green Leave a comment »While I’m fairly well-known now as someone who doesn’t like the Festering Season, Herself is rather more enthusiastic about the season, so we’ve had the decorated tree and so on while people have been here.
We bought the tree locally, and it has to be said that it was one of the worst trees I’ve ever seen or had – the needles started dropping pretty much immediately, and then didn’t stop. By today it was just about half bald.
Anyway, this weekend we’ve been taking the stuff down again, committing the tree to compostable waste (except for the trunk, which will be committed to the wood-burner at some point) and the decorations taken down. The cards will be shredded and probably composted (or used as firelighters, I haven’t decided yet) but that’s it, chez Lyle, the Festering Season is well and truly over.
And not a moment too soon.
Christmas Review
Posted: Wed 26 December, 2007 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Festering Season 2 Comments »So, all things considered, Christmas Day actually went OK in the end. Fairly stressed, what with having lots of people here in the evening, but not too bad at all.
The meal was excellent, and is already showing the makings of becoming a regular thing – it certainly reduces everyone’s stress levels significantly when no-one has to cook a meal for thirteen, and the fun that brings on.
Because of the buffet-style food that was around in the evening along with six other people, Hound was confined to the garage for the evening – we’d put a heater in there, as well as her bed, so she was fine – which also made life a bit less stressed, and just generally everyone had a good time.
Obviously word of our “Good Life” style living has got out, as I’ve somehow ended up with things like a fat-ball holder for birds, a whole load of fat-balls (Hello, Google), a ladybird/mason-bee/butterfly house, and a number of other things that’ll go down well over time. Oh, and about £60 of garden vouchers, so that’ll keep us busy too.
All told, not a bad day at all. I’m still glad it’s over for another 365 days, though.
’twas
Posted: Wed 26 December, 2007 Filed under: Festering Season, Geeky, Own Business, Work-related Leave a comment »And that’s it. Done for another year. All I can say is “Thank chuff for that“.
I do have some ideas for next year, and the 2008 Festering Season may just be improved by use of Scroogians.com – if only I could think of what to do with it. I bought it a year ago, and have been completely stumped since then.
I did think that it could be used as a sort of “No fecking Christmas crap ’til December” thing, or maybe just a bunch where people could say Humbug together. But I just don’t know.
All suggestions will be received and/or considered.
Lunch
Posted: Tue 25 December, 2007 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season 1 Comment »This year we opted for something different for Christmas Lunch.
Over the last three years, we’ve had two Christmasses at Herself’s sister’s place (both of which were fun) and last year we had Christmas Day at home, before going down to Herself’s grandfather’s place on Boxing Day. We’d originally planned to have everyone here this year, or at the new house for Herself’s mother and grandfather once they’d moved up to the area. However, that move hasn’t happened yet – it’s still in the process, due to other people in the chain being utter, utter cunts – so it demanded a replan.
So for something different, and to take pressure of Herself’s sister (and to stop me having arguments with people in the kitchen while cooking everything) we’ve decided to go out for Christmas Lunch. After a lot of research we chose to go to Weston Park Golf Club which is fairly swanky in itself. It’s the first time they’ve done a Christmas thing, so it’ll be either a) really good or b) utterly disastrous.
Still, so long as everyone else is happy and not too stressed by the entire Festering Season thing, that’s the important thing and will mean that it was all worthwhile in the end.
We’ll see.
’tis.
Posted: Tue 25 December, 2007 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Introspective 1 Comment »‘Tis the season to be jolly say “bollocks”.
Fa-la-la-la la-la-la-la.
I’m taking the dog out for a walk. Hibernation seems like a good plan, but instead the demands of animals is upon us.
More tomorrow.
Running Around
Posted: Sun 23 December, 2007 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »With the start of the Festering Season, we’ve got people staying here from today.
So this weekend we’ve been sorting out a lot of odds and ends, getting things sorted out, cleaning the house, getting everything prepared.
Busy as hell, but at least we’re now ready and sorted.
Completed
Posted: Fri 21 December, 2007 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Getting Organised Leave a comment »For once, I’ve been fairly organised for the Festering Season. Admittedly, not that I need to do a whole load – but there’s still Herself to buy for, and that kind of thing.
But I’m already completely done – no last minute shopping, nothing that still needs wrapping, it’s really all fairly organised. Not even any need to join the festive getaway which is going to be screwing up all the roads. In fact I don’t think we’ve really got any serious travelling planned over the Festering Season, which is a bonus indeed.
We’re even sorted for what we’re doing on Christmas Day itself, so all told we’re about as organised as it’s possible to be at this time, and I reckon that’s got to be pretty good going.
The only remaining thing to be sorted is the food shop – and even that’s been done online, and should be delivered tomorrow. Of course, we’ll still have to see what they’ve decided they can’t deliver, and work out something from there, but at least we’re not going to be in a supermarket on Saturday, and that has to be a good thing.
Santa Balls
Posted: Tue 18 December, 2007 Filed under: Charm School, Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »(via Random Acts of Reality)
Finally, a company whose ideas about the Festering Season match mine. In fact, I could even be persuaded by at least one of their christmas decorations. I just wish I’d known about them before now.
Ah well, there are plans afoot for the 2008 Festering Season (of which more later in the month) so I’d best make sure I keep the information on Santa Balls ’til then.
Ho fuckin’ ho, indeed.
8 days to go
Posted: Mon 17 December, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »In eight days, the Festering Season will be upon us in all its “glory”. In nine, it’ll be all over.
All around us in the village, people have been decorating their houses with lights, icicles, glowing bloody santas, and all sorts of tat. In fairness, there are a couple of places that actually look pretty good (including one I’ve nicknamed “The gingerbread house” – all the lights seem to be aimed at that kind of theme) but they’re far outweighed by the ones that just look utterly naff and tacky.
At some point this week, I plan to go off on a small tour and get some photos of the abhorrences, just for future delectation. There’s one in particular that just leaves me shaking my head every time I go past – and not in a good or admiring way. Although I suppose it does serve its purpose of making Christmas more religious, because each time I see the place, I find myself saying “Jesus Fucking Christ”. Ahem.
Still, I find myself wondering why people do it, in much the same way I wonder why some people wear the outfits they do. It’s that “Do they really think that looks good/cool/classy?” thought again.
OK, I’m distinctly Scroogian at the best of times, but house decorations leave me completely befuddled – I just don’t understand the motivation for covering one’s house in manky faux-neon flashing tat.
Bah Humbug, indeed.
Festering Humour
Posted: Sat 15 December, 2007 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »Knowing my general dislike for the Festering Season, a friend sent me the following cartoon. I have no idea what copyright it’s got, so it may disappear at some point. But for the moment, well, it made me smile.
Oh yeah, and we’re away all weekend, so this is probably all you’re going to get. Live with it.
Drink Driving
Posted: Wed 12 December, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Driving, Festering Season, Thoughts, Travel 1 Comment »While I’m not usually a great proponent of the entire “User-generated content” thing, sometimes it can be interesting and useful. One example is this BBC piece about drink-driving, and this year’s advertising campaign to make people think again about drinking and driving. After the piece, there’s a whole set of stories of personal experiences of drink-driving, and being banned, and it makes for interesting reading.
Personally, I don’t drink at all if I’m driving. It doesn’t bother me, and I don’t see the point of the entire “Oh, I’ll be OK if I just have the one” point of view. I could probably get away with one (or even two) because of my size, but to be honest, why risk it?
Festering Charm School #2
Posted: Mon 10 December, 2007 Filed under: Charm School, Festering Season, Work-related Leave a comment »How to upset people around the Festering Season – the second in a number of lessons.
On receipt of a christmas card from a colleague. (Note: Doesn’t matter whether you like them or not)
“Great, thanks.”
[Buzz, Whirr (The sound of the office shredder in action)]
Note :The office recycling bin works just as well in this situation
Festering Charm School #1
Posted: Sat 8 December, 2007 Filed under: Charm School, Festering Season 2 Comments »How to upset people around the Festering Season – the first in a number of lessons.
