Things are hotting up with my deal. We have a client meeting next week, when the new team (of which I am one) will meet the client, and we start to really refine (or in some cases define) the requirements for the deal. This may seem odd to the lay person, us having already released to them a rough order of magnitude proposal, aka a RoM, however the truth is that at nn we have a much more developed RoM process, and a different way of handling risk, than Starfleet. At Starfleet, in broad strokes, the approach was to avoid risk at all costs; they were a very risk-averse organisation. This means that a RoM can be as detailed as an open to acceptance proposal.
At nn, we embrace risk with caution and appropriate boundaries, which means that firstly that our clients are not bombared with all that we will not do, but also they are get what they want, and so do we. It also makes the RoM process a "that looks complex, call it half a million" type estimation process, rather than a "all the solutioning, but more relaxed coz it is not open to acceptance" approach of Starfleet.
It is all very interesting, and not a process I have been through fully too many times so far at nn, and with a new process introduced now also, it is harder (in that a process I did not know very well anyway has changed) and easier (a process I did not know has changed, so everyone is at broadly the same phase of understanding) for a relative newbie like me. Oh well, as the old saying goes, you cannot learn less (unless you are an American voter, it seems).
To be honest, I cannot wait, at long last, to get properly stuck in to a deal, meet the client, really start working my booty* and getting some experience and credibility under my belt.
The only issues is that I have taken next week off, since it is half term. I therefore plan to work on Wednesday, the day of the meeting, but have the rest of the week off. This is a good plan, made slightly dodgy only because on Tuesday night we are planning to attend a wine tasting evening. I suspect I shall be spitting rather than swallowing**.
We don't have any football this weekend, so will need to find useful, interesting, meaningful and "for all the family" things to do, which will be a challenge. Maggot 1 has a sleepover on Monday and Maggot 2 on Thursday, so the week will be puntuated by Maggots of various sizes invading our front room, but we don't mind, and the Maggots love it. Rather they were here, under our roof, than on a park bench in some dodgy part of town***.
We are at A&E on Saturday night for a Mexican-themed evening, complete, apparently, with sombreros and moustaches. Should be fun, and we will hopefully see a bunch of folks we have not seen for a while, including Brad and Angelina.
Have a great weekend****, and speak next week.
=====================================
* not sure that is the right term. Ed
** really? Ed
*** Yes, they really do exist, even here down south
**** Just a routine reminder for Gorse Fox that for most of us, weekends are those two days when you are not at work
Monday, 17 October 2016
relaxing times
I am obviously so relaxed that I forgot to blog on Friday, so rather than tell you what I am going to be doing, I can tell you what I did.
Well, we had football training Saturday for Maggot 2, Maggot 1 doing his second weekend as an Assistant Tennis Coach (capitals are important, expecially for his developing CV).
On Saturday evening, David and Samantha and their two Maggotettes came over for a "holiday reunion" evening. It started with the Scobi clan, in their swimsuits, dancing to a tune that was part of our "water aerobics" routine whilst on holiday. You had to be there really. We looked at photos and had a lovely evening of food, chat, and a little drink. I was keeping it very light on the alcohol, since I am still in recovery, but I did have a couple of gin and tonics, a drink I found again whilst on holiday, and one that is just right when you want something, but not too much of it.
Sunday was a big day for Maggot 2. It was the last game in his mini-league, and a win would secure a cup. The team we were playing had, but their coach's own admission, been battered by every team in the league so far, so on paper it should have been an easy win. However, as any pundit worth their salt will tell you, football is played on grass, not on paper, and so it was that, slightly against the run of play, they were 1-0 up at half time. It was a fantastic counter-attack with their diminuative front man (he only reached the shoulders or our team) out-paced our fastest defender to slot home a nicely taken goal. To be fair, our team was not playing badly, but we were playing directly in to a strong wind that, in my view (but not those of some of my fellow parents) was the dominant factor in the game. So it was that in the second half, after a briefing from our coach along the lines of "you got yourselves in to this mess, you can get yourself out if it", they soon equalised, and then went on to win 4-1, with the wind, as already said, playing a major part in the game. We battered them, the ball rarely left their half, and their goal kicks became a chance for one of our team to have a long shot at goal, so predictably did possession fall to us, the poor keeper unable to kick it far enough with the wind against him. It was a good win, keeps our winning streak going, and gets us some more silverware. Maggot 2 also scored, which will help his confidence, which has been dipping a bit of late. He also had a very good game, working hard on and off the ball. Overall, a great result.
