Kindness Day 1: I would do anything for money (but I won't do that)
Last night’s Project Preston was everything we dreamed of. The party of 20-odd travellers braved a journey time of slightly more than half-an-hour to arrive in their specially chartered coach in time for the Blackburn show. Backstage, I met and thanked them personally, and slightly awkwardly because we were standing in an unpleasant-smelling damp vestibule with faded paint right outside my dressing room, and I felt I should have presented them with something a bit more rock-and-roll (although if we’re talking actual rock-and-roll, pretty much every rock venue IS like that). Then, they went in and sat at the back very much like away fans at a football match, and whooped every time I mentioned Preston.
Probably the funniest thing about it all was that, in the end, the turnout wasn’t bad at all, so you could see the Blackburn audience wondering why the hell I had gone to the trouble of bussing people in. But it had long since ceased to be about the audience numbers. It was about daring to dream. Of a bunch of people getting on a bus.
I watched the bus pull away from outside King George’s Hall and waved them away with a white handkerchief. It was a less poignant gesture than it might have been, because one of the bus passengers had given me the handkerchief for that very purpose, but even so. There was an awkward moment when the driver kept opening the doors, seemingly thinking I was going to board it myself, and for a short while it looked like I might end up going back to Preston myself, which would really have been taking the ‘bonding with Watsonians’ thing to an extreme. Or it could have dropped me back in London first, I guess, but that would’ve added eight hours to everyone else’s journey home, and I wasn’t sure if there was a toilet on board. So we said our farewells. Thanks to Kay who organised it, and my several tweeting correspondents from the coach. One, Louise, said it felt like a school trip. You can’t ask for much more than that.
Pictures tomorrow. Giles, the tour manager, is meant to be sending them to my email, but he’s busy ‘setting up the show’ and ‘making sure I have a screen ready’ and other feeble excuses.
On to other matters.
This morning, as I mentioned groggily on Twitter, I had my mouth severely mauled by a man in a mask. The good news is, he was a qualified dentist. It was a three-filling session (I’d not been to a dentist since about 1960) and one of those fillings took place on a tooth which, as the dentist put it, ‘isn’t really there any more’, and had to be reconstructed like a broken piece of your garden wall.
The experience of having your mouth full of things like soldering irons, with ‘Easy (Like Sunday Morning)’ by Lionel Richie playing in the background, was as unpleasant as ever, but dental work has kind of lost its fear for me over the years, and – in a clear sign that I’m getting older – I found my thoughts wandering to what was going through the dentist’s mind. For the umpteenth time I asked myself why someone would want a job peering at the ruined teeth of scoundrels like me, or even worse, people like Tim Key. I know it’s well paid and it’s your job and you derive satisfaction from a job well done and you can maybe flirt with the lady who changes the mouthwash and blah blah blah, but even so. The smell of breath. The sight of decay. The blood. The needles. The FM radio. No, not for me, thanks.
But there are far worse jobs, and people cheerfully doing them, everywhere you look.
So. As you might remember, it will be Kindness Day on the 13th (Saturday), and we’re all meant to do at least one kind thing (hence the name). I’ve already invited readers of this blog to take part, and will be doing so again on the eve of the Big Kind Day. But I wanted to do a few collective Kind Things as part of the general ethos of this blog. This seems like an opportunity for one.
What I’d like you to do is nominate a job which you think is the most unpleasant/frightening/thankless you can imagine, and whose practitioners you most admire. It could be a job that’s lowly and disgusting, or one that’s unbelievably stressful, or one that demands incredible courage. And you can nominate a specific person you know who does this job, or you can just nominate the entire profession. i.e. ‘anyone who works in waste collection’, or ‘my friend Rachel, who cleans up crime scenes’.
