Whatsapp versus phoning?

I wonder where you sit upon the following issue.

Some of my friends and family take great umbrage that I am not on Whatsapp.  They say to me, "I could stay in touch with you better if you were on Whatsapp. I could send you photos and regular messages."

My archaic phone, once upon a time, DID have Whatsapp but as is the way, they send you a message saying that "This operating system will stop supporting Whatsapp by blah blah a date."
I've therefore not had Whatsapp for a couple of years.

When making plans, I always want to phone the person and speak to them about making plans, whereas it seems the norm for everyone else, even when only one or two people are involved is to do it on Whatsapp.

I get that Whatsapp is useful for making group plans, e.g. a music group, a family who wants to get together, meaning that everyone gets the message at the same time, but is it stopping us from talking? Is it causing procrastination? Is it stopping us from committing to something in the moment and trying to give us an 'escape clause?' from having to socialise?

I do like reading CBC's Whatsapp chats from his family and it is a great way to share photos. But is it a place for meaningful communication?
Do we even want meaningful communication or do we prefer surface level conversation?

I know there have been bullying incidents in school from Whatsapp and other group communication apps.

I've spoken to several friends and family and they say, "I prefer to send people a Whatsapp (or text) so I don't disturb them." and "I rarely phone people now." when catching up with someone.

But when did we start worrying about 'disturbing' our friends?  Surely, if they are friends, we can say, "Oh sorry, it's not a good time," and no one will object?
The trouble is, Whatsapp needs you to have a Data/Wifi connection, to have your phone close-by, ready to look at any moment for this to happen.

Also, you can't rely on everyone getting the message in time or replying in time, thus resulting in hanging around for a reply.  I prefer to phone because I will then get an instant answer or at least know the person is more likely to hear the phone and give me an answer.
Take the case of Sunday.  CBC and his brother were communicating by Whatsapp about meeting for a walk.  Everyone was being a bit lazy about getting up and CBC said, "I don't think it's going to happen."  He therefore took a leisurely approach to the morning.

All of sudden, he said, "Ahrgh, T is on a train to x!".  T had sent a Whatsapp saying he was on his way out to Essex and CBC had gone downstairs, made himself coffee, breakfast, was ironing shirts for school. A frantic scramble ensued because T had assumed CBC was at the end of the phone.

Is Whatsapp a lazy way to stay in touch? You don't really have to engage with the person properly to use it?   Or do you?
It seems useful for example because my sister and I hardly talk anymore because she is always busy boxing, running, working, looking after my niece and I've stopped trying to phone so much because it feels like I never choose a good time to call?    Would it be worth getting Whatsapp to at least have a regular way of communication with her? That said, I miss our chats on the phone we used to have.

Over to you?  How do you feel about this?

x

The 8 R's for the Environment

I saw something wonderful on Instagram that I wanted to share on here.  An Artist called @Tozersigns (Her website is here.) made a mural for @ZeroGreenBristol's refit. Their website is here. 
We've always been told the 3 R's-  Reuse, Reduce, Recycle but even-better- there are 8 R's!!!!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tozer Signwriter (@tozersigns) on Mar 9, 2019 at 3:50am PST

That's beautiful, isn't it!

Recycle- Close the Loop and remake:

Yep- done.  I recycle everything I can, even to the extent of carrying round rubbish with me from other people.
Refuse- Don't consume what you don't need to.

Yep- done.  I refuse boxes and straws and cups and bags.

Reduce- reduce consumption of energy and materials

Done partly.  Although the majority of my wardrobe etc is second-hand, I still own a lot of new things I don't need and jewellery etc.
That said, I do try to walk where possible, turn off lights for me and other people (I am the light and Smartboard Police at work) and try not to take new things.

Reuse- Share with others and find new uses for old objects.

Yep- done.
I have tried to send items of clothing to friends, sell them.  I've tried to reuse items such as the plastic fruit boxes and takeaway boxes etc, paper bags, cereal bag.

Repair- Fix or upgrade your objects rather than throwing them away.

