Mrs Midnite buys a Ube

Hello my name is Mrs Midnite and I am a shopperholic!

OK this isn't a bad purchase on a scale of impulse buys.  I've wanted this for a long, long time.

When I first got my own flat I thought about buying a fish tank but it's a small flat and I've never really finished getting it decorated how I want it so I've never worked out where a large fish tank would go.  I did look into fishies and tanks but that as far as it went.

10 years on and best friend boy and girl have bought a fish tank.  Jealous!  Best friend boy asked me what the first fish everyone who gets a tank wants?  I guessed neons?  Bettas?  No apparently people want a clown fish.  "But they are marine fish" says a fish educated Mrs Midnite.  Best friend boy says not many people know this, odd as Finding Nemo is set in the sea.  I've also chased clown fish when I've been diving so I know they are salty fish!

Anyway the BF tank arrived and sat empty to acclimatise, the first fish were added and survived.  More fish arrived and continued to survive.  More jealous. 

And then BF smallest boy leaves his fish viewing chair in front of the tank one night and Sasha decides to investigate.  Lots of Sasha entertainment watching the little swimming spots.  It was total dog enjoyment.

After that I thought maybe we could get a tank.  So on the next trip to buy dog sweets at the pet shop the furry girls and I had an explore through the fish section.  Sasha was even more fascinated by the tanks full of fish.  Even Star noticed then but the Princess wasn't really to interested.

Then there was an article about how watching fish reduces stress and helps with insomnia. A chain of hotels has started providing fish tanks in rooms based on the insomnia beating properties. Far be it for Mrs Midnite to ignore a message from the universe on how to treat the sleep deprivation.


So after much internet searching we have settled on the fish tank of our choice.  It's not a big tank, we're starting small.  So we've picked an artistic looking BiUbe:

Fish research is ongoing to pick now residents for the Ube.  All very exciting. We'll keep you posted!

To go or not to go

That is the question.

You know at work (or in school) you get groups of people.  You get the popular group, the swotty group, the nerd group, the always out group etc etc.

See how it sounds like school but it still happens when you are the far side of mid 30s and supposedly professional.

Well tonight is a leaving do for one of the popular kids.  I'm not one of them.  Apparently I can be difficult to get along with.  This is a fair point, I have mood swings, I'm unstable and can be a very different person depending on which side of the pole my moods are on any given day.  Thing is I'm not horrible, I always try to be nice to people and largely try not to bitch (hard thought this can be), I can be funny and entertaining, I can be depressed or hyperactive irritating.  Hey hoo that's the breaks.

I'm lucky in that I have great friends who I love to teeny tiny bits.  I have some good friends at work too but at work there are people who don't really seem to like me much.  It doesn't really bother me, except for the paranoia debate.  Am I just paranoid or do they really not like me?  Who cares?

As my therapist says "What people think of you is none of your business."  I like me, I'm happy to be me. 

But back to the leaving do.  Today there is only about 50% of the department in, they have all gone to the pub for lunch but didn't ask me.  They are not particularly my friends, not that I don't like them or anything we are just part of different groups.  But if one of them was in on their own and I had lunch plans I would have invited them.  It's the polite, friendly thing to do.

So tonight the leaving do will be largely these people and my paranoia is creeping in telling me not to go, they don't like me.

I'm driving Mr Midnite later tonight and then we are thinking of going for a dance but I had planned to go to the leaving do first.  Now I just don't feel welcome.  Can't decide if this is paranoia or just intuition, can anyone spot the difference?

What's a Cavachon?

Any idea?  Does the name give any clues

Could it be something dental?  Cavity prevention?

Or may it is a member of a group of giant robots, the leader or the cavachons?

No, neither of these things, its a type of dog.  A first generation cross between this:

And this:

And it potentially looks like this:

All together ............... awwwwwwww

The idea of first generation crosses sort of makes sense and baffles me at the same time.  Hybrid or designer dogs!  The first one was the labradoodle the idea was "to combine the low-shedding coat of the Poodle with the gentleness and trainability of the Labrador, and to provide a guide dog suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander".  Of course the random nature of genetics means that not all labradoodles have the poodle coat.  That's just the way it goes in the genetic lottery.

