Newness began @ 15.09.2013.
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Tuesday, October 11, 2016
YOM KIPPUR 2016
The MUGG AND BEAN in Cavendish Mall is splendid.
I ordered flap jacks, syrup and cream with coffee.
( GO TO http://www.muggandbean.co.za/ FOR PICTURE)
My earphones plugged into my SAMSUNG NOTE 5 block out the sound of milling shoppers. I can take an hour and listen to my kabbalah teachers.
I learned today that the good Lord can fix anything negative we may have done, murder even, but not the hurt we cause each other.
We have to fix that ourselves.
Before Yom Kippur.
It's a good thing too! Who would apologize and make amends if they knew God would do it for them. Who would not apologize if they knew that for the rest of the year, that day of the week on which they caused chaos, during this special time, will be fraught with chaos of their own making. That's why I suppose we wonder why bad things happen to good people. One glitch at the wrong time, and ...
Love and Light
I ordered flap jacks, syrup and cream with coffee.
( GO TO http://www.muggandbean.co.za/ FOR PICTURE)
My earphones plugged into my SAMSUNG NOTE 5 block out the sound of milling shoppers. I can take an hour and listen to my kabbalah teachers.
I learned today that the good Lord can fix anything negative we may have done, murder even, but not the hurt we cause each other.
We have to fix that ourselves.
Before Yom Kippur.
It's a good thing too! Who would apologize and make amends if they knew God would do it for them. Who would not apologize if they knew that for the rest of the year, that day of the week on which they caused chaos, during this special time, will be fraught with chaos of their own making. That's why I suppose we wonder why bad things happen to good people. One glitch at the wrong time, and ...
Love and Light
Monday, October 10, 2016
Newness Continues
Most blogs I follow have last been updated four months ago. What happened to us? Must have some cosmic cause, but I have no means to check. Mostly time and how-to handicaps.
The UFO fellow has come back. I haven't read the latest one. No time. Got too much to do this week.
I am sitting here waiting to do something. Timing is everything. I recently realized that my life consists of waiting for someone else to do something so I can do something. I guess that is my work this life time. Not complaining, just observing. I'm waiting for my charge to get out of the bath so I can moisturize her skin.
Task done. I have to give her more food. She's painfully thin.
Please don't expect too much today. Or even for a while. This is a slow start to Newness again.
I am beginning because I must begin at least with the beginning of things.
I don' t know which country to freak out about most. Syria still hurts me. My country concerns me. Helicopters overhead frighten me. The American elections are beyond bizarre. And yet, one can get in one's car, go to the mall, do stuff and come back without any major story to tell. And, those who enjoy sport, watch cricket. Praise the Lord!
Seeing that there is precious little I can do about all that, except pray and send love and light, I am pouring all my energies into those I can be of assistance to. And, not to give you the wrong impression, all my energies means a little here and there,
Well, that's enough for a beginning.
Have places to go and things to do. Helicopter is now really edging into my space and I have to get underground quickly. To the mall I go.
Love and Light
The UFO fellow has come back. I haven't read the latest one. No time. Got too much to do this week.
I am sitting here waiting to do something. Timing is everything. I recently realized that my life consists of waiting for someone else to do something so I can do something. I guess that is my work this life time. Not complaining, just observing. I'm waiting for my charge to get out of the bath so I can moisturize her skin.
Task done. I have to give her more food. She's painfully thin.
Please don't expect too much today. Or even for a while. This is a slow start to Newness again.
I am beginning because I must begin at least with the beginning of things.
I don' t know which country to freak out about most. Syria still hurts me. My country concerns me. Helicopters overhead frighten me. The American elections are beyond bizarre. And yet, one can get in one's car, go to the mall, do stuff and come back without any major story to tell. And, those who enjoy sport, watch cricket. Praise the Lord!
Seeing that there is precious little I can do about all that, except pray and send love and light, I am pouring all my energies into those I can be of assistance to. And, not to give you the wrong impression, all my energies means a little here and there,
Well, that's enough for a beginning.
Have places to go and things to do. Helicopter is now really edging into my space and I have to get underground quickly. To the mall I go.
Love and Light
Monday, December 15, 2014
The Last Post
I wanted to write my way out of jeopardy and jaundice under the NEWNESS label.
As it happened, only 33 postings made it. Seven drafts, four completely blank, exist.
It turns out that shutting down the talk show is better than contributing to it. Therein lies the jaundice. In commenting we alter attitudes for the worse. Cynical hostility, resentment and suspicion increase.
In stillness and in surrender to God, of my all, under the blooms of a creeper that runs along a lattice of skinny tree trunks I heard the wind-dried blooms scrape their pink skirts across the paving.
I found a new place that I shall not surrender easily.
Jaundice is more dangerous than jeopardy. Jeopardy is imagined, but jaundice is infectious.
This is the last posting under NEWNESS.
NEWNESS has been achieved.
To God be the Glory.
As it happened, only 33 postings made it. Seven drafts, four completely blank, exist.
"Be still and know that I am God."
It turns out that shutting down the talk show is better than contributing to it. Therein lies the jaundice. In commenting we alter attitudes for the worse. Cynical hostility, resentment and suspicion increase.
In stillness and in surrender to God, of my all, under the blooms of a creeper that runs along a lattice of skinny tree trunks I heard the wind-dried blooms scrape their pink skirts across the paving.
I found a new place that I shall not surrender easily.
Jaundice is more dangerous than jeopardy. Jeopardy is imagined, but jaundice is infectious.
This is the last posting under NEWNESS.
NEWNESS has been achieved.
To God be the Glory.
Monday, July 7, 2014
To Work and to Love
Freud, I believe (I haven't read it myself), said that we need to work and to love to be happy. When we are young we work because we must and we must because we do like food and ______. I worked for the [Fill in the blank space] part, but I also enjoyed work: crazy non-specific-career jobs.
I am grateful to see that there are now many conversations about mental illness. In a recent talk I watched the speaker wondered, as I have many times, why when one has a health problem that involves any other part of the body there is much sympathy and support. But if it's one's mind that isn't all that, society backs off rapidly.
It's not contagious, guys. It's just hard.
It's hard for the family, friends and employers. No one really knows what to say or what to do with anyone behaving in ways that words can't correct or even comfort.
"Perk up." and "Pull yourself together." are the favourite lines. As one speaker said: "Like I hadn't thought of that?" I used to want to hit something at the latter instruction. Do you see my parts lying about? Am I not in one piece?
It's hard for the struggling individual who knows something isn't right, but telling anyone is too risky. It's hard when you need to pour three times the energy into typing a stupid memo than anyone else because your fingers don't listen to your mind and your mind itself speaks gobbledy-gook.
It's hard when you are so exhausted you can't remember why you filed the document under M. when clearly it should have gone to P. You can't spell sincerely, which you type at least fifty times a day, without checking, again, just to be sure.
We, the crazies, have long tried to hide our afflictions, our fears and phobias because it's hard enough without judgement. Many of us have contemplated suicide seriously and many of us have followed through.
A young man talking about his suicide attempt said his perception was contracted at the time. I would have said mine expands. We all seem to experience our little bit of madness differently, which is not helpful to significant others, I will concede, but as one speaker said: [Paraphrasing]
I also fancy that all humans are gifted differently and that those of us who particularly struggle are meant for different things. In the sixties we were called "the beautiful people" but we were really struggling to hold onto our beautiful minds without knowing we were. How else can we explain the flowers and the psychedelic pictures that emerged? Paintings that appear on an art site I follow often have portraits with blurred faces. Artists are the canaries. One should pay attention to art and artists.
Perhaps we are not designed for war, open plan offices and less for little nooks that isolate us. Repetitive work might be damaging to some of us and helpful to others. Routines are good for some of us and terrible for others. Not all of us are designed to perform the work others do effortlessly. No one can do what we do effortlessly, and sadly we don't do it because we demean what comes easily and besides no one will pay us for it.
Without our special gifts, our empathy, our lack of judgement, our humanity and kindness where would the world be? One in four, I remind you, is the number offered. One in four people have more empathy than the three others put together.
None of us want pity. We are masters of deception. We are innovative and will continue to fight the good fight as long as we live. A little less judgement might go a long way.
We take our pills if we can afford them. The medical aid doesn't pay for madness. We may lose our creativity for a while, our ability to discern danger and head off into toxic relationships with love, that other thing Freud talks about, but we always stabilise and eventually get out in some fashion.
Depending on the biology of the day everything is work. Achieving the goals we set accordingly is a happy thing. And, in case you are wondering how you could possibly love this bedraggled hair person who struggles out of bed, has nothing to say, sits endlessly in front of the television and can't tell you anything about the programs, or the child who just won't do the thing, the expected thing like all other children do, let me enlighten you.
