Week notes 48 49 50
Combining a few weeks into one note.
Most of the last 3 week are similar. Wildly busy at work. The cold/chest infection that just will not go away. Ongoing renovations. More winter storms. More wind, less rain.
I’m seriously over being ill. It’s making everything so much harder. Fewer dog walks because the cold on my lungs is unpleasant. I’m not sleeping well. I’m still coughing so hard I’m nearly vomiting. Think it might need to a trip to the doctors next week.
We’re hosting Christmas this year for both of our sets of parents. I’ve been menu planning and writing lists. Christmas shopping in the margins of the evenings. I’m not doing cards this year, I just don’t have the energy. And I think my address book is in storage.
A good couple sessions with my Plotio Digidol people. Plotting digital things in Wales. Watch this space.
Work
I’m coming up to a year in post, at times I’m surprised I made it this long. But I’m still here. There’s a lot of good (the people, the space to carve out a role, working on Welsh stuff) and a lot of bad (so much admin, so many systems, a bit too far from the work a lot of the time).
So much end of the year procurement activity going on. STERN LOOK AT THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
Spent a few weeks focussed on a bit that would end in me doing some direct client work again. In Wales. Yay. Timelines delayed until after Christmas. Boo.
Still wrangling an account to get a shape and structure around it and a few long lasting projects over the line. Slow going. Two steps forward, one step back.
Prepping to kick of a new piece of work in January with a new client.
Pulling together a quick proposal with a health board for some exploratory work.
Highlights were this week. A day with all senior partners in a room looking at some shared issues and challenges and how we come together, bringing growth and delivery closer together. It was a lot of peopling, but nice.
And a day starting work on a strategy for Wales for next year with my colleague who helps me manage the Welsh portfolio. It was so nice for us both to get out of the slog of the day to day and focus on bigger picture, longer term work and thinking.
I’m very very ready for my Christmas break now. Three more days at home working and a day in Cardiff with a kick off with new client on a new project. Then I’m DONE.
Renovations
The studio walls have been plastered, dried with the most amazing industrial de-humidifier, the Building Dryer 1000. Want.
And this week paint has been going up on walls!
The end (of this phase) is in sight.
Plans for Phase 2, the main house, are in motion. We’re truing to figure out if we have to move out or if we can rough it through the work and stay here. Feels a real shame to have to move out right after our offices are done though.
What I’ve been watching
Masterchef The Professionals. Final episode left to go. I lost interest once Garth of Heaney’s left and even more when all the other stuff happened. Probably the end of any Masterchef for me.
The Ultimatum on Netflix. I’ve been ill. It’s been perfect. And so awful.
We finished another rewatch of Brooklyn 99. Now rewatching 30 Rock.
Bad Sisters season 2. Should they have done a 2nd season? Not convinced. But I’m watching.
The last season of Star Trek Lower Decks. I’ve loved it. Sad it’s ending.
Silo season 2. HURRY UP ALREADY. It’s so slow.
I tried watching Cross on Prime. Too much for me. Not my bag. I tried watching The Resident on Netflix. It’s pretty bad.
Waiting for New Year New Star Trek. Strange New Worlds and the Section 31 film. New season of Severance coming as well.