tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31302615952844876992024-03-13T03:27:07.959+00:00Frosty IntervalsRandom mutterings transmitted into cyberspaceFrostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.comBlogger393125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-18386868398226346212013-01-01T01:30:00.000+00:002013-01-02T09:12:58.713+00:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."<br />- An apt quote as we commence 2013. </span></span></div>
Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-13294592967981726442012-10-26T18:47:00.000+01:002012-10-26T20:11:34.382+01:00You are cordially invited<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">to the State visit of the President of Indonesia comprising of the firing of a 61 gun salute at the Tower of London.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Please aim to arrive around 11.30 at Finsbury Barracks on City Road from where you will be transporting in the Regimental Mini Bus with</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"> a police escort to the tower. The guns will be setup and fired at 13.00hrs and we will then proceed to dine in 'Armoury House'.</span></span><br />
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Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-78275836341664917142012-10-19T19:48:00.000+01:002012-10-26T20:12:48.437+01:00Good News<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Strident Student finally got her wish and has managed to secure a placement with the Department For International Development doing Aid/Charity work next summer in either Kenya, Sierra Leone or Somalia. It might not be most people's cup of tea but she's dead chuffed as it's part of her master plan. Until then she's slogging away at the Law conversion course and still hoping one day to make it to the realms of Advocacy.</span></span></div>
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Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-14910643857110435462012-09-13T23:01:00.000+01:002012-09-17T13:07:22.566+01:00Could this be a chink of light<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEwKkK_XoQJoxK1qTiD7GFwPE0zlzuNQ-s0FxfHpm_utyr1oE8ebTbnxXG9Tn6V7B3QDsBAOcXSqwnOJsmAa9vtnZ6TFRL1A-U1piIxNCWhJ_TjK47ur7NBhyphenhyphenU61P5gkTIphwCDt2xUE/s1600/07080231.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEwKkK_XoQJoxK1qTiD7GFwPE0zlzuNQ-s0FxfHpm_utyr1oE8ebTbnxXG9Tn6V7B3QDsBAOcXSqwnOJsmAa9vtnZ6TFRL1A-U1piIxNCWhJ_TjK47ur7NBhyphenhyphenU61P5gkTIphwCDt2xUE/s200/07080231.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5789115932748878834" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#663300;" >Following the submission of a paper to the Board about the shopping list of issues which need to be tackled in order to make the function more effective it would seem I may have gained some recognition that someone needs to get a grip and address the situation. In the normal way of working, I have heard this anecdotally from a Board member but now need to be officially informed of approval to progress in the form of a 'Decision Sheet'... There was me thinking I had left the Civil Service in July 2001....</span></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-72762781131632105132012-09-09T12:34:00.002+01:002012-09-17T13:07:47.964+01:00Another new stamp for the passport<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 16px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333333;">Qatar! The landscape of which reminded me of the scene in 'Star Wars' when the X-wing fighters are dog-fighting.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 16px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; border-collapse: separate; line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#333333;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HiN3rZjeXn4He6FzHPyf4HutzBNSoukvLg8zVwQTd58Epe-2dcszHcyy7QjNF-KOySfqQHgOL8gwaLQ2GyGFDduZzOE1T41yAPYr8eFBJUUxQbetabwvTivTKFS6_JZTrRhtAZfXwPk/s200/377739_10151052483423235_1096135530_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5789110348910704130" style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 16px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">I won't bore you with the work politics, nor whinge about the lack of progress.... suffice to say I did a whistle-stop tour of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, & Doha!!! The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly socialising with a few folk I rarely see. I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 16px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">managed to catch up with a few of the security crew and had an excellent but fairly messy night with the Sales team catching up on all the gossip, followed by a somewhat more civilised evening with Mr. & Mrs. Munro culminating with a bit of tourism watching the Dubai Fountain play to Lou Reed 'Walk on the wild side'. