Friday 30 April 2010

Pappy's

I'm off to see Pappy's (formerly Pappy's Fun Club) tonight. There's only 3 of them now so maybe I should as for a discount.

New shoes = agony for a week

I bought a new pair of shoes on Tuesday and I am now in agony. I expect this to last for at least another week or so, especially as there's a bank holiday on Monday so by the end of the weekend my feet will have more or less healed but only to get attacked again next week on the way to work.

Thursday 29 April 2010

Pilgrimage

I'm off here tonight with some old work friends

The Jerusalem Tavern (Farringdon)

http://www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk/london/default.htm

I've been once before, but it's the pub of my favourite brewery St Peters. Last time I was there it was packed so here’s hoping that it’s sunny outside so that there’s room to rest my weary legs.

Terrorism tips

We had a lunch time and learn session today here at work.

Information Security and Financial Crime

Part of the presentation was by an ex police officer who specialised in preventing financial crime and terrorist financing.

His tip of the day for wannabe terrorists was to always use cash but never to use your Tesco Clubcard.

Better stock up

Sony has signalled what could be the final end of the venerable floppy disk.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8643844.stm

Who still uses floppy disks?

Wednesday 28 April 2010

Land Ahoy!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/8648011.stm

A lost sailor has had to be rescued after running out of fuel circling a small island when he thought he was sailing around the UK coast.

What an idiot.

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Tax

I pay 0.000011% of the country's tax (national insurance and income tax combined). Can I have some of it back?

A travesty of justice

As my brother pointed out, who will make National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 3?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8645930.stm

Who would have thought it?

God is alive and well and working in Perth.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8646021.stm

Damn you hay fever

All this lovely weather we’ve been having recently has been playing havoc with my hay fever. Waking up every morning feeling clogged up and yucky. I hate it. Hopefully whatever’s causing it will stop pollinating soon so that I can have a little rest from sneezing.

Monday 26 April 2010

Official Pass

I received confirmation that I passed my 2nd CII exam this morning. 79%. That’s now, £1,000 for not being an idiot. I also spoke to the CII last week about tracking down my old LIT test certificate (I did it back in 2002, but since lost it), they got back to me this morning saying they’d found the record and would add it to my list of completed exams.

Officially I now have what is called a Certificate in Insurance! My name will be in next months CII magazine. Don’t worry I won’t let the fame get to me.

We've just had our tyres replaced

Yikes. The best part of £500! £500 per 20,000 miles isn't that bad though. 40 miles per pound. It's in for an MOT next week so hopefully there'll be nothing else that needs doing.

Thursday 22 April 2010

My Manifesto

If I were running for this year's elections the first thing on my manifesto would be to increase the bag size of frazzles. I think twice the size would be sufficient.

Election debate

The second of 3 election debates is on Sky tonight, it's being held at the Arnolfini Centre in Bristol, about 2 minutes walk from my old flat. As chance would have it we were actually sitting outside it (or next to it outside a YMCA of all places) in the sun last Saturday drinking a lovely bottle or two of wine.

Let's hope the debate is better than last weeks where as soon as one of the leaders started to make a point, the presenter butted in so that another leader could have their say.

"Well I think that..."
"Mr Cameron"
"I agree with what he said..."
"Mr Brown"
"What DID he say?"
"Mr Clegg?"

Wednesday 21 April 2010

Rebuild

I'm rebuilding one of my remetrica models this week. It's been due a spring clean for the past year. The problem being it's been built up piece meal over the past year by different users. None of which has any consideration for the future. Luckily we have a good example to follow and with fingers crossed once I finally get around to finishing it, it comes out with a similar answer... Or if not similar, then lower.

Remembered amusing story

I've just got back from lunch and spotted a barman from a decent pub i've frequented from time to time.

It reminded me of the time I ordered two chip buttys, the barman duly asked "do you want chips with that?". Ho, ho. The poor guy probably had a prompt coming from the till but still, come on!

Will Christians swing the 2010 UK election?

No.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8607964.stm

Tuesday 20 April 2010

The inlaws are coming

April's Dad and wife are visiting for a couple of weeks from Sunny Melbournehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne in October. We'd better stock up on some nice wine. Saying that it's nearly 6 months away so i'd probably drink it by then, so no hurry.

Monday 19 April 2010

I forgot to say

On my recent trip to Glasgow last month Hardeep Singh Kohli of The One Show fame (no longer) was on the same flight. It was obvious that he didn't want to chat though, he was wearing shades and earphones for the entirety of the waiting lounge / flight.

Other famous people I have spotted in the last 10 years include Jarvis Cocker, Michael Winner, and Darius

£150 extra per month

Our 2 year fixed rate is up on our mortgage, it now reverts to the bank's base rate which is 1% lower. This all equates to £150 less a month to pay in interest. Woo hoo! We should really keep the payments the same to reduce the lenght of the mortgage. But... I said woo hoo!

What great weather

I took April to Bristol on Saturday to visit one of my old uni friends and his heavily pregnant wife. As the weather was so good we had a bbq for lunch then headed into the city for a couple of drinks by the river and to look around a few of the areas where I used to live. After a few more drinks in the sun we ended up eating in a nice Chinese restaurant before grabbing a cab and driving back to his village.

His wife left us midway through the evening as she had a baby shower organised for her at a friends house. She wasn't back when we arrived so having been a very long day we went straight up to bed for some much needed sleep.