We don't need you to love us. We need to love you.
Blessings my lovelies.
I am grateful to see that there are now many conversations about mental illness. In a recent talk I watched the speaker wondered, as I have many times, why when one has a health problem that involves any other part of the body there is much sympathy and support. But if it's one's mind that isn't all that, society backs off rapidly.
It's not contagious, guys. It's just hard.
It's hard for the family, friends and employers. No one really knows what to say or what to do with anyone behaving in ways that words can't correct or even comfort.
"Perk up." and "Pull yourself together." are the favourite lines. As one speaker said: "Like I hadn't thought of that?" I used to want to hit something at the latter instruction. Do you see my parts lying about? Am I not in one piece?
It's hard for the struggling individual who knows something isn't right, but telling anyone is too risky. It's hard when you need to pour three times the energy into typing a stupid memo than anyone else because your fingers don't listen to your mind and your mind itself speaks gobbledy-gook.
It's hard when you are so exhausted you can't remember why you filed the document under M. when clearly it should have gone to P. You can't spell sincerely, which you type at least fifty times a day, without checking, again, just to be sure.
We, the crazies, have long tried to hide our afflictions, our fears and phobias because it's hard enough without judgement. Many of us have contemplated suicide seriously and many of us have followed through.
A young man talking about his suicide attempt said his perception was contracted at the time. I would have said mine expands. We all seem to experience our little bit of madness differently, which is not helpful to significant others, I will concede, but as one speaker said: [Paraphrasing]
At the moment it is one in four that suffer with mental illness, but there is a danger that we will arrive at 4 in 4 if we are not careful.Personally I think it might be 4 in 4 already. We just don't know it.
I also fancy that all humans are gifted differently and that those of us who particularly struggle are meant for different things. In the sixties we were called "the beautiful people" but we were really struggling to hold onto our beautiful minds without knowing we were. How else can we explain the flowers and the psychedelic pictures that emerged? Paintings that appear on an art site I follow often have portraits with blurred faces. Artists are the canaries. One should pay attention to art and artists.
Perhaps we are not designed for war, open plan offices and less for little nooks that isolate us. Repetitive work might be damaging to some of us and helpful to others. Routines are good for some of us and terrible for others. Not all of us are designed to perform the work others do effortlessly. No one can do what we do effortlessly, and sadly we don't do it because we demean what comes easily and besides no one will pay us for it.
Without our special gifts, our empathy, our lack of judgement, our humanity and kindness where would the world be? One in four, I remind you, is the number offered. One in four people have more empathy than the three others put together.
None of us want pity. We are masters of deception. We are innovative and will continue to fight the good fight as long as we live. A little less judgement might go a long way.
We take our pills if we can afford them. The medical aid doesn't pay for madness. We may lose our creativity for a while, our ability to discern danger and head off into toxic relationships with love, that other thing Freud talks about, but we always stabilise and eventually get out in some fashion.
Depending on the biology of the day everything is work. Achieving the goals we set accordingly is a happy thing. And, in case you are wondering how you could possibly love this bedraggled hair person who struggles out of bed, has nothing to say, sits endlessly in front of the television and can't tell you anything about the programs, or the child who just won't do the thing, the expected thing like all other children do, let me enlighten you.
We don't need you to love us. We need to love you.
Blessings my lovelies.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Moses
I really should have given Deuteronomy a lot more attention.
Moses ... so patient.
"Don't do this ... Do that, like this ... so things will go well with you.
Anyway, Deuteronomy. It's not as complicated as Revelations.
I am no preacher nor am I a teacher, but I do recommend a browse through this ancient book. See if, like me, you will wish you had given this book more attention.
That's all.
Blessings and Love.
Moses ... so patient.
"Don't do this ... Do that, like this ... so things will go well with you.
Anyway, Deuteronomy. It's not as complicated as Revelations.
I am no preacher nor am I a teacher, but I do recommend a browse through this ancient book. See if, like me, you will wish you had given this book more attention.
That's all.
Blessings and Love.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Dark-Fighters
"Keep on hoping. Do not give up hope; be an optimist. It is the protection of your mind." Derek Prince based on Hebrews 10:23 (niv) :-
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess."The series "True Detective" examines evil up close. But, there is hope.
"The Light is winning."
ACTORS : Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Potts.
If you are able it is worth watching.
Dark-fighting comes at a great cost. One is bound to be thought of as a fool, then as mad, and then perhaps as criminal.
I see there is a Season 2 to look forward to. I shudder a little.
Love and Light.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Guard Peace
30th June 2014 a.m.
I have stopped watching the news. After being away from my home and the screens for a long while I noticed that the news has become theatre.
I am too fragile for theatre. I read my news. I don't need voices and pictures. Words will do. In fact, headlines will do just fine. Just one sentence.
"The sky is falling!"
I don't care what he or she thinks it means. I don't care who denies or affirms it. I just need to know we have lost a plane, hundreds of children in Africa in one night, three of Israel's sons have been kidnapped and now brutally murdered and that mourning is in order.
The newness of the news ...
How dare they attempt to influence my emotions further with subtle tactics.
I have been fearless most of my life. And strong. I am neither now. I could not run from ... if my life depended on it. When one's flight mode is disabled one has to (worst case scenario) confront what one would do, when running is all one can do, instead. And, since it is clearly a potential worst case scenario in these new days, heaven forbid, each evening I spend a few moments looking at the front door imagining. Then I calm myself down with The Lord's Prayer.
I have been fearless, but not without caution. The lines I drew for caution have moved. I am perhaps over cautious now. I hate it. I do. I could probably trek out into the wilderness as I used to and draw the lines back where they were, but I reached a conclusion and it stops me. I cannot expend energy without at least the hope of a desired outcome.
Clear and present danger to the heart, mind and soul presents on all platforms and if we do not protect our hearts and minds we will succumb to gloom and become immobilised.
Then it is no surprise that dark warriors arrive and conquer all without firing a single shot.
"Without a single shot..."
What? No upstanding revolutionary in sight? Not a single soul to protest this band of thieves? Are they all in the zwodder? I do not think they have finally managed to tame their egos.
The latter would be reason for rising matutinal (bright and breezy) - though I must say this surrendering of my life to invaders is not coming easy, even in the imaginings of worst case scenarios. I am sure to have something to say.
~~
I have wandered through books my whole life searching for truth, but I've always come back to the beginning.
"And in the beginning there was The Word, ... and the Word was G-d...." The lovely John.
One is going to have to hang one's hat on something other than logic and reason. One can build a bridge with those, a sky scraper and design a space ship that can land on Mars, but it is useless when trying to prevent their destruction. They are useless also when guarding the heart.
It is not only that I have aged, that my days are unfamiliar with newness and that I have more handicaps than I expected. Our way of life in general, globally, changes so rapidly I can hardly keep up.
The shocking and unthinkable happen and one has barely given it a reasonable thought when the next thing happens. Suddenly the terrible thing that happened appears to have started so many years ago. Although it is now more terrible, it has hit the bottom rung of the pile of horribles that one feels guilty for not holding onto then's awful feeling for long enough, or one despairs that one hasn't mourned well.
"We do not fight flesh and blood, but principalities."
I can find no other explanation for the state of things.
If we do not fight flesh and blood we had better understand that the war is not on the ground.
Derek Prince says we have no permission to criticise the government. We are instructed to pray for our leaders, fervently, that they may guard peace.
There is scripture that informs me that if I seek to save my life I shall lose it. I ponder the globe and all of us on it not seeking to save our lives - what would that look like? No armies to serve and defend the homeland. Dark warriors marching across the borders without a single protest. The young and the old standing between the invaders and the men and women with abilities and strength and desire enough to rebuild with or without the warriors, the future.
Is Atlas Shrugging not the giving up of the ego and letting the marauders have it all?
This ego thing is a battle, I must say. Without ego we would not build a bridge or a space ship. without ego we could not take up arms and defend our own. Biblical stories are full of battles. So passive is not the ideal, I don't think...
I choose to pray since there isn't, at first and 100th glance, anything else I can actually do about marauders. I pray for the leaders everywhere that they may guard our peace. I pray that everyone may have a personal encounter with the Lord G-d, blessed be His Holy Name and that it will become clear to us what it is that we shall have to do when doing is required.
For now I pray divine protection from all evil and encourage you to say this prayer often.
I have stopped watching the news. After being away from my home and the screens for a long while I noticed that the news has become theatre.
I am too fragile for theatre. I read my news. I don't need voices and pictures. Words will do. In fact, headlines will do just fine. Just one sentence.
"The sky is falling!"
