The last two weeks.
2004-Dec-27, Monday 05:20![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matgbKept meaning to write a 'proper' entry, but kept not being in the mood, so I'll just stop putting it off any longer and just write it before it's waaaay tooo looong...
Thursday 16th
Spent all day sat in interviews. But in a good way, I was the one asking the questions, alongside the new MD. He's really into using people for their talents regardless of seniority, which is good. New IT manager, some good candidates we called back, and one guy who blew it so badly despite looking great on paper. Useful experience, sitting on the other side and looking at candidates rather than being one. That was cool. No work done at all though, hadn't expected to lose all day on them.
Friday 17th
Last day at work, a huge rush to get through everything and leave on time after yesterday. Did manage to leave nearly on time (half 4 instead of 4), but then had to explain to MD on the way out why I wasn't going tot he staff do he was paying for. "Party in London" says I. He's a little religious, I'll leave explaining S-C until after the pay review...
Drive to London, park at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
nadriel's, change in car (cold, not nice), go to train station, then go into town. Get to Kings Cross at about 10ish, wait for the shuttle bus which picks us up at about 10.20pm.
S-C was cool, again. Met more people, spoke to others, passed on random methods of insulting Mike to people, and said a few words totwo_brains which was cool. But, after a busy day at work and a 4 hour drive, I wasn't really in a "meet new people" mood. So, despite standing right next to _exitwound_, bimbeeni, ollyb and ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-syndicated.gif)
misseve at various points in the evening, I didn't actually say much. ah well, there's always next time.
Saturday 18th
Had planned to crash at Mike's, then go shopping and drive home. Fortunately,karis_uk invited me to and talked me into attending the London Vampire Group Xmas party. It didn't actually take much persuasion really, Neil Gaiman theme and several attractive women I'd met at S-C were going...
So, bummed around Mike's, read a bit, order pizza and then go into town. The venue was quite cool (although I forget the name of the pub), and the company was interesting and amusing. Over the course of the evening, Mike was flirting with one of the two ladies visiting from the Isle of Man, I thought her friend was much more interesting (which is weird, not my 'type' really). Guess which one had a boyfriend? Sorry Mike.
Of course, I didn't find out how young Sophie was until after the flirting had become a little too obvious. We behaved. Sort of. She's actually capable of typing coherent emails as well, none of this long paragraphs with no punctuation bollocks. I like that in a person. If we could add 5 years or so to her age and move her to a slightly easier to visit locale I'd be a very happy man right now. Still, fun. To everyone alse at the LVG party that had wanted to contiinue conversations with either of us. Or indeed not see a couple rather enthusiastically connected for most of the evening in a well lit pub, sorry. Sort of, anyway...
Sunday 19th
Finally went shopping. Didn't buy much, but ruled out lots of gift options. Did buy the SFX reviews of the year magazine. Very useful, I own 6 of the top ten books. I asked for another one of them for Xmas (Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrel. Only just started it, but recommend it - hardback currently, the skint people should get the paparback; everyone that likes books should get it, very cool so far). Had a coffee, then drove home.
Monday 20th
Slept all day. Seriously. Completely lost track of time, got up late evening, did nothing useful. The weekend completely wore me out. Not complaining though.
Didn't do much the rest of the week really, went Xmas shopping with sister, found Ottakers (mentioned that already), and read books. Went out drinking with the guys from GW a few times, that was fun. I may manage to live with the new manager there, he's not as bad as I first thought. Not good in any way, but not the complete arse I first read him as being. Try and get him promoted out instead of fired methinks. Staff training is fun; he writes out a bit of the training manual, I look at it and suppress the desire to observe how much of that pageI helped write. 3 hours a week still, I can manage that :-D
Saturday 25th
Parents house, see Gran as well, she's looking really old now (over 80, I forget the exact age). But she's happy, and coherent if forgetful of names, so that's cool. I don't know what to think about my parents though. They bailed me out (big time) from a financial hole I'd dug earlier this year, I'd made it clear I didn't want much. They've always been generous at Xmas, but... New car stereo. Not just any car stereo, but a top of the range DAB radio car stereo. £300 worth. And a pile of other stuff. So much for not getting anything.
Still, a good day, and nice to see the close family together without too many others.
Sunday 26th
Watched Return of the King extended edition, as expected. Actually enjoyed the film, even got a bit emotional at the end. Huge change from when I saw it in San Francisco when it came out, I guess I wasn't in the right mood. Very enjoyabel, and I flicked through some commentaries as well, they were fun. Didn't know Sirkis had also voiced the Witch King. Hearing the actors describe cutting from a bit they filmed at the start to a re-shoot 4 years later then back again despite it being seemless int he flim was weird.
Bummed around, played on the internet, read a lot of slashdot stuff from the feed. Not much really. Ate chocolate cookies though :-D
However, it's very apparent I've messed my body clock up last week, I'm not sleepy and it's 5am. So, time to not sleep then turn in early tomorrow, sort the thing out. Normally works.
Oh yeah, The Temple got hacked Xmas eve. CJ fixed it, I'm really glad I talked the guys into bringing him on board, the tech side of website management is beyond me still...
