Saturday, November 27, 2004

Strange correlations

I'm currently watching Billy Connolly's Tour of New Zealand, partly cos my mother is over there at the moment. It showed the map at the beginning of where he was going and showed a town called Dunedin.....which is the name of a hill in one of the Merrily Watkins books. Things from those books have been turning up all over the place, need to track down the others.

Only a couple of weeks now til all the kids come back to work. I'll be seeing Katie W and Matt on the 13th and Kate J on the 19th. Poor Matt though...his first day back he's doing a 12.30-9 shift with Campbell, RichardGuard and me (plus Maggie grumbling away upstairs, which is a good thing as it means I'll be downstairs). Talk about baptism of fire! He'll be showing off his stomach all evening!

Bod had put me down to work late on the 21st but I've managed to swop it with RichieFingers. I've got the 22nd off to recover from the wild night out before. I've actually got bits of time off all over the place because of me being difficult.

Lets see...

13th = 12.30-9; 14th = 12.30-9; 15th = 9.30-6;
16th = 12.30-9; 17th = 12.30-9; 18th = Day Off!;
19th = 10-4.30; 20th = 8-4.30; 21st = 9.30-6;
22nd = Day Off!; 23rd = 12.30-9; 24th = 8-5;
25th = Day Off!; 26th = 10.30-4.30; 27th = Day Off!;
28th = Day Off!; 29th = 9-5.30; 30th = Day Off!;
31st = 9-5.30; 1st = Day Off!; 2nd = Day Off!.

...and then it's back to normal!

Friday, November 26, 2004

Valley becomes fair trade zone

This is also the valley that features in the books The Grey King and Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper.

Thursday, November 25, 2004

Films I Love

Practical Magic
French Kiss
Serendipity
While You Were Sleeping
Return To Me
Sleepless in Seattle
You've Got Mail
Clueless
An Affair To Remember
Jack and Sarah
The Fifth Element
Ocean's Eleven
Con Air
Armageddon (although the beginning makes me cry soooo much)
The Mummy
X-Men (both)
LOTR
Lilo and Stitch
Sleepy Hollow
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
Almost Famous
A Knights Tale
The Mod Squad
Romeo and Juilet
The Importance of Being Earnest

There's probably loads more, but I'm too sleepy to remember any names! (The kittens are both asleep on me and I think it's catching)

A lot of the films I like were ones I decided to watch when I knew who was in them. I actively seek out films with Claire Dames, Meg Ryan and Sandra Bullock in, I just think that they're so beuatiful. To a lesser extent I seek out films which star Drew Barrymore, Anna Paquin, Kate Beckinsale, John Cusack, Hugh Jackman and Liv Tyler.

*sob* *sob* *sniffle*

The other day I couldn't remember the name of the film that Meg Ryan cries over in Sleepless in Seattle. So I watched that, cried lots, and remembered the other film was called An Affair to Remember.

Then today I was skipping through the movie channels to see what was on today, and saw it was on at midday.

I've just finished watching it and crying lots. What a wonderful film! I know I'm a sappy wench but I just love films like that. I'm going to have to srr if it's available on DVD and request it for a pressie.

In fact, after I've finished painting the mirror so I can add glitter later, I shall come back online and make a list of my favourite movies.

PS: Happy Thanksgiving to all y'all American folks.

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

HASH(0x8c18b6c)
You're Brigitte Bardot!


What Classic Pin-Up Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Monday, November 22, 2004

Sweet, sweet Campbell.

Campbell was oh so blonde today!

I gave her a Fishermen's Friend sweet and she put it in her mouth and then asked:

Has it got real fish in it?


Even better than the time she asked for A4 lined paper with lines on!

Work was hectic at times and dead slow at others. Spent most of lunchtime searching the shops for glitter, but everywhere just seems to sell glitter pens now, much cleaner but much less fun and no use at all for what I need it for!

I've spent this evening emailing various people who had emailed me regarding a motorbike I was selling on eBay...well a motorbike the hacker had listed. EBay have reinstated my account and I have passed on the guys ISP and PayPal details to them too, so he should get what he deserves from them.

Phoenix is having great fun with his new camera phone, taking lots of pictures of the mad kitties. I bought him some credit today so as soon as he learns to work the phone properly I shall post some more pictures.

I bought some decorations today and felt quite festive. The only problem is that this means that the customers have already developed the seasonal spirit of being ruder than ever. It ties in to the whole do-as-you-would-be-done-by thing I guess, if we weren't trying damn hard to find the book for you then yes sure be rude. But when we're searching again and again with the wonderful information we've been given "It's a new book, something about a wedding" then being rude is a tad out of order.

