Having got myself an iPad almost two weeks ago, now seems like a good time to say what I think about it especially as I agonised for weeks over whether I should get one of these or an Android tablet. The bottom line to my decision to buy the iPad was that if I decided in a years time to upgrade then this peice of kit would invariably have a much higher resale value. Having said that, it cost a lot more in the first place so it should have a much higher value!
The initial setup experience was nothing like as simple as it is with Android, so Apple's 'it just works' slogan seemed pretty hollow on day one. It doesn't just work. Depending on what you want to do with the iPad you may need to do quite a lot of setup and annoyingly are faced with a lot of questions about using more of Apple's paid for services. Anyway, that aside, I now have it doing almost everything I want. Unfortunately the lack of Flash is a nuisance, and the lack of book mark sync could be another, but there are some apps I can buy that will hopefully more than make up for that.
Garage Band is probably the one app that's the saving grace for the iPad to me. It's an absolute bargain and is immensely powerful.
So, this thing is nice to use and the display is stunningly clear, typing is very easy despite the lack of any feel, and everything always feels very fluid. But... There really isn't anything that makes me want to say this is a must have gadget and it's biggest failing is its lack of expandability in the memory department. All Android devices have memory slots but not this thing! How the heck are you supposed to know when you buy it how much memory you're going to need in a few weeks or months time?
If I had to replace this tablet, or a friend asked for a recommendation, as nice as it is, I'd really find it quite difficult to justify an iPad over an Android tablet unless you were a total Apple fan.
Update: Just installed the iOS 6 update and am now seriously pissed off at the backward step this device has taken by dropping Google maps in favour of Apple's own useless mapping software. If I was in the market for a tablet right now, no question, I'd get an Android one.
Sunday, September 09, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Dealing with a timeshare salesman - easy!
Last year we entered into a deal at the hotel we stayed at whereby if we paid for one week in advance we would get a free week (65,000 stayer points) in return for attending a 90 minute timeshare presentation sometime during the week we'd paid for. It was a good deal and we could use the free week at any Sheraton hotel worldwide and as they also own a lot of other brands it seemed like we couldn't lose. However, the major obstacle was of course that we knew we would get the hard sell, after all they're not going to give you a free week or so for nothing.
The hotel (and timeshare) in question is the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa, in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and it has been voted the best ski hotel in the US for the last couple of years so they know that they are selling something pretty special and very nice.
To be honest I was dreading the timeshare presentation, because I know what they can be like, so I spent the evening before scouring the web for any hints and tips. I decided pretty soon that all I really needed was a strategy because everything I read told me that that's how the salesmen work - they have a strategy.
Their strategy is to disarm you by trying to be your friend and making you feel like they care for you. They will act all happy and address you by your first name, tell you they have family connections in the country you live, or are planning to visit sometime soon etc. They want to try to and make you think that they like the things you like so they will ask lots of leading questions that help them build a picture of what you like. All this means that when they try to sell you the time-share you feel that everything they say is true and you can take it all on face value.
So I decided my strategy would be the exact opposite. The first thing we decided was thatSheila would say nothing - if she was asked any questions directly then I would answer. I would appear to be in an abrasive and argumentative mood. I would reveal nothing about myself other than the bare minimum. And I would be totally honest rather than polite.
And so it began... We had arranged the presentation to be at 4:00pm and they were late, so when the sales guy arrived all beaming smiles and friendly chat, I immediately complained about the lack of punctuality and told him that we had another appointment at 5:30 so he had already lost some of his time. He appeared agitated but tried to laugh it off. He tried to ask me some questions about personal things but I asked him to stick to the business in hand. He then launched into a presentation about all the hotels operated by Sheraton around the world, how wonderful they all were, and the potential for staying wherever we wanted to if we joined the SPG family (bought a timeshare). We both intentionally appeared uninterested, told him that we'd already seen the presentation before, and didn't like staying in big hotels anyway. He tried to regain ground by explaining that the hotels were in some amazing locations, but again we said they either in places we had already been or places we wouldn't want to go anyway.
He persevered, he really did, and every time I would knock him back with negative comments about the location or simply the size of the hotel, reminding him that we don't like staying in hotels. This is actually true. We don't like staying in hotels unless there is no alternative, and we would almost always rent an apartment or house for anything more than a couple of nights. Skiing is the only exception. This went on and on with me being negative to his every word and Sheila saying nothing. So we wound up in his office and he started telling us what all this would cost us. I told him that I didn't care what it cost as I had no intention of buying something I didn't want, so unless he could sell me a timeshare in a house in France nothing was going to change. After approaching the problem from a couple of different angles he said he's need to go and speak with his manager and we were left alone in his office.
