LilleyVision

This blog sucks

2006-08-25T15:06:00.000+01:00

Well, look at it. No posts since May. My life is dull, yes, but not that dull. I've done great things since then. I've sung at the Proms. I've moved. I've drunk copious quantities of wine, both white and pink. But not found the time to blog about any of it. Bad LittleMiss.

Blogs that don't suck: BBC News led me yesterday to Random Reality, the blog of an EMT in the London Ambulance Service. And from there I found Nee Naw, a dispatcher with same, and The World Through The Eyes Of An EMT.

I've also read many a book recently, so expect some action on Lilleybooks after the bank holiday.

Which reminds me: it's my first ever August Bank Holiday. I've never lived in England at the end of August before. How very exciting. It would be more exciting if payday were sooner than Thursday, though - a classic case of there being too much month left at the end of the money, unfortunately.

Wittering

2006-05-25T17:05:00.000+01:00

No posts for a while. So here's one. This week I have been mostly grappling with InDesign and getting rained on. Every damn evening! Wettest drought I've ever experienced, I'll tell you. (Yes, yes, I'm from the Westascoatland, I don't know jack about droughts.) Also I am waiting to hear when I can move into my new abode - P has bought a house, but hasn't completed yet and therefore doesn't know when he's going to be able to move. Which is, of course, infinitely more annoying for P than for me, but still... This weekend I am off to Glaaaarster for the annual spectacle that is the cheese rolling (and the annual knees-up that is D's birthday), and I am hoping very much for an improvement in the weather. I must do some running as well: my Race for Life is next weekend (Erp!) and I currently don't relish the thought of running five kilometres (a poxy distance, but that's not how it feels). D has promised us sport, but playing touch rugby with a mob of huge boys does not appeal. At all. So I will be out tonight test-driving the new running playlist on my iBrick. (And in other news, I live in anticipation of a real iPod for my upcoming birthday.)

The book reviewing blog will get more posts soon, I promise - it's just that recently I've mainly been reading magazines and Georgette Heyer, and God knows, there's plenty been said about her.

Went to the Museum of London at the weekend with three fellow Scots - which meant that we could take the piss (gently) out of its pompous "LONDON: Centre of the Known Universe!" angle. Still a fantastic museum, though.

Singing lesson last night, and I was enchanted by the suggestion that the way to really get under the skin of Se Tu M'ami was to pretend I was a bit pissed. It worked and all.

I have little else to say. Goodbye for now.

Shameless plug

2006-05-12T12:39:00.000+01:00

for my new book reviewing blog, at http://lilleybooks.blogspot.com/.

May is great

2006-05-03T15:36:00.000+01:00

Why's that, LittleMissLilley? you say. Well, boys and girls, it's because May is bookended by two bank holidays. Oh yes. And since I've just made the unhappy discovery that NYCoS will use ALL my leave for this year, public holidays are now terribly important to me. Much as I will enjoy it, the absence of anything resembling a restful holiday is fairly depressing. Still, the weather's better here than at home anyway, so it'll be like I'm on holiday all the time. Well, that's what I tell myself.

The weekend was charming. High spots included Dancing Like A Loon (tm) on Saturday night, pie from Pie Minister on Brick Lane on Sunday, and a rowing boat on the Serpentine on Monday. My new pastime, however, is flat hunting. Such fun. Oh no, wait, it isn't. Watch this space for tales of woe.

In other news, I've entered a Race for Life, and if you're feeling munificent you can sponsor me here.

On grindstones...

2006-04-24T12:48:00.000+01:00

...and having one's nose returned thereto. I was off all last week, and very nice it was too. I flew north on Good Friday, and on Saturday I went for a run, which was very dull. Then I went riding, and fell off this evil creature, who was in a profoundly silly mood, and shocked some onlookers with my fluency with sweary words. In the evening I met up with some schoolfriends: a night of fun, stupidity and random shooters was enjoyed by all. Sunday was quieter (although not quiet enough for my poor achey head), with church, a hangover-aiding chippy for lunch, and Easter eggs. On Easter Monday I steeled myself to go shopping; to my surprise it wasn't actually that horrendous, but in typical fashion I couldn't find a damn thing I wanted to buy. Tuesday was enlivened chiefly by a visit to Cumbernauld. Everything you've ever heard about Cumbernauld is true. Trust me. Now you don't need to go there yourself; be glad of that.

