So that’s it for IT Services

Earlier this year, I gave a “farewell presentation” at the Gregynog Colloquium for IT Staff in Welsh HE institutions. The title was meant to be a bit tongue-in-cheek as I was retiring {more no doubt on that later}, but it was really meant to be a “call to arms” – hopefully encouraging my colleagues to look again at what they were doing and considering whether there were different or additional things they should be considering.

Until prompted, last week, I’d forgotten that I hadn’t put it on Slideshare, or blogged about it – rare for me {although there are clear linkages to my earlier post on this site on IT and Strategy}. Now both have been rectified. Hope there’s something of relevance here for you.

[slideshare id=6047000&doc=sothatsitforitservicesorisit-101206050303-phpapp01]

Is that all there is?

I’ve started using blipfoto – service that incorporates a daily photograph with the opportunity to write a short piece of pithy prose describing it, or your thoughts associated with the photo. I’ve managed 40 successive blips, which is some achievement for me I feel – a very indisciplined person, but today was going to be a struggle. Grey, wet, windy day with nothing much going on. In addition, I’d driven the car into work which meant that (and this has been rare over the past 40 days) I hadn’t had the chance to just look around and see what I could see that might make a good picture. And then I remembered the title of this draft blogpost which had sat waiting for the right moment since February 22nd earlier this year.

“Is that all there is?”

The older amongst you will remember this as a Peggy Lee song – go and look at the lyrics, or watch this Bette Middler version and you might understand why I thought it could be an appropriate blogpost title to make my retirement date public information. I’m retiring from full-time employment on December 31st. After 37 years of work “is that all there is?” – a stack of shredded paper.

“Is that all there is?”

No, it’s not of course – but it’s a nice line!