The zavvi reunion

18:00: Big zavvi reunion tonight. I'm starting writing about it now while I'm sober, in the hope that when I write more on my way home tonight it'll compensate for the decline in quality from this point on.

23:00: OK, so it goes downhill from here as it's 11.00 and I'm on my way home. It was a mega night. I arrived at around 6.30 and, making my way to the bar, found David Green, who bought me a drink (which is a pretty good start) and promised, under some duress, to become a follower of melvtopia. This may be become a recurrent theme, because I have a target of 25 followers by the end of February - so if you haven't signed up yet please get following...

After chatting with David, and urging him to get a LinkedIn profile working for him, I spent some time with Steve and Heather, and then Simon. It's difficult for everyone, but when you've started the company it has to hurt even more. Some of the stories of stores closing down and how staff reacted are both heartbreaking and inspirational; we had something special going on at zavvi.

Then, the customer services team. Amy has found a new job, which is fantastic. Kelly is considering a local opportunity that she is so much better than. I mentioned that I'm going to meet with Ann Summers about a Head of eCommerce position and - well, let's just say there was some interest there - I may not get the job but I'll try my darndest to get Kelly a job there! As it happens, Richard W is interviewing for a position at Ann Summers too - so we agreed a mutual support strategy.

I didn't get to spend much time with Lee, but one thing I know is that if any of us are going to go on to greater success it's Lee. Delighted that he's been asked back to meet again with Best Buy.

I managed to catch up with Wren, Ned and Paul Byrne. As usual, Greg was giving little away...

There were lots of other people; Suki, Tilly, Kevin, Louise, Kirsty, Paul Pledger, Guy, Patrick, Dave R - and others that I've probably forgotten in my slightly mellow state. Good to see Michael again, too. Finally I spent some time with Suzanne. A while ago I thought of adding a zavvi 'hall of fame' to melvtopia, listing people's names as they found jobs. But we all knew that SJ would be the first, so there wasn't much point, was there?

12:00: I'm sitting in my kitchen, having just cooked myself a fry up since I haven't eaten for 12 hours. I can only reflect on the fact that I was privileged to work with such amazing people. And tonight was, for me, a form of closure. Not that I don't want to meet up with these guys again, but because this is now my last memory of zavvi; having a laugh and a good time. This is what I'll remember, not picking up my things from an empty office in January.

11:00: Tired. The head's not too bad but I'm starving. At least I can have a cup of coffee in my zavvi mug...

Getting my Hed round things

So I started at Ministry of Sound today, working with ex-zavvi colleague and good friend Rudy.

I'm there to manage the redesign and relaunch of the Hedkandi website, as well as managing improvements to the Ministry of sound site. Lots of requirements gathering, defining what they really want, and then managing the development team to deliver the various projects.

They gave me a Hedkandi pack of CDs and a canvas of one of their trademark illustrations - so plenty of opportunities to immerse myself in the brand. And they seem like a good bunch of people, so I think I'm going to enjoy my time here. Even though my brain feels a bit full up right now.

I'm excited to be working on such a great brand, and of course I'm relieved to be getting some money in. My challenge, apart from doing a brilliant job and delivering all that's expected of me, is to manage my jobhunting activities while I'm working. After working my way back into a proper job at zavvi, I don't want to slip back into consultancy. But sorting that out can wait till tomorrow. Right now the glass has just been topped up.

7 mantras for successful job seeking

There was an excellent article in Saturday's Guardian, looking at the differences between successful jobseekers ("Aces") and the rest ("Chasers"). The whole article is here, but since this situation applies to many of us I thought it would be worth summarising the key points.

The seven mantras that the Guardian's researchers found make the difference are:

1. I will think more positively
Throw the self-pity, bitterness and cynicism overboard. They discovered that Aces were over 60% more likely than the Chasers to have been very optimistic about finding the role they wanted.

2. I will be more pro-active
Looking for a job is a job in itself. Aces were more likely than the Chasers to register for job alerts and upload their CVs on job sites. Aces were 25% more likely than Chasers to use five or more sources to find a job. And they also used recruitment consultancies to a greater degree.

