Thursday, June 29, 2006

New Phil!

OK, so it's been quiet in all my usual haunts. But I've been totally busy over the last few weeks. I started a new job (which is meant to be part time until the term and my teaching finishes at the university) but in fact I'm already being asked to work days which I'm not scheduled.

The new job is probably the most corporate place I've ever been : a small Brazilian company selling an e-procurement solution, that's been swallowed by a larger international company which does supply-chain management stuff. And who are now selling, customizing and supporting it on Brazil. This could be dull as ditchwater, but long-time Phil-watchers probably know I have an interest in this kind of activity.

It's also an alien world of proprietory software, specialist programming languages, formal documents, waterfalls, VPNs and Microsofty stuff. Let's see what I can do to subvert things a bit ;-) At least I can start a new blog. (After all, three blogs ain't enough, not even if you add in the wikis. And notice I've experimenting with WordPress.)

The other new project I'm starting, is the fruition of a month or so of mailing complete strangers, asking if I can interview them over Skype. The result will (hopefully) be a series of political interviews with people I've discovered who have interesting world views. The emphasis is on getting them to explain themselves rather than for me to try to argue them out of their opinions. And I've been looking for a range of very different perspectives.

Hopefully, this is going to create a space for people to listen to, and understand, each other's opinions. And to create a rich composite picture of how the world works. That project involves further free accounts for podcast hosting, blogging and wiki. Best place to start is probably the accompanying blog. (After all, four blogs ain't enough ... )

Right. Now this is all public, let's go get some sleep ... :-)

1 comment:

John Powers said...

Get some sleep!

Academic schedules have their own rhythm: amble then rush to the crush. Lots of creative types tend to dance to this rhythm. But "the daily grind" about the work-a-day world seems a familiar rhythm too.

You're learning new stuff, so dancing to the familiar academic rhythm you've started a bunch of new projects to process all the new stuff.

Hooray! I love the looks of both of your new blogs! And of course am very eager to consume the new content you create.

But here's my unsolicited advice: stamina, my friend, stamina. You're not going to start dancing to the "Thorazine Shuffle" too many in the work world fall into, but a manic pace will burn you out. Remind yourself that breaks in the action are necessary. Pace yourself.

Work--life balance is something that many in the workplace have a pretty good perspective about. It will probably do you well to try to emulate those of your co-workers who seem to have found a graceful rhythm and dance with them.