The weather has turned and spring has begun to sprung. You can tell, everyone is cheerful and active. Sunday last I'm oblivious about, I cannot remember what happened, there was probably some recovering from the Crasken Farm event that would have taken into the mid afternoon. What did I do.......
It's been an action packed week, not with the endless encounters of randomness but constructive stuff - Scary.
Dominick and I had applied to be Penryn Town Councillors sometime before Christmas. The deadline had been December 12th. As a result of the snow on 2nd of Feburary the meeting had been called off. A week later a new date was set for Monday 16th. Strangely on both letters we were; that is the town council applicants, were invited for a cup of tea between 6.30 -7pm. Dom and I had both been confused by these times. Not because they were wrong but how could the Town Council possibly decide who was the right candidate with 5 mins allocated to each prospective. Weird. All the same Dom and I thought we'd give it a go. Though we were a bit predisposed to idea that a born and bred Ryner would get it. Dom being from Redruth had a far better chance than I a foreigner. I had cooked myself a light dinner, thinking that maybe the meeting would over run. Dom phoned at about ten past six. Was I ready? He turned up about 5 mins later. I decided at the last minute to get change. I may still have been in my pyjamas depending on the state of play. Dom was nervous, I was a bit edgy.
We were the first ones at the Town Hall, except for a lady making tea. The were tables set up with chairs, we were invited to take a seat, The way the hall was set up reminded me of a Beetle Drive I had once attended as a Girl Guide. The layout was formulaic of any community space. Dom looked worried. I noticed that Dom had his fisherman's smock on inside out. I made the mistake of mentioning it to him. Nobody else would have noticed but it had agitated Dom. Just as everyone arrived he decided to take it off. All the other candidates were well turned out along with the Councillors. For a split second I felt self concious about deciding to where jeans. Then I chucked the thought out of my head, jeans is what I wear, it's what everybody I know wears, isn't much point pretending to be something your not. I don't necessarily agree that people should put on an effort to sit one the town council. It's there to represent real people; who wear jeans.
Cups of tea were offered and the hall began to fill up. The consensus of people were middle class, middle aged, middle of the middle. We were not going to find many surprises in the room. The first two councilors to speak to us were both men. Keen to know where we were at as people. What do you do? How old are you? How long have you lived here? Nothing challenging just small talk. The small talk continued the most engaging question being "What do you think you can bring to Penryn" the answer "Positive change and empowering younger people to get politically active". No specifics that was it. Had they asked me about Commercial Road or What Penryn needs they would have got different answers. There the problem lies in interview skills, leading questions all that kind of stuff. So with out the councilors having the skills required to find out about the people who apply, how are they making well informed decision about who sits for the Town Council? Therefore who is sitting on the Town Council? Do you catch my drift? Mary May, the Mayor is very nice and I felt really quite at home with the female Councillors, all smaller women of the Celtic variety. They seemed like family.
Mary May then sharply announced amid the babbling talk that the Town Council meeting was about to commence and that all candidates were to leave and would receive the results in the post. Done, dusted. Some candidates were left bewildered. I waited for Dom as he ended his conversation with one of the Councillors. It was quite clear we both needed a drink. We invited the other candidates as well, only Charlie obliged. We went to Bar 20 the kind of place were aspiring politicians should be seen to drink. I don't think. Charley was very posh and had moved to Penryn from Flushing. His Penryn house kept on getting attacked by delinquent kids. Charlie is an interior designer and started out in acting. He had stayed in his parents holiday cottage in Flushing after they had decided to renovate. Incidently it's the pink cottage with the thatched roof and it's own slip. Dom was weirded out, I was diplomatic.
