Work is finally looking at adjusting my contract to match the pay with what I actually do. During their massive 'restructure' (mass firing and culling of roles) I was dropped down a level - I fought to keep my salary the same and they agreed, but the lower level meant my pay increase ceiling got much lower and I've now hit that ceiling after only 2 years in the job.

So my boss and her boss and his boss have agreed to figure out a way to keep me on board, because if I can't keep making money I bounce. If I bounce, an entire Department goes tits up as well as any others I was supporting in my spare time. When your restructure planned to cull about 100 jobs and you lost nearly double that, things get a little hairy and you suddenly ask even more of your remaining staff than ever before - thankfully, I like being needed. But I also like being paid.

Current plan is to reinstate me at the higher level, which should allow for about 3-4 years of pay rises and by then I'll have ideally moved to a higher up job.

However, nothing will compensate me enough for being the in-house "tech support" for a bunch of Academics. Some earn around 180k a year for a cushy post-medical role. One used to be a neurosurgeon. Operating on brains with precision and an absurd amount of knowledge crammed into his head; but I got a call from him asking if I knew how to attach a document to an email. Another stormed into my office saying her computer had died - so I went in and pressed the power button.

They're good people - just amazes me what they appear to have traded in for the pursuit of academia.

Got a collar for our cat - he ventured outside for the first time since we got him! There's a lovely three part photo series of his wander - first he is sitting by the open door, next he's outside looking back through the glass and realizing his safe space is actually in there, the third photo is a blur as he streaks back in to safety. Still, he went outside again soon after and seems to be happy to try his paw as he feels comfortable.