Carlove

My car has an admirer. The other day, while getting inside to to drive to see Star Wars III, I noticed "I LOVE YOU"drawn into the rain-dust.

Perhaps it's the blue, soft-top Toyota MR2 Roadster that likes to park up close? Although on second thoughts, I think she's got a thing going on with the silver Ford Focus with alloy wheels that's often seen hanging around of a weekend.

I smudged out the message - don't want my car to get a big head now. Maybe that was a bit rude; maybe I should just have answered "MY CAR LIKES YOU TOO".

Orange

I woke up with a bright orange bucket next to me and a pint of water ready for me to spill it. Later, successive strangers walked into the lounge that was my bedroom of the night, eyes drawn to the bucket and the shadow of the spilled water on the carpet and formed their first impressions of me.

I'd thought these days were behind me like my carefree student ones...

I could say it was all cousin C's fault. It was for her final twenty-something birthday that we were at a bar that sold beer of up-to 12% alcohol. Though I didn't attempt that one, beers of 7.5% and 8% can still be pretty lethal. There was a competition to try and get up to 100% by adding all your %'s together. I didn't play.

It was interesting to see how quickly beer goggles can take affect too. The prettiest girl there was also the youngest, but at eighteen she was still tainted by the blotchy skin of adolescence. My cousin W's soon-to-be sister-in-law. However, within my first two 8 percenters her skin was clear as Snow White's.

At only 11pm I was gone. Falling down steps at the underground, big sister just about catching me but I still have the scars to aid my memory. Back to Victoria to collect my bag and catch the Oxford Tube - a cheap coach service between Oxford and London. Luckily the coach had a toilet. I passed out on a seat closest to the toilet, leaving my sister, her boyfriend and my bag upstairs.

One more bus journey awaited me in Oxford to my sister's flat, where I could pass out on the sofa.

The morning came bearing a headache (though not too bad, as the beer was mostly chemical free) and a dodgy stomach. My sister got me some orange juice and toast with marmalade. Later my sick was bright orange. Even later, as I ejected my stomach lining in a storm drain in the carpark, that too was orange.

Congratulations to the 100th Visitor!!

Yay! Finally hit the century mark! Congratulations Mr/Mrs/Miss ??? from Brussels, although as you didn't leave a reply you don't get the balloons and streamers.

Instead, the balloons go to.................. Anna of Pennsylvania ...



.. you were actually visitor #107.

Where did everyone go...?

Where did all my visitors go? I was getting all excited waiting for my about 100th hit, I was going to have balloons and streamers and everything, but in the past 12 days I've only had 3 hits :o( And 2 of those were by me accidentally! Usually Blogger sends loads of people through at the weekend, but there's been nothing for the past 2 weeks. No that the visitors that click through probably stay long but at least they click the counter on.

So, would Visitor #95 please leave a reply (comment), so that I'll know people are coming my way again. THANKS.

:-S

Fact that made me smile today: - )

I've never been richer than I am at the moment; but I have been poorer!

(i.e. the black number is still less than the biggest red number)

Though I don't include my Student Loan, so really I'm stil red :-(

Outside Euston

Went outside Euston Station for the first time today. Usually it's just a node between New Street and East Croydon, I didn't even know what area it's in. It's in Camden.

My reason for stepping beyond the boundary of Euston Station was the fact that I'd missed my 9.34am train. The reason I'd missed my train was a composite of two distinct reasons. Firstly, I'd forgotten that I was on the Victoria Line and not the Northern Line and walked the wrong way down the platform looking for the exit. It wasn't where it usually was because I wasn't where I usually was. Secondly, I'd missed the Victoria Line tube at Victoria by mere seconds. The door closed with a hiss of finality as myself and some lady ran towards them. To add insult to lateness, the train didn't even move off right away but lingered on the platform for all onboard to see that we'd missed it. The reason I missed this underground train was because I'd stopped to get some cash after getting off the overground train.

And so I found myself outside Euston Railway Station, Camden, a tourist in a strange land. Resigned to my role of Tourist, at least until my next train, I studied the various monuments (to railway workers who gave their lives in The War) and sculpture slightly older than me. Walking a little further I came across The Wellcome Trust.

The Wellcome Trust are a client of ours and a Registered Charity. Certainly they're the Richest Registered Charity, in their new, opulent, glass-fronted, 6-storey office block. Not entirely sure where they get their money, although I can't see them having to send out hoards of chuggers onto the streets of London.

This and that

Nothing much to say so I'll just talk about nothing much...

