London Calling

Further to this post, I went down to London (travelling first class on company expenses, woohoo) for a 3 day course last week.

It was very intensive, all about self-awareness, self-development and career progression. I probably didn't network as much as I should have, keeping to the people who I work with but as I don't work with them on a daily basis, I got to know them a lot better. I also got to chat to various members of the senior leadership team, including our CEO, who is one sassy lady (and into 'Breaking Bad'!)

The second evening we were there ended up being a big night - fortunately, I slowed down my drinking but rolled into bed at 3am. My friend SW didn't get in til 4.30am so you can imagine what we were like at 9am the next morning - I was seriously falling asleep!

All in all, it was a good experience and I took some useful hints away with me and found out about myself and how I 'tick' at work (sort of).

Now we have a project to complete in 4 months, on top of our normal day jobs.

Plus I'm still catching up after my annual leave.

A few more early mornings methinks :-(

On a lighter note, I made the most of the hotel freebies:

6 To Go

100 Happy Days - Day 94:  New offices are nice, if a little cramped, and I'm liking my new desk layout.

However, I do wish I could have more cupboard space.  A week back at work and my stuff is still sitting in piles (and in boxes) waiting for me to sort through...joy!

Happy and Sad

100 Happy Days - Day 74: Last day at work before I'm on my trip to the Far East. Managed to pretty much clear my inbox, which is a first!

Was a little sad as it was our very last day in the office as we're relocating to the building next door. So, it'll all be brand new when I return.

I've been here so long that I had to cart two carrier bags full of 'personal stuff' to take home with me - I'll take it back into work once I've sussed out how much space we have!

Anyway, the next twenty or so days may be all bunched together as I'm unlikely to be able to update while I'm off.

Munch Lunch

100 Happy Days - Day 51:  Boss was on half-day today so guess who inadvertently had an extended lunch hour - yay! So good to catch up on news and office gossip - usually working in my own little bubble!

Cheers!

100 Happy Days - Day 46:  The company celebrated hitting quarter-end targets by laying on cakes and drinks for all the staff.

Surprisingly, there was beer on offer and I was quick enough to snag the last bottle!

Bud isn't my usual tipple but I wasn't going to complain!

Boxes and Lollipops

100 Happy Days - Day 44:  Love seeing how Dilbert's boss could work in the company I work for in real life! It's all about 'ticking boxes'!

100 Happy Days - Day 45:  How to scare children into not eating lollipops - lol!

#100 Happy Days - Day 39

Was in work early as we've got the auditors are in... 100 Happy Days - Day 39: a looong day, so glad it's a Friday and apparently it's going to be a nice weekend!

Tick Tock

100 Happy Days - Day 35: For a Monday, I'm happy it passed extremely quickly and it was home-time before I knew it!

Shoulder seems to be getting better, although the exercises aren't very comfortable.

#100 Happy Days - Day 32

100 Happy Days - Day 32:  First day of spring, the sun's been shining, then the usual Manchester downpour, now a rainbow!

On a not so great note, went to the physio the other day and apparently I've got a shoulder impingement. Got some exercises to do to try to help it get better.

#100 Happy Days - Day 30 and Day 31

100 Happy Days - Day 30: Mentoring year 1 students at a local primary school to improve their literacy skills - all during work hours too!

100 Happy Days - Day 31: Worked out today that I'll actually be benefiting from the latest Budget - hurrah!

Ok, so it's a little over £100 but it's more than the few quid that is usually the case in the past.

#100 Happy Days - Day 25 and Day 26

100 Happy Days - Day 25:  Found out today that I've been nominated (along with another colleague SW) for the company's 'Talent Forum' - a collection of people who have shown potential to further their careers and who'll get a trip down to London, swanky hotel and all that apparently!

The thing is 'all that' will entail blowing your own trumpet and kissing arse, which is not what I'm good at.  I'm flattered to have been nominated...really I am but all I can think of is the days missed off work and the catching up I'll have to do.

Still, this is a good opportunity to sell 'me', to network (and to get pissed on company expenses again!)

100 Happy Days - Day 26:  Hitched a ride down with Mick a fellow MyFootballClub fan to watch Daventry against my non-league side Slough Town FC. A great match, which ended in a 2-2 draw, the hosts scoring an equaliser in the 97th minute (ref obviously had a watch he bought off Fergie on Ebay!).

The lads were well disappointed but it's a point away against a top team.

Cheering our 2 goals was worth the 280 mile round trip!

Ducks and Boots

100 Happy Days - Day 23: 'Donald' and 'Daffy' as I was leaving work. 'Daisy' wasn't about today so it was just the boys hanging out!

