Bloody Kodak

My new camera finally arrived yesterday - hooray! However, it's already broken :( Kodak had some downloadable firmware available on their website to improve, amongst other things, battery performance. However, what Kodak fail to mention on their website is that the firmware KILLS the DX3215!!!! I now have an unusable digital camera. I have emailed Kodak and hope to get them to sort it out. In the meantime, the 2nd camera I ordered should be here soon(ish).

Here are two photos I took yesterday, before the camera was brutally murdered. They are of my office. I wanted to take pictures of the snow, but the camera didn't live that long.

Snow

I was really pleased to see the snow today. I love snow. That is, till it was time to come home. The 20 minute journey took and hour and a half and I was sooooo cold. Thought I wouldn't be able to drive because my feet were so cold. We're due more snow overnight which could make driving conditions very nasty. BUT, my camera should arrive at work tomorrow, so I guess I'm gonna have to make that trip.

Illness update

I'm still not 100%, the headache is still hanging around, but it's bearable. If I could figure out what's causing it I might be able to get rid of it. But, I've no idea. These are the types of headaches I had when I was younger. Stress headaches, brought on by exams I didn't think I was bothered about! But, I can't work out what I'm stressed about, as I'm pretty happy at the moment. Maybe it's the strain of not yet knowing whether or not I passed those last two modules!

DS.biz meet up

I am a huge fan of David Sneddon. He won the 1st series of the BBC program Fame Academy, which is a search for a singer/wongwriter. So, I joined a fantastic website called David Sneddon.biz. I have made lots of 'friends' via the forum and a few of us from the local area decided to meet up on Saturday. We had a great time and it was really good to put some faces to names at long last :o)

Dammit :o(

Those damn permalinks don't work. Just when I thought I was getting the hang of this blogging lark!

New Year's Resolutions - Update

Having set up permalinks, I want to be sure that they work....

My New Year's Resolutions can be found here.

1. Gym Visits: Hmm, I'm improving on this one. Getting there maybe twice a week. This will improve once Derek leaves us, then I won't feel I need to go straight home. Also, next month will see a 'gym change' due to the extortionate prices now charged at the old gym!

2. Eat Healthier: This has gone out of the window. I hate going hungry and healthy food just does not fill me up!

3. Work Harder: I'm managing this to an extent, but not as well as I had intended

4. Get a new job: I'm working on this one. I have applied for quite a few jobs, some more seriously than others. I am yet to tell the boss of my intention to leave.

5. Take more photos: Once my new camera arrives, this one should be easily achieveable :)

Headache update

Still feeling pretty poorly. The headache from hell is still with me :(. There was some 'wonder product' advertised on TV this morning called 4head. Apparently you wipe it over your head and your pain disappears. Yeah right!

Head Bangin'

I went to bed last night with a pounding headache. A good night's sleep is usually sufficient to shift such a pain. I got up this morning as normal and dropped Adam off on my way to work. On the way my headache returned and I began to feel rather queasy indeed. So, I decided to go back home and snuggle home in bed and sleep the damn thing off. I was asleep by 9.30 and didn't wake up til 2.45! The headache was (and still is) there - I really hope it's gone by tomorrow, I need to go into work and process the wages! :o)

Monday, Monday

Leicester City threw away yet another win on Saturday. I just don't know how they do it! Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with the details, just wanted you all to know that we are not amused.

I have finally 'won' a camera on Ebay. With hindsight I have probably paid too much and should have hung on for a better, cheaper one, but I am not known for my patience. I want it and I want it now! I think I'll have to wait til the weekend before it arrives though, as the bloke will have to wait for the cheque to clear before sending me the wonderful camera.

Now that we have been in the flat a few months I'm starting to notice things that I want to do to it. Firstly, the kitchen carpet. That's right, carpet, in the kitchen. It's sharp, it scratches, it hurts. The dog wouldn't go on it, the baby wouldn't go on it - nuff said. Anyway, yesterday when I was cleaning, I thought 'let's have a look and see what's under the carpet'. So I did, and it wasn't too bad. Light blue vinyl tiles, they're a bit grubby, but they'll do. They're a damn sight easier to keep clean(ish).

