Weeks 1 and 2
Weeks 1 and 2
I was off last week, enjoying the last of my 2 week Christmas break. There were a lot of very long dog walks and much sitting around under heated blankets reading books. I managed to put together a blog post on what I read last year.
I loathe new year. It’s at the worst time of the year. And I think it’s a nightmare of ADHDers in terms of over planning, over committing and not being realistic. And there’s something quite melancholy to me about it. So I pretty much ignore it. I really like the idea of the near year starting in spring, with the rebirth of the garden and outdoors.
The weather is bitterly cold. It’s taken a lot to keep the house at a stable temperature. We barely managed to keep it at 17 one day this week. Nights have been consistently -5 or more. It’s taking a toll on my skin and my sinuses. I’m not getting out with the dog for so many walks. Too cold for her (she’s so low to the ground) and my asthmatic lungs do not like it either. I’m slightly climbing the walls and hope that it warms up enough this weekend to get out to burn off some of my energy.
This week at work
It felt like a GREAT idea before Christmas to make everything a January problem because January is here now.
Not sure my feet have touched the ground this week.
We’ve kicked off a discovery with a client in health in Wales. It’s been so nice to get stuck in with this and the team, TPXers who I’ve not worked with before. We had an internal kick off and lots of knowledge sharing of Wales, how health works in Wales etc. We had some time with the client on Thursday which is always a delight as they are incredibly experienced and knowledgeable and connected in their area of expertise.
I’m prepping for another kick off for another small project with another health client in Wales.
Plus starting to prep for a pitch next week.
And ongoing management of my other clients - there’s a lot on and looks to be getting busier as people wake up from pre-Christmas lulls.
I’ve managed to keep focus quite well this week. Headphones on and looming deadlines has helped. But as 5pm Friday is rolling around, I’m KNACKERED and need to sit in silence for a while now.
I’m also thinking about next steps for me this year. And the realisation that next week is my 1 year anniversary at TPX. A surprise to me at times! I’ll do some proper reflecting to mark the occasion next week.
Renovations
Renovation work paused over Christmas as well. But they managed to get colour up on walls which has added a whole dimension of realness. Sneaky peak in the header image.
The builders are back now - switching to some detail work - skirting boards and architraves. Stairs to start next week and the final doors and windows will be installed so that the final plastering and decorating can happen.
We’re hoping second fix electrics can happen Monday or Tuesday so that the new electric radiators can be installed and we can start to heat the space.
Meanwhile, we are buying all the lovely things - window hardware and door handles and lighting and taps and sinks. Feeling distinctly poorer after that.
It’s looking like we’ll be in our new office in early February.
Not work
A small group of digital folk in Wales launched Cymru Ddigidol Slack channel this week. It was sometime we discussed doing at GovCamp Cymru. It gives those of us working in public service delivery and digital a place to get together and support each other. There’s not a lot of channels/places to do this in Wales. If you are working in the public sector in Wales or are Wales adjacent and you want an invite, do get in touch with me.
I’m slowing coming closer to talking to my GP about ADHD meds. I’m limited in what I can take because of my past addiction issues. But I’ve had some good chats with folk in a similar boat to me and am feeling more confident on a direction of travel on this. And I know I have someone I can talk to that has similar lived experience, which is invaluable.
Reading has slowed to a halt, but my weekend plans involve a lot of couch and diving back into my current read: Cebo Campbell’s “Sky Full of Elephants”.
I’ve cooked a few things out of Meera Sodha’s “Dinner” to start to bring a bit more plant-based healthy eating back into my diet. Everything has been delicious so far. Highly recommend.
I’m not spending much time on BlueSky at the moment. Too much news, everything is utter shit and it’s overwhelming. I really liked the glorious few months before NEWS moved to BlueSky and it really was like the early days of digital government. That signal is now utterly lost in the noise. And it’s a bit of a trash fire again, just without active Nazis.
I’m almost certainly going to delete my Facebook account very soon. Instagram is a much harder ask and is probably not going to happen. I get a lot of recipes, house renovation tips and suppliers and other lifestyle things like that. And WhatsApp, which I was so reluctant about for years, is also another one I can’t see an alternative to (in terms of a single place I can encourage others to move to). But Meta, UGGGG. I mean we know but it’s gone next-level evil.
I feel like something died in the universe with Jimmy Carter. That he was the last thread of decency keeping everything whole. I can’t shift this feeling. He was an incredible man and he wasn’t nearly as bad as president as those who came after portrayed him as. His model of service is not likely to be replicated again.
Next week
Another new project kick off First stages of team design for another piece of work for later in January/early February Slide monkeying for the pitch A trip to Pontypridd to visit a client on-site A pitch in another place in Wales A trip to London for our all-staff event
Then off to Paris for a long weekend of art, food and patisserie with Sharon. Looking forward to taking Eurostar rather than a flight.