24 January 2007
Today we had the first snow of the winter. I haven't seen snow in London for years. There was about an inch of snow. Everything ground to a halt. In the news everyone seemed surprised by this - as though things don't always grind to a halt every time we have some mild deviation from normal weather.
However, I was greatly cheered to see someone had made a snow Piglet and placed it neatly outside my local branch of EAT.
It was very sweet.
I did my first interview ever today. I suspect my interviewing style is a little unorthodox, but fortunately there was someone from HR present at the interview to do all the actual asking useful questions bit.
I just wanted to know if I would get on with the potential candidate, if she could spell, could do things without asking a billion questions and wasn't likely to spend the whole day twiddling her thumbs and hiding on the smoking deck. Oh, and doesn't expect to be taken through the basic operation of a computer 20 times a week.
However, I was greatly cheered to see someone had made a snow Piglet and placed it neatly outside my local branch of EAT.
It was very sweet.
I did my first interview ever today. I suspect my interviewing style is a little unorthodox, but fortunately there was someone from HR present at the interview to do all the actual asking useful questions bit.
I just wanted to know if I would get on with the potential candidate, if she could spell, could do things without asking a billion questions and wasn't likely to spend the whole day twiddling her thumbs and hiding on the smoking deck. Oh, and doesn't expect to be taken through the basic operation of a computer 20 times a week.
21 January 2007
It has been a very long week. Lots of working very long hours and rehearsing at the same time. Spent Wednesday and half of Thursday being cross-examined by barristers. I'm going to make DNA profiling my specialist subject if I ever go on to Mastermind. Not that I know all there is to know, but it just seems like it.
The barristers are excellent. They're incredibly witty and never seem to have come out of character. Even in breaks they refer to each other as counsel. After spending half a day with them you come out using all the longer words from your vocabulary. Sadly, after half an hour of watching Celebrity Big Brother, my vocabulary usage shrinks back down to its normal level.
It must be great to be so eloquent and well-spoken.
The barristers are excellent. They're incredibly witty and never seem to have come out of character. Even in breaks they refer to each other as counsel. After spending half a day with them you come out using all the longer words from your vocabulary. Sadly, after half an hour of watching Celebrity Big Brother, my vocabulary usage shrinks back down to its normal level.
It must be great to be so eloquent and well-spoken.
14 January 2007
Found out that there is a new tango class in East Dulwich on Monday evenings at the Thomas More Hall on Lordship Lane. Now I'm torn between the loyalty of going to my original tango teacher who is really good, or going to this class which is really convenient. Maybe I'll just try it out once.
I see Moxon's Fishmongers is moving into Brown's Antiques Shop's vacant lot on Lordship Lane. I think they have a shop in Clapham already. Mmmmm! Love fish! Hope they sell fresh clams. Then it'll be spaghetti vongole chez moi more often.
We went to view the new flats on Dog Kennel Hill yesterday. They were very nicely specified and the architect is wear testing them. However, the two bedroom duplex seemed smaller than our 1 bedroom flat, even though we reckon we have about 10m sq less floor space. It was just too streamlined with hardly any storage and low ceilings. There was also a void between the living room ceiling and the master bedroom so it was hardly private at all. It was a shame, but there we are. Looks like we'll be here for a bit longer and the option of extending up looks more like a reality.
I see Moxon's Fishmongers is moving into Brown's Antiques Shop's vacant lot on Lordship Lane. I think they have a shop in Clapham already. Mmmmm! Love fish! Hope they sell fresh clams. Then it'll be spaghetti vongole chez moi more often.
We went to view the new flats on Dog Kennel Hill yesterday. They were very nicely specified and the architect is wear testing them. However, the two bedroom duplex seemed smaller than our 1 bedroom flat, even though we reckon we have about 10m sq less floor space. It was just too streamlined with hardly any storage and low ceilings. There was also a void between the living room ceiling and the master bedroom so it was hardly private at all. It was a shame, but there we are. Looks like we'll be here for a bit longer and the option of extending up looks more like a reality.
10 January 2007
Why am I being made to work like a little doggie at work? It's all too much. Finally, the boss has agreed to sign off on an assistant for me, so I can make someone else work like a dog.
My friend, M, got stuck in the lift at 18:00, so had to wait till the lift engineer came to let her out. Her voice was so loud when talking on the emergency phone, we couldn't tell what floor she was on, because it sounded like she was on every floor.
I start work as a forensic DNA specialist in 5 days and have such a mountain of work to do at the office that I don't know whether I'm coming or going. I just hope they don't need me all week next week at the DNA specialist set.
BB started his new job on Monday. Apparently, no one talks to him but maybe they're just shy.
