What impact do i have?

As a very eventful week draws to a close, I have looked back and thought , what impact am i giving off?

To some people I imagine it is a good impact as they’re are many people i can count as friends but  i know full well that because i have enemies of my own that i could in fact be somebody else’s enemy.

In the past, i will admit there have been times when i have  upset people and sometimes not apologised as quickly or as properly as i should have and i have to live with that i guess.  A couple of these events have taken place this very week which sort of inspired me to write this piece.

Sure, you would say at 22 years of age why would i care what imprint i have left on the world or what anyone thinks about me but to be honest its something that really bothers me.

In work, i hear of certain people who may be disliked by others because of how they act or work and think am i one of them?

As for another part of most people’s lives, relationships and love well thats quite easy to say, and even thought it’ll be read clear on this blog and might sound stupid to some it is the truth of what i would want my experience to be.

In life all i would want in terms of love is to just have that certain someone to talk to once in a while   and to spend some time with all the notions of sex and raunchiness being second thoughts and for when in a serious and committed relationship the likes of which i have never truly been part of and maybe never will.

A few friends have told me , hey enjoy being single and enjoy the money you have from work. Enjoy how exactly? Sure i treated myself to a new TV a few months ago and recently purchased a new mobile phone but is that enjoying money or just compensating for something that is missing in my life.

Right this very second, i believe that i could have all the money and objects in the world and still not be completely happy as they say money can’t buy happiness (unless in specific circumstances).

After watching the Hillsborough memorial and being near tears, yes i said it a grown man more or less crying, it did dawn on me that so many people who lost their lives lost out on the chance to live a good life and do well and here i am with the chance and not taking it because maybe im scared or shy of what may happen.

I know that the most obvious thing people will say is don’t put yourself down or stop being too serious but this is who i am – a 22 year old man who basically hasn’t ‘lived’ a lot for the time I’ve had.

So as a result of this rant or tirade i ask this simple question, What do you think of me and what impact if any did i leave on you?

April 15th – A day to remember

Today is Wednesday April 15th 2009, to many people it may just be just another normal day but to some it is a day of celebration or remembrance,

On April 15th 1989,  96 Liverpool Fans died at Hillsborough during a FA Cup Semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

This year sees the 20th Anniversary of the tragedy which changed football and the people of Liverpool forever. The tragedy led to the introduction of all-seater stadia and will be remembered  across the country and across some parts of the world primarily in Liverpool where the annual memorial service will take place atAnfield today allowing fans and the families of the 96 to remember those whom they lost on the that fateful day.

Last night saw an event that paid great tribute to 96 lost at Hillsborough as Liverpool FC travelled to Stamford Bridge to try to overturn a 3-1 deficit against Chelsea. Despite being away from home, The atmosphere from the Liverpool fans was amazing and the performance was one to make any fan proud of their team as Liverpool not only pulled the tie back to 3-3 on agg at half time but took Chelsea all the way finally drawing 4-4 and losing 7-5 on agg.

As the final whistle went, i felt a feeling of proudness and contentment rather than disappointment or anger as what i saw last night made me proud to be a Liverpool fan knowing that through thick and thin the team and fans stick together just like they did 20 years ago and knowing that the 96 fans would be just as proud up in heaven of their great team.

Today also is the 97th Anniversary of  the sinking of the RMS Titanic which saw the loss of  1,517 lives and like the Hillsborough Disaster caused a change for the better with improvements to maritime law and lifeboat capacity as well as partial compensation for the families and loved ones of those who perished.

To try and end on a postive note on this sad day, there is some celebration as a couple of friends celebrate their birthdays so Happy Birthday goes to Sarah Jayne Timson (20) and Craig Hardman(27).

