Wheat bags are useful things. They're a natural, drug-free way to soothe headaches and other throbbing pains, and they double as a dry alternative to a hot water bottle. They're also very easy to make.
As if that weren't enough, it turns out that you can use them to fix electronics as well.
Showing posts with label random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random. Show all posts
11 December 2008
Le ras-le-bol
At the end of October, while wondering why I was at work, I wrote something of a manifesto to implore myself to figure out whether to start looking for a new job. The one I have now is boring me and wasting my time, and I wanted to know for sure whether or not things could be improved.
Some six weeks later, I am convinced that things are actually worse now than they were. Two supplementary tasks have crossed my desk since October - one wanting an Excel spreadsheet, one wanting a couple of reports added to an Access database - and even after several weeks of campaigning, neither of them can even begin. My contact for the latter task is at least trying, despite a total lack of working software or useful data. By contrast, my contacts for the former are no longer just jerking me around and have started blaming me for the delays. I had a meeting yesterday morning with yet another manager, in order to sort out the mess, but we shall see what comes of it.
Were that not bad enough, I have returned to Adelaide, after two days in Melbourne, to a computer that is now a mere inch from useless. We have moved to a new Windows domain and installed Office 2007, the net result of which "upgrades" being nothing but grief. It's taken me two weeks to get access to all my old emails, and everything is slow, slow slow. I suppose that I could be typing this blog entry on it while I'm still at the office (provided Notepad still works), but I've bringing my Mac to work most days and I'd rather use that for personal things while I've got it here.
There's been another reason I've been bringing the Mac to work recently. I started a new version of my curriculum vitae about two weeks ago, and I think it's now complete. No, I haven't exactly decided it's time to start looking for a new job, but I'm quite prepared to do so if these two supplementary tasks don't work out. My software engineering skills can still pay the bills, but if I am to leave, I'd rather get out of the defence industry if at all possible - it'd be nice to be working for the good guys for a change.
Obviously, this might end up putting me in quite a bind. Firstly, the state of the economy hasn't exactly stabilised, and I imagine that I'd find a number of jobs that can't be offered because the money to recruit a new employee simply isn't coming. Secondly, if the job that suits me is in an industry other than defence, it will mean leaving Adelaide in all likelihood, which, despite Adelaide's shortcomings, would be a heartbreaking experience. Thirdly, my skills and experience as a computer programmer are hardly applicable to my new-found passions for film-making and environmentalism. Sure, there's obvious scope for a project that can link all three, but I'm not confident that such an opportunity would arise very often - unless I take an entrepreneurial plunge myself, a nerve-wracking thought to say the least.
It's holding up the process of finding a girlfriend as well. I have met a few people who I'm tempted to ask out and who I think might be open to it if I do. That said, if my clearest career prospects involve being unemployed and leaving Adelaide, I can't really offer them my stability in my own life; in fact, I'm not always good company at the moment. I want to get back into the game again, but I can't help but wonder how long I could string someone along without hurting them. All of these things take time: a lot could happen in the next few months, and a major upheaval of my livelihood is certainly a strong possibility.
In the meantime, I can still look forward to a few pleasant certainties in my life. I went out last week with some old work colleagues for nachos and Sangria. The Crocs were here last night - although the less said about that, the better - and the office Christmas party is tonight. My family is staying with me over Christmas and New Year. I've caught up with a few long lost friends on Facebook. Plus, I've still got a bedroom to renovate, a Christmas tree to put up, and a few presents to wrap (and at least one to make).
These are the things to which I'm looking forward right now. Something has to keep me going at work, when the work itself has so little left to offer.
Some six weeks later, I am convinced that things are actually worse now than they were. Two supplementary tasks have crossed my desk since October - one wanting an Excel spreadsheet, one wanting a couple of reports added to an Access database - and even after several weeks of campaigning, neither of them can even begin. My contact for the latter task is at least trying, despite a total lack of working software or useful data. By contrast, my contacts for the former are no longer just jerking me around and have started blaming me for the delays. I had a meeting yesterday morning with yet another manager, in order to sort out the mess, but we shall see what comes of it.