Wednesday pm, after a wedge of toffee cake (oh yes!) at Ardardan, was taken up by NYCoS rehearsals in the Merchants' Hall (a very handsome place indeed). After a break (during which some of us were introduced to the Spectre of Terrible Service which was to follow us wherever we went) we moved to the recently-refurbished City Hall for an orchestral rehearsal. Following this I ate my own body weight in pasta and garlic bread. It's not clever, but it is big. Bleugh.

The early part of Thursday K and I spent in the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow (really not that great), lunch in the Lab off Buchanan Street (highly recommended) and the shops. Oh, the shops. Then back to the City Hall for rehearsals, M&S sandwiches (this is not just a sandwich: this is a posh sandwich in a recycled cardboard box) and the concert. A review can be found here.

Aberdeen on Friday, via a private prescription from A (the success of which excited both of us far too much) and Sainsbury's for bus provisions. I hate coach travel. Even in company with fun people I hate coach travel. And I especially hate it when you think "Gosh, we've been on this bus for ages, and I'm sick of it: surely we'll get there soon" and then you pass a sign which says "Aberdeen 87" and then start screaming uncontrollably. All in all we only spent about 3 hours in the damn place, but that was enough time to get harrassed by a tartan-clad tramp on Union Street, who had serious problems accepting the concept of a non-English speaker ("Ah conny bleeve yus only speak Jairman.") - fair enough, you might say, since I was definitely pretending, but never mind - and tried to give us Buckie ("Yis gurruls drink wine?") at which point we ran away. I know some people who I know, like and respect are deeply attached to the place, but I really don't understand why.

Returned to Ingerland on Saturday, after a day which T and I spent wandering round the West End, making nachos (drooling again at the thought) and visiting IKEA and Braehead very very quickly; both were hellish. Yesterday I went to Portsmouth for my godmother's silver wedding celebrations, and on the way home was suitably chastened by the sight of returning London Marathoners who could barely get off the train. Today I am back at work. Ho hum.

On a different note...

2006-04-12T17:05:00.000+01:00

Easter might not be about chocolate rabbits, but that doesn't mean that this isn't bloody funny.

Hoppity hop

2006-04-12T16:09:00.000+01:00

Nearly Easter. Nearly chocolate-munching time. Nearly time off work. Nearly time to drink again. (And yes, I am tasting phantom gin just thinking about that. Oh dear.)

And more to the point, nearly time to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus. A point which I think is getting increasingly lost. In the last few years I've got increasingly irritated with the gross commerciality of Christmas - whether it's suddenly got worse or it's jsut me ageing I don't know - and now it seems like there's increasing pressure on Easter in the same direction. Ten years ago nobody sent secular Easter cards - now they're all over the place, bunny-, lamb- and chicken-covered. Some shops are even trying to persuade parents that Easter is another occasion when children need to be bought toys. Magazines are full of recipes for 'that big Easter family lunch', complete with yellow and white themed centrepieces. But there's never any mention of Our Lord bursting from the spiced tomb. God so loving the world that he gave his only begotten Son is not really going to be a keynote sentiment in the average experience of the coming weekend. And frankly, I find this deeply annoying. If you want a spring holiday, fair enough. But there are two perfectly good May Bank Holidays. There's the Queen's actual birthday (that this small-r republican should be advocating celebrating that!). There's the weekend the clocks go forward. Can you not just leave the single most important event of the Christian year to the Christians, and stop trying to pretend that it's actually about chocolate rabbits and daffodils? Because it isn't. It's about Jesus. And He's not fluffy, or cute, or comfortable.

Run, Lilley, Run!

2006-03-30T16:53:00.000+01:00

A couple of posts back I mentioned my purchase of a pair of scarily expensive running shoes. Well, money has succeeded where all more sensible concerns failed (I am a Scot, after all) and driven out to exercise. I've got even less fit since I stopped riding on moving south, so it was about time something was done. I've now started the programme detailed in this book, and so far, so good. I feel tremendously pleased with myself. Currently I am trying to badger a friend into running a Race for Life with me - watch this space.

