Free wi-fi! And the world rejoices.
Feb. 13th, 2010 01:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jenepelI'm on base b/c I was meeting with some tax clients, and it turns out that the Freedom Cafe (inside the Liberty Club, omg) has free wi-fi, so I'm online! Yay. Actual internet that actually works and lets me check my email. Seriously, internet issues at work and home right now (although work got cleared up on Friday I think) so I'm behind on EVERYTHING. While I'm here I figured I might as well put up this half-written post that I've been writing all week in Word or whatever. SO...
I forgot to actually put any kind of away message on this, but I've actually been on holiday once again, thus the lack of posts. (Oh who am I kidding?! I haven't posted regularly in months! This must be rectified. I cannot believe my last update was when Claire had her seizure.) Anyway, last week I (and 4/5 house mates) were away skiing in the French Alps. Oooh la la.
It was actually a really cheap (well relatively cheap) trip. Budget airfare (easyjet whoohoo), ski rental deals online, and a chalet we rented to share with 20 people total. Basically it was one big party. Oh and lots and lots of skiing! Six straight days, which I think is more than I have ever done all at once. I actually feel decent about my skiing now. I'm not going to be skiing black runs any time soon, but I feel good about the possibility of many red ones in my future. And the people who went ran the gamut for skiing (or snowboarding) ability, so everyone managed to find someone to go out with. Also, on the last night we had a giant party at the Chalet which included Raclette cheese, tons of other food, and colour-coded drinks that matched the runs. You were supposed to only drink the ones of runs you had been on, but that didn't last too long. I mostly drank green actually, because it turns out that I think Creme de Menthe makes very yummy cocktails! (Other people may have said it tastes like mouthwash, but whatever.)
So yeah, good trip indeed. Other things happening?
* In scary news, my dad had a tumour (malignant) on his tongue. It was super tiny and he got an appt for surgery like, the WEEK after they found it (go NHS!) and so it's gone now, which is great. Also great is the clean bill MRI he got saying it was the only one. He's not (nor was ever) a smoker or anything, so it's pretty weird, but who knows. Stranger things. Now he just has to do a bit of speech therapy (hello, part of tongue gone) but he's doing fine so that's good.
* The new girl started at work two weeks ago and seems cool so far. It's SO NICE to have someone other than B to talk to during the day and such. I do miss being in a large social office. Also in work news I am discussing schemes where I go hourly contract instead of yearly salaried, which sounds weird but might actually give me more hours (some with a different company) and more flexibility for my freelance stuff and (gotta have priorities) holidays. IDK yet what I am deciding b/c it's a scary choice, but it might be a step forward for future going out on my own tax business stuff. For one thing, it would probably mean I would form a limited company (of just me) in the start of the new (UK) tax year in April. We'll see. But hey, company name suggestions are welcome! All I've got right now is the thought of US or Overseas or American and then taxes or maybe my last name in there somewhere? I can't decide. I am sad that I can't use "Tax Bitches" which is what Debi and Susan and I always jokingly said we would call the company we set up together someday, but it's, you know, probably not professional enough sounding?! :)
* I am behind on every single TV show I watch. Oh except American Idol, which I am watching from the very beginning rounds properly through for the very first time ever. (Even with the Kradam last year I was late to the party - I actually watched it back to front as I got more and more obsessed.) In other AI news (or Kradam news?) it's like the only fic I'm reading right now. At least it's gotten me off the Harry/Draco kick I was on a few months ago, I guess? And, you know, this is actually the first RPS I've ever read. So, if you don't approve, just skip this paragraph and pretend it never happened. :) Also, I'm kind of obsessed with their Twitters. Well mostly Adam's (and Neil's, oh goodness!) just for sheer entertainment. They were totally the first Twitters I checked when I got back. I also did a song by song (short) analysis of Adam's album, but then never posted it. Maybe later. This paragraph is a bit whoa, huh?
* Back to RL, my brother and I (and various friends) are currently knee deep in World Cup trip planning. I mean we have been for like eight months now, but it’s getting more serious by the week. We’ve got plane tickets (to and inside the country) and most of our accommodation, but the thing that’s the most annoying is getting the actual match tickets. They do it in rounds, some lottery, some rated, and they started about six months ago. So we just applied in the 4th round this morning and if we don’t get some this time I am going to be seriously pissed. I keep trying to tell myself that last time we didn’t get any until April, despite applying up to a year before that or whatever, but that was GERMANY and this is SOUTH AFRICA. Surely it should be easier to get tickets this time around?? Blech.
