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A Fitting Time To Begin.
Nov. 1st, 2008 10:16 pmI have a journalling book here, it's called Life's Companion - Journal Writing as a Spiritual Quest. and it's by Christina Baldwin. I thought I'd work through it, see what it brings up. I've had the book for a while, but have never had the desire to work with it - until now. So as I'm doing this NaBloWriMo thing... I thought it could be my prompts. One of the first exercises says is to make a collage of the day's events... Well, hard to do a collage on LJ, but this is my version of it...
Local
New theatre opens to the public - The project is part of Leicester City Council's regeneration scheme Leicester's £61m Curve theatre opens its doors to the public this weekend.
I'm a part of this project, along with some of the children from my school... we're singing with Sharon D Clarke - a famous (over here) actress/singer. I'm looking forward to our turn, which starts in a little over a weeks time, to perform in the new theatre - and yeah, I'm doing that before Dominic does. *thumbs nose playfully at the Stoneygate Preppie*
The full story is here
National
Dorset get Cowgirl on the Range - A former nurse from Lancashire is saddling up for her first day as a cowgirl, herding cattle in Dorset. Lisa Hawthornthwaite got the job after seeing off competition from as far afield as ranches in South America.
watch this story
International
US campaign enters final weekend - The two men seeking to become president of the United States have entered the final weekend of campaigning.
Those of you in the USA can see how the UK's BBC report your elections here
Weather
Currently in Leicester we have heavy rain... yes, I know nothing unusual about it raining in the UK. Rain is some of my favourite weather though, I don't know why. I love to be inside in the the rain, and outside if the rain is a warm rain. I rarely carry an umbrella because I don't like them. There are of course exceptions to all that.
I remember getting soaked on the way to a show, which ironically was called Rain. It was kind of cold. Still - looking back - I think it enhanced the experience. The show was excellent too. Never seen it rain on a stage before...
Local
New theatre opens to the public - The project is part of Leicester City Council's regeneration scheme Leicester's £61m Curve theatre opens its doors to the public this weekend.
I'm a part of this project, along with some of the children from my school... we're singing with Sharon D Clarke - a famous (over here) actress/singer. I'm looking forward to our turn, which starts in a little over a weeks time, to perform in the new theatre - and yeah, I'm doing that before Dominic does. *thumbs nose playfully at the Stoneygate Preppie*
The full story is here
National
Dorset get Cowgirl on the Range - A former nurse from Lancashire is saddling up for her first day as a cowgirl, herding cattle in Dorset. Lisa Hawthornthwaite got the job after seeing off competition from as far afield as ranches in South America.
watch this story
International
US campaign enters final weekend - The two men seeking to become president of the United States have entered the final weekend of campaigning.
Those of you in the USA can see how the UK's BBC report your elections here
Weather
Currently in Leicester we have heavy rain... yes, I know nothing unusual about it raining in the UK. Rain is some of my favourite weather though, I don't know why. I love to be inside in the the rain, and outside if the rain is a warm rain. I rarely carry an umbrella because I don't like them. There are of course exceptions to all that.
I remember getting soaked on the way to a show, which ironically was called Rain. It was kind of cold. Still - looking back - I think it enhanced the experience. The show was excellent too. Never seen it rain on a stage before...
Alphabet Soup... Among Other Things.
Jun. 24th, 2008 01:45 amNothing like alphabetising test papers to bring your school day to a hideous close. The papers have to be sent off to be analysed, and even thought the analysts work but UPNs (unique pupil number) We have to put the children's papers in alphabetical order. Didn't take long, just... not the way I wanted to spend the staff meeting time - especially not when there are still end of year reports to write that are due in on Friday.
Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary today. Dad forgot, but it ended up cute, because both Mum and Dad wrote in the same card to each other, and then Dad wrote, "Anyone reading this card would think we were trying to save money." LOL. Mind you, I'm not surprised that they might be, given the new TV they just bought. It's one of those nice HD ready, flat screen things.
It's really funny, because when we were having dinner, Dad couldn't work it - but Mum could... at least for one thing... and then she couldn't make it do something else. I think it's going to take a while to learn it...
Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary today. Dad forgot, but it ended up cute, because both Mum and Dad wrote in the same card to each other, and then Dad wrote, "Anyone reading this card would think we were trying to save money." LOL. Mind you, I'm not surprised that they might be, given the new TV they just bought. It's one of those nice HD ready, flat screen things.
It's really funny, because when we were having dinner, Dad couldn't work it - but Mum could... at least for one thing... and then she couldn't make it do something else. I think it's going to take a while to learn it...
Some Useless Information...
Jun. 21st, 2008 09:17 pmMy calendar today tells us:
About ten percent of the world's population is left-handed.
The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
You share your birthday with at least nine million other people around the world.
You see - to told you it was useless info. Source
About ten percent of the world's population is left-handed.
The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
You share your birthday with at least nine million other people around the world.
You see - to told you it was useless info. Source
Wanting A Change...
Jun. 19th, 2008 07:15 pmI've been thinking for a few days that I want to change the look of my LJ. Don't get me wrong I love the butterflies, and I love the colours, but... I'm just in the mood for changing it. My only problem is that I don't know/can't decide what I want it to look like.
I'm procrastinating again. There are loads of things I could (and some I ought) to be doing, but I've also been meaning to post this for days, and just have been so busy that I haven't gotten around to it. So I thought while my brain was having a little blank moment, and my Muse taking a nap, I would do just that.
I'm procrastinating again. There are loads of things I could (and some I ought) to be doing, but I've also been meaning to post this for days, and just have been so busy that I haven't gotten around to it. So I thought while my brain was having a little blank moment, and my Muse taking a nap, I would do just that.
(no subject)
Jun. 23rd, 2006 12:45 amFeeling more than a little like... when two people say you're sick... you should lie down.
Not Sure...
May. 2nd, 2006 05:27 pmWhether this is a self-congratulatory entry or meant as a warning to everyone out there *insert evil laugh here.* Anyway, Cedargrove is now a fully licensed driver - yes, I passed my driving test today. :)
I was incredibly nervous - so much so that I was shaking, and I blame the nerves for me stalling the car near the beginning of the test. After that, well I was just resigned, I guess. Couldn't get much worse, so I just drove. I got through with only 5 minor driving faults, (for those that don't know you are allowed up to 16 minor driving faults), which my instructor said is very good. Me being the perfectionist of course five seemed like a pretty big number.
The examiner was actually a very nice man called Dave. He did his very best to put me at ease all the way through the test, and actually talked to me like a real person. *shock horror* Oh, yes this might have had something to do with the fact that he was being monitored by the chief examiner who rode in the back of the car during the test. Yep, I had them both.
So I am much relieved... and should receive my new full driving license soon.
I was incredibly nervous - so much so that I was shaking, and I blame the nerves for me stalling the car near the beginning of the test. After that, well I was just resigned, I guess. Couldn't get much worse, so I just drove. I got through with only 5 minor driving faults, (for those that don't know you are allowed up to 16 minor driving faults), which my instructor said is very good. Me being the perfectionist of course five seemed like a pretty big number.
The examiner was actually a very nice man called Dave. He did his very best to put me at ease all the way through the test, and actually talked to me like a real person. *shock horror* Oh, yes this might have had something to do with the fact that he was being monitored by the chief examiner who rode in the back of the car during the test. Yep, I had them both.
So I am much relieved... and should receive my new full driving license soon.
Quick Update
Mar. 5th, 2006 07:38 pmSo... tomorrow I start my two weeks of Jury Service. Part of me wants to get on a case that will take the two weeks, part of me just wants to get on tiny little cases that don't involve stuff that's too bad or harrowing. Of course I'm sure the part of me that wants the bigger case is thinking that way to avoid having to rush back from court to school, since the agency ticked the yes box on whether I could go back to work if I was released from court. Yeah, okay, the money is always useful - a necessary evil, one might say - but if I got dismissed from court at the end of the morning session, at one o'clock, I wouldn't get back to school until about half an hour later, and that makes it hardly worth it in my opinion - but if I don't go, I lose even more money than I would have lost anyway. *shrug* Oh well... just have to play it by ear and see how it goes.
