Mobile in sunny Bradford
This will be a (mercifully) short entry for a couple of reasons. First of which is because I'm in Bradford for a client meeting. Not that being in Bradford is a reason for a short entry, but rather because I shall shortly be meeting Mr Gulp who is going to feed me this evening. Exceedingly nice chap that he is.
The other reason for keeping it short, is that I'm typing (for want of a better word) on my mobile. On screen keyboards are not my favourite thing. I am, however, impressed with Windows Mobile 5 and specifically pocket internet explorer. It renders most sites in a way that is semi sensible, and usually readable.
Anyhow, the main reason for being in Bradford was a client meeting. Actually it's for a clients client meeting. Consulting, eh? From the start it was a doomed trip. Having to leave on the 1st 'working' day of 2007 for a 9am meeting 200 miles away is not good. Even less so was the weather on the way down. Torrential rain and galeforce winds in the dark makes driving fun.
Despite that I made it safely, without incident. Which is more than can be said for the 7 mile drive from the hotel this morning, in daylight, when it was dry, and not windy. Whilst waiting at some traffic lights some woman decides to drive into the back of me. Grrrrr! Damage was only cosmetic fortunately (a hole and a crack in the rear bumper) but that put me in a bad mood.
The fact that the meeting was 9:30, and I'd been told 9:00 didn't best please me either, nor did the fact that the main reason I was down was to discuss integrating a system which the client decided (the day before) they no longer needed integrated. So all in all the work part of the trip was a total waste. Thank TISG for Mr Gulp being available to cheer me up.
I'll go back and sort the typos at later date, when I have a proper keyboard, as my hand feels like it's about to fall off.
Work, 2007 style
Comparing work now to how it was this time in 2006, there are a number of similarities and a number of differences. Last year I may have supposed to been in Derby just after getting back, and this time I've to be down in the Bradford area on Thursday, which is the main reason for me being in work today, even though it's technically a public holiday up here in Scotchlandia. Still, at least I may get to see Mr Gulp if he's about.
In the last 12 months, the company has moved office twice (from a tiny office in Bearsden to the City Centre) and has gone from 3 full time employees to 5, increasing to 6 (or maybe 7) as soon as we find someone suitable, since our recruitment efforts in December failed to turn up anyone. The number of customers and projects has also increased, meaning the workload has also increased significantly. Since plans for a holiday failed in 2006, let's hope 2007 fares better.
For now though, it's back to work in this office which is more deserted than George W Bush's brain.
Happy new blah blah blah
You get the idea. It's the obligatory New Years post, and it's actually on New Year this time Impressive. So, how was your hogmany? In Glasgow, which is usually so warm and sunny, it was a pretty horrendous night, so bad that the Glasgow celebrations were cancelled. Shocker.
I would do a quick review of my 2006 for ya, but there's not really much to review. Needless to say my DIY tasks didn't really happen. 2006 passed remarkably quickly, while at the same time dragged a lot. Hopefully 2007 will be significantly better, even if the weather doesn't look like it will be. Damn global warming I say.
So, I'm off to get some lunch and ponder what to do this year. No resolutions, other than to try and go on some holidays, which is a good thing, try to blog a little more, and try to take some more photos. Back to work tomorrow. Humbug.
Happy New Year everyone.