2006 wasn't so bad you know, jumping at professional opportunities was fun - picked up a job from a guy on a train! Did my first lecture to other professionals and got paid for it (that said it wasn't particularly good so I dont think they are going to ask me again) and wrote and presented training DVD's for the first time (they were a lot better I was quite pleased with them).
I sailed for the first time in about 20 years and got my RYA stage 1 certificate back - and then did what everyone does when they come back from a sailing holiday, do nothing about doing any more sailing!
After a storming start my theatre attendance went right down the pan - amounting to A Man for All Seasons and Wicked! - poor show, must do better!!
Finally we did all the things we have talked about doing to this house for the last 5 years so it's been decorated and has new bathrooms - just as we are about to sell it of course!
In 2007 I'm going to set up my own practice, learn to scuba dive and go to Borneo. That'll do I think.
*Haven't forgotten about the David Tenant thing* - but have a date for a major bike ride today and a party tonight so, bit pushed!
Cluster Map
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Friday, December 29, 2006
Baby sisters.......
It doesn't matter how old you are your little sister will still;
Sit in your kitchen in her pyjamas while you make her tea and toast
Leave your house with a big pile of your CD's under her arm
Wear much smaller jeans than you AND (which is worse) explain in laborious detail how she wears teeny tiny jeans by eating soya yoghurts, linseed and carrot juice.
Take you up on offers to "try out" your new, expensive cleanser and moisturiser.
Eat your chocolate truffles.
Take your child out to do all the fun stuff , bowling, pantomime etc while you like bloody Cinderella are at home ironing and washing up!
.............still think you are bloody marvelous!
Sit in your kitchen in her pyjamas while you make her tea and toast
Leave your house with a big pile of your CD's under her arm
Wear much smaller jeans than you AND (which is worse) explain in laborious detail how she wears teeny tiny jeans by eating soya yoghurts, linseed and carrot juice.
Take you up on offers to "try out" your new, expensive cleanser and moisturiser.
Eat your chocolate truffles.
Take your child out to do all the fun stuff , bowling, pantomime etc while you like bloody Cinderella are at home ironing and washing up!
.............still think you are bloody marvelous!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
*Back Soon*
I'm in a darkened room with a large G&T and a towel wrapped around my head, drafting the post that will be worth the wait. The ILLUSTRATED why David Tenant is foxy.
With examples - and comparators ....and other stuff...you know EVIDENCE!
With examples - and comparators ....and other stuff...you know EVIDENCE!
After effects
I'm not sure what I've done to deserve a face full of spots and a sore back - must have been a good Christmas!
Off for a hot bath full of some quack remedy essential oil and a mug of honey and lemon ..not sure either will achieve anything but I will feel that I've made an effort.
Off for a hot bath full of some quack remedy essential oil and a mug of honey and lemon ..not sure either will achieve anything but I will feel that I've made an effort.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
The Dead Days
Call me peverse, but this is my favourite part of Christmas, the Dead Days between Christmas and New Year. The one time in the year when it is perfectly socially acceptable to do nothing except have hot baths, walk the dog and read Christmas books.
No guilt for not going to dance class or yoga because the studio is closed!
No cooking as there is enough food in the fridge to feed an army for a fortnight.
And the office is closed for another week. It is worth all the angst to get to this point.
High spot of Christmas Day - Dr Who! Sorry but any bride who got scooped up by David Tenant in a tardis would jilt thier poor fiance immediatley, even if he wasn't in leauge with a giant spider.
No guilt for not going to dance class or yoga because the studio is closed!
No cooking as there is enough food in the fridge to feed an army for a fortnight.
And the office is closed for another week. It is worth all the angst to get to this point.
High spot of Christmas Day - Dr Who! Sorry but any bride who got scooped up by David Tenant in a tardis would jilt thier poor fiance immediatley, even if he wasn't in leauge with a giant spider.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Oh Thank God!
No work for a week and a bit!
Spent the afternoon in the pub, which probably wasn't the best prelude to an evening at the mother-in-law's but to be fair to her, she is very understanding of those who fall asleep on the sofa!
The neices and nephews made me feel incredibly ancient, the ones who were toddlers at my wedding are now at college. And it's a bit weird to be the only "first wife" still in circulation, I think I make the second wives nervous for some reason, too much knowledge perhaps?
There is stuff to do today -but the goose is here, the champagne is in the fridge, I'll cook the ham tomorrow (it can sit in a nice bath of cloves and cider all night and will taste so much better for it in the morning!)..so for now I'm going back to bed with a cup of coffee and a book. I NEVER get to do that!
