Well, I've been here at the mine for a full week now, and things are going well. My rotation is half way between the two IT people who work here; they are cross-shifts, meaning each one does the same job for the two weeks while the other is off - cross shifts may never actually meet each other! My shift means that I spend one week with one of them, and the second half of my rotation working for the other. They are very different people, but I think I'll be able to work well with both of them.
I was really starting to feel like I'm finding a place for myself here today. I had things to do, and had interactions with people on a sort of 'co-worker' level, not on a 'I'm new here and have absolutely no idea what's going on' kind of level - which was nice! I'm also getting to know some of the people we often have interactions with (administrators in other offices etc.), so that's been nice.My supervisors changed shifts today, and my new supervisor spent the last twenty minutes today going through all of our 'work tickets' - all of the computer problems that people have notified us of - and getting me to indicate which ones I can look after. That means that tomorrow I'm going to have lots to do, yay! It was starting to get to the point today where I was sort of wandering around the IT section wondering what to do sometimes.
I found out today that the environment department has to do regular monitoring of the number or caribou moving through this region, which they do by going for helicopter rides, and counting caribou - they are apparently recruiting summer students to go up with them to do this, so my boss was advised that someone was going to be coming to steal me for a good part of a day to go do that! I'm pretty excited about it!
To answer some questions from last time, my job is really just general IT. Any computer problems that people have they have to email off to a central place in Salt Lake City, and from there they get sent to us in the form of a service ticket. Then we (the IT department) go and fix the problem... So they've been teaching me how to create user accounts for the network, and just little things like that that can take a big load off them, so they can focus on the more complicated network issues. I'm also still spending quite a bit of time just following my supervisor/s around learning all I can about the setup, and how things work here.That's all for now, I don't really know what else to say!
If anyone has more questions, leave comments, or send emails etc. - I'll post things on here for all to see! :)
-Liam
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
At the mine
I'm just going to post a little something here for now, more details soon! I've been at the mine here at Lac de Gras since Tuesday, and things are going really well. I'm working in the IT Department, and I'm learning TONS. They have an enormous computer network here, and they're using technologies and systems I've only dreamed of (and some I haven't). I have a driving permit on site, so I was out with my boss today driving around a little bit, seeing some of the other office buildings they have - eventually I'll probably be going there sometimes on my own to look at computers etc. It's crazy to drive past trucks so big they can literally drive over your truck without noticing that there was anything there (I've talked to someone who's done it... they had set it all up... and it's completely true, the drivers of the big trucks don't notice a thing)!
Anyway, that's all for now; it's getting late. I don't have much time in the evenings for chatting/emailing/blogging, so I have to try to do a little bit of each every night! Thinking of everyone,
-Liam
Monday, May 12, 2008
Cameron Falls
Yesterday Mom and I went about 40Kms from Yellowknife along the Ingraham Trail to a beautiful waterfall, named Cameron Falls. It's about a 20 minutes hike in from the road, and the walk, and the falls are amazing. There was still some ice along the side of the falls, but it was mostly clear, and mom said there was way more water than when she had been there in September.
On the way out from the falls we came accross what we think to be a Ptarmagan who's coat is changing for the summer. It walked right up the path towards us, then wandered its way a few feet into the forest to get around us - we didn't seem to disturb it at all. I was able to get a few nice pictures on the way by.
Our final stop of the day was at the end of the road. Literally. We drove to where the Ingraham Trail goes straight into a lake - during the winter months the road continues as the 'Winter (or Ice) Road', during the summer, there is only a sign saying that the Winter Road is closed. Use at your own risk. haha.
In other news I am now officially a summer student employee of Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. - I'll be starting my first rotation on site on Tuesday (tomorrow!), and I'll be up there working 12 hour days until they fly me back here to Yellowknife on the 27th. It's nice to know that I'm finally going to be starting a job, and making some money this summer, but this also allows me to plan the rest of my summer a little. I know now that my last day is August 19th, so I'll be able to start looking for deals for flights home etc, and I'll be able to plan what I'm doing while I'm not working - I will have two weeks to kill every two weeks, for the rest of the summer! I've already starting working on one plan...more about that as things become more solidified.
Pictures follow:
The end of the raod. You can still see where the Winter Road ran across the lake.
Cameron River, after the falls.
Walking Bird.
Liam.
Cameron Falls.
Liam and Mom. Happy Mother's Day!
On the way out from the falls we came accross what we think to be a Ptarmagan who's coat is changing for the summer. It walked right up the path towards us, then wandered its way a few feet into the forest to get around us - we didn't seem to disturb it at all. I was able to get a few nice pictures on the way by.
