Billy Young's Blog, page 5
May 30, 2015
30th May 2015
I completed the SIA course on CCTV. Now I have to wait to see if I passed the tests. I do know I sailed through the practical side which meant that I didn't have to go in on Friday to redo it. Yes all the test were completed on Thursday which I was glad as it gave me yesterday to relax after the stress of the week. When I say stress really I just mean the pressure I was putting myself under. I was glad I did redo the whole course as I don't think I would have had a chance of passing without doing so. How do I think I have done? Well in the first test I think I may have just scraped it but I am more confident of the second. Now I have to wait though for confirmation of passing. Of course I could be wrong and failed somewhere though I don't want to think that way. I wish to remain hopeful. Until I do have the results I am not allowed to apply for jobs in the security sector according to the SIA site. Once I have the certificate proving I passed the course then I can move forward to get a job as I wait for my licence. I hope to get help for paying for it from the Jobcentre. My advisor did say they may help with the cost. After all £220 is a lot of money when you are looking for work.
Magz bought a holly bush this week which I was out planting in the front garden for her. I also put the tomato plants in the sack we plan to grow them in this year. I am impatiently waiting for the seeds I replanted last week to begin to show signs of life. I know it is a bit soon to expect anything but... Well you know. I will need to get out and do some weeding though. As usual for this time of year native plant life is on the march so the war of weeds begins again, hehehe.
Magz bought a holly bush this week which I was out planting in the front garden for her. I also put the tomato plants in the sack we plan to grow them in this year. I am impatiently waiting for the seeds I replanted last week to begin to show signs of life. I know it is a bit soon to expect anything but... Well you know. I will need to get out and do some weeding though. As usual for this time of year native plant life is on the march so the war of weeds begins again, hehehe.
May 23, 2015
23rd May 2015
I'm booked in to redo the SIA course next week. I had to phone the company that the course again on Wednesday. Within an hour of that I had gotten the confirmation email. The extra time to study will hopefully see me through the course to a pass and help me towards finding a job in the security industry.
In the garden I have been forced to replant some seeds. I still have to plant the corn again. Like last year it doesn't seem to wish to grow. I'm not ready to give up yet though. I replanted the peppers, courgette, and cucumber. I notice the carrots were springing into life when I was out. While the peas. onions, and potatoes are all going strong. As are the fruit trees as well as the bushes and strawberries. So everything is looking great in the garden so far. I will need to feed my plants in a few weeks as the soil that they are in must be needing some nutrition with the years it has been worked. Yeah I know I fed the plants last year but you have to continue every year. You never get time off from that.
I completed the chain for Calum though now he needs a box for it to go in. When he gets that he says he will put it up for sale. I am still not sure that he will get what he is hoping for but we will see. If he does I know that I will be expected to go into over drive and make more. I'll not hold my breath for that though. I did enjoy the creative process though and would be happy to make more if he does achieve the profit he expects. Jewellery making, working with silver, well it is one of my hobbies...
In the garden I have been forced to replant some seeds. I still have to plant the corn again. Like last year it doesn't seem to wish to grow. I'm not ready to give up yet though. I replanted the peppers, courgette, and cucumber. I notice the carrots were springing into life when I was out. While the peas. onions, and potatoes are all going strong. As are the fruit trees as well as the bushes and strawberries. So everything is looking great in the garden so far. I will need to feed my plants in a few weeks as the soil that they are in must be needing some nutrition with the years it has been worked. Yeah I know I fed the plants last year but you have to continue every year. You never get time off from that.
I completed the chain for Calum though now he needs a box for it to go in. When he gets that he says he will put it up for sale. I am still not sure that he will get what he is hoping for but we will see. If he does I know that I will be expected to go into over drive and make more. I'll not hold my breath for that though. I did enjoy the creative process though and would be happy to make more if he does achieve the profit he expects. Jewellery making, working with silver, well it is one of my hobbies...
