Well, 2015 was a
'different' year for me.
Starting with work,
I managed to have had three fulltime jobs this year! The first was
the job I'd started in January 2014, servicing and maintaining
medical equipment in people's homes. It wasn't a bad job and I had a
very good group of workmates, but it was a bit poorly paid and the
work wasn't really challenging enough.
In April I got a job
with another firm as a Calibration Engineer, travelling around
calibrating and servicing medical and dental equipment. Or so I
thought! Basically I applied for one job and was given another. I
ended up working for a 'company within a company' doing less
technical work and driving a lot more than I had been let to believe.
I was given some vague promises that I would be transferred to the
job I had applied for, but nothing seemed to happen. A colleague
based in Newcastle left and I ended up covering his area in addition
to mine. This led to long drives to and from jobs, a lot of time
staying away from home, and it just wore me out. With travelling and
work I was doing 12 – 14 hour days, and in August I drove 4917
miles (7913 km). I decided 'enough was enough' and looked for another
job.
Job 3 was as an
Equipment Support Engineer with a bioscience company, calibrating and
maintaining laboratory equipment. This is based at their site in
Glasgow, so no more driving all over the country! This is the first
job I've had for 15 years where I've been base at one place, have my
own desk, a tearoom, regular workmates, and commute to and from each
day. I started in October and am enjoying the work. One drawback of
having had three jobs is that I didn't manage to accrue many
holidays, and up to Christmas had only four days off – two for job
interviews, one to get my works van and my car serviced, and one
where I waited in for someone to come and measure my house for new
doors, so I've had no actual holidays this year.
This leads me onto
my bikes, and not having any holidays, and being worn out most of the
summer with Job no. 2, means that I've hardly ridden them. I've only
been to one bike event,
Easter Egg Run, and the occasional weekend
run. Since I started my current job I've been commuting most of the
time on my silver Traveller, but the very windy weather recently has
meant it has been a bit too hazardous and I've had to use my car.
State of my bikes at
the moment:
Silver Traveller.
Currently being used for commuting and running well. When I get by
white Traveller on the road I'll keep this as my 'holidays and runs'
bike. I might get the petrol tank resprayed as since ethanol has been
added to petrol the paint has started to flake around the filler cap.
White Traveller.
Have done a bit of work on it, mostly painting and tidying up scruffy
bits. As this is going to be used for commuting (15 miles (25 km)
each way, mixture of motorway and town traffic), I've added heated
grips, extra lights, louder horns, etc. It's already in lowered
gearing and I'll fit higher bars. Have worked out that it should last
me until I retire.
Works in progress!
Yamaha SZR 660. Did
quite a bit of restoration work on it and it's getting on well. Hope
to finish it by the Spring and sell it.
Honda CL 350. Have
done no work at all on it in the last year other than buying a pair
of rear shocks.
My plan for this
year is to have the white Traveller for commuting, the silver one for
holidays, and the Honda as a hobby.
As for my private
life, not much to report. I started going to a yoga class in about
May or June and I think it's done me a lot of good. I'd been troubled
by stiffness and pain in my upper back and neck, but this has gone
since starting the class. I've also been sleeping a lot better and
feeling 'looser', so that's helped a bit.
Have only been out a
few times – a couple of concerts, a comedy night, and couple of
meals. No dates last year, might manage one this year with a bit of
luck!
Seth Lakeman and band, Oran Mor, Glasgow
As for plans for
2016, looking back at previous ones I rarely mange any on the things
I plan! Hopefully I'll get more of the bikes on the road and ride
them more. In my current job I get 6 weeks holidays, and I'm planning
a trip to France (more later) as well as more rides locally.
Socially, I'm going
to try and go out more and you never know, I might find someone to go
on a date with!
My sister got me this for Christmas!
All the best to
everyone and I hope 2016 is a good year for you.
