a year or so down the track

OK, a new look,and let's try for a new start Last year was a really piss-poor effort at maintaining this blog. Here's hoping a new attitude towards it to go along with the new layout might just keep things moving.
A quick overview of the last year or so . . . . .
In short, last year was pretty crap. Work was on the whole unpleasant at best, otherwise discouraging, disheartening and depressing (no apologies for the alliteration . . . and does that have one t or two? Anybody?) There was one good thig about work - Salesforce. A 6 month secondment that kept me going, reminded me that work can be fun, that working hard doesn't need to equate to exhaustion and depression. Some new friends made there too that a year later are still going strong. But it was only six months.
This year (hey, have I really just done last year in one short paragraph. Can I afford to have a whole year mean so little? No, the second half seems a waste, the Salesforce half-year I may just have to get back to later, that was something rather special. I think maybe I need to focus more on that good part of 2007.)
Try again - this year. Hmmm, this year. If I thought work last year was crap then the last two months must be hell. A new computer system introduced, inadequately and often innacurately trained, under-tested, in many ways ill-conceived, no it has not been fun. It has been frustrating and highy stressful. It has been improved, slightly. We are slowly learning our way around its quirks and shortcomings but I don't think too many people have stopped cursing it yet. There have been far too many tears, too many outbursts, but there have also been new bonds forged, new appreciation of people's abilities. Maybe I will look back at it as an interesting time. It's too recent and too raw for that yet. And it ain't over yet, not by a long shot.
On a more personal level, because this year is NOT going to be dominated by work - are you listening here Simon, that is not an option, there is a life to be lived out there and time is drifting on - the year didn't start too well, an old friend walked (emailed actually) himself out of my life in about six short words. I removed another less important friend from my life, less abruptly. I cannot be fussed with the lying, the bullying, and most of all the illegal dealings that I could no longer pretend were not going on. But life sometimes (often in fact) seems to balance itself out, and there's a new friend seems to have come along. Thats a brand new one. There's another couple taht have been growing over the last few months. Sometimes all you have to do is open your eyes and maybe your heart.
A couple of highlights - The Wedding, of course. And my oldest and dearest friend's 30th Anniversary - yup 30 years, not bad. And the people they dragged out of the woodwork! But how great to sit at table with peole I haven't seen in years, and pick up the conversation like it had only been a week A certain little trip I won to Sydney to spend the day on set with Hugh Jackman (I'm sorry, did you really think I wasn't going to mention that? C'mon!) The movie ball, catching up with the gorgeous Kang and walking round half the night holding hands with her. If anybody noticed it could have ruined my reputation. Christmas with the family, more relaxed than ever before, my neice taking the role of matriarch with more and more confidence, she is taking over my mother's role of fiercely holding the family together, but with a much greater sense of humour about the whole thing. And her son, my great-nephew, growing into a fine and intelligent young man. Sundays at Brighton continue - they have to, John and I haven't sorted the world out yet, even after 36 years.
Hang on, did'nt I say someting before about getting a life back. That almost sounds like I was having one all along and I just didn't notice it. Hmmm