I tried to make small-talk with one of the Sandwich Shop Girls today, as it was quite. Asked how long the awning had been up outside, cos I've never noticed it before and it's black with big white writing on so I'd think I would have. I don't think she understood me, or at least she didn't understand the word "awning", so after my 2nd attempt at asking she just said she didn't know. Maybe that's the first time she's ever heard the word, in which case that's my achievement for the day, introducing someone to a brand new word (even if she's no idea what it means and has probably forgotten it by now). How do you explain to someone what an "awning" is anyway?

Missed a good opportunity to play my commuter game Music Match yesterday. Have I told you about my Genius Idea to cut down on the monotony of commuting to/from work on a silent train? Basically, if you sit by someone with an MP3 player, you just ask them what they're listening too. And if they are listening to the exact same track (by the same artist) as you are, then you win. Obviously there are more to the rules than that, I've thought up them all in one of my many bored moments, but I won't bore you with them now. Anyway, I was sat in squeezed in between this guy reading "Aviation Today" or something and a businessy bloke snoozing. Opposite the businessy bloke as a scruffy bloke also snoozing, and opposite the aviation geek was a guy reading a travel guide for Chile or somewhere. Opposite me sat a girl with a pink iPod mini, and as the guy sat next to her (reading about Chile) was also listening to some music, I thought it would be a good chance to try out Music Match, but really everyone seemed so closed off, even the girl sat opposite who seemed as bored as me.

Talking about train journeys, I was pleasantly surprised on Monday to be in a generally well-read carriage. There was a girl reading The Hobbit, a lady reading a Tony Parsons book I'd not heard of and a girl holding Cloud Atlas (though not actually reading it). One woman had Bridget Jones Diary, but never mind. Also there were more people reading proper newspapers than the free Metro one.

Rebel Without a Cause...

Here's my weekend briefly: Saturday, didn't do much. Some shopping in Croydon. Sunday, went to the gym in London, had to try out my new padlock I'd bought on Sat. Usual lathargic workout, then went swimming. Decided to swim ANTI-clockwise, as opposed to the way that the signs in each lane say to go. If someone asked me why I was swimming the wrong way I'd have said it could be one of 3 reasons: 1) I'm dislexic and so couldnt understand the sign telling me which way to swim. 2) I'm a rebel. 3) I'm just odd like that. Obveously the reason is #3 - further proved by the fact that when a lady came into my lane to start swimming I promptly started swimming in the clockwise direction. When I got bored of swimming the right way I sat in the hot tub for a bit and timed people swimming up and down on the big speedo clock.

On the train back from the gym I found I had a text from A (from here on referred to as G) asking if I was in London and wanted to go for a drink. I promply replied that I was and did. Hours later, I had my mobile in my hand about to ring him to ask what was going on when the phone started ringing and it was G!

Arranged to meet at Old Street tube station and go to a bar at some square. Drank too much (Gis one of my many friends who's a bad influence on me simply because he can drink more than I can). On the train back to Croydon I did my second act of rebellion - I sat in the First Class compartment. There was noone else on the train, so then again not so rebellious. However, my body wasn't feeling too great and about halfway through the journey I threw up all over the floor of the compartment and over my t-shirt. What a looser! Spent the rest of the journey at the window and prompty legged it when the train came into the staion - leaving some poor cleaner to cleaner my mess.

think I should buy this book next perhaps: Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood ?

Genius Idea #1

What's the name of that child-star actress from the 60's - I think she was in Breakfast at Tiffany's or something.  Dark hair, brown eyes.  There's a famous pic of her with long gloves on and a cigarette in a long filter.  I can't get "Natalie Wood"s name out of my head, but I know it's not her.  I just ask cos I saw a lady on the train with that picture printed on her handbag and I came up with a brilliant business idea aimed at total geeky kids.  You know how you get fan sites with on the Web for people that list pretty much everything about the subject star, with loads of pics and tell you about their latest appearances and news etc?  Well I thought you could do the same for old dead stars too that people may be interested in learning about, like Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, the girl on the handbag etc.  It would be like one of those magazines you collect to make something (scale replica of old boat, etc), except you'd get info and pics every week and the subscribing geek would use these to update his (probably a "he" anyway!) website (made from templates in the first issue).  And then it would eventually end with the star's death.  Kinda like a DIY biography.  Not sure what kinda person would think it's fun to make a pretend fan-site for a dead person (pretending they're alive that is, as would all be written in the present tense).  But aside from that I think it's a genius idea.

too much travel

Not really had any fun adventures lately, but thought I should write anyway just to highlight how little fun you can have whilst travelling so much.