3. I will milk my friends and family for contacts
Get over your embarrassment and put that "friend in need is a friend indeed" saying to the test. More than two thirds of Aces rated friends, family, word of mouth and networking as useful, compared to just under half of Chasers. As the Aces are generally more optimistic and motivated than the rest, it's possible networking may well also have been used to better effect by this group.

4. I will speculate
He or she who dares wins when it comes to off-piste job-hunting. Aces are over 50% more likely to send speculative applications to prospective employers. And this method is obviously working for them. Almost half of Aces found speculative applications useful, compared to only a quarter of Chasers.

5. I will be decisive
How will you convince employers of your decisiveness if you can't even make up your own mind what you want? Another differentiating characteristic of Aces is their decisiveness in determining exactly which organisations to consider. They were more likely to be specific about potential employers and have more of an understanding of what they would be like to work for.

6. I will do more
Improve the odds on finding a job by cranking up your output. When the researchers first spoke to them, Aces applied for more jobs than the Chasers. One month on, they'd applied for an additional eight, again more than the Chasers. Aces had an average of two interviews when they first completed the survey and another two, one month on. Almost two thirds had applied for their job directly to the employer, and a third via a recruitment consultancy.

7. I will embrace the digital age
The web is the jobhunter's best friend. Aces are twice as likely as Chasers to use social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Myspace. Aces are also more likely than Chasers to read blogs written by current employees of potential employers, and to see if their employer of choice has a presence on their favourite networking site.

We're all different so the same approach isn't necessarily going to work for everyone, but I think this is good advice and worth taking on board.

Read full article

This just in: while registering with jobsites is good, registering with Monster might not be quite so good, now that hackers have stolen the personal details of 4.5 million UK users. Watch out for those dodgy emails!

What are the chances?

I walked up to Sainsbury's today, and bought the Big Issue from the lady outside. At the same time, I was listening to Bruce Springsteen's new 'Working on a Dream' album (have to say I'm a bit underwhelmed with it so far).

So I opened the magazine at a random page, in the arts section as it happens, and my eyes went straight to the headline of a film review for 'Tokyo Sonata' with a one word summary description: 'Bittersweet'.

At exactly the same time, Bruce was singing the word 'Bittersweet' in a song from the album.

How weird is that?

Readers, has something like this ever happened to you? Why not share your funny stories and weird coincidences by posting a comment below...

A bit of a week

Last week was the third week of jobhunting; the week when the adrenaline started to run out. The week when the brave new world of updating my LinkedIn profile, sending out my cv and selling myself over the phone was starting to become tedious.

It wasn't a particularly bad week, and a couple of very interesting new opportunities have come on the scene. But like I've said before, you start to measure your progress in short periods, and a few hours without activity can start to get you down. And the lack of people around you; on Thursday I didn't have any contact with the outside world for the entire morning.

So imagine my delight to receive a call at 6.00 on Friday evening asking if I could start a project next week. I don't want to say who it is until I've had my first meeting with the team I'll be working with, but it sounds like a really interesting project, with a fantastic brand, and I'm really looking forward to getting back on the horse again, even if it's only temporary and part time.

In the meantime, the search for a proper job continues. I'm meeting a recruiter on Monday to talk about one very interesting opportunity. And in the 'what a small world' category, it turns out that old mate and ex-colleague Russell is working at a company that I've been talking to about a position. So maybe a word from him to the MD might move things along a little...

I'm delighted also for Suzanne, who has secured a job for an agency working with a large broadcaster. As soon as they said they wanted to meet her in a bar for one of her interviews it was a foregone conclusion. It's just fortunate that they didn't suggest The Distillers at lunchtime a few days before Christmas - now that could have been a very different story...

I'm aware that there are people reading this who haven't been as fortunate, and are still waiting for a breakthrough. To them I say we're all in this together, and we'll continue to support each other. All of us who worked at zavvi have an extraordinary story to tell, so keep on telling it, keep strong, keep positive and and things will happen.

