And the day had been going so well too

I was less then impressed to hear a news item on the radio today that Nottingham city council is planning to implement new scheme to raise funds to expand their tram system. To do this they will start to charge companies £180 for each car park space they have over 10 spaces. This could rise to £360 within of this scheme coming into operation. Now in all likely hood this cost will be passed over to the workers, i.e people like me.

Oh to put it another way after paying for car tax, MOTS, insurance and extremely price petrol the government now wants to charge me to park my car at work. So I will be having to pay if it goes up to £360, a £1 a day just for the privilage of going to work.

I really hate this government sometimes.

Asides from this rather annoying piece of news the day had been going very well. There had been another load of work to do but I managed to get it under control fairly quickly and have most of it cleared by the end of the day in preperation for tomorrow which is going to be really, really busy.

I also got some free stuff today as well which is going to prove useful. At least that's what I'm telling Grumpy and not that theres every chance it might just join the stockpile in the garage.

anyway,

Later folks!

Must resist the time waster...

Well before I start todays post I just thought I'd mention that according to Blogger this is post 601. Which is just wow, I never thought I'd still be doing it after this long.

Anyway back on target as the saying goes, with it being a Monday it seemed a little harder then usual to get out of bed but I guess it always seems harder to get out of bed to go to work after having time off. One of the unwritten rules of life I guess.

It was busy as usual but I was feeling quite pleased with myself as I managed to get the huge pile of work to do well under control by mid morning. Even a couple of unexpected major problems didn't cause too much hassle. What made the day even better was that I will be recieving some free models ( don't ask it will take far too long) as it also seems that my attempts at networking seem to be paying off as I might be able to blag a few new shiny things from somebody else tomorrow too.

Hmmm shiny :-)

I did make a big mistake this evening as I found a game whilst searching in Grumpys office that I had bought quite sometime ago and I had never got round to installing. I decided to put it on just so I have a quick play and see what it was like.

Yess..... I really should have known better shouldn't I. 2 hours later I looked up from the screen where my forces were busy invading the enemy base and realised I really should have remembered that RTS games are fun. But their also immense time wasters...

I must remember that tomorrow.

Well institute on Wednesday. Theres still no news about a new class president so it will once again be down to me. The Liberian to organise things. Well that and the last Friday forum ever.
No pressure there then hey? Although DB did make me smile on Sunday when I announced to our YSA class about the last ever Friday forum and that it would be on the 10th October. He promptly asked what day that would be then suddenly realised that the clue was in the title...

Anyway,

Later folks.

Every member an IT expert?

As regular readers will know I've got a calling to be in charge of the Ward bulletin. Which basically is a sacrement program and various ward announcements printed in on a nice official looking 'program'. Now I used to print them off but that started to get very very exspensive so I started to use the photocopier at the chapel instead.

Unfortunatly this morning the photocopier managed to print off 3 bulletins before it jammed good and proper. So whilst trying to unjam it I had to listen or 'put up with' delete as appropriate to IT advice from any passing member. Which was interesting in the sense that although they kept saying things like " well that works with my computer" they kept missing the obivous fact it wasn't a computer. I also kept getting the advice to " Turn it off and on again" which I might not know much the ins and outs of IT but I do know to always try that first. But thinking about it have you ever noticed when they have computer trouble they never try doing that in Star trek do they?..... Sorry just digressing there for a moment.

I was finally able to locate where the jam was but it was at the far back of the copier which I couldn't get to. So as I couldn't clear the jam, no bulletins for Loughborough ward today. Oopsss!

After Sacrement I decided to ask Photoshop because as he belongs to the same family as Mechanicus, Gadget and technik shares their knack of getting uncoperative electronic devices to work. I felt somewhat better when he had a problem too. It eventually fell to his lad J to clear the Jam as he was the only one able to fit his hand in there. However they still didn't help as the copier continued to insist that there was a jam somewhere. We decided that at the risk of causing further damage we would leave it alone. The Bishop was going to have a look at it and hopefulyl fix it for next time.

Church was also a bit odd because as it's general conference next weekend we had fast Sunday this weekend instead. Which just felt very odd as that meant two fast Sundays in the same month. Oh well stranger things have happened and frequently do around here :-)

Well Monday tomorrow. Time for another week of work and all the various challenges that will bring and this week I have lots to do just as I did last week. It's going to be another busy one folks!

Well at least I will have money next weekend. Maybe I should treat myself to something shiny. Hmm that new greys anatomy box set looks mighty tempting.

No, no. must resist............................


Later folks.

Gee I can avoid boring people, what are the odds

Well last nights YSA trip out was a lot of fun. Well the first part at least as the eight YSA who eventually turned up and I say eventually as per usual most of them were operating on MMT, went for 'desert' at one of the resturants near the cinema. And yes saying 'desert' is or rather was a attempt by the YSA to basically make going out for Ice cream sound a lot more grown up.

While we were eating I was actually able to have a conversation and not refer to anything overly geeky for at least an hour. Which might sound like something odd to be proud off but I felt it helped my self confidence a bit to actually be able to have a conversation and not bore people with geeky things :-)

Anyway the film was okay. It wasn't as good as I hoped it would be and the swearing was a bit OTT. I probably wouldn't have gone to see it though if the rest of the YSA hadn't gone to see it.

Shopping was pretty much the same old, same old today. Into Loughborough, get a paper and then get the shopping. I avoided going into any of the 'other shops' as much as possible as I didn't wnat to see anything that might tempt me into spending money I don't have. I really loathe five weekend months! Still I get paid this week and I'm getting that tax refund to which will almost cover the cost of getting my new passport.

I recieved my first almuni magazine from my university today after I signed up to their new alumni site. It was interesting, especially to see all the building work they've done since I left. It also felt a bit weird as it only seems the other day that I left not a whole six years ago now!

Where has the time gone?

I'm up to a mighty 101 friends on facebook and yes I am feeling pretty smug about that. I know facebook can be a bit of a time waster sometimes but it does have it's uses. I was able to track down an old pen pal I haven't spoken to in five years

I spent a lot of the afternoon working on top secret project one which I'm glad to say is still going to plan. I will be able to reveal everything soon.

anyway,

later folks!

