Tim's Guestbook
Submitted by
Name: Samuel Coombes
From: France
Name: Samuel Coombes
From: France
Comments:
Dear Tim,
I enjoyed investigating your website. It's very nicely put together, and there really aren't many remarks about weight etc. after all... I'm sending this email independently as, for some reason, when clicking on the 'send me an email', I was not able to do so. I doubt that this is a fault in your website and suspect rather that it is these temperamental institutional computers that I'm using over here.
So I'm back in Paris and am just starting to think about getting back to work. I spent a good few hours this morning sorting out a postal order for the States. Anyway it's done and my application for the jazz competition sent off. I'll let you know how it goes.
Good to see you the other day. I forgot to mention to pass on my best wishes to Anna. All the best,
Sam
Dear Tim,
I enjoyed investigating your website. It's very nicely put together, and there really aren't many remarks about weight etc. after all... I'm sending this email independently as, for some reason, when clicking on the 'send me an email', I was not able to do so. I doubt that this is a fault in your website and suspect rather that it is these temperamental institutional computers that I'm using over here.
So I'm back in Paris and am just starting to think about getting back to work. I spent a good few hours this morning sorting out a postal order for the States. Anyway it's done and my application for the jazz competition sent off. I'll let you know how it goes.
Good to see you the other day. I forgot to mention to pass on my best wishes to Anna. All the best,
Sam
Added: On the previous website
Submitted by
Name: Sebastiano Fazzino
From: Italy
Name: Sebastiano Fazzino
From: Italy
Comments:
Ho conosciuto Tim nel 1965 a Siracusa, per puro caso, come succede spesso nella vita. Nel palazzo del conte Gargallo erano allora ospitate due associazioni culturali: l'Italo-Britannica, dove Tim insegnava l'inglese, e l'Alliance Française, dove io passavo ogni tanto per salutare gli amici e prendere in prestito qualche giornale francese. Una sera un mio collega di inglese, credo Nunzio Stella, mi presentò Tim. Questo giovane si esprimeva con difficoltà, infatti era appena arrivato dalla Spagna e parlava un italiano frammisto di spagnolo ma perfettamente comprensibile. Poteva andare avanti così ma Tim era ed è un perfezionista e voleva apprendere perfettamente l'italiano. Purtroppo gli amici che frequentava erano quasi tutti suoi allievi, volevano parlare in inglese, quindi lo sfruttavano anche dopo l'ora canonica di lezione. Io ero allora professore di francese, già abilitato all'insegnamento, e non avevo alcun interesse per la lingua di Shakespeare. Quindi io ero ben disposto a parlare in italiano tranquillamente con il mio nuovo amico inglese. Così per breve tempo sono diventato il suo correttore peripatetico. Facevamo lunghe passeggiate e altrettante lunghe chiacchierate sull'«universo mondo»: si spaziava dalla filosofia alla storia antica e contemporanea, dalla religione alla politica. Io ero molto contento perché avevo trovato un amico intelligente con cui chiacchierare che, fra l'altro, faceva progressi a vista d'occhio nell'apprendimento dell'italiano. Ma la mia funzione di correttore ambulante si esaurì ben presto perché Tim conobbe Anna e trovava le sue correzioni più gratificanti delle mie. Tim era allora un bel ragazzo biondo, snello, insomma il prototipo dell'inglese e attirava l'attenzione di molte ragazze siracusane. E amava anche la città di Siracusa, si interessava a tutto, alla storia, alla protostoria di Pantalica, ai ruderi antichi, all'assedio della città da parte dei Romani e alla difesa della città organizzata scientificamente da Archimede nel 212 a. C., alle leggende di Alfeo ed Aretusa, a mille piccole cose che appartengono ad una civiltà scomparsa. Nella rivisitazione del passato svolgeva una funzione importante la sua formazione classica che gli faceva apprezzare gli aspetti culturali della civiltà greco-latina, quella che tanto avrebbe influito nella formazione del cittadino europeo di oggi, quella che avrebbe infuso l'anima a tutta la civiltà occidentale, quella che avrebbe creato la scienza universale. Dopo tanto girovagare per il mondo è arrivata la meritata pensione, è il momento di godersi un giusto riposo. Riprendi i vecchi libri, caro Tim, non cadere nella depressione del pensionato. Quando ritorni a Siracusa ti sottoporrò, come sempre, ad un nuovo terzo grado. Mi interessa conoscere come mai un laico come te, vissuto nel paese che ha inventato il pragmatismo, è rimasto un tenace credente nelle idee di Tommaso Moro.
