The life of a puddleduck

I think I like this site - keep reading about it in the paper and finally got round to reading it. Well it has two interviews with Kim Deal so can't be too bad. And has a thing about Thomas Tantrum - I still can't decide whether they're brilliant or terrible. I do like this video tho:



It reminds me of old indie videos you'd only see on the indie hour on MTV.

Good weekend - went out on Fri with book club folk - was quite fun - ended up dancing in Mojo. Then yesterday whilst recuperating got a message from Kirsty saying she was just about to go to the pub in Chorlton so went and met her and Ben - was so ggod to see her and Ben's so lovely. Very glad we're staying in touch - need to sort out going to see her in Sheffield. Then had a night in with fish and chip s and 27 dresses - was rubbish.

Today spent preparing for interview. Had one this week but wasn't good as I'd decided 5 mins into a tour of the library I didn't want the job so couldn't be bothered. This was confirmed when they got me to do a cataloguing test but without actually using any standards - just make a record in a word document as best you can. And the point is? And then the guy who showed me to the interview room wasn't wearing any shoes. Not only weird when you're showing someone into an interview but bad health and safety! Am disppointed I didn't take the opportunity to do a comedy interview rather than just a bad one. Oh well already feel a lot better about next interview - not just cos it's back at old place but just going back to academic libraries feels right.

Last weekend went back to Rugby - spent Sat at Fosse Park buying a new interview suit with mom, then went to a comedy night at the racquet centre with the parents in the evening. Was quite fun although their was a hen party who were idiots and some of them ended getting thrown out - classy. First comedian was rubbish, but second was v funny ( ozzie - i think called Wayne Deacon). Then Sun went for a walk to Cawston Woods and then went round to see Sonia with Corns which was nice. Had an hour of complete stress about going to interviews (not sure what happens to me when I go to Rugby I always seem to have a complete inabiility to cope with anything - maybe its being kind of looked after for a bit lets my guard down).

Bits in between have mainly been writing job applications, preparing for interviews and trying to write dissertation. I think I may actually mould into my laptop soon.

Day 1 : Arrived Cape Town after long over night flight with v little sleep. COuldnt check in to hotel til afternoon so they sent us off on the bus round cape town which although I'm usually very sneery about them was perfect for a zombie day (And also gave us somewhere to doze) stopped at the V&A Waterfront for breakfast and quick wander - saw Patsy Kensit filimng something. Then hopped back on bus to Tabel Mountin - would have liked to walk up but about 30 C and knackered anyway so got cable car and had a wander at the top - beautiful views. Back down and back to Camps Bay - hotel lovely - nice blcony overlooking beach for sundowners and staff really lovely and helpful. Camps Bay just beautiful  gorgeous beach and then big mountains behind. Went out to meet g's friend from work and his friend who were also on holiday - went to Blues which was nice - and would have had nice view of sunset if it hadn't been for too many clouds and a big pakm tree. Then went for a couple of drinks before tiredness overtook.

Day 2: Woke late, brunch in Camps Bay. Was just  a couple of days before there was a massive bike ride with about 40000 people taking part so people cycling everywhere. Hopped on tour bus again (public transport pretty non existent) and went to Kirstenbosch botanical gardens which were very pretty. Only did very gentle walking as was super hot and had nice sits in the shade, including one where we were surprised by sprinklers coming on and getting us! Then had to dodge round lots of other ones to get back to the path. Back to Camps Bay and went for dinner at the Codfather which was fab - you got to go to the counter and select which fish you wated - I had crayfish and calamari which was delicious.

Day 3: Early start to go  to Robben Island. Was very interesting but a bit rushed as you have to go on a tour - no time for wandering. About half an hour going round island on old prison bus to see nature side (saw penguins!) and then shown round prison by an ex-inmate. Prison itself interesting but not tat shocking - if you blow up a military base and injure people then fair enough you go to prison ( as the guy sowing us round had) but then they'd done stuff to the family which was just wrong. On boat back was listening to a South African guy talking about it and he was saying that when stuff was happening then just nobody knew about it.

