Quick general update

Okay, so I haven't blogged for a wee bit, but that's a sure sign that things are running better in my life right now.

So work: Day Three officially yesterday (Today is a useless public holiday).

I have been stressing because I work with different software to the rest of the team, and my data hasn't been matching up. The ramifications are huge. So basically, I have been importing their data, and it just never seems to register the same co-ords in space.

So on Tuesday I told the project leader that I am going to the client to try and resolve this issue. And I am getting looks of "you don't really know what you are doing, do you?"

My gut feel is that my data is right, and their's is wrong, but my panic is that I am missing something through being a little rusty with the whole system.

Four hours into trying to make a case, the client project manager reruns their process and comes up with a fundamental flaw in their own system. Ten Points For ME!!!!!

The problem is that their raw data was flawed, and they have used this data through several steps which now have to be re-done. Three months work literally down the drain pipe....

And good old Sethy has been mandated to redo all the work. This is good. More work = more hours = more pay lolz. They already know me as Dr Fixit at the client.

Now I just got to get thru financially till the end of Oct. Not really sure how I am going to manage it.....

Drank tequial last night haha! Was out with Wes. I could so have done really naughty things with him haha. I must have kissed him five or six times during the evening, inspiring many giggles from our waitress who just can't fathom why we are not a real couple. And a number of dirty looks from the more conservative patrons....

So I am off to Wes's parents place for a braai (bbq in otherspeak). Beer, sunshine, cricket, Wes, braai... a good day in all.

Saturday

Johnno and I


Me, Iain and Duma

9.35am Rugby, Happiness, SA 1-Oz and NZ 0, Tri-Nations FTW! Beer.

11.30am Breakfast with Wes, Happiness.

1.00pm Iain, Beer, Happiness.

2.00pm Iain, Johnno and Fam, Duma, Happiness, Beer.

6.00pm Home, Supper, Coffee, Happiness.

A good day

Tantric

That's what my life feels like sometimes..... Long and drawn out, yet mostly pleasurable, and still waiting for the big orgasm.

So as you may know if you follow me regularly, I have had some ups and downs on the financial / employment front for some time.

So anyway, after my 'agent' (I always put it in '' cos agents are supposed to get you work right?) called this week asking if I was available for some work, I waited with baited breath for some answer from him.

Day 2: I get a mail from Ray at the client requesting me to contact them direct. This is rarely good because I don't really ever get involved until an order is signed etc... I am not good at negotiating rates and stuff, thats why I have an 'agent'. Anyway, I try call, but just get voicemail. Later, while having a beer with Wes and Ali, Ray calls, so I ask him if this has to do with what my Agent is quoting on. So he tells me yeah, sorta, but not the same - all enigmatic like. Then he tells me that Paul will call me with all the details. Paul is his boss.

Day3: Paul calls me. Says I can't work thru my agent because the project is not at mine level, but at corporate head office level, in which case, Agent is not a registered vendor there and I would battle to get my money (again). Ray will call me and give me the details.

Day4: Ray calls me. Wants to know if I can start earlier, but work through ***con as discussed with Paul. So I say yeah... I can come and see them next week (Paul said not going to happen till late in the month). Ray says next week? Fuck no, come tomorrow cos Charles from xxxcon is leaving for Peru on Monday. Oh Fuck, I think, Charles. Him and I butted heads on the last project.

Today: I go through, all nervous like, because of the Charles butting heads incident that may fuck all of this stuff up for me. Ray takes me to the boardroom where Charles joins us. - all kitten like. Hey S, he says, nice to see you again etc etc... When can you start? What are your rates? How can we pay you? Travel? No problem. Laptop? Sure, we have a new Dell lying around. Oh, by the way, we have some juniors we would like you to take under your wing and give them some training. It's just that you really know this reef and the orebody better than most. We'll pay you extra for that of course.

On the outside I am all smooth and calm like. On the inside, I am going Booooyaaaaaaa!!!!

So he takes me around to the project manager for intro's. 'Hey Heather, This is S I told you about. Make sure he gets what he needs, and if you have any questions, he will help you out. I've asked him to give some leadership to the new guys.'

So I am still spinning a bit....

I mean, the money is really good. I probably could have milked a bit more.... but once this project is done, there is always the opportunity to re-negotiate.

So Sethy is back to building puzzles (My daughter's description for what I do). Basically doing 3D models of underground stuff using a bunch of known, inferred, and extrapolated data plus a whole lotta gut feel. Once my models are done, the geostaticians use them as boundaries within they can estimate the value of the ore, and the engineers use my models to plan their routes to the ore, and the marketers use my models as pretty pictures in presentations to raise billions on the stock exchange.

As long as they don't send me down there to physically check my work...... I am not going 3.4km underground thank you very much. Thats 1.5km below sea-level. And the area is 'seismically' active in some places.

Anyone?

