[Yudster]

Yea we already have ours up.
I live with a woman you see...

The places that sell trees around here haven't even opened yet, so I couldn't put mine up even if I wanted to - which I don't. The weekend of the 20th is when ours will happen I imagine. I would prefer to stick with the tradition from my family, which is that we put the tree up on Christmas Eve - but I'm too busy on Christmas Eve these days.

[AndyJ]

Yea we already have ours up.
I live with a woman you see...

The places that sell trees around here haven't even opened yet, so I couldn't put mine up even if I wanted to - which I don't. The weekend of the 20th is when ours will happen I imagine. I would prefer to stick with the tradition from my family, which is that we put the tree up on Christmas Eve - but I'm too busy on Christmas Eve these days.

I put our lights on that are outside, they have been up all year so wanted to see if they still work, bearing in mind they were £4.99 from Asda. Most of them did which I was quite suprised about. I think we are doing our decorations on the 14th...

[Zoot]

Yea we already have ours up.
I live with a woman you see...

The places that sell trees around here haven't even opened yet, so I couldn't put mine up even if I wanted to - which I don't. The weekend of the 20th is when ours will happen I imagine. I would prefer to stick with the tradition from my family, which is that we put the tree up on Christmas Eve - but I'm too busy on Christmas Eve these days.

I put our lights on that are outside, they have been up all year so wanted to see if they still work, bearing in mind they were £4.99 from Asda. Most of them did which I was quite suprised about. I think we are doing our decorations on the 14th...

£4.99 from Asda? Ours were 96p from Morrisons and they all work perfectly!

[Yudster]

I don't do outside lights, they'd get vandalised in a second around here.

[MK Chris]

There are a few streets in the surrounding towns and villages to me - Great Linford and if I'm going towards Bedford, Marston Moretaine - where one or two of the streets have little competitions to see if they can outdo each other.

I'm in a new flat and I have no decorations. I'm thinking I may give them a miss, seeing as I'm on my own and I can't really afford it.

[Yudster]

You old misery!

[MK Chris]

Well, if I had a family and everything then maybe... but I'm going to my mum's for Christmas and they'll have decorations up! Maybe I'll get some decorations when they're cheap in January and then I'll have some for next year...! Not that I'm tight or anything.

[Andy B]

Christmas is for children anyway. If it were up to me we'd not put any up. Sadly it's not so I have to.

[Zoot]

Oh Bah Humbug, all of you.
(except for Topher, there are more important things to spend money on than decorations_

[MK Chris]

This means bugger all to any of you. but the table tennis ban on VOC-based glues is pissing me off... usually, it wouldn't bother me, as I don't glue the rubber on to my bat every time I play as some do, but when I need new rubbers (which I do), there are no water-based glues that actually make the rubber adhere to the blade properly. * useless.

[Zoot]

This means bugger all to any of you. but the table tennis ban on VOC-based glues is pissing me off... usually, it wouldn't bother me, as I don't glue the rubber on to my bat every time I play as some do, but when I need new rubbers (which I do), there are no water-based glues that actually make the rubber adhere to the blade properly. * useless.

I hate it when my rubber keeps flopping off my blade too mate...

[MK Chris]

To be fair, I fully expected that type of comment..!

[Andy B]

This may seem really stupid (and probably is) but why not just go and get a new bat? I mean they probably cost a fiver, maybe a tenner for a really good one made of carbon fiber or something. Surely it's worth it compared to the hassle of faffing around trying to glue something back together?

I imagine the rubber bits don't come off very often either if my school is anything to go by. We had bats with 10 year old grafitti on them. So when it finally breaks why can you not just buy a new one?

I fully admit I have no idea what I'm talking about and it's just pure guesswork based on the limited observations I've made.

[Zoot]

I mean they probably cost a fiver, maybe a tenner for a really good one made of carbon fiber or something.

Um, slightly more than that... - http://www.newitts.com/shop/1/12/Profes ... s_Bats.htm

[Yudster]

Why not just use the illegal glue? Who the hell is going to know?!

[MK Chris]

Ready-made bats from the likes of John Lewis cost anything from a tenner to about £20, but are for novices. You need to pick the right blade and rubber combination to suit - rubbers will cost in the region of £20-30 a sheet and a blade will set you back £30-50. I have my blade and don't need to change it and I know what rubbers I need, I am just struggling to find the substance that will stick it.

Why not just use the illegal glue? Who the hell is going to know?!

In the local league, no one (in national tournaments they have VOC-detecting equipment) - but they don't sell the illegal glues any more.

[Yudster]

So - what does everyone else use? Surely this is a prime case for a bit of ping-pong-peer interaction and co-operation?

[MK Chris]

It is - apparently Copydex is quite good, so I've just found out...! See, there are proper table tennis glues out that are supposed to do the trick, but apparently don't and not only that are stupidly expensive. I have no objection to paying a reasonable amount for a bat - you have to pay for decent equipment in any sport - but if there are conventional glues that will do the job just as well, I'm not paying through the nose for something I'll use once every six to eight months at the most.

[Zoot]

Why is the glue illegal? Is it the fumes?
And why do you have to keep sticking it? Does the glue only last one match? and if so why not just use superglue? How does the glue make that much difference in the playability of the bat?

[MK Chris]

Why is the glue illegal? Is it the fumes?

That is a very good question and one that hasn't totally been answered - but originally it was supposed to be because certain glues speed up the rubber (I'll come to that in a bit) and therefore give the player an advantage - but these glues have been in use for ages. Then they banned the non-speed glues as well because of the fumes and didn't really propose a replacement, it's been a bit of a shambles.

And why do you have to keep sticking it? Does the glue only last one match?

I have never used speed glue because I've only thought it necessary if you play national tournaments and higher, which I very rarely have. Those who do use speed glue, the effect only lasts a certain amount of time - as the glue dries, the effect wears off, so depending on the standard of the player and the effectiveness of speed glue they like, they may reglue for every match, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, or just every time they play. This can get expensive and also reduces the life of the rubber.

How does the glue make that much difference in the playability of the bat?

Speed glue (I believe) stretches the rubber to alter the speed of it. However, it tends to be easier to spin the ball using speed glue as well I think, but like I said, I've never used it, so I can't verify that personally.

[chrysostom]

Phoning around job agencies, and being told there's * all out there.

Especially for no experience candidates, * boo.

[MK Chris]

What sort of job are you going for?

[chrysostom]

Anything really,

Degree in Communications, Media and Journalism - so that's no use

Media, Advertising, Marketing etc. would be preferred destination,

but temping for good money or even recruitment where the money can be really good will do.

Looking to move out so long term with good money is what i'm after.

Don't ask for much

[MK Chris]

Have you tried JobSite or Monster, those type of sites?

Also, occasionally (very occasionally) there is the odd decent job in The Citizen, may be worth a gander.

[Zoot]

Right, I've just had a draft of a brochure come back to me for amending. One of the amends was to add a caption onto one of the photos. The caption is to read 'G4 Tec', which is the name of the building. This is the photograph that is to be captioned -