Sunday 27th February 2011
Collected the van on Wednedsay 23rd and it now works!
On leave Wednesday to Friday (although Wednesday is time back for working on Sunday - Result!) Carol was off on Thursday & Friday, so I spent some time being appreciative of her picking me up from the station, and generally missing me.
I also spent some of the week working on the van. I did a fair amount, including fitting the Water Tank and the floor, but I felt that I was slacking a bit. It was good to get some time off work and not have to worry about anything. One of my students got a letter of support from the Dean of the University of Bolton (where she works) stating that the design piece she had completed was excellent. As this is a work based piece for her Foundation Degree, I felt a little glow of pride myself, too. I did have some input into the direction she took, and I think that between us, we produced a reasonable design.
Sometimes, my job is really enjoyable. It is a shame that this is usually in the holidays!
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Reflections - 11
Tuesday 22nd February 2011
Return home for Four Designers conference, and nobody died, got arrested or failed to return. Result! Some of the students even thanked me for organising the trip! The second day speakers were excellent, and Tom Roope's video for Lily Allen even brought a tear to my eye! The whole place went wild when he finished speaking. After the conference, we went out to Hockston (or near there) to see an exhibition of posters designed by Saul Bass. I must say, it was underwhelming! The posters were not bad, (although the gallery was tiny), but when seen as a collection, I can't help but feel that Saul was a bit formulaic in his approach to film poster design. I know that I will be hung by the Bass police for saying such a sinful thing, but we are all entitled to our opinions, especially when it comes to design. I got more good news today, too - Edd checked with garage, and the van is ready to collect (although I will have to get it tomorrow). The price was reasonable - £320, and I didn't expect it to be that low with a diesel pump rebuild on the list of jobs. Just got in after dropping off one of the students, as he failed to organise a lift home for himself. Luckily, Carol is a good egg, and didn't complain (even though we had to drop Jenna in Accrington too).
Absolutely knackered, and I'm sick of counting students. I'll sleep tonight!
Return home for Four Designers conference, and nobody died, got arrested or failed to return. Result! Some of the students even thanked me for organising the trip! The second day speakers were excellent, and Tom Roope's video for Lily Allen even brought a tear to my eye! The whole place went wild when he finished speaking. After the conference, we went out to Hockston (or near there) to see an exhibition of posters designed by Saul Bass. I must say, it was underwhelming! The posters were not bad, (although the gallery was tiny), but when seen as a collection, I can't help but feel that Saul was a bit formulaic in his approach to film poster design. I know that I will be hung by the Bass police for saying such a sinful thing, but we are all entitled to our opinions, especially when it comes to design. I got more good news today, too - Edd checked with garage, and the van is ready to collect (although I will have to get it tomorrow). The price was reasonable - £320, and I didn't expect it to be that low with a diesel pump rebuild on the list of jobs. Just got in after dropping off one of the students, as he failed to organise a lift home for himself. Luckily, Carol is a good egg, and didn't complain (even though we had to drop Jenna in Accrington too).
Absolutely knackered, and I'm sick of counting students. I'll sleep tonight!
Monday, 21 February 2011
Reflections - 10
Monday 21st February 2011
Four Designers conference was excellent as usual. the speakers were really good, and I was inspired enough to buy a notepad to practice my doodles after seeing Paul Davis. Spoke to him this evening as well, at the staff/organisers do, and he was a bit arrogant, in that London way, but he may have been nervous, causing him to overcompensate.
Last night, we went for our usual London Curry and spent the evening with students in a bar around the corner. Still doing head counts at every opportunity, but I can start to relax a tiny bit now. Only one more day to go, and as long as I get them all back safely, I can enjoy the rest of Half Term when I get home.
Some of the students went out tonight around the West End, so I am waiting for that call from Hotel Security (or the Police)...
Four Designers conference was excellent as usual. the speakers were really good, and I was inspired enough to buy a notepad to practice my doodles after seeing Paul Davis. Spoke to him this evening as well, at the staff/organisers do, and he was a bit arrogant, in that London way, but he may have been nervous, causing him to overcompensate.
Last night, we went for our usual London Curry and spent the evening with students in a bar around the corner. Still doing head counts at every opportunity, but I can start to relax a tiny bit now. Only one more day to go, and as long as I get them all back safely, I can enjoy the rest of Half Term when I get home.
Some of the students went out tonight around the West End, so I am waiting for that call from Hotel Security (or the Police)...
Sunday, 20 February 2011
Reflections - 9
Sunday 20th February 2011
In the week, the van was dropped off at a local garage - I was panicking a bit about the potential cost, but it looks as though the van had a factory fitted imobiliser that had stopped working, so it wouldn't start - We had to pay to get an immobiliser fitted for our insurance, so we should have checked more closely as we could have saved that expense. I'm just wondering if we did something to immobiliser when fitting central locking system? There were a few wires that we were unsure about. Garage told me that they had sent the diesel pump to be re-built - I'm expecting more expense on this, and I'm now wondering if this van might prove to be problematic?
