Work

So, despite certain hassles from management, I find myself for the first time since I started this job with no reports stuck on my desk.

It’s been a long old haul. I inherited two awful draft reports from my predecessor when I took over in May 2002: one on corruption in Macedonia, which I eventually got out that August, and one on pan-Albanian nationalism, which finally got out in February this year. By then I had amassed another two difficult ones, on Azerbaijan and on Moldova; Azerbaijan was published last month, and Moldova I finally pushed onto the next stage yesterday.

My biggest problem with this job is that I feel I’m not very good at – and I know I’m not very enthusiastic about – one of my main responsibilities: editing other people’s 30-50 page reports. I’ve come to realise that my preferred length for my own writing is between that of my better blog entries, say 700 words, and the 8,000 words that I can do for a major article. The more 2,000 word pieces I can do, the happier I am. And what I really enjoy is the pieces for my websites, on sf and elections.

If I were in a self-flagellating mood, I would worry about the fact that I don’t actually have any reports on my desk right now – the Bosnia one has been delayed to (I suspect) past the point where we can make a real contribution; the next Kosovo one hasn’t been started; I have a hand-waving guarantee about something on Georgia by the end of this month, and something on Armenia at the end of next; and the Macedonia one – first draft – is due in only next week.

But in fact I’m just relieved. I’m also somewhat relieved by the fact that apparently I have very few meetings scheduled for my trip to Moscow tomorrow and Friday. It will give me a chance to draw breath, catch up, etc.

But my plane takes off in two hours, and I must go and pack.

One thought on “Work

  1. Picked her up and carried her, without any doubt. On his back, I suspect. Two paragraphs previously we find he has no horse yet, and in this passage there’s no indication that he was mounted (and ‘I run on’ suggests he was on foot).

Comments are closed.