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Monday, October 6th, 2008

blonde_viki

1:02p blergh... Off work sick today - which I hate, but I really couldn't face the Tube with this pounding headache nor did I want to inflect myself on the people who sit around me while I'm coughing up my liver and generally a grotty grot-grot.  I'll probably get major disapproval for it tomorrow but there's nothing I can do about that, it's not like I am or ever have 'pulled a sickie' when I've been well and given my targets I would actually rather be in the office getting through my work, but I have a rotten cold.  Gah - I know I don't have to write all that in here, just an 'i'm sick - woe is me' would have done, but as I have mentioned, work isn't great and things like this just cause me to be more edgy.  I don't need certain people to have more reason to get at me. Anyhoo - the weekend was a mixed bag.  Went to Brighton on Saturday, and barring a couple of hours in the morning, the weather was bloody awful, pouring down with rain and high winds :(  We got there at 8:30 am ish and went to the highly recommended 'Buddies' for breakfast.  Buddies is a 24 hour cafe on the Brighton front and totally lived up to its reputation.  The breakfasts we had were enormous and really tasty - though we didn't go for the huge things that came with steak and burger and chips!!   While it was dry we walked along the beach and ran up and down avoiding the waves.  We spent most of the rest of the day pottering about the shops which also doubled as a method of keeping out of the rain.  Early evening we went for tapas, which was really tasty plus the place wasn't too busy as it wasn't quite time for the evening rush, so we were able to relax and chat and eavesdrop on the people on the table next to us who were possibly the most pretentious people I've encountered this year.  It was all P and I could do not to giggle too loudly as we listened to them progress from British History, to Philosophy, to the human condition to their thoughts on raising children via a whole host of other subjects which they would gloss over detail but nonetheless try to sound well informed.  It's so hard to describe the way they were talking but it was entertaining. Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra was fantastic!  Definitely worth spending a day in the rain for it!  It was witty and informative and entertaining all at the same time.  We were sat right at the front and got the full effect of the orchestra and his facial expressions.  I'm so glad we picked up tickets for it and I would definitely go and see him perform live again - I hope they bring this one out on DVD though so that I can relive the night!  I never thought I'd see 'Swan' from Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals performed on "the tuned Alpine cow bells" but that was possibly the comedy highlight of the night :D The drive home was awful - it's about 2 hours, and doing that in the dark with high winds and sheet rain when you are unfamiliar with the roads does not make for a happy Viki.  Plus by this point I could feel the cold coming on and had already begun to cough and have a sore nose from blowing it all day.  I just wanted my bed!!  We got back in one piece though :) I spent the whole of Sunday in the flat, intermittently in bed or wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa.  I owe the_greek_geek an apology as I said I'd go for a drink on Sunday but in my cold-ridden haze forgot to text and re-arrange it.  So sorry!   We'll catch up very soon - promise!