A mug's game

I'm whispering, because I don't want the administrators to hear; before I left zavvi I 'liberated' one of the mugs from the kitchen. I figure it might become a collectors, piece one day. I imagine turning on Antiques' Roadshow to see some expert on ceramics saying:

"This is a remarkable find. zavvi was an entertainment retailer around 2007-2008 but they were only around for about 18 months. There were only a small number of zavvi mugs produced, and - I do believe you've struck gold here - I think this is from the kitchen on the south side, so it's even more of a collector's piece since it would have been used by the eCommerce team. It's probably worth around £10,000 today."

Anyway, the thing is that I've found myself unable to drink from it. Bad karma. It reminds me too much of the painful last few weeks at zavvi. So I've decided that when I find my next job I'm going to make that coffee and use that mug. Until then, I'll keep it under wraps just in case I get a call from a bbc producer.

And while I'm on the subject of coffee, has there ever been a better smell than that of freshly ground coffee? I went to Martyns in Muswell Hill yesterday to pick up my favourite mix of colombian and java, and the aroma from my bag on the way home was just fantastic.

Quote of the week

"I'm not going to make a long speech. I've got to save my best lines for tomorrow"

Barack Obama, at Gavin Coolidge High School, Jan 19

The ups and downs of jobhunting

When you're at home jobhunting, time is measured by hours, not days, weeks or months. A few quiet hours and it feels like nothing's happening, and a few hours later you can be back to feeling good about things. I started yesterday reviewing opportunities, sending out the odd cv to agencies, and thinking that things were slowing down.

Then I got a call from a headhunter about an opportunity for a retail brand that is, shall we say, a bit racy. The boys would like that one if it came off. Actually, the girls would probably like it more...

Off to Fulham for a meeting with my mate Simon to talk about mobile marketing, then met at the Ship Tavern in Holborn with old friend and ex-zavvi colleague John Crawford for some excellent Theakston's and a really good chat. If ever there was someone to boost your confidence, it's John.

While I was on my way to meet John, another headhunter has contacted me about an eCommerce position with a major electronics manufacturer - I had an introductory chat with her today and it could be interesting. Another ex-colleague, Allison, sent me another opportunity that could also be worth pursuing.

So stuff is happening, although if I'm honest I have to say it feels a little slow and I'm feeling a little weary today. That's the ups and downs of jobhunting. I have a call with someone from New Zealand this evening although I doubt if I'd be prepared to arrange my working life around evening conference calls every day.

In the meantime, we're all rooting for Suzanne who is on a fourth interview for what sounds like a really exciting role - you go girl!

Hope is on the way

So today is the day.

Despite what some of my ex-colleagues (yes you, SJ) might claim, I don't remember JFK; but I have always been captivated by him: the youthful optimism, the charisma and the all-too-short 'Camelot' administration. We've waited a long time for a successor.

I was lucky enough to be working in Philadelphia in July 2004 when Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama introduced himself to Democrats and a national television audience, giving the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Obama told the story of his working class family and urged the nation to elect Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, saying he would ensure more educational and economic opportunities for all.

I watched Obama speak and, even then, it was crystal clear to me that I was watching the first black president of the USA. And today that day has come: his inauguration. At least two million people are expected to attend the inauguration in a record turnout for such an event, along with a television audience in the hundreds of millions if not billions.

Has there ever been so much faith put upon one man?

I, like most of the world, can't wait to hear his speech - already we know that it'll be up there with JFK and Martin Luther King. And I, along with most of the world, wish him the very best of luck.

In his own words, Yes we can.

Life is a bowl of cherries

I've just spoken to Bristol & West to see how I might be able to reduce my mortgage payments by switching to a different product or temporarily shifting to interest-only payments.

Forget the early redemption fees, the interest rates and the monthly payments. The person I spoke to was only called Cherry!

C'mon, don't pretend you're not thinking the exact same thing. Whatever she said, however much it cost, was fine with me...

