Commuting
Posted: Fri 6 February, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Driving, Thoughts, Work-related | Leave a comment »While I’m still doing a commute of some 25 miles each way, I have to say that with the weather this week I’ve been very thankful that I’m not still working in Cambridge, and doing the 120 mile round trip each day.
Mind you, if I had been meant to be doing that, I suspect I’d have been working from home, rather than doing the journey anyway.
Induction
Posted: Thu 5 February, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Cynicism, Work-related | Leave a comment »This morning, nearly four months after I started [new job], I get to spend a full morning doing an induction course.
It runs from 9am to 12 noon, with no breaks, no refreshments, and 12 speakers from different departments doing a 20 minute (on average) presentation.
I can’t think of anything that’d be more fun. *cough*
Get Real
Posted: Wed 4 February, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Agency Idiocy, Own Business, Work-related | Leave a comment »Just received this from an IT agency – nothing like short notice, I suppose…
I need a contract PHP Developer for a 3-week contract in [Deepest Darkest Essex]. The role involves building a new website for a school.
Work onsite at first but home working is also offered.
Candidates are required to interview today and it is an immediate start.
So – not overly realistic, although I suppose there might be a local developer who’s in need of immediate work…
Snowed In? No Such Luck
Posted: Mon 2 February, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 1BEM, Cynicism, Driving, Work-related | Leave a comment »So apparently London is paralysed because of 3-4inches of snow, with all the buses taken off the roads, various bits of the underground being closed, and trains in the south-east being cancelled. (It’s pathetic really, when you look at the weather in Toronto, and they’re still doing fine)
Up in Norfolk, what’ve we got? Less than an inch of snow, and no-one cares. The roads are gritted (although some of the backroads are “interesting”) and there’s no real problems at all.
In fact, the biggest issue was a certain bell-end this morning in a Subaru WRX on a gritted road who wouldn’t travel at more than 25mph. The fact they were in a 4-wheel drive vehice ideally suited to the conditions (even if they had been skiddy/slippy) seemed to have passed them by completely.
And that’s the only reason I was slightly later than usual getting in to work this morning.
Business Cards
Posted: Fri 30 January, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Advertising, Thoughts, Work-related | Leave a comment »via Gordon (in a fairly loose way)
I love the sheer inventiveness of some of the business cards in this article – there’s others I’m not as keen on, but all told it’s really interesting (at least to me) to see the ideas that some people can put into their cards.
@Media2009
Posted: Fri 30 January, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: @Media2009, Getting Organised, Own Business, Web Development, Work-related | Leave a comment »I’ve written many times about the @Media conference, which is one I always look forward to and attend when I can. I missed last years because we were travelling to Ireland on the Friday of the conference, so it wasn’t worth it.
This year it’s a bit later, on the 25/26th June at the South Bank Centre, which should be fun. I’ve never been there for conferences etc. before, so it’s another new place on the list.
Early-bird tickets (Two days for £299 plus VAT) went on sale last night, and I’m already booked in for it.
Happy, happy day.
Blowout
Posted: Mon 26 January, 2009 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Driving, Travel, Work-related | Leave a comment »Sometimes you can just tell it’s Monday…
On the way to work this morning, travelling along the dual-carriageway A11, I had a tyre blow out. At the time I was in the outside lane, having just started to overtake another car. A bang, a thud, and a wickedly loud sound like going over the rumble strips. Other than that, I don’t know what else was occurring – I was busy keeping the car safe, and working to get it over onto the hard shoulder.
I did so – and got it onto a decent bit of hard shoulder on one of the slip roads, which helped. However, as it was the driver’s-side tyre, I was wearing dark clothing, and it was 7.30am, I opted for getting the breakdown people to come and change the damn thing rather than attempting it myself. (Something which the recovery guy agreed was a smart move) The breakdown people were great – Tesco insurance/breakdown said the guy would be there by 8.40am, and 8.40, there he was. Ten minutes later, all done and back on the road to work.
All’s OK, although I’m currently on one of those crappy space-saver spare tyres where you’re not supposed to go above 50mph. That’s getting changed tomorrow, at which point all will be well again. I’m a touch narked because the front tyres only got replaced back in May, so I wouldn’t have expected one to die by now, but I’ll talk to the tyre place about that tomorrow.
As it is, the tyre had sounded a bit odd yesterday – to the extent that I’d stopped and checked it wasn’t flat, and also gone round it looking for a big stone in the treads, but hadn’t found any problems. But (I now assume) that was the point where it blew today, so I’ll know better next time it happens – if it ever does.
In a way, I’m kind of pleased with myself – if nothing else, it’s another thing checked off the “I’ve done that, and survived it OK” list of driving tasks. I managed to deal with the situation, handle it safely, and not be a danger to myself or anyone else. Yes, I’ve lost a hubcap along the way, and I’ll need to replace the tyre, but that’s nothing really. After all, it could have been one hell of a lot worse in so many ways…