Just a soppy old romantic

Walking to walk this morning the couple in front of me were holding hands - lovely.

The pavement was busy and a lampost was in their way - they let go and went around it on different sides. Noticed that they didn't resume holding hands once around the lampost. Was slightly disappointed.

Thankfully a few yards further on noticed they had resumed holding hands - faith in love and romance restored!

Normality Returns

For the past couple of years things have felt uncomfortable, not quite right. England had won the Rugby World Cup, the Ashes and Birmingham City (the team I follow) were in the Premiership. Dizzy times indeed.

Things now seem to have returned to their natural state;
* England will struggle against the might of Italy in the Six Nations
* the 'English' cricket team - complete with Australians, South Africans and Welshmen - have yet to bowl the Aussies out
* Birmingham City are battling for promotion in division 2 - the notion of calling it 'The Championship' is just wrong - and are being held off by Cardiff and Preston (the football club, not Mr Chantelle!) I'm already sensing a plucky playoff defeat in a penalty shootout

All of this makes me feel strangely warmed.

Website of the week - #22

Hoff worship - I just find this disturbing.

So, how was it for you?

Even I am now beginning to acknowledge that Christmas is nearly upon us! I can't get that excited or worked up about it - but it also means that 2006 is drawing to an end. How's it been so far? How many of your resolutions lasted beyond January?

For me it's been a funny year - mainly funny peculiar but sometimes funny ha, ha. There has been a lot to do, a lot on my mind and overall my default feeling has been one of tiredness. This tends to lead to grumpiness and I fear people have inadvertently been on the end of it - even more than usual! If that's impacted you I apologise.

For my recent course I had to ask people to describe me in short phrases. I was described as being 'grounded', 'self aware' and 'incredibly tolerant' - fairness and loyalty were also often used. This was lovely - descriptions were flattering and consistent with each other. The course has been very revealing! One person in my group said the phrase 'still waters run deep' was a good description of me. I didn't disagree - there is more going on than I normally show - but I did have the song in my head for the next hour!

From the course one person decided that they ought to chase up a friend each week; that resonated with me. Too often we are too busy and miss out on the important stuff. I don't know about you, but often as Christmas approaches I look through my address book and realise that there are too many people I've not spent enough time with. It may be Christmas is approaching, it may be there are going to be too many sentimental films on telly, it may be that 'Sunday afternoon feeling', but I like the idea of chasing up a friend a week.

I sense an early resolution for 2007.

A Very British Museum

Pottered around Brooklands Museum for a couple of hours today; it's very British.

Just inside the M25 it's where motorsport took off in the 20s in the UK - cycling and aviation also have lots of history there. Time has done the overall site little favours, for example only a small section of the famous banked racetrack remain and much of the surroundings have been taken over by redevelopment.

The actual museum is fascinating. Old cars and motorbikes live in some well preserved buildings, a couple of aircraft sit on the tarmac (including a concorde) and older planes are also in a hangar. The 1920s clubhouse is there, complete with a billiards room and a vibrantly pink 'Barbara Cartland Room'. It must have been an amazing place to be during a motor race in the roaring 20s.

The place seems to have numerous volunteers and enthusiasts helping out - men of a certain age will happily tell you about the history of a particular plane or car - which all add to the experience. The cycle displays were intriguing and viewing the Raleigh BMX Burners, Choppers, and even a Sinclair C5, I got briefly nostalgic.

Nonetheless I couldn't help but think what if? Here is a place which has history coming out of its pores, fantastic volunteers and located just off the M25. Instead of using lottery money to create 'heritage' with sparkling new projects and 'discovery centres', why not invest in something like Brooklands? It deserves that, and more.

There are copies of the slides...

The week ended with me inflicting some training on others. Quite how training course presenters - or 'facilitators' as we now seem to have to call them - survived before PowerPoint, flipcharts and clustering Post-It notes I don't know. Suspect when they think about those dark days it leaves them in a cold sweat.

I opted to use the tried and tested 'death by Powerpoint' presentation style. When talking about how the organisation accounts for pensions I pointed out that this was 'where accountants and actuaries have long discussions - so you can imagine how dull that is'.

A suitable tone was set.

The Real Me??

Been 'unearthing the real me' - scary stuff!

First we had to chose a brand and say how it related to us. I tend to have my tongue in my cheek for these things and so wanted to say Horlicks, Werthers Original or Stannah Stairlifts. In the end went for Gap. Why?
* they think they are trendier than they really are
* what they do might not be earth shattering, but they do it well
* on the whole it's safe and bland - lots of khaki etc.- but just once in a while you'll stumble across some great individuality
* sometimes they can be really creative - such as when they do a great new TV ad

Then moved to drafting a 'personal branding statement' using the descriptions we had other feedback to us earlier in the week. Finally we moved on to 'confronting your gremlins'. This involved drawing them on flipchart paper and naming them. Now, I've probably got enough to last a while so just shared the top 3 - Paranoid Percy, Perfectionist Pete and Wallflower Wayne.

Ok, I have 'issues'.

;-)

Vanity, vanity, all is vanity

Been cold of late so I dug out the old scarf. Not sure I'm that keen on it - I think it makes my face look fat.

Then again, it may not be the scarf's fault. The fact I actually have a fat face might have something to do with it.

;o)

Website of the week - #21

A simply excellent spoof site - enjoy.

Space to breathe

What I like about London is that even in it's sprawling metropolis you can find space and beauty.

Whether it be obvious, like down by the riverside.















A more hidden gem, such as a minor stately home.















Or something really tucked away in a secret garden.

Who am I?

