| Self-indulgence alert |
[Jan. 19th, 2009|08:45 pm] |
Hello.
Sure, I'd all but abandoned this journal, finding less and less to say as time goes by (though I still keenly read you lot). However, just recently, since turning 25 and finding a cache of old uni stuff back in Sale the other day, I've started getting a bit wistful and navel-gazing about things.
It's funny how things turn out, isn't it? I found a photo of Sarah and me from first year (not what you see above, that was taken last week - I'm not about to post something quite so wretched!), and looking at it, I wonder if I'd ever have believed we'd be back together by now and somehow successfully living out a crazy 210 mile long-distance relationship. I wonder if I'd have believed she'd be doing so well for herself with all the pharmacy stuff, and that one day I'd actually achieve that elusive, somewhat mental ambition of becoming a videogames journalist? I feel blessed - really, for the first time ever. Stuff's actually going pretty ok, and I've never really felt the need to say that before. And in a way, I'm sorry I'm saying it now, because it sounds conceited and like I'm bragging or something. But I just wanted to write this down somewhere, and maybe just put my two cents' worth into this gloomy blog which seemed mostly full of angst and self-pity in days gone by. Set the record straight, or something.
Mind you - and here's the flipside - oh MAN, I feel so old now. For nine days I've been closer to 30 than to 20, and that's just surreal. I'm definitely not a kid anymore - I'm squarely an adult, for sure. Even my car insurance has reduced dramatically. They think I'm a responsible driver now. The three write-offs mean nothing anymore.
And though I sometimes feel like (or, really, hope) the sky's the limit these days, I feel like you can achieve anything you want in your life, given the right amount of tenacity and effort, but the one thing you can't get better at or improve is your age. And that's just something I'm going to have to get used to. Death - forever scuttling after me with his little scythe from this week onward.
Yeah, that's nice and bleak. Much more like the old me. I've still got it where it counts...
Love. |
|
|
| Call Centre Managers = Idiots |
[May. 1st, 2007|11:50 pm] |
I still work in a call centre.
Oh dear me.
But things are looking up - I've got a new job! It actually pays something close to a graduate wage, and I start in 2 weeks.
But for now, I still work in a call centre.
Though, thanks to today, not for as long as I'm meant to be.
My manager is one of those people who absolutely must be liked. Her "team" must be the greatest, most wonderful place to be. Except for herself, of course. She's allowed to work an hour less a day than everybody else, and sometimes "work from home". But for those of us working idiotic evening and early morning shifts, oh...it must be paradise.
However, if we're not enjoying ourselves...say, just say, one of us were to hand in our notice...she wouldn't like that at all.
Not at all.
To compound matters, when she discovered my new job will elevate me above the career-long mindless telephone robot fantasy she harbors in her mind for each and every one of us, she was even less pleased than when the other two people (mass exodus, this) announced their departures recently.
Now, I've worked hard at this job. Made the best of what I had. I'm known as a "guy who gets results". This left her in the delicate position of having to hate me, but needing me to work on yet another mind-numbing project for her.
Her solution? Tell me to do something, but deny me the a) training to do it b) access to knowledge to train myself and c) presence at team meetings to work out where everybody else is up to around me. The reason for this is because (and I quote) "You're not doing proper work, so there's no point in wasting time training you".
Surprisingly, I couldn't do what she asked of me. I have deliberately done nothing all week (bar browsing Wikipedia and reading Ann Rice novels) in protest. She finally caught on today. I explained the above viewpoint.
She didn't really see my side of the argument.
But, we both finally agreed (though, I suspect, for different reasons) that "my work here is done".
I leave after my final cruel, cruel Saturday shift this week.
Woo.
*Please note. The above is a work of fiction. Any relation it may bear to real persons or situations is purely coincidental. So just try to sue me.* |
|
|
| Week of a Working Stiff |
[Sep. 29th, 2006|07:34 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  tired | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Themetune to Blackadder the Third! | ] |
Bloody hell. It's not until you actually get a 9-5 type thing that you start to realise just how little free time non-student, "normal" people have in their lives. I'm absolutely exhausted, but it's been a fun week altogether and feels sort of rewarding to feel like I've spent every available hour earning money or having fun!
