Bad beat/Moaning/Venting thread - It's the end of the world as we know it

[pokerhand]

The Bord Gais deals are quite bizarre now that I look into them, they are willing to offer current customers 44% off and free electricity on Saturdays, but for new customers they offer 10% without the free day, so are way more expensive than competitors, what is the angle with that?

How do one get these offers?

[Solksjaer!]

I want to leave academia actually. Feel I've done all there is to do in it and don't really want another 20 years of it. Its a difficult one though as I'm well paid and possibly not qualified for anything outside of academia at the right salary level. Plus there might also be actual accountability in real jobs which is a no-go for obvious reasons. So might try to get something but take a career break when the brutal reality of the outside world shows its ugly self.

Ah dont fret you probably wont see 50 . Weve noticed you getting your affairs in oder . HH I hardly knew ya. ( have tribute song ready)

[Raoul Duke III]

Its getting a bit Groundhog Day teaching the same courses for the 10th time this year but its still a golden ticket. I ain't ever leavin! Good chance I wouldn't leave for 2x salary. Imagine being answerable to someone.....Eeeew!

Let's swap for 6 months and see who cracks first.

[Raoul Duke III]

I want to leave academia actually. Feel I've done all there is to do in it and don't really want another 20 years of it. Its a difficult one though as I'm well paid and possibly not qualified for anything outside of academia at the right salary level. Plus there might also be actual accountability in real jobs which is a no-go for obvious reasons. So might try to get something but take a career break when the brutal reality of the outside world shows its ugly self.

You can probably bullshit your way into some AI role.

Easy to dodge accountability if you know how to. I know people who have built long and successful careers without ever actually having done anything.

[Solksjaer!]

You can probably bullshit your way into some AI role.

Easy to dodge accountability if you know how to. I know people who have built long and successful careers without ever actually having done anything.

Someone i know in msft mentioned 'granular details' at every meeting. Also built a career on it

[Raoul Duke III]

Someone i know in msft mentioned 'granular details' at every meeting. Also built a career on it

there's a fella in my current team who I'm convinced is just making stuff up from a wordcloud

[zuutroy]

I know a chap working for Accenture who hates it. Hes mentally checked out about 18 months ago and does about 8 hours work a week for high 6 figure salary and still hasnt been weeded out.

[DeeBrown]

Bridge better than Poker for one simple reason,
no f**king river card.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Feedback on my LinkedIn from anyone I'm connected with on there? I used to have a staid list of 'I did this', 'then I did this', plus a million bits and bobs added over the years. Now chatgpt has made it all rather American looking. The wifes first instinct was to laugh, which is the standard positive feedback we tend to look for in academia. so I'm assuming its all good.

[Hectorjelly]

You can probably bullshit your way into some AI role.

Easy to dodge accountability if you know how to. I know people who have built long and successful careers without ever actually having done anything.

Go for an AI ethics role, just spend all day tweeting about how bad AI is and occasionally spend 5 minutes guesstimating how big a training run's carbon footprint will be. The best thing about this is that an AI company will pay you.

https://twitter.com/SashaMTL

[Denny Crane]

Feedback on my LinkedIn from anyone I'm connected with on there? I used to have a staid list of 'I did this', 'then I did this', plus a million bits and bobs added over the years. Now chatgpt has made it all rather American looking. The wifes first instinct was to laugh, which is the standard positive feedback we tend to look for in academia. so I'm assuming its all good.

Looks good, I'd recommend removing some of the intersections

[Denny Crane]

I always wondered was there companies that automated tracking their employees LinkedIn? Given its one of the first signs of employees getting ready to move?

That being said, most HR depts seem so backward that anything like that would be way beyond them

[Raoul Duke III]

I know a chap working for Accenture who hates it. Hes mentally checked out about 18 months ago and does about 8 hours work a week for high 6 figure salary and still hasnt been weeded out.

Sounds like a man I might know too, given the villain's description. Hope he's doing OK otherwise.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

I always wondered was there companies that automated tracking their employees LinkedIn? Given its one of the first signs of employees getting ready to move?