Spent the afternoon in the pub, which probably wasn't the best prelude to an evening at the mother-in-law's but to be fair to her, she is very understanding of those who fall asleep on the sofa!
The neices and nephews made me feel incredibly ancient, the ones who were toddlers at my wedding are now at college. And it's a bit weird to be the only "first wife" still in circulation, I think I make the second wives nervous for some reason, too much knowledge perhaps?
There is stuff to do today -but the goose is here, the champagne is in the fridge, I'll cook the ham tomorrow (it can sit in a nice bath of cloves and cider all night and will taste so much better for it in the morning!)..so for now I'm going back to bed with a cup of coffee and a book. I NEVER get to do that!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Solstice
Shortest day ; according to the local white witch (come on it's practically Wales there are loads of them, at least I didn't consult a druid!) we should spend the daylight hours in walking and meditation and the night in feasting and pleasures of the flesh....
Which sounds great, apart from the fact that I am in the office which is the least medatitive place on the planet. However, I shall be donning the ipod shortly and immersing myself in the last of the nasty jobs before the new year - maybe concentration can do double duty as meditation, just this once. I do find meditation a challenge, I am hyper active because the inner me is very dull with no discernable resources.
But of cours, the great advantage of the WINTER solstice is many more hours of darkness than daylight. So by my calculations eating and shagging time out numbers reflection and meditation time by two to one.......hurrah!
Which sounds great, apart from the fact that I am in the office which is the least medatitive place on the planet. However, I shall be donning the ipod shortly and immersing myself in the last of the nasty jobs before the new year - maybe concentration can do double duty as meditation, just this once. I do find meditation a challenge, I am hyper active because the inner me is very dull with no discernable resources.
But of cours, the great advantage of the WINTER solstice is many more hours of darkness than daylight. So by my calculations eating and shagging time out numbers reflection and meditation time by two to one.......hurrah!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Mardy
If I could just work out what to do with this mood ..life would improve a whole lot. Where I come from they call it "mardy" - it's a horrible combination of bad tempered, bored, tired, irritable and frustrated. Wanting to do everything but being able to settle to nothing. Hating everyone and myself most of all! If I was a runner I suppose now would be the time to go out and run until I dropped, at least then I'd feel like I had achieved something.
I am the most hateful, ungrateful brat in the entire world.
And that is nothing to be proud of.
Know what else is dreadful - Christmas cards that you can't work out who they are from? A signature that's indeciferable but a message that is personal and up to date, so they clearly know us and what's going on ...but who the hell is it from????
I am the most hateful, ungrateful brat in the entire world.
And that is nothing to be proud of.
Know what else is dreadful - Christmas cards that you can't work out who they are from? A signature that's indeciferable but a message that is personal and up to date, so they clearly know us and what's going on ...but who the hell is it from????
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Rougher than the average Bond...
Well, weeks after everyone else, I finally saw Casino Royale last night.
And what's left to say? Daniel Craig is a remarkably well put together bit of totty. Far more attractive in the Lippy sense of the word than poor old Pierce ever was. I do like a bit of rough.
But the plot didn't bear any examination at all did it? A few good ideas, beautiful treacherous girlfriend, Bond in love,(not withstanding the TB making mock puking noises all through the beach scene - what is he 6???) nasty torture....but who was behind it and why ? The only villan we really knew about got killed early on - Le Chiffre at the end of the day was a middle man. Ah well, at least the villan doubled as extra totty in this one...had a bit of a thing for Mads Mikelson for a while.
Dame Judy though - fabulous, love her always.
And what's left to say? Daniel Craig is a remarkably well put together bit of totty. Far more attractive in the Lippy sense of the word than poor old Pierce ever was. I do like a bit of rough.
But the plot didn't bear any examination at all did it? A few good ideas, beautiful treacherous girlfriend, Bond in love,(not withstanding the TB making mock puking noises all through the beach scene - what is he 6???) nasty torture....but who was behind it and why ? The only villan we really knew about got killed early on - Le Chiffre at the end of the day was a middle man. Ah well, at least the villan doubled as extra totty in this one...had a bit of a thing for Mads Mikelson for a while.
Dame Judy though - fabulous, love her always.
Blogger in Beta
You know the worst thing about blogger in beta? It's not the can I/can't I comment on posts debacle, irritating though that is. No it's the loss of the fabulous and infinitley diverting "search all blogs".
