I’m now relaxing in Melbourne, having completed my first week in the new job. As these things usually go I spent the first few days reading documentation and learning about the project. I’m very excited: I’ll be using Eclipse, EJB, SCRUM and various other exciting things. The office is quiet and I can’t wait for the first Sprint to start.
Coventry itself is beautiful, inside the ring road at least. The ruins of the old Coventry Cathedral are striking. I remember school assemblies where we were told about the Coventry miracle, the cross made of iron nails found in the ruins; it’s strange to finally see it. And there’s also the status of Lady Godiva, just outside Waterstones.
The only problem is a lack of connectivity. The town has lots of wifi-enable bars and cafes, but it would be good to have something more constant. Having said that, I’m getting a lot done in the evenings: working on my writing and reading.
I finished a few books in the last week, the best of which was Haruki Murakami‘s Norwegian Wood. I’ve read a couple of Murakami books and never really enjoyed them. I was surprised by this, since a number of people whose views I respect love his novels. I was about to give up on this one but my friend Kitty insisted I continued. After about chapter 5 it took off and became something remarkable. I’m glad I read it.