EDIT: This was listed as #13 for the entire week. Fool.
I'm half way through a post about a theory that explains my current state of mind but at some point I got confused and stopped making sense. I'm still convinced that the underlying theory is sound, so i'll get back to that later. For now, i'm going to run through my list.
Easy - 1, 2, 4 and 5 as before.
3. Ended up exceeding March in old and new terms. A new month of 8+ begins tomorrow. Blockbuster can't seem to send me anything now.
Harder
1. I have failed to write a song for March. The month end quick song would have been a good idea if I didn't feel so uninspired at this precise moment. This failure must be mitigated - I will get back on track. I do have a new acoustic guitar which is just beautiful, and sounds fantastic.
2. Reviewed work goals one last time before the real review coming up. Fairly certain I have nothing to worry about.
3. Took a test to discover all kinds of aspects of myself in relation to career. Was disappointed to see the scam like method used to convince me to buy a package after answering 70 questions. How about I start typing a sentence and just as it gets interesting it turns to dashes so I have to pay to see wh-- ----- -- ----. I didn't buy it. If they'd offered me the test for £5-6 up front (which is all it cost), I might have. Don't trick customers. We don't like it.
4. I tried to swim my 64 lengths without a rest last week. At 58 lengths my foot cramped up worse than i've ever experienced before. This left lasting muscle pain for much of the last week, and i'm apprehensive about tomorrow, but i'm still going. I sometimes realise i'm not sure which lap i'm on and punish my stupidity by assuming the lower number. This happened at least 3 times last week, so my hope is that I actually did reach 64 before it all went wrong. Had a big portion of salt on Sunday. That's supposed to help.
I also went for a walk this evening. This was more to clear my head but it has to beat sitting in a chair all evening, so i'll count it.
Not a bad week considering i'm feeling.. actually a little unstable. Hopefully being able to realise that means it can only hurt me so much.
Back soon.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
From my usual post-early, pre-mainstream adopter standpoint, here are my thoughts on Twitter
1. The so called "A List" bloggers that never stop talking about it don't experience it in anything like the same way an everyday person does. On the inbound because they can't hope to see every update they might be interested in, and outbound because they can hit a far bigger audience.
2. Automated follow back. If I can feel the gesture of being followed wasn't human, I don't put any real stock in it, such as expecting my updates to be read. I'd almost rather these people didn't bother. The day any of them tweet back at something I say, my mind may change, but I doubt this will happen.
3. I would really love to use this service to communicate with my local and not so local non-Internet friends, but it's still way too early for them. If you're bored on Facebook, try clicking the "Friends" button at the top. As long as you have some friends, it's one of the most interesting things to do on there, and it's essentially a last item only version of Twitter.
4. Mobile updating is great. Mobile updates may as well be removed from the service. The Facebook application that updates my status with my latest tweet is simple and perfect. Maybe soon someone will ask me what "is twittering" means and i'll be able to get them on board.
Nothing new there, but hell, at least you know where I stand. That's why you read this, right? Hey did I just write a post without 2008 in the title? Impressive.
1. The so called "A List" bloggers that never stop talking about it don't experience it in anything like the same way an everyday person does. On the inbound because they can't hope to see every update they might be interested in, and outbound because they can hit a far bigger audience.
2. Automated follow back. If I can feel the gesture of being followed wasn't human, I don't put any real stock in it, such as expecting my updates to be read. I'd almost rather these people didn't bother. The day any of them tweet back at something I say, my mind may change, but I doubt this will happen.
3. I would really love to use this service to communicate with my local and not so local non-Internet friends, but it's still way too early for them. If you're bored on Facebook, try clicking the "Friends" button at the top. As long as you have some friends, it's one of the most interesting things to do on there, and it's essentially a last item only version of Twitter.
4. Mobile updating is great. Mobile updates may as well be removed from the service. The Facebook application that updates my status with my latest tweet is simple and perfect. Maybe soon someone will ask me what "is twittering" means and i'll be able to get them on board.
Nothing new there, but hell, at least you know where I stand. That's why you read this, right? Hey did I just write a post without 2008 in the title? Impressive.
Monday, March 24, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, March 17, 2008
2008 #12 - Music Spurred by Peer Pressure
In the band that died (thats the second one) I brought one song to the table. It seemed to gain a reputation as a song that many enjoyed playing the most. It's been half recorded for months. On Saturday morning, one former bandmate asked where it was. This was followed by another.