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQz8VKYVuDH4_V22JYYsAjsNhXDt_yGLB0MC-rEuNFOwEwvuY3flnuQ84e1W3uC9eRerDb1YWJr2cO4iaq_PGxyi4RWYFxv-lgt3u1N0mblh8H0yYf2Hs2PQuVl6KXZ7KZ2vUDq_9RTcE/s1600/IMG-20120906-00044.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQz8VKYVuDH4_V22JYYsAjsNhXDt_yGLB0MC-rEuNFOwEwvuY3flnuQ84e1W3uC9eRerDb1YWJr2cO4iaq_PGxyi4RWYFxv-lgt3u1N0mblh8H0yYf2Hs2PQuVl6KXZ7KZ2vUDq_9RTcE/s200/IMG-20120906-00044.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5789111060857205458" style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 178px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CSeqhPpnEwEIkTLAyjMxeI1QAd6IXxy-Vqd4bjNb483xN4bXN-616ywyqW7A5eivREMm_8e7bPKXVatX_Bpzouun8-oSW8OWN9sP9NRbNVZK7pwHjwGwPi48LVJ6FngVP7mESpW8roE/s1600/250305_10151053104663235_1462474727_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CSeqhPpnEwEIkTLAyjMxeI1QAd6IXxy-Vqd4bjNb483xN4bXN-616ywyqW7A5eivREMm_8e7bPKXVatX_Bpzouun8-oSW8OWN9sP9NRbNVZK7pwHjwGwPi48LVJ6FngVP7mESpW8roE/s200/250305_10151053104663235_1462474727_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5789111049993110066" style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px; " /></a></span></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-21323877456574562992012-08-31T07:58:00.003+01:002012-09-16T10:27:46.393+01:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv6PY_mc_ksgNSb_3G9Hfp89TB3ovlrd2hzoZPzPRSSWc1Jct8pN8Ttv6UofdCNQV06s9_GKzzra7w7bnI3fyah4iaedSy4z0Rm3-cKjTEl2urHh1PiTj3UaMAq4KuUOZX5DME-jm9Wg/s1600/11126335-august-2012-desk-calendar.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv6PY_mc_ksgNSb_3G9Hfp89TB3ovlrd2hzoZPzPRSSWc1Jct8pN8Ttv6UofdCNQV06s9_GKzzra7w7bnI3fyah4iaedSy4z0Rm3-cKjTEl2urHh1PiTj3UaMAq4KuUOZX5DME-jm9Wg/s200/11126335-august-2012-desk-calendar.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788703785138424482" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;color:#996633;">I'm finding this job a real struggle at times. The politics and lack of coherence in the business makes it feel pretty un-do-able. No one has complained about what I'm doing, and I think that they do recognise the issues to some extent...Maybe it's just me beating myself up that I am not making enough progress, but if I was paying my salary to someone I'd expect more. This is my twelfth week so just a couple of weeks til the end of my probation, but after a phone call with one of the senior bods in the Middle East the backdrop has changed as they are seriously considering an external supplier to provide recruitment services to the Region which is potentially yet another barrier to getting anything done effectively.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-38764927972586398122012-08-29T21:43:00.003+01:002012-08-30T15:16:18.797+01:00Suffering from post sales marketing fatigue<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6T7jI2LFmWZJT732VJersM0ku2o9VsvFAQQY55gX2IbQMAPD3pJT0__8uWH0yYgMvK4EF4c1yS3RAk__iel4I61BSuuyZQh80tTR89l8NglttHYDm5nLZiSdypyxtMv5z3pHpKJIb54/s1600/linkedin_logo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6T7jI2LFmWZJT732VJersM0ku2o9VsvFAQQY55gX2IbQMAPD3pJT0__8uWH0yYgMvK4EF4c1yS3RAk__iel4I61BSuuyZQh80tTR89l8NglttHYDm5nLZiSdypyxtMv5z3pHpKJIb54/s200/linkedin_logo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782463054724365042" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><div style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; color:initial;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#336666;">due to spending a couple of hours with Linkedin and the retained advertising agency. I sooo hate sales pitches. I know what I want (don't I always ;o) and don't need all the spin or subtle pressuring. It was very interesting though... you can see the footprint of who has been looking at whom in finite detail, which really highlighted how much you can discover about someone on the net if you just put your mind to it.... Slightly scary stuff</span></div><div style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; font-family:arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;color:initial;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- font-family:tahoma, new york, times, serif;color:initial;"></span> </div></span>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-76812112880859259812012-08-28T22:24:00.002+01:002012-08-30T15:15:53.268+01:00Ooo give me<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2b0XYI_RfBElzlpYvSiwCcVRHDO7OWrE9LvIgbPmNJ_DqpCQwgKSl_7uCRjMtUpMV9YNa6PzWzqkHFRfwnMyrDR75wQvblylGg2xoZ9cNLu7N4yIo6v1FxS8VZ-MkfQKwnAp3LJqzbKk/s1600/CompanyHierarchy112.jpg" style="font-size: medium; " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2b0XYI_RfBElzlpYvSiwCcVRHDO7OWrE9LvIgbPmNJ_DqpCQwgKSl_7uCRjMtUpMV9YNa6PzWzqkHFRfwnMyrDR75wQvblylGg2xoZ9cNLu7N4yIo6v1FxS8VZ-MkfQKwnAp3LJqzbKk/s200/CompanyHierarchy112.