What I don't want to happen is to get on a case where the jury gets sequestered... I can't really see it happening, not in Leicester. I don't know of any really serious cases coming up and I've been scouring the papers of late.
Of course I won't be able to talk about anything to anyone - something that really disappointed the children in my class when I was trying to explain to them where I was going and why. The kids really didn't get the hang of the idea of a jury... one or two of them knew but for the most part they associate going to court with being in trouble. I think that's a very telling statement.
I'm feeling a little bit better today, after yesterday's really high temperatures. I think whatever it is I've been ill with is finally on the way out. My headache has even gone, of course now I can't stop sneezing, but that's good because it means I'm not all blocked up and stuffy all the time.
Aside from that, I'm still waiting for the telephone line to be mended again. NTL really could do with getting their fingers out and sorting it out once and for all. But then who am I to complain about it? Apparently the whole of the LE2 area have problems. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one that isn't happy about it.
What I don't want to happen is to get on a case where the jury gets sequestered... I can't really see it happening, not in Leicester. I don't know of any really serious cases coming up and I've been scouring the papers of late.
Of course I won't be able to talk about anything to anyone - something that really disappointed the children in my class when I was trying to explain to them where I was going and why. The kids really didn't get the hang of the idea of a jury... one or two of them knew but for the most part they associate going to court with being in trouble. I think that's a very telling statement.
I'm feeling a little bit better today, after yesterday's really high temperatures. I think whatever it is I've been ill with is finally on the way out. My headache has even gone, of course now I can't stop sneezing, but that's good because it means I'm not all blocked up and stuffy all the time.
Aside from that, I'm still waiting for the telephone line to be mended again. NTL really could do with getting their fingers out and sorting it out once and for all. But then who am I to complain about it? Apparently the whole of the LE2 area have problems. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one that isn't happy about it.
Some thoughts I had...
Feb. 9th, 2006 10:10 pmABS brakes feel like someone firing a machine gun under the car.
No, that wasn't the main though that has me posting this... just... I had this thought today... because I was late in getting my wages, I delayed in sending of payment for one of my bills, didn't want the payment to bounce after all, sensible, no? Soon as I got paid on Tuesday (should have been the Friday before), I sent the payment which was a few days late by that time.
Today I get a snotty call from the company wanting to know where their payment was and so I explained the situation and that I had already sent the cheque. The person then said, 'oh but that will take 7-10 days to clear' (which of course is a load of BS in my experience maybe 4-7 but... anyway), 'can't you cancel that check and make a payment by debit card over the phone now?'
(Here's where the thought I had comes in)...
'No I would not,' said I... because completely aside from the fact that my bank would charge me for a cancelled chq. unless I could prove it was lost in the post (and yes, he argued with me that this was not true, even when I told him, quite curtly by this point, that my bank had in the past /told/ me that this was true)... completely aside from that fact, I had no proof that he was who he said he was. He had no secret password that I could ask him to reveal various letters from, like the fourth letter and the ninth letter and so on.
He understood, he claimed, that people were nervous about giving such details on the phone but he could assure me he was who he said he was, and proceeded to give me my account number. Not good enough, I said, anyone could have that number so it proves nothing except that he knows my account number and I would /not/ be making a debit card payment. He goes away, putting me on hold for a moment, (obviously checking with a supervisor or something), and returns a few moments later making a note that I sent the cheque and asking again why it was late. Quite pissed off with the guy by now, I said in a very low tone of voice, "I told you that at the beginning of our conversation," and re-explained all about the wages fiasco from the end of last week/beginning of this week. He then informs me that because I refused to make the debit card payment I would probably get telephone calls every day until the cheque clears. I said this was fine... (I can always hang up and/or not answer my mobile).
Anyway, my point is this... In these days of increasing identity theft and financial fraud, why, when banks and things rightly ask for some kind of security check if you call them, do they get a little put out when you point out to them that you should be able to do the same if /they/ call /you/? For instance, why couldn't I say, "What's the fifth letter of my security word?" Surely it would not be too difficult for banks and so on to have a computer programme that could provide them with that information from the bank's system. Why should we be expected to take on faith that a person calling us on a financial matter is who they say they are without any kind of security? And why should I be punished for insisting on one? Wasn't /my/ fault that my employers bank screwed up and inconvenienced me with paying late... Yeah... I'm kind of upset about this one.
