Life is riddled with a procession of minor impediments

[Noisybast]

Over the last few days, I've developed a large lump in the side of my neck. It's not especially painful, but slightly tender to the touch. Off to the doc's later this afternoon to get it checked out. Of course, this will mean I owe work two hours...

[Rog69]

Fingers crossed that its just a big zit or something.

I just went back to work today after a two week break. Work has been a bit stressful of late so I took the decision to switch off my work phone, laptop and Ipad for the duration.

I switched it all back on this morning and work hadn't even tried bothering me but I did miss a text offering me an extra ticket to go and see the new batman film on Imax and another inviting me to a party.

[Noisybast]

Theory is it's a swollen gland. Question is, why?
Blood tests will ensue - booked in for Wednesday morning.

[staticgirl]

There's lymph gland round about there. Mine swells up all the time when fighting minor infections - always when I get a cold. They are probably just being careful if yours has swollen especially large.

[HdE]

Grin and bear it, Noisybast - I've had that happen as well. I'm sure it'll be nothing to worry about.

Meantime, I had to sacrifice a big chunk of my day to compose a letter of complaint to a convention organiser about the behaviour of one of his underlings.

I HATE doing this sort of thing, but I feel it's necessary. Said underling has been abusing his position in attempts to secure pro work in comics - an aim which has also seen him resort to telling outright lies and treading all over other hopefuls to get where he wants to be.

The situation makes my blood boil, but I wouldn't be posting this unless I was fairly certain his goose was finally cooked. He's got away with this behaviour for a few years, but not any more.

I just hate that it's taking up my time.

[WhitBloke]

Just got myself feeling really settled in the new WhitCave, got everything either how I like it or how I can put up with it until I can be bothered to change it, say, after the Olympics... yes, the next Olympics, knowing me... even finally treated myself to a very pleasing vintage ring-dial wall-hanging telephone with the most beautiful old black GPO sheen... the WhitPhone, if you will... private number, just for close friends and family, nobody else, certainly not work, ever... oh, and Commissioner Gordon when I become a billionaire vigilante... and now the damn thing's going off every sodding night at times like 2.30, 4.30, 5.45 thanks to a series of different-each-night robo-numbers seemingly way up in bastard Leicester.  (Actually, I've got nothing against Leicester per se; great bookshop, genial tramps as I recall, but been some years and they might be closed and dead.)
I 1471 the buggers and all I get is some ringing and beeping.  Wrong numbers I can handle.  Prank callers can at least be immediately called inventively vicious names.  This isn't even cold calling crap.  This is something else.  Nobody I don't love had this number.  It's a faceless auto-telephonic night-siege and you wouldn't believe how irritable it's leaving me as a res... 

...shit...

Just realised... on top of realising it's left me more irritable than capable of the simplest waking thought...  I'm taking it off the hook when I go to bed and trusting the mobile for whatever the next legitimate emergency is.  And solution or not, that's irritating, too.  And so will the undoubtedly bureaucrapic process of finding some way of stopping all this.

[Dandontdare]

sign up your number to the Telephone Prefernce Service - this should mean that you don't get cold-callers. Doesn't always work, and there's nothing to stop companies ringing you if the number's in the phone book, but it should cut down the calls. And if any do get through, just mention the TPS and they hang up pretty quickly. Or if it's the same number, get BT to block it (but there's a fee for this)

I'm getting plagued by "claiming for mis-sold PPI" calls on both my landline and mobile at the moment. One of the chaps was very helpful though, saying I should only be on his list if I'd taken a mortgage, loan or credit card which I've never done. I think I'd better do a credit check to see if anyone's using my details.

[WhitBloke]

You diamond!  Sounds just the ticket, Dandontdare.  I'd forgotten that TPS thing.  Thanks.  Oh, and best of swift luck with sorting your own handset hardships.  I know a little of how the "Listen, please, for the last time: I've never wanted a loan, that's why I've never taken one or should be claiming PPI, so now it's loud swearing time, right in that poncy little headset of yours!" routine plays out.  Stupid me, I guess the TPS for this new line just hadn't occurred.  Must be the lack of sleep.  (Well, that's my excuse...)

[radiator]

I'm on my way to a wedding, it's for friends of my girlfriend, and while they're nice people, en masse they can be a nightmare.

I only know a handful of people that are going, and even then they'll only be lucid for an hour or two before everything inevitably spirals put of control.

I'm heading straight for the booze.

[A.Cow]

... all I get is some ringing and beeping.

Actually, I'm not sure TPS will help.

If it's just beeps it's likely a fax or modem at the other end.  Somebody thinks your number is also a machine.  Probably an embedded data reporting system, if the calls are at the same time each night.

In that case your only solution is to get the phone company to track the source.

[Dandontdare]

a lot of cold-calling companies will use auto-diallers that call, say 100 number simultaneously. They may only have 20 operators, so if 30 calls are answered, 10 will just hear a beep and then silence. I complained to BT once cos I thought I had a 'silent-caller' stalker, but they said it was almost certainly this. Joined the TPS on their advice and they stopped.

Can't get rid of these PPI drokkers though!

[staticgirl]

If the beepins is continuous then that does soun d like some kind of fax or data link. The telephone company might be able to do a trace and block.

If it's one beep then silent that's the auto-dialler for the cold calling companies. It's illegal in this country (some companies ignore) but not in forrin.

[vzzbux]

Check up on my broken big toe tomorrow. TBH I don't think it has healed. Already had 6 weeks off Stat sick pay, I don't mind being off work as it coincided with the kids being off school but such a shit weekly pay out is a bit of a downer.




V

[Rog69]

Stuck at work on a night shift for at least another 6 hours and both stalls in the gents look like somebody locked a doubly incontinent zoo animal in them all day and I'm touching cloth.

[SmallBlueThing]

"Read the all-oo-min-um sign."

"Aluminium. It's got a 'u' in it."

Excuse me, am i going mad? Surely the 'problem' with american pronunciation of 'aluminium' isnt that it's missing the 'u', but that it's missing the second 'i'?

SBT