A new chapter

[mylolita]

3 hours ago, dias said:

I am thinking about getting involved in politics. I always thought I would make money first and then get involved in politics but I don't see the first thing happening any time soon. Unfortunately we don't live forever and I have found it is better not to wait to do things you want based on how you would like things to happen.

I am not saying right now but next year when I get a new job and settle down somewhere more permanently* then I will get involved in local politics. I really don't know how you start getting involved in politics but I will find a way. 

I believe acting classes would be something I would continue doing as a hobby forever. I really need to make it a habit. It will take effort at first for sure.

And I am thinking about replacing running with swimming. Let's see how that goes.

* I  will never settle down in the traditional sense. I mean I wouldn't have to relocate again once I get a very good paying job. With the exception of hedge funds a good salary for Senior data engineers would be between 80-100K. I would be satisfied with everything above 90K I think.  Not many jobs that pay a lot more than this so it's kind of pointless chasing it. Basically if you want more than this you need your own successful company.

I second itsallgrand!

 

Extremely low impact. Full body work out. And another really awesome side affect is an increased lung capacity! I don’t know if you found this to be true grand?

 

My Dad was an avid and obsessive swimmer in his late 20s and through to late 30s. He could do two lengths of a pool underwater without coming up for air in the end. He used to spend his lunch hour at the swimming baths! I remember as kids, he would always have his swim bag packed in the boot of the ol’ company car! 
 

And oh my Lordy Lord! For a smile Dias! Make sure it’s natural, and not huge veneers that are fluorescent white as they just age people and remind everyone of dentures! This is a heads up 🥴 Although I’m not one to talk, as I have a gap inbetween my front two middle teeth! But, as a lot of black people tell me, it’s a “money gap” or “lucky gap!” In their culture it is a lucky sign apparently! Correct me anyone if I’m wrong! Ha! 

The political route is very interesting! I didn’t know you were that keen on politics!

 

I took politics for one of my A Levels! Oh yes! There was probably me and only 8 others in THAT class 🤣

 

Would you run independent or get involved with a political party? 
 

This is an interesting turn! 
 

x

 

[reinventmyself]

On 6/13/2022 at 12:36 PM, dias said:

I think it's not even 60% accurate now that I am reading it more thoroughly. These tests are based on so many assumptions....

 

 

Wow . . all that would keep me awake at night.  The most we ever did was Millers Briggs.  Your test is nothing short of remarkable!

[dias]

I had to travel down South to work in the office but it was worth it. I loved meeting and working with my colleagues in real life. It's way more fun working in the office. I had honestly forgot how it is working in the office. Of course it's a lot less productive since we spent half the time chit-chatting (which is fun) but hey who cares lol. For me the hybrid model works the best. 1 or 2 days in the office to have fun and the rest at home for productivity. 

I really like my manager, we get along great in real life too. I asked him if he was joking about this idea of starting our own consulting on the side. He replied he is serious about it but he doesn't know how we can start. Which is a problem of course because I don't know either. We will see. And I finally asked him about his heritage (he is South African), I was pretty certain he was German or Dutch, well, he is German, I was right lol. He always jokes of my affinity for Liverpool (his wife is South African from Liverpudlians parents).

I like what I do, probably for the first time in my life, and my manager gives me almost unlimited freedom. Realistically it can’t get better. It’s tempting to start sending CVs because recruiters have been reaching out with almost double salary-wise offers but I am still hesitant because I am learning new things and I like working with my colleagues. I will find a better paying job at some point but probably not in the foreseeable future (unless I don’t get the promotion in October).

I am getting at this stage where I feel I don’t want to travel that much. I mean I will always travel because I like seeing new places, it’s more like I want to have a base. I am thinking about getting an apartment in the next 3 years or so. I think my next job will be crucial as I would like to start “building” and stop wandering around. It will be a new chapter in my life, I am not ready yet right now but I can see it happening in the next 2-3 years, and I will welcome it.

 

 

[dias]

Very very very very bad day.

I downloaded a web browser on my work laptop that I shouldn't and the company didn't like it.

I am under suspension, I have to mail them my laptop to investigate it, the HR hired a private investigator to interrogate me whether I used this browser to sell gun or drugs or whatever they think....

And the funny thing, I downloaded this browser to check coding examples.

Even worse I just came to Athens.

I thought this only happens in the movies.

 

[Jibralta]

Holy crap! What browser?

[dias]

28 minutes ago, Jibralta said:

Holy crap! What browser?

Tor browser. They block some coding websites that's why I used Tor browser. I mean I could have used my personal laptop, I never thought it could cause such an issue. 

Something doesn't add up here. They make a huge deal out of it. I can't fathom how a browser could cause suspension and hire a private investigator to interrogate me. First of all, it's stupid and second what are they, the police?

[dias]

I have a feeling I need to prepare my CV. Well the sh*t hit the fan.

[reinventmyself]

4 hours ago, dias said:

I have a feeling I need to prepare my CV. Well the sh*t hit the fan.

Uh oh. . .I hope everything is ok

[dias]

2 hours ago, reinventmyself said:

Uh oh. . .I hope everything is ok

I need a good night sleep to clear my mind. Out of nowhere I have to conceive them I am not Snowden. Go figure. 

I am waiting to text me the address to mail the laptop. It will be all theirs to check whatever the heck they want to check. 

