Not much to report.
It's hot. It's humid. It's dusty. It's hazy.
It's work. It's testing. It's passing. It's failing.
It's...
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Avalanche
How come 'time' only goes in one direction? I mean, the sun shines in the morning and then the next morning the sun shines but its slightly different to the previous day. Why doesn't the sun shine like it did 3 days before?
You could apply the same kind of thought to people. Why do I wake up a day older instead of a day or 6 months younger than I was when I went to sleep the previous night? It's all very linear and in the same direction...towards 'older'. It never goes back to younger which in itself is quite disappointing. At least you know where you stand if it continues in the same direction. You that in 6 months, you're going to be 6 months older. If it wasn't in the same direction and it moved around, we'd get well confused. And presumably you wouldn't be able to 'choose' the the time, it would just occur as a random thing. Maybe it would be last week or next time it would be 10 years ago.
It gives me abit of a headache just thinking about it.
You could apply the same kind of thought to people. Why do I wake up a day older instead of a day or 6 months younger than I was when I went to sleep the previous night? It's all very linear and in the same direction...towards 'older'. It never goes back to younger which in itself is quite disappointing. At least you know where you stand if it continues in the same direction. You that in 6 months, you're going to be 6 months older. If it wasn't in the same direction and it moved around, we'd get well confused. And presumably you wouldn't be able to 'choose' the the time, it would just occur as a random thing. Maybe it would be last week or next time it would be 10 years ago.
It gives me abit of a headache just thinking about it.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
air-raid
I'm the messiah.
Big, brash, bold words.
Oh course, I'm not but I might as well be.
All week I've been busy giving English Tests to employees at work. Clearly that doesn't make me the reincarnation of some bloke who lived 2000 years ago. In fact, he probably didn't work for a company nor needed to check the English level of his 'employees'. If the employees do well, then they have the chance to get promoted and an improved job title and the salary and perks increase that would come with it. If they don't do well, then nothing actually. Nothing happens. They stay were they are on the same salary etc. It's not as if they get fired or anything.
Anyway, I have incorporated a speaking part into the Test. It's a good way for me to find out how much vocabularly they have and basically to see if they can say 'stuff'. Sometimes I wish I hadn't incorporated it into the Test because I get the ones who try there hardest to impress me with 'stuff' that is of no relivence to me or the Test. Some of them go off in tangents. Some of them then resort to the sob story of how they have 23 children back in their home country and they need to get promoted in order to feed them all or clothe them. Perhaps what they are telling me is in fact true but at the end of the day, I'm only there to assess their English level. I have no real power to give promotion or even to take it away. All I can do is check and report back to their Bosses. It is they who decide on what happens next. They can choose to take my recommendations or not. And it is they who are the messiahs.
But, one guy came in and sat down. His first sentence to me was 'I can't speak English' to which I thought 'O.K. well lets find out'. He wasn't lying, he couldn't and I sent him packing. No promotion for him, me thinks.
Big, brash, bold words.
Oh course, I'm not but I might as well be.
All week I've been busy giving English Tests to employees at work. Clearly that doesn't make me the reincarnation of some bloke who lived 2000 years ago. In fact, he probably didn't work for a company nor needed to check the English level of his 'employees'. If the employees do well, then they have the chance to get promoted and an improved job title and the salary and perks increase that would come with it. If they don't do well, then nothing actually. Nothing happens. They stay were they are on the same salary etc. It's not as if they get fired or anything.
Anyway, I have incorporated a speaking part into the Test. It's a good way for me to find out how much vocabularly they have and basically to see if they can say 'stuff'. Sometimes I wish I hadn't incorporated it into the Test because I get the ones who try there hardest to impress me with 'stuff' that is of no relivence to me or the Test. Some of them go off in tangents. Some of them then resort to the sob story of how they have 23 children back in their home country and they need to get promoted in order to feed them all or clothe them. Perhaps what they are telling me is in fact true but at the end of the day, I'm only there to assess their English level. I have no real power to give promotion or even to take it away. All I can do is check and report back to their Bosses. It is they who decide on what happens next. They can choose to take my recommendations or not. And it is they who are the messiahs.
