WHY DON'T THEY DO GOD?
The Labour party has a new leader who calls himself a Jewish atheist - is that possible?
There were two Milliband brothers who ran for the leader of the Labour Party recently, and Ed won.
"Ed Milliband insisted religion was a 'private matter' but today he too said he was an atheist.
Their stance stems from their Left-wing secular upbringing by parents Ralph, a celebrated Marxist sociologist and Marion Kozak.
Marion is a Polish Jew who fled the Holocaust, taking shelter in a convent and with a Catholic family before arriving in England.
Ralph Miliband also fled, leaving Belgium with is father in 1940 on one of the last boats out of the country.
The son of Polish Jewish emigres, Ralph was only 16 when he fled Belgium with his father and came to London.
He went on to study English History at technical college, where he became a Marxist and appears to have fully turned his back on religion.
Ed Miliband said yesterday that his 'faith' was founded on family, friendship and opportunity and seeking to improve society.
This appears a clear reflection of his father's Marxist ideals. Karl Marx (right) famously said religion was the 'opium of the people'.
The German philosopher was an atheist and saw religion as an illusion that was used to uphold the social status quo. He felt it was a crutch for the poor that did nothing to address their real, social and economic problems.
His famous quote in full actually reads: 'Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people.
'The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions.'
Marion Kozak, the daughter of wealthy Jewish parents, miraculously escaped Nazi Germany and was sent to Britain by a Jewish organisation in 1947.
She arrived unable to speak English and with almost no formal education but still reached university at a normal age.
Ralph died in 1994 and both sons are extremely close to their mother and for years, the three all lived very close to each other in north London.
The Jewish Chronicle still claims Mr Miliband is the first member of their faith to lead the Labour Party despite his professed atheism."
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Five languages to learn
I read a funny article today on the best five languages to learn, and what happens if you don't know them properly and say something stupid.
Here are the top five stupid things to say in other languages:
French
If you say Les Anglais sont arrives! it means you have your period.
Spanish
If you say El es buenisimo it means you admire somebody but if you say el esta buenisimo it means you really fancy him -- you know, in that way.
Swedish
Don't tell a Swede you think the word fart is funny. It means speed, hence the signs saying fartskontoll on the highways.
German
Don't take a businessman aside and say 'Where can I buy a gift for my wife?' Gift means poison in Germany, not present.
Russian
Pisat means to write but also to urinate. So if you tell someone you will drop him a line -- well...you know what you said!
Here are the top five stupid things to say in other languages:
French
If you say Les Anglais sont arrives! it means you have your period.
Spanish
If you say El es buenisimo it means you admire somebody but if you say el esta buenisimo it means you really fancy him -- you know, in that way.
Swedish
Don't tell a Swede you think the word fart is funny. It means speed, hence the signs saying fartskontoll on the highways.
German
Don't take a businessman aside and say 'Where can I buy a gift for my wife?' Gift means poison in Germany, not present.
Russian
Pisat means to write but also to urinate. So if you tell someone you will drop him a line -- well...you know what you said!
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Old-fashioned department store
I've written about an old-fashioned department store in Reading that started in the 1865, and I think some of the original staff are still there -- so desiccated and dry are some of the salespeople you see there.
In the window last week was a poster congratulating themselves on being open for 135 years. The founder, Mr. Jackson, was so strict that he would demote people if they didn't address each other as 'Mr.' or 'Miss'. (Would married women have been allowed to work there? I was just reading in my Emily Post bio that married women were barred from working in the US until the 1920s in some states.)
I would love to be able to buy stuff from this store to keep it from closing but everything they have is for people in their 80s! Even I'm not that unfashionable.
Look at this poor mannequin I spotted on Saturday. She has to look down to avert her eyes from customers -- that's how dowdy her outfit is:
In the window last week was a poster congratulating themselves on being open for 135 years. The founder, Mr. Jackson, was so strict that he would demote people if they didn't address each other as 'Mr.' or 'Miss'. (Would married women have been allowed to work there? I was just reading in my Emily Post bio that married women were barred from working in the US until the 1920s in some states.)
I would love to be able to buy stuff from this store to keep it from closing but everything they have is for people in their 80s! Even I'm not that unfashionable.
Look at this poor mannequin I spotted on Saturday. She has to look down to avert her eyes from customers -- that's how dowdy her outfit is:
Monday, 27 September 2010
What do you think of this idea?
A friend sent me this:
"I am perplexed that so many of my friends are against a mosque being built near Ground Zero. I think it should be the goal of everyone to be tolerant. The mosque should be allowed, in an effort to promote tolerance.
That is why I also propose, that two gay nightclubs be opened next door to the mosque thereby promoting tolerance within the mosque. We could call the clubs "The Turban Cowboy" and "You Mecca Me So Hot".
Next door should be a butcher shop that specializes in pork and have an open barbeque with spare ribs as its daily special. Across the street a very daring lingerie store called "Victoria Keeps Nothing Secret” with sexy mannequins in the window modelling the goods.
Next door to the lingerie shop, there would be room for an Adult Toy Shop (Koranal Knowledge?), its name in flashing neon lights, and on the other side a liquor store, maybe call it "Morehammered"?"
"I am perplexed that so many of my friends are against a mosque being built near Ground Zero. I think it should be the goal of everyone to be tolerant. The mosque should be allowed, in an effort to promote tolerance.
That is why I also propose, that two gay nightclubs be opened next door to the mosque thereby promoting tolerance within the mosque. We could call the clubs "The Turban Cowboy" and "You Mecca Me So Hot".
Next door should be a butcher shop that specializes in pork and have an open barbeque with spare ribs as its daily special. Across the street a very daring lingerie store called "Victoria Keeps Nothing Secret” with sexy mannequins in the window modelling the goods.
Next door to the lingerie shop, there would be room for an Adult Toy Shop (Koranal Knowledge?), its name in flashing neon lights, and on the other side a liquor store, maybe call it "Morehammered"?"
Inspiring old lady or irascible witch?
My house is opposite a retirement home. The lobby closes at night but the lights are still on. Each night a little old lady sits in one of the chairs in the lobby all by herself. There is no one around. She must get bored in her apartment and comes down for a change of scene.
Every night when I close my bedroom curtains I stand silently and watch her. I wonder if I should go over and see if she needs anything or if she wants company?
In my mind, I pictures our visits like Ronald Colman visiting the wise guru in Lost Horizon. I would sit near her and she would impart the wisdom of the ages to me. We would have a sweet and strange relationship.
Then I sort of snap out of it. How do I know she would be that way? She could be, on the other hand, a mean old woman with a spiteful tongue like my grandmother, and I would be trying to get away from her after the first meeting.
Every night when I close my bedroom curtains I stand silently and watch her. I wonder if I should go over and see if she needs anything or if she wants company?
In my mind, I pictures our visits like Ronald Colman visiting the wise guru in Lost Horizon. I would sit near her and she would impart the wisdom of the ages to me. We would have a sweet and strange relationship.
Then I sort of snap out of it. How do I know she would be that way? She could be, on the other hand, a mean old woman with a spiteful tongue like my grandmother, and I would be trying to get away from her after the first meeting.
Sunday, 26 September 2010
Reunion in Cambridge
We went up to Cambridge this morning to meet with a chef and manager at the venue where we are having our 25th anniversary party in December. It was a beautiful day -- sunny but with some chill to the air. There's Mel and Katie:
We had a good meeting, and I even gave the Victorian etiquette quiz I devised for the party to the manager of the cafe to see how many she could get -- she got about four out of 10.
On the way out of Cambridge, we decided to show Katie where I'd gone when I was over studying. This is Homerton College:
Such a beautiful place. We went into a building and realized we had stumbled upon a college reunion. As we pondered what to do, a woman walked past Mel. He realized it was Ann Muston, my college 'Mum' who had made my year such a good experience.
I guess in the name of Blog Honesty, I should say that Ann was Mel's girlfriend when I arrived at Cambridge, and that's how I met him. I used to call him 'Dad' because Ann was assigned as my college 'Mum.' Then time passed, and I ended up marrying him.
That was 25 years ago, eek. I guess our meeting could have been a bit awkward but Ann was so nice, and it was no time at all before she was telling Mel to 'make himself useful' by taking a photo of her and her college friends, and basically just treating him like I do now. It made me laugh to see two women treat him without the deference he might think he deserves.
We had a good meeting, and I even gave the Victorian etiquette quiz I devised for the party to the manager of the cafe to see how many she could get -- she got about four out of 10.
On the way out of Cambridge, we decided to show Katie where I'd gone when I was over studying. This is Homerton College:
Such a beautiful place. We went into a building and realized we had stumbled upon a college reunion. As we pondered what to do, a woman walked past Mel. He realized it was Ann Muston, my college 'Mum' who had made my year such a good experience.
I guess in the name of Blog Honesty, I should say that Ann was Mel's girlfriend when I arrived at Cambridge, and that's how I met him. I used to call him 'Dad' because Ann was assigned as my college 'Mum.' Then time passed, and I ended up marrying him.
That was 25 years ago, eek. I guess our meeting could have been a bit awkward but Ann was so nice, and it was no time at all before she was telling Mel to 'make himself useful' by taking a photo of her and her college friends, and basically just treating him like I do now. It made me laugh to see two women treat him without the deference he might think he deserves.
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Controling death through superstition
Interesting study published today -- People who believe that fate and chance control their lives are more likely to be superstitious -- but when faced with death they are likely to abandon superstition altogether (according to a recent Kansas State University undergraduate research project).
What the study said:
For the project, "Re-Examining the Form and Function of Superstition," the team defined superstition as the belief in a casual relationship between an action, object, or ritual and an unrelated outcome. Such superstitious behavior can include actions like wearing a lucky jersey or using good luck charms.
After performing two studies, the researchers developed three reasons for superstitious behavior: individuals use superstitions to gain control over uncertainty; to decrease feelings of helplessness; and because it is easier to rely on superstition instead of coping strategies.
"People sometimes fall back on their superstitions as a handicap," Saucier said. "It's a parachute they think will help them out."
In the first study, the researchers conducted questionnaires with 200 undergraduates, asking about how pessimistic they were, whether they believed in chance or fate, if they liked to be in control and other questions. One of the major discoveries was that people who believe that chance and fate control their lives are more likely to be superstitious.
In the second study the researchers wanted to know how participants reacted to death, and asked them to write about how they felt about their own death. The team was surprised to find that participants' levels of superstition went down when they thought about their own death, which the researchers attributed to death being a situation of extreme uncertainty.
"We theorized that when people thought about death, they would behave more superstitiously in an effort to gain a sense of control over it," Fluke said. "What we didn't expect was that thinking about death would make people feel helpless -- like they cannot control it -- and that this would actually reduce their superstitious belief."
"I was interested in superstition because it frustrates me when people do things that don't make sense," Fluke said. "It boggled me that people would use a good luck charm to do well on a test rather than studying for it. We wanted to know why people would go about almost actively hurting themselves."
Saucier offers some tips to avoid superstitious behavior:
Don't believe in bad luck and take some ownership over what control you do have in situations. Sometimes we use bad luck to let ourselves off the hook, Saucier said, but we should instead focus on what we can do to avoid difficult situations in the first place.
Be decisive and proactive. People who are less decisive believe in superstition more, Saucier said, and those who are proactive are less superstitious.
Don't be in a situation where you have to rely on bad luck. Bad luck would never occur if only good things happened. If something bad happens and you call it bad luck, do it as a coping mechanism after the fact rather than before the event, Saucier said.
What the study said:
For the project, "Re-Examining the Form and Function of Superstition," the team defined superstition as the belief in a casual relationship between an action, object, or ritual and an unrelated outcome. Such superstitious behavior can include actions like wearing a lucky jersey or using good luck charms.
After performing two studies, the researchers developed three reasons for superstitious behavior: individuals use superstitions to gain control over uncertainty; to decrease feelings of helplessness; and because it is easier to rely on superstition instead of coping strategies.
"People sometimes fall back on their superstitions as a handicap," Saucier said. "It's a parachute they think will help them out."
In the first study, the researchers conducted questionnaires with 200 undergraduates, asking about how pessimistic they were, whether they believed in chance or fate, if they liked to be in control and other questions. One of the major discoveries was that people who believe that chance and fate control their lives are more likely to be superstitious.
In the second study the researchers wanted to know how participants reacted to death, and asked them to write about how they felt about their own death. The team was surprised to find that participants' levels of superstition went down when they thought about their own death, which the researchers attributed to death being a situation of extreme uncertainty.
"We theorized that when people thought about death, they would behave more superstitiously in an effort to gain a sense of control over it," Fluke said. "What we didn't expect was that thinking about death would make people feel helpless -- like they cannot control it -- and that this would actually reduce their superstitious belief."
"I was interested in superstition because it frustrates me when people do things that don't make sense," Fluke said. "It boggled me that people would use a good luck charm to do well on a test rather than studying for it. We wanted to know why people would go about almost actively hurting themselves."
Saucier offers some tips to avoid superstitious behavior:
Don't believe in bad luck and take some ownership over what control you do have in situations. Sometimes we use bad luck to let ourselves off the hook, Saucier said, but we should instead focus on what we can do to avoid difficult situations in the first place.
Be decisive and proactive. People who are less decisive believe in superstition more, Saucier said, and those who are proactive are less superstitious.
Don't be in a situation where you have to rely on bad luck. Bad luck would never occur if only good things happened. If something bad happens and you call it bad luck, do it as a coping mechanism after the fact rather than before the event, Saucier said.
Friday, 24 September 2010
My mother's birthday
Now you know I'm not going to miss an opportunity to talk about my dear deceased mother in my blog. She was born on the 24th of September so I have to mention her birthday today.
Here she is in the 1960s doing something I saw her do very little of after my teen years -- standing up. She had Multiple Sclerosis and had to use a wheelchair after she was 52.
I never think of her using her legs in my memories of her -- you all out there be happy that you can stand up and move around and stretch in the sun -- so many people don't have that ability.
I feel much better about her death now -- about two years ago - but little things will still make me teary. I wonder if I'll get over that too and one day feel unmoved by all things associated with her? It's amazing how time plasters over hurts and memories.
It is the time-worn servitor, Etiquette, who draws the shades
I read a beautiful passage about grief from Emily Post's first book of etiquette published in 1922. Here it is:
"At no time does solemnity so possess our souls as when we stand deserted at the brink of darkness into which our love one has gone. And the last place in the world where we would look for comfort at such a time is in the seeming artificiality of etiquette; yet it in the moment of deepest sorrow that etiquette performs its most vital and real service.
All set rules for social observance have for their object the smoothing of personal contacts, and in nothing is smoothness so necessary as in observing the solemn rites accorded the dead.
It is the time-worn servitor, Etiquette, who draws the shades, who muffles the bell, who keeps the house quiet, who hushes voices and footsteps and sudden noises, who stands between well-meaning and importunate outsiders and the retirement of the bereaved, who decrees that the last rites shall be performed smoothly and with beauty and gravity, so that the poignancy of grief may in so far as possible be assuaged."
Here she is in the 1960s doing something I saw her do very little of after my teen years -- standing up. She had Multiple Sclerosis and had to use a wheelchair after she was 52.
I never think of her using her legs in my memories of her -- you all out there be happy that you can stand up and move around and stretch in the sun -- so many people don't have that ability.
I feel much better about her death now -- about two years ago - but little things will still make me teary. I wonder if I'll get over that too and one day feel unmoved by all things associated with her? It's amazing how time plasters over hurts and memories.
It is the time-worn servitor, Etiquette, who draws the shades
I read a beautiful passage about grief from Emily Post's first book of etiquette published in 1922. Here it is:
"At no time does solemnity so possess our souls as when we stand deserted at the brink of darkness into which our love one has gone. And the last place in the world where we would look for comfort at such a time is in the seeming artificiality of etiquette; yet it in the moment of deepest sorrow that etiquette performs its most vital and real service.
All set rules for social observance have for their object the smoothing of personal contacts, and in nothing is smoothness so necessary as in observing the solemn rites accorded the dead.
It is the time-worn servitor, Etiquette, who draws the shades, who muffles the bell, who keeps the house quiet, who hushes voices and footsteps and sudden noises, who stands between well-meaning and importunate outsiders and the retirement of the bereaved, who decrees that the last rites shall be performed smoothly and with beauty and gravity, so that the poignancy of grief may in so far as possible be assuaged."
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Conference near Oxford
Today I went to a technical communication conference in Thame, near Oxford. It took me over an hour to drive there (I get lost often, and the traffic was bad) but I wanted to see my pal David Black make the keynote address. I worked with David at Sony years ago, and now he is a big-shot senior manager at Nokia while I remain a mere cog in the corporate wheel.
Here's David making his speech:
I'm the documentation manager of another platform at Nokia, and David made a couple of gentle digs at us but it was all in fun and he would say 'Sorry Elizabeth' during his talk.
David manages 60 people whereas I, if you recall from an earlier post, am manager of nothing (I don't have any staff -- that's supposed to change soon but I'm not holding my breath).
Here is David and me. See how genial he looks. He's really that way in person too.
It's exhausting attending a conference. Some woman spilled orange juice into my bag, and I only discovered the soggy contents later so I had to go to the ladies' room and throw all the wet stuff away. Later I spilled water all over my notes so god only knows what they say.
The talks were all good but you know how it is sitting at lunch with a bunch of people you don't know -- you make forced smiles and secretly size them up (loser? OK person? Are they Facebook-friending worthy?) -- or maybe that's just me.
During breaks from the sessions I would run outside with a cup of coffee and bask in the sunshine. Tomorrow it's supposed to become chilly and rainy so this could be our last day of nice weather.
Here's David making his speech:
I'm the documentation manager of another platform at Nokia, and David made a couple of gentle digs at us but it was all in fun and he would say 'Sorry Elizabeth' during his talk.
David manages 60 people whereas I, if you recall from an earlier post, am manager of nothing (I don't have any staff -- that's supposed to change soon but I'm not holding my breath).
Here is David and me. See how genial he looks. He's really that way in person too.
It's exhausting attending a conference. Some woman spilled orange juice into my bag, and I only discovered the soggy contents later so I had to go to the ladies' room and throw all the wet stuff away. Later I spilled water all over my notes so god only knows what they say.
The talks were all good but you know how it is sitting at lunch with a bunch of people you don't know -- you make forced smiles and secretly size them up (loser? OK person? Are they Facebook-friending worthy?) -- or maybe that's just me.
During breaks from the sessions I would run outside with a cup of coffee and bask in the sunshine. Tomorrow it's supposed to become chilly and rainy so this could be our last day of nice weather.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Like a mother's hand
Like the rest of you, I get stressed out during the day -- there are so many things to do, and I'll lose track of something I should have done while I'm getting the newer items on my To Do list taken care of.
At lunch I decided to take a break and go for a walk in my favorite part of the woods near the office. I was trying to let the stress go while I walked and concentrate on the beauty of the fallen acorns, the colorful leaves on the ground and basically the smells of autumn on its way. But I kept tussling with those things on my mind too.
Then I turned to go back to the office. Suddenly a breeze hit my face -- it was so gentle and soothing that it felt like the touch of a mother's hand.
I felt so much better then.
Unfortunately, I returned to the office shortly thereafter and my headache continued.
At lunch I decided to take a break and go for a walk in my favorite part of the woods near the office. I was trying to let the stress go while I walked and concentrate on the beauty of the fallen acorns, the colorful leaves on the ground and basically the smells of autumn on its way. But I kept tussling with those things on my mind too.
Then I turned to go back to the office. Suddenly a breeze hit my face -- it was so gentle and soothing that it felt like the touch of a mother's hand.
I felt so much better then.
Unfortunately, I returned to the office shortly thereafter and my headache continued.
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Number 1 in the number 2 business
I have seen an unusual truck during my commute home that has bragging messages on the outside about fecal material. "We're number 1 in the number 2 business," it proclaims.
It is amazing to get behind this truck in traffic and read all about the waste it can clear up. Last night I got stuck in an awful traffic jam right behind it so was able to take a photo so you can see for yourself.
Hope you can read the number on the sign just in case you need to call them yourself.
It is amazing to get behind this truck in traffic and read all about the waste it can clear up. Last night I got stuck in an awful traffic jam right behind it so was able to take a photo so you can see for yourself.
Hope you can read the number on the sign just in case you need to call them yourself.
Monday, 20 September 2010
Freeze tubby: the new way to slim
When I took my husband his morning coffee this morning I said I had exciting news for him.
"Huh?" he replied, rubbing his eyes which weren't even open yet.
"I know you're not awake yet," I continued, "but really it's so exciting that I have to tell you right now."
Then I proceeded to tell him all about Zeltiq, the new machine that kills fat cells by freezing them. "Just think, that'll save us a fortune on liposuction or tummy tuck procedures," I explained.
"But you weren't planning on having lipo," he said in a raspy voice as he reached for his first sip of coffee.
(Such a small detail, isn't it?)
There's only one machine in the UK so far, and it's at Harvey Nicks department store in central London. I'm getting on the waiting list ASAP.
Fat Removal Update
I talked to Harvey Nicks on the phone just now, and they quoted the price as $2,500 so no fat removal for me for a while...(looks for girdle)
Here's more info about Zeltiq
The science behind the Zeltiq Procedure, Cryolipolysis, was discovered by world-renowned dermatologists at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Their research showed that fat cells are naturally more vulnerable to the effects of cold than other surrounding tissues, and that fat cells can be safely eliminated without harming the skin. The scientific discovery led to the development of Zeltiq.
How is the Procedure Performed?
The Zeltiq procedure is performed under a doctor's supervision with a non-invasive applicator that delivers precisely controlled cooling to target and eliminate fat cells in specific areas of your body without harming the surrounding tissues. A Specially designed applicator cup uses a gentle vacuum pressure to draw tissue between the cooling panels.
"Huh?" he replied, rubbing his eyes which weren't even open yet.
"I know you're not awake yet," I continued, "but really it's so exciting that I have to tell you right now."
Then I proceeded to tell him all about Zeltiq, the new machine that kills fat cells by freezing them. "Just think, that'll save us a fortune on liposuction or tummy tuck procedures," I explained.
"But you weren't planning on having lipo," he said in a raspy voice as he reached for his first sip of coffee.
(Such a small detail, isn't it?)
There's only one machine in the UK so far, and it's at Harvey Nicks department store in central London. I'm getting on the waiting list ASAP.
Fat Removal Update
I talked to Harvey Nicks on the phone just now, and they quoted the price as $2,500 so no fat removal for me for a while...(looks for girdle)
Here's more info about Zeltiq
The science behind the Zeltiq Procedure, Cryolipolysis, was discovered by world-renowned dermatologists at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Their research showed that fat cells are naturally more vulnerable to the effects of cold than other surrounding tissues, and that fat cells can be safely eliminated without harming the skin. The scientific discovery led to the development of Zeltiq.
How is the Procedure Performed?
The Zeltiq procedure is performed under a doctor's supervision with a non-invasive applicator that delivers precisely controlled cooling to target and eliminate fat cells in specific areas of your body without harming the surrounding tissues. A Specially designed applicator cup uses a gentle vacuum pressure to draw tissue between the cooling panels.
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Mouthbreather woes: Not just one deviated septum but two
I have had trouble breathing through my nose for a long time. In fact, I think I'm what Judge Judy would derisively term 'a mouth breather.'
I never really thought of taking any decisive action until my daughter had to sleep with me one night on our vacation (I had taken refuge from Mel's snoring) then she said I snored and noticed I basically couldn't breathe like a normal person. Her med school training is coming in so handy now as she can diagnose me now.
I also knew there was trouble when our chorus master in London commanded that all singers breathe through their nose before a certain note, and I found I couldn't do it. I had to open my mouth a teeny bit and hope he didn't notice.
So I went to an ENT guy yesterday. He stuck a camera in my nose and looked around.
He said not only did I have a deviated septum, I had it on both sides of my nose.
Here's the septum area in blue:
So great -- On top of my already full fall schedule, I will now have to add surgery and recovery time.
I never really thought of taking any decisive action until my daughter had to sleep with me one night on our vacation (I had taken refuge from Mel's snoring) then she said I snored and noticed I basically couldn't breathe like a normal person. Her med school training is coming in so handy now as she can diagnose me now.
I also knew there was trouble when our chorus master in London commanded that all singers breathe through their nose before a certain note, and I found I couldn't do it. I had to open my mouth a teeny bit and hope he didn't notice.
So I went to an ENT guy yesterday. He stuck a camera in my nose and looked around.
He said not only did I have a deviated septum, I had it on both sides of my nose.
Here's the septum area in blue:
So great -- On top of my already full fall schedule, I will now have to add surgery and recovery time.
Saturday, 18 September 2010
The public will believe anything
"The public will believe anything, so long as it is not founded on truth." Edith Sitwell
(that must be why I buy anything that promises youth, beauty and happiness -- for example, women's magazines)
(that must be why I buy anything that promises youth, beauty and happiness -- for example, women's magazines)
Mean postcard
You know how you look for the most jealous-making postcards to send to those back home so they will feel envious that you are on a fab trip and they aren't?
I think my daughter won the prize when she sent me this card from New Zealand, and actually handwrote in all the places she'd been just to give me a little extra kick:
I think my daughter won the prize when she sent me this card from New Zealand, and actually handwrote in all the places she'd been just to give me a little extra kick:
Friday, 17 September 2010
She's running on the anti-masturbation platform
This video is very amusing. The woman in it is Delaware's Republican nominee for the United State Senate, Christine O'Donnell.
Do you think this will help her get votes from men?
Do you think this will help her get votes from men?
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Macho recipe
I work in a group of mobile phone engineers. Can you imagine what an arid working landscape this is for me? All men, all focused on software. There is no soft comfy side to my job, no talk of family, recipes or makeup. No women. Everyone talks tough and acts tough.
I was whining today to one of my male colleagues. He replied that he had spent all weekend picking apples and pears from trees and making crumble with them for the winter. He also told me that he watches baking programs on TV.
"So there," he said tersely. "There's your talk about recipes."
It was nice, but not really what I had in mind. Especially when he told me the recipe, and it was completely macho. Here's what he said:
Pick apples or pears. Tear them up and hurl them in a pan. Mash together flour and butter for the crumble. Throw in sugar. Bake till the fruit screams.
See what I mean? Even when men try to show their softer side, it's still brutal.
I was whining today to one of my male colleagues. He replied that he had spent all weekend picking apples and pears from trees and making crumble with them for the winter. He also told me that he watches baking programs on TV.
"So there," he said tersely. "There's your talk about recipes."
It was nice, but not really what I had in mind. Especially when he told me the recipe, and it was completely macho. Here's what he said:
Pick apples or pears. Tear them up and hurl them in a pan. Mash together flour and butter for the crumble. Throw in sugar. Bake till the fruit screams.
See what I mean? Even when men try to show their softer side, it's still brutal.
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Sick, but I'm supposed to be having new beginnings
My husband's stepmother in New Zealand sent me a beautiful glass koru from New Zealand. That's a Maori name given to newly unfurling fern fronds -- it symbolizes new beginnings, happiness and growth.
Yeah, I'll take some of that. I'm pulling my hair out over trying to write a book and work full time at the office at the same time. I have the koru on my desk where I write:
I'm ready for my new beginning, but then I got sick. You know how you feel when you get sick -- tired, listless, old and hopeless. I wonder if the Maoris have a name for that and maybe someone will send me a glass symbolizing that next.
Stay tuned -- I'll cheer up when I return to health.
Yeah, I'll take some of that. I'm pulling my hair out over trying to write a book and work full time at the office at the same time. I have the koru on my desk where I write:
I'm ready for my new beginning, but then I got sick. You know how you feel when you get sick -- tired, listless, old and hopeless. I wonder if the Maoris have a name for that and maybe someone will send me a glass symbolizing that next.
Stay tuned -- I'll cheer up when I return to health.
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Beauty companies bilk us because of our insecurities
This is so me. I will buy an $18 mascara if it promises me the world. One day maybe I'll become a more realistic person.
Worth $50 billion in the U.S. alone, with Asia a close second and gaining speed, the $170 billion beauty industry conspires to convince women that our fates depend on our looks which depend on what we spend. In this equation, ugliness -- as society sees it -- can be remedied like a disease, if you just spend enough. Refuse to buy? Your face and fate are your own fault.
But is a MAC Haute & Naughty Lash mascara really worth $18? When industry meets beauty, what does "worth" even mean? Are cosmetics' ingredients so rare and precious and labor-intensively processed as to merit these prices?
No -- we're just being bamboozled by huge markups, says cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski, one of the minds behind BeautyBrains.com, a site that answers users' questions about science and cosmetics.
"Some skin-care products you can buy in Sephora cost about $2 to make, but then are on sale for $300. Other skin-care products can be made for 50 cents and are sold for $2," says Romanowski, whose many books include Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry. And although the actual percentages of the markups is a trade secret that companies don't reveal, "in general, these products are not using ingredients so expensive that they would warrant the cost. No anti-wrinkle cream is worth $150. In fact, any product over $25 is a waste of money.
Worth $50 billion in the U.S. alone, with Asia a close second and gaining speed, the $170 billion beauty industry conspires to convince women that our fates depend on our looks which depend on what we spend. In this equation, ugliness -- as society sees it -- can be remedied like a disease, if you just spend enough. Refuse to buy? Your face and fate are your own fault.
But is a MAC Haute & Naughty Lash mascara really worth $18? When industry meets beauty, what does "worth" even mean? Are cosmetics' ingredients so rare and precious and labor-intensively processed as to merit these prices?
No -- we're just being bamboozled by huge markups, says cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski, one of the minds behind BeautyBrains.com, a site that answers users' questions about science and cosmetics.
"Some skin-care products you can buy in Sephora cost about $2 to make, but then are on sale for $300. Other skin-care products can be made for 50 cents and are sold for $2," says Romanowski, whose many books include Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry. And although the actual percentages of the markups is a trade secret that companies don't reveal, "in general, these products are not using ingredients so expensive that they would warrant the cost. No anti-wrinkle cream is worth $150. In fact, any product over $25 is a waste of money.
Monday, 13 September 2010
Happy Birthday Mikey
My son refuses to read my blog and considers it 'immoral' when I ask him to make a comment on it but I still have to wish him a happy birthday today. He's 17 but still my baby boy.
We had the most wonderful day yesterday. My daughter Katie returned safe and sound from New Zealand and Australia and was laden with presents for us. We had a badminton game together in the morning where the kids soundly beat the geriatrics but we didn't mind because we were so happy to all be together again.
Mikey requested a birthday lunch of fried shrimp, okra and corn bread. (Notice my new Kangaroo bear with the Australian flag -- he's coming with me to the office tomorrow.)
In the afternoon, we had a game of boules with Mikey's new set. We'd played last weekend at a friend's house and liked the game so Mikey got some for his birthday.
What a happy day I had. I'm sure no multi-millionaire could have been as happy as I've been today, being with my family, playing games, eating good food and sharing laughs.
We had the most wonderful day yesterday. My daughter Katie returned safe and sound from New Zealand and Australia and was laden with presents for us. We had a badminton game together in the morning where the kids soundly beat the geriatrics but we didn't mind because we were so happy to all be together again.
Mikey requested a birthday lunch of fried shrimp, okra and corn bread. (Notice my new Kangaroo bear with the Australian flag -- he's coming with me to the office tomorrow.)
In the afternoon, we had a game of boules with Mikey's new set. We'd played last weekend at a friend's house and liked the game so Mikey got some for his birthday.
What a happy day I had. I'm sure no multi-millionaire could have been as happy as I've been today, being with my family, playing games, eating good food and sharing laughs.
Sunday, 12 September 2010
The years pass but we are still happy
Last night the Hampshire gang got together to celebrate our friend Karen Firbank's birthday.
We had a great night drinking pink champagne and eating delicious food such as crispy prawn won tons dipped in chili sauce. (getting hungry again just thinking about it)
Here we are raising glasses for Karen's birthday but also for ourselves -- for our enduring friendships in spite of our personal travails (advancing age, teenagers, money worries, etc.)
Here's the gang, but don't know where the birthday girl is:
It wasn't all sweetness and light, though. Here is Karen Blakeley trying to strangle me at one point in the evening for some snide comment I'd just made:
We had a great night drinking pink champagne and eating delicious food such as crispy prawn won tons dipped in chili sauce. (getting hungry again just thinking about it)
Here we are raising glasses for Karen's birthday but also for ourselves -- for our enduring friendships in spite of our personal travails (advancing age, teenagers, money worries, etc.)
Here's the gang, but don't know where the birthday girl is:
It wasn't all sweetness and light, though. Here is Karen Blakeley trying to strangle me at one point in the evening for some snide comment I'd just made:
Saturday, 11 September 2010
Damn you, Scarlett O'Hara
I was reading about a new book coming out lifting the lid on the private lives of Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier, two of my favorite stars. Apparently they were both bisexual and had affairs with millions of women and men even when they were madly in love with each other.
I was shocked to read that Viv and George Cukor, for example, used to go to Scotty's Garage - it was a garage full of rough rent boys -- they had one gas pump that was actually in use to make it look like a real gas station but there were a bunch of other guys there who were waiting to be picked up for sex. So George and Viv would go there and pick out one each. They were paid off so they wouldn't never tell that they had slept with Scarlett O'Hara.
Shocking and lurid details -- right up my alley. Excuse me now because I must go to the Amazon site and pre-order my copy.
I was shocked to read that Viv and George Cukor, for example, used to go to Scotty's Garage - it was a garage full of rough rent boys -- they had one gas pump that was actually in use to make it look like a real gas station but there were a bunch of other guys there who were waiting to be picked up for sex. So George and Viv would go there and pick out one each. They were paid off so they wouldn't never tell that they had slept with Scarlett O'Hara.
Shocking and lurid details -- right up my alley. Excuse me now because I must go to the Amazon site and pre-order my copy.
Damn You, Scarlett O'Hara. The Private Lives of Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. Danforth Prince tells readers what to expect from Danforth Prince on Vimeo.
Thursday, 9 September 2010
My daughter was in an earthquake
My daughter went off to New Zealand to visit my husband's father and do sightseeing. I was jealous because I am stuck in England (just got caught in a downpour when I was walking to the store during my lunch break -- I'm soaking wet now).
Last week I came home from work one night to find there had been an earthquake in New Zealand. I was worried so I checked with my husband Mel to see if Katie had been near Christchurch when it happened. He said no. I watched on TV and saw there were no fatalities and not much damage so I didn't worry anymore.
I went on Facebook and saw Katie's last update:
Bus driver yesterday: "Yeah, they reckon this area is 60 years overdue for a serious earthquake".
Today: Serious earthquake hits Christchurch.
Well, if she wrote that, she must be OK, right? The next day I logged in and saw myself being attacked for not even caring if she was injured in the earthquake. Katie explained to a friend:
I was inside. Sleeping at the time. Not very exciting, I know! I wrote an email to my parents to say I was OK but I'll be honest, I don't think they were actually concerned at all...
Not concerned AT ALL?? About my own daughter? I told my husband this, and we had a little laugh about it. Yeah, I have a baby, raise her for 21 years, struggle over this and that, hope she turns out OK -- then when she does turn out fine and I can rest on my laurels, she ends up in an earthquake and I'm not even concerned!
Last week I came home from work one night to find there had been an earthquake in New Zealand. I was worried so I checked with my husband Mel to see if Katie had been near Christchurch when it happened. He said no. I watched on TV and saw there were no fatalities and not much damage so I didn't worry anymore.
I went on Facebook and saw Katie's last update:
Bus driver yesterday: "Yeah, they reckon this area is 60 years overdue for a serious earthquake".
Today: Serious earthquake hits Christchurch.
Well, if she wrote that, she must be OK, right? The next day I logged in and saw myself being attacked for not even caring if she was injured in the earthquake. Katie explained to a friend:
I was inside. Sleeping at the time. Not very exciting, I know! I wrote an email to my parents to say I was OK but I'll be honest, I don't think they were actually concerned at all...
Not concerned AT ALL?? About my own daughter? I told my husband this, and we had a little laugh about it. Yeah, I have a baby, raise her for 21 years, struggle over this and that, hope she turns out OK -- then when she does turn out fine and I can rest on my laurels, she ends up in an earthquake and I'm not even concerned!
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Stray cats
I have an old rescue cat staying with me called Snowflake. She's called that because she was found in last year's snowstorms lying by the side of the road, emaciated and almost dead. She was brought to the cat charity I foster for and returned to health.
I say 'returned to health' because she's very old and arthritic and can't remember where to do her business in a litter tray. (We find her stuff behind the piano.)
The charity has 60 cats waiting to go to foster homes. So I find it annoying when people at work breed their cats and try to sell kittens through our office bulletin board for £50 a kitten.
Here's Belgium's solution to the problem:
Belgium plans to neuter most cats as feline population explodes.
Almost all Belgian cat owners will be obliged to have their pets sterilised and registered by 2016.
The Belgian government has come up with a radical way to deal with the burgeoning cat population – to sterilise all but a select few of the animals within five years.
If it is passed into law, the country will embark on a phased neutering of all cats except exotic pedigrees at the start of next year, and there will be a ban on using corner shops, noticeboards and small ads to get rid of unwanted litters of kittens.
The feline population in Belgium, a country of 11 million people, has increased to an estimated 1.7 million, and the culling of cats has become a daily routine. According to the health ministry, more than 13,000 were killed in animal refuges last year, more than one in three of the country's 37,000 strays.
"We are confronted with a dramatic situation," said Jan Eyckmans of the Belgian health ministry. "So our minister asked the animal welfare council to come up with ideas."
I say 'returned to health' because she's very old and arthritic and can't remember where to do her business in a litter tray. (We find her stuff behind the piano.)
The charity has 60 cats waiting to go to foster homes. So I find it annoying when people at work breed their cats and try to sell kittens through our office bulletin board for £50 a kitten.
Here's Belgium's solution to the problem:
Belgium plans to neuter most cats as feline population explodes.
Almost all Belgian cat owners will be obliged to have their pets sterilised and registered by 2016.
The Belgian government has come up with a radical way to deal with the burgeoning cat population – to sterilise all but a select few of the animals within five years.
If it is passed into law, the country will embark on a phased neutering of all cats except exotic pedigrees at the start of next year, and there will be a ban on using corner shops, noticeboards and small ads to get rid of unwanted litters of kittens.
The feline population in Belgium, a country of 11 million people, has increased to an estimated 1.7 million, and the culling of cats has become a daily routine. According to the health ministry, more than 13,000 were killed in animal refuges last year, more than one in three of the country's 37,000 strays.
"We are confronted with a dramatic situation," said Jan Eyckmans of the Belgian health ministry. "So our minister asked the animal welfare council to come up with ideas."
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
You guys brush your teeth!
Key reason found for gum and heart disease link
Dentists recommend brushing twice a day Scientists say they have established one reason why gum disease may increase the risk of heart disease.
The link between gum and heart problems has long been recognised but it is unclear if poor oral health is simply a marker of a person's general wellbeing.
UK and Irish experts now say bacteria enter the bloodstream via sore gums and deposit a clot-forming protein.
The findings are being presented at a meeting of the Society for General Microbiology.
Earlier this year a Scottish study of more than 11,000 people found people who did not brush their teeth twice a day were at increased risk of heart disease.
Dentists recommend brushing twice a day Scientists say they have established one reason why gum disease may increase the risk of heart disease.
The link between gum and heart problems has long been recognised but it is unclear if poor oral health is simply a marker of a person's general wellbeing.
UK and Irish experts now say bacteria enter the bloodstream via sore gums and deposit a clot-forming protein.
The findings are being presented at a meeting of the Society for General Microbiology.
Earlier this year a Scottish study of more than 11,000 people found people who did not brush their teeth twice a day were at increased risk of heart disease.
Monday, 6 September 2010
Satan, the Devil, etc.
I was reading a book about Christianity, and it made an interesting point:
"Many people today do not readily express belief in Satan, or the devil, as portrayed by Christianity, which in actuality depends upon the belief in such an absolute evil being for it to be 'true.'
The devil was a very popular figure when the Church, Christianity and general hysteria regined supreme, but in the time since secularism and freethought have become more influential, the devil seems to have dropped out of sight save for the occasional hauntings and possessions.
For example, before rationalism and science established their voices, lightning strikes and hurricanes were regarded as the devil's work. They are now often considered Acts of God, leaving one to wonder where the devil has gone and if God is next."
"Many people today do not readily express belief in Satan, or the devil, as portrayed by Christianity, which in actuality depends upon the belief in such an absolute evil being for it to be 'true.'
The devil was a very popular figure when the Church, Christianity and general hysteria regined supreme, but in the time since secularism and freethought have become more influential, the devil seems to have dropped out of sight save for the occasional hauntings and possessions.
For example, before rationalism and science established their voices, lightning strikes and hurricanes were regarded as the devil's work. They are now often considered Acts of God, leaving one to wonder where the devil has gone and if God is next."
Sunday, 5 September 2010
Now all I have to do is write it
Finally, a beautiful morning in England. It's been raining and chilly then September came and all is right with the world. It's glorious today. I went out early to cycle around the pond at the university near me. No one was around yet, just ducks, geese and birds and the morning sunshine. After my ride, I cycled to the bakery to get some freshly baked bread then went to the greengrocer and bought beautiful Victorian plums. The apples are beginning to fall from the trees in my back yard so I'm going to make a fruit crumble this afternoon.
Back home and made a couple of sandwiches for my husband to take with him to London. He has an audition for a game show today. Fingers crossed. I couldn't find my daughter's lucky troll, and the anti-evil eye bracelet I brought back from Istanbul had chewing gum all over it (my daughter left it in her bag with sweets that melted on it) so I was casting around for something lucky to put in his pocket.
I remembered the Victorian locket my friend Elizabeth had sent me years ago. I put tiny pictures in each side of the kids at their cutest (2 and 6 years old). Perfect. I tucked that into my husband's jacket along with some of his favorite Fruit Pastilles.
And now I have to get started on my book. I signed a contract this week with a publishing house to write a book about Agile methodologies for project management so I'd better get to work. You see how hard I'm working on it since the first thing I did was go into the blog instead of working on an outline.
Back home and made a couple of sandwiches for my husband to take with him to London. He has an audition for a game show today. Fingers crossed. I couldn't find my daughter's lucky troll, and the anti-evil eye bracelet I brought back from Istanbul had chewing gum all over it (my daughter left it in her bag with sweets that melted on it) so I was casting around for something lucky to put in his pocket.
I remembered the Victorian locket my friend Elizabeth had sent me years ago. I put tiny pictures in each side of the kids at their cutest (2 and 6 years old). Perfect. I tucked that into my husband's jacket along with some of his favorite Fruit Pastilles.
And now I have to get started on my book. I signed a contract this week with a publishing house to write a book about Agile methodologies for project management so I'd better get to work. You see how hard I'm working on it since the first thing I did was go into the blog instead of working on an outline.
Saturday, 4 September 2010
Rate My (cow) Poo
I got in so much trouble last year when I wrote a post about how my son loved the website Rate My Poo, where kids put up pictures of poos and rate them. My son took a picture of one of my daughter's creations and put it up, and she was so angry.
I thought about this site the other week when I was walking through a field of cows in the Peak District and saw this work of art:
I wonder if I should start a new Rate My Poo site for cows?
I thought about this site the other week when I was walking through a field of cows in the Peak District and saw this work of art:
I wonder if I should start a new Rate My Poo site for cows?
Friday, 3 September 2010
I'm going to have a Sabrage lesson
Look at this silly thing I have signed up to do. I am stressed out these days with work and home, and I thought this looked like something I could do for 30 mins that would take my mind off everything. Will report later on how it went.
It can seem daunting when you are initially handed a sabre and a chilled bottle of Champagne with the expectation that you will sever the top of the bottle with the sword’s blade. Do not be downhearted! No-one has ever failed and all it needs is a firm wrist with a high elbow and you’ll be back at your table regaling your fellow guests with tales of how easy it really was.
When performed on a suitably chilled bottle of Champagne, the cork and glass annulus fly away, spilling little of the precious wine. The pressure of the Champagne always ensures that no glass falls back into the bottle. Today, the Maître-Sabreur is always there to make sure safety is observed, and the cork flies away from spectators.
It can seem daunting when you are initially handed a sabre and a chilled bottle of Champagne with the expectation that you will sever the top of the bottle with the sword’s blade. Do not be downhearted! No-one has ever failed and all it needs is a firm wrist with a high elbow and you’ll be back at your table regaling your fellow guests with tales of how easy it really was.
When performed on a suitably chilled bottle of Champagne, the cork and glass annulus fly away, spilling little of the precious wine. The pressure of the Champagne always ensures that no glass falls back into the bottle. Today, the Maître-Sabreur is always there to make sure safety is observed, and the cork flies away from spectators.
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Vicar rejects Stephen Hawking's God theory
This headline made me laugh. A vicar in London is disputing Stephen Hawking's claim that we don't need God as an explanation for the creation of the universe.
Well, what else is the vicar going to say?
"Professor Hawking claims in his latest book that God could not exist as modern physics left no space in the universe for such a deity.
But the Rev Nicholas Holtam, vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields near Trafalgar Square, said increasingly Londoners are turning to religion as they search for the answers to their existence.
In his latest book, Eureka, Professor Hawking argues that the Big Bang which created the universe was an inevitable consequence caused by the laws of physics.
He writes: “Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing.
"It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe.”
Mr Holtam said: “I feel relieved that God doesn't feel the same way about Stephen Hawking as he feels about God. I don't think Professor Hawking answers those big and ultimate questions that religion deals with.”"
Me again: Really, vicar, is that the best you can come up with? "God doesn't feel the same way about Stephen Hawking." It sounds pretty lame to me.
Well, what else is the vicar going to say?
"Professor Hawking claims in his latest book that God could not exist as modern physics left no space in the universe for such a deity.
But the Rev Nicholas Holtam, vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields near Trafalgar Square, said increasingly Londoners are turning to religion as they search for the answers to their existence.
In his latest book, Eureka, Professor Hawking argues that the Big Bang which created the universe was an inevitable consequence caused by the laws of physics.
He writes: “Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing.
"It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe.”
Mr Holtam said: “I feel relieved that God doesn't feel the same way about Stephen Hawking as he feels about God. I don't think Professor Hawking answers those big and ultimate questions that religion deals with.”"
Me again: Really, vicar, is that the best you can come up with? "God doesn't feel the same way about Stephen Hawking." It sounds pretty lame to me.
You build your own taboos
The most interesting woman (GlobalBabble) has been commenting on my blog lately about Hinduism. What she says is too good to languish in the comments section. Here's one of the things she said yesterday:
"As I see it, Hindu views on romance and Bollywood must diverge significantly on one point: most Bollywood films present a chaste view on man-woman love, on the other hand, we couldn't have bred a billion Hindus without indulging in a lot of non-chaste sex.
So I am never quite sure how to reconcile the opposites.
On Hindu religion... hmmm... I never thought so deeply about it because there were no taboos in Hinduism, really (other than the bizarre "no beef" rule). There are no ten commandments, no fixed days dedicated to god, and no rules as such. There is no heaven or hell.
There is the unfailing conviction that your actions or Karma will catch up with you, with or without prayers, beads, fasts etc. But you are mostly left to yourself to decide what is good Karma for you.
So you build your own taboos.
For example, we even have stories that look at the relativity of lying - if it is for a bigger cause, is it ok. Some of our supposed Gods indulged in it. They paid a price, but in the larger scheme of things it was better for one to the pay the price than the whole humanity - or at least that is the tantalising dilemma you are left to answer for yourself.
When it works, it works beautifully. And when it doesn't, you get your average corrupt guilt-free Indian bureaucrat exploiting everyone left right and centre."
"As I see it, Hindu views on romance and Bollywood must diverge significantly on one point: most Bollywood films present a chaste view on man-woman love, on the other hand, we couldn't have bred a billion Hindus without indulging in a lot of non-chaste sex.
So I am never quite sure how to reconcile the opposites.
On Hindu religion... hmmm... I never thought so deeply about it because there were no taboos in Hinduism, really (other than the bizarre "no beef" rule). There are no ten commandments, no fixed days dedicated to god, and no rules as such. There is no heaven or hell.
There is the unfailing conviction that your actions or Karma will catch up with you, with or without prayers, beads, fasts etc. But you are mostly left to yourself to decide what is good Karma for you.
So you build your own taboos.
For example, we even have stories that look at the relativity of lying - if it is for a bigger cause, is it ok. Some of our supposed Gods indulged in it. They paid a price, but in the larger scheme of things it was better for one to the pay the price than the whole humanity - or at least that is the tantalising dilemma you are left to answer for yourself.
When it works, it works beautifully. And when it doesn't, you get your average corrupt guilt-free Indian bureaucrat exploiting everyone left right and centre."
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
More Bank Holiday stuff
While I was getting rained on in the Peak District last weekend, my daughter was living it up in New Zealand with my husband's father and his family. While I was freezing cold, my daughter was lolling around in a hot pool of water on a beach. She said it is made hot by the remnants of a volcano or something. Whatever it looks like Nature's Spa, and I'm envious:
Then she went to the top of a skyscraper in Auckland and stood on glass to look down -- that must have been scary:
I need to get out there myself to check these things out. But flying for more than 24 hours sort of dampens my enthusiasm.
Then she went to the top of a skyscraper in Auckland and stood on glass to look down -- that must have been scary:
I need to get out there myself to check these things out. But flying for more than 24 hours sort of dampens my enthusiasm.
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