well i start my new job tomorrow. i wish now that i had taken a week off between jobs - liminal space and all that. my head is still at my old job to some extent and i keep remembering things and sending emails to my former colleagues that will confirm any lingering doubts they may have had about my sanity. this morning i woke up in a rush after dreaming that i'd gone to my old office and forgotten to go to my new office - only remembering when they rang to find out where i was.
i feel a bit anxious too, but i'm sure that will go fast enough. i also feel like i'm coming down with a cold which is seriously bad timing. hopefully the industrial levels of vitamin c, zinc and echinacea i'm necking will hold it at bay.
so - tally ho and what not (ahem) - wish me luck!
Sunday, 23 October 2011
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
in which things get a little crazy and emotional but all work out in the end (i hope)
actually, that about sums it up.
so, i have a new job, i start on monday, it's with a consultancy group in the city, and corporate corporate corporate. right now, today, this seems like a ludicrous move, but i did have a pro/con list and everything, and BOTH my mom and n agreed that it was a good idea. i can only trust that my decision-making process was sound and hope to god my new boss isn't a psychopath. if anyone knows how to squeeze a size 14 body into a size 10 suit please email me immediately. solutions must not exclude eating or (especially) drinking.
the imminent beginning of the new job necessarily involves extraction from the old job, and this is sad. i am sad to leave. i will miss my friends, and all of the lovely people (they're all lovely when you are about to leave). i keep getting emails saying how much i'll be missed, which is sweet, and appreciated, but does nothing for my willpower. i will have a good send off on thursday, and i will try not to cry.
i will try not to cry as i look ahead to actually working, hard again.
i will try not to cry as we go from being paid weekly to NOT BEING PAID AT ALL FOR 5 WEEKS. that's going to be fun and educational, if you think that getting creative with dried beans is educational. maybe those old size 10 suits in my closet aren't out of the question after all.
and i will try not to cry as during all of this, which is nothing, really, my dad in canada is not well. he's going to be ok, i think, but it's a tough time right now. i feel selfish, obsessing about work when there are so many bigger more important things, but then on the other hand, if i obsessed about the big stuff, i'd probably never get out of bed again.
this is yet another reason why knitting is so great. you can obsess and worry all you like about how your socks are turning out, but at the end of the day, they're just socks.
there's probably a moral in there somewhere.
so, i have a new job, i start on monday, it's with a consultancy group in the city, and corporate corporate corporate. right now, today, this seems like a ludicrous move, but i did have a pro/con list and everything, and BOTH my mom and n agreed that it was a good idea. i can only trust that my decision-making process was sound and hope to god my new boss isn't a psychopath. if anyone knows how to squeeze a size 14 body into a size 10 suit please email me immediately. solutions must not exclude eating or (especially) drinking.
the imminent beginning of the new job necessarily involves extraction from the old job, and this is sad. i am sad to leave. i will miss my friends, and all of the lovely people (they're all lovely when you are about to leave). i keep getting emails saying how much i'll be missed, which is sweet, and appreciated, but does nothing for my willpower. i will have a good send off on thursday, and i will try not to cry.
i will try not to cry as i look ahead to actually working, hard again.
i will try not to cry as we go from being paid weekly to NOT BEING PAID AT ALL FOR 5 WEEKS. that's going to be fun and educational, if you think that getting creative with dried beans is educational. maybe those old size 10 suits in my closet aren't out of the question after all.
and i will try not to cry as during all of this, which is nothing, really, my dad in canada is not well. he's going to be ok, i think, but it's a tough time right now. i feel selfish, obsessing about work when there are so many bigger more important things, but then on the other hand, if i obsessed about the big stuff, i'd probably never get out of bed again.
this is yet another reason why knitting is so great. you can obsess and worry all you like about how your socks are turning out, but at the end of the day, they're just socks.
there's probably a moral in there somewhere.
Thursday, 13 October 2011
*sniff* i'm going to miss this job
going through old emails in preparation for leaving camden next week (i have a new shiny job - it's all good), i found this. it was in response to our manager asking us what we were working on so he knew what to write on our contract extension forms.
From: grapecat
Sent: 10 September 2010 15:58
To: manager
Subject: What I do
This is an interesting and multi-layered question. However, I assume that you are referring specifically to what I do at Camden and not, for instance, general physical manifestations such as the continual processing of oxygen into carbon dioxide or the existential angst that unfortunately stalks all sentient beings.
At Camden, I am one of four project managers who are tasked with delivering moves, office refurbishments, and the introduction of flexible working to a council that is – how do we say this politely - somewhat resistant to change. I am currently working with the xxxxx Directorate, where I am nearing the end of the planning stage and the beginning of the implementation stage of a large project. This project is designed to introduce hotdesking, modern records management, and a new and improved desking layout to the 6th floor of the Town Hall Extension, as well as balancing out desking, filing, and staff numbers throughout the floors occupied by the xxxxx directorate. I do this through a series of team meetings, staff consultations, coordination, planning, and, frankly, sheer blind optimism.
