Zombie-fied

I am so knackered right now. It's been a long day. I've just finished putting together a powerpoint for a teaching session I'm doing tomorrow, which I agreed to do at last minute (i.e. today), so it probably makes very little sense right now. I'll have to check it again when I'm more alive.

Also I passed my AED requal, depsite forgetting to call for an ambulance, but suffice to say that if (god forbid) I ever had to use the defib in real life, I would be pooing myself so much that the first thing on my mind would be calling in the professionals.

I'm too tired to write more, so night night.

PS. I just had a thought, the entire country is braced for snow tomorrow, wouldn't it be funny if it didnt happen, hehehehe.

Bah

My hopes of winning the lottery have again been dashed, and this time I had actually bought a ticket...

Ah well maybe next year

Well it's been an up and down week. Best not to ask anyway.

As for the 2007 Bloggies, I wasn't on the shortlist, which didn't come as a surprise to me. But what did come as a surpise to me was that several of my favourite blogs didn't make it in either. Well, barr the amazing Girl with a One Track Mind.

Anyhow, I'm using this as a reason to find more funky blogs to read, so please do as I do and have a read of the nominated blogs and vote.

I'm off out now, yay I have a social life!

A typical night out

This is what happens when Lola gets tipsy and there are poles about. We should try to not let this happen in future as it leaves very painful bruises and aching muscles.

Hello all

This will be the last time I post as a 21 year old. In half an hours time it will be my 22nd birthday, now hands up who thinks I'm old *puts hand up*.

Anyway tomorrow I'm off to London with my family for a birthday weekend to remember. Shopping, theatre and drinking. You can't beat it with a bouncer.

Finally there's still a tiny bit of time left to vote for your favourite blogs in the 2007 Blog Awards vote for me, it's my birthday! I'm kidding, vote for your favourites while there's still a chance to.

Right all, enjoy your weekend, I shall be enjoying mine, even if I will be 22.

Bloggies

Just came across this: 2007 Weblog Awards. So vote for your favourite blogs as I know I will be.

As for how I'm doing right now, I had a bit of an upsetting night last night. Nothing I can't handle in the cold light of day, I just get on with it and put my brave face back on. But suffice to say I don't think discussing it further would help any. That includes the people who know me outside of the world wide web, I don't want to talk about it.

Anyhow, before the night turned bad I managed to learn a few new poledancing moves. I actually went upside down (with the help of a poledancing randomer), it didn't look good but it'll improve in time... Here's someone who's a lot better at me at poledancing, although I just learnt how to do the move she does at about 1 min 3 seconds, enjoy.

Happy New Year!

Well it's now 2007 and I'm still left wondering where the heck 2006 went. So I decided to find out where the year disappeared by thinking over what were the highlights for 2006 for me, the best times, the worst times and the plain odd times. Carmelo inspired me to write this after I saw his post on the topic sorry for robbing off with your idea, Carmelo!

This day one year ago started off with me at a friends house celebrating the beginning of 2006. By about 2am I had managed to fall asleep on the floor using my best friends leg as a pillow, I don't think he minded too much. I didn't sleep for long and soon headed back to my house.
Note: This is a strange parallel of this year, where I stayed at home, fell asleep on the sofa in the early hours and woke up and went to bed at 6am.

As I'm a january baby the next highlight for me was my birthday. I was 21 years old and for the first time ever I had an exam on my birthday! I survived evil exams but only just, and made a resolution to study harder for my next exams (which I did). The fun came roughly two weeks after my birthday, when exams were over and a group of my friends and I painted the town red. It was the first time I'd ever been into Reflex, and although I didn't swing round the pole on this occasion, I did pose on it, leading to a rather infamous picture... Later in the year I would play on the pole and it would lead to bruises and an incomprehensible urge to play some more.

In 2006 I was chairperson for Links (up until the summer anyway) and therefore had all the stress associated with running a division, plus that of being in my last year at University. My hair was slowly coming out in rather worrying clumps in the shower. However 2006 was the year I managed to get it together, and not only did the unit survive me running it, but I managed to cope with my last exams and dissertation reasonably well.

In Jan 2006 my Dad started the job of decorating the hallway and dining room, and I'm pleased to report it was finally finished in October/November 2006. Only several months behind schedule.

