tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6384862283341086052024-02-08T02:12:46.582+00:00Pea Soup Musings, Dad stuff, My boys, Stories, Words, Poems, Things?
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-81924178369255821342016-04-26T18:47:00.001+01:002020-02-02T21:12:28.243+00:00Maybe you’re in mad (A Sonnet)<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"It's not that
you believe people are lying when they tell you that they love you, or when
they say that you have value. You just think they're mistaken. 'I love you.' 'I
know you do. I know you think you do.’ It’s all in the thought" (Agides,
2015)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aKX1gg4tANL9ILy9di8HP2pcxJ8MrlorMjD4DZM_vKEeJJ-LCWlYjuaFAMhdkFlwl6D66KG8SWriBD10gE-yEOW5FzRP0BEKVXGKFgzHoYU_OkXGbMvBvcXWxmt-QAUVCg9NkHksoqM/s1600/helping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aKX1gg4tANL9ILy9di8HP2pcxJ8MrlorMjD4DZM_vKEeJJ-LCWlYjuaFAMhdkFlwl6D66KG8SWriBD10gE-yEOW5FzRP0BEKVXGKFgzHoYU_OkXGbMvBvcXWxmt-QAUVCg9NkHksoqM/s400/helping.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Maybe
you’re in mad</b></span></u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b> </b> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Belief in mental illness is
the same <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">as she convinced by what she
thinks is real.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In search of feeling... fearful of the name<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">its promise without trust; has no appeal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Shaping shared translations
each will steal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">closer to the truth than
many others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Compassion their combined
Achilles heel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">agápe flowed, from
blind-hearted mothers.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When lovers say they love
you; have they lied?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When loves announce they
lied; is that your truth?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Affection seems like
bullshit we denied<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">or failed to learn as
signals in our youth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">All should just believe that
love is giving </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Live to love: a life that is
worth living</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrOyJ6LV64So-FL0JnbxIIhlxPGjDW6UHesE25iuog-st8yvJXTtSDV92OxtoWYvtZdZeFr1Kg-8fUBW8cLdhI47r482a25KuRgYDjkschXdKreU8PaJ_dK0NCZy__8qe1QNcLsrz2Ro/s1600/12745467_10153465912548131_8562122471222212801_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrOyJ6LV64So-FL0JnbxIIhlxPGjDW6UHesE25iuog-st8yvJXTtSDV92OxtoWYvtZdZeFr1Kg-8fUBW8cLdhI47r482a25KuRgYDjkschXdKreU8PaJ_dK0NCZy__8qe1QNcLsrz2Ro/s640/12745467_10153465912548131_8562122471222212801_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-78377539174568334412016-04-18T21:51:00.000+01:002020-02-02T21:20:06.930+00:00She'll Have To Go<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">There was only one solution. He had to get rid
of the dog; without them knowing. At night. It would need to be
at night. He would drive</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: 0.5in;">, someplace. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: 0.5in;">He’d decide later where, open the doors, let it out, drive away. Sooner the better. He felt relieved
making the decision. Any action was better than none. He was convinced.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The dog adored car journeys and loved its station
wagon bed. Visits to family, the treat giving vet or the large park across town; where she got to run free of the leash. There’d be no
trouble sneaking her out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An hour in with light failing he had a sense she had not settled.
In the rearview mirror he saw her wandering in circles looking for the perfect
spot to curl up. Lifting her nose, sniffing the air, another four-footed waltz; and repeat. Could she sense his unease? Was his musk of worry drifting
back? She’d always been asleep by now. He could see she was unsettled. He could feel his own tension. He watched as she nosed the air as if trying to identify a scent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnLCyaw0EfcbrrrPa1ol2tuPwX57Y8nHIEsfs-BJT-8f7XyBl-I4STPn96KNcJWdrkuoz_IVl6_INuOaMr8raYQuKr1d7Fj8FKTEcW15at5pMF6lLr9B_-Z3EQgOHlTrmd57X38uRWH0/s1600/20140310_150007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnLCyaw0EfcbrrrPa1ol2tuPwX57Y8nHIEsfs-BJT-8f7XyBl-I4STPn96KNcJWdrkuoz_IVl6_INuOaMr8raYQuKr1d7Fj8FKTEcW15at5pMF6lLr9B_-Z3EQgOHlTrmd57X38uRWH0/s320/20140310_150007.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A well-lit </span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">free-way</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">, long, narrow and straight. It went on for
an age and the car seemed not to change direction for even longer. Her ears had
remained pricked since he’d noticed. She now seemed to be searching for shapes
and sounds through the rear window. They exited the highway onto a narrow
street. After half a mile he turned onto a dirt track. The noise from the tires
changed. A lower register of loose gravel surrounded the car. He killed the engine.
Surrounded by sentinel pines he crooked his head to look up through the </span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">windshield</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> to find some sky. He saw treetops almost touching, like fingers closing in
prayer. He sat back and blew out his cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Opening his door he stepped into the night. The internal
light lit inches of darkness. She stood expectantly, tail slashing the air. He wandered
away hearing the beginning of her whine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wandering to a space between trees he relaxed against
one. As he tidied himself the interior light went out. At that moment the
weight of the darkness around him became overwhelming and he felt his eyes
moisten under the strain. He had to do this. It had become impossible. She’d be
fine. Someone would take her in - she was gentle, just needy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He lowered the tailgate. The inside light flashed on, staring
at him accusingly. She gazed up, perched on her haunches, awaited the command.
‘O.K. come on’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She jumped down. Squatting down to calm her he
grabbed her ruff, shook it and fussed her firmly. Thumping his leg with her
hysterical tail she spotted the ball in his hand and began bobbing and spinning
like a Cossack dancer. He rolled the ball into the head-lighted track half a
dozen times so that she became distracted by the game. The seventh, pressing his
calf against the front fender for purchase, he launched the ball with immense force
into the blackness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As he drove the salt of effort, ache and gloom mixed to stain
his face. He had gunned the gas pedal and spun the car down the track as fast
as he dare; wheels bouncing off the surface at each dip. He reached the road. The
surface smoothed as he approached the intersection to the turnpike. He had been
driving only a couple minutes and felt a good distance away. He opened his
window. Leaning out he gulped at the breeze. Wind on his face, hair blown
back, he felt the foggy dew on his mouth and began to calm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Guiding the car down the slipway he flicked the signal stalk
and drifted into the nearside lane. Reaching the interstate his mind swirled. Thoughts
of how he would answer family questions at breakfast began to fill his mind. A high pitched wailing pierced his thoughts; in the rear-view mirror lights
lurched into the air, smoke spilled out of torn tyres filling the </span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">free-way</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> like morning smog. He pulled onto the hard shoulder a cloud of burning fuel and
rubber billowing toward him. Stepping out he saw shadows of vehicles and people. Out of the thickening mist, he saw her. Tennis ball in mouth lurching
unevenly. Her back right
leg not touching the ground. She spotted him. Her tail wagged furiously. She
hobbled towards him he sunk to his knees felt that involuntary spasm that stirs
the stomach and overflows the chest. The leg was badly damaged and fur
along her flank was black with matted blood. He picked her up and laid her
gently in her bed, tail slowly slapping the floor of the car.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> With his phone he
searched for the nearest Vet. Ten minutes later he carried a limp silent
bloodied bitch onto a gleaming stainless steel operating table and whispering
in her ear begged her to recover. The vet, masked, gestured for him to wait
outside.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All he wanted now was for her to survive. How would he
explain this all to his girls? He called to explain. The phone answered by a drowsy voice.
‘Hello?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The vet came into reception, latex gloved fingers streaked
red, a plastic apron over green scrubs wearing a mask hooked over ears. She lifted a hand and eyebrows to attract his attention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">‘Sorry darling’. I’ll call you straight back. I promise... Love
you.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">___________________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-38935960244464289612016-04-11T14:01:00.000+01:002016-04-11T16:28:22.091+01:00Air Reconditioning <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx3G8Tay5Gl_OLo7uThTyRrNikil4ckZmvop5up4XwNyYKJ6R7YrJwLyIl6VrpXlEOWnkS-jJTd6mhsE8zzNUPO6wyM5Vebf72o7-6IGXDlz_txzxkZ9XD8OKA1Smncv3LnKmyLcmuxk/s1600/silent.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx3G8Tay5Gl_OLo7uThTyRrNikil4ckZmvop5up4XwNyYKJ6R7YrJwLyIl6VrpXlEOWnkS-jJTd6mhsE8zzNUPO6wyM5Vebf72o7-6IGXDlz_txzxkZ9XD8OKA1Smncv3LnKmyLcmuxk/s200/silent.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Avoidance is impossible. The hum. The unremitting hum. That merciless mechanical murmur. Fills the ears. Fills the senses. Fills the air: Is the air. This morning a suburban silence washed my ears. The solace of stillness warmed my senses. Here: where two foot tall Schutzstaffel black letters plastered on Khmer rouge walls scream ‘Silent Zone’; a perpetual hum grumbles. A draining droning drill trepanning the temple.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">We knew to keep quiet. If ever uncertain, triangular blocks an inch or so high rested around reception reminding us: ‘Please Be Quiet’. A polite plain appeal in a peaceful unpretentious place. In those distant days when we decamped directives were gentle. Manners managed. Dignity defined. Instinct informed. We’d scuttle to our shelf. Soft shoe shuffling to the world of Scooby-Doo. Around the main display— turn right— towards the low tables. Third shelf. Squeaking plimsolls pounding parquet in the sprint for first. Nothing: ‘She’ might hear you. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Here the harbinger hum is accompanied by a low biting breeze. The kind that eats kidneys. A waft to wither eyes. If it stops, a rasp of zippers scratch the ether. Fleeces flash from shoulders to the backs of chairs. Static crackles from pullovers drawn over heads. The maelstrom resurrects the mistral. Thrum revived. Jackets and jumpers return. That wall of black and red of red and black silently screaming: Silent zone. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-indent: 48px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk9GlqDj94De0MNg9ABeksFf9zYj_gjcjFXIHxwjVQD19yvQ9YivxuRbGgSpTzyRVPO7JQaSEk1Sfcl0oIjddMMJj-VoHiw-i5QrjZU1tnlgzHBAephMJIKLLJQDcAOgSaDQ3TRLKyxY/s1600/readbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk9GlqDj94De0MNg9ABeksFf9zYj_gjcjFXIHxwjVQD19yvQ9YivxuRbGgSpTzyRVPO7JQaSEk1Sfcl0oIjddMMJj-VoHiw-i5QrjZU1tnlgzHBAephMJIKLLJQDcAOgSaDQ3TRLKyxY/s1600/readbook.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-20603115200889312822015-07-09T16:30:00.001+01:002016-03-28T00:48:42.776+01:00Alice <div class="MsoNormal">
Released from an
8 x 12, barred and shuttered into a limiting world. I had made excuses early to escape. Today I had an
appointment to collect my amber eyed princess from her country retreat. She had
been away four slab grey days even with the sun at its summer brightest.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Heading to the car the sun high in its mantle and my
mind. A dry day’s dew dampening lip and forehead only a few steps
from the air conditioned library. I’d felt a pang of guilt at my first
attendance. Having been asked to suggest a prompt I had chosen the rather dull title ‘Driving in my Car'.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I headed out on the journey to collect Alice; wondering. I had done the same trip four days earlier with Alice on
the back seat resting quietly, occasional murmurs silenced by soothing sounds
of her sleeping. She slept softly snuffles sounding. I drove
along the arid ash grey asphalt nervous of a wrong turning focused firmly on
my ‘A’ road notes and missing anything interesting on the way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This time I was more relaxed as I had done the trip before, but some nerves still existed bubbling in my chest. It had been four days. Alice had no doubt been thoroughly spoilt. I knew they had planned lots of
special activities for her when she arrived. I hoped she’d be pleased to see
me, but I felt unsure. In my wildest imaginings I would never be able to
provide the same levels of opportunity and luxury that they could.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Familiarity with the trip meant I was able to look about
more and to be truthful I needed too. The worry about how my ebony haired beauty
would react on seeing me again was in danger of becoming overwhelming. 'Come on
man! Enjoy the bloody drive!'<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were extremes of England along the way and it was
fascinating. The ebb of modern and flow of traditional England. The stoic glass
and steel edifices of Milton Keynes to the twee and gentle ancient and aged in
villages like Wing. The sight that released my mind from the purgatory of
worry hove into view fewer than ten miles from my destination. I caught sight
briefly of a deep rich red splash against the bright blue sky. Then again, and
again. Each time moving gently across my line of sight. Beautiful graceful powerful gentle soaring gliding
effortless Kites. Red Kites; sun bursting through vermilion feathers I was in thrall. I had never seen one in nature and here there were half a dozen at least commanding
the sky and overseeing there kingdom.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I slowed to keep them in view longer; craning under the prow
of the windscreen, I was overtaken by the thought that it made sense for mythic
goddesses to have red hair and blue eyes when you could feel the impact of the
flamed feathers against a clear cobalt canopy, Botticelli was right to drape
Venus in terracotta tresses against the sea and sky of sad sapphire..<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lost sight of the Kites as the car rolled down the hill; the final half mile to my destination, but they had taken my mind away
from my nervous anticipation of seeing my gorgeous girl. I’d arrived, the journey so much shorter than before. I parked up and made my way to
reception. They were expecting me. One quick call to her room and a young woman
came out to escort me. My mouth felt dry my brow again damp my heart skipping
just a little I wondered if she’d missed me as I had missed her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The girl opened the door and called out to her, 'Alice! Your
ride has arrived'.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgLJqkGp018T2wv8j-lWBSR5YG4c-LhSBd5j-rmKKtwHu_PLrL1Mjck13w-Y9iPxzGelYAxdO14QVwiJDEWn96r9NtMma-AcZe7OQ6enTaUoTjtMnYwRyTTSPXIdN4FaiR0xcO-mbCQU/s1600/Milly+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgLJqkGp018T2wv8j-lWBSR5YG4c-LhSBd5j-rmKKtwHu_PLrL1Mjck13w-Y9iPxzGelYAxdO14QVwiJDEWn96r9NtMma-AcZe7OQ6enTaUoTjtMnYwRyTTSPXIdN4FaiR0xcO-mbCQU/s320/Milly+3.JPG" width="212" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then I heard the clatter of feet on the polished
floor. She burst through the door and leapt into my open arms, kissing me in
her unique way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was so happy to have my beautiful black Labrador back.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLn65O6LX0ddBcJAqh_LMujJMMCPFxRPVzm0i5IIKM2bARzRL8hNGsuvo4id7ZPxV8UZEtDSxJu3fbchyphenhyphenVAz7q7n88YJvpDoiGXjRBwJzcgl1kNURuQzowlMFopEhr5nZ1FdgMLpa0Wq4/s1600/IMG_1759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLn65O6LX0ddBcJAqh_LMujJMMCPFxRPVzm0i5IIKM2bARzRL8hNGsuvo4id7ZPxV8UZEtDSxJu3fbchyphenhyphenVAz7q7n88YJvpDoiGXjRBwJzcgl1kNURuQzowlMFopEhr5nZ1FdgMLpa0Wq4/s320/IMG_1759.JPG" width="320" /></a>Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-66599650938713150712015-06-25T10:07:00.000+01:002015-12-11T18:00:19.780+00:00Standing in Sunshine<div class="MsoHeader">
