All change

All change

I have discovered recently why I like change, its because change releases us from the past, or at least it can.

I have for a long time had a dislike for the seeming permanence of books When Dr Benjamin Spok ,not the Startreck one, Changed his views on child rearing and rewrote his books to reflect his new stance many of his readers were left with guilt for having tried to follow his earlier work. Not his fault just the way things were, early sixties I think. Its all changed now. 

                 We have e books with an e book like a website if you want to change something in the light of new knowledge you can, it may be ten seconds after or ten years later! it can be changed. This of course does require a radical rethink about how we pass on information. I have become in recent times a storyteller using a medium called Kamishibai

Japanese Picture card theatre performed traditionally from the back of a bike. I use/recycle old stories and occasionally create my own, Kamishibai uses Picture cards as well as props acting and all the theatricality I can introduce, and here’s the clincher for me I can change it every time I tell it.

Not just the dialogue but the pictures indeed the whole direction of the story .I make the pictures using a digital camera, some painting ( very little) and Coral draw painting package to stitch it all together. Between getting the idea for the picture and printing it can be as little as ten minutes .Its printed to size then Laminated to keep out the rain and stiffen it up like the original cards. Some don't like the glossy finish but you can get matt laminate envelops too.

I get some of my best ideas whilst telling/acting out the story and have to be quick to notice them Why embrace change? It feels right we change so why shouldn't our stories/lives. Its not just about accepting change its doing something about it.

 

Its a bargain or Trust?

 

The other day someone called to book me I work as a clown a children's party I said yes we discussed terms venue and time, and duly a confirmation email appeared. Then another email appeared two weeks later cancelling  the now confirmed booking. The child had changed its mind ( 3 years old) thank you very much and good bye . The mother sounded aggrieved  that I asked for a cancellation fee 50% of the agreed fee. I have not signed any contract was the repost . But had she?

            Contracts in this country  can take many forms verbal, legal, but often difficult to enforce. Written the most common to name but two. For a contract to exist the participants need to agree on three points Time , venue, and payment, at this point you can “Shake on it” “sign on the dotted line” or just put your hand up as in an auction. That's it the agreement , contract, deal , bargain is struck.

            It , and this is the important bit can only be dissolved mutually by both parties (effectively contracting again to break the first contract) or by the courts in a disagreement from either party. Not convinced , then lets look at some examples. Car insurance, written, try getting out of one of those. Verbal  Marriage verbal contract “I do” some say the strongest contract one will ever agree too. The courts exist to sort out the less obvious infractions. But we make and break contracts every day, what makes this incredibly  complex system work one thing, Trust.

            The mother in this dispute would have been peeved to say the least if on the day of the party I had not turned up she would never trust me again, and probably never book another entertainer again. That might be a good thing for other performers would you want to take a booking from someone who went back on there word?

            If instead the mother had come to me and spoken on the phone outlining the situation I would not be writing this now. I would have “ let her off “ now  I am the aggrieved party I could have lost a booking in the two weeks that I was contracted. I didn't as it happens and further I will try to get a booking from this date. Do I sue? In this case no I have spent at least one hour writing this missive and hopefully doing the right thing by not suing Ignorance is no defence in law . I hope she reads this, she knows who she is, now she might understand the consequences to others of her actions You can check anything I state in this blog and comment if you wish. In over forty years of trading this has only happened a very few times. Most people prefer trust not contracts.