I attended the Grand National, one of the biggest horse racing events in the world. I went with St John, as there was no way I'd be able to afford a ticket. The first day of it I was paired with a friend of mine by the parade circle. Highlights include us standing still too long in the cold and then being unable to move our legs, getting a cuppa while a race was on and having to gulp it down as we had to get back to our post before they cordoned off the area for the horses to come back in, getting soaked in the torrential rain while talking to some police officers (they were wondering why they were doing this, but at least they were getting paid, damn them), and returning to the first aid post after aforementioned drenching, looking a bit frostbitten and getting a nice sit down and a cup of tea in there. Good stuff.

The second day I was on the other end of the grounds and was with the now current chair of Links (my vice chair at the time), we were given an AED and when we got called to a something where we would have to use it, I was nearly pooing myself. We couldn't find the casualty and we were running like hell while I tried to get a more definite location from control over our radio. We ran into my best friend (a paramedic) and then we found the casualty, the ambulance service were already working on him, and we got stood down, thank goodness for that. My mate was laughing at me later on saying he'd never seen me move so fast in his life. This was also the day when I "got arrested". We were walking a casualty back to the first aid post when all of a sudden I felt something stop me, I looked behind me to find that the strap of my first aid kit had somehow brushed against the handcuffs of a policeman and the handcuffs had snapped shut on the strap. The policeman seemed as embarrassed as I was, and handed the handcuffs to his female colleague while he searched for the key. Other St John members who passed by stopped to take pictures... (excuse the edited picture, I just thought it would not be a good idea to post a pic on the web of the police officer). The final day wasn't as eventful, which is surprising considering the actual race is on that day. Alas I had forgotten to put a bet on as usual. The winner was Numbersixvalverde, which to be honest I don't think I would have bet on anyhow.

The Links weekend away was a good time, we went to county Durham, and as usual, had a little walk, drank a fair bit, and did activities. This years activities were archery (I rocked) and a tree-top rope course which scared the hell out of me at first and then led to me and a friend of mine referring to ourselves as "tree whores" as we were straddling every tree going. I also amused myself by hanging upside down on a wire suspended high above the ground. No pictures of that unfortunately. Other higlights include having to put on a play for the rest of the group, using a bag of props we got handed. This led to some bad chinese food puns, Scooby Doo, partial nudity and a monkey called Bubbles, that's all I'm going to say.

I got ill, for one of the first times ever. I had flu just as my dissertation was due in. I got a doctors note and an extention, and as a result I've now got a dissertation that makes sense.

I got offers from all of the schools of pharmacy I applied to, and chose Manchester as my first choice. I deferred entry until 2007.

I again survived exams, but the difference this time was that I knew what I was talking about on them.

I started my brief job as a lab technician at a college. The job held such highlights of getting hopelessly lost on my first day (my sat nav took me to the right road but in the wrong area), getting to make fake blood, microwaving hearts and denting my car.

As you can see my now linking to blog posts, this is when I first started my blog. I've chatted to some fabulous people through it, and as you can see from my first post, I never imagined that anyone other than my friends would read it. So thanks to everyone who's either read or commented on any of my entries on this blog (and thanks to anyone who's reading this doozy of a post, it is a bit long). I'm looking forwards to reading more blogs in this new year.

I graduated with a 2.1. It was my first degree and I loved doing it, even though I played harder than I worked for the first two years. I think in the last year I made up for it. I'm slowly losing my ability to remember all the drugs I learnt about, but hopefully my books, notes and vague memory of this degree should stand me in good stead for the next degree. I sometimes think that it would have been easier if I'd have applied for pharmacy in the first place, but although it would have saved me time and money I wouldn't be where I am now in terms of my emotional development. I wouldn't have met some of my best friends ever. So although it has taken me longer to do what I want to do I wouldn't change it.

I went on holiday to Turkey for the fourth year running. I wont say much here except it was an enjoyable holiday.

I had an interview for the pharmaceutical company I now work at. I thought I'd blown it with my jet lag related nattering, but for some unknown reason I was taken to work in the QC department.

I attended Creamfields as a member of St John, and I can't really say more than what I already posted here.

I went on the course I did to become a first aid trainer. It was hard work but fun, with lots of staying up late and drinking wine while planning our teaching sessions.

I placed third in the "So you think you can blog competition" on the blog Theory of Thought. Many thanks to Thethinker.

I went to London to see Wicked, and The Last Five Years.

I had fun dressing up for Halloween.

I got really bad tonsilitis and moaned a lot about it.

A friend of my sisters passed away.

I discovered baileys irish cream brownies, and ate way too many.