Manners have been on my mind a lot recently. I've been puzzled for a while as to whether I expect too much from people, not just at work from the people who talk on their phones while being served, but with the people that I associate with outside work. Then there's the emails that I've been getting telling me I'm selfish and rude and stupid I've then been wondering if I actually have any manners.

Well if I have few manners then all I can say is that they are the kind of manners that expect people to respect my point of view; the kind that respects others points of view; the kind that will not put up with attacks on my friends, whether they be verbally or physically; the kind that expects people to say please and thank-you; and the kind that knows that true friendship is beyond price and they are the ones to be cherished above all.

Time for a bath and a read of "Hat Full of Sky", now that's a book about witchin'!

Sunday, November 21, 2004

I GOT MY EMAIL BACK!!!

Yay!!!!

However I now have to deal with the 500 odd emails from eBay that are in my inbox....presumably the reason the person pinched it was for using it with eBay.

SO SO HAPPY!!!

Thursday, November 18, 2004

REALLY FUCKING ANNOYED!

So the twat who has hacked my email account changed all my profile information as according to MSN none of the information I gave them matches the profile. Because it doesn't match they will answer no more questions about this account and can only suggest I open a new one.

So I have.

I had had that account for over 8 years you know. I opened it on the 8th October 1996 while waiting at the school to help out at an open evening.

I have no-ones email addresses saved elsewhere so anyone who needs me to know their email will have to email me again at my new address.

Whoever this person is (and I wonder if it's the same person that's been emailing me shit for months) I know that this will come back on you three times over...wanker.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.............

Fair Trade Footballs!!!!

New Balls for 'God's Squad'

Fair Trade Footballs - Supplier

Ups and Downs

I'm having quite a good day off so far. The kittens are playing tag up and down the stairs and I've just finished watching The Importance of Being Ernest, which was much funnier than I expected (and I knew it would be quite funny).

The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily, that is what fiction means.

On the other hand I still can't get into Hotmail. Not an internet problem this time, but apparently my password which worked on Tuesday night, was wrong my Wednesday morning. This is rather annoying as you can guess. The reset password thing isn't working either so I'm a little worried that someone has knobbled my account.....

Use the chocolateonskates@yahoo.com one if you want to contact me for the moment, but I can't email anyone as all my addresses are saved in Hotmail (strange that...)

I also got my Permanent Rose proof yesterday! *runs around screaming with joy* RichieFingers was lovely and only teased me with it for a minute or so before handing it over. I read it yesterday on my breaks and then read it again this morning. Very, very, very good book. Made me cry in places (but good books always do). I will attempt to put reviews for all three of the Casson books on my book blog today.

Mum is flying off on holiday today, her flight to LA leaves at 14.30, she gets to LA at 17.45 (LA time obviously) and then has a two hour wait for her flight to Auckland. She will then skip neatly across the International Date LIne and arrive there at 5.30am (Auckland time) on Saturday. She does get her day back on the way back btw (arriving in LA 11 hours before she leaves Auckland, love that time difference!). It'll also be easier for her to ring Emily as the time difference will only really be 4 hours (20 really) she'll just have to delete a day! I hope she does have a totally lovely time, I'm a little jealous but I have plenty of time to go a-travelling later, when the kittens are all grown up (and before we start on babies).

I love the names of the places she will be visiting.... Ngaruawahia, Whakarewarewa, Wairakei, Kaikoura, Omaarama.... I'll have to have a look on a map at work to see where they all are.

The other traveller is also doing well. Her "hot pink" cast is waterproof so she can still wash (a good thing) and Bobo the Bonsai Potato is doing well in his choice spot behind the sofa. In case anyone reading this also reads her blog, she has been writing loooooong posts, they just haven't sent properly but she knows how to fix the problem.

Off to do some washing and write some reviews now. See ya later!

Friday, November 12, 2004

Evening thoughts

I've been trying to write my comments on FtE's weekly discussion for a week now, but can't seem to make the seven or eight paragraphs I have fit in any coherent way. I know what I want to say and the points I want to agree with, I just can't make it flow. Probably a good job I haven't posted about it as just mentioning I planned to meant I got 5-6 abusive emails. BTW nasty anonymous email sender, if you really want the coach I'm traveling to Glastonbury on to crash so I can die a horrible fiery death....don't forget there'll be other people on there will you? Sad bugger.

I finally picked up the second Merrily Watkins book from the library on Wednesday. I'd had to wait for ages to put a reservation on it and it finally came through! Very good book, as was number three in the series. I'm now 20 pages into book four and wishing I'd put reservations in on 5 and 6 already.

