Sprung

I'm not sure I'm suited to writing blogs.

I've spent a little time trying to get this one going, but it seems like there is never anything important to say, and when there is, I'm far too busy to write a blog entry about it.

However, there is something good to say at the start of this new year. Last December I 'retired' from my old job -- after 31 years working for them.  I was 55, so entitled to retire, and collect my pension.

However, this wasn't an easy decision -- financially, of course, but also emotionally and logistically. I wasn't considering retirement in my list of potential life changes at all until October last year.

I notice that in this very blog (a post about a year ago) I lament the loss of a colleague -- who went to work for another company. Well, it turns out this other company was interested in my joining them, too. My friend (we have kept in touch) mentioned this to me last September, and I thought about it for a month or two.

Finally, I decided to jump. I managed to retire and start work for the new place in December 2008.

The last three weeks of 2008 have been interesting, to say the least. I'm enjoying it immensely, though it is a little scary, too. Everything is different: the people, the equipment, the development systems, the coffee... and they are all brilliant.  I've had to be the 'new boy' again, and it is tremendously refreshing. For a very long time, I now realise, I wasn't enjoying my work -- nor giving my old company my best shot. These days I get up with a spring in my step -- I'm eager to learn and develop -- I want to do well. I didn't know I'd lost that spark.

Do I miss my old mates? Yes, immensely. Are there any regrets? Some. On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressful a transition was it? About 6. Nowhere near as stressful as, say, moving house was (three years ago), but it feels like good stress.

So now I'm in the new place, the coffee is free, the people are bright, the work is challenging (very, at the moment) and the future slightly less certain than before; it is probably the best single career decision I have made in twenty years.

As I begin to fit in, and learn how to make a positive contribution (rather than now -- where I'm slowing people down with silly questions more than helping, just at the moment) I'll try to remember to return here and let you know about it.

[I've decided not to mention names -- not because there is any reason to hide them, but simply because it is not relevant. However, the title of this entry gives a clue.]

Jamie the Kitten

Born on 28 April, and brought home two days ago, Jamie already promises to be a handful! His name was, for a moment there, likely to be Bandit (because of the black mask and cape over his fundamentally white fur), but James was considered more dignified -- and there is something of the air of a butler about his appearance.


Not so his behaviour. Though terrified of our labrador bitch (Seal), he shows no sign of running away -- standing firm all spit and hiss (and twice his normal size). We are gradually getting them used to each other. It is clear that Seal will eventually come out worse in the arrangements, and we know who the king of the household is destined to be.

He demands (and gets) non-stop play and food from all his loyal subjects already!
Presently his dominion extends from the kitchen into the (warmer) dining room, with Seal carefully shunted sideways when he roams. This will have to do for the moment, though in a few days they will be allowed to mix (supervised). More news then.




He is already hitting the bottle.

[I forgot just how much hard work a baby animal can be :)]

BSL new venture for me

Just started learning BSL -- British Sign Language: had my first lesson last Thursday.

It is fascinating how regional it is: the sign for my home village is surely not known more than a few miles from here :)

I've learned to finger-spell, but very slowly. I've learned that my surname has a short form -- many of these rely upon similar sounding words which signs are then used as a proper name -- mouthing the real words as you go helps to disambiguate.

The lesson was very well run, by a totally deaf teacher. She asked us to practice conversing (simple things like -- where do you live, and how did you get here today?) by moving 'round the room. It was a moment of revelation to me that I didn't have to get near someone -- I stood up on my chair and signed to someone on the other side of the classroom. It was very liberating!

[I know, others thought I was weird, too -- but I did it because I could!]

I signed up (pun?) for this course because recently I met a colleague who is deaf, and who signs well. I was at a loss, and resented the feeling of impotence the lack of communication gave me. He helped me to learn a few words and signs, but I thought a proper course would be better. So here we go... My ability with non-native spoken/written languages is abysmal, so it remains to be seen how well I do with this.

The ability to hold a conversation across a crowded, noisy room is a plus, though.