Short and sweet

Oh, the busy of it all!

Meeting this morning which, although good, took a hefty chunk of time. Attending talk on medicine as a second degree at lunchtime, so probably only getting a very short lunch. Rather mammoth task in reorganising the entire overseas employment section at our second site. Mammoth in that it has to be started and finished in one go. Can't leave folders lying around or mis-filed. The world would end.

No. It would.

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I found a cool website I did.

http://www.instructables.com/

It's lots of sets of instructions for making and doing things, all set out very well with images of the tricky steps.

Like this one, for an invisible bookshelf which I thought was quite natty.

And this one, for making a Boba Fett helmet out of cardboard.

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Stick in,

C

Showing off

I'd just like to point out that I slept in this morning. Until half past eight. And I'm still managed to blog for a minute before I leave for work, which I will make it on time to.

*laughter*

Bet the Londoners are loving me right now.

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to be continued sometime after 9 am...

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So, last night - I found both my copy of Civ 4 (missing since the move) and, when I was restacking my CDs, the disc for Bounty Hunter fell out. I am excited. Maybe not this excited, but excited nonetheless. Of course, the Bounty Hunter disc is scratched to Hell and probably won't work, but still. I totally wondered where that had gotten to. So did, Steve. (Sorry about the scratched thing, Steve).

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So, after yesterday's maudlin mithering, I owe it you.

The results of a deep trawl of funny. No, really. Click every For I saw them. And they are good.

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The play on Sunday night was very good. Quite a difficult subject and it was dealt with in a very soft manner. Not that the edge was taken away from it. The whole premise of the play is a single event, which happened in the main character's life, having a knock on effect on her relationship with each of five different men. Her husband, her father, an internet date, her brother and a health visitor (do you still call them that?). The event was horrific, but it was quite far in the past when we join the story-so-far. It was obvious something crazy had one on, but it was a very slow reveal.

The lighting and sound, set and so on were also very good. A lot of work with light - both stage an within bits and pieces of the set. One very nice touch was that the lead woman never left the stage and, as each male left (they got one scene each) he, and the incoming male for the next scene, helped to dress the female for her next scene. Nice demonstration of the influence each has no her.

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Work have asked me to take some photos. Yay! There's a photoboard (quite a good one, which is unusal for these things) of all the staff in reception and it needs updating. And why pay a photographer when you have Keen Boy Chris to do them.

That said, I haven't taken many portrait type photies. I need a guinea pig.

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Stick in,

C

In Memoriam

Small warning - not a cheerful one today, I’m afraid.

My friend died. I’ve never met her. Not in person. She was an internet buddy, someone I met on a discussion group, exchanged emails with. I knew her for a couple of years before I learned her real name or found out what she looked like. I can’t attend her funeral or even send flowers. I know what city she lived in, but that’s all. The news just filtered through and for that I’m grateful.

In a way, I think internet relationships hark back further than one thinks. There have always been correspondents, which is a cold sounding word, more suited to news readers than the vibrant friendship I had formed with Susan. Once upon a time I would have called us pen pals.

I have the inevitable regrets. It’s been a while since we corresponded regularly. I knew she was unwell and dropped the odd note, mindful that she couldn’t get online often or for long. I really wish I’d made more of a recent effort, but I’m grateful for the thoughts and feelings we shared. We didn’t always agree, but we respectfully allowed for each other’s opinions.

I’m very sorry she’s gone and I’m sorry we hadn’t spoken for a while. I do think, though, that the form of our relationship, in correspondence only, allowed for a greater exchange of ideas and, perhaps, understanding than some of my face to face friendships and for that, amongst other things, I’m grateful. I wouldn’t normally, I think, make this sort of thing a blog topic, but it seems appropriate considering how we met and interacted.

So, goodbye, Susan. Wherever you are, I wish you well.

Chris

Weekend Blethers

A rarity. Normally I confine my random ramblings to the weekday. :)

Howson exhibit was extremely good. The two main pieces were astonishing. I could have quite happily stood and looked at just those two for an hour. The smaller studies for all those crowd members and such were incredible, too. Two in particular which were crayon on black paper were shocking in the detail he managed. From crayon!