“<i>Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in
one's own sunshine.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoHeader">
<i>― Ralph Waldo Emerson</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoHeader">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mgTs3ejJgxAVTyBHzGdgoZ7VVykHYcc-5r7mZMIl1HmiDqymU0A_dxM2kmPOycq5TlWQyNYsr-3VbFD2JKb6hvNld46aqXGCqT0jGIvbLRPwfp8_J9Hu74EkpM4UCDrGAHLm4TLv_GI/s1600/free_tree_sun_shutterstock_62713336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mgTs3ejJgxAVTyBHzGdgoZ7VVykHYcc-5r7mZMIl1HmiDqymU0A_dxM2kmPOycq5TlWQyNYsr-3VbFD2JKb6hvNld46aqXGCqT0jGIvbLRPwfp8_J9Hu74EkpM4UCDrGAHLm4TLv_GI/s320/free_tree_sun_shutterstock_62713336.jpg" width="320" /></a><i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unique feelings, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
vicarious -</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
of
duty</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
fear- </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
loss – </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
waste - <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
achievement?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
an anxious calm<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
feelings fed from <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
another’s memory<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
recollecting times <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
never known<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
places never been<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
loves never kissed<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
horrors never seen<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
pains never felt<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
all seen in the eye of the<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
collective mind. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Feeling pride in the <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
intangible<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
touching that past <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
with another’s finger; <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
transcendent connections<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
to the grey<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
spurning spines<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
carrying static tingles <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
deep to the <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
meat of your chest. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
without manifest memory <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
family stories of <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
what granddad did in the war,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
there exists this<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
celestial kinship.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
searching… in that <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
genealogical gulf<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
for the stories<br />
that connect us<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
to history’s winding coil<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
that elusive intuit which <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
may just inform us<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
transform us<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
confirm us <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
in our beliefs<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
expectations<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
understandings<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looking;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
for explanations<br />
of what we’ve become</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
of what we are<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
of what we think we
are<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
of what we imagine we are<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
others may think we
are<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
that virtue that would be -</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>'tae see oor-selles as
others see us.</i>’*<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
'what did granddad do
in the war?'<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He stepped out of his sunshine -<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
so we could stand <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
in ours.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 12.8400001525879px;">*From the poem, ‘To a Louse’ – Robert Burns</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-39459697583931879402015-06-21T23:08:00.000+01:002015-12-11T18:14:26.655+00:00It's only Werdz (Contains swearing!)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 24pt 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0phSizMMo8MieBAi8mwLUOMmVHlvwoAqQOWoKFrcSyyoj9DGcjd4-Xh6yiVegY0z8dRtuO7B3kLSAhst8ZIZ9663p9w5nNHa0PeOh0A-x66nDJYNfL_PnfRMZQ33ZDEEMqQcRIvE63g/s1600/free_coloredpencils_shutterstock_19417588_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0phSizMMo8MieBAi8mwLUOMmVHlvwoAqQOWoKFrcSyyoj9DGcjd4-Xh6yiVegY0z8dRtuO7B3kLSAhst8ZIZ9663p9w5nNHa0PeOh0A-x66nDJYNfL_PnfRMZQ33ZDEEMqQcRIvE63g/s320/free_coloredpencils_shutterstock_19417588_web.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I
have a fetish for the steel of words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">People
state: “Yer don’t ‘alf kno’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">a
lot of werdz mate!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I
suppose I do but;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">What
- a - fucking, Waste!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 24pt 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">When
some baulk at alternate words<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Or
pull a forced grimace,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">That
says “Ooer! ‘ark at you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Wiv’
yer big long werdz.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Flash
git ain’t-cha mate!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 24pt 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I
recently used (without thinking)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The
phrase, ‘a visceral feeling’,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">They
said “ Yoo wot! You fuckin' nob!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">‘ave
a drink, un' get down off the ceiling!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 24pt 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">So
I thought, I know what I shall do<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I’ll
use this thrall in words,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And
try to write some poetry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<i><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">‘Fill copious page in fulsome prose’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Use
all those words that just mean ‘nose’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And
show the world that words;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Are
luminescent spears,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">That
pierce the bugger’s atmospheres.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 24pt 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I
found a spot where I was able to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Present
my poems incognito<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I
chose an obscure 'nom de plume'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Shared
my first in dread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 24pt 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The
first response from someone said.-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“You
have a vast vocabulary friend,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">its
clear, but here’s 'the rub.'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5EcA_8wMzdD2D1DpuKxdSL7P1r32v8dL4ZdEenCTj9rfNDfG2QXj3aaIt-51Hw3XpRXMJF0raoQF-PYdhrqkD1qIx5L2QqKLFwcYA-sF8wVp-VQ42m0xkm7R5XOF97livkESzMywOqQ/s1600/abstractglasses-714x526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5EcA_8wMzdD2D1DpuKxdSL7P1r32v8dL4ZdEenCTj9rfNDfG2QXj3aaIt-51Hw3XpRXMJF0raoQF-PYdhrqkD1qIx5L2QqKLFwcYA-sF8wVp-VQ42m0xkm7R5XOF97livkESzMywOqQ/s320/abstractglasses-714x526.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">you’re
rather<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">out
of step<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">old
son,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">That
wordy stuff,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">been
overdone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Poesies
knave's<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Simplicity
and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Brevity
is King!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Oh!
Fuck it then!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The
King is dead long live the fucking King!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-31488238512234356232015-06-21T18:29:00.003+01:002015-12-11T18:17:35.085+00:00Most Days <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIr_nEDiNbvhmiSWoRHH5G7tWqS9m_BLWcPNANtiOkbgLs7Tt8LakaVHJG3xZw0zprVlabbYTTJduNvO0k7a7mEWVOaYlnp8rzg9FOPe9NAcjCRaKKFrrGwFcN5MTQ8z6GiBEn7Nocxw/s1600/shutterstock_15467920-714x476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIr_nEDiNbvhmiSWoRHH5G7tWqS9m_BLWcPNANtiOkbgLs7Tt8LakaVHJG3xZw0zprVlabbYTTJduNvO0k7a7mEWVOaYlnp8rzg9FOPe9NAcjCRaKKFrrGwFcN5MTQ8z6GiBEn7Nocxw/s400/shutterstock_15467920-714x476.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 4.8pt 0.0001pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most days have been meander walking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Tired treads tell too little talking - most days<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most days I strive to un-forgot<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">About those steps that life did not<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And about the spells I've had too <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 0cm 24pt 0.0001pt 26.25pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most days, I tarry on my ramblings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Sod soaked strides submit to shambling - most
days<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most days I hold - I’ll find some other road<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Design to dodge dawn's dust-truck unload<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And dream deliverance in a dry shoe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 0cm 24pt 0.0001pt 26.25pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most days I consider that long lost lover<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Or the risk wretch’d rack to love another - most
days<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most days facile feelings found afraid<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">To live the life fickle fates fade<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And of that fatal - I’ll lose you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 0cm 24pt 0.0001pt 26.25pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most days avoid each nights dreaming<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Easier done without sound sleeping, most days<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most days prayed countless times on saviours<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Don’t dare denounce me for my failures<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And about the times I withdrew -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I won’t forget -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Most days…</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); margin: 3.75pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #4c6680; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-38088425345964489992015-06-16T04:20:00.000+01:002015-06-23T04:27:48.367+01:00Choose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8a8FqhZ1jGqNToHjfV7O3nCZ4Pi000fJms0NdMjRSwcUDWYPI4GESBgF15F2-J-wAtqUrs562rCu5mzZm-pg1oVqVxQ9uHVtlk0Bq22vNnFY3DkVCL_2OJD0VkCzpYs2q1FDjCitmNw/s1600/shutterstock_3783607-714x475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8a8FqhZ1jGqNToHjfV7O3nCZ4Pi000fJms0NdMjRSwcUDWYPI4GESBgF15F2-J-wAtqUrs562rCu5mzZm-pg1oVqVxQ9uHVtlk0Bq22vNnFY3DkVCL_2OJD0VkCzpYs2q1FDjCitmNw/s320/shutterstock_3783607-714x475.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Some hearts are so split open<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
You see bleeding in dying eyes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Others get so badly burnt</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They taste bitter char on blistered kiss</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some have a lust so vanquishing</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You feel them beat their sensuality to death</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Others with a lust so debilitating</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They stumble in shadowed feelings and miss.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some with a love so desperate</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You smell them in their foetid fear</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Others with a love so disfiguring</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They hold their faith in a knot wizened fist.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She owns hate to keep<br />
her company; Scorn to keep<br />
her warm; Fear to keep<br />
her lonely - safe from being harmed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You choose.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-66423650572447664942015-06-15T09:03:00.000+01:002015-12-11T18:26:12.976+00:00Fade...<div class="KonaBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14.3999996185303px; padding-right: 5px;">
<div style="font-family: Roboto, sans-serif !important; font-stretch: normal !important; line-height: 23px !important;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vde17NsMYlMNR9qyVqhbk-TkmeFNccC91XlDQ-KFZF0GKv6au2ORQ6w6fKbQWXiBzjwkt8WnmuGi1BOsSuquQJBZYndPnDbVd-8oPixZ1HEJElvO1J0TvSlqHRU-Rg9L1gss8ztpx6Q/s1600/sept6photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vde17NsMYlMNR9qyVqhbk-TkmeFNccC91XlDQ-KFZF0GKv6au2ORQ6w6fKbQWXiBzjwkt8WnmuGi1BOsSuquQJBZYndPnDbVd-8oPixZ1HEJElvO1J0TvSlqHRU-Rg9L1gss8ztpx6Q/s320/sept6photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="KonaBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14.3999996185303px; padding-right: 5px; text-align: start;">
<div style="font-family: Roboto, sans-serif !important; font-stretch: normal !important; line-height: 23px !important;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Heart! O heart! if she'd but turn her head,<br />You'd know the folly of being comforted.- </span><a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/william-butler-yeats/poems/" style="color: #005d93; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">W.B.Yeats</span></a></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A memory lost – abandoned?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vde17NsMYlMNR9qyVqhbk-TkmeFNccC91XlDQ-KFZF0GKv6au2ORQ6w6fKbQWXiBzjwkt8WnmuGi1BOsSuquQJBZYndPnDbVd-8oPixZ1HEJElvO1J0TvSlqHRU-Rg9L1gss8ztpx6Q/s1600/sept6photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a>an ideas catch? - for proof <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
thoughts out-muscle keys,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
broken - open wide<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
piercing monster eye<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
green - laser point <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
cuts pasts wounds…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
an opaque<br />
membrane’d veil<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
blocked thoughts escaped; <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
bleeding nostalgias gum<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
