Conference time: the end for another year.

I've survived both the conference and the dinner. I've met old and new acquaintances, gathered brochures and freebies, and sat through many presentations. These 2 days weren't only for networking but also to study trends and decide which way I need to take my business in order to keep in contract. And the main trend that came up this year is cloud computing: how to implement it and how to manage it.

So now I need to sit back and think how I can create an offering that will keep me attractive in the now cloudy world of ITSM.

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Conference time: the awards dinner

I've been oozing easy confidence all day and made a couple of useful contacts, the next potential banana skin is the awards ceremony. In previous years I haven't had too much of a problem as being on my own I don't get drunk, I get bored half way into my 2nd glass of house red. The danger comes when someone takes me under their wing, then the taps turn on and before I know it I've gone though a bottle and we're still waiting for mains, then I can happily talk ITIL before gracefully sliding under the table.

So what will it be? Professional, sober and bored or relaxed, merry and happy?

On the basis that most of my esteemed colleagues sinking far greater quantities of food and booze than I can ever manage, I know what I should aim for is probably not what I'll manage. My only real aim is not to end up with a raging hangover tomorrow. I only hope I achieve it.

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Conference time

Well here I am again at the itSMF conference, networking and hoping to drum up business for the next year. It's a bit nerve-wracking turning up on your own at these events. You have to present an easy confidence as you roam around and tamp down the desperate 'can I be your friend?' neediness of a Billy Nomates; potential contacts can smell this from a mile away.

The conference is much reduced from when I was last here in 2007. The exhibition isn't as big and the presentations hold more of an attraction to all delegates, but fortified with a good breakfast and a sharp pair of heels I expect to make the most of them. Now off to discover which exhibitors have the best pens and freebies...

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Technology leap

And all of a sudden I've joined the 21st century with an iPhone blogging app - there'll be no holding me back now. Stay tuned for some spectacular predictive typos.

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The Wonders of an off-line iPhone

Well, after all that faffing, I've left this blog alone with the excuse that I hadn't the time to login, think about what I want to write, then type it out.

Why I didn't think of tapping something on my iphone while I'm on the train commuting and then simply cutting and pasting onto the blog will be one of the mysteries of life.

Along with the fact that I'm an IT contractor.

Back to school tomorrow!

At least that's what it feels like.  I've got my new clothes, new pencil case and a new notebook.  I've checked and saved all and any templates that I'll be needing and yet again rifled through my library to decide what, if any, books I'll be needing to take with me.

Tomorrow it will be off to the new office to meet new colleagues, make new friends and influence new people. And the best bit about it is that I've done this for long enough that I know what I have to do tomorrow - find out: Why I've been hired, What's expected of me, Who are my (potential) friends and enemies; suppliers and customers, How I'm going to deliver, When 'it' needs to be delivered and Where 'it' needs to go.

Admitted not in any detail, and not to a great degree of accuracy (that comes next week...) but by the end of the day I've have got a rough handle on what's going on.

And if I haven't got a rough handle? Well that tells me something too.  The contract will be an interesting one...

A New Contract...

Thank goodness! After 5 months on the bench I have a new contract with a new client.  I can't believe the number of false starts and one humongous mistake (which I'll confess to in a later post) it has taken to reach this happy outcome.  

It's also a rather bizarre moment to be starting a blog, but I was never one to do things the straight forward way.  And since I have strong doubts as to whether anyone will read it, now is as good a time as any.

The project is a good one and covering an area of ITSM which is pretty new to me - Knowledge Management.

But before then I have one week to get my house in order - literally.  All of those good intentions to organise, clean and de-clutter never quite turned into actions. 

But now I've got a dead-line...

Happy Days!!