niggling thoughts about nominations

I am trying to work out what it is about nominations that I dislike. I do have some genuine concerns regarding the latest ice-bucket nominations as the charity concerned does not really operate in the way I would hope but that doesn't really explain all my feelings.
Imagine I was happy with the charity involved, would I welcome a nomination then?
Not really.
I have been thinking about this a lot and have posted some other people's considered responses to the Ice-bucket nominations and they go part way to address my concerns.
I don't feel comfortable with these charity nominations  partly because they resemble the neck-nominations where young people nominated each other to drink themselves senseless then seemingly bright, intelligent people did just that rather than let their friends down so publicly.
I was starting to feel anti all nominations and then I realised that I have actually succumbed to a nomination scheme myself quite recently which was write 3 positive things about my life for 5 days and nominate 3 others to do likewise. I did this without thinking too deeply about it because it seemed positive and harmless and fun. I guess other people find the ice-bucket challenge positive and harmless and fun.
I am not so sure though.
If everyone nominated looks carefully at the charity being supported and is happy with it then it seems fair enough that they take part but then they nominate a number of people and this is where I become more uncomfortable.
Some people may receive their nomination and feel compelled to take part so that they don't let others down but there may be genuine reasons why they choose not to support that charity at that time.
This also seems to link with those posts that appear from time to time asking you to complete a simple puzzle and then telling you if you share the post immediately you will have a happy life and if not you will be cursed. A lot of people share these posts for superstitious reasons and this only passes the stress onto their friends who are then forced to comply of have something bad potentially happen to them.
On principle I never share these posts as I do not like to give into blackmail in that way.
The two challenges are not the same but I believe them to be linked.
I think the problem I have with the whole thing is people feeling compelled to do something they wouldn't ordinarily do because they don't want to let others down or appear mean.
Please understand that if you nominate things for me to do I will consider them carefully, go ahead if completely happy but if not I won't proceed and I hope very much that this doesn't affect our friendship.  The next time you are nominated for something please only proceed if you are 100 % happy with what you are being asked to do and the cause you are being asked to support as people love and appreciate you for being the unique person that you are and so will completely understand you thinking for yourself.  x

The Wicked Witch of the West had her own reasons for declining the Ice-bucket challenge!

The sequel

I have started reading the sequel to the Ken Follet book I mentioned before and as I read it seemed very familiar...It turns out that I have read it a while ago, oddly I have never read the original story before so I cannot work out why I read the sequel. It is a brilliant sequel however and so it is no hardship to read it again! Reading it this time around is helping to connect up some unanswered questions I had the first time around.
It is a remarkable skill to write a sequel so good that it stands on its own as a story but this is the case with this book!

Time to read

i a sorry to say I haven't read an entire novel for ages! I have been so busy working, studying personal development, getting ready to sell my house etc and reading a novel escaped my mind.
I resolved to complete a novel this summer holiday and I have just finished reading Ken Follet's Pillars of the Earth- what an incredible book. I will have to read the sequel now!
It had everything. It was set in the Middle Ages and contained lots of historical detail but more importantly for me the characters were so believable I can thoroughly recommend it!

Making the most of every moment.

Time is whizzing past. Sunday was very pleasant. It was lovely to spend time with my friend Jan in her garden with her family and friends. The scones were delicious and I also enjoyed the company of my friend Ann. It is Monday now. I am meeting my friend Christabelle. Meeting friends and family in the summer holiday is such a lovely thing to do. Obviously I also see people during the rest of the year but the summer holiday is a wonderful opportunity as the days are longer and warmer and I am not teaching.
I am enjoying every moment and am determined that even when the holiday is over I will continue to appreciate these lovely moments in my life.
They say time flies when you are enjoying yourself and I think that is true.
As you get older the years seem to go faster but I guess that is because when you are young a year is a relatively long time but when you are older a year is relatively short compared to the rest of the life that you have lived. A year is one tenth of the life of a ten year old but 1/20 of a twenty year old and so on.
Life is very precious and I become more aware of this and more appreciative of the simple things in life as I get older.

Inspired

Spending time in my caravan is very good for me. When I am there I go for lots of walks with my dog, I read, I draw and I write. I used to write a lot and then I started working really really hard and this curbed my creative spirit. I do not resent this as in any ways the work I was doing required a lot of creative thinking so I was able to express myself that way but now at last I find myself in a position where I have space and time in my life to express my creativity in my preferred way.
I can't tell you how happy this makes me. I wrote pages and pages over the past two days and I think I will be able to turn the content into an e-book. watch this space...
Going away camping has undoubtedly helped me too!

eating out

I don't eat out often but I do enjoy going out to eat and meet friends. I am vegetarian and I also know people who are vegan and we often find our choice of menu limited. I accept as we are in the majority that there are unlikely to be many options on a menu but when I do find somewhere that offers vegetarian food that has been prepared with imagination and care I return to that place again and again. It is usually in those restaurants, pubs and cafes that the staff are also friendly and welcoming.
I don't think this just applies to vegetarian food either. If people take care to prepare food using good quality ingredients and present it well people enjoy their dining experience and wish to return.
I don't think there needs to be an extensive menu.
I have been to other restaurants etc. and found a very different experience where the staff seem fed up and the food is not well cooked or presented.
I think it boils down to people enjoying what they do. If someone runs a restaurant and they value their staff and customers the place will thrive while if they are out just to make quick money something gets lost.
Food should also come at a fair price. I am not talking about cut price but if a customer feels they are getting good value for money in a place where the staff appreciate your custom they are likely to return and bring their friends.

achievements

I am  very proud of the pupils in my school. Despite all the challenges they face many have achieved well in their exams including GCSE's.
If education comes naturally to you it is easy to forget all the people who struggle to reach each tiny milestone.
If you are a good reader it is hard to imagine being asked to carry on trying to learn to read when you are in your teens but there are many people who struggle and struggle and for me when they achieve each milestone I am so impressed. It means they have refused to give up and still have enough faith in themselves and in others to keep trying.
Whatever you think about the exam system I think it is important to recognise anyone who has taken a risk, feared failing by entering an exam and then achieving something against all the odds.
Congratulations to anyone who has managed to achieve that little bit more than they thought they could. Good luck to anyone who is brave enough to push themselves and sign up for a new challenge!