Other What currently makes your life awesome?

Er... Not sure what happened there, but it wasn't me that said that...

 

Glitch in the matrix, I was trying to edit the post like a ninja before you sniped me, @DeanSUNIAIU Byron is trying to be an imposter with his ChatGPT hacks!

 

Being in the right place, and the right time for a gorgeous sunset like this:

Alverstoke Sunset by Sam Masters, on Flickr

Sam

 

Wow! so calm and serene

 

Did this over the weekend, went back this morning with a sort of "if we can agree this stuff then I'm more than happy to stay" list (with pay being right at the top). By the end of the day my line manager and his boss had put together a plan of objectives for the next 6-9 months; it's challenging, there's a lot of stuff to get done, but much of it is stuff that I've already got to do anyway. But it's good to have this laid out in writing - it gives me objectives, deadlines, clear goals, etc. Honestly I need that kind of stuff anyway, I need accountability and consequences or I don't get stuff done. I just need them to lay out the pay offer in writing and I'll happily send the grovelling "yeah, actually, about that resignation stuff...." email to HR. And then I can have the really awkward conversation/email chain with the company I accepted an offer with... Not looking forward to that one!

 

We're away camping, I got here early to get the tent up in peace and now I've got an hour to chill before Laura arrives with the kids. Her car had just failed its MOT because of a broken flywheel, which is an exceptionally time consuming repair with somewhat expensive parts. We didn't know what to do really, it was a purely financial decision but I spoke to the MOT tester in person today and his answer was pretty much "oh the flywheel isn't a fail, I just don't want to be liable if it blows up".

Test away my friend, if it blows up I can replace the entire car for less than a grand

 

My search for "improvised egg cup" was a success

 

After about 11 years I finally went out and stumped up for prescription sunglasses. Was effortless. Just walked into SS, grabbed a pair of the frames I got for my reading and PC, and asked for them to be made. Got dark green lenses because why not. £144. It's a lot, but I have not ridden my bike since last year because I only like riding on still days (meaning full sunshine) and I just can't see with my eyes mostly closed due to glare. Not safe at the speeds I ride at. Not for me, and not for any one else.

Needed a pair of somewhat dressy trainers. Mine are all either white and neon colours, or black. Problem is the black ones are suede and have lived an unusually hard life for me. So they are all bobbled, scuffed and around the opening for your foot is covered in stuck sock fluff. Tatty, basically. Going on holiday in less than 2 weeks and we go out a couple nights. So I got these for £30.



So yeah, a good day. Can't wait to get out riding again.

 

My management chain is all happy with it, and the budget’s been approved (although they still haven’t said how much they’re offering, just “more than I’d be getting in the new role”), but HR have stuck their oar in now and might well have put the brakes on the counter-offer.

If I don’t hear anything back by Monday, I’m gonna send an email giving them one more day to get something in place that both me and CurrentEmployer are happy with. If there’s nothing in place by COB Tuesday, the deal is off and my resignation stands. I don’t want to send an ultimatum, but I need to have a clear decision now.

Far less risk for me to stay with my current employer (plus length of service benefits like additional holiday, redundancy protection, etc), the training & development plan we’ve agreed is great, they’re offering more money than the new role… but I need written confirmation and agreement. If I leave, I’m still going to get a big pay rise, I’ll still be doing basically the same role, and it’s a whole new tech stack. Either outcome is going to be good for me.

I’m so used to employers being in a position of power over my role, my career, and my pay. Feels very strange to be in a position where for once I’m in control and I’m the one who gets to dictate what I want. And to think, it’s only taken me about 20 years to get here

 

Usual fortnightly visit to the auction, felt a bit "meh" because I'd really overspent and bought a bunch of stuff I really shouldn't. A random box of new dog leads & harnesses... Anyone in the market for a new dog lead? A Pioneer receiver which I now notice is missing a knob... BAH! Stop! buying! stupid! stuff!

Anywho, I threw a tenner at a bunch of "photography items" I could tell it wasn't camera/lenses but was hoping for some darkroom gear. A few film development canisters present in the picture made sure I'd make that £10 back. The auction house I use have a habit of not photographing everything in big job lots.

Jackpot! - can't make a reasonable estimate until it's fully tested but one such projector alone should get me £300-£400 if working. 3-4 exposure timers probably a solid few hundred combined. A rather unusual looking 8mm Cine camera with all official casing £100+. Enlarger, boxed Paterson gear, doo-dads and thingamajigs... Just a ton of it!

 

I finally re-laced my boots, I'd been meaning to do it for (checks notes) five years, but the original laces had started to fall apart so my hand was forced.

Probably ten minutes work. I will learn nothing from this.

 

I am exactly the opposite. My boots and shoes MUST be laced exactly as I like them to be, before I wear them the first time. One of the few things I am a bit OCD about…

 

Tuesday came and went without being able to make any agreement with CurrentEmployer, so…

That’s me off.

****ity-bye.

Pastures kinda-new-but-not-really-‘cos-I-worked-there-before at the start of December. EDIT: And a very, very nice pay rise to go with it.

 

Sometimes, it really is about the money.

 

CurrentEmployer were, at least initially, offering more than NewOldEmployer. We just couldn’t get formal HR agreement on the counter-offer.

 

I received an offer from my CEO to stay. This would be a completely different role, no more consulting. Since we'll see Jimmy Carr live on Thursday in Rotterdam, my wife and I arrived here today. This week, I'll work in our headquarters, having the "big talk" about whether or not the new role (and everything around it) is enough to keep me in this company tomorrow afternoon.

I wanted to come here anyway this week (Jimmy Carr), but now this'll be a big week for both myself and the company. Exciting!

Since they're pretty desperate to keep me, I'll try to carve out a niche for myself in the company, get the job I want with the support I need. If I get the feeling tomorrow that this ain't happening, I'll be outta here end of this year. I quite literally cannot lose in this situation.

 

Don't forget to tell HR to "suck it" on the way past!