Two contrasting correspondences to be written today. The first concerned the propitious rewording of a client's letter to future partners, adding some positive elements to promote their cause. The second was a more difficult proposition, taking a critical correspondence and drafting a constructive reply that would allow a positive outcome for both parties.
After a speedy lunch, it was off to the Wood Green Business Fair near Godmanchester, to relieve the morning shift of Huntingdonshire Business Network members who had volunteered to assist on the HBN stand at the event.
The exhibition was in full flow and well attended, both in exhibitors and visitors. The afternoon team comprised at least 5 or 6 HBN members, who performed a complex social dance of conversation with visitors, discourse with fellow members and occasional forays into the general melee from our stand.
This was a positive collaborative experience for all of us, promoting both the network and our own businesses. I did not have much chance to do the latter, however did have the opportunity to photograph quite a number of examples of my graphic designs in use by at least three clients.
This year, HBN was the sole stand demonstrating the QR code technology!
I had to retreat from the exhibition hall to listen to the recorded request to comment on Radio Cambridgeshire's Drive Time on my mobile phone. The subject was to opine on the Local Economic Partnership's (LEP) intention to apply for an Enterprise Zone. Fortunately, I was able to quiz Mr Plant from the LEP and my business colleagues on their views on the matter. A more cynical interpretation was that devaluation had hit TLAs, converting them from three letter acronyms into two letter acronyms.
As usual, my recollection of the actual interview, when it took place later that day, was hazy.
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Migraine revenge and sychronicity
A vengeful, malicious imp had moved back in to my skull overnight for a bit of sledgehammer practice, after yesterday's ill advised comment on it's absence. Fortunately, the naratriptan proved efficacious by morning rise.
The mornings work was enlivened by an interlude retrieving a lost photograph on a computer 500 miles away using screen sharing technology. Sometimes technology provides opportunities for time consumption you could do without.
Then, in compensation, it permits design at a distance to the printing establishment. The only problem is that you still have to travel to the printer's to pick up the final product, as was the case this afternoon, where I traveled to Godmanchester to collect the Huntingdonshire Business Network banners prepared by Mr Burt's company, Jamy Ltd, from my digital template.
This did however bring me closer to the evening's Toastmaster meeting near Hemingford Grey. An inspirational meeting of speakers, with Ms Symons talking on coincidence and, in the case of multiple coincidences, leading to synchronicity.
The conventional view of events is causality, where there is a direct connection between subsequent or parallel events. In 1920, Carl Jung defined synchronicity as the experience of two or more events, that are apparently causally unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance, that are observed to occur together in a meaningful manner (source Wikipedia).
Synchronicity does not conflict with causality as the meaning of the occurrence of two events is a complex creation of the conscious and unconscious mind. However, percieved synchronicity can have a profound effect on an individual.
A lovely example of synchronicity was the search for and purchase of a genteel but battered coat from a second hand store, for the Wizard in the cinematic film "The Wizard of Oz". When the actor Mr Morgan turned the coat pocket inside out on a hot day, he found the name Frank L Baum within, the author of the book, "The Wizard of Oz" (source Snopes.com). The coat was identified by the original tailor and by Mr Baum's widow as once belonging to the author.
The mornings work was enlivened by an interlude retrieving a lost photograph on a computer 500 miles away using screen sharing technology. Sometimes technology provides opportunities for time consumption you could do without.
Then, in compensation, it permits design at a distance to the printing establishment. The only problem is that you still have to travel to the printer's to pick up the final product, as was the case this afternoon, where I traveled to Godmanchester to collect the Huntingdonshire Business Network banners prepared by Mr Burt's company, Jamy Ltd, from my digital template.
This did however bring me closer to the evening's Toastmaster meeting near Hemingford Grey. An inspirational meeting of speakers, with Ms Symons talking on coincidence and, in the case of multiple coincidences, leading to synchronicity.
The conventional view of events is causality, where there is a direct connection between subsequent or parallel events. In 1920, Carl Jung defined synchronicity as the experience of two or more events, that are apparently causally unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance, that are observed to occur together in a meaningful manner (source Wikipedia).
