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1:40:00 PM
Friday, February 06, 2009
Reboot
If you go to this link: http://www.terradyme.com/wiki
you'll find what may become the next incarnation of Terradyme.
8:22:00 PM
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Hasta
The End
I hadn't realised it's been 3 months since my last post. I knew it had been awhile, but I was surprised when I just looked.
I began this blog seven years ago this month, before blogging really got big, to record the events surrounding my acquisition of dual-citizenship and my move to the UK. After that it became a way to keep people in the US informed on my goings on.
Unfortunately after having been home for Christmas last month (and because of other events) I've decided this isn't the medium I want to use any more. So I'm finishing up and calling it a day.
I know I've taken breaks before, but I've just decided to try some other ways to complain about everything and record what's happening to Tim. Those other outlets may or not be public, we'll see.
In the meantime, I'm always available via email.
Cheers.
8:10:00 PM
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Ninja cat comes closer ... without moving!
3:46:00 PM
Sunday, October 19, 2008
After Viewing
I just paid £7.20 for a non-premium seat (read: you can't sit in the middle 50% of the cinema) in Banbury's only cinema.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
I'll see what I can do
There are a few people I know whose birthdays are coming up; the Gran turns 99 next month and she's impossible to shop for. I may wind up buying her a pint of milk and a loaf of bread as at least then I know she'll use it instead of putting it away in a cupboard.*
I happened to have what I thought was a good idea the other day, when I asked her if she wanted a 2009 calendar like the one I purchased for her last year. She had particularly seemed to like it as it has very large numbers which can be seen from the Space Station or, in her case, from across the room.
"Oh yes, that would be good," she said.
Great! I thought.
"...but not like that one. That one's rubbish."
Wondering what I was getting myself into, I steeled myself and asked her what was wrong with it.
"That one there ... doesn't have the phases of the moon. It's useless."
I never knew she was a devotee of both Artemis and the Virgin Mary.
*while providing detailed instructions on who should get it when she's dead and buried.
8:39:00 PM
Darkness III
Funny how it always seems to happen just after my birthday, but it's definitely turned into autumn, without any sort of Indian summer unlike past years. It's dark by the time I've finished my dinner or, if I'm stuck in traffic (like tonight) before I even get home.
Stupid farmers.
8:35:00 PM
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Beware the Rubbish Gestapo
While Gran was at mass tonight I managed to single-handedly wrestle the old, 18th century "bed" from the top floor downstairs onto the pavement outside the house, as the Council are picking it up tomorrow morning at o'dark thirty. I'm exhausted... but how much space I've recovered! Of course, as carefully as I'd placed the bed so as to take up as little space as possible on the pavement, I got a lecture upon her return.
...
Yesterday I came home from "mass" to find the Gran sitting by the gas fire with a small electric fan heater plugged in. She immediately offered it to me and eventually I got the story that she got it at Curry's some time ago but now thinks it's too small and doesn't have a handle to move it around easily (I don't know if she had wanted to wield it like a lantern or what). She wouldn't let me pay her any money for it.
Since the box wasn't needed, she asked if it could go in the Blue bin (for recycling), to which I gave a positive response.
An hour later, I tied up the rubbish bag from the kitchen and then made my way to pick up the box to take them both outside to dispose of them. "Leave that box here, at the top of the stairs and I'll put it out with the rest of the blue bin doings tomorrow."
But I'm going out now to throw this away, I said, offering the kitchen rubbish bag.
"Yes," she said, "but you're going to the *other* bin now."
I decided not to argue with her.
6:49:00 PM
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Truth is funnier than fiction
You have to watch both parts:
1:49:00 PM
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
One month check-in
It's been 30 days since I moved to Banbury, and so far it's had its ups and downs. The biggest issue at the moment is that I'm not really settled as I've been unable to unpack the two rooms' worth of stuff I've accumulated, as I've been arranging for carpeting to be installed and then need to buy a dresser and several shelf units or cabinets and probably something to put the TV on and perhaps a comfy chair. Then I can hang some pictures on the wall and feel as if the place has my stamp on it.
The other big issue was been the commute, which is erratic but always mildly annoying at least. On a good day it takes 50-60 minutes to travel the 25 miles, but yesterday --for no other reason than it was raining-- the traffic chaos resulted in an hour and forty minutes' drive. That's just not fun.
