Tim's Journal, January, 2005
Following are my entries in Tim's Journal from late December to the end of January 2005.
31st Jan 2005
While out of my comfort zone and feeling the self-applied pressure to achieve a professional and successful beginning with Hornbill, I have enjoyed my UK employment thus far. I'll say it again - Europeans are further ahead with technology and gadgets when compared to Australia. People can't remember monitors before flatscreens and almost everyone in the office has PDAs, car GPS systems, the latest mobiles/mpeg players, etc.. Not that I'm fussed - I'd be happy with a tablet and chisel (it was good enough for the profit Moses and his 10 hallucinations!).
I loved GrainCorp and it's people, however, the experience here is invaluable compared to facing similar challenges that 7 years in one environment produces. I'm eagerly anticipating taking advantage of the travel requirements, too [fingers crossed for a neighbouring European country or even NY (our other main office)]. Sal's ability to declare her availability on a week by week basis is perfect to join me on some adventures.
Bugger! I just read about the Alan Border medals and I've been so busy over the previous weeks that I totally forgot about it. I spent many hours awarding my own 3-2-1 system after each match (although missed the last couple of months) in an effort to predict and gamble on the winners. Although, this is probably good news, as it pushes my total of months without gambling (and smoking) to over three. Personally, I thought Martyn and Kasper would figure. Who would have thought that Clarke would take it the prized award? Good for him and for the future of Australian dominance.
I miss seeing my beloved sports: Cricket ... NBA Basketball ... Trebuchet [For those of you who don't know, a trebuchet is a medieval device for throwing large objects (eg boulders, rocks, upright pianos, dead cows, etc) long distances, usually with a castle wall as the target.] We are putting together a crew for a weekend trip to the Edgbaston Ashes Test. It is a Shame to miss the Australian summer of cricket (although, my least favourite players dominated, so no real worries). I suppose Hewitt should get a mention - what a goose (eg pointing to linesman in Final)!
Sal is sick at the moment. Poor girl has some sort of flu. That's the thing about the weather here, it gets into your bones when out in the chill. Not that I would notice. I've not worked for the past 2 months, so I've been able to enjoy all 6+ hours of the sun (bring on the really long days!). So Sal called in sick today (that make two mondays in a row) and most likely tomorrow as well. Perfect timing as the new girls arrived with their 50+ DVD collection (although, it full of some real crap!). Sarah and Fiona are their names and they seem like pretty cool Brissy chicks.
Anyway, it's getting late and I should venture out for my 1hr - 1.5hr battle on the Tube ...
25th Jan 2005
Three months ago, I put the majority of my possessions in storage, packed some warm clothes, grabbed my credit cards, passport and began this adventure. Who could guess that it would be the longest period without work for over a dozen years. Tomorrow I start at Hornbill and I'm excited (Big Kev style!).
I am a little sore for two reasons. Firstly, Sal & I did our first real exercise on saturday - the gym which is 50m from our doorstep. Secondly, the biggest day/night I can remember (or can't remember to be more precise) for some time: Australia day celebrations on Sunday.
Australia day is a bit of a "whatever" day in Australia as the majority of population love it for the public holiday it is and nothing more. In London, Australians (and other foreigners) like to pretend they are from a nation of patriotics, whereas in reality, it is an excuse to get on the piss and have a ball with what seems millions of Aussie travelers. I'm sure there were many funny events, of which I have a vague recollection as we started at lunch. Some of the more embarrassing are getting worried about losing Sal when the Shepherd's Bush Walkabout closed (of course, I'd forgotten we'd said goodbye to each other an hour earlier when I'd even walked her out!) and ringing poor Cam who was in bed. Our house sported MASSIVE hangovers on Monday, Sal & Ange both called in sick, while Lian somehow battled through work - what a trooper. It is a shame Lian and Ange (Hans' former and our new roommates) are going home soon, they are pretty cool and it would have been awesome to live with them a little longer.
22nd Jan 2005
Mike had people over to his house in Sydney, so Sal & I left our saturday morning free to call and speak to our mates. It was great to chat to the lads/gals for a couple of hours and even felt like we were there. Takes away the home sickness. Sounded like a few had drunk a few too many - perhaps drowning their sorrow from missing us?
