More of my evening
One of the more important things I’ve been talking about lately is the letter to those from that school I attended in the past – that’s done, and will be posted tomorrow. After more than eighteen years since I left there, it’s taken me quite a time to build up everything to confront my shadow, my formers, call it what you will. Otherwise, I had a quiet evening to round it all off.
Ninewells Hospital Area 7 – The Area That The Sign Makers (Almost) Forgot
I had a shower, washed my hair (Bad Hair Day!) then left the house in time for my “HD Clinic” at 1600. I’ve not been here for a long time, but I was only one floor away yesterday! At Ninewells, the signs go up to Area 6A, but there is no mention of an Area 7… until you go all the way to the south block, down one floor in the lift, along a bit, around the corner, around the corner again so you end up pointing in the opposite direction to how you were when you came out the lift, and then you walk a bit further…
… and THEN you see a sign showing “< Area 7”…
… I know I’ve been here before, but not for many months. That’s why I forgot….
… anyway, I was there for a reason – and that was to see the same genetics doctor I saw a while ago (see previous blogs about missing appointments etc.) I put forward my concerns to him, and we then proceeded with what you could call the neurological equivalent of a MoT (vehicle) test. Only reason I say that was that I passed fine, and I’ve got to come back in a year. The stumbling etc. hasn’t been so bad this last week or so, but time will tell what is causing that, if anything.
So, back to town, and back home.
My morning (depending on your time zone!)
I got up… went back to bed till 12ish… (my time) this was after I called to double-check my hospital appointment today – thought it was at 1400 – but it’s at 1600, so I went back to bed until after 1200. So why did I do that? Well, it’s 12 noon my time… meaning it’s 0700 over there for the “birthday boy”… and he’s quiet at work so far, so that’s good… plenty time for us to talk… and reminisce about the last four years… before getting ready to rush out the door… well, these days only come once a year… and he said thank you for all those “sweet things” I said about him. Like everything else I write here, they were true, and came from the heart (unless I copied and pasted – which I didn’t). He did wish me good luck for this afternoon… not sure if luck comes into it, but if you hope things cannot get worse than they are, well it’s a nice idea… as well as being traditional for almost every other hospital appointment that anyone has...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY...
... no, not to me! That special someone in my life – a very nice gentleman by the name of Jay – is another year older, or at least he will be at 5am GMT / which is midnight his time! Over the last four years, we’ve developed an unusual understanding into something really special for the two of us. Four years ago (we never got the exact date, so this, being his birthday, is close enough), we started chatting. I told him straight away that I had trans leanings, and his kind words helped me a lot over the months that followed. 2003, and he continued to support me. 2004, and I came out, and he’s even more supportive. (Yes he’s got his interests too, but I can’t thank him for those, can I? anyway…). In 2005, he was truly better than ever, and by this point I could tell this was a bit more than just an online friendship. Given everything I’d had in 2005, he was always there to support me. 2006, and even now I'd be happy knowing that he has made such a positive impact on my life.
We are currently 4,000 miles apart – as he lives near Rochester, New York state (that's not as far away as a call to an Indian call centre!). I’d rather be loved by him, than find someone local who’d only really be interested in sex. I’ve had a huge number of offers over the years, but no-one is really interested in me or my mind. No-one would be willing to talk about some of the things we’ve talked about. I doubt someone could even come close with the number of things we have in common.
He’s going to be 46. At the moment, I’d don't know how I will be at that age, and I would give anything to know that when I am the age he is now, I will still be able to do everything that I can now – of course, as I’ve outlined over the past months, that cannot happen. So I’d rather have some “mature” and “sensible” time now, with the odd bit of fun thrown in, while I still can (that makes me sound old now doesn’t it…!)
Kelly Clarkson may have won the contest, but he is still my American Idol… yes that sounds slushy and romantic, but why not!
So, from me, xxx, Love & hugs, and many happy returns, and now this means it’s just 76 days and 19 hours until the start of my birthday!
Suzy
More DOR
Regarding the TG DOR (see here, or near the end of my post from Sunday past), I got an email back from MCC Edinburgh (I guess the first one must have got lost my side or something… I sent this one from another mailbox) and got word back to state that “MCC Edinburgh will be marking TG-DOR (as we do each year) at our regular Sunday worship service on 19th November at 6.00pm in Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.” I will give this one some thought, and post back in due course – as will I if there is anything else going on in the same week, with a similar topic.
A different Monday
Monday started well enough, and I got to Ninewells for my appointment… only to be told that Sally had to dash away to pick up her daughter from school. So, in place, one of the other speech therapists, Jan, talked to me instead. I’m still at the same place as I was before, and obviously there is still a lot of work to do. What I’d found quite interesting about this visit was that we spent most of the time talking about me, what I’ve been doing so far, a bit about the trans stuff (she and Sally both see about half each, but they don’t share notes, and she didn’t know anything else about me). I started to explain that I’d be back the following day i.e. Tuesday, for a genetics appointment… and then I explained why… turns out she does work with HD patients too, so we were able to have a talk about how I felt about it all, what I understood of it, and other consequences and ethical issues., and it did make for a very interesting morning – not to mention setting me up well for tomorrow. She did notice that I sounded a little anxious or nervous, maybe not those words, but something very similar. I explained that I’d had times earlier in the month… but that I was over all that now, and I thought I’d started to move on. Having said that, this is going to be a busy week!
Work was mundane by comparison.
Brum Outer Circle
(p.s. Would have posted this half an hour ago, but Blogger nosedived again...)
Do you remember The Great Bull from earlier in the year, as well as the website (which is also known as "Birmimgham: It's Not S*it")? If the "Birmimgham, You'll Never Leave" video was almost like an "inner circle cab ride", then now you can experience Brum's 11A Outer Circle, without the need to spend two and a half hours of your life on a Gemini, or to even go to Brum in the first place...Kings Heath to Kings Heath in five minutesRemember "London to Brighton in two minutes"? Well here you can jump on the eleven and go from Kings Heath High St to Kings Heath High St in five minutes flat... (then it lists all the 11A timing points) ...and also experience the joys of the outer ridge of Brum on a wet friday in october. it was pi**ing down through yardley - we could barely see anything!
I'd not forgotten your comments, honest...
... believe it or not, Blogger has only just told me of two more comments which were posted on my blog way back in the summer… when I did the list of introductions to those that I'd liked to... so belated thanks to Jag from Route 79 - which currently has a picture of a highly decorated, dual-door minibus, belonging to a catering company in Southall. Thanks also go to Geoff from Route 43 – the blog which has just won an award as the best Blog in Manchester, at the “First Annual Manchester 06 Blog Awards”, ran by Manchizzle.
See, you get quality links by reading this blog, you know!...
...on other stuff – if you change the “search” function on Firefox 2, it actually does change the faint background text – eventually, after about 10-15 seconds…
... and something I forgot to mention earlier on... I was listening to XFM Scotland earlier on (using IE, as the player disappears under Firefox!), and they had on a song titled “Freaky Teeth Busters” – it was, now get this – samples of Bubba Spark’s “Get Your Freak On”, some new lyrics, and the theme tune to Ghostbusters... Is there ANY song that Bubba can’t get mixed in with?, Anyway, this appeared to be on an album called Pride of Monster Mash – but the web site could not be found! Any ideas?
