Debra's Thoughts

My Thoughts on 2011 and hopes for 2012

2011-12-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

More personal this posting

Professionally 2011 has been great:

I have a new boss in Fujitsu who sees the value I bring, and enables me to do what I do best.
UKOUG has changed and I am President of a great community with a great future.
I continue to speak around the UK and the world on Fusion Apps, with help from the ACE Program and the UX Advocates Program.

Personally:

I continue to teach my silversurfers and this year took them to Denmark.
I continued to loose weight after my surgery late 2010 and love the new me
Made more friends and visited more of their families
I took the challenge to get fitter and completed my PADI Open Water
Had a great adventure holiday with my daughter and best friends in Guernsey
I still have fun with my imaginary friend

The friends I have made around the world have given me great highs, but towards the end of the year I also had a number of lows. I get quite lonely, which maybe because I rarely spend time at home, but also because my darling daughter of whom I am so proud graduated from university and is now at Sandhurst as an army officer, and really has flown the nest now. I love travel and love my job and I love my house, but I do need to decide what I want to do in the future.

So my wishes for 2012

Iron out the highs and lows (or rather drag the lows up)
Have the best 50th birthday ever (which I will because I am celebrating in Colorado with 42 of my best friends
See my daughter graduate from Sandhurst
Continue to enjoy my job
Get re-elected to UKOUG Council and stay on as President
Make more friends and stay friends with the ones I have now
Visit my best friend in Munster, Germany
Step down from the Product Development Committee IOUC and help someone else take over
Do more diving, and defiantly before the liveaboard I am doing in August
Find someone special would be nice but not sure I am ready for online dating

so Proud

2011-09-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

Today my daughter is 23. I am so proud of her, 6 years ago she spent a week with the army for work experience. She came home and said she wanted to be an army officer.

That was the start of a long journey, the familiarisation visits to different areas to decide what part of the army, the tests, and finally the selection board, but 18 months later she was accepted and given a Place at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. She had 6 years to take up her place the intention being that she could go to university.

Government cuts meant the gap year the army offered her was cancelled, and later once she started officer cadets there were more cuts. Other people would have given up, but not her, she wanted this and no one else was going to stop her.

She did a volunteer stint in a school in the Dominican Republic where we sponsor children in their medical centre. She had a place to start a nursing degree 6 months later, but very soon after arriving at the school decided nursing was not for her. I love the fact she was brave enough to say so.

After discussing with the army she found a degree that suited her interests, in outdoor activity management. The degree itself was very business focused, the running of the industry and the educational value of outdoor pursuits. Her first year was difficult, not the course she loved that, but the university itself was in a fantastic location but not really a university setting and she felt she was missing out on university life. Worse was that she was unable to be an Officer Cadet as it was too far from her designated base. Again she didn't give up, and moved universities, but first she took time out.

The course required a placement in the industry, not very much a few hundred hours, but she wanted to do something more worthwhile. She found, applied for and was successful in getting a place on an internship with the Australian Outward Bound organization. 9 months but she loved it, learnt a lot about herself and the industry and gained qualifications in many activities. I remember the day she rang to tell me she was abseiling, and how nervous she was. "why?" i asked, "you have done it before" ; "yes but this time I am tying the knots" she laughed.

All too soon and she was back, and within 6 days had celebrated her 21st and started at a new university for year 2, another brave move. She joined the cadets with enthusiasm and over the next two years added sailing and running to long list of achievements. She took part in many adventures including army biathlons and Cowes week. She finished her degree and even going to university was nothing neither me or her dad had ever done.

This summer she had her final tests with the army and there was a little health wobble that threatened to scupper everything. She was devastated and had to wait two weeks for a follow up during which she was marching with the army in Nijmegen. But the medical went OK everything was cleared and the big career was back on.

Then one of my proudest moments, taking her to Sandhurst. She was so excited and so nervous. It is a years training, it is hard, relentless but she will be great at it.

Miss You Mum

2011-09-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

I finally created a photo book of my mum and dad, just this week almost a year since she died. It was a humbling experience looking back at what they did for us, and the memories it invoked.

My dad always smiled and my mum had a sense of fun in her photos I would never have articulated, perhaps they had more in common than I thought.

I am not going to regret anything, life is too short but I want to say I love them and hope they are as proud as me as I am of them.

Davy Jones Diving - Gran Canaria

2011-05-02T22:28:00.000-07:00

I found Davy Jones Diving using a google search, I was looking for a PADI Open Water course that I could take the week after Easter; location wasn't my biggest concern. My search gave me a few options but what made this the winner was how quick they responded to my email, and how helpful they were with all the logistics.

Davy Jones Diving is in Playa de Arinaga in Gran Canaria, it is owned by exPat Brian Goldthorpe and it was his wife Marilyn that won me over. She explained I would need to be here for 5 clear days, 4 for the course and another as you can't fly home for 24 hours (not quite true, your insurance probably says 24 but the answer for the exam is 18). She didn't laugh when I asked what airport I needed ( they only have one), and she recommended an apartment just a few minutes walk from the diving centre, she told me that there were plenty of 5 star hotels but all I would want to do would be sleep, so she recommended the apartment.

I flew from Gatwick with Easyjet, not quite a 4 hour flight, and the taxi was less than 20 euros to the apartment. Marilyn had thoughtfully sent me a map but the one way system got the better of the taxi driver but luckily she had also sent the telephone number of the owner, so panic soon aborted. The apartment was a basement flat, very minimal but cool and ideal. It could sleep 6 but I guess 4 would be ideal. It had a TV but there were no English channels but there was a computer with Internet access so I was all set. The kitchen area boasted a fridge freezer, toaster, kettle and hotplate.

I arrived early evening and after being helped into the apartment I was given instructions to the local supermarket which is open till 9pm and only about 5 minutes walk. Shopping done, fridge stocked and it was down to last minute manual reading ( again Marilyn had given me the information about what to do in advance, to be best prepared).

On my first day diving I was collected, and shown the way, in fact the dive shop is only a few hundred metres past the supermarket, so very close. I was in a group of 4 novices, the other 3 being a family, two brothers 15 &17 and their sister who was almost 13. We met our instructor Uwe, German by birth but adopted Australian. He talked us through the program and sat us down to watch a video, to cover sections 1 & 2 of the manual. I was a little bit frustrated by this as I had done knowledge reviews for this already but it did serve to calm the nerves a little. Then we did some quizzes to show we had taken it all in, and it was time for lunch. I had made myself a sandwich but there are a few shops nearby if you want to go out and get something. The diveshop provides tea and coffee.

