Well hi there!!

It's been a while but since I was reading some blogs tonight I may as well have a bash myself. So what has changed over the past few weeks, well nothing really, I have not won the lottery so still living in Barry, by the freezing cold sea and working as hard as ever.

I have (MSM Interrupts and I have now lost my train of thought) , where was I..... oh yes I have converted all the computers to wireless which is fab as my home office has only two PC's left and one is just the base as I have software which allows me to use the same keyboard and mouse to operate both systems, that means I now have a half empty office and no one sat behind me.

The wonders of technology eh! I remember a few years ago wishing that we could do things like this not knowing that it would happen so quickly. The other day I used the same software to work on a PC in Scotland and London, the time and money that this bit of kit has saved is huge.

Currently I have a cold (Not ManFlu) just a normal cold, I normally get one at least once a year so this is it the annual cold. I'm still working though although not as fast as I normally do.

Things in the news that have driven me nuts over the past few weeks:

The Home office and all it's failings, I'm not being funny but how come private sector does not run in to this type of problem, if we did the company would go bust. Why do government believe that it's good to have three or four people doing the same job, no one knowing what is the right way or the wrong way and no one being held accountable.

Technology these days should mean that we should know everything we need to know, where a suspect is staying, who is in the country especially if they have come through Airports or Ports. It's not rocket science now is it.

Who authorises these multi billion pound IT contracts? do they know they are getting ripped off!! I would like for the government to come with me on a fact finding mission to see how it's done in the private sector (Real world) and how project managers deal with contracts, ideas and proof of concept and how they are responsible from start to finish, oh and how the contractors end up paying us for the service not the other way around. Yes you did read right, every project we carry out costs the supplier a large sum of money over a period of time. And yes Mr PM they are prepared to pay to work with us.

So come on chaps get with the programme and stop spending our hard earned cash on things that if dealt with properly would cost a fraction of the price.

2. Local council's and collecting rubbish, another mess that is only going to get worse, what's all this collecting different colour bins on separate weeks and if a person fails to put the correct item in the bin they get fined.

Well get stuffed matey, we pay you to do a job, the council is elected by us you listen to us. pfft who the hell do they think they are. I'd rather take the rubbish away myself. I do feel sorry for these people who have idiot council's luckily where I live we are keeping one bin, but can recycle by using other methods.

Me I prefer to take my recycle stuff myself to Tesco each week and place in the correct bins at least I know that I will not get fined, only last week on Radio two a news article came to light about a lady who saw a piece of cardboard blowing in the wind so she picked it up and placed it in a nearby bin only to get stopped by someone and ended up paying a £50 fine and being told that she could face prison. OMG what is this country coming too!

I must admit the thought of leaving these shores is becoming more attractive every time I think about it, Great Britain, well not so Great anymore and the name no longer used. United Kingdom well that's a laugh Scotland (Own powers to do stuff) Wales (Limited powers but will get full powers soon) Ireland (well on their way now for power sharing). Poor England left high and dry with a crap NHS, high taxes and laws that just don't make sense anymore so there we are UK no more!

That's enough ranting I have more but can wait another day. Currently looking to buy an island and set up home there as long as it has WiFi for Internet and a poor geezer able to cycle fast enough to produce my electricity I'm interested.

When is a begger a begger

Well certainly not the one I saw today, going back to my car in the local NCP car park there was a young woman wrapped in a blanket asking for spare change, but I caught her out, yes I walked in the foyer only to see her texting on her mobile. Hmm I said to her and her look was priceless the oh shit I've been busted! now I don't give to beggars as here in Cardiff we have a problem where people like her are all over the place and probably all work together, the media here covered this particular topic a few months ago and they reported that these people can earn up to £300 a week just by asking for spare change.

Well people there you have it your spare change buys a HOMLESS person a top of the range mobile phone, designer clothes all hidden by a tatty blanket. Next time I'll try and get a picture to shame the person.

Still not sure where to go with my blog so watch this space.

My week, well lets just say a good start to 2007 and long may it continue......

Monday news that bosses wanted a word this week. (Oops what have I done wrong?)
Tuesday people in my team being pulled in the office for chats, my turn at 11.45am sat down and my manager tells me that I have been requested to move over to our Team of Engineers as Project Manager. Hmm not bad, and makes sense as all my projects involve them.

10 mins after that meeting I'm called in to another meeting this time with the Chief Motor Engineer, he runs through stuff and then says, you will report to me and the Claims Director no one else, you will get a pay rise and will you come back full time.... (me long pause) "No" oh, he says, no problem you have home connection don't you.... "Yup" great then we will put you back on a 40hr Salary and you do 4 hours in the office and the rest from home all on trust. Hmmm well... Ummm... Okay that sounds fair!

So Tuesday I went from Part Time pay to Full Time pay with no change to my lifestyle what's next.

Wednesday, new job takes hold and I get my head in to new stuff. Phone does not stop, emails flood in need I say more.

Thursday. My diary is rapidly filling up with meeting requests about this that and his brother.

Friday. Diary now full up, next space for a meeting MARCH now if your reading this your probably thinking so if your booked up in meetings until March how are you going to get any work done? well that one has passed me by also.

Also Friday due to the amount of meeting requests I was getting I ended up selling my time, yes I was a time auction, started from a Madison Coffee, to Coffee and Muffin right through to Lunch in a restaurant. Well you can guess which one won over.

So that was my week, really has to go down as one of the most surreal I've ever had.

Happy New Year to you all ...

Well it's been a while but I'm back after a great few weeks relaxing and doing very very little, not sure what to do with this blog I'm not very good at writting and to tell you the truth it no longer rings my bell, I love reading other peoples blogs but I don't see the need to keep this going.

Plans for 2007 well at the moment I don't have any but who knows in a few weeks/months things may change.

Went to a local park with the family & Toby today, now we have never taken the dog to this park and it was an after thought but it was nice and quiet and we could let Toby of his lead which is great for a dog so young, when there are no other dogs around he'll come when called and generally be very well behaved but on site of another dog puppy instincts kick in and he runs away to play and will not listen to anyone, well it happened today, he met a Jack Russell and off he went sprinting around this park like a bat out of hell, I was pretty impressed with his speed for such a small dog. Anyway we could not see who this dog belonged to so continued walking and shouting for him to come back but to no avail.

We walked around the corner and I heard my name being called I turned only to see Suzanne who we were really close Friends with for many years and have lost touch, we had a card from her over Christmas with a message to call around her new house, I noted the address and left it at that. Well there she was standing there lead in hand and youngest daughter talking to MSM, oh my god I shouted and went over to her noticing that this Jack Russell was running between her legs, yes it was hers and there was Toby stood next to them tongue hanging out.

After the usual pleasantries and catch up I asked her how often she comes down to this park only to find out that this is the first time she has brought the dog here for a walk. Oh my, what sign is this, both families turn up at a park that neither of us ever go to and the dogs begin playing then MSN is spotted talking to her daughter. Is this a sign that it's time to reignite our friendship and resume where we left off?

I now have her mobile number but do I make a move and go around for coffee or should I just let it be, we'll see but a good start to 2007.