[as, it appears, is formatting LJ entries. Why 'edit entry' creates a new entry each time I understand not...]
Thursday 16th
Spent all day sat in interviews. But in a good way, I was the one asking the questions, alongside the new MD. He's really into using people for their talents regardless of seniority, which is good. New IT manager, some good candidates we called back, and one guy who blew it so badly despite looking great on paper. Useful experience, sitting on the other side and looking at candidates rather than being one. That was cool. No work done at all though, hadn't expected to lose all day on them.
Friday 17th
Last day at work, a huge rush to get through everything and leave on time after yesterday. Did manage to leave nearly on time (half 4 instead of 4), but then had to explain to MD on the way out why I wasn't going tot he staff do he was paying for. "Party in London" says I. He's a little religious, I'll leave explaining S-C until after the pay review...
Drive to London, park at
nadriel's, change in car (cold, not nice), go to train station, then go into town. Get to Kings Cross at about 10ish, wait for the shuttle bus which picks us up at about 10.20pm.S-C was cool, again. Met more people, spoke to others, passed on random methods of insulting Mike to people, and said a few words to
two_brains which was cool. But, after a busy day at work and a 4 hour drive, I wasn't really in a "meet new people" mood. So, despite standing right next to _exitwound_, bimbeeni, ollyb and misseve at various points in the evening, I didn't actually say much. ah well, there's always next time.Saturday 18th
Had planned to crash at Mike's, then go shopping and drive home. Fortunately,
karis_uk invited me to and talked me into attending the London Vampire Group Xmas party. It didn't actually take much persuasion really, Neil Gaiman theme and several attractive women I'd met at S-C were going...So, bummed around Mike's, read a bit, order pizza and then go into town. The venue was quite cool (although I forget the name of the pub), and the company was interesting and amusing. Over the course of the evening, Mike was flirting with one of the two ladies visiting from the Isle of Man, I thought her friend was much more interesting (which is weird, not my 'type' really). Guess which one had a boyfriend? Sorry Mike.
Of course, I didn't find out how young Sophie was until after the flirting had become a little too obvious. We behaved. Sort of. She's actually capable of typing coherent emails as well, none of this long paragraphs with no punctuation bollocks. I like that in a person. If we could add 5 years or so to her age and move her to a slightly easier to visit locale I'd be a very happy man right now. Still, fun. To everyone alse at the LVG party that had wanted to contiinue conversations with either of us. Or indeed not see a couple rather enthusiastically connected for most of the evening in a well lit pub, sorry. Sort of, anyway...
Sunday 19th
Finally went shopping. Didn't buy much, but ruled out lots of gift options. Did buy the SFX reviews of the year magazine. Very useful, I own 6 of the top ten books. I asked for another one of them for Xmas (Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrel. Only just started it, but recommend it - hardback currently, the skint people should get the paparback; everyone that likes books should get it, very cool so far). Had a coffee, then drove home.
Monday 20th
Slept all day. Seriously. Completely lost track of time, got up late evening, did nothing useful. The weekend completely wore me out. Not complaining though.
Didn't do much the rest of the week really, went Xmas shopping with sister, found Ottakers (mentioned that already), and read books. Went out drinking with the guys from GW a few times, that was fun. I may manage to live with the new manager there, he's not as bad as I first thought. Not good in any way, but not the complete arse I first read him as being. Try and get him promoted out instead of fired methinks. Staff training is fun; he writes out a bit of the training manual, I look at it and suppress the desire to observe how much of that pageI helped write. 3 hours a week still, I can manage that :-D
Saturday 25th
Parents house, see Gran as well, she's looking really old now (over 80, I forget the exact age). But she's happy, and coherent if forgetful of names, so that's cool. I don't know what to think about my parents though. They bailed me out (big time) from a financial hole I'd dug earlier this year, I'd made it clear I didn't want much. They've always been generous at Xmas, but... New car stereo. Not just any car stereo, but a top of the range DAB radio car stereo. £300 worth. And a pile of other stuff. So much for not getting anything.
Still, a good day, and nice to see the close family together without too many others.
Sunday 26th
Watched Return of the King extended edition, as expected. Actually enjoyed the film, even got a bit emotional at the end. Huge change from when I saw it in San Francisco when it came out, I guess I wasn't in the right mood. Very enjoyabel, and I flicked through some commentaries as well, they were fun. Didn't know Sirkis had also voiced the Witch King. Hearing the actors describe cutting from a bit they filmed at the start to a re-shoot 4 years later then back again despite it being seemless int he flim was weird.
Bummed around, played on the internet, read a lot of slashdot stuff from the feed. Not much really. Ate chocolate cookies though :-D
However, it's very apparent I've messed my body clock up last week, I'm not sleepy and it's 5am. So, time to not sleep then turn in early tomorrow, sort the thing out. Normally works.
Oh yeah, The Temple got hacked Xmas eve. CJ fixed it, I'm really glad I talked the guys into bringing him on board, the tech side of website management is beyond me still...
[as, it appears, is formatting LJ entries. Why 'edit entry' creates a new entry each time I understand not...]
