The Ashes

I don't get all the hype about Mitchel Johnson's fast bowling in the first Ashes Test, how on earth would they have coped against Malcolm Marshall, Curtley Ambrose, Joel Garner and Courtney Walsh?!? Doesn't bear thinking about!!

Not the best week

A long and arduous week today, finished off not very well with an email from Jason and a client criticising my work with them. On checking the email thread and CRM I am really surprised by the feedback so have spent this morning replying. Waste of my time but also my energy, I was driving to work in St Albans yesterday mulling it over for the whole hour in the car and that does affect your attitude. Guess I just need thicker skin sometimes!! Ah well, building my case in reply this morning has been useful as I can see they’re wrong. But at the same time, I’ll take the comments on board and will learn from the experience!

The week was disjointed a bit as I went into Raintree on Monday instead of Wednesday and it seemed to throw my clock, I was in London on Tuesday, St Albans Wednesday, Leicester Thursday and back to St Albans Friday so it’s been out and about all the time and I’ve not got much done in the evenings when home. So this weekend is going to a be a big blitz on my work!

Went out into Oxford last night as the Xmas Market started and then we met up with Amanda and Bryn and went to Prezzo for a meal. Julio and Louise were in there with friends and family and they looked well. Had a great Calzone – biggest one I’ve seen – lovely. It turned into a nice evening and they were good company, haven’t seen them in a long time.

What else? The Ashes started on Thursday, the only problem being that they run from midnight so we miss all of it. On Thursday night England were crowing and pleased as they got the Aussies down to 263-8 but we were a lot quieter on Friday morning as we managed an all too familiar (for my generation!!) batting collapse from 80-2 to 126 all out!! Embarrassing! Haven’t heard the score this morning but I was still up and 1.30am last night and Aussies were back to about a lead of 250 with 10 wickets to spare, I don’t think we’re going to win, or even draw, this one.

Share Update?? After my Blinkx shares made it to 230p they dropped in three days back to 200p…if only I’d sold and reinvested eh?? They rallied yesterday back to 211p and I hope that blip is all it is, I kept firm with my conviction that they’re going to be good in the Summer. Mind you, they’re broken even and I have enjoyed the spectacle of the ebbs and flows so it’s been fun. Taylor WImpey shares are quietly increasing as well, they’ve hit even now as well. The only downside are the Fortune Oil ones that Martin recommended, again, I’ll sit tight and watch!!

Not so good fortune

Okay so I got a little excited and confident and put some more money into the shares pot this week and now have £1,000.00 in there, or at least I should have!! Not a good day with the FTSE or my Blinkx shares as they’ve dropped 10% in two days, very disappointing. So as it stands two weeks later I am below break even, but it’s interesting and hopefully in the long term there will be the growth I am expecting/wanting.

I don’t think I am nervous about the drop, luckily it’s not big money that we’re talking about, hopefully tomorrow will be a new day and we’ll see some better progress!

Typing this on the way back from London, been a decent day with Galore Park who are based in Hodder Euston Road now that they’ve been taken over. Seemed strange going over all the same things as I did in February but it was okay and Caroline and Emily took on board what we went through. A few action points to deal with later!

Didn’t make the gym at all over the weekend so should try and get up there tonight when I get home, although I will probably have to go and get Jack

Problems with the kitchen as well – the measurements are wrong. Nightmare and really disappointing as it’s going to cost us money, pissed off to be honest, not good. Luckily for us Barry checked the measurements last night and noticed it. I am cross that we didn’t check it up but at the same time, that’s what you pay a professional kitchen designer for. Well, will see later where that leaves us.

Fit or Bust…Part 2

Went to the gym after working at Raintree last night as I couldn’t make it at lunchtime because of hassles with Jack’s lunch. It was a lot better already, managed 15 mins running, 25 mins rowing, 20 mins cycling and some other exercises, combined with eating less food that went quite well indeed.

So I have 3.5 weeks left to get sorted as much as possible, didn’t play last night but thankfully City Vets won against North Leigh so that was pleasing. I must admit I am not missing it so I think I might take the rest of the year off from football and then make a comeback in the Spring. I just don’t feel fit enough to play and that’s where the injuries are coming from.

My shares did well today, currently running at a 10% gain, not bad and makes me want to invest in others but need to exercise patience, I did call the Life Assurance people about my shares to see what I could do to change them and I will look at making these amendments over the coming days. Bit concerned as it looks like the ones that I want to buy are not ones that I can buy, most odd – will need to have another phone conversation!

Sat in the car again at Jack’s football, it’s quite a productive time for me where I can catch up with things and plan ahead. 4 pages of my note pad have just been thrown away so great news!!