Done only partly.
I got my sunglasses fixed by a friend.  I have repaired a holdall with a rip in it with an old umbrella cover (which I now need to do with another bag).

Re-gift-  Share and be a part of the gift economy.

Definitely done this on various occasions where a gift hasn't quite worked for me.

Recover - Energy and materials recovery and upcycle.

Hmmm, not so sure about this though I frequently save items from binning at school (e.g. scrap paper, gift bags etc).

And finally
Re-think- Be mindful of your consumption, your relationship with things and with the Earth.

Definitely trying to do this.  We 'rethought' a trip to Italy by travelling by train.  I rethink how I pack and how I consume.

Two others you could include:

Research:  Not happy with something to do with waste?  Research a way to solve it!

Reach out/React:  Tell companies when you are not happy about the way they are doing something.

Respect:  Assess what you are doing.  Are you showing respect for the Earth and your local, national, global environment.


What do you think? Can you think of any R's to add to this dialogue?

xx

Fed up with Plugged in!

You know there's a rant coming!
I am a fast walker when I walk. I also now cycle to the station but on the way to work, I need to cycle a section on the pavement on the main road to the station because the road is really narrow and the drivers are really aggressive at rush hour.  I am aware that it is not ideal that I need to cycle on the pavement for this section.  But there aren't loads of pedestrians at that time and I am always careful and either go around or jump off my bike and run in front of them.

But the fact is....I am getting increasingly tired of pedestrians who are
a) walking with ear phones in
b) walking looking down at their phone.

They have NO awareness of ANYONE around them.  I am surprised that there are not more accidents.  They also walk slower than anyone who is unplugged and somehow seem to walk right in the middle of the pavement but irritatingly veer from side to side slightly meaning it is really hard to get past them.  Why are they so oblivious to the world around them?  I always say, "Sorry, I am just nipping past you when I go past people.  The ones who are plugged in have no idea and it just makes me sad that people are not noticing the world around them.
I then look around me in the train carriage.  The other day, out of the 23 people in my section of the carriage, 19 people had earphones in. I just find it really sad.  Yes, I do look at my phone on the train (I also read), but I do have an awareness of those around me!

Let's unplug and gain some awareness of the world around us!

The evil of polystyrene

CBC had to go to school for a musical rehearsal during the holiday and I got a lift with him to his school and decided to walk to the seafront  and the pier from his school.  It was a mile or so to the pier and by the time I reached the pier, I was really hungry.  I really wanted some takeaway chips as I wanted to walk and eat on the go to get the full seaside experience.

As you may have realised, I have been really trying hard with the whole refusing plastic and reusing rather than taking anything, as you may have read in this post.  The top item on my "NO!" hitlist is polystyrene.  I will choose not to buy something from somewhere and go without rather than take it. It is notoriously difficult to recycle it and the majority of people, even if it WAS easy to recycle, use it when they are eating takeaways (chips, kebabs, burgers...) or hot drink cups and will NOT make the effort to keep it or recycle it- they just chuck it in the bin. It may be different in your area but unfortunately, the average person where I live absolutely doesn't give a stuff about recycling and just wants to chuck their polystyrene box away asap.

Well, as I was walking along the esplanade, I just seemed to see reams and reams of people eating takeaways from polystyrene trays, cones or cups which made me mutter in a rather Mad Lady way about polystyrene.  I went into about 5 fish and chip shops to ask what they served their takeaway chips and all said that they served it in polystyrene trays.  I shook my head sadly and walked away as they said that, noticed a family of 6 chucking their polystyrene trays into the bin.

