Another long week finalising this bloody project. After this weekend we are about 40% complete. One more week and we will be totally done. I am also suposed to get my date for retrenchment this week, which would be nice as it would allow me to plan for the first time in 10 months. Bastards 
I have done nothing but work on this project for the last ten months and i am well over it an all the bullshit politics going on here. Soon, very soon, then we shall be free.
Uni starts this week coming and I went to the welcome dinner last Thursday. All looking good so far.
Now if i can just get myself another role in the next few weeks then i will be on easy street and able to pocket my redundancy and either spend it on a new motorbike or dump it on the mortgage
It will probably be the mortgage but a new motorbike is very tempting, but then i would have two and that is probably excessive 
On the job front i have an intervew on tuesday that looks good except for one small factor: i can't drive a bloody car. Hopefully when they say they want a drivers license it will be for something that i can manage on a motorbike or what looks like a good opportinuty will go south because i hate tintops and our stupid licensing laws here in NSW. If I was a car driver of my experience then I could get a full bike license just by passing the L's test. however; going the other way, despite 21 years experience on the road, I have to do over 100 hours of lessons. Did some leassons in 2007 and the instructor told me after 2 hours that i only needed road time rather than instruction, but that unfortunately it still cost the same as instruction. The NSW government are a pack of total, incompetent pricks.
I have done nothing but work on this project for the last ten months and i am well over it an all the bullshit politics going on here. Soon, very soon, then we shall be free.
Uni starts this week coming and I went to the welcome dinner last Thursday. All looking good so far.
Now if i can just get myself another role in the next few weeks then i will be on easy street and able to pocket my redundancy and either spend it on a new motorbike or dump it on the mortgage
It will probably be the mortgage but a new motorbike is very tempting, but then i would have two and that is probably excessive On the job front i have an intervew on tuesday that looks good except for one small factor: i can't drive a bloody car. Hopefully when they say they want a drivers license it will be for something that i can manage on a motorbike or what looks like a good opportinuty will go south because i hate tintops and our stupid licensing laws here in NSW. If I was a car driver of my experience then I could get a full bike license just by passing the L's test. however; going the other way, despite 21 years experience on the road, I have to do over 100 hours of lessons. Did some leassons in 2007 and the instructor told me after 2 hours that i only needed road time rather than instruction, but that unfortunately it still cost the same as instruction. The NSW government are a pack of total, incompetent pricks.
My last project where i currently work is almost done; first data went over yesterday and the last data should be transferred in the next two weeks. After that is all done hopefully these bastards will retrench me and be done with it. Their incompetence seems to know no bounds.
I finally got a job interview for the first time in 5 months on last Thursday, but i suspect it was a wash. The interview was odd in that their was no job spec and the whole thing was, therefore, somewhat aimless and I suspect that I did not do that well. Haven't heard anything yet so that is a fairly good sign that i did not meet whatever amorphous requirements they had. The role was in the arse end of nowhere though so as much as I would like another job I'm not hugely disappointed. I've also applied for a job as regional it manager for a security business; region is central asia and the role is based out of Kabul. The money is great for good reason
but I suspect my experience is not a great match. So the search continues.
This thursday i enroll in my new masters at Sydney University. However; I have already discovered that Arts at Sydney Uni is as screwed as it was when i was there a decade ago. Full time load in this masters is 4 units, yet only three units are being offered this semester. The majority of students in this masters are part-timers who are working full-time, yet only one of the three subjects on offer is being held after hours. Useless bastards.
When I last attempted a PhD the main problem was that I wasn't passionate enough about the topic I choose. I read an articles years afterwards that said to successfully complete a PhD you had to be able to totally submerge yourself in your topic to the exclusion of all else for years. Therefore after my MBA reminded me of how much i like study - while at the same time being intellectually puerile - I decided to go back and get my doctorate, but this time i determined to pick a topic i was very interested in and had been for years. I also decided that I would do another masters first to get back into the groove and to do subjects that would prepare the ground for the doctoral studies to come. After thinking on it a while i decided to look at Democratic Theory and multilateral institutions (i.e. the EU and UN) as how these institutions run, especially the EU, has been something that has interested me for years.
I picked the Masters of International Studies because while the Masters of International Security had much more interesting subjects on a purely standalone basis, the MIS had the subjects that were better aligned to my chosen doctoral topic. The MIntSec is run by the economic faculty and I would have preferred to study under them as they are a much more competently run faculty, but the MIS it was was. Now this shit. The blood Art faculty demonstrating again why it can't find it's arse with both hands.
At least the one subject available is one that i wanted to do. I'm not thinking that i would be better off transferring into the MIntSec next year as all there subjects are run after hours or on weekends. Then the issue becomes picking a PhD topic that leads naturally on from the MIntSec Well to late to transfer this year and though i will be doing one rather than two subjects at least i will be doing it and I can concentrate on getting another job. Always got to look to the good rather than the bad, especially with the sorts of crap floating round right now.
