Ah yes, Christmas is nearly here. In fact my eldest son Reece would be able to tell you exactly how many sleeps, days - hell probably even hours and minutes until the big day. It's been a wonderous build up with him, from meeting the real Santa at his Christmas fayre to end of school, advent calendar and our trips out in the car just before bed to go Christmas light watching (don't knock it until you've tried it, it's fun!).
The downside has been the inevitable winter colds - all of us have had them but none more so than poor Lincoln. He's only six and a half months and hasn't been well for most of his short life. It's been nothing serious but it's just been relentless and my poor wife has been up 5 times a night for 6 months looking after him. Needless to say she's knackered so I'm hoping that not only will Lincoln be well for Christmas but also that Gem hands over some of the reigns of responsibility to me during my time off work.
So amongst everything happening Christmas has managed to creep up on us, pretty much unnoticed. Normally we have 2 x 7ft trees and 1 x 2ft tree all done by the first week of December but we've struggled and if a minor miracle doesn't happen then we'll be one tree short this year (that's totally unheard of). On top of that most of the presents haven't been wrapped, cards haven't been written let alone delivered and we're not planning the food shop until 6am on Christmas eve...
Oh and everyone is coming to us this year, so it's not like we don't have to bother. Think I best get home and phone Santa - looks like I'm gonna need some help!
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Saturday, 3 December 2011
Money - it's not funny...
Now I'm not professing to be wholly knowledgeable about everything that is going on in this country. I do, however follow the news every day, both on breakfast TV and on my iPhone and to be honest, half the time I wish I didn't. It's not exactly the most positive way to start each day.
In my humble, tax-paying opinion I think that the coalition are actually doing a good job but it's a thankless task. They have walked into the party just as the fun has ended and are faced with the mother of all hangovers. It's going to be a long clean-up operation.
Like most people, I have gotten myself into debt and at some time realised that I had to change my lifestyle and sort my personal economics out. It's taken a few years of pay-back but I'm just about there now and it feels good. As a country we have to takle it the same way and I honestly think that the austerity measures that the coalition have put in place will work - they must. But true to form, sods law comes a knocking and Europe threatens to undo all the good that has been done.
The simple facts are that a Labour government spend and a Conservative government are, well conservative and save. It's always been that way. Labour's plans to spending to get yourself out of trouble is a dangerous game. Yes it worked for Richard Branson and Virgin but that's just one success story amongst a sea of failures and now is definitely not the time for games.
In my humble, tax-paying opinion I think that the coalition are actually doing a good job but it's a thankless task. They have walked into the party just as the fun has ended and are faced with the mother of all hangovers. It's going to be a long clean-up operation.
Like most people, I have gotten myself into debt and at some time realised that I had to change my lifestyle and sort my personal economics out. It's taken a few years of pay-back but I'm just about there now and it feels good. As a country we have to takle it the same way and I honestly think that the austerity measures that the coalition have put in place will work - they must. But true to form, sods law comes a knocking and Europe threatens to undo all the good that has been done.
The simple facts are that a Labour government spend and a Conservative government are, well conservative and save. It's always been that way. Labour's plans to spending to get yourself out of trouble is a dangerous game. Yes it worked for Richard Branson and Virgin but that's just one success story amongst a sea of failures and now is definitely not the time for games.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Blink 365
You know it's funny... When I was a school kid the Christmas term went on forever. Yes it was the longest term of the year but it dragged. Yet fast forward to today and my eldest, Reece, is due to break up from term next week. Next week - where the hell did that time go?! It feels like only a week ago that he went back from half term!
And then it's Christmas. Now that I'm looking forward to. This is the first year where Reece has grasped the concept of Father Christmas and he is excited beyond excited. Just the other day he had a Christmas fayre at school and lo and behold Santa made an appearance. When I got home from work his face was lit up with excitement as he told me that he'd met Father Christmas - wow.. I remember that feeling... Of course with Christmas just around the corner everything is now falling into place; he's eating his dinner, he's tidying up, he's helping, he's behaving, he's saying please and thank you. Don't get me wrong he's an amazing child and does all these things normally but just recently, with the impending arrival of Santa, things have gone up a notch.
This weekend we'll be putting up the Christmas tree and decking the halls etc... and the fun will really begin. So with the decorations up and his "Playmobile" advent calendar to open every day it really will be a daily countdown.
The magic of Christmas has returned...
And then it's Christmas. Now that I'm looking forward to. This is the first year where Reece has grasped the concept of Father Christmas and he is excited beyond excited. Just the other day he had a Christmas fayre at school and lo and behold Santa made an appearance. When I got home from work his face was lit up with excitement as he told me that he'd met Father Christmas - wow.. I remember that feeling... Of course with Christmas just around the corner everything is now falling into place; he's eating his dinner, he's tidying up, he's helping, he's behaving, he's saying please and thank you. Don't get me wrong he's an amazing child and does all these things normally but just recently, with the impending arrival of Santa, things have gone up a notch.
