Turns out the powers that be are aware of this blog.
Change of direction will be permanent then.
Though I have ceased and desisted talking about work (on good advice from an unexpected source). I still wish to voice inane chatter occasionally about the other ridiculous things that inhabit my life from time to time. Hence a changed address, and a strict focus on the inane things that inhabit my life out of work.
If someone from work was really determined to track me down again, I doubt it would be a challenge.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Only forward
Something strange is happening to me.
I've got some motivation again.
Coping with work is one thing, but returning home to the lure of a comfy sofa, idly browsing Facebook or submitting to a multitude of other distractions, means that more often than not the spare time evaporates and next thing I know it's time to crawl into bed.
Fed up with this seemingly endless blurred sprawl of spare time with little or no achievement, I've resolved to start running again, and more importantly to get my work-related study back up to speed.
Funny thing is, like a lot of things it's the getting started that's the hard thing. Once you get the ball rolling, approaching the repetitive task you previously dreaded can seem like a breeze. Hell, I spent long enough trying to get things moving, on a whole number of fronts.
Though I've repeatedly burnt myself out since I changed careers, and I probably needed that idle spare time after all. But now that I'm coping well with work (so I believe) I have little excuse to procrastinate further over neglected duties of body and mind.
I've got some motivation again.
Coping with work is one thing, but returning home to the lure of a comfy sofa, idly browsing Facebook or submitting to a multitude of other distractions, means that more often than not the spare time evaporates and next thing I know it's time to crawl into bed.
Fed up with this seemingly endless blurred sprawl of spare time with little or no achievement, I've resolved to start running again, and more importantly to get my work-related study back up to speed.
Funny thing is, like a lot of things it's the getting started that's the hard thing. Once you get the ball rolling, approaching the repetitive task you previously dreaded can seem like a breeze. Hell, I spent long enough trying to get things moving, on a whole number of fronts.
Though I've repeatedly burnt myself out since I changed careers, and I probably needed that idle spare time after all. But now that I'm coping well with work (so I believe) I have little excuse to procrastinate further over neglected duties of body and mind.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Book-tag!
Rose 'tagged' me with a booked-themed post. So here we go...
Four childhood books?
The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien
What else can one say about this book that hasn't been said already? Quite a challenge as a 12-year old but many a late-night was spent lost in Middle Earth.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis
Not quite as heavyweight as 'Rings, but equally inspired.
Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is usually the obvious choice by this author, but this story somehow struck a chord with me as a child.
The Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
A memorable and rather surreal picture book from my childhood.
Four Authors I'll read again and again.
Jeffrey Eugenides
Though he's only written two books in ten years, they're both masterpieces.
Sara Wheeler
My favourite travel writer who I credit with kick-starting my polar obsession. Humour, natural history and incredible journeys.
David Mitchell
Glad to say I started reading him before he hit it really big with 'Cloud Atlas'. Mitchell manages to take clever ideas and propel them with luscious, lyrical prose and engaging characterisation.
Peter F Hamilton
Consistently the best sci-fi Author I've read; his 'Night's Dawn' Trilogy is simply awesome reading - an incredible space opera with a mean dash of horror. Kinda of like Babylon 5 meets Event Horizon.
The First Four on my to-read list
Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
The Engines of God by Jack McDevitt
Six Days by Jeremy Bowen
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Four Books I'd Take to a Desert Island
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
The Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F Hamilton
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
Terra Incognita by Sara Wheeler
Next up... I tag... Courtney, Northern Monkey, Beth
Four childhood books?
The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien
What else can one say about this book that hasn't been said already? Quite a challenge as a 12-year old but many a late-night was spent lost in Middle Earth.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis
Not quite as heavyweight as 'Rings, but equally inspired.
Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is usually the obvious choice by this author, but this story somehow struck a chord with me as a child.
The Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
A memorable and rather surreal picture book from my childhood.
Four Authors I'll read again and again.
Jeffrey Eugenides
Though he's only written two books in ten years, they're both masterpieces.
Sara Wheeler
My favourite travel writer who I credit with kick-starting my polar obsession. Humour, natural history and incredible journeys.
David Mitchell
Glad to say I started reading him before he hit it really big with 'Cloud Atlas'. Mitchell manages to take clever ideas and propel them with luscious, lyrical prose and engaging characterisation.
Peter F Hamilton
Consistently the best sci-fi Author I've read; his 'Night's Dawn' Trilogy is simply awesome reading - an incredible space opera with a mean dash of horror. Kinda of like Babylon 5 meets Event Horizon.
