It’s not a black thing - it’s a crap thing Part 1

Takeaways

When the new West Indian takeaway opened in my area a year ago I was beaming with pride. Judging by today’s behaviour, I doubt they really researched location, I think it was more luck that they found that spot. One of those chicken shops had just shut down and they took over it. It’s in a great location, right on the walk to the tube station it should catch commuters on their way to work and their way home. The food that I have had is really tasty and the prices are just right. Every time I visit I notice with delight how the food appeals to all, Asian, Indian, English, Irish in fact I have see all races in there. Sounds great right? It sounds like that’s the place to be.

Well let me tell you that this particular takeaway has the worst customer service you can ever imagine. I don’t know if they just don’t want to make any money and want to scare their customers away but it’s really bad. You walk in and you’d be lucky if you get greeted. In fact when you enter they almost look annoyed. Depending on who is on the counter expect no eye contact and when you place your order wait around 45 seconds for it to be acknowledged. Even when you order they may or may not have the food, even at lunchtime they may even say “it nah ready yet” or tell you that the cook hasn’t arrived. They also run out quite a lot of most of the things you want to eat, they never open before twelve missing all those commuters going to work who would gladly grab a little something for their journey to work or their lunch. By 10pm expect that most things would have run out.

I had the pleasure of calling them to find out if they could do food for a party. When they answered the phone they said “Yeah?” so to be honest I didn’t even know if I was calling the right place. They then told me to call back tomorrow three times and that they didn’t have the price?? I was not impressed.

When I mentioned this behaviour to a few friends around me they said “it’s just a black thing, that’s how all our takeaways run” well sorry but its not good enough, we need to come correct!

This is not an isolated incident although I wish it were, I have visited many black owned takeaway places, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Jamaican etc in all areas and sadly they are all are equally as bad. I don’t know what it’s like in other countries. The food is good in these places but everything else lets them down.

Also don’t they have some kind of a vision, don’t they ever want to be better than just a takeaway? Don’t they want to do more than just break even? Can the owner picture themselves in a Mercedes? Don’t they ever want the ability to replace that broken TV they have in the corner or fix the extractor fan so that the windows don’t all steam up and no one can see inside? It’s frustrating.

Around 15 mins away there is a fish and chip shop, go there anytime night or day and there is a queue coming out of the door, they have done so well that they have won awards and have now opened a restaurant next door. They never run out of food. They have even expanded to sell fresh uncooked fish to people. They venue is nice and clean and well tiled with plants and décor inside. It’s a place that you actually want to go. There is even seating in the waiting area.

Its 2010 is it not time that our takeaways fixed up?

I think I might retire…

Not from blogging, from netball, I haven’t played since my nose got all smashed in (Read here)
Although its pretty much healed I’m scared of it happening again. I know you shouldn’t live in fear and I’m sure you can find online a million quotes and reasons why I shouldn’t let this stop me playing something I love, I just can’t bring myself to do it. The longer I leave it the harder it is.

As with all sports you do get injured during my time as a netballer I have torn a ligament, fractured my fingers, twisted my ankle etc but this was my face…my nose and when the thing that you present to the world every day gets damaged you don’t really want to do that again. I can still remember the swelling and the pain I don’t want that to ever happen again.

There will always be a scar on my nose now (gutted) and I have a small lump inside that the hospital have said they can give me an operation to sort out, but I’m not interested in a nose operation.

I really enjoyed it and will miss playing but I wasn’t getting paid and to be honest I have to ask myself, is it worth it??

Would you go and still play?

at least I wont miss the rainy games

Ps I’m not ignoring the Haiti situation it’s just that I have found it very distressing and there are many other blogs about it so I’m going to leave it alone.

Snow Joke – we need to all fix up/help me save the planet.

One
It’s been snowing too long over here, I’m cold and getting very bored with it. I’m tried of slipping and sliding to work through ice and snow. We are in the middle of an unprecedented big freeze. The gritters have ran out of grit, the trains and tubes are up the creek, airports are closed and we don’t have enough snow ploughs because our government doesn’t invest in them. Who can blame them though? We haven’t had a winter like this in more than 40 years. We can’t cope and if you watch our ‘news’ all you are going to hear about is the snow.

Two
Then in Australia they had their hottest night in 108 years topping 34 degrees Celsius. The previous record of 30.6 degrees was set in February 1902!! Thousands of homes were without power as electricity companies' equipment failed in the heat, imagine trying to sleep in that?

Three
And now in Haiti, they had the Earthquake. Thousands are dead and the 7.0-magnitude quake, Haiti's worst in two centuries. If you want to help or donate please read Bajan Scent’s blog post entitled Earthquake in Haiti and how you can help.



I think the earth is going crazy, for those who don’t believe in global warming, aren’t these three examples of how the climate is changing? Melting glaciers induce tectonic activity that’s why we had the earthquake. We are going to see more of these extremes in weather over the next few years. With Global Warming and most of the animals that we love on the endangered list your children won’t have anything left?



I think we should all pledge to make one small change in lifestyle this year as we all need to fix up and start saving the planet. I know that when you do one small thing alone it doesn’t feel as if you are making a difference but as Margaret Mead said

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Here are three small things you could do. Please add to my list.

1. If you don’t already you could recycle, where I live it’s a real pain to do so but if I make one resolution this year (Remember I said I wasn’t making any) it will be that. I do a little but I could do more.
   
   
2. Men should stop spreading their seeds and stick to one baby mother not six and women should stick to one baby father not six…sorry totally different topic but this could also save the world.
   
   
3. You could take your own bags when shopping. Cut down on the plastic, I already do this. I’m off the hook
   
   

Blogger Meet Up's

Last year I was invited to many blogger meet ups. Every time they were on I always had other plans and unfortunately I never attended. Now new for 2010 I have an invite sitting in my gmail and it’s for a date that I am actually free. The problem is now I have gone shy (yeah I get shy sometimes) and suddenly I’m wondering ‘what are we meeting for again?’

I don’t have anything in common with the people I’m meeting apart from the fact that we all blog and I have far too many acquaintances in my phone book. I am a bit reluctant to add more.

So dear friends, I am asking you, have any of you ever attended a blogger meet up? (Ondo Lady I know you have) I want to know how did it benefit, do you recommend me going to one and why?