What I've been reading

Free Time! from clock-watching to free-flowing, a Buddhist guide
by Vajragupta Staunton

"Investigating our experience of time, and considering our relationship with it, can be deeply and powerfully transformative. Noticing the feel and texture of our time can help us see more clearly, and understand more profoundly, the anxiety and restlessness that so often dominates our minds."

The latest book from my favourite Buddhist writer, and he doesn't disappoint. A fascinating delve into concepts of time, with just enough science to satisfy me that it isn't all just hokum and just enough Buddhist thinking to keep me interested.

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

by Henry Fielding

"A foundling brought up by Mr. Allworthy on his country estate, Tom Jones is deeply in love with the seemingly unattainable Sophia Western, the beautiful daughter of the neighbouring squire - though he sometimes succumbs to the charms of the local girls."

This is a really long book, and what with all the volunteering and other things I've been doing it's taken weeks to finish.  Fielding took two years to write it (1746-8), and despite the 18th century language and references it's more accessible than some later works I've read recently. Of course it does go on a bit, and I won't be reading it again, but it's not bad.

The Games - part 2

Victoria Park, August 2022

While all that badminton stuff was going on at the Commonwealth Games, or 'Birmingham 2022' as it was known in the press and on all the logos, Lolatastic life continued apace. There was a bike service, a comedy gig, a stay in hospital, visitors to Lola Towers, the putting up and taking down of the Lola Towers garden extension (aka the tent), a trip to Lockwoods outdoor supplies shop, Ukrainian news, and the Games in Leamington Spa.

On that last subject I would like to direct your attention to two articles in the press. The first article is the more staid, traditional form of reportage by the staid, traditional BBC, especially notable for the quote from the 'general manager' of Pub Next Door. I put his role in quotation marks because to me he seems little more than a teenager, but I expect he's at least 30. The second article is from The Guardian and is much more amusing but no less accurate for that. Bowling in Leamington Spa has never felt more exciting. I happened to pass the main entrance at one point, where I encountered a very jolly volunteer with a megaphone sitting atop a high chair, whose job was to welcome spectators to the park by shouting interesting information about Lawn Bowls and the Commonwealth Games in years gone by.

I've already described some of the disruption in my local area, but that was during preparations leading up to the start. When the event actually began the level of security escalated enormously, particularly at the end of the road, where a number of the huge lens-shaped obstructions that I've seen protecting Parliament were installed a couple of days before the start, and then additionally a large and heavy horizontal barrier was constructed. I regret not taking pictures (I was too busy and kept forgetting), but as well as the orange-and-grey-clad volunteers there were stewards and security in hi-vis, Army chaps in camouflage, ordinary uniformed coppers and policemen WITH GUNS, all milling about at the end of the road as visitors arrived with their tickets for the bowling and residents wandered through with pushchairs and shopping bags and dogs.

My first guests (JW+JD) arrived by car as they were stopping on the way to their holiday in Cornwall, and I made sure to be at the barrier brandishing my resident's credentials otherwise they would have been turned away by a ruthless official in hi-vis jacket. Later in the week I received one of my frequent incorrect delivery attempts (intended for a house in the Road instead of the Street) from an Asda delivery man, wearing an Asda shirt and carrying heavy trays of Asda groceries whose Asda van had not been allowed past the barrier so had to deliver it all by hand.

The evening that the first guests arrived was also the evening that dad was taken to hospital with sepsis. Lola II just happened to be visiting at the time, so she was able to go with him and make sure all was well. He was in hospital for nearly two weeks, but home now.

JW+JD had tickets for the Rugby Sevens, Squash, Badminton, Cricket and Athletics; the next guests to arrive were Lola II and Cousin Y who had tickets for Hockey and were accompanied by Mr M who didn't have tickets for anything. I took up the residents' offer of free tickets for Lawn Bowls so he went to that. JW+JD headed off for Cornwall, Cousin Y went back to London, Lola II and Mr M had an extra night before they went home and then Mr MXF and BL2 arrived ready for Cycling, Diving, Athletics and Lawn Bowls courtesy of another pair of free tickets. By the time they all went home the house seemed very quiet.