Phoned Home
Spoke to my mother tonight on the phone, twice. I got through halfway through what I wanted to say, and then she wanted to go and think about it. I wrote all my thoughts down into Word, and then went and got the washing out the machine. The upshot of the second conversation is that she has decided we will “agree to disagree” – the point there being, she disagrees with gender reassignment, despite the fact she is not willing to fully understand it, and her preachers or whatever can’t get me separated from a cross dresser. The flip side to this was nil, because I was not disagreeing with her. I said that I thought she is just trying to ignore my life over the last twenty or years, and she disagreed. I’ve said that I would be happy to look at religion again, after I get over and done with the past at Trinity. We then talked about Trinity - the school I went to between 5 & 9 – a fee-paying religious school in Dundee City Centre. She’s already seen the letter I wanted to send to those who did the wrong, and she spent her time editing bits she didn’t want – she originally wanted me to write it under my christened name, not aware that this would be fraud under the Deed of Polls Act! Anyway, back to the past. During my time there, the teachers did things that were wrong… and she can’t remember it.
Now, that made me stop. The teachers doing the wrong apparently didn’t tell her, although I am sure they did! She can’t remember me telling her about it either. I remember twice at school writing bits in essays etc. about my true feelings, while not making it blatant. I showed my mum the first one, and she wouldn’t even read it. You wouldn’t believe it now, but I was fairly religious at one point – because, I thought it would make her as interested in me, as she is with the other two. Maybe that was misguided, and don’t forget I’d had a bad run-in under the name of “religion” just a few years before. My biggest problem wasn’t anything to do with religion, or God, or anything else. My problem was I needed to follow my mind.
Now, if she was reading this, she would say that was one sided. Well, I’ll give you one sided. What happened next was she was talking about the past, I was adding bits that I remembered, and different incidents. I said I thought she was doing right at the time, despite what happened to me. When I was speaking, all I got was “ah-ha” and the like all the way through, not really listening. OK, it had been some time we had on the phone – just under 30 mins the first time, and just under 40 the second, but I’ve not spoken to her in ages. When my brother was asked about something, she was quite happy to remember that, and joke and laugh about what was happening. That is the difference – she’s never done this with me. As we were taught in our training, there’s “listening”, and there is true active listening. Even the old guy on “Gremlins 2” had the right idea when he said “To hear, one hath only to listen”. Yes, she’s had several strokes over the last few years, but during the whole conversation, she didn’t mention anything I’d ever done that was positive! Why? What does she get from this?
Next, something rather controversial. She said I’d “blown all my chances”. Wait a minute - how does she work that out? I’ve been in the same job for four years, same house for four years, a steady relationship with someone who is far away enough that she can’t f**k things up between us – also for (almost) four years, and I’m now feeling the best I’ve ever done throughout my life – even before I started on the estrogen and cyperetone (hormones/anti-andro). I said she doesn’t see anything I’ve done right, and I think this has proved it! I then asked her about that, and she was talking to someone else in the background… I left it there.
I followed my mind, and with counselling and medical supervision, I’ve been helped to find the real meaning of my life. Religion is an add-on to that. The two could quiet easily co-exist, if I wanted to, and once I get over everyone else who’s abused me in the past, all in the name of “religion”. She doesn’t understand, but my constantly harping on about religion, I am sure she is “triggering” my feelings of the way I was mistreated in Trinity – and that can upset me. There are a few friends I know who have “triggers” of their own which I try to avoid as much as I can, and it would be nice if she did the same. I’m big and wise enough to know that will never happen, yet there are a huge list of things I’m not even allowed to mention to her.
As an aside to that… shortly after I came out, I went up to see them, and she started digging in at the components of my name. She then told me that she had someone she knew called Suzy, who was stabbed in Lochee a few years before. At that point, I felt terrible. A few years later, we were both arriving at her house, and my little sister said to her “Oh, your friend Suzy from Lochee phoned for you…” ??? WTF right enough.
Oh, and unless she’s not noticed this, her own church isn’t doing anything for the Transgender Day Of Remembrance – Monday 20th November – MCC Edinburgh did something last year (I wasn’t there at the time), but I’ve not had a reply to my email yet asking if there is anything this year. If anyone knows of any such events across Scotland this 20th November, I will be quite happy to take the day off work unpaid to be there! Why? Well, it’s important not just to support these events, but also to remember our “brothers & sisters” who were killed just for being the person that they wanted to be. They too, were not understood. See the above - but yes, I've not been killed. Yet that's what caused some of them - lack of understanding of the way someone feels.
And, it will at least get me back in a church again – well, that’s got to be right, hasn’t it? Maybe yes, maybe no. If it was, someone would still miss it. If it wasn't good, they'd be there.
What else did I do today? Downloaded Firefox 2 – despite all the things written elsewhere, I can’t see that much has changed. “Google” now shows in faint print in the search box, just so you remember what the “G” beside it stands for! Doesn’t do that with the Yahoo, eBay etc. selections though. Seems to be working fine on my pc, and it’s a really quick download.
One Hour Younger
... I said HOUR! The clocks have gone back one hour just after 0200, meaning it's the end of British Summer Time for another year. The americans still have Daylight Savings Time for another few hours yet though...
Dirtiest Chocolate Joke Ever
As posted to AD2-jokers earlier...
It was a White Knight, and Mr Cadbury and Ms Rowntree were on a River cruise, they met on the Top Deck, It was After Eight. She was from Quality Street; he was an Old Jamaican. They walked hand in hand down Milky Way and around the Family Block.
They stopped in at the Mars Bar, he had a Rum & Butter and she had a Wine Gum. She asked if he could pass her a Coaster, He said "Sure...Take 5 ". They Decided to leave as the music was too loud, & neither of them liked M & M.
On the way out he bought her some Roses, She said they were her Favourites. They walked down to his sports car, it was a Red Ferrero. He made some small talk, and tried to make out like he was a Smartie.
She spoke a little but didn't say much as she didn't want to Polly Waffle on. He suggested they should go somewhere quiet. She said if you play your cards right you might get lucky after tea. He replied, After Dinner?.. Mint! " At this point he knew she was Cherry Ripe!
He asked her name. "Polo, I'm the one with the hole", she said. "And I'm the one with the Nuts", he thought.. Then he touched her Milky Bars, They felt Smooth & Creamy. He thought to himself, they'll definitely melt in your mouth & not in your hand. He told her that he had a King Size Bar, but she thought he might just be telling Fantales.
They checked into a Motel and went straight to the bedroom. Mr Cadbury turned out the light for a bit of Black Magic. It wasn't long before he slipped his hand down into her Snickers and felt her Kit Kat. She started to play with his Fruit & nuts, But then she said "Stop!" He though she was a Malteaser, But he still wanted to Jaff-er. So he showed her his Curly Wurly. Ms Rowntree wasn't keen to have any more Jelly Babies, so she let him take a trip down Bourneville Boulevard. He thought this was Fantastic as he always fancied a bit of Fudge.
It was a Magic Moment as she let out a scream of Turkish Delight. When he finished, his Fun Sized Mars Bar felt a bit Crunchie. She wanted Moro but he needed to take Time Out. However, he noticed her Pink Wafers looked very appetising... So he did a Twirl, had a Picnic in her Sherbet and gave her a Gob Stopper. He was exhausted, so he rolled over for a Flake.
Unfortunately Mr Cadbury then had to go home to his wife, Caramel. Sadly, he was soon to discover he had caught V.D. It turns out Ms Rowntree had been with All Sorts!!.
Print At Home – Train Tickets
Found via The Ticket Collector, is this new website print @ home from TheTrainLine, which gives single fares from London to Cambridge (from Liverpool Street on ‘one’) for £5 each way, from London to Birmingham (from Euston on Virgin Trains) for £7, and from London to Manchester (from Euston on Virgin Trains) for £9, provided you can print the ticket at home, hence the name. Midland Mainline has either been, or will be, involved too, according to the FAQ. It’s a trial, so you will also get a email questionnaire I am told. Nice way to fill the gap between Megabus and Megatrain though!
Another Trans Site
I’m sure I’ve already been to this one – Transsexual.org – but there was a lot of stuff on there that was new to me… and once again, some quite moving true stories. Also on this site is a “letters” feature (one of which is sort of similar to my own situation, right down to what their mother said…), and a few other miscellaneous items too. Do take a look, if you are so interested.
