It's not been a bad day today, managed to get a test version of a Postcode search I'd been doing at work out. Finished up a few other things and then went to another office to fix a problem they were having with a printer. So they day went very quickly.
I got paid today so sorted out all my finances for the next month, gonna be a tight month with Road Tax and a few other things. Hopefully I will be out in Sedgefield with a few people from work tomorrow night, all depends on if Katy can get a lift back home. Only going if she does, at least there is someone else there I can talk to as not sure how many others are gonna be there. Its not looking good, Katy text about 30 minutes ago saying her husband would pick ehr up but would have to get the kids up and bring them with him (not good). Could of gone Bowling with some stuff from Darlington but wasn't really invited. Think it would of been awkward as the last time I went with them I was seeing one of the people going. It wasn't that brilliant last time either with me driving, hate driving when everyone else is drinking, anyway hopefully will be out in Sedgefield.
If not might stay in and be very sad and do some work on my website.
Its definitly time to go out and exercise, I am permanently attached to a computer and putting on some weight (for me anyway). Lighter nights and hopefully weather improving so got no excuses. If I'm not hungover on Saturday I will have a lookout either for a run or on the bike. I used to enjoy getting up and going out on my bike before work. Maybe not the getting up but was good being out early in the morning around the back roads with no one hardly around. Used to be more awake for the rest of the day.
People keep mentioning to me about working for myself, always sounds good but once you try to do it as a job it becomes a lot harder. Would love to work for myself but you need to secure some source of regular income. People keep mentioning making money from Ebay, I tried it a few times and did make money but not very interesting to me. Prefer doing something where I have to think and learn something new and interesting.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Future
I've been thinking about the future a bit today, i need to finish off my plan for the next few years and then work out how to achieve them.
I all too often think of things but never carry them through bit like my running lots of intentions but still havent been out, do need to get off my arse and do some exercise, enjoy it when im doing it but just not motivated at the minute.
Still not sure what i want from a job, dont want to be stuck doing what i am for ages with no career path. But also dont want to jump into a job just coz its more money but could be even more boring.
I seam to of had one of those days where you get no where fast, frustrating.
Was gonna write more but feel tired, so will try to get to sleep a bit earlier than usual :-)
Lasgo - Far Away
Just listened to Lasgo - Far Away, I don't think it has any tracks as that stand out like a few off the tracks of their 1st album but I have only listened to it once. It wasn't a bad album could listen to it in the background but nothing jumped out at me. The last track is a cover of a Thompsons Twins song (Hold Me Now). Worth a listen but nothing special unless I change my mind after another hearing!
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Idea #1
I've thought about this a few times over the last year and was certain someone would of done it by now.
I TRY to organise my money using Quicken (like MS Money) but I often forget to enter the details into the computer until the end of the month and have to try to remember what I spent the money on. I can never remember most of it, even though I try to keep every receipt I get (100s of them in a file). So started to think about how this could be solved. The main problem is having to be sat at my PC @ home to enter the details.
So started thinking about a phone application that would link in with Quicken or money and let you enter the details on your phone and view your accounts and sync up with the main program when you get home. There are similar application available for PDAs (Pocket Quicken & Pocket Money) but how many people have PDAs and how many have Mobile phones. This has problems as well as you would need a smartphone or similar most phones aren't. So maybe you could update via WAP.
This then led me to think about dropping Money & Quicken and hosting a web service that managed your money. Your accoounts could be stored on a central server then you could access them from any Computer anywhere in the world or connected device (phone/pda) and update/view them. You could use a client program if you wanted and sync with the hosted service.
The only downside to this is that many people would be worried about security and all your financial details being stored in one central place. But this isn't that much different to if you did all your banking with one bank. someone could hack into to it and access your money. Although they may not know what you actually spent your money on or what bills were coming up.
This wouldn't really bother me, benefits would outway the negatives. It would also be less prone to losing you data. It would be like any other online site, regularly backed up with plenty of redundancy in place. I have lost my Quicken data a couple of times over the last few years when I forgot to back it up after formatting my computer (I remeber now!!)
So basically the idea would be to have an online version of Microsoft Money or Quicken accessible from any web browser. The closest I have seen is Egg or Yahoo which allow you to view all your balances in one place but they don't let you do anything else.
I can think of plenty of other benefits but would be on all night describing them all.
If I wrote down and did a fraction of the ideas I come up with I would be a millionaire by now. Thought of a portable music player like the Ipod or MPman long before they appeared after 1st downloading a music file off the net many years ago. Most things do eventually get made, I've forgot most of them, part of the reason I setup a blog in the 1st place was to try and remember stuff.
