Thunderbozz

Our internet connection has been playing up over the last few weeks, and it's highlighted two things. Firstly, that it's incredible just how much we've come to rely on e-mail and the web to get things done every day; secondly, how useless BT (and, from experience, other ISPs too) are at customer service. First we had problems with the line, in fairness that problem was resolved very quickly: but that's because it was BT the phone company rather than BT the internet provider that dealt with it. Trying to get through to someone with the latter was like calling the Indian call centre on Fonejacker . Thanks in absolutely no part to the thoroughly unproductive calls made to the helpline number, it's just about working again now, although at a much reduced speed. Still, at least we can all carry on with our lives now, eh?

I've been enjoying a few days off work this week, and the prospect of returning to the new-look Co-op tomorrow for a gruelling eight-hour shift is not one that appeals. I travelled home early on Friday morning by the train, for a change. It's a vastly more comfortable, relaxing and romantic way to travel (although proportionally more expensive, too) – essential as I needed to be as awake as possible for the long night ahead. My friend Tom is off to sunny South America next year as part of his university course. As he does Spanish, he'll be working at the Argen times newspaper as well as travelling and generally not being in Blighty for a good few months. To send him off well, we managed to organise a surprise party for him, and I'm pleased to report that it worked perfectly. My mum and dad drove me back up to Sheffield on Sunday, and they've been staying up here for the last few days to see the city. This has meant I've been enjoying eating out in sty...

Other people's families have always intrigued me, but I'm constantly surprised at people's interest in my own. After my first year of university, for example, one of the first questions I was asked by a friend from home was "how's your family?". I'm not sure why I remember this particular instance, but it took me by surprise because it was a question to which I had no 'stock answer' for a reply. Unlike most people I know (in fact, nearly everyone I know), my family is very small. I have one brother, two parents and two grandparents. My mum's brother lives nearby, but my dad's sister lives on the other side of the country: I rarely see my younger cousins and certainly didn't 'grow up' with them around. And that's it . If we were to host a family gathering, you'd only need set the table for eight. I simply can't imagine what life is like in larger, close-knit families. We also tend to keep ourselves to ourselves. My pa...

I feel I should contribute more to this blog, especially after events like this one at work today. Woman runs into store. Shouts: "Excuse me, does anyone in here have a silver Rover parked on the hill outside the greengrocers?" Woman at checkout tentatively raises her hand: "Er, yes me" First woman, absolutely deadpan: "It's just that you left the handbrake off and it nearly caused a major accident." Woman at checkout drops shopping on counter to run out... "Oh my-" First woman, cool as you like: "It's OK, there's no rush, someone's put bricks under the wheels." Both women leave the store together. First woman: "A jogger stopped it, he noticed it rolling as he ran past..."