matgb | Ho hum...

My insomnia kicked in last night, work is beginning to get stressful; I know that, no matter what happens and how well I do, everyone will blame me for any and all problems this summer; my job inevitably has problems, it's the nature of the business. The trick is to reduce te number, and deal with those that happen well.

Regardless, people will still think I'm crap even if I do better than anyone else could possibly do (which, not wanting to sound too arrogant, is likely). Ah well.

Zoe my exceptionally capabla deputy is moving house this week, Julie, the new assistant, is settling in well, so things should be ok. Still scared shitless though, as usual. Doesn't help that the new MD and Dep MD/ops (my direct boss) are both new, so have nothing to compare it to.

Anyway, more interesting meme than normal, from

ollyb.

1.. The resignation of Margaret Thatcher (22nd November 1990)
Watching the news at home, I was still at school, I can remember the live broadcast still, fun fun (with a little cheer)
2. The start of the first Gulf War (16th January 1991)
In my room at my parents, I think I was watching TV while painting warhammer stuff, I know I had paints out doing something.
3. The release of British hostage John McCarthy (8th August 1991)
On holiday somewhere; I had a string of August holidays where something happened, the previous year Saddam ivaded Kuwait.
4. Tony Blair becoming Prime Minister (1st May 1997)
Living and working in Salisbury (don't, just don't), and yes, I was up for Portillo.
5. The Death of Princess Diana (30th August 1997)
I heard about it on the way to paintballing in Exeter, didn't believe Grasshopper until lunchtime when we heard it confirmed on the radio. More memorable is the attempt to drive to work the next day, everything was shut, including the 24 hour petrol stations. Moral blackmailing by the tabloid press; none of my then colleagues were interested in watching the damn funeral. Then, gaming geeks, perhaps to be expected.
6. The Al Qaeda attacks on the USA (11th September 2001)
Finishing off my summer job in the office for the year, I ended up spending the afternoon communicating with agents that had clients staying in our Florida school (which was lucky to not go bust because of the problems)
7. The death of the Queen Mother (30th March 2002)
No idea, let's face it, it wasn't unexpected; it's the surprising events you remember.
8. The "end" of the second Gulf War and the demolition of Saddam Hussein's statue (10th April 2003)
No idea.
9. The capture of Saddam Hussein (13th December 2003)
In California eating breakfast at a Denny's, Vince told me, so I went and bought a copy of USA today from a vending machine; we were attending the first GenCon SoCal.
10. The Tsunami (26th December 2004)
I was on the net, a link to a news story was put up on the Temple, a site I used to moderate.