Synchronicity does not conflict with causality as the meaning of the occurrence of two events is a complex creation of the conscious and unconscious mind. However, percieved synchronicity can have a profound effect on an individual.
A lovely example of synchronicity was the search for and purchase of a genteel but battered coat from a second hand store, for the Wizard in the cinematic film "The Wizard of Oz". When the actor Mr Morgan turned the coat pocket inside out on a hot day, he found the name Frank L Baum within, the author of the book, "The Wizard of Oz" (source Snopes.com). The coat was identified by the original tailor and by Mr Baum's widow as once belonging to the author.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Chinese Brush Painting of orchid and chrysanthemum
The morning's labour was replaced in the afternoon by attending my lessons in Chinese brush painting. First came a reminder of how to paint orchids in the xieyi style. This was followed by learning to paint chrysanthemums in the same style. Mrs Evans, my teacher, had to show the process several times as, whilst appearing deceptively simple - an accumulation of similar strokes - sufficeint variation had to be introduced to give a natural appearance.
This was also the first day without a headache since last week! Bliss.
This was also the first day without a headache since last week! Bliss.
Monday, 4 April 2011
Age, work and the arrest of Mr Weiwei
I was moved to comment on Mr Harper's radio program today, on the developing controversy with regards on the one hand to the requirement for more people with disability to seek employment, and on the other, the apparent unemployability of those attaining the age of fifty. The latter presaging a Panorama program this evening.
My expressed opinion on air being that one could find work and regain or maintain one's dignity, even at the age of fifty or above, if one broadened one's horizons. It did bring to mind the more restricted view of one's employment capabilities whilst in a long term position, one that I too had initially held.
Taking control of one's own destiny, to whatever degree, after losing a job, did broaden horizons for me. Yet it appears that many others are still straight-jacketed by past experience. Digby Marritt Jones, Baron Jones of Birmingham, Kt, expressed a similar sentiment in the Panorama program itself.
Late news on the television reported the arrest in China of the artist Mr Weiwei. The arrest is postulated as due to the Chinese government's apparent concern that more critical voices such as that of Mr Weiwei might form the nucleus for the revolutionary flame in the Middle East jumping to China.
It was a poignant news item as I recalled visiting the Weiwei "Sunflower Seeds" exhibit at the Tate Modern gallery with Mr Eber last week. Consisting of one hundred million painted pottery seeds, it depicts his comment on mass consumption, Chinese industry, famine and collective work. At the time, the occasional depression caused by footsteps across the sea of seeds also reminded me of small pockets of individuals being crushed underfoot in a large population.
My expressed opinion on air being that one could find work and regain or maintain one's dignity, even at the age of fifty or above, if one broadened one's horizons. It did bring to mind the more restricted view of one's employment capabilities whilst in a long term position, one that I too had initially held.
Taking control of one's own destiny, to whatever degree, after losing a job, did broaden horizons for me. Yet it appears that many others are still straight-jacketed by past experience. Digby Marritt Jones, Baron Jones of Birmingham, Kt, expressed a similar sentiment in the Panorama program itself.
Late news on the television reported the arrest in China of the artist Mr Weiwei. The arrest is postulated as due to the Chinese government's apparent concern that more critical voices such as that of Mr Weiwei might form the nucleus for the revolutionary flame in the Middle East jumping to China.
It was a poignant news item as I recalled visiting the Weiwei "Sunflower Seeds" exhibit at the Tate Modern gallery with Mr Eber last week. Consisting of one hundred million painted pottery seeds, it depicts his comment on mass consumption, Chinese industry, famine and collective work. At the time, the occasional depression caused by footsteps across the sea of seeds also reminded me of small pockets of individuals being crushed underfoot in a large population.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Mothers day and photographing plant sections
Mother's day in the United Kingdom. In our country, the tradition has been linked to the 16th Century Mothering Sunday, when apprentices and maids were given the day to return to their Mother Church by their masters and there to also be reunited with their mothers.
Modern Mother's day in other parts of the world received it's inspiration from the campaigning Anna Jarvis, at the start of the 20th Century in the United States of America, and many countries have adapted it to their culture as comprehensively described in the Wikipedia page on Mother's Day.
