You have probably all seen it before, but I thought I would share it just for fun and because it made me laugh.
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Silence
When I was at college, there was someone in the year above me who wrote poems. Many of his poems still toss around in my head. I have no idea if he ever published them, or even what his full name was, but I thought I would share one with you.
Silence
A thousand stuttering words
Could never match
The eloquence
of a silence
and the library of context
in which it is heard
.
Silence
A thousand stuttering words
Could never match
The eloquence
of a silence
and the library of context
in which it is heard
.
Monday, 1 September 2008
Childish?
I was shopping today in a large supermarket, and watching the other people as they walked around the shop.
I was thinking about my Second Life, full of dragons and dwarves, orcs and fairies, and wondering if any of the people passing me also had this kind of other identity.
We all look like fairly normal, everyday grown-ups, going about our grown up business. Planning dinner parties, packed lunches, picnics and midnight snacks, but some of us play 'childish' games as well.
When we are kids we play games pretty much non-stop, my children spend hours and hours in fantasy worlds of their own making, in make believe, and wild abandon. As we get older we are taught that its not appropriate to run down the street laughing, or dress up as a princess, wonderwoman or a tiger called Twinkletoes, or to make sandcastles and get muddy just for fun.
But do we really lose the urge to do these things?
Many of us seem now to turn to computers to give us the play we want, either on our PlayStation's, Xboxes, Wii's or in Second Life. This seems to be the acceptable face of adult playtime. Tucked away in our studies, or in front of the sitting room TV, private and hidden from disapproving stares.
But when I was a girl, I spent hours and hours playing beside the canal in Edinburgh. Riding my bike, making dens, catching newts in jam jars and staring at leeches with fascinated horror. I didn't really care what people thought of me, I was just so amazed and lost in everything.
I suspect many adults might sometimes like to do that now, but we just don't, because we might look silly and its not 'proper' for adults to behave that way.
Childishness is seen as weak, foolish and stupid.
I would rather look at it as innocent, inquisitive and fun.
When I am an old lady I hope I will still roll up my trousers and wade into rock pools looking for creatures.
I was thinking about my Second Life, full of dragons and dwarves, orcs and fairies, and wondering if any of the people passing me also had this kind of other identity.
We all look like fairly normal, everyday grown-ups, going about our grown up business. Planning dinner parties, packed lunches, picnics and midnight snacks, but some of us play 'childish' games as well.
When we are kids we play games pretty much non-stop, my children spend hours and hours in fantasy worlds of their own making, in make believe, and wild abandon. As we get older we are taught that its not appropriate to run down the street laughing, or dress up as a princess, wonderwoman or a tiger called Twinkletoes, or to make sandcastles and get muddy just for fun.
But do we really lose the urge to do these things?
Many of us seem now to turn to computers to give us the play we want, either on our PlayStation's, Xboxes, Wii's or in Second Life. This seems to be the acceptable face of adult playtime. Tucked away in our studies, or in front of the sitting room TV, private and hidden from disapproving stares.
But when I was a girl, I spent hours and hours playing beside the canal in Edinburgh. Riding my bike, making dens, catching newts in jam jars and staring at leeches with fascinated horror. I didn't really care what people thought of me, I was just so amazed and lost in everything.
I suspect many adults might sometimes like to do that now, but we just don't, because we might look silly and its not 'proper' for adults to behave that way.
Childishness is seen as weak, foolish and stupid.
I would rather look at it as innocent, inquisitive and fun.
When I am an old lady I hope I will still roll up my trousers and wade into rock pools looking for creatures.
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Fun in the Shire
Well I finally have some Second Life news
After spending a month or so getting a feel for Carmarthenshire, beginning to work in the Apothecary, setting up my cottage in the town, meeting people, drinking mead, doing the grail quest and generally settling in, the realm suddenly went quiet.
It seems everyone is on holiday or busy, all roleplay quests seem suspended until they come back and the place has been a little ghost town like.(see picture)
However last night, when out collecting herbs, I was set upon by a very hungry Orc, bashed over the head, tied up and taken to the Orc camp to be munched on for tea!!
(suddenly things were not so quiet after all!)
Thankfully the brave Knight, Sir Kendell heard my screams and yells and came to the rescue.
At first the Knight and the Orc did battle, but it soon became clear, as I was tied up at his feet , that many of the blows directed at the Orc were hitting me.
The Knight then set about convincing the Orc that he would bring him a better meal than me and he set off to kill a deer to bring to the camp.The Orc then placed me in a cage for safe keeping.
While Kendell was gone the Orc weighed up whether he should kill me anyway, put my head on a pike and wave it above the walls and pretend I was still alive.
I was torn between laughter at the Orc putting on a girly voice and prancing around being a 'lady' and terror at the thought that he might actually do what he suggested.
Thankfully I managed to stay alive long enough that Kendell could return having fetched the deer.
The Orc then ordered me to skin it(blrgg) for the him , which I did (not very well) and then while he chewed Kendell and I legged it.
The handsome Knight then gave me a ride home on the back of his horse.
What a great evening!
thanks to the Knight and the Orc
After spending a month or so getting a feel for Carmarthenshire, beginning to work in the Apothecary, setting up my cottage in the town, meeting people, drinking mead, doing the grail quest and generally settling in, the realm suddenly went quiet.
It seems everyone is on holiday or busy, all roleplay quests seem suspended until they come back and the place has been a little ghost town like.(see picture)
However last night, when out collecting herbs, I was set upon by a very hungry Orc, bashed over the head, tied up and taken to the Orc camp to be munched on for tea!!
