Bin there.

Hm. Something really wound me up yesterday, and I was intending to blog about it. Can't remember what it was for the life of me now. Goes to prove something, anyway.

Instead, a question. A question which has bugged me for a while, though I've never really looked into the answer, mainly because I don't know what I'm talking about and therefore don't know where to start.

So... simplifying the household waste situation somewhat, you get degradable and non-degradable rubbish. Degradable stuff, vegetable food waste for example, is usually quite good to stick in your compost, and the non-degradable stuff is what ends up at the landfill, or is recycled, usually the former.

Only non-degradable rubbish isn't really... it just takes a very very long time to break down.

Now I had always assumed that organic matter had some sort of impact upon this action, helping nasty plastic stuff to break down a little quicker... exactly the sort of stuff we're taking out of our bins to stick in the garden compost and never do anything with. So landfills are go to get larger and larger at an ever-increasing rate, and be around for much much longer because we think we're being kind to the environment by sticking potato peelings in our garden.

Are composts killing the planet, or have I got it all wrong?

Bollocks.

Today I had to hand out my first proper bollocking. I'm fairly confident that I got away with my hands shaking as I gave them both a copy of the IT Conditions of Use.

What did I give them the bollocking for? Well, a few things over the course of the day that added up, but mostly down to watching Hot Fuzz on the network computers... it was pirated, but nevertheless I did feel kinda guilty about that.

Cynicism.

Call me selfish, but I've never really been all that keen on marriage. I guess it comes from having seen too many fall apart, and losing faith in the whole idea. If so many people can say "I do" and yet don't, what value does it have even if I stand by the statement?

Over the years, I've talked this over with Ween, and I think she understands. I would be more than happy to do something else to demonstrate commitment, but I haven't been convinced about that final step. I see the status quo as a broken system, and I'm not certain that I would want a part of it.

Yesterday we went to a wedding of a friend, and had a great time. Nothing too embarrassing happened (well, maybe it did, but I'll apologise when they come back from the honeymoon) and it was actually rather nice. I'm not saying that I'm warming to the idea, but it was a good day, and the couple are great together.

What did strike me as odd and reinforced the feeling of a broken system, however, was how forced the whole event was in places. The wedding proper took about half an hour. The various professional photographs, which required everyone to pose and stand around, took about twice that.

The photographs will be the lasting mementos of the day... and yet they are in my mind utterly false. There was no point in the day where all the girls decided amongst themselves to stand in a line and throw their hands in the air, and neither did the groom's friends spontaneously decide to show off their socks to each other... and yet the couple will have a record of both events, photographed as if they were a spur of the moment frolic.

Meh, maybe I'm just a grouch. However, if we were to get married or whatever, we set two ground rules yesterday:-

1. A maximum of two posed photographs.

2. No smoking. Even outside. (Yes, I am a grouch).

Moving swiftly on... anyone know how to install a chimney and fireplace?

First (proper) day.

Boy, that went fast. Now I'm starting to get a feel for who will be the pesty students, and I'll have to keep an eye on, and also a feel for asserting myself to make them keep quiet ("But... you can't tell us off... you're a student, aren't you?") and the silly librarian questions from last week quickly dissolved into nothingness when they realised that no, I'm not a moron, and yes, I am aware that if someone owes a gazillion pounds in overdue fees they're not allowed to borrow any more books.

Kinda makes you wonder who they employed before, really.

Highlights of the day: erm, dunno if there was one really, it all kinda went too quick for that. I had intended to get back in time for a ride, but that didn't happen. I really should have Monday as a rest day anyway, so I'll chalk it up to that... ignoring the fact that everyday has been a rest day.

White Dog Poo.

Every now and then, we all hear that age-old discussion about white dog poo, and why we no longer see it on out streets.

I'd like to think that this is partly due to the fact that more dog owners are responsible, and actually pick up after their animals. However, due to the fact that I can't look at the surrounding scenery when out for a walk, instead staring at the ground in front of my lest I step in the brown stuff (which stinks more than cow pat - avoidance is worthwhile) this is not true.

Today, I did indeed see some white dog poo. I would have taken a picture of it as evidence, but, well, y'know.

White dog poo. I've seen it. It's the future.

Librarianism.

The thing about Librarians is, and, well, they're all very nice and all, but...

"This is what we do when someone wants to borrow a book."

"This is what we do when someone is overdrawn."

"This is what we do when someone wants to renew a book."

"This is what we do when someone wants to buy some printing credit."

And it's all very important, don't you know.

I'm not going to be disparaging about my new job, because, well, frankly, it's still miles better than my old one, and I haven't even started yet. The students come back next week, and that's when the questionsican'tanswer all start and I get made to leave. Other than that, however, the people, the place, are all very nice. Yes, half an hour for lunch isn't really long enough, but whose to complain when I'm home by five?

Well, that was easy.

Odd how you can get worked up about something... and know that there's no need to. Yes I was nervous, though not as bad as Paul's "thin shits" and definitely not the being sick in the bushes beforehand either. It's also nice to not have to worry about the job proper for a few more days, as there are no students around just yet - I won't even get thrown into the deepend for quite a few more weeks, as my full CRB check won't come back, and so they can't leave me on my own.

I did have a "so that's what my job really is*" moment, where you realise that the advertisement and interview process skirted around the subject matter a little. A fair few staff members are into cycling, so hopefully that will encourage me to get out more as well.

Sadly lunch is only 1/2 hour (with various breaks in the morning and afternoon) though gym membership is free. Everyone seems really friendly (if slightly hermit like) and I think I'm by far the youngest person there. But then, what does that matter?

I think I may like it here.

* Librarian. I can live with that.

Oh, really?

My blog is worth $2,258.16.
How much is your blog worth?

Freedom.

Just a few days left of non-employed freedom and I have to start working again. I give myself three days before I hate it. Sadly, rather than enjoying the luvverly weather I'm wrapped up in a dressing gown, and about to run a bath for myself because I feel like shit.

Part of the reason is the shop across the road had a break-in last night (nice neighborhood, this) and the alarm, and ensuing kerfuffle meant I got very little sleep. That's kinda irrelevant, however, as I wasn't asleep beforehand either. I believe the appropriate term is "the squits."

Whether this is due to having eaten something I shouldn't, I don't know. What I do know is that I am remarkably nervous about starting on Tuesday. I don't know what is expected of me, or really what to do at all. I haven't even started there, and I'm feeling like the Imposter again.

Bah. It was all good while it lasted.