Thankfully, even though I'm paying £38/mo for a garage, I haven't had to use it yet as I'm able to park in front of the house most weekday evenings and all day on Sundays. So far I've managed to find a space on an adjoining road on Friday evenings so that Saturday day is taken care of too.
The Gran and I are also adjusting to the living arrangements. Mainly I'm just trying to stay out of her way. It means, though, that I haven't made a meal at home that didn't involve the microwave and/or eating out of the tin, as I don't want to contribute to the washing up to be done (and I'm not allowed to do that myself). I'm also finding it easier to just accept the 42p that she wants to pay me for the pint of milk I just bought her rather than arguing over whose income is higher.
We'll get there, but it'll be awhile.
9:08:00 PM
I showed her
Despite Gran's assessment, my 40th festivities were actually quite special. I took the day off (as I normally do on my birthday) and visited another local stately home, Waddesdon Manor, with my friend CC. After, we had dinner and opened cards and gifts at CM's.
8:59:00 PM
A Pretender
I've just seen that HBO has a new animated series called "The Life and Times of Tim".
It can't be nearly as entertaining and riveting as the real thing.
...
(Can it?)
8:54:00 PM
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Let them eat
I've just finished baking the cake for my 40th birthday, using a mix my mom brought over from the States when she was visiting in May.
By baking I mean I prepared the mix and put it in the 18th century contraption that resides in the Gran's kitchen that is shaped like a sarcophagus and is about as suitable for cooking. After locating the faded parchment with the instructions on the Ignition process, I managed not to set the place alight, but what came out 35 minutes later was something resembling the crater in front of the Islamabad Marriot.
Never mind, it will still be edible when covered with coconut-pecan icing, also brought over by the Mom. Unlike the cake she bought specially for my 4th birthday (the last I celebrated in Banbury) at which, I'm told, I stuck up my nose and ate not one bit.
Perhaps my 160th birthday cake will turn out better.
8:59:00 PM
Just get rid of 'em
I read today on Washingtonpost.com that the US will have new designs for the backs of pennies next year to commemorate Lincoln's birthday. I wasn't surprised to read:
Making pennies has become a costly proposition for the U.S. Treasury. Prices of zinc and copper have spiraled in recent years, and it now costs 1.4 cents to make the 1-cent coin. So far this year, 3.6 billion pennies have been minted -- $36 million worth of change costing $50.4 million to produce.
The metal in a UK 1p coin is worth about 1.5p.
11:31:00 AM
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Seems as if I'll have to wait 10 more years
Shortly after noon, I brought in a parcel that had been sent to me from the US which had been delivered late in the morning, and deposited it on the table. I suspect there may a birthday gift inside, but I've already received three birthday cards which are proudly displayed on the sideboard.
The Gran interrupted her mid-day meal, mouth still full, to ask:
"Is it an extra special birthday?"
I asked her what she meant.
"It seems as if everyone's making a fuss over it and I wondered if it were an extra special one."
I shrugged and said I didn't know what that meant, that I was turning 40 this year.
"Oh, no, that's not special. 50 is special....
And 70....
And 90 I guess...."
(Long pause)
"I just thought maybe yours was special."
3:33:00 PM
Friday, September 19, 2008
Snagged from somewhere else:
Who would you expect to announce that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin won't cooperate with the Alaska Legislature's probe into whether she abused the power of her office in Trooper-Gate?
Not Palin herself. Nor the spokesperson for the Governor's Office. Nor the lawyer the state is paying to represent her in her official capacity in the case. Instead, that announcement was made today by a spokesperson for John McCain's presidential campaign.
Just keep that in mind as this case unfolds.
4:47:00 PM
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Commute
I haven't yet been able to figure out the best route to and from work given the variables of weather, time of day, whether school is in session, whether it's the weekend, or whatever.
I *so* timed it wrong today though. I left the house at 8:20 and hit a traffic jam on the M40 at 8:55 and sat in traffic ...
...for two and a half hours.
There was a pretty serious accident about a mile ahead involving a tanker and two cars and they took forever to get one lane of the motorway open. I left my mobile at work the night before, so I couldn't call anyone to let them know but honestly I wasn't too upset as who is ever in a rush to get to work? Luckily (after an hour) I remembered I had some old magazines in the boot and a six pack of diet coke that I'd bought from Tesco over the weekend.
I'll have to stop for petrol on the way home tonight.
4:08:00 PM