The implantation stage of this project begins on the weekend of 2-3 October, and will continue throughout the month. It is likely that there will be further work to complete throughout November as staff settle into their new environment and embrace (cough) new ways of working.
In addition to this, I have also been unofficially seconded to the xxxx team working with Procurement, although this may have unofficially drawn to a close.
I am also assisting in working with the new Removal contractor to establish ways of working and associated documentation that will carry us through the 4-year contract period.
On a personal note, I love to read, knit, prepare and eat good meals with great friends, and I am inordinately fond of puppies.
Yours most sincerely,
grapecat
Project Manager
Property Services
*****
From: manager
Sent: 10 September 2010 16:18
To: grapecat
Subject: RE: What I do
Thanks for this, however could you please expand on your general physical manifestations such as the continual processing of oxygen into carbon dioxide or the existential angst that is unfortunately stalking you?
Many thanks,
manager
Project Manager
From: grapecat
Sent: 10 September 2010 15:58
To: manager
Subject: What I do
This is an interesting and multi-layered question. However, I assume that you are referring specifically to what I do at Camden and not, for instance, general physical manifestations such as the continual processing of oxygen into carbon dioxide or the existential angst that unfortunately stalks all sentient beings.
At Camden, I am one of four project managers who are tasked with delivering moves, office refurbishments, and the introduction of flexible working to a council that is – how do we say this politely - somewhat resistant to change. I am currently working with the xxxxx Directorate, where I am nearing the end of the planning stage and the beginning of the implementation stage of a large project. This project is designed to introduce hotdesking, modern records management, and a new and improved desking layout to the 6th floor of the Town Hall Extension, as well as balancing out desking, filing, and staff numbers throughout the floors occupied by the xxxxx directorate. I do this through a series of team meetings, staff consultations, coordination, planning, and, frankly, sheer blind optimism.
The implantation stage of this project begins on the weekend of 2-3 October, and will continue throughout the month. It is likely that there will be further work to complete throughout November as staff settle into their new environment and embrace (cough) new ways of working.
In addition to this, I have also been unofficially seconded to the xxxx team working with Procurement, although this may have unofficially drawn to a close.
I am also assisting in working with the new Removal contractor to establish ways of working and associated documentation that will carry us through the 4-year contract period.
On a personal note, I love to read, knit, prepare and eat good meals with great friends, and I am inordinately fond of puppies.
Yours most sincerely,
grapecat
Project Manager
Property Services
*****
From: manager
Sent: 10 September 2010 16:18
To: grapecat
Subject: RE: What I do
Thanks for this, however could you please expand on your general physical manifestations such as the continual processing of oxygen into carbon dioxide or the existential angst that is unfortunately stalking you?
Many thanks,
manager
Project Manager
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
this woman is amazing
Miina Äkkijyrkkä
sculptures of cows made of old cars - beautiful, magical.
love the paintings as well. make sure you check out the models page.
wow. just wow.
Thursday, 22 September 2011
still crazy after all these...
pints? moves? hare-brained schemes? jobs?
jobs. oh yes. jobs.
i may have made a mistake today. ok let me re-phrase that. i undoubtedly made about a million mistakes today because i am so busy and so behind at work frankly it's amazing anyone gets moved at all but there you go. somehow it all gets done and we move on.
i have always been surfing for other jobs in a sort of well-you-never-know sort of vein - i love where i work but the job security is dicey and there is no holiday/sick pay so it leaves us a bit open should something nasty happen. it has been very quiet on the job front (ha ha - that must be one of the understatements of the year!), but, like buses, three showed up all at once. once was easily discounted, one has progressed to talking offers (no actual offer yet), and one was waiting for me to write a covering statement about why i was so fab for the role yada yada yada.
you know - i am actually so bored by this i can't even write about it. i can't imagine how bored you must be. suffice to say, i trashed one of them in before receiving a firm offer from another. perhaps this will come back to bite me, perhaps not. this afternoon, it was just a way of getting it off my to-do list. this evening, i am full of self doubt. how dull.
here's something that's not dull - ever since we went sailing last Sunday, my legs have been itchy, and they are coming up in weird hard lumps and welts that look just like some tiny sea parasite has laid dime-sized eggs under my skin and they are just waiting to hatch. i looked it up - there is a parasite like that, but it leaves wavy lines, and it's not in the sea. yet. what could it be? sand flies? wet-suit allergy? parasite in wetsuit? it's odd. and uncomfortable. and it's not getting any better.
by the way you wouldn't believe the google results you get from the search terms in the above paragraph. wow.
