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Made it home but it was a close call. I left with what I thought was plenty of time - an hour later and I was still on the outskirts of Munich. An accident and a succession of roadworks was holding us up. 20 minutes to go and a 30 minute drive and the roadworks cleared. 125 mph to the airport, abandoned the car and ran in. Made it with 2 minutes to spare!! So now a few days to relax with my family - yipee!!

posted by keith @ 19:00 Comments: 0  

Once again up in the air and Germany looks stunning below me. All white with bits of off white where woodland and villages sit. The villages and towns remind me of printed circuit boards.
I am a little angry at having been called to this meeting. The week before Christmas, I fly home on Thursday anyway. It's always the same, 3 days notice so the flight costs the best part of 1000 Euros. When will my company ever learn? We have had some meetings in Munich this week at whih 3 guys from the UK should have been present. They were refused travel last Friday. Last Friday!!!! If they had been approved weeks ago and booked the flights they would have cost less for the 3 of them than this last minute flight just for myself. It's bad business sense in my eyes but I am in no position to change things. The company and many of the people are so UK-centric. They never think about people flying in from Europe when they book meetings early in the morning or about the time difference when they book audio calls late in the day.

Anyway...the flat that I had my eye on in Docklands has unfortunately already been rented by someone else. I rang the agency yesterday and they said it had gone on Friday. The guy even said he had thought about calling me - but he didn't!! Never mind, there are plenty more flats in London. This one would have been grand and I had already seen it so had made my mind up but I couldn't really commit without having a written offer from my new employer. I have seen plenty more I like, I will just have to book a weekend in January to go and take a look round them all at the same time.

I also found out that my long lost friend from years ago who has been in the US and Australia for about 5 years is definitely coming back in March. This is good news. She is a lovely girl and I am looking forward to seeing her.

Not much else going on right now. Not much else I can think of apart from trying to organise everything of course.

posted by keith @ 08:26 Comments: 3  

Woke up this morning to the familiar (in winter) sound of shovels on concrete and knew that this would be what awaiting me when I looked out of the window...



Good job I don't have anywhere to go today really! Nothing else has really happened. Been on call and have been called far too often for my liking! Still, it keeps me out of the pub which has only got to be a good thing. What is the point in studying all this Buddhism and meditating to try and create clarity and then going down the pub and fogging everything up with 10 pints of lager? None at all and the good thing is that I am starting to realise and am now able to say no.

posted by keith @ 10:06 Comments: 1  

So, what happened I hear you ask? Well, in truth it was the easiest interview I ever had. I think that they really wanted me to be honest so it was just a case of going in, looking good and hey, no worries. I just got the official job offer and they are going a long way to helping me move so that is great. My boss is also being really cool, he is great bloke and I will be sorry to lose him as a boss. However, my new boss seems just as cool to be honest.

At the moment my head is spinning with what I have to do but seeing as I only just got the official job offer and have 6 weeks to get everything sorted and have already started, I think it should all be ok. In fact, I know it will all be ok.

I will be working in a place called Red Lion Square in London which is in the district of Holborn . I am looking to possibly live in Docklands .

posted by keith @ 13:52 Comments: 2  

Well, for a change I am not at 18000 feet. There is good reason for this.As I told you I am going to London today, however it is very foggy in Munichand as a result the flight has so far been delayed by an hour and a half. Iam currently actually on the plane and the staff are looking after us but itlooks like we may be here for at least another 30 minutes. There are peoplehere doing the usual tutting and shaking heads but what does that do? Weare delayed for a reason. That reason is fog. It slows us down becausevisibility is poor and so the time allotted between aircraft, both landingand taking off, increases. This is the reason why air travel is so safe,because risks are not taken.

Had some good news and some bad news this week so far. Good news is that anold friend (well, actually old girlfriend) is coming back to the UK. Wewill for sure meet up and we are still very fond of each other so who knowswhat might happen. We only finished because of my stupidity. I was goingto Uni and was young and foolish and had a peanut for a brain. I thoughtthat Uni would be all sex, drugs and rock and roll and it wouldn't be fairon someone if I cheated on them. There is something there that is morallyright I am sure, in a messed up kind of way. Anyway, when I got to Unithere wasn't so much of the sex, in fact there hasn't been a time in my life(obviously not including childhood!) when my sex life has been so dry. Kindof ironic really. I think there must have been a kind of retribution - theysay things get evened out - this may have been fates revenge on me! Anyway,now I am older and wiser (I hope) maybe we do stand a chance?

The bad news I got this week is that my great Grandma died. It is kind ofhard to get sad about it as she was 107.5!! 3 different centuries she saw, 5 Kings and Queens. Iam sure not many people over the age of time can say that. Maybe 1%? Iknow no details about the funeral yet. I am not sure what happens withfunerals this close to Christmas? Guess I have to wait. Seems to be thestory of my life, waiting. I should get more with the now to be honest,instead of looking to what might be.

posted by keith @ 12:30 Comments: 1  

1-0 up against Fulham at half time. It is 83 domestic games since United went ahead and then lost. Of those 83 United have gone on to win 75 of them. So, let's hope it becomes 84 and 76!

Off to London tomorrow, may or may not have internet access. Quite nervous about the interview. I just hope some decisions get made on the day, there is nothing like waiting. I guess the sooner decisions are made the sooner I can get in and they seem to want me quickly!

Updates when I get back!!

posted by keith @ 21:06 Comments: 2  

Just come back from UK. My boss was gracious enough to let a few of us go to England on a fact finding mission. Basically there are a few possibilities for some of us to go work in the UK. We went to Birmingham and Bracknell. Neither are bad places but I think I have my mind up that if I am to go back to the UK I am going to London. This is what I have always said and there is a reason. In order to live in the capital I believe it best to do it while still young and still single. I also want to make sure I do get to live in London at least once in my life. So, I have an interview on Wednesday and we shall see what happens...

posted by keith @ 20:24 Comments: 0  

Wednesday again already. Very little happening this week so far. Work really. On call as well so tee-total for 2 weeks. It will do me good really. As you get older the need to get drunk seems to dissapear - or is it that the hangovers get worst! :o) Going to the UK again this weekend to look around possible places in the UK to live. Also going next week for a meeting and an interview. Looks promising but we shall see when all the facts are in place. Then, I guess the week after that is Christmas and I go back to the UK again, this time for some R&R.

posted by keith @ 08:42 Comments: 1  

Weekend almost over. Had an old friend and her family come over this weekend. Had great fun. Went out Friday, took a drive to Neuschwanstein Saturday although it was so foggy that we couldn't see the castle. Went out for a meal Saturday night and went round the Munich Christmas markets today (very cold!). Back to work tomorrow, on call for 2 weeks. That's all folks.

posted by keith @ 19:06 Comments: 1