All about me

My name is Peter Bright.  I am eighteen years old and have just left Winchester College, hence have just finished my A-levels.  I have done maths, further maths, physics and chemistry, achieving A grades in all four, and have a B in Economics.  Which is a pity, really.  I should have got an A, but the exam course was deathly dull, which is sad as I found the subject rather interesting.  I lost all interest in it because of the dreadfully depressing nature of the exam syllabus.  My interest in the subject had the following effect: when answering the essay questions, I answered them in a way that I found interesting, rather than the grim mark grubbing that is demanded of you if you want an A.  One repercussion is that I made it hard for myself to get the marks, the other is that I ran out of time, as interesing, thoughtful, and thought-provoking answers take rather more time than is allocated in the exam.  So I didn't finish the exam paper, only managing three essays out of the four demanded.  I guess this was just my little bit of rebellion against the somewhat boring nature of A Level examinations; I deliberately didn't do the worthless mark grubbing which I despise, and believe to be worthless.

Well, that's what I tell people anyway.  It's basically true; it wasn't 100% deliberate, as I did try, at first, to answer the questions the "proper" way, but gave up on that half way through the first essay.

I like music, and computer geekery.  I don't like spiders and heights.  In fact, I fucking hate them.  Spiders get killed on sight, and even the thought of heights sends a shiver down my spine.  I don't like being high (that is, much above the first floor) up, I don't like being at the bottom of a tall thing, I don't like being inside tall buildings, I particularly don't like the Cliffton Suspension Bridge, I don't like churches because of the high rooves, I don't like skyscrapers, I don't like ladders, I don't like the thought of going up ladders or into tall buildings or anything like that.  The only time I'm happy when high up is when I'm in a plane.  That poses no problem to me at all.  But I really don't like heights.

Oh, I also don't like cantilever staircases.

I am going to Imperial College this Autumn to read Mechanical Engineering.  I've already got an unconditional offer to go there, after having turned down Cambridge.

During this holiday, I am working at a company called Medea Media, though it's soon to be rechristened e-id.co.uk.  They do all kind of 'net related stuff; they do corporate branding, web-site design and, and this is the biggie, e-commerce solutions, using what is, in my opinion, one of the worst pieces of software that I've ever had the misfortune to be involved with.  It's made by none other than IBM, and is called Net.Commerce.  I'm not just being bitchy because IBM wouldn't give me a gap year job (which may well be because at my interview I said that I didn't think that team environments were necessarily conducive to good and innovative work, and that in many cases they can be down-right destructive, as many's the time that I've seen timid group members have their ideas get lost in the frenzy).  Net.Commerce is just clunky and restrictive.  If all goes well, I will return in subsequent vacations.  I don't have a job title; I'm a general geek: HTML whizz, NT admin, tech support, programmer, helpdesk, and receptionist.  If you have a company in the London area that could use my skills and you can offer more than £6.25 an hour and have flexible working hours, then I could be yours.  Mail me and I'll be in touch with you as soon as possible.

After that, I'm not really sure what I'll do.  I could finish my engineering training and become a Chartered Engineer, or I could get a job in the City, or I could do something quite different.  I'm hoping to keep my options fairly open.

I would like to get my hands on a number of cars.  The thing I would most like to do would be to get a Mk I Ford Capri, and then make it in to a real beast.  Fit a massive supercharged engine with a massive silver air vent sticking out of the bonnet, with a semi-automatic transmission, a huge stereo, a vast spoiler on the back, nice alloy wheels with low profile, very wide tyres, and a cool paint job, black with flames all over.  Or tangerine with lime go-faster stripes.  I would also like a McLaren F1 (ideally with a supercharger fitted, as long as it didn't ruin the look of the car.  I know that it's rather a clichéd choice, but it is so cool looking), a Jaguar XJ220 (built to the original specification -- 4 wheel drive, and two twenty miles an hour), a Mazda RX7, a Spectre R45 (very cool indeed), a Lamborghini Diablo Roadster, and a BMW M5, and an M3 Coupé.  And I would have the electronic speed limiters disabled.  Oh, and one of the Mercedes CLK GTR/GT1 racers.  The street versions that cost £1.1 million.  I would also rather like a Jensen Interceptor, and a BMW Z8 (but the bastards won't make it in right-hand drive.  Bah!) and a Jaguar XJ180 (again, if they actually make it, and if that's what it's called).  Oh, and a Lancia Integrale would be nice (there's a high-spec one, but I don't remember its name), as would a Mitsubishi Evo 6, and one of the rally Subaru Imprezas.  And, of course, a Ford Escort RS Cosworth.