Why I love internet cafes...

After losing my blog entry for the 5th time the other day I finally gave up and left to try another day. (Actually they kicked me out for cursing and throwing the keyboard out the window, but that's a story for another day). Today is 2 days later and I am about to attempt to use the computer again. I will never be able to duplicate the literary genius of those entries that were lost, which is a shame because they were one of the purest forms of greatness known to humankind. Sadly you will have to take my word for it and settle for this mediocre entry.

When I first wrote in my blog the other day I complained about all of the rain, and my God, was there rain!!! It rained for a week, it seems. And never that soft light rain that is dreary but bearable, no no, it rained buckets on our heads. Thankfully there was no flooding in Edinburgh, but there was plenty of flooding in the rest of the UK. I think in some sick twist of fate my blog entries complaining about the rain made its way through the abyss of the web to the powers that be and they got the message. Since that day we have had nothing but sunshine and absolute gorgeous weather (Your welcome UK).

The worst that Cheryl and I experience of the horrible weather was when we went to Glasgow shopping for her birthday. That was the worst day of the rain (well for us at least because we were out in it). The flooding was so bad that some of the trains from Glasgow were cancelled (the following day when I worked to Aberdeen no one could get to Glasgow from the north because of the flooding).

Now to the point. Shopping. Most people who know me know that I shop like a man. I go in to a mall knowing what I am getting, where I am getting it and the only reason for going to more than one store is for price comparisons. In and out, that's how I do it. What most people who know me don't know is that I do not shop this way because I like to, I shop this way because I have to. I like to shop because I need something, rather than shopping because I want something. Once I start shopping because I want something I cannot stop. On Wednesday, in the first store that we entered I found a fabulous striped shirt that I had to have, it was all down hill from there. I regret nothing that I bought. In fact I love it all and still 4 days later I find myself pulling it all out to admire it. Almost every item that I bought were items that I did not even conceive of not getting as soon as I saw them. The only other items that I bought were things that I did need and knew I would not find anywhere else for that price. Like the fantastic £4.99 purse. Love it!

It's my own fault that this happened though. When packing to come here I did not pack any jewelry because I was worried about losing it. This I finally decided after 2 months had to be rectified. I needed to add some colour to my life, and so I did. I bought an equally amazing ring that I do not think I will ever take off, as well as a pair of sunglasses that were made for my face (if they had not been sooo perfect I could not have bought them because I am embarrassed to admit that I already brought with my 2 other pairs of sunglasses). I also got a very bedazzled, girly and very unlike me change purse that I unknowingly have been longing to have. The funny part of this shopping trip is that I set out to buy an outfit to wear to the castle for Christmas dinner, and despite trying on many many many outfits and frustrating the hell out of Cheryl, nothing 'spoke to me', as we like to say. The best part about the shopping trip though was that my parents sent me some money as a Christmas present (despite the fact that I celebrate Festivus, not Christmas, and therefore do not require gifts) so all I have to say is "Thanks Mom and Dad!!!"

By the way so far so good, the computer hasn't crashed yet, although Cheryl's has.

In order to get into the holiday season, coupled with the Festivus decorations, Cheryl and I have both tried our hands at baking. Unfortunately I no longer have the stomach to handle the sweets that I loved so dearly as a child. I made chocolate slice the other day, and I could barely eat it!!! It tasted so good but was sooo sweet. She made these fantastic squares that are like my grandma's peanut butter balls, but with a chocolate coating on top. They are so good, but they make me so sick because I eat too many. I hate getting older. The baking does make our flat smell fantastic though!!

Now on to the most important aspect of my life. Trains. I'm really starting to love trains. By the time I'm ready to leave I'm going to be a trainspotter. Oh yeah we have them. Allegedly some of the staff throw stuff at them as they sit on the platform recording times and other details about the trains. I could never figure out who these people were. They sit in the train station and don't blend in well with others because of their bright orange vests (by bright orange I mean like a safety vest so there really is no missing them). At first I thought they worked there, but couldn't figure out what they did so I asked someone. I cannot repeat the response. They are hated by train staff. Or maybe they are just misunderstood. Ha ha.

I do love the trains though, more for the people though than the trains themselves. The trains make me spill coffee and lurch around the aisle like I've had to much to drink. I'm starting to think there is a hidden camera so that every time a customer asks for a "spot" of milk, the driver lurches forward so that a spot becomes half the cup. I've learned to give out such a warning to these 'spotters'. My favourite is when the sliding doors either open only partially or only half way and as you are pulling your trolley fulling expecting them to open, you smack right into them. I have bruises everywhere. Oh and don't forget the trolleys. Yesterday I had the trolley from hell. The back wheel was broken and I wasn't willing to unlock the break on it to make it roll better because, well lawsuits and all you know how it goes... In any case I had to drag the trolley through 1st class all day long. Combine this with the fact that my book on time yesterday was 5:30 AM, it was a great day. I was unsure of the buses because at that time in the morning they are still night buses and the ones nearest to my flat don't run. So I was out of the house by 4:30, luckily I had a really nice bus driver who, although his route did not require him to go to St. Andrew Sq. he did just to drop me and another couple off. Due to this though I was into work at 4:55am. When I got home at 6pm I somehow managed to eat something and then suddenly the tiredness finally hit my and I went to bed at 7:30. I left everything out everywhere. I woke up this morning, went around the flat and was a little disgusted with the mess I had left. Hopefully that is the last early morning shift I have. Not to mention on a SATURDAY.

My one pet peeve about the job is the difficultly that people have in deciding whether they want coffee or tea. It is not a life or death decision, and I am certainly not quiet in coming so you have time to decide. At the moment my way to deal with a "Yes" response to the question of "Coffee or Tea", is to stand there holding their cup looking at it, and then back at them with a questioning look on my face. If they don't get it right away I say "You want both?" very innocently. I do the same with milk, but say nothing and just hold the milk over the hot drink looking at them and not pouring. Sometimes if they are one their phone I pour in milk and quickly move on.

So funny story. But graphic, involves the loo, viewer discretion is advised. I just took a 'potty break'. (I know I know, you really didn't need to know that, but it's worth that tiny bit of horrifying knowledge). I went to use the toilet in the cafe. A key is required to open the door. If someone leaves the door open you can go in but there may be consequences. And unfortunately for the poor woman who clearly cannot read that well, there were consequences. For both of us. I had the misfortune of opening the door on this woman doing...pardon my language but I cannot think of any other way to put this...the crap of her life!!! Her face was red and she was really working for it. She was concentrating so hard that she didn't notice the door was opening until we were staring at each other. Awkward. I quickly closed the door and took a seat facing away from the door so that I didn't have to make eye contact with her as she came out of the door. Unfortunately she thought it was better to face the problem head on and came out and said to me "It says that when the door closes it's locked", to which I replied "And under that it says to make sure you have the key or people can just walk in". *Shudder* I should seek some kind of compensation for that. I'll have nightmares for weeks.