Sunday Already?
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: David Francy
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

It's Sunday already & we're taking the day to CHILL-OUT! Since Susan (Stephen's mother) arrived on Wednesday, it has been one action-packed non-stop adventure.

Wednesday: Susan arrives in the morning-and recovers from jet lag. Stephen had the day off, and after work, I met them at the pub for drinks before a curry at Thali Thali.

Thursday Stephen & Susan went to Guildford, while I was back at work. It was typical English weather--damp, overcast, periodic drizzle with gale force winds. Despite this they had a very good time seeing the Alice & Wonderland garden, the castle, & shops. We just chilled out in the evening & watched Christopher Guest's "Best in Show".

Friday: Elisabeth back at work while Susan & Stephen "do woking" In the evening Stephen made a Morrocan-style couscous & vegetable dish, before we headed out to the Woking theatre to see Festen, which is on its way to Broadway. The play was enjoyed by all & discussed afterwards in the pub.

Saturday was London Day. Our first stop was Camden market where we enjoyed some market-stall shopping & eating. Then we headed over to the Tate Modern. We got home, ate guacamole & watched "A Mighty Wind." Pictures to come.

Off to Woking...

Gray Sky
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

I should be jogging right now as it's just past 7am, but I've a good excuse today: Stephen's mother is arriving in about an hour! And while Stephen is in the shower, someone has to man the phones.

Also I've been feeling under the weather, so probably best not to push myself too much eh?

Last night I gave my very first piano lesson. It was a lot of fun. I now have to figure out how to explain chords for the next lesson. Any tips? (look in a book...)

It's now time for me to get ready for work while Stephen makes a smoothie & takes care of the last bits of tidying up.

More blogging to come, stay tuned!

Suspension
Mood:  crushed out
Now Playing: Nick Cave
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
This weekend has been pleasant & over too quickly. We had a quiet Friday night in...followed by a lazy Saturday laced with a few chores. More happily, we went out with the spit-roasting queen & her friends for dinner in Weybridge. There was a girl my age who might be starting piano lessons with me next week, which is rather exciting.

Today, being a sunny morning, we walked the canal into town & had a pub lunch with the paper. After our customary trip to Sainsbury's and the insanity that comes with it, we made it back home to relax. And so relaxed now, that I'm going to go to bed.

This Wednesday, Susan, Stephen's mother arrives!

Stuff
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: Tricky - Blowback
Topic: Stephen Says
Well, it's been quite a week. My plan of doing no over time at all this week turned into doing 11 hours of it. And in the same week that I got to feel like a shit and take part in sectioning someone under the mental health act, I was made deputy manager.
Again.

Anyway, this time it's going to be official, as opposed to the 'acting deputy manager' that I was before and have been referred to as whenever The Boss is sressed and he feels like throwing more work at me. It doesn't make any sense, I know. Basically, I'm delegated a ton of work and then I re-delegate it to everyone else. I'm the middle man, so to speak. I also get paid more, which makes it worthwhile.

Otherwise, E&I are just being incredibly boring, awaiting mom's visit and being even more boring. I'm looking forward to the time off.
Barcelona?
What was that?
I need another break!

Unbeleivable.
Topic: Stephen Says
Words can't describe it. just CLICK HERE and be amazed.
(Note: you'll want a braodband connection for this sucka)

Pros & Cons
Mood:  cool
Now Playing: Devo - Greatest Hits
Topic: Stephen Says
Some good and bad stuff going on: Good: Things are picking up at work and it's a lot more like how it was hen I started. Bad: More stress but the good kind of stress.

It looks like I'm back to acting deputy once again as The Boss will be at another project for the next 3-6 months. I actually had the chance to go over to the other project, which would have been a good learning experience as I would have seen taken part in setting up a residence the Maca way but at the same time, the trek would have been a nightmare and I would have missed my little home away from home. Anyway, the powers that be decided I was to stay where I am. The Good: I get to boss people around again and make more money. The Bad: More stress - the bad kind of stress.

This is a real ad that I now (roughly) transcribe for your enjoyment:
'No ordinary chop shop, Cut throws in some 21st century trimmings with its haircuts. Based on a concept pioneered in Japan, everything is designed to be hassle-free. The walk in service means there's no need to make a booking and the large digital screen estimates the time you'll have to wait until you're in the chair. Payment is by machine so that the experienced stylists can concentrate on what's important - giving you good service & a quality haircut. Equipment is meticulously sterilized, and The Cut Hair Removal System ensures you'll head off without an itchy neck.

Cut, next to platform 1 in Euston Station.'