Wait… there’s a voicemail…
The former friend, who I recently changed my mobile number to avoid after he ignored my request to “leave me alone”, has left a message on my voicemail. One thing he’s claiming is that I’m going against his rights, saying I’d said something on the letter, which I did not. I asked him to leave me alone (full stop), not to stop swearing… and by doing so, I did not break the law. So, here goes with what I said I would do…
My morning out, and day at work
I got up rather early today, to give myself enough time to limp around! I got out in enough time, and had to get a few things posted at the post office (waited for longer than I thought I would, that queue was deceptive!), then a few things to eat, and then just a few minutes wait for the bus to work! It was initially the heels that were sore, but now it’s my left big toe that’s rather sore! I’ve been out now for 30 months and 19 days, and I’m still learning all the time!
ALWAYS Mind The Bollards!
This video was originally posted to AD2-jokers earlier this evening, and was composed by the Manchester Evening News. It shows Manchester’s “bus only” gate bollards in Corporation Street, which only let the MetroShuttle minibuses (and a few other postal vans etc.) through, not anyone else. So, if you are thinking of jumping the bollards here – or in Dundee’s Medipark/Tech Park link road – have a watch first!
Number crunching
For the benefit of bus enthusiasts, or those that work at Dundee Technology Park…
…With effect from the service changes on 5th November, there will now be up to 142 journeys per day between Dundee City Centre (Whitehall Street) and the Technology Park (Apollo Way) – well, this applies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (this adds two buses from the 54). This is about double what we had when I started at the Techpark. It also means you now won’t need to wait for a bus for more than 15 minutes during the main times of the day.
I will put the full stats online soon, but Dundee Area Bus Forum members will find an advanced look on the board!
Crawley - the town that likes to say "F**k off, we're closed"
This one was in the Brighton Argus, but it also made it to El Reg, too. It's a similar style of car parking signs to those in Dundee, Perth etc.
Early morning motorists got a shock yesterday when digital car park signs were tampered with by computer hackers and were left displaying an obscene message. The message appeared on all similar signs around Crawley at about 6.45am. Thousands of motorists travelling into the town would have been subjected to the unsavoury advice. The signs normally display the number of spaces available in the town's car parks and were installed about four years ago.
A spokeswoman for Crawley Borough Council said the authority had received no complaints from the public, just calls advising them what had happened. She said: "It is disappointing someone would do this. The car park information system was hacked into. Crawley Borough Council officers took immediate action to remove the offensive words when this was brought to their attention. The system and network are not the council's and are maintained by a contractor. Measures have now been put in place to prevent any further attacks. Our apologies for any offence or distress caused. Nowhere is foolproof - if hackers can get into Pentagon computers then I am sure they would have no problem with ours."
That last comment really gives you confidence, doesn't it?
So how was my Friday?
Well I had something planned (with a lot of walking!) to do today – out of town – but my feet had other ideas. Now, I went out for new shoes on Tuesday, and managed to get the usual cut & rubs and blisters etc. all over. This morning, I got up, and went out, and my foot was really sore – more so than last night. Tried to walk it off, couldn’t, came home and cancelled what I was planning, and stayed at home! I had a lie-down, and had a look at the “damage” – my heel was a bit swollen, more so on the right than the left. OK we’ve had more rain recently than we could have done with, but with hindsight, it would have been better to leave that to the weekend – well, my weekend is just Sunday – but time is a healer, and that’s why hindsight is so brilliant that we only get it afterwards!
So, a quiet-ish day, including catching up on some things.
Nerd Test!
I added Dougie’s LiveJournal (Dirty Dancefloors and Dreams of Naughtiness) to the blogroll earlier this week. When speaking to a contact in the Midlands today, I was told he’d found this test via it… he got 4%, his boss got 4% (now I’m suspicious!), but his colleague’s husband got 67%… and look what I got…
Windy Thursday
Yes, it was windy last night, but at least it was drier today, if just as windy as I got into work. Another problem was the new footwear was tried yesterday for first time, but this obviously started to pinch and rub, and caused a blister which I didn't bother to check in my haste to get out, as there was no pain… until I'd walked a few hundred yards that is…
… yesterday I mentioned strange coincidences. Another interesting coincidence was unravelled this afternoon. I was on the phone to another division last night, and three times the guy asked for my name. No problem, as it was about 10 minutes end-to-end, and he remembered the third time. Well, that's how it seemed. I checked the notes again today - he's entered my name as…. Out of all the names he could have incorrectly copied-and-pasted-from-the-last-time… Andrew… those of you who knew me before April 2004 (or were just inquisitive) will know the connection… but the chances are (1) either an incorrect copy and paste from the last note he made, or (2) something that if I put it up on the blog, would make me sound paranoid! The chance of someone making that kind of incorrect-but-sort-of-weird-past linking of two totally separate names, does not exist!
Anyway, we were going to be having a team meeting today, and we did! - well, those that were in. The meeting lasted - from start to finish - a full 30 minutes bang on (yes I was taking the minutes, how can you tell?)
Our other call centre (now BT operated) in Alness had to send people home, then close early, following severe weather. As we had to also have their calls diverted to us, this meant a few more variety from what we do usually - in addition to my quick stint covering for the Corporate desk last night. If when tomorrow comes, we have people who will question whether or not we were lying - I'd suggest you read this. The quote at the end says it all "We have had continuous overnight rain the past three or four nights - it has been some of the heaviest continuous rain I can remember in 70 years." - that was from a farmer who has a farm near Dingwall, one of the close towns to said building. Proof, if proof were needed.
Finished the shift, left to a windy but dry night… the sort where you walk one way, and the skirt blows the other…
I get through the whole day this time…
So, I woke up this week in plenty of time for my rescheduled appointment from last week, put back exactly seven days to the minute, and I make it up to Ninewells in enough time for my speech therapy. I seem to be making more progress in reading than conversational, and we had a tape recorder to replay some of my best/worst bits - mostly best, but I still cringe at the sound of my own voice (I've done so for at least 17 years). It's coming along… it's still in need of enough practice to make it "default" rather than "trying".
So, went via South Road Tesco to work, and then the investigation with the agency into my recent absence. It was just over the number to earn a "verbal warning", so they could have given me a "written" warning. In the end, they played it lenient with a verbal, which I thought was "fair" in the circumstances. This was an hour or two after something happened to a company contracted (i.e. non-agency) employee, which I obviously cannot write about here, but it seemed very unfair! Maybe it's just me.
There has been a hell of a lot of weird co-incidences in the last few weeks. Out of the ones I can mention, one semi-relating to a dream I had a few weeks ago…
Another was another relating to a customer who had recently had his gear stolen and had brought his router from home to try and get himself up and running. The model number for that, was the middle two digits different from the last four digits of the previous callers phone number…
Another when Adam was telling me about this girl he'd been speaking to. He'd split up with his long-term gf while I was off work, and this new one is from his own home village. I know someone by that very same name… and they don't live that far away either… turned out it wasn't her, and there was a bit more of an age gap, but that was a really weird co-incidence…
The union has carried on from last week's briefing campaign, and now has posters up all around the site saying "We negotiate your wages…" only poster campaign I've seen that might put people off joining!
Left for home, and the wind and driving rain made it cold and very wet, just to the bus shelter! Got home, dried off, and had a slightly earlier night.
Tuesday
Today worked out quite well, all things considered.
