Journal Entries
Back from outer space!
Posted Jul 28, 2006
Err hullo again folks,
after yet another not really planned absense i have returned! (oh dear they've all run away now, ho hum etc).
so it's been a fair few months since i last posted a journal entry and what's been happening with Northern Boy i hear you cry (no one? ahh must be the voices in my head again 
)
when last I wrote my parents were just about to push off for retirement in spain and i had just moved into a new gaff with a pair of complete strangers (ooh the suspense, oh ok maybe not then 
Well it's four or so months later now and all goes well with the housemates, nice pair of guys and fortunately we get on like a house on fire (people screaming, smoke inhaliation etc. )
the parents are well ensconced in their new life in Spain and have adjusted to the hectic pace of loafing about drinking wine and in the case of my dad endlessly forwarding e-mails to me throughout the day 
As for myself, well not a lot really, i've been through another patch of depression again (hence my lack of presence here to be honest) but i've come out of the other side again stronger and feeling much better . Many of the issues that were bothering me before remain as they were, i'm still a 20 something divorcee and permanently single, but i've reached the conclusion that i really don't care about it, i'm happy with who i am and more than capable of surviving as a single person so what the heck 
and now the sun is shining and the beer garden beckons.
TTFN
Discuss this Journal entry [15]
Latest reply: Jul 28, 2006
The joy of early mornings
Posted Feb 11, 2006
So for the last couple of weeks I’ve been running a little experiment into the effects of sleep on my mood.
Knowing the way I usually feel at this time of year 
I did a little interweb research and realized that my sleep patterns have a big effect on my mood. As I tend to sleep a lot at the weekends I end up with a really weird sleep pattern for the rest of the week (tired all day and then unable to sleep at night)
For the last couple of weekends I have forced my self to get up and moving much earlier at the weekend (generally around 8 O’clock) and it's bloody fantastic 
not only I have been in a generally ridiculously good mood but I’ve also been getting loads of stuff done.
so far today I’ve had a nice chill out with the paper and some fantastic Javanese coffee, cleaned the house from top to bottom (that'll keep my housemate happy when he's back from skiing) and packed up a huge amount of my belongings ready for moving.
Right time to go sort my wardrobes out I think and then I’m off out to treat myself to lunch 
Discuss this Journal entry [4]
Latest reply: Feb 11, 2006
Everybodys moving!
Posted Feb 11, 2006
Well it's a funny old time up here at Rhubarb Towers. This weekend sees my parents last weekend in blighty. The jammy beggars are retiring to Spain next week 
and so the family are getting together tonight for a last meal and many glasses of 
Oh and of course a last opportunity to pilfer stuff that they aren't taking with them to Spain 
To add to this craziness I've also been spending this week getting ready for my big move next week. After spending the last 18 months living with an old mate of mine from Uni it's time to head on to pastures new (well 7 miles down the road to be honest).
Promises to be interesting to say the least as for the first time I’m moving into a shared house with complete strangers! 
the guys I’m moving in with seem like nice folks and are hopefully not axe murderers, mind you it's probably them who should be worried about living with me I suppose .
Right time to go and pack some more boxes methinks
Discuss this Journal entry [7]
Latest reply: Feb 11, 2006
Must destroy!!
Posted Feb 6, 2006
So a little after the new year my faithfull laptop decided to shuffle off the mortal coil.
As the laptop is provided through a scheme at work i thought no worries i'll call (insert name of large telecoms company) home computing and they'll sort it.
Oh dear how naive of me.
called tech support number of (insert name of large telecoms company) home computing and was given the number of T*shiba tech support, ho hum thinks i and off i trot to call them.
They arrange to have the laptop collected so they can provide a quote for the repair as they say it is out of warranty (hmm thinks i, something smells a tad piscine here already)
Well T*shiba arrange for a collection of the laptop from my office (saving a day off) and say they will call in a couple op days with a quote.
2 weeks pass
As i am now a little vexed i call T*shiba again and am informed the quote went out in writing to my office address (head office of a large bank so somewhat unlikely to find its way to me) they then agree to send a quote out by e-mail.
Quote duly arrives and i am a litle amazed to discover the inventive price of £484 being quoted to replace a faulty power jack ( amazed as the pin in the jack has broken preventing the laptop from charging, cost of part on t'internet £12) apparently t*shiba think the best way to fix this part is to replace the entire motherboard!
Being by this point sure that the laptop should be under warranty i call the company benefits helpline (as the laptop was provided at a reduced cost as a company benefit) they confirm that the laptop is indeed under warranty.
So i call T8shiba back and they feign ignorance and claim there is no extended warranty. by this point i have passed a little vexed and am passing into irritated.
I decide to call (insert name of large telecoms company) home computing again and am promised a call back in 48 hours. The next day i am called by someone who promises to look into the matter for me, several phone calls later i am informed that the laptop is indeed under warranty and given another (insert name of large telecoms company) home computing number to call. Knowing full well the tricks of call centres i ask this personif i need any refernce at all (as i have none) and am informed that no refernce is required.
Well guess what... as soon as i get through to the other number i am greeted by "can i take your account number please" "ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!" says I, following 10 minutes of fruitlessly trying to locate my details in their system i am forced to call back the number i called originally (as cunningly the individual who gave me this number to call has no number i can call him on, a fact i find a tad unconvincing).
Calling back i discover that tyhis department is a response team and is therefore not able to do anything other than request a call back. I thereofore resort to the next step in dealing with call centres and ask for a manager, the manager is also unable to do anything and as such i grudingly settle for a call back in the next two days.
3 days pass
By this point my blood is beginning to boil, so at this point i call back and speak to the same manager again and am forced to go through this whole story again. The best i can achieve is a call back in 24 hours as apparently (insert name of large telecoms company) home computing customer services have the amazing ability of not being contactable by the customers ( a new and frankly staggering approach by companies that clearly have no interest in after sales service)
about 30 minutes later as i am on my way home i get a message on my answerphone (they managed to call during the 5 minute period on my trip home where i have no service) the message refers me to the number i was given before which demands an account number!
By this point i have almost entireley lost my rag and call this number again, 15 minutes of fighting the urge to ask what the f*ck they are playing at results in me managing to get my account number and then being informed that i need to call back tomorrow as the warranty people have all gone home.
Must resist urge to track down (insert name of large telecoms company) home computing customer services manager and instruct him in appropriate methods of compalint handling with a red hot poker!
Discuss this Journal entry [7]
Latest reply: Feb 6, 2006
home at last!
Posted Jan 15, 2006
Hurrah, finally back home from the meet. Had a great weekend, nice to see some familiar faces and of course to meet some new folks.
Photos will be coming in the near future but may be delayed due to my currently defunct laptop.
Righty Ho, time for more tea and quite possibly a biscuit i think
Discuss this Journal entry [21]
Latest reply: Jan 15, 2006
Northern Boy (lost somewhere in the great rhubarb triangle) <master of Freudian typos> Man or Badger?
Researcher U248994
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