A new chapter

[dias]

Colleagues ask me if I bought gifts for my family and I am like emmmm not really. We don't give gifts to each other or follow any tradition in my immediate family. The last time we set up a Christmas tree was 20+ years ago. We just don't "have" it in the family. 

To be honest, I don't really appreciate the act of giving/receiving gifts. I know it's the thought that counts but still...for me it's the actions that count when I need a helping hand with something, you know daily regular stuff. 

To each his own I guess. 

 

[Jibralta]

I can relate to that. Frankly, I wish my family would stop with the gift exchange. We've tried in the past, but it somehow keeps 'growing back' lol.

[reinventmyself]

1 minute ago, Jibralta said:

I can relate to that. Frankly, I wish my family would stop with the gift exchange. We've tried in the past, but it somehow keeps 'growing back' lol.

Happy Belated Birthday!

I campaigned for the last few months to stop the holiday gift exchange.   The anxiety in running around buying other adults things they don't need and them feeling obligated to do the same.  I managed to influence about 50% of them.  Maybe next year I'll get all of them on board.  Christmas is for kids!

[dias]

5 hours ago, reinventmyself said:

Happy Belated Birthday!

I campaigned for the last few months to stop the holiday gift exchange.   The anxiety in running around buying other adults things they don't need and them feeling obligated to do the same.  I managed to influence about 50% of them.  Maybe next year I'll get all of them on board.  Christmas is for kids!

Thank you reinvent 🙂

Right! What is the point? I think some people really enjoy the act of exchanging gifts. It's fine if you enjoy doing it, not for me personally.

The best gift would be spending time together I guess, maybe at home or a nice restaurant. This is what my parents ask for a gift. I spent enough time in Athens this year but for them it's never enough. 

Beautiful granddaughter btw 🙂 

[dias]

On 12/4/2021 at 1:51 PM, mylolita said:

Nice pic Dias! I am glad you enjoy working in your office. I wish I had! I didn't have a career like yourself though.

There is nothing to envy or wish my dear. It's just a job. The difference between what we call career and a job is that career is a job with room for improvement which gives you a sense of purpose. I think you have already found your purpose 🙂

 

On 12/4/2021 at 1:51 PM, mylolita said:

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Glad you're taking 30 like a champ! You are a December baby like mwah! I am the 18th. 32 for me this month. Lord Jesus!
 

Thank you 🙂 Yes we all agree December babies are the coolest 😎

On 12/4/2021 at 1:53 PM, Jibralta said:

Happy Birthday!!

Thank you Jib 🙂

[dias]

Jake is the manager of my manager. Jake is unusually clever, he holds a Master's degree in Math from Oxford. I wouldn't know he is that clever only by seeing/talking to him in the calls. He does not have a "geeky" face or any conceit. It happened to collaborate in a couple of tasks and I was really impressed by how intelligent he is. He is not the typical "manager", he has deep knowledge and understanding of technical stuff,  he is better than the developers lol There were times I was trying to code something for hours and he found it in 5 minutes. My manager (who is pretty competent himself) told me he used to be intimidated by Jake when he first worked with him years ago, now he is too old and does not care anymore  lol

Funny thing is, Jake believes the same about me. My name in this email was not chosen in a raffle as I thought. 

On 12/4/2021 at 1:25 PM, dias said:

 

Jake requested it. I asked him why he picked me and he said he is impressed by what I have done so far and that I try until I succeed. It's what I call persistence and a lot of unpaid overtime lol. I am flattered nonetheless because it's coming from an extremely clever person. 

 

[Jibralta]

43 minutes ago, dias said:

There were times I was trying to code something for hours and he found it in 5 minutes.

I love working with (or for) people like that. 

[dias]

7 hours ago, Jibralta said:

I love working with (or for) people like that. 

Isn't it awesome, they solve problems on the fly. At first I couldn't believe it he could find a solution that fast, I thought he must have done it before or he "cheated". Nope, he is just that smart lol. 

I don't feel intimidated by people who are better than me because I was never the "best" in any group in my life, I compromised with the fact that many people are better than me long time ago. I am clever enough to learn from them though. 

