Posts

Showing posts from October, 2021

Halloween: To Celebrate, Or Not?

Image
Pick a perfect pumpkin. Happy Halloween! I don't hate Halloween, I just don't do Halloween. Does anyone feel like me?  I'm a Halloween sceptic, as I'll go into it later. Perhaps it's my Christian values? Halloween is a celebration of death, not costumes and candy. It also has these weird Celtic and Pagan origins, making it more absurd. Centuries ago, immigrants took it to America. It was a non-event in the UK, until fairly recently. Western culture soon commercialised it. And "trick-or-treat", still lives strong. Many kids in Halloween attire, will keep up the tradition tonight, by hassling adults for sweets. You can't draw a "carol singing" comparison. Carol singing is festive charity work, and they don't egg your porch; unless you piss them off! So today, I blog about general Halloween stuff. The Pumpkin Picking Parents This may surprise you. The fields are alive, with the sound of pumpkins. On Wednesday, we went pumpkin picking. We to

Returning To The Office: A Parent Perspective

Image
"Lord Sugar will see me now." Exciting news, I went back to the office! It's one day. But technically, I'm back, and it feels great. The day arrived, where Dad would battle henceforth and mingle in the city. It took my youngest son by surprise. Why was dad leaving the house? Are we going to war? Has mum kicked him out? No dear boy, this is how the world works! He was just eighteen-months, in March 2020, when we entered lockdown. There's a "lost" generation who don't understand pre-pandemic protocols, or ever seeing their fathers in suits. But  "the times they are a-changin'" (Dylan, 1964) . Some parents are tormented by the "return to office" dilemma. Routines and childcare arrangements may change. But frankly, I'm happy and this is why. The Commuting Experience Thumbs-up to commuting! Strangely, I enjoy my commute. To some, commuting feels unnecessary or unproductive. Or time that could be used better. But would you ever

Why I'm Ditching Amazon Prime

Image
Alexa, can I cancel Amazon? Recently I cancelled my Amazon subscriptions.  Amazon Prime went first, which was costing me £79.99 a year ($110). It's a premium service, offering next-day delivery and some streamed services. I also cancelled Amazon Music, their Spotify equivalent. This was £9.99 a month ($13). I guess I had an epiphany. I was struggling to find value, and without value, what is the point? Cancelling them saves me £200 a year ($270). It's your call, but consider your relationship with Amazon. What value are you getting? Is it laziness? Are you consuming too much? Would you miss it, if it went? Read on and I'll provide a bit more insight. Amazon Prime = Too Much Consumption Consumption is fine, in areas of necessity. But too often, we overconsume. Amazon make it too convenient and easy. Goods are cheap, particularly on sale days and "Black Friday" events. But Amazon aren't always cheapest. I prefer to support local business, in these post-pandemic