Ruth Bradbury-Horton's Blog: Ruth2Day, page 7
August 13, 2017
Stories We Could Tell by Tony Parsons
My rating: 4 of 5 s...
Stories We Could Tell by Tony Parsons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
great book, easy to read, satisfied with the ending.
Bearing in mind the entire story unfolds over one single night, namely the night Elvis died, you would expect this story to be Elvis through and through. Well it isn’t. Which is good. Instead you follow a group of young music journalists, not much older than very early twenties, cock sure of what they are doing and where they are going, only to find 12 hours later that everything has changed, mostly for the good. Pretty much a coming-of-age book.
Based in London, jumping from clubs, to squats, to punch-ups and much more, you can’t help but recognise a little of yourself in this book. How you felt the world was at your feet and that you knew everything, only to discover at some point you know nothing at all and, that as you get older life will send you who knows where when you least expect it.
August 12, 2017
Best advice when looking for a job, screw the advice
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Having done a spot of job hunting of recent, and having had no reason to put together a CV for well over 20 years, I set about seeking advice hoping to get it right first time.
Well. To be frank. All the advice given, Googled or otherwise gained was mostly a load of old rubbish. And why? Because all the advice given is by currently employed people with no reason or intention of keeping a CV up to date, probably ever. And to be completely blunt, my advice to them is to MOVE AWAY FROM THE ADVICE COUNTER SO FAST YOU LEAVE A DUST STORM THAT REMAINS PERFECTLY CLEAR IN OUTER SPACE AND BEYOND.
Take the advice regarding ageism – there’s a lot out there. I’m early fifties, and the advice given is: you don’t have to add your age, you don’t have to add the years worked at any given job, and you don’t need to add when you graduated from school/university/college. Oh really? Well have you attempted to complete an online application lately? Because practically every job you apply for these days requires mandatory data input of namely birthday/age, years at job etc etc. IF YOU DON’T ADD IT IN, YOU CAN’T GET PAST THAT SCREEN, AS IN, YOU ARE STUCK AND APPLICATION STATUS = FAILED. Do I hear a suggestion to lie perhaps?
My next favourite – note the sarcasm – is, do not exceed 2 pages. Bullet form key points of each job held. Oh really? Two agencies I used came back to me with, you need to expand big time if you want to get an interview, forget the bullets, give the employer detail and, if you exceed 2 pages so be it. MAKE YOUR MINDS UP PLEASE.
But the thing that really gets my goat going is the request for a lengthy personal statement to include examples of how you can fulfil the duties of this position, and how you would fulfil the personal specifications for said job – they even suggest adding an extra page if need be, meaning, you’d better tell us a lot about yourself or don’t bother applying. And while yes, I raise my hand and agree a personal statement is valid, the reason my goat gets going is that after compiling anything from the requested 500 to 3000 words, you barely get a reply or feedback or anything that gives any reason to believe your hours of work for this literary piece was even read. HAVE A LITTLE RESPECT. HOW ABOUT YOU TELL ME WHY I’M NOT SUITABLE THEN? YOU DO KNOW I PUT MY HEART INTO THAT PIECE OF WORK, DON’T YOU?
Yes I’m having a bit of rant. Yes I am now employed. And yes I’d love to hear what advice you’ve been given, or have given, which you consider to be good, bad or just plain STOOPID
August 8, 2017
“Mr Bolt, you may have inspired us to have a go at the old 100m”
Hubster and I have been glued to the London IAAF, mostly drawn by the great Usain Bolt, but also because we really, really love watching it.
(picture borrowed from: http://uk.businessinsider.com/usain-b...)
Hubster in particular really, really gets involved, to the point his body reacts to every jump, fling, run, leap, splat, throw and dash he sees. I swear he has his own seated athletics championship as his head nods faster and faster as each and every athlete begins and partakes, only for his legs and arms to start flinching and reacting, until the ultimate final moment when his whole body practically levitates inches off the safety of the couch, gliding him over the finish line, landing him in the sand pit, navigating him over the hurdles and, of course, launching him over the pole vault.
Me, well I sit there anticipating a hasty retreat should he decide the old hammer throw is something to partake in.
Anyway, as to the 100m dash. So, I said to the hubster, how about we have a go at that 100m dash? How fast do you reckon you could do it? And how big is our garden?
Hubster feels he could do it, albeit a little slower than the Master Bolt himself. I tend to agree for he is a bit of a runner. Won prizes too. The best ever being a Pyrex casserole dish that who knows how many subsequent meals it served.
