5:14. After being used occasionally last night. It's STILL going. Them Duracell bunnies have GOT to be jealous of this.
I'm sitting in Reading train station on my way to work. Had a FANTASTIC night last night with pancakes - although poor Alicia, she had a very unenjoyable time. Cried while Crispy was picking me up, poor thing, so was crying when we got to Mike's. Poor baba! Ended up sleeping all night on a futon bed that was comfy but was for the first hour shoved up against the wooden edging on the stairs, so every time either of us breathed heavily it creaked and squeaked. After an hour I made Crispy shift. He wasn't impressed, really, but I needed to sleep!
Panic this morning getting to Didcot Parkway - trying to get my ticket to go from Oxford so needed to get to the train station by 20 past. Got there 24 past, phew! Ticket was £22.50, criminal bloody peak time charge.
OOh, train here, brb.
Oh, I think I just saw Tim Willoughby, but he did not see me. I may have been mistaken. He is such a blogging king. Man, this behemoth machine is WAY too big, it won't fit comfortably on my lap because there is a teeeeeeny little table thing which is useless in EVERY way except as a coffeecup holder. The train layout is the same as yesterday, and this is where ThinkPadMan sat. On the train from Didcot to Reading (too short to blog) was sat next to what could only be described as your classic Business Man - ThinkPad (am thinking ThinkPad is now secret cheap business code), Blackberry, pressed suit. And there I was, reading me Metro (god, I love London. Metro, London Paper, London Lite - semi-trash, sure, but free daily newspapers!? Amazing), in my Ninty hoodie (which is sadly a bit pancake-saturated), my iMac in me bag, me Skypephone that in my head is an iPhone. I was SO much more groovy-funky-channel27 than him, and I loved it. Although he can ACTUALLY afford to live somewhere between Banbury and Didcot, and I am only a pretender, sigh. Soon, soon we will be back to Oxenford!
Ooh, first of three stops before I have to change (again) at Slough. Just pulled into Twyford. There are LOTS of people on the train, it is very full. Might have to move behemoth.
Nah, fuck it. I'm sure it is Tim Willoughby now, I think he's typing. That copycat ;) Actually, that makes me think about funny social tendancies people have! Right now, I am too shy/polite to actually get up and walk over to Tim and say 'oh, hello, how are you?' for a number of reasons, number one that I 'missed the boat', and it is now too late and slightly socially embarassing. Although TECHNICALLY I could have gotten on at a... oh shut up Jen. His coat was nice. I am so judgemental about people it's unbelievable. Everyone on the entire train is dressed better than me. This makes me feel very bad :( I haven't dressed well in ages, stupid blobby tendancy. Should go get nice trews and shirts and feel worky again. Is hard when have baby, key component of clothes is ability to wash at 30 degrees and dry without wrinkling, not look good. Have fallen into sad mummy fashion trap. MUST ESCAPE! Recently dyed hair red for first time since found out was pregnant. Made me feel really, really, REALLY good. Must get posher clothes. Even if from Primark.
Primark wonderful invention.
Realise am now sounding like Bridget Jones. Don't really mind. Always wondered how Bridget Jones must have written in her diary all bloody day as she documents stuff as it happens. Weirdo with a notebook and pen.
Quite surprised by Alicia's strangeness last night. Poor kid's gonna be washed out for the next few days - 7 hours in the car yesterday with all the faffing around Crispy had to do. Poor little girl. She wouldn't even say Lola in Mike's last night, she was so wacked out and couldn't manage to do anything about it. Naaawww.
Apparantly Tim works in Maidenhead 'cos he got off the train. I'm SURE he saw me and was doing the same stupid 'I haven't seen you' thing. God, etiquette is crap. Should've just gone 'dude!'
Wish Macbook had front-facing iSight - am quite amused by familiar sight of Wall of Metro. Everyone on train reading Metro, looks very funny indeed. But no way to subtly capture photo. Sigh.
Hmmm. Must remember to ask Yegor for that Wi-Fi scanning widget that scans for free Wi-Fi.
