20 Years of Mountain Marathons

This weekend I joined a special group of people - those who have completed 20 OMMs.  I even have a special fleece to prove it.  So, what is it all about?

Well, the mountain marathon is a two day adventure race - you set off on day one and are given a map with some checkpoints.  You race to the overnight camp, then in the morning do the same again. Oh yes and in that time you and your partner are totally self sufficient.  Did I also mention that you don't know where the race starts until a few weeks before so you cannot reconnoitre the area.

So basically that's it!

Way back in the mid to late 1970s I was looking for a new rucsac, in those days there were two major suppliers of high end rucsacs (Karrimor and Berghaus), and got a copy of the Karrimor technical guide.  Once I'd ploughed through all the rucsacs (the Vallot or the Alpiniste? was the question), I found a section on the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon, a two day race in the hills requiring excellent navigation and mountain skills.  As a teenager my interest was raised but never thought I'd be up to it.

Fast forward to 1994 and Richard Bolam suggested that we enter the KIMM, we did and didn't get in.  The same occured in 1995.  Finally in 1996 a large brown envelope arrived - we were in.

The training started and I gave up alcohol for two months.  We were out in the hills every weekend and road running in between. Commemorate T shirts were ordered as were various bits of specialisty equipment.

From then on lots of interesting things happen;

On one of the early ones Chris Brasher (of London Marathon fame) and Eric Langmuir (author of Mountaincraft and Leadership) were competing together.  In the car park a large crowd had gather round Brasher but I made my way towards Langmuir and had a good ten minute chat with him about his books etc whilst Brasher was being mobbed by fans.  Certainly seemed to cheer Langmuir up.

KIMM 1996 - Galloway Forest with Rich Bolam - It rained but we are ready.  Or so we thought.  The next two days were a very steep learning curve.  As we drove away from the area it flooded!
KIMM 1997 - Kielder Forest with Rich Bolam - lovely weather all weekend.  Even ran and a section in shorts.
KIMM 1998 - Howgills with Rich Bolam - the original one with the rain, before 2008 happened.  Rich knew it was windy when I was blown off my feet on the Calf.  Got back to the start to find that our tent had been destroyed in the storms.
KIMM 1999 - Cowal Penninsula with Rich Bolam - my first retirement.  We had been upped a level to B class and it was hard.  As night descended we'd had enough.  Overnight Rich's rucsac was blown away!
KIMM 2000 - Lakes with Rich Bolam.  Back in a more comfortable class - remember a long section on road and a long descent at the very end.
KIMM 2001 - Clydes Muirsheil Park with Rick King - no date on the car sticker as it was the year of foot and mouth.  Great views over Glasgow as the sun went down on the Saturday night.
KIMM 2002 - Cheviots with Rick King.  Late arriving at the overnight camp meant that we pitched the tent on a slight slope - in the morning the site was flooded and we were fine!
KIMM 2003 - Langholme Park with Andy King - my planned partner fell ill on the Thursday before the event and my usual "back ups" were all spoken for.  Picked Andy up on the way to the event.  Sadly day two was a little too far and we were timed out.
KIMM 2004 - Brecon Beacons Park with Rich Bolam - swampy entrance to the overnight camp.  First time we managed to meet up with friends at overnight camp.
KIMM 2005 - Ullswater with Rich Bolam - An area we knew very well but we were confused by it not giving the names of the hills on the map.  Bit of a panic at the end when a large sign said "You have finished the last ever KIMM" - we were not aware of the change of branding but were reassured by the marshals that it would go on.
OMM 2006 - Galloway Forest with Rich Bolam - back to where it had all started.  Thick mist late in the afternoon and we spent ages trying to find the last checkpoint (it was on a rock face).
OMM 2007 - Lowther Hills with Rick King - late start time resulted in us getting benighted and we retired at the end of day one.
OMM 2008 - Borrowdale with Rich Bolam - the wet one - much has been written about this.  Yes, it was challenging but that's what we enter it for.  We reached the overnight camp to be told that the event had been cancelled, apparently I looked into the sky and said "Why?" We then trudged over Honister in the teeth of a gale and slept in the car.  My eldest son took part in this - it was his 16th birthday!
OMM 2009 - Elan Valley.  Last one with Rich, he announced his retirement on the way to the event and the weekend was like he was doing a lap of honour.
OMM 2010 - Dartmoor with Tom Bacon - finally get to compete with my son (he did 2008 & 9 with a family friend).  Day One absolutely glorious weather, even complained that the sun was in our eyes for the first few hours.  Day Two rain, high winds and raging torrents where once were streams.
OMM 2011 - Comrie with Tom Bacon - Tom was ill the Friday night and it was an achievement to get to the start.  We didn't get much further and retired soon after starting (top tip; don't do a mountain marathon if you are really ill!).
OMM 2012 - Howgills with John Bell-Winfrow - John was drafted in as a late replacement a few days before the event after Tom injured his ankle.  It was wet and cold, in fact I think that at one point John's hands went blue.
OMM 2013 - Black Mountains with John Bell-Winfrow - the day before bad storms were due to hit South Wales.
OMM 2014 - Cheviots with John Bell-Winfrow- very windy.  We thought that the overnight camp would have some shelter - it hadn't and we amusingly watched some people trying to pitch their tents.
OMM 2015 - Tweedsmuir Hills with John Bell-Winfrow.  20 up!
OMM 2016 ? Bring it on.