No, that wasn't the main though that has me posting this... just... I had this thought today... because I was late in getting my wages, I delayed in sending of payment for one of my bills, didn't want the payment to bounce after all, sensible, no? Soon as I got paid on Tuesday (should have been the Friday before), I sent the payment which was a few days late by that time.
Today I get a snotty call from the company wanting to know where their payment was and so I explained the situation and that I had already sent the cheque. The person then said, 'oh but that will take 7-10 days to clear' (which of course is a load of BS in my experience maybe 4-7 but... anyway), 'can't you cancel that check and make a payment by debit card over the phone now?'
(Here's where the thought I had comes in)...
'No I would not,' said I... because completely aside from the fact that my bank would charge me for a cancelled chq. unless I could prove it was lost in the post (and yes, he argued with me that this was not true, even when I told him, quite curtly by this point, that my bank had in the past /told/ me that this was true)... completely aside from that fact, I had no proof that he was who he said he was. He had no secret password that I could ask him to reveal various letters from, like the fourth letter and the ninth letter and so on.
He understood, he claimed, that people were nervous about giving such details on the phone but he could assure me he was who he said he was, and proceeded to give me my account number. Not good enough, I said, anyone could have that number so it proves nothing except that he knows my account number and I would /not/ be making a debit card payment. He goes away, putting me on hold for a moment, (obviously checking with a supervisor or something), and returns a few moments later making a note that I sent the cheque and asking again why it was late. Quite pissed off with the guy by now, I said in a very low tone of voice, "I told you that at the beginning of our conversation," and re-explained all about the wages fiasco from the end of last week/beginning of this week. He then informs me that because I refused to make the debit card payment I would probably get telephone calls every day until the cheque clears. I said this was fine... (I can always hang up and/or not answer my mobile).
Anyway, my point is this... In these days of increasing identity theft and financial fraud, why, when banks and things rightly ask for some kind of security check if you call them, do they get a little put out when you point out to them that you should be able to do the same if /they/ call /you/? For instance, why couldn't I say, "What's the fifth letter of my security word?" Surely it would not be too difficult for banks and so on to have a computer programme that could provide them with that information from the bank's system. Why should we be expected to take on faith that a person calling us on a financial matter is who they say they are without any kind of security? And why should I be punished for insisting on one? Wasn't /my/ fault that my employers bank screwed up and inconvenienced me with paying late... Yeah... I'm kind of upset about this one.
The Last Few Days.
Feb. 6th, 2006 12:05 amThis is probably going to be where I dump all of the blah I've been feeling the last few days... a big long moan, so... you can ignore it if you'd like. Most of all I'm just feeling very... fed up right now. With myself, with some other people, with life in general, and I know I shouldn't be like that, but sometimes you know, you just get that feeling of being down and you can't shake it. That's how I feel right now.
Am I too patient? Too trusting? Everything seems to say yes. I believe people when they say they're going to do something, and even when they don't I still give them time, and the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they just haven't got around to it yet. So, I'm still waiting for my P45 to come back from Select. They said that if a person doesn't do any work for them for three months it automatically gets sent back to them. I've not worked an assignment for select since last July. Either my calendar is off or that's more than three months ago. Where is my P45. So I ask them for it. 3 times. Still it's not here, but they said they would send it. Meantime I'm paying BR tax on everything that I do for Primary Supply. This week alone paying over £200 in total deductions... or at least I would have done if I'd been paid at all. Because Friday I go to check my balance, and discover that the money's not even been deposited. I can't afford to not have the money paid into my account when it's supposed to be... and this assignment is tough enough without thinking I'm not getting paid for the abuse I'm taking. It really set my weekend off on completely the wrong foot and ended up making me feel even worse than I already do.
