I'm discontinuing my blogspot blog in favour of wordpress.com Shouldn't be that much of a change, but thanks to all who read and contributed to my inane ramblings here over the last year.
My new blog can be found at http://andrewstothers.wordpress.com and is a bit bare at the minute. Please bear with me as I think of witty and informative stuff to say/rant about.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
Thursday, 3 January 2008
Unnatural Disaster
Last night I was happy that 2008 was going well. This morning that all changed.
I got an email from one of the maths secretaries telling me the roof in my office had collapsed over the holidays and that there had been a leak. Unfortunately, the leak had concentrated itself over my desk, thus ruining all the paper and whatever else happened to be on it (including the calculator that had so faithfully served me since GCSE days).
Effectively, months of work down the drain then. They are relocating us to the office upstairs but it is scant consolation. Mine was the only desk affected in the office, thus making this particular "Act of God" seem like something of a personal attack. I'm trying not to think of it like that though.
So the question is, where do I go from here? I have been unhappy with things for a while and this might be a good opportunity to "get out" as it were, but I don't just want to quit because it's a convenient time to do so.
So it's that or stick with it, and try to overcome the setback. That's actually a better option, since much of my discontent was due to "Other" issues and when I think about it, yes I've lost a lot of work, but most of it is firmly lodged in my brain or on the servers.
What I will do is take some positive action- clearly God took some major offence at what I was writing so perhaps it's time to move in a new direction, which is what I was planning for this semester anyway.
Not so bad then, but I'd rather I didn't have to worry about this.
I'm being encouraged to seek compensation for the problem. Yes, I lost some work, but as I said, it was nothing that I couldn't reproduce with a bit of effort, and to be honest I was ready to move on anyway. The most precious things in my desk remained intact and when I think about it I haven' t really lost that much. Trying to get some money from this would be crass opportunism, which is not something I want to get started in.
I'm just glad I'm not in Edinburgh just now, as i don't know how I would react to seeing all my work up in smoke. Since I'm not there I might as well look at it positively. Trust me though, it's hard....
I got an email from one of the maths secretaries telling me the roof in my office had collapsed over the holidays and that there had been a leak. Unfortunately, the leak had concentrated itself over my desk, thus ruining all the paper and whatever else happened to be on it (including the calculator that had so faithfully served me since GCSE days).
Effectively, months of work down the drain then. They are relocating us to the office upstairs but it is scant consolation. Mine was the only desk affected in the office, thus making this particular "Act of God" seem like something of a personal attack. I'm trying not to think of it like that though.
So the question is, where do I go from here? I have been unhappy with things for a while and this might be a good opportunity to "get out" as it were, but I don't just want to quit because it's a convenient time to do so.
So it's that or stick with it, and try to overcome the setback. That's actually a better option, since much of my discontent was due to "Other" issues and when I think about it, yes I've lost a lot of work, but most of it is firmly lodged in my brain or on the servers.
What I will do is take some positive action- clearly God took some major offence at what I was writing so perhaps it's time to move in a new direction, which is what I was planning for this semester anyway.
Not so bad then, but I'd rather I didn't have to worry about this.
I'm being encouraged to seek compensation for the problem. Yes, I lost some work, but as I said, it was nothing that I couldn't reproduce with a bit of effort, and to be honest I was ready to move on anyway. The most precious things in my desk remained intact and when I think about it I haven' t really lost that much. Trying to get some money from this would be crass opportunism, which is not something I want to get started in.
I'm just glad I'm not in Edinburgh just now, as i don't know how I would react to seeing all my work up in smoke. Since I'm not there I might as well look at it positively. Trust me though, it's hard....
Friday, 28 December 2007
The worst TV programme in the world..ever!
When I go home I often end up watching rubbish on TV. Nothing unusual about that, but today I hit a new rubbish TV low.
There are many categories of rubbish TV. For instance you have:
1) stuff you have seen a million times already,which was good at the time but kind of boring now, but still watch just because (eg the Christmas episode of Cheers, the Simpsons, Anything on Dave or daytime E4)
2) Stuff you watched when you were wee but is somehow still going and you wonder why you actually enjoyed it in the first place (Chuckle Brothers, I'm talking about you)
3) New kid's programmes (Basil Brush which is a parody of itself, were that possible)
4) Neighbours
and so on and so forth.
But the other day I shuddered at what I had witnessed. That I was on TG4, an Irish language channel, was odd enough (I don't speak much Irish). But this programme came on. It was called "Passion Fashion". Not a good start.
