- See Peeknote #1.
- Writing consistently is hard.
- Writing consistently becomes easier the more you write consistently.
- Having a single place to write down notes across the week would make publishing those notes at the end of the week easier.
- Having a regular time to reflect on the week just gone will help to write week notes regularly.
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Note to self: Create a system to encourage the habit of writing, reread Atomic Habits about this.
- I went to my Parish Council’s AGM this week. Rock and roll.
- Nine councillors at the front, sat in an open semi-circle, facing an audience of around 40-50 local residents.
- I learned they elected their chair as a sociocracy, the first parish council to do in the UK apparently. Very cool.
- The newly elected Parish Council raised the amount it taxes residents by 45% this year.
- This is officially called a precept, the charge on each household in the Parish.
- It’s hit a nerve among some of the older residents, who were visibly itching to air their grievances.
- The (admittedly low level) tension was palpable.
- As predicted, most of the questions from the residents were around the precept increase, which amounted to £2 extra per week per household.
- In the end, it was a lot of people politely waiting their turn to say how other people needed to listen to what they were saying, while clearly not listening to what the councillors or other people had said, and instead saying what they wanted to say anyway and demonstrating that they hadn’t been listening all along.
- I felt sorry for the councillors. They started off so positively and with good intentions, but they new the precept would be the main point of discussion and they looked pretty weary by the end.
- It was a healthy reminder that while I am an advocate of citizen democracy and holding our locally elected officials accountable, I couldn’t do their job – especially when done on a voluntary basis.
- There was also a lot less discussion about potholes than I imagined.
- Rather than extend this peeknote, I’m going to jot down a few ideas to cover next week with the hope that I might remember to do this again next week.
- Ideas include:
- Listing the things, places, people and life events about London. I recently moved out of London about 15 years and this list from Anna inspired me to do my own.
- Financial anxiety over building work. Something to pick apart there as we’re about to do a large-ish renovation.
- Something about getting older. I have a milestone birthday coming up towards the end of the year.
- Something about dad life. I was interviewed for an upcoming podcast called More Than Dad – and enjoyed it too. Will add the link here once it’s up.
- Write a /now page
- Write an /ideas page
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