I enjoy shift work for the most part, there are however some annoying aspects, like not being able to plan anything at all. You can't take part in anything that has a regular schedule..
I guess there go my plans for the fall. I was really hoping to find a 9-5 job. I was looking forward to one. I guess it'll have to wait. Or maybe i'll find a new job. I'm still going to keep looking for new jobs.
It's kind of weird though that sense of not really being in a place for the long term.
I hope to find a great internship for next summer, so if you know of any ideas or places to look, keep me in the loop
June 28, 2006
June 27, 2006
In honour of having posted more than 100 times
I've posted over 100 times to this blog already. It seems to have gone by so fast, the last year.
I can hardly believe all the things that have happened. It always seems to be like that, while life is going on so many changes seem to happen. It's often also hard to pinpoint exactly when those catalyst moments arrive that change everything.
The big decisions are the obvious ones, the choice of university, the graduation from high school, getting married, your first child ...etc
But often life is in the little moments in between and it's been nice to record them here on this blog. I have blogged before a little bit. In fact it was before the word blog was even really in the conciousness of the world. It's hard to believe that sometimes.
I've enjoyed posting here and even though it's been a bit erratic over the last little while so has my life, all sorts of ups and downs. I'm still waiting for the stability that comes with a 9-5 job, so i guess until then, i'll keep you posted!
I can hardly believe all the things that have happened. It always seems to be like that, while life is going on so many changes seem to happen. It's often also hard to pinpoint exactly when those catalyst moments arrive that change everything.
The big decisions are the obvious ones, the choice of university, the graduation from high school, getting married, your first child ...etc
But often life is in the little moments in between and it's been nice to record them here on this blog. I have blogged before a little bit. In fact it was before the word blog was even really in the conciousness of the world. It's hard to believe that sometimes.
I've enjoyed posting here and even though it's been a bit erratic over the last little while so has my life, all sorts of ups and downs. I'm still waiting for the stability that comes with a 9-5 job, so i guess until then, i'll keep you posted!
June 24, 2006
June 22, 2006
Some good news
I got a job interview, actually I had two. The phone calls were only minutes apart. It seems that I have finally found a situation that might work for me.
I won't jinx it and mention any specifics on this site, but suffice to say I am now much happier about my prospects than I have been for a while. Both are offering full time hours so i'm quite optimistic that sometime next week I may be gainfully employed!
I always remember that phrase, because in my first job after i was in university, when i went back home in the summer, the secretary who was nominally my boss, used to always ask if I was gainfully employed. SHe joked about it often, asking if I was being kept busy in the job (mostly because she knew I wasn't)
Anyways I think even if I don't get either position, I am happy for the experience of going through interviews, and also it means i am getting somewhere. I think that's been one of the hardest things over the past couple of weeks, i've put in 20 or so applications, and no interviews, not even hearing back from people. It starts to get to you.
Things are looking better now..
I won't jinx it and mention any specifics on this site, but suffice to say I am now much happier about my prospects than I have been for a while. Both are offering full time hours so i'm quite optimistic that sometime next week I may be gainfully employed!
I always remember that phrase, because in my first job after i was in university, when i went back home in the summer, the secretary who was nominally my boss, used to always ask if I was gainfully employed. SHe joked about it often, asking if I was being kept busy in the job (mostly because she knew I wasn't)
Anyways I think even if I don't get either position, I am happy for the experience of going through interviews, and also it means i am getting somewhere. I think that's been one of the hardest things over the past couple of weeks, i've put in 20 or so applications, and no interviews, not even hearing back from people. It starts to get to you.
Things are looking better now..
June 20, 2006
A little bit too much Al Gore
Well I went to go see An Inconvenient Truth and while the laying out of the facts supporting global warming was a nice change from the debates we usually have about climate change, there was a bit too much Al Gore in this movie for me.
He goes from his climate change slide-show to him talking about losing the election to Bush, his father's decision to stop growing tobacco because his daughter (Al Gore's sister) dying from smoking. It also features a lot about how he has been obsessed with climate change since his university days.
It really does come off as genuine, but the personal nature of it, means that suggestions about the political motivations of the movie can't be completely refuted.
All in all though a thought provoking movie about what we are doing to the planet. I liked the credits, which showed tons of easy ways to reduce the impact we as individuals have on the planet. (Even if that will not be enough to completely solve the problem)
Another interesting movie that's coming out and had a preview there, waswho killed the electric car? should be another good movie
He goes from his climate change slide-show to him talking about losing the election to Bush, his father's decision to stop growing tobacco because his daughter (Al Gore's sister) dying from smoking. It also features a lot about how he has been obsessed with climate change since his university days.
