Monday 16 November 2009

Waste

Am I the only one who thinks that Sam Mitchell on Eastenders is a really weird looking women? I don't know why people keep going on about how beautiful she is, to be fair there are much better looking women on Eastenders. Although the Totty standard has dropped in recent years. Gone are the halycon days of Dawn Swan. Tanya Branning is the only remaining eye candy worth noting (I don't count the Mitchell sisters - they are not the Duckman type) and then Tanya is only really a 7/10 on the best of days. But I am jaded, ever since 'Dee' (they never found the body - how did that work, she had a fine pair of built in life preservers?) drowned in neighbours, no other soap opera babe has been able to compare. I live in hope.

I visited a farm today that was storing about 3,ooo tonnes of rice. it was kept in one big heap on a shed floor. this was then being processed and will end up in Uncle Bens and supermarket own boxes all over the country. It was very impressive. But I couldn't help thinking that it could feed a lot of people in the third world for a long time, but sadly a lot of it would end up being chucked in a bin. Do you realise that we waste about 40% of the food we produce in this country? when you see a pile of food big enough to literally ski down it puts things in perspective.

Sunday 15 November 2009

November 15th

Have you ever heard the saying that its the second mouse that gets the cheese? well, I have been the first mouse several times. Obviously I am speaking metaphorically, otherwise I would be dead. Maybe I didn't learn my lesson well enough first time? or am I just thick? - maybe its a combination of the two? answers on a postcard please!

Those of you that know me will know that I have been rather unfortunate with my last two business ventures, and that since then my confidence has taken rather a big hit. However I am now starting to feel my self belief returning just a tinsy bit, the clouds of self pity are starting to clear.

But this time I will not be that first mouse. On a side note, when I was trying to catch a particularly noisy mouse I used mars bars as bait after several weeks using cheese, they seemed to prefer that. Then I discovered that they like peanut butter just as much which was good as I ate the mars bars. Frankly its a bit stereotypical that mice like cheese, this is the naughties and mice have more metropolitan tastes now.

I guess you are wondering what my idea is? keep reading my blog to find out!

Thursday 5 November 2009

Im Pooped!

I am as knacked as a small worm at coffee break time after a busy morning dodging the early bird.

In the last four weeks I have worked an average 75 hour week, with the exception of two days at the Nuffield conference where I had the undescribable pleasure of a 7.30 lay in. However even this minor relief was stolen from me by late nights in the bar and 4 hour drive either way!

But I cannot complain, there are many people worse off than me. I still have my looks, wit and charm. Actually, putting it like that I am in the proverbial!

I am looking forward to the weekend. Its my eldest sons (Master G) 8th birthday on Sunday. Wow. It is amazing how the time has flown by! a couple of weeks after that it is Mrs G's and i's 9th wedding anniversary. Ideas for romantic surprises will be gratefully received. don't let your suggestions be hampered by thoughts of the credit crunch. Just remember that I am a cheapskate!

Now I have completed my Nuffield Scholarship report and presentation I am a little unsure where to go from here. How do I develop this further? I don't want to put the report in the drawer and forget about it. maybe a sideline in agricultural motivational speaking?

Tuesday 3 November 2009

Top class public speaker available for hire!

Last weekend was the Nuffield Winter Conference, where all the brightest and best young minds in British agriculture go to present there hard written reports for 'peer review'. The rest of us went for the beer and to catch up with our mates!

Two full days of sitting listening to other scholar reports gave time for my nerves to build up to a level similar to a fifteen year old boy on a promise. I had decided to approach the event with a less technical, lighter presentation, as I thought most people would be out to impress with deeply intelligent, well considered and balanced reports. Obviously that path was not open to me, so I had to rely on my good looks and charm (not my strongest points either to be fair, so i was kind of out on a limb) In the end I settled for humour to make me stand out. After much care full thought I left out most of the knob jokes and all but one of the terrible puns.

Unfortunately Mrs G had found something more important to do, rather than attend my presentation. When I spoke to her before I left she said something about being busy alphabetising our DVD collection.

Before I knew it I had given my report, and sat back down to thunderous applause, probably caused by the cessation of my pain causing puns, or because it was very close to lunch time, i am not sure which but my ego lapped it up all the same.

if anyone is interested they can view my full report at http://www.nuffieldinternational.org/reports/report.php

Just to boost my ego my report was 'Highly Commended' unfortunately this does not come with a life changing cash prize, or the sort of public accolade that leads attractive girls to throw there underwear at me in the street and beg me to ravish them. However again, the ego accepted it and was duly boosted.

Back in the real world, my grain trading career has yet to reap me a British bank busting bonus, (about 35p i would imagine) however I have just submitted my first ever expenses claim form. I don't have illusions to political office, but if I ever did I feel very confident now about my expense form filling skills not letting the side down.