Un abbraccio da Sebastiano
Ho conosciuto Tim nel 1965 a Siracusa, per puro caso, come succede spesso nella vita. Nel palazzo del conte Gargallo erano allora ospitate due associazioni culturali: l'Italo-Britannica, dove Tim insegnava l'inglese, e l'Alliance Française, dove io passavo ogni tanto per salutare gli amici e prendere in prestito qualche giornale francese. Una sera un mio collega di inglese, credo Nunzio Stella, mi presentò Tim. Questo giovane si esprimeva con difficoltà, infatti era appena arrivato dalla Spagna e parlava un italiano frammisto di spagnolo ma perfettamente comprensibile. Poteva andare avanti così ma Tim era ed è un perfezionista e voleva apprendere perfettamente l'italiano. Purtroppo gli amici che frequentava erano quasi tutti suoi allievi, volevano parlare in inglese, quindi lo sfruttavano anche dopo l'ora canonica di lezione. Io ero allora professore di francese, già abilitato all'insegnamento, e non avevo alcun interesse per la lingua di Shakespeare. Quindi io ero ben disposto a parlare in italiano tranquillamente con il mio nuovo amico inglese. Così per breve tempo sono diventato il suo correttore peripatetico. Facevamo lunghe passeggiate e altrettante lunghe chiacchierate sull'«universo mondo»: si spaziava dalla filosofia alla storia antica e contemporanea, dalla religione alla politica. Io ero molto contento perché avevo trovato un amico intelligente con cui chiacchierare che, fra l'altro, faceva progressi a vista d'occhio nell'apprendimento dell'italiano. Ma la mia funzione di correttore ambulante si esaurì ben presto perché Tim conobbe Anna e trovava le sue correzioni più gratificanti delle mie. Tim era allora un bel ragazzo biondo, snello, insomma il prototipo dell'inglese e attirava l'attenzione di molte ragazze siracusane. E amava anche la città di Siracusa, si interessava a tutto, alla storia, alla protostoria di Pantalica, ai ruderi antichi, all'assedio della città da parte dei Romani e alla difesa della città organizzata scientificamente da Archimede nel 212 a. C., alle leggende di Alfeo ed Aretusa, a mille piccole cose che appartengono ad una civiltà scomparsa. Nella rivisitazione del passato svolgeva una funzione importante la sua formazione classica che gli faceva apprezzare gli aspetti culturali della civiltà greco-latina, quella che tanto avrebbe influito nella formazione del cittadino europeo di oggi, quella che avrebbe infuso l'anima a tutta la civiltà occidentale, quella che avrebbe creato la scienza universale. Dopo tanto girovagare per il mondo è arrivata la meritata pensione, è il momento di godersi un giusto riposo. Riprendi i vecchi libri, caro Tim, non cadere nella depressione del pensionato. Quando ritorni a Siracusa ti sottoporrò, come sempre, ad un nuovo terzo grado. Mi interessa conoscere come mai un laico come te, vissuto nel paese che ha inventato il pragmatismo, è rimasto un tenace credente nelle idee di Tommaso Moro.
Un abbraccio da Sebastiano
Added: On the previous website
Submitted by
Name: Gelson Marcon
From: UK
Name: Gelson Marcon
From: UK
Comments:
Dear Tim,
many thanks for the mail - we just visited your page and it looks very nice.
