Random thoughts

Just a random thought no 21

2014-11-30T16:22:00.000+00:00

Poem by Henry Twells, inscribed on clock in Chester Cathedral. Recited to me after lunch today, during a conversation about the passage of time, prompted by my comment that time seems to pass more quickly as one gets older.

Just a random thought no. 20

2013-12-06T19:33:00.000+00:00

It's well over a twelvemonth since I last posted! Frankly, if I was ever in the habit, I've fallen out of it... But - I've been busy with other things. Inventory work is taking up my time, so is a day (or more) a week volunteering at the CLC Bookshop in Birmingham, (and a couple of days at the Wolverhampton store in August) and I am now in the twilight zone between benefit and tax credits. Not enough hours to come off the former, and certainly far too few to claim the latter, although the pickings for inventories are getting rather richer than they were, if only because Tom Button, who got me into the work, has gone off to Norway to be a youth pastor. Singleness has been much on my mind. I dread ending up like someone at church who passed away this summer at the age of 75, rather dependent on the goodwill of others, and on social services. But the chances of finding Miss (or even the widowed or divorced Mrs) Right diminish with the passing days, and I have given myself too many false alarms to continue looking seriously. On the other hand, every time I see a naughty child, I thank God that I am a childless bachelor. Still, at least I can see at a distance without glasses for the first time in 50 years, after successful bilateral cataract surgery. Right eye done on the 10th September, left 29th October, and the difference is staggering. I must now see my optician for a pressure test, and a scrip for reading glasses: I am hoping to avoid varifocals in favour of half-moons, if I can get away with a single prescription. So I am gratefully binning the profile photos with glasses!

Just a random thought no. 19.

2012-06-13T15:02:00.000+01:00

Well, the Diamond Jubilee celebrations are behind us. HM must have been reminded of her Coronation by the deluge that engulfed many of us, particularly on the Sunday. I'm glad we in Westbury Road did not try to organise a street party, but equally glad to have gone to the one in Wadhurst Road, where I used to live, where a good time was had in the rain! Monday saw me in London, at the Jubilee Concert and the picnic in Buckingham Palace gardens, where I was fortunate enough to see, and photograph, the Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie . The Concert was enjoyable, even if over-long and consisting too much of music not to my taste. Some of the projections onto the facade of Buckingham Palace were stunning , as also some of the lighting effects . The rest of the week saw much rain, and frustration for me as I tried with our consultant, Stephen Williams, to canvass support for the Community Consultation: llnk at . We admitted defeat on two evenings, but had a reasonable trawl on Saturday morning. It remains to be seen whether the responses and conclusions drawn therefrom bear fruit...

Just a random thought no.18

2012-04-17T14:58:00.000+01:00

A lot has happened since "Just a random thought no.17", such as Christmas, Epiphany, Lent and Easter. I had an unfortunate rear-end accident on the last Friday (27th) in January, and as a result, have not worked since. It has to be said that I have lost the wish to drive as a consequence of the collision. I have filled my time in busying myself in the affairs of the Neighbourhood Forum, of which I am now Chairman, Deer's Leap Wood, where I have spent many hours taking photographs of the dredging of the pond, before, during and after, and I have, with the assistance of Martin Graham of uturn, initiated a Street Association for Westbury Road. I held the initial meeting in my house, attended a garden party over the road last Saturday, and a business meeting upcoming this coming Sunday, at a third address in the street. Over 10% of households have so far been represented, and I hope that from the acorn will grow a mighty oak. The spur for me was acting as verger for a funeral, and discovering that the deceased not only lived on the street, but only two doors away, and I had not knowingly clapped eyes on her, still less spoken to her, in the six years I have been here. We do so often close and lock our doors at night and turn on the telly or whatever, and retreat into our shell. Street associations aim to reverse the trend, and to offer mutual support for elderly, disabled and infirm neighbours, not to mention a baby-sitting service and the like for parents, among social and housekeeping activities. I have spent a recent afternoon learning how to set up a website, and that has resulted in my creating one for the Street Association. Whether that will lead anywhere, in the sense of making money for myself by making sites for others, remains to be seen. Oh, and by the way, I have been on Facebook for some time, as most of you will know, but I am now to be found on Twitter, (against which I held out for a long time, as I did not see the point of it), @KenBladon1957.

