29 October 2005
They shouldn't allow smelly people on buses.
Had an interminable bus journey last night on the way back from the gym. The congestion charge has apparently forced people to drive in town only on Friday nights thus making my already incredibly tedious bus journey even longer.
And then, from Camberwell to Dulwich, was forced to hold my breath and breathe through my mouth, due to incredibly smelly person sat next to me. How can a person not be aware that they smell very strongly of really old socks? This was compounded by his leaning closer every now and then to see how I was getting on with my Sudoku.
He even outsmelled my kangkong belachan that I was taking home for dinner. And that's saying something.
I wonder why no one has invented a "Smellometer" that can measure intensity of smells, and someone who goes over a certain limit is banned from public places. That includes people who wear too much perfume/aftershave. Mmmm, that would be nice.
Had an interminable bus journey last night on the way back from the gym. The congestion charge has apparently forced people to drive in town only on Friday nights thus making my already incredibly tedious bus journey even longer.
And then, from Camberwell to Dulwich, was forced to hold my breath and breathe through my mouth, due to incredibly smelly person sat next to me. How can a person not be aware that they smell very strongly of really old socks? This was compounded by his leaning closer every now and then to see how I was getting on with my Sudoku.
He even outsmelled my kangkong belachan that I was taking home for dinner. And that's saying something.
I wonder why no one has invented a "Smellometer" that can measure intensity of smells, and someone who goes over a certain limit is banned from public places. That includes people who wear too much perfume/aftershave. Mmmm, that would be nice.
Labels: London
25 October 2005
We let Annoying Temp go yesterday. She has been replaced by Much Better Temp who managed to do more things in one day then Annoying did in a week. Went to tedious meeting yesterday about our programme plan going forward. I protest - I am a temp, even though I don't act like one, and have no real interest in such meetings, nor any business being there. I also missed my dance class because of said meeting. I accidentally forgot to go to another meeting today. I doubt I was missed much.
While I do my job well, most of the time I'm just thinking about lunch, breakfast, dinner, the gym and winning the lottery - with Sudoku thrown in occasionally. Sadly, have been too busy at work to think of any of these much.
Portugal was super swell and we were very unhappy to come back. Whilst there, we partook of caldo verde, Almeijoas al Bolhao Pato (clams with garlic), prawns - cold and hot, grilled sea bass, wild boar in piri piri sauce, piri piri chicken, sushi, bolos de cenouras and chocolate, soups, sandwiches and the like (courtesy of J's new café, Itso).
BA should be ashamed of the plane grub they served - faux ham and cheese pizza stick, coronation style rice salad and fruit cocktail (both of which looked suspiciously tinned). That was it. Pathetic.
While I do my job well, most of the time I'm just thinking about lunch, breakfast, dinner, the gym and winning the lottery - with Sudoku thrown in occasionally. Sadly, have been too busy at work to think of any of these much.
Portugal was super swell and we were very unhappy to come back. Whilst there, we partook of caldo verde, Almeijoas al Bolhao Pato (clams with garlic), prawns - cold and hot, grilled sea bass, wild boar in piri piri sauce, piri piri chicken, sushi, bolos de cenouras and chocolate, soups, sandwiches and the like (courtesy of J's new café, Itso).
BA should be ashamed of the plane grub they served - faux ham and cheese pizza stick, coronation style rice salad and fruit cocktail (both of which looked suspiciously tinned). That was it. Pathetic.
20 October 2005
One of the temps at work was annoying me thoroughly today. She has been annoying me for days and it has been building up slowly. Amazing, considering she's only been with us for just 1 week. She never remembers anything I tell her, looks indifferent when I'm explaining stuff, keeps asking why we don't have databases/equipment/resources in the company that she's had in other companies, keeps telling everyone how wonderful Sydney is because she lived there for a gazillion years, can't spell, has goofy teeth, boasts about how much she gets paid on other jobs, bangs on about her blind dates, says, 'Oh, right' in a vague manner when you point out any errors she's made....the list goes on.
I wonder if she'll stumble across my blog in my Favourites file on Internet Explorer while I'm away...
Hope so.
I wonder if she'll stumble across my blog in my Favourites file on Internet Explorer while I'm away...
Hope so.
Labels: work
16 October 2005
Yesterday, while I was sitting at the bus stop at Elephant & Castle on the way to the gym, minding my own business doing Sudoku, a large black woman came and sat next to me. A few seconds later, having obviously decided that I was blocking her view of oncoming buses, she got up and moved to the other side of me. But as there wasn't enough room on the bench, she decided to move me out of the way by practically sitting on top of me. Automatically, my first inclination was to scooch over, but then I thought, "Wait a minute, I was here first", so I sat firm. So I'm sitting there squashed up shoulder-to-shoulder with this obnoxious stranger. Then she tried to bump me over with her big bottom, but I wouldn't budge. So then she lights up and tries to move me out of the way with her hideous cigarette smoke, and then (!!), elbows me. At which point, I'm about to look up from my Sudoku and snap ungraciously at her. But then, this smarmy guy comes up and sits on the other side of me and says in a lascivious manner, "Hi! Good morning", whilst smirking horribly.
