In Praise Of Orange Wednesdays

As I wait for recent photos from those whose praises I hope to sing in my final few weeks of blogging I'll spend a few minutes celebrating the wonderful Orange and their outstanding support for the film industry. Since I started writing this blog a few years ago I reckon that we have taken advantage of the Orange Wednesday two for one film offer in the region of ninety times. At about £7 a ticket that's a saving of £630 and that alone must be worth the subscription to their mobile phone network. In addition to the film offer you can also combine it with offers from others such as Pizza Express and make Wednesdays a great night out. And if the local Vue would pull their fingers out and start showing more than just the latest blockbusters we might have made it a hundred visits. Tonight the critics' highest rated film "The Kids Are Alright" about a lesbian couple and their children's involvement with their sperm donor father is not showing whilst "Burke & Hare" which averaged one star in the press is on several times. That means no trip this week.

The subject matter for "The Kids Are Alright" reminds me of the episode of Modern Family that we watched last night. Gay partners Mitchell and Cameron thought that they were bound to get the school of their choice for adopted daughter Lilly because, being gay and having an adopted ethnic child they ticked all the boxes for the school's diversity policy. On arriving for the interview they bumped into other parents competing for the scarce place - gay, mixed race, adopted and disabled - a sort of top trumps for school enrolment. Not very PC but extremely funny. Do try it.

Is that Bruce Willis with Sheryl Crow? No it's Gavin Ford our Assistant Director and Buyer who was delighted to oblige when Sheryl asked for a photo recently. Gavin is on holiday this week and will be jetting off to the Canaries for a well earned break and will be celebrating his birthday today. Gavin has been with Instanta for over twenty three years and, after working in the assembly department, progressed to running the engineering workshop before becoming our buyer and working on R&D and our Quality and Environmental systems.  Gavin is engaged to partner Julie and plans to wed in the future. Proud father to son Nick, Gavin enjoys motor bikes and supporting the St Helens Rugby League team. This will be his last birthday before I leave so thank you Gavin for your support over the past twenty odd years, happy birthday and best wishes for the future.


I mentioned political correctness earlier. There is so much going on in the world today that I would love to comment upon here. But we don't own Instanta any longer and it would not be politically correct or respectful of me to do so as I am sure that politics, world issues and my slightly weird left of centre, right of centre mix of thoughts have no place on somebody else's website. However, when we leave, I do hope to continue some sort of "thoughts from a retired bloke" blog in which nothing will be sacred and anything will go. I'll post a link for anybody who may be interested before we go.


In the meantime I'll keep it anodyne. Have you heard about the return of Alan Partridge? Hallelujah.