When you know your time has passed.
When you had a 40 year career and played it safe, even though the last decade and a bit was pretty exciting.
When you embarked on something new (after a brief something new that didn’t work out).
And then found/made something pretty cool. But, then you’re too old to take it to its full potential.
It’s a bit shit really. And good at the same time.
I’m probably good for a couple of years, so let’s see where this goes.
I was on TV yesterday. I couldn’t bring myself to watch it.
I look quite startled.
There’s a new brewery in Gateshead. We really loved the look around Black Storm brewery, earlier in the week.
The dog had a great time too.
Most people know I don’t bother with birthdays. I haven’t done in decades.
But, with my birthday falling on a Monday this year (and the fact I’ve worked the past two years on this date), I really wanted to have a day somewhere with the dog.
So, I made plans for next Monday. I was really looking forward to it.
And then my beloved broke her wrist.
I might reschedule. Back to 70 hour weeks for a bit then.
I’ve been a CAMRA member for a few years now, since before I became involved in bars, but I’d never taken part in activities or excursions.
Working in the current bar has changed that; a lot of guys who’re members come into the bar and we know a lot of them by name.
When an email popped up, mentioning a trip to Whitby, we agreed a team Microbus outing. This happened on Saturday and we all had a great day. The trip was so well organised, but, after a visit to Whitby Brewery, there wasn’t an agenda. The opposite was the case, since some of the bars couldn’t accommodate everyone at the same time.
This was the first time all of us have have had a day out together since opening the bar – we’re all rarely in the same place at the same time.
We realised that we can do more to promote future events. We’ve some ideas. We’ll certainly take part in another.
So, our little bar has somehow been voted CAMRA Gateshead pub of the year.
We’d not expected this; there’d been a hope of coming in as runner up, but we couldn’t have imagined coming so far in our first year.
Our only real target was to make the 2024 Good Beer Guide; pub of the year wan’t really on our radar.
Due to a Network Rail arch inspection, the bar is closed and we’ve some time off.
Quality time with the dog.
Christmas, the perfect time of year for camping.
Think about it; Boxing Day bus services end pretty early in the day. And it can be a real pain to get a cab late at night.
Fortunately, when faced with a long, cold walk home last night, there was an alternative.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the future lately.
People who know me might be surprised to hear that I don’t see this cool little bar as being part of that.
Getting this place open was one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced. Largely because I did most of the physical labour as, well as the obvious multitude of bits of red tape, formalities and other such rubbish.
In many ways, getting the ‘bus up and running was pretty close to work I’d done when I had a proper job. While the bar was stupidly hard work, it was hugely rewarding. Particularly when there was a real outcome and a feeling of I did this.
And maybe that’s what I liked about the last few projects in my old job. Once something was delivered, the buzz was over. The inevitable live running politics took over and a new job came along.
So why would Microbus be any different? I’m at the point when, although I love the place, the buzz is already a distant memory and the people shit has started to encroach on the joy in something new.
This stuff’s so frustrating.
Opening a bar is hard work. But, when someone posts something like this, it’s all worthwhile.