Had lovely lunch at V&A then quick wander round shops before heading back to hotel for a bit of sun bathing and snoozing on terrace. Dinner went out for pizza. Nice place but slightly strange window seat overlooking the little kids begging outside but we gave them our leftover pizza so that was better.

Day 4: Headed off to Stellenbosch - round the Cape of Good Hope - more beautiful scenery - love the ruggedness of the coast combined with the white sand beaches and saw some baboons. Stopped for nice lunch and then got to Spier hotel about 5. Had a quick wander and then got ready for dinner at Moyo which was awesome. Soudns super cheesy - African themed restaurant where we got to eat in our own private tree house but it was lovely. Lots of pretty lights, dancers and music. Food so so - tried ostrich and anetlope ( i think) but loved being in the treehouse - thought it might just be a raised platform but no properly in a tree with a staircase up to it!

Day 5: Wandered round the complex - went to see the cheetah refuge and then had a drive into stellenbosch - was sunday and so everything closed so didn't stay long. Back for lunch by the lake and then did some wine tasting but made an error and only tasted the cheapo wines which weren't particularly nice! Then  Gareth went to watch Cardiff play in the nice bar and I lay by the pool reading. Gareth v happy as cardiff won. Went for dinner in the hotel restaurant which was lovely - super tender lamb - and free - not quite sure why but they gave us vouchers- poss cos G is a travel agent?

Day 6: Long day driving to Oudtshoorn. More good scenery though - this time through hills/ mountains and then lots of ostrich farms. Stayed at BUffelsdrift - Luxury tents by a lake with hippoes in with own little deck over lake. Got to see the hippos when we arrived - they were pretty cool! "Tent" very nice - the kind of camping I can d0. Proper bed and bathroom. Although still didn't sleep that well - kept thinking the hippos.  were coming in. Stayed at hotel for dinner - had angel fish although not the ones i know!

Day 7: Went on game drive which was fun - woman with son also there who was South African but lived in Tubingen in Germany - a little town I went to last year - spooky. Saw rhino and giraffes and lots of deer things.  Bad communication from hotel - we'd thought it was included but then they presented us with a bill as we left - oh well. Then headed to the Cango Caves - nice formations - thnk I've just been to too many caves - they're a little similar. bu nice all the same. Then another long drive to Plettenberg Bay. Stopped at Mossel Bay for lunch which I'd been told was lovely but either we missed the lovely bit or it just isn't . And had disgusting sandwiches for lunch.

Got to hotel outside Plett Bay - Tarn COuntry house which was very cute - beautiful gardens. They offered a three course dinner cooked by one of the managers which was lovely and chatted to the other couple staying there who were nice enough although we had little in common so spent 3 hours talking about holidays! Dinner gorgeous - had kudu carpachhio for starters which was surprisingly nice.

Day 8: Went to Tsitsikamma National Park - went sip wiring on river gorger first of all which was fun. River was pretty low being end of summer and zip wires weren' particularly fast so fun rather than beautiful or thrilling. Then  went Storms River Mouth Park which had nice walks although the ones we wanted to do to the river and beidge were closed because of a fire so did as much of those as we could and did a little bit of rock pooling and then went for lunch. After lunch it was so windy we couldn't face doing a walk - the sand was painful enough walking across the car park so headed back to hotel. No one else eating at hotel that night so they gave us a lift to a nearby town to a nice italian restaurant - ate more lovely fresh fish and drank more wine!

Day 9: Went to Plett Bay although just drove through and carried on to Robberg Peninsula where we did the best walk - just right amount of nice easy paths, walking through sand and pulling yourself up rocks. Saw hundreds of seals who stank! G couldn't cope with smell so he couldn't stop and look at them. Halfway through the walk there's a big sand dune to walk down onto a beach and then onto a mini island which you can only reach at low tide -all so beautiful. Made the school boy error of thinking it was cloudy to start with so didn't need sunscreen - oops both got quite burnt as clouds soon disappeared.