(Note : This one was witnessed by me, not said by me)
“Oh, congratulations, I didn’t know. When’re you due?”
“I’m not pregnant.”
[Frosty Silence]
Delivery Times
Posted: Fri 7 December, 2007 Filed under: Customer Services, Domestic, Festering Season 3 Comments »Recently, I’ve had the fortune (or, in some cases, misfortune) to do a bundle of different purchases (No, not for the Festering Season™, but for birthdays, myself, and all that guff) and it still amazes me the difference in order processes- and in particular the delivery processes.
About a month back, I used DrinkOn.com for some wine, to be delivered elsewhere. The order process was really nice, dead easy – but wow did the delivery side let them down. They used a bunch of couriers called APC, who are (in my opinion) nothing short of shit. The first attempt at the order ended up with three bottles out of six broken. We complained, and DrinkOn sent out another order – which did get delivered OK, but all told it still took nearly three weeks to get it right.
Last Monday, I ordered two things from Amazon for my mum’s birthday, which (as it turned out) came from two different suppliers. One was despatched the same day, and got to my mum’s place the day after. The other one – ordered (and supposedly despatched) at the same time – finally arrived there today.
Then yesterday afternoon I ordered an OWL Wireless Electricity Monitor for us. And it arrived today – less than 24 hours after ordering it.
Now that is impressive.
Adverts
Posted: Wed 5 December, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 3 Comments »Why is it that electric razors are only ever advertised in the run up to the Festering Season?
Is it that these men only ever shave in December/January ? It’s all very bizarre.
1 Month to go…
Posted: Mon 26 November, 2007 Filed under: Charm School, Domestic, Festering Season, Travel Leave a comment »Just think, this time next month the Festering Season will be over, and we can all go back to “normality” once more.
Of course, the coming month is one of ridiculous work levels and travelling – on Friday we’re at the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham, on Saturday we’re down in Esher for something for Herself, and on Sunday – hmm, what’s Sunday? – oh yeah, Herself is doing a craft show locally. Then in a couple of weekends time we’re down in Reading for the Saturday night – being sociable etc.
There’s also a whole bundle of other things going on, but that’s the main stuff I can recall for now.
Still, one month to go. Not that I’m counting or anything, you understand…
Christmas Is Coming – Part One
Posted: Thu 22 November, 2007 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment » It’s coming up to that time of the year again. Yes, in five weeks’ time, the Festering Season will be over again. Not that I’m counting or anything, obviously. *cough*
Already the outdoor Christmas decorations are going up, and the stores are full of Festive Tat. They’re playing bloody carols in the shops too – which I’m doing my best to avoid, of course.
Actually, for some reason I’m not quite as Scroogian and filled with animosity towards the Festering Season as I usually am, despite the fact that there’ve been mince pies and advent calendars on the shelves since bloody September. I don’t know why I’m less narked about it this year, but there we go.
Who knows, maybe I’m mellowing out. Then again, we’re not actually in December yet. It could all still change. What’re the odds?
Way too organised
Posted: Tue 6 November, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Domestic, Festering Season, Getting Organised 3 Comments »I’m beginning to worry about myself now. Following on from a couple of conversations with Herself over the weekend about stuff for next year, I’ve just ordered her main pressie for the Festering Season™. This is notable because it’s far more organised than I usually am.
Now OK, I’ve at least waited ’til after my birthday to do this, but it’s all a bit of a surprise, seeing that I normally don’t even start getting organised for the Festering Season™ before December. At the same time, this week we’ll also complete the pre-order stuff for the Christmas Day lunch, and can get that all delivered and sorted.
All in all, it’s just a bit of a shock to the system…
Organising the Festering Season
Posted: Fri 19 October, 2007 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Getting Organised 1 Comment »Regular readers will find this virtually impossible to imagine, but this year we’ve actually already organised what we’re doing over the Festering Season. Hell, regular readers will find it mind-boggling, I’m fucking stunned.
But anyway, yep, we’re all organised. We (along with the rest of Herself’s family) are booked into a place for Christmas Lunch, and we’re generally just organising the entire Festering Season. We do have reasons for it – not least just so that everyone knows what the plan is, which should make life easier.
I went over to the place this week in order to collect menus and the like so that we can get all the meals pre-ordered as well. It’s all seriously organised – and more than a little depressing, to be organising this sort of thing while we’re still only in October.
Mince Pies
Posted: Sat 29 September, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »Yesterday, while stood in a queue at the Marks and Spencers food store at Cambridge Railway Station, I noticed that they had mince pies on the shelves. In September. Hell, the “use by” date was the end of October.
The garden centres we use have been stocking up on Festive Tat, and their Christmas departments both open next weekend. Yes, October 5th/6th.
It’s going to be a long three months…
Advent
Posted: Tue 18 September, 2007 Filed under: Customer Services, Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »We went to Sainsbury’s last night, and there, next to the Hallowe’en gear (Hey kids, only six weeks to buy this shit!) were chocolate advent calendars.
In September. I despair. Hell, the bloody fireworks aren’t in the shops yet, but the fucking advent calendars are.
I suspect D4D™ may be going anti-festive earlier than usual this year.
It’s coming…
Posted: Sun 16 September, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 1 Comment »How can you tell that winter, and the festering season is coming soon?
Because the TV ads are all for Strepsils, perfume, or things that can be perceived as christmas presents.
*sigh*
DVLA
Posted: Mon 8 January, 2007 Filed under: 1BEM, Customer Services, Festering Season 1 Comment »Since we moved, I’d kind of forgotten (and it worked out for the good, as I needed to rent a car during December anyway) to send off my driving licence in order to get the address changed on it.
Anyway, I sent it off between Christmas and New Year, and it came back on Saturday, all well and good.
I think it’s pretty impressive, to have taken less than a week to get the address changed and both parts of the licence returned within a week even during the Festering Season.
Insolvency
Posted: Fri 5 January, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season, Getting Organised, Thoughts Leave a comment »According to the BBC (and accountants Grant Thornton), overspending during the Festering Season could mean that up to 10,000 people will declare themselves insolvent/bankrupt over the next three months, as well as 20,000 other people who will declare, but for longer-term reasons than just Festerous overspending.
Now, discounting the fact that it’s a report funded by accountants, and thus dedicated to drumming up their own business, I really don’t get the entire overspending thing, regardless of whether it’s related to Festering Season or not. Over the last few years, financial institutions seem to have been promoting the entire ‘debt is good’ culture, and in the twelve months to the end of November 2006, the UK’s personal debt (including mortgages) had risen 9.5% to £1,278 billion.
While I acknowledge that I’m utterly crap with money (Well, I was ’til last year, when I got a lot of stuff sorted out) I don’t see the point in buying things simply for the act of buying, or just to amass posessions. If you can’t afford something (or can’t afford the repayments, if you’re going to get something on credit) then simply don’t get it. Or save for it. But no, the ‘instant gratification’ thing seems to bite people instead, and they work on a ‘get it now, and deal with the bills eventually’ mentality.
Over the last year, yes, I’ve bought some things on credit (new laptop, new computer, and all my work-related expenses, for example) but I’ve always known I’ll be able to repay them ASAP, without a problem. And that’s what I’ve done.
Personally, I find it hard to feel any sympathy for people who’ve got themselves into this situation, as it’s primarily a self-inflicted thing. “But it’s the fault of the banks, advertising loans and cards”, some of them cry. But you don’t have to apply for them all, do you? There’s a thought process involved here – or at least there should be – where if you know you can’t afford it, you don’t fucking do it.
That said, though, I do also find the practices of the banking community to be pretty objectionable too. Every lunchtime in the last month, I’ve walked past the local Lloyds bank, which in every window has had a promotional poster saying (I’m paraphrasing slightly, but not enough to worry about) “Don’t get hit by the Christmas spending snowball. Take out a loan with us”. And I suspect it’s people who’ve taken ‘advantage’ of offers like that who are the ones who’ll suddenly find themselves in the shit over the next three months.
