The end is nigh
Not that I expect it to be all doom and gloom. Unless it rains.
It has been a looooong time since I posted – sorry and all that. I have been through a fair bit over the past couple of weeks that has, to say the least, been distracting.
Things have changed a bit at work. Actually, that is a bit of an understatement. Things have changed fundamentally at work, and although the change is definitely for the better, it could have easily been for the worse.
Basically I was faced with redundancy. 3 weeks ago now I was pulled into a meeting and told that one of the helpdesk manager roles was becomming redundant, and myself and my co-manager were in competition for the sole management role that would come out of the “consultation”. I thought ‘Arse’, because I had to admit that my colleague was the better manager. I am a techie who has found himself managing a team by default (not to say I didn’t work for it at the time, it is just that the competition was lacking). My colleague is a manager running a technical team, and the company was really looking for a manager. She was the better fit, and I was faced with an uncertain future.
Over the past couple of weeks though many people have pulled out the stops and worked behind the scenes to find me a continuing role within the company, something that I will be forever grateful for. Again, I had to work for it – this was no sinecure, I had to be a good fit for the job and prove myself competent and compatible. This week I have started my new role as a QA technician within the development team. The money is much the same (let’s be honest, these things are rather important), but most importantly it is a foot in the door in a technical role that I have wanted for a long time. It is going to be a challenge – there is much that I need to learn, and quickly. There is no doubt though that there is lots to get my teeth into, and a future with endless possibilities if I am up to the task. I have to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped make this happen for me.
So anyway, back to the important stuff now that I have got that distraction out of the way. Tomorrow I stand on the plinth.
Aaaaarrrrggggghhhh!!!!
What am I going to do? Well, I have been continuously returning to the idea of “The Helpdesk”, and since I am now suddenly no longer in a helpdesk position professionally for the first time in almost 15 years, it seems fitting that I should have my swansong on the plinth. I have got the gear together – a chair, a couple of signs (”Trafalgar Square Helpdesk” and a mobile number), a netbook, a phone with a temporary number and I am now prepared to take calls and answer questions. Any questions. Literally anything at all.
This is going to be interesting.
This may turn out to be a bit of a joke in every sense, but also it may turn out to be an interesting and fulfilling experience. I have workmates coming to visit me, and a lot of people know the phone number in advance, so even if I don’t get general calls (which I somehow doubt) I will certainly end up chatting to someone during the hour.
The only spanner in the works is that rain is forecast for the session, which might put a dampener on proceedings in every sense. Fingers crossed it will be clear though, and even if it does rain, I will still be ready to talk.
I always say to people “have fun”. That is what I totally want for myself tomorrow.