May 16, 2015
16th May 2015
I have been fitting a mixer tap and shower to our bath today. Sounds easier than it actually was. Under the bath is a very tight fit so I received scraped knuckles and a bruised elbow. The main thing is that I was successful or so I thought until my son told me the shower was too low for him. Well I told him to adjust it himself or duck to wash his hair. It was the right height for me but then Calum is a little taller than me.
Got my provisional driving licence and phoned the training company to get back on the course to sit the test. I am now waiting for them to send me an email to confirm when the course is. In the meantime I will need to do the mock tests again as I have finished the book Magz downloaded to help me. Hopefully I have done enough to gain the SIA CCTV licence. Time will tell.
In the garden things are starting to grow. Though I will need to replant a few things like the bell peppers and cucumber. They didn't seem to show face. I was happy to se the coriander sprouting next to its normal space by the Rosemary.
With the good weather the grass has shot up. Magz cut it the other day as I was busy completing the chain Calum wanted me to make. All that needs doing now is to give it a polish. I even made the Sheppard's Hook catch. I enjoyed myself in making the chain. That is after I figured out how I did it in the past. It had been so long since I had my hands on a soldering torch that much of my knowledge had muddied over. Once I got my bearings though...
Got my provisional driving licence and phoned the training company to get back on the course to sit the test. I am now waiting for them to send me an email to confirm when the course is. In the meantime I will need to do the mock tests again as I have finished the book Magz downloaded to help me. Hopefully I have done enough to gain the SIA CCTV licence. Time will tell.
In the garden things are starting to grow. Though I will need to replant a few things like the bell peppers and cucumber. They didn't seem to show face. I was happy to se the coriander sprouting next to its normal space by the Rosemary.
With the good weather the grass has shot up. Magz cut it the other day as I was busy completing the chain Calum wanted me to make. All that needs doing now is to give it a polish. I even made the Sheppard's Hook catch. I enjoyed myself in making the chain. That is after I figured out how I did it in the past. It had been so long since I had my hands on a soldering torch that much of my knowledge had muddied over. Once I got my bearings though...
May 9, 2015
9th May 2015
The tomatoes that planted last weekend have germinated. It is still early days as I know from previous growing seasons and I know that things can still go wrong. But it was so good to see those little shoots. With the onions, potatoes and coriander all exhibiting growth I am glad. No sign of carrot or peppers which may mean I will have to replant. Though I will give them another week to see if anything comes from the seeds I have planted already.
I have done a few mock test that I downloaded from the web to try and keep my head on the SIA course. Magz also found a book online that covers much of the things that are found on the in the training. I have started reading through this and have found that it is useful. I just want to be as prepared as I can for when I get my provisional as it will make it easier to pass the SIA test.
In wider news it was good to see the SNP taking most of the seats in Scotland. I sat up till the wee hours of Friday morning watching labours Scottish big wigs lose seat after seat. Most, though not all, took it badly and show their true nasty faces. It is that same face I have seen from the run of the mill labour members since I was a teenager. Because I didn't support their view on the future direction my nation should take. They especially didn't like me saying they had no hope of beating Thatcher. That often led me close to being assaulted. Yes soar losers doesn't do them justice and their claims that it was the SNP that cost them the election doesn't hold up. Well even if they had won the usual number of seat up here they still wouldn't have been in power down south. Of course that won't stop the hardcore of labour in Scotland from continuing to spread the lies until people begin to believe it. Say a lie long enough and sooner or later people will begin to accept it as the truth sadly.
I have done a few mock test that I downloaded from the web to try and keep my head on the SIA course. Magz also found a book online that covers much of the things that are found on the in the training. I have started reading through this and have found that it is useful. I just want to be as prepared as I can for when I get my provisional as it will make it easier to pass the SIA test.
