So, most important news, WE AINT DED. In fact, I type this while comfortably ensconced in the beautiful Baltimore apartment of ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
rahaeli and sarahq. And it really is an awesome apartment. It's a converted factory building (Baltimore does old industrial building conversion really really well - there's a steam-punk Barnes and Noble too) with incredibly high ceilings and loads of books.
( wot I did on my hols, part 1 )
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Well, I've printed out everything I need to have and it's still not time for online check-in! Fortunately, I've done all my handover stuff at work bar one thing so I plan to just sit here today and stare and my systems willing them to behave themselves while I'm away :)
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Even if it wanted it - and it doesn't - the BBC can't choose to make its way in the world by mimicking the exhausting diurnal anger of the Mail ('woe that the 1950s are gone') or the hand-wringing of the Guardian/Independent ('woe that global warming/capitalism is taking us to hell in an organic hand-basket').
From The story is dead on the BBC Editors blog
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I think it was timscience that reminded me most recently that we should share our experiences of good customer service where we find them and so I will. I rang up Vodafone this morning to ask them about my phone options while in the US next month and spoke to a lovely gentleman who
* Did not try to sell me anything extra
* Answered all of my questions clearly and concisely
* Provided an unlock code for my phone via email so that I can get a US pay as you go card (as that looks like my cheapest option for co-ordinating things with US folk while I'm there)
* Told me the essential bit of info I need to make a note of in case I need to claim for my phone on my insurance, which I didn't know about and therefore don't have noted down anywhere
And was all together eager to help and make my life easier.
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A half heard end of a news report sends me rushing upstairs with damp hair to check that I did hear what, deep down, I know they said. Humph has passed away. I should do a parody of one of the I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue sign-offs but I can't think of one.
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Very interesting ramble from synecdochic on the Open Source Boob thing, and the concepts of sex-positive vs getting-laid-positive here. It's of particular interest to me because it's not a million miles away from my own position but way more articulate.
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When I get into work, I click the button to start Outlook and then the one to start IE. It always amuses me that by the time Outlook has got itself started up and is ready to check my overnight mail, let alone sort it into folders, IE is up and running and I've already loaded gMail to check my personal mail :)
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Well, who would have thought that I'd actually get slightly weepy watching Torchwood? I've been really taken by surprise at the amount I've got into this series. A slightly different perspective on the characters or something, I don't know? As I said to Niall, if you haven't been enjoying the rest of the season I really doubt Exit Wounds would change anything, but for me, it worked pretty well, despite its plot problems. I even went back and watched a couple of series 1 episodes and enjoyed them much more than I remembered - it's all about how much you like them, I guess. I'm going to give Dr Who another chance as well, I've decided, given that the rest of my friends list seems to have much more time for that than Torchwood (and I hear rumours of crossovers) - maybe I'll get into that this time.
We had a really lovely day yesterday. I left my bike in town on Thursday so Alex and I got up in the morning after I had for some reason woken up really early and been unable to get back to sleep and tramped down the river path to get it and enjoy the pretty while it lasted. Having achieved that, we went for luxurious lunch in Joes and then headed home but it was lovely to just meander along talking of this and that and everything. After that, we lounged around, I watched some TV and after a while I took Alex out to the Science Park to give him a go in my car (verdict, not bad for someone who hasn't driven in 12 years), then back again for snacky tea, more rambling and Red Dwarf. There should be more weekends like that.
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Sometimes, I think that I'm way over paid for the difficulty level of my job but sometimes, just very occasionally, I do something that makes me feel like I am worth it. Smug, but true.
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So, recently I have started reading fanfic*. I have also started enjoying Torchwood**. These facts are not unconnected and they're connected in an interesting (to me) way so I thought I would write about that. In a very rambling way.
( rambling about fic and me )
( the point, more or less )
* yes, alright, you can all just pull faces and move on if you like, but I'm enjoying it
** see *
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By the way, for anyone who really needs a good laugh this evening, I can recommend, Trying to Communicate, which doesn't seem to have made it to the US side of my flist yet. It's Torchwood fic but you don't need to know Torchwood to appreciate it, trust me. I don't want to spoil it for you, but just go read it, m'kay.
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Thanks to everyone who made it to the party on Saturday - I had an absolutely fabulous time! Although having Guitar Hero on meant I didn't circulate as much as perhaps I should it also made for the sort of thing where I feel comfortable and relaxed. I've never been good at circulating - I'm not that good at conversations in noisy places for a start and I tend to be quite quiet at parties. I'd noticed at coalescent and snowkings parties that having the console on was something that worked really well for me. I hope I didn't end up annoying anyone though - I know that I didn't end up chatting to some of you much.
I seem to have been on a reading binge for no apparent reason in the past few weeks. I've managed to read through ( 5 new books ).
Actually, I dare swear I'm missing something here (probably a re-read) but that must be the biggest crop of new (to me) books I've read in a long time. What with that and becoming addicted to Stadium Arcadium now I've listened to it through I'm actually feeling quite... I don't know the word, but like I'm actually engaging with things again rather than just staying my comfort zone
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I should write about some things other than Guitar Hero, really but I am so chuffed - last night, I managed to complete 3's & 7's, Before I Forget, Knights of Cydonia and Cult of Personality (with 4 stars!) to complete section 7 on Hard and then made it all the way through Cliffs of Dover! I've pretty much managed to get the hang of doing the notes that you don't have to strum without strumming them now, my next challenge is going to be to get the bi-directional strumming thing as I don't think I'm going to make it through One without figuring that out.
In other news, don't forget, birthday cocktails on Saturday! 8 til late, dress up. I have, as usual, failed to actually remember to publicise this beyond LJ so if you mention it to someone and they say "what" please do invite them on my behalf!
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I really must listen to the rest of Stadium Arcadium. I don't know why it is that I'm so resistant to starting new albums, even when they're by bands that I know I really like but for some reason I am. I bought this ages ago and just haven't got around to it but I got Alex to make me a rock band playlist so that I can learn the words (yes, I am that sad) and I'm loving Dani California to the extent that I'm just playing it on repeat at the moment. I actually kind of want to try the guitar on this too.
Have got onto section 7 of GHIII hard, but am not sure how much further I will make it. Managed to do Stricken, but got booed off Before I Forget almost straight away - that really needs some practice!
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