You’ll Never Walk Alone

John Alfred Anderson (62)

Colin Mark Ashcroft (19)

James Gary Aspinall (18)

Kester Roger Marcus Ball (16)

Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron (67)

Simon Bell (17)

Sidney Bennett (26)

David John Benson (22)

David William Birtle (22)

Tony Bland (22)

Paul David Brady (21)

Andrew Mark Brookes (26)

Carl Brown (18)

David Steven Brown (25)

Henry Thomas Burke (47)

Peter Andrew Burkett (24)

Paul William Carlile (19)

Raymond Thomas Chapman (50)

Gary Christopher Church (19)

Joseph Clark (29)

Paul Clark (18)

Gary Collins (22)

Stephen Paul Copoc (20)

Tracey Elizabeth Cox (23)

James Philip Delaney (19)

Christopher Barry Devonside (18)

Christopher Edwards (29)

Vincent Michael Fitzsimmons (34)

Thomas Steven Fox (21)

Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)

Barry Glover (27)

Ian Thomas Glover (20)

Derrick George Godwin (24)

Roy Harry Hamilton (34)

Philip Hammond (14)

Eric Hankin (33)

Gary Harrison (27)

Stephen Francis Harrison (31)

Peter Andrew Harrison (15)

David Hawley (39)

James Robert Hennessy (29)

Paul Anthony Hewitson (26)

Carl Darren Hewitt (17

Nicholas Michael Hewitt (16)

Sarah Louise Hicks (19)

Victoria Jane Hicks (15)

Gordon Rodney Horn (20)

Arthur Horrocks (41)

Thomas Howard (39)

Thomas Anthony Howard (14)

Eric George Hughes (42)

Alan Johnston (29)

Christine Anne Jones (27)

Gary Philip Jones (18)

Barry Richard Jones (25)

Nicholas Peter Joynes (27)

Anthony Peter Kelly (29)

Michael David Kelly (38)

Carl David Lewis (18)

David William Mather (19)

Brian Christopher Mathews (38)

Francis Joseph McAllister (27)

John McBrien (18)

Marion Hazel McCabe (21)

Joseph Daniel McCarthy (21)

Peter McDonnell (21)

Alan McGlone (28)

Keith McGrath (17)

Paul Brian Murray (14)

Lee Nicol (14)

Stephen Francis O’Neill (17)

Jonathon Owens (18)

William Roy Pemberton (23)

Carl William Rimmer (21)

David George Rimmer (38)

Graham John Roberts (24)

Steven Joseph Robinson (17)

Henry Charles Rogers (17)

Colin Andrew Hugh William Sefton (23)

Inger Shah (38)

Paula Ann Smith (26)

Adam Edward Spearritt (14)

Philip John Steele (15)

David Leonard Thomas (23)

Patrik John Thompson (35)

Peter Reuben Thompson (30)

Stuart Paul William Thompson (17)

Peter Francis Tootle (21)

Christopher James Traynor (26)

Martin Kevin Traynor (16)

Kevin Tyrrell (15)

Colin Wafer (19)

Ian David Whelan (19)

Martin Kenneth Wild (29)

Kevin Daniel Williams (15)

Graham John Wright (17)

Simply Jade Goody

As a former media student, I was always told to never judge a story or person on a so-called character flaw, in the case of Jade Goody I had done just that. When she first entered the public eye as a contestant on the 2002 version of Channel 4’s ‘Big Brother’ , Jade Cerisa Lorraine Goody was instantly dubbed as ’stupid’ or ‘dumb’ because of various comments she came out with during her stay in the BB house. Most famously her comment, ‘Where’s East Angular [sic] though? I thought that was abroad’.

From this point the British press began a passage of ridicule that would follow her for the rest of her days. This was enforced by her other antics which included cavorting naked while drunk and also committing a sexual act with fellow housemate PJ. Despite this, Jade seemed to have some of the public behind her as she finished in 4th place. Her in-house exploits provided fame for the dental nurse from Bermondsey who then went on to release various DVDs, her autobiography entitled ‘Jade: My Autobiography’ and the fragrance ‘Shh … Jade Goody’

She competed in the 2006 London Marathon only to collapse at the 21 mile mark, she claimed to have not prepared for the event properly but went on to raise over £550 for the NSPCC.

In the following months she released her autobiography, ‘Jade -My Autobiography’ and created a fragrance called ‘Shh…Jade Goody’ which allowed her to gain further prominence in the public eye.

