Wimbledon misery

Rain. A 4:30 AM start and queuing from 5:30 AM got me 1 hour of tennis watching. Ruddy rain! Still I'm glad I got to go. I watched Sharapova win her match on Court 1.

Just in case you wondered...

...why I don't post blogs about anything other than the timetable - that's because I currently east sleep and breathe the timetable. My flatmate will attest to this.

There's not really a lot going on in my life at the moment. I don't really have a social life - as I spend my nights at home on my laptop scheduling the timetable.

This weekend I'm hoping to pay a visit to the Wimbledon Grand Slam (tennis). Wimbledon is only around half an hour away in public transport. Being close to Wimbledon was a huge bonus in my eyes from taking a job down here in London. I love Wimbledon. I'm really excited to get to go again! For those of you wondering how I'm going to afford the extortionate tickets (as I'm currently beginning to sort my debts) - this is thanks to a generous birthday present from some of my friends. If anyone needs ideas for my birthday present - money for Wimbledon tickets (or tickets themselves) is a great idea!!! :)

On Sunday afternoon / evening I'll be going to Princess Diana's concert in Wembly (north London). This is if I ever manage to get my tickets! Long story but I don't have them and can't get in touch with the person who does. They were going to post them last week but forgot before they went on holiday. I thought they were back yesterday or today, but can't get in touch. There's a postal strike here so I'm desperately hoping they haven't already posted the tickets cause if they have I'm out of a lot of money. I have 4 tickets - some mates are coming with me. Starting to panic that I'll be eating the cost of the tickets and not going to the concert.

112 events to go ....

What he wants he gets. 'He' wasn't happy with the amount of split teaching groups in the timetable and he wanted preference given to next year's year 8 instead of 7 (which is how it was) so.... Yes you guessed it - back to the drawing board. I've got year 8 back in. now year 7 to go. Are you as tired seeing the numbers of events left to go as I am ?!

Super-human strength is dwindling fast!

37 (unscheduable events) to go ....

The boss wasn't happy with the amount of split teaching groups caused by the events without teachers on the timetable. So guess what - yep.. back to the drawing board. Hopefully with a few changes I can get them down and I won't have to start year 7 and 8 completely over .. but it's looking very likely. Here's hoping for a miracle!

1 to go .... 37 teachers to find...

Yes you read correctly, I have 1 event left to put on the timetable - how awesome am I?! (This was a rhetorical question - I am awesome!)

The downside to only having 1 event to put on the timetable, I have 37 events on the timetable without teachers.

11 to go ...

Super Karen strikes again. 2 days to go for my deadline, ans 10 events to go before I'm done. I rock!

Early morning wake up calls

This morning I awoke to my flatmate trying to get Bob to come say hello to me. "what, I thought Bob had gone AWOL* again" I hear you say - she had! This morning she decided to stop by and say hello. How cool is that?! I was SO tempted to keep her inside again and not let her escape, but I didn't want her to associate being here with being trapped. So I put her tag on her that I hadn't managed to get before she disappeared last time, frown on face I opened the window to let her go. She stayed around for a bit but within 5 minutes she had left the garden. Sadness.
This evening she once again popped by. I was in the garden with a neighbour, she came gallivanting up to our window, popped inside for 30 seconds and then was off again. The good news is that she came back at all. I thought I'd lost her for good. Hopefully I'll see her again soon.
Pictures to come.

*AWOL - military term meaning Absent WithOut Leave

367 to go and 5 days

I really want to express my my thoughts and opinions on my place of employment and certain people in said place, but as there have been stories (fact or fiction aside) that people have gotten in trouble / sacked for expressing themselves regarding their employment I will refrain.

That mumble translate - I'm irritated with something at work, yet I won't tell you what in case it comes back to bite me.

Timetable new deadline Wednesday. 367 events to place. Slow going.

I'm too old for this!

I'm absolutely knackered - don't know how I'll manage to get through the day.

It all started the fateful evening of Wednesday. I went out in London and manged to miss my last train. I NEVER do that! I ended up crashing on a mate's 2-seater couch. I was up at 6 Thursday morning to get a tube to Victoria and then a train to my local train station to pick up my car (took a quick shower - in and out of my flat in 15 minutes - how impressive is that!) and drove to work. In my mind I thought I had learned my lesson and I wouldn't have this happen again.

