onionbagblog
Timber!
'Look, here's the Stockwell Christmas Tree. I told you about this twelve months ago, and chances are that I will be telling you about it in twelve months time. This must mean the end of onionbagblog.'
But I had a change of heart, brought on once again by routine.
I work / I play / I blog about it.
The four years that have followed have more or less repeated this predictable pattern. Cricket, lido, velodrome, Dulwich Hamlet, ice hockey, basketball, photography - it' what I'm about. But there has been a few changes over the years, perhaps more so in the past twelve months, than what has taken place previously.
I like to look at things locally rather than the wider picture. This probably holds me back and keeps me insular - but why worry about things that are way off your radar, when you can hopefully make a difference a lot closer to home?
If you only read one post on this blog each year, this is a good place to start. Here's what has been happening in my little patch of South London since we were last acquainted with the Stockwell Christmas tree. Apologies if you are about to receive the following piece of self-indulgence twaddle in the Christmas card I'm about to send to you.
And so in a year where the global picture has been one of gloom and doom, I've been rather positive in terms of paying off the mortgage(s) this year. Six jobs and counting, and I'm in the fortunate position to be able to turn work down. Work to Live, not Live to Work, but I don't like to turn my nose up at hard cash when it's on offer.
I've never worked so many hours, but with the majority of my earning power allowing me to work remotely from home, I've found the perfect work / life balance.
My main source of income is for a rather lovely little company that in the past twelve months has taken on truly global ambitions. The original ethos of the organisation has remained, and it really is wonderful to be part of an operation that is able to look further a field, yet still maintain an almost family like status amongst staff.
Much of this is achieved through the close nature of working online in small teams. It's what you would expect from a company working within a web 2.0 environment, but the implementation, management and speed of which the new technology is rolled out really is quite amazing. Staff updates in a poxy newsletter? Pah. We get a podcast.
Such an observation would have been totally out of place in previous Stockwell Christmas Tree posts. The pace of change in the past twelve months though has had a positive impact on my work / life balance. Exciting times ahead hopefully for the next year.
Elsewhere in the world of work (I did tell you that I've become a wage slave of late...)
The work / life balance has seen me losing pretty much all interest in watching football. No worries - it gives me more time to work. Just as one line of work within a national news organisation seemed to have dried up, with perfect timing (and totally unexpected) came an offer to work on an online football project for the same company. Fantasy stuff.
Spot the irony of becoming disenfranchised from football after twenty years because of the commercialisation of the game, only to go and earn money working within football.
I still managed to slip in a trip to see young Nigel. I was optimistic when I saw the No. 9 take to the dugout wearing his boots. My hope for 2009 is that I get to see the Young Man in action for one final time.
After four years of writing a weekly sports column for the SLP, I sadly had to let this go. Something had to give.
The labour of love remains Somewhere in SE17. It's certainly not because of the money that took me back to school for one day a week this year. I'm given a roving role to walk around all day, creating as much multi-media content as possible, and then putting it all together on the school site. The podcasts are great fun - all one take wonders from the brilliant kids as well.
I'm pretty pleased with the site that I've built from scratch myself, and with the school itself about to start a structural re-build, I've got some great ideas with where I want to go with the school website in the next twelve months.
Officially 'outstanding,' even 'inspiring,' according to The Times; working with such enthusiastic staff and highly creative kids, I come away from Somewhere in SE17 each week genuinely uplifted, if a little knackered.
I've had interest from other schools, wanting a similar service. A different school site for each day of the week come Stockwell Christmas Tree 2009? Possibly, but I would need to pull back the labour investment. The labour of love (and added hours) works for Somewhere in SE17, but I would need to cost it more realistically before it becomes a stand alone, and profitable, project.
Other bits and bobs pull in the pennies (or not, as the case may be.)
And so that's the work side of the deal done and dusted - what about play?
Overrated.
It's been work, work work, and I'm rather happy in what I'm doing right now. Watching sport has suffered as a consequence. It's rather hard to plan your work commitments around a Dulwich Hamlet fixture list that shows little regard for season ticket holders. Match days and kick-off times change by the hour.
There is fighting talk though of a Boxing Day trip back down Trentside for a six pointer against Doncaster. I'm slightly concerned that I will be sucked back into all things Forest once again. It took me almost five years to get over that first relegation. As for the FA Cup final - I still spit at the TV screen whenever Spurs appear.