This weekend we'll be putting up the Christmas tree and decking the halls etc... and the fun will really begin. So with the decorations up and his "Playmobile" advent calendar to open every day it really will be a daily countdown.
The magic of Christmas has returned...
Friday, 4 November 2011
A day in the life...
Ok so it's been some time since my last blog post. There's a few reasons for this but generally it's been more down to lack of time than anything else. Despite being an expert juggler even I have struggled to cope with work, family, babies, band, The Big Story Challenge, new projects etc...
My day, like yours probably feels like one long rush from the moment the alarm goes off until I go to bed at night. If we're awoken by the 6.15am alarm we're lucky - something has either gone very well... or very badly. But whatever rings in the new day the routine and responsibilities are the same; getting our 4 year old up and dressed for school, tending to his 5 month old brother, feeding the dog and cat, getting breakfast for everyone, walking the dog, bottles, baby food, nappies, tuck for school, brunch for me, shower and then coffeeeeee! All that in 90 minutes - sounds easy huh? If they all work with you then yes...
Then out the house Reece and I go... A (hopefully) quick drive to school which always takes ages with the rush-hour traffic, a quick play with the kids at school before heading into work. In comparison work can be calmer but more often than not some disaster awaits my arrival which obviously only I can resolve. Staff, you've gotta love them...
I always pop home for lunch between 1-2pm (that's the benefit of having my business in the same town) to see Gem and Lincoln. Back to work at 2.10pm, collect Reece from school at 3.15pm, back to work for 3.45pm and then cram in as much work before 5.30pm when the clock of expectation starts. Gem has told me that if I'm not in by 5.45pm then she starts panicking - not because she is worried that something has happened to me but because she's trying to deal with the dinner, bath and bed routine of 2 kids...
So homeward bound I go. Gem takes control of baby Lincoln and I sit there persuading Reece to eat his dinner that has been staring at him for the last 45 minutes (eating... it's such an inconvenience!). Depending on how tired he is it can be a fight of wills but always ends up with me as the victor before the "on your marks, get set, go" race up the stairs to the bath.
Now this is my time with Reece and my favorite time of the day. We always have fun, we always play. At the moment he has got bath toy "letters" and we spend the bath time spelling out words and names - see, educational and fun! Then it's out the bath, "Mr Towel" time (don't ask) before pyjamas and 5 mins play with Lincoln. To get to his bedroom he always asks for a "bag". It's just a towel laid on the floor which he sits in the middle of, I then gather up the corners and carry him to his bedroom. To me it's a towel. To Reece it's a rocket - you've gotta love him... I then read him a story and say goodnight. It's already 7pm.
As I walk down the stairs another pair of patient eyes stare at me - it's Murfey, the dog. It's his time and he knows it. So donning the wet-weather gear we head out in the rain for a circuit of the park opposite where we live. If I'm lucky then by the time I get back Gem has got the dinner on and all I have to do is dry the dog, do any sterilising, tumble drying, washing and clearing up from the kids before sitting down for dinner and a bottle of the finest red wine £10 can buy..... It's now gone 8pm.
We've now a precious couple of hours to do "our" thing but by this time tempers can be frayed, patience can have run out and the effects of sleep depravation can have kicked in. A lot of the time we'll sit at the dinner table until gone 9pm, chatting about the day, the family, kids, babies, friends, work... before clearing up and maybe catching half an hour of TV. At 10pm we normally start the bed routine. That is getting the cat in (it can take either 1 minute or 30 minutes), putting the dog to bed, getting Lincolns feeding tray ready and closing up the house before collapsing into bed. It's now gone 10.30pm.
As Gem & I cuddle up in bed she looks up at me and whispers "I'm really broody - I WANT another baby"...
My day, like yours probably feels like one long rush from the moment the alarm goes off until I go to bed at night. If we're awoken by the 6.15am alarm we're lucky - something has either gone very well... or very badly. But whatever rings in the new day the routine and responsibilities are the same; getting our 4 year old up and dressed for school, tending to his 5 month old brother, feeding the dog and cat, getting breakfast for everyone, walking the dog, bottles, baby food, nappies, tuck for school, brunch for me, shower and then coffeeeeee! All that in 90 minutes - sounds easy huh? If they all work with you then yes...
Then out the house Reece and I go... A (hopefully) quick drive to school which always takes ages with the rush-hour traffic, a quick play with the kids at school before heading into work. In comparison work can be calmer but more often than not some disaster awaits my arrival which obviously only I can resolve. Staff, you've gotta love them...