* It’s my 30th birthday in just over a week (the 17th). Wowsa. It’s weird actually, because it’s not that 30 sounds particularly old, it’s just that I can’t believe that I’m going to be that age. I just don’t feel like a very good grownup. (See above, re: Kradam fanfic!) Also weird is that so many of my London friends now are pretty young. I’m not really used to being the older one in the group. So anyways, I’m hoping to have a big blow-out celebration, have sent out a mass email (and gotten good response, yay!) but haven’t really planned much yet. I really want karaoke, but man is it expensive in this city. I have a few more places to call though, so we’ll see. I just don’t want to ask people to pay a bunch of money to come to my bday – it seems unfair.
* My best friend from school (as in, known her since we were 9) just got engaged and the wedding is in August (hello soon!) in Alaska (hello far!) which is nice, but a pain in my ass. Why must everyone important get married so far away? Anyway, I am a bridesmaid of course, and I had told her I was waiting to visit her when she got married, so guess who’s going to Alaska?! I already cleared it with work (leave without pay) which I was worried about since it’s just under a month after I get back from the Cup. The good thing is, that’s our slowest time of year, and also my possible new situation means I can be more in charge of when I take off. Also I’ve never been to Alaska! And I’m dying to go! The bad news is that I budgeted a ton for the Cup, but this will be one more trip to pay for and it will be LWP so there won’t even be money coming in. Ah well. I’m hoping I can use frequent flier miles since I have around 49000 on AA, but haven’t looked into it yet. I think she’s the last of my good USA friends to go though, so hopefully no more weddings to travel to. Oh, other than my bro’s I guess. If he ever does.
Whoops! My updates always get out of control. I really just need to post more. (Oh and where’s that 12 of 12 from January? Well technically, it does exist, just not as an LJ entry.
ALSO THIS! From![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
silly_cleo: Reply to this post, and I'll tell you one reason why I like you. Then re-post this (if you feel like it!) and spread the love.
Um, yeah so some of that is slightly unaccurate now (I found a place for my bday!) but most of it's good and I'm leaving it. Also it turns out that the Freedom cafe is now called Rugbys - who knew? :)
I forgot to actually put any kind of away message on this, but I've actually been on holiday once again, thus the lack of posts. (Oh who am I kidding?! I haven't posted regularly in months! This must be rectified. I cannot believe my last update was when Claire had her seizure.) Anyway, last week I (and 4/5 house mates) were away skiing in the French Alps. Oooh la la.
It was actually a really cheap (well relatively cheap) trip. Budget airfare (easyjet whoohoo), ski rental deals online, and a chalet we rented to share with 20 people total. Basically it was one big party. Oh and lots and lots of skiing! Six straight days, which I think is more than I have ever done all at once. I actually feel decent about my skiing now. I'm not going to be skiing black runs any time soon, but I feel good about the possibility of many red ones in my future. And the people who went ran the gamut for skiing (or snowboarding) ability, so everyone managed to find someone to go out with. Also, on the last night we had a giant party at the Chalet which included Raclette cheese, tons of other food, and colour-coded drinks that matched the runs. You were supposed to only drink the ones of runs you had been on, but that didn't last too long. I mostly drank green actually, because it turns out that I think Creme de Menthe makes very yummy cocktails! (Other people may have said it tastes like mouthwash, but whatever.)
So yeah, good trip indeed. Other things happening?
* In scary news, my dad had a tumour (malignant) on his tongue. It was super tiny and he got an appt for surgery like, the WEEK after they found it (go NHS!) and so it's gone now, which is great. Also great is the clean bill MRI he got saying it was the only one. He's not (nor was ever) a smoker or anything, so it's pretty weird, but who knows. Stranger things. Now he just has to do a bit of speech therapy (hello, part of tongue gone) but he's doing fine so that's good.
