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AAAGH! Bruce is flying back today on his lonesome to defend his PhD thesis and he is freaking. I mean, really freaking. Not only is he not looking forward to flying via Amsterdam to Edinburgh, then taking the train to Dundee, but the whole PhD hinges on his ability to discuss it and prove he has produced some new and meaningful research.

I know he'll be fine, he's brilliant and the thesis is great (I should know, I proofread it three times ), but still!

AhhhhH!! Wish him move luck when you speak to him next!!! I am sure he will do great!!

Thanks! Will do.

(Actually, I'm secretly pleased to be having a 4-day break from his neuroses -- his mum is coming up from Kent to Dundee to see him, so she can take on all of the nuttiness in my place. Thank goodness for small mercies!)

Amsterdam airport is quite nice I think compared to some other airports. I'm sure all will be well and that Bruce will be well received - it's horrible feeling anxious about stuff like that.

Mark worked from home yesterday because he'd been up all night vomiting and wasn't sure whether it was a bug or the place he'd been to for lunch the day before (he always assumes it must be food poisoning whereas I think it's just that he ate too much spicy fatty food!).

On the positive side, his being at home meant that he could video call and so we got to spend a lot of time together! He was explaining to me about the current round of politics and just generally chatting while he worked.

Also turns out that he's worrying about his weight too!

Ahhh - I wish I could work from home! OF course that would mean I would spend even more time on here!!

I've just got so fed up of spending time with Jeremy online - it's like we've been doing that for six years now and now that we are so close to being together in person it doesn't feel real - I like spending time with him but I am just as happy on a phone with the webcam up while we both read or something

*nods* we used to spend a lot more time chatting online but it just gets unrealistic with the time differences for one or the other of us to be getting up early or staying up late to video call every day, so mostly this is just at the weekends now. I agree with you Aly that it's nowhere near as good as actually being together - I can't wait for Mark to be here for his visit!

Yeah - it just feels like fake being together - boo!! I can't wait til we can have a normal relationship

one more day to go and it's friday!

Just spoke to Bruce -- he is pulling into Dundee train station right this moment! His flight to Amsterdam was delayed by an hour, but it made up time.

Now back to worrying about the defence tomorrow...

Good luck to him! I'd be terrified, too.

Good afternoon all, and I hope Mark's recovered from the food poisoning (if it is that) Hannah!

Okay guys... I'm doing something REALLY big this afternoon (for me, that is!) that's another step on my path to re-Americanisation...
Don't want to jinx it so I won't say what it is so sorry for being cryptic. I am so nervous though!

I'll come back with what I hope is the good news later today. In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed for me at 2pm Eastern time. I'll be the one popping the beta-blockers to calm me down.

good luck with whatever it is!

Good luck!!!

You can do iiiiiiiiiiiit!!! Click to view attachment

Good luck!

Ok - time to tell us what it is now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still waiting for the big moment... My mouth is dry and I am having kittens!

Okay, time for us to start guessing then!

Is it a pregnancy test?

An offer on a house?

No! Three little letters:

D
M
V
!

You passed your driving test?!!!!!

woooohoooo! now that is something else I'm not looking forward too.

Still waiting to take it! Verrry slow here.

ach!!! you'll be fine! easy peasy.

You can do iiiiiiiiiiiit!!!

YAY!! Go for it!!! You'll do great!! Let us know how you get on ASAP!!

@Krikit - I love your kittie sig pic

Did it! Did it!

Got a clean sheet, no errors on the road!

Wooo!

Isn't that hilarious?


Click to view attachment Congratulations Maven!!!!!

Wow! Go you!

Also seconding love for Van Gogh kitty!

Well done Maven

GRATZIES!!! Yay!!! You are officially more-Americanised!!

YEY! well done!!!

Good for you!!! We knew you could do it!!!

Thanks guys, only took me 18 years to get it!

I took driver's ed in my senior year of high school, but never took the test as I was living in a city so I didn't need the license. Then I moved to the UK when I was 22, and never got around to doing it there. I mean, I went to driving school in London but I was learning on a manual and I totally sucked at shifting gears so I gave up. Bruce has been teaching me every time we came over here on holiday, so after 2 years of on and off driving tuition, I did it! I called Bruce in Dundee and he was over the moon.

And I didn't have to parallel park!

