It's just over six months now since I stopped working for IBM, or retired as they unfortunately like to call it. It's unfortunate because I'm not actually retired at all, I still do lots of different work things but I just don't get paid for it.
Actually, since leaving IBM, I've rarely had a week day to myself for one reason or another which has come as quite a surprise to me. I spend one day a week, at least, in court and one day a week helping out in the IBM museum. Then I have days when I have quite a bit of Trustee work to do which is usually reading or researching. Finally a day out with Sheila, that happens most but not all weeks, to a restaurant we haven't visited before.
One of the unforeseen benefits of the things I now do is that I get to meet so many really nice and interesting people. Nobody has any hidden agendas, egos, or burning ambitions to stab you in the back at any opportunity. Everyone is doing what they're doing for the same reason as me: because they want to have fun doing it. And because of all those things there is absolutely no pressure - if something crops up that I don't want to do then I don't do it - it's that easy.
Finally, I can say that I haven't been bored once in the last six months, but if I'd still been working at IBM I'm sure I would have been bored at least once almost every single day.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
First time since 1975
For the first time since before we were married we have had a weeks vacation in the UK. We didn't really mean to as the original plan was to just have a long weekend in Cornwall but the hotels were so expensive that for only another £50 we could rent a cottage for whole week. So, a complete no brainer, we figured that we might as well go for the entire week.
We hadn't been to Cornwall since the year before we got married so we'd both pretty much forgotten what the place was like which was good because it was mostly one nice surprise after another the whole time we were there. The traditional stone cottage we'd rented was fantastic having only opened in February this year. It was big, clean and very modern.
It's incredibly hilly to the point that Hampshire seems almost flat by comparison, and the place is littered with something I absolutely hate, single track roads. But roads apart the place is just amazing and all the little "Port this" and "Port that" places we stopped off at were all fantastic. Even the towns are all very manageable as they're not that big and everyone there seems to be very happy and friendly, prices were good compared to home, and the quality of everything was excellent.
We had a lunch in Rick Stein's place one day which provided us with great food but the price was really too high - we were definitely having to pay for his "celebrity" status. The Eden project was bit of a disappointment, even Sheila agreed, and the £50 it cost for two of us to get in was a joke. On the other hand, the Lost Gardens of Heligan were great, and we spent a really nice day there.
On our last day the cottage owners told us it was free for the coming week, if only we hadn't had a lot of commitments at home because we'd have definitely stayed for longer.
We hadn't been to Cornwall since the year before we got married so we'd both pretty much forgotten what the place was like which was good because it was mostly one nice surprise after another the whole time we were there. The traditional stone cottage we'd rented was fantastic having only opened in February this year. It was big, clean and very modern.
It's incredibly hilly to the point that Hampshire seems almost flat by comparison, and the place is littered with something I absolutely hate, single track roads. But roads apart the place is just amazing and all the little "Port this" and "Port that" places we stopped off at were all fantastic. Even the towns are all very manageable as they're not that big and everyone there seems to be very happy and friendly, prices were good compared to home, and the quality of everything was excellent.
We had a lunch in Rick Stein's place one day which provided us with great food but the price was really too high - we were definitely having to pay for his "celebrity" status. The Eden project was bit of a disappointment, even Sheila agreed, and the £50 it cost for two of us to get in was a joke. On the other hand, the Lost Gardens of Heligan were great, and we spent a really nice day there.
On our last day the cottage owners told us it was free for the coming week, if only we hadn't had a lot of commitments at home because we'd have definitely stayed for longer.
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Driving a hover car through France
Just as I expected, the whole experience of driving the SL through France in September was like being on a Mercedes-Benz magic carpet. Those roads really are super smooth at their best and just smooth for the most part. Only the very worst roads there seem to equate to our average roads so I took full advantage to hop in and go for a drive, and to always take the long way rather than the short way.
One really weird thing about having this car was the amount of attention we got whilst driving around. It's always been my understanding that the French aren't particularly interested in cars which is why they invariably like zipping around in their little hatchbacks. But everywhere we went we got embarrassingly high levels of attention. One day we were driving around the edge of one of the harbours in Ile de Re where there were a lot of people sitting in the cafes and generally milling around in between the slow moving traffic. When we drove through people were stopping, pointing, and staring at us and the car to such an extent that we couldn't have attracted more attention if we had been driving a hover car covered in flashing neon lights. It was all very odd especially from people who are usually so indifferent about cars.
