Friday 28 November 2008

connexions broken!!

Not sure if any other readers are having the same problem but I have not been able to access Connexions since Wednesday - whenever I click on the link I get a word press installation screen - I have tried links to Connexions on other blogs and get the same thing. Anybody know what has happened or where it has gone?

Thursday 27 November 2008

Ignorance is bliss!!

I haven't posted anything for a while because I have been watching other blogs and commenting here and there on topics which often somebody else has got to before me. i have to say I continue to be surprised at how some posts attract loads of comments while others that I think might get a lot of comments get nothing - I am sure this is a mystery of blogging.
Anyway to the point of this post - I have been reading over on Connexions about the failure of drivers to stop for crossing patrol wardens and it got me thinking. The lollipop lady who used to work near my children's primary school reckoned she diced with death every day as drivers seemed to be reluctant to stop - this is not a new thing as my children are 25 and 18 so we are talking a few years ago.
I do think though that it is all part of our 'instant' society - we want everything to be at the highest speed possible. So much of our food is instant or ready - no time needed in preparation etc. And this is true in many other things - drivers are always in a great hurry, risky overtaking goes on just to get a car in front when the reality is that they end up not being much quicker - I often think of the tortoise and the hair. I do however think that some of this is down to ignorance - ignorance of other peoples feelings, ignorance of good manners, ignorance of the law and I suppose to some extent the old saying my late mother use to use of 'I'm alright Jack, pull the ladder up'.
I often say that civility costs nothing and I am of the opinion we have to a large extent stopped being 'civil' to one another, common courtesy has been pushed to the side and the result is idiots who can't give a minute to let people cross the road in the relative safety that should be afforded by the 'Lollipop person'.

Tuesday 18 November 2008

Christmas is coming!!!

As this Sunday is Christ the King Sunday it means we have arrived at the end of this liturgical year and will be staring the new one with the First Sunday in Advent.
The beginning of Advent signals the start of our preparations for Christmas and inevitably the Circuit Carol Service which is probably one of my least favourite events. I am not sure how this works in other circuits or even if other circuits have a Circuit Carol Service, but in our case it is organised by a different minister each years with a planning group made up of two representatives of all 10 churches in the circuit. In my experience it has always included an item from each of the ten churches and featured only traditional hymns and carols. Now I have no problem with traditional carols but really do feel it would be good if we could include the odd more modern carol or Christmas Hymn, and not have to have every church taking part. In fact two years ago I went as one of our church representatives and stuck my head over the parapet to suggest some modernisation and perhaps a shift of organisation so that the churches in the section of the minister leading on this actually planned and took part in the event. This was met with some degree of disdain and comments like ‘What’s wrong with traditional music?’ and ‘It wouldn’t be a Circuit Service if we weren’t all involved!’ I decided it was probably best to shut up and with a group of five likeminded people we organised an alternative Carol event on a different night which wasn’t particularly well attended but enjoyed immensely by those who did.
Last year I happened to be missing because in the middle of summer someone had booked me to take a service on the night that turned out to be the Circuit Carol Service. My son has been to the first planning meeting this year and it seems as if we will be getting much of the same again. I am not out preaching this year (yet) so may have to attend!
I wonder if any readers have any experiences from their own situations they might like to share – who knows next year we might be able to do it differently if some good suggestions come up and I feel brave enough to suggest them.
Over to you.

Friday 14 November 2008

In Trouble!

Well folks sorry I haven't posted anything since yesterday morning but I seem to have upset dh over on Connexions (Armistice Day) and have been attempting to 1) work out how generalised comments I made have been taken very personally 2) how they have been deemed to be offensive and 3)to respond with great care so as not to say anything that can be misconstrued or taken as offensive.
Unfortunately a response I spent 40 minutes or so writing last night fell victim of a technical problem that Connexions are having with some posts.
I will be spending some time today writing a further extremely measured response so blogging may not happen until the weekend

Thursday 13 November 2008

Impressed by London

In my previous post I mentioned that I had been in London on Tuesday on a course. The building i was in was on the Strand and the room we were in overlooked the Strand and as I was sitting near the window I was able to observe the traffic and the comings and goings to some extent. It struck me that London is a very busy place with lots of comings and goings - lots of sirens (police cars)and lots of noise.
What did impress me was that at 11a.m. everything seemed to stop and an almost eerie silence descended as London observed the two minutes silence - I did make the observation at lunchtime that you could have heard a pin drop and for somewhere as busy and noisy as London this must be quite unusual.
So I say well done London for coming to a halt for those two minutes to remember the fallen not just of World War 1 but of all conflicts.

Tuesday 11 November 2008

All Done!

Well my marking is now complete and the results have been sent off so there will hopefully be some very happy people in the next few days when they get their individual results.
I have been to London today for only the third time in my life and had to travel on the tube for the first time. I am really glad I don't have to do it very often - it was like being in a sardine can and I'm not sure if it was just me but they seemed to travel at an extremely high speed.
I enjoyed walking along the Strand and around some of the side streets as I was an hour early for the course I was attending, it was a lovely dry morning and the sun was shining which really made it a pleasant day. The course was very good and I met some really nice people.
I have been reading other blogs and making the odd comments here and there and will be hoping to post in the next day or two on the odd issue that is going round in my head - one of them may be work related I'm afraid but then what I do at work is very much part of me as a whole person and I have worked in social housing for 25 years so it has been an important part of my life.

Monday 3 November 2008

Nearly Over!

Two things that are nearly over - firstly my marking is nearly complete and I have to say it has been an extremely enjoyable experience with some excellent work. The ones I have marked tonight have been absolutely excellent with most of the work achieving in excess of 90%.
The second thing that is nearly over is the American Presidential Election - I have to be honest it bores me to tears and I know people will say it is very important because of the effect it has on us but after almost two years of the process i will be really glad when it is over.
It is sad that as I write this news has broken that Barack Obama's grandmother has died and I would hope our thoughts and prayers will be with him and his family at this time.