Well, well, well. It looks like the blog is getting it's third series - and this one may be hanging around for a while. I seriously thought that this blog was dead, but it looks like it's still surviving somehow. Go figure! So two themes for this post today - bringing back the blog, and a few notes on preparing to head off to the UK. Woo!
As many of you out there are already aware, i'm off to the UK for work. Very exciting, and very unexpected... and also the reason behind me metaphorically picking up the pen once more. Now, I intended to head offshore to tick the "Worked Overseas" box, but I didn't intend for it to happen so soon. An opportunity came up, and in the end I decided that it was a reasonably good time to head off. Upon speaking to some of you good folk, I was reminded that I used to blog - props to those who actually tormented themselves with my ramblings. So here we go with Season 3 of my stochastic blogging!
A brief summary on how this all came about. I was notified of an opportunity late last month to work in the UK, and a verbal agreement was settled a week after that. So things have really moved along quite quickly. Speed is the name of the game here, as i'm really only expected to be in the country for another 5 weeks or so - plenty to do! I don't think i'm setting the world on fire with the pace in which I need to pack up and go, but the time between being asked to go and actually going is quick by any measure.
As i'm expected to scoot out of here in approximately a month's time, there's plenty to do! Now, i've started the visa process already - and that's expected to take approximately a month all up. The process for getting a UK visa is slighly different depending on the type of visa that you're applying for, but all of them follow the same general theme - online application, recording of biometric data, issue of visa. I'm up to the biometric data stage, where the Brits take a copy of your fingerprins - and that's scheduled for tomorrow.
Now the visa's not the only thing that needs to be sorted out. There's an ever growing list of things to sort out before heading off! Things that i'll need to do over the next month will be things such as opening up an UK bank account, finding accomodation in London, packing a few boxes of things I need and shipping them off to the UK. Plenty! Clearly not really doing much on this front as i'm still blogging. Haha. Hmm... well on that note i'll leave it there. More updates to come, I promise!
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Monday, June 01, 2009
Work Tip: Presentations (Always have Outlook closed)
At long last i've finally decided to kick the dust off this blog of mine. It's been an age, and then some. I'm actually surprised that the blog still exists, but hey... perhaps I am loved afterall. So to herald my return to the world of blogging i've decided to let loose with a tip on conducting presentations - and that tip is: Always have Outlook closed.
So every week we have this team meeting and we have the occasional guest speaker. Now, I won't bore you with all of the details on what the presentation actually contained... but it was mildly interesting. Now the presenter had brought his own laptop, and was connected to his email wirelessly. He had prepared presentation slides and they were visible to the 25-odd attendees via a data projector pointing to a bare white wall.
Now, as many of you are aware Outlook has this feature where a little pop-up appears on the bottom right of the screen when an email is received. Just to be sure that we don't miss it. Well, this was one occasion where you clearly did not want the incoming email alert to fire up. Lo and behold, up came the alert approximately 35 minutes into the presentation.
I don't know the presenter, and I don't exactly know what the contents of the email were but the subject alone was enough to have me in stitches, along with many of the other attendees at this meeting. In big, bold, capital letters the subject was clear for everyone to see... and it was "I AM GAY!!!". ROFL! Poor guy had a hard time recovering from that email. The presentation wrapped up 5 minutes later. So a tip for those that wish to hold presentations... always have Outlook closed.
I hope that was entertaining, and chances are that i'll probably take an age to write again. See how diligent I am. Ciao!
So every week we have this team meeting and we have the occasional guest speaker. Now, I won't bore you with all of the details on what the presentation actually contained... but it was mildly interesting. Now the presenter had brought his own laptop, and was connected to his email wirelessly. He had prepared presentation slides and they were visible to the 25-odd attendees via a data projector pointing to a bare white wall.
Now, as many of you are aware Outlook has this feature where a little pop-up appears on the bottom right of the screen when an email is received. Just to be sure that we don't miss it. Well, this was one occasion where you clearly did not want the incoming email alert to fire up. Lo and behold, up came the alert approximately 35 minutes into the presentation.
I don't know the presenter, and I don't exactly know what the contents of the email were but the subject alone was enough to have me in stitches, along with many of the other attendees at this meeting. In big, bold, capital letters the subject was clear for everyone to see... and it was "I AM GAY!!!". ROFL! Poor guy had a hard time recovering from that email. The presentation wrapped up 5 minutes later. So a tip for those that wish to hold presentations... always have Outlook closed.
