narshada

What a week. It's been a toughie.
Apple gave me 4 weeks notice before I was due to start with them. I had to give a calendar month's notice at my old job. There was approx. a week crossover.
I've had some conflicting advice from Apple. First I was told that the first two weeks were going to be home study - turned out to be one week, which due to the aforementioned meant I spent most of last week working during the day and studying in the evenings. Secondly I was told we had an exam on Tuesday, the second day of training. Now I've had an email saying it will be on Monday afternoon. That made me fill my pants.

Anyway, I'm just about packed for 2 weeks training in London. I've been so busy this week trying to tie up loose ends at work and studying, it's only just really hit me. I'm going to be away from the wife for 2 weeks. That fucking sucks. I don't think we've spent that long apart in the time we've known each other, never mind since we've been together. Ugh. I don't even get to come home on the weekend inbetween. I'm assuming I won't be training (although I've had nothing to say either way,) but I can't afford the train fare back to Bristol and then back for the second week.

The home study has been pretty hard - lots to learn and my memory is not renowned for being good - hence I don't like "regurgitate what we've told you" exams.
I know I can do the job but exams are so fake. If I didn't know something in the real world, I'd look it up or ask someone. I can't envisage a situation where I'd HAVE to know the answer to a specific question or else the dead would rise from the grave... You'd ask for help or go online and look stuff up. Hell, in my last job there was no one I could ask anything of onsite as I was the only IT guy. If I got really stuck I could ask our 3rd party support but I only called them about once a month tops. Most of the time I just figured it out and that went ok.

Speaking of which I had my last meeting with the boss on Weds, (he wasn't in on Thurs for my last day and apparently only realised on Weds evening after I'd gone,) and he thanked me for all my hard work and for a professional handover - meaning I didn't reset the server passwords, shut them down and fuck off, leaving the business stranded. I have a need to be the bigger person, luckily for him.
They did a quick send off at the end of Thurs. No card, but I got 170 as a leaving gift. Not to be sniffed at.

So now it's on to Apple (well, technically I've been employed by them since Monday.). I'm looking forward to the training (having not had ANY in the last 3 & 1/2 years,) but not the exams.
I got an iPhone (I know, I know... but it will help to have one if I'm going to be fixing them. Plus, I REALLY, REALLY wanted one and they really are utterly fucking awesome,) and cancelled my contract with Orange.
I had an N95 which I dropped and because I didn't tell them it was broken within 48 hours, my insurance was null and void. They wanted 170 to replace it so I told them to shove it & went to O2. Trouble is, I still have a couple of months left on my Orange contract to pay and I had to put down 300 deposit for the bastard iPhone. I'll get it back in Jan after 3 months of clear billing, by which point I'll probably need it.

At least I get my travel and hotel paid for. The hotel includes breakfast, use of the gym (might try to go,) and internet use. I also get 60 per day food allowance. Nice.

In other news, I had my car clamped for being out of tax - that cost me 260, although I'll get 160 of it back once I renew my tax, (- 25 for a new log book, which is partly the reason I didn't get around to renewing in time,) although Pinklet is going to have to do that for me since I'm away, meaning she'll have to take a day off work.

Also, our cats have fleas. Yick, ack, ptthththth... I really dislike fleas.

Tired now, bed now, bye.