On the return drive back to Le Havre we spent a bit too long having lunch in Le Mans without being aware of how much further we still had to drive given that we needed to be at the ferry by 16:40. So when we got back to the car and keyed in the destination we were mortified when it told us that we wouldn't get there until 16:55 and had a two and a half hour drive ahead of us. Against the odds we went for it, as I really did need to get home that evening, but the other overlooked problem was that we only just had enough fuel to make it, and stopping for more would mean that we would definitely not make it. So I could go a bit faster than the speed limit and try to make up time but if I went too fast I'd use too much fuel and we'd have to stop to get more. A major dilemma! So it was a nerve racking balancing act for two and a half hours along the autoroutes and we also needed to be lucky with the traffic lights as we drove through Le Havre. I think I went through every one just as it turned amber, my nerves were so frazzled at this point I wasn't sure what was going on, but we made it to the gate at 16:45.
The lady said OK you're on but you're the last. No sooner we were on the boat than it was off - my hover car had done it.
One really weird thing about having this car was the amount of attention we got whilst driving around. It's always been my understanding that the French aren't particularly interested in cars which is why they invariably like zipping around in their little hatchbacks. But everywhere we went we got embarrassingly high levels of attention. One day we were driving around the edge of one of the harbours in Ile de Re where there were a lot of people sitting in the cafes and generally milling around in between the slow moving traffic. When we drove through people were stopping, pointing, and staring at us and the car to such an extent that we couldn't have attracted more attention if we had been driving a hover car covered in flashing neon lights. It was all very odd especially from people who are usually so indifferent about cars.
On the return drive back to Le Havre we spent a bit too long having lunch in Le Mans without being aware of how much further we still had to drive given that we needed to be at the ferry by 16:40. So when we got back to the car and keyed in the destination we were mortified when it told us that we wouldn't get there until 16:55 and had a two and a half hour drive ahead of us. Against the odds we went for it, as I really did need to get home that evening, but the other overlooked problem was that we only just had enough fuel to make it, and stopping for more would mean that we would definitely not make it. So I could go a bit faster than the speed limit and try to make up time but if I went too fast I'd use too much fuel and we'd have to stop to get more. A major dilemma! So it was a nerve racking balancing act for two and a half hours along the autoroutes and we also needed to be lucky with the traffic lights as we drove through Le Havre. I think I went through every one just as it turned amber, my nerves were so frazzled at this point I wasn't sure what was going on, but we made it to the gate at 16:45.
The lady said OK you're on but you're the last. No sooner we were on the boat than it was off - my hover car had done it.
Monday, August 29, 2011
50 days in for the SL
I couldn't believe the moment I drove away from the Mercedes-Benz dealer in my very own SL350 at the end of June. I've wanted an SL for as long as I can remember - in fact since I was a teenager when a rich uncle showed up at my grandparents one day driving a green SL with a pagoda top. So here I was now in my very own SL and it was just an amazing feeling, tinged with quite a bit of nervousness, as I pulled into the Friday evening traffic on the way back home.
Now that I've had the car for almost two months I still get an amazing buzz every time I look at it and and even bigger one when I press that start button and the engine fires up. Everything in the car is controlled electrically and automatically and the only things I need to be concerned with are pointing it, powering it, and stopping it. Wipers, lights, mirrors, steering wheel and seat adjustment all spring into action on their own as needed and just take car of business in the background. The bi-xenon lights turn night into day, and the command system lets me control every imaginable parameter within the car.
The performance is staggering. This is a much bigger car than the SLK but it's acceleration is about 20% quicker and yet at the same time there is hardly a whisper from the engine. The car is very quiet and incredibly smooth on all but the very roughest road surfaces and even with the roof down it's possible to talk to each other in perfectly normal voices at 75 mph - in the SLK you'd be yelling at anything above 50!
Every time I park the SL I have to keep looking back to remind myself that it's actually mine and I think the novelty is going to last for some considerable time. I think I'm very lucky to finally own the car I've wanted more than any other for so long. Next week I'll be taking it over to France for two weeks and I'm really looking forward to racking up quite a few miles on those creamily smooth French roads. Hopefully we'll get some nice sunny days and can get that roof down...
