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roll on Easter
Apr. 12th, 2017 02:41 amA rather hectic day. Glad it's over.
Roll on the long weekend.
Roll on the long weekend.
chocolate looms on the horizon
Apr. 10th, 2017 01:06 amFour-day week coming up. Actually two four-day weeks, given that both Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays.
Good points about four-day weeks: they're only four days.
Bad points about four-day weeks: somehow one ends up trying to do five days work in four days. Can't think how that happens.
And on a completely different note, there's only a month to go till the Eurovision Song Contest. Whee! (Even if I hate to think how some of the point scoring is likely to go. Not that I could blame Europe for nil-pointing us this time round, unless our song was actually good for once.)
---
“If it did take place at Le Meurice,” she said, “then it may be relevant what time he left here, and when he could have arrived there. It’s too late now to be certain how long the body was dead before it was found –”
The temperature dipped. She felt cold air clutch at her throat like a hand. Ao Ji’s expression drew into lines of anger.
“Your majesty, I mean no disrespect,” she said quickly. “No insult was intended to Lord Ren Shun’s memory. It’s just that certain vocabulary is commonly used in these cases.”
“Maybe,” Ao Ji grated, “but this is not a common case. You will remember that.”
Good points about four-day weeks: they're only four days.
Bad points about four-day weeks: somehow one ends up trying to do five days work in four days. Can't think how that happens.
And on a completely different note, there's only a month to go till the Eurovision Song Contest. Whee! (Even if I hate to think how some of the point scoring is likely to go. Not that I could blame Europe for nil-pointing us this time round, unless our song was actually good for once.)
---
“If it did take place at Le Meurice,” she said, “then it may be relevant what time he left here, and when he could have arrived there. It’s too late now to be certain how long the body was dead before it was found –”
The temperature dipped. She felt cold air clutch at her throat like a hand. Ao Ji’s expression drew into lines of anger.
“Your majesty, I mean no disrespect,” she said quickly. “No insult was intended to Lord Ren Shun’s memory. It’s just that certain vocabulary is commonly used in these cases.”
“Maybe,” Ao Ji grated, “but this is not a common case. You will remember that.”
a nice Saturday evening
Apr. 9th, 2017 02:26 amI have tasted some of the palinka (fruit brandy, brought back from Budapest - apricot brandy in this case) and found it good.
I don't know if it actually is good for colds (of which I have one), but it's certainly made me feel better.
(And yes, I probably will be moving over to dreamwidth. I need to get it done. So much to do, so little time, etc.)
I don't know if it actually is good for colds (of which I have one), but it's certainly made me feel better.
(And yes, I probably will be moving over to dreamwidth. I need to get it done. So much to do, so little time, etc.)
It's definitely cooler here than it was in Budapest, as I've been telling everyone in the office. (Though it's not snowing, so I imagine that my complaints will be scorned by everyone who's still having to cope with that sort of weather...)
The array of Hungarian sweets I brought back with me, thanks to the airport duty-free shops, are going down rapidly. (Though nobody's seemed that interested in trying the chocolates with sour cherry and paprika filling. I wonder why?)
The array of Hungarian sweets I brought back with me, thanks to the airport duty-free shops, are going down rapidly. (Though nobody's seemed that interested in trying the chocolates with sour cherry and paprika filling. I wonder why?)
at least there will be sweets
Apr. 3rd, 2017 01:17 amSomewhat restored to life and a regular schedule and UK weather. Still not looking forward to work tomorrow, though.
---
Feng Lun’s nostrils flared. The two men in his squad – yes, Irene decided that was the best term for it – moved to flank him. “You, on the other hand, are a junior servant of the Library of no particular rank or importance. You feel you have the right to stand here and make demands of me?”
Irene stared him in the eye. She couldn’t back down now. She’d be weakening her own position in his eyes, and in the eyes of the entire dragon contingent. The Library had to maintain its independence in this peace conference – even if they were the weakest of the three factions present, they weren’t subordinate to either side. “I’m not making demands,” she said, keeping her voice neutral. There had to be some way to de-escalate this. “I’m informing you that I am required to check with my superiors about my orders.”
