Mer

Yeah hopefully. I feel better now, was having a bad moment like "I'm doomed everything is going wrong for me, whyyy!" I just now what companies can be like with all their rules and crap.And congratulations to the Ride It First winners

Well I didn't win the competition which is just another load of bad news for me this week. Really could have done with winning as I can't really afford to go on Saturday (but that wasn't why I entered BTW). Why is it always the people that actually need things that don't get them? I bet the bank refuses me an overdraft cos I'm not employed...but I need the money to be able to get to work when I start in a few weeks! F**ks sake.Sorry but I'm really not happy right now :)And yeah the people on SAW are staff...oh I'm not supposed to say that am I? Oh well, the picture is online for people to look at so not my problem!

Meh, Food Tech!Bananas or melons

Just a random thought...anyone noticed the similarites between XNWO and the London Underground? :PThey're both pitch black.The onload station of X is like a station platform, the way the train appears out of the dark and what the track looks like (sort of). Train goes off into darkness, wait a minute, next train arrives. Goes off...etc etc.They're both haunted! Well, apparently anyway. There was a program on TV a few years ago about ghosts on the underground, and X...don't even go there. I've heard a lot of things, granted they might not be true but here they are: operators have claimed to have seen figures standing on the Animations; in 06 a lot of guests for a period of time kept coming off claiming they saw an outline of a boy sitting on the track when they were on Animation 3. Not sure how they saw that in the pitch black but hey. I've never felt happy in there, before I heard any of these "ghost" stories so it wasn't my mind. Everytime I've been on this year, on Animation 3, I've felt unhappy and just not right, it carries on until the end of the ride. It sounds funny I know...but I've not been thinking about ghosts or anything scary, and it always happens at that same point. Who knows...People are always falling ill on the tube, guests are always throwing up on X! :PThey're both boiling hot especially in the summer.X has a long walk (ish) until you're actually on the ride. I always find I'm walking forever until I get to the train platform on the Underground!As you start to pick up speed, you stop :)It's a tight squeeze once everybody is in!The only major difference is that standing up on the Underground won't stop everything and get you thrown out by security in fact, most of the time you have to stand up!Hmm when I thought about this earlier it had a point, now it just seems completely random...but I spent ages typing it (was trying to eat at the same time) so I may as well post it!

Cos the admin thought it would be funny I guess and to make a point.

Basically the words "w-I-n" and "f-a-I-l" are so overused by some members, that now whenever they are typed, they are replaced by "overused word". So if someone typed the word "w-I-n-c-h" it would say "overused wordch". Just like the w-I-n-k emoticon shows up as "overused wordk.gif" Or if I said "Stealth had a lap bar f-a-I-l-u-r-e it would say "overused wordure" :PBut when I typed my last post I typed those words hence why there was so much "overused word" in that post. So what it should have said was:"The word "w-I-n" because yes it is overused much to some people's annoyance, along with "f-a-I-l". Also the w-I-n-k emoticon comes up as overusedwordk.gif aka w-I-n-k.gif."Hope that makes sense now!

Exactly. On a busy day you cannot expect a great deal of interaction from staff. Whether it's Thorpe or Chessie. Obviously there is going to be some rides that give more opportunity for interaction, for example Samurai and Vortex - once everyone is batched the attendant has a few minutes standing by the batching area, perfect chance to talk to guests. Whereas a Stealth or Colossus attendant is going to be constantly runnning up and down the platform checking bars and keeping an eye on things, no time to stop and chat! That's from my personal experience from 2 years or working at Thorpe anyway Not saying on a busy day everyone is going to be blunt and unfriendly, but there's a higher risk lol...plus the more guests on park, the more trouble and the more stupid people to slow things down!Chessie staff > Thorpe staff :PThorpe have uniform that is too big for them, like the coats and the clown-pant shorts. Smallest waist size for women's shorts was 30 inches - that's a size 12-14!! I'm suspiscious they are actually men's shorts but class them as women's, they were so big.

I KNOW WHY IT DOES THAT!I think...The word "overused word" because yes it is overused much to some people's annoyance, along with "overused word". Also the overused wordk emoticon comes up as overusedwordk.gif aka overused wordk.gif.LOL well after adding that post I can see I'm right :PThe overused words being "w I n" and "f a I l".

:PMmm Nandos...

Some of them have :PCan't say anymore :PAnd I've seen that Colossus outtake...that was a lot of sick!

In flourescent skirts and tights!!! :PHmm I can't afford to renew my pass yet...tempted to go as someone's guest...Maaaaarc? :PI know £20 for SAW and a few other rides is a bit much but I don't care.But then again what if I want to go the next day as well? Hmm...

Gotta agree as well, but then it wouldn't be fair on the under 16's who are generally nice, innocent people, like me ;)Back in the days when I was under 16 of course

I didn't hear any announcements at all on Sunday and that's the only time I've been on this season. But it had the 07 station music and not the original.No Marc, no pictures!!

Yep I worked there in 07 and 08, operated Vortex in 08. I shall be working somewhere else this year though, woop :PNot that there's anything wrong with Thorpe :)Anyway back on topic...

