I am now a proud participant in this whole "google wave" thing you've been hearing about. If you haven't been hearing about it, have a quick google and you'll find a wide range of opinions.

Supposedly it'll replace email and forums and instant messaging, but just like everything else, there's the old early adopter problem: "Who am I gonna use this to talk to?"

So if you've got the wave, or think you can get the wave, let me know, it'll be nice to have some people in the contacts list so I can really use this thing :)

Today was, frankly, marvelous. Which is surprising because it seemed so short. I'm writing this now from the victoria line on my way back to cambridge, and enjoying the indescribable sensation of a warm white-chocolate lindor melting in my mouth. I actually had to stop typing for a moment there, the taste just took me aback so much.

The day basically brakes into two parts, the furmeet, and Fido. Furmeet was fabulous, even if I was only there for the last two hours. Perhaps because of that. I settled in quickly, and felt 45% more collected, suave and stable than I usually do. Where I might have flitted from person to person, needy for attention and feeling left out if unincluded, I instead moved happily from group to group with no fear of being left on my own. I felt respected and wanted, lots of people greeted me warmly, it was like I'd felt my insecurities shrink. They aren't gone, oh no, but they were managable, even ignorable. That's all I really want for now.

It was lovely to catch up with some old friends, one in particular whom I haven't seen in what felt like two years. It was even more exciting to note that I'd met, and made a good impression on two new people. Anyone who's spent much time with me socialy knows I can have a certain lack of grace that puts people off, and I will always love my closest friends for seeing past that. I've been learning though, and the fact that I held that side of me in check, and that it was almost easy, really gives me hope for the future.

The second part of the day was even better, and it stands as one of the nicest moments in my life. His name is Fido, and he is my puppy. Sadly he couldn't meet me in London, he's been groggy and unwell all week, as well as dizzy. He wasn't expecting to see me this weekend at all, so when I arrived on his doorstep unnanounced this evening, I got the chance to give him a wonderfull surprise. It was so nice to be with him, if only for an hour or so, and so sweet to just climb into bed with him and snuggle and chat.
(for anyone who might be confused Fido is human, goes to work and watches TV, but he's always my puppy to me)

If you're reading this Fido, I love you, I wish I could have stayed longer, and I promise we'll be together soon.

When exactly did BBC's Merlin get so awful?

Well, perhaps that's a foolish question. It's clearly season two where everything changed.

For those of you who haven't seen it and are feeling sceptical, let me assure you that Season 1 was actually pretty good. Littered with plot-holes admittedly, and somewhat contrived and clunky in parts. ut the characters were well rounded and interesting, flawed and human. Uther in particular was complex, contradictory and very well written.

Now it's all fallen apart, they're phoning it in, dumbing it down and taking out the magic. Literally and figuratively. Plots that were building slowly and patiently in the first season have been dropped into place with about as much dignity and finesse as the proverbial manure hitting the fan. The characters are simplified and less likeable, very promising threads have been dropped, and worst of all the magic, and merlin himself, are all starting to seem incidental to the main and boring plot of Arthur and Guinevere.

Last weeks episode could have been rewritten without any need for magic whatsoever, quite an abrupt turn with no explanation from a series that used to take every opportunity to show us Merlin's skills.

It really is a shame when a good show goes bad. Now all that's left to do is to wait for the day when Arthur jumps his horse over a shark. Knowing this show, they're probably do it.

About 4 years ago I bought a Yoda plushie from clinton cards because I thought it looked cute. I then promptly left him at a friends house about a month later... and pretty much forgot about him. More than once over the years the people looking after him for me have reminded me, but I just never remembered long enough to pick him up. Now, at long last, a miracle has occured and Yoda has been returned to me. Just in the week when I'm starting to feel so good, so organised, and so happy with myself. I'm not one for believing in omens but just just for the sake of the placebo effect I'm going to take this as one. I'm voming to a new place in my life. May the Force be with you!

I've been doing pretty well lately, working on being more assertive, confident, and generally getting stuff done. I've been succeeding a little, as far outward behavioural changes go, and have achieved a lot more than that psychologically.