I had a good Christmas. I laughed at my sisters expression when she opened what she thought was a 25 quid bottle of champagne and turned out to be a bottle of bucks fizz. I then later got to see her face when she opened the real bottle of 25 quid champagne. I got dvds a-plenty, ate a huge meal and partied in the evening.

I got taken to a casino for the first time, didnt spend a single thing all night, and made 35 quid from a tenner, not bad for a first timer. We also had a meal in china town afterwards at about 2am with salty rice, yuck.

Then we come to New Years Eve. We had a chinese so big that I had to open my top jeans button. Then we saw in the new year at home and watched most of "2006 most annoying celebrities".

2006 has been a fast year, but eventful. I've done plenty of firsts. I've been hurt, and hurt others. I lost my temper on occasion. This was the first year I became a redhead, and right now the red is here to stay. I've partied hard, worked hard, and also been incredibly lazy. I have grown into a more mature, slightly sassy girl, who can be sensible when she tries, but most of the time she doesn't want to try.

Happy new year everyone, I hope 2007 will be a good year for all.

(Thanks to all who have read this far, why not post a comment just to say hi!)

Twas the night before xmas

Well, it's about 1/2 hour to go til Christmas and so I'm posting this now, rather than tomorrow, as I doubt even I would be sad enough to post on Christmas day. Mum has chased me upstairs so she can wrap up my presents, thus ruining the idea that Santa is bringing the gifts. Then again, I am 21...

Anyhow, merry Christmas to you all, may your tipple glass of choice never be empty. Have a good time!

The girl I mentioned in a previous post passed away today. We were told she went peacefully, and she was in no pain. My thoughts are with her, her family and her friends. Rest in peace.

Gooey chocolate irish cream goodness

Ooh I honestly don't know why I've never baked Baileys Irish Cream brownies before, they're delicious and so addictive. I have the strangest feeling that I'm going to be waddling through Xmas if I eat any more of these gorgeous treats.

For anyone who wants to recreate the pleasure of eating these in their own home, I shall post the recipe. Be warned these are fudgy gooey type brownies, if you want more cake-like brownies either add more flour or only put in 4 eggs rather than 5.

Baileys Irish Cream Brownies

6 tbsp Baileys
5 large eggs
8 tbsp granulated sugar
250 g butter
150 g dark chocolate
60 g plain flour (this is a bit of an estimation, so you may need to pop a bit more/less in if you think it warrants it)
Chocolate chips (as many as you like me dears)

Icing (optional - but very tasty)

4 tbsp Baileys (or a little more if you're feeling merry)
3 tbsp butter
Icing sugar (as much as it takes to get to the consistency you want)

Method (I feel like I'm writing a scientific report here)

Melt the dark chocolate and butter together (I use a bowl over a pan of boiling water because I tend to burn the chocolate in the microwave, but if you are microwave-competant go for it), and allow to cool (sitting the bowl in a pan of cold water works great if you're impatient like me)

Break the eggs into a bowl and add the sugar, beat together, then add 3 tbsp Baileys and the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix and slowly add the flour, mixing well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper, smear with butter and dust with flour if you like. Pour in the brownie mixture and allow to cook for about 20 mins at 200 °C. Test to see if they're done by sticking a cocktail stick into the middle. If it comes out with crumbs attached to it, it's done, if not give it another 5/10 minutes, and so on.

Once it's cooked pop it out the oven and let it cool. This bit is torture for me, as all I want to do is eat the warm brownies. But show some self-restraint and all will be well. Once cooled poke it with a fork a few times, randomly across the brownie surface, and drizzle the other 3 tbsp of baileys onto it.

Now for the fun frosting, melt the butter slightly in the microwave and mix with the 4 or more tbsp of baileys. Add icing sugar and mix until you reach the consistency you want. Then whack it on top of the brownies and voila, there you have it. All you have to do now is eat them, and trust me it wont take long.

Happy eating, I'm off to get another brownie.

Meh

I wish this drug really did exist, I need it.

Tonight I had some bad news. A girl my sister knows, who has cancer, is seriously ill in hospital. I've never personally met this girl, my sister has only met her a few times. I watched a documentary she was in, about her illness and how she was organising a fundraiser for her local hospital unit. In the documentary it was said that her cancer was terminal. At the moment she is estimated to live maybe another three weeks, it will be her last Christmas if she makes it that long.

She's 19 years old. It isn't fair is it?

