Well just about nothing today has gone to plan, and it's turned out to be a rather expensive day!
This morning I traipsed into town to pick up my parcel from the sorting office.... where unfortunately there is no car parking, so everyone parks on the yellow line, nips in and out and this is all fine. However, the bloke behind the counter could not find my parcel! He searched high and low but no, it was not there. Which made me a little angry as the card they put through the door quite clearly said it would be. I got handed the number of the complaints department and told to come back in a couple of days!
When I got to my car, the traffic warden had just finished writing me up for a parking ticket. Bless him he'd waited for 5 minutes to see if I came out to the car before he started writing, but because of the ejits in the sorting office it was too late.... so no parcel and unexpected £70 fine.
I went to mum's house to beg coffee and to have someone to rant at and as I went to go in her neighbour stuck her head out the door to tell me the hairdresser was coming in 20 minutes to do her and her daughter's hair and did I want mine done......... erm yes! It's been needing doing for a couple of months .... queue more unexpected expense as my hair was chopped from somewhere around my shoulders back up into a chin length bob where it was meant to be. It had better warm up soon, my neck is cold!
The supermarket trip was boring, predictable and at least an expected expense.
Shopping away I was sitting at the kitchen table peeling apples for crumble when Ivan suddenly squeaked, scrambled across the floor on his stomach, went rigid and started shaking. I fended off the three girls and held him down till he seemed to come out of it, but he couldn't balance and was knuckling over on his front paw. Eventually got him calmed down and happy, to the extent he was bouncing up at me on his hind legs, so I thought, no problem, he probably just slipped on the wet floor and freaked a bit. Ten minutes later he was getting up out of his bed and the same thing happened. Phoned the vet, who thankfully was open still, and got told to come straight down. Quick exam later and I was told he was fine, nothing obviously wrong with him, that will be £45.00...... the vet's final diagnosis as I was leaving was, he's a lovely dog, but a bit of a drama queen.... tell me something I don't know!
I'm safely back home this evening and I think I shall stay here and knit, and possibly read, and do things that are definitely not going to cost me any more money today!!
Showing posts with label ranting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ranting. Show all posts
Saturday, 9 March 2013
Sunday, 10 February 2013
I am a valentines grinch........
Despite the fact that at heart I am in incurable romantic who loves nothing more than a happily ever after and wishes that all her friends could find that......... I hate valentines day.....
Today I have been subjected to 4 hours worth of radio programmes which were described as "valentines specials", not to mention being bombarded for adverts on TV this evening for special cards, flowers, gifts...... and then there are the e-mails that have arrived in my in box this weekend with special last minute "valentines offers" on them - which can be anything from chocolates to sex toys....(erm... this is no reflection on the usual e-mails I receive!)
Mother's free loader.... I mean lodger.....calmly told me (in her incredibly superior and knowledgeable voice) this morning as I was having a small rant about gross commercialisation of the day in question...... that it was just because I was single and if I had a boyfriend (at which point mother snorted loudly and muttered that that wasn't going to happen as I was a lesbian) then I would think differently about it and make a special effort for someone I loved ......... erm no....... even on the occasions when I was partnered on valentines day I didn't like it and most times the day passed by un-remarked upon
For me it shouldn't take a special day for you to tell someone you love them, to make it all about one dramatic act or gesture. It shouldn't mean spending a tonne of money on worthless crap that you will either shove in a draw and forget, eat, or in the case of that one off bunch of expensive flowers, chuck out a week later when they die....
So suffice to say.... I have had enough of the cheap pink plastic hearts and flowers for this year!
Surely if you love someone then you show it every day in the things you do and the things you say, from simple acts and gestures, spending time together, offering to help or to simply be there to listen and support and to receive the same in return.
Today I have been subjected to 4 hours worth of radio programmes which were described as "valentines specials", not to mention being bombarded for adverts on TV this evening for special cards, flowers, gifts...... and then there are the e-mails that have arrived in my in box this weekend with special last minute "valentines offers" on them - which can be anything from chocolates to sex toys....(erm... this is no reflection on the usual e-mails I receive!)
Mother's free loader.... I mean lodger.....calmly told me (in her incredibly superior and knowledgeable voice) this morning as I was having a small rant about gross commercialisation of the day in question...... that it was just because I was single and if I had a boyfriend (at which point mother snorted loudly and muttered that that wasn't going to happen as I was a lesbian) then I would think differently about it and make a special effort for someone I loved ......... erm no....... even on the occasions when I was partnered on valentines day I didn't like it and most times the day passed by un-remarked upon
For me it shouldn't take a special day for you to tell someone you love them, to make it all about one dramatic act or gesture. It shouldn't mean spending a tonne of money on worthless crap that you will either shove in a draw and forget, eat, or in the case of that one off bunch of expensive flowers, chuck out a week later when they die....
So suffice to say.... I have had enough of the cheap pink plastic hearts and flowers for this year!
Surely if you love someone then you show it every day in the things you do and the things you say, from simple acts and gestures, spending time together, offering to help or to simply be there to listen and support and to receive the same in return.
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
A whining post about parents....
Sorry, this is a purely letting off steam kind of post as if I don't vent here I am going to either end up bursting into tears or yelling at someone that totally doesn't deserve it.... feel free to skip said post and visit again later...
Dad hasn't been very well since New Year..... which is like the understatement of the year given that he's dying, he's just being a bit more serious about it at the moment. The doctors mucked up his medication and he ran out of one of his tablets, as a result he has been stuck in bed for the last three weeks nearly. His partner (sheesh, nearly 18 months on and I can't bring myself to call her his wife) is crap... back in October/November he had a bad reaction to some of the drugs he was trying out and all his joints became swollen so he couldn't get out of his chair.... but she left him there without food or drink to go to work with no one in the house for 9 hours! When ever she worries about him, which obviously happens a fair bit, she phone my mum and whittles on at her about him and and all her worries........ No matter how hard we try to get her to phone either me or my sister she won't do it.... mainly because dad doesn't want to upset my sister and the partner knows I have no time or patience for her.
Mum has decided, after seeing dad before Christmas (yes, they are still friends, and speak to each other, visit etc), that dad has in fact given up and is just waiting to die.... which is upsetting, but being a hard hearted bitch (my mother's words a couple of weeks ago) all I can think is please, just let him go soon and painlessly.... and yep, am still a complete coward who can't face going down to see him.
Last week I posted a bit about mum's straight laced lodger, who it appears is really taking the piss. Mum let her rent the attic before Christmas and was under the impression it would be short term till the lodger found somewhere to rent properly or bought another property..... only she's done fuck all bout finding somewhere else to live - why would she, mum's only charging her peanuts to stay there.... they were friends, but the way things are going the friendship is going to blow up very shortly as the lodger keep criticising mum and making snide remarks. Mum asked her when she was moving out, as she has visitors coming at the end of February - only to be told that the visitors could come in half term when the lodger would be house sitting for a week! WTF!!
What with the lodger, the radiator leaking just before Christmas (which meant she needed a whole new set of radiators), dad and the water pouring through the roof incident last week mum's anxiety levels have understandably gone through the roof. This evening (or rather today) her telephone has gone on the blink and despite several calls to the service provider, and them assuring her it was fine, she lost her temper with them when it still didn't work.... She then phoned me for sympathy and when I couldn't help her with her phone hung up on me..... she then phoned my sister and had a tizzy down the phone to her.
