need.relaxation.

It's the wonderful time of the month again: The Monthly Reporting Cycle. woooohhhooo!? Yeah right!

This time round, the reporting period is shorter due to the upcoming holidays.

I was naughty and rebel against coming in to work last weekend. Actually, I just said no, I wasn't coming in. TOH was in town and we have planned to go shopping together.

Anyways, I did not too badly. Stayed until 7pm on Friday and then 7pm on Monday. Yesterday I just went shopping to finish my Christmas shopping and what other knicknacks or rubbish that I need to buy. Yeah, NEED. Yeah...

The Big Guy like my wee report I prepared for the review this morning. I have actually done them since two months ago, guess he didn't realised it. Anyways, am very pleased of myself too.

More reviews after this and that would be me for today.

TS is in toon. We are going to paint the town red. Yeah. Well, more like we going to do what we used to do, which is drink, eat and be merry. Well, that didn't sound too right.

Anyways, we are just going to hang out and chill out.

Just what I need...

hedonism

I’m going to The Hallion for my company’s Christmas Lunch.

The all important email was circulated months ago, end of August to be exact, prompting employees to book and confirm a place there.

The prospect of going to a ‘Private Member’s Club’ was really enticing.

Anyways, after months sitting on it, I decided to check out the Hallion’s website.

Overall, the website exudes: extravagance, luxury, class, privacy, poshness, and everything along that line.

The good thing is that they (or at least the website) don’t seem stiff when placed in the same line with luxury and posh.

I actually like the website a lot!

I had a nosy in the ‘Rules and Etiquette’ section and had a fun time reading it.

Some excerpts:

PROPERTY:
Members are encouraged to treat The Hallion as their second home (or 3rd if they are lucky enough to have two already) therefore, respect for the property goes without saying. This "home from home" policy should not extend to moving things like ashtrays from your new second home to your first. Theft will not be tolerated, kleptomania is a disease - take something for it.

TELEPHONES:
Members should use vibrators in The Club. If you need to make, or take, a telephone call please demonstrate the mobility of your phone by taking it to a quiet corner.

SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Members should note that fees can be charged annually or by monthly standing order. If necessary, don't pay your bookie, the alimony, the Inland Revenue or the housekeeping but, please always pay The Hallion Club subscription on time - you'll always have somewhere to hide when others come looking for you.

Not too sure about the 'vibrators' though.. hehehe...

Go to the website to fully enjoy and appreciate the work that The Hallion has got their PR team put in. I’m very impressed.

And as much as a snob that I am, reading the website does give me some sense of ‘belonging’. Yes, I know what load of story… Who knows, one day, just one mighty fine day, I might, just might join the club. It’s £150 joining fee and £350 annually.

Do I need it? Hmmm…. Do I really need it? Well…

Anyways, I can’t wait to have our Christmas Lunch there. Now, I think I need a different approach to what I was going to wear to the lunch, i.e.: shopping for new clothes!

big

Last night’s shopping wasn’t as great as I thought it would have been. But, I found out why they say Glasgow is a shopping haven.

It has been reported/claimed that Glasgow is the next best place to shop after London. I’ve never really thought about that. I mean, I didn’t like Glasgow from my first visit years ago, so it didn’t really bother me if Glasgow IS a shopping haven. Or that I hardly do much shopping myself, for that matter.

But last night it was a case of ‘big’.
Debenhams - big
House of Fraser - big
Zara - big
Borders - big (which, we already know by now)
Urban Outfitters - big
John Lewis - big

You get the idea, don’t you?

Oh yeah, they even have a Hamleys here. Just in case you don’t know, Hamleys is one of the world biggest toy store. But the Hamleys in Glasgow is inside of House of Fraser. Nothing compared to the one on Regent Street, London.

There were so many people in town shopping. Today’s paper reported that high street retail has picked up. With the economy slowdown, everyone is waiting for last minute shopping. Even John Lewis had started some reduction until end of this week!!!

Oh well…

As much as I would like to shop online, which ideally I would do if I know what I want, I would have. But there is no one home. And not sure if the postie/courier service is going to leave my parcel at the door or worst send it back to the depot, which leaves me with more trouble than necessary. I may just go online to shop for whatever I really want and can’t find it in the stores and have it delivered to the office, thick face-ly. Maybe just write my address very business likey.

insurance

I just purchased (if that is the right word to use) my first home insurance. In fact, it was just the contents insurance that I bought.

Under my tenancy agreement, I’m supposed to have the property insured. I was intending to get one after the flooding incident with my previous flat, anyways. You really never know when or what will happen. Like that Malay proverb malang tidak berbau literally translated as accident/bad things does not smell (LOL!).

After much procrastination, and after getting various quotes, I have finally bought it today.

I feel so grown up!

The process of getting quotes and the thought of getting insured, contents insured is such a grown up process. I just don’t want to grow up!!! Toy ‘R Us jingle comes to mind.

I’m still feeling rather ‘shaky’. Not sure if I bought enough or too much. Not sure if I gave the right information, at least I know I gave to whatever I know of.

There were just so many questions. How much to insure? How much for personal items? High risk items? Accidental damages? Do you want legal coverage? It includes building cover. How old is your property? Is it listed? The types of lock you have. So on and so forth.

Still, I feel good that I have paid it off, altogether. The temptation of putting it on my credit card and collect point which will be converted into spending vouchers is great. But I didn’t put it through the credit card. I’m so proud that I’ve practiced some form of restrained.

And I didn't want to pay interest for any instalment either.

Am feeling rather relieved myself. The other night after putting on the Christmas lights, which looks absolutely stunning by the way, only half of the lights were flashing and the other half stationary.

So I ignored it.

Then the next night, the lights all flickered. So I thought maybe it was a one off thing.

