30.11.17 Second Trimester

I worried about many things this year.

Some were within my control. Some were not. But all of these events affected our work, and the way we do our work. Often times, I have had to suck it up and face the music as leaders often do. And now that it seems like the worse is behind us, one thing stands out. People have been kind, some have stood quietly (and resolutely) by my side. Others picked up the pieces, and tidied the house. Sam said some of the young ones in the office love me, perhaps like a father figure.

And that's a reassuring thought. 

28.11.17 Sufficiency

24.11.17 - Tao visits houses

Despite a busy work day, the 3 of us had a long breakfast - I turned off my data to avoid work from interrupting. We caught up over laksa and popia, talking about his future plans, work and family. We also talked the possibility of getting Clarice to come and set up a perma-culture garden for me to retire to...

Later that day, we visited two houses. One still under construction, we could see the roof form taking shape and liked what we saw. 'Having shade is everything in the tropics' I think he said.

At Dona's, the three boys talked about the spaces and the design ideas for the new nursery. This type of interaction is good for Lionel and Sean.

23.11.17 Handmade birthday presents

I enjoy making things and giving them to friends; glasses from cut bottles, stools from recycled timber and so forth.
So, two of this year's presents were particularly meaningful - an ink stamp with my name and a 'postcard' from the edge ( Bucharest).

20.11.17 Re-visiting Phnom Penh

I first saw this building from the bus ten years ago; on the way to Siem Reap. Imagine my surprise, when our taxi took us past this corner on the way to our hotel late in the evening. Two mornings later, I took a walk before breakfast and visited it - and found out that it is Dr. Beat Richner's Children Hospital. Part of the Kanta Bopha Foundation.

Beat Richner (born March 13, 1947) is a Swiss pediatrician, cellist (Beatocello), and founder of children's hospitals in Cambodia. He created the Kantha Bopha Foundation in Zurich in 1992 and became its head. He and another expatriate oversee and run the predominantly Cambodian-manned hospitals. As both a cellist and a medical doctor, Richner is known by patients, audiences, and donors as "Beatocello".^[1]

- from Wikipedia.

18.11.17 Birthday Run

While the others slept, I took a long winding route down to town. 14 kilometres followed by a few laps in the pool. It's good for the muscles and the mind. On a day like this, there's very little else that I want.

 I turn 53 today.

16.11.17 Managing people

At our last site meeting, I turned to my client and asked, 'do you know what's the hardest thing about managing a project?'

'The client?' she hazarded a guess.

She is partially correct, it's the people. Managing people who often have different mindsets and objectives, made more difficult when their objectives are not apparent.

People who point out problems, but do not offer a solution (even when they have one). Choosing instead to be smug about it, or defer the decision to someone else because they fear accountability.

I turn 53 in two days, I have no time for this small mindedness.