Then time to gear up, and like most novices I was hiring gear, you can't expect an exact fit and I certainly didn't get one. I had a man's wetsuit which was not very pretty but it did the job. I think when the time comes I may invest in made to measure. Then it was off to my first dive. This Open Water Dive was really about seeing how we did with the basics and to show us just how beautiful underwater could be.

Uwe and Brian

We went to Risco Verde and Brian joined us. I had done a Discover Scuba Dive before in a swimming pool earlier in the year, so I was not too nervous, just very excited. My biggest issue was I simply couldn't propel myself, let alone swim underwater. I also had problems breathing out of my nose to equalise my mask and clear it. I found that strange as I had had no issues in the pool with my mask. I also struggled to descend which they decided meant I needed more weight. Anyway it was a lovely dive, we saw a lot of fish and I loved it. When we got out it seemed quite early only about 3.30 but I was so tired. The weather was ok about 20' C and the water just 1' cooler, I wasn't cold at all.

Graham and Uwe

The dive shop has wifi so I was able to tweet my progress to friends. There is also a computer for those who need access. One of the things I liked most was the relief map on the wall to show where all the dives are. It really made it all seem real.

As soon as I got back to the apartment I had a 2 hour siesta, bliss. We had homework, they wanted the knowledge reviews from sections 1,2 & 3 and as I had a head start I only had to finish 3.

The Swimming Pool

Day 2 we were warned would be the hardest. We started with confined water dives, normally these are done in swimming pools, but here they are blessed with a natural swimming pool in the sea. The first thing we had to do was swim 200 meters. I swaim a fair bit, but only breast stroke and this fin business was getting the better of me. I did do the swim, in fact I did more than 200 meters as I went drastically off course and another instructor Graham had to come and tell me to turn around. I think compass use should be earlier in the course!

The it was drills, masks on, masks half full, masks fill, masks off, all under water. Change regulators, descend, ascend, hover and fin pivot. The buoyancy drills were qute difficult for me and I ended up with 13kg of weight, which had it's own problems. This time my mask drills were excellent so no idea what caused the issues yesterday.

After lunch back at the shop it was time for another Open Water Dive, this one was further away at Playa Del Cabron over terrain I could only describe as like hard paved sand dunes, very bumpy but finally we reached our destination. My biggest problem this dive was still buoyancy and swimming. By this time Graham and I had become a great team, his patience was great. I understood all the theory and most of my drills were good, if only I could get the buoyancy and swimming sorted.

It was much later when we returned and everyone was exhausted, but no rest, I was sent off with an additional manual for sections 4 &5 using dive computers rather than tables. I couldn't even read the manual I just went straight to bed, I was exhausted. The biggest aches were in my upper arms, totally numb. But I was up early the next day and caught up with the book work.

Back to the swimming pool for more drills, taking the weight belt off and back on both on the surface and below water, and then the same with the Buoyancy Control Device ( jacket). Despite the heaviest belt in the world I managed this ok and even did a 2nd attempt as I had the belt on upside down. We did a lot more buoyancy drills and I was getting better, although I did have a little panic in this dive, I wanted to go up, but Graham just calmed me down until the feeling passed and I carried on. You need a lot of trust to learn diving, but all the instructors quickly earnt it.

After lunch we had another Open Water Dive, back over the dunes to the farest point on what is known as Cal Steps. The weather had turned and the sea was quite rough. The most difficult thing by far was getting in and out of the water. I have a bad wrist, and it is important you tell your instructors up front, they carried my equipment and led me into the water so I didn't risk falling over. This time we used compasses to plot direction and at least I didn't waste energy with being off course this time.

We did lots more drills and emergency ascents, again I struggled because of all the weight. I was only on 12kg today but it was too much really. We were only in about 7 meters of water and yet it took me 3 attempts to ascend without taking a breath in. Both Graham and Uwe decided it was not just the weight but also my jacket was too big. As my buoyancy skills had improved I could ditch some weight finally. So everything was coming together except for the swimming.

Back at the dive centre, I did the final quizzes and had my last knowledge reviews marked. All I had left for the 4th day was my final dive and the exam. I would be doing this on my own as the family were having a day's rest. I had another siesta and an early night, so I could get up and revise from the manual before the big day.

Graham was to take me for my final dive, Uwe was in the same place but with a couple who had done their Open water previously in Egypt and this was their first qualified dive. His advice was it is better to learn somewhere like Gran Canaria, where it isn't perfect conditions like you find in the Caribbean or Egypt, otherwise you will find the less than perfect locations difficult. I did get a bit of a wakeup call, when this couple struggled to remember everything they had learnt, and they came out before me, it important to practice afterwards, and not just say, done that.

The final dive was at Table Top and like all the others part of the Le Cabron Reserve and the plan was to go down to 18 meters, however that was to be quite a swim and realistically would I manage it? There were only a few drills which I did quickly and with only 9kg and a smaller jacket, the buoyancy was so much better. The swimming was also better, still no style, (and thank you Graham for the video) and still very laboured but I was moving. Although Uwe was not officially my instructor he stopped, looked back at me and signalled well done, I was so pleased. Encouragement like that means so much. I also was using a computer and it was really interesting to me as a part time computer geek to have all the stats in front of me.

All OK on my last dive

I made it to the 18 metre mark and it opened up a whole new world. I saw an angel shark in the sand, Uwe pointed out the outline in the sand and Graham carefully removed sand until I could see part of it. I saw many beautiful fish, a m eel under a rock , an amazing spider crab, and I spotted a barracuda swimming over Graham as we did our safety stop on the way back.

It was by far the best dive, I finally mastered the buoyancy and could enjoy more of my surroundings. Then it was back to the shop, deflated as I had finished the diving, but quietly confident I would be ok on the exam, having said that I had to guess the very first question, bt then settled down into the 50 questions. The pass mark is 75% and I got 93%. the ones I got wrong were ok, and one was the 24hours I mentioned at the start. Then it was time to print my certificate, finish my log book and all the paperwork and pay.

Playa de Arinaga

The day after I was sad not to be going to the dive centre, but took the opportunity to spend the day in the town. It is not a tourist centre at all, and is more popular with locals. There is a lovely promenade to walk around for a few miles and everyone seemed friendly. Unfortunately my plan to sit out in the sun all day soon faded when the rain started.

I can't recommend Davy Jones highly enough. If you are looking for a dive holiday or to do training check it out. The instructors were brilliant and the only down side was finishing, although the euphoria of having passed made up for all that.

