Thursday

Gah. For some unknown reason, I’ve been waking up at 5am (give or take 4 minutes) for the last few days. I don’t know why, and I manage to get back to sleep, but at the same time, the broken sleep patterns are draining me. Presently I feel pretty darn atrocious, unable to focus or really concentrate, so I’m looking forward to taking a break!

 

Speaking of which, there is now a good chance* that I will be in the UK on the weekend of the 6^th-8^th July. This has come about as C & family are arranging a family get-together in the South of England on the night of Sunday the 8^th. Given that its quarter-end and I need to be in the office for 9am the following day, I would have to check-in at Gatwick for 4-15am. Yes, there are more convenient flights, but no, they’re not budget flights & thus cost an arm & a leg – especially so as I’d be flying London – Amsterdam in rush hour on a Monday. Furthermore, given that this is (I believe) the 3^rd time this year that her family has arranged stuff that I cant attend & I’m getting a little tired of not being able to take weekend breaks due to work requirements, I’ve decided that a geekend is in order. So, People Of Leeds, consider yourself in receipt of a 2 & a bit weeks notice of arrival. No plans are arranged as yet as I need to speak with my brother in law to find out his availability. Once I know this, I’ll provide more information.

 

In other news, I’ve found out an interesting piece of trivia relating to my sisters eye-treatment. Apparently the consultant shes being treated by is based in East Grinstead, which is the village where Caroles parents live. Given that my sister a) has to be accompanied to & from her treatment sessions by one or other of my parents, b) has to attend regularly for the next few months & c) my parents have never met Caroles parents, this might turn out to have a silver(ish) lining.

 

Lastly, I’m fishing for some advice about formal IT skills – presently I’m the offices tame Access & Excel expert, but I’m noticing that there’s a lot of opportunities for people in my company who have Oracle & SAP skills at ‘more than basic familiarity’ level. Given that I’m mainly involved in IT work, I’m thinking that this might be a natural step for me - despite my natural antipathy to computers that manifests when I turn my home PC on. So, what what would they advise for me to train on? (Bear in mind that I know nothing about these respective systems…) Links, costs & advice would be most useful.

 

S

 

*I am planning on being in the Uk on the 6^th-8^th July, unless a damn good reason is given to prevent me from going.