Coffee and stuff

Christmas coffee chat and panini with friends Adam and Nia, lovely. Followed by Christmas coffee and cake with Wifey and her friend Mandy. Well a cheap and healthy skinny Cortado and no cake for me, but they enjoyed their cacen and latte. Now if it wasn't for the flooding, getting soaking wet, and the road detour going home: it would have been a perfect day.

Mince Pies and all the nice stuff

With the Sports Centre closed until the 02 January 2013 the Plan is to run an accumulative Christmas Half Marathon and with that in mind I previously downloaded the NIKE Running App ready to try it out later today.

The running will need a lot of commitment as there's no exercise planned for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and possibly Christmas Eve and New Years Eve so each and every one of the days that are left are extremely important for the Exercise Plan.

But of course being a qualified Strategist; I know that no plan survives first engagement with the enemy, so that sort of scuppers everything written so far :-)

Right, where are those Mince Pies?

Pretty Woman

And to add to my list (in my last Blog post) of things that appear one way and actually run another way; we can add a scene from that all time favourite film Pretty Woman.  Picture Vivian at the breakfast table the morning after the night before, after the line from Edward Lewis “there are four other chairs” and Vivian gets down from the table and instead settles down into one of the aforementioned chairs.

There she is munching on a croissant.  Not any old croissant mind you, but one that when it is one third eaten, miraculously changes into a pancake that is also one third eaten.  The team managed to get the amount of food eaten to be roughly the same, but alas they picked on the wrong pastry when they continued with shooting the scene.

Now how many times have we watched that film, and not seen the switch until tonight.  You see, all too often we allow ourselves to see what we want, rather than that which is actually there.  A third of the way munched croissant here and problem there.  Maybe it’s not a problem all, but simply a pancake, if you see what I mean.  So remember that the situation is not always how we see it, not even when we are absolutely certain about the accuracy and the clarity that we think that we have about an event or occurrence.  More often than not, it’s about perception and what we want to see.  So go on and add this explanation to my earlier list, and in doing so start to build up a portfolio of coping mechanisms and things to rationalise our feelings, and anger, and confusion.

Oh, and it’s still Merry Christmas, so make sure that you set your hang-ups to one side and get on in there and enjoy yourself.  

Merry Christmas

Mental ill health is a terrible thing and we all know that Christmas and the New Year is a time that often places an added burden onto an already stretched mind. 

I would like to share some thoughts with you that are equally relevant at any time of the year, but may for be really useful now.  If you have a Counsellor then it might be worth mentioning what you have read, as the professional may place some of the statements into the context that is relevant to your circumstances:

It’s rarely the case that anything is so bad that it can’t be put right,

What we often think of as important, more often than not turns out to be irrelevant,

We often place emphasis on the things that don’t matter, and in doing so neglect that which does matter,

Although you may not agree at this moment in time, from most bad things come good things,

As one door closes, many doors open as we embrace new chances and opportunities,

Those that love you wouldn’t want you to harm yourself, as any harm will also hurt them,

We can’t control the past, we can only learn from it, so don’t dwell too much on what has happened,

We can’t control the future, we can only plan for it, and as most plans need changing, this spoils the planning idea,

If we can’t control the past or the future, and planning has its own hiccups, then maybe it’s time to think more about living for today,

Bullies are often insignificant people, who like to think of themselves as being important,

If you are being bullied, then think of your boss as someone with his or her pants down having a crap,

And when you realise that this is a waste of good thought process, bang in a written complaint about them instead and let them do the stressing and not you,

Putting things down onto paper often expunges the thought process and enables us to get on with life,

There are various coping strategies, and do not know which ones are suitable for your circumstances. An eclectic range of hobbies and activities and interests and tasks seem to work well for me.  Yes, this is about deflection and keeping latent problems under the surface.  But hey ho, if it works then let’s engage in the things that help us to better cope with the problems.  Remember that mental ill health affects lots of people and probably impacts on every family in some way.  The medical professionals, like your GP, can help and guide you towards support systems.  Your Trade Union can give you advice and guidance if you are being bullied.  Many help groups can be found online and in the telephone directory.  So don’t bottle it all up, and instead seek the help and support that you might need and which is readily available free of charge.  Just because someone is not wearing a plaster cast, doesn’t mean that they are not ill.  Take strength in the knowledge that others have or are experiencing similar problems and that with help and support and sensible adaptations they are making it through each day, and you can as well. 

Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2013

  

Mr President

In the 1994 film 'Guarding Tess' (Nicolas Cage and Shirley MacLaine) and the scene when the President of the United States of America is due to come to town; is that a younger Barack Obama walking just ahead of the ex-First Lady when Shirley and her Special Secret Agents visit the Hypermarket?

Jacintha Saldanha

I found the news of the untimely and unnecessary death of Jacintha Saldanha extremely upsetting and must admit to shedding quite a few tears.  People can dumb down the act leading to Jacintha’s death by calling it a ‘prank’ or a ‘stunt’ or by using neutral terms such as ‘tragic event’, in order to avoid proportioning or accepting blame.  But in doing so, they must also realise that people are responsible for their actions.  Nobody forced 2DayFM to make the telephone call.  While the presenters were laughing and joking on their video, Jacintha was entering a living hell.  

Now her children have lost their mother.

I refuse to listen to several radio presenters because I have found their unsolicited telephone calls to unsuspecting strangers to be a form of bullying.  Others call it ‘fun’, but I call it ‘nasty’.  There is no place for this kind of behaviour in a modern society irrespective of whether or not it an attempt to ridicule a person, or to extract confidential information.  Any such act is morally wrong. 

I do not accept the argument “the station hadn’t broken any laws” either.  Bullying is a terrible thing, bullying comes in many forms, and there are many examples where the victim has committed suicide.  Manslaughter is a crime, obtaining confidential information, whatever the method, is an invasion of privacy laws, obtaining a pecuniary advantage is a crime.  But Jacintha’s death is not about criminalising the two presenters involved.  I suspect that the worldwide disgust far outweighs the outcome that they could suffer under any penal code. 

The publicity surrounding Jacintha’s death is a reminder that those who do stupid things run the risk of being called to account when those stupid things go badly wrong.  Those who are responsible must be held to account.  They need to be sacked, as does anyone else at the radio station or its parent company that was involved or has moved to try and protect the company while losing sight of the death of Jacintha.  Play music and chat, run competitions, invite guests onto the station, give the sports results, tell us the news, talk about the weather, play more music, but remember that you have no right in any form whatsoever to telephone anyone that you do not know.  And that folks is the bottom line so stop being in denial and wise up.  The outcome was foreseeable, if not this time then at a point in time, as all actions have a reaction.  

Bearing Gifts

I am absolutely flabbergasted, having received an astonishingly nice and unexpected gift through the post today.   I’m always the one that does the nice things, and until today no one ever does that sort for thing for me.  Strange I know, but that’s the way it’s always been, and the family tend to accept it.  So with that in mind you can imagine my surprise when the chap arrived with the parcel, I even commented that I was not expecting anything and checked that he had the right address.   

I was outside in the garage gluing some bits and bobs to a small table top 'n' gauge railway layout for Mr Tister and me, so I sort of pounced on the driver when he pulled up, poor chap.  He even said, “You are Roger Bennett, aren’t you?” Yes indeed, I am. 

Enclosed with the Special Next Day Delivery Box was a note; “just a little thank you for your help”, along with a gift wrapped Vinho Do Porto Messias 10 year bottle of Port. 

Scrummy, just what the doctor ordered.

People

Why do people queue up in a coffee shop and then get miffed when there's no seats after they order their drink. It makes sense to bag a seat as you enter the premises by placing a magazine and an old pair if glasses on a table and then queue if you are alone, but one of you sit and the other queue when there's two of you.

Yet I watch person after person calmly queuing, as others walk in ages after them and breeze past to get the seat.

