We have a plan. It's not highly polished as yet and bits of it will probably remain of a 'suck it and see' nature but it is a plan. If we follow it, we should be all packed up and ready to leave the flat two days before we actually plan on moving. And, you know what? I think we'll make it easily. Writing it all down has shown us exactly how much needs to be done and, as long as we get on with it sooner rather than later, it'll be a breeze.
Essentially, the plan is to pack up all of the things that we don't see on a daily basis (everything in the spare room, in cupboards etc.) and leave the lounge pretty much as it is as long as possible. We want to be able to escape from Box City and have some semblance of normality. We also plan to spend quite a lot of time in the new place before we move in starting on the decorating and things so the sooner we get the packing underway the better.
We've already done a few bits and pieces but tomorrow we start in earnest with the spare room. Once we've cleared it out and packed it all up we'll be able to use it to store all of the boxes once they're full. Out of sight, out of mind, hopefully.
Like any mammoth task, it can be difficult to get started. You look at how much there is to do and can't see any way to make an impression of it and the next thing you know your motivation has disappeared. With luck, by the end of the weekend we'll have done a substantial chunk of it and it will just become easier after that.
Friday, January 23, 2004
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Walking the Streets
Walking through the city during the morning rush hour can be a bit of a battle. I got out of Bank station and was about to walk up Lombard Street towards work when a dense stream of people appeared from the right. All of a sudden there was a solid wall of commuters crossing the road in front of me and disappearing again into an alley between a couple of buildings. Clearly I'd had the misfortune to time my arrival at Bank with that of a trainload or two of passengers recently disgorged from Cannon Street station. Bugger, I thought,and waded in. I had to fight every inch of the way through this ever denser flood of humanity lest I end up carried away by the flow and deposited somewhere on the other side of the Stock Exchange, not at all where I wanted to be.
I finally reached the far side, bruised and breathless and continued on my way to work. It got me thinking, however, of what it would be like to have an eagle eye view of the city and be able to see whether the view of how people walking along the streets interact with each other changes if you look at it at the macro level.
I know, I know, that sounds really sad but I'm afraid that sort of thing just fascinates me.
I finally reached the far side, bruised and breathless and continued on my way to work. It got me thinking, however, of what it would be like to have an eagle eye view of the city and be able to see whether the view of how people walking along the streets interact with each other changes if you look at it at the macro level.
I know, I know, that sounds really sad but I'm afraid that sort of thing just fascinates me.
Marathon Effort
Last night, at about ten minutes to midnight, I finally finished reading Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (at least, as much of it as has been released to date). It's taken me about six months to read the first ten volumes. All 8000+ pages of them. I've been so immersed in the world he's created that it's even intruded on my dreams. And now I'm going to have to wait at least 18 months for the next instalment and I'll probably have to reread the whole thing again before I get to volume twelve (that's the one problem with reading something so huge - it's impossible to remember every last detail 3 or 4 years after you read it and that can make reading any new books more difficult). For now, though, I can take a break from it all.
So, what's next? Well, I bought a few other SF/Fantasy books after Christmas and there are still some books sitting on my shelves that I want to reread so I'm well off for reading matter. First up is Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds. About as far from the Wheel of Time as you can get in the genre, which is probably a good thing. Reynolds' first book, Revelation Space was a masterpiece of original science fiction and I'm hoping that Chasm City lives up to it. The first couple of lines would appear to bear this out:
"Dear Newcomer,
Welcome to the Epsilon Eridani system.
Despite all that has happened, we hope your stay here will be a pleasant one."
It builds the intrigue nicely and makes you want to read on.
I think it will make a fresh change from my marathon effort.
So, what's next? Well, I bought a few other SF/Fantasy books after Christmas and there are still some books sitting on my shelves that I want to reread so I'm well off for reading matter. First up is Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds. About as far from the Wheel of Time as you can get in the genre, which is probably a good thing. Reynolds' first book, Revelation Space was a masterpiece of original science fiction and I'm hoping that Chasm City lives up to it. The first couple of lines would appear to bear this out:
"Dear Newcomer,
Welcome to the Epsilon Eridani system.
