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[28 May 2008|07:50pm] |
I feel like its time I said good bye to Livejournal. I've been posting on here for absolutely ages, but it seems like its lost its way now with so many sites that perform a similar function.
I just dont have the compulsion to keep an online diary as much as I used to, probably because I know certain people stalk it, but still. I have a facebook account under Ashley Penny, and I am on myspace if anyone wants to add me, but I think most of you are on there anyways.
Last update ever. Gosh
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[20 Apr 2008|11:17pm] |
Been a long while since I put anything in here. Same old same old though!
Spent last weekend at Alton Towers hotel for the Barclaycard COO conference awards. I was nominated for Customer Services Professional 2008 which I honestly didnt expect to win, but I did. Pretty pleased about that given the amount of people in COO, so its a great achievement for me and it was a really fun event to be at, and we got to go on the rides when it had closed for everyone else too.
Weddings are on the up, just done one in Scotland this weekend and got some really great shots and had a good time while i was there - bit far to go though but weather and location was really nice.
Jacqui is now officially my assistant and rather than just carrying around my gear bag, I've just bought her a Canon 20D and will give her my 50mm F1.8 lens to learn on. She can have my old 550EX as well so right away shes got a semi pro body, a sharp wide aperture lens and a pro grade flash. This will solve one of my biggest dilemmas about which side to stand on! Plus its good to have two people do this kind of thing rather than one, and if one camera breaks theres another EOS body there so its not an extremely embarrassing situation
Work is stressful, both jobs..but I enjoy work now rather than dreading going in each day. Id like to think I make a good team manager.
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[10 Dec 2007|07:14pm] |
I got the job. This is good news and rounds off a great year for me. When I look back to this time last year I was stuck in a relationship with a serial cheater that hated my cats and argued about the colour of the sky. I'd only just bought a house though so for a while that was alright. The first few months of 2007 were pretty torrid but once that settled things have been great. I've met a great girl, I think its about 5 months at the end of December I've been seeing her now I think. She's everything that I've always looked for in a girl and we literally don't argue at all. its AMAZING and its had such a positive effect on my life meeting someone that I am so intune with, that fact alone would have rounded off the year nicely for me.
However coupled with the fact that I've just got a 5 grand payrise and a bigger bonus next year. I reckon all-in including bonus I should be looking at a minimum of 27k (its £22,500+ bonus, and I got over 2 grand last year for 3/4 of a year at B grade so we'll see!).
Money isnt the only motivation though. I've really enjoyed the last 3 months working with new applications as the team manager. I've made a lot of changes and I got a lot of positive feedback and this was really a big motivator for me. I found that because I was happier, I didnt mind starting work earlier, and finishing later; ensuring things were done right and on time. I've developed a good work ethic and I'm looking forward to putting it to good use running my new team.
Overall, I'm, pretty excited going into 2008 with a great girl, a new job and some much needed home improvements on the way!
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[08 Dec 2007|06:41pm] |
X X X
Jacqui is in New York and its snowing. I bet she has a great time there. I don't feel best well as I didn't eat a whole lot yesterday and I drank a whole lot on a work night out, the result of which is that I got utterly pissed. Had a right bad head all day and not feeling the best!
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[07 Dec 2007|06:34pm] |
X X
Today I had my interview. It was very difficult but I was under no illusions that it would have been easy. I find out monday, and thats all the stressing over it I'm going to do. I have only to gain from it whether its a new job or feedback about how I did. If I get it, great, otherwise, no worries. Here's hoping though!
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[12 Nov 2007|08:02pm] |
XX
one of my managers saw me at the end of work today and asked if i minded withdrawing my application for team manager (the 12 month secondment) as if i was seconded out then they wouldnt be able to fill the position and the team is already in dire straits. I was a bit gutted at first, but she was very positive about my application for permanent B4 Team Manager position and as its in her department I'd like to think this is a good sign, besides 1) i suppose id probably hate taking refer calls all the time on telephony and 2) afer 12 months id have to be finding another B3 position anyway.
I'm getting a lot of experience as it is sitting in for Kath, and I dont know how long this will be for but it is likely to be some time, and have been signed up for all the training like Team Leader Essentials etc, and have performance reviews to do and everything. I've been burning the candle at both ends though, getting to work at around 8.am and leaving about 6.30, but its not so bad when youre doing this sort of work as it just feels right rather than it being a grind, and i feel like im being challenged and stretched rather than just plodding along, which is great. I've also spoken to 2 of the board of directors this week as well for performance updates and both were very positive, which is also great.
