Frohe Weihnachten!

It's twenty to nine and I'm feeling pretty damn full. Here in Germany, Christmas Eve is the big present opening day. We traditionally wait till nine o'clock in my family. I'm at a bit of a loose end really so it's xmas blog time!

It was lovely to see Sofie again in Geneva and catch up. I was only sorry I couldn't stay longer really, but hopefully she'll be coming up to see me soon.
Pitt was there at the platform as promised. He's going to propose! Laura's as computer-literate as a dead chicken so I'm safe enough writing about it here. They've been together for ever anyway, but it's nice that they're making it official.

I'm a bit worried about Papa. He's making an effort to hide it, but he has something on his mind, I know it! He smiles with the rest of us, but he looks sad when he's lost in thought. I'm going to try and talk to him, see if I can't bully it out of him.

The twins are lively as ever, although Mikael has a sore throat. I told him it's because he screams all the time. He screamed at me and ran off laughing. Little git. They've been itchy all day for their presents. I can't blame them really, it must be awfully dull to spend Christmas in a house full of adults. They're going to see a friend on the 26th which I'm sure they'll enjoy.


Cards!

Jack Bauer really is a bit of a dick.

Do you know, Frieburg is twinned with Guildford? That's quite sad really. Somewhere in Germany is a Guildfordian with dual nationality working for a multinational who can't wait to get home.

Speaking of which:












































Had a bit of relief from Excel today, Veronica asked me to translate a few things into English for her. They get me to do that now and then, documents that need sending off, that sort of thing.

Meanwhile, I've run out of chocolate Pretzels. I'll have to get Neil to bring me some back from his trip to NY.

I can't sleep. Papa called me this evening, he said he couldn't wait to see me. He sounded so sad, I hope everything's ok. I'm sure I'm imagining things.

Meanwhile, I'm making my way through the first season of 24. That doesn't help sleep either, really.

Everyone was pretty downcast today, what with the Emersons and all that. I wasn't given much in the way of distraction from the spreadsheets - except passing on a call to Fred S. What joy.

At any rate, not long now. One more week till Christmas, hurray! I've got my tickets booked back to Frieburg. I'm leaving on Friday, going to see an old friend in Geneva first. It's the horrors of Easyjet followed by the joys of the SBB. I'm getting into Frieburg pretty late, half past midnight on Christmas day. Pitt says he's going to meet me on the platform before we go home, which is nice. He has something to tell me.

Caught the last twenty minutes of The Culture Show. Spielberg's a phony.

Workload

To all who've followed the move: thanks. Sorry, I really don't like Livejournal. I think it was a change for the best.

Work's pretty tough these days. Rob wants us all to 'pull out all the stops', which is easy for him to say because he's not the one with the twenty two Excel sheets to compare over the next week. Now it's twenty past ten on Sunday and I'm delaying going to bed because that means the next thing will be get-up time which means a bus trip to spreadsheets. Joy. Vero's promised me a few clients for after Christmas, that's something to look forward to.


Meanwhile it's tragedy at The Village. Holly and Edward Emerson (neither of whom I've met) were victims to some sort of accident. No one's being very clear on details, but they will of course be sadly missed by those who knew them.
I wish The Village wasn't so secretive. It can't be healthy for the company, all it does is encourage gossip among us jealous types in the Edinburgh offices. They say that tropes are going to usher in a new entertainment medium. I asked Vero about it, she reckons they're just afraid of competition. The U-Media execs are a pretty paranoid bunch apparently, I guess they think we're all working for Paramount or Universal or something.
In other news we've got new vending machines and, guess what, they eat my change too. However, they do it with so much more style. They're a kind of brushed steel jobby with a tray that moves up to the right shelf when you've chosen your choc bar or crisps. I think this is so that they don't get stuck and we don't get caught on camera hitting the machines again. Everyone around here is paranoid about company image - like the security guards give a shit.

I'm being unfair. I've worked in far worse places than U-Media. I don't think these guys will lay me off without explanation and I do think I've got a decent chance at promotion this time round. The YEP works its small wonders and the atmosphere's usually quite pleasant. Somehow there's always a lack of staples though.