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Easter weekend, and some anger.
Here's the entry I forgot to email home yesterday. I would put it under a cut, but there are cuts within it...
After my last entry on Saturday I finished the majority of chores (put half the clothes away, had tea), had a bath, and watched the end of the 100 Greatest Tear-Jerkers thing on Channel 4. I was quite horrified to discovered that Titanic came third (must... kill... public...) but that was made up for by The Green Mile coming second. I can't remember what was first... I might go and see if the full list is on their website as I'm intrigued what ended up on there... What was more annoying even than Titanic was the fact that it was being presented by Jimmy Carr. They'd have this lovely, melodramatic clip from a film dealing with a sensitive issue (like Sophie's Choice or The Elephant Man), and then he'd open his big mouth and make me want to slap him. There are times when sarcasm is appropriate, and times when it isn't. A list of great tear-jerkers is one of those latter times.
Jimmy Carr has apparently studied the 'science' of jokes, or so he was saying to Jonathan Ross. Which, I suppose, rather explains why he's such a crap comedian. There's no point finding out what makes a 'perfect joke' if you can't deliver it properly, or with any sense of self-deprecation. He takes himself FAR too seriously to be even remotely likeable.
On Sunday, we didn't do very much. We had to pop out, firstly for eggs, and then for more beer for Paul. Luckily, both the halal butcher/greengrocer and the off licence were open.
Paul played more of his silly UFO game (five hours) and I watched the first two episodes of a Channel 4 dramatisation of Zadie Smith's White Teeth, the first chapter of which I remember reading at uni. Might look for that on Amazon... There are still two episodes left to go, so I'll see if I can squeeze them in this week, before they disappear off the replay thing...
We cooked our enormous leg of lamb (£7.00ish from Aldi) and invited Lisa up for Sunday lunch. The lamb was frelling gorgeous, if I do say so myself. We watched Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (I'd forgotten how funny it was) which Noel got me for Christmas, and then Lisa went downstairs.
I've taped a programme on the Turin Shroud and The Passion of the Christ to get around to watching at some point. I say 'at some point' because I still have a load of stuff to watch from when we moved in, let alone Christmas...
On Monday we had lamb sandwiches for brunch and then headed out to go to the cinema to see Sunshine. It is highly recommended that you see this film on the big screen, as the special effects are amazing. There are lots of other sci-fi references crammed into it, and visually it reminded me of a cross between Farscape and Voyager.
It was quite odd watching it AFTER having seen the promo feature on Sky Movies, which revealed how they based the space suits on Kenny from South Park, because that was all I could see...
Most of my thoughts throughout revolved around a central theme of "That's a HORRIBLE way to die", and possibly the 'boogie-man' element towards the end was a bit random, but I suppose they had to put a twist in it somehow...
I can't say too much more about it without ruining the entire plot, except that, well, you can tell it's British from the end result.
We also saw lots of trailers for several things, including 28 Weeks Later. I'm not sure on the plausibility of a sequel for 28 Days Later, but it looks as visually interesting as the first one and might be worth a look... My favourite bit of 28DL was the swooping shots of a deserted London, and I'm not sure how they can top that...
I need to make a list at some point of all the stuff coming out from May onwards so that I don't miss anything. There are at least six things on the list already:
1. 28 Weeks Later (11 May, I think)
2. Spiderman 3 (which I'm not THAT keen on, but will only kick myself for not seeing at the cinema afterwards)
3. Shrek 3 (WOO!)
4. Pirates 3 (*bounces*)
5. Harry Potter 5 (must finish book before June.)
6. The Simpsons Movie (in July)
Plus a few others, no doubt. Saw IV should be due at Hallowe'en as well...
Anyway. After that we tried to get a drink in the Figure of Eight. The barmaid had poured my drink and THEN decided that she was going to check for ID. According to the Wetherspoons magazine all of their pubs are now cracking down / joining in with the "Under 21" rule. So that rather put a damper on things, and after that I couldn't be bothered with pubs any more so we went home and got a curry.
