For days now the tv has been heavy with references to all things Scottish. The Scottish Government/Executive [depending on your standpoint] is keen to foster a more pronounced patriotic air. There's been a call for a national holiday and celebrations akin to those for St Patrick's Day.
I've always been proud to be Scottish but I'm not sure how comfortable I am with the direction this campaign is taking. Is it a genuine desire to bind Scots together or simply a ploy to achieve everything on the original SNP agenda? Probably a bit of both. In any event it'll be interesting to see how this develops.
Having no strong political affiliations, I'm open to persuasion from all parties that they have Scotland's best interests at heart. This time next year we may have a formal public holiday added to the calendar. Given that 2009 will be known as The Homecoming, when Scots worldwide will be invited back here to celebrate Robert Burns 250th anniversary, there's more likelihood the holiday will be confirmed if only as a 'one off'.
I'm looking forward to 2009. Perhaps all the media hype has rubbed off on me more than I'd care to admit but the commercials with well known Scots singing 'Caledonia' have left me feeling proud and sentimental.
The particularly crisp, wintery beauty of the landscape today made me even more thankful to be born and living in such a fabulous place.
Here endeth the schmaltz.
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Things to make you go.... hmmmm?
Today I was waiting for His Nibs to pick me up from the hairdresser's. He was a little delayed so I had the opportunity to wander around the area admiring the very heavy frost on nearby shrubs, trees and grass.
All very picturesque and appropriate for the time of year. It might even have made a good Christmas card image were it not for the addition of a spade embedded and abandoned in the lawned area. It stood there and made me look at it.
Why was it there? Who put it there? How long had it been there? How long would it stay there?
Questions just bubbled away in my head and anyone passing me [ and a few did] must have wondered at the immoblised soul staring at a spade. Care in the community springs to mind.
A few feet away from the spade was the bus stop which once briefly housed some runaway sheep but that's a witter for another day...
All very picturesque and appropriate for the time of year. It might even have made a good Christmas card image were it not for the addition of a spade embedded and abandoned in the lawned area. It stood there and made me look at it.
Why was it there? Who put it there? How long had it been there? How long would it stay there?
Questions just bubbled away in my head and anyone passing me [ and a few did] must have wondered at the immoblised soul staring at a spade. Care in the community springs to mind.
A few feet away from the spade was the bus stop which once briefly housed some runaway sheep but that's a witter for another day...
Friday, 28 November 2008
Insurance firms and other evils
Insurance firms and their call centre minions pay heed.
Good customer service is more than a tick box activity, it's a fundamental element of business. And in these times of credit crunching difficult choices, customers will vote with their feet.
A word to the wise - never call a customer at home when she is off work ill and attempt to flannel said customer. The customer may be forced to adopt 'teacher voice' and make a list of demands shared only by a hormonal Mariah or a former Mrs P McCartney.
Ignoring letters and phone calls is a sure way to irritate the hell out of the customer and trigger all sorts of maniacal plans for retribution. My dealings have been on behalf of My Mad Mother who, as a sprightly pensioner with most of her marbles, has paid all her premiums faithfully for decades with no prior claims whatsoever. She deserves better. We all do.
Good customer service is more than a tick box activity, it's a fundamental element of business. And in these times of credit crunching difficult choices, customers will vote with their feet.
A word to the wise - never call a customer at home when she is off work ill and attempt to flannel said customer. The customer may be forced to adopt 'teacher voice' and make a list of demands shared only by a hormonal Mariah or a former Mrs P McCartney.
Ignoring letters and phone calls is a sure way to irritate the hell out of the customer and trigger all sorts of maniacal plans for retribution. My dealings have been on behalf of My Mad Mother who, as a sprightly pensioner with most of her marbles, has paid all her premiums faithfully for decades with no prior claims whatsoever. She deserves better. We all do.
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