On leaving Lukes’ I got married to Christine Hudson from Rolle and went and taught for a year at Wells Cathedral School in Somerset
I did an MA at the London Institute of Education & LSE and then emigrated to Western Australia
I didn’t last long teaching there and after 15 months or so got various jobs lecturing in Unis and did a PhD! I did find the region suited the surfing lifestyle
It seems that “I had a terminal case of relevance” – The Dean of Business at my last Uni job – mixed with a lot of partying – Christine and I had no kids so it really was a case of the hedonistic life style with lots of Australian wine. As you would expect that couldn’t last and a West Australian beauty provided the excuse for it all to fall apart – shame I was such an ass-hole to Christine after 15 years – but I must admit my ‘growing up’ has taken along time.
During this time Christine and I had two great friend Haydn Chick and Gill (both ex Lukes) who emigrated at the same time as us. Haydn now lives in Tasmania with his Japanese wife – many years of teaching really took its toll on Haydn, he ended up suing the WA Education Department and winning, Gill ended up committing suicide – the booze and a bad second marriage.
Bernard Shaw said “Men marry for the first time for companionship, the second for vanity and the third for love” – so the next thing I did was end up marrying a West Australian Model – disastrous!!
By this stage I started one of the first New Media businesses in Australia mainly doing training programs for mining companies. I formed the industry association and ended up doing a lot of travel to the US and GB. It was all great fun.
I eventually sold the business to a US company and moved from WA to the East Coast of Aus – Byron Bay – where I still live – ten minutes from Byron on 15 acres. Sounds grand but its very hippy. Pole home made out of cedar, small but alternative and good.
I lived in Poone in India in an Ashram for a year when Danielle (the high maintenance model) and I split. I came back to Australia not looking for a relationship and ended up meeting one of my best Australian friend's secretary in Melbourne, Cherie (16 years my junior) and we have been together for the last 13 years – married for ten this year.
We came back to the UK 1999 – 2004. After nearly going broke I ended up with a great job as the CEO of Digital for Rapp Collins a direct marketing Agency in Hammersmith – about 1,000 employess. Got the TVR and then a baby – then no TVR. Unbelievable after all the women/ marriages and no kids! Then bang – Breock our son who is now seven and a struggle for his 58 year old dad.
We came back to the house in Byron and have been endeavouring to earn money ever since – not the easiest thing – especially at the moment. So lifes roller coasters from ‘feast to famine’ – To be honest I am not sure I can stand the stress too much longer.
Life has been an amazing journey punctuated with learning how to grow up, park the ego, create a sustainable relationship etc etc. Maybe the journey never ends – always something new to learn about oneself.