Now that I've had the car for almost two months I still get an amazing buzz every time I look at it and and even bigger one when I press that start button and the engine fires up. Everything in the car is controlled electrically and automatically and the only things I need to be concerned with are pointing it, powering it, and stopping it. Wipers, lights, mirrors, steering wheel and seat adjustment all spring into action on their own as needed and just take car of business in the background. The bi-xenon lights turn night into day, and the command system lets me control every imaginable parameter within the car.
The performance is staggering. This is a much bigger car than the SLK but it's acceleration is about 20% quicker and yet at the same time there is hardly a whisper from the engine. The car is very quiet and incredibly smooth on all but the very roughest road surfaces and even with the roof down it's possible to talk to each other in perfectly normal voices at 75 mph - in the SLK you'd be yelling at anything above 50!
Every time I park the SL I have to keep looking back to remind myself that it's actually mine and I think the novelty is going to last for some considerable time. I think I'm very lucky to finally own the car I've wanted more than any other for so long. Next week I'll be taking it over to France for two weeks and I'm really looking forward to racking up quite a few miles on those creamily smooth French roads. Hopefully we'll get some nice sunny days and can get that roof down...
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Bye bye SLK
I never owned a car as long as I'd owned my Mercedes SLK. I got it on October 26, 2000 and finally sold it on July 3, 2011 after 83,000 fun filled miles. But for a long time now I'd really wanted to get a Mercedes SL but I didn't really want to spend the money, plus the trusty old SLK was still in good shape and drove like a dream. But over the last year a few things had made me think that maybe it was time to get something new. Firstly there were a few things on the SLK that needed some attention on the bodywork and wheels, and I was also getting the odd mechanical problem - nothing major but just niggly things that may have been the start of bigger things. New tyres and a major service were also both just around the corner.
Then, the new SLK was announced and I thought I really wanted one. It looks tremendous and would be available about now, but the problem was though, if I was honest, that I still really wanted an SL. I priced up a new SLK and to get the spec I wanted I would have been spending a lot more that I really wanted to pay, but I soon realized that for what I was prepared to pay I could get a pretty new SL. I was advised that my best bet was to get a dealer approved car so I trawled through the Mercedes-Benz used car site for weeks looking for something from around 2007 with less than 30k miles, for about £30k and preferably in metallic black.
After seemingly getting nowhere I spotted a 2007 SL350 at my local dealer with only 9000 miles on the clock, but it was £5000 over budget and silver. I went in to speak with the dealer but was still set on a black one if possible. After another couple of weeks and having looked at a couple of disappointing black cars I decided to take a second look at the silver low mileage car. It was loaded with all the extras I would have liked and many, many more besides. The entire car was immaculate. Basically this was as good as a new car but for about 40% of its new price. I soon decided I wouldn't find anything else quite like this one so after some negotiation I manged to get almost £5000 off the price and picked it up for basically what I'd hoped to pay.
For 4 days I had both the SL and the SLK parked in the drive next to each other and the difference between the two cars was vast both in appearance and in the way that they drive. The SLK was like driving a very fast go-cart whereas the SL is very much more quiet, luxurious, and refined with a real sting in it's tail when you put your foot down - I absolutely love it.
On July 3 I took the SLK off to its new owner and for the first time ever I actually felt quite sad to see one of my cars go. I drove it there going the long way round and I couldn't resist putting my foot down a bit for the very last time. I think that if and when I eventually get the SL out of my system that I may just have to get another SLK.
Then, the new SLK was announced and I thought I really wanted one. It looks tremendous and would be available about now, but the problem was though, if I was honest, that I still really wanted an SL. I priced up a new SLK and to get the spec I wanted I would have been spending a lot more that I really wanted to pay, but I soon realized that for what I was prepared to pay I could get a pretty new SL. I was advised that my best bet was to get a dealer approved car so I trawled through the Mercedes-Benz used car site for weeks looking for something from around 2007 with less than 30k miles, for about £30k and preferably in metallic black.
After seemingly getting nowhere I spotted a 2007 SL350 at my local dealer with only 9000 miles on the clock, but it was £5000 over budget and silver. I went in to speak with the dealer but was still set on a black one if possible. After another couple of weeks and having looked at a couple of disappointing black cars I decided to take a second look at the silver low mileage car. It was loaded with all the extras I would have liked and many, many more besides. The entire car was immaculate. Basically this was as good as a new car but for about 40% of its new price. I soon decided I wouldn't find anything else quite like this one so after some negotiation I manged to get almost £5000 off the price and picked it up for basically what I'd hoped to pay.
