I think I've blogged about this sort of thing before, but as I'm frustrated I'll go again. I'm sitting in Starbucks in Glasgow irritated at stupid middle class people being rude. It's a disease in Glasgow that I always forget - people with a little money thinking they are better than everyone. It's something I've only ever found in Glasgow, although I know it is quite common in mainland China also (not to me, but others locally).
Scenario- busy Starbucks, benches that face out onto the street. Benches sit 3 people. Young girl sitting there (around 16) on rightmost seat. Not wanting to appear a dirty old man, I ask if the leftmost seat is taken. She stops for a second and says 'yes' (of course not followed by 'sorry'). I turn around and luckily there is another seat that's just become vacant. I'm facing her, mother (poorly dressed, House of Fraser Sale Bag - such a stereotype). Well, that fictitious person occupying the seat still hasn't arrived yet. That really does irritate me at the level of rudeness.
Now to plot my revenge.... I've just spotted a homeless person outside on the street, I'm thinking of nipping out and offering her £20 just to come in an sit beside them as I know that would so piss them off.
Frustrated of (currently) Glasgow.
Woke up early. I'm bored already !, nothing open, very little to do. I guess a day of DVDs and paperwork awaits. I guess tomorrow won't be any better..
Well that's the one decent shop in Cambridge (well okay, apart from the Apple Store) closing today.
I'll really miss:
- Magazines - easily the best magazine selection in the UK including US magazines (which contrary to popular belief aren't just books full of ad's).
- Opening times - sensible opening times targeting the '50 quid bloke', the ability to actually buy something sensible in Cambridge after 5:30PM.
- Staff - overall really good staff. One of the few places in Cambridge that wouldn't p*** me off within 10 seconds of walking into the place (although the recession has helped in filtering bad attitudes out).
I won't miss the frustrating computer system that all bookshops seem to have, whereby if they need to search for details of a book they seem clueless and you have to pull out the iPhone and go onto Amazon to get details !
Woke up this morning early and decided to head into London. I've been meaning to go shopping for some time (it feels so long since I've been in the west end). Of course this is a serious of error of judgement traveling on a day where there is bad weather (flurry of snow = bad weather in the South East), also the Saturday before Xmas. Thankfully I'll arrive in the city before 9AM so should avoid the rush. Probably the tube will be down due to staff not being able to get into work, which of course brings down the entire public transport system.
As usual waiting room full of Cambridge people (no surprise), the 'Breadsticks and Hummus brigade' (that's my speak for new-age family that think stopping their kids from shouting stifles their creativity, whilst most of us find it bloody annoying, I find these people so selfish). Never mind I'll be on the train from Kings Lynn soon where I'll meet the 'Calpol and Turkey Nugget' brigade.
Of course there are some things that always cheer you up at Cambridge station, such as the array of tourists taking pictures of absolutely everything. Departure boards are my favourites. I often wonder if they take pictures of the toilets also ? (if only to show how backward British loo's are since they don't have electronics built into them).
Spotted this the other day at the station:
Health & Safety gone mad - telling people to be careful when drunk on the platform !
I love when it snows. Of course there is the usual inconvenience factor (such as the whole of England shutting down when there is a flurry of snow) which lead to the classic nonsense excuses for not being able to do things. What I like especially is how uniform and clean everything looks (at least in the first few hours).
Last night in the village when I decided to go out and get some supplies (hot drinks and cakes):
Tomorrow bright and early, looking forward to it as I haven't been for such a long time. Hopefully some good food and views..
Today was one of those days when things seemed to click. Well, it didn't start well. Woke up at 6AM, reviewed yesterdays touch-up painting- yes it was a darker shade so I now had leopard spots in the walls- disaster. Had shower, went downstairs and noticed the roof was dripping.
After I had a coffee to cheer myself up was writing e-mail to developer to have someone out to fix the plumbing. Then doorbell goes- it's the developer ! (arrived to fix one of the lights in the bollards outside the entrance to the house). He looked at the plumbing and called someone, also provided me with some of the correct paint for the walls.
Spent today catching up on high priority tasks for work (good), cleared all personal chase up things (lots of calls to make), made nice dinner, caught up with friends. Sat tonight in the living room clearing paperwork listening to Classic FM on my new Pure Sensia radio.
All in all a good day ! Paris Wed/Thu- good food and a nice train journey :).
I've had a small wooden box of CDs in the house for about 10 years now. I hadn't realised (until today) that I hadn't imported them into iTunes. Well, what I have been missing - easily the largest set of 5* ratings in a group of CDs that I have. Actually, I need to spend much more time sorting my music out - a good collection of CDs spanning make to ca. 1990 when I bought my first (proper) CD player with money earned working during school holidays. iTunes tells me that I have 17099 tracks (57 days of solid music).
Probably the best find of the day was a CD containing random 70's music that I recall came free with a magazine. I do love the Dave Allen theme tune:
Is it:
- The weather (cold and raining),
- The culture shock (back to the UK)
- The fact that it's so bloody difficult to get anything done here (1.5hrs on the 'phone to BT)
- End of year tired (like usual)
- Jetlag / lack of sleep (which is the case)
Or maybe all of the above ? I'm feeling down and unmotivated right now. I need to pull out of it- which I know I will- but it takes time.....
