Ari and Lizzie

Lunchtime update today, if I can squeeze it in.

( Read more... )

I realise for a paragraph that started 'oh my, how lovely' that ended rather negatively. But it was lovely. I stayed home and Ari made mushroom soup and rubbed my feet and we caught up on Glee. Sunday, we went for a cat feeding mission again, then it was Sketchy's, which Ari was hosting again, then we went to Chop Chop to spend the £25 voucher they sent me. Hurrah!

2. On Friday I finished up my hours at Magnetic North. There may be a future there, but for now I pleased to have finished up that section of work, because it didn't quite go according to plan (my fault) and was stressing me a lot. Big weight off my shoulders.

3. Then I came home and, Ari was at uni getting pissed (HUGE deadline for her on Friday, lots of assignments in, she now has only her dissertation and no more classes) so I rearranged the furniture. I moved the sideboard sideways, and we now have it set up so the printer is a thing we can actually get to, and put paper in and stuff. Crazy biscuits. I can't remember if I mentioned this, but John and I investigated the attic a couple of weeks ago which was very fun. I am planning to box up a few things we need to keep but don't really need (like photos, and a Virgin Media box which they told us we have to keep (wtf btw?)) and stick them in the attic. It's part of a master plan to Sort Out The Study, which is part of a larger master plan to Sort Out The House, which is part of a larger master plan to Sort Out My Life

4. Went to a taster Zumba class, at the newly-reopened Calton Centre. It's only £4, and next to my house, so I think I might start going regularly.

5. Interviewed Tim Minchin. After a certain amount of delay in timings their end, I got put through, via the PR . It's the first time I've not just had someone's direct line to call. Obviously he's Too Big for that kind of thing. Still, it was exciting. 'Hello, Lizzie from The Skinny' he said 'Hello, Tim' I said, and managed not to giggle.

My feelings about Tim Minchin are in fact very mixed. I love his style, and the way he approaches comedy, and I'm really excited about his orchestra tour. I loved his Pope song because it got down to the important stuff, and 'White Wine in the Sun' has become an intrinsic part of Christmas in our household. But he's also a very Angry Atheist to the point of blind bitterness and losing track of aforementioned important stuff.

I had hoped to maybe get into all that a bit more with him, but I wasn't given much time, so I didn't. He asked me what I thought of Storm and what my views on religion v rationalism etc were. Re-listening to the poem afterwards, what I think is that it's bitter and self-contradictory. However, when he asked me I hadn't heard it in a long time, so all I could remember was it being quite forthrightly skeptical. I said that I thought skepticism could go too far sometimes, but that I really liked the Pope song and that my wife was Australian and we listened to White Wine in the Sun every Christmas, and cried. He said that was fantastic. I blushed.

Mostly because I still do occasionally, when coming out to people. I sometimes still feel awkward using the word 'wife', I suppose because it's not legally correct. I persist in doing it because I believe that is part of my small action to change society, but sometimes I blush. But it was also because I got a chance to tell the writer of one of my favourite ever songs that I loved it, and he seemed dead pleased. Hee hee.

Am planning a blog  / series of blogs about the whole religion/skepticism debate and may possibly use 'Storm' as a jumping off point. Let's see if that actually happens.

He direct messaged me on Twitter to say thank you. I giggled.

I am so contrary.

6. Got excited about a job and, after three phonecalls and two emails, was told the job did not exist, despite still being advertised. I know, illegal. I didn't report them because by that point it was the day before the advertised deadline. Seemed a bit pointless. There's another job being advertised at the moment that is quite shiny, so fingers crossed.

Ok,. that shot a tiny bit over my lunch hour. Better skedaddle, kids.

Have an aces week,

Lxxxx

 Hello. Lots to report this week.

( Read more... )

2. There was a mouse in the house on Monday night. She sat in Cedric’s bowl, eating his food. This proved prophetic – after attempts to get her out, we had to leave her and Cedric to it. In the morning he was very happy, and not hungry. So much for his diet.

3. The MagicF continues. I went to Glasgow on Thursday night for it, and stayed over at Julia’s house, which was fun. I also didn’t so much as speak to Ari for over 24 hours. I think that’s the first time that’s happened in nearly seven years.

