So I got a new job and it was a nightmare!
Three months in my new boss called me into his office and told me that things weren't working out and they were letting me go with seven days notice.
It was all I could manage to feign some indignation and leave in high dudgeon pretending to be upset. In truth I was far from upset and I found it difficult to disagree with the statement that things weren't working out because they sure as heck weren't working out from my point of view.
Things started badly and got worse. I've had a few new jobs over the years but I have never, ever sat in a coffee shop across the road before going in on day one thinking, "I wish I wasn't going in here. I'm making the biggest mistake of my life."
Of course, I shouldn't have taken the job in the first place. In the first instance they tried to screw me on salary by offering me £2,000 less than they had originally indicated at the outset of the recruitment process. They then proceeded to screw me out of a bank holiday and refuse to pay me for working it or give me a day in lieu, despite my contract saying I was entitled to it. When I left their attitude was basically, 'Go ahead and sue us'. Of course they knew I wouldn't bother for a couple of hundred quid. The couple of hundred quid would be nice of course but I'm more upset about the day of my life that I won't get back. Finally they started screwing me on expenses by which time I'd just about had enough and my CV was on the market.
So since leaving things have well and truly improved. My health has improved. I have begun cycling again and lost just over half a stone in the process. I have been eating better and sleeping better. My mental health is fantastic and I have a really positive outlook for the future.
So, if you're in the insurance industry and a particular broker in Stirling wants to employ you, do yourself a favour and give it a miss.
Monday 5 October 2009
Tuesday 28 July 2009
For Harry Patch and his friends
The Old Soldier
The string of history snaps with a heartbeat
casting the mud and grime of your sacrifice
away to join that of generations before.
Although you were a survivor, an old man
at the end, your kindly eyes still show that you
too sacrificed much. Too much.
Not dulled with the misty passing of time
but blazing with the fierce, sharp, sad memories
of friends torn apart, poisoned and broken,
The stench of the rat-scurried trench, the cries
of the wounded, the grey bird-less sky
and everywhere mud... mud...mud.
Your memories seeped back through the
mud and the blood of Passchendaele, and your eyes
told us more than any Owen poem or history book.
Through them your pain and humanity blazed
like the guns on the Western front. Through them
you remembered friend and foe as we now remember you.
Copyright D. Findlay 2009
The string of history snaps with a heartbeat
casting the mud and grime of your sacrifice
away to join that of generations before.
Although you were a survivor, an old man
at the end, your kindly eyes still show that you
too sacrificed much. Too much.
Not dulled with the misty passing of time
but blazing with the fierce, sharp, sad memories
of friends torn apart, poisoned and broken,
The stench of the rat-scurried trench, the cries
of the wounded, the grey bird-less sky
and everywhere mud... mud...mud.
Your memories seeped back through the
mud and the blood of Passchendaele, and your eyes
told us more than any Owen poem or history book.
Through them your pain and humanity blazed
like the guns on the Western front. Through them
you remembered friend and foe as we now remember you.
Copyright D. Findlay 2009
Tuesday 24 March 2009
Dr Nicholas Hughes
The tragic, premature death of Nicholas Hughes has been reported rather predictably by the media. Instead of simply reporting the event as the untimely passing of someone whose family was in the public eye, many articles simply reprise the sad, and equally untimely, deaths of his mother, Sylvia Plath, Assia and Shura Wevill.
A number of column inches have also been given over to the anti-Ted Hughes reaction instigated by some more hysterical elements.
All of which may be true but, rather sadly, they diminish the tragedy of this young mans death by reducing him to a bit part player in his families wider tragedy.
Here is a tragedy in its own right. Reading Ted Hughes' letters to his son and looking at the photographs in the recently published volume of Hughes' letters, one gets the impression of a normal, well adjusted young man, totally at ease with the world of nature and in particular with fishing, a past time he truly loved and which eventually provided him with a livelihood.
I am deeply saddened by his passing and want to express my deepest sympathies to his sister, Freida, and other members of his extended family.
This article in the Alaskan press gives a true appreciation of the man and his work. http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/mar/23/nicholas-hughes-son-major-poets-emerged-prominent-/
RIP.
A number of column inches have also been given over to the anti-Ted Hughes reaction instigated by some more hysterical elements.
All of which may be true but, rather sadly, they diminish the tragedy of this young mans death by reducing him to a bit part player in his families wider tragedy.