[image error]Hubster taking hold of his casserole dish
The garden though he feels is probably only about 10m in length. When I was sharing the distance with a colleague, she remarked the turn would greatly reduce our time. You will no doubt agree this could add valuable seconds to the dash.
Me, well I think I’ll have trouble with not only the turn, but also getting out of any blocks we may use. Or if no blocks, then purely moving quickly will be the problem. My feet are bordering on the flat side.
Ah, I said, then. How about we take this 100m dash of the property and do it on the field behind our house? Hubster had a nervous laugh. I presume as the field, while very, very large, is surrounded with lights and houses. Perhaps he could be persuaded to think the lights and potential spectators would provide a feel of being in a stadium? Hmm, I’m not convinced, he gets a little embarrassed dancing with me in the kitchen.
To run or not to run then. We will see, we will see. Rest assured if we do, you’ll be the first to know.
July 23, 2017
Me and my beautiful girl
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March 19, 2017
Almost a year on
It’s been almost a year since we left Cape Town for the UK. It’s a been a tough one. And only now are we going to be moving into our own home – 10 days time.
During this past year there has been reflection a-plenty. It still continues, and it brings me to a point where big and small changes to my life have happened, and will continue to happen. And as they do so they will be embraced or kicked into touch.
Writing has been a big one – completely lost the will to do so. Maybe the new house will have me inspired.
Sunday morning it is then. Sunday lunch needs to be prepared, and a visit to the local pub for pre-lunch drink with my Dad is calling.
Happy Sunday all
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January 14, 2017
Been gone a long time
Need to get back and catch up with some very special bloggers.
[image error]Hello from a chilly UK
October 29, 2016
Book Review – Hugh Laurie
Hugh Laurie: The Biography by Anthony Bunko
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I was quite disappointed with this read. This was not a good biography at all, with pages and pages dedicated to talking about actors and a few select friends who Hugh Laurie has worked with, and been educated with. His father was mentioned, and I think I learnt more about the senior Mr Laurie than I did his famous son.
This of course raises the question regarding what should be in a bio’s content? Well no need down to minute detail, or sock size, but some kind of background and or reference to inspirational people etc would be a start.
Such a shame as Hugh Laurie is a favourite of mine.Hugh Laurie: The Biography
October 28, 2016
Book Review – Hiss and Hers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Hiss and Hers was my first Agatha Raisin, chosen randomly from the library.
I classify this book as comedy/crime and was a quick and easy read. The story evolves around PI Agatha Raisin falling madly in love with a hunk of a gardener, only for advances to be avoided, and then said gardener is murdered. To say more would be adding spoilers.
There are loads of colourful characters, and I found myself confused at times around who was who and why they were there. That said, the crime was easily followed, not quite easy to believe, but very entertaining.
There are a number of Agatha Raisin books, and I’d read more. Hiss and Hers
(Original review on Goodreads)
October 24, 2016
Pied Piper review
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nice little read was this one. The story is about an elderly man embarking on a fishing trip to France. Once there, the inevitable happens, WWII erupts, and feeling the need to be home to do his bit, decides to return to the UK as soon as possible.
Heading home on his own would be easy, but having befriended an English couple living in Switzerland, he is requested to take their 2 young children with him. Believing this would hamper him only slightly, and with little knowledge of how quickly the Germans are moving, he agrees. Within hours things start to go wrong, and quickly the number of children in his charge grows from 2 to 3, and eventually to 7.
As war intensifies, so the routes and transport they need become non-existent. Food too. And of course safety. Left to little more than a broken pram and determination to keep the children safe, John Howard sets out to achieve what many will see as unachievable.
#amreading
August 31, 2016
Great piece from WP missmelissawrites
(photo credit )
I don’t do enough of this, but will do so from now on – reblog and promote others that is.
I’ve known Melissa for years, meeting online when we both enrolled for one of the Get Smarter Writing courses. Subsequently we met up for coffee with other course participants, and over the years we have met and shared, and supported.
Melissa not only blogs, writes, mother’s children and a husband, she also paddle surfs. Her stories are great fun, and I hope you will enjoy reading this latest piece published in Zigzagsurf magazine. She’s a great read
THE THINKING GIRL’S GUIDE TO LIFE WITH A SURFER – by: Melissa Volker
So stoked that @Zigzagsurf published my story. Beyond stoked. http://t.co/7cRl47g0R8 #writetosurf #surfing #sup
— Melissa Volker (@MissyAnnV) August 19, 2015
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