We gave the kittens another bath tonight, they were very unimpressed. Foley gave himself a half bath yesterday when he decided to dive into my bath last night. He got a fright and I got several new scratches on my legs. I never realised that having kittens would lead to my legs looking like I'd walked through a bramble patch!

Seriously looking forward to tomorrows trip. I get to spend some time with all my friends for the first time in ages - including Pami who will be in Glastonbury tomorrow too; visit a totally wonderful place, and do some shopping too! Plus, if I get the chance, I want to sit in that window seat at the George and Pilgrim again. When Georgia sat in it she said she felt drained, but at the time I just felt really really grounded and safe. I want to know if this is because it was draining me, but since I had so much excess energy I didn't want and couldn't shed it was helping me, or if it makes me feel that safe again for other reasons. The only thing that worries me is leaving the kittens alone for so long, but plan to fuss them extra on Sunday to make up.

Ohhh...time for bed!

R.I.P. John Peel

If I'd been able to get there I would have gone today.

Thousands mourn Peel at funeral

Love you John, thanks for the music.

*giggles*

I just opened an email from Pixie:

"This article made me think of you."

Tales of a book-monkey

I would like to say that I am very lucky in the fact that I work with very lovely people, who are not at all like anyone in this article, and that I have never openly told a customer that their choice of books is "probably rubbish". Under my breath yes...to their face no...well not yet anyway!

Thank you for that smile Pixie!

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Today's Horoscope

The pursuit of business matters having to do with the creative arts in some way could take up a lot of your time today, KATE. You might work on a grant proposal, consult with colleagues, or actually buckle down and do some creative work. Others will definitely be involved in some way, and you might spend a lot of time on the phone. Be prepared for a busy day and choose carefully how you want to spend it!


Gosh! and there was me expecting a nice relaxing day considering that it's:

a) our first late night opening today, so I don't start work til 12.30 as I finish at 9.
b) changeover to the main christmas campaign.

So I had been planning to spend my evening putting up posters, reorganising display shelving and restacking tables (upstairs mainly so that it looks as good as downstairs - and if Maggie bitches about it tomorrow I may have to kill her!) Good job the astrologers agree or I'd have ended up in an awful muddle!

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Highs and Lows

The last few days have been rather up and down.

I finally kicked my lurgy, helped by Matt's cure-all... KFC Popcorn chicken! I had some for lunch on Monday after someone brought some into the shop and I remembered Matt telling me to go eat some the Sunday when all I could do was cry over Mike. I shall bear this in mind next time I get ill, I'll just toddle off to KFC and stuff myself with chicken strips.

I was woken at 4.49am this morning by a text message from my sister...

ok so firstly iv hurt my hand so its in a cast. And accordin to a canadian published TP Theres a book called last hero before night watch?! X




...you can imagine my reaction! But I phoned mum and found out what Emily had done (see her blog for further info) and decided to stop worrying so much. Plus, she's already read Last Hero!

Today I spotted an email address to request a proof copy of Permanent Rose, so I got very bouncy and excited! I got even more excited when Campbell said we'd had a proof copy and it was in Bod's office. However, I later discovered that it had gone *wails in agony* so had to wait and email them anyway.

I picked up Mab's Pink Floyd book and the calendar and diary for Juell today, but didn't have enough cash to get the ones for Jennie and Jamie yet, but I'll grab them for them next week.

I also found a fabulous Scottish surprise for Mab...but I'm not going to put what it is on here until I've given it to her!!!


Sunday, November 07, 2004

Lazy weekend

It's been a pretty good weekend really, despite feeling like crap for most of it.

I've done lots of sewing, played lots on Neopets, burnt my gorgeous new candles and consoled the kittens on the fact that they have been renamed "the shitweasels". Foley is also now "Daddy's Little Retard", due to the fact he spent about 10 minutes this morning walking about with his tongue sticking out (he'd been washing himself and forgot to put it back in!).

We also had a WPS committee meeting this evening (with Jennie on conference call) so that we could work on the constitution. It went pretty well really, we stayed on track and got it mostly sorted!

I'm off to do more cross-stitch, work on my fantasy publishing house for the work competition and to read FtE's weekly discussion on Tolerance and Respect.

Saturday, November 06, 2004

Pinched from Anna's Journal

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal...along with these instructions

"Most of them have been called up."

A Little Love Song - Michelle Magorian

Crud

Just popped on to the BBC News site and heard about the rail crash that's just happened.

