The end of 2009

Another year nearly gone. 2009 was eventful in many ways, there were good and bad events and developments, but then again that is how it always has been. The hope, as always, is that the new year will be a better one for everyone and the most important thing for me is that hope is in the air (with her legs up the air! bad joke I know...)

Wishing the thousands of you who do and don't read this blog a Happy New Year. There is optimism in the air. How do I know that? I am a firm believer that if you say something many times it will happen, so go and do it!

My NY resolutions are: Remain a free thinker, defend the underdog, reject dogma, keep a balance between the need to be nice and the necessity to make things happen by managing real situations, spend more time with my teacher partner (lots more) resist shallowness, finish my second novel, remain gorgeous, stay humble, be critical of those who deserve criticism and remain focused on pure Trade Union principles.

Happy New Year!

Sarah Brown

I will not be exaturating I think if I said that one of Labours most valuable assets is Sarah Brown. She is a major hit with the trend setters and appeals to voters of a liberal mind. In addition she has the makings of an inspirational role model for some and could attract votes from Middle England and of course Middle England where Brigadier Trolley, his wife Porcia and daugther Lucricia Fairbottom live are important if Labour is to win the next election. And I am not publicly saying that I am promoting Labour (apparently I am in a politically restricted post so can't publicly encourage anyone to vote for anything??) So bearing that in mind it would appear that Sarah Brown, who fascinates me, is a vote winner. And lets face it Gordon Brown's accounting background makes him more trustworthy than David plum in my bloody mouth Cameron. I hope the country makes the right choice when the election comes up.

And Happy Birthday to my comrade Jon of the Rogers who works so hard for the Branch and has done so much to help so many people. He is a true Helper a breed of people who give up themselves and their careers to help others. Happy birthday mate!

Where did 10 years go??

with close friends in March...



Difficult to believe but we are just about to exit 10 years of history. Where did an entire decade go and why does time go so fast? Is there life on the planet zanussi and indeed is there such a planet? Are these questions relevant or have I been on the bloody sherry again like Ms Marbles.. ( a younger version if you don't mind..)

Well for me the 10 years went a little too fast but as an optimist I am looking forward to the next 10 with my lovely new partner who, I am hoping, will also be the last (5th one so far so hoping to get this one right..) I am still a bit behind Henry the viii I know but would like good old Henry to keep that title.

My grandmother died at the age of 95 in 2005 so that was one bad event in our family but she had a good life and was a strong powerful woman who managed the family and didn't take any nonsense from any man. Then my dear uncle Nikos died suddenly at 70 back in 2008. I was very close to him and he was such a huge inspiration to me. He always saw great potential in me and was openly proud of his nephew ( he was married to my auntie so not a blood relative but still a treasure) but the man was such a lovely person and could not ever think that any human had negative thoughts he thought all men (and women) were good rather than the reverse. He was devoted to his family and those close to him. We often had little arguments about his position (he was the founder of one of the largest Insurance groups in the Hellenic world and therefore a capitalist so would never join the United Left...)I know he is resting in peace.

I also met my previous partner in April 2000 and we had 6 good years together. We are still very close friends and live near each other.

And of course my first novel was published in January 2000 and got some good reviews (and some bad ones) on amazone. It was also listed in the booksellers magazine which made me feel that I achieved something. I once saw a copy of it in Waterstones in Oxford Street. Bugger knows why I stopped writing after that but hey its one of them things and I intend to change all of that by finishing my next novel which will be even more controversial than the first one!

Became Branch Secretary for Lambeth Unison in 2003 ( still there) and continued to be Finance Convenor for the London Region until Feb 2006 (1999 to 2006) So the last decade was busy for me.

In the mean time and in the real world Tony Blair decided to invade Iraq and then Afghanistan which was a major error of judgement and a strong signal of pure arrogance. His disregard of democracy is unforgivable. Then we had the execution of an Innocent Brazilian on the streets of London who was mistaken for a terrorist. And of course we had the collapse of the banking world because the bankers messed it all up by dishing out cash which would give them bigger bonuses but fuck the rest of the economy up? I am amazed that no one got disciplined for such an act of incompetence and I know for a fact that where I am any of us would be on charges if we were in that position?

But there were also good things happening in the last 10 years. Greece managed to host the best Olympics ever in 2004 despite the racist motivated criticism from the press (mainly the British press)and proved to the world that the underdog can win and good always prevails. And then Greece also won the European cup in the same year not to mention the Eurovision crap contest.

In conclusion I would say that like any decade there were good and bad things happening to the world, to our friends, families and those around us that we know and love. I am sure that the next 10 years will be as eventful but hope is in the air (what's she doing in the air again? Thought she went to Spain with Stuart?) and I know that we will all be fine and get on.

Happy New Year to all my friends who read the blog and a special one to my mate Martin Granaher in Germany who I lost touch with and then found out that he actually reads this blog and therefore knows what am up to! Have a good one Martin come and visit soon? Good luck with your next single!

New novel for 2010...

Hoping to put the final touches to my new novel, still trying to find the time to re write the 3 last chapters. Here's a link to my first book which came out in 2000.. well one every 10 years isn't that bad!

Cut copy and paste job..


http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0953785009/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?

Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo

Mentioning a few important people in my life the day before Christmas and wishing them all Buon Natale. Friends to start with and associates who have worked with me over the years, but my close mates first.

Martin, Nicky, James, Martin Granaher, Gordon, Mark, Denise, Madline, Andre, Nigel, Jackie, Pepe, Jose, Carlos, Lucia, Lilliana, Claire, Rene, Barbara, Louiza and of course David. These are my close friends some of whom I have known since university days back in 1827...

And of course members of my family who are close to me and friends. Helen, my sister in law and Janet my other sister in law, Flora, Anna, Antroulla, Maria and another Maria my cousins.

And then there are people I have worked with closely in the last 20 years who have also become friends. Juliet, who is more of a sister to me, Anne, Claire, Hassina (she is fascinating) Jon (my second younger brother..) Chester Paul and Jackie and of course Marsha Jane Thompson who has become a good friend, we clash sometimes but she knows at the end that I am always right. She is truly amazing but isn't aware of her true potential I think and allows others to be negative about her when she does nothing other than radiate positive thoughts around people she is close with, an asset worth having I think!

Lambeth Unison AGM report

Happy to say that the AGM report to be presented to the Lambeth AGM on the 14 January 2010 is ready and with the printers. My branch has a good tradition of having good popular AGM's every year that are well attended and we always manage to produce a report well in advance.

Snow every where...

A picture of my road early this morning. Apologies to Andrew for not having a picture of myself to fulfil the prophecy of wanting my ego enhanced... lol

My nephew who is 12 finds it exciting and my neighbours daughter, little Marta, who is 8 also thinks its great. We are surrounded by snow and although it looks lovely it is difficult to get the car out and drive up the hill! My mother also wants to know where this greenhouse that's going to make England warmer is? But seriously the snow looks lovely and it looks like we might get a white Christmas. In the meantime I am breaking the Leviathans code to wear formal wear as I have no intention of breaking my legs wearing hard shoes so there you go!