My sister phoned me in tears after mum hung up on her. Apparently mum's been phoning her having these kind of massive anxiety attacks at all hours of the day and night.... and when the phone rings really late at night she picks it up in absolute fear that it's the call to say dad has gone. Mum has always had a bit of a problem with alcohol, she started drinking rather heavily when she and dad were getting divorced and whilst it's been fairly under control she does tend to drink whiskey when she's anxious, which makes her very depressed. (Mum's drinking is one of the reasons I don't really drink and am happy to be the designated driver if I am going out) My sister admitted that when she and her partner went round for dinner on Saturday last week mum had drunk a small bottle of whiskey... my sister was mortified as her partner had never seen mum like that in the year that he and my sister have been together.
Tonight we were both pretty sure she'd been drinking again, so first my sister and then I tried to phone her mobile... which she'd switched off. We ended up going round to check on her because in her anxious state, with alcohol, we were worried she'd do something stupid.... she hadn't but she was in a complete state.
My sister and I really don't know what to do, she won't admit the anxiety is a problem - we both want her to speak to her doctor about it... we also want her to formally get rid of the lodger.... we are going to speak to dad's partner and make it clear that she has to stop burdening mum with her problems about dad
Arghhh, I just wish I could fix everything......
Dad hasn't been very well since New Year..... which is like the understatement of the year given that he's dying, he's just being a bit more serious about it at the moment. The doctors mucked up his medication and he ran out of one of his tablets, as a result he has been stuck in bed for the last three weeks nearly. His partner (sheesh, nearly 18 months on and I can't bring myself to call her his wife) is crap... back in October/November he had a bad reaction to some of the drugs he was trying out and all his joints became swollen so he couldn't get out of his chair.... but she left him there without food or drink to go to work with no one in the house for 9 hours! When ever she worries about him, which obviously happens a fair bit, she phone my mum and whittles on at her about him and and all her worries........ No matter how hard we try to get her to phone either me or my sister she won't do it.... mainly because dad doesn't want to upset my sister and the partner knows I have no time or patience for her.
Mum has decided, after seeing dad before Christmas (yes, they are still friends, and speak to each other, visit etc), that dad has in fact given up and is just waiting to die.... which is upsetting, but being a hard hearted bitch (my mother's words a couple of weeks ago) all I can think is please, just let him go soon and painlessly.... and yep, am still a complete coward who can't face going down to see him.
Last week I posted a bit about mum's straight laced lodger, who it appears is really taking the piss. Mum let her rent the attic before Christmas and was under the impression it would be short term till the lodger found somewhere to rent properly or bought another property..... only she's done fuck all bout finding somewhere else to live - why would she, mum's only charging her peanuts to stay there.... they were friends, but the way things are going the friendship is going to blow up very shortly as the lodger keep criticising mum and making snide remarks. Mum asked her when she was moving out, as she has visitors coming at the end of February - only to be told that the visitors could come in half term when the lodger would be house sitting for a week! WTF!!
What with the lodger, the radiator leaking just before Christmas (which meant she needed a whole new set of radiators), dad and the water pouring through the roof incident last week mum's anxiety levels have understandably gone through the roof. This evening (or rather today) her telephone has gone on the blink and despite several calls to the service provider, and them assuring her it was fine, she lost her temper with them when it still didn't work.... She then phoned me for sympathy and when I couldn't help her with her phone hung up on me..... she then phoned my sister and had a tizzy down the phone to her.
My sister phoned me in tears after mum hung up on her. Apparently mum's been phoning her having these kind of massive anxiety attacks at all hours of the day and night.... and when the phone rings really late at night she picks it up in absolute fear that it's the call to say dad has gone. Mum has always had a bit of a problem with alcohol, she started drinking rather heavily when she and dad were getting divorced and whilst it's been fairly under control she does tend to drink whiskey when she's anxious, which makes her very depressed. (Mum's drinking is one of the reasons I don't really drink and am happy to be the designated driver if I am going out) My sister admitted that when she and her partner went round for dinner on Saturday last week mum had drunk a small bottle of whiskey... my sister was mortified as her partner had never seen mum like that in the year that he and my sister have been together.
Tonight we were both pretty sure she'd been drinking again, so first my sister and then I tried to phone her mobile... which she'd switched off. We ended up going round to check on her because in her anxious state, with alcohol, we were worried she'd do something stupid.... she hadn't but she was in a complete state.
My sister and I really don't know what to do, she won't admit the anxiety is a problem - we both want her to speak to her doctor about it... we also want her to formally get rid of the lodger.... we are going to speak to dad's partner and make it clear that she has to stop burdening mum with her problems about dad
Arghhh, I just wish I could fix everything......
Saturday, 29 December 2012
A "relaxing day" as only I can have.....
After only two days back at work I was so tired last night that I fell asleep on the sofa at about 6.30 for a couple of hours.... then spent half the night awake, thinking very random thoughts, unable to get back to sleep. I eventually gave up and got up at about 4 am, let the dogs out and then dozed with them on the sofa till about 9 am.....
It's been raining pretty solidly the last 3 days and I was feeling very creaky so phoned mum and told her I wasn't going to be coming to visit as I wanted a nice quiet relaxing day at home........ or at least that was what I was hoping for...
It started well, I did some reading, pottered round the kitchen, put away the supermarket delivery and then about 3 pm wandered through to the lounge. Fire on and NCIS marathon, book if needed, yep I was all set.... well for about 90 minutes till the dogs wanted their dinner.
I put them in the kitchen, threw wings at them and then shut the door on them to go up and see to the dietary requirements of the felines.... nipped on the net for 10 minutes and then went back downstairs.... let the dogs back out the kitchen and herded them towards the lounge.... where Hugo flew over the baby gate towards us and landed right in the middle of the dogs!
Cue bedlam....... Now I know that Ivan will attack and possibly kill if he catches a cat, so he was my main concern... I managed to scruff him and stuff him back into the kitchen.... only Hugo went through too and ran a circuit or two around the work tops, table and cooker before landing on the floor amidst the dogs again ... they chased him out and at one point had him cornered in the hall. Again I extracted Ivan and got him back in the kitchen, by which time the girls were all running around frantically in the hallway, leaping up and down and generally being very excitable.... but no sign of Hugo, so I assumed he'd gotten away over the baby gate and back upstairs........ wrong!
I let Ivan out, only to have him leap onto the night crates they sleep in which are under the stairs.... he then got behind the storage boxes that have their towels and spare bedding in.... at which point I realised Hugo was in fact wedged at the back of the crates...... extraction process commenced again, with the girls herded into the lounge behind one gate, Ivan unceremoniously scruffed and dropped over the kitchen baby gate, and then Hugo safely gathered in from where he was wedged......... one quick once over of a furious and extremely stressed cat revealed no serious injuries, but he then proceeded to pee all over me....I have some minor scratches to my hands caused as he flung himself over the bannister to rush upstairs.......
The dogs went to their crates for an hour whilst I calmed down.......
I've since checked everyone over and the damage is as follows:
Ivan - limping on both front legs where he's got cat bites across the lowest joint on one side and a small hole in his pad on the other
Gretchen - small claw mark by her right eye
Kammi - ripped ear (sheesh they don't half bleed)
Hope - nothing at all except a confused look (she actually gets on with the cats and plays with them)
I have cleaned wounds, applied antiseptic and arnica (and thrown antibiotics into Ivan)..... there has been no sympathy or bed time biscuits though.