This was the day I was to be paid for some of the shopping work I did last month. I didn’t think I’d done so much last month, but I made a few pounds more than I expected. So, there is now credit in the mobile, and I’ve got some new footwear – well, the current pair are starting to wear thin –and some other things were obtained too. Otherwise I may have had to wait another week or two, due to everything else I had to pay! I will of course count the lot up and work it all out, but I guess maybe I’ve been a little too cynical or apprehensive recently! Oh yeah, and I’ve kept the rest to go with this week’s bill payment on Friday – well I couldn’t pay it last week out of SSP, given that a chunk of that had to go towards keeping my house electrified!
Got home, and ended up doing my usual night job, i.e. wondering why one of my forum boards is running slowly – and only one! None of the fixes seemed to help, guess I will need to seek escalation.
Wednesday – hospital, then work – including the investigation into my most recent absences. Normally I’d type up all the evidence. This time – and I’m not being complacent here when I say this – I think they already have all the evidence that they need. We shall see.
My Monday
Got out, got to work, not bad day, got home – a little cold towards the end, but all in one piece. A few new links and bits added to the blog recently - the most recent being tattled Dirty Dancefloors and Dreams of Naughtiness. This is the LiveJournal of a friend from Sheffield, who lived for a while in Leeds, but used to live in St Andrews, called Doug.
How do we explain this...
Having said what I said about the American’s earlier, and their love of London’s underground, there was one thing we’d been warned about (but not given an answer for) – how to explain the signs that say “BUSKING PROHIBITED” to the American tourists. I said “street musicians who play for money”, which was usually understood. Nowadays of course, busking has been legalised – and naturally, given a sponsor (Carling lager). TfL even have a webpage for those interested in becoming a tube busker – those with convictions for assault or breaching tube by-laws can forget it, unless your by-law breach was for busking. Speaking of which, we had one guy who used to play the harp on the Jubilee line “new” subway, which drew moans from the punters, because he was so damn good. Sadly, his pitch was right beside our assistance box, so we couldn’t pretend to turn a blind eye. He did send his daughter – early 20’s, all white – almost like an angel. I had to move her on, but the case was nearly full with coins, and she’d only been there 10 minutes… never did see her again...
Call Center Movie
I keep forgetting to post this! Have a look here - it was a bit jumpy when I watched it, but I think that was just my pc!
October dates to remember
I did say earlier in the month (didn't it?) that there were a number of anniversaries around this month.7th October - four yeas ago, on Monday 7th October 2002, I started the training for my current job. We spent the evening reciting company corporate legal and security policies, and then we went home, me hobbling around in rather tight shoes. It might sound from that like nothing has changed, but given that previous employers have a habit of paying me off, going bust etc. then I'm pleasantly surprised to have made it four years in one. Yes, stability is a great thing, till you want out. Also see 28th October.10th October - one year ago, on Monday 10th October 2005, the first day of X-CD services - I've already blogged this earlier in the month.
Mid October - also four years ago, and I forget the date, but I think it was w/c Monday 14th at some point, I had my first online chat with someone called Jay, from the states. Didn't realise what a wonderful guy he was at the time (despite the fact that he said he was "thrilled you were changing gender" - yes I did tell him back then, before others knew, because he was so far away, and I wanted him to know exactly what he was getting before anything started!), and it progressed from just online chats, to something really special between the two of us. Yes, we are over 4,000 miles away, and there is a bit of an age gap, but I'm glad to be in a position like this, whilst I am still able to do my own things. Because that was two hard drives ago, I've got no idea of the exact date we first chatted, except that it was sometime whilst I was still training (above) and I was about to move (below). Anyway, an ideal way to resolve this - it's his birthday on 31st October (yes, Halloween!), so we've discussed and decided to use that date. Fair enough, saves two lots of presents! Lol27th October - also four years ago, and another bus related one. Travel Dundee Services 28/29 (now since rebranded as Discovery Line) run between Douglas and Charleston, but from Sunday 27th October 2002, Service 29 extended it's half hourly evening service (after 1830 from Douglas) to provide a half-hourly evening service to/from the Technology Park, every night of the week. At that point, we had an hourly Monday to Friday evenings only service on the 76, but there was a gap from just after 1840 to 2010, and no weekend service except at Invergowrie. Once again, it's the kind of extension no one thought to ask for, but now seems to be working well.28th October - also four years ago, Monday 28th October to be exact. OK, it was the first day of Travel Dundee's 1C (then running St Marys - City Centre, but since extended to Craigowl View), but that's not the point for mentioning! It was also the day I came to view my current flat… and "officially" moved in from the start of November, but had run of the place as soon as I needed. After all that, I was on a "late shift" and it was the first day I was out "live" on the phones, following the three weeks of training that started on Monday 7th.
That is my lot - I'll shut up about them now!
London area train fares
From
Rail TempOne of the issues that many people had with tickets when I worked/lived in London, was that "overground" trains charged by mileage or whatever, whereas the Underground had a fixed zonal system. Recently there have been tube & train "zonal" tickets introduced, but from January 2007, Rail Only tickets will also be
"zonal". That means, depending on the area you are in, you will pay the same as someone on the other side of the London area, using a different train operator, but using the same number of zones as you.
"In potentially the biggest shake up of rail fares since the introduction of the Travelcard, journeys wholly within the London Travelcard Area are going to be priced on a zonal basis from 2nd January 2007, with Rail Only Seasons to follow suit from January 2010, to ease the introduction of Smartcard ticketing."The fares are on the link above, but a few quotable examples…
"
"How will this affect me?", I hear you cry.Well let's try a few examples: Enfield Town (Zone 5) to London Liverpool Street (Zone 1) currently costs £3.50 for a Single, £4.30 for a Cheap Day Return, and £5.80 for a Standard Day Return. Under the new structure, those will go up to £3.80 Single, £4.70 Cheap Day Return, £7.20 Standard Day Return. (Inflation busting increases of 8.6%, 9.3% and a massive 24.1%, respectively).Oh dear...Not a good start. Let's try Enfield Town to Zone 1, including tube, instead. Current fares are £6.50 Single, £10.30 Cheap Day Return, £11.80 Standard Day Return. Under the new fares, those go DOWN to £5.80 Single, £8.70 Cheap Day Return, £11.20 Standard Day Return. (Reductions of 10.8%, 15.5% and 5.1%, respectively).Now let's go for a local journey: Silver Street (Zone 4) to Enfield Town (Zone 5). Currently this is £2.00 Single, £2.60 Cheap Day Return, £3.00 Standard Day Return. Under the new structure, these change to £1.90 Single, £2.80 Cheap Day Return, £3.30 Standard Day Return. (5% Discount, 7.7% Increase and 10% Increase, respectively)."
Like everywhere else - winners and losers in this game.
Football
Found this, and the previous two today, via Groovymother…I don't really watch "football" (or "soccer" for the Americans reading this), but being a Scottish person who did live in England for a bit, I found this amusing…
Unsigned bands don't go to Los Angeles…
Teen Using MySpace to Lure Bands to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA - A thirteen-year-old girl posing as a record executive on MySpace has lured several bands to Los Angeles with promises of a record contract. Members of Fonix Cat, a neopunk-country band from Kansas City, were the latest victims. They packed up their gear and headed west hoping for a record contract; instead they left with shattered dreams.
Ashley Morgan, 13, has used her 'sonymusicexec' MySpace profile to lure several bands to her Los Angeles home. Ashley was grounded so she couldn't talk to us on the phone for this report.
Fonix Cat bassist, Davin McLeod said, "Her profile was called 'sonymusicexec', how were we supposed to know it wasn't legit. I guess we should've realized she was a fake when she promised us free studio time and said she loved our music." On arriving at Ashley's house, band members were lured inside with free pizza and Crystal Light. "How could we resist?" said McLeod. "She locked us in the basement and told us we had to play for her free. It wasn't that bad, so we stuck around for a while. Her mom eventually kicked us out."
