T-1 my last few hours at HCC

Well the time is almost upon me. This time tomorrow I will be unofficially unemployed for the first time in my life! I say unofficially because I guess I have until 31st March but with owed leave tomorrow is the last day at work.

Think of all the things I'm gonna learn; How to sign on; How to lie in on a weekday; How to plan your day with no-one else having a say (Hah Hah - I don't think so); How to budget drastically cos income IS less than outgoings; How to look for work, How to a avoid work... The list goes on.

I have cleared my desk already, deleted everything in 'My documents' in Hantsnet and on the PC local drive, cleared my Inbox, composed and switched on my 'Out of office' - forever - that was difficult to compose. I have even drafted the final email I will send out tomorrow. Unsubscribing my hants.gov.uk email address from all those educational mailing lists was surprisingly difficult. Quite emotional - especially ictprim and ictsec which have been stalwarts for giving and receiving advice over many years. All I need to do is make sure I have packed my cryptocard ready to hand over tomorrow along with my badge and phone.

The last two weeks have largely been dominated by handing over to the 5 or 6 people who have to deal with me not being there anymore. I do feel sorry for you guys. Trying to work out what tasks out of the nebulous mountain of stuff I have done over the last 4 years is not easy. Watching their faces as they try to grasp what I am on about as I describe my work was like watching greased up channel swimmers trying to grasp a bar of soap. It would be interesting to see what is still being done a year from now bit I doubt I will be around to find out

The boss, Daniel, tweeted, to quote:

Biggest presentation of my life on Friday. @olcinm leaving us for his next journey :-( got to do the legend justice!
Twitter for iPhone • 23/03/2011 06:35

Legend? Achilles and Eric Cantona are legends. Colin McQueen a legend? Naw! Still, I am looking forward to the presentation tomorrow. and am very touched by his efforts. Turns out he has been trawling SAP to find out about my employment record and it doesn't actually have much in it! I could have told him that. But let's see what he has found out. When I started back in 1984 there wasn't much in the way of IT to record events or data online. I guess they were using mainframes (aka Cloud Computing). The personal computer was just appearing. The first one I touched back in May 84 was a Sinclair Spectrum with those rubbery keys and the screechy FAX like noises stored on magnetic cassette tapes. Who remembers 'PEEK' and 'POKE'?

As to progress with the new life? None made, absolutely zilch. Not even a closed door. So this is really going to be a nail biting ride this time. I am taking that as a sign to take it easy for the first month.... Not really though. I have realised rather late that it would be a good idea to go up home to Newcastle to see my mum and brother. Eldest son resonsibilities and all that. Probably do some clearing out and decorating. Be good practice for what's needed back in Southampton.

Anyway I'm off for a curry now with most of the old ICT HIAS team, somewhere in Pompeyland. Better wear a blue hoodie. It's the end of an era for the National Strategy Consultants, of which I was one for 4 years. Times are a changing indeed.