Also read about Fred Dibnah. That's my third one then following John Peel and Princess Alice.

Sending hugs all over he place tonight as things seem to be tough for lots of people at the moment.

At Last!

I've had a couple of parcels waiting at the post office for me for a few weeks now. I've been phoning to get them delivered on my days off but they've never turned up. I can't go and get them as the sorting office is in a rather dodgy area and Phoenix won't let me walk down there (even with him), the fact there's been 4 muggings and a rape there in those three weeks probably has a lot to do with it.

But this morning I phoned up the sorting office as soon as they were open (6.30 am - as I wasn't asleep) and sweet talked a guy into trying to get them delivered today. He said he'd try and I wasn't expecting them at all. But the doorbell just rang and I slumped to the door in my pink pjs and with a runny nose and the cutest postman in the world handed me my parcels!!!!!

So I have a box of very posh chocolates and a mysterious box from someone named Brianne (I wonder who she is) to keep me occupied today!!!!!!


(((((((((hugs wonderful wonderful Brianne)))))))))

*scampers off to find tissues, Lemsip and scissors*

Glargh

The lurgy finally got the better of me....

I've been doing my best to fight it off but running out of Lemsip last night meant it got a toehold on me at last. I've spent most of the day feeling like shite and throwing up lots. Bright moments in the day were when I discovered that Boots have all their own brand cold/flu stuff at 99p (rather than £3.49 for the Lemsip equivalent) and when the signed copies of the new Pink Floyd book came in so I could reserve one for Mab. (BTW, the person on Amazon who says that all the other members read and okayed the book is fibbing. Mason himself says he didn't speak to Syd Barrett as "he has a new life now".) The pictures in it are totally fab too!

I also found a few new books that will be added to my bookshelves in February...

Permanent Rose
Every Boy's Got One
Stravaganza - City of Flowers

With any luck those will keep me going until the next lot of Pratchett appears in May....

I'm staying up with the kittens tonight as I'm way too grotty to sleep properly. So I shall spend some time browsing sites I haven't been to for ages, watch some cheesy middle-of-the-night-TV, and have my hair and sleeve chewed by the cutest kittens in the universe.

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Moving on up?

I found out today that I will be working upstairs over the christmas season...

This is a good thing because it shows that my stock knowledge is recognised, and Bod said that she wants me to drive the merchandising and retail standards upstairs.

But it means working with Maggie...which will be interesting. She's not the not postive person in the world, in fact anything you say is greeted with a negative comment. I said to Bod that I'm determined to make her say at least one positive thing a day!

I'll seriously miss working downstairs. It gets much more hectic down there but we all work together and things just flow. Whereas upstairs means coping with the fact that Maggie thinks that downstairs gets all the priority and no-one cares about upstairs. Well, when it comes down to it, cariing about upstairs isn't something she seems to do and she works there, so why should someone trying to sort the downstairs out cope with her too.

But I'm going to stay positive and basically kick some ass. I'm going to increase sales by just making the displays look better and then when Maggie complains (as she oh so will) I can back up my reasoning with stock figures.

Plus, I managed my first christmas meeting without getting pissed tonight...although I did have a swift glass of wine when Maggie started whinging about customer orders.

Right then, think I shall head off and try some meditating breathing. I know it will come in handy in the future!

Monday, November 01, 2004

Soggy kittens

I had a holiday day today! I'd taken a few days off so I could go home and see Emily for her birthday, and then she went to Canada last week so I've spent the time at home instead.

So I had a nice long lie in, then came and played on the computer. Phoenix gave the kittens a bath and then we cuddled and stroked them dry and happy again.

I also did some of my new cross-stitch Frederick the Literate while watching Missing and the end of Ghost Ship (as I couldn't watch the whole thing last night as I need to watch scary films in daylight).

Last nights ritual went really well, I had such a great feeling of a weight being lifted as the notes burnt away...

...but discovering 5 nasty emails this morning shows that somebody obviously chose not to use Samhain as a time of new beginnings. Look person, whoever you are. GET OVER IT AND GET A LIFE! Why don't you try writing all your poisonous crap down on paper and burning it away? Although I guess that closure isn't really your aim, more trying to piss me off. I know that writing about your emails is going to prompt people to send me more rude comments, plus give you the gratification of acknowledgement, but I just needed a way to tell you that it ain't working. (and before people ask why I don't just email back...they're hidden email addresses....).

Ah, that subject is boring!

Tomorrow I have another lazyish day planned. Play with kittens, play on internet, go shopping with Jamie and possibly to cinema too, and then it's the moot tomorrow night too! Lazy day my foot!