They say money can’t make you happy, but it certainly makes things less complex. Having sorted my cash flow crisis I was feeling all relaxed. I’d decided I’d go ahead and enter my half marathon (gum was healing nicely after the extraction). I also needed some ink for my printer (which, as my printer is ancient, I can get at a fraction of the shop price if I order from the internet). So late one Sunday night I sat down at my computer, armed with credit card.
I decided, unwisely it was to turn out, to enter the Half first. The organisers had set up an account with a credit handling company called Nochex, so I was directed to their site. I happily typed my details into their form and submitted it. Form returned with a red notice saying my address couldn’t be confirmed, please check with my credit company that it was exactly as written on my account details and try again. I checked my credit card statement, found a slight difference (one that hasn’t made a difference before I should add) and re-wrote the address. Same result. I deleted it all out and made sure it hadn’t got any stray gaps… same result. Tried again… same result. Maybe I’d got the security number wrong? (It’s faint on my card)… same result. Maybe they wanted all my initials, not just the one on the form? … same result. Maybe it was a temporary fault with the site? Wait a few minutes… same result. By now I was reeling with tiredness and headed off to bed.
Next morning I got up groggy from lack of sleep, and hoping ‘the fault’ had cleared, I tried again. First go I made a genuine mistake and forgot to alter the ‘valid to’ date. Second go I got a message saying my card was now blocked… Rang up my credit card company and found that not only had payment apparently gone through, in spite of the Nochex site asking me repeatedly try again because it hadn’t gone through, but it had gone through on EVERY attempt I made and my card was now over limit and blocked for 10 days because of the suspicious activity. And no they couldn’t do anything about it: the money was in limbo and I’d just have to wait to see if it would reappear.
Needless to say I contacted the event organisers, and sent a choicely worded email to Nochex as well. Apparently Nochex replied to the organiser’s own enquiry within a day, and told them no payment has gone through. Nochex have yet to reply to me.
So, no half marathon… no card to try again (as if I would..) and no way I was going to pay an extra £7 to enter on the day. But that wasn’t the end of it… I had of course stupidly taken my card to Nochex before my regular ink supply website… And I now had a printer out of action. Besides needing regular printing for work I do from home, I also had another event entry, for the Neolithic Marathon, which needed to be done by post (entry form to print out…) and quickly as it was approaching a deadline for that. So I had to get on the phone to my mum and ask her to order ink for me! I bet Alan Sugar never has to ask his mum to order his ink for him…
So, I have several days worth of scruffy hand drawn record tables for work. The ink did arrive (thanks mum). And my Neo entry did get sent. Still can’t use my credit card, and it still remains to be seen if my money will reappear.
Meanwhile… ‘my’ garden has had pond cleaned out (somewhat yucky job!), has survived the storm nearly intact, and my first seeds (some mixed salad) is just pushing up a few first shoots. Serious planting in trays at home this week!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
A Dental Diversion
It's a little bit lazy of me, but here's my review of Guy's dental service which I wrote for Qype. Follow this link if you want address and someone else's point of view, but my review's the same!
Perhaps I shouldn’t admit this, but I recently had a very unpleasant few days, panicking and in pain. You see, I’d somehow got the idea that you couldn’t get NHS dental treatment if you are working. My excuse is I’ve always previously managed to time my dental emergencies to coincide with periods of unemployment. And I’m also used to getting glasses, where you either pay or get a voucher to help if you can’t, and there’s no help for those that can. So anyway, there I was, with a suspected abscess in one of two teeth competing for one place in my gum, working, but with a cash flow crisis, and thinking I couldn’t go to this place…
Then I found I could actually get help with dental costs as long as I got an NHS appointment at a dentist (and the fees suddenly seemed very reasonable considering I’d been expecting a couple of thousand…), but my local dentist didn’t have NHS appointments for months. So it was off to this place, with the worst of the pain over by this point!
I visited the walk in clinic. Actually my second visit, but my first was many years ago and involved having an impacted wisdom tooth and part of the surrounding bone removed under a local: not something I’m keen to remember, though that wasn’t their fault. I was advised to arrive about 8 am to queue for the doors to open at 8.30. Thanks to busses it was actually 8.30 when I arrived. After quite a long wait at reception I was actually seen more quickly than expected (I think I may have been lucky), and there’s a stunning view from the waiting room: the clinic is on the 23rd floor. The walk-in treatment room is a large room with many bays. The walls of the bays are half height: high enough that patients are out of sight when lying down in the chairs (except those opposite you…) but not fully private. I was seen by a 3rd year student to take my history. She then ‘presented’ to a tutor, and I was sent along the corridor to x-ray. Another wait there, then back to wait again… This time I was seen by a student in her final (5th) year, who would be treating me. They actually have notices up saying they don’t do permanent fillings and extractions in the walk-in clinic (usually you’ll have to come back or go to another dentist), but I was offered the chance to have the tooth extracted that day, as the extraction looked strait forward and the tooth was causing me major problems. I said yes, but since it was dinner time by then we agreed after lunch!