Me? I just find it scary when I realise that I’ve possibly got a far healthier attitude to money than I ever thought I had…
Status Quo
Posted: Thu 4 January, 2007 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season 2 Comments »In the house, normality has returned. (Well, as close to normality as we ever get, anyway) This is A Good Thing.
Herself likes having a tree, but that’s gone now – it came down on New Year’s Day, (her choice, not mine, I should point out) all the decorations are in their boxes, and the tree has been dropped off at the local tip to shed needles there instead.
All the cards have gone into the recycling bin, and the other small bits of christmas decoration that had appeared around the house have all been hidden away ’til next year. (Due to Herself’s common sense, I have no idea where these bits have been put – otherwise I’d do my best to lose them when we move at some point this year)
So now we’re back to normal. We’ve been in the new place for a month, Psycho Cat is pretty much settled (and I suspect that the local wildlife is being gradually decimated) and Hound is – well – quite relaxed, for Hound.
Welcome to 2007.
Over and Done With
Posted: Wed 3 January, 2007 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 1 Comment »How can you tell that the Festering Season is finally over and done with?
Because now all the adverts on TV are for either :
- sales
- diets
- stopping smoking
or - holidays
Now we’ve got rid of the materialistic crap of new posessions etc., we’re on to the ‘resolutions’ and ‘future plans’ bits of the marketing maven’s bible.
Resolutions
Posted: Mon 1 January, 2007 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Getting Organised Leave a comment »Well, today’s the day that we’re supposed to do all that guff about resolutions etc.
Except, being an awkward old bastard, I started mine back in November.
So there’s no list of ‘what I plan’ for ’07, because it’s all back there. And so far, the progress is going pretty well, thanksk for asking…
Away again
Posted: Tue 26 December, 2006 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Festering Season 1 Comment »Ah, Boxing Day. A day for travelling back down to Buckinghamshire, and staying with Herself’s family overnight ’til tomorrow.
It’ll be a slow day, as we’ll be in an area where even mobile coverage fears to tread.
Me? I predict a lot of dog-walking…
Thank Christ, it’s nearly over
Posted: Mon 25 December, 2006 Filed under: Festering Season 1 Comment »Bah fuckin’ humbug.
Still, that’s it over with for another year. So not entirely bad then…
Unexpected Gift
Posted: Sun 24 December, 2006 Filed under: Festering Season, General Leave a comment »I’d just like to say “thanks” to whoever sent me the Mallrats DVD and “Magicians Guild” novel.
Of course, something saying who it was from would’ve been useful…
But anyway, thank you – the book looks interesting, so I’ll give it a go over the next few days.
Yodel-eh-i-ooooooo
Posted: Sat 23 December, 2006 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Travel 1 Comment »Yes, that’s right. We’re away in London tonight, seeing – and I don’t believe I’m saying this – Sound of Music at the Palladium. You just couldn’t make it up.
Oh, and then staying overnight at the über-swanky St. Martin’s Lane Hotel. As you can see, I’m being paid way too much.
Reviews of both will be provided when we return.
Music
Posted: Fri 22 December, 2006 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season, Work-related 2 Comments »The last day in the office, it’s pretty quiet except for the fact that someone has decided to bring in a sound system, and put on a bloody Christmas CD.
I could cry.
Bah, fuckin’ humbug indeed.
Still, at least the header image on D4D™ automatically changed today, so that worked. *grin*
That Festive Feeling – The Good
Posted: Mon 18 December, 2006 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Thoughts 3 Comments »In the post earlier this week about Christmas Parties, Gordon commented
I get you don’t like Xmas but it’s surely not healthy to be quite so vitriolic about it? Surely there is SOMETHING about this time of year you like?
And in fairness, yes, there are some things about this season I like. It’s just that none of them relate to the Festering Season. I love seeing the way the tree’s leaves change colours, even the sight of them blowing down and filling areas on the streets. I love the misty mornings, the views, the way everything appears different as the seasons change.
I don’t like the way the days get so much shorter, but at the same time I love the cooler temperatures, and still walk wherever I can in just shirtsleeves. I love sitting out in the local park at lunchtime, getting fresh air , even if there’s no-one else around, or most people are complaining that it’s bitterly cold. Hell, I’ve only really started wearing a coat in the last two weeks – and even that’s only because the wind at Attleborough station is bloody freezing at half seven in the morning.
So yes, there’s a lot I love.
The next post, though, may go some way to explaining the vitriol about it too…
That Festive Feeling – The Bad
Posted: Mon 18 December, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season, Thoughts 3 Comments »So yes, the bits I hate about the Festering Season.
I hate the hypocrisy, the materialism of the entire season. I hate the obligations – or rather, the perceived and implied obligations- that befoul people when it comes to Christmas. I know I’m a cynic, and in many ways I’m also a hypocrite, because I do get things for the people who I want to buy for. What I don’t believe in is buying stuff for everyone I know, plus work-colleagues, plus others.
Over the years, I’ve seen probably way too much of the bad side of the Festering Season, and I can’t deny that it’s had a lingering effect on me. I spent eight years running pubs and hotels, and every Festering Season I’d see too many people who were either in fairly serious trouble because of their Christmas spending, or who were depressed because they didn’t have the people around them they wanted, or they hadn’t received the number of cards and/or presents that the media and marketers made out the should have. I saw too many of the negative sides, and not enough of the positives. And for New Year, too many hypocrites who would be professing Auld Lang Syne, and peace and goodwill to all people at midnight, followed ten minutes later by beating the shit out of each other.
Once I’d left that side of things, I spent the next few years working over Christmas in a variety of places – Samaritans, Soup Kitchens etc. Again, I saw the negative side of the Festering Season, with not a great deal of the positive. But at the same time, well, I believe that it’s not a bad way to handle Christmas, to be honest – while I’m not religious at all, and don’t celebrate that aspect of it, I do believe that actually it’s no bad thing to spend the time helping out those far worse off than oneself – and that in many ways, it’s possibly a more “Christian” way of working than most.
I haven’t done that for about four or five years now, but I do still find that my thoughts at this time of year still turn to the people who’re depressed by the season, and by the differences between how it’s portrayed to people, and how it is. I don’t know if that makes sense – it’s the difference between the way dramas on TV (whether soaps, American dramas, period pieces etc., or anything else) show it as being this time of plenty, of presents, family, money, food, and happiness while some people’s personal experiences show it as a time of penury, loneliness, solitude, hunger, and depression.
Personally, I’ve had a couple of close friends die around the Festering Season, which never helps much either. I don’t harp on about it – but it’s there, it’s n my mind on occasion during this time of year, and I can’t deny it.
So, yeah, all told, I’m really not a fan of the Festering Season…
Collecting Stuff
Posted: Fri 15 December, 2006 Filed under: Customer Services, Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »About a month ago, I ordered something for Herself’s Christmas. Because I didn’t know how long it’d take to appear or where we’d be living at the time, and because the company offered it, I used Royal Mail’s Local Collect® service, which means that the package gets delivered to a local post office of your choice, from where you can collect it. Bloody brilliant – makes life a lot easier than wondering where something’s going to arrive, or when – I can just pick it up on the way to/from work.
Which is what I did this morning. Only, well, it looks like perhaps the actual Post Office people didn’t know what the service was. Or even the meaning of the word “service”.
They tried telling me that I’d used the service incorrectly, and that they’d have been perfectly within their rights to send the parcel back.
At lunchtime, I’ll be dropping in a printout of this page which may help explain it to them.
Ordering Stuff
Posted: Thu 14 December, 2006 Filed under: Customer Services, Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »Despite not being a fan of the Festering Season (a revelation rapidly filed under “Sherlock, Shit, No”) I do still do an amount of present purchasing for others.
In this case, I was trying to order something that my father would like, and so went to Oddbins as they’ve been useful in previous years. This time? A good selection, but can I get it delivered? Can I chuff-as-like. Each time I try, I get thrown out with an error.
