There's something about Mary...

Dated in the future so that it stays at the top of my journal, I am going to do a general 'about me', because it has been pointed out that there are some people on my friends-list who don't know as much as they might like to about me.  The info page gives you an outline, but here is something more 'meaty'.

Personal Life:  I am lucky enough to be...

For my birthday, I always like to throw a birthday-bash, over the end of August bank holiday weekend.  People generally turn up early afternoon on the Saturday, and set up tents to camp in the garden overnight. I provide a buffet etc on the Saturday evening, and there is usually a pub lunch on the Sunday.  In recent years there has also been some live music (varying from pop to jazz) provided by a group of friends on the Saturday night, and then random musical entertainment provided by anyone who fancies blowing, hitting or plucking something.  It's great fun, and probably the most chilled-out weekend in my year.  Anyone who knows me is welcome - I see it as my chance to do something nice for all the people in my life, to show how much I appreciate you all.  And I certainly don't expect presents, though I don't get offended if anyone wants to buy me one.  So, if you are a recently added friend reading this, do please add the last weekend in August to your diary, and I'll see you then!

And finally my amazon wish-list is here, in case you are determined to buy me a birthday/christmas/whatever present for some reason:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/2945MYI9LCCBK

And there I shall stop....  Anything else you want to know? Just ask.

Mary x
 

Current Mood: happy

So, here's my  final version, dated 31st December 09, so it stays at the top of my journal all year as a reminder, which I can then edit as I go, to monitor my progress.

In 2009 I resolve to:

 - Ask for help more - it has been observed that I tend to push myself too hard, on occasion, well, quite a lot actually.

 - Tidy the gap between the dresser and the bookshelf in the hall - a job that has been on my 'to-do list' for 4 years.

 - Be better at taking quality time off, just for myself - I shall schedule 'Mary-time', and stick to it, rather than deciding other things are more important.

 -DONE-  Watch the movie "Dark Knight" - because Kevin said I should, and you all know how obedient I am.

 -DONE - though it nearly killed me! -  Give up chocolate not just for lent, but for an extra week beforehand too - just to make it even more of a challenge this year, and of more benefit to my 'soul'.

 - De-clutter one thing a week - not necessarily a big thing, maybe just one drawer, or one pile of paperwork, or whatever.  But if I do one thing every week, then that will be 52 things I have de-cluttered by this time next year.

 - I want to get good at singing, so I resolve to find some way to sing regularly again, because I am, frankly, pants at it these days, and I used to be ok.

 - Post on LJ at least once a week - I tend to be a bit irregular in my postings, and I am told people actually like reading what I write.

 - Keep a record of the books I read, and try to devote time to reading every day - because I enjoy it so much, and reading time is the first thing to suffer when I get busy.

I think that covers it, and thanks for the comments made when I first posted this entry - I am leaving the comments attached.

Evening all!

Just wanted to express a big thank you to those of you who have responded to my request, in a recent post, for constructive feedback.
For those that are interested, and for my own records, below (behind a cut) are all the responses I hae received so far (without names attached, to protect the innocent/guilty!).

Dear Friends,

as some of you may know, and as part of my ongoing professional/self-development, I am currently studying for a diploma (well, five of them actually) to increase my skill set and expand my business.

One of the modules requires me to look in more detail at my abilities/skills in regards to succeeding in my new business venture, (which will be another business running alongside my tuition business).  More details to follow as the venture progresses.

One of the exercises in this module requires that I ask people who know me, ideally from a range of different areas of my life, and ask them to answer, as honestly as they can, the following set of questions about me. 

Would you mind sparing ten minutes of your time to think about and answer the questions below?