Without "Search all blogs" I would never have discovered "The London Review of Breakfasts" a publication which I cannot commend highly enough. I would never have been able to evesdrop on "Legally Blonde" and her mates from law school, whom I will be trying to spot from amongst the applicants next time I have a trainee to appoint. Search all blogs was as dangerous as it was seductive. Who was searching my blog and what did they have in mind? Which begs the question ..whose idea was it to scrap it???
Conspiracy theories to me at this blog.
L xx
Without "Search all blogs" I would never have discovered "The London Review of Breakfasts" a publication which I cannot commend highly enough. I would never have been able to evesdrop on "Legally Blonde" and her mates from law school, whom I will be trying to spot from amongst the applicants next time I have a trainee to appoint. Search all blogs was as dangerous as it was seductive. Who was searching my blog and what did they have in mind? Which begs the question ..whose idea was it to scrap it???
Conspiracy theories to me at this blog.
L xx
Monday, December 18, 2006
Books and more books
I am an un-recovering book-aholic and amazon is my dealer of choice, along with Foyles when in town (although I can't quite get the hang of their on line ordering service!)
Books bought in November 2006:
The Ruby in Her Navel - Barry Unsworth
The Emperors Children - Claire Messud
The Idler - Green Man Edition (is this a book or a magazine?)
The Idler - War on Work Edition
Madhur Jaffrey's New Curry Bible (christmas present from TB)
Claudia Rhoden - Middle Eastern Food (christmas present from the baby)
Books read in November/December 2006
The Idler - Green Man Edition
I particularly loved the article on "Zen Slacking" which makes the following suggstions;
"24 : When you find yourself getting that "trying hard" feeling, take a pause and try less hard. Drop down a gear.
17: Don't ask why the world is mad - it just is"
I was far less enamoured with the interview with Keith Allen in the "War on Work" edition - the man is an unreconstructed nob, and anyone male or female who has anything to do with him has only themselves to blame!
The Emperors Children
A tale of dissapointed wanabe overachievers in literary Manhattan...not one sympathetic character out of the lot of them..buch of pretentious gits.
The Ruby in the Smoke - Philip Pullman
Bought this for the baby, but we ended up reading it together aloud - how fabulous! A book where a girl struggles for social graces is an ace shot and wonderful in business! Also a cracking adventure yarn, Victorian London, opium dens, conspiracy, dark deeds in Wapping! It's wonderful - pretend you have a niece or nephew if necessary and go and buy a copy!
Books bought in November 2006:
The Ruby in Her Navel - Barry Unsworth
The Emperors Children - Claire Messud
The Idler - Green Man Edition (is this a book or a magazine?)
The Idler - War on Work Edition
Madhur Jaffrey's New Curry Bible (christmas present from TB)
Claudia Rhoden - Middle Eastern Food (christmas present from the baby)
Books read in November/December 2006
The Idler - Green Man Edition
I particularly loved the article on "Zen Slacking" which makes the following suggstions;
"24 : When you find yourself getting that "trying hard" feeling, take a pause and try less hard. Drop down a gear.
17: Don't ask why the world is mad - it just is"
I was far less enamoured with the interview with Keith Allen in the "War on Work" edition - the man is an unreconstructed nob, and anyone male or female who has anything to do with him has only themselves to blame!
The Emperors Children
A tale of dissapointed wanabe overachievers in literary Manhattan...not one sympathetic character out of the lot of them..buch of pretentious gits.
The Ruby in the Smoke - Philip Pullman
Bought this for the baby, but we ended up reading it together aloud - how fabulous! A book where a girl struggles for social graces is an ace shot and wonderful in business! Also a cracking adventure yarn, Victorian London, opium dens, conspiracy, dark deeds in Wapping! It's wonderful - pretend you have a niece or nephew if necessary and go and buy a copy!
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Confessions of a Raving Sexist!
I admit it - I am sexist. Men are decorative, nice to have in your bed or kitchen and OK to talk to...but really they can't ever be expected to achieve in life or be your friend in the same way that a woman can. You think I'm kidding? It's bred into me, my great aunt didn't believe in women's prisions, she said "no woman could have done anything bad enough to warrant being sent to prision and if she did some man obviously drove her to it!"
So when women are horrible to other women I find it unforgiveable. And mothers who didn't want daughters or don't value them in the way they do their sons? "Give those girls to me, and consider yourself banished from the sisterhood with immediate effect!!!"
So, with this background, you can imagine that I'm having grave difficulties with the new secretary who was clearly gutted when she found out that the high earning, scary litigation partner was female....tough break babe. And yesterday I even found it in myself to criticise, in front of the whole of the open plan office naturally. It went like this "if you are going to slag me off in front of the whole office, you might want to make sure that I'm not standing behind you at the time."