Sounds to me like Hell. Mainly for the poor saps who have to work on their futuristic assembly-line. And for the people who realize that the 'estimated haircut time' is about as reliable as your alcoholic ex-husband is at paying his child support on time. Or that the CHRS (Do I have to put a (c) after it?) sounds like the kind of machine that could suck off a woman's clothes (In a Blake Edwards movie) or a man's flesh (In a stephen King movie) at the flick of a switch. Most dodgy of all of course, is that it's located in a train station.

Anyway, I've got a coupon for a free hair cut from the place. Anyone interested? I'll post it to you, free of charge.

Although I wonder if presenting the card to the hairdresser (and not the machine that takes your money) will completely shatter the poor sod's concentration and he'll lop off your ear ala Mr. Blonde...

3 for 3
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: Elisabeth upstairs doing show tunes.
Topic: Stephen Says
Today's been totally lazy for me and I've managed to relax. So lazy that we were supposed to go out and see Good night and Good Luck but just couldn't be arsed to. In fact, I've managed to succeed in not getting dressed today. Huzzah!

So with absolutely nothing to report, here's a link to a good blog to read and a pretty scary entry. LINK.

E&I are going to watch The Office now.

More Blah
Mood:  don't ask
Now Playing: Tom Waits; all the songs we have on random
Phew!
I'll try to make more sense than yesterday. But I've come off my 2nd 13 hour day in a row and am pretty sluggish. Picked up a bottle of wine from the Co-Op on the way home only to discover, once I was home, that the label is also written in braille, which is pretty cool.

I tried to watch the gold medal hockey game but only got through the 1st period. Sure, I had to work but it was too painful to listen to British announcers butcher the play by play. On top of repeatedly mixing up the players names, there were long periods of extended silence and a bizarre obsession with constantly pointing out that the referee was also an NHL referee, as though that's something that's even remotely important to the game. They also kept calling 'break aways' 'break outs' which was generally irritating. Overall, just too irritating to bother with even though it was an actual to goodness good match.
Pity.

A REAL update from Stephen
Mood:  down
Now Playing: Animal Collective
Topic: Stephen Says
Right, well I'm about to drop. Today turned into the day from hell & was the longest, most tedious day so far. But I'll get to that later.

As some of you may know, I've been a tad (i.e., VERY) stressed out about a bunch of trumped up sexual harassment charges against me. Against a male member of staff. Who has met Elisabeth. Twice. But still will not believe that I'm heterosexual. Anyway, I was officially cleared of any wrong-doing yesterday and it's been generally agreed that being homophobic is pretty shitty and that using your homophobia to slander a heterosexual collegue (Who you know is heterosexual) for your own personal gain is pretty shitty, too.

Long story short: A 6 month long chapter of bullshit that I've had to deal with is, at long last over, thank God. And I'm sorry if the language is strong but let's see how you feel if an incompitant mother fucker is making light of serious charges (ie, sexual harassment) against you to save his own incompitant ass.

damnit, I wish I could say more. If interested, e-mail me at...

So yeah, today was horrible - possibly the most stress-filled day of my working career. Delusional people are the worst. Not that they're delusional, but that they're determined to impose their version of reality on others to safe-guard their own version. Damnit, I can't explain it other than I had to do this crazy (!) alternation between fun, efficient and evil all at once and, at the same time, almost have to section someone under the Mental Health Act, which is a big deal that you can't take lightly; especially when they're so delusioal that they're under the impression that what they're doing is safe and sane.

But I'm sorry; you CANNOT wash electrical appliances in the dishwasher and expect them to work once they've dried out.

Or expect them not to be a fire hazard.

That, on top of ambulances, paramedics and my own raised voice driving their paranoia levels sky-high (Not a good thing with people who are actually STRUGGELING with paranoia), my day was pretty shitty...

And then the fire alarm went off. Again and again and again.

I know it doesn't make much sense but tust me, it was pretty horrible. I'm struggling with a cold and haven't been feeling well to top it off and I need time to get my energy back.

Anyway, I'll end it here because I'm not explaining anything very well so whatever.

Deal with it.
Rock'n roll.

White Winter
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
It finally snowed today! YAy! Lots of white fluffy flakes that eventually stuck to mortified cars.

I didn't realize it until I left work & everything look like a frosted shredded mini-wheat!

I think this weekend is going to be a BIG CLEAN & shopping event.

Tomorrow's Friday, and casual day has been cancelled. 2 people from head office are coming for a meeting.

Stephen's working a late shift so I'm just chilln' like a villin'.