Exchange Visits Are Not Just for The Young

2011-02-06T11:52:00.000-08:00

I recently had this published in my local paper about a trip with my silversurfers.

Two residents of Chisholm Court in Ballyclare travelled to Copenhagen last weekend for an exchange visit that came about from their IT Classes.

Originally started by Citizens Online until funding ceased, currently three residents get together informally to learn IT to ensure they have ‘digital inclusion’. They have used their basic IT skills to keep in contact with fiends and family who have left the area, research holidays and understand what help is available for them in all areas of life. Debra Lilley, the volunteer sourced by Help the Aged (now Age NI), works for Fujitsu and her role takes her around the world speaking at IT conferences. The group track her using email, Google and her blogs.

Last year Debra took part in some IT videos for a Danish Company Miracle AS with their CEO Mogens Nørgaard and the group were fascinated by the technology could do and later struck up a friendship with Mogens. He believes that everyone who can should help people to help themselves and in 2008 appeared in the Danish Version of ‘The Secret Millionaire’. He was inspired by the concept of bringing IT to this community and last June he visited Chisholm Court to see for himself where he met Rita Greer and Jean Mottram. (photo 1, L-R, Rita Greer, Mogens Nørgaard, Jean Mottram)

The contact has continued and late last year he was telling the ladies about how his home library was now finished except for cataloguing the books. The lady he didn’t previously meet, Katie Kane (68) was until she retired a librarian here in Ballyclare and soon it was arranged that they would visit Copenhagen to sort out his library. Katie and Rita, who is celebrating her 80^th birthday, travelled with Debra and as well as sorting, and storing all the fiction books, they created the plan for the non fiction books. With their help Mogens selected Apps for the iPhone that will scan the ISBN barcode on books and catalogue automatically. They looked at old book collections and even discovered a document tucked inside a book from the German Army instructing their troops on how to behave when skiing in Norway soon after the 2^nd world war, a real treasure that Mogens is now investigating further.

As well as the library project they visited Miracle AS and tried out the directors office for themselves and then had a tour of the city which included the Royal residences which where full of excitement and celebration as their visit coincided with two new additions to the Danish Royal family, a twin boy and girl. They also visited and worshiped with the local Lutheran Church (Măløv) where they were shown around by the minister, Michael Andersen. (photo 2, L-R, Katie Kane, Rita Greer, Michael Andersen, Debra Lilley)

Friends and Family

2011-01-03T10:57:00.000-08:00

From time to time there is an online discussion about who should you accept as a friend on facebook and my answer is one I saw given once, that it is someone I would welcome into my home.

There are of course my friends that have nothing to do with my work; my family, neighbours from the past and friends from my church, but this post is about those I meet through my travels and role in the Oracle community.

My friendship definition doesn't mean I always know the people that well, it means that they interest me and I would like to explore that further and would welcome them into my life. I haven't always been like that, my daughter taught me a very valuable lesson a few years ago when she showed me how shallow I was. She came with me to a conference in Finland and not being in IT the conversations she had with everyone were about them. As the week progressed I realised she knew far more about my 'friends' than I did. I only knew their professional side. now I hope I look beyond that and get to know the real person. I wrote about how humbling that is and some of the truly inspirational people I count as friends today.

One of my best friends today is Lisa, a girl I work closely with and I knew NOTHING about her. Another friend described her and I made the effort to really talk to her. How close I came to missing out on this very special friendship.

I am also a worrier and one thing I worry about is do my friends think the same about me? Earlier in my life I remember having so called friends who when I met their wives (I have always worked in a male dominated world) they played the friendship down. A few times that really hurt, did it mean they were shallow, or were their own relationship with their wives that fragile they were threatened by having female friends? So as a worrier that has always been my yardstick for a friendship.

When my marriage failed, I turned to my friends and have had so much support, but not being married made me worry about being a problem. Perhaps again I was being too simplistic, I haven't changed, I have always been a 'touchy feely' person, but I still think a marriage or any committed relationship is sacrosanct and would never overstep that mark. Luckily I have learnt that my friends aren't shallow and that their friendships are true.

My work that allows me to travel, means I do meet a lot of their families who sometimes travel as well, and I am so blessed by this, and I don't expect they know just how much that means to me. Then there is facebook, I often say why I like facebook so much and yet another thing it gives me is the ability to meet their families in a virtual setting, and that takes away much of that 'hidden friendships' I worry about.

I found this photo a few weeks ago, it was taken more than two years ago. In both cases, I first met their wives via facebook and have since been a guest in both their homes. In the second case just a few months ago in person, although we once had a facebook conversation about ovens. Never underestimate how much this means to me. I have other friends whose families I know only through facebook and hope I will get the opportunity to meet.

At this start of a new year I, like most people look back, and I would say 2010 has been a very special year. Yes I had two big setbacks, I was divorced and later lost my mother suddenly, but I also felt the love and support of my friends. In fact I went to visit a very special friend just a few days after my mum died and was given the strength to go on. When I returned home there were many cards at my house and as I put them on the mantelpiece there were 3 special photos there; my daughter who is my world, a picture with me with traditional but no less important friends from Guernsey, and a similar one to this of me with 3 of these special friends I have met through work. I have met all their partners over the years.I took great comfort from these pictures.

So don't read this and think 'she needs help', I don't I have all the help and support I need from my friends. Real friends and I thank them for letting me into their lives at whatever level and pray that in some small way I can repay them.

Goodbye Mum and Thank You

2010-10-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

I loved my mum, but we were not close, or perhaps we were just too similar. We never seemed to agree on anything and I felt I never measured up to what she wanted. I couldn't wait till I could leave home and I did so at 16, going out to work to make it possible.

It sounds like I didn't like her but that isn't true, I loved her we just couldn't live together. Once I had left home we got on fine, and in fact just afterwards my mum was in hospital and my dad and sisters had moved to Gloucester and I saw her more than anyone else. I thought I was doing it out of duty but she loved me for it and I know she still talked about it.

When my dad died she was devastated and she did come and visit me often and she loved Brooke her first grandchild. When we as a family moved just a few doors away from my mum, I thought everything would be OK, but it was like when I was a child again, we were too close, physically and mentally.

Brooke loved her and they often travelled together to Singapore where we have family. Over time we moved to N Ireland and mum would come visit, I would look forward to her visits but as soon as she arrived I would be checking her return flight time

So we loved each other but were not close. I think she wanted me to achieve the things she wanted to do but put her family first. I know she was very proud of what I have achieved and especially proud of Brooke.

