tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:10:48 +0000My life in Taipei and then UKhttp://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/goblinblog.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)Blogger707125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-4330044420834189897Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:10:00 +00002010-04-26T14:10:48.555+01:00 This blog is now located at http://thegoblinsblog.blogspot.com/. You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds or you may click here. For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to http://thegoblinsblog.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default. http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/04/this-blog-has-moved.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-5658129933893174243Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:19:00 +00002010-04-21T22:20:00.500+01:00Heard in the office today:"Is Malcolm still stranded in Madrid?""Dunno""Must be running out of clean underwear by now"Haven't seen an aeroplane for a week now. Astounding isn't it that one volcanoe can cause this much disruption. People are starnded all over the planet.The airlines a re now questioning how dangerous it actually is to fly. There don't seem to be any ssafe limits defined and some http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/04/running-out-of-clean-underwear.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-2292293299797466619Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:13:00 +00002010-04-14T22:14:09.328+01:00Clothing store Primark has landed itself in sea of controversy by selling padded bikini tops for girls as young as seven years. The Children's Society criticised Primark for "premature sexualisation and unprincipled advertising". David Cameron commented that it was "completely disgraceful". I'm interested in that phrase "premature sexualisation".If by "premature sexualisation" they mean that http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/04/padded-bras.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-1436684689437329413Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:44:00 +00002010-04-13T22:44:41.163+01:00My back feels better, thanks for asking. The doctor says I have an inflamed or torn something in my shoulder. He said take Ibuprofen. I don't like things medical much and I tend to trust doctors without question, my theory being that they have spent years training and therefore must know more than me. I apply the same theory to accountants and lawyers. I do whatever they tell me because the http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/04/so-many-quirky-stories.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-2424564467714729955Sat, 10 Apr 2010 06:14:00 +00002010-04-10T07:14:13.475+01:00I'm in agony. Actually, that is something of an exaggeration. I was in agony this morning due to backache. I have now taken enough painkillers to knock out a donkey, and I feel much better. I've had the backache for a few days now. I have no idea what caused it. It appears to be mostly in my shoulder. Anyway, I'm going to get it checked out on Monday because I'm running out of painkillers, and I http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/04/agony.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-2238597804518604945Wed, 07 Apr 2010 21:30:00 +00002010-04-07T22:30:28.046+01:00First off let me tell you I have agonising backache. Actually I think it might be shoulder related. It's agonising anyway, that's the important point. And it's behind me. I think I'm going to have to call the doctor. It's not getting better. I'm going to take painkillers when I get home.The long Easter weekend was great. It has meant I'm having to work like a loony because it coincided not only http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/04/agonising-backache.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-2505630084773546335Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:15:00 +00002010-03-30T22:17:09.572+01:00I wrote things to go here three or four times last week, but events conspired against me, so this is to be a frankenstein document of all those things I didn't post.Heard in the office today (last week):Office worker 1: Blimey, that was short skirt, not that I was looking or anything.Office worker 2 (dribbling slightly): No, I didn't see her either.The new bedroom in the sky is finished. We had http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/03/frankenstein-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-3593594364409660578Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:37:00 +00002010-03-15T22:38:10.612ZI laid an entire laminate floor in the new bedroom this weekend. I haven't replaced skirting boards, plugged the expansion gap with cork, or refitted the door, and I think I want to recut the piece round the door frame. I do however feel an incredible sense of achievment. And if there is one piece of advice I could give you about laying laminate floors by the way, it would be this, knee pads my http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/03/knee-pads-thats-all-im-saying.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-3622890045724644203Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:28:00 +00002010-03-10T21:29:22.539ZI forgot to pay my stupid credit card bill this month. It was due yesterday. I know this because the stupid credit card company just called me and bearated me. I get fed up with the bastards. I pay the bill every month, I'm a good customer. Well technically I didn't pay this month, but it was only a day late, and it is paid now. And if their bloody on-line payment system worked occasionally, I'm http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/03/what-papers-say.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-4717369496377158786Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:23:00 +00002010-03-10T21:24:10.244ZI don't very often do the theme of the week thing because most of them are pretty stupid, but this week I am taken by the idea.What seemingly inconsequential decision did you make, or what seemingly inconsequential event occurred in your life, that ended up profoundly changing your life?Well children, let me tell you how six words in a text message changed the entire course of my life...After http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/03/six-words-that-changed-my-future_10.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-141870947033618078Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:15:00 +00002010-03-08T22:15:34.823ZThe day didn't start well. Things started going wrong in the early hours of the morning in fact. The dragon has been coughing like a walrus and producing huge amounts of snot for some days now, which in turn seems to cause her to snore (and there's no polite way to say this) like a warthog. By about 2 am I decided I couldn't stand it any longer and evacuated to the boy's room which has a spare http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/03/bad-start.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-2886023703114277074Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:39:00 +00002010-03-03T21:40:00.595ZSo, the polls are closing. One poll put the Tories only 2 points ahead of Labour with less than 4 months to go before an election. The Sun however puts them 7 points ahead again today. The Sun likes to think it influences public opinion. In fact it's simply a very good barometer of proletariat opinion. I'm still predicting a landslide for the Tories, but it will be a vote against Brown, not a http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/03/closing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-4868968372960240801Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:38:00 +00002010-02-23T23:38:35.992ZWell we're back from the Orient and all is well. The little man had a wonderful time in Taiwan with his Asian relatives, and he was so well behaved on the 15 hour flight home. He's now back at nursery with gifts of sweeties for his little friends and teachers.Our new bedroom in the sky is now finished. We just have to decorate it and put a floor down. I bought some laminate flooring on special http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/02/were-back.