Rather than have people leave comments here, and so that you can say whatever you like to me privately, I ask that people please copy and paste the questions and your answers into an email, and email them to me at:
saintmaryuk AT chezmary DOT com

The questions:

1.  What is the first thing you think of when you think of me?
2.  What do you think is most interesting about me?
3.  What do you think my greatest accomplishment is?
4.  What do you value most about me?
5.  What do you perceive to be my strengths AND my weaknesses?
6.  What skills and attributes do I need to develop to help me in my new venture? (my venture is starting and running an executive and personal life-coaching business, specialising in working with professionals in the education sector)
7.  If I were to appear on the front cover of a magazine, what sort of publication do you think it wold be and what would the article inside be about?

Thank you ever so much to anyone/everyone who is able to spare me a few minutes to do this.  It is very much appreciated.

I have set up a new website for my new business venture, but it is very much a work in progress, in the early stages of development.  Feel free to take a look though, and to give me feedback/suggestions about that too, if you wish!  http://www.PurpleCoaching.org   Though to be honest there isn't much there to comment on yet!

Thanks again folks,

Mary x x

I have been rather busy of late.  Here's some key things you've missed:

Since the end of April: - I have had a friend staying, after splitting up with her partner of 9 years.  She's been going through a rather tough time emotionally - but we are all looking out for her.  Complicated because there are 4 kids involved.  But she's getting there, and has sorted out a flat for herself now, so she'll be starting her new life at the beginning of July.  On the plus side, she and I had lost contact in recent times, and it has been good to feel close to her again as a friend.  I have set up an LJ for her, so I'll point you at it when she has worked out how to do a post.

Start of May - Chassen Road steam - a day spent drooling over lovely traction engines and some other vehicles.  And then the bank holiday Monday was taken up with watching the snooker final.

9th May - organised the Battery Vehicle Society AGM, and had a great time at the Coventry Transport Museum where I had booked us a meeting room.  The highlight for me was not actually the vehicles, but the Doctor Who exhibition.

17th May - saw Star Trek (and have seen it again this weekend) - hurrah for Star Trek being back!  What a great film!  I cried in several places. They kept enough of the old feel for it to work in my head, but there was plenty to entertain new audiences.  Well done to the film-makers.  And I'm still in love with Spock.

23/24th May - away for a weekend training course, a Certificate course in Life Coaching - I'll say more about this in a future post.  I am embarking on some life-changing-career-type-stuff...
But 24th May was Stuart's birthday gathering - with the theme of Buffy th Vampire Slayer - and.... Stuart dressed as Buffy. Had a great night. Including some excellent drumming from my 2 favourite drummy-boys :-)

For Kevin's birthday we had a LAN party on Mon 25th, and then an outing on Wed 3rd June to a brilliant gig at the Lowry.  We went to see two guys performing the songs of Flanders and Swann.  One of the best gigs I have ever been to.  F&S were a part of my childhood.  I know most of their songs by heart (and you know how hard I find it to learn lyrics!).  The gas man cometh.  Transport of delight.  etc etc.  My only regret is that they didn't do my favourite song about the laws of thermodynamics, but we listened to that from my CD, and enjoyed a glass of madeira, when we got back home afterwards.  A truly fantastic evening!

The last weekend in May I went away to a 2-day event in Oxford called "Maths and Fiction".  It was excellent.  Two days of talks by or about authors who had included maths, or mathematicians, in their fiction, and mathematicians who had written novels/poetry. Discussing the potential maths in Borges' Library of Babel, for example.  And a bit about the Oulipo.  Also they had the autthor of 'Popco' there (go read it - it has codebreaking stuff in - great fun).  It was nice to learn some literary things I didn't know, and some maths I didn't know.  Not hard maths, just different maths, things that aren't on school syllabuses.  And I enjoyed being introduced to the poetry of James Clerk Maxwell.

The last couple of weeks have been punctuated with Granny's decline of course, and I am glad that has come to a conclusion.  This weekend we have had Kevin's Dad (Bryan) staying with us - a lovely man - and yesterday evening Stuart cooked 7 of us a delicious roast beef dinner.  And he made Bryan a birthday cake, as it is Bryan's birthday soon. 

