Hi Raindance

Not sure if your UK - if you are did you see new Jane Eyre series, worse adaptation I have ever seen - so shocked at all the bits they missed out and
added.

Yvonne x

Arggggh... forgot about Bones,     although I am a James Marsters lover, I do admit that David did look a bit tasty in Bones.

It was really funny to hear James talking in an american accent, I must admit - for a long time I thought he was English as the accent is pretty good... According to his website he will be co-lead in a new film called PS I Love You - can't wait for that, his music is pretty good as well.

I can remember Giles being in Coffee commercials for Gold Blend, but that may have just been in the UK.  I can't quite get my head round the fact that he is also the Prime Minister in Little Britain.

Yvonne x

My favs are

Buffy The Vampire Slayer over and over again (have the real hots for Spike)
Angel (Daughter fancies Angel,... I watch for Spike)
CSI especially Miami (Horatio is THE MAN)
Criminal Minds
Medium
NCIS
Monk
Without a Trace
House - always loved Hugh Laurie when he was with Stephen Fry
Law and Order SPV and Criminal Intent
Anything crime related
Only 2 English crime shows
- Inspector Morse
- Poirot

also..... as a family of Trekkies
anything Star Trek related - loved the new series that they cancelled
Stargate (Richard Dean Anderson)
Red Dwarf
Monty Python

I would love to be able to use Adobe Photoshop - my son uses it all the time for his A level Art and designing people's avatars as he is a forum administrator for several sites.  It really irks me that he does all these wonderful things.  He set me up on my space and put all sorts of backgrounds on it.
I don't really know how to use Publisher either - I design all sorts of posters for social events at work but only ever use Word.

Hi Cali

I also have a memory like a sieve and have to write everything down.  I actually have a template of an action log that I put together its very basic and very easy which might help you if you want a copy e-mail me.  Most of my office use it, they actually have their bosses write the jobs in it as well as writing in it themselves.

I actually keep mine on my desktop so I can add stuff while people are on the phone.  The thing I like about it is that we highlight the line when the task has been done.  This way you can actually see how much you have accomplished, cos sometimes we don't realise what we do do.

I find this the simplist way of keeping track.

I agree with the others though it can take up to 6/7 months to feel confident again, and also knowing that the boss is confident in you can take time as well. If you have the skills there is no need to worry, you'll find your feet soon.

Yvonne x

Just had to comment on this - This is absoultely horrendous for you - having money difficulties is difficult to manage in the first place but then knowing that you have to pay out such large amounts for vital medicines, my heart reaches out to you.   . I agree with Geminigirl we are very lucky in the UK although we moan about the National Health Service, at least we don't have to have private medical insurance if we don't want to.

To make matters worse as a Diabetic myself - we actually get all prescriptions free for life... I don't what I would do if we had to pay I'm the wage earner as my husband cannot work through back problems.

Hope this doesn't come to fruition.

Yvonne   - through to the next round!!!

I post when I think of something different to say, often I find it difficult cos you don't know which country people are in, and what I would advise to someone in England may not be OK in the US etc.  - I really enjoy just reading sometimes, love the Humour Zone - posted most of them around the office.

Sometimes if Im honest I feel a little intimidated by the sound of some peoples' jobs - I'm PA in a College and would never need to know which Hotels are best in eg. Istanbul, or Hungry. That asides love reading about everybody and have avidly followed Gee4 - hope she finds out either way soon.

Yvonne

Hi Matt

So far I have trained 3 temps and know what you mean about it being frustrating, I also under the college's policy of work placement have a learner from one of our NVQ courses every year (and thats even worse) however, as the sort of Oracle of the office I don't seem to have much choice.  The College I work at has a Mentoring scheme for new staff which helps them settle in and extensive Induction training which goes through all the Policies and Practices incl. H&S, Dealing with learners etc. Unfortunately tho it does not show them where the post goes, what curriculum area does Learning Development come under; etc.  

I feel however, that part of my job is to make sure that the team I work with all help each other, get on well and understand the needs of the department.  Basically, if you don't show new learners and help forge that team who will and the impact of not training them might be even worse.