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782462136633544530" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; color:initial;">a nice hierarchical business structure any day.... Bleeding <span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; color:initial;">matrices,</span> there's no flipping clarity, and even less chance of someone saying JFDI (just f*ing do it).... My life nowadays revolves around 'influencing stakeholders' and making sure I have considered all of the 'touchpoints'... It's unbelievably time-consuming and hence progress is soooo slow. It clearly does my head in as during a meeting with the HR 'Change Manager' earlier today she said, "I sense your frustration"...you don't say... </div><div style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; ">She's lucky she didn't get a worse reaction than me rolling my eyes!!!</div></span>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-27797247371739665332012-08-26T14:15:00.005+01:002012-08-30T16:10:02.834+01:00I am now a festival vetran<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000066;"><span class="Apple-style-span">in all senses having spent a day</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> exposed to the great unwashed and overflowing loos, and the delights of the 'mosh pit'. The girlies and I</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> absolutely fab day yesterday despite the downpours, pottering down to Reading via a sumptuous lunch at Amanda Darling's. The festival was really well organised with a a free water taxi down the Thames to the site, and free 'she-wees' for the ladies urinals (WTH !?!?). We caught sets by 'Dog is Dead', 'the Vaccines', 'Florence & the Machine' were great, but unquestionably 'Kasabian' were outstanding! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#000066;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXglWxKHbPRICAfx_zcP8E1oXIoEHJ_W2MQC4W88D2FU59yBMX94EA_DuEurCoWDFozygBKB2sDcRAPUvX-6STxKMg7Li86xKRQnKZvuQZKI9VmqkOOTbTWIjZAmNxqg4diP38KOUbCno/s1600/Kasabian-Reading2012-KAW12.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXglWxKHbPRICAfx_zcP8E1oXIoEHJ_W2MQC4W88D2FU59yBMX94EA_DuEurCoWDFozygBKB2sDcRAPUvX-6STxKMg7Li86xKRQnKZvuQZKI9VmqkOOTbTWIjZAmNxqg4diP38KOUbCno/s200/Kasabian-Reading2012-KAW12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782459645679813506" style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px; " /></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCweq5AVO7USx517O0AkRj_-6TrBuW2J6T2ywwEJ9PJ44L8rj6UERvRHAz5imKvqtK_bT-erriP0xaFuk22jY3uJWmN62dparmn55zDaoZ_lI7WMGJCREREaC-kE3xg95hFl8wnKFEg_M/s200/p00xw1zz.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782459634755427154" style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 112px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000066;">I think I want to audition as one of Sergio's groupies even if I am a few years outside the upper age limit.</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4Xe1AAI9Lk8moACpnnrdTHgGn_ajmM1Dqv3gm_iQ6iIasULKf7r-7YttWgTg24aATJ_O8dMub6V6QypfSdOPduxSTYyg54Qg6W-DhaTKof9ugxO5bsZjR866EYtwpZVcF1wcbvgZgt4/s1600/DSCN3623.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#000066;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4Xe1AAI9Lk8moACpnnrdTHgGn_ajmM1Dqv3gm_iQ6iIasULKf7r-7YttWgTg24aATJ_O8dMub6V6QypfSdOPduxSTYyg54Qg6W-DhaTKof9ugxO5bsZjR866EYtwpZVcF1wcbvgZgt4/s200/DSCN3623.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782459627980228946" style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span></a></div></div></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-71146192452784839702012-08-25T17:58:00.003+01:002012-08-30T16:08:40.126+01:00Ms. Sensible<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-Z_7DUMDEKCxs8fDSFk2tYU1D8uAyGBobT2mLPTUfa7VLQXQWdRPgr48PTarmpEL43cbVDwMbVIonPdah3qx0VrFoCMDp4_JfvZq4R8TBWmpEPFzrb9q96Q9miWNFzC4DVvK2UzHYWI/s1600/DSCN3596.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-Z_7DUMDEKCxs8fDSFk2tYU1D8uAyGBobT2mLPTUfa7VLQXQWdRPgr48PTarmpEL43cbVDwMbVIonPdah3qx0VrFoCMDp4_JfvZq4R8TBWmpEPFzrb9q96Q9miWNFzC4DVvK2UzHYWI/s200/DSCN3596.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782467293585427842" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gufnW35stZ9XtVMvuavERNAu75SncqAg22GSgT-9KxdE72fgGQoUtEC1cETVywSzbGn0j1H2H7z_uFuBVqWcjJKG_kiFRrum2QFO2PwoBTnSn8PFjE9bJfd0FACzDRw15ue2EQl245M/s1600/DSCN3605.