After my success in the kitchen, I decided to do the same in the bathroom, where the carpet also bothers me. Unfortunately I took the carpet up to discover yucky, smelly, dirty wet patches. The beige vinyl tiles would've been fine if they weren't covered in dubious looking brown water which has pulled the dark bue out of the carpet to stain the tiles. After this discovery, I had to take the whole carpet up and clean the floor - three times. We're now leaving it for monitoring. We don't think there's a leak, just that the floor got wet and it got trapped - if you get what I mean. So we had pieces of minging smelly carpet 'drying' all around the flat yesterday night, because as we don't like what's underneath and can't afford anything new for the time being, the old carpet's got to go back. Hope it doesn't happen again.

(If I had my digital camera I would have taken some photos to show you, but due to the state of it, it's probably a blessing in disguise)

Brain Overload

I am pleased to say that I did some work yesterday, not as much as I should have done, but I did some. Today, however, I have done none. I was waiting for Rachael to come in before I did any work. As we share an internet connection, when she comes in to work, I log off while she surfs. This forces me to 'put the internet down' and do some work. Unfortunately, it appears that Rachael won't be coming in to work at all today. Ooops. I appear to have spent the entire day looking at digital cameras yet again.

I have had the unexpected news that I will be getting paid an extra £50 a week throughout January and February. This is 'responsibility allowance' while the boss is in Oz. Never mind the fact that this does not affect my work whatsoever especially as she has only been in to the office maybe 6 times in the last year, since she moved to the other side of the country! Obviously, I won't complain, and will take every penny gracefully. Anyway, the point of telling you about the additional cash was to say that it helps to justify the purchase of the camera. The money is a bonus that I wasn't expecting so let's spend it! Well, half of it, let's be sensible to some extent.

Hopefully, over the course of the weekend I will win one of the wonderful Ebay auctions and will become the proud owner of a pretty camera. I won't go into too much detail (ie make and model) here in case one of my numerous* readers decides to bid against me and make me pay lots and lots of money.



*For "numerous" please read "one" and I think even she may have left me!

What a slacker

I can't believe I've wasted yet another day at work. You see, I want a digital camera. The one I use at the moment is Adam's. So I have to ask him if I can use it and the software for it is on his computer and I just don't like it. I want to use it to take piccies for my blog, but as he doesn't know of its existence and would probably find it a waste of time and resources anyway, there's little point in telling him. So, he wouldn't understand why I want to take photos of my new boots and birthday presents. In fact, I'm sure he thinks I take a load of rubbish on his camera anyway! So I've been looking for my own camera, despite the fact that I really can't afford it. I want one. So I will have one! That's why I spent this morning searching ebay for decent(ish) cheap cameras. I found one but while I got carried away looking at others the auction ended and I missed it! There's a few more I've got my eye on, so hopefully soon we will have some photos to look at :o)

Brrrrr!

I've been on my own most of today. Rachael has just got into work after giving a talk to the kids at her old school about why going to university is a good thing. I couldn't do it - don't go to uni, it's boring and it costs too much money! The best thing is that they gave her a box of chocolate fingers, so we will spend the rest of the afternoon munching on them :o)

Tonight I should be going to my rehearsal for the muscial revue production at the college, but I have a proper drama group committee meeting, so I'll have to give it a miss. Think I should have done some preparation for the committee meeting, ie come up with some ideas and stuff, but I should be able to blag it ;)

The weather is bloody cold today. One of my friends on the David Sneddon message board says it snowed over night where she lives (somewhere Down South, think it might be Bath) - wish it had snowed here. I love snow.

21 Again!

Sorry for not blogging over the last couple of days, but I thought not bothering was probably wiser than writing a load of rubbish.

I took my final (hopefully) exam on Friday. It was hard, but I think I've done enough to pass. Time will tell. I then met Derek for lunch which took a full 2 hours, I really hope he didn't get into too much trouble at work. We went to the Deep Pan Pizza Company in Derby and everything took SO long. The staff were miserable but the food was nice.

My birthday was lovely. I got up early to open my cards and presents before catching the bus to the train station to catch the train to Nottingham. We ice skated for about and hour before hitting the shops. Adam bought me some lovely trainers and a new skirt.