jobs. oh yes. jobs.
i may have made a mistake today. ok let me re-phrase that. i undoubtedly made about a million mistakes today because i am so busy and so behind at work frankly it's amazing anyone gets moved at all but there you go. somehow it all gets done and we move on.
i have always been surfing for other jobs in a sort of well-you-never-know sort of vein - i love where i work but the job security is dicey and there is no holiday/sick pay so it leaves us a bit open should something nasty happen. it has been very quiet on the job front (ha ha - that must be one of the understatements of the year!), but, like buses, three showed up all at once. once was easily discounted, one has progressed to talking offers (no actual offer yet), and one was waiting for me to write a covering statement about why i was so fab for the role yada yada yada.
you know - i am actually so bored by this i can't even write about it. i can't imagine how bored you must be. suffice to say, i trashed one of them in before receiving a firm offer from another. perhaps this will come back to bite me, perhaps not. this afternoon, it was just a way of getting it off my to-do list. this evening, i am full of self doubt. how dull.
here's something that's not dull - ever since we went sailing last Sunday, my legs have been itchy, and they are coming up in weird hard lumps and welts that look just like some tiny sea parasite has laid dime-sized eggs under my skin and they are just waiting to hatch. i looked it up - there is a parasite like that, but it leaves wavy lines, and it's not in the sea. yet. what could it be? sand flies? wet-suit allergy? parasite in wetsuit? it's odd. and uncomfortable. and it's not getting any better.
by the way you wouldn't believe the google results you get from the search terms in the above paragraph. wow.
Sunday, 18 September 2011
sailing day 2
wet suits - not so flattering actually...
we had our second day of sailing lessons today - and what a day for it! beautiful, crisp, sunny, and, in the morning at least, perfect wind. not too windy, not too calm. we headed out in the morning to practice tacking - turning the boat through the wind. the morning flew by - it was so beautiful out there - you could see the wind farm windmills turning lazily, and the old ww2 forts off in the distance.
in the afternoon, it was a different story all together - no wind! our instructor had to tow us out - "wait here" he commanded, to much laughter as there was no chance we were going anywhere! we learned how to gybe, and how to heel inside the boat, to the front, and make slight rudder adjustments to get movement - any movement. the wind did pick up, changed direction completely, and we got to sail into the wind to get back to shore.
i was nervous (ha ha - petrified!!) in the morning, but i did relax and i really enjoyed the day. you'd never guess it was the same thing - the morning we had a few weeks back in a high wind, and the lazy floating around buoys we did today. so many different faces to sailing. it's exhilarating being on the water, and this time, when the wind (finally) picked up, it was fun (mostly). and this time, i managed not to fall in.
we have another half day to complete for our level 1 certification, then we will want to complete our level two (another two days and more money than we have - but we will find it!). if we do that next spring, we can rent dinghies in the summer to practice.
when we got home i had what was probably the best, hottest bath ever, and now n is frying porkchops for our dinner. we are operating at about quarter speed - completely knackered, but happy.
we had our second day of sailing lessons today - and what a day for it! beautiful, crisp, sunny, and, in the morning at least, perfect wind. not too windy, not too calm. we headed out in the morning to practice tacking - turning the boat through the wind. the morning flew by - it was so beautiful out there - you could see the wind farm windmills turning lazily, and the old ww2 forts off in the distance.
in the afternoon, it was a different story all together - no wind! our instructor had to tow us out - "wait here" he commanded, to much laughter as there was no chance we were going anywhere! we learned how to gybe, and how to heel inside the boat, to the front, and make slight rudder adjustments to get movement - any movement. the wind did pick up, changed direction completely, and we got to sail into the wind to get back to shore.
i was nervous (ha ha - petrified!!) in the morning, but i did relax and i really enjoyed the day. you'd never guess it was the same thing - the morning we had a few weeks back in a high wind, and the lazy floating around buoys we did today. so many different faces to sailing. it's exhilarating being on the water, and this time, when the wind (finally) picked up, it was fun (mostly). and this time, i managed not to fall in.
we have another half day to complete for our level 1 certification, then we will want to complete our level two (another two days and more money than we have - but we will find it!). if we do that next spring, we can rent dinghies in the summer to practice.
when we got home i had what was probably the best, hottest bath ever, and now n is frying porkchops for our dinner. we are operating at about quarter speed - completely knackered, but happy.
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
drunk on trains
leaving do in london this evening - stayed longer than i ought - on the way home - fun with dark train windows and flash...
and horror of horrors - caught at the end by someone walking through the train - and the look if - what the hell are you doing? ummmm - taking pictures of myself in the dark window? erm.....
and horror of horrors - caught at the end by someone walking through the train - and the look if - what the hell are you doing? ummmm - taking pictures of myself in the dark window? erm.....
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