Archive for March 2007
Run Forest Run
I dont even use this site to shamelessly promote my own sites. So to be promoting something I am not involved in is really rather strange. The reason I do this is charity, and we all know what a charitable young individual I am!!!
I don’t imagine for one second that I can help the cause, but there is no harm in trying. Not that the writing of this very short post can be called trying.
A “good” friend of mine will be running the London Marathon next month, and is raising money for Vitalise - a national disability charity providing breaks for disabled adults, children and their carers. Just so happens Treloar’s school (treloar.org.uk), where Abi works, send their kids there every summer.
DONATE HERE http://www.justgiving.com/randomben
If any of you who have not already donated have even a shred of decency - and a penny to spare - I urge you to donate. Just click the link above and give what you can, and a little bit more.
Trust me he deserves it, he has a fair old weight to shift over the 26 odd miles! Best of luck Benjamin.
If you dont give money, he will get angry, and he will do this to each and everyone of you…. he’s a bit gay like that.
Discipline and priorities
I keep telling myself that I will be more dicidplined, constantly lying by saying things like:
I will write a blog every day (which is worth reading). Manage my work better. Be more efficient with each of my tasks.
It is clear that this is no more than a load of bollocks. And for me to even consider it as plausible for more than a second makes me as stupid as any of you! Believe me there are some very stupid people reading this…. you know who you are! 
So, where does this leave me? Well with all the plans I have, all the responsisbilties I already have and with the back log of work I still am fighting to clear it does not leave me in a great position!
Good new is I don’t think the end of the world is nigh. I would love to be a better worker, I really would. But I if I could make any changes I think I would have done so by now! I am already giving 100% and despite what any of those motivational guru nob heads might say, you cant give any more, not even 10% more! The truth is I am quite happy to keep stumbling on and getting through only as much as I physically can manage.
What I DO need to do is prioritise better. I accept I will probably not get half the things on my list finished, certianly not within the time frames I would like. But I could definitely do a better job of prioritising my tasks.
Todays common sense tip
Prioritise.
Reading this blog can not possibly be one of your priorities, so on your way. Go on. Get lost…. okay, I know this is a great blog but honestly please go away. I don’t like you! Besides I have nothing more to say, apart from this -> this.
Back from the Ukraine
Last week I went on a jolly to the Ukraine, a very short trip with the purpose of visiting offices, meeting employees, talk over existing projects and to make some changes to increase productivity.
It was a hectic few days which has left my body clock all over the place, not aided by a sleepless young lady on my first night home. But I am back in one piece and will be back firing on all cylinders soon…. something my own car wont be doing!
My trip home was made a little more interesting when my car blew up in the early hours of the morning. It meant I didn’t get back for an extra day and had to spend hours more on our countries wonderful public transport. Late trains and short connections added to the fun, as did the rancid coffee purchased and half poured over myself.
Didn’t really get to do many touristy things in the Ukraine as it was all business, but I still enjoyed it and did get midnight tour of Kiev. Contrary to what I had witnessed earlier on the roads there is some sort of highway code enforced by a “police force”. Our kind host discovered this after having taken us in his car right up to to various national monuments, mounting kurbs and parking in city centre squares. To be fair at the time of being spotted by the law he was driving on a road - just in the wrong direction!
being the idiot I am forgot to have my camera with me on every other occasion
Looks like I will be busy over next few days catching up on missed work, reflecting on the trip and most importatnly putting into action some of the steps and changes discussed at the offices out there. It’s all very well saying we will increase producticity, but I must lead by example and stop dilly-dallying around.
On that note I bid you good day.
Idiot
Its gone 2am, and I am shattered. Have been none stop all day, and all week. Trying to get clear as will be away half of next week in Ukraine.
Am feeling like a bit of an idiot today
Yes, not that unusual - with so much work, and constantly writing out lists that I only get a quarter of the way down while back log of tasks build up its difficult to stay focused. Am trying not to st myself much shorter term targets, concentrate on these and only confuse myself the the big plan when I have to!
Another reason for being an idiot is today I made a decision, one which might sound fucking stupid!
I have had a site/project in various stages of developement for last 2 years…. work began on it, ceased, another agency took over, did not understand code so left after doing nothing but messing code up further. Then took on third developers who started again from scratch. The system they have now “completed” is less than worthless - its not even integrated with payment service providers, let alone capabale ff running complicated site generation scripts. I could see project digressing from my spec, but every issues I raised was addressed and to be attended to later, now they admit many features cannot be added without re coding much of what they have done. Yet they have asked for a final payment!
I dont expect to see a penny of it returned, I am prepared for the money to fly out to India (yes I know, what did I expect by outsourcing there) and demanding it back. Were it not for my hectic schedul I would be very tempted.
Anyway, what was this site? A complicated affiliate and white label system allowing creation of almost any sort of fully customisable and feature rich dating site in any language, affilaite would have a simple admin interface to control a network sites, members and referred affilaites. I am now director for a company doing exactly this, with a system which had millions invested in it, not thousands.
So here comes my stupid decision. I am not stopping this project! Infact I am reverting to use code which was scrapped a year ago. Why? Mainly because I can’t let go…. but also because looking back at what was built it was very good, just incomplete - this is its saving grace. I am going to strip back its features and scalabilites and focus it in one area, not dating and look for an alternative revenue stream not subscrpition based.
….this post took 2 nearly 2 hours to write, it was interrupted many times, I apologise if was boring, disjointed or too long … here’s some random japanese shit to make up for it.
Developers, Marketers and Partners Needed
This is just a very short update to say what I have been up to recently - and to beg for some help!
1) Appointed as COO for Datech (UK)
2) Looking for possible partners or people to outsource most of my existing business to
Obviously I am overjoyed with my new appointment at Datech. Its going to keep me busy, I will naturally talk more about this in the future.
I hope to apply much of the last few years experience to this role, and intend to play a key part in making this company one of the largest internet dating service providers.
This requires a bit of commitement, so sadly I can no longer dedicate myself near to 100% to my businesses. For this reason I am looking for possible partnerships with web developers and mareketeers. If you are either of these and are interested in being involved in a few exciting developments please let me know. I am willing to be generous in my negotations, and can provide right candidates with funding and guidance and endless support. Ideally I need someone with experience or atleast knowldge of dating, affiliate and to lesser extent adult industries. If you want to know more, please please PLEASE contact me! (you can find my email at bottom of the about me page)