 

I was in Birmingham at the weekend, took the train Friday after work.  However, on Monday I had to go to Nottingham and P wanted me to take a laptop on the off chance I could put some data on it we'd been waiting for.  So I had to lug this laptop as well as my normal weekend bag (minus dirty washing) across London on the Northern Line to Euston.  Then at New Street I planned to get the train to 5-ways but it was a 40 minute wait and I couldn't be bothered with that.  I decided to walk and to walk the long way as I didn't want to get mugged for work's laptop.  It then started to rain, but not too much so that was OK. 

 

Got home, checked the Hamster was alive and the house hadn't burnt down.  It was and it hadn't.  Didn't really do much else all weekend actually.  Saw my sister on Saturday and briefly on Sunday - can't actually remember when I last saw her!  Could have been Christmas actually.  Fixed my computer, not the way I wanted it really but at least it's working now.  Exorcised the poltergeists that'd been turning on the computer and scaring my mom (BIOS setting to "wake up" on network command - think a hacker may have spotted my computer when the defences were down and taken an interest).

 

Sunday night in Birmingham, which is odd for me.  Then Monday morning up early to go straight to Nottingham.  When finished at Siemens it was back through London to Croydon for the night.  Tuesday at work in London, then as we had a "workshop" starting at 8.30am (yes, 8.30am :o(    ) left the office at 4pm with BPB, BC and GA to get the train back to Nottingham.  Went through stuff for the workshop on train and then GA enlightened us all about the half-hourly electricity market.  Didn't stop at Luton.

 

Checked into a hotel in Nottingham literally on my old Uni campus, right opposite the library.  Cute Finish girl at the desk, hotels seem to be a good place to find cute foreign girls, although this time no cute maid offered to "turn down my bed".  Thought I should hang around while BPB checked in as one of the questions on the check in form was "Nationality" and if not "Commonwealth or Irish citizen" then other stuff like passport number.  Who takes their passport on business trips in the same country?  In the end it wasn't Nationality that caught BPB out, but paying in cash!  He does not have a bank account yet (it's rather difficult to get one) and his Belgium credit card was full up.  However paying in cash requires proof of ID!  God knows why but what can you do?  The girl that was checking him in was in training so wanted to do things properly.  In the end BC had to pay on his credit card.  The nationality problem did come up but she asked the other girl (cute Fin) who said not to worry about it.  Really, BPB is Canadian, and thus a commonwealth citizen, anyway so it was never really an issue.

 

Went out for evening meal (up to £16) on The Company, had a few drinks then back to the hotel after last orders.  

 

Wednesday morning woke up, showered, dressed and packed then down to breakfast.  Had 2 pieces of toast, Orange juice, apple juice and a muffin (the "continental" breakfast as opposed to full English) at a cost of £6!  Oh well, not me paying.  Then off to Siemens again.

 

Had another free meal, this time on Siemens.  Much to BPB's dissapointment was the fact that he couldn't claim for it on his expenses too.  The workshop in the afternoon that I was responsible suffered from poor planning on my part and wasn't 100% sucessfull, so felt abit down about that.  Then KM took BPB and I (BC and GA had left earlier) to the train station.  Train back to London St Pancras, tube to London Victoria, picking up about a million people from Oxford street as it was now 5.30pm.  Still more people couldn't fit on the train.  Then train to East Croydon and back to the flat.  Knackered.

 

Still had to make my parents bed and my own as I'd been sleeping in The Bedroom while folks were in Cypress for the week (although I think I slept in the flat 3 nights in total).  Had dinner, had a sauna, showered and went to bed.

 

And now it is today.  Amazing how little fun I've had!  No doubt you're glad I've shared it all with you.

Morphing Experiment #1

Here's a photo that's been morphed into a copy of the photo (drawn by the hugely talented me).



[Original photo by Emma Delves-Broughton for Loaded magazine]
[Morphed using (the originally titled) Morpheus. (free 5-morphs trial)]

Things I like about...

The Daily Commute

Watching people through their translucent reflections in the train windows.

useless friends

I got a text from K this morning... actually, better start at the beginning. Well, maybe not THE beginning as that's a long way back to go an would take far too long. I'll start instead at some relevant point in between. Lets call it, for argument's sake, a week ago last Wednesday.