Alien vs Predator
I watched Alien Vs Predator on Monday night. I was disappointed in it, Predator is one of my favourite films. Also really enjoyed Alien(s) and Predator 2. But there were some major problems with this film, it seamed very choppy and like it had been cut down maybe to get the lower age rating. It also didn't have any particularly good actors, yeah arnie isn't a great actor but perfect for the role he played. Don't get me wrong if you just want to sit down and watch a typical action film it will fit the bill but nowhere near as good as I hoped. I gave it 6 out 10 on IMDB. :-(
Hero
I watched Hero aboout a week ago and still can't quite make up my mind what I thought. I can see why they called it one of the most beautiful films ever made, there are some stunning visual scenes in it. Then again its not quite my sort of film, lots of wire work and quite slow. It is a good film and can see why a lot of people like it but dont think it merits the high ratings on IMDB. I gave it 7 out of 10 but am thinking of changing it to a 6.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Tightrope
I will never understand women, I know all men say that.
I went out with a couple of mates last night, up to the club 1st and spent nearly 2 hours trying to stay awake it was so boring. Eventually we went down the bank to the George which was better. Then got a taxi down to Crook, it was heaving. I soon got sick of my mates talking about football, wouldn't mind if it was Premiership then I would know what they are on about. But they were talking about the football they play on a Saturday and Sunday which after several hours does your head in. I left them for a bit and went and spoke to Lisa and her mate. Seeing as we are now speaking, good to actually be friends. I don't want to be anything more than this.
Eventually my mates met up with me again, I was still talking to Lisa and her mate (Sharon I think). After a while Lisa disappeared I thought I must of said something to upset her but she texted me that it wasn't me but her mate, I have no idea why she went off. Think she was just in a mood about something.
I decided I'd had enough and got a taxi home!!
Some other stuff has happened, Angelika has been blocking me for some unknown reason, then checked my hotmail today and saw I had about 4 emails from her. Sounds like she thinks I've been using her or something. God knows what I've supposed to of done. Think she read something on this blog that offended her maybe the Stalker comment but I only said it as a joke after Ang called herself it a few weeks ago. Think something maybe got lost in translation.
Still good friends with Kelly but I am still single and would like to keep it this way for a while. The events over the last 24 hours make me even more certain I want to stay single for a while sick of having to walk a tightrope for people.
I went out with a couple of mates last night, up to the club 1st and spent nearly 2 hours trying to stay awake it was so boring. Eventually we went down the bank to the George which was better. Then got a taxi down to Crook, it was heaving. I soon got sick of my mates talking about football, wouldn't mind if it was Premiership then I would know what they are on about. But they were talking about the football they play on a Saturday and Sunday which after several hours does your head in. I left them for a bit and went and spoke to Lisa and her mate. Seeing as we are now speaking, good to actually be friends. I don't want to be anything more than this.
Eventually my mates met up with me again, I was still talking to Lisa and her mate (Sharon I think). After a while Lisa disappeared I thought I must of said something to upset her but she texted me that it wasn't me but her mate, I have no idea why she went off. Think she was just in a mood about something.
I decided I'd had enough and got a taxi home!!
Some other stuff has happened, Angelika has been blocking me for some unknown reason, then checked my hotmail today and saw I had about 4 emails from her. Sounds like she thinks I've been using her or something. God knows what I've supposed to of done. Think she read something on this blog that offended her maybe the Stalker comment but I only said it as a joke after Ang called herself it a few weeks ago. Think something maybe got lost in translation.
Still good friends with Kelly but I am still single and would like to keep it this way for a while. The events over the last 24 hours make me even more certain I want to stay single for a while sick of having to walk a tightrope for people.
Doctor Who
I've just watched Doctor Who and was fairly impressed, I was never a big fan. I always thought it looked stupid even as a little kid and never liked any of the actors from my generation of Doctor Who.
But after watching the new series it looks very good, for once they have had some money to do proper special effects. Christopher Eccleston is a good actor and played the part well, so did Billie Piper as Rose. Recognised her boyfriend from the last 2 series of Auf Weidersein Pet. Think I will keep watching :-)
Friday, March 25, 2005
!!
An extract from the diary of Lieutenant Colonel Mervin Willett Gonin DSO who was among the first British soldiers to liberate Bergen-Belsen in 1945.
