Modelling mojo and state of mind

[97406]

7 hours ago, john new said:

Once you work out the cost over a year (it helped me give up tobacco about 45 years ago) and what you could buy instead giving up suddenly becomes a lot easier. Even one £10 bottle of wine per week is £520pa. That’s two x Accurascale Deltics or two x Bachman V2s for example. Surprising how it adds up so quickly.

 

I gave up the snouts back in ‘99 to save up for the deposit on my house. Took me 3 goes. The first 2 attempts I got pulled for speeding a few days into giving up! 🤣 Never been done before that or since!

[MrWolf]

We occasionally have a drink at home, but it's bought on the spur of the moment, probably half a dozen times a year, I've never kept alcohol in the house, not out of any deliberate decision, I've just never thought about it. We have a drink if we go to the pub with friends, but that's about it, we see drinking as a social activity, nothing more.

I've known people who drink a bottle of wine every night and then complain that they're skint. 

Another way to feel better, is except on special occasions, never to eat after 7pm, or earlier if you can. That makes a big difference.

[Dava]

“The management style of most educational establishments seems to be based on bullying.”.

 

Universities are rife with this as they strive to remove expensive academic and professional staff, de-skill and casualise.

management and HR can be highly manipulative, misuse legal and procedural devices, use flawed and incomplete data, in my recent direct experience.
 

The institute I still work for tried to get rid of at least 30 professors plus other staff, we managed to frustrate this in most cases and extract better leaving terms for the others. But we have no doubt they’ll be back next year when the HR apparatchik has paid the price for failing to achieve her targets. It’s going on across the sector.

 

My intention is to leave at a time of my own choosing and that’s not this year. Sad the HE sector has come to this, the consequences of Jo Johnson, student loans, Brexit and a bunch of other stuff. At least there is life and interest beyond all that!

 

Dava

[TravisM]

With all doom and gloom floating about and the 'SAD' season looming, I finally decided to get off my arse and do some modelling, albeit in a small way.  I've decided to replace those horrible snowplows on my Hornby's Class 153's with permanently fixed body mounted versions.  Got three pairs to do and just attacked them with the airbrush with the first coat of yellow, and I think it's going to need at least three, maybe four coats. 

 

I've also started track laying on my 5ft x 11ins portable display layout cum test track.  Two tracks, no points, simplicity.

[Coldgunner]

1 minute ago, jools1959 said:

...

 

I've done the same today. Day off work, so nipped to T4U and picked up a DCC chip. I was going to fit my Margate Class 37 until I realised the ringfield motor needs insulation added. Turns out my HST has the same motor but doesn't require insulating.  Cue me chopping some wires and hard wiring a chip. Managed it successfully (without the light fittings), but glad my HST can run with my modern stuff.

[Blandford1969]

I've gone from the challenge of dealing with work stress to the stress of needing to get a new job. Having been made redundant at the end of July you would have thought loads would have been done, but nothing could be further from the truth. I finally manged to do some yesterday thinking I would build the Finelines J 0-6-4  that came in the lot of very random kits.  Somehow whatever they did to it made all the white metal very fragile. In trying to solder the footplate together the front corner totally fractured into pieces. Mojo gone and whilst a new footpate has been cut from brass that has taken all day to achieve. Tomorrow is a new day and at least Sunday has half a day of driving which always lifts my mood to aim to do a little on Monday. 

[Coldgunner]

That time of year has come around, the car insurance renewal. Existing insurer given me stupid renewal quotes, with even stupider policy quotes from other providers. Thankfully after about 2 hours of messing about on comparisons sites etc I got something acceptable. Also managed to get EU cover added as I sort of plan some kind of road trip next year. Had an at fault accident in Jan 2018 and just about to reach 4 years no claims this month, so can start protecting it.

 

One thing that annoys me is their automatic algorithms value my car at less than half the cost it would be to replace it. Certainly changed that.

