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My banking app has been playing up the last couple of days. Yesterday, it said it needed to be uninstalled and a new version installed. Today, it wouldn't co-operate, so I did the whole uninstall/reinstall again. I'm installing it from the Google Store and it's authenticated, so I'm not concerned about the security. It's just annoying to spend 15 minutes doing something that should take about 2!

I managed to get my arse into gear enough to set off early this morning and renewed husband's prescription on the way in to the office.

Had an online call with a colleague who's had a pretty shit time lately - and discovered it's actually got a lot shitter recently. Between my presence being patchy due to husband and theirs being patchy due to the original shit, I haven't seen much of them for the past year, probably. We've booked a coffee break on Friday, so we can catch up and I can offer appropriate sympathy.

However, the work matter that we were SUPPOSED to be talking about, and did eventually get round to, is something I feel is a really positive move. I do believe it'll make a lot of things make a lot more sense in the long run. They just need to find the positives in it for themselves.

Another colleague I was supposed to be meeting up with tomorrow asked to push it back a week due to work pressures - which actually suits me because this week I feel I'm just chasing my tail! Lots of little meetings to get myself, or other people, up to speed on stuff, with the spaces in between filled with a myriad of little jobs. I've just been dashing from one thing to another. So, getting an hour back tomorrow morning feels like a blessing!

But I do feel I'm getting on top of it all. We now have two alternate versions of the PM Framework - we just need to agree which one we're going to use, lock it down, and bring everything in line. Which may mean unpicking some of the work Tigger has done but I actually don't mind being the one to do that. I do wish they'd kept everything under wraps until we'd dotted all the 'i's and crossed all the 't's, though, because people are naturally frustrated by things changing repeatedly. Using the new functionality isn't the problem - it's not being sure something isn't going to change next week! As Laura Barnard of PMO Strategies likes to say, 'People don't dislike change - they dislike having change done TO them.'. I'm trying to act as a bit of a buffer, but there's only so much I can do.

Still, a Tigger-free week is very welcome.

I did manage to finish a quest (loving your work, Uncle Byron!) and a couple of hunts in FFXVI, which is always a good way to end the day.

Another bitty day beckons tomorrow, but Liverpool are on the telly in the evening, so I'm hoping to get through at least some of the quests on Ash.
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I had a WFH day to ease me back in because husband's bath board was being delivered. It's really easy to put on and take off and I'm even thinking of using it myself as a bath rack >D

Amongst the gazillion work-related emails in my inbox were several from EPC, who I actually think I should rename Tigger because I felt bounced by the emails just as much as them! Luckily, they're off this week, so I get a chance to absorb what was done last week. I've also set up a meeting with our BI experts so they can take me through it all and explain it nice and slowly. And I can then pass the info on to the PMs, again in a way that allows space for questions.

I want to make it clear I love Tigger and their enthusiasm, and the fact that they've done so much with all this functionality in such a short space of time. I'd still be poking vaguely at it, knowing it COULD be really useful but not able to make any sense of it. However, I hope my approach to sharing the outcomes of all that work is slightly easier for colleagues to digest.

My 'writing time' this morning was spent editing the Parish Profile. I want to take the garden analogy and run it through the whole document, which will take a level of thought I don't normally have first thing in the morning. But Thursday dinner time is currently free, so I'm thinking headphones on, thinking cap engaged, let's see what we can do in an hour!

No gaming or telly, tonight. I'm sticking to my resolution to be settling down to sleep around 10pm rather than 11pm, or even 10.30pm. Switching the laptop off earlier will also allow more reading time.

Today's readings have nudged me to reconsider the Resurrection. I believe in a cycle of life and death, constant renewal. And I've been part of a resurrection story myself at my church, which we brought back from the brink of closure 17 years ago. But the physical resurrection of Jesus...? That's always left me scratching my head. Although, as our vicar said on Sunday, living with the mystery of it all is sort of the point! I don't say I believe it didn't happen, I just say I don't believe it did. Talk about hedging your bets! Not to mention splitting hairs... But I'm starting to think I need to explore it all a little more thoroughly. And through other people's writing, not just inside my own head.
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I have one more day in work, and then I'm off for 10 (count 'em, TEN) days! The best part of being a pseudo-Christian country is that we have Good Friday and Easter Monday as bank holidays, meaning I get 6 days' leave for the price of 4. And I am going to just REST.

And get my hair cut.

And do some cleaning jobs.

And do a bit more in the garden.

But mostly REST, which will include playing FFXVI and watching 'Barbie'. And possibly 'Shirley'. And also some trips out with the husband if the weather is agreeable.

Today, I worked on getting the 'RAPID' Log set up in Power Apps/Project/Dynamics - whatever the thing's called! EPC has been hawking it round some of the higher ups who all 'absolutely love it'. I'm not saying my colleague is given to hyperbole but... well, they do sometimes hear what they want to hear :D I do think the CIO would have been all over it, though.

Tomorrow, I have a meeting with one of the PMs to do a review of our new framework. I've decided to meet each of them individually - not quite 'divide and conquer' but there's a tendency for them to get stuck on a single point when they're all together, or to go off on a complete tangent. This way, they all get to say what they want to say and feel heard, and I get to pull all the ideas together into something coherent. Because part of the problem with the current process is it's had too many people poking at it, and I've tried to please everyone, which has resulted in something that's very detailed without accurately reflecting what we do! This time, we're starting off high-level and trying not to be prescriptive. I also want the PMs to know that whilst it's not QUITE a blank sheet of paper, I am open to making changes.

