Croeso

Well we're at 434 CDs

I've been ripping like mad recently as well as much work with visits to Enschede Tilburg Moerdijk all in the name of the Km work.

I've made my MP3 player purchase and I did not go for an iPod (I know my postings were all about iPoding but it's a nice generic verb I thought).

I got a Creative Zen Xtra 60GB one (enough room for about 1500 CDs by my reckoning), the software is way better for a PC I was told - plus it's cheaper by 200 euros)

The really nice thing about it is the following: I've always liked it when someone comes to my house and chooses one from my vast array of CDs, and plays it. So it a little surprise to me what is playing. The radio does not fully do this to me as I do not like all the songs they play.

I found when you have loads of CDs you spend a few minutes perusing the collecting, making your choice and then walking it over to the player. By this time the surprise element is gone and as BB King so elegantly states, 'The Thrill is Gone'.

So now by using the random play feature on the Zen Extra I get surprised all the time, and I like (or liked at some stage in my life) the music.

I've cabled it into my digital amplifier and it sound great I must admit (I know it's lower sound quality in comparison to the CDs, but with young kids in the house you don't notice the difference).

So I'm about 33% through the CD collection (just doing Rodrigo, Neil Young and Schubert) as it seems the even spread across the letters is not true, I have circa 1100.

Phew back to ripping.

Artistic fun

The only person who actually appreciates the tiny amount of artistic talent I have is my 4 year old, actually we are sitting in the garden on a beautiful summer's late afternoon, so face painting seemed the perfect activity.

When to Blog and when not to blog

Janine Swaak and I just had a conversation on the train about when and what to blog and when and what not to blog. On one end of the scale is Lilia whose blogging is now a central core to her work, Lilia is happy, it seems, to think outloud on her blog, whereas Jannine thinks in the normal way , resolves her thoughts and occasionally blogs them. Jannine is more likely to blog a paper or a considered opinion. We see a similar parallel with our CoP leaders the most active and enthusiastic deliver their expert role via running a commmunity , whilst others run communities as an add on to their normal jobs (some cannot do their jobs via a community, whereas some people can change the way they work completely with this new process)

I'm not sure one model should dominate more than others but it is not ecapable those who fully embrace new working methods create greater benefit for themselves and their co collaborators. I always followed the discipline of if I introduce a new process to my life I always force myself to drop another, I guess I'm in the heart and soul camp.

So back to gazing out of the train window.

Well it's been a while

Life has been somewhat hectic in recent weeks so I've been a little (well actually a lot) behind on my blogging. I've been in Italy for a company workshop along with Lilia and reading her blog she certainly had different weather to me in Venice (I was only there fir 2 hours or so mind you!) Now I'm on a train going to Venlo to meet up with colleagues from Oce and the Telematica Instituut. 3 hours on the train gives you a lot of time to think and capture thoughts and Croeso is a great vehicle to to do that (and gather wider input when it is offered). We've also been gardening like mad and planning a new drive and gates for the house in Heiloo. And as for the never ending saga of the MPing of my CD collection, I just did John Lee Hooker so we must be on the Hs (that must be close to 30% if we assume an even distribution over the letters). Hmm just gazing out of the window i've spotted the Amsterdam Arena (The wonderful roofed stadium where Ajax play football). It makes me think of the Olympics in Greece and will their stadiums be ready. Having been a project engineer on large projects before, it would make me sick with worry if we were so late on an immovable start up date. KM must be able to play a role here but the complexity of the no doubt thousands of companies involved would make it somewhat challenging. Of course KM can only play a supportive role to the main role of solid professional project management. This skill is rare on billion dollar projects (just look at the railways in the UK) and so must be nurtured seeded and developed over many many years it's here that Km can play a supporting role. Hmm I'll ponder that a bit more and blog some more on it.

Venice

Ah sunshine, Grand Canal, Venice, Beer, Pizza - who cares about KM

Big Sister

Well Lilia and I have just been frightening my colleagues on how much big brother technology can be realised by linking together data that already exists - what a reaction - fascinating.

We are in Ferrara, Italy. Pity it is raining but we will both be back to blogging on our return