Back to School...?

After a few weeks break it's nice to sit down to writing a new blog post. I've spent a fair amount of time recently looking towards to future. Next July Janet and I will be back in the UK for perhaps about a year. It's a good opportunity to think about doing some further studies. So I'm wondering what direction to go in, and this comes down to what I want to specialise in for the next few years. So here are a few different initial thoughts from my free-thinking.

Possibility number one would be something like a Post-graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management. Currently I’m on the fringes of the personnel with one of my roles. I’m not sure whether I could say that I have a calling to personnel work, but I see that there is a value in it and that somebody needs to be doing it. I like to get away from communing with my computer and with a personnel future I’d spend a fair chunk of my time servicing e-mails, though also with regular opportunities to encourage, mentor and debrief staff. As with all these possibilities, they all provide the opportunity to get a qualification that leads down a real career path, something which I haven’t had these past few years.

Possibility number two is slightly more unshaped at the moment. It’d be in databases and in particular online databases. One of the things that really engages my mind is the organisation of information. This is quite ironic as I’m generally quite a messy person and even find it hard to organise my e-mail and hard drives. Trying to organise data on institutional funders was one of the first projects I began on arriving in Kenya. I got some way with capturing useful data in an Access database but, querying that data to find appropriate funders was a bit beyond me. In a global organization what is really needed is the ability of someone in the United States, for example, to be able to attend a meeting in which a certain funding opportunity is raised, enter the information on what activities could be funded and where, funds available and criteria and then for myself or others in Africa to have the opportunity flagged up while it is current. Wouldn’t this be a wonderful way for staff around the world to be aiding each other – essentially through a customised Customer Relationship Management system. There would be a number of challenges with taking on a course in databases. I suppose I would need to learn at least one computer language – maybe HTML and SQL as well as specialist software. Despite saying how much this engages me, it’s fair to say that I’ve never motivated myself in learning these skills before so I cannot assure myself of succeeding. That would be the big question. Courses I’m looking at include e-Business which has a nice and wide remit – maybe too wide – and also Internet and Database Systems.

Possibility number three would be to get more skills in communications – a course in HTML so that I can do some webpage design and another in something like Photoshop. I enjoy spending my time designing publications but I’m constrained by not knowing enough. Maybe these sort of courses would help me blossom more in this area.

So these are my initial thoughts. It seems like this year has brought with it the realisation and renewed impetus in learning. I don't feel particularly academic, but I think that as long as I carefully look at the available courses and take advice on which course to enrol on I could be successful.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

This blog post I first published in March 2009. It's reflections on a speech given by Steve Jobs. It seems fitting and right to give him the floor today in the wake of news of his death.

Steve Jobs – one of the most remarkable innovators of our time. A man with a cult following, so much so that his health has an almost direct influence of Apple’s share price. Not only do his computers sit at the heart of many peoples lives, but the films of Pixar – of computer animation fame which he founded – have made billions laugh and cry over the past couple of decades.

In this posting I want to bring to you the commencement speech (like graduation) he made on 15th June 2005. In the speech he gives three stories. Watch, listen, and think.


The full text of the speech is available here

His first story was about joining the dots. Adopted at birth, he was a young man with no idea what to do with his life. And so he looked for what he could be passionate about.

“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

For us as Christians we see that though we may plan, it is God who directs our steps and he is at the helm. “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps” Proverbs 16:9.

Steve Jobs goes on to say that “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.” In the Bible we see that to love what we do is a gift from God. “…to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart” Ecclesiastes 5:19b-20.

His second story is of love and loss. Getting fired from his own company. Getting fired from your own company is not too dissimilar to the experience of God with the Israelites – they rejected God and instead followed religion – the laws God had given them, but without giving glory to God – or idols. In Isaiah we see that god has not forgotten his people and he is making a way to call them back to himself. “But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from my friends Abraham, I have called you back from the ends of the earth so you can serve me. For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.” Isaiah 41:8-9

The third story Steve Jobs shares is about death. The maxim that he has taken through life is that “If you live each day as if it is your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right”. He goes on to say that “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

In the Bible, Job [no relation to Steve] learnt this firsthand when his family was hit by trials – Job 1:21 “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I die. The LORD gave me everything I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!”

Paul in one of his letters says that ‘I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. To live is Christ, and to die is gain’ Philippians 1:20-21.

Back to Steve Job: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” So often as Christian’s we look around at those around us, and we aspire to be them – to have their personality, giftings, luck, girlfriend, boyfriend or maybe just their good smile. As Christians we all have a part to play in the Body of
Christ – that collection of all believers under the headship of Jesus.

So that’s some thoughts on Steve Job’s speech. And his closing remark of “Stay hungry, stay foolish”? Well, Paul writes “We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.” 1 Corinthian 4:10-11.

