There are in jokes that as the youngest pass me by and I find myself having to ask for clarification which feels odd and forced at times. Today’s ‘joke’ was a family of boys and needing to “slip a girl in”. It makes me think of how in management there is often the token other. Makes me think of someone I knew who worked with a group of men, she was the token other. The lack of basic understanding of needs insured once she had caring responsibilities she was forced to leave. Joanne Lockwood shared a podcast called inclusion bites episode 40 “Rediscovering Lost Knowledge” it talks about the costs to organisations who let their most valuable resources slip through their fingers and what they can do about it through knowledge recognition and risk assessment. I think about an interview I had once, it was the second time of applying for a particular job. The first interview was an absolute disaster I found myself in a locked room with interviewers who led me down a reminiscing path, linked to where we were at that particular time but completely lost on the interviewers who didn’t seem to have even a basic understanding of what I was saying. Perhaps it was my language skills, perhaps it was their lack of understanding of patient centred care, I don’t know anyway any connection was lost. It was embarrassing all round as a manager had practically promised me the job, did all that nudge nudge wink wink bull shit and then I didn’t get it. Perhaps I should also say I had been doing the job. I was deeply deeply hurt and walked away to lick my wounds. That’s an appropriate saying because it was just awful.
After a period of time I thought sod this and immersed myself in research papers, conferences and all sorts just to get myself up to date, connecting to the leading edge of things. I was encouraged (again) to reapply. This time they had someone from HR and someone with much more experience. The manager had by this point left. It went better. As I’m writing this I’m thinking I’ve written this before. Hey ho. sometimes different audience? We all move on?
Anyway the bit I was getting to was one of the interviewers had loads and loads of experience. I had a huge amount of respect for her, would seek her out if I had any questions, her expertise in things that weren’t the same as mine. She left as she just could no longer do the job and I wonder why and that manager before her? I know people move on but it always surprises me when exit interviews aren’t a thing, that’s if people are free to speak up of course or if speaking up changed anything. If you’re scared about a reference I don’t suppose you’d feel safe to speak up. As I write this I think about that first manager and her experience. We all make mistakes, hurt others, why was she even in an interviewing role without the necessary support and I guess that’s how it goes. I remember interviewing someone once and I don’t know who was more nervous them or me, because I’d never done it before or had any training, a history of having been thrown in the deep end. I don’t know I wonder about her. The person I interviewed didn’t get the job. I suspect my bias got in the way, funny what you learn as you get older. Even those two people would have been expensive to lose I’m guessing. I wonder what I missed by not examining my bias. You know that bias that allows people to go hungry. That politics of the belly I think Dr Chisomo Kalinga called it. So many people made redundant too I guess, lots of changes. Two of my friends have moved jobs during this pandemic. Safely in new nests while I procrastinate. What to do next…
The computer was playing up so some of us didn’t get to the zoom. Got there in the end but so hard when IT is slow or glitchy.
As usual a lot of our conversation was on the weather. Gales and cold. Rainy weather without the rain, extreme weather events. 10C feeling like -0.5. -18 in Mount Wellington. Highlands blocked with snow (not here). Gusts of 96km/hr forecasted 125km Chicken’s flying like kites.
Another trip to the take away. “well it’s the convenience”. Longing for Indian food. I can so relate to that! We use our favourite, they are clued up on allergies, never had a problem but I know people who have. Our son had a voucher and wanted us to go to somewhere that didn’t seem to learn after someone died but I’d rather lose the voucher than give my business to them. They clearly weren’t up for knowing, only interested in ticking a box.
What difference could be made here knowing that it’s the convenience that is the main factor. Or is food waste, something more? Have you seen those ques of drivers, waiting for work. I wonder how many of them are also queuing at foodbanks, what packaging are they using as they bring us our treats? What’s our impact on landfill…but people working ridiculous hours don’t have the luxury of time or even the money. Reoccurring themes…
We ate some delicious food as we travelled across India, enjoying regional specialities. Cheese and tomato nan one we’ve eaten both there and here and fabulous food on the train. Does anyone remember those jokes that used to be made at the expense of British rail food? And our poor train timetable timing? British food?