Spring is springing, the weather is improving, and I need a new coat. And, of course, the threatened hosepipe ban is getting ever nearer. Any Scottish readers I might have will probably be surprised and frightened to hear that sometimes it goes for THREE or even FOUR days without raining, and when it does rain, it's only ever vertical! 'Tis not God's way, say I. In all seriousness, however, a drought in England's wet season is deeply disturbing, and I can't help feeling that it's symptomatic of a greater malaise. Not to mention, of course, the ODPM's plan to build thousands of new houses on land that is either a) in the area currently affected by water shortages or b) vulnerable to flooding. Where's the happy medium?

I'm enjoying looking at the spring sunshine as I write this, but I'd better enjoy it while I can, since we're allegedly moving to the basement any day now. On the plus side, no stairs; on the minus, no windows. Well.

Anyway, back to the grindstone.

Moderately diverting way to spend five minutes

2006-03-27T22:29:00.000+01:00

I freely admit to having stolen this from Adam. You stick iTunes/iPod/Windows Meeja Player/whatever on shuffle, and you ask it these thirteen questions:

1. What do you think of me, iTunes?
Expecting by the White Stripes.
Yes, I am demanding. Uncanny.

2. Will I have a happy life?
Open Your Heart, by Madonna
"I see you on the street and you walk on by/I hang my head and I want to cry". Oh.

3. What do my friends really think of me?
Love Will Bring Us Back Together by Darkflower.
Erm, OK.

4. Do people secretly lust after me?
I Only Feel It With You by Rebekah Ryan.
That's nice. Now who the hell are you and where can I find you?

5. What should I do with my life?
Rescue Me, by Madonna.
Erm, right. Who might you be? Are you the same as in Q4?

6. Why must life be so full of pain?
Dedicated to the One I Love by the Mamas and the Papas.
Well, I hope whoever that might be appreciates the bloody pain!

7. How can I maximize my pleasure during sex?
Otherside by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
"Slitting my throat". Forget that.

8. Will I ever have children?
Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams.
So either... I've got to go back in time and get knocked up in the autumn of '68 OR my chances of conception will be maximised by adopting a certain position as foreplay every time for three months. Riiiiight.

9. Will I die happy?
Get on Top by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
I think that's actually the answer to question 7.

10. Can you give me some advice?
You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet by Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Well, that sort of makes sense... I'm still fairly young.

11. What do you think happiness is?
This Is How You Remind Me by Nickelback
That makes no sense at all. Read the question. Bad iTunes.

12. What's my favorite fetish?
We're Going to be Friends by the White Stripes.
I think we're getting to the end-of-exam slump here.

13. Am I a complete freak?
Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes.
Why so much White Stripes? Do they possess oracular powers?

All in all, I don't think this is going to be catching on as an alternative to tarot, tealeaves, or, indeed, just waiting to see what happens.

Friday Friday

2006-03-24T12:23:00.000Z

Not a lot to say for myself today, but I'm told it's good discipline to write regularly. And God knows that one thing my approach to writing could do with is discipline. So, this week I have:

booked my flight home for Easter and the April concerts with NYCoS. As you would expect from last week's post, I'm flying with BA.
bought scarily expensive running shoes in order to force myself into exercising. I shall be buying the rest of my kit tomorrow, and will report progress next week.
been for a drink with my old mate and co-founder of Web3d Mike.
Read A Question of Love, the new offering from Isabel Wolff, one of the few tolerable chicklit authors.
Bought the new issue of Prospect, and felt ridiculously adult for doing so.
Done actually quite a lot of work. Phew.

The low-cost revolution

2006-03-17T10:48:00.000Z

To Edinburgh yesterday with easyJet. I thought I'd engage in a spot of comparison for your edification and my amusement.

British Airways:

Return from Heathrow to Glasgow for £68.90.
Online check-in means you can choose your seat 24 hours in advance; so if you want a port side window seat as far forward as possible, well, go for it.
Allocated seats. So no train-style "is this seat taken?" malarkey, and no free-for-all boarding.
Free drink. I'm a nervous flyer, and my medication of choice is gin.
Free food (although frankly picky vegetarian + airline sandwiches = misery for all).

easyJet:

Return from Gatwick to Edinburgh for £70.89.
Online check-in is available, but puts you in boarding group D for "definitely getting a middle seat next to a screaming child, because you're getting on last". Not that it's the child's fault - he probably wanted to fly BA.
Aforementioned free-for-all at boarding.
Hideously overpriced food and drink. I'm sorry, but if I wanted to pay £4.50 for a limp cheese 'baguette' (which would cause any self-respecting French boulanger to stick his head in his oven) and £1.80 for drain coffee, I'd have lunch at Waterloo. And don't even get me started on the bar prices.
What kind of service industry of any sort sells singing Crazy Frog toys? On a means of transport with no means of escape? That sort of thing really ought to get Stelios in a playpen in a court at the Hague.