Some other points I forgot to mention - how much noise are some of the rides making?! Colossus was AWFUL. The new wheels were nice and quiet on opening day, but on Sunday, just a week later, it is nasty. Louder than usual, and it's a really horrible sound as well, not the usual. Even going up the lift hill was a racket! The bridge, supports and vending machines were vibrating which made it seem worse!I always remember Detty making a few "knocking" noises after it started raising. But this season I have noticed that the moment it starts it makes one heck of a bang! Makes me jump every time I go on Don't let the attendant push the restraint down too much so you can flyyyyyyy hehe that was fun!Oh and how could I forget the wonderful sound effects!! Listen out for the horse noise in the Quantum queueline (talking about audio not the ride)...actually it's more like a donkey...but it was just funny after Marc said "It makes a horse noise as well!" and then we heard it :PX is doing strange things on the block brakes, which scared Marc a bit and the audio on animation 3 has changed from "Switching to manual control...access denied...manual control operative...control lost blahblah" to just "Switching to manual control...switching to manual control". AND the Colossus station audio has changed AGAIN! Gone is the original station music and whispers, all it has now is the music they had in 07 (which was used on Rush last season), but no announcements. ;)X is now trashed inside as well. Scratches all over the nice new paint. So the building stank of paint for no reason

I had good fun when I went on Sunday :PDetty was one of the highlights of the day, having worked at Thorpe for two years means you get to know most of the rides staff obviously...which means the ops play evil games with you on Detty! The only way you know you're going to drop becomes pointless. Shan't say anymore as I'm not sure it's something they are supposed to do .Also, next time anyone goes on, shut your eyes at the bottom and open them when you are at the top, it's freaky!Lowlight of the day was probably the singing kids on Quantum :)And *someone* squashed me on X meaning I now have a bruise on my left arm!

Going back to the Fastrack thing, I am SO glad Slammer has no longer got Fastrack! Being the exit attendant was pure hell, it was hard to communicate to the attendant who was batching or getting the operators attention - giving hand signals to the staff on the other side sounds easier than it is, and some batching attendants would keep forgetting to ask how many they needed to save for Fastrack leaving the exit attendant in the sh!t. And it was never clear as to where they should wait...well not to the guests anyway! There was a line for Fastrack but the sign didn't seem to be clear enough for them! And they often seemed to think they could just walk straight onto the ride. I think the main issue was where the fastrack queue was located, because it meant the staff batching the main queue wasn't dealing with Fastrack, if that makes sense? Like on the other rides, the batcher would be able to get to the Fastrack and the main queue, they would easily be able to deal wth both. And anyway it never got a big queue :PShame I won't be there this year to appreciate not having that stress!I know it's going off-topic but I had to mention it!So anyway, SAW, the police car, wooo...crashing it deliberately? Interesting idea Ashley! Now which ride do they crash it into? Hmm...

Erm why would I be jealous of desperate girls who want you-know-what at the age of about 14? And who are totally fake - magically, they all have long, blonde hair, and are plastered in make-up and fake tan. I soo wanted to say to them "You've been Tango'd!" ;)I may as well be jealous of Zodiac as well, as you spend so much time with it hehe.

Everyone knows Rob but no one knows me?!IT'S AN OUTRAGE!!!!I OPERATED VORTEX, WHICH OWNS ZODIAC!! I HAD POWER TO GIVE YOU TOP SWING, ZODIAC GIVES YOU A RUBBISH RIDE EITHER WAY!!AND I was one of the fastest Rush attendants!!AND it's my birthday tomorrow!! lol...Marc knows me, but Marc knows everyone at Thorpe cos he practically lives there so that doesn't count! ;)And Rob can't even remember where he worked in 07 apparently! Pretty sure you did NOT work on Colossus, you were in the reject area that was Thrills West! Ha!Anyway you can't always be all camp and interacting with guests cos if the majority of them that come on the ride are chavs or boring farts, you feel like a right idiot when you try to interact and they sit there like dummies or swear at you. So it's no wonder a lot of TP staff look miserable when they get treated like that all the time...and that's just the guests Shall say no more, but put it this way, a lot of staff haven't returned this year, me included!More favouritism then there are chavs...and that is saying something!EDIT: Rob it's not good when you go hyper cos girls notice it...girls in bright tights and tutus who are gagging for it...therefore trying to pull you...so be careful, just cos I'm not working there anymore to keep an eye on you

Noooo not me eating Pringles!!Aww Rob is like "Huh?"...bless...

Yeah. I didn't want to sound too moany and stuff in my other post, or label the younger members as annoying and hyper or anything. It just wasn't exactly the highlight of my day ;)I did assume at first that a table was booked. But anyway, I still had a good day!