100 Happy Days - Day 24: Only six of us turned up, I wasn't the fittest but I did ok and survived the Boot Camp Challenge at work in aid of Sport Relief!

#100 Happy Days - Day 17 and 18

100 Happy Days - Day 17:  A win for one of my lotto syndicates. Better than nowt but wish we could win a big one!

100 Happy Days - Day 18: View walking out of the office on Friday. We're moving next month (into the building in the photo) so I'll miss this.

Grill and Goals

On Friday, it was my friend and colleague JR's last day on our team. After nearly 15 years, she is moving onwards and upwards into another role in another department. I wish her all the very best but shall really miss working with her. Am glad that she's still at the same company so I can still catch up with her.

For a little leaving do, we went to The Hale Grill where I had an excellent steak and even had room to squeeze in a dessert. So this is my 100 Happy Days - Day 11, celebrating JR's new job with some great food!

For 100 Happy Days - Day 12,  today's win over Southampton (first time in 11 years) takes Liverpool to 2nd in the league...dare I start dreaming just yet!? 

Genre

100 Happy Days - Day 9: This sports headline made me happy - am loving Man U's annus horriblus!

Came across this website (Worlds Without Ends) which had some interesting reading challenges on offer. Or, if you don't fancy any of them, you can pick or 'roll your own' challenge.  I've gone for the 'Women of Genre Fiction' Challenge: Read 12 books by 12 new-to-you women authors in 12 months and write 12 reviews.  Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.

Sounds simple but actually not, since I only just realised recently that I don't read many books written by women. Anyway, this is a great way to discover new authors.

So my 100 Happy Days - Day 10 is starting this challenge and I can already knock off two books off the list so only 10 to go!

#100 Happy Days - Day 7 and Day 8

100 Happy Days - Day 7: My fantasy football team at work qualifies for the quarter-finals in the cup competition!

Ok, so I run the fantasy football league but it's not a fix - I've never won anything before!




100 Happy Days - Day 8: Days are finally getting lighter - it's not pitch-black when I'm leaving to go home! Still think we're due a cold snap at some point though, which I won't mind if it means we have a nice summer.

Chuffed!

100 Happy Days - Day 3:  Following my annual appraisal at work yesterday, found out today that this is going to be my pay rise, based on my performance!

WOOHOO - this has got to be a one-off...I'm gobsmacked but well chuffed!

I did manage to splutter "How?" to my boss and he just came out with the corporate line about me being a "valued member of the company" etc.

Certainly makes up for the years where I didn't get any rise at all but that was due to recession.

Wow!

Exceedingly Good

So for 100 Happy Days - Day 2, I got 'Exceeds Expectations' in my annual work appraisal - for the 3rd year in a row!

Apparently, not many people get this rating so I am well chuffed. Overall, I thought 2013 was a better (or rather, less difficult) year than 2012.  2014 promises to be a lot tougher though, for various reasons.

I think this rating also means that I get a pay rise this year - woo hoo!

By the way, posting two days in a row is a big deal for me right now... I may have to bunch some 'happy days' together if I'm running behind lol!

18 Years

Practically a life sentence eh, but today, that's how many years I've been working at the same company.

There have been ups and downs, but I can say mostly ups.

Hmm...I really should take the time to do some proper updates on here - need to sort out my free time!

Exceeds Expectations again...

Gosh, months have flown by already, so let's start with my annual appraisal at work where I was marked as 'Exceeds Expectations' for 2012 so that's two years in a row now - not bad, considering I didn't think it was such a great year for me work-wise.

As usual, no team bonus for me but....I'm going to be eligible for 2013! I think I was a little dumbstruck when my boss broke the news to me as I never thought that the powers that be would ever change their stance on this.

I asked why the change of heart/policy - apparently, they decided  to "reward me" because despite my knowing that everyone else got a bonus these past few years and I didn't, I continued to graft without complaint,   actually increasing my work output, which hadn't gone unnoticed - that was the bit that shocked me more, that anyone actually noticed! So a great result for me, quite unexpected, I'm well happy about that, though will be happier when I see that bonus in my bank! Next....ask for a pay rise but that might be hard with the economic climate as it is.

So, the coldest March in a long time - been snowing in bits here but as usual, missed out on the big snowfall everyone else is getting, although it's bloody cold.

Not been up to much these past couple of months - been on a few dates, wined and dined in posh restaurants but nothing more than that; I'm not certain I could cope with more than that right now.

I've been catching up on a lot of tv/dvd watching - 'Walking Dead' is probably my favourite programme at the moment, closely followed by 'The Following' (hehe!)

Been out a couple of times both with the usual girlies and also the gym girlies - I swear my hangovers are getting worse with age!