I am the world's busiest man, or it feels like it at least.
It's only been a short time since my last, final, no-more-daily-rates day as contractor (or "consultant" in corporate euphemism). So far the transition to permie has been completely uneventful – the new job as such doesn't really begin until I move down south.
I have 6 weekends precisely before I am due to start my new job in Landan. In that time I have to:
- decorate the flat to an acceptable standard such that people might pay reasonable sums to live in it
- replace my antediluvian kitchen and get a working washing machine, new cooker, etc.
- find a new flat to live in 350 miles away, with no time off to go and look at places
- sell, give away and destroy a large percentage of my possessions
- put the valuable bits into a van and drive them to Landan
- move the rest into storage
- continue to deliver quality software releases at work under high pressure
- get some research done to avoid getting professionally pummelled when I arrive in a new peer group
- try and keep friends and girlfriends and families happy
- throw a leaving party of some kind
- sleep
So last weekend I was down in London doing some basic scouting (and getting mortally trashed at my cousin's engagement party). Location is everything. Barbican, Farringdon, Spitalfields. Everyone I met said 'The Borough', which looks a good fit.
All help appreciated : )
19-Oct-06 at 10:45 am | Permalink
I’m sure you’ll be fine, when it has all calmed down you’ll be missing the stress. In order to keep friends, girlfriends, and families happy at times such as these, my tip is to cry. It shows that you are sensitive and that you care, but that life is just getting the better of you, and you can’t bear neglecting all these people who mean so much to you, and you feel so dreadful about it,… Finish off in hysterical sobs and then everyone will be trying to keep you happy just so that you don’t cry again. I have to do this almost every time I go to Paris and it has never let me down, even complete strangers fall for it. I’ll admit it’s not very dignified and perhaps I’m getting a bit old for this, but I haven’t found a more effective method as of yet. I also realise it may be easier to do if you’re a girl, but don’t let that stop you.
On a completely unrelated topic, friends of mine want to do a flat swap in February. They live in Montmartre in Paris, pretty cool flat in trendy area of Paris with bars, shops and metro within one minute walk. Also view of Sacre Coeur from the balcony. If anyone knows of anyone in the Big Apple who wants to go to gay Paris let me know.
Just realised this website must be loaded with cookies – it knows who i am, I don’t even have to fill out my name and email address anymore. I don’t like it, I bet that’s why I’m getting all sorts of spam email about new software, new boobs, money that is sitting somewhere in Africa waiting for me to retrieve it, etc.
19-Oct-06 at 1:28 pm | Permalink
>Everyone I met said ‘The Borough’
That’s what I said all along.
19-Oct-06 at 7:53 pm | Permalink
Thanks for the weeping advice. I fear though being the manly granite figure of manhood that I am, it would be interpreted as a breakdown rather than anything else ; )
> cookies
Fear not, the cookies live on *your* computer, not the webshite and are well behaved.
However I am not, and have sold your email address to as many spam companies as I can find.
> Borough
You are absolutely 100% correct. The market bit appears to be a selling point, as well as a general cool factor apparently.
19-Oct-06 at 8:32 pm | Permalink
Lord, that is a hell of a list. Crap you have no time off – I assume Jacobspenis haven’t aided you with any sort of relocation assistance.. How naughty. Well I can make time available if you need help sorting out the flat and moving things. I can paint things too. £4.50 an hour.
20-Oct-06 at 10:57 am | Permalink
I’m afraid I’m thoroughly enjoying my long awaited stress-free and fun-filled existence at the moment, so I won’t be offering any assistance (apart from the general 100% correct advice). It’ll soon be all over though… : )
20-Oct-06 at 4:35 pm | Permalink
Tip #2
Say no to magnolia paint.
Bleurggghh
20-Oct-06 at 6:49 pm | Permalink
You’re moving to London?
I’m disappointed you never took my advice man; I’m tellin’ you, they’re EVERYWHERE!
21-Oct-06 at 12:28 am | Permalink
*hits Jamesy*
21-Oct-06 at 12:23 pm | Permalink
Who is this guy Jamesy? Lurker of some sort I’m thinking.
> give away a large percentage of my possessions
How’s that electric guitar of yours doing? Last time I saw it I thought it looked awfully neglected ; )
As mentioned before I shall be offering my piratical moving skills as and when required. All together now, “HAAAAARRRRR!”