I'm definitely feeling the cumulative effect of getting to bed earlier. Just an extra half-hour is making a big difference. I expect it will wander again whilst I'm on leave, but at least I know I CAN get to bed at a reasonable time if I make an effort.
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Trigger warning - discussion of dentists and what dentists do!

...

...

...

So, my second dental appointment finally came around and off I went to get my filling or fillings. When I got there, the dentist poked at my teeth and asked if anything hurt and when they tapped my wisdom tooth it... didn't exactly hurt but I FELT it. So I had another x-ray done, which showed a rather large hole in that tooth and the dentist advised it should come out. There didn't seem much point in putting it off, so I gave the OK to get it done there and then. I wasn't really prepared mentally but it needed doing.

The dentist numbed my jaw, including an injection in the roof of my mouth, which is still stinging 9 hours later. They did the filling first, then got going with the extraction. It seemed to take ages and the dentist kept asking if I was sure I was OK, so I expect I was as white as a sheet! I'm pretty pale anyway, but I was in shock whilst trying to keep as calm and relaxed as possible, for both our sakes :D But the tooth was finally removed and I looked at it afterwards and it seemed so SMALL, considering all the effort it took to get it out.

Then the dentist uttered the immortal line, 'Extractions are such fun!'. O_o Well, I'm glad YOU enjoyed it!

...

...

...

And now to other things.

I've just had ANOTHER go at getting the cut thingy to work and it stubbornly refuses to. I've tried adding spaces, taken all the spaces out, and even tried the [ ], all to no avail. And I know I CAN get it to work because it's worked before. Any tips gratefully received!

EPC showed off the work we've been doing to the other permanent PMs. One of them pointed out that we're still in the midst of reviewing our process and agreeing the criteria for the new stage gates, and I can only agree with them. It does feel a bit like we're putting the cart before the horse - or, at least, alongside the horse! Yes, we can change everything so it all lines up but we really haven't done this in the best order. But EPC didn't earn their nickname for nothing :D We will get everything straightened out, eventually.

When I got back from the dentist, EPC showed me something they'd been working on. I smiled and nodded but I was still a little bit shaky, so I said, 'That's all great! Now I'm going to put my headphones on and have my lunch. OK?' They looked slightly bemused (but not offended) and just nodded, then left me completely alone - so they can take a hint.

And I had an hour's peace whilst I watched Dave from Playstation Access tackle the Temple of the Ancients in FFVII OG - which he did with aplomb!

I've been pondering what sort of bird made the nest in the bird feeder. I'm trying to not show any interest in it because I don't want to scare the parents off, so I'm having to go off my memory of what it looks like. I Googled robin, sparrow and blue tit nests and, from memory, I think it mostly resembles a blue tit nest. But I'm almost sure the bird that flew out the other day was brown - so perhaps a robin or sparrow has taken it over this year? I'm seriously considering buying a miniature camera in the winter so I can 'spy' on the nest next year :D

This evening, husband volunteered to both cook and wash up because of my sore mouth <3

Then, another member of the prayer group read the liturgy for me.

I feel very cared for.
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We had a visit from the Occupational Therapy team at the council today to assess husband's needs. The OT who visited is ordering a riser on the couch to make it easier to stand/sit, a bench for the bath for safer showering, and a frame to go around the upstairs toilet. All good!

I then took husband out for some fresh air and missed a meeting that I was invited to whilst the OT was with us, so didn't even realise was there. I'm still slightly embarrassed about it but I don't think I was really needed, based on the feedback I got :)

EPC wanted to set some definitions around the new project stages/gates, which I think (and EPC agreed!) will come out of the review process we're about to start - but they were very keen to get something in saying, 'we can change it later'. Well, yeah - but it would be better to just put it in once and put it in right! However, we're not asking the other PMs to do anything just yet, so we're only mucking ourselves around. I am VERY wary of asking them to do one thing then changing it almost immediately. But EPC is living up to their name :D

This evening I had a church meeting which involved some difficult conversations - but we held each other through them. And it was on Zoom, so at least it didn't involve being out late in the rain.

And now I'm going to bed. Night, DW!
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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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Yes, I've really just spent 2 hours on IFR instead of 1. Now I'm tired and headachy.

But I've had 3 nights on the trot where I've put my head on the pillow and not moved until the alarm went off. I expect tonight to be the same!

My tooth's been bugging me again tonight. Paracetamol has done the trick, but I really need to get it seen to. Definitely changing my dentist tomorrow!

Met up with my gamer colleague this morning and spent a more time talking about work than games :O They're VERY excited about FFVII Rebirth - and I am, too, just not enough to spend actual money on it. There's still SO much in PS+ - and I have the FFXVI DLC, too.

Had fun with EPC today. They've got to the end of their tether with some other colleagues over-stepping their remit (I mean, they really are). Some of it is thinking the business needs more hand-holding than they actually do - and if the business don't engage, why are we doing the project anyway? and if they don't have time, why aren't we raising that as a risk? - and some of it is sticking an oar in about PMing, which is not their job! 

Of course, there's still the problem of EPC lacking any kind of subtlety :D

We've also discovered that MSP Online is not where MS see the future of project management - they're focussing on MSP4W *sigh* So, we're pivoting back to MSP4W (which is much nicer to use, anyway) and learning how to use Power Apps for reporting on resources (which MSPO does really well).

Daughter has her first scan tomorrow. Can't wait for our first view of grandchild #3 <3

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