Camp
I can give no adequate description of the Horror Camp in which my men and myself were to spend the next month of our lives. It was just a barren wilderness, as bare as a chicken run. Corpses lay everywhere, some in huge piles, sometimes they lay singly or in pairs where they had fallen. It took a little time to get used to seeing men women and childen collapse as you walked by them and to restrain oneself from going to their assistance. One had to get used early to the idea that the individual just did not count. One knew that five hundred a day were dying and that five hundred a day were going on dying for weeks before anything we could do would have the slightest effect. It was, however, not easy to watch a child choking to death from diptheria when you knew a tracheotomy and nursing would save it, one saw women drowning in their own vomit because they were too weak to turn over, and men eating worms as they clutched a half loaf of bread purely because they had to eat worms to live and now could scarcely tell the difference. Piles of corpses, naked and obscene, with a woman too weak to stand proping herself against them as she cooked the food we had given her over an open fire; men and women crouching down just anywhere in the open relieving themselves of the dysentary which was scouring their bowels, a woman standing stark naked washing herself with some issue soap in water from a tank in which the remains of a child floated. It was shortly after the British Red Cross arrived, though it may have no connection, that a very large quantity of lipstick arrived. This was not at all what we men wanted, we were screaming for hundreds and thousands of other things and I don't know who asked for lipstick. I wish so much that I could discover who did it, it was the action of genius, sheer unadulterated brilliance. I believe nothing did more for these internees than the lipstick. Women lay in bed with no sheets and no nightie but with scarlet red lips, you saw them wandering about with nothing but a blanket over their shoulders, but with scarlet red lips. I saw a woman dead on the post mortem table and clutched in her hand was a piece of lipstick. At last someone had done something to make them individuals again, they were someone, no longer merely the number tatooed on the arm. At last they could take an interest in their appearance. That lipstick started to give them back their humanity
Source: Imperial War museum
Camp
I can give no adequate description of the Horror Camp in which my men and myself were to spend the next month of our lives. It was just a barren wilderness, as bare as a chicken run. Corpses lay everywhere, some in huge piles, sometimes they lay singly or in pairs where they had fallen. It took a little time to get used to seeing men women and childen collapse as you walked by them and to restrain oneself from going to their assistance. One had to get used early to the idea that the individual just did not count. One knew that five hundred a day were dying and that five hundred a day were going on dying for weeks before anything we could do would have the slightest effect. It was, however, not easy to watch a child choking to death from diptheria when you knew a tracheotomy and nursing would save it, one saw women drowning in their own vomit because they were too weak to turn over, and men eating worms as they clutched a half loaf of bread purely because they had to eat worms to live and now could scarcely tell the difference. Piles of corpses, naked and obscene, with a woman too weak to stand proping herself against them as she cooked the food we had given her over an open fire; men and women crouching down just anywhere in the open relieving themselves of the dysentary which was scouring their bowels, a woman standing stark naked washing herself with some issue soap in water from a tank in which the remains of a child floated. It was shortly after the British Red Cross arrived, though it may have no connection, that a very large quantity of lipstick arrived. This was not at all what we men wanted, we were screaming for hundreds and thousands of other things and I don't know who asked for lipstick. I wish so much that I could discover who did it, it was the action of genius, sheer unadulterated brilliance. I believe nothing did more for these internees than the lipstick. Women lay in bed with no sheets and no nightie but with scarlet red lips, you saw them wandering about with nothing but a blanket over their shoulders, but with scarlet red lips. I saw a woman dead on the post mortem table and clutched in her hand was a piece of lipstick. At last someone had done something to make them individuals again, they were someone, no longer merely the number tatooed on the arm. At last they could take an interest in their appearance. That lipstick started to give them back their humanity
Source: Imperial War museum
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Work
Been a busy day today at work, servers not running correctly and lots of little problems people keep ringing up about. Often it becomes frustrating, because I haven't been made aware of changes to things and then someone rings you up asking questions about it. You then look an idiot coz I don't know what they are on about. I think this was more due to the member of staff who was informed of the changes being on holiday when it was sent to them, but even since then the information hasn't been passed on. Although this sounds like I'm moaning it wasn't really all that bad just another little example of poor communication. I'm just as bad as anyone else so I can't comment.
One thing I have been hearing a lot about at work, is a new member of staff is setting a lot of peoples backs up without realising. She keep making comments about things without engaging her brain and thinking how this effects people. I have had 4 or 5 people mention to me comments that the person has made. I quite like her but but she should stop and think before she makes comments especially when she doesn't know the people she is talking to. It was mentioned to me that she blamed someone for losing her work but there was no way this could of happened and was actually her own fault for not logging out of her machine. Wont bitch about them as I said I quite like them and get on well with them but not my place to say anything.
It also sounds like a few support staff are completely fed up and thinking of leaving. A lot of it comes from them not understanding what they are supposed to be doing and not clear on what there jobs are anymore. I think some of them tried to express this to management but rather than being reassured and gaining clarification they actually felt like they were being told off. Also another person told me they were looking for another job because it is getting ridiculous having to spend so much time in meetings and not being able to get on with their work and is also looking at leaving. Both of them have worked for quite a while in the service and are two of the best staff I personally think we have (good at their jobs).
There is certainly a big problem at the moment, we have gone through a lot of change and lots more to come. I think the main problem is the lack of clarification on what peoples roles are in the service, especially Support Services. Staff are being sent to more and more meetings about nothing and have even less idea what they should be doing.
Maybe they should create a new post of Internal Communications Officer for me, I am probably aware or more staff problems, worries, fears and insecurities than anyone else. For some reason everyone always talks to me and tells me what's up. Maybe its because I'm approachable and will have a laugh, but will listen and help where I can. Unlike the people who should be really listening. Then again if I did tell anyone peoples exact problems they would probably no longer tell me.