As for Hugo.... aside from needing a bath quite desperately he's a couple of scratches that have taken some pigment off but nothing that has broken the skin....... he's still a bit skittish but is currently curled up on my hip occasionally purring, so I am guessing he's getting over it.
So much for a nice quiet relaxing day........
It's been raining pretty solidly the last 3 days and I was feeling very creaky so phoned mum and told her I wasn't going to be coming to visit as I wanted a nice quiet relaxing day at home........ or at least that was what I was hoping for...
It started well, I did some reading, pottered round the kitchen, put away the supermarket delivery and then about 3 pm wandered through to the lounge. Fire on and NCIS marathon, book if needed, yep I was all set.... well for about 90 minutes till the dogs wanted their dinner.
I put them in the kitchen, threw wings at them and then shut the door on them to go up and see to the dietary requirements of the felines.... nipped on the net for 10 minutes and then went back downstairs.... let the dogs back out the kitchen and herded them towards the lounge.... where Hugo flew over the baby gate towards us and landed right in the middle of the dogs!
Cue bedlam....... Now I know that Ivan will attack and possibly kill if he catches a cat, so he was my main concern... I managed to scruff him and stuff him back into the kitchen.... only Hugo went through too and ran a circuit or two around the work tops, table and cooker before landing on the floor amidst the dogs again ... they chased him out and at one point had him cornered in the hall. Again I extracted Ivan and got him back in the kitchen, by which time the girls were all running around frantically in the hallway, leaping up and down and generally being very excitable.... but no sign of Hugo, so I assumed he'd gotten away over the baby gate and back upstairs........ wrong!
I let Ivan out, only to have him leap onto the night crates they sleep in which are under the stairs.... he then got behind the storage boxes that have their towels and spare bedding in.... at which point I realised Hugo was in fact wedged at the back of the crates...... extraction process commenced again, with the girls herded into the lounge behind one gate, Ivan unceremoniously scruffed and dropped over the kitchen baby gate, and then Hugo safely gathered in from where he was wedged......... one quick once over of a furious and extremely stressed cat revealed no serious injuries, but he then proceeded to pee all over me....I have some minor scratches to my hands caused as he flung himself over the bannister to rush upstairs.......
The dogs went to their crates for an hour whilst I calmed down.......
I've since checked everyone over and the damage is as follows:
Ivan - limping on both front legs where he's got cat bites across the lowest joint on one side and a small hole in his pad on the other
Gretchen - small claw mark by her right eye
Kammi - ripped ear (sheesh they don't half bleed)
Hope - nothing at all except a confused look (she actually gets on with the cats and plays with them)
I have cleaned wounds, applied antiseptic and arnica (and thrown antibiotics into Ivan)..... there has been no sympathy or bed time biscuits though.
As for Hugo.... aside from needing a bath quite desperately he's a couple of scratches that have taken some pigment off but nothing that has broken the skin....... he's still a bit skittish but is currently curled up on my hip occasionally purring, so I am guessing he's getting over it.
So much for a nice quiet relaxing day........
Friday, 14 December 2012
Storm warning.......
I wasn't at work, I should have been going to see a friend and exchanging Christmas presents, I should have been having fun, doing last minute Christmas shopping and drinking flavoured (decaffeinated) coffee...... I should possibly have been celebrating my exam results (or drowning my sorrows)....
Nope, didn't happen.
Instead, I woke to find that I was stuck at home
Literally..... thanks to the rainfall onto frozen ground overnight which meant that the road resembled an ice rink.... and then when it warmed up enough to get out I had a doctors appointment..... deep joy, the 3rd different doctor I've seen in the last week.... this one obviously hadn't even read my notes to find out what I was there for so we went through the whole thing yet again..... and I have another fortnight's worth of antibiotics to take... that will be zero alcohol for me this Christmas....
I then had to go to the bank to sort out some financial stuff...... four years after moving here and nearly five since separating all my stuff from the ex and taking back control of my money and what do you know, it can still be stuffed up by someone else..... apparently she has sold the house we owned jointly (which subsequently was transferred to her) and had some problems with the mortgage on the new place...... and there had been some credit searches etc done on my accounts which had flagged up some issues.....I'm sorry but WTF?? I think we have finally got to the bottom of it all and made sure she's not mentioned at all on my credit scoring or history..... but it will probably be another 3 years before my credit rating is where it should be.....
I nipped round to my mothers after that.... and she took pity on me and fed me some lunch..... then had a go at me when I admitted that I hadn't actually eaten anything up to then (it was about 2 pm at this point)..... I am sure it's the drugs that are squashing my appetite, but apparently this matters not and I need to eat three proper meals a day.... including one in the morning....... She's probably right, but, meh, just not happening at the moment.
And on top of all of this....... I am still waiting for my exam results...... which should have been released earlier this week..... so it looks like it will be Monday at the earliest before I get them....... and I am starting to get really really twitchy about it all.
The upshot of all this is I am in a really tetchy mood...... I've shouted at the dogs, snapped at the cats and, erm, taken out my frustrations on a packet I couldn't open with a sharp knife..... and now have to go clear the kitchen sides of the broken pasta pieces that are currently decorating them......
This is one of the things I hate most about being single, not having someone there to listen, or who can tell me to pack it in when I am being really unreasonably mardy, or who can just give me a hug and tell me that things will sort themselves out and to stop worrying......
*sigh* right, I think I shall go put on the CD player far too loudly and sing very out of tune till I feel a bit less frustrated about life in general......
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
I hate waiting......
It's a pretty much established fact that I only have an extremely limited amount of patience.....and my tolerance levels were all used up thanks to being grounded on the sofa last week....
So, knowing that my exam papers were marked last Monday (3rd December).... because one of the guys I work with is in the marking group.... and being told that our results should be received this week..... I am now getting to the stage of being extremely anxious about the whole thing.
If I was able to walk properly on my stupid leg I'd be pacing.
As it is I am silently (and on some occasions not so silently) driving myself up the wall..... at times like this it's a good thing I live on my own with only the critters to roll their eyes at me when I start chuntering to myself or, erm, throwing things (it wasn't anything important).....
Okay, I am not 100% sure I've passed both exams, I am really hoping I've passed at least one of them.... but I'd really like to know.... like, well, now, please, if not sooner......
*resumes mental pacing*
So, knowing that my exam papers were marked last Monday (3rd December).... because one of the guys I work with is in the marking group.... and being told that our results should be received this week..... I am now getting to the stage of being extremely anxious about the whole thing.
If I was able to walk properly on my stupid leg I'd be pacing.
As it is I am silently (and on some occasions not so silently) driving myself up the wall..... at times like this it's a good thing I live on my own with only the critters to roll their eyes at me when I start chuntering to myself or, erm, throwing things (it wasn't anything important).....
Okay, I am not 100% sure I've passed both exams, I am really hoping I've passed at least one of them.... but I'd really like to know.... like, well, now, please, if not sooner......
*resumes mental pacing*
Monday, 1 October 2012
The Critters Strike Again....
*Sigh*... tonight I find myself repeating the mantra "I love my dogs, I love my dogs, no really I love my dogs".... although they have all just been put into their night crates in disgrace with no bed time treats and in complete silence..... yep, that too angry to say anything kind of silence ....
And the reason for this? Well let me explain....... my dogs are, relatively, well behaved. They come when called (except Gretchen), they aren't overly noisy (except Gretchen), they play nicely with each other (except, on occasion Gretchen) and they are great with visitors (especially Gretchen... who can be a complete tart)..... Unfortunately, all of them, well the three girls, have a tendency to believe that possession is 9/10ths of the law, and that sometimes things are best destroyed before another dog gets hold of it... or in fact I catch them with it......
