2008 #13 - Easter

At the start of the four day weekend I decided to be productive. I'd say i've maybe been about as productive as i'd like to be in a normal weekend in this double-length weekend. At least it's somewhat productive...

A proper look at all points in the manifesto this week, as 13 is a significant number. 13 x 4 = 52. In financial terms, it's the end of the fourth quarter. In other terms, it's the end of the first. Thats right.. I think.

The Wasted Space

1. I do sometimes still write about checking the list whilst checking the list. Not enough that it's a problem though.
2. Duplicating detail. I've pretty much stopped that.

The Easy

1. Food and Drink ethic is overall on target. I've reintroduced the meal of breakfast into my life at the expense of ten minutes in bed. Vending machines at work remain off-limits and my lunch remains tuna salad. I decided against the mixing in a pasta alternative, as it's just nowhere near the healthy equivalent. I've found I can keep the tuna tasting better by not draining quite as much of the sunflower oil. I suspect a slight health trade-off there, but if it keeps me eating the healthy lunch it's worthwhile.

2. Fake poker. To some, my choice to continue spending time on this might be seen as ill advised, but really, this is a game I enjoy pretty much above all others, and I'd like to continue to improve. I'm still losing a lot, and it's not always unavoidable. It's a learning experience, and the leisure time limit I've placed on it serves well and ensure it's no addiction. This limit I have stuck to 100% since I set it.

3. Watching films. Time to revise. I spend £15 a month on this service and I do this for enjoyment, not as a chore. Many films require the right mood, and this will sometimes inevitably mean holding on to one until ready to watch it. A weekly target of 2 is over the top, although I've largely kept to it. This week yet again I can't figure out if i've seen one or two, but i'm going to watch one before the day is out either way so it's 2-3 and on target. I'm going to now hold myself to watching 8 films a month, bringing each film in at under £2 - still worth the money. This will hopefully allow me to space things out better, and have heavier and lighter weeks. Note I will hit the target of 8 for March today. I will also soon take what they call a "payment holiday" and work on seeing what is now more than 10 films Blockbuster cannot seem to send me. An absurd list including The Big Lebowski, Buffalo 66, Glengarry Glen Ross, Network, Dogma, Jerry Maguire, and even Reservoir Dogs. This goal will have to change again soon unless I come across another batch of films I need to see and haven't - my list beyond these lost titles is now very short.

4. My easy Camera goal has been the least met over the past 3 months. I don't spend much time outside in the winter. It's cold. I'm keeping this goal and hoping as the weather gets warmer (which I assume is still going to happen) I will venture out with the thing. I might need to update it soon, as it has now been overtaken in spec by high end phones such as the N95. Actually i'd quite like an N95. I'd like a lot of high end phones, but I'm just not a contract man. I don't talk on the phone. Are we getting any nearer to a point that a contract based mainly on data and texts is available for a reasonable price, not penalising the gentleman that doesn't much like to use the actual phone? I admit I haven't really checked.

5. Moving away. I don't know anymore. My mind changes every day. My interest in living in various places grows and dwindles. The realisation that forever more a night out will mean sleeping on somebody's couch or in a hotel hit me this weekend. I don't think I've fully appreciated the importance of the social aspect of living in Leicester. I have little expectation of carving out a new social circle, nor would I want to. I've gone from saying that I want to move away regardless of whether I change jobs, to saying that I want to stay put, in spite of the commute my current job requires. In summary, this is not currently an issue for my goal list. The goal existed when I had a plan. The plan is now uncertain, therefore the goal is off the table for now. It'd be pretty stupid to aim for something I don't want.

6. Keeping in touch. An easy goal that I've stuck to meticulously over the past 3 months. This goal will remain to make sure I don't forget that I need to keep doing it. No doubt this point is driving the previous one to an extent, but I don't see that as a bad thing.

On to the hard...

1. I have 7 days to write my song for March and having spent a huge amount of the month working on the dead band song very successfully, i'm in danger of missing this goal. This week my mini-goal is to not miss this goal. Simple, no? In 3 month summary, I will point out that this is probably my favorite goal. Music is pretty much providing all my drive right now.

2. My work goals will be reviewed within the next month. The measure of success here will be whether the powers that be deem me worthy of a step up to what they like to call "core" competency. They shouldn't bring my performance into it, but they will, because they refuse to follow their own message. They're unfortunately come up with a scheme that rewards people fairly for being good at a job, which is rarely where advancement originates in business. Frankly I think I've had a sufficiently progressive year to warrant "core", although my interest in the work itself is flat-lining. In the screwy corporate personal development scheme we have competency, performance and key deliverables. Competency was introduced to be the only indicator towards grade, and has been almost entirely abused and misused since it arrived. My actual competency in the actual job I do is top notch. Several of the things i'll be asked to provide evidence on don't relate in any way to my job, so in fact, i'll be wasting time next week desperately trying to meet these goals rather than using the time productively on my real work. Do you see why i'm sick of not just working for this big company, but of the prospect of working for any big company.

3. My career rethink, as I'm sure anybody following will agree, isn't making any real progress. I'm less "coastal campervan" this week; back in my wanting to create something but having no idea what. I'm beginning to think my answer might be to start creating all kinds of crap and see if anything sticks.

4. Exercise. In setting myself a high bar I've failed dismally against I've actually managed to get myself consistently swimming weekly for 3 months barring two weeks of sickness. I have to remind myself that it's only 1 hour a week to get past the sheer boredom of it. I will continue to swim. What i'd also like to do is get back to the weights, if only I had room for my bench here. Theres a big catch 22 forming in my head involving proximity to work, proximity to friends and renting a bigger place. I can afford £500 a month rent if I kill the 500 mile commute, but I really can't afford to do both. £500 a month is proven to be the rent required to have space beyond a living room and a bedroom.. outside the city centre that is. Cycling will begin again. It remains all about weather.

Summary of 3 Months

I'd sum it up by saying that it could have gone better, but it could have gone worse. As exemplified by the exercise point, setting up something like this and doing it half-arsed is still going to achieve a lot more than doing nothing, however this is not the attitude to take, as it will likely lead to complacency. My hope is that when I write "2008 #26" I'll have made more progress in all areas. When I sit down to write "2008 #52" I'll certainly feel a sense of achievement almost regardless of the outcome. That said, I think the last one of 2008 may actually be #51 since the one from Jan 1st didn't have a number, it was just called "2008". Does that mean my 3 month wrap up is too late? Does it matter? No!

The Updated Manifesto:

The Easy Stuff
1. I will stick to my weekday food and drink ethic as set out previously.
2. I will stick to wasting less weekday time playing fake poker.
3. I will watch 8 or more films each month.
4. I will take my camera with me whenever I go, or feel i'm likely to go, somewhere i've never been before.
5. I will stay in touch with my friends weekly.

The Challenging Stuff

1. I will continue to write a song each month.
2. I will continue to work towards my set work goals.
3. I will continue to rethink my career inside and outside my current role weekly.
4. I will find the time to manage a 3 times a week exercise schedule.