Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Buying the Christian brand
Hey there's nothing like having to do one blog to kill of your other one is there! I've not done this for days...
Last week was the usual flurry of excitement and thrills - Monday was catchup night, Tuesday was school night, traumatised by my lectures and discussed and resolved with housemate, failed to type it up, did a fab blog on the Thursday which the blogger equipment ate all charted on Cert Man Journey. Wednesday was food and a board game at the chaps. A lovely little game of hunting gathering and fishing and succeeded in having a draw - given that it was my first shot and he's played it loads I figure I didn't do so bad. Did another game that was based on battles so I completely bummed out there. Not only was it based on battles (never a good start, war being stupid and all) but the explanation started from "it's like poker" (hmmm, how to put your back up Mrs I don't do betting if I can avoid it - the only people who win are the bookies). Thursday was a evening of packing and prep for my trip to the Smoke. Friday was a train journey of trauma (delays and reading matter) and a weekend of family. For the first time since learning to speak my niece did not inform the world once over the weekend "I don't really like Arla" (she is still adamant I am called Arla as in Arla foods not Isle-a as in the Isle of of Scotland). Although she was not happy about sharing a room with me (nor me her - we both slept better when she bogged off to Dommies room).
Sis's PND is improved by SAD lamp, spouse will probably not grasp the "it's like a tummy upset in your head" explanation, but he's not freaking out as much as some do. Saturday was spent reading about marketing, which I began to get right into as the morning progressed, but ended up only doing about 3 hours as JM rang from the airport to ask to have lunch. Sis and spouse at a wedding so I came up with the goods (do you know how hard it is to find a lettuce and a cucumber in Notting Hill Gate if you don't know your way around?) JM managed to work out I was seeing a chap but I sidestepped the whole sharing any information - dead easy mention the Civil Service and she was off on a pensions/terms and conditions/unreasonable expectations line of thought. He's a bloke - he doesn't want kids, he is therefore useless to she who only wants to meet the father of her potential grandchildren. Also had an interesting start to a conversation. Apparently JMs children all know that she never disagrees with us. Hmmm would that be because we take care never to disagree with her? Or does she genuinely believe that? That she truly never judges anything and there is no criticism ever intended? Perhaps. The wonders of family non communication.
Sunday was the Christening. The vicar was pretty cool - informed us that parents/god parents were buying the Christian product for Dommie - he could decide the brand when he grew up. I didn't realise that - so you are christened a Christian, you are confirmed into which ever branch you choose. Cool, I no longer have a problem about having been Christened then - as the underpinning fundamentals aren't so bad (do as you would be done by, be good to each other) it's the other stuff I don't like (original sin, homophobia, all the isms, all the don'ts). Lead to contemplation with housemate (human, not feline) of which branch is the Asda Ownlabel, which is Pepsi? Which is Coke?
Big old family meal afterwards - with a suitably stuck up waiter who I upset (I didn't want so much gravy but that was not an option). Overwhelming sense of grief/relief on leaving, something of a panic with the tubes as the circle line never fails to disappoint but I got the train and successfully returned to Leeds from London faster than chap returned from Manchester to Leeds. Chap was/is in a bad way. All tired yesterday, then monster pain today. I suspect the wheat free agreed with his system more than he realised and 2 months of return to wheat is paying it's toll. It makes you very glad that you are only battling against an extra 4" on the waistline, and 7 kg, not 4 stone spare. Will continue to be the supportive bird and not the naggy one.
