I've now decided which equity isa i'm going for..i think it's going to be this one. Now if the bank would only pay my salary in, i would deposit a nice sum. I keep at least 1k in reserve in my bank account, which is stupid. It earns little interest (about 13p) and just sits there. I have my savings account if i get made redundant, i just need to make sure that i'm a lot more careful with my spending!

Or...should i just leave it and put it...no.

(from Yesterday)
I read "The Thieves of Ostia" last week, and i had to laugh at the entry on Amazon which said that you didn't realise who the actual killer is. I did, i recognised him instantly; and it was very obvious by the way he knew things before being told them... I also wasn't convinced at the background. Would a Roman girl really rescue a slave? i'm not sure.I think i prefer the Lindsey Davis books which seem to have a better background. And the roman mysteries series uses soft c instead of hard c pronounciation...

Last night i went and did step. I didn't enjoy it at all. The choreography was difficult, and made even more challenging by the instructor trying to do things sideways and from the back, which meant that we had to crane our necks around to see what was going on. The mroe worrying thing is that the instructor which now does step is (i believe) the one who is going to be taking over the body balance classes...

I woke up this morning to a beautiful sunny day (not warm by any stretch of the imagination), no clouds in the sky. A perfect day for biking.

Unfortunately i had to go into work.

I am slightly worrying again about money. Transfering my bonussaver into an e-savings account is a great idea. Sadly i'm going to miss the day when i get interest added to my esavigns account. You can tell by my spelling i'm upset, but i'm tryng to sleep.

I'm considering instead putting some of the money into an equity isa, but then i won't be able to get access when i need the money for a house. Should i put a little in, and just leave it for this year? It wouldbe good to have a little fund where i can put some in and know that i should not be touching it. I can put my regular savings into it until i have my 3k max, then save into my new e-savings account, and at the end of the tax year put 3k into my cash isa with nationwide.

Or something. This quite taxing on a brain which does not do maths.

It's been a strange weekend. I lost 2 pounds. hurrah! I went to tiger tiger with spice in the evening, but once again it all got too much. Do you think any of my friends checked up on me after i had to leave...?

Of course not.

I've also started experienced some stiffness in my left rign finger, and ocassional numbness in my left hand. Which i'm sure can't be good.

(more from Friday)
I have tried to be good today, i want to lose a pound tomorrow. But i had lunch with the minister for my church group at a pub. I had decided to go for the "good" choice of a jacket potato with beans, but no beans were on the menu! I opted instead for tuna mayo. Not the best choice with the mayo, but sometimes you just have to make the best of a bad situation (i didn't have a bacon sarnie midmorning, and didn't go and get some crisps; so i guess things shoudl work out).

Now i'm having an internal debate as to whether to go and have a workout at the gym, or go and take a yoga class.

Or maybe just sleep. I am so tired, although less so than the beginning of the week!

You know what day it is, right?

1. What is your favorite time of year? My favourite day of the year is Bonfire night (but long time readers will know that already!). Chill in the air (hopefully no rain), but heat from the bonfire, and a good excuse to eat hot dogs, and jacket potatoes smoothered in chili.


2. What is it about your favorite season that, well, makes it your favorite season? Summer is my favourite season. I loathe the cold, and would much rather be out on my bike, cycling away on the heat and light.


3. What is your least favorite time of year? Why? Winter. I dislike the cold, and it's quite a horrible time of year if you are single.


4. Do you do anything to celebrate or recognize the changing of seasons? No.


5. What's your favorite thing to do outside? Probably biking when the weather is good!

I was on call last night, and just as i had got to the gym and sat down on the bike i go called. Wouldn't you believe it! The gym has very little reception, so i ended up having to go home, only to find out that it was someone just returning a call. They didn't realise that it was night in the UK.

I went back to the gym, but couldn't relax properly for fear of the phone going off and havign to trek home again. I won't go to body balance tonight, because i can't nip out every 15 mins or so. I will, however, go and attempt to do my gym programme again. Weight wise i woke up yesterday at teh weight in want to be for my weigh in on saturday. This morning i woke up 3 lbs heavier. I don't want to fall into the trap of getting upset, but when you work out you expect to get a bit in return...

Hands up anyone who thought that getting my glass replaced would be easy?

This is me, were talking about. I doubled checked to make sure that they guy was going to turn up, and he did. Unfortunately he'd brought the wrong glass. Or rather he had brought the correct one that he had been told to bring. some muppet on the helpdesk had written down passenger side front instead of driver side rear.

45 mins later he came back with the right one. e smashed out the rest of the window and then realised that the one he had brought was marked. No replacemetns were to be found so he put a plastic bag over the window.

