Why I’m Quitting Foursquare (and why no one cares)

I’m a firm believer that a social network is only as good as the people who inhabit it.

Facebook is littered with my friends, Twitter is filled with a mix of interesting people, friends and a plethora of crazy people that make logging on several times a minute worthwhile.  However, for me, Foursquare is filled with none of the above.

Granted, I have a handful of my Twitter contacts on there, but rather than provide me with useful insights or comedy parking moments (you know who you are), all I see is where they work, where they get their morning coffee or where they lunch, which in all honesty, makes me feel a little stalkerish.  On the other hand, any stalkers who care to look can find out where I work or which supermarket steals absurd amounts of my money for mediocre sandwiches at lunchtime.  My fear is that they will use this info to go into said supermarket and buy out all the sandwiches, leaving me with the bottom of the barrel cheese and onion monstrosity which can always be found lingering after the lunchtime rush.

As for my Mayorships? I hereby relinquish thee to anyone who cares to check-in where I work, where I used to work, or where I occasionally shop.

Will anyone miss me?  Will anyone’s league table feel more baron without me?  Will anyone sit there chugging a skinny latte and think, “Where is this Joe chap I used to see so much of?” If their enthusiasm has waned anything like mine, I doubt it.

So as quickly as I hopped on the location bandwagon, I shall now hop off.

And don’t come looking for me, you don’t know where I am.

Joe x

Give me £10 and I’ll let you read my blog

With the Times, NY Times and countless magazines charging for content online, I’ve been thinking, why the hell should I just give my opinions away for free?  If I had a penny for every time I’d published a poorly worded article online I’d have a bucket-load of pennies. Maybe even enough to buy an even fancier bucket.  With bluetooth or something.

Where do I see myself in 5 years time?

Hold on, a thought occurs.  There’s always going to be some communist who’s going to give away exactly the same opinion for nothing.  Still, despite being exactly the same, my opinion is clearly of a much higher standard than that other guy’s. So surely people will still pay for mine even if it’s free elsewhere right? Right? Hey, where are you going?

Wait, come back! OK, I concede, after having thought about it for a little bit, maybe I’ll keep my blog free for now.  If I started charging I’d probably lose my ten regular readers for one paying reader.  On the other hand, what am I waiting for? Cough up the cash or get the hell outta here!

To continue reading this article, please hand over your wallet, passport, home address and shoe size…

I’ve let myself slip into the mire of Supermarket Britain

Upon perusing my bank statement this morning, I discovered an alarming and,  frankly, quite frightening thing.  My account details hadn’t been stolen.  My card hadn’t been copied and used to purchase 7000 copies of Grizzly Guys magazine or purchase me that Thai Bride I’ve always dreamed of. The problem was this…

My last 12 transactions over a 12 day period read:

Morrison, ASDA, Morrison, Morrison, Morrison, Sainsbury, Tesco, Sainsbury, Morrison, Sainsbury, Morrison, Morrison.

Now if you didn’t count that one of these transactions was for petrol after I’d been to the supermarket, the mathematically astute of you would already know that it pretty much means I go to the supermarket EVERY DAY!

This is a sorry state of affairs for two reasons; 1. Because my life seems to involve nothing else but visiting the scourge of local business (I really need to start treating myself a little), and 2. I’ve allowed myself to slip into this mire.

I think the biggest problem I have with this situation is that I’ve let myself slide into a comfort zone, letting the ‘big four’ provide for me, with no real regard for local businesses or the people who run them.  Worse than this is that I’m sure I’m not the only one.  I can imagine that this has happened to thousands of people in a time where local businesses need us more than ever.

It’s not too much effort for me to drive to Bath Road to go to the butcher, or to visit my local farm shop (where I’ve actually found that a lot of things are cheaper) to make a few odd purchases.  Hell, I might even find that I get to know the proprietor rather than just see a bunch of nametags whose only care is their next pay cheque.

It’s not new year but consider this my resolution; To go out of my way, out of my comfort zone, to make sure that local #glosbiz get some of my custom, and I hope you try to do the same.

P.S. Ignore the Google Ad that will no doubt appear below linking to Ocado or something. It’s against message!