Just a random thought no.17.

2011-10-18T14:40:00.000+01:00

So Aston Manor Museum has held its last event. We all hoped it would not come to this point, but I fear it was inevitable given both the intransigence of the council, and the ostrich-like behaviour of the museum's trustees. As a Birmingham resident, I understand that the council needs to realise assets to balance its budget, and is obliged to seek the best price for those assets, but the museum did not help its own cause by not seeing sooner that it might be asked to find more money for rent. Surely a trading company should have been set up years ago to get profits for the guarantee company to spend on the museum. That that appears never to have been explored reflects ill on the trustees, with one of whom I have to deal over 2847. Not, I'm afraid, a good omen.

Just a random thought no.16.

2011-08-23T22:31:00.011+01:00

Three months have gone by since I last put finger to keyboard. You may recall that I had been laid up with a broken leg: that is all now resolved. Work has been slack: not surprising, as GB plc is on holiday at this time of year, and the new registrations now start on September 1. Next week will be busy, I'm sure, but for the moment I am wondering how to make ends meet. Since my last post, I have been to several weddings at church, and taken photos at them all. I can now call myself semi-professional as a photographer, as I have been paid for some taken at one of them. I'm still taking photos for the pure pleasure of it, including a batch taken in Leamington on a Flickrmeet a week last Sunday: it ended up here .

I also went for a stroll round Solihull yesterday (Monday 22 August), and went into St Alphege's Church, I think for the first time in my life. The digital photos are likewise already on Flickr, but are not particularly of general interest, as they are all of buses. The views of the town I took on a recently-, and cheaply-, acquired Minolta Vectis S1 APS SLR. I've taken five films on it so far, and considering the film stock used has been several years out of date, the four films processed so far have given more than satisfactory results. A sample can be found here ">.
Also in use at the moment, as well as the Canon DSLR and compact is a Praktica BMS for which I bought (for a tenner) a brand-new boxed Vivitar 28-70 zoom lens: I'm currently running a b+w film through that, the first images having been taken on one of the vicar's summer evening canal walks earlier in the month. Amongst all this my nephew, Andrew, has taken a first in Natural Sciences from Cambridge, and my niece, Charlotte, has taken straight As at 'A' level, and is embarking on a gap year before reading medicine. She applied for a place to start this September, but was unsuccessful.

Whether I continue with the vehicle delivery must remain a moot point. I should like to make my living behind the lens. We shall see.

Just a random thought no.15.

2011-05-26T23:42:00.000+01:00

It's a heck of a long time since I last posted. I have been busy for much of that time, delivering cars and other light vehicles hither and yon. I've been working as a trade plate driver for a concern based on the old SU Carburettors site in Erdington. However, for the past five weeks I've been off, thanks to a negligent taxi driver in Worcester, who felled me whilst reversing, cracking the greater trochanter of my right femur, necessitating a surgical reduction. I'm well on the mend now, and rather champing at the bit to get back to work, because, although it does not pay a king's ransom, I quite enjoy the job, particularly when I have to get back, or from one job to another, by train. I've collected some routes I never thought I'd get to ride, even if on one or two the weather precluded much of a view. Lincoln to Peterborough was one such, and Grimsby to Sheffield another, of which that was true. My most regular ride, however, is LM from Euston to New Street. The Siemens Desiro sets used have a nice turn of speed, and are surprisingly comfortable for 3+2 seated stock. Mind you, they can be very full indeed. A week or two, and I hope I shall be back to it.

Just a random thought no. 14.

