First Days
Posted: Mon 20 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Thoughts, Work-related | 3 Comments »So yes, the first day of the new job went OK. I’ve done the first bits of the induction process, and things are starting to come together.
I’m never a great fan of first days – and in this case there was a significant amount of corporate rubbish getting spouted as well. Never something I get on with all that well. And there’ll be a whole bundle more of it, I’m sure.
But there we go, that’s life in the world of the ‘proper job’, I suppose.
Maybe Quiet
Posted: Mon 20 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Cynicism, Work-related | Leave a comment »Today things may be quiet round here – as I’ve mentioned before, I’m starting a new “proper” job today, and as such I’ve no idea what the internet access will be like.
Also it looks like the first day is induction-tastic, going through HR guff, staff policies and the like. Oh what fun. Just the way to motivate me and make me really want the job. Not.
Hey ho, we’ll see how it goes – and if all else fails, I’ll write more tonight.
New Job – The Downside
Posted: Sat 18 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, Thoughts, Work-related | Leave a comment »Oh yeah, I’d forgotten, the new job looks like it’s already got a significant downside.
It looks like I need to wear shirt and tie in the office. *shudder*
Other than interviews, I don’t think I’ve done that consistently since ohhh, 2002 – and even that was only a contract that lasted three months. The only possible saviour of this situation is that there isn’t an office dress-code mentioned in the contract and introductory gubbins I’ve got.
So we’ll have to wait and see, but for now it means that I’m stocking up on new shirts and ties. Admittedly that’s kind of fun – and will stand me in good stead for future work as well, I guess. All the same, I’d rather not be wearing ties…
Take Your Dog To Work – Day Two
Posted: Wed 15 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Work-related | Leave a comment »This morning, Hound was actually OK to stay in the house – and then the bloody Psycho Cat got involved.
I’d left the house, and locked the front door, with Hound safe and fine inside, no hassles at all. But then Psycho Cat jumped down from the fence, and started yelling at the front door.
And me, being a big softy (and knowing that the weather’s disgusting today, so we’d have ended up with a soaked/filthy/disgusting cat if he stayed out all day) went back to let him in. Which then resulted in Hound having a fit of the mini-hysterical type, and running out to stand by the car. And once she’s been in that state, well, it’s easier to give in than have to fight the battle.
So yes, she’s in the car at the office again.
Normality will resume tonight/tomorrow.
Take Your Dog To Work
Posted: Tue 14 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Work-related | Leave a comment »At the moment, Herself is away from home – she’s up in Grantham somewhere from yesterday morning through ’til Wednesday evening. The only problem with this is that it leaves Hound in a bit of a state, and she turns into a complete fanny when it’s time for me to leave the house.
This morning, for instance, she accompanied me everywhere, and wouldn’t leave my side. Which is quite nice in a way – if nothing else it shows that she’s accepted me as a pack leader etc., but it’s also a pain in the backside when trying to get ready for work.
Anyway, there was no chance I’d be able to get out of the house without Her Ladyship either a) throwing a fit or b) getting all anxious and nippy, so she got put in the car as well, and has come to the office for the day.
She’ll stay in the car (yes, the windows are open for fresh air – and fuck it, it’s October anyway) and will be taken out for a walk at lunchtime as well as a quick squat at some point, and she’ll be happy. More importantly, she’ll just sleep – I know what she’s like, and that’s normal dog behaviour anyway – but won’t be stressing at home, or annoying the cat.
I suspect the same will happen tomorrow too, but then normality should return. Let’s hope, anyway.
Slip of the Tongue
Posted: Sun 12 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Customer Services, Work-related | 2 Comments »I felt by turns amused and sympathetic towards someone I dealt with on the phone this week.
I’d called the phone-banking service (which is usually very good, in contrast to their utterly shit branches) for my bank, RBS, to find out the benefits (or lack thereof) in downgrading my account from their ‘premier’ current account (where I use very few of the services) to their more run-of-the-mill current account that has most of the benefits I actually use, and costs half as much.
I called phone banking because their website doesn’t actually have a ‘compare accounts’ function, and so I figured that the people in phone banking might have more information to hand about this kind of thing.
Only, as it turned out, they don’t. So the poor guy was printing out various screenshots, and trying to compare them. (I only realised this afterwards, or I’d have told him not to worry) However, he’d forgotten to put me on hold, so the amusement came when I heard a bunch of papers go flying, followed by (in a Scottish accent
Och, fer fucks sake, this is crap. Fuckin’ thing
At which I laughed out loud, and he was quite shocked that he hadn’t put me properly on hold. Poor guy – I had no problem with the swearing, but I know that if the call was recorded, he’s going to be deep in the shit. I did make a point of saying in the call that I had absolutely no problem with it, but I know that won’t fix anything with his superiors.
Changing Tracks
Posted: Wed 8 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, Own Business, Thoughts, Work-related | 2 Comments »In a couple of weeks time, I’ll be changing tracks again, allbeit only slightly on this occasion.
Basically, I’ll be starting a new job, only it’s a permanent role (at least in title) rather than being a contract. In some ways it’s a bit of a retrograde step, and not least because of the position/work I’ll actually be doing. However it’s something that makes sense in the short-term – by which I mean the next six months or so.
You see, with the various bits of guff going on about “credit crunch” etc., I’m highly aware that we’ve got a mortgage renewal coming up in March ’09, and it’s likely to make things awkward at that time if I’m employed by my own limited company, which by that time won’t have even filed a return to Companies House. In that context, it’ll be infinitely better to have a “proper” employer, and to have been there for a while before we even get to the contract renewal point.
At the same time, I’m going to be keeping the limited company going, and doing as much work as I can through that. I’m even getting the clause deleted from the contract about “can’t have any employment other than us” with the new place, so it won’t be an issue.
It’s not ideal – I’d much rather stay with what I’m doing now – although at least this new role contains plenty of challenges and extra development stuff that’ll stand me in good stead for the future. And it’ll definitely be weird to return to the world of “proper” jobs again, even if only for a while…