In Germany, Mother's Day was adopted due to the dwindling birth rate in the 1920's. The Third Reich took this further and awarded fertility with medals. My mother recounted how, as a child, she had implored my grandmother to give her another brother or sister so that my grandmother would receive a Gold medal!
My sympathy is actually with the philosophy of some Moslems, the mothers should be recognised and respected every day, and not just on one. Mrs T. did however receive her recognition today.
The evening was spent at the microscope, perusing Mr McDougals's box of plant sections, sent through by the venerable Postal Microscopy Society. This was a remarkable first boxed contribution by Mr McDougal, with the sections generally being of good quality and ultra-thin throughout. Some commentators in the accompanying notebook referred to the weak safranin staining, however the samples more than adequate for study.
Where detail was not obviously apparent, I endeavored to enhance the visibility of features through additional lighting techniques. Some slides benefited more from the use of polarised light, others from using a method developed by Reichert, namely Anoptral phase-contrast. I took numerous photographs of each slide, changing the focus slightly, in order to obtain a so called focus-stack of images. Success will be judged when the photographs can be viewed and edited on a larger computer screen. All in all, four hours were taken up, late into the night, in this engrossing pursuit.
Modern Mother's day in other parts of the world received it's inspiration from the campaigning Anna Jarvis, at the start of the 20th Century in the United States of America, and many countries have adapted it to their culture as comprehensively described in the Wikipedia page on Mother's Day.
In Germany, Mother's Day was adopted due to the dwindling birth rate in the 1920's. The Third Reich took this further and awarded fertility with medals. My mother recounted how, as a child, she had implored my grandmother to give her another brother or sister so that my grandmother would receive a Gold medal!
My sympathy is actually with the philosophy of some Moslems, the mothers should be recognised and respected every day, and not just on one. Mrs T. did however receive her recognition today.
The evening was spent at the microscope, perusing Mr McDougals's box of plant sections, sent through by the venerable Postal Microscopy Society. This was a remarkable first boxed contribution by Mr McDougal, with the sections generally being of good quality and ultra-thin throughout. Some commentators in the accompanying notebook referred to the weak safranin staining, however the samples more than adequate for study.
Where detail was not obviously apparent, I endeavored to enhance the visibility of features through additional lighting techniques. Some slides benefited more from the use of polarised light, others from using a method developed by Reichert, namely Anoptral phase-contrast. I took numerous photographs of each slide, changing the focus slightly, in order to obtain a so called focus-stack of images. Success will be judged when the photographs can be viewed and edited on a larger computer screen. All in all, four hours were taken up, late into the night, in this engrossing pursuit.
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Plum blossom, film violence and Star Trek
Enjoyed the first slumber into late morning after a hectic week of early starts, paying the usual penalty of an impending migraine attack, medicinally reversed.
It being the weekend, without pressing engagements, the available time afforded the opportunity to return to practicing some Chinese Brush Painting of plum blossom. From past London travels, I had photographs of several cherry trees in bloom and set myself the challenge of using a section of one as the nearest model for a flowering plum tree.
The fortnight's absence of practice became apparent, whilst the overall structure of the painting could be established, its realisation in practice was somewhat inadequate! The practice did serve its purpose of reiterating and reviving some of the skills gained in lessons from my tutor Mrs Evans.
The evening's television promised an interesting film, Wanted. However, the graphic violence was not to my liking. Having watched for about half an hour, reluctance to continue caused me to switch off and instead satisfy my curiosity as to the storyline by reading the film spoiler found on the internet.
Requiring a more sedate and relaxing alternative, I instead watched the DVD of the very first Star Trek film, 'Star Trek - The Motion Picture'. The screen play is by Alan Dean Foster. Less action packed than later films, some critics gave it a mixed reaction. I personally enjoyed the story that involved one of the 1970's Voyager space probes returning as an electronic supermind looking for answers - to life the universe and everything!
It being the weekend, without pressing engagements, the available time afforded the opportunity to return to practicing some Chinese Brush Painting of plum blossom. From past London travels, I had photographs of several cherry trees in bloom and set myself the challenge of using a section of one as the nearest model for a flowering plum tree.