Because poodles don't shed and come in small and large they have been crossed with lots of other breeds to try to get non-shedding dogs:
Goldendoodles - Golden retriever + Standard poodle
Spoodles - Springer spaniel + poodle
Cockerpoos - Cocker Spaniel + Poodle
Cavapoos - King Charles Cavalier Spaniel + Miniature Poodle
Lhasapoo/ Shihpoo - Lhasa Apso or Shih Tzu + Miniature Poodle
Bichonpoos - Bichon Frise cross Miniature Poodle

I very much wish they would not use the poo part of poodle, it's just silly.

The Bichon Frise is also a non/low shedding dog, it has a really soft wool coat so another ideal dog for crossing.  This gives us:
Cavachon - Cavalier King Charles + Bichon Frise
Wechon - West Highland Terrier + Bichon Frise
Shichon - Shih Tzu + Bichon Frise
And I'm sure the list goes on and on.

All the breeders claim low shedding.  Many claim a healthy dog. 

My bafflement comes in when you see the prices.  These mixed breed dogs sell for at least as much as pure breed, kennel club registered pedigree dogs.  Some breeders charge extra because they don't shed.  In that case buy a poodle or a bichon frise, they don't shed either!

Many breeders will give you the 5 generation pedigree for your mixed breed dog.  Just like you'd get for a pedigree pup, not sure I get it.

And here they lose me completely, many claim these crosses are more healthy than their pure bred parents.  Pedigree dogs get pedigree problems.  Years of breeding to get the desired type has led to genetic problems in all breeds that I can think of.  So breeding too different breeds could give you healthier pups or in the genetic lottery your pup could get the genetic problems from both parents. 

In addition some of the hybrids are badly thought out.  Take the Pugalier, cross between the cavalier and pug.  Both breeds have short noses and to some extent protruding eyes, so guess what the Pugalier will have, breathing and eye issues - tick.  Both breeds have neurological issues suspected to be genetic, lets put money on the pugalier having something similar.  Cavaliers have bad hearts, definitely genetic, mix that with dodgy pug breathing and the mix doesn't sound good.

So where do my mixed feelings about mixed breeds lead.  Many are really cute dogs.  Many don't shed, yeah for allergic dog lovers and yeah for less vacuuming.  Big boo for the price, no way can I see the logic behind the high costs.  And my advice.  If you buy a pedigree dog look it up and read about the pedigree problems, they cab be heartbreaking and budget breaking.  If you buy a designer hybrid dog look up both breeds and prepare yourself for the possibility of the pedigree issues from either parent.

And here for fun are my favourite mixed bred names:
Bolonoodle
Chilier
Ewokian
Hug
Poogle
Schweenie
Snorkie
Go on have a guess what they are, my Cavaliers may award prizes!

Mrs M
:0)

:0) What a difference a day makes

24 little hours!

Called the company back that I had interviews with last week to get an update and they offered me two jobs.

2 jobs!

The first I'd applied for and had two interviews for turned out to be the lower paid.  There was lots about that job that I could get excited about with new things to learn, a team on site and knowing a few people already there.  But I'd expected it to be the higher paid of the two.

The second job I'd applied for was a Project Support role.  I'd told them I was happy to take a step back to gain experience and then move up within the company to be a Project Manager again.  When I spoke to the nice HR girl today she said that between her and the manager they had decided that although I would get the experience I would get bored quickly.  Sooooo they upgraded the job to the Associate Project Manager role.  Woo Hoo.  Was not expecting that :0)

Actually didn't take me more than a few seconds to decide.  I had thought that if I could get the support job I'd get promoted pretty quickly.  I was right I got promoted before I even started.  I took the Associate Project Manager job because it has better prospects and it's the one I feel most excited about.  Plus it was higher paid although I'd decided money wasn't the deciding factor unless it was significantly different.

Anyway what I'm gradually getting to here is that I GOT A NEW JOB :0)

I am really really really (repeat to end of page) happy.  I'm also relieved that I have found something that interests and excites me and that I don't have to face a period of unemployment.