Haven't the foggiest

If there was ever a indication that Summer has gone and winter is upon us, (I know it's technically autumn but theres not much difference here in the UK) the change of weather is almost certainly it. And boy has the weather changed. When I got up this morning I discovered that it was foggy. Really, really foggy. Which prompted a very slow drive into work, peering out into the fog in a effort to see other cars and hoping that all the usual idiot drivers had decided to stay home in bed.

Work was good today as well. I've managed to get all I needed to do this week done, so I think I can safely say, Yaah me! Now it's the weekend, time to relax for two days, forget about work and generally try and get something constructive done.

I'm going out this evening ( rare event I know) which is why todays post is a lot earlier then usual. A group of YSA are going to get something to eat and then go to the cinema. Which will be nice as we haven't had a full YSA cinema trip for quite sometime.

Anyway,

Later folks!

m'eh!

I've had another one of those days when I've been sitting here for the past ten minutes trying to think of something to write.

It's not that it's been a boring day more it's just been a pretty much standard run of the mil ( insert another cliche here) kind of day where nothing much happened.

I suppose this is the problem with my goal of trying to write a blog post everyday. If nothing especially interesting happens. (like today) it gets very hard to write about anything even remotely interesting.

Oh well, tomorrow should be a bit more interesting.

At least I hope so as I may start loosing people from the silent majority of readers.

I know your out there. Google anayltics tells me so :-)

later folks!

Just another Groundhog wednesday

It looks like I might have started to catch the beginnings of my first 'winter bug' as I woke up with a very sore throat this morning. Fortunatly we're well stocked with lemsips and throat sweets so I was able to take some to work to get through the day.

And a very busy day it was too. I'm working flat out right now to try and get everything done and I am actually managing it, so I'm feeling rather pleased with myself right now. Hopefully I will be able to keep on target and get everything else done too!

The trip into Leicester for Insitute took a bit longer this week but I still got there in plenty of time. However we were very thin on the ground tonight as we only had half the number of people we had there last week. I've no idea where they've all gone.

Bro H also announced that the Friday forum to be held in Leicester during October will be the last Friday forum ever. Which has seriously upped the pressure on us to do a good activity. The class president will be under a lot of pressure to deliver the goods as it were.

But wait we haven't got a class president anymore.

So who does that leave?

The Sectary and the Liberian to organise things. And that would be EP and...

me....

On dear....................................

We did have a new student there tonight who will be going to Loughborough Uni which means he's in our ward. Yaah! He will henceforth be referred to as Chemistry as he's studying Medical Chemistry and is going to be studying here for five years!

The activity after the lesson was a huge amount of fun. It was Ultimate frisbee in the cultural hall, without the frisbee :-) We used this soft rocket thing, which is basically a ball shape with fins attached, in place of a frisbee. I may have ended up looking like a total muppet running around but I have to admit it was a awful lot of fun.

anyway,

Later folks!

Have Battlewagon, Will travel. Have Deffkopta will blow stuff up

I know I promised a photo of what I built at the weekend. I'm sure those of you in the know will think it's cool and those of you not in the know will wonder just what the heck it is! Suffice to say it's a model for one of my wargaming armies. It's called a 'battlewagon' and is for my Ork army. Before anybody asks it is not finished and has a long way to go painting wise before it is.
And whilst I was converting that, I also converted these
A Warbuggy and skorcha! When I say I converted the models what that means is I used other kits and bits and pieces which are used to make something else and used them to make some different.
I know it's sad and geeky but hey based on the blog title you should expect some of that from time to time.
And here is the start of my two Deffkopta squadrons as well. And to translate that into non geek they are what they look like and are basically attack helicopters. I'll just hasten to add that none of these models are totally finished yet which is why they are at work so I can paint during my lunch times.

Later folks!

It's time for a geek moment

As regular readers will know I paint and collect wargames. Now although I have several 'armies' and panted a lot of models I've never got round to actually creating a table to play on. It's always seemed to get pushed to the back of my 'will do someday list'. Even though when I do get round to doing one it probably will be nowhere near as cool as this table at work. Well I used to think that ruined cathedral was cool until I saw this new board which has jsut gone into the gaming hall.
Now to give you an idea of scale each of the boards measure 6 foot by 4 foot.
So yes that means that spread across three tables this fortress is 'huge' even by gaming standards.
Now if only I can get enough people together to play a big enough game...

Morning Races

Owen now has a new game that he likes to play. Well at least he likes to play it, it's currently driving Grumpy up the wall. His game? Well it's grabbing the post as soon as it comes through the door and running off with it. So the arrival of the post room is now the signal for the race to the door to start. Unfortunatly for Grumpy, Owen is currently a lot faster then he is. Which means he has to spend lots of time looking for the post each morning.

David Blaine has just started his latest stunt in the USA. Apparently he's going to spend sixty hours hanging upside down. Well I can't help but wonder why? And what does this prove? and if he may end up considering it one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time.

Slightly bad news today. Although Bosslady is returning to the UK to visit over Christmas she won't be coming near this part of the country. There is a possibilty that we might be able to go down and see her down south but that's going to depnd on what she's up to and when she comes. Of course the other problem is work in the sense that it will be almost impossible to get anytime off over christmas so if she comes at the 'wrong time' I will be outta luck. Which would be a shame at so many people go over to the US and don't seem to come back!

Of course this prompted a fresh round of jokes from Grumpy who offered if he paid for a air fare to Utah as it might help me being a English guy in the US. He then added that it would be money well spent if it helped 'get rid of me'. I declined his offer with a well aimed throw of a cushion at his head that I wasn't that desperate. Yet.... and he might want to make the offer again in a year :-)

I know I promised a picture of my latest modelling project today but I left it on my painting station at work which makes taking a photo when my cameras at home a mite difficult.

Speaking of work it was a regular Monday asides from it being really, really, really busy and it's not going to die down for the rest of the week for reasons I can't go into as it is work related. Suffice to say I have a HUGE amount of work to do by the end of the week. It's going to be tight but I will do it. Heck I'm determined to do it. It might not be too glamarous work but it is important but I'm determined to show I can deliver to a tight time limit when it's needed.

anyway,

Later folks!

Blank Brain, blank blog title

It's been another one of those days where I've been sitting here for ages trying to think of a post title, let alone thinking of what to write!

Church was okay. Although it had a little feeling of 'groundhog day' about it. I didn't feel like I got anything out of the sacrement meeting talks or the sunday school lesson. On the plus side the priesthood lesson was good and gave me a few things to think about.

