wehavetoactnow

Squash basket

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:39:27 +0100

When I asked my Dad what he wanted for his birthday, he said something that he can eat or drink. Buying a bottle of wine seemed a bit dull, so I put my thinking hat on. And here's what I came up with:

A Basket of Squash

Ah, the delights of Riverford Organics!

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X Factor, Earth Factor

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:47:17 +0100

I have to confess that I'm completely addicted to the X Factor, and like most I was in complete shock at last weeks events. A Twitter user, I watched the response from the public unfold on the web immediately after the show. And the response included boycotting X Factor this week, by not watching and not voting. The idea behind this being that Simon Cowell's decision was purely about making money (viewing figures and votes) and therefore unethical. And for some time I jumped on this bandwagon and the power of Twitter was phenomenal. But ultimately I found myself feeling sad.

I boycott many things - cosmetics companies, manufacturers of cleaning products, clothes manufacturers, perfume makers, food producers and so on. And I boycott them on the grounds of ethics. I have done for years.

And here I was engaged with the idea of boycotting the X Factor.

The fact that conceivably, Twitter could enable a whole nation to mobilise itself and pull together against what they perceived to be unethical is - and I apologise for using the word again but I don't think there is another word that quite says it - PHENOMENAL.

But if only we could mobilise ourselves as quickly and with so much passion against the real enemies. Climate change is real. It's happening. And we have to act. Now.

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There's a tomatoe in my windowsill

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:51:31 +0100

So anyone that reads my blog will know that not having a garden, was not going to stop me from trying to grow my own veg!

Experiment over, as we head into the winter months. And my harvest?

I grew my own lettuce successfully. Have a very big cucumber and a few small ones. Managed to keep the peppers and chillies coming all through the summer. And most proudly of all....I have ONE red tomatoe growing on my windowsill!

I've learned a lot from the experience....I know what works and what doesn't. And next year, I think it will be a good one!

The outcome: You don't need a garden to grow your own veg!

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Clothes sizes. Grrrr

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:45:32 +0100

And talking of real women....I have a thing or two to say about clothes sizes.

So if I buy Jeans that are 'long', they are 32". Too long. If I buy jeans that are 'short', they are 30". Too short. What happens if you're 31"? Or even 31 and a half?

And what happened to 29" waist, and 31"? And where's size 9 and 11? Do women really come in even numbered measurements?

The reality of this for me, is that I seem to always be searching for the perfect fit something, because I didn't come in even numbers. I'm odd. And no blooming trousers ever seem to fit perfectly!

Bring back tailors I say!

That is all.

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Dinner with strangers

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:07:53 +0200

I have just helped prepare lunch, and eat it, with a group of people that I don't really know! And it was a good experience.

Arranged by the local environmental group that I belong to - Transition Southampton - a group of us got together at a members house, paid £5 each towards ingredients, cooked together, and then had a big meal. It was such an interesting idea and it worked.

All the ingredients and the recipes were provided by a local farmer, and we cooked/prepared:
- sweetcorn and kidney bean fritters
- green bean salad
- salsa
- chutney (made from carrot tops!)
- green salad
- millet
- broccoli and haricot bean bowls
followed by:
- carrot cake
- apple crumble

And then sat in the garden and ate it all, whilst chatting and getting to know each other a bit better.

What a fab experience

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Protection From Online Grooming

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:12:02 +0200

On the news they've been talking about the importance of parents keeping up-to-date with modern technology, so that they can protect their children from online dangers, such as paedophiles grooming them.

Just a thought - why not add social networking and online safety to the curriculum...perhaps in PSHE. After all, inter-personal skills are part of it already. So it would just be a modernisation. Or is it already taught?

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Indoor veg garden continued...

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:17:56 +0200

I don't have a garden, but wanted to grow my own veg. So as an experiment, I thought I'd try to grow indoors, in a tower block! Progress so far....

Chillies

I have just counted 10 chillies, which I may use to make homemade chillie tonight. The chillies in the window box have been a huge success.

Lettuce

I've been eating the lettuce for a while....although, it now tastes a bit bitter.

Tomatoes

I have lots of really tall plants, which have looked like they want to bear tomatoes for a long time now....but no such luck. I don't think I'll do tomatoes next year. They're a bit too big for the flat, and don't seem to cope indoors.

Aubergine

The aubergine flowered, but has been overshadowed by the runner beans. No aubergines yet and it's not looking too healthy. Maybe no aubergine next year.