Is the lack of common sense a British thing? Or do we simply crave the drama and frustration that the lost seat brings? Wise up folks, bag your seat and then get your drink, or always order a take out in case you have to go.

Across the Pond

Brilliant, some new friends from across The Pond have been in touch today.  That's fantastic news as they are all such lovely people. Oh happy days

Preparedness

It’s been almost a month since I have posted on my Blog but maybe this post will be useful to some of you preparing for your next holiday.  I like to try and link some of the posts, and this one is no exception.  Leading on from the last post about two good Samaritans that helped me out prior to my holiday, part of this post is also about being a Good Samaritan for those of you who are First Aid trained and hold a current first aid qualification.

  

The latter part of my working life involved preparedness and contingency planning for organisational resilience.  In many ways I am safety conscious and alert how we should prepare, but as always I offer my tips and ideas on a no liability basis for you to accept or reject as you see fit.  Just because I mention it here; doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s right or accurate.  This bit of preparedness is for those of you who are going on a cruise holiday and by default in any close quarter environment (land based holidays equally apply) where you may encounter a Gastro Illness commonly referred to by the trade as a GI event.

Along with any traveler first aid kit that you might carry, consider packing:

·         In all cases; an alcoholic gel hand cleanser sanitizer with a lockable cap for carrying in your handbag or man-bag when you are out and about on shore excursions (there are various brands available and a fair sized item should only cost somewhere around £4.50 or less),

·         A supply of hygienic surface wipes for your stateroom and when you are out and about on the dreaded coach where everyone and anyone touches and sneezes over things,

·         A supply of Dioralyte or similar rehydration brand sachets for your group as it is unlikely that you will be able to purchase them in the on-board shop (a supply of  sachets of oral electrolyte powder should come in at circa £3.50 or less, so this is another low cost item),

·         A supply of sturdy plastic cups or beakers for your group as the Cruise line may remove all glasses from your stateroom during a GI event,

·         If you are diabetic, then a supply of Glucose Boost from your Pharmacy as it is unlikely that you will be able to pick up Lucozade or similar glucose based drinks on-board the ship and you may need a glucose boost if your sugar levels drop through sickness and diarrhoea,

·         If you are first aid CPR trained then it is always a good idea to carry your personal Resusci-aid hygienic barrier for use whilst giving artificial respiration (I bought my St John Ambulance Personal Protection Kit from Amazon for £2.87 including P&P so this is not a big cost item and a standalone one way valve Resusci-aid is even cheaper),

·         During a severe GI event it is probable that you will come across fellow passengers being sick while out and about on an excursion, if you are first aid trained and would go to their aid on the basis that something else may be wrong with the casualty; then it might be a good idea to carry your own small supply of disposable gloves,

·         Your common sense, just because a GI event is ongoing, that doesn’t mean that the person in your group is ill from that event and he/she may have something else wrong with them, so please remain alert and do not assume anything,

·         2 x your supply of medication for the duration of the vacation plus a few days in case of any delays.  I pack one full supply in my carry-on bag and another full supply inside one of the suitcases.  A full supply in both in case either the bag or the suitcase is lost or stolen.  (In all cases remove all medication from your bag and suitcase when you reach your final destination and store all medication out of reach of children by making use of any lockable safe or other secure storage facility),   

The Resusci-aid and disposable glove supply may appear to some to be a case of over-kill.  But you are either willing to step in and try to help a fellow human being or you are not.  If you are prepared to step in then it follows that you also should be health and safety prepared and carry a few small items in a pouch inside your bag, camera bag, or coat.  It just makes good sense.

So there we have it folks.  My take on a bit of sensible personal protection for you and others in your group that could become a bit poorly on any holiday where you are mooching around with fellow guests in a relatively closed environment and sharing the same dining and leisure facilities.  All it takes is a couple of bob, and a bit of common sense.  Hopefully you will avoid the GI, but if it hits you or one of your group then at least you may be better prepared.