It's been a few days since I have posted.
My OT went in without incident, and I enjoyed my day off on Fri even though I was up at the same time as normal as I had to be in Edinburgh for 1030.
My christmas thing in Edinburgh was interesting and fun, and we finally got in about 1800 on Fri night, after a Take-Away and some TV it was off to bed as I was up for work on Sat. We'd watched the Thomas Bettie Documentary, originally aired on Thurs on c4.
It was exceptionally interesting. Thomas is a brave man: for carrying a child; for challanging peoples perception of gender and gender roles and for doing so in public, exposing himself and his family to torrents of abuse. I wish Thomas, his wife and children (Thomas was pregnent again at the time the c4 team left him) all the best for the future.
Apart from that, I've been working away. Thankfully work has calmed down this week as it gets closer to Christmas and people realise they prob won't have time to order and get things delivered before the big day! As a result, OT in my department has be drastically scaled back, which is causing a rucus with everyone but me. I'm duel trained, and the other department is crying out for extra staff, so I'm getting my OT through there. . . . lucky me
Monday 15 December 2008
Wednesday 10 December 2008
So it's Wednesday and I have just about finished my working week, though I'm doing OT tomorrow.
I'm doing OT for 2 reasons, the first is that this job simply doesn't pay a livable wage without putting in some OT every now and then, and secondly the company I work for is offering a bonus for working more than a certain number of OT hours over the festive period, so now seemed like a good time to chuck some OT in. The result of which is that I am working 6 day weeks over the next 2 weeks, working 10 - 12 hours a day in order to get in the number of hours I need to in order to qualify for the bonus, so I am absolutetly exhausted.
Sunday was our "Team night out", and we went for a meal at an Indian. The meal was nice, but I was a bit disappointed that more of the team didn't turn out for it, in the end there was only just over a 1/3 of us there. However, the meal was a nice 3 course meal, and the service was excellent. The conversation (and the booze) flowed and a good time was had by all, I particularly enjoyed the chance to speak to those of my colleagues I don't often get a chance to speak to.
The meal finished, and the decision was made to go to the pub, so I made my excuses and went home - it was 1030 and I was working in the morning.
The next day, I arrived at the office for my new start time of 0800, to find that I was the only person in the office looking even remotely fresh faced, and unhungover. One of my colleagues had not even made it into work, and finally appeared an hour and 45 mins later after a phone call. He didn't know where he had woken up or how he had got there, but he thought he'd probably had a good night.
Perhaps predicatably, the last 2 days have been spent sorting out the petty little squabbles that too much drink will cause, but thankfully it seems to have died down now.
My next christmas night out is on Friday, and as it's aimed at young people, there will be no alcohol. Hopefully it will be my last this festive season, I need a break . . .
I'm doing OT for 2 reasons, the first is that this job simply doesn't pay a livable wage without putting in some OT every now and then, and secondly the company I work for is offering a bonus for working more than a certain number of OT hours over the festive period, so now seemed like a good time to chuck some OT in. The result of which is that I am working 6 day weeks over the next 2 weeks, working 10 - 12 hours a day in order to get in the number of hours I need to in order to qualify for the bonus, so I am absolutetly exhausted.
Sunday was our "Team night out", and we went for a meal at an Indian. The meal was nice, but I was a bit disappointed that more of the team didn't turn out for it, in the end there was only just over a 1/3 of us there. However, the meal was a nice 3 course meal, and the service was excellent. The conversation (and the booze) flowed and a good time was had by all, I particularly enjoyed the chance to speak to those of my colleagues I don't often get a chance to speak to.
The meal finished, and the decision was made to go to the pub, so I made my excuses and went home - it was 1030 and I was working in the morning.
The next day, I arrived at the office for my new start time of 0800, to find that I was the only person in the office looking even remotely fresh faced, and unhungover. One of my colleagues had not even made it into work, and finally appeared an hour and 45 mins later after a phone call. He didn't know where he had woken up or how he had got there, but he thought he'd probably had a good night.
Perhaps predicatably, the last 2 days have been spent sorting out the petty little squabbles that too much drink will cause, but thankfully it seems to have died down now.
