Misc – Page 6 – Fiona Cullinan

So that was 2015!

This Christmas break has been a feverish, fog-brained, sinus-filled and jelly-legged two weeks, due to the most fluey of cold viruses (but not the actual flu because when you've had the flu, you know!). And so, the Christmas alcohol remains to be drunk, I've dropped three lbs and our post-Christmas walking holiday has been postponed. But I have a history of broken festivities so I'll just add 2015 to that list. When you work from home, the winter office viruses find you just in time for the holidays and are all like: 'Wayhay! Fresh meat!'

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A collection of spam quotes to touch all the internet people

Spam can — Image: (CC) Mike Mozart / Flickr

A while ago I starting collecting some of the best/worst spam quotes being left on my various blogs. I do like the relentless positively testimonials of the spambots. So how great am I? Let's check my spam filters to find out.

1. Inspiring fondness

I have no idea how you do this but I’m completely fond of this blog.

2. Grammar-free praise

I don’t know who you’re however certainly you’re going to a well-known blogger should you aren’t already. Continue reading "A collection of spam quotes to touch all the internet people"

Before you buy a bunny for Easter…

An Easter message from Bunzilla and Bunminster (and me).

1. Do not buy a bunny this Easter because they look cute and fluffy, or because someone lumped bunny and Easter together like puppy and Christmas. You all know what happens when the festive tinsel comes down.

2. Buns are a 8-12-year commitment and attract expensive vet bills as they may need an anaesthetic to figure out what's wrong being prey animals who hide their ills.

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Oh Dear Diary – another step on the path to conquering public speaking nerves

I’ve posted a few times about my fear of public speaking so agreeing to read from my teenage diary at Oh Dear Diary, as part of the Birmingham Comedy Festival, involved yet another stomach-churning, leap of courage.

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There was a WEDDING!

There was a proposal, there was a website and, on 12 July, there was a wedding. And it was a rather lovely and, as Haircut 100 might say, Fantastic Day. Turns out looking like a traditional bride and groom was the last thing anyone expected of us… Continue reading "There was a WEDDING!"

2013 in review – music

Much of the music in my life has revolved around the ukulele this year. There have been one or two other highlights but you'll have to scroll through the Moselelovebomb to get to them.

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2013 in review – work

It's been a pretty busy and fruitful year on the work front – bar the occasional CMS-fuelled RSI resurgence, which I've mostly resolved by working at a stand-up desk since September.

As well as postural changes, there's been a promotion, a lot of public speaking and the setting up of a new company. More on all of this below…

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Goodbye Mozart, Bowie, Rebel MC and Wham!

These LPs and 12 inches are just gathering dust so if there's anything here my Brum chums might want, then it's all yours – collection from B30. I can offer a very mixed vinyl bag from all eras and for all, er, tastes. (The close-ups, btw, are Paul Hardcastle's Rainforest and Sister Sledge Lost In Music.) [Update: all gone. I heart the Internet.]

Female programming dream that’s gone off the Rails

I've been meaning to blog this for a while but needed to let my feelings settle down a bit…

The first bit of code I ever wrote was a simple program in Basic on a BBC Microcomputer back in 1984 in the tiny school computer room next to the tuck shop. It did very little but ask me questions in a never-ending loop about my answer strings but I did think: ‘Blimey, that’s pretty cool. I got a machine to talk to me!’

I was rarely out of the computer room after that and told everyone I was going to be a computer programmer – and more likely a systems analyst! – when I grew up. (Pretentious, moi?)

However, my gender got in the way of such ambitious plans.

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Engagement

So this happened… out of the blue on April 13, Pete said: “Will you marry me?” And I said are you serious!? And he said yes and I found myself saying yes back and promptly fell into the wall during the ring bit – but that's another story. It's discombobulating but in a lovely way. See Pete's post for more articulate words. I expect he will produce a scribbled whiteboard brainstorm on how to nail this thing in June. I'm on honeymoon duty, naturally. 🙂