news from around the world | Not Just a Granny

Archive for the ‘news from around the world’ Category

Hello!!! Universe…..

Posted in around the UK, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, Historical, Holidays, idiot category, It's my life, lifestyle, news from around the world, Travel, wealth and finance, tagged blogging, dream job, photography, travel around the world, tweeting, Universe, VW Campervan 1955 on September 23, 2010| 8 Comments »

a vintage model.....1955 VW Campervan

Ok, so a couple of days ago I posted a blog and therein made mention that currently I am working at my ‘day job’ not my ‘dream job’. So what is my dream job? This has been incredibly difficult to pin down….until I came to live in the UK…..

When I was just 17 years old (lordy but that does seem like such a long time ago)….I wanted to be a Nursery School Teacher (I loved little children and babies…still do)…. but my Mother said NO! you go get an office job, you will earn more money! (and what Mother said…you did). So I did, and she was right. But was I happy….NO! I hated working in an office, but as the years went by and I progressed from being a typist who could not type… (the guy gave me a job coz I burst into tears in his office and told him my Mother had said I should not come home till I had a job, and it was 4pm by then)…. to being a Credit Manager; managing a staff contingent of 10 for a group of 5 Companies…. this took the best part of 30 years by the way. In between there were many positions, not just a few companies, and a whole lot of crappy bosses 😦

However, along the way I learned to enjoy working in an office and to love what I did….phoning people and asking for money. Just a shame it wasn’t for myself 🙂

Anyways, when I arrived in the UK, which was by default; I came on holiday and never went back (well only briefly to get my Ancestral visa) and I have never looked back…..quite literally – no looking in the rear-view mirror. So when I first arrived in the UK, what was the job I applied for…..? Why of course…. I applied to be a Nanny :). However as fate would have it…. I did not have current experience DUH! and I did not have an NVQ in child management… double DUH!! So that idea was scotched and went out the window, and anyhow by all accounts being a Nanny in the UK is akin to being one up from a slave. Not to be deterred I continued to look for a ‘job’ and again by default managed to find a position as a Care Assistant for the Elderly….which I initially hated and then without warning I found that I actually enjoyed it and so I have and have been for the last 8.5 years (except for a 1 year stint in an offfice which nearly drove me to the brink of a nervous breakdown!).

So here I am….. working as a Carer…..but is this my dream job? Nope!

Since living in the UK I have developed a passion for travelling. This came as quite a surprise to me since I had never really thought about actually travelling around the world. Sure I had the odd dream about going to the Maldives (not got there yet) or visiting Venice (been there 🙂 ), going to Paris (been there 🙂 ) and New York (been there 🙂 ). But besides the odd daydream it was certainly never something I seriously considered I would actually get to do.

Till now! So UNIVERSE, here is what my DREAM JOB would be…… to travel first around the UK (coz it is so fantastically gorgeous) then round Europe and then the US of A, and then if I am still alive and able to….spread my wings further afield. (ooh that has a double meaning!) LOL. I would however like to spend at least 4 months a year in London!

So here is my message to the Universe….hello!!!! : My ‘DREAM JOB’ is to travel around the world in VW Campervan that has ‘NotJustaGranny’ with the funky logo emblazoned on the sides…. taking photos of everywhere I go, blogging about the places I am visiting and tweeting! and getting PAID to do it! I would quite enjoy writing a book too…if that’s ok with you.

So dear Universe, if perchance you are actually listening, as the Guru’s in the Personal Development world maintain that you do…. Hello!!!!

Oh, and just a little p.s. The Guru’s say that when you ‘state’ what it is you want, you have to be specific; so just that there is no confusion about this…..

the VW Campervan should be a 1955 model (nothing but vintage is good enough for me)… you know what I mean 😉

It should be yellow with white trimmings (yellow is my favourite colour)

It should have 2 beds at least….1 for me (of course, and one for my daughter to join me from time to time, or for a friend to come along occassionally…and also for when my grandchildren arrive…have to have enough space for them to travel with me)

It should be fully re-furbished and reliable; preferrably with modern accessories and equipment…like an up-to-date engine. 1955 is all very well but it is a bit long in the tooth!