Despite all that has happened, we hope your stay here will be a pleasant one."
It builds the intrigue nicely and makes you want to read on.
I think it will make a fresh change from my marathon effort.
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Tuition Fees (Again)
I didn't see Newsnight on Monday when Tony Blair faced an audience of current and prospective students over his plans to introduce top up fees for university but on the news yesterday I did see the girl who is studying medicine who attacked Blair and his plans.
Her argument went something like this: "If a dustman has a heart attack and I save his life isn't it right that he should have paid towards my training through his taxes?" This argument is flawed in a few ways.
Before I get into those, I'll just reiterate that I find myself in the unusual position of actually agreeing with Blair on this issue. Frankly, that just doesn't happen very often and it feels very strange. On the one hand, I'd love to see him lose the vote next week but on the other I want him to win. Very odd.
As for the argument above, firstly it should be pointed out that no one is suggesting that students should foot the entire bill for their university education. The government will still give grants to universities so the dustman will be making some contribution to his eventual saviour's training anyway.
Secondly, and most trivially, if you extend her argument she is effectively saying that she's only doing it as a public service; she's not going to get any personal gain or gratification from it. Fair enough, if she's not going to get anything from it on a personal level then she shouldn't pay anything for it. But I bet that's not true.
More importantly, though is that there is a flipside to the argument which she hasn't followed through. Or maybe she has since she chose another public sector employee as the example. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I change the dustman into, say, a milkman, who works for a dairy, not the government. If she is saying that the milkman should pay for her training as a doctor then, surely she should pay for the milkman's, too? Even if it isn't a degree in milk delivery. Granted she may not actually get her milk delivered and so doesn't 'need' the milkman but how about someone equally 'menial' who works for a power company? Or a supermarket? Follow the argument to its logical conclusion and before you know it, all training would have to be paid for out of taxes.
And what about courses that aren't of such obvious benefit to others? Such as Media Studies or Paleontology or my own degree, Mathematics. Who pays for those?
Nothing I have seen so far has made me think that students shouldn't contribute to their own education. After all, a university education is not purely about gaining knowledge and it is not something that is available to everyone so why should those who have to miss out pay for those how don't?
Her argument went something like this: "If a dustman has a heart attack and I save his life isn't it right that he should have paid towards my training through his taxes?" This argument is flawed in a few ways.
Before I get into those, I'll just reiterate that I find myself in the unusual position of actually agreeing with Blair on this issue. Frankly, that just doesn't happen very often and it feels very strange. On the one hand, I'd love to see him lose the vote next week but on the other I want him to win. Very odd.
As for the argument above, firstly it should be pointed out that no one is suggesting that students should foot the entire bill for their university education. The government will still give grants to universities so the dustman will be making some contribution to his eventual saviour's training anyway.
Secondly, and most trivially, if you extend her argument she is effectively saying that she's only doing it as a public service; she's not going to get any personal gain or gratification from it. Fair enough, if she's not going to get anything from it on a personal level then she shouldn't pay anything for it. But I bet that's not true.
More importantly, though is that there is a flipside to the argument which she hasn't followed through. Or maybe she has since she chose another public sector employee as the example. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I change the dustman into, say, a milkman, who works for a dairy, not the government. If she is saying that the milkman should pay for her training as a doctor then, surely she should pay for the milkman's, too? Even if it isn't a degree in milk delivery. Granted she may not actually get her milk delivered and so doesn't 'need' the milkman but how about someone equally 'menial' who works for a power company? Or a supermarket? Follow the argument to its logical conclusion and before you know it, all training would have to be paid for out of taxes.
And what about courses that aren't of such obvious benefit to others? Such as Media Studies or Paleontology or my own degree, Mathematics. Who pays for those?
Nothing I have seen so far has made me think that students shouldn't contribute to their own education. After all, a university education is not purely about gaining knowledge and it is not something that is available to everyone so why should those who have to miss out pay for those how don't?
