Lark or Night Owl?

OK let's skip the heartfelt apologies for my lack of posts. I'm here now dammit so quit whingeing!

I had to share with you an item from Focus magazine:

Night Owls can work longer and harder than early risers, according to scientists. A study at the university of Liege in Belgium found that a group of early risers were slower and less effective in performing complex tasks than those who love lie-ins. In the test, the brain activity of early risers and night owls was measured using a scanner as they performed tasks.

So I no longer have to apologize to the world for still being in my dressing-gown when the postie knocks the door at 11.30 a.m. to deliver obscure science fiction DVDs from EBay. Yes!

Apology

So I really just popped in to apologize. It's been months since I last blogged anything. It's not that I don't have anything to say, you know I can always find something to whinge about, more that I haven't had time to spit let alone blog.

This working full time is a killer. I get up early, I go to work, I come home, work some more at the computer, go to bed, get up, go to work... You get the picture. Now this is all very well if you like that type of thing or if you know no better, or if you are getting paid oodles of dosh but none of the above applies to me. Especially the last one.

Working in the winter is one thing, after all what else are you going to do? But spring has sprung and the grass has riz as the poet said so my thoughts are turning once more to leisurely strolls along the seafront to the ice-cream parlour.

Anyway, my apologies and you can blame the teacher shortage for the lack of blogging. After five months without a break I'm getting three days off in October. I'm REALLY looking forward to it but I may just sleep through the entire time. If not, I'll try to jot a few random thoughts then.

Employee of the Month

So there I was at the staff, ritual, TGIF morning tea stuffing my face with chocolate cake whilst calculating if I had enough time to wolf a few more bikkies and still photocopy a class set of EDTs ('ere do this') for next lesson when there was the tinkling of a glass being tapped with a teaspoon and the usual mutterings of disgruntled teachers faded to a sullen silence in anticipation of a few words of wisdom from the Boss.

"I would like to present the award for 'Employee of the Month...'
I crammed another mouthful, casting my eye around the room for someone looking hopeful.
".. to YOU!"
I spluttered, somewhat and sprayed the Boss with cracker crumbs.

As I've only been working there for two minutes, I wasn't even aware that we had an Employee of the Month Award so for sure my cries of 'so unexpected' etc were genuine. Not like those phonies on the Oscars who have been rehearsing their acceptance speech for months.

A scene from the Simpsons flashed before my eyes and I half expected Mr Burns to appear and present me with a baked ham. But no, a $100 David Jones gift voucher was my reward. Jim says he's seen a lovely saucepan in DJ that I can buy him.

I can only assume that so few employees make it to the end of the month that six weeks on staff gives me the edge.
:-)

Bollywood Delights

I've just come back from a cheery afternoon of watching 'The Merchants of Bollywood' at the Regal Theatre in Subiaco. It's a very colourful musical with lots of fidgety young people in bright costumes dancing to loud music. It was delightful and I loved every minute. The story? What story? Anyway, it didn't need a story. I danced all the way down Rokeby road to the train on the way home. Ok, that's a lie. If I danced like the cast for a mere five minutes I'd need to lie down for a week.

I went alone. Jim refused to accompany me. He said he had lots of sport to watch on TV. Ok, that's a lie too. He said he'd rather remove his own head with a rusty saw. That man just has no sense of fun.

I love Bollywood movies. Yes, they are formulaic but aren't most Hollywood movies too? You have to admire the energy. What's your view? Love 'em or hate 'em?

I'm off to buy a sari. You can check out the show here:

http://www.merchantsofbollywood.com.au/

Microwave Mittens

We bought a microwave today. Love 'em or loathe 'em you've got to say they are convenient. Jim has resisted buying one till now on the grounds that a) he doesn't like them b) we don't need one and c) our kitchen doesn't have room for one.

So why did he relent after only three years of constant nagging? It's because he's going to be away in UK for two weeks in July and he's sure I'll starve in his absence. How sweet of him not to notice that I could live off my body fat for six months and still qualify for Weightwatchers.

I haven't actually cooked anything in it yet but I have become 'microwave aware' all of a sudden and it seems that there are a lot of microwaveable products on the market. I was looking forward to microwave popcorn and reheated leftovers but microwave mittens hadn't occurred to me. There are microwave booties too. They work like a wheat pack: heat them in the microwave and they keep your toes toasty for ages. Excellent. Maybe you can get them filled with corn kernels so you can snack as they cool.

What's your favourite microwaveable product?

Password Fatigue

They've recently put a keypad on the door of the staffroom so that you have to tap in the right combination of letters and numbers in order to open the door. Security, don't ya know. So this left me standing there like an idiot frantically trying every combination I could think of till some youngster came by and did it for me, "it's very easy just ....." Yeah, I know it's very easy. They are all very easy but there are so damn many of them especially if, like me, you work at more than one place and have a problem remembering even your own date of birth.

I've had the same 4-digit PIN for a decade now but I embarrassed myself totally by forgetting it at the crucial moment at the supermarket checkout last week. (No, it's not my DoB) They tell you not to write these things down but I may have to get mine tattooed on my forearm as I get older and my memory deteriorates still further. With any luck the flab and wrinkles will disguise it.

I thought I was just thick, dozy or 'having a senior moment' but it seems that in fact I am a victim of password fatigue. See the article below courtesy of Kerry Maxwell.

Pass through the office security door – enter correct code. Log on to the company computer system – enter password. Buy lunch at a local restaurant with your debit card – enter PIN. Open your front door and disable the alarm – enter password. Check out your bank account online – enter password and PIN. Purchase something on Ebay® – enter username and password ... And so it goes on. If your head is regularly spinning each time you have to summon up those all important sequences of letters and digits, then you could be suffering from password fatigue.



Information technology is the driving force of modern life. Its influence is no longer restricted to the workplace but impacts on all other aspects of our day too – how we shop, eat, travel, manage our finances, find things out, entertain ourselves. But all this convenience opens up security risks which we have to protect ourselves against. We need a virtual padlock, and a virtual key to open it – the ubiquitous password. Research suggests that if someone is a fairly intensive computer user then they’ll have at least 20 online accounts, and possibly many more. And for each, they may need to know a password. Wearily trying to remember them all, they become sufferers of password fatigue.

Please tell me I'm not the only one with this problem.

HunkaHunka Burning Love

Our current guests, Jim's brother David and wife Joanna, are setting off on a world tour. I have persuaded them that blogging is a good way to make the rest of the world envious so if you feel the need for a break from your reality check out their adventures on http://hunkahunkaburninglove.blogspot.com/