It should be modified to be eco-friendly….no fumes please.

I would appreciate it if there is enough space for my laptop and camera equipment (oh and I would need sockets for the chargers).

Don’t worry too much about wardrobe space….I don’t have much clothing… LOL

and it would be awesome if it had a lift-up roof-top for air circulation

oh, and a tent attachment would be brilliant for when I am stopped alongside a lake somewhere in the UK or Europe or the US of A, so that I can sit outside and enjoy the scenery and the night stars while I sip a sherry (or two).

If you need any further specifications….contact me via this blog and I will be happy to give you more details.

and just a final p.s.s. (sorry to be so picky, but…) when I talk about being paid to do this…I am happy to earn the money….. but please note that I would require at least £5,000 per month. For travel expenses and so on. ta

by the way….this is a 1955 model (the one on the right) please be sure to send a yellow one 🙂

1955 VW Campervan

and just in case you are wondering….. I put the picture twice so that you are clear on what it is I am looking for!

Read Full Post »

Grateful for being Western

Posted in Historical, news from around the world, tagged Chechnya, democracy, freedom, freedom os speech, freedom to make a choice, gratitude on August 11, 2010| 10 Comments »

I am watching a programme on TV at the moment about ‘Bride stealing’ in Chechnya. It seems that this has become a regular occurance in the country and is now becoming part of the law and working it’s way into tradition.

What happens is that a boy sees a girl he fancies, he then arranges with a family member to help him steal her. The girl has absolutely no say in this matter, is often taken against her will (there are girls who are ok with this), then forced into marrying the boy. Sometimes if she is ‘lucky’ the boy is a distant family member and life would not be too bad for her, she may even be lucky enough to ‘get on’ with her Mother-in-law.

Once she is ‘married’ she becomes his ‘property’ and he is pretty much able to treat her as he wishes. Sometimes the boy’s family will ask the girls family in the presence of an Elder of the Islamic authority. He, the Elder, is the person who conducts the ‘wedding’ and he dictates how she should be dressed and pretty much everything else about the proceedings.

The women of the country shrug their shoulders and say “that is the way things are, it’s not too bad.” Even her parents do not have any say about the matter and just wish her well. There was a whole lot more to the programme and that would take too long to explain.

So, here’s the thing….I will always be grateful that I was born into a culture and country where women do have a say in their lives, where we can say ‘No!’ if something is not to our liking and where we have the freedom to make choices.

Read Full Post »

Road-Trip Travel Tips

Posted in news from around the world, Travel on July 19, 2010| 2 Comments »

Road-Trip Travel Tips.

Read Full Post »

Porn on expenses

Posted in idiot category, news from around the world, tagged expense claims, Ministers of Government, New Zealand, UK Ministers on June 14, 2010| 2 Comments »

I read this article in one of the daily papers a few days ago and felt compelled to put my thoughts (aka irritation) on paper.

The title and story read as:

MINISTER PUT PORN FILMS ON EXPENSES

Ministers in New Zealand used official credit cards to buy porn movies, champagne, flowers for a partner and an aeroplane charter, it emerged today. After official details of the 2003-2008 expenses were published, former housing minister Shane Jones admitted paying for the films, saying: “I’m a red-blooded adult.”

Now, as you are probably aware, we here in the UK have had our own share of Ministers expenses being abused. Duck-houses being one of the most ridiculous! And many of the Ministers have ‘apologised’ for their mis-demeanors and in some instances have paid back some of the funds they ripped off. Call a spade a spade, they abused their expense claims and getting caught out was just an inconvenience. I have no doubt if it was not brought to the attention of the powers that be and the public, whose taxes pay for all this, they would not have paid anything back and would most likely have continued to do what they had ‘accidently’ been doing for years. Fortunately this has now come to an abrupt end and their expenses are more closely monitored.

Coming back to the article in the paper, I have no quarrel with a ‘red-blooded’ males buying porn movies if thats what it takes to make him happy, and good luck to them. What I do take total exception to is the fact that as a Minister he blatently used public funds to accommodate his own personal tastes and thinks that being a ‘red-blooded’ is justification, and seems to be amazed at the fact this was questioned!

