My 1000th blog post on Low Carbon Lifestyle. I wonder how much lower carbon my lifestyle would be if I hadn't have done all this blogging?
But hey, no-one's perfect... especially me, as today's events have reminded me.
Today I was due to attend a York Rotters management meeting, but yesterday one of the other managers rang me to tell me that there had been some complaints about me following the Big Green Market last week when I spent over four hours engaging with the public about home composting. So today, instead of the management meeting, I went in to St Nicks to listen to the accusations, and to try to work out how to deal with the issues.
So, what did I do? Well, it was acknowledged that I am an excellent communicator of composting information and there is no-one more enthusiastic and keen. But, on one occasion I was listening to another (novice) Rotter give some (incomplete or incorrect) information and when they had finished, I spoke to the member of the public and said "actually, you CAN compost that", and told them how. The other Rotter felt they had been contradicted and they didn't like it, and complained. So, first complaint, unjustified I think.
The second was more serious... I was talking to another volunteer and we were talking about ethical burials... I'm not sure who initiated the conversation, but that doesn't really matter. The problem, for the complainant, was that I talked about my plans (Gill and I have a burial plot booked in York Cemetery)and was explaining about Promession, which would be my preferred disposal route, and I told the joke which Gill made when we got the plot, that if I died before her, she'd request to be buried face down. Most people find this amusing, but some over sensitive volunteer complained. They thought it was inappropriate as another volunteer Rotter had died the previous week. I am quite matter of fact about death.. I see it as a consequence of life, but I do know that some people are not as comfortable with the thought of this inevitability. So, this complaint was perhaps half justified.
The next one is inexcusable. How I get members of the public engaged is to wait until someone looks at the cut-away compost bin and I then say "Would you like to tell me about your compost bin?" Many people stop and tell me. A few say "No thanks" and on one occasion someone said "I don't bother to compost" and on this occasion I said "So you don't like recycling then" and this I agree was unprofessional of me. Black mark against my name.
The final thing is the thing I'm most sorry about. One volunteer said they wouldn't want to be on the stall with me again, and another said that they felt like not being part of York Rotters after their experience. I am mortified about this as I started York Rotters in 2004 and love the fact we have been so successful, have lots of active volunteers and are a vital part of St Nicks.
So we sat and talked about my behaviour, the fact that I have been diagnosed as on the autistic spectrum, but don't tick quite enough boxes to be given the Aspergers Syndrome label, despite Gill, my mother, my friend Ann and probably others thinking I have all the classic symptoms. And if I do have AS, then it could be classed as a disability, and this puts an interesting spin on the whole situation. However, I am willing to try to improve and learn to be more empathic, more appropriate, and I will again look to try to secure some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy through the NHS, which might help me.
So, the result of this meeting was that I have been suspended from York Rotters for a month to see if we can resolve the situation. I cannot think of any 'quick fix' here. But in the meantime, I won't be wearing the York Rotters teeshirt, won't do any Rotters volunteering, and won't attend any social events. This is sad but if it helps, and enables York Rotters to continue more smoothly, I can accept the situation.
This was a really difficult meeting for my friend and colleague at St Nicks and I don't want to put that person through this again. Nor do I want to upset the other volunteers (whether or not I think they are oversensitive) or members of the public.
Anyway, I cycled home, had an early lunch and cycled off to see Robin who had asked me to help him install his new solar tubes on his roof. We spent an hour getting ready, with the help of his neighbour, and then when I was in his loft poking a sensor wire through the tiles, he realised he had made an assumption about the new set of tube-holders he had bought. His existing set was configured one way round, with water in at one side and hot water out the other, but unfortunately the new set was made the other way around. This means that he will have to replumb his pipework in his loft. What a nuisance. Poor Robin!
I then went into town to pay in a cheque and to get out another to pay for some advertising.
Then back home, via Country Fresh and Freshways.
I had a quiet and fairly subdued evening. I prepared some pears for drying.
