A slight digression from holiday stuff...

I haven't done any touristy stuff for a bit, so this post is really just a quick catch up on a few things...

My new job is going well, and I am relishing the challenges it is posing in terms of deadlines and competing demands from colleagues. The next issue of the magazine is nearly ready, and I am enjoying helping with the flow and clarity of the articles - I think a non-academic perspective might prove quite handy for this publication!

At the same time as I am rushing around trying to get all that done, the publicity campaign for CARR's March conference is gearing up, and I am conscious that if I don't pour effort into planning it well at this stage it is going to be much harder later. These international events only happen every five years, so it is quite a significant project.

However, I have introduced novel concepts such as 'project plans' and 'strategy meetings' to ensure everyone knows what is going on. I thank Nola (my last Manager) for her influence here, as her emphasis on agreed goals and set timeframes has taught me some really effective ways to get my colleagues on board early.

So, after a few weeks' panic where I wondered if my MSSNZ job was the last I would have that actually suited me, and that I might be an idiot for having left it, I now know I have made the right decision.

I've also joined a gym, and am thankful for the balance and endorphins it provides... although 6am mornings are REALLY cold. Fortunately, the smiley feelings last all day and compensate for the fact it is dark by 4pm.

I imagine it is even worse up North, and shall find out this weekend when I visit Lancashire. Travel is very cool, and I look forward to sharing my discoveries with y'all.

Until then...