It is a good job it was so good, considering my hangover from Friday night. Once again, Opium then the Citrus club was great fun. I swear I'm associating with alcoholics. OK, yes, I did buy the last round and did feel the need to include Apple Sours in amongst that but I was already Very Drunk by that point. And who's fault was that? Surely you don't expect me to admit responsiblity for my own behaviour, now, do you? *grins*

Bloody shame, the hangover, as the father parental unit bought us a very nice lunch in Eco Vino before the exhibit and I barely managed to pick through it. I did polish off a couple of litres of fizzy water, though.

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Feeling his pain. Hell, just expressing like can be paralysing!

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I won a game of chess! Woop!

I am getting my arse quite habitually kicked at the moment in the online games, so playing Steve the other night in person and all at once was a huge cheery up. Clearly, I do not suck that badly and it's the one move a day thing that my playing style doesn't match. That's the problem.

Nah, seriously - you try keeping three different game models in your head for a month. See how well you get on!

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Theatre tonight, in somewhat eclectic company. Mum, Aunt Katie, the small Jen and Alexis. Surrounded by women! And a busy week ahead, as per the usual. Mum's birthday tea, and I'm going to the flicks which I'm really looking forward to. No rehearsal, but I didn't make it down to visit Gran last week as I was working late so I absolutely must get down to visit her.

And then it'll be the weekend again. Time does fly.

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Lack of pics recently as the weather has been dismal and, when it's been super nice, I've been too busy to get out and snap. Remedying this soon!

Oh - and I gave in to impulse and dyed my hair. On the red!

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Stick in,

C

Time flies...

Even when you're not having fun, it seems. Been a bit of a dull week at work, but it is Friday already - where has the time gone?

Even though this week of updating hasn't been the most thrilling there are always one or two gems. Like this, from British Aerospace, the 'premier global defence and aerospace company'. Their products will allow you to defend the Hell out of anything or anyone, but look - they're minimising the environmental impact:

"Land Systems 5.56mm High Performance ammunition achieves these improvements using a lead free bullet, thus reducing the environmental impact during manufacture and training."

Does this strike any one else as crazy? "Sure, kill (sorry 'defend') a whole lot of people, but let's watch out for the trees while you're there." If you look at it from one side, it's admirable, I suppose, but I mean Come ON!

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I rather expect the weekend is going to fly in, too. Heading out tonight for Friday things with Friday people. (Can't say or write that without hearing the League of Gentleman say it, too.) Lunch with the folks tomorrow and then going to the Howson exhibit. Theatre on Sunday night to see strangers, babies at the Traverse.

Need to try and find some time in there to put up mirror and attach base of sofa, which I still haven't managed. It does continue comfy as Hell, though, and the cat seems minded to keep off it when I'm not there.

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Stick in,

C

Money, money, money

I have some! I *actually* have some! And we're not talking the five and ten pences I've been scraping together to buy my morning tracker bar. Oh, no. We are talking actual hundreds of pounds.

My deposit cheque cleared!

*dances*
*glee*
*dances WITH glee*

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Hooker is a funny word. It just is.

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Had my first rehearsal last night, which was fun. It seems my New York accent does not suck as badly as I thought it would. In truth, it is 'not' bad. Which isn't necessarily 'good', but it is definitely 'not' bad. I'm just a little worried about it bouncing around too many districts of NY. I have hope, though - and an accent coach. :)

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I know everything, you know. No. Really. I do. Or one would bloody well expect so given the approaches I get from students and other members of staff. To paraphrase:


"Has this come in?"


"Well, That's not something that would pass through me, but if we do have it, it would come into them and be put there. "


"OK, so has it come in?"


"Oh, I'm sorry - I didn't have my telepathy turned on. My bad. Or, you know, you could GO AND LOOK WHERE I SAID IT WOULD BE!"