 

Hate this yearly farce I have to go through. Insurance providers don't reward loyalty and simply alienate their existing customers. Existing customers should be getting better deals. The whole game is rigged against us.

[woodenhead]

48 minutes ago, Coldgunner said:

Hate this yearly farce I have to go through. Insurance providers don't reward loyalty and simply alienate their existing customers. Existing customers should be getting better deals. The whole game is rigged against us.

The law was changed in the past 12 months, the insurance companies can no longer offer new customers better deals than existing customers.  I saw a marked reduction in my renewal this year as a result.

[Coldgunner]

The deals weren't necessarily worse than last year, but figured its best to move companies for a better price. Vote with my wallet. My renewal cost was greater, but I think if I challenged it then the circumstances from last year would be different. My dad was a named driver and had to take him off earlier this year.

[33C]

4 hours ago, woodenhead said:

The law was changed in the past 12 months, the insurance companies can no longer offer new customers better deals than existing customers.  I saw a marked reduction in my renewal this year as a result.

Yes, I just mentioned the law change to the representative after an increase of £55, and she took it straight back down to the original price. 

[sb67]

On 04/09/2022 at 15:05, woodenhead said:

The law was changed in the past 12 months, the insurance companies can no longer offer new customers better deals than existing customers.  I saw a marked reduction in my renewal this year as a result.

 I never knew that it will come in handy in a months' time I'm sure. 

[Coldgunner]

How is everyone doing?

 

To follow up on the above, I found out I actually have 4 years NCD on my insurance, not 3 as I thought. The database whatjammycallit seems to know so thankyfully I've so far not needed to get me certificates updated. Having 4 years means I can start protecting it.

 

Work is... weird atm. The complaints seem to have been forgotten about by everyone but HR, which isn't a bad thing. Some of the experienced staff have been hinting at getting re-graded as senior. I think some headway has been made, so hopefully I'll get regraded and put on a higher salary. That would take me from having  some spare change left to having a couple hundred left at the end of the month. Here's hoping that's the case.

 

The reason why we've been discontented, is because some of the team are doing 0.5x the work, and the other half having to do 1.5x, and then there's us experienced staff having to pick up everyones mess, for the same salary.

 

Finally, not to get too political, but I'm starting to feel the winds change, hopefully for the better.

 

Someone once told me that its all about small victories sometimes, that seems to be very true.

[MrWolf]

Busy here but pretty much all good. Glad to hear that the complainants business has subsided and that you might get some tangible (and spendable) recognition for your efforts. I know what it's like to be seen as multi skilled and versatile and feeling like you're pulling the cart when the man next to you is parroting "one man, one job" like it's still 1972 or something and getting paid the same as you.

As for the winds of change, don't get too hopeful, there's nobody worth voting for and all I've seen is the clowns on both sides betray the British workers for a good six decades.

[Blandford1969]

Glad to hear things have improved for you. 

 

As for me well this week I finally got an offer for a job with hopefully another next week, my son got swimmer of the month yesterday and today on my son's birthday my daughter was told she had now passed stage 2 of swimming. 

 

I should be on a high, but am just exhausted, I have done some bits but just am feeling on edge. Hopefully next week will be better.

[Blandford1969]

On 01/10/2022 at 21:20, Blandford1969 said:

 

 

As for me well this week I finally got an offer for a job with hopefully another next week, my son got swimmer of the month yesterday and today on my son's birthday my daughter was told she had now passed stage 2 of swimming. 

 

Well I started the job - 

Day one drive for 3.45 hours each way to show passport - not even offered a drink or would you like the loo. As for looking round it was I don't know what they do , that's a department, that's another department

Day 2 - 3o mins on a call with my new boss then straight into the first project meeting

Day 3 - got access to put on the expenses - not allowed to claim a lunch of £3.5 when told I could - could not access areas that were needed. Meeting with Chief People Officer cancelled as he was busy 

Day 4 Other project first meeting, not introduced or welcomed. 

