The Great Escape update

Rachel, our ex-boss who made a bid for freedom and got a proper job in the real world, has just phoned.

So we've dished the dirt, and caught up with all her gossip. We are now toasting her good fortune with hot chocolate and diet Coke (as separate drinks, for those of you who might think we've lost the foodie plot).

It just seems strange here today, it is much too quiet. We've checked the phones are working, fine. Servers up and running? OK there. Head out of the window to check there are still humans walking round? Well, academics and students - the wage slaves are back at their desks. I'm typing this in my late lunchbreak. People - check.

Just feels like the start of a nasty horror film or the first 10 minutes of 'Casualty'...

Thought for the day

Other people's words can only hurt you if you let them or

if they write them onto a piece of paper and wrap 'em round a well-aimed baseball bat

or drop a volume of them on your head

or fill a 32-tonner with their words (in any chosen medium) and flatten you with said truck

or just continue to add any Road Runner scenario that you choose...

And life isn't so Wyle E Coyote, is it? And if the critics can't be bothered to be creative, why worry about them?

As the jibes have been based around weight (my doctor isn't worried about me, so nyar), age (better than being dead, pal!) and hair colour (auburn by birth, graying by age and bright red by choice) I've decided to ignore them.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

I've been converted to these, thanks to a nice lad who was selling them for charity, on Oxford Road. The idea being that the lunchtime munchie-fiends (ie me) would stop by, and donate to his fundraiser for water-aid schemes in the Sudan.

Absolutely fair do's, to me.

He did try the puppy-eyes 'ooh I've got no change and they are for charideee' line on the crowd, but this was Oxford Road, lunchtime, full of cynical improverished students and Uni Staff, so it wasn't quite has successful as elsewhere.

I know I'm getting old when I see the kids on Oxford Road and can't believe they are all students, surely it's a school outing of epic proportions! How can these baby-faced creatures be allowed out of their bedrooms unsupervised, let alone given student loans and the hell that comes with financial services products?

Now young Scottster over at 'Everybody laughed' - eyes left, scroll down, follow the link from there - has been raving about Krispy Kreme for a while. Now I see why. I've been humouring the lad as it is nice to see him have an obsession that isn't geek based! But I'm now on a new path to obesity and tooth decay.

If it wasn't the wrong side of payday, the little fundraiser might have ended up with a reservoir named after him. Where's the diner again, Scottie?

Earthquake

So we had an earthquake!

Mum swears the wardrobes were swaying - if you saw the size of her room you'd understand why that would be a bit disconcerting. I would blame the drink, but she's teetotal. Gromit went into the garden to bark at it, and Bailey hid under the sofa.

I slept through it, as did the cats.

Strange ally

I have seen true experts at work today. The Campaign to Really Annoy Irritating Colleagues has an unofficial software.

We use a software for HR and course bookings that has been designed by true craftsmen. Get it developed so far, find bugs, leave bugs and let people evolve a working pattern round them.

As they think we are irritating for complaining, and these bugs are really annoying, I bow to these masters of the art of the CRAIC.

Watching two colleagues from the User Group trying to run a report, which ended in a handbag hissy fit and the lovely-natured Eleanor snarling "Do what you like, I wouldn't advise it", to a complete ****wit colleague - wonderful. Especially as she sounded like a Home Counties gel doing a Mafioso impression with a permafrost chill to it.

But I won't name the company or software yet. No one has been driven to diving out of the window, and I feel we have to set the bar higher for companies than for individuals.

Interview Day

They're interviewing for the new office manager today, so the front office staff are keeping a very keen eye on the candidates as they arrive.

We do have an early favourite, but do we show our hand just yet? If we express a preference, with they be top of the rejection list?

Sod the American primaries, this is real politics for you... :)

CRAIC

The Campaign to Really Annoy Irritating Colleagues (CRAIC) has hit a snag today.

The worst offender has decided to work from home, and her acolytes have been a bit wary today. I am the only member of the team in the front office today - so they can't risk me running off into the street to find a campaign manager.

They are so desperate to tell me why they can't work from one of two spare desks in the front office. I smile sweetly, I only want them in here if they are going to work, not play Scrabulous or whitter inanely about the Brit awards. If I can save blogging for lunchtime, why can't they?

Fortunately, the department who share front office space have sent James in here to keep the numbers up. As James is deceptively nutty (he appears so normal and intelligent!) he makes excellent company.

He is a prize candidate for CRAIC membership, and he has a larger team to work on than I have. Think I might start recruiting later...