One highlight of my life so far: Summer 2004 at Royan on the French Atlantic coast, midnight swimming with a wild dolphin that had come inshore and seemed to like it. An unforgettable, magical moment that'll take some beating! For those who don't need/want to download my CV, I thought it might be of interest to post a potted biog here. My childhood was an unusual one, born and brought up on a lifeboat, the James Leath (now in the RNLI Lifeboat Museum, Chatham. see also[scroll down]) After O [9 passes, 6 at 'A' grade] and A levels [Maths / German / Art] at Grammar School in the South of England, my destined studying at Oxford was sadly prevented by family problems, so I went to work as college photographer and audio-visual technician at a Technical College. I used to be a qualified radio amateur. I moved on to become a technician, and subsequently lecturer on the internationally-renowned Film & TV course at Bournemouth Film School (since become part of Bournemouth University), during which time I was responsible for designing, building and running 2 purpose-built TV studios on our new campus. In addition to being the founding head of the Sound Dept. in a theatre equipment supply company, I also worked as a cinema projectionist and theatre technician in a small independent local house.
Going freelance, I worked as technical consultant, lighting and/or sound engineer on a number of films, documentaries and corporate productions and for a number of theatre / studio installations. One of the highlights for me was doing the sound for one of the last live concerts given by Stefan Grapelli in the UK. Whilst running up my new career in translation, as well as preparing my move to France, I worked for a specialist EMC test house in the UK. My hobbies include cooking and entertaining, cinema, theatre and music, and I still dabble a bit in photography. From time to time, I write a little amateur fiction (short stories), and have even been known to pen the odd short verse. I am also a keen DIY-er (very fortunately, in view of the amount of work needed on my mill!). I now live in the heart of the central French countryside (département of Corrèze), originally in this romantically draughty old watermill, but now in a more practical, centrally-heated flat!
Fond memories of my former watermill in Corrèze
At a cookery class with my little neighbour Kévin
During 2006, the Centre de formation des apprentis where I help run English language workshops was awarded a European Language 'seal of approval' in recognition of the work we are doing (see also previous forum posting).
European Language
'Seal of Approval'
Award ceremony, University of Rennes, December 2006
Why not pay a visit to my website, where in the 'private' space you can download some back issues of my annual newsletter, which will tell you a lot more about me and my life here in Corrèze.
one of the forums I work with.
Do pay a visit to the blog of a naturalist friend of mine in the département of Dordogne,
he has some very interesting activities going on down there.
[In response to many curious questions, the picture of me with orange hair was taken in Paris on 1st July 2007,
while cruising down the Seine aboard one of the famous sight-seeing boats]