Feng Lun snorted. “If you are trying to force my hand, you have succeeded. Restrain her –“
---
Feng Lun’s nostrils flared. The two men in his squad – yes, Irene decided that was the best term for it – moved to flank him. “You, on the other hand, are a junior servant of the Library of no particular rank or importance. You feel you have the right to stand here and make demands of me?”
Irene stared him in the eye. She couldn’t back down now. She’d be weakening her own position in his eyes, and in the eyes of the entire dragon contingent. The Library had to maintain its independence in this peace conference – even if they were the weakest of the three factions present, they weren’t subordinate to either side. “I’m not making demands,” she said, keeping her voice neutral. There had to be some way to de-escalate this. “I’m informing you that I am required to check with my superiors about my orders.”
Feng Lun snorted. “If you are trying to force my hand, you have succeeded. Restrain her –“
the cold harsh light of day
Apr. 2nd, 2017 12:56 amSafely back from Budapest.
With luggage.
That was a splendid holiday, but I'm glad I have tomorrow to recover before returning to work. :) (Plus the return to normal meals after lovely restaurant dinners... ah well, it was nice while it lasted.)
It's also several degrees cooler here than it was in Budapest. We will return to the heavier pyjamas. For a while.
With luggage.
That was a splendid holiday, but I'm glad I have tomorrow to recover before returning to work. :) (Plus the return to normal meals after lovely restaurant dinners... ah well, it was nice while it lasted.)
It's also several degrees cooler here than it was in Budapest. We will return to the heavier pyjamas. For a while.
off to Budapest tomorrow
Mar. 27th, 2017 01:33 amTruly there is no irritation like checking up on a hotel's history, and finding out that they only moved the entrance onto the Rue de Rivoli less than twenty years ago, and that at the point when you're setting the story it was round on the Rue du Mont Thabor. So goodbye to those elegant paragraphs of descriptive prose which you wrote based on the lovely online photographs.
Oh well. This is one of those things which it is good to find out sooner rather than later. Plus it means I can have someone sneaking in on the Rue de Rivoli side, if "sneaking" is quite the right word for "walks across well-lit road in the middle of the night".
Off to Budapest tomorrow. Travelling late afternoon (well, mid-afternoon if you count "leave in time to get to the airport well before flying"), getting in late evening. I've been really looking forward to this, so fingers crossed all goes smoothly, and watch this space.
Oh well. This is one of those things which it is good to find out sooner rather than later. Plus it means I can have someone sneaking in on the Rue de Rivoli side, if "sneaking" is quite the right word for "walks across well-lit road in the middle of the night".
Off to Budapest tomorrow. Travelling late afternoon (well, mid-afternoon if you count "leave in time to get to the airport well before flying"), getting in late evening. I've been really looking forward to this, so fingers crossed all goes smoothly, and watch this space.
and it's nearly the weekend
Mar. 24th, 2017 02:38 amWork continues. Budapest in four days!
Completed the assessment for the third module of the SNOMED CT content development course and passed. Excellent. Just got the overall assessment to go now, and hopefully...
---
Irene chewed that over mentally for a few paces. “Bradamant isn’t stupid,” she argued, her voice still quiet. “She wouldn’t deliberately hide information from you if she knew you’d need it. She realises just how important – how dangerous - this whole situation is.”
“What if she’d been ordered to?” Vale demanded.
He had a point there. Irene sighed. “I don’t have an answer to that. But I do believe the Library wants an answer to what’s happened. Why else would they call you in?”
“An answer, certainly,” Vale agreed. “But the truth? That might be a very dangerous commodity.”
Completed the assessment for the third module of the SNOMED CT content development course and passed. Excellent. Just got the overall assessment to go now, and hopefully...