Last week was the usual flurry of excitement and thrills - Monday was catchup night, Tuesday was school night, traumatised by my lectures and discussed and resolved with housemate, failed to type it up, did a fab blog on the Thursday which the blogger equipment ate all charted on Cert Man Journey. Wednesday was food and a board game at the chaps. A lovely little game of hunting gathering and fishing and succeeded in having a draw - given that it was my first shot and he's played it loads I figure I didn't do so bad. Did another game that was based on battles so I completely bummed out there. Not only was it based on battles (never a good start, war being stupid and all) but the explanation started from "it's like poker" (hmmm, how to put your back up Mrs I don't do betting if I can avoid it - the only people who win are the bookies). Thursday was a evening of packing and prep for my trip to the Smoke. Friday was a train journey of trauma (delays and reading matter) and a weekend of family. For the first time since learning to speak my niece did not inform the world once over the weekend "I don't really like Arla" (she is still adamant I am called Arla as in Arla foods not Isle-a as in the Isle of of Scotland). Although she was not happy about sharing a room with me (nor me her - we both slept better when she bogged off to Dommies room).
Sis's PND is improved by SAD lamp, spouse will probably not grasp the "it's like a tummy upset in your head" explanation, but he's not freaking out as much as some do. Saturday was spent reading about marketing, which I began to get right into as the morning progressed, but ended up only doing about 3 hours as JM rang from the airport to ask to have lunch. Sis and spouse at a wedding so I came up with the goods (do you know how hard it is to find a lettuce and a cucumber in Notting Hill Gate if you don't know your way around?) JM managed to work out I was seeing a chap but I sidestepped the whole sharing any information - dead easy mention the Civil Service and she was off on a pensions/terms and conditions/unreasonable expectations line of thought. He's a bloke - he doesn't want kids, he is therefore useless to she who only wants to meet the father of her potential grandchildren. Also had an interesting start to a conversation. Apparently JMs children all know that she never disagrees with us. Hmmm would that be because we take care never to disagree with her? Or does she genuinely believe that? That she truly never judges anything and there is no criticism ever intended? Perhaps. The wonders of family non communication.
Sunday was the Christening. The vicar was pretty cool - informed us that parents/god parents were buying the Christian product for Dommie - he could decide the brand when he grew up. I didn't realise that - so you are christened a Christian, you are confirmed into which ever branch you choose. Cool, I no longer have a problem about having been Christened then - as the underpinning fundamentals aren't so bad (do as you would be done by, be good to each other) it's the other stuff I don't like (original sin, homophobia, all the isms, all the don'ts). Lead to contemplation with housemate (human, not feline) of which branch is the Asda Ownlabel, which is Pepsi? Which is Coke?
Big old family meal afterwards - with a suitably stuck up waiter who I upset (I didn't want so much gravy but that was not an option). Overwhelming sense of grief/relief on leaving, something of a panic with the tubes as the circle line never fails to disappoint but I got the train and successfully returned to Leeds from London faster than chap returned from Manchester to Leeds. Chap was/is in a bad way. All tired yesterday, then monster pain today. I suspect the wheat free agreed with his system more than he realised and 2 months of return to wheat is paying it's toll. It makes you very glad that you are only battling against an extra 4" on the waistline, and 7 kg, not 4 stone spare. Will continue to be the supportive bird and not the naggy one.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Another week
Hmm I'm not so up todate on this now am I? Last week Monday - stuff evening went, Tuesday Course - evening went, Wednesday - cousin didn't arrive till 11 so evening went, Thursday collected a bed , curry, Friday bowling night gym (for once!) booze after got back from bowling at 1am. Saturday forgot was helping at a kids party so no decorating house or paperwork to letting agent but shopping, entertaining kids wildly (12 6/7year old males - all agreed Wacky warehouse does have it's place) Then fancy dress party for me - I won something! I didn't even know it was on the cards and I got the best outfit! I'll have to try next time - Zombie biker bird. Yes I know not exactly hard. The chap said I didn't look trashy! I was not impressed with him. I was even less impressed by some of the revelations of the evening but mostly it was harmless I guess. Of course as a Zombie I had to drink something horrible looking - blue bols and lemonade it was - or anti freeze. Who knows they look the Same!
Sunday underachieved - lunch with friends, no course work done no paperwork done no nothing. Watched Japanese horror films in the evening and A&Js - The Grudge (to be released redone with Sarah Michelle Geller, interesting concept) and The Eye. Both interesting I thought - The Grudge had spooky cat/child situation. The Eye - eye replacement means "I see dead people" .
