Post by Dave on Apr 16, 2010 20:13:50 GMT
I’m hoping tomorrows result will make it three good things that have happened this week to make me smile and help keep away some dark thoughts I have been having lately, like I keep telling Joe, you have to fight and win against those voices in your head.
It’s been a long time since I have been in the same job so long, I’m happy enough in my job and am not bored with it as such, but life just seems to be the same old routine week after week and there does not seem to be as many things as there once were, that get me on a real high or something to really look forward too.
I never planned to do the job for more than three months, I went to the interview on the last day of the week Friday, 44 others also had interviews at some time during the week I did what I do best and that is talk as I know all the right things to say and had just got back home to Paignton when the phone rang and I was offered the job. As it was unusual for me to be without a job I accepted the offer and was only planning to use the job as a stopgap until I found another one, yet nearly seven years later I find I’m still there and may well be until I finish work or if something happened to the company.
Despite many problems with how I felt I had been being treated( so much better these days I should add) I do own my life to one of my bosses as I really was so close to dieing.
It was about three years ago now and I always take a packed lunch with me only this day when I got back I was feeling hungry and our young lad Patrick was going to the nearby café to get some egg and burger baps etc. Go on then I said I’ll have one and I was being a bit of a pig and had far too much in my mouth. I suffered an involuntary gulp and my throat became completely blocked.
I got to the sink and tried drinking some water and it did not shift the blockage in my throat and by now I was really struggling for air. Chris my boss came to my aid and was doing that thing you do from behind, I did have to tell him to keep his hips still) he was starting to panic himself as it was not working and I was now close to passing out and more than likely dieing.
Almost lifeless with him getting very rough and hurting me and with maybe only seconds left, it worked at last. I was very shaken by the event and make sure these days I only take small bites and not put too much into my mouth.
So event number one this week that made me happy was our win at Aldershot, number two was vodafone giving me a call after I cancelled my contract as they would not do the deal and new phone I wanted. There once was a time if you could not get the deal you wanted and threatened to leave them, you would get passed straight onto some customer retention man who would mostly in the end give you what you asked for.
It did not happen this time and so I cancelled the contract nearly a week ago, then on Wednesday I got the call from them, they asked me why I was leaving, I told them why and what I had wanted and he said no problems I could have that. Well I was now saying to him I had found an even better deal than I had asked for and thanks but no thanks. So he offered me a bit more and I’m please to say I have ended up with the phone I want for free (have to wait five days for the next lot to come in) it’s the HTC Desire that really is the must have phone today (will be out of date by tomorrow) and an even better contact than I had last year at no extra cost and the phone on a contract cheaper than you can get offered anywhere. Its good that some companies do value their long standing customer as that is the reason he said he was giving me this very special deal.
So who is this week’s winner?
Well he does not post that often and that is a shame as his winning post was a really great read and so full of humour.
This week’s winner is ricardo well done and thanks for the great post.
ricardo's winning post
Somewhat surprised that no one else has commented on THE big game at Plainmoor this weekend – the 1989 Legends v Hollyoaks!
Curiosity on my part and some pleading from the female members of the family – daughter, missus and (gulp) mother-in-law saw me making a second visit of the weekend to the ground where I had so enjoyed myself some 22 hours earlier.
In deference to the company’s desire to sit down (MiL brought her cushion – bless) I had to forsake my usual spot on the Popside so we made our way to the middle of the Grandstand. I was stunned. No sign of Grumpy Old Men from North Devon or other Buckle Bashers – just numerous attractive young women…..and Jon. I never realised the Stand was home to such fans but now understand Dave’s recent switch!
In truth, only the grandstand was open and I estimate the crowd (I use the term loosely) to be about 500.
On arrival there were about 25 yellow shirted old men at the Ellacombe end of the pitch warming up. Again, I use the term loosely as the only exercise of any note was chin-wagging which was marginally more beneficial than the pre-match f*g that we saw one of the Hollyoaks squad sneaking in Homers Lane at the back of the changing rooms (he had his hoodie up thinking he would pass un-noticed but the blue socks and football boots were a bit of a clue).
I struggled to put names to faces on first sight with only Big Kenny, Robbie Herrera and Tom Kelly standing out. So I bought a programme which helped the identity game. However, there were only 12 players listed in the Hollyoaks squad and mother-in-law was concerned that it wouldn’t be fair with the Torquay players outnumbering the young thespians by more than two to one. I strung her along for five minutes before explaining that we would only have eleven on the pitch at any one time.
