Final week

Six weeks have flown by in a whirl of new people, places, numbers, processes and clothes. I'm not totally sure I'd really looked this far into the future when I started (even seeing the end of the first week was a struggle), so everything's seeming like it's all becoming very real all of a sudden. I suppose this is the reality of consulting; we'll deliver the multi-million pound business model to the client at the end of next week (Thursday morning, to be precise) and then I'll be onto something else, another client, another site, another project.

Provided our proposal's taken up, the development elves will take our place, filling the client's offices with computers, wires and gadgetry whilst they build the shiny new commerce platform we've been sketching out in Visio. While all this happens, I'll be somewhere else dreaming up big dreams for another client.

I know this sounds like a dead cert for Pseud's Corner, but the thought struck me whilst walking along the river yesterday and the sunset was colouring a damp Embankment that sort of nicotine yellow and Ryan Adams' new album was playing (specifically 'Two') and for a few minutes everything seemed silent and calm - in these sort of moments things seem to fall into sharp relief, and I noticed the somewhat nebulous quality of my role. Still, pays the bills and keeps me out of trouble I suppose. And I do enjoy it, very much.

So, the reason I was wandering thataways was that I was en route to meet my old boss in a bar in the Oxo Tower, who spectacularly failed to turn up (not that I was that surprised as he'd been somewhat cryptic about whether he would or not). Not to worry, enjoyed the sunset overlooking the Thames with a couple of Peronis and chuckled at the typically splenetic Evening Standard until the Kiwi arrived. Dinner at a so-so pizza place on Gabriel's Wharf, quick look round the newly refurbed Royal Festival Hall (considering membership, decided to probably not), then a final pint in a horrid pub on Villiers St as the lovely Gordon's was rammed and then home.

So, today I'm doing a bit of work, nothing strenuous, then off to drop in briefly on a birthday party and tomorrow's lunch in Sarf London with the family who so kindly put me up for the first few months of me living in London. Writing this has also reminded me that I really should be looking around for something else to work on post-next week. I'm not sure how this works but something tells me I'd better find out pretty quickly...

'Normality' returns

From what the Kiwi's told me, New York is a rather splendid place which apparently I'd lurve, must pencil that one in for a sneaky work trip or something. My new masters do have an office there, or so I hear. One can dream....

It's good to have her back. Apart from the empty fridge and full washing baskets, I really was starting to miss her and so on - I'm sure you picked up on that so I'll not go into it all over again. Anyway, weekend was lovely, did a wine tasting for some friends of friends on Saturday which was predictably raucous - these things always descend into anarchy some time around the fourth or fifth wine. I'm available for hire should anyone fancy trying it on themselves.

Week 6 begins with sheer, full-on panic. This project's reaching fever pitch and I'm starting to adopt a sort of pained, hunted expression most of the time and am constantly fretting about having missed out a number or something. A proper assessment of how it's really gone won't be available until it's finished though, so watch this space pop pickers.

In answer to Tingo, the fashion thing went very well thanks - got some hot insider info from a friend on Thursday night so could be reasonably smug on Friday - I think I might be asked to properly present to the whole biz at some point. Am also angling to get onto one of the several clothing-related projects we're working on too.

Right - to work. Bah. I'm slightly hungover from meeting up with an ex-colleague last night in Covent Garden. Which was ace - The Cove Bar is a little haven of normality in the tourist hell that is the piazza.

Quickie

A few quick words before bed (remember, that timestamp isn't accurate for some reason - it's actually 00:45 on Friday morning, have been up chatting on MSN for hours).

SHE'S BACK TOMORROW! And once again all will be well - can't tell you how much I'm looking forwards to seeing her again - I've tried to downplay it a bit for the sake of a less sugary blog read but there you go - sugary warts and all. Ewww. So my beloved will be on a plane right about now, heading for touchdown about the time I wake up tomorrow.

This week has seemed reasonably productive, in the way that a month spent prising a teeny diamond out of solid rock seems productive. It's been mighty intense, tricky and we feel like we're moving forwards in measurements of millimetres, but at least we're moving forwards. Final presentation minus two weeks.

Marigold update: they're now such monsters they're falling over in light breezes. I've had to wedge the pot up with the Kiwi's herb trough. I'm a victim of my own success, I think.

Other stuff - had two significantly ego-puncturing moments recently:

1. Walking down High St Kensington with the Kiwi, woman strides up to her thrusting a leaflet and says "do you need your eyes testing, love?"
2. Bought two pairs of trousers later that day, the only two out of several my size I tried on to fit me. Later noted that both pairs have no fewer than four (four!) trusses and fastenings intended to keep my burgeoning beer baby in check.

My only conclusion: I *am* the rightful heir to Jabba the Hutt's throne. Might as well learn to wash myself with a rag on a stick right now.

All... by... my... seeeeeellf

It's all very well having a wonderful successful and important girlfriend who jollies off to New York, but frankly it does leave me slightly out of sorts. I suppose you'd call it loneliness, but it's more fun to just get grumpy about it. Bah.