So it’s off to email customer services…
I have repeatedly tried ordering from your website, and have failed each time when I try to add a delivery address to my account.
The process throws out an error, telling me to contact the webmaster. Unfortunately, Oddbins has managed to not have a contact
for the webmaster on the site, so this’ll have to do.
Anyway, because of these problems, and the complete refusal on the part of Oddbins to guarantee delivery by Christmas, you’ve now lost the custom. Admittedly it was only £40, but all the same, that £40 has now gone to another supplier.
In the run-up to Christmas, I’d recommend fixing the website problems ASAP – it happens any time I try to add a new delivery address (whether to my address book, or just for this one delivery)
Which I think is pretty helpful, all things considered.
It remains to be seen what the response from Oddbins will be…
Christmas Parties
Posted: Wed 13 December, 2006 Filed under: Festering Season, Work-related 5 Comments »At work, there’ve been three christmas party type things, and so far, I’m quite proud to say that I’ve managed to avoid them all.
On the first one, I had an interview, and thus couldn’t make it. On the second, I was just too late for a ticket. (i.e. an email got sent out saying ‘all tickets have been sold’, and I made a comment about “Damn I was just going to get one”) For the third, I got the date wrong, and ended up having something else booked in the same time-slot. Whether I would’ve turned up even if I had got the date correct, well, that’s open to discussion. (Anyone voting ‘probably not’ would most likely win a prize)
And now there’s only a week left of work, and I think I’ve dodged the bullet yet again.
In fact, I’ve only ever attended two works christmas parties, and one of those was forced upon me. Then again, I just spent that evening drinking outrageous amounts, and woke up the next morning still pissed.
At the end of the day, my attitude in general amounts to “I don’t like you fuckers when I’m working with you, so why the hell would I want to socialise with you outside work?” Which never seems to go down all that well, but does have the (sole) virtue of being true…
Festering
Posted: Wed 13 December, 2006 Filed under: Festering Season, Getting Organised, Weirdness 1 Comment »Amazingly, I’m quite organised this year. I’ve managed to organise pretty much all the necessary presents by today, and while there’s one that still needs to be collected from where I’ve had it delivered, and I still need to figure out what my bloody parents want, other than that I’m done.
Other than the outstanding parental stuff, I’ve just ordered the last present that needs delivering. So all told, it’s pretty organised at the moment – all very scary.
Now, who have I forgotten?
Ad Break
Posted: Tue 12 December, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 1 Comment »
- Currys Electrical
- Perfume
- Someone’s Greatest Hits Album
- Tesco Mobile
- Ferrero Rocher
- Another Perfume
- A ‘best of ’06’ album
- Another perfume
I guess Christmas must be just round the corner…
Tree
Posted: Sat 9 December, 2006 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season Leave a comment »Oh, can’t you just tell that the Festering Season is looming large. There seem to be more and more chavtastic house decorations every year – and while the town centre of Attleborough actually looks OK, there’s one hell of a lot of places that look really really nasty.
Today, we had to go out and buy a tree. Woo, lucky us. To be honest, I don’t mind – Herself decorate the tree in a fairly nice way, without too much tat, but equally I’d be quite happy to not have one at all.
Still, it’s going to be in the conservatory this year, as we’ve got one, and that’s fine.
On go the lights
Posted: Sun 3 December, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »It seems that our now town of residence has some interesting idiosyncracies.
Not least among these is the fact that everyone seems to have done their outdoor christmas lights today, and there appears to have been some kind of town-wide ceremonial switch-on.
All of a sudden this evening, the things seem to have gone on all over the place. It’s very strange. On the plus side, there’s one or two installations that aren’t completely chavtastic. Although that does leave the huge majority still being fit for that title….
Seasonal
Posted: Thu 23 November, 2006 Filed under: Depression, Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »Over the last couple of days (well, this week, really) I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’ve been, and the stuff that’s been going on in my head.
I know that my motivation has been rock-bottom for a lot of the last two months, and that there’s a lot of stuff I could’ve done (perhaps even should’ve) but I just didn’t get round to it. I’ve actually preferred going back to the B&B, and – if I’m honest – really not doing much.
Of course, that’s still my version of “not doing much”, as opposed to anyone else’s version. I’ve still started an OU course, written loads of stuff for D4D™, put together two websites, written some snippets of code to help out other people, and gone through the jus of debugging those snippets when the recipients had NumptyMoments®, (I’m not going to name names – they know who they are!) written a butt-load of emails, sorted out various other odds and sods, written letters, and generally caught myself up on a fair number of things.
But still, I know that deep inside me, it’s been unproductive in a lot of ways – there’s a lot more I could’ve done, anyway- and that instead I’ve wanted to be curled up in my room/cave/whatever, rather than going out into the big wide world.
It’s no bad thing, in general. And I know that I’ve also needed the down-time. The first two-thirds of this year have not been great, and I’ve needed recovery time from all that crap.
But equally I do think – with perfect hindsight – that the old Seasonal Depression has caught up with me a lot this year as well, and I can now see/feel the effects of that too.
Once we’ve done the move, I’m hoping that things wil settle down a bit, and I can get on with some stuff. That’s the plan, anyway.
But more than anything else I think it’s just that I’m going to have to keep an eye on that old SAD this year. It’s been a couple of years since it’s really hit me, but I’m beginning to think that this year will be the one where it returns…
Christmas Stamps
Posted: Tue 7 November, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season, Thoughts 2 Comments »Today, Royal Mail has released the images of their Christmas Stamps for 2006.
What I want to know is why they’ve gone with an image of Father Christmas taking a shit down a chimney as the First Class stamp ?
‘Tis the Season
Posted: Thu 19 October, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »This week I’ve been watching some TV via that USB adaptor (which works fantastically now it’s linked to a proper aerial, instead of the piece o’ crap micro-aerial that it came with) and I’ve noticed something. The adverts.
It seems like a good 80% of the adverts are for either perfumes, toys, or ‘greatest hits’ compilation CDs. (The other 20% is for either Cillit Bang or some kind of crappy room-fragrance candles)
Anyone would think it’s coming up to Christmas…
Parties
Posted: Wed 11 October, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 1 Comment »The malaise is spreading. The festering season™ approacheth. Yay verily, it does.
Over the last three weeks, I’ve noticed more and more places advertising for people to book their Christmas parties. Fair enough, I suppose, it’s October, the time is nigh.
Although I must admit, I do have a teensy comprehension problem when the local ethnic Thai restaurant is advertising for Christmas parties. But maybe I shouldn’t think about these things too much…
Bah Fuckin’ Humbug
Posted: Tue 26 September, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 5 Comments »You know, it really is very easy to go off some people particularly when they decide to go all bloody festive and remind me (and, of course, the rest of the world – or at least the subsection of it that reads his blog) that there’s “only” three months ’til Christmas.
Personally, I prefer to go with the fact that three months from today, it’ll all be over with for another year. And bloody good riddance too.
Bah, humbug.
PoX-Factor
Posted: Mon 14 August, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season 2 Comments »It’s fast becoming the first sign of the Festering Season, or at least the run-up to it.
Yes, I’ve seen the adverts for the first episode of the new X-Factor. It starts next Saturday, and (as usual) will run to a couple of weeks before Christmas. Just in time for the winner to get the “Christmas single”, in fact.
And, on a cynical note (of which I’m sure I’ll explain a lot more closer to the time) I bet the winner this year is a “group”.
So – A New Year
Posted: Sun 1 January, 2006 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Thoughts 1 Comment »So yes, 2006 is now upon us, and 2005 fades into the background.
It’s been a pretty eventful year, what with moving back down to Berkshire, two new jobs, and a variety of other things, but it’s all gone pretty well, I have to say. Looking back it’s hard to believe how much has happened, and how much has changed.
Obviously domesticity and relationship stuff has gone well, and looks like continuing in the same vein again this year. There’s a lot to be done, what with work, new stuff coming up, Herself’s career stuff, and the possibility (although with nothing yet even remotely cast-iron or decided-upon) of moving in the second half of the year.
