Of Strategy Strategy Strategy

It's Day 1 of 5 today on Strategy. Today, we're reviewing our mission statement which  :
                " A trusted, world class provider of quality legal information and training".
Dell's apparently is :
"Most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve".
My favourite however, comes from Apple :
"Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad."

Of Hard Times and Lessons

I went to Junction 1's Outlet centre last night to buy a new suit. Being a Thursday I expected it to be, if not packed, then at least busy. But it was neither. Ok it was raining but Thursday night shopping a few years back was a night to avoid if you don't like shopper congestion. Last night the place was almost empty.
Empty too were a good number of the outlets. It was almost quite chilling to wonder around the next corner to see how many shops I visited last year were now no longer there. Those still standing were clearly fighting hard for the remaining business with offers of at least 50-70% off "absolutely everything".
These are tough times but I fear there is more pain to come. Let's hope we emerge the other side of this recession much fitter, healthier and altogether better balanced people having learnt the value of things and the things we should really value.

Of Weekend Escapes

I was in bungalow blight country over the weekend, North West Donegal I mean. Airbrush out all the almost identical white bungalows and you've got probably the most beautiful landscape around in the sunshine at least. And for a good part of my stay it was sunny or at least dry with patchy cloud. I made the mistake of checking three weather forecasts before deciding where to spend the weekend and they were all different. Throwing caution to the wind I headed for Gweedore in the MG with clothes for all types of weather. (Incidentally it was the BBC forecast that got it right).

Property in that part of the world is amazingly cheap at the moment. There's just one thing that prevents me from buying a cheap bolt hole out there and that's the road to it. It is long, winding and very dangerous. In the summer I'm guessing it's not too bad but I wouldn't like to drive it too often in the winter with the rain lashing down through the darkness and with cars coming at you with lights on full beam or with a pair of fog lights gleaming at you.

Of A Very Beautiful Lady

My MG is back on the road and life feels great again. There's something about driving that car which is sheer magic. I think it's because the grand old lady really tickles your senses. There's the sound of a grumpy battery right at the start followed but the beautiful chant of its engine. There's the smell of leather seats and fumes of oil and petrol out the back of the car. There's the feel of the old wooden steering wheel in your had in a cockpit that vibrates and shakes it's way along its journey. But best of all there's the sheer excitement of the unknown. Are you going to make it to your destination or not? Modern day cars are reliable but they've taken the excitement out of driving. MG welcome back on the road. Lets have some fun!

Of The Olympics

Apparently the Olympic flame will travel just a discus's throw away from my house next week on its scenic journey to London. Happily we all seemed to have forgotten that the tradition of the torch relay was started by the Nazis in 1936 so I might even call out to see it go by making sure of course not to do anything that might resemble a salute.
I was one of the few that was lucky enough to get Olympic tickets. I'm attending the women's weightlifting on 28th July and the volleyball on 5th August. I must say I'm already getting quite excited about it. No doubt I'll return feeling that I missed out on life and that as a youngster I should have devoted myself to one obscure sport that might have slipped into the Olympics a few years back. Pole vaulting must be a case in point. How many would think to make a career leaping over a high bar and how many would have the facilities to practice it? And now Sergey Bubka is an old man with a proper stick your medal prospects must be at least good. Damn always too late with my great ideas.

Of Up Down Up Down Up Down

I swam half a mile today before coming to work. That's 32 lengths of the Antrim pool. I've been doing this every day now for the best part of six weeks and I must say I'm feeling the benefits of it. Upper body strength is good and the waistline though, by no means sporting a washboard, is happy enough too. The next big thing is to try to enjoy the experience rather than just enjoy the consequences. That, I fear, will take a little more time.

Of Northern Ireland Mediator - new website

I'm working hard on a new website today for anyone wanting a mediator in Northern Ireland.
It's a lot easier doing a website now than when I first did one for Legal-Island in 1998.
Way back then you had to worry about the size of flies you were uploading to the site. If they were more than half a megabyte they took ages to upload. Worse still, they slowed the download speed of the website for the viewer to the point they just weren't bothering with. It you were really clever you'd be able to drop in a counter to the site to see how many visited in and get quite upset when you realised no-one really ever did.
Emmmm I wonder how much has changed.....