A lovely start to the day, Gill and I were able to spend some time together.
I finished my column on how to bring up kids in a low carbon manner... not easy to fit this into 550 words.
I got an email from the Alley Cats saying it was not them who had posted silly comments to my blog. I apologised for blaming them, and explained about my show being an hour and only being given 45 mins, which caused one of the problems of my over-running and them starting before I'd finished.
I hope that this calms things down. I have checked the wording of my post for Sunday to ensure it doesn't 'libel' them!
I got a very nice message back, accepting my apologies and explanation, which felt good as I don't enjoy conflict and don't want anybody to have un-necessary bad feelings about me or my lifestyle.
During the afternoon I got a visit from Friedmann who was returning the Humanure Handbook, and the evening's highlights were having Gill's home-made pizza, with a tomato/onion topping I made, and enjoying Pink Floyd on telly.
Showing posts with label Alley Cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alley Cats. Show all posts
A slow start after my busy weekend, but had quite a good day as did some writing and some woodchopping and after I got the children home, had a visitor called Friedemann, who's German and I met him at the Greenspeak last week, and he wanted to see the composting and woodstoves. A nice chap, sorry he's leaving to go back to Germany at the end of the week.
Then wrote my paid blog, and my experiences yesterday provided the subject. I thought I coped well with some difficult circumstances, and behaved professionally in the face of unprofessional behaviour. And of course it was lovely to be able to help out the youngsters.
When I downloaded my emails I had two childish comments regarding yesterdays post about my day in Beverley, they were anonymous which was a pity as I'd have loved to reply. They were so puerile that I decided not to publish them, but they were probably from members of or followers of the band who used my spot to set up in. I don't know why they're upset as I described their music positively and their egotistical behaviour honestly. I do not feel that I was in competition with them, and was just a fellow performer. Anyway, the good people at Beverley will be getting a letter thanking them for the well paid day's work and asking that if they do book me again, that I am not put near the Alley Cats, who are obviously no better behaved than... err... alley cats!
After tea (reheat rice and veg, very simple) I went to an anniversary meeting of some York Credit Union diehards who were with me 10 years ago when I started the ball rolling with a public meeting at the Friends Meeting House. Some of us spent 8 years getting the Union launched and now it is going from strength to strength, membership is going up and they are helping loads of York people out of poverty. A success story, and now North Yorkshire County Council is spending some money exploring the idea of extending the Credit Union into the Selby and Scarborough areas, it could end up being the biggest Credit Union in the country, area-wise. I'd be very proud of that if it did happen.
Got home after 10 and spent some more time writing as I have a deadline of the 13th to get a column in for a Community Care 'Green Issue'. Another silly comment left on my blog, what a pity the comment writer doesn't want a dialogue but just wants to say uninformed stuff in a cowardly anonymous way. Give us your email address and I'll enter into a conversation which could benefit us both, instead of ridiculous point-scoring!
Then wrote my paid blog, and my experiences yesterday provided the subject. I thought I coped well with some difficult circumstances, and behaved professionally in the face of unprofessional behaviour. And of course it was lovely to be able to help out the youngsters.
When I downloaded my emails I had two childish comments regarding yesterdays post about my day in Beverley, they were anonymous which was a pity as I'd have loved to reply. They were so puerile that I decided not to publish them, but they were probably from members of or followers of the band who used my spot to set up in. I don't know why they're upset as I described their music positively and their egotistical behaviour honestly. I do not feel that I was in competition with them, and was just a fellow performer. Anyway, the good people at Beverley will be getting a letter thanking them for the well paid day's work and asking that if they do book me again, that I am not put near the Alley Cats, who are obviously no better behaved than... err... alley cats!
After tea (reheat rice and veg, very simple) I went to an anniversary meeting of some York Credit Union diehards who were with me 10 years ago when I started the ball rolling with a public meeting at the Friends Meeting House. Some of us spent 8 years getting the Union launched and now it is going from strength to strength, membership is going up and they are helping loads of York people out of poverty. A success story, and now North Yorkshire County Council is spending some money exploring the idea of extending the Credit Union into the Selby and Scarborough areas, it could end up being the biggest Credit Union in the country, area-wise. I'd be very proud of that if it did happen.
Got home after 10 and spent some more time writing as I have a deadline of the 13th to get a column in for a Community Care 'Green Issue'. Another silly comment left on my blog, what a pity the comment writer doesn't want a dialogue but just wants to say uninformed stuff in a cowardly anonymous way. Give us your email address and I'll enter into a conversation which could benefit us both, instead of ridiculous point-scoring!
Woke with the buzzer of the alarm clock at 7.30 and slowly got up and got down to breakfast for 8am... had cereals and a resonably nice plate of beans, fried eggs, musrooms and tinned tomatoes... not a very good attempt at a vegetarian 'full breakfast' but actually plenty for me!
