Thursday, January 27, 2011

Busy week....

Just as well I have a lovely new car as I seem to be doing a lot of commuting at the moment!  I've arrived back to work full on and having several days of "performance"......read presenting to internal Accenture folks as well as to the client.  Tuesday night we had our wider team event (well actually it's the Accenture Cisco team but I was part of organizing it so got to go along and co-ordinate some of the activities).  They do these events once a quarter and they involve heading off to a local restaurant (preferably with a private room), having dinner and concurrently hearing about a range of company things.  As part of it too there is usually some kind of "learning" activity.  It's all quite fun and informative but makes for a long day as they are held in San Jose so post event some of us have to drive back to the city.  Quite important events for me really as I continue to get to know people and create a presence with the leadership team.
It seems this week I have been leaving in the dark (with at least 1 5am start) and arriving home in the dark! Training not so hot this week (although did a 13 miler in the weekend up and over the hills of San Fran.....and I mean those legendary hills that feature in all the tourist photos).  All not really enough for the marathon that is a mere 16 days away but going to have to suffice as time moves on with or without me.
Planning a quiet weekend with some kind of run thrown in and probably not much else of note.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

New toys.....I just couldn't help myself

Yippee, new car.....as in really a new car, with exactly 3 miles on it and that new car smell.....awesome.
Farewell to the Miata
Irene checking out the range
Test driving
Mini Me
She's a lil tricked out
Okay she's a lot tricked out - she came like this, we might have to
remodel but for now I'm not giving her up!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Last day

It's the final day (well half day) of our course. It's been an inspiring, albeit long, week. One of the main reasons I joined Accenture was to get the training (alongside the benefits of working in a company that offers a variety of work). So far I have no complaints and my expectations have been exceeded! I am not in the cut throat world of promotion yet, where we get rank stacked top to bottom but I am always conscious of doing a good job. The types of things I am learning give me more tools and, along the way I am having fun. Given I have been fully committed on projects since I began it's quite unusual to have been able to attend St Charles as often as I have in such a short time.....no complaints, it's working for me.
Last night was the final course dinner, I didn't go as I've basically lost my voice. It was our course combined with another, so huge, I won't have been missed!
I have managed to get some reasonable treadmill running in (even getting up at 5am one day to make sure I got to the gym before the masses). It makes me feel a little less stressed about New Orleans as I made sure to run hard and hills.....New Orleans being a flat course I am banking on plodding it out. The biggest thing going in will be having the right mindset, the ability to negotiate myself through the moments when I really just want to stop! Running races keeps me honest on a whole lot of levels as it's all up to me; how much and how hard I train, how much (and what) I eat and drink, how I balance my world, including work. Even avoiding injuries is all about me checking in on how I train and the intensity. It all takes on a life of its own and, delightfully, I've inspired some folk around me (work included) to take on some running challenges (my old project manager for one is now training to run the Nashville Half......awesome).

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Awesome week

I am still in St Charles and having a great time. Who knew Demystifying Cash Flow would actually be interesting! The week has been busy and full of meeting new people from all around the world. There are 140 people on the course; consultants and managers (who are also consultants but the promotion path goes analyst, consultant,manager, senior manager, senior executive). I have even met one person I knew from the first course I did here.
It's seriously snowy outside and between minus 2 and 8C. Needless to say me and the treadmill have had several early morning meetings as I am not geared up to run in those temperatures.
I fly home tomorrow night and have arranged to test drive a mini on Saturday. Yippee!
The one downer of the week is that I have pretty much lost my voice! I really haven't had a full blown cold since I started the exercise regime but the one thing I do seem to get is Laryngitis, which comes with it's own form of un-wellness but usually after the first day I sound far worse than I feel.....so that would be today.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

