Despite the best efforts of a infection in the arachnoid membrane I'm up and moving and curently spending the last few minutes of 2006 not, as you might of guessed cavorting in a wild party but instead being the officer on watch over my otherwise sleeping family. K's brother and his tribe bailed early when their 10 year old boy, after unwisely gorging on a heroic dose of sweets and crank was violently sick so they decided to go back to their hotel. K wisely took this as a sign that her gifts to the gods of sleep had been accepted and went straight to bed. I will see out the last few minutes of this year and then retire myself. Couple of thoughts before I do so. Life in Sweden goes in, and in Feb it will be my three year anniversery of moving here. I miss my friends terribly, and if I can make any sort of new year resolution it will be to be better at being in contact. I suspect that I make this resolution every year but it least its a sign of something, I guess. I could also make a new year resolution to stop repeating myself, which would be more efficient, however.

Waiting: For the apocalpytic detonation of fireworks which will occur in a few minutes.
Lying About: 10 year old boys taking crank in my house.

So long 2006.

Scientology and the Clearwater Police - Google Video...have not watched this yet, but sounds interesring...

merrty xmas

Suppression of Non Stationary Cadavers:Zombie Squad I remember that fantastic line in Dawn of the Dead (remake)...."Is everyone dead? "yeah, in the sense that they, fell down... got up... and started eating each other."

Just a few seconds here, as I'm off to collect the boy from daycare. But quick update, changed to the day shift at work, got a new job interview, bike is trashed (bent front forks, fucked big chain ring, pedal smashed, cranks probably loose) but still ridable (christmas presents to self will fix this damage), signed off from the job centre.

Reading: Hellblazer.
Playing: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Black.
Listening: Aphex Twin, Soilwork, Sacre.

I got this from Randi's newsletter, its hilarious. Patron Saints Index Topic List Its basically a list of all the saints and the various subjects they give their patronage to. Thus, in short order and brimming with school boy humour and irrelevancy:

Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio: Patron saint of Bowel Disorders.
Saint Barbara: Patron Saint against death by artillery.
Saint Drausinus: Patron Saint of invincible people (presumably the Patron saint of Superheroes).
Saint Gertrude of Nivelles: Patron Saint of the fear of mice.

Really this is just tipping a toe in the water, theres something for everything and everyone here (except monkeys and teeth I notice). However, throats are okay with no less than 7 saints looking out for them. I notice that the author of the website says 'that most people were given a personal patron at Baptism, or chose one at Confirmation. In addition, everyone has a guardian angel. These holy folks stand in God's presence, and will add their prayers to your on this or any other matter.' The bureaucracy must be horrendous.

Feeling 1: Very tired, worked a 2200 til 0530 shift, slept for two hours and then did a Swedish exam from 9 until 1400. I think my answers made sense but I'm pretty sure that in the oral part I said 'when camping in the woods you have to watch out for urine'. Which is of course true, but I meant to say animals.
Feeling 2:Sad for the bloke who started work with me and got the chop. He was a nice lad, but seemed incapable of taking on board any kind of suggestion or instruction. Kind of awkward when he was asking me if my contract was being extended, which it is, when his wasn't.
Feeling 3: relief that I will be moving to the day shift next year. Hoorah. The recruitment agency asked me if I wanted to work between xmas and new year, yeah, right.

Random laugh: woman on the bus carrying an ironing board. Why is it funny? Dunno, just is.

Check it out: 12.12.06: The death of General Augusto Pinochet Cartoons Guardian Unlimited, very appro. steve bell cartoon.

And more bollocks...Reiki therapy,Reiki Master/Teacher, Certified Hypnotherapist Sound Essences-About Us..she sings to water, which is then bottled and sent out to customers to help them with their spiritual problems. Which is nice.

Sore, and tired - in the last week I think I personally moved tons of glass. Which is a lot. Thus, I'm going to bed. Goodnight.

Watched: Casshern, was it good, was it bad? - I'm not sure, though I did find the ending strangely emotional. As someone in the imdb forum pointed out, a bit like watching 'Nightwatch' - you think you're watching something good, you're just not quite sure.

* 7.5 hour shift, of which about 6.5 hours is actual work. Every 25 minutes I pick up approx 50 pieces of glass each weighing about 2.5kg. Thus in one shift I move approx. 650 kg of glass, in a week I move - therefore, a shit load.

It's hot - but climate research is being cut UK News The Observer: "News of the Met Office cuts come on the eve of a pre-budget report in which Gordon Brown will hike the price of a plane ticket by raising taxes on flying, portraying the move as environmentally friendly. However, a report published today by the think-tank Green Alliance argues that the average traveller is now paying less in air passenger duty, a tax built into the price of all tickets, than in 2001 and that it should double at least. Gas-guzzling cars are also likely to escape another car tax rise this week, although Brown is likely to reconsider this next year. There will be no above-inflation increases in petrol prices either."

....and the Stern report has been forgotten, how quickly?

If this was sunday, I'd have been at work for 36 minutes, and be going home in about 7 hours. In the words of Alec G in 'Bridge over the River Kwai'..."my god, what have I done?". Shift work started last night, I finished this morning at 5, came home slept, woke up, went for a few beers with mate, came home, realised my brain had been replaced with fluff. I don't go back to work until sunday night, but I'm staying up later tonight (and sleeping in tomorrow) to try and train myself to get used to this. Just to recap, heres my working times:

Sunday, start 2000, finish at 0500. Monday - Thursday, start 2200 - finish 0530.

Stay tuned for my slow, and almost certainly amusing, regression into some form of slug like creature.