In a vain attempt to plan my Birmingham weekend in advance I sent texts to all my brummy friends; K, U, L, V and S, suggesting that we might go to the cinema that coming weekend. I gave 3 options of films to see, just to be on the safe side. 1) The Hithchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - the main film I wanted to see; 2) 9 Songs - although I don't think it was actually showing anywhere at the time anyway; 3) The Interpreter - because people have said it's a good movie. K replies "Yes, definitely up for it". L's reply was slightly less enthusiastic and committal, she'd already seen The Interpreter and had never heard of 9 Songs, so maybe she'd be up for it. S simply didn't want to go see Hitchhikers, I think he just doesn't trust my choice of films anymore after dragging everyone to see Arthur and Garden State - he just wants to see crappy Hollywood formulaic b_ll_x these days. V simply didn't reply, possibly forgivable as he's got his finals to be worrying about and has started seeing a bunny-boiler he's afraid to dump until after his exams, due to the hassle it will cause! U also didn't reply, but that's nothing new.

Needless to say, with all that against me I didn't manage to organise a trip to the local picture house for that weekend, let alone to see Hitchhiker's. A little background about my desire to see HHGTTG may be useful at this point, so you'll have to forgive me for taking you slightly beyond a week ago last Wednesday.

The fact of the matter is simply that, for quite some time, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was my favourite book. Or rather, trilogy of books in 5 parts. I've even read it more than once, that's how much I liked it. I liked it so much that I wanted a girlfriend of mine to read it, to the point of leaving my signed (by my sister - it was a 17th birthday present) copy with her after we split up. She didn't read it, instead giving it to a mutual friend to return to me. The mutual friend did not return it on several opportunities and, due to a course of events I wont stray onto here, is now no-longer a friend but still has my HHGTTG. Recent attempts to regain my lost volume have failed.

Back down south and on my own in the flat last Wednesday, I ring K for a chat. I catch her just as she's leaving for the "Slim Factory". Glad she's getting some exercise but it takes more than driving to the gym once a week to get slim. In theory, loosing weight for someone like here should be much easier than it is to gain weight for someone like me. After all, all you have to do to loose weight is regular exercise, eat less and eat healthier. The exercise isn't even that strenuous until you get to the toning phase I'd imagine. For me, someone who has a pathological to most healthy foods, putting on weight throws up obstacles more insurmountable than mere hunger and lethargy. I digress.

K says she'll ring back on Thursday. Thursday comes, no-one calls. I wish could say I was surprised. Friday I text her whilst on the train, see if maybe this week we can arrange to see Hitchhiker's, as I'm going straight to Nottingham from Birmingham Monday morning. I got a text from K this morning saying she thought no-one was bothered about seeing it so had already seen it! Her brother's mate had a dodgy copy and she could see if he's still got it if I want? How bl__dy kind! Arghh! I have not replied. Instead I thought about making a blog entry about it all, was about to put on my dressing gown and go to the computer like Arthur Dent himself. Then I remembered that my dressing gown isn't here. Then I thought it was an odd response to have to an emotion (loneliness, despair;...) - to simply want to type it out and publish it for anyone who 1) manages to stumble across it and 2) can be bothered to read it. I digress again, the story really ended a couple of sentences ago. Interesting wasn't it!?

Election Day

So today is the 5th of May, Election Day.  I didn't vote.  Or rather, I didn't vote today.  I posted my Birmingham vote on Saturday and I've not got a vote down here (as, I think I've mentioned, I don't live here!)  At first I thought it might be a day of High Alert against terrorism, but then I thought if you wanted to change a government by blowing people up, you'd make your move before election day to give it time to soak in.  Like in Spain.  As of yet, the only exploding that's happened is outside the British Consulate in New York, and I don't really see the point in that unless it was a glazing firm trying to get a bit of business.  Happened at about 3am their time and there was only one person in the building (a security guard one would hope).  Strange.

 

Anyway, I was wondering if people around the world are waiting with baited breath to see if we kick out Blair like we did to see if the US kicked out Bush.  And I wonder if they'll be as surprised as we were after the US elections if the current political status-quo in the UK is maintained come tomorrow am.

 

Of course, we may have a Tory PM come tomorrow PM {shudders}, you never know.  Can't stand the man myself, even more so than the other politicians.  Apparently he has a fit daughter though - comes from Folkston like A & K.

 

Will the world have changed by the time I wake up tomorrow?  Probably not in any way that will help it.  

jukebox mod

Aside from the fact that the entries get out of sync with the window after a few scrolls, would the kind stranger passing through this page please let me know if the Jukebox looks weird on your resolution / browser?

Thanks!