Category Archives: me

Reading

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Reading is one of my great pleasures.  Anyone who has seen the pictures of our flat will realize that my husband and I are *huge* bibliophiles.

So, what is on those shelves?

A plethora of things.  I like Mysteries, with Laurie R King being one of my favorites.  Simon likes Alternate Histories.  We both read Science Fiction.

Some of the books on our shelves are unmitigated trash.  And we know this.  Occasionally we like to read trash.  No romance novel trash, but adventure novel trash.  A big favorite is Matthew Reilly, the man of !!! and 2 sentence chapters.  And the 59th Minutes of the 11th Hour Saves.  We both enjoy him.

Some of the books on our shelves are first editions.  I have several Firsts by Robert A Heinlein, my favorite Science Fiction Author, hands down.  I have every book he ever wrote, including the ones written for him posthumously.  And I have several of them in both cheap paperback and First Edition.  If you ever come to my house, please ask before reading any of my Heinlein books, thanks.  I am trying to keep the Firsts in good condition!

We also read humour.  Simon likes UK political humour.  I am a huge Dave Barry fan.

And we have comic books, all kinds of comic books.  Graphic Novels, single issue, you name it, we have it.

We both read, constantly.  I always have a book with me.  And so does Simon.

Reading is, indeed, fundamental.

Playing Games

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I like games.  Puzzle games especially.  But I am also a big Feeding Frenzy fanatic.  We have it for the XBox 360.

What I like about it is that it starts slow and builds up in good stages.  First level is just you and the fish who can eat you.  Then they add additional predators and things to eat, until there is so much going on the screen you are dashing around like a maniac!  A lot of games ramp up too fast, but Feeding Frenzy is just perfect.

But mostly what I play are puzzle games.  Picross for the DS is my favorite, hands down.  I play it over and over, trying to beat my times on each puzzle.  I also play Denki Blocks for the Game Boy Advance, which can be played on the DS.

And I have recently purchased Crush for the PSP.  Also a lot of fun but HARD!

And in case you’re wondering, Simon and I own: a PS2, an Xbox, an Xbox 360, Two Nientendo DSes and a PSP.

Yes, we are geeks, thanks for asking.

Depression and Self-Harm

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Let me preface this post with the note that I do not cut myself.  I do not self harm that way.

So how do I do it?  By picking my pimples. Yes, that is considered self harm behavior.

My face is very discoloured under my chin from picking at the pimples there.  I am trying to break myself of the habit, but I think it does two things for me.  It gives me ‘worry spots’ and, in some odd way, it sooths me.

I don’t just pick my face.  I pick anything on my body that’s pickable.  I had a very odd cut on my upper right arm that I picked the scab on.  I pick in grown hairs on my knees.  Anything I can get my fingernails into, I pick.

Its gross.  I know its gross.  And I try very hard to not do it in public. Or even in front of my husband.  But I also don’t always realize I’m doing it.

I am not sure I will ever be able to stop completely.  Even when I am at my most stable, I do it.  Some people rock in place to sooth.  I pick.

Now That’s What I Call a Productive Morning…

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Started at 8:30 with laundry folding.  Went on to final bookcase building.  Finished with deep bathroom cleaning (both bathrooms) and rounded it off with a lovely soak in the tub.

Now I am going to help Simon carry empty boxes and other rubbish to the bins in the basement and then curl up and have a lovely Sunday Afternoon Nap (TM).

In other news, I am going back on my ‘c food diet’.  That mean, basically, no foods that begin with the letter c.  No chips or crisps or chocolate or cookies or curries or cola.  Carrots and Coriander are okay!

I Don’t Want To Spoil Anyone

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but I have to point out that in this week’s Doctor Who, its the PA who figures out there what the really weird thing is that is going on!

Once again, I have to point out…Don’t mess with the PA!

This PA, the one writing this blog, kicked ass herself on Friday at work.  Managed to copy, bind and get into envelopes all the Board Papers within 30 minutes.  That’s cuz me and my team rock!

In other news…have two big nights planned over the next two months.  End of May we’re having a reunion drink up at work.  I’ve invited all our old staff to join us for some food and booze.  Should be good criac.

Then at the beginning of June is our yearly Charity Pub Quiz.  Also should be good craic.  Our charity this year is the Darwin200, which celebrates Darwin’s 200th birthday next year.  Very sciencey of us, don’t you think?

On Being Jewish in a Christian Country

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So tonight is the first night of Passover.  What does that mean to me, a Jew in a Christian country?

Not a hell of a lot, actually.  I haven’t been to a Seder in, gosh, about 5 years.  The last one I was at was with my mother in Florida at a friend’s house.

I am not an observant Jew.  I do not keep kosher.  I do not observe the Sabbath.  I do not go to Temple.

There is a small Jewish community here in Belfast.  I know one other Jew, a woman I used to work with.  Other than that?  My being Jewish doesn’t affect anything.

Okay, so that’s not entirely true.  When I got married, I insisted that my veil cover my hair as completely as possible during the ceremony.  That was important to me on that day.

