Furlough, and training

As I’m on furlough, I thought I would have a break from reading.  Yes – that does happen – I do things other than read.  So, as I have been “given” (alright – loaned) a laptop and Wi-Fi dongle, I’ve put my time to good use and completed a couple of courses.  One on time management (something that I have been working on *before* I was furloughed) and the other on basic Excel skills.

To be honest, I thought my Excel skills were OK…  But the course showed me things that I didn’t even know Excel could do…  Bit embarrassing to say the least.  

So, I decided to take the plunge and have another look at my Excel skills.  Turns out that there are some rather worrying gaps in my knowledge.  OK – I had the ability to get through the day to day work that I do, but I am getting to the stage that I do need to gain a better understanding of the things that the damned thing can do...  Namely the dreaded function VLOOKUP.

This has caused me more grey hair than enough, and despite colleagues being patient and trying to explain the principals behind this function, I *cannot* get my head around it.  So, I’m using my time to get some training, and hopefully get to grips with this damned function, as well as other bits of Excel that could be useful to me…  

It does help that the weather has been rotten (cold, rain, wind – typical UK spring day) so it means that there has been less temptation to go back to the garden and finish pruning the dogwood.  Not that I am trying to get out of that – far from it.  It’s just that I dislike getting cold and wet – especially when there is no need to.

So, hopefully this course will help me get my brain cell around the methodology of the dreaded VLOOKUP…  Then all I will have to do is put the theory into use – and hopefully discover that it makes my life easier when I am back in the office…

Back when my brain cell tells me that I have had enough (or I have gone cross eyed / bonkers trying to understand VLOOKUP….)

Karen

Write in dust all you say
Look for the answers you know you can trust
One day they might blow away

Reading challenge...

For those rare people who know me, then they will know that I am an avid reader.

My Goodreads challenge has increased from a measly 120 books for the year to 170... And I can see it increasing.

Simply because there are some cracking books making an appearance this year...  Gems such as the new Dreseden Files books - Peace Talks and Battle Ground, as well as the next book in the Hollows series - American Demon.

All I can say is, thank god for the kindle.  I'd have gone stir crazy...

And yes - it is a genuine list.  I have almost given up watching the TV, as I am getting fed up with the crap that the broadcasters seem to think that people want to watch.

There are only so many repeats of Bargain Hunt and Homes Under the Hammer I can watch before my eyes start to glaze over, and my hands start instinctively to reach for the kindle (or tree book) that I am reading....

And guess what? My kindle is calling again...

Back when I can escape the lure of a good book (or three...)

Karen

See the night sky supernova
Chase the cold moon passing over
Start the dragon's fire to smoulder
On a storyteller's night

Enforced lock-down extension.....

Well, we have another three weeks of the so-called lock-down.  HM Government has said that there has been a decrease in the virus infections, but not enough to allow people to escape.

I’m lucky – I have the garden I can escape into, as it’s been beautiful weather.  If it had been cold and wet, then it would have been a very different kettle of fish – I’d have been going stir crazy.  And the best bit?  The cowslips in the paddock are in bloom, and putting on quite a little show.

Cowslips in the paddock

The funny thing is, we only planted a couple of plants - and they were the red and yellow ones - they obviously reverted over the past 20 or so years..  And spread.  Not that I am complaining, although I don't mind admitting that it does make mowing the grass a little difficult...

However, there is a drawback to the lock-down...  I haven't seen my partner for just over 5 weeks.  OK - that has happened before - it happened last year when I caught a nasty chest infection that flattened me, and meant that I spent more time asleep than anything else.  But at least we knew that when I was recovered (and fit enough to drive) we would see each other.

This time, we are (as I type this) both fit and healthy, and only apart due to the social distancing rules.  And all I can say is thank god for unlimited texts / minutes on my phone.  I know there is a reason for the separation, but it doesn't stop me missing him like hell.

Ah well, guess I should call it quits - my favorite Magnum song has started playing on my MP3 player...  Welcome to the Cosmic Cabaret.

Back whenever,

Karen

Hard game and the music's going nowhere
This room's getting smaller by the day
Some dog on the street, he just keeps howling
Welcome to the cosmic cabaret

Out to grass - aka Furlough.

Yep - I've been put out to grass.  Am I bothered?  Slightly, but to be honest, I could see it coming, as I have been trying to work from home, and with the best will the world, it's not been easy.

I'm one of those rare people that doesn't have broadband at home - in this bit of Darkest Warwickshire, we rely on a carrier snail.  And that met with an accident called a pot of salt.

So, until June 1st, I am officially on the payroll of HM Government, meaning that I don’t go near a computer (I’m posting this via the Blogger App on my phone), so it means an enforced break from the usual stuff that lands on my desk (ok – working from home, it’s been the dining table).

But, I can at least keep up with the training that I have been trying to complete, and may well be able to get some more bits done that I am interested in – mainly updating my excel skills.

They were good enough (just) to keep me afloat, but things have changed, and I admit that I am struggling with nasty things such as VLOOKUP, data validation and other functions (something that the powers that be have decided that I really should know about)…

So, I’ll be updating on things as they arise, and I can be bothered to type on a tiny keyboard on my phone.  Just hope the spell check is up to it!

Back whenever…

Karen

Hold on, there's a new way a-coming
Looks like it's arriving tonight
There's no more hiding or running
There's no more walking on ice