When she was taken ill a year ago, I found it very difficult to visit, I would sit on her bed in the hospital or in her flat and not be able to say anything. I wanted to, I rehearsed what I would say but I couldn't say anything. My sister tells me she didn't mind she just wanted me there.

Her being ill was terrible and it made me reassess my life and take the step to do something about my weight which had in the past played such a big thing with her health. I would visit, say nothing and then spend hours crying afterwards. When she became housebound at the end of last year I bought her a PC knowing how much they can help those who feel cut off. Again she frustrated me and would hardly ever use the Internet but she loved playing games on it, things that kept her mind active.

In July there was an occasion when I could have visited and decided not too, I was very tired and didn't feel I could visit. I apologised and she said it was OK, but I found out she was very upset. I sat down and poured my heart out to her in a letter and then the following week went to see her and we had a good talk and a good cry.

I thank my God that when she died last week, I was close by and able to get home quickly, but I thank him even more that we were at peace together. I also thank him for my friends and for Brooke who helped me get through the last 10 days.

Goodbye mum, I love you.

A New Experience

2010-09-05T04:09:00.000-07:00

I have horrible feet, hard and dry and spend a fortune in creams to keep them acceptable. My ex husband used to call them my hoofs; he was always such a charmer. Anyway I have found a new way to treat them and I love it.

I was recently in Singapore and whilst walking around Holland village I saw this advertised. I had heard about it and thought 'Why Not - let's give it a try'. So in I went.

A fish pedicure! lots of little fish that nibble your feet. I know it is starting to reach the modern world but apparently the Chinese have used them for ever.

At first I was very nervous but the disclaimer you sign made me laugh so much:

Then after washing my feet the nerves returned and I very gingerly put my feet into the water. At first I was rigid with my shoulders hunched but after 5 -6 minutes I relaxed and then started to actually enjoy it. You can't really get a good idea from the photo as the flash goes off a split second before taking the picture and that frightens them off.

My feet felt great afterwards but I think I would love this for a girls' night out. Sitting around the pool with a good glass of wine having a great gossip.

The Joy Of Giving

2010-03-28T04:17:00.000-07:00

A long time ago I wrote about my Silversurfers, a small group of residents in sheltered accommodation who I am supposed to be teaching computers. However teaching is pushing it a bit, it is far more about having fun now.

Unfortunately the people who run the accommodation have really tied down the network, and every time we try something new it is blocked, this is a real shame but we are working on it.

They are competent to use email and google, and they follow my blogs. If I am going away we have a look at where I am going and have a look around the hotels etc. Sometimes they even send me an email.

One lady Rita, has a sister in Australia and we have had a virtual walk up her street and you can almost see into her house. Her husband suffers from alzheimer's and lives in a home on the same site. She needed support and we searched for support groups locally and found one. She gave them a call and now not only did she go along to their meetings but they come and collect her.This would never had happened without the Internet

Another lady Jean, is very happy 'surfing' and has picked a few weekends away from the Internet, she still not happy to use the Internet with her credit card but more than happy to use it to plan.

The third lady Katie, is new, she had retired to Florida but recently returned, and she used to work in the local library and was already a computer user but we need to start all over again, she uses hotmail for her email account and unfortunately hotmail is one of the sites they are locked out off.

Over Christmas the first two ladies have got themselves wee notepads and 'pay as you go' broadband. The sister in Australia is now ill and Rita wants to be able to talk to her, today we are successfully learnt to skype each other across the room.

Last week we looked at the iphone and they had a conversation with a friend of mine from Scandinavia, this really opens up the world for them and widens their view of the world.

They love following Stanley and I brought him in once and they love it. When I blogged about them they were over the moon.

What do I get out of this? I feel I am giving something back and enjoy seeing them feel part of the modern world. If you get the opportunity to do something like this, take it, you will feel better about yourself and you make a real difference to them. Also they always greet me with a lovely cup of tea and a bun.

Say Goodbye

2009-07-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today I thought my world had ended when my husband left me. I kept a diary for the first 2 weeks and when I reread that I think how did I come through it?

Well I did and although it has not been easy and I have relied on my faith, my friends, my sister and especially my daughter, thrown myself into my job and I have made it to this anniversary.

Brooke sent me a book from Australia a few months back, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert , in this book a recently divorced woman goes travelling to 'find herself', she Eats her way through Italy, Prays in a retreat in India and then goes off to find love. The book is hundreds of incidents and I have almost reached the end of the Pray section. A few nights ago I read about her saying goodbye to her marriage, letting go of the hate and freeing herself up for the future. (Chapter 60).

So today I did the same, I didn't go to India, but took a drive along the coast and stopped by the sea and said goodbye, then I drove towards home and stopped again at Carnfunock. I bought an ice cream and sat on the verge and look out at the horizon. I couldn't see what was beyond, but I know there is somewhere and that is how I feel. I don't know what my future is but it is out there beyond the horizon.

Walking along the waters edge I picked up a large pebble, it stood out because it has history in it, lines like marble, and when I picked it up the bottom was covered in mud from the high tide. I brushed off the sand (more like mud) and as it dried I realised the pebble reflects me. There will always be the history of my marriage which makes me who I am, and now I have brushed off the hurt I am free to continue on.

I sat back down and meditated on this great feeling of 'moving on' when I heard a couple of motorcycles on the road behind me. Not that unusual, it is a lovely Sunday afternoon and the coast ride is a favourite for bikers, but this bike was a Harley and my husband (soon to be X) has a Harley and unbelievably he and another bike rode past.

He wouldn't have seen me and I am glad, real proof that he has 'ridden off out of my life' and I have survived.

You may call it just an amazing coincidence but to me it was a sign from my God

Ashamed of Where I Live

2009-06-17T05:33:00.001-07:00

For the last 14 years I have lived in N Ireland, in a small village 18 miles outside of Belfast.

It is a beautiful place and I love it. I moved just after the first ceasefire of 'The Troubles' in April 1996 and despite many concerns of my friends around the world I have not personally seen any trouble.

I know there are still pockets but in general compared to big cities in England which have their own issues with knife and gun crime, this is a great place to live.

But today I am ashamed to admit I live here. How can people think it is acceptable to racially attack a group of people. The violence towards the Romanian community in Belfast is totally unacceptable.

I have heard it may be over a football match where N Ireland lost to Poland and so animosity is to all Eastern Europeans. I can't believe this but then a few weeks ago we had a murder over a Celtic / rangers match.