WRONG! Last night I was back in the city to meet a different friend (I know - it's impressive that I have 2 friends). Said mate had a gig to play at 10:15. Last train is at 11:48. I think to myself - I'll be ok. I'll leave straight after gig and get to train station, no problems. Gig ran late. Mate didn't play until 10:45. Left straight after gig. Delays on tube. Tube terminated a stop before I needed to get off. I didn't make it to train station until 8 minutes after my train had ended. Looked for another train in my direction - it wasn't for another 30 minutes. Looked for a night bus. There wasn't one to my area of London. My mobile phone battery was dead so I couldn't call the TFL* to find a way home. Asked a taxi how much it would be to take me home - £24 was the estimation. I would have paid cause I was tired and wanted bed. There was a queue of 20 people ish. I figured it wasn't worth it. I ended up getting a train to Anerly**, catching a night bus to Crystal Palace** and then walking to Gypsy Hill** - this was quite daunting experience at 1:30 in the morning. Got home and in bed around 2. So very tired now!!!

Now want to keel over with exhaustion!

*TFL = Transport for London - they're ace. You call and say how do I get from A to B and they tell you. Very handy phone number to have!

** I normally use Crystal Palace Train Station. Gypsy Hill is a stop closer to London on the same line - this is where I parked my car yesterday. Anerly is on a different train line and a stop after Crystal Palace.

Maybe there are perks to living in London ...

I met some friends in London last night. Guess who happened to be in Leicester Square for the premiere of his movie at the same time ... Bruce Willis. Yes, I saw Bruce Willis - how cool is that?!

161 to go...

So I'm back at 161 left. This is year 8 and a few left over from year 7 to do. I'm now getting tired of timetabling and the timetable consuming my life. I'm burnt out. Need new project. "I need to finish this project first" I hear you say - I have several times if you recall :)

The ponderings of a financial misfit

Today

Yesterday

I often wonder if anyone reads my blog. Today I wonder if people have read my blog AND sent prayers up on my behalf. If that's the case, thank you.

Yesterday my shoulders were heavy under a seriously black cloud of doom and gloom. Today I feel empowered. I guess that goes to show what you can do when you're not playing the part of an ostrich with it's head in the sand. I've called a debt management charity organisation and gotten advise from them. I've called all my creditors (the people I owe money to) and sorted out payments for those I wasn't paying (Mom if you're cringing just remember I've sorted them out - I'm no longer not paying them - it's good news). And I've made an appointment to speak to someone Thursday afternoon to sort out my remaining debts (all of which I have been making payments to). How productive was my day! Well productive in a non-work way.

I realise I'm rambling - but that's what blogs are for, right?

Oh the luck.

So which one of you has a voodoo doll of me? Whoever it is, would you mind stopping sticking needles in me - i've ben punished enough!!!

thank you thank you thank you!

I found it. My log book. After several hours of going though the papers that I have (do you know how many boxes of bills, cards, 'important' documents I have?!) I found that lovely piece of paper that says that I am the owner of the Nissan Almera that costs me a fortune! phew. Now I just have to pay another fine, pay for my tax and get my car back. I am seriously contemplating giving my car up. But I like it so much! And it's SO convenient!

And the hits just keep coming!

Yes, AGAIN!!!! I am so very cross. Thursday after I paid to get unclaimed I went to get my tyres done and get my MOT. By the time I had my MOT it was 530pm so the post office was closed = no tax disc. Friday I went to post office to get tax. After standing in the queue for half an hour, I was told that the reminder I had was no good as it was 2 months old and I would have to bring in the log book (ownership document). I lost my log book so I have to contact the DVLA. It;s not open til Monday. So I toddle home (this is Friday after the post office.) Today I wake up to another clamp on my wheel - give me a chance for crying out loud! They said I had 2 weeks to sort out. Apparently I have 2 weeks, but during those two weeks I have to keep it off the road. I would have gladly parked it at work if I was told that! GRRRR!!!!

No he didn't do it AGAIN!

oh but he did. The man changed it again. So all my super human efforts are for not. I have to do it all again ....1142 to go.

How much do I rock .... 7 to go

Yes you read correctly 7 events to go. Now this excludes the 55 events that are timetabled but don't have teachers to teach them. I need to find the teachers.

Wait for it ... 18 to go!

Because of a super human effort put in by none other than my good self, I have accomplished the impossible. There's still a little bit to go before you break out the champagne, but considering I started a new timetable 2 days ago - come on, lavish me in praise!

Presents

Yes, this is the present I woke up to this morning. A £200 wheel clamp just for me.

Now I know my birthday is coming up next month ... if you were thinking of getting me one of these, don't bother :)

What's happening to me?

I don't know if it's my age (I'm getting older you know) or if it's all the recent family holidays (ie mother's / father's day), or that I have no social life in London to distract me, or maybe it's always been there and I suppress it, but lately, I miss my family. When we're together we fight and argue and disagree on most everything. But I love them. They're my family. A tv show I watched recently said that siblings were God's gift of a life-long friend. My sister and I haven't made it to best mates and I know I don't win any sister of the year awards, but I do love my sister. And I miss her.
I just wanted to let my family know that I miss them. I love them. I think about them often. I don't know if they know that. So family, know that I do. You all mean so much to me, and I'm a better person for having you in my life. And that goes to all of you - the ones on the east coast and west coast ... and the special ones in between.