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gufnW35stZ9XtVMvuavERNAu75SncqAg22GSgT-9KxdE72fgGQoUtEC1cETVywSzbGn0j1H2H7z_uFuBVqWcjJKG_kiFRrum2QFO2PwoBTnSn8PFjE9bJfd0FACzDRw15ue2EQl245M/s200/DSCN3605.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782467278993884642" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#330000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><a name="13958045a55cdf31__MailEndCompose">is not called that for nothing. On delivering various items to Pony Club Camp early in the morning she was discovered grooming her horse in her PJs! Apparently the justification was that they worn to protect the pristine cream jodhpurs she was competing in later in the day. To be fair, you can't argue with the logic but...</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#330000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#330000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; ">This year's horse was Keile</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;">m and the pairing came second overall in the Eventing.</span></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-18008790025148830302012-08-24T19:18:00.004+01:002012-08-24T22:39:02.535+01:00Am I past my 'sell-by' date?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27jKKKXXCMd6MT8MHBcm6rqGNyu4OACLeH0esO0lYsU8tN8f98xnD58EeGQa5WpBr-HYXu-N-uNNlddU9UzMkZ3K5m4VOP9sHyLPdqGyYnC-LjQc-YrGlPJfaxn4K_HXdvDefFntQwko/s1600/article-1282903762829-0AED7E12000005DC-501874_636x410.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27jKKKXXCMd6MT8MHBcm6rqGNyu4OACLeH0esO0lYsU8tN8f98xnD58EeGQa5WpBr-HYXu-N-uNNlddU9UzMkZ3K5m4VOP9sHyLPdqGyYnC-LjQc-YrGlPJfaxn4K_HXdvDefFntQwko/s200/article-1282903762829-0AED7E12000005DC-501874_636x410.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5780183212574527394" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333300;">As an avid fan of Kasabian I have been desperate to see the in concert. Both Miss Sensible and the Strident Student are also heavily into them so when we saw they were headlining at Reading this coming weekend we bought tickets without a further thought.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333300;">Much as it's great that the girls are cool at going with mum, having seen all myriad of Reading go-ers (so to speak) on my journey home last night I feel whatever I wear I will be over-dressed having not acquired some ridiculously short shorts and skimpy tops to wear with my Hunter wellies.... Given I am suitably tanned from my hols, do my Blog readers believe I should rush out and purchase said items? ;o)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333300;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333300;">I asked the Middle Eastern Correspondent who replied, “oh dear, old people at Reading!” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333300;">To which I retorted, “I'm sure there'll be worse than me there... anyway, I've got a few years less on the clock than you and am in better condition”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333300;">That said, I am beginning to wonder if I should have paid good money to undergo the psychological damage of being the oldest swinger in town (in a manner of speaking), the trauma of festival toilets, never mind the potential mud bath as rain is forecast!!!</span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-42724777974802253582012-08-23T21:32:00.006+01:002012-08-24T13:09:54.215+01:00So about this jelly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEQ4G5PJ-4jHE8ISDHgLTK2wlBFH6F-Ewq-QqO154fwWOf_SnX4UiSbjvKVjVGaUsZ2mwTuCY_z4g7URaxHUxf1_dTv8axvGYLjnd2Gp_OgBHOBgxa2ptfLNOxR-yp-uv9lhA8cMpVDE/s1600/Jelly.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEQ4G5PJ-4jHE8ISDHgLTK2wlBFH6F-Ewq-QqO154fwWOf_SnX4UiSbjvKVjVGaUsZ2mwTuCY_z4g7URaxHUxf1_dTv8axvGYLjnd2Gp_OgBHOBgxa2ptfLNOxR-yp-uv9lhA8cMpVDE/s200/Jelly.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5779970865375034562" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#cc9933;"><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm trying to nail to the tree... I am now starting to think it's not even as solid as jelly...</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">and the tree is protected by an invisible force-field of subtle politics...</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">The cancelled meeting was to plan mobilisation issues so we were ahead of the game.... but a roll of the dice (well a successful bid process actually) means we've now won another 2 programmes which need a bus-load of bods... How long before they start screaming for me to come and sort things out...the clock is ticking....