YES so true :PThis also affected the evening, where going to eat was a complete nightmare. If Rob hadn't stepped in and suggested what to do, god knows how long we'd have been hanging around in Staines, frezzing our bits off!It was a shame we couldn't sit together but the wait was 45 minutes, which apparently no one was happy about yet apparently they were also annoyed that we all sat seperatly (that's what I heard from someone yesterday, according to them "Rob annoyed everyone by splitting the group up"). Hmm...well from my recollection, we weren't getting anywhere and no one said no when he suggested it...I mean as hyper as the younger ones were, I'm sure they're capable of speaking up! I think next time we need to make sure we don't go on a busy day for restaurants, such as Valentine's Day, and that we have a "back-up plan" incase there's an issue, like on Saturday. Sounds a bit OTT but after the other night and what I was told yesterday, we need it

Zodiac stopping at a vertical position while testing - was it a "normal" test cycle aka the ride doing it's normal thing, or was it the engineers raising the arm up and down? If it was the latter then it's normal for them to leave it hanging around at the top before lowering it. If it was a "normal" test cycle then the guests in the area would know about it *big bang as the ride e-stops, and the gondolas swinging down with a crash due to no centrifugal force* The only testing I saw was the arm going up and down, and I heard that it was testing but didn't hear of it e-stopping at the top.As for Stealth, it has serious issues that have followed on from last season, I'm not even gonna go into detail! So it wasn't anything to do with Tidal scaffolding. And remember, just because you can't see any work going on, it doesn't mean nothing is being done.Quantum was testing when it wasn't going over the top, because...well, they were waiting for it to go over the top! The staff member at the front said it had been going on for about 20 minutes. Or where you on the ride when it happened? 5 minutes is pretty long for the operator to sit there and let it not do what it's supposed to.I actually thought it was quite funny when Colossus didn't even manage one ride, after everyone stampeeded across the bridge with all the excitement...I bet it was thinking "WHAT?! ALL those fan people?! In this weather?! Oh no way, nooo way, I am going on strike!" Anyway here is my experience of yesterday...It was fun.The end. :(XNWO - our first ride of 09 was X...eek. It looks funny inside as well, as they repainted it white at the start, they've recovered the bag room at the front, which has a wider exit window so it's nicer for the staff (but still pure hell to work in, especially as it currently smells of paint) and sorted the walls out so they harder for chavs to kick and do god knows what else to them. Apparently, two days into the season, it is now covered in graffiti :(Nemesis InfernoDetty QuantumNemmie again, after losing our minds and running over the Colossus bridge, then it had a technical problem so we got a priority pass. Which are different now, they don't have a date on them and they gave us one for three of us. I currently have it, Marc is jealous :(VortexZodiacDetty Nandos after a bit of a kerfuffle where we wondered around and no one could decide where to go, because there were no tables for a group of our size...Speaking of which, I have a group pic, apparently there was one before that we missed so I dunno how many were in that compared to my one (which wasn't a great deal of people).

Hehe, that would be pretty good if they did that...but then it might scare the little 'uns. Meeh.They could get someone to dress up and ride around on a tricycle, give them some helium so they can do the evil high-pitched laugh he does!

I have two cats, Poppy and Tango and they own all of your pets mwuhahahaha!Tango is a fat, ginger, fluffy, bossy, greedy cat! But he's a complete whimp as well, if he's in the garden and the wind picks up, he'll run in all scared - and in our current house, he'll skid along the laminate floor in the lounge, all the way into the hallway! He can also be a right grumpy cat, only likes being stroked on his head, anywhere else and he'll try and bite you! If you're crying or you pretend you are, he'll come up to you and headbutt you (y'know what I mean, when they go all affectionate and purry) and sit on you, as if to make sure you're ok.I call him fat...really he's just big and fluffy, not actually overweight. They both have Maine Coon (a breed of cat) in them, which makes them (mainly him though) hairy and big! Hmm...Poppy is a dark tabby and white, dappy, mad, timid cat. She's not exactly been well over the past year or so After her being sick and having diarrhoea a lot, plus her weight decreasing and having a fast heart rate, we went to the vets and they did some blood tests, which confirmed she has an over-active thyroid. So she now has to take tablets for the rest of her life to treat it.She has some skin irritation/allergy on her body, which means she is constantly licking herself, meaning a lot of her fur is being lost, which is making her look thin.She has a seperate skin problem on her chin, but the vet gave us some cream for it, and it helped And one time Tango was in a fight outside our house, she ran out and ended up having one of her teeth knocked out :(So over the past year or so, she's been thin, up until recently, had this thing on her chin (which you could see, it was like black/grey bits), losing her tooth sometimes means her mouth goes all wonky, bless her, and she isn't all fluffy and cuddly like she used to be because of her fur loss. But anyway, she's completely mental, she has these mad moments where she will suddenly go all wide-eyed and "miaowy" and she'll dart around everywhere miaowing...what's quite bizarre is that she tends to do it before or after doing a number 2. One time, she ran into the lounge, grabbed my brother's foot and went to bite it, then ran back out! Silly thing...she's always making funny noises as well. Oh and she likes tea. Leave a little bit of tea in a cup, and she'll dip her paw into it and lick it off!Anyway I'll be here for days if I keep rambling on about them!Tango:Poppy:I know in those pics, Poppy may not look thin. It depends how she is sitting, etc etc.