Category Archives: Work

Bathgate no more

I’ve been to Bathgate today. I’ve been there for work lots of times over the years, but rarely of late.

I don’t think I’ll ever need to return.

That thought doesn’t make me happy. Or sad.

Middle of the night

With a nine o’clock start in Manchester, I had two options. Travel and stay open last night, and perhaps visit a couple of favourite bars, or catch the ridiculously early 5:33 train this morning.

For reasons I now cannot comprehend, I chose the latter. Apparently, that isn’t a common decision with travellers.

I shall resume my sleep now.

A moment

According to Wikipedia, a moment lasts around 90 seconds. Microsoft, on the other hand, has an entirely different definition. Around 20 minutes. 

I’ve used Libre Office for several years at home, Open Office for years before that. The former comes with Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. It’s free and it’s very capable. 

However, an offer via work led me to purchase Microsoft’s offering for only a tenner. While this remains much more expensive than Libre Office, I was tempted by the price. 

Unfortunately, it didn’t actually take a moment to install. 

I think that in a bit may have been more appropriate a message during installation. 

Relaunch

You’ll have noticed that I seldom mention work here. However, I shall now briefly do so. Various IT releases (for example 1.5 and 403, or 4.03) have recently dominated my working life and I’ve realised that I should adopt a more formal project approach to my home life.

I’m thinking specifically of the shed. While obviously not an IT project, a release approach may enhance the organisation of the work going forward. 

So, thinking retrospectively, my shed project has to date progressed as follows:

R1.0 Chimney

R2.0 Exterior pointing – end wall

R2.1 Exterior pointing/rebuilding – side wall

R3.0 Interior rebuilding – rear side outer wall (in development)

I may shortly produce a Gantt chart. 

The Hop

Appearances can very much be deceiving. I’d noticed the Hop, but from a distance it looked nasty; all glass and neon. But the barman in the Cap and Collar told me I’d get a nice beer and something to eat there. 

I also had a conversation with said barman about how the bar (the Cap and Collar) resembled one in Town. He asked whether I was referring to the Split Chimp. To say I was surprised is something of an understatement. It transpired that he’d never been in the Split Chimp, but had heard of it because it was the first micropub in Newcastle. It’s funny how word gets around. 

Anyway, I’m now in the Hop with a very nice pizza. Thoughts of a fourth beer are quickly fading. 

Saltaire

I generally try to avoid staying overnight for work, but there wasn’t a lot of choice today. Without the company of colleagues. In Shipley. 

And that pretty much sums it up. I’m seriously unimpressed with Shipley. No, that’s a little strong. I’ve been here a few times, but haven’t needed to stay over before. It’s a nice enough place in daylight; the canal’s quite pretty and there are some really nice Victorian buildings. 

But, after a shower, I decided on a beer before finding somewhere to eat (nothing vegan in the hotel). I wandered into the House that is a home (it might not really be called that, I didn’t stay long enough to take note). A lovely old building, it was horrible inside. 

So I walked to Saltaire. Where I stumbled across the Cap and Collar, a craft beer bar. It’s small, but the barman understood my request for unfined beer. And I’d barely sat down with a pint when Elbow’s one day like this  was played on the radio. The place resembles the Box Social in Town too, so I’m feeling quite at home. 

I spotted another couple of decent looking pubs on my walk; there’s one next door. Which means I can have another beer or two on my way back to Shipley.