My first rti...kinda

Yesterday, despite being in my last recovery phase from my tonsilitis I decided to go out on duty to a Dickensian Day. This is a little event where people dress up in Victorian Era clothes and run stalls etc. I did have fun, I loved the costumes. My particular favourite was an old fashioned PC strolling around, complete with a cape.

I was technically down as third person (observer) on the ambulance there, but did nothing really for most of the day. I'd decided it was cold and stayed in the vehicle for the first part of the day. I did wander round for a bit, and become a bit more sociable later on. Myself and a few other members got a "hog roast" sandwich, they actually had a whole pig on a spit. On the way back to the vehicle I left my lunch with my paramedic mate and dashed into a coffee place for some hot drinks. When I returned, everyone (the I had gone for food with) and the vehicle had disappeared. Apparently while I'd been queueing for coffee they'd gotten a casualty and had gone to attend to them. I was a bit gutted that my lunch appeared to have gone awol too, and that I was stuck holding two hot drinks that were rapidly getting colder. It's always typical that the casulaties surface just as you get your lunch. Luckily my lunch hadn't been in the vehicle, and my paramedic friend soon returned and pointed me in the direction of my lunch. I gave him his latte. Vile drink.

When the vehicle got back I had been standing in the rain and had since mostly dried off but was a little cold, especially my feet which I couldnt feel. So I hopped in the back, and dozed off on the stretcher. My problem is that when I recovering from being ill, I jump back into things feet first and do daft things like stand around in the cold and wet weather, and do more than I should be doing. Then the tiredness usually hits me, so I sleep for a bit. When I wake up, it's more or less the end of the duty, so we say our goodbyes etc, and head back.

While on the way back to county, we came across an rti. Being in a big white ambulance we are somewhat implied to stop and see if all is ok. I was again asleep in the back, so got woken up by my paramedic friend shouting at me to wake up, and by my other friend flipping the lights in the back on and off to rouse me. No one was hurt but the accident was on a corner and had blocked off one lane of the road, so to avoid another accident two of us directed traffic. After the paramedic had made sure everyone was ok, he took over from me directing traffic and told me to sit in the ambulance and get warm. Good job really, as I could feel my throat starting to hurt again. The police showed up fairly quickly, and the tow truck a little while later, then once all was cleared they thanked us for our help and we all trundled off back to CHQ.

I personally was so tired that I fell asleep in my computer chair a while after I got back home...

My getting better post

Well I'm recovering, slowly but surely. I have come the conclusion that it must have just been really bad tonsilitis. The only symptom I have left at the minute is my really swollen glands, and massive tonsils (they were apparently seeping pus at one point, which was a bit gross). On the bright side, no more fever, no more massive achiness, no more hurting ears, and even my dizzy spells are down to a minimum. I've had the past two days off work, which would probably make people suspect that I'd be blogging more, but realistically how much can you write about aimlessly surfing the net, having regular naps, and watching daytime tv all without getting out of my pjs?

I did go out yesterday on a trip to a ASDA, because there were some things that I couldn't get through the day without. This was my worst illness day, due to my fever, etc. So I waited for my co-codamol to kick in (it lowers my temperature, clears my head and helps with my aches and pains, although unfortunately couldn't do anything for the pain in my throat), wrapped up warm, and set out for the walk there. Yes, I had to walk, as Dad had kindly sodded off in the car to go work in. The walk there wasn't too much of a challenge, although I got paranoid with people staring at me on the way there. I have a few theories on this; a) I no longer look backward enough for this little town so people see fit to point and stare at the "outsider", b) I'm just so bloody attractive they can't help but stare (I'm thinking this is a fairly unlikely theory...), or c) I looked so wretched that they felt the need to stare at this tonsilitis-ridden zombie hag. I'm hoping it's a) but have a sad feeling it could be c).

Once in ASDA I'll admit I impulse shopped, which wasn't good as when I'm ill I don't have all my marbles about me. I bought a small tub of clotted cream which had been reduced, due to it going off today. The thing about clotted cream is, I tend to eat it on scones, and the thing about my current affliction is, I can't eat solid food as it hurts too much to chew and swallow. So I bought clotted cream that will go to waste because I don't fancy eating it gone the expiry date.

The walk back home nearly killed me, it's all uphill. I got in, had my food and then had a lie down on the floor as dragging myself to the sofa required too much effort. After that I disappeared upstairs for a three hour long nap.

