Oh No! I'm a Celebrity is back on and Oh No I've started watching it! I hate myself for this more than I hate the British obsession with celebrity. So why do I do it? Picture someone headbutting a wall if you will...
I'm finishing at 12noon today in advance of a long weekend in London. This means I have loads to do today and have to start deciding what's only urgent what's urgent/important and what can be left until Monday. Next week will be huge. Two Annual Reviews in one week and big meetings in Dublin Thursday and Friday.
Onwards!
Friday, 20 November 2009
Thursday, 19 November 2009
No.185 Of Front Crawling to the Weekend
The problem with having a big conference on midweek is that the following day you feel it's the end of the week and you're crawling to get to the weekend.
On the subject of crawl it was front crawl today 40 lengths this morning beginning at 7.15a.m.. A speaker from yesterday claimed she does 64 lengths every day and I believe her. In a spare moment I worked out that in the past 10 years she has swam 3,840 km. that's the equivalent of almost ten swims to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg if you could swim all the way. Mighty if you ask me. I bet she doesn't flag by Thursday.
On the subject of crawl it was front crawl today 40 lengths this morning beginning at 7.15a.m.. A speaker from yesterday claimed she does 64 lengths every day and I believe her. In a spare moment I worked out that in the past 10 years she has swam 3,840 km. that's the equivalent of almost ten swims to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg if you could swim all the way. Mighty if you ask me. I bet she doesn't flag by Thursday.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
No.184 Of Big Days & Big Weather
Its another big day for us. Annual Review event No.3 out of 5. Today we're at the Radisson Dublin Airport - a great hotel with fine service. The speaker line up is great but lacks Marguertie Bolger SC who is court up in litigation. In for her is Claire Bruton not an easy space to fill but I'm sure she'll do well.
The weather outside is howling. I wonder if this will affect the mode of delegates. It sometimes does. I must ask the Chair to start with some gags just to lighten the mood. Rather him than me.
Onwards!
The weather outside is howling. I wonder if this will affect the mode of delegates. It sometimes does. I must ask the Chair to start with some gags just to lighten the mood. Rather him than me.
Onwards!
No.183 Of Naked Flames & Howling Gales
Dublin again. This time at the Radisson airport Hotel. They have a naked flame burning in the foyer here. It's the sort of thing you want to try and blow out when the staff are not watching or hang around to see if anyone catches fire who themselves are not watching and expecting a naked flame to be right where you queue to check out. I wonder how much they paid an interiour designer to come up with that idea.
I'm in a room which is really nice. There's a problem however. There's a howling gale blowing outside and somehow it's whistle is going right through my bedroom. This may be because I'm right by the lift and the wind is coming up the shaft. The only way to stop the noise for some reason it seems is to open the bedroom door a tad. This can be done without compromising the room's security by putting the chain across the door whilst ajar. But I'm not sure how advisable it is to allow all those coming out the lift on the second floor and turning right full view of his Lordship in his jammies.
There's loads happening at work at the moment. During the past few weeks I've had lots of people come at me with ideas. I've gone at lots of people with my own ideas too. Now I have to start working out which of them all makes sense, which don't and which are damn right foolish. But how and using what? Aristotle, Pythagoras, bar charts, Venn diagrams, the toss of a coin or Ib dib dob dib?
I'm in a room which is really nice. There's a problem however. There's a howling gale blowing outside and somehow it's whistle is going right through my bedroom. This may be because I'm right by the lift and the wind is coming up the shaft. The only way to stop the noise for some reason it seems is to open the bedroom door a tad. This can be done without compromising the room's security by putting the chain across the door whilst ajar. But I'm not sure how advisable it is to allow all those coming out the lift on the second floor and turning right full view of his Lordship in his jammies.
There's loads happening at work at the moment. During the past few weeks I've had lots of people come at me with ideas. I've gone at lots of people with my own ideas too. Now I have to start working out which of them all makes sense, which don't and which are damn right foolish. But how and using what? Aristotle, Pythagoras, bar charts, Venn diagrams, the toss of a coin or Ib dib dob dib?
Monday, 16 November 2009
No.182 Of White Dogs and a Caine
Yesterday was a great day. I went hiking up the Sperrins with some friends and a dog (a white lab) which was to become more useful than I had first expected. The hillside was remarkably boggie and after a good deal of rain it was difficult to be sure that you were not about to disappear into a bog similar to the one that starred in Hound of the Baskervilles and accounted for at least one baddie if I remember rightly. Hence said dog was brought forward and ordered to lead the way as we duly marched behind watching carefully to see if four legs disappeared and become one head at any point. It didn't in case a member of the RSPCA is reading this.
Last night I went to the flicks and saw Harry Brown - Michael Caine's latest film. It was good. He was even better but the plot is a bit predictable and I've seen it in at least two films before.
I think I can now lay claim to be a regular 40 a day man having swam 40 lengths four times in succession. I believe I've conquered the sheer bordeom of it all by running through in mind the forthcoming day's diary. Yes I know not very exciting but marginally better than concentrating on the bottom of the pool for one direction then the other 20 times.
Last night I went to the flicks and saw Harry Brown - Michael Caine's latest film. It was good. He was even better but the plot is a bit predictable and I've seen it in at least two films before.
I think I can now lay claim to be a regular 40 a day man having swam 40 lengths four times in succession. I believe I've conquered the sheer bordeom of it all by running through in mind the forthcoming day's diary. Yes I know not very exciting but marginally better than concentrating on the bottom of the pool for one direction then the other 20 times.