How soppy am I?!

0 to go .... or is it

I was finished. All the lessons were in the timetable. BUT then my head teacher decided to change something. Not something easy (well nothing at this stage would be easy - but it's all relative), but no he changes something in year 11. You start timetabling in year 11! That means - the whole thing, yes the entire timetable has to start again. I physically feel ill!

Other than my life being consumed by timetabling ie work, there's not a huge amount going on.
Bob's still missing. I went by the house she was at last time. The little boy answered. He said he'd seen her, but she wasn't there when I stopped by.
I went to a house party on Saturday night. There were loads of people there. A few I knew from work. Met a few new people, although chances are I;ll never meet them again, but who knows. I did met this one guy (don't worry parents he was married - ie unavailable), we started talking about churches. Even though he doesn't go to the same church I do, I thought I might give his a try. I think it's important to have Christian friends close to you rather than just somewhere to go on a Sunday morning.
Anything else? Not really. I'm sure I'm forgetting something - I'll tell you when I remember. That;s i for now. Wish me luck with the Timetable

32 and counting!

Yep, 32 to go. I was closer, but late last night I found a fatal flaw in the schedule and hard to start all over. Joy of joys. For anyone reading this who likes PE or PE teachers - I officially don't. PE is the bane of my life - at least the part of my life having to do with the BTG timetable! :) I was up til 4:30 this morning scheduling; another late night and who knows, maybe I'll have a complete timetable - wish me luck.
N.B. I'm one working day late of my scheduling deadline. But technically speaking I promised the first draft by this Friday - so I've got 4 days to go?

Yes, again.

Bob's gone. She's been a 'house cat' since I brought her home. By house cat I obviously mean jailed cat. She's been itching to get out. My flat mate and I have had a few close calls with her trying to escape. Yesterday she managed to pull a fast one though. She's not been back. Grr. It seems as though I'll be going to the neighbours again to see if she's paid them a visit.

241 to go....

At this rate I'll be done with the timetable the last week of August. That is a week and a half earlier than it was done last year to be fair.

You might be thinking I wasn't working yesterday. You'd be wrong - It's just that irritating and hard to get this blasted events in!

Taking a poll, anyone think I'll be done by Friday?

Hair today gone tomorrow :)

I had my hair* chopped and dyed while I was in Derby. I fancied a change. My hairdresser, I love. The lady that dyed my hair, not so impressed. My hair isn't what I wanted, and am tempted to get it redone. But it would mean another drive to Derby. I have had a lot of compliments on it, so maybe it looks ok - it just isn't what I wanted. Nevermind. Hair grows.

Friday and Monday I was working for home. May I just say how nice it is to get up 5 minutes before you have to 'be at work' and go to work in your pajamas. Back up at a reasonable 45 minutes before I have to be at work and in normal work clothes today. shame :(

*Pictures to follow when I get some :)

244 to go...

Yes that's right. I'm less far along* than I was. I actually got down to a mere 41 unplaced events. But these 41 events just wouldn't go into the timetable, so I decided to go at it another way. Got to love timetabling! I subsequently unscheduled year 7 & 8 (as I had scheduled them together).

PE was causing a major problem, so I scheduled PE in year 8 and then in year 7 - with no teachers (as it wouldn't go in with the teachers in it....I'll figure out teachers later :) I then stayed up til half past 2 this morning scheduling year 8. I have 23 events left to place in year 8.

My first draft of the timetable is due on Friday - tick tock tick tock. Will it be done?

*I'm sure that;s not proper English

What do you think?

In a recent forward I got, I was asked if my name suits me. What do you think:

K: Really silly
A: Gorgeous
R: Good gf
E: Freakin' beautiful eyes
N: Can kick your but


And my mum always told me Karen was from Greek origin meaning 'pure'.

A: Gorgeous B: Loves people C:Really easy to fall in love with D: Is great in bed E: Freakin' beautiful eyes F: People wild and crazy adore you G: Never let people tell you what to do H: Easy to fall in love with I: Best Smile J: Makes people laugh K: Really silly L: Is so hot M: Makes dating fun N: Can kick your but O: Has one of the best personalities ever P: Popular with all types of people Q: A hypocrite R: Good bf/gf S: Lives life for fun T: Dirty Minded U: Gets blamed for everything V: Not judgmental W: Very broad minded X: Never let people tell you what to do Y: Loved by everybody Z: Lives life for fun

Good mates

I'm in Derby staying with a mate - above. She wants her computer back - very impatient, but she is good enough to let me crash at her house. So must run.