Awuku Dela

Kokrokoo is a site designed for everyone looking for a bit of something.  It is geared towards to geek, traveller, events in Ghana, Photography and advice in general; to mention a few.

Filtering by Category: This-N-That

Debt Management Companies - Are They Worth The Money They Charge

So a while back I was getting fed up of all the frequent calls I was getting from institutions I owed money to. After careful thought, I decide to engage the help of a debt management company - Abacus.  Three weeks into them handling my finances, everything was great. All the phone calls stopped and I was slowly paying off money I owed. Then out of nowhere I got two summons to court for charging orders. I hastily contacted Abacus and inquired what was going on. It then dawned onto me that even though I was making regular payments and that my financial affairs were now being properly looked after, I could not escape the vicious teeth of the companies I owed money to. Ok, so I went to court and the charging orders were applied. What I do not understand is if the court wishes to apply a charging order fine, but what's the wisdom in applying the charging order and then adding more money to the outstanding money owing as court fees? plain stupidity.

Now, last week, I get another letter from the courts asking for attachment of earnings..hang on I say to myself, whats going on here. So I ring Abacus up and ask for an explanation. Why am I being asked for attachment of earnings when you (Abacus) have already negotiated with the company I owe money to; to make X amount in monthly payments? After careful thought, I think I will be better off managing all these payments myself. Abacus is charging me 45 quid per month as administration fees. now I can either spread that 45 quid over the payments i am already making or put that dosh into a saving account.

I think I will get rid of Abacus, I am really upset with they way they are handling my finances.

Stick To Wordpress Or Move To Squarespcae

OK, I have just been introduced to a site called Squarespace. I dont know much about it, but what I do know is that it si similar to Wordpress. The immediate visible difference is that you have to pay (on a monthly basis). Yes, I know that Wordpress is free, however, is there any reason why Squarespace charges and Wordpress doesnt? For those of you out there already using Squarespace, and have used Wordpress before, kindly fill me in on what the difference is.

Microsoft Office 2010

I got an invite from Microsoft last night to download and review Office 2010.

** This is an unmonitored email address, so do not reply to this message.**

Welcome! We are pleased to invite you into the Technical Preview program to be among the first people in the world to experience Microsoft® Office 2010.

The following link will bring you to Microsoft Connect, where you will find downloads available for early, pre-release versions of Microsoft Office 2010 products. You will also find product information and have the chance to participate in newsgroups to engage with our product teams and other program participants. Please note that there is no technical support offered for this program.

To get started, please click on the link below. This is a one-time-use only url associated with this e-mail address, so it cannot be shared with others to join the program. This will bring you to the Connect site where you will need to sign in with your Windows Live ID account. If you do not have a Windows Live ID, you can create one from the Connect site.

Your ticket to the Technical preview:

Well, I use Outlook more than any of the other Office applications, and I must say, I was totally lost after the upgrade.

How will other users respond to how Microsoft Office has been overhauled? More questions to follow.

Obama In Ghana

As most people will say, history was once again made when Obama made that trip to Ghana.I did watch in full the live event on any of premier news networks, however I did get an ocassional glimpse of what was televised when he visited one of the castles in Cape Coast. I took my usual morning trip to Facebook and read a comment Felix aka Tae made. His comment or should I say question (or even probabaly concern) was this:

Obama had a message for Ghana/Africa. Did Ghana/Africa have a message for Obama/America? I'm playing back all the events and it seems it was a uni-directional conversation. What did we tell him apart from thanking him? Anyone remember?

Anyway, you might be interested in reading the number of responses this have so beeen  generated on Facebook.

Eliza Olympio

Eliza Olympio

at 06:21 on 12 July

They are still in a trance. Probably looking at pictures they took with their mobile phones on the tarmac

Julius Sowu

Julius Sowu

at 06:39 on 12 July

Sad but true, and that went across the whole of the social media sites, looks like setting agenda is still potent play , even in the so called openness of social media.