I finally got a job interview for the first time in 5 months on last Thursday, but i suspect it was a wash. The interview was odd in that their was no job spec and the whole thing was, therefore, somewhat aimless and I suspect that I did not do that well. Haven't heard anything yet so that is a fairly good sign that i did not meet whatever amorphous requirements they had. The role was in the arse end of nowhere though so as much as I would like another job I'm not hugely disappointed. I've also applied for a job as regional it manager for a security business; region is central asia and the role is based out of Kabul. The money is great for good reason
but I suspect my experience is not a great match. So the search continues.This thursday i enroll in my new masters at Sydney University. However; I have already discovered that Arts at Sydney Uni is as screwed as it was when i was there a decade ago. Full time load in this masters is 4 units, yet only three units are being offered this semester. The majority of students in this masters are part-timers who are working full-time, yet only one of the three subjects on offer is being held after hours. Useless bastards.
When I last attempted a PhD the main problem was that I wasn't passionate enough about the topic I choose. I read an articles years afterwards that said to successfully complete a PhD you had to be able to totally submerge yourself in your topic to the exclusion of all else for years. Therefore after my MBA reminded me of how much i like study - while at the same time being intellectually puerile - I decided to go back and get my doctorate, but this time i determined to pick a topic i was very interested in and had been for years. I also decided that I would do another masters first to get back into the groove and to do subjects that would prepare the ground for the doctoral studies to come. After thinking on it a while i decided to look at Democratic Theory and multilateral institutions (i.e. the EU and UN) as how these institutions run, especially the EU, has been something that has interested me for years.
I picked the Masters of International Studies because while the Masters of International Security had much more interesting subjects on a purely standalone basis, the MIS had the subjects that were better aligned to my chosen doctoral topic. The MIntSec is run by the economic faculty and I would have preferred to study under them as they are a much more competently run faculty, but the MIS it was was. Now this shit. The blood Art faculty demonstrating again why it can't find it's arse with both hands.
At least the one subject available is one that i wanted to do. I'm not thinking that i would be better off transferring into the MIntSec next year as all there subjects are run after hours or on weekends. Then the issue becomes picking a PhD topic that leads naturally on from the MIntSec
Well to late to transfer this year and though i will be doing one rather than two subjects at least i will be doing it and I can concentrate on getting another job. Always got to look to the good rather than the bad, especially with the sorts of crap floating round right now.I went and saw Elling at the theatre on Saturday night. I was dubious about anything billed as a 'Norwegian Comedy' given that funny is not a term i would have associated with any of the rather dour norsemen I have met over the years. The play was based on a series of novels and the first half was very slow and consisted of what was basically all character development. The second half was very funny, but i am not sure it made up for the very slow first half. It was quite odd and i find myself unable to say whether it was good or not it was so much a play of two halves.
I was good enough for me to go get the novels though.
I was good enough for me to go get the novels though.
I went to the Australian Chamber Orchestra on Saturday night at Angel Place. it was a shorter program than usual and a smaller orchestra, with three sextets being presented. The most interesting was Schoenberg's Op. 4 ("Transfigured Night", 1899). I generally don't much care for Schoenberg as he was a leading proponent of the 2nd Viennese school's atonalist philosophy. To many of his works sounds like cats being tortured to death. Op.4 is an early work and was lovely. 32 minutes straight however; very tough for the players and I can see why the concert was 30 minutes shorter than usual.
I take my mother to the ACO every year year and as usual we had dinner at the
Intermezzo at the GPO, which as to be one of the best Italian restaurants in Sydney. It isn't cheap - especially if you indulge in their Italian wine list- by the food, service and vino is fantastic.
Sunday night went to Terminator: Salvation after gaming all day with my mates. Now we are as big a pack of nerds as you are ever going to find; all of us are fans of the original; we'd just spent the day playing the Judge Dredd rpg; and the verdict? Good solid, B_Grade action dross until the last 15 minutes which was just puerile dreck. It was as if near the end the director decided he need to put in some emotional content. Hello! Terminator movie! The finale is meant to be a big fight not mushy open heart surgery. Really! What a load of Bollocks!
I take my mother to the ACO every year year and as usual we had dinner at the
Intermezzo at the GPO, which as to be one of the best Italian restaurants in Sydney. It isn't cheap - especially if you indulge in their Italian wine list- by the food, service and vino is fantastic.
Sunday night went to Terminator: Salvation after gaming all day with my mates. Now we are as big a pack of nerds as you are ever going to find; all of us are fans of the original; we'd just spent the day playing the Judge Dredd rpg; and the verdict? Good solid, B_Grade action dross until the last 15 minutes which was just puerile dreck. It was as if near the end the director decided he need to put in some emotional content. Hello! Terminator movie! The finale is meant to be a big fight not mushy open heart surgery. Really! What a load of Bollocks!
What a couple of weeks. I've been meaning to post for a while and there are a whole lot of group threads i have been meaning to reply to: no such luck.
The job still exists, but as it has for months, the company is hanging on by a thread. It is not that i care if this pack of losers close down. It is not knowing what the hell I am doing because i don't know if i am going to have a job next week. I keep reminding myself that I at least have a job. Hard to keep a proper perspective of just how good i actually have it and how small my problems are compared to so many others here in Oz, let alone to people in shitholes like the Sudan.