KIMM/OMM in Numbers

20 Entries
16 Succesful Finishes
5 Partners
5 Pairs of Fell Shoes (+ numerous resoles)
3 Rucsac
2 Tents (both Terra Nova Geminis)
2 Hats (both Lowe Alpine)
1 First Aid Pouch (in need of patching)

Tips?

• Always take a decent sized mug - one year we went with small light ones.  You need a good mug of tea/coffee/hot chocolate at the end of the day.
• Check your plastic bags (for your feet) to make sure that they have no breathing holes in them (postage bags are good).
• I have always taken a mountain tent rather than skimped on weight and gone the Laser route due to the time of year of the event and always got a good night sleep.  On a few occassions I've seen teams huddled up next to a wall with the remnants of a tent wrapped around them.
• Take wellies for the Friday night and so you help push out cars on the Sunday.
• Finally, have fun and enjoy it.  

Many thanks to Jenn Longbotham and all at the OMM.

Top Ten Attractions in Wales

I have just got back from a, rather wet, week in North Wales.  We were there as we were running a Queen's Scout (Gold D of E) Expedition for Rotherham Explorer Scouts.

Anyway we, the Bacon Family, have spent many a happy holiday in the area in both good and bad weather (admittedly that has involved climbing the hills in all sorts of conditions).  During these visits we resisted the temptation to spend money on many of the attractions feeling that National Trust and English Heritage membership would suffice.

So, this summer I was impressed by a leaflet called Ten Top Attractions in North Wales.  But how much would it have cost for me and the rest of the Bacons to have gone on them when we were holidaying over here.

1. Portmerion - I agree, this place is brilliant and everyone should visit at some time in their life (and watch the Prisoner).  We spent our Silver Wedding Anniversary there.  So, the cost.  For a family of four (2 adults and 2 kiddies) a family ticket = £31.

2. Nature World on Anglesey - never been to this but it does have meerkats.  Family of four = £27.95.

3. Zip World - visited this as we stayed quite close.  Looks great but a little quick and it appears that you cannot just pay and go - you have to book in advance.  Family of four = £220.

4. Tweedmill Shopping Outlet - its a shopping centre so, technically, its free to get in.  Is it me but it seems a bit odd that people go on holiday to go shopping but each to there own and at least this one is free.

5. Welsh Mountain Zoo - again, not one I have visited but its in Colwyn Bay which is nice.  A family ticket? £38.10

6. Greenwood Forest Park - went to this when the kids were young and it was a great day out but its currently £46.70 for a family of four so remember to take sandwiches.

7. The Great Orme Tramway - no visit to North Wales is complete without a visit to the Orme.  However, it is perfectly doable on foot.  £22 for return tickets for the family.

8. Anglesey Sea Zoo - last time we went there were huge queues to get in and it was a good day out and at £27 is offers good value.