That being said, most HR depts seem so backward that anything like that would be way beyond them

People would presumably game the system if there was. If you're a decent employee - rather than go through the hassle of actually interviewing someplace else, just update your linkedin profile and the system shows you at high risk of flight so you get a pay raise to encourage retention.

[Raoul Duke III]

People would presumably game the system if there was. If you're a decent employee - rather than go through the hassle of actually interviewing someplace else, just update your linkedin profile and the system shows you at high risk of flight so you get a pay raise to encourage retention.

I think you are vastly overestimating the ability of HR departments everywhere.

If it wasn't for the ineptitude of HR in the place I work, I'd be in Boston now..

[Denny Crane]

People would presumably game the system if there was. If you're a decent employee - rather than go through the hassle of actually interviewing someplace else, just update your linkedin profile and the system shows you at high risk of flight so you get a pay raise to encourage retention.

That's optimistic..

I think the default would be to start looking for a replacement

[Denny Crane]

I'd guess the average office worker only does 8 hours of work a week

[Solksjaer!]

HR depts will NEVER take on a proactive monitoring of their employees Linkedin profiles for itchy feet. They facilitate the recruiting role and projecta to ensure this process is effective and smooth etc. but if you want to keep an eye on your star players, you need to check that stuff out yourself. One way is one on one catch ups (best if informal) to build and maintain relationships. If you leave them in Siberia and only contact them for meetings and remits you kinda deserve to be completely in the dark about their intentions. It’s really simple to motivate , people are just lazy and prefer to rinse and repeat their working week with as little interaction as possible with reportees . Just my experience. A tiny bit extra legwork and you got some teambuilding going on

[Raoul Duke III]

HR depts will NEVER take on a proactive monitoring of their employees Linkedin profiles for itchy feet. They facilitate the recruiting role and projecta to ensure this process is effective and smooth etc. but if you want to keep an eye on your star players, you need to check that stuff out yourself. One way is one on one catch ups (best if informal) to build and maintain relationships. If you leave them in Siberia and only contact them for meetings and remits you kinda deserve to be completely in the dark about their intentions. It’s really simple to motivate , people are just lazy and prefer to rinse and repeat their working week with as little interaction as possible with reportees . Just my experience. A tiny bit extra legwork and you got some teambuilding going on

I sometimes think a good manager will sit someone down and tell them 'you need to leave this place for your own long-term good'.

Inertia is a terribly crushing thing.

[ionapaul]

Think your LinkedIn looks good Hitch! I'd be impressed if you were a candidate that landed on my desk anyhow, most people don't put any effort in, and importantly it doesn't sound too bullshitty, when people lean into too many buzzwords and obvious BS it's a real negative I think. As we all know LinkedIn is the home of toxic positivity, yuck.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Think your LinkedIn looks good Hitch! I'd be impressed if you were a candidate that landed on my desk anyhow, most people don't put any effort in, and importantly it doesn't sound too bullshitty, when people lean into too many buzzwords and obvious BS it's a real negative I think. As we all know LinkedIn is the home of toxic positivity, yuck.

Thanks!!

[zuutroy]

Wife is looking to up sticks after 15+ years working in a charity. She's a business analyst...whatever that is.

[6starpool]

Think your LinkedIn looks good Hitch! I'd be impressed if you were a candidate that landed on my desk anyhow, most people don't put any effort in, and importantly it doesn't sound too bullshitty, when people lean into too many buzzwords and obvious BS it's a real negative I think. As we all know LinkedIn is the home of toxic positivity, yuck.

I'm pleased to announce that I have received my certificate in AI/QJ/CQ+X^ bolloxology from QW Certificates.

[6starpool]

Wife is looking to up sticks after 15+ years working in a charity. She's a business analyst...whatever that is.

That's what I officially do. It's awful stuff. If she wants to work for a non-big 4 consultancy company let me know and I can send a referral link for jobs in my place to get some extra money for me.

[Raoul Duke III]

I'm pleased to announce that I have received my certificate in AI/QJ/CQ+X^ bolloxology from QW Certificates.