The story then finishes with "If you think the record executive is a "nice person" then you aren't dealing with a real executive. It's common knowledge that all record executives are a**holes… One record executive who wished to remain anonymous said, "I'm not surprised. Most of these bands are as dumb as dirt. They'll fall for anything. Anyway, most record executives I know are posing as thirteen year old girls on MySpace. Ironic don't you think?"…"
Another Annoyed Commuter
… dated last Monday (16th)…
An Open Letter to Orange Line Employees
This is from another upset commuter, who has posted about the MBTA (Boston, USA) transit system, and complaining about being bunged off a train and onto a bus, when the trains break down. But, this bit did catch my eye (and as a former Tube foot solider, my heart, too…)
"I was watching CNN during the London subway bombing. You know what I remember most vividly? You could see, quite clearly, that even though there was thick black smoke pouring out of the Underground Station they were broadcasting from, there was a sign, a huge, full-color sign, apologizing for the delay and explaining that there'd been an attack.
Do you see what I'm getting at? Even though someone had set off a bomb, those train employees had the sense and the decency to make a sign, print a sign, and post a sign explaining what was going on to their passengers. In the middle of a terrorist attack, they did more for their customers than you lazy s***heels would do after free coffee and sandwiches on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. And hell, if someone ever did attack the T, they could blow Haymarket station right off the face of the planet, and you'd still only have that creepy old-Cylon voice annouce it as a "moderate delay." "
... because during my time on the Tube, I always remember the Americans loved us. One father & son even thanked me the day after I'd pointed them in the direction of the correct night bus, after they'd got the last Piccadilly Line in from Heathrow on a Sunday night into Monday morning (the one with no connections).
All ok
Saturday went well enough, and work was quiet. Blogger was misbehaving when I got home, so some stuff didn't go up until Sunday (uk time).
Friday Evening
… went out, came back home… and spoke to good friends until the early hours of Saturday…
Some notable stories
I’ve been having a read through El Reg – otherwise known as The Register – and picked out a handful of this week’s stories, mostly somehow computer related. The Register continues to be the home of the B*stard Operator From Hell series, and this week’s one is tied to a previous one, so I’ll let you read it yourself! Anyway, a few of these caught my eye… … First things first…
“Next week could see chaos as Microsoft assumes control of the fourth dimension, robbing UK businesses of a whole hour of work.
A problem with Microsoft Exchange Server means programmes such as Outlook will turn the clocks back a week early, plunging Britain's Blackberry-wielding suits into a thundering whirlpool of temporal bedlam.
The bug has arisen because this October is unusual in having five Sundays. Exchange is hard-coded to assume only four, and to readjust from BST to GMT on the fourth Sunday…”
So how come the Dundee City Council email server has been sending out messages one hour ahead of time for a good couple of weeks now? Wrong month?
… and speaking of theft…
"Easynet suffered a large and embarrassing robbery earlier this week and is doing its best to keep what happened under wraps.
Late on Monday, two thieves used a swipe card to drive a van up to Easynet's Brick Lane headquarters. Once inside they began loading equipment into their van. They were watched by two security guards - one was doing his rounds and the other watched by CCTV - but both assumed the thieves, with their legitimate swipe cards also had a legitimate reason to take the kit, according to our sources…
According to other Easynet customers who emailed the Reg, the ISP was telling customers a power outage was responsible for the problems. The company is now owned by Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB. Easynet refused to comment except for this statement: "Easynet is working closely with the police on an investigation following an incident earlier this week."
Which isn't terribly informative. What is even stranger is that the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police say they have no record of Easynet being in touch Easynet insists the matter has been reported to the police and there is an ongoing investigation. It also sent us this letter (pdf) which was sent out to customers."
… so from a physical robbery, to a virtual one. Once YouTube sold out to Google, many wondered how long it would take before the copyright police were out in force…
"Industry predictions that Google may have bought itself a whole heap of copyright trouble when it recently acquired YouTube for a modest $1.65bn, appear to be coming true as media companies worldwide move to protect their assets from illicit online dissemination.
According to Reuters, the Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers - which represents 23 media companies including TV networks and movie distributors - has successfully lobbied for the removal of 29,549 files from the website.
The Society added it would ask YouTube "to set up screening and other measures to block postings of unauthorised files". It also rather hopefully requested users "not to post video clips in violation of copyright laws".
In the US, meanwhile, a veritable phalanx of media outfits are currently "co-ordinating their negotiations" with YouTube. As we noted earlier this week, YouTube has to date avoided such unwelcome attention, "because with zero revenues it hasn't been worth pursuing".
Google, on the other hand, is absolutely loaded - as its Q3 earnings statement shows - and is therefore worth pursuing. "
… from the copyright police, to your debt being increased by how much???…
Morgan Stanley in billing boo-boo
"Thousands of Morgan Stanley credit card customers were shocked this week to find the bank had multiplied their debt by a factor of 100.
Register reader Gordon Sinclair discovered the decimal point in his numbers had been shifted two places by an IT blunder. Instead of £149.49, Morgan Stanley demanded payment on a debt of £14,349.00.
Gordon said: "On the plus side, they are making another £775,651 available to me in further credit!"
The Mirror reports that 15,000 customers were affected by the blunder. Morgan Stanley will be issuing corrected statements, along with letters coughing to the gaffe.
But at least Morgan Stanley's mistake didn't force customers to pay for their dinners by washing dishes."
… which did actually happen… see here!
HSBC's cash crash forced me to work off my dinner
"For HSBC, keeping thousands of customers from their money is just part of doing regular business with the bank. The company explained away Sunday's multi-hour ATM and credit card outage by telling us that it resulted from a "standard server" issue. HSBC issued no apology and called the whole kerfuffle "a minor" incident.
Oh, but our dear readers thought it anything but minor. Some were trapped at cash registers unable to pay for their groceries as angry senior citizens scowled at them. Meanwhile, those hoping to enjoy a pint or two were forced into the kitchen to clean dishes on Sunday evening after they failed to pay their bills.
Worst of all, some members of the Reg flock reckon HSBC's cock-up was not a rare affair at all."
… see, all this stemmed from…
HSBC customers in cash machine hell
"HSBC's cash machine service turned on customers this weekend with many people complaining that their accounts were held hostage and others saying ATM boxes ate their cards. The issues also extended to HSBC's credit cards with thousands of people affected, The Register can confirm.
Reports of the HSBC failures flooded The Register today. A number of customers shouted that they've been unable to access their accounts for hours. Meanwhile, another HSBC customer tried to use a Halifax cash machine, only to have his card gobbled up.
"Since this [Sunday] morning, HSBC cash machines will swallow your card if you aren't a HSBC customer," one reader wrote, who had his card taken on Sunday. "I've spoken to Halifax, and they've contacted HSBC."
Halifax did not immediately return our call seeking comment.
HSBC, however, did give us a ring.
"We had roughly a two hour outage that started after noon yesterday," said HSBC spokesman Richard Lindsay.
The mega bank has blamed "a standard server issue" for the problem that blocked a computer from verifying the identities of cardholders. Thousands of ATM and credit card holders were impacted, although the bank refuses to provide a more specific number.
"This was a very minor problem," Lindsay said.
Not so, according to our readers.
"I went to pay for some items in a shop yesterday, but as soon as the assistant saw that I had an HSBC card, she stopped me," writes one reader. "She said they'd had problems processing HSBC cards for a few hours.
"Great news if you've just gotten to the front of the queue at Holland & Barretts - those old ladies with their vitamin tablets can get pretty nasty!"
"HSBC have had a major technical failure which has resulted in many peoples' cards being declined, and ATM machines unable to contact HSBC in order to verify account balances," adds reader Tim Arnold in Studley.
Similar accounts came in from other customers throughout the UK and even one in Japan who could not access his information over the weekend.