Ok, after a few mins thought, have thought of list of accessories want for Macbook - TV tuner with recording function, iLap, niftier bag (might return one I have, might not. Is quite comfy handle-wise), CS4. The last one is a stretch but work MIGHT pay for it should the need for me to make lots of shiny logos with it.
Coming up on Burnham now, which means only 5 mins to Slough. What a horrid place name, Slough. Hideous. Perfect setting for The Office.
Still got the Narwhal song in my head from yesterday. Line about Jedi of sea stopping Cthulhu eating ye made me laugh most. Rofl. Rofl. Didn't actually rofl, but sentiment was there.
Oh god, massive stomach hunger pang. Ow ow ow. MUST get breakfast when get to work, hopefully platform shop in Slough. Although only have 5 minutes wait, so maybe not. 11 min wait in Reading a while ago, but Cafe not on platform! STUPID, platform 9 is platform for all trains to London. How ridiculous is that, that's where all the nutcase coffeedrinkers are. Although I guess they mostly start in Reading, and get coffee where they begin their journey. I had no time in Didcot (actually, I probably did, but I couldn't have known).
Train slowing, laptop in bag.
Right, momentary confusion in Slough as to where platform 6 was (was on platform 5, weird layout, one measly sign) but am on final train now. Get to use Oyster card when get off at other side. Actually pleased about this as think Oyster card is most amazing invention and would happily live in London JUST to use it more as is funky. Apparently stopping at Langley. This makes me laugh, Langley calls up images of CIA (or FBI, something where the I stands for investigation). Train driver tells lie, train meant to depart at 7:25 and even if late should be referred to as such, but he said 'welcome to the 7:26 departure for London Paddington'. Oh well.
Wheeeeeeeep lots of whistling as people RUSH for the train, but doors closed and locked now, muahahaha.
Not had breakfast yet. Hungry. Will get something in little shop in West Drayton station. Although not the one IN West Drayton Station because that one is scary and the man inside is a bit odd. So instead little shop just outside. Wonder how both stay in business esp. in economic downturn. Think economic downturn lot of bollox and if no-one wrote about it in such doomy terms then would be fine (realise doomy not word but like it anyway). Hearsay and conjecture responsible for MANY job losses. If were me wouldn't get upset at company, would sue newspapers. All except Guardian, is good.
Train slowing as get to Langley. Love commuting as like reading/playing DS/microblogging/listening to iPod. Wish didn't live in middle of nowhere and got to go to work more than twice a month. Find that odd statement as if did would be in Oxford and would have to find nursery for Alicia. Scary thought - she's growing up.
Langley looks like dive. But then, almost EVERYWHERE looks like a dive from its train station. Nicest train stations in London as have lovely original domes etc. Liverpool St personal favourite, but Paddington also nice. Not been to King's Cross, must see what is like one day. Only been to tube station.
Love the tube. Wish had stop in back garden. Wish had back garden, would grow herbs and vegetables. Would be like Felicity Kendall only with more gadgets. Can't stop being gadget freak. Proud of gadget freakiness. Only gadget in whole world do not have is iPhone. Will be getting iPhone as company phone in October, so do not care. Muahaha.
Wall of Metro more intense this train, could probably withstand a siege. Metro had amusing article about 71-year old rollerblader getting fined and tagged menace to society. Brilliant.
Ooh, train slowing to come into West Drayton. Peace out.
Epilogue - now sitting on floor outside office. Must remind boss to get keys cut today 'cos is ridicularse. But at least can get office Wi-Fi so Facebook it is! :D
Wednesday 25 February 2009
On the Train (posted a day late)
Note: This took place on the 25/02/2009 - I posted it a day late.
---
So, for the first time in years, I have a notebook that is actually worth a damn while on the train. So I am writing a quick blog post and feeling rather funky, to be perfectly honest! I have 30 mins left as I spent the first part reading the London Paper, and then filling in a Facebook note to publish when I get a net connection.
Ok, so I should explain further than my tired storytellings and slight rantings from last night. I don't understand how people do it - how they actually justify windows beyond the cost. Oh, the gaming. Apparently. 'Cos, you know, there aren't consoles to do that. Oh, you want to actually play Crysis? Well, fine. I bet my Macbook Pro, once it has dualbooted Windows (damn! Meant to get a copy of XP from work and forgot to pick it up!), would run it, as it is amazing.
