THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

jk0 · 13 July 2017 at 5:04PM

On the subject of litter, I am getting exasperated with the neighbours of a flat I am renovating. There is a parking area next to my flat, which seems to attract loads of rubbish.

This week I have removed two socks, a car battery, four wheel trims, multiple Polish beer cans and multiple Polish cigarette packets.

This month, I have also removed the plastic trim from a bonnet, a box for a radiator, and two bin bags of other litter. Also dumped, but presumably removed by salvagers was a bonnet and a car radiator.

This may sound like rather a racist rant, but don't people use rubbish bins in Poland?

moneyistooshorttomention · 13 July 2017 at 5:05PM

Yes - in a word.

There's traditional "volunteering" on the one hand and trying to change society for the better (rather than just "oiling the wheels of society as it currently is") on the other hand.

GreyQueen · 13 July 2017 at 5:20PM

I do some things for the wider environment/ individuals/ certain groups of people because I do get rewarded for my actions.

My reward isn't tangible but it is immense emotional satisfaction. I have been useful and it makes me feel good. OK, I still have to work a job to earn money to pay the bills, which limits the time and energy for voluntary activities, but I'm definately not doing good for nothing, even although my rewards are invisible and not bankable.:rotfl:

Yestereve, I was exploring the (derelict) other half of a lottie pal's plot, which he has only just been given permission to take on. Plants in there are nearly as tall as my head and there are intriguing objets lurking in the grass and nettles.

Now, I love a great big green mess to get booted and suited and stuck into, and it's been years since my lottie offered the emotional satisfaction of clearing such a barstewarding mess. So I volunteered to help him with it. In return, he volunteered to help me with a task (bringing grains from the communal pile to my plot) which is time consuming and heavy work for me. It's a fair exchange and I feel well pleased with the prospect of playing with the mattock and secateurs, and the scythette and the reap-hook - getting a favour in return wasn't my motivation but it will be good.

The informal exchange of help between individuals is the foundation of communities and the glue in social life. Can be a little, can be a lot, but knowing that there are people out there who aren't indifferent and who you can help and be helped by you in turn, is golden.

Last weekend, my parents went to the churchyard to put flowers on Nan's grave, now the headstone has just been re-instated. They got talking to some other people who had travelled from outside the area to visit their family graves. My Dad was talking to the man, and placed him; he gave my grandparents a lift to London 50 years ago to visit my Dad when he was in hospital down there. It was an errand which would have taken him the whole of one day.

The bloke had forgotten until reminded but looked a bit misty-eyed that this considerable kindness had been remembered all these years.

We're all going to die one day and our existance will be in the memories of those who knew us. Some of us will be remembered by biological descendants and some of us won't. The only thing we can do of worth is to try and leave every situation we find ourselves in a mere fraction better than it would have been otherwise.

Sometimes, that means noticing your neighbour hasn't put their bin out and the lorry is already on your street, and just doing it for them. Sometimes it means lending a hand or a tool to a task, sometimes it's a hospital visit, or taking a few seconds to chat to a lonely stranger, or smile at a random person. Or passing on a few spare veg, or some timely advice, if it looks like it would be well-received.

We can go through life trying to be kind or we can do otherwise. There's an apocryphal tale which is about as authentic as a £6 note but nonetheless amusingly true;

A man goes to visit a sage to ask if he should move to another place, because he isn't sure he will like the people over there.

What are the people like where you live now? asked the sage.

Oh, they're terrible, horrible selfish unpleasant people!

I expect you'll find the new people pretty much the same, the sage told him.

[Deleted User] · 13 July 2017 at 5:51PM

What community involvement ARE we discussing then? that leads to such angst and discontent in people who give of their time and efforts to it?

Involvement with people who need help is on the cards too, I seem to have the role of the village dog whisperer, when we kept chickens people came to me for advice on ailing poultry too, we're first port of call to look after the pooch if it's going to be left alone for a long period due to an emergency or commitment or like Maisie is a scared and timid little creature afraid of the human race and most other things and we ALWAYS help, have had real successes. He Who Knows will at the age of 72 always turn out to help if anyone has computer problems, needs lifts, needs gardening done, plumbing done, help as labourer for anyone with a heavy project, take people to and from hospital, most things and we've never had negative responses from anyone far from it most people carry on when they're fixed and do the same themselves if they are able. How are you to be part of a community if you hold yourself in isolation from that community???

moneyistooshorttomention · 13 July 2017 at 6:20PM

Probably depends on how one defines "community" to some extent.

To some - it might mean their immediate street/some the town or village or city they are in.