We're starting to get back in to the basketball swing of things, and the Topcats at Brixton are making a real go of it down at the Rec. Sadly ice hockey at Streatham has been lost to work / apathy. A freezing barn late on a Sunday night is not the way I choose to spend my spare time.
In terms of participation, my sporting interests in the past year have shifted from high impact to coffin dodger status. The knackered knee took care of this.
I've officially retired from football, and I'm rather happy with this decision. Being kicked around a park whilst your team 'mates' swear at you is not a great way to spend a Saturday morning. Road running and circuit training have also both been lost, with varying degrees of regret.
Compensating for these losses has been much love for le velo. I'm A Herne Hill regular, putting in the laps, and finding out that I'm actually *whisper* half decent at this track racing lark.
The morning swim sets me up for the day, ideally outdoors; if not Clap'ham, but never the nonsense that is Brixton Rec. The May - September lovely lido season was a great success this year. The Cold Water Swimming Championships at Tooting was just plain bonkers. Brace yourself - there's another Brockwell icicles initiation ceremony coming up in a few weeks. It's so much more than simply swimming in SE24. There's a genuine lido community that has grown up over the years, and it's always a pleasure to spend my summers with such lovely people.
I thought the same would be true at The Oval this summer, joining up as a Surrey Member and taking up my place in the old pavilion with the other bitter and twisted old boys. I thought that I had a pessimistic approach to life, but much like listening to a Morrissey album, I came away from The Oval each time this summer realising that I'm a natural optimist when compared to the woe of others.
Surrey being utter shite for the whole summer didn't do much to spread any cheer amongst the old boys. Back again next year, Member's subscription already paid. Did I mention that my 'remote working' arrangement allows me to earn whilst sitting on my arse at The Oval?
Technology is proving to be a huge turn on. My bike budget for the year was blown on computers instead. I added to the iMac with a MacBook; completing the hierarchy is everyone's favourite ultra compact sub-price notebook. All three are performing perfectly, carrying out the purpose for which they were purchased. Plus I managed to slip in a new new iPod.
And then along came the Pipex knobbers over the summer month's, making the self-facilitating media node rather redundant, as I was offline for six weeks.
Don't even mention the double whammy of the 'officially shite' 3 mobile broadband (now pushing a whopping 13kbps.)
After riding out the free Pipex connection as way of compensation, I'm about to switch to Be.
My dock in the iMac pretty much describes how I organise and operate my life right now. twhirl keeps me in touch with the twitterati (join in!) NetNewsWire dumps my daily news feeds in one handy location; Xtorrent keeps me entertained and Skype keeps me in contact.
Video is hopefully the future for the year ahead. I've just bought a Flip camera, and I'm full of ideas about where this may take me, both online and offline. Loving viddler, and also blip for SE17 related content.
Photography holds an interest, although after completing a Photoshop course (you cheat! You scoundrel! You bounder!) I'm drawn in more to the manipulation of imagery, rather than the beauty of out of the box photography.
Still a WWSI regular, mind.
Other selected highlights from the past year...
I've seen DPW, the boy Bragg (and again.) And Weller (and again.) I'm ever optimistic for a Crazyhead comeback next year. Twice would just be a little too greedy.
The new front door came and went, and then came again. 'A new front door by Christmas,' they promised us around this time last year. I didn't realise they meant Christmas 2009. The end product (and second door) is actually half decent. Such a shame that I had to spend two thirds of the year dealing with knobbers and not door knockers. Applying four coats of yatch varnish is very therapeutic though. Likewise for whitewashing anything that moves.
Keeping the front door company (and firmly bolted up with a bin chastity belt) is wheelie bin #5 - our fifth in sixth months. It's a bit of a pain taking the padlock off once a week during collection day, but it was getting slightly embarrassing asking the Council for a new bin quicker than they could empty it.
My Art Deco Dream Home along the Clap'ham Road finally went the way of the bulldozer. A modernist period piece, totally unique to the area, and now lost in the name of a 'landscaped public square providing the perfect setting for a planned array of cafe's, bars, eateries and shops.' Can't f-ing wait for the new Freemans development to be complete, me.
Likewise the Bonker's Bible Basher Boozer across the road disappeared off my SW8 radar. Can't say I miss the place (or the weekend noise.) The building remains empty, and with 2016 forecast as the first shoots of economic recovery, it seems as though any locals wanting a pint of Guinness and a Pentecostal service combined, is going to be left disappointed. Amen to that.
I was blessed with a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore (and photograph) the Deep level Shelter at Clap'ham North. 'The band' also turned out to be rather photo-friendly.