Which brings me to tonight...... I noticed earlier when I switched books that the Kindle needed charging overnight, not an unusual occurrence, after all I would hate to be caught short somewhere with time to kill and no battery (not that I don't have portable knitting (socks) with me at all times...) So I meandered through to the kitchen, where I keep the necessary recharging apparatus for those small bits of technology that make my day more fun in one of the fruit bowls (the other fruit bowl contains yarn.... the fruit is kept in the fridge away from thieving hell hounds), only to find the charger for the Kindle wasn't where it should be.....
After checking all the sockets in the kitchen, where I usually recharge things I stood shaking my head trying to work out what the hell I'd done with it.... as I did this the dogs were milling around my ankles, wandering in and out to the yard and generally wondering what exciting thing I would do next. Absent mindedly I started to pick up the various dog toys that littered the floor and return them to the toy box. It didn't register at first but as I dropped the last toy in I noticed a wire, a white wire, or a bit of one at least, in amongst the toys..... further investigation revealed what was my Kindle charger....... which is now in several pieces and no use whatsoever.
Now, ranting at the dogs has no effect at all........ Ivan always looks as guilty as sin and like he's about to wet himself, although I can almost say with 100% accuracy he'll have had nothing to do with it..... Hope leaps up and down barking back and getting over excited, Kammi looks at me blinks and wags her tail in a hopefully cute fashion and Gretchen has mastered the art of the "sod you" expression of disdain for such outbursts... I ranted anyway....
I then demanded that the guilty party own up to the destruction......... yeah, okay, so I possibly was slightly irrationally irate by that point....and when they refused to do so issued dire threats of stopping pocket money (erm, no they don't actually get any) and going on strike if they thought they'd be getting liver cake or salmon and cheese muffins in the near future (yes I do bake for them)... I am not actually sure how they managed to get the charger off the kitchen work top..... but that's besides the point....
They are being exceptionally quiet now as I am upstairs on the computer .... a new Kindle charger having been ordered (sadly with my two replacement kindles they didn't send a new charger.... which would have been useful really)....and the cats are still sniggering that the dogs are in trouble..... I may have calmed down and forgiven them by morning.......
And the reason for this? Well let me explain....... my dogs are, relatively, well behaved. They come when called (except Gretchen), they aren't overly noisy (except Gretchen), they play nicely with each other (except, on occasion Gretchen) and they are great with visitors (especially Gretchen... who can be a complete tart)..... Unfortunately, all of them, well the three girls, have a tendency to believe that possession is 9/10ths of the law, and that sometimes things are best destroyed before another dog gets hold of it... or in fact I catch them with it......
Which brings me to tonight...... I noticed earlier when I switched books that the Kindle needed charging overnight, not an unusual occurrence, after all I would hate to be caught short somewhere with time to kill and no battery (not that I don't have portable knitting (socks) with me at all times...) So I meandered through to the kitchen, where I keep the necessary recharging apparatus for those small bits of technology that make my day more fun in one of the fruit bowls (the other fruit bowl contains yarn.... the fruit is kept in the fridge away from thieving hell hounds), only to find the charger for the Kindle wasn't where it should be.....
After checking all the sockets in the kitchen, where I usually recharge things I stood shaking my head trying to work out what the hell I'd done with it.... as I did this the dogs were milling around my ankles, wandering in and out to the yard and generally wondering what exciting thing I would do next. Absent mindedly I started to pick up the various dog toys that littered the floor and return them to the toy box. It didn't register at first but as I dropped the last toy in I noticed a wire, a white wire, or a bit of one at least, in amongst the toys..... further investigation revealed what was my Kindle charger....... which is now in several pieces and no use whatsoever.
Now, ranting at the dogs has no effect at all........ Ivan always looks as guilty as sin and like he's about to wet himself, although I can almost say with 100% accuracy he'll have had nothing to do with it..... Hope leaps up and down barking back and getting over excited, Kammi looks at me blinks and wags her tail in a hopefully cute fashion and Gretchen has mastered the art of the "sod you" expression of disdain for such outbursts... I ranted anyway....
I then demanded that the guilty party own up to the destruction......... yeah, okay, so I possibly was slightly irrationally irate by that point....and when they refused to do so issued dire threats of stopping pocket money (erm, no they don't actually get any) and going on strike if they thought they'd be getting liver cake or salmon and cheese muffins in the near future (yes I do bake for them)... I am not actually sure how they managed to get the charger off the kitchen work top..... but that's besides the point....
They are being exceptionally quiet now as I am upstairs on the computer .... a new Kindle charger having been ordered (sadly with my two replacement kindles they didn't send a new charger.... which would have been useful really)....and the cats are still sniggering that the dogs are in trouble..... I may have calmed down and forgiven them by morning.......
Friday, 31 August 2012
The naked cat, the witch and the wardrobe...
Anyone want an ugly naked cat?
Seriously I think Hugo is determined this week to drive me insane! (I'm still missing one pair of socks!)
Anyway, to today's tale of evil felinity.......
He has always had a bit of an obsession about my wardrobe... not entirely sure why, it's a pretty normal wardrobe, it contains clothes, shoes, a couple of bags of the yarn stash carefully hidden and the back, oh and a stack of computer paper for my very ancient, in fact almost antique, daisy wheel printer (yep, the ones that are capable of waking the dead when the run... what can I say I am a hoarder of all things, including my first ever computer - a BBC Model B, complete with 5 3/4 inch double disk drive, games on tape and that printer - occasionally I attach it to the TV and play very silly games.... chuckie egg? lemmings? anyone??).
So anyway, where was I... ah yes, the wardrobe.... a thing of fascination and intrigue.... at least if your name is Hugo
Now, after three years, I am kind of wise to his antics and not only are the door handles tied with the handles of the carrier bag that hangs off them, but the door is also wedged by the laundry basket too..... this doesn't stop him trying, and in fact, there are many 4 am moments spent cursing as he scratches at the door and wails pathetically ....
Back to today.... having got home from work shortly before 5 pm, wrangled the hell hounds into some form of order by flinging chicken wings at them (after reading the riot act about the fact water bowls are for drinking out of not emptying all over the floor to make completely unsafe), and then wandered upstairs to change out of work clothes and to make suitable offerings of sustenance to the cats... only I couldn't get in my bedroom .....
When I'd finally, by dint of trying to bend my arm round the edge of the door that would open and eventually push the clothes airer away from it, I was rather annoyed to find that he had finally managed to break into the wardrobe. The laundry basket had been tipped over, the carrier bag shredded and the wardrobe door was wide open......... and most of my clothes, half of one of the bags of yarn and a sprinkling of shredded paper that looked like confetti were spread around the floor
And in the middle of it all, on the now empty top shelf of the wardrobe, above what was left of the clothes on hangers, sat the Hugo, looking supremely pleased with himself..............
I had to go shut myself in the bathroom for five minutes and count the shower gels till I calmed down enough not to actually strangle him ......
Seriously I think Hugo is determined this week to drive me insane! (I'm still missing one pair of socks!)
Anyway, to today's tale of evil felinity.......