In short no induction, no help so as I did have another offer , I resigned and left - that company would have ended up making me worse. I did do a tiny bit of modelling.  (hope this allowed in this thread)

Onwards and upwards. The boiler does not go down its just how it looks.

Edited October 23, 2022 by Blandford1969

[Northmoor]

@Blandford1969well done on walking away from Employer #1; that is as bad an induction of a new employee as I have ever heard*.  Hopefully Employer #2 is an improvement, but it would be difficult to be worse.

 

My last two employers were both excellent, with everything ready on Day 1 and a clear plan of admin to be completed by end of Day 1, Week 1, Month 1 etc.  One previous employer, I was inducted properly, but there was a story of the new graduate who turned up to find his entire team was away that week on a training event.  Someone else from the same office (but a totally different business group), had to get everything in place for them.  I didn't hear what happened later, whether the newbie stuck around or not, but I hope the HR Director went absolutely ballistic with the Head of the recruiting Business Group.  The reputation of the company with potential graduates, could have been set back ten years by their (lack of) action.

[Blandford1969]

6 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

@Blandford1969well done on walking away from Employer #1; that is as bad an induction of a new employee as I have ever heard*.  Hopefully Employer #2 is an improvement, but it would be difficult to be worse.

 

My last two employers were both excellent, with everything ready on Day 1 and a clear plan of admin to be completed by end of Day 1, Week 1, Month 1 etc.  One previous employer, I was inducted properly, but there was a story of the new graduate who turned up to find his entire team was away that week on a training event.  Someone else from the same office (but a totally different business group), had to get everything in place for them.  I didn't hear what happened later, whether the newbie stuck around or not, but I hope the HR Director went absolutely ballistic with the Head of the recruiting Business Group.  The reputation of the company with potential graduates, could have been set back ten years by their (lack of) action.

Indeed worrying when it happens. Sad thing is the people I was supposed to be working with were the Head of Recruitment, Head of Resourcing, HRD - employer 2 has already demonstrated how much better they are and I've not even started. It was difficult trying to help my 9-year-old son who is on the spectrum understand in a way that would not worry him. 

[MrWolf]

One job that I had where I was supposed to be the engineering manager, answerable only to the MD, I was told that I couldn't claim for meals, despite often being away for a couple of days at a time because: "If I was at home I would have to eat".

Pointing out that if I was at home, I could eat for about £2 a day made no difference.

As for my company car, which was also supposed to be part of the deal along with the expenses, I was told that because of the way the company was paying taxes on it, I must leave it at the office if I had a week off and it was only from their "goodwill" I was allowed use of it at the weekends.

The final straw came when I found out that I had a "line manager", whose regular job it was to answer the telephone and whose industrial experience consisted of working in an opticians.

In the words of the song: Take this job and shove it, I don't work here no more...

[Coldgunner]

Wee therapeutic update from me, its been a while.

 

Had a glorious week off work, been back 2 days and pissed of with the incompetence again. I won't dwell on that as my words have been born out before.

 

Managed to pull in a muscle in my neck/shoulder and been in agony for about 4 days. Cocodemol does send you a little doolally, but now sitting in a neck brace thingy which is allowing me to relax my neck.

 

Was disappointed also that I can't make the classic car show at the NEC due to a prior engagement in London, though really looking forward to it (its a screening for some new "profile" films for "loco's" by a certain youtube person). But realistically, driving to and from the NEC saturday followed by a trip to the smoke on Sunday is pushing it.

 

On the plus side, this does free up another trip to Warley for some model trainy goodness. Family are giving my some spending money for birthday/xmas.

 

Finally, car woes... battery seemed to be draining overnight. Tried everything, but eventually got the battery replaced as its only 2 years into a 4 year warranty.

[fulton]

Starting a new job can have its surprises, when being shown around the plant workshop of a construction firm I was joining, the plant manager said "Oh you are the new site manager, your car has just failed its MOT, we are working on it" on the ramp was a sorry looking rusty Fiesta, I should have had my suspicions as even the owner was driving an old Fiat, the firm wasn't all bad I was there for 18 years.