secreting into soiled bones.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thick scar white; heavy<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
glued to grasp and <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
anchor aches fast , <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
in hollowed
chests.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She; seen - denim jeaned</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
diablo back dressed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshKrOaDOCyj8gki0RY8p_mhWA7Mdim-KrGTJuboMb-XH_0nWEDiNrthHjBpMOMzJRhlCCoytanaJ78wll9j8xIRzoIpTpKIknobZkzT5PbsHAhD1YjVpe-7epHRZEtMNTFxfMUhvuhyphenhyphenY/s1600/grey-brick-wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshKrOaDOCyj8gki0RY8p_mhWA7Mdim-KrGTJuboMb-XH_0nWEDiNrthHjBpMOMzJRhlCCoytanaJ78wll9j8xIRzoIpTpKIknobZkzT5PbsHAhD1YjVpe-7epHRZEtMNTFxfMUhvuhyphenhyphenY/s320/grey-brick-wall.jpg" width="320" /></a>in cascade coils of<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
corn-silk blonde<br />
face hidden –<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
gavel hearted<br />
called
her name <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
she turning in seducement swathe,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the same: “Yes… do I know you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mouth spilled again<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘I'm sorry ?’ waif-ted
from her lips<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
'Oh! Sweetie I think…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
you might mean -my mum.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘I'm so sorry…’ stumbled in</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
grey'd<o:p></o:p></div>
bricks from my mouth.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thoughts collapsed<br />
tube light,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
pin tight encircled by </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
life’s warm red shadow...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i> </i>it had - begun to </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
f<br />
. a<span style="color: #2e74b5; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
d<br />
e<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-77498832067670319902015-06-15T04:54:00.000+01:002017-04-19T21:06:07.636+01:00George's War<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxOOqnw0pzdER1XIF7VBv2Mb4N9GTrIJ8OCUN-LfUMswQ7lFFPoP-bK2UqI6vlJ57WK5sjZI6uJELWBzChA6GYLpzuZqFzU0WG-vVMwzpj9qlyu6_yG2fuuUi5PQsaXHumx6oWN1bbFo/s1600/AJS_350_cc_TV_1936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxOOqnw0pzdER1XIF7VBv2Mb4N9GTrIJ8OCUN-LfUMswQ7lFFPoP-bK2UqI6vlJ57WK5sjZI6uJELWBzChA6GYLpzuZqFzU0WG-vVMwzpj9qlyu6_yG2fuuUi5PQsaXHumx6oWN1bbFo/s320/AJS_350_cc_TV_1936.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess Josephine (image courtesy wikipedia)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He woke late. Emily; pregnant with their fifth child, lay heavily in a warm wet glow from a fitful sleep. He'd lain awake wondering if this would be their second boy. They had chatted before sleeping of the void left by the passing of their first son aged only eight months. Emily had the three girls to help but George coveted a son to share his gardens and joys.</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-1fba4197-fcf6-507e-b9e6-e867793966f8" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Stay there Emm. I’ll get the girls to keep an eye on things”. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kathleen was thirteen and managed well. The younger two between them doing all those little things that mum struggled with now her sight was lost. George kissed Emily’s pink glowing belly. ‘See you soon little man’ he said picking his cream leather helmet from a hook on the bedroom door before turning; 'love you Em'.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.4px; white-space: pre-wrap;">weaved the</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> black chromed motorcycle along baked autumn lanes, a Blackfin tuna in a rippling sea. She was glossy, glimmer bright, fishtail exhausts polished to a gleam brighter than a smile in a child’s eye. She wore a jet black sidecar, languishing like a platinum draped Josephine Baker. She was his joy his release his obsession his mistress.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was late morning, an Indian summer day October 1938. Chamberlain had returned a few days earlier with his fluttering paper promise. His Princess always out on Sundays releasing her from her wooden temple taking her to visit his parents. It was about twenty five miles along the counties byways and he knew the route like he knew the growing phases of his prize rhododendrons.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sun baked a shimmer into the road, making it uncomfortably warm. Sweating heavily in jacket and pale gauntlets his helmet squeaked with perspiration; pushing the peak back every few miles was useless, He pulled over. George took a coarse grey knitted blanket from the sidecar, brought to wrap plants from his father’s estate. Removing helmet and jacket the blanket was used to dry his nape and forehead before replacing and adding his jacket. He pushed the helmet down firmly onto his crown thumping it down with the side of a clenched hand to get a good tight purchase. The rough wiry blanket combined with sweat and rubbing of chin straps had left his jowl sore so he’d left them unfastened. He was fewer than five miles from his parent’s cottage. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cooler now cruising winding roads, thinning woodland flowing past. Torrents of rose and sage leaves rose as he reached them lowered as he passed in a wave of branches. Ahead the road bore sharp right it was simple to cut the angle by skirting the inside kerb drifting back across he had done it a hundred or more times. This time an enormous moss green liveried bull in the shape of an army Scammell took the same bend from the opposite direction. George snatched at the brake.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But for his sidecar he may well have avoided impact. It had slapped the bulbous wheel arch of the beast and flicked the bike into the air. The bike remains of the side-car and George had their momentum violently stopped by a stolid statuesque gilt leafed Elm tree. Wrapped around its trunk tighter than puttee’s, soldiers leaped from the lorry racing to the confusion; dangling like a pink grub eaten fruit from the blackened branches. His right leg severely lacerated by torn metal he was trapped, the bike above him. His helmet had burst from his head clattered against the hanging branches bouncing into the road. A junior crewman mistook it for his head and fainted. Hot fuel and oil leaking from the tanks dripped, blistering flesh from his cheek and neck. A gunner grabbed a piece of blanket cloth wrapped into the branches pushing it over his face to stop the burning. The cloth soaked up dripping fuel. Crew and passers-by helped yank the bike out of the trees. In that moment the heat from the engine ignited the cloth instantly melting it into George’s face and neck. Jackets were ripped from backs and three men beat at the flames and body aware that the whole might explode at any moment. They managed to peel George from the crumpled metal throwing him across the road away from the danger. He passed out from the excrutiating pain.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emily was told of the accident in the late afternoon. A baby boy was born later that day,</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.4px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">five days early. It would be several weeks before Dad met son. He was a beautiful baby.Everyone said how much he looked like his mum</span></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 13.3333333333333px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">©Agides</span></div>
</div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-37248831506611467152015-06-14T16:34:00.000+01:002017-07-14T12:55:17.397+01:00Terry-Thomas: Unmistakable <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.7pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 19.9pt; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjW-4xMSSHzGqFpl1yg67IMFIaPGUA8U-i8zxNv6I7wdJ8jS8W0zNI7sgJgPkhBifDxei15_fQTrBuIn4ovEKqicQtdlvYyOFx6kbQbewYoDsA60HO-XPbhJaMy3AmCPYJE1KgA-_s-k/s1600/tt6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjW-4xMSSHzGqFpl1yg67IMFIaPGUA8U-i8zxNv6I7wdJ8jS8W0zNI7sgJgPkhBifDxei15_fQTrBuIn4ovEKqicQtdlvYyOFx6kbQbewYoDsA60HO-XPbhJaMy3AmCPYJE1KgA-_s-k/s400/tt6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unmistakably Terry-Thomas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUVTSqVtg8QrsCy6nnPcUd5rFiMXzfNy16U5wwu6G9JOrsawhzAH5yWhRh6mdLzjZtXmlf9UcuvUgF7q7Mcp9rTkM3F5D4T20FXvXxlCVGBCj6cYN3bUjLbcazf2SFN8zQltPbYs68_0/s1600/tt8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUVTSqVtg8QrsCy6nnPcUd5rFiMXzfNy16U5wwu6G9JOrsawhzAH5yWhRh6mdLzjZtXmlf9UcuvUgF7q7Mcp9rTkM3F5D4T20FXvXxlCVGBCj6cYN3bUjLbcazf2SFN8zQltPbYs68_0/s200/tt8.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard Cheese!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I loved Terry-Thomas as a child. I got to know him from
television, hisfilms shown in the late 60’s and early 70’s. “Monte Carlo or Bust,” “Those
Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines”, it seemed a film featured Terry-Thomas almost weekly in those days, but my first
recognition of him as a unique voice was at the age of 12 taking my younger brother to the cinema
in the Market Square to see the Disney film; Robin Hood. Terry-Thomas’s
unmistakable voice, sizzled and curled in the character of Sir Hiss (King
John’s sly councillor companion). I giggled every time he spoke just because I
knew the voice so well, never mind the jokes and those hypnotic eyes. The animators even gave the snake Thomas's gap toothed grin, “<i>One more
hiss out of you Hiss. And you are walking to Nottingham.” Hiss: (to himself)"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333330154419px; line-height: 20px;">Snakes don't walk, they slither. Hmph. So, there.</span>”</i> at the age of 12 that was so funny,
and I remember my tummy hurting from the hand trapped giggles.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I seek him out on television to this day. Many of my
mental floss films feature him, those gentle charming films that make you warm
inside and make your belly smile.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
'I'm Alright Jack', 'Blue Murder at St Trinian's', 'Lucky Jim', The
Green Man, those wonderful Boulting brothers films with Ian Carmichael playing a man named Windrush and where Thomas’s stiff upper lipped type, acted as the perfect foil for
the lugubrious and louche man (and sometime woman) mountain that was the inimitable Alistair
Sim. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_op5XZ-qmuFc2XK9YMDQV6l5NbSKjNFmLWzOOVmYgT7iW3Pm19D_aoIz1fEQYNUnSRT2gnQKH7e1u22G5j_YLchfQa8oA0D2FH1B6CCWX9Sup54v8MsLXTc_luXK8w_pLYyjmamDStqY/s1600/Terry-Thomas_in_How_to_murder_your_wife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_op5XZ-qmuFc2XK9YMDQV6l5NbSKjNFmLWzOOVmYgT7iW3Pm19D_aoIz1fEQYNUnSRT2gnQKH7e1u22G5j_YLchfQa8oA0D2FH1B6CCWX9Sup54v8MsLXTc_luXK8w_pLYyjmamDStqY/s200/Terry-Thomas_in_How_to_murder_your_wife.jpg" width="153" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">'Charles' </span><i style="text-align: start; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 14.2666664123535px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">How to Murder Your Wife </span></span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a sixteen year old, I had escaped my family home and
found myself living in North London, alone above a shop on the High St in East
Finchley. After working in the frozen food store under my flat for a few months, I settled in one evening to find a favourite Terry Thomas film on telly, it was '<i style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">How to Murder Your
Wife' </span></i>with Jack Lemmon, portraying a cartoonist and confirmed bachelor, hugely successful and happily unmarried enjoying the comforts of a well-to-do
existence which included the services of a loyal and attentive valet, Charles
(Terry-Thomas) and, featuring the visually arresting Italian actress Virna Lisi whom Lemmon's character mistakenly marries after getting drunk at a party.The next day I was talking to a
colleague about how funny the film was and how big a fan of Terry-Thomas’s I
was, when she said, “Oh yeah he’s really well known around here, he used to live in Lichfield Grove and went to school wiv’ me friends granddad”, I was blown away by this news; I knew someone, who knew someone,who knew someone, who knew Terry-Thomas!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few days later, on my next day off, I set out on pilgrimage to Lichfield Grove which was all of 20 minutes’ away from my flat. I found it relatively easily, not sure what I expected to
see but it was a nice street full of attractive semi’s and terraces with small
front gardens, gable’s and bay windows . To my dismay there was no sign of the great man nor any indication of
which house was his. I can't recall whether blue plaques were a thing at that
time but if they were none of the houses had one or any other sign that said a legend had lived there. When recalling this, as I was writing I thought I’d
look it up again and sadly still no blue plaque on what I now understand was number
52*, a criminal oversight and dreadful shame in my view.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">It's a Mad, Mad, Mad,
Mad World</span></i>’ a rollercoaster of a
comedy chase film to find a buried treasure with a dozen American stars, to this day can
make me laugh out loud and Terry-Thomas more
than holds his own in a cast that includes Hollywood luminaries, Spencer Tracy, Phil Silvers, Sid
Caesar, Peter Falk and Ethel Merman. The film that gave him the catch phrase
“You’re an absolute shower!”was <i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Privates Progress” </span></i>another Boulting brothers films with Ian Carmichael as Windrush (again!)and William Hartnell (the future first
Dr Who no less!) as the soon to retire Sergeant battling to win a bet that he can win
the platoon prize, finally, is often shown on telly and I will never miss it if
I find it in the listings.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My absolute favourite is the deliciously 'twee'd' comic masterpiece,<i> “School for Scoundrels” </i>an absolute 'tour de
force' for all concerned, a glowing gem, not only a wondrous vehicle
for the man who says ‘You're an absolute shower!’ through a gap toothed grin wide
enough to park a “Swiftmobile” but: bringing it back to 'showers'; The prize for our our protagonists was called
April <i>(get it? I know, I know, pretty poor)</i> – April Smith, played by he gorgeous Janette Scott.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblU9F8c0NsKVzoMG7ST8WDQx65Nq2-CGWA6MBBrrggF3ADVkC9hdWrEejdwUa48bp0JImi1nR_X4qLhTDUjAZkobHibzg33xLtRbE-ZOC1Psg7AumCjzio0IufREXEuLZIIE7PiDZwMg/s1600/tt7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblU9F8c0NsKVzoMG7ST8WDQx65Nq2-CGWA6MBBrrggF3ADVkC9hdWrEejdwUa48bp0JImi1nR_X4qLhTDUjAZkobHibzg33xLtRbE-ZOC1Psg7AumCjzio0IufREXEuLZIIE7PiDZwMg/s320/tt7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Oh, I say, Aren't you going to introduce me?”</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For me, Terry-Thomas is one of our most underappreciated
stars, and the story of his final years is dreadfully sad, wasting away to that
cruelest of illnesses, Parkinson’s disease, of which so much less was known in
the 80’s. He consequently fell into terrible depressions, attributed by him, to the helplessness he felt fighting his illness. He and his wife descended into near poverty eventually living in a three-room, unfurnished charity flat, with financial assistance from the Actors' Benevolent Fund.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 1989 some of his old friends learned of his situation and
a huge benefit concert was organised to raise money to help, it came just nine
months before he passed away in January 1990 so his last few days were spent in
a nursing home near Godalming in Surrey.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Terry-Thomas makes me and I know many others smile when thinking about his
films. There is a blue plaque at Terry-Thomas's one time home in Queens Gate Mews, Kensington, but he was a North London boy born and schooled so the fact that there is no blue plaque at Lichfield Grove,
Finchley, is a sad oversight for a man that entertained us so much and for so long.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finchley Council if you don't sort this out all I can say is – “You're an absolute shower!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">*I
learned the house number from Graham McCann's brilliant book </span>- <i><span style="color: #252525; line-height: 107%;">Bounder!