Over the next few days I’m probably going to do a fair amount of thinking/writing about both ’05 and ’06, and a few other odds and sods too. In the meantime, though, I just hope that ’06 brings people what they want, and that it’s a good year all round.
</sentimental mush>
Thanks
Posted: Sat 31 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season 1 Comment »
Oops, knew I’d forgotten something…
Huge thanks to Alex for my Secret Santa present, the complete Dr Who shooting scripts. (for the most recent season) It’s utterly superb, and will come in very useful over 2006.
Cheers again!
And so we’re back…
Posted: Wed 28 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Travel Leave a comment »We did travel home yesterday, but it took so bloody long that by the time we got back I couldn’t be arsed to do anything that even resembled technical, or even thought-based. Which is why we’ve got through the bloody awful Casualty two-parter that’d been recorded on Sky+ for Herself…
Having left Norfolk at 11.15, we finally got home at 7pm. OK, so we’d stopped off along the way for lunch (roughly half an hour) and to drop off Herself’s Grandfather, and pick up Hound (at different places, I should point out) but all the same, it was a good six+ hours in the car. It was a nightmare. And most of it wasn’t even due to snow – it was just due to gimps all driving at the same time. And yes, that does mean that in this instance we were gimps too.
Still, all went well, and the Festering Season was actually a pretty good one. About which more later, I’m sure. But for now, well, we’re back, d4d™ is back, and I’m working from home while listening to the radio. Which is, as expected, shit.
364 Shopping Days To Go
Posted: Mon 26 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »Well, that’s it for another year.
Hoo-rah.
Merry Syphilis To You All
Posted: Sun 25 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season 3 Comments »Well, at long last it’s 25th December. Happy Fucking Christmas to you all, and Thank God it’s nearly over with.
Bah humbug.
Humbug
Posted: Fri 23 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »
Ho fucking Ho, and all that.
And, in the true spirit of christmas, BBC has a piece on general humbug at Christmas. Nice to know I’m not the only one.
Also :
Christmas Resistance Organisation.
and
The Anti Santa Liberation Army
All done
Posted: Thu 22 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Work-related 2 Comments »Halle-keffing-lujah.
I’ve completed everything for work’s deadline tomorrow. Now it’s just down to a bit of testing, and seeing whether other people have managed to sort their shit out too. But mine’s done – as promised and expected. To say I’m happy about this would be an understatement – it’s a huge weight off my mind for the Festering Break.
Of course this is just version 1. On Jan 2 (or thereabouts) there’ll be v1.1 with some extra stuff I haven’t had time/inclination to do for this first major deadline. But all the stuff that was in the spec for v1 is done, dusted, and ready to go. But this is just the start of the process. There’s a long way to go yet.
Also I’m done with Festering Stuff. Everything’s wrapped and ready to go. I haven’t (so far as I’ve figured) forgotten anyone. I’m done.
We’re off to Norfolk tomorrow for the Christmas Period. Hound goes into kennels tomorrow, then we sod off. There’s posts in the wings waiting to be posted while we’re away, but I expect most people will be not reading them ’til Wednesday when everyone’s back.
But for now I’m going to sod off, walk Hound, then drink a couple of beers. It’s been a good – if busy – day/week, but fucking hell I’m glad I’m at the end of it…
Premature Congratulation
Posted: Thu 22 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »Yes, the Festering Season is just round the corner. And to celebrate such depressing facts, I’ve changed the title bar a day earlier than I planned to. Live with it.
Lunch today is the work’s “office lunch” – in an Italian, no less. Could be worse – the aim is for no effing Turkey, anyway. It’s only the third work Christmas Do I’ve ever attended, which isn’t bad in eighteen years of working.
Posts may or may not be done this afternoon. Depends on my mood / workload / level of scroogery.
In the meantime, enjoy the title image. It sums it all up, so far as I’m concerned…
Homeless
Posted: Wed 21 December, 2005 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season, Thoughts 1 Comment »As some regular readers may recall, around this time last year I did a bundle of photography (and got paid for it!) for a charity in Manchester that worked with the homeless and prostitutes.
This year, my eye was caught by something in one of Herself’s magazines that deals with nursing and care. It was talking about a document called “A Christian Response To Street Homelessness” (I’ve saved a copy on d4d™, it’s an 810Kb PDF if you’re interested) which has a lot of suggestions and ideas, primarily for the London area of Westminster.
The final page of the document is called “Ten tips to help a rough sleeper in Westminster”, and one of the suggestions made me absolutely howl with laughter…
Think about what subjects you might talk about and read up on them – remember that very few rough sleepers have TV sets, so talking about the latest plot of ‘Emmerdale’ might not work.
I mean, how stupid would you have to be?
“So, you’ve been homeless for 8 months, and sleeping on the street?”
“yeah”
“Blimey, that’s rough. So, did you see Emmerdale last night?”
‘Tis the Season
Posted: Tue 20 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Thoughts 3 Comments »So seven viewers complained about Gordon Ramsay slaughtering turkeys live on his Channel Four program, The F-Word.
Several points occur to me.
1) Only seven people complained? Blimey, that’s good going. According to unofficial viewing figures that edition had 2.5 million viewers. Seven complaints equals (breaks out the calculator) a whopping 0.0000028% of the audience that complained. Fucking hell, what an outrage.
2) Hmm, it’s not really a shocker, is it? Gordon Ramsay has always believed that any publicity is good publicity. Even if he’s remembered as “Gordon Ramsay, the man who killed turkeys on live TV”, he’s still remembered. And if people don’t like the way he works, that’s their problem, not his.
3) Equally, Channel 4’s never been exactly publicity shy, and tries to push the envelope where possible. So they’re not going to be upset at all the free advertising in the press.
4) As Gordon said, if you’re going to be offended, why keep on watching? You’ve seen one get killed, the odds are the rest are going the same way. Switch over, or switch off. Otherwise it looks like you’re the kind of prissy mealy-mouthed Mary Whitehouse type who watches in order to find something to be shocked about.
Personally, I wouldn’t want to see turkeys slaughtered on TV any more than I’d want to see cows slaughtered. I’ve seen it before – it doesn’t bother me per se but it’s not stuff I’d want to see. That’s what the other channels are for. Or even the off switch. But, as Ramsay has been saying all the way through, the killing is part of the process. He was using it to show his children the way the world works, and it’s really no surprise that he’d extend that to showing other people. I suspect that a large majority of people never think of their christmas turkey as being alive, or the killing and work that takes place before they get to the shelves of Tesco or wherever.
And to me, the more people that start basing themselves in reality, of knowing how these things happen before they get to their nice little hermetically sealed package on the shelf, the better.
Memetic
Posted: Wed 14 December, 2005 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season, Thoughts 1 Comment »Snaffled from Pix…
Welcome to the 2005 edition of getting to know your friends. What you are supposed to do is copy this entire blog entry and paste it onto a new blog entry that you’ll post. Change all the answers so they apply to you, and then publish! Leave a comment if you do this.The theory is that you will learn a lot of little (random) things about your friends, if you did not know them already.
- What time did you get up this morning?
7am - Diamonds or pearls?
Neither – Jade for a preference, or polished cabochon (not cut) sapphires - What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Harry Potter IV - What is your favourite TV show?
West Wing, although there’s also a liking for stuff like House, CSI/CSI:Miami (Not New York), Have I Got News For You and a few others. - What do you usually have for breakfast?
Cereal with dried fruit, and an Orange Juice. - Favourite cuisine?
Edible - What food do you dislike?
Raw Tomato - What is your favourite CD at the moment?
Tough One – taste changes too much even in one day. - Morning or night person?
Night - Favourite sandwich?
Subway Melt or Club on Honey Oat bread - What characteristic do you despise?
Being self-centred - Favourite item of clothing?
Currently my long (knee-length) wool coat - If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be?
A place where no-one else went - What colour is your bathroom?
Light Blue, with White tiles - Favourite brand of clothing?
