Getting frustrated with donor allocations...

Currently writing this over a lunch break after a particularly frustrating morning struggling with the intricacies of how my NGO splits costs between donors. That's one of the very few things where I think the first NGO I worked for actually scores higher in that there's just so much more control when it's done off-ledger on excel templates. I don't trust databases to do what I what them to - they're just not as flexible and, more importantly, I can't change the colours to nice soft pastels...

In other news, planning my packing is going nowhere very fast. I've whittled the number of books I want to take with me to just under 100. Yes, that's not a typo - I am that crap. My aim is to get it to about 50 which is what I can almost justify taking with me. Thank God for ebooks - not sure what I would have done without my growing supply of virtual reading. And I've just splurged over €100 on a new pair of work shoes. They're an investment. Definitely. Sticking to that story.

As to how I'm feeling about Haiti at the mo - not sure. There's a lot of issues in the office, mostly the usual stuff from the sounds of things in terms of things not being run as tight financially as they should be, and lots of small admin-heavy projects which will be a complete arse to sort out. However, the team there appears functional and the problems seem fixable so I guess it's a pretty good assignment all things considered, if most likely to be very very busy. I guess I've been spoilt by the laziness that marked most of this year - need to get back into the groove of long working hours and that peculiar mix of frustration and adrenaline that gets you up in the mornings.

Also a bit worried as I've been incredibly lazy over the last few evenings - not doing half the things I planned. That's obviously going to change tonight. P85, lease contracts, writing out notes, finishing my plan for the last stage of packing. Yep, that's all happening tonight. See if I can fit in a showing of "I am Legend" at some point. Or "The Kite Runner".

Anyway, to keep me motivated, this is where I plan to work:

All they need to do is set up a generator, a satallite dish, a small bookcase for files and a lounge chair. Picture me in a bikini with my laptop and a cocktail glass (with one of those little umbrellas in it) in one hand. And maybe a little boy to fan me when it gets too hot.

And this is where I'll be hanging during the hurricane season:

Apparently finance is just at the front of the office so we get the lovely view...