It really does come off as genuine, but the personal nature of it, means that suggestions about the political motivations of the movie can't be completely refuted.
All in all though a thought provoking movie about what we are doing to the planet. I liked the credits, which showed tons of easy ways to reduce the impact we as individuals have on the planet. (Even if that will not be enough to completely solve the problem)
Another interesting movie that's coming out and had a preview there, waswho killed the electric car? should be another good movie
June 19, 2006
A bit of Irony
It's kind of ironic what i'm reading right now. I'm reading The end of Work by Jeremy Rifkin. Interesting book!
It looks at the impacts of automation and technology and how they destroy jobs. You can well andtruly see it today everywhere you look. The interesting thing, which he correctly notes is that the impatcs are largest in the service sector. Think about how many companies are moving to automated phone systems with their infuriating tree-like systems. If you want this press 1, if you want this press 2...
Having worked in a bank I remarked several times about how we were encouraged to tell people how they could not come into a bank and do their transactions online, or by phone. Essentially we were in the process of destroying our jobs.
There now seem to be increased levels of structural unemployment and this could have truly disastrous consequences.
The irony of course, is that I picked up this book, while on my to date unsuccessful search for a job. I hope this will turn around soon, but I really haven't had much luck so far.
It looks at the impacts of automation and technology and how they destroy jobs. You can well andtruly see it today everywhere you look. The interesting thing, which he correctly notes is that the impatcs are largest in the service sector. Think about how many companies are moving to automated phone systems with their infuriating tree-like systems. If you want this press 1, if you want this press 2...
Having worked in a bank I remarked several times about how we were encouraged to tell people how they could not come into a bank and do their transactions online, or by phone. Essentially we were in the process of destroying our jobs.
There now seem to be increased levels of structural unemployment and this could have truly disastrous consequences.
The irony of course, is that I picked up this book, while on my to date unsuccessful search for a job. I hope this will turn around soon, but I really haven't had much luck so far.
June 13, 2006
I have finally succumbed...
I have succumbed to the idea of going to a temp agency. I went and filled out the form and gave them my resume today. I'm not sure exactly why I have been so against going to a temp agency, but I don't really like the whole idea.
I think it's a bit silly how much the government relies on these agencies, ostensibly to save on their wage bill, but really I think it is to become more 'flexible'. I find this idea of wage flexibility so ridiculously anti-labour and anti-people for a number of reasons. I realize that to an extent the pressures of flexibility are due to technological change, and also to the increasing individualism of our age, but I still don't like it.
I'm somewhat of a luddite I suppose, in the common usage of the term. I think however that I am more someone who questions the value of technology, and the values associated with it. I think in so many ways we fail to realize the impacts of technology. Now some of these can be predicted others not, but it is important to understand the process of technology's social impacts.
I also noticed how little control workers have these days. I was in the bank today, and it seemed that every second transaction needed the approval of a manager. There seems to be so little discretion given to the individual tellers anymore. I worked in a bank and you can see how much of an impact the computerization has had, it forces you to deal in a very limited and specific mannger with each transaction. Anything different from the prescribed method 'fails to compute'. The funny thing though, is that any hope of increased accountability due to these change,collapses when faced with reality. Each time the manager or supervisor had to authorize anything, they gave it a cursory glance, barely enough time to even understand the transaction let alone review it, and then gave authorization.
Well sorry i got off track just there, anyways back to the job hunt. I just hope I fidn something soon. I'm at the point where I may just have to take anything that comes my way, not something i'm really looking forward to. I've sent in several applications over the last week or so, so hopefully I can get to the interview stage and move on from there.
I hope the temp agency will pull through and find me something
I think it's a bit silly how much the government relies on these agencies, ostensibly to save on their wage bill, but really I think it is to become more 'flexible'. I find this idea of wage flexibility so ridiculously anti-labour and anti-people for a number of reasons. I realize that to an extent the pressures of flexibility are due to technological change, and also to the increasing individualism of our age, but I still don't like it.
I'm somewhat of a luddite I suppose, in the common usage of the term. I think however that I am more someone who questions the value of technology, and the values associated with it. I think in so many ways we fail to realize the impacts of technology. Now some of these can be predicted others not, but it is important to understand the process of technology's social impacts.
I also noticed how little control workers have these days. I was in the bank today, and it seemed that every second transaction needed the approval of a manager. There seems to be so little discretion given to the individual tellers anymore. I worked in a bank and you can see how much of an impact the computerization has had, it forces you to deal in a very limited and specific mannger with each transaction. Anything different from the prescribed method 'fails to compute'. The funny thing though, is that any hope of increased accountability due to these change,collapses when faced with reality. Each time the manager or supervisor had to authorize anything, they gave it a cursory glance, barely enough time to even understand the transaction let alone review it, and then gave authorization.