Emily Bull’s birthday today, will hopefully get back to Sue 9G’s house in time as they are all there so it would be good to see her.

Fit or Bust

Tash and I have signed up for 4 weeks membership at the gym at the Oxford Hotel in a bid to get fit ahead of Christmas. We went up there today and she, Charlotte and Zoe went to the spinning class whilst I just occupied the gym. I wasn’t very good to be honest and struggled, my fitness is at an all time low so hopefully by the time these 4 weeks are finished I will feel better about myself and more positive!

So I only managed about 10 mins jogging and 15 mins rowing, did some cycling as well, it’s a start but it needs to improve quite dramatically!

Greed is good…

Ok I am not quite Gordon Gecko but after weeks of umming and ahhing and reading all sorted of emails and websites I took the plunge today and join the Stock Market. Investing £500.00 in two stocks I tipped my toe in the water and spent all day refreshing my web browser to see what was happening…certainly something I need to get out of the habit of doing!!

So I invested £250 in Booker and Blinkx following ‘advice’ from the various website and brokers that seem to be getting a decent success rate. We shall see, so watch this space!! As it stood by the way, at the end of the day I was even, but if I sold my shared the £5 per trade charge would take that from me and I’d have made a loss!

Will try and add to the portfolio but it’s all going to be kept as a surprise and I hope that by the end of next year I will have £5k in the pot. That’s my target that I am aiming for anyway, we shall have to wait and see…and that’s just it, it is a waiting game!

Charlotte’s Piano Exam

Sat outside Rye St Anthony typing this as waiting for Charlotte to complete her Grade 6 Piano Theory exam. She’s fairly confident ahead of this as she’s done some sample papers and has done well with them, but an exam is obviously different. Hopefully she’ll be fine and i am sure she will be. No doubt she’ll come out from it saying it was awful! Lots of younger kids were going in for the exam which made her a bit embarrassed, no need to be but that’s Charlotte.

She came out and said it went okay – not much we can do now but wait

Earlier today I met with Allan Smith in Costa in Summertown and had a decent catch up with him. It was interesting to hear how much he’s still involved with EdCo and also Raintree, sounds like he’s been quite instrumental in the changes taking place at Raintree with feedback on Rep Sales and the like. It was good to see him and have a chat, he was pleased that things are going well for me so that was nice.

Day two of the work on the kitchen today, they knocked through another wall – there’s dust everywhere, it’s not nice to be honest but you have to just accept it!

Firework Night..

Remember, remember the 5th of November. Actually, I’ve happy to forget it, not a very good day today. I wanted so much to get up to date with work but it was a shit day work-wise, found it really hard to get focused and do anything productive. It was one of those days where I seemed to spend the whole time in my Inbox, not productive at all!

The work on the kitchen started today as well. Barry and his son turned up and ripped down the ceiling, dust and mess everywhere, it’s not nice! It will be hard work to cope with this but it will be worth it in the future when it’s all completed.

In the evening we went out to the Plough for their firework display, Wayne, Kerry and the girls came over and it was nice enough, Mum and the student Amelie also came along. Usual thing.

Tasty Treat…

Jack had training in the morning and I worked in the car for the time and then we went round to Mum’s to collect the tile cutter and had a cup of tea and some cakes…spoilt as usual!

Once back home I then worked on the tiling and got them put up before going into Oxford to meet Tash and Nikki, they’d been Xmas shopping and Tash was feeling a bit guilty after all her nights out so I was invited along! I met them in Ask and we had a meal and a few drinks – two bottles of wine and 3 large Peroni later we were ready to stay out and have a few more drinks so we went next door to the Cock and Camel and had a pint before Victoria and Emily turned up to take us and then Nikki home at 6.00pm.

Got home and just carried on drinking and catching up with some of the programmes on the planner – not a productive night at all! We paid for the meal as Nik had paid for Tash recently but it came to £90.00 – not quite what we’d planned but it was fine and it was really nice to get out and have a ‘grown-up’ meal and time for a few hours. Glad that I went and should organise it with Tash more often

Busy Saturday

Got bloody loads done today…

Up bright and early (around 6.45am) and went downstairs and worked on my Accounts for an hour or so in terms of raising invoices and making sure everything was balancing. Jack stayed at Danny’s last night so I went and did the paper-round for him and then when I got back finished off the Accounts – the work I’d done a couple of weeks ago paid off because I got the balancing and the updates done perfectly, no messing about with finding lost money!