Drinks done I'd arranged to meet Joyce at the Chainlocker, we had a really good chat which has remained unfinished as we started speaking to tall Chris, who used to live on a boat at Islington Wharf. He now lives on Old Hill. I also got chatting to a friend of his ( who I can't remember the name of) who used to live on Kerrera. Kerrera is small Scottish island that borders or even marks the entrance the Oban Bay. He used to own some land there. I used to live in Oban so we had a lot to talk about. More than that we knew the same family at Lerags (where the 'Ring of Brightwater' was shot) and incidently where our friend Bill had blown his brains out with a shotgun, he was a farmer, he was depressed. Joyce had to head of because of work in the morning. Chris said he'd drive me home but first he was going to The Waterfront for folk night. There I met Matt Pontin and Jeremy who were with an old female friend of Matt's, who had studied the photography masters with him, here in Falmouth. They wanted to come out on the boat. Our scheduals didn't fit. Chris and I headed home after and downed a half pint of something, I ran out to meet Chris in his car on the quay. I was regretting the drink I had forgotten that I had to be at a return to work course for confidence building the next day in Truro arrrgggh.
I woke up surprisingly spritely, it was a nice day and found my self jontily heading for the shower on Jubilee Wharf. Then I saw Chris - Troubador Chris and Laura. It could have derailed my day completely but then I saw Alice, who was lovely about it. Made me a cup of decaf tea at Peapods and talked me out of destroying myself. I suppose you have to have the background information for this one. Then I toddled off for the course getting on the bus late but at least coping.
I turned up a half hour late. First question would you like to introduce yourself "Kimberley" and who is your hero "Nina Simone"; easy. The course was better than I thought it would be and the people were pretty decent. Except for this one woman that simply did not know how to be quiet and that's me talking. Her main objective was to learn to listen. She actually gave me a headache. I met a really nice people, Lesley being one and Danelle being the other. I'm hoping that Danelle and I are going to be able to work together on my Industrial Studios project (working title). The next day was similar but I have to say that A4E do deliver a great service and even make sure that you are fed. I felt I was much further along the road to recovery than I thought I was.
Tuesday evening I attended a meeting that was not well publicised about a possible Cornish 'Manefesta', which is kinda like a big moving biennale, that's primary aim was to help reconnect Eastern and Western Europe culturally after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Well that's what I managed to gather anyway. The meeting was disperate with the usual suspect arts crowd attending. As well as a new set of yearly hopefuls from some BA and Masters courses up at the UCF. Nobody really figured out what the panel of about 10 people at the front wanted the attending audience to contribute. Probably just to steal ideas or use the event as evidence of support for 'Manefesta' coming to Cornwall. I don't think that I have ever walked out of the Wooodlane Lecture Theatre with out being followed by a haze of confusion, this event was no different. Remember people it's not you, it's them. I don't think that I could give this event 'Manefesta' my support because it's again a bid by the usual suspects for a C.V. building project. There is no desire for genuine community involvement or positive change within Cornwall. These people are driven by their needs not, by the idea of meeting everybody else's. These few are meant to do well, I think. Belle from Crasken was there, so was Ruth from Collapse. They were both confused too. I considered going to the terrible Woodlane Campus bar for a drink to try and get some understanding or coherency. Then I remembered I probably wouldn't get any. Belle was desperate for something to eat, so was I, we went to Harbour Lights. Then the front. Belle was meeting people from her course, who'd all agreed to go out for a drink, as always not even half the course turned up. I on the other hand bumped into Matt again who was out with John and the same chick from the night before. I decided to tag along with them to the Balti House and have a beer. Jeremy turned up. The poppadoms were good, we got some free dessert, Baileys and chocolate mints. John drove me home, I was tired, I thought there was something wrong with me but I was just tired. It was nice to be driven home, John's nice.
Wednesday evening was a bit hectic, I had tried to get hold of Mole and failed. We had agreed to organise a viewing of a 'Occupation 101' and teach in about the Palestine/Israeli conflict. I didn't know who was bringing the DVD I hadn't got anything from the Red Cross. I felt like I'd failed. I had to get some chips or I was going to faint. Dave was in Bar 20 so I ducked in there to eat them. Hmmm Penrythm had found themselves in the West Briton having been awarded a £4000 grant to by new equipment. Dave pointed out Laura. I told David a story involving a transvestite. Dave was shocked. Having finished my chips I headed back down hill to Peapods, loads of people had already turned up and there was a group with a video camera. I assumed Mole had recruited them.