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
New Inspiration
As I said on Friday, I have now moved offices and have had to become much more careful about my online activities. Consequently I have been writing most of my posts the night before I post them and have cut down on the number of blogs I visit during the day. The problem is, as a result of the move, I now have more to blog about than I did before. Annoying isn't the word for it.
The office I was in before was on a quiet little road just inside the East End and the windows were small and at normal height so when I was sat at my desk I couldn't really see anything of interest outside. Add to that the fact that the office was generally very quiet, because the business that we support was in an office 15 minutes walk away so no one ever popped round just for a chat, and you can see that it was very uninspiring as far as blogging went. Now I sit next to a floor to ceiling window on the first floor looking across a busy junction in the middle of the city. There are always people wandering by outside, providing me with material just when I can't blog it easily.
For instance, for the last couple of days the world's most disinterested leaflet distributor has been stood on the other side of the road. He has been sheltering in the fire exit of the building opposite, staring at nothing and only marginally waving the leaflet he's being paid to give out in the direction of every fifth person to walk by.
Your average city worker is very adept at avoiding anyone who looks like they might be giving out leaflets. It's a skill you learn quickly otherwise you'd never get to work in the morning what with the swarms of them descending on you from the moment you get out of the station. There's a certain look you put on your face that says "Look, just don't bother. I had a really shit night's sleep and the train was twenty minutes late. If you even think about approaching me with that leaflet for 25% off in Tie Rack I'll take it from you and ram it up your nose." You shove your hands deep in your pockets so they can't be tempted to take hold of something when they think you're not looking and you keep an eye on everyone just to deny anyone the chance to slip a 'Free Starbucks Coffee When You Spend Over £100 In Austin Reed' voucher in your bag or under your arm.
If you were walking past this guy, though, you'd be hard pushed to notice he was there, let alone need to avoid him. He's obviously not bothered about actually handing his stack of leaflets out so it makes you wonder why he just stands there instead of dumping them and spending the afternoon in the pub. I've thought about going over to him and asking for one of them but I think he'd die from shock so it's probably not such a good idea. On the other hand it might put him out of his misery.
The office I was in before was on a quiet little road just inside the East End and the windows were small and at normal height so when I was sat at my desk I couldn't really see anything of interest outside. Add to that the fact that the office was generally very quiet, because the business that we support was in an office 15 minutes walk away so no one ever popped round just for a chat, and you can see that it was very uninspiring as far as blogging went. Now I sit next to a floor to ceiling window on the first floor looking across a busy junction in the middle of the city. There are always people wandering by outside, providing me with material just when I can't blog it easily.
For instance, for the last couple of days the world's most disinterested leaflet distributor has been stood on the other side of the road. He has been sheltering in the fire exit of the building opposite, staring at nothing and only marginally waving the leaflet he's being paid to give out in the direction of every fifth person to walk by.
Your average city worker is very adept at avoiding anyone who looks like they might be giving out leaflets. It's a skill you learn quickly otherwise you'd never get to work in the morning what with the swarms of them descending on you from the moment you get out of the station. There's a certain look you put on your face that says "Look, just don't bother. I had a really shit night's sleep and the train was twenty minutes late. If you even think about approaching me with that leaflet for 25% off in Tie Rack I'll take it from you and ram it up your nose." You shove your hands deep in your pockets so they can't be tempted to take hold of something when they think you're not looking and you keep an eye on everyone just to deny anyone the chance to slip a 'Free Starbucks Coffee When You Spend Over £100 In Austin Reed' voucher in your bag or under your arm.
If you were walking past this guy, though, you'd be hard pushed to notice he was there, let alone need to avoid him. He's obviously not bothered about actually handing his stack of leaflets out so it makes you wonder why he just stands there instead of dumping them and spending the afternoon in the pub. I've thought about going over to him and asking for one of them but I think he'd die from shock so it's probably not such a good idea. On the other hand it might put him out of his misery.