After fortifying myself with a good dinner I was escorted into a private room for the extraction. My student was great about waiting for my mouth to become fully numb and giving me a top up (dental anaesthetics seem to work badly on me and I’ve had many experiences where I’ve only become fully numbed up after leaving the dentist…). A tutor was not present in the room, but within earshot and was called in several times to check decisions and progress. I felt quite safe. She did try several different instruments before finding one she could get between my teeth, but then the tooth was out before I realised it. I was surprised to not be given antibiotics since I’d been told it was badly infected: apparently the infection comes out with the tooth! It does feel fine today.
Afterwards I felt lousy of course (not being able to wash the blood out is horrible… and I think worse with a front tooth than a wisdom). A few tips on leaving… if you came in via London Bridge Station (there’s a pedestrian walkway from there by the way: ask station staff), then remember that you entered the Hospital on the 2nd floor. Taking the lift down to the ground floor is a very good way to get yourself totally confused. Also do not go to Borough Market. All those lovely food samples are just a way of torturing yourself. Finally, I’d advise you do go to Southwark Cathedral. Perfect place to relax and take your mind off a sore mouth.
Overall, excellent. I actually wouldn’t feel too outraged about paying NHS charges now I could feasibly find the money, though free is nice. Of course many will find the fact that its treatment by someone not yet qualified scary. And there’s the lack of privacy, and the waiting around… still, a bloomin good service.
Perhaps I shouldn’t admit this, but I recently had a very unpleasant few days, panicking and in pain. You see, I’d somehow got the idea that you couldn’t get NHS dental treatment if you are working. My excuse is I’ve always previously managed to time my dental emergencies to coincide with periods of unemployment. And I’m also used to getting glasses, where you either pay or get a voucher to help if you can’t, and there’s no help for those that can. So anyway, there I was, with a suspected abscess in one of two teeth competing for one place in my gum, working, but with a cash flow crisis, and thinking I couldn’t go to this place…
Then I found I could actually get help with dental costs as long as I got an NHS appointment at a dentist (and the fees suddenly seemed very reasonable considering I’d been expecting a couple of thousand…), but my local dentist didn’t have NHS appointments for months. So it was off to this place, with the worst of the pain over by this point!
I visited the walk in clinic. Actually my second visit, but my first was many years ago and involved having an impacted wisdom tooth and part of the surrounding bone removed under a local: not something I’m keen to remember, though that wasn’t their fault. I was advised to arrive about 8 am to queue for the doors to open at 8.30. Thanks to busses it was actually 8.30 when I arrived. After quite a long wait at reception I was actually seen more quickly than expected (I think I may have been lucky), and there’s a stunning view from the waiting room: the clinic is on the 23rd floor. The walk-in treatment room is a large room with many bays. The walls of the bays are half height: high enough that patients are out of sight when lying down in the chairs (except those opposite you…) but not fully private. I was seen by a 3rd year student to take my history. She then ‘presented’ to a tutor, and I was sent along the corridor to x-ray. Another wait there, then back to wait again… This time I was seen by a student in her final (5th) year, who would be treating me. They actually have notices up saying they don’t do permanent fillings and extractions in the walk-in clinic (usually you’ll have to come back or go to another dentist), but I was offered the chance to have the tooth extracted that day, as the extraction looked strait forward and the tooth was causing me major problems. I said yes, but since it was dinner time by then we agreed after lunch!
After fortifying myself with a good dinner I was escorted into a private room for the extraction. My student was great about waiting for my mouth to become fully numb and giving me a top up (dental anaesthetics seem to work badly on me and I’ve had many experiences where I’ve only become fully numbed up after leaving the dentist…). A tutor was not present in the room, but within earshot and was called in several times to check decisions and progress. I felt quite safe. She did try several different instruments before finding one she could get between my teeth, but then the tooth was out before I realised it. I was surprised to not be given antibiotics since I’d been told it was badly infected: apparently the infection comes out with the tooth! It does feel fine today.
Afterwards I felt lousy of course (not being able to wash the blood out is horrible… and I think worse with a front tooth than a wisdom). A few tips on leaving… if you came in via London Bridge Station (there’s a pedestrian walkway from there by the way: ask station staff), then remember that you entered the Hospital on the 2nd floor. Taking the lift down to the ground floor is a very good way to get yourself totally confused. Also do not go to Borough Market. All those lovely food samples are just a way of torturing yourself. Finally, I’d advise you do go to Southwark Cathedral. Perfect place to relax and take your mind off a sore mouth.
