Getting tougher to update

Really must start to allow more time for my personal blog.

Well I'm still working hard but have also started to work on a new venture that I hope pays off. I am working on my "first" proper website. The site will sell USB Memory sticks, One I have designed as well, and have created a site for it. I will also go through eBay. Not happy with the charges on eBay hence why I want to direct traffic through to my website SkyeMax2002. It is not live yet but as soon as it is I will let you know. I will also give you a discount code.

It is going to take some time to get the site up and running. Lots of testing to be done with the PayPal element, lots of writing to get content on the site and I am waiting for my order to come through.

Will be great to get your feedback on the site so I will "beta" it with you prior to going full on live and submitting it to search engines and promoting it more.

Looking forward to seeing how it goes and have spent time reading up on ways to promote the site etc.

You can also follow the site on twitter

Home alone for a few days so going to crack on with the site in the evenings.

Only got another 9-10 weeks left at work now before my contract runs out and the project is finished. Been fun but would also be good to spend time working on the site and some plans that I have for it.

I hope you are all well and I will let you know when the site is open.

Hello Strangers

Well it has been a really long time. Sorry all (as if people actually read this :-)).

I am working again. It took about 3 months and only got 3 interviews but was lucky enough to get offered 2 of those. One perm in Docklands but it never quite worked out as I had to wait for a deal to be done before getting the contract and whilst waiting for it I saw a temp role that really interested me and I managed to get it. I took the temp role and pulled out of the other. I am working as a Project Manager for an eCommerce department rather than an IT department, still for a large retailer to Xmas. My first time out of "IT" for many many years but I am really enjoying the fact that I am managing rather than doing the project. Quite funny though as I have gone in with a "Prince2" hat on so have shed loads of risks and paperwork such as action and decision logs, status reports, schedule plans, resource plans etc. and all my boss wants to know are we on target :-). I have a good team of 12 reporting into me and we have the rather daunting task of getting 21000 products online and checking a further 15000 that are currently online are listed corrected. Are we on target? Not quite but it is going well and we will pull the lost time back. Hard work but but I am only working 9-5 and no stress. Unlike before where I was working long hours and stressed, maybe thats the difference when you are not actually employed and doing everything. I feel a strong connection to get a job done and to the company I am working at but not to be an actual martyr.

I'm over at Milton Keynes now and enjoying the shops ;-) shame I can only look and not buy though.

Seems strange not having a season ticket but I am actually going to the match tomorrow so will sit in "my" seat and as it happens have only missed one home game :-) Do feel guilty as I am now working so will miss my kids but we are going to have a good time on Sunday and hopefully will go and have a picnic while Faye has bit of a break.

Did you see the goal that wasnt given? Disgrace really.

Other news is that I have finally got a decent phone, HTC Magic and I love it. It is great and helps the train journey go quickly and keeps in touch with email, twitter, browsing and many many other things. Best toy of the year so far.

Take it easy and dont forget to follow me on twitter.

Happy Birthday Blog

4 years old today.

Sorry I have been as slack as always but with the Oz computer application and looking for work I have not had much time.

The Oz application has been sent to Sydney and I am waiting for my assessment number and then the wait for 10 to 12 weeks for my result.

Job hunting is starting to pick up and I am looking and chasing now. Not had an interview yet but fingers crossed that will change soon.

So since I started this blog I have moved from North London to Berkhamsted, Had 2 children one of each, lost my job and looking for a new one, changed my car and grown some grey hair as well as lose some.

Another big thing though is that I have handed my season ticket to my brother for next season ! Yes I am taking at least a year off to get it out of my system prior to hopefully getting to Australia. I'm quite looking forward to the break as my "passion" was starting to go and I want to spend more time with my family. I will still make an effort and get to some away games as well as home but away games are much better and I am normally home the same time !

Right I'm heading to the garden in a moment.

Good luck Jane, not long now :-0

James

Connect2earth

Just wanted to make you aware of a website I have looked at recently.

www.Connect2earth.org is your green online community, where you can tell the world why you care about the environment and why it should be protected.

It is a very good website so have a look.

ACS update on my RPL

I actually have more than I thought I had to do, only one more paper then i thought but it is hard work getting through them all.

Below is the list of subjects that I have experience off and I need to write about the last 8 years of my learning's in each section.

1 Computer Organisation and Architecture
4 Data Communications and Networks
7 Ethical/Social Implications/Professional Practice
8 Interpersonal Communications
10 Project Management
11 Security
13 Systems Analysis and Design
14 Systems Software
PR1 Project Report 1
PR2 Project Report 2

The numbers are out as I have deleted the ones that I am not doing. In total there are 10 sections and my status today is this:
2 Finished and signed off (papers 7 and 8)
2 First drafts waiting for feedback (papers 4 and 11)
1 Written and waiting sign off (paper 1)
5 to write including the 2 project reports.

Also Have 2 references out to be signed and sent back to me plus 2 detailed personal references that need to be approved prior to sending them out.

Why does everything need to be approved? I am using an agent to help guide me through the process and application. Does help BUT they do not write it for you :-(

Whats RPL - Thats Recognition of prior learning

Hard work but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

James

Twitter and an update

Well I have started another thing that probably wont last. I am now using twitter for quick updates and follow people.

