Sushi For Breakfast

I went into town today, as we have always said. In other words, I went into the city centre to do some Christmas shopping. I went on the bus, having originally planned this so I'd be out of the way while my road is closed for resurfacing. However, that's been delayed until Monday so I'll have to leave early for work.

I managed to get the things I wanted - Christmas cards, an advent calendar, a 2017 diary - plus a few other bargains from Wilko including blueberry shower gel and Vimto lipbalm. I also visited the art gallery for their Brick Wonders exhibition - basically lots of Lego recreations of famous world vistas and other things, such as our local cathedral, the International Space Station, and a massive Lego airport.

Am also wondering if I've got a cold coming or if this is just the effects of the weather getting colder but not cold enough to be into a regular routine with the central heating. I've been putting it on for about an hour most evenings, and I've had the fire on a few times also. It's the beginning of half term week here now and I'm determined that winter cannot be sighted until half term is well and truly behind us.

Also last night saw the first episode of QI's N series, the first edition with Sandi Toksvig in the chair instead of Stephen Fry. I do miss Stephen and I think I always will, but Sandi is awesome.

The first episode of Series J of QI was on TV a couple of hours ago. Good to have the show back.

( Discussion of Series J, with spoilers )

I've often tried to figure out who my ideal QI panel would be. Last time I tried, I got it down to about five shows' worth. Anyway, because no-one's asking, my favourite panellists are: Jo Brand, Bill Bailey, Sandi Toksvig, Dara O'Briain, Jimmy Carr, David Mitchell, Ronnie Ancona, Jack Dee, Ross Noble, John Sessions, Phill Jupitus, Sue Perkins, Andy Hamilton, Professor Brian Cox, Eddie Izzard, Robert Webb, Hugh Dennis & Liza Tarbuck. That's eighteen panellists whom I think are the best on it (Hugh Laurie was adorable but panel games aren't really his forte, he's better at acting, writing, directing and being a blues musician), plus there are others who are better depending who the other panellists are (Sean Lock is the most obvious example) who I'm quite happy to watch. And of course Linda Smith is missed. But eighteen panellists is enough for six shows, so there's a rich pool of talent there, I hope the new people appearing on Series J add to this.

Day 106 Two pics today, because I can't choose between them. Both of the same thing.



Blue skies overhead at work, with no contrail clouds. We're under the flight path for Birmingham International Airport, so while there are no planes flying I thought I'd better record the phenomenon for posterity.

Today was good at work. Good work-wise, in that I finished a draft of a page for our online manual (it was my idea to write it), and our Chief Exec has released the report that wins me (and a couple of others) £50 in our staff suggestions scheme - I suggested we should use Twitter - which we do now, but not much. I've written some stuff about how we could be using it more, and I have another report to write on the topic. It was good food-wise, the little shop at the end of the road has taken to calling at all the places on the business park to sell its lunches direct, I bought a Piri Piri Chicken salad sandwich, it was delish and filling, will be shopping with them again definitely. Some of the others partook of the greasy spoon run, D had an especially good (or bad) food day cos he had a bacon sandwich for lunch and an ice cream in the afternoon. Now that it's no longer winter, the ice cream van tours at around 3pm. S told us the story of her daughter's then-boyfriend's discovery of 99s, he's from Spain and he came back to their house full of rapture for this magnificent new ice cream delicacy he'd encountered that day and OMG they're amazing have you heard of them? S had to explain how commonplace they are, and how every British child has a photograph of them covered in melted ice cream from when they were too small to eat a 99 quickly enough.

Since coming home, I've been for a power walk - half an hour, not very powery but up & down hills cos that's my local topography. And my new pedometer is lying, I walked further than 390 metres and burned more than 19 calories I'm sure. And there's a new QI (albeit a compilation) on tonight - which would be great if I hadn't burned the previous one to a disc cos I thought it was the final episode. I wanted them to be on the same disc but I can't do that now, it won't copy back onto the hard drive. Boo.

My wireless router died last night. So I had to get another at lunchtime. Far from the simple setup it promised, it took an hour on the phone with the woman at the helpline to get it working.

But it works now. Please keep your fingers crossed (as I am) that it stays working, cos no Internet = no fun.

And it's QI tonight, right? All the "excitement" of routers and snow days I've barely given it a thought :)

I have a crappy rotten cold. Just when I don't need one, when I'm supposed to be enjoying my holiday and getting loads done and being awesome at physics.

Woke up feeling a little better than yesterday, but throat very sore and ears blocked. Can't taste much unless it's highly flavoured, so am holding on the Jellybeans and Hotel Chocolat goodies until I can taste them. Am downing the paracetamol and lucozade at the prescribed regular intervals, they got me up & to the shops and back to buy food, and am part-way through the laundry so hopefully they'll see me through to the end of that.

Hope I have enough energy to stay up to see the shuttle launch (12.55am tonight my time), have downloaded some wallpapers - here - and also it's Children In Need tonight, and there's a brand new QI on at 10pm. I'm trying to keep a little busy, doing stuff and planning stuff, cos otherwise I just go "oh noes my poor throat my poor nose oh woe".

Just watched eps 1 & 2 of QI Series E!!

( Cut for spoilers )