Only one more week until the students are back and that should hopefully give me some more people to talk to 'yah!". Which on a related note Social still isn't talking to me. I think I've got to face facts now and realise I have three options. 1) 'Corner her' as it were and see if she will tell me what the problem is as I have no idea as I did everything she asked. 2) Accept that she's decided to doesn't want to be friends anymore and I just move on or 3) Continue to wait as her friend and hope that one day she will come round.

I'm still not sure which to go with mind you. But I think I'll need to make a decision soon.

I've spent most of the afternoon model making. Yes, yes, geeky I know but I was in one of those kind of moods where I just had to build something. I should be able to post some pictures tomorrow once it's finished and undercoated.

Well it's Monday tomorrow, time for another week of work and all the challenges that will bring. But hey it's fun and I'm basically paid to talk about my hobby all day. So I can't complain :-)

later folks!

Locked up

Well it's pretty much a standard Saturday today. Although I kept my looking around the shops to a minimum in case it tempted me to spend money I don't have. I hate Five week months!

Although we were delayed slightly this morning as when we went to leave Grumpy thought I had already gone outside and also went outside locking the door behind him. And of course with the news doors we have you can only open them if you have a key, which prompted a mad hunt around the house for my keys so I could let myself out of the house!

Petrol Prices have started to come down again as the supermarkets have started a 'price war', it's all the way down to £1.08. Of course as oil is going up again I'm sure it's going to rise again soon. It's funny how when oil rises the price goes up immediatly but when the prices go down the petrol companies always insist it takes 4 to 6 weeks for any drop to be reflected at the pumps. There might well be a good technical reason why this is the case or it could just be that their ripping us off.

You decide!

I spent most of the afternoon reading and doing some painting. Boring I know but it's just been one of those days.

later folks!

Back to our regular programming

Right now that ranting is out of my system on with the show!

Yes theres nothing as nice as waking up on a Friday morning as you know that it's the last day of work for that week and you'll soon be getting two days off.

Of course you have to get through the day first and as I've pointed out before they do tend to prefer you actually turn up for work before they'll actually pay you :-)

It was actually quite a good day as it happens. It was fairly quiet which allowed me to clear a whole lot of work, which is always satisfying.

Anyway it's the weekend now, so time to forget about work for another two days. I'm actually aiming to do something constructive for once. If it works I'll post some pictures later, if it doesn't I won't mention it again so I won't look stupid for messing it up :-)

later folks!

Well this was obivously well researched

They are some news articles that you get a bad feeling about even before you read them and you just seem to know precisely what's going to happen. I got that feeling when I saw this article
" Polygamy uncovered: What's it really like for the women who have to share a husband?"

on the daily mail website this evening. Now the article is based on a new TV Documentary to be shown on channel 4 about a presenter who was 'given access' to two polygamous families, to document her domestic lives.

Yes, can you already see where this is going folks? If the article is anything to go by, the TV show is probably going to be reinforcing that old stereotype good and proper.

One of the Fathers is called Moroni and the article mentions
"So what should we make of polygamy, which is still practised by thousands of members of the Mormon sect? "
"True, physically speaking Moroni - named after a Mormon god - is hardly a catch. "
"a community of fundamental Mormons who still practise polygamy. "
"they were both Mormons, "

And in case your wondering no where in this article does this journalist/presenter make mention of the fact and for want of a better term the "mainstream Mormon church" does not practise polygamy and stopped doing so way back in the 1800s. So unless you happen to know about the 'offshoot' churches your not going to know thats theres any difference between the Elders who knock at your door and the people who practise polygamy.

Of couse I could be being harsh and she might mention this in the programs but considering one is called Dawn Porter: Free lover and Dawn Porter: The Polygamist's Wife it doesn't sound like this will be especially thought out or insightful programs. More a attempt at a cynical ratings ploy!

Honest Bribery

I realised it was quite likely to be another one of those days when I managed to sleep through my alarm but still managed to hit it whilst still asleep, thus turning the snooze function on and it going off again five minutes later.

It seemed to be a real struggle to get up and get myself going this morning. I don't know why, it just seemed to be one of those days.

The 'rush hour' (and I use that term loosely as the term rush implies speed) traffic didn't help as it was exceptionally heavy thanks to all the freaking roadworks. So by the time I got to work the car park was full and I had to go and park in the overflow carpark instead which is way down the road. I suppose it could have been worse. It could have been raining.

Work was quite interesting. We had the latest samples of some more books arrive which lead to the usual fun and games when taking the samples round the building. One of these days people might try bribing the guy with a trolley full of books (i.e me) rather then the people who are only getting one copy. See I'm very honest about bribery, I've even give them a recipt :-)

I got home to get a ncie surprise. Somehow even though I only put the application in on Saturday my new passport had already been processed and arrived. Which is a amazing turn around time I think you'll agree.

I then had to help Grumpy find the rest of the post as Owen had grabbed it from the door this morning and proceeded to hide it somewhere. I eventually found it down the side of the settee rather screwed up and with some nice teeth marks through it! Of course the one day he decides to do this all of the post was for me wasn't it? Including my new car insurance cerificate which I'm sure will get some interesting looks next time I have to go and get some car tax.

I saw the worse advert ever on the TV tonight. I think it was for a double glazing which was apparently of a high quality. However to me having a advert with a man singing and banging out a tune on a keyboard resting on a ironing board in someone's louge whilst wearing a giant paper mache head doesn't exactly scream quality to me.

Of course it could just be me :-)

I don't have to worry about my scriptures until next week now. Fortunatly EP was a lot more awake then I was last night and noticed I had left my scriptures, so she picked them up and is looking after them for me. So I owe her a big thank you!

Anyway, only one more day until the weekend and no having to see 5am on Sunday morning this week.

Yeah!

Later folks!

Empty Mind, random thoughts

I don't know what it's been about today but it's taken me nearly twenty minutes of sitting here thinking before I've been able to start writing this blog post. And how do I start it? Talking about how I had no idea what to write about, so I've basically just talking about how I'm writing about how I had nothing to write.

argghhh... Me just made head hurt!

But seriously it's just seemed to be a very long day indeed. Hopefully it's just because it's mid week and everything will get better from here on in.

Well thats what I'm hoping at least.