My next christmas night out is on Friday, and as it's aimed at young people, there will be no alcohol. Hopefully it will be my last this festive season, I need a break . . .
Monday 8 December 2008
So, a bit of history on me. I am a 24 year old guy, living in Dundee, and working in a call centre. I live with my partner, who I have been with for the passed year (and 2 months), and until recently we shared our flat with a flatmate.
On Thursday our flatmate moved out, so on Fri my partner and I (we both had the day off work) cleaned our flat. After 10 hours of cleaning, moving and sorting out, our flat was tidier, more organised and more homily.
Ok, so 10 hours makes it sound like we are minks, and had months worth of pizza boxes and assorted takeaway containers to throw out which isn't true. It took us 10 hours because we attacked it with the view that it would take as long as it takes, and we might aswell make the experience as pleasent as possible, and also take our time and do a good job. So we did . . . .
Saturday was spent finishing up the bits and pieces we couldn't be bothered doing the night before, shopping, and cooking. I was cooking because we had the In-Laws for dinner on Sat night. Sat night went welll, and the dinner I cooked seemed to go down well.
Sunday was back to work.
Work is pretty much the same as it always is, with each day being a "Groundhog Day". Still I've applied for another couple of jobs this week so hopefully I'll have something more interesting to blog about work wise
On Thursday our flatmate moved out, so on Fri my partner and I (we both had the day off work) cleaned our flat. After 10 hours of cleaning, moving and sorting out, our flat was tidier, more organised and more homily.
Ok, so 10 hours makes it sound like we are minks, and had months worth of pizza boxes and assorted takeaway containers to throw out which isn't true. It took us 10 hours because we attacked it with the view that it would take as long as it takes, and we might aswell make the experience as pleasent as possible, and also take our time and do a good job. So we did . . . .
Saturday was spent finishing up the bits and pieces we couldn't be bothered doing the night before, shopping, and cooking. I was cooking because we had the In-Laws for dinner on Sat night. Sat night went welll, and the dinner I cooked seemed to go down well.
Sunday was back to work.
Work is pretty much the same as it always is, with each day being a "Groundhog Day". Still I've applied for another couple of jobs this week so hopefully I'll have something more interesting to blog about work wise
Monday 1 December 2008
Snow, Christmas and consumerism
So yet again I am in the office at a stupidly early time of the morning. It's 0730 and pitch black outside, I've been up since 0600, and in work since 0700.
As I mentioned above, it's pitch black outside, it's also snowing so it's freezing and slippy. To top it off the bus I was going for this morning didn't show up, and I had to wait for the next one. Not happy.
Got into work to another busy day. They don't even seem that busy anymore, as christmas appoaches they're becoming standard. Personally I've never understood the frenzy that christmas manages to generate in people.
Once, perhaps, it reminded us of the spirit of giving, and being nive to one another, but these days it seems more like the holiday of deliberate self indulgence. We spend more money than we have, eat more food than we need, and drink more than is good for us. In my family anyway, no thanks is given for our luck, for the warmth we're sitting in, for the food we have to eat, the presents we have recived.
I guess it irks my social responsiblity bone. I can't help but feel guilty and angry. With thousands, millions even, in the world living in poverty I can't even begin to imagine how can we justify indulging our greed like that? You possibly think I refer simply to those overseas, in drought, famine and civil war ridden pockets of Africa, and Asia, but the truth is we see poverty in Scotland too.
In addition, I dislike the build up to christmas from a work point of view. This will be the 3rd christmas I have worked in a call centre over the festive period, and this will be the 3rd year that I have people hysterically crying down the phone that I have "ruined their christmas" because their turkey had gibblets in it, or we failed to deliver the Yorkshire puddings. This year I imagine myself getting called all sorts of grinch related names as I phone people to cancel thier order in the run up to christmas.
I feel like reminding these people of the single mother down the road from me, who can barely afford to feed her kids at the best of times, and now must be lying in bed at night, awake with worry about how to "afford christmas" as a result of the expectations society has placed on her, and filled her kids with. Or the people in Darfur, who are grateful to just be alive, and would like enough to eat, maybe some protection from their abusers, maybe they wish to just go home, or to have the loved ones they've lost back.