CNN did do a reasonable dissection of the speech with regard substance, but afraid everywhere else I looked it was "all hail the king" hehehehe

Felix Duku

Felix Duku

at 06:40 on 12 July

Isnt't this the time to be running documentaries on Ghana's tourism and investment potential in the foreign press. I see Amgola, Azerbaijan, Croatia and Greece doing it and yet we dont seem to be taking advantage of the 'free' focus on us. Do we have ministries of information and tourism? Where's initiative? HUH? Why cant we do a 5 minute thingy on the Cape Coast Castle as a follow up to his visit? Are we brain dead? No insult intended. I'm just frus...

Jasper Cudjoe Adamah

Jasper Cudjoe Adamah

at 06:40 on 12 July

hahahaha...

Ruby Dumesh-Lee

Ruby Dumesh-Lee

at 06:40 on 12 July

I think we gave him a traditional stool and a batakari....with some salo mango and yoyi for the road...hahaa. Give em a moment to bask in his presence. I wonder what the Bushes and the Clintons were doing??? hmmmmm

Zulu Ghana

Zulu Ghana

at 07:33 on 12 July

Tae, the impression Ghana has given and will probably always give is that we need Obama/America and not the other way round, so its my thinking that we have to sit and listen.

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

at 07:33 on 12 July

Man for a minute I thought I was the only one sick of this Obamamania/pomp and circumstance...Ghana and all of Africa's 'times will not get better unless WE make our times better' ~ Malcolm Little (X). Speeches filled with rhetoric have served our people nothing but heavier, deeper, debt and set us farther back in time. We got to do our own thing.

Zulu Ghana

Zulu Ghana

at 07:38 on 12 July

@Kwabena...i totally agree with you and have been saying this to guys and gurls who have suddenly gone into some trance of deluded excitement because Obama has come to Ghana. then they go into another level of delusion because Obama has pledged sixty something million to Ghana. boy. we all know what that means

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

at 07:44 on 12 July

@Zulu...that 60 mil pledge is nothing but a trojan horse. 60 million ia a paltry sum especially when 100 billion is 'stolen every quarter out of Ghana. Obama is still going to protect America's interests, and that primarily is oil.

Zulu Ghana

Zulu Ghana

at 08:06 on 12 July

@ Kwabena..LOL - trojan horse...i love that! Man, where have you been? you and i should hook up one day...your last comment is parallel to what i was telling someone yesterday. we cannot account properly for what we have and yet we are happily going to receive more dosh into our coffers? hmmm its like feeding the lion not with just ordinary meat, but with marinated meat dressed with virgin olive oil in a bed organic salad.

Isaac K. Neequaye

Isaac K. Neequaye

at 08:22 on 12 July

Tae, notwishstanding all the comments above, particularly @Zulu and @Kwabena, did Ghana/Africa even pay attention and listen to what Obama said? Would have done us good if even that was the only thing we did, but I fear too many of our 'big men and women' were too focused on their phones and cameras and photo ops. The moment's gone now and hope we

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will do an honest dispassionate post-mortem. I fully share your frustration...why does it seem we never seem to do a swell job going forward and are forever doing post-mortems? Don't we learn?

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

at 08:31 on 12 July

@Isaac obviously had 'Bama had anything worthwhile listening to they'd listen...'Bama aint got the answers or solutions. You puting a bandaid on one's tummy when one's suffering from a stomache is not the panacea. "Bama's speech is not what we need. When one asks the teller at the bank, 'what time does the bank close?' the appropriate answer is the time and not, 'well sir it is open now'. GHANA

Zulu Ghana

Zulu Ghana

at 08:38 on 12 July

@ Isaac..i just did a quick dash to the BBC site and dug this up "Repression takes many forms, and too many nations are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or police can be bought off by drug traffickers... No person wants to live in

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a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end. ... Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions." now i understand, in one aspect why you are asking if Ghana paid attention and listened to what Obama said.