And so it was that we opened with a side of Kenny Allen, Paul Holmes, Jim McNichol, Richard Thompson, a No.3 who I think was one of Cyril’s sons, Ian Weston, Johnny Morrison, the legend that is Mark Loram, Tom Kelly, Deano and Paul Smith. As anticipated it was a game of contrasts – the skill and knowhow of the old pros v the youthful exuberance of the ‘Celebrity’ team (yet again, I use the term loosely!). Actually, two or three of the visitors looked useful players and their best was the No.10, the one who plays ‘Newt’ in Hollyoaks– there, that shows that I’m not as old as I look and have been in the same room as my daughter when the Teen Soap has been on the box.
Playing towards the Babbacombe end, the actors took the lead with a good strike from ‘Warren’ giving Big Ken no chance. Our first half equaliser came from a solo run down the left and good finish by Paul Smith.
During the second half we were treated to appearances of varying length by the rest of the Torquay squad including Kenny Veysey, the lively Paul Hall, Ian Bastow, Robbie Herrera, Manager-for-the-Day Russell Musker, Dave Caldwell (sorry Dave, the years have not been kind), Julian Knowles (Cyril’s eldest), Marc Lee (Colin’s son), Scott Duff (Groundsman), two Palm Radio presenters and Dickie Hancox.
OK….I was joking about Dickie. He just wasn’t good enough in such illustrious company. Tom Kelly was my man of the match – he and Paul Hall looked the fittest of our lot. Being serious for a moment, it did surprise me how unfit the Legends generally were. I guess a ten or twenty year professional career takes a lot out of these guys.
Anyway, Johnny Morrison slid in to score our second from a Paul Hall cross only to be announced over the tannoy as Sean Joyce (who’s name was in the programme squad but was disappointingly nowhere to be seen along with Matt Elliott, Carl Airey, Phil Lloyd and…errr Mark Coombe! Perhaps these light-weights had not survived the previous night’s drinking session?
)
To the delight of 90% of the crowd, the Hollyoaks team scored an excellent equaliser when Newt’s long pass fell beautifully for Warren to finish well from 15 yards.
At the final whistle it was hugs all around (but not in the Grandstand unfortunately, despite looking around to see if any of the young Hollyoaks fans were offering their open arms – then moving swiftly away when I saw mother-in-law approaching!). The team in blue headed for the changing room whist the team in yellow headed for the bar.
All in all a bit of light hearted fun which all the Legends appeared to thoroughly enjoy and a good weekend all round.
It’s been a long time since I have been in the same job so long, I’m happy enough in my job and am not bored with it as such, but life just seems to be the same old routine week after week and there does not seem to be as many things as there once were, that get me on a real high or something to really look forward too.
I never planned to do the job for more than three months, I went to the interview on the last day of the week Friday, 44 others also had interviews at some time during the week I did what I do best and that is talk as I know all the right things to say and had just got back home to Paignton when the phone rang and I was offered the job. As it was unusual for me to be without a job I accepted the offer and was only planning to use the job as a stopgap until I found another one, yet nearly seven years later I find I’m still there and may well be until I finish work or if something happened to the company.
Despite many problems with how I felt I had been being treated( so much better these days I should add) I do own my life to one of my bosses as I really was so close to dieing.
It was about three years ago now and I always take a packed lunch with me only this day when I got back I was feeling hungry and our young lad Patrick was going to the nearby café to get some egg and burger baps etc. Go on then I said I’ll have one and I was being a bit of a pig and had far too much in my mouth. I suffered an involuntary gulp and my throat became completely blocked.
I got to the sink and tried drinking some water and it did not shift the blockage in my throat and by now I was really struggling for air. Chris my boss came to my aid and was doing that thing you do from behind, I did have to tell him to keep his hips still) he was starting to panic himself as it was not working and I was now close to passing out and more than likely dieing.
Almost lifeless with him getting very rough and hurting me and with maybe only seconds left, it worked at last. I was very shaken by the event and make sure these days I only take small bites and not put too much into my mouth.
So event number one this week that made me happy was our win at Aldershot, number two was vodafone giving me a call after I cancelled my contract as they would not do the deal and new phone I wanted. There once was a time if you could not get the deal you wanted and threatened to leave them, you would get passed straight onto some customer retention man who would mostly in the end give you what you asked for.
It did not happen this time and so I cancelled the contract nearly a week ago, then on Wednesday I got the call from them, they asked me why I was leaving, I told them why and what I had wanted and he said no problems I could have that. Well I was now saying to him I had found an even better deal than I had asked for and thanks but no thanks. So he offered me a bit more and I’m please to say I have ended up with the phone I want for free (have to wait five days for the next lot to come in) it’s the HTC Desire that really is the must have phone today (will be out of date by tomorrow) and an even better contact than I had last year at no extra cost and the phone on a contract cheaper than you can get offered anywhere. Its good that some companies do value their long standing customer as that is the reason he said he was giving me this very special deal.
