domdavis.com

I recently went and replaced my copies of Aero [ITMS] and Geometry of Love [ITMS] by Jean Michel Jarre and noticed he’s done a stack load of other stuff recently. Since I seem to own everything he’s every done (except, of course, Music For Supermarkets) I downloaded the new albums and was surprised to see he’s started doing quite trancy stuff, especially on the album Téo & Téa [ITMS]. Anyway, tucked away near the end of the album is this track called Vintage [ITMS] which seems to have been doing the rounds in the clubs (there is even a remix EP [ITMS] with remixes by the likes of ATB) and I have been listening to it and the remixes quite a lot recently, so there you go, Easy Listening Trance

So my new computer never arrived. Turns out that TNT need written authorisation from Apple not verble authorisation from them and the address from me. Of course no one told me this, they just marked the thing as ‘Out for delivery’ and then waited for me to call that afternoon to admit that, actually yes, it’s still sat in the depot and, no, they’re not going to deliver it to my friends office because they’ve not had a email from Apple about that.

Right.

Call Apple. Get through to a call center in the US (generally a good thing, I find Merkins to be most polite and friendly in customer services), nice gentlemen there tells me that a Saturday delivery been authorised and that it’ll be going out to me on the 27th. Hmm, I’d told them I didn’t want that any more, I wanted it to go to my friends office, but still, not his fault and I decided I’d see if I could be about for it to come. I get told I should have a nice day and go call TNT. They confirm that it’ll be a Saturday delivery and that it should be early as the drivers like to get their rounds done and knock off. So probably before lunch. This could work, I’ve got to go out at 11:40 for 30 minutes or so, but the law of sod might not actually afflict me today and I may be about. Need to reorganise some other stuff. Confirm with them that if I miss this delivery they wont send it back to Apple and that I can try having it delivered to somewhere else next week some time if it all goes completely tits up.

Wake up this morning, trying to find out what’s happening, website says ‘please call’ when I enter in the tracking number. I called. Someone answers the phone, tells me to give them 2 minutes and cuts me off. Call again, get answer phone telling me depot is closed. Hmmm. Get through to the call center, need to call another number at 8. Fine. Call the number at just gone 8, get told that yes, it’s been loaded on to a van for delivery [woo] and will be with me before 1. Crap. Sods law is setting me up to be out isn’t it? So now I’m sat here, looking out of the window every time I hear an engine wondering if it’s my damn computer being delivered and I could really do with being out doing other stuff.

I’ve had a set of three cordless phones with answerphone for a couple of years now. OK, so they weren’t hugely expensive, but then they weren’t cheap either and I kind of expect phones to last for… well, I dunno, the last one I had lasted for 6 years and was still going fine when I last saw it. My 3 cordless ones, however, lasted about 8 months before they started acting a bit funny and about 18 months before they started going very wrong (mainly turning themselves off when you hung up and turning themselves off randomly when you tried to make a call). A couple of weeks ago one of the handsets refused to charge, just constantly turning itself off, restarting, turning itself off and going ‘click’ loudly each time it did. I got fed up with them and replaced them.

The new phones (using iDECT providing a clearer sound with special digital technology which, to my ear, just mean they hiss a lot) were unpacked last week, plugged in and left. Figured I’d sort out the ring tones (ring ring please), answerphone message and what have you later. Today I tried to call TNT regarding the on going saga of getting my new computer delivered. Nothing. No ring tone, nothing. Checked all was plugged in properly. Still nothing. Resorted to the manual, perhaps the handsets weren’t properly registered with the base or something. Check power on [yup]. Check batteries charged [yup]. Check cables plugged in [yup, both ends]. Make sure you’re using the cable supplied as other cables wont work [what are you talking about? It's a phone cable, they're standard]. 5 more minutes of faffing and I decided ‘what the hell’, got the cable that came with the phone, fought the cable monster to change the cables over and… tada. Bloody thing works. That said, it’s been nice and quiet over the past week with no people trying to contact Mr and Mrs Reason so I’m quite tempted to unplug them again and only reconnect them when I need to call an 0800 number.