I hope you had a great weekend, speak Friday (if I can be bothered).
Well, we had football training Saturday for Maggot 2, Maggot 1 doing his second weekend as an Assistant Tennis Coach (capitals are important, expecially for his developing CV).
On Saturday evening, David and Samantha and their two Maggotettes came over for a "holiday reunion" evening. It started with the Scobi clan, in their swimsuits, dancing to a tune that was part of our "water aerobics" routine whilst on holiday. You had to be there really. We looked at photos and had a lovely evening of food, chat, and a little drink. I was keeping it very light on the alcohol, since I am still in recovery, but I did have a couple of gin and tonics, a drink I found again whilst on holiday, and one that is just right when you want something, but not too much of it.
Sunday was a big day for Maggot 2. It was the last game in his mini-league, and a win would secure a cup. The team we were playing had, but their coach's own admission, been battered by every team in the league so far, so on paper it should have been an easy win. However, as any pundit worth their salt will tell you, football is played on grass, not on paper, and so it was that, slightly against the run of play, they were 1-0 up at half time. It was a fantastic counter-attack with their diminuative front man (he only reached the shoulders or our team) out-paced our fastest defender to slot home a nicely taken goal. To be fair, our team was not playing badly, but we were playing directly in to a strong wind that, in my view (but not those of some of my fellow parents) was the dominant factor in the game. So it was that in the second half, after a briefing from our coach along the lines of "you got yourselves in to this mess, you can get yourself out if it", they soon equalised, and then went on to win 4-1, with the wind, as already said, playing a major part in the game. We battered them, the ball rarely left their half, and their goal kicks became a chance for one of our team to have a long shot at goal, so predictably did possession fall to us, the poor keeper unable to kick it far enough with the wind against him. It was a good win, keeps our winning streak going, and gets us some more silverware. Maggot 2 also scored, which will help his confidence, which has been dipping a bit of late. He also had a very good game, working hard on and off the ball. Overall, a great result.
I hope you had a great weekend, speak Friday (if I can be bothered).
Friday, 7 October 2016
Glad that one is over
We have all been ill this week. LO had Monday and Tuesday off*, Maggot 2 had those, plus Wednesday and Thursday. I have also been ill and ticking things over, but without travelling. This is the bug that keeps on giving since we all have the same symptoms, and it has made this week pretty yuk.
This meant we had some interesting sleeping arrangements; I was on Maggot 1's bed, so I could cough and not sleep without upsetting the others, whilst Maggot 1 was on a put-me-up in with LO, and Maggot 2 had my space in our bed. It is like some slightly bizarre version of The Waltons. It did mean we all got the best night of sleep that was available to each of us. For me, let's just say that I have nearly finished a book (part 3 of the J K Rowling written detective series) in four days.
We are now back in our own beds, and Maggot 2 is back to school today, though to be honest he is not 100%, but, I hope, he is good enough to get through the day. Plus, being at school gets him back in the real world with a vengence that should get him on the road to normal life quicker.
Maggot 1 has moved his drumming lesson to this evening so that he can then do his first morning as Assistant Tennis Coach**, which should be fun, will get him out the house doing something physical, and will get him some pocket money.
If Maggot 2 is well enough, (i.e. if the kill or cure go back to school approach is positive) then we should have training tomorrow and a match Sunday. The team have their new home kit now, which was funded by us having a sponsored run - his best pal has his and we may pick it up after school today - and the training/away kits should be coming fairly soon via the club, who somehow managed to wangle a deal that if we return all our old club-logo'd match shirts, then whoever is the maker (cannot remember which company) will provide new shirts at not cost. Result.
Slightly sad for the boy, but our team is one lighter this week as we had to ask him, via his dad, to not be part of the team anymore. The issue was with the dad, who has been creating some unecessary tension with both the coaches, to the point that both had considered giving it all up. We could not have that, since they are both valued and very good for the team, so the dad had to go, and his son with it. Sad for the lad, good for the team.
The other side benefit is that we now have 12, rather than 13, from which to pick the team of 9. Ideally, we would want only 2 subs, 3 at most, so if all boys were available, then they were having to take turns in "being the thirteenth man", and not playing that week. Reducing our numbers by one means this will be less of an issue.