In Glasgow I:

• Caught up with Sarah D. We went to see a slightly bizarre but cool show, and had dinner. I am waiting to see how the MOT goes to plan a visit.

• Met up with Gareth to see the Magners Festival Club (very good, recommended, review should be up on the Skinny site soon). Unfortunately arrived late and were sat in the front row. Hate the front row when I’m reviewing the show. I would say ‘ha! Teach me to be late!’, but I was only late because of the other show and I will never learn to not go and see lots of shows.

• Saw most of the Awesome Comedy Film Touching the Void. Gritty real-life mountaineering re-enactment with the best punchline EVER. Even beats Ari’s current favourite, from Life is Beautiful.

• Got to hang out a wee bit in Glasgow, rather than my usual frantic back-and-forth. Have a newfound love for it.

• Went on SubCity Radio to talk about the MagicF. Was a bit ill-prepared, but it was fun.

4. Everything is ending this week. Tomorrow is my last day at Hearts & Minds, and then on Wednesday I finish Stupid Dalkeith Job. Friday, or the beginning of next week, should be the last of my Magnetic North hours, too. The first is sad, but I did get a goodbye muffin. The second I’m pretty darned happy about, though I am also going for a last day lunch, mostly because someone else is finishing up there, too. The people are lovely, to be fair, it’s just far and dull. The third I will be glad to get tied up, just because it’s been delayed for various reasons.

5. Other work prospects are…ok. I’m doing some work on a symposium in Glasgow in June, which will be about one day a week starting for next week, a I have one day a week back at Edinburgh Uni, with the prospect of more hours. I need another solid day to be breaking even. It would be nice to start turning a profit and paying off debt though.

6. I totally saw a couple having sex on the street, on Rossie Place. I turned the corner and thought the girl was possibly being attacked; she was pinned up against the wall and moaning. Then I realised she was enjoying herself. Then I realised she was really enjoying herself, and crossed the street so as not to bump into them. Up against a colonies house! I ask you.

7. Saw Georgie – once at Jonathan’s leaving do, (where a friend of hers accidentally spilt a glass of red wine on me. She was * so * apologetic, and so marvelled about how nice I was being about it, that I can only think she must have really mean friends.) and then again yesterday for lunch. Always so lovely to catch up.

8. Secret project from last week was the making of Hazel’s doll’s house. Ok, ‘making’ is a slight exaggeration. It’s a house we rescued that had been put out for the bins, but was perfectly fine. I did it up for Hazel’s birthday, as she had an ‘everything is tiny’ theme. So for most of the past two weeks I have been:

• Painting the outside of the house
• Stripping some of the wallpaper
• Painting the inside of the house
• Ripping out the carpets
• Tiling two floors; one in cardboard and one in real tiles (the mosaic tiles from our bathroom)
• Knitting a carpet
• Weaving a different carpet
• Making tiiiny furniture, including a washing machine.

I think she likes it – I hope so. It was hella fun to make, but is not yet fully furnished so there can still be fun in Hazel’s future.

9. Saturday night was the night of two parties - went to Mo's fairly early, which apparently is a first - there were places to sit, and there was room in the kitchen, and all sorts of fabulous things. I had one glass of wine, which was apparently one too many; once I got to Hazels' house I went to lie down on her bed for about half an hour as the world was spinning and I felt really, really terrible. I got up and drank water and managed to get a little bit more balanced before I went home, though, and was able to appreciate the tiny tiny party, albeit through a brain fug.

10. Completed the census, with some difficulty. It kept asking me questions about my main job, and I don’t really have a main job, so had to give multiple answers.

11. I am very glad that March is on its way out. It has been a pisser of a month (albeit with some moments of joyful magic). I anticipate great things in April.

Happy Monday!

Lxxxxx

Died. On. My. Hole.

Or, to put it another way:
My first review

Completely fair.

Edit: in case you are tempted, please do not quote this back to me. The review is fair but I have read it, once, and do not intend to do so again in case bits get stuck in my head and haunt me.
(you may however say nice things and give me cake)