You can probably imagine my internal despondency at the thought of the wait that was ahead of me. In fact, I think the process towards that feeling actually started the moment I entered the tiny side space that has been given over to it, and saw the number of other internally despondent people who were sitting down. – Would this shared communal feeling be enough to call us a community?

I’d come armed with a book, but was regularly drawn away from it by the actions, and my interest in, the rest of the community. There were those who came, and  at the sight of us left, those who came with a friend, the guy whose just come in handcuffed, (11.25am) with 2 prison guards – that’s caused quite a stir -  I think we all did the look up, stare, then quickly look away thing (surreptitiously glancing back now and then). It would be interesting to know how many of us are wondering what he’s done.

Then there is the older couple who are calculating how long it’s taking to see people once they go in. They reckon it’s 5-10mins a person, based on the amount of people that had been seen in the time it took for the wife to go and come back with 2 small cups of Costa coffee. They may have been right earlier on, but it seems to be speeding up now.

There’s a few readers of the Metro, have seen a few random headlines:

‘Student vet facing £95, ooo fees for degree’, ‘Dolphin Clicks help me ‘see’ says blind Jamie’, ‘Bank boss victim of card fraud’, ’25% off clothing at Tesco’

People of all ages – though mostly the older end of the spectrum – every hue, and all waiting… I am now getting bored (11.33) We’re on no. 40, just 14 more to go. (I hope that couples calculation isn’t right, as if it is, that means a potential 140mins, and I haven’t eaten yet as I had to fast from last night!)

11.36 – Umm! The officer has just taken the prisoner in, I guess he’s getting seen ahead of his ticket. Don’t think anyone is impressed, I mean we’ve all been waiting ages, but maybe we’re all  kinda relieved? As would we be a bit uneasy about him being next to us when we went in, or a about having a handcuffed person around us period? Ummm, what does that say about us? And they’re off! 11.39 (well at least it only took 3 mins, maybe I’ll be seen quicker than the couple’s calculation would have predicted).

We’ve hit comical point. The older couple, the elderly lady I’m sat next to, and myself just had a chuckle at the faces of some people taking tickets, as the realisation dawns of just how long they will have to wait.

It is really quite funny, and as one of them said, it would be funny to have a candid camera (11.48am no. 43! Argh!)

I wonder if they ever have mystery shoppers in this place? – I have hit that point of random hysteria, streams of drivel are prone to now flow to erratically from my thoughts unto teh page.

The older couple are chatting unhappily over how much their parking is going to be – do you think hospitals should validate parking for those who have to come for medical reasons, maybe if you’ve had to hang about for over an hour it should be free? Or maybe based on my length of wait today, your 1st 3 hours should be free. (I don’t have a car, but just saying)

Umm, no. 46 (11.55am)

I am now tapping the page in boredom, and probably frustrated, though think I’m possibly too bored to be frustrated. I’m also ‘intrigued’ by the fact that one of us has started doing some drone like humming, repeatedly!

The pretty lady is leaning against the work of art that I guess is supposed to bring a touch of beauty to the drab surroundings. Argh!!!!

Latest glimpsed headline: “Cheryl loves herself…” – Under Guilty Pleasures in the Metro

Midday – my phone is reminding me of the fact that by now I was supposed to have done a number of things. My attempt to be organised. I had a ‘To Do’ list, I don’t do those, but I tried. Needless to say there are some things I haven’t been able to do yet!

12.01, no.47 – One of us is doing a crossroad, one is reading ‘Angels in my Hair’ (she has no. 97 – Oh dear!).

Umm, I’m going to try reading my book again: “There sending someone for their break now!” = response to “Rav, go for your break now”. OK, I’ve hit frustration point now! 12.05, no. 47.

‘Angels in my Hair’ lady has decided to go. – Lightweight.

“No wonder the country’s in such a state”. The opening comment of an annoyed elderly newcomer who has been sent to 2 different places already, and they have both been wrong. Jimmy, the old Irish gentleman with her, is very annoyed, and you can see he is fit to burst. 12.16 (no. 49).

Annoyed newcomer, and Irish fella have decided to go.

Another newcomer has just pulled ticket no. 5 (when the machine gets to 99, it goes back to the beginning).

Headlines: “faithless ready to Rock Roundhouse – itunes festival” – Metro “Cheryl…behind the mask. “I’m ‘Skanky’ she says” – Daily Mirror. 12.23 (still no. 49!)

An annoying lady is holding up the process. – No you haven’t missed your turn, we haven’t got to 92 yet! Yep, there are over 40 people in front of you.

