Work Life Balance

It's been a weird couple of days. Work's moving up to warp factor 6, so I'm rediscovering tired. I've got a new assistant at work, so having to juggle the training aspect with the doing of actual work - as long as I keep viewing it as an investment it's okay. She's cool, which is good - a reminder about how active and involved tertiary students and the recently graduated can be (or maybe how little I was).
Out of the Blue I get a text from a friend I haven't seen in far too long, telling me that our former employer has quit his job and is skipping the country. This guy was very interesting to work for - remarkably driven and focused on achieving, but often at the expense of a lot of the factors that are generally favoured in the workplace, like balance, trust, leadership. He's off to do great things offshore, but I can't stop thinking about the legacy he's leaving, and the doors this variously closes or opens for so many other people in one way or another. NJo doubt there'll be more on this one surfacing over the next wee while.

Venezia 02

So the plan has now evolved somewhat - since we're travelling half way round the world, we thought why the hell not go a bit further, and check out the motherland, so we're heading to London for a week as well. Should be nice to check it out again, and see what's new and exciting in the world of art over there. I've just read a pretty scathing (and at times poorly written) diatribe on the damage Charles Saatchi has done to contemporary art through his SuperCollection (no relation to SuperFlex, sadly) so am very keen to check out the infamous Charles Saatchi Gallery.
I think I'll plug The getaway into the PS2 and settle down for an evening of familiarising myself with the London streets.

Venizia 01

I've just booked a ticket to go to Venice, with the aim (read justification) being to go to the Biennale. It's taken on something of a pilgrimage status, in many ways - strangely much more so than getting to the last Sydney Biennale. Not sure if this is the culture, the scale, the personal associations with the NZ project or what, but it should be a good trip. More later >>