I can see a lot of staff leaving very soon unless something is done quickly :-(
Not sure myself what to do about a job I have seen at the local council, think I should complete the application form and send it off even though I'm not sure what I want. Certainly VERY tempting, who can turn down an extra £5,000 at the bottom of the scale and would mean doing some of the better parts of my job and certainly dumping the worst bits. Its also only 1 mile from my house. So would save even more money in travelling. We will see, probably wont even get a reply...
One thing I have been hearing a lot about at work, is a new member of staff is setting a lot of peoples backs up without realising. She keep making comments about things without engaging her brain and thinking how this effects people. I have had 4 or 5 people mention to me comments that the person has made. I quite like her but but she should stop and think before she makes comments especially when she doesn't know the people she is talking to. It was mentioned to me that she blamed someone for losing her work but there was no way this could of happened and was actually her own fault for not logging out of her machine. Wont bitch about them as I said I quite like them and get on well with them but not my place to say anything.
It also sounds like a few support staff are completely fed up and thinking of leaving. A lot of it comes from them not understanding what they are supposed to be doing and not clear on what there jobs are anymore. I think some of them tried to express this to management but rather than being reassured and gaining clarification they actually felt like they were being told off. Also another person told me they were looking for another job because it is getting ridiculous having to spend so much time in meetings and not being able to get on with their work and is also looking at leaving. Both of them have worked for quite a while in the service and are two of the best staff I personally think we have (good at their jobs).
There is certainly a big problem at the moment, we have gone through a lot of change and lots more to come. I think the main problem is the lack of clarification on what peoples roles are in the service, especially Support Services. Staff are being sent to more and more meetings about nothing and have even less idea what they should be doing.
Maybe they should create a new post of Internal Communications Officer for me, I am probably aware or more staff problems, worries, fears and insecurities than anyone else. For some reason everyone always talks to me and tells me what's up. Maybe its because I'm approachable and will have a laugh, but will listen and help where I can. Unlike the people who should be really listening. Then again if I did tell anyone peoples exact problems they would probably no longer tell me.
I can see a lot of staff leaving very soon unless something is done quickly :-(
Not sure myself what to do about a job I have seen at the local council, think I should complete the application form and send it off even though I'm not sure what I want. Certainly VERY tempting, who can turn down an extra £5,000 at the bottom of the scale and would mean doing some of the better parts of my job and certainly dumping the worst bits. Its also only 1 mile from my house. So would save even more money in travelling. We will see, probably wont even get a reply...
Understanding
Its been a strange couple of nights the last 2. I have been contacted by 2 ex's and have spoke a lot to Angelika who I am getting on well with.
Me and Lisa texted each other and explained to each other what went wrong and what we were feeling when we originally split up nearly 2 years ago. This is what we should of done at the time but neither of us were any good at saying how we felt. Think we now both understand what went wrong, after talking to me she split up with the person she was seeing. The person who was involved in our break up. There is no chance I will ever go back out with her but would like us to be good friends.
Kelly contacted me on AIM tonight as well and we both explained what went wrong and how we were feeling. We both understand each others feelings and reasons for things now. We both still have very strong feelings for each other (Love? thought so but who knows). It was a very complicated situation and think we were both a little too scared of things going wrong, especially with her having a son. We both thought we had met the one!
I've been speaking to Angelika (my stalker, lol) loads recently and have become very close. I like Angelika loads originally started out trying to find her a man. She is thinking of coming over with a friend and meeting up. Neither of us are really sure if this is a good idea but what the hell you don't know until it happens.
Me and Lisa texted each other and explained to each other what went wrong and what we were feeling when we originally split up nearly 2 years ago. This is what we should of done at the time but neither of us were any good at saying how we felt. Think we now both understand what went wrong, after talking to me she split up with the person she was seeing. The person who was involved in our break up. There is no chance I will ever go back out with her but would like us to be good friends.
Kelly contacted me on AIM tonight as well and we both explained what went wrong and how we were feeling. We both understand each others feelings and reasons for things now. We both still have very strong feelings for each other (Love? thought so but who knows). It was a very complicated situation and think we were both a little too scared of things going wrong, especially with her having a son. We both thought we had met the one!
I've been speaking to Angelika (my stalker, lol) loads recently and have become very close. I like Angelika loads originally started out trying to find her a man. She is thinking of coming over with a friend and meeting up. Neither of us are really sure if this is a good idea but what the hell you don't know until it happens.
Albums
I've listened to a few albums the other day, some weren't as good as I hoped others were a lot better than expected.
The 1st album was Daft Punk - Human After All. I was a bit disappointed with this, I'd heard Robot Rock and liked it but don't think the album is as good as the last one. Maybe I need to listen to the album a few more time, we will see but not all that impressed.
