BLOGGING
Like many people I first became aware of blogging when the Bagdad Blogger wrote about life from the perspective of a local during the Iraq war. His diary informed western journalists of life in the city, who were grossly limited by the sheer impossibility of travel in the city. It demonstrated for ever the power of the Internet as a means of communication which was nigh on impossible to suppress. Of course blogging (like anything on the Internet) can disseminate valid information, disinformation, or rubbish. But in this case it was widely accepted as a vitally important, honest, contribution to the record.
For over thirty years Joan and I had kept handwritten diaries of our more novel travels, the first being a series of holidays spent walking the Long Distance Footpaths (Grande Randonees) in France, which comfortably pre-date the UK's first The Pennine Way. Our young family carried everything needed in rucksacks, lightweight tents/sleeping bags/insulating mats, clothes, food and most precious of all drinking water.
But three years ago for our sixty day journey largely by bus not foot, as befitted our advancing age, following west to east the Southern Silk Road across China, I decided to keep the diary as a blog (giving immediate access to our progress for all those at home), although unsure at the time of the practicality of access to computers by some sort of Internet Cafe. In the event communal computer facilities (without cafe) were very widely available, for in China practically no-one could afford the luxury of their own computer. I blogged and emailed for a pittance whilst fifty or so young Chinese largely played computer games. When anything went wrong I blamed the renowned 'Great Firewall of China', which had put chains on Google, though in retrospect that was never the problem.
When I was elected to the Committee of Swansea U3A Bob Hughes was keen to find roles for the newcomers and so I volunteered for the role of Groups' Coordinator. I liked to think of myself during my career as an engineer as an ideas man, always looking to develop or innovate. At my first annual Convenors Meeting Bob handed me a box full of stick-on name labels and thus forced me to introduce myself to the nearly 40 group leaders present, who are the life blood of this organisation. Almost all were then unknown to me. Until that point I had attended only the Wednesday lectures and a Book Group.
A factor which struck me clearly was the difficulty of communication with a rapidly increasing membership without the use of modern methods and I was amazed to learn from the committee that very few of the convenors used email. A presumption which was in fact found to be false, such was the rate of uptake of Internet connection, now mainly by a fast broadband link.
I started the Brian's Blog just after the first Wednesday lecture of 2008/9 as the best means I could think of to promote group activities. I felt then, as I still do, that to be effective the blog had to be read, and to be read it had to engage its readers. Thus most views of groups are my personal reviews not just statements of fact, which often include thoughts stimulated by the proceedings. Generally items about groups are supported by discussion of topical issues to create a more complete diary, but never I would stress are these chosen to suit vested interests.
For the record I am not a member of any political party, nor any religious faction, but I am an ordinary member of Swansea Jazzland! Politically I am a Socialist (a dying breed). I am also an Atheist and a Pacifist who was brought up in a devoutly Christian home - Christadelphian in fact, which I guess could be described as Pacifist-Baptist (my father was a Conscientious Objector).
Christadelphians acknowledge the special place of the Jews as God's chosen people and were very active in providing them with asylum in this country just before and during the Second World War. I note that their meeting place, as they call their church, appears on earlier maps of Mumbles as a synagogue, and would be interested if anyone can throw light on this.
Hand in hand with the blog I developed my strategy of collecting email addresses whenever I visited different groups, and I started to promote group activities getting members to sign interest lists at Wednesday lectures and special activity days like New Members Coffee morning. All this was done with the full knowledge and support of your committee.
I have now reached the point where I have 334 verified email addresses in my own address book, the membership coverage is more again for many couples share one email address. I have for some time been anxious for this information to be added to our official membership data base. Incorporation is being done this year by the newly elected Membership Secretary. Incidentally reaching this point has involved me in the equivalent of a few working weeks over the nearly two year period, quite aside of the writing of 54 blog postings. Encouragingly group convenors are beginning to request email address lists of their members.
