Archive for the ‘Life: Personal’ category

Bad Ideas – 3 in 3 days!

September 17th, 2009

My first bad idea was on Tuesday when we all (at work) had a glass of wine to celebrate moving to the new office. Not such a bad idea – until after I took my sleeping pills (yep, I’m having trouble sleeping and had forgotten I was taking them when I had the wine). Sleeping pills + alcohol is a very very bad idea – my partner said that I was “vibrating” during the night, couldn’t stand up straight and I was disorientated most of Wednesday.

My second bad idea was leaving the pub for the celebrations when I did (after the glass of wine, I was on orange juice). It was absolutely pouring down with rain for the 5 minutes or so it took me to get to the tube, and 30 minutes later when I got home I was still drenched.

My third, and so far, final bad idea was this morning. I thought I’d save myself a walk from Euston Square tube station to work by changing tube lines and getting off at Goodge Street station. Silly bad idea. I had to change at Kings Cross station, up a flight of steps across and down to the southern-bound Northern Line – where I had to change again at Euston for the southern-bound Northern Line (as it branches at Euston) which involved me going up 2 escalators, across, down, across down another escalator to end up at the opposite end of the same platform. Up 2 escalators again, across and down 2 got me to the correct southern Northern line. I then exited at Goodge Street station and, seeing the lifts were very crowded, decided to walk up the steps. 139 steps later, I was even more out of breath and sweating then I was. Lovely!

Anyway, I am beginning to get a little bit of free time back after work so I should be able to resume blogging and twittering in a few days! Woot!

Moan: Royal Mail and the Post Office

May 20th, 2009

I’ve just tried to send an item by Royal Mail’s “Special Delivery 1pm” service only for the Post Office to say “We can’t accept that – that address doesn’t exist on that postcode and we can’t accept wrong addresses”. However, checking Royal Mail’s own “Postcode Finder” service on their website, checking PostcodeAnywhere’s service, checking 192.com and even checking Google’s StreetView service all show that that address exists at the postcode(!)

I have been wondering why so much post goes missing, but the fact that the Post Office denies addresses actually existing when their own website (amongst others) admit they exist may contribute to it…

Personal: Internet problems, multiple issues on multiple providers!

March 25th, 2009

Ooh, what fun I’ve just had with 3 different internet connections (Enta.net, “3″ and O2 on the iPhone) trying to resolve a one second accidental click I made!

This is a bit of a rant, but does show a few problems with the way user interfaces, websites and customer services work.
» Read more: Personal: Internet problems, multiple issues on multiple providers!

Now on Twitter

February 7th, 2009

As you may have noticed, I can now be found amongst the Twitterati being a right twit at http://www.twitter.com/rchiswell. Come, my followers, join me and together we will take over the world mwhahaha!

Life: To sell or not to sell…

January 15th, 2009

After 5 months of “temporary” living in Harrow (instead of Leicester), I’ve now really got to make up my mind. Should I continue living “Down Souf” and sell the Leicester manor, or end our lease in the Harrow homestead and move back to Leicester and commute daily to the Big Smokey (London, not our kitty!).

Benefits of selling up: Around £18,000 to £20,000 “cash in the bank” (after mortgage repayments, loan repayments, selling fees, redemption fees, Home Information Packs, Conveyancing fees). Saving of approximately £1,300 per month in mortgage and loan repayments and life insurance [for the next five years] and £66 in Council Tax and £100 in utility bills. Total month savings: £1,466.

Benefits of going back to Leicester: Saving £1,400 per month in rent, £288 in Council tax, at least £93 in utility months. Total monthly savings: £1,781. Family, friends and generally a bit cheaper. Live in house I own.

Disadvantage of going back to Leicester: Commute goes up from 10 minute walk and 24 minute tube journey (34 minutes) to 15 minute taxi/car journey, 1hr 30minute train journey, 3 minutes tube and 5 minute walk (1hr 53 minutes). Price goes up from £148 per month to at least £760.20 (£933.20 including parking). Smaller property. Household maintenance expenses.

Net “gain” in moving back to Leicester: £996.00 per month
Net “gain” in staying where I am: £1,466 per month + interest on savings.

Those figures look pretty damming and conclusive to me. So much for thinking it’ll be a lot cheaper to go back to Leicester.

gamy-dance