(oh, just so you know, Apple, your eight hours battery is better than you say. Mine is currently clocking in at 8:18 remaining, so if I were a writer trying to finish my book before my battery died, I'd have plenty of time. Ok now it's saying 9:29. Maybe it's gone mad. I'll ramp up my brightness and see what it says. Ah, now it says 6:47. Phew! I mean, I like being surprised, but that was mad. Ooh, I can get it to put the time in the menu bar instead of just the icon. Shiny. 7:01. Go dimming screen go.
Aha, I'm in Reading. Hurry up train, I have a pancake party to get to.
There is a bloke with an IBM (coughLenovo) ThinkPad over there, typing away. He looks official. I am here in my Nintendy hoodie on my machine that is probably a dozen times the cost of his. Well, maybe not THAT much, but it's an ugly piece of crap. I mean, I love ThinkPads, they are very, very rugged. But seriously?! It looks like he's put it through the washing machine and it's coming out alive but changed forever! But he has a mobile broadband dongle Hmm. Must pay for mine, actually.
Ooh, I can see my reflection in the window. I always look cool while typing. Muahahaha.
I got to use my Oyster card for the first time today, it was SO exciting. Woo!!!
No-one in work was as impressed as they were supposed to be with my virtualising Kubuntu inside OS X. BOOO. And after I paid for (welllll expenses) a copy of VMWare!!! Grrrr.
Ooh, Tilehurst. It looks exactly like Radley. And Ealing Broadway.
Can't quite tell what ThinkPadMan is looking at. It was Google a while ago, now looks like something bookish. Ooh, now Outlook. He has WAY too many emails. I am so nosy.
Oh my GOD 9:40. Shit how do I do a screenshot!?!! NO I took so long faffing trying to take a screenshot that it went down to 7:24. Now is up to 8:19 again. Maybe it will pop back up to over 9 hours again! This is funny. Ooh, 8:49!!!!! Getting there! Come on amazing battery of amazingness.
I think I missed a station stop so I could be legging it off the train to Didcot Parkway shortly. Hmmm. We shall see.
Ooh, 8:52. Come on battery!! You are doing SO well!!!!!! Shall I chance another screenshot? 8:53... Come oooon..... YES success. It went down to 7:31 trying to do the screenshot, but I nabbed it in time.
Ok. pulling into a station now, ooh, it's Pangbourne, I think that's the last one. Perhaps I'd better sign off otherwise I will miss my stop/break my macbook trying to get it into the case so I can run off the train. Neither would make me happy.
Peace out, peeps!
Epilogue - ooh, no. Goring and Streatly came first, and just pulled away from Cholsey, which is DEFINITELY the last stop before Didcot Parkway. After a lidclose-enduced sleep and awakening, we're at 8:49. This is very entertaining, although I wish I'd gotten the amazing 9:40 screenshot. Oh well!
Ah, now at Didcot Parkway, woohoo for free internets. Waiting for a pickup from peeps who went to Sainsbos for more milk. Sigh. 7:41, curse you Wi-Fi.
Lots of children mucking about in photo booth. Actual photo booth. Feel left out so load up Photo Booth and take picture of self looking out the door for my lift. It is not there. Boo. People really annoying with Photo Booth. Wondering if they'll nick my laptop. Maybe better had put it away. Wi-Fi signal is crap anyhow. Where is my lift?!! At the tills probably. Sigh.
Damn, it's cold. I smell of sweat :( so much splash self with perfume. Only perfume in car is male Gucci stuff, but anything better than BO. So will have to do. Hurry up car, I am cold and the bloody doors keep opening, stupid automatic doors.
Man, fuck that Macbook Air. Why anyone wouldn't have this behemoth is beyond me, it is brilliant. WOOO
OH there is my lift!!! Gotta go!
---
So, for the first time in years, I have a notebook that is actually worth a damn while on the train. So I am writing a quick blog post and feeling rather funky, to be perfectly honest! I have 30 mins left as I spent the first part reading the London Paper, and then filling in a Facebook note to publish when I get a net connection.
