Forgot to mention something yesterday - MLC is taking another of her "sabbacticals", starting yesterday, ETA-back-in-work? no one knows. To take a really selfish angle on this, it is screwing up my last week of work because I am actually having to work and her absence is making me feel terrible about taking tomorrow off - I don't want to leave the department stranded without either of us at a busy time of year. Still, it is better than her being here...

Has been a bit of a wierd one this morning - got a hug off a colleague-ish-type-person for no apparent reason and then just chatted for an hour or so to someone else who happened to wander into the office (she was willing to chat to though which makes the situation considerably different from the way that MLC talks at people when you can see that they are trying to escape). Okay, so those things aren't the wierdest things but this whole matin has a bit of a strange aura - like the day after I got together with boyfriend and the sky was pink and so overcast it was cool, but felt very, very strange.

Shall celebrate by watching Miracle on 34th Street - the film I was supposed to be watching at the cinema, when in fact I was in the bar next door, chatting up a cute guy (6 years older than me coincidentally) called Chris and doing the horizontal tango with him after ... two hours.

How on earth did I only get 48% in the slut test...?

After today, I will only have five and a half days left working here, although I think i am being diddled out of a day of leave somewhere so I might see if I can get that down to four and a half. Either way, these last days are dr-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-gging. Trying to get lots done and suppress the urge to kill MLC but the enthusiasm is just not there anymore (for working anyway) so I am just going through the motions and playing a lot of Fling the Cow.

It was a work Christmas party type thing on Tuesday night so boyfriend and I went along. Initial bar was too noisy and too expensive but still stayed there for hours. Second bar was kinda cheesy and one of the party took the conversation into a dangerous area ('if you had to sleep with anyone in the department...') so I avoided answering as much as possible and we left about 1am. It was quite an amusing night (will post a piccie when I get them developed - god I want a digital camera) but lacked any reference to sailors or randomly shouting the word lesbian as the Geek-ware gathering of a few weeks ago had done. Ho hum.

And to make matters worse, my shoes have rubbed all the skin off the top of my big toe knuckle (whatever that bit is called) on both feet so that is pleasantly sore as well.

Would like to say something cheerful and funny but i think that part of my brain is still asleep...

I am such a bitch (46%) to buy presents for: I don't like getting clothes because if I really want something, I buy it when I want it; I don't like getting cds, videos or that sort of thing for the same reason; I don't like getting lame stuff for 'the home' because then it isn't a present for me. The last good present idea anyone came up with for me was the two cats I got for my birthday last year but I have plenty of them now. Mum is badgering me for an idea which makes me feel like a difficult child (because I can't think of anything). I'm with Scaramanga on this one: I hate Christmas.

Talking about Scara, every time I write his name, my fingers type 'scaramange'. Wonder if this is subconscious trying to inform me that he has a skin complaint usually found on dogs and sheep. (*to be read in a yokel voice*) Clee-tus, get me some o' that there sheep dip - we got a geek to be a'dippin'.

[crappy foot movement and spin thing]

It's meant to make my boobs look bigger,
I just like the shaaaaaaape,
Which is real good (like you baby),
'Cos it doesn't work (it don't make my boobs look bigger, no, no)

[crappy foot movement and spin thing again]

Saturday night, was alright, babe
Watched Election on pay for viiiiieeeew
Ate some After Eights (after eight)
Reese Witherspoon pulls some really odd faces (cool)

[unnaturally high bit]

Suuundaaaay,
food shopping,
compuuuuter,
nice tea,
tv,
all on a [parody of old song] sunny sunday afternooon

[short but full on dance routine with frantic arm movements]

It was okay,
Back to work tooodaaaaaay,
Nail varnish chipping (shite purple polish),
Nine days to go though, yeahhhhhh
[repeat yeah to fade]

It is now public that I am leaving (MLC seems rather p.o'd that I am escaping while she is stuck here) and boss has said that my resignation letter was the nicest he had ever read which is just about the weirdest compliment I have ever received, although not exactly something that I should write on my CV... It all feels official now so I am being a good girl and making sure everything will run smoothly for weeks after I am gone - have just sent an email offering my skills for exploitation whilst I am still here, too.

New place of work are being really nice too - nice formal, personal, offer letter (just got the bog standard human resources one for here); a meeting arranged for next Friday (pre-vet visit) with new boss type person with the offer of lunch which I had to decline since new colleagues from one of the other offices in that department have already invited me to lunch that day; and, an invite to their Christmas 'do' week after next. *Think* I have made the right decision about the move, definately hope I have.

Anyone else feeling it may be their time to go to, may I recommend I-resign.com and it's quit clock
?

> > My dog, Minton, is very naughty.
> > He swallowed a shuttlecock.
> > Bad Minton.

It has made me smile all day. Slow day.

Told boss though - at lunch - afterwards, lunch was consumed in SILENCE.

Ho hum.

Department feels a bit dead this afternoon so have flung far too many cows (see Site of the Day) but still not beat my high score of 360.

Could be working but, no.

Feel rather upbeat due to light at the end of the tunnel. Either that or I am having a sugar rush after a can of Coke at lunchtime.