 

 

[dias]

The internet at home is so abysmal I can't do anything, I go to the office everyday now because of that. I do like it but I lose too much time, I do a lot less work and I am generally way less productive. I don't have time for my own project which is driving me nuts, I thought I could calm down for a month since it was my birthday but yeah I can't lol

The only person I got along well in the house was one of the girls and now she moved in with her boyfriend and this new housemate is getting on my nerves. I don't like Newbury at all. I am visiting Bristol on the weekend but I doubt I will move there, I already booked a room in the place I used to live in Liverpool, yeah, I am moving back to Liverpool next month.

Now you will ask me why on earth would I choose Liverpool over the rest of the UK and the whole  world (since I have this opportunity now). I thought about it, it's the only place I like living in the UK and combines everything I want (affordable middle size city by the sea). I am sure there are many places I would like more but I don't have time now to explore every city in the world. I need to focus on the side project.

I love travelling apparently but I need to decide how I want to invest my time the next few years. I could travel everywhere now that I am free and have money, I can realize the dream for the first time in my life. The problem is, I can't focus when I am moving all the time so no side projects or anything. I would have to forget the business idea. On the one hand, I feel I would regret it if I don't travel now, on the other hand, I need to start my own (successful) business at some point which is easier said than done obviously. Damn, I can't sleep at night thinking I have to work as an employee one more day. What if I start a business and it fails and I have spent 3-4 years working for nothing instead of travelling the world having fun in sunny places and having sex? We only live once unfortunately, can't return the clock backwards. 

This is a risk I have to take. 

[Jibralta]

4 hours ago, dias said:

I don't feel intimidated by people who are better than me because I was never the "best" in any group in my life, I compromised with the fact that many people are better than me long time ago. I am clever enough to learn from them though. 

I don't either, and I often have been the "best" at things, whether is was drawing, gymnastics, riding a bike (I could even outride the boys when we were kids lol). But it turns out that when I'm not the best, it just makes me work harder! I enjoy the competition (even when (alas) it's a lost cause). But even more than that, I admire mastery. I find it inspiring--which is probably why I try to be the best at things.

Working with super-competent people also alleviates a lot of stress. I never have to worry about fixing their messes so that things can function at the most basic level. They just don't make messes. And if they do, it's an accident (not negligence) they acknowledge it, and they fix it themselves before it affects other people.

[dias]

So I didn't go to Bristol, the weather is quite overcast with a few showers now and then, I wouldn't be able to capture any good photos without a sunset. 

I woke up, I drank my coffee and I started running. I ran to the first next town to the east and back and then to the next first town to the west. I think I could have broken my previous record of 30km, I was still feeling quite good after 20 km (tired but had plenty of stamina left) when I noticed the train stop and thought what the heck let's take the train on the way back. 

I visited a cardiologist when I was in Athens to check why I fainted sometimes out of nowhere. It's nothing to worry about, I don't remember what the word was but in essence it is very low blood pressure which is caused by multiple factors. I have low blood pressure naturally + I exercise a lot which reduces the heart rate. 

 

He basically told me to stop working out that much because overdoing it has detrimental consequences (heath-wise). He said I shouldn't walk more than 45min-1 hour every day. I was like whattttttttttttttttttt? For me this would feel like I am in prison. Of course I never listen to anyone, I prefer to die younger than living a miserable life. 

I realized running makes me happy. 

[dias]

F*ck, my manager sent me 3 bottles of Jack Daniel's for my birthday and Christmas. I didn't expect that. I need to buy him something, I am thinking about a smartwatch that counts calories and stuff, I know he is athletic but this is the only thing I know about him. 

Any ideas?

And I don't know his address. I don't think the HR would give it to me. 

 

Aha found something

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazfit-GTS-Display-Battery-Monitor-Green/dp/B08PD96NV3/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=smart%2Bwatch%2Bfor%2Bmen&qid=1639515963&refinements=p_36%3A7000-10000&rnid=389035011&sr=8-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExU0FSMzZDS0hZOU1JJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjYwNDM2VFIxNVlUTktWNEYyJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5MjQ0NzAzRU1HMjAzOUlLUUc5JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1

Now I need to find his address, I pinged him but I am sure he will start the "no it's not necessary you don't have to etc" Hopefully he does not make me ask everyone on the team lol

[Jibralta]

1 hour ago, dias said:

F*ck, my manager sent me 3 bottles of Jack Daniel's for my birthday and Christmas.