Well it was Mike balls first day or rather his 2nd first day if you want to be technical and it was very odd seeing him back in the office. Epecially as so much has changed since he left, mainly the ever so small change of us being in a completly different building! He did say he was feeling a bit guilty about his leaving presents and did wonder if he should give them back. We assured him he didn't have to... As long as he brings in cake on Friday.

Mmmm cake!

Irony decided to help me along with my trip into institute this evening as I was hoping to get there on time as I would be running things. So of course I ended up getting to Leicester massivly early and I mean early. Nearly an hour early thanks to the roads being the emptyist I've ever seen.

Insititute was fun, but it made me realise that I don't really know anyone there now that well and I'm going to have to work on rectiving that otherwise it's going to get very hard to keep going each week.

The activity afterwards was a interesting variation on the choclate game. there was a bowl in the centre with MMs instead of the usual bar of choclate. When a person rolled a six on the dice they had to try to pick the mm's out of the bowl and put them in a cup one at a time by using a straw and sucking through it. They kept going until another person rolled a six and so on and so. It was a lot of fun.

I gave a lift home to a couple of the YSA, which I get the feeling I will be doing a lot more of now Engineseer is gone. I got home to discover however I had left my scriptures at the stake centre. Argghh! That's the second time I've done that. I'm such a muppet sometimes! Hopefully they will still be there next week. But I do have another set I can read in the meantime.

Mysteries of the Mysterious kind

I had a feeling that it was still going to be one of those days when I discovered that the one set of roadworks that is slowing me down to work has been joined by two further sets on the same route! Oh well it could have been worse. I could have been coming the other way as at one set of traffic lights the lights had jammed not letting people through. There was at least a mile and a half of queing traffic going the other way and apparently it got worse as the morning went on.

I got to work to discover something rather odd. Our office is off to one side of the main reception. But before you get there there is a 'mini corridor' about two meteres long which has a vending machine on one side and the door to the post room on the other. However something was different this morning as one part of the wall seemed to be covered in what looked like coffee. So initially it seemed that someone had probably been walking along and tripped spilling their coffee up the wall. But then I noticed the entire wall on one side of the corridor seemed to be marked with coffee and 'water stains' which made no sense whatsoever. So it was the cause of some debate as to what precisely happened and just how much coffee would have been needed to cover that much wall.

And no we didn't find out who did it either.

Asides from that it was pretty much a standard day. Asides from having to do another office tidy up again, which are never fun. But at least samples of a new book in my favourite series has arrived so I have something new to read.

Institute starts again tomorrow, so I'll be facing that drive into Leicester again each week. Although strangly enough I can get to Leicester quicker somenights then it takes me to actually get home! Go figure.

anyway later folks!

Lets not do this again

It was a real struggle getting up this morning. I know I've said that before but this morning it really really was. The drive into work wasn't too fun either as my ipod suddenly decided to start acting up and refused to play anything whatsoever. I'm not sure what happened there and I'm still trying to figure out what's going on there.

I finally arrived at work to realise that getting through the day was probably going to involve a fair amount of sugar and or caffine.

And it then proceeded to turn into one of those days. In fact I suppose I could say it turned into 'that one day' as it went absoutly mental. It didn't seem to stop once, I just seemed to be hit with thing and thing and thing and I seemed to spend a large chunk of the day having to rush through stuff as quickly as possible just to be ready for the next thing to come along!

At least the trip home was fairly okay. It as slow as the traffic was heavy but at least it kept moving.

I've just been having a easy night, basically keeping myself busy doing nothing as the saying goes. At least institute starts again on Wednesday which will give me a chance to get out of the house for once :-)

Anyway,

Later folks!

May make me many things. Wise? Probably not

Well after spending all of yesterday feeling shattered and resisting the urge to take a snooze I turned in nice and early in preperation for the early start feeling that I would at least go to sleep quickly based on how knacked I was feeling.

Did I heck!

As you may have guessed I went to bed and suddenly felt wide awake. Grhhh!! I ended up tossing and turning all night and kept waking up on what seemed like a regular basis, so I was actually awake before my alarm went off! I made sure I crept round the house to avoid distrubing Grumpy and Owen. Although Owen did wake up at one point. He just cracked one eye open looked at me then went straight back to sleep all the time with an expression that seemed to say " If you want to get up this early thats your business but don't expect me too"

I then left the house to discover that there was thick fog! So not only was I up at 5am on a Sunday morning, I was going to have to dirve to catch the bus to the event in thick fog! However he didn't bother me in the slightist in fact I found it rather funny. It was a good indication that it was going to be one of those days and I was just going to have to take everything as it came and try and look on the bright side about it.

Besides I was getting a chair and wouldn't have to stand for eight hours.

Great!

Well the event was the usual, however getting the coach home proved to be a real pain as it was delayed an hour but one staff member going MIA. People were getting very frustrated towards the end and one staff member even called for a show of hands to vote for whether we should just go without locating the MIA staff member!

We get two 'beer' tokens after each of these events to use in the Bar at work to get a drink. Of course before anyone panics I never actually use them to get 'beer' I just get standard soft drinks. I got one once we returned to work then gave my other to a 'neutral' staff member from our department who hadn't asked me if I had any spare tokens as I figured this was the fairist way to give one away without upsetting anyone. I didn't hang around for too long as I don't feel too comfortable around lots of people drinking and it feels even odder on a Sunday.

On the plus side I timed it right to get home and walk in the door just as Grumpy got dinner ready, which was nice. I think I'm probably going to have another early night, not as early as last night mind you but still early.

Hopefully I'll be able to get a bit more sleep tonight otherwise theres no way I'm surving work tomorrow.

anyway,

later folks!

Early to bed and very very early to rise

Grumpy had some problems with breakfast this morning. He discovered that due to a miscommunication last night we both thought the other had got the bacon out of the freezer. Which meant no bacon for breakfast, plus he discovered we had run out of marge too. Which in turn meant he had to go round to the corner shop to buy some bacon and marge which meant he wasn't too impressed by this point. He got back and started to make his breakfast when the phone rang with a call from Translater (my half brother in the Czech republic). He finished that call to go back into the kitchen to discover Owen trying (and failing to look all innocent) and a empty packet of uncooked bacon. Yes it appears that Owen likes uncooked bacon. We're just hoping it doesn't do interesting things to his stomach.

So a hour into our Saturday and Grumpy's mood by this point is already living up to his nickname.

