Okay. I just survived 5 internetless days, then caught up, and last couple of days we've been seeing speeds bottoming at 24kbps. Yay.

Things that have happened over the last couple of weeks include:  read more »

At work we had a bad-busy stretch, and I am sharing a desk and phone with a woman on the edge. We had a day where her one genuine laugh (that I witnessed) seemed to be after she said that she didn't know where her time had gone. I explained that losing time is one of the signs of alien abduction.

Later in the week I could smell sausage rolls - but other people could not. That led me to wonder whether I was having a stroke, because that could be one of the signs. There really were sausage rolls though.  read more »

I've just dropped to a four day work week, with Wednesdays off. Mostly triggered by being ill, but I think it's good for other reasons. When I was looking for work, four days was an option. And now I have better pay... I get a four day week while earning pre-redundified income.

I now wonder what the OT, who told me not to make quick decisions, will think.  read more »

Sick days are good - but don't seem so awesome when they turn out to be a sick long weekend.

Keep forgetting to mention - I don't get a train in to the CBD often any more, but when I do I am appalled that all the graffiti near East Richmond has been greyed over. I loved that stretch.

There has been an awesome breakthrough in my life - I had chicken kiev last week! In hindsight, it was absolutely retarded of me not to nut out that cheese and whey that stopped me eating them... that is a processed food thing that doesn't apply to places like poulterers.  read more »

Last 'hospital Friday', I walked away with one of the best bruises ever. Took 2 weeks to disappear. No such bruise this time. But I did get the nurse that reliably leaves me with a beeping widgamy after an air bubble in my drip.

Sometimes lately, I am making a point of going through the Vic Market on my way to get CDs. A friend and I used to 'race' each other through the crowds. Now I have decided that the Vic Market Challenge is a good way to get a feel for how unco I am. Many skills are tested while navigating a crowded shed.

I have had some practical demonstration about the wonder of ecosystems. Now that my cat has fixed the mouse (rodent) problem, we have a roach problem. It's a real lesson in life when you realise that the mice were probably keeping the roaches in line.

Work has been real busy still. But the tension is a little better this last week. Possibly because it reached a point where I had a chat with someone about how bad it was getting. I am happy that it's eased off, but a little part of me wonders about the conversations that might have happened to get it eased.

Also at work - I seem to have earned my first nickname. From a guy who is nice enough to get away with it.

Now that Slappa have an Australian distributor... I've been on a minor spree. Might get a few more things soon, as well.

Stress aside, I have decided that I have moved beyond the honeymoon stage of work, to one where I have described it as "a magical wonderland". This is because people just roam the office with boxes of chocolates and give them out. This happened twice this week - once was 'Picnic's.

Then I get to offset that with free fruit.

On the drive to work we saw a guy on a bike. Periodically you see these ones, and they are pedaling so fast it's just funny. For some reason, they remind me of the Muppet movie, with Kermit on a bike.  read more »

But that's what sleepers are for.

Aside from the localised stress source, I am in the happy honeymoon stage at work. Plus - I got my first pay - I am on a better rate than the place where the only good bit was the great rate. Plus I get sick days, holidays. The people are cool, even the ones that I didn't use to work with. Many, many good things. Plus we get free fruit.  read more »