Eagles aren't flying any more

Oh well. Despite a thrilling comeback the Eagles lost 32-25 to the Arizona Cardinals. The Super Bowl dream is over for another year.

From a glass half full point of view, at least it means I don't have to stay up till 3 in the morning to watch the Super Bowl on February 1st...

The weekend

It's been a great weekend so far. Yesterday, we took James back to university and did some shopping in Guildford, driving back to London just in time to make the early showing of Slumdog Millionaire.

All that's been written about is true, and then some. It's been billed as a feelgood movie and it's definitely a movie that makes you walk out with a huge smile on your face. But it only gets there via a series of personal journeys that are anything but feelgood and it's this combination of hardship and tragedy coupled with love and dreams that makes Danny Boyle's film one of the best I've seen in a long time.

Emerging from the cinema into gale force winds and horizontal rain, Wenge and I took refuge in the John Baird where we had a drink and a Thai meal in their Black Orchid restaurant. Very nice.

In the meantime, Kris Boyd scored 2 as Rangers beat Falkirk 3-1 - how Rangers are even considering selling him is just beyond me... he's started 99 games for Rangers and scored 92 goals.

This morning, Wenge and I had a bracing but highly enjoyable walk on Hampstead Heath, and I've just seen that Aberdeen have beaten Celtic to reduce the gap at the top of the SPL to 2 points.

Now, it's up to the Eagles to cap it off with a win in Arizona tonight. Another excuse, I believe, for a gratuitous pic of an Eagles cheerleader.

I'm only joking, of course. I wouldn't be that shallow. However, I'm sure you'll all want to join me in congratulating Amy, who has been named a 2009 Pro Bowl Cheerleader.

A long week

So, in the last 24 hours I've had a couple of knock backs, but there's still a lot going on. I met with Ana this morning - her passive approach to jobhunting seems to be working wonders - and had a very enjoyable chat and catchup. Then I signed on, taking all of 30 seconds with barely a word spoken. Sent my cv out again and then frankly, after the first really intensive week of jobhunting and two interviews, I'm done. So I'm taking the rest of the afternoon off. Please, nobody tell on me...

Have a great weekend melvtopians.

Believe in Green!

As some of you know, since spending a lot of time in the city some years ago I'm a big fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. That's American Football, for the uninitiated. An excuse, then, for a gratuitous photo of an Eagles cheerleader.

In American football the holy grail is the Super Bowl, which the Eagles have never won - a major letdown for the hugely passionate Philadelphia fans. I remember watching the 2005 Super Bowl with good US buddies Pazen and Andrew, all the way from Chicago, when the Eagles could (should) have beaten the New England Patriots but choked when it mattered.

The eagles, after an unmemorable regular season, secured a wild card spot in the playoffs a few weeks ago thanks an the unlikely combination of a win over Dallas coupled with other results going their way. A 26-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings was followed by a 23-11 divisional playoff victory in New York on Sunday - against top-seeded the Giants, winners of last year's Super Bowl.

So there's one more game to go to decide whether the Eagles will be going to Super Bowl XLIII on February 1. A visit to Phoenix on Sunday to play the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagles beat the Cardinals 48-20 on thanksgiving weekend, but since then then Cards have been on fire. Like the Eagles, they sneaked into the playoffs, so it's a game that's too close to call.

James and I will be glued to Sky from 8.00 on Sunday night hoping that an impossible journey doesn't end in the desert.

Of course I'll also be believing in blue, as Rangers take on Falkirk tomorrow...

Need a fix, man

It's been two days without a post, and just as in my new favourite thing The Wire, two days is too long to go without a hit. Last night I finished Series 1 so looking forward to starting Series 2, which Ana is very kindly letting me borrow. We live no more than a couple of miles from each other so we're catching up at Starbucks in Crouch End tomorrow morning.