Here is a tragedy in its own right. Reading Ted Hughes' letters to his son and looking at the photographs in the recently published volume of Hughes' letters, one gets the impression of a normal, well adjusted young man, totally at ease with the world of nature and in particular with fishing, a past time he truly loved and which eventually provided him with a livelihood.
I am deeply saddened by his passing and want to express my deepest sympathies to his sister, Freida, and other members of his extended family.
This article in the Alaskan press gives a true appreciation of the man and his work. http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/mar/23/nicholas-hughes-son-major-poets-emerged-prominent-/
RIP.
Sunday 15 February 2009
Hector's balls
Hector's balls are there no more,
He left them on the veterinary floor,
To procreate he is unable,
They cut them off on the surgery table
He left them on the veterinary floor,
To procreate he is unable,
They cut them off on the surgery table
Monday 9 February 2009
Thoughts on redundancy
I'm sufficiently reassured by the apparent fact that nobody reads this blog to continue posting my nonsense.
What, I hear nobody cry, were your thoughts and feelings on being told that you might be getting made redundant?
Firstly, nobody has told me yet that I am being made redundant. My position is being made redundant on the 30th April and I am now in what is euphemistically known as "consultation". I'm intrigued to find out what this "consultation" actually involves. In the six working days since I found out this news there has been little, if any, consultation. My boss phoned once to find out how I was. I was fine. The only other consultation as such was a five minute telephone call from an outplacement consultant - there's a potential growth industry - who asked me to send him my CV. He would call me back tomorrow. I'm still waiting.
The company has undertaken to try and find me another post and I am also expected to look for positions on the company intranet. There are some interesting jobs there but unfortunately they are all in the snowy wastes and I haven't had my jags to live there.
Now, I wouldn't want anybody to think I'm doing nothing. My agents have been appointed and are all beavering away to find me new opportunities. I have also started to use my network of friends and ex-colleagues and opportunities are pending. It's just that most of the opportunities are not ones I particularly like.
Insurance Brokers like to appoint people who can basically steal business from their previous employer. I mean that quite literally. If you can bring a book of business with you most firms will give you a position tomorrow. Let me be more precise. Most people will have something called a restrictive covenant in their contracts. It forbids them from canvassing any of their previous clients during a period, usually the first twelve months, of their new contract. It is frequently ignored, usually on the grounds that it is held to be a restrictive practice or a constraint of trade. I personally have taken business with me before and I regretted it and felt somewhat shabby, and that was without a restrictive covenant. Notwithstanding the legalities I take the position that I signed the contract, accepted the covenant and, in so doing, gave my word that I would honour it. This is something that may make me appear to be a fool to some but, if so, I'm happy to be that fool.
I actually, through a takeover, once ended up working for a firm which was actively involved in inciting its new employees to steal business from their previous employer whilst issuing dire legal threats of retribution to any of its ex-employees who had moved on. Such bare-faced hypocrisy is perhaps an extreme example of a practice which many others quietly condone.
I must admit that my initial feeling on being given on this news was a excitement. My previous position was becoming dull and stale. I would probably have looked to move on in around a year or so, so the only inconvenience was having to move at a time not of my choosing. But that can't be helped, the company have their requirements so move I must. I'm generally positive and excited that the next few months will be hard work, tiring and invigorating. They will result in a new challenge and in meeting new people. It's something I enjoy and am looking forward to.
What, I hear nobody cry, were your thoughts and feelings on being told that you might be getting made redundant?
Firstly, nobody has told me yet that I am being made redundant. My position is being made redundant on the 30th April and I am now in what is euphemistically known as "consultation". I'm intrigued to find out what this "consultation" actually involves. In the six working days since I found out this news there has been little, if any, consultation. My boss phoned once to find out how I was. I was fine. The only other consultation as such was a five minute telephone call from an outplacement consultant - there's a potential growth industry - who asked me to send him my CV. He would call me back tomorrow. I'm still waiting.
The company has undertaken to try and find me another post and I am also expected to look for positions on the company intranet. There are some interesting jobs there but unfortunately they are all in the snowy wastes and I haven't had my jags to live there.
Now, I wouldn't want anybody to think I'm doing nothing. My agents have been appointed and are all beavering away to find me new opportunities. I have also started to use my network of friends and ex-colleagues and opportunities are pending. It's just that most of the opportunities are not ones I particularly like.
