War Museum, London trip, fatigue and a week off

[matgb]

OK, guess it's about time I wrote about my (lack of) life rather than my more recent link/discuss posts. Just, y'know, for those friends that read this to find out about me.

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Trip to Imperial War Museum

Went to London yesterday alongside draich_goch and the rest of the Chuckadice games group I do silly things with every Monday night. Rob organised it completely, for which we thank him. Unfortunately, Rob organised things to suit his mindset, which is weird. I'm guessing most have read the "understanding engineers" joke that does the round every so often? Rob's a bit like them. We took the 6.20am train from Newton Abbott, which arrived in London at about 9.20am. It was the "stop at every station including small villages that shouldn't have a station" service. We could have taken the train that left at 7.36am (y'know, more than a whole hour later), but that would have meant getting there at 10.10 (half an hour later). Why didn't we, you ask? Because Rob is Rob. This meant we could get to the museum when it opens, rather than merely half an hour after opening.

Of course, Rob had been up, alert and with it at 4am, cooked himself breakfast, etc. Andy didn't have a problem either, he normally starts work at 6am, this was a lie-in for him. Panjo, the pub bouncer? Colin, who'd been playing in his band at nearly midnight the night before? Me, the well known night owl who has problems being alert before 10am? Yup, Rob's a git. Fortunately, draich_goch is a nice bloke and I stayed at his as one of their sons is away so a bed was spare. Thanks mate.

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The Museum

War Museum itself? Very (very) cool. susannah_banana? You were right, it really needs more than a day to see properly, and I ran out of time before even getting to the holocaust bit, so I scooted through it. To be honest, that was probably a good thing, as the last thing I need right now with my modd is more reminders about the barbarity humans can commit with the right propaganda.

There were lots of tanks. I like tanks, something about them. There were bullets (ok, artillery shells) that were taller than me. I mean, the ones at the entrance taller than Nathan, that's to be expected, but taller than me? The Trench Experience was scary, and the Blitz experience, despite technical issues, was also very well done. Remarkably good for a free entry ten minutes walk from Westminster Bridge.

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Westminster Bridge

OK, yes, it's me. I left early to go to Westminster Bridge (again). Despite the abomination that County Hall is becoming, and despite the boards up covering the repairs and blocking the view over the Palace from the bridge, I still love the place.

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Rushed departure, no time for friends

Got the train back, we were back in Newton by 19.40; unfortunately, the group saver tickets meant I couldn't take a later train, and some of them had 'commitments'; well, they do all have families. I'd have happily stayed in London and taken the last possible train, especially given faeriecween was going to be in town later to meet Lucie, and Lucie lives, right next door to the museum. Didn't have time to do that, unfortunately. Another time.

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Exhaustion, skint

Got home tired last night, read stuff online, posted a few things to NLE, but didn't have the energy for any thinking. Still don't, really. Am also, still, completely skint. Really hope the idea of eBaying the collectables takes off, need to sort them out.

Oh, wait, that's what this week is for, sorting my life out. I have a week off work; I may be in contact with people to come visit during the week, only restriction is travel costs and needing to be at the dentists Friday pm. Dentists.

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Dentists

Bugger. Ah well. Friday, I wasn't in the best of moods. Y'see, I took the morning off (using up hours accrued) what's the point of earning time off if you use it to go tot he dentists? 3 more fillings, only 2 more to go, and the worst one is done with. She does seem competent Ms Chan, very friendly and helpful. To think I used to be able to sail in and out, fillings, whatever, no problem at all. These days? It's not what she's doing, it's just, well, dentistry. The butcher that ruined a tooth, required I had an extraction and made me avoid them for years has, it seems, given me a phobia. Still, at least I can identify it, and she's good at making sure I'm ok.

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I really shouldn't own a car

Also, on the way to Jason's, police pulled me over. "Are you aware your lights aren't working properly sir?" About time I fixed it, I know, the bulbs went awhileback, but still, a defect report and a notice to produce. Gah!

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Whiskey

On the other hand, I have a bottle of whiskey, but I haven't got more than half way through it. This is good. I might hide it in a cupboard for finishing off Friday. Actually, that's a good idea, I'll do it now.

