The Automatic

Went to see the automatic the other night at our SUBU nightclub - The Old FireStation, and it was a bit of a let down. I saw them there in my first year, got squashed at the front of the crowd and may have indulged in a little bit of the mosh pit, but this time round I sat on the side with a beer and enjoyed the show.

I say enjoyed, really it was a bit lacklustre. They were obviously reeling from the loss of Adam Pennie, the scream-y shout-y one, and this affected their performance. He was a performer and I felt a little bit sad for the smaller crowd who had gathered to see the band this time round.

But for the good points, and there were a couple. With no Pennie breaking into Gold-Digger, it was up to former Yourcodenameis:milo frontman Paul to stand in his spot, and quite frankly that wasn't good enough.

But enough about that, my full review from the gig will be online soon enough, just as long as I get pictures up in time!

Catcherlater,

Jamie :)

So all you've seen is my work...

I thought you may be getting a little fed up of just seeing my work. But truth is i've been busy. Almost typed busty, and that I most definately am not.

But yeah, I've been busy. I'm lucky enough to be quite flexible with my life, but recently I've had deadlines coming out of my ears, and a part time job to afford those deadlines, so i haven't really had much free time. I've been on conferences for journalists, went to the Periodicals Training Council Awards on Friday, and have been thoroughly enjoying the life of a journalist. But it's only now that I realise I've missed out on the one thing I really enjoy, and that's writing.

It'll get better though, because I will do my print project next year where I'll write a feature on something I want to do it on, rather than having to do it, but I can't wait to write for a living. Because even my Disso isn't 100% fun. It's about 50% fun and 50% effort. It's on a topic I love, Objectivity, but there's still the problem that it's an academic piece and needs relevant references and literature to back it up, which makes it a little bit boring and in turn makes my heart sink a little.

But it can be fun, becuase I will do the research on what I want to do. Just noticed I put "I WILL DO THE RESEARCH", i think that's a personal threat to myself rather than just subconcious writing. But I need to knuckle down and get on with it, so I can get a decent job. I've already passed my NCTJ for 60wpm Shorthand, and to those of you who think that's gobbledeegook then wait till you see the actual shorthand...

But for now this will be the only outlet where I can be me and write. And I promise to do so, when i'm not booking interviews, capturing footage or learning law. And when i'm not getting beaten by James on Pro Evo. :I

Oh yeah, and a little P.S.(Although the postman does not actually send this) - I took part in a world record the other day, which was an excuse to wear bright red ladies tights - not the nicest experience but you should see the certificate!

Mr Turnaround

After taking on a garage from his parents, Steve Knight has almost single-handedly revitalised the company. Here, he tells Jamie Fretwell about 30 years of Deepcut Garage.

“I tried to delegate once, hired a secretary, but she stole the best part of £100,000”

A slight smirk appears across Steve Knight’s tanned face. Not just because he has to do yet another interview, but more that upon arranging our meeting, I actually crash my car and not only require his time, but also his services. Tell this man “Blue Clio” and his automated reply is “not again”.
“Usually I’d give a customer a company courtesy car, to use until the repair work is done,” he gloats, “but the insurance wouldn’t cover those they class as ‘accident-prone’.”
However, times have not all been rosy for Steve in the driving department. He once bought a Porsche 911 Turbo (“1989, a really lovely car”) and before even getting it home, slammed it into a tree going round a roundabout a tad fast. “I literally pushed the pedal a little bit too much, and BOOM, Turbo-á-la-tree.”
Sensing common ground, it would appear that Steve relaxes a little, as he slides back and settles down into the black leather recliner salvaged from an old BMW. “I’ve done so many interviews, people all seem to ask the same questions,” he says, as he continues to slide back and down what would have taken pride of place behind a Bavarian steering wheel once upon a time. The thirty-four year old adopts a managerial role, in a spacious office overlooking the forecourt of the Head Office.
He has a lot to look over too. Since Brian and Brenda Knight bought the company in 1977, the business has stretched to accommodate two new sites, one in Mychett, which opened in 1996, and one in Lightwater, which opened later in 1999. Steve plays down the growth of the garage, saying it is down to natural expansion, but professionally, he has taken a giant stride that has put him well ahead of all his peers and competition. “The company has been developed to within an inch of its life, being modernised and everything, and it’s not an easy thing to do, I’ve taken some considerable risks.”
Boy, have these risks paid off though. Now, as Director of the company, he earns between £70k and £90k a year, (“I spend it wisely”). However, for this he has to look after three sites, six business properties, 35 staff cars, 65 courtesy cars and 48 employees. Not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination.
“I did once try to delegate, by hiring a secretary, but she stole the best part of £100,000 from us so now I keep a close eye on my staff.” A low in his career, this is one of the only times Steve would describe as things not going swimmingly for him. “The rest of the time it’s been quite good. You have to remember; we were originally a small village garage with four staff, run by my mum and dad. Now we own three sites, specialise in MOT Testing and Accident repair, and we have links with insurance companies and regular customers. These things take time to develop but once they’re established they become almost integral to our business’s success.”
It’s quite some success. The advantage of this immense success is a nice lifestyle. He doesn’t deny that the garage industry is very male dominated (“that’s why I have an attractive blonde woman sat on the front desk to answer the phone, greet the customers and make the tea for the lads”). Steve’s lifestyle consists of an Audi Cabriolet, a large house and three other properties, which he rents out. “I wouldn’t change it for anything. Well. Not yet anyway. I’d like to downsize a little, make my life a little bit easier, but the company is moving in different directions and changing all the time, it’s not easy. You’re constantly aware of your changing environment, the changing technology and just constantly trying to better yourself.”
It seems nothing in his life is easy though. His first foray into employment failed, hence working for his parents, and his first marriage didn’t last long either. “That [marriage] was possibly the only regret of my life. I try to take enough risks to get a good result, and if people want a good result they have to work for it, it doesn’t just come easily.”
For now though, Steve is content. Work is being done to his word, and he is keeping a close eye on his finances. “I try to balance myself out with everything. I’ve got one good business, one nice house, both in a nice place. I’m happy with that.”