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abomvubuso

2:00p All updates at once Swartberg, Western Cape, SA The road meanders along the Swartberg pass There'll be much work for Hilux Eish! We're back from the highveld. It just gave us a sneak-preview of what awaits us in December, when the big tour starts. The estate i saw near Calitzdorp was nice, but the location is indeed somewhat in the dry climate zone, and though its quite pleasant there right now, i can foresee some extreme temperatures later in summer. So, this option is down. However, i liked the rest of our stay. Mr Garland is definitely on our side now, and he's a key customer that could end up investing well over $10mn into our properties. Thats pretty reassuring, especially at a time of economic turmoil. The British and US customers have virtually disappeared from the market now, being substituted by Asians and especially Russians and former Soviet citizens (Kazakh?) The bosses decided to open up to those markets, which is wise, given the total lack of investing power in the traditional niches. Speaking of which, there'll be a change in the Key Accounts Management structure. No, its not just that i'm on my way to the Deputy chief position (and ultimately, chief of KAM), but we've been offered a new individual payment scheme - effective from January 1st, we'll be getting 2% of each Rand of investment that we attract into the company(!) The old scheme of distributing the specific zones/markets between the brokers is no more effective, now its getting free-for-all. This is apparently caused by the current stagnation on the estates market, and is aimed to stimulate our industriousness and improve our efficiency. And it'll untie my hands to do what i'm best at. According to rough calculations, with the current rate of work, if i keep attracting one key customer per month who'd invest, lets say, everage $1.5mn (worst case scenario), and added to my current $6K net wage, that makes well beyond a quarter of a million bucks per year! Lekkerrrrr... But before i start seeing the little dollar bills floating around my head, there's work to be done... The time of my next trip to Brazil has come. I'm flying over on Sunday. This one will be much shorter than the previous two, just 6 days. I'll spend most of it in Fortaleza, where one of our new projects is well underway. I might have to show up at our central S.Am office in Sampa but i'd rather not make such long flights for nothing. I prefer to do all my stuff in F'za and get back here asap. Yebo, call me a lazy man! ^__^ Ag, the Cape Doc has finally arrived to iKapa! It was much anticipated, and when the forecast said that the south-easterner would start blowing in the weekend, everyone got excited. The first signs were said to have appeared as early as Sat'dy afternoon, when the Tablecloth appeared over the Cable station, swirling over the edge of the mountain like a tsunami, and furnished the Devil with a beard. When this happens, the arrival of the Doc is imminent. Within the next few hours, strong gusts of fresh wind coming from the Antarctic waters of False bay would storm inside the City Bowl (the cup which is formed by three mountains and encircle the city harbour), and will sweep away all illnesses, bad thoughts, along with the dirty air and the smog. The feeling is awesome. It makes you wanna take a deep-deep breath and hold it until you start feeling the needles inside your lungs. Its such a painful bliss... This gave us a chance to get little Charie out on a somewhat longer stroll. Every morning, i do my jogging on a relatively unchanged route on the slopes of the Signal Hill and Leeukop, returning via the back of Kloofnek. This time it wasnt jogging, though. It was a fastwalk with a baby-bag packed on my chest, and Charlie was able to enjoy some of the most amazing sights from the tops of the koppie, both east to the Cape flats, north across Table bay looking into the vast African continent, south to the Table and Cape, and finally west onto the Seaboard and into the immense Atlantic. Yebo... in a few days, Daddy will go just at the opposite side of this big water... I got news from home. (The "Home-home", ie Iceland). My bru Maks has initiated a major renovation across the Rasmussenshúsið (our family house), including the designing of a totally new façade and front gate. This is exactly within his competences, he's studying Architecture after all... And mom is going to finalise the transferring procedure for the selling of the back half of the yard (incl. the Old House). They'll start building that block of flats next year. I saw the floor-plans for our apartment there and it looks really huge :D Some more names started appearing on the list of people who'll join the All-SA Road Tour, as we call it. There are already 31 ppl, and the number is increasing with every next week. Dirk recently sent a funny mail to all, with a list of all the vehicles that are going to make up the "convoy". No surprise: mainly offroad-orientated vehicles, SUVs, bakkies, and a few caravans. Hey, there'll even be a couple of motorbike enthusiasts! I'm trying to imagine how the whole camp would look like, and i always recall the sight of the kwaBulawayo kraal from the Shaka Zulu series ^__^ (btw, we'll try to go there too) Ps. I think soon it'll be time to assess what we've got thus far on the Summerhouse list, and start the more specific discussions. We saw quite many options, and i'm already a bit gatvol with this. So its time to take a decision, izit? I'm increasingly starting to lean towards the option of building a concept house, as opposed to renovating an already existing auld shanty... current mood: busy current music: Mina Nawe: Where I Wanna Be

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exmoor_cat

9:03a Monday morning amusment Anyone need a pen?

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angusabranson

12:37a Rihanna - Disturbia I'm not in the least bit ashamed to say that I love Rihanna. I didn't get the slightest bit bored of 'Umbrella' when it dominated the charts in the summer of 2007 and I loved the duet she did of it with The Klaxons and also the cover that the Manic Street Preachers did of it. I think it's a brilliant song. Indeed the albumn is constantly on my ipod and gets shuffled in every so often breaking up the Indie/Rock/Darkwave/Industrial/Trance/EBM dominance that exists there. Anyway, as all good housemates can attest to, I am also very fond of Disturbia which is from her latest album. The video is fantastic beyond the fact that I also really like the song. So I thought I'd share. I'm hitting you guys and gals with it here as well as over on radio_infinity which I really need to pay more attention to than I am currently doing. So, here is Rihanna's "Disturbia"...   I hope you all had a good weekend and are refreshed for the new week ahead! Good night!