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Time to sort my life out

So, this week coming, I plan to

1. Tidy the flat
Yes, I know, about time. It's me, I'm a messy bastard
2. Sort out stuff to sell and badger sister/boyfriend to start listing stuff
Minas Tirith or Helm's Deep models anyone? Taken out of packaging once, very cool, but, well, huge boxes I'll never need that are worth twice the RRP, let alone whatI paid for them; more stuff to be sorted as well
3. Sort out my older websites:
   1. turn Fuzzyduck into something I can link to as a 'design' thing
   2. Turn taktix into a gaming blog site, get some contributors, etc
4. Wander around Torbay, write something for torbaylife
5. Try to get my head around my finances
6. Look at what I want to do medium term career wise
7. Start applying for jobs in London and Exeter
8. Figure out if I can face staying in my current job and if I could possibly afford to quit pre-new job
9. Rest, relax, catch up with some reading, sleep lots.

Anyone care to guess which one of the above I'm planning on tomorrow?

Yup, long post, but, well, it's been awhile. Obviously, talk of quitting job means it's behind a cut. I really want to move to London. Or Exeter. Or, in fact, anywhere that isn't local.

Comments

[nadriel.livejournal.com]

Would be cool if you moved to London- or even Reading, as then I'd be able to actually catch up with you more often.

Two, on the gaming for taktix thing, it's possible I could contribute stuff with my Camarilla LARP hat on...?

[matgb]

Absolutely; I know nothing about LARP, but figure it'd be a good source of readers, just need to figure out how many different categories it'd take.

How are you at css coding by the way? Probably going to use blogger as a CMS, which means I'll need to get better at style sheets quickly.

[nadriel.livejournal.com]

I haven't particularly used it, but I don't see it being a problem to learn if need be.

[freddiefraggles.livejournal.com]

Mat, whatever you decide to do and wherever you decide to live, you must promise me these two things:

1) make a success of yourself, because we all know that you are easily capable of it and we are impatient to see it, and
2) don't stop updating your Livejournal, because no matter how much you may dislike the ads or whatever, I enjoy reading your posts, even if they're geeky or political or way over the top of my head.

Thank you.

[matgb]

Why thank you miss Freddie, that was rather nice.

So, I have to be succesfull because you will it? OK, I'll work on that one...

[freddiefraggles.livejournal.com]

My pleasure.

"So, I have to be succesfull because you will it? OK, I'll work on that one..."

Yep.

Well, I think that you're the sort of person who, if they put their mind to it, can achieve great things. You've just got to get some motivation and some extra sleep.

[freddiefraggles.livejournal.com]

Also, Mr Beedle was most disappointed that you didn't say hello to him on the train on Saturday.

[matgb]

Ah, see, that would be the "that looks a bit like Beedle... nah, not him, just someone that looks vaguley like him" response; my brain isn't good at recognising people I haven't seen for a bit.

He could've said hello himself if he was sure it was me; pass on apologies to him, I convinced myself it wasn't him, the stop he was getting on at didn't seem right either.

[freddiefraggles.livejournal.com]

He says he did indeed say hello. He was at home this weekend (as ever at the weekend).

[matgb]

I didn't hear him say a word, nor see him. TBH, when I convinced myself it wasn't him, I looked away out of "stop staring" embarrasment.

Ah well.

[sinju.livejournal.com]

You mean you were never taken to Imperial War Museum on a school trip??

[matgb]

Nope. Devon, remember? that and my school head seemed to be of the opinion that history was irrelevent, and the head of history of the opinion that anything that happened post 1900 isn't history; I'm kinda with him on that point in a way.

*hug*

[lmnicole.livejournal.com]

For some reason, that just feels appropriate.

*hug*

[fearmeforiampink]

Meeester Mat. Been meaning to talk to you about this, but had been forgetting and indeed hoping you'd be at gamesoc to discuss directly.

If you're still considering joining the Circus, then you've probably till early May to make your mind up. We need to sort out a housemate, and there's someone else who's a possibility who'll be able to tell us whether they want to move in in early May. Till then, you have first dibs, after then, if they want in they're in, if they don't we're launching into full on 'find a frickin' housemate' mode, where you could still get in, but only if someone else hasn't expressed enough interest to fill in the contract.