Why did it take this to finally get me to sit up and get on with it? Peer pressure I guess. Working on this consumed much of my weekend, but it was very enjoyable and for once i'm pretty happy with the result..
Note i said pretty happy. I have about 4 notes to self in my head, and I must figure out why I can't get my backing vocals to sound any good because I know from live practices that my voice can be reasonable. As for the lead vocals they're great but I can't help feeling I could do them a bit more justice if I understood compression slightly better. All this is killing my March song, which still doesn't exist. Maybe i'll try a quick short one - set myself a time challenge.
This week in barely considering personal goals, on the easy side:
1. Food and drink wagon is fine now.
2. Poker - I've lost pretty much all of it now. 1 a day remains.
3. Another fine week of films including American Gangster - good stuff.
4. Not been anywhere amazing that would require the camera.
5. I bought yet another work shirt. I can now do a full week in respectable clothes.
6. Tried to get an apartment viewing. Didn't call me back. If I can find one, JUST ONE FUCKING business of ANY KIND, ANYWHERE in the WORLD that calls me back when they say they will.. Excuse me, but pretty much nothing makes me want to stab and kill clueless Chief Execs more than this.
Side note - a few weeks ago at work I mentioned that i'd like to create a business that interfaces between the average joe and any third party, removing the pain of not being called back, involving as much of a technical solution as possible (I recall saying "hold for the president style"). Not 24 hours later I was informed by a podcast (might have been TWIT, Gillmor Gang - can't remember, everyone's appearing on each others shows the last few weeks) that Kevin Rose and friends had just had a brainstorming session yielding what sounded to me like the same kind of idea. I quite like the idea that i'm capable of at least conceiving a similar idea to that guy. If he's not made his money yet, pay day can't be far away, and what's more he seems to enjoy what he's doing either way.. Not that I'd claim to know him or anything.
Okay the red mist of customer service once again threw me off. Back now to the other stuff. 7 - still staying in touch. Being very sociable lately. Problem with that would be the side-effects. I can't handle drinking like I used to so why do people suddenly insist on encouraging me? If recording consumed most of my weekend, it was at least partially due to the shortened nature of that weekend.
The harder stuff:
1. We talked about the song. I'm still weirdly optimistic.
2. Work goals still fine. Thanks for asking. 1 or 2 to still meet in the next 2 wks.
3. Rethinking.. I'm just happy that i've managed to go this many weeks without saying that I no longer wish to change jobs, happier to settle. I must really want the change. Rethinking continues. I'm not sure i'm ever really meeting this goal week on week. This, yet again, is why managers like SMART goals.
4. Still swimming, still waiting for some sun to cycle in, after which I will complain about the heat. Still looking for a third activity.
My keyboard is doing a weird repeat thing on some keys....... like dot.... FF for Linux does have a few quirks.......
As you can see, i've managed to shake my funny, demotivated mood. Still kinda aimless, but motivation returned..... Just realised that my singing voice sounds a bit stronger with a fake American accent, but is that a good thing or not?
I'll leave you to ponder that one......
Why did it take this to finally get me to sit up and get on with it? Peer pressure I guess. Working on this consumed much of my weekend, but it was very enjoyable and for once i'm pretty happy with the result..
Note i said pretty happy. I have about 4 notes to self in my head, and I must figure out why I can't get my backing vocals to sound any good because I know from live practices that my voice can be reasonable. As for the lead vocals they're great but I can't help feeling I could do them a bit more justice if I understood compression slightly better. All this is killing my March song, which still doesn't exist. Maybe i'll try a quick short one - set myself a time challenge.
This week in barely considering personal goals, on the easy side:
1. Food and drink wagon is fine now.
2. Poker - I've lost pretty much all of it now. 1 a day remains.
3. Another fine week of films including American Gangster - good stuff.
4. Not been anywhere amazing that would require the camera.
5. I bought yet another work shirt. I can now do a full week in respectable clothes.
6. Tried to get an apartment viewing. Didn't call me back. If I can find one, JUST ONE FUCKING business of ANY KIND, ANYWHERE in the WORLD that calls me back when they say they will.. Excuse me, but pretty much nothing makes me want to stab and kill clueless Chief Execs more than this.