Is he trying to kill you lol?

1 hour ago, dias said:

I am thinking about a smartwatch that counts calories and stuff, I know he is athletic but this is the only thing I know about him.

How much is Jack Daniels over there? It seems like a smartwatch/fitbit type gadget outweighs Jack Daniels, no?

[dias]

5 minutes ago, Jibralta said:

Is he trying to kill you lol?

How much is Jack Daniels over there? It seems like a smartwatch/fitbit type gadget outweighs Jack Daniels, no?

Actually he just replied, it wasn't only him, the whole team chipped in (15+). I just sent an email to the team thanking them since I can't buy something for the whole team. 

1 bottle=25 pounds so 75 pounds more or less. 

 

[Jibralta]

That was nice of them!!

[mylolita]

On 12/11/2021 at 3:43 PM, dias said:

So I didn't go to Bristol, the weather is quite overcast with a few showers now and then, I wouldn't be able to capture any good photos without a sunset. 

I woke up, I drank my coffee and I started running. I ran to the first next town to the east and back and then to the next first town to the west. I think I could have broken my previous record of 30km, I was still feeling quite good after 20 km (tired but had plenty of stamina left) when I noticed the train stop and thought what the heck let's take the train on the way back. 

I visited a cardiologist when I was in Athens to check why I fainted sometimes out of nowhere. It's nothing to worry about, I don't remember what the word was but in essence it is very low blood pressure which is caused by multiple factors. I have low blood pressure naturally + I exercise a lot which reduces the heart rate. 

 

He basically told me to stop working out that much because overdoing it has detrimental consequences (heath-wise). He said I shouldn't walk more than 45min-1 hour every day. I was like whattttttttttttttttttt? For me this would feel like I am in prison. Of course I never listen to anyone, I prefer to die younger than living a miserable life. 

I realized running makes me happy. 

Wish someone would tell me to stop exercising 🤣

 

Do you feel the cold easily too Dias? Maybe take a smidge of medical advice and don’t run to Athens next time!
 

Lo x

[dias]

13 hours ago, mylolita said:

Wish someone would tell me to stop exercising 🤣

No need since you are the picture of health

 

13 hours ago, mylolita said:

Do you feel the cold easily too Dias? Maybe take a smidge of medical advice and don’t run to Athens next time!

Meh, I never listened in my life, I don't think I will start now. My goal is to do an ultra-marathon at some point in the future. Still long way to go, I haven't reached that level yet. 

[dias]

13 hours ago, Jibralta said:

That was nice of them!!

I am pretty certain my manager decided for the gift as he was the only one I told I like JD. Though 3 bottles is an exaggeration lol I like JD but I rarely drink...they will last me forever.

I will save them for a special occasion I have on my mind. JD, ice, suit, cigar, lounge music, nice view of the ocean and a few girls in lacy black stockings......someday in the future..

[dias]

The only thing I like in Newbury is my office. Nothing else. It was a bad move. I thought it would be a nice change but I was wrong. I don't like the house, I don't like the town, I don't like the nature here. It's a no no no. It's not even a convenient place if you want to be close to the airports. Maybe Norwich wasn't my place because I can't live away from the sea but at least it had something, a bit of charm as a town; and after all it was my lucky place, everything started to go upwards since I moved there. Newbury has literally nothing except for traffic.  The only positive I can think it's that the internet in the house is so bad I had to go to the office, it was a nice change for a month, it would be a shame not to visit the office since I moved here for this purpose only. 

It's one of those days I feel very tired, this week was very hectic at work (pretty much like every week), I have no energy to do anything today. My brain is empty. Tomorrow I will visit my friend in Oxford that I visited on my birthday. She made a brownie that day for my birthday, I hadn't eaten a brownie for 7+ years, I thought what the heck it's my birthday and it would be rude not to eat anyway (although she knows me for years, she knows I don't eat sweets). I ate almost the whole tray and I don't regret it, it was the best brownie I have ever had, the best sweet I have ever had!! Chocolate brownie with pieces of chocolate, it was just too good!! No wonder why people have weight problems, if you make brownies like this......Nonetheless, I will ask her for the recipe and pass it to my mom lol. 