Ok, so I should explain further than my tired storytellings and slight rantings from last night. I don't understand how people do it - how they actually justify windows beyond the cost. Oh, the gaming. Apparently. 'Cos, you know, there aren't consoles to do that. Oh, you want to actually play Crysis? Well, fine. I bet my Macbook Pro, once it has dualbooted Windows (damn! Meant to get a copy of XP from work and forgot to pick it up!), would run it, as it is amazing.
(oh, just so you know, Apple, your eight hours battery is better than you say. Mine is currently clocking in at 8:18 remaining, so if I were a writer trying to finish my book before my battery died, I'd have plenty of time. Ok now it's saying 9:29. Maybe it's gone mad. I'll ramp up my brightness and see what it says. Ah, now it says 6:47. Phew! I mean, I like being surprised, but that was mad. Ooh, I can get it to put the time in the menu bar instead of just the icon. Shiny. 7:01. Go dimming screen go.
Aha, I'm in Reading. Hurry up train, I have a pancake party to get to.
There is a bloke with an IBM (coughLenovo) ThinkPad over there, typing away. He looks official. I am here in my Nintendy hoodie on my machine that is probably a dozen times the cost of his. Well, maybe not THAT much, but it's an ugly piece of crap. I mean, I love ThinkPads, they are very, very rugged. But seriously?! It looks like he's put it through the washing machine and it's coming out alive but changed forever! But he has a mobile broadband dongle Hmm. Must pay for mine, actually.
Ooh, I can see my reflection in the window. I always look cool while typing. Muahahaha.
I got to use my Oyster card for the first time today, it was SO exciting. Woo!!!
No-one in work was as impressed as they were supposed to be with my virtualising Kubuntu inside OS X. BOOO. And after I paid for (welllll expenses) a copy of VMWare!!! Grrrr.
Ooh, Tilehurst. It looks exactly like Radley. And Ealing Broadway.
Can't quite tell what ThinkPadMan is looking at. It was Google a while ago, now looks like something bookish. Ooh, now Outlook. He has WAY too many emails. I am so nosy.
Oh my GOD 9:40. Shit how do I do a screenshot!?!! NO I took so long faffing trying to take a screenshot that it went down to 7:24. Now is up to 8:19 again. Maybe it will pop back up to over 9 hours again! This is funny. Ooh, 8:49!!!!! Getting there! Come on amazing battery of amazingness.
I think I missed a station stop so I could be legging it off the train to Didcot Parkway shortly. Hmmm. We shall see.
Ooh, 8:52. Come on battery!! You are doing SO well!!!!!! Shall I chance another screenshot? 8:53... Come oooon..... YES success. It went down to 7:31 trying to do the screenshot, but I nabbed it in time.
Ok. pulling into a station now, ooh, it's Pangbourne, I think that's the last one. Perhaps I'd better sign off otherwise I will miss my stop/break my macbook trying to get it into the case so I can run off the train. Neither would make me happy.
Peace out, peeps!
Epilogue - ooh, no. Goring and Streatly came first, and just pulled away from Cholsey, which is DEFINITELY the last stop before Didcot Parkway. After a lidclose-enduced sleep and awakening, we're at 8:49. This is very entertaining, although I wish I'd gotten the amazing 9:40 screenshot. Oh well!
Ah, now at Didcot Parkway, woohoo for free internets. Waiting for a pickup from peeps who went to Sainsbos for more milk. Sigh. 7:41, curse you Wi-Fi.
Lots of children mucking about in photo booth. Actual photo booth. Feel left out so load up Photo Booth and take picture of self looking out the door for my lift. It is not there. Boo. People really annoying with Photo Booth. Wondering if they'll nick my laptop. Maybe better had put it away. Wi-Fi signal is crap anyhow. Where is my lift?!! At the tills probably. Sigh.
Damn, it's cold. I smell of sweat :( so much splash self with perfume. Only perfume in car is male Gucci stuff, but anything better than BO. So will have to do. Hurry up car, I am cold and the bloody doors keep opening, stupid automatic doors.
Man, fuck that Macbook Air. Why anyone wouldn't have this behemoth is beyond me, it is brilliant. WOOO
OH there is my lift!!! Gotta go!
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