Robinb's diary

Yep - I made a nickname for myself here at work, 'Boss' and I will explain why.

I was in a meeting with about 55 people from our department. My boss was heading this meeting (and is the most senoir in the room, and probably the whole floor) and as it is a quartly meeting, all the new recuits had to introduce themselves, incuding me.

So my boss said 'lets start with... Robin as I know him'

My reply: 

'Hello, My name is Robin, from the university of Portsmouth doing an intern year, working as David's Boss'  [David being my boss]

Slight error - I just said I was the boss of the most senoir guy in the room, and floor... Everyone went up in hersterics - took 5 minutes to get everyone back to normal! Ment to say 'working as dave's assistant' Well, its one way to break the ice in the meeting, and one way to break the ice of meeting new people. So, walked into the office today, and everyone that was in the morning is now saying 'morning boss'..

Still, you got to laugh!

Robinb

Wow, its that time again... already.. and for me, its going to be hurrendious... Whilst you lot are having fun in tents, flashing your money to clubs to join, making new friends, I will be at work. Coding. Wow, if that does not make someones day, then I don't know what will...

Last year I had a blast with the freshers fair, on the Paintball stand. made some fantastic friends who I will never forget, got people to realise it was a sport as well as recreational, and the atmosphere of it... well, I never been to anything like it with students.

And I am going to miss it. Something I really look forward to, and I have to miss it! Lifes crual in the working world.

In any case, enough about the sad part, now to the boring part of what I am actually doing up at 1am when I have to waky up in 4 hours for work. Well, my TFT decided it would be fun to blow up and flicker anyone who walks past it. So spent a while setting up a new monitor, and installing RealVNC onto all my computers (I have a few in here, and now I am a monitor short, I will need to get the desktop control of all of them. Good thing really, as now instead of running around the place, all I have to do is sit on my bed and shutdown the computers remotly. Make sure they turn off with pings, and presto!). Also going to go into SVN to version all my work. And it ain't just code that I am going to backup :) I have recently learnt it can do all fgiles, therefor I can backup coursework writian parts, version them, and save key parts, without calling them many file names.  Brilliant.

Works still great. The journey is now drilling me. I wake up, and its dark. I get to the underground, and its about to break day. I hit the tube, get to wirk and (thankfully) its light. But, when I get home after, its dark. I don't like it :S But still, I was prepaired. Setting my alarm 15 minutes earlier to make sure I get up. Cannot wait till it snows on the car, thats going to add some time :(

Right. Bed. Going to start that podcast I was talking about (I think) earlier. I have some music files that a great old friend gave to me that I am going to use as backing.  Only problem is, I have not found a great DJ mixer program thats free. Sony's Acid Xpress is ok - not what I need. I require Sourceforge, but it costs $300. If anyone has any great suggestions, then please let me know. I could really use some decent DJ mixing software.

L8R

Robinb

Hello all,

been watchingthe price of soft drinks here at Ealing, London, and to my suprise, theres something seriously going on behind the scenes that as far as I know, no one has noticed...

Well, the obvious one is the (fantastic) coke and Itunes promotion. Drink a bottle of coke, or buy a 6 pack can or whatever the works with a code, and you get a free song of your choosing. Finally, a promotion where you no longer get a selection of cheap, nasty, 'already got that' tracks.

so I have decided to move away from the popular bands, as I know as soon as I buy a track from the album, I have to buy the album. Its the way I work... therefor instead of saving 79p, I loose £7, and I don't even get a CD case. instead, I am on the lookout for new, unknown, but decent songs that are available on itunes.

My first choice: Weapons - Black Line Ninja  | Link 2
reason: Heard it on Radio 1, and I thought it was amazing. Perfect when the deadline is approching and you need to get rushing. 2 links as I personally I think there official site is poor - the fan site looks better, but myspace...

considering getting skywards - Irrefutable
reason: on coke Music Podcast - its just like radiohead, just love it. Reason why I have not used it as a free token? I got it off the podcast. So I just play that. (anyone know if it is legal to record part of a podcast and put it onto a music play for personal use? Would it be like the tape recorder on a radio station?  comments below plz)

considering getting: Alias & Tarsier - Plane That Draws A White Line 
again, a poscast. As soon as my answer has been aswered will depend on if I buy it or not.

considering: other from the bands above: the songs

why: there great, and the albums show that.

