Nothing major really happened during my childhood (apart from a fractured forehead and cheeckbone), various escapades with cigarettes behind the crab apple tree (so that's where it all started!) and being a typical child really. Family holidays were merged in with the annual camp for my Dad's venture scout group - basically being bitten by mosquitos, sitting under wet canvas and of course burying curry on a remote island on Loch Lomond! <wonders if that will be dug up in some future historical escapade!>

I'm sure there were a few experiences I had during childhood that puts a lot of direction and explanation to where and what I am now, but you can't share everything with the virtual traveller online, not everyone coming into my emporium get the "hairdresser treatment".

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The teenage years were probably the personality forming years of my life...based upon an education in a catholic school in the Midlands (I won't name it for fear of retribution by the Catholic Maffia!)..but let's just say, many of my fears and reasons for the way I am now can be distinctly placed on that education. I then moved onto a christian ecumenical school in Loughton Essex for my A-levels and with these qualifications, I went onto Warwick University.

Of course the time I spent at university was also an experience of hard work (YES! - typical of a science degree!), student union balls and multiple peircings and hairstyles (there were some ghastly ones during those Uni days! I tried most things there, never did some of them again, still do others, but it certainly was more than an education in science!

I met loads of friends at Uni, lost touch with most of them after the move down south, most of them are all over the world now, working hard, getting paid lots (some not that much), and occasionally, I wonder if they've ever accidentally stumbled across this site and said "Oh my GOD...I never knew!" In recent months, I have spoken to a few of those old faces, Rootsie, Andy Wheelspoons, Lloydy, Michelle and Tracey

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Following three years postgraduate research (Laser Desorption/Ionisation Mass Spectrometry), I decided that perhaps this wasn't really the thing for me (perpetual student life and academia). Academia can sometimes be just too "special", so I started looking into scientific journalism. I did actually apply for TV presenter of "Tomorrow's World", but what with a pineapple style haircut and piercings that would confuse any airport security scanner, they decided to opt for a safer bet and chose Carol Vorderman! I think their phrase was "we have decided that you are not the youth look that BBC and Tomorrow's World are looking for at the moment." Blah Blah Blah! Thanks but NO THANKS.

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I moved on from that experience of rejection and started working for DeFacto Consultants (now merged and renamed HCC De Facto Group plc). Located in glorious Basingstoke. I started off on technical illustrations, press releases production traffic flow and some basic desk top publishing. There were many ups and downs here, a couple of relocations, but five years on, I was Director of Digital Solutions, heading up their "new media" division of the company. Check out my portfolio...most of those sites are my legacy and when u sit there and chuckle, realise that most of these were developed and created by me and me alone!... The clients were also way too worried about spending too much money, so most sites were done for a few thousand, give or take a few thousand!!

As usual though, my good nature (I work hard and long to do a job right!) was abused, too many hours and not enough job satisfaction created a strange monster, just see below if you don't believe me!

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It was a sad day when I left HCC De Facto. I had made loads of friends there (most of my enemies were on the Board of Directors), and so I said a fond farewell to my friends and packed my suitcase ready for the cruise liner they called SIG (Strategic Interactive Group). <back to top>

It was a bit of a culture shock. In HCC, it wasn't known that I was gay, however, I decided that considering part of the SIG package was "health package for spouse or same sex equivalent" I had a slight feeling that they were a bit more politically correct at SIG! The first person to greet me on my boarding was Gary (also one of the "boyz") and that was the start of a stunning friendship.

I started at SIG as a Senior New Media Analyst, but worked hard, got promoted to New Media Manager and more recently, had another promotion heady heights of Associate Director (Interactive Marketing & Delivery Management).

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SIG (Digitas as it is now) is a company that has many interesting traits, most of which I shouldn't mention, but one thing it's done for me is brough me more out of my shell. People may say cocky or stubborn.... I'd like to call it confident and assertive! Whatever you call it, I stand on my own two feet and do what I do best! I can't guarantee I'm going to stay here forever, life would be boring if we were monogamous with our employment. And that doesn't mean I haven't been tempted or courted either...just in case you start thinking the worst!

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Well I finally did it in February of this year! I moved from dreary, dull Basingstoke (or Boringsnooze) to a livlier Reading! There are some thumbnails of my new place in the gallery section, and I intend to udate this with the full pictures as soon as I get the time!

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Still in Reading, still working in London (www.publicis.co.uk) and looking to click my heels three times and head for the bright lights and whizzy sounds of the city! Reading has been a good home to me, but needs must when the devil calls and sometimes, you just know it's time to move on, try new experiences and grow that bit more in life.....