To paraphrase again:


"Hi, I'm looking for funding for an MPhil in Underwater Basket Weaving in Georgia State University. How do I fund that?"


"Well, here is all our information on sourcing funding. These books, that folder, this handy guide and that on-line searchable website..."


"So, this has information on the MPhil in UBW at Georgia, then?"


See, this is because I Know Everything. I will automatically be able to tell them exactly where ANY given piece of paper is and also ANY detail at all on ANY further study / company / interview process In the World! This is because I have the word ' information' in my job title. Reminds me of that section in Airplane where the information desk guy had a whole line of people asking him more and more absurd questions - none of them with any connection to flight times or such.


We'll just call it 'flattering' and save me a developed ulcer, eh? And they are grateful when I find it for them. Bless. Little Student People who can't Look In a Fecking Folder!


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Stick in,

C

Ho Hum

First rehearsal is tonight, which is exciting. I am kind of tired, though. Late duty last night at work and then down to mum and dad's hoose for a meal. Working late meant I got down there late, which meant I left late. Then, well-trained boy that I am, I saw my auntie on to her bus before I walked up to the flat. Meant I didn't get to bed until nearly 1am. I'm sure I'll perk later. And if I don't, coffee can!

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Running. I feel I must. Eesh.

But - I've lost my walk to and from work. It's all well and good to be 'yippee skip, I live five minutes from work!' but it also means I've lost my built in exercise. I worry for my waistline. Plus, with living right next to the park, five minutes down from the commonwealth pool, five minutes up from the pleasance gym, there are all these healthy people about. On their bikes, jogging, in sportskit having just clearly been to the gym.

Actually, fit chaps in sportskit I don't mind...

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Stick in,

C

Karma, ba-by!

Awwww, yeah. I knew the universe would not let me down.

I owed some rent on my last flat - £100 - which I'd missed from August of last year or something. What can I say - I was skint that month. I rather expected them to take it off my deposit but it seems that they didn't check their records properly before issuing the cheque.

Evil - 0. Good - 1.

Of course, I'm tempting Fate by mentioning this before the cheque cleared but Karma will protect me, I'm sure!

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I was having a wander through the Guardian's job pages today. Found one which I might not kill for, but I'd go as far as maiming. I don't think I'd go as far as London, though, which is where it is. Fair enough, it's a nice big salary but, when you take into account London rents and all that, it's not that impressive.

So, yes, I took it seriously enough to check that kind of thing, but it would be an amazing job. Still an idle thought, though. I don't see myself being able to walk to work in five minutes from my own own bedroom flat in London, somehow. And where would I put all the lovely furniture I just bought? And, let's face it. It's London. Eesh.

Bloody good job, though.

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Stick in,

C

Flat Status: Warm

And filled with booze, I have to say. Wheat beer and wine in the fridge, more wine in cupboard - along with vodka and JD and rum. Made nice soup with the leftover buffet, too.

Party was great and, judging by the level of 'lovely to meet you' which bounced around at all points, the circles of friends merged well. :) Small Jen would like her props for being the last woman standing. 4am my lastest guests left which fills another 'success' column. I even remembered to put some Anadin Extra and a glass of water by my bed for the inevitable headache the next day.

I was going to set up the camera to take a photo a minute for the length of party but didn't get round to it. I'm sure some will be pleased at that. *laughter* I did blind a few people with the flash off a disposable black and white but I'll need to wait until I've finished the film to see if they came out.

Imagine - film! And processing!
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NewCouch has been delivered - woop! I'm going to put the feet on it when I go home for lunch. Patrick is coming round to help me put the mirror up on the wall and that'll be everything. It's all going to look so pretty!

And the second I see a cat-scratch on the new leather couch, I'm putting her out the door!

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Had my appraisal this morning. Part of the annual drive so not my probationary one. I've got another three months until that period is up. Appraisal went well, though. Had a chance to chat about a couple of things that are bugging me and make plans for future training. I've also been given the go-ahead for a couple of projects I'm keen to do. New signage and display material and some research aids. So I get to do some design work, and some writing - even a bit of theory research.

