Thoughts on Christmas

Hello hello,

This is my third and final (planned) post for the evening, and is probably going to be the most confusing / confused. When I sat down earlier on to think about what was on my mind, this consumed most of my thoughts. This christmas was realy, really interesting. So...here gooes...

Week 1

Arriving home
I loved getting home - it was great. It felt really good to be back and see the family. I hadnt been home in 6 months, and it was genuinely good to be there. Not much had changed, save for the fact that G had done a load of home brew (top trumps!), but it was really good. I got a chance to see most of my good friends (KA, KF, CMC, the Boys, JM) and it was good to catch up. Hard to believe that there is only a 2 week window in the whole year that makes that possible.

X-Mas eve: The Landsdown
Some things DEFINATELY never change. Sure the landsdown is like a meat market on x-mas eve, the music is awful, actually having a conversation becomes difficult by 930 and everyone is rat arsed by 10pm, but, you know, that is the spirt of x-mas. sort of.

I think there are two things I love about the landsdown.

1. 30 Seconds: those 30 second snapshots you get of people you havent seen in years. It is like they view it as a window of opportunity to update you on their life. At least three people i spoke to started these with "I'm engaged". Honestly, I felt like saying "i was not chatting you up anyway". But, i chickened out. I mean, why the update on your sex life? Seriously, I am WAY more interested in what you have been doing in the intervening years and yet still end up at the same watering hole on X-mas eve. Also, those 30 second updates, its like speed dating with out the end game. All i can say is "thank christ i was not looking for a date".

2. The boys - : For one night a year we basically revert to what life was like 8 years ago. It is like a time machine. All the boys there have a good time, but it is literally like things just dont change. I even though BG looked younger (good lad - maybet that is what Manchester is doing to you). It just feels like a normal uncivilised start to a night out we used to have when we were 18. No better place for it.

X-Mas night
I am not really in a position to talk about this one seeing as my memory ends at approximately 12am, but I think a good time was had by all. The following things definately happened:

1. MR exceeded himself in making the most potent cocktail i have ever had. VA VA VOM
2. Alot of gambling took place on FIFA
3. The most obscene things were written on my white board, which my Parents, Granny and Uncle all saw the next morning.
4. Alot of Kings was played. I think we need to come up with a new, less devestating game.
5. Hugging - every photo i am in involves me hugging people. Apparently i was sharing alot of guy love.

Boxing Night
See above - i had the worst hang over of all time and did not make it out. I was in bed by 11 and slept for 14 hours.


Week 2

Drinks with an old friend over the whole week
I had the fortune of catching up with someone I had not seen in years - it was great. A little bit unusual for me, though I am a social person and I had a few interesting thoughts before hand (what if they dont recognise me). Needless to say that was not a problem - facebook has removed all anonmnity from my life. Turns out that 8 years is not as long as it seems :). A bit of a highlight.

Extended Family
Turns out that one of my family members is into (non erotic) pole dancing. I did not know this. Boy was that an interesting one to find out over xmas. As i mentioned, i have a 2 week window each year to cram in seeing my extended family and those i did manage to see, I had a great time with. That said, their 'young' children get tall very quickly. I had a really good curry and seeing my extended family always reminds me how important they are. Thanks R&P!

New Year
Probably the quietest new year that i have had, and I was certainly more sober this year that last (last year i brought in 2009 in shine). So when 2010 arrived i was able to be quite reflective and think about what was coming up. No new years resolutions mind you. I was more thinking about my flight the next day. It was pretty cool though - had a good, if tame, night.



Conclusions

2 very different at x-mas weeks, the first about drinking and reliving the old days, the second about thinking what 2010 will be like. Could not have asked for more, but it was very interesting, looking back, how both of the weeks at home affected me.

The first was letting my hair down, the second very much looking up and forward to the year. I really needed it after such a busy time in work.

The moral of the story? I think it is that going home makes me apprecitate what I have in London, and living in London makes me appreciate the best things about going home.

Rock on X-mas 2010.

DD

Work Life Balance and Thoughts on the future.

Hello all,

This blog entry has been slightly delayed for two reasons. The first because I was back home for the weekend (stressful!) and the second because I wanted to be able to give some proper thought to this. Anyhow, this post focus's around the work life balance and the idea of a career.

Okay, so what is "work life balance". When someone asked me what sort of work life balance I had, i thought it was a round about way of asking was I on drugs. And thats the truth. I was new to London, and it struck me as maybe being like one of those weird sayings people say, just like "are you friends with Dorothy?"* Anyhow, as we all know, work life balance relates to how we balance our working and social life. This got me thinking...

First of all, I didnt know I had a work life balance. Sure I go out at the weekends and what ever, but I didnt know that this was called a WLB. Then I realised why. Most of the time, when I think of things, I think of actions, not "long term consequences". You may be able to see where this is going. For example, my social life and playing football to me were just individual activities, but ultimately they are part of a delicate balance. But Hang on! This does not seem natural. Think of the following few examples:

1. Binge Drinking: Is it actually possible to just go for a drink? Have two pints and it is a binge drink.

2. Learning something: Is it still possible to just learn something because I like to, or do we have to identify a development need?

3. Change your attitude: Do I change my attitude or do I now change my approach in order to meet my long term objectives.

Anyhow, I may be labouring a point, but essentially when I go for a drink, read a book or changing my attitude about something, I always felt these were isolated actions. But now they form part of my work life balance. Interestingly, I now minute plan my social life in outlook. I put social events, including football training in my outlook.

I find myself more effective at having fun if I plan and structure it. But does this in someway make it less fun? Or is this planning just part of the bigger picture that is necessary for me to adapt to? Like say....a Career?

This leads me on to the second part of this post. This is the first job I took as a career. Every other job has been taken out of necessity, interest or experience. However, my place on the Grad Programme is one that I took for the future and potential. This in itself is quite an alien concept to me.

My previous career planning was listening to a philosophy lecturer telling me that all the greatest philosophers were either tortured to death or committed suicide. Tough Break. But the point was I had no plan...

I had no plan and ended up here. But is that such a bad thing? I mean, I'm pretty happy with where I got to, I have had a blast at Uni and had a great time so far. So when certain important leaders in our institution and peoples whose opinion I value start telling me to get a plan for the future, the fact that my lack of planning so far has got me where I am happy to be makes me think - Do I really need a plan?

This then brings me full circle to my work life balance. I am more effective when I plan my fun side of my life, so if i plan my work side, will I be more effective at that too?

So thats my thoughts on the difficulty of carreer choice and balancing my working life. Of course, I couldnt end without a final remark.

Those greeat philosophers certainly didnt plan to be tortured, but they did plan to commit suicide. The phrase a rock and a hard place when it comes to plans springs to mind. Or as a certain actor once said " a plan is just a list of things that dont happen".

Good luck with your work life balance!

kindest,

D

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* I usuually reply, "no, she is my ex girlfriend". Lord knows what they infer from this.