Tonight the boys are off to their Monday night lads/games night at Darren's house.  And I am having a girls night in with a couple of friends.

I think that brings you all nicely up-to-date. 

Tim and I have heard this morning that Granny (Tim's Mum's Mum) died during the night.  Yesterday she was unconscious and peaceful in hospital, cuddling a purple teddy bear I had previously given her, so I believe she was at peace when she left us.

The family are doing as well as can be expected, having known for several days that this was coming.  I am pleased that her suffering, and that of those seeing her declining, has come to an end.  Today will be spent exchanging many hugs.

Further to this post:  http://saintmaryuk.livejournal.com/139562.html I have a spare ticket going for tonight.

Anyone fancy joining us?  If so, please TEXT me as I may not see any replies here.  First to text me gets the ticket!

Thanks x

Wondering if my infinitely resourceful friends on LJ can help out a friend of mine.

He is looking for work, and I wondered if anyone might know of anything going, especially positions that perhaps haven't been advertised yet, so he can get a foot in the door before the mad rush of general applications happens.

He is looking for IT/technical jobs in the renewable/sustainability sector, preferably 'down-south', but he is prepared to re-locate if needed (as there does not seem to be anything suitable locally to him in Basingstoke). It doesn't have to be I.T. specific: something like tech support in a sustainable company would be good, for example.  Like me, he is actively involved in the Battery Vehicle Society, so as you might imagine he would welcome work with an environmentist theme.

He's applied for a few jobs already, and is continuing to do so, but work is a bit thin on the ground, so, any suggestions would be most welcome.

As well as recommenations of currently advertised vacancies however,  he is trying a slightly different tack now - trying direct contacts and the 'networking' approach, so if any of you know someone that may be aware of available jobs or who can pass his name on then please let me know.

He has an extensive CV - if you want to know more about him, so you know what sort of thing to recommend, his linked in profile is at:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/robert-sharpe/1/59a/171 

Thanks in advance, friends, for any help you can give.

--

On another note, Stuart is having a birthday gathering this Sunday evening.  Do please hop over to his Live Journal to find out more, and leave him a comment to let him know if you can come along or not.
 

Got any plans tomorrow (Saturday)?

I shall be here:  http://www.maydaysteam.co.uk/ 
(just near Chassen Road train station, so it's easily accessible by public transport or by car)

Wanna come and join me?

I plan to get there between 11am and 12pm, armed with a packed lunch. I'll have a bit of a wander round, then eat lunch, then maybe have more of a wander round.  And of course I plan to enjoy the displays of engines performing in the arena (I will probably take a rug or chair to sit on).  Meet me there if you fancy it, and do drop me a text when you get there, so I can look out for you.

So, who fancies coming along?

A comment here or a text (07751 696 055) would be useful, so that I know if I can expect to see anyone.

3 cheers for steam engines, interesting cars, military stuff, ice-cream, interesting stalls selling weird and wonderful things, and hopefully a sunny day to go with it!

Wanna see some skillful flying?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79LE4ty_gkM

(With thanks to my mate Rob, WINOLJ,  for pointing me at it)

So, what has my brain been up to over the last week?

I started from a position of pondering whether or not I thought evolution was an adequate explanation for the development of life on earth  (my friend Rob's fault - and I haven't got as far as working out my answer to that one yet!), then progressed to how life got here in the first place, and on to more philosophical questions. 
Why are we here?  Why am I here?  Is 'why' a valid question to ask even? 
Do I have a purpose?  What is that purpose? 
What does my heart tell me?  What does my head tell me?
Which, if either/both, should I listen to? 

More questions than answers, but in the ramblings below I attempt to consider the first couple of them.  I was going to keep this as private thoughts, but then I thought I may as well put it on LJ for you lovely people to pick holes in.

Thanks for reading my waffle - any thoughts would be most appreciated.