A reasonable level of 'interesting' from the boss on the Children's Panel, too, which I'm still keen on applying to. Recruitment doesn't start for that until September, though, so plenty of time for the proposal to be bounced up and down the command chain. Might be quite the balancing act, though, if I want to keep the acting up after this play. And the photography. And the writing. And the social life. Especially the social life.

Quite the busy little boy, aren't I?

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Stick in,

C

Is late!

Utterly forgot to witter away at lunchtime. Too busy eating food. I was very hungry, having plotted out buffet for tomorrow night's revelry. Menu planning always makes me ravenous! Speaking of which, we're not long off dinner. Stomach thinks my throat's been cut.

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I am fed up being poor - phoned bloody letting agency today to see how they were getting on with writing a cheque. Idiot administrator announces, "Oh, that's not even on my desk yet. And besides, it's seven to ten working days."

"I was told seven."

"Oh, no. It's seven to ten."

Wankers. It's Friday night and I want some chinese food, dagnamnit!

Quit whining, Reynolds. Plenty worse off than you. Eat chilli in your lovely flat. I'm allowed to seethe with hatred at agents, though, eh?

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More fun with flooers. Well, it is still mostly grey outside, so how else am I to play with my camera?

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It is the weekend! *general rejoicing* Friday of the night. I should be a dreadfully good boy and stop in. Do laundry, that kind of thing, but I've got an invite oot for a wee drinkie and that's waaay more tempting. :) Maybe just one...?

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Anyway, food beckons.

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*Stick in,

C

* I was asked, so I'll explain. 'Stick in' - Scots leave taking phrase. Literal meaning would be 'keep it up', I suppose.

Aye, but it's yer ane dirt...

Points for getting the reference.


I am having baths. No shower in NewPad. There is a shower attachment so I could be having a shower, but I actually like baths in the morning. It makes it a helluva easier to get out of cosy bed if you know it's to sink into lovely hot bath. There's so much time to lounge in it, too, if I can convince myself out of my pit any time before 8 am. I got up at 8.20 this morning - still made it into work on time with no stress, strain or exertion. Living five minutes walk from work is such bliss!



This weekend, though - exercise. Having lost my half an hour brisk walk to and from flat could very well end up in dire consequences for my waist line! We'll hope for decent weather (forecast is cold and cloud) and then I'll charge up Arthur's Seat. Not been up since I got new camera - panoramic pics, methinks.


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Woop! Judge rejects nuclear power (says bbc news).



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Don't nobody visit Nigeria.


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I could go on and on with links like those above. One of the lovely things about my job is that I get to read newspapers, journals, websites and such as part of it. I'm supposed to read widely, keep up with internal affairs and just generally be informed. (In-for-mation officer, you see). Some days, though, it can be quite depressing. It seems like the world is continually going to Hell in a handbasket. I do realise that good news is rarely reported, but still. It's very easy to live in a wee bubble. Maybe I'll go hide in mine...


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Having said that, here's another three clicks to make you an activist. And I've already done the reading through and checking it's not too whiny-assed liberal so you needn't if you're feeling lazy.

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Stick in,

C

It's only since the 14th Century, you know

Since we've had Valentine's day in its current form. He patronises plague as well as young lovers, you know. Yes - you heard me. PLAGUE! Gives a whole new meaning to 'love to you bits'.*

(And, unsurprisingly, greeting card manufacturors. And that's not me being cynical - it says so in the Patron Saints Index.)

Anyway, regardless of Hallmark, a happy Valentine's Day to y'all. Much love. :)

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This is a dinky little toy. A website which will make your photo, any photo, up into poster size for you by splitting it into lots of A4 pdfs. It's free and, if you're not looking for uber-quality, then it's quite cool. I thought you could also, if you were the patient type, space them 0ut a bit - making a virtue out of necessity in that it's not printed on one bit of pape. Or muddle them. Could look quite cool - dependent on the aforementioned patience. I tend to not have enough to caaarefully fit all the bits together properly.

