Tuesday, March 27, 2007
What I love about Portugal....
Sizzling steak at the "Sizzling Stone" restaurant - cook your own steak on a hot granite stone just the way you want it. Perfect opportunity for Tony to show off his steak grilling skills!
18 oz Portuguese T-bone and mixed Espetada (that's a giant skewer kebab to you and me) at an Australian-themed restaurant "Koala Garden" tucked away off the beaten track among the luxury villas of Albufeira.
Okay, not very Portuguese, but a great way to taste the best of the fresh local seafood as sashimi and sushi. Also got another beef fix with the sirloin steak teriyaki and satisfied Tony's yearning for tempura.
We didn't get round to trying the local speciality Cataplana - fish and shellfish steamed with herbs in a tall pan, but there's only so many meals that you can have in a long weekend.
Sizzling steak at the "Sizzling Stone" restaurant - cook your own steak on a hot granite stone just the way you want it. Perfect opportunity for Tony to show off his steak grilling skills!
18 oz Portuguese T-bone and mixed Espetada (that's a giant skewer kebab to you and me) at an Australian-themed restaurant "Koala Garden" tucked away off the beaten track among the luxury villas of Albufeira.
Okay, not very Portuguese, but a great way to taste the best of the fresh local seafood as sashimi and sushi. Also got another beef fix with the sirloin steak teriyaki and satisfied Tony's yearning for tempura.
We didn't get round to trying the local speciality Cataplana - fish and shellfish steamed with herbs in a tall pan, but there's only so many meals that you can have in a long weekend.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Six Months and Counting...
Had more shit this week from my boss, but my senior manager has been very supportive and has kept me from going insane. It's such a relief to know that there is actually someone at work who appears to care for how you feel.
Anyway, have booked my next big holiday... sun, sea, sand, jungle, fresh seafood, massage...... mmmmmmmmmm........ six months to go!!
My horoscope for the year says I won't be able to save much, so I might as well enjoy myself if my money is destined to be frittered away this year somehow. Better than investing it in stocks and shares to see it all being wiped out in one day's stock market crash! At least this way I get a great tan, stretched muscles and plenty of stuff to blog about. If I can stand the smell, I might even go for an elephant ride!
Okay, need to get back to the present and enjoy my Portuguese adventure this weekend!! It's not quite as hot, but at least it's not snowing there!
Had more shit this week from my boss, but my senior manager has been very supportive and has kept me from going insane. It's such a relief to know that there is actually someone at work who appears to care for how you feel.
Anyway, have booked my next big holiday... sun, sea, sand, jungle, fresh seafood, massage...... mmmmmmmmmm........ six months to go!!
My horoscope for the year says I won't be able to save much, so I might as well enjoy myself if my money is destined to be frittered away this year somehow. Better than investing it in stocks and shares to see it all being wiped out in one day's stock market crash! At least this way I get a great tan, stretched muscles and plenty of stuff to blog about. If I can stand the smell, I might even go for an elephant ride!
Okay, need to get back to the present and enjoy my Portuguese adventure this weekend!! It's not quite as hot, but at least it's not snowing there!
Labels: holidays
Friday, March 16, 2007
The Importance of Working 'Relationships'
The last few weeks has been a roller coaster ride, there have been some great ups, but the downs have been deep. It's all been a bit of a fuzz, but I seem to remember lots of sleepless nights, a few weekends moping around playing stupid little games rather than going out, jam-packed days at work not even having time to go to the toilet, getting severely frustrated and stressed by an incompetent and unsupporting boss, looking for ways out, seeking help from my senior manager to stop me from going doolally and once again putting myself through the rigmarole of applying for another job, only for it all to come down to the ground with a hard bump on my rear today with another rejection.
I don't dislike my current job. In fact on some days, I can safely say that I love my job. It's ideal really, it's flexible, it keeps me interested and I know what I am doing. There is one thing that I HATE (and those who know me know I rarely use this word) and that is how you cannot get by at work without the 'relationships'.
That was my feedback as to why I didn't pass my last two interviews, technically I am able - I can physically DO the job, just that I didn't convey the right 'relationship building' evidence in my interview... in other words, I don't know how to kiss ass.
That is the reason why I don't get on with my boss, because he spends 80% of his day 'building relationships' by the pool table or in the smoking hut and I spend 80% of my day slogging away to make sure things get done.
That is the reason why I get made the scapegoat or have my work stolen all the time, because I take responsibility for my promises and I care about what other people think.
I've been working now for nearly ten years and I have now drawn the conclusion that you simply cannot progress in any company without having your head firmly wedged between the buttcheeks of the person in charge. Much as I hate to admit it, I didn't get my current job purely on my abilities and I didn't get away from the phones just because I proved myself. Some people 'liked' me along the way, so I guess I got lucky. I once had an argument with a former manager who dared to suggest I had to do more 'networking' to progress, I now admit I am wrong.
The question is whether I am prepared to betray the strong, honest principles that my parents boldly instilled in me for the sake of a promotion, an extra £10K per year and super flexible working hours. Nah... I'd rather be true to myself. You can still find contentment in a small house, a holiday every year and Cake Mania.
The last few weeks has been a roller coaster ride, there have been some great ups, but the downs have been deep. It's all been a bit of a fuzz, but I seem to remember lots of sleepless nights, a few weekends moping around playing stupid little games rather than going out, jam-packed days at work not even having time to go to the toilet, getting severely frustrated and stressed by an incompetent and unsupporting boss, looking for ways out, seeking help from my senior manager to stop me from going doolally and once again putting myself through the rigmarole of applying for another job, only for it all to come down to the ground with a hard bump on my rear today with another rejection.
I don't dislike my current job. In fact on some days, I can safely say that I love my job. It's ideal really, it's flexible, it keeps me interested and I know what I am doing. There is one thing that I HATE (and those who know me know I rarely use this word) and that is how you cannot get by at work without the 'relationships'.
That was my feedback as to why I didn't pass my last two interviews, technically I am able - I can physically DO the job, just that I didn't convey the right 'relationship building' evidence in my interview... in other words, I don't know how to kiss ass.
That is the reason why I don't get on with my boss, because he spends 80% of his day 'building relationships' by the pool table or in the smoking hut and I spend 80% of my day slogging away to make sure things get done.
That is the reason why I get made the scapegoat or have my work stolen all the time, because I take responsibility for my promises and I care about what other people think.
I've been working now for nearly ten years and I have now drawn the conclusion that you simply cannot progress in any company without having your head firmly wedged between the buttcheeks of the person in charge. Much as I hate to admit it, I didn't get my current job purely on my abilities and I didn't get away from the phones just because I proved myself. Some people 'liked' me along the way, so I guess I got lucky. I once had an argument with a former manager who dared to suggest I had to do more 'networking' to progress, I now admit I am wrong.
The question is whether I am prepared to betray the strong, honest principles that my parents boldly instilled in me for the sake of a promotion, an extra £10K per year and super flexible working hours. Nah... I'd rather be true to myself. You can still find contentment in a small house, a holiday every year and Cake Mania.
Labels: life