Finally, in one place, she said that they serve it in polystyrene with a piece of paper round it and I asked if I could please craft my own cone out of the paper instead of taking a cone.  She said that that was fine.  I used to work in a chip shop as a teenager and we served our takeaway chips in cones that we made out of folded paper.  She gave me the paper and it transpired that I hadn't forgotten how to make the cone.  I handed it back and it functioned perfectly well as a cone.  I had a little plastic bag in my handbag that I had kept in there to be useful and I just put this as the bottom to soft it from leaking. It was fine.  Oh, and as a side-note, I shunned the plastic forks and instead used the wooden chipfork that lives in my handbag (and has been reused a few times) 

I honestly believe that polystyrene trays and takeaway containers should be banned. Let's be honest- they NEVER end up in the recycling. Paper/card alternatives should and CAN be found.  In Hexham last week, CBC and I were on the go and felt a little peckish and yet again, not expecting this, I didn't have my silicone collapsible container with me (which I ALWAYS carry if I know I am going to buy food on the go).   We went into the chip shop in the square in Beaumont street in Hexham I asked how they served their takeaway chips and they said the evil P word.  I asked if they had an eco-friendly alternative and typically, it being Hexham, they did- they had some Eco-containers (thick card) but we had to pay 30p for it.  We chose to do that because we didn't want the Polystyrene, but it proves there IS a solution!

Will you join me and REFUSE Polystyrene. I may start a petition at 38 Degrees to ban the use of Polystyrene in takeaway containers because I do think it is is awful!

On the same subject, there is a petition to try to get Walkers to use Recyclable crisp packets! I would love you to sign it also! I love crisps and feel awful that I am contributing to packaging so bad for the environment!

x

Splitting the Bill

After my discussion about the demise of the RSVP, I thought I'd bring you another topic I have been thinking about to find out what you think.

I went out for lunch for a birthday. It was pleasant, with people I really like.  I ate Udon and vegetable and prawn tempura. It was quite nice.  I then followed it with a Chrysanthemum tea.  I drank water because that's what I drink at home usually with my meal and I'm not particularly bothered about drinking anything else. Even though I am out for a treat, I'm not extravagant for the sake of extravagance (especially with a wedding to save for).  The bill came to the table and I, knowing my portion had come to £12 when I'd ordered, fished the money out, plus a 10% tip (£1.50 or so) and thought, 'I am sorted, I don't need to faff with cards or change'.  Then someone said, "That's £25 each.".  At which point, I looked down at my money and thought, "I am now going to have to double what I've put here,". 

And this, ladies and gentlemen (Adam, WOMOTM, Chris of the Chrlog, Stev/phen, CBC) is where I find myself in a dilemma.

Because I am so rarely a drinker, or don't buy expensive drinks or don't always have a dessert or extras and often go for a veggie or smaller option, I invariably end up getting stung with splitting the bill! CBC's birthday last year I ended up paying out £30 for a £9 meal (!!!!) and everytime I end up feeling really uptight and cross (when I am embarassed this is how it translates).  Today, I obviously looked disgruntled/dismayed/askew because either CBC or someone else asked if I had enough (and then people started saying, "Oh CBC and Kezzie could pay a little less because they didn't have starters (we came late) and we could all put in a pound more," at which point I feel a complete cad if I take it up (but also- how much is a little less more? How much was a starter? This is all so unclear as it invariably is when someone throws a comment like this into the equation! Nobody ever states anything specific) and I threw across my £25 to the pile.  CBC started saying to me, "Don't worry Kezzie, I'll put in a bit extra and you can pay less," which of COURSE I didn't want him to do, because he doesn't have much money and why should he have to pay more for me.  He then took back £10 of mine (based on the CBC and K pay less) and he himself put in £28 (which then confused matters because someone thought only one of us had paid because of the card) which he gave to me later (I didn't understand what .was going on at the time and was confused when they said something about CBC only putting in £15 and then his card. 

(I'm sorry if anyone who was there ends up reading this but I wanted to put it out there for debate)

Now, I feel mean saying this, I really do and I'd feel mean saying anything about it, it really does feel .  I feel embarassed about it- because it is embarassing to say, "Look guys, can we just pay for what we had," or, "Er, actually, I don't want to pay for someone else's food," (if out with people, I am happy to say in certain situations, "I will pay," but it's the assumption or the not thinking that I find hard in these situations!  And the silly thing is, in most situations, people I usually go out for dinners with are usually friends, and I am quite sure (at least I hope!) , if they knew the situation and I could state it clearly, would be fine with paying our own.

