Dark cloud rises

These past couple of weeks have been a [Insert profanity here] nightmare.
Complete lack of management and staff as seen my workload jump by 300%.

Still means to an end... Hopefully this time next week I'll be in charge and making some changes!

On a lighter note, off to the cinema tonight to watch the Dark Knight Rises!!!

Utter Madness

Work has been completely insane recently.
Our team of 5 is now a team of 3, with a drop down to 2 in the coming weeks.
My own workload is very low, with no issues outstanding. The other location we cover has 150+ calls.
How it's managed to get so bad is beyond me, how management has allowed it to get so bad is even further out of my comprehension!
I spent yesterday in the second location helping get the call queues down. Not an easy feat, but managed to cut about 20% from the overall list.
Ridiculous that it's at a point that where I need to wander out of my own building and into another!
Still, their may be a promotion opportunity out of it all. So must stay positive.

Free time... What's that?

Today should be a day of lounging about, followed by a session in the Gym.

Instead, I'm giving up my early afternoon for scouting.
Time to put a teacher hat on and help these kids get their stage 1&2 IT badges, with a possible Stage 3 to finish.

Thank Crunchie!

Friday!!!
Working week done, just scouting to get out of the way and I can relax in front of the box for the day!
This Sunday should be a challenge. I'm helping some scouts pass their staged IT badges, 2 time slots to cover and I've got to try and fit in a gym visit... It's going to be tight!

Doctor is in

Got my first Qwertee shirt yesterday, arrived when I was in work so was a nice treat for when I got home.

An awesome design of Futurama heads in jars, all of famous doctors!

Hopefully this will be the first of many Qwertee's!!

Media meltdown

I seem to be having an issue with external storage lately. I'm now on my 3rd dead device in as many weeks. Not sure what I'm doing but I'm killing them outright, I've tried my hardest on all three drives to access the data and got nothing back! I think it's time i switched to solid-state devices, there's less chance of me killing them when they have no moving parts!

Managerial misconduct!

Apparently someone once said "it's better to be unmanaged, than mismanaged". I beg to differ I've been in my job for a year, and can count the amount of times I've met my manager on one hand and the amount of time spent with my team leader using an egg-timer. Most people wouldn't complain of this, in fact they would probably wish for that type of management interaction. i on the other hand am annoyed by it! Why do I need them I have been self-sufficient in my role for a year now, with no sign of that changing. In fact I am taking on more responsibility to add value to my role. I'm finding it very hard to find reasons why i need them. I could contract myself out separate from this company and earn more money surely? I begridge anyone who gets paid to do nothing, unless of course that person is me?!?

Tiredness can kill

Today seems to be one of those days.
From the second I walked in the building I've not stopped.Job after job pouring onto my queue with no end in site.
Mix a queue of irate users with the fact I've switched to decaf coffee and you have people dicing with death!
Demand that I fix your problem... I double-dare you!

Boys and their toys

What a week in work.
Having to load laptops with OS and software packages that are not supported by our service desk.
And all because the big-bosses want new toys.

So I have to learn how to use a MAC (have supported windows for a decade) and then learn parallels so that it can hold an image of Windows 7.

You try telling an SVP "No". It's not in their vocab!

A moment in history

I've been witness to a number of amazing things in my lifetime that will be read in history books in years to come. The death of lady Diana, attack on the world trade centre, first black president and the queens Jubilee to name just a few.
But today is a special day also, today will be known as the day I finally snapped and went on my killing spree!!! It's not even lunch time yet and people are rubbing me up the wrong way, seriously people... I'm one man doing the work of two. you have to be patient!!!

Midweek madness

Can't believe it's Wednesday already!!!
Monday snuck up pretty quick and promptly kicked me in the knackers, resulting in me missing work appointments and rescheduling some pretty important people.
I've never been good at scheduling my time... perhaps I need to ask my company to supply me with a PA? [Cue hysterical laughter].

Managed to wangle me some pretty easy overtime this weekend. Sunday morning babysitting gig whilst some engineers laying some fibre (Not an euphemism). Maybe I'll finally get a chance to 100% Lego Harry Potter on my iPad. Or maybe I'll use that time to update the scout websites i manage (It really should be used for this!).
I would use that time to finish watching Game of Thrones, but I've managed to see all but one episode since Saturday and plan on watching the season 2 finale tonight!

I'm quite late in the race to be watching this show, most people had given good reviews for it but I'd never really been bothered. But all my US shows have finished for the summer so needed something to occupy my eyeballs. I watched the first couple of episodes to see how it was, and promptly watched them all!
If you've not caught any of it, please do... you will not be disappointed.

NC

Not liking Fridays and other things that tick me off

Thanks to a 3-day week Friday as swiftly made an appearance. For most this is cue to get excited and promptly make plans to party. For me not so much.

