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Current Music = Knocking on Heavens Door by Guns N Roses

I had my appraisal at work yesterday, which was a bit of a pisser seeing as how we were due to go out on Friday night for the Lichfield depot Christmas party.

Anyway, I have a very understanding boss who moved it forward, got it over with pretty quick, and even arranged for someone to give me a lift down to the station so I could get an early train to Lichfield for the party.

All this was carried out successfully and off I went. Ticket bought, and an hour or so later I was in Lichfield. I had a missed call from Janine, and, after calling her back, a lift was arranged for that evening. I went shopping for few bits, and then headed over to the hotel. A few beers and headed upstairs to get changed.

Janine had arranged to pick me up at 7.15, so I had a shower and, with still 90 minutes to go before she was due to arrive, I lay on the bed and started to watch the news. MISTAKE!!!!!!!! I woke up at 6.59, and realised I had 15 minutes to get changed etc. Luckily I had a shower BEFORE I fell asleep else it could have been a very soapy Geoff when she arrived. I headed downstairs at 7.18 expecting a bollocking for being late, when the phone buzzed (no signal in the bedroom) It was a text from Janine saying she would be 45 mins late…phew!.

Current Music = Late Night in Soho by The Pogues

I went down into the bar and it was quite busy. Nat was run off his feet, so I went behind the ba for half n hour to give him a bit of a breather. Started chatting to a customer who turned out to own a pub, and was quite pleased when she said I was a natural behind a bar. I should hope so, I have done it often enough!

Anyway, at 8 o’clock we were off and we soon found the place. There were a fair few people already arrived and then I realised, bugger! I had left the damn camera at the hotel. Oh well, that’s life. I will just steal some of the other peoples pics.

We drank, we partied, we danced some more and we ate food. I arrived back at the hotel about 12.30 and everyone had gone to bed, so I headed upstairs as well. Woke up at 5.30, I can’t help it, it’s just the way my body works. Anyway, I watched the news until around 7, then headed downstairs for breakfast. Funny, no sign of anyone, so I sat and waited, whilst updating FB from the mobile, around 8 still no sign, so I wandered into the bar and a discovered a note telling me to ring when I wanted breakfast, in the end I decided not to bother, so I wrote them a note detailing what I owed them and left the money in the till. I will sort the bill out with Nat next week.

Current Music = Gotta Be Somebody by Nickelback

I caught a cab into Lichfield and the a train to Birmingham. I had a fair while to kill whilst in Brum so I went for a walk around the shops. Now, it’s cold..In fact, it’s bloody cold , and foggy, so when trapped by one of those annoying old ladies who always stop me and ask if I wouldn’t mind answering a few questions (where the response is usually no) I was asked if I would like to go and test a new product. What was the product? On a freezing cold day? Soup? Nope! Tea? Nope….Cornetto’s! Why the hell would anyone want a Cornetto on a day like this?

People never fail to amuse me.

So, I went back to New Street and, after boarding the train and finding it standing room only, and not much of that, I walked straight into 1st class and sat down. The train left, and it was after Wolverhampton when someone came to check the tickets. There were still people stood up in standard, and obviously they had no idea that you can get a 1st class upgrade on a Saturday for a maximum £10. Even then they don’t usually charge you if the train is busy. I was even offered free drinks and snacks??

I doubt I will make it to the games club as I am shattered, so I will probably just go home to bed.

WHat was the best thing before sliced bread????

Current Tune = Telegraph Rd by Dire Straits

Years ago my mates dad used to run a pub in Manchester called Paddys Goose. It was behind the back of Chorlton Street bus station and was inhabited by working Girls, transvestites, drug dealers etc etc, and was a great place to visit. You could meet more interesting people in 5 minutes in that pub than your would meet in a lifetime of other places. I remember once meeting one of Manchesters famous drag acts, who must have been 80 at the time. The stuff he was telling us was hilarious and so scandelous it couldn't be written down even 15 years later.

Anyway, I went out to a pub the other night and started chatting to the locals, to be honest, the quality of scandal was no where near as good. I had to work in Banbury the following day so I headed back to the hotel. Working away isn't anywhere near as glamourous as people seem to think it is.

Current Tune = Sex on Fire by The Kings of Leon

So after working all day Saturday we went out to Oxford for the night. It was £180 for a mini bus and a cab to take us all there and back again, which , even though it sounds expensive, it was only £20 each. We went to Jongleurs and were treated to a mediocre comic, a quite funny comic who used a large number of props, and then the funniest bloke I have seen in ages, who was a comic in a wheelchair. Some of the observational stuff he was doing was very witty. At one point I thought Janine was going to laugh so much she would fall off the chair. After the show the place turned into a disco, so much more drink, much more dancing and much more chat.

We called the cab and he arrived fairly quickly to take us back to the hotel, and drop the rest of the guys off where they were going. A good night all in all, except for Janine being turned upside down and me worrying that she was about to be dropped on her head.