He has always had a bit of an obsession about my wardrobe... not entirely sure why, it's a pretty normal wardrobe, it contains clothes, shoes, a couple of bags of the yarn stash carefully hidden and the back, oh and a stack of computer paper for my very ancient, in fact almost antique, daisy wheel printer (yep, the ones that are capable of waking the dead when the run... what can I say I am a hoarder of all things, including my first ever computer - a BBC Model B, complete with 5 3/4 inch double disk drive, games on tape and that printer - occasionally I attach it to the TV and play very silly games.... chuckie egg? lemmings? anyone??).
So anyway, where was I... ah yes, the wardrobe.... a thing of fascination and intrigue.... at least if your name is Hugo
Now, after three years, I am kind of wise to his antics and not only are the door handles tied with the handles of the carrier bag that hangs off them, but the door is also wedged by the laundry basket too..... this doesn't stop him trying, and in fact, there are many 4 am moments spent cursing as he scratches at the door and wails pathetically ....
Back to today.... having got home from work shortly before 5 pm, wrangled the hell hounds into some form of order by flinging chicken wings at them (after reading the riot act about the fact water bowls are for drinking out of not emptying all over the floor to make completely unsafe), and then wandered upstairs to change out of work clothes and to make suitable offerings of sustenance to the cats... only I couldn't get in my bedroom .....
When I'd finally, by dint of trying to bend my arm round the edge of the door that would open and eventually push the clothes airer away from it, I was rather annoyed to find that he had finally managed to break into the wardrobe. The laundry basket had been tipped over, the carrier bag shredded and the wardrobe door was wide open......... and most of my clothes, half of one of the bags of yarn and a sprinkling of shredded paper that looked like confetti were spread around the floor
And in the middle of it all, on the now empty top shelf of the wardrobe, above what was left of the clothes on hangers, sat the Hugo, looking supremely pleased with himself..............
I had to go shut myself in the bathroom for five minutes and count the shower gels till I calmed down enough not to actually strangle him ......
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Hummmmm.....
I am going back to work on Monday........ this is a bloody good thing as I am starting to panic somewhat about the amount of work I've missed......
Trouble is....
I am still covered in a very itchy rash
I am spending at least 2 hours napping during the day
The blisters on my calf are still very sore and weepy
What I really want is to have someone who will put their foot down, tell me to pack in any idea about going back to work, to concentrate on getting properly better and not worry......
Yeah, cos that ain't gonna happen...........
I hate being ill, I am fed up and just want it all to go away now....
Trouble is....
I am still covered in a very itchy rash
I am spending at least 2 hours napping during the day
The blisters on my calf are still very sore and weepy
What I really want is to have someone who will put their foot down, tell me to pack in any idea about going back to work, to concentrate on getting properly better and not worry......
Yeah, cos that ain't gonna happen...........
I hate being ill, I am fed up and just want it all to go away now....
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Today has been......
Boring, tedious and mind numbing to the point I want to scream. I am so over being ill. Sadly my body (and more importantly my doctor do not agree).
I want the 'lympix back..... daytime TV is a load of drivel.... have resorted to the radio and my cd player, but even that was getting monotonous earlier on.
Work did phone me yesterday with something urgent to do - which is a bit naughty really as I have a sick note and technically shouldn't be doing anything work related......... unfortunately I am now convinced that I've screwed something up and it's making me really really itchy about getting back to work.
I also spent quite a lot of time today sitting on my hands and trying not to respond to a thread on the M/M goodreads group about lesbians writing M/M books....... sheesh, some of the responses and the original posting managed to wind me up quite impressively!
And I've another five days of resting before I can get back to normal......... this does not bode well!
Okay, in the meantime, a nice little tune that got stuck in my head when the band were playing earlier live on the radio........
I want the 'lympix back..... daytime TV is a load of drivel.... have resorted to the radio and my cd player, but even that was getting monotonous earlier on.
Work did phone me yesterday with something urgent to do - which is a bit naughty really as I have a sick note and technically shouldn't be doing anything work related......... unfortunately I am now convinced that I've screwed something up and it's making me really really itchy about getting back to work.
I also spent quite a lot of time today sitting on my hands and trying not to respond to a thread on the M/M goodreads group about lesbians writing M/M books....... sheesh, some of the responses and the original posting managed to wind me up quite impressively!
And I've another five days of resting before I can get back to normal......... this does not bode well!
Okay, in the meantime, a nice little tune that got stuck in my head when the band were playing earlier live on the radio........
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
the doormat curse.....
I have been trying to write this blog post for the last 30 minutes, but my head is a little busy right now....
I can't say exactly what I want to say... save for that I have 100% confirmed to myself that I am a complete and utter doormat, I don't learn by experience and I should know better.
One day I will learn not to offer myself up as a sacrificial victim to be walked all over or used as an emotional drain for other peoples woe and drama.
My real friends (by which I mean both in person and on line), the friends who I know give back as much as I would give to them, I have no problem with offering an ear, a hug, a piece of totally (normally totally useless) advice, or even just an opportunity to be silly for a bit and forget that real life is a bitch at times.... this I am happy to give 100% unconditionally.... knowing that in the future if I need the same they will give it in return.
Then there are so called friends, who just leech when they want something.....who have done this to me before.... when am I ever going to learn to say no to these so called friends and perhaps put myself first??
Okay, probably never, I know I am just not made that way....... but sometimes I wonder if one day I might just get up the nerve to perhaps at least not let myself get walked all over!
I can't say exactly what I want to say... save for that I have 100% confirmed to myself that I am a complete and utter doormat, I don't learn by experience and I should know better.
One day I will learn not to offer myself up as a sacrificial victim to be walked all over or used as an emotional drain for other peoples woe and drama.
My real friends (by which I mean both in person and on line), the friends who I know give back as much as I would give to them, I have no problem with offering an ear, a hug, a piece of totally (normally totally useless) advice, or even just an opportunity to be silly for a bit and forget that real life is a bitch at times.... this I am happy to give 100% unconditionally.... knowing that in the future if I need the same they will give it in return.
Then there are so called friends, who just leech when they want something.....who have done this to me before.... when am I ever going to learn to say no to these so called friends and perhaps put myself first??
Okay, probably never, I know I am just not made that way....... but sometimes I wonder if one day I might just get up the nerve to perhaps at least not let myself get walked all over!
Thursday, 12 April 2012
"In my opinion"....
Last year I got into a bit of an argument with the tutor on my course regarding my assignment to do with professional ethics... mainly because the question started "In your opinion". I presented her with my opinion, complete with reasoning, case law, statute etc to back it up.... trouble was, she didn't agree... oh, not with the work I'd put in but with the actual opinion..... so I appealed her grading on the grounds that as the entire piece was written on the basis that it was my own personal opinion then technically it couldn't actually be wrong.... I won the appeal and got it re-marked....... though I do have a new tutor this year!
Now, here's the thing.... around and about the net I see the words "In my opinion", or even "In my humble opinion" (though yeah, right as soon as I see that I can visualise the little soap boxes being dusted off) all the time. I have no problem with this, everyone has the right to their own opinion. You don't need to agree with someone's opinion, you could in fact have a completely opposite opinion, but that doesn't mean you have the right to either shout them down as being completely wrong and therefore their opinion is invalid, or that you shouldn't listen to them at all. It's a matter of courtesy... you listen, you disagree (politely!) and you walk away.... as an example, one one of the dog forums I used to visit they are very into the "human is the leader of the pack" method of training..... I don't agree with this, that's fine, I am happy to disagree....
