Today is my one clear day this week. I reckoned that if I shut my office door and focused 100% on essential work, I could leave around 10:00 pm having made significant in-roads into my list of outstanding tasks.
But, as someone said (PG Wodehouse?) fate waits around every corner with a sock of wet sand.
Maria couldn’t work because there was a conflict between Quick Books and her new Windows Vista PC. This took an hour or two to resolve – as with all such things it’s simple when you know how.
Farzana’s laptop then crashed completely. An hour later I concluded it was the motherboard. Two hours later I had sourced and ordered a new motherboard. And the volunteer’s PCs needed V-base installed and printers installed.
And other things drifted in to obliterate the remainder of the day. It was 6:00 pm before I could finally settle down and focus on ticking off some tasks of my own.
By 1:00 in the morning I had ticked off several important jobs: our latest response to the Big Lottery, orchestrating shortlisting for our BME Advocacy post, drafting Herts CVS minutes, making nominations for the 2008 Audentior Awards.
Now I need to sleep. Tomorrow and Friday should be shorter days.
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
The Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium met today in Stevenage. Jacquie Hime was unable to attend, but Steph Gallagher overcame colds etc to help hold things together.
The meeting considered options for renaming the Consortium. Some felt that "HIC" should be retained. I wasn’t amongst them. If the ambitions of the ChangeUp programme are going to be met, it is essential that support agencies gain a higher profile among front-line charities and community groups. I don’t see how we can successfully raise our profile with a name that contains three words and eleven syllables, describes what we are rather than what we do, and exudes as much charm and finesse as an East German border guard.
The meeting concluded with a presentation from Laura Cronshaw of St Albans CVS on the complex issue of representation. Much food for thought - particularly with a consultation on voluntary sector representation currently underway.
I finally arrived at the office about 2:00 pm and I was pleased to see Angelo here talking with Maria about databases and websites. I caught up with colleagues, talked with Angelo on budgets, with Vanessa and Maria on our 9 February trustee conference, organised several meetings with local groups, read 200 e-mails, sent 25 e-mails, made a dozen telephone calls, checked the minutes of the morning’s meeting (Steph is very quick off the mark), and installed two printers.
I arrived home about 10:00 pm. A taste of the weeks ahead, I fear.
Over my supper, Jacquie and I watched a thoroughly depressing documentary on the genocide in Darfur.
The meeting considered options for renaming the Consortium. Some felt that "HIC" should be retained. I wasn’t amongst them. If the ambitions of the ChangeUp programme are going to be met, it is essential that support agencies gain a higher profile among front-line charities and community groups. I don’t see how we can successfully raise our profile with a name that contains three words and eleven syllables, describes what we are rather than what we do, and exudes as much charm and finesse as an East German border guard.
The meeting concluded with a presentation from Laura Cronshaw of St Albans CVS on the complex issue of representation. Much food for thought - particularly with a consultation on voluntary sector representation currently underway.
I finally arrived at the office about 2:00 pm and I was pleased to see Angelo here talking with Maria about databases and websites. I caught up with colleagues, talked with Angelo on budgets, with Vanessa and Maria on our 9 February trustee conference, organised several meetings with local groups, read 200 e-mails, sent 25 e-mails, made a dozen telephone calls, checked the minutes of the morning’s meeting (Steph is very quick off the mark), and installed two printers.
I arrived home about 10:00 pm. A taste of the weeks ahead, I fear.
Over my supper, Jacquie and I watched a thoroughly depressing documentary on the genocide in Darfur.
Monday, 28 January 2008
The last day of our mini holiday. Using Hertfordshire Rambles by Liz Moynihan we drove to beautiful Aldbury on the edge of Hertfordshire and walked up to the Bridgewater Monument. A wonderful final day and a wonderful end to our break.
Did we get the garden sorted? No, but this wasn’t entirely our fault. I read a great deal, relaxed a great deal, and recharged the batteries pretty well.
In the evening, I spent some time sorting out my work programme: it’s going to be a busy few months.
Did we get the garden sorted? No, but this wasn’t entirely our fault. I read a great deal, relaxed a great deal, and recharged the batteries pretty well.
In the evening, I spent some time sorting out my work programme: it’s going to be a busy few months.
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Spurs and Watford both ejected from the FA Cup in one weekend? Ho hum.
Jackie and I devoted the day to sorting out our attic and this involved many trips to donate goods to charity shops and recycling centres. In the evening, I finished Simon Walker’s very well researched book The Witches of Hertfordshire.