Cucumbers

I have cucumbers! I didn't think the cucumbers would make it....the plants don't look healthy at all, but I do have cucumbers. Albeit, the smallest cucumbers in the world!

Runner beans

It's flowering at last, and has coped quite well with the limited space. I've had to unpick it from the curtains at times - it's been climbing anything it can. But on the whole it has coped well with wrapping itself around itself! And I'm now hopeful that I will get a crop.

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Grouse

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:20:57 +0200

We saw Grouse on our walk yesterday...they ran down the path ahead of us for a long time, but they were too fast and this is the closest I could get for a photo.

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Vegetarianism is normal now....isn't it?

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:56:32 +0200

I've just been away for a long weekend to a holiday camp in the new forest, with my family. Yesterday we booked a family meal at the onsite Bistro. They had a carvery. When my Mum booked the meal, she asked what they had for vegetarians. Apparently the manager looked stunned and said that he didn't think the two were suited. Vegetarianism and carveries that is, but said he could offer butternut squash risotto. With courgettes. Which I hate. So I was instead offered, a plate of vegetables, minus the gravy, as it contained beef dripping.

Being vegetarian shouldn't mean that I can't enjoy a roast. Come on people - modernise! Us vegetarians are everywhere, and even the meat-eaters enjoy the healthy alternative of quorn and soya from time to time. I have been to plenty of carveries that serve a vege option, complete with vege gravy!

In the end, I cooked my own vege sausages which were ready just before we left the cabin, which I put in a sandwich box, and I cooked up some vege gravy which I put in my canteen and took with me too. When I got my veg and potatoes, I added my own sausages and gravy and enjoyed my vege roast, my way.

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Been a while....

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:40:22 +0200

...since I posted anything, and a lot has happened in the last month or so, which has bought about some changes. The biggest change of all, is that I will be starting a new job in mid September.....I'll be doing online marketing with an ethical/green company. Can't wait. And my new e-mail address is so darn exciting.

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Random

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:51:28 +0200

http://www.google.co.uk/googlegulp/

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Pride Pictures

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:41:00 +0200

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Where did all the gay people go?

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:25:42 +0200

I was in Paris last weekend and went to Pride on Saturday. I joined the Parade which marched from Montparnasse to Bastille. 700,000 people attended it and there they all were in the street. And then suddenly.... gone again....

It took us a while to find the parade - we knew it ended in Bastille, so we went there first as we were late and thought we may have missed it already. There were no signs of it, except the odd gay couple sat in a bar looking like they wanted to blend in.

We had an idea where it started, so we jumped on the metro hoping that we wouldn't be too late. We expected to come across swaths of people heading in the same direction and could simply follow the crowds if all else failed, but there didn't seem to be a gay person in sight. Odd. But on the way out of the metro at Montparnasse, all we could hear was thud, thud, thud as the music pounded on the streets above us. We knew we'd found it. At the top of the stairs, the hot sun hit my face temporarily blinding me as I entered the crowd. A moment later, the LGBT community surrounded me. I was nervous at first - I'd never been before, but I was soon submerged in the atmosphere and feeling alive with excitement.

We marched the entire route, picking up various stickers, whistles and posters on the way. And the mandatory beer. I don't normally drink through the day, but on this particular day, I couldn't wait to land my first one.

There was the odd straight person en route, some enjoying the event, and some looking like they were there quite by mistake. There was one woman that looked quite disgusted by it all as she tried to hurry across the busy street, cutting straight in front of a float and right through the parade. I imagined that maybe this was her favourite spot for Saturday afternoon shopping and that it was normally quiet when she arrived. Today she'd come on the metro expecting the day to be like any other. As she exited the station, she was hit by a barrage of men in drag, and some in underpants, and dykes kissing on the streets, and wasn't really quite sure what was going on - quite surreal I expect. My thoughts amused me.

A couple of hours in, there was suddenly silence in the street and the parade stood still. Everyone on foot, sat down. I didn't know what was happening at first, but signs were held up on floats indicating that a 3 minute silence was going to take place - a time to reflect on those that had been, and still were, political prisoners, or imprisoned for being gay. I didn't know that still happened. I felt quite moved by it all and the importance of pride was becoming clearer by the minute.

We arrived in Bastille some 6 hours later, having witnessed a number of people collapsed on the street along the way, apparently having drunk to too much in the excitement of it all and being tended to by medics. Bastille was alive with people and pride and the atmosphere was amazing. I had so much fun.

We had our last drink, before heading down to the metro. At the top of the stairs, I took one last look and soaked in the atmosphere. A few seconds later, I could no longer hear the bustle of Pride. The metro was quiet and there wasn't a gay person in site. For the rest of the holiday, I saw maybe 10 couples... the rest I assume, were back in camouflage.