I was particularly impressed with the animation and was interested to see the photographs.
Thanks for sending my web address to your webmaster also.
Keep up the good work.
Gelson.
Dear Tim,
many thanks for the mail - we just visited your page and it looks very nice.
I was particularly impressed with the animation and was interested to see the photographs.
Thanks for sending my web address to your webmaster also.
Keep up the good work.
Gelson.
Added: On the previous website
Submitted by
Name: Tony Korn
From: UK
Name: Tony Korn
From: UK
Comments:
Tim
Well, you said I had to look at this web site and send you a note, so I have / am. I have never seen a web site like this. What a wonderful leaving present.
I'll write you a note about our days at DH&S in a while.
Best wishes, Tony
Tony Korn
Associate Director
Cornwell Affiliates plc
Tim
Well, you said I had to look at this web site and send you a note, so I have / am. I have never seen a web site like this. What a wonderful leaving present.
I'll write you a note about our days at DH&S in a while.
Best wishes, Tony
Tony Korn
Associate Director
Cornwell Affiliates plc
Added: On the previous website
Submitted by
Name: Justine Balser
From: UK
Name: Justine Balser
From: UK
Comments:
Hello Tim,
I've had a look at your web-site - it's very good! And the pictures of the blue-footed boobies are wonderful.
Have you got any plans for travelling now that you have more time on your hands?
The last trip we did was in June - we spent a week driving around the fjords and then a week on an ice-breaker ship around Svalbard, just a few hundred miles from the North Pole. It was fabulous (we saw walrus, polar bears, reindeer, ice!). I'd love to go back. Our next big trip I think is going to be Namibia next summer. We were planning on going to New Zealand, but there seem to be a lot of other places to go to first.
It would be lovely to meet up. Let me know when you are next in London.
Justine
Hello Tim,
I've had a look at your web-site - it's very good! And the pictures of the blue-footed boobies are wonderful.
Have you got any plans for travelling now that you have more time on your hands?
The last trip we did was in June - we spent a week driving around the fjords and then a week on an ice-breaker ship around Svalbard, just a few hundred miles from the North Pole. It was fabulous (we saw walrus, polar bears, reindeer, ice!). I'd love to go back. Our next big trip I think is going to be Namibia next summer. We were planning on going to New Zealand, but there seem to be a lot of other places to go to first.
It would be lovely to meet up. Let me know when you are next in London.
Justine
Added: On the previous website
Submitted by
Name: Beate Gannon
From: UK
Name: Beate Gannon
From: UK
Comments:
Dear Tim,
Our paths crossed many years ago when we were both working on systems development at Interdata in Milan, the computer "bureau" of IMS. We mostly worked under enormous pressure since the completion deadline had normally passed well before we even saw the task to be tackled - I now know that this is normal in market research organisations - but I found it more than irritating. At the same time the company expanded quite dramatically, this meant a number of internal office moves and a lot of new staff - you remember more of their names than I do - some personality clashes were inevitable! I had joined this slightly chaotic set-up before you and had only limited Italian. Your arrival was thus very welcome: at last I had another colleague with whom to "office gossip" and with your sense of humour and your witty remarks the whole situation was put into some perspective. It was also nice to share your views in general and to learn a lot more about Italy and the Italian way of life as you had a better knowledge and understanding of the country. I also greatly enjoyed hearing about Katie's progress. She was then quite young and you would often arrive at work telling me about another of her newly acquired skills. I have fond memories of these years, even though the framework was a bit "shambolic" at times. I hope we will keep in touch in years to come and renew our friendship.