I also got another skirt from Adam's Uncle and Auntie, some earrings and Waterstones vouchers from his mum, The Thrills album from his dad, a handbag, earrings and choker from his sister and an MP3 player from my parents. I will photgraph the collection to put her - eventually. :o)

On Sunday we went to see Leicester City lose 4-0 to Chelsea. It was a good game with a very disappointing result. Hope the cup game on Wednesday yields better results.

Today I am back at work and am bored :o(

Just another Thursday

I forgot to write yesterday, but I didn't have anything interesting to say, so I don't think you missed much. The revision is going slowly, but I think I may now know enough to get me through the exam - I hope so!

Tonight we will, once again, have large volumes of people in the flat. There will be the usual three, with the addition of Adam's mum, step-dad, sister and her boyfriend. However, around about the same time, his dad and step-mum will also be popping round. This could be far from pretty, as well as pretty cramped. And, it's all my fault for having a birthday - and it's not even until Saturday!

I wish I could think up witty titles for my posts

So today I ate more healthily, but I really think that that resolution should wait until about February when all the yummy stuff has been eaten. Also, it's my birthday on Saturday and I don't want to live off carrot sticks all day.

I haven't yet managed to inform the boss of my desire to leave her wonderful company, although I have helped Racahel write her CV. Maybe next week I'll find it easier, once I know how my exam went and how likely it will be that I will have to resit.

Speaking of 'the exam', my revision has not been going well. My plan was to take Thursday off work to revise, take the exam on Friday morning and then go in to work for the afternoon. However, my exam is in Derby, Derek works in Derby, it's his birthday, my exam wil finish at lunch time. So, he has come up with the idea that we could meet for lunch, celebrate his birthday, my birthday and the end of my degree. Genius. This makes a nice 3 day week to ease me back in to work gently :o)

Oh dear

Ooops, I have already failed two of my resolutions.

- Work harder: I have nothing to say on this point
- Eat healthier: I know it's unbelievable, but I actually forgot! It's also very hard to eat healthily when the flat is full of yummy things left over from Christmas.

I am, however, going to an aqua-aerobics class at the gym tonight, which will be my first gym visit of this week. And the job front is looking good. Rachael is already looking for a weekend job, which helps to ease the guilt.

Rachael bought me this great book for Christmas How to do Just About Everything and it has eaten my time today

The Festivities Come to an End

So, it's Sunday now, which means tomorrow is Monday and I have to go back to work. I have had 2 weeks off and I really don't want to go back. Especially as it means plucking up the courage to tell my boss that I'm looking for another job. As she is in Australia and I am in sunny Leicester, I can take the cheat's way out and do it by email, but I'm still not looking forward to it.

Also, my New Year's Resolutions start tomorrow. (Yes, I know they should have already started, but I thought I'd wait for my 1st normal full week of the year)

Revision

If all goes to plan, next week should see me complete my degree. If all does not go to plan, next week will see me fail my degree. It is a very fine line.

I coasted through my GCSEs with little effort and came out with decent grades. I was, what they call 'A Good Alrounder'. This made choosing my A-levels very tricky and I chose the wrong ones. It took me 18 months to learn that I actually needed to work, by which time it was a bit late. Consequently my A-level results were not what they ought to have been. Despite this, the University of Derby were still willing to take me. So, I went, and commenced my studies on a combined subject course of business subjects. The way the course was structured meant that the main bulk of my studies was on a Friday with the odd lecture on a Wednesday and Thursday. This left me with an awful lot of spare time and no money. I was bored, very bored. So, I got a part-time job back home in Leicester, where I worked all day Monday and Tuesday and also Wednesday morning. The office was conveniently located near the train station, so I would finish work at lunchtime on Wednesday and hop on the train to uni.

The summer holidays came and I worked more and more hours and was not keen to return to the sunny climes of Derby. So, I found out about online Study and enrolled in the university's online Business Studies course. This meant I could work and study simultaneously. So, 2 years and a bit down the line, I have almost finished the course. I'm crossing all my appendages in the hope that I will pass. My dissertation was a bit of a mess and I'm not sure whether or not I have passed, and this final module, I really do not understand at all. But, I cannot bear the thought of studying any longer. I (unlike some) am not a natural student.