In wider news it was good to see the SNP taking most of the seats in Scotland. I sat up till the wee hours of Friday morning watching labours Scottish big wigs lose seat after seat. Most, though not all, took it badly and show their true nasty faces. It is that same face I have seen from the run of the mill labour members since I was a teenager. Because I didn't support their view on the future direction my nation should take. They especially didn't like me saying they had no hope of beating Thatcher. That often led me close to being assaulted. Yes soar losers doesn't do them justice and their claims that it was the SNP that cost them the election doesn't hold up. Well even if they had won the usual number of seat up here they still wouldn't have been in power down south. Of course that won't stop the hardcore of labour in Scotland from continuing to spread the lies until people begin to believe it. Say a lie long enough and sooner or later people will begin to accept it as the truth sadly.
May 2, 2015
2nd May 2015
I sat the course but unfortunately I didn't have the right kind of ID to sit the test. I need photo ID or my original birth certificate to prove who I am. I only have a copy of my birth certificate and no form of photo ID. That has meant sending off for a Provisional Driving Licence. When I get that then I have to get in touch with the company that was running the course. I will then be able to sit the test plus with a bit of luck be able to resit the course as it will most likely take between two and three weeks to receive the ID. Looking on the bright side it will allow me more time to take in all the information I need to digest to pass the tests. As I was going for the CCTV Operators SIA badge there is a lot to learn. You need to know for example the laws pertaining to CCTV and its legal use. There a three main ones which I need to know. Then there is the different types of camera's used by the industry. There are lots of other stuff that I will need to learn. I did do a couple of mock test and just failed. The worst thing it was on the minor stuff like health and safety that I came a cropper. Typical.
I haven't had much time for anything else this week as you can imagine. I did get into the garden just to do some light weeding. While doing that I check to see what had started to sprout. The potatoes are beginning to show face as are my peas and onions. Though that seems to be it for the time being. I planted the tomatoes into a pot to start them off on the kitchen window sill. I'll try to get them to a few inches before putting them out into the new sack in the garden. There is still the chance of a touch of frost in the mornings so I want to protect them for a bit. In a few weeks they should have come up and be ready for the outside. That is if I have some luck on my side.
I haven't had much time for anything else this week as you can imagine. I did get into the garden just to do some light weeding. While doing that I check to see what had started to sprout. The potatoes are beginning to show face as are my peas and onions. Though that seems to be it for the time being. I planted the tomatoes into a pot to start them off on the kitchen window sill. I'll try to get them to a few inches before putting them out into the new sack in the garden. There is still the chance of a touch of frost in the mornings so I want to protect them for a bit. In a few weeks they should have come up and be ready for the outside. That is if I have some luck on my side.
April 25, 2015
25th April 2015
I start a course on security on Monday coming. I will have to travel up to Glasgow to attend the course which means a very early rise. Nothing I can do about that though gaining the security badge will open up more job opportunities. That can only be a good thing. I wasn't expecting to get on a course so quickly. I was just lucky that the course was starting on Monday. So anyways my advisor booked me a place. Now I just need to hope that I can pass the course.
Magz and me were out cutting the grass this week. It is that time of year when the weeds and grass shoot up. All week has seen me pulling weeds from my tubs as I look for the shoots from the seeds I planted. Sadly only my onions have come up so far. I supposes I am showing my inpatients as it has only been a little over a week since Tammy and I planted everything. That is other than the tomatoes. With it being such a great week weather wise I was hopeful. Maybe too hopeful that is. I will just have to give it a bit more time.
In Elite Dangerous I am over fifteen thousand light years out of habited space. My aimless wandering is slowly taking me further all of the time. I have spotted a few more nebula that I might start heading towards. They are over five thousand light years sideways headed across a less dense part of space between the arms. I'm not an astrologer or even know a lot about the positions of the stars. Not that I'm not interested in that sort of thing. I just never learned that kind of thing. Like many of us I have stared up at the night sky and wondered. I just never really had more time than that with life happening all around me. Well I can still play my game and dream.
