Just met John Brolly of the Irish News for breakfast. He's busy working on the Irish Workplace Awards. Now I have a few hours to flitter before my next meeting at lunch with Colin Lauder of Parity. Tried to get into the IOD HQ to do said flittering (even threw a tie on so as not to get ejected unlike first attempt of two years ago) but alas no-one was on the otherend of their intercom system. So now flittering and twittering at Internet cafe by the Europa Bus Station.
Took a quick look around the new Fitzwilliam Hotel in Belfast. It's impressive but tries too hard for me. It's array of low hanging lights and lampshades just look daft and pointless. Meeting rooms are nice however and the delux bedrooms with huge windows overlooking the city will no doubt entertain many a courting couple.
Trying to finishfinish "Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace" by Daniel Goleman. It's loaded with good stuff but somehow I just don't feel I'm getting lots from it. May be the last chapter which is soon approaching will convince me otherwise.
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Day 27 - 7 April 09
Finished "Pay it Forward" last night. Yet another book that started well and finished terribly. When I say terribly I mean as terribly as any Hollywood production company would require a good story to end.
I think I must take more care reading book reviews before I just jump in and read something recommended by one person (in this case a presenter at a networking seminar).
I now have three copies of War and Peace on my bookshelves at home given to me over the years by friends who no doubt have enjoyed the thought of my being stuck in a novel for half a decade. I'm sorely tempted to give it a go but keep bottling out by reading light stuff like "Pay it Forward". What makes me nervous is that usually if a novel has more than 4 characters I get horribly lost. War and Peace I'm told has over 120.
Ho Hum. Off to read the Irish Independent....
I think I must take more care reading book reviews before I just jump in and read something recommended by one person (in this case a presenter at a networking seminar).
I now have three copies of War and Peace on my bookshelves at home given to me over the years by friends who no doubt have enjoyed the thought of my being stuck in a novel for half a decade. I'm sorely tempted to give it a go but keep bottling out by reading light stuff like "Pay it Forward". What makes me nervous is that usually if a novel has more than 4 characters I get horribly lost. War and Peace I'm told has over 120.
Ho Hum. Off to read the Irish Independent....
Monday, 6 April 2009
Day 26 - 6 April 09
Cracked the swimming dilemma this morning. Get up and 6a.m. beat the early birds at their own game and get a lane all to yourself.
Feeling good. There was no rain last night which means the emulsion paint applied to the exterior of Island House remains in place. Just one more lap and we'll have cracked it.
Secret millionaire was good last night but somehow I couldn't quite take to the main character. She did unearth some pretty deserving causes however.
Finished work on new email service pages. Looking much better now.
Feeling good. There was no rain last night which means the emulsion paint applied to the exterior of Island House remains in place. Just one more lap and we'll have cracked it.
Secret millionaire was good last night but somehow I couldn't quite take to the main character. She did unearth some pretty deserving causes however.
Finished work on new email service pages. Looking much better now.
Saturday, 4 April 2009
Day 25 4 April 09
In the old days of computer use it used to take ages before you could finally get started on some work when you first jumped in front of the PC. It still does. Years ago the delay was due to a very slow processor taking ages to boot the machine. Now it's because you have to do all the pre-flight checks before you get down to some real work. This morning mine went something like this :
* Twitter - check
* Facebook - check
* Google analytics - check
* Dad's blog - check
* BBC web site - check
Ready! (Only I'm not because I'm blogging again)
This morning I'm working on two things. The first is our new Email Service pages. This is coming on but needs more work. The second is our bio page. So many have said that they think it's unprofessional that we need to do something about it!
Rotten weather. I think the tennis is off.
* Twitter - check
* Facebook - check
* Google analytics - check
* Dad's blog - check
* BBC web site - check
Ready! (Only I'm not because I'm blogging again)
This morning I'm working on two things. The first is our new Email Service pages. This is coming on but needs more work. The second is our bio page. So many have said that they think it's unprofessional that we need to do something about it!
Rotten weather. I think the tennis is off.
Friday, 3 April 2009
Day 24 3 April 09 - Of Horrid Comments & Holy Quotes
I must learn the times of trains round here. Everytime I pop in the car to go somewhere I seem to get caught at the level crossing. Didn't Joe90 have a button on his car that he would press and simply complete the remainder of the journey by air? Must get one of those buttons.
20 lengths only today up and down the pool before boredom plucked me out stuck me in the shower and I hurtled back to work. "Swim Mornings" are always such a rush. Up at 6.30a.m. out by 6.45a.m. then breakfast at work by 7a.m.. Then an hour's work before diving in a pool for half an hour racing out for quick shower to get back to my desk for 9a.m.. There has to be an easier way to stay fit.