The hostess then showed up and presumably welcomed us to the show. Fine. She introduced us to the lovely Siobhan from Belfast, who it seems was unlucky in love and resorted to the last bastion of desperate singles- the dating show. Jolly hostess then introduces us to three equally desperate blokes, who all looked remarkably similar to eachother. They might have been brothers, I guess. I don't remember their names, so let's be racist and call them Sean, Seamus and Oisin. Jolly hostess spoke some Irish and brought the three mugs to a shopping centre (Castle Court, Belfast shopping centre fans) where they each picked out an outfit for the lovely Siobhan to wear. I don't actually know if they had seen a picture of the lovely Siobhan, but they more or less picked out the same outfit for her to wear (it transpired that she was to wear the outfit on a date- more on that later).
The lovely Siobhan then tried on all the dresses and whittered on about feeling "girly" (The Irish for girly is "girly" would you believe). She then dressed up in her civvies and met the gormless trio, who each presented her with a rose. Then, she went into a cubicle and emerged in one of the outfits a guy picked for her. Sean screams with delight and the other two offer their congratulations. Sean and Siobhan (not a good match in terms of nomenclature- names are perhaps too similar) then go off on a date to one of Belfast's top restaurants (the cafe at the zoo, maybe). Roll end credits as he pours the wine and she looks uncomfortable.
Anyway you probably gathered I didn't really think much of it, and you'd be right. But as the adverts rolled, I sat in a stunned silence.
Had I really spent 25 minutes of my life watching this claptrap? I could have read a book or phoned somebody or talked to my parents or gone into town or spent 25 minutes in a medieval torture rack and it would have a been more productive way of passing the time.
Make no bones about it, this was the most rubbish TV ever. Not because it's bad per se, but because it's bad and it draws you in, like all these daytime programmes. Moral of the story? TV before prime time is to be avoided. At all costs. And I think the lovely Siobhan will agree with me...
(I know having a TV in the first place makes me a terrible person. But it was not my decision to make so please don't judge me....)
There are many categories of rubbish TV. For instance you have:
1) stuff you have seen a million times already,which was good at the time but kind of boring now, but still watch just because (eg the Christmas episode of Cheers, the Simpsons, Anything on Dave or daytime E4)
2) Stuff you watched when you were wee but is somehow still going and you wonder why you actually enjoyed it in the first place (Chuckle Brothers, I'm talking about you)
3) New kid's programmes (Basil Brush which is a parody of itself, were that possible)
4) Neighbours
and so on and so forth.
But the other day I shuddered at what I had witnessed. That I was on TG4, an Irish language channel, was odd enough (I don't speak much Irish). But this programme came on. It was called "Passion Fashion". Not a good start.
The hostess then showed up and presumably welcomed us to the show. Fine. She introduced us to the lovely Siobhan from Belfast, who it seems was unlucky in love and resorted to the last bastion of desperate singles- the dating show. Jolly hostess then introduces us to three equally desperate blokes, who all looked remarkably similar to eachother. They might have been brothers, I guess. I don't remember their names, so let's be racist and call them Sean, Seamus and Oisin. Jolly hostess spoke some Irish and brought the three mugs to a shopping centre (Castle Court, Belfast shopping centre fans) where they each picked out an outfit for the lovely Siobhan to wear. I don't actually know if they had seen a picture of the lovely Siobhan, but they more or less picked out the same outfit for her to wear (it transpired that she was to wear the outfit on a date- more on that later).
The lovely Siobhan then tried on all the dresses and whittered on about feeling "girly" (The Irish for girly is "girly" would you believe). She then dressed up in her civvies and met the gormless trio, who each presented her with a rose. Then, she went into a cubicle and emerged in one of the outfits a guy picked for her. Sean screams with delight and the other two offer their congratulations. Sean and Siobhan (not a good match in terms of nomenclature- names are perhaps too similar) then go off on a date to one of Belfast's top restaurants (the cafe at the zoo, maybe). Roll end credits as he pours the wine and she looks uncomfortable.
Anyway you probably gathered I didn't really think much of it, and you'd be right. But as the adverts rolled, I sat in a stunned silence.
Had I really spent 25 minutes of my life watching this claptrap? I could have read a book or phoned somebody or talked to my parents or gone into town or spent 25 minutes in a medieval torture rack and it would have a been more productive way of passing the time.
Make no bones about it, this was the most rubbish TV ever. Not because it's bad per se, but because it's bad and it draws you in, like all these daytime programmes. Moral of the story? TV before prime time is to be avoided. At all costs. And I think the lovely Siobhan will agree with me...
(I know having a TV in the first place makes me a terrible person. But it was not my decision to make so please don't judge me....)