The First Four on my to-read list
Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
The Engines of God by Jack McDevitt
Six Days by Jeremy Bowen
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Four Books I'd Take to a Desert Island
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
The Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F Hamilton
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
Terra Incognita by Sara Wheeler
Next up... I tag... Courtney, Northern Monkey, Beth
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Mr. Scruff - Honeydew
Hopefully Girlfriend will get tickets no probs to see him in December. I love his music, and I simply love the animation in this video. I like the cute comment someone put on Youtube - "I wish the world was like this." Y'know what? I do too.
Monday, October 29, 2007
One day in the calendar
I don’t know where in my old age it started but Christmas lost its sparkle and mystery somewhere along the way.
Why is it each year that collectively we seem to loose all sense, spend such insane amounts of money, get far too emotional and over-indulgent, before swearing that we’ll not do it again next year.
It’s October.
And we’ve got weeks and weeks of this overkill still to go.
It’s only one day in the calendar for god sakes.
Be merry people; but keep your heads whilst all around you are losing theirs.
(With thanks to Kipling)
Why is it each year that collectively we seem to loose all sense, spend such insane amounts of money, get far too emotional and over-indulgent, before swearing that we’ll not do it again next year.
It’s October.
And we’ve got weeks and weeks of this overkill still to go.
It’s only one day in the calendar for god sakes.
Be merry people; but keep your heads whilst all around you are losing theirs.
(With thanks to Kipling)
Thursday, October 25, 2007
People talk
It was subtly mentioned this evening by a colleague that some people I work with are aware of this blog.
It's been suggested that it's perhaps a not a good idea to blog about the job.
I've come to the conclusion, as I have been doing for a while now, that it's probably not a good idea to blog about the job.
Which is a shame really.
I've tried to share over the past time a few aspects of what is a weird & wonderful job from the point-of-view of a newbie. I've taken great strides to stay anonymous as an officer and made sure that I haven't identified the force that I work for.
However, I simply don't think I can take the risk anymore. People talk.
So if "I don't talk about work that much" as I remember saying once before, that's why.
It's been suggested that it's perhaps a not a good idea to blog about the job.
I've come to the conclusion, as I have been doing for a while now, that it's probably not a good idea to blog about the job.
Which is a shame really.
I've tried to share over the past time a few aspects of what is a weird & wonderful job from the point-of-view of a newbie. I've taken great strides to stay anonymous as an officer and made sure that I haven't identified the force that I work for.
However, I simply don't think I can take the risk anymore. People talk.
So if "I don't talk about work that much" as I remember saying once before, that's why.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Court
...Wasn't too bad come to think about it.
Apart from the waiting...
The defence turned up in good time.
I turned up on time.
As did the magistrates.
The prosecutor however, did not.
Some four hours late, and after some excuses and heavy-duty faxing, the trial finally got underway.
The questions from the prosecution were straight forward enough when they eventually came to me in the stand.
I stood trembling inwardly in anticipation of cross-examination by the defence.
"Officer, did you actually witness the alleged incident?"
"I did not, no. I arrived some time after the event, having been deployed there by our control room."
"No further questions your worships."
Beautiful.
Apart from the waiting...
The defence turned up in good time.
I turned up on time.
As did the magistrates.
The prosecutor however, did not.
Some four hours late, and after some excuses and heavy-duty faxing, the trial finally got underway.
The questions from the prosecution were straight forward enough when they eventually came to me in the stand.
I stood trembling inwardly in anticipation of cross-examination by the defence.
"Officer, did you actually witness the alleged incident?"
"I did not, no. I arrived some time after the event, having been deployed there by our control room."
"No further questions your worships."
Beautiful.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Back to life, back to reality
In an act of unusual financial recklesness i went and bought an X-Box 360 this afternoon; the 'killer app' that is Halo 3 has worn down all my reserves of willpower and I've surrendered to the teenager within me. Well hey, it's the autumn, the nights are drawing in. See, that's a good reason too, don't you think?
And it's back to a sort of normality tomorrow. As in the start of a another set of shifts back at my usual station, not the relxed small-town outpost I've been enjoying for the last few weeks on a community attachment.
So it's goodbye to...
Numerous cups of tea
Foot patrol
Finishing on time (for the most)
Hanging out with the PCSO's
Having proper conversations with the public
Wondering "Well how shall I fill the last few hours?"
Updating my pocket notebook in-situ
Attending a number of incidents along the line of "Report of 6-8 juvaniles causing a nuisance...."
And it's back to...