Nana Dennis Manu

Nana Dennis Manu

at 08:41 on 12 July

@felix...what i heard from the ghana side was a plea for more aid due to the global economic situation...i don't expect our leaders to get off the aid/beg tip anytime soon but do we have to lead with that??? i am sure in private that is what we (and the americans) will talk about BUT in public why don't we have a more positive message which affirms

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our confidence in our own abilities to move the country forward irrespective of whether or not we are getting aid?? such an attitude will do wonders for our collective confidence and psyche IMO. But as long as our leaders cannot seem to fathom us developing without begging (and say so publicly) then it will be difficult to tell those lower in the pecking order in our society to engage in the kind of behavior that leads to productive societies...i

Isaac K. Neequaye

Isaac K. Neequaye

at 08:41 on 12 July

@Kwabena, well the bank is (was) open and what did (are) we do other than photos? We've known about this visit since May/June, did we prepare a policy position? Did we brainstorm and prepare our negotiators beforehand? Did we back up our arguments with facts, figures, plans, deadlines etc. Or were we too busy trying to nail Asabee's wife to plan

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properly? Maybe I misunderstand you Kwabena, but I for one have gone beyond looking up to and blaming others for the mess we find ourselves in. Obama came with a position, even if it was only cosmetic. What did we have in return?

Nana Dennis Manu

Nana Dennis Manu

at 08:43 on 12 July

n short, we need more pride in ourselves and have the mindset that aid is temporary... i don't want to be reading 25 years from now about how ghana needs another WB/IMF injection to tide us over due to some global financial crisis...wasn't it just 25 years ago (1983) when we saw this movie? i beg oh!!!

Isaac K. Neequaye

Isaac K. Neequaye

at 08:49 on 12 July

@Nana, couldn't agree better with you.

Wilma Longdon

Wilma Longdon

at 08:50 on 12 July

Ike, I couldn't agree with you more. Are we really hearing what the man is saying? Not just the big men and women, but the so called "ordinary Ghanaian" (whatever that's supposed to mean). Beyond the euphoria, will we even internalize "Yes We Can" and apply it to our situation?

Will we stop saying "aban mbeye mayen" and make an attempt to take ... Read moreresponsibility for anything? Will we quit stuffing our drains with solid waste/building on water ways and turn round to blame the government when our homes flood?

Until the attitude of the Ghanaian and African changes to take responsibility for his own life nothing will change. We will keep expecting that our very survival depends on handouts from the West.

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

at 08:50 on 12 July

@Zulu...Hmmm the BBC report begs the question...if no person wants to live in such a decadent society I wonder why millions of people want to live in the US and EU, where brutality and bribery are the untold unspoken order of the day. A bill of rights that are circumvented at the whim of govt.? Friends once again be not taken in by the rhetoric, pomp and circumstance of the so called developed democratic nations...and oh Isaac we paid attention that is why we are certain of the 'demagoguery'.

Zulu Ghana

Zulu Ghana

at 09:07 on 12 July

@ Isaac...you have nailed it as per your comment "We've known about this visit since May/June, did we prepare a policy position? Did we brainstorm and prepare our negotiators beforehand? Did we back up our arguments with facts, figures, plans, deadlines etc. Or were we too busy trying to nail Asabee's wife to plan" sometimes i wonder at the mental state of our leaders!!!

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

at 09:08 on 12 July

@ Isaac the analogy of the teller/bank is to say when we ask for what we require we know what we want. We do not need any hype. Cometics may make a person look and even feel well; we want and need to be well not feel, for too long we've been hoodwinked into accepting 'feeling' as 'being'...and that is what 'Bama and his speechwriters want us to accept...to that we say NO MORE!!! @Wilma we aint waiting on Joe!!!

Zulu Ghana

Zulu Ghana

at 09:08 on 12 July

guys and gurls...i am off to church. i am on car parrk duty this morning. i will surely return. Tae..wake up, this thread needs some shito and kobi injection. where are you?

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

Kwabena Boakye Yiadom Fosu

at 09:10 on 12 July

Why do we have to prepare for Obama's visit...quit the pomp and circumstance people...

Julius Sowu

Julius Sowu

at 09:27 on 12 July

This is great, a conversation in the light of transparency, and where our next generation politics should come from, and may I add accountability! a word used oh so often but without the true essence.

