Week 8: Spring's First Sunshine

[grahamthomson]

I basked in golden warmth for the first time this year this morning.

I really need to get some reactor lenses for my glasses, swapping between normal and sunglasses all the time is a pain.

[Hero]

The sunshine is great. My poor snowman finally melted away though.

Good day for some photography too.

[Deleted]

Finally all of the snow and ice has gone and I can walk outisde my house again without watching my step.

[karla]

yesh, its warmer out

[Hero]

I got a call today in regards to the possibility of having a job in-between uni commitments. It's going to involve working with kids again.

[kayevcee]

When I came out of work today I made it all the way to the bus stop before I felt the need to do up my coat. Haven't had my gloves on since this morning. Bliss.

-Nick

[Hero]

Had a rough night last night. George and me were woken up at 2am by a mystery phone call.

The caller sounded young and said "This is a horror movie... And were coming to get you!".

The caller called again and we hung up straight away. The person withheld their number. (beginning to think 1471 is useless)

Not too bothered about the prank, but assumably because its half term week there are kids staying up later than usual (and WWE RAW is live at 2 on Monday nights). I'm just annoyed that I could'nt get back to sleep afterwards.

Cranky...

===KEN

[grahamthomson]

No sunshine today! Aww.

[Dave]

I think BT can do something to stop your line receiving anonymous calls, though when I looked in to it it was either a lot of hassle to set up or money was involved I forget which. Of course I could be imagining all this.

So people have been having sun eh? Here in Crapsville it's colder than ever. The snow has gone though.

[Hero]

Lots of clouds this end.

Hopefully, that call was a one off.

My Class has been cancelled today and I'm glad to have received some notice before spending ages travelling across Bristol to find out in person.

Oh, and Gav. Check your mailbox in a day or two, bud.

===KEN

[The Doctor]

Popped through to Edinburger yesterday for job interview. Thankfully, the much milder weather meant far less discomfort when prancing about in a suit.

I've noticed my sight is slightly strained so due for new specs I think. Due an eye test anyway so will make appt tomorrow. Rather worried about how I can afford new lenses though, but what can I do. Perhaps there will be a payment plan.

-Ralph

[Hero]

No prats on the phoneline last night and red wine meant I got a decent nights sleep.

I love prancing about in a suit. Power dressing is awesome when your a bloke of my mesomorphic build I still hate suit trousers though.

I hope you get that job, Ralph. And also hope that your optitians do a convenient payment plan for you. It's been a while since I've needed specs, and I assume a lot has changed in that field.

===KEN

[karla]

why do squirrels have to shag on my fence

not looking forward to my flat packed furniture thats coming either, its sooo heavy, I might be crushed......weep for me

[grahamthomson]

Ouch, splinters!

[The Doctor]

Optician's appt made for tomorrow.

I must admit, I am finding the wait to find out whether I've got a job or not is very wearing indeed. Especially as I'm not sure what day I'll be notified or whether it's by phone or letter. The longer I wait, the more I ruminate on it. Agh!

I may play with some plastic robots later as a de-stresser.

-Ralph

[Cullen]

I transformed Sky Lynx today!

[The Doctor]

Hurray!

Talking of Sky Lynx, I did not give a toss about him all my life. Then, recently, I watched a very enthusiastic video review of one and am now filled with terrible urges.

-Ralph

[Fortmax2020]

For some reason I read John's comment as that he turned into Sky Lynx...

[The Doctor]

What a strange and mercurial mind you have, young Mr Merrifield!

-Ralph

[Fortmax2020]

Evidently.

[The Doctor]

Imagine meeting these after a night down the pub:



-Ralph

[legios]

Large parts of my day today could have been described by the phrase "owch". I should explain, we spent most of yesterday having some training in breakaway techniques as part of a process of personal safety training (not before time if you ask me). The techniques that we were taught are actually quite effective ones. The training process however has left me with an impressive collection of sore muscles that I didn't realise even existed. Said muscles have tightened up rather significantly over the course of today, leaving me with a distinct feeling of owch whenever I try to bend my arms at the elbow. If they had tightened up much further I would have had less articulation than your average 3+3/4inch action figure.....

But, having been in a couple of somewhat fraught situations in my career I do feel better for having these techniques available to me. I hope to never need to use them, but better to know them and not have to use them than to not know them and need them.

Other than that the week looks like it is going to be marked with substantial amounts of working till 6pm in order to get things squared away by Friday. Ah well, they can't all be "get the bear weeks", some of them have to be "bear gets you."

Karl

[The Doctor]

The best technique I was ever taught on such training was 'run away'. It's remarkably effective and I've found it to be useful.

The second best technique I was taught was to grab the attacker's hand, place it on top of their head then take their other hand and force it down on their other hand. It has the benefit of being remarkably painful, temporarily quite disabling and also does not leave an injury so you can't be sued for assault later as courts recognise it as reasonable force when defending self. Plus, I've used it, and it works.

It was common to be battered when working with folk with learning disabilities, usually through communication difficulties. Never once been touched in mental health work though. Despite what tabloid papers might like to scare up about the mentally unwell.

-Ralph

[legios]

Feb 18, 2009 21:22:55 GMT The Doctor said:

The best technique I was ever taught on such training was 'run away'. It's remarkably effective and I've found it to be useful.

We were focusing more on methods of breaking grapples - leaverage methods when you are already held, methods for breaking chokes, and the like. Along with a little bit about methods for protecting yourself from a thrown punch.

It was common to be battered when working with folk with learning disabilities, usually through communication difficulties. Never once been touched in mental health work though. Despite what tabloid papers might like to scare up about the mentally unwell.
-Ralph

There is a lot of scare-mongering about, especially in the Red -top press. They do love to get the sales-figures up, never mind whether what gets people reading happens to be true or not.

Fortunately I have never actually been physically harmed in the course of my current occupation. I've had a couple of near-misses - one defused by a certain amount of patience and very careful body-language. In the other I deployed the time-honoured and battle-tested method of the expeditious retreat. (Considered leaving the sector after the second one, because it had put the wind up me quite a bit). But in a career of ten years I'd say I've gotten off fairly lightly.

Karl

[grahamthomson]

The sun is out again this morning! It's going to be a good day, I can feel it.

[Cullen]

I drowned a satifiyingly large otter this morning and I feel on top of the fucking world.

[grahamthomson]

Trying to eat some lunch here!!

[The Doctor]

Cost of eye test + new lenses for 2 pairs of specs + 'reglazing charges' for daring to keep old frames (inc £54 off due to being unemployed) = £244. Job Seeker's Allowance for one month = £242.

Square peg. Round hole.

-Ralph

[grahamthomson]

Ouch!

Do you qualify for an NHS Optical Voucher or HC2/HC3 type thing at all?

[The Doctor]

I did qualify for some help, most of which was wiped out due to wanting to use old frames. Which strikes me as odd, but what can I do.

-Ralph