He came early this morning, especially for me, and put in the right glass, but i have noticed that the rubber rim has a cut in it which has been mended. But after all that i don't really feel like saying anything. Plus i'm sure it's fine (and is guaranteed).

Remember i did those singing for the terrified workshops? I'm going to be singing at the spice birthday party. The other female voice is someone i'm friends with, but wouldn't describe as terrified. i know for a fact that she wants to become a singer, but i'm not sure that she is suited for choral work. she has a very powerful voice. I want to write more, but on this subject i should keep quite for fear of offence.

He's also thrown in some resistance work, but decided that for my triceps and biceps i should use free weights, rather than the scary looking machines. Having short arms means that i am in danger of hurting my elbow because i move my arms when on the machines (which is not good). I go back in 2 months or so for a reassassment, and to see how i'm doing. Lets hope i can keep it up, and keep motivated.

time to play catch up. I lost another pound, hurrah! I saw Gosford park, which i enjoyed (although i worked out the murder mystery part fairly easily). Sunday i lazed around. I had decided to go the outdoors show at the NEC (being the owner of VIP tix) but at 10:15 it had already sold out, and i wasn't going to be allowed in until 2pm. So i decided to to def it, and go and play FFIX instead.

Monday...i become the owner of another hamster! My boss turned up and said that his wife had changed her mind and would i still like his hamster? I said yes, and it turned out that he had brought the hamster with him! The hamster's name is John (which i may well change) and it's a dwarf, so tiny compared to Cookie. He seems friendly, but wouldn't let me pick him up. I'm going to try and get him settled in, and then get him a new cage. The one he came with is quite difficult to clean, the ones cookie had are not really suitable for a dwarf.

I got him home Monday evening (to continue) and then had to rush out for the spice national quiz. I was on a team with Donald and Sharon (with whom i am very friendly), and we also had a woman who had come here by mistake, but had been persuaded to stay. She didn't seem very interested in the quiz and left part way through... We came third regardless.

Coming home from the quiz i found that my drivers side side window had been smashed. Glass all over the back seat, but nothign stolen. I didn't knwo what to do. I got home in one piece and asked mum. She didn't know either, so she phone Jennys new boyfriend. He suggested phoned autoglass. So i did. They are going to come out and fix it this afternoon (at home) so i have had to drive to work with a bit of clingfilm over the gaping hole. The clingfilm came unstuck on the motorway into work and started flapping everywhere...i hope this gets sorted this afternoon.

I have quite noticable purple shadows under my eyes now...i need more sleep...

Oh yeah, i'm having my gym one-to-one this evening (should the car be fixed by then). It's been a month since i joined, and i don't really enjoy using the treadmill etc. I'm hoping that they get me to do more resistance stuff, since i do 3 classes a week whcih involve leaping around.

Friday five!

1. What's your favorite animal? Cats! That's why i'm smallkat.


2. What pets have you had in your lifetime?One cat, a guinea pig, various fish. A hamster who died recently.


3. Is there any specific pet that you've wanted but never had? Why? A cat of my own. My sister is allergic to cat hair, so until i get a house of my own i cannot have a cat.


4. Are you allergic to any animals? Not as far as i know.


5. Do you have any 'pet' pet peeves (your pets or others')? People who let their dogs wee in the streets. People who don't clearup after dogs. I never get cross with the dogs, it's the owners who are stupid. Responsible owners carry plastics bags.

From Thursday:
Another meeting with the cpn/psychologist. I got into a panic attack (and still feelign the adrenaline affects now) because i'd left somethign somewhere. I found it at work, but the cpn was very concerned by my reaction. He doesn't think that the sort of psychological treatment that he does is going to help me (my problems are so suppressed that i simply cannot articulate my emotions when i'm in an attack, all i know is "i've lost it", as an example), so he is going to speak to his collegues next week and discuss about one of them taking me one using a different method. He did suggest medication, but i really don't want to go down that route, and had a rather bad reaction to it (ok, i cried)...

But he'll ring back next week after the weekly discussion, and i guess i'll see where i go from here.

A mailing list that i am on is doing a travelling sisterhood box. The box starts off with some "special things" in it, and each person it gets to takes somethign out and puts things in to replace it. I must get on the look out for some little nick nacks and whatnots.

It's world book day, today! hurrah!

since i didn't go to the gym last night i played a little FFIX. I've almost completed the chocobo side-quest and have given up hope of getting the magic fingertip at Treno and finding the extra creatures for quina to eat.

I made a promise to myself that i wouldn't go and buy the psx2 until i had completed ffxi, and it's not far off now (anyone want to inherit my game guide, complete with added notes by me to bits that the guide got wrong?). Then i promised myself i would get one when i had lost half a stone, but since i am constantly sabotaging myself, it could be a long way off.