How about if the ministers of our various Governments who are voted into these positions of trust, remember that they are meant to be working for the good of their constituencies and not using the position to rip the public off, thereby satisfying their greed. By all means claim for legitimate expenses, but for ‘porn movies’, under no circumstances is that acceptable or excusable.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

Read Full Post »

Cycle Slam 2010 #travel #europe#london

Posted in Fun Stuff, Holidays, news from around the world, things to in London, Travel, tagged cycle across europe, cycling, cycling in europe, http://twitter.com/3days_in_london, raising fund for charity on June 1, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Hello. Thanks for dropping by :). I found a flyer the other day that piqued my interest; Cycle Slam 2010. Anything with the words cycle or with the hint of travel, always catches my eye.

On closer inspection I note that it is an advert for a Bike ride across Europe (London, UK to Timisoara, RO). Now that is exciting.

so here are the details:

What: Bike ride across Europe (as above)

When: From 1st to 20th August 2010

Where: Europe (United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania)

Why: To raise money to help Romania’s abandoned children

Who: A core team of 20 cyclists plus anyone who wants to join

The flyer appears to have been printed by a young man who goes by the name of Bogdan Christea. He and his fiancee are two young, ambitious and hardworking entrepreneurs who want to raise money to help disadvantaged children live better lives.

They are planning to leave in August this year, hopping on their bikes in London and won’t stop pedaling till they reach Timisoara in Romania. Their route will take them through 9 countries and along they way they will visit some of the most beautiful cities in Europe. They will be supported all the way by Amway and team NUTRILITE and hope to make this an experience of a lifetime; for themselves and of course for the children who will benefit from the funds they raise.

map of Romania

He has chosen his home country of Romania, where children are still suffering in a childcare system that was left deeply damaged by the Communist regime. Their dream is to help rebuild the system and thereby ensure that children there have a brighter future to look forward to.

Timisoara, Romania

If you would like to take part in this ride for one or more of the dates across Europe, raising your own sponsorship, then this may be for you.

For more information on this visit http://www.cycleslam.eu they are also in twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cycleslam

So if you are a keen cyclist, and fancy raising funds for a good cause then why not contact these folk and see what it’s all about. NB; do make sure that any event that involves raising funds are bona vide and have a registered charity number.

Thanks to http://www.wseas.us/conferences/2009/timisoara/sse/location.htm for the picture

Thanks to http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Timisoara_Romania_CIA2006.png for the picture

Read Full Post »

a message from my Dad ….#travel

Posted in family and relationships, Holidays, Inspiration, news from around the world, Personal Development, Travel, tagged cycling in europe, cycling on the Danube, cycling on the Donauradweg, Donauradweg, fathers, Grien Austria, http://www.letstravelradio.com/thisweek/2008/12-25/, Inspiration, Linz Austria, travel in europe, travel to Griend Austria, travel to Linz Austria on May 28, 2010| 6 Comments »

This is a message I received from my Dad via email this morning.

I would love to share it with you, coz it is inspiring to read about how people can live their dreams, even at the tender age of 80!!! Yes, that’s right, my Dad turned 80 this last April. Now nothing remarkable in that considering that we as a race are starting to live longer and longer, but what is remarkable is that my Dad had a triple by-pass operation about 17 years ago and the prognosis at the time was not good. However, his Doctor told him to start running. The idea did not appeal so he decided to cycle instead.

A long story short, he survived…. and has gone on to become a cycling nut. He has cycled in many different in the world and has cycled the world famous Argus Cycle route about 13 times already. He has followed the Tour-de-France, and cheekily in 2005 nipped in at the front on the final day and caused an uproar as people thought he was one of the competitors (he got hustled off pretty damn quick by the Gendarmes once they realised he wasn’t) 🙂 (30.05.10 and….apparently I have to make a correction here…my brother gave me the correct version…my Dad rode in BEHIND the cyclists and the Gendarmes just waved) Ah well, I though my version was much more exciting!! 🙂 Shame about that, I have dined out on that story for ages, now it will have to go!

He has cycled the Camino del Santiago through France to Spain and is now back, cycling through Europe. Here is where he is today.

“Hi ! Just a brief note to keep in touch. All well.
Cycling up river along the Danube. This from a town Grien in Lower Austria.