I have two weeks off starting from next Friday. Covid f*cked everything up again. No Monaco again.....I will visit my grandmother in Poland for 10 days, she is complaining I haven't been there for three years now, I am like well you know I can't be in three countries at the same time....and I still haven't visited my brother in the US who is asking me to visit him all the time. To be honest now that he is married I am not very enthusiastic to visit him despite the fact that his wife seems to like me. My parents hope I will move to the US so we can live close but I don't see that happening. Let's say I can work remotely so there is no job issue, am I supposed to live close to my brother in a place that I won't probably like? Besides he is married now, he is creating a new life (as it should be), where do I fit there? Sure I wouldn't mind moving to the US but only for my reasons and where I would want to live. 

Anyway, I am visiting Poland next weekend and when I come back I am packing my stuff and I am moving to Liverpool. I am excited to see Liverpool again! And run along the waterfront!! 

 

[dias]

For a December baby I don't understand why I despise winter so much. 

I could live only with one season all year round for the rest of my life: summer!! 

[Jibralta]

2 hours ago, dias said:

For a December baby I don't understand why I despise winter so much. 

I could live only with one season all year round for the rest of my life: summer!! 

I'd say it's because you're GREEK.

[dias]

The HR where my dad works "discovered" he has exceeded the "unofficial" number of his working years. They push people to retire after 35 years and my dad has 39 years and 4 months. He is fighting now to let him stay another 8 months lol. 

One of the best things when you have your own company is that you can never retire. How awesome is that. I am never going to retire to matter the age or how much money I make. Never. 

 

[dias]

Even Elon has the same opinion. The vaccine does work (unlike what conspiracy theorists say) but it shouldn't be imposed (unlike what the other extreme claims). If I didn't watch the news I would assume everyone has the same opinion lol I've met researchers that worked in the production of the vaccine, believe me when I say there are no Microsoft chips in the jab hahaha. In fact I would say some these researchers are being paid peanuts, poor guys, pharmaceuticals make all the money... but that's the game, it's not enough to be a good scientist in this life!!!

It's good the richest people are engineers and not salesmen lol

 

[dias]

1,5 days left. Finally, I do need holidays. I am in auto-pilot mode the last few weeks and when I am in auto-pilot mode I feel empty. I do have a lot of work but I skilled up so now it's not that interesting anymore. I so much want to leave Newbury at this point.

Next month I am back to Liverpool. The company postponed the hybrid model until spring anyway and I honestly don't believe I will ever go back to the office. Nobody wants from our team. If it would be necessary I could easily visit Leeds from Liverpool once every two weeks or something but if I have to go more often than this I am changing company. Besides my managers agreed I won't have to go back to the office ever if I don't want, they gave their word. I doubt they would do anything anyway, they are not going to find another *** working overtime without getting paid with my qualifications. 

I am certain my mood is affected by the weather, I don't like winter. There must be a place in the world where it is always summer lol. It was a very good year though, very very good year. I did so many things! What I wanted(and expected) to happen the last 4 years linearly and sequentially it happened within a year. It is strange how things work in life. You put effort and then more effort and more and nothing happens for years and then everything happens in a moment. It is really bizarre. 

 

[dias]

You know when you try something and you don't like it and people say "give it some time, you will start liking it later on"........it really doesn't work for me. The first impression/feeling I get when I try something new or when I meet new people never changes. The people I didn't like the first 5 minutes I never liked them no matter how much time we spent together, the things I didn't like the first 5 minutes of doing them I never liked them. The best case scenario is to tolerate them in the long term. 

As I mentioned when I moved to this house there was one girl that we got along great and another one that we had very neutral chemistry (which is fine). I didn't get a good vibe from the second girl. I noticed the first day even, she was very quick to point out that someone left something dirty whilst she was doing the same thing. On my mind, if you want to accuse someone of doing something you need to practice what you preach first. The trait I despise the most in people is hypocrisy, it doesn't sit well with me. I knew I wouldn't like her from that point onwards. She seems to be duplicitous, we almost never talk (which is fine by me) but when the landlord or her friends are present she always initiate small talk and look forthcoming. And I am thinking, why the heck are you pretending when someone else is around? 

We have a very neutral relationship, it's mutual, this is fine but I don't like the hypocrisy part. It's not that she is bothering me, it's that hypocrisy is a pet peeve of mine. I heard her complaining to a friend her boss does not give her a pay-raise and I am like yeah because you don't deserve it......