winegirl's world

Goodbye

2006-04-13T10:51:00.000+01:00

Wow I have been extraordinary slack in this blog but my excuse is I am soon to be become winegirl no more! It's time for some changes round here and this girl is soon to become HRgirl instead. Slightly unexpected career move but I'm hopeful this will be more satisfying in the long term than ordering in pallets of wine 9-5. Thanks to everyone who has read and commented on my blog and goodbye and good luck to you all!

WG xx

Men are from Mars - the sequel....

2006-01-20T14:42:00.000Z

I hate to admit it but I think I am a bit of a Bridget Jones - I'm single but always looking, adore wine, and yes I do drink Chardonnay (it's great, don't knock it) and I love Men are from Mars style books. I love em.

Anyway, I wanted to share with the world a little known phenomenon of male behaviour which I have come to experience enough times to know this is a fact. My friends and I like to call it the "where is the exam?" syndrome. This occurs when boys really like you and they don't know how to talk to you. What happens is they invent something they need your help with that really they either a) know already, b) is obvious or c) they could find out very easily themselves. Trust me, you know it when it happens. This ploy is then used to generate a (albeit random) conversation. It was first discovered at University when my friend and I used to take phone calls from boys asking us where our exams were that week, even though we all got given exam time-tables and their house-mates were on the same course. This phenomenon is also very much in circulation in the work place. I think it's rather adorable actually....

Onward to the weekend and fine wine & cockails!!

close relations?

2006-01-18T16:05:00.000Z

So I was thinking today about how everybody in the world has to be related to eachother in some way and how we must all be distantly connected to even our work colleagues - isn't that bizarre? I was wondering who I was most closely related to out of everyone in the office.

So here I am at work.

It's funny, I look round the office and wonder how many people are actualy doing any work at all. I found out this week that my boss is on our group email at work so all the jokey emails and bitchy comments my team have been sending eachother were (gasp) also being read by my manager. I am still trying to rack my brain to think if I have said anything potentially libellous and whether my P45 is going to be coming through the post soon. But honestly how sneaky is that?

Computers are clearly dangerous. I also blame work entirely for my current Top Shop on-line retail therapy habit and they keep sending me these emails enticing me to buy more delicious things - it's too tempting.

Yay, one hour to go...

dreaming of sleep!

2005-12-21T17:18:00.000Z

Ugh, work is just so boring at the moment. Don't get me wrong I love Christmas-time and all but I think everyone here is getting just a teensy bit stressed out and tired of working. Myself included - god I am a grumpy old cow at the moment!
I have been attending incessant parties this week, which has been fun and grossly alcohol fueled (loving mulled wine!) but now I am just dreaming of sinking into bed at home and stuffing my face with chocolate!

Happy Christmas!! xx

agony

2005-12-05T15:13:00.000Z

I am in total pain.

I foolishly and a little more than slightly enthusiastically decided to go to my first aerobics class in several years on Saturday. I woke up on Sunday and felt like an old woman as soon as I touched one foot out of bed, every single part of me hurts! I have just gone to Boots and redeemed my advantage card points on a can of Deep Heat - oh, the glamour - not to mention the smell.

Never again!

Yoga slackness

2005-11-02T17:17:00.000Z

Time to recover from my utter slackness with this blog! I blame moving, it's hard to adjust to a new place. I get confused when I sleep in a different direction to usual. And yes Crumb, I too am the proud owner of an IKEA Up-lighter - except mine got left behind by its previous owner. I think everyone must own one of these, don't you? IKEA has a lot to answer for.
In conjunction with my move I am trying to develop a whole new healthly living, positive attitude lifestyle. It's going well so far. I've made home made soup and also been to yoga once. It was quite embarrasing though as I sat next to these girls who turned out to be yoga geniuses and I couldn't even get my breathing technique right! Everyone else was breathing really slowly and rhythmically and I just couldn't calm down. I think everyone must have thought I was some kind of weird heavy breathing person, clearly I have more of a problem with stress than I thought! Oh dear, another resolution..

