Well, almost time to head back to work, just the weekend remaining for my two week break over Christmas & New Year.
I almost feel like the year doesn’t begin until work resumes, back into routine, habits & “normality”.
So – here’s some reflection on 2006, an idea stolen from another blogger.
This time last year (work)
Was running about crazy getting ready for a go-live in late January. Wasn’t any Christmas or New Years days off, just the public holidays. In fact, Christmas kinda “got in the way” – as people were unavailable, or didn’t seem too fussed.
A significant upgrade of a computer system was needing before “the single fucken biggest event in Melbourne for 50 years” – a direct quote from our client – referring to the Commonwealth Games (!)
It was either work harder (and harder) – or move the date of the Commonwealth Games.
Made it to the end, and was a pretty big success – long night for installation (overnight) – and then off to Adelaide for SDM’s “away days”.
Was great to see some of the Adelaide folk, although I’d missed the first day of presentations – but not the BBQ and drinks. Was just knackered & spent by then.
Next gig (work)
Was hoping for a .NET project after that – having spent the first 3 months of my new job doing VB-6 ! I coulda stayed at my old company !
But – was some bright prospects at SDM – lots of Sharepoint, CRM, MCMS – and more. Until I went to an unnamed client (and took a pretty hefty blow to ego/morale).
I was replacing the tech.lead while she was heading towards maternity leave. A fairly tough client, I’d been warned – but nothing like I’d expected.
This lady (?) would be condescending and unnerving, causing me to fumble through thoughts – it made me really wonder if I’d lost my “edge” – and that I couldn’t do this as a career anymore.
I stuffed up a few things (in my eyes) – and the project ended up going on-hold. So, three resources back on the bench – at a time when $ were tight.
And then – retrenchments for three work colleagues – lucky that I wasn’t one of them.
Kinda spoilt the nice time I was having at SDM – and partly felt like my fault. If I hadn’t messed up, and the project halted – and three resources NOT on-the-bench, then maybe those retrenchments wouldn’t have happened.
This – on top of the humbling experience at “X” client.
I did learn a valuable lesson about the concepts of “custom software” – and the NEW NORMAL that we were facing – re: packaged software VS custom-written (bespoke).
It was a decent shock for most people…
Those are my immediate thoughts & recollections about the start of 2006 – lots of hard-work, and then some bad-work.
Thoughts via post(s)
But – has been interesting to re-read some old posts – and think a lot about the year that was – not just work :
*phew* A lot happens in a year ! When you see people that you haven’t spoken to for a while, it’s often “what’cha been doing ?” – and the reply usually “aaah, not much”.
Well – not I can say “aaah, shitloads actually !”
On immediate reflection, my main thoughts (ie. blog-posts) have been (not surprisingly) :
Activities “in general” :
I think I’ve come out fairly un-scathed from it all – even with the turmoil of April-2006.
Thoughts for 2-0-0-7 ?
Currently re-grouping – more soon.
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[...] to @andyneumann – who started me on the annual tradition – with the “2006 review” as my [...]