Jackie and I devoted the day to sorting out our attic and this involved many trips to donate goods to charity shops and recycling centres. In the evening, I finished Simon Walker’s very well researched book The Witches of Hertfordshire.
Saturday, 26 January 2008
I read Port Out Starboard Home by Michael Quinion. It was subtitled: The fascinating stories we tell about the words we use. It was indeed fascinating, but I couldn’t help thinking that a more apt subtitle might have been: Why I am so much cleverer than people like you.
Friday, 25 January 2008
I visited my dear old Mum to look at more family papers, and we spent a pleasant few hours talking about her family history. During the drive home I heard a Radio 2 feature about a volunteer hospital DJ from Chesterfield (Ivan Brackenbury) who has used volunteering to launch an entirely new career for himself: it’s great to hear such a positive story about volunteering.
In the evening, Jackie and I had hoped to walk up Campus West to hear a lecture on Global Warming frm one of the scientists advising the Inter-Governmental Conference on Climate Change. Rather late in the day, we discovered that tickets had sold out - on a Friday night!? do people have nothing better to do?!. Instead, always willing to adapt to life’s challenges, we stayed home and watched South Park.
In the evening, Jackie and I had hoped to walk up Campus West to hear a lecture on Global Warming frm one of the scientists advising the Inter-Governmental Conference on Climate Change. Rather late in the day, we discovered that tickets had sold out - on a Friday night!? do people have nothing better to do?!. Instead, always willing to adapt to life’s challenges, we stayed home and watched South Park.
Thursday, 24 January 2008
I had hoped to spend a few days this week gardening. This aspiration was frustrated by a local environmental disaster involving a neighbours drains. I wont go into details. Instead, I talked to Angelo about some issues regarding web servers and read Welwyn Garden City Past by the ubiquitous (in Welwyn) Tony Rook and The Rose in Britain by N P Harvey. So relaxing.
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Jackie and I spent most of the day in the library and at secondhand bookshops. In the evening I read the New Scientist compilation Does Anything Eat Wasps?
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
Today was my first day of leave. So what did I do? I went to a Community Engagement conference at Campus West in Welwyn Garden City. This was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was good to see so many friends there - and especially good to see Emma Gadesby and Catherine Harris from WBC. The event was pulled together by Natalie Webb who has done an excellent job stimulating debate and producing helpful guidance.
The only lowlight of the day was learning the definitions provided by the Department of Communities and Local Government: Community Empowerment is the giving of confidence, skills, and power to communicate to shape and influence what public bodies do for or with them. Community engagement is the process whereby public bodies reach out to communities to create empowerment opportunities. What utter tosh! These definitions fail utterly from every conceivable perspective. It is hard to think of worse definitions. How did they get it so badly wrong on so many different levels?
In the evening (rather against my better judgement) I listened to some of the radio commentary from White Hart Lane. After nearly a decade of failing to beat “the other north London team”, Tottenham finally triumphed 5-1. Nice.
The only lowlight of the day was learning the definitions provided by the Department of Communities and Local Government: Community Empowerment is the giving of confidence, skills, and power to communicate to shape and influence what public bodies do for or with them. Community engagement is the process whereby public bodies reach out to communities to create empowerment opportunities. What utter tosh! These definitions fail utterly from every conceivable perspective. It is hard to think of worse definitions. How did they get it so badly wrong on so many different levels?
In the evening (rather against my better judgement) I listened to some of the radio commentary from White Hart Lane. After nearly a decade of failing to beat “the other north London team”, Tottenham finally triumphed 5-1. Nice.
Monday, 21 January 2008
Our networking lunch! We all went down to the YMCA and had a very successful discussion on the theme of “Improving Watford’s Mental Health” with speakers from the Guideposts Trust, MIND, Carers in Herts, Viewpoint, and the new Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust. And for once the food and venue were all excellent. Phew!
After the lunch, I had a long meeting with Angelo about the next phase of our IT project - buying new servers, implementing a CRM database, and revamping our website.
Finally about 6:00 pm I started work on getting some correspondence out of the way before my week’s leave. I wrote to Barbara Follett (Stevenage MP and Minister for the East of England) about VCS funding for Hertfordshire, began sorting out interviews for the BME Advocacy post for which we are currently recruiting, sorted out stuff on Connexions and the District Children’s Trust Partnership, amended a bid for funding for our volunteer centre, submitted a bid for funding for our networking lunches, and wrote to HCC about recruitment advice for delivery of public services through VCS organisations. I left the office about 10:00 pm looking forward to a relaxing week away from it all.
