How have I never been the the O2 before? Yesterday I broke the seal, spending the day with the Virgin Media O2 Extended Leadership team.
I can safely say that when it comes to meeting rooms, this was definitely a step up. The agenda was jam packed with discussion, debate, conversations, questions, a music quiz and games (the latter activity involving an epic fail at Apex Legends in the Virgin Media Gamepad, a more successful effort at pool in the bar later). It’s always fantastic to bring a team together in person and yesterday was no exception. Makes such a difference.
On the flip side though, completely exhausting. The O2 is in North Greenwich, much nearer Waterloo than Paddington. I did weigh up Elizabeth Line vs. Jubilee, but in the end plumped for the drive down to Whitchurch for Option 2. It required an eye-watering 5.30am start and by 5.30pm, after a day – admittedly in a stunning, spacious room, but a stunning, spacious room with no natural light – jam packed with presentations and breakouts, I was on my last legs.
On the verge of running away from the prospect of drinks and socialising, I pulled myself together and headed to the bar. It’s too easy to slope away for the safety of home and the telly, but then you never really get to know people. It’s the down time that’s the best time. Revived by a pair of ice cold Birra Morettis, a couple of games of pool and a lot of chat, I went home two hours later feeling so full of beans (and beers) that rather than sleep all the way back, I cracked on with the Creative Writing course I’ve started and wrote two short stories.
At this point I should mention that after the second day in a row travelling up to London yesterday, this time the usual Newbury – Paddington – Hammersmith route. I was broken. I set my alarm on the train and slept all the way home, collapsing in front of ‘Blue Lights’ with wine at 9pm. I cannot comprehend how so many people can commute to London on a long-term, daily basis. I’m very happy to be working from home today as usual, quietly on my own with just Dolly for company.
Not from Newbury 