I always pop home for lunch between 1-2pm (that's the benefit of having my business in the same town) to see Gem and Lincoln. Back to work at 2.10pm, collect Reece from school at 3.15pm, back to work for 3.45pm and then cram in as much work before 5.30pm when the clock of expectation starts. Gem has told me that if I'm not in by 5.45pm then she starts panicking - not because she is worried that something has happened to me but because she's trying to deal with the dinner, bath and bed routine of 2 kids...
So homeward bound I go. Gem takes control of baby Lincoln and I sit there persuading Reece to eat his dinner that has been staring at him for the last 45 minutes (eating... it's such an inconvenience!). Depending on how tired he is it can be a fight of wills but always ends up with me as the victor before the "on your marks, get set, go" race up the stairs to the bath.
Now this is my time with Reece and my favorite time of the day. We always have fun, we always play. At the moment he has got bath toy "letters" and we spend the bath time spelling out words and names - see, educational and fun! Then it's out the bath, "Mr Towel" time (don't ask) before pyjamas and 5 mins play with Lincoln. To get to his bedroom he always asks for a "bag". It's just a towel laid on the floor which he sits in the middle of, I then gather up the corners and carry him to his bedroom. To me it's a towel. To Reece it's a rocket - you've gotta love him... I then read him a story and say goodnight. It's already 7pm.
As I walk down the stairs another pair of patient eyes stare at me - it's Murfey, the dog. It's his time and he knows it. So donning the wet-weather gear we head out in the rain for a circuit of the park opposite where we live. If I'm lucky then by the time I get back Gem has got the dinner on and all I have to do is dry the dog, do any sterilising, tumble drying, washing and clearing up from the kids before sitting down for dinner and a bottle of the finest red wine £10 can buy..... It's now gone 8pm.
We've now a precious couple of hours to do "our" thing but by this time tempers can be frayed, patience can have run out and the effects of sleep depravation can have kicked in. A lot of the time we'll sit at the dinner table until gone 9pm, chatting about the day, the family, kids, babies, friends, work... before clearing up and maybe catching half an hour of TV. At 10pm we normally start the bed routine. That is getting the cat in (it can take either 1 minute or 30 minutes), putting the dog to bed, getting Lincolns feeding tray ready and closing up the house before collapsing into bed. It's now gone 10.30pm.
As Gem & I cuddle up in bed she looks up at me and whispers "I'm really broody - I WANT another baby"...
Friday, 30 September 2011
A platform of collective creativity
For some time I've been convinced that sooner or later I'd have an idea which I would feel confident enough to pursue. For years I've been coming home with a head full of the next big thing and my patient wife has sat across the dinner table, listening to my excited rants. But then life splashed cold, fresh water in my face and jolted me back to sensibility, responsibility and reality. Trying to run a business, keep a high-maintenance wife (her words not mine!) and then starting a family unintentionally thwarts opportunity and the years pass by.
Before I knew it I was knocking on the door of my 40th birthday so decided that I should mark the event. But how? The answer lay in achievement and I settled on completing the London Marathon. Eddie Izzard had just completed his mind blowingly impossible 43 marathons in 50 days which had got my wife and I off the sofa and my good friend Philip Gamble had done 2 marathons in quick succession. And so I trained... Training wasn't the most pleasurable experience of my life and so I started a blog, mainly to chart my training journey from novice beginner to marathon day.
I didn't realise that people were reading my blog. These blogs don't give you that kind of feedback unless people leave comments. But occasionally I'd see a friend who would say that they'd read my blog and found it mildly entertaining.
A short while after the marathon I had a 40th birthday meal. I'm not a self-celebratory kind of person but I felt that I should do something. My sister Debbie was there and she spent quite a bit of time after the meal with me, Philip and his lovely wife Sam. The next day she said "you and Phil should really do something together, both of you are coming up with great ideas but you never do anything about it". I agreed that she was probably right and half-heartedly promised that we would.
A week or so later I saw Phil and he commented about my marathon blog, saying how well it was written and how entertaining it was. At that point he mentioned that he'd got an idea for a sit-com and asked if I'd like to write it with him. Write a sit-com? I've never done anything like that before - hell yeah, count me in. So we started piecing together a 12 episode series whilst juggling our lives as usual.
I then decided to look at Twitter and somehow gained a reasonable crowd in a shortish period of time. There's a lot of wrong-uns there and most of the crap that people tweet just makes you shake your head in wonder. But then every now and again a stroke of genius will appear on your timeline which will make you stop for just a moment. It was those instances, coupled together with the sheer volume of people you have potential access to which gave me an idea.
