Election Campaign. Nomination Day Friday 15th.

I am running for election this year for our student union (again). I am aiming to do regular blog posts about it… So here’s the first one!


Nine hours down and we have finally done it. At 11:20 (is Rich trying to give me a heart attack?) we handed over to the SU 33 PDF files. Yes, 33 PDF files. I recan it took us over 15 hours of hard slog to get to that lofty figure - not to mention the numerous tea fuelled sessions at bens flat trying (a) to come up with something creative but realising (b) that people don’t really care, so resulting in, (c), ridiculous campaign slogans such as (my personal favourite), ‘all aboard the change bus’, and Andy’s personal favourite – ‘Beautiful Buildings Deserve Beautiful People’. In the spirit of democracy we put all our ideas to the vote with our 12 team members and came out with Labour 97’ election song ‘Things Can Only Get Better’. Usually I don’t mind stealing Tony’s campaign ideas (and not his foreign policy choices I might add) precisely because he is the first British politician that has been super moulded by ‘brand consultants’ – great for winning elections, not so for actual government. Ultimately, you’ve gotta get in some way.

So now, amazingly, we have a team of 12 people, with me, Rich and Ben going for full time positions. I’m going for Campaigns and Communications again, Ben for El Presidente and Rich for Services. It’ll be an interesting campaign. It looks like Virender is running a full team this year, and with the Nigerian society running a similar amount it is going to be bloody competitive. As long as I just focus on winning, and talking to people about why I care, what I’m going to do, and importantly working my arse off, hammering those 6 hours of each voting day. I need to be dogged, single focused. We need to get into lectures - so important – we need to talk to cultural societies. We need another election meeting. I think we can do it. Virender isn’t running this year, and he is a literal vote machine. He will come up to you and grab your arm and force you into the voting booth. It is against rules, and it is unfair. People should not be bullied. But in a brilliantly Greenwich Politics move Virender’s cousin is running in his place! Greenwich SU is literary going to be a monarchy! It will be interesting what he is like – undoubtedly he will be determined, both being schooled by Virender and from the same political background. Hopefully he won’t be as effective… We will see. Virender is dead! Long Live Virender!

I am running against Natalie Choi. She is a formidable competitor, likable, popular, pretty, half Far Eastern (and from Avery Hill) . She will definitely be feisty and dogged. As for what ever Virender crony that is running against me, I don’t know, but at least he is not Virender. I’ve got to have faith in my own ability to enthuse and charm people – this is where I shine. I just need to put the hours in as well...

Beautiful thing I saw today
Geyser-esk exhaust fumes lit by a single street lamp in Greenwich

Li Po-esk poem

Li Po is an amazing Chinese poet from the BC period. This poem is in his style (sort of).


I see you asleep in the brackan
watched by the moon
an arm of light around your torso

The moon mirrors the sun
as i awake, mirror you sleeping
both contented
both calm
inside we smile
like a lizard on a hot rock.

Graphic Design, etc

I decided to plot out my future, and with a philosophy and creative writing degree it did not look good. So, one of my other interests, graphic design offers a real opportunity to work 'in the system', but still be creative. I am thinking about applying for a three month course. Unfortunately it is prohibitively expensive, ie seven-whole-grand. But if it gives me a job that is worth seven grand more than, say, working in Tesco's, maybe it is a wise choice.

I am currently writing a script entitled 'Lessons in the Law', which is really annoying me. I like the idea - a teenage detective that is fighting crime while lusting after girls, and avoiding the school 'ardnuts - but it will just not write it self! Maybe i have forgotten to be a child in all this heady world of deadlines and student politics.

We will have to see.

A beautiful thing i saw today:
The top of some broken railings

The Start.

Everything has to have one i suppose. Now, I'm not going to provide you with a structured comment on the genesis of writing or even a concrete reason for me starting this blog in the first place. I suppose it is for me to vent my worries with the world, but mainly it is to impart the word beautiful in front of whatever i say to appear more enigmatic. On the word enigmatic, as we're hovering, when i finally realise what it means, in its essence, I will die a happy man.

A little about me. In a sense, I don't need to fill this out. The power of my prose (yes, that is alliteration) should portray my peculiars and particulars (I really can't stop myself), should be substantial for it to appear through the writing. Obviously it leaves out body language, and in doing so 90% of communication. I will try and give some of this in the blog, although i haven't thought about it too much. Maybe through footnotes or even (who uses those?) brackets.

Up to this point we haven't really learnt anything, but I must keep some back. There are many exciting cliffhangers which you don't even know about.

What you should know straight off is I live in Deptford, do Philosophy and Creative Writing at the University of Greenwich, am excited about pretty much everything, and am equally happy in the presence of beautiful architecture and trees in equal amounts. There is a reason why i study at Wren's masterful Old Royal Naval College. There is a lot more architecture geekyness to come in the future.

Here are three things in no order that i like:

Fruit and Fibre cereal
The Blues
French Girls on Bicycles

Keep being excited

Chris x