Suefromengland asked me to do this about 3 months ago - always was rather slow but here goes...

Top three things that.....

scare me:
The dark (not good now the clocks have gone back)
Creepy films
Getting stuck under a boat (would that ever happen?)

make me laugh:
My family and friends
The people I work with
QI

I hate:
Dogs
Tony Blair and George Bush (ok so I don't know them but I don't like what they are doing)
Not being right!

I don't understand:
The political situation in Afghanistan
How this computer works
Why I'm the only one in the family who is able to load the dishwasher

I want to do do before I die:
Have a long and happy retirement
See a firework display at Sydney Harbour
Understand the political situation in Afghanistan (just joking)

I can:
Play the piano
Knit
Make my kids laugh (with me or at me I'm not sure)

I can't:
Ride a bike (honest I can't)
Swim more than a length of a very short pool
Forget all the bad things any-one has ever told me (and I mean all - that's some baggage!)

I'm listening to:
Tom talking to my mum on the phone
My tummy rumbling
Radio 5 live

I like to drink:
Wine
Coffee (with milk and sugar please)
Gin and tonic (if I'm feeling flash)

That's all folks....

I was on the London Underground this morning - the tube just came to my stop and as I got out I heard the alarm go off in the next carriage. I could see a very large rucksack on the seat with no owner.

All the people on that carriage piled off - at some speed.

What I found amazing was how the different people reacted next. Some just went into another carriage - as if to say - if it blows I'll be ok here and I don't want anything to disrupt my journey. The rest of the group stood on the platform pointing - probably the same distance to the suspect rucksack as they had been when they were on the train.

Me - I moved as fast as you can without breaking into an all out dash.....

Yesterday at work we were discussing an ex-colleague (Jane) who left about 6 months ago. Laura had met up with her and said that Jane was a bit disappointed that Caroline (who she lived nearby) had not been in touch since she had left. (still with me?)

This conversation got me thinking about whether it was fair of Jane to complain about Caroline when she could have just as easily got in touch with her. (now I've lost you!)

What is the etiquette here? Is the onus on the person remaining employed to keep in contact with the ex-employee - or does it illustrate that the 'friendship' was a wee bit on the shallow side in the first place?

An old school friend of mine wrote me a letter recently complaining I hadn't been in touch for ages. In fact if we are going to be picky I had written to her last - and in the last year she could easily have contacted me if she wanted to. I think I am an easy person to push on a guilt trip. Which reminds me - there's another friend (if she still counts me as one) who I said I'd ring back next week - about 6 months ago....