N Ireland is now a tourist destination, economic investment is good and we are slowly rebuilding our reputation, only to have it spoilt by a few idiotic individuals.

When reunions go bad…

2009-04-14T04:40:00.000-07:00

My father was in the army and often away. I would miss him terribly and the anticipation of seeing him again would be indescribable, but when he came home and not long after the hugs and kisses, the walking on eggshells would begin. The pent up emotion made everyone on edge and then it was so easy for him or us to do something silly that would result in a falling out.

You would think that once I learnt this I would be able to avoid it, but no, every time. It is a well known phenomena and the army do talk about it to the troops especially after being away for active service.

My daughter on the other hand has a problem with saying goodbye. My best friend has a daughter the same age and the girls are also have a great bond, but every time the spend time together they fall out juts before it is time to say goodbye, regardless of how long they have spent together. My daughter hates to say goodbye and would rather manufacture a fight.

So what do these two sides of our characteristics have to do with me today? Next weekend I see my daughter for the first time since the New Year and we will only have 4/5 days together. The first few days I will try not to upset her or get upset and then we will try not to fall out.

The problem is if we are both trying too hard to avoid this will we actually relax enough to enjoy ourselves and have fun?

I hope so, I love her

Count Your Blessings

2009-03-16T15:34:00.001-07:00

Two of my family are having a stressful time and last weekend was a very difficult few days for them. I found myself trying to cheer them up over the phone and trying to make them more positive. For every negative thought have two positive ones was my advice.

Later I thought do I take my own advice and on reflection I think I do. I don't want to dwell on it but a while back after 24 years my husband left and whilst I was devastated I have refused ever to think of it as a failure it is more than half of my life (just) and to simply push it aside would be wrong and many of my life experiences would simply not have happened and most important of all I would not have our daughter, my best friend.

A simple example is the picture I opened my door to on Saturday morning. Many years ago my husband planted lots of bulbs in the hedgerow opposite our house and each spring is marked by their appearance. Last year when I didn't want to see them I felt like pulling them all up but this year I smiled to myself and saw them as the birth of spring, a beautiful blanket of colour. Yes I am blessed.

An outsiders view of a new President

2009-01-21T07:46:00.000-08:00

A very good friend is working in Ethiopia at the moment and he emailed this today. With his permission I want to share it with everyone:

For something completely different, yesterday was Inauguration Day for Barack Obama in Washington and someone here decided there should be an Inauguration Ball in Addis Ababa. There was an Italian connection, too, so the event was dubbed "Obama Mia". Go figure. Almost 300 folks gathered at the Italian Cultural Center for the inauguration ceremonies on CNN followed by dinner and dancing. A very enthusiastic crowd made it a lot of fun. One of the organizers even wrote a song that was sung by the entire audience led by a very talented quartet (kind of like Abba, get it?):

Obama Mia (to the tune of Mama Mia) by Hanna Gibson
-----------------------------------------------------
Verse 1
We've been cheated by Bush since we don't know when
So we made up our minds it must come to an end
Look at us then, did we ever learn?
We don't know how, but we voted him in again,
must have been fools back then
>From Dire Dawa all the way to Yokahama
We cheered you on Mr Barack Obama
Oh oh

Chorus
Obama Mia here we stand with you
My my how can we resist you?
Obama Mia does it really show?
My my just how much we love you

Those were the bad old days
This is the time for change
Barack can you make our dreams come true?

Obama Mia does it really show?
My my just how much we love you

Verse 2
We have lots of high hopes for a man like you
Where to make a start though we haven't a clue
Palestine and Guantanamo
World's a mess, I guess you see that now
There is hope within our souls
For Peace, Wall Street, and all those other noble goals
What a relief, to sing Hail to the new Chief

Oh oh
Repeat Chorus

A Natural Cathedral

2009-01-04T13:47:00.001-08:00

My daughter was home for Christmas and then my sister and her husband came over to visit. The weather was great for N Ireland and so we wanted to get out and about, a friend from Church recommended a drive out to Bregagh road, she calls it an Natural cathedral but it is known locally as the Dark Hedge.

I have found more photos photos on google, it is such a peaceful and beautiful place, somewhere i will take all my visitors from now on.

Happy Birthday

2008-11-23T10:00:00.001-08:00

As I get older I am not happy, I want to stay young, so when a great friend announced she was turning 50, I was not impressed. 'I am too young to have a friend who is 50' was my first comment.

But then another friend said 'Just remember...every time a friend has a birthday, that is one more year they have been part of your life!' and I like that.

So I am currently in Germany at her party weekend and had a great time, my daughter and her children are great friends, it is so nice the friendship has gone on a generation.

Happy Birthday R xxx

Stupid Women Drivers...

2008-11-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

Embarrassed, stupid, pathetic, ridiculous just a few of the emotions I felt this evening, why, because I am a stupid woman driver.

Every week I fly wherever I need to be and pick up a hire (rental) car and drive off, not normally a problem but today was different. Yesterday I drove from Swindon to Bracknell, just about 70 miles in the dark but no issues, this morning I drove to the office and locked the car up OK, then when I got back in this evening the courtesy lights went on inside and nothing I could do would turn them off. I tried everything, checked every door, window, sun roof, everything was OK. I did consider just driving but then I could not have parked the car up this evening without the battery going flat overnight, so I had to ask for help.

But first I thought I would try the manual, no help. SO I rang the breakdown people who said they would be an hour, I just wanted to be in my hotel asleep. So whilst I waited I got the company security guards to have a look and they flashed their torches all around but no luck.

Luckily the AA man arrived quite quickly and even more quickly 'fixed' the lights. Apparently if you touch the headlight dial in the centre, even accidentally the courtesy lights stay on, stupid Vauxhall / Opel car / General Motors, but if you tap it again they go off.

So how stupid did I feel?, especialy when you have to sign a form saying what the issue was. No doubt something on the form is the breakdown man equivalent of PEBCAS (Problem Exists Between Chair and Screen)!!!

Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

2008-10-31T12:37:00.000-07:00

I mentioned that I hired a bicycle in San Francisco and cycled the Golden Gate Bridge. This was my first time in the saddle for 13 years, and then in Croatia I also hired a bicycle.

Fired up with these wonderful outings I came home and purchased my own bicycle. I ordered it from halfords which is a story in its own and only took 4 visits before i actually collected it. Where I live there is a 3 mile triangle which I thought would be a good daily exercise however I do live on a bit of a hill. Now how good this is going to be I am not sure, first I am not here everyday with all my travel and then what does happen here everyday is the rain. But I was determined to have a go.