Does anyone know what happened to jlo from Jeff's Favs?

Online relationships

Last night, I went signed on to my 'regular' MSN sign on - not the one I use for my fellow bloggers.

I haven't been there in a while, because well, it's kinda boring, and I usually use Skype for my A-side friends anyway.

My first foray into online chatting was when Yahoo Chat was full of cammers and cool chatrooms. I met a bunch of cool people, and went through a serious camming anonymously phase. I actually think I was a bit of an addict, often with five or six cam windows open lol.... even on dial up, it performed okay.

I guess like all things, I became a bit bored, and canned most of my 'friends', but I still chat occasionally to two of those original guys. Tim is in his fifties, married, but plays around a lot online, and while his wife works or is away on some or other conference. Tim and I went through a lot of stuff together. He supported me during my divorce and my first forays into coming out and one nighters, and almost relationships. I was there for him when his wife's cancer returned, and when they went into chapter eleven due to the medical costs.

I never felt I loved Tim in any way, but we certainly have a relationship of sorts. Once a week we catch up on the latest gossip, porn sites, new characters in our lives, both on and offline. He is a great guy and though we have never cammed (okay once when I was pretty pissed), we always fantasise about meeting some day and getting naked just because we can.

Matt on the other hand is totally different. First of all, he is younger - in his twenties - fit as all hell, intelligent etc etc. He is the only person I have seriously fallen for online. At one point, we were online together for hours at a time. The only thing that was missing to make it a real relationship was actual touching...

He lives on the other side of the planet of course (Sydney).

So last night, he popped up on MSN. I haven't chatted to him for months. Pretty soon, we were back into each other. It's painful actually, because what we have is like nothing else I have experienced with anyone online. It's as if I can feel him snuggled up next to me, whispering in my ear.

The last time I was in Australia, I ran out of time to spend any time in Sydney - just a connect from Brisbane to Johannesburg.

So I either want to do Brizzy or Rio for my birthday in Feb.

I really really really want to meet Matt. To complete what must be completed.

I thought I had forgotten what that feeling of love/infatuation/crush was until we spent time together last night.

Hell, I know it is a risk..... but everyone who really knows me will tell you that without risk, I am nothing.

Decisions.....

My 'agent' called today out of the blue as usual....

Seems his client has once again asked for me to do some work again. This is amazingly good news of course. The quoting is a formality because I have been requested specifically.

Problem 1:

It's from mid October, which means first payment optimistically end of November.

Problem 2:

Little brother has not been requested..... some sibling rivalry dilemma's approaching as he has no work at the moment either. I did ask my agent to keep him in mind if there is extra work.

Problem 3:

Do I expend time and energy into expanding the photography, then let it slide again while I do this (three month) job? The reality is that I can earn enough during this job to give me the capital to do the photo thing properly next year, but also I need income from now until the end of November or else I am going to be so far in debt that the extra cash is just going to go back into servicing the debt again.....

aaaargh!!!!!!!

And I need a new laptop for this job......

And I need software from little brother if I get new laptop.......

o fuck

fuckity fuck

haha....

And my agent says the engineers are working again, which means the recession is officially over in my industry, so I may even have more work next year after this job.

Perhaps Rio Carnival is not too much of a pipe dream for my birthday in February.......

The Universe is apparently listening....

Glorious Day!

Went out with the other two thirds last night. W returned home from holiday yesterday, having spent ten days on the beach (grrrr jealous). Ali was receiving penis pics on her phone while we giggled like girls rating each one as they came through from a (hot) married guy every ten minutes or so. Apparently he was sneaking into the bathroom while at home with his wife, and taking cock pics and sending them to her.....

It was quiz night unfortunatley, so eye candy was restricted to the old age home fogies whose only weekly entertainment is to book a table, order the cheapest on the menu, and take the chance to show that they are old enough to know everything. And win prizes of biscuits and booze.

Had an early breakfast with Wes in the sun this morning at our favourite coffee shop. He only goes back to work tomorrow.

Now back to the PC and get my Photoshop work done. Gah! I am tired of Barmitzvah pics lol.... Sixth one in three weeks......

Trying to figure out creative and different ways to make studio lights pay. Seems every Tom Dick and Anny with a digital camera is out there after being retrenched through Affirmative Action and the recession.....

Much like me of course.

Time to be seriously different!

hi....

It's Monday.
Unseasonally horny.
Have NO motivation to work.
Brother offered to help me buy some equipment.
My erratic outlook on life has never been good for me.
The house I want is back up for sale.
I never won the lotto though....

Why am I so nervous/anxious?

Actually I do know why.

I guess I have never been good at cold calling.

Though it has to be done.

I have never been good at keeping my mouth shut either.

Though - sometimes - it has to be done.

I have never been good at accepting help.

Though, I guess now is the time to change.

Assistant Required
No Experience Necessary