Category Archives: work

It’s been a while

What with work-work and freelance-work book-ending my waking hours for the past few weeks it’s only as it winds down I’m finding myself with some free time to post here. I’ve made myself a tidy little sum, however I have no tangible evidence of that, thanks to a hefty council tax bill, renewing my travel [...]

It’s my birthday tomorrow and I couldn’t be less excited

My early present to myself was seeing Guns N’ Roses at Hammersmith Apollo on Wednesday night. In case you don’t know this, and in which case you’ve probably never talked to me, Guns N’ Roses are my favourite band. This makes my disappointment at their show two nights ago all the more disappointing. You see, [...]

Stolen birthdays, expensive haircuts and a perils of being hacked

So my visit to the Planetarium was enjoyable but brief. Louise and I then got some of those new Creme Egg bars, which were as excellent as they sound.
It seems I successfully negotiated to keep my rent at it’s current rate for an extra year, saving myself the princely sum of £520. Unfortunately, that’s only [...]

Wrestlemania wasn’t worth the wait

I managed to escape April Fool’s Day without being pranked, thankfully. I was, however, amused to hear that a radio station near my parents (and by “a radio station”, you know I really mean “the radio station”) had broadcast an announcement that people were panning for gold in a stream behind a pub in Llangennech. [...]

Bargain DVD alerts, meeting old acquaintances etc

Thanks to CD And DVD Bargains I got an email last week alerting me to the fact that Amazon had listed the 7-disc Nightmare on Elm St DVD set for just £6.97. Shortly after snapping up said title they changed their misprinted price to £16.97, but they’re honouring the orders anyway. Lovely!
In unrelated news, an [...]

How to run a university

An excerpt about UCL from the Financial Times’ Lucy Kellaway in an article about university management. Make of it what you will…
Increasingly, universities are run by people who are trying to embrace what they see as modern management techniques. This can be catastrophic. They import third-rate management fads that the private sector has already junked [...]

My weekend.

I’ve had my parents staying for the weekend, which has been nice. Despite being our guest my mother has insisted on cooking, then criticising the weight I’ve put on in recent years. Joyous.
I was pleased to hear that a good friend of mine (and reader of this blog) has finally plucked up the courage to [...]

YYEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!

In the last few minutes the EPSRC has confirmed the grant funding that secures my job for an extra TWO YEARS!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am moderately pleased.

Voulez-vous couchez avec moi?

I have been spitting venom all morning because - for the second month running - UCL have screwed up my monthly salary. Resultantly, I hurriedly arranged a bank transfer from my parents to cover my rent (due tomorrow) and various bills that have been piling up. I got through to the HR department a few [...]

Clever, puntastic title goes here

I have to give a presentation tomorrow, which I am not looking forward to. It’s all about this database I’m supposed to be implementing. Except I haven’t yet. So I’m hastily throwing together some mock-ups in preparation, then making a powerpoint (and working out just what I’m going to say) this evening.
Guns N’ Roses (my [...]