Monday: 9am at new job. OK bunch of people I seem to be training with. 6.20pm had to be at OP to taxi a bunch of German, African, Polish and Chinese people across town as a favour for Lizzie E. Free chicken, and an incredibly amusing dinnertime conversation about migration, Chimera twinning phenomena and tumble driers.
Tuesday: 8.30am to work. Booo. A bunch of unabsorbing "team tasks" and things but hey, I'm sure it's all working towards a goal (in case they're reading this). Out at 4.30, home and changed quick for choir practice. The return of Will (and his happy Hong Kong pervery stories) and hilariously random spotting of Nat looking a bit lost with the hairy lairy girls' football society in RP Bar.
Wednesday: Learned medical terminology. Now the owner of a Nurse's dictionary! Curry with Rob, S, Nessaaa, Rachel, Claire and Chris. Sat in their vaguely nursing home styled lounge drinking tea and giggling like idiots till the wee hours. Visit from their landlord who impressively replaced all their lightbulbs.
Thursday: Disillusioning "brand placement" group projects. Caught up with old, old mate Kingy after work, ate noxious takeaway and went to see "The Queen" - spectacular!
Today: Some actual work-related training! But only the obvious "be nice on the phone" stuff. Just having dinner, sorting out bills and other nonsense, then plan to amble along to the MUJS "Girly House" and take in a little of their fabulous soiree...
Hours of sleep this working week: Approximately 24. |
|
|
| Spam emailers in blackmail shocker! |
[Jun. 28th, 2006|03:47 pm] |
Did anyone else get this utter gem of random spam, which I assume has come as a result of being a member of Anime Europe?
"jenova_synthesis, If you will not press under this reference: [dodgy link to godknows what proceeded at this point]
That your mother will die, solve and think..
Under the reference the information on your family contains.
P.S It not a joke."
Though I laughed my ass off at first, I guess one should take a second or two to actually consider the malevolent twattishness of these people. 30+ friendly emails a day inviting me to improve my sex life is one thing, but...threatening to kill my mum? And all this to make some kind of a profit.
I despair of people. Really I do. |
|
|
| X-Men 3... |
[May. 27th, 2006|12:48 pm] |
I was always a big fan of X-Men as a kid. In all seriousness, I rated it above other dumb Saturday morning tv shows because of its far reaching plots involving ethics, discrimination and all the rest of it.
I feel like the films so far have really only dipped their toe in a bit with that kind of thing, but the latest one seemed to want to focus more on it by introducing this entirely original "cure for mutation" aspect. Great, I thought, let's see what they make of it.
Quite frankly, I think the writers ended up tying themselves in knots.
THE FOLLOWING COULD VERY WELL CONTAIN SPOILERS so I'll put it under a cut:
( Read more... )
Anyway, apart from all that plot stuff, I massively enjoyed the film as a "movie" :) Great special effects, fun and cheesy one-liners, and wonderful performances all round. Good to see Halle Berry doing a bit more, Ian McKellen was on top form, and Kelsey Grammer - the perfect Beast!
That's my two cents' worth for a bit. |
|
|
| Of Fate and Destiny |
[Jan. 12th, 2006|09:34 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  thankful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes | ] |
I was having a high-level discussion/ debate/ all-out war last night with a master orator of the highest order (his name actually does escape me, but those present will know who I mean). We started off agreeing on quite a lot - oh, how we hate the human world. Its bureaucracy, its American super-capitalist money led sensibilities. Stick one to the Man, yo. Etc.
His attitude was, like many, to fight the good fight back against "the institution" - right all the wrongs of mankind and try somehow to turn this mess around...and there's a time I would have agreed, but just recently I've quite honestly found myself giving up thoughts of that nature.
Who, I have reasoned, can even think of taking on a system of government so warped that it would happily destroy its own World Trade Centre in order to speed along an excuse to remove its opponents in the oil war (yes, I'm almost certain that's what happened).
As I attempted to fight my corner sozzled on 4 and a half pints of Guinness, and my companion became more and more enthusiastic at undermining me (as well he probably should) I started to realise: it's not that I've given up, it's just that I no longer find the doings of the human race particularly important to my life or existence.
