Posted: Mon 8 January, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Getting Organised, Work-related |
At the moment, Mondays are very hard work.
After two days off, it’s crap coming back to the office, back into the rhythm of commuting from Norfolk to Cambridge – particularly now that everyone seems to be back at work – and then getting back into the flow of work in the office too. It’s just no fun at all.
Even then, the rhythm today is being broken up by calls from estate agents, asking what we thought of the various properties we saw over the weekend.
To add to the confusion, tomorrow I’m going to be working from home, as we’re also expecting some stuff to be delivered (and it gives me some peace and quiet in order to concentrate on some stuff for work) so that means that Wednesday may well become Monday Part Two…
Posted: Fri 5 January, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Customer Services, Geeky, Weirdness, Work-related |
Sometimes the habits of recruiters and agencies just completely amaze me.
I got an email at about 7pm last night from a recruiter about a web-development job based in York. Now, OK, I’m not interested in it (for many – and obvious – reasons) but I figure that if they’re still trying to put me in jobs in York, perhaps it’s an agency I haven’t updated (in two years) about my current situation/location. The job’s a fairly urgent start, with interviews next Tuesday and Wednesday.
So I send a reply email – to the email sent just last night, remember – with an updated CV attached, and get an “out of office” response to it.
I’m out of the office until Wednesday 10th January
So – spot the flaw in this – you’re advertising a job for interviews on Tuesday and Wednesday, but you’re not back in the office ’til Wednesday?
Bizarre.
Posted: Wed 3 January, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Cynicism, Weirdness, Work-related |
The company that I work for has several buildings in Cambridge, all of which have glass ‘security’ doors, where you have to swipe your identity card through, then the doors open and let you in. In short, they really aren’t rocket science.
Today, we’ve had an email through from the company’s Health and Safety directorate, explaining that some 20% of the reported workplace accidents/injuries in 2006 were due to these doors. So we now have – posted on the intranet, no less – instructions on how to use the security doors. I’m not kidding…
- Upon approach stand back behind the barrier so that the ‘person’ sensor within the barrier wall is not obstructed.
- Present your security badge, which should “beep†in recognition.
- Proceed through the gate.
(You’ll note that there’s no proviso about ‘when the gate has opened, proceed through the gate’)
- This is a precise operation and many accidents occur due to
- Confusion on the part of the ‘person’ sensor, if you stand too far forward when presenting your badge it assumes that there are possibly two people in the channel and thus shuts prematurely
- A lack of concentration especially when there is a queue at peak times, or when talking to colleagues.
I really really worry about some of the people I work with…
Posted: Tue 2 January, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Customer Services, Cynicism, Travel, Work-related |
So, back to work, and all that goes with it.
Train journey in went OK, but then I had to renew my season ticket for another month. Simple, you’d have thought – but you’d be wrong. The drongo in the ticket office printed the season ticket on the wrong ticket paper, which means that it looks like it’s invalid. So that’ll be fun for the next month then. I questioned it at ‘customer services’, who agreed it looked wrong, and said to take it back to the ticket office. Doing so, a different drongo completely failed to print out a replacement for it (I’ve no idea why, other than general incompetence), then wrote the photocard identifier on the (dodgy looking) ticket, and assures me “that’s all it needs”. Suffice to say, I’m not convinced.
Getting in to work, my pass has expired (as I was initially due to only be here ’til 25th Dec) and no-one’s bothered to extend the authorisation. Hopefully that’ll be sorted today, so that tomorrow can get back to some semblance of normality.
Other than that, because other people have used the laptop that is my main work computer, I’ve now spent most of the morning reconfiguring it to how I want it. The tossers didn’t even charge it up, they left it with a completely dead battery – and in hibernation.
All in all, not a great start to the working year…
Posted: Tue 2 January, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, Own Business, Web Development, Work-related |
Over the last few days, I’ve been writing a website for a small business that Herself is starting. It’s fairly cool, to be fair, and I’m pleased with the results so far.
One thing that’s been a complete pain in the arse, though, is that the business will initially be dealing with payments via PayPal – which is a good system, and works well in general – but man, is it a pain in the arse to get set up. Once I’m done, it’ll all work fine, I’m sure, and it’s been fun to write a shopping cart section for the site as well. Ah yes, the joys of eCommerce as well.
Anyway, it’s been interesting, and once it’s completed, I’m sure I’ll add some publicity somewhere, as well as sorting out the Google SEO stuff for it.
Posted: Thu 28 December, 2006 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Five Year Plan (now Ten), Getting Organised, Own Business |
On the credit card I got back in July, the interest-free period expires on 31st December.
And, I’m pleased to say – not that this will mean a sod to anyone else – I’ve paid off the lot. This has been the next step in what I wanted to do – having the credit card, using it (lots) for expenses, equipment and so on, and then having it completely paid off by the time the interest-free period expires.
I’ll use it now for a couple of small purchases per month, and pay it off. Maybe a slightly larger purchase every so often that gets paid off over two or three months, with a little bit of interest. That’ll keep everyone happy.
It’s all part of the plan, building up my credit score, generally making myself out to be a ‘responsible’ person. And so far, everything’s going to plan. Even my current account, having just got through the Festering Season, is in credit – and I’m still due for December’s pay, so that’s healthy too.
And I hae to say, all things considered, that’s a pretty good feeling.
Posted: Wed 27 December, 2006 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Getting Organised, Work-related |
Well, it looks like I must have been doing something right at the new job (When I say ‘new’ I mean ‘the one I’ve had for three months now’)
Even though I didn’t get offered the permanent role with them when I interviewed for it, since then I’ve been given a contract extension ’til the end of January. And then today I’ve been asked to extend that again, for at least another two months.
So I’m here now (all things being well) ’til the end of March, which is kind of cool. The only downside, really, is that I would’ve ideally liked to be in a permanent job, which would make life a lot easier when it comes to mortgage applications etc. – but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
(And yes, I did delay this post ’til I was away, in the name of some content, rather than posting it up as soon as I knew)