 

A later career in security, on my very first job on my first day, found myself, with another new starter on the door of a busy Government building, we looked at each other, we thought there would be some training, I asked my Team Leader about being shown around, his reply was if I want to take a walk around then do so, I was there 9 years.

[The Johnster]

Then you finally found the exit…

[John M]

Looking back over a 40 year career in construction and occupational health and safety a lot of my success came down to luck and being there at the right time.

 

I got an interview as a Trainee Agent/Engineer with a Dublin House Builder in 76 because the Canteen Lady in the factory where my dad worked had heard about the job and knew that I was looking for work. I was offered the job on the second interview Tony the managing director of the company seemed impressed that I had identified a 4 year block release Technician Diploma course in Construction Technology and agreed to pay my fees. 

 

I worked for the company for 7 years progressing to a senior management position until the Irish property market crashed as a result of a credit squeeze during the mid -1990s.

 

I "got the start" with a major London based civil engineering/construction contractor offered a job as a "Ganger" or working civil engineering foreman after responding to an add for a "Site Engineer" in the the Evening Standard on my first day in the UK.  

 

I stayed 2 years with the company which was very good to work for even paying retention bonuses, the problem there was little prospect of promotion or progression beyond your starting role.

 

My big ambition while in the UK was to progress to a management position with a major British Construction company within 5 years which I achieved when I joined Bovis Construction in 1988.

 

I was quickly brought down to earth on my first day upon arrival on site when the Construction Superintendent asked "who the F...k are you?"  I had arrived as "part of the new blood" on a project that was undergoing management change and was quickly taken under the wing of a member of the new management team and rapidly progressed to a senior management role.

 

I stayed with Bovis for 5 years before being made redundant in the Uk recession of the early 90s though I was better prepared than I was 10 years earlier and successfully weathered the storm.

 

Although I had my ups and downs in construction, I seldom experienced stress, burnout or problems with my mental health until I joined the public service.

 

Five year on after resigning from my last job and adjusting to living in retirement, I believe that I am at last putting the crappy experiences of the past behind me and learning to accept my limitations, make the best of what time I have left and spend more time on railway modelling.

[jbqfc]

today I did my first bit of modelling since the death of my dad in March 2019 that caused me to go into a deep depression

I just could not face modelling as he taught me all I know about Railways and modelling   

Then along came covid been a key worker I worked right through as a cleaning supervisor who team has they work doubled over night 

this then brought on anxiety as I watched members of my team go down with covid despite all the precautions we where taking 

I then lost two friends to covid both fit and under 30 this brought the depression back 

I also felt guilty as i manged to get through with out getting covid until March this year 

but thanks to lots of support for the wife, work and councillors I am now through the worst of it I still have bad days and have stepped down for been a supervisor    

life for me is Slowly getting back to normal I still find large crowds hard 

 

John 

 

[westernviscount]

On 10/11/2022 at 09:37, John M said:

Looking back over a 40 year career in construction and occupational health and safety a lot of my success came down to luck and being there at the right time.

Fair dues, this kind of honest self awareness and understanding of the realities of life is as rare as hens teeth these days.

 

[08221]

On 10/11/2022 at 12:51, jbqfc said:

today I did my first bit of modelling since the death of my dad in March 2019 that caused me to go into a deep depression

I just could not face modelling as he taught me all I know about Railways and modelling   

Then along came covid been a key worker I worked right through as a cleaning supervisor who team has they work doubled over night 

this then brought on anxiety as I watched members of my team go down with covid despite all the precautions we where taking 

I then lost two friends to covid both fit and under 30 this brought the depression back 

I also felt guilty as i manged to get through with out getting covid until March this year 

but thanks to lots of support for the wife, work and councillors I am now through the worst of it I still have bad days and have stepped down for been a supervisor    

life for me is Slowly getting back to normal I still find large crowds hard 

 

John 

 

Stay strong John, you are amongst friends on here. Look after yourself please.