I would like all nominations by Saturday, Kindness Day. Then, we will pick one or more winners, and find some way of getting some sort of token prize to them on Kindness Day itself. I don’t mean the winners will be the ones who leaves the Comment: they’ll be the nominated parties. So if ‘your friend Rachel’ wins, you might be charged with the job of buying her a nice apple/a £10 gift voucher. If binmen as a profession win, someone will be given the task of buying one of them a Cadbury’s Flake/making a cup of tea for them. Etc.
This isn’t meant to be a patronising ‘Pride of Britain’ type thing where we condescendingly clap people on the back for doing jobs far more arduous than our own, like George Osborne visiting a food processing plant. I want it to be more like a program of guerrilla kindness directed at the deserving with the minimum of fuss. We might not even TELL the recipients they’re getting these awards; just do something nice for them. I think this is in the spirit of Kindness Day and it is well and truly in the spirit of this blog provoking bizarre and fun adventure.
So, first step, leave a Comment naming your individual or group of workers who deserve very small-scale but nice recognition. Then we will pick winners. Then we will plan ways of rewarding them. Then we will put it into action. And ALL THIS MUST BE DONE IN TIME FOR SATURDAY.
And if you go for this – and you normally do go for things – I’m hoping to do a couple more similar things for the 13th as well. An absolute barrage of Kindness. Why not?
Oh and by the way, I know Danny Wallace did this exact ‘random acts of kindness’ thing with his (considerably-greater-in-numbers) followers a short while ago. But hey, being nice isn’t a competition. Is it?
As ever, if you don’t want to leave a comment but would like to take part in this, send me a message on Twitter. That is all. GET NOMINATING.
Posted by Madeleine on November 12, 2010
I second anyone that says telemarketers. My dad used to be one for about 5 years, then had a bit of a nervous breakdown and had to go to rehab (all fine now). He was making good money but it was making him terribly depressed and now he’s a gardener and much happier. I always try to be nice to him of course but I will make the extra effort.
People have also said this one but my school also caters to a lot of disabled kids and the teachers/teachers aides who’s main job it is to help these students have a pretty thankless and mentally and physically exhausting job. That job is defiantly worth a mention.
Posted by Deanna on November 12, 2010
I nominate: Teacher Aides. Garbologists. Posties. Telemarketers (even though I hate them for calling at dinner time, it’s a job). That guy who fixes the photocopier. The person who cleans my classroom. Mental health workers.
Posted by MusicalLottie on November 12, 2010
A few nominees:
- Behavioural Support Assistants in schools. My friend is one and comes home battered, bruised, and thoroughly exhausted every day. What she has to deal with makes it a wonder she hasn’t had any bones broken yet, but it’s been very close.
- Cleaners in general, but especially those that work in town centres or equally public places, because people tend to have no respect for the area or the people that clean up after them. Hospital and care home cleaners get a special mention.
- Train and station staff. I love taking the train, but the railways really are incompetently run, and the frontline staff get the brunt of it when things either go wrong, or are just shoddily run in general (First Capital Connect, I’m looking at you *scowl*) when they have no control over the situation. On one occasion when there was a (usual) FCC mess-up, the station assistant was trying to explain to us what was going on, but there were a few men who were quite angry and taking it out on him. This in turn made me very annoyed, and I made a point of thanking the assistant for explaining to us what was going on, and making sure he knew I thought the men were idiots.
- GPs, because they have to see all manner of vile things; at least consultants only see vile things in their area of expertise!
- Volunteers for charities such as for homeless people, drug addicts, etc., who deal with people in heart-wrenching situations.
… Okay, five nominees!
Posted by Ingrid on November 11, 2010
I just realized the thirteenth is my great grandmas funeral… anyway i didnt have time to read the whole thing last night as i was in a hurry,so i just read the capitals, and failed to notice that you had already pointed out bin men. It makes my suggestion look very unimaginative. Well just so you know it wasnt just me copying you! x
Posted by louisel on November 11, 2010
I’d like second what cymruangel said, and nominate people who care for the elderly. I’d never had much experience with that until this year, when my Nan had a massive stroke. I’d never really thought about it, but over the past few months I’ve been amazed by the carers. They’re so dedicated, and although stroke wards and old peoples’ homes can be incredibly grim, they (well the ones I’ve met, and I’ve met a lot this year) are always … well, caring. I know that’s sort of in their job title, but the fact that they manage to be so kind and helpful whilst being so overworked still amazes me.
