Rushed off my feet at the moment! Doing near enough three jobs all at once. Work's gone manic. The new job which I officially start on the 25th has started already with meetings nearly every day this week. This is now affecting my old job, which is busy as well as loads of people are on holiday...

On top of all this work I'm trying to maintain a social life and spend time with IRP. It's becoming quite a challenge!
Also seriously looking to buy a car as I'll need one for the new job. Looked at a saxo last night, but didn't like it much. Saw a peugeot 106 today, which was ok... Tony is looking at a Suzuki Alto (new model) tomorrow. It's cheap and cheerful, and economic to run. It's got mixed reviews, but all I really need a a little car (parking comes at a HUGE premium where I live) which doesn't cost much and gets me to and from work (15 minutes of town driving and 10 minutes on the motorway). It's a 53 Reg and it's done only 19000 miles.

What do you think?

Anyway, gotta dial into another meeting tonight so best get on... Won't finish much before 10 tonight... feeling suitably sorry for myself

Recently, I've been feeling like my life is out of my control. Sounds a bit over-dramatic perhaps, and I guess it probably is. I think I need to gain some perspective so I thought I'd write a few words to try to lift the fog...

It's really only to do with work I suppose, but as that's a rather large chunk of my time, it does affect other areas of my life. Not in the least because it funds my life.

I was offered a new job within my company recently. It wasn't really something I would get excited about but it was offered to me at VERY favourable terms... so I accepted the job. About a week later, those VERY favourable terms were withdrawn (I think because the company I work for is @#~*&^). So I withdrew my acceptance. That caused a bit of an issue it seems.

Several people from management came to see me, to 'talk off the record, the decision was entirely up to me'. I stuck to my guns, especially as no one was trying to anything to negotiate the terms at all. Eventually, the Director of a large part of my business unit came to see. Reckoned he came to talk to me as a friend. I hardly know the guy so that was a rather large stretch really. So it was clear the pressure was on. It was my decision as long as I decided to take the job...
So I did, I really didn't have much of a choice, there would've been repercussions. I suppose I could've left the company, but like I said, the job funds my life... What do you do?

Yesterday, it was announced that we've won the contract that I will now be working on. Good news I guess, but it brings a lot of change with it. I have to move to a different office, but they haven't finalised a new office for this work yet.
I have to handover my current job, but there isn't a replacement yet.
There isn't currently enough information to know anything for sure. There are way too many lines of communication, all saying slightly different things, and plenty of rumours about. It's difficult to figure it all out.
People are asking me questions, and asking me to make decisions but I don't have all the information to do so. And I just feel like they're pressuring me into things that I don't like or want to do etc.
I feel all this work stuff is out of my control. And that's not very nice.

So I guess I'll have to take back that control somehow... I don't like that they can exercise so much pressure over me, all for the sake of a career, as if there's nothing more important. Rubbish!

Right, rant over... for now at least. Gonna make a phone call and stand up for myself.

Battersea dogs home will not let IRP have any dogs... It's because we both work full time, so the dog would be home alone for several hours during the day. We said we'd get a dog walker to take the dog out every day, so it would only be on it's own for a little while, and I would try to work from home twice a week, but even that wasn't good enough.

I think it's ridiculous. IRP has got experience with this breed, he's had two before. And he would definitely give it a good home. We've been working to make the dog's day room ready, where it would have free access to the garden, the garage, and two nice warm rooms inside the house with a big comfy chair and everything. Beats a little doghouse outside anytime!

I know any dog would have a great home at IRP's as he's so caring, and these dogs need new homes... I understand they have to do thorough checks to ensure the welfare of the dog, but I feel they dismissed us a bit too soon. They didn't even come for a house visit in the end.

We'll try another dog rescue centre and hope for the best. In the mean time, if anyone knows of a dobermann that needs a new home...

Well, I've seen Kung Fu Panda, and it was as I expected. All the funny bits were in the trailer and there wasn't much more to it. But it was entertaining, and it was fun looking forward to it, practising my kung fu moves and making lame kung fu jokes.

I understand it's the turn of the Kung Fu Chickens next...

At least the weekend is upon us again! So far today, it's stayed dry which is a definite bonus! Going for a few drinks tonight (hopefully it doesn't end up like last week), then maybe a walk tomorrow and a little picnic on the seafront on sunday. Fingers crossed for good weather.

Found the following statistic in an article on the Sky news website...

The average British woman has three holidays a year in which she will have sex at least three times a day.

Really?!?!?!?!

Nevermind the 'three times a day', what about the 'three holidays a year'?!

Who are these women and how do they do it? I really want to know!

Last night, one of my friends had a BBQ to celebrate his birthday. IRP was invited as well, and it was the first time he'd come out and socialise with my friends. I know he wasn't really looking forward to it, just because they were all new people. But he was really good, chatted to everyone and I think he had a good time.

Ever since I got back with IRP, I haven't been going out as much as I used to. I see my friends and keep in touch but not as much as I used to. Going out less means I also drink a lot less. But last night I had a few drinks at the BBQ. I'm in so much pain today! I don't know how I used to go out so often, and drink that much! And I never used to get hangovers. They're not fun!

IRP let me have a lie in this morning, made me cups of tea, and when I felt ready to eat he made me some breakfast. It was really sweet. After a while he took me home, and I slept some more while he went to do all his chores. He's now busy cooking sunday dinner, and will pick me up again shortly to eat it! Isn't that nice!

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that the story of the first man to have a baby isn't all that news-worthy. After all, the man in question used to be a woman and therefore still has a womb etc.

I think this would be a far more interesting story, if it was a woman who used to be a man, having a baby...

The trip to Battersea was good! Probably not as good as a trip to Amsterdam would've been, but hey... Enough about that.

Unfortunately, they'd had an outbreak of some doggy infection, so a lot of the kennels were closed to the public. Also, the puppies were hidden away somewhere, again to stop an outbreak of something or other. So after getting a train up to London at silly o'clock on a sunday morning, we saw a few staffies...

We then decided to go and speak to someone about rehoming dobermanns. They interviewed us and took all the details, and IRP will be getting a home visit in the next week or so. I'll have to be there as well, as we'll both look after the dogs from time to time because we both work full-time, and I work more locally, less hours and can work from home.

Wait and see what happens. I guess it will be a few weeks still, but IRP is really quite excited about getting a dog again.

Forget about football, never mind about tennis, and don't even mention cricket! The sport of the moment has got to be Kung Fu!!

Everybody goes Kung Fu fighting, fast as lightning and a little bit frightning!

I've been practising my moves, and my lyrics. Only just over a week to go before the film Kung Fu Panda comes out. We saw the trailer in the cinema last week, and couldn't stop laughing!
I hope those outtakes weren't the only funny bits in the film. Can't wait to go see it!

Having almost completely recovered from Holland's defeat in Euro 2008, it's time to get on with things now.

Our trip to Amsterdam is off for now. We're still planning to go, but we'll go when it's not a rushed trip. IRP mentioned going in the next few weeks, but I don't know about that. I'm going back anyway to see my family and I don't know about asking him to come along to that. I don't know if I'm ready for that, and I can't imagine it'd be his idea of a fun weekend away either... It's a shame for now, but we'll go someday and it will be fun.

So instead, on Sunday, we're going to Battersea Dog's home. Or that's the plan so far. IRP is looking to adopt two dogs, so we're going to have a look to get the process started. He used to have dogs, and is now ready to have them again. I've never had dogs, so it's a bit new for me, but then, they will be firmly his dogs, not mine, so it matters a bit less.

Looking forward to it!