The Biography of Terry-Thomas(</span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number"><span style="color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;">ISBN</span></a></span><span style="background: rgb(221 , 238 , 255); color: #252525; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84513-441-9" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84513-441-9"><span style="color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;">978-1-84513-441-9</span></a>) Graham McCann is also the writer of , in my view, the best
Marilyn Monroe biography ever written, called simply<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Marilyn
Monroe</i> <span style="box-sizing: border-box;">(</span><b><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">ISBN</span></a>:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> 978-0745603797).
I unhesitatingly recommend both.</span></span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-38019425804858327652015-02-25T22:41:00.000+00:002017-04-15T23:30:11.222+01:00Seaside Skies <div class="MsoNormal">
Seaside memories from the recent past. Camping
out. One Dad three boys all under 11 years of age. A wonderful friend loaning his caravan. Far enough away from roads and towns for the night to wrap you
in a black and purple sky pierced by a myriad lights.<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First night was so clear. It was past midnight and the peace was as enveloping as
the sky. Though they slept I decided to wake the older boys. I lifted the younger onto my lap where I sat on the edge of a camp
bed. He took my hand and dragged it across his shoulder as he pushed his head
into my chest. His eyes not quite open enough to see the sky's lights until I tried
to point out a constellation to him and his brother. Sat in a Kelly green chair with tubular silver skeleton staring into the
cloudless purple.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LrxSZBV6HJZuimOlZaoGZNdPL5Z7Dqy-vOzcu4o89PLVOolqOLYLGb8-cI9d7V5XhORo6g13yKSMuVlnDrJ4PuxlWvxoszCeTAYkBao-LmoXBZacAMTsRRysKZ4w-33eKZfA7FFCJKk/s1600/Untitled-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LrxSZBV6HJZuimOlZaoGZNdPL5Z7Dqy-vOzcu4o89PLVOolqOLYLGb8-cI9d7V5XhORo6g13yKSMuVlnDrJ4PuxlWvxoszCeTAYkBao-LmoXBZacAMTsRRysKZ4w-33eKZfA7FFCJKk/s1600/Untitled-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Credit: Starry Night</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dad?<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes bud. <br />
<br />
Why are there more stars in the sky here than
where we live?<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There isn't buddy it’s the same sky. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've looked Dad and there is more stars
here than I've seen before.<br />
<br />
Well I know what you mean.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
See that group of stars? That’s called ‘The Plough’ if you follow the dots with your finger you can see a shape like a ladle.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I smothered his hand inside mine and drew the shape into the
sky. Lifting his index finger with mine moving it from star to star. Eyes
wide open as he painted the night with his mind. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Which one is Mars?<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think it’s that
one there.<br />
<br />
I went to point into the void but before I'd moved my
finger he bolted up in my lap, <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There... Dad! Look. That
one. There. It’s there. It’s that pink one- there. I can see it. I found it!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think you’re probably right son.<br />
<br />
He sank back pulled the sleeping bag over himself and pushed his head against my chest.<br />
<br />
You've discovered Mars son. You've discovered Mars.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-88614555697715755202013-08-03T03:14:00.001+01:002015-12-11T18:58:39.127+00:00Emperors Old Clothes<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bite-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sad-man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://bite-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sad-man.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now What or What Now? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="system_buttons" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 4px 2px; text-align: right;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I was diagnosed two years ago as suffering from "severe
clinical depression". </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I have suffered without having the label for all of
my adult life and much of my childhood. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">However for much of my adult life I was a reasonably successful manager of
people.Being responsible for over 300 at any time and though I often suffered
pangs of self doubt in public I was seen to be very confident if not a little
arrogant. What I had learned to do was to <i>act</i> and I seemingly I was very good at
it because almost no one seemed to suspect.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Avoidance was a good way of keeping my secret. Avoiding close personal
relationships friendships leading rather than following (being in charge
prevents lots of awkward questions).</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Then life changed. I lost my job and with it my authority. I lost my marriage
and with it my purpose. I fought for a while to keep it but in the struggle
lost my dignity. Worst of all the mechanisms I had perfected for hiding my
insecurities stopped working! My real self was on show for all too see. I was the naked Emperor and nothing I
did seemed capable of covering my nakedness. I was ashamed of what and who I was.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
C.B.T. group therapy, anger management classes, prescription drugs, more prescription drugs. Different prescription drugs, hypnosis, individual
psychotherapy, counselling. All these and others have been tried none have had
a long term effect some no effect at all. Today I hope... I hope for a solution in the sure and certain knowledge that there
will never be one. I have to find new ways to <i>act</i> that hide my real self. Because the real me is tiresome to the mentally well. To be honest pretty
bloody tiresome to me as well.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Of all the <i>"treatments"</i> I have been exposed too the one that
seems to have the most effect is this one - writing. More specifically this anonymous writing. It's too simplistic to say its cathartic but it is
having an effect it is helping me to understand myself a little better.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRU1aTGOBSWSahZv69IoJK3mymShRchVW1hmafsnh64DeyBpX3JYDWFv_Z9mX2gKndgRG7ilk7GLBroGG8dhGWZoyLp1m-PFW-19jscr7srm3oU0m4l4q-hp7XCCxjbv10ctMZf4Awa0/s1600/DIGNITY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRU1aTGOBSWSahZv69IoJK3mymShRchVW1hmafsnh64DeyBpX3JYDWFv_Z9mX2gKndgRG7ilk7GLBroGG8dhGWZoyLp1m-PFW-19jscr7srm3oU0m4l4q-hp7XCCxjbv10ctMZf4Awa0/s320/DIGNITY.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avoid worthlessness. Put a premium on your Dignity!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I realise now that it had long been a wish to be a writer or actor/performer and
that along life's meanderings my wishes for myself had been forgotten. Set
aside so that the <i>acting</i> me,(the one who was always in
charge) could be supporting, understanding even mentoring of everyone else.
I became what everyone else wanted and never really ever got to decide who I was. The consequence of this is that I now have no self esteem. I am pleased to find that the real me is actually sensitive, romantic even, that I see more good in others than I used too. Am able to celebrate the successes of others without jealousy. Enjoy reading the words of others and love the ability that the internet offers to engage directly with the author.<br />
I am nervous that amongst my family and friends (many of the former, few of the latter), that these qualities are a little effete and unsubstantial. That's OK for now I am able to share with the digital ether that is the inter-web.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Sitting here not quite fully
clothed.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Stripped of kingdom dignity and all held dear. Learning to make new. Stitching </span><span style="background-color: white;">life</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> threads</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">together one experience at a time. It's a slow
process and you prick your thumb often.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">One day we'll have glorious new clothes. (Hopefully!)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;">ATB</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;">
</span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Agides xx</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-71116959815566248602013-07-30T18:15:00.002+01:002015-12-11T19:16:12.571+00:00Catch 42<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Look it up in your favoured browser,
the meaning of life is “42”. Douglas Adams may well be smiling at how his
apocryphal assertion has become the ultimate answer. But there is a catch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<h1 style="line-height: 15.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-weight: normal;">For me the meaning of life changes dramatically as events along life’s
itinerary impact and it seems to me that these meanderings impact a</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-weight: normal;">"mal de tête" person in a
disproportionate way</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-weight: normal;">.<u1:p></u1:p></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<div style="background: white; border-bottom: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #DDDDDD .25pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm 0cm 8.0pt 0cm;">
<h1 style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; line-height: 15.8pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; padding: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h1>
<h1 style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; line-height: 15.8pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; padding: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The difficulty with the meaning of life whilst
suffering a mental illness is that it is in constant flux. Frequently and most
damagingly it reaches its nadir in possession of zero meaning. A state reached
far too many times and very deeply in recent weeks. Despite a greater
understanding of how, one that never feels easier to return from... Whatever
you get told!<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRdBAJ14Xi97uQGCMKQ2SOXh-mrlPRJphVF_P7dJoM2P3c58X93c-IoKxYbqsRdp_5cOjM0IC3S9ZcKzKGjicfSH6VF_zD-x72LOoBblJDhpcqwb__51Vn75NkoVOt-zOZXpdPFuyOsY/s400/man+in+fog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">'There is always the Dog to talk too'</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRdBAJ14Xi97uQGCMKQ2SOXh-mrlPRJphVF_P7dJoM2P3c58X93c-IoKxYbqsRdp_5cOjM0IC3S9ZcKzKGjicfSH6VF_zD-x72LOoBblJDhpcqwb__51Vn75NkoVOt-zOZXpdPFuyOsY/s1600/man+in+fog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3Uf9HDhyphenhyphenRkKkaqAif-3UwsR8lFeOIxvAY_McOIMI0FUVSICVZXmsFBm25cr2H1TJpVJLXjvZX7HDrZQKTxgJimb0q9hmZ0YBTMbvCAyg1v9HMGwuP2whiIItfjq6BakP9oPHqxFHvhM/s1600/man+in+fog.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3Uf9HDhyphenhyphenRkKkaqAif-3UwsR8lFeOIxvAY_McOIMI0FUVSICVZXmsFBm25cr2H1TJpVJLXjvZX7HDrZQKTxgJimb0q9hmZ0YBTMbvCAyg1v9HMGwuP2whiIItfjq6BakP9oPHqxFHvhM/s320/man+in+fog.jpg"
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3Uf9HDhyphenhyphenRkKkaqAif-3UwsR8lFeOIxvAY_McOIMI0FUVSICVZXmsFBm25cr2H1TJpVJLXjvZX7HDrZQKTxgJimb0q9hmZ0YBTMbvCAyg1v9HMGwuP2whiIItfjq6BakP9oPHqxFHvhM/s1600/man+in+fog.jpg"
style='width:240pt;height:149.25pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'
o:button="t">
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Andrew\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="man+in+fog"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Doctors and psychiatric workers will
be horrified by this as its the basic assumption all their work is predicated
upon. That the more one understands the factors that precede depressive
feelings,the easier you'll find it to modify them’. The reality seems to be
that the more one understands, the more one questions the reasons why the pea
soup persistently descends. And questions one’s ability to ever permanently
prevent it from falling.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_2U7FmeCZTdIHn0K6wJFZTHtHO-MGXRsvDe8UYZ1yNBJB6_UAiWx3TUI6x1dwnSAXb0T-m5aFls9hgmUjUXOSn3jYNYtnv-PrY3lFiT2ccBV-GyFnM9fA3ljtcS1_pA86FtDOU5ZqaQ/s1600/freephotoDec6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The questions you ask yourself are
nearly all unanswerable. But often those canvassed by others (not least professionals) bewilder. They are often risible to a malignant, miasmic, mind:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">"Have you ever been truly
happy?" </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">"Have you ever been depression
free?"</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">"Have you ever been
hopeful?"</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">"Tell me why do ‘you’, think
you're unhappy"</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">"Why are you sad?"</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">"What causes them to start?"</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">"When is it at its
worst?"......;</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">"What!?"</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_2U7FmeCZTdIHn0K6wJFZTHtHO-MGXRsvDe8UYZ1yNBJB6_UAiWx3TUI6x1dwnSAXb0T-m5aFls9hgmUjUXOSn3jYNYtnv-PrY3lFiT2ccBV-GyFnM9fA3ljtcS1_pA86FtDOU5ZqaQ/s320/freephotoDec6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">'20,000 Doubts under the Skull'</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Sometimes I forget that those things
really exist. There</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> are fleeting moments. Unfortunately guilt persistently swamps the
joys just as they are being recognised as such. This guilt is like a cloak that
depression wears to cover you in darkness.To make you invisible before joy
takes hold too firmly. Then comes the doubt... The doubt that you will
ever truly rid yourself of this whirling mass of unanswerable questions. Painful overwhelming doubts. The doubts within the ungraspable dark grey covered 'duck
down' duvet. Engorged with the leaden weights of memories too heavy to release
from inside this cover. Meant to bring you warmth and comfort. It instead presses down on you in a way that makes you feel as though 'all that
you are' is racing to your brain. To escape your body and the only route out is
through your eyes. So overwhelmed by the flow that the tears appear as a stream
and you wonder if they will ever be 'drops' again. The doubt - the doubt that
sows seeds of self deprecation that germinate in rivulets of tears and the
swanlike songs of Bunyan's slough"</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">So there you are mental health
problems are really a Catch 22. A paradox where the attempting to escape suffering of depression seems to make the escape impossible and each new
attempt makes the next episode more painful and more desperate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL1Hx3Es4HEa8J1Ya2AHSvS8eS4Rkm73ZVd2Swm_rtNcOGtE4NcV_p7rXwN3AAjiBKETDTsUZfWBWb4xmB7G3NrgVJFxEmkKmjVaodwM5BXeIlZBwwFf_CsouUe2qw66TueKXENAGvfY/s1600/020210shutterstock_44048650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL1Hx3Es4HEa8J1Ya2AHSvS8eS4Rkm73ZVd2Swm_rtNcOGtE4NcV_p7rXwN3AAjiBKETDTsUZfWBWb4xmB7G3NrgVJFxEmkKmjVaodwM5BXeIlZBwwFf_CsouUe2qw66TueKXENAGvfY/s400/020210shutterstock_44048650.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"TOWARDS THE LIGHT! you bloody fool!"</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">AH! I hear the crowds roar; ' but
you proved you can escape so next time you'll feel better because you know you
can do it!'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">'Really?' how many times do you
visit failure before saying 'no more!'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Drink from the puddle the first day
