writing Christmas cards

I'm not sure how worthwhile it is doing this blog, I've already done an update on our trip to see the Mountain Goats, and there is not a huge amount to add beyond that.

I've been spending the weekend writing Christmas cards, and wee notes to put in with them. Not that I actually have that many to write, it is just that I'm not terribly quick. Just as well I have a deadline to work to, or I would never get them done. Christmas is certainly a once a year, imperative to drop a note to all sorts of good friends that you don't see often enough.


One thought, amongst many, obviously, I was thinking about my job.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I'm always beating myself up that I don't manage to do absolutely everything that I hope to do. I suppose my job, in common with many these days, is largely self defined. I decide what I need to do, or what I ought to do. That's why you get paid smart guy rates, because you have that degree of autonomy.

That means that there will always be a tension between the two extremes -
that old standby of how little do I need to do to avoid being sacked
or
doing everything possibly in my power to sort out all the problems of the world.

And part of my comfort level is to find a balance between these two extremes, a comfortable comfort level, one that I don't feel guilty about.

In order for work to be sustainable, you really need to be comfortable in yourself. Being guilty, angry, worried, all the time, will tire you out.

I should be more accepting of the fact that I cannot do everything under the sun, that I possibly might.

Another balancing factor, is being able to split work into different strands, so that you can spend some time on one strand, some time on another, that way, if you are never getting to the bottom of anything, at least you are keeping things ticking over nicely.

Similarly, you need to be able to split your life into different strands, so that if one strand is not going so great, then at least the others are more satisfying.

Finally coming round to the initial point that I was intending to make, I was wondering about what I could do to make myself better at my job.

I don't think that it is as easy as just working longer, it is more complex than that. It is about skills, and creativity, networks and experience.

I'm not sure that I could bottom it all out in one go, but simply tackling the task with a loose methodology, which is kept under review, usually works.

I guess that important things to do would be to
1 make time for development, for example
2 pick up on opportunities offered at work
3 personal study, social policy and social research for a start
4 network
5 identify useful skills to develop, for example
6 negotiation
7 plan and track, and think innovatively about my development.

I'll think about making a personal project of this for a while, ....

Other jottings, I have just figured out how to send files between my computers by Bluetooth. Boy it is so cool.

Nearly tripped over a young deer this afternoon, out walking the dog, and this little deer shot out from just before me, and hopped off away across the field. Its little white rump bobbing up, as it skimmed over the field like a stone across the water.

Of course my dog was too busy pee-ing on something to spot any of this.