).
Oh, and I agree with the nomination of teachers and orthodontists. Teachers because, like everyone else has said, they do such an important job and get so much grief with barely any thanks; orthodontists because mine is always really busy, and their patients always associate them with pain (I think I’m a bit biased though, because my orthodontist has made my teeth all nice and straight, so he’s one of my favourite people at the minute
Posted by Kate B on November 11, 2010
People that work at special needs schools. I know it might not be a disgusting as a cleaner (and I think they deserve a mention too, but people have already covered that) I imagine it would be very mentally tiring and would take a lot of patience. It’s also quite a selfless job, they don’t get paid a lot and it’s going to a good cause.
I’m glad the Blackburn show went well and that project Preston went according plan. Hope everyone enjoyed themselves!
Posted by Nuala on November 11, 2010
Surely, what with it being Armistice Day, the Armed Forces should be nominated.
Posted by Lydia on November 11, 2010
I’m glad Project Preston went well, it sounded pretty awesome.
While this isn’t exactly workers, I kind of feel like you could almost nominate single mothers. My mum brought me and my brother up completely on her own, and while it has been really hard for her she never made me feel resented for it. Just a thought.
I also like the idea of being nice to people who work in call centres. I know they’re annoying but it must be horrible to have a job where 80% of the people you talk to hurl abuse at you.
Posted by Virtual Lintu on November 11, 2010
Can I suggest Social Workers who work with children? Who, in the name of all that’s holy, would want to do a job like that? And, if you get it wrong, you’ll be lambasted by the press.
I feel quite strongly about this – so hence it’s my first ever comment on your blog. I usually just lurk. x
Posted by Katie on November 11, 2010
For the doing good thing I would suggest these shoeboxes for Operation Christmas child, I do loads every year and it just makes such a difference
Easy, pretty cheap and such a good thing to do!
Posted by cymruangel on November 11, 2010
Oh dear, pride before a fall and all that – I can spell my name, but not “today”. *hangs head in shame*
Posted by cymruangel on November 11, 2010
Managing to spell my name right tofay, I shall be nominating carers for the elderly.
Being, I’d like to think, a fairly intelligent human being, it terrifies me to think that one day I might get to the stage where a stroke, or other illness, or just plain old age robs me of my physical capabilities so that someone else has to do thos emost basic things like help me feed myself. Worse, to be unable to communicate except by blinking or even less than that.
But, we will all get old one day, and for some the above is a daily reality. So I have the utmost respect for the men and women who give up their young lives to devote themselves to the caring profession. It’s an absolutely vital service, without which a fairly miserable dwindling existence for the elderly would be so much worse.
As luck would have it, I shall be in a stroke ward on Saturday, and I am sure there will be some carers present to whom I could extend an act of kindness should they be our nominated recipient.
Posted by Martin Bellamy on November 11, 2010
This is going to sound mad to some but what about Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons? Whilst I happen to think that everything they believe in is wrong, you can’t fault them for their tenacity nor their attempts to help other people to be as happy as they obviously are.
I’ve not experienced them first hand for any length of time but I often feel guilty for not even giving them the chance to talk when they call. Maybe we could agree to give them 20 mins of our time on the next occasion they knock.
Not Moonies though! That would be a step too far!
Posted by Rachael on November 11, 2010
I don’t know any of them but the people who have to go down into the sewers and sort out all the blockages and stuff seem to have it pretty bad. People that look after old people aswell, my mum does it and she is has to sort out about 40 different people’s individual little problems everyday, and she made 90 shoeboxes to send to romanian orphans this christmas.
