I am really looking forward to going on a little Holiday with Claire, Alli, Lisa, Katrina, Ben, Julie and Sam. We are leaving tomorrow morning to go to all stay in a little cottage in Port Scatho, Cornwall for a week. I am so excited I have written a little song:

We’re all going on a Cornwall holiday,
no more DSL links for a week near Looe,
fun and laughter on a Cornwall holiday,
lots of pasties for me and you,
for a week near Looe.

We’re going where the sauna glows brightly,
We’re going where the pool is blue,
We’ve seen it on the t’internet,
now lets see if it’s tru-ooo-oo-e.

JCALKBJS are havin a Cornwall holiday,
Doing things they always wanted to,
So we’re going on a Cornwall holiday,
Nice tea with creams will do,
For me and you.

Just pray the car gets fixed, it is currently in the garage getting the power steering fixed and we need it to drive there!

“The true Cornish way to eat a pasty is to hold it in the hand, and begin to bite it from the opposite end to the initial, so that should any of it be uneaten it may be consumed later by its rightful owner.” –Cornish Recipes Ancient and Modern 23rd edition with supplement by the Cornwall Federation of Women’s Institutes

I am currently traveling in a mini bus, along with my work team to Nottingham to play in the Virgin Media Touch Rugby tournament, we were all up at crazy early time this morning, it is now 7:56 (according to Chris Moyles, Radio 1) and we are half way up the M1 (You can work out what time we had to leave Basingstoke this morning!).

For the past few weeks we have all been training after work on Wednesdays, now each with finely tuned bodies we (the ‘Data Dawgs’) are ready to win the Touch Rugby trophy!

Touch Rugby is basically a softer breed of rugby, each game is 7 mins long, to tackle you just have to touch the opponent with two hands, it is mixed gender and the pitch is half the size. Never the less it is still a very energetic and fast game, and, after a day of playing we will all really enjoy the relief of a cool pint of beer at the award ceremony tonight in the pub courtesy of the company .

I am a little apprehensive at what is in store in only a few hours, all I need to do is wake up and simply enjoy the sun, remembering to drink lots of water and pace myself. Should be a great day, the team spirit is already high singing rugby songs in the bus.

“If you get there before I do; Comin’ for to carry me home; Tell all my friends I’m comin’ too; Comin’ for to carry me home.” –Song: Sweet Chariot

This is the third blog entry in which I will continue to write about what I have been doing over the years, this time I will write about what I have been up to since school (1997->1999).

I finished Cavendish School in 1997 (GCSE Grades 4 C’s, 2 B’s, 1 A and an F), and went onto study A-Level Maths and Advanced GNVQ IT at ECAT (Eastbourne College of Arts and Technology), at the time taking 2 subjects seemed a good idea, but it soon became apparent that I could not keep up the two courses, combined with the fact that I was rubbish at maths I dropped the A-Level Maths.

I really loved my 2 college years, it was such a change from the regimented school system, relaxed classes, intermittent games of Pool, no uniform, no exams and what seemed like constant sunshine! I guess that some of these fond memories have been exaggerated slightly, and as I have gotten older and taken on more responsibility those days seemed so easy.

I had two part time jobs during college, the first working in a computer shop fixing PC’s selling software etc. The second job was working at Homebase DIY store, a job which I continued in for many more years! Although these jobs did not pay much money I did somehow keep managing to build new mountain bikes and then get then stolen, I guess this was because at college I did not have a car, house, wife, food etc. to pay for, and at that time was still living at home with my parents.

As I have already mentioned games of pool featured heavily in my college life, sneaky in-between class trips to the local David Lloyds centre, trips to the Pool Hall in town and evening games in the pub, I did get quite good, I have no doubt lost it now!

Time at ECAT did fly by, and before I knew it I was applying to universities and planning career paths. I applied to three universities, Brighton, Bournemouth and Portsmouth, and got accepted into Portsmouth. I have written about my time after college in the previous blog entry in which I write about how I got my chin chopped off!

“Nice to see you, to see you Nice” –Bruce Forsyth

This is the second blog entry in which I will continue to write about what I have been doing over the years, this time I will write about what I have been up to since college (1999->2003).

