30 April 2004
A long week, done.
Well, a long week is over. And I drove away from my job with Baglan IT, wondering if I will ever end up back there. I do seem to have a knack of going back to work for old employers. In fact, the job that I will be starting on Tuesday is back with an old web team that I used to work for. And in past years, Pre-WebDeveloperPhil, I worked for a certain electronic firm, on more than one occasion. It's funny how it works out some times.
Anyway, as I said, my new job is with a team that I am quite used to. When I left last time they all gave me a very nice goodbye, and a DVD player. I do hope that they won’t ask for the DVD player back; my family has become quite attached to it.
I must be honest and say that I have a few reservations about going back to work for Swansea Council. Since I have left, I have learnt so much, and I am afraid that they will not let me take full advantage of my new found skills. I am afraid that they won’t appreciate my knowledge on the topics surrounding my job.
It’s not that I think I know more than them, it’s just that I have learnt so much off the web development community, that I think it would be a shame for that to go to waist. I want to use Web Standards, Table-less Layouts, Project Management techniques. Not out of self gratification, but because I always want to do the best job possible, and I don’t think that I can do that unless I use what I have learnt.
Disclaimer: When I say ‘them’, I mean higher management, not my line mangers. I know my line mangers, and I know they would never limit me themselves. But the decision will not always be theirs.
“We will see what we will see”
I didn’t finish my Pawnstars project in time for the end of the week, and me leaving. I do hope to find a way to finish it soon, whether in my new job (we are all funded by the same people), or in my own time. I earnest, I have become quite attached to this project.
I have learnt so much from it; I have perfected some of my CSS skills, I have learnt how to use Stored Procedures to an extremely effective level on MS SQL Server. I have also used a good project workflow for a change, and a proper project map. It does help, it is not a myth! I have also been able to find use for many cool techniques published in the web development community, such as Sliding Doors, and using JavaScript to add: hover functionality to elements for Internet Explorer. I have found out that by doing the best possible job I can do, I enjoy doing it ten fold. That is why I have to finish it, somehow.
Needless to say, working so hard for a week has given me plenty of things to blog about. About, but I will restrict myself for now and let it slip out piece by piece. I don’t want to drown you in my thoughts. I struggle with them as it is. I will probably write down my thoughts on Backend Development Workflow sometime soon, since my last project, and the book I am reading have gotten me thinking about it.
Update: My 'roomie' for the week was feeling a bit left out from this post, so I have to mention him, toby, he cooks, he cleans, and he lets me pay for the chinese! He has been my company during this hard week. A week of actual work.
- Time: 19:48
- Life of Findel
Comments ( 12 )
Jennifer Grucza
Hass
Eric
:)
Steve
Good Luck
Now you have robbed us blind of ideas and software you can go now....
If you come back to Baglan we WILL be asking for our present back.... I think your only moving back and forward for the presents....
Just heard Burger king have now filed for chapter 11 protection
Funny thing as you were last to leave on friday I'm wondering have we got any servers left.......
Just remember "WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE" I'll be sending Mark, John and the boys round.
Oh well good luck, great working with you apart from the timekeeping I'm dreading that coming up.....
Steve.
At least we didnt drive you to China :)
Malarkey
Have a good `un
Have a great time in your new/old job. Anyone I know? ;)
Malarkey
Phil Baines
I`m a good boy
I didn't steal anything, promise. I did somehow end up with chris' book on Maya though! So I will drop that back up some time.
RE timekeeping; I lost my card. Honest I did.
Malarkey,
Hows it going? nice to see you here. Swansea Council I will be working for. There web site is not much to look at, but I dont know how much involvment I will have in that area at the moment. Maybe, if they let me, I will be able to improve some things here.
Jennifer, Hass, Eric,
Thanks for the support guys! My three loyal readers! I think that I might be a bit busy again this week, catching up on the new job. My home computer is not set up at the moment either, because I have been staying away for a week. I will get it back up and running tonight, and then start blogging again. Hopefully.
Phil Baines
Post Error
The post still works, but it's not a nice error. I will try and get it fixed tonight.
Chris
Thieving Bugger
Anyway, best of luck in the new job mate, dont worry about the book - you can keep it.
Dont know who im supposed to share my css ideas with now. I may have to treat Mark and Steve to a crash course :) See you in a couple of months when you switch jobs again :)
Phil Baines
3D modeling, here I come!
Good luck with the CSS crash course. Just dont let steve use Pawnstars for a learning expriance!
Thanks for the best wishes, I am looking forward to see how it all turns out. It strange being back, even the lady in the food kiosk is asking me where I have been.
chris
PS
I was going to type this comment using Camino... unfortunately your site doesnt work in camino so i had to use safari.
You left too early, i took delivery of a shiny new Emac today :)))
Strange how the text boxes on your comments page appear in a different order in Safari???
Phil Baines
If you have it set to remember your info, if moves the name, emails and URI boxes below the comment and subject box. Saves them getting in the way. I little usability feature I saw dunstan orchard using.
Gutted that I didn't get to play with the Emac. I will have to pop up and see. I am sure I can think of some excuse why I need to come back. It doesn't work in Camino? Really? I think you have just become my Mac tester!
Steve
How much junk can one web developer keep on a PC?
Why I hear you ask (OK so its a bit early for panto season)
Daves Search Bar, Andromida 9 public test 2, e-e-media guitar lessons and six million other programs that Phil deems neccesary to create web sites, ARGHHHH
Now we can either format the machine or try and tidy it up. So we are trying to tidy it up :( BIG MISTAKE)
3 hours later and we are still finding junk to unistall
So whats the moral to this story? Make Phil tidy up before he leaves :)
Oh by the way did you know you had a 120 gig hard drive in that machine?
If so why was 60 gig of it not allocated. oops
Funny thing he reckons he used to work for tech support.
Can you imagine the phone call?
Hello is that the help desk?
---Yes
I seem to have lost half my hard drive
---errm
By the way we are auctioning off the rights to modify the pawn stars site.
so far we have been bid 5 pence by John Mill so Im thinking of taking it.
Just remembered your turn to buy the coffee Phil....
Steve
Sorry, commenting has been disabled for a while. I am getting a stupid amount of comment spam, and need to find a new way of doing things.
I will not publish your email address, but I may use it to get in contact with you.
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