Religion in the UK

For a long time, I have found religions fascinating. If I had infinite time on my hands, the first thing I would learn is about the intricacies and details of every religious belief on the planet. As a mortal, I instead find myself studying for the Life in the United Kingdom test, where I discovered a shocking piece of information about religion in the UK. Well, shocking to me anyway. My UK test book says that in a 2009 citizenship survey (not cited), 70% of people identify themselves as Christian (9% all other religions, and 21% no religion). I imagine my living in and around London the whole time has biased my view…or maybe it's the company I keep, but it certainly 'feels' like the ratio of Christians to 'Nones' is much less. I immediately took to Wikipedia to see what these numbers look like in the United States. According to a 2012 Pew Research Center poll, they look like this: 73% Christian, 7% all other religions, and 20% no religion. I am not sure what was more shocking, the huge silent Christian majority in the UK or how similar the two countries are. I suppose I shouldn't be shocked by the similarities because the US and UK are certainly more similar than different, but religion seems so much more in-your-face in the US so I was not prepared for the numbers to be so similar. OK, I promise not to do this for every country by I just looked at France: a 2011 Ipsos MORI survey (not cited) looks like this: 45% Christian, 10% all other religions, and 31% no religion (with 10% not reporting). Now that, that is a difference!  Hmm, now wait a minute.  I never looked at the Wikipedia UK numbers, which is reportedly based on a 2011 census: 59% Christian, 8% all other religions, 26% no religion (with 7% not reporting).  Now that seems a little more believable.

Photo Credit
Faravahar: Wikipedia

Charity: The ultimate luxury

Before my current job, I had never worked for a charity. And when it all started, I was so happy to find anything in the field of occupational therapy that I didn't really take any notice. It is truly a privilege to work for a charity because the greater aim has a specific purpose that is not monetary. There is an almost palpable satisfaction that my daily efforts are not in the service of wealth. Maybe it is because I live in London, but it seems that everywhere I turn, everything is about accumulating wealth:  Everything is monetised. I can tell how good anything is supposed to be… an athlete, a work of art, a piece of land, a politician, a news program, a restaurant… by the wealth it generates or how much it costs. And I am constantly having goods and services dangled before me telling me that I am simply not enough unless I have the money to spend on this item or that event. Being focused on making someone else's life better most of the time is a real breath of fresh air. Even if I am just fooling myself into thinking that by working for a charity I am stepping outside of the pyramid scheme that is capitalism, I highly recommend it. It is the ultimate luxury… way better than a larger house or a thinner phone.

It once was lost but now is found

I was at the pub last Friday with some work colleagues, I reached into my wallet to pay for my meal… and my credit card was gone.  Normally, my mind immediately races to ridiculous scenarios, but for some reason this time it didn't.  I had cash so everything was fine at the time.  Saturday, I popped on line to see if there'd been any activity because the card has one of those contactless things on it, which I really do not at all like.  I've been coerced into using it once or twice but it seems to me a really bad idea for transactions to be approved without a PIN or signature.  But anyway, there were no transactions other than mine.  The last time I used the card was on Wednesday to top up my weekly shop.  It occurred to me while looking at the transaction that I must've left my card in the card reader.  I'm surprised I haven't done this sooner.  I've almost done it many many times.  My darling wife as well as nameless, kind strangers have also saved me from doing this before.  I decided that this scenario was so likely that the card must still be at the shop because if someone was going to do something nefarious with it, they would have done it by now.  Unfortunately the shop was near work, 70 miles from home, so I waited until Monday.  I got there and explained to the nice lady at the till.   She quizzed me a bit and walked over to two huge piles of cards.  Apparently I am not the only person who has done this!  Luckily, it was right near the top.  But I couldn't believe how many cards they had.  Wow!

Photo Credit

Pub Scene: fancyapint?

Pile of Cards: The Guardian

Patients evacuated as computer suite catches fire at Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in Putney

The computer suite in this headline is where I work. The fire happened on Friday.  In the last six years, I have spent more of my time in the therapy computer room than anywhere else. It has been the physical centre of my existence and the focal point of my career. Despite the last decade of working with people who are dealing with debilitating disasters in their lives, this comparatively small disruption is quite shocking and traumatic for me in the midst of my relatively charmed life. I am in shock, sad, and feeling a little lost, having no clear model of my future in the face of this event. The next few weeks will undoubtedly be more remarkable than I was anticipating.

Full article source: Your Local Guardian

Christmas Trees at Work

I think they speak for themselves really.  Main reception:

 An event room:

 Cafe:

 Another event room:

 Canteen:

My favourite is the tree outside the cafe that they decorated with big balls.  You can see them out the window.

A Shameless Attempt to Get a Valid Sainsbury's Voucher

I read a newspaper article recently about how someone blogged about poor service at a Tesco which resulted in the company actually addressing the problems.  So I am going to give it a try.  My problem is with Sainsbury's.  Several days ago, I received the bottom voucher shown at left.  I returned to Sainsbury's a few days later and brought it to the information desk.  The staff were very friendly, helpful, understood the problem, and seemed to want to help me.   So unlike the blogger that went before me, my problem was not with the local staff.  My problem is that Sainsbury's is printing unusable vouchers.  You will notice that in another voucher that was left behind by the previous shopper shown in the top half of the image left is for first time on-line use.  I am not eligible for that one.  But I have included it to demonstrate the presence of the code that the on-line shopper enters to redeem it… and the absence of a code on the coupon that I do qualify for.  The numerous staff that helped me all proclaimed the voucher faulty.  But there is a problem here.  It is not like I just went up to Sainsbury's one day and suggested that they give me £10 if I spend over £50 online.  Sainsbury's actually suggested it… and then made it impossible by not including the on-line redeem code.  So I am looking for a valid £10 voucher for me and all the other on-line users who spent more that £50 this week because it is the right thing to do.

Strictly

The summer days and winter nights in London are longer than in Providence. My six years here is relatively short considering the years I spent in New England, so the length summer days and winter nights are still jarring. For some reason the rapidness of the change in daylight is, for me, most noticeable immediately following the equinoxes. In autumn, my heightened awareness of the quickly advancing wall of darkness is accompanied by the start of the new season of Strictly Come Dancing. I usually do not like these types of shows, but there is something about this one that buoys my spirits. From the incredibly talented orchestra, the wonderfully brilliant delivery of old-fashion wisecracks by presenter Bruce Forsyth, the clarity from judge Craig Revel Horwood on how to get a higher score, the appreciation of dance, the amazing costumes, to the friendly atmosphere amongst of the participants, I love almost everything about it. Maybe it recalls my former self… that part of me that still longs to leap out of my body and meld with a stream of music… and the camaraderie of being surrounded by souls striving for the same transcendence. But maybe my affection is largely due to the timing of the show. As the earth travels through the bleakest part of its orbit relative to the spot I happen to be sitting upon it, I find myself looking forward to the light, jovial nature of the show. Sometimes, when standing on a dark platform waiting a train to or from work, my mind conjures up the energy of the orchestra blasting the theme song with Brucey shuffling his 85-year old feet across the stage as a break from the ominous and increasing darkness, so much darker than the recollections of the winters of my youth.

Photo Credit

Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Darcey Bussell, and Len Goodman (Bruno Tonioli out of view) with Bruce Forsyth: Mirror Online