What's in a name

Hi guys

I've decided to be a bit more adventurous with my titles now that I'm posting every Friday. I will also post some surprise updates whenever something exciting happens and I just have to tell you all. Nothing has happened this week though. I always take this as a positive; better for nothing to happen than to have something terrible happen, I guess. Work has been boring. There have been no assignments to go to and so Nick and I have spent time going through some old files and generally having a tidy up in the office. It's weird really - it's like we haven't had that much to say to each other because we've had no weirdos to talk about and we are avoiding the subject of our on-off romance. I feel as though moving past the line of friendship has ruined our friendship somehow. I think he isn't talking to me because I refuse to go out with him properly. I know he is reading this but I am not going to worry about that anymore because I want my blog to reflect my true feelings.

Anyway, as I've nothing exciting to write about I thought I would discuss names. Oh, I did get some news; my friend Nikki in Australia has announced her pregnancy. I have told her to make sure she gives her child a good, modern name. It seems to be trendy right now to name your child after an old biddy. Now don't get me wrong. I've got nothing against old biddies, in fact I love them - they make me laugh and I will be one, one day, but I have got something against these modern parents calling their child Arthur, Gladys or Ethel. These names aren't meant for anyone under 60! Why are people doing this? Nikki has promised not to do it, but I'm not holding my breath. I've been saddled with a name more suited to someone older and I wouldn't want to inflict that on a poor little defencesless.

I was watching the news the other day and there was this bit on it about the London 2012 olympics and they were talking to Fatima Whitbread - one of the greatest athletes of all time, in my opinion. The reporter asked her what was the inspiration for her sporting career. I can't remember what she said now but I bet it was her name. I have always felt sorry for her. Fatima! I bet she was so determined not to be fati by nature as well as by name that she started to make sure she didn't put on weight. The only way you could shorten Fatima (and kids always shorten names, don't they?) is to call her Fati or Fat ; both equally insulting. I'm not surprised she is known for her great sporting prowess and physique. I suppose you could say, if this was a possible reason for her sporting career, that her name was her success, I suppose. She is the exception though. Please readers, do not call your child a name that will get them picked on in school. Lila knew a girl, when she was living in America, who was called Annette Ball - what were her parents thinking!

Anyway, I've said my piece. Tonight I've arranged for the girls to come round to my apartment for a pizza and a chick flick. Lila can't make it because she has a date; someone she met while browsing for mobile phones, apparently. She said their eyes met over the gadget display counter. Weird.

Wishing you all a great weekend and until next time,

Callie signing off

xxx

Washed-out Wednesday

Guys,

So sorry I've not posted. I got called away on a work assignment - more about that later. I'll start by continuing from where I left off; I went to Ella's for our girly night out and Erin and Lila were also there. Ella's house is goregous now that it's been decorated. We spent some time mixing some cocktails before heading out on the town. Ella got a cocktail book for Christmas and we had some weird concoctions. My favourite one had baileys in it, some sort of fruit juice, brandy and topped with whipped cream, chocolate flakes and glace cherries. Yum. I felt sort of sick after tasting some of the others including one which had pernod and cider in it. (not very cocktaily I know).

It turned out to be a bit of a man hunt. All of us are single at the moment. Ella has just broken up with the rocker she's been dating. Apparently, some of her work colleagues disapproved and as she works in social services she thought she'd better dump him. Ella puts her work first. I couldn't do her job. She has to go to people's houses who treat their children terribly and some of the people she deals with are rude and sometimes aggressive. Erin is still living with her mum. She's got a new job as a teaching assistant. She likes it so far but the deputy headmistress is a bit of a pain and causes her grief sometimes. Lila is still waiting for her X-factor audition but in the meantime she keeps the job centre staff smiling by applying for as many jobs she knows she won't get as she can.

Anyway, we all went into town last week and we were drunk before we even got into the local niteclub, "Taffy's". It plays really cheesy music and a lot of sad old men in their forties go in there with their shirts open and big medallions on and other younger lads go in there wearing tracky bottoms tucked into knee high socks. There is no dress code and, to be honest, most of the men that go in there are not my type (and that's putting it kindly). Last week was pretty much the same as most weeks. Lila ended up talking to a young dark-skinned man who looked like a drug-dealer to me, but she liked him and said he was a nurse (well he certainly prescribes medication, I thought.) The only man who talked to me was about thirty and he had a geordie accent. He was working on a building site near me. That was the only bit I could understand. He wasn't ugly but he wasn't nice either. I made my excuses and spent the rest of the night dancing with Ella. Erin went home early because she was sick in the toilets. We made sure she got a taxi ok. And that was that really. It was a good night just catching up with the girls. We had a laugh and we said we'd make it a regular thing, at least once a month. Only the next time we'd go somewhere with more talent.