Went to the gym. I can see this being expensive, however, we knew that before we came and the cost of good health can not be measured. Now we can have another round and greezy kababs without guilt. Will be good to get in shape before playing some sport. Hans mentioned playing Aussie Rules - cool, nerver done that and always wanted to try since the days with Mr Delainey in yr 10 Physical Education.
20th Jan 2005
Quite relaxed and calm now, which isn't really different from my normal disposition ;-) . I've got a few things I'd like to get done, but generally going to enjoy myself and chill out for the next week. Having both incomes locked in now gives Sal and I the freedom to splurge at a higher level then our usual high maintenance habits. For example, we will join a gym, stock-up and upgrade the wardrobe (did you know tracksuit pants worn outside the house could lose you your girlfriend?), look into ordering broadband & Sky, try to find a good deal for a PC (perhaps laptop), games console and most importantly start scheduling some more travel!
Our traveling plans will be made slightly easier with the news that Hornbill require me to visit the many clients they have abroad and are going to give me a car allowance (or fly me for long distances, eg international, Ireland, north scotland etc.). Great! I'll buy my first car (or perhaps lease it). I plan to get something that can also satisfy the demands of short trips with a full load of hopeless Londoners. Over coming months I'll/we'll see much of UK and neighbouring nations. Of course, we are also excited about arranging our next international get away. I guess we'll join the many millions that surf the net for cheap deals from London.
This journal is getting full. Note to self: archive November/December entries. I will look to do that if I get bored in next or perhaps from the office in spare time. I've still got to post the other hundreds of photos stored on my iPod, too.
19th Jan 2005
I have to record this! The amount of emotions I have gone through in the last few days will surely be some of the more interesting of my life in the 20s.
I'm satisfied that it may be a good salary. I'm ecstatic that Hornbill chose me. The interview process is complicated, a judgment of personality and by definition discriminatory. These people talk to you and decide if they like you. It is very humbling experience. I'm glad it is nearly over, if only for a short time.
They had a interview panel in each interview: Dev Mgr & pre-sales guys in 1st interview (last week); Dev Mgr & Director in 2nd; Then Dev Mgr, PM and Senior Technician in 2nd half of 2nd interview. All of them are pretty cool (for propeller heads!). They each grilled me from their points of view. I was in such a confident frame of mind, I managed miracles, answered honestly, clearly, concisely and as accurately as I could. Only the Gods know how that happened! The funny thing is, I actually enjoyed it.
One technique that did help me was honesty. Most know I struggle the when filling in gaps or fluffing up fact. This, I believe is related to my inability to lie well. Therefore, I just told the truth. When they asked me questions that exposed my weaknesses, negatives and failures, I was quick to acknowledge them. While this can sometimes work against you, as you may read shortly, it obviously worked in my favour.
You beauty! Just got another call. It is much higher than expected. I'm now employed in London.
Lookout World! This is one of many important steps I must take to one day make a difference.
I'm spent.
17th Jan 2005
Today's and Friday's interviews have gone quite well. Friday's place is with Hornbill - a company that is famous for delivering support systems such as SupportWorks and Assetworks. They also have a professonal services department. The interview went well. I wasn't even home before my agent called wanting to make arrangements for a second interview (this wednesday). Today's interview was with the [Gay] dating online websites place. I'm sort of up in the air about this one. After meeting them, they are actually quite professional, good blokes and looking like moving into some pretty cool, fun and technically interesting areas. Although, not confident it'll look great on the resume, so they'd have to offer some big £ for me to take the role over Hornbill. Then again, I don't have the Hornbill job or a second gay place interview. Yet.