Following day we headed into Birmingham after stopping in Warwick, I headed off to Midcon to meet some mates, then disovered that I had a certain persons bank card in my wallet where we had put ot for safe keeoing the night before. So, after getting it back to it's owner, I went upstairs. Paid £8 registration, bought a steak sandwich at £12.00, played half a game, fell asleep, and went home with Martin at 6 pm. Worth every penny???

Current Tune = Working for the Company by Heron

I have spent 2 days working at Royton, doing the website for the Saver Awards. Hopefully it will go down well. Dunno what to do the rest of the week. Should be back at Lichfield next week however…Oh well..>Maybe I should have an early night. Was more shagged out this morning when I went in for 8.30, than I ever am when I am on the 5.20 train!!

Random Cat Tales

Current Music = Who’s gonna find me by The Coral

One of the hazards of wearing a bright yellow hi-vis jacket at pretty much all times whilst travelling is that people, especially little old ladies of the tea and biscuit variety, always assume you are either a policeman or some sort of official based upon whichever mode of transport I am currently travelling on. So, tonight, I was obviously a train official. Said little old lady (straight from a Campbells soup advert, tarten skirt, blue rinse perm, and the conservative attitude of a right wing American anti abortionist) walks up and demands to know how much the car park costs at the station, and that it was ridiculous that someone such as herself would have to pay £4.50 when they are merely travelling into Birmingham for an evening. I tried to point out that wearing a yellow jacket doesn’t automatically allow me to comment on the price of car parks, in the same way I don’t have carte blanche to arrest someone should I see them robbing a bank, but she was having none of it. I was half tempted to charge her a tenner and says she could leave it there all month, but sanity prevailed and I directed her to the ticket kiosk. She then decided to give the ticket bloke a load of shit as he had FAILED to make it known that all people wearing yellow hi-vis jackets on his station were not railroad employees!!!

Anyway, the train arrived and, to add to the fun as I reached up to put my bag away, the voice of Porky Pig suddenly starts shouting out “it’s ringing, it’s ringing, the fucking phone is ringing”…repeatedly and very loud, as I had hit the button to play the ringtones. Obviously I did the same thing as everyone else which was look around and tut at some kid who was asleep on the chair in the corner. Luckily I was able to switch the phone off with my other hand..Oh well, he was asleep, it’s not gonna change his life!

Current Tune = Close to the Edge by Yes

Last night I bought ANOTHER new laptop bag, the old one having given up the ghost a couple of days ago. The strap went SPROING!!. One of the girls at work had asked me to look at her laptop (Proffit, get your mind out of the gutter…you too Kendrick), and had brought it to work in a body shop bag. Well, after a couple of days with lots of sniggers, I ended up giving her my old one so at least it’s sort of protected. The new one cost £29.95 from Currys and as well as a bag, I got a mouse, a memory stick and 10 CDR’s. Not bad for £30 all in!

I am feeling more than a little dodgy this morning as I had a bit of a day yesterday and then spent the night in the pub chatting to the waitress and staring at her bum….well..it’s a nice bum 

I will go home. Feed the urban terrorist known as Nobbycat, and sleep. Tomorrow is another day. You never know what it will bring, and each day is interesting and fun. To be honest, I LOVE my job. Everyday I am faced with different problems and things that need solving. Hopefully it will remain that. Nothing would be worse than a day in day out grind of a job. Christ I would need 20 pints a day.lol

We are currently arriving at Crewe. People who have read this previously will know my opinion of Crewe. Flatulent little town with bugger all going for it. You can even see, as you arrive at the station, that there are not even any fireworks. Obviously they have already stolen all the cars they can find in order to burn them before Guy Fawkes night actually arrived!.

Current Tune = Woman from Tokyo by Deep Purple

One of the things about writing crap whilst you are on the train, is the topics you get to cover. It makes me wonder how journalists manage to carry themselves through the day. How the hell do you get another interesting slant of the fact that Mr Bodrum has managed to grow a cucumber 4 feet long without asking why Mrs Bodrum has a huge smile on her face? The sarcasm that is so inbuilt within my nature would come to the front. “So Mrs Bodrum, what was your first thought when your husband showed it to you in all it’s glory?” “Tell me Mrs Bodrum, what were you planning on doing with this giant thing” “Mrs Bodrum, were you planning on any other large vegetables?”

See what I mean. The amount of stuff you can get into the smallest story, God help me if I ever got something I could really get my teeth into?

Current Music = Alice’s Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie

Have just got home. Fireworks and bonfires are everywhere in Manchester. I was expecting Nobby to be hiding under the sofa, but no, he is sat on the window sill watching the bonfire across the road and trying to catch the sparkles from the rockets going up into the sky. He seems incredibly disappointed when they don’t come all the way down so he can play with them……My cat is mad!!

Angus , the yappy white fur bundle with one eye, from next door, is going apeshit. He is a yappy dog at the best of times, but when there are bangs going off outside his door it sends him mental. Nobby just looks at him like he is the weirdo on the bus!

Current Tune = Sex on Fire by The Kings of Leon.

So America has a black President? As one of my friends put it earlier today

“congratulations and well done on electing a young, charismatic president who seems dedicated to delivering change and progressing social justice.

