Guitars and Life

... same hotel. The slow settling in to the life of a wandering consultant is continuing. Back in the regular hotel, in another room... that looks not surprisingly like the one I was in the week before last. Last weeks one was a radical difference... only since they put in my an "accessible" room. I presumed this was because the week before that I'd done my back in and was walking around like Quasimodo! There is little to write about here sadly... work, hotel, work, hotel, home... seems the pattern of the moment. Had a nice weekend home though, we went to see The Script at The O2 - Daughter of Furtheron being completely made up by this, singing, screaming etc. Mrs F enjoyed it although she is not well at all - not like her. She has battled on through a nasty cold going to work when probably she shouldn't have, largely since others were off sick and she thought she needed to in. Well she has ended up with an infection... or two! Her throat is nasty and I think ...

You know the happenings of the past few days make you stop and think... well me anyway. Japan - I can't begin to describe all that, how utterly awful and how it shows us that with all our technology etc. nature will have her own way. The nuclear thing is dreadful but sadly a consequence - build for a scale 8 earthquake and a 6m wave... not a 9 quake and a 7m wave. But all those people now freezing, no food, no heat etc. 21st century living wiped away in an instant. Closer to home. My daughter has been nominated for captain of her swimming team - how cool. I'm not sure about the working away from home still - it is better than the stupid commute but I really miss being home and there is so much hassle in the organising of silly things when you are not about in the week - little domestic admin etc. it is a pain. I found out that a guy who was working on the programme that I'm on committed suicide last year because of the stress of work. How so sad! It is just a flippin...

Hello to anyone still left who can be bothered to drop by to see whether I've fallen completely off the face of the earth or not. Sorry it has been a little ... er .... manic. It is all the new job. I joined on 7th Feb, spent a week in the head office learning about the company, processes, policies etc. On the Thursday of that week I was introduced to a client as a potential for a new assignment and new role they needed. I was accepted for that and so the next week I had two days out and about meeting a few others in the company and finding out about them and what they were doing then on the Wednesday I was straight into the new assignment on a three "bootcamp". I then started the role with the client team on the following Monday. All following so far? You're doing better than me then! That was three weeks ago... only three weeks! The role is officially based in one team at one location but I'm "deployed" to work with another team who are large...

My wife knows me too well... a lovely mug with two pictures of two of my guitars on it!!! :-)

So I've had my first week in paid employment for a long time... I'm shattered! Actually it has been ok, most of the week spent at HQ with HR, Finance etc. learning about the company and the processes etc. I did have a quick outing to a client for them looking at me for a possible assignment and I got that - which is good so soon I'll be earning for the company which is always a good place to get to quickly. I'm out and about next week for the first couple of days to meet others who work for the company and meet them and learn about their experience and current work them I'm off to the client for a 3 day meeting that will kick off my assignment. So sadly I think I will be very very busy so unfortunately I might be less on here and not able to visit all of you so frequently.

It is very sad news - Gary Moore the great Irish rock/blues legend guitarist has passed away. I've been a fan of Gary's for years - his tone, skill and songcraft stand head and shoulders above many others. Also Gary never wanted to be pigeonholed, rock, blues, jazz rock he tried them all... blues rock was his home and where he excelled but Gary never stood still. Try Different Beat an album he made when influenced by dance music from Fat Boy Slim etc. also Variations with Julian and Andrew Lloyd Webber again showing his great versatility. I was privileged to see him several times. My sons first ever gig was to see Gary Moore with me at Folkestone some years back. I first saw him live with John Sloman singing back in the very early 80s I think. I can't say more - great great man who will be sadly sadly missed. Thank you Gary for the gigs and music we salute you. My gig review of the last time I saw Gary live is here from April 2009. How to remember him but with one of...

Could there have been a better start to the weekend? That was a pretty good England performance I thought. Soaked up the early dominance from the Welsh without conceding points and then slowly began to take over the game. The first try was excellent foresight from Toby Flood who was rightfully the Man of the Match - he played really well I thought, although Wilkinson was impressive when he came on as well, good kick when needed and he did one stunning tackle in particular. We should have scored when we were on the line and that was frustrating, we didn't marshall ourselves or use the width - either would have been a certain 5 or 7 points. Still picky it was a good performance. We need to stop conceding so many penalties as well but again promising.... could this finally be the England revival we've all long for since 2003?