[matgb]

See, I still don't have a clue; I'm so tempted by London, but it's also a huge risk.

Decision made in May to affect August is just hard to commit to, but if you've got someone then a deadline to work to is useful. It's something I'm thinking about this week, amongst other things...

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

Learning a dental phobia seems to be easy. My last dentist was a bit of a brute and didn't seem to be bothered that I was a little scared to be there. It took me a long time of being very skittish before I would go see him or anyone else. Now I have a rather lovely dentist, but I'm still squeamish about the whole thing.

I also wonder if it isn't something that gets worse as you get older, particularly if like me you have crappy soft teeth and have had a lot of fillings. When I was a kid, going to the dentist's was almost fun. Now, it's a chore (doesn't help that I usually leave a couple of hundred quid lighter, either :-/ )

[matgb]

Yeah, the money side doesn't help matters; current disposable after paying off those bills I'd forgotten/ignored/non known about is about £150. Dentists bills this month is £100. Hmm...

But the difference between the new one and the guy that put me off? He was patronising and uncaring; when he became my dentist, I was a shopworker living with parents, ie low acheiving idiot scum, then I became a mature student (idiot scum with pretensions). That wasn't what he said, but it was how it came across. She's friendly, asks if I'm ok, understands the need to take breaks, stopped to put in more anaethetic when I needed it.

Still wary, but it's getting better.

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

Dentists with no people skills are awful. Come to think of it, I was just one of a gazillion students when I was with the last guy.

Well done for going back despite your misgivings. It IS worth it, really.

[silentgreeneyes.livejournal.com]

As for the gaming blog,I'd be willing to post RE the sillier side of D&D and suchlike. I feel the urge to post on a 'proper' blog.. even though said posts won't be all that serious..

And yeah.. good luck with the dentist (I don't like em either, but then again a large ammount of orthodontal work and extractions between the ages of eight and thirteen will do that ;)) and with the job hunting :)

Um... possibly looking to organise an impy thing or something for my birthday on the 18th, if you're free/able to get to Exeter.

[matgb]

Silly stuff would be needed, especially with gaming, you need to inform and amuse to build up readers, learnt that with NLE, some of our readers just like our (and particularly Paul's) writing style. Take yourself too seriously, or the topic too seriously, and people are turned off. But if it's all irreverent then you'e not taken seriously either.

Still, it's fun.

[silentgreeneyes.livejournal.com]

Considering the number of silly D&D games I'm in I'd be more than willing to do an article/s on the non-campaign based games.. and perhaps one on my silly campaign

[lostinarden.livejournal.com]

Fuck Exeter, just go to London.

[matgb]

I'm, mostly, inclined to, it's just the expense/risk factors; I know that in Exeter I have friends, somewhere to live and potential employment. London is a lot more expensive, etc and employment isn't guaranteed.

London appeals more though, but I was happy in Exeter. I'm not happy in Torbay...

[susannah-banana.livejournal.com]

I can't beleive you haven't fixed the lights on your car yet! Silly bugger. Have a good week off, take it you can't afford another trip out this weekend? Give me a ring anyway...

[matgb]

Taking it into mechanic tomorrow or Wednesday, depending on when I get up.

Have very little money, but lots of time; what did you decide to do in the end; London, W-H or stay home?

Will try to remember to ring at some point after 7 tomorrow (tonight?, it's 3.15am - exhaustion leads to lie in leads to insomnia), any time I shouldn't ring (ie TV show, out, etc)?

[aliannurai.livejournal.com]

WOW thats the longest post in the world I'm never able to write anything near as that long and wow you did lots all i get to do at the mo is sit at home and play the Sim's Damn knees

[matgb]

Writing takes practice; I write a lot.

It's too long really, should have been a few different posts, one on trip, one on dentists written Friday, one on plans for the week, but, well, I didn't have time until Sunday.

I'm off all week; could come up watch some DVDs or summat if'n you want? Anything that costs no money is good.