Hello everyone!
Before I start, just click on this and let it play in the background......
I'll come back to it at the end.
Well, I talked the talk yesterday. I had an hour long teleconference with a senior manager from the big oil exploration and refining company, and told him how we were going to tackle the problems with the provision of their IT Services (which we inherited from them last year). I used phrases like causal affiliation, mile deep thinking, stakeholder analysis - oh yes, I can do all that! And I explained to him how I would bring a structured and timetabled approach to understanding and eliminating the systemic root causes. He seemed to like it, as did our Service Delivery Executive.
And I was awake at 5am this morning, trying to plan in my head my draft strategy document I have to complete by close of business today. I think a lot of caffeine might be called for! I'm exhausted, but also feeling rather better than I have for a while. The stress of making and trying to deliver on big commitments is much more positive than the stress of having little to do, and wondering how you are going to justify your salary. There is the chance I may balls it up (it wouldn't be the first time), though hopefully not, as this will be highly visible to the customer. But I'd much rather be doing this than twiddling my thumbs.
I'm just hoping I won't have to be jumping on a plane to Cape Town now that Merlin is coming to join us on Sunday.
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At a school carnival last Friday, my daughter finally got to donate some of her birthday money to the hospice who had a stall there. She got this lovely card in the post yesterday.....
I write to thank you on behalf of Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice for your generous donation of 10, some of the money you were given on your birthday. I think it is great that you thought to help children who aren't as lucky as you.
Bluebell Wood is now caring for almost 100 children in South Yorkshire and this is all down to your fantastic support.
Best wishes....
We had a little talk about how good that felt; I think she likes the feeling. Guess who's the proud Dad!?!
Anyway, that is getting dangerously close to parental showing off, which annoys me immensely. Can't be helped, but I will desist!
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Okay, a few photos now....
This is Saucers (our neighbours' cat - he's actually called Oliver, but he has BIG eyes). He started dropping in a few weeks' ago for a little milk - I have the door open while I work, so he takes advantage. Now he turns up at 8am, has a drink, curls up on my comfy chair and falls asleep for the day. Sponger.
Monday's storm batters my lavender seedlings...
After the rain....
The huge peony, heavy with rain and scent....
The border in bloom. Perfume and pinks!
Finally, back to that music. As you can see, it is the mercurial Canadian pianist, Glenn Gould, playing Bach's Goldberg Variations; one of my favourite classical recordings. He first recorded the piece in 1955, at the age of 23. But this is his second recording from 1981, recorded a year before he died from complications following a stroke, at the tragically young age of 50. There is a huge difference between the two pieces, Gould saying he had discovered the silences between the notes for the more measured later recording.
All well and good, you might say. But your point is?
Well. This could well depend on the quality of your speakers. But indulge me, and start the piece again. And listen really, really carefully to the first piece - the aria from which all the variations are built. Can you hear it? In the background? Give it a minute or two before clicking below, if you have the time....
Before I start, just click on this and let it play in the background......
I'll come back to it at the end.
Well, I talked the talk yesterday. I had an hour long teleconference with a senior manager from the big oil exploration and refining company, and told him how we were going to tackle the problems with the provision of their IT Services (which we inherited from them last year). I used phrases like causal affiliation, mile deep thinking, stakeholder analysis - oh yes, I can do all that! And I explained to him how I would bring a structured and timetabled approach to understanding and eliminating the systemic root causes. He seemed to like it, as did our Service Delivery Executive.
And I was awake at 5am this morning, trying to plan in my head my draft strategy document I have to complete by close of business today. I think a lot of caffeine might be called for! I'm exhausted, but also feeling rather better than I have for a while. The stress of making and trying to deliver on big commitments is much more positive than the stress of having little to do, and wondering how you are going to justify your salary. There is the chance I may balls it up (it wouldn't be the first time), though hopefully not, as this will be highly visible to the customer. But I'd much rather be doing this than twiddling my thumbs.
I'm just hoping I won't have to be jumping on a plane to Cape Town now that Merlin is coming to join us on Sunday.
---------------------------------------------------------
At a school carnival last Friday, my daughter finally got to donate some of her birthday money to the hospice who had a stall there. She got this lovely card in the post yesterday.....
I write to thank you on behalf of Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice for your generous donation of 10, some of the money you were given on your birthday. I think it is great that you thought to help children who aren't as lucky as you.
Bluebell Wood is now caring for almost 100 children in South Yorkshire and this is all down to your fantastic support.
Best wishes....
We had a little talk about how good that felt; I think she likes the feeling. Guess who's the proud Dad!?!
Anyway, that is getting dangerously close to parental showing off, which annoys me immensely. Can't be helped, but I will desist!
--------------------------------------------------------
Okay, a few photos now....
This is Saucers (our neighbours' cat - he's actually called Oliver, but he has BIG eyes). He started dropping in a few weeks' ago for a little milk - I have the door open while I work, so he takes advantage. Now he turns up at 8am, has a drink, curls up on my comfy chair and falls asleep for the day. Sponger.
Monday's storm batters my lavender seedlings...
After the rain....
The huge peony, heavy with rain and scent....
The border in bloom. Perfume and pinks!
Finally, back to that music. As you can see, it is the mercurial Canadian pianist, Glenn Gould, playing Bach's Goldberg Variations; one of my favourite classical recordings. He first recorded the piece in 1955, at the age of 23. But this is his second recording from 1981, recorded a year before he died from complications following a stroke, at the tragically young age of 50. There is a huge difference between the two pieces, Gould saying he had discovered the silences between the notes for the more measured later recording.
All well and good, you might say. But your point is?
Well. This could well depend on the quality of your speakers. But indulge me, and start the piece again. And listen really, really carefully to the first piece - the aria from which all the variations are built. Can you hear it? In the background? Give it a minute or two before clicking below, if you have the time....
VIEW 7 of 7 COMMENTS
I'm looking forward to seeing some photos of you-know-who