DrWibble

Well, not quite, but if anyone has been trying to get hold of me you will have noticed my mobile is not working. Some cock-up between work and Orange meant they switched off the phones of the entire company. Then the person senior managers tasked to sort out the mess turned out to be on holiday for a week. I hope this is not a sign of things to come under our new owners.

We are assured it will be sorted soon. Which is the only thing stopping me rushing out to buy a new phone myself. That may follow, but, since I've never bought or paid for a phone before (my work phone is shit but free... tough choice sometimes), I will want to consider things more carefully.

But at least it prompted me to log onto LJ for the first time in ages.

Well I have returned to Sheffield to the sad news that Dee's beloved guinea pig Dougal passed away not long ago, following a very brief illness (15 minutes I gather).

And although he was old for a guinea pig, and we like to feel he was a very happy piggy-pie for the last few years (that he lived with us) I am astounded by how upset it has made me.

I suspect I have been feeling quite emotional about many things recently, and Dougal's death has merely brought this to the surface. So in some ways it is making me feel better. So one last thanks for that to the fat and grumpy one.

So our household is slightly diminished of one who, though hardly feline (more like a cute, furry butternut squash in fact), and only living here by adoption (rescued from being persecuted by a psychotic rabbit half his size), managed (if only in his ability to beg for treats with a single look) to be a true pie!

He is currently lying in state, and the funeral will be tomorrow morning. :-)

Just a very quick note to say sorry to everyone for not being around/online/Christmassy much. Which means I have failed to send a card to anyone at all, and failed to get a present for even all my close family - ah well, they are used to it :-( (I think I did quite well for starting Christmas shopping this afternoon!)

I would make some poor excuse like alternating for a month between being stupidly busy and being slightly ill, but that is not entirely true as sometimes I have spent felt ok and therefore gone and partied!

Hopefully, if my work is ever done, I will see you all more in the New Year.

OK this is pretty last minute, but does anyone know of anyone at all that could use a Maschinenfest ticket, flight or hotel. Cos due to incomprehensible stupidity mine are all going for a song (hey, even for nothing!).
Flight is tonight, so you've not got long.

My friend Milima just sent me this so I just had to share it:

http://stuffucanuse.com/fake_moon_landings/moon_landings.htm

OK, now I know I am being optimistic here, but now I have decided I really want to go to wendyhouse this month, there are no places left on the bus.

Does anyone else fancy sharing a taxi back (getting the train or whatever there) (with 4 people it is no more than the bus apparently, so affordable even with 3)?

OR would anyone be able to suggest anywhere I could crash for the night? (or someone to speak to about the possibility)

Any help would be much appreciated!

And after the best of intentions. Well maybe. Went to TCF. Butovipositor, having been hyped up by killing colleagues (with lasers - all good clean fun I am sure although I gather there was bone visible) really wanted to go elsewhere. fractured_ident took little persuading, because he wanted to try Bungalows and Bears. And they stay open until 12 on Tuesdays.

And once it's gone that far, the rest is all downhill: Spar for snacks, ovipositor 's flat, smoking and more beer. Oh shit we all need to get up for work...

Well I made it (so did fractured_ident  I gather, after a fashion) and did lots of work this morning. I'm just hoping the work was less total drivel than all I seem capable of writing now.

Uuugh... Ah well, apparently there are doughnuts in the kitchen! Yay!

so why is it that when I'm at a loose end (which doesn't happen that often), there is never anyone online to chat to?

never mind, i'm off to bed anyway, cos it's way past my bedtime on a school night (and anyone that has ever seen evidence to the contrary must be deluded, so there)

hmm, must be time of the month or something?

feeling good now and want to go out drinking!

just need to decide what to wear and how to get there...

“Nothing we do means anything.

“In the greater scheme or the big picture, nothing we do matters. There's no grand plan, no big win.

“If there is no great glorious end to all this, if nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do. 'cause that's all there is. What we do, now, today.

“I don't think people should suffer, as they do. Because, if there is no bigger meaning, then the smallest act of kindness is the greatest thing in the world.”

Which is as good a statement of a non-theist/humanist philosophy as I have ever come across (and is cited by humanist writers). But it's source is pretty unexpected (well unless you know more about the author I guess).

Anyway, having a strangely emotional day again (me and others - Glade after effects I think) and this cheered me up.

Feeling very sleepy and about to go to bed. But I've not slept in my room for weeks (I think - I've lost count anyway). Which feels really weird!

And my bed is covered in clean clothes (washed and dried from Glade). And I have recovered all the 'lost' "items" from there too, which is good! And I got Transformers tickets sorted.

But somehow feel strangely unfulfilled. Maybe it is still coming down from the weekend, since my mood seems to be going up and down quite a bit.

Whee!

well, after being told to get a LJ thing for years, and finally getting round to it. I now find I'm far too busy to actually post anything, and so is everyone else it seems. But sue insists that I ought to make a start, even if i just write some introductory drivel. Well, what do you know...?

OK, off to the pub now (for a change). Cos I'm late already!