you may be quenched drink from it every day you may be trenched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I have fought back with extreme
effort this time. I have walked further with and spoken more to my dog’s (to
reassure myself I still have a voice).Though enjoying these things the respite
from my troubled mind looms above me as a terrifying reminder that, the next
plummet into the 20,000 doubts under the skull is but a pin prick in a buoyancy
tank away. It has left me very tired.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">If Adam's is right?; The meaning of a 'Life' with mental health?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It's a Catch 42......</span></div>
</div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-46819841547325843852013-06-04T09:02:00.000+01:002015-06-15T04:41:21.079+01:00Dad Pride? <div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQA8avHJMck8E2-5gFwpdmsDtLUALAoeGMSMB5mkYSzSqX-vISQAHxJkKjUGXPPz7Ssmx5R7S842V1Z1mwGymzN5YLKSTWaxCa3bYCBTSoQQ40qcLBFNpFXAuNuR6ZdU3e5LG2pGkrHU4/s1600/1+Fathers+PridE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQA8avHJMck8E2-5gFwpdmsDtLUALAoeGMSMB5mkYSzSqX-vISQAHxJkKjUGXPPz7Ssmx5R7S842V1Z1mwGymzN5YLKSTWaxCa3bYCBTSoQQ40qcLBFNpFXAuNuR6ZdU3e5LG2pGkrHU4/s320/1+Fathers+PridE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-decoration: underline;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<b style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://dadpride.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;">Dad Pride?</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><br /></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>What have you done today</u>?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thinking about what it is to be a Dad is important. Pride in being a Dad? That's tricky though isn't it?<br />
<br />
Pride? It is one of those words that's double edged. Though it seems there has been a tendency in recent years to see it as a positive thing, a value worth savouring in one's achievements or in those of one’s countrymen.(Thanks to Heather Small, London Olympics et al!) I'm not certain it was always thus. The continuing move towards a secular society as opposed to one based on religious teaching, where the most forceful thrust against pride was preached, may well be part of the reason, but the emancipation of family is certainly where current and future pressure exist.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have no recollection of my father ever proclaiming pride in my efforts or attainments as a young boy nor come to that as an adult, though I can definitely remember him rolling out the expression about ‘pride coming before a fall’to keep me 'grounded'. When I reflect on this, I wonder if that is some emotionally stunted method of protecting oneself from disappointment of failure, something that certainly drove me on at school and into work , and I believe my father was always fearful about losing the ability to provide, seeing benefit claimants as scroungers, something he would never be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqLnNg_WexCMg3-AnHsGBhBM84EItdrjUkUk7d7uLztRZtddpKauvhvvL2aR97ChZMeOIcLs79MPXlrVVROKw6huz3drQVldLCOJayprIJjn2gKxckXln05i9VuGPpADHFka5boDlLZ0/s1600/tumblr_lxr8kdX0HZ1qhq8lro1_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqLnNg_WexCMg3-AnHsGBhBM84EItdrjUkUk7d7uLztRZtddpKauvhvvL2aR97ChZMeOIcLs79MPXlrVVROKw6huz3drQVldLCOJayprIJjn2gKxckXln05i9VuGPpADHFka5boDlLZ0/s320/tumblr_lxr8kdX0HZ1qhq8lro1_1280.png" width="216" /></a>The cliché is that it was a different time and men’s acceptance of their emotional involvement in their families was not as commonplace as it is today and that is of course true to a degree. My, and from memory most fathers of the time invested ‘pride’ by fulfilling their role as provider, with the occasional exception. The closest I can recall my father exhibiting pride in connection with me was when he delivered on the promise of a new bike should I pass the exam to get into ‘a better school’! That was the thing, not ‘I'm proud of you son for passing the exam’ but ‘be proud of your Dad for keeping his word’. The notion that today’s man is confused about his role in the family because of the dynamics of family life doesn't reflect that many men suffered a good deal of insecurity even then about their role. I have to make a conscious effort to not be overly influenced by my history and for years before my children came, I doubted my ability to be a good dad and still do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am described as a ‘mature father’. I am not certain if this gives me a different perspective on the role of Dad, but certainly my childhood experiences inform my choices as one. I am also an example of the "modern Dad" one from a failed relationship who is judged by our judicial and social care systems and to some extent our current society to be almost certainly, and regardless of information to the contrary, likely to be less effective a parent, particularly with regard to emotional development of children than the mother will be. This is our fathers legacy to us, and I hope very much one that will not persist beyond this generation. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My main focus has been that I never wished my children to feel they needed to hesitate to ask for reassurance or support in their choices nor did I ever want the fear of failing be a reason to prevent any of them from pursuing passions, intuitions, desires or beliefs. I hoped to find a way to provide what I felt they need rather than what they want, so how to do it? Hopefully I encourage my boys, too 'ask the person who is doing the thing already, they will be bound to have considered it'. So I asked the children (because they were the children), and I continue to try to find from them what the need. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have learnt from my children by listening to them and engaging with them just what it is they really need. I have come to realise that far from wanting the latest toy, they want time with their parents. They need to talk about things and not be questioned about them, they don’t even need you to have an answer a lot of the time, and they often just need reassurance that they have found the correct one for themselves. In my own blog I wrote a piece based around an email I sent to my sons when I had been ill and unable to see them as often as we all had wished and in response to questions the boys had asked. Almost everything in that email however had been discussed with one or all boys at some point or other and rather than put things down in the form of answers I tried to let them know that these were things that I hoped for them to know and that I felt I had taken too long to learn.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think that I have come to see being a Dad as a bit like mentoring; being a good Dad is a lot about being a good man much like a good manager often makes a good mentor. I observed senior managers often make</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4W3RFTdbmht3v0fedQAGrOX3XtbuFxQE4Eb7c3vxVcHOtxYQ87xyuc8HQzrWWGNT4yqCIN6gxkpnJB_dBCdiOav5eifyqDF9S3yEFNf8NEkoN6HdsvODnQFo-MkYdyq44m7EcX80clts/s1600/helping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4W3RFTdbmht3v0fedQAGrOX3XtbuFxQE4Eb7c3vxVcHOtxYQ87xyuc8HQzrWWGNT4yqCIN6gxkpnJB_dBCdiOav5eifyqDF9S3yEFNf8NEkoN6HdsvODnQFo-MkYdyq44m7EcX80clts/s320/helping.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
ridiculous assumptions about experience and knowledge without understanding that experience is not about time spent doing something but about learning from the doing, we all know of people that have worked at the same thing for years without improving it only for someone with genuine passion and interest to come a long and overtake them. They practised more; they learnt more they tried harder. Being a Dad for me takes practise, I need to think about it and try harder each time, if I don’t I can’t possibly make it as a mentor, and as a Dad, I see my key responsibilities to try to turn out children, who will practise longer,learn more, try harder and think deeper than I did.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://dadpride.blogspot.co.uk/">http://dadpride.blogspot.co.uk/</a></span>, I am disappointed by the often negative stereotyping of Dad’s in the press and media, I'm also a little disheartened with us Dad’s for not standing up for ourselves a bit more. In a world with movements in support of so many different aspects of family life,(and rightly so), including organisations to empower mothers, like “Mums net” and the positive reinforcement of Gay and Lesbian parenting models, the support for the single parent family all of which have affirmative and strong networks built up, Dad’s have a disparate group of individuals and small associations none of which seem to be supporting each other pro-actively. Is this because we come from the “STAND ON YOUR OWN TWO FEET!” school of man training? If it is then it needs to change. I struggled for years with my personal demons, never quite understanding why I couldn't solve them all, at least temporarily; my epiphany came when I finally asked for help. The best decision I ever made rather than making me seem weaker as I had been taught to believe, it gave many around me the view that I was actually strong for seeking it out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://dadpride.blogspot.co.uk/">'Dad Pride' </a>for me is about showing my boys that learning and knowledge,empathy and appreciation, succeeding and failing, all go towards forming personal beliefs and opinion, and that it is vital for them to function as reasonable and effective contributors to the lives of others including their own families,schools,<br />
associations,workplaces, friends, and even future Dad's organisations, that they form thoughts,judgements and opinions with balance in all these things for all futures to be rewarding. Its about encouraging thinking,excelling at thinking, believe that thinking is a requirement, a necessity,. Embrace the task of thinking, work at it, nurture it in others as well as yourself, refine it, define it, hold it in your hands as well as your head, and keep those thoughts you have no earnest use of and share them with those who may, and write them down. Seek out different views to the ones you form, they will either persuade you in which case you learn something or they reaffirm your beliefs in which case you still learn something.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Being proud as a Dad for me is about my child coming to conclusions or decision in life situations that match those I would likely have reached in similar circumstances or even better different to mine with an ability to explain why by only using reasoning.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As much as I want to have pride in my children and for that matter my children to be proud of me, the main thing for me is that I can be proud of myself, that I did my best. It is a mantra I espouse to my lads frequently and if I want them not to remember me as a hypocrite, then I have a duty to myself and them too always work towards my best.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People talk grandly about birthright and legacy; well I believe the greatest legacy I can leave my boys is my time, our time, and this time for their lifetime.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What have I done today to make me feel proud?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Easy really; I told my sons I loved them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(I want to thank <a href="http://dadpride.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: blue;">http://dadpride.blogspot.co.uk/</span></a> for asking for my thoughts on this);</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">©Agides</span></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-26176460021893024712013-05-19T05:41:00.000+01:002016-04-06T21:05:23.156+01:00DON'T GROW UP!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpDXF6D5hSmADWji9B5WL3RHU4TV25bQsLol6lXDtJjQkIaOb_mWLisOvFLM8f_hz-5PxCDIXoeCWa9MvLSMbyNV6NQN55Tt8fwzArtvp-rChyPtYLps7Er22WRiaSNJr3mq5W15gJkk/s320/shutterstock_48847654_moody_landscape.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="310" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sun is on anabolics burning Pea Soup</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When I began this it was intended to be an aid to recovery from
my personal “slough of despond”. </span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">It quickly turned into an on line boast about
my beautiful boys.It was never supposed to be this but bizarrely has had and is
having the effect of lifting me from my mire in any case. Strange how these things
come about.I have tried all kinds of treatments most with little success.This feels (so far) different.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Occasionally the fog falls but I find it hard to write
about this. Something that being 'anonymous' was supposed to enable. Strangely deep within I
think I must still feel some sense of shame or similar as I still avoid it. I
don’t really want to feel that,particularly as it's contrary to what I teach my
lads and counter to all the advocacy I do for others. Writing about the boys lifts me out of the miasma quickly,however it also
brings the realisation that this condition prevents much that I need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A few nights ago I wrote a short blog during an onset slump. I actually posted it for 30 minutes but decided to delete it. I
have been trying to understand why ever since. No one that reads this blog
knows me personally with a single exception (and they know a great deal about
how this came about and are of the most generous of human
spirits) so why the reticence?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The truth is – I don't know. Simple as that. Maybe there is no answer maybe brighter minds than mine have an understanding. I still don't know. I hear the obvious platitudes and am guilty of occasionally using them myself. I know it's none of them. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The piece I wrote was to see if act of it would
prevent the onset of the melancholy; it didn't. What it did do was swallow me into the grey more hurriedly. At some point I will probably post a self indulgent piece</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> along the'woe is me'line so I apologise now just in case.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was written in a stream of consciousness way and wasn't mentally edited like my writing is usually. But reading it back I noticed the
preoccupation I seem to have with being a failed father. And there is the nub
of it.This condition means I am not able always to have the boys. The not
being able to have the boys exacerbates the condition. There is a repetitive realisation
that I cannot be the Dad I so want to be.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The cure? Well the fog fell Monday night and was lifted instantly the next morning by the phone call I blogged of on Tuesday. My eldest phoned me
and asked me to be his Dad for a few minutes. In its own way it is pure magic one telephone call burned away the fog like the Sun on anabolics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I wrote before of how I encourage the boys to see teachers in all
people of all ages. To accept that each new friendship will bring opportunity
to understand and learn. So in order to practise what I preach I decided I
should point out what I have learnt from my children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0TwUsxv-zyUmA71591BKMrKu5fAVS7kKwbBpKLITM-YxxX6hL-jt5GVBQI8__U2nNdDjrqDeMSBF1X_k0o95pUhXtciCA0_DNW0Zyse61EgFypZWUmVptZnOLBG5H8F2no6s-sWv0Dg/s1600/tastyburger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0TwUsxv-zyUmA71591BKMrKu5fAVS7kKwbBpKLITM-YxxX6hL-jt5GVBQI8__U2nNdDjrqDeMSBF1X_k0o95pUhXtciCA0_DNW0Zyse61EgFypZWUmVptZnOLBG5H8F2no6s-sWv0Dg/s320/tastyburger.jpg" width="304" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">DAD! I KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO! <br />PUT CHERRIES IN IT!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have learnt that my children own the world. They glory in it
and are mesmerised by it in ways I seem to have forgotten. They have an
extraordinary capacity for acceptance. As no one has told them something is not
“normal” then they embrace it. Including and especially of and in other people.