Shopping was fun. I had to get the essential supplies I needed for tomorrow. I.e some painkillers to take mid-early afternoon when the headache/ various aches and pains kick in, plus some new insoles for my shoes. I also had to take my passport renewal form to the post office. On the plus side it now only takes two weeks on the downside it now costs £79 to renew your passport! That's not counting the £4 I had to spend to get some new passport photos. Which now come with a interesting and longlist of instructions. For example Your ears must not be obscured by your hair, Why? Is it if they can't see your ears they can't tell if someones impersonating you, despire seeing the rest of your face. You have to look straight ahead, and there was me going to look directly behind myself and you also can't smile you have to look 'neutral'. Which is a stupid comment if you think about it. how do you look neutral? Dress up in a swedish flag?

It's been a long afternoon too. I've been fighting the urge to have a snooze as if I slept at all this afternoon theres no way I would sleep when I go to bed early tonight. So I've been doing a load of modelling, listening to music and general crazy jumping around to avoid the temptation to lie down for a quick 40 winks.

Well time for some tea me thinks. Then some more model making before I turn in for the night.

It's going to be a loonnnngggggg day tomorrow folks.

A long one indeed.

Well on the plus side I won't have to face doing it for another year. But I still have to see 5am tomorrow morning and probably have the same thought I do every year.

" Wow 5am on a Sunday does exist!"

later folks!

Run man Run

See the Man,
See the Van,
See the Man In the Van,
See the man in the Van get a plan,
Plan, man in the Van plan!

Yes before you say anything or even begin to hazard a guess I can confirm it has indeed, been one of those days. Fridays are always a little odd round here but throw in some visiting authors, getting ready for the event at the weekend and packing Vans it’s steadily been getting weirder and weirder.

We’ve also been nervously looking into the sky as we’ve been packing the vans as it’s been threatening to start tipping it down all day. Of course on the one day where we have to be outside as opposed to the last two days of sunshine! Fortunately although it’s been lightly spitting the full on rain we were expecting hasn’t appeared.

Knowing my luck the rain will appear tomorrow whilst I’m out shopping again.

The one time I have to See 5am on a Sunday morning is rapidly looming large. It’s the fact of having to see 5am that bothers me, it’s more the worry that I’ll sleep through my alarm! I’ll probably do what I usually do. See my Alarm, put my phone on the far side of the room and set the alarm at full volume for five minutes after my main alarm, then finally another alarm at the other side of the room for five minutes after that. A little extreme I know but I haven’t overslept once in five years and I have no intentions of starting now.

I think I'm probably going to have a quiet evening tonight and probably do some work on stage two of top secret project one. All will be revealed soon I promise.

anyway,

Later folks!

Well the planet still seems to be here at least

For all those of you who don't pay attention to the news, or not looked at a newspaper, been on the internet or watched the TV yesterday you wouldn't have noticed the all the hohay going on about a science experiement going on in switzerland which some scientists were predicting could lead to the end of world by creating a blackhole. So as you can imagine lots of the media were present at the switch of the experiement and were able to report......

It went fine. Seriously they all sounded disappointed that nothing had gone wrong and the world wasn't about to come to a end. Imagine a report like that " A black hole has now formed and the planet is slowly being sucked in. It's the end of the world, thank you for watching the BBccccccccccc" trails off as reporter is sucked in.

Also speaking of science there was more research from the university of the blindingly obivous today. Apparently scientists have discovered (probably after spending hideous sums of money) that when we're feeling down or under the weather most of us welcome a nice big hug. I think I speak for most people when I say " Well d'uh" then probably think that a hug right now would actually be quite nice.

Anyway, it's been one of those days again. The rain seems to have held off. I say seems as I didn't notice it raining but I guess it could have whilst I wasn't looking. Work was extremely busy as the preperations for Sunday continue to ramp up. I think Sunday will be a lot of fun, the real challenge to face is trying to survive work on Monday! One of these years I'm going to remember the Monday off or at least book it before everyone else does.

A interesting problem has come to light with the photo license here in the UK. Despite Driving License being valid until your 70 they have to be renewed every ten years which currently costs £17.50. They've discovered most people are not aware of this fact and near a third of people who were issued with the very first driving licenses have failed to renew them. Of course this story sent me sprinting to look at my license just to make sure. I've still got three years before I have to renew mine. I also forgot how bad the photo on my license is too.

I was also reading the news reports about the anniversary of 9/11. It really doesn't seem like it was seven years ago. I remember the day well. It was the summer before my final year of uni and I was still at home waiting for the new term to start. I had just finished watching neighbours on the BBC and was waiting for Diagnois murder to come on. All of sudden the news cut in with a 'breaking story' and after that I don't think I moved from in front of the TV for the rest of the day. I just honestly couldn't believe what was happening.

Which also made me reflect on things back then and where I was expecting to be in seven years time. I certainly wasn't expecting to be working where I am now, still single and still living at home. But I'm going to stop that like of thought there before I make myself depressed. I'm just going to keep doing the right things, keep trying to be a good person and do everything I should be doing and hopefully sooner or later ( i'm hoping for sooner) I will meet someone.

I might be the last man standing but gosh darn it I've been through so many trials I'm not going to give up now. It's going to be my turn sooner or later :-) So I'm enduring to the end!

Right and with that I'm off to go and do some work on the top secret project one.

later folks!

So thats Irony 1.....

After yesterdays performance of getting stuck in a traffic jam for fifteen minutes I decided to make sure I left the house ten minutes early this morning to mitergate the consequences of getting stuck in traffic. And of course as you may have guessed by now that didn't happen. In fact there wasn't any queing traffic at the roadworks. In fact there wasn't any traffic anywhere, so I got to work really, reallllyyy early!

I hate irony sometimes.

And then all of a sudden the weather seemed to decide to get in on the act of confusing things as it got sunny. In fact it got very, very sunny. Which I have a feeling is just it's way of lulling everybody into a false sense of security.

It will probably tip it down tomorrow.

Work continues to be as busy as ever in the run up to Sundays event. On the plus side however for the first time in five years I will actually get a seat at this event and won't have to stand the whole day. Yah for me! Of course I will be trying to work a very complicated order system, answer questions and talk to customers with the equivilant noise level of probably very near a rock concert going on around me but what the heck. I will have a seat!

That reminds me to remind me to remind Grumpy to go and visit the open house at the geekville water mill this Sunday. It only ever opens for two or three days to visitors each Summer and Grumpy always, always forgets to go every year. He's missed the first two open days this year, heres hoping it will be third time lucky and he remembers to go!

