There are times when I seem to get pulled in all directions for all sorts of reasons, and I dont really have control, nor do I have the time to devote to the activities that really need the time. I have too much on my plate, and because I have a small busines I find it hard to knock back work. How can I?

What I do a lot of the time is think about engineering problems, and possible solutions. Some people call this day dreaming. I call it work. For instance when I was driving home from lunch today I was designing a circuit in my head. This circuit had other requirements on it, and needed to be designed using existing parts if possible. And I basically came up with the design in my head, without pen or paper. I can assure you that I normally do write things down when I am designing. It was just that driving on the Hume Highway using a notepad was probably not a good idea.

Tomorrow I am supposed to have a meeting somewhere in the city at 10:00. The client has not got back to me confirming it, so I guess I may not be going in. I will see how it goes. If I do go in I have some other work to do in the city, just behind the George St Cinemas – I need to fix a computer where a toddler attacked the plugs for the computer with some type of pen, killing half the pins.

Tomorrow, if I can get some software working, I will probably need to do some micro-surgery. One of these days I will buy a flat panel screen and a small video camera for when I have to do this type of work. Until then I just need to rely on my eyes. I think I have posted a photo of one of the IC’s that is on my circuit board. Well, tomorrow I might need to modify the board, adding wires to the IC.

Oh, someone asked what engineers actually do. When I was at Uni, one of the assignments in one subject was to design a microporocessor. Some of the easy stuff was already done for you, but you needed to design it, and then simulate it to make sure it worked. This is work that 20-30 years before would have earned a Nobel prize, and it then becomes an assignment at University. Things change.

Anyway I need to get to sleep. I am tired, and there is a bed with my name on it. Good Night to all, and to all a good night. Sweet Dreams…