But to be honest I am missing her like I really didn't expect. I kind of thought it'd be a time to do lots of stuff and, y'know, generally be dead productive but realistically it's mainly been a lot of sitting around guffawing at the internet and going to work, sort of.

On the work note, it's all going a bit mental again following Friday's lull, and we're painfully aware that we've got less than three weeks til we present the final product,which really means two weeks as we'll need a week of tweaking and final design work to get it shipshape. Personally I'm not really 100% on this; I reckon they're on a hiding to nothing and haven't really got the commitment to really make this a success - an opinion which, whilst unpopular, I've been keen to express. In gentle, non-threatening terms, that is. When one is a retailer one can throw ones weight around and generally be a bit of an ogre; when one is being paid many thousands of pounds for ones opinion, it needs to be put across with some delicacy. Another learning experience there, I reckon...

So, on the floral front, as you can see my masterpieces continue to thrive and we have no fewer than 10 (ten!!) buds on their way to add to the four we've already got. This is ace - although to be honest I'm not sure how such a tiny pot of what's basically mud can support quite so much flowerage. Perhaps this is one of those things one shouldn't question.

It's all going quite well then. The Kiwi's back on Friday morning, so plenty to do between now and then, including setting up a wine tasting for the weekend and working on a presentation about the fashion industry (now sure how I got myself into that one). Oooh, and I bought some shoes last week off the internet, how daring of me. Some tan round-toed semi-brogue type things which were in the sale at ASOS for a mere £19 - they arrived today and ladies and gentlemen I think we have a hit. Which I sort of didn't expect. Amazing. Now to buy some clothes to go with them.

Addendum

Two things I've realised on reading that last post:

1. We will be doing some work in the afternoon. I have no intention of staying in the pub from lunchtime, it just sounded like that. Gone are the days when you could actually do that sort of thing.

2. For some reason my Last.FM widget isn't working. I've been listening to tons of stuff lately no matter what that thing on the right says; if you're interested, my profile is here.

First milestone

Ok, quick work update. Mid-project presentation this morning with about a million people from the client and no shortage of people from our place, including the CEO and assorted senior chaps. This is basically the point in the seven week process where we say where we've got to, describe the approach we're taking and open it all to debate.

Now this might sound all huggy and friendly, but realistically this is crunch time. We are presenting everything from the commercial model to the processes and people involved in operating what we're implementing. We're talking about a business which will need to turn over hundreds of millions of pounds in a few years' time. It's worth a fair bit to my company so if this meeting goes well, we're half way there.

It went well. The client engaged with us enough to show they were listening and taking us seriously, we got plenty of interaction and some very positive comments, and to top it off, the main sponsor of the project made it abundantly clear at the end that he was very happy with what he'd seen.

Marvellous. Much thanks from internal people (including the CEO, who's ace, btw) and the sheer relief of a job well done. This far, at least. We do have three weeks to go and a whole lot of work to be done and difficult questions to be answered in that time. Nonetheless I'm happy with the result of my first presentation - by my reckoning, I and the project manager did very well indeed.

So a moment's relaxation is called for. Tomorrow will be a bit of regrouping, one or two catch up meetings, lunch from Borough Market (I'm heading for the cassoulet myself), perhaps a pint or two in the Market Porter and then home for a quiet one with the Kiwi before she jollies off to New York for a week to do massively important stuff with really important people. Dead proud of her I am: my girlfriend's going to New York on a business trip. That's how important she is.

And the rest of the marigolds are flowering.

Coming out

So having recently left the entertainment business, I recently bought the first two CDs I've bought in around two years. An odd experience, and to be honest one which compounded my lack of faith in digital music as a mass format. I use iTunes and WMP as my media players, and have a Creative Zen as a portable player. At some point in the future I might consider going back to an iPod, so I need my music library as MP3s. Which means buying CDs, unless I'm after something that happens to be available as such, which is relatively unlikely. I don't steal music, so CDs are my only option.

Anyway, I'm skirting the point. The confessional nature of this post is brought on by the realisation that something I've always suspected about myself needs to come out. I need to come out of the closet as a bit of a country music fan. One of the CDs which arrived last night was an earlier album from the lovely Neko Case, whose 'Fox Confessor Brings The Flood' is one of my all time faves. That particular album is, as they say, 'a little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll', but this one, 'The Virginian' is proper a-wailin' and a-toe-kickin' Dolly Parton / Carlene Carter COUNTRY music. And I rather like it.

Well that was a surprise. I might go out and buy a rhinestone jacket or something, not really sure where this leaves me.

FYI - the other CD was Jenny Wilson's 'Love and Youth', which I've not really listened to yet, but bought on the strength of 'Let My Shoes Lead Me Forward', off the latest Modular 'Leave Them All Behind' mix. And also, can't help but mention this, I'm not that far from the entertainment industry that I can't get into the premiere of the new Fantastic Four film last night, and the aftershow to boot. Celeb-tastic... although it has brought me a bit more into the size zero debate as Oh My God they're all practically emaciated and frankly that's not attractive. I'm talking to you Jessica Alba: eat more pies.