So to tie this in with my hate of labels.... recently I have seen people use the fact that due to their gender, race, sexuality, religion (or any other minority type label they can attach to themselves) that their opinion must be more valid than someone who does not tick as many boxes as they do on the label menu..... no sorry, your opinion is your opinion... sure I will listen to your opinion and may give more weight to it when assessing my own opinion if you've got experience in a certain area... but I still maintain the right to disagree and have my own opinion... which likewise I would never expect anyone to be forced to agree with
Hell I even have opinions on things generally that I would never consider personally... I have opinions that possibly disagree with the opinions people think I should have because of a particular box on the label spectrum that they think that I should tick...
So having dusted off my own soap box and ranted for a bit I shall return to my own little bubble, forming my own opinions and listening to other peoples opinions...... I am sure that anyone passing by to read this will probably have their own opinions too.....
Now, here's the thing.... around and about the net I see the words "In my opinion", or even "In my humble opinion" (though yeah, right as soon as I see that I can visualise the little soap boxes being dusted off) all the time. I have no problem with this, everyone has the right to their own opinion. You don't need to agree with someone's opinion, you could in fact have a completely opposite opinion, but that doesn't mean you have the right to either shout them down as being completely wrong and therefore their opinion is invalid, or that you shouldn't listen to them at all. It's a matter of courtesy... you listen, you disagree (politely!) and you walk away.... as an example, one one of the dog forums I used to visit they are very into the "human is the leader of the pack" method of training..... I don't agree with this, that's fine, I am happy to disagree....
So to tie this in with my hate of labels.... recently I have seen people use the fact that due to their gender, race, sexuality, religion (or any other minority type label they can attach to themselves) that their opinion must be more valid than someone who does not tick as many boxes as they do on the label menu..... no sorry, your opinion is your opinion... sure I will listen to your opinion and may give more weight to it when assessing my own opinion if you've got experience in a certain area... but I still maintain the right to disagree and have my own opinion... which likewise I would never expect anyone to be forced to agree with
Hell I even have opinions on things generally that I would never consider personally... I have opinions that possibly disagree with the opinions people think I should have because of a particular box on the label spectrum that they think that I should tick...
So having dusted off my own soap box and ranted for a bit I shall return to my own little bubble, forming my own opinions and listening to other peoples opinions...... I am sure that anyone passing by to read this will probably have their own opinions too.....
Thursday, 22 March 2012
A feeling pathetic post..
Some times I seriously wish I'd left the phone to switch to the answer machine!
I had every intention of writing this evening, sat down, opened screen, phone rang and I answered thinking it would either be one of three people - mother, Friend 1 (who I shared a house with for five years at and after uni 18 years ago and we still speak/text every single day) or Friend 2 (though the timing would be wrong as it was about the time she and the toddler were probably out-staring each other over the whole bed time routine)..... No, it was option 4, a mutual friend of mine and the Ex from Hell.
Now what I don't understand is that why, after 4 years (shit that long!), apart people would still think I actually had any interest in what she was doing....... I certainly don't care, that stopped long ago, possibly about the same moment the fist flew the first time..... but I think what's worse is they tell me what she's been doing and always then justify it with "but I never believed a word that she used to say about you being useless at everything/psychotic etc".... Yeah, really, well why the fuck didn't you say anything whilst she quietly dismantled my confidence and my life?
So after the call I am now trying to reaffirm to myself that I am a strong person, I can do things, I am not psycho or in need of committing, I am capable....
Trouble is I still feel emotionally fragile after Sunday and all I actually want is someone to give me a hug and look after me........ which makes me feel even more pathetic...
Can we fast forward to the end of this month please and chalk March up to experience?
I had every intention of writing this evening, sat down, opened screen, phone rang and I answered thinking it would either be one of three people - mother, Friend 1 (who I shared a house with for five years at and after uni 18 years ago and we still speak/text every single day) or Friend 2 (though the timing would be wrong as it was about the time she and the toddler were probably out-staring each other over the whole bed time routine)..... No, it was option 4, a mutual friend of mine and the Ex from Hell.
Now what I don't understand is that why, after 4 years (shit that long!), apart people would still think I actually had any interest in what she was doing....... I certainly don't care, that stopped long ago, possibly about the same moment the fist flew the first time..... but I think what's worse is they tell me what she's been doing and always then justify it with "but I never believed a word that she used to say about you being useless at everything/psychotic etc".... Yeah, really, well why the fuck didn't you say anything whilst she quietly dismantled my confidence and my life?
So after the call I am now trying to reaffirm to myself that I am a strong person, I can do things, I am not psycho or in need of committing, I am capable....
Trouble is I still feel emotionally fragile after Sunday and all I actually want is someone to give me a hug and look after me........ which makes me feel even more pathetic...
Can we fast forward to the end of this month please and chalk March up to experience?
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Work related whining...
Working in the legal field you come across a wide variety of people - both in terms of clients and the people you work with (whether they are in the same firm, on the opposite side or in Court). Now save for in Court (where you have to mind your P's and Q's - Judges are addressed as Your Honour, then Sir/Madam, unless they are a master, and then they are addressed as Master, even if they are female... ) I have a tendency to address everyone exactly the same way... whether it's a senior partner or the post room runner... in my mind you treat everyone respectfully, politely and professionally...
In return I kind of expect the same thing....which to be honest you usually get from outside your own firm... ok there is the odd unprofessional moment... like the sudden marriage proposal I got from an opponent when I phoned to say that a Court hearing wasn't going ahead wasn't something I expected....
So year end approaches, and within the firm those people with financial targets are getting edgy, and probably taking it out on people lower down the food chain.... now whilst the area I work in involves actually getting us paid (yes, I haggle over large amounts of money for a living... not totally accurate, but the job I do in the legal profession is a fairly small field so I am not going to put the actual job title down because I whine too much about work on this blog... ) I am not responsible for actually writing the damn cheques, or ensuring that money is received.... Unfortunately, some people can't see it this way and whilst year end means that tempers are frayed surely it's not on to take it out on someone else? It isn't as though it's the actual people with the targets that are being rude, but in the last two days I have been talked down to and had stroppy and downright rude e-mails from junior assistants, who are basically jumped up secretaries.
Now I would let this wash over me, but my tolerance levels are not high right now and uncivil behaviour really raises my hackles..... this final quarter is going to be sheer hell I know it is, and I can see myself having to gag myself to stop myself from ranting back and possibly sit on my hands to avoid replying to e-mails without thinking about it.
I shall keep repeating to myself, I am a nice person really, I will not stoop to their level, I will let the stress wash over me.... and then I might treat myself to a large vodka...
In return I kind of expect the same thing....which to be honest you usually get from outside your own firm... ok there is the odd unprofessional moment... like the sudden marriage proposal I got from an opponent when I phoned to say that a Court hearing wasn't going ahead wasn't something I expected....
So year end approaches, and within the firm those people with financial targets are getting edgy, and probably taking it out on people lower down the food chain.... now whilst the area I work in involves actually getting us paid (yes, I haggle over large amounts of money for a living... not totally accurate, but the job I do in the legal profession is a fairly small field so I am not going to put the actual job title down because I whine too much about work on this blog... ) I am not responsible for actually writing the damn cheques, or ensuring that money is received.... Unfortunately, some people can't see it this way and whilst year end means that tempers are frayed surely it's not on to take it out on someone else? It isn't as though it's the actual people with the targets that are being rude, but in the last two days I have been talked down to and had stroppy and downright rude e-mails from junior assistants, who are basically jumped up secretaries.