Others might define it as their whole country - and then we go off into what do we mean by "country". Living where I do now - the definition of "country" comes up often as some of us mean Britain and others just mean Wales.

Helping out can be at as low a level as barter type stuff/"traditional" voluntary type stuff or, on the other hand, trying to help Society as a whole type stuff.

I operate at all 3 levels personally. I barter. I do "traditional" voluntary type stuff - both cost-free and personally beneficial. I used to do a lot of "trying to help Society as a whole" and fair-mindedness compels me to speak up occasionally (even if I know it will go down like a lead balloon - but if I don't say it/do it I sometimes wonder who else will instead).

EDIT; and the third level doesnt lead to "angst and discontent" at all that I've ever noticed. It sometimes leads to being "punished" (those job losses/personal injuries that wouldnt otherwise happen).

fuddle · 13 July 2017 at 6:58PM

money you said you call your neighbour Chav 'rather loudly' when their dog barks on the house buying and renting threads a few days ago. I think this is another instance where we're just so different in our views, experiences and behaviour. I get that you expect to be treat how you would treat others and believe it or not we are very similar in that respect, but it can't be forced.

To be part of a community is such a special thing when it goes right but it takes years of playing their game to be able to do that. I get narked at the bins left out at the bottom of the back street so the car struggles to get passed or it tips over in the wind but even though I feel compelled to get riled about it, I don't because it isn't my place. That doesn't mean that I haven't issued a ticket to the council about it though. There's a way to be an upstanding citizen without upsetting folk. You see what I mean?

Having a likeable attitude and demenour is worth a lot to community members when it comes to incomers.

[Deleted User] · 13 July 2017 at 7:05PM

Being punished hasn't to my knowledge happened here in all the time we've been here, there IS a residents committee who look after the village environs and the villagers needs pretty well, there are lively discussions at some of the meetings too but as we're all adults and all are equal there are rarely repercussions of a personal nature. We have and have had in the past council representatives who have worked tirelessly for the good of the village, have gone far more than the extra mile to get things changed, sort out planning wrangles and keep the building done within the village area to what is appropriate, good people every one of them. When you say 'speak out' does that mean trying to right wrongs, give ideas that will benefit all residents, offer solutions to problems like the litter etc. help to get something into the infrastructure that will benefit the whole community? or is it personal issues that you feel will make things better all round? I've noticed that people who are incomers here sometimes don't actually wait to see how the community works before trying to force through changes they see as beneficial but that people who have been here for a long time know won't work because someone has tried it before? it's those issues that cause friction because we're then classed as backward introverts and the incomers see themselves as forward looking modernisers who are misunderstood and not appreciated, neither case is accurate there is usually a middle way that will work but incomers get quite cross and sometimes actually move away again, sadly as all are really welcome. Sometimes it needs a while to 'find' the soul of a community, not something that happens quickly.

Witless · 13 July 2017 at 7:43PM

I suppose the essence is you're either part of the community or you're not.

Volunteering and voluntarily helping someone are the two sides of the same coin and, IMHO, come from a mindset that you treat others the way you'd like to be treated yourself - only as far as possible: some can't, or don't want to be helped.

With finite resources (time, physical capability etc) I agree that there has to be prioritisation: I'd help anyone when possible - though not to the detriment of family or close friends IYSWIM and I certainly won't be taken advantage off (anyway, not the second time)

Jazee · 14 July 2017 at 7:07AM

Morning all.

We moved into a new village community a few years ago now and made it a point to get to know how the village works, join clubs and go to as many village events as we can, and certainly not to change anything, as we wanted a different life from the busy town we'd come from.

Another townie who came in before us tried to change things and this didn't go down well. It also made it difficult for people to trust us to begin with.

In a SHTF scenario of whatever kind, I now think that I'd help people with my skills and knowledge and that they would do the same for me. Simple things day to day at the moment, like giving people lifts to appointments.

Shropshirelass · 14 July 2017 at 10:25AM

We have a Community (social media) page for this small market town. People post about traffic problems, accidents, road flooding in winter. They ask for and give advice on local gardeners and home helps. Local businesses advertise (limited number of adverts allowed, but specials or gluts are mentioned).
School holiday courses, wildlife clubs, WI, Flicks in the Sticks. Unusual happenings e.g. What were those loud noises, sounded like gunshot?-they were the beginning of the Season.

Last year I got rid of a collection of jam jars to a lady with a lot of blackberries who asked for empties.
Electricity supply problems - on Sunday local Tesco were not doing any business because a local line was down for a few hours. Co op were still open, so don't waste your time...
Very useful page, everyone who takes the trouble to use it benefits.

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THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

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