21-Oct-06 at 5:49 pm | Permalink
> give away a large percentage of my possessions
Huff. But they’re YOURS. Huff. Stupid London. Stupid jobs. Stupid moving away. Huff.
21-Oct-06 at 5:51 pm | Permalink
Ps. I’d like your telly please.
22-Oct-06 at 8:10 pm | Permalink
Enjoy London and your exciting future life.
I guess you’ll be utterly desperate to give away all your Sega Saturn stuff, right? RIGHT?
Should I put in a ‘LOL’ here? Maybe a smiley? Would that help?
23-Oct-06 at 10:08 am | Permalink
I thought I’d successfully scared off Jamesy : (
23-Oct-06 at 10:09 am | Permalink
Do you have a spare bookcase?
PS. I don’t have a car..
29-Oct-06 at 10:51 pm | Permalink
aka dave;
heres the address , though as you can see…. half of it doesn’t work, i.e. the PHP and the other half is complete drivel, but should improve with time!
good to bump into you., i’ll be back!
http://www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/~06012963/wpt/blogger/myBlog.htm
it was too long for your website field?
30-Oct-06 at 11:37 pm | Permalink
> electric guitar looked awfully neglected
The bass is having an extended rest, yes. Lots of creative things getting neglected. Not satisfactory.
> piratical moving skills
This is the fine amusing tradition of (i) buying a few 6-packs to fuel the box-lifting and van-packing, and (ii) shouting exclusively in pirate lingo the whole time. Makes it a lot more fun.
> Sega Saturn stuff
Have you got Panzer Dragoon Saga?
31-Oct-06 at 4:24 pm | Permalink
No sir, I do not have Panzer Dragoon Saga as it is consistently about ten gajillion space-bucks on Ebay. All I own is King of Fighters ’95, after my brother left all the Saturn games (and the other Saturn) at his girlfriends’ house. Then split up with her.
TRAGIC.
It totally feels like winter. I hope it snows soon. I will talk in a Boston accent when it does, and wear a scarf. I will live the early 1900s dream, maybe with pugilism.
Yeah.
01-Nov-06 at 8:52 pm | Permalink
Right excellent. My Saturn is my essential portal to XMvSF nostalgia so that’ll be coming with me.
However I did get stuck/ran out of time to play all 4CDs of PDS and I reckon you’d love it, so how about we swap? Maybe for one of your painted picters, for me to hang in the new flat?
01-Nov-06 at 8:53 pm | Permalink
> my brother left all the Saturn games (and the other Saturn) at his girlfriends’ house. Then split up with her.
That is focknig shocking incidentally.
01-Nov-06 at 11:16 pm | Permalink
That deal sounds more than fair. Want anything in the painting in particular? Will the usual over-dense collection of pop culture bullshit and bad faux-horror imagery with no respect for perspective or lighting do you? Because that’s what you’ll probably get.
I have a nice 25 inch x 25 inch canvas kicking aboot and everything.
03-Nov-06 at 8:46 pm | Permalink
Excrement news!
I particularly like the out-and-out creative spunk of sharks.
And the specialised-subject epic apocalypse.
And have a soft spot for the presence of arcade cabs in archades.
But will be happy regardless. I will look out a rejuvenating selection of Saturnalia (I have some doublers* and everything).
* is that what you called it when you had two copies of the same football sticker**?
** in primary school obviously.
04-Nov-06 at 3:26 am | Permalink
Braw.
I should be finished doing some sort of “concept sketches” for my pal’s dad’s rythym and blues band’s new album by 4AM (It is not going well), so I expect to be kicked off that project by the afternoon. Then I’m away off to Edinburgh to stare at dancing haircuts and feel increasingly more obsolete. After that, my schedule is free, like, forever, so painting can begin! I’m looking forward to it, actually.
Incidentally, I think I called ‘doublers’ by the more simple name of ‘doubles’. I called ‘shinies’ (eurgh) ‘silvers’ (yes!).
HhohTtt!
04-Nov-06 at 4:07 am | Permalink
Another 2 points to add to your “to-do” list:
a) notify ex (as well as current)girlfriends of your intention to leave the country(ish) and
b)remove public life from web domain where one can easily be checked up on
c) have a wicked time in london- but leave before u pick up that awful accent!