But, one guy came in and sat down. His first sentence to me was 'I can't speak English' to which I thought 'O.K. well lets find out'. He wasn't lying, he couldn't and I sent him packing. No promotion for him, me thinks.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
about
So the football has started and to be honest, I really can't be arsed with it all. I don't think its a matter of simply saying 'Oh Scotland aren't there, so I'm not going to take any notice'. I really can't be bothered with it.
Games have been on the TV and I've sat and watched none of them. My flatmate is keen to watch every single minute of every single game and gets disturbed when he can't. I can't see myself getting myself worked up into a state if I can't watch. In fact, I'd probably get all worked up into a state if I do in fact find myself watching them.
Who'll win?
Who knows.
Dare I even say, who cares?
That might be a step too far though.
Also, what is with all the national teams strips now...I mean, traditionally the likes of France and Italy and Scotland for that matter have also played in white shorts. Now though, it seems to be 'cool' to have matching tops and shorts. Not liking that at all. Get the white shorts back. I could say the same for the Scottish rugby team to. When are the people who run the SFA or SRU going to make that call to Diadora (come on, get Umbro back for god's sake) and Canterbury and demand a return to the colours of Scotland. Navy blue top, white shorts - red socks for the footy and blue socks for the rugby. And I don't want to hear all this nonsense about them not being like that because they clash with other teams. If they clash, you wear your 'away' top. It's that simple. This mix and match is a sham.
Games have been on the TV and I've sat and watched none of them. My flatmate is keen to watch every single minute of every single game and gets disturbed when he can't. I can't see myself getting myself worked up into a state if I can't watch. In fact, I'd probably get all worked up into a state if I do in fact find myself watching them.
Who'll win?
Who knows.
Dare I even say, who cares?
That might be a step too far though.
Also, what is with all the national teams strips now...I mean, traditionally the likes of France and Italy and Scotland for that matter have also played in white shorts. Now though, it seems to be 'cool' to have matching tops and shorts. Not liking that at all. Get the white shorts back. I could say the same for the Scottish rugby team to. When are the people who run the SFA or SRU going to make that call to Diadora (come on, get Umbro back for god's sake) and Canterbury and demand a return to the colours of Scotland. Navy blue top, white shorts - red socks for the footy and blue socks for the rugby. And I don't want to hear all this nonsense about them not being like that because they clash with other teams. If they clash, you wear your 'away' top. It's that simple. This mix and match is a sham.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Instinct
Whiners. And whiney people in general.
I can't be doing with them.
Especially on the telephone.
Particularly when the one who is whinning is male.
What's that all about?
Oooooh this or Aaaaah that.
Again, what's that all about?
Oooooooooooh.
Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaats too bad.
OOOOh no.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOk, I'll seeeeeeeeee you /insert name here/.
It's pathetic, manipulative and childish and nothing short of an embarrassment.
What's the point?
Trying to make yourself sound compassionate?
Or cute?
Or in touch with your feminine side in order to sound more appealing to the fairer sex?
To answer those questions bluntly. It is none of the above. It is neither big nor clever.
To coin a phrase, grow some balls.
I can't be doing with them.
Especially on the telephone.
Particularly when the one who is whinning is male.
What's that all about?
Oooooh this or Aaaaah that.
Again, what's that all about?
Oooooooooooh.
Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaats too bad.
OOOOh no.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOk, I'll seeeeeeeeee you /insert name here/.
It's pathetic, manipulative and childish and nothing short of an embarrassment.
What's the point?
Trying to make yourself sound compassionate?
Or cute?
Or in touch with your feminine side in order to sound more appealing to the fairer sex?
To answer those questions bluntly. It is none of the above. It is neither big nor clever.
To coin a phrase, grow some balls.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Rolling
Finally, it arrived. Actually, I should rephrase that. 'They' arrived.
We'll start with the smallest. During the last week in April, I put in a request with the I.T. Department to get a Memory Stick. Not a big one, just 8Gb. Enough to back up any files and whatever else - all 'business' related, of course. My Boss ok'd it and it was eagerly awaiting its arrival. 4 weeks later, it still hadn't arrived. I get back to them and tell them to sort it out. After a few emails and telephone calls, they promise that it would be delivered this week. I didn't hold out much hope. Alas, it did. So I'm now the proud owner of a Memory Stick. Thank the lord.