Overall, excellent. I actually wouldn’t feel too outraged about paying NHS charges now I could feasibly find the money, though free is nice. Of course many will find the fact that its treatment by someone not yet qualified scary. And there’s the lack of privacy, and the waiting around… still, a bloomin good service.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
What I Learnt This Week
I can run for an hour without stopping. (Haggerston Park, the flowering wood has survived the frost and the scent was heavy on the air)
Dental treatment is not paid for by the same system as glasses (only wish I’d found out sooner I can get help even though I’m working: I’ve been putting up with pain while trying to get an exemption form. And don’t get me onto how unfair things are for people with poor sight)
It’s a toss up which is more painful: a dental abscess or ear infection. Not sure how I managed to run so well this week actually!
Putting a plastic bag over your hand does not stop nettles stinging you. (It’s been a painful week!)
If you run long distance with worn out shoes you will end up with shin splints.
When you really need the money it will get delayed (hence lack of new shoes, gardening gloves and drugs/treatment).
Meanwhile, for my long run this week I got my ancient A-Z out and looked for unvisited green space in East London. Then headed towards Wanstead Flats. On the way it was interesting to find out that the ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) think that plain blue hoardings will do for pedestrians along the canal, but speeding cars along the new fast roads need fancy pictures and writing. Really doesn’t make a lot of sense to put them where there’s hardly any pedestrians, as surely people in cars aren’t going to be able to read them?!?
And thanks to said ancient and now inaccurate A-Z and the brain freeze I get when running I took a wrong turn and ended up on Lea Bridge road several miles north of where I should have been… Well it got me a diversion through pleasant back streets. Where I got lost again... High Road Leytonstone seemed to be full of drunks (hmmm, so much for avoiding Finsbury Park on a Saturday!), though Harrow Green was a pleasant surprise, looking lovely with trees and borders in bloom. Then it was down past some of the ugliest housing blocks I’ve ever seen before I made it down to the Flats. It was nice to see that, unlike the football pitches on Hackney Marshes, the ones there were in noisy use (and before someone protests, I’m willing to believe the Hackney pitches get used, just I’ve never seen it). I headed north along the edge and picked up what was marked on the map as a horse ride. You could make out the remains of an avenue of trees, and one solitary set of hoof prints, but it was basically a footpath. As I went on it plunged into woods.
I crossed a road and headed on into Wanstead Park, past one lovely natural looking pond and then some with artificial banks. According to a notice board Wanstead Park is officially part of Epping Forest, and I really felt I was on some kind of border when saw a teenager with a pitbull type AND a Labrador. The park is what remains of the gardens of a stately home. Besides the many concrete-edged ponds there’s avenues of trees and old buildings, though the house itself is gone. And overgrown woods with impenetrable brambles and deadfalls all over the place. Wonderful.
On the way back I was a little worried about negotiating all the new roads where I’d got lost before with evening closing in. But it turned out that on the correct route it wasn’t so ‘remote’ and pedestrian unfriendly as I’d dreaded. There were a fair few folks about too, walking back from Leytonstone to Hackney and seemingly not unpleasantly drunk. 18 miles in all for me, slow, but still more than I’d intended and not bad with all the stops to look at maps! Like I said before though, I now have shin splints… hope the money turns up for shoes and my legs recover in time for me to enter the half I’m supposed to be doing in 2 weeks!
Oh yes… what’s on locally… The London Word Festival is on in various East End venues. See http://www.londonwordfestival.com for details.
Dental treatment is not paid for by the same system as glasses (only wish I’d found out sooner I can get help even though I’m working: I’ve been putting up with pain while trying to get an exemption form. And don’t get me onto how unfair things are for people with poor sight)
It’s a toss up which is more painful: a dental abscess or ear infection. Not sure how I managed to run so well this week actually!
Putting a plastic bag over your hand does not stop nettles stinging you. (It’s been a painful week!)
If you run long distance with worn out shoes you will end up with shin splints.
When you really need the money it will get delayed (hence lack of new shoes, gardening gloves and drugs/treatment).
Meanwhile, for my long run this week I got my ancient A-Z out and looked for unvisited green space in East London. Then headed towards Wanstead Flats. On the way it was interesting to find out that the ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) think that plain blue hoardings will do for pedestrians along the canal, but speeding cars along the new fast roads need fancy pictures and writing. Really doesn’t make a lot of sense to put them where there’s hardly any pedestrians, as surely people in cars aren’t going to be able to read them?!?
And thanks to said ancient and now inaccurate A-Z and the brain freeze I get when running I took a wrong turn and ended up on Lea Bridge road several miles north of where I should have been… Well it got me a diversion through pleasant back streets. Where I got lost again... High Road Leytonstone seemed to be full of drunks (hmmm, so much for avoiding Finsbury Park on a Saturday!), though Harrow Green was a pleasant surprise, looking lovely with trees and borders in bloom. Then it was down past some of the ugliest housing blocks I’ve ever seen before I made it down to the Flats. It was nice to see that, unlike the football pitches on Hackney Marshes, the ones there were in noisy use (and before someone protests, I’m willing to believe the Hackney pitches get used, just I’ve never seen it). I headed north along the edge and picked up what was marked on the map as a horse ride. You could make out the remains of an avenue of trees, and one solitary set of hoof prints, but it was basically a footpath. As I went on it plunged into woods.