I left ECAT (Eastboutne College of Arts and Technology) in 1999 with a Advanced GNVQ in IT and moved off to Portsmouth University to study a degree in Computer Science. Of course my first year at University was a bit of a culture shock, innocent, unable to cook and still not sure what to do with my hair! My first memory of attending University lectures was getting soaked in the October rain. A enthusiastic fresher, I took full advantage of the ‘freshers fair’ grabbing every free object being handed out and signing up to various clubs and societies many of which I never again attended. However one club I did regularly attend throughout my University life was the Mountain Biking Club, going out twice a week getting muddy and occasionally entering competitions.

During my first couple of years of University I did still kept up with Venture Scout activities, going on hikes, camps, etc., although I never made an attempt to join a unit in Portsmouth. I did travel to Kenya with a group of Venture Scouts from Sussex to help the children living on the streets build a school - a very rewarding experience. In my later years at University I did end up loosing contact with the Scout movement, which I today sometimes regret as I reminisce.

Being a student I needed as many pennies as I could get hold of and so I kept up my part time job working at Homebase DIY store, transferring between Eastbourne and Portsmouth stores between university years. I strangely enjoyed working there, and am still 100% Homebase loyal, much to my friends amusement.

I did have to re-take my second year at university because I failed a couple of exams and wanted to make sure I had reasonable grades in order to get a good work placement. In this ’second-second’ year I had ‘the chop’!… Yes! I had 2 operations to get my larger then average lower jaw reduced, the feature which caused me to be nick-named “Chinny”, “Jimmy Hill” and “Brucey” at school is gone! The main reason for having this done was not for cosmetic reasons but to help my teeth meet correctly and enable me to bite properly. When I returned back to University after the first operation some of my friends did not recognise me at first glance as my chin is now ‘normal’.

For my third year at University I went on a year long industry work placement. I moved to Swindon to work for Intel, and, for the first time getting a proper salary (but have no real idea where I squandered most of it by the end!) returning back to university for my final year, which I have written about in the previous blog entry.

“A MAN, A PLAN, A CANAL: PANAMA” –Palindrome

For the next few blog entries I am going to try and write three updates describing what I have been doing with my life over the years, the plan is to send these blog entries to as many of my old contacts and friends as I can, to let them know what I have been up to. The hope is that that I may hear back from some of them and also find out what they are doing. This first update will focus on the years spanning from the beginning of my final year at University (2003->Now).

After my industrial work placement at Intel in Swindon I returned back to Portsmouth to complete my degree in Computer Science, it was a very hard year during which I had my head permanently planted in my laptop typing my dissertation on the subject of wireless computer networking. In the middle of my final year I started seeing, my now wife, Claire, who was a great girlfriend who really encouraged me through my final months of studying and exams.

I graduated in 2004 with a 2:1 degree BSC(Hons), I was ready to take on the world! In actual fact I was not ready at all, I really found the transition from student life to grown-up life extremely difficult, I did not know what to do with myself, I could not find a job and I had no money - I had ‘post university blues’, a condition which I feel is not documented or recognised as much as it ought to be!

Still living in Portsmouth I did have two part time jobs, the first doing some web design work for a couple of companies, the second looking after disabled children, neither of which paid extremely well, but the rewards of looking after the kids far outweighed the money.

In September 2005 Claire and I got engaged and I also finally got my feet on the real IT jobs ladder, initially working for a company driving around the south of England supporting Cisco networks, a job which almost killed me driving long distances and stupid hours. This was swiftly followed by a new job working for NTL (now Virgin Media) as a ‘Capacity Planning Engineer’.

In May 2006 Claire and I got married and we are happily renting a tiny little flat in the center of Portsmouth. My beautiful wife graduated from Southampton University the year before I did, she now works at the local hospital as a ‘Medical Laboratory Assistant’ testing blood. I am still working for Virgin Media based in Hook and am looking forward to the spring so I can once again enjoy the hour long drive to and from work in daylight.

I really would love to hear back from any of my old colleagues and friends, how you are doing and what you are up to. Please do leave me a comment below even if it is just a quick hello!