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-544902843215600835Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:12:00 +00002010-02-04T17:13:06.467ZSo, I'm pretty nearly ready to go. I have my ticket, and the car park is booked. I've packed everything. Actually come to think of it, no point in lying about this, I haven't packed anything. There is a pile of clothes, gifts, shoes, and assorted crap all over the living room and two open suit cases. I've been instructed to bring two but only use one. I think the dragon is intending to bring backhttp://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/02/tomorrow-i-fly.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-908028993684787078Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:02:00 +00002010-02-02T14:03:16.831ZThe Pope has launched an extraordinary attack on British equality legislation. According to the BBC report he has urged Catholic bishops in England and Wales to fight the UK's Equality Bill with "missionary zeal". Gordon Brown has suggested that it would be "inappropriate to comment" on the issue. That's odd isn't it? I'd have thought the British PM would be expected to make a comment when his http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/02/completely-disorganised.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-4329703161394866774Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:26:00 +00002010-01-28T22:26:34.341ZI did make cauliflower cheese, using raw materials, and it was nice, but it wasn't like a shared dinner. Anyway, I'm fed I should get my computer back this weekend, which is good because I'm feed up with dragging my laptop backwards and forwards to work. The man in the computer shop actually called me today because he's fed up with waiting for me to show up with the money I think. Anyway, a Devonhttp://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/01/take-off-your-pyjamas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-7564803654236717602Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:36:00 +00002010-01-25T21:37:00.822ZI get irritated by academics that talk tripe. Lord Rees, chief astronomer, is in the news today for making the following earth-shattering comments:"The chance of discovering life on other worlds is greater than ever."Not really surprising sine we get better and more experienced at astronomy every day."such a discovery would be a moment which would change humanity."Err, yes it would."It would http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/01/i-broke-teapot-and-i-want-to-be.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-2024071356435557868Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:46:00 +00002010-01-22T19:46:38.785ZLast night I made some delicious sandwiches to bring to work today. Today I am at work and the sandwiches are in the fridge, being delicious. I hate when that happens. I even made them out of nice bread that I sliced myself with a bread knife. I need looking after. I miss my wife.Tomorrow I'm being visited by the plasterer. See how close to completion the new bedroom in the sky is. Still no http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/01/people-make-better-music-when-they-do.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-6080251829962443144Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:26:00 +00002010-01-21T21:27:07.318ZMy office is trying to ban recreational web surfing. I can understand it, but I think they're going to start blocking sites, which is going to be a severe pain in my arse. Nothing I can do about it. Well, I suppose I could look for another job. Doesn't seem very sensible though does it.I went to Devon for the weekend. I'm still alone, so I managed to get out of the house by 9am, drive there in http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/01/tallulah-gosh.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-3462156003636346122Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:41:00 +00002010-01-14T19:41:30.117ZIt's been a stressful couple of days. The Dargon was booked on an EVA Air flight out of London on Tuesday evening to go to Taiwan. I worked from home that day so that I could drive her to the airport in the evening. However, by lunchtime on Tuesday we discovered that EVA had overbooked the flight and she couldn't get on it. It was lucky that I called them to confirm that she would need a child's http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/01/eva-air-are-worst-run-airline-in-world.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-3304428595341820671Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:42:00 +00002010-01-11T13:42:37.508ZI have two things I want to talk about today; sex robots and self defence. I think we'll go with the sex robot first shall we:According to the Daily Telegraph, the world's first sex robot has been developed and was unveiled at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas at the weekend. Almost every line of this article is hysterical, but I think I'm going to pick a few of my favourites to http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/01/sex-robots-and-self-defence.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-1049999394986129220Sat, 09 Jan 2010 16:52:00 +00002010-01-09T16:52:50.611ZI decided to drive to the office today despite the sonw. I don't know why because there appears to be only one other person here. We do make an awful fuss about snow in this country. It's really not that bad. The only problem was the carpark. It was untreated and covered in about 20cm of snow. Brakes didn't work very well. I still managed to get parked up though. There was no risk of hitting http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/01/heres-to-you-mrs-robinson.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-6079390335766657153Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:03:00 +00002010-01-05T22:03:23.097ZHappy new year to everyone. I haven't written here since before Christmas due to a full schedule that involved trips to Cambridgeshire (it was knee deep in snow), and Devon (it was Christmas). Also our primary computer has finally passed away after a long illness. I'm currently investigating what to do about a replacement, but until such time as I get around to actually doing something about it, http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2010/01/dead-hardware.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-2769990465216657651Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:50:00 +00002009-12-17T22:50:27.005ZIt's the last week before Christmas week. Have a I sent my Christmas cards? No! I haven't even written my Christmas cards, including those that have to go abroad. I think that's only one this year in fact, unless you count Taiwan cards, which the Dragon has taken care of. So, if you happen to live in Canada and are expecting a card from me, it's not that I don't love you, I'm just crap. And I http://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2009/12/im-crap.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11088297.post-8782237565062436128Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:48:00 +00002009-12-08T08:48:48.175ZThere is a story about genitals in this post, but it's right at the bottom. Feel free to skip the boring stuff and go straight to the final paragraph.Apparently one in four British teenagers admit to "sexting" regularly. And for those not sufficiently fluent in street speak, that means they send nude, or partially nude pictures of themselves to each other using mobile devices. That is obviously ahttp://www.dongxi.org/goblinblog/2009/12/genitals.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GoblinBlog)0