Magz and me were out cutting the grass this week. It is that time of year when the weeds and grass shoot up. All week has seen me pulling weeds from my tubs as I look for the shoots from the seeds I planted. Sadly only my onions have come up so far. I supposes I am showing my inpatients as it has only been a little over a week since Tammy and I planted everything. That is other than the tomatoes. With it being such a great week weather wise I was hopeful. Maybe too hopeful that is. I will just have to give it a bit more time.
In Elite Dangerous I am over fifteen thousand light years out of habited space. My aimless wandering is slowly taking me further all of the time. I have spotted a few more nebula that I might start heading towards. They are over five thousand light years sideways headed across a less dense part of space between the arms. I'm not an astrologer or even know a lot about the positions of the stars. Not that I'm not interested in that sort of thing. I just never learned that kind of thing. Like many of us I have stared up at the night sky and wondered. I just never really had more time than that with life happening all around me. Well I can still play my game and dream.
April 18, 2015
18th April 2015
Got confirmation of ILA funding this week. That will allow me to go on a course to qualify for an SIA badge. Basically it will let me apply for security jobs. Why didn't I do that straight away after getting the letter telling me I had the funding. Well the website that the jobcentre told me to go to for courses isn't the most straight forward. I did try to register but I hit the old frustration of trying to register. In the end I gave up after throwing my mouse a little hard onto the desk. Luckily no damage to the mouse. I really would hate to lose it because of rubbish sites as it is a really good one. I sadly will have to go back to the site and see if I can get onto a course. The sooner the better as it will open up more opportunities in the job market.
The weather has continued to be bright this week with only enough rain to encourage the grass to grow. It was only last week that I went out and gave it a first seasonal cut. Well it is needing done again. Maybe tomorrow as today I was out weeding with Magz her flower patch in the front garden. The rose bush we planted last year is doing well though at the end of season it will need a hard pruning. The pansies that Magz didn't pull up last year, as you may remember she did pull up most of them, have come back up. Magz wants more now. I will need to get another rose bush as well. Maybe some...
Well you get it there is a lot of thought needed to turn the patch into a nice annual show of flowers, without the need to replant each year. As long as we keep the weeds down, right.
The weather has continued to be bright this week with only enough rain to encourage the grass to grow. It was only last week that I went out and gave it a first seasonal cut. Well it is needing done again. Maybe tomorrow as today I was out weeding with Magz her flower patch in the front garden. The rose bush we planted last year is doing well though at the end of season it will need a hard pruning. The pansies that Magz didn't pull up last year, as you may remember she did pull up most of them, have come back up. Magz wants more now. I will need to get another rose bush as well. Maybe some...
Well you get it there is a lot of thought needed to turn the patch into a nice annual show of flowers, without the need to replant each year. As long as we keep the weeds down, right.
April 11, 2015
11th April 2015
With spring encouraging the weeds I started planting seeds today. I would have preferred to buy seedlings but I can't afford that. So it's out with the seeds I have. Some I did buy this year though those haven't been planted yet as they need starting indoors. Tomatoes don't like any chilly weather and there was a cold northerly breeze. Tammy called it cutting though I felt it wasn't as bad as that. Still it did remind me that it is still only April and with us living in Scotland. Well I'm sure many northern folk will know what I am talking about. As the old saying goes "Ner cast a clout oot tae Mays oot." Which means "Never cast aside clothing till May has past." In the meantime I will start the tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes indoors. I know I don't have a great record for that as they usually died soon after being planted outside. Even trying to harden the plants up has never worked. Sitting them out during the day and bringing them back in at night. Still I have to give it a go in the hope that I will be successful this time round. Magz has already said she'll get them from the pound shop if I fail again. I'm not sure that the actually sell plants though they do have cheap seeds and compost.