I crossed a road and headed on into Wanstead Park, past one lovely natural looking pond and then some with artificial banks. According to a notice board Wanstead Park is officially part of Epping Forest, and I really felt I was on some kind of border when saw a teenager with a pitbull type AND a Labrador. The park is what remains of the gardens of a stately home. Besides the many concrete-edged ponds there’s avenues of trees and old buildings, though the house itself is gone. And overgrown woods with impenetrable brambles and deadfalls all over the place. Wonderful.
On the way back I was a little worried about negotiating all the new roads where I’d got lost before with evening closing in. But it turned out that on the correct route it wasn’t so ‘remote’ and pedestrian unfriendly as I’d dreaded. There were a fair few folks about too, walking back from Leytonstone to Hackney and seemingly not unpleasantly drunk. 18 miles in all for me, slow, but still more than I’d intended and not bad with all the stops to look at maps! Like I said before though, I now have shin splints… hope the money turns up for shoes and my legs recover in time for me to enter the half I’m supposed to be doing in 2 weeks!
Oh yes… what’s on locally… The London Word Festival is on in various East End venues. See http://www.londonwordfestival.com for details.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Blossoming
My tip of the week: if you are looking for something this weekend, then this might be a good one to head down to Hackney City Farm (and maybe Columbia Road Flower Market if it’s Sunday), and then go for a walk in the wood in Haggerston Park afterwards. I was down there this week and was astonished when I saw the wood. Most of the trees are laden down with white blossom. The pictures I took today do not do it justice. All they need is a few bluebells to make it a real fairy wood.
Not so nice is the current state of the River Lea. Apparently local housing is supposed to have separate drainage for rainwater (from gutters etc) and for sewage, but some builders have been connecting it wrong. According to the Hackney Gazette as many as 400 houses may be currently discharging raw sewage into the Lea. Well, at least they’ve realised there is a problem and are getting it sorted. Nowhere near Haggerston Park so don’t be put off!
Singer and pianist T J Johnson and his band are performing at The Globe pub, Morning Lane, Sunday afternoon 12.30 to 3.30, free entry. Bluesy vocals, rocking piano, rhythm and blues, roots and swing. Apparently recommended for a traditional jazz audience. Not to my taste unfortunately, but I like to pass these things on!
On the personal side… I did my 15 mile run last week in a time which puts me well on time for a cracking (for me!) improvement in my time next marathon I do. Very pleased. I’ve run well this week on short runs too, including the one that led me to discover all that lovely blossom.
Gardening this week led me to war on spiders. I was cleaning out the shed, and found it swarming with them. Little fat ones with short legs that reminded me of ticks. Creepy leggy skeleton ones. And huge, big, black garden spiders. I know spiders are a good thing, but I can do without that many of them. So far gardening has been stressing my nerve more than my muscle! But next I tackle the weeds… if I can work out which plants are weeds. They have different weeds in London than the ones I knew as a child!
I’ve also added some pictures of the pancake race in the report below. Behind with my picture editing *G*
Not so nice is the current state of the River Lea. Apparently local housing is supposed to have separate drainage for rainwater (from gutters etc) and for sewage, but some builders have been connecting it wrong. According to the Hackney Gazette as many as 400 houses may be currently discharging raw sewage into the Lea. Well, at least they’ve realised there is a problem and are getting it sorted. Nowhere near Haggerston Park so don’t be put off!
Singer and pianist T J Johnson and his band are performing at The Globe pub, Morning Lane, Sunday afternoon 12.30 to 3.30, free entry. Bluesy vocals, rocking piano, rhythm and blues, roots and swing. Apparently recommended for a traditional jazz audience. Not to my taste unfortunately, but I like to pass these things on!
On the personal side… I did my 15 mile run last week in a time which puts me well on time for a cracking (for me!) improvement in my time next marathon I do. Very pleased. I’ve run well this week on short runs too, including the one that led me to discover all that lovely blossom.
Gardening this week led me to war on spiders. I was cleaning out the shed, and found it swarming with them. Little fat ones with short legs that reminded me of ticks. Creepy leggy skeleton ones. And huge, big, black garden spiders. I know spiders are a good thing, but I can do without that many of them. So far gardening has been stressing my nerve more than my muscle! But next I tackle the weeds… if I can work out which plants are weeds. They have different weeds in London than the ones I knew as a child!
I’ve also added some pictures of the pancake race in the report below. Behind with my picture editing *G*
Friday, February 8, 2008
East End Round Up
As planned I went down to the Spitalfields Pancake Race on Tuesday. It turned out to be a fairly small affair down a side street, though that was fully lined with an enthusiastic crowd. The event was well stewarded by some folks in clown costumes, though rules were bent all round. Several of the teams had made an effort with costumes, and put full effort into relay races up and down the road, with a few people ending up on the floor!
