The Boys Dun Good
Jeez, I think that's probably been the toughest fortnight of my career. I've had a number of work 'firsts' and I've had to do them all with no balls-ups. All of the different elements of these jobs I'm individually comfortable with, but when I got behind the desk and had to put all of those elements together, I hate to say, my arse almost collapsed.
My colleagues and mentors are very blase about it all. 'Just get on with it, you can do it. Stop fannying around and panicking, and just do it', the most experienced of them says. Another buzzes round the desk over my shoulder, trying to make out that he's not crapping himself that I'm gonna make a mess of it, and trying his best not to arise suspicion in the client that I might not be up to the job he's paying full whack for....
All of these things are easy for them to say, they've been doing it for 30 years, and I've barely been in the job for 8 months! I have really felt the pressure, and I also feel a marked measure of responsibilty for the project and the work I produce. There's nobody at the end to pick up the slack if I can't be bothered, and I feel under pressure to get finished, so much so that I've been staying in after my scheduled hours to finish things. That brings another pressure to bear, as the big yin is starting to moan at me for working extra hours, but I'm just one of these people that hates not finishing things. I'd rather not do a job than take it on in the knowledge that I wont be able to finish it.
Still, that's the hell weeks over, and I've got 3 days before I have to go back in to finish a commentary record, and then 1 more block of four episodes of the programme I regard as my bread and butter, and I'm on holiday!!! They gave me the time off after a bit of a fight with the office. They insisted in calling my senior mixer and asking him if it was alright for me to take the leave. Much to my delight, he said, 'It's Stewart's leave, it's nothing to do with me. If he wants it, then he must have it.' So off I'm heading to Malaga on the 17th of September for a week in a quiet villa. Class.
I'm also really looking forward to one of my best mates coming up from Bournemouth in England to stay. He went away to study at the university there, and I've been down to visit him many times, but he was always so rooked, that he's not been able to afford the flight up here. Now that he's got himself a spiffy new job, he's on his way for his first visit home to Scotland for nearly 4 years! Of course he'll be lodging in the West Wing of Stouffington Towers (if my back room can constitute a wing??) during his visit, so I'm relishing the chance to mull over old times, and go out and get pished, which is always a fun byproduct of the two of us and others getting together!
Just finally before I sign off, I'd like to tip my hat to the Scotland boys, who have started our European Championship 2008 qualifying campaign in top form. Maximum points from our opening 2 games have left us top of the group (the group of death) ahead of France , Italy and Ukraine. Although the chances of us qualifying for the finals is sooo slim in what is undoubtedly the most difficult qualifying section(with the world champions and runners-up and quarter finalists), to get off to such a good start is something that we haven't been doing in recent years. Albeit wins against the Faroe Isles (6-0) and Lithuania (1-2), these were games where we would undoubtedly have slipped up in the last few seasons. And although we have yet to face the mighty France or Italy, our Davidesque stones are fully extended in our catapult, and I sense when the big guns come calling, we'll be ready to do a spot of giant killing!
Alba gu brath!
My colleagues and mentors are very blase about it all. 'Just get on with it, you can do it. Stop fannying around and panicking, and just do it', the most experienced of them says. Another buzzes round the desk over my shoulder, trying to make out that he's not crapping himself that I'm gonna make a mess of it, and trying his best not to arise suspicion in the client that I might not be up to the job he's paying full whack for....
All of these things are easy for them to say, they've been doing it for 30 years, and I've barely been in the job for 8 months! I have really felt the pressure, and I also feel a marked measure of responsibilty for the project and the work I produce. There's nobody at the end to pick up the slack if I can't be bothered, and I feel under pressure to get finished, so much so that I've been staying in after my scheduled hours to finish things. That brings another pressure to bear, as the big yin is starting to moan at me for working extra hours, but I'm just one of these people that hates not finishing things. I'd rather not do a job than take it on in the knowledge that I wont be able to finish it.
Still, that's the hell weeks over, and I've got 3 days before I have to go back in to finish a commentary record, and then 1 more block of four episodes of the programme I regard as my bread and butter, and I'm on holiday!!! They gave me the time off after a bit of a fight with the office. They insisted in calling my senior mixer and asking him if it was alright for me to take the leave. Much to my delight, he said, 'It's Stewart's leave, it's nothing to do with me. If he wants it, then he must have it.' So off I'm heading to Malaga on the 17th of September for a week in a quiet villa. Class.
I'm also really looking forward to one of my best mates coming up from Bournemouth in England to stay. He went away to study at the university there, and I've been down to visit him many times, but he was always so rooked, that he's not been able to afford the flight up here. Now that he's got himself a spiffy new job, he's on his way for his first visit home to Scotland for nearly 4 years! Of course he'll be lodging in the West Wing of Stouffington Towers (if my back room can constitute a wing??) during his visit, so I'm relishing the chance to mull over old times, and go out and get pished, which is always a fun byproduct of the two of us and others getting together!
Just finally before I sign off, I'd like to tip my hat to the Scotland boys, who have started our European Championship 2008 qualifying campaign in top form. Maximum points from our opening 2 games have left us top of the group (the group of death) ahead of France , Italy and Ukraine. Although the chances of us qualifying for the finals is sooo slim in what is undoubtedly the most difficult qualifying section(with the world champions and runners-up and quarter finalists), to get off to such a good start is something that we haven't been doing in recent years. Albeit wins against the Faroe Isles (6-0) and Lithuania (1-2), these were games where we would undoubtedly have slipped up in the last few seasons. And although we have yet to face the mighty France or Italy, our Davidesque stones are fully extended in our catapult, and I sense when the big guns come calling, we'll be ready to do a spot of giant killing!
Alba gu brath!
posted by Stouff at 2:13 am
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