Then met my hostess for the day who showed me the two sites I was due to entertain at and where the procession was to leave from at 10. Then I went back to my hotel and got changed into my Fiddlesticks gear.. I decided on the usual shorts, tee shirt and waistcoat, not my 'very cold weather costume of dungarees and fleece.
I took all my stuff up to where the procession was due to go from and left most of it at Boyes, which had a safe place for my stuff. I did the Santa Claus procession with my whirling devilstick and enjoyed it lots.
Then back to the Boyes stash and took my circus and balloons kit to the spot where I'd been told to perform at, and there was a band setting up. I told the woman that I'd been told to perform there and she was quite haughty and said 'We always go here and we need to set up now' even though I had a 45 minute slot there first. So I found a nearby spot, not as good or prominant, but didn't feel like complaining to the organisers as they have enought to do 'on the day' but thought about mentioning it later in the day. The 'Alley Cats' woman had the audacity to tell me that when they came on I must stop doing what I'm doing. Which I did, standing around in the cold, when I'd have preferred to keep going to keep warm and keep the entertainment going... Then later, at the end of my second show, they started playing before I had completely finished... I'd indicated I'd be just another couple of minutes but they rudely started. Cheeky and unprofessional, although their music was good.
However all my shows were well recieved and had good audience participation, including two teenagers who had met up with me during a previous Beverley gig, and 'crashed the show' with unicycles, much to my joy... and theirs as I got them a hatfull of cash for the show. But this time the two 15 year olds did a short demo of staff, or pole spinning, and some good athletic unicycling.
When I moved to my third show area, away from the Alley Cats, I did a load of balloons which was good, and taught some teens to do the 'dogs dinner' model. I met John, the dad of one of the boys, who had invited me back to their place after my work to talk to the boys about 'how to be an entertainer', some of the tricks of the trade... such as info about Equity, insurance, advertising, how to ask for a fee, agents, getting stuff at wholesale prices, etc. I had some nosh with them and slowly warmed up, they were perfect hosts and very kind. Cathy, their mum, gave me a thank you card for spending the time with them and giving them so much useful info, with £20 in it, which was most unexpected and lovely.
I got the 6.34 bus back to York, very tired, and Gill fed me some re-fried rice and assorted veg... lovely and most welcome, despite the early tea with John and Cathy at 4pm.
Then met my hostess for the day who showed me the two sites I was due to entertain at and where the procession was to leave from at 10. Then I went back to my hotel and got changed into my Fiddlesticks gear.. I decided on the usual shorts, tee shirt and waistcoat, not my 'very cold weather costume of dungarees and fleece.
I took all my stuff up to where the procession was due to go from and left most of it at Boyes, which had a safe place for my stuff. I did the Santa Claus procession with my whirling devilstick and enjoyed it lots.
Then back to the Boyes stash and took my circus and balloons kit to the spot where I'd been told to perform at, and there was a band setting up. I told the woman that I'd been told to perform there and she was quite haughty and said 'We always go here and we need to set up now' even though I had a 45 minute slot there first. So I found a nearby spot, not as good or prominant, but didn't feel like complaining to the organisers as they have enought to do 'on the day' but thought about mentioning it later in the day. The 'Alley Cats' woman had the audacity to tell me that when they came on I must stop doing what I'm doing. Which I did, standing around in the cold, when I'd have preferred to keep going to keep warm and keep the entertainment going... Then later, at the end of my second show, they started playing before I had completely finished... I'd indicated I'd be just another couple of minutes but they rudely started. Cheeky and unprofessional, although their music was good.
However all my shows were well recieved and had good audience participation, including two teenagers who had met up with me during a previous Beverley gig, and 'crashed the show' with unicycles, much to my joy... and theirs as I got them a hatfull of cash for the show. But this time the two 15 year olds did a short demo of staff, or pole spinning, and some good athletic unicycling.
When I moved to my third show area, away from the Alley Cats, I did a load of balloons which was good, and taught some teens to do the 'dogs dinner' model. I met John, the dad of one of the boys, who had invited me back to their place after my work to talk to the boys about 'how to be an entertainer', some of the tricks of the trade... such as info about Equity, insurance, advertising, how to ask for a fee, agents, getting stuff at wholesale prices, etc. I had some nosh with them and slowly warmed up, they were perfect hosts and very kind. Cathy, their mum, gave me a thank you card for spending the time with them and giving them so much useful info, with £20 in it, which was most unexpected and lovely.
I got the 6.34 bus back to York, very tired, and Gill fed me some re-fried rice and assorted veg... lovely and most welcome, despite the early tea with John and Cathy at 4pm.
