Not the planned weekend

Disappointment

I was wanting to attend the Imagine Cup North East hack event this weekend, but due to a minor technical problem with my oven (ie it has stopped heating things up) I thought I'd better fix it.
That did leave me free to attend the cub meeting last night, and the leader meeting straight after (which only lasted half an hour - not a common event as most of the leaders can talk for England - me especially!)
Mission only partially successful, I have isolated the faulty part: the heating element has gone open circuit. I've also discovered two ways of getting at the element to replace it.
The first way involves stripping the oven almost into individual components, and the other is which panels that need to be removed to do the job.
I'm hoping that I will be able to remember which order it has to be done in when I get the replacement part and fit it.
For a change I only have two spare screws after re-assembling the oven.

Progress

I have had a technically successful session with Guitar Smith and have passed another section. More details than you really want to catch are in my other blog.
What other news? I'm three weeks into my five week training to be a customer support adviser, and will be on the phones for at least one call on the last day.
I have recorded a version of the guitar part for House Of The Rising Sun and uploaded to SoundCloud.

Coursework

Absolutely no progress with the database course today. I'm going to have to stand behind myself and crack the whip, as I have over an hours worth of lectures to watch and the associated exercises to complete to continue my progress.

There is a mid-course exam coming up soon, and I'm not looking forward to that at the moment. I think that it will be the ruination of my 100% success rate of doing the practical work.

Still making progress

Database course

The topic I'm currently working on for my online courses is Relational Algebra.
The big grin you'd see on my face at the moment is because I got 100% in the quiz, and also 100% in the exercises.
I have also completed 3 of the 4 challenge level exercises, and have 75% for those. Bearing in mind I haven't started the last question, I can't complain too much about that now, can I?

Customer Services Advisor Training

We've just passed hump day on the training, 2 1/2 weeks completed, 2 1/2 weeks to go. 

The billing quiz was on Monday, and everybody in our team passed (although nobody managed 100% - spoiling my record). Getting the billing aspects right is rather important, as it will reduce the number of calls and complaints received.

Today we have been looking at setting up customer contracts, but had a minor technical hitch: the systems went down mid afternoon preventing us from using the training environment.

Other news?

My oven has packed in, I am going to try to find time to find out what is wrong either tomorrow night, or over the weekend. I suspect the heating element has failed, the fan and thermostat seems to be doing something. It would be easier just to get a new oven, but cash is rather tight at the moment.

I've not had time to play my guitar smith game this week, as I've been focussing on the coursera work. Once I've finished playing with the oven and get the next block of lectures watched and quizzes completed I think I'll be playing more.

Heron Hymn might be having a go at recording a simple song or two this weekend depending on enthusiasm (but it will be something like Home On The Range, My Grandfathers Clock or a Christmas carol or two.
Oh yes, it's 11:15pm in the uk, and I still have a 6am alarm. Sleep? Who needs it!