I hope that was entertaining, and chances are that i'll probably take an age to write again. See how diligent I am. Ciao!
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
My First Film Appearance
The week is only half over and events continue to startle me (as i'm sure they'll startle you). This morning I got invited by my boss to participate in a company movie. Wow. How cool is that? Lucky me... three weeks in and i've made it already. Haha!
Truthfully, the film isn't going to be shown externally but oh well. I'll take it. Strange, strange indeed. I'll start from the top, the beginning of the day.
I leave the house, as per usual and hop onto the ferry. I arrive at work just before a quarter past 8. As per usual the grads Nathan and Kylie are reading the newspapers by the kitchen and I say hi. I greet the early keen beans in my team and proceed to make some breakfast (I brought in ham, how good am I?). Unfortunately for me there is only some Raisin Bread around, urgh. So what do I do? I do what the truly entrepreneurial person does.... go to another floor and poach some whitebread!
Down I go to Jesse's floor (Usyd - Engineering) and steal some whitebread. I'm spotted by some other grads in the process but everyone has a laugh. Finally I get my ham sandwich and contently sit at my desk, ready to consume my crowning achievement of the day!
Doug pops by and asks me if i'm free between 11 and 12. Yep. Interesting question. Next up there's the leading description. One of the films doing the rounds is a bit on the old side and it's time for an update. Then the question: "Are you interested in being a part of the new one?". Yes again! Although I did try to look cool, calm, and collected about it. Haha!
Turns out that 3 people from my team may feature in this new film. Quite the hit rate, considering that there are thousands and thousands of people to choose from. But I digress, back to the story.
Fast forward to 11 and I head down to the shooting location. I meet a couple of people on the floor and also meet my co-star for the day. An Associate Director. Ouch. How insignificant I am, lol. Oh well, good opportunity to meet and greet power players at work. So what do we do? We confidently walk around the lobby area and have a chat. Pretty cool. It's not often that you get to chat to a senior person at length (and we got to chat a fair bit because there were many takes from different angles, etc). Even the CEO dropped by and said hello, haha! Interesting day indeed.
Also an interesting note: The most senior person on my floor was walking past my booth to the kitchen when I was having a chat with Pritpal (last year's grad on my team) and I mentioned that this (the area that we work in) is party central. A stray look was cast my way. Once he was gone Pritpal and I couldn't stop laughing. Funny day... funny day indeed.
Stay tuned to find out whether i'm in the final cut, or if the scene(s) that include me end up on the cutting room floor. Haha!
Truthfully, the film isn't going to be shown externally but oh well. I'll take it. Strange, strange indeed. I'll start from the top, the beginning of the day.
I leave the house, as per usual and hop onto the ferry. I arrive at work just before a quarter past 8. As per usual the grads Nathan and Kylie are reading the newspapers by the kitchen and I say hi. I greet the early keen beans in my team and proceed to make some breakfast (I brought in ham, how good am I?). Unfortunately for me there is only some Raisin Bread around, urgh. So what do I do? I do what the truly entrepreneurial person does.... go to another floor and poach some whitebread!
Down I go to Jesse's floor (Usyd - Engineering) and steal some whitebread. I'm spotted by some other grads in the process but everyone has a laugh. Finally I get my ham sandwich and contently sit at my desk, ready to consume my crowning achievement of the day!
Doug pops by and asks me if i'm free between 11 and 12. Yep. Interesting question. Next up there's the leading description. One of the films doing the rounds is a bit on the old side and it's time for an update. Then the question: "Are you interested in being a part of the new one?". Yes again! Although I did try to look cool, calm, and collected about it. Haha!
Turns out that 3 people from my team may feature in this new film. Quite the hit rate, considering that there are thousands and thousands of people to choose from. But I digress, back to the story.
Fast forward to 11 and I head down to the shooting location. I meet a couple of people on the floor and also meet my co-star for the day. An Associate Director. Ouch. How insignificant I am, lol. Oh well, good opportunity to meet and greet power players at work. So what do we do? We confidently walk around the lobby area and have a chat. Pretty cool. It's not often that you get to chat to a senior person at length (and we got to chat a fair bit because there were many takes from different angles, etc). Even the CEO dropped by and said hello, haha! Interesting day indeed.