In case you are wondering what inspires me to think about all this:
- The study of physics is, to me, an almost spiritual journey.
Physics, and the philosophy of physics, are about understanding the fundamental big questions, including what we are and why we are here. It is awe inspiring thinking about how complex the universe is, how gigantic the universe is, and in contrast how small the smallest constituent particles in it are.  And the path towards understanding that is, surely, a spiritual one as much as it is a scientific one.
 

On Friday I should have been travelling south for a weekend away, but instead (due to unforseen circumstances) I found myself with a weekend up north, at home.  It started with a last-minute decision to go along to a work's 'do' with Tim, to celebrate a colleague's 60th birthday...

It turned out that this event was being held at one of my old haunts, a pub on the riverbank in the Chorlton/Sale area called Jackson's Boat.  I had to nip over to the river to say hello to it, having not seen it for so long, and to say hello to 'my' tree, which distressingly has fence round it now so that you can't sit underneath it like I used to. 
It was strange, but good, being there again.  A memory of the days before I had C.F.S., of long walks along the river paths and exploring the surrounding green places, sometimes with friends, but often on my own. 
And on top of that, very special memories of long chats with a person I love very much, but sadly rarely see these days due to his personal circumstances (long story) - happy memories of summer afternoons on the banks of the river with a glass of cold cider, talking about and debating everything, including physics, philosophy, teaching, the existence or otherwise of god, and so on....  
After having seen the river, I thought a lot over the weekend about how much I miss seeing him regularly.  He is a wonderful, 'intellectual sparring partner'. 

Not only was I reminded of how much I miss my intellectual (and handsome incidentally) physicist friend, I was also reminded how much I miss long walks, and how much I have missed my brain!

However, that is where there is some good news....  *drumroll*.... I think my brain is back!  (mostly at least)

I should probably explain that statement:

One of the problems I have had since coming down with C.F.S. is that it has significantly impaired my cognitive abilities. 
Back in 2000, when I first came down with it, I could barely read, developing a headache after reading maybe only a paragraph or two of text.  I have come a long way since then, having eased myself back into teaching with private tuition of just a couple of students a week at first, doing primary school level maths for entrance exams.  Then over time teaching more and more students, at higher and higher levels.  By 2004-5 I was tackling A level physics (and AS chemistry) teaching again, although finding it quite a challenge at times, and freqently ending up in severe pain with headaches during/after lessons.  To combat this I developed the technique of doing myself, before the lesson, all of the questions I planned to ask the student to do, so I had model answers ready to show the student, and could minimise the amount of concentration I needed during the lesson - keeping it so that I just had to think about how to communicate the physics and not about how to solve the problem as well.  My brain seemed to have difficulty accessing my memories of A level physics, so I had to keep revising and reviewing the core concepts just to keep even vaguely familiar with them, but slowly over time I have found myself forgetting less, and some of my physics ability has been returning. 

What was most distressing was finding myself sometimes struggling to comprehend concepts from A level physics (and beyond) which, prior to 2000, I would have thought of as being fairly basic.  It affected other areas of my life - my yearly holiday to the BA's science festivals - having to switch off and daydream half-way through a talk either because my head was pounding from concentrating, or because I couldn't process what the lecturer was saying (all the while feeling frustrated and stupid knowing that what he was saying should really be well within my ability to understand).  Suffice to say that, even in the last couple of years, I have not been 'firing on all cylinders'.

But, this year, I am seeing signs of the old, vaguely intelligent Mary, returning!  *bounce*
I have been particularly struck by this in the last few days thanks to a catalyst in the form of my lovely friend Rob.  It was all his fault really, because he started a conversation with me about Darwin, the start of the universe, and a few other things... As he talked I realised that my brain was keeping up in a way that it doesn't always, keeping up without much effort - I could almost feel my neurons sparking and my brain-engine firing up.  And this was after a gruelling 24 hours running a conference and participating in a meeting the next day. 