This issue does not seem to be tied to HSBC's recent identity fraud fright. Earlier this month the bank kicked off a review of some 300,000 accounts to check for evidence of fraud. Close to 27,000 customers have already received notice that their accounts will be clamped shut in 30 days, reports The Times."
… which all made me paranoid when I went to the cash machine queue at the Wellgate Centre, and everyone was queuing for just the one machine! If this has shown you one thing, it’s that we rely too much on computing, and liberties are sometimes taken too far.
Later on still
Got home, and Zoe is home, and back online! She is still somewhat sore, but maybe better than what might have been, which I guess doesn’t bear thinking about.
This evening’s star attraction!
Adam Hobson - the drummer from The Illusion Principle (see their myspace + their website) is also known for his “Adam’s Adventures” on the Haircrazy website. I’ve been admiring some of these over the last few months, and his most recent one was washed and faded in just a few weeks. Today, literally in the minutes before he came into work, Jude was doing him another new hair colour set (his scalp and base still had the red stains!), and it’s that wonderfully nice shade of Peacock “Blue” i.e. greeny-blacky-blue again. Incidentally, if you fancy some of that stuff for your own locks, it’s currently on 20% off at the Haircrazy Shop.
Back-To-Work
I had my back-to-work interview today – yes, the agency has been running behind – with my investigation rescheduled for next Wednesday. Now, I am often accused of padding out such things and talking about anything… but today, they were running late on the last one, and as a result, myself & my team coach were down there for half an hour. We had to wait in another room for 20 minutes, talking about everything, and then I was in and out in less than ten minutes.
In pay news – last weeks my team coach arranged pay, and I saw a timesheet completed, although those three hours were missing! I’ve been told to wait till tomorrow, and see what happens. As last weeks was “manual pay” i.e. no timesheet, it goes onto this weeks, and is then taken back. I get the feeling this may be a little confusing.
Workplace Propaganda
The union (of which I am not a member) has circulated this amongst all staff, and the contents of this have been reproduced below. Sadly, it’s 100% true, and it does back up all I’ve been saying here over the last few weeks.
Communication Workers Union
BRIEFING
Dundee has the lowest pay rates of any ClientLogic site in the UK.
On the 14th September Search announced that ClientLogic had agreed a pay increase for Search new start employees on this Site to increase their pay to £5.35 per hours. On 1s October this became the new Statutory Minimum Wage.
The Site CWU Committee has for the past two annual pay negotiations been pressing for a significant incremental increase in pay for staff on the Dundee Site.
This year, for the second time, we have had to waive our claim so that the CWU could secure an RPI increase for the whole ClientLogic UK workforce.
We were determined that this would not happen again as the gap between us and the rest of the workforce is growing and we are constantly being told that this is the most successful of all ClientLogic Sites in the UK. We wanted a separate incremental increase in pay for the Dundee Site not connected to national pay negotiations.
In this years pay settlement ClientLogic agreed to conduct a review of pay in Dundee.
This Branch, through our National Officer, had to remind ClientLogic in the middle of the year that they had not yet acted on this undertaking.
We regret to inform you that the CWU has not received the following communication from ClientLogic :-
“Dundee rates of pay
We have reviewed this point in some detail and are currently undertaking some additional research on local pay rates. The issue has been raised with the regional director in the absence of a COO. Regretfully, we have been unable to consider any review within the current financial year which is due to finish end Dec 06.
However, there is a commitment to review this further as part of the site strategy for 2007”.
Your Branch Committee at its meeting on Wednesday agreed without division that you should be informed of this as soon as possible.
We believe that ClientLogic is not acting in accordance with its own values of Integrity, Respect, Teamwork, Leadership, Accountability, and Open Communication.
So what does this mean? Well, sounds like they will only commit to looking at things – and they’ve looked in the past, without stumping up. If you think I am being greedy, facts are facts. For working on a Technical Support campaign, I started work in October 2002 on £5.50 an hour. This was then later raised to £5.76 around three months later, but due to a breakdown in communications on the new procedure, we were not told it was performance related. In Summer 2004, we received our one and only pay rise to date – bringing us to £6.15 – when another employer in the tech park generously increased their rates. These apply to Search agency staff, and ClientLogic salaried staff get a shade more at around £6.50 an hour – but this is salaried, overtime is different, and those of us on the older contracts would lose our enhanced rates for working English bank holidays (note no increase for working any of the four Dundee local holidays, except May day, which is the same for both). Incidentally, did you know one day’s statutory sick pay is equivalent to three hours of our own pay rate?
When I started, bus fares to/from town were 85p/95p for a single, but you could get a discount with multi-journey tickets or cards. Today, the same fares cost £1.15/£1.20 single, with a rise due early next year.
When I started, the internal staff eatery was open from 8am to 7.30pm (ish) Monday to Friday, and until 2pm on Saturdays. Now, it’s only open until 4pm Monday to Friday, and not at all on Saturdays – so while the management are here, it’s open. Otherwise, it’s not. Anyway, when I started, price of something reasonable was around £2.09 – the same now costs £3.70. If only our pay rates had increased by the same as their charges – we’d be on around £9.30 an hour!
That may be a little unrealistic, but it does easily show how the costs can add up, and suddenly that extra 49p an hour from two summers ago no longer seems to be worthwhile. On the days when I’ve had one day off sick, or on an unpaid medical appointment leave etc., I only lose around £10-£15 after tax. I can quite easily spend a fiver on food and drink, plus another couple of quid on bus fares, even with discounted multi-journey tickets. It makes me work out that I’d only be losing just over a fiver if I dropped one of my four days of work a week! Yes I’d still have to eat, but I could always cook something at home i.e. reheat last nights pizza! (oh come on, you know you’ve done it at least once…)
So, how much would I like? I think Agency staff should be at least on a similar amount to the contract workers (a campaign currently being discussed in the European Parliament, but initial indications show Britain is not sure about it). Bear in mind there are other incentives for becoming a contract employee i.e. healthcare, which may or may not appeal to all, and as they seem to be unhappy at the £6.50 mark, maybe around £6.80 an hour would be appropriate, with another 30p-40p next summer. I’d like to see all the sites that do this work, on those amounts, as a minimum (and I know some are on more than that already!). I’d also like to see the other departments i.e. Order Management, brought in close to that. Currently there is a premium of about 50p an hour for working tech – but that may change.
BT could even make it’s first ever price rise – remember many business customers have already had at least two free upgrades, and many more enhancements to the basic service, as well as reduced prices on extras. In effect, the price has gone down, while our wage rates have been almost static. Following the amount of bad press the planned move to India got last year, considerable goodwill could be done. Perhaps even raising the price by 50p a month, specifically to ensure UK based staff keep their jobs, and get a more realistic wage scale. Many broadband lines are paid for by government funds, project awards etc. – so the extra £6 a year would not be missed by many. Every few weeks or month, El Reg, BBC or some other news source, will report a case of an offshore call centre which has become unsafe due to a government overthrow, looting and riots in the streets, flood damage etc., so keeping the work in the UK would be such a bonus. There have, of course, also been the cases of selling customer details to an undercover Channel 4 reporter, or a Sun reporter, and I doubt those would be the last. It would also end the “until further notice” uncertainty, as no-one from management has mentioned the subject of off-shoring since the Spring.
Back to our site, and of course, the cut for the agency and ClientLogic would increase proportionally – so everyone would win. You know what the sad irony is? None of this may even get considered, yet the cost of spending £2,000-£3,000 on training a replacement for everyone who leaves, is considered small change. I’d rather spend the money on keeping staff, rather than having to spend money advertising, recruiting and replacing them. Maybe that’s why I am not in management.
