Back at work today after two days off with a sneezy cold. Watched old films like "Goodbye Mr Chips", and played a few turns of "Thirty Years War". What a beautiful game! The graphics are colourful and use lots of heraldry. The gameplay is very colourful too - lots of bloody battles, sudden deaths, looting, seiges, wandering Spaniards, murdering Popes etc.

Here in the office my name has apparently been mentioned to Stephen Carter, the MD, in connection with clearing up database performance problems. This is very bad news, even if it's a good mention. My whole strategy for surviving corporate life is to keep a low profile. I want to be as invisible as possible, thankyou very much.