16-12-12, 07:39 PM
What an interesting, rewarding, challenging and disappointing year I've had. Took a risk last autumn and gave a few months notice to a company I'd only just joined in preference to an embryonic start-up which I joined in January 2012 as its first employee to architect and implement their software ideas from scratch. Spent most of the time working from home (gained many lbs 
) and got their ideas through a proof-of-concept to a successful prototype. Spent most of my free time on the adventure too. I like a challenge! Prototype successfully demoed in October, loads of interest, definitely more funding coming to the company but not until March/April 2013, so I got the boot since I'd delivered what they needed and they'd no money left Now they have to somehow fund turning it into commercial software to prevent losing their homes. (Their business plan wasn't terribly realistic.)
In the three months leading up to being made redundant, the following happened: computer motherboard died and i7 920 (first gen) chip was effectively obsolete -- could not find a compatible motherboard, so extra expense there for new motherboard and chip; phone died so new phone/answer machine; samsung LCD telly died (refused to pick up signal -- borrowed portable worked) so new telly; bathroom and kitchen plumbing leak repairs; unrepairable rear tyre puncture on almost new tyre; kitchen work destroyed some hand-me-down crappy falling-to-bits kitchen cabinets so money spent on trade-discounted Magnet replacements until kitchen is properly redone in two years time.
Really slow jobs market so spent 6 weeks of gardening leave at home, gained even more lbs, but managed to catch up on bike DVDs and mags and sorta get some relaxation now and again. Got addicted to the gentle humour of Man About the House! Had a bizarre interview with a company and managed to severely piss off the head of business (unknowingly in the company car park) by mentioning the company name in public to her (don't ask). Though head of business came crawling back to me a few days later to apologise and chat, offering me a job which I declined.
Landed a new job locally with a small but well-established company doing Java software for telecoms industry.
I'll wait a while now before I decide whether to keep/get rid of FZ1 and (also?) get a Speed Triple. Multiple bikes without a garage isn't ideal though.
Definitely a lot more biking for me in 2013
) and got their ideas through a proof-of-concept to a successful prototype. Spent most of my free time on the adventure too. I like a challenge! Prototype successfully demoed in October, loads of interest, definitely more funding coming to the company but not until March/April 2013, so I got the boot since I'd delivered what they needed and they'd no money left Now they have to somehow fund turning it into commercial software to prevent losing their homes. (Their business plan wasn't terribly realistic.)In the three months leading up to being made redundant, the following happened: computer motherboard died and i7 920 (first gen) chip was effectively obsolete -- could not find a compatible motherboard, so extra expense there for new motherboard and chip; phone died so new phone/answer machine; samsung LCD telly died (refused to pick up signal -- borrowed portable worked) so new telly; bathroom and kitchen plumbing leak repairs; unrepairable rear tyre puncture on almost new tyre; kitchen work destroyed some hand-me-down crappy falling-to-bits kitchen cabinets so money spent on trade-discounted Magnet replacements until kitchen is properly redone in two years time.
Really slow jobs market so spent 6 weeks of gardening leave at home, gained even more lbs, but managed to catch up on bike DVDs and mags and sorta get some relaxation now and again. Got addicted to the gentle humour of Man About the House! Had a bizarre interview with a company and managed to severely piss off the head of business (unknowingly in the company car park) by mentioning the company name in public to her (don't ask). Though head of business came crawling back to me a few days later to apologise and chat, offering me a job which I declined.
Landed a new job locally with a small but well-established company doing Java software for telecoms industry.
I'll wait a while now before I decide whether to keep/get rid of FZ1 and (also?) get a Speed Triple. Multiple bikes without a garage isn't ideal though.
Definitely a lot more biking for me in 2013