I also took the chance to update the investment prices that I have been keeping an eye on. Lately I have been interested in dipping my toe into the Stock Market so I have been doing some research and checking the prices on stock recommendations to see if the Brokers are successfully advising Buy proposals. I have an account set up and today the PIN came through so I’ve uploaded £500.00 to start investing on Monday…bit nervous, going to keep it quiet and see what happens.

Once all that was sorted I got out into the garden with Tash and worked on chopping the trees back and then got to work on the bathroom tile that got broken in Charlotte’s party, all was going fine as I was chipping away the grouting until I got a little impatient and chipped another tile, so I had to start digging that one out, and I went and chipped a third one…couldn’t believe it…managed to reign in my enthusiasm and got the three out with no further problems. Realised as I was about to put the new ones on that one of them had been cut to size and it was the key one so I couldn’t proceed. Spoke to Mum and will collect the tile cutter tomorrow after Jack’s football training session

I then went out and worked on the bikes that were broken, fixing Jack’s puncture and then popped round to Sue’s for a scone and jam and then I managed to catch up with the last hour of Django Unchained before going home to take Tash, Lucie and Chrissie into Oxford for a girls night out. Charlotte then asked me to take her and Rose to Rose Hill to see her friends and the lad from school who’s joined the army – Linus.

Got home and Jack was watching, and really enjoying Beverly Hills Cop and I then sat and worked. In fact I worked all night until 11.00pm when Charlotte text to be picked up and Tash did the same so I got them all in one hit.

Busy day like I said at the beginning, nice sense of achievement though and work is getting more up to date by the minute. What was interesting, I was ‘happy’ to sit there in the front room writing emails, getting work up to date and not watching TV or drinking, sometimes I wonder how much I do prefer working…

Oh, I won’t say how much I raised invoices for, but it was a very good month, can’t see me matching that for a long, long time – but I want to start ‘hiding’ funds from Tash so that I can surprise her in a couple of years time with a lump sum – aiming for £5k first in 2 years…I wonder!!

Interesting feedback..

Tough day today at Leicester, I was carrying out training for Lifecycle and specifically two new Lifetime users. That wasn’t the issue, their line manager (Diane) was involved and she’s quite a high profile at the company so I knew I would be under scrutiny and that was certainly the case. I was put on the spot quite a bit and contradicted on a couple of time with information I was passing on. I actually didn’t mind it because it was useful to see it from a ‘proper’ users perspective and what as a management team they’re expecting users to be doing so I was learning at the same time, it certain didn’t put my back up, just made me a little embarrassed that my knowledge wasn’t as hot as it should have been – action points added to my training list already!!

With all of Diane’s input the session lasted longer than planned but that was fine, it was good, but I didn’t feel a little deflated by the end and with the new that Russell is taking on a more sales/training role I was feeling the ground beneath my feet becoming a little unstable…until I left that is…

First Russell came in to explain further the role he’s likely to pursue and apparently when Carlos asked him if he felt he was comfortable to do the sort of training presentation and role that I do Russell replied ‘No way’, and Carlos apparently said, ‘I agree, Julian is different class!’ – so that was pleasing to hear!

I worked late on some other work and as I was leaving at 6.30pm I popped my head around Diane’s door to say thanks and we got talking for 10 minutes or so to get to know each other and she was really quite complimentary saying about my patience, delivery and knowledge (being better than Julie’s) – I was taken aback, I was expecting a much more punishing report to go back to Carlos!!

Although she did comment that I sound a lot posher that Jim!

So that was all very pleasing and a nice turnaround to the day when I wasn’t feeling so tip top.

Got home late as a result and didn’t do too much in the evening

Charlottes Halloween Party

That finished okay last night, she had a great time and everyone left on time so no problems. Very busy and quite a tense feeling having them all in there but it was fine and they all appreciated Charlotte hosting it. She’s even more popular now!!!

Only downside was one of the bathroom tiles got broken, so that’s a job for me over the weekend…

Halloween…ooh…spooky!

Busy day in working from home today, went well and got loads done

It was Halloween today and as is the case in Britain we seem to be getting more and more into it and like the Americans. We had a load of sweets and then from 5.00pm the front door didn’t stop being knocked on.It was fine but we soon run out and had to turn people away, that was a shame.

Earlier I had a greed to let Charlotte have a party in the evening and sat here typing this update at 10.40pm I am having some minor regrets!! It’s very full in here and very, very noisy! She must have about 35-40 friends all dotted around the house in fancy dress and getting very drunk. We went out to Sue’s to be out the way and were concerned what we’d come back to and it’s not so bad but it’s not enjoyable and makes you a little stressed about breakages and noise to be honest.

Only an hour and a half left as we said it needs to finish at midnight, we’ll see!

