RULES FOR THE CONDUCT OF LIFE

Dr Anne bought this brilliant little book at the Jewry Church in the city of London.  The rules were written around 1740 but are so relevant for today's world.

There are 36 Rules:

1. Good purposes and outcome
1. Always plan what you are doing and the likely outcome. 
2. Good methods
1. Always work out how you are going to implement the plans.
3. Good practice
1. Purposes and methods must always be put into practice.
4. Look beyond this world
1. Eternity is unending so you need to plan for it.
5. Accept your mortality
1. One of the certainties in life is that we are going to die.
2. Plan for a good death.
6. Repent and live well
1. Be at peace with God
2. Don't go for death bed repentance .
7. Know and obey God's rules
1. 'Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think of these things.
8. Be resolute
1. Arm yourself with determination and resolution.
2. Reason is the rudder, religion is the compass, determination is the wind that moves you forward.
9. Do not seek praise
10. Live by your principles
1. Make sure you have clear and good principles and live by them.  Don't be swayed from them.
11. Appropriate action
1. Be methodical and careful
12. Be honest to yourself 
13. Be loving
14. Be friendly
15. Be generous
16. Contentment
1. Learn to live contentedly.
17. Do not meddle
18. Do not be argumentative
19. Be active
1. Lead an active life so that you be do good for others and yourself.
20. Grab the opportunities 
21. Do not over commit
1. Don't take on more that you can manage.
22. Use your skills
1. When you have skills use them.  If you know your weaknesses admit it and get others to help and use their skills. 
23. Do not delay 
1. Do what you can do today.
24. Prioritise
25. Time management
1. Be a good time manager.
26. Collaboration
1. If you can't do something get help. Many hands make light work.
27. Consider the consequences
28. Consultation
29. Do not be greedy
30. Relaxation
1. Take time of work to relax and then return refreshed.
31. Look after your health
32. Self control
33. Temptation
34. Choose your friends carefully
35. Follow good customs
1. Don't follow the crowd.  Consider your background, customs and culture.
36. Know God

Capital

Lanchester, J. (2012). Capital. London:Faber and Faber Ltd.

Gray Granite advised Dr Anne to get Capital for her Olympic read.  This, she dutifully did.  She didn't quite finish it over the Olympic period so settled today, a sunny day,  in the sheddie.  

This book was centred on Pepys Road, a fictional road in London.  It told the story of a number of families who lived on this street in houses all worth millions of pounds early in the 21st Century.

There was the elderly Petunia Howe with her daughter Mary, son in law Alan and sons Smitty and Ben. Petunia has lived in the house since it was built and was reaching the end of her days.  There were the 'goings on' of the Kamal family from Lahore with their shop and their extended family and contacts. The Younts, Arabella and Roger, their sons and Hungarian nanny lived an extravagant life style until the banks began to fail.  In addition there was Freddy Kamo a very talented footballer from Senegal who came to play in a 1st Division Club but had an accident, Quentina Mkfesi an illegal immigrant from Zimbabwe who was trying to make her way in life, Zibigniew the Polish builder making his money to build a life in Poland for himself and his family, Smitty's assistant Parker French who was out for revenge all played their part in the scenarios.

The glue that held the book together - the post cards and other items sent to the residents.

Grey Granite, this was definitely the correct book to read in London 2012.  She awards it 8/10.  

Dr Anne on her Journey of Life.

Dr Anne is on her Journey of Life.  

This was taken at the end of the exhibition @ the Royal Opera House.

She does not know where she will be tomorrow.

Monday

Dr Anne was in London.  She had wanted to see the Ballgown Exhibition @ the V&A.  She took the tube to Knightsbridge.  There were ball gowns from 1950s - 2011.  There was Helen Mirran's dress from one of the red carpet dos, Princess Diana's dress with the short jacket all pearls and sequins Liz Hurley's dress for the advert 'Pleasures' etc etc.   There was the history of fashion from the 1700s - 2100s.  All in all Dr Anne didn't feel that this exhibition hung together for her very well.

Olympics 2012 - the end

Dr Anne went to the Olympics to make a difference, to touch hearts.  Did she manage this even in one small way?  Probably not.  Other people have touched her heart.