I'll let you know how I get on the next time I'm alone with the colour printer.

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The new pad is even more together than it was. I emptied out all the remaining boxes, chucked some stuff away and hung some paintings. Living room is looking and feeling very comfy. Can't wait for sofa to arrive and then it'll be complete!

And, much as I regret losing the uber-full-length of it, I think I'm going to take a suggestion and put my massive mirror on the wall horizontally. That'll put it between the two windows and really open the room out. I will then site my less big but still sizeable mirror halfway up a wall so that I can still check if my shoes match my hair. :P

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Had some fun with my macros lens last night. Which is the same lens as I usually have but with different settings. Anyway, not got pics just now, I'll upload them this evening.

***update - here they are***

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Stick in,

C

*'love you to bits' witticism nicked from Sue.

Home for Lunch!

Home for lunch, I am. How exciting! I could have timed it better, though. Downstairs neighbour - clearly a stray of some kind - was trying to get in bottom door and spun me a tale of woe about not having a key for it. I've somehow gotten roped into getting money off him to get one cut tomorrow. I don't quite trust him with my key, what with the fact that I met him yesterday, halfway down the Pleasance where he was asking for money "for my train home". Now I discover he lives downstairs from me - about four minutes walk from where he was begging for travel money.

Undecided at the moment, but I think I might just give him my spare downstairs key and get one cut for myself. It'll probably end up easier, but there again, I don't want him knocking on my door for favours every day.

Such a bugger being 'nice', you know.

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Miss Kitty is not quite happy with me as she's been shut in the Hall all morning, me not wanting to risk any further accidents while I'm not here. But much is being made of her just as soon as I get in and wet food aplenty until she relaxes a bit. She seems quite happy surveying the street from the windowsill. Maybe I'll relent and let her have the living room to roam in this afternoon.

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*mild celebration*

This here is my 100th blog post. Dun't time fly, eh? I didn't notice until just now and probably wouldn't have but for changing to blogger-with-google which informs you how many you've done on the opening screen.

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Have we had the sphinxes before?

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Got my first rehearsal scheduled for next Wednesday. Suppose I better read the script, eh?

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Stick in,

C

Urgh

Woke up with massive sinus blockage type thing. Not had that in ages. Basically means Sudafed and back to bed as eyes won't stay open. Then, later in the day, guilt for having to phone in sick considering I feel fine now. I was off on TOIL from 1pm anyway, but still.

TOIL because it is flat inspection today. My main goal - to remain calm. I have so much built up anger with godsbedamned letting agents that I'm not sure I'll be able to keep the heid, know? Focus on the money there, young Reynolds, focus on the money. (Which I really, really need. I wasn't kidding about the 36p thing.)



***update*** Have had inspection and all went well. Inspector looked me right in the eye and said there was nothing wrong, so we can assume I'll get the full deposit back, yes?


No, I don't think so, either. The really bad news? It's going to take seven working days to produce the cheque. Why am I not surprised?

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New pad, on the flip side, continues lovely. Finished putting all the Ikea furniture together and getting all my clothes away. I was very good and did a bit of a cull, too, so goodbye faithful friends...

W & G I got for Christmas when I was about seventeen. My Mum has wanted me to get rid of them for years what with them being 'scabby'. And Din. For Aona Chakra Bradford I have had for almost as long. Bought him (her? - never decided) on the Mound one year when it was Festival time. I'm sure Alexis remembers that day, too. :)

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So I'm an evil bad pet owner. But I may have to kill the cat if she doesn't stop peeing everywhere. She has been shouted at when I've caught her at it. Not when I've discovered it latterly because you can't shout then - there's no connection for her, it's just someone fifty times her size making scary noise which, let's face it, is likely to produce more peeing than less.

I had a quick sketch round the net and it turns out any shouting is counter-productive and is tantamount to abuse. *sobs with a mix of guilt and frustration*

She can get to her litter tray, she is being petted at every opportunity to relax her into the new place - what the Hell else am I supposed to do?

