Setting up systems - the past week at work

Monday

For some reason I couldn't sleep and just lay in bed conscious of the passing hours.  Eventually I must have dozed.  Then at 7am I got up, as tired as when I went to bed.

As soon as I arrived I was in a meeting with graphic designer Joey who had driven up from south London to take a brief, even though I had been prepared to brief him via e-mail.  He seemed painfully eager to please, so perhaps work is short at the moment.  He had news of Kate who I used to work with, also squabbling between Alan and Ian.

I updated my list of things to do, which is immense - although somehow things manage to stay on course.

A lot of the projects I am working on entail setting up systems, which is why they are so time-consuming.

Tuesday

I had allocated the morning to writing a report, although incoming e-mails distracted me.

Joey arrived with a rough design.  It was four pages too short and when I pointed this out he over-reacted in blaming himself and gulping with nervousness.  I'm not sure what made him behave like this as I was not complaining in any way, just pointing out the error.

In the afternoon a meeting with the Institute's Director Vijay Singh.  To my surprise this went well.  Afterwards all the staff (eighteen of us) went to a local hotel to mark Vijay Singh's birthday - we stood awkwardly in the gloomy Victorian bar, the only people in the place.

Wednesday

Most of the day spent on policy development. 

Thursday

The brochure Joey has been working on is now at proof stage.  Former secretary Judith breezed insolently through the offices.  In the afternoon I raised purchase orders.

A big directory project is looming, and I keep putting off the planning stage.

Friday

In the morning I wrote the text of a new brochure.  In the afternoon I wrote an article for a magazine.  A meeting with Finance Manager Marcia Walsh to discuss various reports I want the system to generate.

In the dull period at the end of the working day I researched buying a new car.