The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


Given Imitation Is The Sincerest Form Of Flattery …
September 29, 2006, 9:39 am
Filed under: Comment

So as of Monday, I am going to be away for bloody weeks, so there’s going to be a sever lack of updates on this site …. however don’t despair [ahem!] because I leave you with one great big entry for you to enjoy.

[In the unlikely even you need to get hold of me, I’m still on email – unfortunately my trip is almost exclusively for work! Damn.]

A casual acquaintance’s of mine and the wonderful Russell Davies, said he thought we shared a number of common traits …

Both are from ‘the Midlands’

Both get paid for thinking 

Both spend time helping people get in [or out] of the industry 

Both love Nottingham Forest Football Club 

Both could do with ‘losing a few pounds’ [Though I think you look very lovely as you are Russell]   

And while I don’t think five similarities exactly represents ‘a lot in common’, when I gave it some more thought, I realised we have so much in common … we could be [sort-of] twins!Look at the facts … 

Both are men 

Both have names beginning with the letter ‘R’ 

Both have a love of music 

Both have blogs [multiples of] 

Both have started their own companies 

Both have blogs with photos of shoes on it [Mine / Russell’s] 

Both have facial hair 

Both have been to Graceland [though he also went to Dollywood] 

I mean that’s another 8 similarities I came up with in only 27 hours of thinking!!! 

OK, so I am sure Russell is rather disgusted at being mentioned in the same breath as me – let alone being told he has similar ‘traits’ to someone like me – but as he’s a lovely chap, I’m sure he won’t say anything about it PLUS we’re hoping to get him/OIA involved in some projects of ours, so he’s not going to blow it by telling me to piss off, hahaha! 

Anyway, because we have sooooooooooooooooo much in common, I thought I might as well go one step further and try and sort out a regular ‘Coffee Morning’ just like he does – except mine is going to be called  SPEAK  E  A  S  Y  because …  

1. Russell’s is called ‘Coffee Morning’ and I need to start creating my own identity.

2. cynic is starting a research company by that name so it’s early publicity, hahaha  

3. I’m going to invite ‘guests’ from all sorts of industries so we can chat, meet and see what happens. [It also means that if I’m away travelling, these things can still go on] 

4. Eventually it could form some weird ‘training’ course [‘borrowing’ from Russell again!] 

5. You can ask absolutely anything without fear of ridicule 

6. It has abit of an illegal spirit about it – well, it does in Singapore – which I appreciate has no relevance to you lot in the UK, US and Oz.  

Alright … alright … so there is a ‘selfish’ reason for me suggesting we do this. 

Thing is, as much as I absolutely love meeting up /talking with a bunch of you, it’s getting to the stage where I am running out of time for the odd bit of work I have to do … so by arranging a weekly/monthly meeting, we can meet up and chat whilst also stopping my colleagues bitching about me not ‘pulling my weight’.   

Now I appreciate this makes me look a bit of a cock – and I am sorry about that – but I really do want to help out, soooooooooooooooo how about I pencil in some dates and if anyof you are around [or interested]you can pop in and say hello.

[Of course, to make sure I don’t look a complete Billy-No-Mates [if no one turns up] I’ve covered myself by arranging the majority of the below sessions with guys who already do this sort of thing on a regular basis, ha!]

SYDNEY: Tuesday 3rd October @ Canteen Cafe [Balmain] from 12pm – 2pm

NYC: Friday 20th October @ Hampers Cafe [Soho] from 12pm – 2pm [This will be with Andy’s ‘Be Better’ sessions]

SHANGHAI: Wednesday 27th October @ Westin Hotel Bar [CBD] from 12pm – 2pm [This will be with Aimee Chan’s ‘FEEDback’ sessions]

SINGAPORE: Thursday 15th November @ Venue TBC from 12pm – 2 pm [This will probably be with students of SMU]

And if any of you in Singapore want to see the man himself … yes Mr Davies … get yourself along to this conference, it’s bound to be brilliant and far more interesting and entertaining than the rubbish I do.

Now I have checked with our lawyer and apparently I am still safe of being labelled a ‘stalker’ so Russell need not worry – or call the Police.

[Russell, I do hope you take this in the manner it is meant, and I promise not to start a company called IOA – though I should maybe start one called IOU!]


18 Comments so far
Leave a comment

Hi mate,

It would be awesome to meet Russell! Fingers crossed.

Mark

Comment by Mark

has he got photos of you with a sheep or something?
youre not this sweet to anyone, even jill.
in fact i havent seen you so smitten since you met your poodle axe hero, brian may.
get over it or at least get a room.

Comment by andy @ cynic

and did you photoshop your picture?

Comment by andy @ cynic

Well spotted Andy – I didn’t want Russell to be too overwhelmed by my hot looks so I asked the studio to ‘rough me up a little’.

Hmmmmm, ‘rough me up’ … isn’t that why wife number 2 left you?

Comment by Rob

nice comeback. cock.

Comment by andy @ cynic

Unfortunately I dont work for an airline so I wont be making it to any of those meetings..!

Comment by Rob Mortimer

I think Russell will be very happy about that – otherwise he’d feel I’ve ‘stolen his identity’ – except I’d be the ‘basic model’, ha!

Comment by Rob

We’d be up for joining you in Balmain but sadly we won’t be back in town from the long weekend ’til Wednesday.

Comment by Sean G

Oh bugger … I forgot about the long weekend!

Damn …

Mind you, I’m back a month after that so maybe then!?

Comment by Rob

Definitely, sounds great.

Comment by Sean G

Sydney? Shanghai? Come on! Russell would never be so obvious. We all know he has a thing for the worn and weathered. I reckon Russell’s more of a Melbourne and Taipei man myself. Talking of Melbourne, I’m up for a coffee if you’re ever in town.

Comment by Stan Lee

Hahaha … you could be right … though in recent months, hasn’t Russell been to Miami and Budapest? They’re hardly wethered locations – and Melbourne isn’t exactly slumming it, is it?

And whilst I am heading to notoriously ‘glam’ cities – as I am sure you know – once you get under the surface of the ‘cultural-hype’, they’re not very glam at all – infact, that’s when they actually start to become interesting! The people I get to meet have about as much to do with a ‘magazine-lifestyle’ as you can get, which is probably why I like them so much!

Saying all that, I do have to concede my house is in Balmain, Sydney so maybe – according to your definition – I am teensy bit ‘obvious’, ha.

I’m hoping to be in Melbourne in a couple of months, so I’d love to catch up for a coffee – then you can tell me how much of an insult being ‘obvious’ is, haha.

Comment by Robert

12-2pm? Eek. Will try to pop by at lunch! This is exciting- meeting your ‘clone’ and Prof Mark!

Comment by Celeste

You poor, misguided woman! Ha.

Comment by Robert

Ha, let’s see if they have any response to this comment of yours!

Anyway, I will have to see for myself. ;p

Comment by Celeste

Haha … well expect sexist comments if Andy gets back on this site.

Comment by Robert

Hi Robert. I will definitely see you in NY. Looking forward to it.

Comment by Hamish Davids

Finally we shall meet Hamish – looking forward to it and I’ll try and drag George along as I know that’s who you really want to meet, ha!

Comment by Rob




Leave a Reply