The House Move was very eventful. Planned to move in on Saturday, we received a sms text on thursday from Ange (the girl who is in our room now) saying she had changed her mind and will move a week later. Well, while I may have been flexible about the date earlier, 2 days before moving in was too late to let us know. B and BP were planned to stay at Caz and Simon's on sat and we were starting to feel like we had outstayed our welcome (even though this may be impossible - caz and simon are so nice. we owe them plenty!). Anyway, Ange suggest we doss at their place for the week. OK. Well, at least it would have been if Hans and the rest of the FULL house had been told! There was no room for dossing on sat night, but also no room at Simon and Caz's. Plus, half the house were NOT happy about the situation. Poor Ange copped the flack. Luckily, Hans and Lian were champions and worked something out for us. Again, debts to be repaid (well at least to Lian, we shouted Hansie dinner as a token thanks). Anyway, the house is working out well. So good to have your own place, even though not fully in yet. Not sure when ange is moving on, but hopefully soon. We are in the house and that is the most important thing.
It will be be cool in the house with Hans. First order is to get Sky sports and Broadband when settled. Hans said he may be happy to chip in. Indeed, it will be good having another sporting person in the house. Fingers crossed there are two cricket/basketball/soccer loving party animals that aren't tightarses moving in upstairs. With Hans and Mary so far, the crowd looks good. Internet is really tough having to go to cafe every day. Need a job so I can get a PC and broadband. Hopefully not too far away. Anything can happen!
12th Jan 2005
The interview went quite well yesterday. It was a quick first round interview from the agent himself and was way out in Woking (not that I minded, gave me a chance to see a bit more of Greater London). The aim was to give the agent an idea of my suitability for the role. He's recommending me. That's more like it! An agent that takes time to meet employees before consulting the employer. Then again, I've got another interview lined up for Monday with another agent that has only spoken to me over the phone. Something else in the works, too, so hopefully I'll be working soon.
Hans' home becomes our home on the weekend (also catching up with him tomorrow night). It will make the job searching very difficult from there. Simon and Caz have the PC and internet connection. I spend 4-7 hours a day job hunting on the net. It will be difficult should I need to do this in a cafe.
Sal is enjoying Clinique. She is at the one location this week - a fairly posh area apparently known for celebs.
Besides job hunting, I am trying to exercise as opposed to watching copious amounts of television. Went out for a walk today a grabbed a couple of photos of a nearby park (see below). Have read a far bit on photography and enjoying it. Possibly in a year or two I'll look to do some formal training. Not much point at this stage as I'm so basic that the millions of net articles are enough to fascinate and baffle.
10th Jan 2005
Bloody typical! The BMX bandits' phone was always engaged. I have been ringing the wrong number! ha
Gatesy (from Graincorp) sent me a link to his Yahoo Photo Albums, where his most recent world tour's photos are located. This inspired me to do something similar. Thanks! I played with the idea but it seemed too difficult, required good internet connection and time. Discussed with Gates - it is not hard, doesn't take that long and Caz & Simon have broadband (which I can use until we move to our own place this weekend). So I will happily upload the majority of photos I have stored on my iPod. I literally have hundreds borrowed from friends, uploaded off my camera and scanned in before I left Aus (which took hours of Graincorp's time). It includes albums such as 21st, NYEs, past trips & nights out, special events, general pics etc.. I love photos and the idea of having them online indefinitely and easily accessed from anywhere in the world.
A reasonably eventful weekend started with a visit to Notting Hill on saturday afternoon. Of course, Sal and Caz then made us watch the movie [again] during yesterday's lazy hangover day. This may have been fine if we had not watched it last week together with the 5th screening of Bridget Jones and About A Boy! We also bumped into Matt Wilkin before heading to Willesdon Green to met up with and pass on a message to my brother's friend, who managers a local pub (Koz Bar). Sadly, it was closed. No worries. Beers in the pub down the street were just as I'd imaged they'd be in The Koz.
The weekend's highlight was our first visit to a Slug and Lettuce. This is a UK pub chain famous for bar staff dancing on the bar during a certain song and a drink called The Snake Bite (cider, beer and grenadine - apparently, not allowed to be served in Aus). It is a must see, apparently, and I am tempted to say "not worth writing home about" but then again, what is it exactly that I'm doing now? ... It was good fun and, with retro music and sticky floors, it reminded me a little of The Jetclub in it's heyday. It is also a good warm up to this Thursday, when we meet up with some friends, including a man we have not seen for months. Hans.