While all this was going on, I was also in communication with Ukraine Jane 2, who is from Kherson but taking refuge in Poland. We introduced ourselves to one another, had a short conversation via WhatsApp, applied for the visa, the visa was granted and we worked out when and how she would get here, all within the space of just 8 days. Then two days later she announced she wasn't coming here after all but going to Slovakia for family reasons. And then, the very next day, the first UJ (the one with the cat) got back in touch to ask if the room was still available. I'll be speaking to her soon to find out her current situation.

The only other event of note was the visit to Lockwoods where Lola II wanted to buy some proper waterproof walking boots. Not only did we confuse the shop assistant by both of us being called Lola, but aside from the boot purchase the most notable aspect of the visit was that despite being over 50 years old, Lola II and I learned how to tie our shoelaces in a useful new way.

The Games - part 1

End of first shift, Commonwealth Games, July 2022

Before the day that competition started, I was listed for two days of Venue Specific Training and induction to the role, at the actual location for the badminton in the NEC. Information about this was slow to arrive, especially as the train strike meant that plans probably had to be amended at the last minute, but thanks to an email the previous evening I got to the car park where I intended to park in good time, which is no mean feat at the NEC.

It was a long walk from the car park to the first queue, which was for the accreditation to enter the venue. The next queue was for airport-style screening, where they only had one gate in action to start with. Then they announced to the long line of people that they had opened a second gate, but didn't have any more of the trays so it didn't speed up all that much. That got us inside the security fence, but it was still another long walk to get to the assembly point for us volunteers, where we started to line up for our lunch tickets but were told we should just go and sit in the break area where there were hot drinks and biscuits for us. A bit later we were asked to line up again for our lunch tickets, and then immediately told sorry, could you sit down again?

As you can imagine, this gave those people who love to complain a great deal to complain about, as well as the train strike, parking, the uniform and everything else that was actually working very well considering the size of the enterprise. This was fairly useful in that I could easily identify the people to keep away from. By this method I was hanging out in the break area when I discovered sitting next to me one of the nicest badminton players in a club where I was a member ten years ago.

There seemed to be about 50 volunteers for the badminton, and after we'd been hanging around for some more time they took half of us from the break area to the hall where the competition would take place and we received our training from a team whose first language was not English and who were wearing masks. In fact, they told us we would all be wearing masks on court. But thankfully the main trainer took his mask off, and there were written help sheets, and a presentation and videos, and we went through all the technology and could have a short practice.

The role involves two of us at a time sitting at a table at the side of the court watching the play. One person uses a laptop and the other one has pen and paper. The pen and paper role is the more straightforward: first you note who is serving, then you count the strokes in the rally, then you note down what the score is, and repeat.

The tech role involves much more, and what we do is sent directly to broadcasters, so there is an element of jeopardy too. The majority of the time it is similarly just counting strokes and noting the score, but there are additional responsibilities when old shuttlecocks are exchanged for new, if a Service Fault is called (when the serve starts above the waist), if any penalties are applied (yellow and red cards and disqualification), and if a Video Review is requested. This last is the most terrifying, because we have to record which team requested the review and whether it is successful or unsuccessful, and it is very easy to become confused about these things in the heat of the moment.

Our trainers reassured us that should anything go wrong we just raise our hands and they will instantly be at our sides, but it was still a bit terrifying, especially for the very first shift. My first shift was with someone who'd done it the previous day, and he worked the laptop while I was on pen and paper. It still took two of us when the video reviews happened, because we had to look at a screen that was not facing us and the result came up very small and difficult to see.

My shift pattern kept changing, but in the end I did five shifts on the courtside desk and attended six badminton sessions and one table tennis session as a spectator, sometimes in the company of friends, sometimes on my own. The table tennis was very interesting - it's much faster paced than badminton and much more difficult to see what's going on, and without any experience of the game I didn't appreciate what must be immense skill among the players. I sat near some helpful people who explained the bits that I didn't immediately understand (why they make such a performance out of serving, why the umpire kept raising his hand, how does the order of serving work...)

And to finish this first part of my account, a snap of the England badminton team at the end of the team event.