I've got 10 minutes

Ok, maybe not 10 minutes, but I've got a moment to catch my breath. Last week was the busiest, yet most satisfying, week of my professional career. I did a lot of running to and from the client's office, setting up "The Team" and all the other administrative stuff associated with starting a contract. We've got a lot of stuff left to do, and unfortunately the client has been too busy trying to accomplish their primary jobs to make our work any easier, but things are coming along. I know that usually these things happen much more slowly, but the client is really under the gun and although we've been keeping up with our requirements, there's been too much "hurry up and wait" for my taste. I feel bad for those on my staff that have been kicking themselves in the butt to get things accomplished and only to have the client be too busy to notice.

I've had "fun" doing managing of people and of the product, and I haven't made any huge blunders. It's weird to not be "one of the guys," but the perspective is much different than I thought it would be. I have been surprised by the amount of personnel management that I have been required to participate in, but it has been nice for people to take my opinion seriously. I've prided myself on being a pretty good judge in character and this is the first time where I will truly have to live with the results of my judgment.

The biggest drawback with this whole thing has been the fact that I've been coming home much later in the evening than is normal. The two hours that I normally have between when I get home and the kids go up to bed are usually the best part of my day. They make everything else worth it.

We won! Now what?

We actually won the contract I wrote about last week. Therefore, time for posting will be extremely limited, especially between now and September. I've already started "managing" and working the details of supporting this new client and only now have 30 seconds to post this because I am ignoring the 23 unread e-mail messages in my inbox and a couple voice mails on my phone.

It's my daughter's first birthday today. I love you angel. I wish I was there to celebrate with you. I cannot imagine my life without your smile.

No subject has come to mind

I'm sitting here at work reading through some reports and listening on-line to the Tribe game. It seems that every game that I've had the time/luck to listen to or watch this year, the Tribe gets pounded. I mean, the Indians haven't won that many games this year I know, but a surefire way to guarantee that the Tribe will get pummelled is for me to somehow watch or listen to the game. 9-zip. Give me a freaking break.

With the possibility of getting this new contract, I would be getting my first taste of managing. I've been wanting to get this opportunity for a while now, not just because I have a strong distaste for my current client, but because I feel that I am ready for some kind of managing role. I am a little nervous about it however. I mean, I've had some bad bosses in my relatively brief professional career, but I've also had some very good ones. One of the previous clients I worked for was an incredible manager. He knew just what to say and do to get the best out his people. His faith that they would do the right things, the majority of the time, coupled with his ability to redirect them when needed, all while continuing to maintain their faith in him and themselves, was inspiring. I found myself trying to pay special attention to how he handled himself as his transfer date approached because I wanted to copy his style as much as I could.

So anyway, I've found myself nearly simultaneously hoping that we win the contract and dreading the possibility that we will. The work will be very hard and stressful for about six months or so, and I don't really know the people I will be working with very well. The company has made it clear that this whole effort is very important (high visibility and the client has significant connections throughout this town) so that will add to the stress factor for me personally. The up side is that if I do a fair job, and the team works successfully, I know that it will be recognized. What would come next, who knows. Let's first find out if we get the contract...

Potent Quotables

"Whether documents on the periphery of relevance would be immediately
disclosable to the public (as distinct from parties who have given undertakings), or whether would remain subject to undertakings until they are introduced as evidence, is a separate debate."

A search of google for the "periphery of relevance" returns a number of documents, but the above quote is one of two (on the first page) that actually uses this phrase. This, I believe, would be considered a poorly written sentence but is about as understandable as some of my writing. Somehow, it all makes sense.

I haven't been posting because of a proposal I've been writing at work. This is the same proposal mentioned in a previous post. Long, not very interesting, story associated with it, but I should find out by Friday whether or not I will be supporting a new client. In the meantime, I will still have little time to post. Thanks for your patience (don't you just love how I write like I've got hundreds of daily readers?) and I will post more when I've got time.

Oh, and yes, I've found a place to go for brunch on Sunday. Actually, to be accurate, my wife found it. I know it's kind of slacky on my part for not finding it myself, but, I've made up for it because for Mothers' Day she's getting an IPod. I figure it is the very least I can do... Actually, the IPod is for everything else she does everyday. I should find something else to thank her for the restaurant find. Perhaps something chocolate will do....