What a couple of weeks it's been. A few things have happened, which I'd like to share with you. But first, apologies for not having written anything these past weeks. I've been a little pre-occupied with a few things, which I'll be sharing with you below.
I've been once again having some challenges finding another contract to move on to. I think there's a few factors at play there, including a slow contracting market at the moment, due to changes in how the new government wants to do things. This makes it a little bit more difficult for contractors, as this government town has a bit of a freeze on hiring new contractors. And then there's the fact that I'm aiming my applications at an area I haven't had a lot of experience or background in, so starting a new career path at the same time has its own share of difficulties.
It's worked out ok in the end, however, as on Thursday (3 days ago) I was advised that my contract where I'm at now would be extended for another 3 months – if I wanted. I thought about it, for about 0.3 milliseconds, and then said I'd be happy to. So I'll be working on a new project creating an SLA (Service Level Agreement) between them and one of their clients, which is going to be an interesting task. The deadline on their 12-month project is in 2 weeks, and they need me to create something in 2 weeks that should have been done over the past 12 months.
Not impossible! Luckily I'm good with getting the information I need, and presenting it in a fashion that will satisfy the client as a draft. The rest of my contract time will be spent finalising it, and working on the OLAs (Operational Level Agreements) between those departments that work together to deliver on the SLA.
If things work out as I would love them to, I could see continuing contracts, or even fulltime employment, as a Business Analyst with them. Hopefully, as I gain the relevant experience, I can move into some Project Management as well.
So, my work is secure for another 3 months. What else has been happening?
A week ago I was looking at my attitude towards things and people. I get frustrated quite easily by some of the things that people do, and it often challenges my attempts to work on my passive aggressive tendencies. So last week I was thinking about how we analyse our world around us, and how we interact with it. I decided to work with the principal that I've discussed here before – that our outer reality is a reflection of our inner reality, and what people around us are doing is reflecting what's going on inside of us.
So if someone is making us angry or frustrated, it's actually us who are angry or frustrated and we're simply projecting it onto those around us. What people tell us can be very important feedback about what we're doing – if we were only to listen.
So I decided to start listening to the people around me in my world. If they do or say things that are making me angry, then look at myself before I look at them. What is inside of me that is angry, and what can I learn from what is happening that can help me overcome my anger? The same with frustration.
One of the common problems I have, along with many others in this world, is thinking that the people around us 'make us feel' a particular way. That their actions have a resulting effect on us. But the truth is, that 'resulting effect' already exists inside of us.
What's actually happening is that the people around us are allowing us to see who we really are, if we can only take the time to notice.
So I'm taking the time to notice my own feelings and behaviour, in an attempt to modify what I don't like. Moving forward with self improvement, instead of continuing those same old patterns of blaming other people.
Do you do that? I'm sure you do. Maybe the feelings you have when someone angers or frustrates you are actually your own feelings, and those people are simply helping you understand more about who you are.
So what else? Well, my friend Mel was here from Perth for a week. We don't see each other often enough, so it's always good to catch up.
Oh, and another of the big reasons why I've been a little distracted from blogging is because I've been focusing somewhat on Twitter instead. However, I think that's going to change. A lot of what goes on in Twitter has little value, so I'm going to use it less. I think there's only a few people I follow who actually really provide something of value to me, so I might adjust my habits in terms of following people. I have to explore that and work out what it's going to be though.
I've decided to get myself a new Apple iPhone, but it won't be for a few weeks or months, hopefully after all the hype is over. It's just been incredible watching the frenzy of people wanting to be caught up as 'early adopters' of technology. I think they want to be thought of as 'cool', or 'hip', or something! Me, I just want to start using a device that can improve how I currently do things with mobile and internet activity.
I want to take photos and instantly email them to a social media website that will allow that photo and accompanying comment to be shared out to Twitter, my blog, other social sites, and so on. I just think it'd be an interesting add-on to blogging and sharing my life.
And of course there's the various applications and features that can be used on the iPhone which will assist me in my general life's activities.
I'm a big fan of making my life easier and better.
So that's today's update. Again, I hope to blog more often as I change my Twitter habits, so I'll be seeing you on here soon. 🙂
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