</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">Then there's the miriad of low level practical challenges... </span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">I asked someone to advertise two vacancies:</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">1 in Aberdeen (not posted for a couple of days as there are not enough HR bods to get this done even though this was a priority last week), </span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; "><span style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">the 2nd a role in Qatar, which has been advertised but no one put the location so it doesn't show up in any of the job opportunity searches...not particularly helpful when you're trying to fill it...</span></div></span>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-19579190905757319352012-08-12T23:49:00.003+01:002012-08-24T11:54:41.815+01:00Temporary intermission<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvveA4ny1P0kJ6x6SIL0lG_RCZ3Z-Enf-eBoHz1sIAqQd_xN1Gjms_zsjea0SZHxlpzOOP_CW6bmNTRJcnBOeBIfTvLvI-lIenhqVOCv3JSpNArGWhQ4gez5fwBlij4yv1xkatiHnaLZc/s1600/DSCN3516.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvveA4ny1P0kJ6x6SIL0lG_RCZ3Z-Enf-eBoHz1sIAqQd_xN1Gjms_zsjea0SZHxlpzOOP_CW6bmNTRJcnBOeBIfTvLvI-lIenhqVOCv3JSpNArGWhQ4gez5fwBlij4yv1xkatiHnaLZc/s200/DSCN3516.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5780191201880443810" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#663300;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;">whilst batteries were re-charged</span></span>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-36019058956919206902012-07-20T09:43:00.005+01:002012-07-24T09:11:15.792+01:00Pah!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgODIz9ZfaYcrHHELmllkdn2kjtkqZR_AmEnq5_9R1fRSMuHBpv8d-bMdF8w5yE7k0G7tF1DTtDLLQFrzh8YhfmYdaaGsCfPN3LLGWQvIxToF-7Vjd129ayeIDwVHEUdjdfnwF-1a8lE/s1600/qatar_riyal.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgODIz9ZfaYcrHHELmllkdn2kjtkqZR_AmEnq5_9R1fRSMuHBpv8d-bMdF8w5yE7k0G7tF1DTtDLLQFrzh8YhfmYdaaGsCfPN3LLGWQvIxToF-7Vjd129ayeIDwVHEUdjdfnwF-1a8lE/s200/qatar_riyal.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767174490168439010" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#330000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; ">I <i>was</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; "> supposed to be flying to the Middle East this weekend to meet the management team in Doha, Abu Dhabi</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; "> and Dubai, and to start to compile resource plans and a delivery strategy etc. However the plug has just been pulled on the basis that there is concern in certain quarters that I am being parachuted in with some political agenda, as opposed to simply trying to do my job. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; "> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; font-size:100%;color:#330000;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; font-size:100%;color:#330000;">Instead there is now talk about having a flipping workshop to get some 'thought leadership' and position 'outcomes'.... Pah!!!! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; font-size:100%;color:#330000;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#330000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; ">So other than a couple of presentations and a paper, everything I've done is purely tactical, twiddly around the edges and adding diddly squat value to anyone. Trying to get </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; ">things moving via spreadsheets and phone calls just does not work.....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; ">I'm starting to fret I don't justify my existence :o/</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#330000;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#330000;">On the upside I now have a weekend I wasn't expecting I guess... Along with a wallet of Riyals and Dirhams I can't spend in John Lewis...</span></div></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-48107232986129405052012-07-17T22:54:00.001+01:002012-07-23T11:27:13.412+01:00The gang of four<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjObH2-KRG2FlftN2WCWUfx_GjMyMBjgrDvy74Ry_K0GM3F2ldxbjY3aGzQFIrOrdgR6ee60Umd01OBpB3jOdTNrLGyIOjuFIyBX4mMxq9wb9Mm_i9UptddLhr_4xjzt1YyQsoEnaopEpI/s1600/300px-Two_small_test_tubes_held_in_spring_clamps.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjObH2-KRG2FlftN2WCWUfx_GjMyMBjgrDvy74Ry_K0GM3F2ldxbjY3aGzQFIrOrdgR6ee60Umd01OBpB3jOdTNrLGyIOjuFIyBX4mMxq9wb9Mm_i9UptddLhr_4xjzt1YyQsoEnaopEpI/s200/300px-Two_small_test_tubes_held_in_spring_clamps.