Wednesday evening was a bit of a mad rush.......that turned into chaos, I blame the anarchists and ended up making and amazing friend called Cait, a significant post a significant week, left unpublished for nearly ten years.
It's been an action packed week, not with the endless encounters of randomness but constructive stuff - Scary.
Dominick and I had applied to be Penryn Town Councillors sometime before Christmas. The deadline had been December 12th. As a result of the snow on 2nd of Feburary the meeting had been called off. A week later a new date was set for Monday 16th. Strangely on both letters we were; that is the town council applicants, were invited for a cup of tea between 6.30 -7pm. Dom and I had both been confused by these times. Not because they were wrong but how could the Town Council possibly decide who was the right candidate with 5 mins allocated to each prospective. Weird. All the same Dom and I thought we'd give it a go. Though we were a bit predisposed to idea that a born and bred Ryner would get it. Dom being from Redruth had a far better chance than I a foreigner. I had cooked myself a light dinner, thinking that maybe the meeting would over run. Dom phoned at about ten past six. Was I ready? He turned up about 5 mins later. I decided at the last minute to get change. I may still have been in my pyjamas depending on the state of play. Dom was nervous, I was a bit edgy.
We were the first ones at the Town Hall, except for a lady making tea. The were tables set up with chairs, we were invited to take a seat, The way the hall was set up reminded me of a Beetle Drive I had once attended as a Girl Guide. The layout was formulaic of any community space. Dom looked worried. I noticed that Dom had his fisherman's smock on inside out. I made the mistake of mentioning it to him. Nobody else would have noticed but it had agitated Dom. Just as everyone arrived he decided to take it off. All the other candidates were well turned out along with the Councillors. For a split second I felt self concious about deciding to where jeans. Then I chucked the thought out of my head, jeans is what I wear, it's what everybody I know wears, isn't much point pretending to be something your not. I don't necessarily agree that people should put on an effort to sit one the town council. It's there to represent real people; who wear jeans.
Cups of tea were offered and the hall began to fill up. The consensus of people were middle class, middle aged, middle of the middle. We were not going to find many surprises in the room. The first two councilors to speak to us were both men. Keen to know where we were at as people. What do you do? How old are you? How long have you lived here? Nothing challenging just small talk. The small talk continued the most engaging question being "What do you think you can bring to Penryn" the answer "Positive change and empowering younger people to get politically active". No specifics that was it. Had they asked me about Commercial Road or What Penryn needs they would have got different answers. There the problem lies in interview skills, leading questions all that kind of stuff. So with out the councilors having the skills required to find out about the people who apply, how are they making well informed decision about who sits for the Town Council? Therefore who is sitting on the Town Council? Do you catch my drift? Mary May, the Mayor is very nice and I felt really quite at home with the female Councillors, all smaller women of the Celtic variety. They seemed like family.
Mary May then sharply announced amid the babbling talk that the Town Council meeting was about to commence and that all candidates were to leave and would receive the results in the post. Done, dusted. Some candidates were left bewildered. I waited for Dom as he ended his conversation with one of the Councillors. It was quite clear we both needed a drink. We invited the other candidates as well, only Charlie obliged. We went to Bar 20 the kind of place were aspiring politicians should be seen to drink. I don't think. Charley was very posh and had moved to Penryn from Flushing. His Penryn house kept on getting attacked by delinquent kids. Charlie is an interior designer and started out in acting. He had stayed in his parents holiday cottage in Flushing after they had decided to renovate. Incidently it's the pink cottage with the thatched roof and it's own slip. Dom was weirded out, I was diplomatic.
Drinks done I'd arranged to meet Joyce at the Chainlocker, we had a really good chat which has remained unfinished as we started speaking to tall Chris, who used to live on a boat at Islington Wharf. He now lives on Old Hill. I also got chatting to a friend of his ( who I can't remember the name of) who used to live on Kerrera. Kerrera is small Scottish island that borders or even marks the entrance the Oban Bay. He used to own some land there. I used to live in Oban so we had a lot to talk about. More than that we knew the same family at Lerags (where the 'Ring of Brightwater' was shot) and incidently where our friend Bill had blown his brains out with a shotgun, he was a farmer, he was depressed. Joyce had to head of because of work in the morning. Chris said he'd drive me home but first he was going to The Waterfront for folk night. There I met Matt Pontin and Jeremy who were with an old female friend of Matt's, who had studied the photography masters with him, here in Falmouth. They wanted to come out on the boat. Our scheduals didn't fit. Chris and I headed home after and downed a half pint of something, I ran out to meet Chris in his car on the quay. I was regretting the drink I had forgotten that I had to be at a return to work course for confidence building the next day in Truro arrrgggh.
