Friday, March 24, 2006

Team Building Ancient and Modern

Like all couples Mary and I have evolved a private language. For example when we say "I'm out team building this evening" that is coded shorthand for "I am going out drinking and eating with a crowd from work, I may be some time. Eat without me and don't feel you have to wait up." This week I have been "team building" at different ends of the chronological spectrum.

Tuesday was meeting up with old friends from my time at BIS Applied Systems circa 1981 to 1986. We went to Jamie's Bar, Mansion House, the usual suspects were there: Dave Horth, Glen Saunders, Pete Sherwood (my Best Man) and Cosmo Wisniewski. We drank, we ate, we reminisced. A success for New Year's Resolution #4

Wednesday night was a team from my current client project. We went to Porters on my suggestion. It was ages since I went there but the recent reviews are still good. Whilst there it dawned on me that the last time I went there was, in fact, Saturday 23 October 1993: my stag night! Blimey, that was a while back.

My stag night, like Mary's hen night, was a meal with a crowd of around a dozen like-gendered friends. I can't be doing with all this "get completely bladdered and end up stark-b*ll*ck naked, handcuffed to the inter-city express to Edinburgh" rubbish. A relaxed evening with good company is more my style.

Mary's hen do was just down the road so, when they had finished, the girls all came and joined us in Porters for a last drink and then a gentle wobble home. A grand night out.

2 comments:

Ballpoint Wren said...

Heh! Yesterday my man called to say he'd be at an "offsite meeting." This is coded shorthand for, "drinks and appetizers at a local brewery restaurant with a bunch of people on my project."

Mark McLellan said...

"offsite meeting" I can see that usage being a handy addtion to the coded shorthand set.

When I worked in a small office in Weybridge we had six meeting rooms so the local pub, The Pelican became known as "Meeting Room 7".