Today Leeds was virtually gridlocked this morning. I gave up on the car and did a very rapid jog across a golf course, walk down the canal from the Chaps to work so ended up 1/2 hour late. How much made the news? Nothing - 1 short article on BBC. Nothing in local news, paper or anything. So the death on a road blocking a major atrery into Leeds with repercussions for many others had zero impact on the greater scheme of things. It's really very sad. However wall to wall coverage of the Bush/Kerry debacle. I only discovered today that they will actually be voting for other people too in America tomorrow. Hmmm you have a choice one loaded wanker who wants to buy the world and impose his views on it or a different loaded wanker who wants to buy the world and continue to impose his views on the world. Somehow I have little belief either care what happens to the very poor, sick or helpless because they do not comprehend what it is to be poor sick or helpless. I don't have enough of a grip of what's going on here to really care - if the monkey stays in then he will be expected to do more stuff with Iraq. If the manikin gets in he will be expected to do change for the sake of it. Either way the world looses out, afterall no one can say "hmmm we thought this and we have now been proved wrong - how would you like us to contribute to rectifying this mess we have contributed to?"
On the home front lets hope the Gambling bill gets massively restricted. I don't understand how someone who actually bothers to go to church and is somewhere between High CofE and Catholic can be even quietly backing a betting bill. However I think given the clear lack of support from all sides I don't see that it's reasonable to see it as a true "Labour wants..." I think it's just something that got out of control. The winners are the business people owning the gaming houses, the loan offerers with their interest raking it in and the losers are the people who are on the receiving end of crime to pay for peoples debts that they were too stupid or thoughtless or inumerate and lacking in self awareness to avoid accruing when the started loosing they got locked into the "my luck will change" mindset. At least probability is now on the national curriculum. We do try to teach the next generation about odds now.
Sunday underachieved - lunch with friends, no course work done no paperwork done no nothing. Watched Japanese horror films in the evening and A&Js - The Grudge (to be released redone with Sarah Michelle Geller, interesting concept) and The Eye. Both interesting I thought - The Grudge had spooky cat/child situation. The Eye - eye replacement means "I see dead people" .
Today Leeds was virtually gridlocked this morning. I gave up on the car and did a very rapid jog across a golf course, walk down the canal from the Chaps to work so ended up 1/2 hour late. How much made the news? Nothing - 1 short article on BBC. Nothing in local news, paper or anything. So the death on a road blocking a major atrery into Leeds with repercussions for many others had zero impact on the greater scheme of things. It's really very sad. However wall to wall coverage of the Bush/Kerry debacle. I only discovered today that they will actually be voting for other people too in America tomorrow. Hmmm you have a choice one loaded wanker who wants to buy the world and impose his views on it or a different loaded wanker who wants to buy the world and continue to impose his views on the world. Somehow I have little belief either care what happens to the very poor, sick or helpless because they do not comprehend what it is to be poor sick or helpless. I don't have enough of a grip of what's going on here to really care - if the monkey stays in then he will be expected to do more stuff with Iraq. If the manikin gets in he will be expected to do change for the sake of it. Either way the world looses out, afterall no one can say "hmmm we thought this and we have now been proved wrong - how would you like us to contribute to rectifying this mess we have contributed to?"
On the home front lets hope the Gambling bill gets massively restricted. I don't understand how someone who actually bothers to go to church and is somewhere between High CofE and Catholic can be even quietly backing a betting bill. However I think given the clear lack of support from all sides I don't see that it's reasonable to see it as a true "Labour wants..." I think it's just something that got out of control. The winners are the business people owning the gaming houses, the loan offerers with their interest raking it in and the losers are the people who are on the receiving end of crime to pay for peoples debts that they were too stupid or thoughtless or inumerate and lacking in self awareness to avoid accruing when the started loosing they got locked into the "my luck will change" mindset. At least probability is now on the national curriculum. We do try to teach the next generation about odds now.