For tonight I don my woggle and scarf and attend scouts!!
I've been a scout leader for about 2 years, and in doing so meet some fantastic kids that amaze me... and some right buggers that frustrate me. The latter becoming ever more frequent.
Friday nights used to be a time for me to get excited about the activities we were about to deliver to the kids, but lately it's a time to get downbeat about having to talk over kids that do not listen, that do not show respect and that are down-right rude.

Schedule failure

Back to 5-day weeks, and Monday morning stress.

I have the same routine every Monday morning.
Greet the new staff that are joining the company, issue them their laptop and then talk them through a 30 minute induction. A task I have performed for the 11 months I have worked here.

It seems more and more frequently this process wants to fail. My 30 minute induction today took me just under 2 hours!! 3 new members of staff, deciding to stagger their arrival over the course of an hour and half.
As I finished one induction I had to start the next.
My morning was blown to pieces and I missed breakfast, i wouldn't normally moan about this but I'm currently trying to put on weight. Up until today I've made sure I've had 3 meals a day for about 3 weeks!

Not only has this farce ruined my eating habits, it's also screwed me for the rest of my day, I am having to reschedule appointments and apologise profusely.
Here's hoping I can catch up and get finished on time... because i do not want this to ruined my afternoon too!


NC

Well Rested, and wanting more

So thanks to Liz celebrating her Diamond Jubilee we've had a double bank holiday.
A whole 4 day weekend!! You'd think I'd be well rested and grateful for the time off, but it seems 4-day weekends go a lot quicker than 2 day weekends.
Perhaps it's because I've not had some proper time off in a while, or the fact I'm back in work tomorrow with a stack of work to catch up on!

That said, I should be in bed instead of watching the MTV movie awards.

NC

Lego Jubilee

Popped into Legoland Resort Windsor today to renew our annual passes.
Whilst there I managed to get in to the new StarWars Miniland. My oldest boy was in awe at all my StarWars knowledge (Alright, not awe... Embarrassment). I must say I was very impressed. And next time I go I won't be holding hands with a 2 year old whilst showing off to a 13 year old.
My hand will be firmly wrapped around my camera!

One thing I did get to shoot was the resorts new additions marking the Queen's diamond jubilee.
They had the Queen's barge (the one used in the recent flotilla pageant), and HRH on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Her Royal Lego Highness was wearing a diamond encrusted crown worth £7,000.

The moment I leaned near the thing to take a photo the security started to twitch, here's my mace-dodging effort or her crown along with her barge:

Windows 8 preview

I've finally installed the Windows 8 consumer preview, and I'm not that impressed.
I have a Xbox360 and Lumia phone so have gotten used to the Metro design already. So this design-feature added to my Windows PC isn't that much of a learning curve.

One thing I am impressed with is the cross-functions. Zune links better with my xbox and my windows phone has the ability to control my PC better.

Although with Google Chrome's ability to have apps installed, the likes of Metro is already way behind in that stakes. I just hope MS are able to up their game a bit before the official release.

Feel the burn

A few days exercising and my body is really starting to ache.
The exercises are not strenuous at all, just calisthenics and a little cardio. But I'm 32 and the only exercise I've ever done is walking (Albeit greater distances compared to most).

I have a couple of exercises I actually enjoy, and they seem to be the ones that are causing me the most pain.
*Deep Knee Bends - The first time I did these I didn't see the point. They didn't seem like exercise at all, but after a while you really start to feel it.

*Press-ups (raised) - The good old-fashioned press-up. I didn't realise how unfit I was until I first started these. I really struggled to get to 10! Now I'm knocking 25 reps a set.

*Fixed leg raises - These really burn, but within the space of a week I've noticed my abs are tighter.

I've started eating a lot more. I'm 5'10" and weigh around 10 stone, so I'm pretty lean already. A good appetite is a must when exercising so I've up'd my calorie intake to balance the extra I'm burning off. In addition to this I've started to drink whey protein shakes.

I'm hoping that in the next 3 months I'll have at least a stone of extra weight, and that I'll be a little bit "ripped" ;)


NC

How to change a guy in 30 days..

Since having some photos done a couple of weeks ago I have started a new diet and exercise regime.

Sounds a bit pretentious but i'm quite enjoying it.

The photos confirmed what everyone else already knew. I am underweight.

So time to change that!
My job is very active and I probably burn of 3x the amount of calories I consume.
The past 10 days has seen a huge gear change to my eating habits. With me filling my face at every opportunity.

Combing this with muscle toning exercise and *protein shakes and I'll be a lean machine before I know it!

I get free Gym membership in work so once i've got a balance I'll be attending there too.

NC
*I used to mock people who drank protein shakes... I've changed!