Attemptingtoinvestigatecrimeatthesametimesasattendingincomingincidentsandallocatedincidents andissuingfixedpenaltytickets [*pause for breath*]
Quick barked conversations with the public; trying not to be rude whilst edging out the door to the next job
Deciding whether it's worth taking the formal break today or ploughing on to the next
Going to one end of the sector for a job before being called to the opposite side for something urgent
Realising I haven't eaten all day
Always having one ear on the radio
Thinking I should have been off over an hour ago
Finding new and original ways to write up quite why I couldn't make it to an allocated job
In a perverse wasy, I've kinda' missed the latter.
Oh, and I almost forgot, I'm due at court tomorrow...
And it's back to a sort of normality tomorrow. As in the start of a another set of shifts back at my usual station, not the relxed small-town outpost I've been enjoying for the last few weeks on a community attachment.
So it's goodbye to...
Numerous cups of tea
Foot patrol
Finishing on time (for the most)
Hanging out with the PCSO's
Having proper conversations with the public
Wondering "Well how shall I fill the last few hours?"
Updating my pocket notebook in-situ
Attending a number of incidents along the line of "Report of 6-8 juvaniles causing a nuisance...."
And it's back to...
Attemptingtoinvestigatecrimeatthesametimesasattendingincomingincidentsandallocatedincidents andissuingfixedpenaltytickets [*pause for breath*]
Quick barked conversations with the public; trying not to be rude whilst edging out the door to the next job
Deciding whether it's worth taking the formal break today or ploughing on to the next
Going to one end of the sector for a job before being called to the opposite side for something urgent
Realising I haven't eaten all day
Always having one ear on the radio
Thinking I should have been off over an hour ago
Finding new and original ways to write up quite why I couldn't make it to an allocated job
In a perverse wasy, I've kinda' missed the latter.
Oh, and I almost forgot, I'm due at court tomorrow...
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Enjoying it whilst it lasts
Remember me?
I used to blog here didn't I?
Some time ago I got major fecked off and disillusioned with work. I got majorly tired... then, oh dear, I discovered Facebook.
Lack of motivation multiplied by an surprisingly addictive 'social networking' site resulted in my neglecting this little part of the internet that I created.
Sorry.
But I'm back. In a number of ways.
Though I'm not reborn, relaunching or reinventing... A notable birthday and a trip away to somewhere familiar yet still completely undiscovered... Has found me returning home, to life and to work, with the motivation and will to see things through that I think I was sorely lacking a few weeks back.
Still with me?
Good.
Work-wise (the cause of so much joy and ills) - it probably helps as well that I've not gone straight back onto response driving. I'm spending two weeks with the community beat team learning about a very different type of policing. After suffering endless jokes about the number of cups of tea consumed (from fellow response officers)... I've genuinely enjoyed doing frankly old-school things like (get this) walking, yes walking the beat. Meeting members of the public in a situation where there's not an urgent problem to be solved, and I can actually take time to talk and listen to them? That's a whole new situation to me.
But then the radio goes. There's a job going off somewhere and something in me is tugging to grab some response car keys and go whizzing out to it like the headless frazzled chicken that I was before. I ignore the radio for the most, I'm not response... I'm with the Community Team... But the instinct is irrepressible.
However I'm taking time to enjoy the calm.
While it lasts.
I used to blog here didn't I?
Some time ago I got major fecked off and disillusioned with work. I got majorly tired... then, oh dear, I discovered Facebook.
Lack of motivation multiplied by an surprisingly addictive 'social networking' site resulted in my neglecting this little part of the internet that I created.
Sorry.
But I'm back. In a number of ways.
Though I'm not reborn, relaunching or reinventing... A notable birthday and a trip away to somewhere familiar yet still completely undiscovered... Has found me returning home, to life and to work, with the motivation and will to see things through that I think I was sorely lacking a few weeks back.
Still with me?
Good.
Work-wise (the cause of so much joy and ills) - it probably helps as well that I've not gone straight back onto response driving. I'm spending two weeks with the community beat team learning about a very different type of policing. After suffering endless jokes about the number of cups of tea consumed (from fellow response officers)... I've genuinely enjoyed doing frankly old-school things like (get this) walking, yes walking the beat. Meeting members of the public in a situation where there's not an urgent problem to be solved, and I can actually take time to talk and listen to them? That's a whole new situation to me.
But then the radio goes. There's a job going off somewhere and something in me is tugging to grab some response car keys and go whizzing out to it like the headless frazzled chicken that I was before. I ignore the radio for the most, I'm not response... I'm with the Community Team... But the instinct is irrepressible.
However I'm taking time to enjoy the calm.
While it lasts.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Yorkshire Airlines
'Proper' blog posts on their way I promise.
In the meanwhile, let me leave thee with this grand aver-tise-ment.
Makes me reet proud.
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