Today was the big interview day, not just for me but, it seems, for half of zavvi. I had a decent interview with the large US retailer I mentioned (OK, you all know it's Best Buy, who are building an eCommerce team from scratch), caught up with Marc (who's already there) for a coffee and then bumped into Lee, Suzanne and Glenville in reception - and we're not the only zavs (I just coined a new term) speaking with Best Buy. So, interesting times - it would be fun to get the old team together for another go...

So what else has been happening since Tuesday? More of the same; phone conversations and meetings, but with more research and specific preparation needed now. Yesterday I met with a startup digital entertainment company - I'd worked with the people while at zavvi - that may be an opportunity, and a recruitment agency specialising in the digital entertainment space. I met Stevo briefly at Chancery Lane afterwards.

I also had a call from an old colleague about some possible project management work, which could be fun. And I've been trying to schedule a call with someone from New Zealand about a possible opportunity, but the time difference has proved challenging to date. So the quality of conversations seems good although I suspect I may need to up the quantity to keep the momentum going.

In the meantime, I'm grateful to all the friends and colleagues who have been in touch, recommended me or passed on opportunities and contacts.

I'm pleased to say that there have been a few new additions to the melvtopia family this week - good to see The Arch, Allison ( now there's a blast from the proverbial past...) and Ana on board. For anyone who has just joined, here's what this is all about.

Job Centre tomorrow - damn, I forgot to check the Muswell Hill Journal for senior management posts in eCommerce or internet related businesses... how will I explain that to my 'employment consultant'?

When is a chat an interview?

Out of the blue this morning, I was contacted by the Head of Resourcing for a very large American retailer preparing a move into the UK. He asked me to send my details so we could have a chat.

I'd met with a recruitment agency about a possible role there before Christmas, but it had all gone a bit quiet so I was surprised and delighted to be contacted. Since I'm meeting with two people there I'm going to claim it as my first proper interview. Wish me luck.

Monday, Monday

Today has been a good day. For those who know me well, the words 'good day' used in the context of a Monday is an unusual combination so that's got to be a positive start to the week...

I met The Arch at Cafe Apogee in Leicester Place for lunch (a rather dodgy full English breakfast) and had a good chat with a good friend. As I was walking to the tube who should I bump into but thick-as-thieves ex-zavvi colleagues Bernadette and David, probably up to no good as usual.

Then it was off to Chiswick for a meeting with the Head of eCommerce for a major book retailer. A really good meeting that was useful and interesting whether anything comes out of it or not.

Back home for a call with a recruiter, which went well I thought, and I reckon that should about do it for today.

As for tonight - well, Jack's back. What more can I say?

Lucky lucky me (us)

Today, as I was going into Town, I saw a blind man being helped across the road and a man with a withered arm on the tube escalator.

People; remember, however bad you feel about what's going on in your world, we're the lucky ones.

A visit to the job centre

So I had my interview at the job centre - or JobCentre Plus, to give it its correct name - this morning. It's so not set up for dealing with anyone at any kind of senior level, or indeed anyone in the eCommerce or internet sectors.

I have to say the experience wasn't as unpleasant as it might have been. I chose to go to Barnet rather than Wood Green, which is nearer to me but now that I've started watching The Wire is just a bit too close to Baltimore. Sadly they don't have job centres in Muswell Hill, Hampstead or Highgate...

Anyway they had someone at reception to meet and greet, and within 5 minutes of arriving I was being seen by the first person, to go through the details I had given on the phone on Wednesday.

That's when it started to go pear-shaped. I then went upstairs to meet with a personal consultant, or something like that, to go through my objectives and my plan for finding work. We sat at her computer and she started by asking me to tell her three areas that I'll be focusing on. I started with 'eCommerce'. Not a clue. I explained to her that I ran the zavvi website; "So you're a computer programmer then?". No, I explained, and talked her through the intricacies of content management systems, searchandising and offshore fulfilment. Well, actually, I asked her to imagine going to a website and buying a CD, which she seemed to understand. Anyway, they don't have eCommerce anywhere in the Department of Employment's systems, so I suggested she just put down retail and spelt eCommerce for her to add in brackets.