So, thanks to that, and another good chat later in the week with Rob, I figured: if I could think properly, even just a little, after the weekend I had just had, then I should put my brain to the test sometime and see what it could do these days.

Fastforward to this weekend when I had the chance of some leisure-time, and I started to write down my understanding and memory of the start of the universe, and entropy, and the role of life.  I had some questions, so I rushed away to look things up on the internet - I grappled with thermodynamics and entropy equations and, although glossing over the maths a little (next step, re-learn difficult maths), I understood it, I think.  My brain could handle some reasonably difficult ideas without falling over.... wooohoo!

I shall have to be gentle with myself I think, try not to over-do it in my enthusiasm to get back to full brain function, but my excitement at the prospect of being able to tackle degree level physics again is indescribable.  I am thrilled!  It means that at long last I can start working through all the physics/philosophy/maths/etc books that I have acquired over the last ten years but not been able to tackle. 

Today, I dipped into a book called The Goldilocks Enigma, by Paul Davies, all about why the universe is the way it is.   I have had this book a little while, and had tried and failed to get my head around it about a year ago (gave up half way through the first chapter), but today the concepts flowed almost effortlessly into my brain... right up until the moment when I started crying because I was so happy!
OK, no hard maths in the book (yet) but still....  First stop hard concepts, second stop nitty-gritty (equations) to quantify them - I can feel my books on general relativity calling me, but I shall be good and work up to them.  For now though, so far, so good.  Happy Mary.

I've been rather quiet of late - this is in part due to having rather insanely volunteered to single-handedly organise a one-day conference which happened last weekend: www.ElectraCon.org

It's actually quite a lot of work, I found out, organising an event like that.  And I confess I was rather nervous about everything working out OK.  But it did - by all accounts it was an amazing success!  I didn't sleep much in the weeks beforehand, largely being occupied with preparing maps and registration packs and posting them out, then preparing conference packs, badges, final programme etc  Such hard work - but so very worth it when I saw how happy people were to be there.

I had booked a venue that would hold 50 people - and we filled it!  The speakers were all good.  The venue was lovely.  The food and accommodation were excellent.  I cannot really think how it could have gone better.  I held it in Manchester, and we had people coming from Scotland, the Isle of Man, Cornwall....  so I didn't want to disappoint.  But people kept coming up to me saying how professional it all was and how I "obviously had experience organising conferences"... *giggle*... um, nope, this was my first attempt.

Guess I'll be doing one again next year then!

If you want to see what you missed, click on the link above.

Today, I am having a day off :-)

Hi everyone,

Stuart, Tim and I are planning to go to the Cosford Airshow, on Sunday 14th June. 

www.CosfordAirshow.co.uk

Tickets are £20 on the day, £15 in advance, and possibly even cheaper if 10 or more of us decide to go and I can get a group booking. 
The plan would be to car-share if we can, though perhaps getting cheap arriva train tickets for anyone we can't fit into the cars that are going (hopefully not an issue).  Anyone who isn't local, so wouldn't be travelling with us from Manchester, is welcome to join in with this group ticket booking and meet us there.

So, who wants a ticket(s)?  Please comment here or drop me a text: 07751 696 055.

I will book the tickets over Easter weekend, so please let me know by midnight on Good Friday (next Friday 10th April) if you would like to be included in the group booking.

Thanks muchly,

Mary x

Performing in Manchester (well, 2 people pretending to be them are) on Wed 3rd June, at 8pm:

http://www.thelowry.com/WhatsOn/EventDetail.aspx?EventId=3768

After three sell-out tours, Duncan, Tim, the Hippo and the words and music of Flanders and Swann are back. Fresh from headlining at the International Flanders and Swann Festival, playing on Donald Swann's piano and drinking from Michael Flanders' famous Madeira decanter they embark on this - the largest ever Flanders and Swann tour since Flanders and Swann toured. Lifelong fans and the uninitiated alike have delighted in seeing the boys breathe new life into F&S’s wonderful songs including: The Hippopotamus Song, The Gas Man Cometh, The Gnu Song, Omnibus (or A Transport of Delights), A Song of Patriotic Prejudice and Madeira M'Dear. Flanders and Swann’s own brand of inoffensive, gentle but witty and often satirical humour has stood the test of time, remaining popular with all ages.

