Tag: history

Helping

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Hi, Over a handful of months, I’ve had the good fortune to attend some workshops on coaching people. It’s something that I’ve somehow found myself doing through work, and to small extent, at Chameleons too. One of the things we spoke about the in class was, what do we mean by coaching? Well, if you imagine a line with counselling on the left, and on the right, telling people what to do; coaching – at least as the tutor pitched it – would be sort of left of the centre. It’s been a fascinating few months, and I’d like to think I’ve picked up some quality advice and ideas over the sessions. Certainly, the listening skills, and how different people […]

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History

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Hi, Each week Auntie Beeb* runs a radio show called Book of the Week over on Radio Four. Oddly, and speaking personally, for someone who was very into music in my 20s, I pretty much only listen to talk radio. Perhaps, looking at it a bit more, I never listened to music radio, because they very rarely played stuff I liked. Not much has changed 🙂 [ * For you overseas readers, that’s a nickname for the BBC, our state broadcaster. ] So, Book of the Week; and back in July, it was the turn of self-described “executive transvestite”, Eddie Izzard. In order to keep my Trans License current, you have to listen to at least one of his performances […]

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Summertime and the living is easy…

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Hi, It had been one of those long gaps between meetings, and with the hot weather, I’d sort have warmed myself up to the idea of going in bloke mode. Yet, as the night out drew closer, temperatures dropped, and as I was working at home, I packed a bag during my lunchtime. There may also have been an opportunity to paint my toes, but there’s no gap in the company timesheet for that. Shame really, as it does wonders for my mood 🙂 Perhaps as I had no expectations of Chams, that it explains why I had such a good time. I’d made fair time through the traffic. Just in time to help Pat and M & Co set […]

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The Art of Normality

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Hi, Due to a dreaded Health & Safety audit – apologies for any shock or distress, this may have caused UK readers – at the Chameleons venue, we had to dispose of an old stereo. I say old, it had a CD and possibly a tape deck. I guess it’s my age, because that feels quite fancy. 🙂 Hmm…. I’m now wondering how many years ago, the Jones family recycled by old stereo separates. It may well have been before Little Miss was born, and she’ll be 10 this year. So, while I was in town, I dropped said stereo system off at British Heart Foundation. They’re one of the few charities I know of, which, admittedly, isn’t many, that […]

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Charging the batteries

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Hi, These last few days have been a bit of a blur. That rushed loop of wake, eat, school run, work, sarnie, work, commute, tea, breath, Netflix and bed. In other times I’d have found that routine stifling, almost a treadmill. Yet, this month, it’s been a familiar comfort. Perhaps, I am drifting, but I tell myself that the want of excitement, distraction or fun is not regular. They’re the occasional peaks and without the mundane, or even the lows, there can be no peaks. With Autumn’s golden colours across the trees, I had a pleasant walk and a talk with Andrea. We don’t work too far apart, so meeting up for a tea and a stroll is one of […]

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Thankful

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Hi, In a moment of madness I had a spot of tidying up. Not a purge, dear reader, but a clearance of clutter to dispel the debris. Or, as is sometimes said in Nottingham: getting shot of yer crap. 🙂 While clearing my bedside table, I found a small tin that contains a set of cuff links from long ago. Much as said items have some sentimental value, there’s a little more to it. Going back to the late 90s, I used to have a large travel trunk. I felt the need to use the term ‘travel trunk’ to avoid any smutty laughter about the size of my trunk, or if it’s well handled, etc. Yes, Carry on Blogging, by […]

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