Writing this on the train to London, and this is the first day of 3-day with students at the 4Designers conference. One student did not show, despite me calling him all morning. I had to get another student to call his Dad, as he had issues with English, and my Gujarati is terrible. We successfully negotiated a train change at Manchester, although a couple of the smokers cut it a bit fine... All on board now, and I've done my ninth head count of the day - another five more head counts and I can relax for the evening!
In the week, the van was dropped off at a local garage - I was panicking a bit about the potential cost, but it looks as though the van had a factory fitted imobiliser that had stopped working, so it wouldn't start - We had to pay to get an immobiliser fitted for our insurance, so we should have checked more closely as we could have saved that expense. I'm just wondering if we did something to immobiliser when fitting central locking system? There were a few wires that we were unsure about. Garage told me that they had sent the diesel pump to be re-built - I'm expecting more expense on this, and I'm now wondering if this van might prove to be problematic?
Writing this on the train to London, and this is the first day of 3-day with students at the 4Designers conference. One student did not show, despite me calling him all morning. I had to get another student to call his Dad, as he had issues with English, and my Gujarati is terrible. We successfully negotiated a train change at Manchester, although a couple of the smokers cut it a bit fine... All on board now, and I've done my ninth head count of the day - another five more head counts and I can relax for the evening!
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Reflections - 8 (new)
Sunday 13th February 2011
All weekend (in the cold and the wet and the mud at the top of the drive) spent trying to get the van working with Edd. Tried everything, with no joy. Edd knows of a place that we can take it to, though, but it looks expensive. Maybe a £750 diesel pump expensive. Didn't reflect much while working on the van, as I was too worried about the demise of the van.
I think I'm too worried to think about anything at the moment. It is the 4Designers Trip in a week, and I'm sure I've forgotten to do something! This is the first trip I have organised on my own (although I am a bit of a Trip veteran, having attended the London Trip since 2001 going to New York 6 times), but I have always gone as a team member, not as the trip leader. If it all goes pear shaped, I won't be happy. The paperwork burden alone will be immense!
The paperwork burden is a real feature of the job at the moment (as mentioned in the last post). Another feature of the job is the threat of redundancy, the threat of losing our pensions and the threat of the minitach session we have just done. I was really not happy with my session, but I have had no time whatsoever to put into prepping something more effective. Sorry.
All weekend (in the cold and the wet and the mud at the top of the drive) spent trying to get the van working with Edd. Tried everything, with no joy. Edd knows of a place that we can take it to, though, but it looks expensive. Maybe a £750 diesel pump expensive. Didn't reflect much while working on the van, as I was too worried about the demise of the van.
I think I'm too worried to think about anything at the moment. It is the 4Designers Trip in a week, and I'm sure I've forgotten to do something! This is the first trip I have organised on my own (although I am a bit of a Trip veteran, having attended the London Trip since 2001 going to New York 6 times), but I have always gone as a team member, not as the trip leader. If it all goes pear shaped, I won't be happy. The paperwork burden alone will be immense!
The paperwork burden is a real feature of the job at the moment (as mentioned in the last post). Another feature of the job is the threat of redundancy, the threat of losing our pensions and the threat of the minitach session we have just done. I was really not happy with my session, but I have had no time whatsoever to put into prepping something more effective. Sorry.
Friday, 11 February 2011
Reflections - 7 (new)
Friday 11th February 2011
After my late night (9am - 9pm, every Wednesday!) on the 9th February my van wouldn't start. Carol brought the spare key down but I didn't get home until 11.30. The spare key didn't work, and I had to wait for the RAC man. He got it going with some Cold Start, (a huge cloud of black smoke, and it ran like a bag of spanners), but it didn't start again on Thursday and it may be dead.
Talking through last two day with Edd, could be lots of things and I have now purchased an accumulation of parts from across the country to try, including Injectors from Kent, Glow Plugs from Preston, Return pipes from Blackburn, Glow Plug copper seats from Blackpool and a spanner set from Accrington. I have got used to having the van for work, so getting in on the scooter is a bit cold! We are going to strip down the engine and replace all the parts listed above, and if it doesn't work, I may have a little cry.
I managed to get a work placement for one of my 1st Year FDA students today, which was positive. The student in question is a really genuine bloke, and he has had a hard time over the past couple of years with a life threatening illness, so I feel happy that he is getting the opportunity to get back into the workplace. This job is really good when you can do something positive - it is a same that I cannot afford to spend more time doing things like this, rather than chase bits of 'essential' paperwork around my desk! I really need a new filing system too! My desk looks like the aftermath of a hurricane at the moment (with those aforementioned bits of 'essential' paperwork), and it is starting to depress me to go in there. Which causes more bits of paper to migrate towards my desk. It's a vicious circle!
