huntingdon

Good morning

2008-07-03T09:06:23Z

Woke up to a number of positive developments.

You might remember me ranting about a meeting where the 'Voluntary-Statutory Partnership Group' had managed to exclude all but one voluntary representative. I was so incensed that I put a question about it at the end of the presentation and it was picked up well by other delegates in the workshops.

Anyway - a few mini-meetings later and they have increased the voluntary representation from 1 person to 3! :D

Similarly, a sub-group has increased it's representation from 2 to 5!

We get somewhere at last.

Even funnier is that some of the charities I've been working with on this are now referring to me in official e-mails as 'the young mover from ECORRN' :D

We also have some pictures of sample items collected during the ARU choose2reuse event. See below cut:

Just to round it all off - I've been playing an online game as part of an alliance which has been repeatedly harassed by other players for no reason. We were militarily outmatched, but I managed to divide his forces and destroy them with the result that he's abanadoned his town and a major strategic advantage.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-29T22:27:00

2008-06-29T21:36:17Z

There's nothing more depressing than something that is supposed to be uplifting, but isn't. I can only come up with 1 thing that's likely to be unique to me, and even that has probably been done by someone else.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-28T21:16:00

2008-06-28T20:17:12Z

Just did another 3 hours! Have managed to clear half the plot from carpet and wood, and have reduced the weeds in that area to ground level.

They still need spraying, rotavating and covering.

Then there is the other half... :D

I enjoyed the fact that I achieved just as much, on more difficult ground, as somone using a strimmer on another plot. Plus I prefer the sound of shears over a motorised hum.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-28T15:04:00

2008-06-28T14:07:35Z

Two hours on the allotment :D

And I think I have heat stroke. :D

I also have three sacks of rubbish, yet you still can't see that anything has been done. :D

On the plus side it looks like two of the old fashioned compost sets are salvageable - one even has halfway decent compost in. The other seems to have been composting plastic sacks?

I met the guy who is taking over the other derelict plot. Lucky sod has been left half a dozen of the preformed raised beds. Worth a fortune and make life so much easier. I'm going to have take away all the bits of wood used for mine - half of them crumble when you touch them! That's when you can find them among the weeds of course.

This is going to be a lengthy project.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-27T21:55:00

2008-06-27T20:58:09Z

I've been running a Choose2Reuse event at the local university. We have three branded bins which are put somewhere prominent for one day and staff come along and put donations for charity shops in them.

I totalled up the items today against an estimated price provided by the association of charity shops.

It raised £1 252.60!

What's more - they are keeping the bins over this week as the students vacate their halls of residence and are encouraging them to leave good quality items in the bins rather than throw them away. This is especially good for the International Students who can't fly them home.

They're also talking about doing this on an annual basis - and even having some stalls at Freshers Fair so we can sell the novelty items to the new students when they arrive in Autumn.

Result!

Hurrah!

2008-06-27T20:55:03Z

I took possession of the keys to my allotment today!

It's utterly overgrown with weeds (mainly bindweed and thistles!); has masses of old carpet, broken glass and rotten wood; and the sheds seem to be in an advanced state of collapse.

This should be fun :D

Meme

2008-06-26T17:43:38Z

The Big Read is designed by pretentious snobs who don't understand the definition of 'book' singular.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-26T18:08:00

2008-06-26T17:08:49Z

Thursdays are much worse than Mondays. Contrary to popular opinion.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-23T18:49:00

2008-06-23T17:49:33Z

Is it Saturday yet?

3 funerals later...

2008-06-21T16:14:00Z

I registered my interest in an allotment as soon as I move here nearly 3 years ago. I was told I was third in line.

Since then most of the methods of contacting me have changed and, since I'd heard nothing, I'd assumed they had tried to contact me and then offered it to someone else when I didn't respond.

Today, however, a contract for an allotment dropped through my door. Even better - I get it rent free until 1st April 2009 as apparently they can only charge rent on that one day. Bizarre system but I won't complain.

Now I have to wonder if I can keep up an allotment.

Gah

2008-06-19T16:48:49Z

I've been shortlisted for the Office of the Third Sector posts. Interview on 1st July.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-16T08:07:00

2008-06-16T07:09:34Z

Yesterday I went along to the gym as usual to find it the entrance all sealed up with tape - no explanation or anything. As I was driving out I saw something that looked like a bunch of flowers, but it was indistinct and could really have been anything.

Unfortunately, it was a bunch of flowers. A child died there yesterday. :(

Result!

2008-06-13T13:59:03Z

I finally have internet connected in my new office!

Of course, first things I've done is install MSN Messenger and post on here...

