Yes. I had to catch the bus this morning. It's full. A sure sign that semester has recommenced and we no longer have our space to ourselves...
And speaking of buses, I had to catch one this morning. I was most impressed at the young male student who vacated his seat when other people got on. The girls, of course, didn't. And even more surprised when an adult passenger asked them to move. I rarely ever see that. Usually we stand and let the impolite little blighters have their way. Dunno why we do that.
Monday this week was an absolute joy. The airconditioning was out again. You can almost count on it to break down at least once during summer. Can't say I've notice bad behaviour over winter. Hot and steamy, with a storm in the afternoon. I thought I'd catch a train out to the new station where I live. The service is limited and you can't always get a train to the city without having to change at a different station.
No luck. The storm meant no trains through to the usual terminus and my direct train was cancelled. It's easier for MOTH to collect passengers from a station a 15 minute drive away than the one 10 minutes away. The longer time travelled is the straightest path. Go figure.
Tuesday and the aircon is still nonfunctioning. Luckily the weather is a little cooler after the storm yesterday and people aren't as close to melting. There were still a few pikers who worked from home. I have a laptop so I can do that now, but I still haven't figured out what actual work I can do...
Wednesday. No aircon. Well, till around 4pm. Again the temperature wasn't too bad, so we managed to get through it. Still around 30 deg C at my desk. It's Orientation week at the University, and students abound. I had to run an errand - I shouldn't be surprised but I always am. There are thousands of them *the great unwashed* and they all seem to congregate in the walkways and doorways and other handy exits. Stupid sheep they are.
Thursday is shopping day. MOTH comes to pick me up and while I'm busy telling him a small tale about nothing *i should be on seinfeld* he bursts into a fit of giggles. *yes, MOTH does giggle* Apparently it wasn't so much what I was telling him, but the bloke mowing his lawn while wearing cricket pads.....
Friday, the Elder arrived around lunch time. We spent some small amount of time catching up before she, the Teen and Skywalker headed into the city to see if they could catch some band or another. They came back with two extras. The Teen regaled me with a tale of someone who approached her to chat while she was taking some photos. He opened with a compliment. Thinking he was just a bloke out for a chatup/pickup she was a little rude. Imagine her discomfiture when she found out he was one of the performers from a group she hadn't heard of, and was probably just being friendly!
The two extras crashed the night. Saturday dad collected one extra, the other went back to sleep. Till I told him he had to get up cause we were going out. Cheeky thing! I had been given a gift voucher for my birthday and I wanted to spend it. Not sure on what though. I hunted through the store - EB Games of course. They have very little choice by way of mac *EVERYONE has very little choice!* so I couldn't decide what I wanted. Spend $48 on a PSP game, or add extra money for a computer game??
Everyone was up fairly early on Sunday. The Teen was in a lovely mood - she was having 'friend' trouble. I told her to put her happy face on if she wanted to come to the shops with me. She did her best and out we went.
I eventually settled on Star Craft II. It turned out the PSP game was only $28 but there wasn't anything else to spend the remainder on. I opted to add extra cash and buy the bigger game.
I spent the last little bit of moolah I had on lunch for the kids, and headed home.
Didn't get the game installed until last night. Way too late to actually play it.....
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Absent Minded Me
I keep my meds on the kitchen table. I know, hardly private. But it's a good trigger to remember to take the one that's supposed to be taken with food. Else I just forget that one entirely. Much like the fact that I discovered last night that it's probably been over a week since I took one of them. Because the new box wasn't placed out with the others. Oh dear. Maybe I'll have to consider a tattoo to remind me....
Monday we were off to an early start. Zman had to be on campus at 7am! Yoiks. Well, I was pretty sure I could manage it, just not sure about him. I was in the office at 7.10am. Well done! We had work visitors on campus this week. Zman was to check the room set up and make sure everything was fine. These visitors were apparently so important, Zman was wearing business attire! Yes! Including a tie *falls over*.
The Teen and Skywalker arrived today. I've been looking forward to it. However, they were no sooner here than the regulars turned up. One of these hasn't spoken to the Teen for about a year, and yet just picked up like they'd never stopped communicating. Some people have a lot of self confidence, don't they.