---
Irene chewed that over mentally for a few paces. “Bradamant isn’t stupid,” she argued, her voice still quiet. “She wouldn’t deliberately hide information from you if she knew you’d need it. She realises just how important – how dangerous - this whole situation is.”
“What if she’d been ordered to?” Vale demanded.
He had a point there. Irene sighed. “I don’t have an answer to that. But I do believe the Library wants an answer to what’s happened. Why else would they call you in?”
“An answer, certainly,” Vale agreed. “But the truth? That might be a very dangerous commodity.”
where do the days go
Mar. 21st, 2017 02:39 amApologies to anyone who noted my absence: this last week I've just been so tired on getting home from work that I've flopped, frequently napped, and woken up with no real time to spend on my computer or get anything done. Hopefully life will ease up a bit when I've finished the SNOMED CT content course I'm doing.
Possibly my holiday in Budapest next week will also help. (Whee!)
---
Vale nodded again. “And the site of the crime?”
“Le Meurice. That’s the hotel where most of the Librarians are staying, and where we’re holding the meetings. It’s quite close to here – south towards the river and then west along the Rue de Rivoli.”
“Where’s everyone else staying, if they’re not staying there?” Irene asked.
“The dragons are at the Ritz, and the Fae are at the Grand Hotel du Louvre,” Bradamant said.
Vale frowned. “Didn’t they turn that place into a department store?”
“Maybe in your world,” Bradamant said, “but not here. Now please come along – if you want to get a look at the crime scene before Paris starts waking up and all the factions expect you to visit them first.”
“I am hardly the one delaying us,” Vale said, somewhat unfairly. “Lead the way.”
Possibly my holiday in Budapest next week will also help. (Whee!)
---
Vale nodded again. “And the site of the crime?”
“Le Meurice. That’s the hotel where most of the Librarians are staying, and where we’re holding the meetings. It’s quite close to here – south towards the river and then west along the Rue de Rivoli.”
“Where’s everyone else staying, if they’re not staying there?” Irene asked.
“The dragons are at the Ritz, and the Fae are at the Grand Hotel du Louvre,” Bradamant said.
Vale frowned. “Didn’t they turn that place into a department store?”
“Maybe in your world,” Bradamant said, “but not here. Now please come along – if you want to get a look at the crime scene before Paris starts waking up and all the factions expect you to visit them first.”
“I am hardly the one delaying us,” Vale said, somewhat unfairly. “Lead the way.”
grr, argh, dentist
Mar. 16th, 2017 02:53 amIrritations: an issue with one of my fillings, which is apparently losing small chips. Since I can't actually see the blasted thing (it's a lower molar at an inconvenient angle), I can't tell any more than that there's a sharpish edge where there wasn't previously an edge.
Positive aspects: have managed to get appointment with dentist (well, dentist locum) tomorrow, so will be able to find out if it is going to need serious work, mild work, is all under control, or whatever. Would rather not be having any dental issues, but will take what I can get.
In other news: the weather's getting milder, the light is staying longer in the evenings, and my Government are still malicious idiots.
---
It had been three o’clock in the morning when they had left Vale’s London. All the local libraries had been closed at that hour, naturally. (Well, all the legal libraries that Irene knew about. It was quite possible that there were secret societies somewhere in London with highly illegal libraries which were open and busy at this time of night. But unfortunately she didn’t know where any of them were located.)
Positive aspects: have managed to get appointment with dentist (well, dentist locum) tomorrow, so will be able to find out if it is going to need serious work, mild work, is all under control, or whatever. Would rather not be having any dental issues, but will take what I can get.
In other news: the weather's getting milder, the light is staying longer in the evenings, and my Government are still malicious idiots.
---
It had been three o’clock in the morning when they had left Vale’s London. All the local libraries had been closed at that hour, naturally. (Well, all the legal libraries that Irene knew about. It was quite possible that there were secret societies somewhere in London with highly illegal libraries which were open and busy at this time of night. But unfortunately she didn’t know where any of them were located.)
the morning after
Mar. 13th, 2017 11:36 pmHad excellent time in London with Lucienne on Sunday, but came home shattered. (We investigated Old Spitalfields Market and Petticoat Lane market, and both did some spontaneous shopping, and then we had dim sum in Chinatown. It was brilliant.)
