Properly back

It started with this;

https://smokingboot.dreamwidth.org/1048372.html

The last paragraph was the important bit...
R asked the darling question of the night; 'How can we get involved?'
The room loved the question, and one of the local landowners shook R's hand.
'I knew there was something about you as soon as you stood up,' he said.
As a result of the discussion started by R's comment, there is to be a planning forum to attempt the creation of a local plan, and a few of us have signed up for it...

A local place plan (https://www.gov.scot/publications/circular-1-2022-local-place-plans/) is meant to inform the local council authority of what the community wants to happen re land use. Said local authority is then obliged to show that it has taken this into account in its plans for future development. But there are plenty of hoops that have to be jumped through first.

Posters,videos, leaflets, oh god, leaflets, 9000 of them, about 6000 having to be recalled due to the linked government survey app having a QR code glitch. We had to manually pritstick working QR codes in, and take those leaflets out again during Storms Isha and Jocelyn. Leaflets! I never want to see a leaflet again. Then there were the public consultations, held at the local rock club and the scout hall. The result was a whole bunch of answers and charts, which I turned into a wall of text. Turned out to be nearly 8000 words. Magnificent chum brought in formatting, actual proper stat graphs, and much more practically useful text. She created this as much as I did, and she made the task of editing much easier for me. In came other contributions too, great ideas, excellent proof-reading, all of it astonishing.

Whatever happens now, that's my main chunk of work towards this project done. I think. My main feelings about it are pride in our phenomenal team, and exhaustion. I was also astonished at how quickly I default to early habits.The last few days turned me right back into my student self; cramming day and night, living on crisps, biscuits and beer (at least these days it tends to be fake beer). It's so unhealthy, but this is how I get stuff done, how I have always got stuff done; tunnel vision, sprint approach. Green juices? Olive oil in the morning? Forget all that. I go til the work is finished, then I collapse.

I'm pleased I guess. The people wanted a place plan, they got a place plan, and it accurately reflects their views in a balanced and realistic way. On the one hand it's great to get people involved in their democracy, on the other, for some this kind of thing translates too easily as if they don't do it they don't care so we can do what we want. When in fact, all it means is that they're tired and facing real life, and that's before considering those folk who think government never changes wherever it is; it just puts on a show. I don't know if there's something in this last. I do know that the reason why that ring road through the hills wasn't put in years ago came down to the simple fact that people wouldn't have it, said so, said it together and kept saying it. Digging one's feet in doesn't always work, but it's better than nothing.

Anyway, I have done my best for the peeps of the town, especially given the time constraints. Now I must lighten my mind. Even my eyes feel heavy, as though they are sitting low in those all too evident bags.