So, what can you do with a naughty cat whose latest obsession involves stealing the push pins from the notice board and bowling them all over the floor? They are small and round. With a sharp bit. He doesn't seem to mind the sharp bits. I'm sure I would if I stood on one. Now he's pulling out the dress makers pins and the flat head ones as well. The notice board is covered in cloth so if you put them in the top of board he climbs up the board to pull them out. Naughty water doesn't deter him at all. Nor does wiping the pins in straight vinegar. Hmmm. The other day I found the broad flat one near the kitchen table. Pin side up. That could have been an ouchie! *the pin is 1 cm long*
It's one of the GTs last week; his last day is Friday. His farewell lunch was at Mistros, a little restaurant in Taringa. I had seafood linguini, served with a creamy garlic sauce. See a pattern forming here? Yes, I love a creamy garlic sauce. The prawns were small but tender and sweet. There was one little thing I determined was a shelled mussel, something else I couldn't identify and several small pieces of fish. It cost $26. Most would probably pick at the lack of seafood included, but for me it was pretty much just right. Two of the GTs were not pleased with their order and made no bones about it. It was too expensive. It was too dry. The serving was too small. Well, if you order crumbed fish and chips from the cheap side of an a la carte menu, what else can you expect???? And one of them complained because my linguini wasn't served with a spoon. It should be, he insisted. In a fancy place like this it should be. Well, as far as I am aware, pasta is NOT eaten using a spoon... but maybe I'm wrong.
Thursday there were lovely greetings all over my Facebook and it's amazing how much it makes you smile. I know most of them aren't really friends and they have reminders, but it's a boost for the soul. I had already opened my parcels then work got in the way. I didn't have cake. MOTH was going to cook, but I decided I wanted takeaway. I shouted myself a bottle of Asti Riccadonna Ruby and settled myself into the recliner to drink it. *no, i didn't share*
Friday and Saturday were relatively quiet. As can be in a house with vistors. Friday we gave our runaway geek his farewell present. Only his Team Manager was left to give him The Speech; all the others were out of the office. There's support for you! We gave him a bottle of amarula, a creamy liqueur from South Africa and much like Bailieys. He assures me it's much better though.
I left a message for the Elder to wish her a happy birthday. She's getting on now and that's depressing - it means I am too. *creak groan*
Saturday night the Teen and Skywalker headed out to a friend's place for his 21st. His parents live around the corner and had offered to give them a lift. The party was on the other side of town.
Sunday morning I received a text. Said parents had left last night but not offered a return lift. They seemed to be stranded. We don't seem to be able to find a way home. Neither of them had taken wallets, so no bus/train passes there. I couldn't even put money into an account for them to buy tickets. They didn't have wallets.... And probably no way to get to the railway station anyway. Gotta love forward planning.
We decided to drive out and pick them up. Luckily for us, the address wasn't in a new estate - Karen is a couple years out of date. True to form, MOTH and Karen argued most of the way. At one point, Karen said turn right. Nope, MOTH disagreed. I know this bit and it doesn't get us where we want to go. So he went left. To... someplace unfamiliar. Throw a U turn and back down this road more or less .... right. Right. Back on track again. *crosses fingers*
The rest of the trip was uneventful. Three kids napped in the back seat, I wondered where Karen was taking us - it surely wasn't the direction we came in, and this time MOTH insisted he was going to follow where she lead.
We made it home, but it was a three hour round trip. There went my Sunday!
Monday we were off to an early start. Zman had to be on campus at 7am! Yoiks. Well, I was pretty sure I could manage it, just not sure about him. I was in the office at 7.10am. Well done! We had work visitors on campus this week. Zman was to check the room set up and make sure everything was fine. These visitors were apparently so important, Zman was wearing business attire! Yes! Including a tie *falls over*.
The Teen and Skywalker arrived today. I've been looking forward to it. However, they were no sooner here than the regulars turned up. One of these hasn't spoken to the Teen for about a year, and yet just picked up like they'd never stopped communicating. Some people have a lot of self confidence, don't they.