After the lunch, I had a long meeting with Angelo about the next phase of our IT project - buying new servers, implementing a CRM database, and revamping our website.
Finally about 6:00 pm I started work on getting some correspondence out of the way before my week’s leave. I wrote to Barbara Follett (Stevenage MP and Minister for the East of England) about VCS funding for Hertfordshire, began sorting out interviews for the BME Advocacy post for which we are currently recruiting, sorted out stuff on Connexions and the District Children’s Trust Partnership, amended a bid for funding for our volunteer centre, submitted a bid for funding for our networking lunches, and wrote to HCC about recruitment advice for delivery of public services through VCS organisations. I left the office about 10:00 pm looking forward to a relaxing week away from it all.
Saturday, 19 January 2008
We had a meal out with my sister to celebrate her birthday: Happy Birthday Caroline!
Friday, 18 January 2008
I began the day with a very helpful telephone discussion with Mohamed Fawzi of Connexions, then I had a supervision meeting with Pam Handley (my Chair of Trustees). My illness prevented me from preparing for the meeting as I wished, but it was still very useful in identifying key tasks for the February trustees’ meeting. After this, I met with Zamir Shah to talk about the future of the Watford One World Forum, for which Zamir (and I) have high expectations.
At lunchtime, our IT chap Angelo arrived and together we started installing a new wireless network, four new PCs and four new printers. These things are never entirely straightforward of course, and we were stuck at the office until about 9:00 pm. But at the end, more or less everything seemed to be in place. It will be so so nice to have a fast reliable network and not to spend so much time firefighting. And knowing that other people will have the same speed and reliability too!
At lunchtime, our IT chap Angelo arrived and together we started installing a new wireless network, four new PCs and four new printers. These things are never entirely straightforward of course, and we were stuck at the office until about 9:00 pm. But at the end, more or less everything seemed to be in place. It will be so so nice to have a fast reliable network and not to spend so much time firefighting. And knowing that other people will have the same speed and reliability too!
Thursday, 17 January 2008
This morning, I drove to COVER in Great Chesterton to meet with Paul Ruskin to talk over the ICT strategy for Hertfordshire. When I arrived I learnt that Paul Ruskin has succumbed to a second virus, but has asked his colleague Paul Jefford to come in his place. Paul J and I seemed to get on well and he seemed to grasp each of the points I made about the draft strategy. Hopefully we are now in the final straight on this!
At Great Chesteron I also spoke with those losing their jobs because of the shake up at ChangeUp / Capacitybuilders. It’s not A Good Day for the region’s voluntary sector. So much expertise has been developed within COVER, and now it’s just going to be lost. The whole ChangeUp scheme has suffered from the recurrent problems of every government programme I can ever remember: initially, a large (or sometimes vast) sum of money is released and everyone frantically starts spending with little overall idea of what they are doing or why; then someone identifies that there are problems; then just as the VCS is getting itself together and beginning to develop solid plan, the money is substantially reduced causing major upheaval; next unrealistic targets are imposed on the programme; and finally funding is withdrawn completely a year or two later.
The exact chronology changes sometimes, but the key features will be recognised by anyone who’s been in the voluntary sector for a few years. When will the government learn? When will the voluntary sector learn?
In the afternoon I travelled to St Albans for a meeting of the Herts CVS group. This was well attended and made some solid progress.
At Great Chesteron I also spoke with those losing their jobs because of the shake up at ChangeUp / Capacitybuilders. It’s not A Good Day for the region’s voluntary sector. So much expertise has been developed within COVER, and now it’s just going to be lost. The whole ChangeUp scheme has suffered from the recurrent problems of every government programme I can ever remember: initially, a large (or sometimes vast) sum of money is released and everyone frantically starts spending with little overall idea of what they are doing or why; then someone identifies that there are problems; then just as the VCS is getting itself together and beginning to develop solid plan, the money is substantially reduced causing major upheaval; next unrealistic targets are imposed on the programme; and finally funding is withdrawn completely a year or two later.
The exact chronology changes sometimes, but the key features will be recognised by anyone who’s been in the voluntary sector for a few years. When will the government learn? When will the voluntary sector learn?
In the afternoon I travelled to St Albans for a meeting of the Herts CVS group. This was well attended and made some solid progress.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
This morning I returned to work still not feeling quite 100%. Inevitably I spent the greater part of the day simply catching up on correspondence. Most pleasing was a mail from Jacquie reporting that Richard Weller of Capacitybuilders was broadly very impressed with our work on the HIC Strategic Plan and Business Plan. Hurrah!