As she left the outpost of volunteer positions at Stratford Station last night. Declan the leader of the group pulled the members together and they gave her a cheer for helping them during the fortnight and then there was group photo with her.  She does not have a copy as she didn't expect this.  In the group there was her 'wee man' due to have his A Level results this Thursday @ 0800.  If he gets an A* and 2 As he will be off to Imperial College.  There is the lady with the black scarf who met up with another lass and they both depended on Dr Anne to make sure they were in the same team.  The team leader was special in that he developed his group of individuals into a team.  He depended on Dr Anne for sun cream and water for his group.

There were other team leaders who did really good team work with their own particular personalities - the girl in the red wig, the girl in the purple boa, the girl with the white and black 'turbans'.  There was the leader who liked fresh milk and Dr Anne would buy a carton when they were at Victoria Gate - much more difficult at Stratford.  There were the folk who stepped up to the role of team leader.

Among the volunteers, there was Dr Anne's favourite.  He came late one day.  She sent him home for his outfit.  He was always on time after that.  There was the group of three lads - one going to college, the one at university and the one who had messed up school.  There were a number of French girls and guys who did a terrific job.

There was the Victoria Gate crew.  They were thrown together randomly.  They clung together when the Victoria Gate closed.  Some survived and some gave up.  The survivors -  the boys, Malcolm and Eric, the guy with the moustache and Michael will be remembered.  They were happy, they were committed, they selfless and the girls - the girl whose nose burned red on sunny days and blue on cold nights, the elegant girl with amazing grey hair and the lady with the bobbles again committed, fun and supportive. the Italian girl who had so many questions and issues on day one but was there at the end happy as 'Larry'. There were the little Asian girls who gave Dr Anne a hug ever time she appeared with water sun screen.

The above name only a few... of the great people.  There were those who didn't cope with the mundane job, who found it difficult to come to terms with the task, who were unhappy.  There were the ones who wanted acclaim and went up the levels of management and succeeded.

In the support team there was the Victoria Crew.  The team was small.  The workload was not onerous.  The marquee was light and airy.  There was the Greenway Crew who tended to keep themselves to themselves. There was the Stratford Crew, much bigger.   There was much to do there in the M&S car park.  The characters will not be forgotten.

And so it ended on Sunday 12 August...

Wenlock

What do you know about Wenlock?

Wenlock's name comes from the small town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire. which is considered by many as the birthplace of the modern Olympics.  Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement visited the town in 1890 to view Wenlock Olympic Games organised by Dr William Penny Brookes.  The Wenlock Games impressed de Coubertin so much that he used their ideals as the basis of an international sporting competition which marked the beginning of the modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens.

Wenlock has a number of interesting features that reflect elements of the Olympics and London.

1. The 'w' light reflects the London taxis.
2. The three spikes on Wenlock's head represent the podium where athletes will collect their medals.
3. Wenlock's one eye is actually a video camera so that it can record everything it sees. 
4. The bracelets are friendship bands in the colours of the five Olympic rings.

You can find Wenlock all over London in different guises.  Dr Anne found only a few.

Olympics 2012 Day 16

Dr Anne decided that she would go to Stratford early as she had promised to buy a friend a water bottle from the Mega Shop.  In need of some breakfast she ended up at EAT at the corner of St Paul'a Cathedral.  Crowds were gathering for the Men's Marathon.

Dr Anne changed her plans and stayed to watch.  She stood on a window ledge thinking that she would have a good view as the Marathon went round the same track three times.  Her viewpoint wasn't exactly the best but she met a really nice couple, the husband who will be a driver @ the Para Olympics.  

The truck with the camera men ahead of the front runner.

The Ugandan on the second lap.

Crowds snapping and cheering.

Dr Anne headed for Stratford and work.  She had to work her butt off.  She was left to sign in all volunteers and then present them with badges, stickers, baton and certificate.  There followed the cleaning of tables and sweeping of the car park floor.  The three other volunteers had gone off out doors so Dr Anne volunteered to do the meals.  This was quite a task with what seemed like hundreds coming for sandwiches, drinks, crisps, fruit, granola bars etc... This took her around four hours non stop.  The Manager came and took her to the TV with the closing ceremony.  It seemed a bit boring to Dr Anne so she asked if she could go.  She tried in vain to get into the stadium with the firemen and the police women so she went round the stations saying farewell to some of her friends.