It seems extremely odd to me now that I spent Tuesday morning talking about affirmation, positive thinking and all kinds of other methods of managing or developing oneself, and actually managed to get beyond my vague unease with the American-style self-helpism to feel quite bright. Since then, I've tumbled in freefall through the rest of a week where it seems people are determined to wreck everything and my chances of controlling the descent are worse than nil. I don't even think I'm entirely the intended target - more collateral damage perhaps?
Most disturbingly it feels like history is repeating itself for me. Horribly however, this time I can see it unfolding. I can't even claim blissful ignorance as a defence. Perhaps this is actually the business-end of an acute, rather cynical paranoia developed over ten years as a Local Government Officer? Or perhaps its the end of that whole sorry business?
After all of the preparation and anticipation, my nephew's christening service went very smoothly yesterday. Set out on the 0933 to Highbridge in much improved weather, meeting an old friend who was slightly surprised to see me dressed smartly on a Sunday! Chatted, then walked to my parents house. People began to arrive from all over the place - I was pleased but amazed by the turn out today. My uncle and I set out for the Social Club to meet my sister and her husband, and to sample the local ale (RCH's excellent 'Old Slug Porter' in my case). The church service was quite short, and the minister made efforts to explain some of the symbolism. I think maybe he did me something of a favour, as perhaps some doubtful members of my family now understand why I couldn't have been part of the service. After church, it degenerated into a typical family party in honour of both the christening and my nephew's upcoming first birthday, which was fun!
Today, set out for Bristol Parkway to hopefully get a picture of the 0Z87 scrap move from Willesden to Caerwent. Since I'd travelled direct from Highbridge and not read my email since leaving yesterday, found out the hard way that it was cancelled. Not alone perhaps as I noted some familiar faces on an overbridge as I passed Filton Abbey Wood on my way up to Parkway. This move has been cancelled previously and seems destined to run on a day when I'm safely tucked up in my office! Back to Temple Meads to ensure some returning family members get onto their booked Birmingham bound train.
Back from Birmingham where I've been attending Capita's Software Consultation Groups for the Admissions & Transfers product, and its web frontend. Despite some reservations, I found it a really positive process. From the presence of a company director at the meeting, I think even Capita expected some barracking regarding the tight timescales and almost impossible pace of change we've all faced this year. Happily it didn't happen, and it was a constructive if exhaustingly busy couple of days, and I think some of the directions suggested in the SCG will become useful developments, particularly in the area of managing addresses which is a perennial bugbear.
Stayed with my grandmother and uncle for a couple of days during the SCGs. A chance to visit a couple of Redditch pubs and catch up with family news. Quite fun to commute into Birmingham each morning, even if Central Trains rather half-hearted industrial action threatened to cause me a problem on the first morning.
Its been a strange and busy week - I've only really begun to recover from the strange virus which laid me low over the previous week, and Tuesday in particular was exhausting - first session for the CMS course in the morning, into the office for the first time in a week later, then a journey to Birmingham made longer by errant cattle near Flax Bourton and crowds of racegoers at Cheltenham. Its going to be good to get somewhere near back to normal over the weekend.
I'm attempting to puzzle out my new camera. The manual is as thick as some novels I've read.
Over the past few months of trying to improve the pictures I take, particularly in terms of railway photography, I realised that my Olympus C160 was not quite what I needed. Firstly, I missed the optical zoom which my previous (and rather ancient) Kodak DC210 had. I also felt that as I improved in my abilities, I would need more control over the setup - which is not possible on the smaller compact cameras.
So I settled on the Fuji Finepix S7000, which seemed to be versatile without being hugely expensive. So far, it seems easy to use - but with lots of clever tricks and low-level settings to tweak once I begin to understand them.
Off to Willesden Junction for some field tests tomorrow!
Lost::MikeGTN
I've had a home on the web for more years than I care to remember, and a few kind souls persuade me it's worth persisting with keeping it updated. This current incarnation of the site is centred around the blog posts which began back in 1999 as 'the daylog' and continued through my travels and tribulations during the following years.
I don't get out and about nearly as much these days, but I do try to record significant events and trips for posterity. You may also have arrived here by following the trail to my former music blog Songs Heard On Fast Trains. That content is preserved here too.