I also wrote to HCC’s Emergency Planners suggesting that they “pencil in” CVSs to join the management teams for any Humanitarian Aid Centres they establish in the wake of any civil emergency. This seems an eminently sensible suggestion - avoiding much potential confusion and making sure that the entire VCS is engaged.
I also surveyed the damage that my week’s absence has done to my carefully planned work programme. I’ve already regretted that over Christmas I failed to complete strategies for Accommodation or Community Development - how this is coming back to haunt me!
I also wrote to HCC’s Emergency Planners suggesting that they “pencil in” CVSs to join the management teams for any Humanitarian Aid Centres they establish in the wake of any civil emergency. This seems an eminently sensible suggestion - avoiding much potential confusion and making sure that the entire VCS is engaged.
I also surveyed the damage that my week’s absence has done to my carefully planned work programme. I’ve already regretted that over Christmas I failed to complete strategies for Accommodation or Community Development - how this is coming back to haunt me!
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
A final day at home, devoted to recovering my strength and drafting a community development strategy for Watford.
Monday, 14 January 2008
Finally, I can breathe without pain and my eyes can focus enough to read.
Snuggled up on the sofa, I rewarded myself with New Towns and Garden Cities - a collection of essays issued in 1989 to commemorate the centenary of HCC.
I had forgotten how much the Garden City movement was in fact an early (and very successful) example of a social enterprise.
I was also struck by how closely Ebenezer Howard’s plan for his Social City resemble the topography of the ancient civilization on the Plain of Kor in H Rider Haggard’s She. I worried that I might be hallucinating. But just fifteen pages later, I read that H Rider Haggard was a prominent agriculturalist (which I vaguely knew) who had worked closely with the Letchworth Garden City Corporation!
How very pleasing. I wonder how many other literary connections there are to the Garden City movement: Kipps of course, and Laurence Olivier, and much of GBS, and Ruskin, and the Webbs, and EM Forster, and ...
Snuggled up on the sofa, I rewarded myself with New Towns and Garden Cities - a collection of essays issued in 1989 to commemorate the centenary of HCC.
I had forgotten how much the Garden City movement was in fact an early (and very successful) example of a social enterprise.
I was also struck by how closely Ebenezer Howard’s plan for his Social City resemble the topography of the ancient civilization on the Plain of Kor in H Rider Haggard’s She. I worried that I might be hallucinating. But just fifteen pages later, I read that H Rider Haggard was a prominent agriculturalist (which I vaguely knew) who had worked closely with the Letchworth Garden City Corporation!
How very pleasing. I wonder how many other literary connections there are to the Garden City movement: Kipps of course, and Laurence Olivier, and much of GBS, and Ruskin, and the Webbs, and EM Forster, and ...
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
I suffered a disturbed night’s sleep for the third night running. Previously I’ve woken up and felt 100%. This morning I felt a bit off the pace but still headed to Watford with confidence. My 10:00 meeting was cancelled and at 11:00 I was at the Town Hall meeting with our mayor Dorothy Thornhill to talk about community centres, voluntary sector accommodation, the annual audentior awards, IT, and Watford Women’s Centre. Immediately after, I met with a consultant carrying out a feasibility study for Mind, and then I left for a meeting of the Local Emergency Planning Forum held at the military base JSU Northwood just south of Watford.
The base's Commanding Officer gave us a brief overview of the base describing it as “Britain’s Pentagon” in that the site carries out many communication and co-ordination functions for British, European and NATO forces throughout the world. The American Pentagon is artchitecturally bold and confident. To blend in with the surrounding area, JSU Northwood has been cunningly disguised as a semi-derelict 1960s Secondary Modern school. There is also a deliberate policy of accummulating as many abbreviations as possible in order to deflect interest - among those I noted were DCINC, CJTFHQ, COMUKAMPHQ, JTFC and JMOTS. Among all this, it was nice to note that they still have a voluntary brass band.
During the meeting proper, we had a presentation on Humanitarian Assistance Cenres that will now be set up as a “one stop shop” in the wake of any major civil emergency. This was interesting stuff but no-one yet seems to have seriously thought through the potential voluntary sector contribution. I suggested that the local CVSs should be a first point of contact with the local voluntary sector, and I think this was understood by some but not all. Most have only the slightest idea of the nature of the voluntery sector.
