Sounds like a chance card, but not really.... It would seem the payroll soft desided I really shouldn't have to pay tax, smart software, I totaly agree. Only, the funny thing, the tax man dosn't.   So I got over paid, wooohooo, but next month I will get taxed twice *cries bitter tears*   How harsh is that?

This morning, just as I was fighting my way out of the door a delivery arrived. What was in it I wonder? well, I know but alas I had to leave as soon as I signed for it. Didn't even get to open the main box.

What has arrived is 2 things, one is a new mouse for the little women, and for me? The keyboard of my dreams. I've been trying to get ahold of a g15 keyboard for some time now. The problem is that the places that have them for a resonable price never have any when I have money...well, not untill just this week.

So, now I have the ultimate gaming keyboard, and the best gaming mouse (G7). I can't waight till I get home and give it a bash. I will obviously come back and tell every one that cares to read this what I think of it, good or bad... though I am sure it will be sweet.

Interestingly, I will have to test out the womens new mouse, come back and let people know there to. Its quite a new bit of kit, the Logitech MX Revolution. She tells me it kicks some serious arse, but shes got wait for it to charge up, then give it a good testing. We will see...

Mainly though, I just want to get home and see if new and funky keyboard will actualy make any differance to the gaming expirance, or is all this "gaming" kit just a huge con? The G7 mouse definatly has some thing over older mice, the wifi, the sensativity. Its all good and the smallest move of the wrist brings my nail gun to bear...

Well, its my 3rd day in the job and I was late. Why? did I over sleep? did I forget to go?

 Nope, for once in my life it really was totaly not my fault. I got up on time, I left on time. I even got to the station in plenty of time. I was sitting on the platform, 6 as normal, when an anouncemet said the train would be on platform 4.

So, I got up, and changed platforms with every one else, then another anouncement that the train would be 3 mins late. No problem, I left early enougth that I'd have time to get a coffee, and not have to rush.

The train did arrive just after that, it slowed down....people started moving around trying to work out where the doors would be when it stopped, and it nearly did. But not quite, just as every one is thinking its going to it speed up and left, never stopping.

So, what happened next? Well, and embarised and some what confused voice announced that the train had been unable to stop because of its length....what the f**k? I have no idea and it sounded like bollocks to me, but we where told we could take a train one stop in the wrong direction and catch a fast train from there. Alas though that is not a bad idea, it was over 20 mins before that train arrived. So I eventualy got to Euston at 8:54. Normaly I am there by 8:30.

So, thanks alot britsh rail, and what ever monkey you had driving that train. By the time I took the tube, I was 15 mins late for work, had not had a coffee or any thing else. Man, I was pissed off. I put quite some effort in to not being late, its important to me. Any one that knows me knows I don't find mornings easy. But that I am trying means I really want this job.

As luck would have it, my boss is cool, shes nice..... and didn't have a problem with me being a tad bit late. So its all good, I'll stay for an extra 30 mins when I was only 15 late, but I think thats a show of good faith.... seriously, working here is worth the effort.....I love my new job :-)

 

Wow, I've not posted here in quite some time now, been bussy... what with work, looking for work and generaly trying to get all kinds of things done.

Thing is I have basicly gotten tired of all the crap of being a contractor. Its not like it was, the rates aren't as good, and IR35, holding companies and tax all add up make it a royal pain in the balls, and not even better paid.

So, I desided to give it up, no, don't worry I am still working, still bring my "gift" to the world of PHP :-P but, it seemed to me I can earn as much, with a lot less hassel being a permy.

But where I hear you cry? where on earth do you find a place for an old contractor?

The answer it would seem is with Sony. Infact Sony Computer Entertainment. I wont go in to what I do, or any huge details (my confidentiatlity agreement covers that) but all I really want to say is:-

Woooooohooooooooooo :-)

Why? well, you should try sitting in my chair, man, its comfy. Normaly I end up with the chair no one else wanted. Like my last contract, the chair was broken, the back just flopped about so it was well and truely shagged. Made my back side hurt for days after as well.

Sony though? Well, they have quality chairs, might not seem like a big deal but when you spend half your life in a chair, comfort matters.