I learned and passed in a car with gears. Took me 4 attempts though. Also have a full motorcycle license (that took one attempt).
Looking forward to passing both again in the USA. Heard its easier to pass in the USA!!!!Car will be no problem but I havent ridden a bike in 18 years, so looking forward to that challenge!!!!!

Result!! I took two goes on my test and only passed three years ago (am almost 26) after having lessons when I was 17 - I freaked - I just didn't want to drive - it was only when I was in uni that I managed and I am still quite a nervous driver but much much better Soo happy for you! *hugs*

Congratulations

At 29 I often feel a bit awkward that I've never felt inclined to learn to drive - but now I figure I can just learn in the US (Mark's Dad is an instructor and has offered to take me out for lessons).

Today was sunny for the first time in ages, so I spent lunchtime walking around the park

Your going to get on a bike?? a motorbike?? omg, ffs no way. your here in one piece, and your going to stay in one piece.
end of topic

I've never learnt to drive over here either... I guess I'm just lazy as I always knew people with cars and lived near good bus routes lol! But I'm going to learn in the States... Jeff said he's going to take me to a big field and show me in his truck!!! It's one of those massive Ford trucks and is his pride and joy so I'm going to be p**ing my pants in case I hurt it LOL!

Haha - I feel glad that I have had a little experience driving here to prepare me for driving there... I know I will be nervous but I figure if I can avoid the I-10 and take the "normal" roads then I might feel better

I'm going to see if I can learn to drive before I get my visa. I haven't booked any lessons yet, but my friend's offered to insure me on her car and my parents are giving me driving lessons as a Christmas/birthday present so I'll have to do so soon!

Sounds good although expensive!! You sure it wouldn't be worth just learnign out there? Then you don't have to worry about losing old habits because you won't know any different! You won't have to get used to being on the wrong side or anything!!! Plus it is prolly cheaper out there as well!!

Well, I figure it'll do me some good to get some driving practise. Also, if possible I'd ideally like a UK driving licence for the times when I visit family and maybe hire a car for a week.

Plus, free lessons! Can't complain about that. And it'll cost me very little apparently to insure myself on my friend's car...even if I forgo the lessons and just ask my parents to give me money instead, I could probably still get a little driving practise in on that!

The senior director at my work has got a bleedin' nerve!

Yesterday all of his typing was completed in the morning apart from one letter which was dictated in the afternoon... but he didn't get around to checking any of the letters until 17:00 and hadn't even sorted out the enclosures to go with them. So 17:30 passes by (meant to be hometime) and my colleague and I figure he's intending to send them tomorrow instead so we get our coats on and at 17:35 he comes down fussing about the letters needing to go out - so we bundle them up and frank them. We're then on our way out the door at about 17:40 (the final pick up at the post office is at 17:45 and it takes me three minutes to walk there) and he calls us back because he's got more letters ready!!!

This morning he had the cheek to come down and complain that a letter that should have been hand-delivered was accidentally franked and posted instead.

And now he's just announced that he won't be back until 17:00 today and that it'll be a bit of a rush again tonight because he hasn't got the enclosures ready to go with these either! And technically we're allowed to leave early on a Friday if we come in early or take a shorter lunchbreak... *sighs*

Grr - I hate it when people just don't recognise what you do. Where I work at the moment one of the managers comes by and says hi every morning and also thanks us every Friday for our work and lets us know what targets have been met and tells us how much we are appreciated it!! Saying that it was one of the 2007 top 100 best companies to work for in the UK... pity I'm moving!!!

I don't think most managers realise how important it is and how much more motivated and dedicated employees would be if they only got more positive feedback.

g'morning all, it's friday

I used to work with a guy like that. He moved on and I moved up. I learned a few lessons from working with him. When I resigned, my staff had tears in their eyes because I had insight into what they go through to get things accomplished and appreciated all they did. During the farewell party, I thanked them publicly and presented them with individualized gifts. One of my first visitors to the United States was my former assistant and her husband.

I'm writing this not because I think I'm "all that". In fact, quite the opposite. What I'm trying to say is that sometimes the things that are sent to try us are really blessings in disguise. They inform us and help us build good character. And, if we're not too thick, we use these lessons to the greater good. Well, that's my take on life, anyway.

Yeah - I defo want to be in a position where I can treat people how they deserve to be - from a managerial point of view that is - I mean I always try to be nice