Monday, 24 December 2007
2007: the big review
Well I say big, it's merely a set of questions and answers. It'd be cool if you could do the questions too because I'd love to see what everyone's year was like. Here are the categories, which you are free to choose from (and add to!):
High point of 2007
Low point of 2007
Person of 2007
Best film you saw this year
Best book you read
Best album
Funniest moment
Best sporting moment
What you are looking forward to most in 2008
Thing you will miss least about 2007
(where applicable) "God moment" of 2007
So without further ado:
High point of 2007
It has to be passing my first year assessment. Judging by the number of panic attacks and moments of self-doubt I had, it was going to be tough. And it was, but I got through it by prayer, getting moral support and pulling my socks up. Thanks to all who helped me with this! (Honourable mention goes to being asked to do PA at Lorraine's wedding. A small task, but I felt honoured nonetheless)
Low point of 2007
2007 hasn't actually been a vintage year in terms of happy moments. I was plagued by self-doubt for a lot of it, and explosive moments in the flat didn't help. Nor did failing my driving test twice and being "ill" for a lot of the summer. So take your pick from that lot.
Person of 2007
The person has already been notified. I hate to be so secretive, but I know that they wouldn't want me spreading it over the net, so I'll just say thanks!
Best film you saw this year
Probably the Bourne Ultimatum. Worst film I saw was Perfect Stranger. Avoid if you please.
Best book you read
The only book I read that wasn't a re-read was Mark Twain's "The adventures of Tom Sawyer", which, luckily, is pretty good. Even if I didn't understand a lot of the southern dialect.
Best album
"Minutes to Midnight" by Linkin Park is my most played. Don't judge me...
Best sporting moment
David Healy's winner vs Denmark in Euro 2008
What you are looking forward to most in 2008
Euro 2008, although it might be rubbish due to lack of home interest, spending time with folk before they graduate, maybe a conference, if I am lucky, less tutorials, Calcutta Cup, passing my driving test, 20's and 30's
Thing you will miss least about 2007
The general malaise that surrounded me this year should hopefully be gone in time for the summer. We'll see about that, as the GMan once said..
(where applicable) "God moment" of 2007
There was no real moment but God shed a lot of light on relationships, mostly of the boy-girl variety, but other sorts also. Some things in this regard have made me frightfully sad this year, but I have been able to understand some of the things that have gone on (though not all of them, much as I would like to) thanks to this teaching. I'm hardly an expert now, mind...
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this brief snapshot of my year, and I look forward to reading yours. Let me know if you've written one!
Merry Christmas and have an amazing 2008!
High point of 2007
Low point of 2007
Person of 2007
Best film you saw this year
Best book you read
Best album
Funniest moment
Best sporting moment
What you are looking forward to most in 2008
Thing you will miss least about 2007
(where applicable) "God moment" of 2007
So without further ado:
High point of 2007
It has to be passing my first year assessment. Judging by the number of panic attacks and moments of self-doubt I had, it was going to be tough. And it was, but I got through it by prayer, getting moral support and pulling my socks up. Thanks to all who helped me with this! (Honourable mention goes to being asked to do PA at Lorraine's wedding. A small task, but I felt honoured nonetheless)
Low point of 2007
2007 hasn't actually been a vintage year in terms of happy moments. I was plagued by self-doubt for a lot of it, and explosive moments in the flat didn't help. Nor did failing my driving test twice and being "ill" for a lot of the summer. So take your pick from that lot.
Person of 2007
The person has already been notified. I hate to be so secretive, but I know that they wouldn't want me spreading it over the net, so I'll just say thanks!
Best film you saw this year
Probably the Bourne Ultimatum. Worst film I saw was Perfect Stranger. Avoid if you please.
Best book you read
The only book I read that wasn't a re-read was Mark Twain's "The adventures of Tom Sawyer", which, luckily, is pretty good. Even if I didn't understand a lot of the southern dialect.
Best album
"Minutes to Midnight" by Linkin Park is my most played. Don't judge me...
Best sporting moment
David Healy's winner vs Denmark in Euro 2008
What you are looking forward to most in 2008
Euro 2008, although it might be rubbish due to lack of home interest, spending time with folk before they graduate, maybe a conference, if I am lucky, less tutorials, Calcutta Cup, passing my driving test, 20's and 30's
Thing you will miss least about 2007
The general malaise that surrounded me this year should hopefully be gone in time for the summer. We'll see about that, as the GMan once said..
(where applicable) "God moment" of 2007
There was no real moment but God shed a lot of light on relationships, mostly of the boy-girl variety, but other sorts also. Some things in this regard have made me frightfully sad this year, but I have been able to understand some of the things that have gone on (though not all of them, much as I would like to) thanks to this teaching. I'm hardly an expert now, mind...
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this brief snapshot of my year, and I look forward to reading yours. Let me know if you've written one!
Merry Christmas and have an amazing 2008!
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Review or maybe not
I'm considering writing up all about my 2007 (well not all....within reason) but I'm worried this might be a bit too Narcissistic, even for me. I will ponder this for a while and get back to you. Your opinions are welcome..
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