I ordered the bicycle before Croatia but didn't finally collect it till the day before I went to Denmark, so today was the first time I cycled for the second consecutive day but my 5th outing in total. All i can say is with the extra padding on my backside it should not ache as much as it does. In fact I also had a flu vaccination today and my arm hurts but not as bad as my backside.

Currently there are 2 small inclines I have yet to manage one at about halfway by the creamery and the second the last 100 yards, but I will get there eventually.

Party for a Good Cause

2008-10-19T15:03:00.001-07:00

On Friday evening I was privileged to attend a fundraising Gala Ball at the Europa Hotel in Belfast. The Phantom Ball was themed on Gaston Leroux’s classic French novel ‘Le Fantôme de l´Opéra’.

I was invited by a great friend Joanne Stuart who is a Trustee of the Integrated Education Fund. The Integrated Education Fund (IEF) is a financial foundation for the development and growth of integrated education in Northern Ireland which I believe is a very important element in the ongoing peace and growth of Northern Ireland, which I have called home for the last 13 years.

Joanne who is also Chairman of the IOD Northern Ireland, had selected a table of 10 wonderful ladies several of whom I had not met before. I had a fantastic evening and have hopefully made new friends.

The evening I believe was a great success and I hope we are one step forward towards a integrated education system that does not need a fund to make it happen.

Thank you Joanne

Making the Most of Travel

2008-10-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

In my other blog I talk about the many conferences I get to attend, and want to make them informative about the work that the UKOUG do, but I also want to enjoy all the travel. My daughter is now at university so with no one at home I can take advantage of the wonderful places I get to visit and do more than just the airport and hotel.

So a few weeks ago it was OOW in San Francisco which I think is my favourite american city. I stayed for the weekend after the event. I was using 'frequent sleeper miles' (I love that term) for 2 nights in the Hilton and was to actually pay for the extra night in the Marriott but after the Elevator incident (see the other blog), the gave me the night free, thank you.

Conference finished on the Friday I after finishing up all the outstanding work I went to the baseball, the San Francisco Giants v the LA Dodgers, my first american sports event. I was amased at how family orinantated it was, and even more surprised at how big a stand Oracle had that was mainly empty, as an important Oracle customer who attended OOW I think they should have offered tickets to those who stayed on.

On the saturday I cycled over the Golden Gate Bridge an ambition I have had for a few years, and I loved it. I havent been on a bicycle for 12 years and that in itself was a big challenge but I didnt back out, even when I realised that my left hand would not be able to work the front brake. A few years ago I broke my left wrist at an EOUC Presidents meeting in Amsterdam and it is pretty screwed up, although it is amazing how the human body compensates for issues. Anyway we cycled from Pier 39 upto the bridge (well walked up the hills), across the bridge and down to Sausalito, and then the traditional ferry back. I loved every minute of it and if you ever get the chance do it. We used blazing saddles who I ahve to say are very efficient and the bikes were excellent.

I would love to show you photos but I lost my camera! actually I have covinced myself that I threw it away, after the cycle I went to the Boudin Bakery on pier 39, something else you must do, but I think I put my camera that was around my wrist on the tray and then threw it away, I was so tired I didnt even realise I had lost it till the next day.

So Sunday I had no camera, and I went to the Folsom Street Fair, quite an experience especially if you don't know what is is about. Anywhere else and I would have been offended but in San Francisco anything goes, it is so liberal that people do their own thing, for themselevs and are not intimadating or 'in your face' or demanding of their rights or anything but people simply having fun.

Heaven on Earth

2008-09-20T00:00:00.001-07:00

Well I am writing this from the Virgin Lounge at Heathrow, if you ever get the opportunity to use this lounge take it, it is my idea of heaven. My flight is not until 10.30 but I have been here since 7!

Before you make assumptions, let me clarify a few things. I get lounge access simply because I am a Gold Star Alliance card holder, I am only flying economy, then I took the opportunity to come in early as breakfast here is free and in my hotel it is not, as I live in N Ireland it is too much of a risk to trust in the first flight out arriving in time for this connection.

So the lounge is heaven except there is cold air blowing around my feet, but the champagne makes up for all that. My facial is in 10 minutes and my shoes are being polished. I could get used to this life........

My Silversurfers

2008-09-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

I love my job but it is good to do something different and so when a friend at Church who works for Help The Aged asked me to teach computers to OAPs I thought why not. However the scheme was to teach in a local library for 10 weeks and my job means I cannot commit to being in the same place every week.

Then this year she told me of a new scheme 'EverybodyOnline' where PCs and Internet access have been put into Retirement Homes and volunteers go in to teach, and as this is not a formal course it suits me well, I can go in whenever it suits me.

So I am teaching two ladies, Jean and Rita who are keen to use the Internet and email to keep in contact with their families and they say it is to keep their minds active.

There is also a gentleman Martin who is researching the Royal Navy from 1890 onwards. In this case it is me who is doing the learning. Martin was the 5000th person online and you can read his story here. He got the laptop he wanted for his birthday so there is no stopping him now.

And where does 'Silversurfers' come into it? Their name not mine. So what I started thinking was to give back actually gives a lot to me.

The Let It BEATLES

2008-08-31T05:27:00.000-07:00

So last week L and I plus other special Guernsey friends went to see Mamma Mia again ane ever since we have been singing Abba. There is a small set of lane's behind were L lives and i even found myself skipping along, until i thought If i fall over - how long till someone finds me?

Anyway last night we went to see a tribute band, Guernsey's own 'The Let it Beatles', they were brilliant. They are all from Guernsey and are actually away in England at University (I wonder if their parents still have to make sure they have everything ready like I do for my university darling?). They started the band last summer and now whenever they are home they have been gigging.

Not only did they play for 2 1/2 hours from the beginning to the end of the Beatles catalogue, they had ropped in a few musical friends to provide string and brass which just added to the feeling. The arrangements were quite complex, not just simply singing the words, you could see how much had gone into this.

What really appealed to me was their professionalism, no one took over, and they suffered from a few technical hitches which they simply moved on from. They were excellent. At the end when thanking everyone they included their parents who on the night had also doubled as fire marshalls. When most teenagers are embarressed by their parents it was fantastic to see this, we had one set of parents next to us, how proud must they have felt.

So boys congratulations, you make a lot of people feelgood, are a credit to your generation and proof that talent shines out, and all for charity. Well done. Only problem now, is i keep humming Beatles' songs!