SWANSEA U3A WEB-SITE
For years we had an embarrassingly out of date web site. Creating the attractive, usable, new version was largely the work of our new Vice-Chairman. This is the third arm in the modernisation of communication for Swansea U3A, and I encourage group convenors (I prefer the term group leaders) to make full use of it to publicise their own group. Just google Swansea U3A to find the link.
QUESTIONNAIRE
140 completed forms have been returned from the 332 sent out, I had hoped for more and will try again after the holiday period - towards the end of September. In the meantime any that are returned will be added to the easy to read Excel data base in which the first 140 are already held. Especially encouraging was the late replier who added unprompted, ' - sorry I have been dilatory in replying. Thanks for your Blog, I really enjoy it'.
Many thanks to all those who have responded. They indicate an encouragingly frequent use of computers, and amongst other things has enabled me to identify those who need and deserve basic Internet tuition. The vast proportion access their email within 1-3 days, sufficient for U3A purposes.
SAILING
When I wrote the piece on Llangorse I was completely unaware that there had also been a capsize of one of the larger training boats, a Comet Trio. I therefore offer a big apology to three others for not mentioning that they too were baptised into the sport, though the two I have seen since were completely un-phased by the experience. Tess Atherton, David Jones and Brian Derrick at the helm were screaming along on a plane, crew hiking out, when hit by a strong gust and the boat presumably broached, came rapidly up to wind, and capsized. My advice is to try a Laser dinghy if they want practice in handling that situation!
Last Wednesday back to teaching jive, Pam Williams was still raving about the sailing day. It was her very first time and I'm sure she would have felt the same if she had ended up being rescued.
GARDENING IN THE RAIN
They are not phased by the water either!
ITALIAN GROUP
Have decided to break off until 10 am Monday morning 23 August. Check with Patricia Morgan on 207305 nearer the date.
POLITICS and CITIZENSHIP
Gabrielle Suff, 208979, is obviously getting to grips with organising her new group to judge from her queries. It seems there will be no formal meeting in August but she will arrange an informal get together if members want. Might be an ideal time to make YOUR first contact
Don Mason talking last meeting about The Big Society did not let on that it was due to be re-launched the very next day by non less than David Cameron. One thing he requested was that the group turn on a program about a Route from Poverty to Work the very next night on Channel 4. We did so and I must say it was revealing of the effect of concerted one-on-two guidance.
There is little doubt that the young father was a difficult case, in totally the wrong frame of mind to secure employment, and without a vestige of self-confidence left. Yet after sustained, intelligent, guidance he was turned round to an unbelievable extent. The only other explanation is that he is a very talented actor (joke - honest). The mother of the young child appeared to present no great problem, except lack of money and thus hope.
It left me with a few thoughts, yes, transition is undoubtedly possible, I know that from personal experience, but in this case it took an enormous amount of concentrated skilled guidance, which being one-on-two was also very expensive in effort, so I find it impossible to see this enacted on a large scale in the forthcoming period of massive expenditure cuts.
It was the work seeker's mentor's skill to realise his love of training at the local amateur club plus work skills obtained whilst in the army were the ingredients needed to restore self esteem. Though how many such men can afford to buy a new suit (or even whether that is appropriate) to attend an interview for low skilled manual employment. Prolonged interview training was the last step in the chain and it helped him through.
The other observation is that to begin with the man was scared of taking employment in case things went wrong, because if they did he would have to exist without any income for weeks before his benefits were restored. That is a long standing problem which I have heard many times over the past 20 years, including from someone who now works as a part-time college lecturer.
BP and the YANKS
Just as it is beginning to be realised that the subcontractors will have to share the blame for the Mexican Gulf disaster, my erst-while friend Obama strikes on Lockerbie. Might it be that were it not for the high politics involved that al-Megrahi would have been released for unsafe verdict rather than what is beginning to look like a trumped up case of terminal ill health.