“I made a noise like this: hua-hua-hua-huaaaaaaa - and then I dumped it over the side, all over the people in the audience. And then, this was horrible, all the people started getting sick and throwing up all over each other. I never felt so bad in my entire life.” –Chunk, The Goonies Film

This week I am staying away from home in a hotel in London, I am here because I am on another CCNA training course. This time NTL have paid for the course, including hotel, travel and food expenses. I am doing this course again because it was over a year ago since I last attempted the exam and I needed a refresh - I am determined to pass this time!

I am really not enjoying being away from home and my beautiful wife, this is the longest Claire and I have been apart since we got married. I do not like sleeping in a single bed on my own, I do not like waking up on my own, I have a phobia about getting around the busy city, I do not like coming back to the hotel alone, I do not like having limited internet access and I really get freaked eating out alone. I can not wait to get back home!

On the positive side I am now over half way through the week, the course is really good and it is comforting to know that I have not forgotten much of it, I am starting to feel the effects of brain overload setting in.

I love you Claire!

“Take? me home; country roads; to the place I belong” –John Denver, Song: Country Roads

It strikes me, that when I Blog I do so about a large selection of geek subjects, but not a great deal about myself! So here, this time I will devote this whole Blog entry to me…

Now a happily hitched man, I can firmly say that married life is amazing! Since getting wed over 3 months ago, Claire and I have become even more in love, of course things have changed in both our lives as we adjust to living with each other, but changed for the better! It is quite extraordinary how we both adore to meet each others needs, this, I guess is the whole reason why marriage is such a good thing, because you are constantly thinking of the other person you naturally become closer. As time goes by we learn more and more about each other and our little habits, as Claire has already shared about in a previous Blog entry, many of our ‘features’ soon become cute, and I would imagine we would miss them if one of us stopped.

On the Job front, I am still working at NTL:Telewest and am very happy to be in such a great team. Although at times I do get a little square eyed from looking at the hundreds of tiny little boxes of Microsoft Excel, and sometimes things are a bit laborious, but the I think to myself “This is a company which I have always wanted to work for, and a job which gives me really great experience, and a position that uses my skills and interests”, I like my job!.

My family, I love them all lots! It is strange, having left home nearly 7 years ago, I increasingly feel that my relationship with my parents is growing and I am really proud of both of them. I no longer see my Dad a big ogre but now just take the Micky out of him, he weekly goes out on the hills with the Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team, a group of people dedicated to reach out to those who are depressed and suicidal and bring them a bit of hope and love. I really love my Mum for her guidance, I credit a great deal of my domestic training to her, she is currently studying hard to improve her IT skills in order to further her career as a teacher and she is doing really well. As for my legendary brother, he is now living up in Scotland, he is working for YFC (Youth For Christ) and is doing amazing work with the sometimes rough and tumble youth of Inverness, he goes into schools and churches spreading the word of Jesus, along with some more hope and love.

My friends, well that is another story but in a nutshell I am a happy chappy, I have a beautiful wife, go to a great church, have a good job, great parents and amazing friends. Thank you guys!

“Your letter was only the start of it; One letter and now you’re a part of it; Now you’ve done it, Jim has fixed for it you, and you and you and you-ou-ou.” –Jim’ll Fix It Theme Tune

It is a bit scary sometimes as I think to myself that I am part of a big wheel turning around the roads of Hampshire. Each morning, as I have been driving to work, I have been noticing that many of the events along my journey are identical, this is not to surprising when you think that, like me, everyone else has their exact morning routines also. Just to enlighten you I will try and describe my observations (who knows, a reader of this blog may be part of my routine and unknowingly, our wheels may join for a brief moment in time every morning!)…

• 7.22 Leave house for work (meant to be 7.15 but I am never on time).
• 7.32 Get to top of Eastern Road, going around roundabout, more often than not there is a Shell Petrol Van 3 cars ahead waiting with me in the roundabout traffic lights. Drive up the A3(M).
• 7.46 Get to junction towards Alton and 2 mins up the road there is always a white Transit van parked on the side of the road with it’s hazard lights on partially blocking the road.
• 8.00 Get to crossroads where I turn right and go up a hill, half way up the hill I regularly get stuck behind the same slow moving Onyx rubbish lorry which I soon overtake.
• 8.15 Get to Alton, drive round outskirts of town where there is a young lady with a suit with short skirt and black tights walking along the exact same stretch of country lane (even in the freezing cold!).
• 8.20 Through a little village not far from Hook, there is a girl waiting for a bus outside the pub, 8.21 I meet a schoolbus at a junction and depending on how I am feeling I let it out.
• 8.26 Drive over a little bridge where there is a man towing bread in the stream at the ducks.
• 8.33 Arrive at work - the transition to work routine begins! My only saving grace on this morning drive to work, has been Sir Terry Wogan on Radio 2, keeping my sanity in some kind of working condition.

