8 un-fascinating things about me

Thanks to Dawn for tagging me, here goes:


1. - I wanted to become a policeman – still do!

2. - When I was in hospital having my appendix out, the nurse (a large black lady/mamma), in her haste to give me an injection on my buttock, ripped my pyjama trousers in half. I called out to my mum for help as she was waiting outside the curtain. I was 18 at the time!

3. - When I worked for Lloyds Bank I used to go the Post Office every day, and vowed that I would never work in a Post office. I have worked for the Post Office for 22 years.

4. - When I was younger I hated motorbikes and vowed I would never ride one – I have been riding a motorbike for the past 14 years

5. - I will never vow to never do something again.

6. - I have a tattoo of Jesus on my arm, but most people can't work out what it is. Some have said "oh yeah, it says Jesus in Chinese, right?"

7. - I’m rubbish at knowing what to buy people (Liz!) for Christmas. It’s always inappropriate or unwanted. Oh yeah, Birkenstocks? – why didn’t I think of that, doh!

8. - I once missed the school sports day to see the Queen visit Hackney, with my Auntie. I got spotted at the bus stop, ah, not part of the plan – in making the point that I had the form down, the bullies made me do all the track and field events before class each morning – the whole school could see the sports field from the form rooms! I learnt the value of taking my commitments seriously (and preferred embarrassment to being beaten up!). My spiritual gift is now ‘Helps’.

Can't tag anybody as eveybody I know has done this now!

Wanna get into the groove?

As has been advertised at the bottom of this blog for some time, we are off to see Maze on the 20th Sept (Hammersmith Apollo). I purchased 3 tickets as that was the only way could get great seats (in the middle near the front!). However, we haven't really thought about who might want to come along.

If you like Maze and want to come, or are not sure who Maze are (have a look at the clip of Joy and Pain) and still want to come, then leave a comment.

It promises to be a great night!

What was I doing when....?

I feel fortunate and valued to have been nominated to provide my whereabouts at time of the following 5 historical days:

Princess Diana's death - 31 August 1997

I was in bed, when Liz woke me up to tell me the news. Shocked, I got up and watched the news unfold. I'm still in shock now!

Margaret Thatcher's resignation - 22 November 1990

Although I remember this happening, I've never really followed politics too closely, so cannot remember the events that led to the Iron Lady resigning.

Attack on the twin towers - 11 September 2001

I remember being at work, when somebody mentioned that plane had crashed into one of the twin towers. There were a couple of still pictures on the net, but I didn't get to know the full horror until I got home from work. Tragic!

England's World Cup semi final v Germany - 4 July 1990

(Quoted from Liz's blog as we share the memory) This was the Saturday that the Romford Youth were involved in the Territorial Congress doing Drama, under the tutilage of Stuart Grinstead. So, as we were still in The Youth then, we all piled round to Keith and Fiona's afterwards to watch it on their tele - wasn't it the one where Gazza cried and... we lost. I recall Liz being obsessed with seeing images of Lothar Matteus ( SP??)

President Kennedy's Assassination - 22 November 1963

I was only 1 and had no idea what a grassy knoll was, or book depository store for that matter!

I'm going to be boring and not nominate, as the only people I know have already been nominated. Sorry folks!

A55 or A5 that is the question

The website of the campsite where we are going on holiday suggest that SatNav will not direct you the best route – they kindly provided a map which still doesn’t give you the proper route, but suggests the A55 is better then the A5.

The problem is, to get onto the A55 we would have to stay on the M6 right up to, almost, Liverpool and then go across on the A55.

I couldn’t see where the gain was, so I emailed the campsite people for advice.

I received a response:

Hello,

Yes, the A55 is a much faster route than the A5.


I then received another response:

Hello again,

Have had a debate with my husband and he says that the A5 would be a more direct route. So, it is really a matter of preference I suppose. Good luck anyway

Question – can you have a preference if you don’t understand the difference between the 2 choices?

Culture Change

At work, I volunteered to be part of a focus group whose remit was to look at the Culture of our department (approx 150 people). Recent surveys suggested there might be some Cultural problems and our ‘Head of’ wants to get to bottom of the problems. (thump table with fist when you say ‘problems’ - Try this now.)

Over the past months we have undertaken some surveys, workshops etc. to establish where the biggest gaps (between where we are and where we should be) are. We’re currently asking people what’s causing the gaps, and what could be done about it? The information coming in has some common themes, which seem to underlie a feeling of ‘resentment’ ‘injustice’ ‘fear’ etc.

Here’s the thing.

Culture isn’t something you can apply a new process to to fix/change. You can apply processes differently/fairly which might make people feel better, over a period of time, but there aren’t many quick wins with this. However, the ‘Boss’ is getting restless, and is putting pressure on the group (who are doing this in ‘spare time’) to come up with the solutions and plans to deploy. He wants to see results, (thump) now! I think he’s missed the point.

A definition of Organisational Culture is:

Organisational culture refers to the patterns of beliefs, values and learned ways of coping with experience that have developed during the course of an organisation’s history, and which tend to be manifested in its material arrangements and in the behaviours of its members”.

We have our work cut out!

What about culture in our church?

Ditto – I think.

Reading this back I’ve realised that for church, I have the same attitude as ‘the Boss’ – but at work I see the need to tread carefully. A lesson in life for me.

The Great Walker Takes A Tumble

You may be aware that my family and a group of friends travelled into darkest Derbyshire last weekend for some walking.

I was going to blog about the experience, which will now have to wait.

My Son, and walker of great standing, is now not standing so well.

On a day out with Mum, Brother and Sister, the big fella cracked his knee open AGAIN!

This is the 3rd time this particular bendy bit has been bashed over the past 12 months. A year ago, just before a trip to Austria he cut it open, and probably should have gone to hospital, but his Mum and Dad made an executive decision not to bother.

This time, however, we did bother and the brave soldier now has 9 stitches in his knee. This may scupper his nocturnile escapades during his week away with Church.



In tribute to his efforts on Saturday, here he is taking a well earned break. There's a prize for correctly guessing what he is eating.

Well done Joe!