Did you ski the mountain or did it ski you?

Happy New Year. I’m just back from a bit of great skiing in sunny St. Johann, Austria. Pretty good snow and a good time on the slopes, linked with probably the best fireworks display I’ve seen since Paris 2000.

The news to start 2005 is that I’ve wrapped up working at the old OeE (now the eGU) after 4 1/2 years or so. I had a lot of fun there, worked with some incredible people, solved some difficult problems, achieved a few impressive things and, sadly, left too many things undone that should have been long since done. I wish everyone still there a great 2005 as they head into the home strait for the 100% online target.

2005 will bring some new challenges. I’m taking a bit of time off before starting the new new thing. There are some nice offers out there but there is no rush and I’d like to take the time to think through what the right thing to do is.

I’ll be posting here a little more regularly at last, partly because I have some time and partly because the recent restrictions on me have been lifted. The posts I make here will continue, as always, to represent my own thoughts and opinions on issues, and not those of my previous employer. Doubtless that will cause some consternation somewhere. I believe strongly in the potential of e-government and also believe that we have barely touched on that potential. The first piece that I write after this will reflect my thinking on that. The UK is no better and no worse than many other countries – the potential lies, for the most part, untouched.

So, into 2005. As my ski teacher, Ronnie, constantly reminded me last week “Either you can ski the mountain or you can let it ski you.” Which one is it to be for you? And, a year from now, when you look back on 2005 will you say the same thing?

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