Oh and I skew the stats for our Fair Employment Paperwork, since I am the only one in my office who does not check off either Catholic or Protestant, but Other, on the form.  (yes, in NI, those are the 3 choices.  They don’t care what colour your skin is, but your religion is paramount).

Most of my memories of events like Seders have nothing to do with the Seder itself.  I mostly remember the warmth of my mother’s kitchen the year we had a Seder for about 20 people as the women scurried about getting the meal on the table (and it was the women.  Something about it being a Seder makes the traditional roles come through) and then cleaning up afterwards.  I remember looking down the long table that year, with basically my entire family there, and feeling a part of something bigger than myself.  Knowing that all over the world Jewish families were doing the exact same thing at more or less (with the variances of time zones) the exact same time.

Even my most recent Seder, at my mother’s friends house, I don’t really remember the Seder.  I remember after the Seder, helping to clean up in the kitchen.  The hosts had hired a caterer and serving staff to help them, as there were about 25 people there, and they wanted to enjoy the Seder and not be stuck in the kitchen.  Even so, after dinner, the women were all in the kitchen, helping to put away the food and the dried dishes and such. The men? They were watching a sporting event on TV. 🙂

So being Jewish in a Christian country isn’t really that big of a deal to me.  But sometimes I think maybe it should be.

First Day Back at Work

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Its always tough coming back after being off for awhile, whether off for sick or off for holiday. So many things just don’t get done when I am not there.

Our receptionist did a good job covering the CEO for me, so that’s not too messed up.  His diary looks to be in okay shape.  Luckily he didn’t try to do things himself, he always messes it up.

Why is grown men can’t keep their own diaries?  Back when I worked for the insurance company in the States, I was the PA to a VP.  I used to threaten to have cards made up for him to hand out when he was at meetings saying “I am not allowed to book my own appointments.  Please call Robyn on…..”  He never let me though.

Even with Blackberry’s and other PDAs, I can’t trust the SMT with their own diaries.  Makes me CRAZY!

Anyway, I’m back at work.  And I spent the past two days doing website updates.  And getting letters organized.  And other assorted PA type stuff.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring…

Happy Birthday Simon!

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Today is my husband’s birthday.  He’s 34.  I robbed the cradle.

I would tell you what I got him, only we’re in Derry and his gift is in Belfast and he might read this before we get home.  He’ll like it, though!

Also, today is Alyson Hannigan’s birthday.  She is also 34.  My husband likes this, that he shares a birthday with Alyson Hannigan, I mean.  I think mostly because then he can put this post at Whendonesque.  He’s on staff over there.

And there you go, love.  A birthday wish and TWO links to Whedonesque.  How’s that for a birthday present?

How to Piss Off Your PA

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As I’ve mentioned before I am the Personal Assistant to the Senior Management Team of my company.  I am also the Office Manager for the whole office.  And the Official Office Geek.  I have many roles.

At the moment our regular accounts manager is on maternity leave and we have a temp in.  He’s an ass.  A total unmitigated ass.  He wouldn’t know how to be polite if you hit him with a polite stick.  And, trust me on this, the last thing you want to do is piss off the PA/Office Manager of any office.

Do you know what happens when you do?  You get no coffee.  Or biscuits.  You might not even get paid.  You certainly won’t get the office supplies you think you so desperately need.

So many people think that Admin work is low brow or easy.  It is neither.  A good PA, and, to toot my own horn, I am a very very very good PA, can make the difference between an office that runs well and one that runs like crap.  My office runs well.  Very very very well.  Because, as I just said (still tooting own horn over here) I am very very very good at my job.

I keep the SMT’s diaries in order.  I keep the kitchen supplied with good coffee and tea.  I keep the supply cupboards full.  I keep the phones answered, the computers working, the filing done.  I don’t do any of this alone, I work with a good team.  I have an excellent receptionist, an excellent projects assistant and, usually, an excellent accounts manager.  Us girls (as we are all women, whereas the SMT is all male) kick ass on a regular basis to keep a science park where 1200 people work ticking over.

We keep the lights on and the hot water coming.  We pride ourselves, when we are asked for a file, to be able to put our hands on it without thinking about it.  We are the Admin Team.  Don’t mess with us.  You won’t like what happens if you do.

So, if you have a PA or an AA or a Secretary, thank them.  Thank them for putting up with the shit work you make them do (filing sucks, okay?).  Thank them for the coffee they make and the phones they answer.  A Please and a Thank You goes a long way.  A happy Admin Team is a happy office.  Always.

The Amusing Thing About Yesterday

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was my conversation with the psychiatrist.

He would say “Some people hear things, or see things that aren’t there, do you ever do that?”

I would say “No, I have never hallucinated.”

He would say “Do you have the need to do things over and over again?”

I would say “No, I do not have OCD.”

And so on, until I wanted to say to him, Look, I probably know the DSM-IV as well as you do, so just use the damn names for things!

When I told him I’d been on lithium, xanax and trazadone, he looked amazed.  “At the same time?”  More or less.

He did, however, sum me up very nicely. “You do well on meds.  You do okay for awhile off meds, and then it all goes pear shaped for a bit.  But overall, you’re doing fine!”

My family is amused by the saying ‘pear shaped’.  Not a US saying.