See I'm not so good if I'm asked to create something from a blank page. Draw a line on it and my imagination will populate it with a million characters. I just need a start. So what if you started a story, maybe the first page of a book and asked your followers to continue it. What if they re-tweeted the idea to their followers and in turn their followers etc... What about if everyone knew about it and contributed to the story. Just imagine if the media got hold of it... What if it got the nations attention... I held the idea for a week and then the next time I saw Phil I asked him what he thought. Boom!! The road of endless possibility opened in front of us. He expanded the idea beyond my horizon and between us we talked about how it could be done. Before we knew it we were commissioning a website to be built, discussing PR campaigns, writing press releases and lunching with our new lawyer.
So all there is left for me to do is bring it to your attention. Technically the only way that this is going to fail is if no-one knows about it. So do me a favor, check it out and tweet the link, post it on your Facebook wall and tell your friends. After all, that's what friends are for - www.thebigstorychallenge.com
Before I knew it I was knocking on the door of my 40th birthday so decided that I should mark the event. But how? The answer lay in achievement and I settled on completing the London Marathon. Eddie Izzard had just completed his mind blowingly impossible 43 marathons in 50 days which had got my wife and I off the sofa and my good friend Philip Gamble had done 2 marathons in quick succession. And so I trained... Training wasn't the most pleasurable experience of my life and so I started a blog, mainly to chart my training journey from novice beginner to marathon day.
I didn't realise that people were reading my blog. These blogs don't give you that kind of feedback unless people leave comments. But occasionally I'd see a friend who would say that they'd read my blog and found it mildly entertaining.
A short while after the marathon I had a 40th birthday meal. I'm not a self-celebratory kind of person but I felt that I should do something. My sister Debbie was there and she spent quite a bit of time after the meal with me, Philip and his lovely wife Sam. The next day she said "you and Phil should really do something together, both of you are coming up with great ideas but you never do anything about it". I agreed that she was probably right and half-heartedly promised that we would.
A week or so later I saw Phil and he commented about my marathon blog, saying how well it was written and how entertaining it was. At that point he mentioned that he'd got an idea for a sit-com and asked if I'd like to write it with him. Write a sit-com? I've never done anything like that before - hell yeah, count me in. So we started piecing together a 12 episode series whilst juggling our lives as usual.
I then decided to look at Twitter and somehow gained a reasonable crowd in a shortish period of time. There's a lot of wrong-uns there and most of the crap that people tweet just makes you shake your head in wonder. But then every now and again a stroke of genius will appear on your timeline which will make you stop for just a moment. It was those instances, coupled together with the sheer volume of people you have potential access to which gave me an idea.
See I'm not so good if I'm asked to create something from a blank page. Draw a line on it and my imagination will populate it with a million characters. I just need a start. So what if you started a story, maybe the first page of a book and asked your followers to continue it. What if they re-tweeted the idea to their followers and in turn their followers etc... What about if everyone knew about it and contributed to the story. Just imagine if the media got hold of it... What if it got the nations attention... I held the idea for a week and then the next time I saw Phil I asked him what he thought. Boom!! The road of endless possibility opened in front of us. He expanded the idea beyond my horizon and between us we talked about how it could be done. Before we knew it we were commissioning a website to be built, discussing PR campaigns, writing press releases and lunching with our new lawyer.
So all there is left for me to do is bring it to your attention. Technically the only way that this is going to fail is if no-one knows about it. So do me a favor, check it out and tweet the link, post it on your Facebook wall and tell your friends. After all, that's what friends are for - www.thebigstorychallenge.com
Sunday, 11 September 2011
The Social Network
A friend of mine and I are creating a new platform for writers. Like most people with a "new" idea we think it has the potential to be very big and successful - I guess time will only tell... My business partner in this new venture, a friend of 27 years recommended that I watch "The Social Network" - the film about how Facebook was founded, created and grew to be what we know it is today.
Now I'm not saying that our project is anything like Facebook, far from it. Ours isn't a social network, nor a community site at all but watching the film last night what it did show me was how a single idea can change the world. How we may feel like just a tiny drip in the ocean that is the world but a good idea can come to anyone and if you have the balls to pursue it... well even the sky isn't the limit.
During the film though it brought awareness to me about relationships. How closely forged friendships can be torn apart - not necessarily just by money but by enthusiasm, drive and single-mindedness. In the film the relationship between Mark Zukerberg and Eduardo Saverin, the two founders of this phenomenon (albeit Eduardo was portrayed as the money and business man to Zukerberg's genius) was ripped apart by these factors (plus the inevitable new friends that good ideas and success brings). Occasional nostalgia marred by courtroom lawyer tactics.
A great film though which really highlighted the saying "be careful what you wish for, cos you might just get it".
Now I'm not saying that our project is anything like Facebook, far from it. Ours isn't a social network, nor a community site at all but watching the film last night what it did show me was how a single idea can change the world. How we may feel like just a tiny drip in the ocean that is the world but a good idea can come to anyone and if you have the balls to pursue it... well even the sky isn't the limit.
