Once upon a time...
Radio Périgueux 103 with Peter Hackett (right) | 15th May 07
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I was invited recently to Peter Hackett's radio show on « Radio Périgueux 103 › (local radio), to talk about my Web design business. A worthwhile, if somewhat stressful experience.
Today in Dordogne
Enterprise IG | Boston
I have worked as a web designer and developer since 1996 with Blue Chip companies in and around the city of London and Birmingham. Now I am going 'solo' in Périgueux, the administrative centre of Dordogne and capital of Périgord in Aquitaine, France.
Because of its climate and its charming people, I have grown to love Dordogne. The countryside, to me, is like paradise... The day, when the sun shines, the grass, the flowers and the leaves sparkle like a Jean-Paul Gaultier evening gown and the sky and clouds at dusk take a palette of colours and patterns that would leave the coldest hearted person in wonder.
My favourite pastimes include: walking, seeing shows, going to the cinema to see movies that make me laugh or make me think, sitting down at the terrasse of a café with a friend, reading great books, photography and oil painting.
As for my ambitions for this year and the near future, they include: making a good living from the internet (one can always dream), getting involved in charity work or other humanitarian projects, setting up my first painting exhibition, going on a complete tour of Italy, visiting Latin-America, India and some of the fascinating parts of the World I haven't seen yet.
On a more personal note, and because this page is also a résumé, I am divorced with no children or dependent, I don't smoke and I have a clean driving licence.
Yesterday in the UK
I worked as a freelancer Web designer and developer and IT and Powerpoint specialist in Birmingham, UK.
Enterprise IG | Covent Garden | London
Prior to that, I worked in London on full-time or long term contracts with some prestigious companies such as the Deutsche Bank, Debenhams.com eCommerce, Enterprise IG London Brand & Identity, KPMG, GE Capital and a few other places on shorter term contracts.
Debenhams (eCommerce) at my station | Oxford Street | London
Before I started working in Desktop Publishing, IT and Internet, I used to wait at La Résidence (a French restaurant) located in Holland Park Avenue, where I learnt the trade, The Roux brothers in the City and more particularly for Prue Leith's the famous South African caterer at The Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre opposite Westminster Abbey and at The Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales in the City.
La Résidence | London
I used to look after the Head of States and VIPs. Thus, I had the opportunity to exchange a few words with Mitterand, Chirac, Thatcher, John Major, George Bush Senior (with whom I have been photographed), Richard Branson and other personalities.
It was in 1988, when Apple Computer set up a conference at the QEII, that I fell in love with computing. I had to have a Macintosh with its cute little interface. But in those days Macs were VERY expensive. After two years saving money, I purchased a Mac SE30 with a whopping 32mb RAM and a 40mb Hard Drive... I recently sold a Mac with 512mb RAM and a 30,000mb Hard Drive for a fifth of what the SE30 cost me 17 years ago! Talk of depreciation... I started working in Desktop Publishing for a few years before I went into Web development.
The early years
Giverny | Monet's garden
I was born in Vernon, a small Normandy town with a somewhat charmless centre a few miles from Giverny, where Monet painted his famous water lilies pond.
My family bought a house in Habloville (Hameau of Saint Aubin sur Gaillon). We lived there for the best part of my childhood.
Primary school of Jeufosse | I was a pupil there until 1971 (©Fabrice Autin)
College Georges d'Amboise | 1976
During that time I went to a communal school in Jeufosse until the age of 11 and then to the College Georges d'Amboise in Gaillon and finally, the Lycée Les Fontenelles in Louviers for the rest of my school years.
When college ended, my familly and I went to live in Gaillon, 3 miles away, where I stayed until I departed for the UK.
In the meantime, I did my military service in Toulon. I grew to love the South of France and its sunny climate during the 11 months I stayed there.
Gaillon, Eure | 1978
After the army, I returned to Gaillon and I worked as a mechanic in a factory close by, for 5 years. I never liked that profession, and after a spell as a local newspaper correspondant, I decided to go to London and learn English, with the vague intention to become a photo journalist. I did photography as a hobby, but I never went on to become a journalist...
The House of Parliament | London
It ends with a happless Web designer's song
Listen to it now and shed a few tears for the hapless Web developer:
This song is a spoof version of The Hand to Heaven song co-written by Marcus Lillington in the 80's. Marcus currently co-host, with Paul Boag, an informative and entertaining podcast targeted at Web Designers and their clients. Boag as in « ...raise your hands to Boag and prey... › refers to boagworld.com, Paul Boag's website from which you can listen to the podcast.
« ...Tonight I need your CSS, coding in the darkness. From now on no more tables' nests; you will meet web standards... › Copyright© Lyrics by Andrew Rothman
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