I'm ranting so I will draw this to conclusion: For chirstmas all I want is a nice day, with the people I love. I don't need, or want presents, and will be urging those who may be inclinded to give me one to donate the money to a charity of my choosing. I'd like to believe that this blog will encourage others to do the same but if not then I hope you, dear reader, spare a thought for those less lucky than you this christmas, and keep the season in perspective.
As I mentioned above, it's pitch black outside, it's also snowing so it's freezing and slippy. To top it off the bus I was going for this morning didn't show up, and I had to wait for the next one. Not happy.
Got into work to another busy day. They don't even seem that busy anymore, as christmas appoaches they're becoming standard. Personally I've never understood the frenzy that christmas manages to generate in people.
Once, perhaps, it reminded us of the spirit of giving, and being nive to one another, but these days it seems more like the holiday of deliberate self indulgence. We spend more money than we have, eat more food than we need, and drink more than is good for us. In my family anyway, no thanks is given for our luck, for the warmth we're sitting in, for the food we have to eat, the presents we have recived.
I guess it irks my social responsiblity bone. I can't help but feel guilty and angry. With thousands, millions even, in the world living in poverty I can't even begin to imagine how can we justify indulging our greed like that? You possibly think I refer simply to those overseas, in drought, famine and civil war ridden pockets of Africa, and Asia, but the truth is we see poverty in Scotland too.
In addition, I dislike the build up to christmas from a work point of view. This will be the 3rd christmas I have worked in a call centre over the festive period, and this will be the 3rd year that I have people hysterically crying down the phone that I have "ruined their christmas" because their turkey had gibblets in it, or we failed to deliver the Yorkshire puddings. This year I imagine myself getting called all sorts of grinch related names as I phone people to cancel thier order in the run up to christmas.
I feel like reminding these people of the single mother down the road from me, who can barely afford to feed her kids at the best of times, and now must be lying in bed at night, awake with worry about how to "afford christmas" as a result of the expectations society has placed on her, and filled her kids with. Or the people in Darfur, who are grateful to just be alive, and would like enough to eat, maybe some protection from their abusers, maybe they wish to just go home, or to have the loved ones they've lost back.
I'm ranting so I will draw this to conclusion: For chirstmas all I want is a nice day, with the people I love. I don't need, or want presents, and will be urging those who may be inclinded to give me one to donate the money to a charity of my choosing. I'd like to believe that this blog will encourage others to do the same but if not then I hope you, dear reader, spare a thought for those less lucky than you this christmas, and keep the season in perspective.
Work (again)
So, having spent all weekend at work, it's now Monday and I'm exhausted.
Yesterday morning (Sun) I started work at 0800, which usually means a welcome extra hour in bed on Sat night. However, yesterday we (my partner and I) had forgotten to change the alarm clock, and the alarm went off at 0545 as normal, since I was desiring my extra hour in bed I asked my partner to change the alarm to give me the extra hour. I awoke to see the time on the clock showing "0750". Suddenly I was more awake then I thought possible for that time of a Sun morning. Within 10 mins, I was dressed, and on my way down to meet my taxi.
When arriving at work, I realised the time, rather than being 0805, was infact 0705. My partner had changed the time on the clock, not the alarm, and I was now 55mins early for work, havinfg spent £6 getting to work, for no reason. Even worse, had they set the alarm properly I would be waking nicely right about the time I got my first coffee at work.
Not a good start to the day.
Thankfully, work progressed in the same way shifts in this place will do, which is exactly the same as the day before. We were busy but the deadline was met, and the bosses seemed happy.
After work, I got the bus home (no need for a taxi this time) and went home to make burgers with my partner, whilst I ripped the mick for earliers mistake.
Only 4 days till my day off, but at least I have Sat off this week :)
Yesterday morning (Sun) I started work at 0800, which usually means a welcome extra hour in bed on Sat night. However, yesterday we (my partner and I) had forgotten to change the alarm clock, and the alarm went off at 0545 as normal, since I was desiring my extra hour in bed I asked my partner to change the alarm to give me the extra hour. I awoke to see the time on the clock showing "0750". Suddenly I was more awake then I thought possible for that time of a Sun morning. Within 10 mins, I was dressed, and on my way down to meet my taxi.