Other suggestions welcome.

Now the coke vs pepsi thing I was talking about earlier:

Coke is worth 92p (500ml bottle) at Ealing. knock 79p for the itunes song, and its a total of 13p. Nice.
Pepsis responce - they have reduced their price to 45p per 500ml bottle. That was from a cost of 90p. Still more expencive, but the coke offer is a) limited time, b) a an account, and c) its coke... I perfur pepsi thank you.

Well, thats my lunch break over. So back to coding I go. Failed my first deadline today, felt gutted - but its far from over. next deadline is in a week and a half - so until next time.

From Ealing Broadway, London,

Robinb

Good things really do come to good people :) From my last rant about the trains, I sent an email to southern railway about the journey, and how unacceptable the delay was and all the works - but added a nice twist to it as noting could now be done to avoid that delay (unless the time machine hurries).

Well, I got a reply back today, and they are sending me £30 in the post because of the problems it caused.

I am happy :)

But, still got to catch up on 4-5 hours worth of work - taking half my lunch break and catching the late train and still I have about another 2 weeks left... joys of commuting to so far away.

On a side note, a Boss of my boss is coming on a suprise visit - Better clean my desk, spit polish my shoes, and make it look like I know what I am doing... Still, it should be fun to see where this career path can take me. I think  have some questions ready (got to look likeI am keen :D )

Till next time,

From Crowborough, nearly asleep,

Robinb

arg arg arg arg arg arg arg arg arg arg arg arg! did I mention: ARG!

Every day Mon to Fri, I have to catch a train from Crowborough to London Bridge, London Bridge Jubilee Line to Bond Street, and then Bond Street to Ealing Broadway. Return is basically the same, apart from I can get to paddington if the centrial line is foobared.

I usually start at 6.42, and arrive at Ealing Broadway precisly at 7.23 if everything is on time, and then head home at 5.15, and get back to Crowborough at 7.20.

Crowborough to London is a 2 way track - so what happens when a train breaks down on the line? Your about to find out... *puts on ranting hat*

Well,thats what happened to me. Got on the train, got to Hever when the announcement of 'would the conductor please contact the driver'. Its the worst announcement anyone can hear on a train. Ever.

So, we were told there was a broken down train, and we were the helper train. fair enough. Couple together, do a break away test, release the breaks, and off we go. The 4 coach turns into a 6 and everything would be hunky dorie. Thats the dream state anyway...

So, we coupled together, and then we waited. An announcement of 'a few minutes delay' occured, fair enough. 45 minutes later, and the announcment of 'please leave the train as this is now a driving compartment for the broken down train, heading to the depot'.

So we all unloaded and waited at the platform. 20 minutes later, the train left. leaving us stranded. At a station. In the middle of nowhere.

An different announcement from the station said 'all trains have been stood due to a broken down train.' Basically means the whole line was suspended. Joys. In the middle of nowhere. On a platform.

How it gets worse:

the train behind arrived. And i was left standing on it (8 parts, and its still full!!!). We left the platform, and hit a red light. Driver came on: 'We are sorry to announce that we are suck on a red light and will soon be going'. Fair enough. 15 minutes later we got to oxted. Some left, most stayed. I thinkfully got a seat here and got my laptop out. We then left the station... slowly.. and stopped before we got to the first light.
An announcment was made 'We are sorry for the extreme delay due to the broken train going at 5MPH infront of is. We will be stationary for an unknown period of time'. *sigh* Still, I got to know my table very well, and played Gridwars until my laptop battery died.

Overall, leaving at 6.42, I got to London Bridge at 11.45 - noonish. 5 hours. 5 friggin hours. hit the tube, and got to work... late? Should have arrived at 8.30, bot threre at 12.30.

I swear if I don't get a discount my me season ticket renewal I am going to go nuts. And also if it goes up... well, lets not go there.

Total commuting hours: 8. on a train. Madness.

*takes ranting hat off, and places it on a fire to burn it away* (hope I didn't fire proof it)

Robinb

EDIT: light gramma updates