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767172981978820034" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333399;">From previous posts dear reader you will have noted that Frosty is feeling somewhat like a fish out of water in her new working environment. In order to maintain sanity (if it were ever there in the first place) one has sought out like-minded individuals and identified three other personages who have fairly recently joined the organisation and are also wondering WTH (NB how polite I am being) they have come in to. Two of said group and I were at dinner the other night recounting tales of incredulity at some of the things were were encountering when we came to the conclusion we have been selected as part of a 'social experiment'. Having formed that opinion we now are all inclined to laugh in the face of adversity albeit in a huddle in a corner somewhere....</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333399;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#333399;">Life is feeling slight more bearable.</span></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-40207615987979203792012-07-17T22:13:00.002+01:002012-07-21T14:14:20.231+01:00Begging to be posted.....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkTkg6-tykijlpzRE5j5b94RVSYSuj5NII6fD-q8YS-KTAqqLs056g24EGfwRtTR4mic0xLYZBfyJoWRx52ExZAHJnM4IvU4Yv4D_ZSYRBcS2DlmVurTvAt754bMkM3rRJ4XtAegAq3o/s1600/180712-MATT-web_2279490a.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkTkg6-tykijlpzRE5j5b94RVSYSuj5NII6fD-q8YS-KTAqqLs056g24EGfwRtTR4mic0xLYZBfyJoWRx52ExZAHJnM4IvU4Yv4D_ZSYRBcS2DlmVurTvAt754bMkM3rRJ4XtAegAq3o/s400/180712-MATT-web_2279490a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767610371916385154" /></a>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-61559025702810240332012-07-15T22:22:00.000+01:002012-07-23T11:26:42.356+01:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcg61rA-iDkE3aygzCgL457S7S_Ppq4RIv6xsuz8hanof9-kExIgk-gvvIzAqlpi_UmjxCRNvlmkav9A0qVNj5ubfbMXLD_2fUa2jD9FGhLvQ-CQ7WSPvPDHb_eiBXF2s5FOdt2infob8/s1600/al-rayyan_1717338i.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcg61rA-iDkE3aygzCgL457S7S_Ppq4RIv6xsuz8hanof9-kExIgk-gvvIzAqlpi_UmjxCRNvlmkav9A0qVNj5ubfbMXLD_2fUa2jD9FGhLvQ-CQ7WSPvPDHb_eiBXF2s5FOdt2infob8/s200/al-rayyan_1717338i.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5768308249611554114" /></span></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#666600;" >One of the problemettes I am contending with is staffing for the key projects in Qatar. These are humongous affairs programme managing the construction of key bits of infrastructure worth £Ms so pretty key that we are able to mobilise individuals with fairly specific, specialist skills, at the right time. At the moment there's a whole heap of heroics going on to make this happen...rather than a plan! Consequently I have I am heading out there to look at that in more depth and try to 're-align' them with best practise.</span></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-59368711169586170852012-07-11T23:24:00.009+01:002012-08-24T13:11:33.828+01:00Queenie's in da house<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#003300;">...well she'd popped into Worcester earlier today so to protect the Royal personage one's not-so-small son and some of his Air Cadets Squadron chums provided a cordon for HRM Liz & the D of E... The prep for this was quite astonishing. Cue much un-bidden polishing of shoes and pressing of uniform.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#003300;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#003300;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzA2jff16eW-uRaUguB7PB2l8YnuHlGNjD1x0hHkXFalyL433NWTA6nb-vxXNB5Idz-WqsV9eLBVGDLpNaot01YdeHZFut2Yp2yBUD6G59uO6Yk-iVcCQT-v0YnulEmd5CIO36U7v5wg/s200/Niall.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5780185349220330658" style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px; " /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#003300;">Just look how shiny his shoes are!!! I only wish I could get him to put so much effort into his school work ;o)</span><span class="fcg" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;color:gray;"> </span></span></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-56272991758511151682012-07-10T23:38:00.001+01:002012-07-11T11:17:59.391+01:00Am I now working in some sort of fictional environment..?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uOjYMnJ-t0ml_wySwDz8RoBJfAbyjSCy0g-33nCMP5ffvSoDr7hEXmsL-xKmrNPSdGSBJ2grN-B8xmmeR20AVD8NYgz_-9vEAUboE6tQ285gErIy7fL5e4IRFS9yWGLqjiyyEk1aX5E/s1600/large_Dementor%252520Sucks%252520Out%252520Harrys%252520Soul-1187985390h5o0hfld.