Showing posts with label complaint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label complaint. Show all posts
A hearty but not brilliantly healthy breakfast of toast, scrambled eggs, fried mushrooms, fried potatoes, fried hash browns, baked beans. Coffee, fruit juice. Left at about 9.30 and cycled along the not-very-nice A607 to Grantham. The first few miles seemed slow, gently up onto a sort of plateau, but then it was level with a following wind, and towards Grantham, some wonderful hills, one of which I sped down at at least 30mph, and saw a recent car accident at the bottom... a chap who'd driven his van into a hedge/tree and was walking away from it, phoning someone on a mobile. Then I passed a notice saying how many people had been killed on this stretch of road. I didn't enjoy this cycle ride that much and was glad to soon be in Grantham. I bought a ticket, a single up to York, for just over £30 and waited for the 10.46 to Doncaster. But there'd been a fatality on the line at Stevenage and the train didn't come in til after midday.
I got lunch in Doncaster, a pastie and a sandwich, and then the 1.15 to York, and was home by 2pm. I saw the results of another car smash on the way up the Hull Road... I felt quite lucky to have got home in one piece!
Gill was delighted to see me. But she'd had a phone call from the chap who booked me for Sunday's Sewerby Gala gig in Bridlington. They were seemingly expecting me to do big shows with huge audiences, and I on this occasion did smaller one-to-one and small-group workshops as this seemed more appropriate for the type of event and the space I'd been given. So this is the second complaint about my work I've ever had in 16 years of working! I also made a negative comment about the American Car Rally which was going on next to the Gala to the wife of one of the organisers who'd offered to take me into Bridlington afterwards, and that didn't go down well. So the organisers were not willing to pay me the full fee agreed, and were offering a lower fee, not much less, so I accepted as I want an easy life and don't generally like causing trouble. But I am disappointed that the organisers said nothing during the event, as if they had, I could have done something different, got a different spot in which to perform, with no-one behind me (my original request) and a better 'stage' area. But I won't get another booking there, but I'm happy with that as it was difficult to get to and had lots of additional expenses.
Gill made a super tea, a stew with ciabata bread, and we had a cozy evening.
I got lunch in Doncaster, a pastie and a sandwich, and then the 1.15 to York, and was home by 2pm. I saw the results of another car smash on the way up the Hull Road... I felt quite lucky to have got home in one piece!
Gill was delighted to see me. But she'd had a phone call from the chap who booked me for Sunday's Sewerby Gala gig in Bridlington. They were seemingly expecting me to do big shows with huge audiences, and I on this occasion did smaller one-to-one and small-group workshops as this seemed more appropriate for the type of event and the space I'd been given. So this is the second complaint about my work I've ever had in 16 years of working! I also made a negative comment about the American Car Rally which was going on next to the Gala to the wife of one of the organisers who'd offered to take me into Bridlington afterwards, and that didn't go down well. So the organisers were not willing to pay me the full fee agreed, and were offering a lower fee, not much less, so I accepted as I want an easy life and don't generally like causing trouble. But I am disappointed that the organisers said nothing during the event, as if they had, I could have done something different, got a different spot in which to perform, with no-one behind me (my original request) and a better 'stage' area. But I won't get another booking there, but I'm happy with that as it was difficult to get to and had lots of additional expenses.
Gill made a super tea, a stew with ciabata bread, and we had a cozy evening.
Slept well if not for very long, and had some of the worst muesli for breakfast I've had for quite a while. Next time I visit Ali I'll buy her some cereals!
I did some sorting out of Ali's bokashi bins and wormery whilst she got up and ready to go down to University. I went with her and had lunch (thanks Ali!) and then got the tram to the station and within 20 minutes the Edinburgh train came and I put all my unicycles and bags of circus stuff in the cycle store area, and chatted to a really nice bloke called Paul, who was on his way to Newcastle so he could take the train to the West side of the country and cycle 'Coast to Coast' for charity. He'd just become a grandfather and was raising money for the unit where his tiny baby grandchild had spent it's first few weeks. We had a lovely chat and the journey went quickly.
Back home by 3pm, did the washing up (straight in there!) and took compostables down to one of the bins... then went down to Country Fresh and collected 2 sacks and a box to keep my heaps hot! I emptied the Compostumbler and reloaded it. I picked some loganberries. Gill did pasta for tea. I made a tomato sauce using small tomatoes thrown away by Country Fresh.
