301k in debt and morbidly obese - things aren't great!

Karmacat

I'm glad you didn't go out running at 2am!!! And that your MC'ing went down so well

Interesting about the strike - I find it impossible to cross picket lines myself, but I *do* remember my grandad talking about unions back in the 1960s - he'd been a leader in the General Strike of 1926, young as he was then, and he thought they were finished, useless. Its a complex subject .... and even tho its about mass action, I do think its an individual decision. Good for you for making your own ...

Surfbabe

Well done MrB - I work in a school as well but am not striking - still have to go in but as I work in the office thats ok - we only have 4 classes but thats 100+ children running wild all day somewhere - TA's and dinner ladies have to come in else its breach of contract - but all those jobs that you never get time for in the school will get done.

Have downloaded 1st two books and am halfway through second one - will save the third for my holiday methinks.

LondonGirl252

MrBloater wrote: »

both myself and Mrs B run the risk of upsetting our colleagues in our decisions not to strike next week. Aside from the lunacy of losing a day's pay especially at this time of the year, what really sticks in my throat about teachers going on strike is the massive implications it has for the parents - thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of parents will be faced with a situation on Wednesday where they will have to take a day off because their children will have no classes to go to. Some of these folk will be hanging onto their jobs by a thread as it is, and things like this can tip things over. And what are most of these striking teachers going to be doing on the day - I've heard more talk about Christmas shopping rather than political protest. The revolution starts at Bluewater. Which is a shame, cos I would love to cross a picket line.

:T Agree with every word of this

cats_slave

Schools are not there to provide childcare. They are there to provide education for the nation's future citizens. Childcare, in all circumstances, is the responsibility of the parents. Yes, it's tough for working parents but surely the issue is more about the sort of society we have created where parents basically cannot do their job as parents because they are slaves to the capitalist system. I'm a left wing socialist, as if I needed to say it.

Sorry Mr. B for hi-jacking your thread. Just felt a powerful need to put an opposing view re striking and not striking.

I've just finished reading your first book. Couldn't quite finish it in one sitting because the eyes refused to carry on. Not mainstream but a very interesting read. Shall be starting number two over the weekend and will also be downloading number three.

I don't think low sales figures are about the price. You can't get much lower than 86p. I managed that much and I'm definitely broke. It's about promotion and reaching your target audience. You really need to 'market' your books and as someone who copes well with public speaking how about getting involved with some book events, open mic evenings, book fairs etc.

You could also do with a proof reader and some editorial input. I'm an experienced amateur but am willing to help out a bit - gratis. PM me if you want to take me up on that.

Your diary is great and I look each morning and evening for posts and responses. Have been lurking from day one. I'm always disappointed if there isn't a Bloater post.

Butti

cats_slave wrote: »

Your diary is great and I look each morning and evening for posts and responses. Have been lurking from day one. I'm always disappointed if there isn't a Bloater post.

Look Mr B. You must keep up with the diary. The future happiness of large parts of the UK population are in your hands. If necessary ease off on the cardboard dinosaurs!!

B

p.s. I LOVE your diary too.

Igamogam

cats_slave wrote: »

Schools are not there to provide childcare. They are there to provide education for the nation's future citizens. Childcare, in all circumstances, is the responsibility of the parents. Yes, it's tough for working parents but surely the issue is more about the sort of society we have created where parents basically cannot do their job as parents because they are slaves to the capitalist system. I'm a left wing socialist, as if I needed to say it.

Sorry Mr. B for hi-jacking your thread. Just felt a powerful need to put an opposing view re striking and not striking.

.

I am not a left wing socialist but I agree with you catslave - sorry Mr B will have to agree to disagree on this one - having worked hard and trained hard to get where I am I would have expected to be taking early retirement in 5 years time - something I planned for and have been paying for the last 25 years - now I find that I cant take early retirement ( well I could but with no pension) and instead of 5 years to go I am looking at 16 years when I will be closer to 70 than 60. Its one day of disruption that lots of people will have had plenty of notice about. I cant say I feel guilty about it. I belong to a union that has never called its members out on strike until this year - I did think long and hard about it but I feel I have to make my point - I will NOT be Christmas shopping btw

thevinternet

peaceandfreedom wrote: »

Wise wise words, :T

Been on that starve/binge cycle myself a few times, financially as well as with actual food, it doesn't work. You are absolutely right.

It's very true. As Buddhists would say, you have to take 'the middle path', ie neither one extreme nor the other as neither as sustainable!

thevinternet

BTW Mr B - awesome work on Ebay - over 500 quid's worth of sales is not to be sniffed at! Anything else in that shed? *peers in*

Northern_Lassy

I can see both sides, my OH is currently refusing to do overtime as his union have called for a ban whilst colleagues are being made redundant, yet we could really use the extra money. I totally support him in this..
It's between a man (or woman) and his conscience I reckon...At this time of year lots of parents have used up their holiday entitlements and will have to take time off unpaid to look after their children next Wednesday, these are difficult times indeed...

firesidemaid

another view from a left winger (ex SWP;))......

i have worked in the nhs over 20 years and am not going to strike over this. i think there would be more pressing matters to strike over in this country.

not only are we going to have to cancel operations and appointments galore, we also need to have several Plan B's in place. This will affect patients greatly and waste a lot of public money.

as well as our fellow nhs colleagues being on strike, a lot of our colleagues are also facing childcare problems as the teachers are also on strike.

i have no issue with any of my colleagues striking, as long as they are on the picket line or doing something equivalent with their day off. i will be crossing the line and will be happy to engage in some sensible political discussion:)