More work is needed I think. I was not up to the discussion this afternoon. During the course of the meeting, my temperature had risen several degrees and my throat had almost closed with swelling. I left the meeting as early as I decently could and headed straight home for bed. I never did discover what JSU stood for.
The base's Commanding Officer gave us a brief overview of the base describing it as “Britain’s Pentagon” in that the site carries out many communication and co-ordination functions for British, European and NATO forces throughout the world. The American Pentagon is artchitecturally bold and confident. To blend in with the surrounding area, JSU Northwood has been cunningly disguised as a semi-derelict 1960s Secondary Modern school. There is also a deliberate policy of accummulating as many abbreviations as possible in order to deflect interest - among those I noted were DCINC, CJTFHQ, COMUKAMPHQ, JTFC and JMOTS. Among all this, it was nice to note that they still have a voluntary brass band.
During the meeting proper, we had a presentation on Humanitarian Assistance Cenres that will now be set up as a “one stop shop” in the wake of any major civil emergency. This was interesting stuff but no-one yet seems to have seriously thought through the potential voluntary sector contribution. I suggested that the local CVSs should be a first point of contact with the local voluntary sector, and I think this was understood by some but not all. Most have only the slightest idea of the nature of the voluntery sector.
More work is needed I think. I was not up to the discussion this afternoon. During the course of the meeting, my temperature had risen several degrees and my throat had almost closed with swelling. I left the meeting as early as I decently could and headed straight home for bed. I never did discover what JSU stood for.
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
I drove to Letchworth to meet with Roger Sands (Watford YMCA), Heather Allen (Dacorum Volunteer Centre), Jacquie Hime (North Herts CVS) and Andrew Simmons (Connexions) to discuss the need for a single bid from Hertfordshire for the new Youth volunteering programme. The discussions were frank and constructive and Roger and Heather will meet again this Friday to begin drafting a joint bid - the deadline for submission is next Friday. I wish them well.
After this, I worked at home starting to draft a Community Development Strategy.
After this, I worked at home starting to draft a Community Development Strategy.
Monday, 7 January 2008
I fielded several enquiries about our advert for a BME Advocacy worker, and wrote to Capacitybuilders about the low level of funding for Hertfordshire. Late on I had a call from a lady doing some Mental Health research in South West Herts who wants to meet up on Wednesday.
I finished (re-)reading She by H Rider Haggard. There are too few Victorian novels in which the male romantic lead marries an African woman, and in which the English hero calls an African elder “Father” and in return gains the sobriquet of “Baboon”. Excellent stuff. Then I moved on to W E Tate’s The English Village Community and the Enclosure Movements (another excellent read offering fascinating detail of the open field agriculture) and finally to Gary Waite’s Heresy, Magic and Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe.
I finished (re-)reading She by H Rider Haggard. There are too few Victorian novels in which the male romantic lead marries an African woman, and in which the English hero calls an African elder “Father” and in return gains the sobriquet of “Baboon”. Excellent stuff. Then I moved on to W E Tate’s The English Village Community and the Enclosure Movements (another excellent read offering fascinating detail of the open field agriculture) and finally to Gary Waite’s Heresy, Magic and Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe.
Sunday, 6 January 2008
I spent the morning in the garden, the afternoon reading, and the evening watching a new episode of Foyle's War. Pretty much a perfect day.
Saturday, 5 January 2008
Jackie and I spent a quiet day catching up and watching television documentaries on the wildlife of the Amazon rainforest, the jungle in Borneo, the Moche of Peru, and Islam.
Friday, 4 January 2008
More filing and more sorting out recalcitrant PCs. I also met with Marv Renshaw (who is working hard on various local community arts initiatives) to talk about establishing a community arts forum, and with our Connexions PAs to catch up on several matters.
At this time of year, I can never keep track of who I have already greeted with a cheery "Happy New Year". Some people complain that I have greeted them in this way "three times" and others allege that I have "snubbed" them. It really is most confusing.
One or two members of CVS staff have fallen prey to the horrid winter stomach virus. Fortunately, Jackie has now recovered.
At this time of year, I can never keep track of who I have already greeted with a cheery "Happy New Year". Some people complain that I have greeted them in this way "three times" and others allege that I have "snubbed" them. It really is most confusing.
One or two members of CVS staff have fallen prey to the horrid winter stomach virus. Fortunately, Jackie has now recovered.