Where was the appeal to Obama, to for instance use the invasive laws and agreements across the globe put in place to catch terror monies from being moved, to notify us when some of our so called "corrupt" leaders are chopping?

This cynic suspects we would not get the info any ways due to companies working in the name of National Interests of the same countries who tar us with the corruption tag, but at least the world would have heard us ask the question, therefore pointing out we knew where the problem lay.... Read more

Where was the question on agricultural imports to Ghana using rice as an example, and the effect of US rice on our rice production and sale? Yes we might get the tired answer of free markets but hey we asked and the world heard.

Keep up the dialogue we listen

Brigitte Dzogbenuku

Brigitte Dzogbenuku

at 09:49 on 12 July

He got his messages through the people he saw, the conversations he had, and the places he visited. I am sure of that. The worry though is the type of messages he got from people like our President, our ex-presidents and the ministers of state.

Kwaku Sikahene Ampomah

Kwaku Sikahene Ampomah

at 09:53 on 12 July

Guys the time will come soon when we as africans and the african continent will take political, technological, economic and cultural leadership in this world - the key to this is when we become truly comfortable with who we are and the vast diversity that we have - we need a CURE (Cultural Revolution) - we need to take our rightful place as

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originators of civilisation, science and technology - at the moment our political system is foreign - our education is foreign - our economic systems do not benefit us - our religions are foreign - the legacy of slavery, colonialism and neo colonialism still haunts us - however we are still here alive and kicking - there are still massive threats to our existence and our ways of life - but we are too strong and in the end we shall prevail and and overcome - Felix thanks for starting this debate - its great to share and receive such fantastic ideas from all of you.

Julius Sowu

Julius Sowu

at 10:13 on 12 July

@Kwaku well said on cultural diffs re Education , political and economy,and Brigitte though "he" might of heard his people would not have. In a way I feel for him as leader of US at this time of flux, damned if he does damned if he does not, what has to be done in so far as not just Africa, but the whole world politic, goes against not only the

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status quo, re standard of living, sharing of responsibility, all covered by the term National Interest that it is only when these words whispered behind closed doors are shared by the peoples of Western Nations as valid points of view will there be a change in "National Interest" Which leads me to Felix's point about advertising our wares, until we are considered credible, the response will always be "Oh look how well they are doing" with a pat on the head, when we all know the unsaid That unless some miracle cure for energy addiction is found, those of us under the sustainable standard of living of this planet, have not a hope of reaching it

Yaw Nsarkoh

Yaw Nsarkoh

at 10:36 on 12 July

It is for me a question of whether we aim to, and have the confidence to aim and work to become HIGHLY developed or whether we will simply settle for and be content with minor steps to become LESS UNDERDEVELOPED. Whatever I do, I want to believe I can be the very best at it that there is in the world. Not merely a little better than the worst.

Kwaku Sikahene Ampomah

Kwaku Sikahene Ampomah

at 10:41 on 12 July

@julius - thanks for bringing sustainable energy - totally on point

Sara Asafu-Adjaye

Sara Asafu-Adjaye

at 10:45 on 12 July

@ Eliza - u noticed too? i was so freaked out by a soldier taking photos of obama with his phone ... wasnt he there to protect him? anyway, i would probably have done the same.

Robert Ebo Hinson

Robert Ebo Hinson

at 11:01 on 12 July

People we have been pontificating about how Ghana should be positioned globally for too long and we do nothing about it in Ghana. To go back to Felix's original point, we do not have any key messages as a country to the various stakeholders we interface internally and externally. It stands to reason then that we interact with the likes of Obama and

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his ilk, we simply do not have the ability to articluate to him in whatever media the current ideals that characterise our national development, where we have come from, where we are and where we are going. All said everybody has a sense of what Ghana means and what we are all about but no-one knows really what we represent a collective..... It is no wonder therefore, ministers of state we nearly shoving camera phones into Obama;s noise; for whatever reason I will never be able to fathom......Crazy how be bro?