Insurance Brokers like to appoint people who can basically steal business from their previous employer. I mean that quite literally. If you can bring a book of business with you most firms will give you a position tomorrow. Let me be more precise. Most people will have something called a restrictive covenant in their contracts. It forbids them from canvassing any of their previous clients during a period, usually the first twelve months, of their new contract. It is frequently ignored, usually on the grounds that it is held to be a restrictive practice or a constraint of trade. I personally have taken business with me before and I regretted it and felt somewhat shabby, and that was without a restrictive covenant. Notwithstanding the legalities I take the position that I signed the contract, accepted the covenant and, in so doing, gave my word that I would honour it. This is something that may make me appear to be a fool to some but, if so, I'm happy to be that fool.
I actually, through a takeover, once ended up working for a firm which was actively involved in inciting its new employees to steal business from their previous employer whilst issuing dire legal threats of retribution to any of its ex-employees who had moved on. Such bare-faced hypocrisy is perhaps an extreme example of a practice which many others quietly condone.
I must admit that my initial feeling on being given on this news was a excitement. My previous position was becoming dull and stale. I would probably have looked to move on in around a year or so, so the only inconvenience was having to move at a time not of my choosing. But that can't be helped, the company have their requirements so move I must. I'm generally positive and excited that the next few months will be hard work, tiring and invigorating. They will result in a new challenge and in meeting new people. It's something I enjoy and am looking forward to.
Friday 6 February 2009
Redundancy
So, at great expense, I flew down to Leicester attanded my interview and flew home.
The following week, at even greater expense, I flew down again, stayed overnight and attended a meeting where I was told that my position was provisionally being made redundant, I had been unsuccessful in obtaining the new replacement post and would probably be leaving on 30th April.
I have to admit that I wasn't devastated. I was genuinely pleased for my colleague who got the job. He genuinely wanted it and went the extra mile to get the job.
So, now I'm faced with a job search and it's something I'm genuinely positive about. I have been in my industry for more than 20 years, but with a newly minted degree I'm quite anxious to see if there is anything else I can do with my life. I've been looking in my current industry and have arranged two interviews but it's proving a little more challenging to find something new and exciting. It's also really quite scary putting your head above the parapet and stepping out of your comfort zone - that's enough cliche's for one sentence!
The following week, at even greater expense, I flew down again, stayed overnight and attended a meeting where I was told that my position was provisionally being made redundant, I had been unsuccessful in obtaining the new replacement post and would probably be leaving on 30th April.
I have to admit that I wasn't devastated. I was genuinely pleased for my colleague who got the job. He genuinely wanted it and went the extra mile to get the job.
So, now I'm faced with a job search and it's something I'm genuinely positive about. I have been in my industry for more than 20 years, but with a newly minted degree I'm quite anxious to see if there is anything else I can do with my life. I've been looking in my current industry and have arranged two interviews but it's proving a little more challenging to find something new and exciting. It's also really quite scary putting your head above the parapet and stepping out of your comfort zone - that's enough cliche's for one sentence!
Tuesday 20 January 2009
Breaking news...
...on the redundancy front. Now won't be finding out on Friday but will be getting interviewed for a new role which nobody understands instead.
National Insurance - a Ponzi scheme
Charles Ponzi is one of the most notorious fraudsters in history. Promising investors spectacular returns, he attracted investments in his scheme using new investors to pay off the earlier ones.
He has been back in the news recently following the allegations made against Bernard Madoff who has allegedly made off (geddit?) with millions of dollars prior to the collapse of his own business and his own apparent admission that his fund was a Ponzi.
Here in Britain, we have a scheme, apparently to pay for our pensions and the NHS called National Insurance. YOu put something aside each month - I think it's about 10% of your salary - and it goes towards your pension and healthcare. The only thing is that it doesn't. It actually goes towards the cost of paying for todays pensioners as their NI contributions have already been spent.
So, my conclusion is that either National Insurance is just another tax or it's all a great big Ponzi. What do you think?
He has been back in the news recently following the allegations made against Bernard Madoff who has allegedly made off (geddit?) with millions of dollars prior to the collapse of his own business and his own apparent admission that his fund was a Ponzi.
