The I Feel Down Topic.

[Sazzle]

Of course we can all disagree. And I don't expect people to apologise for thinking the strikes are pathetic. It's evident that people did not read my original post properly, had they done they would've seen I was saying the strikes are pathetic because one sector has followed another after another after another. I'm all for improving workplace standards and improving pay and I don't think strike action is always the way to go about it, but if train strikes hadn't started last year, I highly doubt other sectors would've struck since.

That's not what I meant. If only people read things properly before replying. I've seen it time and time again here, sometimes we're too quick to reply.

If I may offer my thoughts on your opinions?

"It's evident that people did not read my post properly"

I have indeed arrived from that topic and wish to share my views further.
I assure you I have read your post, the subsequent posts, and your further responses.
My view opposes yours and I would be grateful for you to read my response with the assurance that I am fully informed of your views and your post content.

"I was thinking that strikes are pathetic because..."

To offer your view by immediately using such an emotive term, unnecessarily, to label a large number of professionals across a multitude of workforce sectors is guaranteed to afford you negative responses. There are many, many ways to offer your view on a topic, and using the word pathetic is not going to help you win friends and influence people.

"If only people read things properly before replying" [...] "sometimes we're too quick to reply"

Does a point-by-point multi quote approach work for you, in confirming I have read things properly? I assure you once again I have read your post, and I will offer my opinion hereafter. Please also note that my time in replying has been with consideration; it has not been quick.

How can inflation affect industrial action? Just doesn’t add up to me, although I could be missing something here.

Although that graph from the ONS is accurate, I rarely trust anything else the ONS produces…but that’s a discussion for elsewhere, and if anyone can be bothered.

"...Although I could be missing something here". I feel that you are indeed missing something here. I assume from that statement that you are financially secure enough to not be affected by the rise in the cost of living due to the depreciation in your wages to such a level you need to take action as part of a collective in order to meet the aforementioned cost of living. Alternatively, you are affected and you carry on regardless.

"but that's a discussion for elsewhere, and if anyone can be bothered". Not really. I am an advocate for the information that the ONS provides to our Government and society, and don't wish to engage in a debate if you are so willingly dismissive of it despite stating the graph posted in the thread is accurate. A hypocritical statement, which immediately undermines the latter half of your statement.

As for the actual debate around strikes, and sectors following each other, I don't believe that it started with one and that there were followers. I believe that different sectors have, at varying times, felt the pressure of their leaders not offering them pay awards that reflect the amount of work they do along with the ability to keep up the standard of living that they have previously afforded.

My bottom line:
Don't tell me to tighten my purse strings when I am working as hard (harder in fact!!) as I did 365 days ago, for the same wage, and yet I can't afford to put the same things in my trolley at the supermarket every week. That is where strike action comes from; not following another sector.

 

[Sazzle]

If you don't like it, you can have your money back.
No adverts, just supported by the kindness of others.
I remain grateful, and thankful.

Double post, sorry, but...

1. You can't have your money back; Easter eggs are expensive this year!!
2. Kindness of others? I think it's just me and @Craig - we're not kind.
3. (Soppy moment) We're proud to offer a home for this community in what is fast becoming a social media dominated landscape. TikTok might be great for 20 seconds at a time with short bursts of 'news', but there's nothing to show for it in years to come. There will be here! You're welcome

 

[rob666]

^
Double post...whip required.

 

[Dave]

Of course we can all disagree. And I don't expect people to apologise for thinking the strikes are pathetic. It's evident that people did not read my original post properly, had they done they would've seen I was saying the strikes are pathetic because one sector has followed another after another after another. I'm all for improving workplace standards and improving pay and I don't think strike action is always the way to go about it, but if train strikes hadn't started last year, I highly doubt other sectors would've struck since.

That's not what I meant. If only people read things properly before replying. I've seen it time and time again here, sometimes we're too quick to reply.

No one mis-read your post. Everyone understood it fully.

They just pointed out you where wrong in your assertion that strike action was due to union one-upmanship and instead a response to inflation and austerity.

Inflation causes strikes because people have less spending power for their given wage. If you want an example of how inflation works to devalue someone’s wage this Twitter post is a good example (though it should be pointed out the product referenced has increased in price more than inflation but the principle is the same:


From: https://twitter.com/huw_corness/status/1609957206757081090?s=46&t=ODCejg9CWfuw-aUz2-gsuQ

 

[QTXAdsy]

...I come in after a hard day volunteering which helps me forget about the ills of the world in the current state such as inflation and that and then when I'm wanting to unwind with TS, I accidentally stumble upon this thread which reminds of what I was hoping to forget about.

