Sadly, I have to report that the Bead Box in Knaphill has had to close it's doors for the last time today. I knew they were working on a two day week, and thought I would just mosey over there to have a mooch. In my pocket I had a very small budget of £20 for some goodies, but as it happened they had a 50% off sale on... and a lot of sad people talking to Blair, the owner. He was telling me that there just is not the footfall nowadays to warrant keeping the shop open. He partly blamed the internet, but also, should we not consider our own behaviour when it comes to shopping?
More and more shops are closing on our high streets, and frankly I'm with Mary Portas here, I don't want to see ghost towns with myriad empty shops. I want to be able to see and feel the quality of what I'm being offered. Sadly it seems that we are so lazy that we'd rather risk purchasing items from the internet than make the effort to mosey into town and support local businesses. I think, as Portas says, we will regret this, maybe not now, but in the future we will certainly miss them.
Please whatever you do, make the effort to support local business, it's really important that we don't lose the identity of our towns, and also that we support each other in business. Do we really want to deal with faceless individuals who trade with us on the internet, people we can't talk to, and much less complain when things are not right?
I don't think we do, not really.
Happy Shopping
Saturday 30 July 2011
Wednesday 27 July 2011
a dalliance with fascinators
Hallo All
it's been a while since I was on here, this is largely due to working at a local mental health hospital. Ha! no not what you think, I am doing them a favour and training the staff on a new computerised patient notes system. Odd? well no not really, this is the kind of thing I have done for many many years, in my previous life. I have been a lecturer at a local college, and also ran an IT HelpDesk for Going Places for about 11 years.
I tested new systems and logged all the problems then when the time came, I contributed to all the documentation, and where necessary trained it on to the staff. So actually it makes a lot of sense. It's been interesting these last few weeks, well since May really. Organised is not a word I would put to this lot, but they seem to be getting to grips with it all now.
what has amazed me is just how many people have no idea how to use a computer. No idea at all, incredible that in this day and age, there are still people who just don't own a pc, or a laptop. They can't type, and have no idea how to navigate around a computer screen. Funny how we imagine that everybody will have these facilities and skills, why should they really? it's their choice not to. The only problem is, of course, that they will find they'll now have to find those skills from somewhere. Trouble is that the hospital won't train them. hey ho, fun days.
Hope everyone is well.
it's been a while since I was on here, this is largely due to working at a local mental health hospital. Ha! no not what you think, I am doing them a favour and training the staff on a new computerised patient notes system. Odd? well no not really, this is the kind of thing I have done for many many years, in my previous life. I have been a lecturer at a local college, and also ran an IT HelpDesk for Going Places for about 11 years.
I tested new systems and logged all the problems then when the time came, I contributed to all the documentation, and where necessary trained it on to the staff. So actually it makes a lot of sense. It's been interesting these last few weeks, well since May really. Organised is not a word I would put to this lot, but they seem to be getting to grips with it all now.
what has amazed me is just how many people have no idea how to use a computer. No idea at all, incredible that in this day and age, there are still people who just don't own a pc, or a laptop. They can't type, and have no idea how to navigate around a computer screen. Funny how we imagine that everybody will have these facilities and skills, why should they really? it's their choice not to. The only problem is, of course, that they will find they'll now have to find those skills from somewhere. Trouble is that the hospital won't train them. hey ho, fun days.
Hope everyone is well.
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