Brighton continues to be a possible destination for early semi-retirement. If I were a betting man, Blakeney would just edge it. The Lakes came VERY close, but no cigar.
Routine kicked in when we sat sail for the annual onionbagblog boat trip. Likewise for the trip to Lord's with the Glam Girly Friend, the Crystal Palace Grand Prix and the Lambeth Show (first signs of the annual highlight in the Lambeth calendar going a bit crap.) The Cans Festival was rather cool, as was the art deco fair at the lovely lido.
Summer came and went, and so did my debut on the wonderful Bike Show with Jacques Thurston on Resonance Radio.
I finally made it to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club Championships, but I was slightly out of place without my copy of the Daily Mail. Not to worry - it was round about this time that I was falling in love with the new Weller album. The romance is still going strong.
We had a reduced Globe season this summer - a combination of work commitments and a dodgy back. Still time for the Smithfield Nocturne though, not to mention losing myself for an hour mid-summer at the glorious Walled Garden at Brockwell Park, followed later in the month by Chumleigh Gardens.
Korfball came and went for another year on Clap'ham Common. My playing days are long over, but as long as there are essential photo-journalism images to capture as above, I think I'll be sniffing around for some time to come.
The Rise Festival up in North London wasn't so much about anti-racism this year, but the brilliant Kitty, Daisy & Lewis. Brixton Splash created ,um, a splash yet again.
The Indian Summer saw the Stockwell Festival return to its spiritual home of Larkhall Park. It was an al fresco event for the Nottingham Beer Festival as well, a contender for one of the happiest afternoons I've had over the past twelve months.
Stockwell had a new face in the brilliant October sunshine. I'm pleased to report that the Bronze Woman remains resplendent, looking out over the Memorial Gardens.
And what of my aims that I addressed for the twelve’s months ahead this time last year? Events, dear boy, events. Who can predict the path we take? I've more or less stayed on course; my knackered knee situation is resolved (it's staying knackered.) My 'toenail situation' is now sorted. It's not a great list of achievements to tick off your To Do list for the year, but you know - work...
As for 2009?
I've got BIG plans for a BIG SW8 online project. It may or may not happen, but on paper it looks perfect. Just need to implement it now.
Have a good one.
technorati: stockwell christmas tree
| Monday 1 December, 2008 |
'Look, here's the Stockwell Christmas Tree. I told you about this twelve months ago, and chances are that I will be telling you about it in twelve months time. This must mean the end of onionbagblog.'
But I had a change of heart, brought on once again by routine.
I work / I play / I blog about it.
The four years that have followed have more or less repeated this predictable pattern. Cricket, lido, velodrome, Dulwich Hamlet, ice hockey, basketball, photography - it' what I'm about. But there has been a few changes over the years, perhaps more so in the past twelve months, than what has taken place previously.
I like to look at things locally rather than the wider picture. This probably holds me back and keeps me insular - but why worry about things that are way off your radar, when you can hopefully make a difference a lot closer to home?
If you only read one post on this blog each year, this is a good place to start. Here's what has been happening in my little patch of South London since we were last acquainted with the Stockwell Christmas tree. Apologies if you are about to receive the following piece of self-indulgence twaddle in the Christmas card I'm about to send to you.
And so in a year where the global picture has been one of gloom and doom, I've been rather positive in terms of paying off the mortgage(s) this year. Six jobs and counting, and I'm in the fortunate position to be able to turn work down. Work to Live, not Live to Work, but I don't like to turn my nose up at hard cash when it's on offer.
I've never worked so many hours, but with the majority of my earning power allowing me to work remotely from home, I've found the perfect work / life balance.
My main source of income is for a rather lovely little company that in the past twelve months has taken on truly global ambitions. The original ethos of the organisation has remained, and it really is wonderful to be part of an operation that is able to look further a field, yet still maintain an almost family like status amongst staff.
Much of this is achieved through the close nature of working online in small teams. It's what you would expect from a company working within a web 2.0 environment, but the implementation, management and speed of which the new technology is rolled out really is quite amazing. Staff updates in a poxy newsletter? Pah. We get a podcast.
Such an observation would have been totally out of place in previous Stockwell Christmas Tree posts. The pace of change in the past twelve months though has had a positive impact on my work / life balance. Exciting times ahead hopefully for the next year.
Elsewhere in the world of work (I did tell you that I've become a wage slave of late...)
The work / life balance has seen me losing pretty much all interest in watching football. No worries - it gives me more time to work. Just as one line of work within a national news organisation seemed to have dried up, with perfect timing (and totally unexpected) came an offer to work on an online football project for the same company. Fantasy stuff.