As I may have previously discussed, we have moved from 7 to 9-a-side teams, so over the Summer we had been trialling various people, since we needed to bolster our numbers, and also we needed to find a goalie. The goalie, G, is Maggot 2's best friend, and was previously the attacking mid-fielder and captain of the team (being a Liverpool fan, he would like to be called the Gerrard of our team), so not someone we naturally wanted to lose from the field by him going in goal. Our main coach was not keen at all, but in the end he relented, and G took the number 1 shirt, and he has done a fantastic job. He is a little smaller than average for the age, so size might be an issue, however he is a fantastic shot-stopper (indeed, we won our last tournament because of his saves in the penalty shootout), he has a big kick*** and he, obviously, is also a footballer, so is another player at the back when we have to work it round the back up the opposite wing.
So, we lost him from the outfield team, but managed to sign up three new players, all of which have some skill and potential, and have fitted in to the team well.
Otherwise, it will hopefully be a fairly relaxing weekend, with some football and some dancing on the TV.
I hope you are well, and have a great weekend. Speak next week.
============================
* To be frank, she was not right, but felt she had to go in coz she had the Auditors in for the rest of the week
** Certainly how we will be describing it on his CV
*** Another change this year is that the opposition no longer need to retreat to the half-way line for goal kicks. This has made the goal kick a real danger, with the attacking team able to gain a big advantage if the keeper has a small kick or is indecisive
This meant we had some interesting sleeping arrangements; I was on Maggot 1's bed, so I could cough and not sleep without upsetting the others, whilst Maggot 1 was on a put-me-up in with LO, and Maggot 2 had my space in our bed. It is like some slightly bizarre version of The Waltons. It did mean we all got the best night of sleep that was available to each of us. For me, let's just say that I have nearly finished a book (part 3 of the J K Rowling written detective series) in four days.
We are now back in our own beds, and Maggot 2 is back to school today, though to be honest he is not 100%, but, I hope, he is good enough to get through the day. Plus, being at school gets him back in the real world with a vengence that should get him on the road to normal life quicker.
Maggot 1 has moved his drumming lesson to this evening so that he can then do his first morning as Assistant Tennis Coach**, which should be fun, will get him out the house doing something physical, and will get him some pocket money.
If Maggot 2 is well enough, (i.e. if the kill or cure go back to school approach is positive) then we should have training tomorrow and a match Sunday. The team have their new home kit now, which was funded by us having a sponsored run - his best pal has his and we may pick it up after school today - and the training/away kits should be coming fairly soon via the club, who somehow managed to wangle a deal that if we return all our old club-logo'd match shirts, then whoever is the maker (cannot remember which company) will provide new shirts at not cost. Result.
Slightly sad for the boy, but our team is one lighter this week as we had to ask him, via his dad, to not be part of the team anymore. The issue was with the dad, who has been creating some unecessary tension with both the coaches, to the point that both had considered giving it all up. We could not have that, since they are both valued and very good for the team, so the dad had to go, and his son with it. Sad for the lad, good for the team.
The other side benefit is that we now have 12, rather than 13, from which to pick the team of 9. Ideally, we would want only 2 subs, 3 at most, so if all boys were available, then they were having to take turns in "being the thirteenth man", and not playing that week. Reducing our numbers by one means this will be less of an issue.
As I may have previously discussed, we have moved from 7 to 9-a-side teams, so over the Summer we had been trialling various people, since we needed to bolster our numbers, and also we needed to find a goalie. The goalie, G, is Maggot 2's best friend, and was previously the attacking mid-fielder and captain of the team (being a Liverpool fan, he would like to be called the Gerrard of our team), so not someone we naturally wanted to lose from the field by him going in goal. Our main coach was not keen at all, but in the end he relented, and G took the number 1 shirt, and he has done a fantastic job. He is a little smaller than average for the age, so size might be an issue, however he is a fantastic shot-stopper (indeed, we won our last tournament because of his saves in the penalty shootout), he has a big kick*** and he, obviously, is also a footballer, so is another player at the back when we have to work it round the back up the opposite wing.
So, we lost him from the outfield team, but managed to sign up three new players, all of which have some skill and potential, and have fitted in to the team well.
Otherwise, it will hopefully be a fairly relaxing weekend, with some football and some dancing on the TV.
I hope you are well, and have a great weekend. Speak next week.
============================
* To be frank, she was not right, but felt she had to go in coz she had the Auditors in for the rest of the week
** Certainly how we will be describing it on his CV
*** Another change this year is that the opposition no longer need to retreat to the half-way line for goal kicks. This has made the goal kick a real danger, with the attacking team able to gain a big advantage if the keeper has a small kick or is indecisive
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