Then went to Knysna for lunch at the marina. Tried oysters - ok but not great - don't think I'll be rushing to eat them again. Had a seafood jumbalaya which was better. Had dinner at hotel again which was still good but not as good as first night.

Day 10: Breakfast and then set off to Game Reserve. Pumba is amazing! Room was absolutely beautiful - big bathtub in the bedroom and balcony overlooking dam and little plunge pool (although weather wasn't good enough to need it!). Had lunch (all inclusive - love it) then onto first gam drive.Felt a little strange at first as essentially it is just a big safari park but it is so big that its actually fantastic and we got so close to the animals - saw loads of things over the 3 days - lions( white and normal!), elephants, rhinos, giraffes, wilderbeest, zebras, cheetahs, hippos, and lots of other things I can't remember.
Back from drive for warming drinks ( also stopped on drive for a nice G&T with warthogs watching us!) and then back to room to find a bottle of champagne and flowers round the bath - well it would be rude not to - we can do romance when its all set up for us - and bzarrely baubels on the bed. Dinner and early night.

Day 11: 6.30 start for game drive - saw lots again - back for breakfast and then a catch up sleep. It rained prety much non stop all day so just stayed in room reading and enjoying the nice room! Another game drive in the afternoon when lukily it stopped raining. Dinner again and another early sleep.

Day 12: another early game drive - got to see the white lion and cubs which were uber cute. Then sadly had to leave - I could have lived in the hotel room quite happily! Caught flight from Port Elizabeth (went for burger and beer in pub across from airport where pint was about 80p - G had found it on previous trip) wih Kulula who do an amusing safety talk. Back to Cape Town and stayng at V&A at Commodore - was actually quite nice to be at a big faceless hotel after lots of little ones. They were all nice but can bea bit cringy with te staff being so humble - makes me a little uncomfortable. I had my suspicions that one of the managers at Pumba was actually an andriod when he went round asking the same questions to everyone- I'm fairly sure we could have said anything and he's have said lovely!

Went for a quick wander round Waterfront while G caught up on football watching. Then went for quick (  anot very nice)  pasta dinner at Pizza hut like place - both feeling a bit dodgy. Early night again!

Day 13: Last day - boo hoo. Went for walk around centre of Cape Town which is pretty small. Walked up Long Steet which has los of nice shops but not really in a shopping mood so just wandered and went in a slave church which had some interesting stuff on slavery. Lunch can't remember, then went to lie by pool - naughty german people hogging loungers with their towels but nice porter man got me a cushion. Dinner very disappointing for last night - Cape Malay ie Malaysian food but just horribly done! Then went to German beer hall for a nice beer and then Ice Cream! Went back to hotel to watch Shooting Dogs - doesn' matter how many different things I see/read about Rwanda it never lessens the shock.

Day 14: Home - early flight made all the more bearable by being in business class - love it! Watched lots of films  had seen Juno and Control on the way over and watched Atonement (really good even with KK) and Into the Wild - all good films and all made me cry!

Pretty much loved SA - think it was our best holiday so far! Beautful country, good food, lots of fun things to do. Think I'm just a bit dense but it was so much  more developed than I'd expected - pretty much like home. There is still very much evidence of poverty - mainly the townships and also the racial division of wealth, The townships were prettty shocking to see at first but I was completely fascinated by them and they do have electricity and running water and tv aerials so although its obviusly not great people ive like taht I think (hope) that its better than being homeless and without shelter. Didn't go on one of the tours to them tho - would feel a bit like pointing at he poor people - or going on a tour of Lower Broughton or somewhere in Manchester.

Had a day off before work which was lovely - just pottered and got Esme back who loves us again- she's even sat on my lap in the last few days. One day back at work before 4 days off for Easter which have just disappeared but hooray I hae managed to almost finish the lit review for my dissertation. Also went to see Diary of the Dead on Sat which was pretty rubbishy. Today tried to go and see body worlds but of course fully booked (not sure why i though we'd be ok on bank holiday) so had a quikc look at big planes and then lunch at Dukes 92 - cheese and more pate than I think I've ever eaten in my life!

