I’m feeling guilty about not posting as often as I should be. Oh well…there are mitigating circumstances (see below) and it’s not like anyone’s waiting for me to produce :)
Hair disaster: Like GTP itself wasn’t stressful enough (have to be there 5 minutes before 9!), I was simultaneously struck by follicular misfortune. Having milked the haircut brilliant-Holloway-woman had given me for a full 4 weeks, I decided on the second day of GTP to duck into a Supercuts and have a professional whip my hair into shape (no puns intended anywhere). So I walk up to the woman, exchange proper English pleasantries and sit down. I give her my usual specs: 3/4 of an inch on top and the #3 trimmer on the sides. She nods all the way through, and then confirms, “#3?” I smile and nod back, and lean back, confident in the knowledge that a professional is about to cut my hair. She promptly whips out the #3 and cuts a swath right down the middle of my head. “OK?”
I was so stunned that after my initial protests (met with a blank “Que?”; apparently her English was limited to ‘OK’ and the bloody pleasantries we exchanged) I let her get on with it, ie. getting rid of the rest of my hair. I also paid her on the way out. Shock is a funny thing.
Since then, I’ve had 2 haircuts, and I think I’m finally on the road to recovery.
I’m switching tenses a lot these days. Not sure why. Might be something I’ve picked up from SAA. The whole “So, …” narrative style and associated tense-tricks grind on me sometimes.
Sickness: Since GTP, I’ve also found time to get massively ill. Yes indeedy, I was out for a week starting on my birthday. After languishing in bed for a couple of days with minimal food intake, I gathered the energy to take a shower and head to a hospital. Diagnosis: chest infection. Prescription: antibiotics. I’m better now, but my cough (a dry, rumbling, chesty beast) is clinging on. I’m going to the gym tomorrow for the first time since; it’ll be interesting to see how much weight I’ve lost.
Work/quantsy-ness/C++: Woohoo! I’ve been working with the quants for a couple weeks now. So far, I’m not disappointed. I hate C++ (my trademark nightmares struck for a record 4 nights) for the complexity it introduces into what should be simple tasks, but overall doing it is a mind-expanding experience. My boss, EC, is well-experienced, and uses all the C++ tricks that Java/C# types frown upon. I’m liking it, and I’m loving the general atmosphere around the team. Helps that we’re on the trading floor, with its constant background din and atmosphere of constant urgency. Me likey, me likey.
Miscellaneous: Out of sheer boredom, I started going through season 5 of Ally McBeal again (only season I have, sadly), and it has made me lose my desire to live. All the quirks that I liked the first time round appear tedious and deliberate this time, and Ally’s constant whining coupled with everyone’s constant analysis of her just grates on me. It seems every episode features a new character telling Ally about what she’s lost (belief in love, ability to ‘fly’, ability to dream, inner monologue, …). I’m hopeful the earlier seasons, when Ally was quirkier and all-around more optimistic, will be less dreary. And I really hope the cases Ally fights (and the arguments she uses) are more intelligent than the ones in season 5.
I just realized hair-in-cereal no longer bothers me. Remove and continue munching.
1 Response to “Update”