When arriving at work, I realised the time, rather than being 0805, was infact 0705. My partner had changed the time on the clock, not the alarm, and I was now 55mins early for work, havinfg spent £6 getting to work, for no reason. Even worse, had they set the alarm properly I would be waking nicely right about the time I got my first coffee at work.
Not a good start to the day.
Thankfully, work progressed in the same way shifts in this place will do, which is exactly the same as the day before. We were busy but the deadline was met, and the bosses seemed happy.
After work, I got the bus home (no need for a taxi this time) and went home to make burgers with my partner, whilst I ripped the mick for earliers mistake.
Only 4 days till my day off, but at least I have Sat off this week :)
Friday 28 November 2008
Introductions
So, it's 0725 on a Sat morning, and Im in the office, having started at 0700. Why? I hear you ask, I bet you have an important job. Well no, not really, unfortunately I don't work for the emergancy services, or on any matter of national security, I work in a call centre.
For those of you who are fortunate enough to have never needed to work in such an establishment, allow me to describe it for you:
The building is split into 3 levels, each with 2/3 "floor", "floors" being the areas where the work is done. Each floor contains rows and rows of desk, each with 4 computers, and telephones. The walls are white, the lighting is bright and stripped, and the desks devoid of any personal possessions. Within the building we also have a canteen, serving grease filled rubbish at a knock down price, a "games" room with a pool table, and numerous coffee machines, dispensing much needed caffine to the workforce.
A number of jobs get done in our centre, which is the Customer Service Contact Centre for a major supermarket chain, which simply means that we handle all complaints mande to "head office" regardless of the method of complaint.
My job at the centre (at the moment anyway), is fraud prevention. I security check orders to establish as far as possible that they are genuine before we take payment and dispatch the goods. If it sounds like it could be remotely interesting, I have given it more credit than it deserves. As with most call centre jobs, my job doesn't really require thinking very often, and the system is largely automated, requiring me to input data, and call the customer if we are failing the order. All of which is repetitive and not very sitimulating.
So why am I at work at 0730 on a Sat morning? Well the short answer is, thats my shift. 0700 - 1530 Sat - Wed. The long story is that we have a daily dealine of 1300 to have checked all the orders we need to check, and having staff in at 0700 is the only way we can make that deadline.
So, as you may have gathered I don't like my job, so it probably doesn't surprise you to learn I am looking for something else. In particular, I want to work with the emergancy services, who do an invaluable job, and whose hard work and professionalism is an insipration.
For those of you who are fortunate enough to have never needed to work in such an establishment, allow me to describe it for you:
The building is split into 3 levels, each with 2/3 "floor", "floors" being the areas where the work is done. Each floor contains rows and rows of desk, each with 4 computers, and telephones. The walls are white, the lighting is bright and stripped, and the desks devoid of any personal possessions. Within the building we also have a canteen, serving grease filled rubbish at a knock down price, a "games" room with a pool table, and numerous coffee machines, dispensing much needed caffine to the workforce.
A number of jobs get done in our centre, which is the Customer Service Contact Centre for a major supermarket chain, which simply means that we handle all complaints mande to "head office" regardless of the method of complaint.
My job at the centre (at the moment anyway), is fraud prevention. I security check orders to establish as far as possible that they are genuine before we take payment and dispatch the goods. If it sounds like it could be remotely interesting, I have given it more credit than it deserves. As with most call centre jobs, my job doesn't really require thinking very often, and the system is largely automated, requiring me to input data, and call the customer if we are failing the order. All of which is repetitive and not very sitimulating.
So why am I at work at 0730 on a Sat morning? Well the short answer is, thats my shift. 0700 - 1530 Sat - Wed. The long story is that we have a daily dealine of 1300 to have checked all the orders we need to check, and having staff in at 0700 is the only way we can make that deadline.
So, as you may have gathered I don't like my job, so it probably doesn't surprise you to learn I am looking for something else. In particular, I want to work with the emergancy services, who do an invaluable job, and whose hard work and professionalism is an insipration.
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