meerkatologist: My Life in Maps

It is the places and the experiences we have in these places that shape us to become who we are.

These are the places that are important to ME. How about you?

This is my life, geographically organised using Google Maps.

I was born in 1982 in Sheffield in the now closed (nothing to do with me, honest!) The Jessop Hospital for Women which dates back to 1878 (I think that's when my Mum went into labour - not an easy pregnancy!)

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I grew up (and lived for the first 16 years of my life) in the town of Penistone (yes I know, ha bloody ha!),

An overview of the town

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See, it does actually exist as a place name!

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This was my home

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This is where I started school, which by the way is completely different from when I was there. The only thing that has remained the same is the location.

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However, I didn't like it at that school, so I changed schools to St John's

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The main reason I changed is because my best friend Paul went to that school. Paul lived on this road. We would take it in turns to go to each other's homes to play with our Micro Machines and have burgers and chips!

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This is where I learned to swim

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My next school (down the path from my infant school) was here

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When I was 8 years old, I went on an airplane for the very first time. I was petrified! I got myself in such a state, I was getting bad stomach aches from nerves that my Mum thought I was having an appendicitis. Fortunately, I wasn't. I can't be 100% confident that this is the exact apartment complex we stayed in, but I think it is here. The down of Cala Blanca, Menorca, Spain.

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We (my family and I) went to Menorca two more times staying at this apartment complex in the town of Santo Tomas. I made good friends with a boy called Marcus from Germany who I played with for a lot of time during those two weeks, especially crazy golf. There was also a really cool waiter at the restaurant across the road called Jose who we hung out with! (dunno why I remember that, but I do)

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When I was 10 years old, I properly asked a girl out. My aged had reached double figures, so I should be a man right! (bless!). Her name was Debbie and she lived somewhere up this road. I got her number and called her up to ask if she'd like to go to the cinema with me. Unfortunately that didn't work out too well! OK well she laughed down the phone at me! I do think it left an impression on me (well it must have done, since I've included it here) as since then I have never been confident around asking girls out. That said, I don't "blame" her for it. I mean for Christ's sake, we were 10. Oh well, moving on! (don't worry, I know I'm totally awesome now!)

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I had liked it at primary school. Then I went to big school. I did not like it there (any friends of mine who read this would I am sure confirm!).

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Still, I did have some nice friends there. Other than Paul, my other best friend was Warren. He also lived in Penistone somewhere up this street

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When I was 12 I had my first experience of being in love (not that I knew it was love at the time) -- no more schoolboy crushes on girls called Debbie for me now ha! For quite a few years (by a few, I mean around 8!), I was in an unrequited love situation. This is where I saw her for the very first time in this cafe. It's weird, but I can remember she was there with her Mum and sister. She ordered a Sprite or a Tango with a butterfly bun to eat.

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While not enjoying my big school, I would often find some escapism by going to see a friend of the family Don, the carpenter. In fact, I recently found out that Don had passed away. Quite upsetting actually to find that out as he left a lasting impression on me. This is where Don lived during that time.

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As a child, I also used to collect gemstones and precious stones. I loved to take days out to Tideswell in Derbyshire to visit the Tideswell Dale Rock Shop. I still have some of the specimens some 15+ years later.

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When I was fifteen/sixteen, I got myself a Sunday paper round. I collected my newspapers from here.

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This was the route that I took (weird what things you can remember!)

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My two favourite places to eat when I lived in Penistone (yeah I know, ha bloody ha!), were;

The Taste of India

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.....and from this Chinese take-away

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Well, it looks like both are still there!

We had a family holiday to France. I visited Normandy (this was where we stayed)

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Then we went to visit beautiful Paris

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When sixteen, we moved homes (just 4 miles away) to a little village called Silkstone Common. This was my home there

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In August 1999, me, my Mum, Dad, Sister, Aunty and Uncle went for a family holiday to Florida. Best holiday I've had! This is the house we stayed in for those two weeks

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This is the building where I first used the internet. I had set up an e-mail address, mainly so that I could e-mail my Uncle Geoff. One day, I saw he replied. I could not figure out how to open it. Someone showed me that if I clicked on the word (I was looking for an Open E-mail button), I would load. Wow, there were at least two pages on this internet thing then I thought. You'll see the irony of this thought later.

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On Friday March 16th 2001 I met someone, Emilie who I now would say has gone on to become my best friend here.

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It was here that I had my first "adult party (I was 17 actually) where I got drunk. I remember having a nice chat with a tree on my way home.

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I don't remember exactly how old I was here, but I think around 18. I went with my friend to see (for the third time in as many years), Jools Holland at Sheffield City Hall. After this concert, while waiting for my Dad to collect us, we decided to hang around outside the back doors to hopefully meet him. We did!