A lovely mate of mine, who I adore, bought me some oraldene. I gave him the clotted cream to say thank you. He also gave me a muffin, which is currently torturing me as I can't eat solids yet. Grrr.

I'm back in work tomorrow for my last day in this department, so I'm going to put on a surgical mask and gloves and make them some crispie cakes.

The evilness that is tonsilitis

Yes, I'm fairly certain that I've got tonsilitis. I thought I'd gotten over that stage in my life but apparently not. My throat is swollen, it hurts to swallow and it's even affecting my ears. Where are a nice packet or three of strepsils when you need them? I eat them almost like sweets when I've been like this in the past, and yes I am aware that that is technically an OD but it hasn't done me any damage so far.

I'm only moaning on here because if I moaned to a particular mate of mine, he'd make me try some of the foul smelling cough syrup he has. It appears to be Russian in origin and looks like a bottle of cough syrup, but the fun begins once you look at the ingredients list. The list begins with some nasty sounding chemicals, I can't recall their names off-hand but trust me, they don't sound edible. We then move on the ingredients that worried me in particular; chloroform is in there, something that people will probably recall as a film noir method of incapacitating someone (or as an old anaesthetic), but is also a toxic substance. A nice little sentence on Wikipedia states "Chloroform once appeared in toothpastes, cough syrups, ointments, and other pharmaceuticals, but it has been banned in consumer products in the United States since 1976." Anaesthetic ether is also listed amongst the ingredients, another anaesthetic. I do remember using this stuff in a lab practical, for knocking out fruit flies.

None of these ingredients make me want to get near to the stuff, although I did ask him what he thought about it and apparently one gulp of the stuff is enough to stop you coughing for hours. Somehow I'm not surprised.

Edit: After a night of tossing and turning with a fever, I'd gladly take the health hazard cough syrup just so long as I got to sleep peacefully (no doubt I would with the chloroform).

I did sleep well in the end but only after a dose of co-codamol and only for two hours. Now I have the hours drive to work...

Edit Edit: Scratch what I said earlier, I don't have tonsilitis, I have the flu. Owww, I'm so achy! Well I hope it's the flu because if not it could be meningitis. Mum is standing with her trusty, freezing cold glass at the ready in case I get a rash.

Things to do before I die

I've been thinking again, of the list of things I want to do before I die. I dug up my old list from an old blog posting of mine (not on here) and have been browsing through it to see what I've completed, the answer is not a lot really...

* See the pyramids Yes, I still want to do this at some point in my life. When I was younger I was semi-obsessed with Egyptian mythology, and still have Egyptian art work on my walls. Seeing the pyramids would be an almost spiritual trip for me

* Go to Italy (Venice, Florence, etc) Again, another one I'd still like to do, but havent gotten around to going. I'd like to go Venice for my birthday weekend, but as I'm a winter baby my mum is slowly turning me off the idea, even though I wouldn't be going for the weather

* (Re)Learn French Tut, tut, I always say I shall do this one, and I never do, well apart from today when I decided that I should think with a french accent. Don't judge me, work was dull and it amused me for about half an hour

* Learn another language, maybe Italian or Turkish If you look back on this blog then you'll see a post in which I aimed to be conversational in Turkish by next summer. Have I started learning Turkish? No, would be the quick answer. I think I'm too lazy for this list

* Learn to pole dance properly (with all the tricks like going upside down etc) This one I am closer to doing, I've found a school, I'm rounding up a few friends to come along, and I plan to book a doctors appointment to check that my back won't disagree with this form of exercise

* Go all the way to the top of the Eiffel TowerI haven't even been to France since making this list, I have been up the Eiffel tower before, just not all the way to the top

* Ski down a black slope (the most advanced I've been on was a red one a few years back) Again, I haven't even been skiing since writing this list

* Drive to either Scotland or down south (anywhere that takes around 4 or more hours to get to) Yay, something I've finally done! I drove down to Hertfordshire for my trainers course.

* Own a motorbike Can't afford a motorbike...

* Visit New York Can't afford a trip to New York...

