What A Palaver!

Well, as you can see from the snowman my daughter and her friend made, we still have lots of snow here. Despite that we were back to work today after 2 days off, even though it's colder and it's started snowing again. The boss thinks we'll be back to normal tomorrow. I have my doubts! Anyway, another two days and I'm finished. I did have another interview this afternoon though, so hopefully some good news tomorrow. I need it after the spell I've had lately.

I've probably said this before, but it's amazing how the infrastructure in the UK collapses as soon as there's any amount of snow. I was watching the news and some very bemused travellers from Denmark wondering why they can't travel in this country, when they were able to go about as normal back home and in much worse conditions. There is no obvious reason. I'm sure that 150 years ago, people would have carried on as normal with little fuss, so something has obviously changed in our mindset since then. Clearly our transport network is vastly inferior and unsuitable, but I think it's about attitude as well.

If you are reading this in another country, you may be surprised to hear that many UK citizens really hate their work. It's probably the same elsewhere, but employees here, are in the main really treated with a great deal of diresepect. Quite often the threat of being made redundant is held over you to force you to do tasks way outside your job remit, to work unpaid overtime and to get little or no recognition for what you do. That I beleive is the main reason for so many sick days in this country and as an extension of that, the perfect excuse not to make it into work as soon as there's an inch of snow on the ground!!!

Snow Go!

So, we have almost a foot of snow here right now. I haven't seen it so bad since the day I got married, almost 18 years ago. My back's still bad as well, so I'm having a quite miserable time at the moment. I got some anti-inflammatory tablets, but the side-effects were almost as bad as the reason for taking them, so I gave up on them after 3 days. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to go anywhere and that's a major problem when there's a shortage of food in the house. Anyhow, I did manage to go to the local supermarket this morning, but my back was hurting pretty bad the whole time, worse than normal.

I think I can see a pattern emerging in the weather. The last three Summer's here have all been wash-outs, no real extended nice spells and last Winter was our worst for a long time. This one is already making last year's look ordinary. Things are definitely changing. Where it's all heading though, we can't know for certain. Maybe it's better that we don't know. All I can say is, global warming is only making Scotland's climate worse as far as I've seen.

So far this Winter is the Winter of my discontent. I've had failed interviews, a bad back, time off my work which I won't get paid for, and soon enough I will be out of work. I'm not really sure which way to go next. I have ideas obviously, but more than likely something will turn up, as some Dickens character played by David Jason on TV once said.

Down, but not out!

Well, yesterday I went for my third failed job interview since August and I'm starting to get a bit demoralised. My present position ends next week and I haven't manged to line up another job yet. To compound matters, when I woke up yesterday, I had a sore back for no apparent reason and it only got worse as the day wore on. As a result, I'm not in work today, and I don't get paid for being off, even with a legitimate reason. So, I know it's not the end of the World, but I think I can be excused for feeling a bit down right now.

As for the interviews... I don't think I'm actually doing that much wrong. In this line of work the motto "It's not what you know, but who you know" certainly seems applicable. I can tell you for a fact, that in one of the aforementioned interviews, I was getting negative vibes right from the start, as though they wanted it over and done with, they already had their employee. That was not a pleasant interview. There were other factors too, like a distinct lack of follow-on questions, which gave me the impression that I was bashing my head against a brick-wall!

Basically, I'm heading down a blind alley. I still have a few options, but time is running out. I was promised great things when I started, but thanks to the "present financial climate", everything has been turned upside-down. Sure, I'm not the only one that's worried about the future, but it's different when It's actually happening to you!!!

Spesh Ops!

I know that Call of Duty: Black Ops is the big thing in gaming right now and if I was a teenager I'd probably be playing it all of the time just like my own son is. However, you might have noticed that I've been messing around making some comic strips recently and I've decided to do a mickey-take of Black Ops for my latest venture. Somebody had to! Three pages no less as well....

Click on each page to view full size. If you like it, then please leave a comment!

Weeds

Here's another cartoon strip I made. It might make you think of Summer hopefully, because it's freezing here right now!!!

Click to view full size

War of the Animals!

Thought I'd have a go at making a comic strip. Here is my first attempt. Mickey Mouse (now sadly walking with Jesus and Walt) relates his version of animals' struggle for survival.

Click to view full size

The Winds of Change!

So it turns out that my prospects are possibly not as bleak as I first anticapted they would be on receipt of the news that my current employment would be coming to an end at the start of December. When I received the news, there appeared to be little chance of securing alternative employ before that time. Now, I have at least three good possibilities on my horizon. Of those three, two are posts I was interested in before. One I tried for, but narrowly missed out on and now it's up for grabs again. Another of the posts, I wasn't allowed to apply for (an internal vacancy), but now they have opened it up to a broader group of individuals and I am free to apply.

