I'm sure things were supposed to lighten up
Well, I'm improving, 2 month gap between posts down to about 2 weeks...
As it is, looks like I'm on for third month in a row at > 90% utilisation. Still, at least there's been a whole load less travelling up to the North-West. Hell, this week, I even have two days with a client who's in Central London!
And last week I did get to go to Barcelona, along with a colleague, for the European PCI Community Event conference. I was amused when the question sessions started, queuing up for the microphones to ask questions (fortunately, fewer banal, groan inducing ones than at cons ;-)). It was sometimes hard getting firm answers but I think I ultimattely got reasonable clarification around the areas of the new version of the PCI standard that had been bothering me (and my clients!).
I also made a start on my excess leave: we took a day off to do some sightseeing after the conference. With just a day, it was pretty much just the Sagrada Familia and the Park Güell. Now, I had this vague idea that Gaudi was a bit eccentric but this was way beyond expectation. Fascinating though.
Would have been nice to have more time in Barcelona but, alas, Mark and I had to get back to the UK for a team meeting on Friday.
Only real downside was that, due to job changes and family emergencies, several of the ex-colleagues I was looking forward to catching up with didn't make it to the conference.
On the non-work front:
As it is, looks like I'm on for third month in a row at > 90% utilisation. Still, at least there's been a whole load less travelling up to the North-West. Hell, this week, I even have two days with a client who's in Central London!
And last week I did get to go to Barcelona, along with a colleague, for the European PCI Community Event conference. I was amused when the question sessions started, queuing up for the microphones to ask questions (fortunately, fewer banal, groan inducing ones than at cons ;-)). It was sometimes hard getting firm answers but I think I ultimattely got reasonable clarification around the areas of the new version of the PCI standard that had been bothering me (and my clients!).
I also made a start on my excess leave: we took a day off to do some sightseeing after the conference. With just a day, it was pretty much just the Sagrada Familia and the Park Güell. Now, I had this vague idea that Gaudi was a bit eccentric but this was way beyond expectation. Fascinating though.
Would have been nice to have more time in Barcelona but, alas, Mark and I had to get back to the UK for a team meeting on Friday.
Only real downside was that, due to job changes and family emergencies, several of the ex-colleagues I was looking forward to catching up with didn't make it to the conference.
On the non-work front:
- N97 screen is knackered again. Unfortunately, this time it was self-inflicted wound - dropped it against a radiator on Tuesday and cracked the screen.
- Should be fencing on Thursday for the first time in a couple of months. It is so going to hurt.
- Finally got the gun cabinet fitted after ~4 hours had slog drilling into walls and chiselling skirting boards with aeshna_uk. And, after all that, I felt slightly cheated that when the PC from the Met came round to inspect it, he hefted it once, said "That's fine", took some notes about doors and windows and left!
- Still, just in time for the weekend as various Norfolkes came up to stay with me (and bringing my muskets!) as it was the Whitehall march to commemerate the execution of the Regicides. Strange feeling walking round in Central London and then marching up the Mall with an actual firearm (albeit an unloaded muzzle-loading black powder musket...).
- Also caught up with Ken, an ex-boss who'd spotted the march on my Facebook profile, and fancied spectating and taking photos. We'd been trying to meet up for well over a year, to the extent that I couldn't remember which of my Hong Kong DVDs he was returning. We think he may now be tempted to give ECW re-enactment a try next season!
- Yet again, moderately astonished at how much old wargames seem to go for on eBay.
- Managed to get rid of a load of fannish stuff at the LOTNA auction but not nearly as much as I'd hoped. Guess noone's interested in B5 boardgames these days! Still, I escaped with significantly less nett tat than I arrived with. I am still stunned that a Wing Commander movie DVD went for £21 though (I'm trying hard to convince myself it was just someone trying to donate funds to LOTNA by any means necessary...)!