plenty of good stuff ticking over

A disconcerting week,

currently slightly pre-occupied, as I lost my pass for the office, and it has failed to turn up. Probably not the end of the world, but having mildly obsessive compulsive tendencies, I really dislike mislaying things, dislike to a disproportionate and illogical extent. Basically I like things to be just so, so losing something is the complete - non just so. As far as I can figure out, I must have lost it on the way home by train. However it may turn up amongst the clutter.

Clearly on a roll, I then mislaid my earphones for my iPod, too early to tell yet, whether I simply left them on my desk at the office, and then buried them in paper.

I must have jiggered my back, because for the first half of the week I had a really stiff and sore back. Hence moving in robotic way, and only able to sleep in two positions, and in order to change position I had to wake up, sit up, and then sit down again. So on top of the sore back, add the perils of not actually getting much sleep.

Despite these misadventures, Friday finally happened along.

Things seem to be falling into place at work, a few pet projects are demonstrating encouraging progress, other folk seem to be picking up on them and running. As ever my role is one amongst many, but hopefully by keeping the process going, when it might otherwise have fallen, and bringing new people on board, the process is facilitated and kept going.

I think that I am really getting the benefit of all my efforts in getting out to meet people, and proactively build up networks of people interested in my area of work. It is time consuming, but this networking has delivered results that I could never have delivered on my own. To be honest I would happily do more networking, but the preparation and follow up is essential to make it worthwhile, and there is always a rising tide of stuff at the desk, emails etc, that won't go away.

I have mainly been listening to bootleg downloads of Mountain Goat concerts, which I would recommend. However part of the appeal of the Mountain Goats is that it is an extensive and inter-related oevre, so the more you get into it, the richer it seems. Accordingly, as I am pretty into the Mountain Goats, I really don't know what someone coming new to them would think.

Checking random blogs with references to the Mountain Goats, this almost obsessive interest is certainly not unique. I read a posting where the poster had become obsessed with the Mountain Goats, but had decided to stop short of checking John Darnielle's Flickr photostream, as it was getting to seem unhealthy. Sentiments I can certainly emphasise with. It is so easy to immerse yourself in another person's life. I suspect that we will get a rash of Fatal Attraction style thrillers in a year or two on the theme, or a Douglas Copland novel. One of those issues that is tempting to prod, but difficult to know what to make of it.

Currently feeling a little direction less, nothing much to do in the garden, not terribly motivated to take on any other projects, keen not to just spend money cos I'm bored. I am increasingly getting picky and avoiding making major investments of time and energy in stuff, unless it excites me. No doubt something will happen along, in any event I am hardly idle at the moment, so the lack of some windmill to tilt at, is no great loss. Plenty of good stuff ticking over.