* The new girl started at work two weeks ago and seems cool so far. It's SO NICE to have someone other than B to talk to during the day and such. I do miss being in a large social office. Also in work news I am discussing schemes where I go hourly contract instead of yearly salaried, which sounds weird but might actually give me more hours (some with a different company) and more flexibility for my freelance stuff and (gotta have priorities) holidays. IDK yet what I am deciding b/c it's a scary choice, but it might be a step forward for future going out on my own tax business stuff. For one thing, it would probably mean I would form a limited company (of just me) in the start of the new (UK) tax year in April. We'll see. But hey, company name suggestions are welcome! All I've got right now is the thought of US or Overseas or American and then taxes or maybe my last name in there somewhere? I can't decide. I am sad that I can't use "Tax Bitches" which is what Debi and Susan and I always jokingly said we would call the company we set up together someday, but it's, you know, probably not professional enough sounding?! :)
* I am behind on every single TV show I watch. Oh except American Idol, which I am watching from the very beginning rounds properly through for the very first time ever. (Even with the Kradam last year I was late to the party - I actually watched it back to front as I got more and more obsessed.) In other AI news (or Kradam news?) it's like the only fic I'm reading right now. At least it's gotten me off the Harry/Draco kick I was on a few months ago, I guess? And, you know, this is actually the first RPS I've ever read. So, if you don't approve, just skip this paragraph and pretend it never happened. :) Also, I'm kind of obsessed with their Twitters. Well mostly Adam's (and Neil's, oh goodness!) just for sheer entertainment. They were totally the first Twitters I checked when I got back. I also did a song by song (short) analysis of Adam's album, but then never posted it. Maybe later. This paragraph is a bit whoa, huh?
* Back to RL, my brother and I (and various friends) are currently knee deep in World Cup trip planning. I mean we have been for like eight months now, but it’s getting more serious by the week. We’ve got plane tickets (to and inside the country) and most of our accommodation, but the thing that’s the most annoying is getting the actual match tickets. They do it in rounds, some lottery, some rated, and they started about six months ago. So we just applied in the 4th round this morning and if we don’t get some this time I am going to be seriously pissed. I keep trying to tell myself that last time we didn’t get any until April, despite applying up to a year before that or whatever, but that was GERMANY and this is SOUTH AFRICA. Surely it should be easier to get tickets this time around?? Blech.
* It’s my 30th birthday in just over a week (the 17th). Wowsa. It’s weird actually, because it’s not that 30 sounds particularly old, it’s just that I can’t believe that I’m going to be that age. I just don’t feel like a very good grownup. (See above, re: Kradam fanfic!) Also weird is that so many of my London friends now are pretty young. I’m not really used to being the older one in the group. So anyways, I’m hoping to have a big blow-out celebration, have sent out a mass email (and gotten good response, yay!) but haven’t really planned much yet. I really want karaoke, but man is it expensive in this city. I have a few more places to call though, so we’ll see. I just don’t want to ask people to pay a bunch of money to come to my bday – it seems unfair.
* My best friend from school (as in, known her since we were 9) just got engaged and the wedding is in August (hello soon!) in Alaska (hello far!) which is nice, but a pain in my ass. Why must everyone important get married so far away? Anyway, I am a bridesmaid of course, and I had told her I was waiting to visit her when she got married, so guess who’s going to Alaska?! I already cleared it with work (leave without pay) which I was worried about since it’s just under a month after I get back from the Cup. The good thing is, that’s our slowest time of year, and also my possible new situation means I can be more in charge of when I take off. Also I’ve never been to Alaska! And I’m dying to go! The bad news is that I budgeted a ton for the Cup, but this will be one more trip to pay for and it will be LWP so there won’t even be money coming in. Ah well. I’m hoping I can use frequent flier miles since I have around 49000 on AA, but haven’t looked into it yet. I think she’s the last of my good USA friends to go though, so hopefully no more weddings to travel to. Oh, other than my bro’s I guess. If he ever does.
Whoops! My updates always get out of control. I really just need to post more. (Oh and where’s that 12 of 12 from January? Well technically, it does exist, just not as an LJ entry.
ALSO THIS! From
silly_cleo: Reply to this post, and I'll tell you one reason why I like you. Then re-post this (if you feel like it!) and spread the love.Um, yeah so some of that is slightly unaccurate now (I found a place for my bday!) but most of it's good and I'm leaving it. Also it turns out that the Freedom cafe is now called Rugbys - who knew? :)