At the Lowry, Salford Quays, Manchester.
Tickets just £15.

I am going to book tickets for myself, and friends, to go.  Who wants one?

I will make the booking at 10am tomorrow morning, 1st April, so please comment here today if you want a ticket - sorry for the rush on this, but there are only 60 tickets left apparently, so I need to move fast.

YAY!   Flanders and Swann!
 

I've had a lovely day, and a fantastic evening. Life is good. More later :-)

Tomorrow evening I will be in central London after a conference.... who wants to see me? ;-)

*tumbleweed*...

Well, if you do, I will install myself in the following Wetherspoons pub, from 6pmish until about 9pmish (assuming I get the idea that at least one person wants to meet me there and enjoy the cheap drink/food etc):

The Pommelers Rest
196–198 Tower Bridge Road
Tower Bridge
London
SE1 2UN

If you ARE coming, please TEXT me to let me know, so that I can look out for you: 07751 696 055.
(Since I may or may not get the chance to check for replies to this post.)

I'd be happy to see/meet anyone on my friends list, and anyone you might care to bring along that you think I'll get on with.

--

And, while I am here, a big thank you to Nitoda and family, who are putting me up overnight tonight and tomorrow. *THANKS*

Just thought I would mention an event I plan to go to tomorrow, for which they still have a small number of tickets left, if anyone is interested?  You can telephone and reserve a ticket, then turn up and pay on the day.

Unlocking the collections: Gutenberg Bible

Tuesday 10 March, 12noon - 12.45pm, John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester
( http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections/yourvisit/findingus/ )

The 1455 Gutenberg Bible is possibly the most icionic printed book of any period. One of the first books known to be printed with moveable metal type. It has come to represent the birth of European printing and the enormous social and cultural changes that followed.

Take advantage of a rare opportunity to see this treasure and hear some of the controversy which still rages about this milestone in human endeavour.
 

Booking for this event is essential, as spaces are limited.

Tickets £2.50, available from Visitor Services on 0161 306 0555
 

So, I had been invited to a 50th birthday party last night. Someone on the committee of the BVS. Lovely bloke, but I don't know him very well and wanted to get him a birthday gift.

I decided to search for his name on Amazon, to see if he had a wish-list, to make my job easier.

There were 5 people of his name listed, but one of them was clearly him because the info said he had a son called George. So it had to be him.

I ordered a couple of things, which arrived at my house and I wrapped them and handed them to Neil feeling terribly pleased with myself that I had been able to get him things he would like...

... right up until the moment where he looked a bit blank and I found out that he didn't have an amazon wishlist! Doh!

So, somewhere, a bloke called Neil thinks he's been bought 2 things from his wishlist, only he hasn't. And my friend Neil will be having the chance to sample some 'interesting' music and a book/DVD about cycling *giggle* I am just glad that the DVD looked like it would be a good film anyway, whether you are into cycling or not.

Now I think I had better email amazon so they can put those things back on then real Neil's wishlist!

One of my resolutions for 2009 was to de-clutter one thing a week... making 52 things in all.

We are currently at the end of week 7 of 2009, so, what have I de-cluttered?

1. - Paper stash from under hall table
2. - Table/unit that my printer is on
3. - Pile of paperwork on piano stool (was 2 foot high, now gone)
4. - Pile of crap on floor near bed
5. - Pile of crap on floor around rocking chair
6. - Misc trinkets/clutter off bedroom bookcase (reducing them to a sensible number)
7. - Sofa in study (let's see if I can keep it clear this time!)
8. - Top of filing cabinet

Doing ok so far then - go me!