Here in Britain, we have a scheme, apparently to pay for our pensions and the NHS called National Insurance. YOu put something aside each month - I think it's about 10% of your salary - and it goes towards your pension and healthcare. The only thing is that it doesn't. It actually goes towards the cost of paying for todays pensioners as their NI contributions have already been spent.
So, my conclusion is that either National Insurance is just another tax or it's all a great big Ponzi. What do you think?
Poetry
I was pleased to see that poetry enjoyed a central role in the presidential inauguration today.
Firstly, the new President was as eloquent and poetic as ever. He has such a rich mellow baritone that he could read a restaurant menu and get applauded for it.
But I was even more impressed with the fact that the Presidential address was followed by the reading of a poem by Elizabeth Alexander.
And, following that, I was even more deeply impressed by the poetic benediction delivered with power, grace and humour by The Reverend Dr Joseph E Lowery.
Americans can be proud that poetry plays such a central part in their public discourse.
Firstly, the new President was as eloquent and poetic as ever. He has such a rich mellow baritone that he could read a restaurant menu and get applauded for it.
But I was even more impressed with the fact that the Presidential address was followed by the reading of a poem by Elizabeth Alexander.
And, following that, I was even more deeply impressed by the poetic benediction delivered with power, grace and humour by The Reverend Dr Joseph E Lowery.
Americans can be proud that poetry plays such a central part in their public discourse.
Monday 19 January 2009
Redundancy
The spectre of redundancy looms large.
I am currently a member of a pool of five people all competing for one new job. We'll find out the result on Friday.
The interesting thing is that the new job will more than likely involve more travel and more responsibility, but - guess what - there's no extra salary available.
A number of other colleagues are being asked to take on substantial extra responsibilities for - guess what - no extra salary.
All of this would be fair enough were the company strapped for cash and heading for administration. But it isn't. It's a large, profitable international corporation. Somewhat perversely the industry I work in tends to be counter cyclical and rates are going to start to rise. We're going to get busier. The division I work for showed strong growth last year. The final figures aren't out yet, but it looks like something in the region of 10% revenue growth. People are therefore somewhat peeved at this.
Obviously I don't want to lose my job but, if I do, I'll try and look on it as a positive opportunity to do something new and different. Hopefully having a freshly minted university degree will be helpful.
I'll blog more on this subject as things progress but my main thought at the moment is that we delivered strong growth last year, arguably against unrealistic targets which weren't amended as the credit crunch bit, so are the wrong people leaving the business?
I am currently a member of a pool of five people all competing for one new job. We'll find out the result on Friday.
The interesting thing is that the new job will more than likely involve more travel and more responsibility, but - guess what - there's no extra salary available.
A number of other colleagues are being asked to take on substantial extra responsibilities for - guess what - no extra salary.
All of this would be fair enough were the company strapped for cash and heading for administration. But it isn't. It's a large, profitable international corporation. Somewhat perversely the industry I work in tends to be counter cyclical and rates are going to start to rise. We're going to get busier. The division I work for showed strong growth last year. The final figures aren't out yet, but it looks like something in the region of 10% revenue growth. People are therefore somewhat peeved at this.
Obviously I don't want to lose my job but, if I do, I'll try and look on it as a positive opportunity to do something new and different. Hopefully having a freshly minted university degree will be helpful.
I'll blog more on this subject as things progress but my main thought at the moment is that we delivered strong growth last year, arguably against unrealistic targets which weren't amended as the credit crunch bit, so are the wrong people leaving the business?
Robert Burns and Homecoming
I am a big fan of history and literature but I'm afraid I'm rather disenchanted by the fare on offer to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns.
Firstly, Burns is without doubt one of the most significant poets in any language. Along with Shakespeare he is definitely one of the top two poets ever to have written in English - well, in my humble opinion at least.
His humanity and his lyricism are celebrated throughout the world with events in places as diverse as Moscow and Los Angeles. So you would think that this anniversary would be the opportunity for Scotland to mount a major celebration of the man and his work.
So what do we do?
We lump him in with other themes like whisky, the Enlightenment, golf and something rather nebulous called ancestry. I think it is rather sad that the anniversary of the birth of this great poet does not merit a celebration in his own right and he has to take his place along with other features in an extended tourist advert.
However, it's not too late and I have suggestions for celebrating the birthday this weekend.