I don't care what he or she thinks it means. I don't care who denies or affirms it. I just need to know we have lost a plane, hundreds of children in Africa in one night, three of Israel's sons have been kidnapped and now brutally murdered and that mourning is in order.
The newness of the news ...
How dare they attempt to influence my emotions further with subtle tactics.
Facebook is experimenting on us all as well, testing how they can manipulate our emotions.
see :[www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/20140630/326923945/lab-rats-one-and-all-that-unsettling-facebook-experiement?utm_source=facebook.com_medium-socail&utm_campaign=npr&utm_-nprnews&utm_content=20140630] or find it on facebook somewhere.
I understand the surface purpose. The newsreader is at least shedding a tear; we asked for that in a song in a time long gone. Facebook might need to know how to better service the lonely - the crowd suffering from separation anxiety, too busy to have friends with skin or and too far from loved ones to hug.
However, since all of us are not only connected to each other by means to consciousness, but also by social sites like Facebook, we may certainly be unsettled as the Monkey See article suggests.
"What is the purpose of this miracle?"The Hare Krishna Guru asked.
The surface reasons are unacceptable, but I am sure that there are other reasons beneath the surface that are nefarious.
One cannot be passive "and one must not give in to the warm comfort of "zwodder". We need to concentrate on mantaining a "matutinal" aspect. even though Oscar Wilde might think us dull. One needs to guard one's heart. It's very much a biblical instruction and not for no reason.
I have been fearless, but not without caution. The lines I drew for caution have moved. I am perhaps over cautious now. I hate it. I do. I could probably trek out into the wilderness as I used to and draw the lines back where they were, but I reached a conclusion and it stops me. I cannot expend energy without at least the hope of a desired outcome.
Clear and present danger to the heart, mind and soul presents on all platforms and if we do not protect our hearts and minds we will succumb to gloom and become immobilised.
Then it is no surprise that dark warriors arrive and conquer all without firing a single shot.
"Without a single shot..."
What? No upstanding revolutionary in sight? Not a single soul to protest this band of thieves? Are they all in the zwodder? I do not think they have finally managed to tame their egos.
The latter would be reason for rising matutinal (bright and breezy) - though I must say this surrendering of my life to invaders is not coming easy, even in the imaginings of worst case scenarios. I am sure to have something to say.
~~
I have wandered through books my whole life searching for truth, but I've always come back to the beginning.
"And in the beginning there was The Word, ... and the Word was G-d...." The lovely John.
One is going to have to hang one's hat on something other than logic and reason. One can build a bridge with those, a sky scraper and design a space ship that can land on Mars, but it is useless when trying to prevent their destruction. They are useless also when guarding the heart.
It is not only that I have aged, that my days are unfamiliar with newness and that I have more handicaps than I expected. Our way of life in general, globally, changes so rapidly I can hardly keep up.
The shocking and unthinkable happen and one has barely given it a reasonable thought when the next thing happens. Suddenly the terrible thing that happened appears to have started so many years ago. Although it is now more terrible, it has hit the bottom rung of the pile of horribles that one feels guilty for not holding onto then's awful feeling for long enough, or one despairs that one hasn't mourned well.
"We do not fight flesh and blood, but principalities."
I can find no other explanation for the state of things.
If we do not fight flesh and blood we had better understand that the war is not on the ground.
Derek Prince says we have no permission to criticise the government. We are instructed to pray for our leaders, fervently, that they may guard peace.
There is scripture that informs me that if I seek to save my life I shall lose it. I ponder the globe and all of us on it not seeking to save our lives - what would that look like? No armies to serve and defend the homeland. Dark warriors marching across the borders without a single protest. The young and the old standing between the invaders and the men and women with abilities and strength and desire enough to rebuild with or without the warriors, the future.
Is Atlas Shrugging not the giving up of the ego and letting the marauders have it all?
This ego thing is a battle, I must say. Without ego we would not build a bridge or a space ship. without ego we could not take up arms and defend our own. Biblical stories are full of battles. So passive is not the ideal, I don't think...
I choose to pray since there isn't, at first and 100th glance, anything else I can actually do about marauders. I pray for the leaders everywhere that they may guard our peace. I pray that everyone may have a personal encounter with the Lord G-d, blessed be His Holy Name and that it will become clear to us what it is that we shall have to do when doing is required.
For now I pray divine protection from all evil and encourage you to say this prayer often.
"Our Father
Who are in Heaven,
Hallowed by Thy Name,
Thy Kingdom come,
They Will be done,
On Earth as it is in Heaven,
Forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from all evil."
Don't forget to guard your hearts and mind, even if you are heathens. Keep the faith of love alive and do not let your hearts become heavy. It is all unfolding as it must.
Light and Love my lovelies.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Gratitude exercise
SURVIVAL
Gratitude.
I have 12 things I am grateful for today.
MOVING ON
I going on a trip.
GLOBAL
No comment.
JUST A THOUGHT
Listing things you are grateful for is in itself a revelation.
Gratitude.
I have 12 things I am grateful for today.
MOVING ON
I going on a trip.
GLOBAL
No comment.
JUST A THOUGHT
Listing things you are grateful for is in itself a revelation.
Friday, May 23, 2014
"We shall see."
SURVIVAL
Meeting new people.
I'm a bit of a hermit. Always have been. Meeting new people is not really my thing. I don't make it easy. Today I met a couple of nice people by chance. I might even see them again. It was a bit of fresh air. They are dancers, as in ballroom, and invited me to come. With my bones I said I didn't think so, but they assured me it would be fine. "If you can walk, you can dance." To quote the Zen master: "We shall see."
My hairdresser.
The purest soul on earth, she is. She did my hair today. "Please don't let other people cut your hair," she said. I had to make it up to her. She's just pure light and I adore her. She's happy. Nothing makes me happier.
The Mentalist.
It's time. I have to go if I want to catch the next episode.
MOVING ON
My new people may have something for me to work at. I am still missioning with moving on from this stuck place I am in.
GLOBALLY
No comment.
JUST A THOUGHT
The EFF party showed up to parliament in attire worn by workers. I suppose it's a bit out of the box being that red is the colour of the domestic worker outfit and the overalls the men wear. They stand out against the suited up others and have drawn negative comments. It does remind us, however, to be mindful of our hired help and the difficulties that they face.
It would be a mistake, I think, not to take this party seriously.
They say we still have time to stop the Antarctic ice from melting. But will we act in time? We still have time to do the right thing - pay decent salaries, think of some kind of dole system that will keep people from starving if they are unemployed and improve hospitals and education. But will we?
Everyone hates the fact that our taxes will be used to pay people who don't work, but that money will go back into the system because those who receive it will spend it. It will also remove the desperation many experience which drives them to others only too willing to employ them. Drugs dealers and organised crime.
Although it will take some time, years perhaps, those who are ambitious will find ways to improve their lot a little more if hunger, cold, sickness and a lack of knowledge no longer occupy all of their thinking.
It takes a long time to get over things - death in the family, divorce, unfair dismissal, retrenchment and a difficult relationship. How long will it take for the trauma of lack to leave the human soul? As a nation we would have to give assistance to the unemployed for quite some time before we see some movement.
Meeting new people.
I'm a bit of a hermit. Always have been. Meeting new people is not really my thing. I don't make it easy. Today I met a couple of nice people by chance. I might even see them again. It was a bit of fresh air. They are dancers, as in ballroom, and invited me to come. With my bones I said I didn't think so, but they assured me it would be fine. "If you can walk, you can dance." To quote the Zen master: "We shall see."
My hairdresser.
The purest soul on earth, she is. She did my hair today. "Please don't let other people cut your hair," she said. I had to make it up to her. She's just pure light and I adore her. She's happy. Nothing makes me happier.
The Mentalist.
It's time. I have to go if I want to catch the next episode.
MOVING ON
My new people may have something for me to work at. I am still missioning with moving on from this stuck place I am in.
GLOBALLY
No comment.
JUST A THOUGHT
The EFF party showed up to parliament in attire worn by workers. I suppose it's a bit out of the box being that red is the colour of the domestic worker outfit and the overalls the men wear. They stand out against the suited up others and have drawn negative comments. It does remind us, however, to be mindful of our hired help and the difficulties that they face.
It would be a mistake, I think, not to take this party seriously.
They say we still have time to stop the Antarctic ice from melting. But will we act in time? We still have time to do the right thing - pay decent salaries, think of some kind of dole system that will keep people from starving if they are unemployed and improve hospitals and education. But will we?
Everyone hates the fact that our taxes will be used to pay people who don't work, but that money will go back into the system because those who receive it will spend it. It will also remove the desperation many experience which drives them to others only too willing to employ them. Drugs dealers and organised crime.