My boys cope with change more readily as a consequence of this ability to accept.
It is absolutely the case that the boys were quicker at coming to terms with
the change to their lives when their parents separated, than either parent did!
My boys trust not the naive trust one associates with foolishness but real
trust. The kind that is supported by the Corinthian plinths of forgiveness. They hold no grudge they simply move on. They LOVE; they love me, the day,
their mum, the neighbour’s dog, the walk to the shop, the trip in the car, the
bike ride, the swimming, the telly, the football, the cooking, the playing, the
cuddles, the bedtime, the stories and everything in between. I have learnt of
dinosaurs with wings that lived on the ground. Of wasps that reproduce by laying
eggs in caterpillars. I've learnt what type of bike is cool. That WOW isn't for
being surprised but for talking about a video game. I have learnt that the best burgers are not the ones with a free toy, but the ones you make with each other. Where you squish and squelch the meat between your fingers and roll into giant balls before slapping them flat with your hand(so much fun!). Add your own ingredients like herbs or chilli flakes (put extra in that one Dad and we'll give it to L... he he he...) or cherries? Yup! chopped up cherries why not? I have learnt to say "why not" more often. That the
funniest thing for a child to see is an adult behaving silly. (Mr Bean would be
king if my boys were in charge!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I worry that sometimes my blog makes the boys sound perfect. They are not of course but they do enthral me and that, I am afraid, I simply can't hide. As you will have certainly already noticed. All this and more I </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">have</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">learnt yet the one thing I have to
remember is that I CAN get better and they deserve for me to do so. Because
they never once have shown anything but love and understanding when it has
meant they could not be with me as planned. Never demanded pleaded or sulked. They have always just said,” Sorry you’re poorly Daddy, get some rest and get
better and we will see you next time. Love you Daddy, mwah!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I learn something new every time we speak!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh beautiful boys don’t be in a hurry to grow up. It’s seriously
over rated!<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">©Agides</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
</div>
<div style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;">
</div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
</div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-22638712589984804162013-05-14T10:31:00.000+01:002015-12-11T17:49:07.240+00:00My boy has Detention? I'm so Proud!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
My eldest phoned today. It was 8.40 am. a little unusual, honestly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey Dad, you okay?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm fine L... What’s up?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOi6g35ZKjKRueJdW6aX7nvmCV1NHF00qX4LU93mUZsv6K_kDchrB6dF-bf68Da5F864lVHeHfJ2_NzK4loYaoCK7uCic9Gt39NLUXioHnFSghA3HV7f5EzMW4uPN2JJ0yoqDnTe4MnDQ/s1600/tumblr_mh4je83RgA1rhf0i3o1_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOi6g35ZKjKRueJdW6aX7nvmCV1NHF00qX4LU93mUZsv6K_kDchrB6dF-bf68Da5F864lVHeHfJ2_NzK4loYaoCK7uCic9Gt39NLUXioHnFSghA3HV7f5EzMW4uPN2JJ0yoqDnTe4MnDQ/s320/tumblr_mh4je83RgA1rhf0i3o1_1280.png" width="320" /></a>Oh you know... I was ringing because I have a Maths test
today and I wanted one of your you can do it positive talks that you do, to
make me feel better."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh really? Well you already know what I’ll say don’t you?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yeah, but I wanted to hear you say it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay fella, well, all you have to do is your best; because
we both know your best is good enough, and try to do so well that they have to tell you, all right?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks Dad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That's okay matey any time you know that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Um, Dad, I need to tell you something else.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
OK fella! you're sounding serious there, what do you need to tell me?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I need to tell you I've got an after school detention
tomorrow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“.............................”<br />
Dad!?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes Fella?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You okay?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm fine son, I'm fine really. I just needed a sec'; sorry bud.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fine? Really ? You sure?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm absolutely 'fine' son. I'm chuffed because you phoned me, I'm pleased because you were honest and I'm even happier because I wanted you
to phone and tell me and you did! I already knew about the detention because
the school emailed me too tell me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh god, they emailed you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes they emailed me, I thought you might know.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had no idea Dad I thought because we live with Mum they’d
only tell her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well now you know. I asked the school to send me school
newsletters and updates by email so they do. Occasionally I get stuff about
what you will be doing and this time I got one about detention. They didn't tell me why you had detention though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh it was nothing serious.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Serious enough to get a detention fella so I’d still like to know.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was stupid Dad honest, not worth it really.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well you're sounding a bit embarrassed just go for it go on, if you've been punished by Mum I'm not going to once is enough.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well OK, so I was messing about in a lesson spinning round on my
chair when ever the teacher turned her back on the class and then I fell off and
loads of people started laughing so the teacher turned round and shouted 'what
were you doing ' and I said 'nothing Miss' and she said 'well you obviously
were' and she sent me to see the year tutor for disrupting class because so
many of the class were laughing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMry4-c8gDXnR-0hSNNePHF5YILsePLqhjMckpY1X7uwOGLmsSebi0ay4M7T8UhZduSvBQL-yFYc_iHxNMNdiVGxOsxzW2G2zTs1JHSKj6aFJFGuB2_LiTVx5S_J9v1Hs4upE3moze48/s1600/tumblr_mabn7rOnnY1qzleu4o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMry4-c8gDXnR-0hSNNePHF5YILsePLqhjMckpY1X7uwOGLmsSebi0ay4M7T8UhZduSvBQL-yFYc_iHxNMNdiVGxOsxzW2G2zTs1JHSKj6aFJFGuB2_LiTVx5S_J9v1Hs4upE3moze48/s320/tumblr_mabn7rOnnY1qzleu4o1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a>And then what?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He asked me what I thought I was doing and I said 'nothing
sir' and he said 'as you seem to know how to do nothing so well, you can do
nothing for an hour after school in detention.'</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh right! Well I'm disappointed really, it seems a shame to
me that you would disrupt everyone’s lesson for no good reason and it was
careless to fall off your chair. What were you trying to gain from it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was trying to get the girl behind me to laugh.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh I see, well next time don't do it during a lesson OK? You better get in school's about to start I’ll
see you at the weekend okay, Love you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love you to Dad bye!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am so proud! </div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-23328221564463148922013-05-12T12:06:00.000+01:002015-12-12T00:18:22.961+00:00The Rules of Life.<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 591px;">
<colgroup><col style="width: 443pt;" width="591"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; mso-height-source: userset; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm; width: 443pt;" width="591"><h2>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 11776; mso-width-source: userset; width: 242pt;" width="322"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; mso-height-source: userset; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td class="xl63" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm; width: 242pt;" width="322"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 11776; mso-width-source: userset; width: 242pt;" width="322"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; mso-height-source: userset; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm; width: 242pt;" width="322"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 11776; mso-width-source: userset; width: 242pt;" width="322"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b><u><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">The Rules of Life.</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">
</span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">I think the boys like to test
me sometimes.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">One of the things that is
difficult as a Dad with limited time is that you have to be able to overcome
issues in a weekend that have been festering in the boys minds for up to two
weeks.This means that when I collect them from school on the alternate Friday I
get bombarded by all 3 at the same time as they get in the car. We have had to
put a rule in place about not talking over each other or at the
same time</span> and another about not showing Dad the thing you did at
school until we get home. If we have to park and wait for big brother
to come out we take it turns to show Dad what we have in the school bag. It
took a while to get this under control because naturally the boys are very
excited when I collect them and are desperate to tell me all their news. Of
course there is also the competitive element of telling Dad the shared
experience first! </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6I7KULBeucobB7e6-o7A9HcCbHhoeHfLXDCGgWV_4vlIhclN3t7EMh_z6gHtQRhrDNmLfovmFInoGfYhtbCp50dr944IB3gxJbXnxGzhCctRsKuDEii16wo9_aiDwlD1XXWIwXn-Ghe8/s320/tumblr_mfpwzd3htP1qgug8xo1_500.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="215" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">It really is not easy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The point is
that we have "Rules". Simple rules but its often the case that the
rules at Dads are different from the other places the boys spend time.So rules
is a subject that comes up fairly often. Rules of the house are agreed by
everyone and if they boys want to have a rule for something then we discuss it
and if we all think its a good rule then we implement it. For example; At bed
time if you get ready for bed the first time of asking without moaning or
hesitating then you get to come back down and have an extra half an
hour. To sit with Dad cuddle talk or read whatever even finish
off your game if you really have too. But you have to have put dirty clothes in
the laundry basket washed face and hands had a wee and brushed your teeth,.If you have missed anything then you only get 5 minutes. It works really well
and it means I have never had an issue at bedtime with any of the boys .The real reward is having a chance to read to each other. I have been
encouraging the boys for some time to read to me at bed time as well as the
other way round. We usually take it in turns and they absolutely love doing
it. Bed times become special and something they look forward too.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">
</span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">So a couple of years ago my
middle son came up with the following; a real doozy of a question.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">'Dad, Is there one special
rule?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">One special rule? I
suppose always say please and thank you,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">would be up there,
why?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">My friends Dad said there's only
one rule for life.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6I7KULBeucobB7e6-o7A9HcCbHhoeHfLXDCGgWV_4vlIhclN3t7EMh_z6gHtQRhrDNmLfovmFInoGfYhtbCp50dr944IB3gxJbXnxGzhCctRsKuDEii16wo9_aiDwlD1XXWIwXn-Ghe8/s1600/tumblr_mfpwzd3htP1qgug8xo1_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Oh
dear, this could be awkward. I don't want to undermine another parent but I
also need to ensure my boys
rethink comments from adults with out questioning them inappropriately or
seeming </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">to undermine them. So I try to encourage them to think about things. Rather than always giving</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">a
straight answer maybe <span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">encourage them to
find one. Maybe </span></span><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">asking what they think</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">and working </span><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">an answer into their thoughts.