During the film though it brought awareness to me about relationships. How closely forged friendships can be torn apart - not necessarily just by money but by enthusiasm, drive and single-mindedness. In the film the relationship between Mark Zukerberg and Eduardo Saverin, the two founders of this phenomenon (albeit Eduardo was portrayed as the money and business man to Zukerberg's genius) was ripped apart by these factors (plus the inevitable new friends that good ideas and success brings). Occasional nostalgia marred by courtroom lawyer tactics.
A great film though which really highlighted the saying "be careful what you wish for, cos you might just get it".
Saturday, 3 September 2011
Back to school
And so, the end is near... Ah yes, the end of the kids holidays. For us it has been the first long summer holiday to deal with. Reece is 4 and has been at pre-prep school for the last year so we've had to contend with terms and their half-terms and holidays - not easy when you are both working and trying to juggle dropping-off and picking-up amongst the abundance of holidays they seem to get. Seriously, I never remember having that much time off school!
Our solution to this quandry? Have another baby. Hhhmmmm.... All in all it has actually worked very well for us. Gem gave up work at 38 weeks pregnant in the knowledge that Lincoln would be born at 39 weeks (c-section to due us producing big babies) and that just so happened to coincide with the start of the long summer holiday. For Reece that's 3 days short of 9 weeks.
But looking back it has actually gone quite quickly and very well. I promised myself that I'd have 1 day every week off work so we could do things as a family. In reality I've had 3 days but more due to the fact that things have happened outside my control which has meant that Gem has had to spend time with her family. But all in all it's been fun and Reece has had a great time, mixing family, fun and friends every week plus he's got to spend lots of time with his new brother which has been invaluable.
On Tuesday he goes to school, not pre-prep but real, proper school. I go back to the school run and Gem gets some much needed time to rest and sleep whilst Lincoln naps - time will only tell if she takes advantage of that but I think we already know the answer.
Our solution to this quandry? Have another baby. Hhhmmmm.... All in all it has actually worked very well for us. Gem gave up work at 38 weeks pregnant in the knowledge that Lincoln would be born at 39 weeks (c-section to due us producing big babies) and that just so happened to coincide with the start of the long summer holiday. For Reece that's 3 days short of 9 weeks.
But looking back it has actually gone quite quickly and very well. I promised myself that I'd have 1 day every week off work so we could do things as a family. In reality I've had 3 days but more due to the fact that things have happened outside my control which has meant that Gem has had to spend time with her family. But all in all it's been fun and Reece has had a great time, mixing family, fun and friends every week plus he's got to spend lots of time with his new brother which has been invaluable.
On Tuesday he goes to school, not pre-prep but real, proper school. I go back to the school run and Gem gets some much needed time to rest and sleep whilst Lincoln naps - time will only tell if she takes advantage of that but I think we already know the answer.
Friday, 19 August 2011
What is a billion?
This really brings into perspective the actual figure of one billion.
The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.
A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was one of the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt.
What happened?
The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.
A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.
- A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
- A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
- A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
- A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
- A billion Pounds ago was only 13 hours and 12 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.
> Tobacco Tax
> Corporate Income Tax
> Income Tax
> Council Tax
> Unemployment Tax
> Fishing License Tax
> Petrol/Diesel Tax
> Inheritance Tax
> Alcohol Tax
> V.A.T.
> Marriage License Tax
> Property Tax
> Service charge taxes
> Social Security Tax
> Vehicle License Registration Tax
> Vehicle Sales Tax
> Workers Compensation Tax
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was one of the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt.
We had the largest middle class in the world and Mum stayed home to raise the kids.
What happened?
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Grades... is it really the be all and end all?
Do you remember getting your exam results? For me it was "O" levels about 24 years ago but I still remember the dread... yes dread, not nervousness or excitement but just pure dread. You see I was never really good at exams... thinking about it I wasn't stupid nor bright, just plain average really. Much more sports and creative than academic.
School reports were a painful event. The disapproving "could have done better" and "easily distracted" comments which seemed to reverberate throughout every teachers summary seemed to further infuriate my father with every line. Exam result time was just the bad brother of school reports.
When I got my "O" level results they were abysmal. From what I remember I got one "C" grade and the rest paled into significance. My parents pulled me out of school and I studied again and re-took them. The results were worse. I just wasn't cut out for this shit.
I went out to work at 16 and after 5 years of moving from job to job (I literally had 50+ jobs in 5 years) and endless partying I settled in a job and slowly worked my way up over 5 years from the shop floor to running the depot. Eventually I started my own business - that was 10 years ago now.
