Whilst at the supermarket checkout today I was an inadvertent party to the following from a twenty-something female...
"I'm sick of waiting for him, he's had his last chance off me. I'm having the divorce now. Anyway, I've seen a fit lad on Facebook, my mate knows him so I'm gonna get off with him then it'll all be sorted. OK then see ya"
Thursday 23 May 2013
Sunday 12 May 2013
Pippi Longstocking of Blackley, Manchester
Where do I start with the flame-haired legend Carmel Stubbs? I have never met anyone quite like her in my life to date. It's impossible to do her justice with just a few words in a blog so I could sum her up as a "character with a heart of gold".
Our paths through life crossed in the less than thrilling surroundings of a local authority office. She worked in a different department to me but her legend had reached me within a few months of my start date. She was variously described as "nuts", "a one off" and "once met, never forgotten". She is indeed all these things. My first impression of her was a bit off-putting. She was loud, opinionated and highly demonstrative but I quickly realised she was not like anyone else I'd met from council life so in this sense she was refreshing and a raging storm of fresh air. She was a rebel without a cause and I grew to admire her for it.
I named her Pippi Longstocking as she occasionally wore an outfit straight from the fictitious girl's wardrobe. With her flowing ginger hair and unruly manner she was this character brought to life. My personality is as far removed from hers as is humanly possible, however, the old adage of opposites attracting surely summed up our unlikely friendship.We started to chat more often (when she wasn't distracted) and I noted she seized upon small details that were important to me. Occasionally, she has angered me but she is impossible to fall out with and from being colleagues we became friends. She also has a unique sense of humour. Her wit is sharper than a flashing blade.
The world is a far more entertaining place with Carmel "Pippi" Stubbs in it.
Our paths through life crossed in the less than thrilling surroundings of a local authority office. She worked in a different department to me but her legend had reached me within a few months of my start date. She was variously described as "nuts", "a one off" and "once met, never forgotten". She is indeed all these things. My first impression of her was a bit off-putting. She was loud, opinionated and highly demonstrative but I quickly realised she was not like anyone else I'd met from council life so in this sense she was refreshing and a raging storm of fresh air. She was a rebel without a cause and I grew to admire her for it.
I named her Pippi Longstocking as she occasionally wore an outfit straight from the fictitious girl's wardrobe. With her flowing ginger hair and unruly manner she was this character brought to life. My personality is as far removed from hers as is humanly possible, however, the old adage of opposites attracting surely summed up our unlikely friendship.We started to chat more often (when she wasn't distracted) and I noted she seized upon small details that were important to me. Occasionally, she has angered me but she is impossible to fall out with and from being colleagues we became friends. She also has a unique sense of humour. Her wit is sharper than a flashing blade.
The world is a far more entertaining place with Carmel "Pippi" Stubbs in it.
The Bolton Belle
After I switched jobs at the council I took up a "back office" position. My new role involved working closely with Liz Bell. Liz is 20 years younger than me but her outlook on life and wisdom belied her youth. She was charged with training me (not an easy job for anybody) but carried out this task with effortless efficiency. Previously, I'd had some bad experiences with younger people training me (see Housing Trust Babysitter post) but this wasn't one of them. Liz was kind, patient & friendly. Her selflessness was remarkable and we forged a surprisingly successful team of 2.
I worked with Liz for just 9 months but this would prove to be the happiest time in any job I'd had for a number of years. Everything was going swimmingly for me until she found a more suitable job nearer to home so she left with my very best wishes. However, it also left me with a very heavy heart. When I started in the role working with her, my confidence was at a low ebb but by the time she left I felt much more secure and better placed all round to tackle future tasks in this workplace.
Liz is a truly lovely girl. I am still in occasional touch with her and continue to wish only good things for her.
I worked with Liz for just 9 months but this would prove to be the happiest time in any job I'd had for a number of years. Everything was going swimmingly for me until she found a more suitable job nearer to home so she left with my very best wishes. However, it also left me with a very heavy heart. When I started in the role working with her, my confidence was at a low ebb but by the time she left I felt much more secure and better placed all round to tackle future tasks in this workplace.
Liz is a truly lovely girl. I am still in occasional touch with her and continue to wish only good things for her.
Affable Carole
I left a job in local government over a year ago now. I left voluntarily. My informed decision was not taken lightly and like most jobs, it had it's good and bad points. I wish to use the next few posts to highlight a few colleagues who enriched my time in the authority and I feel deserve lavish praise for the part they played in this period of my working life.
First up is Carole. Upon joining the local authority I had to endure a week long induction. That's correct, a WEEK long. A day would have been more than sufficient as the roles we were going into didn't require a bombardment with unnecessary information we were never likely to need for the job in hand. Anyway, there were 2 other new starters with me for this week of attrition. One of them was Carole Jones.
I warmed to Carole straight away as she had a friendly smile and a affable personality. We helped each other along with confidence boosting encouragement and friendly advice if and when needed as the week unfolded. I was completely at ease in her company and if it wasn't for her I would have struggled and may even have questioned taking up the forthcoming role.
Once we started the role we were "customer facing" on opposite help desks. This proved to be the wrong role for me at the wrong time. However, in the 3 months I worked opposite and alongside her she made a huge impression on me (all positive) and I continued to chat with her regularly after I switched roles within the council. She is marvelously non-judgmental and a wonderfully warm person.
First up is Carole. Upon joining the local authority I had to endure a week long induction. That's correct, a WEEK long. A day would have been more than sufficient as the roles we were going into didn't require a bombardment with unnecessary information we were never likely to need for the job in hand. Anyway, there were 2 other new starters with me for this week of attrition. One of them was Carole Jones.
I warmed to Carole straight away as she had a friendly smile and a affable personality. We helped each other along with confidence boosting encouragement and friendly advice if and when needed as the week unfolded. I was completely at ease in her company and if it wasn't for her I would have struggled and may even have questioned taking up the forthcoming role.
Once we started the role we were "customer facing" on opposite help desks. This proved to be the wrong role for me at the wrong time. However, in the 3 months I worked opposite and alongside her she made a huge impression on me (all positive) and I continued to chat with her regularly after I switched roles within the council. She is marvelously non-judgmental and a wonderfully warm person.
Thursday 9 May 2013
New Dawn's Light
Towering trees soar high above
Reaching up to leaden skies
Clouds emptying droplets of rain
Thoughts of bridges burnt and severance of ties
Toxic leaves flower from seeds of doubt
Buried demons rise through poisoned ground
Nettles grasped, then freed in pain
Opportunities lost and never found
Conflicting collisions of body and soul
Sands of time slip through frozen hands
A daily struggle to fill the voids
Energy sapped by expectation and demands
The cycle of life can puncture and stall
Never lose faith, hope and belief
Out of darkness into a new dawn's light
Finding love can be welcome relief
Reaching up to leaden skies
Clouds emptying droplets of rain
Thoughts of bridges burnt and severance of ties
Toxic leaves flower from seeds of doubt
Buried demons rise through poisoned ground
Nettles grasped, then freed in pain
Opportunities lost and never found
Conflicting collisions of body and soul
Sands of time slip through frozen hands
A daily struggle to fill the voids
Energy sapped by expectation and demands
The cycle of life can puncture and stall
Never lose faith, hope and belief
Out of darkness into a new dawn's light
Finding love can be welcome relief
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