Archive for the 'Work' Category

Telstra didn’t show up yesterday to fix the problem they caused on Monday. I still have no phone line and hence no internet connection. To make matters worse I have been crook and don’t have the energy to go out to get online.

Telstra tell me today that they have rescheduled us until Thusday next week (that’s AFTER Christmas!!). I made them log a complaint given that it was a Telstra tech who caused the problem in the first place … but that probably won’t be dealt with until after the problem is actually fixed (it damn well better be).

I met Leanne at Gloria Jeans after she finished work (she’s been reading the paper and doing the Sudoku puzzle). I’m just about caught up with 2 days of emails and such … but I’m way behind with my other work and there’s some problems on my websites that need fixing. I might have to go find another hotspot later tonight so I can get a bit more done.

Not impressed Telstra.

My laptop battery had nearly ran out, the two hour session limit on internet access here at Gloria Jeans was up, and my 2 hour car park was nearly expired, so I decided to go home and recharge.

I’m back at GJ’s now, I had to come out to pick up Leanne a bit later anyway – so I figured I’d come and get a bit more work done. No sign of Telstra at home yet – they said I don’t need to be home for them to fix the lines. I’ll be very upset if they don’t have it fixed by tomorrow as they promised.

I’m moving up in the world. I now have a fancy office on Willoughby Road in Crows Nest. It’s a nice serviced office suite with comfortable chairs and an interesting vibe. The name of the office is called “Gloria Jeans” and they also serve good hot chocolate and iced chocolate here – which is convenient. The internet access is free (provided I keep buying drinks). Pity about everyone else who just seem to be here for the drinks and not to work like me. They just sit around talking! How lazy!

Anyway, my lease on this chair expires once my drink is finished or my battery runs out – whichever comes first (I can’t find any powerpoints here). I might have to go home, recharge and come back for the afternoon … difficult to be productive at home when I can’t get online!

If I thought I’d use it more than few days I would get a wireless broadband service – but I can’t justify the cost given that I’d almost never use it (and they won’t work at my parents or in-laws places – so no point for there either).

Olympic Dam copper refinery - Feb 1994

This is part of the copper refinery at the Olympic Dam mine site – the bright yellow substance is not “yellow cake” as many tourists are prone to believe … it is sulphur, used to make sulphuric acid, which is created on-site for use in the refining process. Most people think of Olympic Dam as just a uranium mine, but it also produces large quantities of Copper, Gold, and I think Silver too.

Olympic Dam Whenan Mine Shaft

The first mine shaft at the Olympic Dam Uranium/Copper mine in South Australia.

The Whenan Shaft was completed in 1982, and is used to bring crushed ore up to the surface, where it is transported several kilometres overland via conveyor belt to the processing plant.

There has since been at least one other shaft constructed (it was being built when I was there back in 1994), but I’m not sure if there are now more than 2.