9. Slate Llechwedd Caverns - again a good trip but at £45.80 for the family?

10. Snowdon Mountain Railway - Never been on it, nor do I intend to go on it.  Climbing a mountain involves climbing it.  £120 for this family outing when someone who is reasonably fit can get up from Llanberis in a couple of hours.

Now I'm sure for the cost of all of these a family could go to Sports Direct and invest in boots, waterproof and a map - all that is required to enjoy the countryside.

Or is it me just being a mean Yorkshireman?

The Election

Now I'm going to have to be careful here so as not to upset anyone...so here goes.....

Some of you may be aware that quite soon (I started writing this in mid-April) there is going to be a General Election in the UK.  If you live in the UK then you have been reminded everytime the news comes on.

In fact, I think, the only time it hasn't been the first thing on the news is when Richie Benaud passed away.  But even then Sir Richie was quickly shuffled down the running order (what do you mean he was never Knighted?).... I digress.

So, you are a first time voter - who do you vote for?  Well, it appears that there are several different reasons for voting for a certain party.

In no particular order;

You vote for the person who is best dressed?  This seems to be an obsession with the media - Ed/David is wearing a Savile Row/M & S (or Matalan?) suit.  Instantly there is an uproar about them (1) wasting money on clothes, (2) trying to dress down to get t' working class vote or (3) endorsing clothes made in the Far East.  Now I had a made to measure suit when I got married, have a standard High Street suit and have one from George do I cover all bases!  Now I appreciate that people looking smart is good and that the alternative (of them wearing T shirts & jeans) opens up another (huge) bag of worms but please you are in danger of going with the "they have a nice smile" approach to voting.

You vote for the party that has one speciifc policy that you like?  Last week there was a big thing that one of the shooting/hunting groups were saying that they were going to support one party because they might repeal the killing animals with dogs legislation.  Similarly, vote for because they will stop some double yellow lines being painted somewhere.  Please remember folks, yes be attracted by one policy but you get the whole batch of other policies as well (some of the time).

You vote for someone as they did well in the leaders debate? I was lucky in that I was away when this was on and so didn't waste two hours of my life watching people trying to put one over on someone else by scoring cheap points.  All the leaders are trained in how to deal with the media and so respond in a similar way.

You vote against someone as the press said something about them?  Over the past couple of days there has been quite a few people having a go at Ed Miliband?  Why?  Not sure why they feel that it is necessary to go with personl attacks (see also "Oooh!  Isn't their kitchen nice").

You vote for the one who you've always voted for/family voted for?  Again things change.  Do you really know what the different parties stand for?  What they stood for 50 years ago may have changed.  Many parties rely on this approach with their secure seats (all parties have them and know who they are).

You don't vote for <insert party here> because of their involvement with <insert something that has happened in the past 10 years>?  This is one of my favourites, a friend's late father never voted for a party because of the Suez Crisis.  I know others who still boycott parties because of their stance on the Vietnam/Korean War.  Yes, I know that these things happened but they were a long time ago and we have moved on.

Lastly

You vote for someone because someone famous tells you too?  What about that thing called freewill?  Many years ago Pete Murray (a well known DJ at the time) was on one of the breakfast programmes during the election campaign.  He turned to the camera and said ".....a vote for the Labour party is a vote for communism, may God have mercy on your soul!"  - to be honest the way he said it scared my slightly, it was said out of context and no other back up was given.  Sorry Pete (and all the other "celebrities" who tell me what to vote) but people can make their own mind up.  I wonder what may have been said had he accused another party of being fascist?  He is no longer with us so we'll never know.

Don't forget that the Monster Raving Loony Party were the first to suggest dropping the age of sufferate to 18 (from 21), pet passports, all day pub opening and commercial radio.  They also "shamed" the establishment into distributing supluses of milk and butter to charities following the revalation that the European Community (as it was) was dumping excess to maintain prices.

So, make sure that you vote (I don't care what Russell Brand says) - if you don't vote you can't complain. But make sure that you look at the policies of the parties (they are available on line).  You could even contact local candidates, in my experience they are more than happy to talk to you.

Here endeth my latest ramble.

Designer Wear

I have a designer jacket that I go walking in.  Its a Rab Alpine Jacket, is well designed, practical and I have used it on many trips (including a few mountain marathons).