Spot the irony of becoming disenfranchised from football after twenty years because of the commercialisation of the game, only to go and earn money working within football.
I still managed to slip in a trip to see young Nigel. I was optimistic when I saw the No. 9 take to the dugout wearing his boots. My hope for 2009 is that I get to see the Young Man in action for one final time.
After four years of writing a weekly sports column for the SLP, I sadly had to let this go. Something had to give.
The labour of love remains Somewhere in SE17. It's certainly not because of the money that took me back to school for one day a week this year. I'm given a roving role to walk around all day, creating as much multi-media content as possible, and then putting it all together on the school site. The podcasts are great fun - all one take wonders from the brilliant kids as well.
I'm pretty pleased with the site that I've built from scratch myself, and with the school itself about to start a structural re-build, I've got some great ideas with where I want to go with the school website in the next twelve months.
Officially 'outstanding,' even 'inspiring,' according to The Times; working with such enthusiastic staff and highly creative kids, I come away from Somewhere in SE17 each week genuinely uplifted, if a little knackered.
I've had interest from other schools, wanting a similar service. A different school site for each day of the week come Stockwell Christmas Tree 2009? Possibly, but I would need to pull back the labour investment. The labour of love (and added hours) works for Somewhere in SE17, but I would need to cost it more realistically before it becomes a stand alone, and profitable, project.
Other bits and bobs pull in the pennies (or not, as the case may be.)
And so that's the work side of the deal done and dusted - what about play?
Overrated.
It's been work, work work, and I'm rather happy in what I'm doing right now. Watching sport has suffered as a consequence. It's rather hard to plan your work commitments around a Dulwich Hamlet fixture list that shows little regard for season ticket holders. Match days and kick-off times change by the hour.
There is fighting talk though of a Boxing Day trip back down Trentside for a six pointer against Doncaster. I'm slightly concerned that I will be sucked back into all things Forest once again. It took me almost five years to get over that first relegation. As for the FA Cup final - I still spit at the TV screen whenever Spurs appear.
We're starting to get back in to the basketball swing of things, and the Topcats at Brixton are making a real go of it down at the Rec. Sadly ice hockey at Streatham has been lost to work / apathy. A freezing barn late on a Sunday night is not the way I choose to spend my spare time.
In terms of participation, my sporting interests in the past year have shifted from high impact to coffin dodger status. The knackered knee took care of this.
I've officially retired from football, and I'm rather happy with this decision. Being kicked around a park whilst your team 'mates' swear at you is not a great way to spend a Saturday morning. Road running and circuit training have also both been lost, with varying degrees of regret.
Compensating for these losses has been much love for le velo. I'm A Herne Hill regular, putting in the laps, and finding out that I'm actually *whisper* half decent at this track racing lark.
The morning swim sets me up for the day, ideally outdoors; if not Clap'ham, but never the nonsense that is Brixton Rec. The May - September lovely lido season was a great success this year. The Cold Water Swimming Championships at Tooting was just plain bonkers. Brace yourself - there's another Brockwell icicles initiation ceremony coming up in a few weeks. It's so much more than simply swimming in SE24. There's a genuine lido community that has grown up over the years, and it's always a pleasure to spend my summers with such lovely people.
I thought the same would be true at The Oval this summer, joining up as a Surrey Member and taking up my place in the old pavilion with the other bitter and twisted old boys. I thought that I had a pessimistic approach to life, but much like listening to a Morrissey album, I came away from The Oval each time this summer realising that I'm a natural optimist when compared to the woe of others.
Surrey being utter shite for the whole summer didn't do much to spread any cheer amongst the old boys. Back again next year, Member's subscription already paid. Did I mention that my 'remote working' arrangement allows me to earn whilst sitting on my arse at The Oval?
Technology is proving to be a huge turn on. My bike budget for the year was blown on computers instead. I added to the iMac with a MacBook; completing the hierarchy is everyone's favourite ultra compact sub-price notebook. All three are performing perfectly, carrying out the purpose for which they were purchased. Plus I managed to slip in a new new iPod.
And then along came the Pipex knobbers over the summer month's, making the self-facilitating media node rather redundant, as I was offline for six weeks.
Don't even mention the double whammy of the 'officially shite' 3 mobile broadband (now pushing a whopping 13kbps.)
After riding out the free Pipex connection as way of compensation, I'm about to switch to Be.
