Are you being safe today?

Candice: No, this is not a reference to Fifty Shades of Grey (I am not going to see the film even though Phil seems to think I should) but an unashamed plug for a project that I worked on.

Last year I was working for the Farm Safety Foundation (aka Yellow Wellies) encouraging people to be safer when they farm.  Being a highly dangerous profession (just check out the HSE stats) I thought this was a worth while cause.

One of my projects was to find a way to connect with the younger audience – and between us on the team we came up with re-recording a song that struck a chord with the farming community, ‘I’ve got a brand new combine harvester’ by The Wurzels.

Well with some negotiating and an trip to their recording studio, we came up with a new version. In fact I had a lovely day hanging out with the lads making their part of the video (and being invited to get ‘scrumpied up’ with them!) I then left for pastures new and hoped my little project would come to fruition. And this week it did.

So you can see the new version ‘Farm Safety is the Key’ on You Tube. So if you know anyone who works in a dangerous job, farming or otherwise, send them this funny video and let them think a bit more next time they want to cut corners. And if you watch it to the end you might just see my name in the credits.

Enjoy!

Wouldn’t reading help?

Candice: I was going to write a blog today about all the terrible killings that have happened recently, the British aid worker and the two British tourists in Thailand.  But I got half way down and thought, ‘I’m not really sure where this is going.’  The point of it would be to discuss that there surely is more to life than this and I don’t think any death is justified.

I’ve traveled and have been in some hairy situations but thank god I’ve never been close to something like this.  I have friend who was mugged in South Africa but even she admits she went walking in the dark and probably shouldn’t have done.  However, I’ll like my daughter to grow up in a world where she can take a few chances, as every one I’ve ever done (where I’ve looked back and though OMG did I really do that) has paid off and made me the person I am.  But I don’t want to not ever to be able to travel, on her own, because the world isn’t safe.

I take solace in the fact that these are isolated incidents and don’t happen to every one but they still happen.  What can we do about it, well not that much as some people are programmed wrong, but in other cases good education must help.  As a part of that escapism and reading a good story must be key.  I’ve read a lot about murder over the years, but it doesn’t mean I want to kill someone (well only at certain times of the month :)) but that release, the escape of a story has certainly helped relax the mind and soothe the soul.

I’m going away soon and I’m looking forward to some unadulterated time with a good book.  The time where I can concentrate for a few hours and finish a book in a few days rather than the weeks or months it takes me at the moment.  And part of that will come the escape from everyone and everything.

I’m not going to be patronising and say these people wouldn’t kill if they read a good book. But for the rest of us its a good place to start if you need to relax.