31st August 2025 – My final day of actually living and working in Nuneaton. A town I moved to in January 1997 for 3 months while I looked for someway of getting back abroad, or maybe a new career. Working with a contact from the motor trade in car sales I met a girl and decided to stay. Move on to 2025 and I applied for a job at Icom UK as the Amateur Radio Specialist where I landed the job. A star date of September 1st was agreed and I finally moved into the flat here in Kent on 16th September 2026.
Skip forward to 31st August 2026 (today) and boy what a year. I have made new friends within work, I have been elected the secretary of the East Kent Radio Society, made friends within the amateur radio community down here, taken 3 tests to gain my US amateur licence, and become the face of Icom UK in the amateur radio world. But on the flip side within that time I have had little to no contact from the people who I thought were my good close friends in Nuneaton, and then it has been me who messaged first. This surprises me as the big word with these people was loyalty, and some even called me their “brother from another mother”. One or two PROMISED to visit me down here in Kent – yeah right!!!
So tomorrow is September 1st 2026, 1 year on from my start date. 1 Year on from my new beginning and that will be the start of a second new beginning. I will be looking at my “friends” lists on social media and removing a few, same with my contacts in my phone book. This may sound like I am cutting my nose off to spite my face, but no contact says more than words ever will. Broken promises the same. Thank you to all those who have kept in touch, mostly people I have met over the years at some kind of amateur radio event, worked with or been a casual acquaintance in a pub, or kids I knew at school and not seen for 45 years since the day we left – that’s true friendship – you are safe.