It's a very peculiar thing writing a blog - firstly these are my private thoughts in much the same way as a diary is but secondly they're out there for everyone to see. Am I doing this for myself or for everyone else? If I was doing it just for me, I could write it in a notebook or a word document so clearly it's not just for me but then the issue is, what would happen if one of my 'private' thoughts was misconstrued or even considered libellous? A whole minefield, which is why I haven't written in my blog for a few days - I've been pondering the sense of it.
My final conclusion, is that I should continue writing it so that I have a record when it comes to the election times and I can see what sort of journey I've been on but I should be very cautious about what I write - in other words don't write in it after having a couple of glasses of wine which is when I would normally throw caution to the wind.
I've been very busy lately ploughing through lots of data from previous elections and voter patterns - mind numbing stuff but essential so that I know who's who in the ward and the actual area of the ward. I'm lucky with my ward in that it's a relatively straight forward area of mostly terraced houses (great for leaflet posting with no long gardens), I know my colleagues in the two other Oswaldtwistle wards aren't quite so lucky - very disjointed areas, one even has Belthorn and Knuzden to canvas. At least I'll be able to do all of mine on foot.
I had some official photos taken, well a photographer friend of a friend did them but he is a professional so I was expecting good things. Unfortunately the raw material that he was working with let him down! I can't smile for photos, I hate it! I either do a sort of inane grin that makes me look like I shouldn't have been released from the secure home or I look so miserable that everyone would think someone had just died (I suppose I might get the sympathy vote then!). I tried really hard, I listened when he told me to move my head slightly to the right and I really, really tried to give a natural smile - the only good thing I can say is that I don't think I'll frighten small children! I was very careful about my wardrobe though!
We've been reduced to one car this week as Chris was in an accident a few weeks ago and his car was a right off. We had a hire car for a while but that's gone back as his insurance claim has now come through. It's been hard work taking all three of them to three different places every morning, going on to work myself then collecting them from three different places every night. My poor car's done twice as many miles as it normally would and I'm in a bit of spin trying to work out where everyone is and where they should be. Chris is going to go out and get a new one this weekend - I hope!
My final conclusion, is that I should continue writing it so that I have a record when it comes to the election times and I can see what sort of journey I've been on but I should be very cautious about what I write - in other words don't write in it after having a couple of glasses of wine which is when I would normally throw caution to the wind.
I've been very busy lately ploughing through lots of data from previous elections and voter patterns - mind numbing stuff but essential so that I know who's who in the ward and the actual area of the ward. I'm lucky with my ward in that it's a relatively straight forward area of mostly terraced houses (great for leaflet posting with no long gardens), I know my colleagues in the two other Oswaldtwistle wards aren't quite so lucky - very disjointed areas, one even has Belthorn and Knuzden to canvas. At least I'll be able to do all of mine on foot.
I had some official photos taken, well a photographer friend of a friend did them but he is a professional so I was expecting good things. Unfortunately the raw material that he was working with let him down! I can't smile for photos, I hate it! I either do a sort of inane grin that makes me look like I shouldn't have been released from the secure home or I look so miserable that everyone would think someone had just died (I suppose I might get the sympathy vote then!). I tried really hard, I listened when he told me to move my head slightly to the right and I really, really tried to give a natural smile - the only good thing I can say is that I don't think I'll frighten small children! I was very careful about my wardrobe though!
We've been reduced to one car this week as Chris was in an accident a few weeks ago and his car was a right off. We had a hire car for a while but that's gone back as his insurance claim has now come through. It's been hard work taking all three of them to three different places every morning, going on to work myself then collecting them from three different places every night. My poor car's done twice as many miles as it normally would and I'm in a bit of spin trying to work out where everyone is and where they should be. Chris is going to go out and get a new one this weekend - I hope!
