Image thanks to Acepnow.com I have been reading a book for a long time now, ‘The ant and the Peacock’ by Helena Cronin. For some reason I am reading it in Spanish, having picked it up at Barter Books and this could explain why it is taking me so long. Two pages a day is … Continue reading A difference of opinion
Commodified giving
Since lockdown I have done my big shop almost exclusively at Morrisons. It’s handy as it’s local and I can get nearly everything that we need. On the way out, just after the tills there are a couple of cages set aside for the Wansbeck food bank. Food banks have always troubled me. In many … Continue reading Commodified giving
Background checks
Now that's just showing off - image thanks to Dartmouth College It’s amazing how quickly we have become used to seeing the insides of people’s homes. Whether it is on a work call or an interview on television, more and more content is coming from inside where people live. The quality of the speaker and … Continue reading Background checks
I am who I am
It’s been a long time since I have had a job interview. The pitches I have made for consultancy work have been similar but the questions have tended to be focussed on what I can do for them rather than proving my experience and skills. In reality though it’s not long since I had a … Continue reading I am who I am
A trip to Morrissons
Other shops are available Another sign of my advancing years is that I like to get to Morrissons by seven o'clock in the morning, just as it is supposed to open, though there are always people coming out as I go in. I can’t be bothered with the queues or a shop full of people … Continue reading A trip to Morrissons
Life Lessons
I am reading The Secret Barrister having picked up his book at Waterstones. I have been following him on twitter for some time and have been fascinated to learn more about how the law works, or doesn’t. What has struck me though is that I have managed to get to the ripe old age of … Continue reading Life Lessons
The secret future of writing
I don’t know if you caught the BBC 4 series ‘The Secret History of Writing’ but if you didn’t it is worth catching up online. It is another example of the excellent output of the channel and highlights the shame that it is now under threat. The third programme in the series featured Chinese artist … Continue reading The secret future of writing
John Popham
Image thanks to Wikipedia John Popham has died. His life has been cut short by cancer. He was a friend of mine, I would like to say a good friend and we shared many of the same values of social justice. He was an avid user of social media and a blogger. We would often … Continue reading John Popham
Coffee at Pink Lane
At all costs we want to stir up some sort of feeling in others. Our soul abhors a vacuum. At all costs it longs for contact - Hjalmar Soderberg, from Doctor Glass. It was good to meet up with Mike again. I have known him from my days at North Tyneside and we make the … Continue reading Coffee at Pink Lane
Big Issue
There are many big issues that swirl around in my head. A friend of mine once said to me that you should pick your battles, you can’t fight on all fronts yet these days I am not short of choices. I only have to open the papers or go on social media to get my … Continue reading Big Issue
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 