<posts inspiring story of how I overcame transphobia to reach the dizzying heights that I am at today>

[Iago]

I know a chap working for Accenture who hates it. Hes mentally checked out about 18 months ago and does about 8 hours work a week for high 6 figure salary and still hasnt been weeded out.

This is easily doable if you can actually put up with it. Had a role at one point on a consultancy basis which essentially had nothing to do all day every day. I even explained that to them and suggested that they give me other things to work on or help out with in order to self-justify the silly money they were paying me. They insisted that it was fine and they were very happy with my work etc etc. this went on for about 6 months and I finally walked away when they tried to extend it for another 6 months, it was remote and so I could do anything I wanted but the catholic guilt was driving me nuts. Takes a special kind of mentality to just keep taking the money I think, I wasn't built for it though I knew a few who were.

On an unrelated note, but related to an earlier discussion here this week, looks like we will have a total spend of 1600 this month. I don't know what Hitch is buying for groceries but I can't imagine having an overspend of 1500 just on food.

Am I the only one here in this collective of number crunchers who actually tracks all their spend all the time?

[Micknail]

On an unrelated note, but related to an earlier discussion here this week, looks like we will have a total spend of 1600 this month. I don't know what Hitch is buying for groceries but I can't imagine having an overspend of 1500 just on food.

Am I the only one here in this collective of number crunchers who actually tracks all their spend all the time?

I tend to pay for things annually rather than monthly debits,
I find it's much easier to compare year on year costs and it reduces subscription creep.

[Raoul Duke III]

Am I the only one here in this collective of number crunchers who actually tracks all their spend all the time?

Like I keep an eye on the overall balance in the joint account, and have a vague idea of what my own balances are. But, no to actually tracking and categorizing spend.

[Ed]

Go for an AI ethics role, just spend all day tweeting about how bad AI is and occasionally spend 5 minutes guesstimating how big a training run's carbon footprint will be. The best thing about this is that an AI company will pay you.

https://twitter.com/SashaMTL

There's going to be a bunch of money to be made from the bigger consultancy companies who will (or are) frantically look for "Directors of AI". I'm sure plenty of the sharp ones have them already but there'll be ones who'll panic when the cop onto just how much regulatory work is currently being conducted on the topic that's not quite in the public eye yet

[Tar.Aldarion]

I'd guess the average office worker only does 8 hours of work a week

If one say works a nice cushy 8 hours a week in a job, how much more money would it take people to bother getting a new job with a potential 40+ hours per week?
Completely asking for a friend

[zuutroy]

That's what I officially do. It's awful stuff. If she wants to work for a non-big 4 consultancy company let me know and I can send a referral link for jobs in my place to get some extra money for me.

Would that be doing consulting work with clients, or is it internal?

[Raoul Duke III]

The new Sean Penn documentary will be very interesting. Especially as he had no idea that it was going to end up being a war story!

[zuutroy]

Am I the only one here in this collective of number crunchers who actually tracks all their spend all the time?

I never track anything. Would get way too annoyed if I did. Used to obsess about electric/gas bills once upon time, but I haven't looked at one in 10 years+ now. Used to deliberately fool myself into thinking plane ownership was much cheaper than it was to justify it!

[Denny Crane]

Am I the only one here in this collective of number crunchers who actually tracks all their spend all the time?

I used YNAB for a while but didn't think it was with the hassle.

I've a good general idea and I wasn't get much additional insight..

It's not like one of those TV shows where a shocked person gets told they spent 5k in MacDonald's last year

[Murdrum]

Would that be doing consulting work with clients, or is it internal?

We have one coming up next week but it might not be senior enough for her. She’ll be one of only two analysts in Ireland

Decent company in the tech-ish space, boss is a nice guy too. Fully remote and dealing with those in the Irish office. I can share the details if she’s any way interested.

[Lao Lao]

Am I the only one here in this collective of number crunchers who actually tracks all their spend all the time?

I wouldn't track my spend but I do a basic monthly budget, mainly because I don't get paid the same amount every month. There is always enough but I just like to get an idea of disposable income for the month.