Why am I feeling bad at all? I can't settle to anything just now... I want to be doing one thing, or another, but when I start to do it it feels like... flat, or not what I wanted to do at all. I want to read, but I feel guilty doing that because there are so many other things that I could be doing. Things that are more useful, more profitable. I want to be writing, but I feel terrible for doing that, because it's a waste of time and I could be using that time in a more productive manner. Never mind the fact that at least two days this last week I've still been marking at eleven o'clock at night. Then I feel like I'm nattering at people... nagging them and making them do things that they don't want to do; wasting /their/ time with my petty little demands. I don't feel that I'm worthy of other people's time, that maybe even my being around is a bad thing. I know it's probably a combination of hormonal, and the stress of this blessed class I'm with, and everything else that's making me feel so negative, but I'm feeling that way and it's a miserable place to be... feeling like you're ruining everything for everyone.
On the positive side of things, I started driving again this past Thursday. I was a little bit rusty, and very nervous, but it soon started coming back to me, and I think I did okay. The instructor seemed to think so too, which made me feel a bit better about it. Also that all my fears proved to be unfounded. Hermesh is a cool guy with a very funny sense of humour, very laid back and understanding. I guess someone, somewhere might be looking out for me after all.
Can't remember how to do LJ cuts and can't be arsed to look it up on the FAQ so I apologise if I've just clogged up your friends' page with my ramblings.
Am I too patient? Too trusting? Everything seems to say yes. I believe people when they say they're going to do something, and even when they don't I still give them time, and the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they just haven't got around to it yet. So, I'm still waiting for my P45 to come back from Select. They said that if a person doesn't do any work for them for three months it automatically gets sent back to them. I've not worked an assignment for select since last July. Either my calendar is off or that's more than three months ago. Where is my P45. So I ask them for it. 3 times. Still it's not here, but they said they would send it. Meantime I'm paying BR tax on everything that I do for Primary Supply. This week alone paying over £200 in total deductions... or at least I would have done if I'd been paid at all. Because Friday I go to check my balance, and discover that the money's not even been deposited. I can't afford to not have the money paid into my account when it's supposed to be... and this assignment is tough enough without thinking I'm not getting paid for the abuse I'm taking. It really set my weekend off on completely the wrong foot and ended up making me feel even worse than I already do.
Why am I feeling bad at all? I can't settle to anything just now... I want to be doing one thing, or another, but when I start to do it it feels like... flat, or not what I wanted to do at all. I want to read, but I feel guilty doing that because there are so many other things that I could be doing. Things that are more useful, more profitable. I want to be writing, but I feel terrible for doing that, because it's a waste of time and I could be using that time in a more productive manner. Never mind the fact that at least two days this last week I've still been marking at eleven o'clock at night. Then I feel like I'm nattering at people... nagging them and making them do things that they don't want to do; wasting /their/ time with my petty little demands. I don't feel that I'm worthy of other people's time, that maybe even my being around is a bad thing. I know it's probably a combination of hormonal, and the stress of this blessed class I'm with, and everything else that's making me feel so negative, but I'm feeling that way and it's a miserable place to be... feeling like you're ruining everything for everyone.
On the positive side of things, I started driving again this past Thursday. I was a little bit rusty, and very nervous, but it soon started coming back to me, and I think I did okay. The instructor seemed to think so too, which made me feel a bit better about it. Also that all my fears proved to be unfounded. Hermesh is a cool guy with a very funny sense of humour, very laid back and understanding. I guess someone, somewhere might be looking out for me after all.
Can't remember how to do LJ cuts and can't be arsed to look it up on the FAQ so I apologise if I've just clogged up your friends' page with my ramblings.
Just a few things...
Jan. 27th, 2006 10:22 pm1) Dear idiots that phone me in the middle of lessons. When my phone diverts you to my voicemail - please leave a message. It's terribly irritating when you don't and I have no idea who you are or what you wanted.
2) I do not know nearly enough about autism to be able to a)support my friend in class or b)not get frustrated enough to want to /kill/ my friend.
3) Dear Cheerful Chappie, no one is interested in you showing off. Get your arse up of the floor and into your chair, and do your work. I know you can do it. You know you can do it and when you do we both have a much nicer time of it.
4) Dear Smartass, stop being a muppet. If you really want to spend six weeks in Foundation, it can be arranged.
5) There's a whole bunch of Cedar who're unhappy and being loud about it - and it's frustrating the hell out of me because there's nothing I can do... comfortably.