I bought a new winter coat from H&M yesterday as my old one was shite. i was about to buy it for 69 quid but it was a bit big so i thought I'd look around, and saw the same one in the sale, but my size, for £29; result. with the difference i bought a few things like shirts and tie's as its been a while since i updated my work attire wardrobe, so lately have invested a little in this.
Things are still going great with jacqui. it is so entirely refreshing to spend time with someone with a lot in common. we dont argue at all (also very refreshing) and overall i just really like spending time with her, she is really great and i think shes been what i've needed for a long time really, so that part of my life is much better! we're going down to see my brother in london next weekend so it will be nice to be away. She even likes to play a bit of xbox! ha ha. But anyway, thats enough of that as I can't stand people that go on about their other halves constantly; suffice to say that i still think she is every bit as great as i thought she was 3 months ago, which is fantastic.
weddings are going well, had a few enquiries this month already, and reckon at least 3 of them will book, and got one in the post the other day so thats sorted out. got about 10 sorted for next year already so its all looking rosey.
right, im off to excercise for a bit, bye for now
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[02 Nov 2007|07:55pm] |
I handed my PD in today. It was quite annoying as it was due to be November 14th and I planned on doing it over the weekend but they told us Tuesday that it needed to be in by close of play friday. Very annoying indeed. Anyway this time around I have rated myself an A. If i get it itd be a massive bonus in february, and a larger payrise, both of which would relax me considerably. I got £2,200 last year for a B rating and that was when they were still giving bonuses to people who got C's, and this year they arent, so we'll see. I think I am 100% Guaranteed a B as I got that in my half year, but I've done so much team manager work since then and ideas submitted etc I think ive got a 50/50 chance of hitting the A that I've rated myself at.
I've also applied for a 12 month secondment as telephony team manager in business. it would be nice to get that as itd give me a chance to continue with what ive been doing which, although much more stressful, is better than just doing plain old B3 work.
Jacqui bought the cats fancy dress costumes. Theyre adorable.
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[15 Oct 2007|01:08am] |
Heart broken.
Hard drive crashed on tuesday and i lost a lot of stuff. Very annoyed! Anyway, got a new 500gb one and have sorted all my stuff out. From now on ill be backing up anything important. Grr!! At least it wasnt my photo drive, but what has gone will take hours to replace.
Got a wedding booking off the site. Its only a £500 one but still its a start seeing as Its only just started showing up on google, and is showing up well thanks to the optimisation Di has been helping me with.
Not quite sure if im meant to be at work tomorrow...
Jacqui bought my cats collars. They look quite cute. Im so very glad she likes my cats, my last proper girlfriend used to ring me up at work and pretend they were cornering her and attacking her, the very notion of which is absurd, but I guess thats what you get when you date a selfish brat that wants everything her own way. Things beween me and J couldnt be better right now, and its very refreshing. Its coming up to 3 months and theres not been one argument or disagreement or anything. Im sure that wont last forever as everyone argues about something, but in general we like so much of the same things, films, people, places etc, that theres just nothing to disagree on! But the best part is that she likes the cats, which is important to me!
So yes, very happy with everything right now. The only thing getting me down is my debt. I owe about 8 grand all in, but i should be getting a large bonus in feb and going to cut down on my going out. That, plus a payrise in april and will have about 200 quid a month in shares i can sell every month so will be selling those in 6 month blocks to minimise share dealing fees. So yeah, thats bringing me down as i hate debt, but living alone is ridiculously expensive.
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[28 Sep 2007|02:52am] |
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I dont have much to update! been sitting in as a team manager again for a while and applied for 2 B4 jobs for which i have interviews for, be good if i got them as theyre about 23k a year plus bonus, but i dont know if i could do with the extra work. wedding websites getting sorted out thanks to di, set up a google adwords budget, and my business cards are aces!
Ive been having a good time with Jacqui. shes literally amazing. Im very glad I met her. Theres no annoyances, no niggles, she likes the cats, and everythings going great.i even like her friends, and she comes to wendyhouse and has a good time!
Im going to make a new journal soon because I dont like the way this one is pretty much stalked by the master psycho ex-girlfriend (*waves!*) so the people that matter will get an invite shortly.
buenos dias.