Now I'm sure that someone would say that its not a "designer" jacket as its not made by <insert name of overpriced company here>.  Last year an Explorer Scout parent asked me if I could lend her son a waterproof, when I said I had she asked me if it was a good make as her son would only wear Nike!  When I explained the pedigree of the jacket she again said "...but is it as good as a Nike jacket..."

Earlier this week I suggested that everything has a "designer" but it was pointed out that this starts to become a more philosophical grumble than I wanted it to be.  So I am just going to grumble about what people refer to as designer wear without really giving it any thought.

When I got married my suit was made to measure (de rigour for the time) by a good old fashioned tailor - not sure how much it cost but I remember noting that a suit from Next (just down the road) was considerably more.  And yet the Next "off the peg" suit would probably be regarded as more designer than the made to measure one......yes, it is odd.

On a non-uniform at school a couple of years ago one lad had a hat that cost him £45.  I asked why it cost that much and his reply was "its from Hollister", I explained how much my Lowe walking hat had cost and why was his almost twice as much? The reply came "because its from Hollister".  Realising that the lad didn't fully understand my question I went through the details of the Lowe hat (Gore-tex, warm lining and how well it has worked in the hills) and again asked why his was so much.  Again I was met with "because its from Hollister"!  I retired from the discussion in defeat.  Now I know I always appear to have a downer on the likes of Hollister but when people automatically assume that they are buying quality because its expensive then maybe you can see my point.

So, I am sitting at a non-designer table drinking tea from a non-designer mug.  Of course that doesn't make sense - they were obviously both designed by someone, it's just that they are not overpriced with a big badge on them

Back to NEXT - they sell designer gear, yes?  The company was headed up by George Davies for many a year and his influence on fashion is well recorded.  But then you look at George at Asda - designer clothing?  Obviously not I hear you cry and yet its the same bloke!

I suppose this week's message is to think about what you buy?  Don't just buy a label - if you spend £45 on hat make sure it is something a little more than a 50p hat with a badge on it.....even if that badge does say Hollister.

Grumble over.

Celebs!

Every February Half Term I head north to Keswick.  Its something that I have been doing since I was 14 and for the last 25+ years has been an adventure that I share with several friends in a rented house.

I share this fact with you because everyday we buy some newspapers (normally 3 or more) that we all slowly plough through over breakfast before heading to the hills.  One of them is always a tabloid and it is where I find out all about the so called celebrities that currently rule our nation.

This year is no exception except that Kim Kardashian is now appearing in the Sunday Times under the heading "The Woman Who Broke the Internet".  Now it might just be me but I am pretty sure that she did not break the internet (or if she did break it then I missed it) - from memory this was just a publicity stunt.  BUT, I hear you shout, she is famous so it must be true!  Well, with the greatest of respect to Ms Kardashian, I would like to know exactly what she has done to be famous?  Pretty sure that she did not "invent" the internet (think that honour goes to Sir Tim Berners-Lee who, I'm pretty sure, doesn't court publicity in the same way) and a straw poll of people (of reasonable intelligence) failed to identify what she has done to help society (as I type this she is in the newspaper as she has hired a make up arist for her boobs....is this news?).

Now, I have nothing against Ms Kardashian and her ilk but can't help feeling that we are missing the point with people who we look up to in the world.  Jonathon Ives is British, a very modest bloke and the man who designed the iMac, iBook, iPhone, iPod, iPad etc etc. and yet many will look towards "celebrities" for inspiration rather than people who really achieve things.  In America an ex-Playboy model is currently telling everyone not to let there children have the MMR vaccine because of a report that was, long ago, discredited! Result?  It is likely that a measles epidemic will cause havoc in America - what are her qualifications to say this?  Has she read this very complex report and fully understood it?  A similar incident occured in the UK when a TV presenter said that she wasn't having her children vaccinated - again the result was people stopped having their children vaccinated.

Are we, as a society, slowly crumbling into this "celebrity" world?  My old mate Beckham went to the BAFTAs last week and then appeared on the front page of all the newspapers the following day - why?  No, I don't know either.  Obviously he was in a film that I missed.  I appreciate that Beckham has done loads for English National Football.....pause for effect........ but he never lifted the World Cup, or for that matter the Euro thingy either so why is he placed on such a pedestal (please don't say about him being the best dead ball kicker in his day or I will remind you of him missing the penalty!).

