Nick Jordan

Today I started a five day course which will, I hope, result in me becoming an accredited PRINCE2 practitioner. That’s Project Management, for the uninitiated. The course work is pretty demanding but if I pass the 3 hour written exam on Friday I’ll be very pleased indeed. I’m told that the exam results are currently being processed in about 8 to 12 weeks, so I’ll have a bit of a wait. I hope it’ll be worth it.

British scientist calls US climate sceptics ‘loonies’. What a truly fantastic headline.

I went to a party last night. The hosts had put out quite a lot of extremely nice food, including a bowl of raw onion for adding to burgers and the like. I had a little and, as you do, kept picking at it until I suddenly realised that I’d eaten almost the entire bowl. Apart from making me extremely antisocial, even after brushing my teeth, it also appears to have done something horrible to my taste buds. Part of my mouth feels as though it’s covered in cotton wool and some foods now taste rather odd. I’m assuming that it’ll wear off soon enough. It had bloody well better do.

I’ve just been over the road to the petrol station as usual to get a bite to eat and the queues of people getting fuel before tomorrow’s protests have to be seen to be believed. I won’t be at all surprised if supplies in some areas fall very low just because of panic-buying.

I’ve just finished reading The Magic Spring: My Year Learning to be English by Richard Lewis and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book details the author’s travels around the country investigating English folk music and traditions, in search of what can best be described as his roots. The book takes a sympathetic, lighthearted but no-nonsense look at morris dancing, mummers’ plays and the like, with a sprinkling of historical information which provides the reader with a good bit of background knowledge. He’s not fazed by the lack of evidence for any great antiquity in many of the events he describes, as he comes to accept that what really matters is what people do now and how enjoyable it is to get involved.

Does he manage to find what he’s looking for? I suggest you read the book and find out.

I’ve just been out and seen a truly wonderful sight: a woman out in her front garden washing the outside of her wheelie bin with soapy water. I just love the dedication to cleanliness that this implies, although I’m not sure about anyone who has the time for such a thing.