w.atching the w.orld unw.ind

Sounds like the title for some Skeletor-type film, doesn’t it? Yet it actually sums up the dichotomy of my lifeskills, such as they are.

From a very early age, my dad sat me on his knee and got me to pick out words from newspapers, so that by the time I got to primary school, I was already able to read basic text. And so he literally launched a lifelong love of language and literature (and alliteration, obviously). It’s why I can, and do, plough through rows of books at a prodigious rate.

So when the time came to choose A-level subjects, I shook off any pretence about liking matters scientific or mathematical and opted for three languages. Which I barely scraped through.

The portals of University clanged firmly shut on me and I turned to serve Mammon.

Now, half of my job involves technical authoring, producing software specifications, screeds and texts that need to be able to stand up unambiguously in court or I.T., yet be clear enough to pass the Plain English Campaign's 'Crystal Mark' seal of approval. So when the office recently did an on-line quiz, it surprised no-one (well, me, anyway) that I was awarded the title of “Word Warrior” (whatever the fcuk that means?)

And yet, the other half of my work involves writing formulae and macros for tables, graphs and charts, giving me a literacy/numeracy worksplit which means that no two days are ever the same.

And why I now find myself skipping between crosswords (not the fiendish 'Times' types – I’m not that good) and the new(ish) craze of Su Doku ("number placing") which you all must have seen?

Anyone else hooked?