Not </span><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">always </span><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">successfully and </span><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">sometimes it's</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">easier to give a straight</span><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;"> response but I try not to if possible</span><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt -14.2pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">'Oh I see! and did he
say what the rule was?'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt -14.2pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">'You know the thing
you always say about do the thing <span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">you have </span><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">to do the first chance you get.'</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">'Yeeeesssss.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">'Well his is like that. He says;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">"Do it to them before they do it to you"!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Oh right, Well I think I
know what he means, but that's not really how I would put it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">How could we say it a little different
so it doesn't sound so rough do you think?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">I don't know Dad, it depends if
you're trying to hurt someone or help them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Well we wouldn't want to hurt anyone</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">would we? He shakes his head, The truth is buddy that there
isn't one single rule.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">I might have put his rule a
little differently some times the way we say something </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">can make it easier to understand. How about we change it just a little.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">How Dad?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Well how about we say "Do it
FOR them before they do it FOR you!?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">So it is about helping then, like
helping someone that wants to help you?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RWaj3YyldhDi3uxkMeqIO_X5cgGf46gtLIA6MKKC-5UospRrLnwSZrxRGUFGdYIf1eByXwHQv9Ky7EcyS2uiRoI4AGy0T0j5A9IqmJAo4etEM6S8-SuDqFsQH7hey84FBpTNzHjgOjs/s1600/ELEFRIEND+CLOUD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RWaj3YyldhDi3uxkMeqIO_X5cgGf46gtLIA6MKKC-5UospRrLnwSZrxRGUFGdYIf1eByXwHQv9Ky7EcyS2uiRoI4AGy0T0j5A9IqmJAo4etEM6S8-SuDqFsQH7hey84FBpTNzHjgOjs/s320/ELEFRIEND+CLOUD.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">A word cloud to guide us!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">I think that's a good way to put
it</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RWaj3YyldhDi3uxkMeqIO_X5cgGf46gtLIA6MKKC-5UospRrLnwSZrxRGUFGdYIf1eByXwHQv9Ky7EcyS2uiRoI4AGy0T0j5A9IqmJAo4etEM6S8-SuDqFsQH7hey84FBpTNzHjgOjs/s1600/ELEFRIEND+CLOUD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Phew!.... So I got to thinking, how
many rules do you need? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">I worry that we have too many because I don't want to
stunt creativity or thought but I</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">feel the
boys enjoy being part of the process of rule making and certainly the
structure </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">they bring seems to help everybody. So we
had a chat and decided to come up with rules</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">for Life! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">WOW! really? well sort of. The boys
wrote huge lists including things like don't pick </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">your nose and eat it! or Don't step on a stone in bare feet!?( I don't know
either !). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">In the end we put them all together and I edited everything and we agreed to a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">maximum of 50. Still a
big number and bearing in mind how many we started with, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">(I think around 260!)it seemed like a good number. <span style="line-height: 115%;">I </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">have tried to make them short</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> and simple and over the years </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">they have changed
a little but </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">we've</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> kept at 50.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">So Ladies and Gentleman I give you!.....Da Dada Dada daa!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><u>50 rules for life</u> : as created by 3 boys and 1 Dad </span></h3>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">(</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">with judicious editing by Dad!)</span></h4>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 633px;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -198.85pt 0.0001pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Admit
mistakes with quickly</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Ask
who's doing the best way to do it<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Be
bold have no regrets<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Be
early or on time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Be
regular<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Beware
someone with nothing to lose<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Buy the
best you can afford<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Call
your Mum daily<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Carry
an organ donor card<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Compliment
someone every day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Decide
difficult tasks <u>Won't</u> go wrong<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Do <b><u>IT</u></b> the first chance you get<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Do
nothing when angry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Drink
water at every meal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Enter
rooms with confidence<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Exercise
30 mins daily<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Give
blood yearly after you're 18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Gossip?
Never!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">If you
pay and its wrong complain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 19;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 20;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It's
o.k. to say "I don't know."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 21;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It's
good to say "I'm sorry."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 22;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Keep
hope alive, never take it away<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 23;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Keep
secrets<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 24;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Keep
your bucket list on you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 25;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Keep
yourself clean<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 26;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Learn a
trade/instrument or better both<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 27;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Listen
carefully or you may miss it<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 28;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Look
people in the eye<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 29;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Make
new friends, keep old ones<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 30;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Never
cheat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 31;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Never
underestimate forgiveness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 32;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Never
walk out on a row with anyone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 33;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Pay for
work when done not before<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 34;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Pretend
bravery's just as effective as real<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 35;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Read
one new book every week<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 36;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Say
"NO" politely but promptly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 37;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Say
"please" a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 38;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Say
"thank you" more<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 39;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Say
opening, not problem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 40;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Spend
less than you earn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 41;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Spend
the <b><u>REQUIRED</u></b> time at work<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 42;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Start
everyday with a good breakfast<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 43;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Support
a charity with time not money<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 44;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Treat
all you meet like they were you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 45;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Use
debit cards <b><u>NOT</u></b> credit cards<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 46;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Wage
war on litter <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 47;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Watch a
sunrise as often as possible<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 48;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Win
wars choose battles wisely<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 49; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="height: 15.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 474.9pt;" width="633"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Write a
blog/diary daily and keep it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The End!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">If you'd like to add any to the list let me know. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The only "rule" is you have to remove one for each new one, it was tough, I really wanted " Always have clean polished shoes, but I had to drop it.If we adopt it I will mark it as c/o @twittername. </span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h2>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-79156937872281924822013-05-06T12:51:00.000+01:002013-05-07T02:46:11.832+01:00The best part about "Being a Dad?""Dad?"<br />
"Yes buddy".<br />
"What's the best part of being a Dad?"<br />
"The best PART!"<br />
"Yeah and don't say YOU SON! You always say that!"<br />
<br />
I am frequently amazed by how or why some questions get asked.<br />
The truth is that the simple answer is, "YOU SON", the boys, they truly are the best part.<br />
All three have now asked this question and all at about the same age, there is clearly something going on in a boys life at the age of seven or eight that has them wondering about adult life, I think its about this age they become aware that adulthood is an inevitability and they better start learning about it, they become self aware, conscious that they grow physically and change.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAr9eDAWPU6sXPumpf2xDVKsC2baPvd8aAXPFzbStdnDUnDLq2-URBpFComXLDpS0wzwMPiwApgrHygy7KK2KaMHr8NmQVL0DH_4UvhiK8a4hCg66bnJgQE4dmiZ38JFZjvkEAsIAl9_s/s1600/Summer+08+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAr9eDAWPU6sXPumpf2xDVKsC2baPvd8aAXPFzbStdnDUnDLq2-URBpFComXLDpS0wzwMPiwApgrHygy7KK2KaMHr8NmQVL0DH_4UvhiK8a4hCg66bnJgQE4dmiZ38JFZjvkEAsIAl9_s/s200/Summer+08+023.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it the Football Dad?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Seriously Dad.! Is it the football?"<br />
"The Football?"<br />
"Yeah, you always come to the games, you got us all into teams, you drive us to all the games you cheer louder than the other Dads, you take us to buy new boots, you even help sometimes with coaching and stuff, is that the best part about being a Dad, like when we win or score?"<br />
<br />
Okay let's see, Is it Football?<br />
<br />
What's not great about that? The belly in tumult at the notion they might get hurt during this, what is often the first great solo excursion on lifes journey, or they might not enjoy it or the coach might not want them, or they might not get on with the other children, or he takes a ball full in the face and bursts into tears, or maybe he just bursts into to tears because he doesn't like it, or he waves to you when its his turn in goal only for the ball to fly past him as he's telling you how cool it all is, and that was just enough to start him crying and not wanting to be in goal, and then theres the untied shoelace that he stops to tuck in his boot because he doesn't know how to tie football laces up because they are so long and right at the moment the ball is heading towards him with no one else around and an open goal, so he goes to kick it and trips over the lace, and then falls to the ground, and skins his knee, and yours is the child that kicks another one or even worse kick his own teammate, or sits down in the middle of the game in the centre circle sulking, or walks off during the game because he spotted the swings on the other side of the park, and they look like more fun, or that dog next to that man just so needs to be stroked right now or none of the boys understand how this is supposed to work so all game long all you see this phalanx of a dozen, 5 year olds all running in the same direction, like a Benny Hill skit including the boy who is supposed to be in goal, and the opposition, trying to kick it away and missing, desperate to be the one to kick the ball, not one having any sense of "position" it's about kicking the ball Dad! or they lose 15 goals to nil, or your son is the one that called the referee stupid just loud enough to be heard and get sent off,or he's the substitute again, or he missed an open goal or the one with the wrong socks or it's freezing cold and you have no jacket and he needs your gloves and you can't feel your toes or its so hot you sweat standing still and you've forgotten the water bottles and his nose is burnt and so is yours and the youngest is bored and doesn't want to watch and eats all the jaffa cakes that were meant for the team at halftime and then he feels sick and throws up on your shoes during the second half or he 's the one that wants to go home or the one that needs a wee or, Oh No! Not a number 2 buddy ! Please no! the games just started !<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWaSy2pxXZKS7AsDOTqJ7tIyXDbX6pUV3UARJEuXcSx5NknPYn7eIKmhrgFBEVsg23E8n8NxVwfUuBxHFPEeYq4cHYTK2dqwzcVkpg-wussSPIzPh7ZAWD8DtFAIAYN6J3gtsOqRpHrc/s1600/Summer+08+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWaSy2pxXZKS7AsDOTqJ7tIyXDbX6pUV3UARJEuXcSx5NknPYn7eIKmhrgFBEVsg23E8n8NxVwfUuBxHFPEeYq4cHYTK2dqwzcVkpg-wussSPIzPh7ZAWD8DtFAIAYN6J3gtsOqRpHrc/s200/Summer+08+017.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's the Memories Buddy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Oh my god this isn't worth it! Is it?<br />
<br />
More than worth it.<br />
<br />
The best part? The Memories we have and the memories to come!<br />
What you have given me until now and what you will give me in the future<br />
<br />
YOU are the best part about being a Dad my sons!<br />
<br />
©Agides<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://twitter.com/AndyAgides" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS5m18Z3X3AXoi1_6lr6tY97HHjI86BgOVmb8E9-tLDqdj9Px-e" style="line-height: 19.6pt;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Follow me on Twitter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
</div>
<div style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;">
</div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-15304899944112314782013-04-29T03:34:00.000+01:002015-12-11T20:15:47.026+00:00Boys, Beef and Tomatoes <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FLCXCQQr30xp7Jy0TAQTpLU5z7bmkKh0I_-rhHtZAslkULJAvGiSDsdESY5kPZBZo7f-suC8Tlks1EKcrT-O3_TtTZ9Yi6PIvLzCu4kunhJg3QtXcVWcuGwzqaaxLCLxhzzijE-mvfY/s1600/IMG_0447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FLCXCQQr30xp7Jy0TAQTpLU5z7bmkKh0I_-rhHtZAslkULJAvGiSDsdESY5kPZBZo7f-suC8Tlks1EKcrT-O3_TtTZ9Yi6PIvLzCu4kunhJg3QtXcVWcuGwzqaaxLCLxhzzijE-mvfY/s200/IMG_0447.JPG" width="200" /></a>You know how every now and again you set about making your world famous chili ,
lasagna or spag-bol, but no matter how
many times you make it and regardless of whether you used exactly the same
ingredients as last time, it always comes out just a little bit different every
single time? What is that all about? I know I did it the same last time! Didn’t
I? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
The really wonderful thing about this is even though it’s
different each time everyone still really likes it! Phew! Thank goodness for
that they're my best recipes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have three boy’s same mum same me so why is it despite all
you learn about life and family it is still a source of gob smacking amazement
just how different 3 boys with the same parents and upbringing can be from each
other? Can’t be all that different can they? Oh yes they can!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apart from differences in age the boys are as different as
my three best mince and tin tomato based dishes.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbCcxiw2TqyM5hXrivptezOY8hrG4OZM_TEUnVOt2CmlUOLC3p8G0yyfYHCgNznnapbtvqgqhARkOiZtJVJCPS8zLlER2vLLQe-fJ-fOpP5atQgaKwmWxYsbXyn2I7Py9bG1v7fnpfbI/s1600/IMG_0328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbCcxiw2TqyM5hXrivptezOY8hrG4OZM_TEUnVOt2CmlUOLC3p8G0yyfYHCgNznnapbtvqgqhARkOiZtJVJCPS8zLlER2vLLQe-fJ-fOpP5atQgaKwmWxYsbXyn2I7Py9bG1v7fnpfbI/s200/IMG_0328.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">I wonder if I can sell them?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">L.. is 13; he is a very serious guy but a real talker. Older in his attitudes than
a Tory initiative he asks serious questions like the one from the
last posting. He works really hard, he has a paper round at weekends helps in a shop once a week, and sweeps a car park twice a week. He gave the newsagent
his number and covers any absence on week day rounds getting up very early to
do it. And he’s a bit of an entrepreneur. He washes your car for a fee and
recently decided there was money in dog walking so advertised his services on
the local Gumtree (to be fair an idea he nicked from a cousin, but still!),Very
enterprising and very lucrative too! He loves people, plays soccer for an u14’s
team (he’s a lefty so nearly always plays). He cycles miles at a time, and thinks
nothing of cycling 8-10 miles. Regularly doing just that to visit a cousin who
has never done the same. He is,to coin a phrase 'as fit as a butchers
dog'. He’s the fulcrum of teenage events. Everyone knows him and it seems likes
him. He's "one of the guys". He is good at school. Not Einstein but consistent and at a good level in
most subjects and in one or two very good indeed. Despite all this though he
does lack just a little in self confidence at times. For the sake of the world and Richard Branson maybe
not such a bad thing.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJB_1h_r9SRu0NGvCyKEFppOUV948WrXxn_-m5a9sV3clgJ9fVyTh0sBMQh6Tlpu768QwgNdhnhfTl7Y3EyBlmzgYvzxqh-pnNU7y1iHAWtuA3gtRE93vioXQw6oWP4bL-WJyWeYnoHc/s1600/Hugo%2527s+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJB_1h_r9SRu0NGvCyKEFppOUV948WrXxn_-m5a9sV3clgJ9fVyTh0sBMQh6Tlpu768QwgNdhnhfTl7Y3EyBlmzgYvzxqh-pnNU7y1iHAWtuA3gtRE93vioXQw6oWP4bL-WJyWeYnoHc/s200/Hugo%2527s+spider.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Drawn age 8</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
S.... is 9; he is quiet intense and can concentrate
better than a juice extraction factory. I've not met a child that can focus so
intently for so long. His passion is insects but his interests include all of
nature and anything that fly’s. Writing about all these and drawing them as
well in extraordinary detail sometimes. He reads voraciously and is in love
with knowledg, (at the moment it’s White Fang by Jack London). His questions invariably
have me scuttling to Google to maintain the guise of the all knowing Dad! He
has taught</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
me so much about so many things, I can remember at the age of 3 he
could identify and name 50+ dinosaurs from a book originally bought for his
older brother and pronounce them correctly as well. He sends me messages about
his latest finds and emails his drawings of spiders and is now, he informs me
with significant conviction, writing the definitive book on insects living in
his neighbourhood! I have no idea where he gets it from. He is a gentle boy full of love and never afraid to show i. He takes enormous care over
everything biting the end of his tongue as he works away on his latest passion but is very content in his own company.