Do you have a morning routine also?

“Sometimes it’s a chicken; Sometimes it’s a chair; Sometimes it’s a piece of cheese Suspended in the air” –THE MEANING OF LIFE, Edward Monkton

As winters icy fingers steal the hours of daylight from our lives, I am ever increasingly getting frustrated by the retail industry persistent pulling Christmas forward even earlier in the year. Don’t get me wrong I am not a scrooge, I love Christmas and think it is an amazing and special time for all the family, what I don’t like is the shops stretching Christmas out like some kind of rubber band, giving you a feeling of “I can’t wait until this is all over with” when the real Christmas actually comes. If I were able, I would make it law that shops are not allowed to start Christmas until after mid November, of course this judgment may also be affected by my increasing age.

As for general Jimbo life… The job at NTL is going well, and I have an impressive job title of “ADSL Data Planning Engineer”. Claire and I are finding that preparation for our wedding is not a breeze when you only have 7 months left, we are getting there tho. We have booked the venue, hotel, dress and registrar. But we still have a lot to do including photographer, catering, guest list etc. After a visit to a wedding fair yesterday we both came away feeling stressed as everybody is exclaiming “ooo, you haven’t got long left you better get it booked!” but we are trying to keep a calm head.

Went to the London Science Museum this weekend with Claire, Alli, Cwaig, Simon, Jane, Dave, Graham and Helen and had a great time learning and interacting with all the funky, techy, geeky stuff. After the museum went straight to a surprise birthday party for Dave which Emma had been secretly preparing while we were away in London, a game of charades was inevitable.

“If what you believe does not reflect the truth, what you feel will not reflect reality” –Freedom in Christ Discipleship Course

I went for a run yesterday! Prompted by a few factors:

1) I am attempting to get fit again!
2) It is spring and the sun beckons me outside.
3) I want to use my spare time wisely.
4) It always sets me up for a good day when I get up earlier and do something constructive.

I went for a good long run across Milton common, along the seafront to Southsea pier, it was a really nice run and it felt really good until…. the next morning! I woke up this morning aching all over and still with the remnants of the cold symptoms from the beginning of the week. I had every intention to go for another healthy run or cycle today but couldn’t get the motivation together. Instead I sat in my room all day learning a few cool effects that you can do with Adobe Photoshop.

What I have learnt recently: Photoshop effects… The first which I call “dot art” was achieved by using the Gaussian Blur filter then the Pixilate -> Color Half Tone filter. The second cool effect of “flying blocks” was achieved by using the Stylize -> Extrude filter.

“You realize the sun doesn’t go down, it’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning around.” –The Flaming Lips, Song: Do You Realise?

So… I have become slightly more interested in blogging since I saw its potential to help me remember things. I have also started looking further into some of the technical standards which have arisen from blogging, such as RSS, TrackBack and Wikis. My past week has been a bit ’same-old-same-old’ really, I am still trying to find a job, I do have one potential job on the horizon with a wireless broadband provider in Alton, I will hopefully hear back from them by the end of the month, although I should still really be searching through the job websites today. This weekend I went up to visit my friend Joe in Coventry, it was really good to see him, we went out pubbing, DVD shopping, generally caught up on goings-on and I distracted him from doing his university dissertation which is due in this coming Friday (ahhh the memories of my dissertation as I look back to a year ago on my JLSNet news/blog!). Since coming back, I have acquired a nasty cold/flu bug which was possibly incubated by the long, hot and stuffy train journey back from Coventry. What I have learned: Coventry City has had 3 cathedrals.

“Helped by the Young Lions, The Old Lion Defies His Foes - Enlist Now.” –British WWI Poster - Artist-Arthur Wardle