Side note - a few weeks ago at work I mentioned that i'd like to create a business that interfaces between the average joe and any third party, removing the pain of not being called back, involving as much of a technical solution as possible (I recall saying "hold for the president style"). Not 24 hours later I was informed by a podcast (might have been TWIT, Gillmor Gang - can't remember, everyone's appearing on each others shows the last few weeks) that Kevin Rose and friends had just had a brainstorming session yielding what sounded to me like the same kind of idea. I quite like the idea that i'm capable of at least conceiving a similar idea to that guy. If he's not made his money yet, pay day can't be far away, and what's more he seems to enjoy what he's doing either way.. Not that I'd claim to know him or anything.
Okay the red mist of customer service once again threw me off. Back now to the other stuff. 7 - still staying in touch. Being very sociable lately. Problem with that would be the side-effects. I can't handle drinking like I used to so why do people suddenly insist on encouraging me? If recording consumed most of my weekend, it was at least partially due to the shortened nature of that weekend.
The harder stuff:
1. We talked about the song. I'm still weirdly optimistic.
2. Work goals still fine. Thanks for asking. 1 or 2 to still meet in the next 2 wks.
3. Rethinking.. I'm just happy that i've managed to go this many weeks without saying that I no longer wish to change jobs, happier to settle. I must really want the change. Rethinking continues. I'm not sure i'm ever really meeting this goal week on week. This, yet again, is why managers like SMART goals.
4. Still swimming, still waiting for some sun to cycle in, after which I will complain about the heat. Still looking for a third activity.
My keyboard is doing a weird repeat thing on some keys....... like dot.... FF for Linux does have a few quirks.......
As you can see, i've managed to shake my funny, demotivated mood. Still kinda aimless, but motivation returned..... Just realised that my singing voice sounds a bit stronger with a fake American accent, but is that a good thing or not?
I'll leave you to ponder that one......
Monday, March 10, 2008
2008 #11 - Off the Wagon
Not a good week on the manifesto. I'm in a funny, demotivated mood. I woke up fine today, and by 9:30 I was in an angry impatient mood which hasn't gone away. Also feeling a little run down. Not ill though.
Easy
1. I ate too much during the week, I drank too much coffee during the week, and I ate too much during the weekend and drank too much on Friday and Saturday night. The weekend is exempt for no reason, as you are aware. My weekday transgressions occurred due to 2 days in training at work with, yes, free food and drink.
2. Facebook Poker finally created some bigger tables to play on, bringing a new element of enjoyment to something that was getting old. Nonetheless, this rule I do stick to. 1 a day, max, during the week. Weekend is exempt, for no reason.
3. I'm losing track of time. Can't remember when I watched films. In fact I have, no joke, just spent about 20 minutes agonising over this pointlessly, and it doesn't fit unless I accidentally lied last week. Sliding Doors just isn't fresh enough in my memory to have been watched during the previous week, and there's no day I could have watched it. This is the kind of distraction that makes me wonder if my mind is quite right. Anyway, yes, I watched two this week. One was The Pursuit of Happiness. Liked it. The other was Notting Hill.. just to see. Liked that too.
4. Took my camera out a few times, but didn't find inspiration to use it.
5. (formerly 6) No real progress on the move. Still looking.
6. Staying in touch continues to be fine. Seeing everyone lately.
Hard
1. It's the 10th today, and I don't have a new song idea yet. I will be working on this during the week though. I was hoping to have an acoustic guitar by now to take a slightly different approach, but it's taking ages to reach the damn shop let alone into my hands.
2. Positive steps on work goals today and throughout last week. Brushed up on presentation skills and processes. Presentation Skils course was actually very good.
3. This is the mindset I call "Coastal Campervan". It is my version of "Nothing Matters". Whilst these thoughts drive some people to despair it drives me to want to buy a VW van and live on and around the coastline. This is really not something I would enjoy for more than a few days once I did it, but it has a certain romanticism. In this mindset, however, there is little chance that I will say anything meaningful about my career. It's the "why can't we just quit" mentality. Listen to "Walking Barefoot" by Ash. One of my favorite songs that I never hear anymore.
4. Exercise remains once a week. Last week's mini-goal failed dismally, but come on, have you seen the weather in the UK this week? No excuse for it.
5. We got rid of this one last week.
Enough. More next week.
Easy
1. I ate too much during the week, I drank too much coffee during the week, and I ate too much during the weekend and drank too much on Friday and Saturday night. The weekend is exempt for no reason, as you are aware. My weekday transgressions occurred due to 2 days in training at work with, yes, free food and drink.