With running a business comes recruitment. Personally I don't take much notice of exam results but maybe that is a reflection of the job that I need filling. Drivers, warehouse and office staff don't need "A" levels or degrees in biochemistry to do the job. I've always succeeded with a level head and copious amounts of common sense. I've known incredibly academically people with very little common sense who I wouldn't employ for free. So personable, level headed staff with good common sense wins every time for me.
All I'm really trying to say is that you shouldn't put too much onus on your exam results. Yes today's environment is different from what I was faced with and it is important to make sure that you stand out from the crowd. But when applying for jobs just make sure that you stand out for the right reasons - get the best qualifications you can but don't beat yourself up if you don't. It's not the be all and end all.
As a final thought, Russell Brand wrote on twitter today that he got no qualifications and ended up marrying a pop star - says it all really!
School reports were a painful event. The disapproving "could have done better" and "easily distracted" comments which seemed to reverberate throughout every teachers summary seemed to further infuriate my father with every line. Exam result time was just the bad brother of school reports.
When I got my "O" level results they were abysmal. From what I remember I got one "C" grade and the rest paled into significance. My parents pulled me out of school and I studied again and re-took them. The results were worse. I just wasn't cut out for this shit.
I went out to work at 16 and after 5 years of moving from job to job (I literally had 50+ jobs in 5 years) and endless partying I settled in a job and slowly worked my way up over 5 years from the shop floor to running the depot. Eventually I started my own business - that was 10 years ago now.
With running a business comes recruitment. Personally I don't take much notice of exam results but maybe that is a reflection of the job that I need filling. Drivers, warehouse and office staff don't need "A" levels or degrees in biochemistry to do the job. I've always succeeded with a level head and copious amounts of common sense. I've known incredibly academically people with very little common sense who I wouldn't employ for free. So personable, level headed staff with good common sense wins every time for me.
All I'm really trying to say is that you shouldn't put too much onus on your exam results. Yes today's environment is different from what I was faced with and it is important to make sure that you stand out from the crowd. But when applying for jobs just make sure that you stand out for the right reasons - get the best qualifications you can but don't beat yourself up if you don't. It's not the be all and end all.
As a final thought, Russell Brand wrote on twitter today that he got no qualifications and ended up marrying a pop star - says it all really!
You just don't know what you've got...
We do like a good moan, don't we. My wife says she feels guilty when she moans as there are so many less fortunate people than her in the world. My response (other than agreeing) is that whilst that is all well and good, this is your life that you are living. If you can help another person then great but ultimately you have to live your own life.
My issue of the day is my changing body and today's blog title of "You just don't know what you've got (until you lose it)" sums up how I am feeling. Let me explain...
I've been training all my life. I was very sporty at school, I was in every school team, broke school records in running, football and cricket and after I left school at 16 started training down the gym. Bar a few injuries in recent years I haven't really stopped. Plus I've never taken steroids. In my early 30's my physique peaked at about 12.5st and 9% bodyfat. I felt great, looked great, could eat anything and was as strong as an ox. In fact a bodybuilding friend said that pound for pound I was the strongest person he'd ever known.
Fast forward to today. I'm 40, about 13.5st and 22% bodyfat. Yes I have had some time off training for operations on a couple of injuries (hernia and shoulder) and yes I now have two children. I'd say that in general my diet has improved but maybe I have to accept that as we get older our body changes and thickens. I've been saying it to others for years so maybe I just have to start taking my own advice.
The rigors of life, business and children play havoc with your old training schedules. At one point I was training 4 days per week, now if I'm lucky it's once per week (we do have a 12 week old baby so that has a big bearing obviously!). What amazes me though is how quick the conditioning declines. I mean I just can't remember where the great body ended and what I now see staring back in the mirror every day actually began.
But are we ever really happy? Most of us aren't which made me think about writing this today. I take so much for granted and I really need to take stock more often. I have a blessed life. I have a beautiful wife, 2 gorgeous children, I run my own business, own my own house, have great friends and am always on the brink of worldwide domination...
So maybe, after all is considered things aren't that bad. Maybe this is my life now and I should stop chasing my old life. By next year our new baby will be more settled and I should be back on a regular training schedule and yes, I'll probably be complaining of training exhaustion - some people are never happy!
My issue of the day is my changing body and today's blog title of "You just don't know what you've got (until you lose it)" sums up how I am feeling. Let me explain...
I've been training all my life. I was very sporty at school, I was in every school team, broke school records in running, football and cricket and after I left school at 16 started training down the gym. Bar a few injuries in recent years I haven't really stopped. Plus I've never taken steroids. In my early 30's my physique peaked at about 12.5st and 9% bodyfat. I felt great, looked great, could eat anything and was as strong as an ox. In fact a bodybuilding friend said that pound for pound I was the strongest person he'd ever known.