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Friday, October 3rd, 2008

angusabranson

7:21p Exhausting but interesting Hello! Most of my UK chums will be starting to enjoy their Friday night right about now - I'm, er, still in the shop having just packed the last of the boxes for Gamefest 3 tomorrow in Tring (Hertfordshire). I, however, will be attending the convention late due to a rather important meeting tomorrow morning in London. Andy & Chris will be driving up there, setting up and manning the store until I'm added to the mix in the early hours of the afternoon. This week has, as expected, been very busy and very interesting. The licensing show on Wednesday was very good and I had meeting with our existing partners (BBC and DC Thompson), my first face-to-face meeting with another agency whom Chris and myself have been talking with online for awhile but had never previously met - that was very good and also produced suggestions for a number of other things we could/should look at that they represent. Plus it allowed me to pick up a few other business cards and have a meeting or two with other potential partners. I also ran into Peter Adkison who is over promoting the Bella Sara IP with ITV, Marcus from Upper Deck with their new Huntik property which looked quite cool and Dan Steel and Charles Ryan from Esdevium Games. So all in all a very busy day. So busy in fact that when I got home I was asleep by 6pm and almost overslept the following morning! Plus our new approvals guy at the BBC (our link with Russel T Davies and the Cardiff office) is an ex-roleplayer himself so knew exactly what we were talking about. He also asked if he could have the copy of Victoriana I had with me which I'd been touting around to people to show them what RPGs were... so fingers crossed that will help smooth over some of the approvals process! I had a business lunch this afternoon, one tomorrow and another next Wednesday with three different people/groups about a couple of things. Todays, tomorrows and part of Wednesdays have a very firm common denominator whilst Wednesdays also has a few other aspects to it. I've also now been approached by three different groups wanting me on board a certain project they are all bidding for - which is nice but as I've told them all if I'm involved I'll want to pretty much be in charge and have a healthy compensation and bonus package attached to it as it's not like I haven't got anything on my plate as it is. Still, it is something that I'd like the opportunity to do and attempt to make great so we'll see where that road takes us. I'm happy to advise initially in anycase. Anyway, I'd better wrap things up here and then get home and do some more work from there before getting some sleep in prepartion for tomorrows fun and games...

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mrsdominic

5:11p frustration So far today not one, not two, but a whole three buses wouldn't let me on with pushchair. So ended up wandering round bluewater for too long with a cranky baby and increasingly cranky self. But managed to get some of the stuff I went out for, plus a bear that N picked up and wouldn't give back. Except once we got on the bus, when she threw it away repeatedly and the very nice (and very expensive) bear is now hurled behind sofa. So now we're home and counting minutes til D come home and takes over childcare responsibility. N's new trick is to take off her clothes and nappy, so either we fight for next hour about wearing a nappy or I just hope for the best.... just hoping she doesn't find the sudocream again. She loves to paint the walls and bed and herself with it. Going to open bottle of wine now. Roll on this day week and holiday!

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blonde_viki

5:04p quickie... I really should have written so much more about settling into the new flat and new job in London, but I haven't been able to find the words, as the environment at work is not the greatest and on getting home I'm so drained I don't feel like writing about it.  So yeh, it's tough and I'm struggling a bit, but I'm trying to find ways to either deal with it or change the situation. Everything else is well, there's not been any further little problems with the flat and P and I seem to be coping with the space-sharing :) Life toddles on at a nice pace. P has a rough cold at the moment and so he has been coming down to the gym with me to watch and support rather than participate for the last week.  Today he was messing about with the treadmill while i was on the cross-trainer, because they had moved all the equipment around in there recently.  Unbeknownst to P, the movement must have b0rked the settings on the treadmill, as he pressed the auto-walk button, and 3 seconds later went flying off the back of the machine with a thud.  I tried not to laugh, but i've honestly never seen anyone fall off the back of a treadmill so I couldn't help myself  *grins*  After that P was content to watch Jeremy Kyle berate his guests from a stationary position ;) We are going to Brighton for Saturday - never been so very excited - going to spend the evening looking up things to do and places to eat there on the internet! current mood: blah

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abomvubuso

3:00p Die Hel Groenfontein, Western Cape, SA Guesthouse Klein Karoo, Oudtshoorn Swartberg NP (download brochure) I feel a little better today. Its time for the weekendly trip in the countryside, and this time it'll be to the farthest eastern corner of the Western Cape province. The weather forecast says that the Swartberg mountains will enjoy a lot of sunshine, and even some temperature records for this time of the year. Yebo, the climate there is rather extreme: minus temperatures in winter, and sometimes well above +40 in summer. But now its spring, and the land is covered with millions of colours - the fynbos and protea are blooming and thousands of delicious scents are floating in the air. We'll hit three birds with one shot. We'll jump on the road on Satdy morning, and we'll stay at the Guesthouse Klein Karoo near Oudtshoorn. Meeting a customer there, a big guy from Bristol who's spending a few weeks on safaris around the country. Its pretty convenient - we'll make a visit to the Swartberg nature reserve. Ani's pretty excited about this. It seems Charlie likes ladybirds very much. Her most recent passion ^__^ And of course, i wouldnt miss the chance to scout for several new options for a summerhouse. We're now entering the final phase of our search, which means we might have to make second and even third visits to some of the places that we had selected. I'm not sure about our choice yet, but we're closing the circle to 3 or 4. But this weekend i'll have the chance to check one more, its near the town Calitzdorp near Gamkaskloof park (the so-called "Die Hel"). Its a small house in the Groenfontein valley, near a lake. We'll see what it looks like... Returning Sunday evening. current mood: energetic current music: Lady Jay D ft. Minanawe: Njalo

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Thursday, October 2nd, 2008

painted_bird

5:43p There are magazines for straight people. There are magazines for gay people. I want to start making magazines for narcissists. I'd have to make a different copy for each person, of course, but I still reckon there's a market for it... :p