I'm Simmo1972 if you want to follow me and I have also added a widget to this blog.

What have I been doing, well I have had a great first week not working. I have been working on writing papers for assessment by the ACS (Australian Computer Society) Hopefully I will get passed by them to emigrate to Australia next year. That's the plan anyway. I have only managed to write 2 in about 2 1/2 months prior to last week and managed to get another 2 written just last week. I have to write 9 including 2 project reports in total.

I have not even looked for work :-0 I did get a phone call Friday from a company looking for a PM and they may call back this week for an interview. We will see, that came through Monster.co.uk and was the actual company not an agency.

Next week though is more work on the Australian papers. I want to get the papers in and then focus on work.

James

The Eagles have won

Been waiting a while to post this one !!!

Thanks for the comments re job everyone, this made me smile. Listen to the end for "My" bit.

Giz a job

Well I am about to join the many looking for a new job as I have been made redundant from Comet. Whilst it was not a shock it was actually a surprise as I have delivered some good projects in the last 6 months. I do honestly think that this could be the best thing to happen. I have a chance to find something else to do, work on my Australian visa application (Yes we want to migrate next year) and get Comet out of my system. Including Kingfisher and Comet I was in the group for 10 years so probably best to have a change.

Might be tricky getting back into looking and interviews but fingers crossed it wont be too long.

What do I want? Well I quite fancy a bit of contracting to go and see some new companies, make new friends and see how projects are run differently. The other idea is maybe a junior project manager role in another industry i.e. construction and have a break from IT. I can use my redundancy to supplement the drop in wages. Oh who knows but I do know that I am looking forwards and not backwards.

What else has happened. I'm another year older, Not managed to get to Palace much although that has been nice (Last game was Watford away and that was crap), Have bought a couple of watches:
Casio G Shock (For the weekends)



And this Tissot for a special day (Not collected this watch just yet)



Now I need to start living to my means though so no more watches :-(

If you know if any Project Manager roles please let me know,
I am a qualified Prince2 Practitioner and would label myself a Technical or Infrastructure IT Project Manager.

The Manor

I now live in a little village outside of London, on an estate that is quite nice but I look out and see number 116. That to me means it is not so small....... I happen to live at Number One, uno or just the first if you want to leave it at that.

For some very strange reason though when I am out there smoking a sneaky cig, yes I was meant of given up a long time ago, I like to stand at the top pretending it is my manor and I am Tony. Am I strange or just weird? I do live at the top of the hill I might add so I do "look" down at people :-)

Next week I am in Hull so I will see if there is a buzz about the place because last time I was there footy was good, as was rugby, and I know it's not quite the same.

Skye is now walking about the house and it seems to be quicker then Max was i.e. she started taking steps and is now walking a lot more confident than Maxie Boy so already seems to be "running" faster than walking.

J

Happy New Year

Happy new year everyone.

Well Xmas is over and we start yet another year.

Skye will be one in three weeks :-0 I can not believe just how fast it has gone. She has started cruising around the furniture and can balance really well so it will not be long before she is walking.

She is a cutie.

Lost Bloggers

I must sort out my links and the time that I spend on blogs. I need to find some more time or at least cut the number that I have bookmarked.

I still have my favorites and you know who you are but I was surprised to realise that three of my links now fail :-(, Now Tartan I knew about but just have not got round to "removing" he got the hump when Wrexham went down :-), But the 2 bloggers that I started blogging with have now "gone" i.e. Wyndham was the first ever person to post on my blog and I think I am right in saying that I was the first to post on Slothblogs.

I was surfing around wishing happy Xmas when I noticed they have gone. Miss yer if you are still reading mine.

Reading back I just realised that in my very first post, I blogged back on the 30/5/05 that, I would get round to putting the legs on the BBQ back on correctly. Thats still on the list. The post that started it all here

HAPPY XMAS ALL

Back to front

Skye has started crawling and standing now and has taken quite a fancy to the TV. I have had our LCD TV on a stand for over 2 years and to create a bit more space (plus get her fingers off it) I am thinking of wall mounting in the corner on a swing arm.

I started to look at the way I could set it up etc. etc. when I suddenly realised that I could get some space back by actually turning the stand round. Yes for over 2 years I have had the stand the wrong way round, what a wally ! It should go in to the corner and for some reason I set it up from day one the wrong way round so have had the "corner" sticking out!

A job for the weekend I think.

Max is now 3 ! It was his birthday yesterday. I set this blog up a while ago to talk about the experiences of becoming a dad and have now gone through that another time. I count myself very lucky to have such great children that I love more then anything.

Stone Gods and Airbourne

Last night I went to the Astoria with a quite a few mates and saw Airbourne. It was my first time of seeing them live but after recommendations from said friends that had seen them live I got the album "Runnin' Wild" and was hooked. They are very AC/DC and also happen to be from Oz.

Loud is all I can say ! I don't know if I am getting old or not but it seemed to be one of the loudest concerts I have been to. It was brilliant. Hot, sweaty, got soaked in beer and stayed in the mosh pit all night. Couple of arsholes trying to punch people but all in all it was quite civilised.