Kwaku Sikahene Ampomah

Kwaku Sikahene Ampomah

at 11:03 on 12 July

Ebo - well said, nuff respect

Tawia Dadson Addo-Ashong

Tawia Dadson Addo-Ashong

at 12:06 on 12 July

I'm unsure that a cultural revolution is the solution. As Africans, I'm afraid we have no common cause to build any platforms of innovation and development on. The world's systems- like them or loathe them- have been established, so how do Ghanaians grow smart to work the system for our collective good- like the Chinese, Indians etc have done

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. The bottom line is education, growing ppl who can think, innovate, create- people of vision- it's no wonder that the Good Book says that without vision a people will perish...

We need to have answers when the spotlight turns on us. Unforunately we only had camera fones..

Ruth Wade Kwakwa

Ruth Wade Kwakwa

at 13:05 on 12 July

Oh Charley. Is true o-h-h! Here we were, basking in the glory of the media-glow...and we missed the op to give the world our message. our big shot at glory, and there we were on CNN, big men chewing gum in the audience like we were doing Wrigleys a favour. And no message. Whoops.

Re: the publictiy. This was OUR moment to do some big time brand ... Read morethink, and launch our brand to the world....with some major brand messages being beamed to the world in the weeks following, now that people know that Ghana is in Africa and not South America (as in Guyana) and following the free publicity. Do we get a second chance?

Robert Ebo Hinson

Robert Ebo Hinson

at 13:07 on 12 July

2nd Chance? Well...... Depends Ruth.... Are we switched on now... or just chewing on the gum still.....Hehehe. Depends...

Capital One and Natwest Credit Cards

Sometime back I blogged about my getting rid of all my debts. I went on to say that i had cleared my Alliance and Leciester loan. Well, I am pleased to say that I am on the way to clearing my Capital One and Natwest Credit cards. To be precise, I have £128.00 , £60.00 left on my Natwest and £700.00 on my Capital One card. I believe if I make [more than] sizable regular payments spread over the next 6 weeks, I should be able to clear them completely.

My main concern is the huge loan I took out some years back. My debt management agency called me some months back and informed me that I possible have a case in terms of this loan being mis sold to me. Now this means that if this gets taken further i.e to court, to which I have been to told it will because I have a solid case, then I get the loan scratched off my slate and possibly get some money back.

Now that will leaves me with my Halifax loan to repay.

Prince2 Course - The Results Are In!!!!

Saturday morning I got up early ready to make tracks into town and pay some bill. Just as I was about to open the front door, a couple of letters popped through the letter box. I picked them up and was about to toss them on the dinning room  table, when SPOCE suddenly on the envelope caught my eye. I quickly tore open the envelope, dropped it in the process, picked it and finally got the letter out. Guys a Gurls...guess what? I passed. What a sweet joy of success.

Thanks to y'all who  prayed for me.

Three Days Work At Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire.

Its been a very blissful three days at Brocket Hall. I have been support a Directors Board Meeting and took the few hours at my disposal to wonder the grounds of this huge Estate.

Brocket Hall is a country house in Hertfordshire, England, 22 miles from central London by road. It was built for Sir Matthew Lamb, 1st Baronet, in around 1760 to designs by the architect James Paine. It stands on the site of two predecessors, the first of which was built in 1239. It is a tall red brick neoclassical house in a fine landscape setting with a Palladian bridge. The main staircase is probably the finest of the interiors. A ceiling was painted by Francis Wheatley.

Sir Matthew's son became the first Lord Melbourne and he was often visited at Brocket Hall by the Prince Regent, who had a liaison with Lady Melbourne. The next owner was William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1835-1841. On his death, the house passed to his sister, who was to marry Lord Palmerston who also became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and who died at Brocket while still in office. Queen Victoria was another visitor to Brocket.

In 1923 the estate was purchased by Sir Charles Nall-Cain; he was created Baron Brocket in 1933. It was a maternity hospital during World War II.

In the late 20th century Charles Nall-Cain, 3rd Baron Brocket, also a convicted fraudster and reality television personality, converted Brocket Hall into a hotel and conference centre. It has two golf courses, a Faldo Golf Institute, and a restaurant called Auberge du Lac which was formerly associated with celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli.