The next album was Chemical Brothers - Push The Button, this is much better I think this might be their best studio album and several songs grow on you. Well worth listening to if you like electronic/dance music.
Another album I've been listening to is DMX - ...And Then There Was X. I only started listening to DMX because I had heard "X is gonna get you" in a film he was in. The album isn't as bad as I was expecting but not a massive fan of Rap unless its very good. Sounds like DMX is trying to be 2 Pac, but some of the songs do sound good and he does get excellent reviews if you like this sort of music.
The 1st album was Daft Punk - Human After All. I was a bit disappointed with this, I'd heard Robot Rock and liked it but don't think the album is as good as the last one. Maybe I need to listen to the album a few more time, we will see but not all that impressed.
The next album was Chemical Brothers - Push The Button, this is much better I think this might be their best studio album and several songs grow on you. Well worth listening to if you like electronic/dance music.
Another album I've been listening to is DMX - ...And Then There Was X. I only started listening to DMX because I had heard "X is gonna get you" in a film he was in. The album isn't as bad as I was expecting but not a massive fan of Rap unless its very good. Sounds like DMX is trying to be 2 Pac, but some of the songs do sound good and he does get excellent reviews if you like this sort of music.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Weekend
Not really sure what happened to the weekend it seams to of disappeared somewhere and not really sure what I've done.
I had a good night on Saturday, me and Jay my best mate went to a Surprise party for Nigel Wright (the friend we went to watch box). I wasn't really looking forward to it to be honest as don't really know any of the others, but it turned out to be a good laugh. We were there for over 4 hours then we all came back to Crook and went in Bar 56, I ended up talking to a lass I snogged on New Years. She is one of my friends aunt's and no she isn't as old as that makes her sound.
Anyway was talking to her and she asked how I was getting on with my girlfriend as she saw me out with Kelly about 2 months ago. I told her I had split up, she ended up saying she wish she had known 2 weeks ago and she wouldn't of gone out with the bloke she was now seeing. Then she ended up saying she would see me in a couple of weeks when she had split up with him, not sure if I stood there in disbelief for a second. Then said I would see her later and wandered off to find Jay. Some strange people about, saying that she is good looking and a laugh but think I should walk away from this before anything happens. The mate who's auntie she is had a face like a stunned mullet when he saw me snogging her on New Years, saying that we do call him "The mullet" but because of his hair though!
I seam to of spent the rest of the weekend either sleeping or talking to Angelika, she is talking about coming over soon to meet me.
I also did do some work on my website but I have loads to do just never seam to have any spare time.
When I was out on Saturday got talking to Jay about houses, he is wanting to get his own place as well. When he said that I was thinking oh no he is gonna he wanting the same house I've been waiting for but luckily he said he was looking to buy one up near where his brother lives. He was reckoning the house I'm waiting for will go for £80,000 if it does there is no way I can get a mortgage anywhere near that price on my wage. I don't think he is right though but we will see.
I downloaded the application pack for the job at Wear Valley Council it sounds quite interesting, its nearly £5,000 more money even if you start at the bottom of the salary scale. There setup is very similar to current job except they don't use Citrix just Win2000 server and clients, they also have about 330 staff and use Lotus Notes. Couldn't believe it when I read it was so similar.
I will have a proper read of the form over the next few days and may well complete it. Even if I decide I don't want to go for it, it could still be good to apply to see if I get a response or not. Only reason I wouldn't want to leave my current job is because I have have made some good friends and know just about everyone but just cant honestly see any future in my current job. No career path in IT unless I want to sit and wait for god knows how many years and then even then there is still might be nothing at the end of it.
There was talk last year that IT was gonna get outsourced and we would be taken on by whoever won the contract, our ACO and some of the other staff were talking like this was a bad thing. I don't think it was we would of had better job prospects if we had been kept on and we wouldn't of been doing a lot of the work that we are now being given as it wouldn't be our jobs. This never happened though due to the merging of services. Our ACO spoke to me and said she was happy to tell me that everything would stay as it was, I think I smiled at the time and said good but I really thought was "bollocks!". At least then we would of known where we stood rather than an air of uncertainty hanging over us. We did get sent to a conference at Sedgefield but this didn't exactly make anything any clearer. Yes he said they wanted to retain IT staff but the time scales weren't realistic this was very clear to me not that anyone else mentioned it. They still had no idea what was gonna happen in the end, it was all just what they think they would like to do with very little clear plan in relation to staffing. 1st time I've really thought about the future in my job properly, maybe I just answered my own question!
I had a good night on Saturday, me and Jay my best mate went to a Surprise party for Nigel Wright (the friend we went to watch box). I wasn't really looking forward to it to be honest as don't really know any of the others, but it turned out to be a good laugh. We were there for over 4 hours then we all came back to Crook and went in Bar 56, I ended up talking to a lass I snogged on New Years. She is one of my friends aunt's and no she isn't as old as that makes her sound.