On an unrelated note - I really need to get a better set of mood icons...

huntingdon @ 2008-06-12T22:48:00

2008-06-12T21:48:20Z

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be anything you want -- good or bad. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people remember about you.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-12T19:05:00

2008-06-12T18:11:42Z

If you haven't been reading enough to know then shame on you...

Taken from everybody Please copy mine below, erase my answers putting yours in their place then post it in your journal! Please elaborate on the questions that would benefit from elaboration! One-word answers seldom help anyone out."

1. First Name: Ian

2. Age: 26

3. Location: Latchingdon, Essex, UK

4. Occupation: Business Development Manager, Essex Community Reuse and Recycling Network. Also the only employee.

5. Partner: Can't even find a badminton partner...

6. Kids: No thanks. 2 sponsored ones - Isaias in Colombia; Gifard in Zambia. Both 11.

7. Brothers/Sisters: 1 sister who has a morbid fascination with viruses.

8. Pets: Some fish, couple of long-term spiders etc...

9. List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:
a. Top secret family stuff

b. Struggling to stay employed

c. Ermmm...

d. Worrying that my life is so mundane that only two things are going on...and I could do without both...

10) Where and for what did you go to school for?
Lancaster University, to study history and sample the biggest collection of beers in the country

11) Parents? 2. Speaking terms - 1

12) Who are some of your closest friends?
Seems to vary. Started to list but leaving too many off, but some I would like to hear more from.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-10T21:52:00

2008-06-10T20:55:14Z

Big 'Partnership' event today, except it was purely local authorities.

I actually got the courage to stand up and challenge this.

All 7 other charities present came up afterwards and congratulated me on raising the issue. Also all the Councillors present then stood up after the workshops (which all appeared to say that there should be more community involvement!) and echoed the point, so it will have to be included.

Quite proud of myself, especially as there were more experienced charity reps present.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-08T17:24:00

2008-06-08T16:27:58Z

Back from sailing.

Didn't fall in. Am sunburned. Stormy weather going out, to the extent that one of the sails blew out. I now feel like a proper sailor - I had oilskins and all :D

Harmony-seeking Idealistic Sheep

2008-06-08T16:24:41Z

huntingdon @ 2008-06-07T06:59:00

2008-06-07T06:02:58Z

Launch went very well yesterday. I'm getting much more confident at public speaking and I think they liked what I said. Only downside was that everyone wanted to talk to me afterwards as a result so I didn't get any of the buffet!

Off sailing soon. Weather forecast - lots of rain. May not be so great. I've packed about 0 layers. Fortunately it doesn't sound like it will be very rough. Will be nice to see the association again. I haven't made any of the meets for about a year, but my old Chairman kept ringing me up to make sure I came to this one, which is exceedingly nice of him.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-04T06:55:00

2008-06-04T05:57:04Z

More sleep please.

I think I'm going to have to give in and have some blinds or something put in the bedroom. Apparently dawn even on severely over-clouded days (ie All of them) is enough to wake me at 4am.

I so want to go back to bed. I won't even be able to relax at the weekend as I'm going sailing, which means a 6.30 start eac day to catch tides.

I am going to be so dead next week.

huntingdon @ 2008-06-03T07:18:00

2008-06-03T06:18:48Z

Oh for some decent sleep

Monday Blue/ Amusing Spam

2008-06-02T07:26:13Z

Not so much blue as just plain Monday. Had an appallingly disturbed night of 'sleep' and consequently feel more tired than before going to bed.

Got a spam e-mail entitled 'Tea, Earl Grey, Hot' which was mildly amusing. Obviously even spammers liked Star Trek.

Echo

2008-05-27T07:13:04Z

Bank holiday was neither good nor relaxing.

Blergh

2008-05-23T05:45:52Z

Getting up extra early on a Friday really does not number amongst my favourite things to do.

Have an engineer coming to install my new office phone line - and obviously the closest time they could narrow it down to was 'between 8am-6pm'. Clearly they don't work out distance/time efficient routes for them and therefore know which places are first on the list and might reasonably be seen first, or those last. It's pure bloody mindedness not to tell people and gives them a very poor image.

I put in a formal complaint. I'm getting quite fond of doing this. Never changes anything, but I must be irritating a lot of people while relieving my own irritation. :D

Oh - went to a 'citizens' panel yesterday. The district wants to consult residents on various strategies. Funny thing was - at least half the people clearly wanted the panel to turn into unelected Councillors, and couldn't see why that couldn't be the case... Free cakes were good.

huntingdon @ 2008-05-14T18:40:00

2008-05-14T17:42:00Z

I surprise myself by how efficient I can be.

Published the May newsletter today AND fully arranged two promotional events for Recycle Now Week. Not bad going for one day.