Sunday, November 26, 2006
No presents, more leaflets
Well, the weekend’s shopping didn’t go quite according to plan. Despite spending six hours in Manchester on Saturday afternoon / evening, I didn’t manage to buy a single present, and spent fifteen unnecessary pounds on food from the Christmas Markets instead. I think I suffer from some kind of "Shopper's Bewilderment." There's so much choice that I go a bit mad, and am incapable of any kind of purchase whatsoever. There's the whole new wing of the Arndale Centre to explore as well, which added a whole extra dimension to the problem.
I think next weekend I will change my tactics, and go alone rather than with friends. I can’t bring myself to put them through my hours of agonising over what to get for people, but I can easily do it to myself. If I start at 9 and stop at 6, I should at least buy something. Even if it is only my lunch.
It was a much more successful weekend on the Focus delivery front. The new edition of St Mary’s Focus has been finished and we started the rounds yesterday. The group out on Saturday managed to knock off Gardner Road and the surrounding streets, and today we knocked off Agecroft Rd. I also added Mountside Crescent to the “done” list, which is always one I enjoy putting to bed because of the steps and hill-climbing involved. It gets no flatter no matter how many time I do it.
I have been informed by my friendly Focus colleagues that I look "Like something out of a 1970's band" on the front cover photo. I must admit that my Grandpa's sheepskin coat was perhaps not the best item of clothing to be wearing for the photo, but then I didn't know it was happening, so I can't be blamed. If any reader has any more complimentary suggestions as to what I may look like (I myself quite fancy "dashing"), then please let me know. Whatever I look like, it's a lot better than what Donal O'Hanlon and I are pictured in front of - the still-cordoned-off Retreat fountain, which is in dire need of demolition to be replaced with more seating, more greenery, and become the town centrepiece that residents want and deserve.
I think next weekend I will change my tactics, and go alone rather than with friends. I can’t bring myself to put them through my hours of agonising over what to get for people, but I can easily do it to myself. If I start at 9 and stop at 6, I should at least buy something. Even if it is only my lunch.
It was a much more successful weekend on the Focus delivery front. The new edition of St Mary’s Focus has been finished and we started the rounds yesterday. The group out on Saturday managed to knock off Gardner Road and the surrounding streets, and today we knocked off Agecroft Rd. I also added Mountside Crescent to the “done” list, which is always one I enjoy putting to bed because of the steps and hill-climbing involved. It gets no flatter no matter how many time I do it.
I have been informed by my friendly Focus colleagues that I look "Like something out of a 1970's band" on the front cover photo. I must admit that my Grandpa's sheepskin coat was perhaps not the best item of clothing to be wearing for the photo, but then I didn't know it was happening, so I can't be blamed. If any reader has any more complimentary suggestions as to what I may look like (I myself quite fancy "dashing"), then please let me know. Whatever I look like, it's a lot better than what Donal O'Hanlon and I are pictured in front of - the still-cordoned-off Retreat fountain, which is in dire need of demolition to be replaced with more seating, more greenery, and become the town centrepiece that residents want and deserve.
# posted by Richard Baum @ 19:21 