Feng Shui Attack

2005-09-28T08:45:00.000+01:00

Well the move went well-ish, totally knackering of course, and slightly stressful as the ex-almost (but nothing of the kind) boy-friend and I had a huge shouting match over everything and nothing in the street in Holborn on Friday and I screamed at him that I did not want his help moving anymore actually. So that's officially over I think. Well at least that meant he didn't meet my mum. Maybe I should count my blessings. It's kind of sad when you realise that its not enough to care about someone they have to care enough back too.

Anyway, moving on..I am now really loving my new environment! Although it feels really strange to think its actually mine. I keep walking around it very gingerly as I'm afraid I'm going to damage something. The old owner left me an absolute beast of a spider plant - its massive and weighs about as much as a small elephant. I had a bit of a feng shui attack on my flat last night and spent most of the evening moving everything around and then moving it all back to the same place again. I managed to struggle with my plant down my stairs (I didn't have the strength to hump it back up again) so now it sits in my hallway, making sure all the positive chi bounces up into my living room, errrr...or something.

Is Honesty Really the Best Policy?

2005-09-23T17:31:00.000+01:00

Wow, two blogs in one day...the world of wine is clearly not keeping me busy enough!

I had a thought this afternoon, I was thinking how many people I know who are in relationships who have not shared with their other half certain honest personal needs. For instance I know several women who really want to start a family and have not mentioned this to their boyfriends and others who just want a care-free fling when the other wants a proper romance. Is this the right thing to do or is it really cruel and are they heading for disaster on the rocky road to love and romance? Can anyone really change another when their minds have been made up? I'm not sure...

Moving on

2005-09-23T15:19:00.000+01:00

I am moving house tomorrow - this has been my fourth move in two years. But now I have to settle, or so I've been told by my mother as she has had enough of changing address books with my ever growing number of residences. So all my stuff is packed up and I've come to realise how much I own, I keep tripping over everything as I go into my soon to be ex flat. Goodbye flatmates, goodbye ghostly radio-changing apparition, goodbye renting..hello mortgage. To make the moving day even more stressful my mother is to meet my almost boyfriend for the first time which is actually panicking me more than the move itself. I just hope they get on, please God...my mum hated my last boyfriend and I'm kind of worried this may have manifested itself into a trend of disapproval. Oh dear..let's just all survive tomorrow unscathed and peaceful and I will be content.

how does one become worldly wise?

2005-09-15T16:01:00.000+01:00

It was my birthday the other day and I knew I was growing up when I got a pair of kitchen scales for a present. But the trouble is I don't think I want to grow up! I want to be silly and continue to fritter my money away on random CDs, Haribo sweets and bottles of tequila. When did it all become so complicated? Honestly, you hear people say they feel like they're still 18 years old. I feel like I'm more like 14 most days. I'm not really sure I've learnt anything, how do other people get so worldly wise?

Talking Dog

2005-09-09T17:12:00.000+01:00

I love this joke!....

A guy is driving around and he sees a sign in front of a house:
"Talking Dog For Sale."

He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard. The guy goes into the backyard and sees a Labrador retriever sitting there.

"You talk?" he asks.

"Yep," the Lab replies.

"So, what's your story?"

The Lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young and I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping.

I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running. But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I wanted to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security work, mostly wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired."

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.

"Ten dollars." The guy says,

"This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?"

"Because he's a liar. He didn't do any of that stuff."

Champagne or water?

2005-09-05T12:36:00.000+01:00

I have just turned down the opportunity to go to a champagne tasting today because I still have a hang-over from the weekend after a spontaneous Pinot Noir tasting with my friends over dinner.

I can't believe I did this. That is bad.

Just the thought of the smell actually makes my already throbing liver, well errr throb a bit more.

Oh pass the Evian....

Ghost!

2005-09-01T12:10:00.000+01:00

I am living with a ghost in my flat.

I'm serious. It's freaking me out. I've had the Kitchen radio change stations of it's own accord (the ghost prefers Virgin Radio to Magic FM, and does not enjoy Dido)lights flickering when I walk under them and I've just had a really creepy feeling that someone is waiting, ready to jump out on me.

The icing on the spectral cake as it were happened last night. After a couple of nights having slept well and generally feeling okay in the place again, I was watching Lost on Channel 4 (how great is that programme, although its starting to get a bit weirdy now - I hope it's not going to go too David Lynch on me)and I was kind of half watching the TV and half watching the crazy lightning flashing outside and all of a sudden I noticed something on the top left section of the window pane.

