Airports
So here I am sitting in the middle of groundside at London Stansted Airport, chewing up my laptop battery by using a wireless hotspot to access the Internet. Why? Because I can! Would be nice if I could find a mains power point somewhere that I’m allowed to use to top up the battery, but no real bad thing if it doesn’t last. I’ve already written about 1,500 words sat here before I came online, so NaNoWriMo proceeds quite nicely.
But I figured while I’m here I should write a blog entry and let people know what I’m doing, because I’ve been quite lax lately. The reason I’m at Stansted, as some of you will know, is because I’m going to Germany. The reason I’m bored enough to spend six quid on an OpenZone one hour access pass is because I got here at 9am and the flight doesn’t leave until 13:45. Consequently the checkin desks aren’t even open yet.
Why, you may ask, did I do such a stupid thing? Basically, Mum has to work today (she doesn’t usually work Fridays) so it was either get a lift to the station with her, or get the bus to the station. Actually, two buses. Now those of you who know me well may know what I think of Cambridge buses, so you won’t really be surprised at my choice. After all, I’ve got the laptop and my iPod and my NaNoWriMo novel to write. And indeed that’s what I’m doing! Sitting here listening to Danú on my iPod (for those of you wondering, they’re an Irish folk group, very good), and writing my story. Well, a blog entry at the moment, but I was writing my story, honest!
Current word count is 16,700 or so, by the way.
I’ve been off work all week and will be off next week, using up holiday. Gotta love that, taking time off for no reason other than that I can. Fabulous. I have to use at least two more days after this as well, before the end of December, as I’m only allowed to carry five over into next year. I suspect I’ll use that some time around Christmas.
Sunday was Halloween of course, and once more those you know me well will have no surprise that I spent it celebrating the Pagan Sabbat known as Samhain (it’s Celtic, you pronounce it ’sow-en’, or at least that’s how everyone usually pronounces it in this country). We had a most fantastic venue for it in the middle of some woods, with a fire and a huge circle marked out with about fifty little tealights, nice quarter candles (which stayed alight for once, makes a change from Litha), the largest God and Goddess candles on the altar I have ever seen, and a very nicely planned ritual by Spiral Circle. Kudos to you guys for that, and if you want to invite me to any more rituals, I’ll attend like a shot!
It was rather odd to gather in a car park, a group of witches to celebrate Halloween, and see all the little kiddies dressed up as witches and ghosts and assorted monsters going out trick-or-treating, or to a Halloween party that seemed to be happening nearby. I wonder what they would have thought if they’d known what we were doing? Probably not best to find out experimentally, as it might upset the little dears and we wouldn’t want that. A shame though, as it shouldn’t — we’re perfectly harmless.
Heh, the airport announcer is reminding everyone that people aren’t allowed to ride on the luggage trolleys. Show how bored that it’s possible to get at an airport I guess.
What else have I been up to? Ah yes. Built a computer for Richard, got a book on compiler design, arranged to go to Nottingham next Monday to talk to potential PhD supervisors (that’s let the cat out of the bag at work if anyone there is still reading my blog — don’t worry, I’m not leaving yet), made some fudge, scowled at some people, wrote a lot of words, watched Battlestar Galactica (the new series, very good, will keep watching it) and watched Strictly Come Dancing with a surprising (to me) amount of interest. A shame I’m going to miss it, I should ask Mum and Dad to record it I think. and Smallville and Stargate SG-1 on Sunday.
iCal just popped up to remind me that I’ve got to catch my plane in three hours time. should be able to check in in an hour I think… fingers crossed to get rid of this enormous bag.
Just about time to wrap this up I think. See you when I get back from Germany, I should have lots of good photos to post as the scenery where I’m going is incredible, and I intend to capture as much of it as possible. Might even get some good source material to give this site a bit of a face lift, as really I have to face the fact that it’s just a slightly tweaked default template at the moment.
And with that, auf wiedersehen!