So, what can you do with a naughty cat whose latest obsession involves stealing the push pins from the notice board and bowling them all over the floor? They are small and round. With a sharp bit. He doesn't seem to mind the sharp bits. I'm sure I would if I stood on one. Now he's pulling out the dress makers pins and the flat head ones as well. The notice board is covered in cloth so if you put them in the top of board he climbs up the board to pull them out. Naughty water doesn't deter him at all. Nor does wiping the pins in straight vinegar. Hmmm. The other day I found the broad flat one near the kitchen table. Pin side up. That could have been an ouchie! *the pin is 1 cm long*
It's one of the GTs last week; his last day is Friday. His farewell lunch was at Mistros, a little restaurant in Taringa. I had seafood linguini, served with a creamy garlic sauce. See a pattern forming here? Yes, I love a creamy garlic sauce. The prawns were small but tender and sweet. There was one little thing I determined was a shelled mussel, something else I couldn't identify and several small pieces of fish. It cost $26. Most would probably pick at the lack of seafood included, but for me it was pretty much just right. Two of the GTs were not pleased with their order and made no bones about it. It was too expensive. It was too dry. The serving was too small. Well, if you order crumbed fish and chips from the cheap side of an a la carte menu, what else can you expect???? And one of them complained because my linguini wasn't served with a spoon. It should be, he insisted. In a fancy place like this it should be. Well, as far as I am aware, pasta is NOT eaten using a spoon... but maybe I'm wrong.
Thursday there were lovely greetings all over my Facebook and it's amazing how much it makes you smile. I know most of them aren't really friends and they have reminders, but it's a boost for the soul. I had already opened my parcels then work got in the way. I didn't have cake. MOTH was going to cook, but I decided I wanted takeaway. I shouted myself a bottle of Asti Riccadonna Ruby and settled myself into the recliner to drink it. *no, i didn't share*
Friday and Saturday were relatively quiet. As can be in a house with vistors. Friday we gave our runaway geek his farewell present. Only his Team Manager was left to give him The Speech; all the others were out of the office. There's support for you! We gave him a bottle of amarula, a creamy liqueur from South Africa and much like Bailieys. He assures me it's much better though.
I left a message for the Elder to wish her a happy birthday. She's getting on now and that's depressing - it means I am too. *creak groan*
Saturday night the Teen and Skywalker headed out to a friend's place for his 21st. His parents live around the corner and had offered to give them a lift. The party was on the other side of town.
Sunday morning I received a text. Said parents had left last night but not offered a return lift. They seemed to be stranded. We don't seem to be able to find a way home. Neither of them had taken wallets, so no bus/train passes there. I couldn't even put money into an account for them to buy tickets. They didn't have wallets.... And probably no way to get to the railway station anyway. Gotta love forward planning.
We decided to drive out and pick them up. Luckily for us, the address wasn't in a new estate - Karen is a couple years out of date. True to form, MOTH and Karen argued most of the way. At one point, Karen said turn right. Nope, MOTH disagreed. I know this bit and it doesn't get us where we want to go. So he went left. To... someplace unfamiliar. Throw a U turn and back down this road more or less .... right. Right. Back on track again. *crosses fingers*
The rest of the trip was uneventful. Three kids napped in the back seat, I wondered where Karen was taking us - it surely wasn't the direction we came in, and this time MOTH insisted he was going to follow where she lead.
We made it home, but it was a three hour round trip. There went my Sunday!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Should I or not?
Finally! I've found an anti-virus for the mac. A free one. Windows products abound. When are software vendors going to realise that mac isn't as obscure as it used to be. Even multiplatform games are hard to find. And expensive when you do!
The week started as normal. Monday and off to work. Today I've received an offer I can't refuse. They disguise these as "opportunities". Something that needs to be done; the kind of job you would like to avoid. I didn't really want this one but had been told that I had expressed an interest in doing more work on the technical side. Well, sure, I wanted to do that but certainly didn't want that particular job!
I finally decided that I would accept it, purely because I didn't see any way to avoid it. I told C, but nothing has been done about it yet. An alternative has been suggested so investigation continues.
