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Post by grahamthomson on Feb 2, 2009 8:46:42 GMT
Brrrrr! A fair amount of snow this morning.
And I think today is the day, statistically, that most people call in sick and not go to work.
Something to do with everyone just managing to get through January but not having enough reserves for February.
I know how that feels.
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Post by Dark Stranger on Feb 2, 2009 10:02:11 GMT
It is bloody freezing over here.
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Post by Shockprowl on Feb 2, 2009 10:03:10 GMT
It's the kind of weather that makes you realise men have nipples too.
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 2, 2009 10:35:51 GMT
Brilliant, didn't have to go out today but couldnt resist getting a lift in to town as my brother went to work. Then two hours stomping around in the snow. On the way home the snow had almost cleared then down it came again.
Probably wasnt the best time to walk two miles with a 2 foot Orchid, but plants for Mums birthday are a must. Just hope it dodnt freeze.
Andy
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Post by blueshift on Feb 2, 2009 10:59:42 GMT
Grr some of my Londoner friends have the day off as a snow day. I am sitting at work D:
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 2, 2009 11:11:41 GMT
Booo! The snow hasn't been too severe here, but I'm hoping it picks up a little pace later on.
Andy
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Post by karla on Feb 2, 2009 11:30:46 GMT
My car wouldn't go cause of the snow so I panicked slightly, no work because of the snow, manager said not to bother so I didn't! My dad came back after he stalled on a hill, and said people were abandoning thier cars...I mean why would you do that, I couldn't leave my poor car  |
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Post by blueshift on Feb 2, 2009 11:47:49 GMT
My car wouldn't go cause of the snow so I panicked slightly, no work because of the snow, manager said not to bother so I didn't! My dad came back after he stalled on a hill, and said people were abandoning thier cars...I mean why would you do that, I couldn't leave my poor car Boo trudge in to work! |
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Post by karla on Feb 2, 2009 13:03:59 GMT
boooo poor blueshift |
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Hero
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Post by Hero on Feb 2, 2009 14:41:57 GMT
Snowing ere in Brissal too.
===KEN
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 2, 2009 14:53:59 GMT
Snowed twice again since this morning but still not much to speak of sadly.
Andy
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Post by Shockprowl on Feb 2, 2009 15:11:46 GMT
Been sledging with Piglet! Coupla moments when she went a little too fast for comfort, but she loved it!
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Hero
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Post by Hero on Feb 2, 2009 16:22:14 GMT
Been watching Zip outside exploring the snow. Glad to hear Piglet is having fun too.
===KEN
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Post by Mark_Stevenson on Feb 2, 2009 16:29:07 GMT
It really hasn't stopped all day...
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Post by grahamthomson on Feb 2, 2009 19:57:12 GMT
Up to three inches in the garden so far tonight and continuing to fall. (Or rise.)
The dog is loving it!! But when he comes into the living room and shakes it all off, I am not.
He's happily snoozing by the fire, with one eye open. Stupid dog, it's not even on!
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Post by Hero on Feb 2, 2009 23:45:21 GMT
Snow is very settled here in the West Country.
Tried to keep my day as varied as possible. Studied, Sent E-mails, Watched Star Wars, Unpacked some figures, Drew, Wii Fit, Cooked tea, made tea, video editing (New toy review up btw!), and helped out at the local toddler group.
===KEN
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 2, 2009 23:49:59 GMT
Unusually busy today with Day 6 of work skills course and then a trip to stately Davidson Manner for Toy-Fu related shenanigans.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 2, 2009 23:53:19 GMT
How is the course going anyway?
Andy
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 3, 2009 0:09:34 GMT
It does the job. It's a simulated work environment : you get tasks to do, wear business clothing - which you got help to buy btw, etc. The point being that the place can give honest references on what you're like in a job. It's a service called STRIVE, 'tis a franchise. They have a 70% success rate at getting people back into work. They pro-actively sell folk who use the programme to employers, etc. It's voluntary, nowt to do with Job Centre Plus or connected to benefits. You could walk out at any time if you wanted to. This also helps to sell you to employers as it shows you are pro-actively and genuinely seeking work: no-one made you do it.
The deal is you do the 2-week course and are then assigned a Job Support Officer (JSO) who pro-actively will job search for you, contact employers etc. It's been suggested that type of work might actually suit me funnily enough, which I hadn't really thought of. Heck, it was even suggested I drop in my CV on the off-chance something comes up at a later date, so I did that.