So I was reading yesterday that the Royal Navy (that once fine fighting force that now has subs with bits that fall off) is a little toothless when it comes to piracy on the high seas (Yarrr!) because they’re worried about violating the pirates human rights and that they may claim assylum [sic]. WTF? Surely if you’re attacking others in order to steal, kidnap and hold to randsom you give up a few rights. On the plus side you gain a few new rights, like the right to have one of our destroyers put a ruddy great big shell through your hull. As to claiming asylum, no you bloody can’t come in, you’re a sodding criminal! No doubt some bleeding heart tree hugging lefty liberal will bleat on about them having choice and being pushed into a life of piracy. Well, if that’s the case they can live with you when they claim asylum. Seriously, we need some people with some balls (or handbags, Maggie was fearsome) in government.

So it would appear the government is not as generous as I thought. Yes, they gave me sixty odd quid a week while I was unemployed but now they’d like a large portion of it back. Turns out Job Seekers Allowance is taxed, at 40% in my case. I suspect this years tax return is going to need an accountant. Ho hum.

It seems the DWP use a standard letter format and layout when sending out details of Job Seekers allowance. I’ve just got a letter saying they’ve reviewed my situation in light of the changes I informed them of and, unfortunately, they can no longer pay me job seekers due to me being in work. There is then a long list of stuff I could be eligable for if I still need help and a booklet on how to appeal if I think the decision is wrong. So let me get this straight: I, after telling them I’m starting work again, can appeal against a decision to stop giving me a weekly stipend to help me live while I look for work. No wonder the system is so expensive to run. Sod that. The letter should simply tell me I should consider myself lucky to be employed, well done, you’re not getting any more money from us, like it or lump it. And no, I shall not be appealing the decision.

So being at work again throws me into that age old problem with deliveries. On the one hand having a post room means you don’t need to worry about being in to sign for stuff, it just turns up at your desk. On the other hand getting larger stuff delivered is a pain, especially if you can’t get it home.

While I was out yesterday TNT tried to deliver my new computer. Since I wasn’t in I missed the delivery. They automaticallly try again the next day unless you phone and on the second failed delivery send it back. Not good as I got back at 9:45pm. Thankfully the office was still open so I got to find out what my options were. Limited it would seem. They won’t upgrade to Saturday delivery or change delivery address without written authorization from the sender. Great. I got redelivery put on hold and had to wait for today to call Apple and ask what my options were. Saturday deliveries are on an ‘exception basis only’, require supervisor authorization and are generally such a pain in the rectum I went for plan B. My delivery is going to a friends office. They drive to work so can load the stuff in their car and drop it round mine. They should get the machine tomorrow. I should get it sometime, possibly this week

So everyone has been asking how my first day went and it went well, although I didn’t really do much. Most of this week is going to be spent being induced [sic], setting everything up and generally getting to grips with the system. That said I’ve already got my first bug to fix and my first deadline to fix it by. I’m also going to be remembered by the CTO as they’ve evicted her from her desk so I can sit with the rest of the tech team. Always good to make and impression :S

After having worked for a leviathan bank for what seems like forever working for a smaller company is quite different. For example, if I need to speak to desktop support I can just throw something at them as they’re no more than 10 meters away
Today I’ve started the commute proper, resplendent with its early morning alarm (which I was awake before). Thankfully it’s still light when I leave the house as it’s the commuting back and forth in darkness and spending the daylight hours in the office that really saps the soul.

What with it being a Monday I’ve been waiting for something to go wrong as they so invariably do when they are involved. I thought it would strike with the morning commute in but instead it’s gone for a bit of a curve ball. The one thing you can’t accuse Mondays of is being predictable . Still, I’m not sure if it’s that or just the general proximity to the new job but the nerves have kicked in. Hopefully in 40 minutes time I’ll be too busy taking stuff in to be nervous.

I’ve got that Sunday afternoon feeling. All too soon the holiday will be over and I’ll be at work again. Surprisingly I’m not to apprehensive about starting a new job. I think because I know where I’m going and who I’m going to be working with I’m stressing yet. That’ll probably start when I begin trying to understand how everything works followed by 3-6 months of not really knowing what I’m doing, wondering if I’ll ever work it out and if I’m actually good enough to be doing this job. At the moment I’m more worried about if I can get my shiny new leviathan computer delivered without too much faff. Need to wait until they’ve failed to deliver the first time so I can call them and work out my options. In the mean time I need to ease myself back into commuting without going completely postal on everyone.