What d'ya think?

Just wrapping up a site for my father, he of the olde driving instructor worlde back in Blighty. A profession that is clearly, er, lacking, in the Holy Land. But if you were looking for driving lessons in Eastbourne (suntrap of the south), would this site do it for you? Clean, professional and easy to contact, those were the main criteria. No flashy bits and bobs...

Back into the fast lane. Of corridors.

Hell on wheels.

Well, that's what it feels like to get back into Corridor Land world, which shall now be rephrased Cubicle Corner. However much I try to convince myself, I ain't made for sitting in cubicles and listening to politically correct discussions about work and boring TV shows and cats. It's not that the people I work with are nasty or anything - although I did manage to raise the wrath of the Super Geek here for having the audacity to question why a document was given a specific name, oh dearie me - it's just that I know it ain't the environment for me. An example: at lunch last week I was just cringing as the guys in my team went over the fine points of Microsoft's usability...as the table of Israelis next to us discussed the intricacies of Messi's goals for Barcelona. I'm guessing you know where I'd rather have been sitting...

What's also a killer is the commute. I'm now some 2.5 hours on the road every day, which is eating into my quality time with the kids. I miss picking them up from the kindergarten, taking them to see the lambs, or standing on the sidelines as my boy takes football lessons...

Having said all that, things are moving along in the background, as they usually do with me, and I'm quite prepared to jump ship at the drop of a hat. I had a very interesting chat last night with a guy who used to work at the original Corridor Land. I've been helping his startup out now and again and now it looks like they have some money to invest in some writing work. And my next door neighbor and I (he's also a hi-tech refugee) are having weekly beer sessions trying to fathom out ways to make some cash on the Internet. We think we might have twigged onto something...

One day it's gonna happen, I tell ya!

So that was 2009...

...and it was quite an eventful year for us anglosaxies. The biggest event of the year happened in the final month, a certain new addition to the ranks at anglosaxy castle. Here he is, little JuniorMarkII, otherwise known as Daniel.

He has brought a certain amount of action to the house, and, er, a few sleepless nights. But he's a great little kid, pretty relaxed and doing great.

We also moved out of Tel Aviv. Oh yes, The City That Never Sleeps is now having truly sleepless nights, as the Galilee welcomed us with open arms into the cradle of moshav living. We moved two months ago, and from what I've seen so far, I like it A LOT. The kids are having a great time too, and the missus is very happy, so all's good...

Work-wise I haven't stepped back into the pits of a corridor for quite a few months. I've been doing freelancing gigs here and there, and building up the world famous igoogledisrael.com (see the best posts of 2009 here). I also worked on something over the summer connected with Twitter, but thanks to some stupid, stupid developers, I ended up wasting way too much time on it without any real results. Never mind. Unfortunately, it looks like I might have to step back into the depths of corridordom, and with an offer on the table from a particularly big company, I might have to take it. Tis all about the money innit.

Anyway, this blog will continue, just for the 3 people who sometimes drift by. Posts won't be regular but because Google loves this site, it will get updated. For those of you who understand, then great, for those of you who don't, just ignore this paragraph.

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Blimey! Another thrilling episode in my tale of how I ended up in Israel!

You can tell Christmas is coming, eh? I'm about to unpack the tinsel and Christmas tree, but first had to get this episode off my chest: Episode 11 of How I ended up in the Holy Land. But I promise, not a mention of Christmas, not even once...

And an early Christmas present for all my readers - this is me, back then, looking moody and magnificent. Nowadays it's less of the magnificent and more of the moody!

The saga continues of how I ended up in Israel...

Here's yet another episode - Part 10 - of just why I ended up in the Holy Land and stayed...this time it's back to something familiar, but with exciting stuff just round the corner...

Ninja Girl gonna get you!

The story of how I ended up in Israel continueth...

Oh yes, even more good stuff about some pasty white English lad landing in the Holy Land. And staying. So it's time for Part 9 - the summer of 93! The best summer of my life!

Madonna's concert in Tel Aviv: a review

So, the Queen of Pop paid Israel a little visit this week. In fact, she's still here. So Mads, if you're reading, nice job love! And can I touch those biceps?

Seriously, a knockout concert, the lady knows how to put on a performance. If you have the chance to catch her live, go and see her (although you'll have to wait for the next World Tour now, as the Tel Aviv gigs were the last of her tour). I was well impressed.

And here's the full review of the Madonna concert in Tel Aviv over at igoogledisrael.com, go check it out.

That time again. Are you sitting comfortably?

Time once more for another episode of my tale of how I ended up in the Holy Land, episode 8! Bleedin' 'eck, is it ever going to end?? Read it and weep baby!

I believe I can fly!

School is out. For good.

Well, that's it for the old English school in smallsville. I packed up this last week and finally lugged the yellow sofa out with a friend's MPV. I peeled off the branded window posters lovingly created by the missus, even swept the floor. But...there's nobody moving in to take over.

