Just when I was having fun...

I'm gonna be out of the picture a while now, so you needn't check back 'till I tell ya ok?!?

You never know, I just maybe will post the odd tidbit if I get the chance. [but don't bank on it :)

The news is that the High School did well in the recent inspection [last week]. Apparently there's a complimentary report in a local rag this week, not that I've seen it yet. Te week did go really well, I'm sure that the kids helped as well. It's certainly improved since I began working there. Discipline is much better, which is a major achievement I think. From the top down there's now a positive attitude to any sort of unwanted behaviour, which is giving the kids a positive message. I quite liked the old head. SuperTed as I call our tempory head I didn't really like at all, but the current head I do really like. I think she's great and we're going to see good things from her.

The shake up has certainly done us good. I only hope things won't slide now the pressure's off.

Thanks go out to these special people: Mari, Ghracena, Graeme and Nikki-Ann. Hopeto catch up with you all in a short while :)

just 3 things

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE ME:
01 | The Sea - I panic in deep water!
02 | heights - tho' I can overcome it
03 | dark places after watching a scary film
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THREE PEOPLE WHO MAKE ME LAUGH:
01 | Ian Morgan-Williams [teacher]
02 | Peter Hall [student]
03 | Ben with Emily - my kids - a laugh a minute!
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THREE THINGS I LOVE:
01 | that perfect moment of relaxation
02 | chocolate fudge cake and ice cream
03 | My kids - aaah!:)
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THREE THINGS I HATE:
01 | Gardening - I swear I hear the garden nagging me!
02 | Physical violence
03 | being unable to think of anything to put!
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THREE THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND:
01 | rules of the english language - why so complicated??
02 | Why life isn't perfect ;)
03 | why people can't be nicer sometimes
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THREE THINGS ON MY DESK:
01 | piles of old floppy disks - just in case kids need one
02 | piles of paperwork - usually unsorted and dumped = not always by me :)
03 | a cup-o-soup packet that's been there since 2001
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THREE THINGS I'M DOING RIGHT NOW:
01 | installing a dvd codec onto a managers laptop
02 | updating 3 adjacent PC's
03 | working late!!!
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THREE THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE:
01 | Visit America, Japan, Australia and Honolulu!
02 | Have my head shaved for a while (maybe no choice on this one ;)
03 | Drive a car over a cliff at speed
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moss-side

Yesterday we had a trip to the local dentist ... 83 miles away in Camarthen! Heather was sufferring so she rang and was given a couple of options - I think this was the nearest. For some reason Dentists don't want to work for the National Health Service around here. When we do get a dentist the queues to sign up are to be seen to be believed. By some miracle we made the 10:30 appointment on time. They quickly decided to extract the tooth and gave Heather a jab in the jaw. 5 minutes later she was all done and ready for the second leg of the 4 hour round trip. Her face was completely numb so I don't think she suffered too much.

Another outbreak of the teacher virus today. I thought aloud in his presence about having a second DHCP, so he only went ahead and did it. The enevitable happenned with confused machines trying to work out thier allegiance in our apartied regime. More work for me! I just hope Al-Quieda don't discover his skills 'coz then we've really had it!

My neighbour hired a lawn rake today to clear the moss from his lawn. Our lawn is really bad but I figure: it's green, it doesn't grow much ... what's the problem??? Well the pile of moss was enormous! This picture was taken after he'd already disposed of one of these big builder bags out front. Just think of the size hanging basket you'd be able to fill with that lot :)

I forgot to say thanks to people last time. Oops! Thanks go to:Nikki-Ann, Graeme, Chloe-Lynn & Mari for leaving comments. Ta!

Inspector Gadget

No more inspection! Woohoo!!! I didn't go out with the gang to celebrate 'coz Heather wasn't feeling too good. I was there in spirit tho'! ;)

Mostly the week was eerily quiet. I suppose the planning & preperation was so great that it was bound to go smoothly. I think we did well. The kids were really well behaved & polite [I can't even believe I said that]. 'though they did just have the most intense week of their school year - all the best lessons being crammed into it!

I had a downer of a day today. My arch nemesis - self appointed small sub-network admin - stroke teacher with no real knowledge to know what he's doing and not enough time to dedicate to the small job anyway .... decided to make a major change to the configuration on his 25 machines - totally stuffing up the main network.

To explain.... I'd spent a day building a laptop for 1 awkward teacher who against my advice didn't originally want to be set up on the network. Now ... 1 day before the inspection began realised his folly and wanted to change his mind. It was an awkward job but at 6pm the night before - it was working as planned.

Cometh the hour and nothing would work. I tried swapping everything over to try and diagnose the problem, but time ran out. Luckily for the school the inspector didn't attend the 2 lessons. A couple of other people were affected but there was little I could do - as the ignorant bloke wanted refused to make any changes.

I was so annoyed. This bloke is constantly ignoring advice. I have been trying to draw up plans for system security, and I think this will be all I need to hammer the point home. There's just one lonesome fibre cable connecting him to us, and if I get my way it'll be unplugged on Monday.

Girls are doin' it...

Too busy to blog at the moment - we're at screaming pitch, balistic levels at school now - OFSTED inspection next week! I also have a lad from the local college on work experience with me for a week. He's done a stack of admin stuff for me already, which helps a lot. Things are just a bit busy tho' for me to devote the time he needs/ desrves ... and i've got another 2 placements booked before July.

I'm always deluged with WE Placements, it's my own fault, I don't say no! Two years ago I had four lads over two weeks. That was fun! Luckily one was my regular assistant (who helps out every night) who really managed himself. This year I have my first girl trainee. Sian applied last year some time, she was so keen! At the local county council IT Dept. females are well represented in the technical staffing, there is roughly a 50/50 split between the sexes.

must dash - but before I do... I must thank Nikki-Ann, Graeme & Reeves for leaving comments. Thanks guys! [extra cheesyness free :) - it's the stress talking!!!]