At this rate I'm going to have to carry my bloody passport around with me, which can only result in my losing it right before I actually need it.
This 'under 21' thing really annoys me, and not just because I've been ID'd all of once since I was legal age before this year (and that was because they were IDing everyone). They might as well just increase the legal drinking age and be done with it. The amount of annoying, pisshead students clogging up Broad Street might reduce, for a start. (I'm allowed to complain about that - I was only an annoying pisshead student about three times at Uni; the rest of the time I was a sedate, internet-addicted one.) I also can't help thinking that this is some Secret Government Initiative to get everyone on the side of ID cards...
The thing is, though, what if you don't drive, you've never been abroad, and you're over 25 and hence can't get an 'official' ID card? What then? You have no feasible way of proving you're the age you are if you look younger. And WHY won't they accept NUS cards as valid ID when the majority of the time, if you're at Uni you're going to be over 18, and they have your date of birth on them anyway! (But then, there are a lot of stupid systems that need changing where going to uni is concerned, doctor's surgeries and patient registration being one of them, and TV licences being another...)
I mean, come on. Do I really look under 21? Really? I know I'm short with adolescent skin, but that's no excuse. Definitely time for a haircut; long hair has always made me look younger than I am.
ANYWAY. Moaning aside... er, here's more moaning.
(This bit typed at 11.00ish.) Once I finish this very short tape on my desk I will have run out of work again. This wouldn't have happened if BOTH of the 'helping' typists from downstairs had decided my workload was too high. As I was booking in Liz said "I'll just make myself a cup of tea and then come back and help you." No! Buggroff! I don't want any help! I don't want 'a quiet day'. I want some frelling work to do!
And the same thing again this morning (as in Wednesday)! She came in and took two bits of work! I had sneakily not taken anything this morning because I knew she'd be coming up, and I could see the next one in the tray was half a tape, as opposed to a little bit. As it stands there are three things in the tray at the moment. I am very tempted to say at my one-to-one, "If I need help I will ASK for it" because this is getting ridiculous. I DO appreciate the help when it's actually required. Today, it is not.
Also, to the fee earner who went sifting through the pile to find a tape in order to add something to it - PUT IT BACK WHERE YOU FRELLING FOUND IT! There are numbers on the booking-in sheets for a REASON. The typing has been done out of order as a result, dammit. It doesn't matter today, but on another, busier day you would be queue-jumping. Stop it. Just put another tape in rather than adding to a previous one.
The only trouble with low-stress jobs is you end up creating your own stress from things. Today being a case in point. I seemed to cope much better with the ACTUAL stress at LAO because at least it was productive, in most cases, and eventually led to an end. (I refer to diary- or typing-related stress, rather than Sandra-stress, which was quite the opposite of productive.) When there's nothing to do, it's not only boring but equally stressful because you feel like you SHOULD be doing something, even when there's nothing you CAN do. I'm not one of those people who will happily sit at a desk and DO NOTHING (LJ entries count as something, and besides, I'm doing my PDR... :P) without guilt.
I know, I know, I went for this job BECAUSE it was low-stress, low-responsibility and relatively high-pay. I know I can do much better, and I'm so sick of working for the Council, but they've effectively trapped me with their flexitime scheme and their other nice bonuses, despite their stupid sickness policy and stupid managers and stupid decisions. As I've said elsewhere, and as I shall say to Marie during my one-to-one, if the Single Status results in my being paid less, I'm going to HAVE to look elsewhere, because otherwise I can't afford to live - alternatively, if it results in Child Protection typists being paid significantly more, I may look to go back, if not at LAO then somewhere nearer.
The truth is, it took me far too long to pluck up the courage to apply for jobs in the first place, and staying within the Council is infinitely easier than trying to look outside of it. Even though I do now have some interview experience, if I start looking for jobs again I'll be back at square one in learning a new role. I'm also finding, once again, that work EATS all my time. When I'm on leave I get stuff done. When I work, I have to get stuff done at weekends and durnig the evening. When I want to SLEEP.