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uOjYMnJ-t0ml_wySwDz8RoBJfAbyjSCy0g-33nCMP5ffvSoDr7hEXmsL-xKmrNPSdGSBJ2grN-B8xmmeR20AVD8NYgz_-9vEAUboE6tQ285gErIy7fL5e4IRFS9yWGLqjiyyEk1aX5E/s200/large_Dementor%252520Sucks%252520Out%252520Harrys%252520Soul-1187985390h5o0hfld.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763814373297383554" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;">I reckon a goodly number of the folks I now work with could be more successfully employed a Dementors - I swear my soul is being slowly sucked away....</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">Do they have their senses of humour surgically removed before they enter the Head Office foyer!?!?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">I need to find some 'normal' people...or at least on my wave-length (which might not be quite the same thing ;o) to ensure I keep my sanity. Who'd have though I'd miss the "JFDI" culture of one's previous employer...?</span></p> <!--EndFragment--></span><p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-43619973726857417312012-07-10T18:57:00.001+01:002012-07-11T11:17:43.694+01:00Transport chaos<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3MC_quOkZx01WzUjBfW-6hbdr6Rl_nmdBeqo327HoedtKRhOmh2DeoDE1HFkZsV_tYNeYKTPnMrnV39f2F_TBI35sQ3HSB7OvICQct6fATGnG4UUaTUF08JlKVyU39hxNrE997AGZK8/s1600/Transport-for-London1.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 71px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3MC_quOkZx01WzUjBfW-6hbdr6Rl_nmdBeqo327HoedtKRhOmh2DeoDE1HFkZsV_tYNeYKTPnMrnV39f2F_TBI35sQ3HSB7OvICQct6fATGnG4UUaTUF08JlKVyU39hxNrE997AGZK8/s200/Transport-for-London1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763812600265502162" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;color:#000066;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">in central London today....they decided to close a few Tube stations during this morning's rush hour in order to simulate possible problem scenarios during the Olympics.... Unsurprisingly Bedlam ensued!!! Kings Cross & St. Pancras were a nightmare; gridlocked traffic, people spilling onto pavements, folks crammed onto buses, puzzled tourists scrutinising maps, harassed Police Officers and tempers decidedly frayed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">I think it's fair to say that they better hope the worker bees stay at home and eat cheese when the Games visitors descend as Boris has advised!</span></p> <!--EndFragment--></span>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-34479821158439101352012-07-07T23:14:00.003+01:002012-07-11T11:18:37.807+01:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hX5ZJWkiiFlq5vQD2PFCpbzBilBVcjVmHKjlQc7vGIfrPMQjqJ0i6pkk7FH30zGXuUJTQvYeRosJJpeShN5XpB8rjkwTru9O2_QAoad1SpK0Zgxz3uKsUF2lPqA14bGMq-iIgZfdHTU/s1600/KA-BOOM.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hX5ZJWkiiFlq5vQD2PFCpbzBilBVcjVmHKjlQc7vGIfrPMQjqJ0i6pkk7FH30zGXuUJTQvYeRosJJpeShN5XpB8rjkwTru9O2_QAoad1SpK0Zgxz3uKsUF2lPqA14bGMq-iIgZfdHTU/s200/KA-BOOM.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763811565885304706" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#660000;"><i>Still </i>getting to grips with the new job. The resourcing function's in a worse state than anywhere I have worked before, but the company on the whole seem blissfully unaware of the issues, and keep trying to put sticky plasters over the problems as a fix... It feels like one of those cartoon scenarios where the whole lot is creaking at the seams and about to go Ka-boom! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#660000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#660000;">Anyway, I have now been asked to write a paper...'cos that will sort stuff ...obviously ;o)</span></div><div style="font-size: small; "><br /></div><div style="font-size: small; "><br /></div></span>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-6932930832861341082012-07-02T20:32:00.002+01:002012-07-11T08:41:04.593+01:00Today has been.....<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ5NrN5wn1OxRiDFVgWrAtSXxH-bALJHWBNBBWrH1sbO_9PsO9B8peoSkLHbHBICa-9Phe5pwypxJoR6PtTxZq17s-gDpNjNho3xEsDckAHyvqMTmlKYI4HyubOkzbIOL71s09StcGh8/s1600/treacle.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ5NrN5wn1OxRiDFVgWrAtSXxH-bALJHWBNBBWrH1sbO_9PsO9B8peoSkLHbHBICa-9Phe5pwypxJoR6PtTxZq17s-gDpNjNho3xEsDckAHyvqMTmlKYI4HyubOkzbIOL71s09StcGh8/s200/treacle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760657265478890354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">like wading through treacle.....