At this point, my opinion of her was that she was a celebrity who was trying to create a future for her children, her sons Bobby and Freddie born in 2003 and 2004 with her then partner Jeff Brazier.

Things were going good for her all in all until 2007 swung around to deal her a major blow that would change her life dramatically. It came in January when she took part in the celebrity version of Big Brother with her mother Jackiey Budden and partner Jack Tweed and allegedly voiced racist comments to Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty which included the use of the phrase ‘Shilpa Poppadom and caused public outcry against Goody and fellow housemates Jo O’Meara and Danielle Lloyd. Channel4 was barraged with complaints and many people (myself included) turned on Jade in terms of opinion. Shetty later revealed that she didn’t not believe it was a racial slur.

But this was not enough to stop Jade’s reputation and her product sales going into freefall across the year. In order to try and salvage some reputation she entered the Indian version of Big Brother – ‘Big Boss’ in 2008 after releasing her second fragrance ‘Controversial’. This entry into reality would be the most significant as two days into her experience she was informed that she had cervical cancer and as such withdrew from the programme. She released a second autobiography entitled – ‘Jade: Catch A Falling Star’ and went on to appear on in documentaries such as ‘Living with Jade Goody’ and Jade’s cancer battle’. Her status in the public eye had skyrocketed but there was mixed opinions as some sympathised with her struggle while others believed it to be some sort of comeuppance.

Jade struggled on despite negative press and attempts were made to try to cure her cancer but to no avail. She had planned her funeral and went on to marry partner Jack Tweed in a ceremony on February 22nd 2009. The press continued to publish daily stories on her which created some negativity with the public with some asking why she was seemingly put on a pedestal when other cancer sufferers were going through the same sort of situation alone.

As she entered this month it was becoming more and more possible that her final day was on the horizon. She was christened with her sons on March 7th in what became her final public appearance. As a mother of two young sons, Mother’s Day would have been a date high in her calendar but sadly she was not able to spend the day with Bobby and Freddie as she passed away in her sleep in the early hours with family and friends at her bedside. She is due to be buried at a publicly attended funeral on April 4th.

Jade Goody was someone who made some people happy and some people angry but she has left a legacy to this country in the way of the topic of smear tests for cervical cancer. She herself had a test before entering Big Brother in 2002 which was her first of four cancer scares.

The issue of smear tests has prompted a review by the NHS which Jade herself said she was immensely proud to have influenced.

In the week since her death, I have noticed that the reaction is slightly gender spread with the majority of the female population behind her in tribute groups and respect. The male population I have not seen the same reaction from but reasons for this are unknown to me.

Personally, Jade was not a woman i admired nor liked during her life for various reasons which i have covered but after her death i still am not what you could call a fan but there is slight admiration for her struggle and that her legacy may help to prevent future cases of cervical cancer or if not at least promote smear tests at a younger age in order to protect the future of the UK’s female population.

N.B – Comments on this blog are welcome but i will not tolerate any offensive or comedic remarks.

ASDA Distribution- an experience and a half!

Five months ago, I started working at ASDA Distribution, Skelmersdale with the fear that it would be too hard for me.  At first, this proved to be quite true as my speed in order picking was dire and i was posting shift figures of 900 cases picked when the rate was 1460. This continued across a number of different picking grids including the provisions (dairy and ready meals) and produce (Fruit and Veg).

In time I managed to reach the rate within the boundaries of my 2-10pm shift and was able to do so over a extended period of time. I recently received my full time contract and was overjoyed but it came with a sort of curse. This is because since the day of  my contract confirmation i have reached the hallowed rate of 1460 only once but cannot see where i am failing.

I mean sure while i was trying to secure a contract i will admit i had people who helped me out from time to time. But now things seem to be different as my attitude to work is better in that i am not one of those people who says nothing and just picks good and bad with no opinion. Instead If somebody is not doing something right i will comment or report it if it is serious enough. The funniest thing is that this style does not seem to work very well because as a fellow worker told me before i am ‘ too serious’.

So the question remains, in order to be a successful order picker should i lighten up and have more than just the occasional laugh or continue to be the serious worker who has the style of an author of a expose on the picking techniques of fellow workers?