For 4 days I had both the SL and the SLK parked in the drive next to each other and the difference between the two cars was vast both in appearance and in the way that they drive. The SLK was like driving a very fast go-cart whereas the SL is very much more quiet, luxurious, and refined with a real sting in it's tail when you put your foot down - I absolutely love it.
On July 3 I took the SLK off to its new owner and for the first time ever I actually felt quite sad to see one of my cars go. I drove it there going the long way round and I couldn't resist putting my foot down a bit for the very last time. I think that if and when I eventually get the SL out of my system that I may just have to get another SLK.
Three months on from IBM
It's now just over 3 months since I retired from IBM and I can't believe how quickly the time has gone, how little I miss my old job, and how quickly I've forgotten about so many things I will never need to know again.
Before I left I was concerned about how I'd fill my days, as I really do enjoy being busy, but it hasn't been a problem at all. In fact I feel like I'm just as busy now with the big difference that I'm now doing all the things I want to do and not what somebody else says I have to do. Some jobs at home that I previously viewed as a chore I can now do with a degree of enthusiasm, even cutting the grass which I previously hated doing seems OK now. I haven't really started any major home projects yet, they can wait until after the end of the summer, but I'm kind of looking forward to the time when I do.
I used to think that I'd miss feeling part of IBM, being part of the 'process', and playing a part in getting products out of the door. Actually, the reality is that I have never given it a thought since the day I left. It's just something I used to do and that's it. If there is one thing I do miss it's the people interactions that I used to have as a manager as I still very much care for all the people that were in the teams I managed and count them all as good friends.
There are so many things that you have to keep in your head when you're at work. You quite simply have to remember a myriad of facts, faces, numbers, and commitments. You just don't realize how much effort that takes until you don't have to do it any more. The minute I walked out the door on April 5 all that stuff just started evaporating away and it felt great. Now my heads full of other stuff, the things that I want to be in there.
The big surprise to me though has been that I just don't seem to have anything like as much spare time as I thought I would. My time is filled up with many things that I didn't even know I'd be doing while I was still at work. Of course I now have the luxury of being able to make the simplest of things last for hours on end. But I can honestly say I haven't been bored once in the last three months - and that's something I definitely wouldn't have been able to say if I was still at work!
Before I left I was concerned about how I'd fill my days, as I really do enjoy being busy, but it hasn't been a problem at all. In fact I feel like I'm just as busy now with the big difference that I'm now doing all the things I want to do and not what somebody else says I have to do. Some jobs at home that I previously viewed as a chore I can now do with a degree of enthusiasm, even cutting the grass which I previously hated doing seems OK now. I haven't really started any major home projects yet, they can wait until after the end of the summer, but I'm kind of looking forward to the time when I do.
I used to think that I'd miss feeling part of IBM, being part of the 'process', and playing a part in getting products out of the door. Actually, the reality is that I have never given it a thought since the day I left. It's just something I used to do and that's it. If there is one thing I do miss it's the people interactions that I used to have as a manager as I still very much care for all the people that were in the teams I managed and count them all as good friends.
There are so many things that you have to keep in your head when you're at work. You quite simply have to remember a myriad of facts, faces, numbers, and commitments. You just don't realize how much effort that takes until you don't have to do it any more. The minute I walked out the door on April 5 all that stuff just started evaporating away and it felt great. Now my heads full of other stuff, the things that I want to be in there.
The big surprise to me though has been that I just don't seem to have anything like as much spare time as I thought I would. My time is filled up with many things that I didn't even know I'd be doing while I was still at work. Of course I now have the luxury of being able to make the simplest of things last for hours on end. But I can honestly say I haven't been bored once in the last three months - and that's something I definitely wouldn't have been able to say if I was still at work!
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
First day without IBM
What a day this has been so far and it's only 3pm!
