Today’s cartoon is Non-stipendiary ministers. it is all to do with the way NSMs (as they are known in some dioceses, but not others) are paid.

Cartoonists are paid in similar ways, as it happens. Bookings for Sunday lunch currently being taken.

Stations of the Kings Cross is a marvellous project that was created by an anonymous artist earlier this year. In summary, it is a prayer booklet containing stations of the cross images designed to be used whilst travelling on the London Underground (Circle line). You can read more about it and see the artwork / booklet here.

I know I’m a little late to the party on this one, other websites having posted about it months ago. But I wanted to mention it as I think it is brilliant. Also to alert you to the following facts:

1) the paper cuts are being auctioned for charity on the website.
2) an exhibition of the pictures is taking place from this Saturday, 26th May, at St Mary’s, Somers Town (Eversholt Street – near King’s Cross Station). At 7pm on that day there will be evening prayer followed by an opportunity to see the pictures.

Today’s cartoon is for those who look through the advertisements for clergy jobs at the back of ecclesiastical newspapers and would like to know what they mean. See the full version here: Clergy advertisements – understanding the hidden symbolism.

I have a large* number of new-to-the-website cartoons to be uploaded over the coming weeks. I’m starting off with an additional batch from book 2, ‘My Pew: Things I have seen from it’. Today’s cartoon is ‘The flower ladies: secrets of their secret common room’. Click here for the full thing along with republishing info, etc.

It should be noted that the ladies in the cartoon are actually plotting against cartoonists who continually depict them in diagrams. If I don’t receive threatening messages from them it is only because of postal delays.

*We’re talking a number with ’0′ on the end, that isn’t ’0′.

For some people this scribble will be utterly irrelevant, to others it will look strangely familiar.

In summary: we need to not believe the voices that tell us that we are not good enough.

The problem comes when we have to achieve something, but are utterly unable to do so, despite perseverance, new strategies, outside help, tears, and yes, perhaps even prayer. Not speaking from experience or anything.

A very short review of We were young and carefree by Laurent Fignon

I have read this entire book whilst on the train. This is unusual.

It will be of interest to those who, like me, watched the Tour de France on the television during the late 1980s and were then inspired to take up bicycle racing. Laurent Fignon (1960-2010) won the Tour in 1983 and 1984, but is often remembered for losing the 1989 Tour, after 3,285km, by eight seconds to Greg Lemond.

I found it fascinating. I hadn’t realised how quickly he rose through the ranks of cyclists, or how young he was when he won his first Tour de France. Of particular interest was the background information about goings-on in the races and amongst the riders and teams during that period. The book kept me interested and I looked forward to reading it on the 8.22 / 6.06 every day to find out what would happen next.

It also made me reflect on the bike racing that I did. I’d never have amounted to more than a reasonable amateur rider, but I gave it up in my early 20s to do church work (bike racing and church are not really compatible). Do I regret doing so? Probably, yes.

Links:
Book on Amazon UK (I found it in The Works)
Laurent Fignon obituary (NY Times – seemed the most complete)
(Below) Video showing the ’8 seconds’ finale (ITV 4, 6 mins). Not great quality but the best-edited I could find in English.

There are two tins:

1. Small change
2. Proper money

Small change is anything that is not really worth carrying around. This means 1p, 2p, 5p, and yes, 10p pieces.

Proper money is anything larger than that. So 20p, 50p, £1 and £2. Sometimes a 10p will make it in, depending upon my mood. If it is a note I just carry it anyway. Proper money is called upon when I need to park in Basildon, cross the Dartford bridge or buy a 99p coffee in Pret.

It could be that there are more advanced ways to organise one’s money, I don’t know. I will perhaps ask Margaret, my accountant, whether I am in tune with current best practice.

Questions for study groups
How do you organise your money?

Above: this is water polo (this one benefits from being seen at a larger size). In summary: you try to throw the ball into the opponents’ net whilst team mates hold the members of the other back, push them under the water, etc. Those may or may not be the rules, I’m not sure.

There is a certain amount of parading around in dressing gowns.

Also some team huddles.

It was great to have a walk around the Olympic park, as the last time we were there (for the cycling) is was strictly shuttle buses and no wandering.

The velodrome, seen across natural open countryside.

Coloured circles. Also legs.

We were test guinea pigs for the Greenway walking route from West Ham to the Olympic site along which many of the spectators will walk. It certainly avoids the crowds at Westfield. This is the view looking back towards West Ham.

Olympic park (larger version) with people thronging in for the evening activities. Photo taken from John Lewis.

Ideally this would have been posted yesterday. Originally from the Church Times, April 2010.

Feel free to share and that kind of thing

Above: ‘They didn’t have your name’. My sister gave me this duck and it makes me smile. It lives in my office next to a stone, five rulers and a tin labelled ‘proper money’. It is the sort of thing I will be posting on this website from this point on as part of my ‘daily blogging*’ routine. The daily blogging is part of my recovery plan, chosen as an activity because I know I enjoy it. I’m not sure exactly what I’m recovering from, by the way. But let’s just say that a week or two the possibility of not cartooning any more was a very real one.

Anyway, if you’d like to see photos of other everyday objects in my office please do say. I have various uplifting slogans pinned up, for instance. Also several drinks mats, and some pencils.

*When I have time