S'raining.

You may already be aware of this - it is a huge national news story after all.

Although I own an umbrella, it's pretty rubbish. I have a tendency to leave them on buses, so getting a heavy duty one seems pointless. And the current one came with a totally helpful label advising me to hold it so that any wind blows against it, cuz otherwise it'll turn inside out.

This advice is all well and good in theory, but my question is, what am I supposed to do when the wind is blowing in fourteen different directions at once (which is most of the time)?

Regrettably the answer is not to use an umbrella at all when it's windy - they aren't designed to cope with such treatment. But I resent that, as it means I have to get myself a hat and waterproof shoes. Ridiculous.

The Horns of a Furious Dilemma

My NaNoWriMo word count is really feeling the burn of my attempts to research all the local news and all the blogs in the world so's to formulate a cunning plan for my interview next week. Thus far said project has all proved very interesting, but hugely time consuming. I sure could use a telephonic device that has intertronic capabilities, then I could do some of it on the bus.

18 days in (ie today) I ought really to be around the 30,006 word mark, but I only have 12,516. However, this is nothing to do with not having any ideas, it's just a question of having the time to type them. So I'm not giving up just yet. In fact, I'm going to do some more right now.

It's unnatural for people to run around the city streets unless they are thieves or victims.

In recent months, I have started running. And when I say running, I mean jogging. And when I say jogging, I mean waddling in a manner almost imperceptibly quicker than walking.

The whole operation is working out OK, except for the minor point that it goes against everything I have ever stood for (being warm and comfy, eating cheese sandwiches, staying very still, etc). I’m not even too self-conscious about it anymore, because although I look a state when I’m done, I genuinely feel quite good. I believe endorphins are involved.

Having said that, I find it a bit much when FAT BUILDERS sit in their van EATING PIES and laughing at me as I go past, which happened this morning. Do they not see the irony of this situation? Apparently not, because they’re too busy blocking up their frontal lobes with processed meat and gravies to use their reasoning or problem solving skills.

For you see, fat builders, after sixteen minutes of joggling I may look as if I am about to explode, but I won’t actually, because that's like, impossible, and afterwards I’ll be in the metabolic position to burn off my pies, leaving my cerebrum shiny and clear. Ha. In your faces, that's SCIENCE.

A pencil in a mug.

Christmas lights are going up on George Street, although they aren't getting switched on till the 26th of November because we are civilized here in Edinburgh.

I'll miss it though, because I have work. Stupid work.

Anyway, I think these ones look like ickle baby Racnoss ships.

....

Anyone?

Oh well.

Cocktails

9 people.

4 bottles fizz, 2 bottles vodka, 1.5 bottles blue curacao, 1 bottle Malibu, 1 bottle peach schnapps, 1 bottle mystery schnapps, 1 bottle jack daniels, 1 bottle barcardi, most of a bottle of gin, and most of a bottle golden tequila.

Last night was not conducive to a productive today.

Signage

What is underneath the professional looking sign alteration? Well, the mound, actually.

But to go there is FORBIDDEN.

Weather

Perthshire is very cold. Moving to Edinburgh was the right choice.

In other news, Goodbye Solo is a lovely film, although p'raps a faintly depressing choice for a birthday outing. Expect things of interest from actor Souléymane Sy Savané in the future.

I was also one of the last people in the world to see Up today, which lived up (no pun intended) to all the hype. Absolutely brilliant.

Now I am eagerly anticipating the UK release of Where The Wild Things Are, and catching up on The Sarah Jane Adventures on iPlayer. Conclusion? Things aimed at kids are generally better.