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Was forced to watch football last night. Eesh.

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All the god-damn time. No, really. It happens.

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Have a good one,

C

Smelling of roses

Once again. I have achieved New Hoose.

Thank you to those who did the helping - it was very helpful. :) You now have one Gold Edition ChrisFavour to cash in as and when you please. Not that you didn't have before, anyway, but...

As you can see, there are still boxes of books kicking about and I still have an underbed drawer to put together but other than that, things are pretty much done. Must wait for sofa to be delivered, unfortunately. Weeks, I tells ya!

Windows, though. And central heating. And quiiiiiiiet. Blissful lack of noise. Woop! So I'm actually getting to use this. My new bed. Cool, innit? It is very nearly a 'me' wide.


Also with the smell of roses is the free internet here too! Had a look yesterday and there was nothing, but I turned the laptop on today and it connected to the linksys automatically. Thank you, o Gods of Karma and, of course, people who don't secure their wireless network.

Patsy the cat seems pleased with her new abode - noisily so. Bloody animal never shuts the Hell up.

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Went out last night, which was a total laugh. Much drunken bouncing around on dance floor which was I believe the entire plan. What with the extreme poverty of me (Patrick has a photo of all my worldly wealth - a very small pile of 5 pences - and a Jack Daniels and Coke) I now owe the evening's celebrants some serious pay back booze. What goes around comes around...

Proof that my bed is uber-long, though. I was very mazed (all right, pished) when I got in last night, stripped and fell into bed. Discovered that I'd dumped my clothes at bottom of bed this morning. Did my feet encounter these clothes during night? They did not - that's how long my bed is. *grins*

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I am having my first guest round tonight. The small Jen (word to ya!) is coming round for tea and DVD. Little Miss Sunshine, which I'm heartily looking forward to. Suppose I better go do dishes, get food in, that style of thing.

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*snigger*

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Have a good one,

C

Tomorrow, tomorrow!

I will love tomorrow!

I was thinking it's not all that surprising I've moved so much - an average of once a year for the last twelve, I figured out. That does inlude moving back to Maw and Paw's in between flats, though. If you take them out it's only once every fifteen months. Anyway, it's hardly a surprise because I actually enjoy it.

I've always been surprised by those folk who complain that their parents have changed their old bedroom's purpose - built a home gym or a study or whatever. I understand the feeling - where they grew up, all those memories, etc, but even before I spread wings and flew the parental nest, I'd moved seven times with them. Itchy feet in my family, d'you reckon? Mum and Dad have been in the same place for about ten years now, but they've gotten round that by being in one constant round of home improvement and redecoration. Oh - and when I moved out, my folks knocked the wall through so there wasn't even a room where I had my room, never mind the same set up.

So, the actual carrying of boxes and such isn't particularly fun, I'll admit - and thank God for all the lovely friends who have helped in the past and will help in the future - but the new flat, new area, new local shops, all of the little and big things about shifting I just love. Hell, even when I settle somewhere for a bit I rearrange my furniture every six months. Anyway, all this babble adds up to - moving TOMORROW! *glee upon glee upon GLEE*

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This isn't as good as it would have been had I had my camera with me when the moon was rising last Wed - it was Absolutely Massive. Still and all, I'm pleased with the detail on this one. You might not see it in the blog format, but trust me - it looks good.

Light in one hand, Shadow in the other.

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Speaking of light, it's absolutely cracking in Edinburgh just now. The bright days are incredibly bright. It's like the sun's trying to make up for those grey days when they're overcast. I have resolved to drag my lazy ass out of bed early on Saturday in order to be on top of Salisbury Crags for the sun coming up. I walk up past the Crags at the moment and I can only describe it as a golden aura around it, wanky as that sounds.

I will dutifully accept all mockery for the non-appearance of same photos, evidence of my lazy ass staying in bed. Still, it'll be only the second night sleeping in my new King Size bed, so that's almost fair enough, eh?

