Be Excellent To Each Other

Remindme! 06:01 29 February 2020

Last leap year was insignificant, but I'll leave a reminder of this one.

It feels like this needs an explanation.

His friend is Odysseus.

Hello old leap year Vision... Best do something this leap year so in four years time, you'll have something to look back on.

I shall be filming a wedding all day tomorrow. That is it. Deb and Michael for those keeping score.

If he got a message, then it didn't work.

Thankfully, 2020 devilman is a little more financially responsible than the 2008 version. Slightly anyway. Although the 2020 version is probably fatter

Upwards trajectory, DM!

Indeed. Next week will be a year of no gambling, so at least that side is under control for now. Just need to stop eating so much now.

I bet you £10 you can't lose weight.

Message to Findus Fop next leap year:

Today your youngest climbed into bed with you, called you fat and punched you in the face. Your eldest is walking round the house with a black eye, given to her by your youngest.

Hopefully in four years' time, they've brought back borstals or conscription.

No idea what I was doing last leap year. Gaz and I had been together 9 months by that point, which - looking through my emails - I compared to the length of my pregnancy with Oliver. How bizarre.

Anyway, for next year: today I've managed to not shout at my daughter despite the fact that she's being vile this week, and I'm currently doing invoicing because it's the end of the month and I like being paid (eventually).

Because you spent the whole 9 months throwing up?

You are waiting to see the aircraft carrier park up outside your work, and have the hair and wardrobe of a televangelist.

Last leap day I couldn't go to my class reunion because I was running a course in Stevenage, which suited me very well.

This year I'll be on call until 9.00pm, so may not get to this one either.

I can be very lucky sometimes.

You could be on to something there.

You’re asking if the reminder for tomorrow worked?

Yep. As everyone was talking about leap day, my brain assumed it was the 29th.

Ah. That would explain the unsolicited engagement request.

Last leap day we were celebrating my eldest '6th' birthday, so tomorrow we are celebrating his '7th'!

Yes it did! Unfortunately, I was asleep at the time.

So, here we are.

As I've been keeping a journal since 2016, I thought I'd check that to see what happened four years ago.



Thanks, past me!

However, email records suggest I spent the evening making holiday plans for a trip in May to northern Germany and Sweden. So at least something productive happened that Monday.

Happy Leap Day everyone!

Final: Note for next time: On this day I went to M&S Manchester Fort to fix something that wasn't broken and that the staff should have known about, Handforth Dean to replace an HHT and an RTC, the latter not needing a replacement because it just needed debris cleaning off the media sensor, Co Op Ashton on Mersey to replace a PED because some Muppet says that a socket error is caused by hardware, while my experience has been that it's a config error that causes these and should have been fettled remotely and swapping the PED didn't fix the problem, and Co Op Skelmanthorpe for a 'jammed' server printer which turned out to be users who didn't know how to set the paper tray guides to A4.

I didn't go to my class reunion.

Seventh birthday celebrated at the local pub. The Stoke contingent have headed back and I am already in my pyjamas and about to pour a large glass of red.

Joans has nipped out to stock up on snacks.

*Hunkering down*

Storms outside, strong winds and rain. Kids being absolute fucking wankers. Zoo tomorrow.

trading them in for a tiger?

Never seen the Tigers at Chester zoo, either. Nor has my colleague. We think they don't exist.

There used to be more of them

Well, here we are again.

What was I doing last time round?

Checking my diary for 29th February 2020, I took a train to London, wandered in the rain and hail up Primrose Hill, then went to a party. Probably the last such gathering for a very long time.

We went to Baddesley Clinton and saw some ducks.


Then we came home and Bean asked to paint the window, and he painted a huge rainbow in some weird foreshadowing of what was to come.

Great photos Mimi!

Looks like you're all about to pounce on that unsuspecting duck!

For many years I’ve read, but never contributed to this thread.

That ends today.

Usefully, PastPaz left me a handy note!

It all worked out in terms of working life, thankfully. Little did I know about the unpleasantness on the horizon.

Here's a small snippet of my interesting day today

I have done a silly to my knee, so I am having a ‘take it easy’ day today as Russell has a rare day in the office after taking the car for an MOT, then he has his MMR jab (one of two) and then he has a social engagement tonight, so if I do another silly with my knee I’m stuck here without someone to rescue me.

Oh yeah, Debra and Michael. Really 4 years ago?

A lovely couple who were done a dirty by the photographer. I could see if coming as the day went on to be honest but, I did my end of the deal and I did it well. Michael even gave me £20 for the kids!

That was a quick four years but on to today. I've been ill all week and today I've turned a corner and I'm getting on with stuff. Nothing massive, just work stuff. Loop Networking is taking off so let's see whether that's still around in four years time.

May as well put the podcast here too. When it comes crashing down with Dan and Ross, I'll be editing that later. Let's see if we're doing the live show by the time the next leap year comes around.

Flew a plane.

Last leap day I was making spaghetti and meatballs and lifting at the gym, if my Google photos are anything to go by.

This leap day I am working and then attending parents evening for my eldest - although half the teachers have cancelled their slots so it seems a bit pointless at this point. Heyho!

My last leap day was recorded in detail above.

This leap day I did a bit of 'life laundry' and took some clothes to Dr. Barnardos, including the only leather jacket I've ever owned, which I bought about 40 years ago and probably only wore about a dozen times, and other stuff to the tip for recycling.

Yesterday I went to the office, had pizza for lunch, and then came home. It’s not exactly a classic tale for the ages.

Leap year 2024. Fucking rubbish day, was in meetings from 8am to 5pm solid. The day was thick and dark with rain. Had chicken katsu for lunch. Had an argument with a colleague about 11th hour fuckery. Defeated my first Dread Maiden in Midnight Suns on journey home. Pedal fell off my bike (again). Walked bike home. Wife went to watch Uncle Vanya at the cinema. I ate pasta on the sofa and watched 24.

Look forward to revisiting these joys next leap year.

Nah, pizza for lunch is living the life of a king. You rocked that leap day.

Katsu for lunch is supreme level lunching. You did great on your leap day!

I had a single slice of wholemeal bread with a laughing cow triangle on it. Cheese spread triangles are a Supreme Food, but it’s not the most involved of meals. I vow that next leap day I shall endeavour to have a brilliant lunch, after being inspired by Dr Z and Findus’s excellent lunch choices. Who’s with me for a Treat Yo’self Leap Day Lunch 2028?

I went to work,.did a load of stuff that isn't my job, had ming poo and then a Thai green curry for lunch with the wider team, went home, drive my pretend train , watched some TV, went to bed, read, and dreamt about an American performer (Thomas Truss) I have seen this year.

Look at you; lunching it up to the max! You smashed your leap day. Go you!

Well it was free pizza, which certainly helps.

Next leap year Mimi can nostalgically bask in the meal time positivity she spread this year. Brightening an otherwise dark world as always.

Incidentally, I enjoyed this tweet and response. Mushroom and wine ftw.

I have a problem with cheese triangles, because they're not triangles, they're segments. I can usually let this pass when it's said amongst friends, but yesterday it came up on The Chase (I can't remember the exact question but the it was something to do with the shape of a these cheesy things, without mentioning any brand name). The contestant answered "triangle" to which Bradley said "correct" and I was tempted to immediately write to ITV to pull them up on it, but then I thought WGASA and didn't bother.