The horns of a dilemma

'Dilemma' coming from the Greek for 'two premises'

Interestingly in Plato's 'Phædrus' when faced with a dilemma one has not just two, but three classic refutations.... take the left horn .... or, the right horn.... ....or, go between the horns!!!

I've tried applying logic (pros & cons) and philosophising (so that's where the kids get it from)...A friend very kindly pointed me at 10 reasons why not to accept a counter-offer which has fried my head even further....as a consequence I'm still really struggling to decide between the options....but.....

If it's meant to be, it's meant to be

Que sera, sera

What's meant for you won't pass you by

Inshallah

.....and all that jazz...

'Should I stay or should I go'

Normally when something plays on my mind, it manifests itself by either a level of distraction in my day-to-day activities, or the emergence of my good friend 'Insomnia'.  The current situation has produced a new symptom of stress...jaw ache....It would appear I am clenching my teeth whilst asleep hence waking with a headache and a sore jaw... Well, it's a new one.... However, despite the situation obviously playing on my mind, I'm no nearer to a decision...

As Mr. Strummer sang:

"If I go there will be trouble,

And if I stay it will be double"

Hmm, on reflection maybe his views are slightly unhelpful

Better the devil you know...???

I am still working my notice and went into the new place on Wednesday night to meet a few people and start to get up to speed. Turned out to be a bit of a shocker - I heard stuff about the lack of support to the initiative I'll be heading up, the fact there was no funding for systems to provide data, and looked at the chaotic way they were doing things - I was totally over-faced and if I'm honest a bit scared. Really made me question things...

The three hour journey back to base gave me time to reflect. I realised accepted the new role because the offer made me feel that another company recognised my ability (sorry yep that's ego!), and the position gave me chance to move on with my life, leave the cr*p behind, and be more financially independent. Seemed sound reasons at the time....After all, I'd had six months of a pretty hellish time....Worked for a duplicitous boss who gave me no support, had 50% of the staffing I needed, and operated under a dysfunctional management team. Whereas now I have a new, supportive, reasonable boss, improved staffing levels, changes to the senior management team, plus recognition of the previous issues. My gut says stay where I am...It's been a culmination of things... the manageable work situation, the uncertainty re. the new role, the lack of stability at home. It suddenly hit me I'm not sure I can deal with more change on top of that.  It also feels as though the  management suddenly realise what I do and the hole I will leave, etc. etc.

'Frosty' Trip Advisor

strongly recommends a couple of places she's had cause to frequent this very eve, both of which are on Caxton Street, SW1.

Myself and a couple of guys from my team had a really good meal at Tapster....Marinated rabbit stew with calasparra rice, and dark chocolate tart, washed down with a very nice Merlot followed by an excellent vintage Port.

Suitably satisfied, I ambled down the road and stayed at St. Ermin's hotel which I have to say is one of the nicest hotels I've been put up in of late. The rooms are nicely decorated, clean and more spacious than most in central London, plus all of the staff I've dealt with have been both friendly and helpful. Add to that a great concept of 'Wake & Take' breakfast - a cup of freshly brewed coffee and artisan muffin, served as a take away from the lobby for those of us who struggle to get out of bed in the morning and don't like eating alone. Not stayed there before not now definitely now top of my list for overnights when working from the London office...and just look at the fab architecture.

Minor Mayhem is no more

he's been replaced by a strapping young man. Having only had girls before, the evolution of my not-so-small son has been a bit of a shock. It started with phoning the house to say I was homeward bound only to have the phone answered by someone with a deep booming voice, the the delayed realisation the person on the other end of the line was what had previously been my little boy. In reality 'little' is no longer an appropriate adjective to use where he is concerned as at 14 he is already beginning to tower over his mother. Unfortunately it's not just me who's noticed these changes it would seem; his eldest sibling has commented that on reading his Facebook page "it scares me that girls think he is 'cute'". On the basis of these points I think that a rename is required....so 'Major Mayhem' it is henceforth.

The office move

has been what can only be described as a bit of a cluster f*ck... predictably given the track record of things with this particular organisation.

We arrived in our brand new shiny office first thing to discover 2 crates of files were missing and we'd got a load of guys deploying to Afghanistan the next day. No prizes for guess which info we needed? Yep...those that were disparu... The ladies toilets didn't work effectively (I'll spare you the details!), there was no loo roll in any convenience, the specially company branded cups & mugs they purchased were all chucked out as they weren't heat proof so a number of people burnt their hands (serious HSE incident methinks), there was no milk to be had 'til mid afternoon (not that it mattered as there was nothing to make a cup of tea in anyway), and to cap it all, the chilled water dispensers remained empty for the entire day...

After a thorough search of the building I managed to located the 2 crates secreted in the Board room (why I have no idea...) and got 2 burly removal men to deposit them next to my desk to unpack bright and early tomorrow.