Recession bites

My company is actually doing quite well during the recession. The sales guys still bleat on about pipeline, leads and not getting enough from marketing, but we know the drill with all sales people, don’t we??

“Pick up the phone? Who? Me? I don’t do follow ups.” (they’re all the same wherever you go).

Our half year results got the financial analysts excited – our share price has rocketed and the CFO is talking positive numbers all the time – externally. To the outside world, it’s  positive result for a British company during the “worst recession” in 60 years…inside the company however, it’s not all rosy.

170 people are at risk of redundancy (or have already gone depending on where in the world they are located). All social functions have been cancelled. And there’s a sense of unease across the entire company.

The decisions and selection criteria for those at risk are not yet final. Consultation is still in progress. I watch and wait as I see good people go through this process – hopeful they will get a stay of execution based on their performance and feedback from others. At the same time, I hope that the non-productive, obstructive, rude and aggressive people will go. Some of the selections to date make no sense.

One of the things it has highlighted is that no matter how senior you are, how hard you work, how much of your personal time you devote to work (that’s over and above your contracted time), when cuts are to be made, you’re just a number. And, it’s a numbers game.

So, tomorrow when you think to yourself ‘I’ll just finish this document/project/report’ and it means you don’t get out at a reasonable time – remember that’s time you can’t claim back and the more ‘overtime’ you put in (and don ‘t get paid for) the more you devalue your skills and abilities. You will never get that time back. So go home, see your kids, play golf, go to the gym or just relax with your loved ones.

It’s a numbers game, and you are a number. Sadly.

Nil by mouth

I am sitting in my hospital bed having had a minor operation late yesterday. I was ‘nil by mouth’ for most of yesterday. Apart from a rumbling tummy, it wasn’t so bad. I knew where and when I would next have a meal.

After the procedure I wasn’t hungry even though I was remarkably awake. I came around in recovery and didn’t fall asleep again. In fact I had a long conversation about nutrition and redundancies with the anaesthetist.

I have had an ok night, and just had porridge for breakfast, so I can’t complain. I only met my consultant three weeks ago. I didn’t have to wAit for surgery. I just called the insurance company and booked in. my mum has been waiting for surgery for 7 months now give or take a couple of months. Mum has always worked hard – paid her contributions, but she waits. It is not right that she has had to wait so long. My Christmas present to my parents, if it is possible, will be private health cover. Though I am sure my father will object, on principle.

Despite this, I would not have needed a private consulation had I been living in my home town in Scotland. The family doctor there would have taken the time to listen, examine me, do tests and then offer a diagnosis rather than
giving me drugs. The drugs, according to my consultant would have simply caused other issues.

Time to change GP?

Of my gran

My gran has played a big role in my life. She is a fantastic person, with so much to give, asking very little in return. While I don’t get to see her very much these days – I think of her often. My memories of childhood would be incomplete without her. The items below are from recollections of gran…

Fairy cakes and choclate dipped buns,
Camp coffee with whipped cream
Quality Streets
Scrabble
Cribbage
Queenie for pennies
Patience – so many varieties
Steak and kidney pie
Drinking gravy from a jug from Brid
Werthers
Licorice Allsorts
Pinnies
Yorkshire puddings by the truck load
Proper custard
Sherry trifle
Fish in milk

And so many more things. Today she isn’t well. I hate to say goodbye.

As usual, she manages to make me smile when I say “be good” she replies “and if I can’t, I will be careful”.

Consultant visit

Today I met a new consultant about a long-standing health issue. Unlike my GP (all three GPs from the surgery in the village), the consultant examined me, went through my medical history with a fine tooth comb and listened when I told him of the side-effects I experience with the drugs prescribed by my GP. Immediately, he offered other alternatives and didn’t try to convince me to go down the drugs route.

The end result is surgery. No, don’t frown. It’s not unexpected. In fact, I kind of thought it would be the option he proposed. I’m not worried by it, in fact, last time I had surgery ‘things’ were a lot easier and more acceptible to live with for quite a while.

The thing that made me frown was around the subject of conception. Babies. Specifically – me having children. Apparently, it is still an option – despite being told years ago that the window for me was a narrow window (and would have closed years ago).

Dazed, confused, shocked, stunned, emotional and numb.

Where to now?

Help! My computer is broken

That’s how my conversations with Mum often start. This week is no exception.

Mum has an old laptop of mine, which had been set up for ‘minimum fuss usage’ – i.e. switch on, hit dial, download email, then disconnect. Nothing complicated. No fuss. Sunday she called (left a message) to tell me she’s getting error 756 every time she hits dial.

Today, she told me that when she get’s the ‘dial box’ it doesn’t go away, so she keeps clicking it and then gets error 756. Bless.

I don’t know what’s happened, but I’m supposed to fix it, so just one dial box appears for her. I can’t do the remote PC support thing, because she’s on dial up – there’s still no broadband in the glen. But, I’m supposed to ‘cure’ the problem by magic.

