Long

Long shadows on a long day.

I was up at 5.00 after four hours sleep, ready to catch the first train up to Newcastle for a three day conference. The first surprise of the day was finding a former colleague from my last work was booked into the seat next to me for the journey up, so we were able to catch up.  Then a busy day of sessions and a few hellos to folk in my not very well maintained networks.

This is a conference that I used to attend and present at regularly, certainly in the 2002-2012 period. About five years ago I stepped back from the circuit, but my new work is keen for me to get out to such things so here I am again. My strategy for staying the course for the three days is not to go to the evening events. I now have a much clearer idea as to why  I used to struggle so much at conference dinners in maintaining the intensity of social engagement, so I just give myself permission to step back.

For an alternative evening activity I hot footed it down to the train station and traveled down the Durham coast to Billingham for my first football of the 19/20 season. Billingham Town were hosting near neighbours Hartlepool United. The class of the higher ranked team shone though, and Hartlepool ran out 4-0 winners.

I had a few stressful run-ins with local kids on my way to and from the ground which took the shine off the evening, but the fine views over the North Sea relaxed me again.

And I forgot to mention, Billingham Town have the best floodlights (see a few photo extras on Twitter.)