I then spent most of today off work (having booked the day off) and doing a final read-through on book four before handing the current draft back in. And being shattered. I have a stinking headache for some reason. Not sure why.
And since I have a nine o'clock meeting tomorrow, I should probably get to sleep at a reasonable hour.
I then spent most of today off work (having booked the day off) and doing a final read-through on book four before handing the current draft back in. And being shattered. I have a stinking headache for some reason. Not sure why.
And since I have a nine o'clock meeting tomorrow, I should probably get to sleep at a reasonable hour.
up early for the train
Mar. 12th, 2017 01:35 amCold still hanging on, which is annoying. It's turned to a dry blocked nose, a dry throat, and a cough. The sooner I get shot of it, the better. (And yes, I am self-medicating.)
Going down to London tomorrow - Lucienne Diver (my agent) is there for a book industry event, and has suggested we meet up. So that should be fun. Even if it means getting up way too early for a Sunday morning. And speaking of which, I should get some sleep now...
Going down to London tomorrow - Lucienne Diver (my agent) is there for a book industry event, and has suggested we meet up. So that should be fun. Even if it means getting up way too early for a Sunday morning. And speaking of which, I should get some sleep now...
Ijanel, thou anointest my hands with ink
Mar. 9th, 2017 02:31 amMany thanks to fadeaccompli and Liz Bourke for information about Saint Ijanel. This invocation to her, from a 10th century Greek hagiography:
“Holy Saint Ijanel, let me arise and go forth by day without hindrance. Holy Saint Ijanel, let me arise and go forth by night without fear. Let me rise up into battle with good courage. In peace, let me arise into wisdom and understanding. Let me rise up against tyranny with justice in my heart. Let me rise up in the morning. Let me rise up at noon. Let me rise up at the going-down of the sun. Holy Saint Ijanel, guard me and guide me until the last day, when all shall arise into glory.”
And this excellent psalm to her, by fadeaccompli:
Ijanel is my saint; I shall not linger.
She maketh me to rise up from soft couches:
she leadeth me unto the work waiting.
She restoreth my nerve:
she leadeth me in the paths of productivity for my deadlines' sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of doubt,
I will fear no hesitation: for thou art with me;
thy goad and thy hook they encourage me.
Thou preparest a racecourse before me in the presence of mine doubters:
thou anointest my hands with ink; my spirit runneth over.
Surely action and determination shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will stand at the riverbanks with Ijanel for ever.
I'm now tempted to call a Librarian Ijanel at some point. Plus maybe needing an icon to her for my own procrastination...
“Holy Saint Ijanel, let me arise and go forth by day without hindrance. Holy Saint Ijanel, let me arise and go forth by night without fear. Let me rise up into battle with good courage. In peace, let me arise into wisdom and understanding. Let me rise up against tyranny with justice in my heart. Let me rise up in the morning. Let me rise up at noon. Let me rise up at the going-down of the sun. Holy Saint Ijanel, guard me and guide me until the last day, when all shall arise into glory.”
And this excellent psalm to her, by fadeaccompli:
Ijanel is my saint; I shall not linger.
She maketh me to rise up from soft couches:
she leadeth me unto the work waiting.
She restoreth my nerve:
she leadeth me in the paths of productivity for my deadlines' sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of doubt,
I will fear no hesitation: for thou art with me;
thy goad and thy hook they encourage me.
Thou preparest a racecourse before me in the presence of mine doubters:
thou anointest my hands with ink; my spirit runneth over.
Surely action and determination shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will stand at the riverbanks with Ijanel for ever.
I'm now tempted to call a Librarian Ijanel at some point. Plus maybe needing an icon to her for my own procrastination...
additional words do happen
Mar. 8th, 2017 02:55 amJust finished rewriting the penultimate chapter of book four. Appear to have added three or four pages. Whoops.