I woke up surprisingly spritely, it was a nice day and found my self jontily heading for the shower on Jubilee Wharf. Then I saw Chris - Troubador Chris and Laura. It could have derailed my day completely but then I saw Alice, who was lovely about it. Made me a cup of decaf tea at Peapods and talked me out of destroying myself. I suppose you have to have the background information for this one. Then I toddled off for the course getting on the bus late but at least coping.
I turned up a half hour late. First question would you like to introduce yourself "Kimberley" and who is your hero "Nina Simone"; easy. The course was better than I thought it would be and the people were pretty decent. Except for this one woman that simply did not know how to be quiet and that's me talking. Her main objective was to learn to listen. She actually gave me a headache. I met a really nice people, Lesley being one and Danelle being the other. I'm hoping that Danelle and I are going to be able to work together on my Industrial Studios project (working title). The next day was similar but I have to say that A4E do deliver a great service and even make sure that you are fed. I felt I was much further along the road to recovery than I thought I was.
Tuesday evening I attended a meeting that was not well publicised about a possible Cornish 'Manefesta', which is kinda like a big moving biennale, that's primary aim was to help reconnect Eastern and Western Europe culturally after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Well that's what I managed to gather anyway. The meeting was disperate with the usual suspect arts crowd attending. As well as a new set of yearly hopefuls from some BA and Masters courses up at the UCF. Nobody really figured out what the panel of about 10 people at the front wanted the attending audience to contribute. Probably just to steal ideas or use the event as evidence of support for 'Manefesta' coming to Cornwall. I don't think that I have ever walked out of the Wooodlane Lecture Theatre with out being followed by a haze of confusion, this event was no different. Remember people it's not you, it's them. I don't think that I could give this event 'Manefesta' my support because it's again a bid by the usual suspects for a C.V. building project. There is no desire for genuine community involvement or positive change within Cornwall. These people are driven by their needs not, by the idea of meeting everybody else's. These few are meant to do well, I think. Belle from Crasken was there, so was Ruth from Collapse. They were both confused too. I considered going to the terrible Woodlane Campus bar for a drink to try and get some understanding or coherency. Then I remembered I probably wouldn't get any. Belle was desperate for something to eat, so was I, we went to Harbour Lights. Then the front. Belle was meeting people from her course, who'd all agreed to go out for a drink, as always not even half the course turned up. I on the other hand bumped into Matt again who was out with John and the same chick from the night before. I decided to tag along with them to the Balti House and have a beer. Jeremy turned up. The poppadoms were good, we got some free dessert, Baileys and chocolate mints. John drove me home, I was tired, I thought there was something wrong with me but I was just tired. It was nice to be driven home, John's nice.
Wednesday evening was a bit hectic, I had tried to get hold of Mole and failed. We had agreed to organise a viewing of a 'Occupation 101' and teach in about the Palestine/Israeli conflict. I didn't know who was bringing the DVD I hadn't got anything from the Red Cross. I felt like I'd failed. I had to get some chips or I was going to faint. Dave was in Bar 20 so I ducked in there to eat them. Hmmm Penrythm had found themselves in the West Briton having been awarded a £4000 grant to by new equipment. Dave pointed out Laura. I told David a story involving a transvestite. Dave was shocked. Having finished my chips I headed back down hill to Peapods, loads of people had already turned up and there was a group with a video camera. I assumed Mole had recruited them.
Wednesday evening was a bit of a mad rush.......that turned into chaos, I blame the anarchists and ended up making and amazing friend called Cait, a significant post a significant week, left unpublished for nearly ten years.
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