Head/Brick/Wall

It's always good to hear Catman in positive tones, gives me a wee boost. I am defintely a glass half full type of person (probably because that's how I like to think of my glass, especially when it comes to Champagne and good red wine). Sometimes I do wonder whether that hasn't made my life recently a whole lot harder here at work. Hands up if you think Fifi needs to kick arse a bit more aggressively?

This is the approach I am trying. Step one is to confront the 'known' issue head on, take a good picture, say it like it is and lay it on the line. Step two is to apologise to anyone affected by it, put your hands up and admit it's your problem and that you are doing your best to improve or change the status quo in any way you can. Step three- and this is the hardest one- ask for help. Admit defeat and lay it on the line that you know, and have the facts to prove, it is not working and actually it probably never will. I gave it a good go, but it's fundementally flawed. However to make any real change, the ball is now in someone else's court and all I can do is maintain and if I am lucky slightly improve the status quo. You canny make a Aston Martin out of a Lada, and considering we like to think of ourselves and our product as high-end, I think we are cheating the people we support by offering them something we know is a big pile of wank.

Since I admitted this to myself, I have noticed people being much more candid in their feedback. They appreciate your efforts, but you get that 'I told you so' nod. Fair enough I guess, but that glass half full got me through the last 15 months believing nothing was impossible. And while nothing is, why should we make life so hard trying to make it so?

So here's the thing. In my own life, I have learned that you never regret going for quality. This covers everything: bags, shoes, cars, houses, food, men, friends. Worthwhile investments. Even though it's all relevant to your present economic situation (cutting your coat according to your cloth or whatever) every time I have gone cheap on myself I have always ended up wishing I hadn't bothered.