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[16 Sep 2007|05:10pm] |
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An interesting few days! Overall I am glad that I had this time off, I've had a lot of time to do housework as previously mentioned and also spent some great time with Jacqui. Ive been around pepper and tessa a lot more than when I am at work and I have had some time to optimise my wedding site and also submit it to business directories etc. Di has given me a lot of advice so i've got some more work to do, but at least its now going to be listed properly and everything else i do is just going to be a bonus!
Last night was Wendyhouse and it was great. I rasterbated a huge pic of Akabusi that Si had made and stuck it on the side of the bus:
Absolutely storming. We had a 35 seater and it was an epic trip. We (Me & J) met up with darrans ex Claire beforehand as theyve known each other since they were kids and seeing as we were going to be in Leeds anyway it made sense so i arranged it for them. It was quite pleasant! We left for wendyhouse around 11 and my rosary broke before I got there which was a bit gay. it wasnt even mine, it was jacquis, but still. i felt 10% less pimp without it!
I had a really good time in the wendyhouse, a lot of my favourite songs got played. I also made a modified version of hipster bingo called "Wendyhouse goth bingo" and gave out copies of it inside;
hows that for the win? On the journey home i just chilled out while jacqui took a nap and i listened to the johnny cash, enigma and beautiful south id piled onto the tape. there was a double antiquing of becky when we got off the bus which was well comedy. i drew a penis on jacquis hand as people were going to draw on her face otherwise, and when i woke up this morning it had somehow gotten onto her face as she must have slept on her face or something. she had a nightmare getting it off this morning!
Back to work tomorrow and its a right shame as I have enjoyed being off and doing things to my own timetable. I really wish I was ready to just take the plunge.
In closing, I feel quite disappointed in somoene I used to class as a really close friend.
"The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism."
- Norman Vincent Peale
How totally true.
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[11 Sep 2007|12:49am] |
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I cant believe my holiday is almost over! So shitty. However I have achieved a lot. I have tidied up my entire house, treated the decking, treated the shed, fixed things, done the washing up, spent some good time with jacqui, wasted money and just generally had an ok time without stressing about work too much. Its been good to put the effort in with my house though and its left me refreshed about keeping the place tidy and keeping up the improvements. I bought a print today for the stairwell and im going to get one of my photos made into a tryptych to hang above the wall in the lounge.
Plus I have to say the best thing about having a girlfriend is it has me cooking again which is only a good thing, because I do like to make things.
My neighbours house is for sale. I hope I dont get shitty new neighbours.
Anyway, im off to watch quantum leap. things are still going well. im pretty happy right now.
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[03 Sep 2007|09:11pm] |
X X X
Things are going quite well. Except financially of course. I have 2 weeks off but I am still going in most days for overtime. The problem is plain and simple, I am practically an alcoholic. I require alcohol in all social situations, and theres no way around that. I am comfortable with it though because its who I am I guess! It does mean I tend to be out every thursday to sunday night though.
I have begun cleaning my house today, its long overdue because of the amount of abuse its put up with lately with all my going out and working weekends etc! Today me and my mum did the garden too and its looking pleasant. in autumn we are going to add some pebble areas, move the birdbath from the front to the back and plant some low maintenance flowers and grasses.
I bought pepper this thing that you shove in the ground and tie him to. it means he can sit in the sun while im in the garden. hes not very happy about it as hes teathered but hopefully it will satisfy his lust for the outdoors!
Jacqui and me, things couldnt be better. They really couldnt. Its been a long long time since I got on with someone so well and for my money it doesnt get any better than watchng aqua teen hunger force with her on the sofa. we do plenty of pointless things, like yesterday we watched a goat take a shit at stewarts park and went for a walk at fairy dell, and we are going to whitby this week, but i dont think id care less what we were doing as its just always fun to be around her. she doesnt stress, she doesnt moan, and she likes the same things i do. except vegetables. I have even bought a load of coeliac (gluten allergy) friendly ingredients and this week i made flour-free brownies, they were surprisingly nice.
Darran is in full on relationship mode which on one hand I am of course happy for him, but on the other he is pretty much how he was with Lou and either hardly ever comes out as he is off having a meal with her, or he goes home at stupid oclock. Im firmly of the belief that a relationship needs to be a happy medium else everything ends up rather stifled. I learnt that lesson the hard way from miss butcher, given that i wasnt allowed to go to the same club as her if she was going out with her friends, which was generally to places i wanted to go to (although the reason for that is now quite painfully obvious, naturally) but instead everything should compliment everything else, and it will all work well
fuck it anyway. things are great. everythings working well and i am having electric dreams.
