Monthly Archives: October 2005

by | October 28, 2005

Prestatyn here I come

Tomorrow evening I shall be setting off in the direction of North Wales for the “delightful” holiday resort of Pontins in Prestatyn. I know it’s a funny time of year for a short break but this is for a good cause – the Pontins Brass Band Championships – where I’ll be playing Lorenzo as a guest player with Ibstock Brick Brass.

It’ll be a beer-sodden affair and will get very messy once we’ve finished playing. We’re drawn very early on so I suspect that some of the band may be somewhat inebriated by lunchtime.

See you on the other side, though I suspect that I may still have time to add another entry or too on here before I go…

See more progress on: Play Lorenzo at Pontins

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by | October 25, 2005

I never phone, I never write

I’ve noticed over the years that I’m absolutely useless at keeping in touch with my family. I live away from the lot of them, and whereas it’s easy to pick up the phone and speak to them every day if I wanted, I tend to do it all too infrequently.

I’m not entirely sure why this is. I’m not the sort of person to just chat about nothing I suppose, so perhaps that’s part of it. I like talking to them but am easily distracted into doing other things, such as playing on my PC or just doing my own thing.

I really, really should phone them more often, especially my little sister in Toronto. My Mum I can visit (that’s potentially another goal I can add). Same with my Dad. My sister is on another continent.

It’s always good to hear their voices and I think they like to hear mine too.

See more progress on: Speak more to my family

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by | October 25, 2005

Feeling more confident

After this morning’s news that my company is to have most of it’s assetts (including me) sold to Ericsson we’ve had a briefing from one of our bigwigs. He detailed most of what has been agreed and what is most likely to happen.

Naturally, this deal has to be agreed by the shareholders and there are probably one or two sticky patches to get through before it’s complete. Once it’s all done (probably early in the new year) there will be a wholesale transfer of people and projects to Ericsson where I’ll no doubt have to change all my stationery. I’ve already been scribbling out all the “Marconi” motifs on my notepad and writing in “Ericsson”.

This whole thing could very well turn out to be a very good move for both companies. What’s left of Marconi will be called “telent” and that’ll be mostly a services-based company. Apparently that’s actually one of the profitable parts of our current company and should be one of the biggest players in the country in that field. Ericsson will also benefit greatly from our Optical Networking portfolio (the stuff I work on) and as they are already one of the biggest electronics firms out there they’ll be able to compete in a wider scope with some of the other big names, such as Alcatel.

Hopefully the R&D side of things will survive most of the job cuts (me again!). We’ll see. Either way things are looking a bit rosier this afternoon. I’m feeling positive about the whole thing.

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by | October 25, 2005

Time to learn some Swedish

Well, it looks like I’ll be working for the Swedish company Ericsson soon. I’m not sure exactly how this will affect me in the short term but there will be job cuts along the way. I’ll be more than happy to survive that and keep doing the job I enjoy so much, even if it means working for someone else.

I have to look at this in a positive light. It’s an opportunity to do something new nad expand my career not a descent in redundancy and long-term unemployment.

This may just be what my company needed to keep going.

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by | October 24, 2005

Uncertainty

For the last few weeks my current employer has been the subject of much speculation in the press about a potential take-over. I work for a largish company that has had a lot of trouble of the last four years with finances and is now in the position where a take-over by someone bigger might be the best option.

However, where the hell does that leave me and the people that I work with? So far I’ve survived about eight redundancy phases and the almost total financial collapse of the company. I like working here and I enjoy my job but somehow this all seems even more like doomsday. Whoever ends up taking us over will no doubt chop off a large portion of the workforce and I really hope that I’ll still be here at the end of it all. There are no guarantees though, so I’ll just have to wait and see.

In the meantime I suppose I’d better update my CV just in case. Better safe than sorry.

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by | October 23, 2005

Flag waving patriotism

I’ve had a couple of really good concerts over the last couple of nights. Friday night’s was a Trafalgar Day job in Lambley Village Hall and tonights was in the TA Centre in Carlton. Two different events with different reasons but both had a healthy injection of British patriotic music.

It’s funny, I’ve often thought that we Brits are almost ashamed of our country, or it seems that way sometimes. I feels sometimes that some people think it unnecessary or even unpleasant to be patriotic about your country, this country. However, the Yanks love all that flag waving “we’re the best” stuff and even though I think they go totally overboard about it all I’m starting to think that perhaps us Brits should at least acknowledge the greatness in our Country and be proud of where we come from, regardless of the obvious flaws with it.

I’m typing all this out because the patriotic music we played tonight – Land of Hope and Glory, Jerusalem etc – went down a storm. Even the non-military audience in Lambley loved it too. They all had their little Union Jacks and waved them around like it was the Jubilee.

I know there are many people out there that do love Britain and I’m pleased that they do. I just wish that we’d show it more often.

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by | October 22, 2005

Organ Donors

I’ve just signed up to donate all my organs. I’m hoping that they’re going to wait until I’m dead, but I’d like to make sure that there’s no confusion when I peg it. I’d like them to use my various bits to help others that are in need. Hopefully I’ll have a few useful bits left over.

I’ll no doubt be discussing this with my family too so that they know my wishes. It’s been mentioned once or twice in the past but it’s best to make sure that they know what you want to do.

Feel free to do it too. You could change someone’s life.

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by | October 20, 2005

Water, water

A while ago, ok over a year ago, I decided that I needed to drink more water. You know, the recommended 8 glasses a day. I even bought a water dispenser that holds that exact amount so that I could guage how I was going. I did OK for a couple of weeks before my usual apathy took over.

So, here I am at 43 things setting this goal again. 8 glasses of water, or thereabouts, every single day. Better health here I come!

I’m not giving up beer though.

See more progress on: drink more water

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by | October 20, 2005

43 Things

I’ve come across this really interesting site called 43 Things. It’s a goal-oriented monster blog, or so it seems, where people enter their life goals, however trivial or life-changing that they may be, then blog about it on the site. If you sign up you can even configure it so that it automagically cross-posts it onto your own blog, like I’ve done already here.

I suppose it’s an experiment in social engineering, in that you can find people that are attempting or desiring the same things that you are, and you can discuss it in the comments for each entry. I’ve entered a couple of things that I want to do so far – 41 more things to add.

I have no idea why it’s 43 things rather than 78 or 34 or some other number, but I suppose that’s all irrelevant. Have a go – it’s an excellent idea.

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by | October 20, 2005

My lip is weak

I’ve been playing my cornet now for over thirty years. This seems like a long time, bloody hell it really is a long time, but there are still plenty of things wrong with my technique that I need to sort out.

My two main problems relate to stamina and my upper range. I really don’t last very long at all (hmmm, sounds like other areas of my life) and I have trouble playing the high notes. When the Midlands Area contest rolls around next year I’m going to have to be playing the odd top D (thanks Howard Snell!) and as the piece is quite long (Images of the Millenium) I’m going to have to work on both of these things.

Our principle cornet has given me some exercises to do that will help to develop a stronger lip and aid in my ability to play those screamers. All I have to do now is find the resolve to actually practice the bloody things.

See more progress on: Improve stamina and upper range on my cornet

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