Fast forward to today. I'm 40, about 13.5st and 22% bodyfat. Yes I have had some time off training for operations on a couple of injuries (hernia and shoulder) and yes I now have two children. I'd say that in general my diet has improved but maybe I have to accept that as we get older our body changes and thickens. I've been saying it to others for years so maybe I just have to start taking my own advice.
The rigors of life, business and children play havoc with your old training schedules. At one point I was training 4 days per week, now if I'm lucky it's once per week (we do have a 12 week old baby so that has a big bearing obviously!). What amazes me though is how quick the conditioning declines. I mean I just can't remember where the great body ended and what I now see staring back in the mirror every day actually began.
But are we ever really happy? Most of us aren't which made me think about writing this today. I take so much for granted and I really need to take stock more often. I have a blessed life. I have a beautiful wife, 2 gorgeous children, I run my own business, own my own house, have great friends and am always on the brink of worldwide domination...
So maybe, after all is considered things aren't that bad. Maybe this is my life now and I should stop chasing my old life. By next year our new baby will be more settled and I should be back on a regular training schedule and yes, I'll probably be complaining of training exhaustion - some people are never happy!
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
The youth of today
We're all waking up this morning to reports of the 3rd night of rioting, looting and chaos in our country's capital - a sad situation which has now been spread to Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and Nottingham. Where is it all going to end and why is this happening? For an answer I think you have to go back a while...
I am a business owner myself and the past 3 years have been tough for us all. My business has been subject to opportunistic vandalism on about 4 occasions this year alone. Fortunately for me I have been able to re-build and recover. What about Reeves, the 100 year old furniture store burnt to the ground in Croydon? 100 years old... they have survived 2 world wars, depressions and recessions, booms and busts only to be felled by the very community that is meant to be supporting them. Yet if you try and protect your property you'll be prosecuted as the law will side with the criminal.
Don't even get me started on the effect this has on London 2012 - the world is watching... "Great" Britain? Hmmmm...
Finally though, we must keep in mind that 99% of people are good. It's the minority that spoils it for the majority. Reports today are coming in of the community coming together (see twitter @riotcleanup and #riotcleanup) - a real phoenix from the flames.
- Firstly there was the end of the National Service back at the end of 1960.
- Then in the 1990's after the last boom and recession the phrase "political correctness" came into being.
- New laws came into effect restricting parents and teachers from from properly disciplining children. Children began suing and the law sided with the children.
- Now we have the benefit generation. A mass of people who choose not to work as they earn as much if not more on benefits.
- Today we have the current global financial crisis.
I am a business owner myself and the past 3 years have been tough for us all. My business has been subject to opportunistic vandalism on about 4 occasions this year alone. Fortunately for me I have been able to re-build and recover. What about Reeves, the 100 year old furniture store burnt to the ground in Croydon? 100 years old... they have survived 2 world wars, depressions and recessions, booms and busts only to be felled by the very community that is meant to be supporting them. Yet if you try and protect your property you'll be prosecuted as the law will side with the criminal.
Don't even get me started on the effect this has on London 2012 - the world is watching... "Great" Britain? Hmmmm...
Finally though, we must keep in mind that 99% of people are good. It's the minority that spoils it for the majority. Reports today are coming in of the community coming together (see twitter @riotcleanup and #riotcleanup) - a real phoenix from the flames.
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Mud slinging, debt ridden madness
For a second blog I just thought that I would get something topical off my chest.
Firstly I'd just like to say that I'm not a financial expert and do not pretend that I know the ins and outs of the economy. I'm just like the next person with an opinion. I'm a business owner I am wholly conscious of the national debt, European crisis and pending US financial armageddon. Chances are I'm just saying what people are thinking.
The UK debt... I wholeheartedly agree that we as a nation need to address the debt. There is no point in living beyond your means. I've done it personally and there comes a day when you can't borrow any more and have to stop, take stock of your position and get back in the black. The irritation here is it is the country (government) who has been spending more money that they have been collecting in taxes and yet it is you and me that have to pay the debt. Why doesn't the government stop sending aid money abroad, stop getting involved in other peoples wars and stop bailing other countries out? Yes I understand that there's a "you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours" philosophy going on but who's paying the bills here?
The US are trillions in debt (did you know that is 12 zeros) - check out http://www.usdebtclock.org/, it's frightening. Even if they get the debt ceiling increased by $2.5 trillion it would only allow the government to operate until early 2013. If no agreement is met then they will start to default on their debt obligations which has potentially catastrophic results for everyone - great!!
This all reminds me of when you are in the aeroplane going on holiday and they are talking through the safety drill. There is one bit where they are talking about the oxygen masks and they quite clearly instruct you to "put on your own mask first before helping others". In other words if you pass out and die what good are you going to be to anyone else? As a nation we need to sort ourselves out first before helping others, it's as simple as that.