So who is this week’s winner?
Well he does not post that often and that is a shame as his winning post was a really great read and so full of humour.
This week’s winner is ricardo well done and thanks for the great post.
ricardo's winning post
Somewhat surprised that no one else has commented on THE big game at Plainmoor this weekend – the 1989 Legends v Hollyoaks!
Curiosity on my part and some pleading from the female members of the family – daughter, missus and (gulp) mother-in-law saw me making a second visit of the weekend to the ground where I had so enjoyed myself some 22 hours earlier.
In deference to the company’s desire to sit down (MiL brought her cushion – bless) I had to forsake my usual spot on the Popside so we made our way to the middle of the Grandstand. I was stunned. No sign of Grumpy Old Men from North Devon or other Buckle Bashers – just numerous attractive young women…..and Jon. I never realised the Stand was home to such fans but now understand Dave’s recent switch!
In truth, only the grandstand was open and I estimate the crowd (I use the term loosely) to be about 500.
On arrival there were about 25 yellow shirted old men at the Ellacombe end of the pitch warming up. Again, I use the term loosely as the only exercise of any note was chin-wagging which was marginally more beneficial than the pre-match f*g that we saw one of the Hollyoaks squad sneaking in Homers Lane at the back of the changing rooms (he had his hoodie up thinking he would pass un-noticed but the blue socks and football boots were a bit of a clue).
I struggled to put names to faces on first sight with only Big Kenny, Robbie Herrera and Tom Kelly standing out. So I bought a programme which helped the identity game. However, there were only 12 players listed in the Hollyoaks squad and mother-in-law was concerned that it wouldn’t be fair with the Torquay players outnumbering the young thespians by more than two to one. I strung her along for five minutes before explaining that we would only have eleven on the pitch at any one time.
And so it was that we opened with a side of Kenny Allen, Paul Holmes, Jim McNichol, Richard Thompson, a No.3 who I think was one of Cyril’s sons, Ian Weston, Johnny Morrison, the legend that is Mark Loram, Tom Kelly, Deano and Paul Smith. As anticipated it was a game of contrasts – the skill and knowhow of the old pros v the youthful exuberance of the ‘Celebrity’ team (yet again, I use the term loosely!). Actually, two or three of the visitors looked useful players and their best was the No.10, the one who plays ‘Newt’ in Hollyoaks– there, that shows that I’m not as old as I look and have been in the same room as my daughter when the Teen Soap has been on the box.
Playing towards the Babbacombe end, the actors took the lead with a good strike from ‘Warren’ giving Big Ken no chance. Our first half equaliser came from a solo run down the left and good finish by Paul Smith.
During the second half we were treated to appearances of varying length by the rest of the Torquay squad including Kenny Veysey, the lively Paul Hall, Ian Bastow, Robbie Herrera, Manager-for-the-Day Russell Musker, Dave Caldwell (sorry Dave, the years have not been kind), Julian Knowles (Cyril’s eldest), Marc Lee (Colin’s son), Scott Duff (Groundsman), two Palm Radio presenters and Dickie Hancox.
OK….I was joking about Dickie. He just wasn’t good enough in such illustrious company. Tom Kelly was my man of the match – he and Paul Hall looked the fittest of our lot. Being serious for a moment, it did surprise me how unfit the Legends generally were. I guess a ten or twenty year professional career takes a lot out of these guys.
Anyway, Johnny Morrison slid in to score our second from a Paul Hall cross only to be announced over the tannoy as Sean Joyce (who’s name was in the programme squad but was disappointingly nowhere to be seen along with Matt Elliott, Carl Airey, Phil Lloyd and…errr Mark Coombe! Perhaps these light-weights had not survived the previous night’s drinking session?
)To the delight of 90% of the crowd, the Hollyoaks team scored an excellent equaliser when Newt’s long pass fell beautifully for Warren to finish well from 15 yards.
At the final whistle it was hugs all around (but not in the Grandstand unfortunately, despite looking around to see if any of the young Hollyoaks fans were offering their open arms – then moving swiftly away when I saw mother-in-law approaching!). The team in blue headed for the changing room whist the team in yellow headed for the bar.
All in all a bit of light hearted fun which all the Legends appeared to thoroughly enjoy and a good weekend all round.