Not sure what else I've missed - weeks before hol i was pretty much just filling out job apps but hooray I now have 2 interviews to look forward to so was worth it.... hopefully.

I'm now onto listening to Pulp...

Oh and have watched season 2 of The Wire - not as good as season one but still better than most other things ever. Think I just didn't like the dockworkers as much as the drug dealers. Need season 3 now!

Having a fed up day so have given up the not drinking for February and drinking nice beer and listening to old music (have already done Elastica and Sleeper while cooking and now onto Mambo Taxi).

Last 2 weeks uneventful - last weekend dissertation work, filling out job app and went to see The Diving Bell and the Butterfly at the Cornerhouse (only taken me 4 years to actually go and see a film there). Was really good - considering it is about someone who has a stroke and can only communicate through blinking it was v entertaining. Thought there would be more back story - want to read book now - but still good. Really sad bit where his ex-partner/ mother of children who had been v supportive had to translate for his current girlfriend,. who hadn't been. Beautiful images too - lots of sea. Slightly annoying people in cinema - someone who felt the need to guffaw at slightly amusing things - in a kind of look how intelligent I am to laugh at a French film way. And people discussing the imagery behind us -'so the diving suit represents how trapped he feels '- no really?!

On Sun went for lunch and walk in sun at Dunham Massey - v busy for some reason hadn't occurred to me that everyone else would think to do that too. Bt was good to be in sun - it's so nice at the moment - goddamn cold but so bright - almost makes me not want to move for a change. Although I was talking to Lisa the other day about the problems of living in Dubai - as much as I'd like to for the sun - don't think I could for the culture shock!

Weekend before more dissertation/ job app and dinner in Didsbury on Sat night a Gourmet Burger Kitchen - unimpressed - weird set up - like they'd take the drinks order at the table but not food? Food a bit boring for 'gourmet burger' - but did have a gorgeous banana milkshake. Another walk on Sun round Water Park in the sun. And quiz at Woodstock with BG people in the eve - we weren't too bad considering it was all girls and we didn't know any of the sport! Was fun - I do like everyone but some people can be hard work and I can't quite imagine seeing any of them individuall - definitely a group dynamic thing.

Work, work, work  - had my contract extension letter today and can't bring myself to sign it. Just so fed up with it. Bored of looking at 100s of thousands of records and feeling like I'm walking through treacle every time I try and talk to any one else in the office - even for something straightforward. And always getting stupid hippy woman's input even when I'm not talking to her. And her sending me e-mails t(won't even start on the sending e-mails when you sit a metre away) telling me really basic things which when I then say - what do you want me to do differently - she then doesn't really say anything or tell me anything useful except that it's just for reference, so I constantly feel like I don't know how to do anything whereas rationally I must do even tho I've had to guess most of it as no one gaoddamn talks! And I'm probably not doing anything particularly wrong she's just such a goddamn control freak she can't just let me get on with things. And I think I've been told maybe twice that I am doing ok - once when I went to see useless manager after 3 months to say I had no idea if I was doing things properly and then once by new manager at 8 mth probation review..... I'm a sucker for feedback and it's just not happening.

I need to leave. Have applied for one job back at old place and have another one today to apply for - would be quite a pay cut but work looks much more interesting and quite probably more responsibility than I have currently as pay here certainly doesn't relate to responsibility (confirmed by other people who've not started that long ago). Grrrrr. But can I really just say I'm going to finish in May and just hope for the best. Depends if I think temping for a while is better than working somewhere I hate. Is it better the devil you know? Think I'll sit on the extension letter for a while and mull.

Oh well let's be positive - only 2 weeks til amazing holiday. Can't come soon enough!

Edit - I am still rational enough to realise work isn't that terrible just draining...

I think i can be descibed as suffering from telapathy:

    Sloth-like approach to reality caused by watching too many episodes of a TV show in one sitting. If you still hear lead characters arguing when the DVD is switched off, then fantasy levels are running so high that your own life is going to seem as exciting as a cardboard toilet.