Needed to leave home at 8:45 to be at an AGM for one of the many Housing Associations in Portsmouth by 9:30. The M27 was jammed solid so I drove all round the mulberry bush to finally get there just before 9:30 with nowhere to park! Drove back into town, parked at the court, and walked through the town and city park to get back to HMS Nelson! Arrived at the AGM 15 minutes late to a find big long table surrounded by 18 people looking over the tops of their glasses at me. I made my apologies, sat down, and kept quiet. They then asked me to leave the room for a minute which I did and waited nervously outside for about 60 seconds, as promised, before being called back in to a round of applause having just been voted onto the board of trustees. Result. Everyone was so friendly and nice and all my initial apprehensions evaporated. The conversation was very lively and interesting especially as this was all new news to me.
Then came the real interesting bit. We needed to decide on some salary increases for the staff so, figuring that this was my big opportunity to make my mark, I launched into my speech about why we shouldn't just give out a standard percentage but look at everyone's salary and try to fix any anomalies that may have crept in. They all thought this was a fantastic idea and I ended up suggesting that most people got 5%, one chap got 6%, and that the lady who seemed to be the one doing most of the stressy work got 30% (yes thirty percent). To my absolute amazement my proposal was instantly seconded, everyone else voted for it, and so it was passed. What a result!
Anyway the meeting wrapped up after a total of about 2 hours or so and we were ushered off for lunch to a really nice restaurant on the premises. First we were all taken to the bar and had a pre-dinner drink, then taken to our table which was laden with wine bottles where we then had a superb lunch. If I'd have know there would be this much to drink I'd have come on the train! - maybe next time.
I left there about 2pm, having been very careful to limit my wine intake to just below the legal limit of course, to a beautiful sunny day. So, I put the roof down on the car and wafted home along the traffic free country lanes back to home. Just had 15 minutes on my new guitar and now I think I might grab beer and sit out in the garden for a little bit.
This retirement lark ain't too bad at all so far....
Needed to leave home at 8:45 to be at an AGM for one of the many Housing Associations in Portsmouth by 9:30. The M27 was jammed solid so I drove all round the mulberry bush to finally get there just before 9:30 with nowhere to park! Drove back into town, parked at the court, and walked through the town and city park to get back to HMS Nelson! Arrived at the AGM 15 minutes late to a find big long table surrounded by 18 people looking over the tops of their glasses at me. I made my apologies, sat down, and kept quiet. They then asked me to leave the room for a minute which I did and waited nervously outside for about 60 seconds, as promised, before being called back in to a round of applause having just been voted onto the board of trustees. Result. Everyone was so friendly and nice and all my initial apprehensions evaporated. The conversation was very lively and interesting especially as this was all new news to me.
Then came the real interesting bit. We needed to decide on some salary increases for the staff so, figuring that this was my big opportunity to make my mark, I launched into my speech about why we shouldn't just give out a standard percentage but look at everyone's salary and try to fix any anomalies that may have crept in. They all thought this was a fantastic idea and I ended up suggesting that most people got 5%, one chap got 6%, and that the lady who seemed to be the one doing most of the stressy work got 30% (yes thirty percent). To my absolute amazement my proposal was instantly seconded, everyone else voted for it, and so it was passed. What a result!
Anyway the meeting wrapped up after a total of about 2 hours or so and we were ushered off for lunch to a really nice restaurant on the premises. First we were all taken to the bar and had a pre-dinner drink, then taken to our table which was laden with wine bottles where we then had a superb lunch. If I'd have know there would be this much to drink I'd have come on the train! - maybe next time.
I left there about 2pm, having been very careful to limit my wine intake to just below the legal limit of course, to a beautiful sunny day. So, I put the roof down on the car and wafted home along the traffic free country lanes back to home. Just had 15 minutes on my new guitar and now I think I might grab beer and sit out in the garden for a little bit.
This retirement lark ain't too bad at all so far....
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Feeling nervous and sad
Tuesday will be my last day working for IBM after just over 33 years. I hate saying goodbye to people, especially the ones that I like, but that's what I'm going to be doing for most of the day on Monday and Tuesday and I'm feeling very nervous and, if I'm honest, sad about it.
The trouble with saying goodbye is that it feels so final and while it's inevitable that most of the people I know at IBM I will never see again there are, of course, many that I will see again and possibly quite often. But the real problem is that I know it will never be the same. I will never see all those people together in the same environment and under the same circumstances that I have done up until now. We won't laugh and joke about the same things. We might even feel slightly awkward in each others company as the situation will be completely different. It will simply be different.