We had already anticipated this would happen and had agreed that in this situation we would sit in silence as I can't help thinking that these offices are mic'ed up so they can know what your next move might be. After about 15 minutes he arrived with his manager. A miserable looking man who sat down and tried to make light conversation. Again I gave him the cold shoulder. Eventually he gave up, wrote some numbers on a piece of paper and basically threw it at us across the desk saying that was their best offer. I didn't even look at it and told him that whatever was written on it it was irrelevant because I still wasn't interested. He left. The first salesman said that he was beaten and was giving up, saying that it was clear he wasn't going to be able to sell us anything. He threw our certificate with our 65,000 points across the desk and walked out with the bare minimum of farewells. Job done and were out of there in just over 30 minutes!
We checked the certificate with SPG and it is kosher, in fact depending on the hotel we use it at it could be worth as many as 21 nights. So it looks like we will be spending a few nights in a hotel somewhere after all.
The hotel (and timeshare) in question is the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa, in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and it has been voted the best ski hotel in the US for the last couple of years so they know that they are selling something pretty special and very nice.
To be honest I was dreading the timeshare presentation, because I know what they can be like, so I spent the evening before scouring the web for any hints and tips. I decided pretty soon that all I really needed was a strategy because everything I read told me that that's how the salesmen work - they have a strategy.
Their strategy is to disarm you by trying to be your friend and making you feel like they care for you. They will act all happy and address you by your first name, tell you they have family connections in the country you live, or are planning to visit sometime soon etc. They want to try to and make you think that they like the things you like so they will ask lots of leading questions that help them build a picture of what you like. All this means that when they try to sell you the time-share you feel that everything they say is true and you can take it all on face value.
So I decided my strategy would be the exact opposite. The first thing we decided was thatSheila would say nothing - if she was asked any questions directly then I would answer. I would appear to be in an abrasive and argumentative mood. I would reveal nothing about myself other than the bare minimum. And I would be totally honest rather than polite.
And so it began... We had arranged the presentation to be at 4:00pm and they were late, so when the sales guy arrived all beaming smiles and friendly chat, I immediately complained about the lack of punctuality and told him that we had another appointment at 5:30 so he had already lost some of his time. He appeared agitated but tried to laugh it off. He tried to ask me some questions about personal things but I asked him to stick to the business in hand. He then launched into a presentation about all the hotels operated by Sheraton around the world, how wonderful they all were, and the potential for staying wherever we wanted to if we joined the SPG family (bought a timeshare). We both intentionally appeared uninterested, told him that we'd already seen the presentation before, and didn't like staying in big hotels anyway. He tried to regain ground by explaining that the hotels were in some amazing locations, but again we said they either in places we had already been or places we wouldn't want to go anyway.
He persevered, he really did, and every time I would knock him back with negative comments about the location or simply the size of the hotel, reminding him that we don't like staying in hotels. This is actually true. We don't like staying in hotels unless there is no alternative, and we would almost always rent an apartment or house for anything more than a couple of nights. Skiing is the only exception. This went on and on with me being negative to his every word and Sheila saying nothing. So we wound up in his office and he started telling us what all this would cost us. I told him that I didn't care what it cost as I had no intention of buying something I didn't want, so unless he could sell me a timeshare in a house in France nothing was going to change. After approaching the problem from a couple of different angles he said he's need to go and speak with his manager and we were left alone in his office.
We had already anticipated this would happen and had agreed that in this situation we would sit in silence as I can't help thinking that these offices are mic'ed up so they can know what your next move might be. After about 15 minutes he arrived with his manager. A miserable looking man who sat down and tried to make light conversation. Again I gave him the cold shoulder. Eventually he gave up, wrote some numbers on a piece of paper and basically threw it at us across the desk saying that was their best offer. I didn't even look at it and told him that whatever was written on it it was irrelevant because I still wasn't interested. He left. The first salesman said that he was beaten and was giving up, saying that it was clear he wasn't going to be able to sell us anything. He threw our certificate with our 65,000 points across the desk and walked out with the bare minimum of farewells. Job done and were out of there in just over 30 minutes!