Apparently they’re getting dome more people in there (I wonder how many are actually in there taking blood). 12.32, No. 53 – there was actually an audible cheer, Lol :-0

12.35, “Number 54″ – It’s me!

12.37pm – I’m out! 2 mins for 2 hours, umm – can I just say, 3 people in the room.

“If you’re living a lie, you’ve adopted a rhyme.”

- Author Unknown

I thought it was interesting…

Where is your Future? Here in your Present, grab it!…

We’ve probably all heard a plethora of ideas or strategies for how to de-clutter our homes, offices, rooms, wardrobes!

‘If you haven’t used it in 6 months…”If you haven’t used it in a year…’ and they go on.

The purpose of such formulaic ways of  organising? (Ummm, querying my use of the word formulaic, I don’t mean it negatively)

The answer I would say, and the common factor – whatever strategy you decide to use – is that they provide a way to let go of the old, in order to make space for the new. – Something which can be easier for some of us than others.

‘Stuff’ is hardly ever just ‘stuff’. The things that fill our homes, offices, cars, wardrobes etc often have history attached to them, memories that we want to cherish, goals we are determined somehow to achieve, mementoes of success or markers  in this journey of life, happy thoughts of a slimmer you,  and sometimes even give us a sense of security.

But can they also hold us back? Keep us from moving forward? Be like excess baggage that we have to pay for? Very possibly yes.

My reason for currently trying to use the Chuck, Cherish, Charity method is that I am due to leave the country for 4 years in a matter of months, and with such a significant change coming, I have to think seriously about what I really need to hold unto, and what I need to let go.

I have been shocked to find paperwork from meetings I attended 10 plus years ago, have shed a few tears on the discovery of some things, and laughed at my musing over  whether I will want to wear certain clothes in 4 years time! It is not an easy process, as I think though I hanker for having a minimalistic life style, I think there is a secret hoarder in there, and I’ve recently  hit a bit of a wall with the whole process, but I have to snap out of it, cos time is running out!

So is it time you tried the 3 Cs for yourself? If it is, and you do, let me know how you get on! Alternatively, if you know of other strategies, I’d be interested in those too! (If you want more info on the 3 Cs work, click here)

I wanted to call a friend who had been admitted, and wish her happy birthday. I was stonewalled in my efforts as the person on the phone refused to tell me if she was still there, quoting rules and regulations, which didn’t seem to exist a few weeks back.

I ended up having to say, “well if she is still there could you please give her a message from and say Janice says Happy Birthday”

I walked along the road, angry and upset. My emotions fueled by anger, disappointment and frustration.

My friend is in a place you wouldn’t choose to be on your birthday, and there is nothing much I can do about, or to change that. But bar the bite of bureaucracy, the least I could have done is wish her happy birthday, maybe bringing her a little joy because I remembered.

I have no confidence that the person on the other end of the phone passed on my message. She was vehement in defending her position, and I had hardly got my name out before they put the phone down on me.

Rules and regulations – some may prefer the terms guidelines, form, fundamentals, foundations, structure… – have there place, and appropriately used provide the framework that most, if not all areas of life, need, in order to function well.

However, if we forget the human factor behind them, the fact that they exist to ‘serve’ and protect us as people, they can become a stumbling block, sticking point, ‘noose round our neck’.

Bureaucracy Bites! – Rant over!

She offered no middle ground, I was either ‘too serious’ or ‘dull’, or is that just how I heard and received it?

Ummm is the fact that it irked me a sign of me smarting at the existence of some truth? Ummm…

LOL! this was a comment from my friend’s Mum as they got her set for leaving the country for a year or two. – Classic!

” I don’t like pigeons that fly”

This was a comment from my friend that had me laughing away. It made no sense to me!

She went on to clarify that as long as they weren’t flying around, she was fine with them. Once they take flight though, she will look for the quickest escape route, ‘ducking ‘n’ diving’ and maybe hollering. Either way, you’ll know about it

I don’t think she’ll be joining the Save Trafalgar Square Pigeons campaign anytime soon!

I kid you not. I thought I’d do a search for something on pigeons and this was result no.4 in my everyclick search. There is also a Wikpedia reference for them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_the_Trafalgar_Square_Pigeons

Alongside my wonder at the existence of the group, some of the references to the pigeons of Trafalgar Square being starved to death, and the licensed feed seller: Bernie Rayner, (whose family sold birdseed in the square from 1948) no longer permitted to sell feed,  had me pondering the matter further than I would have thought was merited.

Other strangely interesting finds:

Pigeon Blog, click link for latest post: http://pigeonblog.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/lovely-bagel-necklace/

National Pigeon Day! http://nationalpigeonday2009.eventbrite.com/