Yes, I'm excited about my new bed. Sue me. Actually, it'll need christening, eh? Wonder if I can beat my record...

*smirk*

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I'm updating the Arts folders at work just now, which is my special treat for having completed the Medicine ones - all twelve of them! The annoying thing about the med ones was that they'd only been done last year, but with all the changes to med education in the UK they needed doing again. Still, good job done and I'm spending today browsing through these sorts of websites as my reward. Tempted to subscribe to the British Journal of Photography. £85 and it's once a week, with a free book on the industry.

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I can't decide if Flickr is inspiring or demoralising.

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Have a good one,

C

So close!

Only two more sleeps until I move. Hurray! And I'm actually getting to sleep. Unsurprisingly, and now that it's so close to moving day, the upstairs neighbours have shut the Hell up for the moment. Still and all, I am glad I'm shifting. The new flat was flooded with light on Saturday when I was round measuring up. I'm so looking forward to that.

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More photies from Saturn's day...

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I see I was supposed to ramble on about authorial intent vrs audience interpretation yesterday and...well...didn't. I shall, but I think that needs to be a journal of an evening, then copy to blogger bit.

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Couple of Penny Arcade favourites.

You're so strong!

When animals attack...

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Got my script today, or at least part of it. For the Torch Song Trilogy. I'm playing Ed in the International Stud, which I am told I will be good at. Not actually read the script yet, but I'm sure it's grand. I'd never heard of it, although it looks like you could describe it as canon. I swear, one of these day's I'm going to be audited and the Council will have my Gay Card off me so quick.

Anyway, I'm going to read tonight and see what I've let myself in for. Still really looking forward to it, though. I love acting. Let's Pretend for grown-ups!

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Have a good one,

C

Par-tay, baby!

Well, it has happened. Steve, the first of the Inner Circle to catch me up has done so! He had his thirtieth birthingday yesterday. Party was Saturday and a good time was had by all...

We kicked off in the Jazz Bar at Chamber's Street, which was very good. Two live bands and if you get there before 11.30 it's free to get in. First band started at 9pm, a three piece instrumental group fae Glesga. Second kicked off at 1am, three piece instrumental with a singer. After that we wheeled back to Mr Edgar's hoose for a few more libations and additional merriment. Oh, and the guy winking in the middle of the top photo. That's Smarty. Who chose to point out some typo type errors in the blog of late. So now I'm proofreading. Damn him.

Got home at 6am, so the packing was postponed until evening time. Still got to defrost the freezer.

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I did manage out for what is fast becoming my 'usual' wander with the camera on Saturday, though.

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It is three days until I move! Woop! Woohoo! And other sounds of general merriment. I have ordered my couch and everything! You know what I love about that couch? It's manly. That there is one masculine bit of furniture, I tells ya.

Which will be a nice balance for my throw pillows and such. *laughter* Oh - and the bedroom is easy large enough for the King-Size bed. *grins*

Will have to work on my puppy dog eyes - see if I can convince a willing helper or two to hang around and help me put it together after they help me move. (Not that I'm hinting, or anything.) And all this glee isn't really taking into account how hideously broke I am at the moment. It's the pay-deposit-on-new-flat before getting-deposit-from-old-flat thing. Eesh.

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Have a good one,

C

Are we stupid?

"It would insult your intelligence."

Not a phrase one hears very often these days and one I'm going to drift away from almost instantly, but it seemed liked a good place to start.

I'm wondering about you where transparent becomes blatant. Harking back, recapping and how necessary these are. Anybody seen the new Bond film? There's a sequence in it where Bond figures out the baddie's 'tell'. The thing which, supposedly, every poker player has. A pantomime which, if you know it, will tell you they're bluffing. I have about ninety-five of them. But I try and fox people by using a different one every time and swapping them round, too. So, in one hand me tapping the table will mean I'm bluffing, in the next it'll mean I've got a really good hand and am desperate for you to bet. Basically, I can't sit still. It's impossible, so I figure I might as well try and make it work for me.

