Monthly Archives: December 2005

Last night the ANT mob went to Chilford Hall for our Christmas party (venue for the SCO Christmas party in 1998, and Bob and Karen’s wedding).

Some of us were persuaded to wear DJs. Mine just about fitted, though I couldn’t do up the top button on my shirt (I probably never could). Not bad considering it was all bought when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister. I did splash out on a new bow tie, in squiddy memorial purple.

Food was not bad; wine was, well, remember the wine there in 1998? Much the same. It all got drunk anyway. I did not dance.

Sadly, just as things were starting to get warmed up, it all finished. At 11:15! As if we were all being picked up by our Dads after a night on the lemon squash at the youth centre. Pubs are open later than that nowadays! We were all sent packing in our taxis, and home by midnight.

I found out then that some people had gone back to Borris’s to continue drinking. Bah, I was too lazy to go out again.

Anyway, here are the photos.

Historical note: this party occurred exactly ten years to the day to the infamous Market Bosworth Leeds/Cambridge party. We never did find that false limb.

Evidence of my business trip is now available both here and there.

Caution: contains neon.

Back in Cambridge. I make that 61 hours away, and 12,000 miles covered. Not a bad average speed, 200 mph.

I think I’ve had no more than about seven or eight hours sleep during that time.

I’m about to get a few more, hopefully. In one of these strange, wide, flat things called “beds”.

The last few Mondays have been pretty weird:

• My last day at ANT.
• My first day at Bango.
• The day I said I wasn’t staying at Bango.
• My first day back at ANT.
• Hong Kong.

I wish I could say that the view from my room is of the lovely harbour and all the neon-lit buildings of the financial district, but it isn’t: I get a view of other people’s rooms. However, I have got some photos of the more spectacular view – assuming they’re not blurred.

My door buzzer went at 6:30 this morning. “Morning mate. Car for the airport?” I told him he was twelve hours early and went back to bed.

I now expect that nobody will pick me up at 6:30pm.

Remember, remember the end of September? When I thought I might be going to Hong Kong to do some training? And when it never happened?

It’s happening next week.

I fly out on Sunday night, arriving early Monday evening. I’m training all day Tuesday. And then I’m flying back on Tuesday night, arriving Wednesday morning. Needless to say I won’t be going into the office that day…

Old desk—check.

Old computer—check. Not touched since I left, so up and running again quickly. The mouse has scampered away though. I’m slumming it with a ball mouse temporarily (how on earth did we use these clunky mechanical beasts for so long?).

Old (20 in, best in the office) monitor—check. Reluctantly returned by Matt. Must nag the boss to buy more of these; can’t believe we’re still buying 17 in monitors for engineers.

Old chair—nope. I could tell it wasn’t mine as it sported a sticker with someone else’s name on it (left over from the office refit earlier in the year). I’ll make do.

Everyone seemed pleased to see me. In an “I’ve got a job for you” kind of a way.

I contemplated a number of titles for this post. It could have been “From B to A” or “The Universe unforks”. I settled on the quote above, from Kipling’s “If”, as that’s the only way to look at all this really. The subsequent line is “And treat those two imposters just the same”.

The Bango job hasn’t worked out; my last day is tomorrow. Yes, that was short. It was my own decision, if you’re wondering. Full reasons available over a drink sometime…

Tonight I had a chat with my previous employers, and they’re happy to take me back – if a little surprised (they’re not the only ones). So I (re)start on Monday.

Maybe then the bonkersness can stop for a few weeks, eh?