Although it will take some time, years perhaps, those who are ambitious will find ways to improve their lot a little more if hunger, cold, sickness and a lack of knowledge no longer occupy all of their thinking.
It takes a long time to get over things - death in the family, divorce, unfair dismissal, retrenchment and a difficult relationship. How long will it take for the trauma of lack to leave the human soul? As a nation we would have to give assistance to the unemployed for quite some time before we see some movement.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Thursday's note.
SURVIVAL
Quiet.
Sun.
MOVING ON
Concentrating on moving on. I am evolving, I think. I am not sure what I will be when I finally come out of this wrapping.
GLOBAL
I am sure it is all unfolding as it must. I finally accept that knowing everything doesn't change anything. There are other things to do.
JUST A THOUGHT
Smell is a lovely sense.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Tuesday Notes
Survival:
Weeping -The Book Thief - movie.
Sleep - the day after the journey - weary-weary.
Moving on:
Something is singing that song .... "Time is on my side .... yes it is ..."
Global.
Syria, Ukraine, Serbia.
Just a thought
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6
Weeping -The Book Thief - movie.
Sleep - the day after the journey - weary-weary.
Moving on:
Something is singing that song .... "Time is on my side .... yes it is ..."
Global.
Syria, Ukraine, Serbia.
Just a thought
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6
Friday, April 11, 2014
Weave a new basket Women of of World.
SURVIVAL
Hair is back on the list. Still on the list. Had my hair done again. Going overboard now. Love extremes, me, I do.
Blogs are essential for the future writers. Our blabbering, mostly by the Mummy-bloggers, will serve the curious in years to come in some very meaningful way - like explaining when no one else can how or why some things just happened or didn't.
MOVING ON
Not that I have less to be thankful for, or that my survival list is any shorter, but moving on.
There are extraordinary numbers of aged humans about in this area. Observations from the line.
I still classify women by their shopping styles. Garlicks Store (no longer exists) Departments: The Showroom, The Scene, Sport and Leisure types, Lace and luxury, Kitchenware, Gap girls and Germaine Monteale ladies.
Women in their fifties still have schedules and chew gum furiously to prevent spitting out their feelings. Their wrist watches tell more than the time and they have hair ... sometimes not done, but about to be done and very convertible. Mom to Glorious possible in 50 seconds. Their clothes are sensible with quality versus fabulous. Can-do girls.
Over fifties go grey with gay abandon or dye to cover the years that streaked by. Doesn't matter really. Grey is good as dye if you dye often and well.
And speaking of dying ... we ancients are dying on our feet, in our shoes, and our memoirs are written in our shoulders, in the lines that run from our nose holes into our chins and drop out of our fingers into the heavy grocery packets.
Those lines connect all women. One cannot escape the pain of the grind. One can read about the lack of support while expectations were met, tasks completed, projects finished and dinner was delivered.
The men, when they tag along ... There's the standing straight, aloof, once upon a handsome one, but now a furry squirrel type sporting an air of completion. He didn't die.
The round bod who smiles a lot or puffs too much. He loved the menu.
There's the mean man, the I'm only doing this because it's easier than killing you man. His claim to fame is that he spared you.
The broken boys hobble about alone mostly. They played the game and the bill just got delivered. Rugby, soccer and sky falling... hands, knees and backs, a daisies...
The more unmarried women are the better condition they are in. There is the absence of disappointment, drudgery and other dank D-words.
One might imagine that single women are in better nick because they are on the look out for a fellow - still - but I don't think that is true. Not altogether, anyway. They might well be searching for a mate, a someone to ... but they are more at peace.
There are no loop-holes that can spring up from the grass and bite you on the behind. There are no surprises, no late night arguments about money, sex and what schools ... Their hair holds their heads higher than the married sisters' heads are held. They wait intellectually, don't chat to packers, move silently along unaware of their influence on all those about them.
They hold the energy. They keep the peace. I suppose if women knew this they would flip out and over compensate.
Women, however, had better get that we have the power to demand better from the sons and lovers.
No, I don't mean in the love department.
Raise the bar Sisters! These fellows are falling through the holes in the .. floor.
According to the Violence History book I'm reading (see previous blogs for references) men cause the mess and women clean it up.
For a number of years women have concentrated on the home (alone) front mess. Time to go global girls. There is a big mess to clean up and we will need rubber gloves and shovels.
So, single or strained, ladies, time to change our minds about what role we play in society. The lesser role is so yesterday.
Just a Thought ...
Sooner rather than later my lovelies.
Hair is back on the list. Still on the list. Had my hair done again. Going overboard now. Love extremes, me, I do.
Blogs are essential for the future writers. Our blabbering, mostly by the Mummy-bloggers, will serve the curious in years to come in some very meaningful way - like explaining when no one else can how or why some things just happened or didn't.
MOVING ON
Not that I have less to be thankful for, or that my survival list is any shorter, but moving on.
There are extraordinary numbers of aged humans about in this area. Observations from the line.
I still classify women by their shopping styles. Garlicks Store (no longer exists) Departments: The Showroom, The Scene, Sport and Leisure types, Lace and luxury, Kitchenware, Gap girls and Germaine Monteale ladies.
Women in their fifties still have schedules and chew gum furiously to prevent spitting out their feelings. Their wrist watches tell more than the time and they have hair ... sometimes not done, but about to be done and very convertible. Mom to Glorious possible in 50 seconds. Their clothes are sensible with quality versus fabulous. Can-do girls.
Over fifties go grey with gay abandon or dye to cover the years that streaked by. Doesn't matter really. Grey is good as dye if you dye often and well.
And speaking of dying ... we ancients are dying on our feet, in our shoes, and our memoirs are written in our shoulders, in the lines that run from our nose holes into our chins and drop out of our fingers into the heavy grocery packets.
Those lines connect all women. One cannot escape the pain of the grind. One can read about the lack of support while expectations were met, tasks completed, projects finished and dinner was delivered.
The men, when they tag along ... There's the standing straight, aloof, once upon a handsome one, but now a furry squirrel type sporting an air of completion. He didn't die.
The round bod who smiles a lot or puffs too much. He loved the menu.
There's the mean man, the I'm only doing this because it's easier than killing you man. His claim to fame is that he spared you.
The broken boys hobble about alone mostly. They played the game and the bill just got delivered. Rugby, soccer and sky falling... hands, knees and backs, a daisies...
The more unmarried women are the better condition they are in. There is the absence of disappointment, drudgery and other dank D-words.
One might imagine that single women are in better nick because they are on the look out for a fellow - still - but I don't think that is true. Not altogether, anyway. They might well be searching for a mate, a someone to ... but they are more at peace.
There are no loop-holes that can spring up from the grass and bite you on the behind. There are no surprises, no late night arguments about money, sex and what schools ... Their hair holds their heads higher than the married sisters' heads are held. They wait intellectually, don't chat to packers, move silently along unaware of their influence on all those about them.
They hold the energy. They keep the peace. I suppose if women knew this they would flip out and over compensate.
Women, however, had better get that we have the power to demand better from the sons and lovers.
No, I don't mean in the love department.
Raise the bar Sisters! These fellows are falling through the holes in the .. floor.
According to the Violence History book I'm reading (see previous blogs for references) men cause the mess and women clean it up.
For a number of years women have concentrated on the home (alone) front mess. Time to go global girls. There is a big mess to clean up and we will need rubber gloves and shovels.
So, single or strained, ladies, time to change our minds about what role we play in society. The lesser role is so yesterday.
Just a Thought ...
Sooner rather than later my lovelies.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Jam
SURVIVAL
Cape Town. I am feeling so well. I am a heart beat away from a ... volunteer program. But, I have learned my lesson. I am scheming - making lists of things that I can do that don't involve other people, co-operation, understanding and desire - mostly the lack thereof. Going solo on the next project. "It's all about me!" I shall say if anyone asks.
The Friend. Calls one on one's nonsense, cheers when one is winning, cries at failings, and lights candles when terrified. Essential to survival.
Air. The night and morning air must be happy with itself. Clouds without wind. Deep breathing the quiet air of night and early morning is underestimated. The sky at night has kept me staring and the morning light keeps me in gratitude. I know! Isn't that a nice change?
Money. Top-ups are lovely gifts. Great blessings Oh Great One.
Oh, Great One read an earlier blog only recently and wanted to know what changes were in the air. I couldn't remember. But, I remember now. I'm still not telling. This is part of the solo project for one.
MOVING ON
I am in an internet café in a mall. I got here on my own. I did not get lost. I am quite comfortable.
I think the Universe is really being kind to me and mine of late. Not a moment of discomfort.
