Letter from Greg Dunningham (From Swindon Advertiser)

Letter from Greg Dunningham

11:35am Friday 19th March 2010 in

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SOMEONE accosted my wife the other day and asked her why I seemed to have so much time to waste writing letters to this newspaper. Well, as this person obviously reads the Advertiser, and moreover the letters column, I think I need say no more other than it seems to please a lot of other people as I am frequently asked to write more as it lightens their day.

The problem is one of subject matter and if I see an unusual angle to something. A good example happened today. Ready in two minutes, fast check-out till, pay at pump and save time, no waiting - quick service etc, and it raises an important question. What are we supposed to do with all the extra time we have apparently saved with all these new faster processes? And is it all necessary? For example you stroll leisurely around the supermarket, being captivated by all their eye level impulse catching special offers... no stress, no hassle... until you reach the tills. And then you have to empty your trolley at breakneck speed as the local Olympic bar code scanning champion propels your goods through so they all end in a large heap which you now have to sprint down to put in bags. And the looks you get from other shoppers as you try to regain control of this iceberg sized pile of groceries. Eggs on the top, bread together - must not squash it, frozen veg in this bag and toilet cleanser in that one... You stagger out exhausted. I then need 10 minutes to rest and recover when I get home and have unpacked it all...

Aha that is what all this time we have saved is for... recovering from the extra speed required to gain the extra time. What can I do with the extra few minutes I have left over which I have gained... Oh I know I will write a letter to the Advertiser.

GREG DUNNINGHAM

Marlborough Road

Old Town

Swindon