Bah. Jobs suck.
Just as well I'm not at choir tonight (we get this week off) and I can leave at a reasonable time. They probably don't even need me here today, but since Noor is off (seriously, you have to book you leave three years in advance to beat her to it...) I have to be in. Ordinarily at Easter I take the concessionary on Tuesday and then Wednesday to Friday as leave, but that isn't an option here. I've got next Monday and Tuesday off, but that's only because it's our anniversary.
We're supposed to be going to Bacchus, assuming they're not shut or something equally annoying, and possibly Dudley Castle, as it's nearer and cheaper than Warwick Castle. I also wanted to get some photos in Warstock Cemetery but I doubt my camera will hold together long enough and I'll spend most of the time trying to keep it in one piece.
ARGHEVERYTHINGISANNOYING!
I will be calm. I will. I am only in for four days. *breathes*
(Added, 1.40) Apparently Noor is going to be off sick for two weeks, which means two more weeks on my own seething at being 'helped' when there's not enough work to warrant it. I am SO taking some well-earned leave at the end of this, dude. Maybe the rest of the week off after the first May bank holiday...
I'm considering mid-June or early July for the theme park trip/s, so watch this space. I'll post entrance fee/train deal details nearer the time to get a better idea of numbers.
Yesterday evening I went to bed at 10.30 because I was tired (it's paid off, though, as I actually feel like I got enough sleep for once). I'm sure Paul thought I'd gone to bed early because I was annoyed with him for snapping at me. Amazon are selling Dead Like Me season 2 and Life on Mars series 2 at discounted prices (DLM2 for £30 instead of £40, and LOM2 for £21.85 [ish] instead of £40.) There are also a couple of books I want to get as well. Knowing that Paul also wants to see DLM and LOM series 2, I suggested we should get them, to which he replied that "we don't have the money".
To which I replied, "I'll remember that the next time you want a crate of beer". He'd had a bad day at work and was cranky, which is fair enough, and it's not like I don't take my bad days out on him, but still. I was thinking of him when I suggested it.
I KNOW we don't have the money. We never have the money. All of my money is disappearing into food supplies. I wouldn't mind if any of it had gone on clothing or CDs or DVDs or books or anything remotely interesting or exciting that I could feel guilty about, but it hasn't. I've bought a pair of work shoes which were a necessity (for a tenner) and a pair of trainers, but that's it. I got tickets to Cats but had already taken those into account when I was meant to start saving, and didn't even GET the boots I'd included in my calculations.
It all seems to be going on food, bills, rent, bus pass, and... what? I don't know. It's just going. Admittedly, having to fork out £120-odd just for the privelege of being able to see properly was a bit of a blow, but it's really getting quite annoying now. I should have just over £200 spare each month before Paul pays back half the rent, so WHERE'S IT GOING?
My plan of spending £20 a week just didn't work out, it seems. We keep going out for pub food when we can't be bothered to cook, and then end up putting about £20 in the games machine. THAT's where it's all going. All my attempts at saving are pretty much scuppered straight away by the plaintive cry of "Puuuub!" and it's all just an endless cycle.
Yes. We don't have the money. Funny how we ALWAYS have the money for beer. And it's all very well telling me to get the Amazon stuff using the money from the savings account, but that's NOT what the savings account is for. The money in that account is to pay, god forbid, for a frelling holiday one of these days, or for house stuff if we get a house, or for a wedding in about 20 years when we're not poor. So it doesn't help when we're both taking money out of it all over the place to... well, I don't know. Pay bills, apparently. I might as well take all the money out of there now and be done with it.
*sigh* I'm sure it'll get better. It's just been like this since about February, and it's frustrating.
Roll on the April pay rise, please. I could do with a few extra quid a month...
