Chairman’s Blog – Meeting Thursday 9th August 2012
25 members present, but improved numbers from our last couple of weeks.
A very lively meeting. David Plumley walked to his usual position to deliver the Education Slot demonstrating the benefits of chewing every mouthful of food 35 times.
As always it was a pleasure to induct a new member. Jamie Nye of Martin & Co. was duly admitted to the fold. Welcome Jamie.
The 60 second round was the poorer for the absence of the Bard of Hadleigh, but Joan Jaggernauth was on the letter “R”. Relaxation and release from stress. Whilst I was struggling on the letter “B” for buggeration, Brian Painter was also preaching the alleviation of stress.
Howard Bullock might give Clear Financial Advice, but Richard Smith gave us what appeared to be a rather dubious hot tip. With this hot week-end that is coming up we should switch on our central heating system just to make sure it will work in the Winter. Enough to make you want to crawl under the table which is what Scott Griffiths did and it won him the Oscar.
The 10 minute presentation is normally introduced by David Plumley as being a “real treat”. As it turned out this was not a bad description of Alan Shaw’s soul bearing exposition of his early life leading up to his present business persona.
He told us of unreasonable Clients putting unreasonable deadlines on projects. He then told of his time in Brunei, about humming birds and crocodiles. No doubt the Sultan probably insisted, as he would, to anyone making a crocodile sandwich, “make it snappy”.
He also revealed that he used to pray for darkness, apparently to relieve the heat. I assume he faced Mecca when he did this otherwise he probably wouldn’t be with us today. Clearly his time in the desert affected him and perhaps explains the safari style dress that he was sporting this week. The great revelation, however, was Joan Jaggernauth asking him if he knew a short fat man as she was sure she was there at the same time as him and saw the building go up. I was not concentrating hard enough at this point though.
And so it was on to the referrals and testimonials round. This was certainly lively with 21 referrals passed, just over £15,000.00 worth of money paid and recorded which brings our tally already this month to £55,000.00.
Now David Plumley went to great lengths in the Education Slot to distinguish between the 60 second round and the referrals round and went to further lengths to try and ensure that the referrals round was very much to the point with as little peripheral and unnecessary comment as possible. The response was magnificent. Brian Painter asked us to consider the relative merits of men’s and women’s beach volleyball. Richard Smith hoped that one day he could afford Alan Shaw to help him with an erection and Joan Jaggernauth provided the background mirth. I think what makes EBF so enjoyable is that we set down all of these rules and take great pleasure in breaking them.
A short expression of sympathy for Richard Reed who was mugged by Terry Maylin to give up the USA ticket in the sweepstake. The particular exchange between the two of them perhaps illustrates why they are both people we are happy to recommend. Richard Reed in arranging your holidays is always helpful and accommodating and Terry Maylin in pursuing your debts is willing to mug anyone.
I am definitely looking forward to next week.
May all your Thursdays ………………………