On to number two. I said that I'm also interested in other internet related positions. Guess what, there's no 'internet' option either, or website unless you're a programmer. Ho hum.

On to my availability. I said that I'd be happy to work any hours between 8-6, which she then input as 08.00 - 06.00 making for a very long day indeed...

Now we discussed what I was doing to find employment. The first suggestion was to come in 10 minutes early before my next sign-on appointment so I can look at the jobpoint kiosk. She asked if I was able to commit to sending my cv out to 2 people per week, which I reluctantly agreed to - honestly, what do these people want from me! A further suggestion was to look in my local paper, so I've also signed up to checking the Muswell Hill Journal every week - I'm not familiar with their executive search section but I'm looking forward to it. I made the suggestion that I would look at The Guardian's Media pages on Mondays, and Technology pages on Thursdays, but we struggled with that one since she couldn't spell 'Guardian'. Still, we got there together.

By now you'll have gathered that I'm not holding out too much hope of Bridget playing a major part in my job search; frankly I'd rather she spent her time helping others that might benefit from it more anyway so it's not really an issue. If I can get a little money and my National Insurance contributions paid that'll be fine.

In general the job search seems to be progressing well enough, although I'm more than aware that positive conversations don't necessarily lead to interviews or job offers, and being busy isn't to be confused with making things happen. But at this stage it's about making connections, talking to people and getting myself in decent shape to take advantage when the important conversations happen. It's been a decent week, with a few meetings lined up for next week, but I need to push myself to keep the momentum going.

In the meantime, as I write it looks like Kris Boyd isn't leaving Rangers, and Andy Murray has just beaten Roger Federer 6-7 6-2 6-2 in Qatar. So that's good.

The Grim Reaper

Part of the art of being an optimist is surrounding yourself with positive people and avoiding the ones who drain you emotionally.

With that in mind, imagine living across the road from BBC's Robert Peston, the man blamed for instigating the banking crisis back in October. Now Robert Peston is a perfectly nice man, and a model neighbour, but as I read his blog on Marks & Spencer yesterday I started to think that maybe it's time for a barricade along the middle of Dukes Avenue - a bit like the one the Israelis built along their border - to avoid the possibility of bumping into the grim reaper when I walk out of my house.

Reconnecting

There are many bad things about being out of work; the loss of community, lack of purpose, fears for the future, lack of money, the hit on your self esteem...

There are also a few good things, though. Sneaking a little extra time in bed in these cold mornings is one. Not spending hours on the tube is another.

But definitely the biggest advantage is that with a little extra time on your hands you can use some of it to arrange to see people that it was harder to see when you spent 10 hours a day in the office.

So I grabbed a couple of beers and had a good chat with Tony last night, had lunch with Rudy today and will meet the Arch on Monday. At the same time, LinkedIn and Facebook are coming into their own for staying in touch with the zavvi crew while also reconnecting with some old friends. I'm going to meet up soon with someone that I haven't seen since school - and who in the meantime has been busying himself with running some of Britain's biggest retailers.

I must remember to leave some time for speaking to recruiters...

Totally wired

I've just reached episode 10 of The Wire series 1. Oh My God, I didn't see that coming. I'm guessing that now it's going to get messy.

Stay optimistic by being good

There was an article in the Sunday Times magazine about how to stay optimistic, which maybe I'll come back to another time. One of the truisms that it listed was that if you can help other people it takes you away from your own issues or problems, and of course anyone who has children knows how true that can be.

So I took a very small step in that direction today by buying The Big Issue from a lady outside Sainsbury's. I'm not big on New Year resolutions but I'm going to try to buy it every week from now on. I didn't realise until recently that the vendors actually have to buy all the issues they sell (they get 70p from the selling price of £1.50), with no right of return, so they're making a real commitment.

So I've been re-acquainting myself with the 'home office', and remembered one of the great things about working from home. Since the good IT folks at zavvi rumbled me for listening to BBC iPlayer and using up all the company bandwidth, I've been blocked from listening to Zane Lowe. This afternoon, while tweaking my cv for the umpteenth time (I'm up to version 7.6), reviewing some agency contacts and talking to a recruiter, I've been listening to Zane Lowe's New Year Mixtape - stonking.

