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It's a good thing I'm not a betting person because I would have lost - and so would a number of other people based on some conversations I've had today. Well, now it's my job to make them look good :D

The new template went down well and I even got a 'Well done!', even though mostly what I did was rebadge what we already had :D Still, I thought about what to keep and what to ditch; I didn't JUST throw it together. As one of the PMs said, 'Take the credit'! The thing is, I don't do false modesty - if I feel I've worked hard and done a good job with something, I will most definitely take the praise. This just felt a bit OTT for the amount of work I'd actually put into it. Having said that, I did create the documents this one was based on... So, yeah, well done me!

Not sure if the Lessons Learned form is going to work... The project has to be put in manually rather than being a look up like the other forms are. There's a reason for that - but it gives the users an inconsistent experience. The important thing is for people to actually start using it, though.

And one of the PMs reiterated their position on the higher-level planning that's being done and how it doesn't take account of anything that happens before requirements gathering. But I've managed to get a slot in the Leadership Team meeting, so I'll stress the importance of the Mobilisation stage and how it needs to be given time to be done.

That's enough for tonight. I'm still not 100% and I'm already late to bed :(
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Really quite worried about one of my colleagues. But their need to get out for a walk and a chat provided a positive distraction for another colleague who has shit going on... so, ill winds and silver linings, I suppose.

EPC tried taking the other PMs through the work we've done so far on Power Apps/Project. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to start the story in the middle, then use words like 'obviously' and 'we wanted', without bringing people on the journey. So, there was push-back from one of the other PMs who really gets rubbed the wrong way by EPC's style. Oh, personality clashes, what wonders you are! Second PM thought EPC had got fixated on the tool rather than the problem we want to solve - which is understanding resource clashes. However, the best way to understand the resource clashes is to put all the data into the tool! But that particular insight didn't spring to mind at the right moment. Hindsight is also a wonderful thing :D

Anyway, the tool is whizzy and it does provide a solution to a number of issues. It's much easier to update than the current version of Project, so that's a plus for the PMs. We can also build a report for the PMs to use for their fortnightly updates that draws most of its info from the tool, so all they need to provide is some narrative - which also reduces their workload. (Note to self - make sure we give PMs the FINAL version...). And we can also build a report for me to use for the portfolio dashboard that goes on the website. It can also handle project requests, so will replace the current MSForm - though I'm not sure about how people will access it. And it can replace my current SharePoint list that is my 'Bible' for projects. On top of which, we can see where the resources are being squeezed.

Of course, the tool is only as good as the data that goes into it, so it will require REGULAR updates from the PMs. Which may be a challenge... But that's my job! AND we also need to agree the process and the new gates, which is the other thing the PMs are really keen on. Again, EPC's approach suggested cart before horse, which really isn't the case, but the PMs need to feel they've been included, just like any other stakeholders. Considering we're all in the business of change management, you'd think none of us knew anything about it *facepalm*

But it does feel like we've made more progress in a week than I've made in years. Partly that's the energy of EPC. Partly it's the placement student in the Power BI team who needs some 'real' work to do. And partly it's that Microsoft's toolset is all coming together. Timing is everything.

In IFR, I retrieved Daedalus' treasure with help from Phosphor <3 Popped back to the Hall of the Gods for a chat, then headed off to Zeus' mountain. Where I'm a bit stuck. There are cold spots that sap my stamina. Aphrodite said something about her fires warming me up but I've only found one cold spot that had any braziers to light. The others are just cold. I'll have another go tomorrow. Sometimes the answer is right there... I'm also not averse to watching a LP for the ending and just moving on :D

Tooth had a couple of grumbly moments today, but mostly it's been OK. So I'm thankful for that!
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 So, my favourite colleague doesn't have a post in the new structure. This is... unbelievably stupid and short-sighted and... leaves me without my 'I have shit I need to talk about right NOW!' person. We are so much more than colleagues without ever making it to fully-fledged friends (eg, socialising outside work). And I'm going to miss him. There is a chance that he'll still be around as he's applied for a PhD. Fingers crossed.

And another colleague that I really like/care about/get along with was passed over for a promotion in the same restructure. Which again is stupid and all the rest of it. There is someone behind all of this and this is not the first time people I care about have come off the worst from their plans. It makes me Unhappy.

Last weekend, the husband and I took the grandson on a Day Out. We included a ferry ride, a bus ride, and a train ride, so we made the most of our Saveaways! However, it was Very Hot and husband was a bit grumpy. The upside to this is that I become Very Cheerful to counteract it! The grandson seemed to be really happy just to be out with us. He especially enjoyed the ferry. Now that he's 12, we're thinking that the opportunities to have days like that are increasingly limited, so it was good from that perspective.

The 'highlight' of the day was the café we found when we got off the ferry. It was a cutesy, olde-worlde, type place and was literally the only thing for miles (which I didn't realise until we got outside but I don't know Birkenhead very well so didn't want to risk it). We were really looking for fish and chips - both husband and grandson had got that in their heads. This place did tea and cake and sandwiches. Then there was the queue, which was very slow. Then I finally gave my order. The chap at the counter had an actual notepad to write it on! But he'd lost his pen... I ended up giving him a spare one from my bag! Then he added up the total on a calculator before ringing it up on the till. I was at least able to pay by contactless - wow! modern technology! THEN he took the order into the kitchen and told me that there would be a delay - was that OK? What? When I've got three hungry people and I've already paid and I don't know if there's anywhere else to eat around here? The food, when it arrived, was very nice, just not what we wanted :D

I've also been very good with working on the novel. Typos and syntax are sorted, I think, and I've made tweaks to a couple of things that struck me as odd when I read through. Next step is to go through my comments (oh, MSWord Review function, how I love thee!) and tidy all of that up, then go through the dialogue. Then send out again. I'm thinking of recruiting all available Beta readers, this time. I was reviewing the feedback I had from when I originally wrote it and there was lots of Helpful Stuff.

Had a chat with the Rector about my potential LML role and we've come up with something really interesting. A kind of throwback to where St Bride's relaunch was originally going with a short intro and discussion. We've just got too big to do that successfully on a Sunday morning now (which is great - lots of people keeps us open!), but we're thinking that a mid-week thing based in town would probably keep to small numbers. Or it might also grow, at which point we could split into two.

And had a meeting with my fellow safeguarding officer that turned into a bit of a pastoral conversation. I'm not very good at hospital visiting type pastoral work - I'm terrible at small talk and fairly clueless about how to get into 'deep and meaningful' conversations with strangers. But I can listen to and support 'my' people. Leading the Pastoral Care Team is definitely part of my vocation.

Oh, and having a couple of days off work has done wonders for my progress with Setsuna. Although I have (finally!) hit a boss who is giving me some trouble. I've had a bit of a play around with my Spritnites (magic) and I'm also thinking it might be a good idea to temper my weapons. I've also levelled up a tiny bit. I haven't done any grinding in this game - the monsters have all been pretty manageable, if occasionally challenging. I think I'm nearing the end. And I have a favourite party! I don't usually stick to one party in video games but Endir and Aeterna have a great attack move and Endir and Setsuna have a great healing move. The Combo feature is one of the interesting things about the game.  

OK, that's enough for now. Toodles, DW!

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