Plus the flight up was an hour and a half late. Still, a special mention should go to the woman who offered me an M&M. If you were that nice sharing person on EZY 703 yesterday, I appreciated the gesture, even if I do hate peanuts.

So yes, I really don't see what's so great about the no-frills carriers. Me, I like frills, and if they can't even manage to be cheaper, then what the hell is going on?

Back again

2006-02-27T11:33:00.000Z

What a lovely weekend. Despite the inauspicious start that is near-inevitable when one is travelling from Heathrow (20 minutes queueing for the 'fast' bag drop), the journey was unproblematic, and I arrived in Glasgow almost on time. Friday afternoon was spent in a totally fruitless trip to Braehead; there is some major-level conspiracy preventing me buying shoes, I swear.

Saturday began badly, with the dentist, but perked up rapidly with a lengthy Day Out with T. Inveraray for lunch was followed by a trip to see if you can drive up to the Cruachan dam (you can't, or if you can we couldn't see how), and then up Glen Orchy and Glencoe, with a stop for snack food (because this was us, after all) in Glencoe village. The weather was fabulous throughout; bright and gorgeous, if bloody cold. Then home again to watch a magical performance from the Scotland rugby team, lasagne for tea, and trifle. What more could a girl want?

Sunday we went out for afternoon tea and to admire the Furry Coos and their equally furry calves at Ardardan, and then it was back down here.

And today I'm back at work.

The future is coming... look busy

2006-02-23T16:49:00.000Z

I just checked in for a flight online, 20 hours in advance.

And got to choose my own seat (take that and shove it, easyJet).

Oh yes.

Titles? Naaah.

2006-02-22T13:45:00.000Z

Things are still going well. I had coffee with my boss this morning in a 'you've been here four weeks so let's have a little appraisally thingy' sort of way, and he's flatteringly pleased with my work. I continue to keep my fingers crossed that my contract will be extended. I'm still enjoying almost all aspects of the job. It's such an unfamiliar feeling to wake up in the morning and not think "AAAH! I don't want to go to work!"

Off home this weekend for a fun trip to... the dentist. Eep. Still, also an opportunity to see my family and some home-based friends.

New Year, New Stuff, Same Crappy Old Me

2006-01-25T16:15:00.000Z

Well, much has changed. And somewhat uniquely for me, it has changed for the better. I have finally found a job; actually the job found me, leaving me with ten days to sort out relocation to London. Fortunately some lovely people in Surrey - so lovely that I shan't name them - are permitting me to live in their house for the time being.

I love London. I love the bustle, the shops, the feeling that I could get anything I wanted here given time and money. And fortunately I love my new job, too - well, as much as it's possible to judge after three days.

So yes, things are looking up massively. And I do hope that saying that isn't too hubristic...

Mine! All... not mine.

2005-11-01T19:22:00.000Z

Well, after two whole days, I have learnt some important things. Notably that 1) I do not want my career to involve retail banking, and 2) I do want it to involve money. My own money, however. I've also learnt that 3) money is dirty. I mean literally, not figuratively. And it smells funny. I've also learnt that sixty grand in a box is bloody heavy, and that seven espressos in a day is a bit too much.

The customer stories might come later.

Hooray!

2005-10-28T15:32:00.000+01:00

I have a temporary job! In a bank... Doubtless after a week or so I'll hate it and be moaning non-stop about rude customers, but the idea of money coming in is bloody marvellous after all this time. Plus it means that I can tell the jobcentre to stick their signing on times, menial jobs and general rudeness up their collective arse. Oh yes. In fact I should really go out and do that before 5pm today, since I start work on Monday...

Go me!