It only takes two minutes to do each month as I've a spreadsheet set up with all monthly expenses. Obviously things like food, petrol and the like can vary from month to month but I've put in an average for them so all I need to do is input my take home salary and the pre populated formula tell me what I've to play with for the month after everything is paid.

[dinekes]

Need to make some real money

All I have are soft skills..like pretty good at everything but no qualification that says "look how good I am at this"

Current side job is in Solicitors firm closing off files and other admin bits. Actually love being busy and getting things organised.

Still have the self employed energy business but it could definitely do with me attempting a few new sales rather than just doing repeat sales. It's decent enough money but think I have PTSD from cold calling

I suppose an excel course or something would be useful if I need a new side job in a few months.

Edit
Forgot to mention I'm no spring chicken!

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

I think the biggest thing is handling a biggish upswing in income. Our predisposition is to expand spending to match the new standard. Like, I think we've maybe doubled our income since France, and without any notable increase in living standards have pretty much exactly expanded our spending to match that. The one saving grace is that I started an investment fund of about €300 a month for the child benefit and with every pay increase have increased this to stop the new income entering the spending space and being wasted. Now up to €900 a month.

[Tar.Aldarion]

How do one get these offers?

If your contract is nearly up give them a call, there is probably some retainer rate if you log in that you can haggle up.

[Tar.Aldarion]

Need to make some real money

All I have are soft skills..like pretty good at everything but no qualification that says "look how good I am at this"

Current side job is in Solicitors firm closing off files and other admin bits. Actually love being busy and getting things organised.

Still have the self employed energy business but it could definitely do with me attempting a few new sales rather than just doing repeat sales. It's decent enough money but think I have PTSD from cold calling

I suppose an excel course or something would be useful if I need a new side job in a few months.

I'd say you can get by in a lot of office jobs without any really qualifications, just have to pick a path and stick to it. My girlfriend changed to HR last year without any qualifications as an intern and went through junior HR admin -> Snr HR admin -> HR Officer -> Snr HR officer already. Her manager would be well into 6 figures with several jobs higher up than his to aim for too, and tbh it's an easy thing. You can pick up one or two certs along the way. Similar in my work the receptionist moved into finance and away she went, lots of paths.

[Lazare]

Beautiful amenity isn't it! Presumably you went from Dungarvan Harbour as far as Ballyvoile Tunnel: it is the best section by far.

Ah it's absolutely fantastic. Yes, I started out at Dungarvan Harbour, right at the beginning of it. Running along that bridge over the bay and the ground littered with Mussel shells that birds dropped, then a couple of km later it opening up into the most beautiful scenery.

Ballyvoyle tunnel took my breath away, it and all that stunning forestry and rock face either side of it.

Then that bridge (viaduct maybe?) where you're twice the height of the trees, looking down at their canopies. Just mind blowing.

My turnaround point was about 2 miles beyond the tunnel.

Went back then on Tue for another run, starting out at Durrow carpark. Went about 5.5 miles out before turning around.

Magical.

[Iago]

I used YNAB for a while but didn't think it was with the hassle.

I've a good general idea and I wasn't get much additional insight..

It's not like one of those TV shows where a shocked person gets told they spent 5k in MacDonald's last year

I think I started doing it to be more accountable to myself and also to see where the holes where. It changed from that to being money management and forecasting and at this stage it’s just routine. It’s easy to do and it’s doesn’t actually change much, i.e. we do what we want to do anyway, but I like understanding where the money is going.

never bother with an app, just used excel to set up some sheets on spend and investments, forecasting and tracking. Basic formulas to assess likely, best and worst case scenarios that kind of thing.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

I think I started doing it to be more accountable to myself and also to see where the holes where. It changed from that to being money management and forecasting and at this stage it’s just routine. It’s easy to do and it’s doesn’t actually change much, i.e. we do what we want to do anyway, but I like understanding where the money is going.

never bother with an app, just used excel to set up some sheets on spend and investments, forecasting and tracking. Basic formulas to assess likely, best and worst case scenarios that kind of thing.