No preferred brands – just whatever fits - Where would you retire to?
Somewhere else. - What was your most memorable birthday?
Thirtieth. I’d always said I’d spend it on a beach somewhere, and did so in Lanzarote. - Favourite sport to watch?
Snooker, or British Touring Car. - Who do you least expect to complete this?
Anyone - Person you expect to complete it first?
*shrug* - Person who is least busy?
*shrug* - When is your birthday?
5th Nov. Every year. - What is your shoe size?
11 - Pets?
Two, Psychotic Cat (Turkish Van), and Hound (collie) - Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with us?
Nope, not yet. - What did you want to be when you were little?
Bigger - What is your favourite flower?
Passion Flower. Or a carnivorous one. - What date on the calendar are you looking forward to?
27th December, when the Festering Season’s over. - One word to describe the person who you snaffled this from?
Knockout.
Bastards
Posted: Tue 13 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Work-related 1 Comment »When I got in to work this morning, the office had been done out in bloody silvery streamers and so on. Apparently this is “festive”, as opposed to the correct word, which is “tacky”. Bah Humbug.
It also appears that my colleagues may have got the impression I’m not a fan of the Festering Season. Where they’d have picked up this idea is anyone’s guess. *cough* So the rotten bastards have used my desk as a nexus for all that’s tinselly and tatty.
I hereby predict it won’t be long before there is either a) a *cough* fire-test to see if the tinselly crap is fire-retardant, or b) some kind of accident where the area around my desk suddenly becomes rather clearer of twinkly tat than it is now…
Postcode Finder
Posted: Mon 12 December, 2005 Filed under: Customer Services, Festering Season 2 Comments »At last – it appears that Royal Mail have finally let their Postcode Finder be used without having to sign up for the service first.
It may be just over the Festering Season – I don’t know – but for the moment it’s sat on their homepage. This is where it should be all the time, and I hope they’re finally learning. Of course, my registered email address of ” fuckoff@youtwats.com” is hardly useful to them, and I’m sure I’m not the only one using such useful email addresses in order to register with business…
Organised?
Posted: Mon 12 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Thoughts 1 Comment »So, in two weeks time the Festering Season will be over and done with. Halle-bloody-lujah.
In the meantime, I’ve actually been fairly organised. All the cards went off in the post this morning – bonus, another job out the way.
All the main presents I needed to get have been done, and it’s “just” small stuff now. Most of that will get done this weekend, while we’re in Manchester.
So in short, it’s actually all fairly organised this year. Certainly makes a change.
Bad Idea
Posted: Sat 10 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Thoughts 1 Comment »During this week I wrote some posts that will go up while we’re away in the Dark End of Nowhere for the Festering Season. While this was a good idea in some ways, it also means I now have a countdown to the Day of Doom whenever I look at the pages for writing new posts on d4d™.
This is, obviously, Not a good thing.
Still, I’ve actually been fairly organised so far, with only small items left to purchase before Day of Doom is upon us. And I’ll probably sort out cards etc. this weekend as well.
Herself is wanting to get a tree over the weekend. I can’t say that this idea exactly fills me with glee, but well, it could be worse. She could like the Festive Tat™ that goes all over the outside of some people’s houses. Speaking of which, I still haven’t deflated the neighbours inflatable snowman. But I’m biding my time before the glowing white lardarse goes down for once and for all…
Going Home to a Bus
Posted: Thu 8 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »What an absolutely brilliant idea. Old double-decker buses converted into living accomodation. The buses, converted by a bunch called Double-Decker Living, are being used by the Centrepoint charity in London to help the homeless over the Christmas period.
With luck it might be that there’s going to be a use for the fantastic old Routemaster buses that are being phased out after today…
Header Images
Posted: Tue 6 December, 2005 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season Leave a comment »In a fit of pissed-off boredom today, I’ve created the header image for d4d™ over the Festering Season. It’s truly naff, which pleases me in this instance. Graphic designer I ain’t.
Still, it’ll be up as the header over the joyous festival, and will then disappear ’til next week. Oooh, how excited you aren’t by that news…
Counting Down
Posted: Thu 1 December, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »There’s one good thing about getting to December 1st. It means that there’s only twenty-six days to go ’til it’s all over for another year.
Three and a half weeks, and that’s yer lot. The Festering Season over and done with. Bloody marvellous so far as I’m concerned.
In fact, this year I’m almost organised. I’ve managed to sort out most of the present stuff already, which is kind of scary. I’ve sorted stuff for the parents, and got Herself’s main one too. Pretty good going, I reckon. Plus it means I don’t have to do too much shopping in actual shops during this grotendous month. Total bonus.
10 Things
Posted: Tue 29 November, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »Every so often it’s good to see that it’s not just me who hates the Festering Season.
In this case, Parking Attendant sums up 10 reasons why he hates Christmas.
All I can say is “Well said, that man”. I could probably come up with a bigger list, but it’d have many of the same things on it.
Oh, and after my post the other day about the happy lack of houses decorated in Festive Tat, it seems they were all out doing them over the weekend, as there’s now a surfeit of the buggers. Joy.
PSP
Posted: Mon 28 November, 2005 Filed under: Domestic, Festering Season, Reviews(ish), Thoughts 3 Comments »A while back, Herself promised to get me a Sony PSP for my birthday. It was one of those things I didn’t really need but one of the guys at work had got one on the day of release, and I was pretty impressed with the entire thing. So yeah, it was on my “oooh, oooh” list.
Come the birthday, and it didn’t materialise for reasons like everywhere being out of stock. Fairly good reasons, to be fair. So Herself said she’d get it for me for Christmas instead – and I placed an order for one with Amazon, which she could pay for. Easy. Only, of course, Amazon are – on occasions such as this – tossers, and were out of stock, and couldn’t guarantee delivery even in time for Christmas. Bearing in mind it was ordered on about Nov 10th, I figure that’s a bit of a piss-take.
Anyway, last week I got an email from Dabs.com saying they’d got PSP “Giga Packs” in stock now, so I ordered it. And lo, it arrived the next day. Unfortunately, this was a whole month before Christmas, and I’m crap at the entire willpower thing. So Herself tried to motivate me…
“If you can not open it, and leave it ’til Christmas, I’ll buy it. However, you can open it now, but you’ll have to pay for it, and I’ll get you something else for Christmas”.
Of course, it didn’t work. I managed to wait a whole three days before cracking, but crack I did.
And it’s great – I’m still impressed with the entire thing. I’ve been playing Wipeout Pure and Colin McRae rally (you get the idea of the kind of games I like) since then, and it’s still cool. Once I’ve sorted out PC stuff, I’ll also be ripping DVDs or Tivo’d programmes onto the 1Gb memory stick that came with it, and that’ll be cool too.
I know, I’m sad – but hey, what the hell, it’s a gadget. And it was never going to survive untouched for a month. Like the man said, “I can resist everything but temptation”.
Decorations
Posted: Sat 26 November, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Thoughts 3 Comments »Have you noticed this year that the retail version of the Festering Season seems to have started off a lot later than usual?
I don’t know why it is, or whether it’s just round here, but up until this week I hadn’t seen any sign of christmas lights/ decorations on the streets. They’ve gone up in the last few days, but I don’t object to that too much – after all, one month today and it’s all over anyway. Last year they were up by Nov 1st – so we’re definitely improving.
I did see somewhere a story about how retailers had (finally) realised that a three month Christmas run-up was counter-productive, and actually made people not want to spend money on Christmas at all – but I can’t remember where I saw it. Sometimes I’m useless.
Anyway, isn’t it nice, not being deluged already by Festive Tat?
Secret Satan
Posted: Tue 22 November, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season 1 Comment »Oh God, it’s coming up to that time of year again. Yes, the Festering Season is truly upon us, what with ads for compilation albums and kids toys all over the TV stations, Christmas Crap in the stores, Tesco advertising a “super-thin” tree for (I assume) people who live in rabbit-hutch houses with no room for a normal tree, and the like.