The fortnight's absence of practice became apparent, whilst the overall structure of the painting could be established, its realisation in practice was somewhat inadequate! The practice did serve its purpose of reiterating and reviving some of the skills gained in lessons from my tutor Mrs Evans.
The evening's television promised an interesting film, Wanted. However, the graphic violence was not to my liking. Having watched for about half an hour, reluctance to continue caused me to switch off and instead satisfy my curiosity as to the storyline by reading the film spoiler found on the internet.
Requiring a more sedate and relaxing alternative, I instead watched the DVD of the very first Star Trek film, 'Star Trek - The Motion Picture'. The screen play is by Alan Dean Foster. Less action packed than later films, some critics gave it a mixed reaction. I personally enjoyed the story that involved one of the 1970's Voyager space probes returning as an electronic supermind looking for answers - to life the universe and everything!
Friday, 1 April 2011
Mechanical problems, projectors and squeezing
Our automobile had acquired an unfortunate knocking note upon starting and in motion, suggestive of a serious malfunction by the engine exhaust. This naturally on a day the vehicle was required!
I cautiously navigated around the pot-hole riven roads to the nearest reliable specialist exhaust centre, envisioning a costly repair. In my luggage was a projector, required for todays Huntingdonshire Business Network Seminar, in the vain hope that repairs could be effected in time to permit a timely delivery.
The mechanical engineer in charge at ATS bore a remarkable resemblance to the actor Mr Ray Winstone, engendering the surreal image of Henry VIII in a boiler suit. An avuncular wag, he put my mind at ease after the vehicle inspection, the repair merely required three new rubber rings to hold the exhaust. My supposition of a rapid escape was however dashed as these rings had to be ordered.
If you have no steed, at least you can hire one. My modern equivalent to Mr Hobson and his choice duly picked me up and provided an automobile at short notice. I arrived for the seminar with minutes to spare and the relieved speaker had the projector for his slide show.
Mr Wiid gave an illuminating presentation on effective communication through the medium of electronic mail for businesses. The audience was not only captivated by his delivery but also inveigled into a group exercise on finding offers that might attract and retain potential customers. A key tool in this endeavor was to generate squeeze pages which, I hasten to reassure the concerned reader, does not refer to generating literature of an titillating nature. Rather, a squeeze page is a focused text aimed at persuading the reader to provide contact details, in order to obtain further useful information from the page's author.
The sad news of the day was the attack on the United Nations Compound in Afghanistan, by a mob incited to rage by the burning of a copy of the Koran in The United States of America by the cleric of a minority radical Christian group last month. Twelve UN workers and their Nepalese guards were murdered. A dark day.
I cautiously navigated around the pot-hole riven roads to the nearest reliable specialist exhaust centre, envisioning a costly repair. In my luggage was a projector, required for todays Huntingdonshire Business Network Seminar, in the vain hope that repairs could be effected in time to permit a timely delivery.
The mechanical engineer in charge at ATS bore a remarkable resemblance to the actor Mr Ray Winstone, engendering the surreal image of Henry VIII in a boiler suit. An avuncular wag, he put my mind at ease after the vehicle inspection, the repair merely required three new rubber rings to hold the exhaust. My supposition of a rapid escape was however dashed as these rings had to be ordered.
If you have no steed, at least you can hire one. My modern equivalent to Mr Hobson and his choice duly picked me up and provided an automobile at short notice. I arrived for the seminar with minutes to spare and the relieved speaker had the projector for his slide show.
Mr Wiid gave an illuminating presentation on effective communication through the medium of electronic mail for businesses. The audience was not only captivated by his delivery but also inveigled into a group exercise on finding offers that might attract and retain potential customers. A key tool in this endeavor was to generate squeeze pages which, I hasten to reassure the concerned reader, does not refer to generating literature of an titillating nature. Rather, a squeeze page is a focused text aimed at persuading the reader to provide contact details, in order to obtain further useful information from the page's author.
The sad news of the day was the attack on the United Nations Compound in Afghanistan, by a mob incited to rage by the burning of a copy of the Koran in The United States of America by the cleric of a minority radical Christian group last month. Twelve UN workers and their Nepalese guards were murdered. A dark day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)