2. Facebook Poker finally created some bigger tables to play on, bringing a new element of enjoyment to something that was getting old. Nonetheless, this rule I do stick to. 1 a day, max, during the week. Weekend is exempt, for no reason.
3. I'm losing track of time. Can't remember when I watched films. In fact I have, no joke, just spent about 20 minutes agonising over this pointlessly, and it doesn't fit unless I accidentally lied last week. Sliding Doors just isn't fresh enough in my memory to have been watched during the previous week, and there's no day I could have watched it. This is the kind of distraction that makes me wonder if my mind is quite right. Anyway, yes, I watched two this week. One was The Pursuit of Happiness. Liked it. The other was Notting Hill.. just to see. Liked that too.
4. Took my camera out a few times, but didn't find inspiration to use it.
5. (formerly 6) No real progress on the move. Still looking.
6. Staying in touch continues to be fine. Seeing everyone lately.
Hard
1. It's the 10th today, and I don't have a new song idea yet. I will be working on this during the week though. I was hoping to have an acoustic guitar by now to take a slightly different approach, but it's taking ages to reach the damn shop let alone into my hands.
2. Positive steps on work goals today and throughout last week. Brushed up on presentation skills and processes. Presentation Skils course was actually very good.
3. This is the mindset I call "Coastal Campervan". It is my version of "Nothing Matters". Whilst these thoughts drive some people to despair it drives me to want to buy a VW van and live on and around the coastline. This is really not something I would enjoy for more than a few days once I did it, but it has a certain romanticism. In this mindset, however, there is little chance that I will say anything meaningful about my career. It's the "why can't we just quit" mentality. Listen to "Walking Barefoot" by Ash. One of my favorite songs that I never hear anymore.
4. Exercise remains once a week. Last week's mini-goal failed dismally, but come on, have you seen the weather in the UK this week? No excuse for it.
5. We got rid of this one last week.
Enough. More next week.
Monday, March 03, 2008
2008 #10 - Confused Flat Hunting
Seems I can't manage to maintain an idea of where I want to live. At first the flip-flopping was monthly, deciding against Solihull after being initially taken with the idea. Then it became weekly, not being sure whether to look in the city or between the city and Solihull. Now it's changing daily. I can be almost completely entranced by any set of pictures of a decent looking flat with reasonable rent.
Tried the test-run of Solihull to city centre today to see just how long it really took. It took 30 minutes to cover about 8 miles. That's hard to swallow, given that my current commute is 60 minutes, 40 miles. It also tells me that it's not going to be a kind commute on my car. I am convinced that I can better this time by 5-10 minutes with a little rat running, which i'd try tomorrow, but i'm not due back in the area now for almost 3 weeks due to working elsewhere. It feels busy, and it technically is, but i'm still running on empty.
At least i've managed to keep my new years resolutions going (sort of) for 10 weeks..
In the easy column:
Food and drink was destroyed last week by some terrible salad from ASDA. Every now and then they really surprise me with quality this poor. It didn't last into it's 2nd day open. Consequently I did visit vending machines twice to make up for the shortfall. I am aware that chocolate and salad aren't equivalent. Call it a minor slip. Still keeping the workday caffeine intake down, although i'm really not sure what good its doing me. It's probably slightly healthier not taking in so much fake powdered milk.
Poker losing streak is back, but i'm sticking hard and fast to the weekday rule, which is good for not wasting trying to "win it all back".
Great week of films. Watched Sliding Doors, which isn't half bad for a romantic comedy, and Ratatouille, which is about 3 times better than I ever imagined it could be. Event Horizon (which was technically last week) didn't really leave an impression. It's a freaky film, but the premise is a little weak. If the ship had some kind of consciousness in the first place i'd have been far more inclined to buy into it. It didn't though, did it? You don't care. It's a really old film.
I'm looking far more seriously at the move now that the 5 day a week Leicester to Solihull commute is looming just 4-5 weeks away. Regardless of what I said last week, I will try to book some viewings and figure out a way to keep them.
Managed to catch two gigs with a few of my less frequently seen friends this week, which was a change! The first was Ginger of the Wildhearts in Leicester, acoustic, which was pretty cool even though I know very little of the material. The latter was Editors at the Birmingham NIA. I stood baffled for an hour and half trying to understand why these people i'm with so into music find this indie so appealing. Had I paid for a ticket i'd have been annoyed. Fortunately I managed to stand behind the one guy in what turned out to be the wrong line who gave me a ticket he didn't need. That was greatly appreciated, because I got to stick with the group, even if I didn't like the band much.
