[Sundae]

My curse is causing the companies I work for to be taken over. It makes references tricky sometimes.

My first ever job was working Saturdays and Sundays at a family run restaurant. I lost my job when they closed - the restaurant was bought out by Deep Pan Pizza (where I worked next) but sadly they are still there.

I then worked part time for a frozen food company called Bejam. They were sold out to Iceland with a year of me leaving.

My first full time job was at Equitable Life Assurance Society. They were doing so well they had 2 buildings built especially for them and rented another 3. After I left things went downhill pretty quickly - to the extent that they are being sued by some of their customers (complicated financial stuff). I'm not even sure if they have an office here now.

I also went to work for a newly purchased off-shoot of a marketing company. I was employed in Thame, Oxon and moved to London to work on Sloane Street. I got homesick after a few months and moved back. The off-shoot closed within a year, although it had been running for 10 before it was bought up.

My favourite ever job was at Dr Solomons Software. They were bought out by Network Associates (our biggest rival for the UK market) and effectively eaten.

And finally I worked for Leicester City West PCT. We merged with Eastern Leicester PCT and many of the management team who knew me were shuffled off to other PCTs or simply made redundant.

My talent is finding food. It's partly just having a good memory - someone will mention something they like, haven't had for ages, doubt still exists. Weeks or months later I will see it and buy it for them. I've already surprised HM by having things he craves in the store cupboard. Actually my bro did it to me the other day - I was yapping away on the phone and said how I really fancied a Time Out but they seemed to have stopped selling them. He sent me one in the post - choked me up.