It's still a damn ugly console. I posted to ukbloggers about how i would buyone if it was lilac and sparkly, which is a slight exaggeration. But why have Sony made it so...70's looking?

I am trying to work myself up to going to the gym tonight, but i just cannot do it. And i found out that the doritos i've been eating are actually over twice the sins i thought they were. oops.

The lovely simon bought that Midori - Bali cd that i mentioned, and he loved it too! If you are looking for something to relax to, something a bit newagey but a bit more than just the sound of waves...well i can recommend it again!

I went to a Step class last night. Given by my favourite instructor! It was a good class, hi energy (no stopping for breaks!), but the moves weren't too tough to pick up. The only problem i found was that one riser was a tad too much, but none just wasn't enough. So i stuck with none, which actually was ok. For once i enjoyed a step class, normally i find them quiet boring...but this was a 45min class which was just the right length. Enough time to get into it, but short enough so that i didn't get bored of going up and down.

Time to catch up! I went to Body Balance on Thursday and had a great time. I improved a bit, and at one point felt all tingly. Last time i felt chilled out, and generally very relaxed. This time i felt completely energised! I drove home at my snails pace and ended up sitting next to the instructor at the lights by the McDonalds near the Yenton. We gave each other a friendly wave, and i felt sad that this week will be her last week. She is a very motivational teacher, and is moving on to become a regional coordinator. I can see why. I hope the instructor who will take on her classes has a simillar approach.

Friday i did a tai chi class. I don't think it's for me. It was too slow, we only did 2 moves, and i didn't feel relaxed or energised. I don't think i'll do it again. Saturday i did Body Combat. Or some of it. Instead of the usual 10 mins, it took me 35 minutes to get to the gym! The traffic was appalling. Next Saturday i shall leave in good time and bring a book to read if i arrive early.

Saturday evening was Spice cinema and meal night. That Maxican Plce again, which was just as yummy (and filling) although the guacamole looked more like couscous... I saw Ocean's 11, which was not as hip and stylish as the adverts would like me to believe. However i did enjoy looking at George and Brad...

Sunday i went to the gym again and did the Fatbuster class. This class is good because there are a variety of body sizes in it! In mot of the classes i am the largest by a long way, btu this class gets overweight and slim people. after the gym i went around to Linds and Darrens and pulled faces at Marcus who looked very impressed with me. He's a real cutey, and smiles at his crazy aunty (well, i'm not really his aunty)

Bonjour Danielle!

Tonight i have booked to go on a step class. I don't really like step, but so much can depend on the instructor. And i know that if i left it to go and do the normal cardio stuff by myself, i would not work out so well. In fact, i might not even go. Right now i can motivate myself by going to classes. If i didn't turn up it would mean that someone else might be missing out. Whatever motivates you...right?

Got the new issue of Glamour magazine last night. and guess who is on their free cd? Shea! Cool, her album is fantastic (i've currently loaned it out to Gary).

Friday Five!

1. What makes you homesick? I think it's accents. When i lived in Chesterfield there were plenty of people who could not understand my accent. I longed to be somewhere where my voice fitted in.


2. Where is "home" for you? Is it where you are living now, or somewhere else (ie: Mom & Dad's house, particular state/city)? Where i am now, in my mums house. But soon...my own little place (i wish house prices would come down)


3. What makes it home for you? People? Things? It's having nowhere else to go...


4. Where is the furthest you've been from home, miles-wise? Probably 6616 miles, to KL. Which was a fairly momentous holiday in that any employee of my Dad's made a bad decision in my Dad's absence. My Dad was sued and he lost. And was made bankrupt. The rest, i think you know.


5. What are your plans for this weekend? This question really bores me. But i'm bodycombatting again, then going to the cinem with Spice. Sunday i have nothing planned. It's mothering Sunday, which will be a trial.

I didn't go to the gym last night either. We had a team communications meeting, which had a buffet. I ate (badly), and then felt too full to go to the gym straight after work. I intended to go the bottle of sack for our twice monthly pub meet, and leave at 9pm. However, i got into a discussion and left at 9:50, which left 10 minutes to get there and workout.

I am going tonight because i have book the body balance class, but i think i might have to write this week off. And pray that i maintain or only put on a little. I feel fatter than when i started. What was even worse was last night i caught sight of my back view. It was one of the worst things i have ever seen.

Thank goodness i went to the pub, or i might have ended up feeling really depressed.

I finished off War for the Oaks.

I went to the gym last night, got changed and then realised that my trainers were still at home. I took this as a sign that i shouldn't exercise tonight (after all i had been there sat, sun and monday!)