Posted by DiB (Sue) on November 11, 2010
Day care centre staff; feeding, entertaining and cleaning up after babies and pre-school-age children. I couldn’t do it… cleaning up my own children’s mess, etc I could cope with, but I couldn’t do it all day, for other people’s children. However, my daughter has grown-up to do exactly that, it’s a funny old world.
Posted by Aphra on November 11, 2010
I want to say orthodontists, having one of my own who often complains about how hard his job is. However, he seems to have a rather nice time, what with all of the singing while operating, and the cheerful way he drops pliers on my face. Considering this, I vote my mother, a psychologist/lecturer/author/tutor of many things, given that she hasn’t taken a holiday in a decade. An actual decade.
Posted by Matt F on November 11, 2010
Project Preston was mighty fun, thanks to everyone involved. Looking forward to the team photo from backstage!
Posted by Tracey on November 11, 2010
Hi Mark. Really pleased that Project Preston went so well! Talking of dentists, I recently had a check up and, as on the previous four six monthly checks, didn’t need anything doing! I’m sorry to seem smug about this but I even dread going for a check up and my teeth seem to be the only part of me that isn’t falling to bits! I won’t bore you all to death with my slipped discs and aneamia. Anyway,my postman did a terrific job struggling through the snow last year. I will do something nice for him should I get the chance but one of my former postmen, (they get moved around quite often) said that nowadays they aren’t even supposed to stop and chat with the people they deliver to which is a real shame. I’ve been a cleaner, and it’s very hard work, so hats off to them too.Take care, Tracey x
Posted by Dawn on November 11, 2010
MELANIE, it’s definately not true that we get £10 extra in our wage packets!
Customers can fill in a form to complain or compliment a member of staff, unfortunately the compliments aren’t always passed on. The forms go into the office and someone has spotted my nice twice receiving lots of praise for my customer service but nothing was said to me:(
Luckily this year I have received 100% customer service from the Mystery Customer:)
Posted by Simon on November 11, 2010
I once went to customer service in the Coop because a cashier was brilliantly professional and polite with the person in front of me who was giving them loads of hassle and being very rude. The customer service bod was pleased and surprised I’d taken the time to thank them.
I think cleaners deserve a big bit of kindness, especially street cleaners, because they have a pretty grim (and cold and wet sometimes) job.
Posted by Melanie on November 11, 2010
I heard somewhere that at Sainsburys supermarkets if you tell customer service that you’ve been really happy with a certain member of staff helping you, that member of staff get an extra £10 in their wage packet. Not sure if it’s true, but it’s a nice idea!
Posted by Sephy on November 11, 2010
I’m gonna nominate call centre staff. Bit controversial maybe but they’re just trying to earn a living. Binmen would be my other choice but they’ve already been nominated; or some of my amazing nursing colleagues (not me though, i haven’t got their incredible patience!). Anyway, I would absolutely hate to work in a call centre, yu get abused by starngers, then have to put the phone down and start again. And people are so much more rude when they don’t have to look you in the eye ha! I bet they go home feeling rotten at the end of the day. They good do with a good cheering up I reckon. And it would be quite fun calling them up and being really lvely and kind over the phone. asking them about their day and such. They’ll be so confused
Actually I might do this on Saturday even if my nomination doesn’t win.
Posted by Rachel/Pandora on November 11, 2010
@Alex I also wish I hadn’t come across that charming scale. Upsetting.
@Anji YAY for physiotherapist love. Its a fun job though, I don’t think its as awful as some others.
I’m probably gonna go with teachers. Both my parents are teachers and don’t seem to like it very much sometimes, but still work really hard at it, for not much thanks.
Posted by Joe's Mum on November 11, 2010
It was a privilege and a pleasure to be present at the Project Preston performance! Plaudits to Kay, our pleasant and plucky prefect person, who pulled off the pick-up planning perfectly and to Mark for proposing the prank, paying for our passage and presiding over the preliminary proceedings with pizzazz. You did us Prestonians proud!