Don't take me on sweetheart, you will lose.
So when women are horrible to other women I find it unforgiveable. And mothers who didn't want daughters or don't value them in the way they do their sons? "Give those girls to me, and consider yourself banished from the sisterhood with immediate effect!!!"
So, with this background, you can imagine that I'm having grave difficulties with the new secretary who was clearly gutted when she found out that the high earning, scary litigation partner was female....tough break babe. And yesterday I even found it in myself to criticise, in front of the whole of the open plan office naturally. It went like this "if you are going to slag me off in front of the whole office, you might want to make sure that I'm not standing behind you at the time."
Don't take me on sweetheart, you will lose.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
December..it's no fun at all!
You know it's December when you have given up on porridge or muesli and are scoffing Roses chocolates and double espresso's for breakfast instead.
It's just a miserable time of year isn't it ? Here the whole town is virtually submerged due to rain in North Wales and weird flood defences. The workload is just stupid as in the season of goodwill everyone has decided to sue their neighbour nay, not just sue them injunct them, why not? It's Christmas after all.
All this ill will, and minor health problems ( to whit, infection in both eye lids, cold and some girl stuff you don't want to hear about) makes me long for home made soup. This is what I have as comfort food, not suggesting you try it , but works for me;
One onion
One potato
One Chorizo sausage
Cup of frozen prawns
Cup of frozen sweetcorn
Mug of milk
Mug of stock
About a tablespoon of unsalted butter
Soften the onion and potato in the butter until the onions are cooked, then add the chorizo cut into pieces and brown off. Then add the stock to the pan and cook until the potatoes are cooked and very soft. Turn the heat very low, add the milk, prawns and sweetcorn and simmer gently until everything is mushy. Add more sweet chilli sauce before you eat it if you like.
It's just a miserable time of year isn't it ? Here the whole town is virtually submerged due to rain in North Wales and weird flood defences. The workload is just stupid as in the season of goodwill everyone has decided to sue their neighbour nay, not just sue them injunct them, why not? It's Christmas after all.
All this ill will, and minor health problems ( to whit, infection in both eye lids, cold and some girl stuff you don't want to hear about) makes me long for home made soup. This is what I have as comfort food, not suggesting you try it , but works for me;
One onion
One potato
One Chorizo sausage
Cup of frozen prawns
Cup of frozen sweetcorn
Mug of milk
Mug of stock
About a tablespoon of unsalted butter
Soften the onion and potato in the butter until the onions are cooked, then add the chorizo cut into pieces and brown off. Then add the stock to the pan and cook until the potatoes are cooked and very soft. Turn the heat very low, add the milk, prawns and sweetcorn and simmer gently until everything is mushy. Add more sweet chilli sauce before you eat it if you like.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Office Politics
If you are going to play office politics you have to really understand the rules of the game.
In particular if you are going for the "lick the bosses arse and step on everyone else on the way up" strategem , you have to move fast and have wear teflon body armour. .
Otherwise the people you are standing on tend to move randomly just to drop you onto your arse and have a laugh at your expense !!
It also helps if you are actually know what you are doing!
In particular if you are going for the "lick the bosses arse and step on everyone else on the way up" strategem , you have to move fast and have wear teflon body armour. .
Otherwise the people you are standing on tend to move randomly just to drop you onto your arse and have a laugh at your expense !!
It also helps if you are actually know what you are doing!
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
10 Great things about being 2 and a half stone overweight!
In the age of the "size 0" celebrity, I think it's important to celebrate what I've got! So for the average sized of us (that's a 16 uk) lets remind ourselves of some of the benefits:
1. Fabulous skin and hardly any wrinkles,
2. A great rack and no silicon implants in sight,
3. Being surprisingly sexy
4. The amazed look on skinny yoga practitioners faces when you can do everything they do and more
5. Tap dancing with your round jolly mates
6. FOOD
7. Having "presence"
8. Not going to bed hungry
9. Not having to wear stupid trendy clothes because they don't fit!
Hurrah! For middle age and wobbly bits!
1. Fabulous skin and hardly any wrinkles,
2. A great rack and no silicon implants in sight,
3. Being surprisingly sexy
4. The amazed look on skinny yoga practitioners faces when you can do everything they do and more
5. Tap dancing with your round jolly mates
6. FOOD
7. Having "presence"
8. Not going to bed hungry
9. Not having to wear stupid trendy clothes because they don't fit!
Hurrah! For middle age and wobbly bits!
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