Our final stop of the day was at the end of the road. Literally. We drove to where the Ingraham Trail goes straight into a lake - during the winter months the road continues as the 'Winter (or Ice) Road', during the summer, there is only a sign saying that the Winter Road is closed. Use at your own risk. haha.
In other news I am now officially a summer student employee of Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. - I'll be starting my first rotation on site on Tuesday (tomorrow!), and I'll be up there working 12 hour days until they fly me back here to Yellowknife on the 27th. It's nice to know that I'm finally going to be starting a job, and making some money this summer, but this also allows me to plan the rest of my summer a little. I know now that my last day is August 19th, so I'll be able to start looking for deals for flights home etc, and I'll be able to plan what I'm doing while I'm not working - I will have two weeks to kill every two weeks, for the rest of the summer! I've already starting working on one plan...more about that as things become more solidified.
Pictures follow:
The end of the raod. You can still see where the Winter Road ran across the lake.
Cameron River, after the falls.
Walking Bird.
Liam.
Cameron Falls.
Liam and Mom. Happy Mother's Day!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
New Jobs, Dinner Out
Mom and I both found out yesterday that we have new jobs, both of them are with Diavik! Mom is now officially the Assistant to the President, and I have a student summer position with their IT department.
We decided to out for a nice dinner to celebrate, and we went to 'Le Frolic'. We had a wonderful appetizer of bread with grilled Brie cheese and onion marmalade, followed by (for me) a Pikeral dish served with various grilled veggies, and little bits of fresh fruit over the fish, and some sort of sauce, it was incredible! Mom had an interesting Fettucini dish. We each got a dessert; Peanut Butter cheese cake with chocolate and coffee sauces over it (mine), and mom ordered a trio of crème brulé. The entire meal was fantastic.
I had foolishly decided not to take the car, so we had to walk home... it was not an easy walk after a meal like that!
We decided to out for a nice dinner to celebrate, and we went to 'Le Frolic'. We had a wonderful appetizer of bread with grilled Brie cheese and onion marmalade, followed by (for me) a Pikeral dish served with various grilled veggies, and little bits of fresh fruit over the fish, and some sort of sauce, it was incredible! Mom had an interesting Fettucini dish. We each got a dessert; Peanut Butter cheese cake with chocolate and coffee sauces over it (mine), and mom ordered a trio of crème brulé. The entire meal was fantastic.
I had foolishly decided not to take the car, so we had to walk home... it was not an easy walk after a meal like that!
Friday, May 9, 2008
Another Sunset
A couple of evenings ago Mom and I got out to watch another sunset. We got up to Pilot's Monument just in time to see the sun dissapear behind the hill. I got some more nice pictures, and another picture of the progress of the ice melting on the Great Slave Lake. Pics Below:
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Compuer Troubles
As seems to happen to me wherever i go, I have been spending a fair amount of time recently working on computers. This time it is my own. I discovered a few days ago that my computer appeared to be infected with a virus. After running several different scans and pursuing other options, I came to the conclusion that I had no choice but to re-install windows on my computer - something I have not yet done with my laptop.
I started, as is normal, by copying all of my data (files, pictures, music etc.) onto another hard drive I have with me for just such occaisons. I succesfully re-installed windows on my computer, but when I attempted to copy my data back onto it, I was not able to access the hard drive. In the time between when I copied the information, and was ready to copy it back, something happened to the hard drive! It was truly a worst-case scenario.
Fortunately I had made a copy of my most recent pictures onto another medium, so I haven't lost anything recent, and I have another backup of all my data from a couple of months ago back at Dad's house, so all in all I haven't lost much. I spent a good part of today trying to track down a device that I could buy that would allow me to attempt to get my information off the dead hard drive, but unfortunately I've been unable to locate such a device here in Yellowknife. I'm just going to have to wait until i get home to get most of my files back onto my computer.
One of the places I went looking for this device was Staples (thanks for the suggestion Dad!). I had met mom for lunch, we had some wonderful bagles at a café downtown (Javaroma: Keeping people awake since 1996!), and afterward I decided to walk around Frame Lake to see if I could find what I was looking for at Staples. It was a fairly long walk! And after not finding what I was looking for, I had to walk home empty handed. It was a nice walk though (about 2.02Km, one way).
On another note, I've had a strange craving for more fruit lately... not sure what to make of that one yet... but for some reason chocolate doesn't seem as appetizing as it used to be... very odd.
I started, as is normal, by copying all of my data (files, pictures, music etc.) onto another hard drive I have with me for just such occaisons. I succesfully re-installed windows on my computer, but when I attempted to copy my data back onto it, I was not able to access the hard drive. In the time between when I copied the information, and was ready to copy it back, something happened to the hard drive! It was truly a worst-case scenario.
