Internet Woes: a General Account of the Recent Past
14th Sept:
I’ve moved into my new shared house now, and one of my housemates has turned up today. There is no broadband here at the moment so I’m typing this up for posting later.
I have come to a rather disconcerting truth about myself. I moved into the house yesterday, and after taking all my stuff out of its boxes, it still didn’t feel like a home. Feeling vaguely ridiculous as I was doing so, I carried out a simple greeting to the ‘household gods’ and introduced myself out loud. Now as things go I don’t consider myself particularly devout when it comes to my faith, in fact I often identify as agnostic in my day to day life, but that simple act has really helped my new house feel like a home.
Can a placebo effect still make you feel better when you know it’s a placebo?
24 hours later, 15th Sept:
So the aforementioned housemate was going out to leaving drinks for a Japanese international student last night, and on the spur of the moment invited me along. I went, and ended up making a couple of new friends so that’s all good.
I will say this now. I am a relatively light drinker and thusly lightweight, because I like the taste but dislike not being in complete control of myself. As it stands, I have never been out-of-my-face-blackout-drunk. Last night (over a seven hour period-ish) had a ½ of cheap cider, a cocktail (at the prompt and insistence of the assembled), later on that night about a ½ of Asahi beer (which I didn’t really like much, but hey politeness) and also a couple of sips of others’ cocktails and beers (with permission) for comparison. I was not drunk by any means, but comfortably relaxed. This morning I had no hangover, but my stomach has been grumpy since I fell into bed at 4am. Could be the combination of alcohols, could be my poor diet, a mixture of the two or some unknown other factor.
Have taken delivery of the new box of internetrickery. Waiting on the arrival of “General” Ben with the activation account details and we’ll be cooking on gas!
Somewhat later, 15th/16th:
Ben is here! And because we are just that epic we have created a massive couch/blanket/airer fort in the living room. The internet has been set up but is being rather difficult at the moment.
16th:
Blanket fort still in place this morning. Internet still temperamental. Ben rang the provider, apparently there’s some maintenance going on. Waiting for it to be completed is so annoying.
17th:
Still no internet. Bored out of skull. Will wash, dress and decamp to the university library to check DA and LJ. Might pop to town and see about a cheap mirror and a hand towel for the downstairs loo. Rereading Pullman’s Northern Lights and trying to cross-reference Lyra’s Oxford with ours. It would seem that Jordan College sits on the site of either Exeter or Lincoln College, but could almost as easily be All Souls. Damn it, I’ll have to research this more now.
17th, later on:
Internet finally working. Pullman’s Jordan is an analogue of Exeter College. Microwave arrived. Hand towel, mirror and bedside lamp were bought. Torchwood finale watched, Strictly Come Dancing Launch Show watched (Oh my, SO MUCH LOLsquee). Next stop dinner.
18th:
Argh, internet still is being infuriating. Posting this when I have a 5min connection...
I’ve moved into my new shared house now, and one of my housemates has turned up today. There is no broadband here at the moment so I’m typing this up for posting later.
I have come to a rather disconcerting truth about myself. I moved into the house yesterday, and after taking all my stuff out of its boxes, it still didn’t feel like a home. Feeling vaguely ridiculous as I was doing so, I carried out a simple greeting to the ‘household gods’ and introduced myself out loud. Now as things go I don’t consider myself particularly devout when it comes to my faith, in fact I often identify as agnostic in my day to day life, but that simple act has really helped my new house feel like a home.
Can a placebo effect still make you feel better when you know it’s a placebo?
24 hours later, 15th Sept:
So the aforementioned housemate was going out to leaving drinks for a Japanese international student last night, and on the spur of the moment invited me along. I went, and ended up making a couple of new friends so that’s all good.
I will say this now. I am a relatively light drinker and thusly lightweight, because I like the taste but dislike not being in complete control of myself. As it stands, I have never been out-of-my-face-blackout-drunk. Last night (over a seven hour period-ish) had a ½ of cheap cider, a cocktail (at the prompt and insistence of the assembled), later on that night about a ½ of Asahi beer (which I didn’t really like much, but hey politeness) and also a couple of sips of others’ cocktails and beers (with permission) for comparison. I was not drunk by any means, but comfortably relaxed. This morning I had no hangover, but my stomach has been grumpy since I fell into bed at 4am. Could be the combination of alcohols, could be my poor diet, a mixture of the two or some unknown other factor.
Have taken delivery of the new box of internetrickery. Waiting on the arrival of “General” Ben with the activation account details and we’ll be cooking on gas!
Somewhat later, 15th/16th:
Ben is here! And because we are just that epic we have created a massive couch/blanket/airer fort in the living room. The internet has been set up but is being rather difficult at the moment.
16th:
Blanket fort still in place this morning. Internet still temperamental. Ben rang the provider, apparently there’s some maintenance going on. Waiting for it to be completed is so annoying.
17th:
Still no internet. Bored out of skull. Will wash, dress and decamp to the university library to check DA and LJ. Might pop to town and see about a cheap mirror and a hand towel for the downstairs loo. Rereading Pullman’s Northern Lights and trying to cross-reference Lyra’s Oxford with ours. It would seem that Jordan College sits on the site of either Exeter or Lincoln College, but could almost as easily be All Souls. Damn it, I’ll have to research this more now.
17th, later on:
Internet finally working. Pullman’s Jordan is an analogue of Exeter College. Microwave arrived. Hand towel, mirror and bedside lamp were bought. Torchwood finale watched, Strictly Come Dancing Launch Show watched (Oh my, SO MUCH LOLsquee). Next stop dinner.
18th:
Argh, internet still is being infuriating. Posting this when I have a 5min connection...