I'll take those points to go

The weekend has shown it's bright and sunny face again. And what better way to start it that to have 2 toddlers fighting at 6:30am.

Old wifey works weekends, so being woken up 30 minutes before the alarm goes off is not the best way to get her in a good mood.

Enter "Super-Husband"!
I leap out of bed to sort out the ever-whinging children and calm them down.
Dish them their breakfast and make myself a cup of tea.
And just to go that extra mile, I fry a little bacon, toast some bread and deliver it just as the wife needs to get up. Breakfast in bed for no reason? Yes, I'll take those husband points to go! and I'll even take a set in a different colour!
Not only does she get breakfast in bed, but I also prepared her lunch to take to work!

This isn't a one-off, I have been known to treat wifey to breakfast in bed at least once a month (Not so much now that she works weekends). And this got me thinking....

If this points system actually worked,I would so far in front of the wife it would be embarrassing! Not that I'm counting, of course ;)

NC

Whistle while you work

Good days in work are few and far between lately. I'm currently running 3 roles in one between 2 separate buildings.
This has started to take it's toll on me, both mentally and physically.

But to help cheer me up, the nice people at the Criminal Justice System sent me a letter today.

Now at first, when I unfolded the letter and saw the letterhead I did start to sweat a little... I had no idea why they would be writing to me!

Then I read the subject....
About 6 months ago I caught my colleague stealing laptops from work.
This letter was to confirm the outcome of her court appearance.

GUILTY!
Well of course she was, the fact she was caught red-handed and had so much evidence to back up the case meant she was never going to talk her way out of it!

Seems a few hours community service, a fine and court fees is all it takes to pay society back for being a thief!

Still, Made me smile.

NC

Akwardness is objective

I started this afternoon naked in a strangers house. Sounds awkward, but it was fine.

I went to do a boudoirs shoot for a photographer as he'd never had a male model before (I am in no way a male model!), and the fact I'll try anything once this seemed like a good idea.

It gave me another insight into the way my brain works.
I cannot watch reality shows or anything that has someone completely embarrass themselves. I just find it too awkward.
But get me stark-naked in front of a stranger and I'm fine with it? Who'd of thunk it.... I'm a bit of an exhibitionist!


NC

Well would you look at that!

So last week my son got mugged in broad daylight. And this week he was able to ID the scumbag that did it!

Through the power of the internet (More importantly, through the police force having a twitter account). My Son was able to positively identify the guy who violently attacked him for the sake of stealing his blackberry phone.

Thames valley police posted a positive story about how a young lad had been sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for robbery and perverting the course of justice.

As the robbery part was so similar to my sons experience he was shown the picture attached to the story, and without even reading the story itself was able to say that he was 98% sure it was the same guy.

Yet another reason to love the interweb!!

NC

Crossing a line

So... I am of the belief that if you don't like something that you've not even tried, you're a twat!

Don't get me wrong, i've never tried bungee-jumping and can tell you this... It's not for me!


An opportunity arose this week that would allow me to be a model for a professional photographer. After very minimal "umming and arring" I decided to go for it.

Doesn't sound like something you would need to have an internal debate over. But there is a catch. It's an underwear shoot.... to begin with. With some apparent tasteful shots of me in the buff to finish off.

Now I've battled with my weight for some time (the lack of it) and do think I'm slightly too thin. A little bulking and toning and I'd be a happy chappy.
None of these worries came into helping me make my decision.
I am quite up for the giggle, as I said: You won't know you don't like it until you try it?

The photographer has been in touch and booked a date, and has made a further request... Therefore crossing the line of weird!

He has asked if i own a black suit, as he has some "Bond" guns and would want to try some Bond-esque poses.
Turns out, this is where I drew the line in my toleration of weirdness.
Having me there in my shorts, or even without them is perfectly fine... But put me in formal wear and ask me to pretend to be an imaginary secret agent and it gets weird.

Don't get me wrong, I'm going to do it. Just thought I'd share an insight into how my mind works :o)

NC

Anger management

I like the term "made my blood boil". It's very apt.
I actually feel like my blood is boiling.

So my weekend ended early with the mugging of my oldest son.
13 years old and jumped by an young man for his mobile phone. Right in the middle of the street in broad daylight.
Goes without saying I bloody well wanna kill someone.
After getting over the shock and stress of that I get back to the normality of work... that normality being poorly managed, or not managed at all.

I work for a small company inside a very large company, so the relationship with us lower form grunts is of no concern to management compared to the relationship with our contract holder.
No things like this do not normally hit my radar. But my manager (who is normally 100+ miles away) is actually in one of our local locations. And she told me to expect a visit from her today.

