Tales From A Move
Apr. 11th, 2016 10:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redfiona99Only real problem is that I came down with a cold on Wednesday (30/3), and it's either a very bad head cold or a mild flu*.
Actually moved on Friday (1/4). There was some to-ing and fro-ing as to when the removal men were going to arrive (because the company I'd hired had subcontracted it, and then the subcontractor had further subcontracted it). They were an hour and a half late, but it worked out for the best because it turns out I'd forgotten to sign on this week and if I hadn't still been around I probably would have been sanctioned.
Travel up was interesting. Both the men with the van were very nice but terribly convinced by the usual conspiracy theories (9/11 was an inside job, the American military created the AIDS virus, the character design of the Minions is based on Jewish children in the gas chambers**). I tried to correct the AIDS one because, well I'm kind of supposed to as a scientist, but science wasn't working, so I had to resort to 'it's not that the Americans wouldn't, it's just that they're not clever enough, no-one is.' That line of argument sort of worked, but I remain perplexed by the strength of belief in conspiracy theories in otherwise perfectly reasonable people.
The other interesting thing requires more explanation. I was going to rent out the Birmingham flat, because that makes sense, but Mum's boyfriend has decided that that will lead to the downfall of the Western world***. I may have found a way past this because now-ex colleague wants to move out from her mother's, and is waiting for a contract extension. They can have no problems with her as she doesn't smoke, doesn't have a pet and is tidier than I am. The reason for this long-winded explanation is that one of the men in the van had exactly the same rant (but done in comedic style) as C about people of Somalian origin.
Setting out as late as we did from Birmingham meant we were stupidly late arriving into Newcastle and only just managed to get the keys, but we got here alright in the end.
Flat is lovely, if a bit cold. I think the feeling of cold is partly because it is, partly because it's been unoccupied for a while and partly because I have a hellish cold that is making me think everything is colder than it is. Also, it's taken a whole day for the heaters to heat up, the two I can use because the other is still blocked by my stuff. I have too much stuff. I don't even remember getting most of it. Urgent decluttering begins in a couple of weeks.
I'm about 40 minutes away from work, which isn't too bad, and most of that is walking to and from Metro stations so at least I should get slightly fitter.
The banks in Newcastle are bizarre, because they shut at three on Saturdays. Which is annoying when you only reach the town centre at three due to the aforementioned sickly snoozing.
~~~~
Could anyone who is actually Belgian or knows enough about either of the languages there spoken tell me how you actually pronounce Kevin De Bruyne's name, because I don't know how, but I suspect the BBC are doing it wrong.
~~~~
My fever broke sometime during Saturday night/Sunday morning. Amazingly, the flat no longer seems as cold as the tomb now that I'm not shivering myself to death.
Good adverts - the Pepsi Max advert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pahu-cBfioU), and the B&Q adverts.
Watching 'River Monsters', which I recommend despite the title, and mildly flabbergasted that he's hunting catfish in Chernobyl. Also, because he's Jeremy Wade, he feels really sad about potentially having to kill a catfish because he's a catch and release fisherman. However the catfish (if he ever finds one) is a sacrificial victim for science.
Watching Criminal Minds - the one with Adam. Well played on deliberately making the hair and make up to make Adam and Reid look similar.
Watching RED2. Marvin is my favourite. I know this says only bad things about me. I am not watching just for Lee Byung Hun. But he really doesn't hurt ;) Such stupid fun.
I loathe guaifenesin and all it's friends. Or rather, they make me screamingly nauseous, but are the only things that work.
~~~~
Work is interesting. Hard but interesting.
~~~~
Given I'm right near the motorway, my flat is remarkably quiet. There's also a whole flock of some sort of blackbird nesting at a local pub. There's at least a couple of hundred of them. They're fun. There are also ducks at the university.
This morning (6/4) there was even a rainbow of the local LDS church. And when I say a rainbow, I mean a picture-perfect 90 arc. A publicity photo couldn't have done it better.
~~~~
Saw the advert for whatever computer game it is that has an Ashmore brother and Aiden Gillen as their body models. And my immediate thought was 'I wonder what sort of bad guy Gillen is this time'. Like I don't even need to be told he's the bad guy now.
~~~~
Went home at the weekend (hence my random appearance on the 'net) to do the Liverpool Open. Definitely worth it. Not least because it meant someone told me I could actually get to Newcastle Fencing Club using the Metro. It's still a fair way away but at least there's the beginning of a plan.
~~~~
* I suspect flu due to fever and minor hallucinations but I am also a wuss. But I am a wuss who has slept for 16 of the past 24 hours so I am an ill wuss.
** Yeah, I don't even either. If someone can figure out where the (blank) this came from, I'd be obliged. Please use the smallest possible words when explaining because I just don't and can't.