Posted by Alex on November 10, 2010
A bit obvious, but nurses. I think this covers all of lowly and disgusting (ever heard of the Bristol Stool Scale? No? Lucky you… I wish I hadn’t…), unbelievably stressful, and demanding incredible courage. It’s a ridiculous job.
Posted by Katie on November 10, 2010
I’d like to, like everyone else, nominate teachers, because they take a phenomenal amount of shit from everyone – not just students. Nobody ever seems to thank them for the brilliant job they do, that is providing an education, which is a right and a privilege. So they deserve some serious love.
I’d also like to nominate people who work in comic book shops. I have never been in one where I haven’t seen someone in their poor faces shouting “These Magic: The Gathering Cards/comics/life-sized cut-outs of David Tennant/figurines are too expensive/not the right hight/not fully poseable!”, and they just tend to get on with it. They really are given a lot of stick, just because the people who shop there are normally so passionate about what they love – which is cool, but only if they’re not going mental at someone because of it. Also, the guy in my local Forbidden Planet has an 8-bit health bar tattooed to his forearm, and while it’s off-topic, I think that’s very cool.
Posted by Helen on November 10, 2010
I think I shall say Train Drivers/Staff on Trains. They are the reason millions of people get to where they need to go and I imagine they don’t get thanked very often. Also they sometimes say funny/kind/jolly things on the tannoy that improve my day. Oh and this one time this ticket lady let this guy on the train without a ticket after he pleaded with her on the platform because he had run out of money and had no way of getting home and he was so relieved and happy, which I thought was lovely. And I was talking to a train man once and he was saying how when people jump onto the tracks it’s really horrific for the train drivers and everything. And, finally, theres quite a lot of negativity about trains/public transport and I’m sure it’d make them feel a bit happier to hear some positivity instead. So yes, I think Train Drivers deserve getting a Thank You because I bet they rarely do.
Posted by Rachel on November 10, 2010
Languages teachers in high schools, ’cause languages are damn confusing and I can imagine trying to teach one to a bunch of bottom set Y7s must be ridiculous.
And for something a bit more specific… Adam and Jonathan – the people who run the Amnesty International group at my college. The student exec mess them about with budgets and stuff (they’d rather spend it on a Christmas party in a nightclub than help people worse off than us, basically) and there are lots of people who turn up to the meetings and are ignorant and talk over them…but yet they still remain committed, which for our college takes a lot of commitment to be honest (there’s no one scarier than a student who thinks they’re funny by challenging and mocking you…) They’re also genuinely lovely people and are two of the friendlist, most helpful and reliable people I’ve met.
Posted by Emily on November 10, 2010
Yeah, another predictable but slightly reluctant vote for teachers. I’m still at a sixth form college and am just realising how much abuse they take! My maths teacher was called a f****** d***. Kids today, huh? That’s on top of trying to get me to understand A levels…
Its amazing how nervous your first comment on a blog can make you, even after reading it for ages! Sorry, unnecessary comment. Just, y’know, venting.
Posted by Jonny on November 10, 2010
Project Preston was awesome!
Mad props to you, Giles and Kay for sorting it all out. The door opening and closing on the bus confused my tired mind.
Posted by MusicalLottie on November 10, 2010
Over the next day or so I shall have to try to narrow it down to a reasonable number of nominees (not sure I’ll be able to get it down to just one though).
I’m so pleased to hear Project Preston went well
Posted by Phil_Grieve on November 10, 2010
The coach trip to Blackburn was a fun time due to the anticipation of the gig. Meeting Mark and Giles was an honour and the show was funny form start to finish.
Hope to see you again soon.