And it suddenly hit me perhaps why that was. Hallelujah! It seems the faith I'd been looking into rediscovering so recently is still, to some point, within me somewhere. I'm not actually sure that it IS God, but I've always felt, ever since I was small, that something greater than me was guiding me. I ask it for help (I guess we all do that when we're desperate) but I also thank it in the good times. It looks after me, and as a result I feel that every high and every pratfall is happening because it's supposed to - there's a plan.
The chap I was chatting to made dead to sure to inform me that my views made him laugh; but all I could do in return was pity him for living in a lonely, godless universe. Perhaps I'm just looking for someone else to solve my problems for me, perhaps I'm fatalistic due to apathy and laziness, but for me the issues discussed last night are just a good example of how I've never felt truly alone when facing the shit modern life throws at us as individuals, and at the world in general.
As a result, I had to stress my limited interest in the issues at hand, due to a solid belief that "stuff sorts itself the way it's meant to in the end". We could never see eye to eye on that, and thus the conversation reached a natural close. If it was indeed God, he threw me a real curve ball there, but I'm grateful for the reminder (especially with exams coming up, O Great One). |
|
|
| Happy New Year and all that |
[Jan. 5th, 2006|10:41 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | chipper | ] |
| [ | music |
| | the tossed salad and scrambled eggs thing on 'Frasier' | ] |
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) pseudomonas me scripsit anno 2005
So yes. I AM love, apparently. But didn't you all know it?
(Sorry if this doesn't seem very dial-up friendly, for whatever reason, but anyway who still has THAT?)
*hides from shower of modems chucked by angry poor people* |
|
|
| WOW indeed... |
[Sep. 3rd, 2005|02:41 pm] |
Many thanks to Jon and Xei for the interesting introductions and overblown academic discussions about World of Warcraft! Coincidentally, I got a letter from the uni about dissertations this morning and it really does look as though all my ideas about "videogames as the evolution of the narrative structure" are going to be acceptable for this project!
Only thing now is this nagging desire I'm getting to actually fork out £8.99 a month to join you guys...not to mention supply myself with more hot sessions of lying in fields with strange men.
A fun night - even though I put my foot in my mouth a few more times than I'd have liked =0 |
|
|
| My favourite verse of the minute |
[Aug. 21st, 2005|07:46 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | amused | ] |
| [ | music |
| | The Who - Quadrophenia | ] |
Good Dog Nigel
Arf, Arf, he goes, a merry sight
Our little hairy friend
Arf, Arf, upon the lampost bright
Arfing round the bend.
Nice dog! Goo boy,
Waggie tail and beg,
Clever Nigel, jump for joy
Because we are putting you to sleep at three of the clock, Nigel.
-John Lennon |
|
|
| Announcement |
[Jul. 17th, 2005|01:52 pm] |
A recent remark should be retracted:
"Cunt" was perhaps rather the wrong word to be used, while bawling outside Stu's window, in reference to our Lord and Father, God and creator of the universe.
The man upstairs (God, not Stu) and I have just not been seeing eye to eye lately, that's all...
Anyway, I'm glad everybody enjoyed my hat. Look forward to the possibility of seeing much more headgear in the near future.
And pehaps even cravats. |
|
|
| Lyrics Meme thing |
[Jul. 11th, 2005|02:33 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | chipper | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Graceland - Paul Simon | ] |
1) Are you male or female?
I am the walrus
2) Describe your neighborhood:
All the people that come and go stop and say hello.
3) How are you?
I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink. I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink.
4) If you could say something to the person you like, what would it be?
I wanna hold your hand.
5) Where do you wish you were right now?
In a boat on a river, with tangerine trees, and marmalade skies.
6) What would you say to your best friend?
She loves you yeah yeah yeah.
7) Any words of wisdom?
If you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow.
8) What do you wish you were doing right now?
No-one will be watching us, why don't we do it in the road?
9) What do you think of drugs and alcohol?
Lay down all thought, surrender to the void, it is shining.
10) If you could say one thing to your enemy, what would it be?
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
11) What do you usually do on Friday nights?