What else? well, the 2 monitors, nateral keyboard and reasonably powerfull computer makes me happy, no crummy, 60 million year old mouse that dosn't have a scroll bar here. Ok, its not up to my G7, but still its a mouse, and its not crap. This to makes me a happy bunny.

So, I've been here 2 days now and it already seems like the best job I've ever had. The people are cool, my boss is nice, and though I have not yet really done much I get the feeling that good work isn't just forgoten here. Thats what got me the most I think, the number of times I wrote some really good quality code for some one only to have them turn around and say "so, apart from the back end...." wich as  I am sure you can imagin pisses me right off as 90% of my work is the backend...

Any way, I could sit here all day going on and on about how cool Sony are, or how mint I think this job is, but, lets face it, if I did that I'd probably not have it long.

Time to work.... 

Right so, for some time now I have wanted an audio switch, basicly so I can swich from head phones to the hifi with out getting down there and pulling plugs.

I could make one I think, but really, I don't have the time to work out how, and its probably better to get one from some one that already knows, so I after some looking I found this. Its not to expensive and does every thing I need, so I tried to order one.

Now the site, it looks like some back room job, but hay, what the hell its only £15 or some thing.

Problem is when I eventualy figured out how to buy the damn thing, it turns out they are closed untill the 18th. A web site that closed? what the hell is that about? I know you can't ship it, but you could accept my order....

I guess I will go back, but its still just a tad anoying.

Ok, so generaly at work, due to not having any equipment I have to stick to instant coffee. As a web developer this obviously means I am more or less pumping my self full of it every day. Caffine makes the world go round after all.

But, and here is a good idea, one of my work mates came up with a cunning plan.

Kenco make "coffee pods", as we don't have a coffee machine I can tell your wondering what thats got to do with any thing, but just wait, and I will explain. The thing about the Kenco pods is that they look exactly like a round tea bag, and low and behold if you put one in a cup, it works like a tea bag, only its coffee.

It works quite well, though on my first try I didn't leave to long enougth and the coffee is maybe a tad week. But other then that it was successfull.

One thing though, this wont work with Tasimo pods, basicly because they use a solid pod, that gets a whole punched in it by the machine. But I know Tesco have their own brand that works with the Kenco machines, so I am assuming any compatible pods will work in just the same way.

Lastly, though I should say its going to cost a bit more to use "pods" but if you like fresh coffee, its probably worth it. 10p a cup is hardly a big deal.

Well, ok, so maybe not but I'd sure like a proper one. There is nothing wose in this world then a dodgy mouse. I have this nasty trust one, and "trust" it I do not. Its eigther some funky new force feed back mouse, or the balls be replaced with a golf ball!!!! Bounce bounce.

So, change it....whaaahhha, good idea, only, well the only one close to hand is a virtualy prehistoric 3 button job. No scroll wheel... and its only when you don't have one that your realise how much you use it...

Normaly I have been bringing my own funky old corded ms mouse, not amazing but it works, and dreaming of "real" mice. Check this bad boy out:

Logitech G7 Gameing mouse

Thats a real mouse, not that I play many games but I am a hard core mouse user and I need, or at least would very much like to have a hard core mouse. Oh, ok, so hot swopping the battery might be a bit out of my needs, but varible sensativity, indeed, its amazing dpi and bandwidth are very much in order. I know, I know, its a bit over the top, but hell... if you went through mice like I do, you to would be wondering if there was a better way....

Ok, so tomorrow I am starting a contract at Tobias & Tobias, not sure what I am going to be doing but I am sure it will keep me bussy :-)

Looking forward to it, after I finished at 20six I was just itching for some thing new.

To days the day then, for our latest and greatest endeavour so far.... to day Vodafone are having a conference, and using our blogging platform.

This Max showing it off, he looks kinda dapper in his nice suit :-) Normally its some hideous jumper resembling the loading screen of an old zx81 or c64 :-)

Ah, only kidding Max, you know we all love that top :-P

 

Its been a couple of days now but here at 20Six we are setteling in to our new office. Its nice, as you can see from this picture.

Though on a personal note, the best thing about it is my nice new chair, rather then sitting on the ancient device of tourcher that I had before. This ones comfy, adjustable.... and on these nice smooth floors I can get all the way to the coffe with just one push....