* Stay up all night to see the sunrise Meh, I work now, I see the sunrise when I'm driving to work of a morning

* See a total eclipse of the sun (I was abroad for the one in England, how gutting?) Don't think there has been another since I wrote this list

* Travel first class I nearly got the chance to when I went down to London shopping, but I decided to go for the dirt cheap tickets instead, yay for being tight with money

* Learn to play piano properly Well the keyboard isnt set up at the moment, it's in a cupboard

* Go on holiday with a very large group of friends Can't afford to go away with a large group of friends... I'm sensing a pattern

* Learn how to do a somersault off a wall This has been one of my ambitions for a while, but I'm old and decrepid and have a bad back now

* Be a cool old person with most of their marbles I like to think I've already achieved that one *winks*

* Make the most of my life Not really one I can achieve fully until I croak

* Live in another country for a period of time

* Buy a house I'm not sick of my family, no, not at all...

* To never lose my loveliness

* To see Rent at the cinema several times with different people That one didn't quite work out as only one cinema near us was showing it, and that was about an hour away and only for a couple of weeks. As it worked out didn't get to see it at the cinema at all

* Write something original I don't think I have anything original to write

* See all the films I keep meaning to see This one came about because I have never seen Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, etc etc

* Become a trainer I'm halfway done, just a few more things to sort out before I'm fully qualified

* Say something really profound for my last words Knowing my luck it'll be something really daft instead

* Go to the 2012 Olympics to see the gymnastics That I really want to do

* Reach 88 mph in my car (all you Back to Future fans should realise why) I've done that, it was a bit of an anti-climax really, no sparks, no travelling back in time, damn flux capacitor must be broken

* Organise a Murder Mystery Event I actually have a boxset for this, but again haven't bothered my bottom to do anything about it

* Graduate from University I managed it with a 2.1

* Learn sign language It would be a good thing to learn but again I haven't bothered

* Learn how to make numerous cocktails and even invent a few of my own Mmmm, cocktails

* Organise a big fundraising event for St John Ambulance I don't think I can be bothered with that one

Anyway, that was my list. No doubt it shall be chopped and changed before long. What got me on this topic again was the book I've recently read. It didnt have much to do with doing things before you die, but it was more like setting a task and seeing what came of it. A comedian Carey Marx attempted to find a wife in under six months, this led him on an entertaining and amusing journey as portrayed in the book, "Marry Me". It's a good read, and I'd certainly recommend it. I read it in two days, and most of it was read in tea and lunch breaks at work.

Random job stuff

Remember back in July, when I first got the job I have now, and said it was a four month contract? Well it should come as no surprise that my contract is due to finish at the end of this month. However my lovely team leader knew this and upon overhearing that another department on site was looking for a temp, he suggested me for the role. It's only to Jan 31st but anything right now is better than nothing. To cut a long story short, today I found out that I have this new contract for definite. It is in analytic technology, and is more so involved with drugs that the company is developing.

Along with this change of scenery comes a better job title. From the 4th of December I shall no longer be an Analyst, but a Scientist. I feel quite excited, I may have to change this blog to Lola's Cherry Cola Laboratory, although it doesnt quite have the same ring. I'm excited about this move, but at the same time, absolutely petrified. I think I'll be expected to know things that I don't really know. All this previous job has taught me is how to follow a method step by step, and sometimes I couldn't even manage that... We'll just have to wait and see how it goes.

Speaking of work, the other day I heard something that surprised me, and then made me titter. The company I work for is apparently still producing aerosols with CFCs, although this is the last year they will be produced. It surprised me as the company is otherwise very engaged with trying to be an eco-warrior, persuading us not to print out unnecessary things, to print two pages to a sheet where appropriate, to turn off lights, equipment and computers when we are not using them, and starting off a big recycling quest. One of my co-workers said that apparently when it was first discovered that CFCs were harmful to the environment our company stock-piled a hell of a lot of CFC propellant, so they could keep using it long after it had to be stopped being produced. That was what made me titter, I could just imagine the board room conversation...

Underling: Have you heard about our CFC propellant damaging the environment?
Managers: No. Quick, lets buy some more before it runs out!

Oh dear.

As for today, work didn't like me. I made stupid mistakes and then a sample set was playing up so I can't process my results until monday. But coming out of the carpark I saw my first robin for the winter, and he cheered me up. Yes I'm easily pleased, but then again if I wasn't I'd be walking around in a foul mood constantly. Be happy that I'm easily pleased.

Lest we forget

Remembrance day was today and I spent the majority of it at services. As a member of St John Ambulance I helped to cover the main service in the town centre. The service was moving and a pleasure to watch over. The one thing that slightly spoilt the day for me was during the two minute silence, when a family strolled over, stood in front of us and started having a conversation. You'd think that with everybody else being quiet, they would have gotten at least a hint that they shouldn't be speaking, but no, they seemed to be fairly oblivious. Now I dont have a problem with people who personally don't want to observe the two minute silence, but they should have the decency to go elsewhere and conduct their conversation there, rather than distracting those who are trying to pay their respects for those who died in battle. Just my two pence worth.

