And we're back.
Today was the third day of my big bold plan to boldly get up in the morning as no one has gotten up before. Monday was the first day (I suppose that's rather obvious...). Anyway - I got up Monday morning, all ready to head out into the new day on my bicycle. Only problem was that my back tire had gone flat. Great. So I ran instead, just to say I'd done something. Yesterday I cycled - actually really enjoyed it - and really really enjoyed not having to do it after work in the dark. This morning I woke up about 615 (not happy about that), but persevered nonetheless - headed out on my bike into the pouring rain. Another cyclist nearly flattened me as I was turning left - he thought it was a good idea, apparently, to zip between me and the curve as I turned. I offered him a few kindly suggestions on his technique... All goes smoothly then until, 2 miles from Hackney - pfftzzzzzz - a very small but very sharp piece of glass lodges in my front tire, tearing it to shreds (thankfully no blowout), and I get to walk the last two miles to work (and the bike store) in the rain. Yay! The bike store, which had just recommended the previous tires to me only a few weeks ago (as being more puncture resistant than my goold old standby Armadillo tires), replaced them both, charging me for just one tire and no labor. I think they were embarrassed - b/c 2 flats in 2 tires in 3 days does not speak well towards the manufacturer's grandiose claims of puncture resistance...
However, drama aside, I think I really like this whole business about cycling in the morning (more than just the 7.5 miles to work). Given that I've not had much sleep this week, I've ended up feeling pretty awake and alive, and I get to feel virtuous in the morning when I'm out on my bike in the rain. I'm probably weird and need counseling.
Oh, I did see a Reliant Robin this morning, which always amuses me. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliant_Robin Why anyone ever thought this car was a good idea, I'm not sure. They do look quite dorky going around a corner at high speeds, wobbling about... I want one.
Anyway, not much else really to write today. I've been using the day (sans bosses at work) to catch up on those very important work related things like writing letters. Might clean my desk now so that it looks like I've actually gotten something accomplished. I love working in government!
Wednesday 28 January 2009
Tuesday 20 January 2009
Here and Alive...
And I’m back – at least briefly. I have a number of pages of blather to enter from the California trip, which I will one of these days (they will be out of order, I suppose – we will cope).
Anyway – yesterday was supposed to be the most miserable day of the year, according to scientists at the British Institute of Grumpiness and the BBC. I was grumpy and irritable yesterday, so I guess I was just proving the point. I do think, however, that my desk light actually does help some. Or, at least I’ve decided that it does b/c I’d feel really stupid about paying £129 for it otherwise. (Probably that). Still though, I will be very happy once we start getting more than a modicum of sunlight again…
We had a student here today. I was tasked with keeping him busy and interested, since I have teaching experience and Ewa (who also has teaching experience) wasn’t interested. I gave him a task to do which seems to have taken the entire day – so either I kept him occupied, or he did a very good job of playing on the Internet all day and looking busy (and more power to him if he did). Tomorrow is a team away-day, where we get to talk about such complete drivel as communication strategies and have team building exercises. I’d rather die. I don’t know why organisations come up with this sort of crap, and why people actually enjoy it. But then, the world is full of idiots, which probably explains a great deal of it.
And the Bush presidency ends in four minutes! Woohoo! Oh – and I got Indefinite Leave to Remain (as did David), which is such a relief! Hopefully not having Bush in the White House will be at least as big of a relief…
Hopefully will manage to write more over the next few days, b/c I’ve been really bad at this lately….
Anyway – yesterday was supposed to be the most miserable day of the year, according to scientists at the British Institute of Grumpiness and the BBC. I was grumpy and irritable yesterday, so I guess I was just proving the point. I do think, however, that my desk light actually does help some. Or, at least I’ve decided that it does b/c I’d feel really stupid about paying £129 for it otherwise. (Probably that). Still though, I will be very happy once we start getting more than a modicum of sunlight again…
We had a student here today. I was tasked with keeping him busy and interested, since I have teaching experience and Ewa (who also has teaching experience) wasn’t interested. I gave him a task to do which seems to have taken the entire day – so either I kept him occupied, or he did a very good job of playing on the Internet all day and looking busy (and more power to him if he did). Tomorrow is a team away-day, where we get to talk about such complete drivel as communication strategies and have team building exercises. I’d rather die. I don’t know why organisations come up with this sort of crap, and why people actually enjoy it. But then, the world is full of idiots, which probably explains a great deal of it.
And the Bush presidency ends in four minutes! Woohoo! Oh – and I got Indefinite Leave to Remain (as did David), which is such a relief! Hopefully not having Bush in the White House will be at least as big of a relief…
Hopefully will manage to write more over the next few days, b/c I’ve been really bad at this lately….
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