And lo, into my email box did fall an invite to Secret Santa 2005. *Sigh*
Lights Out?
Posted: Fri 11 November, 2005 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »
Ah, it’s good to see the spirit of Christmas is alive and well in Sonning, Berkshire.
In one private road (very posh, don’t you know?) the majority of the householders are hoping to pay off the houseowner with the glowing Christmas house decorations. This guy collects from this, and then gives to charity – last year he raised £5000 – and now the residents are hoping to pay him off. Which, frankly, sucks.
It’s no secret that I’m no fan of the Festering Season, and that I think the Home Alone-inspired glowing house decorations should all be trashed and burned. But while I dislike/despise them, I don’t try to get people to take the things down. They’re nasty, manky, and cheap – and I’m intrigued by the comment in the story that “Thames Valley Police said more than 40 crimes committed in the area last year were “directly linked” to the lights” – and I despair in general of the people who have this kind of tat and think it’s attractive.
But it’s still beyond me that people would try to pay someone off in order to stop them having this kind of thing on their house. Twats.
Afterthought : Of course, it’s also made me quite tempted to go over later in the year and take some photos, just for the hell of it. I probably won’t , but it’s made me think about it.
Two Months To Go
Posted: Tue 25 October, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season 4 Comments »Two months today, and it’ll be Christmas Day. Two months and one day, and it’ll all be over.
Now, who’s to say that’s not a good thing? Not me, that’s for sure.
I’m sure it won’t be long now before the first domestic signs of Festive Tat will be out there, flashing cables on houses, manky lights across high streets, and so on. For now, though, I’m just enjoying the lack thereof.
Festering
Posted: Mon 24 October, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Thoughts 2 Comments »You know, I have to say that at the moment the level of Festering Season guff around really isn’t too bad – or hasn’t been for me, anyway.
Normally by the start of October there’s been Festive Tat all over the place, but somehow this year I seem to be not seeing too much of it. Yeah, the bloody DIY stores have their displays out of manky neon and sparkly Santas, but the shops haven’t (yet) started overflowing with tinsel and toss. No bad thing.
Instead they seem to be going for Halloween in a big way – the local Tesco in particular has huge numbers of jack-o’lantern buckets and all sorts of rubbish. But I don’t mind that too much, even though it’s an Americanisation (is that a word?) that owes its entire UK existence to ET.
If nothing else it’s meant I can get to within a fortnight of my birthday, and not yet be sick of Christmas. That’s better than it has been in the last couple of years…
Smooth Marketing
Posted: Thu 22 September, 2005 Filed under: Customer Services, Festering Season, Thoughts Leave a comment »I’ve written before about the (in my opinion) really rather good company, Hotel Chocolat, who do some of the best chocolate I’ve had in a very long time.
In a similar kind of vein to Innocent, Hotel Chocolat have looked at the way people buy things, and have applied it to their company – and this is something that certainly shows up in both the way they market themselves, and the ordering process.
When you order with them, you can choose the dates you want the items to arrive – particularly in the case of things like Easter, Christmas etc. this can be really useful, as you can order well in advance, and choose to have them delivered to you immediately (so you can wrap it and send it on, or give it as a gift, I assume) or delivered straight to the recipient’s door as close to the day as possible. It doesn’t sound like much, but it shows the thought that’s gone into the process.
An example of the marketing skill came through in the post yesterday – an order form from them with a cover note that basically said “These are the people you ordered stuff for through us last Christmas – tell us what you’d like to order for them this year, and it’s all sorted” (I assume you had to pay them too, but that wasn’t mentioned in the letter) It just struck me that it was again something really simple, but that kept Hotel Chocolat in mind, and made you think “that’s actually really rather clever”.
Well, it impressed me, anyway. But I’m kind of sad like that.
T minus 100
Posted: Fri 16 September, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, Sweary 1 Comment »There are days when I really hate Diamond Geezer. Today is one of those days, and for one good reason.
Yes, he’s revealed that there are now precisely 100 days ’til the Festering Season™. I’ve already seen the fucking neon house “decorations” going up for sale, along with poxy tinsel and general Festering stuff. I despair. Now, where’s my scrooge image? (UPDATED : – ah, there he is)
VD – 1
Posted: Mon 14 February, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season, General 1 Comment »Yes, the header image has changed for the day, to reflect it being Valentine’s Day (AKA ‘Another Retail cash-in Day”)
Aptly, the image is taken from a shot of the St Valentines Day Massacre. So there.
Bah February Humbug
Posted: Fri 14 January, 2005 Filed under: Festering Season 3 Comments »I just looked at the calendar – in a months time, it’ll be Valentine’s Day.
Doesn’t time fly?
Shopping
Posted: Fri 31 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season, General Leave a comment »Grrr, shopping between Christmas and New Year is a fucking nightmare. So far in the last couple of days we’ve looked at umpteen furniture stores (including a journey to the Pit of the Earth – AKA Ikea) as well as some other places for clothes and general domestic stuff. The furniture places (excluding Ikea) were fairly OK, but the general stores were only classifiable as Hell On Earth™.
Still, all over for the moment, and it’s a New Years’ Eve in Reading with friends. Have a good one, one and all.
Over and Done With
Posted: Tue 28 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season 2 Comments »Hallelujah, that’s the Festering Season™ over and done with for 2004. Yippee!
Actually, if I’m honest, it’s not been too bad. Norfolk was lovely, bright sky, and not too many hassles. Back in the land of dial-up for a while, although I’m going to be sorting out broadband as soon as possible.
Over the next few days, I’m going to be sorting out loads of address changes. You never really realise how many places have your address details ’til it comes to a time like this, where you need to change them all. Bills, Mobile Phone, Domain Names and accounts, loads of stuff. Joy.
But at least we’re over and done with Christmas. Just a New Years’ Eve to get through now, and then it’s full steam ahead for 2005…
Festering Season
Posted: Sat 25 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season 1 Comment »Much as it’s unlike me, and the rest of the stuff on d4d™, I just want to say that I hope everyone’s Festering Season runs smoothly.
And remember, a stun-gun is for life, not just while Christmas Shopping in Asda/Tesco/Wherever.
Incommunicado
Posted: Wed 22 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season, News 1 Comment »Once today’s over, I’m not likely to be updating d4d™ that much ’til after Christmas. Tomorrow involves a journey down to the wilds of Norfolk, and I think I’m being volunteered to help with the Christmas Shop at Tesco. Oh goody, oh lucky me…
Once the Festering Season itself is done with, I’ll be down in Berks, at which point some normal updates should resume (assuming I get the WP login problem sorted at some point).
Yes, it’s all go chez D4D™
Funky functionality
Posted: Wed 22 December, 2004 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season, General 3 Comments »Well, this is – at long last – my final day in Oldham. I can’t wait to finish – this town has proved to be a truly demoralising and depressing experience, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
I’ve just done a bit of a test with delayed posting, so even though I’m likely to be out of touch for most of the duration of the Festering Season™, there’ll still be some updated on d4d™. How cool is that?
I’ll be writing more today, but in general it’s definitely time for a bit of a celebration…
Resolutions 2
Posted: Tue 21 December, 2004 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season, Resolutions 3 Comments »The second part of the resolutions (or as close to them as I get) were as follows (and can be seen in their original format here)
- New Tattoo
- Pass the fucking Driving Test
- Redo D4D in
Movable TypeWordPress- Lose weight
- Spend the Festering Season™ away from the UK
So – how did things go this year?
- Nope
- Halfway – at least I got the Theory test sorted out
- Done – still tweaking, but done, and you’re looking at it
- Ish
- See below, but no, not seeing it out abroad
However, during the year I’ve also :
- Printed up my own photos, and had other people want them
- Been paid for commercial photography work, now published in an Annual Report
- Been to Iceland
- Finished at my current workplace (well, that’s tomorrow technically, but hey ho)
- Developed new sites and systems for a bunch of people
- Started to believe in myself a fair bit
- seen D4D™ get another 150,000+ page views
- various other things
- and made a lot of plans for the start of ’05, including new location, new job, new domestic situation, and new lifestyle
So overall I reckon I’ve done a lot more than a simple list of resolutions indicates – but there’s likely going to be a new list for ’05 too.