Ma and Pa arrived Tuesday. A flying visit as they pass through to visit a relative who lives in the area. It was a hard sell, but I finally managed to convince her to make the effort. Ma took us out to dinner for my birthday. A little early but I wasn't complaining! We went to Woodfires, a lovely restaurant attached to the local watering hole. I had chicken breast in a creamy garlic sauce. The chicken was sooo tender! Almost melt in the mouth. I was impressed. Ma always orders fish and chips when she goes out. Doesn't matter where. Then often comments that the fish was too oily and didn't taste good. This time I managed to get her to order chicken schnitzel. It was too dry.
On Wednesday we drove them out to the rellie's house. A lovely little lowset place. New, glossy. Absolutely lovely. He's very proud of it. We had lunch, then came home.
Bought the Elder's birthday present on Thursday. I can't tell you what it is - she might read this!
Saturday I was bored, and talked MOTH into going out to a shopping centre just so I could buy a DVD. It's one of the combo packs that has the blu-ray, a dvd and a digital copy. I have seen them before but haven't been sure if you get any value from having the extra. More expensive too of course. I paid $30 for this one. The lass behind the counter tells me that you can use the digital copy on your ipod etc. That could be useful. The movie is Legend of the Guardians. The one with the owls. Oh my good goodness! Visually stunning! The story line is pretty standard, but I was totally entranced by the imagery.
Haven't loaded it on the computer yet. Lazy bones....
The week started as normal. Monday and off to work. Today I've received an offer I can't refuse. They disguise these as "opportunities". Something that needs to be done; the kind of job you would like to avoid. I didn't really want this one but had been told that I had expressed an interest in doing more work on the technical side. Well, sure, I wanted to do that but certainly didn't want that particular job!
I finally decided that I would accept it, purely because I didn't see any way to avoid it. I told C, but nothing has been done about it yet. An alternative has been suggested so investigation continues.
Ma and Pa arrived Tuesday. A flying visit as they pass through to visit a relative who lives in the area. It was a hard sell, but I finally managed to convince her to make the effort. Ma took us out to dinner for my birthday. A little early but I wasn't complaining! We went to Woodfires, a lovely restaurant attached to the local watering hole. I had chicken breast in a creamy garlic sauce. The chicken was sooo tender! Almost melt in the mouth. I was impressed. Ma always orders fish and chips when she goes out. Doesn't matter where. Then often comments that the fish was too oily and didn't taste good. This time I managed to get her to order chicken schnitzel. It was too dry.
On Wednesday we drove them out to the rellie's house. A lovely little lowset place. New, glossy. Absolutely lovely. He's very proud of it. We had lunch, then came home.
Bought the Elder's birthday present on Thursday. I can't tell you what it is - she might read this!
Saturday I was bored, and talked MOTH into going out to a shopping centre just so I could buy a DVD. It's one of the combo packs that has the blu-ray, a dvd and a digital copy. I have seen them before but haven't been sure if you get any value from having the extra. More expensive too of course. I paid $30 for this one. The lass behind the counter tells me that you can use the digital copy on your ipod etc. That could be useful. The movie is Legend of the Guardians. The one with the owls. Oh my good goodness! Visually stunning! The story line is pretty standard, but I was totally entranced by the imagery.
Haven't loaded it on the computer yet. Lazy bones....
Monday, February 07, 2011
The week that was.
It's been a quiet week this week. Nothing much has been going on since two more of the GTs resigned. One will finish in a couple of weeks, the other will finish in April.
It's been a week of fairly high temperatures and threatening showers. The humidity has been terrible. It's drag-yourself-about-to-avoid-standing-too-long-in-one-spot. If you do, everyone will be stepping over the little puddle of grease.
This week I decided to break out a pair of shoes I've not worn for some time. They are blue platforms; the top looks like blue denim with brass buttons and the soles are moulded in a similar fashion. Minus the buttons. Toward the end of the day I noticed my shoes seemed to be .... well, farting. Unfortunate. And there was mysterious stuff appearing on the carpet. When I kicked them off after arriving home I discovered to my horror that the soles are disintegrating! Right out from under me. I don't know if I am game enough to give them one or two last runs before they say goodbye.
