Month: January 2002

It startles me sometimes, how easy it is NOT to notice things. Whilst I make no claim to be the best manager (or team leader, whatever) around I like to think I can gauge the moods of my team. I try to be open with them, sometimes when I shouldn’t. I have a basic realisation that there is more to ‘management’ than facts, figures, resources and workloads. There are people involved. Now I’m not the sharpest tack in the box but it seems to be kinda obvious, yes? Then why can’t ‘senior management’ see it too? I’m debating about sending this link round (see point 2) – Communicating Corporate Change.

Visited a friend last night, she’s out from hospital after surgery and still pretty sore, kinda miss her being around, so I think I’ll be visiting quite often. Get Well Soon.

Thursday, one day to go before the weekend. Joy.

waferbaby ~ fusion. Join the fusion. I mean if an artistically challenged, clam handed goof like me can have a go, why can’t you?

Walked to the station this morning, about 25 minute walk in the pouring, no deluging rain (you know what I mean, right?). It’s amazing what you think about and it really helps clear my brain, woke up in a foul mood. By the time I got to the station I was calm. I’d ponder about work and what I need to do, about some stuff I really need to do at home, possible holidays for us this year.

Yes, a long walk in the rain really makes you realise things, most specifically that I need waterproof shoes, and a new jacket! Thank goodness I was in early, not a pretty sight to see first thing in the morning, a semi-naked Gordon trying to dry his clothes under the hand dryer…

To Blogger Pro, or not to Blogger Pro. As my site has been kinda dead for the past months or so, I think I’ll wait and re-do my calculations before deciding. Plus the fact that at the moment my house is sucking up all my monies, so anything to do with this site as to be classed under “frivolous”.

I’m buying a guitar, an acoustic, from a friend, and I’m not really sure why.

I come from a musical family, learnt to play the piano to a high grade (was studying for my Grade 7 when I packed it in – Grade 8 is the teacher’s exam). My dad plays the guitar and sings, and has been know to pluck a banjo. He used to sing in a folk group (in the dim and distant past) and now does his bit for amateur operatics, and is the ‘singing’ member of a Burns’ Club. My mother plays the piano and used to join my Dad singing for a local choir. My sister learnt to play the flute and can tinkle the ivories a bit too (self taught, and much more natural than I).
So what’s all that got to do with a guitar?

Well I had toyed with the idea last year, but never really got around to it, one of those promises you make to yourself at New Year. So this year I mentioned it to a friend who said I could buy his guitar as it was sitting around gathering dust. I jumped at the chance.

Now ideally I would be saving up to buy a Clavinova, or such like, after all I know how to play a piano, so that would be much easier. Money however is the issue here, or is it?

I’m really not sure why I am buying a guitar. I do play a mean air guitar (doesn’t everyone?) but I’m not sure if mastering the real thing is what I’m after. Or maybe it’s fear of something new, I’ve not really tackled anything ‘new’ for a while. Stayed safely within my limits, and whilst, admittedly, learning the guitar’s not exactly a radical step forward, it may be triggering that fear. What will I be like if I try something like sky-diving!

I’ve realised that this purchase is reflecting a lot of things in my life than I am less than happy with. For a while now I’ve been talking about T’ai Chi, Alexander classes, badminton club, etc etc. I’ve followed them all up to the point where I actually need to interact with someone, phone someone. And then I stop. Am I becoming socially retarded? Will trying something ‘new’ be THAT bad? Why am I unwilling to pursue this, or anything else new.

This year, for me, is about change, not necessarily about changing bad habits, but about confronting change, willing and forcing myself to try new things, accept new challenges. And if I fail? Then at least I will have tried, and I can learn from that.

So I’m going to buy the guitar and see how it goes. Will I keep the practise? Or will it soon languish upstairs in the office, out of sight, out of mind, gathering dust. Who knows, and there is only one way to find out.

Back in action (not sure how many people will spot me yet, might take a while for the redirect to kick in). Damn just remembered I haven’t updated my META tags – I’ll add it to this list to do tomorrow.

I said earlier it was windy, consider that an understatement. Last reports have 4 people dead. Scary stuff, walked past on overturned lorry on the way to the car as I headed home earlier, all the way home I was paranoid when driving near anything remotely highsided, until I got my theory sussed. You see if you stick close to a highsided vehicle it won’t be able to topple over completely (and squish both you and your car), give it too much room and it can easily topple over as it has nothing to stop it falling until it is too far gone. Simple?

And before I go on, see that little CS button/badge over there? Go click it, well actually wait until you’ve finished reading this first. It will take you to CoolStop. A Daily Pick by the man, the legend that is Jennett. OK, so I’m compensating for not having linked to him for ages. But he deserves it, ohhh and that little i2k badge is something to do with too. OK, I’m done, you can go ahead and click on it now…

A bit stiff this morning, but not as bad as I thought I’d be, survived the extertion quite well considering.

Pushing on with re-design, and WILL get ISP sorted out this weekend.

I feel strangely excited in anticipation of the next couple of months, not sure why though. Work wise I see a few changes, but as I’ve been waiting on THOSE changes for about 6 months they are hardly going to leap up and suprise me, now are they? Maybe I’m just being unusually upbeat about the New Year.

Maybe it’s because I’m changing bad habits a little (despite numerous suggestions that you shouldn’t
A: Make any New Years Resolutions
B: Resolve to change a bad habit, instead pick something new to do).

Who knows, I think I’ll just ride the feeling for a while and see what comes my way.

So first day back at work. Still the same gripes and moans… none of which I’m going into in case someone from work reads this and thinks I’m trying to undermine things, ohh and if someone from work IS reading this, come and sit in on one of the project meetings, they’re a barrel of laughs!

Still not switched ISPs, will be phoning my new ISP tonight, and getting that end sorted out. Then I need to finish the re-design I’m still playing with, and then I need to shift this site, and two others to the new ISP, and get all the links and pointers sorted out… Oh and update the other two sites I maintain, as I’ve not touched them for about 6 months (me bad).

So it’s a NEW Year, I wonder what it will bring? Well I’m no fortune teller, but I do currently feel like updating the site a bit more often, and I’m actually looking forward to my first serious exercise for over 3 months. Yes 5-a-side has started again. I give myself 10 mins before I cough up a lung or three (everyone’s got 3 lungs right?).

And yes I’m on a diet.