 

Will PRINCE2™ Help Me Get a Job?

Project Management as a specialised skill-set and career path is becoming increasingly prominent. Ever more new graduates are considering trainee project management roles, for the clear career progression that they offer, the satisfaction of practical application of learned skills to specific projects, and the opportunity for a varied and rewarding career across a wide variety of organisations. Project Management specialisation is also being recognised as an asset within companies. While subject-matter experts are important for providing specialist skills and understanding of the specific project environment, Project Managers enable these experts to be utilised efficiently within the project structure.

Many organisations specify a professional project management qualification as a necessary or desirable part of the project management job specification. Where a qualification is not required, demonstration of interest and application at a formal level will boost the C.V. of anybody seeking even an entry-level position into a project management environment. Demonstrable project management training enables you to develop a career path independent of industry specialisation, thereby broadening the scope of your professional development.

As well as C.V. points, project management qualifications provide knowledge of established and popular methodologies, confidence in working within a project management environment, and transferable project management skills. Project Managers move from corporate banks to marketing, to hospitals, to engineering. Professional project management training allows you to develop skills that are valuable to organisations across all sectors.

In the UK, and increasingly on a global level, PRINCE2 is the preferred methodology and qualification. Developed by the OGC in 1996, PRINCE2 is the project management method used in all UK government-run projects, as well as in many high-ranking commercial businesses. Founded on the earlier PROMPT and PRINCE project management methods, and shaped by the combined experiences of over 150 European organisations, PRINCE2 offers a set of shared expectations, structures and techniques – in short, a common language – for project management.

Adaptable to the project environment, PRINCE2 is designed to foster an organisation capable of tackling any project that arises. Correspondingly, PRINCE2 training cultivates transferable skills, and therefore enables practitioners to work in a wide range of project environments.

The PRINCE2 qualification consists of two levels, Foundation and Practitioner. At Foundation level, you can expect to gain a thorough knowledge of PRINCE2 principles and terminology, and an understanding of how these concepts interrelate. This qualification is essential for anybody working within a PRINCE2 project management environment.

The success of the PRINCE2 method is built upon the shared language that it creates. A PRINCE2 Project Manager requires a team who are aware of the project strategies that are involved within the method. A Foundation-level qualification demonstrates knowledge of the PRINCE2 method, boosting your suitability for, and your confidence within, a role on a PRINCE2 team.

The PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification takes you beyond knowledge-based competency to challenge your practical analytical and evaluative abilities. By testing practical ability as well as understanding, this qualification demonstrates project management skills outside of a PRINCE2 environment, and is a valuable addition to any C.V. This qualification is a vital accompaniment to project experience when seeking a role at the level of Project Manager or above.

Continuous training and qualification is essential in particular for contract Project Managers. Self-employment means that you are constantly being required to market your skills, and that you are expected to deliver the required goods to a high standard with minimum on-site training. Gaining the Practitioner qualification formalises the project management capabilities that you already have, and enables you to slide smoothly into a PRINCE2 environment.

Project Management is a recognised and well-rewarded professional specialisation. Practical experience is necessary for gaining senior positions, but professional courses boost awareness of established methodologies, confidence in working within project management environments, and the C.V.’s of those interested in a project management career. The PRINCE2 Foundation qualification demonstrates interest and ability in those working within companies that use alternative project management methods, and is essential for anybody seeking work within a PRINCE2 project environment. The PRINCE2 Practitioner Qualification is a rigorous test of practical skills, and is therefore a recognised mark of project management ability.

PRINCE2™ is a trademark of the Office of Government Commerce Article Source

Prince2 Course - Finally Done And Dusted

Friday morning saw all 16 participants of this course sat in the exam room ready to take the Practitioner exam. The exam lasted 3 hours and was an open book one. The funny thing was that at the beginning of the course, the tutor mentioned that we shouldn't worry because the exam was an open book one, and that we could refer to the PRINCE2 text book whenever we wanted. On the exam day, I didn't even have the time to open the book.

Its been one week 3 days since I took the exam. Greg [the tutor] adviced us that it will take between 2 to 3 weeks to get the papers marked.