Engineering Works
We went up to Stevenage on Saturday because it was my Dad's birthday. The train journey would normally take just half an hour or so but, due to engineering works, buses were replacing trains between New Barnet and Stevenage. We weren't in any great hurry so we didn't mind this too much but it reminded me yet again of how little the rail companies seem to think about their customers when it comes to rail replacement services. There were perhaps fourty-five people on the coach that left New Barnet at 11.30, bound for all stations to Stevenage. It took almost 90 minutes to get there, two to three times as long as it would have done without all the intermediate stops. And that's my point. The people who are inconvenienced most by these bus services are the passengers that don't want to get off at the intermediate stops. With a little thought the rail company could have laid on a two-tier system, using two smaller coaches instead of a single big coach with one doing the all stations bit and the other going direct to the final destination to cater for the through passengers.
It may cost a little more to do it that way but in the end, their passengers would think better of them for it.
It may cost a little more to do it that way but in the end, their passengers would think better of them for it.
Monday, January 19, 2004
Laughter Free Zone
I don't know about you but the first thing I look at on a Monday morning when I've not been on the internet all weekend is the Make Blue Witch Laugh Award for the previous week. Often with a little hope, I read through the nominations to see whether my name appears anywhere in it. It even has a couple of times, though I'm always just the support act; the straight man who sets up the laugh for the real comedians.
If you take a look at the MBWLA score sheet, you will see my name on it, with a single point against it. That point has been there, all on it's own, for months now, making it seem like I actually managed to Make Blue Witch Laugh, once upon a time. But even that's not true. I was given it just for being helpful. Is it too much to hope for another, properly gained point to keep it company through the long winter nights?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not in this for themhoney so the points aren't that important to me. Really it's the glory I want. The chance to display the trophy here for a week. All I need to do is write something that will Make Blue Witch Laugh. Sounds simple doesn't it?
Now, though, there's an extra incentive. BW is going on holiday next week so the winner of this week's competition will get to keep the trophy for three whole weeks. Three weeks! Even someone as useless with web design as me should be able to work out how to display it in that time. Just. The only problem, of course, is the 'Ronseal' nature of the award - to win you have to Make Blue Witch Laugh and I just don't seem to do funny very well on this blog. Not laugh out loud funny anyway.
Maybe if I make myself sound pathetic enough she'll give it to me out of sympathy?
No? Oh well. ;-)
If you take a look at the MBWLA score sheet, you will see my name on it, with a single point against it. That point has been there, all on it's own, for months now, making it seem like I actually managed to Make Blue Witch Laugh, once upon a time. But even that's not true. I was given it just for being helpful. Is it too much to hope for another, properly gained point to keep it company through the long winter nights?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not in this for the
Now, though, there's an extra incentive. BW is going on holiday next week so the winner of this week's competition will get to keep the trophy for three whole weeks. Three weeks! Even someone as useless with web design as me should be able to work out how to display it in that time. Just. The only problem, of course, is the 'Ronseal' nature of the award - to win you have to Make Blue Witch Laugh and I just don't seem to do funny very well on this blog. Not laugh out loud funny anyway.
Maybe if I make myself sound pathetic enough she'll give it to me out of sympathy?
No? Oh well. ;-)
Sorting - Spare Room Shelves
The sorting continued yesterday afternoon with the last remaining area of general bits and pieces under the microscope, the deep shelves in the small gap between the end of the built in wardrobe and the outside wall in the spare room. We knew what was on most of them and mean to keep it all but there was a pile on the floor underneath them that yielded some things for the binmen and a few bits and pieces from the shelves themselves.
Because I was the first of the three of us (i.e. me and my two brothers) to move out of home and into my own flat, rather than one shared with mates at university, two years ago I was the recipient of various 'charitable donations' from my parents and grandparents of all sorts of stuff, mainly for the kitchen. (The same is happening now that we're buying our first home, instead this time it's furniture - thanks to them we don't have to think about getting a dining table or three-piece suite!) Most of it was old, practically worn out appliances; food processor, toasted sandwich maker etc, that we haven't used since we acquired them. Hence, once I was in my ruthless chucking out mood again, they all found their way into a plastic bin liner and into the bin.