I caught the bus one morning this week. And it seems I just missed the change. Again. I needed to be in at work a little early but now I don't know what time the next bus will be along. Oh sure, there is a timetable but when the conductor tells you it's just a guide what can you do.
This week I also found out just what the manager thinks of me. I was talking to my supervisor, C, about a work issue. We'd trailed off the conversation a little as she was sending an email pertaining to that which we were just discussing. He came from his office, walked right behind me to my right and spoke directly to C. Over the top of the tail end of our conversation. No Excuse me, nothing. He doesn't even bother to say good evening on the way out of the office door anymore. Maybe if Admin 2 is there he'll make an effort. But not always. I think she and I should leave. Let them function without us then and we'll see how lowly admin staff really are.
Friday we confirmed a bbq date for Saturday with Bestie. Saturday dawned overcast and possibly raining. The bbq is scheduled for mid afternoon for an early dinner. It's fined up a bit by then. And hot. We head over and while there, Bestie's sister in law arrives. We've not seen her for a while, and she had been caught in the recent floods. She's mostly completed the cleanup and is getting ready to replaster the walls.
Bestie and I head out to pick up her brother from the station. It's been many years since I last saw him. It's good catching up.
Around 7.30pm we head off to take him back to his residence. He has to be back by 8pm. The trip home is uneventful.
Sunday I spent with the dehumidifiers running. It's very hot and humid. For some reason, running the airconditioning on dehumidify works better than airconditioning itself. It's cooler and the power consumption is no different. The day is spent at the computer levelling up one of my WoW toons.
Bones is back and so is Castle. It's late to bed tonight.
It's been a week of fairly high temperatures and threatening showers. The humidity has been terrible. It's drag-yourself-about-to-avoid-standing-too-long-in-one-spot. If you do, everyone will be stepping over the little puddle of grease.
This week I decided to break out a pair of shoes I've not worn for some time. They are blue platforms; the top looks like blue denim with brass buttons and the soles are moulded in a similar fashion. Minus the buttons. Toward the end of the day I noticed my shoes seemed to be .... well, farting. Unfortunate. And there was mysterious stuff appearing on the carpet. When I kicked them off after arriving home I discovered to my horror that the soles are disintegrating! Right out from under me. I don't know if I am game enough to give them one or two last runs before they say goodbye.
I caught the bus one morning this week. And it seems I just missed the change. Again. I needed to be in at work a little early but now I don't know what time the next bus will be along. Oh sure, there is a timetable but when the conductor tells you it's just a guide what can you do.
This week I also found out just what the manager thinks of me. I was talking to my supervisor, C, about a work issue. We'd trailed off the conversation a little as she was sending an email pertaining to that which we were just discussing. He came from his office, walked right behind me to my right and spoke directly to C. Over the top of the tail end of our conversation. No Excuse me, nothing. He doesn't even bother to say good evening on the way out of the office door anymore. Maybe if Admin 2 is there he'll make an effort. But not always. I think she and I should leave. Let them function without us then and we'll see how lowly admin staff really are.
Friday we confirmed a bbq date for Saturday with Bestie. Saturday dawned overcast and possibly raining. The bbq is scheduled for mid afternoon for an early dinner. It's fined up a bit by then. And hot. We head over and while there, Bestie's sister in law arrives. We've not seen her for a while, and she had been caught in the recent floods. She's mostly completed the cleanup and is getting ready to replaster the walls.
Bestie and I head out to pick up her brother from the station. It's been many years since I last saw him. It's good catching up.
Around 7.30pm we head off to take him back to his residence. He has to be back by 8pm. The trip home is uneventful.
Sunday I spent with the dehumidifiers running. It's very hot and humid. For some reason, running the airconditioning on dehumidify works better than airconditioning itself. It's cooler and the power consumption is no different. The day is spent at the computer levelling up one of my WoW toons.
Bones is back and so is Castle. It's late to bed tonight.
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