Yeah, feels like my hard work was for nought.

 

[Sazzle]

...I come in after a hard day volunteering which helps me forget about the ills of the world in the current state such as inflation and that and then when I'm wanting to unwind with TS, I accidentally stumble upon this thread which reminds of what I was hoping to forget about.

Yeah, feels like my hard work was for nought.

Please do feel free to not read the topic…

 

[MattyH]

I have just arrived from a hard nights graft and had sifted through this topic with a very nice rum and coke.

Back on topic... Just ended up having a breakdown at the end of a shift because people don't want to be associated with the new guy.

 

[Skyscraper]

Back on topic... Just ended up having a breakdown at the end of a shift because people don't want to be associated with the new guy.

Ah no, that's not nice! Sorry to hear that mate. Well it's their loss and their problem. My DMs are always open if you need to chat.

 

[Matt N]

I’m sorry to hear that @MattyH. My PMs are always open if you want to talk to anyone.

 

[QTXAdsy]

I'm back at work tomorrow which I'm glad about after my holiday which I'm satisfied though this may seem like the wrong topic to put this in however that is only papering over the cracks of how I feel and that is regarding the current state of the park which we all know about though perhaps not in the way you imagine.

The idea of simply wanting to upsticks and experience parks abroad might he easier for many of you who live south and can have a good pick from yet for me with my current finances which while I'm not poor I have to be careful with and sadly that has made me down in which I feel isolated more than ever in which while many of you live roughly in about a close position to Towers or anything that doesn't resemble M&D's in which I can only dream of going places I want to for all those places across the Continent. My trip to Europa Park while I enjoyed I look on with bittersweet feelings knowing I'll never get there again for a who knows how long.

Honestly, with how bad things are with parks in this country and how my prospects of going to these places is unlikely to happen for several years unless I'm given a helping hand, I have started to wonder why I'm even an enthusiast if all it has given me is despair (M&D's) and utter dissatisfaction (Merlin in general) for where I am? I want to enjoy what I do but if someone can give me a reason why I should keep at this as I need a form of escapism and this is something I need as a coping mechanism which sounds unhealthy but there isn't anything else I can think unless my volunteering railway stuff counts but that is joy I give my time for others which is satisfying yes but I want something I can enjoy myself.

Damn, I always ramble more than I should but I have to get this off my chest.

 

[NuttySquirrel]

I'm back at work tomorrow which I'm glad about after my holiday which I'm satisfied though this may seem like the wrong topic to put this in however that is only papering over the cracks of how I feel and that is regarding the current state of the park which we all know about though perhaps not in the way you imagine.

The idea of simply wanting to upsticks and experience parks abroad might he easier for many of you who live south and can have a good pick from yet for me with my current finances which while I'm not poor I have to be careful with and sadly that has made me down in which I feel isolated more than ever in which while many of you live roughly in about a close position to Towers or anything that doesn't resemble M&D's in which I can only dream of going places I want to for all those places across the Continent. My trip to Europa Park while I enjoyed I look on with bittersweet feelings knowing I'll never get there again for a who knows how long.

Honestly, with how bad things are with parks in this country and how my prospects of going to these places is unlikely to happen for several years unless I'm given a helping hand, I have started to wonder why I'm even an enthusiast if all it has given me is despair (M&D's) and utter dissatisfaction (Merlin in general) for where I am? I want to enjoy what I do but if someone can give me a reason why I should keep at this as I need a form of escapism and this is something I need as a coping mechanism which sounds unhealthy but there isn't anything else I can think unless my volunteering railway stuff counts but that is joy I give my time for others which is satisfying yes but I want something I can enjoy myself.

Damn, I always ramble more than I should but I have to get this off my chest.

Sorry you feel this way, I hope I didn't make things worse with my comment on the Turning a Corner thread. You're right that for a lot of people going to parks abroad just isn't possible, either due to finances or other commitments. I'm in my mid-thirties and this is the first time in my life when I've had the money available to do the odd short trip to one or more European parks and even then it is once a year at most, I know some people who manage a lot more. Going to the USA or further afield to experience the parks out there isn't feasible for me right now, as such I'm not terribly interested in learning about all the amazing parks in the states that I'll likely never get to experience.

I don't think you should abandon your hobby, especially if it's become a coping strategy, there are many less healthy coping strategies you could have picked! But it can help to get some distance from social media especially if all the negativity surrounding the Merlin parks is getting you down, and there's a lot of that right now, in many areas justifiably so. The parks will have to sit up and take notice because it's not just us that are shouting about how the offering just isn't good enough at the moment. At the end of the day, we want everyone who spends money visit the parks to have an enjoyable experience and feel their money's been well spent.