Grien, Austria

So far mostly cloudy and rain. Not fun in a tent with a heavy downpour in the middle of the night ! Seems to be clearing today.

Spent a couple of days with K&T camping in a small town on the Danube.
They have had to head home for ‘work’, I’m cycling up-river to Linz (if you know where that is !! ) which will be a 58 km trip today. Stay over there one or two nights and then head back down river to Budapest.

Donauradweg (cycle route along the Danube)

Beautiful countryside. ‘Donauradweg’ i.e. Danube ride path is fab for cycling. Along the river and mostly away from road traffic. Just thru some small villages that the cycle path comes to an end.”

Linz, Austria on the Danube river

My Dad (p.s. that’s not his cycling helmet), I have no idea what he is wearing on his head and take no responsibility for that! 🙂

my Dad

thanks to http://www.letstravelradio.com/thisweek/2008/12-25/ for the photo of Linz 🙂

thanks to http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g190426-d1604170-Reviews-Schloegener_Schlinge-Upper_Austria.html for the photo of the Donauradweg 🙂

thanks to http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grein,_austria.jpg for the photo of Griend

Read Full Post »

Goodbye Mrs Brown

Posted in Historical, news from around the world, tagged American style political campaign, conservatives, Gordon Brown, Labour, Liberal-Democrtas, London, Michelle Obama, Number 10 Downing Street, political machine, politics, Sarah Brown, United Kingdom elections on May 14, 2010| 1 Comment »

The last few weeks in the run up the elections and subsequent to the conclusion, has been a most interesting time, even though twitter would not allow me to say so!!

I have so enjoyed watching the political machine in operation and this time around it was quite different to the last, with much more emphasis on ‘honesty’, ‘change’ and blah blah blah…real American style political spin, and hugely entertaining.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Party Leaders’ televised debates and found the body language of the participants to be quite revealing; esp the photo on the inside page of a daily paper showing Mr Brown and Mr Clegg mirroring each others lecturn pose, whilst at the other lecturn Mr Cameron stood aloof, looking upwards and away from his opponents. I thought for sure this indicated a possible pairing if indeed we had a ‘hung’ parliament, which as it turns out we don’t, but do!

I was unable to vote this time around and fortunately too, as I would most likley have voted Liberal-Democrat since Mr Clegg came across as a safe-harbour in a storm of accusation and counter-accusation between the two major parties……as it turns out, I am glad now that I was not able to vote!

As you well know, we now have a coalition government, with the Cons and the Libs cosying up side-by-side, new bedfellows, with the Labs left out in the cold.

Mr Brown proved to be a reluctant loser, dug in his heels and tried to woo the losers into bed with himself and his party! Looking at it from the outside, I could have told him to forget it….the fresh young lads appealed far more to our ‘celebrity’ society that prefers prettiness to age. And so it was inevitable that we would say ‘Goodbye Mr Brown’.

Watching Mr Brown’s diginified, albeit by some accounts calculated resignation, I was for the first – mmm, no make that the 2^nd time quite taken with himself; having not been a fan before. The other time being the interview Jeremy Paxman just before the voting. His obvious emotion at giving up what had been the cherry on the top of a long political career after such a short time must have been a devastatingly personal blow. Much like studying for years to be a Doctor and failing your exams, or a marathon runner after years of practise and hard-effort losing the gold for bronze. Especially harsh in the knowledge too that millions of people in the country were eager to throw him out!

What particularly struck me while watching his address outside Number 10 Downing Street was the sorrow and stress evident on the face of his lovely wife; Sarah. I have long admired this particular lady, followed her on twitter and watched as she took what in my mind was centre stage, eclipsing her husband in style and grace, much as Michelle Obama did her husband.

My thoughts were…”why did we not vote for her to become Prime Minister?” Absurd perhaps, I am sure some readers would say, but how strong and fortitious must she be to have stood by her man through such an evidently difficult time and yet always managed to look graceful, charming and delightful with that wonderful smile that hides sorrowful memories and the knowledge that so many of her fellow countrymen despised her husband.