Will we chose to stay hungry and foolish for God and his Kingdom?

An unexpected outcome of RBM Planning

Results-Based Management Planning is loved by some and probably not by some others. Last week, at a seminar called 'Animating the RBM planning model' (part of a larger workshop on monitoring, reporting and evaluation), someone dug up this video which came from a planning meeting in Tanzania [listen for the rain and chirping noises in the background - wonderful]:

So long Windows® Phone 6.5

I've spent a bit of time clearing out a box of papers this weekend (in between excitedly checking up on the Christmas cake in the oven which has turned out very nicely, hence the papers still sitting strewn across the room).

I've also spent some time sorting out a phone to be passed on to a Kenyan friend of Janet's. It was a nice enough Samsung Windows Phone with a sad past - earlier this year I woke one morning to find the charger (which the phone was attached to) in two pieces after what I'm told was probably a power surge following a lightening strike. The phone still worked but would no longer charge. Thankfully a seperate battery charger pack has allowed the phone to not be completely defunct and so it is nice to be able to give it a new home.

Here's a phone camera photo for nostalgia:

Standing on a chair on a pitched roof, setting up the aerial.

A Paneful Reminder

Here's one of the few pieces of wedding memorabilia that Janet and I have with us in Kenya. It was a gift from one group of staff that I work closely with who are based in Eastern Congo. We've hung it in the window close to the front door where we hope it'll be safe from knocks. It'll get the morning light, which I'll see if I draw the curtains in time.

One item we did bring back from the UK was a breadmaker. It makes a small loaf which is moreish enough that we finish it between the two of us. This evening the maker helped us whisk up some dough for pizzas. I was interested to see if Janet could fit it in a suitcase, but thankfully it slotted in snuggly.

Today we bought one of the gifts that we thought would be the same price in Kenya as the UK - a hand blender. So now we're on course to make some zingy soups with fresh bread. I'm sure I'll be loosing weight in no time...

Tomorrow we also hope to bake a Christmas Cake. A photo will follow, maybe...

If you stop when you're stuck, you're in trouble

I was today reminded of a quote I recently read when Googling to try and work out how to spell Roald Dahl - I cannot now remember why...

The quote popped into my mind in a discussion about maintaining margin - a sufficient reserve of time, energy (spiritual, emotional, interpersonal and physical energy) and money to provide for our needs and the needs of others (to quote Ken Williams of International Training Partners.

I was wondering to myself that I maybe bring home problems and concern myself with how to start the coming day in the office - where to begin and how to move forward.

Roald Dalh, lifting his idea from Earnest Hemingway, a suggests a particular way to maybe circumvent this:

…I never come back to a blank page; I always finish about halfway through. To be confronted with a blank page is not very nice. But Hemingway, a great American writer, taught me the finest trick when you are doing a long book, which is, he simply said in his own words, “When you are going good, stop writing.” And that means that if everything’s going well and you know exactly where the end of the chapter’s going to go and you know just what the people are going to do, you don’t go on writing and writing until you come to the end of it, because when you do, then you say, well, where am I going to go next? And you get up and you walk away and you don’t want to come back because you don’t know where you want to go. But if you stop when you are going good, as Hemingway said…then you know what you are going to say next. You make yourself stop, put your pencil down and everything, and you walk away. And you can’t wait to get back because you know what you want to say next and that’s lovely and you have to try and do that. Every time, every day all the way through the year. If you stop when you are stuck, the you are in trouble!

 It seems very insightful. For me these days, the only other question I would need to ask is "When do I open my Inbox?" Could I really resolve to come to the office each day with a task waiting to be finished and dive straight in? Time will tell.

Maybe my next work insight blogpost will be to explain the wonderful quote: "If some thing's worth doing, it's worth doing badly."

A little bit (of) French

The open o vowel is pronounced with the tongue at a similar height to the open e vowel, but with the lips also rounded and the tongue a little further back in the mouth. It should be noted that for many speakers, the tongue is significantly further forward than for the close o vowel, and in some cases may actually sound similar to the open eu vowel. [http://www.french-linguistics.co.uk/pronunciation/french_o_vowels.shtml]

Maybe this post is a little premature, but I suppose it's good to share about things that are energising me. I've recently begun taking up a little French language learning.

French has not something that has been close to my heart. I remember beginning French at school aged 11 being very motivated to succeed. On week two I approached the teacher after the lesson to say that I really didn't understand masculine and feminine words. "Don't worry, we'll do it again next lesson." I've always felt that this was the point my French learning came to a halt.

