Hey, I'm in Portugal, in a small town called Olhos D'Agua in the Algarve. It's lovely here, but I wish it was a tad hotter. It's about 22 C here, but I was at least expecting 28 or so. I think the blastingly hot British (Indian) Summers have got me a bit too used to the heat. More fire!
Nothing much to blog about, except that I'm very happy to hear Henry's off to Barca. Waaay!
Tuesday 26 June 2007
Friday 22 June 2007
It's my birthday!
Yay, it's my birthday today. I have been listening to REM and watching the Secrets of Packaging on National Geographic. Went out last night to Bar Rumba, and am going out a bit later for dinner and then drinks in London.
Wednesday 20 June 2007
Saturday 16 June 2007
Yes, Masser
There was a huge racial furore in the Kid's section today. It all kicked off. Basically we have a Tintin Rocket Spinner which contains all these Tintin comics. However, there is on comic called Tintin in The Congo. And it's racist. Very racist. It's full of these colonial depictions of black people with thick lips and notty hair running around with no clothes on, and generally acting stupid and lazy. There is, though, a disclaimer on the back that states that the book is offensive, but that it puts into context the period in which Herge writes, one in which racist attiudes prevail.
Anyway this white man, who had a black wife and two mixed race children chanced upon the book and was not best pleased. He got very angry and upset, saying how this stuff shouldn't be in the Children's section. I got a bit embarrased and said how I have no control over what we stock, and would get the manager. I basically palmed him off to the manager, who had to listen to this very irate and upset customer, who was going to sue/write a letter to the store etc.
For the rest of the day, amongst the booksellers, a censorship debate ensued as to what we stock as a bookshop, and whether it was right to remove the comics (as we did to please the customer). I mean we stock other stuff that's likely to offend, such as porn, Mein Kampf, Little Britain, Asterix, and a book of (hillarious) Sick Jokes in the Humour section. The stuff we stock in no way reflects our opinions.
I think that it's good we stock the Tintin book because it shows that Tintin has a racist history, rather than one that is suppressed. For instance Disney, Tom and Jerry and Enid Blyton with her Noddy golliwogs all have a racist history which has been quietly erased. But I understand that the customer was upset that we stocked it in the Kid's section - perhaps he didn't want his child to come across it and be confused or upset.
I was a bit annoyed with myself that I couldn't explain this to the customer, and that he couldn't reason as to why we would stock such a book. It is important to show that something has a racist history. I, for one, never realised that Tintin was racist.
To remove the comics is perhaps a case of political correctness and censorship. They are in there to contextualise the period in which Tintin exists. They are not a reflection of current attitutes to race, but past racist ones.
It is hard to get this across to someone's who's a bit angry though.
Anyway this white man, who had a black wife and two mixed race children chanced upon the book and was not best pleased. He got very angry and upset, saying how this stuff shouldn't be in the Children's section. I got a bit embarrased and said how I have no control over what we stock, and would get the manager. I basically palmed him off to the manager, who had to listen to this very irate and upset customer, who was going to sue/write a letter to the store etc.
For the rest of the day, amongst the booksellers, a censorship debate ensued as to what we stock as a bookshop, and whether it was right to remove the comics (as we did to please the customer). I mean we stock other stuff that's likely to offend, such as porn, Mein Kampf, Little Britain, Asterix, and a book of (hillarious) Sick Jokes in the Humour section. The stuff we stock in no way reflects our opinions.
I think that it's good we stock the Tintin book because it shows that Tintin has a racist history, rather than one that is suppressed. For instance Disney, Tom and Jerry and Enid Blyton with her Noddy golliwogs all have a racist history which has been quietly erased. But I understand that the customer was upset that we stocked it in the Kid's section - perhaps he didn't want his child to come across it and be confused or upset.
I was a bit annoyed with myself that I couldn't explain this to the customer, and that he couldn't reason as to why we would stock such a book. It is important to show that something has a racist history. I, for one, never realised that Tintin was racist.
To remove the comics is perhaps a case of political correctness and censorship. They are in there to contextualise the period in which Tintin exists. They are not a reflection of current attitutes to race, but past racist ones.
It is hard to get this across to someone's who's a bit angry though.
Thursday 14 June 2007
Chop Chop
I think I was offended today. Here is what happened.
I was walking along the first floor towards the info point where Robbie, the music guy, was situated. I wanted to ask him something important. As I walked along I heard what I thought was someone clicking their fingers. I glanced over my shoulder and saw a balding man wearing a green t-shirt and khaki shorts looking in my direction. For a moment I paused, but then, thinking that no one clicks their fingers at other people in this day and age, carried on walking.
He then pulled up alongside me and said "so you're not going to help me then?"
"No, I'll help you," I said, (quite shocked actually).
"I'm looking for this author named Byron Katie".
After looking on the computer, I pointed him in the direction of Mind Body and Spirit, just back from where he came.
"Ok, I couldn't see her books there, but I'll try again".