We still have some world-class rides in this country (well, England anyway) and some exciting projects on the horizon. A lot of the issues will get sorted sooner or later, it just might take a few painful months before we get there.

 

[QTXAdsy]

Right don't know where to put this up but after what I experienced, I do feel down in more ways than one.

The Links Market has returned to my home town in which it was great to get a ride fix and I was amazed to see a Top Spin there and knowing how much I miss Ripsaw, I had to make the most of it (not to mention the Bling clone which I adore) but my God...this topspin was honestly too much for me.

I have never experienced a ride that intense in which the operator was literally flipping us round like no tomorrow and I honestly thought I was about to have a grey out which is something had never happened to me and I couldn't react in which this girl beside me saw I wasn't looking too good and asked me if I was OK in which I couldn't say anything as I was having a frightening out of body experience. Thankfully the ride stopped and I was left shaken, not bruised or nothing but definitely shaken by perhaps the most intense flat ride I've experienced. I honestly can't remember Ripsaw being that crazy unless I've just had a bad day.

But yeah, my calls of a Ripsaw MK2 at Towers are likely to be quiet now after today...I will not forget this but for all the wrong reasons.

 

[MattyH]

I wonder if it was similar to the one @Poisson and me rode at Winter Wonderland.

That was a complete different experience to a full on Huss topspin

 

[Shaggy_Dog_]

Was it this one (Clayton Hackett’s Top Spin)? If so I rode it as the Hoppings last year, pretty good spin on it.

 

[QTXAdsy]

Was it this one (Clayton Hackett’s Top Spin)? If so I rode it as the Hoppings last year, pretty good spin on it.

Yes, that looks like it alright. Crazy spin on it for sure.

 

[Shaggy_Dog_]

I'm back at work tomorrow which I'm glad about after my holiday which I'm satisfied though this may seem like the wrong topic to put this in however that is only papering over the cracks of how I feel and that is regarding the current state of the park which we all know about though perhaps not in the way you imagine.

The idea of simply wanting to upsticks and experience parks abroad might he easier for many of you who live south and can have a good pick from yet for me with my current finances which while I'm not poor I have to be careful with and sadly that has made me down in which I feel isolated more than ever in which while many of you live roughly in about a close position to Towers or anything that doesn't resemble M&D's in which I can only dream of going places I want to for all those places across the Continent. My trip to Europa Park while I enjoyed I look on with bittersweet feelings knowing I'll never get there again for a who knows how long.

Honestly, with how bad things are with parks in this country and how my prospects of going to these places is unlikely to happen for several years unless I'm given a helping hand, I have started to wonder why I'm even an enthusiast if all it has given me is despair (M&D's) and utter dissatisfaction (Merlin in general) for where I am? I want to enjoy what I do but if someone can give me a reason why I should keep at this as I need a form of escapism and this is something I need as a coping mechanism which sounds unhealthy but there isn't anything else I can think unless my volunteering railway stuff counts but that is joy I give my time for others which is satisfying yes but I want something I can enjoy myself.

Damn, I always ramble more than I should but I have to get this off my chest.

I read your post and just wanted to say that I completely understand where you are coming from with regards to feeling somewhat isolated from the UK theme park scene due to your location and also Merlin’s running of their parks and thoughts of wanting to explore European parks. But don’t despair, no need to give up the hobby and it’s perfectly possible to get to some European parks as I believe that you are only an hour away from Edinburgh Airport by public transport. You might surprised how easy is to get to some places from there on a very modest budget. I live in Newcastle so several times I’ve had flights from Europe that cost something cheap like £16 or £25 to Edinburgh airport and crashed there on a bench for the night before getting a coach home in the morning. If there’s a will, there’s a way.

One thing I would say though is honestly, just forget about M&D’s if it’s getting you down. It’s crap, it’s always going to be crap, and you aren’t going to find what you want from it. Just enjoy and cherish the fond memories that you had from it in the past and don’t worry yourself about what it’s doing now. I’m going to send you a PM later to chat a bit more.

 

[QTXAdsy]

I read your post and just wanted to say that I completely understand where you are coming from with regards to feeling somewhat isolated from the UK theme park scene due to your location and also Merlin’s running of their parks and thoughts of wanting to explore European parks. But don’t despair, no need to give up the hobby and it’s perfectly possible to get to some European parks as I believe that you are only an hour away from Edinburgh Airport by public transport. You might surprised how easy is to get to some places from there on a very modest budget. I live in Newcastle so several times I’ve had flights from Europe that cost something cheap like £16 or £25 to Edinburgh airport and crashed there on a bench for the night before getting a coach home in the morning. If there’s a will, there’s a way.