Relative Values: Adelaide Allen and her sister, Georgina

Adelaide Allen has always been close to her younger sister, but has started University 150miles away and is testing the theory “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” to the limit. Now 20, she only sees sister Georgina every 3 months, a stark contrast from living in each other’s pockets for 14 years.

Georgina went to the same school, did the same work experience, and even had the same hobbies as her elder. Moving from The South East to The Midlands meant there wasn’t much time for developing friendships, and so the two relied on each other. As Georgina turns 16, Adelaide thinks to herself how time has flown by.

"We’ve been through a lot; mum and dad’s divorce, moving house and the hardest my move to university, but like a true pair, we always make the most of it."

ADELAIDE: George and I are like chalk and cheese. Mum used to always say we’re like snow white and rose red. Her dark eyes, dark hair, fiery character opposes me completely!

She was a right little madam, and that’s saying it lightly! Like the saying says ‘when she was good, she was very very good but when she was bad she was horrid’- that was George down to a tee. Saying that though, she’s my little gem, I’d do anything for her, even if she is screaming at me!

Most people probably wouldn’t say their little sister’s influenced them, or at least they wouldn’t admit it, but yeah, she’s influenced me loads! If you met us, you’d soon realise she’s the dominant one, in fact there’s many a time she’s reduced me to tears, but don’t tell her that! I’ll always back down in an argument, but I think that’s a given when you’re up against Miss Allen.

Her attitude isn’t always a bad thing though, she’s got quite a mouth on her, but she’s funny with it. I remember a time on holiday, it was hilarious, when the quick witted 5 year old, put my stepbrother in his place, despite him being ten years her elder. She’s a little legend! We’ve been through a lot; mum and dad’s divorce, moving house and the hardest my move to university, but like a true pair, always make the most of it. She’ll go far, that’s a given, a straight A student, great singer and an awesome dancer, she shines in every way possible.

I’ll always remember the moment I felt most proud of her; she was on stage in the West End, doing her thing to Santa Baby and in all honesty if she hadn’t have been wearing a purple dress, leopard print gloves an a feather boa to add comedy, a tear would’ve been shed. I’d like to think she’s proud of me to, despite her annoyance at me being mum’s “perfect girl”. I know she loves me deep down, ever since we were young we’ve been inseparable, at dad’s house we’d have our duvet days, we’d play hide and seek and even now in our late teens we still have our mandatory sleep over every time I go home!

I’d do anything for her, I proved this at the Isle of Wight festival; despite her telling me we weren’t to be associated with each other, when a shoeless, dishevelled George came to find me, I went into older sister mode and offered to give her a fireman’s lift back to her tent, not that she knew where it was but that’s Georgina for you! All you really need to know is, over and above being my sister; she’s my best friend.

GEORGINA: I was always quite like Adelaide. She’ll say chalk and cheese, but I’m pretty much the same, just I’ve got more attitude. Kinda. Not that that’s a bad thing of course! Just… Y’know…

The first thing memory I have of Ad is this dog show that was in town. I was looking out my bedroom window, was in there with Ad and we were looking at all these huge Dalmatians passing the window. I must’ve been about 2 or 3 years old? Can’t remember. Don’t know why that memory sticks in my head, weird, but I’ve always been a little special!

If you sat down with us, you’d probably be completely lost with Friends and Bruce Almighty quotes constructing our conversations. We love having a good sleepover, Friends, Ben and Jerry’s Ice cream and each other’s company, funny times!

But don’t get me wrong, we do argue, even over stupid things like a pair of stilettos. Basically, I didn’t wanna say it then, but me and Grace had gone through Ad’s stuff, found some old skool painted stilettos. Ad was a cool kid! Anyway, we took some pictures of us in them. Denied all knowledge of it to her face. Of course, she found the incriminating pictures. Got lectured. Not fun. Well, no, that’s a lie, it was cool, quite good fun, but yeah, I was the rebel, she wasn’t.

Ad kinda had this thing where she was the perfect girl, mum’s label. She was the kind one, the funny one, the polite one, the clean one, with loadsa friends; she even had the school awards to prove it! Saying that, turns out I’m the one with better grades. Annoyingly though she doesn’t compare herself to me, wish I could have be the same. But I love her to bits. Who doesn’t?

Speaking of perfect girl, the one time I had a strop, that was when I was younger, I’ve been told it was a common annoyance of mine, screaming “SHE’S NOT PERFECT!!!” at many an opportune moment. Cringing looking back on it.

But anyway, yeah, we have fun. We know the actions to Steps. We do them in time. We quote Friends together; it’s kinda freaky sometimes! We laugh at everything, especially memories, like, oh my god I remember the time we went trick AND treating. With rice. I was really young, but lets just say our neighbour wasn’t impressed with my trick. I liked the treat though!

So, what else is there to say? We have our ups and downs, but don’t all sisters? As we’ve got older, we have grown closer in personality despite the physical distance, same hobbies, same music, same everything really, I’d agree she’s the perfect sister.