Anyway was talking to her and she asked how I was getting on with my girlfriend as she saw me out with Kelly about 2 months ago. I told her I had split up, she ended up saying she wish she had known 2 weeks ago and she wouldn't of gone out with the bloke she was now seeing. Then she ended up saying she would see me in a couple of weeks when she had split up with him, not sure if I stood there in disbelief for a second. Then said I would see her later and wandered off to find Jay. Some strange people about, saying that she is good looking and a laugh but think I should walk away from this before anything happens. The mate who's auntie she is had a face like a stunned mullet when he saw me snogging her on New Years, saying that we do call him "The mullet" but because of his hair though!
I seam to of spent the rest of the weekend either sleeping or talking to Angelika, she is talking about coming over soon to meet me.
I also did do some work on my website but I have loads to do just never seam to have any spare time.
When I was out on Saturday got talking to Jay about houses, he is wanting to get his own place as well. When he said that I was thinking oh no he is gonna he wanting the same house I've been waiting for but luckily he said he was looking to buy one up near where his brother lives. He was reckoning the house I'm waiting for will go for £80,000 if it does there is no way I can get a mortgage anywhere near that price on my wage. I don't think he is right though but we will see.
I downloaded the application pack for the job at Wear Valley Council it sounds quite interesting, its nearly £5,000 more money even if you start at the bottom of the salary scale. There setup is very similar to current job except they don't use Citrix just Win2000 server and clients, they also have about 330 staff and use Lotus Notes. Couldn't believe it when I read it was so similar.
I will have a proper read of the form over the next few days and may well complete it. Even if I decide I don't want to go for it, it could still be good to apply to see if I get a response or not. Only reason I wouldn't want to leave my current job is because I have have made some good friends and know just about everyone but just cant honestly see any future in my current job. No career path in IT unless I want to sit and wait for god knows how many years and then even then there is still might be nothing at the end of it.
There was talk last year that IT was gonna get outsourced and we would be taken on by whoever won the contract, our ACO and some of the other staff were talking like this was a bad thing. I don't think it was we would of had better job prospects if we had been kept on and we wouldn't of been doing a lot of the work that we are now being given as it wouldn't be our jobs. This never happened though due to the merging of services. Our ACO spoke to me and said she was happy to tell me that everything would stay as it was, I think I smiled at the time and said good but I really thought was "bollocks!". At least then we would of known where we stood rather than an air of uncertainty hanging over us. We did get sent to a conference at Sedgefield but this didn't exactly make anything any clearer. Yes he said they wanted to retain IT staff but the time scales weren't realistic this was very clear to me not that anyone else mentioned it. They still had no idea what was gonna happen in the end, it was all just what they think they would like to do with very little clear plan in relation to staffing. 1st time I've really thought about the future in my job properly, maybe I just answered my own question!
Friday, March 18, 2005
Layer Cake
Just Watched Layer Cake, probably the best film I've seen the last couple of months. Along the same lines as Lock Stock & Snatch but without the humor. Lots of sub-plots to the film as well. I gave it 8 out of 10 on IMDB. Definitely worth watching, maybe more of a blokes film!!
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Another day
I had a good day today at work, I managed to make some progress with the postcode database I've been working on. It's worked correctly for a few days just it needs tidying up and made more user friendly. If I had more days like today I'd be happy, the day still wasnt perfect. Antony is really getting on my nerves, tries to stick his nose into everything. I understand he wants to try and stay but there just isn't the money. That and I think half the other people who work near him would leave.
Yesterday was the worst for him going on, after I came out of a training course and only had 30 minutes to finish some stuff off. I told him I was in a rush but he just kept going on and on about looking at a program finance were having a problem with, mentioned several times I would talk to him about it the following day as it was now 4:45 , told him to shut up in the end. Don't know if he heard properly but did finally shut up.
The worst thing about where I work is I just cant concentrate at all, open plan offices are rubbish. I just cant concentrate on anything without something distracting me. Some people can just shut off to everything around them but I can't. Does seam worse now since I moved desks, people surrounding me, thought it was OK initially but that was when I was answering the phone more. Now I'm trying to concentrate on stuff realised I just cant. Did mentioned working away from my desk one day a week but havent been able to yet as there is nowhere to work where it would be any better at the moment other than maybe home. Not sure if they would agree to that, even though the couple of days I have worked at home I have ended up getting more done in one day than I would in 3 at work.