He walked off.
I think the appropriate feeling for this situation was 'flabbergastment'.
In my mind between him asking for 'help' and me helping him I thought I might mention the clicking fingers business. I thought I might say something like "you weren't just clicking your fingers at me just then were you?" I think I didn't say it for a few reasons. One is 'routine': a lot of retail situations are routines that you go through again and again, which you get inured to. Being presented with a new situation like this was a slight shock to the system. I think I froze as well, a bit like when Meg Ryan's character in You've Got Mail can't say the exact things she wants to say to people when they piss her off because she's too timid.
What I wanted though, was to get this person away from me as quickly as possible. I thought I'd answer his query and get rid of him. The only concession I made to revenge, I suppose, was that there was only 1 book of the one he wanted in stock, and rather than lead him to the section and help him look for it (which is what we're supposed to do and I would have done), I just let him find it for himself.
He's probably still there now hunting around in the Occult section.
I was walking along the first floor towards the info point where Robbie, the music guy, was situated. I wanted to ask him something important. As I walked along I heard what I thought was someone clicking their fingers. I glanced over my shoulder and saw a balding man wearing a green t-shirt and khaki shorts looking in my direction. For a moment I paused, but then, thinking that no one clicks their fingers at other people in this day and age, carried on walking.
He then pulled up alongside me and said "so you're not going to help me then?"
"No, I'll help you," I said, (quite shocked actually).
"I'm looking for this author named Byron Katie".
After looking on the computer, I pointed him in the direction of Mind Body and Spirit, just back from where he came.
"Ok, I couldn't see her books there, but I'll try again".
He walked off.
I think the appropriate feeling for this situation was 'flabbergastment'.
In my mind between him asking for 'help' and me helping him I thought I might mention the clicking fingers business. I thought I might say something like "you weren't just clicking your fingers at me just then were you?" I think I didn't say it for a few reasons. One is 'routine': a lot of retail situations are routines that you go through again and again, which you get inured to. Being presented with a new situation like this was a slight shock to the system. I think I froze as well, a bit like when Meg Ryan's character in You've Got Mail can't say the exact things she wants to say to people when they piss her off because she's too timid.
What I wanted though, was to get this person away from me as quickly as possible. I thought I'd answer his query and get rid of him. The only concession I made to revenge, I suppose, was that there was only 1 book of the one he wanted in stock, and rather than lead him to the section and help him look for it (which is what we're supposed to do and I would have done), I just let him find it for himself.
He's probably still there now hunting around in the Occult section.
Wednesday 13 June 2007
"If you prick us, do we not bleed"
Just saw Merchant of Venice today at the Globe and it was great. Well acted, and funny, and quite romantic in places. A couple of leads were taken ill so the understudies had to play them instead, and they had the scripts to refer to onstage.
I'd have to say the snogging was especially well done, as well as the cross-dressing, and parallels between the marriage bond and being in dept. Also the tensions between Catholicism and Judaism were also nicely done. I think you could see the play as a dialogue between Shylock's Old Testament way of looking at the world with Antonio's New Testament/New World thinking. I think the Shylock was a bit overracted though, perhaps slightly too Fagin-like, but I guess he is a stereotypical role. Incidently on the way to London Bridge we walked up Nancy's Steps (the ones she gets knifed on in Oliver Twist).
Someone had nicked the plaque though, so that was a bit bad.
I'd have to say the snogging was especially well done, as well as the cross-dressing, and parallels between the marriage bond and being in dept. Also the tensions between Catholicism and Judaism were also nicely done. I think you could see the play as a dialogue between Shylock's Old Testament way of looking at the world with Antonio's New Testament/New World thinking. I think the Shylock was a bit overracted though, perhaps slightly too Fagin-like, but I guess he is a stereotypical role. Incidently on the way to London Bridge we walked up Nancy's Steps (the ones she gets knifed on in Oliver Twist).
Someone had nicked the plaque though, so that was a bit bad.
Saturday 9 June 2007
A fork in the road
I'm at one of those crossroads. I'm thinking of tossing it all in the air and seeing how it lands. Here's my choice:
1) go and work in Islington, and live in London.
2) Stay here.
It's not an easy choice. I could go to Islington and do the job I'm currently doing, but I might actually end up with a boss I don't get on with and people I don't like. But I'd be back in London, which is the aim.
Or I could stay here, doing my new role for a few more months and see what happens. Maybe move back to London in September?
You never know what's down the line, and things always seem to turn on a sixpence.
What to do, what to do.
1) go and work in Islington, and live in London.
2) Stay here.
It's not an easy choice. I could go to Islington and do the job I'm currently doing, but I might actually end up with a boss I don't get on with and people I don't like. But I'd be back in London, which is the aim.
Or I could stay here, doing my new role for a few more months and see what happens. Maybe move back to London in September?
You never know what's down the line, and things always seem to turn on a sixpence.
What to do, what to do.
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