At Headway Y said something S had told me before: that having memory problems makes it impossible to think about the future. I will ask them one day whether that means the future is suspended or postponed, rather than it simply no longer exists.
6 July 2018, London
“Theresa May secures approval from cabinet to negotiate soft Brexit
PM proposes creation of ‘UK-EU free trade area’ and matching food standards”
I am starting the think that having a government on the edge of a knife is not such a bad thing. It means that a robust opposition can actually do some work in shaping policy. More and more these days, it is work at select committee level of government that is having the greatest effect. This is how a healthy parliamentary democracy should work.
6 July 2018, London
A bunch of Henley knobheads have just got on the train at Paddington we are getting to Cholsey. One of them is wearing a white long-sleeve linen shirt with a grey-beige paisley tie and matching “handkerchief” in the shirt’s top left-hand pocket. Now they are joined by another set of noisy hoorays. A cork just popped and a blonde woman in a silver pleated skirt and pink high-heel sandals is guffawing obediently to the greasy overprivileged smarmos sitting opposite. Pimm’s in cans now. A navy like men blazer with pink chalk stripes is hanging by the window. I can feel the urge for a class war coming on.
6 July 2018, Cholsey
Remembering what Y and S had said about the future, is this what it is like as you approach the end of your life? Do you decide it is pointless to keep thinking about the future? Or does any concept of the future just slowly recede?
17 July 2018, London
Email exchange with M at the Guardian Education Centre.
Hi M
I just thought I ought to mention something weird that happened in yesterday's workshop. One of the pupils at the back table on the left was a bit stary. She gazed at me in an intense way. One of her fellow tablemates saw her do it and pulled a face of disapproval. Stary Girl then told me I had "lovely eyes". I replied, "Thank you, my wife says they are the best thing about me."
I thought nothing of it and carried on. When I returned to that table later, Stary Girl stared at me again and asked, "Sir, where are you from?" I told her I was from Liverpool and again carried on, but afterwards consciously avoided that table, which was a pity because the rest of the pupils on it were really quite bright and switched on.
I know this probably amounts to nothing, but I also know it could be seen in a less innocent way, so I thought it best to let you know.
Best regards
Billy
***************
Hi Billy
Thanks for mentioning this. I think I know who you mean - she had long brown hair. She was trying to be disruptive throughout the session, and on the whole the teachers and us kept a check on this. Really sorry this happened to you and that you felt uncomfortable - you did the right thing by avoiding that table. We have had no mention of this from the school and we got an email today saying thank you for a great session.
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. The school have been before and are from Cornwall - the teacher is on our advisory network.
Thank you for your amazing work and support. The students and us gain so much for you input into the sessions and your superb advice.
With many thanks
M
27 July 2018, London
Email to Cris Vidal at Headway regarding our recent involvement in the Science Museum Lates project for the 70th anniversary of the nhs.
Hi Cris
Sorry we didn't get to talk yesterday. I had to catch a train to Liverpool for a big family reunion.
Thanks for mentioning this. I think I know who you mean - she had long brown hair. She was trying to be disruptive throughout the session, and on the whole the teachers and us kept a check on this. Really sorry this happened to you and that you felt uncomfortable - you did the right thing by avoiding that table. We have had no mention of this from the school and we got an email today saying thank you for a great session.
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. The school have been before and are from Cornwall - the teacher is on our advisory network.
Thank you for your amazing work and support. The students and us gain so much for you input into the sessions and your superb advice.
With many thanks
M
27 July 2018, London
Email to Cris Vidal at Headway regarding our recent involvement in the Science Museum Lates project for the 70th anniversary of the nhs.
Hi Cris
Sorry we didn't get to talk yesterday. I had to catch a train to Liverpool for a big family reunion.
My feedback on the Lates event is this: it was difficult to tell how successful it was as I was so close to the centre of the action. It seemed well attended and the space we were in was ideal, a perfect match. The interactive collage workshop/table was outstanding and can be adapted for lots of other projects in the future. It's a winner.
The element I was involved with was not a success for me. I had planned my questions for Yoki in the belief that the title of our conversation was 'You Must Remember This'. I arrived to find that the title was in fact 'Am I My Past Or My Present?' I tried quickly to rewrite the script to fit this title, but did not want to tell Yoki because she was very nervous and we had agreed there would be "no surprises" in our presentation. In other words, I was winging it.
At our talk, I thought it was going OK until a latecomer, who maybe hadn't heard the introduction, heckled me, accusing me of not allowing Yoki to speak. No one tried to calm him, so I had to deal with the situation. Eventually, Thomas stepped in. I regret the way I spoke to the heckler as Phil Symes told me later he believed him to have brain injury. I maybe should have been more sensitive to that possibility, but in the moment I was more sensitive as to how the commotion would affect Yoki.
As it turned out, she was brilliant. It has been a pleasure to work with her. Every time we did our 'conversation', her answers became richer and richer. I never wanted to plunge her into the unknown, but that is one of the risks at public events. All in all, our bit was a mess, and all I could hope for was that not many people noticed.
The element I was involved with was not a success for me. I had planned my questions for Yoki in the belief that the title of our conversation was 'You Must Remember This'. I arrived to find that the title was in fact 'Am I My Past Or My Present?' I tried quickly to rewrite the script to fit this title, but did not want to tell Yoki because she was very nervous and we had agreed there would be "no surprises" in our presentation. In other words, I was winging it.
At our talk, I thought it was going OK until a latecomer, who maybe hadn't heard the introduction, heckled me, accusing me of not allowing Yoki to speak. No one tried to calm him, so I had to deal with the situation. Eventually, Thomas stepped in. I regret the way I spoke to the heckler as Phil Symes told me later he believed him to have brain injury. I maybe should have been more sensitive to that possibility, but in the moment I was more sensitive as to how the commotion would affect Yoki.
As it turned out, she was brilliant. It has been a pleasure to work with her. Every time we did our 'conversation', her answers became richer and richer. I never wanted to plunge her into the unknown, but that is one of the risks at public events. All in all, our bit was a mess, and all I could hope for was that not many people noticed.
Billy
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