Play Your Cards Right

My Dear Fellows & Dear Princess,

I had to host a couple of meetings today. This is because things are starting to pick up at work. After months of working solely with Smock, we are about to start development.

This means I'll be working with a team of programmers and testers which is good. Not that I dislike Smock, but I prefer a team larger than two people. The downside is that the programmers are based in Pune, so it's all via phone-conference, and I'll have to stay later at work because they don't get into their office until about 4pm NZ time.

But you know. Swings and roundabouts. I'll just leave the house later when I head off to work in the morning. I'm flexible like that. 

The other thing that has happened is that what we are doing looks so flash and cool and amazing that other teams are coming sniffing around wondering if THEY can have one of the same for their data too. So today I got to do my Bruce Forsyth impression again, talking them through the new system. 

I love pretending I'm a game-show host and that stakeholders are my contestants. I get to mock and patronise them and they just love it. I roll my eyes dramatically when I describe how WELL the current system works. Then I add how lovely and flash and beautiful the new system will be while adding, "It's not cheap mind. Just me standing here telling you about it is costing you fifty knicker for ten minutes."

I think it works even better here than in Scotland. They seem to think I am charming and eccentric and English. I wonder how far I can push it? I'll have to think on...

Today's extra is another picture of the Australian magpie. They were hopping around and caw-ing in exactly the same place as yesterday. Today I managed to get a little closer because I'd just bought bread at the supermarket. I threw them a couple of pieces and they came bounding over. It's a bit annoying I can't do-over yesterday's fuzzyblip, but hey them's the rules.

I actually really like today's magpie picture too. I think that magpie looks very cheeky with his bit of bread. 

S.