Posted by Ally on November 10, 2010
I can’t think of anyone/ any job to nominate…. I shall spend the next day thinking…
Posted by Someone on November 10, 2010
Woo, a Tim Key mention! (Any excuse for a woo) – (and my not knowing what guerrilla means reminded me of him saying “I didn’t understand beseaching or capo..” or something similar in your marvellous radio show. Just, y’know, saying. Close brackets)
I’ve been slack with keeping up with the blog the last few days (for actual proper real-life unavoidable reasons, like jobs! And a faulty life.) (Just caught up though! (I was attempting NaNoWriMo but the acronym confuses me too much and I’ve only got 600 words. It is a pretty astounding collection of words though. Breath taking, even. (There’s three of them, right there. You’re awed, I’m sure.))). But you all seem to be ploughing on brilliantly. Nice ones.
I’m not sure I can pin-point a deserving profession. There are nice people everywhere, but there also arses. I was going to say London underground workers and Elsewhere bus drivers, because they get a bad rap but mostly seem cheery in a somewhat dreary setting, to me. But… I’m not sure. Anywhere working with the public, or people, I do not envy. I’d apply for a bin-lady job over secretary to the president, for instance. But this is irrelevant. I think I’d go for teachers (sorry for the out-loud (or typing equivalent) mulling, but yes, they do have a tough time. In fact not all teachers because their are some ‘orrible ones, but support teachers. Yes, they put up with the same crap but they try harder and I wouldn’t've made it through school without mine. One day I’ll go apologise for the ‘attitude’ I gave ‘em. Sullen child that I was.
Signed, a sullen adult.
Posted by Ingrid on November 10, 2010
I think im going to nominate bin-men. I first thought of this last christmas, when i got up to walk the dog in the dark (something i oddly like doing) at 7am and saw some bin men cleaning up early on christmas morning. I stopped to talk to one of them, and he was really nice and didnt complain once. I would hate to work on christmas day, and if i did it would make me sour as hell, so i think the bin men all deserve a thanks… Thanks guys! x
Posted by Natalie-Helen on November 10, 2010
Teachers of all levels, child care workers etc.
Particularly at a Pre-Schools.
People give teachers alot of stick for apparently getting loads of holiday. But the majority of that is spent preparing for new terms. They get average pay for a hugely responsible job (duh they are looking after and imparting wisdom to YOUR children) and it is a pretty thankless task in many respects.
Pre-Schools are expected to do everything schools do now in terms of education and social development and care but get even less thanks for it. And I guarantee that premostthe people who work in a pre-school are on minimum wage for a hell of alot of work. The managers and owners might do well but the people changing nappies won’t be.
Plus the amount of misinformation that is thrown about is not fair on people who want to work in child care and makes it near impossible to run pre-schools properly.
Alot of this is simplified but you getteh drift. We expect alot out of our education providers but sometimes seem willing to give them the thanks they deserve.
Posted by Anji on November 10, 2010
Ooo I initially thought ‘police’ when reading the blog. They never know what they’ll be facing when they go to a call. But I don’t know a man in blue to give a kind thing too, and just randomally giving one a mars might raise suspicions more then anything.
Then I thought of the physio’s I work with, and the time they put into the patients and how much they physically and mentally have to give in order to help. But ruled them out.
Then I settled with Amy and thought of my best friend, who is a nurse in A&E in Bristol. And some of the things they have to put up with, when all they are doing is trying to help, is awful, (some stories are quite funny too) I couldn’t do it.
I guess really anyone who works is to help others, serving, protecting etc. Deserve a bloody big Thank You. Of course that would be an awful amount of teas to make/flakes to give.
I think I’ll send a ‘well done you’ to everyone here, coz I’m sure everyone deserves it.
Posted by lisan66 on November 10, 2010
We have random acts of kindness week in uni this week…..it’s really annoying, or maybe just the mental heealth soc are really annoying. They keep offering ‘free’ hugs to people in the library who are trying to study. It’s meant to make us all feel better, but really, it’s just giving us an excuse to tell people to leave us alone.