Reflections on the course: I totally enjoyed it 100%. What I noticed immediately was that 14 out of the 16 candidates were involved in project management one way or the other. I think, for me, this put me at a disadvantage as all the others who were familiar with the various terminology and processes were asking questions related to some stage ahead in the course.

Also, I thought, and still do, think that one week for the course is far to short a period to study for the Foundation and Practioner. Its absolutely too much information to get in.

prince2 course - day 3

Well, it has been a gruelling 3 days so far into my PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioners course. I have never had so much information crammed into me within a space of 72 hours like this before. And I cannot remember the last time I spent so much time on my bum sitting down!But its all good. I took the Foundation exam this afternoon and passed. You should have seen the relief on my face. It has been a grueling 3 days of intensive lectures and studying. I will surely be over the moon with joy when I do the Practitioner exam on friday afternoon to wrap up the course. OK, I have got to dash now. I am staying over at the Swissotel tonight, up at 3 AM the next day for some more studying and back to Monument in the morning for more lectures. By the way, my stay at the Swissotel is to do with work.

PRINCE2

OK, I have been doing some research for about PRINCE2 now, as in which training center is best [London based] and comparing prices. My initial and present research has all been from other Project Managers in BAT who have gone through the PRINCE2 course. So I finally decided to go with SPOCE, because 8/10 Project Managers recommended them. So far I have paid for the Foundation and Practitioners 5 day course which includes exams for both of them.

Carols By Candle Light @ Reachout Community Church

Carols By Candle Light is a yearly event we do this time of the year. It involve members of the Reachout Community Church organising a series of plays and singing. The kids also get involved in this event. It is a time when people are invited to take part in this unique event. And oh, the after party? Wow...such a thrill, people just mingle and talk to each other..there is such a unique sense of togetherness. Below are some pictures Paul took, and kindly emailed me copies - yes I need to get a decent digital camera!

Yes, It Has Been A while.

So, what have been doing since my last post? Only God knows. Ah yes, I have been to another conference at Chewton Glen. This was for 3 days, and I must say, I enjoyed it. LOL, what a thing to say. I always enjoy my conference support trips.And after Chewton Glen, what have I been doing? Well its been just work, work and more work; oh and lots of studying as well. Yes studying. Dont ask, its a very long story.

So, I was at M3's crib the weekend gone to visit her. I sent her a text asking where she was and to let her know that I was on my way to see her. I got a reply back telling me that she was in the US. Well I wasnt surprised. She sort of has the habit of flying over to the US whenever she feels like it. Oh well, I said to myself, I might as well pop over anyway and chill out for a while [ I have a spare set of her crib keys].

I made myself some coffee, then took out some sausages from her freezer and grilled them for a light lunch. After taking a short nap, I decided to take back with me some of my clothes I had hanging around. Just before leaving the flat, my eyes set themselves on the picture that was sat on her dining table. Gosh, I just could not make out how long ago it was taken. I fliped it over, and M3 had written on the back "June 1980, Tamale"

WOW!

Making Tracks Back In Time

Alliance And Leicester Loan Paid Off - My Road To Recovery

Five weeks ago I got the usual untimely call from the Alliance and Leicester bank asking why I had missed a recent payment and when was I going to make my next payment. I asked the chap how much I was owing. From his response, I quickly calculated that if I made two equal payments on the balance I could get rid of the loan I took out with them two years ago. So I asked him if I could send two cheques to cover the balance. The first cheque could be presented immediately for payment, but the other would have to be presented a week later. He said that was fine and that they would send me a letter confirming that the loan had been paid off. I posted the cheques the next day.Now bearing in mind that this was five weeks ago, at the beginning of this week , suddenly realised that I hadn't received this letter the bank had promised to send me. A quick glance at my business bank statements showed that they had presented both cheques for payment and had received the money. So why hadn't they sent the letter. I suddenly became very cross. I called the bank the next day and asked why I hadn't received the letter they promised me. As usual, I was given some stupid excuse. two days after, I got the letter I should have received three weeks ago.