IBM has been a massive part of my life. It's enabled me to do some amazing things, go to some fantastic places, and meet a lot of really nice people many who have become my very best friends.
Tuesday will be tough day for sure, but Wednesday will be the first day of my new life and I am really looking forward to that.
The trouble with saying goodbye is that it feels so final and while it's inevitable that most of the people I know at IBM I will never see again there are, of course, many that I will see again and possibly quite often. But the real problem is that I know it will never be the same. I will never see all those people together in the same environment and under the same circumstances that I have done up until now. We won't laugh and joke about the same things. We might even feel slightly awkward in each others company as the situation will be completely different. It will simply be different.
IBM has been a massive part of my life. It's enabled me to do some amazing things, go to some fantastic places, and meet a lot of really nice people many who have become my very best friends.
Tuesday will be tough day for sure, but Wednesday will be the first day of my new life and I am really looking forward to that.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
One for each day of the week
Today I bought my seventh guitar, so as one of my friends at work said, I now have one for every day of the week. Seven may sound a bit excessive but in fact they are all very different to look at, different to play, and of course they all do sound surprisingly different. Well they do to me!
I now have 4 solid body electrics, 2 semi-acoustic electrics and an electro-acoustic so I think I've got all the bases covers (no pun intended).
The electro-acoustic is a Tanglewood resin back guitar that I got about 20 years ago - I don't pick it up much now but it is nice to play and has a typical 6 string acoustic sound.
One of the semi-acoustics is also a Tanglewood, a Gibson 335 copy, and has a very nice warm sound, very easy neck, and lots of sustain. The other semi-acoustic is a Crafter 12 string in black which looks stunning. It has a very bright jangly sound and although it's great to play it's not really my guitar of choice most of the time but it is certainly fun to play now and then and that 12 string sound is a real novelty.
The solid electrics are my real favorites. I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio in cherry that has tons of sustain and a very warm sound, a blue G&L ASAT Special which has very twangy and clean sound, and a sunburst Fender Stratocaster that I bought in 1975 which is in amazing condition for it's age. It has a wide range of sounds all the way from very twangy and edgy through to very thick and warm. I've had it wired differently to a standard Strat which gives it some unique sounds.
And so to the new one... a Fender Telecaster Special Edition Custom FMT HH - which is a bit of a mouthful I know. It has a carved flamed maple top in amber - unusual for a Tele - dual pole Seymore Duncan pickups - also unusual - and a set neck which is unheard of on a Fender. It has a very wide range of very clean twangy sounds and is completely different to the other three solids I have.
So yes there is one for everyday of the week which just might help me to decide which one to play when I go up to practice every evening.
I now have 4 solid body electrics, 2 semi-acoustic electrics and an electro-acoustic so I think I've got all the bases covers (no pun intended).
The electro-acoustic is a Tanglewood resin back guitar that I got about 20 years ago - I don't pick it up much now but it is nice to play and has a typical 6 string acoustic sound.
One of the semi-acoustics is also a Tanglewood, a Gibson 335 copy, and has a very nice warm sound, very easy neck, and lots of sustain. The other semi-acoustic is a Crafter 12 string in black which looks stunning. It has a very bright jangly sound and although it's great to play it's not really my guitar of choice most of the time but it is certainly fun to play now and then and that 12 string sound is a real novelty.
The solid electrics are my real favorites. I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio in cherry that has tons of sustain and a very warm sound, a blue G&L ASAT Special which has very twangy and clean sound, and a sunburst Fender Stratocaster that I bought in 1975 which is in amazing condition for it's age. It has a wide range of sounds all the way from very twangy and edgy through to very thick and warm. I've had it wired differently to a standard Strat which gives it some unique sounds.
And so to the new one... a Fender Telecaster Special Edition Custom FMT HH - which is a bit of a mouthful I know. It has a carved flamed maple top in amber - unusual for a Tele - dual pole Seymore Duncan pickups - also unusual - and a set neck which is unheard of on a Fender. It has a very wide range of very clean twangy sounds and is completely different to the other three solids I have.
So yes there is one for everyday of the week which just might help me to decide which one to play when I go up to practice every evening.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
email formats
I love the fact that all the emails I get at work are of a relatively similar style, mood, and format. And because almost all of them originate in Lotus Notes, then they typically have the same look and feel and I love consistency which to me makes them easier to work with.