Were that not bad enough, I have returned to Adelaide, after two days in Melbourne, to a computer that is now a mere inch from useless. We have moved to a new Windows domain and installed Office 2007, the net result of which "upgrades" being nothing but grief. It's taken me two weeks to get access to all my old emails, and everything is slow, slow slow. I suppose that I could be typing this blog entry on it while I'm still at the office (provided Notepad still works), but I've bringing my Mac to work most days and I'd rather use that for personal things while I've got it here.
There's been another reason I've been bringing the Mac to work recently. I started a new version of my curriculum vitae about two weeks ago, and I think it's now complete. No, I haven't exactly decided it's time to start looking for a new job, but I'm quite prepared to do so if these two supplementary tasks don't work out. My software engineering skills can still pay the bills, but if I am to leave, I'd rather get out of the defence industry if at all possible - it'd be nice to be working for the good guys for a change.
Obviously, this might end up putting me in quite a bind. Firstly, the state of the economy hasn't exactly stabilised, and I imagine that I'd find a number of jobs that can't be offered because the money to recruit a new employee simply isn't coming. Secondly, if the job that suits me is in an industry other than defence, it will mean leaving Adelaide in all likelihood, which, despite Adelaide's shortcomings, would be a heartbreaking experience. Thirdly, my skills and experience as a computer programmer are hardly applicable to my new-found passions for film-making and environmentalism. Sure, there's obvious scope for a project that can link all three, but I'm not confident that such an opportunity would arise very often - unless I take an entrepreneurial plunge myself, a nerve-wracking thought to say the least.
It's holding up the process of finding a girlfriend as well. I have met a few people who I'm tempted to ask out and who I think might be open to it if I do. That said, if my clearest career prospects involve being unemployed and leaving Adelaide, I can't really offer them my stability in my own life; in fact, I'm not always good company at the moment. I want to get back into the game again, but I can't help but wonder how long I could string someone along without hurting them. All of these things take time: a lot could happen in the next few months, and a major upheaval of my livelihood is certainly a strong possibility.
In the meantime, I can still look forward to a few pleasant certainties in my life. I went out last week with some old work colleagues for nachos and Sangria. The Crocs were here last night - although the less said about that, the better - and the office Christmas party is tonight. My family is staying with me over Christmas and New Year. I've caught up with a few long lost friends on Facebook. Plus, I've still got a bedroom to renovate, a Christmas tree to put up, and a few presents to wrap (and at least one to make).
These are the things to which I'm looking forward right now. Something has to keep me going at work, when the work itself has so little left to offer.
17 August 2008
Cleanse
Once again, there are lots of things to talk about, but through all of them runs a common theme: cleansing.
I'm only just getting over the flu. I starting feeling a bit rotten last Sunday, and I took Monday and Tuesday off work to slack off and recover a bit. (If only there had been something on TV - some sport, perhaps - that I could have watched while I was at home in bed.) It turns out that about half the office had done the same, for the same reason. We all blame the work experience girl: she left us this week after finishing a report, but if anything comes of it, she might be back for more.
Two of my friends share a birthday today. One is an old friend from high school and uni who I don't think I've seen since I moved away from Townsville. To be frank, I had a bit of a thing for her at school that I was always too much of a wuss to do anything about - so it was a bit weird to find her on Facebook and discover that she was married! I guess this is what happens when you fall out of touch with people for years at a time. Oh well. My other friend whose birthday it is today is currently flying around the world, and I'm not. I don't lament this any more, either, and I'm certainly not bitter or jealous that so many of my family and friends have gone overseas recently without me. Yes.
I spent some time over dinner tonight watching and reading news reports out of South Ossetia. It's good to see that some people aren't falling for the western media's hit job on the Russians: the Georgians started this, with the blessing of western allies, and the South Ossetians actually want the Russians there to keep the west out. It's embarrassing that "Russia's invasion of Georgia" has already entered the vernacular of many of us in the west, by way of the disinformation that our own media is using against us. The best commentary I've seen so far was Mike Whitney's Putin's Winning Hand, although I did like this comment as well:
"The appropriate parallel would be for Canada to offer to have Russian missiles located in Canada to protect everyone from any possible Rogue States. We have one next door."
