T O T K a ttag:www.totkat.org,2008://102008-08-27T20:19:14Z[TOTKat: Online journal of a girl geek since April 1999.]Movable Type Publishing Platform 4.0The Conventiontag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21722008-08-27T20:12:12Z2008-08-27T20:19:14ZI went to the Discworld Convention this year. Having missed the last one and bailed out early from the previous two. I went to see people. It was a good Con. I managed the whole thing this time and N...TOTKatI went to the Discworld Convention this year. Having missed the last one and bailed out early from the previous two. I went to see people. It was a good Con. I managed the whole thing this time and N visited for a day and wasn't freaked out. There were a lot more costumes this time; and very appropriate and seemly ones at that.
The hotel was very nice, if a little pricey. The pool was nicely not full of people any time I wanted to use it, so I put in 40 lengths each on two days (OK, so it was only 15m wide/long). The food was good and it was nice that there were alternatives in the bar, though again the prices were really quite steep. There wasn't really anywhere central to hang around and meet people; the bar was a bit too fragmented for that, but it wasn't really a big deal. BT Openthingy was available on the ground floor; handy for those of us with all the BT Openthingy we can eat on an iPhone contract, but wired Internet access was £15 a day in the rooms!
Overall, I think it was pretty darned good. And it was really really good to see some people again after rather too long not seeing them, and meeting some little people for the first time too.]]>
Lovely eveningtag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21712008-08-21T14:48:52Z2008-08-21T14:59:15ZA while back, I kind of ruined an evening out at The Globe by feeling rubbish and faint and ending up leaving the play after only 20 minutes of the first half. So I thought I'd make up for it...TOTKatA while back, I kind of ruined an evening out at The Globe by feeling rubbish and faint and ending up leaving the play after only 20 minutes of the first half. So I thought I'd make up for it by a surprise trip on the Millennium Wheel.
I booked tickets for 8pm so we'd be at the top as the sun set at 20:15 and didn't tell N where we were going, just that we were going somewhere in town. We met up at Waterloo pretty early so we could get food beforehand and had a nice meal (oh god, I love the Etna Pizza Romana from Pizza Express!) and a bottle of wine before heading to The Wheel. OK, we were a touch early as I was paranoid about the queues that are usually there but there was almost nobody queueing when we arrived so there was no wait. It was a bit grey and drizzly so we decided to forego sunset and just take a look in the daylight.
The ride is pretty, even in the grey and drizzle. Very nice views indeed and we'd both like to go again on a clearer day, and at night, and at sunset. :o)
We trundled through the persistent, light rain to Skylon, past the carousel on the South Bank, for a little drinkie before going home; where gorgeous Bellinis were had and back home in time for a cup of tea and early bed. Which was nice. Very good combination evening indeed. And didn't break the bank either!]]>
Not too pleasedtag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21702008-08-17T16:11:40Z2008-08-17T16:16:54ZIt's been 3 weeks since I got on my bike. Not great. And the little 25 minutes I just did really hurt. I didn't mean to go up Wimbledon Hill, but though bicycles are allowed up Woodside, you can't turn...TOTKat
It's been 3 weeks since I got on my bike. Not great. And the little 25 minutes I just did really hurt. I didn't mean to go up Wimbledon Hill, but though bicycles are allowed up Woodside, you can't turn right into it from the town centre, so it was too late not to go up the hill by that point. I nearly had the breathing thing happen again, but controlled it by dropping a gear and breathing slowly and rhymically. That worked pretty well, but my chest was tight for the rest of the ride.
I did do a nice bit of off road across Wimbledon Common, which was fun, if a little bumpy and tough going on the gravel. Annoyingly, I hadn't reset my computer before setting off so the time and distance is only an estimate.
[5.5 miles [[189 miles]]
Devaluing qualificationstag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21692008-08-15T13:02:03Z2008-08-15T13:05:44ZThe continuing slide of the value of A Level grades... it's slow and creeping but... pisses me off....TOTKat
The continuing slide of the value of A Level grades... it's slow and creeping but... pisses me off.]]>
Uncannytag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21682008-08-15T11:15:06Z2008-08-15T11:17:46ZAmazon sent me a nice little email this morning with recommendations as to things I'd like to buy from them. Top of the list was a 67mm UV filter. Very funny. (The one that got broken was a 67mm UV...TOTKat
Amazon sent me a nice little email this morning with recommendations as to things I'd like to buy from them. Top of the list was a 67mm UV filter. Very funny. (The one that got broken was a 67mm UV filter; none of my lenses take the same-sized filters).