Musings

2005-10-18T14:28:00.000+01:00

It's been a long time since I wrote anything, because despite my best efforts I keep not being bothered. Story of my life really... Nothing worth writing about has happened in the real world, so I thought I'd write about what's going on in my head instead. It's been fifteen months now since I graduated, and still not the slightest sniff of work. Lots of interviews, but nothing comes of any of them. A major problem is that I'm now starting to expect negative outcomes, and I'm sure that comes across. I'm not quite sure how I'm supposed to present an image of being perky and highly employable when I no longer think that I am... And since at the moment I can't even find temporary work (yes ladies and gents, I am that shit) I also have to deal with the horrors of signing on. As covered in a previous post. Poverty looms. No, scratch that, it's here already. At least I can live with my parents, so I'm not actually completely screwed. Still, I have a degree from a top-ten-in-the-world university! Why can't I have a job?

I suspect that may end up being my epitaph.

Hmmm

2005-09-02T16:11:00.000+01:00

Well, however well that job interview may have gone, it wasn't well enough, since I never heard from the company again. And when I rang up to make polite enquiries, the woman who interviewed me had gone on holiday, leaving no information with the receptionist. Then they re-advertised the vacancy. When I wrote to ask for feedback, I was told that giving it 'was not company policy'. How. Rude.

Here we are again

2005-08-13T22:19:00.000+01:00

Many exciting things have happened since last we spoke...

Well, the 'excting' isn't strictly true.

And nor is the 'many' either...

But things, now things have definitely happened. Notably my long delayed graduation present was finally purchased, in the form of a shiny new Canon Powershot A95 digital camera, so it won't be long before you have to endure pictures as well as my prose. Also Tuesday was a job interview day. As is next Tuesday, but in Birmingham this time, and thus involving an excruciatingly early start... I don't think last Tuesday's went too badly, so all there is to do is wait and see. And I suspect that it'll be a long time before another interviewer asks how I arrange my warderobe.

I could have been at a party tonight, but it would have been composed almost entirely of doctors, and I realised that being asked twenty-five times 'So, what do you do?' would utterly ruin my evening. And I've learnt the hard way that lying in such circumstances will always come back and bite me on the ass. So here I am at home instead. It's a bit sad, really, but Mr Macintosh and Mr Television aren't making me feel hideously inadequate.

I've lost my sunglasses. So, y'know, if you find them, let me know. Found my new credit card, though. Which was a bonus.

Why Don't You Get A Job?

2005-07-25T19:05:00.000+01:00

Today was a signing-on day. Yes gentle reader, I am on the dole. Gosh, what fun that is. When I'm feeling a little insecure about my place in the world; when my apparent unemployability is really getting me down; then there is really nothing I like better than going to be patronised by a collection of morons, asked various personal questions and forced to express an interest in jobs for which I am so blatantly overqualified that nobody in their right mind would employ me to do them. All so that they'll give me some money. Oh, except that... despite my having finished work five weeks ago... despite the fact that they've had my claim for four of those weeks... despite repeated assurances that it will be dealt with soon I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN ANY MONEY!

Bastards.

Then I ate a whole tube of Pringles. Which did nothing for my sense of self-worth. In fact, the course of my life would actually be improved by the removal of today.

Return of the Ramblings

2005-07-22T21:48:00.000+01:00

I have resolved to pay attention to my blog again, rather than let it fester. This good intention may end up being thwarted by reality, however; nothing worth blogging is really happening in my life. More soon. Maybe.

End of Term

2005-06-10T11:57:00.000+01:00

Hmm, haven't been a very dedicated blogger recently, have I? Never mind.

Today is my last day in this particular Job of Dull, and while I'm sure I won't enjoy the lack of money, I'm looking forward to the laziness of being unemployed for a while. Hopefully I won't have a chance to get bored of it...

It's raining, it's pouring...

2005-05-25T16:00:00.000+01:00

...and I bloody well wish I was snoring; I can barely keep my eyes open.

I've just had to turn down an interview because I can't make the sole date they're offering; I think a choice of one day with only four days' notice is a bit rude, really.

Looking forward to going away for the weekend for one of my friend L's inimitable houseparties, and hoping that the weather there will be better than here. But in the shorter term, what I'm mainly looking forward to is my bed. How sad is that?

