Monday, October 30, 2006

New to the Diocese

Where do we stand on socks people? In a rather tedious moment of a reasonably illuminating introduction to the Diocese, including the first time I have ever had lunch in a Palace by invitation, I noticed that almost half the male participants had failed to give any attention to the colour of their socks in relation to the hue of either their shoes or their trousers. Or, worryingly, had given it attention and I was observing the results.

Does this matter? Well I think it does and so does Father Ted and if he and I agree about something then it has to be right.

Quote of the day. 'If you try something and it doesn't work, pick yourself up and we will help you, dust you down and defend you. If you're a complete ass it makes it more difficult for us' (Archdeacon of Taunton). It's a slightly up-tempo version of Kazuo Ishiguro's 'If one has failed only where others have not had the courage or will to try, there is a consolation...' from An Artist of the Floating World. This idea of dignified failure has been a theme of my life for the last twenty years. Lovely to be in a diocese that salutes that.

Had to get up early to go to Wells for this training day so thanks very much for the concern. No mushroom problems.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My socks aren't black, they're just really really really really dark blue.

Our vicar clearly thinks about the colour of his socks, he tucks the bottom of his trousers into them. Cunning so that we can't see his trousers! Does he think we can't see his socks?

Steve Tilley said...

Sorry not to complete the transport puzzle. I am a founder member of the 'Creative solution of problems by apathy' method of progress. There are many problems which get worse if you try to solve them and get better if you leave them. The skill is in knowing which is which. Our motoo, 'That's not a (...day) problem.'

So I ignored the transport problem for a bit and simply handed it over to God and then someone lent me a BMW for the week.