Saw a job advertisied in the Northern Echo yesterday working for Wear Valley Council, 2 jobs really but 1 was working with databases and the other was a Network Officer. The Network job looked more interesting and was over £20,000 think it is also based only a mile from my house. Think I will ring up for more information. May not apply but just interested in what exactly it is. The money, the location and possibly the promotion path looks very interesting. Compared to mine, money is crap for the knowledge I have, traffic is getting worse and worse by the day to Durham and then absolutely no route to promotion in IT. We have been told that there will be opportunities over the next year or so but really can't see anything coming our way. If you live in London yes but not up here where no one in London takes much notice of the plebs on the ground. Its gonna be years before the stuff they are proposing takes place, as everything is always delayed. We are looking at 2007 at the abolute earliest for the new systems to appear, realistically 2008/09 :-(
Wish I could work from home self employed, just not sure exactly what I would provide or how to go about it. I know lots about many parts of IT but not sure any sort of expert on anyone subject. I get bored sticking to one thing, so learn what I need to and move onto learning something else. Maybe I could be an IT consultant of some kind but again not sure exactly how to go about this. I've seen enough consultants who know nothing and make a fortune, I can talk a load of bollocks as well as anyone when it comes to IT but I prefer to have some idea what I'm actually talking about.
Yesterday was the worst for him going on, after I came out of a training course and only had 30 minutes to finish some stuff off. I told him I was in a rush but he just kept going on and on about looking at a program finance were having a problem with, mentioned several times I would talk to him about it the following day as it was now 4:45 , told him to shut up in the end. Don't know if he heard properly but did finally shut up.
The worst thing about where I work is I just cant concentrate at all, open plan offices are rubbish. I just cant concentrate on anything without something distracting me. Some people can just shut off to everything around them but I can't. Does seam worse now since I moved desks, people surrounding me, thought it was OK initially but that was when I was answering the phone more. Now I'm trying to concentrate on stuff realised I just cant. Did mentioned working away from my desk one day a week but havent been able to yet as there is nowhere to work where it would be any better at the moment other than maybe home. Not sure if they would agree to that, even though the couple of days I have worked at home I have ended up getting more done in one day than I would in 3 at work.
Saw a job advertisied in the Northern Echo yesterday working for Wear Valley Council, 2 jobs really but 1 was working with databases and the other was a Network Officer. The Network job looked more interesting and was over £20,000 think it is also based only a mile from my house. Think I will ring up for more information. May not apply but just interested in what exactly it is. The money, the location and possibly the promotion path looks very interesting. Compared to mine, money is crap for the knowledge I have, traffic is getting worse and worse by the day to Durham and then absolutely no route to promotion in IT. We have been told that there will be opportunities over the next year or so but really can't see anything coming our way. If you live in London yes but not up here where no one in London takes much notice of the plebs on the ground. Its gonna be years before the stuff they are proposing takes place, as everything is always delayed. We are looking at 2007 at the abolute earliest for the new systems to appear, realistically 2008/09 :-(
Wish I could work from home self employed, just not sure exactly what I would provide or how to go about it. I know lots about many parts of IT but not sure any sort of expert on anyone subject. I get bored sticking to one thing, so learn what I need to and move onto learning something else. Maybe I could be an IT consultant of some kind but again not sure exactly how to go about this. I've seen enough consultants who know nothing and make a fortune, I can talk a load of bollocks as well as anyone when it comes to IT but I prefer to have some idea what I'm actually talking about.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Orb
I may of seen something that is gonna be huge in the future. Orb, it lets you stream live tv, video, music and pictures to another computer, pda or phone.
On their website i tried the demo site both on my computer and using my phone. The video and music actually worked on my phone i was very impressed with the video working didnt expect it to. When you connect to an orb server it detects your connection speed and streams it at the best quality your connection can Stream.
It will only let you watch live tv if you have a windows media center pc or a compatible tv capture case and currently only in the us but should work soon in the uk i hope. It will also let you schedule recordings from anywhere as well. So if you were at work and realised you had forgot about recording something you could do it from work using any device that can connect to orb.
there is a lot that can still be done to improve it but looks good for the future!
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
The End
I split up from Kelly today, I'd been thinking about it the last few days just wasn't sure how to tell her. We never contacted each other at all yesterday, think we both realised after seeing each other Saturday that it wasn't gonna work. Kelly sent me a message asking if I was ignoring her, wasn't intentionally. We decided to split up, we are both still texting each other so still friends.
Think I've always been lucky everyone I have ever split up with still gets on well with me, hopefully this will be the same.
The end of one chapter, hopefully the start of something new. I've always thought this year was gonna be important and need to make some important hard decisions. That was sadly the 1st, I still love Kelly but it wasn't going to work.
Totally changing the subject, I won £99 today on the 1st race at Cheltenham, put a £3 each-way bet on. I've got another 4 on tomorrow, none are favourites. The following are what I have put on all backed each-way:
2:00 Reveillez
4:00 Kasthai
4:40 Indalo
5:20 The Mick Weston
Not confident that any will win but think most will be placed, I hope. Rather than reading too much form as normal, I'm going off gut instinct instead.
Think I've always been lucky everyone I have ever split up with still gets on well with me, hopefully this will be the same.
The end of one chapter, hopefully the start of something new. I've always thought this year was gonna be important and need to make some important hard decisions. That was sadly the 1st, I still love Kelly but it wasn't going to work.
