Weeknote 32
Difficult week in terms of the amount of stamina needed.
Very slow progress on the renovations. Mostly just rebuilding the back wall as the carpenter was on holiday. Really pleased we’ve been able to recycle a lot of stone that we had onsite for this. Should be back at full steam next week with carpentry work restarting.
We had a site visit with builder, architect and interior designer, some small decisions made. We’re really close to be able to get the roofers in quote on the studio re-roofing as well as the zinc cladding company to quote on cladding the link. A colour decision has been made on the interior colour for the link. We were introduced to a new overpriced middle class paint company based in Bath in the process.
This week
Themes of the week:
- 30 minutes back to back meetings
- insomnia
- social butterflying
Death by meetings this week. It’s my job and I accept it, but the balance was way off this week. I’d sit down at my desk in the morning and hammer at it and suddenly it was 5.30 and I couldn’t speak anymore. The lack of a lunch break is also problematic. Looking forward to Monday, most of which is blocked out for writing, planning and slide decking.
It’s been a mix of the project review work I’ve been doing: lining up people to help, digging into issues, building a picture of the whole situation. And having conversations around my new role and prepping for the announcement of that internally and to clients.
The week was made more difficult by a mini-bout of insomnia. I’ve not had this for a long time now and it’s just as miserable as I remember it to be. ADHD brain squirrels, humidity levels contributed, as did a lack of exercise. Two nights of an average of 2-3 hours of sleep. Just horrific.
A lot of out and abouting this week. Client meeting in Abergavenny. Day out in Cardiff with some of the team and one of our key partners. Dinner out with a friend. Therapy, dentist, optician and hair.
Same job, new client base
Probably to the surprise of absolutely no-one, I’m back in my home patch. I’ll be looking after delivery for all our fabulous clients across Wales and working closely with our growth team to help understand the Welsh public sector and grow our already strong base here. I'm really enjoying working with our existing teams in Wales in both tech and growth, all that stays the same.
I’m so excited to be back in touch with a lot of folks I’ve previously worked with and meeting new people. And an exciting new thing is already in the works with an existing client.
I’ll be in Cardiff a lot more and hope I can get back out more widely over coming week as well.
What I’ve been thinking about
I left Twitter, X, whatever you call it. Not in a huff or a flounce. Just deactivated. Gone. Never to return.
I’ve been gradually leaving for a while now, at least a year. But I just couldn’t be complicit any more in the hate. The owner is a fascist. Making money off his blue tick fascists. I should have left sooner, I should have left when I first got uncomfortable with the direction of travel.
I told myself, but my community is here, my people. Twitter brought a lot of the government digital community together in the early days. I met people who become my real world friends. I met the person who would eventually become my husband. I got work through Twitter connections.
I’m sad for what was. Bluesky is lovely, a great vibe at the moment. Very few nazis or TERFs or pornbots or any of that shit. But it won’t be what Twitter was. And that’s okay.
I’ve also stopped using Telegram for messaging. I’m beyond uncomfortable with how little the company seems to be doing to stop its platform being used for organising of violence by fascists and racists.
What I’ve been watching
Bits and pieces of the Olympics. Not finding a lot of time in summer for TV. After we’ve finished work, made dinner, walked the dog, watered the garden, it’s usually 8 or 8.30pm and I’m ready for sleep by 10.
All sorts of track and field. Speed climbing. Bouldering. A bit of weightlifting. And breaking.
What’s blooming
In that weird late summer spot where a lot of things are finishing or are just peaking. Oddly, my sweet peas are just hitting their stride. In August. Weird year.