I was then away for the weekend.

When I came back it has half working again. Great.

Then the other night, only half of the tree was lit.

So I thought, it’s about time I go and have a look. Saw that one of the bulbs has burnt. Fine.

Changed the bulb but noticed that the socket was cracked. Then I checked the rest, some of them were cracked. Wonderful.

So took down all the lights. Just to be on the safe side. Thank God I tell ya! Imagine...

Better go now. Got to catch the train for late night shopping!!!

mystery

I know many people don’t say this but…

I. LOVE. MY. JOB.

This morning I woke up rather early. Just like any normal day. Almost.

But…

I was too lazy to get off the bed.

Another minute. Became another five minutes. Then another five minutes.

Doesn’t help when you go to bed late. And then started reading ‘Shopaholic and Baby’ and walloped four chapters in a go. Great.

So I got up this morning. Had my shower. Look at the time. And ‘naaah.. I’m not going to run for the train’. So I did my dishes and took the later train. Which, I almost missed. Sigh…

Anyways, so I came in later to work.

Today has been somewhat productive.

Actually spend almost the whole day investigating a project’s target cost. Which spawned from an additional works claim from the contractor.

Sat with my project manager and later the estimator to get to the bottom of it.

I find it very enjoyable learning and trying to solve every bit of ‘mystery’. Everything is a mystery for me. Until I know for certain what it is.

Two weeks ago, when I understand the meaning and reason of some abbreviation, I got so happy, overexcited, and just so pleased. Smiling from ear to ear. I know it does sound very shallow. But whahey...

Solving all these mysteries is just so satisfying.

Anyways, was busy blog reading and then realised I missed the time for the train so am staying back and see what I can do, maybe work(?) or more blog reading(?) until it is time for me to go.

I am so lucky. So so lucky.

Can’t wait for tomorrow.

fifteen modern tales of attraction

I just finished Alison MacLeod’s Fifteen Modern Tales of Attraction.



I first picked up the book with Jonathan Tropper’s How to Talk to a Widower. I think what draws me to the book was the title. Being a sap for such love stories I thought ‘why not give it a go?’ After all it is just fifteen short stories.

Bear in mind, just because I am a sap doesn’t mean I normally fill myself with tons and tons of love stories or romance novels. I can hardly remember reading materials such as that, chick lit doesn’t count.

Anyways, I think it must be lethargy and plus the fact that I don’t make as much time spend reading Fifteen Tales compared to Widower.

I blame it on tiredness and because of this I feel that the stories can be a drag. I find that I spend a lot of time reading one paragraph over and over again.

In all fairness, some of the times are due to not catching what was written but many times, the writing is so good that I want to read it again and again.

Each story is different. When I first read the first story I was very impressed. It was somewhat abstract. Somewhat, because it is different from your typical narrative writing. I supposed this is what they call modern writing.

It is almost like watching one of those good film, that have a twisted storyline, the kind that turned out not what you thought it would’ve turned out.

With the lethargy and tiredness I struggled immensely trying to finish the book. In the end, it took me about two months to attempt to finish this book. Sadly, I think I skipped one or two stories.

But the last few stories that I read, that I had to make time to read it, I find it thoroughly enjoying.

My favourite stories are ‘So that the Land was Darken’, ‘Pilot’, ‘Notes for a Chaotic Century’ and ‘Radiant Heat’.

Overall, I think the writing is different from what I usually read. It is not a book I would rush out and buy or read again. I will read it again, maybe in future when I have nothing better to do.

The reviews for the book had been very good though. Maybe it’s just me that I’m not there yet or in the mood to read such books, yet. Maybe a few more practice reads.

After numerous renewing of the book, I thought the book was due on 2nd December. The question of whether the library is open on a Sunday did occur to me. I said to TOH that I will have to call the library to renew the book but I didn’t do it.

Finally, after rushing about trying to finish the book, I went into Anniesland Library, finished reading it there and then only to find out that the book was only due on 12th December.

I went in to the library to return one book and came out with six other books. It should be enough to see me through the holidays.

meetings

Last weekend had been a rather eventful one.

Met up with Yen and had Chinese for lunch with TOH. It was good catching up and just enjoying each other’s company.

After lunch, TOH and I went shopping and bought a few things, nothing much exciting there.

We managed to put up the Christmas tree - halfway. We still have some baubles to add on and a not-so-gay-looking-tree-topper-to-hunt-down. Besides, putting up the tree, the evening was rather quiet and uneventful. We enjoyed each other’s company watching the box.

On Sunday, TOH and I went to visit his dad.

It was my first time meeting TOH’s dad. He was a really nice and friendly person.

Before the visit, TOH was rather concerned and worried if I would be daunted by the aspect of meeting his dad. I was actually quite laid back and didn’t really worry much. I just thought, ‘it wouldn’t be that bad’.

But thanks to TOH and his constant reminder, I think I was getting a bit nervous, just a bit.

In the end, I just said to TOH not to mention again, lest I really get worried and nervous.

In all honestly I was slightly concern having to cook lunch for TOH’s dad. We had mushroom soup with crusty bread. I was glad it turned out good and everyone loved it. Not bad considered it was my second time making the soup. As usual, TOH did all the cutting and prepping, I will need to get him to cook it the next time and he will be a pro in no time!

TOH is my number one supporter for my cooking. Or rather, my number one guinea pig. ^_^ So far I think I’ve done not too bad, since he is still well and alive, with his tummy growing and coming back for more. Hehehe…

I felt at ease and enjoyed the afternoon. It was nice to see how close TOH and his dad are. The banters they share with each other. The topics they discussed. It was really good. I could understand why TOH makes it an effort to spend time with his dad about twice a week.

It was fun and I look forward having the privilege spending Christmas with them.