My Favourite Place - Guernsey

2008-08-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

In my job I am lucky enough to travel the world, and I do make a point to try and actually see each city, I have done most of the Open Top Bus Tours around european cities I have visited and most hotels can arrange tours elsewhere.

But at least once a year i like to go to my favourite place - Guernsey. I suppose it doesn't sound as exciting as the other places I have been in the last 12 months (Singapore, San Francisco, Denver, Finland, Sweden, New York, New Orleans, Paris, Munich) but what Guernsey has to offer is friends and relaxation.

So why is being with friends such fun, well friends don't let you down, it doesn't matter about the weather we can still have fun. I met my friend L many years ago when we worked together in Berlin and that was before we had our daughters who are now 20! L is from Guernsey and over the years her family have adopted me, seen me through highs and lows and are always there for me. I have been included in her circle of friends who I now call my own. They have come to me in Ireland (for Robbie Williams concerts, great at Landsdowne Road, not so good the following time), we all went for tattoos when we needed (except L the coward :) ) to prove we weren't old, and have partied over and over again.

This year I have been to see Mamma Mia again, although their enormous cinema only seats 75!, 6 ladies of culture, who were later chastised for the noise in the restaurant, we thought our singing was in tune. I have managed only one swim in the sea, the weather is not at its best but chilled out in Herm ( a tiny island where we once lost our children, that includes mine you have previously read about, home next week).

Today L and I went around the coast in a Rib, I am a bit of a 'wince' and held on for dear life but it was fun, and we enjoyed it. I love water and especially light houses. We had to wear all the gear and it was like being in your own personal 'hug'.

2012 Olympics Aquatic Centre

2008-08-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

When ever a country hosts the olympics there is always a massive rush to get the building finished in time and within budget.

It is fantastic that London is hosting the 2012 Olympics and we have done so well in the Beijing Olympics it will be a great event, but there is talk of our aquatic centre, how much is rumoured to cost and will it be finished on time?

Well here in Belfast we have the answer - we have spent our £102 million pounds on our aqautic centre and it can be filled with 22 million gallons of water in just minutes.

Although I actually lie, this is the main Belfast to Dublin road as it runs through Belfast, a brand new underpass, that simply filled with water when it rained.

The Siege of Ballynure

2008-08-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

I live in a very small village in Northern Ireland called Ballynure which means ‘Farmstead of the Yew Tree’. The 2001 census put the population at under 700.

Now don’t muddle us with Ballynure Jamaica which is a little bigger and possibly a little warmer.

The village is split in two by the main Road from Belfast to Larne and I live on the west side. On the East side is my Church Ballynure Methodist and the shops, we have 3! But one of the shops is Jackson’s the best butcher in the UK, and that is not me being biased as it was voted best in 2007. People come to this butcher’s from all over and so on a Saturday morning it is actually a very busy place.

So what I want to tell you about is the road works, they are resurfacing this main road through our village, which first I don’t understand as it wasn’t that long ago it was done before, but anyway they started in June and it is meant to take 10 weeks. It seems to have gone smoothly except for the two weeks they went on holiday and left all their cones as a reminder. But today was a disaster.

I arrived at the main road and want to drive to the West side so I have to turn right and then left, and, for those of you who do not live in the UK we drive on the right so turning right onto a main road full of lorries travelling to and from our port at Larne you need a little patience.

The before mentioned butchers means that despite our modest population Saturday is a very busy day for the village and I was one of them. And today they are laying tarmac on the main road with men in yellow jackets and orange ‘babygrows’ directing traffic and it is chaotic! Most places have temporary traffic lights but we have men with lollypops, who cant hold them still let alone co-ordinate between themselves. So I finally get told to go and as I weave between the cones and tarmac layers there are cars coming towards me and another sign holder with his hands in the air, he has simply given up!!

When I left the butchers I decided to drive on to the ‘town’ of Ballyclare although my daughter would tell you it doesn’t really count as a town, anyway on the roundabout there is a new monument, some sort of topiary in honour of Wallace and Gromit . Made me laugh.

When's our Flight?

2008-08-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

So if you are following the adventures of a scatterbrained teenager, you may have been disappointed there was no episode last week. Well I had a good excuse; I was busy getting her off to Europe for the great interrail trip.

So, this trip should be quite easy, Brooke and her friend Amy bought their tickets a while ago and had booked their flights to Prague. (2nd attempt at the flight tickets originally they had the wrong date, but that was along time ago so I’ll not dwell on it).

In theory all they need is the tickets, their passports and money, plus the obligatory credit card.

The intention is to see Eastern Europe, they don’t have a final itinerary as they want to be spontaneous and also if they tell parents where they are going we will probably interfere so we don’t know where they are going. The intention is to book the train and hostels for the next destination just a few days in advance.

Last Saturday they sat in my living room, searching for all the hostels in Prague and booking for the first 3 days, finally got that sorted and off Amy went both excited that the next day they were off on the adventure.

So no last minute disasters or forgetfulness…………..not a chance. A few hours later, Amy rings up and says ‘Brooke we are not going tomorrow, our flight isn’t till Monday’, well at least they were a day early and not a day late. Look out Europe they are your problem now.

Great Service

2008-07-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

We are all quick to complain when we get bad service so it is only fair to speak up when you have great service.

When Brooke went off to University in January the list of kit she needed was long, very long. Off she went to Buxton with everything on the list and most of it has been used now except her day sac, a 40 litre rucksack had only been used a few times for just a few hours each time. So the trip to Morroco was the first real test. Unfortunatley it failed, the drawstring collar came away from the main bag. Having looked at it the collar was only just inside the sewing line. It happens.

So we have a failed rucksack, 7 months old and no receipt. I know this counts as 'unfit for purpose' and technically the supplier or shop is liable but it can be a difficult thing to prove. Still off I went to Mountain Warehouse in Antrim, who also sell a nice line in 'wick tees', and showed the rucksack to the staff. No problem what so ever, no issue that I had no receipt, no 'did you misuse it', no 'it was too long ago', simply 'we are very sorry' and an instant replacement.

Good service, well done and thank you.

Where are my wellies

2008-07-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

So she came back from Morocco on Monday with a bag of dirty clothes and the smelliest feet I have ever come across! But hot water sorted out both.

She has a brilliant sense of achievement and wants to go again; she didn’t find the mountain too difficult but explained that if you climb too quickly you end up with altitude problems.