2010-09-30T14:56:00.001+01:00

I had an amusing few minutes this morning, having been to the doctors' to get my scrip. I noticed that one of the street name signs for Hagley Road was broken, but that it gave the postal district as "16". The adjacent signs for Meadow Road give "15", and the ones opposite across Hagley Road "17", with more Hagley Road 16 signs! As far as I know, all should be 17. I photographed an assortment of these.

Just a random thought no.13.

2010-09-30T14:48:00.000+01:00

Seeing a sizeable chunk of the city centre of Birmingham still cordoned off because someone is threatening to commit suicide (apparently) by jumping off the Paradise Circus bridge prompts me to wonder how such a standoff would be managed in other places. I doubt that even in London the Met would allow the inconvenience to continue for what is now 23 hours, and I surmise that the CRS would have been called in twelve hours or more ago if it were Paris. I should have thought that a firehose directed at him would have sorted the matter out a while ago. Let's hope that he is (a) charged with wasting police time; (b) sent a bill for the costs involved in diverting traffic and closing the Central Library etc. A sensible estimate of the costs of disruption to everyone else's lives needs to be made and publicised, so that such people are shown the true costs to their fellow-citizens of such selfish behaviour.

Just a random thought no.12.

2010-08-17T16:49:00.003+01:00

I'm in the unfortunate position of being jobless and seeking employment: not good when you won't see fifty again. But it's made worse by the uselessness of those who are supposed to assist you.

(1) Jobsites: one in particular (Careerbuilder) is a waste of cyberspace, because it does not seem to take account of the contents of one's cv, and sends posts for which you are neither qualified nor suitable.Direct.gov.uk is not a great deal better, I've deleted several saved searches because they threw up places I could not work, or general retail posts when I specifically stated booksellers. Gumtree is not a lot of cop either, very few of the advertisers seem to be genuine, or at least look dodgy, or fail to respond.

(2) Is there any wonder that there is a shortage of skilled tradesmen, when it is so hard to get the necessary training? Train4trades is a total waste of time and space: I booked an appointment months ago which was not kept, and no substitute was offered, and there is no way on the website to make a complaint: I suspect they are only in it for the money. OLCI is a lot better, as I made an appointment for Wednesday for 3 pm, and had a phone message on Tuesday asking to change it from 1 pm to 11 am. I would never have made an appointment for 1 pm, because I sign on at 12.20pm, and could not get home in time. However, I made the 11 am appointment, and when he arrived, the representative suggested that I go to the training centre one day next week to have a look - a lot more positive!

(3) The Jobcentre - they are at least apparently trained in customer service now, unlike in 2005, but their information needs upgrading and updating: an example being that Selly Oak JCP did not know in June 2010 that the LearnDirect centre at Bournville college had closed in July 2009, another being the suggestion that one uses the Birmingham Mail as a resource. The jobs published there on a Thursday have been on jobs-midlands.com since at least Monday midday, so are well stale: if one can find anything worth doing on that site. I never can.

(4) One bonus has been stopdodo.com, which lists environmental jobs: I have found a surprising number there to apply to, including two in Brussels.

But the search goes on - and on - and on!

Just a random thought no.11.

2010-05-07T12:34:00.001+01:00

I haven't broken my record! I had never voted for the successful candidate in a General Election, and that hasn't changed. But we are in for the worst of all possible worlds with a hung parliament and GB Ruin getting first crack at forming a new administration - aargh!

Just a random thought no 10.

2010-05-06T12:39:00.001+01:00

Just voted in the general and local elections. As there still isn't a "none of the above" box to place one's cross in, I voted for a change of MP and no change of councillor, as Mike Whitby is doing a good job for the City at large, even if he sometimes neglects Harborne in the process. I went to the hustings on Wednesday a week ago, and was very surprised that my question on penal policy was taken - I think I tripped up the sitting Member, because she just trotted out "build more prisons" - wrong answer, Gisela! Phil Stone for the Greens was quite impressive, but when I got to the polling station and found he was riding two horses - both Parliament and the Council, my pencil did not hover for long. As he won't get in for either, it doesn't really matter, but you cannot effectively serve as either if you are both, IMHO. A pity I'm not in Witney constituency, as an old pal of mine, Paul Wesson, is standing as an independent against David Cameron - that WOULD be interesting of one of the party leaders did not get elected. Sadly, it isn't about to happen, least of all in Kirkcaldy, where GB Ruin is a shoo-in, I guess.
I hope I have done the right thing in the locals, because hard decisions have to be made, since much head-burying went on over equal pay by both administrations in the nineties and noughties - and the chickens are now coming home to roost. I think the squawking will go on for a while to come.

