World views

On the left, my view of my world. On the right Irene's view of my world....the blackboard never lies....it just gets a little smart arse every now and then...


PS ran the fastest and best 8 miler I've run since I started the training program in January. Apparently what gets measured not only gets done but also makes a difference!!!!


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Back from LA, fun adventure

Flight delayed out of SFO but such is life.....Michelle picked us up from the airport and we headed back to her house.  She is newly minted as Faculty in Residence at UCLA, so has a very cute on-campus apartment (about three times as big as her old one).  Saturday I had to do a 17 miler to stick with the plan so Irene and Michelle dropped me at Redondo Beach.

Dr E and I just before I start my run

They then headed off to do arty things and I made my way up the coastline to Santa Monica Pier.

Most of the path is paved......well actually now I think about it, all of it is....and I travelled under the LAX flight path (needless to say those parts of the beach were empty), through Venice Beach and ending at the Pier.  Lovely run and, given it was all flat, done in under three hours.  Although I was happy with the time overall I do have to keep working to get my mile pace down if I'm going to get to my ultra time goal.....not complaining though, total delight to run a new path and see new sights.
Girls picked me up and we went to lunch a little further up the coast, back to the house then headed out to the Hollywood Hills to have dinner with a friend of Michelle's.  Okay so HWHs is rather fab in terms of housing etc BUT traffic in LA is about as bad (if not worse) than you can imagine, both Irene and I not wildly impressed by travel times and arrogant driving.  That said, dinner was lovely and full of laughs and, wait for it.....I drove us home as the "sober driver".  Not that anyone was trashed but I didn't drink at all (still keeping to the no drinking regime).  Now feel I have another little badge of "drove in LA".....always a little nerve-wracking to drive in a new city (the left right thing doesn't much bother me any more so much as the different driving styles you have to contend with in each city).
Sunday I headed out for a six miler around and through the University campus....so beautiful.

Afterwards we went out for breakfast then went on one of those open van "Tour of LA sights and Stars Homes".  All quite funny as the stars homes weren't exactly a picture of architectural flare.  It was also incredibly cold.....

Irene and I look like we have joined some cult while Michelle seems blissfully unaware.  By the time the tour was done we had to get to the airport, back to SFO then down to Santa Cruz to get Lotte and home around 11ish.  Presidents day here so I have worked a half day and now gearing up for an 8 miler.

Virgin Airlines

Hanging in the lounge waiting for the flight to LA to board.



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Friday randomness

My new blackboard now has my training program on it....what gets measured gets done and when it's in your face there's no hiding...



I got this book for Xmas, it's an excellent read as it combines both design and politics...who knew how images for NZ coins came about and the controversy behind them? Rob Muldoon's name seems to come up alot....



Off to LA for the weekend!

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Check it out

From this........

Add a little bit of creative thinking and talent.....

Can you guess........

Where this is going?

Blackboard art!!!!

Finished the dining room, from this.......

.....to this, painted, mat, curtains and art!

And I finished painting the bathroom, ran 15 miles Saturday and another 5 miles today....weekend, done!

Saturday morning procrastination.....

I should be out running, 15m/24km on The Plan.  I know I'll go but in the meantime still putzing around finding excuses.  By the end of Sunday I will have run 40 miles in total.  Overall to train to run 26.2 miles I will have run 509m/819km.  I will have to do many many more miles to run 50 in September.  I am excited and nervous about the thought of running 50 miles but feel hugely motivated and inspired to imagine actually doing it!
Work has been busyish with new opportunities to do what I do best ..... release comms.  Odd to think four years ago I wrote about having no idea what I was really doing in High Tech, never having done anything on this scale nor in the land of IT.  Now I have become somewhat of an expert, able to bring a lot of practical experience to the table and offer advice and guidance along the way.  It does get tedious as, for me, it is the same cycle with a different crowd.  In the end though I know there will be a huge sense of satisfaction as the machinery falls into place and it all takes on a life of its own that no longer requires my presence nor input to keep it going.  At that point it's easy to let go and have it work as it will, in the interim, many debates, arguments and frustrations to be dealt with.
It's also our mid-year performance reviews.  I have given mine to my team and enjoyed the discussions and thinking process around having the team grow their skills.  I am still so new to ACN that I'm also learning how these things go and how to offer the best guidance.  I also have a "counsellee".  Every employee is given a career counsellor and you have the option to change them out if it isn't working for you.  As a manager I can also take on counsellees. One of my peeps asked if I would be theirs - so I am helping him plan his career and guide him to good choices.  All new again.  I'm also a "coach" for two analysts who are  the leads in an initiative ACN have to create a community of analysts, organizing learning events and helping them build networks (coaching the Comms Lead and the Inclusion and Diversity Lead).  Smart, engaging College grads who, mostly, just need to learn skills around being in the workforce and how to organize their work.  None of it takes up much time so I'm okay with it.
Almost done with painting the Bathroom (today probably) then I can rebuild that and the dining room.....pics to follow!
That's it really - off to LA with Irene to visit Michelle next weekend........awesome to be able to hop on a plane and 50mins later be in LA......equivalent of Wellington > Auckland!  Milan looms large and I have bravely gone to the doctor, had a full checkup (had to say how much I hate going to the doctor).....all on the back of needing a medical certificate that says I am fit enough to run the marathon.  Alot of European races require one.  Funny the U.S they just let you run, no questions asked but saftey measures and waivers abound.  Europe it seems often requires one but safety measures not quite so apparent!
Okay, gotta run.......

Little slice of NZ

Just before I went to NZ at Xmas the story about the "giant" wetas featured here. Lucas (the analyst that reports to me) asked me to bring him one back, so I did. Sits on his desk....or at his "work station"



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Busy weekend and week

Been a bit slack on the updates!  After my terrible week of being ill.......seriously not felt that ill for a long time....I bounced back over the weekend.  Saturday was low key and included painting my dining room!  Will add pics when it's all prettied up.  Sunday Irene, Lotte and I headed out to Mt Tam, which is across the Golden Gate Bridge.  It's really very pretty and while Irene and Lotte went off on walking adventures I tested my fitness by running up the mountain 6 miles, turning around and running back.

The glamorous life of a runner!  While I was still heading up the trail I bumped into Lotte and Irene so got Irene to take this shot.











Some shots of the trail, all rather pretty.

Lotte enjoying the trail.

Views along the way quite spectacular

Random shot of the city from Bernal Hill, near home

This weekend......run alot and paint the bathroom!