Back in 2005 I began learning German with the Open University - the cleverest university in the world. German is a language I've always loved listening to and I wouldn't mind a reason to go and live there for a year or two. So I got a little way with German before other things crowded it out. The materials were clearly good, so when I knew that I was looking at working for several years in Africa I went on Ebay and bought the French beginners materials of someone who, like me, must have dropped off their course.


Janet, my wife, lived in French-speaking Burkina Faso for about four years before coming to Kenya. We've now been married almost eight weeks and together we've done some tentative French language learning. I love Total Physical Response where you interact with objects that you're learning about (especially ingredients). The opportunity to ask questions and get reminders of vocabulary over a consistent period of time is a big help in getting phrases to stick.

I should also cite Seggy here who was always up for meeting in a cafe on a Saturday back around 2005/6, and Eddie Izzard for his moments of stand-up in French.

So now, Janet and I have picked up my old French materials. I've half a year of materials here in Kenya and leaving the office to go work through some new materials at home is a real motivation at this time. I wonder if this will stick.

The question I haven't answered up to this point is what I will do with French if I continue to add to my learning. Currently I do some work with DRCongo staff but I don't imagine myself and Janet living and working there, or anywhere else in Francophone Africa. Part of my desire to learn is to demonstrate to myself that I have the ability if I can find the right learning style, and I think a French-speaking wife is a good methodology - she enjoys me learning with her and from her, and I enjoy her encouragements. I think too that learning French fits in with thinking carefully about the future. Maybe it will help unlock the perfect role for me - maybe one that embraces a fuller roll with staff in DRCongo, or more closer work with Congolese as well as our few expatriate staff. We'll see.

Hopefully the learning will continue and I'll stay on the wave. Maybe my head will start to hurt at some point. I hope that if that time comes, Janet will drag me through to the other side and we'll continue onwards.

A bientot!

Somehow it's September...

Time has moved on since I last wrote. Back then it was 'one month to go'. Now its almost two montths past. The wedding day has come and gone, and along with the big day I now find myself needing to change the blog's strapline from 'one man and his blog'.


Janet and I have had so many conversations about our wedding. We've written newsletters about it. Uploaded photos to Facebook and Dropbox (available here). We've a video too, and have sat down several times with friends to watch it through and point out details. I'm sure I could wax eloquent for a considerable lengh of time, but it is probably best for now to stick with expressing our thanks to everyone who made the day such a wonderful occasion - even those who held us in mind as they were unable to come along. We'll enjoy dwelling on all the details for years to come, and I cannot wait to get back to the Custom House at Roa Island and the marshes at Rampside and take in the views that helped make the day so special.

For now I had best go - the morning rush hour has passed and it's time for me to seek out our landlord's office in order to drop off our inventory, introduce myself and broach the issue of a leaking toilet. I hope it'll go well.

June wafflings - One month to go!

This afternoon I'm spending a little bit of time working on a newsletter. Blogposting are very much still on my heart but I've not had so much time to think over the past two months.

One month till my wedding. Most things are in place for the big day. Here in Kenya I've two messy homes to organise as I pack up items from one and unpack at the other. Painting at both will be needed, maybe even in the next couple of weeks (it's normally contractual when leaving a property to paint for the next tenant, which can be frustrating as you arrive to find paint on windows and that all the doors no longer close.)

Here's the mess at my prior flat last weekend.

There's much still to move. I took a van and together with some friends we moved all the large items. On popping in on Wednesday, I noticed that somehow I had 'missed' the chest of drawers, so another van one afternoon will be needed.

As the apartment I am moving to is fully furnished I've now got fair few chairs - 9 seats and a desk chair in the living room. Lots of coffee tables too.

Janet and I are particularly looking forward to the opportunity to be hospitable which neither have easily been able to do in our previous places.

I should leave this here and get back to the newsletter. Maybe you'll see it before the end of this week :o)

"I'm Game if you Are..."

Yesterday, after a few postponements Janet and I finally got to the game park here in Nairobi. Here are a few stats and photos of our day:

Alarm time - 5:55am

Entry time - about 7am

Lions - 2

Giraffes - many

Buffalo - a few

Rock Hyrax - 1

Baboons - 0 [they're a bit mischievous anyhow]

Hours spent driving - 5

Sunburn on my right side through open window - mild/moderate

Love birds - 2

Petrol used - less than 1500 shillings

Terrapins - a few

Crocodile - 1

Dust on the car - much

Shock absorbers lost - 0

Air conditioning - priceless

Cheetahs and Leopards - 0 [something to focus on next time]

A lazy lion beginning the day

Early morning light across the plains

A gecko

Spooked giraffe lollopping off

Love Birds

An impala - real, not stuffed

A yellow-necked spurfowl

A grasshopper

A giraffe lost in thought in the middle of the road