My friend, M, got stuck in the lift at 18:00, so had to wait till the lift engineer came to let her out. Her voice was so loud when talking on the emergency phone, we couldn't tell what floor she was on, because it sounded like she was on every floor.
I start work as a forensic DNA specialist in 5 days and have such a mountain of work to do at the office that I don't know whether I'm coming or going. I just hope they don't need me all week next week at the DNA specialist set.
BB started his new job on Monday. Apparently, no one talks to him but maybe they're just shy.
7 January 2007
I did 10,190 steps the day before yesterday. The most yet. I only did 6000 yesterday, but I also did a dance class, which ups the ante, I think.
Spent 3 hours with a DNA profiling specialist on Wednesday. Now I know all about finding out probabilities of DNA belonging to someone, reference profiles, base pairs, taking DNA samples, what to say in a court of law and such stuff. My brain feels like an overstuffed cushion with the filling squeezing out at the seams. I keep trying to stop the information from pinging out but I think some loose strands got away.
I got a giant splinter in my foot on Thursday. It was about a cm long. Eek. I still have residual pain from it in my heel. So now both my heels are shot. Sigh.
I hate Royal Mail. We got one of those Special Delivery cards in the door yesterday morning, even though we were both in - so the delivery guy had blatantly not rung the doorbell. I hope he has a horrible day. I don't know why they even bother trying to deliver. They should just call and say we've got a parcel at the depot for you and then it would save everybody time, fuel costs and money. It's pathetic.
Spent 3 hours with a DNA profiling specialist on Wednesday. Now I know all about finding out probabilities of DNA belonging to someone, reference profiles, base pairs, taking DNA samples, what to say in a court of law and such stuff. My brain feels like an overstuffed cushion with the filling squeezing out at the seams. I keep trying to stop the information from pinging out but I think some loose strands got away.
I got a giant splinter in my foot on Thursday. It was about a cm long. Eek. I still have residual pain from it in my heel. So now both my heels are shot. Sigh.
I hate Royal Mail. We got one of those Special Delivery cards in the door yesterday morning, even though we were both in - so the delivery guy had blatantly not rung the doorbell. I hope he has a horrible day. I don't know why they even bother trying to deliver. They should just call and say we've got a parcel at the depot for you and then it would save everybody time, fuel costs and money. It's pathetic.
2 January 2007
I got a pedometer for Christmas and today is the first day that I've done more than sleep for 16 hours since getting it. I took 6758 steps, thereby walking 5.40 km and burning 261 kcalories. I don't know what that means, but I was hungrier today than I have been for about a week.
Saw something about a Zhang Yimou film that has been out since 2005 but has completely slipped past the British film release net. It's called Riding Alone For Thousands of Miles and is, of course, not available with English subtitles anywhere. It's about a Japanese father who goes on a quest for his estranged dying son. It looks very interesting. It perplexes me that someone can make a film like Hero or like this, but can also make a doozy like House of Flying Daggers.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to watching it.
Have found an excellent Indian restaurant on Dering Street (where Satay Stick used to be) which does a veggie lunchbox for £2.90 or a meat lunchbox for £3.50. You get a curry, a veggie curry, a veggie side dish, a poori, rice and a small pudding for your English pounds - and it's very, very tasty. One of London's hidden bargains.
Saw something about a Zhang Yimou film that has been out since 2005 but has completely slipped past the British film release net. It's called Riding Alone For Thousands of Miles and is, of course, not available with English subtitles anywhere. It's about a Japanese father who goes on a quest for his estranged dying son. It looks very interesting. It perplexes me that someone can make a film like Hero or like this, but can also make a doozy like House of Flying Daggers.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to watching it.
Have found an excellent Indian restaurant on Dering Street (where Satay Stick used to be) which does a veggie lunchbox for £2.90 or a meat lunchbox for £3.50. You get a curry, a veggie curry, a veggie side dish, a poori, rice and a small pudding for your English pounds - and it's very, very tasty. One of London's hidden bargains.
1 January 2007
Happy 2007, one and all! I'm not one to make resolutions but this year I have one - try not to eat anything in the fridge which looks like it might give me stomach ache as it's so old or has things growing on it. I think that would be a good thing to do and not too difficult to keep. It would probably make BB happier too.
It's a beautiful clear sunny day - the first in ages. The fireworks were in full force at midnight last night and we watched the ones at the London Eye through BB's scope from the roof.
Back to smelly work tomorrow.
It's a beautiful clear sunny day - the first in ages. The fireworks were in full force at midnight last night and we watched the ones at the London Eye through BB's scope from the roof.
Back to smelly work tomorrow.