But the thing is, I wish there could be a vote in each situation, I wish people could say, "Shall we split the bill or pay for what we had?" because then that embarassment would be avoided, especially with friends.  Because I find it really hard to speak out, I really do- I know it's then my own fault for not speaking out, but you look like a meanie, I felt a meanie, I felt selfish, I feel selfish, I feel bad and guilty about it everytime it happens.  Even if I had the most expensive meal (probably more so, in fact, I have in the past- said, "No, I had more, I should pay more," which is funny that I can mention it when I don't look like a meanie!) I would still want to pay my portion. I do think every meal should be dealt with case by case.  I know it's done for ease of getting on with it, or because we/you are a group of friends etc and it comes from the 'My round thing' but I do find it hard. Especially not being a drinker- I don't drink much of anything when I go out!  Money was very tight during my childhood- I was blessed with so many opportunities and things to do in my childhood and always had what I needed, but food and drink was something that we didn't spend loads of money on, much of my diet was based on allotment produce.  My Mum didn't have much and she gave us so sacrificially and these experiences do make us who we are. I have experienced debt and I don't like it!
Perhaps I am feeling sensitive regarding financial matters at the moment because I feel like CBC thinks I am a complete meanie (he doesn't because he has a kind and understanding heart- however the devil whispers in your ear!) , Scrooge, cheapskate, whatever, over the wedding because I keep saying, to everything he says, "But how much will that cost?" or "How are we going to pay for that?" because we already have an idea of how much we're going to spend and we don't have enough even with our saving plan, but I do believe that I am realistic and I hope that I will always live within my means.  I don't mean to sound like I don't want to spend ANY money but I feel that, by saying it, at least we are consciously thinking about it and not getting so wrapped up in the 'I want' that we forget to be realistic! I am digressing here away from the main subject so I will shut up but I'd love to know what you think about the issue of splitting the bill?!

Yes or no?

Photo storage?

Hey there!  Can I ask any of you! I can't seem to actually upload ANY photos to Blogger!  Before, it said I could do it if they were below a certain size and so when I just posted unedited photos it let them go up!  Now it won't let me post ANY photos saying I am over my 1Gb limit!  Have any of you bought the storage plan at all!  A few people have said in the past that they paid £5 for storage but now the storage plan seems to be $2.50 a month. Alternatively, you can upgrade to Google+ but it seems to be a bit like Facebook which I don't really want (someone talked about it as a rival to Facebook) because I really don't want a social network thingie like that, not least because of School etc! Has anyone done of these options?  What have you others done?  Has anyone done this recently please?  I would be grateful for advice because I really don't understand the Google instructions and messages that they send me to!  I really wish there was a PERSON I could speak to when I don't understand Google things! 
Anyway, please help! Any advice in idiot-proof words would be muchly appreciated!

My day was lovely!  The wedding was really lovely.  The bride looked absolutely beautiful- she wore a lovely lace dress- the top was like Kate Middleton- a lace v-neck over a bodiced dress but the whole thing was lace.  She wore burgundy shoes and a cross necklace- simple but beautiful and elegant!  The service was a real blessing.  Every one of her five children did a reading- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13- shared between 2, Psalm 27, Isaiah 54:11-17, Jeremiah 29:11.  We sangs The Lord's my shepherd (Stuart Townend), In Christ alone, Love divine, He who would valiant be.   The message by the pastor was simple and lovely, they went back down the aisle to 20th Century Boy by T-rex the reception chilled, and a nice time.  My voice, well, I shouldn't have been singing, it was on the brink, but at least I sort of sang even though it cut out on anything above a B so at least it returned for a bit.  I will try my best tomorrow!  I do keep thinking about those possible nodules on my vocal chords though.  Hoping and praying I haven't damaged them...

Hope you are well xx



I'd share photos but I can't so