Hi,
Well, that’s the first week of work in the bag. I’ll not go into the full details, however I will say two things.
Firstly, I think the induction into the team was the best I’ve ever had. That and the organisation – or at least the core team I’m working with – has more women than men.
Again, a good thing for someone like me, given I’m certainly not a macho type. Plus I’m working from home, so ‘office attire’ can be mixed and matched – provided the top half passes as masc 😉
Chams
We had a spike of ‘guests visiting the forum’ over at Chams HQ. Not that any bots can see much; it’s all locked away behind a sign on, and any user accounts need to be activated by Yours Truly.
I was guessing the visitors would be bots, and not all are bad. For search engines to work, they need to scan your website. The more sinister end are automated agents looking for flaws in your software, or AI bots absorbing your content.
So, I engaged with the power of the Magical Big Girl Pants, and had a chat with our hosting company. They very kindly ran the necessary updates, so the forum is fully up to date.
I’ve also taken the precaution of looking at where the ‘guest’ traffic was coming from, and I’ve blocked those countries from the whole site. Sure, folk can get around that, but if you can make something a bit more secure, it’s worth doing, IMO.
New season
I know it’s only just the end of January, bit I would like to see some more blue skies. Yes, I love Autumn, but I’m no fan of grey days, where you don’t see the sun. School, I guess that makes it all the more enjoyable, when the mist clears, and you’re treated to the cold blue of a winter day.
In other season news, I’ve seen some fab new designs on Joe Browns, Unfolded, and Snag. I have succumbed to biting some more squat proof leggings, as the first pair are so good.
What impressed me this season are two things – well, other than the designs are rather fab. I noticed Joe Browns have added a plus size range. I’d say this is good news and if they’d just start to do a tall one too 🤞 Snag seem to be doing an ‘on demand’ system for some of their clothes. Yes, just like Unfolded do, but this means less waste.
Honestly, I would rather wait for something good, than the fast arrival and equally fast return of poorly made and/or bad fitting of cheap & nasty…. or expensive & nasty.
While I doubt I’ll be buying everything I’ve added to favourites, it’s nice to have a think what might be worth getting for the year. I mean, there’s an absolutely fab cherry, gothic number on Snag, but I’m not sure I’ll get the ‘wears to cost’ ratio out of it.
I’ve also cleared my desk in the bedroom and popped a few items over to the local charity shop. At least said things were from Vinted, so not full price mistakes.
L x
So pleased that your induction and first week went well.
That fab cherry gothic number on Snag is indeed very fab, specially if you have the frontage that the model is filling it out with. Maybe a special for Chams parties?
Thanks Susie. I was feeling rather nervous: partly on how things might be, and also not wanting to mess things up.😬 However, like the famous quote “I have spent most of my life, worrying about things that didn’t happen.” 🙂
I think the Snag dress is not to be. I’ve had a look at the measurements and it would very much be a tunic on me. Not that that would be a bad thing. I do have a few in my wardrobe already. Instead, I’ve offered the Ever Lovely Mrs J the voucher, and she’s got a fancy new t-shirt for next to nothing. I’ll take that as a win 🙂
I am delighted to hear that the induction was good. That’s a good sign. This working from home malarkey is a right hoot. We never had such treats in my day! Sounds like you’re off to a good start, anyway.
The Snag dress is pretty amazing and rather tempting. And it’s good to hear their leggings pass inspection, as it were. I shall invest in some when they’ve got my size back in.
The trouble with UK weather is not the cold particularly, nor even the wet; it’s the grey. On a very overcast day I can barely function. Wishing you sunshine all year.
Sue xx
Ah yes, the ‘endless grey’ of the late winter months. I’m afraid that does get to me and it’s so much nicer to see a blue sky. Even if it’s very cold 🥶 you still get the sun!
With our home situation, working from home is vital. The only catch is avoiding sitting and getting stuck in, then realising you’ve not moved for two or more hours. On the upside, there’s less distraction around office gossip. I know that in previous jobs over the decades, it’s easy to look busy, even if you’re just nattering to colleagues. I do prefer to get things done! I certainly do not miss the traffic and the costs to park a car 🙂
As much as the dress is rather nice, on reflection and investigating the length, I decided against it. I think it might have worked as a tunic, but I’m well stocked with those. Instead, I bought Mrs J a rather fabulous t-shirt, which she’s looking forward to wearing. With both the voucher and an extra discount code, I only had to pay for delivery.
My tip from being self-employed at home all day: get yourself a chiming clock or cuckoo clock that pings or hiccups or make some noise on the hour. When it does, get up, walk about and stretch for a few minutes. Or a kitchen timer which you reset when you sit back down. Possibly a smartphone can be programmed to do this nowadays. Regular, intentional, meaningful breaks, even short ones, are the key to success. I get twice as much done in a day (and earn twice as much in consequence) without the gossip and other distractions of an open-plan office. Good luck in week 2.
Sue xx
Thanks Sue. I’ll have a look for a software clock that sits on the desktop. I’ve also switched to a proper desk and chair, which means I naturally fidget a bit.
Glad you have found a new job !
Sounds like a fab team, hope it is more enjoyable than your last seemed towards the end 🙂
Wasn’t aware of Joe Browns plus size either, that is good. I have a few by them, just about fit me 🙂
Izzy
Yes, me too! 🙂 I still had some of the redundancy money available. However, I having been second choice in three roles over six months, I was beginning to get a little concerned. Still, you only need to be lucky once, as Mrs J likes to say about jobs.
The last place…. No comment 😁
I’m hoping Joe Browns might branch into ‘on demand’ clothing to reduce waste, and offer a tall range. That would be fab.
Sounds like you’re off to a great start with your new role! It’s always a bonus when the team is supportive and inclusive, and working from home is definitely a game changer for comfort and flexibility. I love that you’re making the best of your attire with a mix of casual comfort on the bottom and business casual on top! 😄
Good job on handling the forum spike too, blocking those countries and keeping things secure sounds like a smart move. It’s always good to stay ahead of the bots.
I’m also with you on looking forward to blue skies and sunshine. Grey days can get a bit much, so I’m sure when the sun does break through, it’ll feel that much more refreshing. The new season designs you mentioned sound fab, and I’m especially excited to hear about Joe Browns expanding to plus sizes! Fingers crossed they do tall sizes too soon. And I love your approach to buying less and investing in quality pieces—it’s so worth it for things that last longer.
Good luck with the wardrobe planning, and nice work on the charity shop drop-off! Feels good to declutter while making a difference.
Lotte x
PS Apologies for only just getting round to replying to this x
No worries about timing. So it goes! 🙂
There’s been a slight break in service at it’s half-term, so “trousers on” rather than office chic. Back to the usual unusualness next week 👗
I have bought a new heated pad as the front room is a bit nippy, compared to the lounge. Still, maybe I’ll shiver off the calories. It’s a nice thought! 😁
I do think I need to declutter a bit more. I know I’ve got clothes that I’m not wearing. Some tops – his/hers – and I think my shoe collection might need regifting to make space.