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abomvubuso

1:00p I bow to you, dad... Lars Haralður Rasmussen (07.II.1951-02.X.2004) The darkest day of the year has come. Four years have passed. But its still like it was just yesterday. On October 2nd, 2004, after several months of hopes, reality came with its full cruelty. At 11:08, my father passed away in his bed... Peacefully... while i was there, reading a book a metre away from him. He just sighed out, his heart couldnt take it any more. He was just 53... It was lungs cancer. He destroyed himself. And we could not save him. Four years ago, a cold October Saturday turned out to be the worst day in my life. We buried my daddy into the black earth... But i know he's now together with us, watching us, guiding us and guarding his beloved family. He is somewhere out there... Dad, i know you're watching us. I wont let you down... This is life... Today i commemorate my dad's death, in a couple of days i'll commemorate my best friend's wedding. Then there will be my baby's first birthday, more weddings... Then grand-children. Life is a circle. All we can do is enjoy it as much as we can. And leave a good trace behind us. He left a deep trace in my life, he formed me as a person. Rest in peace, dear daddy... I bow to you and i swear that i'll be a good person like you were. I hope you'll be proud of me... Angels Fall First Needed elsewhere To remind us of the shortness of our time Tears laid for them Tears of love tears of fear Bury my dreams dig up my sorrows Oh Lord why The angels fall first ... current mood: crushed current music: Nightwish: Angels Fall First

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angusabranson

1:28p It was the year 2001.... I'm having great fun (whilst eating my sandwich for lunch) playing around with Google's little 10th birthday present for us. A google site that works from its 2001 archives. Looking at the early rendition of the Dragonmeet website (then in its second year) the old Leisure Games website (cringe) and loads more is certainly a trip down memory lane. Of course 2001 predates Cubicle 7 so no results there! Anyway, to find out what you were up to in 2001 check out http://www.google.com/search2001.html

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corpsie

12:14a Literary Genius.

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Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

blonde_viki

6:30p Dear the_greek_geek </a> :</div> I don't really know how to tell you this, but our affair is over. I think I realized it when we skinny dipped at the mental hospital and I saw you ignore my best friend. I'm sure you're cowardly enough to understand that we're cousins. I'm returning your ring, but I'll keep your criminal record as a memory. You should also know that I never will forget the embarrassing rash. Best regards, Viki ( PS )

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exmoor_cat

5:06p Anyone any good at Finance Management and accounting? http://www.nct.org.uk/about-us/jobs/vacancies

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Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

abomvubuso

5:00p Big SA Tour route announced! The 2008 SA tour route map As mentioned earlier, the guys from the gang who were organising the Big SA Tour, finally managed to come out with a rough outline of the actual route that we're going to follow. Of course, its subject to further adjustments, mostly depending on the accommodation that we'll be able to arrange along the way. Some of the stops will obviously be at the specifically set car-parks around the country (there are hundreds of them), or lodges that are attached to private or state national parks. We'll try to avoid hotels and hostels as much as possible, we wanna stay as close as we can to nature. But a significant part of these night stays will obviously have to be in improvised camping sites, somewhere in the wilderness (depending on the specific location). Initially, we were thinking of making it go faster (meaning, bigger distances per day, with shorter stay, but with more stops), in order to spend a week across Botswana and possibly reach the Okawango delta, then get back into SA via central Namibia and the Skeleton coast. I know 2 friends in Windhoek who'd love that to happen. But the guys soon dropped that option off. Another thing we put to vote was whether we should enter back into Mpumalanga via Swazi, or pass thru Maputo in Moz instead. We chose the former. Anyway... Whats certain from now is, the whole thing will start on Sunday, November 30, at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront here in CT. If things go alright, it should finish at the same place somewhere just before Christmas. So here's the rough route (also see map). Some of the possible stops that we pinpointed are: ( Possible stops ) The gang has so far reached 23 ppl, including 5 kids and 2 babies :)  More are expected within the next couple of weeks. The greatest news for me is that my sister Frida and her husband Eirik are going to come from Sweden to join us!!! OMG... I've modified the Hilux to stretch as a semi-detached tent, along with the double-cab. We've got lots of time to get the rest of the stuff needed for a tour like this (most of it is already at our disposal, but there are still some things to be finished, for example i'm still going thru the procedure of obtaining a gun)... Fortunately, i was able to arrange a whole month off from work - December 1st until January 10th. We'll go back to Iceland for two weeks of course, starting from Xmas until mid Jan. More details, soon. Ps. Oh, and the weather is starting to get really beautiful... Spring has come! And OMG... the forecast says we'll be visited by the Cape Doc on Sunday! Yay ^__^   current mood: excited current music: Iyasa: koBulawayo

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