Work

Home is a state of mind as well as a place. Perhaps it was only by leaving that I could realise what I had left. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to live and work in London and then Norway, but after 20 months away it is a relief to be back in Manchester.

I shall be very glad when my current project is out the way. I'm still getting to grips with permanent employment, project management and multiple projects competing for attention. As a contractor you usually only have one project at a time to worry about. When that finishes you have a break until the next one comes along.

The Latitude Festival was good, but it took me a couple of days to unwind before I could really enjoy it and do more than wander around dazed.

Welcome back to my lovely new look blog. Work rather took over for a while there. But have just found a flat in Bethnal Green so will no longer be spending my weeknights on the floor (or indeed my weekends in Manchester). For the last couple of months have been working at a bank, and am actually quite enjoying it. Good project. Down to a three days a week now and will hopefully have a couple of interesting projects to work on the other days.

Went to Naples and gave a talk at the Plone conference the other week. How I miss the warm and sunny weather (even if I did spend most of the time catching up on sleep).

After eight years in Manchester it looks like I'm headed to London in September. The first shock is the price of accommodation, at least four times what I'm paying in Manchester, but oh well, lets see what the accountant can offset. I won't actually be working in London -- Oxford again -- but living in London means that I'll be able to sleep in my own bed at night. I never really got along with Oxford so wouldn't consider living there. Besides, I have lots of friends in London (at least half of the people I know have moved there for work). Hopefully it should be okay commuting two or three days a week and working from home for the remainder. I'll be living somewhere near Paddington.

I'm not sure London will ever be 'home' in the way Manchester has been. I shall probably make the move back here at some point.

Perhaps it's just hitting the six month mark of returning from travelling, but I'm starting to get itchy feet again. Not so much to 'travel', just to 'do something'. I've not had enough work on recently to keep me interested. And the reality is that there will never be that great a choice of work in Manchester, and working at home begins to suck after a while. Perhaps the time has come to become employed.

But where to? Before returning home I was convinced relocation to San Francisco was the way forward,
but I'm not sure I can be bothered to subjugate myself to the whole visa rigmarole. That leaves London. Actually the more I consider it the more I think a stint in the City would not be a bad thing. The completely abstract nature of money at that level fascinates me. And working in an office in the city in which you live has got to be an improvement. I might also earn enough to be able to buy a house one day.

And if you would like to offer me a job, drop me a line ;-)