The job really has changed into a more administrative one recently. I understand (and welcome) the need to be accountable - gone are the days when assessments were carried out in the pub on a Friday, and marks were scribbled on the back of the nearest piece of paper lying around. This said, I feel we have gone too far in the opposite direction. There are forms for everything now, and the subjective nature of assessment has been pretty much forced out of the job. Design either looks good or bad, with little falling in between, and we need to feed back (and feed forward) to students when assessing. This is not a problem in itself, but you can spend hours justifying a pass grade because a graphic element is placed a couple of millimeters awry, or a typeface is one point too large to be visually effective...
After my late night (9am - 9pm, every Wednesday!) on the 9th February my van wouldn't start. Carol brought the spare key down but I didn't get home until 11.30. The spare key didn't work, and I had to wait for the RAC man. He got it going with some Cold Start, (a huge cloud of black smoke, and it ran like a bag of spanners), but it didn't start again on Thursday and it may be dead.
Talking through last two day with Edd, could be lots of things and I have now purchased an accumulation of parts from across the country to try, including Injectors from Kent, Glow Plugs from Preston, Return pipes from Blackburn, Glow Plug copper seats from Blackpool and a spanner set from Accrington. I have got used to having the van for work, so getting in on the scooter is a bit cold! We are going to strip down the engine and replace all the parts listed above, and if it doesn't work, I may have a little cry.
I managed to get a work placement for one of my 1st Year FDA students today, which was positive. The student in question is a really genuine bloke, and he has had a hard time over the past couple of years with a life threatening illness, so I feel happy that he is getting the opportunity to get back into the workplace. This job is really good when you can do something positive - it is a same that I cannot afford to spend more time doing things like this, rather than chase bits of 'essential' paperwork around my desk! I really need a new filing system too! My desk looks like the aftermath of a hurricane at the moment (with those aforementioned bits of 'essential' paperwork), and it is starting to depress me to go in there. Which causes more bits of paper to migrate towards my desk. It's a vicious circle!
The job really has changed into a more administrative one recently. I understand (and welcome) the need to be accountable - gone are the days when assessments were carried out in the pub on a Friday, and marks were scribbled on the back of the nearest piece of paper lying around. This said, I feel we have gone too far in the opposite direction. There are forms for everything now, and the subjective nature of assessment has been pretty much forced out of the job. Design either looks good or bad, with little falling in between, and we need to feed back (and feed forward) to students when assessing. This is not a problem in itself, but you can spend hours justifying a pass grade because a graphic element is placed a couple of millimeters awry, or a typeface is one point too large to be visually effective...
Sunday, 6 February 2011
Reflections - 6
Sunday 6th February 2011
Reading through January's posts, it has occured to me that there is not much reflection going on in my posts. Admittedly, I was ill for a week, but this is no excuse. I really must try harder!
The Semester 1 work is finally all in, and awaiting assessment. Technically, it has been in for a while, but work has been so busy that I have not had the chance to do much at the moment. I have been pestered for unmarked registers from when I was ill, I have had trips paperwork to sort out for the London Trip (Risk Assessments, V5, V2s, Inside Leg Measurements for all students, rooming lists, chasing payment from students, paying trip organiser through finance, sorting out Larry and a thousand other things). To be honest, I am not really better yet, either, but things don't go away when you are not there, and the team is so stretched that it would be unfair for me to take any more time off. I'm such a martyr!
The student experience is a big thing at work at the moment. It looks as though we are gearing up for something - My guess is that full fees may be on the cards for next year, or at least a hefty increase. We are also going for Foundation Degree Awarding Powers soon, so the FDAP thing may become a big part of our lives soon. The threat of redundancies is also looming large, and some people may not be here next year... You have really got to love the Tories - Every time they get in power, they manage to make everyone miserable. I can still remember the miners strike, and the misery that the (insert farmyard animal here) Thatcher caused. I really will make every attempt to have a little dance on her grave when she goes!
Reading through January's posts, it has occured to me that there is not much reflection going on in my posts. Admittedly, I was ill for a week, but this is no excuse. I really must try harder!
The Semester 1 work is finally all in, and awaiting assessment. Technically, it has been in for a while, but work has been so busy that I have not had the chance to do much at the moment. I have been pestered for unmarked registers from when I was ill, I have had trips paperwork to sort out for the London Trip (Risk Assessments, V5, V2s, Inside Leg Measurements for all students, rooming lists, chasing payment from students, paying trip organiser through finance, sorting out Larry and a thousand other things). To be honest, I am not really better yet, either, but things don't go away when you are not there, and the team is so stretched that it would be unfair for me to take any more time off. I'm such a martyr!
The student experience is a big thing at work at the moment. It looks as though we are gearing up for something - My guess is that full fees may be on the cards for next year, or at least a hefty increase. We are also going for Foundation Degree Awarding Powers soon, so the FDAP thing may become a big part of our lives soon. The threat of redundancies is also looming large, and some people may not be here next year... You have really got to love the Tories - Every time they get in power, they manage to make everyone miserable. I can still remember the miners strike, and the misery that the (insert farmyard animal here) Thatcher caused. I really will make every attempt to have a little dance on her grave when she goes!
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