Well this will be my last Wednesday night free for a while. Institute starts again next week and it appears I will be in charge for the first week by default. I must be setting some kind of record for the class with the most instances of a librarian having to conduct. I can't remember off the top of my head what we'll be studying this time round, but it's still Bro H teaching so it should be good whatever it is.

later folks!

'The book' aka top secret project two

Okay I'm hoping Engineseer will forgive me for putting these pictures up but a couple of you have been asking about top secret project two and what it looked like and I couldn't resist the temptation to put a couple of pictures up. You'll have to excuse the quality of the photos as their not brillent but I'm sure Engineseer will put some better ones up on his blog at some point ( see Engineseer idea for your first post right there :-)

Basically Top secret project two was a 'actual book' not a scrap book of all of the photos of the YSA I have taken during the past two years.
After spilting all of the photos into the various 'events' etc they belonged too, the book came to a whopping 13 chapters long.
It covered events such as Institute dances, YSA Conventions, "chineween"
Christmas Parties, Nemesis's last visit to Bradgate park and her leaving party and more.

Stayed tune for pictures of Top secret project one. If all goes to plan they should appear by the end of the month.

later folks!

Oh that's just great

Well another day, another load of rain. Yes It's raining. Again.. I think this definately proves that summer or at least what passed for it this year has definatly been and gone. It's amazinh how draining having constant rain seems to be on your mood. The other problem I'm having is it's raining so hard and so often that I'm starting to run out of coats! As one inevitably gets wet and isn't dry for the next time I have to go out forcing me to use another one.

It's starting to get a little annoying.

The wonderful council also decided to be real clever today. After a complete summer of very little traffic on the roads they've started some major roadworks the day after all of the kids have gone back to school. The end result? I got stuck in a traffic jam and it took me nearly 20 minutes to go less then a hundred metres.

**!'# roadworks.

So as you can imagine I was already starting to have one of those days by the time I got to work, let alone entered the building. It was also extremly busy today as the weekend is fast approaching so there's lots to organise. On the plus side it's only once per year that I have to see that 5am on a Sunday morning actually exists so I guess it could be a lot worse :-)

Sian has finally got round to updating her blog. So if you haven't had a chance or simply haven't visited her blog before pop across there to have a look. Nothing encourages a blogger to keep writing like leaving lots of comments( I know, I know terribly unsubtle hint from me there :-)

Also some of you might remember ( especially Alice, if your still out there :-) Mike ball who used to have a blog which I linked to until it suddenly and mysteriousily disappeared into the night. Well he used to work at my place until he left ( well I guess that's obivouis otherwise he would still be working there. D'uhh being quick today aren't I?) well he's coming back to work for the same diversion but in a completly new role. See he thought he had escaped but he was very wrong :-)

Speaking of Bloggers who don't post on quite as regular basis as I do, if you have a chance go and visit Engineseers blog. As he's intending now that he's in luxemthingamijig to try and update it on a more regular basis. So please visit and leave a comment for him and hopefully that will encourage him to keep going too.

And also if you still have some spare time I would recommend you take in Rhondas, Alices and Miss Nemesis's blogs as their all very funny and help cheer me up if I've had a bad day no end :-)

I came home to find Grumpy giggling over something. Some of you might remember that we had to get a new TV earlier this year as our old one broke just after the warrenty ran out. Well whilst searching through some files Grumpy found that he had in fact taken out the extended warrenty on the old TV so we didn't have to buy a new one over all. Oh well, both of us ending up having fits of laughter as it just seems such a typical thing to happen and we couldn't help but see the funny side.

I've also been having fun with my new Ipod nano. I've downloaded all of my favourite songs and I didn't realise just how strange my taste in music can be sometimes. I'm one of these people who doesn't seem to like any one style of music over another. I just go for whichever songs I like at the time. I've also found it has games onto which might be simple but are proving to be oh so hideousily addictive. Well it's not like I've got anything better to do with my time right now.

and on that note I think I'll end todays post there.

later folks!

Their back.

Well the Kids are definately back at school now in Nottingham. I know this mainly because the trip into work took an extra 15 minutes compared to the lenght it's been all summer. Oh well. On the plus side it seems to have stopped raining. Well for today at least. It's amazing how much easier your day seems when it's not raining buckets loads!

Asides from my journey too and from work taking longer it really has been one of those days where nothing much interesting seemed to happen. It was pretty much a standard Monday where everything just keeps rolling on like it should.

Boring I know and probably a comment on my life right now but lets not dwell on that point shall we.

Grumpy is currently out with Owen. He's taken him to another training class. I'm not sure what Owen makes of this all. I'm sure he can't see the point of going to training classes as he's already got Grumpy trained well enough :-)

Well I think I'm going to spend the evening not doing much. Again not very interesting but I'm in one of those kind of moods where I'm not in the mood to do much at all. I'm sure you all know what I mean.

later folks!

This is just another test that's all

It was still raining when I woke up this morning. It really doesn't help to get the day going when you look out the window and all you can see is dark grey skies and rain, rain and more rain.

I also got to church a little later then I was hoping to as I had to help grumpy put this new harness lead thing onto Owen. He had managed it fine last night but this morning he seemed to be having no end of problems. After ten minutes of fighting with this thing and Owen who really didn't want to wear it inspiration struck as I realised the blindingly obivous answer had been right in front of me all along.

Church was okay. It was weird without Engineseer being there and whilst sitting on my own I got to thinking. Asides from Photoshop I only really know one other person in the ward well and she's not talking to me right now ( Social by the way). It was a slightly unsettling feeling and I decided to try and stop that train of thoughts in it's tracks as I don't need to work myself up over it anymore then that. I came to the conclusion that I should look at this more of a test/trial more then anything else. I've got through worse trials so I can't let myself got knocked down over this.

I spoke to one of the EQ Councilers to mention I needed a new HT companion. He said they were aware of this and would discuss it in due course. Which based on there previous track record could be anytime between now and Easter. In the Priesthood lesson they did reveal that as a whole our ward Hometeaching figures currently suck ( my words not theirs) as it currently stands at 19%. Of course the trouble with that figure is we don't know how well that translates into 'reality' as families who move away from the ward/are inactive are still on the list. So even if you can't see them they still 'count'. I remember one home teaching list I had where a third of the families assigned to us had moved/left the ward so we didn't know where they were. Which meant even if we taught every other family assigned to us we could never get above 70%. Oh well. Mine is not to reason why, etc, etc...