I for one am sad at the loss not of our ‘most powerful’ leader, but rather that no longer will we be charmed by the lovely Sarah on a regular basis. I do hope though that she continues to tweet, perhaps no longer as @sarahbrown10 but rather as @sarahbrown

So whilst the world looked on as Mr Brown tendered his resignation and stepped down to attend to his 1st most important job of Husband and Father, let us cheer for the lovely Mother and Wife as we say ‘Goodbye to Mrs Brown’, and let us be reminded that behind every successful man, stands an incredible woman.

I for one wish her well and hope that she stays in touch (so to speak).

photos courtesy of zimbio.com & topnews.in

p.s. I just noticed on the news section of yahoo whilst looking for photos, that Sarah will indeed continue to tweet, now as @Sarah BrownUK……..hooray! 🙂

Read Full Post »

Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth

Posted in Historical, news from around the world, tagged 21 April, Britain, http://purplerosee.blogspot.com/2009/08/worlds-richest-royals.html, http://www.royal.gov.uk/, Queen Elizabeth II on April 20, 2010| 2 Comments »

Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth

The Queen celebrates two birthdays each year. Her actual birthday on 21 April and her official birthday on a Saturday in June.

The Queen was born at 2.40am on 21 April 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London.

The Queen usually spends her actual birthday privately, but the occasion is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London: a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park and a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park

The Sovereign’s birthday is officially celebrated by the ceremony of Trooping the Colour on a Saturday in June.

June 12 this year – The tradition of Trooping the Colour

Trooping the Colour is carried out by fully trained and operational troops from the Household Division (Foot Guards and Household Cavalry) on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall, watched by members of the Royal Family, invited guests and members of the public.

Queen Elizabeth II was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

The Princess, christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace, was named after her mother. Her two middle names are those of her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, and paternal grandmother, Queen Mary.

The Princess’s early years were spent at 145 Piccadilly, the London house taken by her parents shortly after her birth, and at White Lodge in Richmond Park.

She also spent time at the country homes of her paternal grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, and her mother’s parents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore.

In 1930, Princess Elizabeth gained a sister, with the birth of Princess Margaret Rose.

When she was six years old, her parents took over Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park as their own country home. In the grounds of Royal Lodge Princess Elizabeth had her own small house, Y Bwthyn Bach (the Little Cottage), which was given to her by the people of Wales in 1932.

Princess Elizabeth’s quiet family life came to an end in 1936, when her grandfather, King George V, died.

His eldest son came to the throne as King Edward VIII, but, before the end of the year, King Edward VIII had decided to give up the throne in order to marry the woman he loved, Mrs Wallis Simpson.

Upon his abdication, Princess Elizabeth’s father acceded to the throne as King George VI, and in 1937 the two Princesses attended their parents’ coronation in Westminster Abbey.

Princess Elizabeth was now first in line to the throne.

Shortly after the Royal Family returned from South Africa in 1947, the Princess’s engagement to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten was announced.

Having known each other for many years, the couple were married in Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947.

As Britain was still recovering from the war, the event was fairly simple and Princess Elizabeth had to collect clothing coupons for her dress, like any other young bride. They spent their honeymoon at Broadlands, Hampshire, the home of Lord Mountbatten, and at Birkhall, Balmoral

After her marriage in 1947, Princess Elizabeth paid formal visits with The Duke of Edinburgh to France and Greece, and in autumn 1951 they toured Canada.

On Wednesday, 6 February 1952, Princess Elizabeth received the news of her father’s death and her own accession to the throne, while staying in a remote part of Kenya.

The Queen meets thousands of people each year in the UK and overseas. Before meeting Her Majesty, many people ask how they should behave. The simple answer is that there are no obligatory codes of behaviour – just courtesy. However, many people wish to observe the traditional forms of greeting – For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way.

On presentation to The Queen, the correct formal address is ‘Your Majesty’ and subsequently ‘Ma’am’

Thanks to http://www.royal.gov.uk/ a veritable mine of information

Thanks to http://purplerosee.blogspot.com/2009/08/worlds-richest-royals.html for the photo 🙂 it’s great

Read Full Post »

What Lies Beneath?