Anyway, I digress.. The hard column:
It's March and I need to start writing a new song. I recorded an idea on the 1st. In a few days i'll have a listen and see if it was any good. Early days.
No real work goal progress this week. I missed an opportunity to further one today, for which I feel quite stupid now I realise how long it will be until I next have that opportunity. Must try harder, as this one was going well to date.
Career thinking continues, yielding no answers and many brick walls.
Swimming continues, getting slightly easier each week, making it slightly duller each week. The overall goal continues to fail due to this being all i'm doing. I must cycle before I write the next one of these. That's a mini-goal.
I've changed my mind about budgeting. It's just not something I want to do, as much as experts want to convince me it's a great idea. I'm not looking for ways to squeeze every last penny. I've never been a big money waster anyway. I'm killing this goal for now. Even if I can't perfectly articulate how much money I have, there is a complex mess in my head that can spit out a "sink" or "swim", and i'm pretty confident that my plans for the next few months will return a "swim".
Awful post. Really long and barely readable. Sometimes it's just the way it has to be.
Tried the test-run of Solihull to city centre today to see just how long it really took. It took 30 minutes to cover about 8 miles. That's hard to swallow, given that my current commute is 60 minutes, 40 miles. It also tells me that it's not going to be a kind commute on my car. I am convinced that I can better this time by 5-10 minutes with a little rat running, which i'd try tomorrow, but i'm not due back in the area now for almost 3 weeks due to working elsewhere. It feels busy, and it technically is, but i'm still running on empty.
At least i've managed to keep my new years resolutions going (sort of) for 10 weeks..
In the easy column:
Food and drink was destroyed last week by some terrible salad from ASDA. Every now and then they really surprise me with quality this poor. It didn't last into it's 2nd day open. Consequently I did visit vending machines twice to make up for the shortfall. I am aware that chocolate and salad aren't equivalent. Call it a minor slip. Still keeping the workday caffeine intake down, although i'm really not sure what good its doing me. It's probably slightly healthier not taking in so much fake powdered milk.
Poker losing streak is back, but i'm sticking hard and fast to the weekday rule, which is good for not wasting trying to "win it all back".
Great week of films. Watched Sliding Doors, which isn't half bad for a romantic comedy, and Ratatouille, which is about 3 times better than I ever imagined it could be. Event Horizon (which was technically last week) didn't really leave an impression. It's a freaky film, but the premise is a little weak. If the ship had some kind of consciousness in the first place i'd have been far more inclined to buy into it. It didn't though, did it? You don't care. It's a really old film.
I'm looking far more seriously at the move now that the 5 day a week Leicester to Solihull commute is looming just 4-5 weeks away. Regardless of what I said last week, I will try to book some viewings and figure out a way to keep them.
Managed to catch two gigs with a few of my less frequently seen friends this week, which was a change! The first was Ginger of the Wildhearts in Leicester, acoustic, which was pretty cool even though I know very little of the material. The latter was Editors at the Birmingham NIA. I stood baffled for an hour and half trying to understand why these people i'm with so into music find this indie so appealing. Had I paid for a ticket i'd have been annoyed. Fortunately I managed to stand behind the one guy in what turned out to be the wrong line who gave me a ticket he didn't need. That was greatly appreciated, because I got to stick with the group, even if I didn't like the band much.
Anyway, I digress.. The hard column:
It's March and I need to start writing a new song. I recorded an idea on the 1st. In a few days i'll have a listen and see if it was any good. Early days.
No real work goal progress this week. I missed an opportunity to further one today, for which I feel quite stupid now I realise how long it will be until I next have that opportunity. Must try harder, as this one was going well to date.
Career thinking continues, yielding no answers and many brick walls.
Swimming continues, getting slightly easier each week, making it slightly duller each week. The overall goal continues to fail due to this being all i'm doing. I must cycle before I write the next one of these. That's a mini-goal.
I've changed my mind about budgeting. It's just not something I want to do, as much as experts want to convince me it's a great idea. I'm not looking for ways to squeeze every last penny. I've never been a big money waster anyway. I'm killing this goal for now. Even if I can't perfectly articulate how much money I have, there is a complex mess in my head that can spit out a "sink" or "swim", and i'm pretty confident that my plans for the next few months will return a "swim".
Awful post. Really long and barely readable. Sometimes it's just the way it has to be.