Let's all get up and dance to a song which was a hit before your mother was born.
12) Are you for world peace?
So you say you want a revolution? Well, you know, we all wanna change the world.
13) What do you think about school?
I used to get mad at my school, the teachers who taught me weren't cool. You're holding me down, turning me round, filling me up with your rules.
14) How do you feel right now?
I'm in love with her, and I feel fine.
15) Any closing words?
When you’ve seen beyond yourself, then you may find peace of mind is waiting there.
And the time will come when you see we’re all one, and life flows on within you and without you.
(Yes, my personal challenge was to apply every single one to lyrics of The Beatles) |
|
|
| Spiritually Cleansed |
[Jun. 30th, 2005|03:32 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | rejuvenated | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Piggy in the Middle - The Rutles | ] |
I'm just back from a couple of days driving round Scotland - alone, clearing my head and attempting to appreciate the beauty of nature. I think it worked - it always seems to help to remind oneself of the vastness and diversity of the rest of the world in relation to one's own niggling little problems. I got back last night feeling refreshed, but also in need of a good sleep (attempting to kip in the back of a clapped out Rover on the side of the A8 has its drawbacks).
One of the things I'd decided on was not to continually worry about what to do when I got my exam results and (inevitably) discovered I'd failed 2nd year. I found the envelope last night when I returned, and I passed everything with a 58% average for the year!
I'm starting to believe that positive thinking might actually cause positive results - even as far as somehow reaching back into time and improving my (as I thought) calamatous exam performance!
Finally, I know there's an absolute proliferation of these things around, but I've just been made aware of this one, and it's excellent.
All Your Base Rhapsody! - http://www.pwned.nl/ayb/ |
|
|
| Ding Ding Mwu-ah! |
[Jun. 15th, 2005|10:33 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  drunk | ] |
| [ | music |
| | As below | ] |
Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. I forgot how awesome this was. Not content with using bicycle bells as percussion, they then move onto what sounds like one of those huge brass horn things with the big black rubber bulb.
I wish I had a 1960's bike. I want to try it in my garden. But with like the biggest amp ever!!! Muahaha. |
|
|
| Impulse Purchase Alert |
[Jun. 12th, 2005|11:33 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | impressed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Some tinny GBA version of Doom background music | ] |
[::[_]::]
[+ [_]::]
And I have to say I'm very impressed so far. The battery life is wonderful, Mario 64 has never looked better, and the console itself just looks groovy!
Ok, so "Pictochat" appears to be the most pointless bolt-on selling point ever - basically msn with the range of a limited infra-red signal, allowing you to chat aimlessly to somebody you're most probably sitting next to. And yes, the stylus appears to begin scratching the touch screen immediately, but nothing's perfect I suppose. I Just hope it gets backed up by a consisent flow of decent software (in line with my recent rant about Nintendo's tendency to not do this), and doesn't just go the way of the Virtual Boy by being soon declared a useless piece of gimmicky shit.
Out of interest, how many other people actually own a Nintendo DS? I'm just wondering if anybody's up for any multiplayer tomfoolery next term? Or hey we could even just use Pictochat XD |
|
|
| Lesson Learned |
[Jun. 9th, 2005|12:12 pm] |
TORREMOLINOS = TEH SUCK
That's pretty much all I have to say on the matter... |
|
|
| It hurts, make it stop |
[Jun. 6th, 2005|07:08 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  anxious | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Pinkerton - Weezer | ] |
Ok so I got tagged by kristofski for this song thing, but looking around I don't think there's enough peeps left on my (meagre) friends list who haven't already been tagged =(
But here they are anyway:
1. The Beatles - Dear Prudence
2. Bob Dylan - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Tear
4. Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues
5. Richard Swift - Lovely Night
6. Nobuo Uematsu - Liberi Fatali
It's very hard to pick 6 songs really; I think a couple of them are just ones I *really* like at the moment, especially number 6 which is good to play very loudly at night under my evil red light bulb to plan some world domination.
That is, if these bloody exams ever end. Did I hear something about Jilly's after the screening on Friday, or was I dreaming that? *Hopes* |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
pensive
accomplished
surprised
