First up; let’s get some links out of the way. I’ve been meaning to share these and it’s meant my browser has several million tabs open which I’m not actually using. First up, I wish they did this teeshirt in Red or Brown *and* skinny / girl’s fit. The yellow – which is the only option for us lasses is a bit bright for me. The story of the original pre-war poster is also interesting; and y’know what? I think that poster is what they should’ve put up instead of all the nasty scaremongering.
Second up on the links front; there’s this video of Joss Whedon at equality now. It’s just an excellent speech. It’s not new or anything; but it perhaps goes a long way to explaining why I like his writing so much.
What else? Hrm. A.M. has done some new stuff; it’s not ‘released’ – being as it’s soundtrack stuff, but you can listen to streamed version….
And then we come to this; this is outgoing irritating git prime minister Blair’s reaction to a petition to reinstate the 25 year rolling exemption for car tax. Despite the fact that classic cars have been awarded a green apple environment award because it’s quite possible that they’re *cleaner* than modern cars (long lasting (and concomitant minimal use of resources) instead of continuous replacement with ‘better’ cars; and quite honestly they offer similar fuel consumption); in fact, even the EU has declared that classic cars impact on the environment (it terms of total vehicular impact) is, essentially negligible. And so to deny free road tax to classic cars at an arbitrary set date (1973) on ‘environmental’ grounds is, to be honest, complete bollocks. I can’t even see as they earn that much money off classics… *sighs*. Did I mention how unimpressed I am with politicians? Not that it affects me, both my car’s are pre-the-cut off date. But hey.
The whole ‘petition’ thing largely seems like a way for the government to try and quiet the people; actually. Since I’ve seen the results of a few petitions, and they’re no sign from any of them that the government’s even pretended to listen; or even pretended that it’ll have any impact on their decisions. Whilst a lot of the time I think the government is right to ignore the screaming caused by people’s panic’d reactions to events; I like to imagine that at least occasionally they’ll listen. And quite honestly they are pissing me off; I’m no big fan of cars, in the larger sense of the word. I think they’re a hideously inefficient means of transport; I happen to enjoy them in the tinkering and design sense, but I’m sure there’s a much better solution. However, as a nurse (who they don’t pay enough to live (at least to an acceptable standard) near the hospital at which I work (by the way, thanks for the pay cut this year; that really helps with expenses)) who has to commute to work, their road pricing scheme, well, it’d make it impossible for me to work. Not that it matters, as I don’t intend to be in this country at a time when it comes in (and the not being in this country? I’m quite looking forward to that).
Anyhow, so, in non-whining news, the waste water pipe finally made it outside today. There was some cursing, and I’ve got some concrete to mix and fill in the hole because I removed a chunk of brick (about 1/3rd) too far to the left; before realising that I was too far to the left (I drilled a hole, but because I had to drill through the wall at an angle, I didn’t realise how far out of line the marker hole outside was with where I was aiming inside. Doh). My arms are also full of glass fibre insulation (I hate working around that stuff :( ), and I need to drill and fix the pipework in place (inside) and (outside) I need to run the pipe and make the hole in the appropriate place in the wall. I may spend some of tomorrow finding receipts for things I’ve bought (the wrong size / too many / etc) of and the items, running them back to B&Q and getting the bits I do need (grey brackets instead of white; grey right angle with rodding access, low-level U bend for my new route for the bath, white 90 (well 88) for the new route for the bath. I’m still a little disappointed. I fear it won’t flow as well as my original layout, but hey, one can’t easily get round reinforced concrete.
I also put the three good legs on the bath (nearly fell through the ceiling turning it back over); I’ve found a blacksmith locally who I shall ring to ask about fixing the other cast-iron leg. I also managed to get the 1950’s drainer out of it – it’s all old leaded pipework that I’ve been removing – nothing I could use, sadly; but the drainer on the bottom was, to be honest, a dog of a job. In the end I had to cut through (in several places) the brass nut holding it on and once that was loosened I managed to eventually get the drainer out. It’s a previous person’s bodge though – there was enough sealant under the drainer to sink a battle ship. Anyhow, that just needs cleaning up (the hole) and then the new drainer (which I admit, isn’t as nice) can go on. I’m pretty much at the ‘buying lino’ stage; I hate lino, and for the saving it’s quite depressing (it’s more than half the price of tiles (though I guess that excludes glue and grout) and tiles are more than twice as nice as lino). Still. I sometimes find it hard to do the cheaper thing as much as I probably should.
What else? Work….
So, yesterday I started to feel faintly useful. Not greatly so; but it’s less than a week since I’ve started, and I actually felt like I did stuff (got the best handover ever: “I’m really, sorry; there’s nothing wrong with this man, but he’s come from a crap care home, he was reviewed over the phone by a crap GP, and we’re not allowed to tell people they don’t need to come in”; it was true, at least, there certainly was nothing new and acute wrong with the poor chap who’d just been dragged into hospital). Today, at my own request, I landed up in Resus; I love Resus, except that it was like my first day as a student. I really had no-fracking-idea what was going on. Or, more accurately, I understood, but I couldn’t pre-empt, nor did I know where stuff was. It’ll come, I know it will, but it was a bit…well, I felt a bit useless. But there we go. Tomorrow is a new day, and I’d not swap my job for the world. I am though quite tired. So I’m quite pleased with the fact that I made a decent lunch when I got home, I ate really well yesterday, and I think I’ve been doing much better, food wise.
I have this faint, nagging feeling I had something else I wanted to say. But it’s gone now… so, uh, that’ll do so.
