In the light of yesterday’s fantastic weather, I spent today being the first one in the office in shorts this year. Shame the weathe didn’t hold out, but then I guess that was inevitable. I did get away with not taking a coat, though, which was a bonus.

It’s time to start thinking about the next issue now, so I settled down to commissioning out group tests and researching a feature I’m writing for the September issue. It’s based around an area that would traditionally be of no interest to me at all, but seeing everything that goes on in the background, and the scale of the operation that helps it work, is fasctinating.

I worked late to get my emails sorted out to finish off the week. Next week I’m interviewing and have a string of back to back meetings so I’m not going to have time to do much at my desk from Monday.

Pubbed with Debs and Mark, and met up with Mr Whippy after work. We stood outside at the White Horse and with the wind picking up I was pining for my jeans and left after one drink. Paul came around for dinner and we flicked through holiday brochures in front of the telly. Nothing booked yet, but it’s looking like it will be somewhere cold and snowy.

Chelmsford has just recently been rejected for City status once again - much to my relief. It’s a bit of a slap in the face for the council as it’s happened several times now, but it can’t be as bas as what happened to Rochester, just across the river in Kent. This was in today’s Metro:

For 600 years, the cathedral city of Rochester in Kent has prided itself on its status. But six centuries of history went down the pan when council officers forgot to fill out the necessary forms to remain a city. The blunder means that Rochester, famed for its medieval architecture and beloved by novelist Charles Dickens, is now just another Medway town like its neighbours Gillingham and Chatham … Lord Chancellor’s department Chairman Peter Downton said: “Many charters have been granted down the centuries, re-affirming Rochester’s right to be a city. The only way we can claw back our status is by petitioning the Queen.”

Presumably there are some civil service jobs that you only get in a city so those people will technically be out of a job because someone filled in a form.

Personally, I don’t think Rochester should get its status back. If they couldn’t be bothered to make sure they kept it they obviously don’t deserve it. Of course, this means there must be a vacancy for a new city. Here’s hoping Chelmsford council doesn’t notice.

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