Buggertag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21672008-08-11T09:18:30Z2008-08-11T09:25:00ZWe headed up country for the weekend on Friday, supposed to be going via a motorkbike event but due to traffic and rain and associated lateness, we missed that boat and carried on to our final destination instead. I'd packed...TOTKatWe headed up country for the weekend on Friday, supposed to be going via a motorkbike event but due to traffic and rain and associated lateness, we missed that boat and carried on to our final destination instead. I'd packed my camera to take photos of motobikes, zooming around a track, but now there wasn't a lot of point in having it with me. When I was unpacking the rucksack with my camera in it, the camera slipped out of my hand and onto the floor. I didn't see how it landed, but thought as it hadn't fallen far it would be fine.
As we were packing up to leave on Sunday, I thought I'd get a photo of Rosie-the-cat and got my camera out; went to take off the lens cap and found the catch a bit jammed on one side. That sometimes happens when I've not put it on quite straight. However, when I got the lens cap off, I found that the stuck bit had in fact been jammed into the lens filter when I'd dropped it, and cracked the filter.
I've not dared take the filter off yet, but I'm really hoping none of the little shards has scratched the lens.]]>
:o)tag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21662008-07-26T21:00:38Z2008-07-28T08:47:04ZI'm really very pleased. We made it to Brighton. I'm not that experienced a cyclist and we still got there. 4 hours at an average of 12.5 mph and a few interesting things to see on the way. I'm grimy...TOTKatI'm really very pleased. We made it to Brighton. I'm not that experienced a cyclist and we still got there. 4 hours at an average of 12.5 mph and a few interesting things to see on the way. I'm grimy and sticky and my front brake was scraping almost all of the way. But I feel great now.
8 weeks of cycling and 28% of the total miles in those 8 weeks was today :o) Time to scoff pizza :o)
[[51 miles - [[183.5 miles]]]]>
Bye bye Steph'stag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21652008-07-25T14:26:23Z2008-07-25T14:34:15ZSteph's closes its doors for the last time on Saturday night (thanks for the heads-up on that J), so we went for dinner there last night. Man, was it busy! I had garlic bread with Stilton, chicken and bacon pie...TOTKatSteph's closes its doors for the last time on Saturday night (thanks for the heads-up on that J), so we went for dinner there last night. Man, was it busy! I had garlic bread with Stilton, chicken and bacon pie and the "famous" bread and butter pudding ("please be aware there is a 40 minute wait if you order this") for dessert. And then felt really pretty ill on the train on the way home and pretty horrible this morning.
I've been sipping tea a bit and had some plain toast so far today. Hope my stomach is settled enough for our cycle ride tomorrow (not gonna say where we're going in case I jinx it somehow). I'm a bit apprehensive about the trip as it is quite a long way and the route isn't exactly flat. I'd love to complete it, but there are opportunities to get a train home pretty much all along the route so there are lots of get-out points if it is just too much for me. The weather forecast has at least improved from "thunderstorms" to "slightly cloudy"; which is a good thing.]]>
Teensy bit glowytag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21642008-07-22T19:17:49Z2008-07-22T19:29:42ZKinda accidentally tried to keep up with a really uber-gnarly, super-fit-looking cyclist on the way over to my house. Thankfully, for me not him, his chain broke just before the weird junction near Putney. I would have had a hernia...TOTKat
Kinda accidentally tried to keep up with a really uber-gnarly, super-fit-looking cyclist on the way over to my house. Thankfully, for me not him, his chain broke just before the weird junction near Putney. I would have had a hernia if I'd had to keep up any longer. It's been a poor fortnight for cycling for me as I left my bike at N's and only just brought it back home today. I'm hoping we'll go for a monster ride on Sunday, but after hurting lots today (average 14.5mph, top speed 29.6mph and I think the computer is quite off as it's now saying a 7.5 mile journey is only 7.1 miles) I'm not sure I'm in the best shape for it. We'll see.
Oh and my number is now ported to O2, so I am fully en-iPhoned. Oh gosh it's great. I don't have to carry a phone, PDA, compact camera and mp3 player all separately. Plus, it plays nice little games really well as well and some of the free apps are brilliant; like Remote which controls iTunes libraries remotely. *beam* Thank you, thank you, thank you to N! The best presents are things you wouldn't have bought for yourself but you'd really quite like. Even more so if they are unexpected. And following that, it was perfect.
[7.5 miles - [[132.5 miles]]
RIP the orchidtag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21632008-07-21T15:41:48Z2008-07-21T15:43:57ZThe orchid I bought around Christmas last year has finally kicked the bucket. Not bad I reckon, given that the label said it would flower for 3-4 months and it's had almost 7 months. All of the flowers went kinda...TOTKat
The orchid I bought around Christmas last year has finally kicked the bucket. Not bad I reckon, given that the label said it would flower for 3-4 months and it's had almost 7 months. All of the flowers went kinda brown and limp and then fell off. I'll get a new one soon 'cause it was lovely.
