Knackered
Posted: Tue 31 March, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, Thoughts, Work-related | Leave a comment »For some reason – I suspect primarily a reaction to the clocks messing about over the weekend – last night I was just not at all sleepy. In fact, I finally dropped off at around 3am, and then was up again at 6am to go to work.
All of which conspires to mean I’m utterly knackered today, and not really in the mood to do much at all. Mind you, that’s probably no bad thing, as I’ve got absolutely cock-all to do today except sit around and see if the latest thing I’ve written and launched for the company has any problems now it’s gone live and is being used by people.
So far in the 22 hours since it went live, we’ve found one tiny bug, one significant one that wasn’t caused by me, and one blip of weirdness that no-one can explain. And neither of the two fixes has taken me more than five minutes to do.
The problem is, with being this whacked, I’d rather be being busy, and having stuff to do. Sitting around doing fuck all is likely to result in me falling asleep at my desk…
Back In The Office
Posted: Mon 30 March, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, Thoughts, Work-related | Leave a comment »And after a week away from it, I’m back in the office. Yuck.
The 6am start came as an unpleasant shock, having been able to actually catch up on some sleep while away. I may have to consider moving things round a bit, so I can sleep more in the morning, go in later, and come home later. I don’t know.
The problem with that is that – as I’ve said before – my core deep sleep hours are 7-9am. If I can sleep through that period, I feel fine and caught up on sleep. However, waking up in the middle of that period wrecks me completely. So in that context, it’s probably better for me to be awake and operational earlier, as most places don’t actually like it if you don’t come in ’til 10.30 or so…
Anyway, I’m back in the office, and the day looms ahead…
It’s Time – Part Two
Posted: Thu 26 March, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Getting Organised, House Purchase, Own Business, Thoughts, Work-related | Leave a comment »This post follows on from the one yesterday (Imaginatively titled “It’s time – part one”) about mortgages and overpayments…
So yes, the mortgage deal we’ve got allows for overpayments, and I’ve got some ideas on getting those overpayments under way. And basically, it all comes filed under “Get your damn finger out, Lyle“. Or, as the title of the post says, “It’s time.”
Which means that while we’re away, I’m going to have spent some time writing some spec letters to companies, pimping myself and my company. Once we get back, they’ll get printed out and go in the post. Then it’s the fun of following up on the letters, and seeing what work I can get.
At the same time, well, it’s time for me to get back to contracting. I don’t just want to go back to it, I need to. Sure, the current place might provide stability, but it’s driving me a) crackers and b) homicidal. I need to change. I need to work on changing back to a situation I’m happier in, and bringing in extra work for myself.
And then there’s also the writing and photography. I need/want to make more of those things if I can. I don’t know that the photography will ever be a money-spinner – it’s a crowded market, to say the least – but I’ll do what I can, either with commercial-based stuff, or with a couple of other ideas that might just make money through photography in other ways. And no, I don’t mean porn.
In short, it’s time. It’s time to get my finger out, to get back to the way I used to be, and to sort my head and life out in that context.
It’s time.
It’s time – Part One
Posted: Wed 25 March, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Getting Organised, House Purchase, Own Business, Thoughts, Work-related | Leave a comment »While we’re taking a break, the redone mortgage will (hopefully) be wading it’s way through the paperwork mire. We did all the application guff a couple of weeks back, signing up for a 5-year fixed-rate deal which looks to have been pretty much the best option for us. No fee, no transaction charge, and an OK interest rate.
We’re also changing lenders – Nationwide weren’t able to provide us with anywhere even close to the best deal – plus their valuation calculator is so wildly wrong in our case that it’s just about unusable. So we’re moving on.
The interest rate we’ve got isn’t as low as the base rate- but we never expected it to be. However, it’s a rate we’re happy with, and it lets us know what we’ll be paying between now and 2014, regardless of what interest-rate idiocy goes on between now and then. And that works just fine so far as I’m concerned.