Please try not to shoot this one”

I can’t help feeling a teensy tiny bit worried however. Mind you, if they had elected the other crowd things would have been SOOOOOO much worse!

Current Tune = Motorcycle Emptiness by The Manic Street Preachers.

Nobs is now bored with the fireworks and has npw decided tht playing with my feet holds a better entertainment value. He is currently lying at the end of the bed, and is waiting until I move a toe, and then biting it. …..my cat is mad!

frosty the…..errr why would a snowman be called frosty????

Current Music …..Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson.

Bugger me it was cold last night. I woke up this morning and, after stepping out the front door, I wasn’t too surprised to see quite a heavy frost. I love days like this, bright, sunny but cold as fuck!

It always surprises me when people complain. We have had very mild Winters for ages, we are due a fair few cold ones. Global warming doesn’t /shouldn’t mean you can walk around in a T shirt in October!

Last Wednesday I had a nightmare. I had decided to get the later train as, getting to Lichfield at 6.45 was meaning that I was working to 6 at night and the boss was mentioning the overtime. So, I decided to get the 8.15, which would get me there around 9.45. Anyway, I got up, ironed a shirt, went to phone a cab and realised I had left my phone in work. I then rushed to get to a phone box, and phoned a cab. Plenty of time, I had 30 minutes before the train.

Not plenty of time!!!

In their wisdom, Manchester City Council had begun roadwork’s on each of the 3 roads that lead from my house to Piccadilly Station. Needless to say, each one of these roads was as busy as a cheap hooker during a half price sale. We sat, we fumed, I kept looking at the time, and in the end the cab driver suggested we head around and come in from another road. Great idea. So off we wet. Still had 5 inutes, we rounded a corner and there is a bloody articulated lorry backing into the smallest space you have ever seen in your life. It took him 2 or 3 goes. Bugger!. Anyway. We pulled up at the station 3 minutes before the train left. I threw some money at the cabby and raced up stairs. I will get a ticket on the train thinks me. Ahhh no. I was stopped by a Virgin Revenue Protection Officer who wouldn’t allow me to board the train. “It’s a criminal offence to board a train without a ticket” ,he said, at which point the damn doors shut and I had missed it anyway!

Bloody annoying!

Current Tune……Some Cities by The Doves

We have just passed Jodrell Bank. A few months ago I posted a link where you could go and sign a 10 Downing St petition against it’s closure. Well, a couple of weeks ago I (along with several hundred thousand others) received an e-mail from the office of the Prime Minister saying that the campaign had succeeded and Jodrell Bank would stay open. Good news in my humble opinion. People need to be heard sometimes!!!

Current Tune…….Black and White Town by The Doves (I let it play on..lol)

I am going to GAME 08 this weekend t the Armitage Centre in Manchester, I will be there only on the Sunday as I am working at Lichfield on the Saturday. Hopefully I will be able to catch up on lots of the gossip from Essen. I know that there have been more than a few interesting things going on. One of which involves a very close friend and an American Tosser. Hopefully the American Tosser got his arse kicked, but I won’t find out the entire story until Sunday. Can’t wait!
Current Tune….Spirit of Radio by Rush!

We just arrived at Crewe. LOADS of people getting on board. Makes me wonder if there is a train missing! Sometimes it’s like that. One day you will be sat alone of the train all the way down to Lichfield, and then suddenly you are fighting for space. It always amazes me how many people book seats and then miss the train. Usually you will get in the carriages and most of the seats will be reserve t the tables. If you sit at one, you rarely get anyone come up and ask you to move. There are so many bookings where people don’t turn up, I don’t even know why they bother.

Current Tune …..Not So Lonely by The Coral

When I used to own my own business one of the places I used to supply was Selfridges. Their fashion buyers used to come onto the stand, and every year or 2 they would change. I often wondered why, and one of my reps explained that they wanted to keep the fashion fresh and young, so, after the age of 20 you were kicked out of the fashion buying dept and went off to do household fitting or lampshades etc. The newest youngest buyers were the ones who were put in fashion as they knew what they wanted. 2 years later, fashions had changed so much that they were, in effect, no longer at the cutting edge. Shame really…one of them was seriously cute 

Anyway, the reason I have been reminded is I now have, sat in front of me, 2 fashion buyer clones. Obviously straight out of college, degrees fresh in hand, and they have been handed a massive budget to buy stuff for some cutting edge fashion house. Neither of them are concerned much with anything other than this seasons colours and styles and have just had to have a discussion on how to connect the laptop to the internet via the phone. Oh well…come day go day!

Current Tune….Thirst for Romance by Cherry Ghost

We are just pulling into Stafford. Once again all the fields around are flooded. It seems like we only need a couple of hours rain and they flood. The ground must be totally saturated. They have built some new flats on the edge of the town. £210,000 or £510 a month to rent? They are nice, but 1 bedroom, set on the edge of Stafford and surrounded by 2 up 2 down terraced houses. I wonder who lives in a house like THIS????

Current Tune….>Riders on the Storm by The Doors.

Oh well. Only 10 mins to Lichfield now, so will close now. Probably add more later …