With more and more cuts in FE budgets at the moment and the Government concentrating on new priorities the situation is not likely to get any better.

Basically Matt I think we have to grin and bear it - you could perhaps raise the issue at your next appraisal.

Yvonne

Yvonne here from Sunny Leicester (for a change). I am mostly a lurker but I do occasionally post.  Never heard of the other websites, came across DD a few months ago when surfing  the web looking for interesting sites for admin in UK... which this is the only one I have found.  Really love reading everyone's comments,

Like Matt I work in Further Education  under the remit of PA to the Manager of basic skills (or Skills for Life if following government speak) - and wish him good luck with his NVQ level 3 Business & Admin - did mine a few years ago and know the hard work it entails.

Had to post the flag - nearly the World Cup... Go England!!!!

Yvonne

Durex is a very large manufacturer of comdoms
So as you can see I would have needed a very large stock room for 1 tonne of them.

Yvonne  

I know this is a bit late in the day to answer this - but I thought I would share with you a genuine mistake I made when I used to work for an Iron Foundry... its a bit rude but worth sharing.

I used to work for the Buyer of foundry materials and one of the materials used to line the furnace was called DURAX and we ordered it by the tonne... Yes you guessed it... Yvonne typed an ordered for 1 tonne of DUREX (not sure if its the same name in US) - well everybody thought this was so funny, the buyer photocopied it and stuck it up all over the foundry with a note on it saying "Look what is Yvonne is thinking about"  - even the Director had one pinned up in his office - it took me a long time to live it down.

Yvonne

Hi Yvonne here from Leicester, UK. I have posted before on occasion but don't think I have introduced myself properly.  I work for a large College in the Adult Basic Education department, if some of you in UK have seen those revolting Gremlin adverts I'm one of the people the callers are utlimately passed to.

I am the only only full time permanent PA in our office I work for the Manager of ABE and as such I keep on a shelf near my desk a stapler, sellotape dispnser and hole punch.  These all disappear on a regular basis, it seems that as my desk is in the miiddle of the room and also near the photocopier that they are the handiest, so far I have lost at least 3 staple removers and one stapler completely.... I feel there must be a black hole somewhere in the office that things just get sucked into....

My name is Fluffy Pottyfanny - Is there any other Pottyfannys out there. This is great going to def send round office, my kids snickle pottyfanny and doombah pottyfanny are also going to post this at school.

Yvonne

That's it you've set me off now - really hot crispy Chips with lots of vinegar and salt sounds like heaven - instead I'm sitting here with my Ryvita and Humous.

My main office distractions are

a) those phones just keep in ringing (I have 2 to answer - 1 direct line and 1 internal/external through the switchboard) so one rings, answer call, 2nd one rings, answer call, back and forth sometimes for hours.

b) helping my work colleagues - as I have been here the longest they call be Yahoo as I they think I know everything.  I don't mind but sometimes when I have a really tight deadline it can be annoying.

Hi - I have just had 2 weeks of hell... don't know if you will know what I mean but if I mention the words OFSTED Inspection will that bear any light on the matter for some of you out there.  I work for a Subject Area Manager at a Further Education College which was informed 2 weeks ago that the Inspectors were coming.... some of the things that have happened have been so ludicrous.  We were sent all these posters about Student Satisfaction, Complaints procedures and told to put them up in all the offices.. so I did, spent hours doing so. THEN 2 days later had an e-mail from Health & Safety that all posters should be removed from walls as they were a hazard?. so we took them down.

Some rooms in the college had been shut down as we were cutting down on space needed... but lo and behold they have been re-opened and painted... considering we are fighting to get even a pencil at the moment... its daft.

I could list many other things.. but why waste your time.  We have had to make out folders for all policies even though they are on the Intranet.  Health & Safety files have suddenly appeared from nowhere (which again aren't needed).  Some of the staff on ground management have been out cleaning gutters, re-painting car parking arrows.

There has even been meetings to talk about what will be said in meetings just in case somebody dare say the wrong thing.  The funny thing is that they will only be in the College four days and most of that time will be observing lessons, they are not really going to notice if a wall has been painted or not.  Its like the old adage... the only thing the Queen ever smells is paint".  

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest... I feel much better now.