Firstly I'd just like to say that I'm not a financial expert and do not pretend that I know the ins and outs of the economy. I'm just like the next person with an opinion. I'm a business owner I am wholly conscious of the national debt, European crisis and pending US financial armageddon. Chances are I'm just saying what people are thinking.
The UK debt... I wholeheartedly agree that we as a nation need to address the debt. There is no point in living beyond your means. I've done it personally and there comes a day when you can't borrow any more and have to stop, take stock of your position and get back in the black. The irritation here is it is the country (government) who has been spending more money that they have been collecting in taxes and yet it is you and me that have to pay the debt. Why doesn't the government stop sending aid money abroad, stop getting involved in other peoples wars and stop bailing other countries out? Yes I understand that there's a "you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours" philosophy going on but who's paying the bills here?
The US are trillions in debt (did you know that is 12 zeros) - check out http://www.usdebtclock.org/, it's frightening. Even if they get the debt ceiling increased by $2.5 trillion it would only allow the government to operate until early 2013. If no agreement is met then they will start to default on their debt obligations which has potentially catastrophic results for everyone - great!!
This all reminds me of when you are in the aeroplane going on holiday and they are talking through the safety drill. There is one bit where they are talking about the oxygen masks and they quite clearly instruct you to "put on your own mask first before helping others". In other words if you pass out and die what good are you going to be to anyone else? As a nation we need to sort ourselves out first before helping others, it's as simple as that.
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Are you a people person?
I'm often concious of my own changing feelings towards people. We all are but of course I can only vouch for myself so it got me thinking... where is the line between not enough people and too many people?
Take clothes shopping - we all know the feeling of walking into an empty shop with the attendants watching your every move, studying what you are doing, what you are looking at and whether you are going to buy anything. I'd guess the vast majority of us can't get out quick enough. From the shop-keepers point of view what is obtrusive and what is ignorance? Should they jump on the potential customer or let them get on with whatever they want? Should they employ people to be fake browsers to encourage real shoppers to visit their store? From the consumer consider the alternative - a jam packed shop, no attention, not able to get to anything and queues to the changing room... No wonder on-line shopping is so popular.
Ok so on the most part shopping is a choice. But dog walking?... I walk the dog early in the morning, sometimes as early as 5.30am and despite days of extreme weather I enjoy it. Apart from the initial dragging myself out of bed I love that time of the morning. The park where I walk the dog every weekday morning is empty and at certain times of the year can be misty, atmospheric, serene, calming and beautiful. The only people you will ever see are staff commuting to the local hospital - head down, caffine deprived and normally power walking and it's them that I don't mind. Other dog walkers though? On the whole I can't stand them. Ok so just because I have a dog doesn't mean that I want to talk. Call me unsociable but this precious 30 minutes is my time (ok it's my trusty companions time as he reminds me daily) and I really really down't want to be making small talk with anyone. It's extreme to the point of ridiculous. I mean I see dog walkers saying hello to every dog walker but ignoring absolutely everyone else in between. Forget listening to your iPod - the headphones are so small no-one even realises that you're listening to music and so stops for a chat. I've therefore taken to either chatting on the phone, tweeting or texting. Hardly the most relaxing of "me" time after a day on the phone and computer at work.
Take clothes shopping - we all know the feeling of walking into an empty shop with the attendants watching your every move, studying what you are doing, what you are looking at and whether you are going to buy anything. I'd guess the vast majority of us can't get out quick enough. From the shop-keepers point of view what is obtrusive and what is ignorance? Should they jump on the potential customer or let them get on with whatever they want? Should they employ people to be fake browsers to encourage real shoppers to visit their store? From the consumer consider the alternative - a jam packed shop, no attention, not able to get to anything and queues to the changing room... No wonder on-line shopping is so popular.
Ok so on the most part shopping is a choice. But dog walking?... I walk the dog early in the morning, sometimes as early as 5.30am and despite days of extreme weather I enjoy it. Apart from the initial dragging myself out of bed I love that time of the morning. The park where I walk the dog every weekday morning is empty and at certain times of the year can be misty, atmospheric, serene, calming and beautiful. The only people you will ever see are staff commuting to the local hospital - head down, caffine deprived and normally power walking and it's them that I don't mind. Other dog walkers though? On the whole I can't stand them. Ok so just because I have a dog doesn't mean that I want to talk. Call me unsociable but this precious 30 minutes is my time (ok it's my trusty companions time as he reminds me daily) and I really really down't want to be making small talk with anyone. It's extreme to the point of ridiculous. I mean I see dog walkers saying hello to every dog walker but ignoring absolutely everyone else in between. Forget listening to your iPod - the headphones are so small no-one even realises that you're listening to music and so stops for a chat. I've therefore taken to either chatting on the phone, tweeting or texting. Hardly the most relaxing of "me" time after a day on the phone and computer at work.
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