Beate
Dear Tim,
Our paths crossed many years ago when we were both working on systems development at Interdata in Milan, the computer "bureau" of IMS. We mostly worked under enormous pressure since the completion deadline had normally passed well before we even saw the task to be tackled - I now know that this is normal in market research organisations - but I found it more than irritating. At the same time the company expanded quite dramatically, this meant a number of internal office moves and a lot of new staff - you remember more of their names than I do - some personality clashes were inevitable! I had joined this slightly chaotic set-up before you and had only limited Italian. Your arrival was thus very welcome: at last I had another colleague with whom to "office gossip" and with your sense of humour and your witty remarks the whole situation was put into some perspective. It was also nice to share your views in general and to learn a lot more about Italy and the Italian way of life as you had a better knowledge and understanding of the country. I also greatly enjoyed hearing about Katie's progress. She was then quite young and you would often arrive at work telling me about another of her newly acquired skills. I have fond memories of these years, even though the framework was a bit "shambolic" at times. I hope we will keep in touch in years to come and renew our friendship.
Beate
Added: On the previous website
Submitted by
Name: Mark White
From: UK
Name: Mark White
From: UK
Comments:
Well I'm very impressed!
We have something in common, I worked for Coopers and Lybrand for a few years after leaving school. My first job was an operator on their ITL mini system, then as technical support on the PC network.
The site works very well, nice and quick.
You're certainly well travelled!
Best regards
Mark
Well I'm very impressed!
We have something in common, I worked for Coopers and Lybrand for a few years after leaving school. My first job was an operator on their ITL mini system, then as technical support on the PC network.
The site works very well, nice and quick.
You're certainly well travelled!
Best regards
Mark
Added: On the previous website
Submitted by
Name: Ken Taylor
From: UK
Name: Ken Taylor
From: UK
Comments:
Tim,
Thanks for the input, yes indeed I do intend to add to my web site when I get time. Mind you it will never be as good as yours, most impressive. Did you do all that yourself? Love the music. I've been trying to find a ring tone download of the Internationale for my mobile phone. I've only found one and that is an old fashioned single tone version which starts at the 'so comrades come rally' bit and runs up to the end of 'unites the human race' and then just repeats that.
Regards, Ken
Tim,
Thanks for the input, yes indeed I do intend to add to my web site when I get time. Mind you it will never be as good as yours, most impressive. Did you do all that yourself? Love the music. I've been trying to find a ring tone download of the Internationale for my mobile phone. I've only found one and that is an old fashioned single tone version which starts at the 'so comrades come rally' bit and runs up to the end of 'unites the human race' and then just repeats that.
Regards, Ken
Added: On the previous website
Submitted by
Name: Sebastião Nunes
From: Venezuela
Name: Sebastião Nunes
From: Venezuela
Comments:
Hi Tim,
You will remember me, I guess! I am Sebastiao Nunes, the GM of the Hilton Colón in Quito where you have been a guest. Eduardo Fajardo sent me his web page (Travel to Quito) and I took advantage of updating some nostalgia and have also accessed yours too. It is very nice to know that you are well and back in England. Hope you will continue that way and keep in touch.
I was transferred to Caracas as GM last August (2000) and I extend you an invitation to stay with me should your path bring you around this area. We will be in touch!
Sebastiao
Hi Tim,
You will remember me, I guess! I am Sebastiao Nunes, the GM of the Hilton Colón in Quito where you have been a guest. Eduardo Fajardo sent me his web page (Travel to Quito) and I took advantage of updating some nostalgia and have also accessed yours too. It is very nice to know that you are well and back in England. Hope you will continue that way and keep in touch.
I was transferred to Caracas as GM last August (2000) and I extend you an invitation to stay with me should your path bring you around this area. We will be in touch!
Sebastiao
Added: On the previous website
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Name: Allan Read
From: Alderney (Channel Islands)
Tie, sickbags and dirty Italian magazines ..... - you returned from one trip on the Fiat job in 1977 with some dirty mags - with the like of which those of us familiar with the top shelf at WHSmugs were unaccustomed.
Best regards
Allan Read