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Indoor garden continued...

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:14:54 +0200

My tomatoes are huge! Probably 4 ft by now. Once they started, there was no stopping them.

And the lettuce is coming on well. I ate some this week for the first time and it tasted like.....lettuce

The runner beans are determined to attach themselves to everything, and I fear that the corner of the room they're in may soon be jungle like.

The cucumbers on the other hand, are not doing quite so well, and I think that might end up being a disaster now that my Mum has shown me how big her cucumber plant is! I am however, going to separate one from the rest and put it on it's own in a different position to see how it does.

But a friend raised the issue of bees. I don't have any and I don't want any in the flat! But she suggested that a paint brush might do the trick.

It's very exciting though!

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I have a dream.

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:40:40 +0200

I have a dream...

That the 15 storey tower block I live in could be decorated by solar panels - on the two walls that don't have windows.

That the roof could be covered by grass, and plants and benches, available for all to enjoy, including bugs, and providing further insulation to the block.

That the unused grass area outside could house a communal vegetable garden that is jointly funded and tended by all the residents that want to enjoy the produce. And also houses a communal composter.

That some space in the lobby is turned into a swap shop, so instead of the discarded but usable furniture being piled at the bins, it could be restored, re-used and re-loved by others in need.

That a communal lounge is created to become the home of shared evenings - groups crowded round 1 TV for film showings, card tables, and regular clothes swap parties.

That the corridors are lined with pot plants, that give off wonderful frangrances all day long.

That an extra bin for glass recycling be added.

I have a dream.

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PS. My cat...

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:28:29 +0200

...peed on my modem, so can't use computer at the moment! All blogs brief until new modem obtained!

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Stan

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:23:51 +0200

My Mum's boss has a grand-daugter in Arizona and this year at summer camp they read the story of Flat Stanley. Flat Stanley got squashed when a billboard fell on him. He's OK, but flat as a pancake. Flat enough to be posted on his holidays.

So he's on his travels round the world by post, and all that host a visit have been asked to send back photos and stories, so that when she goes back to school she can write a story of his travels.

So he's with me at the moment, and I've started a blog group so that she can watch his progress from Arizona. Next week he'll be coming to Paris with me

If you come across my posts, please join me in welcoming Stan.

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Peak Oil explained - this is hilarious!

Thu, 28 May 2009 20:11:45 +0200

Unfortunately I didn't write this, and I won't even try to pretend I did, but it's definitely worth a look for a good laugh. The economist scenario had me laughing out loud

http://casaubonsbook.blogspot.com/2007/08/how-to-explain-peak-oil-to-anyone.html

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Indoor garden continued...

Sun, 24 May 2009 16:41:47 +0200

I decided to go for runner beans. My Mum grew them at home in the garden when I was younger, and I remembered that as long as you keep watering them, they have a good yield all summer. I also picked up an Egg Plant, at Tom's suggestion. These are now planted in the tub.... with a garden gnome.....called Wilf. Although in retrospect the egg plant and beans may not do too well together, as it seems they need different care, so perhaps I ought to have them in separate tubs!

I have also replanted the cucumbers and tomatoes in their own window boxes now. But I do need to change the position round, as the tomatoes need to be in reasonably warm conditions and I currently have them in a north facing window. In fact, I will do that now....

.....OK, all done.

Anyway, here's some pictures and I'll keep posting on it goes.

Cucumbers:

Egg Plant and Runner Beans:

Tomatoes:

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Indoor garden

Thu, 21 May 2009 22:23:45 +0200

I used to have a garden and was determined to grow my own veg. But a relationship breakdown changed my circumstances and I am now living in a flat. I did think that my 'grow my own' dream would be out of the window unless I got an allotment. But I know myself well enough to know that I would be hopeless with an allotment.....I am passionate about my work and that is what I put all my effort and energy into. I simply wouldn't have enough energy left to maintain an allotment. But I am a determind (and stubborn) person, and have decided that living in a flat is not going to stop me!! So here's the plan....

I am aiming to have an indoor garden. It's an experiment. So far....

Cucumber, tomatoe, lettuce and pepper seeds have been planted. They're coming on well. I have bought big window boxes to transfer them to when they are ready.

I have also bought a kitchen herb garden. And....

Today I got a big tub for growing.... I don't know actually. Has anyone got any suggestions on what I could grow indoors in this tub??

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How depressing!