On the move

Sitting on the plane writing this but avoiding hooking into the wi-fi as I deeply resent that someone has figured out the whole wi-fi inflight thing. Sometimes it is just lovely to not be connected!
Flight out of SFO was delayed two hours. Lucky I had organized things so that I was flying early (as in 10am) so that I don't arrive too late in St Charles, which is an hour or so out of Chicago. 
Yesterday Irene and I went Mini shopping. I have decided I am over the miata and want a new car. The dealership was so busy I have to make an appointment to go for a test drive. We sat in several though and they are vastly more spacious than I expected. A new SUV type model has been released. Still mini like but big - not my thing I don't think and didn't like the longer Clubman look either so looking at a Mini Cooper S.  I had thought an automatic but am torn about giving up the stick.....I am not sure I can bring myself to it as I like the feel of actually driving a car.  Depending on how it rolls I might actually go for a new one too....we shall see. My inner car freak is alive and well.
Yesterday I did go for my run.  Mostly it was very enjoyable. I took it into my head to run up up and over a very long and very steep hill in the city then looped through a series of other slightly smaller hills.  In the end only 14 miles though and I plan to hit the treadmill this week as outside temperatures are currently -8 in St Charles and, I expect, snowy.  Fortunately the location is fully self contained so the call to go outside won't be required unless I choose too.
UPDATE: I am now at the center, which is covered in snow. I have been to the gym and scored some food as well. Lounging around watching TV....a novelty given I don't have one at home. I can hear lots of folk arriving. Despite the delayed travel I am glad I arrived early so I can chill. Class starts at 8am so all quite civilized at this point.

Friday, January 14, 2011

It's been a big week.....

So I've been a little neglectful of the blog.  I do have pics to post but can't quite get myself off the couch to get the camera to download......oh wait, have got some so will add randomly!
Had a grand time with Pauline and Bernice - so lovely to have kiwi's come to stay and particularly nice as they had been such great hosts in Dublin.  I had to work Friday and Monday so sent them off on various adventures on Friday (Mission, Castro, Union Square) then Friday night Irene was back and we headed off to the landlords restaurant - Saha.  Totally awesome and more so because we got a special little table in the corner.  Lots of yummy tasting dishes and, unexpectedly, some very delightful desserts arrived.  Afterwards we dragged P and B off to The Lex......legendary lesbian bar.  Mostly just so they could get a glimpse into the queer world here.....oh and this is my second time there, usually full of young thangs doing  their thing.  We were there relatively early so a more mixed crowd.
Saturday we headed down to Santa Cruz to hook up with Marcia, go to Capitola, check out the University (I know that sounds dull but you really got to see this University, nestled in a red wood forest) and watch the surfers, spot an otter and see a pod of dolphins leaping.....took them down the coast road to give a sense of just how beautiful the coastline is here.  Marcia (and Caramello) were the perfect hosts as Marcia was full of colour commentary.....and I saw a bunch of stuff I'd never seen!
Saturday night was chill out then Sunday off to Alcatraz to check out the prison.  This is a seriously informational, beautiful and creepy experience.  The family had been and raved about it, it really was quite fab.
Great views of the Bay and a lot of history to be found on the Island (bloody hell it was cold inside tho).  Honestly when it comes to tourist attractions if anyone is visiting SF it's gotta be near the top of the list.  Take the audio tour, it's included in the price and really brings the place into perspective.
Irene headed out early and we moved on to have a yummy lunch on Fisherman's wharf.  Back home to consume leftovers and chill out.  Monday I was back to work and B and P headed off on more adventures before flying out for NZ in the early evening.
Work this week has been BIG.  I've really had to hit the ground running; it's a new client and we are "catching up".  I'm really very grateful for the past few years of learning as I've felt confident enough to step up and deliver some short term "wins" (well I hope so).  My direct report is totally delightful, competent, willing and up for a laugh.  I'm figuring out the boss - he's a gregarious good guy who seems more than happy to let me get on with it (my ideal model of course).
I'm still doing the other business development stuff and, come Monday, will be in St Charles again for a weeks worth of training......I'm not entirely prepared.....
Inside all that the marathon looms and I'm feeling a little afraid.  I'm not at all prepared and haven't run as much as I should have - I think I'm going to end up doing this on "guts and glory" rather than "prior preparation and planning".  I've lost a little weight, but not enough......working on it.  I've stepped up the training, but not enough.....working on it.  Tomorrow, 16 miles.....we shall see, no time commitments, just going to do the miles.