As a mountaineer I have had the pleasure of meeting many "celebrities" of that sport.  These are people who are at the pinnacle of the sport and have achieved more than can be imagined by most mere mortals - Chris Bonnington is still climbing in his 80s, leading numerous expeditions to the Himalayas etc and done so much for this country that he has been recognised with a knighthood.  I have met him on a few occasions, I called him Chris and he called me Gary (no Sir Chris required).  The respect is there, not a forced one caused by the media.  Alan Hinkes is the first (and so far only) Brit to climb all of the world's 8,000 metre peaks (less than 40 in the world have done so) and yet I have chatted to him without a gaggle of publicity people gathered round or people keep telling me that he is a celebrity because he has appeared on <insert name of pointless TV programme>.

So, what am I suggesting?  Well folks (for those of you who have read this far) I suppose I am saying GET A SENSE OF REALITY.  If someone has achieved something then respect them for it, if you have to be told that they are a celebrity then they are probably not (and appearing on a reality show does not make them one).

I'm not going to suggest that you all start thinking that Robert Falcon Scott was a great celebrity who should be worshipped? But maybe look at what people have done.

Here is a list of acceptable celebrities; Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Billy Connolly, James Martin, Sir Geoffrey Boycott etc.

You get the idea.  Ernest Shackleton was knighted for getting closer to the South Pole than anyone else - that was before the Trans-Antarctic trip!

So, world, get things in perspective!

Here endeth this rant.

Oh yes, quick hello to Tracey & Mo for reasons I will not specify.

Friends (not the TV series)

During the past year I have experienced all sorts of emotion and put a huge strain on friendships that I have had for years but like to think that I have come out of it a better person and hope that it has strengthened the friendships.

So, how long does a friendship have to be before it is "special" and similarly when does a casual acquaintance/work colleague take that epic step to being a friend.

Some time ago I read some research (yes, I am that sad that I am fascinated by statistics) and, to paraphrase, it said that by the time you got to 40 if you had 15 good friends then you should consider yourself lucky and the average was around 8.

What does make a good friend?  Well, in my case when I think of some of the tricky (ok dangerous) situations I have been in the only thing that has kept me going is a high level of trust in friendship.  I suppose I should give examples so here are a few;

Sitting in a rally car going at stupid miles an hour heading for a little gap which was obviously not bit enough for the car to get through (thanks Charles).

Wild camping in the Dales in the middle of winter and having to battle to get down safely (Owen).

Climbing silly ridges in winter conditions (John).

Mountain marathons (Rich, Rick, Andy, John).

Winter crossings of the Three Peaks (Tracey).

Surviving kebabs in Huddersfield (Kev).

This is by no means a definative list - others have been there to take me to the pub after messing up on my A Levels, offering me support when things have gone wrong on long distance walks, buying me a pint after a race and so on.

Then there is the issue of family - when I once commented that my wife was my best friend I got a response that almost suggested that I was not allowed to say such a thing.  Similarly woe betide any suggestion that I would regard my sons as friends (although both of them could be placed in the list above).

Are Facebook friends really friends?  I suppose some are, others are casual acquaintances but others are just a virtual presence.   Similarly Twitter followers (although Mrs B always refers to them as my Twitter Friends) have the same fate.

Maybe the phrase "A Friend in Need......" should appear on Facebook before you send a friend request?

So, folks, that's this week's message - look after your friends because one day they will repay the favour.  I know because I have been there.

My friends - I salute you all.

Arrogance - that great curse of the modern world!

A few years ago I was at a D of E training day run by the Scouts and the person running the course pointed out that if we wanted to assess at a certain level then we must have specific Scout permits.  A bloke at the back chipped in and said (I paraphrase) "I've done my Mountain Leadership Certificate for both summer and winter, have run the Pennine Way, been walking in the Alps etc etc..........I don't see why I should now have to be assessed by the Scout Association!"  The room fell silent and we all looked over at one of the County Assessors.  He turned round, slowly, and looked straight at the bloke and said, "If tha's as good as tha says tha is, then tha'll pass t'assessment.  If tha's not then tha shunt be wi Scouts!" (I have tried to phrase this with the accent).  Afterwards I went over and spoke to the Assessor who said that the bloke had already emailed saying how great he was and shouldn't be subjected to assessment "by someone else".