As I write I’m eating last night’s leftovers, good job it was chilled ready for morning then heated all the way through, food poisoning not worth the treat. Here’s a link if you’d like to know more about avoiding food poisoning also a link about reheating rice https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/10-ways-to-prevent-food-poisoning/ https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning/
Our brother was telling us how their local pub is useless for food. It used to be really bad for pub food here, especially if you were in the wilds of Norfolk or Suffolk but that’s changed. Here they’ve been trying to promote Colchester Pudding or so I heard. I went to a pudding club once. It was fun trying different puddings but an odd kind of thing, supposed to raise awareness of our wonderful puddings but seemed a bit of a eating disorder nightmare if I’m honest. That said they were delicious!
The work to get the chickens to feed from the hand continues. The Wheat is being harvested here, the Barley not quite ready.
I’ve been harvesting our lavender. I have more than I need, not quite sure who to give it to. I was saying how I’ve plaited this next lot. Thinking they might make good Christmas presents, along with those reclaimed wooden signs I’ve made. Apparently our Grandmother used to plait grasses. She called them Poplar trees. Which seemed odd because apparently they didn’t look anything like Poplar’s.
I heard how our Grandad was disorganised, with onions all over his work bench, our brother is neater, the rest of us somewhere in between. One brother didn’t show up. They talk about plaiting onions but I don’t know how… Another thing on YouTube should the need arise.
Talking about brothers when the children were talking about hedgehogs they were trying to find the word for hedgehog babies apparently it’s hoglets but the child accidently said hedgepeople. It warmed my heart because I find myself thinking of animals as people and I understand that I’m not alone in that.
Reminds me of how some people see robins as ancestors. It made me laugh because I always say hello to the dog before the owner!
Talking about dogs one of the rescue dogs, beloved family member is now having anti inflammatory drugs.
The onions and pumpkins are rotting and we don’t know why. That prompted a conversation about bottom of the fridge soup and how that wouldn’t look good on a menu but tastes delicious. A soup made of leftovers or one made from the dregs of what was left. My Dad and uncle used to make a stew and each day top it up. Yeah that had varying results! Pigeon and rabbit. Nothing we would eat if there was something else.
Dad took over the cooking at home when Mum was ill only something he’d do on high days or holidays before that. He was so hopeless in the kitchen before that that if we went on holiday and had to leave him at home Mum would pack up and freeze a weeks worth of food and leave bananas hanging in the larder so if he opened the larder door they’d practically hit him in the face. We’d come home to find the food still in the freezer and he’d lived on bread and cheese, perhaps an onion an apple oh and those bananas.
This was a regular thing but Mum didn’t give up, still put those meals in the freezer. It made her feel like at least she was looking after him even if he wasn’t looking after himself. Men! Oh yeah, some men. Or even some people.
I’m not great at cooking, but give it a go out of necessity. Obviously we all have to eat. ALL HAVE TO EAT This week we’re planning a fruit cake, might as well make the Christmas cake while the oven’s on, if we can muster the enthusiasm perhaps we could do the Christmas pudding while we’re at it, early though it is, usually a job for October but it’s nice to get a head.
Meanwhile I’m guessing some people will be busy getting ready for the Day of Ashura the 10th day of Muharram so not perhaps the day to talk about food.
We ended with a bit of violin, despite having had only one lesson but at least there’s a chance to practice with the violin at home, perhaps we’ll start a band, if the teen is up in time, they need to get up, off for their vaccination today despite there being fears there may not be a 2nd. Before I go I just wanted to share some other good news. Kind strangers cared for our cousin until I could get there after tripping over the curb, some are deeper than others perhaps it’s time a trip to the optician or rethink curbs? A person saw a hedgehog on their way home from work and they helped it safely cross. We are thankful for the hedgehog we’ve seen too, we’re hopeful there might be babies.