That's it for now. Still no news about work, and still no news about... anything else, but I'm working on that.
I'm only just getting over the flu. I starting feeling a bit rotten last Sunday, and I took Monday and Tuesday off work to slack off and recover a bit. (If only there had been something on TV - some sport, perhaps - that I could have watched while I was at home in bed.) It turns out that about half the office had done the same, for the same reason. We all blame the work experience girl: she left us this week after finishing a report, but if anything comes of it, she might be back for more.
Two of my friends share a birthday today. One is an old friend from high school and uni who I don't think I've seen since I moved away from Townsville. To be frank, I had a bit of a thing for her at school that I was always too much of a wuss to do anything about - so it was a bit weird to find her on Facebook and discover that she was married! I guess this is what happens when you fall out of touch with people for years at a time. Oh well. My other friend whose birthday it is today is currently flying around the world, and I'm not. I don't lament this any more, either, and I'm certainly not bitter or jealous that so many of my family and friends have gone overseas recently without me. Yes.
I spent some time over dinner tonight watching and reading news reports out of South Ossetia. It's good to see that some people aren't falling for the western media's hit job on the Russians: the Georgians started this, with the blessing of western allies, and the South Ossetians actually want the Russians there to keep the west out. It's embarrassing that "Russia's invasion of Georgia" has already entered the vernacular of many of us in the west, by way of the disinformation that our own media is using against us. The best commentary I've seen so far was Mike Whitney's Putin's Winning Hand, although I did like this comment as well:
"The appropriate parallel would be for Canada to offer to have Russian missiles located in Canada to protect everyone from any possible Rogue States. We have one next door."
That's it for now. Still no news about work, and still no news about... anything else, but I'm working on that.
27 April 2008
Random bits and pieces
While I've got a few half-finished things to write about, I thought I'd write an update so that people wouldn't think this was another abandoned blog.
I've been pretty busy for the past few weeks. Mario Kart Wii is out and I've hardly had a chance to touch it - although I'm liking what I've seen so far. I've got some new music to listen to - Absolution and Black Holes And Revelations by Muse, and Friend Opportunity by Deerhoof. Regarding the latter, while looking for the cheapest music video ever made, I stumbled upon a Deerhoof song called The Perfect Me, whose filmclip is a pretty good candidate. However, this song is perhaps the most interesting music I've heard in years. That said, my taste in music is pretty weird.
Another piece of news is that I've got my first sale listing on eBay. My first experiment is going to be the sale (hopefully) of my copy of Brain Age for the Nintendo DS. I'm not sure of all of the available options and what will work best for my very-small-time operation, but I'll see if it's right for me. I've got a steadily increasing pile of things to sell, so I hope this works out.
Finally, I hope to embark on another working week without my car. It has rained a bit here in Adelaide over the weekend, which is always welcome, but it makes me wonder a bit about all the walking I'm going to do. It may be a remarkable return to pedestrian power, or it might just have to wait - stay tuned.
I've been pretty busy for the past few weeks. Mario Kart Wii is out and I've hardly had a chance to touch it - although I'm liking what I've seen so far. I've got some new music to listen to - Absolution and Black Holes And Revelations by Muse, and Friend Opportunity by Deerhoof. Regarding the latter, while looking for the cheapest music video ever made, I stumbled upon a Deerhoof song called The Perfect Me, whose filmclip is a pretty good candidate. However, this song is perhaps the most interesting music I've heard in years. That said, my taste in music is pretty weird.
Another piece of news is that I've got my first sale listing on eBay. My first experiment is going to be the sale (hopefully) of my copy of Brain Age for the Nintendo DS. I'm not sure of all of the available options and what will work best for my very-small-time operation, but I'll see if it's right for me. I've got a steadily increasing pile of things to sell, so I hope this works out.
Finally, I hope to embark on another working week without my car. It has rained a bit here in Adelaide over the weekend, which is always welcome, but it makes me wonder a bit about all the walking I'm going to do. It may be a remarkable return to pedestrian power, or it might just have to wait - stay tuned.
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