Now, what am I moaning about this week?  Well, I think that the key problem here is the arrogance of some people.  In the autumn of 1982 I met, for the first time, two people who went on to become great friends.  Of course, on first meeting new friends one thing you talk about is where you had been on holiday recently.  That summer I had spent six weeks in Nepal and so it was something that I would happily talk about - of course this must have come over as arrogant, "Ooooh!  Look at me I've just got back from the Himalayas, aren't I great!" and years later Rich still pulls my leg about it.  But was it arrogance or just me stating a fact?  Edmund Hilary was pilaried as being arrogant for saying "we knocked the bastard off" after he came down from the first ascent of Everest!

Last year, on meeting my wife for the first time, someone new to our circle of acquaintances, proceeded to tell her all about what he had done, climbed etc not realising that she had done far in excess of his "wonderfulness" (or maybe because she was a woman).  She waited until he commented about a mountain that he and a friend had hired a guide to climb the previous year and, obviously having had enough, pointed out that I had climbed the same mountain solo!  He didn't take the hint but then some people just don't.

While I'm on this stream of thought the other approach is the "I could have gone to University, but didn't want to/couldn't see the point etc".  Why do people feel it necessary to justify that decision - are they questioning why others did choose to go?  In my experience this normally leads to the "I can make more money than you...." statement (once, rather amusingly, said to someone who was working towards being a doctor, yes, one of those people who cure illness!).

Some years ago I was involved in the building a rally car and navigated (or was co-driver) for a few years.  When you tell people this you always get someone who says "I could have been a rally driver (because I drive fast)".  Usually after being in a car with them for less than five minutes you think "no you couldn't, you drive badly!".

When eldest son was at school we got a letter saying how proud they were that Tom had run an assembly for the whole school.  We asked Tom why he hadn't told us about it and got the reply "You never asked".

Fast forward to the present day and I recently discovered that a PhD friend of ours had done a considerable amount of research with Rolls Royce into the jet engines that are in aircraft.  No, he had never told us as we had never asked!

So, what am I trying to say?  Well folks maybe its all about doing stuff rather than just telling people that you have done stuff.  After all, as they say, actions speak louder than words!

Here endeth this week's ramble.

Social Media

Josh and I felt that I should do a weekly update so I'll try.

When I was a kid we had lots of things to worry about; passing our O'Levels, getting served in a pub and invasion/nuclear holocaust.  The first of these we could do something about and the second was in the lap of the gods (unless you knew the dodgy pubs).  The third however was something we could do nothing about.  We knew that the Russians were nasty and that one day someone would push the button and we'd all be fried.  We also knew that if you drove over the North Yorkshire Moors, past Fylingdales, that you had to drive quickly as if you slowed down then the soldiers would shoot you.  I'm sure that somebody at school once said that a friend of a friend of theirs had had that happen to them!

Yes, the late 60's & 70s and the Cold War certainly gave us lots to worry about.  We spoke to friends about it and if you had a sleepover somewhere you could almost guarantee that someone would recount something that they'd heard (normally recounted wrongly) and we'd all stay awake wondering when the bomb would drop.  This was even more exciting when camping!

Politics were rarely discussed (although many of my friends were politically active) - it didn't matter who was in charge of the country we were all doomed!

So, what do we have now to discuss things?  We have the glories of our old mate Facebook.  The difference of course being the attitude that "if its on Facebook it must be true"!  So post something along the lines of "The nuclear holocaust is booked for the 23rd March" and suddenly everyone believes it - remember when the world was going to end on the 21st December 2012?  Apparently it was in the Mayan calendar or something because, of course, no one had noticed it for a few hundred years but then it was on Facebook.

Now call me old fashioned but I tend to trust the experts on these things, after all many of them have studied for years to come to a logical conclusion rather than just make it up.  Its not a new idea, for years a rumour went around that Bob Holness had played the saxophone solo on Baker Street (for the record it was Raphael Ravenscroft) and it became one of the main discussion points when Gerry Rafferty died.  After saying that Bob Holness did once play James Bond (now will you believe me or check?  and where will you search for the information?).