Totally changing the subject, I won £99 today on the 1st race at Cheltenham, put a £3 each-way bet on. I've got another 4 on tomorrow, none are favourites. The following are what I have put on all backed each-way:
2:00 Reveillez
4:00 Kasthai
4:40 Indalo
5:20 The Mick Weston
Not confident that any will win but think most will be placed, I hope. Rather than reading too much form as normal, I'm going off gut instinct instead.
More albums...
I've listened to another couple of albums, Angel City - Love Me Right. This is a dance album, you may of heard a couple of the songs off here. Love Me Right & Do You Know, Do you Know uses the music from Robert Miles - Children. Not a bad album but think that there only about 3 or maybe 4 really good tracks on it.
The other album is Moby - Hotel, another good album by him. I prefer the tracks that he has guests doing the vocals but even Mobys voice sounds good on the album. Well worth a listen, you will probably end up hearing a few tracks off this over the next few months.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
New career as a councillor
For some reason I seam to becoming a councillor, everyone keeps telling me all their problems and I end up having to try to make them feel better. Think I should do this for a job, I'm sure you get paid a fortune. Normally don't mind as I'm always being told I'm a good listener but think I've got enough of my own at the minute without taking on everyone elses problems.
It was definitly a bad idea wishing Lisa "Happy Birthday" she text me loads earlier on. How crap her life is, how eveyone says she is bad news. I had to try to cheer her up, don't know why I'm still nice to her after everything she put me through. She ended up saying she keeps thinking about how it might of been if we had still been together, she said she wanted to get back together without actually saying it. I told her it wasn't going to happen and could only be friends, she is going to delete my number from her phone "so I cant hassle you" her words. I said it was up to her.
Talking of new careers, can't believe how much a postman gets paid. There was an advert for a postman in Newton Aycliffe only work 7 -12 (25 hours a week). You get paid £250 - £300 a week. Almost tempted, much less hassle. Your out in the fresh air, 12.5 hours less a week and not that much less money. You would have the rest of the day to do whatever you wanted :-)
I've generally just lazed about this weekend, other than Friday. Never set foot out the house the last 2 days though, gonna have to change that this new week. Gonna start training for this run in June even if I don't do it, something to aim for. I was reading of another run at the end of May. The Raby 10k, I can remember Hayley doing it last year. Very tempted to do that instead as its closer and you can pay on the day, although slightly further...
It was definitly a bad idea wishing Lisa "Happy Birthday" she text me loads earlier on. How crap her life is, how eveyone says she is bad news. I had to try to cheer her up, don't know why I'm still nice to her after everything she put me through. She ended up saying she keeps thinking about how it might of been if we had still been together, she said she wanted to get back together without actually saying it. I told her it wasn't going to happen and could only be friends, she is going to delete my number from her phone "so I cant hassle you" her words. I said it was up to her.
Talking of new careers, can't believe how much a postman gets paid. There was an advert for a postman in Newton Aycliffe only work 7 -12 (25 hours a week). You get paid £250 - £300 a week. Almost tempted, much less hassle. Your out in the fresh air, 12.5 hours less a week and not that much less money. You would have the rest of the day to do whatever you wanted :-)
I've generally just lazed about this weekend, other than Friday. Never set foot out the house the last 2 days though, gonna have to change that this new week. Gonna start training for this run in June even if I don't do it, something to aim for. I was reading of another run at the end of May. The Raby 10k, I can remember Hayley doing it last year. Very tempted to do that instead as its closer and you can pay on the day, although slightly further...
Good albums listened to today
I've listened to quite a bit of music today but only 4 full albums.
The Stereophonics I mentioned earlier. Besides for them, I've listened to 2 older albums and 1 new one.
Dr Dre - 2001 I have listened to quite a bit recently, there are some filler on it but also some stand out tracks as well, a good listen if you like rap (I don't normally).
Also listened to The Prodigy - The Fat Of the Land, again an older album but excellent, most people will know some tracks off here (Firestarter & Breathe) still think the best tracks are "Smack My Bitch Up" and "Diesel Power".
The last album is released tomorrow (14th March) its The Bravery. Again an excellent album, they are tipped to be big this year, with a sound similar to The Cure or New Order, the 1st track "An Honest Mistake" is already a big single.
The Stereophonics I mentioned earlier. Besides for them, I've listened to 2 older albums and 1 new one.
Dr Dre - 2001 I have listened to quite a bit recently, there are some filler on it but also some stand out tracks as well, a good listen if you like rap (I don't normally).
Also listened to The Prodigy - The Fat Of the Land, again an older album but excellent, most people will know some tracks off here (Firestarter & Breathe) still think the best tracks are "Smack My Bitch Up" and "Diesel Power".
The last album is released tomorrow (14th March) its The Bravery. Again an excellent album, they are tipped to be big this year, with a sound similar to The Cure or New Order, the 1st track "An Honest Mistake" is already a big single.
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