The second service we attended was a spur of the moment thing for me, as a friend of mine who was giving me a lift mentioned he was going, so why not. I got there and was horrified to find that first aid cover was technically not needed there, and that we all had to march in the parade. St John Ambulance has a military side to it, which involves drill practice etc. Having joined at University I had not been exposed to that side of it (and dont think i'd have lasted very long in the organisation if I had). So this led to things being said like "Right dress" and me standing around wondering what the hell it meant. I don't seem to know my right from my left, and the girl in front of me, bless her, could not swing her opposite arm to opposite leg, so I had to concentrate on someone else to keep step as she was confusing me. Finally I had my fmb's on and they really hurt me when we had to stay still for long periods of time. Never again.

I wasn't impressed with the sermon at the service either, it was patronising. Yes I did agree with many of the points, but I disagreed with others. War is something I am strongly against, many people lose their lives, and the thought of it makes me feel ill. I think Captain Hawkeye Pierce put it best when he said that war was worse than hell, because "In hell, there are no innocent bystanders, war is full of them." I recognise the sacrifice these men and women made, and I respect them deeply, but I have no respect for the reason why they died. I understand that there can be "just" wars, but a lot of wars aren't always "just".

Anyway, before this turns into another rant I'd just like to remember the men and women who have died in any war, the war veterans, and the families who have lost loved ons in combat. May we never forget their sacrifice.

A summary of my week

(A repost as Bloggr has somehow managed to delete it before, good job I had it saved in a file already)

I forgot to mention in an earlier post that we had a visit from the big cheese at work, the site director. I managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time by stumbling into our teams lab while he and my team leader were in there. I immediately went all quiet, what with being near an important person who probably could fire me on the spot if he wanted. My team leader introduced me, and although I answered any questions, I hadn't been that monosyllabic since the heart incident. It was cringe-worthy, and I quickly made my escape to another lab. Here's hoping I don't accidently run into the next set of auditors that come around.

I did promise a picture of myself in costume, however I'm a little shy about it now. One of my mates was teasing me by saying that pic was close to pornography. Although in saying that I think I'll have to post it now just to reassure you all that it wasn't at all that bad. Grrr, now blogger isnt letting me post it. It is seriously just a normal picture, I'm fully dressed, it isn't bad. You'll have to trust me for now. (Actually here it is as now while re-posting blogger has decided to play)


Today I'm planning a nice little shopping trip into Liverpool, I shall get myself a nice hat, gloves and scarf set seeing as the weather recently is definitely not agreeing with me. I'm not used to the cold! And I think a delicious minted lamb baguette is in order. The best thing is, I can definitely say to my mum that I'm not going into Liverpool just for a minted lamb baguette, that's just a highlight.

Finally I've found pharmacist blogs! I knew they had to be there somewhere and they are. I shall post a few for your viewing pleasure.

The Angry Pharmacist: A fabulous read, and an interesting insight into the profession. Also fun to read the rants about different types of customers that frequent the pharmacy.

Your Pharmacist may hate you: Another great read. Amusing and entertaining. Again from a pharmacist in a retail environment. Many rants about idiotic people.

I'll be lucky if those two don't put me off my future career...

Jim Plagakis: Interesting situations and moral decisions that can affect pharmacists.

There are a few more I've found but I'll let you browse over these if you get a chance.

I apologise for the dry posts from me recently, it seems my life is devoid for humour for now, maybe I can pick some up in Liverpool today.

Toodles

All Hallows Eve, amongst other things

Well the water was safe for human consumption from monday onwards, which brought an end to the "dying for a cuppa syndrome". Apparently the culprit was a corroded pipe, although how that would turn the water blue is beyond me.

Yesterday as we all know was Halloween, and to celebrate I went out on monday for a halloween social. Ended up at Popworld and swung around every single pole in the place. Yes I'm aching again. I'm seriously looking into this poledancing as exercise now, because I can very well believe it! I was also dressed as a cat, so apparently my tail looked very cute swinging about while I played on the pole. I wish I could have a real tail...

So a fun time was had by all, and now I really need to sleep. I may post a picture of my costume when I'm less sleepy.