I Am A: Neutral Good Elf Bard Mage


Alignment:
Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.


Race:
Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently conccern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.


Primary Class:
Bards are the entertainers. They sing, dance, and play instruments to make other people happy, and, frequently, make money. They also tend to dabble in magic a bit.


Secondary Class:
Mages harness the magical energies for their own use. Spells, spell books, and long hours in the library are their loves. While often not physically strong, their mental talents can make up for this.


Deity:
Oghma is the Neutral Good god of knowledge and invention. He is also known as the Binder of What is Known, and is the Patron of Bards. His followers believe that knowledge reigns supreme, and is the basis for everything else that is done. They wear white shirts and pants, with a black and gold braided vest, and a small, box-like hat. All priests of Oghma are known as Loremasters. Oghma's symbol is a scroll.


Find out What D&D Character Are You?, courtesy ofNeppyMan (e-mail)

Apparently the beeb only bought the first few episodes of seven days, so i will never get to see the rest. Looks like Millennium all over again.

I did go to the gym last night, but came home and had toast. This mornign i had my usual weetabix, followed by a bacon buttie.

I was doing really well, and now...i go and sabotage myself.

I'm going to do yesterday Monday Misson to stop thinking about food...

Monday Mission 2.9



1. What domain names (if any) did you think up, only to find they had already been registered? Or, if you don't have a domain, what's stopping you?
Something along the lines of sweetpea, it's my favourite flower. But various sweetpeas are taken.


2. Name one of your favorite memories of dancing with someone (the person, the song, the feelings...)
I have never had a dance with anyone. My boyfriends have not been inclined to stand up with me, which should have told me a lot about their feeligns for me!


3. Any elderly relatives you should be visiting, you know, before it is too late?
There are only my dad's parents left. I visit ocassionally, but i am not clsoe and don't feel i'm missing out.


4. What is your Instant Messaging program of choice?
Used to be ICQ, but most of my spice chums use MSN.


5. How many names are on your Buddy list? Care to share your username?
I don't do numbers! My username is fairly easy to work out!


6. What is the longest you've had to hold it before you could get to a bathroom? What's the story there?
Oh dear, this brings back memories of Chesterfield. I think imight have mentioned it int he journal, if not you realyl don't want to know what my bowels were like back then!


7. Describe the prefect date night. He would turn up, with a bunch of sweetpeas and we'd go off to the theatre and then on for a romantic meal. Needless to say, nothing like this has ever happened to me!


BONUS: Who's Bad? ME!!

I lost a pound! Yey me!

Then i went and had a creamy pasta dish followed bya mini tiramisu. Sunday i had a jacket pot and a slic of cake followed by a BGTY citrus chicken thing. Doesn't sound much, right? Especially since i did body combat and fastbuster classes...

Today though i am noticeably heavier. My trousers are tighter... Being small, ever pound is noticable. I hope to god i can get them looser by next saturday. And this doesn't explain why i bought a muffin on the way back from the canteen, or why i really want some crisps now...

Damn, i ate a bag of Dorito's. I am really hungry today...

Test for brand new domain!

Friday Five, baby.

1. What's your favorite vacation spot? As an adult i haev never been away on that kind of a holiday. But i would love to visit Paris.



2. Where do you consider to be the biggest hell-hole on earth? I am not especialyl eken on London. It's too crowded.



3. What would be your dream vacation? I could say a week on a hot island (eg Bahamas), but i think i would get quite bored. I need stuff to do. Maybe a tour of Italy, taking in many of the ancient places/sites.



4. If you could go on a road-trip with anyone, who would it be and why? Kevin Spacey seems like an interesting guy...


5. What are your plans for this weekend? Bodycombat class tomorrow (i am fully expecting to hurt after it) morning. Then to the Fort for my lunch. I might try and see Amelie at Starcity, followed by Mothman Prophecies. Sunday i am going to the inaugural meeting of the unoffical spice bookclub. There are only 4 or so of us meeting, but it's something different.

I could realyl do with going to the gym tonight, i feel fat and flabby (well...i am), but i'm off to the theatre.

Last night i saw Return to the Forbidden Planet. Which was fun, although there wasn't much audience participation. Spike Milligan's daughter was playing keyboards, and she gave a great show. [unless it was her understudy, to be honest the character was wearing shades and a hat!)

Tonight i'm going to see Neutrino. I have no idea what it will be like, but again it's something different! I'm glad that Gary invited me to go and see this, because i wouldn't have even known that it was on. And i do love going to the theatre.

Livingwell have sent me their first getting fit for skiing plan. It's basically what i am doing now.

Which Winona Are You?