The ties that bind us
I’ve spent a few days back in the corporate world. It felt both odd and reassuring: odd to be mixing with other professionals after so many weeks not working; and reassuring that my skills and…
Life
No substitute for experience
It’s become a fashionable and popular gift. Instead of consumer goods, people are taking part in “experiences”. Everything from afternoon tea and spa days to driving racing cars and skydiving. Experiences are seen as good…
Out with the old
I did something today that I’ve been meaning to do for a long time. I cleared out a ring binder stuffed full of letters, documents and papers from my previous employment. Over the years I’ve…
I am a free man
On a train trip to north Wales in the summer, I visited Portmeirion, the Italian-style village designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis and used as the set for the 1960s’ cult TV series ‘The…
Aaargh – it’s the R-word
The comment was well meant. Maybe it was me being too prickly or defensive. Or perhaps there’s a wider issue here about how to describe people in my position. You see, I was at a…
I’m listening
One of my all-time favourite TV shows is ‘Frasier’. The catchphrase of radio psychotherapist Dr Frasier Crane, played by the brilliant Kelsey Grammer, was “I’m listening”. The reason I mention it is because I’ve always…
Numbers game
Job hunting is a numbers game. It’s always been a numbers game. In the past, the numbers have worked in my favour. Now, the odds seem stacked against me. I’m following all the advice –…
Lost links
It was a long, long time ago. Long before ID cards. It was a rite of passage. I’m referring to getting served in a pub under the age of 18. I tried it a few…
Let me get straight to the point
Every rail enthusiast – and trainspotter – has a story to tell. It’s the story of how they first fell in love with locomotion. For many I’ve met, it was seeing steam trains with all…
The sound of silence
It’s “Back to School” for everyone … except me. September has always been about new beginnings. The start of the school year. The start of autumn. And I’ve started several new jobs in September. There’s…