Error 756 this week. Next week, it will be something different. I’d never paid attention to the error codes, but Mum does. It’s not always a good thing, but this week was kind of funny.

Summer holiday? What’s that then?

This year, BF and I have struggled to find ‘us’ time. Or rather a good time to take a break together. Work gets in the way frequently – for a variety of reasons including confusing quarter end rulings, amd the sheer number of product launches we’re doing before the end of the year. So, our Summer holiday is turning into Winter sun or would, if we could find somewhere to go.

We both need to get away. We both need a break. We need ‘us’ time away from home.

Requirements:

Beach, sailing, golf, sunshine, good food, cocktails, and no mobile signal and absolutely no Internet access whatsoever.

You’d think it would be easy.

Taking stock

My ‘day-to-day’ DVD player is on its last legs. It only occassionally spits out the disks after they’ve been played – not ideal. So, Amazon Prime to the rescue for a next day delivery of the new version. In the process of removing the old one, I had to laugh at the sheer number of pieces of equipment i have in the house:

two DVD players downstairs (one on its last legs, one shiny & new)
three DVD players upstairs (one is a recorder, one just plays and the other is so old, I’m not even sure it works)
one video recorder (and over 100 videos)
a Wii
a PS2
a PS1 (though I can’t remember the last time I took it out of the box)
a PSP
a Sky HD box
a Sky box (also no longer used)
three printers (one multi function not used, one multi function used, and a photo printer, not used)
two laptops (one work, one personal)
and a desktop
three TVs (one not used)

How did I accumulate so much stuff?
It’s time for a clear out.

Some of the items will be recycled some will go to new homes. One of the girls from work is moving into her own place and is ’starting from scratch’ – she’s offered homes to some of the items. But the rest? What to do?

Reunion & things

Working for my previous company, and then myself for a while, I didn’t really appreciate how much free time I had. Now, my day starts early, I drive for an hour, spend a few too many hours at the office, drive for an hour – workout, cook, and then, if I’m lucky, do some housework/watch tv/read a couple of emails before I collapse into bed. And then the whole routine starts again.

Where do i find time for email, friends, socialising, decorating, proper housework, let alone gardening, ironing, washing or just chilling out?

Good question.

I have been fortunate enough to take a day off recently to meet up with some friends from uni days. What a fantastic ‘reunion’. Only a few of us – but great nonetheless. Some other halves missing, for various reasons, including an impending arrival (Good luck D & G), step kids weekends, and it being simply too far to travel. The day included four of the next generation – who in most cases just entertained us all. Though there were tears.

thanks to B’ski & B for putting me up and hosting the bash on Sunday! Much appreciated!

In one weekend I drove 1200 miles – to see my parents, to the reunion, and back to Stirling for lunch with G & L. In some ways it was a bit of a nostalgia trip – driving by the Meadow Park, which is now called ‘the Med’ according to a sign outside, past the University, and around the old haunts. How it’s changed. We went to the Birds and Bees for lunch. 20 years ago, it was a bit of a student haunt – a bit dark and not the type of place you would take your kids for lunch. Today, it’s got a bit of an upmarket feel with a menu to reflect that. I was impressed. I even got chatted up at the bar until the guy jumped to the conclusion that G’s daughter was mine… You gotta laugh at that.   As G approached me ready to leave – the poor chap then asked whether I knew of places he could take his wife for their anniversary. Bless.

So, life is busy. But, life is generally good. I think.

Back to reality

My last entry was July – an awful long time ago… The trip to New Orleans went well. A week of hard work, lots of drinking, live music, but very little sleep.

Back to the office for a week or two and then some vacation time. North Yorkshire with the boys. Fantastic cliffs, caves, rock pools and beaches. Take one funny ‘Vicar of Dibley’ moment (think puddle) mix with two little boys and the North sea and let the giggles begin.

I managed to run along the cliff tops without too much in the way of asthma and we all caught up on some much needed sleep.

We also had an averted emergency after I got dive-bombed and stung by a wasp while walking at the end of Filey Brigg. Thankfully, quick-thinking, inhalers and antihistamines prevented a trip in a coast guard helicopter to the nearest A &E…though I think the boys were disappointed.

Back to work and reality with a bump. After my promotion in July I am busy re cruiting another member for my team. I have redone the corporate budget for FY10. We are planning for last quarter of this year and I have remained diplomatic despite trying people, time, and situations.

Reality. Bump. Ouch.

Business travel

I am currently sitting on an American Airlines flight from Dallas to New Orleans, where I will spend six days. I left my house in Surrey at 0740 this morning for T3.

I have never been a fan of British Airways, preferring Virgin Atlantic for transatlantic flights, but today’s travel with American changed my opinion. my colleague RP and I had opted for the cheap ticket option – American – and about 20 mins into the flight regretted the decision.

Maybe it is just us, spoiled by years of flying BA or Virgin, but with a ticket costing over £700 I don’t expect to have to pay for my G & T. Or wine with ‘dinner’. But American flights are different.

I won’t do this in a hurry again. Why would you?