Which has really made this the perfect week to spend with Fido, my significant other. He's here with me in cambridge and we're enjoying our first proper try at living together. He has a week off work and we're spending it here, relaxing, reading, watching whole seasons of tv shows, and of course, playing butt-fuck-loads of tomb raider.

The lovely housemates are also having a good week, it seems. By lovely coincidence, they've spent the last couple of days in London, giving me and Fido the run of the whole house. It's been amazing to just... share my life with him like this. It's not something we're ever really done before. Spending weekends together it all just gets so... focused.

Fido and I have had some problems later, and there's been a lot of re-evaluating and a few changes. But I think this time together has really strengthened us.

Also? remind me not to drink that much cider on an empty stomach again. This evening was glorious, but tonight has been a bit less enjoyable.

'Burn After Reading' is an excelent movie.

That is all.

In exchange for lowered rent I've been doing a lot of the housework around here lately, pretty much the cleaning and the washing up. Over the past week or two I've been somewhat... failing. At life and everything, my brain just wouldn't seem to face reality. Yesterday though, This week thoguh, I'm starting to get back into gear and for the first time in a fortnight, the kitchen surface by the sink has been free of washing up, and completely wiped down.

It's a small thing, but it's *immensely* satisfying to see that I've actually done something today. Also, wrote a pretty damn kick-ass job application today. Wish me luck!

There were many bad sides to tonight's restaurant, but many good sides too, and this, "sausage and mash" drizzled onto the plate in sauce, was so very unexpected and sweet. (not my plate, obviusly. I'm a vegetarian)

We can has kitties! the household has just aquired two 9-month olds who are busily acclimatizing to the living room right now

Okies, update on my life the past few weeks.

about 3/4 weeks ago I had two job interviews. They both went well but neither was successful. Since then I've had my better days and my worse days, working to try and find myself a job. It's probably been the biggest thing in my life for a while now.

I've reached the end of my begginers C++ programing book and I'm now looking for something else to learn that hopefully won't cost me anything. I've been pointed towards the NeHe tutorials on OpenGL, and I'm managed to aquire a few books on Java.

Pirate punting with Lord_Don was a couple of weeks ago. Met some amazing people who I'd really like to stay in touch with.

Also discovered a great computer game. Jericho, for the Xbox 360. I'd recommend it. Fairlyt innovateive 1st person shooter, or so it seems to me. Only get to play it at my boyfriends though, since I'm not blessed with the console myself.

As part of my deal with the JobCentre, I'm supposed to be 'networking' as part of my job hunt. i.e. asking my friends and associates whether they've heard of any work in the cambridge area. So if anyone knows of any admin roles going that I might not of heard of, espescially for someone with pretty good IT skills, please, let me know.

Apparently, when you sync up the contacts on an android phone with the internet, the protocol involves deleting every single contact on the phone and replacing it. If your data-connection gets interrupted half-way through this leaves you with an empty contacts list for about 5 minutes.

Needless to say, I had no idea what was going on, or why I'd lost all my contacts. Wasn't happy with android. I'm somewhat mollified now they've all (hopefully) reappeared.

Although the job-hunt is going well at the moment, i'm not slacking off in the search for new prospects, hence the shameless repost of this from two weeks ago: does anyone know of any jobs going in Cambridge?

I'm naturally good with computers, but lack the detailed knowledge to go for IT jobs that demand it (for now). Otherwise my experience is all Admin and Retail.

Frankly, after being unemployed since January, I'm finally getting tired of not having funds, and I've reached the point where I'll work crap jobs for crap pay if I have to. Considering both temp and perm, and part time would be great.

On Friday I got a call inviting me to interview for an admin role. This morning, before I'd even really finished breakfast, I'd had two calls, one for a hospital interview on Friday, and another from the careers agency asking if they can put my CV through for an admin role I really wanted. I only sent them my CV on Friday.

And all of this is happening just over the same weekend when I'd decided I really felt up to working hard, getting on and really dedicating myself to the job hunt.

Sometimes the world works out so well :D

After many nights of carefull knotting, the bamboo cage nears completion.

Have you ever seen such a big potato? I saw it in the supermarket and I couldn't resist...

A cute pic of my inflata-dalmation. Fido bought this for me as a gag xmas gift and it's so sweet I've kept it ever since.

It's a genuine soup mix we found at ASDA