Posted in Inspiration, news from around the world, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged camel hair socks, Christina Noble Children's Foundation, facebook, http://Socks4HappyPPL.twitter.com, http://www.cncf.org/en/home/index.php, http://www.pennyon.com/, Mongolia, social enterprise, Socks For Happy People, Tom Minter, Twitter, Wealth Dynamics, What Lies Beneath, youtube on April 19, 2010| 4 Comments »

What Lies Beneath?

The hidden mystery of the foot world, aka my socks!

At first glance you would assume that I am wearing a pair of plain black socks! You would be wrong…. for if you took a closer look (if I allowed you to 🙂 ) you would notice that all is not as it seems!

Today I am wearing the first of a series, and my most recently acquired: pair of socks.

Ah! Ha! You might say “Now what is so special about a pair of socks?”

Initially one would think that wearing a pair of socks is nothing unusual and certainly not out of the ordinary! After all……millions of people wear socks every day.

But these are special socks.

First of all……I am a sock collector. I have socks from South Africa, socks from America, socks from Paris and socks from Amsterdam. I have ‘silly moo’ socks, I have ladybird socks, snowflake and Father Christmas socks, I have ‘Best father in the World’ socks (there is a story behind that and no I am not a transexual :)), I have pink, blue, red, orange, yellow and purple socks. Flowers, stripes, patterns and animals…… and that is where this particular pair of socks comes into the picture!

Two years ago I attended a seminar/course called ‘Wealth Dynamics’. An entrepreneurial platform.

At the time, attendees were invited to stand up and present their Start-Up business and invite investors or people who wanted to be involved. Long story short, a young man by the name of Tom Minter stood up and presented his business: Socks for Happy People or Socks4HappyPPL for short 😉

As soon as he spoke my ears pricked up at the mention of socks. As a proverbially Happy person, the idea of Socks for Happy People appealed to me! I was fully taken by the idea, loved his presentation and the appeal of happy socks, I’ve kept in touch ever since. Sadly, although I was never in a position to invest in the business, I have had great fun mentioning them on twitter and facebook 🙂

I have kept track of their ups and downs, their disappointments 😦 and successes 🙂 via twitter, facebook and youtube. Keeping afoot of their progress, so to speak! Pun intended.

It has been two years of patient waiting, now fulfilled, and today I am wearing my first pair of Socks4HappyPPL 🙂

Now, you may ask…..What indeed Lies Beneath?

The choice I made for my first pair is the ‘What Lies Beneath’ model. Have I said yet ‘What Lies Beneath’? No, not yet I havn’t!

At first appearance you would be forgiven for assuming I am wearing a pair of dull, ordinary, nothing wrong with that pair of black socks……. but ahhhh; ‘What Lies Beneath’?

First of all the socks are, I can now say with total confidence….EXTREMELY comfortable. My gosh, I will have to increase my ‘socks’ budget and order another few pairs.

Why? Well I’ll tell you:

Firstly, they are quite simply the most comfy socks I have ever placed my form of transport into, fitting like a glove? They are socks…I promise. They are 80% organic cotton (organic cotton: better for the soil, better for the workers and better for you!) the rest is made up of 19% Nylon by necessity (makes the design possible) and 1% Elastane (ensures a snug fit)….and snug they are.

Secondly, and more importantly, besides the fact that I collect socks, is the fact that Socks4HappyPPL are what is termed a: ‘Social Enterprise’. What this means is that they contribute part of their income to a charitable cause; in this instance they supply socks to the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation.

So every time I buy a pair of socks, a little child, homeless, somewhere in Mongolia will also receive a pair of super-warm camel hair socks! 🙂 This is done via the Buy1Give1 method of contribution.

Now before I continue let me ask you this: What do I, the folk at Socks4HappyPPL and hairy Mongolian camels have in common?

We’ve all just helped a street child in Mongolia!

But wait…. there is more…….when you order your Socks4HappyPPL you have the option of contributing to the Penny On Trust. Yes! Not only do these fine folk at Socks4HappyPPL send a child a pair of socks each time you order a pair, but they also support Penny On.

Penny On is a system whereby you have an option to add onto your purchase 1 penny or in fact as many pennies as you wish, to your purchase. Can you imagine the power of that! Millions of pounds are spent online every single day; if each person added just 1penny to their purchase…..the mind boggles. Awesome!