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[20 Aug 2007|01:15am] |
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Wendyhouse was great. Almost all my favourite songs got played. Some cool new people came and there were comedy shenanigans. I antiqued si & becky, I saw sam and angela and a few other people, i got pretty pissed on blue wicked and overall just had a pretty nice time. I was so tired though from all the overtime ive been doing..today when me and jacqui got up i looked at clock...5pm! jesus.
Still, I wouldnt have had it any other way.
God damn I love that club
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[18 Aug 2007|02:02am] |
I got a text off jacqui saying that she loves spending time with me. this is pretty good news as i was pretty paranoid about it. she is incredibly nice and yet as usual the wrestling crew that are mates with the venemous miss butcher have moved in and tried telling her a load of shit. seriously. i have so many fucking evidence reports and shit on my pc which are obviously sensitive information, if i get any more of this rubbish im taking it futher. It really sucks when someone that you once really trusted and cared about turns out to be worth utter fuck all.
Im having a good time right now. Jacqui and me have totally the same taste in films and books. I mean its nice to go out with someone that even knows who stanley kubrick is. she is just 100% great. we're going to wendyhouse together tomorrow and i just cant wait. i could be anywhere in the world and i would still be happy.
in case you cant tell. im pissed. two girls in zanzibar recognised my LED tshirts lyric as being from joy division. this made my day. but not as much as dancing to new order, joy division , giorgio moroder (electric dreams) and then happy mondays in a row at Ku Bar
Right now, my life is on the up. the photography thing is really starting to take off, ive met a girl i really like, and i dont have a retarded controlling influence to deal with
its all gravy :)
I love pepper. im taking him and tessacat to bed now :)
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[13 Aug 2007|11:05pm] |
I have several objectives this week which i need to take care of;
1) Posters for United $nakes for all the local pizza shops - that night needs some hardcore promo
2) Sort out photography business cards, update my cat, photo and wedding photo websites properly
3) finish tidying up!
Next week i need to cut the grass and sort out the decking, shed and fence with weatherseal.
Its wendyhouse on saturday :) woo! cant wait. we have a 30 seater coming and weve almost filled it. I cant wait. Jacqui is coming and im pretty sure she will like it. last month at wendyhouse i had a stupid smile on my face as she sent me a text from malta saying she liked me hah. im such a kid.
shes coming round on thursday to watch disturbia and have some drinks and possibly the crown. i am cooking which is harder than it sounds on account of her being a coeliac, but luckily for me i am the shit in the kitchen so i am whipping up a gluten free taste sensation.
Overall things are going good. i like her, her friends are funny, and she is very hot. we have enough similar tastes in things to talk about books and films that we both like, and yet enough difference to keep things interesting. its a good mix! And it certainly beats going out with a cheating copper by, oh i dont know, a jillion percent? maybe more, i dunno!
loves x
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[07 Aug 2007|10:33pm] |
I should update...
Things have been hectic lately. the wedding was stressful but excellent practice and I am glad for it. I have been worn out with overtime so have taken 2 much needed weeks off. now there is an incentive for tripple time at weekends so i am going to wax that for a while and shift as much of my debt as i can, that way when i get my bonus and shares i can spend it more on me rather than debt.
I Just did stockton festival this weekend, it was 3 days of slog. My feet are well blistered and my thumb is sprained but I got some sharp as fuck shots of both the bands i wanted to get shots of and the bands that i wasnt even fussed about, but its all good for portfolio. I had a pretty good time and although the website came out a bit late, weve done a good job of it I reckon. It was much better than last year, which was good enough by itself.
Anyway, I met a girl a few weeks ago and so far things are going good. She's called Jacqui and she is very nice and doesnt appear to be a mental at all. Its nice to like someone a lot again. She has an excellent taste in films and books which is important to me! That, and the fact that I think shes drop dead gorgeous!
But anyway, I am busy busy busy and have like 2400 photos to edit and cut.
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[02 Aug 2007|09:24pm] |
XX
Ive gone from doing no nights at all to doing Blaises, United Snakes, The Arena, a secret project, the georgian and Ku Bar. im sorta enjoying it
Im doing blaises tonight. itll be dead but i dont care because jacqui is going to be there
I cant stop listening to joy division
Ive been waiting for a guide to come and take me by the hand,
Could these sensations make me feel the pleasures of a normal man?
These sensations barely interest me for another day,
Ive got the spirit, lose the feeling, take the shock away.