Firstly, the BBC should carry a live outside broadcast from my late Aunt Annie's cottage at Holmston, near Ayr, where some old worthies will gather round the fire and re-enact the scenes from 'A Cotter's Saturday Night'.
This will be followed by a further event where twa dugs, preferably re-named Caesar and Luath for the day, will sit on a hill and discuss the credit crunch.
On Sunday evening Scottish Television will bring Jack McLaughlan out of retirement and have a special 250th anniversary Burns Night 'Thingumyjig' special.
That's what I call a celebration fit for the national bard. Have a good one Rabbie.
Firstly, Burns is without doubt one of the most significant poets in any language. Along with Shakespeare he is definitely one of the top two poets ever to have written in English - well, in my humble opinion at least.
His humanity and his lyricism are celebrated throughout the world with events in places as diverse as Moscow and Los Angeles. So you would think that this anniversary would be the opportunity for Scotland to mount a major celebration of the man and his work.
So what do we do?
We lump him in with other themes like whisky, the Enlightenment, golf and something rather nebulous called ancestry. I think it is rather sad that the anniversary of the birth of this great poet does not merit a celebration in his own right and he has to take his place along with other features in an extended tourist advert.
However, it's not too late and I have suggestions for celebrating the birthday this weekend.
Firstly, the BBC should carry a live outside broadcast from my late Aunt Annie's cottage at Holmston, near Ayr, where some old worthies will gather round the fire and re-enact the scenes from 'A Cotter's Saturday Night'.
This will be followed by a further event where twa dugs, preferably re-named Caesar and Luath for the day, will sit on a hill and discuss the credit crunch.
On Sunday evening Scottish Television will bring Jack McLaughlan out of retirement and have a special 250th anniversary Burns Night 'Thingumyjig' special.
That's what I call a celebration fit for the national bard. Have a good one Rabbie.
Friday 16 January 2009
Progress on New Year resolutions
How, I hear no-one cry, are you getting along with those admirable New Year resolutions?.
Not very well is the resounding response.
Writing more is an admirable aim, but this is the first thing I have written this year. OK, so I've been busy, but still not much progress to report.
Getting more exercise is an even more admirable aim. Again, little progress to report. I've done far less than my target of half an hours brisk walking a day. I've probably done about that...in total.
The fastidiousness is another pain. My desk is slightly tidier - I can see the 'wood' veneer - but my bookcase remains a joyful clutter. I've decided I like it that way so perhaps this resolution should bite the dust.
As should taking my time. It's just not me. Being contemplative and careful just doesn't suit me. It's more fun to be impulsive, to shoot from the hip. I'm trying to type a little slower and read more carefully but, other than these two, I think the rest of this resolution should die as well
One thing is going awfully well and that is turning my job into a career. This week the possibility of redundancy from my current position reared its head and its given me a real boost to get out and do something altogether more satisfying. Work in progress so watch this space. I'm intending to blog more about this issue over the weeks and months ahead in a desperate attempt to catch the credit crunch zeitgeist.
I am also enjoying my studies. I've completed by Bachelors degree and am about to start on a Masters. There's a big scary pile of Greek and Roman history on the corner of my desk just waiting for me to get stuck in.
Not very well is the resounding response.
Writing more is an admirable aim, but this is the first thing I have written this year. OK, so I've been busy, but still not much progress to report.
Getting more exercise is an even more admirable aim. Again, little progress to report. I've done far less than my target of half an hours brisk walking a day. I've probably done about that...in total.
The fastidiousness is another pain. My desk is slightly tidier - I can see the 'wood' veneer - but my bookcase remains a joyful clutter. I've decided I like it that way so perhaps this resolution should bite the dust.
As should taking my time. It's just not me. Being contemplative and careful just doesn't suit me. It's more fun to be impulsive, to shoot from the hip. I'm trying to type a little slower and read more carefully but, other than these two, I think the rest of this resolution should die as well
One thing is going awfully well and that is turning my job into a career. This week the possibility of redundancy from my current position reared its head and its given me a real boost to get out and do something altogether more satisfying. Work in progress so watch this space. I'm intending to blog more about this issue over the weeks and months ahead in a desperate attempt to catch the credit crunch zeitgeist.
I am also enjoying my studies. I've completed by Bachelors degree and am about to start on a Masters. There's a big scary pile of Greek and Roman history on the corner of my desk just waiting for me to get stuck in.
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