So, finally and in conclusion….What Lies Beneath?

Finely crafted, woven into the fabric of my socks and keeping me company every step of the way, I am accompanied by a multitude of creatures: There is a pony, a squirrel :), a frog and a duck, butterfies, a camel!, a kangaroo, a hippo, a turtle, a penguin, a bird, a man carrying above his head….what looks like a pig!? And last but not least there is a giraffe.

I will never walk alone again, and as I walk about my day, I am in the company of and accompanied by a whole retinue of creatures, and no-one would even know!

Only I know: What Lies Beneath!

who would have guessed - What Lies Beneath!

my Socks4HappyPPL duly tried and tested :)a Giraffe and friends

a Giraffe and friends

Read Full Post »

ET tweet home…..

Posted in Fun Stuff, Historical, Interesting articles, It's my life, news from around the world, Travel, tagged #ff, #followfriday, @Socks4HappyPPL, Cindy Eve, earthhour, ET phone home, hootsuite, http://www.twitter.com/notjustagranny/, Kenneth Wu, Mongolia, notjustagranny, quotes, socks, The Vatican, Twitter on April 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Hello. I just finished reading a great article about the phenomenal rise in twitter users world wide. It is interesting to note that more than 60% of users are from outside the US of A.

DYK? that India has 550billion mobile phone users; that the twitter website is available in 6 languages, and there are even twitter users in The Vatican and outer space!

Personally I love twitter. I love that it is fast, I love the homefeeds although of course they sometimes move too fast. I love that I can connect with people around the world in real time and have short bursts of conversation, find out whats happening and meet lovely people in the virtual world who are really real people.

One of the things I enjoy most about twitter are the very diverse and creative names that people come up with. Sometimes it relates to what they do, or their philosophy in life, perhaps their beliefs and for some it is just a bit of fun. It is amazing how many combinations the english language can come up with.

Many ppl pass on or re-tweet quotes and I love thinking about those quotes and what they mean to me before I RT them for others to enjoy. It amazes me just how many quotes there are in the world and the diverse backgrounds the ‘quotees’ come from. (I’m not sure if quotees is a word…if not… well now it is )

I enjoy the different applications that have sprung up around twitter and my particular favourite is hootsuite, possibly coz it is such a funky name. I love the lists, makes it so much easier to find the ppl whose tweets you want to keep track of and also lets others know who you find most interesting; like @HelpSaveBees

The follows are great fun too: like #ff or #followfriday where you get to mention ppl that you have had conversations with during the week, or ppl that you really appreciate and you get a chance to say thanks for retweeting my quotes or my links, or get to #shoutout your appreciation for their following or comments. You get a chance to mention ppl who have impressed you with the content of their tweets or links, and say hello to friends.

Of course as Kenneth Wu will tell you; there is a dark side to twitter. One of these would be the ppl who use twitter as a platform for abuse and rubbish content. Fortunately you can just block such ppl. I had one bloke who was beginning to stalk me, sending really idiotic tweets….so boof bang…blocked!

I always tell my daughter that I was born to twitter. I started my account @notjustagranny just over a year ago and have never looked back. It’s fun, it’s funky and it’s really interesting. I love the educational links that get posted and have learned more about the world through these links than I did before. I could quite happily spend the whole day on twitter…….

I find it incredible how news gets posted around the world in the blink of an eye and you get to hear in real time about things and events that are happening on the other side of the world before you even hear it on the news……it’s like the 6 o’clock news is almost redundant.

I love that I can show my support for various causes and give a #shoutout when they have a particular campaign like @Socks4HappyPPL whose mission it is to supply a pair of socks to homeless kiddies in Mongolia. So for every pair of socks you buy they send a pair to Mongolia. And we get to share and contribute to that.

It’s fun to see what people are getting up to, to be able to know what is being said in a seminar that you are unable to attend, to know who goes to #starbucks and who is jetting of somewhere nice. It’s great to share in the events of the world like #earthhour; to see photos that you may not have seen ever and to connect with people around the world for a great cause.

I have inserted the link to the article in question and hope you enjoy it too. click here

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »