Do you like your Job.....???

Ali

Just out of curiousity ... how do you communicate online from your platform?

I love my job too. I like the academic challenge but above all the huge variety of human contact. I get to interact with all ages, classes and types, and occasionally make some sort of difference for them. I also like working in a diverse and effective team who share a basic motivation.

I get to see people in 3D, as part of their community and over a long period of time, changing, developing and growing.

I see illness and death, and not always can I help. I sometimes have to remind myself that the patients who frustrate, anger and irritate are actually a tiny minority. I also have to stop myself from bashing my head against the crazier parts of the NHS system.

Ultimately I'm lucky to have a job that sustains me on a personal level as well as providing enough for me to live well. I even work part time now, preserving some quality time for me to myself keep fit and well. See I don't love my work too much!

Homily (and lunchbreak) over.

Bruce

Bruce

I would hate your job. I could not stand the thought of looking down someones throat or up their rectum.

Regards

mick

Nime,

we are lucky enough to have computers dotted about the platform in the various 'remote' control rooms/offices. A few years back we all went sat. broadband too!

It makes it that bit easier to keep in touch with the real world - although I'm not sure this forum would count

Cheers,
Ali

Ali

Any idea what the company pays for sat. broadband?

Deane

Deane,

not a clue, sorry....

That would be a corporate or IT decision thingy....

....I'm just a knuckle draggin valve wanker oot here I'm afraid.....


On a side note - just checked your profile....and forgive me if I'm prying, but was your move from Christchurch to Dunedin part of the separation process....and is that also the reason you is now a bum and she has your system......

If so then I'm sorry to hear that.....I hope it was not too 'ugly'......

All the best,
Ali

Ali

I ask about the cost of satellite broadband merely out of interest. I wonder if it requires much in the way of hardware and whether the equipment required for its deployment is at all compact.

Interesting job description - obviously not something you'd want to put in your CV...

I guess in the end my move post-separation comes down to... because I could. Flexing a muscle of choice that one has recently developed sort-of-thing.

Ugly? Beauty is only skin deep but ugliness goes right to the bone. So does tiredness some days. Know what I mean?

Deane

Hello Deane,
sorry to hear about your separation, I can't imagine what it must be like as we only just got married this year (remember the honeymoon plans to NZ?) I was only hoping, by it not being 'ugly', that you were able to go your own ways without breaking anything....physical that is....your heart may have gone a while back.....but, it's not my place to ask, so I'm sorry.

....and yeah, I know what you mean.......

Keep on developing that muscle of choice! Who knows what it might bring....

My job description was actually quite accurate.......but you're right, not one for the CV...

To go back to the broadband, when the company decided to up-grade the whole network (company wide, and I bet compaq have made a fortune!!!) they bought new pc's, servers and network thingy's (can you tell I'm not in IT) - that are located in the telecoms room in the accommodation module. I think they could use the existing sat. dishes and cables, and there was the same up-grade back at the offices on the beach.
The cost was probably significant, but well worth it!!
And not just for the surfing.....honest.....
We now run an electronic work permit system that's all pc/server based and speeds up that side of things no end.

Cheers,
Ali

Mick wrote

quote:

I would hate your job. I could not stand the thought of looking down someones throat or up their rectum.

Yeah, but the latter is one hell of a way of getting revenge on your dentist.

Bruce

Did someone shout taxi!!!!!
...45 minutes or so in one of these and I'll be on dry land...well - Shetland....does that count...??


Here's the pilot nipping to the loo.....hey, when you gotta go you gotta go......


And, unlike these poor chaps, in about 4 hours - I'll be walking in the other direction!!


Then time to escape the barren wasteland that is Shetland in one of these.....


All in all, platform to Aberdeen about 4 hours.....sometimes more sometimes less.....

So do you like your job.......??

Today, mine's the best job in the world......

......don't ask me again in two weeks time though......

Cheers,
Ali

quote:

45 minutes or so in one of these and I'll be on dry land

Is that Lerwick,then?

Jim

Jim,
SCATSTA...... New (well, a few years now) purpose built runway for all Northern North Sea flights - Shell BP and others....situated just opposite the Sullom Voe oil terminal.

They moved all the oil flights away from Sumburgh because Scatsta was meant to have better average weather, thus less delays......but it's been just as bad to be honest - cross winds, low cloud, same shit different location.....

The last two rotations yesterday had to go through Sumburgh anyway!!

Ho hum, that's progress for you.......

Cheers,
Ali

Ali

I hope you enjoy your time on dry land. I enjoy reading your descriptions of a unique employment. Please post more in the future with pics if you have the time.

Cheers
Jim

Ali,

Is that helicopter in your first pic a Puma?

If so, I reckon a couple of my ex-instructors (and yes I've had a few ) have on occasion been two of the lucky souls to have conveyed you to and from your place of work!

Cheers,

Jon

Jon

I am reminded of the remark in the book "Chickenhawk" by Robert Mason about the Army helicopter instructors who seemed to take every mistake the author made during his training as a premeditated attempt on their lives.

Later, he said, when he became an instructor in the very same outfit, he took exactly the same attitude.

Deane

Didn't mind my job as an IT consultant in the banking world too much, got to travel a bit, mostly to Jersey but did get to the Cayman Islands once.

Only downside is they made me redundant yesterday.

Bugger!

Updating my CV now so I can go pimp myself out for another job!

Steve.

I'm always a bit suspicious of people who LIKE their jobs. I suppose it's OK if you're a concert pianist or a whisky "nose"; otherwise it's just a bloody drag.

Life would be so much easier if we photosynthesised.

EW

I like the idea of photosynthesizing, vegitating while you do things you want. I've always wanted to do something I want to do for work then take from the shelves what I need and forget about money all togehter. But, that's a utopian society that didn't work for the communists. Reality gets in the way. Then there's Oprah who says dream what you want to do and it will come true.... Ha! from a wman who never has to think about basics of necessity that most of us have to. Luck has a lot to do with being blessed as the tops in their fields are.

I had a good time out of college being a maintenance landscaper for 7 years, tho keeping everyone happy and on schedule was difficult. Not much money in it then. Kept me in good shape. But I was in my 20's and didn't know anything or how to handle people on my terms. Then I tried getting indoor jobs drafting then went to school for graphic design just as the market fell a few years ago. Always a day late here it seems. I've had lots of time off due to disability, but not enough money to live on. Now someone has told me I'd make good money in Beverly Hills being a gardener again. I'm not sure I'm ready for that, I'll have to mull it over. Sell my Ford Focus and free time for a big truck, lugging lots of tools around and working inclement weather. Well, inclemant as much as LA gets, It's pretty wonderful here with mediterranean type climate. But my mind just isn't happy with the idea even tho the money is good. Starting a whole new personal business when I've worked for myself seems really difficult for me.

Tho I must say getting into graphics is nigh impossible with little experience. And forget benefits, that's scarcer than hen's teeth. Working all hours, under pressure, and the project is always late and over budget. Makes being a gardener sound pretty good. But pleasing people in their own homes with their dollar is really difficult let me tell you. I was lucky to have had two wonderful women as clients when I was young. The rest were really difficult or indifferent at best.

gee this seems to be a therapy session. Do I owe you guys money for this?

No, you're amongst friends here, and friends don't charge - unless they are therapists.

Being your own boss gives you freedom - and the responsibility that goes with it. In my job as a self-employed taxi driver I am often faced with demands I can't always meet, but the important thing is to be as honest and as straight as possible with my customers.

I get calls direct to my mobile rather than to the company phone number, and those that choose this option usually begin with,

"Where are you now?"

I tell them straight and tell them the jobs I've lined up before I can get to them, with a time estimate. I also promise to call them back before I arrive, especially if I'm running late for whatever reason. If I'm late I take full responsibilty, and usually they still tip me for this fact.

If certain customers still expect miracles and rant because I'm unable to perform them, I simply invite them to go elsewhere - especially if they themselves are not able to be punctual. Punctuality in our business is a two-way thing.

Yes I love my job and this is why I'm an "under-achiever" - at least according to Mick.

Dear Steve,

I reckon anyone, self employed, is to be respected for that alone. When I was eighteen, I was for about nine months, but was far too trusting. My brother was a minor so could not actually legally be a partner. The problem for a little business in agricultural contracting, was that we ownwed and ran a flat-bed lorry, which my father drove. I gave him a blank cheque once a week for diesel which he cashed unknown to me for about 100 GBP and spent twenty odd on diesel. The business was so successful that I noticed nothing amiss for several months, when I tackled the old man about it. He just laughed and asked what I thought he was supposed to live on. Well the same as my brother and myself. Good food and tea, with absolutely nothing going on frivoilities. Needless to say that finished any vestiges of loyalty I had to him. We had the only fight I have had in my life except playing with my bro. We never stayed under the same roof again, and it was not healed by the time of his funeral almost 20 years on, which I attended an hour and a half late. But even so I know the risks and responsibilities. No self-employed person, keeping their head above water, is an under-achiever in my book.

Fredrik

Right here goes.......

Jim Lawson - Jim, thank you and your welcome!

