Posts categorised by month

Three days »

Great. The first week is over and, surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be; there was some awkwardness r(esignation)-day + 1 but after that my boss was hugely pofessional. He did, however, take a few key members of the team into a meeting room and asked them flat out if they were thinking of leaving; all said they were. If he'd have dug a little deeper I supect he'd find that 25% of the team are actively looking, 25% are passively looking (signing up to places like monster, gojobsite, merseyworkplace etc.) and 10% are now thinking about starting to look. Before I go Im going to give him some feedback so that he doesn't begin to beleive its his fault or something which he does, its just the fallout from the recent I.T. re-shuffle coupled with some other dumb practices which go on in that place. Interestingly, my new buddy Paul (different to the guy who handed in is resignation) says that this is the most niave company hes worked for. That it isnt so much the people or the end-product that lets the place down but merely the fact that decisions are so short-term, so targetted to fighting the current fire, that they just dont make sense when you step away from the place; especially when you're sat in a beer garden putting the world (read company) to rights - like we did immediately after work yesterday.

Bank Holiday Weekend

So, for the next three days I've got to start tying things together, theres plenty to be done and now I have the time to finally do it.

• Get hair cut for friend Mart's wedding next week
• Clean car
• Clean house
• Cook books
• Send a few emails
• Go to curry house with friends
• Go to Snowdonia with friends
• Plan kitchen
• Help Mart move house
• Sort finances
• Read more books

Maybe next year »

Google Creative Maximiser

Tenterhooks »

My boss has agreed to the notice period but his boss still needs to sign off. I've updated Andrew who in turn should update my future employers.

No going back »

Phew! Well, its done. I emailed my current boss to say that I've decided its time to move on. He fained death (via heart attack) on receipt of the mail but was generally okay about it. We'll be meeting tomorrow, no doubt, to discuss my period of notice. Actually, not fifteen minutes later my good buddy Paul did the same. I had no idea he was planning on making the move and nor, similarly, did he of me. From the hushed chat Paul and I had at the end of the day it sounds like he's going somewhere amazing and Im really made up for him; he was under appreciated at this place - the man's a genius. Girlfriend Clare says I should be just as excited about my new role; I see her point but his induction is in Seattle for Christ's sake! Anyways, its beautiful outside now - the late afternoon sun is peeking through a few clear white clouds. Is it coincidence?

Lapse »

Waiting ... just waiting. The letter of acceptance is to be delayed a few days due to the head-honcho of the new dot-com being out of the country. In the mean time, so I can start the official notice countdown period, an email version will be sent to me; This wont affect my rights, right?

New Phone for Clare »

I've just taken advantage of a ridiculously good deal over at (my mobile phone provider's website) Orange. They're offering a Nokia 2650 without contract for a shade under £40. I remember the day when I forked out close to £180 for my first non-contract phone. The technological advances are frightening. Speaking of technology, something which has attracted my attention all of a sudden is Ajax. I don't know much about it as this point but its possibly the first development language whose constituant parts I actually partly understand; so there's hope.

So now my life is interesting »

A potted history

I've been offered a new job. Actually, that makes it sound like no effort was involved on my part ... I searched and applied and interviewed for a new job and, two days ago, was told that the position was mine if I wanted it; which of course, I do. So my plan is to leave the dot com I currently work for and go work in pastures new at a new dot com based in Manchester. I decided to start up another blog (I've had many over the years and failed to up keep them all) to document my transition from settled, stressed, bored, Development Team Leader to Search Engine Optimiser/Markerteer.

So what's next?

My recruitment consultant, Andrew, has said that I should get a confirmation letter from the company this coming Monday or Tuesday. Once I do, Ill be handing in the notice to my job of the past three years. Wow. Three years. Im nervous. Its a big change. A big upheaval of the daily routine I've grown to know (and accept). But then change ... is good?