I do have a preference of the three and I would quite willingly give up my present position for it anyway, so the whole debacle may well end up proving beneficial to me, despite the way I've been treated. Things have been going well at work anyhow. Many of my colleagues have sided with me, so management have really cast themsleves in an unfavourable light because of the way they have handled it all. They've shown themselves as untrustworthy, ruthless and corrupt. Maybe those are the traits required for higher management. In this case however, none of it was necessary.

So basically, at the start of December I should be starting a new job, or I will be unemployed. Either way, I'll be happy to leave where I'm at right now. When you feel like your superiors are plotting and scheming against you, it makes things uncomfortable to say the least. Then, when you discover that your concerns are well founded, then it makes your position untenable. That's where I find myself right now. I'm looking forward to a fresh start, but I've learned a valuable lesson, be careful who you trust!

Glen Ey

On Sunday, after the clocks went back, the wife and I decided to head to Glen Ey near Braemar for a spot of cycling, hiking and steep uphill walking (not climbing, it was hardly that). It started off bright and we began with a 12km or so cycle in, mainly on a gentle uphill. After that it was largely cross-country to reach Beinn Iutharn Mhor. It was quite a steep pull up the flank of the hill and it took us a while to reach the top. It wasn't too cold except for when rounding the corrie, where our faces were numb with the updraft.

Beinn Iutharn Mhor

Beinn Iutharn Mhor up the Ey Burn and beyond Altanour Lodge ruins

Odd rock

Looking down Glen Ey to Morrone

Loch nan Eun and Gleann Taitneach

Approaching the summit of Beinn Iutharn Mhor

From the summit we made our way down into the corrie where it was easiest to descend and then faced a crossing over some very inhospitable terrain for a few kilometres; bog, peat haughs, mud etc. It was pretty bad.  Eventually we pulled up onto the ridge at the other side though and it wasn't far to the top of the second Munro of the day: Carn Bhac. There were great views of the Cairngorms from here, all browns and greys as the hills are now wearing their Winter plumage!

Beinn a'Ghlo

Carn Bhac

The Cairngorms

The walk back down to the bikes was again through wild country, no paths, plenty of mud and water though. It seemed like such a long trudge and the rain came on a bit before we even reached the bikes. The ride back was much easier, mostly downhill and took about half the time of the ride in. 15 minutes after getting back to the car, it was dark. It seemed to come on all of a sudden. What a difference putting the clocks back an hour makes!

Going Out!

Well it's pretty cold and windy here right now, but I've decided to take advantage of a possible window of opportunity and head out on the hills tomorrow. The wind is going to drop significantly the foreacst claims, although it will still be close to freezing higher up. I'm hoping to bag 2 Munros, which will take my tally for this year to 28. I made 29 last year and 31 the year before, which was my first year hill-walking. Depending on several factors, I may get another chance to go out before the year's end and make it 30 for this year. That would be nice!

Not that the annual amount is really that important. I just feel that I need to sustain a reasonable figure in order to be able to complete within 10 years. Yes, that's 10 years in total to climb all of the Munros in Scotland. That's my projected total time required to achieve such a feat. Well, there are 283 Munros spread all across the country and there is a lot of travelling involved. That's probably the worst part. I don't like having to drive for extended periods, especially not before a long walk. You do tend to stiffen up a bit enroute.

I've been thinking about which Munro I would like to be my 100th. It will probably be May/June next year before I reach that figure, but I'd like to tackle one of the scarier ones like An Teallach or Liathach for the event. Some people might suggest that those aren't scary hills, but I'm no climber, just an ordinary walker and I've seen pictures of them which have scared the hell out of me. Quite often though, in reality, they aren't nearly as bad as you tend to imagine. That said though, the Lancet Edge in the Ben Alder group gave me a couple of cheek-clenching moments and it's considered quite tame.

Marching Orders!

What a frustrating time. I'm getting booted out of my job, but I have to work for another month. It's humiliating really. "We don't want you here anymore, but you can't leave until we say so!" Leave me some dignity please! It is fairly ridiculous anyway. The reason I'm being edged out as far as I can tell, is mainly owing to my superior knowledge over my superior. Do you get that? His background lies elsewhere and my ability to make his lack of knowledge plain for all to see is clearly more than he can live with on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, I had to be disposed of! He laso has the ear of the boss, while the boss also fears the complexity of what I do and together their child-like ignorance in their interpretation of what it is I do has caused them to desire my no longer doing it.

That being said, if I'd had the chance I would have left before now anyway. I could see which way the wind was blowing. A general dumbing-down has been brought into play, which is clearly a necessary coping mechanism for those with the minds of children. I wanted out before they got me out and now I only have a month to find alternative employment. Unfortunately, I have to keep working during that period when I'd rather be using the time to look for a suitable post. I'm hopeful that I'll find something, but if I don't, well it's not the end of the World. I've suffered worse and survived. Anyway, I'm a firm beliver in "what goes around comes around", so those that shafted me ought in turn be shafted themselves. The sooner and the harder, the better!