6) Gypsy... Rolly... please just get the hell on with it. All this barking and snapping is giving me a headache, however, if you must fight before you 'make up' please do so away from my feet. There are only so many bones in my toes and I would like them to stay intact. Thank you.
(Edited to correct a mistake we should never have made in the first place. See how frazzled they leave us?)
2) I do not know nearly enough about autism to be able to a)support my friend in class or b)not get frustrated enough to want to /kill/ my friend.
3) Dear Cheerful Chappie, no one is interested in you showing off. Get your arse up of the floor and into your chair, and do your work. I know you can do it. You know you can do it and when you do we both have a much nicer time of it.
4) Dear Smartass, stop being a muppet. If you really want to spend six weeks in Foundation, it can be arranged.
5) There's a whole bunch of Cedar who're unhappy and being loud about it - and it's frustrating the hell out of me because there's nothing I can do... comfortably.
6) Gypsy... Rolly... please just get the hell on with it. All this barking and snapping is giving me a headache, however, if you must fight before you 'make up' please do so away from my feet. There are only so many bones in my toes and I would like them to stay intact. Thank you.
(Edited to correct a mistake we should never have made in the first place. See how frazzled they leave us?)
A Stackbox Full of Water...
Jan. 16th, 2006 09:46 pmOn the way home today I needed to stop and buy one of those stacking plastic boxes. I have so many files and so little space in my room that I wanted to tidy up a little bit. Anyway, it had been raining and the store where I went kept the stackboxes outside, so I went in to enquire if there were any inside the store. I wanted the boxes for files, as I said, and didn't really want to have to dry the box when I got it home, much less carry it the rest of the way home wet through. So... "Are the boxes outside the only ones you have?" asks I. "Yes," says the vendor. "They are full of water," says I. "I won't charge you for the water," says the vendor. Ha ha ha, thinks I, not really all that amused at all. In fact pretty tired of smartasses for the day; tired of running around from one place to the next and feeling like I'd achieved nothing, and just ending up feeling that everything I do and say is wrong - always. I am that stackbox full of water.
Sad thoughts...
Jan. 15th, 2006 10:29 pmI'm feeling tired and a little depressed today. It's no one thing, but a lot of things. Worrying about people I love, sad writing, reading sad things, just... it's been a sad kind of day. Sometimes I just get like that.
Looking at the other side of the coin, I got to see my brother, albeit briefly. I chatted for a little while with Nacey_girl. Dad is enjoying his French course. Mom started using her typing program and seemed to be enjoying herself. I got another picture done for the Sacrifice Website... these last few pages are taking an age...
I should take advantage and get an early night.
Looking at the other side of the coin, I got to see my brother, albeit briefly. I chatted for a little while with Nacey_girl. Dad is enjoying his French course. Mom started using her typing program and seemed to be enjoying herself. I got another picture done for the Sacrifice Website... these last few pages are taking an age...
I should take advantage and get an early night.
So here's the thing...
Jan. 14th, 2006 04:52 pmI want to start trying to make an entry at least once each day. Don't know if I'll manage it, but I started to not post because I felt like no one was taking the least bit of notice in what I had to say. I looked round at journals on my friends list and see 20+ replies to their postings... or course this reflects the number of LJ friends they have and I was just being a silly, insecure little a$$, but it was somewhat disheartening, and maybe I was feeling a little as though my time was being wasted reponding to people who did not appear to be reciprocating our friendship. If that's sad then I hold up my hand and confess to being sad... so be it.
Now I'm thinking, 'bugger it!' It's not particularly for other people anyway, it's for me and those few individuals who are close friends that can be bothered to comment on my posts like I do on theirs.
Doesn't necessarily have to be deep and meaningful. Might even be something funny - though I'm not known for my comedy. It might even be useful to some people, but I want to do that one post each day and use this journal the way it's supposed to be used.
Now I'm thinking, 'bugger it!' It's not particularly for other people anyway, it's for me and those few individuals who are close friends that can be bothered to comment on my posts like I do on theirs.
Doesn't necessarily have to be deep and meaningful. Might even be something funny - though I'm not known for my comedy. It might even be useful to some people, but I want to do that one post each day and use this journal the way it's supposed to be used.