Just a random thought no. 9.

2010-02-28T17:08:00.000+00:00

Inspired by the present sermon series at church, and aware of the League Cup Final (or whatever it is called these days) and the Six Nations matches and the Winter Olympics all being on at the moment, I can't help feeling that the Vicar missed a subject by not including "Sport" among his "Counterfeit Gods". Sport is, as we are always being told, a GOOD THING, but for too many people in modern society, it has pushed out the things of the Spirit, so that it has become the be all and end all of so many lives. And we all see, too often, the results of the tribalism that supporting a sports team engenders.

Celebrity is also a counterfeit god - particularly when one considers the storm in a teacup engendered by the revelations about one John Terry. Leaving aside, for the moment, the sin alleged, it has brought out the worst in the supposedly wronged former team mate, the media and the public at large. If the media shut up about the subject, the public would soon lose interest, but the other player involved needs take a reality check. Not to shake hands at the beginning of the match shows him up as well. A handshake is a symbolic act to show that one is not carrying a weapon, so to decline to shake someone's hand in this situation shows continuing ill-will towards the other on the part of the refuser, or so it appears to me.

The other counterfeit god that is rampant at the moment, in my view, is party politics. The sooner a "none of the above" box is placed on the ballot paper, the better. I could support compulsory voting if that happened. The yah-boo-sucks behaviour, so prevalent in the House of Commons, and encouraged, in my view by television, as MPs queue up to grandstand for their constituents would disgrace a rowdy fourth-form in a sink comprehensive. It will only get worse in the next few weeks leading up to the General Election.

Just a random thought no.8

2010-02-15T11:20:00.000+00:00

Yesterday saw the farewell to the MCW Metrobus, the Birmingham-built workhorse of the West Midlands Travel fleet and formerly of London Transport, also. Romeo Phillips drove the oldest remaining vehicle, 1983-built ROX654Y, known as Roxy, on two turns on the 7, Perry Common (Court Lane) - City, and then to the final stop of Love Lane in the Aston University Science Park. I saw it on the last 7 departure from the city centre, and then caught up with it on Summer Lane as it headed for Love Lane. Photos can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ken_bladon/sets/72157623308786669/.

Valentine's day is something I always find hard, particularly so this year, with it falling on a Sunday and being reminded of what I have never had. My jaundiced view of Valentine's Day is that it is a mere marketing ploy to enable greetings card companies, florists, chocolatiers and restaurateurs to rip off the gullible even more than they are wont to do, and if my experience is anything to go by, the number of under-insured vehicles always peaks on this and other such dates. How many people realise that most private car policies do not cover carrying goods and samples?

Even more than with Christmas, I say "Bah, humbug!"

Just a random thought no.7.

2009-12-15T03:19:00.000+00:00

Finally the refurbished Digbeth Coach Station in Birmingham is open. I didn't get to see the first coach out, as that was at 0800, but went a bit later in the day, and took some photographs to be found in my album on Flickr. There were still some things incomplete, and one or two of the automatics (one set of coach access doors, and the toilet pay-gate) were misfunctioning, but it is at least bright and airy, neither of which you could say about the old station, and it is a clear improvement on the temporary station too. Just a pity it took so long, partly down to the failure of the original main contractor. Of course, NatEx's financial position has meant that they have had to sell and lease the building back, but at least it's open.
I echo Ian Jelf http://ianjelf.blogspot.com/ in wishing that it was more central, but with the planned regeneration of the area it may become less off-centre than it feels at present. Perhaps Network West Midlands should consider reinstating the Stationlink bus.