I think most of the teams were from local offices etc, and most of the spectators were their friends. That was reflected in the catering: I was very disappointed to find a pancake would put me back around £4! That might be OK for yuppies wanting ‘crepes’ but they really needed someone churning them out at £1 a go. It was good fun, and raised money for charity, but I decided against celebrating the day with an overpriced pancake and went round the corner and for £2.50 bought some rashmallai (Indian sweet) instead.
I spent my first session in ‘my’ garden demolishing a dead bush and cutting back the live one underneath. Very satisfying! Also discovered massive numbers of snails. I’m contemplating following Gordon Ramsey’s instructions on turning them into lunch.
Hackney Freecycle included a note about some free gigs:
There is a free gig every Friday night with great local bands in atraditional east end boozer…on a rotating basis, with either Morning Bride - soaring country tinged pop, Brick Lane Boogie Boys - sun studio rock’n’roll, Slym’s Cyder Co - cajun country or Nigel Birch and The Flea Pit Orchestra -Brechtian cockney’n’roll. The Carpenters Arms, 135 Cambridge Heath Rd, E1. Tube: Bethnal Green. Bands on stage from 9pm till very late
Think I might check that out sometime, though too late this week! I have a long run on Saturday anyway. In the last week I’ve done one run of 55 minutes without stopping (1 hour here I come!) and an interval run (run 8, walk 1) on which I reduced my recent times to do 3 miles. It’s an annoying fact that right now the more I run the slower I go! My fastest times were done with running intervals of 5 minutes and walking 1 (or even less running on longer distances…). I’m hoping though that with persistence I’ll eventually be able to maintain reasonable running speed for more than short bursts!
Oh, and some good news… The ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) has been allowing The Celia Hammond Animal Trust some access to the Olympic demolition site to rescue cats, including areas they’ve never been able to get into before. It’s good news, but not a reason to sigh with relief and forget about the whole thing as the ODA have made ‘gestures’ then gone back on their word before. I’d suggest anyone who hasn’t done so still signs the petition, says thanks to the ODA and ‘keep it up’. Let them know they are being watched! During recent access the Trust have rescued two pregnant cats and heard the sound of toms fighting: suggesting females in heat in the area. There really are only weeks to get the cats out if kittens on site again are to be avoided. News page and link to petition here.
I think most of the teams were from local offices etc, and most of the spectators were their friends. That was reflected in the catering: I was very disappointed to find a pancake would put me back around £4! That might be OK for yuppies wanting ‘crepes’ but they really needed someone churning them out at £1 a go. It was good fun, and raised money for charity, but I decided against celebrating the day with an overpriced pancake and went round the corner and for £2.50 bought some rashmallai (Indian sweet) instead.
I spent my first session in ‘my’ garden demolishing a dead bush and cutting back the live one underneath. Very satisfying! Also discovered massive numbers of snails. I’m contemplating following Gordon Ramsey’s instructions on turning them into lunch.
Hackney Freecycle included a note about some free gigs:
There is a free gig every Friday night with great local bands in atraditional east end boozer…on a rotating basis, with either Morning Bride - soaring country tinged pop, Brick Lane Boogie Boys - sun studio rock’n’roll, Slym’s Cyder Co - cajun country or Nigel Birch and The Flea Pit Orchestra -Brechtian cockney’n’roll. The Carpenters Arms, 135 Cambridge Heath Rd, E1. Tube: Bethnal Green. Bands on stage from 9pm till very late
Think I might check that out sometime, though too late this week! I have a long run on Saturday anyway. In the last week I’ve done one run of 55 minutes without stopping (1 hour here I come!) and an interval run (run 8, walk 1) on which I reduced my recent times to do 3 miles. It’s an annoying fact that right now the more I run the slower I go! My fastest times were done with running intervals of 5 minutes and walking 1 (or even less running on longer distances…). I’m hoping though that with persistence I’ll eventually be able to maintain reasonable running speed for more than short bursts!
Oh, and some good news… The ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) has been allowing The Celia Hammond Animal Trust some access to the Olympic demolition site to rescue cats, including areas they’ve never been able to get into before. It’s good news, but not a reason to sigh with relief and forget about the whole thing as the ODA have made ‘gestures’ then gone back on their word before. I’d suggest anyone who hasn’t done so still signs the petition, says thanks to the ODA and ‘keep it up’. Let them know they are being watched! During recent access the Trust have rescued two pregnant cats and heard the sound of toms fighting: suggesting females in heat in the area. There really are only weeks to get the cats out if kittens on site again are to be avoided. News page and link to petition here.
