Blog

Oh my god, this is written at a sensible time!

Well, I though you deprived people all needed an update on my life….

What’s happened in the past 4 days? Well I’ve actually had an interesting few days. My job has ben dead quiet over the last two days – simply due to the fact that the school has broken up for Xmas – so it’s only the few departments which are still about and any left over jobs to do…..

So I’ve spent many happy hours downloading stuff off the internet – and borrowed the School Zip Drive to bring ~270 Mb home!

Hugo’s still playing up a little *as is my spacebar*. If anyone can suggest the origin of a high pitched screech which tends to appear when the engine revs change dramatically, on starting or on changing gear (it comes and goes fairly quickly, doesn’t always happen and is driving me nuts). So I’ll ask my local Yugo specialist next time I see him (Saturday – when I get the new Radiator). However he’s been generally good. Getting me home and to work (tocuh wood) reliably…..Starting in the mornings….there was one incident tho’…

About two mornings I got up – struggled through my morning routine – reaching the car at 7:45 (to be at work at 8:30). Ice was thick on the windows, and the first sign that something might be amiss came as I tried to put the key in the lock….

The little cover thing was “unkeen” on moving

After a while the key slipped right in. Would it turn? Ha.

So I wandered round to the passenger door – I’ll open this one then….or not. The only entry point I could open was the boot. Ha – I’ll clamber in, and open the door from the inside. No. Not on – leaning in only proved how solidly frozen the mechanism was. Sitll after about 15 minutes of alternately spraying deicer and breathing on the lock it opened. And I made it to work on time!

Now, the other thing that has happened is along these lines. Last night I was on ICQ – yes my parents are going to kill me – with Hannah (Who’s coming to see me next week – WOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!, Sorry). Anyway – someone logged on and saw “Web design” in the description of my profile. Perhaps I should make clear that in general I’m on ICQ as myself.

Anyway – they queried whether I was interested in doing some web-design work in Reading….after some inaccurate statments – I came clean. I sent them my web page (i.e. this one) as one of the example sites – and asked them to e-mail my (Kate’s) address…. Now after panicing for about a week….and Hannah – quite reasonibly suggesting that perhaps I should calm down. I did.

And then I sent an e-mail to my oldest friend. The one I’ve known for 18 of my 21 years – and only had 2 arguments with – just chatting about what’s been going on. Then a strange “insanity” overcame me – and I explained about myself. As in myself. And now I’m dead nervous. I can’t tell if it was a good idea or not – but I had to tell him.

Anyway – got to cook dinner now.

TTFN

Loads of Love

Kate

12 Dec 1999

The chaos in my room continues unabated; the keyboards, mice and suchlike cluttering up every surface available. My feet are resting on two video recorders on-top of which is a huge box of slides. Arrgggg. I need a place of my own. Just so I can spread out my stuff around the house. I mean how many people have a drinks “cabinet” (shelf) in their bedroom. No, don’t answer that.

Envy has been playing a bit of a role this weekend. My sisters birthday. There I sat saying how wonderful her dresses that she had just got looked – wishing they were mine (actually they wouldn’t fit. She’s several sizes smaller than me – but they were gorgeous). Then I got DVD Review magazine. And it has Carrie-Anne Moss, (Trinity from the Matrix). Oh god – I wish I looked like that. Anyway. I tried to write something today, however I didn’t get time. I did wash two cars, clean the patio (wash of the gunk that grows on the paving stones), do my Xmas cards (sorry anyone I missed), write a letter to Hannah, have a shower and enter 3 competitions.

That’s not bad for a sunday. Oh and Hugo’s getting a new radiator next week. So there we go.

In an attempt to make up for not writing anything I’ve decided to stick something on the “scrawl” page inviting people to e-mail me, and I’ll chuck an e-mail out whenever I write a new chapter. How does that sound?

Okay…off to play now….I’m going to see about a new look for this site.

Loadsa Love

Kate

06 Dec 1999

Well, first day at the new job….how did it go?
06:45. Awaken to the melodious tunes of Virgin Radio + Static
07:30. Set off, Hugo start’s first time, the wail of the waterpump being covered by a radio turned up “quite” loud.
08:00. Temperature gauge starts rising. Rather rapidly.
08:10. Pull into shell garage. Top up header tank (which was completely empty) Daren’t try to open radiator as it’s bloody hot.
08:20. Limp into place of work. Water pump screaching and making rending metal noises.
08:30. Begin work. Ritual humiliation of being “introduced” to a room full of people.
17:00. End work. Pour in a full 5 litres of water before heading off…..At random passing place before the major A road stop and pour in another 1.5 litres. At first garage stop and pour in 3 litres. Refresh water supplies.

At 3rd garage stop, and pour in 5 litres. At junction about 10 minutes from home – stop and pour in the final 3 litres of water. Stagger home – at 40 miles an hour.

Strip car.

I actually quite enjoyed work. Not that I did much….. It being (a) the first day and (b) quiet anyway – All I did was take apart a laptop and fail to mend it.

Still it’s a nice place with free food and coffee. So. Missing Hannah. Need a hug. Okay – I’ve got a job – now all I need is a house……

Kate

04 Dec 1999,23:50.05

I’m going to be slaughtered. I’ve been on the net for 2 hours. Oh god.

I’ve just realised that while 10261 people have been here, or at least to Kate’s Cavernous Cavern’s index page; an amazingly small (approx as changed counter) 400 people have visited Kato’s pointless page. I’m sure this says something and I’m not at all sure that I know what it is.

