Crazy times

It's been an all out crazy week!  As if work itself wasn't enough to deal with one of my team got fired.  Yeech, not a pleasant thing to do to someone in this economy - personally I could have done without the attendant drama.  Sometimes you can't save people from themselves and I really did try to save them (or at least was open to them saving themselves).  I'm learning a lot about management US style and, most importantly, discovering the things I do and don't enjoy about leading a group of people!  I'm still really keen to become an employee of Cisco (hiring freeze is still on) - I really do want to continue in a management role (not easy to do as a consultant) and think that Cisco is a great, complex and truly global company - culturally it seems the right fit for me.  Anyway in this economy it's hard to know what will happen. Economy wise the biggest challenge for now is to stop people talking it down so much, its becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.  There's been some notable change in the debate but if people lack any confidence to invest it's going to a very long haul out of this hole.

As you can tell, I got back from Berkeley safe and sound.  Riding the bike was a blast and I loved every minute of it!  The dance was interesting, but not really my thing.  Spending time with Dee was great and just being away from my laptop delightful.  Counting down to Palm Strings now.  So excited that everyone arrives soon.  Sim is already here in the US so one down four to go.  As well as a few "party events" Sim and I have talked about going on some outdoor adventuring, including driving into the redwoods to see the trees Dr Seuss  used as inspiration for his books - that could be fun.  Sims been to PS before so looking to her to be tour guide.