There is! I'm playing tennis at 5p.m. with the company performance coach. I've beaten him on the last two encounters so I think he's out for revenge. Off to Muckamore tennis club for first time tomorrow. It's also a cricket club but I can't bowl a ball to save my life.
Thinking about a fightback on the rotten customer service round here. I wonder if I dropped a card to the relevant person each time I was served well or badly which linked to a customer service blog rating their performance.
We're currently hunting for quotes to go on our office walls. Oddly one that has just come in today is as follows :
“New technology has human effects. Is electronic communication making us forgetful of the value of human contact? “Facebook” leaving us unable to recognise the expressions on real faces and smile at them? “Twitter” making us all twitterers - unwilling to listen? “
The author is a local priest.
I say oddly because this is the week in which Legal-Island has begun to experiment with the web and what it can offer the company and with impressive results.
20 lengths only today up and down the pool before boredom plucked me out stuck me in the shower and I hurtled back to work. "Swim Mornings" are always such a rush. Up at 6.30a.m. out by 6.45a.m. then breakfast at work by 7a.m.. Then an hour's work before diving in a pool for half an hour racing out for quick shower to get back to my desk for 9a.m.. There has to be an easier way to stay fit.
There is! I'm playing tennis at 5p.m. with the company performance coach. I've beaten him on the last two encounters so I think he's out for revenge. Off to Muckamore tennis club for first time tomorrow. It's also a cricket club but I can't bowl a ball to save my life.
Thinking about a fightback on the rotten customer service round here. I wonder if I dropped a card to the relevant person each time I was served well or badly which linked to a customer service blog rating their performance.
We're currently hunting for quotes to go on our office walls. Oddly one that has just come in today is as follows :
“New technology has human effects. Is electronic communication making us forgetful of the value of human contact? “Facebook” leaving us unable to recognise the expressions on real faces and smile at them? “Twitter” making us all twitterers - unwilling to listen? “
The author is a local priest.
I say oddly because this is the week in which Legal-Island has begun to experiment with the web and what it can offer the company and with impressive results.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Day 23 2 April 2009 - Whos the Twit on Twitter?
I woke up this morning to a beautiful day. Cycled in to work along the river and via the park. Magic!
Logged on to find that Barack Obama is now following me on Twitter. If I had known this 24 hours earlier I could have asked him to pass on my regards to Liz before he met her for dinner last night. Apparently according to the gushing reports of their meeting in the Press today they got on "like old friends".
The feeling of deep flattery that the President of the most powerful country in the world is following humble me soon flittered away when I saw that he follows over 570,000 on the Net no doubt with the help of a very large computer and campaign team.
Logged on to find that Barack Obama is now following me on Twitter. If I had known this 24 hours earlier I could have asked him to pass on my regards to Liz before he met her for dinner last night. Apparently according to the gushing reports of their meeting in the Press today they got on "like old friends".
The feeling of deep flattery that the President of the most powerful country in the world is following humble me soon flittered away when I saw that he follows over 570,000 on the Net no doubt with the help of a very large computer and campaign team.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Day 22 1 April 09
Phoned my sister last night. She was on a high just back from a holiday in South America on a cruiseship and a budget it seems. The cost for 2 weeks inclusive of flights was just £995! In this small and budget conscious vessel they crossed the atlantic apparently and finished the holiday in the Canaries...
Getting really fed up with the ignorant customer service round our office. At the Tesco garage this morning the lady on the counter didn't greet me, didn't look at me and said only "put your card in" and "receipt".Promised myself I will complain nex time.
Did just 20 lengths this morning of the pool. Too much traffic about for my liking. Having to keep the engine going is one thing but to have to navigate lanes too is just a job too much at 8a.m.
Meeting Jane from vital nutrition today. Currently wondering where I can get good food and customer service nearby and indeed whether both are possible.
Trying to decide on a new quote to go up on the wall. Shortlisted candidates are :
" You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down. (Mary Pickford)
Second Place:
Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun. (Colleen C. Barrett)
Third Place:
We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something. (Sandra Day O’Connor)
Getting really fed up with the ignorant customer service round our office. At the Tesco garage this morning the lady on the counter didn't greet me, didn't look at me and said only "put your card in" and "receipt".Promised myself I will complain nex time.
Did just 20 lengths this morning of the pool. Too much traffic about for my liking. Having to keep the engine going is one thing but to have to navigate lanes too is just a job too much at 8a.m.
Meeting Jane from vital nutrition today. Currently wondering where I can get good food and customer service nearby and indeed whether both are possible.
Trying to decide on a new quote to go up on the wall. Shortlisted candidates are :
" You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down. (Mary Pickford)
Second Place:
Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun. (Colleen C. Barrett)
Third Place:
We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something. (Sandra Day O’Connor)
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