Resolutions
Posted: Tue 21 December, 2004 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season, Resolutions Leave a comment »So, last January I wrote about some of what I planned to do in 2004. One of those was what I intended to do for Christmas.
- Go somewhere sunny – and possibly non-christian.
Now this one appeals, knowing my need for sun, and my desire to avoid as much of Christmas and it’s traditions as possible.- Go somewhere snowy
Prague still really appeals, and the entire thing of going somewhere that’s capable of a “proper� christmas- Stay home, and work a soup kitchen or similar
Done it before, and I’m pretty sure I’ll end up doing it again. Maybe not in ‘04, but definitely before long. We’ll see though.
And what’s happening for Christmas? None of ’em. Instead I’ll be down in Norfolk, with the family of Herself.
However, I did manage to do some work with soup kitchens over the last couple of months, so that’s that one kind of fulfilled.
Festering Fir
Posted: Tue 14 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »Further to the post about buying a christmas tree, I should point out that while I helped carry the bloody thing, it’s not in my house, but rather is down in Berkshire.
So yes, I’ve actually helped with a tree, although I’d be forced to say that decorating it was down to Herself rather than me.
Miraculous – pt. 2
Posted: Sun 12 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »Ye Gods, this domesticity thing takes some compromise sometimes. Today has actually involved – and sit down while you’re reading this – the purchase and decoration of a Christmas tree. Two shocks in one weekend : I’m just not prepared for this kind of thing. I feel like Scotty in Star Trek “It’s no good, captain, the propulsion system cannae take the strain…”
Still, it’s up now – I’m just waiting for the dog to destroy it while we’re out…
Retrospective
Posted: Thu 9 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season, Reviews(ish) Leave a comment »Pixeldiva wrote about the way her life has changed this year. I’m really pleased that things are working out for her, and congratulations again on the new job!
In many ways, my year has been very similar. Ups, downs, highs, lows, and a curve that looks like a moonshot.
Looking back in the archives to the start of this year, I was at a low ebb then. The previous year had worn me down, and I was hoping that 2004 would be a lot calmer. Come to that, I was also planning on spending the next Festering Season™ somewhere other than the UK. So, got both of those wrong then!
In the last year there’s been whole worlds of change. In February I was surprised by one person (who I never really wrote about, except in some very roundabout ways) and let down by another. (another thing I never really wrote all that much about) Over the summer I ended up being even more surprised by another person, and things changed immensely.
The person who let me down had continued to do so, and it ended up with us going seperate ways. It’s not easy walking away from a decade-long friendship, but on this occasion it had to be done – and I still don’t regret it. Sometimes it’s odd, thinking “Oh, I must tell them that”, but no, there’s no regret and no doubt. Everything took time, because I didn’t want to end with a “what if?” moment – and that’s worked, there’s not been a “what if?” thought at all. Does he read d4d™? I have no idea. I don’t honestly care that much – but I suspect he doesn’t, it’d be far too much like showing interest.
And now we’re at the end of the year. I’m moving back down to the South, and new job, new house, new(ish) relationship, and spending Christmas in Norfolk. In all honesty it couldn’t be much further away from any situation I’d envisioned for where I’d be at the end of the year. Huge leaps (one might even say quantum leaps) have been made, and I’ve changed immeasurably over the last twelve months. 2005 is going to involve more of the same, but a lot of it will be developing things that’ve started up this year.
This time last year I hadn’t even printed a photo – now my stuff is on walls in a few houses. I’ve done photo work I’ve been paid for, and also submitted (and been rejected) stuff for an exhibition. I’m going to keep on with it, and see how I do once I’ve moved, though.
Tomorrow I interview for new jobs, and all I can do at the moment on that score is “wait and see”. I’m trying to find a balance between optimism and pessimism. And failing.
I’ve no idea what 2005 will bring – if this year has taught me one thing, it’s that sometimes everything is out of our hands, and we just have to ride the waves it throws our way.
Counting the Days
Posted: Thu 9 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »In 12 hours I’ll be down in Berkshire.
In 24 hours I’ll be in the first interview of the day – the big job I’m really interested in.
In 2 weeks I’ll be without a job.
In 2 weeks 1 day it’ll be Christmas Eve.
In 3 weeks I’ll probably be sorting out stuff for moving – well, at least some of it, clothing and the like.
In 3 weeks 1 day I’ll have handed in my month’s notice on the house I’ve been living in for the last 18 months.
In 8 weeks time I’ll be completely moved.
Time’s flying on. Scary.
Semi-Organised
Posted: Wed 8 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »
Two weeks today will be my final day in this job. I can’t bloody wait.
Unfortunately it also occurred to me that this also means that in very slightly more than two weeks (17 Days, to be precise), it’s going to be bloody Christmas. “Oh bugger”, thoughteth I.
So last night and today, I’ve actually written out and sent all my cards for the festering season. In fairness, there’s not all that many – not much of a shocking revelation really, for anyone who actually knows me. But at least it’s all done now.
Amazingly, I’m even pretty much done on the shopping list now – I think there’s two or three things I need to still sort out, but I’m pretty much sorted out for the most part.
But for this year, I have to say, the main reasons I’m looking forward to Christmas (and even more to the time when it’s finished) are that I’ll have left this job, and be moving.
Novelty
Posted: Sat 4 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season, General Leave a comment »Amazingly, I’m in Manchester this weekend. I was supposed to be here next weekend too, but that plan has now changed, due to an interview down in Bracknell. Yes, the first interview, and about fucking time too.
Ah joy, a week to *cough* look forward to it.
My lovely hosts
Posted: Fri 3 December, 2004 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season, Geeky Leave a comment »I use 34sp.com for the hosting of d4d™ (and a few others besides), and all things considered I’ve been bloody impressed with them so far. Service has always been quick and non-patronising, even when it’s turned out that I’m an utter twat when it comes to remembering certain passwords or whatever. (Yes, these things happen, even to me!)
Yesterday I got an email from them, and they’ve increased the webspace on every account. Not just mine – everyones. Now, OK, they’re a hosting company, and obviously disk-space isn’t a hugely expensive commodity for them. But a 30Mb account now is 50Mb. The 75Mb I’ve got (and which I’d recently increased from 50Mb) is now 150Mb.
And I can’t deny – even knowing it will have cost them close to fuck-all – that I’m impressed by that gesture. They’re very, very nice people, the ones at 34sp.
Familiarity
Posted: Fri 3 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »It has to be said, someone (and she knows who she is) knows me far too well…
As with yesterday’s, click to biggify. And yes, the curtain behind it is vile – that’s one of the joys of rented property…
Counting Down The Days
Posted: Thu 2 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season, General Leave a comment »Ye Gods, we’re already in December. My last month in Manchester. Time’s flying past. Waiting for agencies to get back to me about jobs is becoming a frustration, and I just want everything to be sorted.
More frustrating is the current work. There’s no particular point in starting any new projects, and it just feels like I’m treading water. I want to move on now, and yet I can’t for another three or four weeks.
But still, I know it’s not long now, and it’s all going to bring 2004 to a good close. And 2005’s definitely going to be an interesting year!
Mystery Object
Posted: Thu 2 December, 2004 Filed under: D4D™, Festering Season Leave a comment »OK then – just for amusement value – what is this?
If you click on the image, you get a bigger version. Lucky you.
Goodwill to all men
Posted: Wed 1 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »How can you tell when it’s truly the start of the Festering Season? That month that’s supposed to be about “Goodwill to all men”, “Peace to the World”, and all that shit?
It’s when you see about Church carol services being cancelled after councillors don’t get the best seats or at least ones they feel is commensurate with their supposed position. It’s when you see that Santa has been banned from appearing in two Leicester hospitals. And it’s when a war memorial gets defaced and covered in pro-Nazi graffiti.
Welcome to Advent.