*** C has a bizarre thing about people of Pakistani origin that cannot be explained just by him being old and from Bradford. It is one of the many, many, many things about him that I object to.
Actually moved on Friday (1/4). There was some to-ing and fro-ing as to when the removal men were going to arrive (because the company I'd hired had subcontracted it, and then the subcontractor had further subcontracted it). They were an hour and a half late, but it worked out for the best because it turns out I'd forgotten to sign on this week and if I hadn't still been around I probably would have been sanctioned.
Travel up was interesting. Both the men with the van were very nice but terribly convinced by the usual conspiracy theories (9/11 was an inside job, the American military created the AIDS virus, the character design of the Minions is based on Jewish children in the gas chambers**). I tried to correct the AIDS one because, well I'm kind of supposed to as a scientist, but science wasn't working, so I had to resort to 'it's not that the Americans wouldn't, it's just that they're not clever enough, no-one is.' That line of argument sort of worked, but I remain perplexed by the strength of belief in conspiracy theories in otherwise perfectly reasonable people.
The other interesting thing requires more explanation. I was going to rent out the Birmingham flat, because that makes sense, but Mum's boyfriend has decided that that will lead to the downfall of the Western world***. I may have found a way past this because now-ex colleague wants to move out from her mother's, and is waiting for a contract extension. They can have no problems with her as she doesn't smoke, doesn't have a pet and is tidier than I am. The reason for this long-winded explanation is that one of the men in the van had exactly the same rant (but done in comedic style) as C about people of Somalian origin.
Setting out as late as we did from Birmingham meant we were stupidly late arriving into Newcastle and only just managed to get the keys, but we got here alright in the end.
Flat is lovely, if a bit cold. I think the feeling of cold is partly because it is, partly because it's been unoccupied for a while and partly because I have a hellish cold that is making me think everything is colder than it is. Also, it's taken a whole day for the heaters to heat up, the two I can use because the other is still blocked by my stuff. I have too much stuff. I don't even remember getting most of it. Urgent decluttering begins in a couple of weeks.
I'm about 40 minutes away from work, which isn't too bad, and most of that is walking to and from Metro stations so at least I should get slightly fitter.
The banks in Newcastle are bizarre, because they shut at three on Saturdays. Which is annoying when you only reach the town centre at three due to the aforementioned sickly snoozing.
~~~~
Could anyone who is actually Belgian or knows enough about either of the languages there spoken tell me how you actually pronounce Kevin De Bruyne's name, because I don't know how, but I suspect the BBC are doing it wrong.
~~~~
My fever broke sometime during Saturday night/Sunday morning. Amazingly, the flat no longer seems as cold as the tomb now that I'm not shivering myself to death.
Good adverts - the Pepsi Max advert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pahu-cBfioU), and the B&Q adverts.
Watching 'River Monsters', which I recommend despite the title, and mildly flabbergasted that he's hunting catfish in Chernobyl. Also, because he's Jeremy Wade, he feels really sad about potentially having to kill a catfish because he's a catch and release fisherman. However the catfish (if he ever finds one) is a sacrificial victim for science.
Watching Criminal Minds - the one with Adam. Well played on deliberately making the hair and make up to make Adam and Reid look similar.
Watching RED2. Marvin is my favourite. I know this says only bad things about me. I am not watching just for Lee Byung Hun. But he really doesn't hurt ;) Such stupid fun.
I loathe guaifenesin and all it's friends. Or rather, they make me screamingly nauseous, but are the only things that work.
~~~~
Work is interesting. Hard but interesting.
~~~~
Given I'm right near the motorway, my flat is remarkably quiet. There's also a whole flock of some sort of blackbird nesting at a local pub. There's at least a couple of hundred of them. They're fun. There are also ducks at the university.
This morning (6/4) there was even a rainbow of the local LDS church. And when I say a rainbow, I mean a picture-perfect 90 arc. A publicity photo couldn't have done it better.
~~~~
Saw the advert for whatever computer game it is that has an Ashmore brother and Aiden Gillen as their body models. And my immediate thought was 'I wonder what sort of bad guy Gillen is this time'. Like I don't even need to be told he's the bad guy now.
~~~~
Went home at the weekend (hence my random appearance on the 'net) to do the Liverpool Open. Definitely worth it. Not least because it meant someone told me I could actually get to Newcastle Fencing Club using the Metro. It's still a fair way away but at least there's the beginning of a plan.
~~~~
* I suspect flu due to fever and minor hallucinations but I am also a wuss. But I am a wuss who has slept for 16 of the past 24 hours so I am an ill wuss.
** Yeah, I don't even either. If someone can figure out where the (blank) this came from, I'd be obliged. Please use the smallest possible words when explaining because I just don't and can't.
*** C has a bizarre thing about people of Pakistani origin that cannot be explained just by him being old and from Bradford. It is one of the many, many, many things about him that I object to.
