Me, who else?

Well here I am wondering if I've got what it takes to create a blog, I've fiddled with the settings and no doubt messed it up already, just got to figure out what to put down on paper the blog now.  Probably the best start is to tell you about me so you've got an idea where this all comes from...

It's me - stop cowering in the back!

Well you've no doubt figured out the name is Steve Marquis!  It's a Guernsey name and I'm proud of it having traced the family back some good few centuries on the Channel Islands.  Now there's a topic for the blog!  No we'll leave that for now, let's carry on with me...

I started life like we all did but to get to the point, born in the Midlands, bought up in Nottingham, nearly hit double figures before family headed to Plymouth Devon, left there around 19 to seek my fortune in London and the smoke (family upped and moved in the other direction to Cornwall - not sure what they were trying to say!).  I'm married to my best friend Ness and I've three kids and a grandson, two dogs and a cat.

the Blue Bell Inn, Halkyn.

Career-wise I started as a Mechanical Engineering Technician / tool maker apprentice for an American machine tool manufacturer in Plymouth.  During my time there I discovered girls and the fact that all the good ones worked in the computer room - and my consequential introduction to computing!  I've worked in every aspect of information technology from hardware, firmware to software, computing to networks, mobile, radio and satellite communications, general applications, compilers, operating systems, expert systems, database, operating to programming and on to design, build, test and commission all of that and written about it too.  I've managed some significant and interesting projects, run software houses and training businesses, bought product to market, consulted, negotiated  managed bids and tenders from both sides and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Over the 30 years or so I've probably worked in every industry during that time and had great fun travelling the world doing it.  Now I've stopped travelling and live in and run the pub / post office Blue Bell Inn, in Halkyn, NE Wales, UK with my wife Ness (Mission Control).

Mum & Dad Marquis

A big interest of mine is music as my parents were entertainers and we were surrounded by music and song, I read a bit and sing a lot. I love the outdoors and I've sailed, dived, swam, canoed, rowed, cycled, walked and climbed.  I'm something of an early adopter having lived with bleeding leading edge products for most of my life.

Apart from being an outstanding singer (as was Mum), Dad was a straight-man to a comic and he always had a great sense of humour.  Humour takes a big place in my life too and I tend to see the funny side of things, something which I inherited from my dad and he from his.  I am pleased to say I've inflicted the same dodgy sense of humour on my off-spring too!

Connected with work at the Blue Bell I have an active interest in promoting NE Wales for tourism and get involved with marketing the various events held in the area.  I'm also getting to that time in life where I need to try and put a bit back so I'm  looking at projects that I can fit in between working the long hours a publican takes for granted.  I'll always endeavour to help if called upon on the basis that I might need some myself at some point!

Thoughts...

If you think you are beaten, you are

     If you think you dare not, you don’t

If you like to win, but think you can’t

     It’s almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost

     For out of the world we find 

Success begins with a fellow’s will

     It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are

     You've got to think high to rise

You've got to be sure of yourself before 

     You can ever win a prize. 

Life’s battles don’t always go

     To the stronger or faster man

But soon or late the person who wins

     Is the one who thinks “I can.”

Thinking by Walter D. Wintle

I'm a glass half full man, although the engineer in me says the glass is probably the wrong size. ;o)


There, that got a lot off my chest!

Now for the blog, I'm hoping it doesn't become another marketing organ for the pub, it isn't the intention.  I just wanted a place where I could ramble and comment with the thought that it might encourage some conversation.