GOOD GOD! Can't you people leave me to do my Sudoku in peace?
Fortunately, the bus came just then before I could slug them both with my gym kit...
GOOD GOD! Can't you people leave me to do my Sudoku in peace?
Fortunately, the bus came just then before I could slug them both with my gym kit...
Labels: London
13 October 2005
It's a strange thing, but Tesco's Finest £5.50 for 2, obviously made of real chicken, has proper bone in it and a little paper hat Chicken Kiev is definitely less satisfying than their £3.00 for 4, made of unidentifiable bits of chicken, discomfortingly symmetrically round Chicken Kiev. Odd, isn't it?
I have accidentally left some left over siu yook in an internal envelope in my drawer at work today (was hiding it from the boss). I hope my drawer doesn't smell funny in the morning - or has been invaded by large rats.
I have accidentally left some left over siu yook in an internal envelope in my drawer at work today (was hiding it from the boss). I hope my drawer doesn't smell funny in the morning - or has been invaded by large rats.
Labels: food
12 October 2005
There's a new American brasserie in town called Automat or Laundromat or something. I was quite excited as am always happy to have new spots to have a slap-up American brunch. But the brunch menu seems to be devoid of anything vaguely breakfasty. Where are all the pancakes, waffles, maple syrup, corned beef hash, BACON! etc.? What kind of an American brasserie do they call themselves?
Wedge of iceberg lettuce, my ass...
Wedge of iceberg lettuce, my ass...
Labels: food, restaurants
I am livid. Am in the midst of viewing my pension arrangements for that happy time when I can stop working and eat cake all day. My Lincoln pension (I'm happy to name and shame) has LOST ME MONEY since I started investing in their useless, no-good funds TEN years ago. My F.A.(not the one who sold me this pile of poo) tried to tell me, "Ah well, they haven't performed that well - that's why I'm advising you to move it". HAVEN'T PERFORMED THAT WELL??!! That's a blummin' understatement. I would have been better off leaving the money under my mattress. Why didn't he advise me to move the money sooner is all I can ask.
My HSBC one, on the other hand, which is "only" a high street bank pension has made me growth of 140% - to which he says, well that's just an average growth - it's not that great. Well, if that's just average then the Lincoln one is so below average it's fallen off the bottom of the scale...
So now he's advising me to move the whole lot to Norwich Union which apparently give me access to a wider range of funds and they are apparently supposed to know what they're doing in the investing stakes. He'd better be right or I'm coming after him with one of BB's weapons of mass destruction.
My HSBC one, on the other hand, which is "only" a high street bank pension has made me growth of 140% - to which he says, well that's just an average growth - it's not that great. Well, if that's just average then the Lincoln one is so below average it's fallen off the bottom of the scale...
So now he's advising me to move the whole lot to Norwich Union which apparently give me access to a wider range of funds and they are apparently supposed to know what they're doing in the investing stakes. He'd better be right or I'm coming after him with one of BB's weapons of mass destruction.
Labels: money
This is one of those things that one needs lessons in life about (along with what you need to do when you have a child/get a car).
Received a letter from the solicitor dealing with the action against the guy who totalled N's car two years ago. The insurance company is pursuing him through court as he did not have valid insurance at the time and is refusing to admit guilt - even though the car was parked innocently at the side of the road minding its own business, and he was not. For some reason, I am named as the claimant, even though it is the insurance company who is trying to get the money back.
What I don't like is that the court document has my address on it, which means if the defendant is feeling vindictive he could walk the 40 or so houses down the road and be thoroughly unpleasant. BB says he can't see why he would have any interest in doing that, but the way I look at it, if he's the kind of person who doesn't have proper insurance and won't cough up when he damages other people's property, he probably doesn't mind being a nuisance to public either - especially those members of the public who are suing him. I may have to make a court appearance - though why I should is a mystery to me as I couldn't give any evidence except that I got home and the car was gone, having been taken to the knacker's yard by the police.
The court is in Walsall. Even though we both live in London. Typical.
Maybe I should claim for travel expenses, accommodation and unnecessary distress...
Received a letter from the solicitor dealing with the action against the guy who totalled N's car two years ago. The insurance company is pursuing him through court as he did not have valid insurance at the time and is refusing to admit guilt - even though the car was parked innocently at the side of the road minding its own business, and he was not. For some reason, I am named as the claimant, even though it is the insurance company who is trying to get the money back.
What I don't like is that the court document has my address on it, which means if the defendant is feeling vindictive he could walk the 40 or so houses down the road and be thoroughly unpleasant. BB says he can't see why he would have any interest in doing that, but the way I look at it, if he's the kind of person who doesn't have proper insurance and won't cough up when he damages other people's property, he probably doesn't mind being a nuisance to public either - especially those members of the public who are suing him. I may have to make a court appearance - though why I should is a mystery to me as I couldn't give any evidence except that I got home and the car was gone, having been taken to the knacker's yard by the police.
The court is in Walsall. Even though we both live in London. Typical.