GLOBAL STUFF
I have read about the bleeding heart bug or lack of bug that has rendered us all shivering in our boots with fear of compromised passwords, but what the heck. Nothing is sacred and not everyone is interesting. If hackers want access to ... they will find me quite boring. The assistant here doesn't even know about this huge risky moment in internet history. So I am not wasting a moment's worry on it. But, if you are an interesting person then perhaps look into it.
A THOUGHT
I am clean out of profound. I wonder only about the real role of elites in the world. I think they might be overestimated. Just a thought. They may just be a bit of jam on a brown bread sandwich swishing about on the butter.
Cape Town. I am feeling so well. I am a heart beat away from a ... volunteer program. But, I have learned my lesson. I am scheming - making lists of things that I can do that don't involve other people, co-operation, understanding and desire - mostly the lack thereof. Going solo on the next project. "It's all about me!" I shall say if anyone asks.
The Friend. Calls one on one's nonsense, cheers when one is winning, cries at failings, and lights candles when terrified. Essential to survival.
Air. The night and morning air must be happy with itself. Clouds without wind. Deep breathing the quiet air of night and early morning is underestimated. The sky at night has kept me staring and the morning light keeps me in gratitude. I know! Isn't that a nice change?
Money. Top-ups are lovely gifts. Great blessings Oh Great One.
Oh, Great One read an earlier blog only recently and wanted to know what changes were in the air. I couldn't remember. But, I remember now. I'm still not telling. This is part of the solo project for one.
MOVING ON
I am in an internet café in a mall. I got here on my own. I did not get lost. I am quite comfortable.
I think the Universe is really being kind to me and mine of late. Not a moment of discomfort.
GLOBAL STUFF
I have read about the bleeding heart bug or lack of bug that has rendered us all shivering in our boots with fear of compromised passwords, but what the heck. Nothing is sacred and not everyone is interesting. If hackers want access to ... they will find me quite boring. The assistant here doesn't even know about this huge risky moment in internet history. So I am not wasting a moment's worry on it. But, if you are an interesting person then perhaps look into it.
A THOUGHT
I am clean out of profound. I wonder only about the real role of elites in the world. I think they might be overestimated. Just a thought. They may just be a bit of jam on a brown bread sandwich swishing about on the butter.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
"Mr Jones" is in the air.
SURVIVAL
Hairdresser: Yolande from NEO in the Langeberg Mall is a master. The lesson to learn from Samson is that hair is a great thing. Not to be neglected.
Wimpy Bar Smoking Area: I make most of my friends in the Wimpy Bar. I sit in the smoking section, of course, and there we are all lovely and happy. If they cut out the smoking section, Wimpy will be lucky to ever see me again. I won't meet those marvelous people. The non-smokers never chat to others. Why is that?
Happiness: An underestimated state of being, which in my case comes and goes, but when present it seems to lift the entire world. Either my happiness is a bunch of Light or my lowness is so bad that when I am high, in true Mr Jones fashion, everyone is so relieved that it makes them happy too. The latter is probably true.
MOVING ON
I have thrown out all sorts of junk that collects dust in my study; you won't believe the pile on the floor now. I have become quite anti-junk. I did not set out to de-junk the study. I am searching for some vital documents. I didn't find them. I don't know where they can be!
Found some of my old drawings from a bright time I went through and some precious things I wrote back in 1997 - on a clear day. There were some dark days. I don't change much. Same high/low. Different years. How did this mad mind of mine get through it all? By G-d's good grace.
GLOBAL FRONT
I watched some television. After reading THE CIRCLE I am a tad ruffled by how far along that road we have come.
They have got an "Ap" for dog face recognition which you can operate from your phone.
JUST A THOUGHT
As a species we are morphing, but our manners and decency keep us yet.
I was just musing along today while waiting in queues. What if the whole world does go "live" and it's actually not so bad? It might be okay. I don't think we can stop this present morphing anyway, so, it might be well to start thinking about how we will behave in future. Will we still have our good manners and decency or will we abandon everything my generation thought was so important?
I thought of myself as watched and listened to today, (after watching CLOSE CIRCUIT last night) and I didn't do anything anyone would find objectionable, I don't think. We might speak less to strangers in coffee bars, but I am sure we will still pick our noses while stuck in the traffic as though we are invisible in our cars. A loud speaker may shout at us if we are unconscious or take stupid risks or get out of our trees with frustration, but it might make us drive more sensibly.
See? It's that easy to make friends with whatever comes our way.
We are in a state of movement that cannot be stopped. Much like those little bodies who like to jump off mountain tops in suits that enable them to glide all the way down to the bottom. Once we leap, there is nothing for it but to hold one's arms out and fly.
We have leaped. We are already flying. We just have to stay with the thing, this life, until we reach the earth. I am sure we will find solid ground. We just have to get over this bit where we just jumped. It's all butterflies and oh my ... what if ... at the moment.
Love and Light my lovelies.
Hairdresser: Yolande from NEO in the Langeberg Mall is a master. The lesson to learn from Samson is that hair is a great thing. Not to be neglected.
Wimpy Bar Smoking Area: I make most of my friends in the Wimpy Bar. I sit in the smoking section, of course, and there we are all lovely and happy. If they cut out the smoking section, Wimpy will be lucky to ever see me again. I won't meet those marvelous people. The non-smokers never chat to others. Why is that?
Happiness: An underestimated state of being, which in my case comes and goes, but when present it seems to lift the entire world. Either my happiness is a bunch of Light or my lowness is so bad that when I am high, in true Mr Jones fashion, everyone is so relieved that it makes them happy too. The latter is probably true.
MOVING ON
I have thrown out all sorts of junk that collects dust in my study; you won't believe the pile on the floor now. I have become quite anti-junk. I did not set out to de-junk the study. I am searching for some vital documents. I didn't find them. I don't know where they can be!
Found some of my old drawings from a bright time I went through and some precious things I wrote back in 1997 - on a clear day. There were some dark days. I don't change much. Same high/low. Different years. How did this mad mind of mine get through it all? By G-d's good grace.
GLOBAL FRONT
I watched some television. After reading THE CIRCLE I am a tad ruffled by how far along that road we have come.
They have got an "Ap" for dog face recognition which you can operate from your phone.
JUST A THOUGHT
As a species we are morphing, but our manners and decency keep us yet.
I was just musing along today while waiting in queues. What if the whole world does go "live" and it's actually not so bad? It might be okay. I don't think we can stop this present morphing anyway, so, it might be well to start thinking about how we will behave in future. Will we still have our good manners and decency or will we abandon everything my generation thought was so important?
I thought of myself as watched and listened to today, (after watching CLOSE CIRCUIT last night) and I didn't do anything anyone would find objectionable, I don't think. We might speak less to strangers in coffee bars, but I am sure we will still pick our noses while stuck in the traffic as though we are invisible in our cars. A loud speaker may shout at us if we are unconscious or take stupid risks or get out of our trees with frustration, but it might make us drive more sensibly.
See? It's that easy to make friends with whatever comes our way.
We are in a state of movement that cannot be stopped. Much like those little bodies who like to jump off mountain tops in suits that enable them to glide all the way down to the bottom. Once we leap, there is nothing for it but to hold one's arms out and fly.
We have leaped. We are already flying. We just have to stay with the thing, this life, until we reach the earth. I am sure we will find solid ground. We just have to get over this bit where we just jumped. It's all butterflies and oh my ... what if ... at the moment.
Love and Light my lovelies.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Stones, Circles and Angels
SURVIVAL
I have been away so long my computer is objecting to the exercise.
[Update: It died further down while in "moving on", but read on - more on that.]
Books.
I have read two books! One after the other. Fiction! I haven't felt like doing that in a long time. So books are again on the survival list. After I closed my book shop I thought I would never want to see another book, let alone read one, but ... there it is. I still love books.
Reading.
I am reading (that in itself: bonus!) a lovely one now. Thick one, non-fiction...
Oh well ... I can't help it. A seeker I shall die.
More about that later. You have missed me, right? This will be a long one. I missed this space enough.
Pencils.
I have had this urge to draw again. Bought some new soft pencils - 6B, 8B, 9B - Goodness knows I am in the mood for a bit of a soft scribble.
Change.
Change isn't always all that, but the air is clear. I can see forever at the moment.
Things are changing and, for a change, it's in a good way. Some potential excitement might be coming my way. No questions please. It's brewing in the think - pot at this stage of the game. And, and, and, being as I am essentially slow and a dreamer by nature, it might come to nothing more than it is right now: potential change.
However, that I am even contemplating such a thing is a pure miracle. I kid you not. I am feeling something.
Movies.
Not that watching movies is new, but never more so than when you get to take out 4 you haven't seen before. My grandson loves the music in movies. Finding movies with music that pleases him is such fun.