Just a random thought no.6.

2009-11-16T20:38:00.000+00:00

The news that the Australian PM has apologised and ours "will do so in January" for the treatment of youngsters transported to Australia for their own good in the last century begs an obvious question. Is sorry so alien a term to a British politician that it takes up to three months for it to pass his lips?

Just a random thought no.5

2009-10-15T04:56:00.000+01:00

As I write, Berlioz's Sinfonie Fantastique is playing on the radio, the BBCNOW from Swansea. A relatively rare live relay: I must say I wish that there were more: they used to outnumber the recorded concerts in an evening by as great a ratio as recordings outnumber live concerts now. But the practice did mean that a couple of weeks ago I was able to listen again, without the new-fangled I-player, on Thursday, to the concert I had attended on Wednesday. Certainly for the new piece, Colin Matthews's Violin Concerto, the relay pointed up the soloist in a way that did not come over in Symphony Hall, where much of the time, you could only see what she was doing - her efforts being subsumed into the general wash of sound: whether that was intended by the composer, I do not know, but for this listener it made for a very unsatisfactory listening experience. Whether the highlighting by the recording engineer for the broadcast was approved of by Mr Matthews, I suppose we will never know. Whether other fiddlers will take it up, only time will tell. I suspect not!
Off to Marden in the morning to do a bit of bus restoration...

Just a random thought no. 4

2009-10-04T07:22:00.000+01:00

More rambling in Birmingham today, with Ian Jelf and Spice on the Terra Cotta trail. But I'm not going to post pictures of it here, they can be found on my Flickr site via Facebook, or on my Picasa site. I'm very grateful to Ian, who has taught me a great deal about my great home city of Birmingham. To think that, when I was my nephew's age, thirty-odd years ago, I couldn't wait to get away, and not come back! Time, fate, providence, whatever, dictated otherwise, and now my present intention is to remain in my current house until they take me out horizontally in a box!
The image above is of the Grey Heron that I met as I walked in to town along the Birmingham Main Line Canal, as is my wont on these occasions, and the two at the top are of the queue for the "Staffordshire Hoard" - see last post, and of the Morris Ring gathering in Victoria Square.

Just a random thought no.3

2009-09-27T08:08:00.000+01:00

I visited the exhibition of the "Staffordshire Hoard" on Saturday afternoon, 26 September, at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and found it well worth queuing for. Some of the workmanship is amazingly intricate, and surprisingly miniaturised: if you can get to Birmingham before 13 October, I recommend a visit: after that the items go for cleaning and conservation. By the way Sun 27 September (today) is the last day of the Matthew Boulton exhibition in the Gas Hall - don't blame me if you miss it.
The National Trust has opened Croome Court in Worcestershire: I'm going to visit it as soon as I can, possibly today. I'll let you know what I think.

Just a random thought no.2

2009-09-22T01:37:00.000+01:00

What is it about me and the twenty-first century? Why do electrical and electronic things always go wrong? Have we replaced built-in obsolescence with fitness only for the recycling bin immediately something comes out of the shop? Thank goodness I use rechargeable batteries in my digital compact camera - by a well-known manufacturer, by the way - otherwise I would be spending more on batteries than I would if it were analogue, and I had to pay for film and D&P!

Just a random thought no. 1

2009-08-05T19:31:00.002+01:00

I wonder if blogging willl become addictive? I already spend too much time at the keyboard - but thought that a blog might be a good idea to share a few random thoughts from time to time.
One of the what ifs of life is what if Birmingham had had 30ft Guy Arab Vs and Daimler CVG6LX/30s with Metro-Cammell and other H40/32RD bodies instead of the Atlanteans and Fleetlines it got in the early 60s - would they have lasted as long as the Routemasters did in London, and might they still be running now as heritage vehicles?