Now I would let this wash over me, but my tolerance levels are not high right now and uncivil behaviour really raises my hackles..... this final quarter is going to be sheer hell I know it is, and I can see myself having to gag myself to stop myself from ranting back and possibly sit on my hands to avoid replying to e-mails without thinking about it.
I shall keep repeating to myself, I am a nice person really, I will not stoop to their level, I will let the stress wash over me.... and then I might treat myself to a large vodka...
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Sitting on my hands.....
I am in that difficult situation of having to sit on my hands and not type a response I'd like to to a comment on a thread on the Goodreads YA LGBT group... I didn't think it bothered me, turns out, after 24 hours or so of thinking it through.. you know what, actually it does....
The book of the month for February looks like, for the first time, being a F/F one rather than an M/M one - which given that the group is all inclusive should be fine. Ok, I appreciate that some may not have read an F/F book before, may feel a bit iffy about it, or may sit out .... that's up to them.... though as it's YA it's not going to be explicit or possibly do anything but fade out an implied incident.
What I didn't expect was a comment as follows: "Lesbians make me nervous"
Now because I couldn't leave it initially I responded by saying that as a lesbian I wasn't sure how to take that (and pointed out that I don't think I'm particularly scary).... now the original poster clarified that he didn't mean to offend, and well, no, he didn't because if lesbians make him nervous that's a personal statement not a ground for offence and then went onto explain that basically the only lesbians he knew were quite fierce butch ones (as an aside - I did point out that some butch type lesbians actually make me nervous... but probably not in the way he means! that said groups of children hanging about on street corners make me nervous, straight men in bars make me nervous)
Anyway, someone else then responded that maybe only the fierce ones felt safe (in that particular area) being out enough to be recognised .....and this is what has got me thinking WTF and wanting to respond...... "recognised" sorry.. do we have to have some sort of sign on us to enable us to be recognised in public settings? I didn't think we were going down the route of having to identify your sexuality by your appearance... hell just stick a label on someone why don't you so you can "recognise" them if they don't fall into the "oh you must be a lesbian because of the way you look" category!
Unsurprisingly I know a fair few lesbians, only a very small percentage of which could be described as butch - many of which are what actually very young just out lesbians who aren't fierce at all... but you know what, most of the rest of us look just like, well, most other females you come across.....
Not being funny... but if someone had suggested that it was a pity that only effeminate gay men had the confidence to be out and "recognised" I am sure someone would have made noises about it.......
As much as I'd like to stand up and point out that actually the comments are giving people perhaps the wrong idea about stereotyping and labelling, I can't help but feel that the location of the thread would be inappropriate for me to start what would be really a mini rant...... though then again, any young lesbian coming across it may be put off..... argh, I wish I could decide what to do for the best, until then I shall go back to sitting on my hands......
The book of the month for February looks like, for the first time, being a F/F one rather than an M/M one - which given that the group is all inclusive should be fine. Ok, I appreciate that some may not have read an F/F book before, may feel a bit iffy about it, or may sit out .... that's up to them.... though as it's YA it's not going to be explicit or possibly do anything but fade out an implied incident.
What I didn't expect was a comment as follows: "Lesbians make me nervous"
Now because I couldn't leave it initially I responded by saying that as a lesbian I wasn't sure how to take that (and pointed out that I don't think I'm particularly scary).... now the original poster clarified that he didn't mean to offend, and well, no, he didn't because if lesbians make him nervous that's a personal statement not a ground for offence and then went onto explain that basically the only lesbians he knew were quite fierce butch ones (as an aside - I did point out that some butch type lesbians actually make me nervous... but probably not in the way he means! that said groups of children hanging about on street corners make me nervous, straight men in bars make me nervous)
Anyway, someone else then responded that maybe only the fierce ones felt safe (in that particular area) being out enough to be recognised .....and this is what has got me thinking WTF and wanting to respond...... "recognised" sorry.. do we have to have some sort of sign on us to enable us to be recognised in public settings? I didn't think we were going down the route of having to identify your sexuality by your appearance... hell just stick a label on someone why don't you so you can "recognise" them if they don't fall into the "oh you must be a lesbian because of the way you look" category!
Unsurprisingly I know a fair few lesbians, only a very small percentage of which could be described as butch - many of which are what actually very young just out lesbians who aren't fierce at all... but you know what, most of the rest of us look just like, well, most other females you come across.....
Not being funny... but if someone had suggested that it was a pity that only effeminate gay men had the confidence to be out and "recognised" I am sure someone would have made noises about it.......
As much as I'd like to stand up and point out that actually the comments are giving people perhaps the wrong idea about stereotyping and labelling, I can't help but feel that the location of the thread would be inappropriate for me to start what would be really a mini rant...... though then again, any young lesbian coming across it may be put off..... argh, I wish I could decide what to do for the best, until then I shall go back to sitting on my hands......
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Remind me...
Why I have critters?
Ok, so the cats, yep, they are cats, not just that but ugly naked cats... ever seen a film or TV programme where if there is an ugly naked cat in it that they aren't the arch villain - trust me there is a reason for this... so expect them to be, well the devil's minions in training
Not so much the dogs, they've been trained, they have routine, they are expected to behave.....I went back to work today, they obviously didn't approve...
I have come home to...
A turned over kitchen bin (contents liberally scattered around floor)
A completely smashed pot water dish
2 cut paws
and
joy of joys
some little sod has taken up the floor tiles by the kitchen door....
I have cleaned up in silence and am now hiding upstairs until the urge to go down and kill them all passes......
Oh and it's midweek (though my brain tells me it's Monday)... so I think a nice piece of calming music is called for (no irony in the title at all)
Ok, so the cats, yep, they are cats, not just that but ugly naked cats... ever seen a film or TV programme where if there is an ugly naked cat in it that they aren't the arch villain - trust me there is a reason for this... so expect them to be, well the devil's minions in training
Not so much the dogs, they've been trained, they have routine, they are expected to behave.....I went back to work today, they obviously didn't approve...
I have come home to...
A turned over kitchen bin (contents liberally scattered around floor)
A completely smashed pot water dish
2 cut paws
and
joy of joys
some little sod has taken up the floor tiles by the kitchen door....
I have cleaned up in silence and am now hiding upstairs until the urge to go down and kill them all passes......
Oh and it's midweek (though my brain tells me it's Monday)... so I think a nice piece of calming music is called for (no irony in the title at all)
Monday, 5 December 2011
I love my cats, no honestly I do, really....
Word of the day .... Defenestrate
Which is what I wish to do to my cats right now.....
Today they have... pulled the curtains in my bedroom down, destroyed a new packet of toilet rolls, opened a Christmas present I got through the post, appear to have been playing in one of the bookshelves and I've just discovered they've chewed through the wires on the earphones for my MP3 player, which I need tomorrow for work.....
They are both now curled up fast asleep on my bed looking as innocent as it is possible for a cat to look....
I am hiding in the book room till I calm down......
Which is what I wish to do to my cats right now.....
Today they have... pulled the curtains in my bedroom down, destroyed a new packet of toilet rolls, opened a Christmas present I got through the post, appear to have been playing in one of the bookshelves and I've just discovered they've chewed through the wires on the earphones for my MP3 player, which I need tomorrow for work.....
They are both now curled up fast asleep on my bed looking as innocent as it is possible for a cat to look....
I am hiding in the book room till I calm down......
Friday, 11 November 2011
It's not rocket science....