Thursday, 3 January 2008
Today I finalised documentation to advertise our new BME Advocacy post, I met with Anne to talk about further fundraising, I talked to WBC on car parking for volunteers, I wrote to our regional IT champion about IT strategy, I wrote to the Sunflower centre about their website, and I started filing - my filing pile had grown to unmanageable dimensions, and something had to be done.
I also wrote out promoting WBC’s annual Audentior Awards – the annual community awards for Watford and an excellent way of recognising and rewarding good neighbours.
I also wrote out promoting WBC’s annual Audentior Awards – the annual community awards for Watford and an excellent way of recognising and rewarding good neighbours.
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
Over Christmas, I did some reading for work and I completed a lot of work on Job Evaluation. But I didn’t draft the Accommodation or Community Development Strategies. This will return to haunt me. But meanwhile, today I enjoyed a nice gentle re-introduction to the world of work, catching up on e-mails and organising future work plans.
Back home, Jackie was unwell with something unpleasant so I went shopping and made the tea - all on my own and unsupervised!
Back home, Jackie was unwell with something unpleasant so I went shopping and made the tea - all on my own and unsupervised!
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
Jackie and I drove into London for a walk around Hampstead Heath and Kenwood House. Back home, I saw a Blue Tit at our bird table - far prettier than Starlings or Blackbirds.
Monday, 31 December 2007
After yesterday's preparations, I completed a draft Job Evaluation exercise for WCVS.
Jackie and I saw in the New Year with our grand-daughter Bethany.
Jackie and I saw in the New Year with our grand-daughter Bethany.
Sunday, 30 December 2007
I enjoyed a quiet day examining different Job Evaluation schemes - a gentle and useful re-introduction to work. And in the evening I watched a new episode of Midsummer Murder.
Saturday, 29 December 2007
Jackie and I spent a quiet day recovering from the turmoil of Christmas. I finished reading Lords of Humankind by V. G. Kiernan, an exploration (rather superficial, I thought) of how the "white" races regarded themselves (and were regarded by others) in the imperial age.
The footnotes and references are the most eccentric I can remember - common knowledge is often annotated in absurd patronising detail, some footnotes reference private discussions the author has had with his friends, many contentious statements are left entirely unsupported, and in one footnote the author simply says he has found no evidence to support a statement he’s made in the main text!
I guess this might have been V. G. Kiernan’s PhD thesis; I wonder if he passed?
The footnotes and references are the most eccentric I can remember - common knowledge is often annotated in absurd patronising detail, some footnotes reference private discussions the author has had with his friends, many contentious statements are left entirely unsupported, and in one footnote the author simply says he has found no evidence to support a statement he’s made in the main text!
I guess this might have been V. G. Kiernan’s PhD thesis; I wonder if he passed?
Friday, 28 December 2007
Jackie and I spent the day baby-sitting Bethany.
Jorge Moll and Jordan Grafman of the (American) National Institute of Neurological Disorders have found that giving to charity effects the brain’s pleasure regions in much the same way as sex or good food: “Something in our brain is shaped by evolution which allows us to feel joy when we do good things”.
In the evening, Jackie and I visited the in-laws to stimulate our pleasure regions with good food.
Jorge Moll and Jordan Grafman of the (American) National Institute of Neurological Disorders have found that giving to charity effects the brain’s pleasure regions in much the same way as sex or good food: “Something in our brain is shaped by evolution which allows us to feel joy when we do good things”.
In the evening, Jackie and I visited the in-laws to stimulate our pleasure regions with good food.
Thursday, 27 December 2007
We finally got to see grand-daughter Bethany and her parents Rhiannon and Stu. We played games. Great fun rather marred by news of Benazir Bhutto's assassination in Pakistan.
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
Christmas day at home with boys and the in-laws enjoying an excellent meal from Jackie.
Sunday, 23 December 2007
More Christmas preparations. Our bird table is at last being visited – by starlings at least.
Saturday, 22 December 2007
Christmas is almost here and I spent the day buying last minute gifts etc.
So Tony Blair is a Catholic? Happily, Catholic teachings haven’t much affected his voing record on gay rights, genetic research, abortion or anything else.
At 1-1 with five minutes remaining, Tottenham were awarded a penalty and still contrived to lose the north London derby. Again.
So Tony Blair is a Catholic? Happily, Catholic teachings haven’t much affected his voing record on gay rights, genetic research, abortion or anything else.
At 1-1 with five minutes remaining, Tottenham were awarded a penalty and still contrived to lose the north London derby. Again.
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