Anyway, I didn;t get to see the Agatha Christie girl because Nick and I got sent on a job. Our boss sent us all the way to Ireland because a local newspaper there was doing something similar to us and we had a sort of work swap thing where two of their staff came to England and we went to Ireland. We both got to learn things about how each other's organisations worked. In short, it was a bit of a jolly with lots of drinking (especially in Ireland!) and lots of irish dancing. I loved it. I would move there if I could. We didn't even get that much work done. It seems that they pretty much did the same things we did and so we spent most of the time meeting some very strange people and discussing them over alcohol later on. Nick tried it on a few times but I maintained my dignity and told him that I really didn't think it was a good idea for us to get together because it might compromise our working relationship. He insists that he will wear me down. We will have to see about that. Anyway, I'm going to sign off now because I'm off to the gym. After my recent trip to Ireland I have a few pounds to shift.


Take care and until next time,

Callie signing off xxx

Fat Friday

Hi guys

Hope you're all ok. I've had a bit of a boring week, well I say boring, but what I really mean is crappy really.  I was off sick for the first part of it and the more I lay in bed feeling sorry for myself the more I kept thinking about Nick. I'd given up thinking about Scott, but as I lay there stuffing myself with the eclairs that Lila kindly brought round to me (feed a cold, remember) I heard a knock on the door and I expected it to be Mum but when I opened it I almost collapsed when I saw it was Scott. I looked absolutely terrible (well there was no point in dressing up was there?) I had my smiley- faced pattern pyjamas on, my hair was unwashed (and had been for 4 days) and my skin was pale - exept for my red nose. He instinctively moved back, horrified obviously.

He had a bunch of flowers for me. I asked him how he knew I would be home on a Tuesday afternoon and he said Nick had told him I was sick and it turned out that he had also had a go at Scott and told him that if he didn't want to be with me anymore he should tell me so Nick could ask me out.

Anyway, I asked him what he wanted and he said that he did still like me and he'd just been busy with work and he was thinking carefully about us because he didn't really want to get serious with anyone who had a jealous streak. I told him that all women have jealous streaks, but most manage to keep them under control.

I told Scott that I wasn't sure I wanted to get serious with someone who could avoid all contact with me for such a long time. I told him that it would have been polite if he'd at least texted me to say that he was working, but he said he was too busy to do this and I said that if he was too busy to text me then he was someone I definitely didn't want to be with. And so that's that. We are officially over. At least I have closure now, though.

I went into work today and I told Nick about Scott and me but now he thinks that I want to get back with him. (Nick, if you're reading this I don't want to get with you either. Sorry but I want to keep work and my personal life separate.) I told Nick this at work but he said he is keeping his hopes up. He said he might have to look for a new job so we could date and I told him that if he left me in the lurch at work I wouldn't go out with him anyway. Oh well, I'm going to Mum's tonight. She's making her casserole (she always makes too much). After that Lila and I are hitting the town. I'm still recovering from the lurgy and so we'll only go the local karaoke bar. I've also been in touch with Ella and Erin and I've finally set up a date for a girls' night out. Tomorrow. We are all meeting up at Ella's. She's finally decorated so she's eager to show off. I've missed the girls so much.

We have a good few jobs lined up next week too. I'm supposed to be going to see a guinea-rabbit ( a cross between a guinea-pig and a rabbit- apparently it is impossible for such an animal to exist) and a girl who claims she is posessed by the spirit of Agatha Christie. Exciting stuff.

Anyway, I wish you all a great weekend and I will let you know more about my life when I update next week. Until then,


Callie signing off

xxx

Slouchy Sunday

Hi Guys

So sorry I've not updated my blog recently. There are two reasons; firstly, I've been ill. I think it all started when I really didn't want to go to work and face Nick after what happened over Christmas. I became so stressed out with it all that I think I brought on this horrible illness. I felt like I'd had all the energy ripped out of me and my muscles and bones felt as though they were on fire.

Unfortunately, this did nothing to deter Nick who, when he found out I was ill, came knocking at my door with a huge bowl of chicken soup. The last thing I wanted was for him to see me without make-up, my hair greasy and unwashed and my face pale, spotty and just plain ugly if I'm honest. He didn't seem to mind though as he force-fed me soup while telling me all about the girl with the x-ray eyes he'd been to see. Nothing usually gets to Nick but she was amazing, apparently. He'd hidden various objects in several boxes and she was able to "see" inside and correctly name which object was in 9 out of 10 boxes. Weird. When I was listening to him, though, all I could think about was that kiss and how kind he was. Even without beer goggles I had to admit that there was a growing attraction between us. I still hadn't heard from Scott so I probably could start a relationship with Nick, but my determination to keep work and pleasure separate was the only thing stopping me.

The other reason I've not blogged is that I found out that Nick reads my posts! How bad is that? I guess when I first started writing them I hadn't considered that people I know would actually read and take an interest. Now he knows all my deepest thoughts and so I must be careful what I write in future, boo hoo. He has promised that he won't read them again but can he be trusted? I guess I'll just have to take the risk.

Anyway, I can't remember if I've already said it or not - Happy New Year to you all.

Callie signing off

xxx