Which brings me to the point of today's blog! I have spent the last 2 days attempting revise - unsuccessfully. Fortunately, I can take my stuff in to work and revise there next week. I'm just hoping that I can hold enough knowledge in my head to pass the exam.

I am still in my 'part-time job', which is now full-time and I as good as run the place. But, I'm bored. I need a new challenge and a change of scenery, so, I'm looking for a new job. In fact, I have applied for 2. Telling my boss will be very hard as she depends on me. When I leave, I am sure she will close the office in Leicester and run the business from her home in Wales. Which leaves me worried about Rachael. She is my part-time staff member and a law student - she needs the money and flexibility of her 'job'. If I leave and the office closes, where does that leave her?

Sorry to have rambled so much today, but I think you've found out some useful background information :o)

2003 - A Review of the Year

In a logical fashion I would have posted this yesterday or on New Year's Eve, but then, I'm not logical - live with it!

I'm sure that if I think about it, I have accomplished/experienced many things during the last year. My diary was supposed to be a very large in aid in helping me to remember these things, but it appears that I have already thrown it away - I have been through the bin (snotty tissues and all) and have still failed to find it, so I'm sure I will omit many pieces of vital information, but never mind. Let's start with January...

10th January - I turned 21. This wasn't especially eventuful. Due to a distinct lack of friends, I had no party, but went out for a meal with family with a proposed night out on the town. The night on the tiles is still waiting to be arranged

21st January - I became an auntie for the 1st (and probably, only) time. Baby James Edward was brought into the world by his proud parents Derek and Julie. Throughout the year he has been adored by his entire family, especially his big brothers Tom and Alex.



28th - 30th January - I played the lead role of Robinson Crusoe in the Latimer Players pantomime.

March - My Boss moved to Wales, leaving me to run the office

June - At an evening hosted by the Pantomime Alliance of Leicestershire, a night of extracts from pantomimes performed by local Am Dram groups I am presented with a certificate for 'Best Principal Boy'

July - We had an offer accepted on a flat







10th July - Adam graduation from Loughborough University with a First degree in Chemistry.

October - I completed my dissertation on First-time Buyers. Adam went back to Loughborough University to commence his Phd in Organic Chemistry

23-25 October - I played Sadie Croft on the Latimer Players production of Laying the Ghost by Simon Williams

November - We finally became home owners and moved in to the flat; a fine way to celebrate 4 years of being a couple :o)

December - We welcome Derek into the household as a part-time lodger.

25th December - We celebrate our first Christmas alone. I cook Christmas dinner successfully.

28th December - We have our first 'party'

Here's to the next 12 months...

New Year's Resolutions

I haven't made any resolutions for the last few years, so I thought I would this year and see where it gets me.

- Go to the gym at least 3 times a week
- Eat healthier
These 2 resolutions combined should help me achieve the next one of:
- Lose that stone that's been driving me mad for the last 18 months and get back down a dress size and a half
- Work harder
- Get a new job
- Take more photos :)

Have just returned from the Grandparent visit - was pleased to see that Adam's sister also has some silly boots like mine(will take some photo's eventually, so that you can see how silly they are), although she was wearing them outside her jeans...

Another Year Over.... A New One Just Begun

This New Year's Eve, like all the others before it, was an anti-climax for me. I woke up yesterday morning with a stinking cold. I had already arranged to go the gym with mum and then to hit the shops. I managed to get through this relatively unscathed, but it meant I felt terrible when I got home.

We had arranged for 2 friends to come over to our place on the way to do something far more exciting, but they got lost as they chose to completely ignore the directions we had given them. When they eventually arrived, we had a few drinks and a bit of a gossip before they got bored with us and moved on to more interesting places.

I watched the Wife Swap repeats on channel 4, while Adam played his guitar. We watched Big Ben chime at midnight, had a snog and then went to bed. I suppose the plus side of this is that we have had a good night's sleep and are hangover free and we are able to visit Adam's grandparent's this afternoon with no worries.