An hour or so later his wife turned up and found to her dismay that her husband had bolted the door leaving her with no way to get into her house.

She called his phone. But it was left in the kitchen.
She threw stones at the window. He didn't wake up.

Then she remembered that she'd left one of the side windows open so she clambered her 8 month pregnant body through the window.

He is no suitably in the dog house!!! Ha, ha. Silly boy.

Friday 16 April 2010

Free champagne

We had a team lunch today (Haz) and it was extreamly busy, we were just waiting for a coffee when the manager asked us if we wouldn't mind moving over to the bar in exchange for a free champagne each so that he could fill another table.

Did we move? Of course we did.

Cheats!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8623514.stm

Thursday 15 April 2010

5 weeks apart from my boss

Shame.

We've just recieved an e-mail from our boss stating that due to the Icelandic volcanic ash that's currently in the atmosphere my boss won't be getting back to work for another week!

With my time off a couple of weeks ago and his two week holiday I won't have seen him for 5 weeks.

I passed, as if there was ever a doubt

After the exam they give you a summary of your results by each individual section

72% on insurance products and associated services
85% on underwriting and policy wordings
88% on claims
100% on IT, security, confidentiality, data protection
50% on customer service. (I only read the summary to this section this morning on the train)

I can't just do a simple average as I reckon I only answered four questions in total on the last two categories. There were 14 chapters in total so pro rater ing all that, I think I got around 81%. 11% of effort wasted me thinks...

It's a good job i'm not client facing. Another £500 though, so not bad really.

Wednesday 14 April 2010

Idiot

Just popped to Waitrose to do a little lunchtime shopping and some numb nuts has smashed their car into not one, not, two but 3 cars whilst parking! Ha, ha. Before you ask, it wasn't me.

Study day today

What time shall I get up?

Tuesday 13 April 2010

We've been added to street view



Looks like it was bin day. No sign of the cats. Boo!

Wow, Ben's opinion was correct

We saw Kick Ass last night and it was excellent. Very funny in parts and with some great action scenes to boot.

IMdb Rating: 8.3 / 10 (6320 votes) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1250777/
SC Rating: 82 / 100 (1 vote)

Monday 12 April 2010

Mock 85%

Just completed an online mock test for the exam I have on Thursday and got 85%. The pass mark is 70% so I think i'll be okay. I've got another study day on Wednesday, I think i'll still read the last 3 chapters in the book just in case.

Rock on

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/tonbridge/New-law-licence-rock/article-1928576-detail/article.html

If the law is changed it would mean pubs could stage live music, which may include heavy rock, until 11pm every night. This is as long as their are less than 100 people in attendance.


What's wrong with heavy rock? I'd be more concerned if RnB was played until 11pm every night.

Sunday 11 April 2010

BBQ today

Not the first of the year, that was for the Superbowl, hopefully it won't rain this time. The weather's looking nice and sunny out side but it is a little cold. Saying that I did get a little burnt whilst playing rugby yesterday. Bring on the burn.

Fashion guru Stu

During my time off I did a little clothes shopping. I hate doing it but needed a few more t-shirts so went to Diesel in Covent Garden. Anyway, later in the week I put one of them on, I looked in the mirror and noticed a small hole in the neck.

I thought bugger, that means that I have to go back and get it replaced. More hassel. I didn't know when i'd next be over that way so would have to make a special trip just to replace something. Great.

April suggested we go to Bluewater (Huge out of town shopping center 30 mins drive away), it had a Diesel shop and we needed to get some birthday presents for some friends so that solved both problems.

On explaining to the member of staff my problem she laughed and said that she'd had three people in the week complaining about the same problem. It's part of the design. Doh!

To give me some credit I did double check with April to ask her if that was part of the fashion but she too said no so i'm not totally stupid.

Wednesday 7 April 2010

Floods

I turned up to work yesterday morning to find that over the weekend there had been a flood in the floor above us right over my desk. I'm still having to use someone else's desk and PC as my two PCs got a good soaking.

Sounds like an April fool joke gone wrong. Surely they meant for me to be under it when it leaked.

Cheers!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8606373.stm

I didn't realise that cider manufactuers and drinkers were that powerful a lobbying group. They put tobacco and energy companies to shame.

UKIP?

I just filled out this political party assessment to see who I am most likely to vote for in the upcoming general election.

http://www.takethequiz.co.uk/

My result was UKIP

But that is despite me saying we should stay in Europe and join the Euro. Crap questionnaire I think.

Dear oh dear

I went out for a few beers last night with my mate James. One of us didn't make it into work this morning.

Ha, ha!

Who would do something like that?

13 days off

With me being ill for a couple of days just before my break, I had a total of 13 days off work.

3 days holiday
4 days of weekend
2 bank holidays
2 study days
2 sick days
13 days

Brilliant. I have to say that I really needed it, it was almost 6 months since my last proper break. What did I do with it? I hear you ask. Not a tremendous amount.

I went back home (ish) for a night and also went to Glasgow for a day. Other than that I did some 'hard' studying and bit of hard football managering on my new i7.

Thursday 1 April 2010

Zzz, study is so dull

Studying is boring, 4 chapters today so far, i'll do another 2 later. That'll be 55%ish

Factual not opinion

Well done Simon

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8598472.stm