faustus: (Default)
( Jan. 29th, 2009 04:32 pm)
At some point I must have been sent a pin number* for my Not Quite Government Owned Bank - but it was back in the day when that was just for withdrawals and I've tended to use it for balance transfers. However, my everyday card is maxed so... need a PIN. Go into the branch and try to order on - and no, they can't do it, I have to phone. Chiz. My mistake for thinking it was a Not Quite Government Owned Bank card. It's amazing what bits won't talk.

Grumpily I went for some retail therapy - still regretting not picking up a couple of things in Ramsgate yesterday which were objects of desire rather than useful - and found a copy of the Arden Hamlet for a pound. I've never quite bought this before despite meaning to, and a quid seemed about right. Except the person on the till - a till marked ALL FICTION £1** - wondered whether the price wasn't £11. I suggested that as all fiction was £1, then...

I had noted his tattoos on his arms - which turns out to be the name of his son.*** In Elvish. I'm not sure whether it was in Quenya or whatever, and whether his son was called Legolas, but... Somewhere, somehow, Tolkien must be turning in his grave.

I see Hamlet has pencil and pen annotations. But is still readable.


Oh, but I've managed to book the hotel for the conference I hadn't thought I was going to, and booked the conference itself online. I was intrigued to see the choice of stand-up performer was one I'd liked, only I saw his show last year, saw his Edinburgh warm-up gig and the actual show in Edinburgh. Seeing it post-Edinburgh would be fine - save that, I've goign to see him in a couple of day's time. Paying for a show four times is too much like stalking. It turns out I can pay less and opt out.




* Yes, I know: Personal Identity Number Number, or thereabouts 

** Hamlet is fiction, right? Possibly with a historical precedent.

*** On the other hand, a friend of a friend - and various other men - have names of sons tattooed as well. I wonder how often having, say, GEORGE, and maybe a heart, on your arm, gives out an unintended message?
So the departmental exam boards are over at and I have a plan - walk to the sorting office to retrieve my parcel which came whilst I was in Liverpool, go to the Doves for two drinks and then return home to work for a couple of hours before an early night.

I decide, however, that it would be efficient to take a taxi from the sorting office to the pub - save at least half an hour walking, and I will be less stressed. It's coming up to four o'clock though, and it is ten minutes before they can send me a taxi. The park and ride bus goes by - it's two quid to the city centre, but then I'd have to walk out of town again, as opposed to say a fiver for door to door service. Another park and ride bus goes by.

4.10 comes and goes, as do four more buses.

At 4.40 I phone again - they've claim to have sent a taxi and no one was there. They send another, after another two buses. Now we're in rush hour traffic, and it's bumper to bumper. Eventually there’s a space to nip down D Street, but Lower C Street is snarled and aggressive driving is necessary to get out onto it.

Then there’s the junction with Old D Road to negotiate – apparently this is cricket traffic. The lights go through two cycles until we're at the front of the queue, and then traffic is blocking the junction. Fortunately there is a gap to squeeze through.


Total cost of taxi is £8 and an hour of waiting and travelling. Triffic.
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