We checked the certificate with SPG and it is kosher, in fact depending on the hotel we use it at it could be worth as many as 21 nights. So it looks like we will be spending a few nights in a hotel somewhere after all.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
A year without (paid) work
So a whole year has now gone by since I retired from IBM and I can't believe how it's flown by. Before I left I was worried about how I was going to fill the time, after all, my weekdays had pretty much been defined for me for the last 30 odd years and now I had to do it all myself.
I needn't have been worried. First off Sheila gave me the challenge of doing 33 things (one for every year I worked at IBM) that I'd never done before, all to be completed within that first year. I did all of them - the last one on the last day as it happened.
I've spent a lot more time in court this year as I'm now able to do all the last minute sittings that crop up most weeks. That's both interesting and fun and I'm happy to step in pretty much whenever I'm needed.
I became a trustee of two very different charities. One that is constantly struggling to get enough money to survive, and another that has a huge revenue stream and is constantly looking for ways to invest its money for the future. Both are very interesting, a lot of fun, and give me lots to think about and do.
I go into IBM one day most weeks where I'm a curator in the museum. We spend a lot of time getting old kit up and running which is both challenging and rewarding - and of course I get to see all my old buddies while I'm there.
Finally I'm playing guitar a lot more now than I did before. In a way I'm currently in three different bands. One is a four piece that does acoustic stuff with vocals, one a five piece band where I'm the lead guitarist, and a finally a guitar duo that could soon become a proper four piece band.
Oddly we haven't been away on any more vacations than we normally would. When we have been away we've been for longer but we had assumed we'd be off somewhere or the other all the time. Actually I think we've got the balance about right as we're both pretty busy most of the time doing all the different things we enjoy.
I needn't have been worried. First off Sheila gave me the challenge of doing 33 things (one for every year I worked at IBM) that I'd never done before, all to be completed within that first year. I did all of them - the last one on the last day as it happened.
I've spent a lot more time in court this year as I'm now able to do all the last minute sittings that crop up most weeks. That's both interesting and fun and I'm happy to step in pretty much whenever I'm needed.
I became a trustee of two very different charities. One that is constantly struggling to get enough money to survive, and another that has a huge revenue stream and is constantly looking for ways to invest its money for the future. Both are very interesting, a lot of fun, and give me lots to think about and do.
I go into IBM one day most weeks where I'm a curator in the museum. We spend a lot of time getting old kit up and running which is both challenging and rewarding - and of course I get to see all my old buddies while I'm there.
Finally I'm playing guitar a lot more now than I did before. In a way I'm currently in three different bands. One is a four piece that does acoustic stuff with vocals, one a five piece band where I'm the lead guitarist, and a finally a guitar duo that could soon become a proper four piece band.
Oddly we haven't been away on any more vacations than we normally would. When we have been away we've been for longer but we had assumed we'd be off somewhere or the other all the time. Actually I think we've got the balance about right as we're both pretty busy most of the time doing all the different things we enjoy.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Skiing stats
We've just got back from a little over three weeks in Colorado on a skiing trip, and some of the things I've never got to the bottom of are far I've skied and how fast I've skied. Now however I've got a neat little app that runs on my phone that can tell me everything that's going on when I'm on the move. Using GPS it will tell me all I need to know about how fast I've traveled, where I've traveled, and how far I've traveled.
I know this is all a bit nurdy but as a result of my handy little app I now know that in the nine days we skied we were actually slid a little over 300 miles downhill. We took the lift just over 100 times, we did a little over 180,000 vertical feet, and my maximum ski speed was 75kph. And as if all that wasn't enough the cost per lift ride was $8.40, the cost per mile skied = $2.80, and the average ski per day was 33.3 miles.
I know this is all a bit nurdy but as a result of my handy little app I now know that in the nine days we skied we were actually slid a little over 300 miles downhill. We took the lift just over 100 times, we did a little over 180,000 vertical feet, and my maximum ski speed was 75kph. And as if all that wasn't enough the cost per lift ride was $8.40, the cost per mile skied = $2.80, and the average ski per day was 33.3 miles.
September trip to France 2012
Just
an update of where we are with the trip. I'm really excited about this trip and I
know we have a great group of people who will have a lot of fun
together. If there is anything extra you need to know please just ask
me. The booking is confirmed for the week September 15-22.
This is who's coming along:
- Mark and Deborah
- Larry and Christine
- Mary and John
- Pete
- Jane
- Danny and Jane
- Mark and Sheila
- John and Sandra
- Rob and Andrea
The owner of Le Presbytere did give us a 10% discount from the published rate and will arrange anything we need while we're there - see his web pages (link below) for details on what he can do for us.