It's that old devil moon...tag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21622008-07-21T10:40:47Z2008-07-21T12:03:05ZI was driving back to my house last night and thought I glimpsed a big, fat moon through gaps in the buildings in Putney. By the time I got home and ran up into the loft for a look, it...TOTKatI was driving back to my house last night and thought I glimpsed a big, fat moon through gaps in the buildings in Putney. By the time I got home and ran up into the loft for a look, it had got a bit higher but was still looking great for a photo. Of course, I have only a very cheap Canon 75-300mm f5.6 lens that's anywhere near going to be able to take a photo of the moon and it is quite a struggle to get a decent shot. I'm not tempted to get a big, fat zoom lens at all. Oh no. (well, actually I'm not 'cause I can't afford one, so.)]]>
Council came goodtag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21612008-07-18T14:10:56Z2008-07-18T14:14:50ZI've been working from home today (due to surveyor visit) and what did I hear at about 08:30 this morning? The rubbish and recycling collection happening! I'm so glad I left the boxes outside the front door rather than bringing...TOTKat
I've been working from home today (due to surveyor visit) and what did I hear at about 08:30 this morning? The rubbish and recycling collection happening! I'm so glad I left the boxes outside the front door rather than bringing them inside like I really ought to have done. I'm reckoning the last two days collections and today's were all caught up today. Wonder how they managed that and whether it involved overtime pay (which might neatly balance out the two days docked pay for striking on the last two days if they were doing 3 days work in just one).
Still. I now don't have a pile of rubbish outside my house, so I can stop caring and get back to my comfortable, middle-class life.
Rubbish!tag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21602008-07-16T18:55:52Z2008-07-16T19:11:37ZCouncil workers in very many councils have been on strike today, over pay. This has meant a lot of rubbish hasn't been collected. I'm particularly unimpressed with this because the recycling collectors "forgot" to take my card/plastic/cans recycling last week....TOTKatCouncil workers in very many councils have been on strike today, over pay. This has meant a lot of rubbish hasn't been collected. I'm particularly unimpressed with this because the recycling collectors "forgot" to take my card/plastic/cans recycling last week. Now I'm left with two weeks-worth of that crate of recycling and another week to wait to see if they can be bothered to take it away. Seriously; I didn't get a pay rise this year, do you see me on strike? Do you see me causing stress and discomfort for others because of it? These guys get it pretty easy, to be honest. No expected an unpaid overtime; final salary pension; the possibility of a 3 year sabbatical after working for only 6 months; 26 days leave, rising to 31 after 5 years service. Like the tube drivers, council workers get little sympathy from me for their cause. If the rubbish/recycling collectors, in this case, could be a bit more reliable when they aren't on strike, I might be less harsh on the subject. But they're not.]]>
*wobble*tag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21582008-07-14T11:08:01Z2008-07-14T13:31:40ZSunday saw a little bike ride to Putney Heath, to The Telegraph for lunch with I, M and little S. It was absolutely lovely. The weather was good, if a teensy bit chilly after the short cycle, and the food...TOTKatSunday saw a little bike ride to Putney Heath, to The Telegraph for lunch with I, M and little S. It was absolutely lovely. The weather was good, if a teensy bit chilly after the short cycle, and the food was tasty. Paying for things was a little tricky though as the card payment machines weren't working too well. It took three attempts for me to pay for food and beers and there were a few irate punters eyeing up the one mine went through on when it was successful and theirs still wasn't. *grin*
S was cute, very very well-behaved and not grizzly at all until he got a bit hungry at about 5pm.
And then we cycled back to Richmond. *ahem* *wobble*
(7.5 miles - [125 miles])]]>
*dies of teh yay*tag:www.totkat.org,2008://10.21572008-07-12T15:54:57Z2008-07-12T16:01:21ZI wasn't going to bother. And I didn't. But I got a surprise present. *dies of teh yay* It's just been filled up with my tunes and a few free apps; calendar synced but 2 of the 4 email accounts...TOTKatI wasn't going to bother. And I didn't. But I got a surprise present. *dies of teh yay*
It's just been filled up with my tunes and a few free apps; calendar synced but 2 of the 4 email accounts are refusing to work for some reason. Not on the O2 network yet, but that'll come.]]>
I went to the Discworld Convention this year. Having missed the last one and bailed out early from the previous two. I went to see people. It was a good Con. I managed the whole thing this time and N visited for a day and wasn't freaked out. There were a lot more costumes this time; and very appropriate and seemly ones at that.
The hotel was very nice, if a little pricey. The pool was nicely not full of people any time I wanted to use it, so I put in 40 lengths each on two days (OK, so it was only 15m wide/long). The food was good and it was nice that there were alternatives in the bar, though again the prices were really quite steep. There wasn't really anywhere central to hang around and meet people; the bar was a bit too fragmented for that, but it wasn't really a big deal. BT Openthingy was available on the ground floor; handy for those of us with all the BT Openthingy we can eat on an iPhone contract, but wired Internet access was £15 a day in the rooms!
Overall, I think it was pretty darned good. And it was really really good to see some people again after rather too long not seeing them, and meeting some little people for the first time too.]]>