Hewitt may close 'unpopular' hospitals

2005-05-13T14:41:00.000+01:00

This has just caught my eye, and I had serious difficulty in not yelling out loud in the middle of the office. When are this government going to work out that hospitals (and for that matter schools) are not department stores? As far as medicine is concerned, I'm really not convinced that extensive patient choice is sensible or desirable, since the average Briton a) knows sod all about health and medicine and b) thinks he/she knows loads. And even if it is, just because a service is not used very much doesn't, as far as I can see, mean it isn't necessary. Yet another example of the tyranny of the majority.

Sunny Non-Delight

2005-05-13T09:30:00.000+01:00

Gah. It's a beautiful sunny Friday morning. I want to be in my garden reading the paper and drinking coffee with a leisurely breakfast, not in here dealing with awkward bastards and people who neither answer their phones nor switch them to voicemail.

I suspect that my discontent is somewhat motivated by this book which I was reading on the train this morning.

Thursday, I don't care about you

2005-05-12T14:40:00.000+01:00

The Happy Job Saga continued on Tuesday with the arrival of the letter notifying me of the non-renewal of my contract. Which was nice, or rather not; even though I knew it was coming, it was still unpleasant in writing.

I'm writing this to avoid actually getting my head round the large task which I've inherited from my holidaying colleague. Procrastination is, of course, another of the less marketable skills I picked up at university. Or rather honed; it was in the genes all along. I'm sure the project would be quite manageable if I'd had control from the start, but getting my head round someone else's way of doing things is involving far too much effort for my taste. Plus, since I am now effectively working my notice, the small amount of motivation I ever had for this menial job has evaporated entirely.

Still, I have a free night tonight to eat takeaway and watch rubbish telly, so it's not all bad.

Monday, Monday (part two)

2005-05-09T13:59:00.000+01:00

My pessimism turned out to be correct, rather than my misplaced attempts at self-delusion. Yet another interview ends in abject failure. The truly infuriating thing is that, following some great advice from a recruitment consultant friend, I thought I'd performed much better, sold myself well, and got myself in with a chance. Turns out not. They'd bloody better give me some feedback, though. You wouldn't believe till you've tried it just how hard that can be to wring out of the average HR department (the words blood and stone come to mind), and when one does succeed it's often stuff like "your application was very strong but another candidate was felt to be more ideal for the post" which makes me, at least in my post-rejection paranoia, think that the real answer is more likely "we don't like your face" or "your Scottish accent would annoy our suppliers". So if anyone knows just what it is that's currently making me unemployable, do please tell - because employers won't!

Monday, Monday

2005-05-09T10:23:00.000+01:00

...so good to me. Or not.

The Motivation Fairy has not visited me this morning. As well as all the usual bits and pieces I've a couple of bigger projects which need attention, but I simply can't be bothered - I think my brain is still at home in bed. Certainly there's something wrong when I can barely summon the will to apply for jobs. On which topic I'm still waiting to hear about the post I was interviewed for ten days ago, despite assurances that I would be told by the end of last week. I'm trying to convince myself that this is a good sign, but considering that self-delusion is one of my most advanced skills (although sadly not a marketable one), I'm not doing a very good job.

Roll on five o'clock.

Bleugh

2005-05-06T10:52:00.000+01:00

Why did I do that? I'm incapable of working this morning.

Still, I've learned my lesson. Next time, I'll take the Friday off.

Why am I still awake?

2005-05-06T02:40:00.000+01:00

I have to go to work in the morning... I am really, really going to regret this in the morning. Oh, hang on, it is the morning. Still... Here's my view so far

Good bits:

the SNP taking the Western Isles (I know that's not what it's called, but it's quarter to three - I can't spell Gaelic at this time of the morning)
the Lib Dems taking Dunbartonshire East
all the other candidates in Glasgow Central refusing to share the platform with the BNP candidate
the result in Blaenau Gwent showing Millbank that they really shouldn't impose candidates.

Bad bits:

Nick Griffin's 4,240 votes in Keighley
Malcolm Rifkind getting back into Parliament (real blast from the past there, and not in a good way)
Jeremy Paxman
Boris Johnson.

Bring it on!

2005-05-06T00:21:00.000+01:00

I've got my bed, my laptop and my television: I'm all set for the night.

I'm really going to regret this in the morning.

The Liberal Democrats seem to be doing pretty well, so it'll be interesting to see what happens as the night goes on. Damn. If it was only boring, I could go to sleep. Why am I addicted to election television?

Election!

