Random Thoughts

[Who Shot Sam?]

We had the "Secret Santa" deal at work today. Two people (men) received anal beads, one woman received flavored sex lubricant and another guy got a box of "chocolate willies". This is the European Finance Department ......and somehow I'm going to miss working in England.

Reminds me of the dildo episode of The Office. What is it with the Brits and sex toys?

[so lacklustre]

let me know if you don't want your anal beads.

[Boy With A Problem]

Fortunately I received a coffee mug.

[Who Shot Sam?]

let me know if you don't want your anal beads.

For sale: One set anal beads - gently used.

BWAP, best to unload that sort of thing before you get funny looks at US customs!

[Who Shot Sam?]

let me know if you don't want your anal beads.

For sale: One set anal beads - gently used.

BWAP, best to unload that sort of thing before you get funny looks at US customs!

[BlueChair]

1 1/2 hours to go until my winter vacation... wheeeeeee

[Boy With A Problem]

let me know if you don't want your anal beads.

For sale: One set anal beads - gently used.

and dishwasher safe.

[verbal gymnastics]

For sale: One set anal beads - gently used.

Or "One set of anal beads - barely lubed"

Rectum - it sure did!

[StrictTime]

Winter vacation, yay!

[DrSpooky]

You Brits have much better work parties than I have ever been to.

[verbal gymnastics]

We had ours last week and the most recent addition to our staff ticked off every box in the "Things you should not do at your Christmas party" list.

It was car crash stuff.

[Otis Westinghouse]

[ ] Make a pass at the managing director
[ ] Vomit on the carpet
[ ] Naked arse on photocopier
[ ] Confession to supporting any of the London clubs, especially those in the top 5 of the Premiership

[Who Shot Sam?]

Just had a good little chuckle with the family, watching Gordon Ramsay lay into that French chef in California on Kitchen Nightmares. Of course, Ramsay's an asshole with a capital A, but he can deliver an excellent rant. My father in law thought his hearing aid was going off with all the expletives they had to bleep.

[Otis Westinghouse]

Ramsay with the expletives bleeped must be very painful! Whilst his tactics are questionable, he always gets the result. I watch KN with a sense of awe. Never mind how lost the cause, he seems to turn it around. One exception was an Englishwoman in Paris, whose fortunes he did reverse, after hilariously carrying the total waster of a Brazilian chef she was using down the street to banish him. But when he revisited, the lazy good-for-rien owner had blown it again by not bothering. the silver lining was that he took on the dedicated, enthusiastic new young chef he'd brought in to replace Brazilian spliffboy on in one of his London joints.

[Boy With A Problem]

Whilst his tactics are questionable, he always gets the result. .

Of course he gets the result - it's made for tv. Columbo always solves the case.

[Who Shot Sam?]

Ramsay with the expletives bleeped must be very painful! Whilst his tactics are questionable, he always gets the result. I watch KN with a sense of awe. Never mind how lost the cause, he seems to turn it around. One exception was an Englishwoman in Paris, whose fortunes he did reverse, after hilariously carrying the total waster of a Brazilian chef she was using down the street to banish him. But when he revisited, the lazy good-for-rien owner had blown it again by not bothering. the silver lining was that he took on the dedicated, enthusiastic new young chef he'd brought in to replace Brazilian spliffboy on in one of his London joints.

I am sure that that French dude has hauled all of his frighteningly ugly decor back into the dining room, re-introduced his "signature dishes" to the menu and stopped cleaning his kitchen again. I can't see why anyone would want to visit one of Ramsay's project restaurants - these people clearly have problems that go deeper than anything Ramsay can solve in a few days.

[mood swung]

Merry Christmas, peeps.

[Who Shot Sam?]

Merry Christmas everyone! Almost time for me to get started on my Swedish meatballs.

[StrictTime]

Very Merry!

Modest Christmas here, 2 Dr. John, Coltrane, and tickets for Dr. John at the Keswick in February...aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mood swung]

So, who else had to work today?

[Who Shot Sam?]

So, who else had to work today?

Tomorrow, ugh!

Today we went down to the Metropolitan Museum to see the Age of Rembrandt exhibition and the incredible Baroque tapestries. Dinner at an Italian place in the East Village. I do not want to be back at work tomorrow.

[Otis Westinghouse]

Sounds like a good exhibition. Is it snowy there? I'm off till the 2nd. I hate to rub it in, but it's great. I really need this - midwinter battery recharge, etc. And it's great that no-one expects me to be there or will, I hope, be sending me emails. I'm not letting myself even think about work, and there's so much to think about there too! It's great being fully domestically focussed. Our families are almost entirely not in England, so it's semi-sad not seeing them all at this time, but it's also great just to be our own cosy little unit. Commiserations for those who have to work this week.

[Who Shot Sam?]

Sounds like a good exhibition. Is it snowy there?

No snow, but driving rain all the way home last night.

The Met has some incredible Rembrandts and five lovely Vermeers and they were all on display, as well as some great canvases by Frans Hals and Gerard ter Borch. They were displayed in the order in which they were acquired by/donated to the museum. Of course, for every five Rembrandts one of the major collectors purchased at the time (mostly late 1800s), two to three of them have been shown to be paintings done in Rembrandt's style, rather than originals!






Some of the tapestries were just unbelievable - massive in scale and you can just immerse yourself in all the little details. This is a little section of one of them, depicting a naval battle. Doesn't really do it justice.

[Otis Westinghouse]

Great images. Amazing that the Met has five Vermeers. Five out of 36! The Frick has three. Two ninths of all Vermeer within a few blocks of NY.

http://www.essentialvermeer.com/museum_pages.html#MET

I'm saving the Met for when I next go to NY, though did see all the wonderful Frick on my first visit. Sounds like a great exhibition. Did the kids last long? Even my teenage son who's doing art for GCSE (16 year old exams) and reasonably interested can't handle too much of it in one go. I always fall ages behind the rest of the family on such trips.

[Who Shot Sam?]

Great images. Amazing that the Met has five Vermeers. Five out of 36! The Frick has three. Two ninths of all Vermeer within a few blocks of NY.

http://www.essentialvermeer.com/museum_pages.html#MET

I'm saving the Met for when I next go to NY, though did see all the wonderful Frick on my first visit. Sounds like a great exhibition. Did the kids last long? Even my teenage son who's doing art for GCSE (16 year old exams) and reasonably interested can't handle too much of it in one go. I always fall ages behind the rest of the family on such trips.

Indeed. The Frick is just one block south, across the street from the Met. I mentioned the same thing when we walked up to the subway. Pretty incredible.

My kids did not go - thank God. Just me and the missus, my brother in law and his fiancée. It's best to plan to see a few things at the Met and get out, rather than overdosing. Easier for those of us who live close-by, of course.