Monday, February 4, 2008
In The Dark
I’ve just scored on Freecycle. And I’m terrified! Thing is a nice lady is going to let me use her garden. For gardening that is. Thing is after years of bemoaning the fact that I don’t have any private outside space, and how much I’d like to grow herbs and maybe a few veg… now I’m wondering if I’ll actually be able to cut it! My record with houseplants isn’t the best, however much I used to blame it on having to keep them in the rather dark kitchen out of the way of the cats. And yes, we did have a huge garden with herbs and vegetables when I was a kid, but our neighbours used to come and trim our hedge ‘while they were doing their side’ because otherwise it never came up to their standard and would probably have fallen over from uneven growth. I loved our garden but it wasn’t conventionally tidy, nor did it have 50 hours a week put into it.
On the other hand I keep expanding my list of things I’d like to grow. Latest is jerusalem artichokes. Plus if I’m supposed to be representing East London, then I should be like Arthur off Eastenders and have an allotment! Bet he never grew jerusalems though.
Things are getting busy, with work, training and now this! I’ve actually gone as far as to draw up a weekly schedule. Of course I’ve already changed it this week so I can go to something… but that’s what flexible working is about. As to what I’ve got planned… It’s a trip to the Spitalfields Pancake Race on Tuesday. The location is Dray Walk in the Trumans Brewery Complex, between Brick Lane and Hanbury Street. Heats start at 12.30. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a pancake race!
It’s been a pretty boring week really. Nothing massively exciting unless you count finally getting my tax return done. That’s in spite of last minute panics. I actually rang them up on the 30th to ask ‘If it’s got to be in BY the 31st does that mean midnight tonight or tomorrow night?’
Well, I did start one of my runs late enough that I ended up running around in the dark. I wouldn’t have planned to run in London Fields in the dark. The light was fading when I started, and I decided to get in what I could of my run before it disappeared. As it happened there always seemed to be OK looking people around (quite a few walk along the better lit paths on their way home from work) so I stayed and finished. It was different and sort of fun, and I did a good run. Funny how being there as it got dark it seemed fine, whereas I’d never go into a park in the dark. Maybe something to do with my eyes adjusting. Or maybe it’s just my brain freezes while I’m puffing away!
On the other hand I keep expanding my list of things I’d like to grow. Latest is jerusalem artichokes. Plus if I’m supposed to be representing East London, then I should be like Arthur off Eastenders and have an allotment! Bet he never grew jerusalems though.
Things are getting busy, with work, training and now this! I’ve actually gone as far as to draw up a weekly schedule. Of course I’ve already changed it this week so I can go to something… but that’s what flexible working is about. As to what I’ve got planned… It’s a trip to the Spitalfields Pancake Race on Tuesday. The location is Dray Walk in the Trumans Brewery Complex, between Brick Lane and Hanbury Street. Heats start at 12.30. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a pancake race!
It’s been a pretty boring week really. Nothing massively exciting unless you count finally getting my tax return done. That’s in spite of last minute panics. I actually rang them up on the 30th to ask ‘If it’s got to be in BY the 31st does that mean midnight tonight or tomorrow night?’
Well, I did start one of my runs late enough that I ended up running around in the dark. I wouldn’t have planned to run in London Fields in the dark. The light was fading when I started, and I decided to get in what I could of my run before it disappeared. As it happened there always seemed to be OK looking people around (quite a few walk along the better lit paths on their way home from work) so I stayed and finished. It was different and sort of fun, and I did a good run. Funny how being there as it got dark it seemed fine, whereas I’d never go into a park in the dark. Maybe something to do with my eyes adjusting. Or maybe it’s just my brain freezes while I’m puffing away!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Art, Guns and the Olympic Cats
Saturday is long run day, and I decided to head by Victoria Park and then up the Lee Valley. First call though would be to pop into an art exhibition I’ve mentioned before which has been causing some controversy in the Hackney Gazette as it includes a gun which people are asked to pose with. According to the Gazette the artist, AK47, first became known for taking Banksy’s ‘The Drinker’ from where Banksy had left it. So I headed off to Vyner Street, which comes off Mare Street just south of the canal. It’s an industrial looking back street, with lots of small workshops with pull-down fronts and looking pretty grotty.
I nearly walked past a set of steel grey doors until I saw ‘Modern Art’ written in tiny letters on them. Inside the exhibition wasn’t quite what I expected. No sign of the reported coffin lid. It looked like someone had taken a trip to the states with a sketch pad along for the ride. A load of water colour sketches, many of them of a dark haired girl posing sexily and various western icons. Images of cowboys and Indians and modern commercialism. I noticed a rifle propped in a corner. Now I’d heard the gun was a Kalashnikov, which I didn’t expect to look like a rifle, but I’d also heard that had been seized by the police and replaced… still didn’t seem to fit. Sure enough, in spite of there being a gun, when I asked at the desk it turned out I was in the wrong gallery.