Thursday, January 06, 2011

New year and new project

January 2nd was Michelle's birthday so the three of us headed off to Disneyland.  A lot of childish fun was had by all!  We arrived relatively early so got most of the rides done before the sky opened and we were forced into lil Mickey Mouse ponchos.  I haven't been to Disneyland in 20yrs, it's still a crazed odd place but easy laughs abound and it was a fun way to spend the day.  Afterwards we headed off to Korean BBQ, recommended by one of my work pals.  Awesome!  We got the "all you could eat" and happily cooked our  own meat over a little BBQ inserted into the table.  Typically it was one of those places you might drive by if you didn't think about it.  All up a nice end to the day.
Michelle had her first lecture at UCLA the following day so while Marcia packed up and headed back to Santa Cruz I wandered around the campus and sat in while Michelle set expectations for the term.  Cripes, looking at the reading list I'm glad I'm not taking that course, she's a hard task master!
Pauline and Bernice flew in from Heathrow and we spent a pleasant 15 hours or so entertaining one another, including a lovely walk along the pier in the morning followed by a yummy outdoor breakfast (it was bloody cold in LA most of the time.....and rained alot too).  Michelle dropped the three of us at the airport, me to fly back to SFO and P&B to fly out to Las Vegas.  LAX was worse than it's usual chaos, but persistence won through and we figured it all out in time to get through security and catch our flights.  A vintage US moment when an American turns to you and says "....I'm so glad I found you in the que or we would have had no idea where to go...".  No doubt that four years navigating the system here does make life easier when confronted with LAX chaos.
Wednesday I started my new project at NetApp in Sunnyvale (which is a little short of Milpitas, where Cisco is).  Early days, but I feel okay about it.  I have to say getting onto the IT system took all of an hour (you might recall it taking me several weeks to finally get on at Cisco)!  I feel much more confident about how Accenture operates (I am the Impact Assessment Lead......another new little feather in my cap).   I've been thinking about the longer term vision I might have professionally.  I am formulating a plan....well some goals.  Mostly I really need to get my next promotion, become a senior manager and get back to what I am really good at, managing resources and a little more complexity.  That said, not being arrogant about it, I'm learning some valuable skills along the way and definitely don't under estimate how much I have to learn about the firm itself.  But you know me......gotta have a grand mission or really don't see much point in getting out of bed.
More adventures this weekend, I am currently sitting at home waiting for Bernice and Pauline to arrive!  They are staying in San Fran for four days so I have adventures planned for them (and me! and Irene! and Marcia!).  More later.

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

I take it all back.....

Well some of it!  I'd confess (and Dr E knows it), as fab as the job is that she has in LA I was a little like....yuck.  Visiting LA, as it turns out, is all about knowing someone who actually lives in LA, it changes the whole thing.  And I wasn't entirely evil as I was "okay" to go to LA for New Year and Michelle's birthday...just because she's my pal and a kiwi and I do try to keep an open mind!  Had a fab time.  Had the first round of adventures, very fun.  New Years eve was a total riot, thanks to both Marcia and Michelle.  Went out to dinner with two of their friends, Larry and Tisa.  This was not only fun because they are smart fun people but also added to because, at some point as New York headed into their countdown, we got given horns to blow and a free glass of bubbles as we watched the "ball" drop.  Makes you realize just how big the US is when you think one coast is celebrating and you've still got three hours to go!  After that off to a very fun party with some down to earth, funny, drunken folk.  Spent a lot of time around the fire pit before heading in to watch the karaoke (folks, it is LA, people can actually sing.......).  All lots of fun.
New Years day woke up very committed to running up to the Hollywood Sign.  This is a 3.6 mile (5.7 km) uphill run, and I ran back down too.  Michelle, Marcia and I set out together (well they weren't running, that was my crazy).  Totally awesome way to start the New Year.  The views are gorgeous, the challenge breathtaking and and and.....Given the track isn't entirely clear I got to the top, took some photos and just paused to ponder before heading back down...assuming I would meet M&M.  Turns out we missed each other at the exact point it does get confusing and easy to take a detour before you realize you are not going to end up at the sign.  Oh well, ended up I spent time in the car park (an hour) waiting.  All good though because afterwards we want to a very cool cafe where we ate fab burgers (bad but true) and as a bonus sat at a little table that had draws....when you opened them they were full of notes people had left.  It was a lot like Post Secret, totally fascinating, variously funny, creepy, insightful and a great bonus.
More adventures to come and some pics.