</span></span></span>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-34625090661529275782012-07-01T22:24:00.002+01:002012-07-11T08:40:56.607+01:00I have purchased a new frock<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXY8p8RYp6jzZnGqdC-7ez8wcdWZEmsvM3JtBi97tgvbvYnLyoSs7GHcHlhbANAlhB1yWqF8tYP3zelg0gg5TwV5QNoh7v34uLU_G_mPSocpL6-SH7lLAGspDCtwOaFGg9p0bjtbvPjQ/s1600/frock.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXY8p8RYp6jzZnGqdC-7ez8wcdWZEmsvM3JtBi97tgvbvYnLyoSs7GHcHlhbANAlhB1yWqF8tYP3zelg0gg5TwV5QNoh7v34uLU_G_mPSocpL6-SH7lLAGspDCtwOaFGg9p0bjtbvPjQ/s200/frock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760656432521794002" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 153, 51);">which is hanging on the outside of the wardrobe...for 3 reasons:</span> </span><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 153, 51);">1. it cheers me up - prettiful and the label states a size smaller than the 'real me'</span> </span><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 153, 51);">2. the weather is crapola</span> </span><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 153, 51);">3. I don't think the workforce are ready for me/it yet! </span></span><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 153, 51);"><span style="font-style: italic;">(dress code is conservative/austere to say the least)</span></span></span></span><br /></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-48523109109094526952012-06-30T22:38:00.004+01:002012-08-24T22:37:31.197+01:00The return of the Strident Student<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;">Herself has decided that a career in retail management is insufficiently fulfilling, and will not save the world in any way, shape or form, so she has opted to return to education in order to commence the path to becoming an advocate. She's been accepted onto a Law conversion course and will plough her hard-earned dosh into paying the fees whilst board and lodgings are provided Chez Frosty.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#660000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#660000;">Waitrose have been a most excellent employer (as ever) and kindly sorted her out with some part-time work at our local branch so she has an income stream to pay travel to Uni. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#660000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#660000;">With the momentous decisions made, and plans in place, all that was left was to transport her worldly goods back to the 'vern and try to work out where the heck all the gubbins is going to go! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;color:#660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkB-Cenk8b1MwytoMXGtlQ8uTc9ohlrq0sat47w47YsHGRRexBdJ7hX3TzZMjsjzDrx3iiJvYP0kw3f50wrgzkYgT-WOmCl_KN55skYz4wqDRvZB5QhNUPvgU4Rlticx-TfJsqGGOcBDU/s200/574740_10151872858295322_2010049223_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5780188752349789202" style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#660000;">Hence today it was 'goodbye' to the Steel City her home of the last four years..... </span></div>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130261595284487699.post-55823943440283935922012-06-29T23:43:00.005+01:002012-07-11T11:17:11.253+01:00Here endeth week 3<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;">with me trying to work out whether I have made a huuuuuge mistake - I've come to the conclusion:</span></span><ol style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> I don't think the company recognise what they need to mak</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">e the function<br /></span></span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> Sure as hell they don't want a go</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">bby un-polished nort</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">herner to tell them!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;color:#330000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_13vnZrpDGWC_3H81PqJE2q_ZxyfX8uy8QqDgCx4MnSdWPIHi7uG0rHL4jAdsaQSUFUydPN3J8l3Su7NdoPaisVMcQkAQd4mi5YEh3qAJu-e_KIwAzn7U-tDWAUkSov9zreNrFeKkIuQ/s1600/woman_with_hand_over_mouth2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_13vnZrpDGWC_3H81PqJE2q_ZxyfX8uy8QqDgCx4MnSdWPIHi7uG0rHL4jAdsaQSUFUydPN3J8l3Su7NdoPaisVMcQkAQd4mi5YEh3qAJu-e_KIwAzn7U-tDWAUkSov9zreNrFeKkIuQ/s200/woman_with_hand_over_mouth2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760654690243483474" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;color:#330000;"> Question is; will I get to the end of my probation or not....?</span></span></span></li></ol>Frostyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102621226945089983noreply@blogger.com0