This week I'll be in Reading for 2 days "Unearthing the real me" - it's one of those slightly strange management 'development' courses you occasionally get sent on.

As preparation for this I had to ask a few people who I know, through work or elsewhere, to describe in a single word or short phrase;

• My personality
• A value or moral principle of mine
• A key skill or ability I have

These things are always tricky and I'm very grateful to those who replied - it's never an easy task. The process (so far) has been interesting in two ways. Everyone has said something nice about me - I obviously choose friends/colleagues wisely. Secondly, there have been a few similar phrases used, which intrigues me as the respondees know me for a variety of reasons.

Whether I will unearth the 'real me' who knows? More later...

Website of the week - #20

I feel strangely drawn to this.

The section on airport carousels is particularly informative.

My Secret Shame...

I've admitted this before, but confession is good for the soul. I like (some) country music - I can sense your anxiety.

Saturday night BBC2 showed the 40th Country Music Awards from Nashville. The secret with all televised awards show is to record them - you can then fast forward the dull bits and just watch any highlights. I got the 90min CMA broadcast down to 30min tops.

What I love about the CMAs is they have no sense of shame or irony. For example, Keith Urban (probably best known in the UK as being the new Mr Nicole Kidman) won an award. There was the usual "unfortunately Keith can't be here tonight" part - well no, he's currently in rehab! This was discreetly skirted over.

As usual the song titles didn't disappoint. The following are the titles of the songs performed by the female artists;
...Before he cheats...
...Real fine place to start...
...Crazy ex-girlfriend...
...I ain't settlin'...
...Anyway...
...Come to bed...
...Leave the pieces when you go...

What can I say other than "I smell rabbit...."

Lest We Forget

Was shopping yesterday morning and was rummaging through M&S jumpers when it dawned on me that it had all gone quiet. Looked around and people were observing 2 minutes silence.

I don't particularly want to enter Jon Snow territory here, but a couple of things struck me. Firstly, isn't the whole point of Remembrance Sunday that we observe this 'properly'? Secondly, how it was done in this particular store was pretty poor. Unless I missed it and walked in halfway through, there was no annoucement and the end of the observance was merely an electronic bleep. Overhead one woman leaving the store saying "they do it better at Tesco." I can't comment on that but if we, as a society, want to observe 2 minutes silence on 11/11 in addition to Remembrance Sunday, can we at least do it properly?

In the evening I was at St Alban's Abbey to hear the Hertfordshire Chorus perform Britten's War Requiem; it seemed very fitting.

The church service I was at this morning had an act of remembrance as it should be - poignant and thoughtful.

Good Busy

Been a busy week but one which has involved catching up with people via email, over a meal or a drink so definitely busy in a good way.

On Friday turned up to a restaurant to catch up with some friends I'd not seen for a while - and a thoroughly enjoyable evening was had. Upon arrival I was greeted with the words, "you look good, you've really grown into your face."

????

I think it was a compliment.

Kids say the stupidest things??

Bizarre/dumb things I've said/written in the past few days....

"...are you still in touch with Terry Leahy? No? Don't worry, I've think we've got an 'in' with Peter Mandelson..."

"...should you ever want to catch up with an asexual gurning male..."

"...sorry, can't make it in a couple of weeks. I'm on a 2 day course to 'unearth the real me'... at the Reading Moat House...

The Summer of Love

In the past few weeks four women have told me they are pregnant - I need to add here that none are anything to do with me as all are happily married to their respective husbands!

A couple of things crossed my mind. Firstly, in three cases the announcement started with the words "you've probably already worked this out..." Now, I used to think that, with one glaring exception, I was pretty perceptive. In none of the cases did I have a clue - my powers are waning! My other thought was, I wonder if this is going to happen to me? Not the pregnancy (I've read the books and seen the diagrams, apparently a woman is a pretty key part of the process!) but parenthood.

One book I've recently read was a sort of real life Bridget Jones Diary where the author was very open, honest and funny when writing about finding Mr Right. One line was "my biological clock is not so much ticking, as a bomb about to detonate." I know it's different for blokes, but it'd be wrong to deny the fact that it crosses my mind on occasion.

Of course, the one area I've often admitted to be clueless is understanding the complex and intriguing creature that is woman - if only they came with a reference manual.

Mind you, I am a bloke - I wouldn't read it.

Usual Weirdness

Tonight evening class started with the exchange,

Tutor: "You remember how to play Zip, Zap, Boing?"
Me: " Yes, I do."

Then, waiting for a bus afterwards, there is a normal looking bloke next to me in the queue - a complete stranger. After a minute or two he says to me;

"There are two things I really hate. Ex-squaddies who are homeless and still wear their army uniform when selling The Big Issue, and ex-alcoholics who become Christian street preachers."

He then gets on his bus.

How do I attract these people???

Website of the week - #19

People with way too much time, and a digital video camera, on their hands.

If only all science could be this much fun.

Paying it forward??

Been a busy week and was rounded off by a weekend away looking forward to an event next summer - who knows, you may find a link to it not too far from here...

Was good to catch up with people and be looking ahead; so many ideas and opportunities. Once again I found it a real privilege to be able to give back to something from which I've derived so much benefit; if that notion of it being a privilege should ever change then it's time to worry.

Feeling the vibe

Thursday evening was one of those occasions when I like the vibe of living in London. Spent the evening in the basement of a pub watching some comedy. Then, on a crisp clear night walked through the streets of central London - streets full of people and energy - back to the car. It just felt right; I felt at home in the city.

Journey back then highlighted one of the annoyances of London - where else would you be stuck in traffic jam at 11.30pm on a Thursday evening??