It's beautiful to be alive. I thought motherhood was greater than anything I discovered before that, and it is greater than anything before that, or after that, given all that has happened, but gran-e-time comes along and makes motherhood all the more charming. One's offspring produces a new person and all things glow.
Old Things
My computer died before I got here the first time. With a bit of luck I have an old one in not such a great state, but still working, and reviving it was easier than getting my newer more updated one to cooperate. Wouldn't it just be funny if this one lasts longer? Anyway, blog survived. I survived. All is well with the world.
MOVING ON
Where I have been, has been without television, the news, the drastic things that bother me so much, and I have to say I feel all the better for it. Knowing everything the news channels spew out isn't all that good for me. I have been spared the famous South African trial. I have just watched movies. Lots of the same movies, but movies only.
I bought three new books. I never thought I would see the day! But, I did.
Stoner, by John Williams is an extraordinary tale of a man who is sold to you as a not so extraordinary, but I found him good to be with, understood him completely and thought to myself, self, such is the way of goodness. All the remarkable stuff, surviving the banal and evil, is a private thing and unless you blow someone or something up no one thinks it's all that remarkable.
But surviving is a great thing. Surviving without making too much of a fuss about it all is especially noteworthy. I'm too much of a blabbermouth to fall into that saintly category, but without the internet, I might have just sunken into the earth one day without anyone knowing much about the event - life and all its lovely mysteries and jokes. Not true, I remember. I kept and keep journals all about the place. Notes will be found. Not necessarily read, mind you, but at least found.
I have no special line for you. The whole book is a line to be savoured. It's all important and underline worthy, only I did not underline one line in this book. It did not leave me sad. I only sighed, nodding. I know this man. I know his audience, the spectators and his opponents. A beautiful book.
The Circle, by Dave Eggers is quite thick, but the print is large, (yay). It gives one another view of the human species. It might have rocked my ship a little had I not enjoyed seeing my own ideas made manifest in it. One thought in particular came out in it. Man is jealous of G-d and is striving to be the all knowing, all seeing being that he imagines G-d is.
Man does not know G-d, perhaps only a few ever have; such a plan is bound to fail miserably, but perhaps not without some of us perishing in the stream of it all. Also, those who have eyes to see and ears to hear are like one character in the book.
But, don't let me spoil it. It will change the way you look at things and especially make you think about the act of "liking" things.
The best for last.
The Better Angels of our nature : A History of Violence and Humanity. By Stephen Pinker.
It is as thick as my pinkie is long (I have big hands) and is meat for the mind. I am loving it. The writer warns one at the beginning that he is going to sell the idea of how much more peaceful mankind is these days than we imagine. I am only on page 82 (the print is smaller), but I am already sold by the conclusion. It makes me feel better about being told by psychics that I have killed people in my previous life, "in a good way," they add. It seems I killed bad people. I'm off that in this life time. I am trying to be more remarkable, like Stoner: live and let live. There are 841 pages if you don't count the notes at the back. Over a 1000 if you do. This one's going to last a bit.
As it was in the previous two books there is a thought I share. Men have a lot to answer for (my thought);
ON THE GLOBAL FRONT
We managed to lose a big plane, all the people on it, and no one seems to know how. There we were all shaking in our boots at the visuals and the audio equipment and what all that means. So they lost it, or hid it. The mind boggles at potential stories, but let's not go there.
My interest is less global without having had news to bother me. I picked up a paper. News hounds die hard. I saw a piece by Helen Zille. "A Beautiful Project Thwarted."
While all lament the lack of provision for the New South Africans it does seem that you can't deliver even if you really want to. At least, in my experience, that is how it seems. Then on the way home I had the radio and in one talk show - and that does seem all there is to listen to if you are me - the presenter asked for only positive comments about life in the new South Africa. Glad of this, I turned it up. There were quite a few people who called in to say how much better things were. Ordinary Joe Soaps called. Mostly Joe's, though a couple of ladies contributed.
One comment was a tad funny, if you are warped like me. Paraphrasing: Back in the day we had to walk 15 kilometers to get water or to find wood ... well the ladies did, because, of course, I am a man ... (and that means you sit about a lot while the ladies walk to find ...) and these days the water is close. And there is electricity. Very positive that the said man was grateful that the ladies didn't have to walk so far anymore.
Another was precious in its innocence. It seems that some community was given water via some piping and water meters were installed to ... ludicrously, I suppose ... charge people for their consumption. This fellow said the positive thing he had to report was that the community merely broke the meters and fixed it so that they could get the water without paying. After all, the water belongs to the people. The presenter said that breaking things was not good ... (her three dots) and the man said, no! it was indeed good. He meant it and he meant no malic by it. The meters were obviously a silly mistake and the positive news was they knew how to fix it. Now all is well with the world.
Just a thought ...
Hmm - I suppose I might ask men to think before they get excited and draw lines in the sand that need defending.
After my 82 pages of Mr. Pinker's book I am already more relaxed about the state of things. Firstly because things do seem to be better at the moment than they were, and secondly because if we are falling back into the dark ages (by accident or design or because it is written) then there is precious little I can do about it. I expect we ladies might have to go back to walking a distance to find water and sticks for the fire again, only this time for different reasons.
And, and, and, we forget the remarkable men who go to their graves. Repeating the past is inevitable. Best we can do is make sure we survive for a while in as good emotional circumstance as we can conspire to achieve, with a little privacy and a lot of freedom. And books, of course. Lots of books.
Love and Light my lovelies
I have been away so long my computer is objecting to the exercise.
[Update: It died further down while in "moving on", but read on - more on that.]
Books.
I have read two books! One after the other. Fiction! I haven't felt like doing that in a long time. So books are again on the survival list. After I closed my book shop I thought I would never want to see another book, let alone read one, but ... there it is. I still love books.
Reading.
I am reading (that in itself: bonus!) a lovely one now. Thick one, non-fiction...
Oh well ... I can't help it. A seeker I shall die.
More about that later. You have missed me, right? This will be a long one. I missed this space enough.
Pencils.
I have had this urge to draw again. Bought some new soft pencils - 6B, 8B, 9B - Goodness knows I am in the mood for a bit of a soft scribble.
Change.
Change isn't always all that, but the air is clear. I can see forever at the moment.
Things are changing and, for a change, it's in a good way. Some potential excitement might be coming my way. No questions please. It's brewing in the think - pot at this stage of the game. And, and, and, being as I am essentially slow and a dreamer by nature, it might come to nothing more than it is right now: potential change.
However, that I am even contemplating such a thing is a pure miracle. I kid you not. I am feeling something.
Movies.
Not that watching movies is new, but never more so than when you get to take out 4 you haven't seen before. My grandson loves the music in movies. Finding movies with music that pleases him is such fun.
It's beautiful to be alive. I thought motherhood was greater than anything I discovered before that, and it is greater than anything before that, or after that, given all that has happened, but gran-e-time comes along and makes motherhood all the more charming. One's offspring produces a new person and all things glow.
Old Things
My computer died before I got here the first time. With a bit of luck I have an old one in not such a great state, but still working, and reviving it was easier than getting my newer more updated one to cooperate. Wouldn't it just be funny if this one lasts longer? Anyway, blog survived. I survived. All is well with the world.
MOVING ON
Where I have been, has been without television, the news, the drastic things that bother me so much, and I have to say I feel all the better for it. Knowing everything the news channels spew out isn't all that good for me. I have been spared the famous South African trial. I have just watched movies. Lots of the same movies, but movies only.
I bought three new books. I never thought I would see the day! But, I did.
Stoner, by John Williams is an extraordinary tale of a man who is sold to you as a not so extraordinary, but I found him good to be with, understood him completely and thought to myself, self, such is the way of goodness. All the remarkable stuff, surviving the banal and evil, is a private thing and unless you blow someone or something up no one thinks it's all that remarkable.
But surviving is a great thing. Surviving without making too much of a fuss about it all is especially noteworthy. I'm too much of a blabbermouth to fall into that saintly category, but without the internet, I might have just sunken into the earth one day without anyone knowing much about the event - life and all its lovely mysteries and jokes. Not true, I remember. I kept and keep journals all about the place. Notes will be found. Not necessarily read, mind you, but at least found.
I have no special line for you. The whole book is a line to be savoured. It's all important and underline worthy, only I did not underline one line in this book. It did not leave me sad. I only sighed, nodding. I know this man. I know his audience, the spectators and his opponents. A beautiful book.
The Circle, by Dave Eggers is quite thick, but the print is large, (yay). It gives one another view of the human species. It might have rocked my ship a little had I not enjoyed seeing my own ideas made manifest in it. One thought in particular came out in it. Man is jealous of G-d and is striving to be the all knowing, all seeing being that he imagines G-d is.
