ThinLizzy

I'm still at work and my brain has just about turned to mush -- I'm home alone tonight and wanna cook something, but can't decide what?? Any veggie suggestions to help me out of my mental block (which is probably brought on by lack of food) TL

Duke, this happened to me but in Enfield -- got back after xmas to find a nice letter saying I have a liability order against me because I hadn't turned up to court and hadn't paid Aug-Nov council tax, despite phoning them on the day I moved from North to South London and settling my bill. I have to admit, I shouted in a rage at the woman on the end of the phone, even sweeter cause I knew I was right (but felt bad because it wasn't really her fault, and was very nice to her when she got it sorted for me). Anyway, she sorted it out by checking the system and my phone call, and in the end got 90 quid BACK!!! Result -- trouble is, as a psychologist I know the dangers of conditioned reinforcement -- pressing that lever got me a nice cash reward, and has probably made me more angry grrrrr. But fight your corner, although don't let the bailiffs come round

I have stupidly/bravely/ignorantly (dependant on perspective) cycled in today for the second day -- was fairly easy yesterday but the ice did concern me a bit today. Exercised excessive caution and, although I probably look like a large boobie, a) got into work for free, b)without having to squash onto a bus and c) the chilly, hair-raising dodging between vehicles certainly woke me up ready to engage brain for the day.... mind you, not looking forward to tonight; if you're a motorist, 2, 3 or 4 wheels, please look out for us cycing fools this evening!! x

Sorry Cath, didn't see your glove, but I take this opportunity to mention how big the queues were in Somerfield today :( I forgot my eggs too, and had to dash and get them while the lovely till guy packed my stuff, only to knock my eggs off the counter, smashing them anyway .... such is life :/ I've just moved to the area by the way, and I must say, I love ED on a Saturday :)

Hehe -- MikeCG you are right, and I was very nice to them on the phone. Eventually my Pizza came and the guy who delivered it was freezing, poor fella. But, it was a very tasty pizza :) Happiness is simple pleasure :)

Half empty right now -- I never order a Pizza, and for a treat I order one, it still hasn't arrived after 1 hour 40 minutes!!!! I ring up to check and they get all narky with ME!! B'tards -- I'm starving :( But when it does come I'll be more than half full yum yum

Brilliant! ;)

Urgh, gross! Well, look forward to it :) TL

Eek, most of my poetry is pretty dark -- take inspiration from Emily Dickinson Sylvia Plath and John Cooper Clarke Loving your work :)

Oh, why not.... Occupy all Available Space Be sure, in this city, to occupy all available space. Leave no room for maneuver - No man ever lets a space be a space, To leave it quiet would cost too much. Accumulate more useless junk, and occupy more space In your face, present and correct. That?s how it?s taught on billposters and over the tannoy. Annoy and be damned ? it matter not. Thought in recession, value diminished, Knowledge is useless ? takes up time not presence. The essence of survival in this urban chaos - Is to defend your bid to occupy all available space.

As my Uncle once wrote: 'You watch the fellow who drives ahead And the fellow who drives behind But the fellow you should watch On any road, you will find Is the fellow behind the fellow ahead And ahead of the fellow behind' And as Francis Bacon said: 'We're born, we exist for a moment, we do what we can with our lives, and then we die' Finally, I live my life at the moment by this quote from Harold Pinter: 'An awareness of life's horrors and society's imprisoning tendencies countered by the absolute determination not to surrender to them' xx

Evening all, I'm a researcher at the IOP and wondered if there was anybody else on here from the place? TL

What do people in ED think about the Maudsley? I've just moved to the area and have been working there for years in research -- it would be interesting to hear what the general local view is of the 'hospital across the road'!

The responses on this site have really cheered me up!! I'm 33 and just trying to finish phd. I've worked hard over the years to build up my CV and get 'all the right experiences' for career. I've really kept focused and 'got my kicks' from the work. But do you know what -- I'm about to finish and I'm having a mid-life crisis moment where I realise I've invested in my career and forgotten about the important things like having fun! I'm not too late to rectify it (ie travel, having spontaneous adventures), but it's a bit of a pain because I suddenly realise this is what life is all about, not work, work, work and I still have 10 months left to finish :( I guess 10 months is nothing, but it's tough when realisation suddenly dawns that work is not the be all and end all. When I was at school I was sold the dream: keep head down in academia and life will be sweet. Trouble is, if you're not careful it has a habit of sucking the very life out of you that you were searching for! Anyway, thanks for cheering me up oh fellow 30-somethings, and it's true, most of us don't have it figured out, even if we thought we did!!! xx