Anyway, you see the JSO at least once a week after the course to keep the ball rolling. You can pop in any time for help with job searches etc and you get help with resources (computer use, stationery, etc) and travelling expenses to interviews, etc. You are treated like an adult. They'll try to help you get work that's suited to you and pays what you need, etc, ie I need a full-time job of at least x salary due to personal circumstances. You say this and there's no problem. Try that down the Job Centre Plus and they look at you as if you're a moron.
Job Centre Plus treat you as sub-human. This lot at least give the impression they will try and help you on the condition you put in full effort yourself. And it costs nowt. You're connected with the service for 2 years so if you are unemployed again during that time and need help or if you want help changing jobs later on or applying for promoted posts they'll help out. All they ask is you keep in touch.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 3, 2009 0:18:11 GMT
Sounds encouraging. I shall keep my fingers crossed for you.
Andy
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 3, 2009 0:20:34 GMT
Hopefully, as I'm at my witts end. Terrible bouts of insomnia currently.
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Feb 3, 2009 7:39:13 GMT
It does sound like a good course, and you are right about its voluntary nature being an asset as far as employers attitude goes. In general any course that people are forced to go on doesn't carry anywhere near the weight of something that someone has done of their own bat.
A 70% success rate is very impressive, they are clearly doing something right.
My digits shall likewise remain crossed for you.
Karl
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Post by blueshift on Feb 3, 2009 10:08:04 GMT
Where has the snow gone |
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 3, 2009 10:21:35 GMT
I know - booooo!
Andy
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Hero
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Post by Hero on Feb 3, 2009 11:00:20 GMT
Still got snow here. Zip loves it!
Snow RULES
===KEN
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2009 17:46:09 GMT
Snow all over here. People are building snowmen outside their houses and the Polish workers at my workplace are going outside for a fag but managing to have a few snowball fights under one of the works security cameras before they do so!
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Post by Hero on Feb 4, 2009 9:12:51 GMT
Is there any further update regarding the union/dictatorship situation at your workplace, Zudobug?
At home today writing an e-mail both balanced with bitchy and reasonable to one of my tutors in charge of a uni module I'm being messed about on. With cryptic room changes and class schedules and no communication from the tutor and classmates, I'm sort of wondering if I am being taken for a ride. I read the noticeboards, online blackboards, check my crappy student e-mail account, visit the offices etc and nothing.
Aside from that, I had a brilliant day yesterday with my Hollywood course learning about Cary Grant (I had no idea he was a Bristolian!), Makings of movie stars, contracts, typecasting and overcasting etc. Our screening yesterday was North by Northwest (1959).
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Feb 4, 2009 18:57:53 GMT
A fun week. Monday I had a meeting at the HSE in Birmingham. Yesterday I was at my desk kicking ass and taking names, and I got a ton of stuff done. Really cleared my to-do list. Today I attended a storytelling conference for public sector workers at City Hall. (They had a whole range of different training events over two days, but I plumped for the storytelling one.) It was pretty decent, considering they had to keep it work-related. In the afternoon I got to invent a god. (Logo, the god of Vision, a well-meaning deity who seeks to motivate his mortal subjects to work together for a common goal. Usually depicted by the masses as a tragic figure, generally ignored by his subjects who consider it more productive to get on with the work they were doing anyway towards those goals, rather than spend time worshipping Logo. The god is often happily oblivious to his subjects' lukewarmness to worhsipping him. His enemy is the god Rebranding, for when the sun sets and rises again, a new Vision emerges and all memory of the old god erased.) I think it went down well.
Our team building day to the Brecon Beacons tomorrow has been cancelled just to be on the safe side. And since I had been planning my work so that I would not need to be in the office tomorrow, I've decided to take a flexi-day instead. Here's hoping for snowdrifts to enjoy from my living room! (And possibly a walk in the nearby woods.)
Martin
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Post by Hero on Feb 4, 2009 21:26:20 GMT
Been writing toy reviews (Henkei Hound will be up on figured-out later tonight), video editing (new vid up on youtube), reading, studying, researching into Leslie Neilson and sorting out some problems on a couple of uni modules one of which I think I may end up leaving if the miscommunication problems continue.
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Post by Dark Stranger on Feb 5, 2009 10:18:13 GMT
Started snowing like a bastard the minute I left for work this morning.
Raging!
Half an hour later and I could have thrown a snow day sickie like my girlfriend, who starts work later than me did.
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