work – Ian’s Thing

This Past Week

March 20, 2022March 20, 2022 IBM Leave a comment

I’ve done a few things since last weekend. On Monday, I started with another call to EE to get our new watches sorted out. The data plan on them wasn’t working. They’re supposed to operate independently of the paired iPhone as they’re cellular.

After we corrected the plans, I thought the watches had been set up yesterday, but their technical department said it could take up to four hours to get the pairing done. Well, after eighteen hours, things still were not working. I called EE Tech support again and got a lady on the phone that doesn’t seem too sure of herself. She got confused with the phone numbers, and I wasn’t hopeful that we’d get the issue resolved.

I was wrong! After 45 minutes on the phone with her (most of which was taken up by the system updating), we got our plans sorted out on both of our phones, and we can now make calls from them as we did with our series five ones.

In the afternoon, I met up with Michael Strongman and Roy Woods, and we took the Underground across to Southgate in North London for a Lodge Meeting. We took the Underground because both Roy and Michael felt it would be easier than driving across via the M25 or the North Circular. It was a third, which aren’t seen so often, and it was also the first one that I’ve seen. I got to meet some new brothers, which is always welcome. It was certainly worth the journey across town. We had a great festive board afterwards, too. The next meeting should be in April when we might have a double second. As I’m now an officer, I have to ensure that I’m up to speed with everything beforehand.

On the way home, I got a connection at Hounslow East right away, and I got home around 11.20 pm and went straight off to bed!

Tuesday, after work, was more masonic stuff as we held our regular Tuesday Lodge of Instruction at Cole Court. Another late evening for me! An online meeting took up Wednesday evening with Cranford Action Group. As I’m the chair and I also have Zoom software, that was my job for the evening. Thursday was another long meeting day at Union District Office for our quarterly Company Bus Conference. I grabbed a quick breakfast at McDonald’s first. Although I wouldn’t say I like their burgers, I don’t mind the sausage and egg muffins. After the meeting finished, I headed to the Queen’s Head for a ber or two. Kathy met me after she finished work and we had something to eat. On Friday, after a day at work, I went straight home. We watched a movie called Castles In The Sky, which starred Eddie Izard cast as Robert Watson-Watt. He was one of the leading inventors of RADAR, which made such a positive contribution to the Battle of Britain in World War Two and continues to do so to the present day. Saturday was a day off, and I spent most of it at the computer, although I did call Sky about the current contract and work out if any decent deals were going forward. I took the plunge and ironed a bunch of my shirts, and put them away.

Sunday morning, I woke pretty late (for me), around 7.40 am, and I felt pretty drained. I got up, made some coffee, and went back to bed before getting up and making some breakfast.

After breakfast, I caught up on personal emails and planned the week. Going for a walk in the park was part of the planning for Sunday afternoon, but it depended on getting all the home tasks done first!

So that was a fairly average week, with a couple of non-regular extras thrown in. Some travel is on the horizon this coming week, so we’ll see how that goes!

Another Three Years

March 5, 2022March 20, 2022 IBM Leave a comment

Yesterday was certainly a long day. I was up at 4.30am to get to work for the triennial elections for Workplace and Health & Safety representative. I was keen to make sure that the whole process was as transparent as possible so that none of us could raise any allegations of unfair practices afterwards.

It all went well in. the end, and I won a further three year term, until the end of March 2025.

By the time we had all the counting done and verified and posted onto the noticeboard, and I got everything cleared up and put away, it was after 7pm. Kathy had come to meet me, and was waiting patiently for me to get finished so that we could go and get something to eat.

We waited for a 111 bus to take us to the local pub so we could have a late dinner, as it was rather too late to go home and cook at this time.

I had been muttering at the Queen’s Head because the Fuller’s ESB had been taken off due to it not being in enough demand to keep it. There’s only two of us going in there and drinking it, and I only go in once or sometimes twice a week as does the other drinker. Between us there is no way we can get through 72 pints before it’s out of condition.

Anyway, On arrival I found that they’d got another of my favourite beers on, and actually one that’s much better as a session ale. That’s Darkstar’s Hophead. It’s only 3.8% ABV against ESB’s 5.5% so it’s a better quaffing ale.

I’ll certainly be going back for some more of those, in fact, I might wander up there this very afternoon if I get all my computer-based work completed by then.

My days are fuelled by coffee, and the beer comes later after work is done!

Still, at the Queen’s Head, my appetite was satisfied by their excellent fish, chips and mushy peas and some of the aforementioned Hophead before heading home and an early night after that 4am awakening!

I remember getting into bed and that’s about it.

Flying By

February 21, 2022February 21, 2022 IBM Leave a comment

I could be talking about aircraft as I live next to a major airport, but no, I am talking about the speed that this year is exhibiting! We’ll be into March in another week.

I’ve been keeping a journal each day, like I did last year, but again I’m a bit naughty at times. I get busy and/or tired and forget to update it on a daily basis. Then I play catch up for a few days or even a week. That’s not really the best way to journal I know, but at least I maintain it fairly well. My main reason for journaling isn’t really for any meditation or mindfulness purposes but merely to record what I’ve been up to. it can be quite interesting (at least for me), to look back over previous years and see what I’ve been up to.

At work we’ve been back and forth over pay talks. Right now, inflation is at a 30 year high. CPI is currently at 5.2% and RPI is at 7.5%. Our current offer is only 3.1%. The company is pleading poverty (as always) but however it’s dressed up, it’s a pay cut in real terms. We have another ballot this coming Friday, so let’s see what the members want and take it from there.

I’ve recently been raised to the third degree at my Masonic Lodge which opens up a lot of new avenues for me. I’m taking the advice of some longer-term brothers though, and taking things easy, no need to rush headlong into things and regret it later. It’s quite a busy time though with a meeting at another location coming up next week and another next month. A curry night is also planned and there’s a dinner and dance in May which my wife and I will attend.

Back to the work front and there’s union elections at the end of next week. These come up every three years, and I’m hoping to retain my position as the workplace representative. I enjoy the challenge for the most part and am keen to continue.

My wife and I are still going long with the Intermittent Fasting. It does stop us eating and drinking all evening as we start fasting right after our evening meal which is normally done by 7pm.

This evening though, we’re both quite weary for some reason, so we’re planning an early night. Let’s hope I can stay asleep all night, but that’s another story!