04.01.99 - Some day my 'PRINCE 2' will come

I felt fired up before I went into work today and I was determined that I was going to get loads of work done, possibly learn something about SQL or 'PRINCE 2' Project Management methodology but you know... the best laid plans of mice and men. Pah! I didn't get half the stuff done I had planned to and God only knows why I am bothered about learning Project Management skills when I clearly can't even organise a simple day! I went on a First Line Management course a couple of years back and one of the modules was organisation and time management. Maybe I should go back to my notes or take a refresher course.

Well, actually perhaps I am being a little hard on myself here. I mean the main reason I am not performing at peak efficiency (Hahaha.... did that phrase make you laugh too?) is because I hate that freakin' place and want a new job. "Oh who doesn't?" I hear hundreds of people asking (not that hundreds read this journal of course). In all fairness I was a little distracted by events today. My Project Manager had a particularly unfortunate incident at a project meeting and decided that enough was enough... so she handed her resignation letter in! Well I knew she was going to do it but I hadn't figured on it being quite so soon. There is good news and bad news in this. The good news is that it's giving me impetus to get a new job myself and get out before she has to work her 'managerial length' 3 months notice period (I only have to give one month notice). The bad news is that the Director of the department has told her that one of her objectives is to get my database project sorted out before she goes. 3 months to sort out this database project? Hahahaha. They'll be lucky. The damn thing is a big stinking mess with no focus and no quality or use to anyone. It will take new skills, new management focus and more money to get this baby sorted. It really is time I deserted this sinking ship before I go down with it and get the blame.

On a lighter note I did actually have time to look over the PRINCE 2 Project Management material and while not much information was absorbed by my brain I think some useful thing came out of me poring over the pages. I set up one report from one of the operational systems... which failed right before the end of the day leaving me not enough time to report it to the helpdesk in Oxford. I tried to arrange a consultancy technical support day from the software company but was blocked by events in the department. The "My Computer" icon on my desktop at work has mysteriously changed to an apple (I wonder if it's a 'sign' of some sort). All in all it was a more satisfying day because... at least I tried. Usually I just don't bother trying!

I just watched Star Trek: DS9 on SKY One and realised that I dislike the series. All the episode plots seem to be the same to me just played out with different characters. The character of Gul Dukat is particularly annoying and despite numerous reports of his death he keeps popping up. It's almost as bad as Dallas used to be. (Scenario: Gul Dukat wakes up to hear Captain Benjamin Sisko in the shower.... it was all a dream!) Bah! I think I'm just not really into television much anymore. I sat down to watch "The Fifth Element" on the movie channel the other day and that is the first time in weeks I have sat down to watch a movie all the way through. I'd like to go see the new Star Trek movie at the cinema but all my friends seem to hate Star Trek. The only person I know won't be chronically bored by it is my brother-in-law who is not coming back down this way for another two weeks, and even then I may be in London that weekend.

Hey, wanna hear a secret? I have a date tomorrow night. Ssshhh... don't tell anyone or they'll all want one. Hehehe.

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Created by Rich Hull,1999.