2005-05-05T10:04:00.000+01:00

I am absurdly excited about voting. It's only the second time I've been able to vote in a General Election, and the first time I've voted at home (in the last Scottish Parliament election I had a postal vote) and now, thanks to the boundary changes, we live in a seat that's actually a competition, rather than the old safe Labour seat with Blairite toady MP. Unfortunately it's also one of the constituencies that never manages to declare until 11am on Friday; the ones in grey in the morning papers' 'Map of the New House of Commons'. Still, at least we're actually having an election today, unlike the unfortunate electorate of Staffordshire South.

And remember, if you don't vote, I'll come round to your house and beat you.

The Vote? For Little Me?

2005-04-22T13:34:00.000+01:00

I got very irritated by BBC Breakfast this morning; they were looking at how the parties are trying to attract the 'women's vote'. It really annoys me when we're treated like some kind of homogenous minority group which needs to be specially addressed. Particularly when the supposed 'women's issues' are things which should concern everyone, like education and healthcare. The issues which influence my political allegiance (or rather non-allegiance) are, I hope, nothing at all to do with my gender, any more than they are to do with my age. In fact, most of them are not really relevant to my privileged, white, middle-class experience of the world at all.

Education - I wasn't state educated, I'm finished with university, and I don't have any children. Theoretically at this stage in my life I shouldn't give a damn about education issues, but I do. I believe passionately that all children should have access to the best possible education regardless of their parents' ability to pay, and I don't believe that letting creationists run schools is the way to achieve this.
Pensions - I won't be retiring for a very long time, and since I've had advance warning of the pension problem I've already got a private one. My parents have both been lucky. But I'm still extremely angry about the way the government and big business have treated those whose pensions are gone.
Racism - Unsurprisingly, with my lily-white skin, I've never suffered from racism (I don't think being called a Jock in London once counts). But I still think it's the scourge of British society.

I suppose that in fact what I'm angry about is not just being pigeonholed; it's people who base their political decisions purely on self-interest. And don't even get me started on people who don't vote...

I Am Piewoman, Hear Me Roar

2005-04-21T13:58:00.000+01:00

The super-hot curry diet is not terribly effective: I've put on a pound and a half. However, while I should be feeling grumpy, the lovely weather is making it impossible, and it's making me want to try harder to lose weight ready for summer. I really love sunshine.

Red Faces and Disappointments

2005-04-21T12:13:00.000+01:00

Well, I actually had a very nice time last night. And I discovered a new dieting device: order a curry that's so hot it makes your face sweat, and you'll only be able to eat half of it.

My companion tried some, said "hmm, it is rather hot, isn't it," and finished it off. How embarrassing. I think it's time to put an end to the fiction that I can eat VERY HOT things.

However, when I checked my email this morning I discovered that I've not been given the job I was waiting to hear about, and while I was sort of expecting it, it's still disappointing. What on earth is it about me that makes me unemployable? I have a good degree from a world-class university, and I can't find a damn job. Now that is embarrassing...

Clockwatching

2005-04-20T13:31:00.000+01:00

More sunshine today, but it's still damn cold...

I'm going out for dinner tonight with an old friend, and I'm looking forward too it an awful lot. Probably too much, in fact, since such events with him are usually somewhat anticlimactic.

Still no word on the job I was interviewed for two weeks ago, dammit! However, inspired by luce and helly's inspirational posts, I am attempting to catalogue some of my better features:

I am:

attractive (allegedly)
highly intelligent
witty
free from most of life's more revolting prejudices
loyal

I can:

Ride a horse
Cook
Sing
Drink large men under the table (hmm, not sure that's really a good feature)
Get myself across countries and continents without difficulty
Speak other languages

We'll just try to foget about the other list, I think...

Talons

2005-04-19T15:10:00.000+01:00

I bought some very, very red nail varnish at lunchtime. It's amazing how much the thought of putting it on this evening is cheering me up.

If you can't beat 'em...

2005-04-19T14:20:00.000+01:00

Not sure, really, why I haven't had a blog before; it's surprising, considering my love of splurging my thoughts all over the internet... However, I haven't, so here's my first effort!

It's actually sunny today in Glasgow, which is rather surprising, given the April we've been having so far. Don't be deceived, though - it's still bloody freezing. Doubtless the rain will be back on before it's time to return to Lilleyville.