Maybe I should claim for travel expenses, accommodation and unnecessary distress...
9 October 2005
It's a beautiful day in East Dulwich. The sun has been shining magnificently and nothing but the sound of traffic and distant alarms/police car sirens to mar surburbia.
Ate 3 bowls of porridge for brunch. Going to the gym a lot really takes it out of you. Chores in the morning and then half-hearted attempt to tidy up the bedroom. But my forearms are very sore from climbing yesterday (it appears I have almost no upper body strength to speak of - at least I can't haul myself up a climbing wall for an hour solid) and am having problems gripping things today to have paused in the midst of tidying - that's my excuse anyway.
Back to boring work tomorrow. But at least have Porto to look forward to in two weeks time.
Ooh... nearly forgot. I bumped into Gordon Ramsay on the stairs of the gym yesterday. That's the first famous person I've met there. He smiled and gave me a nod.
I'm so easily swayed by celebrity.
Ate 3 bowls of porridge for brunch. Going to the gym a lot really takes it out of you. Chores in the morning and then half-hearted attempt to tidy up the bedroom. But my forearms are very sore from climbing yesterday (it appears I have almost no upper body strength to speak of - at least I can't haul myself up a climbing wall for an hour solid) and am having problems gripping things today to have paused in the midst of tidying - that's my excuse anyway.
Back to boring work tomorrow. But at least have Porto to look forward to in two weeks time.
Ooh... nearly forgot. I bumped into Gordon Ramsay on the stairs of the gym yesterday. That's the first famous person I've met there. He smiled and gave me a nod.
I'm so easily swayed by celebrity.
8 October 2005
Went to Body Combat last night. This was the class that I nearly had to leave after 15 minutes, the first time I did it, due to general wanting-to-fall-down-dead-ness. The instructor, then, was a very small, whippet thin, ball of energy who would be bouncing all over the place and then go on to take some class called Boot Camp Circuits or something like that. She was French and ueber cool.
Now we have a new instructor. It was her 1st class at the gym and she was completely non-objectionable. Only thing is the way she spoke and moved was not entirely unlike a Blue Peter presenter. She asked for feedback afterwards but I thought that that was not the kind of feedback she was after so muttered something vague about "great class". But it was pretty boring.
Anyway, BB is off all weekend in some urban Airsoft thing in Leeds so I am gymming a lot today. Climbing at lunchtime and then dance class. Then I shall make a big pot of beef porridge with mui choi, fry up a big pile of ikan bilis and peanuts, slice up lots of ginger and spring onions and eat that all weekend.
My boss called someone a dickhead yesterday because he wanted to know why we were calling him back for the nth time for interview when the position he was up for had been filled already. I think we should phone him and tell him not to bother coming in, as she has clearly already taken a dislike to him.
Now we have a new instructor. It was her 1st class at the gym and she was completely non-objectionable. Only thing is the way she spoke and moved was not entirely unlike a Blue Peter presenter. She asked for feedback afterwards but I thought that that was not the kind of feedback she was after so muttered something vague about "great class". But it was pretty boring.
Anyway, BB is off all weekend in some urban Airsoft thing in Leeds so I am gymming a lot today. Climbing at lunchtime and then dance class. Then I shall make a big pot of beef porridge with mui choi, fry up a big pile of ikan bilis and peanuts, slice up lots of ginger and spring onions and eat that all weekend.
My boss called someone a dickhead yesterday because he wanted to know why we were calling him back for the nth time for interview when the position he was up for had been filled already. I think we should phone him and tell him not to bother coming in, as she has clearly already taken a dislike to him.
6 October 2005
I've got a super duper Bluetooth wireless headset thing for my telephone at work. I'm thrilled! I can walk around pretending to be Will Smith in iRobot or Madonna. Someone at work told me I was easily pleased - to which I countered - that's why I'm a happy person.. as I am easily pleased. They just glared. I can't even say they're just jealous as I ordered them one too. Ah well... everyone else was deeply envious.
Labels: work
5 October 2005
Hurray! New timetable at the gym and it's chocka of dance classes and the like. I shall write an e-mail of praise to the administrator, as they must be sick of the complaints/constructive criticism that I regularly send their way.
One of the new permanent classes is Tango which I have been wanting to learn for years but lacked the funds/get-up-and-go. Now it's on my doorstep, so to speak, I have no excuses.
Spent most of yesterday sorting out the boss' diary and running back and forth between the office and an offsite meeting delivering stuff that I don't think anyone really wanted to read but had to show willing. So no gym trip needed.
Comfort food for lunch - salt fish fried rice and egg sambal - and in the evening - cottage pie, carrots and broccoli.
One of the new permanent classes is Tango which I have been wanting to learn for years but lacked the funds/get-up-and-go. Now it's on my doorstep, so to speak, I have no excuses.
Spent most of yesterday sorting out the boss' diary and running back and forth between the office and an offsite meeting delivering stuff that I don't think anyone really wanted to read but had to show willing. So no gym trip needed.
Comfort food for lunch - salt fish fried rice and egg sambal - and in the evening - cottage pie, carrots and broccoli.