So I headed up the road and found the right gallery this time. The door had blue and white tape on it like police crime scene tape, and for a moment I thought maybe it had been closed. Then I realised it actually said ‘polite line’ instead of ‘police line’, and there was a receptionist beckoning me in. From there I went through a curtain into a very small room. There were roses scattered around, and in the centre an American flag laid out (surprised the American’s haven’t got in on the controversy, I hear they have a tradition that they burn any flag that’s been ‘despoiled’ by being allowed to touch the ground) covered with Perspex with a small coffin lid (no coffin) on top of that. Then the gun standing on top of that. Actually it didn’t look all that different to the rifle in the other exhibit to me. A bit bigger, some extra bit down underneath and a stand thing attached to the front. There was also a ‘Do not touch’ notice which on closer inspection actually said ‘please do touch’.
So I did the expected thing and tried picking it up (it was chained to the floor by the way!). And yes, it was very heavy, as I’d heard in the newspaper reports. It was also unbalanced: with that stand at the front it seemed to be meant to be propped on something, but there was nothing you could prop it on while looking in the mirror you were supposed to pose in… Holding it against my shoulder I could feel the stand dragging it down and wondered if it was actually ever meant to be used like that. It also smelt of oil and metal, and since I’m allergic to both I had to wonder if I’d be rewarded with a nice rash of blistering. Glad to say that was avoided! With all that going through my head I didn’t exactly feel I’d got the ‘posing with a gun’ experience.
That over with I stood and watched the film showing on the TV screen to one side. There was a notice onscreen constantly, calling for an end to the use of child soldiers (which fitted with the small coffin lid). Very worthy, but the films, showing in a small screen within the screen, had nothing to do with that. In stead they seemed to have a lot to do with Banksy, and what a sell out he apparently is. One section had a lot of written quotes and no commentary, with the display too small and fast to read. From the few words I made out I think it was something about how much art sells for. Then there was endless stuff on AK47’s theft/kidnap/acquirement of The Drinker. Some bits with ‘Art Kieda’ dressed up like terrorists seemed to be going for wit.
Overall, though there might have been a few good points in there, I found the show scattered and unfocused. All the competitive anti-Banksy stuff didn’t fit with worthy anti-violence stuff. I think the artist needs to forget Banksy and let his stuff sink or swim on its own merits.
For those that would like to check them out, ‘Rapid City’ by Brad Kahlamer is on at Modern Art, 10 Vyner street until 17 February. ‘Interaction’ by AK47 is also on until 17 February, though according to the Gazette it’s on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only. I think there was at least one other gallery down there but I had to get on with my run!
So, after that I started running… and feeling like I had concrete shoes on. Maybe it was partly I was getting distracted taking photos as well, but I don’t think I can blame it all on that. It was just a bad day. Still I struggled through Victoria Park and along the canals, documenting a few pieces of graffiti art along the way. Then I headed North alongside the Olympic demolition site. I still find it uncomfortable going that way, but decided it was worth it with my camera to take my own view of what’s going on. To recap, though some 160 feral and stray cats and kittens have been rescued from parts of the site, the authorities have not allowed rescue work to continue, or to reach large parts of the site. It’s been going on for months, and it’s likely that many kitties have starved or been crushed. The rescue organisation have been able to set up traps recently at some points and are finding some cats are arriving there, so there are obviously still cats around. Things will soon get even worse, as kitten season is coming, and any un-neutered females still on site will be having kittens, and therefore unable to move away and likely to die there with them if they have them in the wrong place. If you’d like to find out more go here for information, and click here to sign a petition.
As to what I could see… The site is surrounded by a high, smooth wall of hoardings, which most cats are unlikely to jump over. Even if they do, if they’ve come this way, they’ll find themselves on the canal bank with a very long walk to safety and cover.
At some places the authorities have kindly put windows (covered in plastic sheeting so no way out for the cats) in the fencing. As you can see this section is pretty much demolished, though there’s still a few places surviving cats could be lurking.
One place I did find a hole where the wall had been cut roughly around a tree. Though it would allow access to the canal bank, here’s what I could see through it on the other side.
It looks desolate, and it’s easy to understand why people would think the cats must all have gone. But you can see there’s still a few hiding places. And the trust have sightings, and are still picking up cats moving to where they have got rescue points. It’s horrible to think there must still be cats lost and starving in that mess, and so unnecessary when rescue workers are available.
And people go on about a few chunks of metal…
Anyway, I headed on, up through Hackney Marshes, the Middlesex Filter Beds Nature Reserve, Walthamstow Marshes… by which time it was getting to dusk, and rather than going home the long way, I cut across and dropped in at Tescos. I think I covered 11 miles or so in all, though only about 8.5 included running. Not as good as I’d hoped, but not too bad with lead legs.
I nearly walked past a set of steel grey doors until I saw ‘Modern Art’ written in tiny letters on them. Inside the exhibition wasn’t quite what I expected. No sign of the reported coffin lid. It looked like someone had taken a trip to the states with a sketch pad along for the ride. A load of water colour sketches, many of them of a dark haired girl posing sexily and various western icons. Images of cowboys and Indians and modern commercialism. I noticed a rifle propped in a corner. Now I’d heard the gun was a Kalashnikov, which I didn’t expect to look like a rifle, but I’d also heard that had been seized by the police and replaced… still didn’t seem to fit. Sure enough, in spite of there being a gun, when I asked at the desk it turned out I was in the wrong gallery.