Man does not know G-d, perhaps only a few ever have; such a plan is bound to fail miserably, but perhaps not without some of us perishing in the stream of it all. Also, those who have eyes to see and ears to hear are like one character in the book.
"Well, Ty said, "That was about what I imagined would happen."
But, don't let me spoil it. It will change the way you look at things and especially make you think about the act of "liking" things.
The best for last.
The Better Angels of our nature : A History of Violence and Humanity. By Stephen Pinker.
It is as thick as my pinkie is long (I have big hands) and is meat for the mind. I am loving it. The writer warns one at the beginning that he is going to sell the idea of how much more peaceful mankind is these days than we imagine. I am only on page 82 (the print is smaller), but I am already sold by the conclusion. It makes me feel better about being told by psychics that I have killed people in my previous life, "in a good way," they add. It seems I killed bad people. I'm off that in this life time. I am trying to be more remarkable, like Stoner: live and let live. There are 841 pages if you don't count the notes at the back. Over a 1000 if you do. This one's going to last a bit.
As it was in the previous two books there is a thought I share. Men have a lot to answer for (my thought);
"Men in non-state societies (and they are almost always men) are deadly serious about war, not just their tactics but in their armaments. which include chemical, biological, and anti-personnel weapons."
ON THE GLOBAL FRONT
We managed to lose a big plane, all the people on it, and no one seems to know how. There we were all shaking in our boots at the visuals and the audio equipment and what all that means. So they lost it, or hid it. The mind boggles at potential stories, but let's not go there.
My interest is less global without having had news to bother me. I picked up a paper. News hounds die hard. I saw a piece by Helen Zille. "A Beautiful Project Thwarted."
"The mayor and I have often been tempted to withdraw from the Hangberg process altogether;...."
While all lament the lack of provision for the New South Africans it does seem that you can't deliver even if you really want to. At least, in my experience, that is how it seems. Then on the way home I had the radio and in one talk show - and that does seem all there is to listen to if you are me - the presenter asked for only positive comments about life in the new South Africa. Glad of this, I turned it up. There were quite a few people who called in to say how much better things were. Ordinary Joe Soaps called. Mostly Joe's, though a couple of ladies contributed.
One comment was a tad funny, if you are warped like me. Paraphrasing: Back in the day we had to walk 15 kilometers to get water or to find wood ... well the ladies did, because, of course, I am a man ... (and that means you sit about a lot while the ladies walk to find ...) and these days the water is close. And there is electricity. Very positive that the said man was grateful that the ladies didn't have to walk so far anymore.
Another was precious in its innocence. It seems that some community was given water via some piping and water meters were installed to ... ludicrously, I suppose ... charge people for their consumption. This fellow said the positive thing he had to report was that the community merely broke the meters and fixed it so that they could get the water without paying. After all, the water belongs to the people. The presenter said that breaking things was not good ... (her three dots) and the man said, no! it was indeed good. He meant it and he meant no malic by it. The meters were obviously a silly mistake and the positive news was they knew how to fix it. Now all is well with the world.
Just a thought ...
Hmm - I suppose I might ask men to think before they get excited and draw lines in the sand that need defending.
After my 82 pages of Mr. Pinker's book I am already more relaxed about the state of things. Firstly because things do seem to be better at the moment than they were, and secondly because if we are falling back into the dark ages (by accident or design or because it is written) then there is precious little I can do about it. I expect we ladies might have to go back to walking a distance to find water and sticks for the fire again, only this time for different reasons.
And, and, and, we forget the remarkable men who go to their graves. Repeating the past is inevitable. Best we can do is make sure we survive for a while in as good emotional circumstance as we can conspire to achieve, with a little privacy and a lot of freedom. And books, of course. Lots of books.
Love and Light my lovelies
Monday, March 17, 2014
Not much of a blog...
SURVIVAL
Internet cafe. I miss my computer.
Cigarettes - can't smoke here. Good thing.
Sunny day - everyone is out shopping. Every second person is a geriatric. Hair not all that. Slow, pondering shop windows, or not, for fear of forgetting where one is going. I am waiting for a script from my doctor whose name I forgot ... this old age thing is definitely not all that.
Make up - I have decided that I shall use make-up after all. I can't think of anything more depressing than looking like a falling over, forgetful, old person. One scares the young.
Book - Kabbalah, which is two in one survival thing.
Family -I am surviving really well with my daughters and grandson. All quite delightful and inspiring. I have finally begun to think of drawing again. That hasn't happened in a long, long time.
MOVING ON
I watched "Fiddler on the Roof" with my grandson. I forgot that it was set in the Ukraine. History is repeating.
GLOBAL FRONT
I have only been watching the Ukraine. "Check mate." Winner takes all. What is all?
JUST A THOUGHT
Whatever it was I came here to say escapes me. It has something to do with kings, rules, regiments and the common man. Putin has figured it out, I think. I watch with interest and pray without ceasing.
Love and Light
Internet cafe. I miss my computer.
Cigarettes - can't smoke here. Good thing.
Sunny day - everyone is out shopping. Every second person is a geriatric. Hair not all that. Slow, pondering shop windows, or not, for fear of forgetting where one is going. I am waiting for a script from my doctor whose name I forgot ... this old age thing is definitely not all that.
Make up - I have decided that I shall use make-up after all. I can't think of anything more depressing than looking like a falling over, forgetful, old person. One scares the young.
Book - Kabbalah, which is two in one survival thing.
Family -I am surviving really well with my daughters and grandson. All quite delightful and inspiring. I have finally begun to think of drawing again. That hasn't happened in a long, long time.
MOVING ON
I watched "Fiddler on the Roof" with my grandson. I forgot that it was set in the Ukraine. History is repeating.
GLOBAL FRONT
I have only been watching the Ukraine. "Check mate." Winner takes all. What is all?
JUST A THOUGHT
Whatever it was I came here to say escapes me. It has something to do with kings, rules, regiments and the common man. Putin has figured it out, I think. I watch with interest and pray without ceasing.
Love and Light
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Departure Notice
Survival
No matter what - hold fast to that which is good.
Moving on
Just as you get used to me again, I have to leave. I am off to cape Town for a spell.
On the Global Front
We are still here.
Just a thought
Do all things in love.
Walk in the Light my lovelies.
No matter what - hold fast to that which is good.
Moving on
Just as you get used to me again, I have to leave. I am off to cape Town for a spell.
On the Global Front
We are still here.
Just a thought
Do all things in love.
Walk in the Light my lovelies.
Monday, March 3, 2014
"Verveine L'Octaine en Provence"
Survival
My desk is my survival kit.
Contents for survival:
Moving on.
My depression hit a rung. We believe that if we take the pills we will not be able to find our creativity.
I have proved that depression not only reduces one's capacity for creativity, but it affects everyone's capacity for creativity.
The numbness reduces one's desire to aspire to one's own heights.
The sight and sound of us removes the joy from others. Mostly our significant others.
That's just not cricket.
Though medication does change one, and none of us know if this is for the better. We are bombarded by those who don't have our hearts and think that it is pure poison. Their judgement causes us to doubt the medication. No matter. Well-intentioned advices do not help me. I must see if I can find my creativity again, words enough to finish the stories.
I am only 63. There must be something worthwhile that I can do with the rest of my time.
Depression deprives us of motivation, concentration and appetite. Cigarettes are the substitute action. We drink alcohol when drastic action is required. A doubling up of ... whatever our poisons ... so we can elude ourselves into believing that we are actually doing something.
It is, of course, ego. I truly believe this. The ego is somehow wounded and a mortified mind can find any manner of means to bring relief and apportion blame. If there is blame, there is ego.
Depression robs one of ideas required to find the proper action.
Mr Piers calmly allows me my bouts of darkness until I come to him in pain. Then, do the right thing. Don't argue with it. Just do something meaningful to change the fright filled visions.
We are extraordinary. The pills, I think, help us express it. But, when depressed, we are convinced that this is not so. We feel like failures, but without pills failure is sure. The danger is that if one doesn't treat it, in my experience, the low level one falls to can feel pretty normal. Normal without mojo. Ego causes it and ego stops active steps to remove it.
I think... so far. I welcome any debate.
On the Global Front.
The globe just got smaller. I can only see as far as my heart today. Earth has fewer inhabitants. The Ukraine has my prayers, but not my focus. I don't know what progress has been made to subdue powers, hungry for expansion, born of perceived need.
Just a thought
I beg our Creator, King of the Universe, do not abandon us to our lusts. Turn your eyes back to us and nurture the good in us. Heal us of our broken hearts, open the windows of Heaven and let your light shine upon us. My candle is burning. I send my love to all in war torn places and ask your special hand of healing. If I am depressed because of my biology and broken because of my loss, how broken, depressed and immobilised are your many souls out there. Grant us peace in our day.