It worries me that people might just be visiting my site because they are looking up transsexual. However if it’s being helpful in some way to those finding it then that’s wonderful….

I simply didn’t realise how many hit’s this site’s been taking. Wow. And wow again.

Obviously some of those are repeat visits. And a couple of them are mine. But in general I don’t bother to look at the index page – because I don’t bother to look at anything except to check it’s up okay…I’ve got the site on my hard-disk so I hardly need to look at it.

Anyway – today has been a little stressful. The screaching noise eminating from the front of my car was diagnosed as a water pump failing (it was working but leaking slowly and definately on it’s way out). So a replacement was obtained….

Yugo Parts Number
|
\/
Code is incorrect (area code had changed); obtain new code
|
\/
Number unobtainable (suprise, suprise)
|
\/
Check with operator – says number is now preceded by an 8
however she checks it and finds it’s changed (recorded message)
and so she gives me the new number….
|
\/
New number “temporarily out of order”
|
\/
Ring operator – find out it’s been out of order for years!So then we tried a local part company – yes they could get one – but to get it with 1 week would cost £43. Half the cost of the car. So a local breakers was tried. Yes they had one, it was £17. A lot more like it!

Obtained. Fitted. Cut finger. Attempted to crush other finger. Much pain. Now leaks more than it did before. God knows why. Standing in garage with bucket under it. Arse.

And to top it off Adecco haven’t paid me for 2 weeks. Impressed I am not. (Yoda I am not).

I’m still in shock from the 10000! Wow. Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy (in the words of “working girl”).

Anyway – I’m shattered. My parents got me up at 8 to play musical cars this morning. so I feel like death. Time for bed. G’night.

Kate

29 Nov 1999

He he he he he…..I’ve got a job…..and now to celebrate…..Black & White (Choice Old Scotch Whisky)….hic….

---

 

29 Nov 1999; 00:32.18

Well, it’s been an odd 10 days. I’ve spent a wonderful 2 days at Hannahs (with her parents)….It all went swimmingly apart from some heart stopping moments involving the word Tea. Both in the form of Tea – Dinner and Tea – Tea. It was wonderful to see her – and be woken in the morning with a kiss.

Sadly I didn’t get the chance to chat to Abi (Hannah’s sister), due to time pressures although she did get a couple of words in at the computer show (Yes – I went to a computer show – but only for a couple of hours – it allowed me to pick up a new cartridge for my printer…..). The nicest thing was to go to sleep with her arms around me…and to hear her breathing….I miss that when she’s not around.

Anyway – I had an interview – which may or may not have gone well. I hope it did. Ironically it was at a Girls School. One of the questions was what do you do when 30 girls fall in love with you? Err….what – are they all gay? No, that wasn’t the answer I gave. Also my machine is online – so watch out for new, improved e-mail facilities.

My dad pilfered a monitor from work for me (actually they were quite keen for him to take it as it’s surplus to requirements at the moment. So that’s 1 Dell 17″ monitor sat next to my MTC 17″ monitor….)

However bad things that happened this week consisted of:
Hugo breaking down and dumping me in a Q8 garage in Thatcham
Miserable, foul, awful day at work.

Hugo’s throttle return spring went walkies – it appears that they have to be ordered specially – so courtesy of a 1980 fiesta we have a replacement made from a bonnet spring. However I had to call my dad out at 11pm, to tow me home…..He was very good about it – but probably not really impressed….

The bad day at work was just that – however it was the same day Hugo broke down. Thank god for Hannah – she really cheered me up – even if I did ring her at 1.15am….

Also I found out there’s someone at work who’s a transvestite – and I also saw the range of opinions on the matter (he was defending the right of men to wear dresses – because he likes wearing dresses). From “yeah, whatever” to “Good for you – do what you want” to verging on “pervert”. The last of which was definately in the minority – although apparently it’s against dress code regulations for a man to come in wearing a dress – which is discrimination I believe.

Anyway – we discussed briefly Rocky Horror – and he implied, no he out right said – I was the sort of person who wouldn’t dress up…!!!!!! Anyway – I put him straight on that one and now nearly everyone’s seen the Rocky Horror show shot – (see Worlds Worst Photos of Me)….

And most of them complemented me on my legs….. :-)

Anyway – best be off….time to sleep me thinks.

Loads of love

Kate.

Just a quickie tonight….long day at work (long night too). Hopped into Hugo – not keen, not keen at all. Stalled twice (a first for Hugo who normally goes first time) however it was bloody cold. The drive to the alternator makes a horrible screech when it’s damp (it slips) – which is fun. And, as usual the reversing lights didn’t work when I got home.

In the end I reversed into the space with the hazard lights on just so I could see. I’ve diagnosed the fault with the reversing lights though. They need to be taken to pieces and tested because then they invariably work for a period of time defined as X: where X is no less than the period of time it takes me to stop checking the fault and is greater than Y which is the minimum amount of time between faults where I actually put some real effort into fixing it.

Bad news today – I didn’t get the job in Swindon (which was a crummy job anyway) but still – any job is better than no job….as I’m sure many people will tell you.

Still off to see Hannah tomorrow…should have a quick go at the reversing lights before then really – but I’ll probably leave ’em till my day off. So.

TTFN
(Said it’d be quick)
Kate

PS Kate’s computer hint for the day – no matter how many times you repeat the procedure: [shift]+double click (to open a file to Zap instead of opening it in the registered program) does not work if you are using a keyboard which is connected to a different computer to that which the mouse is connected to. Remeber that, it can save a lot of time….