What I did get was nothing, not an email apology, phonecall or even an SMS. Just word from the grapevine that she has returned to headoffice mid-afternoon!
Angry!

Suddenly Monday

So there it was... gone!
The weekend has came and went with the blink of an eye; And so did today!

I started my morning with back-to-back appointments until 1pm. Before I knew it it was time to go home.
If only every day could be like that!

I come home ruined after work to find the flat in a mess with the kids refusing to tidy up. It's odd how kids can tell when you've had enough, so decide to give you more.

They're in bed now, i've got a beer in hand and a comic book movie on the TV. Things are looking up!

NC

Joys of parenting...

So yet again my kids are inflicted with a bout of sickness. Friday evening, laying in bed vomming all over the place is not a memory I want them to keep.

The moment we heard them gagging me and the wife we up and running to their aid. As you do, instinct just takes over.

Then begins the stripping of cloths and beds, making sure every inch of the floor gets scrubbed, and the constant badgering of "do you need a bowl" for a couple of hours.

Me being the downright awesome husband I am, sent the wife to bed.
She now works weekends at the local theme park so needed the sleep more than me (I assure you, after only getting 3 hours sleep myself I now have a different opinion).

So today is a day of rest for my boys, and me. with the constant worry that their dinner is about to grace us with it's presence.

The joys of parenting... wouldn't want to change it for all the usb devices in japan!

How much is too much

I've come to terms with my inevitable old age. It was a rough journey getting there, but acceptance has been reached.
I am too old to be going out til all hours, a fact that gets reinforced each time I attempt to do so!

Had a gala dinner with work last night, all suited and booted in black tie and looking great!
Around 2am the notion that clubbing would be a "good idea" gets thrown about the room. Next thing you know there is a mass exodus over to a club. I on the other hand decide to go to bed! and I feel worse off for it!

Why does no-one warn you when you're in your 20's, I would of partied harder if I'd known then what I know now!


NC

Not a good call to take!

So work has me holed up in a hotel in Brighton, about 80km from where I actually live.
All is going swimmingly, have cleared 16 machines through the morning and have no work left for the afternoon... Good times!

Then I get a call from the wife. One of my kids has swallowed a penny and is off to A&E.
It's a horrible realisation, that iff anything worse had happened I'm too far away to do anything!

I mean, If i was there I'd just wait a day or two for it to come out ;) but the dread still fills your chest!

NC

How to lose a portion of your day...

So here I am, chained to a desk and rebuilding laptop images. You may think that's a dream day for me as I'm such a nerd? Wrong!

Holy awesome teeshirts Batman!

So I check in every day, to see what's on offer. Drool over all the photos listed there with the repetitive noise of  want it, want it, want it going through my head.

Draw Something... Anything!

So Zynga have bought the company that made DrawSomething. a risk for any company that could essentially be a one trick pony...

An introduction...

So this is me, a thirtysomething father of 3 (most people use the term "thirtysomething" when they're pushing 40, I've got a long way before I hit that mark). I'm married and hold a full time job. Sounds pretty sweet, but I have loads to complain about. I'm sure you'll hear all about it on coming posts.I'm a self-professed nerd loving every form of technology from the betamax tape recorder to 3D TV's (hehe, Betamax... I swear I'm no where near 40!). I love me some gaming and own a Xbox, PS3 and up until recently a Wii May it rest in peace.I'm quite opionated, rarely bite my tongue and love a good debate on how religion is wrong (I should point out that I do not begrudge anyone believing in any religion; it's just I'm able to get through the day without wishing to the magic man in the sky for good things in my life whilst blaming him for the bad).My kidsSo my three kids are all boys, aged 2, 3 and 13. A huge gap i know, reasons for which may or may not come apparent in later posts as will more about them a indiviuals. All i will say for now is the fill me with equal amounts of love and rage! as all good kids should.My WifeNot going to go into any details here, I'm sure she'll come into the firing line in future posts ;o)My JobI do online support in a very large pharmaceutical company (Very Large is an understatement), I won't be mentioning the name of said company in any posts... ever! i once checked in to the building using Foursquare and got questioned about my online activities, best stay off that radar all together).Been doing onsite IT support for over a decade now, previously for another company... which is pretty good considering I left school at 15 with not a single qualification.Why a blog?I have all the usual social networking pages/profiles and realised I didn't actually write a blog. Which is probably because I love the sound of my own voice and hate my uneducated attempt at spelling & grammer... but I digress.I'll be using this blog to slate my life a bit (better out than in) and to share any of my nerdy interweb findings. I love me a good underdog app, I was playing Where's my water? before it was mainstream (yes I know that makes me sound like a hipster and I apologise). I may re-blog the odd Meme, internet link or twitter post. And if you're lucky, one or two IT Helpdesk scare stories.Thanks for readingNC