My dock in the iMac pretty much describes how I organise and operate my life right now. twhirl keeps me in touch with the twitterati (join in!) NetNewsWire dumps my daily news feeds in one handy location; Xtorrent keeps me entertained and Skype keeps me in contact.
Video is hopefully the future for the year ahead. I've just bought a Flip camera, and I'm full of ideas about where this may take me, both online and offline. Loving viddler, and also blip for SE17 related content.
Photography holds an interest, although after completing a Photoshop course (you cheat! You scoundrel! You bounder!) I'm drawn in more to the manipulation of imagery, rather than the beauty of out of the box photography.
Still a WWSI regular, mind.
Other selected highlights from the past year...
I've seen DPW, the boy Bragg (and again.) And Weller (and again.) I'm ever optimistic for a Crazyhead comeback next year. Twice would just be a little too greedy.
The new front door came and went, and then came again. 'A new front door by Christmas,' they promised us around this time last year. I didn't realise they meant Christmas 2009. The end product (and second door) is actually half decent. Such a shame that I had to spend two thirds of the year dealing with knobbers and not door knockers. Applying four coats of yatch varnish is very therapeutic though. Likewise for whitewashing anything that moves.
Keeping the front door company (and firmly bolted up with a bin chastity belt) is wheelie bin #5 - our fifth in sixth months. It's a bit of a pain taking the padlock off once a week during collection day, but it was getting slightly embarrassing asking the Council for a new bin quicker than they could empty it.
My Art Deco Dream Home along the Clap'ham Road finally went the way of the bulldozer. A modernist period piece, totally unique to the area, and now lost in the name of a 'landscaped public square providing the perfect setting for a planned array of cafe's, bars, eateries and shops.' Can't f-ing wait for the new Freemans development to be complete, me.
Likewise the Bonker's Bible Basher Boozer across the road disappeared off my SW8 radar. Can't say I miss the place (or the weekend noise.) The building remains empty, and with 2016 forecast as the first shoots of economic recovery, it seems as though any locals wanting a pint of Guinness and a Pentecostal service combined, is going to be left disappointed. Amen to that.
I was blessed with a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore (and photograph) the Deep level Shelter at Clap'ham North. 'The band' also turned out to be rather photo-friendly.
Brighton continues to be a possible destination for early semi-retirement. If I were a betting man, Blakeney would just edge it. The Lakes came VERY close, but no cigar.
Routine kicked in when we sat sail for the annual onionbagblog boat trip. Likewise for the trip to Lord's with the Glam Girly Friend, the Crystal Palace Grand Prix and the Lambeth Show (first signs of the annual highlight in the Lambeth calendar going a bit crap.) The Cans Festival was rather cool, as was the art deco fair at the lovely lido.
Summer came and went, and so did my debut on the wonderful Bike Show with Jacques Thurston on Resonance Radio.
I finally made it to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club Championships, but I was slightly out of place without my copy of the Daily Mail. Not to worry - it was round about this time that I was falling in love with the new Weller album. The romance is still going strong.
We had a reduced Globe season this summer - a combination of work commitments and a dodgy back. Still time for the Smithfield Nocturne though, not to mention losing myself for an hour mid-summer at the glorious Walled Garden at Brockwell Park, followed later in the month by Chumleigh Gardens.
Korfball came and went for another year on Clap'ham Common. My playing days are long over, but as long as there are essential photo-journalism images to capture as above, I think I'll be sniffing around for some time to come.
The Rise Festival up in North London wasn't so much about anti-racism this year, but the brilliant Kitty, Daisy & Lewis. Brixton Splash created ,um, a splash yet again.
The Indian Summer saw the Stockwell Festival return to its spiritual home of Larkhall Park. It was an al fresco event for the Nottingham Beer Festival as well, a contender for one of the happiest afternoons I've had over the past twelve months.
Stockwell had a new face in the brilliant October sunshine. I'm pleased to report that the Bronze Woman remains resplendent, looking out over the Memorial Gardens.
And what of my aims that I addressed for the twelve’s months ahead this time last year? Events, dear boy, events. Who can predict the path we take? I've more or less stayed on course; my knackered knee situation is resolved (it's staying knackered.) My 'toenail situation' is now sorted. It's not a great list of achievements to tick off your To Do list for the year, but you know - work...
As for 2009?
I've got BIG plans for a BIG SW8 online project. It may or may not happen, but on paper it looks perfect. Just need to implement it now.
Have a good one.
technorati: stockwell christmas tree
| #permalink |