Eagles are flying

Oh, did I mention that The Eagles won in Minnesota? I stayed up with James and a couple of his friends to watch it, and although it looked like it could go either way at half time, just like the Rangers game earlier the second half was a lot better. Next stop, Meadowlands.

The office

Weird, going into the office this morning. Suddenly the place I worked in every day was a strange, empty place.

And a horrible place. They've started to clear out our side of the building so there was hardly anyone there. It was good to bump into a few friendly faces but frankly, I couldn't wait to clear the rest of my stuff and be out of there for good.

Had a nice lunch at Frank's with Lee, Suzanne and Steve, bumped into Ana on the way to the tube, and made my weighed-down way home...

I'm due to speak to a couple of recruiters this afternoon so Project Melvin starts in earnest now.

One down, one to go

In the end, a comfortable win, kick-started by Pedro Mendes' wonder strike 24 seconds into the second half and followed by two typical Kris Boyd goals.

Now it's up to the Eagles.

Sporting Sunday

So a big day for my two teams today. In a few moments Rangers take on Inverness Caledonian Thistle, buoyed by Celtic dropping two points yesterday. We need to win to keep any title aspirations alive.

Then an even bigger game. The Eagles travel to Minnesota for a playoff game that looked unlikely a week ago. No margin for error and everyone will need to be on their game. Thankfully the game is on Sky so I'll be able to watch it, unlike last week. I remember some amazing games on the way to the SuperBowl in 2005 - here's hoping for a repeat starting tonight.

Philadelphia on my mind

Naturally, there's been a lot of contemplation recently. Apart from anything else, I was pretty much flat out at work for most of last year so there wasn't a lot of 'me time'. Not that I'm complaining - it was a great year.

For some reason I've been thinking back to my time in Philadelphia. I spent a lot of time in Philadelphia from 2001-2005. At one point I even had a visa to allow me to work full time if I wanted. I used to fly over for a couple of weeks at a time, staying with my good friend Steven or in various hotels or apartments. After a while I started to use my spare time to explore the city and the area, and it started to feel like a second home to me.

Now Philly isn't the most beautiful city in America, and you wouldn't want to stray too far off the beaten track in some districts. But it has some beautiful parts and important historical landmarks, an amazing Museum of Art (the steps to the gallery are the ones that Rocky Balboa runs up in the original Rocky), Philly cheesesteaks and South Street.

It has the schuylkill river and the boathouses, its own twin towers and its bridges to New Jersey.

And it has The Eagles. Philadelphia is a real blue collar sporting city, with baseball, basketball, ice hockey and American football teams all in national leagues. In fact the Phillies are baseball's reigning world champions. But when it comes down to it Philadelphia is a football town. They'd swap the World Series tomorrow for another shot at the Superbowl. Can it happen this year? Maybe, but highly unlikely. I'll be watching on Sunday anyway in hope.

So where's this all heading? I was saying that I was thinking about Philly. Specifically, I was thinking about a time when I borrowed a car and was driving back through the city after a day out. The radio was on, I was cutting through the heart of the city, and I captured a few moments on video...

Happy New Year

A very happy new year to my multitude of readers and followers.

Wenge and I had planned to actually do something this year, and had even been invited to a couple of parties. However, what with everything that's been going on, and me having flu over the whole Christmas break, we decided to just have a quiet night in with some good food and a nice bottle of wine.

As it turned out, both Laura and James now have the same thing I had, so they didn't go out last night. In the end I cooked some ribeye steaks with stuffed mushrooms, pureed carrot and baked potatoes with sour cream, and opened the bottle of red that Laura had brought me from Montpellier earlier in the year. Then we all watched 'Blood Diamond' until it finished - bizarrely -at 11.59 just in time for the bells and the fireworks.

It was the best new year's night in many years.