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I briefly worked in a call centre here taking billing inquiries for Thames Water. Mostly uneventful except from when I had a call come through from the nuclear bunker at RAF Strike Command -- they wanted to change the name on the bill. Another colleague had someone from Buckingham Palace call to pay her majesty's water bill. Well one presumes one must use water. Other than that, nothing to say about that.

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I did some voluntary work for a short time at the Barnsley Mental Health helpline here at Athersley Health Centre.

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Moving on until adulthood, when 21, I moved with my family to Leek, Staffordshire. My family still lives there now (so I'm not showing you the house I'm afraid - although that is in part because it's not visible!)

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Leek as somewhere to to show you lots of places was pretty uneventful. An exciting story was unraveling in my parent's study (well, it was my home too of course!). At the time, I was not working. I had very little money and too much time on my hands. I have always loved aerial photography and would spend literally hours scouring the internet each day for aerial/satellite photos. One day, I saw this product called Keyhole. A piece of downloadable software providing aerial photographs - and it would be updated - WOW! BUT, it was $99.99 and I could not afford it. Then, it was reduced to $69.99. Hmm, still a bit too much. I'd downloaded the trial version several times and I knew I wanted it! Then this company called Google purchased the company, and as part of the announcement, the price was reduced to $29.99 - I could do that! I did. Best decision of my life. The story is a fascinating one (I think) and if you want to know more, let me know and I shall provide you with it. Long story short. Google had acquired Keyhole. Google needed to expand its workforce. I somehow managed to be asked. I accepted. I worked my lil socks of as a temporary worker for one year. I was converted to permanent status. All of this was facilitated, my progress and source of inspiration all came from the co-founder of Keyhole, Michael T. Jones. Research him.

As part of this process, I visited Google HQ in Mountain View, California. I met many wonderful people (including a rather special Spanish girl, cough!). I got my break, I was going to make it work.

The hotel I stayed in in Mountain View was here

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I was in room 1321 here, in the centre of this image

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That's where I may have caused an explosion using a can of coke and a freezer!

During that week, many fun times were had here

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One month later after this trip to California, I began my temporary/contractor work at Google.

In 2007, a combination of reasons lead me to spend a fortnight on the east coast of the US. In Philadelphia

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New York City

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and, Washington DC. This was also the location where I learned that I had been successful in my quest (with the help of many others I add!) to become converted from a temporary contract to a fully fledged "Googler".

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In August 2007, I had my first proper experience of living away from home (now I had a regular income!). I chose Manchester. This was my apartment.

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In the March of 2008, I went to Amsterdam for work. I briefly found time to go "window shopping" (well when in Rome....err Amsteram). I didn't purchase anything though before you ask! (wouldn't have known what to put on the expense form....presumably it'd fall under "sundry items"!)

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On Thursday 10th April 2008 I was at program launch at our offices in London. Our guest speaker Sir David Attenborough. I briefly got to meet him and have my photo taken with him in this building here. This is where I currently have an office.

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Several weeks later, another surreal, but wonderful experience here

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While living in Manchester, I went to see my musical hero Mark Knopfler in concert here

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Back in August 2008, I briefly moved back home whilst looking for somewhere new to live. However, in the September, I received a rather exciting opportunity from my manager;

"You are invited to relocate here.

You might want to do a short visit for a few months to test the waters or you may prefer to just do the jump all at once. So far as I know, no barriers to either choice exist. It is really about convincing your mum to let you go. ;-)"
Me doing things the hard way, I went for the big jump (actually this was required from an immigration perspective). So, I decided not to look for new flat, stop with my parents while the moving processes were worked out. Naturally big relocations such as this take time, contracts, visa etc etc. Anyway April 2009, bye bye to the green and pleasant land of the UK. Sunny California it is!

When I arrived, work very kindly provided me with some temporary accommodation while I found somewhere my permanent. This was my temporary home (very nice it was too)

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...and this is where I found my permanent home for the whole time I was out there. I discovered a lot here.

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Each day, I would ride my bike into the office following this route. I liked to take the scenic way. Did you know they drive on the wrong side of the road over there?! That was fun!

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During my time in the US, I visited Colorado. Specifically to have the truly surreal experience of going inside Cheyenne Mountain (a nuclear bunker built inside a mountain!)

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We also stopped off in Boulder

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and Denver on the way back

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I had fun experiences, such as going to see my favourite band, Coldplay here

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and see views such as this of San Francisco.

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I also had a couple of not fun experiences, here....(I think it's called "growing")

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In the December of 2009, I returned to the UK.

In June 2010, I went to see Mark Knopfler for the second time at the beautiful Royal Albert Hall here