Interview.

Quick update for how well the interview went.

It didn't. As in, it didn't happen at all. The guy turned up, interviewed everyone else, and then left.

And people wonder why I'm getting depressed and doubt myself.

Whoops

Sorry Paul, I didn't mean to drive off with your bag, and sorry chappie on the pedestrian crossing, I didn't mean to run you over after driving off with Paul's bag. Pity both happened within minutes of having a conversation with Mr. G0TLG about the importance of driving safely. Bugger.

Tomorrow I have an interview. Yay, you might say.

But nay, say I.

It is an interview for my current job. The one I despise because it serves no purpose and has no focus. Employment may well be what you make it, but it is difficult to make anything when you are little more than an unwilling yesman to faceless people unable or unwilling to do their own job. The website you say? Oh, well that budget has been taken away. This is after it was granted, taken away, reduced, granted, taken away, and then granted again.

Life as a recluse is looking more and more tempting. Oddly enough, my boss said something interesting to me today. After going through all of the things I can do, and how much of a positive impact they have, she said this, almost as an afterthought (though probably not):-

You may be one of those people who travel through life eternally unhappy

Dear me, I hope not. I never used to be. With hand signals she pointed to where I am, right down there, and then asked me where I wanted to be, which was sort of middlish. I am not one of those people who wants to run the world, but I have ideas, and I'd like to have an outlet for them.

And so I come home today frustrated. Whose fault is this? Mine, naturally, though not entirely... but where do I go? I feel like a ping pong ball, one moment optimistic about the future, and whatever it may bring, yet the next I am bound by the restrictions the same future ties around my neck as the wooden floor of the past gives way.

Apology.

Just a quick note to say I've been something of a jackass of late, so sorry.

To anyone I've been rude to, shunned, not taken the time to consider your opinions, or not made time for when I should have, I apologise. If I do it again, kick me (but not in the balls).

Education.

A few weeks back work decided it would be beneficial for me to become a little more educated, and partake in a home-taught course. They picked a course relevant to my job (and hopefully relevant to a job I would like to get after this one) and I waited for it to arrive, which it duly did. W00t to me so far.

By golly though, they don't half throw you in at the deep end. I received a box of twenty CDs, all with codes such as 93040d and f754599 but no paperwork. My guess is the introduction for the course is figuring out where to start.

I picked a CD at random (OK, I picked it because its packaging was a slightly different shade of yellow than the others) and it just happened to be the foundation module. Score one! This is going to be easy.

Things weren't to be quite as complicated as they first appeared, however. Favourite quotes from the course so far:-

"More than one computer connected together can form a network."

"A network over a local area, such as an office, is a local area network, or LAN. An network over a wider area, is a wide area network or WAN."

"P2P networks can sometimes be used for illegitimate purposes."

Granted, I've only just started on the foundation level, and without a doubt I'm sure that this will get very quickly over my head. Right now though, I'm mighty glad I didn't pay for this course myself.

Knackered.

Channel Hopping.

Last minute changes of plans are fun, aren't they?

Tonight, I was fully intending to settle down with a nice casserole, probably some wine, and curl up with Ween reading a good book.

Instead, I will still be having the casserole, but am from that point driving to Portsmouth, getting on an overnight ferry to Caen so that I can spend tomorrow counting some books, and then coming back over here again. Exciting, isn't it?

Oh, and for those that will be going to the Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show (I know there's a few among you) we will be exhibiting again, so I'll be there all weekend. If anyone wants to meet up for a pint or five, send me an email, or leave a message in the comments. Kinda hoping for something to break the tedium really.

Help!

For people that know more than I do...

Next door was involved in a car accident a few months back. It was minor, and they're OK, but the car was badly damaged. They now have a new one, while the old auto has sat in the communal car park since. OK, not great, but not annoying.

Now it has been vandalised and pushed out of its space - if it moves any further I won't be able to get my own car out.

Could anyone with the relevant experience advise just what I could do, as a third party? Could I offer to pay to get it removed, and if so how much would it cost - or does the neighbour have an obligation to do so? I don't want to cause a fuss with otherwise very good neighbours, but I am also concerned that this will encourage crime, and worry about my own car being damaged.

Tax needn't be taxing...

...but it bloody is, isn't it?

I've been trying to find a way of calculating my overall tax expenditure for a twelve month period. It's unsurprisingly quite difficult to pin this down, and so far I've managed to find the following resources... I have probably missed something, let me know if I have. Hopefully someone else out there will find these useful too.

These are from Thisismoney.co.uk

Petrol Tax Calculator

Vice Calculator (ouch)

VAT Calculator

And then the council tax bands. Income tax, well, that's pretty easy (ahem, has a quick shifty look at latest paycheck) and NI too. Now let's tot all that up... oh dear. That's rather a lot, isn't it?

Late.

I hate it when people turn up late to meetings, even more so when you have invited them there as you would like them to quote for offering their services to you.

I hate it even more when they demonstrate that their knowledge, experience and previous work samples is of a high enough standard that you want to hire them anyway.

Bah.

Jumping off a cliff.

Everyone else is doing it, so why not? Resolutions...

1. Cycle more. Do at least one long distance route, and give a serious stab at bike commuting.
2. Write more. At least finish something already started.
3. Start a religion. What are you looking like that for? It could work. It could be the Church of Xunos or something. There, see, I've already done it.
   
4. Cut down on the booze.

I think that'll do.