Sunday, 15 November 2009
No.181 Of YoYo Shopping Weekends
Yesterday was a shopping day and one of extremes with the worst shopping experience in my life ever immediately followed by one of the best.
It started out at the Outlet Centre near Banbridge. I had been wanting to go to this for a while to compare it with J1. I couldn't see much difference between the two. The lay out is more or less the same. The type of shops are much the same too.
First stop was for a suit so I ventured into a shop called Savoy Taylors Guild about halfway along the horseshoe curve of shops on the lefthandside. Within a few seconds a lady shop assistant approached to ask me if I needed any help. I said no thank you but I'd let her know if I did. A couple of minutes later she asked again and I said No thank you. Then her male colleague who has also been watching me asked and I said no thank you avoiding any eye contact. Then a third shop assistant (possibly the manager) walked onto the floor from another room and asked me if I needed assistance. Please don't explode and be rude to this woman I said to myself when I heard with relief the words coming out "Thank you but no I'm okay". Two minutes later the male colleague tried again and I barked "No I'm okay". Five minutes later and the first assistant asked "Do you need help with sizes?". I can't remember if I bought something or whether shoppers outside saw the Incredible Hulk burst out through the shop window of Savoy Taylors Guild covered in glass, rage and a whole lot of gear I was about to try on.
Less than half an hour later I was in a shop called Collar and Tie in Lisburn. This is not a shop I would normally have ventured into but for a recommendation from a friend. From the outside it doesn't really appeal and draw you in. Inside I was treated to a cheery good afternoon from a gentlemen called Ray who I assumed to be the owner. I told him I was looking for a jacket and matching trousers. He politely suggested that I wasn't and that to attempt a match was a mistake. Instead, he showed me how to "pair" a shirt and trousers. He showed me German trousers and how they compared to French and advised me that in his view I could get away with wearing quite a strong coloured shirt. He guessed my waist size perfectly and some great patter later he led me to the till and announced to the cashier "this gentlemen is first time in with us if we don't look after him he wont come back throw in 20% discount".
Ray, it's great to see someone so passionate and good at what you do and I salute you.
It started out at the Outlet Centre near Banbridge. I had been wanting to go to this for a while to compare it with J1. I couldn't see much difference between the two. The lay out is more or less the same. The type of shops are much the same too.
First stop was for a suit so I ventured into a shop called Savoy Taylors Guild about halfway along the horseshoe curve of shops on the lefthandside. Within a few seconds a lady shop assistant approached to ask me if I needed any help. I said no thank you but I'd let her know if I did. A couple of minutes later she asked again and I said No thank you. Then her male colleague who has also been watching me asked and I said no thank you avoiding any eye contact. Then a third shop assistant (possibly the manager) walked onto the floor from another room and asked me if I needed assistance. Please don't explode and be rude to this woman I said to myself when I heard with relief the words coming out "Thank you but no I'm okay". Two minutes later the male colleague tried again and I barked "No I'm okay". Five minutes later and the first assistant asked "Do you need help with sizes?". I can't remember if I bought something or whether shoppers outside saw the Incredible Hulk burst out through the shop window of Savoy Taylors Guild covered in glass, rage and a whole lot of gear I was about to try on.
Less than half an hour later I was in a shop called Collar and Tie in Lisburn. This is not a shop I would normally have ventured into but for a recommendation from a friend. From the outside it doesn't really appeal and draw you in. Inside I was treated to a cheery good afternoon from a gentlemen called Ray who I assumed to be the owner. I told him I was looking for a jacket and matching trousers. He politely suggested that I wasn't and that to attempt a match was a mistake. Instead, he showed me how to "pair" a shirt and trousers. He showed me German trousers and how they compared to French and advised me that in his view I could get away with wearing quite a strong coloured shirt. He guessed my waist size perfectly and some great patter later he led me to the till and announced to the cashier "this gentlemen is first time in with us if we don't look after him he wont come back throw in 20% discount".
Ray, it's great to see someone so passionate and good at what you do and I salute you.
Saturday, 14 November 2009
No.180 Of Calm Storms and Comfy Sofas
Well it's nail ya kids to the floorboards weather in the South-West of England at the moment apparently but not at all windy here yet for some reason. May be the calm before the storm.
Last night I went to a dinner party and promptly fell asleep on the sofa - not sure if I'll make the cut again after that performance. Was a comfy photo though so they had it coming.
Today, I'm off shopping again to the outlet centre near Banbridge. It's one of these places I have always passed but never gone in to. Likewise the Bronte Centre, a sign for which I always see on the Belfast to Dublin road. This intrigues me. I always thought the Brontes lived in Yorkshire. I'll see if I can throw in a visit to this too just to check that Wuthering Heights was indeed set on the Yorkshire Moors and not in the Sperrins afterall.
Last night I went to a dinner party and promptly fell asleep on the sofa - not sure if I'll make the cut again after that performance. Was a comfy photo though so they had it coming.
Today, I'm off shopping again to the outlet centre near Banbridge. It's one of these places I have always passed but never gone in to. Likewise the Bronte Centre, a sign for which I always see on the Belfast to Dublin road. This intrigues me. I always thought the Brontes lived in Yorkshire. I'll see if I can throw in a visit to this too just to check that Wuthering Heights was indeed set on the Yorkshire Moors and not in the Sperrins afterall.
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