They were joined by a collection of old offcuts of wrapping paper, some old photos that I'm never going to put into an album, two copies of Championship Manager, which I haven't played in two or three years, one of those funny little rugs that fit round the bottom of the toilet and an eight-foot square throw that I bought for £20 in my first year at university. I desperately needed something to cover the yellow-painted brick walls of my room in halls and this great big, dark throw with a huge sun in the middle of it and the various astrological signs arrayed around it fit the bill perfectly. It also covered the sloping roof in my second year room and made the round trip to Germany, too. But I haven't used it at all since I left university except to cover the unsightly double bed in the spare room of our first flat and I'm unlikely to use it again so it's got to go.
I also decided that I really don't need the 60+ copies of Web User that I've been getting for two and a half years so they've gone into the recycling bin.
I'm getting quite good at this ruthless stuff, getting rid of things I wouldn't have dreamed about losing the last time I moved. Maybe my priorities are changing now that we're actually going to own the place we live in.
That just leaves clothes and books to go through, I think. I somehow doubt that I'll get rid of much from those two categories, though.
Because I was the first of the three of us (i.e. me and my two brothers) to move out of home and into my own flat, rather than one shared with mates at university, two years ago I was the recipient of various 'charitable donations' from my parents and grandparents of all sorts of stuff, mainly for the kitchen. (The same is happening now that we're buying our first home, instead this time it's furniture - thanks to them we don't have to think about getting a dining table or three-piece suite!) Most of it was old, practically worn out appliances; food processor, toasted sandwich maker etc, that we haven't used since we acquired them. Hence, once I was in my ruthless chucking out mood again, they all found their way into a plastic bin liner and into the bin.
They were joined by a collection of old offcuts of wrapping paper, some old photos that I'm never going to put into an album, two copies of Championship Manager, which I haven't played in two or three years, one of those funny little rugs that fit round the bottom of the toilet and an eight-foot square throw that I bought for £20 in my first year at university. I desperately needed something to cover the yellow-painted brick walls of my room in halls and this great big, dark throw with a huge sun in the middle of it and the various astrological signs arrayed around it fit the bill perfectly. It also covered the sloping roof in my second year room and made the round trip to Germany, too. But I haven't used it at all since I left university except to cover the unsightly double bed in the spare room of our first flat and I'm unlikely to use it again so it's got to go.
I also decided that I really don't need the 60+ copies of Web User that I've been getting for two and a half years so they've gone into the recycling bin.
I'm getting quite good at this ruthless stuff, getting rid of things I wouldn't have dreamed about losing the last time I moved. Maybe my priorities are changing now that we're actually going to own the place we live in.
That just leaves clothes and books to go through, I think. I somehow doubt that I'll get rid of much from those two categories, though.
Sunday, January 18, 2004
A Pleasant Thought
Isn't it amazing how quickly we forget? Two or three months of having the heating on and the windows closed against the cold and wet and it's difficult to recall the long months when the opposite applies.
The heating has been on this morning, the flat is warm but not hot and I have been sitting in the bay window of our living room, with the sun streaming in and a small window open. I was sitting there just now, reading and thinking about where to go for lunch, when a breath of deliciously cool, fresh air gently rolled over me.
"Ah! Summer is coming," I thought.
That may seem an odd thing to say in the middle of winter but it's true. That breath of air carried the promise of an end to the days of darkness and stale air and a beginning to those of light, warmth and blessedly cool breezes.
They're coming and they won't be too long.
The heating has been on this morning, the flat is warm but not hot and I have been sitting in the bay window of our living room, with the sun streaming in and a small window open. I was sitting there just now, reading and thinking about where to go for lunch, when a breath of deliciously cool, fresh air gently rolled over me.
"Ah! Summer is coming," I thought.