Suzy’s Thursday So Far
Thursday was not too bad. First thing this morning, a friend of mine sent me a message, in which she included this link, and said she’d been speaking to a friend. I tried to reassure her, and replied to her message, and got one back saying “…planning something…”. This was slightly concerning, but in the haste, I inadvertently sent this to one of her forwarding accounts, which also emails to me and a few friends, so I apologised, and it appeared all was not well, and now it appears things are better – she is going to get help at least, which is good. You see, this proves that I can apologise to friends when I’ve genuinely done wrong, but it also shows it is good when friends listen back to you!
More Signs
Some time ago, I mentioned Custom Sign Generator. Well, they now have a Create Your Own Custom Sign Generator – to make your own “make your own” style signs. Before anyone else rushes down to the roadside, there is already a Bus Stop Generator – look at this (presumably non naptan compliant) little example I knocked up earlier...
My 2nd day back - just!
Well, I managed to scrape by today, by the skin of whatever teeth I have left! I wore up this morning in plenty of time (8-ish) for the hospital appointment – speech therapy at Ninewells. I then started (first time I’ve had this for a long time) those cramps I sometimes get when up at an early time – but I’d had enough sleep (some during the day yesterday too!), so I called to reschedule that for next week (I also felt I needed more practice on what we were doing, but I can give her all the gory details next week!) So then I went back to bed for a bit, still getting cramps and pains. They had cleared a little, but throughout work, the (remember what I said about gory details?) diarroea type feelings persisted all day. So I got through my second day back to work, despite discomfort! I also had my next performance review (One-To-One), and got 13/30, and didn’t get upset either! The team coaches are now doing them themselves, meaning they can give a much fairer reflection than someone who barely knows you, I feel. In any case, it was still an improvement. Why the low score? Changes in procedures and stuff saw me lose out on quality points, and a few forgotten security bits (which I wouldn’t mind, if they hadn’t asked us before to miss it out to save time!) So now, that’s on every call I do, and I even turned one back earlier on, who didn’t have his details. Sorry to be a pest, but as I’ve already been given several reminders about it, I’m not getting into trouble for your convenience! So I managed to make it through, and home, all in one piece.
Thinking of you
A good friend of mine, Zoe, who I found again a few months back, is going into hospital later today, many miles away. Because of her issues with her brain, she’s had to have a lot of oral chemo, which has done her stomach no good at all, so she is now going in to have something put in to stop her tum falling out. She has a policy of not making anyone else feel like crap, no matter how she is feeling, which I find to be very admirable. I will be thinking of her!
Paint Drying Voyeur’s Club - Paint-Dry Cam…
… a nice bit of clean fun that I remembered about. This one has been up since 1999, and is it is still here! I remember the creator (Peter) told me at the time, that a friend of his had came around to his place to "try the internet", and spent the day looking at a "girl cam"… but because of the time difference, he was watching a hair brush on the side of the bed… so, this was set up to “commemorate” this. If the sound is getting too much for you, there is a mute button below the live feed window.
Suzy's Tuesday
Not a lot to report today… just a quiet day, in most of it, and out for a few things. One thing of note is that I’ve now got a new mobile number – yes, I’ve finally received my new sim card from the o2 Nuisance Calls Bureau. This was the second one, because the first one appears to have gone missing, along with a few other items of post. Long term readers may remember something similar happening last year, around this time, when my regular postman went on holiday then too.
This follows the string of messages I’ve mentioned before, from someone I now class as a “former” friend – especially since he’s carried on after I asked him to stop, he has committed a crime (Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003, and/or Sections 1, 2 and 4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997). Assuming it stops now, I would take it no further – I just wanted it to end. If he carries on once more, then all that will happen is that his local police will have the log handed to them in person! Anyway, if I had your number on my mobile, you would have received an email from me today, with my new number in it.
Back to work (again) !
This is blog post 451 i.e. last night’s was 450, but I forgot to mention it!
Today at work, it all went relatively smoothly. Did leave it a little tight for time getting out, but in the end had enough time to grab food before heading to work. The calls went not too badly, and the headaches did not return! A few people thought I had been on holiday… but then I explained all! In the meantime, what this means is, well done so far, but lets see how we get on during the 2nd day back, which is Wednesday 18th.
Just a quiet day....
Just a quiet day today, in preparation for going back to work. Was going to go out, didn’t. Maybe a little bit lazy, but enough food to eat for now, and take the rest while I can get it! Thanks to you all for your kind words and thoughts over the last few weeks especially, as I needed them more than ever.
Love & hugs
Suzy xxx
A day out...
…I've been getting "itchy feet" stuck in here, and although a lot of online friends have been keeping me sane, I needed to get out & about. As I hinted at under Friday's Meffan's post, Stagecoach Strathtay are now running most of Service 103 (Laurencekirk - Stonehaven - Aberdeen), which has been ran by Stagecoach Bluebird for the last 14 months. What's the difference, you might say? It's less dead mileage for Stagecoach (as a whole) to run it out of Strathtay's Montrose depot, rather than Bluebird's Stonehaven depot. For the passenger's point of view, it does mean that Strathtay Rover tickets (£5.80 for the whole day) are valid all the way up to Aberdeen! (at least, correct at the time of print). When I did the 103 Saturday afternoon last time back in January 2005, Nicoll's were still running the route, and the single fare then - for that journey alone - was £4.75, and the current single fare from Laurencekirk to Aberdeen is £5.00. So, given the current financial climate (see yesterdays blogs!), I thought it would make for a fairly cheap day out, if everything worked out as it should, and thankfully it did! I could have left Dundee at 1050 on the 39, but I wanted to be in Montrose early enough to see the 113/29 etc. leaving around 1155/1200 too - especially as I don't normally get Saturday's off! So, I had two choices - get the 39 one hour earlier at 0950 (which would give me a bit too long in Montrose), or the 20 at 0955, and go via Forfar and Brechin, so I did. I got on Strathtay 952 (most of these numbers are the "old" ones) on the 20 from Dundee to Forfar. At Forfar, I saw Meffan's L321 AUT doing what would be their last day on the 124/125, and indeed about to do the last 124 of theirs back to Kirriemuir. This bus carries no destination blind at all, but it does show "125" on the screens - that is only because I put it up on the bus during a depot visit four years ago! Anyway, I then connected with 315 on the 21A from Forfar to Brechin. I got off the bus, and then headed for the library, before getting on the 30. Went down Bank Street, taking a shortcut, and saw a cat rolling over on it's back across the street. This was guessed to be a given local, but then, something else surprising was another cat, a white one this time, doing the same at the bottom of the slope! That one did get up and run when the postman came around, though… anyway, got to the library, in enough time to see former 256 going past on town service 34, and for me to then get on 958 on Service 30 from Brechin to Montrose High Street. Upon arrival at Montrose, went via the library, and RoadRunner's for breakfast/lunch, before going back to the High Street. Having said only last night about Meffan's lack of destination gear, Stagecoach Bluebird had 40756 on the 113, with a mostly blank destination display, and a paper window bill showing "STONEHAVEN/113" in very small lettering. Better than nothing! Five minutes behind, Stagecoach Strathtay had former 428 on the 29 to Edzell Woods, which is an insert on the blind anyway!) There is an Edzell Woods blind insert in the windscreen, as the picture shows. For the record, on the way back, the bus was correctly able to show "29 Montrose Railway Stn".I then cut down one of the closes to the railway station, and waited down there for the Service 8/Service 9 (see previous blog posts). The irony is, this is the one journey that was going to be withdrawn by Nicoll's in August 2005. Aberdeenshire Council put out an emergency tender - won by Stagecoach Bluebird - to keep the service going. Now, it's being ran by Strathtay, meaning Strathtay have the 47A "combat bus" running a few minutes ahead of Service 9, which was being operated by Strathtay… Waiting on the