bookmark_borderNew Challenges

A new year and a new set of challenges await me both here on this blog, and professionally.

I’ve signed up to Project 52 in the hopes that it will help me maintain at least a regular level of content here. With quite a few side projects on the go this year I’m fearful of my time being sucked elsewhere so hopefully it’ll help keep things trickling along.

Professionally my team and I are keen to move things to a more web-centric output, and I want to get us more hooked into our Developer Community website and try and factor in some social media services as well. I’ve just finished writing an article for a supplement which will be published with the next issue of the ISTC Communicator magazine and it made me realise that it’s time to stop talking and start doing.

From that point of view it should be an interesting year as I truly believe that, for those of us who can, we need to start utilising the benefits of social media and really start to change how our profession is perceived. Social media is driven by information, and without doubt we are the best people to step in and adopt social media practices for the best of reasons.

I have an even greater interest in this area as, in the coming months, I’m going to be planning and creating a community website for the ISTC. I have many ideas already, and I’ll be canvassing ISTC members and all the technical communication professionals who I’m lucky enough to have visit this blog.

All in all it should be a big, busy year. Just as I like it.

Although why I chose to make my New Year Resolution “read more fiction”, I’m still not quite sure.

bookmark_borderEnd on a good note

So, the past week has been a little hectic.

At work it was the end of a product release cycle which is usually a little busy, I’m preparing to start handling the translation requirements for the product, and I was also (still am!) trying to get a new website up and running (it’s a whole Developer Community thing… well it will be..). On top of that my boss resigned and so we’ve been rejigging things for the new man.

Next week I’ll be facilitating our release retrospective meetings, 10 meetings in 5 days, with most averaging a couple of hours. It’s another thing which is quite draining but fascinating all at once.

Ohh and I’m arranging the next development team night out.

It’s all going well but has taken a fair amount of effort. But in a good way. You know, a sense of satisfaction. Anyway, that’s why it’s been so quiet here this week.

Needless to say I’m a bit wiped out so I’ve got tomorrow pegged to do… well not a whole lot. I’ll be catching up on the blogs, playing a little Metal Gear Solid, I may even read a book.

But enough of that mundane drudgery, there are far far more important things a foot for, this every night I’ve just had a wonderful WONDERFUL piece of news.

My wee sister, she who shares the same cheeky smile that adorns my face, got engaged!!

I’m so chuffed that, even as I type this, I have a big grin on my face and a few tears of happiness welling up. Congratulations Jen and Chris, so happy for you both.