I couldn't find somebody to take it on even with the potential that is there in smallsville. Should have taken that big cash offer I had a few months ago, but you live and learn. I thought the business was worth more than the offer, so didn't snap it up.

And there's nobody taking over the lease of the shop, so the landlord is left footing the bill for the foreseeable future. The Recession has kicked in at smallsville, although the numbers of people wanting to learn English has not dropped. It really is a recession proof business, especially the kiddies market.

But for me, right now, it's not the right business. Maybe in the future, who knows. I've probably got all the tools to start it up again, much faster and much better. We shall see.

Meanwhile, I've saved all the best students for one afternoon a week, either sat in coffee shops or at their homes. Might just have to drink a beer and teach English at the same time...damn shame.

How I ended up in Israel - Episode 7!

Wow, episode 7 - is this ever going to end?! Some more good stuff, this time how and why I make an unexpected return to England. And not a deportation paper in sight! Enjoy!

My new baby

Being without regular employment takes some getting used to, especially after being pampered for the last 10 years in hi-tech. But hey, I'm enjoying it. And again, hats off to Corridor Land, who helped pay for this little thing below, because no employment means no company car means we had to go out and buy one...it's a Mazda Premacy, by the way.

Echoes from a corridor

Say what you want about Corridor Land, and hey, let's face it, I pretty much did, they have surprised me for the good yet again this week. Yes indeed, Corridor Land.

Let's say I was a little surprised when my bank called and said I had a dollar deposit in my account, and wanted to know if I'd like to convert it to shekels. I asked "Who the feck is sending me dollars, and so many of them?" and was delighted to hear her spell out the name in English - "C-o-r-r-i-d-o-r-L-a-n-d".

Apparently the options I bought upon leaving the place had come to fruition and that meant another chunk of cash in my bank account. This is the last one though, unfortunately. Full of shit they may have been, but administratively they run a tight ship, you've gotta admit.

I would of said the drinks are on me, but my overdraft swallowed it all up. Sorry innit.

4 The Dude

Today my boy hits the ripe old age of 4. Pic below isn't the best quality, but it's the best I have from his 4th birthday party in the kindergarten. Junior, you are the dudest dude I know, I hope you have a great great day and get all the presents you want (he actually received them all already!).
Love you loads,
Daddy anglosaxy

How I ended up in Israel...And stayed. Part 6!

As promised, more tales from my early days in the Holy Land, now we've reached Part 6. This time Saddam is defeated, but another Iraqi threat looms on the horizon...

Catch up

OK, so it's hot and sticky round here, innit. And I have some personal shit going down which is limiting my time a little and taking away a bit of the focus that I thought I'd have. News to come on all that, but until I get the nod from the guys in black suits, I can't let you know. Could be good news, could be bad, it's kind of all in the balance as we speak.

Had one of the hardest days of my life a couple of weeks ago when juniorette had to go in for a biopsy and they knocked her out for a few minutes. Ain't ashamed to say I had a tear in my eye when I left her on the hospital bed with her eyes rolling back as the anaesthesia took hold. Feckin' hard, I can tell you. A big respect goes out to all those parents who have really sick kids. My little princess looks like she has Celiac, which basically means a gluton-free diet for the rest of her life. Final confirmation on that next week. But Celiac is definitely a lot easier than some ailments out there, so we're not too upset, it's more of a learning mission on what foods she can and can't eat. We'll get there.

I have a fair amount of free time, which I'm devoting to the Internet and some freelancing here and there. And I can't wait to have the kids finish kindergarden this summer. The beach and my kids are so going to love each other this August!

That free time involves trying desperately to keep to a daily routine on the igoogledisrael.com site and blog, which is almost holding up amid ever-growing numbers. Much higher numbers than I ever got here on anglosaxy by the way...and I'm also dreaming of launching a footie site all about English footie and footballing wives, but it's a question of time. If anyone fancies joining forces with me on it, I'd be willing to strike up some kind of partnership to get it kicked off. Let me know if you're interested.

And no, not even looking for a "proper" job. After being humiliated by geeks anonymous at an interview at one of the big boys, I don't want to force myself into that shit again. Only if I really really have to...a long way down the road...

Yalla, off to write Part 6 of my adventures...will post a link here when I'm done.

Part 5 of my tale of how I ended up in Israel. Time for the Scuds!

Time for a return to the days of Saddam Hussein and Scuds and gas masks. And plenty of beer and feeding calves on moshavs. Here's Part 5 of my story of how I got to Israel, and stayed.

There's more! Part 4 of my story of how I ended up in Israel

Time for yet another episode of love and, er, travelling on boats. Here's Part 4 of my story of how I got to Israel, and stayed. Offers invited for screenplays, as long as Bar Refaeli is cast as my first Israeli girlfriend.

High as a kite