Archive for the 'Family' Category
Bang! and the summer is gone!
It was a bit reductio ad absurdum, but I spent my last €20 note on a wallet. Then I was ready for the journey home, having spent all the cash I withdrew at unfavourable exchange rates from various cash machines.
Arrived back to find the usual pile of mail – this is rarely exciting, as there [...]
Filed under: Family, marketing, summer | 1 Comment
Windmills of the Mind
Part of my personality profile is idealist, and though I don’t really know what that means in its entirety, I know that it means that I like knowing two or three ways to do the same thing. I like to use the keyboard shortcut and/or the contextual menu and/or the normal menu click command. I [...]
Filed under: Arrested Development, Exercise, Family, anxiety, autobiography | Leave a Comment
Tags: boredom, idealism, personality profiles
3 days of the condor
If it’s Thursday it must be a snow day, the third this week. I’m not keen on snow (not keen on much of anything), but since becoming a teacher I’ve learned to take it as a blessing. An extra day off work in the dark half of the year is not to be sniffed at, [...]
Filed under: Climate, Commuting, Conspiracy Theories, Education, Family, Time-Wasters, Travel, anxiety, being chippy, teaching and learning, weasels | 1 Comment
Tags: snow days
Result!
A miscellaneous post, with three separate topics.
I’m enjoying Life, on ITV3, starring Damian Lewis as Charlie Crews, a cop released from jail after a miscarriage of justice. In spite of his huge compensation payout, he chooses to return to his job. He has survived his ordeal by adopting the precepts of Zen/Confucianism, and he infuriates [...]
Filed under: Conspiracy Theories, Entertainment, Family, TV, Television, acting, arts, being chippy, food, secret girlfriends, weasels | Leave a Comment
Tags: fuel prices, winter, woodburner
C-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s
A lot of people display surprise and/or disbelief when they hear from me that I dislike Festivus. Further to yesterday’s post, I’ve been inundated with messages from people calling me a miserable old git, and at this time of year I constantly come under pressure to “cheer up” to “celebrate” and to “get into the [...]
Filed under: Family, France, anxiety, autobiography, being chippy, happiness | 2 Comments
Tags: Festivus
F*cking Big Tent
Having escaped the tense and frustrating atmosphere of the in-law’s house this summer for a 6-day camping expedition in a borrowed tent, I allowed my wife to convince me that it would be a good idea to start camping more regularly.
I’m divided in my opinion about camping. On the one hand, I truly admire some [...]
Filed under: Arrested Development, Family, France, Travel, anxiety | 2 Comments
Tags: camping, equipment, gear, outdoor, tents
Dear Apple,
I just received an email from you with the subject, Make Your Customers Even Happier. Give iPod.
Now, I’ve not got any customers, sorry, unless you count my students, and I’m certainly not planning on giving those kind of corporate gifts to my students anytime soon. I’m giving them the gift of education. I’m inspiring young [...]
Filed under: Apple, Education, Family, Technology, autobiography, being chippy, marketing, teaching and learning | 2 Comments
super, originally uploaded by mcmrbt.
Just got back from a week on the island of Noirmoutier, off the Atlantic coast of France. Last night, because we’d been avoiding French-style seafood for a week (huitres, moules-frites, fruits de la mer etc.), we decided to have a proper fish supper. Two large cod, two medium, three large chippy-chips. [...]
Filed under: Culture, Family, Flickr, France, Travel, anxiety, being chippy, food, omens and portents, summer | Leave a Comment
Tags: economy, fish, fishermen, fuel crisis, fuel prices, seafood, Supermarkets
Dunked
I’m taking a break for a week. While I’m gone, remember this: the Eurovision Song Contest voting isn’t about countries voting for other countries, but about immigrants to countries voting for their homelands.
Meanwhile, I bet there are loads of entries over at my photo blog that you haven’t read.
Filed under: Family, Travel | Leave a Comment
Something Old Something Flue
room_with_a_flue, originally uploaded by mcmrbt.
The woodburner is in. The installation coincided with the best weather of the year so far.
The job is far from complete, so we won’t be paying for it yet. They’ve got some making good to do where the old gas fire was removed, and they need to fit some lead flashing [...]
Filed under: Climate, Education, Family, Flickr, Technology, climate change, happiness, summer, teaching and learning | 2 Comments
Tags: energy, fire, heating, stove, woodburner