Fortunately I had made a copy of my most recent pictures onto another medium, so I haven't lost anything recent, and I have another backup of all my data from a couple of months ago back at Dad's house, so all in all I haven't lost much. I spent a good part of today trying to track down a device that I could buy that would allow me to attempt to get my information off the dead hard drive, but unfortunately I've been unable to locate such a device here in Yellowknife. I'm just going to have to wait until i get home to get most of my files back onto my computer.
One of the places I went looking for this device was Staples (thanks for the suggestion Dad!). I had met mom for lunch, we had some wonderful bagles at a café downtown (Javaroma: Keeping people awake since 1996!), and afterward I decided to walk around Frame Lake to see if I could find what I was looking for at Staples. It was a fairly long walk! And after not finding what I was looking for, I had to walk home empty handed. It was a nice walk though (about 2.02Km, one way).
On another note, I've had a strange craving for more fruit lately... not sure what to make of that one yet... but for some reason chocolate doesn't seem as appetizing as it used to be... very odd.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Hiking Frame Lake
I spent a couple of hours on Sudnay hiking around all of Frame Lake with Mom. We started on the half of the trail we had not yet tried, it's the half that doesn't really have a trail. There are posts in the ground, and you make your way (usually over rock) from one post to the next. The trail provides some amazing views of the lake and the city, but it is a long, tiring trip. We walked on rock, through snow, waded through a stream or two, climbed the side of cliffs, and finally ended the hike by walking back down the other side of the lake, which is all nicely paved. Whew. We barely made it back to the car.
Downtown Yellowknife as seen from the far side of Frame Lake.
The Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Building, with downtown in the background.
The somewhat wonky boardwalk that made up part of the trail.
Downtown Yellowknife as seen from the far side of Frame Lake.
The Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Building, with downtown in the background.
The somewhat wonky boardwalk that made up part of the trail.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Ice Melting
Just another picture from yesterday showing the progress of the ice melting on the Great Slave Lake. It's not as noticable in these pictures, but when you get down close to the lakes, the ice is really starting to melt/sink etc. There's lots of water out there now!
Northern Lights
We finally got out last night (well actually really early this morning) so see the northern lights - and they didn't dissapoint! I was able to get some pictures, and they turned out, for the most part, far better than I had expected. In order to get these shots though, I had to leave the shutter open for a whole 15 seconds (good thing i got a tripod!), and they've all been brightened afterwards too.
We were out there at around 1:30-2:00 am, and in a couple of the pictures it is possible to see how light it remains, even this early in the year, all night long. Even though the sun sets, it stays fairly close to the horizon, and during the night it is possible to track its progress (due to the dawn-ish glow that remains all night) from the point where it set, to the point where it rises again in the morning. In the last picture you can see the unusally light night sky, the stars, and the northern lights, and this was really how the night was, you could look in one direction and see the pink glow from the sun, and in the other were the northern lights! How fantastic!!
I'm sorry for the horizon in these pictures, it was incredibly difficult to see how straight the camera was!
We were out there at around 1:30-2:00 am, and in a couple of the pictures it is possible to see how light it remains, even this early in the year, all night long. Even though the sun sets, it stays fairly close to the horizon, and during the night it is possible to track its progress (due to the dawn-ish glow that remains all night) from the point where it set, to the point where it rises again in the morning. In the last picture you can see the unusally light night sky, the stars, and the northern lights, and this was really how the night was, you could look in one direction and see the pink glow from the sun, and in the other were the northern lights! How fantastic!!
I'm sorry for the horizon in these pictures, it was incredibly difficult to see how straight the camera was!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Frame Lake Photos
I took these pictures a couple of days ago. Yellowknife is build on the shores of the Great Slave Lake, but completely surrounds a smaller lake named "Frame Lake". They've build some really nice walking/biking paths all around this lake, and we've been making use of them from time to time. These pictures show some typical views from the trail. The pictures were taken between about 9:30 and 10:00 - it gives you an idea of how light it is here, even this early in the year!
Getting out to take these pictures is the most I've done in days... haha.
Getting out to take these pictures is the most I've done in days... haha.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
No Northern Lights Tonight
Well, we went out last night to try to get some pictures of the Northern Lights, at 11:00... the sky was still really light! I think I'm going to have to wait until I have insurance on mom's car, then I can go out at 2 or 3 in the morning to try to get some pictures of them. It's amazing how light the sky stays, even now!
I did get some really nice pictures of the downtown area, and of the evening sky from Pilot's Monument (My favorite picture taking spot). Pictures below:
I did get some really nice pictures of the downtown area, and of the evening sky from Pilot's Monument (My favorite picture taking spot). Pictures below:
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