Category Archives: Work

Had a Very Productive Day ™

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Simon dusted and hoovered the front room (he even took the glass parts out of the coffee table and cleaned them!) while I sorted laundry and cleaned the bathrooms.

Last thing to do tonight is change our sheets and put up clean towels.  I do love a clean flat!

To answer Hazel’s question, just bought some books and groceries yesterday, so nothing too exciting!  Well, Neil Gaiman’s new book, I guess that’s a bit exciting!

Still feeling a bit blah, but hopefully will up for work tomorrow.  If not, it is off to the doctor for sure.

So Being an American in Belfast Means…

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I get teased.  A lot.  Over the way I pronounce some Irish words.

Anyone who has ever seen the Irish Language written out, knows that pronunciation can be tricky.  Example, the name Sioban? Pronounced Sha-Von.

And yesterday in the office we were discussing a news story about a murder that occurred in Armagh.  One of my co-workers lives in Armagh.  And apparently I can’t pronouce it at all.  To me, the way I said it and the way they said it sounded the same.  Apparently not.

I take the teasing in good spirit, since it isn’t meant maliciously.  It is more amazement that I can’t pronounce these things, because to the natives it is second nature.

And when they really want a laugh?  They ask me to pronounce Carrickfergus.  Apparently the way I say that is hysterical!

Last Night Was Good Craic

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Good food, excellent ceremony.  It was a lot of fun.

To answer my mother’s question from yesterday, I didn’t wear the same shoes as I wore to the wedding because I was running around all night and they were not comfortable.

And the winner of the 2008 25k Award was…

Affyon Networks – an innovative microchip deployed within internet infrastructure which replaces PC’s software security tools [Queen’s University Belfast].

They win £10,000 and the envy of all of their peers.  And help to further their business, but all the finalists get that!  Oh and a lovely trophy.

Once again the staff of NISP out did themselves (including your lovely blogger) and the evening went off without a hitch.  Some stress and drama during the day when setting up, but nothing that couldn’t be worked out, and was.

And the food was delicious!

And all the girls agree the truly Next Big Thing would be high heels that don’t hurt.  Get to work on that someone, okay?

So, Tomorrow Night

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Is the 25k Award Dinner. So we’ll all be at work late tomorrow.  And then we’re going out afterward.

And if anyone can figure out, before tomorrow around 6:15p when my taxi will pick me up to take me to the dinner, what ‘Smart cocktail – ties optional’ means?  Let all the girls in my office know, k?

Personally, I am wearing the same dress I wore to the wedding last week with different shoes.

What would you wear?

I Had An Interesting Day Yesterday

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I spent the day representing the Park at the Darwin200 meeting.  I gave a little talk about the Park and heard about what is planned for the coming celebrations of Darwin’s birthday next year.

I thought it might be a little boring, but it was really very interesting.  And everyone said I spoke well.  So that was a relief!

Today I Preformed Major Surgery

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On our old laptop.  We replaced it because it was having a severe overheating problem.  It kept shutting itself off, it was that bad.

So today, I took it apart. Completely.  From stem to stern.  From hard drive to mother board.

And found? Enough dust and other crap in it to make my own golem.  It was really really gross.

And then I put it back together.  And it works!  And its running much cooler!

So now it is defraging.  And then it will get a disk check.  And then maybe a fresh load of Windows.

And now we have two computers that work.  One is brand new and is good for *everything*.  And the other one is more or less refurbished and cruises the ‘net and can do word processing and such.

Also? I have my work laptop.  So really, we have three.  And the work laptop? Has Adobe CS.  So, when I bring it home, which I don’t always, I can do graphics on it.

And we have a wireless network at  home now.

So come on over, use a laptop.  Its here if you need it!

in other news, I’ve been doing a bit of freelancing, with my SMTs approval, on Belfast Rotary Club’s website.  My CEO is a member and he asked me to help them out.  The same company that did NISP’s site did that one, but I’m the overall web girl for it.  And I’ll be getting paid a bit to do it.

And i didn’t wind up actually losing any weight this week after all.  But I will.  Maybe this week.

So life is pretty good, technology wise.  If only I could sleep…

Up at 5:30

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Which is a whole lot more than the 5:15 I was up at  yesterday.  Yeah, a whole lot more.

I am trying to decide if I should do strength today or yoga.  I am leaning towards yoga as I received a new DVD through LoveFilm that I want to try.  Except that yoga counts as cardio in SparkPeople, and I am scheduled to do strength today.  Maybe I’ll do yoga now and strength tonight.  Wouldn’t that be buff of me?

Had my appraisal at work yesterday.  Didn’t go as well as I had hoped it would.  My appraisal itself was very good.  My pay raise? Not as much as I was led to believe.  I now have to figure out what I am going to do, in terms of my ‘threat’ that I wouldn’t work as hard if I didn’t get the money I deserve.  The problem is that I am, by default, a hard worker.  I am not sure I know how to slack off!  Not to mention that I have many deadlines that I *have* to meet.  So I’m going to think on it a bit.

Oh Man Was That Fun!

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Was out last night for our Building Managers Leaving Do. It was great craic.

Started the evening here at Zen. Had some dumplings and some HUGE New Zealand Mussels cooked Teppenaki style, i.e. more or less grilled. They have excellent sushi as well, but I wasn’t in the mood last night.

Then headed over to The Apartment. Its not the best bar in Belfast, but you can usually get a table if you get there by about 10:30, and we like to sit when we drink!

Ended our night at Mynt. Their site specifically lists them as a gay bar, but it really didn’t seem like a gay crowd last night. Certainly plenty of boys were flirting and dancing with me! I don’t usually like that kind of place, all dark and loud and hot, and they have one of those fog machines with the nasty smelling fog that sends me right back to my theater days. But I was just in the mood last night. And I danced for 2 hours straight, no joke.

Made it home about 2am. Every muscle in my body hurts. And I had a blast.

I also have some photographic evidence. I may threaten to put that up here if people in my office do something I don’t like!

My Weekend Plans and Other Tales of Drunken Debauchery

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So this weekend is Simon’s Sister’s Hen Weekend.  I am only joining the girls for part of it, dinner tomorrow night, but I imagine there will be much booze and fun to be had.

Next week is our Building Manager’s leaving do.  She doesn’t actually leave until 15th August, but the only day most of us could go out was the 8th, so that’s what we are doing!  Will be another night of much booze and fun.

Tonight Simon and I are indulging in some Cava and cake and ice cream, as he was given his permanent contract at work this week.

Diet?  What diet?