Back to my point - Bond spots the baddie's tell, informs the other goodies (so that we'll know) and then five minutes later it happens, but we, the audience, are not expected to remember this. Oh, no. We need to be reminded.

"Look. There is it, the tell. Do you remember - James told us?"

Of course we fucking remember! He only told us five feckin' minutes ago. That precise example, I felt, was truly stupid as the person being reminded (for our benefit) was the Bond Girl who was set up as a terribly clever person, well able to keep up with Bond, so why did she need reminding of something that happened five minutes previous?

I realise that, "They're dumbing everything down!" isn't a new debate (or whine), but I'm intrigued, from a writing point of view. Must I pander to this sort of thing? If something in the first chapter or section of a story or book is key to events later on, do I have to figure out how to remind people?

Consider this. That's so me. No, not watching Beauty and the Geek but I totally remember stuff like that. It's why I clap hands over my eyes when the super-long trailers for films I want to watch come on. They can entirely ruin a film for me because I remember them in their entirety and so know that the dying person isn't actually going to die because he's in a sequence I've seen in the trailer which hasn't happened yet. Now, I know I'm not the only one, as Mr Dean's comic attests, but are there many? Or are we two freakish?

Basically, I'm groping my way towards point of view and an attempt to genericise. Which is impossible, I realise, but I don't think happy medium is too much to ask. There again, as the author there's my intent, too. A writer's group I used to contribute to once had a discussion on colloquial terms, regional expressions, that kind of thing. One contributor thought that the author had a responsibility to provide a glossary or something of the sort to explain and define the out of the ordinary terms. Myself, I thought that lazy. Still do. So, from that I can decide it's my story, I think you should bloody well be paying attention so I'm not going to hold your hand through the whole thing.

Hmmm.

Tomorrow (or Monday, actually) : authorial intent vrs audience interpretation.

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Beaten at my own game. I am very ticked off. One of the advisers sent a note up to the info team saying she was having trouble accessing a site. Was it dead and out of date or just blipping for today? I did a quick search and couldn't find much of anything, so sent back (to everyone on the distribution list) that I thought it was dead.

Then one of the other info team members found the fucker, under a changed name. Grrrrrr.

She was kind enough only to copy in me and the adviser, rather than pointing out my idiocy to the whole team. Which was nice of her, and quite finely courteous.

But still. Grrrrrr.

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Patrick has his first lot of photos up, for those of you who haven't been by yet. This one is my personal favourite. Blogger having one its fits where it won't let me put up photos. *huff*

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I'm paying my deposit and first month's rent for new pad today. One of the few occasions where handing over nearly a grand in cold hard cash can be termed exciting...

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Have a good one,

C

Base of Operations

The upstairs neighbours, or those c*nts as I've come to term them (pardon my Klatchian), have expanded their base of operations. And they clearly couldn't give a shit that they're disturbing me. When I bang on the ceiling, they all come and congregate on the same spot and jump up and down, laughing. Last night was a real triumph in disturbance, though. I'd done my usual give-up-and-go-sleep-on-couch-for-a-bit but then they decided to use the whole flat to herd their baby elephants through. Herding baby elephants is clearly an hilarious occupation with the amount of shrieking and laughing that was going on. A seriously broken night's sleep and I was a half hour late for work this morning it being quite hard to get going.

Still and all - one week to go, one week to go!

(And I stuck on my most bass-driven CD before I left for this morning, pointed speakers at ceiling and cranked it. See how they like it.)

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OK - bit of lazy activism for you.

Join the flotilla to stop GUANTÁNAMO!

It'll only take you a few minutes to do and it's basically an online petition. DON'T think it won't make a difference. At the very least you will have Said Something and there's something to be said for that.

Type: chrisreynolds59@gmail.com into the search box to find me!

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Scramble all fighters. Repeat: scramble all fighters!

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On a happy note, I went along to the audition last night and I'm told I have a part. Which one, I'm not sure, but definitely something to do. I'm rather looking forward to it.

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Have a good one,

C