I will keep you (all) posted, even after last weeks 'incident'.... Where, the control room operator, who obviously had nothing else better to do, decided to print off this thread for all my colleagues to read and have a laugh at how 'weird' I am.....
I think the fact that I'd rather talk to a bunch of 'strangers' over the internet as opposed to the crew I have to work with speaks volumes.....

JonR - Hi Jon, yeah we crew change in Super Puma's, we used to use Sikorsky S-61's (which had more room but weren't as fast) and if any of your instructors did the buses (so to speak) between the North Cormorant (my previous place of work) or Cormorant Alpha and the Shetlands, then yeah they might of had me as a passenger....
Congrats on the job too! Hope they take you on after the temp period....

Ancipital - good luck with the job hunting Steve!

Earwicker - I'd have to agree with you there, believe it or not....

I only LOVED my job yesterday because I was coming home to forget about it for the next two weeks!! But it does have it's drawbacks.....being away from loved one's for half the month virtually every month, being stuck on that rusty metal prison with the same faces for two weeks (see above), and, especially now - coming off of night shift after two weeks....
.....woke at 4 o'clock this morning, a bit earlier than usual for the first day home (it's normally 5ish) then I'll feel like shit from about 3 onwards..... got to stay awake though or I'll never swap over..... Oh, and my gorgeous other half just loves living with a zombie for the first 3/4 days!!!! NOT.

Wolf - I'd agree with Steve Toy.....

Steve Toy - I'd agree with Fredrik H.......

Fredrik - yet another of your stories has moved me and got me thinking...

The whole reason I started this thread was after reading one of your other stories, the one about your work, your team, and nights etc...
Except this story of your past is quite a sad one.....
I know of a few business ventures which were started between friends and that have since gone down the pan, along with the friendship! It's a shame....even more so when its family....

But hey, I can start to feel the zombie in me taking over, probably 'cos I've just had lunch...

So I'd better get off my butt and do something to keep me awake!

Two choices - take the cover of our new Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver like I've always wanted to do, and take some pervy naked pics - besides I need to lengthen some speaker cables and also wanted to try removing the shelf above it to aid cooling......
.....or......go and cook some cous cous........hmmmmmm tough choice!!!

Better go take the dog for a walk first.....

Catch you all later....

Cheers,
Ali

Thanks Fredrik. There's a lot of luck involved but for the most part you make your own.

Sorry Kumar - not ignoring you, I've just been very busy with work! Chasing business is costly and often not rewarding, but when you you do manage to get something the buzz is like nothing else. I don't know how many years I pissed away working for over promoted under tallented managers but at least now I've only got myself to blame But the flip side is that I take all the credit - and the money!

Cheers

Harry

G'day folks,

almost the end of another hectic two week trip on this rust bucket, and it was a busy one!!

On days this trip too, so no zombie for me when I get off.....which will be in about 19 hours - second rotation flight tomorrow, can't wait!!

I thought I'd give you another peek at what we do out here.....

The Cormorant Alpha platform (any of you checked it out on google, it's quite a shocker) is the last stop for all the Northern North Sea oil before the Sullom Voe oil terminal in The Shetlands. We receive oil, in piplines, from the Brent Charlie, North Cormorant, Dunlin, and North Alwyn platforms. These pipelines are cleaned by sending pigs (rubber ones) between the platforms....
Follow me so far....
So one aspect of my job, being a Water Injection/Export tech (this trip, I also do Power/Utilities) is to line up our pig receivers, 'squeeze' the pigs in, and then assist the deck crew with their removal....and when they come out they look like this......

or this

Here's a clean one, a big one (36") as it's the one we send to Sullom Voe....although this one's damaged so wasn't sent....


Here's another Sullom Voe pig, to give you an idea of scale.......


Well better get back to it......

Cheers,
Ali

quote:

Originally posted by arf005:

I will keep you (all) posted, even after last weeks 'incident'.... Where, the control room operator, who obviously had nothing else better to do, decided to print off this thread for all my colleagues to read and have a laugh at how 'weird' I am..... Ali

Isn't it illegal to publish a private email even if it is related to a public forum? The control room operator is in effect a postman. I would imagine it is a serious offense for a postman to publish the contents of a private letter which passed through his hands in the course of his employment even if it were addressed to a newspaper for publication.

You obviously didn't give the idiot permission to post your private communications with the Naim forum.

Do we have a lawyer on board who could perhaps confirm this for future reference?

quote:

Originally posted by Nime:
You obviously didn't give the idiot permission to post your private communications with the Naim forum.
Do we have a lawyer on board who could perhaps confirm this for future reference?

I think you would have to stretch "private" uncomfortably to cover the contents of this public forum.

A Barrack Room Lawyer writes.