I shall now stop moaning and get this emailed / posted...
After my last entry on Saturday I finished the majority of chores (put half the clothes away, had tea), had a bath, and watched the end of the 100 Greatest Tear-Jerkers thing on Channel 4. I was quite horrified to discovered that Titanic came third (must... kill... public...) but that was made up for by The Green Mile coming second. I can't remember what was first... I might go and see if the full list is on their website as I'm intrigued what ended up on there... What was more annoying even than Titanic was the fact that it was being presented by Jimmy Carr. They'd have this lovely, melodramatic clip from a film dealing with a sensitive issue (like Sophie's Choice or The Elephant Man), and then he'd open his big mouth and make me want to slap him. There are times when sarcasm is appropriate, and times when it isn't. A list of great tear-jerkers is one of those latter times.
Jimmy Carr has apparently studied the 'science' of jokes, or so he was saying to Jonathan Ross. Which, I suppose, rather explains why he's such a crap comedian. There's no point finding out what makes a 'perfect joke' if you can't deliver it properly, or with any sense of self-deprecation. He takes himself FAR too seriously to be even remotely likeable.
On Sunday, we didn't do very much. We had to pop out, firstly for eggs, and then for more beer for Paul. Luckily, both the halal butcher/greengrocer and the off licence were open.
Paul played more of his silly UFO game (five hours) and I watched the first two episodes of a Channel 4 dramatisation of Zadie Smith's White Teeth, the first chapter of which I remember reading at uni. Might look for that on Amazon... There are still two episodes left to go, so I'll see if I can squeeze them in this week, before they disappear off the replay thing...
We cooked our enormous leg of lamb (£7.00ish from Aldi) and invited Lisa up for Sunday lunch. The lamb was frelling gorgeous, if I do say so myself. We watched Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (I'd forgotten how funny it was) which Noel got me for Christmas, and then Lisa went downstairs.
I've taped a programme on the Turin Shroud and The Passion of the Christ to get around to watching at some point. I say 'at some point' because I still have a load of stuff to watch from when we moved in, let alone Christmas...
On Monday we had lamb sandwiches for brunch and then headed out to go to the cinema to see Sunshine. It is highly recommended that you see this film on the big screen, as the special effects are amazing. There are lots of other sci-fi references crammed into it, and visually it reminded me of a cross between Farscape and Voyager.
It was quite odd watching it AFTER having seen the promo feature on Sky Movies, which revealed how they based the space suits on Kenny from South Park, because that was all I could see...
Most of my thoughts throughout revolved around a central theme of "That's a HORRIBLE way to die", and possibly the 'boogie-man' element towards the end was a bit random, but I suppose they had to put a twist in it somehow...
I can't say too much more about it without ruining the entire plot, except that, well, you can tell it's British from the end result.
We also saw lots of trailers for several things, including 28 Weeks Later. I'm not sure on the plausibility of a sequel for 28 Days Later, but it looks as visually interesting as the first one and might be worth a look... My favourite bit of 28DL was the swooping shots of a deserted London, and I'm not sure how they can top that...
I need to make a list at some point of all the stuff coming out from May onwards so that I don't miss anything. There are at least six things on the list already:
1. 28 Weeks Later (11 May, I think)
2. Spiderman 3 (which I'm not THAT keen on, but will only kick myself for not seeing at the cinema afterwards)
3. Shrek 3 (WOO!)
4. Pirates 3 (*bounces*)
5. Harry Potter 5 (must finish book before June.)
6. The Simpsons Movie (in July)
Plus a few others, no doubt. Saw IV should be due at Hallowe'en as well...
Anyway. After that we tried to get a drink in the Figure of Eight. The barmaid had poured my drink and THEN decided that she was going to check for ID. According to the Wetherspoons magazine all of their pubs are now cracking down / joining in with the "Under 21" rule. So that rather put a damper on things, and after that I couldn't be bothered with pubs any more so we went home and got a curry.