The band was ace and before them was a band called Stone Gods and they to had the sound of very heavy rock and got the crowd going. Surprise of the night for me was after the concert, ears ringing, knee killing me (too much bouncing etc.) my mate said that they have been born out of the Darkness.

I'm off to rest that knee....

New Watch - Ollech & Weis

My new watch turned up today, it is an O&W diver model ID 3077.

It's rather lovely to be honest. I have been thinking about a new watch for a while and thought of a "name" watch second hand like Omega or Tag but after spending time looking into the actual movements, faces etc. I discovered this little Swiss company after going to a few websites and have bought a quality watch for less than a second hand "name"

This is the description:
25 Jewel Automatic wind Eta 2824-2, with quick set date and hack seconds.
43mm (Including Crown) All steel case with screw on back. Rotating ratchet bezel. Screw Down crown. Sapphire Crystal. 200m Water Resistant.
Black calendar dial.
Solid link steel bracelet with screwed links.

It was bought from Roy at this site: http://www.rltwatches.co.uk

He makes some quality watches himself so have a look.

Lets hope history does repeat itself

Fact.

When Robbie Keane left Wolves they got relegated.

When Robbie Keane left Coventry they got relegated.

When Robbie Keane left Leeds they got relegated.

When Robbie Keane left Tottenham?

Should of stayed Bostock.

AC/DC

Well I have pre ordered the album, got the t-shirt on the way BUT can I get a ticket for the concert..... Can I bollocks.

How can they sell out within 5 minutes of going on sale on Ticketmaster? It's a joke and then they turn up on eBay. Winds me up.

I'm still going to try and get a ticket.

Off to see a band called Airbourne in a few weeks time at the Astoria, they are actually a bit like AC/DC, will be one of the last times I see the place as the goverment have bought it to make way for a new station :-( Holds memories of some great concerts. The Foos at the Astoria will always be with me. What a great venue. Will be replaced by some plastic venue no doubt.

Smart Crossblade

What a mad car. Saw one on the road today with "biggles" driving. As he went past the school kids I think every one looked, pointed or waved. Not too many cars can get that reaction.

I want one !

Little shit !

I can not believe the story on the BBC site today.

Boy fed zoo reptiles to crocodile
Camera footage of the boy at the zoo in Australia
The boy was caught on security camera at the reptile centre

A seven-year-old boy has been filmed going on the rampage at a popular zoo in Australia, killing rare reptiles and feeding live ones to a crocodile.

Footage from the security cameras at Alice Springs Reptile Centre caught the child smiling as he killed a total of 13 animals.

During his 30-minute spree, he was seen hurling the animals over the security fence into the crocodile enclosure.

Zoo officials described the boy's actions as "unbelievable".

They are considering suing the parents as the boy is too young to be prosecuted.

'Difficult to replace'

The attack happened on Wednesday morning after the boy entered the zoo by jumping over the security fence and evading sensor alarms.

Over the next half hour, he bludgeoned some of the animals to death with stones and hurled others over the two fences surrounding the crocodile enclosure.

At one point, he tried scaling the outer enclosure himself to get to "Terry", the 11ft (3.3m) saltwater crocodile.

A turtle, four Western blue-tongued lizards, two bearded dragons, two thorny devil lizards and the zoo's 20-year-old goanna were among those killed.

Zoo director Rex Neindorf said many of the animals were rare or mature and would be difficult to replace.

"The fact a seven-year-old can wreak so much havoc in such a short time, it's unbelievable," he told Reuters news agency.

Mr Neindorf said the boy had "clammed up" when questioned by police.

As children under the age of 10 cannot be held accountable for their actions in the Northern Territory, the zoo would be seeking to take action against the parents.

"We'll be looking at suing the parents, who were supposedly in control of him at the time," he said.

We went there when we had our year travelling. This photo was taken there:


Gutted.

Back again

Been over the water in that Europe and ended up in the South of France. Had 2 great weeks there. Drove the car all the way, 2000 miles in all, Petrol was not cheap though although everything was expensive ! I couldnt believe how much it all cost out there.

Here is a tip though, make sure you lock the roof box before tearing up the motorway at 100mph or Kmh if your the French police reading ;-). Yep like a forgetful idiot I forgot to lock the box and it came open as I went pass a lorry. I looked in the mirror and saw the sleeping bags bouncing across the road. Pulled straight over and Faye legged it to collect the bits that flew out. We was so lucky that we never caused a major accident. Lost some items Faye saw pants in the road and some beach toys plus oil had "vanished" If it was England and on the roads here it would of because of how busy the roads but luckily in France the roads are clear so no harm was caused. Dont think it really sank in how lucky we was and also how damn right stupid I was for not locking it and also Faye for running across the motorway. Oh well, wont do that again.

Really rated Eurocamp and France was really good so will look at doing that again. The thing that saved us from falling out during the 2000 miles.... Tom Tom, what a great gadget.

AI

Simple one today:

I watched AI.... It made me cry :-0

Is it because I now have children? I don't normally cry at films !