We could almost certainly save ourselves a bit of money by just making some payments at the SVR rate, but I feel much happier with having the fixed-rate deal sorted out, and making the payments based on that. After all, when the rates go up – and they will – there’ll be a ton of people currently paying on the SVR rate who suddenly try to apply for a fixed-rate deal, at which point I’d lay money on the lenders immediately upping the charges for those deals. So I’m happier being “stupid” (according to a couple of people I’ve talked with) and doing what we’ve done.
The other part of the deal is that we can overpay – and overpay by a significant amount each year – the mortgage. And that’s something I’d very much like to take advantage of. I’ve written before about how I find the mortgage debt is something I’m very aware of so I’d be a lot happier to be paying off over the odds, and reducing the interest paid by a significant amount at the same time.
I’ve some ideas for how I’m going to work on the overpayments – but that’s a post for tomorrow.
Pay Assessments
Posted: Tue 24 March, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Cynicism, Thoughts, Work-related | 1 Comment »Recently, the current workplace has announced a change to the assessments/appraisals procedure that’s used to define pay rises. And because of the current financial climate, they’re doing everything they can in order to get out of giving any pay rises at all.
Firstly, anyone who’s been here less than nine months doesn’t qualify at all for an appraisal. There’s only one “full” appraisal per year, and an interim one come Augustish, so they’ve got to wait ’til this time next year before a pay rise can even begin to happen.
Back in August, the “interim” appraisal laid out some goals (assuming you’d been in your current position for more than six months) that each person should have attained over the year between “full” appraisals.The chances of anyone completing all these goals is – to say the least – minimal.
If people haven’t completed all their goals, then they need to have a good reason why not – including evidence of what they were doing that meant the goals weren’t completed. The requirement for evidence has only been revealed in the last two weeks. Without evidence, they’ve no chance of getting a good appraisal.
If people have completed all their goals, then they will score a “2” out of 4. A score of “2” means ‘does the job adequately’, but doesn’t equate with a pay-rise.
To get a pay-rise, a person has to score at least a “3”, and to be assessed by their line-manager as being worthy of a “3” as well. To get a “3” they would have to show evidence of having completed everything in their own job, all their goals, and having been helpful and hyper-motivated to other people outside the team they’re in.
To get a “4”, I think you’ve just got to be Buddha, Gandhi and Mother Theresa all rolled into one. With some humility on the side, obviously – it’s no good being perfect without it…
Just about everyone now knows that they’re not going to get a pay-rise, regardless of how well they’ve worked through the year. Needless to say, the motivation levels have fallen through the floor.
All this is being marketed as an improvement on efficiency, alongside providing financial savings for the company. What they don’t seem to have realised is that there’s also been a significant hike in number of people now wanting Out, and looking any/elsewhere for a new job. I wonder what the savings will be when you add in all the new recruitment and training costs?
Ireland vs. Wales
Posted: Tue 17 March, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 1BEM, Charm School, Cynicism, Stupidity, Work-related | 1 Comment »I think it’s fair to say that it’s common knowledge that today is St Patricks Day .
In the staff canteen at work, today’s special is a Welsh Breakfast.
So of course, I just had to ask, and get my suspicions confirmed.
Yes, some slack twat at the catering company that supplies/staffs the canteen has decided that St Patrick is – um – Welsh.
You just couldn’t make it up, could you?
(Added : Just to say, it’s been pointed out that St Patrick was quite possibly born in Wales. But I’m not going to let that get in the way of a good shaking-head post.)
Updating Company Details
Posted: Tue 17 March, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Customer Services, Own Business, Work-related | Leave a comment »Following on from the fun last week where my accountant got himself declared bankrupt (fucker) I had to get the registered office for my company moved and re-registered with Companies House as soon as possible.
In light of that, I downloaded the necessary form from their website, printed it out, filled it in, and posted it off.
Checking today, the registered office change has been processed, and is part of their online record for my company.
I have to say, I’m impressed with the efficiency. I’ve said about it before, but Companies House really do tend to be disturbingly efficient – particularly when you realise they’re a branch of Government. It’s most unnatural – yet strangely reassuring.