... and now to work. It's actually 0704; the clock on this blog seems to be out. More later...

More gardening, dinner out, weekend

It's slowly opening... and developing a lovely deep blood red colouring alongside the yellow. There are about 7 more buds coming up too - although I'm a tad concerned for the health of my marigold as it seems to start looking a bit despondent if I miss watering it for as little as 24 hours. In the background you can see a bit more of the Kiwi's herbs, which are starting to look visibly cowed by my amazing gardening efforts.

On to other things. For one reason or another we've not been going out as much of late, and the other day decided that as we couldn't actually remember the last time we went out for dinner we should do so. A dinner party last night was cancelled and so at amazingly short notice I managed to get us a table at the recently opened and Michelin-starred Arbutus on Frith St. It was sort of a 'hooray for new job' thing.

Oh. My. God. Best meal out ever? Possibly. We couldn't fault this place, from the relaxed but supremely professional staff to the really really clever habit of offering more or less everything on their judciously chosen wine list by the 250ml carafe... and of course the stellar and *shock* reasonably priced food.

I'm going to make you both hungry and jealous now. I kicked off with a squid and mackerel 'burger' with a delicately dressed light salad - whopping chunks of meaty mackerel surrounded by perfectly cooked (ie still tender) squid pieces. The Kiwi opted for the Dorset crab salad, fresh as a daisy and with a nice dollop of garlic mayonnaise to set it off.

Next up, Elwy valley lamb for me, sweet and melting, and accompanied by its sweetbreads and a couple of baby artichokes. On the other side of the table was a hefty slab of sea bass which by all accounts was about as good as it gets.

Wine-wise, an Albarino (Spain) sorted out the seafood starters, a Kiwi Pinot and a 1er Cru Santenay worked wonders with the main event; chosen as much for their affinity with the dishes as for a good old fashioned NZ vs France Pinot-off. Personally I reckon it was a draw. The Kiwi felt otherwise, but there you go.

Desserts (Cashel Blue and Mothais cheeses for me, chocolate soup - more of a warm mousse really - and caramelised milk ice-cream for her), liqueurs and coffees followed. And the bill.

Now, let's see. London (Soho, specifically). Michelin star. Hard to get into. Rave reviews all over the place, excellent wine list, top-notch ingredients. By any normal standards you'd be starting at £100 a head, and with our lording it up a bit, surfing the top end of the wine list and sneakily finishing with a 15yo Armagnac, you'd be pushing £150 each. It turned out about half that, and you really could've got away with £50 apiece without too much trouble. Amazing.

So there you go. A little luxury that turned out not to be all that expensive, which has to be about one of the best things in the entire world. To be honest, it was worth the full price just to see the look on my girlfriend's face on the first mouthful of that dessert...

And so to the weekend; currently contemplating breakfast to the sounds of the brilliant Scott Matthews, will be heading to the shops later on to continue my never-ending hunt for trousers. Work? Let's not go there, it's the weekend. All good though - big week next week.

It's happening!

Now, I wasn't going to do this until it'd fully opened, but I'm just a bit too excited about it - my first marigold is opening! I'll post a few more pics once it's properly open, and probably take them on a better camera, but here you go.

I know it's not the most manly thing in the world to get all excited about a little flower that you've grown from seed but trust me, this has taken bloody ages and plenty of TLC from yours truly over the past months (months!) so it's a bit of a momentous occasion. I wanted to prove to myself that I could grow stuff, as throughout my whole life I've shied away from it having once killed a couple of house plants in my youth. How growed up do I feel now? Tremendous. What you can't see next to my lovely flower is the Kiwi's pot - full of rocket and chives, which are both lovely but are now frankly overshadowed by my majestic Marigold, which I'm sure will be the envy of the neighbourhood before too long.

Head : Boom

So, half way through Week 3 (I'm as old as my first project and am tending to have an all-too obvious measuring point as a result), I'm feeling strangely calm. The project manager on this one is less so, but she's got nothing to worry about, I'm sure. At least, I keep telling her (and myself) that...

It's been a while since my last post - longer than I'd hoped - mainly as by the time I get home I'm KNACKERED and can't look my laptop in the eye without feeling guilty about how much there is left to do before we present at the end of Week 7. Doing this much thinking has been a bit of a shock to me - it feels like I've gone from mentally running a 5k once a week to attempting a full marathon every day in full view of the olympic council. Although were that the case I'd still find time to ask what that godforsaken logo is all about.

I'm still enjoying it though. Tomorrow morning we have a bit of an update with our MD who's sponsoring this project internally, so things may be different after that, but I'm quietly confident things will be ok. Thinking about it, you could say that the honeymoon period is wearing off, and I'm starting to become aware that what we're doing here is really quite serious so I'd better like, do some, like, 'work' and all.

Anyway, more on this later in the week, with any luck. The Kiwi has wonderfully made dinner and I'm being very rude still typing whilst it's ready and on the table. So I'm told.