The best thing that's happened this week was that it turned out that we were right and the local authority was wrong. But enough about that.
By the way, I don't know if I've suddenly been discovered by the locals or something, but my readership numbers have shot up, about doubling over the past few months. Since readership numbers have been pretty consistent over five of the past six years, I'm not sure whether to be pleased or disconcerted. You're all very welcome, anyway. Bear in mind that I am, in most circumstances, the irresponsible adult and that nothing I do or say is to be recommended at any time.
An example - the Sage just gave me a slice of cake, cut into two. So I ate the first piece, then the second, then the icing (which I don't much like). Then he came back into the room. Apparently, the slice was meant for both of us. Oh whoops. He didn't say. I've promised that tomorrow will be Baking Day.
It'll also be pancake day. Because we were out all afternoon, it wasn't until after 5 o'clock when I went to the hospital, half past six when I got home whereupon the Sage went to visit, and I remembered pancakes when dinner was more than half cooked, and I was tired by then and had cooked something substantial. So pancakes will be cooked tomorrow instead. We don't exactly take Lent to heart anyway, never giving anything up. Occasionally, I use it as a method of giving myself impetus to do something extra, but it's all a bit artificial, it seems to me.
Where I'm a very poor example is in music lessons. This term, it's all being done on the computer as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago - remixing and mashups and so on - I know reasonably well what it's all about now, but I have made notes on my phone notepad so that I don't get the details wrong of just how to get the tempo, key, echo and so on. Of course, phones are not allowed during the school day and so, although I keep mine on silent, I do haul it out regularly, especially as I don't wear a watch nowadays. When the pupils mention that phones are not permitted, I explain that I make the rules, not follow them and I'm allowed to do things that even the Head may not (true*). And, although my iPhone is much admired, it reinforces the notion that it is for old and staid people, not bright young things, so sales should plummet as soon as the current crop of pupils are old enough to buy their own smartphones.
*Ish. Very ish.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Surely they've conned their parents into buying them already for Christmas/birthday/etc, etc.
Have just (about 9.45) finished my pancake making for this year. Served OH up his for pudding (stuffed with plum/kiwi fruit) whereas the kids went for lemon and sugar.
I gave up wearing a watch years ago. Used to use clock to know when to go and fetch kids from school, and now I'll use my phone if I'm out and I really need to know the time (which, as I get older, seems to be less crucial).
Disconcerted because you're getting more and more popular? Next thing, you'll be turning into a Garboesque recluse. As long as they're not anon spammers, bask in the adulation, my dear!
Kids at your schoool don't already all have iPhoneys?
Bloody hell, they have them in Nursery round here!
Good to see that commericalism hasn't spread to Norfolk. Yet.
This isn't a wealthy part of the country. One boy asked yesterday how I could afford a new iPhone? - I replied that I have worked very hard for the money to buy it. So I can play a straight bat on occasion.
I tend to go the traditional lemon and sugar route with pancakes too.
Dearest Tim, you're one of my newer friends of course, so I certainly don't regret new readers. I don't mind not knowing who they are, either - just wonder how many people who know me read it without telling me. A few friends who've found my blog have told me so, but only three or four.
Interestingly, if one looks at the socio-economic stats, your area probably does better than mine overall. Where I think things differ is that money in your area is 'old' money, whereas round here it's 'new' money and borrowed money.
The attitudes that come with each of them is quite different, even if the net result is the same.
I don't know a teenager who hasn't got a smartphone, or a junior aged pupil who hasn't got a phone of some sort (and I'm talking about know through other kids - ie if I ask a child, "How many children in your calss don't have a phone?" they will look at me as if I am mad, as the answer is, "Everyone!"
I think it's very sad how parents feel they have to get themselves into debt to supply the 'necessary' props of childhood.
But I think it's great that, from your reports, 70 miles down the road this situation doesn't apply. Long may it last.
Ah, but many of the people from higher socio-economic groups send their children to private schools. There is a lot of rural poverty around here. Some of our pupils don't have access to a home computer. And even if you looked at this area specifically, bear in mind that 30% of our pupils come from out of catchment - some from S'wold, some from L'toft, for example, which skews it nicely.
Post a Comment