New Pair Of Reading Glasses - I went To SpecSavers

As with things like reading glasses, mine gave up on me three weeks ago. I think I have had them for about four years. Anyway, the frame gave up on me and when I took them back to see if the lenses could be place in a similar type of frame, they said that they had stopped stocking those types of frames. So, I went into my local SpecSavers store and booked a routine eye test after which, with the assistance of a lady working there, picked out the type of glasses I wanted. Fortunately for me, the store had an offer going. If you bought a pair of designer glasses costing £165.00 and over, you got a second pair free.

I Am Off To Dublin Next Week…….. Day Three - Tuesday

I woke up around 5AM with a splitting headache. I was kind of expecting this invasion of my brain cell with this sort of pain, so I quickly rushed to the bathroom where I had a packet of pain-killers. I went back to sleep immediately and woke up at 6.30AM from my wake up call.Breakfast was in "The Cellar". My appetite was huge, as you probably know, from all that alcohol I had been drinking from the night before into the early hours of Tuesday. I quickly finish breakfast and went over to the conference rooms to setup my kit. Tuesday was a short day. The Directors had fishing and golf lined up for them from 3AM onwards, so the Directors Secretary bought me a days pass for a bus tour of Dublin city centre. I caught the bus from just outside The Merrion and proceeded to take pictures. The bus tour was fabulous. I totally enjoyed it. It was windy as it was an open top bus, and at one point I lost my baseball cap I bought in Bangalore. I was gutted, but found solace in the fact that I became friends with an American Lady called Ebony.

I Am Off To Dublin Next Week…….. Day Two - Monday

Monday fond me up bright and early. I had a great night on Sunday. The conference organizer and the Directors Secretary I was supporting took me out to a restaurant about 5 minutes walk from the hotel we were staying in. I think it is called Pebles. The food was absolutely lovely. One thing I learnt about Irish cooking is that they never use frozen fish to cook. Everything is fresh from the sea. I was hoping to have my first pint of genuine Irish Guinness beer, but unfortunately, the restaurant did not serve beer.Anyway after setting up the conference room with the laptops and projectors needed to the Directors presentation, I took the free time that I had to take pictures around the Hotel. I would just like to mention that the pictures have been taken with a Nokia N95-8G, which is quite impressive.

This building is just across the street from The Merrion Hotel.

The Merrion Hotel - A View From Outside. You wouldnt believe that this building has such beautiful rooms in it.

The Coffee Lounge At The Merrion.

The conference was setup up in two parts. One room catered for a teleconference meeting, and the other room was for the conference "proper"

BAT Dublin Conference

BAT Dublin Conference Room Two

Now I shall show you some pictures of my Hotel room. The one thing that caught my eye as soon as I entered the room was the height of the bed. Not that I am complaining. It was a great bed, absolutely perfect.

My Comfort Zone In My Hotel Room

My Entertainment Centre

The white cabinet on which the flat screen TV is resting on has a fuly loaded drinks bar tucked away in it!

My Bed

Also check out the BOSE CD player sitting on the right side of this picture, if I had known, I would have brought some "serious" Smooth Jazz CD's. The aquality of sound that bashes out of those devices is wicked.

The Bathroom

OK, so things finally finished off at 7PM and I gathred my IT Kit and made tracks to my room, I was quite tired and was looking forward to an early night. Just as I got to my room, I got a call asking me to be at reception by 9PM. We were all going out for a meal at Johnnies. Now for those of you who are toourist in Dublin and have not been over to Johnnie's...well, you guys are missing out "big time". The drive in a BMW 740 series] took about 35 minutes. I actually went on ahead of everyone else with the conference organizer from Number 20 just to make sure that everything was in place for the Directors when they got there. The joint totally blew me away. It was here I had my first genuine pint of Guinness. Wow, now this is what I call Guinness. I am now sure that the pubs in london dilute their Guinness one way or the other. from now onwards, if I ever have the urge to drink Guinness, I will either fly over to Dublin or have it sent to me by some special means. Check out the pictures taken at Johnnies below.

The Bar