Cooking update (for Greg, who had a poke at my journal going perhaps a little detailed by mentioning cooking): added Shepherd's Pie and Risotto to abilities ;-)
A breakthrough on the job hunt today. I have an interview tomorrow and I've managed to confirm getting my resume through to a company for a separate role, ie passed the agency. This process is painful and looking positive.
7th Jan 2005
Sal finished up here temp job today and has her job with Clinique lined up starting Monday. She went into her Clinique interview yesterday and they had her uniform ready before she even said a word. She will move around regularly between shops in West End and is really looking forward to be back in cosmetics.
5th Jan 2005
I don't have a lot of time, so I will write as much as I can in 15 minutes. Basically, Simon and Caz get back today and I'm busy trying to clean up a little and mainly find work. I started back on the job hunt yesterday which was quite a battle as I got sick on the way back from Scotland. Oh yeah, our trip north ...
Thinking back, I can't believe we drove all the way to Edinburgh and back to London in a few days. Vast distance to drive. Many sites to take in.
New year's eve was surprisingly good. With little buildup, I guess it was not difficult to exceed expectations. Cam, Ol, Sal & I decided on Nottingham for the night. We drove up after Sal finished work (3pm) on Friday and arrived around 7pm. Grabbed our room at The Gramby, which we fondly nicknamed "The Gumby", fully expecting to see the little green man on the sign. Funnily enough, people still recognised the misrepresented location in the night's conversations (could that have been attempting to translate our drunken, slurred Aussie speech?).
The night's highlights were: (1) meeting a pair of sisters that stuck with us for a while, perhaps against some wishes. They lead us to Slab Square clock for the countdown. Unfortunately, the wrong way. Therefore, our exact countdown memory is passing a club where Cam overheard the numbers and injected midnight hugs. (2) Sal throwing up next to newly met African friend Dave, who was in our room chatting on return from clubbing. We'd lost Ol to later find him lying outside our room (how he got in without a key, I don't want to know - memories of broken windows in NSW ski fields too fresh). Cam's introductions of black Sambuca was probably a bad idea. Sal's stomach and the pain of my cleaning time, the losers.
We slept in the next day, then headed north to Goole. Two amazing things occurred that night. Firstly, we had a UNO (card game) championship which should be mainly luck. I somehow managed to not win a game from the first 15 played. That is just ridiculous. I was especially worried as rules clearly state that a player not victorious at least once in a championship must do a nudie run around the pub (which contained quite a few locals, included birds). Secondly, and perhaps provides some explanations for the first phenomenon, is the coincidence that both Ol, Cam and I had eerie premonitions of the supernatural. I'll set the scene: This is an old, multi-storied (top floor for us), dim, low-roofed pub with cracked windows from the blazing offshore winds. Sal feel asleep pretty much as soon as her head hit the pillow. Not I. I felt there was something in the room with me. Not letting my imagination get the better of me and remembering my family's obsession with sort of stuff (IE would be hypercritical of me to start believing now after I've expressed so much ridicule in the past), I ignored it and concentrated on sleeping. Ol got a similar feeling when returning to his room earlier that night. Cam also mentioned something the next day and we learnt that we had all experienced something that night. Dar Dar Da Da dumm da ... Call Warrick Moss!
The next day we thought bugger it, we are this far north so lets kick on to Edinburgh and drop Ol off. His Scott's (and Steve's) Land tour started there and this meant Ol wasted his previously bought flight from London. Funny that I mention Scott and Steve here, because when you have a friend or two that spent so much time in a place, you find yourself wondering if they've been in this pub, or stayed in this room (high street hostel?). Even thinking that, it did not take my mind off enjoying what this magical city has to offer. Wow! It's like walking into an iced version of a medieval movie. The view from Arthur's chair is spectacular. I'll have to pop out the photos from this trip when I get some more time.
Sadly, I got quite sick on the way home. Must have been the beer, not sleeping much or perhaps a dodgy pasta in Edinburgh. The long drive back was a nightmare as I could have disposed of my breakfast quite happily out of either end.
Actually, I better get back to the job hunt. It seems a bit more promising already. I've applied for some today and yesterday that actually fit what I have to offer. This is good news as we start paying rent in just over a week. Can't wait to move in there. I haven't really lived with lots of people (5+ in this place). It should be a ball!
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