At Sue’s we ate far too much food and I took the opportunity to watch Django Unchained and I loved it. I still have an hour to watch but it’s such a good film, so much of what Tarantino has written and produced in this film is back to what you expected from Inglorious Basterds and Pulp Fiction. Have taped it so hopefully watch the rest of it over the weekend at Sue’s.

Bit nervous about work tomorrow, have a Sales Manager sitting in watching what I am doing so it needs to be good of course to impress!

Well, best try and get some sleep, can’t see how much I will get but have to get some and then at midnight kick everyone out and get some proper shut eye!

Just another day..

Worked at Raintree today and it went well, got loads done including re-installing all their reps laptops with Offline SPIRIT after they’d been wiped at the weekend. All change in the offices there and it’s hell of a strange atmosphere with so many people being made redundant. Jackie leaves tomorrow and we said our goodbyes and Sue leaves next week. If I remember I might get some flowers for her as she’s been really good to me this year in keeping me going and providing me with so much work to do.

I really don’t know my situation, I appear to have a decent understanding and working relationship with Miles which is obviously important, and hopefully as I keep delivering the good and a great service the value of my contribution will be recognised and appreciated. They would be mad to let me go as I get so much done for them, but I do have that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I will shortly be for the chop. It would be a mistake!

Tash took Jack and Charlotte to London today on the coach to see Much Ado About Nothing and when I got home in the evening I caught up with a couple of programmes I like, second episode of Elementary and then the Blacklist. The Blacklist is a little nonsensical but I enjoy it as it’s serious and intelligent but at the same time it appears to poke a bit of fun at itself.

I then got a phone call from Tash as they were on the coach on their way home saying that she didn’t have the car keys. I went out to the Park & Ride in Headington to look for them, or more importantly that the car was still there which it was thankfully but I didn’t find the keys. I left the spare set on the wheel and came home so hopefully they’ll be okay, I just didn’t want to get through all the traffic again to try and meet them when they got home.

Back at Wolvercote I sat and caught up with emails and other work and I am getting closer and closer to being up to date, there will never be a time I am fully up to date but it’s a target to aim for!!

Also, did some more research on investing in stocks and shares…so tempted to dip my toe in the water but so nervous about it at the same time. I’ve kept a track of some of the recommendations to see ‘what would have happened’ so going forwards I will see if it’s worth my while going for it or not…

Watch this space!

Up to date…

Decent days work today. Worked hard in the morning and Tash has been out and about so it's been quiet quiet again

Had a two hour phone call with Scholastic which was with the UK, US and India on data mining. Seemed to go well but was quite hard work

Took Jack to training and got shed loads done in the car. It's nice being so up to date with work and getting to clear items that have been playing on my mind for a while

It's true that having these in the background do use energy in delaying and procrastinating.

Full on day tomorrow at Raintree as I have to build laptops and install spirit for them all. Should be fun!!

Not much else happening!!

Quiet house…

First day of the half term holidays today and the house is nice and quiet because Tash has taken Charlotte and Jack up to see Lewis in Huddersfield. Got a lot done but still odd even though in reality it’s no different to when I normally work from home, I guess it’s the thought of them enjoying themselves away and I feel as though I am missing out. Kept in touch with them and they caught up with Lewis and then took him out for a meal and they got home safely around 9.45pm

Tash was in the foulest mood when she got in which was a shame, and to top it off she then dropped her phone in the washing up bowl, luckily storing it overnight in the airing cupboard in a bag of rice seemed to do the trick and it’s working again…phew!

Not much else to report really. Managing to get up to date with work, which is nice but also a little concerning as it means I don’t have anything else to do and therefore no money coming in!!

Had a bit of time in the evening so caught up with the new series of Boardwalk Empire and also Elementary, both were brilliant and it’s great to have them back up and running. There is another series I used to watch but I can’t think of what it’s called for the life of me, it’s doing my head in!!

Aha, just Googled it, Banshee!! I need to set an alert to get the new series recorded – just done that as well, January 10th is now in the diary!!

Watching Jack playing football..

Decent weekend actually but Sunday was quite relaxed. I had to postpone the Summertown match against Oxford City because of a lack of players which is so frustrating so I got that sorted in the morning and then went out and took Jack to his Horspath match against Chalgrove. Tash went off to London shopping with Zoe so it was a dad’s day!!

Jack played left back again and had a decent game, performed well and after his initial couple of mis-placed passes or control got more confidence to play. it was a good game and there was decent football on a piss poor pitch and swirly, strong wind. It was tight and they almost threw it away to draw 1-1 until the goal that Chalgrove scored gave them the push they needed and they won 3-1. I enjoyed it and really wanted to get involved and say things, there’s lots they could be taught to improve in so many areas around the pitch, I will push my name forwards in future I think.

