I decided to take a stand against the self-indulgent nonsense most people fill their websites with by, er, interviewing myself.
Bear with me.
I'm not sure where this idea came from, but here it is. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and podcasts; my commute is anywhere between forty minutes and two hours. More, if Google Maps takes me on an A-road safari and I get stuck behind a Herefordshire farmer. Anyway, some of the questions that get asked in those audiobooks and podcasts get me thinking. How would I interpret that question? What would my answer be? I thought I'd share some of those ideas here. My learning style is that of a reflector-theorist so thinking about these questions does prompt me to reflect (surprise!) on the topic at hand, and I love questions that get me to think in new and different ways.
Bear with me.
I'm not sure where this idea came from, but here it is. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and podcasts; my commute is anywhere between forty minutes and two hours. More, if Google Maps takes me on an A-road safari and I get stuck behind a Herefordshire farmer. Anyway, some of the questions that get asked in those audiobooks and podcasts get me thinking. How would I interpret that question? What would my answer be? I thought I'd share some of those ideas here. My learning style is that of a reflector-theorist so thinking about these questions does prompt me to reflect (surprise!) on the topic at hand, and I love questions that get me to think in new and different ways.
What are the habits that have most improved you home or work life?
Getting organised. I'm not a naturally organised person. It's something I've worked long and hard at. All the productivity apps in the world haven't had the impact of finding the right notebook (currently this amazon basics notepad) that's the right size to fit in my bag and is convenient to write on, with the right weight paper for my pens. That combined with Microsoft's 'to do' app. My work phone and laptop are synched, as are my personal MacBook and phone. this enables me to keep tabs on the tasks I've set myself, allows me to chase up on tasks I've set others, ensure I don't miss emails and the like. What has been your best investment?
I'm a big believer in ongoing training and education. So I'd say the online training I've done to improve my IT skills, via Alison.com, as well as the qualifications I've gained. Also the time I spend watching educational YouTube videos and listening to audiobooks. Financially, working in the care sector hasn't always blessed me with the disposable income I always thought I'd need to invest. That's changing with the amount of free learning available online and various apps and financial products. I'd say the best financial investments I've made have been largely accidental. As a guitarist I've picked up a few pieces of equipment that have turned out to be worth a lot more over time that what I paid for them. I recently sold an original Marshall Blueasbreaker pedal for £250.00, haven paid about £35 for it when it was still available new. The problem with being a collector, of course, is that you rarely want to sell the things you've bought. |
What are three non-negotiable behaviours you expect from others?
Honesty. If you don't know, ask. If you disagree, speak up. If you screw up, admit it. If you need help, say so. There are very few problems that can't be avoided, mitigated or overcome using these principles. Secondly, know your priorities. The residential childcare sector can be challenging, and burn out is common. The demands on home managers are particularly high - balancing rights, risks, responsibilities, the demands of children, parents social workers, senior management, staff, work/life balance... if you're not 100% committed in that role, you're going to struggle. But you need to put boundaries in place and maintain your own time to relax. So you need to identify, understand and manage your own priorities as they will change according to your age and home life. You may be focussed on the role at hand, prioritising it over all else. You may prioritise your home life, meaning you are unavailable outside of work/on-call. This is fine, but be honest about it. You may be prioritising your next career move; again, be honest about it and understand how your current role and responsibilities can help towards that. Thirdly, fairness in how you treat others. This one speaks for itself. What are some of your favourite underrated albums?
I have quite a few. 117° by Izzy Stradlin is one that I've played countless times. The former Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist's second solo outing, it's my favourite of his (though the first album, Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds is a close contender. It's a rootsy, rock n' roll album, a far cry from GnR. Load from Metallica is another. One of the biggest bands in the world, it may seem unusual to consider one of their albums as being 'underrated', but this (together with it's weaker follow-up Reload) is a bit of an outlier in their catalogue. Still heavy, and rooted in darker 70's influences than their better known work, this is a fantastic album that rewards repeated listens. I'd also recommend Neil Young's On the Beach. Lacking the loudness of his Crazy Horse work, the countrified folksiness of his acoustic work, and the experimentation of his 80's output, this is one of the bleakest albums of his storied career. Another one that rewards multiple listens, it sounds like a dirge on first hearing it. But over time the fractured melodies underpinning every song draw you further in. Lastly an album from a band you may not have heard of. The band is Explosions In The Sky, and the album is The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place. It's instrumental post-rock. The songs are structured nothing like traditional rock music- no traditional riff/verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus/riff structure here. The melodies soar, and the dynamics drive home the emotional impact of the songs. |
What is the first album you owned?
The first cassette I owned was a TDK D-90 blank that my parents gave to me. On one side was Paul Simon's Rhythm Of The Saints. On the other side was Ozzy Osbourne's The Ultimate Sin. The first 'proper' album I had was a double cassette, Status Quo's Rocking All Over The Years. What advice would you give to your younger self?
Firstly, "be wary of older people giving out advice". What worked for them may not work for you; and they can only advise from their experiences. They'll also likely be giving you out-of-date advice. The employment market, for example, has changed dramatically in almost every way since I took on my first job. Linked to the above, I'd say "Always try to discern between advice and opinion". Many people give you the latter when they mean to give you the former. You should always ignore easy answers and the people that give them. Finally, "Have a plan. Any plan". It really doesn't matter what the plan is as long as it's your plan. A plan will always keep you moving forward. Without a plan you will, at some point, look back and realise just how much time and how many opportunities you've wasted. That's my opinion, anyway. |