(suddenly things were not so quiet after all!)
Thankfully the brave Knight, Sir Kendell heard my screams and yells and came to the rescue.
At first the Knight and the Orc did battle, but it soon became clear, as I was tied up at his feet , that many of the blows directed at the Orc were hitting me.
The Knight then set about convincing the Orc that he would bring him a better meal than me and he set off to kill a deer to bring to the camp.The Orc then placed me in a cage for safe keeping.
While Kendell was gone the Orc weighed up whether he should kill me anyway, put my head on a pike and wave it above the walls and pretend I was still alive.
I was torn between laughter at the Orc putting on a girly voice and prancing around being a 'lady' and terror at the thought that he might actually do what he suggested.
Thankfully I managed to stay alive long enough that Kendell could return having fetched the deer.
The Orc then ordered me to skin it(blrgg) for the him , which I did (not very well) and then while he chewed Kendell and I legged it.
The handsome Knight then gave me a ride home on the back of his horse.
What a great evening!
thanks to the Knight and the Orc
Thursday, 21 August 2008
A healthy breakfast
My daughter said to me today that she wanted weetabix for breakfast tomorrow morning as it will make her brainy.
I asked why she thought this and she replied that the teacher had remarked, when one of the other children in her class did well today, that he 'had had his weetabix this morning'.
It reminded me of an advert I enjoyed when I was younger for this cereal, trading on the fact that having it in the morning somehow made you stronger/cleverer/quicker etc..
Surprise surprise, guess what I found on You Tube....
I asked why she thought this and she replied that the teacher had remarked, when one of the other children in her class did well today, that he 'had had his weetabix this morning'.
It reminded me of an advert I enjoyed when I was younger for this cereal, trading on the fact that having it in the morning somehow made you stronger/cleverer/quicker etc..
Surprise surprise, guess what I found on You Tube....
Thursday, 14 August 2008
The Knowledge
I was chatting to my daughter the other day, and explaining the story of the Garden of Eden. She wondered why eating from the tree of knowledge (of good and evil) was such a bad thing.
It got me to thinking...
Is having knowledge a good thing or not?
There are certain things which I really don't want to know....how I will die, what war is like, how to kill, what people say about me when I am not around. *grins
There are certain things which I don't care enough about to want to know.... what the FTSE 100 is, who is going to win Big Brother this year, how a traction engine works, the periodic table.
But generally I am hungry for new knowledge and information, I like to see how the world 'ticks', to understand things in greater depth and often I wish was better educated or born clever.
But is ignorance bliss? Is knowledge dangerous?
Would life be happier and more fulfilled if we were largely ignorant of the world, other than our own small area? Would we be less frightened, worried, jealous and unsatisfied if we never saw the world outside?
Probably, but maybe its better that we KNOW whats happening, even if we suffer a little.
What if this question is applied to Faith?.
Do we need to be knowledgeable or ignorant to have faith?
Faith is defined in the dictionary as 'confidence or trust in a person or thing' or 'belief that is not based on proof'' or 'the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise..'
Is a person who studies theology, knows the historical background to their Deity, questions, looks for proof, or considers modern contexts, more faithful than the person who simply accepts without question?
Do we need to let go of some of our 'rational', to experience true connection to our Gods?
Like I explained in my post Little Treasures, do we need to hear the music rather than identify each individual instrument. Or will hearing the instruments within the music, increase our pleasure when we see how they blend together.
Is it better to KNOW? or not.
.
Please share your thoughts.
It got me to thinking...
Is having knowledge a good thing or not?
There are certain things which I really don't want to know....how I will die, what war is like, how to kill, what people say about me when I am not around. *grins
There are certain things which I don't care enough about to want to know.... what the FTSE 100 is, who is going to win Big Brother this year, how a traction engine works, the periodic table.
But generally I am hungry for new knowledge and information, I like to see how the world 'ticks', to understand things in greater depth and often I wish was better educated or born clever.
But is ignorance bliss? Is knowledge dangerous?
Would life be happier and more fulfilled if we were largely ignorant of the world, other than our own small area? Would we be less frightened, worried, jealous and unsatisfied if we never saw the world outside?
Probably, but maybe its better that we KNOW whats happening, even if we suffer a little.
What if this question is applied to Faith?.
Do we need to be knowledgeable or ignorant to have faith?
Faith is defined in the dictionary as 'confidence or trust in a person or thing' or 'belief that is not based on proof'' or 'the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise..'
Is a person who studies theology, knows the historical background to their Deity, questions, looks for proof, or considers modern contexts, more faithful than the person who simply accepts without question?
Do we need to let go of some of our 'rational', to experience true connection to our Gods?
Like I explained in my post Little Treasures, do we need to hear the music rather than identify each individual instrument. Or will hearing the instruments within the music, increase our pleasure when we see how they blend together.
Is it better to KNOW? or not.
.
Please share your thoughts.
Saturday, 2 August 2008
Email disasters.
Have you even sent one of those emails that you really wished you hadn't?
Until yesterday I never had.
Unfortunately a slip of the 'send' button is all that you need to turn a joke into a nightmare.
Its all too easy to be flippant and silly and then regret it.
Sadly it was my work email address too.
I think I may have made things worse by trying to make them better.
*Cringe*
Until yesterday I never had.
Unfortunately a slip of the 'send' button is all that you need to turn a joke into a nightmare.
Its all too easy to be flippant and silly and then regret it.
Sadly it was my work email address too.
I think I may have made things worse by trying to make them better.
*Cringe*
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