It is great to have her home, but then I had to go to London. She did ring me on Wednesday but only to ask when I was home, ah she misses me, no; she wanted to know when she had to tidy up by… Not sure why she bothered as when I got home Thursday evening the downstairs was well on its way to matching the upstairs, typical teenage tidiness. Still you have to love them.

She was back at work this week in the leisure centre, not very busy this week as they were filming The Cherrybomb there with Jimmy Nesbitt and Rupert Grint , Ron Weasley from Harry Potter. It actually turned her off any idea of a career in the movies as she found it incredibly boring going over and over the same scene all day.

Today was the start of the next trip she is going horse riding with the Royal Artillery, everything should have been fine we checked on all the kit when we were getting ready for the Morocco trip, so no last minute panics, of course not, ‘where are my wellies’ she shouts 10 minutes before she leaves. No joy, so she flew to Southampton and had to go to the shops before she caught the train. Oh the joys of parenthood…

Teenagers!

2008-07-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

Teenagers are put on this earth to bring parents a range of totally unexpected challenges…

My 19 year old daughter is also a great friend, however opening the door to her bedroom does put risk on the relationship – how can you live like that?

Anyway, she finished university for the summer on 3rd May and then set out to have a brilliant summer.

• Trip to London to get her Gold Duke of Edinburgh award at St James Palace
• Accompany me to the OUGF conference sailing between Helsinki and Stockholm
• Renew her Lifesaving qualifications
• Summer Break in Newquay – when students all go to Cornwall and everyone living in Cornwall goes away!
• Trip to South Africa (second trip of a lifetime in 8 months)
• Mountain Climbing in the Atlas Mountains – Morocco
• Horse Riding in Wiltshire with the Royal Artillery
• Inter-rail around Eastern Europe

Between each trip she comes home for a few days to work as a lifeguard at our local swimming pool to top up the bank account.

Had I have known university was this much fun I may have stayed at school and gone myself.

I have to say she is very good with her money, I have donated airmiles but everything else she has funded, and I thought students were meant to be constantly poor.

Anyway back to the challenge, she is currently in Morocco having successfully achieved her mountain climb, and is home tomorrow, but before she went there was the kit list to pack. It included a tent and down jacket which needed to be good quality and fit for purpose not just what is on offer in the local store suitable just for music festivals. So out we went for the day and eventually tracked down specialist shops in Belfast, spent a fortune and came home. Job done? Not quite…

Day before she goes I am helping her to pack and the packing list says two ‘wick tees’, “what is a wick tee?” I ask, (I have no idea about mountain climbing or the equipment needed – except it all seems to be expensive). Brooke says she doesn’t know either so it can’t be important so she will manage without!

A bit like a DBA not understanding Oracle instructions about a patch at install and just ignoring it (hang on I have met some like that).

So mum googles ‘wick tees’discovers that they are very important t shirts that are to keep you dry and draw out sweat from the body. So quick rush out to another shop – did I mention we live half an hour each way from a town with shops!

It probably doesn’t sound too bad to you does it? But on the way to South Africa she rang me in a panic and ended up having to buy a new memory card for her camera as she couldn’t find the cable to download the last set of photos. Probably somewhere in that bedroom!

Home tomorrow, horse riding the following week – now what will the challenge be then?

Still you have to love them and I am so proud of her.

It’s June so it must be Wimbledon.

2008-06-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Early this year UKOUG held an event in conjunction with IBM on upgrading. It was planned that Oracle would kick off the day with Upgrade Best Practices but I was asked if I would do so instead. As I had just returned from Collaborate and this had been a key message I was happy to do so.

The event was held at the Magic Circle in London which is a great venue…. If you like magic which I don’t as I don’t understand it and am therefore not in control, however my boss attended and he loved it.

Warren Daniels from IBM (with the Optim product from one of their acquisitions Princeton Softech ) promised to make up for this in the future and I was really pleased to pick up a message from him last week inviting me to Wimbledon.

Totally out of character the day was sunny, I was in Birmingham on business the day before and travelled by train down to London, this in itself is a novelty for me as I normally fly from Belfast direct to where I need to be; anyway I was very impressed by the speed and service but not the cost.

IBM is the official providers of IT to The All English Tennis & Croquet Club who host Wimbledon, and their corporate facilities were excellent. We partook of all the quintessential things associated with Wimbledon, Champagne, Pimms, Strawberries and Cream as well as a great lunch, but what we were really there for was the Tennis. I had tickets for Centre Court and watch Venus Williams have to work for her first set against the almost unknown Naomi Cavaday from UK, and then Nadal stride to a 3 set victory over Beck. I had hoped to watch Andy Murray but he was only just about to start when I had to leave, the downside of buying a cheap Virgin ticket is set trains.

We also had a tour of the IBM IT facility where statistics and results are processed, provided to the media and on the official website with mind blowing speed. But what really amazed me was that all the statistics are entered manually from specially designed keyboards, backhand, ace, let etc. As the guide said the most technical bit was a sticker on the keyboard telling the operator who was player A and player B. For big matches two people enter and there is always a paper backup. Then IT gets to work and cuts the data any and every way. So next time you see the statistics on the screen remember someone entered all that by hand!

Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday in June, thank you Daniel and did I remember to tell you reader…. I love my job.

I don't want the box!

2008-06-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

I am not a member of the fanatical green brigade but do not like waste. My current big hate is unnecessary packaging. This week in the US I have had so many boxes that simply exist to help a machine pack them into bigger boxes.

I flew over last Friday and had a box on the aircraft that contained a packet of crisps (chips for those of you reading this in the US), and a small bar of chocolate. Why?

Then at Newark airport I decided to have an ice cream and that was as expected in a wrapper, but wait for it, the wrapped ice cream was in a box.

My hotel gave me a take out breakfast bag, a beautiful, high quality bag, advertising the hotel and inside was… you guessed it, a box, and inside the box was a carton of juice, a lovely wrapped muffin and an apple. So give me a box or a bag but not both.

And then that makes me think about bags. In the UK now supermarkets don’t give out plastic bags free of charge to encourage you to recycle. But clothes stores have more and more fancier bags to advertise themselves. I don’t need them either. As I’m in the US and the dollar is weak I do a lot of shopping, when I pack to leave there is an entire collection of pristine shopping bags left in the hotel.

Here Goes

2008-06-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

The best blogs I have read are the ones where the business thoughts are separate from the personal thoughts and if this works that is what I intend to do.

So having written my first business blog this is the first private one. If nothing else it will embarrass my daughter.