At the moment, Jet is fascinated by postcodes. If anyone looks like leaving the house – the mere mention of the word ‘shoes’ or a glance towards the door and he demands to know which postcode they will be going to. When told, he will nod sagely. “Ah, N13. Palmers Green. Yes.” The database mind starts flicking, almost audibly. “Nana and Grandad live there.”
“Are we in EN2 yet?”
As we go from place to place, he asks approximately every 30 yards whether we have entered a new postcode, or whether we are still in the same one we began our journey in. As a result, I have become unprecedentedly aware of the postcode boundaries in our local area.
“I’ve never been to N22 before!”
He has also learnt the names of most of the roads in our locality, particularly on our well trodden paths. It is pretty astonishing. Chris has lived round here for the best part of 20 years, and I’ve spent my whole life in these parts. Jet is putting us both to shame. Whenever we venture slightly further afield, he is genuinely delighted to add another postcode to his mental list. (mental, arguably, in more than one sense of the word)
“I’m not really interested in that. I’m into postcodes.”
Whilst lovingly encouraging this frankly rather dull interest, I am trying to make him appreciate that not everyone he meets will be willing to enter into a 20 minute conversation about all the postcodes they have ever been to, which they live in, which they have travelled through that day… In fact, I doubt most people he encounters will have given it much thought. Friendship is about give and take – I would like him to learn that if we want our friends to indulge us in endless discussion about our interests, we must hear them out when they wish to expound on their own random preoccupations. Like most of his age, he is struggling with this at the moment.
Still, I can’t help but think these skills and interests would come in handy for certain career paths in the future…
Curriculum Vitae
Education: Leapfrog Nursery, local area geek (self-taught)
Specialist skills: Encyclopaedic knowledge of postcodes and road names in the North London area, love of maps, single-minded determination to bore on to everyone about these subjects
Other interests: Getting up at the crack of dawn, running, playing radiator pianoforte, saying ‘bleugh’ and ‘poo-poo bubbles’ at inopportune moments, managing an extensive portfolio of cuddly toys
Seeks role as: Geography teacher, postman, cab driver, town planner, estate agent (shudder), delivery driver
The boy’s got prospects…
Oh this has made me very happy a) you’re back! b) you’re back with THIS. I’ve just read it to my husband, who also thinks it’s wonderful. What I didn’t tell him is that I’m a bit envious of Jet’s postcode love…it appeals to the filer in me. Shh. Jet sounds utterly awesome. Maybe add tour guide to his job list!
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Thanks for the welcome back 🙂 And for the suggestion – he would love to be a tour guide. I’m not sure how many people would be interested in a postcode-based tour, but I’ll sign you up and you might get individual service 😉
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I think that is amazing that he is interested in postcodes/maps/streets. You don’t hear many young boys that are! Good on him :). I bet you are looking forward to seeing what his career turns out when he is older?!
p.s. I haven’t been on here for ages sorry! But I have been a bit slack. xo
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Don’t worry – not as slack as me I’ll bet – Not blogged for a couple of months I don’t think, so you’ve not missed anything! Hope that gorgeous man-child of yours is doing great as well as continuing to be hilarious 🙂
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Bless him! I’m lived in my house for the past 8 years and I still don’t have any idea what the road behind our house is called!
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I can send him round if you like 😉
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Ha ha! This is adorable. Indeed he could well offer his services to my postie who seems to struggle endlessly with this #fartglitter
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Maybe your postie has been taking tips from the world’s most useless postman – Pat? 😀
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HOW has Pat not lost his job?! Or at the very least had a formal complaint.
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Another valid point!
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Brilliant. You’re own walking, talking map that doesn’t try to have you turn into fields like my GPS. Enjoy him! Oddly enough I can’t remember the names of all my colleague whom I’ve worked with for a year or more, any telephone numbers (including my own) or really anything of importance but I can remember the post code for every address I’ve lived at. And there have been a lot.
Thanks for linking up to #fartglitter x
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Thanks for having me at your delightfully named linky 🙂
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This post made me smile, I think it is really sweet Jet is so interested in post codes! Love the CV, it will be interesting to see what career he ends up doing,xx #abitofeverything
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Thanks! He has so many interests, he really could go in any direction! x
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This is amazing! I love Jet! & I would hire him. If I had any power to appoint geography teachers or town planners, that is! #FTMOB
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I love that Jet is so fascinated by postcodes and road names – I used to work all over London and was quite aware of all the different postcode areas as a result of that. It’s great that he has such an amazing memory for it all too – future cartographer perhaps? Thanks for linking up to #ftmob 🙂
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What’s funny is that I am pathologically useless with that sort of thing – I can’t find my way to the end of the road! Thanks for hosting 🙂
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Ah this is so cute, I love it when kids get randomly obsessed with seemingly boring things. It reminds me of the time when my eldest Ava found a map and thought it was called “are we in the right place” she now grabs it every time we get in to the car, and asks me what the date is. I think I should probably explain that it has nothing to do with the date, but I have never had the strength! Becky x #ftmob
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That is great – it reminds me of the faraway tree, where the place at the top of the tree changes every day! Maybe the roads do all move about at night and that’s why I am so crap at finding my way around! 🙂 x
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At least you have a guide now! X
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Great Post and enjoyed reading his CV! I would hire him in a flash too! This is what makes our kids so interesting, methinks! And parenting journey too! Thanks for sharing and linking up to #abitofeverything
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Ah, great. I would give him a pretty good reference 😉
Thanks for hosting 🙂 x
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hahaha what a fantastic memory he has for all those letters and numbers – i struggle with remembering the postcode of the house i lived in for 10 years !! Thanks for sharing #KCACOLS
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It is pretty extraordinary… Puts me to shame most days 😉
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Oh bless him, he certainly is a bright little boy! I think it’s brilliant that he is able to learn them with such easy and interest.xx #KCACOLS
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Yes, it is sweet isn’t it 🙂 x
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I know people who have worked at Ordnance Survey and I think Jet would fit right in 🙂 #KCACOLS
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I’ll take that as a compliment – I think! 🙂
x
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Aw! As interests go, it’s definitely not just following the crowd. I wish I had his memory too – whenever I need to report anything for work (litter, street light faults, etc) you’re supposed to quote the full postcode… If it weren’t for Google this would never happen! #KCACOLS
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I am starting to think that I need to draw up a price list and start hiring out his services 😉
xa
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I think maps are great, so he’s a boy after my own heart. I love that picture of him with his face squashed up to a map book! I have maps as art round my house and will randomly stop and look at them – its as if they can take you on an adventure. Postcodes were never my thing – I was into bus number plates instead (oh dear! that sounds so weird, especially for a girl!), so I can empathise with the strange interests and I think I turned out ok!?! #Sharethejoylinky
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Hi! maps are pretty cool. The postcodes thing is just a little odd, but that is how my boy rolls. He is an outside of the box kind of dude.
Good name, by the way 😉
x Alice
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Postcodes and map reading – that is an interesting hobby to have! You’ll never get lost with Jet around! I actually think postcodes are quite interesting. Did you know Tameside in Manchester still use the Oldham postcode yet they have been separate areas for years! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday
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I will tell Jet – he’ll like that one! Thanks for hosting 🙂
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Ah that’s lovely. It’s great seeing them develop their own interests and express their personalities as they grow up. At least this will come in useful as he grows up if a good sense of direction comes with it!
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I am so glad he seems not to have been cursed with my sense of direction! 🙂
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He would also make a good navigator! #ftmob
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That will come in handy 🙂
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