The Sunday school class was also a bit of a struggle. I was starting to feel a bit old surrounded by all the 'younger ysa'. In fact out of the seven in the class three are about to go/return to uni and another one is going to uni in the new year. Oh well at least the Students will be back soon and we're getting at least one 'new' student too. Our Teacher Bro C seemed a bit upset to hear that Engineseer and Black Widow have left and he hadn't known about it before hand. I just had to be honest and admit that they hadn't known much about it before hand either!

However it was after church that my tact and patience seemed to decide to leave for home early and without me. I was looking at the board and asked DB if he knew when a Elder was due home, now remember this is the same guy who had a go at me previously by asking " What are you doing with your life thats so worthwhile"? Because after I had asked this question he turned to me and said " So what were your reasons for not going on a mission?" I was a little taken back by this so responding (lightly I hasten to add) " My own, so none of your business." He then responded " I know it's not. But still what were your reasons for not going" At which point I was a bit surprised/stunned that he was still asking and firmly told him again "As I said none of your business" at which point I was starting to get annoyed. He just glared and said " No need to get touchy. I was just trying to start a conversation. You should learn some social skills" and walked off. I stood there for a good ten seconds trying to get my anger under control as I was determined not to loose it in the Chapel corridor.

I left for home pretty quickly after that, getting quite mad on the drive back home. Not at him mind you, but very mad at myself for letting him get in under my 'defences' for want of a better term like that. I know I'm a good man and I always try to do the right thing. I suppose my problem is I let other people get to me too much sometimes. I've just got to try and stop them doing that. And resist the urge to strangle any smug little 19 year old know it alls.

I suspect it's even odds at the moment to which I manage to do first.

later folks :-)

When uggh no longer seems enough

The weather took quite a turn for the worse last night as the rain changed from really dreary depressing rain to full on Mega death rain! And it continued to get worse first thing this morning but then it seemed to stop just in time for us to go out shopping.

Yes, yes I know I should have really really known better then that but we were in a rush and I thought my usual coat would be fine. Grumpy thought his usual coat would be fine too.

As you may have guessed we were both wrong!

It started out okay in fact for the first time in Ages I was able to go to the Bank and they didn't try to sell me anything. But then it started to rain and I got wet. No scratch that I got incredibily wet and just felt yuck on a whole new level.

It didn't help that the prices have gone up in the shop again. Eggs and Bread have both gone up by 20 pence. Which admitally doesn't sound a lot but it is! It might also indicate that my life is especially sad right now that I worry about the price of bread and Eggs but I'm kinda hoping I can classify that as a digression and lets move onto something else shall we :-)

Grumpy took Owen for his first training lesson today. I guess time will tell if it has any effect or not. However this did mean that for the first time in over a month I had the house totally to myself. Which wasn't all that exciting I guess but it felt nice :-)

It was also officially the end of a era today as Engineseer had now not just left the building, but the country! I went across to the H's to say goodbye before he left. I think I can safely say he could not have fit anything more in his car it was that packed. This also means that I'm now going to have to go to the EQ President tomorrow and tell him I will be needed my third new companion of the year and I haven't yet been able to do one visit.

Oh joy. I'm just hope all the effort I spent trying to get a home teaching will count.

But all joking aside I will miss him being around. Loughborough YSA is now pratically non existant compared to it's 'heyday' and it's really hard not to feel a sense of 'Last man standing'. Especially with all of my friends now gone. Well almost all of them. Social still isn't bothering to talk to me which is frustrating because we all did what she asked and backed off but she still hasn't 'come back' as it were. I really miss talking to her and I did value her as a friend but I have no idea what to do now and whether I should just accept that that's that or keep hanging in there in the hope that maybe one day she'll come round.

anyway, I won't go on otherwise I think I'll just depress myself.

that's all for today. I've got to try and figure out how to print the bulletins out on these new programs.

later folks

Engineseers leaving party

Well as long time readers or heck anyone who read yesterdays post lets be honest here, Engineseer is leaving the country to move to luxem... thing a m jig. I'm really going to have to learn how to spell that.

Anyway, for his leaving party we headed across to Pizza Hut In Leicester and despite it being a Friday night and despite Engineseer not booking a table fate smiled on us and we were able to get a table for the 13 YSA who did turn up to say goodbye.

It was a fantastic evening and we had a really good waitress serving us too. Who was also a good sport when she had to spilt the bill 12 ways and take 12 different lots of payment.

Engineseer poses here with Cordelia. Even Engineseer finds it hard to believe he was here five years. Thats a scary amount of time that has seemed to pass very, very quickly!
These are all the Leicester YSA who turned up for the meanl. In fact I'm even in this photo which is quite rare as I don't like having my picture taken! And before anyone comments I'm well aware that there are only 11 YSA in the picture. The 12 and 13 people were from outside the stake so declined to be in the picture and offered to take the photos. If you look carefully you can see Top secret project two in Engineseers hands which is rather rapidly assuming a cult status as 'the book.
Girls, Girls, Girls. What more can I say.
Cordelia out in the car park looking at 'The book'. She had lots of time to read it as we were waiting for the P Sisters at this point. Who always seem to operate on MMT
And just in case Nemesis is reading this ( as I know she likes to see pics of food) this is one of the pizzas we had. Somewhat random I know but there you go :-)

Either it's raining a lot or we're sinking.

Water, water everywhere and I mean literally everywhere when you look out of the window right now. It started raining this morning and just hasn't let up since! So as you can imagine it has been a very dreary day. It was also flipping freezing this morning. So much so I wanted to follow Calvins philosphy of " I'm not getting up until it's as warm out there as it is in here". Of course that would only work if work actually pays you for not turning up. Which they don't. So I had to get up.

C'est la vie.

On the plus side it is Friday which means it's now the weekend! Yah! I'm also about to head out shortly for Engineseers leaving do which should be a lot of fun and it should hopefully brighten up a otherwise extremely "uggh" day.

That's a technical term by the way.

I also get yet another letter from my bank today offering me yet another offer of yet another chance to transfer a credit card balance to one of their credit cards. And so yet another piece of junk mail goes into the recycling as I only have one card anyway and it's with them already!