A gigantic man's hand print.

I'd been in the flat on my own all weekend and hadn't noticed it so maybe it was there and maybe it wasn't but, unless my flat mate's boyfriend has been wiping his greasy hands on the window (which could be a possibility) I can't figure out how it got there.

Freaky...

So I did what any self-respecting house proud person would do, I got my window cleaning spray and a duster and wiped it off - ha ha Mr Ghost, you are no match for Mr Muscle.

for the love of rose

2005-08-31T15:24:00.000+01:00

I love wine, and I mean I really love wine - it's just the best companion and total worst enemy though isn't it? I write this as I am suffering from a sprained ankle having fallen over splat on the ground after a rather drunken and debauched picnic over the long weekend. I still honestly maintain it was mostly down to these malicious boots that I possess which always make me fall over when I wear them, but admitedly I'm sure alcohol did play some-what of a part in the whole misdemeanor too. But is really anything better than sitting out in the countryside or park drinking a finely chilled glass of rose or champagne, or err both!

It's incredible how much rose we are selling these days here at work - it'll be interesting to see what happens when Summer draws to a close, I wonder how much sales will drop off - I don't think they will that much though as it's seeming to become an all year round favourite. All the different styles around at the moment are pretty incredible too, although I have to admit my favourite will always be Rose from South France as it reminds me of great holidays.

Hmm, (drifts off on a rose coloured cloud...)

Free wine rocks my world

2005-08-26T15:42:00.000+01:00

I've often thought how weird it is that we probably spend more time with the people we work with than even our family and friends. And how we're all kind of randomly thrown together with all kinds of people at work, so its all a bit like pot luck who you end up with.

I'm quite lucky as I think generally the people who work in the wine industry are kind of cool - and also usually rather posh and a little eccentric or really good looking
(or often both). And do they know how to socialise - I have never worked for a company where you almost get a pat on the back if you come in with a hangover after a heavy night out. Although, obviously it's important the hangover is from drinking a fine Bordeaux or some exotic New World wine. Luckily one of the amazing perks that I never get tired of from working in the wine trade is free wine - oh, deep joy!! I mean, is there possibly a better perk than this that exists anywhere? I don't think so.

everybody's changin'...

2005-08-25T14:16:00.000+01:00

I'm really feeling at the moment as if everyone is busy getting on with stuff, careers, moving, new relationships etc and they're so excited and I'm just stuck here doing the same old thing. Maybe I need to conjure up some more ambition or maybe I just need to enjoy and appreciate what I have. Sometimes I almost wish I could know what was going to happen so at least I would know what direction to be heading in. Hmmm...I need a plan, a life plan or something. I just feel under pressure to achieve something great, I just don't know what that is yet.

Still, am really excited to find out I am soon to be moving near to an ice skating rink - yippee, I have visions of becoming this brilliant skater. A good friend is leaving London soon and she has made a list of all the things she wants to do/places she wants to visit in London before she goes - maybe I shall do that too.

Am so glad the weekend is nearly round the corner - my good friend is coming home and I can't wait to see him - there, I think I've cheered myself up already...

pig in the oven - good idea?

2005-08-24T15:12:00.000+01:00

well this is my first entry, not really sure what I am doing but here goes, I hope this works...feel really nervous about writing as it's going to go out into the universe for god knows who to stumble upon.

so basically I work in wine but it's quiet at the moment as everyone I work with abroad is only just starting to return back to work. I am so busy I have just sent an email to Cadburys to complain that I had no black wine gums in my wine gum packet purchased this afternoon. Oh dear....probably just as well as am still trying to shake over the remnants of a hangover from dinner out last night where I drank too much Banyuls - alcohol does not seem to work with a low carb diet, my head hurts.

I am also stressing as have volunteered to cook dinner next weekend for 5 people at mine, one of whom is going to be someone I really like and hope to dazzle with my amazing cooking skills and one is my best friend who is the perfect cook and makes everything she does look effortless. I am going to attempt what Nigella recommends for an easy Saturday dinner - this involves cooking most of a pig in an oven for one whole day - it sounds great but I'm not sure how my flat mate is going to feel about that, and isn't it just going to encourage bacteria. God I worry too much.