bus, the 47A arrived, and was Solo formerly known as 255, being driven by a nice guy called Harold, who always recognises me from my days out on the network (doing a 104 and 104 Friday morning three hour stint last August probably helped too!) He was busy explaining what he was doing, when I had to cut it short and jump for the 8/9 bus had arrived - Strathtay 148. This 8/9 journey takes me from Montrose to Laurencekirk, where I'd get the 103. So, last time, these were both Nicoll's services - now, both Strathtay. The driver did up his blinds for the northbound journey, and we were then able to load up. As I suspected this bus would continue as the 103 to Aberdeen, I checked with the driver, who showed me his board to say that he did. I then explained I planned to Aberdeen, and he said it was ok to stay on the bus (there are a few minutes of idle time between the end of the 8/9 and the start of the 103). So, away we went, with a good handful on board. As we were going up Newhame Road in Borrowfield, we got a radio call… asking the bus to radio in, from Strathtay Dundee control, claiming he'd asked for assistance… nope… good to see the radio picks up that far away though. So, although ACIS can't tell the difference on different sides of the road, it can pick up a bus just north of Montrose!When we got to Laurencekirk, the driver changed up the blind to initially blank yellow, till the other passenger pointed out he'd wound past Aberdeen, so he would back to find she was right! So we were able to correctly show "103 Aberdeen". Such a little bus would not have got up to Aberdeen before, but the Strathtay commercial manager/director who was in the job up to the end of 2003 said that Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh, Glasgow (and Dundee, Perth would be on anyway) were on all Strathtay blinds that he'd ordered (at least initially) in case any bus was pinched from the stance for Citylink work. It does now show that the idea was worthwhile, but not for the reasons expected! The bit to Stonehaven I'd done often enough of late, so I knew where we were heading for. The driver read his running board on the way into Drumlithie, and he said "Where the hell's Little Farrochie Place"? He asked the two boarding passengers, who did not know, and I then offered the blue Philips/OS atlas of Aberdeenshire, and pointed where he had to go, which was well appreciated, and perfectly executed! The bit north of Stonehaven lost me just before Banchory-Devenick, although on the way home I could see exactly what I'd done, I'd gone to the wrong page in my atlas!So, we arrived into Aberdeen, with a good loading - two end-to-enders, and a variety of others who'd gone around the route - two cash singles from Stonehaven to Banchory-Devenick Crossroads (£3.25 each apparently), someone who got on in the middle of no-where and went to Aberdeen (and went back again in the evening), and few others. A couple of elderly women got on the bus opposite the Stonehaven branch of The Bervie Chipper, going to Aberdeen, but it would appear it was their first trip on this route, and by those roads. A couple on Aberdeen's Holburn Street flagged the bus down to go to town, too. I think we had around 14-15 on the trip as a whole - about three times the passenger loadings of last time.So, I got into Aberdeen, and had just over two and a half hours to myself! Being a Saturday, the bus parks up, and then the driver has a long "break" before doing the 1705 back. I had a long walk around the Granite City, taking in more than just buses! I left the bus station, crossed Guild Street, cut through some side streets, Market Street, Union Street, Castle Street, then back onto Broad Street. Upon arriving here, got a slightly-darker-than-I'd-hoped picture of Aberdeen Marischal College, which is about to be made into the new headquarters of the city council. I then walked up to the side of the college, at Littlejohn Street. This is the "Marischal College" terminus point for First in Aberdeen bus Service 20, and I'd never taken a picture of anything here before! Here, the Olympian that used to be 131, but now known as 31557, had just arrived, and decanted a load of students, so that was good timing.I then continued via Berry Street, and through the Bon-Accord shopping centre, (well the bit that used to be the Bon-Accord bit), before turning up through Upperkirkgate and Schoolhill, and back down Union Terrace. At the Union Terrace/Bridge Street/Union Street junction, there had been a police presence when we passed on the 103, but that was now cleared. Had a walk up to the Holburn Junction end of Union Street, grabbed a bite to eat, and walked back down most of Union Street, then headed for the bus home. Couldn't help but thinking about my dream from last night, as I walked back down Union Street… which is why, if you saw me, I was grinning perhaps somewhat inanely.Got to the bus station, and we already had a few waiting for the bus, and by the time we left, we had a good dozen passengers. First one got off at Leggart Terrace (where it is just the 103 and the 204 on weekdays now), and others got off as we progressed. I found the route perfectly in the atlas, and I'd now feel confident in explaining both halves of the 103 route to anyone... even if it involves "turn left at the farm... no not that one... the next one..." etc. The bus got back to Stonehaven, where I got off, so I could get on the next 103 about 40-50 minutes later (I will explain why later). To take up the time, I walked up through the Somerfield store end of town, and had a brief look at the beach. This picture looks upstream towards the caravans, and Cowie. This one looks down towards Dunnottar Castle, and this one tries to grab it inland just a little.The reason for waiting back, is that this 103 journey should connect with the Service 29 Strathtay journey to Montrose. As I posted back in the summer, the two "should" miss each other by one minute, but there is a note on the 29 driver's board to wait for the 103 arriving, waiting up to three minutes late if need be. As you may recall, this bit was missed from the boards (along with other things) briefly, but this was fixed, and I did double-check this earlier in the week - it was defiantly there! So, I waited for the 1840 Service 103 to Fettercairn, intending to go from Stonehaven to Laurencekirk. Then, a Stagecoach Bluebird bus pulls up - 40756 (which I'd seen earlier on the 113!) The bus was correctly blinded this time, and left me in no doubt that this was the one. I got on the bus, with two others (who complained that they can't buy a CommuterCard [weekly ticket] on a Strathtay bus now that they run most of the 103 - although you could buy one from a CC agent, the agent in Stonehaven recently closed, with no replacement as of yet!). The driver punched my Rover, oddly, presumably he thought it was a return. He then stood up, got out the cab, and said "Right, where's the Strathtay bus, I need to see him"… and I looked out the back, and former Strathtay 219 pulls in, blinded Stonehaven 103. To cut a long story short, Bluebird do this return trip on the 103 to allow the Strathtay driver a meal break (as otherwise, he'd be on it all night), and the discussion was about where to pick up the driver, because he'd be finished after this rounder, and lived on route! Interesting to note the Strathtay 103 drivers were passing Spurryhillock i.e. as per timetable, but the Bluebird driver in the evening went all the way along Kirkton Road!So, I got to Laurencekirk, and I moved to the front of the bus, so I could see the stops. As we approached the large bus bay at Mearns Academy, a Strathtay bus was parked, waiting it's time. This was the 29 - and obviously waiting here saved cluttering up Laurencekirk High Street. Harold, the driver from the 47A, was driving the 29 (now if I'd remembered that was the duty, I probably would have been less anxious about meeting the 29, as he's been with the company long enough!) So, I got off that, and got on former 312, which took me back to Montrose Hume Street. Had a look around Tesco, then got the 2010 40A back to Dundee - former 425. Got back to Dundee for 2145, and then headed for home. For the bus spotters, you can see all the pics I took today here.When I got home, a good friend from the states called Jenni sent me a message to state she was heading for her local emergency room, and didn't know when she'd be back… I was initally concerned, but it turns out that she was home just after I got to bed, she's ok but just a little sore.So that was it - a full day out, not really sure how many miles that was (at least 70 up, at least 60 back down again!), but a few more than doing it the direct way! The 103 is a real cross-country trek, and does give you a good view of the Dee as you head downhill after Banchory-Devenick. It's also yet another place where you might not expect to see a Strathtay bus… well, get them while you can, before the repaints catch the lot! Good value at £5.80 too! Last time I did the cross-country trek northbound, I got the Megabus back, making an interesting comparison. This return journey was just as much fuin. I dressed for the colder weather, but it wasn't so bad, even on the coasts. In fact, despite what the BBC Weather had said, there was no rain, and the cloud wasn't as bad as it could have been. Now I feel ever so slightly better about going back to work on Monday!
