Had a visit today from a young man, and his delightful and intelligent partner. We first met 20 yrs ago when he came to me looking for a holiday job, before starting Uni. He claimed he was a programmer, didn’t mind what programming I asked him to do, as long as it wasn’t...
...”web programming”. I explained that might be a problem as within ten years, there wouldn’t be any other programming. He shrugged and we shook hands. After a very short while, I came to realise I had that rare thing on my hands, that rarity known as genius.
I desperately wanted to talk him out of going to uni, apart from not wanting to lose him, I genuinely feared it would ruin him, dumbing him down to their level. I resisted, I knew I didn’t have the right to deny him that experience. Imagine my delight, one day when he turned and
asked, “Robin, if I were to decide not to go to uni, would you give me a full time job?”
I literally had to bite my tongue and pretend to be coy, “Well, I don’t know, I suppose we could talk about it.” I wanted to scream with joy! He already had offers from the best universities.
He worked for me for 18 years. We did fabulous work together. Him coding, me testing and correcting, we moved mountains together. We also fought like cat and dog. I need strong, intelligent characters to challenge me and though he was young and inexperienced, he never shied away.
We quickly developed a deep mutual respect for each other and I view him as a fine young man that I would recommend to the biggest tech company on the planet, except that he’d decline. He’s become a bit of a chip off the old block and values his freedom.
This young man validates my existence every bit as much as my own sons. He may be the pinnacle but he’s not the only one, by a long chalk. I will go to my grave with a smile on my face for all the young lives I’ve had the honour to impact. I am as proud of him, and all...
..the others as any human being has a right to be. I feel blessed, truly and humbled. I had no idea, when I started, nor through all the obstacles that life throws at one, that this life could be even a teensy bit this rewarding and I give thanks every single day. 🙏
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Folks, I'd like to listen up for a moment, if you would.
I'd especially like you to listen up if you're male and doubly so if you've had treatment for cancer at any time in your life. For everyone else who uses the NHS, I'd like you to listen to, so that's everyone, then. 1/
I want to tell you stuff no one tells you. I want to alert you to ask questions, to find answers and to take no crap from the medical profession, especially the NHS, lying down, if you'll pardon the expression.
As some of you know, I contracted lung cancer back in 2012 2/
If you're interested, lengthy dialogue is available at whatnowdoc.com. It's because of these experiences that I adopted this monika. I had half a lung removed and all was well. A year later, thanks to some intuition on my part and my own research 3/
Yesterday I was at my local TESCO’ store buying a large bag of Winalot dog food for my loyal pet and was in the checkout queue when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.
What did she think I had, an elephant? So, since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her:
that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Winalot Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in hospital last time, but I'd lost 2 stone before I woke up in intensive care with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.2/4
I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pockets with Winalot nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. 3/4
@Conservatives@UKLabour@LibDems@HouseofCommons The Conservative leader, our Prime Minister, said to us all, "If you vote out, no ifs no buts, we’re out." Our taxes paid to send a leaflet to every household confirming all this.
Back in 1985, there were two major topics of conversation, amongst others I'm sure. One was the enduring famine in Ethiopia which, night after night, brought us memorable pictures of starving children with distended bellies by Michael Buerk 1/
In stark contrast, the second item was the continuing inefficiency of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Economic Community (EEC). As a result of subsidising inefficient farming industries, particularly in France and Italy but also in this country 2/
We had been entertained by the Butter Mountain, the Wine Lake, the destruction of millions of tons of rotting produce, much of it tipped into the ocean, and now we were dealing with the spontaneously combusting Grain Mountain. 3/
A thread for the tediously bored.
Bored on a Sunday afternoon, bored with the constant downward spiral of service, quality, professionalism. I've been having some trouble getting any common sense out of my local water company @SES_Business@SESWater 1/
They've been taking our money but failing miserably to account for it, in the sense of sending recognisable invoices and other basic stuff like that.
This extract from their annual accounts may be the reason: 2/
So, in order to work out who I should contact to get something done, I naturally researched the company a little bit. I picked the director who should have had the most concerns about the difficulties I was facing, the Finance and Regulation Director and I wrote to him.