Success/Failure 14 8 25 +22 hit so far 25 1 19 as my 37th yr here begins

When I left school aged 15 and went into a paper mill 3 days later to begin my career in industry my job title was Laboratory Assistant and when I retired 53 years later I had 13 letters after my name to list academic accomplishments.

But after 10 years serving a number of industries I returned to the first company to employ me again with the job title Lab Assistant but in a different branch, and much to my personal chagrin.

Thereafter within 3 years I progressed to Project Leader and then to an offer of a Senior Project Leadership if I were to forego the opportunity to top up my ONC and HNC certificates in Chemistry by studying for GradRIC at University.

In the fullness of time I would add a number of new appointments to my already quite extensive CV, and I would get to join a European Group in which one day I would become first Chairperson and then President though to this day I cannot pronounce the name of the organisation because it is registered in Paris and my French is so poor I could never really master the name of the committee I for so long represented.

Of all the letters I got to use after my name Chartered Scientist was perhaps the most prestigious though it is arguable whether it truly tops those pertaining to my being a fellow of a learned society..?

But if so far I have boasted of the positive side to my career there is also the ignominy of a quite long list of failures, why else would one write immodestly about stuff anyway I dare say you are thinking..?

Like after being head-hunted for the R and D Directorship I came to this country for, it was only to last the term of my negotiated 4 year contract to be followed by the ignominy of a loss of 10% of my income plus my company car, never to be fully restored, and losing the preeminent position of fronting many of my former duties though in many ways continuing to perform the most crucially important aspects of them, one had to find solace elsewhere: like when I was called to appear in the Court of International Trade in New York as an expert witness in an action against the US Customs Service and, winning the day, deriving much satisfaction on seeing the Brussels Nomenclature of International Trade adjusted according to my testimony in a redefining of certain articles of commerce.

And in the patent courts defending patents I had been most involved in drawing up as inventor: first resulting in several defeats but overall with more victories than defeats and practically world rights to the most significant of them in which I was named the sole inventor...much of which attests to my worth to the companies I represented that is judged by one's peers if not one´s employers...

Then finally learning that because of a certain stupidity on the part of some people in the organisation the company´s biggest and newest machine stood idle several years because of implementing decisions I as QA Chief among other things in no way would I have sanctioned. But then like my Ma used to like to say: It’s all water under the bridge now, lad! Have a good day everybody as I hope you get to feel the pleasures of success and maybe the upside of failure..?