I have at least gotten some bush walking done, but otherwise I find myself eating too much crap and not doing enough exercise. i am spending too much time after i get home sitting around and reading crap sci-fi novels instead of doing stuff I should. The corollary is that I end up staying up late and reading and then feel even more like crap the next morning
I'm hoping to break the cycle as of tonight. Going out to try a new Irish Pub with a mate and then tomorrow night going out to dinner with another good friend; a very beautiful, female friend. Saturday I have a family lunch 
but then i get to take my Mum out to our regular concert with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, which will be great. Finally Sunday i get to spend the entire day nerding it up with one of my two best mates. A day spent roleplaying Judge Dredd followed by the new Terminator movie. I understand the latter to be terrible but i am hoping that it is good terrible
Then with a relaxing weekend under my belt, next week i will pull my finger out and actually get some work done. Well that's the idea
The job still exists, but as it has for months, the company is hanging on by a thread. It is not that i care if this pack of losers close down. It is not knowing what the hell I am doing because i don't know if i am going to have a job next week. I keep reminding myself that I at least have a job. Hard to keep a proper perspective of just how good i actually have it and how small my problems are compared to so many others here in Oz, let alone to people in shitholes like the Sudan.
I have at least gotten some bush walking done, but otherwise I find myself eating too much crap and not doing enough exercise. i am spending too much time after i get home sitting around and reading crap sci-fi novels instead of doing stuff I should. The corollary is that I end up staying up late and reading and then feel even more like crap the next morning
I'm hoping to break the cycle as of tonight. Going out to try a new Irish Pub with a mate and then tomorrow night going out to dinner with another good friend; a very beautiful, female friend
. Saturday I have a family lunch but then i get to take my Mum out to our regular concert with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, which will be great. Finally Sunday i get to spend the entire day nerding it up with one of my two best mates. A day spent roleplaying Judge Dredd followed by the new Terminator movie. I understand the latter to be terrible but i am hoping that it is good terrible Then with a relaxing weekend under my belt, next week i will pull my finger out and actually get some work done. Well that's the idea
It has been a very slow, very stressful few weeks. I kept thinking i should make a blog post and then thought: what the hell about? About how much I am working? About how pissed I am with the fools running my company? About how much I hate looking for work? About how much I hate dealing with recruiters? I did have one idea that i wanted to post, but i forgot about it by the time i got home. The new place is turning out well and i should be all unpacked this weekend, which will be great.
We lost the Finance Manager today; great person, both competent, energetic and gorgeous. If we hadn't worked together i would have asked her out. I'm fairly sure she'd say no if i asked, but still lots of goodness in one package. I'm a sucker for cute girlie nerds
As we loose our best people the rest of us have to pick up the pieces and she is going to be very hard to replace. Can't blame her for jumping ship though: I just wish i could jump to! Applied for more jobs this week and in many ways it is a numbers game: the more you apply for the greater chance you have of getting a hit. I do note how specific a lot of the job ads are getting. I suspect employers are taking natural advantage of the recession to get picky about the skill sets they hire. I've got a resume out for one job at the moment that involves a lot of APAC and US travel, which would be great. I even managed to speak to the recruiter, which is unusual, and I hope to get a follow up call next week.
I got into the Masters degree at Sydney Uni I wanted too!
Start some time in July, which would be amusing if i got the job with all the travel because I probably couldn't do both It will be interesting to see what Murphy has in store for me. The big choice now is what subjects i do. I am only doing part time. One reason i was hoping to get retrenched was that I would then have enough cash to go to uni full time for a year and knock the Masters over in 12 months. As always Murphy is a bastard. Any way, since i am only part time I am going to limit myself to two subjects and the now is the fun part of picking them
The new place is turning out well and i should be all unpacked this weekend, which will be great.We lost the Finance Manager today; great person, both competent, energetic and gorgeous. If we hadn't worked together i would have asked her out. I'm fairly sure she'd say no if i asked, but still lots of goodness in one package. I'm a sucker for cute girlie nerds
As we loose our best people the rest of us have to pick up the pieces and she is going to be very hard to replace. Can't blame her for jumping ship though: I just wish i could jump to! Applied for more jobs this week and in many ways it is a numbers game: the more you apply for the greater chance you have of getting a hit. I do note how specific a lot of the job ads are getting. I suspect employers are taking natural advantage of the recession to get picky about the skill sets they hire. I've got a resume out for one job at the moment that involves a lot of APAC and US travel, which would be great. I even managed to speak to the recruiter, which is unusual, and I hope to get a follow up call next week.
I got into the Masters degree at Sydney Uni I wanted too!
Start some time in July, which would be amusing if i got the job with all the travel because I probably couldn't do both It will be interesting to see what Murphy has in store for me. The big choice now is what subjects i do. I am only doing part time. One reason i was hoping to get retrenched was that I would then have enough cash to go to uni full time for a year and knock the Masters over in 12 months. As always Murphy is a bastard. Any way, since i am only part time I am going to limit myself to two subjects and the now is the fun part of picking them 