I do like your idea of doing something nice for someone in a certain profession thing though…btu I can’t think right now, and I have to do assignments!
Posted by josie on November 10, 2010
I’m gonna combine two of the comments I’ve already read and say cleaners, especially those that clean up school canteens. I am a cleaner (part-time… is there any other kind?) and I used to have to sweep and mop the school canteen after the teenagers had gone it. It was hell, and bless the lady I worked with, Eva – she would get on her hands and knees with a plastic spoon and prise up food from the floor so she could sweep it up.
There, I nominate Eva. That poor woman.
Or maybe I should nominate the spoon.
Posted by hornseygirl on November 10, 2010
Delighted that Project Preston was a great success. : )
I shall ruminate on nominations…
Posted by Iona on November 10, 2010
My mum’s a dentist! Honestly don’t know why. She really enjoys the people side of things and is really good friends with all her patients and spends most of the appointments having chats with them about their lives. She says she’s more a counsellor than a dentist. But I can’t imagine a worse job.
Well, actually a chiropodist (not sure that spelling is right, I mean foot person) is probably worse cos the only feet you’d see are ones with problems and feet are rank at the best of times! So they should be praised!
Posted by amycool on November 10, 2010
It’s an obvious one, but it has to be nurses. Particularly the poor lady who was working the night I was in hospital with pneumonia (time number one) and apparently she was the only one working. She didn’t have anything to eat the whole shift and despite being constantly mithered, when I eventually plucked up the courage to ask for some lip balm (I waited for hours hoping they would magically re-hydrate but the pain got unbearable), she was nice as pie. And that lip balm lasted me for at least a year, saving me money.
I know you occasionally get an angry nurse who puts you through lots of pain, but it’s amazing, considering the shit they have to put up with (often literally), that they’re not always pissed off.
Ooh, this gives me an idea as I have a hospital appointment next week. I think some early christmas chocolate is in order. A bit pitiful compared to hours of round the clock care that I got but I can’t think of anything else.
Posted by Adam on November 10, 2010
I’d imagine that most dentists are in it for tremendous amounts of cash involved. One of my lecturers says its the highest paying degree on average out of all of them..
Posted by Emily on November 10, 2010
Cleaners. I always notice how much nicer our stairwells look after they’ve been cleaned on a Wednesday morning, and I’m sure no-one ever thanks the cleaners (they are only heard, not seen, by me at least). I actually quite like the sound of the hoover waking me up, it means I actually get up, with the bonus of clean halls.
Posted by Misha on November 10, 2010
People who work in school canteens. As someone who used to I can tell you it’s hell.
Posted by Rachel/Pandora on November 10, 2010
Yeahhh, if you could all decide that ‘your friend Rachel’ should win that could work out pretty well for me…
Posted by Kay (Project Preston Co-ordinator) on November 10, 2010
I would just like to thank everyone who turned up for our little coach trip, I had a lovely time and it was a pleasure organising the event and meeting you all. And another thanks to Mark & Giles for instigating it in the first place and for taking the time to chat to us. Had a wonderful evening and hope to see you in Preston again in the future!
Posted by heatherooo on November 10, 2010
I reckon high school maths teachers deserve some recognition. All the way through my high school years, I found myself sitting in my maths classes and wondering what on earth would possess someone to want to take on 30 unruly teenagers and try to teach them algebra and trigonometry (or whatever other stuff they taught us, which I have now conveniently pushed to the back of my mind). And now, as I look back, I reckon they must have to have the patience of saints. I’m still slightly unsure what the use of high school mathematics was, but then, that’s probably because I was useless at it, and have, in my adult years, made sure to pursue activities which do not require any extensive mathematical knowledge beyond adding small numbers together. So yes. High School maths teachers. Hats off to them.
Posted by Louise on November 10, 2010
It really did feel lie a school trip. Blackburn was probably an improvement on our school trips actually, so imagine how bad they actually were!
Thank you Kay for organising it all!