Journal Entries
Calling All European Researchers!
Posted Sep 17, 2009
Do any of you fancy coming over to the UK the last weekend in May 2010?
We were talking vaguely about having a Eurovision party next year and trying to get one person from each European country to come along. We ran out of people locally after about four or five countries, and though we're bound to find friends of friends of friends I thought I might ask if any of my h2g2 friends would consider coming over? Nothing's set in stone as yet, of course, but I wanted to guage how many people would consider it.
Could be fun 
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Latest reply: Sep 17, 2009
Someone Else's Wedding
Posted Sep 15, 2009
Becoming a bit of theme, this
It's been a hell of a day at work.
We had a wedding party in that was a bit of a nightmare to sort out. Three weeks ago, we decided to give the ballroom a much-needed facelift. Gone is the 1970s-style lighting and decor, and we have new, fresh and fairly modern look to the place - new ceiling, lighting, sound system, air-con, the lot. To get all that, though, we did everything but the plastering ourselves, and that all meant it was a bit touch-and-go whether we'd actually be done in time. On Sunday, I went down there to ask my uncle something, and the bride and groom were standing just staring with their mouths wide open at the place, layers of dust settling on layers of dust, while my cousin calmly assured them that everything would be done in time.
Of course it was. At exactly 2.15pm today, half an hour before the wedding party started to arrive, it looked beautiful.
The bride and groom were brilliant. They actually had no idea what to expect from us beyond the buffet, bar etc, so when I stopped them in the bar and asked them to take a seat so that the rest of the party could 'be upstanding' for them, they were really chuffed and excited. I turn into a proper Jeeves with people like that.
In the midst of it all, I had a rant at our restaurant manager and head chef. To them, I'm hard to work with, because I've been both. To me, they're hard to work with, because I have Expectations - I know their jobs inside out and get irate when they don't do them properly. I ran my first wedding when I was 17 and was running the restaurant at 25, and it's hard to have to tell people things that come naturally to me.
That aside, the whole vibe was fairly relaxed, though. It was hard work to get it feeling like that. Anyone who has worked in catering knows that the more you work behind the scenes, the more you can control the atmosphere. But I love doing functions; every moment you have a tiny detail to control, something to help guests with, moments to organise, staff to direct. And there's pressure, but in a good way; the staff know the pressures you're under and respond, and the guests get to know and respect you.
And there's no greater feeling than the bride and groom coming over with a glass of champagne for you at the end of the night, with the guest book for you to sign 
Tomorrow: Back to my Fire Management Plan. Can't help but feel I'm wasted in some areas of my job.
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Latest reply: Sep 15, 2009
Stress Relief
Posted Sep 9, 2009
Good grief.
I've just been so stupidly, stupidly busy lately.
Today I cleared out my email inbox. I had over 100 emails that needed some kind of action. Some just needed filing; others had photos that needed to be added to the blogs on the Cavaliers website, some needed me to do something for h2g2. They were the sort of emails I enjoyed reading a few months ago, but with other stuff taking priority they've most sat there staring at me, making me feel guilty, waiting for me to find time to go through them and clear them out.
The wedding is taking a lot of organising, as thes ethings do, but it's not just that. I'm into the regular round of fire/H&S regulations paperwork now at the end of the summer, so I'm spending every day at work writing, updating and filing Policies ready for the enxt round of inspections. I'm also working on updates to the disability policies at the Wildlife Trust as well, as some of you will know, so there isn't much time for doing the things I enjoy right now.
Tomorrow is a day off. I have an eye test first up, but the forecast is brilliant and I might go up to Taunton to watch day two of Somerset vs Lancashire. It's likely to be usual long, slow day of play that sends most people into a deep sleep, but that suits me; the sun will be out, and I can just sit and relax in the sun for the day without a care in the world. A day at the cricket tends to gently tease away day-to-day worries, particularly if it's an insignificant day's play at a game nobody really cares about.
If I don't go, I plan to do all the stuff I have to do in the next few days all in one day tomorrow instead and head up there on Friday. I'm due a day of pure, unmitigated selfishness, I think And there won't be many days like tomorrow before the season is out.
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Latest reply: Sep 9, 2009
Thieving Gets!
Posted Aug 21, 2009
Humph.
Just went to sign up for Twitter, and found there's already a Skankyrich 
http://twitter.com/skankyrich/
So I thought I'd try my cricket blog title instead:
http://twitter.com/blaggers/
The annoying thing is neither of them are active...
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Latest reply: Aug 21, 2009
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