If you don't have an AI-led financial expenditure forensic examination policy then you are, to put it politely, doomed. Excel? You may as well be shitting on an abacus and calling it a bank. Wheres the deep learning, the natural language query system to translate sql queries of your PSD2 opendata into real time advice?

[Iago]

If you don't have an AI-led financial expenditure forensic examination policy then you are, to put it politely, doomed. Excel? You may as well be shitting on an abacus and calling it a bank. Wheres the deep learning, the natural language query system to translate sql queries of your PSD2 opendata into real time advice?

This may be why I continue to spend a small fortune on watches and football trips

[Solksjaer!]

Ah it's absolutely fantastic. Yes, I started out at Dungarvan Harbour, right at the beginning of it. Running along that bridge over the bay and the ground littered with Mussel shells that birds dropped, then a couple of km later it opening up into the most beautiful scenery.

Ballyvoyle tunnel took my breath away, it and all that stunning forestry and rock face either side of it.

Then that bridge (viaduct maybe?) where you're twice the height of the trees, looking down at their canopies. Just mind blowing.

My turnaround point was about 2 miles beyond the tunnel.

Went back then on Tue for another run, starting out at Durrow carpark. Went about 5.5 miles out before turning around.

Magical.

Ah lovely indeed.

Bet run I ever did was out the mudders house in Drimnagh, over Kilmainham, into the Phoeno over by the Magazine down the furrey glen , on to Chesterfield avenue, around by Park Gate Street (or park Ate st as the locals call it) then into town along the liffey over capel st bridge and back up Johns Road to Drimnagh. It was the 80s so a Sony Walkman full of 70s music (wha 80s? the new shite is terrible)
then home. This was after school . I still get sentimental thinking about the freedom of doing a run like that impromptu and running like the devil when I needed to - and being as fresh as a daisy afterwards for some evening footie on the road , although sometimes you’d be considered lazy for not tracking back. AH , Mrs Doyle get’s a bottle of water from the tap , I’m parched.
I did some longer runs than that but nothing as full of life as that one (not counting the Marathon crazed crowds of the mid 80s)

[Lazare]

Ah lovely indeed.

Bet run I ever did was out the mudders house in Drimnagh, over Kilmainham, into the Phoeno over by the Magazine down the furrey glen , on to Chesterfield avenue, around by Park Gate Street (or park Ate st as the locals call it) then into town along the liffey over capel st bridge and back up Johns Road to Drimnagh. It was the 80s so a Sony Walkman full of 70s music (wha 80s? the new shite is terrible)
then home. This was after school . I still get sentimental thinking about the freedom of doing a run like that impromptu and running like the devil when I needed to - and being as fresh as a daisy afterwards for some evening footie on the road , although sometimes you’d be considered lazy for not tracking back. AH , Mrs Doyle get’s a bottle of water from the tap , I’m parched.
I did some longer runs than that but nothing as full of life as that one (not counting the Marathon crazed crowds of the mid 80s)

Ah that's a great run alright, I've ran up and down the quays before, a little stop starty but otherwise great.

I love the long runs, doing a ton of them at the moment with the marathon looming. Always on the lookout for a nice new route. Although we are blessed with what's on our doorstep.

[Raoul Duke III]

If you don't have an AI-led financial expenditure forensic examination policy then you are, to put it politely, doomed. Excel? You may as well be shitting on an abacus and calling it a bank. Wheres the deep learning, the natural language query system to translate sql queries of your PSD2 opendata into real time advice?

You are exactly the candidate we've been searching for. 350k basic OK?

[Raoul Duke III]

I think the biggest thing is handling a biggish upswing in income. Our predisposition is to expand spending to match the new standard. Like, I think we've maybe doubled our income since France, and without any notable increase in living standards have pretty much exactly expanded our spending to match that. The one saving grace is that I started an investment fund of about €300 a month for the child benefit and with every pay increase have increased this to stop the new income entering the spending space and being wasted. Now up to €900 a month.