Driving home we got Charlotte’s laptop and then Jack and I treated ourselves to a McDonalds – wicked pleasure and it meant I was too full to eat at Sue’s when we went their for dinner. Dropped Jack in a local park and then worked on setting up the laptop – that took ages with all the installations etc but got it done by the end of the night.

Charlotte went out in the evening with some friends to the O2 down the Cowley Road, I dropped them down there, and she watched AlunaGeorge. She got a lift home and had a fantastic time, she’s loving her music and partying!!

Tash got home and sorted accounts etc out and then to bed, absolutely knackered.

Oh, tonight is due to be the worst storms to hit Britain for 10 years…Michael Fish said so!!

End of Birthday Celebrations..

Went out tonight to finish off my birthday celebrations as we had a quiet night last night and we went to Bills in St Michael’s street in the centre of Oxford opposite the Three Goats Heads. Mum and Derek also came along which was nice and they enjoyed themselves.

It’s a fairly new place and the atmosphere was great, really liked the place and the food was excellent. I went for the rump steak and could have eaten it all again, it was so tasty, really enjoyed it.

Everyone else liked their food and agreed on the quality so that was a relief. The puddings as well were lovely.

All in all a really good evening and a nice way to finish off the birthday week.

Charlotte drove, had a bit of stress going there but coming home she did really well, very smooth and confident. She’ll be passing in a couple of months I am certain

Happy Birthday…sort of!

45 years old today…fuck! How have I become this bloated, unfit waste of space in such a short space of time? I cannot believe where the years have gone, I was 18 only last year I’m sure!

So, how did I spent this birthday? Well, Thursday are the busiest family day with Tash working a long day, Jack having karate and football training and Charlotte having tuition so after this morning I was working from home and then we all met up in the evening for dinner at 7.30pm.

I was wide awake this morning so early, I have a lot of things on my mind with work at the minute so got up at 5.00am when I woke up and it worked a treat, I got so much done. Back upstairs to give Tash her cup of tea and Charlotte couldn’t believe I was making Mum a cup of tea in bed on MY birthday! Had the opening cards and presents ceremony, lovely cards and nice presents, I was pleased with books and smellies – can’t go far wrong with those. Also a quiet Ted Baker shirt, very normal so I need to get a new one!

Work went well and then in the afternoon Mum popped in and more presents and some money which was very generous, as soon as she left Sue popped round with a card, some cash and a box of After Eights – yum – and she took Jack to karate. I picked him up and now typing this in the Horspath car park avoiding working any more work…

Lewis texted as well so that was pleasing to get, said he’d call us later this evening so will look forward to that, probably on Skype.

Facebook was busy with people sending me messages which was nice to get, as I said on my post…”Today’s the day that my ego is either battered or bolstered!” – I think it’s been bolstered with the messages I’ve received!!

We had a relaxed evening in the end, watched a bit of TV and that was it…nothing too mad, couple of beers and bed!!

Time to look ahead to Christmas now I think!!

Birthday week starts earlier and earlier…

As Lewis is down and it’s my birthday on Thursday I think it’s a case of making the most of the time he’s here. In the morning we had Annie round and she cut all our hair and then Lewis, Charlotte and Jack went into town…can’t imagine what they were all going to town for?!?!

We stayed and worked in the garden, I attacked another tree and cut loads of it back which was a challenge and then we decided on another challenge and took Sue’s dog Bella out for a walk. Paul and Brendan were home so Bren came along as well. We only went as far as the Plough but on getting there realised it was closed so went back to Jacob’s Inn instead and Paul joined us for a pint…although I only had coffee!

Back to our house and Mum, Derek and Grandma turned up for an evening meal, more for Lewis than me to be honest but they rolled me out a cake and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ so that was fun. Grandma was in better form this evening, she’s been a bit morbid and hard work of late (reporting from my Mum) but for some reason she ended up on my office chair and was swivelling herself around which was a laugh.

They stayed until about 9.30pm and then we watch a bit of TV and then called it a night fairly early really. A nice day. Lewis left around 9.00pm to go into town and when he got home the next morning told how he’s been caught up with the Police as a suspect/witness for a beating up that had taken place. Two girls as well that he didn’t even know were involved along with 10 other lads. This was all going on at 2.00am and they had no idea what was happening and were kept there for about 2 hours until it was all sorted out. The police had to drop them home in the end as they’d caused them to miss their busses.

What is it about the Police and late nights with this family?!?!