I am still waiting to hear from the ILA but I should hopefully hear this week. Well I would like to hear this coming week but you can never really tell. The paperwork that came with the application form said it could take two weeks. Though I believe that that would be from when they received the form rather than when I posted it. And as they only supplied a second classed envelope it would take a few days to get to them. My impatients show
I am still waiting to hear from the ILA but I should hopefully hear this week. Well I would like to hear this coming week but you can never really tell. The paperwork that came with the application form said it could take two weeks. Though I believe that that would be from when they received the form rather than when I posted it. And as they only supplied a second classed envelope it would take a few days to get to them. My impatients show
April 4, 2015
4th April 2015
Easter weekend and the first signs of spring is to be seen out in the garden. Yes I noticed the other day that the leaves on my apple tree, only one though, have started opening. I got a lift from seeing it. Winter always makes me feel down which makes the sight of the changing season heart lifting. I've been out tidying what I can as well as preparing the tubs and sacks for planting. Basically some light weeding, loosening up the soil and adding some fertiliser to give the young plants a start when they are planted. I can't afford to fix the side fence this year. It needs a new panel and post as the winter storms snapped the post. When I get another job I will save to sort that out but will have to leave it for now.
The job search continues slowly. I applied for ILA funding for training as I thought that it could only help open up my options. It I was to get onto the security course to get the card that would be good. So I am now waiting to hear back though I don't see any problems stopping me from receiving funding as I've never had it before. I always seemed to get a job before I got the funding in the past.
Still playing Elite Dangerous in the evenings. I've been out exploring the galaxy since the 17th March and this week met up with a fellow player CMDR Omega Prime. We met halfway between the Soul and Heart nebula's. We just sat for over an hour talking before we had to go our own way. He was from Germany and I really enjoyed the experience. So much so that the day after seemed a little under whelming. I'm glad to say that feeling hasn't lasted and I am now back into full explorers mode. It is a more peaceful way to enjoy the game than the other professions. And I am a little nosey as well.
The job search continues slowly. I applied for ILA funding for training as I thought that it could only help open up my options. It I was to get onto the security course to get the card that would be good. So I am now waiting to hear back though I don't see any problems stopping me from receiving funding as I've never had it before. I always seemed to get a job before I got the funding in the past.
Still playing Elite Dangerous in the evenings. I've been out exploring the galaxy since the 17th March and this week met up with a fellow player CMDR Omega Prime. We met halfway between the Soul and Heart nebula's. We just sat for over an hour talking before we had to go our own way. He was from Germany and I really enjoyed the experience. So much so that the day after seemed a little under whelming. I'm glad to say that feeling hasn't lasted and I am now back into full explorers mode. It is a more peaceful way to enjoy the game than the other professions. And I am a little nosey as well.
March 28, 2015
28th March 2015
The madness of time shift happens tonight. Yeah that means the clocks go forward. I really hate it when we have to change the clocks. It leads to more accidents on our roads and in work places. Yet each year we shift the clocks back and forwards without questioning the reason behind this. I know the reasons I have seen given for it sound good when first heard. Giving the working man more time in the sun sounds good by the use of Daylight Savings but do we really benefit. I don't think we do after all a summer comes along we have more daylight hours so where is the benefit? In winter I have gone to work in the dark and on the way home it is dark again. If I wanted to see the daylight I would have to go outside during my lunch break. So again how has DST helped me or the many others in low paid work. It may just be due to my lack of experience in a worldly way. Maybe it does help someone, somewhere. I just haven't met any one that like the losing of an hour of sleep as we do this weekend. Of course I have yet to find someone who complains about gaining an hour as we will in about six months. I just wish those in power would come to their senses and see it from the same place the people see it. Why bother changing the clocks twice a year when We could do it once and stick to that time from then on. A simple compromise would be to set them half way between summer time and winter. Then leave them there. Simple. Sadly there are those that support DST, at least in my opinion, and they are the ones that hold the power to change it. So I can't see it changing any time soon which means we will continue to lose that hour every year to move to the summertime.
