Reply to: Back at the desk

[SimonMac]

So please quantify what a full beard in two weeks means to you

A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard. When differentiating between upper and lower facial hair, a beard specifically includes the moustache, which refers to hair above the upper lip and around it.

HTH

[Troll]

Are you still a child? After two weeks I have a near full beard!

So please quantify what a full beard in two weeks means to you

Beard-second

The beard-second is a unit of length inspired by the light-year, but used for extremely short distances such as those in nuclear physics. The beard-second is defined as the length an average beard grows in one second. Kemp Bennet Kolb defines the distance as exactly 100 angstroms,[3] (i.e. 10 nanometers) while Nordling and Österman's Physics Handbook has it half the size at 5 nanometers.[4] Google Calculator supports the beard-second for unit conversions using the latter conversion factor.[5]

[MarillionFan]

Been out of the office since 20/12 wfh on non Bank Holidays- the biggest ball ache is shaving off 2 weeks of stubble!

Well if K2P2 was able to manage it, so should you.

[SimonMac]

Been out of the office since 20/12 wfh on non Bank Holidays- the biggest ball ache is shaving off 2 weeks of stubble!

Are you still a child? After two weeks I have a near full beard!

I am back at the desk, however as I was working on the non bank holidays it doesn't feel like I have been gone

[d000hg]

the biggest ball ache is shaving off 2 weeks of stubble!

A rather unfortunate phrase in that particular sentence.

[redgiant]

Back at the clientco and it's a slow start to 2012. Looking out over the Thames and the weather is miserable with rain lashing against the window ... glorious

Can't wait until my skiing/driving holiday in Canada at the end of the month ... under four weeks left

[Troll]

Been out of the office since 20/12 wfh on non Bank Holidays- the biggest ball ache is shaving off 2 weeks of stubble!

[NickFitz]

Back to the fray Daytime telly hasn't improved with the New Year. At least I'm being paid to watch it

[Ignis Fatuus]

Hard luck. Advice for next time; give them your mobile number then go somewhere on holiday that's very remote and not covered by mobile networks. Unfortunately such places are becoming very rare, but there are some very pleasant spots in southern Africa with lots of sunshine and no mobile coverage. Unfortunately it's not going to stay that way for long.

Well, I did spend alot of time with it switched off, but that just led him to tell me that not replying to his communications was unacceptable. Which as far as I am concerned is unacceptable: if I am not working and not available, I may reply, but I don't have to. But he just doesn't get it.

My predecessor had 1 month notice in his contract. Within about 3 weeks of starting, he activated it. Now I see why, and why mine has no notice clause. My mistake, I should be smarter after all these years.

During the end-of-year "non-working" period, I was getting a notice to attend a live-meeting conference every day. After spending an hour saying not a word (and not being expected to), I started flatly refusing them - for the first time in my working life. I also lectured the boss on his behaviour, for the first time. I may be about to have other new experiences, such as walking without a contractual right to.

BTW as you may guess, the stupidities of the Christmas week are not all there is to it, it is like this all the time. Bunch of headless chickens.

[Mich the Tester]

No, I didn't have a good break.

I announced at the beginning of December my unavailability during Christmas-New Year week, and put it on the office calendar as unavailable. Unfortunately I added that I would be available in case of need, contactable by SMS in the first instance.

The client "manager" said on 23rd that there were "defects" (i.e. data incompleteness logged in the recording system, not actually in any of my stuff)and that as long as there were any outstanding, there was indeed a need. On 23rd afternoon he announced a "task force" (him and me, basically) to fix up everything for 2 Jan.

So he was texting, emailing, and calling repeatedly during the week. I did some remote working but emphasised that this was emergency fixing, not that I was at work during the week. He kept forgetting that. At one point, when I lay in bed half the morning with my phone and PC off, when I finally switched the phone on and got his texts, one of them said that this was "not acceptable". I was on holiday FFS!

Then the agency said that as the client had requested billing for December to be put in before Christmas, they wouldn't be able to change the Dec billing, so wouldn't be able to pay me for the extra work until the end-of-January invoice. I persuaded them otherwise.

Now everybody is unhappy with everybody else.

Even my partner is unhappy. She wants me to walk*. My contract has no notice period, so I can't. Not until they give me an excuse, which I confess my new attitude may just bring about.

* from the contract, I mean

Hard luck. Advice for next time; give them your mobile number then go somewhere on holiday that's very remote and not covered by mobile networks. Unfortunately such places are becoming very rare, but there are some very pleasant spots in southern Africa with lots of sunshine and no mobile coverage. Unfortunately it's not going to stay that way for long.

[MarillionFan]

My contact is up for renew at the end of Jan.

I'm working on two projects that will conclude in Jan and one which will either be given the go-ahead or go a third party by the mid of the month., It's a politicial hot potato and I'm the lead if it goes ahead(time to renew my insurance). If it goes ahead it's 12-18 months at least.

I hope the 3rd party get it.

[d000hg]

Back at my home-desk for day 1 of a new contract... though I've been doing sporadic plan B work over the holidays.

Rotten sore throat, typical!

[GeorgeB]

Back in the freezing office... no heating

19 Days left in my permy role... please for the love of some god like figure, let me get a contract before I become unemployed

[Ignis Fatuus]

No, I didn't have a good break.

I announced at the beginning of December my unavailability during Christmas-New Year week, and put it on the office calendar as unavailable. Unfortunately I added that I would be available in case of need, contactable by SMS in the first instance.

The client "manager" said on 23rd that there were "defects" (i.e. data incompleteness logged in the recording system, not actually in any of my stuff)and that as long as there were any outstanding, there was indeed a need. On 23rd afternoon he announced a "task force" (him and me, basically) to fix up everything for 2 Jan.

So he was texting, emailing, and calling repeatedly during the week. I did some remote working but emphasised that this was emergency fixing, not that I was at work during the week. He kept forgetting that. At one point, when I lay in bed half the morning with my phone and PC off, when I finally switched the phone on and got his texts, one of them said that this was "not acceptable". I was on holiday FFS!

Then the agency said that as the client had requested billing for December to be put in before Christmas, they wouldn't be able to change the Dec billing, so wouldn't be able to pay me for the extra work until the end-of-January invoice. I persuaded them otherwise.

Now everybody is unhappy with everybody else.

Even my partner is unhappy. She wants me to walk*. My contract has no notice period, so I can't. Not until they give me an excuse, which I confess my new attitude may just bring about.

* from the contract, I mean

[MarillionFan]

Back in the office an hour and hating it.

You're all bastards.