I am very happy today as I have been counting my blessings. Also daydreaming about playing my lovely violin.

I don't like to deal with it too early, but on the other hand I am very unhappy with crowds, so December is not a good time to go shopping. Actually, I don't mind shopping in December if I have nothing I must do, if I can just potter, pick up anything I fancy, and be chilled amongst the stressed people with massive lists to sort out.

Anyway, nephew, neice, little bro and big bro all sorted! Made a start on my husband too

Was in HMV for several of them, and it was insane...I was in the upstairs of the Oxford Street branch and they had four different blu-rays showing on screens almost next to each other, a different film showing on tv screens in the DVD section, music on in the blu-ray section, music on in the dvd section, and music from downstairs! Slight sensory overload. I fled to the classical room at one stage, which was lovely and peaceful, and I picked up CDs coming to more value than the presents I was buying for other people. So I put some back (which will now go on my Amazon wishlist, in case anybody wants to buy them for me )

Let's hope you're equally happy tomorrow...

The prospect of bacon and sausages for breakfast in about 5 minutes.

Ooh sounds good - enough for me???

I didn't make enough, please warn me in enough time next time.

....give me a shout - there's a nice farm down the road that smokes and cures its own bacon, and they make a very nice range of sausages... Same price and far superior to the muck that supermarkets tend to sell

I buy unsmoked bacon and Linconshire sausages. I actually wanted some toast to gop with it but i discovered the bread had gone off and shops had not opened at the time so I had to do without.

a lay-in and a lovely cup of tea

Advent Carol Service.

Advent Carol Service here too, with my 'small and not very good' choir. First time we've done one., and it went reasonably well.

His Reverence admitted afterwards he'd thought I'd bitten off more than I could chew with this service, but he concluded he was wrong about that. Good on him. He can stay.

Tomorrow night is choir pratice night. Got to start learning stuff for the Nine Lessons service on 18/12; and we've got a Confirmation between now and then.

Vesti la giubba!

P4

Piano duetting

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b017c...ght_25_11_2011/ - I love the sound of "English" 20th century classical music (not sure what the actual musicological term is). Don't know why as I am not English...

Glad to be of service LMAO

what's made me happy this morning is sitting in work with itchy fingers wanting to get to my clarinet. i haven't felt that way in a while and i'm enjoyin it.......i'm even mentally doing scales in my head shock horror for fun lol :-)

Hubs struggled into work (with leg in plaster) this morning to find out that his stuff was packed in the corner and a new person was using his old desk!! It's the final straw - he turned around and came straight home as he at least needs somewhere to sit...he is assuming he still has a job as they haven't said otherwise

Hubs spoke to an aquaintance of mine when he got back, who runs an IT firm and who is looking for an IT person.
He thought he wasn't what she was looking for, but she got straight back in touch and called him for interview this afternoon. (my happy)
So PLEASE cross your fingers, folks....this one would mean an awful lot to our happiness!!

i have everything crossed for you and your hubby Xxx

Fingers crossed Dawn

Me too.


..... is digraceful. I don't know what the situation is, but I think I would be seeking legal advice.

SB

yeah, he wasn't too impressed. Problem is that he had only been in the job 3 weeks when he broke his leg nearly 3 weeks ago so not sure what rights he has anyway. A new job would be the best solution as he's not keen on the place (to put it mildly) and seems to be treated like a general dogsbody by the boss's wife rather than the IT professional he is meant to be....

well he's not home yet, and I dropped him there and hour and a half ago so I'm hoping they are getting on very well!! It means he's been in an hour.....allowing for buses

YAY hope it is good new, Dawn

I've now got a fall back degree if the Music department don't accept me to do second and third years full time, after I have done my certificate year (1st year) but it's rather complicated how it works!

Seeing my article - and an interview with The Lovely Laszlo - and a nice comment about our recent course in Birmingham by the editor - in this month's issue of Music Teacher.

That sounds positive. I hope it works out for you both.

Sadly, in my experience, members of boss's families working in small businesses can all too often cause problems. My wife works in a firm where the boss's two teenage sons have been given jobs because, to put it bluntly, despite a public school education they are not bright enough to get places at Uni, and would probably be unemployable elsewhere.