Back to Social Media.  The most popular of these are Twitter and Facebook and for some years now I have been a quite avid user of Twitter but, to the best of my knowledge, I have stuck to the old adage of "Don't post anything that you are not willing to shout from the rooftops".  I am pretty sure that I have never used foul or abusive language (although I am willing to stand corrected) and the closest thing to offence I have caused (and got trolled for) was some comments that I made about the Falklands and the fact that they are British (the right to self determination etc).  Oh yes and the odd rant against Russell Brand!  Facebook I tend to use a little less as a mass communication tool and more of a way of talking to friends, unlike many I don't accept everyone who wants to be my friend on Facebook and have the occasional culls.

What I'd like to know is why young people (and I may be generalising here) see Twitter/Facebook et al as their personal soapbox or confessional?  Have we reached a time where no one has any "real" friends who they can say "not feeling great at the moment" to?  Or is it just a sign of the times that they feel it necessary to tell the world?  I may find it interesting (well, not really) when I read a post saying "Had toast for breakfast, here's a picture of it" but if I read "Think my mum is trying to kill me as she fed me Marmite on toast" do I phone the police to report a crime?  Similarly when people post "<insert name> is a bad person because <insert accusation>", when things aren't backed up by facts that could be admissible in court, you really wonder if we are turning into a nation of football pundits where we all know how <insert something here> could be done better.  Like many people I have experienced this first hand with the "Oh, that website's rubbish, you should have booked through....." or "Oh, if you'd have mentioned my name to <insert name> they would have looked after you".

I always like it when people offer you information rather than telling you, its much nicer, but then maybe I'm just a bit old!  Maybe people should think before they type and remember the note I had on my desk for many years "Never reply to a letter when you are angry!" - for you youngsters you could change the word letter for tweet, email, message etc.

Here's another fact, the Aztecs were around in the 14th to the 16th Century, Oxford University was founded in 1096 (Cambridge in 1209) - bet you thought that the Aztecs were several thousand years ago!

Here endeth this week's moan.

The One's For Josh!

Josh Parkin suggested that I should keep a blog.  OK, so its 18 months since I, sort of, started this one but it got me thinking.

Maybe I should keep a blog on a regular basis - not really a diary but more the old ramblings of a middle aged, balding etc......

The question now I suppose is where to start.  I suppose I could just post the review of the year that we always send out to family and friends at the end of each year saying what we have (or haven't) achieved in the year.  Alternatively I could review where I currently am and how I have ended up here.  So, here goes.....

Last May following various issues I ended up having some time off sick (don't worry, I'm ok) and this lead to me looking at my life in depth, where I am and all the other stuff you're meant to look at at my time of life.

So, let me consider that old favourite, the old work/life balance.  Many years ago I was made aware of a company where staff had to take their (generous) holiday entitlement and if they didn't then they were penalised on their annual performance management - this was the company making sure that their employees spent time with their families, staff were discouraged from working overtime (if this was necessary then it was seen as an error on the employers part as the extra work should have been anticipated).

But not all can be like that - Professor Cary Cooper was on the radio saying that if you are working 11 hour days regularly then you are heading for all sorts of health issues (I can't remember the statistics but they were not good). Prof Cooper was relating this to self employed people and I can believe it as many people who I have known over the years who run their own companies end up running themselves into the ground but how do you turn off?

If you have a 9 - 5 job then its, relatively, easy.  But if your job is more flexible then how do you avoid working 24/7?  10+ years ago when I worked for First National I asked the Director in Charge how he coped with the number of emails that he used to get on a daily basis and how it worked when he was off.  His answer was simple; when he was off he set an auto-reply to say he wasn't in then when he returned he deleted everything that had been sent and started afresh.  As he was getting around 100 emails a day this was brilliant and it worked.

Similarly either turn your mobile off or let works calls go through to voice mail and sort them in works time.  If you are on holiday then treat it as that - if you are not expected to work weekends then don't.

How's that Josh - a reasonable piece of advice?