Down by the River

Back at the old firm and its a strange one because only a handful of the 90 or so people I last worked with there 5 years ago remain. That’s Advertising for ya. But that's also good in a way, it feels like a new venture even though the building and surrounds of the River Aire and a regenerating part of Leeds are the same.

Being able to walk in to a city at lunchtime with shops and sandwich bars and pubs and people is great. The general hubbub of so many people on the streets after the splendid isolation of the McMansion was odd though, I'd become a bit socio/agro phobic I think!

Nice bunch of people but I miss my old team and the easy banter we had after working so long together. At moment I'm just the new baldy boss bloke.
And I'm deaf from a cold so no chance of spontaneous banter anyway, just smiling blandly and nodding my head whilst someone tells me I seem shit and they wish I hadn't joined.
Or worse, I try to clear my ears by yawning so I get to hear their last couple of words but I look like I’ve been there, done that and they bore the hell out of me. I see the flurry of I-M’ing ('Smug old fart, yawned all through my update on client issues').

The Potato Writes

I agreed with Joe that I would do the North Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge with him. That, without actually knowing what it entails.. will google-ise it next and scare crap out of my nearly 41 self.. And I type news of this physical challenge whilst scoffing chocolate spread and butter on toast with a mug of black full caff coffee.

I've had some minor training practice though in last 3 days, walking the dog more than usual and visiting Garry in London for a couple of days. extreme endurance required to go from his to the Pizza Express in high street Islington (okay, we got the bus part way) and to take Dorian (:you tell it") out with Ian and Ronan for a yomp (okay buggy stroll) through a very nice river park I never knew existed in the city (the 'new river' I think it was, (just googled and "Designed to bring fresh water to the City in Tudor times it was in use until the 1980s."

Okay, using my 3rd day of 5 day inter-career break to get some more exercise in - off to supermarket for t'big shop.
Dog is going to go mad as vans and crew from "Where the Heart Is" turning up soon outside our house to film in the park across the road from us. Probably won't be able to get the shopping out from the car right near the front door. Aah.. I'll have to carry it from down the street in relays - proper exercise :-)

Goodbye to all that

So, finally got a leave date from current agency (3 days time) and a mix of feelings as you'd expect with any change in people and places.

What I'll miss are the people and their obvious talents. Some great folk here. But I have to be honest and say changing peer groups is hard wired in me from childhood in the forces - how many schools and houses past 10 does it take to make one a friendship butterfly?! So I'm very sad to go but also looking fwd to the new place.

And what a way to leave - typing this in a hotel in London - its 7.40 pm and just been in a room rehearsing a pitch with 9 other guys from the european group, most I only met tonight. Cross border collaboration at its best, pulling together to pay the mortgage. I wish it was my team here tho or some of my 'home' agency: would have been good to go out on a bang with ' family'.