mike[space] dot net

Friends' businesses

A few of my friends have branched into business on the web, and it would be remiss of me not to give them the appropriate webby nod ...

• Skiing Chalet - This romanian mountainside retreat is owned and run by Mark and Alina, two friends of mine that I go way back with. Unfortunately my holiday timing has meant that I have yet to get out to visit, but many of my friends have, and have had an awesome time.
  I also know for a fact that you will get a good deal from these guys, and they'll look after you. They're good people like that.
• Half Each - I only know Tom at Half Each, (he's down below as well), but if he's anything to go by, these guys will be going far. Talented and a good guy, a heady combination ;-)

Friends' sites

Most of the people that I know online are people I know from my bluewave days. I guess that the mentality of people working at a web design agency lends itself to the idea slightly more than the other areas of life that I have so far occupied ...

• anton - I first met anton when looking for someone to take over my role as intranet developer at bluewave. He fitted the bill perfectly, and soon took the beast of wavebase off my hands. Something that I have found endlessly fascinating about Anton (which I am sure he is sick of by now), is the hole in his skull which apparently acts much like a reset button if you prod it. So far, I have resisted the tempation.
• charles - Charles was a project manager at bluewave, before he came to his senses and got the hell out of there before he died of exhaustion. He always has some sort of "witty" comment on stand by, and won't take shit from anyone. I can't wait to treat estate agents with the same level of contempt that he manages!
• chrisc - I know Chris from my leighton buzzard days, as a school friend of dave's. He also went to warwick uni, and worked at bluewave. Our lives have been disturbingly parallel for quite some time, but he is definitely way ahead of me on the proof of fertility stakes!!! ;-)
• chrisl - Chris Lincé is a very talented friend of mine, who I got to know working on Stickmen. A designer, writer, director and all round good egg. He's also one of the few people I see regularly who doesn't drink or smoke, so he's got to be some kind of good influence as well! ;-)
• chrisr - Chris was a fellow programmer at bluewave, and probably qualifies as one of the geekiest people I know. He comes in very handy when it comes to clarify subtle details about the background of Lord of the Rings, and he taught me how to play Go.
• dan - A fellow baldy, and another designer friend. He's also well into snowboarding, the guy who coined the phrase "I'd like to take off all my clothes and fuck the snow!"
• dave - older brother. So for the first 14-16 years of knowing him I pretty much loathed him. However, as we have finally grown up (well kinda) we have developed a very close friendship and respect for one another. That's not to say we don't still take the piss a lot (he is, after all, a ginger! ;-), but he no longer beats me up, and I don't tell Mum on him anymore!
• joey - a big guy with a big heart. I can't identify him properly as this is his proper blog that shouldn't be associated with his professional front. But he rocks, and it's sad he doesn't live in a better country ;-)
• jonp - A manager at the fabled bluewave. But that is the least of his qualities - profoundly respectful of others, and the need to do the right thing, Jon is a very good person. Well done him *grin*.
• lara - the lovely lara, proof that you can do lots of really stupid things to yourself (like throwing yourself down rapids) and still end up looking gorgeous. After buggering off to New York, she's now safely home and proud mother of two. Somehow now that she is nearer, I actually see less of her, which is clearly very wrong.
• matt - a developer I worked with for a time at bluewave. His website reveals an interest in astronomy that I don't think we've ever discussed, but we have had a fair number of cracking conversation over a beer or three about politics, computers and girls (not all at the same time of course ;-)
• nick - ah nick, the typical grumpy sysadmin that stalked the halls of bluewave for many a year, striking fear into the heart of project managers. We seemed to always manage to get on though, and he introduced me to the world of sailing, for which I am very grateful. He could still do with being a little less grumpy though *grin*
• peta - self-professed blog hater, peta has now moved to somewhere in North America (not bad for a scouser!! ;-) She wa
  s another manager of mine at bluewave, and almost a surrogate mother at times - although I think she's just like that with everyone!!
• sam - Sam was one of the most violent people I had ever met. But that was a long time ago, and now she seems to be very centered, and having a good old time with life. We don't really see each other any more, which is sad, but it's good to see things are going well for her
• sanni - the most beautiful and talented Finn I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Both of which would probably continue to be true even I actually met more than one Finn ;-)
• steve - I've only ever met steve a few times, he was an ex-bluewaver before I was even a twinkle in the company's eye. An Englishman in Sweden, he had even less hair than me till I shaved it all off, and now he beats me by a tuft!! ;-)
• tom - a top designer that I know from bluewave, a recent addition to the la tour snowboarding family!