Oh well. Tomorrow I will re-edit. Right now I will sleep the sleep of the virtuous.
Oh well. Tomorrow I will re-edit. Right now I will sleep the sleep of the virtuous.
in which the author is less than brilliant
Mar. 5th, 2017 03:59 amToday's bit of genius...
I get back from shopping to my block of flats, dragging my groceries behind me, and pause in front of the door. "Oh yes," I think, "they changed the keycode a couple of days ago. No problem, I've got the letter with the new number on it in my handbag..."
"... wait, this is a Saturday and I'm not at work and I don't have my handbag with me since I'm in jeans, which means that my handbag's in my flat..."
"... bugger."
Let's just say that twenty minutes later I got lucky and someone happened to be going out, and let me in. Fortunately he took my word for it that I was a resident.
(And yes, I did try ringing other flats and asking if they could let me in, but nobody was answering the door phone...)
Oh well, if my cold persists due to twenty minutes hanging around outside and trying to remember the damn keycode, I will have nobody but myself to blame.
(Though hopefully it won't.)
I get back from shopping to my block of flats, dragging my groceries behind me, and pause in front of the door. "Oh yes," I think, "they changed the keycode a couple of days ago. No problem, I've got the letter with the new number on it in my handbag..."
"... wait, this is a Saturday and I'm not at work and I don't have my handbag with me since I'm in jeans, which means that my handbag's in my flat..."
"... bugger."
Let's just say that twenty minutes later I got lucky and someone happened to be going out, and let me in. Fortunately he took my word for it that I was a resident.
(And yes, I did try ringing other flats and asking if they could let me in, but nobody was answering the door phone...)
Oh well, if my cold persists due to twenty minutes hanging around outside and trying to remember the damn keycode, I will have nobody but myself to blame.
(Though hopefully it won't.)
a nice way to head into the weekend
Mar. 4th, 2017 03:12 amEnd of week. Good.
Very pleased to have passed the second assessment in my SNOMED CT content development course with a decent mark. Just one more module-and-assessment now, and a final assessment...
Cold still annoyingly persisting, but hopefully a restful weekend (rather than the busy week) will help me get over it.
Very pleased to have passed the second assessment in my SNOMED CT content development course with a decent mark. Just one more module-and-assessment now, and a final assessment...
Cold still annoyingly persisting, but hopefully a restful weekend (rather than the busy week) will help me get over it.
thank you, unelected House of Lords
Mar. 2nd, 2017 02:16 amTruly it is encouraging to reflect that while I still have a cold, and it is being inconvenient, I do not have a cold to the extent that at least one of my coworkers does. (She is currently at home, having had to go to the doctor.) So, hey. It could be worse. It usually can.
(We will ignore the self-destructively stupid part of one's mentality which half wishes that one's own cold would be that bad, so that one could go home and get fussed over and stuff. That part of one's mentality is never helpful.)
I'm very grateful that the Lords have stood up for basic decency and common sense, and voted to safeguard the rights of EU citizens in the UK. It shames me that this should be necessary. I still hope, on some level, that Brexit won't go through. O my country, you idiot.
---
I must confess the activities of the UK governments for the past couple of years have been watched with frank admiration and amazement by Lord Vetinari. Outright theft as a policy had never occurred to him. - Terry Pratchett
(We will ignore the self-destructively stupid part of one's mentality which half wishes that one's own cold would be that bad, so that one could go home and get fussed over and stuff. That part of one's mentality is never helpful.)
I'm very grateful that the Lords have stood up for basic decency and common sense, and voted to safeguard the rights of EU citizens in the UK. It shames me that this should be necessary. I still hope, on some level, that Brexit won't go through. O my country, you idiot.
---
I must confess the activities of the UK governments for the past couple of years have been watched with frank admiration and amazement by Lord Vetinari. Outright theft as a policy had never occurred to him. - Terry Pratchett
gritting teeth, and having an early night
Feb. 27th, 2017 12:20 amBack to work tomorrow.