That may seem an odd thing to say in the middle of winter but it's true. That breath of air carried the promise of an end to the days of darkness and stale air and a beginning to those of light, warmth and blessedly cool breezes.
They're coming and they won't be too long.
Friday, January 16, 2004
Give us the Games!
New York, London, Paris, Madrid.
Everybody's talking about...Olympic bids
London's bid for the 2012 Olympic Games was officially launched today and I have to say I feel quite excited about it all. I know there's still 18 months until the decision is actually made and we face stiff opposition from Paris, Madrid and New York but it's difficult not to think of what it will be like if we do win. The Commonwealth Games in Manchester proved that this type of event can be made into a great success in this country and there's no reason to assume the Olympics would be any different in London. The city would be literally buzzing, I'm sure.
Listen to me, saying 'we' as if I'm involved somehow. I'm not, of course. I won't even be a Londoner by the time the decision is made, let alone when the opening ceremony comes along (probably) but that won't stop me acting like one where the Olympics are concerned. I'm even happy for the Government to use my hard-earned tax to pay for it.
The bid is, naturally, focused around the Olympic Park which is to be built in the East End. It will include an 80,000 seater stadium, aquatic centre and velodrome as well as accommodation for the athletes and general regeneration of a fairly rundown area. If it all happens it will be fantastic.
But I don't think that's what's won me over about the bid. What I like is the fact that familiar London landmarks will be used for some of the events, such as Hyde Park hosting the Triathlon and Archery at Lords. The best of these, though, has got to be the most unlikely pairing of Horseguard's Parade with Beach Volleyball. I mean can you imagine what that would look like? I think we should get the nod from the IOC just for coming up with that particular location!
The one bit I don't really like is the poster campaign 'Leap for London'. A picture of a hurdler jumping over Tower Bridge just doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid.
Of course, even if the bid is successful, there will be several hurdles to get over to make the Games themselves a success. Not least of which is the development of Crossrail, which will play a vital role in transporting people between the Olympic Park and the centre of London. But winning the bid may provide just the motivation the project needs for it to be finished on time.
Overall I think London hosting the Olympics would be good for the country, great for our capital city and fantastic for the East End and I will support it wholeheartedly.
Everybody's talking about...Olympic bids
London's bid for the 2012 Olympic Games was officially launched today and I have to say I feel quite excited about it all. I know there's still 18 months until the decision is actually made and we face stiff opposition from Paris, Madrid and New York but it's difficult not to think of what it will be like if we do win. The Commonwealth Games in Manchester proved that this type of event can be made into a great success in this country and there's no reason to assume the Olympics would be any different in London. The city would be literally buzzing, I'm sure.
Listen to me, saying 'we' as if I'm involved somehow. I'm not, of course. I won't even be a Londoner by the time the decision is made, let alone when the opening ceremony comes along (probably) but that won't stop me acting like one where the Olympics are concerned. I'm even happy for the Government to use my hard-earned tax to pay for it.
The bid is, naturally, focused around the Olympic Park which is to be built in the East End. It will include an 80,000 seater stadium, aquatic centre and velodrome as well as accommodation for the athletes and general regeneration of a fairly rundown area. If it all happens it will be fantastic.
But I don't think that's what's won me over about the bid. What I like is the fact that familiar London landmarks will be used for some of the events, such as Hyde Park hosting the Triathlon and Archery at Lords. The best of these, though, has got to be the most unlikely pairing of Horseguard's Parade with Beach Volleyball. I mean can you imagine what that would look like? I think we should get the nod from the IOC just for coming up with that particular location!
The one bit I don't really like is the poster campaign 'Leap for London'. A picture of a hurdler jumping over Tower Bridge just doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid.
Of course, even if the bid is successful, there will be several hurdles to get over to make the Games themselves a success. Not least of which is the development of Crossrail, which will play a vital role in transporting people between the Olympic Park and the centre of London. But winning the bid may provide just the motivation the project needs for it to be finished on time.
Overall I think London hosting the Olympics would be good for the country, great for our capital city and fantastic for the East End and I will support it wholeheartedly.
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