I’ve set up a mailing list, a good old email bounce, on my webspace. Its a friends only affair for chat and general sillyness.

If you want to join up goto

http://newtus.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/ardvark_newtus.co.uk

and fill in the form.

Well yesterday was fun. A really quick day at work. More important stuff got out of the way.

Also had the nice one of discovering that work’s canteen has reopened at the other end of the floor. Had a cracking bowl of tomato soup and a bread roll for 60p, which surprisingly filled me up.

Trains turned into a complete nightmare on the way home though. Points trouble at Stalybrigde, 20mins out of Manchester, meant all traiins to Leeds from Manc Piccadilly were cancelled/held up. So I trudge over to Manchester Victoria, second choice for trains home because its the local route which takes one and a half hours as opposed to one. Problem is so does everyone else, and trains start getting held up there, to get all the whining people on. So over a pint of Guiness in the rather nice Victorian bar I make the strategic decision to catch the train over to Rochdale and stay at the inlaws. Ring Rachel who starts driving over. Eventually three hours after leaving work get to Rach’s parents only to find out that Rach is stuck in a traffic jam. After one hour of sitting in slow traffic, she knocks it on the head and comes back to Leeds and the Cats. So I had the nice one of spending time with her parents without her being there. Had fun watching “Grumpy Old Men” (Will Self’s monologue about Ikea tickled me the most) and chatting over a couple of beers.

Got up early and caught the train from a windswept Rochdale station.

Work more of the same productive ease that its been this week. Heading home early, just in case there’s more delays, to spend a quite night in with Rach.

Well the weekend was lovely. Got a nice balance between doing stuff and slack just right, although littlerachcat said I did nothing….which was sort of true 🙂

Went out for Alison’s Birthday. Me and Rach did the early shift, which was Fuji Hiros, so apologies to all those people who did the second part, the Lounge and Booze, who I missed. Unfortunatly finances at the moment are a bit tight (to say the least). I had a nice meal of chillied worms (opps sorry pan fried noodles) and got to see itsjustaname‘s awesome chopstick skills, since she was up from London for the weekend. It was weird to hear her elaborate on some of the stories that she has put in her LJ. My information filter kept on switching on and off. Good job keefybabe wasn’t in attendance otherwise everytime he swore it would have bought flash backs to some of his more LJ colourful rants.

Feeling extremely perky now. Not only was last week a cracking good start to the year, but since I didn’t have any alcohol over the weekend I’m really buzzing on a natural high of mental and physical happyness.

Been a productive day at work again, I’ve drunk lots of tea and ate serveral bananas which are taking the place of the pies from Greggs downstairs.

Well that’s what comes of a short week.

Quite glad really. Everyone’s getting back into the swing of things, myself included. I’m a bit overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to be done. But in small babysteps its getting done. Practically flew through yesterday and got twice the work done that I did in the last month before XMAS. I plan on staying this refreshed and motivated and productive for the rest of the year.

This year is already proving to bubbling over with promise. My RPG writing has quitely taken off since I’ve been back at work. After this weekend I’ll be able to put to bed yet another project thats been half done for far to long. At work I’m booked on two quality training courses (Databases on the web and Exploring XML) in the later end of this month. This month is also good for socialising with Alison’s Birthday this Saturday, which will see everyone out in force at Fuji Hiros (Japanese Noodle place in Central Leeds), and my brothers and Rachel’s at the end of the month. Also the possiblity that we will be going upto Northumberland, if mum comes out of her huff (she put the phone down on me last time I rang on Sunday!) that she’s been in since XMAS.

If anything there really is too much going on. Must quietly plan and scedule.

Lots of things I want to do over the weekend. Must ensure some quality slack time amoungst the doing stuff.

Yup its strange but true, but its nice to be back here at Gateway House in dreary grey Central Manchester.
The last couple of days at home where a tad boring. I think the Rome Total War Mathathon really showed I was running out of enusasum. Plus me and Rach were begining to get on each others nerves.

So here I am in my office at work, embarking on my second quarter in this job. If the first half was getting settled in and developing a structure, the coming months are about honing my skills and seeing the content for the revised website go up piece by piece. Lots of fun stuff to learn (Flash, ASP) and do (new websites, and web enabled applications) so I’ll be far than bored.

If I ever complain I am give me a big slap.

So this is it. XMAS lies murdered. All the rich food and booze has been consumed. Mr Newt is probably fatter for it. The rest of the world is back at work (ha ha) and I’m enjoying the last day of my holiday.

Its not been the most productive holiday. I had a big stack of half to seventy five percent finished rpg stuff I wanted to wrap up, which hasn’t got done. But I’ve had a good rest and recovered my sense of humour which I think had dissappeared in the relentless grind of the last quarter of 2004.

Yesterday was spent in a vast grump about the end of the hoildays and the prospect of reentering the Rat Race. Rachel was good and gave me many hugs that cheered me up. Solace was also found in playing far too much Rome Total War. Overall it was an emotional blow out the likes of which I haven’t experienced for a good while.

However the good which came out of it was that I realised that I function better when I’m chilled and relax, and that my job isn’t a grind but instead I get to play for a living. Compare web development to say hard labour or Nursing and you’ll get what I mean.

If nothing else I’m going to make it my business to be relaxed cheerfull and amiable this year .

Now back to getting the most out of my last day 🙂

I’ve had a peaceful New Year.

Me and Rach stayed in on NYE. Enjoyed a pizza and watched Jack Black’s film School of Rock, which like er..Rocked Dude!! I drank a very large bottle of Old Speckled Hen in my very large 2pint pot, but that was the limit of my hell raising.

To kinda make up for the lack of painting the town red went round Ginger Matt’s last night. Drank a little bit and watched a couple of films. Found myself falling asleep at 1am. Woke up drank coffee and chatted about the coming year, which I plan to be incredible! Especially noteworthy since GM is moving down to Cardiff Wales due to work. He will be missed, but he’s certainly fallen on his feet work wise 🙂

Geniunely sad that the festive season is over. Its been good to slack off and enjoy myself.

Tommorrow although not back at work until Wednesday, I start the New Year’s work……(more to follow).

There now follows a message from our sponsors…..

More profound musings to follow once I’ve got over my hangover.

Well I’ve actually been back from XMAS for two days now, but been keeping my head down recovering from it.

XMAS itself was good 🙂 Went to the inlaws on XMAS eve, had a lazy one of reading, watching TV, playing cards and monopoly, eating and drinking heartly. Then came back the day after boxing day (Monday afternoon).

Got a stack of presents, which was surprising seeing how little we all spent on each other (both me and Rach had a £40 limit)

Mr Newts Stack of Presents

Aha life is grand. Got up 8:30 played Rome Total War until Rach got up at 11:30. Zipped off a few e-mails/journal comments.

Now going to wrap presents then go see the Foz clan and their new arrival Pete.

Life is grand. I can feel the tension slipping off my muscles.