Diary

Hello people, I know things have been a bit thin here for a while. Truth is I've had a really bad patch health-wise, for a couple of months now, and just getting to work has been about the sum of my energy for each day. Yes, I should have probably said something back in September, but I didn't want any fuss etc. and also asked her ladyship not to tell either. Bottom line is after a good couple of years remission, it's back and I had to come off my meds for a wee while and it all got a bit uncomfortable. I'm stable again for the moment but am going to have to have a new regime of meds sometime in the new year following several large hoops to be jumped through before then.

I have however spent a great deal of time lying about at home which has pleased herself enormously. I have been reading the Biography of Clementine Churchill by her daughter Mary Soames. Clementine was not of a strong constitution herself and yet showed remarkable energy and courage in her efforts, charitable and in restraining her manic husband as best she was able. In one of her letters she quotes the following poem by Christina Rosetti. Being the rank philistine that I am, I have never been given to the reading of poetry and had never previously heard of Christine Rosetti. But I think I know how she and Clementine felt at the time.

UP-HILL.

Does the road wind up-hill all the way?
Yes, to the very end.
Will the day's journey take the whole long day?
From morn to night, my friend.
But is there for the night a resting-place?
A roof for when the slow dark hours begin.
May not the darkness hide it from my face?
You cannot miss that inn.
Shall I meet other wayfarers at night?
Those who have gone before.
Then must I knock, or call when just in sight?
They will not keep you standing at that door.
Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak?
Of labor you shall find the sum.
Will there be beds for me and all who seek?
Yea, beds for all who come.

Divers Terrors.

I spent a great deal of yesterday evening ruminating on a meeting at work, that had taken place at the end of the day, or to be more specific, the placement of two agenda items, side by side in that meeting.

The first of these was Diversity. Now for one reason and another I hold the role of Diversity Champion for our school. No-one has ever told me what it means or what responsibilities this role entails. A brief discussion suggested that it was my irresponsibility to ensure fair representation in the school and say things like, there's too many blokes in here, someone's going to have to have a sex change. But a sense of humour is so hard to hold onto in these things. The suggestion that we had more than the national average of limbs in the office and someone would have to have an arm off seemed to go down a little better. But as I am the individual generally viewed as the peacemaker; able to negotiate with the more interesting students and the one that can deal with all the religious stuff, like Muslims... there was probably an inevitability in it being me.

Every year the college has this thing called a 'diversity competition' in which students and staff are supposed to compete in producing something which celebrates the existing diversity of persons engaged at the college, or assists in the promotion of diversity. This is a beast of many contradictions. Its oxymoron tendency, in that someone somewhere will use some measure of difference whereby to discern a winner in this competition, demonstrates that this is not particularly well thought out. "We think difference is something to be celebrated, but your difference is better than mine so you can have a prize for it."

Anyway, you get the idea, I'm supposed to be the harbinger of all goodness and persuading people that diversity is a beneficial thing and please don't be worried about people because of characteristics like, religion, ability, sexuality etc. etc.

The next item was Terrorism.
Apparently the powers that be have had an interesting talk and video presentation from the local police chappie responsible for terrorism offering them all sorts of sage advice on how to spot a terrorist behavior. There is apparently a move to having all our students watch said video, which whilst we are assured contains details on white people being naughty, also relies heavily on the Twin Towers and the London Bombings.

So whilst I am running around generally attempting to instill an attitude of trust and a commitment to celebrating difference, the place is going to hosting police persons doing their best to make everyone suspicious of people who are different, i.e. everyone else and I dare bet, giving our black and Asian students particular cause for complaint.

I have registered concerns and my objection to this video being shown to students. I imagine they are binned already. Perhaps not...perhaps they have been added to my file as a grade one weirdo to be watched at all times for a general tendency to give a shit.

I don't do jokes really...

...but this tickled me...

I telephoned the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people the other day... he sent me a large goat with a very long neck...turns out I called Dial-a-llama.

Day 15,805 in the Big Brother House.

Apropos of nothing really, other than to celebrate m'colleagues abilities to create spreadsheets to sufficient standards to complete a qualification...to whit... he asks my date of birth, pops it into the created spreadsheet and informs me that I am 15,805 days old today.
Work really is rather quiet.

Newsbiscuit does it again

Postman Pat, the future.

The situation with the Royal Mail is desperate and it comes down to the same revolting yardstick by which everything in this sodding country is now measured and ruined - profitability. The Royal Mail actually perform pretty amazing things for very little charge and are part of the social glue that maintain something once called civil society. Now it's just another chattel, a thing to be bought and sold, whose real value will not be understood until it is with us no more.

PCC

PCC Meeting came and went Wednesday evening despite dire predictions of doom and gloom. True there were some difficult things to discuss as the experience of visitors to our church lately has been less than welcoming and some of the behavior between inmates has been pretty well appalling. Nonetheless we reached an agreement as to a statement that as well as expressing what we belive mission to be in this place, here and now, will also serve as a benchmark as to what we expect of our congregation.

We seek to be a Christian Church worshiping God, and sharing His love by word and deed. That love leads us to be Generous in our own service and engaged with others to serve God in the needs of our neighbours. Our services and all our activities are open to all.

That done and various other matters dealt with, I decide it was appropriate time to give notice on my churchwardenship. I will stand down at the next AGM (April) which gives the church a good 6 months in which to twist someones arm into taking this on. At that point I will have served 9 years in post. There is a nagging sense within me that I am abandoning them at their lowest point and therefore some guilt, but in the main I am convinced this is the right thing to do. I have for over 25 years now been chairman of this, treasurer of that, trustee here there and everywhere, and there is also the feeling within me that I need a break from carrying organizational responsibilities for a good while. Tis no secret that my health overall can hardly be said to be improving or stable and this is not being helped by the amounts of voluntary commitments I have undertaken in the past. It has also meant that lately I have also not been up to those responsibilities with the enthusiasm or level of activity that they truly require in order to be done properly.

I am also very conscious that I am not as engaged with church as I used to be in terms of my own spirituality and development. It is just about the last place that I feel that I experience grace and mystery. It is time that I was not there, at least for a wee whiles.

Another Nightmare: The Intellectual Eclipse of the West

Cracking post by The Ugley Vicar, which touches on so many of my feelings about our education system.