My desk is my survival kit.
Contents for survival:
- And Cream from Ne' : Verveine L'Octaine en Provence ~ vital for healing,
- Cigarettes ~ I know. The battle goes on.
- A screw kept a gate closed ~ about three inches long.= ` wrapped in a gift of beads and interwoven are the words : "I know". Gift from my gardener's wife. It kept Alfred in the yard. He did so like escaping.
- A water vase most extraordinary. Gift from Ne'.
- Candles ~ a few - gifts from Ne' ~ Harmony, perfumed.
- Books - language, spiritual, reference and writing instruments.
- Stones.
- Ants and dust.
- Hebrew lesson paraphernalia.
Moving on.
My depression hit a rung. We believe that if we take the pills we will not be able to find our creativity.
I have proved that depression not only reduces one's capacity for creativity, but it affects everyone's capacity for creativity.
The numbness reduces one's desire to aspire to one's own heights.
The sight and sound of us removes the joy from others. Mostly our significant others.
That's just not cricket.
Though medication does change one, and none of us know if this is for the better. We are bombarded by those who don't have our hearts and think that it is pure poison. Their judgement causes us to doubt the medication. No matter. Well-intentioned advices do not help me. I must see if I can find my creativity again, words enough to finish the stories.
I am only 63. There must be something worthwhile that I can do with the rest of my time.
Depression deprives us of motivation, concentration and appetite. Cigarettes are the substitute action. We drink alcohol when drastic action is required. A doubling up of ... whatever our poisons ... so we can elude ourselves into believing that we are actually doing something.
It is, of course, ego. I truly believe this. The ego is somehow wounded and a mortified mind can find any manner of means to bring relief and apportion blame. If there is blame, there is ego.
Depression robs one of ideas required to find the proper action.
Mr Piers calmly allows me my bouts of darkness until I come to him in pain. Then, do the right thing. Don't argue with it. Just do something meaningful to change the fright filled visions.
We are extraordinary. The pills, I think, help us express it. But, when depressed, we are convinced that this is not so. We feel like failures, but without pills failure is sure. The danger is that if one doesn't treat it, in my experience, the low level one falls to can feel pretty normal. Normal without mojo. Ego causes it and ego stops active steps to remove it.
I think... so far. I welcome any debate.
On the Global Front.
The globe just got smaller. I can only see as far as my heart today. Earth has fewer inhabitants. The Ukraine has my prayers, but not my focus. I don't know what progress has been made to subdue powers, hungry for expansion, born of perceived need.
Just a thought
I beg our Creator, King of the Universe, do not abandon us to our lusts. Turn your eyes back to us and nurture the good in us. Heal us of our broken hearts, open the windows of Heaven and let your light shine upon us. My candle is burning. I send my love to all in war torn places and ask your special hand of healing. If I am depressed because of my biology and broken because of my loss, how broken, depressed and immobilised are your many souls out there. Grant us peace in our day.
Paul
Survival
One gets past quotes that are meant to encourage one to ... Perhaps one falls too low to reach. I don't know which it is. Rumi, however, does seem to be the kind of soul I would have enjoyed chatting to.
I've been looking at the life of Jesus lately. Being in "die genade jare" and all. Have no idea how we got here from Rumi, but no matter. I have new information compliments of teachers who saw something others seem to have missed. I know. I know. Bear with me.
John MacArthur started me on this journey.
I never realised the import of the time, of Jesus' Jewishness and the impact of his family and his community. Yes, he had brothers. Yes, he had a father and a mother. But once you start looking at it you see that his brothers weren't falling over themselves with support. You read precious little to nothing about his father, a only a smidgen more about his mother.
Then there are those years of nothing at all.
Then, along comes Paul. Now Paul was never my favourite. Bar the sentences that "spoke to me" along the way, duly underlined in my Life Application Bible, I skipped him. I did not know why. He's different ... I thought. Somehow other.
I did like James though. I didn't get that Paul was all about Grace and James was more Law. Well, I got it, but not in the sense of really knowing. Of course I would like James more. I like instructions and I like rules and I like working hard.
This of course gives me a new desire to read everything Paul wrote.
Moving on
I was lucky when I went back to Jesus. It was a glorious time of revival and I learned so much so quickly. The Word became flesh to me. There were periods where I was gobsmacked and not speaking. When you can't lash out at the humans you lash out at the supreme being. I just hope I missed.
I gave most of the Christian books away to customers in the last days of my bookshop because I didn't want them gathering dust. I did shove books into hands and insist they be taken home.
I kept one.
"Paul: The Apostle of Grace" by Warren Litzman
Why this one? No idea. I just felt I had to pick it. Of all the books I took for myself that day when the self picking had to be done, this was the oddest choice. But, there it is. Not only do I have many books, but I chose to read this one first.
I don't know anything about the writer. It is, however, a good pick. The history of Paul and Jesus and how the time influenced Paul's writings.
Anyway, it's given me a whole new perspective. If you are inclined, I recommend this read.
On the Global Front
I have no idea why they bothered to have a dedicated channel for the trial everyone is talking about - or forced to be talking about because you can't avoid it. Every news channel I switched to had the sound track of ... and picture of .. and really! Really?
My prayers lie with those facing the unknown which has taken on a whole new face - it's masked. Can't escape the importance of this moment in history. You so get this is different.
May G-d forgive us and grant us mercy and peace in our days.
Just a thought
I rather liked Mathew's Oscar acceptance speech. Not only because he thanked G-d, in a meaningful way, his parents and his family, but he gave us all a gift.
He said we have to have something to chase.
He chases his future self, the hero he wants to be.
A Capricorn who can't help look ahead, more than at the now, can only find this appealing.
May we all become the great heroes we want to be. I do believe we do.
Love and Light
One gets past quotes that are meant to encourage one to ... Perhaps one falls too low to reach. I don't know which it is. Rumi, however, does seem to be the kind of soul I would have enjoyed chatting to.
I've been looking at the life of Jesus lately. Being in "die genade jare" and all. Have no idea how we got here from Rumi, but no matter. I have new information compliments of teachers who saw something others seem to have missed. I know. I know. Bear with me.
John MacArthur started me on this journey.
I never realised the import of the time, of Jesus' Jewishness and the impact of his family and his community. Yes, he had brothers. Yes, he had a father and a mother. But once you start looking at it you see that his brothers weren't falling over themselves with support. You read precious little to nothing about his father, a only a smidgen more about his mother.
Then there are those years of nothing at all.
Then, along comes Paul. Now Paul was never my favourite. Bar the sentences that "spoke to me" along the way, duly underlined in my Life Application Bible, I skipped him. I did not know why. He's different ... I thought. Somehow other.
I did like James though. I didn't get that Paul was all about Grace and James was more Law. Well, I got it, but not in the sense of really knowing. Of course I would like James more. I like instructions and I like rules and I like working hard.
This of course gives me a new desire to read everything Paul wrote.
Moving on
I was lucky when I went back to Jesus. It was a glorious time of revival and I learned so much so quickly. The Word became flesh to me. There were periods where I was gobsmacked and not speaking. When you can't lash out at the humans you lash out at the supreme being. I just hope I missed.
I gave most of the Christian books away to customers in the last days of my bookshop because I didn't want them gathering dust. I did shove books into hands and insist they be taken home.
I kept one.
"Paul: The Apostle of Grace" by Warren Litzman
Why this one? No idea. I just felt I had to pick it. Of all the books I took for myself that day when the self picking had to be done, this was the oddest choice. But, there it is. Not only do I have many books, but I chose to read this one first.
I don't know anything about the writer. It is, however, a good pick. The history of Paul and Jesus and how the time influenced Paul's writings.
Anyway, it's given me a whole new perspective. If you are inclined, I recommend this read.
On the Global Front
I have no idea why they bothered to have a dedicated channel for the trial everyone is talking about - or forced to be talking about because you can't avoid it. Every news channel I switched to had the sound track of ... and picture of .. and really! Really?
My prayers lie with those facing the unknown which has taken on a whole new face - it's masked. Can't escape the importance of this moment in history. You so get this is different.
May G-d forgive us and grant us mercy and peace in our days.
Just a thought
I rather liked Mathew's Oscar acceptance speech. Not only because he thanked G-d, in a meaningful way, his parents and his family, but he gave us all a gift.
He said we have to have something to chase.
He chases his future self, the hero he wants to be.
A Capricorn who can't help look ahead, more than at the now, can only find this appealing.
May we all become the great heroes we want to be. I do believe we do.
Love and Light
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