Here are the details about the house which is located here.
The grid ref: N44 48 30.7 E000 11 09.7
You can use Streetview to get a really good idea of the surrounding countryside, and here are pictures of the house we've taken.
Link to Train timetable
Link to video of Le Presbytere
Link to details about Le Presbytere
Other useful links:
http://www.tourisme-dordogne-paysfoyen.com/default.aspx?lg=5
http://www.tourisme-dordogne-paysfoyen.com/FR/randonnees_/les_sentiers_de_randonnee_en_pays_foyen.aspx?mode=listingWithOutSearch
http://www.pays-de-bergerac.com/pages/randonnees/index.asp
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Jazz
After 11 years of trouble free motoring Sheila's Honda HR-V has gone. It's been almost perfect since we got it as an ex demo car in 2001. Apart from wear and tear items hardly anything had gone wrong with it in 82K miles. One and a half new sets of tyres and a few wiper blades, and apart from service items it only had three things go wrong with it, and one of those was paid for by Honda. The other two were very minor and inexpensive.
To replace the HR-V we surprised ourselves by buying a three month old ex demo Honda Jazz. Surprised because it was always a given that we'd get a CR-V but in the end it seemed just too big and impractical. Amazingly despite its seemingly small size the Jazz is actually bigger on the inside than the HR-V was, and not actually any smaller than the CR-V is. Looks can obviously be very deceiving!
The Jazz is actually great fun to drive and not at all like you might expect given it's less than stellar image. It's got good nippy performance, is extremely quiet and smooth, handles well, and is loaded with many things that are options on most other cars. Two bikes will easily fit inside and the seats fold in ways I've never seen in other cars like it. And, on top of all that, it can easily do over 50mpg.
Fingers crossed that it will live up to its reputation and be another superbly reliable Honda.
To replace the HR-V we surprised ourselves by buying a three month old ex demo Honda Jazz. Surprised because it was always a given that we'd get a CR-V but in the end it seemed just too big and impractical. Amazingly despite its seemingly small size the Jazz is actually bigger on the inside than the HR-V was, and not actually any smaller than the CR-V is. Looks can obviously be very deceiving!
Fingers crossed that it will live up to its reputation and be another superbly reliable Honda.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Playing again
For the first time in about 15 years I'm about to go out and play guitar in a band. I used to do this on a regular basis for years and years, playing about 2 or 3 times a week, but stopped regular playing in the mid 80's doing only the odd gig after that.
The background to this is that the charity Sheila volunteers for is having a fund raiser in a local restaurant and needs to provide some live music as an added attraction to get people along. The husband of another volunteer, Danny, plays guitar and we have spoken about all the ins and outs of playing on all the occasions we've ever met previously. He has two daughters who are both good singers and so getting together to form a band seemed like an obvious thing to do.
We've decided that as we're playing in a restaurant we'll do an acoustic set with him playing a 6 string and me a 12 string in order to produce a really full sound. This also means we'll have good control over the sounds and the girls won't have to compete with us forcing the sound levels up. After all, people will be trying to eat while we'll be playing.
The rehearsals have been working out fantastically but I'd forgotten just how much hard work it can be with all those arrangements and chords to learn, let alone the fact that I didn't even know a lot of the songs so have had to learn many of them first. With only two weeks to go we need to cram in three more rehearsals and we should be ready to go. If it works out on the night, as well as it has so far, then everyone should have a great time.
The background to this is that the charity Sheila volunteers for is having a fund raiser in a local restaurant and needs to provide some live music as an added attraction to get people along. The husband of another volunteer, Danny, plays guitar and we have spoken about all the ins and outs of playing on all the occasions we've ever met previously. He has two daughters who are both good singers and so getting together to form a band seemed like an obvious thing to do.
We've decided that as we're playing in a restaurant we'll do an acoustic set with him playing a 6 string and me a 12 string in order to produce a really full sound. This also means we'll have good control over the sounds and the girls won't have to compete with us forcing the sound levels up. After all, people will be trying to eat while we'll be playing.
The rehearsals have been working out fantastically but I'd forgotten just how much hard work it can be with all those arrangements and chords to learn, let alone the fact that I didn't even know a lot of the songs so have had to learn many of them first. With only two weeks to go we need to cram in three more rehearsals and we should be ready to go. If it works out on the night, as well as it has so far, then everyone should have a great time.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Not retired - just working for free
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.
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.
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.
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