Wire season 1 - so so good. Can't quite put my finger on why - just the right pace? just the right amont of characters so you know who they all are but don;t get bored? Who knows - it's just good! Season 2 ordered (G did download but seems a shame to ruin quality viewing time with a not particularly good picture) so next Sunday sorted already!

Weekend pretty quiet  - went to see Cloverfield on Fir with G and H - was really good but we were sat a bit too near the front and the jerky camera work made me feel so sick that I had to close my eyes for most of the second part. But even just opening my eyes for exciting sounding bits was enjoyable. There was some supid dialogue but not too much - good Friday night film.

Sat spent faffing and trying to do dissertation work. Night the Gs were goign on stag do so was going to go round and watch DVDs with H but were both knackered so stayed in and watched a silly film called Imagine me and you about a woman falling in love with the woman florist at her wedding and then cheating on her new husband with the florist. Message seemed to be it was ok to cheat cos she was really in love - maybe leave husband first? But passed the time and was in the background to me setting up 4OD which seems qute handy - would be better if could get to work thro Xbox but still good for old series - Adam and Joe show!! But after finding all these online goodies now tryng to sort our switching broadband to higher usage limit.

Last night textiles class  - must remember its half term next week. Tonight sofa sitting - have another goddamn cold - seems to be monthly event. Goddamn stupid office with constant air conditioning, Work still crapola - I now have a supervisor who barely speaks to me rather than just colleagues! But new manager lots better but still need to leave. The work is just too dull. On Fri had a complete moment of I can't do this anymore - boredom and working with people who don't speak to me gets me down every so often. But mortgage payments mean I'm not really just going to hand in my notice (however tempting it would be) so have to try and keep some perspective (not my greatest strength) things better this week tho I think that's mainly cos I've actually found jobs to apply for... And woo hoo only 4 weeks til holiday!

From a news story about a man who died copying a scene from an American Pie film where two men drink untl they fall over:

        His friend told the inquest in Manchester that Mr Reid would normally have seven or eight pints of beer a night at weekends and it was "out of character" for him to drink to excess.

Is 7 or 8 pints not excessive? Seems a fair amount to me. Alcohol education not quite kicked in yet.

Almost another week gone already.

Sun - did more work and watched more of the wire, then pub quiz with mostly book group team in eve - was fun but needless to say didn't win. At Woodstock which seems to be the new place to go since its refurb - good for me as its only 10 min walk!

Mon - lovely textiles class - spent two hours doing a silk painting in the style of Klimt and was nowhere near finished. Every MOn its a struggle to leave the house after getting in but love it so much once I'm there - so relaxing! Actually made a batik thing the other week that I  will get round to framing and putting up  ( at some poin...)

Tues - waste of time going to kick boxing induction - they'd been really cagey on the phone about details so wasn't a surprise when they wanted about £500 for 6 months just for classes -no way jose! But looked like it could be fun and there's another pay as you go class further up in Chorlon so might try that.

Weds - went to see Nine Black Alps - I love their music but they're never going to be big despite the fact the songs are pretty catchy because they have no charisma! Playing they're good but the singer just shouldn't speak between. Very strange as he has quite a rock voice but then speaks and has a really weedy slightly camp Manc accent - bizarre. But still enjoyed it.

Tonight - night in watching Project Catwalk (horrible lady went tonight) and catching up on emails and speak to my mom. And half watching a strange Nevermind the Buzzcocks whic featured Andy Scot Lee a lot.... Waiting for G to get home from football to watch another Wire episode - think we will have a marathon to finish on Sun but then hat next - I think I'd like a break to savour the first series but G thinks watch the next one straight away....

And another thing...

Ive had an article publshed - in a library journal with (I would imagine) a pretty small circlation but still - jointly written (well as much as anything is done jointly at work). Not online so no link for posterity.

Exciting things I forgot - have  abeautiful new lap top after Gareth dropped the old one on his toe, have season one of the wire - 3 episodes in (that was last night's entertainment) and hooked already. Less exciting thing - have started trying to work on my dissertation - aim to get it done by Sept....