I have been distracted today. My mind was not at all on my work, instead I flitted around the net on my phone (and on the work computer for sites I
can get to). The reason for this… well
my personality is such that I am one of those people who worries about others,
and they don’t even have to be people I’ve met in real life. So when something unexpected happens I tend to whittle about the people involved.
I hate people getting hurt, either
physically or emotionally, and online where you can’t see the reaction you it seems to make people forget what's decent and you get a level of emotional abuse, probably unthinkingly inflicted, but which goes well over the line I set for cruelty. I say unthinkingly
because, in my heart of hearts, I would hope that it’s unintentional, that they
don’t realise that they are doing it – naïve possibly, hopeful definitely.
I hate seeing people being picked on, disrespected,
not listened to, dismissed… you get the picture. If people choose to share their lives you
with, no matter the medium, you owe them something back…you owe them respect,
you don’t have to say anything to them, you may just read their opinions and
points of view (which of course you don’t have to agree with – but you do have
to respect their position). If you don’t
agree with something why mud sling? Why not just calmly walk away and don’t
read anymore? Why dismiss someone else’s
point of view? Why not agree to disagree?
I am sick of finding myself on forums of
what I believe to be like minded people only to discover in fact there are full
of people with their own agendas and cliques.
As I’ve mentioned before I don’t post much on the sites I use, but I do
read, and I like to enjoy what I read, I don’t want to read about intolerance,
stirring or backstabbing. Flame wars achieve nothing but hurt and anger. I want to use forums where I feel welcome,
and to some extent safe to voice my opinion or thoughts and not to be jumped on
about it.
The amount of personal hatred and anger
displayed on some sites I’ve visited recently saddens me and scares me to think
that in real life people are like this… sure you won’t get along with everyone
you come across in life, but you don’t abuse them…. Just because you can’t
physically see someone doesn’t stop it from being abuse either. Cyber hate crimes and bullying are
unacceptable, full stop.
So, three little words that I am thinking
about a lot (no not I love you, thought those are nice little words to hear
whether it’s from a partner, family or friend)
Tolerance
Acceptance
Understanding
It’s really not rocket science.
Monday, 7 November 2011
Unwanted attention.....
Why me? Why do I attract strange men?
I don’t know whether I do something unintentionally but I seem to attract the attentions of strange men when I am really not looking to… it’s not a new thing… many years ago I had to resort to taking my dog with me to the laundrette on a Saturday morning as if I didn’t this old man who used to come in at around the same time would insist on sitting next to me, even if it was empty, and try to stroke my leg.
(Actually, it’s not just strange men either, I also attract the attentions of small children, particularly in supermarkets… but they are easy to deal with… you just walk calmly up to their parents and tell them that they must be so proud of their children’s behaviour)
Whilst these days I tend not to go out to bars, if I go to a straight bar then unfortunately I seem to attract the attentions of those who think that larger person must equal desperate … no, seriously, not, and if I was, erm, yeah, kind of wouldn’t be looking for anyone male anyway!
I am getting a bit fed up, and not a little freaked out these days though. In the last twelve months I’ve been stalked around a shop by a security guard (no I wasn’t doing anything illegal, or even looking like I might be… well I didn’t think so), who eventually cornered me and started to ask me where he knew me from, and then moved on to more personal questions such as was I married, did I live alone etc….
Then there was the man behind me in the check out queue at the supermarket who by the time I’d finished packing my stuff and got outside was waiting for me and then followed me to the car. When I stopped to open it and load the shopping he started by telling me he thought I was nice and was I interested in… well I’m not sure, I’ve never dived in the car so fast and slammed the door shut.
I managed to attract another one on Saturday… walking around the shop, minding my own business when this bloke sidles up just behind me and starts looking over my shoulder, I moved away but he followed, again standing just behind me. I’m afraid to say I wasn’t particularly polite, I don’t like having my personal space invaded without invitation, certainly not by strangers. So I turned round and stepped forwards towards him, he instinctively stepped backwards…………… and fell over a display unit sending it crashing to the ground. I didn’t hang about …. good job there was nothing I really wanted from the shop!
I am pretty sure I don’t have some sort of flashing sign above my head stating this sort of thing is fine. Ok, I’ll admit I do tend to smile or say hello to people who make eye contact, but surely that’s just polite, not an invitation….
I may decide to become a hermit and rely on home delivery……….
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Thwarted by technology
Sometimes I just fail when it comes to technology.
Last night, got home from work, sorted out the critters, did a bit of cleaning, sat down in front of the lap top ready to check mail, do some surfing and then write.... no net connection...
So I went through the routine of rebooting laptop, going upstairs and rebooting the modem, nothing.... so I phoned the broadband people... whose call centre lurks in some other country... to be told, oh all our systems are down, try again in two hours!! Arghhhh!
So I wrote for a bit, then tried again, and still they couldn't help. So I stropped about for a while and went to bed early with a book.
I waited until 6am to phone the call centre back... and spent half an hour playing around with cables, ably assisted by the cats .... it's actually quite hard to switch wires between modem, router and pc box whilst bent around the corner of a desk, balancing a phone between your ear and your shoulder, with a cat determined to sit in the middle of your back or get between your hands and eyes!
Anyway, it appears my router is playing silly buggers... and as it's not one provided by the broadband people, they basically said, yep, thanks not our problem, good luck with that.......
I have managed to get the net connection on the desk top pc upstairs... but that's not particularly helpful as my "workspace" (ok, yes, kitchen table with lap top on, with wall filled with pictures, lyrics and stuff) is downstairs... if I try and work upstairs then rent-a-mob raise strong objections and threaten to find new homes where their owner doesn't abandon them.. they are quite vocal about it.
Add to that, when I got into work I realised that any website that has any form of age restriction/warning automatically triggers the "Naughty Internet User" warning, anything you can buy something from is also blocked, and to add insult to injury something they've done with the filters means that I can't get Twitter up properly either...... so dammit it looks like I am going to have to do real work, all day, without a break...
Last night, got home from work, sorted out the critters, did a bit of cleaning, sat down in front of the lap top ready to check mail, do some surfing and then write.... no net connection...
So I went through the routine of rebooting laptop, going upstairs and rebooting the modem, nothing.... so I phoned the broadband people... whose call centre lurks in some other country... to be told, oh all our systems are down, try again in two hours!! Arghhhh!
So I wrote for a bit, then tried again, and still they couldn't help. So I stropped about for a while and went to bed early with a book.
I waited until 6am to phone the call centre back... and spent half an hour playing around with cables, ably assisted by the cats .... it's actually quite hard to switch wires between modem, router and pc box whilst bent around the corner of a desk, balancing a phone between your ear and your shoulder, with a cat determined to sit in the middle of your back or get between your hands and eyes!
Anyway, it appears my router is playing silly buggers... and as it's not one provided by the broadband people, they basically said, yep, thanks not our problem, good luck with that.......
I have managed to get the net connection on the desk top pc upstairs... but that's not particularly helpful as my "workspace" (ok, yes, kitchen table with lap top on, with wall filled with pictures, lyrics and stuff) is downstairs... if I try and work upstairs then rent-a-mob raise strong objections and threaten to find new homes where their owner doesn't abandon them.. they are quite vocal about it.
Add to that, when I got into work I realised that any website that has any form of age restriction/warning automatically triggers the "Naughty Internet User" warning, anything you can buy something from is also blocked, and to add insult to injury something they've done with the filters means that I can't get Twitter up properly either...... so dammit it looks like I am going to have to do real work, all day, without a break...
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