At this rate I'm going to have to carry my bloody passport around with me, which can only result in my losing it right before I actually need it.
This 'under 21' thing really annoys me, and not just because I've been ID'd all of once since I was legal age before this year (and that was because they were IDing everyone). They might as well just increase the legal drinking age and be done with it. The amount of annoying, pisshead students clogging up Broad Street might reduce, for a start. (I'm allowed to complain about that - I was only an annoying pisshead student about three times at Uni; the rest of the time I was a sedate, internet-addicted one.) I also can't help thinking that this is some Secret Government Initiative to get everyone on the side of ID cards...
The thing is, though, what if you don't drive, you've never been abroad, and you're over 25 and hence can't get an 'official' ID card? What then? You have no feasible way of proving you're the age you are if you look younger. And WHY won't they accept NUS cards as valid ID when the majority of the time, if you're at Uni you're going to be over 18, and they have your date of birth on them anyway! (But then, there are a lot of stupid systems that need changing where going to uni is concerned, doctor's surgeries and patient registration being one of them, and TV licences being another...)
I mean, come on. Do I really look under 21? Really? I know I'm short with adolescent skin, but that's no excuse. Definitely time for a haircut; long hair has always made me look younger than I am.
ANYWAY. Moaning aside... er, here's more moaning.
(This bit typed at 11.00ish.) Once I finish this very short tape on my desk I will have run out of work again. This wouldn't have happened if BOTH of the 'helping' typists from downstairs had decided my workload was too high. As I was booking in Liz said "I'll just make myself a cup of tea and then come back and help you." No! Buggroff! I don't want any help! I don't want 'a quiet day'. I want some frelling work to do!
And the same thing again this morning (as in Wednesday)! She came in and took two bits of work! I had sneakily not taken anything this morning because I knew she'd be coming up, and I could see the next one in the tray was half a tape, as opposed to a little bit. As it stands there are three things in the tray at the moment. I am very tempted to say at my one-to-one, "If I need help I will ASK for it" because this is getting ridiculous. I DO appreciate the help when it's actually required. Today, it is not.
Also, to the fee earner who went sifting through the pile to find a tape in order to add something to it - PUT IT BACK WHERE YOU FRELLING FOUND IT! There are numbers on the booking-in sheets for a REASON. The typing has been done out of order as a result, dammit. It doesn't matter today, but on another, busier day you would be queue-jumping. Stop it. Just put another tape in rather than adding to a previous one.
The only trouble with low-stress jobs is you end up creating your own stress from things. Today being a case in point. I seemed to cope much better with the ACTUAL stress at LAO because at least it was productive, in most cases, and eventually led to an end. (I refer to diary- or typing-related stress, rather than Sandra-stress, which was quite the opposite of productive.) When there's nothing to do, it's not only boring but equally stressful because you feel like you SHOULD be doing something, even when there's nothing you CAN do. I'm not one of those people who will happily sit at a desk and DO NOTHING (LJ entries count as something, and besides, I'm doing my PDR... :P) without guilt.
I know, I know, I went for this job BECAUSE it was low-stress, low-responsibility and relatively high-pay. I know I can do much better, and I'm so sick of working for the Council, but they've effectively trapped me with their flexitime scheme and their other nice bonuses, despite their stupid sickness policy and stupid managers and stupid decisions. As I've said elsewhere, and as I shall say to Marie during my one-to-one, if the Single Status results in my being paid less, I'm going to HAVE to look elsewhere, because otherwise I can't afford to live - alternatively, if it results in Child Protection typists being paid significantly more, I may look to go back, if not at LAO then somewhere nearer.
The truth is, it took me far too long to pluck up the courage to apply for jobs in the first place, and staying within the Council is infinitely easier than trying to look outside of it. Even though I do now have some interview experience, if I start looking for jobs again I'll be back at square one in learning a new role. I'm also finding, once again, that work EATS all my time. When I'm on leave I get stuff done. When I work, I have to get stuff done at weekends and durnig the evening. When I want to SLEEP.