Next up on the hitlist was the small case of a desk. An actual one for myself and not a temporary that I was using. Furthermore, the temporary one as small. Large enough for a PC and a couple of other things. That had to change. So, a big desk was ordered along with a mobile cabinet 'thingy' and a filing cabinet. I even chanced my arm and asked for a new PC and a telephone extension. Low and behold, the furniture arrived! Not quite sure where it's going to go but it arrived. My own space.
As for the PC and telephone, both could be coming next week. My goodness. Perhaps working for a big company does make sense after all. Or perhaps not.
I wonder what I could get hold of next?
Company Mobile? New Chair? Company car - like I need that...
We'll start with the smallest. During the last week in April, I put in a request with the I.T. Department to get a Memory Stick. Not a big one, just 8Gb. Enough to back up any files and whatever else - all 'business' related, of course. My Boss ok'd it and it was eagerly awaiting its arrival. 4 weeks later, it still hadn't arrived. I get back to them and tell them to sort it out. After a few emails and telephone calls, they promise that it would be delivered this week. I didn't hold out much hope. Alas, it did. So I'm now the proud owner of a Memory Stick. Thank the lord.
Next up on the hitlist was the small case of a desk. An actual one for myself and not a temporary that I was using. Furthermore, the temporary one as small. Large enough for a PC and a couple of other things. That had to change. So, a big desk was ordered along with a mobile cabinet 'thingy' and a filing cabinet. I even chanced my arm and asked for a new PC and a telephone extension. Low and behold, the furniture arrived! Not quite sure where it's going to go but it arrived. My own space.
As for the PC and telephone, both could be coming next week. My goodness. Perhaps working for a big company does make sense after all. Or perhaps not.
I wonder what I could get hold of next?
Company Mobile? New Chair? Company car - like I need that...
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Athena
Being abroad has its plus points and its drawbacks. Too many to name; too few to mention. Sometimes it would be nice to blast back home for a few hours or a day though. One of those times would be right about now actually and that would be to congratulate the Penicuiker in person rather than a text message.
The reason being that he has forsaken batchelordom and decided to, well, no longer be a batchelor. I guess it takes some courage to make that decision. I for one haven't and suspect that I won't need to be making for a while yet. Indeed it is a brave decision particularly in light of the geographical constraints but ultimately, what is distance?
I've always been a bit confused about all this 'marriage' stuff. I guess it is what people do but when I say people, I actually mean 'other people'. But, this view of 'other people' has become a slow trickle of 'people' aka people I know and that is great. I'm delighted that they have found someone that they believe they can be with. In fact I'm not delighted, I'm more than delighted and in many ways in awe of that level of trust and commitent placed by one individual in another individual. It's remarkable. I really have significant doubts that I could do that. Perhaps in the past I could have but life and living it have taken their toll. I'm not discounting it but I'm definitely not ruling it in.
I'm getting sidetracked - this post is not meant to be about me, its meant to be about the Penicuiker being brave and inspired. I would like to say that the two of them are well suited and compliment each other etc but in all honesty, I have no idea if they do because I've never met them both at the same time but I trust his judgement. He may not always be right but he is rarely wrong and that is good enough for me.
Best wishes
Best of luck
Best of whatever...
The reason being that he has forsaken batchelordom and decided to, well, no longer be a batchelor. I guess it takes some courage to make that decision. I for one haven't and suspect that I won't need to be making for a while yet. Indeed it is a brave decision particularly in light of the geographical constraints but ultimately, what is distance?
I've always been a bit confused about all this 'marriage' stuff. I guess it is what people do but when I say people, I actually mean 'other people'. But, this view of 'other people' has become a slow trickle of 'people' aka people I know and that is great. I'm delighted that they have found someone that they believe they can be with. In fact I'm not delighted, I'm more than delighted and in many ways in awe of that level of trust and commitent placed by one individual in another individual. It's remarkable. I really have significant doubts that I could do that. Perhaps in the past I could have but life and living it have taken their toll. I'm not discounting it but I'm definitely not ruling it in.
I'm getting sidetracked - this post is not meant to be about me, its meant to be about the Penicuiker being brave and inspired. I would like to say that the two of them are well suited and compliment each other etc but in all honesty, I have no idea if they do because I've never met them both at the same time but I trust his judgement. He may not always be right but he is rarely wrong and that is good enough for me.
Best wishes
Best of luck
Best of whatever...
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