I told my manager they blew it out of proportion, he agreed but he said I broke the rules and I have to pay the consequences. Fair enough. I  broke the rules to search coding solutions for my work. I should have known better, next time I  will be like everyone else: I can't find the solution sorry.

[mylolita]

Oh man! Hide the porn! 🫣 Office rules can be bizarre, and I’m sorry you are facing some drama because of an innocent slip up!

 

All the best Dias! Chin up, this will probably blow over, unless you are a seriously shady dark web surfer, and if that were so, why you would use your office computer to do it would baffle even the biggest most clueless IT loser like me!

 

Sorry to joke. I realise this is probably very un-funny. You will probably look back on this and roll your eyes and laugh soon enough! 
 

x

[Jibralta]

Wow, that is crazy. I hope it all works out ok for you!

[dias]

8 hours ago, mylolita said:

Oh man! Hide the porn! 

This would be the normal thing to assume, but they want to check if I was surfing on the dark web doing something illegal.  Come on, if I was selling company's data (which isn't worth it any money anyway - at least the data I have access to) or guns and whatnot I would be on the Bahamas drinking mojitos with hot chicks, not studying f*cking coding examples for multiprocessing to improve their sh*tty code. 

Lesson learned for sure. Yes I did break the rules but come on we are talking about a browser here. 

I am treating this as a lesson. Now let's see how the "interrogation" goes. These things do make me more ambitious and aggressive in a way. 

 

 

[dias]

"Break the rules" LOL for a browser LOL

Maybe when I get back I will wear a Che Guevara T-shirt lol

[dias]

It will drive me crazy, I might lodge a grievance if they continue like this. Aside from preposterous and unfair, they gave me admin privileges to download whatever I want, if they didn't trust me why did they give me an admin account? 

They didn't even notify me. This is outrageous. 

[dias]

There is something very wrong here. Tor browser is not illegal, I don't get how they came up with the suspension, what they are doing is illegal though. I am chasing them now, the HR has to call me about this (required by law) and they don't want and I am calling my manager and service desk to give me their phone number. This is a circus. Maybe there are company politics involved and someone is trying to cover his *ss because there is a security hole, I really don't know what is going on but I won't be the scapegoat for anyone. When I asked who made that decision I got silence back. 

Now I am really pissed off. If they don't rescind the suspension and stop this circus I will file a formal complaint and then a complaint to ombudsman. Let's see how this will turn out for them.

[Jibralta]

Keep us posted!

[dias]

I am disappointed. I am almost certain that this decision was made from someone I know well in the company.

I had to chase the HR to phone me so we can arrange a call on Wednesday. What a circus. Remember the girl from the South I visited in Oxford in December? She works in the HR in the police and she told me what they did was outrageous and way over the top. And when the results of this stupid investigation is over I can sue them for a lot of money due to false allegations. But for now I should go with the flow and see.

I will go with the flow although I really wanted to make a fuss because it's not right. They started to chicken out when I asked who did it and said it's preposterous and offensive. Legally I can f*ck them if I pursue this path. Which I won't because I can't waste time, money and energy on stupid things. They will use it against me in October when the next review is and I won't get the promotion. 

It's time to start searching for another job I think.

That's what you get for going an extra mile. Lesson learned. Like everyone else from now on.

 

[dias]

Ok the first CVs have been sent. Time to hustle again. I haven't had a satisfying break/holidays but I managed to rest a bit. This cockroach that suspended my account f*cked my summer but it will bite him in the butt in the end. 

[dias]

I stayed in my parents cottage for three days, I needed a change, no internet at all and no PC. It's the only way to truly rest. When I work I need melatonin pills and alcohol to sleep and even then I can sleep 7-7.5 hours max if I am lucky. Now I slept 8+ hours and took a 1-1.5 hours nap every day. Maybe the lazy bums are the smart ones and know how to live life. 

My mother has two Maltese (mother and daughter) which are a pain in the butt but I adore them. I will take the mother back to the UK with me at some point. 

[dias]

[dias]

[dias]

I had the call with the HR and the investigator. It was another reason why this happened, it wasn't the Tor browser, that was the pretense. They didn't explicitly name the person who did it but I am almost certain I know how he is. It's always the person you like and trust the most. Yes you can guess who he is if you read my post on the 3rd of July. 

Always the person you trust the most.....Always. 

OK I will return the laptop to the UK and I will let it pass but I won't forget. They know I contacted a lawyer, they have nothing, they better pray I don't sue them. It's not the company, it's always a specific person. I will play his game, he is not going to get away with it. 

[Jibralta]

What happened?

[dias]

52 minutes ago, Jibralta said:

What happened?

Either I am fired or promoted. 

[dias]

I am wondering how this will end up. It's really strange I find myself in this sort of situation because of a disgusting duplicitous cockroach. 

The Tor browser thing was a pretense, it was mostly that I worked remotely a few days in Athens before informing them. And my petty manager thinks he is Putin and I am his possession. 

It wasn't the security company, it wasn't the HR, it was this cockroach who still pretends he is on my side and the HR is the bad guy. 

I sent him a nice message on Whatsapp, not aggressive, not swearing or anything, just that I contacted a lawyer and if I sue the person who did this he could get fired. He hasn't replied. I honestly don't give a rat's *ss, I can find another job, he is the one who has to worry.