I think a lesson has been learned here and I will be trying doubly hard to keep in control of my finances.

Yesterday I was feeling really down with rubbish at work and all the uncertainty, now I feel so excited.  I can't wait to get out of my current job and start something new.

Thanks bloggers for putting up with my job searching blog, Normal service will be resumed shortly!

Mrs M

PS.  Now I think I should buy a new bag to go with the new job.....................

:0(

Having a bad day

Really not a happy bunny

Work is just problem after problem all rushing at me at once, don't want to be here.  I'm still wanting to help my clients but the company are just expecting too much.  I'm not doing a good job, I'm missing things and they then come back to bite.  Just really don't want to have anything more to do with this place.

Waiting for results from two interviews that I had a week ago. Recruitment process is too slow.  I was feeling really confident but the longer it goes the harder it is to stay positive.

Mr Midnite seems to have walked out on me in the middle of the night.  I don't know why, could be a good reason he left all his things but just went out in the pouring rain.  He isn't answering tests and his phone is switched off.  Sad and confused.

Think today is one of those where I should have just stayed in bed.

Moan and rant over.  Sorry to dump on blogger

Mrs M

Have to mention Riots

Well what a week going on down there in Englandshire.  Horrific pictures on TV, I'm shocked and stunned by what's happening.  So here are Mrs Midnite's thoughts on the events of this week.

A young black (or possibly mixed race by the look of some pics) man who was probably a criminal was killed by the police.  Seems he didn't fire a gun but did have an illegal fire arm.  Sympathy to his family because regardless of what he did or didn't do he is theirs and I'm sure they are devastated. 

A peaceful demonstration went ahead because people felt they were not getting information from the police.  Fine so far.  Then for reasons as yet unknown it erupted into a night of violence, looting and crime - riot. 

I heard lots about how frustrating and unpleasant it is for young people (mostly black) to be stopped and searched for no reason other than how they look.  I get it to some extent, I used to get stopped and breathalysed regularly when I drove around late at night.  I have friends who get stopped and searched, some just laugh, some get really really angry. 

A guy got shot, young people get stopped and searched.  Explain why this leads to riots all over England? 

The rioters on TV seem to be from most races, various ages, men and women.  Most of the TV shots are of young men. 

Poverty and lack of jobs are blamed for the problems.  The riots are co-ordinated using blackberry messenger?  Help me out here.  You have a £300 smart phone and you are rioting because you live in poverty?  The pictures show lots of expensive trainers.  They are looting TVs, PCs and clothes.  Wonder what the people of Somalia would loot if they were given the opportunity.  Oooh yes, food because they are really living in poverty.

I'm not without sympathy, the economic crisis is making life hard for people.  I'm loosing my job, so are lots of others.  Things are more expensive, the Government are taking measures to try to stop us ending up like Greece.  Getting stopped and searched for no reason sucks!  But if you are doing nothing wrong does it really matter? 

The way I see it the rioters are just criminals.  They are not making a political statement, they are not protesting about Government policies, economic issues, police racism.  They are using all these things as an excuse to steal and destroy.  They have grown up in a society where the consequences of doing wrong are minimal.  Miss school, your parents get into trouble.  Cause trouble in class, get suspended and have a holiday.  Be rude to elders, nothing happens.  Steal something, get away with it.  Take drugs, get a warning.  Carry a knife, get away with it.

My dad once kicked a teacher and ran home.  A neighbour saw him and clouted him round the head, took him home.  His dad gave him a telling off for been out of school and for kicking the teacher.  Taken back to school, given a slap and made to stand in the naughty spot.

What are the consequences going to be for rioters?  Will it be enough to prevent it happening again?  I have no idea.  I can't understand any of this, the way I was brought up means I couldn't possibly destroy other peoples homes, shops or property.  I couldn't throw stones at police or bystanders.  I couldn't so how can I understand.

My final point for today.  I'm so proud that Scotland hasn't joined in the mindless behaviour.  I love Edinburgh and hope everyone else here feels the same and won't destroy our city.