There is a play at the Tobacco Factory theatre 0117-902-0344 in Bristol on 8 pm Friday 30 July tickets £10, Lockerbie - Unfinished Business, which will presumably claim that a bomb fragment was planted and that $2million was paid to Maltese key identification witness Gauci for his evidence for the prosecution. Sounds like a riveting play of high political skulduggery. Google Jim Swire if interested (his daughter, 24 year old Flora Swire, was one of the victims).
GWILYM SIMCOCK at the TALIESIN
What a jazz concert last Friday. But why only a 70% audience for such a world figure, young, universally recognised for his talent in classical and jazz circles, and, Welsh too? Recognised as an important new voice on the world stage by no less than Chick Corea, possibly the best known jazz pianist of the present era. Undoubtedly the best Welsh jazz pianist since Bill Evans who can be heard on 'Kind of Blue' by Miles Davis, the top selling jazz LP of all time.
He was brilliant both times I have heard him at Jazzlands, but was rather subdued a couple of years ago with Acoustic Triangle in Llanrhidian church during the Gower Festival. Last night was by far the best concert of them all.
He was matched by, and blended excellently with, the Salford born guitarist Mike Walker who is revered across Europe. He has played with most of the world's greatest jazz guitarists as well as Kenny Wheeler's band. Displayed fine humour as announcer.
Old timer Steve Swallow from New York on bass guitar of an age to join the U3A, he would fit in anywhere. I thought his composition with a Latin rhythm the best of a wonderful selection of originals, a perfect means of highlighting his ability with melody, helped by the extra range of his five string base. He has played with many of the great American bands.
Even the drummer composed, though Gwilym thought he could improve on one of them. Adam Nussbaum (arguably the stand-out performer of the night - and that from someone who rarely rates jazz drummers) is another American with a unique style which ranges from ultra sensitive to full-on driving and sudden transitions. His best composition was for his wife - something about beauty. His list of credits includes working with all time American greats like Gil Evans and Sonny Rollins. That night he was a sensation. As Margaret, on the door in the good old days when Swansea jazz club was united in St James Crescent, remarked, 'what superb jazz drumming - I doubt Derrick Morgan (the house drummer of the day) could have played like that'
In the interval I turned to find son Geoffrey in earnest conversation with the younger brother of Tudor Harris, one of Geoff's best friends in the darkest days of the 80's. Jason explained that he had been called in urgently to tune the grand piano which explained the delay at the start. He, I remembered was the person who supplied Geoff's heavyweight cast iron piano whilst working for Duck, Son and Pinker in Bath, where the name outlived their shop in the old High Street Arcade - in whose closing down sale I bought a large proportion of my LP collection plus a fine Chuck Berry along with my original Sargeant Pepper's - those last two disappeared, I wonder where?
Tudor incidentally is now married and living in the USA, still french polishing the interior of millionaires boats and middle eastern princes' palaces. I remember he french polished the sill in Geoff's bedroom, long since replaced by boring PVC, part of a decoration plan which left the room with a black ceiling and a giant size dart board on one end of the room
A night entirely playing around eight originals, none of which I had heard before, but all of which I enjoyed, not always the case when jazz musicians turn to composition. But remember these days most of them have excelled, like Gwilym, in classical training and performance. I loved the way some of his own compositions started with a simple motif then quietly ran through classical variations of the theme before slowly transmuting into jazz tonality and rhythms.
At the end of the performance Gwilym thanked piano tuner Jason Harris 'without whom the concert would not have been possible', and Adam Nussbaum thanked Derrick Morgan for supplying the drum kit.
The audience was thrilled, but why the empty seats, it should have been sold out in such a small venue. One day Swansea will come of age! At the National Theatre's Swansea Assembly event in The Monkey Cafe I remember complaining to Dave Philips and then Sibyl Crouch that most of the jazz concerts at the Taliesin are now female vocalists. Now I know, it's a question of bums on seats. We get what we deserve.
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