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:44:50 +0200

Just read this article, and the comments left by others. How thoroughly depressing to know that many people think that Global Warming is not caused by human action. I'm no scientist, but I know which camp I'm in! And if it's wrong, then we surely can't make life any worse by reducing our carbon emissions can we?!! And even if climate change is natural and beyond our control, we surely still need to plan ahead to try and prevent the exstinction of humankind and may other species don't we!

Hmph. I'm going to make soup. Then I'm going to play around with how I have my plugs arranged... see if I can't reduce my electricity consumption some more.

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Zoo and runaway climate change

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:18:06 +0200

I went to the zoo again yesterday. Marwell. And was really encouraged to see bits of information about how climate change can have an adverse imapct of the habitats of the world's animals. Not to mention deforestation as an effect of the industrialised world. The snippets were paired with tips for reducing one's own impact. And of course, when I say encouraged, I don't mean that I was pleased that we're adversely effecting animals, I mean that it was good that they're raising awareness!!

I think that most people don't really have a full understanding of what climate change will mean. Myself included. I mean, to my mind, a lot of people still think that the planet will be warmer, and some cities will be lost to the sea and that that's pretty much it. And then you hear comments like, 'Good, I'll get a great sun tan.' and 'I'll get a boat!' But there's so much more to it than that. And I don't even know the half of it. But for starters, an overheated planet will not make for good growing conditions for food. And then we have a food crisis.

The world's ecosystem s a delicate balance. And one ecoshock can knock the whole thing of tilt.

In the film I watched last week - The Age of Stupid - reference was made to runaway climate change. I.e. that if the global temperature increases by 2 degrees, then ice will melt on.... gosh don't remember, but I think it was peat fields that contain lots of gases that will be released into the atmosphere which will speed up global warming again etc. So for example, if we reach 2 degrees, it doesn't matter what we do beyond that, because we will have set some wheels in motion that can't be stopped.

What a ramble.... can anyone with a better understanding add to this? Or point to another blog on the same topic.

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Curry Success!

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:10:34 +0200

I just made my first curry and it was a success! In a way. Well, the recipe was for Jalfrezi and it did not take my head off as expected. I followed it to the letter, but it was really very mild. Delicious though.

I also have enough left to take some to work for lunch tomorrow too! Ha ha ha! My colleagues will be so jealous

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The Age of Stupid

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:34:54 +0200

I went to see The Age of Stupid today. It was a very good and thought provoking film. And yet again, I found myself speechless when it comes to those that oppose wind farms. In fact, if I'm honest, I'm far from speechless. I actually have a lot to say. But it would be very rude and inappropriate!

The result. Initially I was a little depressed. Because what can I do to help convince others that it's time to act. And also enthused. Because there's more that I can do on a personal level, and I am part of a group that will be working to raise awareness of the issues, and I can do the best I can within that group.

So my personal goals. Well, let's start with what I've done already:

1. Changed all my light bulbs for energy saving light bulbs.
2. I only have one light on at a time - in the room I'm in.
3. I use residual heat to finish my cooking sometimes.
4. I use a steamer to reduce energy usage.
5. I have ecoballs, which reduces water needed to complete a cycle.
6. I have turned my washing temperature down.
7. I have bought a second clothese horse to reduce need for dryer, and I do need a dryer because I have an incontinent cat that needs constant blanket changes and no outdoor drying space. But a second clothes horse will reduce the need to use the dryer.
8. I have smaller blankets for cat, meaning more can fit into one wash.
9. I only have one heater on in winter, on a low heat and this was switched off a few weeks ago and will stay off until next winter.
10. I don't leave stuff on standby. Except the darn cable box, which the man says I shouldn't turn off. Must look into that actually - can't be true.
11. I get my veg and other bits from Riverford organics, which has lower food miles and less packaging all of which is recycled and recyclable.
12. I don't use any cosmetics or any other unnecessary blah in terms of toiletries.
13. I have extra bedding in the bedroom instead of heating in the winter.
14. I sell my old clothes, or pass them onto for reuse via charity shops/clothes banks.
15. I car share every day to work and have started to walk/cycle to work at times.
16. I don't use the car at the weekend at all and instead use public transport or my feet
17. I have dumped carrier bags and use cloth bags for all shopping, much to the dismay of the assistants in our local shopping centre!
18. I have joined an environmental group.
19. I have changed my car and got one with a smaller engine, which is newer and I now have serviced regularly.
20. I regularly check my tyre pressure.
21. I don't travel to Europe by plane, and don't intend to travel by plane again. Ever.
22. I recycle as much stuff as possible, including stuff that isn't collected by my local council - ie bottles/batteries.
23. I don't replace furniture etc for the sake of it, ie getting the newest colour, style and buy secondhand when I can.
24. I don't buy stuff for the sake of owning stuff.