We spent all our extra cash on the house renovation.

As of Jan this year, paying the max allowed of 10% extra of the mortgage off.
4 years of that and it's basically dead. So a present to our future selves, albeit one that 3rd level educations *3 will mostly eat.

[BennyHiFi]

Ah lovely indeed.

Bet run I ever did was out the mudders house in Drimnagh, over Kilmainham, into the Phoeno over by the Magazine down the furrey glen , on to Chesterfield avenue, around by Park Gate Street (or park Ate st as the locals call it) then into town along the liffey over capel st bridge and back up Johns Road to Drimnagh. It was the 80s so a Sony Walkman full of 70s music (wha 80s? the new shite is terrible)
then home. This was after school . I still get sentimental thinking about the freedom of doing a run like that impromptu and running like the devil when I needed to - and being as fresh as a daisy afterwards for some evening footie on the road , although sometimes you’d be considered lazy for not tracking back. AH , Mrs Doyle get’s a bottle of water from the tap , I’m parched.
I did some longer runs than that but nothing as full of life as that one (not counting the Marathon crazed crowds of the mid 80s)

Yeah probably my favourite all time fav regular running spot was various routes around the Phoenix Park when I started running 20 years ago.

Leaving from my flat on James St, down past Heuston Station, up through the main gate then various loops depending on the distance I wanted to cover. Funnily enough I nearly always stuck to the left hadn't side of t Chesterfield as you go north - found there were fewer people there I think.

Always best at off peak times when there was hardly a soul there - dusk, dawn, midday in summer, all sorts of weather, seeing the seasons change.

Fantastic.

[Solksjaer!]

Every time i visit the Phoeno its like i was just there yesterday Fab place ..

[Raoul Duke III]

M&L for dinner and Mrs D3 for the first time. Delivered.

[DeadParrot]

I think I started doing it to be more accountable to myself and also to see where the holes where. It changed from that to being money management and forecasting and at this stage it’s just routine. It’s easy to do and it’s doesn’t actually change much, i.e. we do what we want to do anyway, but I like understanding where the money is going.

never bother with an app, just used excel to set up some sheets on spend and investments, forecasting and tracking. Basic formulas to assess likely, best and worst case scenarios that kind of thing.

Pretty much all of our expenditure bar mortgage is done through revolut.
I have it set to auto top up once the balance goes below x
And as a nice side perk a few shillings from every transaction goes into a vault that I keep forgetting about.
The vault is tied to ETH so always fun to see how that is going

[Wombatman]

I'd guess the average office worker only does 8 hours of work a week

Yeah but one persons 8 hours of work if often worth 40 hours of another's, productivity wise.

Time is a horrible work measure yet most peoples contracts are based around hours and days.

[Raoul Duke III]

Shadow of a Gunman by Druid in d'Abbey is very good if you get the chance. Although looked to be a sellout.

The scene of the drunken loyalist singing is worth the money alone.

[Denny Crane]

M&L for dinner and Mrs D3 for the first time. Delivered.

Have you been to any of the places around the corner on Parnell Street?

[Raoul Duke III]

Have you been to any of the places around the corner on Parnell Street?

Lots of them, although eamonhonda is the expert.

Hop House is the favourite.

[Raoul Duke III]

Cheese eating surrender monkeys.

Sort it out Shraaaaap.

[pokerhand]

Cheese eating surrender monkeys.

Sort it out Shraaaaap.

Thankfully it's scheduled for a weekend that we decided not to travel for... So let them have it provided they don't disturb other weekends

[oleras]

Sticking the aul lad in the ground in the morning, the way things went so qucikly over the last couple of months its for the best for him tbh

Feels strange being the last person standing in the family at my age. Comes at ya fast really

Just seeing this now Ciaran, so sorry for your loss.

[6starpool]

Would that be doing consulting work with clients, or is it internal?

Pretty much all client based, unless you get into the few internal roles which is basically managing were people are allocated and trying to get new business and win contracts. There are a range of industries, from government to financial services, to utilities, retail, etc. You can't exactly choose, but you can input your preferences.