Also an interesting note: The most senior person on my floor was walking past my booth to the kitchen when I was having a chat with Pritpal (last year's grad on my team) and I mentioned that this (the area that we work in) is party central. A stray look was cast my way. Once he was gone Pritpal and I couldn't stop laughing. Funny day... funny day indeed.
Stay tuned to find out whether i'm in the final cut, or if the scene(s) that include me end up on the cutting room floor. Haha!
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Orientation Thus Far is Great
Second day of work was great, although I hardly can call it work. Today was all about Communication - learning about what it means and how effective it is. I actually learnt quite alot today, which was quite a treat. It amazing how much that is obviously out there yet is unrecognised by most.
The day wasn't all filled with lectures and the like, that's for tomorrow - LOL. Today was more about recognising and developing communication and team skills, which equates to fun exercises throughout the day... and get to know grads a little better (well half of them anyway, since we were split up into two groups). By the end of the day I would have spoken to just about everyone in the room, with one exception - the group of UTS Accounting students. Don't think it'll happen either, it's a massive bunch of something like 6 girls and 2 guys and they all seem to know eachother quite well. No matter, many more people to meet later on.
Work is taking its toll, but for all the wrong reasons. I still have yet to adjust to getting up at 6:30/6:45am in the morning, but that could be because i'm still sleeping after midnight. That will need to change. I'm buggered, so i'd better go pass out on my bed now. Perhaps i'll describe what happened today and what I learnt at some later stage... or perhaps not :).
Night.
The day wasn't all filled with lectures and the like, that's for tomorrow - LOL. Today was more about recognising and developing communication and team skills, which equates to fun exercises throughout the day... and get to know grads a little better (well half of them anyway, since we were split up into two groups). By the end of the day I would have spoken to just about everyone in the room, with one exception - the group of UTS Accounting students. Don't think it'll happen either, it's a massive bunch of something like 6 girls and 2 guys and they all seem to know eachother quite well. No matter, many more people to meet later on.
Work is taking its toll, but for all the wrong reasons. I still have yet to adjust to getting up at 6:30/6:45am in the morning, but that could be because i'm still sleeping after midnight. That will need to change. I'm buggered, so i'd better go pass out on my bed now. Perhaps i'll describe what happened today and what I learnt at some later stage... or perhaps not :).
Night.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Starting Full Time Work
Today I join the rank of the full-time employed. I've done the casual jobs, i've done the vacation/placement job, now it is time for Act III of my career... full-time employment. Woo! What a doozy of a day it was. Training and Orientation all day.
After today, i'm not really even sure if i'm supposed to be even naming the company for which I work. So I won't. Haha. I don't want to get into any trouble at all. For those of you who know me, you don't really need to ask. If you really have no idea we'll just say that I work for an Investment Bank in Sydney.
A good day overall. Learning about the company itself, it's goals, it's achievements and the relevant state and federal legislation that makes up a part of the working envirnoment. A fairly intense day that didn't really leave too much room to mingle with the other grads - although there's lots of time for that later.
People from all over the company came to have a talk. There were the Human Resources people, recent Graduates from all over the company, as well as various executives and senior members of the company all wishing us well and imparting some valuable advice.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and possibly Thursday will also be training or orientation-related. So based on that it is likely that I will be starting 'real' work on Friday. Woo... see how it goes. One cool fact to finish up on - my first pay cheque comes in on Wednesday. I only started today! Haha! Woohoo!
After today, i'm not really even sure if i'm supposed to be even naming the company for which I work. So I won't. Haha. I don't want to get into any trouble at all. For those of you who know me, you don't really need to ask. If you really have no idea we'll just say that I work for an Investment Bank in Sydney.
A good day overall. Learning about the company itself, it's goals, it's achievements and the relevant state and federal legislation that makes up a part of the working envirnoment. A fairly intense day that didn't really leave too much room to mingle with the other grads - although there's lots of time for that later.
People from all over the company came to have a talk. There were the Human Resources people, recent Graduates from all over the company, as well as various executives and senior members of the company all wishing us well and imparting some valuable advice.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and possibly Thursday will also be training or orientation-related. So based on that it is likely that I will be starting 'real' work on Friday. Woo... see how it goes. One cool fact to finish up on - my first pay cheque comes in on Wednesday. I only started today! Haha! Woohoo!
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