Whilst eating tea I received a phone call from a recent client. I've never had a phone call like it. Someone had overheard some of my Fiddlesticks balloon modelling banter and had complained. Now although I'm a children's entertainer, some of my humour is aimed over the heads of the children and is meant for the Mums, Dads, Grandads, Nanas and other adults. Most of this risque or slightly lewd humour is just suggestive, innuendo and has always been greeted with hilarity. I'll give you a couple of examples. If an adult woman asks for a balloon rabbit, I quickly rustle one up and then as I hand it over, I sometimes ask if she'd like extra batteries for it. If I'm making a dog, I occasionally hold the tail in the wrong position for a half second, as the adult watches, and say, 'it's important to get the tail in the right place' before moving it round to sticking out of the rear of the animal rather than pointing forwards between it's legs and under it's tummy. Again, this is for the adults and the child generally doesn't see and of course doesn't understand the chuckles. My handler for the gig was contacting me as the complainant had to be taken seriously and my response also had to be taken into consideration. I talked him through my innuendo-laden jokes (I have four including the two above) and explained how I decided whether these were appropriate in the situation, as well as saying that I was sorry that someone had been upset by my humour. Apparently it wasn't the recipient of the balloon or the comments, but someone who had overheard it. The board of the organisation will be meeting soon, and my handler will get back to me with their response. I offered to do my next gig for them with the suggestive humour removed, if this is what they wanted.
I then spent quite a long time sorting out my computer, deleting emails and replying to some and more e-communication necessity. Lots to do on the computer this evening.
I did some sorting out of Ali's bokashi bins and wormery whilst she got up and ready to go down to University. I went with her and had lunch (thanks Ali!) and then got the tram to the station and within 20 minutes the Edinburgh train came and I put all my unicycles and bags of circus stuff in the cycle store area, and chatted to a really nice bloke called Paul, who was on his way to Newcastle so he could take the train to the West side of the country and cycle 'Coast to Coast' for charity. He'd just become a grandfather and was raising money for the unit where his tiny baby grandchild had spent it's first few weeks. We had a lovely chat and the journey went quickly.
Back home by 3pm, did the washing up (straight in there!) and took compostables down to one of the bins... then went down to Country Fresh and collected 2 sacks and a box to keep my heaps hot! I emptied the Compostumbler and reloaded it. I picked some loganberries. Gill did pasta for tea. I made a tomato sauce using small tomatoes thrown away by Country Fresh.
Whilst eating tea I received a phone call from a recent client. I've never had a phone call like it. Someone had overheard some of my Fiddlesticks balloon modelling banter and had complained. Now although I'm a children's entertainer, some of my humour is aimed over the heads of the children and is meant for the Mums, Dads, Grandads, Nanas and other adults. Most of this risque or slightly lewd humour is just suggestive, innuendo and has always been greeted with hilarity. I'll give you a couple of examples. If an adult woman asks for a balloon rabbit, I quickly rustle one up and then as I hand it over, I sometimes ask if she'd like extra batteries for it. If I'm making a dog, I occasionally hold the tail in the wrong position for a half second, as the adult watches, and say, 'it's important to get the tail in the right place' before moving it round to sticking out of the rear of the animal rather than pointing forwards between it's legs and under it's tummy. Again, this is for the adults and the child generally doesn't see and of course doesn't understand the chuckles. My handler for the gig was contacting me as the complainant had to be taken seriously and my response also had to be taken into consideration. I talked him through my innuendo-laden jokes (I have four including the two above) and explained how I decided whether these were appropriate in the situation, as well as saying that I was sorry that someone had been upset by my humour. Apparently it wasn't the recipient of the balloon or the comments, but someone who had overheard it. The board of the organisation will be meeting soon, and my handler will get back to me with their response. I offered to do my next gig for them with the suggestive humour removed, if this is what they wanted.
I then spent quite a long time sorting out my computer, deleting emails and replying to some and more e-communication necessity. Lots to do on the computer this evening.