Muppets.

Big brother finishes tonight. The general opnion seems to be " Huh? That's still going?" Hopefully with that level of interest the contestants 15 minutes of fame will be reduced to thirty seconds.

anyway, got to go. Have to get ready and all that.

later folks!

Jammed

I remember once hearing somebody go out about how much they worried about what would happen if terriorists attacked the transport infrastructure in the UK. Me? I'm not worried mainly because we're more then capable to stuffing the roads and things up ourselves without anybody elses helps!

Yes as you may have guessed the journey home tonight turned into a bit of a nightmare as it took me at one point half an hour to travel a mile! I was really, really not in the best of moods by the time I got home. Of course the thought that huge traffic jams are likely to become lots more regular now the kids are back at school did not help my mood one bit!

Oh well, C'est la vie as they say. I guess I'll just have to rediscover my zen like approach to Traffic jams again. Either that or go screamingly insane.

Only one more day until the weekend though. It will be Engineseers leaving party tomorrow which should be a lot of fun. It seems that pizza will be involved in some form or another and as everyone knows all the best get togethers involve pizza :-)

Stage one of top secret project one is nearly complete. Which means I'm still on course to hopefully reveal all by the end of September. Keep your eyes peeled for more info nearer the time.

anyway, thats all for now folks

later!

Whaaatttt???

Well after two and half hours of intense battle the final match between my Orks and Engineseers Tau ended in.....

Yet another tactical drawer! Saxon goes away to mumble about stupid new mission rules in the corner then comes back to keep typing.

However in all seriousness it was a lot closer then the 'draw' result suggests and if we had, had time for another turn it could have gone either way. So it was a rather enjoyable evening. Even if I will never hear the end of it from the staff who run the gaming hall as Engineseer managed to clip his drink spilling it all over the table (As it was full at the time).

Now it was the final match ( for now) at least as Engineseer is leaving after five long years in Loughborough. He's going to be heading to Luxomberg ( don't think I spelt that right but never mind) to start earning some money so he can go on a mission. This means that Friday will be a very double edged sword. For the first time in ages I will be going out on a Friday (yaah) but it will be for his leaving do. Oh well.

Work was interesting today as well. It's getting rather busy right now which means theres lots to do and as always happens at the time things get busy never enough time to do it all in.

oh well.

later folks

Round 3. Fight!

Well my Orks will once again be venturing onto the field of battle tomorrow to face off againist Engineseers Tau once more. With the score currently standing at one win to the Orks and both sides earning a tactical Draw theres still everything to play for. Will it be bragging rights for the Orks or dignity salvaged for the Tau? Tune in tomorrow to find out.

Top secret project one has inspired me to start doing something else. So look out for Top Secret projects three, four and five debuting around Christmas time. And no I will not tell you what they are before then otherwise it will spoil them. I know I keep dangling this in front of you all like a tease but Top secret project one is still on course to be revealed by the end of September.

I just hope after all the build up you find it worth the wait!

Grumpy and I popped round to Tap Dances new place this evening to help fix a couple of lights, put up a bookcase and help put up the bed. We're getting quite good at doing all these jobs round the house. Or should I say other peoples houses as we never seem to have much luck with getting things done round here.

Asides from that it's been another rather dreary day. It's been raining on and off for most of the day. Heck on the weather home from work there was thunder and lightning!

I don't suppose the day was helped by me being in a well for want of a better term " Post conference slow down" I had just a great time there and met all these new people and chatted and had fun etc and came home, to well the same old same old really. But I guess I have nobody to blame for that but myself. I've jsut felt a bit drained and that my get up and go has certainly got up and gone. Hopefully when Institute starts again and maybe, just maybe some more YSA stuff will get going, things will get better. I'm getting a bit fed up of the whole get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, get up, go to work, etc, etc routine at the moment.

anyway, enough whining for today.

later folks!

Not feeling the sympathy for him right now

In the news today apparently Hip-hop star P. Diddy has been forced to stop using his private jet due to rising fuel costs.

According to the report he had previously used his own aircraft to travel between New York and Los Angeles twice a month, but he has now vowed to use commercial flights only.

In a YouTube video, filmed as he boarded an American Airlines plane, he complained: "Gas prices are too high."He added: "I want to give a shout-out to all my Saudi Arabian brothers and sisters and all my brothers and sisters from all the countries that have oil. If y'all could please send me some oil for my private jet, I would truly appreciate it. Can you believe this? I'm actually flying commercial, that's how high gas prices are."

Speaking as a guy who had to spend £23 to get half a tank of petrol this morning
" My hearts bleeds that you are unable to fill your private jet with enough fuel to make round trips across a continent and that you have to fly first class on a commercial airliner. I'm sure that somehow you will find at least a bit of solace in all that money you have lying around as your thoughts won't be occupied with how to make a pay cheque last all month."

pillock!

Well I guess thats summer done with then

I did something when I got out of my car without my coat when I got to work this morning that I haven't done in a while. I shivered. It was actually cold enough that I shivered. I pulled my coat on pretty sharpish at that point but looking into the cloudy and dark sky I couldn't help but wonder if Summer was finally up now we were in September.

My fears seemed to be proven a few hours later as it started to rain and it hasn't stopped. It's not light rain but then again it's not really heavy rain, just medium rain that is really really dreary and seems to suck the life out of everything leaving everything depressed...

Gosh I'm being cheerful today aren't I? That's a rhetorical question by the way as I'm well aware that last paragraph could in now way be described as cheerful.

However on the plus side we got some very cool Sweatshirts from work today, for free! Which always makes good things seem so much better and with the weather the way it is we've probably recieved them just in time.

Also I'm glad to see that at least some of my more vocal readers (i.e leaving commets) seem to be coming back. Thank you for coming back. It gets a bit worrying when theres no comments, you start to wonder if your talking to yourself.

Grumpy has enrolled Owen into a dog training class. To be perfectly honest at this point I'm not sure who will be training who, but I guess we'll see.

I'm writing this post in Grumpys office. Looking out the window it is still raining and it seems to be getting very windy too. I'm hoping it clears up for tomorrow morning. If it's one thing I don't like it's driving in rain. Of course I have the horrible feeling the schools might be back tomorrow which will mean a end to nice clear roads and a search for sense of patience as I try to get used to sitting in traffic jams again.

Oh well, at least Institute will be starting again soon.

later folks!