OK. 24 will do off the top of my head.

But this isn't enough. I want to reduce my carbon footprint some more. The most obvious things, according to the carbon footprint calculation I just did would be in terms of insulation and energy. But I am in council property and don't have any control over my energy providers, windows, insulation etc. And don't have a garden. So what else can I do?

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Earth Hour

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:47:23 +0200

Not really a blog entry - more of a question. Definitely a question.

Did anyone take part in Earth Hour, and if so, what did you do?

I ate my Birthday curry dinner by candlelight in the company of family. Fab!

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Birthday

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:43:27 +0200

I got a birthday message from... gosh, I don't know actually.... Blog, I guess. Anyway, it suggested I write about my birthday, so here goes....

It's also my twin brother's birthday too. Obviously. And we have never spent a birthday apart. I normally make the birthday arrangements and he goes along with whatever I plan. So this year as normal, I made the plans and then phoned to tell him what we were doing. Only this year, turns out he didn't want me to organise it anymore! So had to make a few calls to cancel and then we started over. Well, Tim wanted to spend the weekend with the family and so that's what we did. We went to our Mum's just outside Brighton. We went up Friday night, had a day in Brighton yesterday and a birthday meal last night and came back today.

So moving onto presents. Well the truth is that there isn't much I want. But I do want to learn to cook proper curry this year. So I asked my Mum if she would buy me everything I need to a store cupboard - to make curry. And that's what I got from her. I had also got a Riverford recipe book, and had scanned the recipes making notes on the ingredients, and made sure I added some of these to the list.

Curry. So last night my Mum - who's a chef by trade - showed me how to make curry. It was delicious. And we ate it by candlelight because it happened to be ready during Earth Hour. It was a wonderful birthday meal, and I maybe I'll be having curry everynight this week to practice my skills

And that's about all there is to tell I'm afraid.

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Twitter

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:36:18 +0200

I have to confess, that I am totally addicted to Twitter! Which is also the reason that I haven't posted to my blog for a while. I have Tweet Deck set up at work and at home and even Twitter from my phone. Sometimes by text message and sometimes by going online. It's fab! I have connected to so many cool people and made a few good business contacts too. Love it! However, it means I have become very slack at blogging. D'oh!

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Going to learn Guitar

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:18:40 +0100

To anyone that already plays a real instrument, I am so so sorry for what I am about to write.

So I have Guitar Hero World Tour and my instrument is guitar. It's enormous fun and a great way to chill out after work. Sorry, sorry, sorry!

Because it's such fun and the idea of picking up an instrument and be able to make sweet sweet music is very appealing, I thought I would try the real thing. And it turns out that we have an electric guitar and amplifier in the cupboard.... which is another story.

So when a friend came round to chill with us last weekend - who is teaching himself to play - we got the guitar out, and my brother bought his bass guitar round and I learnt a few chords. Very cool. So I have asked for 'Teach Yourself to Play Guitar' for my birthday which is coming up

Although I don't know how I'll fit it all in.... work.... Transition Southampton.... reading my new marketing books... reading my Transition Handbook for that matter... blogging.... twittering, and so the list goes on. Soon, there won't be enough time for TV - which will be great!

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Clever Bunny!

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:15:59 +0100

I re-used an empty tub to house my ecoballs

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Anti-wrinkle... but you only look about 30!

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:06:32 +0100

For a long time I have watched the anti-wrinkle cream adverts with quiet amusement - women that look about 30 are telling me all about how some cream helped them fight the signs of ageing. Ahem, I suspect you didn't actually have any signs of ageing yet actually. Ho hum, that's advertising I would think. I know, I know, that's the point... I'm meant to believe that before she used the cream she had wrinkles, and now miracle of miracles, she's nothing but a spring chick! Anyway...

Then, then a woman who looks about... well let's just say, more mature, comes on the screen and tells me about a cream she is using to prevent stretch marks from pregnancy. Now I've got nothing against an older woman bearing a child, and in itself I might not think it odd. But when one advert plays directly after the other, it highlights how backwards it all is and I can't help wondering whether they accidentally got the wrong studio!

And on the subject of advertising, how funny it is now that advertisers have been forced to put all this small print at the bottom of screen. It seems that pretty much everything being said in the ad itself, is being excused in the small print!

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