One thing I would say though is honestly, just forget about M&D’s if it’s getting you down. It’s crap, it’s always going to be crap, and you aren’t going to find what you want from it. Just enjoy and cherish the fond memories that you had from it in the past and don’t worry yourself about what it’s doing now. I’m going to send you a PM later to chat a bit more.

Thanks mate, still feels a long way off atm to head abroad unless I was part of a group of invited...at best another 3 years before I could think of heading to a park in Europe.

M&D's truth is a complicated relationship tbh as Tsunami was my first inversion coaster and started my coaster bug yet it is a horrible park which leaves me confused at what to feel...I just long for Scotland to have a decent theme park that I'd give an arm and leg for that so I can proud to call having a 'local' park.

I'm interested to hear what you have to say in the PM whenever that might be.

 

[STEJENT]

I've been feeling up and down for some time, I registered here before Christmas (I've previously been registered, and a consistent contributor in my teens), and I've spent enough time here to be comfortable enough now to offload a few things that have been weighing me down.
I suppose it starts last April, Easter Sunday, the 17th. I had moved out of home (not for the first time) and in with my partner. I moved back home in 2017, following the death of my dad at 62 after he was diagnosed with lung cancer for the second time and given 12 months prognosis. He died in 6 weeks. So I moved in to support my mum. Moved back out with my partner in January 2022.
My mum had been adamant she wanted to sell the house ever since my dad passed away, and was now getting round to it. It sold in August 21, completion was 20th April 2022.
We were going round on Easter Sunday for one last family dinner in our childhood home.
I awoke Sunday morning to a call from my sister, which I ignored as I was hungover and expected her to be asking to borrow money, which happened a lot.
She rang my partner, who answered and put it on loud speaker. It was a harrowing sound, that still haunts me when I least expect it(I sometimes feel like I have some form of PTSD from it). My mum was dead.
I somehow managed to drive 40 minutes to the house mad there she was on the couch. I won't go into more detail.
It being a bank holiday, we were left waiting for some time for any information, we received a call from the coroner on the Wednesday to say they had to carry out an inquest, and the outcome of which was likely to be 4-5 months.

I was off work the week before my mum died on annual leave, and was given 2 weeks compassionate leave, after which I would have to go sick, self certified for up to 1 week, after which a sicknote was required.
I went back on 16th May. Considering the circumstances, I feel I took very little time (my manager had 4 months off when her mum died). During my time off I was contacted by colleagues asking me work related questions as there is only me who does my role at work. And I obliged. I even logged on to work from home here and there to complete tasks that needed doing.
All said and done, I feel like I showed dedication to my work and I always am proud of the work that I do.
I also know that when recruiting for my role, they had to advertise and interview 3 times, because nobody had the skills and knowledge required for it.

A few months later, in October a new role opens up within our team, I applied, having discussed doing this months before with my manager as we knew the role would be created.
It was given to someone else.
And not a day goes by that I am not resentful towards my job, and my manager, who didn't even call me to say I was unsuccessful, but got someone else to do it.
What pisses me off most, is that it was given to another internal candidate from a different team who was coming from a role of the same ranking as my manager. I think it pisses me off more that someone who didn't need the job, or the experience it would bring, but was just looking for diminished responsibilities.
I also wonder if the hassle they had filling my post hurt my chances, and I could probably never prove this, but I wish I could.
I keep looking for new jobs, but nothing similar comes up without a big pay cut and I'm with a council now so I need something similar, or an opportunity to open in the council on a different team, to really rub it in.


Anyway, that's what's been eating at me. I sometimes have to stop and wonder "AITA"? But I'll never forget what a friend once told me, "your feelings are always valid." I'm just not sure how to handle them.

 

[Skyscraper]

Was volunteering at my local Scope shop today, but at lunchtime the manager collapsed. We had to close the shop and wait 2 and a half hours for an ambulance. Trying to take my mind off it all but it's hard as I care about them.

 

[Zeock]

Was volunteering at my local Scope shop today, but at lunchtime the manager collapsed. We had to close the shop and wait 2 and a half hours for an ambulance. Trying to take my mind off it all but it's hard as I care about them.

Sorry about that @Skyscraper; it shows your qualities as a decent human being that you care about the manager. I hope that the manager and the people at your shop, including you, are OK.