Now that I'm about to leave IBM I'm having a lot more dealings with people from all kinds of organizations sending me emails from a myriad of different systems and the inconsistency can be staggering. People use all sort of weird fonts, some write them as if they're text messages, some as if they're letters, and other write them in a very officious style, others use a very loose style. This all seems to make some of them quite hard to deal with for some strange reason. I guess it's because I'm used to responding in a consistent style and now I find I need to temper my response to the original email which just slows down the whole process.
Just one of the things I guess I'll need to get used to post IBM!
Now that I'm about to leave IBM I'm having a lot more dealings with people from all kinds of organizations sending me emails from a myriad of different systems and the inconsistency can be staggering. People use all sort of weird fonts, some write them as if they're text messages, some as if they're letters, and other write them in a very officious style, others use a very loose style. This all seems to make some of them quite hard to deal with for some strange reason. I guess it's because I'm used to responding in a consistent style and now I find I need to temper my response to the original email which just slows down the whole process.
Just one of the things I guess I'll need to get used to post IBM!
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Colorado 2011
Flew into Denver ahead of schedule and were clear of immigration in about 25 minutes. Waiting for Deborah to arrive from Dallas when board showed that her flight would be delayed by 90 minutes! All our well laid plans gone to ruin. Anyway she showed up - 90 mins late - and we drove out to her house - a few glasses of wine and a pizza and off to bed.
Met up with Babs on Friday and took her out to lunch. Went back to Deborah's and she invited all the neighbours around for a party - great fun.
Drove into Boulder on Saturday and met Daniel and Maggie for lunch after a stroll around the stores. We all went back to Deborah's afterwards and spent the evening slowly getting drunk!
Drove up into the mountains on Sunday and arrive late in the afternoon
in Avon staying at the Sheraton Mountain Vista. Went out for a Mexican dinner.
Monday we skied in the Arrowhead and Bachelor Gulch area of the resort. Conditions were just about perfect although it was just a bit colder than we would have liked.
Tuesday we skied the main resort and again everything was good with the snow but it had become very cold indeed - down to a very chilly -25c - but it was still a lot of fun.
Wednesday was our day off and we were talked into attending a timeshare presentation at the Westin Riverfront. We didn't buy one but we did buy two weeks over the next two years. Afterwards we went to Vail for a look around the shops but it was so cold, -30c, that we went back to the apartment.
Thursday we went to Copper Mountain for the day and the conditions again were perfect and thankfully the temperatures had risen to an almost tropical -10c. Followed Deborah back to our place, by strange coincidence, and had a great evening eating, drinking, and talking.
Friday we all skied together at Beaver Creek and had a long lunch before a few more runs in the afternoon. Ate and drank too much in the evening.
Saturday we saw Deborah off home and skied all day in Beaver Creek - conditions were very different as we'd had about 8 inches of fresh snow but it was a lot of fun.
Sunday, despite the terrible road conditions due to heavy snow, we drove up to Steamboat Springs. Managed to spin the car off the road as we were going though Yampa but no harm done and thankfully the locals pulled me out of the ditch.
Monday we skied all day on Steamboat mountain in fresh new snow. There was about 10 inches of it when we started and another 4 or 5 by the time we'd finished. Our legs were completely shot by about 2:30 so we called it quits and wend back down to the base and had a coffee and snack. Ate in at the hotel.
Tuesday we decided that as we'd had such a tough day on Monday that we should take the day off and so we headed off to the mountain base for a good look around. Then we went downtown for lunch and spent the afternoon looking around all the shops and galleries on main street.
Wednesday we skied all day but Sheila wasn't feeling to great so she stopped soon after lunch. I carried on until the lifts closed and covered a lot of ground. Good day. Ate in the hotel in the evening.
On Thursday Sheila really wasn't feeling too good at all so we decided to take another day off and go for a drive to Hayden. There really isn't anything there - it's just a little one horse town. We couldn't even find anywhere to get a coffee! Went to Steamboat for lunch and then came back to hotel. By the end of the afternoon we were both feeling very ill - shivery, bad cough, so we just ordered a pizza and stayed in.