They both behave as if every penny the firm spends should have been their inheritance, and seem to take great pleasure in seeing 'ordinary' people struggle whilst they enjoy expensive lifestyles and expensive cars on the firms account.

One is supposed to be 'in charge of IT', but I doubt if he could hold down a Saturday job at PC World.

SB

Well they talked for 2 hours...and the upshot is that I think she'd have him work there straight away, but it would be a massive pay cut.
We need to do alot of sums

Sometimes good pay isn't everything if you can get by on less. Sanity, happiness, fulfilment and dignity are far more important.

I hope you both reach the right decision for all the right reasons.

SB

Hope you manage to get something sorted



Cool

Being able to go for a walk without being breathless for the first time since last Wednesday, and being able to smile about it.

Absolutely, but being able to eat as well as pay the rent is a good thing too

But sometimes people stress themselves out in jobs they hate trying to achive a lifestyle that only exists in adverts and fantasyland, and it just isn't worth it.

SB

Due to my tech issues at work I got a new machine. Well it may or may not have been used before but it is new for me. It is much more powerful as it has an i5 inside it.

However my pc would not let me log into the phone server so I was not in the helpdesk phone group all day, which meant more work for my colleagues.

Also my manager forgot to activate my pc for the call logging system and he leaves at 4pm, so I will have to get him to do it tommorow.

Furthermore I need a new cable so I can connect up my 2nd monitor, will hunt around the department to try and find one.

Overall I really like my more powerful machine, once everything is set up.

[quote name='Swell Box' date='Nov 28 2011, 06:37 PM' post='1109465'

But sometimes people stress themselves out in jobs they hate trying to achive a lifestyle that only exists in adverts and fantasyland, and it just isn't worth it.

SB
[/quote]
mmm but our rent (which is the cheapest 3bed you can get here) is ?1000 a month....and with 5 of us and me teaching from it....
I think I will have to find a part time job. No idea what happens with the violin lessons though. Not so happy now!

My happy? The grade 8 Theory result, and the good wishes from forum friends!

Didn't know you were doing it. Passed? Congratulations.

a very enjoyable band practice last night

Having the house to myself for a few hours, and a new carpet!

Playing Bach

My children felt that they has missed out on the 'fun' of Mummys exam yesterday and made me do a re-run of it after breakfast this morning (joy). The bad news is I'm even more tone deaf in the mornings - if possible - than at other times of the day. The good news is my two examiners gave me a distinction plus score of 163!

Got a distinction for TA212 with a rather amazing 98% for the EMA. (for those not into OU courses TA212 is course on 'the technology of music' and the EMA was the ludicrously long project that occupied many many many hours of my time a couple of months ago)

Well done. That's at very impressive EMA mark. Makes my highest examinable component mark sound pathetic (despite it being in the 90s).

This means that the AA317 marks will probably be out soon. I don't think I will have got the mark I wanted.

I'll say well done again CJB!


My happiness is more than just for today, probably tops most years in terms of big smiles. I've found out I got a first in my degree. Distinctions throughout. I can't believe it - it is just over 3 years since I dropped out of university in Freshers Week, then decided to start with the OU as a way to manage my degree, I've done it. I've done it! Eeee!

That is brilliant news, pcf! Well done!!! Partying certainly in order!

Celebratory post-choir-rehearsal crisps!

PCF that is absolutely fantastic What subject?

Congratulations!!!!!

Thank you. Maths, I'm not actually a musician really...

Thank you corenfa!

Well done.

What's next?

Shall I inform you I spent yesterday/today wandering around university campuses looking for potential places to do post-grad?! I think I've decided where I would like to go too. (Short term: the OU music dip, ATCL piano and DipLCM in accompanying are keeping me plenty busy enough! )

I had a feeling that a postgrad course might be calling you.

Have you already started the OU music diploma? If you haven't then it is sadly too late because the qualification is being withdrawn and you need to complete all the credit for it by December 2012 and the next presentations of the required courses start in Oct 2012 which is no use...

Very well done to both PCF and CJB!!

Well done pianocelloflute and CJB!