Bah. Jobs suck.
Just as well I'm not at choir tonight (we get this week off) and I can leave at a reasonable time. They probably don't even need me here today, but since Noor is off (seriously, you have to book you leave three years in advance to beat her to it...) I have to be in. Ordinarily at Easter I take the concessionary on Tuesday and then Wednesday to Friday as leave, but that isn't an option here. I've got next Monday and Tuesday off, but that's only because it's our anniversary.
We're supposed to be going to Bacchus, assuming they're not shut or something equally annoying, and possibly Dudley Castle, as it's nearer and cheaper than Warwick Castle. I also wanted to get some photos in Warstock Cemetery but I doubt my camera will hold together long enough and I'll spend most of the time trying to keep it in one piece.
ARGHEVERYTHINGISANNOYING!
I will be calm. I will. I am only in for four days. *breathes*
(Added, 1.40) Apparently Noor is going to be off sick for two weeks, which means two more weeks on my own seething at being 'helped' when there's not enough work to warrant it. I am SO taking some well-earned leave at the end of this, dude. Maybe the rest of the week off after the first May bank holiday...
I'm considering mid-June or early July for the theme park trip/s, so watch this space. I'll post entrance fee/train deal details nearer the time to get a better idea of numbers.
Yesterday evening I went to bed at 10.30 because I was tired (it's paid off, though, as I actually feel like I got enough sleep for once). I'm sure Paul thought I'd gone to bed early because I was annoyed with him for snapping at me. Amazon are selling Dead Like Me season 2 and Life on Mars series 2 at discounted prices (DLM2 for £30 instead of £40, and LOM2 for £21.85 [ish] instead of £40.) There are also a couple of books I want to get as well. Knowing that Paul also wants to see DLM and LOM series 2, I suggested we should get them, to which he replied that "we don't have the money".
To which I replied, "I'll remember that the next time you want a crate of beer". He'd had a bad day at work and was cranky, which is fair enough, and it's not like I don't take my bad days out on him, but still. I was thinking of him when I suggested it.
I KNOW we don't have the money. We never have the money. All of my money is disappearing into food supplies. I wouldn't mind if any of it had gone on clothing or CDs or DVDs or books or anything remotely interesting or exciting that I could feel guilty about, but it hasn't. I've bought a pair of work shoes which were a necessity (for a tenner) and a pair of trainers, but that's it. I got tickets to Cats but had already taken those into account when I was meant to start saving, and didn't even GET the boots I'd included in my calculations.
It all seems to be going on food, bills, rent, bus pass, and... what? I don't know. It's just going. Admittedly, having to fork out £120-odd just for the privelege of being able to see properly was a bit of a blow, but it's really getting quite annoying now. I should have just over £200 spare each month before Paul pays back half the rent, so WHERE'S IT GOING?
My plan of spending £20 a week just didn't work out, it seems. We keep going out for pub food when we can't be bothered to cook, and then end up putting about £20 in the games machine. THAT's where it's all going. All my attempts at saving are pretty much scuppered straight away by the plaintive cry of "Puuuub!" and it's all just an endless cycle.
Yes. We don't have the money. Funny how we ALWAYS have the money for beer. And it's all very well telling me to get the Amazon stuff using the money from the savings account, but that's NOT what the savings account is for. The money in that account is to pay, god forbid, for a frelling holiday one of these days, or for house stuff if we get a house, or for a wedding in about 20 years when we're not poor. So it doesn't help when we're both taking money out of it all over the place to... well, I don't know. Pay bills, apparently. I might as well take all the money out of there now and be done with it.
*sigh* I'm sure it'll get better. It's just been like this since about February, and it's frustrating.
Roll on the April pay rise, please. I could do with a few extra quid a month...
I shall now stop moaning and get this emailed / posted...