(Curses.)
Nose/throat feeling a bit better, though rather tired - still, yesterday was busy, and being tired is probably humanly reasonable. Now I just need to get up on time, and to hope that nothing major's gone wrong in my absence, and that I didn't accidentally forget anything which then caused major issues... the usual, in other words.
Coffee will be my friend.
---
Eight years involved with the nuclear industry have taught me that when nothing can possible go wrong and every avenue has been covered, then is the time to buy a house on the next continent.
-- Terry Pratchett
(Curses.)
Nose/throat feeling a bit better, though rather tired - still, yesterday was busy, and being tired is probably humanly reasonable. Now I just need to get up on time, and to hope that nothing major's gone wrong in my absence, and that I didn't accidentally forget anything which then caused major issues... the usual, in other words.
Coffee will be my friend.
---
Eight years involved with the nuclear industry have taught me that when nothing can possible go wrong and every avenue has been covered, then is the time to buy a house on the next continent.
-- Terry Pratchett
doing my bit for the economy
Feb. 26th, 2017 02:56 amHad a lovely time in Harrogate today. Attended (a) Rock, Gem & Bead Show, and (b) Harrogate Spring Quilt Show, given that they were both occurring on the Great Yorkshire Showgrounds and about five-ten minutes walk apart. Extremely convenient. Then had coffee and a bun at Betty's and bought some of their magnificent ginger cake for later.
Cold continues, and was less convenient, but I suppose the fact that I could spend most of the day walking round - some of it lugging a tote bag moderately full of fabric - indicates that the cold itself is fading, or at least isn't as bad as it was, or at least is manageable. Tomorrow will indicate whether I've managed to aggravate it again, or whether healthy exercise has helped reduce it. We shall see.
Though thank goodness that tomorrow is still weekend - I look forward to one last morning of sleeping in.
---
Every scientific statement is provisional. Politicians hate this. How can anyone trust scientists? If new evidence comes along, they change their minds. - The Science of Discworld IV: Judgment Day, Terry Pratchett
Cold continues, and was less convenient, but I suppose the fact that I could spend most of the day walking round - some of it lugging a tote bag moderately full of fabric - indicates that the cold itself is fading, or at least isn't as bad as it was, or at least is manageable. Tomorrow will indicate whether I've managed to aggravate it again, or whether healthy exercise has helped reduce it. We shall see.
Though thank goodness that tomorrow is still weekend - I look forward to one last morning of sleeping in.
---
Every scientific statement is provisional. Politicians hate this. How can anyone trust scientists? If new evidence comes along, they change their minds. - The Science of Discworld IV: Judgment Day, Terry Pratchett
the human brain is illogical
Feb. 24th, 2017 01:45 amHad an annoyingly braindead/sleepy day for most of today. Hopefully that's the cold shaking itself off and I'll be better by tomorrow, or at least by the weekend. Nose now much drier, cough at the stage where it makes my ribs ache.
Still, spared one worry - a roll of wadding which I'd ordered online turned up today, and I was in to receive it. Ended up explaining to the delivery man, "It's what goes in the middle of quilts, between the patchwork top and the back," and he looked much enlightened: "I'd been wondering what it was."
Also still staring at computer screen and working on book 4 edits. I'm so glad I had this week off. I hate to think how I'd have felt if I'd been juggling work as well. And even if I'd taken time off work because of the cold, I'd have been feeling guilty if I did writing instead... The human brain is illogical.
Still, spared one worry - a roll of wadding which I'd ordered online turned up today, and I was in to receive it. Ended up explaining to the delivery man, "It's what goes in the middle of quilts, between the patchwork top and the back," and he looked much enlightened: "I'd been wondering what it was."
Also still staring at computer screen and working on book 4 edits. I'm so glad I had this week off. I hate to think how I'd have felt if I'd been juggling work as well. And even if I'd taken time off work because of the cold, I'd have been feeling guilty if I did writing instead... The human brain is illogical.