So I headed up the road and found the right gallery this time. The door had blue and white tape on it like police crime scene tape, and for a moment I thought maybe it had been closed. Then I realised it actually said ‘polite line’ instead of ‘police line’, and there was a receptionist beckoning me in. From there I went through a curtain into a very small room. There were roses scattered around, and in the centre an American flag laid out (surprised the American’s haven’t got in on the controversy, I hear they have a tradition that they burn any flag that’s been ‘despoiled’ by being allowed to touch the ground) covered with Perspex with a small coffin lid (no coffin) on top of that. Then the gun standing on top of that. Actually it didn’t look all that different to the rifle in the other exhibit to me. A bit bigger, some extra bit down underneath and a stand thing attached to the front. There was also a ‘Do not touch’ notice which on closer inspection actually said ‘please do touch’.
So I did the expected thing and tried picking it up (it was chained to the floor by the way!). And yes, it was very heavy, as I’d heard in the newspaper reports. It was also unbalanced: with that stand at the front it seemed to be meant to be propped on something, but there was nothing you could prop it on while looking in the mirror you were supposed to pose in… Holding it against my shoulder I could feel the stand dragging it down and wondered if it was actually ever meant to be used like that. It also smelt of oil and metal, and since I’m allergic to both I had to wonder if I’d be rewarded with a nice rash of blistering. Glad to say that was avoided! With all that going through my head I didn’t exactly feel I’d got the ‘posing with a gun’ experience.
That over with I stood and watched the film showing on the TV screen to one side. There was a notice onscreen constantly, calling for an end to the use of child soldiers (which fitted with the small coffin lid). Very worthy, but the films, showing in a small screen within the screen, had nothing to do with that. In stead they seemed to have a lot to do with Banksy, and what a sell out he apparently is. One section had a lot of written quotes and no commentary, with the display too small and fast to read. From the few words I made out I think it was something about how much art sells for. Then there was endless stuff on AK47’s theft/kidnap/acquirement of The Drinker. Some bits with ‘Art Kieda’ dressed up like terrorists seemed to be going for wit.
Overall, though there might have been a few good points in there, I found the show scattered and unfocused. All the competitive anti-Banksy stuff didn’t fit with worthy anti-violence stuff. I think the artist needs to forget Banksy and let his stuff sink or swim on its own merits.
For those that would like to check them out, ‘Rapid City’ by Brad Kahlamer is on at Modern Art, 10 Vyner street until 17 February. ‘Interaction’ by AK47 is also on until 17 February, though according to the Gazette it’s on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only. I think there was at least one other gallery down there but I had to get on with my run!
So, after that I started running… and feeling like I had concrete shoes on. Maybe it was partly I was getting distracted taking photos as well, but I don’t think I can blame it all on that. It was just a bad day. Still I struggled through Victoria Park and along the canals, documenting a few pieces of graffiti art along the way. Then I headed North alongside the Olympic demolition site. I still find it uncomfortable going that way, but decided it was worth it with my camera to take my own view of what’s going on. To recap, though some 160 feral and stray cats and kittens have been rescued from parts of the site, the authorities have not allowed rescue work to continue, or to reach large parts of the site. It’s been going on for months, and it’s likely that many kitties have starved or been crushed. The rescue organisation have been able to set up traps recently at some points and are finding some cats are arriving there, so there are obviously still cats around. Things will soon get even worse, as kitten season is coming, and any un-neutered females still on site will be having kittens, and therefore unable to move away and likely to die there with them if they have them in the wrong place. If you’d like to find out more go here for information, and click here to sign a petition.
As to what I could see… The site is surrounded by a high, smooth wall of hoardings, which most cats are unlikely to jump over. Even if they do, if they’ve come this way, they’ll find themselves on the canal bank with a very long walk to safety and cover.
At some places the authorities have kindly put windows (covered in plastic sheeting so no way out for the cats) in the fencing. As you can see this section is pretty much demolished, though there’s still a few places surviving cats could be lurking.
One place I did find a hole where the wall had been cut roughly around a tree. Though it would allow access to the canal bank, here’s what I could see through it on the other side.
It looks desolate, and it’s easy to understand why people would think the cats must all have gone. But you can see there’s still a few hiding places. And the trust have sightings, and are still picking up cats moving to where they have got rescue points. It’s horrible to think there must still be cats lost and starving in that mess, and so unnecessary when rescue workers are available.
And people go on about a few chunks of metal…
Anyway, I headed on, up through Hackney Marshes, the Middlesex Filter Beds Nature Reserve, Walthamstow Marshes… by which time it was getting to dusk, and rather than going home the long way, I cut across and dropped in at Tescos. I think I covered 11 miles or so in all, though only about 8.5 included running. Not as good as I’d hoped, but not too bad with lead legs.
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