…and we’re done. 52 weeks but actually 37 weeknotes.

Started two jobs. Travelled to nine countries. Three Prime Ministers. Two monarchs.

Finishing up on the three year anniversary of my first lockdown. Which feels like both yesterday and forever ago.

It has been a good 12 months. Not without its bumps but with an awful lot to be thankful for and in quite the demonstration of personal growth I made a series of decisions that weren’t always easy but were the best for my well-being…and they seem to be paying off.

10 days until I turn 50. Half a century! Christ that feels old and yet I don’t feel it eating at me in the way turning both 30 and 40 did. I guess if you aren’t comfortable in your own skin by 50 when will you be.

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I did four days this week – a lot of recruitment stuff…mainly contractors this time but also drafting interview questions for Civil Servant interviews Monday. I was looking for a particular skillset and personality in the contractor hunt and think we’ve got really lucky.

I was at our DDaT SMT earlier in the week giving a ‘state of the union’ for Product after six months. I tried to be as clear-eyed and open as I could in the time I had and it seemed to go down okay which was nice.

For the first time in years I also spent some time with my line manager laying out some genuine objectives – with some actual targets in the mix. Some of them are pretty challenging but I like the shape of them and the focus feels right to me.

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I’ve raised £481 for Caring in Bristol so far – like a friend said it is amazing that I can raise so much just by sitting around and getting old while he has to run marathons to do it!

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That’ll do it. I’m going to take a break until after Easter so happy Easter, Mothers Day, Easter etc – take care gang.