Its getting faster, moving faster now, its getting out of hand,
On the tenth floor, down the back stairs, its a no mans land,
Lights are flashing, cars are crashing, getting frequent now,
Ive got the spirit, lose the feeling, let it out somehow.
What means to you, what means to me, and we will meet again,
Im watching you, Im watching her, Ill take no pity from you friends,
Who is right, who can tell, and who gives a damn right now,
Until the spirit new sensation takes hold, then you know,
Until the spirit new sensation takes hold, then you know,
Until the spirit new sensation takes hold, then you know,
Ive got the spirit, but lose the feeling,
Ive got the spirit, but lose the feeling,
Feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling.
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[02 Aug 2007|01:52am] |
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Transformers is a boss movie, and everything is as it should be.
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[30 Jul 2007|12:57am] |
X X
Friday
Zanzibar with Jacqui, Darran and Becky. Darran kept groping Beckys stomach in the same way a guy does when his girlfriend is pregnant, it was bizarre lol. He denied it later as well but Jacqui had noticed it too! Strange boy! We were all in free as usual but we also got vouchers for triple your money instead of the usual double, so we paid £20 each and got £240 total. Dear christ. It was a good night in there though, plenty of good tunes. After we went to Kubar and had a good chat with Martin. Im starting to really like going there as been a few times lately and had a chat with martin about a possible combined indie/80s night once a month, i think itd be a good crack. Darran and Becky left and as his bag was at mine he took my key and i said leave it in the letterbox. Me and Jacqui stayed for a bit (which was nice) and then walked home. Got their and neither of our hands would fit in the letterbox!! Oops! So i jumped over my yard wall (which hurt) and went in the back only to find the knob heads on my sofa. ming as i squashed a little slug on my hand jumping the wall!!
Saturday
Was up at 7.30, arrived at the brides parents house 9.55, got to the first ceremony at the trincomalee or whatever its called about 13:15, followed by photos on deck followed by the formals in the garden, then another ceremony, then the reception. it was great experience but very high in stress. it certainly highlights where i need to study and improve and i learned quite a lot of valuable experience. I remember someone telling me they always take a load of none-photography related things, such as a needle and thread, tissues, pack of safety pins etc. throughout the day i kept seeing where these things would come in useful (no one had a tissue when the bride was in tears, there wasnt enough pins for the flowers etc) so definitely top of my hitlist will be a small kit to cover these eventualites. also got talking to the master of ceremonies and he used to be a photographer and we got chatting a while about music photography and hes going to come to fringe as i said id sort him a media pass, he was a really nice guy. the dog was adorable as it was a real old dog and had a bow round its waist, it was really lovely and walked on the main stage during the wedding as if to say "look at me!"
i didnt finish until 21.12 so pretty much 12 hours of shooting. took over 800 shots total. got home, had a few drinks to relax after all the stress then headed out to see jacqui at kubar. she was in fancy dress for her mates birthday and she looked really lovely. i was pretty sober at first as i didnt drink at the wedding (mistake++! i felt much less creative!) but i soon caught up, her friends are really funny especially one girl called katie who i think has it in for me after i pranked her with the harry potter ending the other week; she tried to poke me in the eye with her sword, and nearly got me! ha ha. when we left (after electric dreams!!) we went to the pizza shop and jacqui nicked the sign again lol..you could tell it was brand new and this time i drew a witch on the broomstick so now i have CAUTION: BREAKDANCING and DANGER: WITCHES. result. she also bought creamed cabbage and i wouldnt dare try it. she had one bit and left it in the shop. RANK. Pak Chooie UNF.
Sunday
sat about all day watching films, and it was very very nice.
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[27 Jul 2007|02:46am] |
I don't need to be anything other
Than a prison guard's son
I don't need to be anything other
Than a specialist's son
I don't have to be anyone other
Than the birth of two souls in one
Part of where I'm going, is knowing where I'm coming from
I don't want to be
Anything other than what I've been trying to be lately
All I have to do
Is think of me and I have peace of mind
I'm tired of looking 'round rooms
Wondering what I've got to do
Or who I'm supposed to be
I don't want to be anything other than me
I'm surrounded by liars everywhere I turn
I'm surrounded by imposters everywhere I turn
I'm surrounded by identity crisis everywhere I turn
Am I the only one who noticed?
I can't be the only one who's learned!
Can I have everyone's attention please?
If you're not like this and that, you're gonna have to leave
I came from the mountain
The crust of creation
My whole situation-made from clay to stone
And now I'm telling everybody
Tonight was ace. Shes just ace.
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dravensrain's journal