Posted: Sat 16 November, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 1BEM, Charity, Charm School, Cynicism, Domestic, Introspective, People, Thoughts |
Following on from yesterday’s post about charity, Children in Need, and doing what everyone else does, another current grouse is around Movember. It’s a great cause – raising awareness of male cancers, and raising funds for fighting them – but it’s another group thing.
In my office, every other male member of staff is doing it. And when you ask their motivations? Yep, it’s either “Well, everyone else is doing it, so I thought I would”, or “it’s for charity”. Yet when I asked them what charity it was for, at least half had no bloody clue, and aren’t even doing it to raise money.
Movember started off as a fun idea – but this year it’s got huge sponsors (including Gilette – which is kind of obvious, in fairness – and Three) but I just kind of get twitchy when it comes to charitable stuff with large corporate sponsors.
So yeah, if you’re going to do something that’s based around charity – at least support that charity, or know what the frick you’re talking about, rather than just following the damn crowd.
Posted: Fri 15 November, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 1BEM, News, People, Stupidity |
Sometimes it seems to me that people are just too self-absorbed to carry on breathing.
This story from the BBC, of holidaymakers walking along a jammed M11 to get to Stansted Airport is one of those times.
Posted: Fri 15 November, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 1BEM, Charity, Charm School, Cynicism, Introspective, People, Sociable, Thoughts |
For many, many reasons – none of which I can really be chuffed with going into right now – I’ve grown up to be horrifically independent, both in action, life, and thought. One facet of that is that I’m sensationally bad at group activities, at doing what ‘most people’ do.
Today’s a case in point. I know I’ve waffed on about it before, but it’s Children in Need day, which is one of my particular bugbears.
“But it’s for charity, isn’t it?” is the calling-card of the day, assuming that if you’re not taking part and dressing up (or whatever) then you’re A Bad Person, and Uncharitable to boot. “Why not dress up, everyone else is doing it”.
And that’s part of my problem with the entire thing – it’s that ‘everyone else’ is doing it. Like Groucho Marx said, I’m not interested in being part of any club that’ll have me as a member. In the same way, if everyone else is doing something, you can be pretty damn sure that I won’t be.
The other side, when it comes to these days of charity and fundraising, is that I don’t like being conspicuous about which charities I support – and I like even less being forced (or attempts to force) to support charities because of how their perceived. I don’t publicise what I do, or who with, or why – because it’s no-one’s fucking business but my own. Being pushed to take part in something popular, into some fund-raising activity or other because everyone else is doing it, that can fuck right off.
So today, I’ll be in my corner, “Bah Humbug” hat and all. If you don’t like it, sod off. Go on, everyone else is doing it.
Posted: Thu 14 November, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Health, People, Work-related |
At the moment, my current office resembles a plague ward. I’m pretty much done with my vile cold, thankfully, but others in the office either have it, or are in the run-up to it. And one colleague in particular just seems to be perpetually bunged up.
The thing is, that colleague is also apparently incapable of blowing his nose. Instead we get sniffs throughout the day, usually accompanied by that lovely hawking of snot into the back of the throat.
It’s vile.
We’re only in a small(ish) room that holds seven people at most, so it’s all close enough that it induces homicidal thoughts and plans. I’ve already thrown a pack of tissues at him once (a pack, not a box) and told him to blow his fucking nose. No luck.
Posted: Tue 12 November, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 2013/14, Domestic, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Geeky, Getting Organised, Own Business, People, Project 42, Thoughts, Work-related |
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been working a bit more at getting organised, at knowing what needs to be done and getting it done. To this end, I’ve found myself making lists, and being able to cross things off once they’re done – and I’m finding it quite helpful.
Not in an OCD “Got to do it, it’s on the list” way or anything, but just so I’m not storing everything in my head. I’m not usually this organised, but at the moment my head’s full of umpteen bits of random crap, so I’m finding it easier to write down what needs doing, and go from there.
Interestingly (well, to me, anyway) I’m finding it’s actually quite a productive way of doing things, and it’s also quite satisfying to be able to cross through the things that’ve been done.
Whether this development will last or not, only time will tell. But for now it’s working for me, and in a way that to-do list apps and online methods don’t seem to. Weird, but true.
Posted: Fri 8 November, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 1BEM, Domestic, People, Seeing Films, Weirdness |
Last night I went to see Thor2 with a friend.
It’s crap, but watchable crap – I’ve never been a massive Thor fan (well, not the comic-book version anyway) but it’s OK.
However.
It’s a Marvel film, and (to my recall) all Marvel films are known to have at least one ‘during-the-credits’ extra scene, which is usually worth hanging around for. Thor2 actually has two – one mid-credits, and one right at the end. Which is fine – it’s (I thought) a known thing, or at least should be to regular cinema-goers, and fans of Marvel films. I know a lot of people on Twitter have mentioned them, so I figured they were well-known.
But it amazed me how many people started leaving as soon as the credits started. I reckon a good 60% of the audience had gone by the time the first ‘during-the-credits’ scene appeared, and probably 95% had gone by the time of the final one. OK, the scenes aren’t essential to the main film or anything like that, but they’re fun additions – I’m just surprised by how many people apparently still don’t know that these things happen.
Posted: Sat 26 October, 2013 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, People, Weirdness |
I don’t know why, but as a nation we seem to be making a real habit of celebrating things earlier than their assigned dates – and not just the Festering Season.
Tonight – October 26th – I’ve had about four sets of people knocking on the door for Hallowe’en / “Trick or Treat” shenanigans, and I know lots of places are doing Hallowe’en parties. Don’t forget, Hallowe’en isn’t even until Thursday – so we’re not even on the nearest weekend to the poxy thing.
And then we’ve also had the village fireworks display – and that’s still two weeks away!