A Day in the Life

My high point over the past week has been listening to some stunning Radio 4 programmes including: the History of the World using found archeological treasues and some very interesting personalities on Desert Island Discs. The one that has left a lasting impression however, was Making a Stand featuring an interview with a seaman, a captain no less of a very large merchant ship travelling the world with various valuable cargoes, including his wife and rich fare paying passengers.

He told a story of how he and his crew had to cope with desparate Somalian pirates who were trying to lay siege on his vessel. This very brave man calmly explained his strategy as he retold the harrowing experience of how his ship was attacked with rocket launchers, hand grenades and machine gun fire.

His shrewd judgements and quick thinking were in marked contrast to his suprising empathy for the young African men in their 'plastic boat' and his knowledge of the dreadful political climate that they were facing. Although he would not surrender to them, the captain, it would seem was loathed to inflict harm on them either, and if anything admired their courage and tenacity. And yet he had rich pickings amongst his passengers, just ripe for kidnap and ransom and the threat - no matter how much admired was very real. The bucanners would not think twice about hacking a finger off if a gold ring was sticking.

The captain had his bosun place planks along the side of the ship, so that when the Somalians tried to alight by attaching their special lightweight ladders, the planks were released and these, along with the ladders, fell into the sea. The wooden planks wrought havoc with the pirate's boat's propellors and the cargoe ship escaped with its dignity, more or less, aside from a gaping hole around the stern - in tact.

Wow! What a man. He should be running the country not roaming the sea!

It's A Fair Cop

Policeman sledging on their riot sheilds? Whatever next. Well, actually causing a bit of a problem on the crowded pavements around our bus stops to be honest, in little police groups of twos and threes as they chat up the local male youths that hang out there.

This little social repartee will form a circle, widish, because the police are not that comfortable, it is easy to tell that there is some unease underlying the jovials. This in turn causes a bit of an obstruction and has folk trying to navigate themselves around it, with children in buggies and heavy shopping loads. There are some rushing desperately for the bus and the bottle neck that ensues has actually led to what I will call pavement rage. As the crowd builds up there are some that barge past giving a wide berth to the uniform entourage and knocking anyone that is in the way. There was even a bit of red face and verbal the other day, but did the officers notice? No way, they were enjoying themselves by having a bit of bonhomnie with the naughty lads around. But is this really developing communication within the community or is it merely causing an obstruction? And should the sledgers have been formally warned for their unprofessional conduct or appraised for their public display of initiative and showing their 'human side'.

Well let's face it, we know that under the helmet and uniform they are human, we are not stupid. Once they are in that uniform however, they are publically displaying who and what they are, first and foremost law enforcers for the smooth running of our communities. This is their primary job role and there is no getting away from it, they cannot disguise themselves as youth workers or public do gooders so long as the helmets and dayglow vests remain along with the cudgels and handcuffs swinging at their hips. And really, should they be expected to?

Life in the Virtual Fast Lane

I am wondering if everyone has their own pace of life, a dynamic that is uniquely theirs. Mine these days does not seem to fall in with the speed that everyone and everything around me wants things to be done. My boss, family, colleagues, friends, teachers, emails, letters, bills, even magazines all seem to be whizzing around at break-neck speed, making some kind of demand on my time and attention. I feel quite dizzy by it all, and although the New Year has barely got underway, I want to get off at the next stop and let it go on without me.

My son is now more independant than he ever was and has little need of as much attention from me than when he was younger. I used to think that when he was grown that I would have more time to devote to myself. The truth is that I remember the days when I would just sit and play games with him or read him stories and I do not think that I look back with rose tinted glasses when I say that my pace of life seemed then to be a lot more graceful and smooth.

I believe that over the past decade we have grown more accustomed to immediacy within our lifestyles. Mobile phones put us in touch directly no matter when or where; access to the website now on our ipods and phones give us information quite literally at our fingertips so that we no longer have to ponder to recall a name or song or film title or wait until we reach the library to find something out.

The google map websites can place us more or less anywhere for a birdseye view of life on the other side of the world if we so wish it. The wealth of music, film, literature or art can be viewed or heard at the touch of a button without having to book or go and buy in the shops and wait for a date in the future. We have virtual games and websites that give us a sense of affecting our circumstances without even having to actually walk and meet and talk.

The list is endless and no doubt there is more to add to it. I will compare this feeling of everything in my life being so much more speedier than it used to be with another observation that I believe is common to many. When I go back to my home town in a rural part of the UK, I cannot quite get used to how slow everything seems to be there. The traffic rolls by in slow motion, the people have more time to chat and pass the time of day, folk are polite and orderly when they are walking in the town centre and I notice the change particularly when I return to the city where life reverts once again to fast-forward.

Maybe we are entering an age where our collective experience of virtual IT time is having an impact on the speed of our actual life in real time, and I am wondering how much faster we as human beings will be able to take the pace without it having a detrimental effect on our real life relationships and communities.

Bah, Humbug!

And another thing ... I cannot stand the way people put their filthy shoes and boots on the bus seats as if it was a perfectly unquestionable and reasonable thing to do. It isn't and I wish that they would refrain. If I say anything it is usually too late, the boot has already been there and I will probably get a verbal back lash for my trouble.

I did however have a very good Christmas and was one of the lucky people out there to have had the whole of the festive time off from Christmas Eve until today, Monday 4, when I saw the boots on seats once more, as I entered the general fray. How quickly the peace of a holiday wears thin.

When I got to my work I had a host of emails that were urgent 'to dos' and complaints that needed to be addressed. Welcome back to the land of the living. If I won the Lotto, I for one would definately not decide that I would be lost and wouldn't know what to do without gainful employment. No Siree, I can think of a million things to do if my paid work didn't get in the way that would be so much more enjoyable!

Happy New Year anyway.