Friday we were both feeling better but even though we didn't get up until gone 10 we still weren't definitely not well enough to ski. Went into town for lunch and then to the mountain to try and get a refund on our lift tickets. We both felt OK by the evening so went downtown to the Steamboat Smokehouse for dinner.
Saturday we were both back to strength and skied all day in perfect conditions. Sheila gave up earlier on but I carried on for another couple of hours doing some of the runs I'd missed doing earlier in the week. Stopped skiing at 4:00 and went back to hotel. Ate in dinner in Rex's.
Sunday we left hotel at 10:00 and drove back to Denver by a route we hadn't done before. Stopped at Walden for lunch - a real hicky little place miles from anywhere. Stopped off at Deborah's before driving over to Babs' place.
Monday we both felt lousy again and spent the morning with Babs. Drove to airport after lunch and slept all the way back on the plane.
Met up with Babs on Friday and took her out to lunch. Went back to Deborah's and she invited all the neighbours around for a party - great fun.
Drove into Boulder on Saturday and met Daniel and Maggie for lunch after a stroll around the stores. We all went back to Deborah's afterwards and spent the evening slowly getting drunk!
Drove up into the mountains on Sunday and arrive late in the afternoon
in Avon staying at the Sheraton Mountain Vista. Went out for a Mexican dinner.
Monday we skied in the Arrowhead and Bachelor Gulch area of the resort. Conditions were just about perfect although it was just a bit colder than we would have liked.
Tuesday we skied the main resort and again everything was good with the snow but it had become very cold indeed - down to a very chilly -25c - but it was still a lot of fun.
Wednesday was our day off and we were talked into attending a timeshare presentation at the Westin Riverfront. We didn't buy one but we did buy two weeks over the next two years. Afterwards we went to Vail for a look around the shops but it was so cold, -30c, that we went back to the apartment.
Thursday we went to Copper Mountain for the day and the conditions again were perfect and thankfully the temperatures had risen to an almost tropical -10c. Followed Deborah back to our place, by strange coincidence, and had a great evening eating, drinking, and talking.
Friday we all skied together at Beaver Creek and had a long lunch before a few more runs in the afternoon. Ate and drank too much in the evening.
Saturday we saw Deborah off home and skied all day in Beaver Creek - conditions were very different as we'd had about 8 inches of fresh snow but it was a lot of fun.
Sunday, despite the terrible road conditions due to heavy snow, we drove up to Steamboat Springs. Managed to spin the car off the road as we were going though Yampa but no harm done and thankfully the locals pulled me out of the ditch.
Monday we skied all day on Steamboat mountain in fresh new snow. There was about 10 inches of it when we started and another 4 or 5 by the time we'd finished. Our legs were completely shot by about 2:30 so we called it quits and wend back down to the base and had a coffee and snack. Ate in at the hotel.
Tuesday we decided that as we'd had such a tough day on Monday that we should take the day off and so we headed off to the mountain base for a good look around. Then we went downtown for lunch and spent the afternoon looking around all the shops and galleries on main street.
Wednesday we skied all day but Sheila wasn't feeling to great so she stopped soon after lunch. I carried on until the lifts closed and covered a lot of ground. Good day. Ate in the hotel in the evening.
On Thursday Sheila really wasn't feeling too good at all so we decided to take another day off and go for a drive to Hayden. There really isn't anything there - it's just a little one horse town. We couldn't even find anywhere to get a coffee! Went to Steamboat for lunch and then came back to hotel. By the end of the afternoon we were both feeling very ill - shivery, bad cough, so we just ordered a pizza and stayed in.
Friday we were both feeling better but even though we didn't get up until gone 10 we still weren't definitely not well enough to ski. Went into town for lunch and then to the mountain to try and get a refund on our lift tickets. We both felt OK by the evening so went downtown to the Steamboat Smokehouse for dinner.
Saturday we were both back to strength and skied all day in perfect conditions. Sheila gave up earlier on but I carried on for another couple of hours doing some of the runs I'd missed doing earlier in the week. Stopped skiing at 4:00 and went back to hotel. Ate in dinner in Rex's.
Sunday we left hotel at 10:00 and drove back to Denver by a route we hadn't done before. Stopped at Walden for lunch - a real hicky little place miles from anywhere. Stopped off at Deborah's before driving over to Babs' place.
Monday we both felt lousy again and spent the morning with Babs. Drove to airport after lunch and slept all the way back on the plane.
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