Well sorry i got off track just there, anyways back to the job hunt. I just hope I fidn something soon. I'm at the point where I may just have to take anything that comes my way, not something i'm really looking forward to. I've sent in several applications over the last week or so, so hopefully I can get to the interview stage and move on from there.
I hope the temp agency will pull through and find me something
June 07, 2006
Bored in Ottawa
Well I am still looking for a job. I think i'll have to hit the streets and start taking a more active approach to looking for jobs. As much as everyone hates looking for jobs, searching online is much easier i suppose for those who already have jobs, but for those at home it really sucks.
I hate the whole process of passwords and usernames that I can never seem to remember after creating them about a dozen times a day. Trying to paste your resume into their stupid screens and waiting for some kind of response.
It sucks!!!
I will probably start taking a more active approach sometime next week. Not sure exactly what i'll do but it'll be something to keep me busy. Whenever you next see a man dressed in a suit on the corner with a sandwhich board advertising that he'll work for food or something, watch out it may just be me. Maybe that would work better than what i've done so far
I hate the whole process of passwords and usernames that I can never seem to remember after creating them about a dozen times a day. Trying to paste your resume into their stupid screens and waiting for some kind of response.
It sucks!!!
I will probably start taking a more active approach sometime next week. Not sure exactly what i'll do but it'll be something to keep me busy. Whenever you next see a man dressed in a suit on the corner with a sandwhich board advertising that he'll work for food or something, watch out it may just be me. Maybe that would work better than what i've done so far
June 03, 2006
Losing one's sense of Canada
I have heard this a few times recently (from a few friends, and then on the cover of The Walrus), that since the conservatives have come to power, that they feel that the Canada they knew is disappearing. Now I would hope this wasn't simply partisanship. I know some of the people tend to be Liberal supporters, and of course the Walrus seems to be an NDP magazine. If anyone dares link being Canadian, to being a Liberal again, I think I will puke. We may see that slogan come out in the next election campaign.
I heard one of the people describe it as a sense that we are becoming more individualistic, and less community oriented. Now that's a critique that has been appearing for a long time.
My basic problem with such a statement, is that it remains undefined, it's merely a criticism that says, i don't like the conservative government, and i don't know why.
Now I will freely admit that for the moment I am very impressed with the Harper government, I am somewhat conservative, in the more tradition bound sense of the word, but until recently (as in since the last election) I would never have even thought of voting for the Conervatives. I may be naive in supporting the conservatives for the moment I freely admit.
However my problem is that many of what the new government is doing, is exactly the same or extremely similar to what the Liberals have been doing. The Liberal problem with the tax cuts, was they didn't go far enough on the income tax side , and that a GST cut is useless. What kind of criticism is that?
I don't buy this argument, I think it's bogus, and until someone defines it for me, i'm not listening to it anymore
I heard one of the people describe it as a sense that we are becoming more individualistic, and less community oriented. Now that's a critique that has been appearing for a long time.
My basic problem with such a statement, is that it remains undefined, it's merely a criticism that says, i don't like the conservative government, and i don't know why.
Now I will freely admit that for the moment I am very impressed with the Harper government, I am somewhat conservative, in the more tradition bound sense of the word, but until recently (as in since the last election) I would never have even thought of voting for the Conervatives. I may be naive in supporting the conservatives for the moment I freely admit.
However my problem is that many of what the new government is doing, is exactly the same or extremely similar to what the Liberals have been doing. The Liberal problem with the tax cuts, was they didn't go far enough on the income tax side , and that a GST cut is useless. What kind of criticism is that?
I don't buy this argument, I think it's bogus, and until someone defines it for me, i'm not listening to it anymore
June 01, 2006
I'm trying to get back into a regular update mode for this website. Things are good here, my girlfriend has taken off for work for the week, although she should be back tomorrow.
Haven't been up to a whole lot lately, dreaming about my new computer, waiting to hear about jobs. I spent last night with some friends from my old work, it really was a blast. I also learned some rather disturbing news involving colleagues. I guess you realy don't know everything about the people you work with. Nor would you want to I suppose.
Thats all for now.
Haven't been up to a whole lot lately, dreaming about my new computer, waiting to hear about jobs. I spent last night with some friends from my old work, it really was a blast. I also learned some rather disturbing news involving colleagues. I guess you realy don't know everything about the people you work with. Nor would you want to I suppose.
Thats all for now.
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