He loves cooking with me and is remarkably adventurous with his food. Genuinely
keen to try everything even wanting to try deep fried grasshoppers last summer. I drew the line at that as he couldn't catch enough for everyone to have some,
Thank goodness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMimg4Ztm8xYRTWN6p7yY3Fw4Ao4RH3P0bAMC1nrKinwzC9apdEdv0UiXFGgN-kqRgTzXTM9ZFbJ9sBDEpdLPRZSWwRZ8MFdLM5k5d4uo_cStUZDFmW_F7iinoVgf6dOxDBzlhyphenhyphenS6uykk/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMimg4Ztm8xYRTWN6p7yY3Fw4Ao4RH3P0bAMC1nrKinwzC9apdEdv0UiXFGgN-kqRgTzXTM9ZFbJ9sBDEpdLPRZSWwRZ8MFdLM5k5d4uo_cStUZDFmW_F7iinoVgf6dOxDBzlhyphenhyphenS6uykk/s200/IMG_0308.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">See those tree's Dad?</span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;">I can climb them. I can!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
C.... well he’s 8; he is "THE HUMAN DYNAMOHHH!" This boy would
leave Chuck Norris begging for mercy if he was his sitter. He is a Boy with a capital
B every time. This child wastes no time. If something’s in the way go through
it, it takes too long to go round. His life is about experience. He does
everything physical with full out gusto. When he runs its as fast as he can every
time. If he’s jumping its higher every time. If he’s climbing (Oh boy! and he does
climb!), it’s further than anyone ever! Everything about his life is Fun and he
has the most incredible imagination. This of course means he tells the most
outstanding stories about his adventures. They're based in truth but somehow
the hill down the lane from the house becomes a mountain and the pond becomes a
lake. Cats are always as big as tigers and the time he saw a fox it turned into
Sirius Blacks animagus but bigger. And SPIDERS! Ha! He winds his brother up all
the time saying he’s found a bigger spider than him! The scale of his world is
breathtaking, I adore it. I get raised eyebrows from some for letting him
explore the world at his age,(I've been letting him for a while) but to be
honest the world he inhabits is his and he is King of it so off you go my
liege. He's the leader of the gang and has a knack for drawing other quieter children out of themselves. Having made
one wee man near here a very different boy by befriending him, much to his mum's delight. He knocks at the door every weekend asking for him even though he
knows it’s every other it is very cute.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
OK so let’s admit this, C....s' lust for
life is a problem to some. It has gotten him on the wrong side of school teachers, and
academically he is by the standard measures at least, “behind”. They tell me he
suffers from A.D.H.D. I tell them he doesn't suffer at all. He loves life and
some of us could learn a lot from him if we just took time to accommodate instead
of try to change him. I get told off for that a lot. So I say fine he <u>A</u>pproaches
<u>D</u>ays with <u>H</u>ealthy <u>D</u>isrespect! I'm not trying to diminish this
I just love how he embraces freedom and life and wish I was more like him. Come
to think of it I wish EVERYONE was just a bit more like him! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My three best "dishes" feed my soul, my mind, my dreams, my
hopes, my life and I never feel empty when they're around, I would like that to be more often and as I improve so do the chances. Here's hoping!<br />
Gotta Love ‘em!<br />
<br />
©Agides </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<br />Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-74005282599602707692013-04-27T23:09:00.000+01:002016-02-14T23:17:32.803+00:00What Do You Wish You Knew?<br />
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I should have said before I am a Dad. </span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not sure how good a Dad but I try. I wish I was better. More than anything I wish I spent far more time with my remarkable boys. Oh yeah,I forgot! like so many others I am divorced from their mum and she has them for the bulk of time.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A month or so ago I got into a funk about not seeing them more I realised my MH meant it wasn't possible but I decided I should try to do something about it. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOMmsArE0-KKSIH0at3r3Howcz2-3f9FVt_-KW9adOXGxSjaJEaIQ-0kJwhqqmX8ac3j25t_1YDRaYisVWA-3eaAMRWXRG-7KYKjAN0IGGHmqZpTjJR86P5T5ew7sM7NgpkxilPAAmM0/s1600/IMG_0278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOMmsArE0-KKSIH0at3r3Howcz2-3f9FVt_-KW9adOXGxSjaJEaIQ-0kJwhqqmX8ac3j25t_1YDRaYisVWA-3eaAMRWXRG-7KYKjAN0IGGHmqZpTjJR86P5T5ew7sM7NgpkxilPAAmM0/s320/IMG_0278.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Hello! Can you dig me out now Guys!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The Boy's came to visit and we talked about how we could talk to each other more. Like most modern boys they have mobiles and laptops so we set up email accounts for each so I could write things to them as a team or as individuals. We have a thing called "Team *family name* when we do shared chores where each of us has one part to do like washing up. One washes one dry's one puts away that sort of thing.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Most of these will stay personal but I thought I'd put a few on to the blog</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;"> to show how hard I am trying to keep away the moisture that becomes the smog.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">My oldest boy who is 13 asked me that day, 'What did you wish you'd known when you were little that you know now?'</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Crikey! (as we English are prone to saying.) </span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">We talked for about an hour with my 9 yr old and 8 yr old boys joining in over a strawberry milk. Middle son 'I bet you wish you knew about all the different types of ants there are eh Dad!' 'Oh yes buddy, I really do.'( I don't need to know now because <u>he</u> tells me!).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">'Do you wish you could ride your bike to your friends house like I do Dad?' </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">That's my 8yr old talking. 'Well I did like to do that but not as much as you do!' </span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">My eldest has learnt to be patient with all this and was very quiet after the first few minutes of asking and being interrupted. It seemed important to him I could tell, but I wasn't sure why. We talked quietly after the 2 youngest drifted away to their respective things but like many young men he didn't seem to want to explain why he was interested.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOM2_DwEiWY2Xeatp6Rq6rVSZtCne5ZaF57LNTb6OGdsW5e94yhIJIMDw2x370padpDE2JaA6yoOXe_-3jYeXo3gDPt803O4U_3ObdfSsAq8qfHoXGGqpqYKEpwtRYHKtRG2FzW7fNiSE/s1600/DSCN0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOM2_DwEiWY2Xeatp6Rq6rVSZtCne5ZaF57LNTb6OGdsW5e94yhIJIMDw2x370padpDE2JaA6yoOXe_-3jYeXo3gDPt803O4U_3ObdfSsAq8qfHoXGGqpqYKEpwtRYHKtRG2FzW7fNiSE/s320/DSCN0077.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Rain does not stop play!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Our day moved on and before they went I promised to write them each an email almost every day. I've kept a pretty good strike rate up not every day but several times a week at least. Not always a lot sometimes a link to a web site or video or a one line message. But a few days after they had been I sat thinking about the eldest and decided I should try to answer him.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I thought hard about this and I will be honest searched the web for inspiration. Lot's had stuff that was useful but nothing that seemed to answer to my boy specifically. So I jotted a lot of things down and came up with the following. </span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;">I sent it to all 3 but my eldest was the one who </span>texted<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;"> me back an hour or so later. ("Thanks Dad! That's well cool!)</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The following is what I sent and
thanks to all on the interweb that inspired it.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">These things that I’d like you to
know more than anything else:</span></u></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>YOU! Are more than good enough.
Okay!<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most people are afraid to do things because they are afraid they’re not
good enough afraid they’ll get it wrong. But ‘YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH’ – Learn this
and you won’t be afraid of new opportunities you won’t be afraid to get it
wrong wont need the approval of others. You’ll be pre-approved</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "wingdings";">à</span><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> by you( and me of course! ;)).<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Make mistakes! Get it Wrong
Sometimes!<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Your mistakes will be your best teachers. Instead of being frightened of
mistakes learn to enjoy them. BUT! Learn to learn from them and learn to put
them behind you quickly. You don’t need them to affect your confidence okay?
You don’t need someone else to make you happy with your choices. You don’t need
a teacher to tell you that you’re great at what you do you don’t need a
boyfriend/girlfriend to tell you that you are worth loving you don’t need your
‘friends’ approval. Having loved ones and friends in your life is amazing find
them keep them cherish them but know who you are first.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Have fun being active<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Sure there’s a
lot of fun to be had on line and in eating sweets and chips and in
watching Telly and films and playing video games. But going outside and playing
with your friends (or me)) throwing a ball around, swimming climbing
something challenging each other these are even more fun and lead to a
healthier life healthier heart and more energetic better focused and more
alert mind.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Learn Compassion<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Okay I know you
want what you want. Having compassion is about realising we are not more
important than anyone else and we are not the centre of the universe. Someone
annoys you? So What! Get over it! Step outside your little shell and try to
understand how their day is going maybe you can help them be less angry or
suffer less pain. Think about putting the other person first but don’t ignore
your needs and remember a need is not a want!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Never stop Learning<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">If you just
learn one little something each day it will add up over time
immensely. Never assume you know and never ever be afraid to ask a question there is no such thing as a "stupid question" ! If you don't know
ASK! and if someone tells you it's stupid remember it means they
were too scared to ask for that reason and one day will miss out
because they didn't ask! Stay in education as long as you possibly
can the friends you make in college will last longer than any others you make.</span><b><o:p></o:p></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Everything you need to be Happy
you already have <o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Some people think happiness is in food drugs alcohol shopping partying sex.Because these things make them happy they're wrong. They don't realise
happiness is not what you do it's what you are. Inside you already have the ability to make and create and do something meaningful even in a
small way that's what happiness is.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Spend less than you Earn<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Try to save £30 out of every £100 you earn. Everybody that gets money starts
spending immediately usually on possessions eating out stuff they won’t have
5yrs later a car rent often using credit cards. None of these matters as
your life grows don’t spend what you don’t have. Learn to go without be happy
with less now you will have more later on. Learn the difference between need
and want. You work hard for your money so make it work hard for you let it
grow care for it like you would anything in your life.Your future will be
very pleased you did and will thank you; I promise.</span><b><o:p></o:p></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i> Learn to Love Healthy Food<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Learn to cook for yourself. (Isn't it great when we cook together?)
Try foods that are new healthy, different. Cook from scratch it's healthier
and much less expensive as we have proved many times. Try everything at least
once. You cannot know until you try. (Do I need to remind you? No thought not!
;))<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Do not avoid Discomfort! Get good
at it!<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Trying to avoid discomfort is a common mistake. I have learned it’s a
mistake. Learning to be okay with some discomfort will change your
life.(Remember the camping holiday? Wasn't that the best fun we've ever had?).
The things that stress you out in the end never matter, they really don’t, let
them go. Take a bigger view of life. Will this matter tomorrow or next week?
The answer is No more often than not. If the answer happens to be Yes then
Deal with it! REMEMBER! Do things the very first opportunity you get!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Savour everything about life</i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Not just the usual stuff but everything and everyone the stranger on
the bus the sun on your face, the morning quiet, time with loved ones, time
alone, the sound of your breath as you run. Slow down, take time to think and relax.Read a book, clear your mind occasionally. If you have to make the same
journey every day make a conscious decision to notice differences each day you
make that trip. It is possible, if you really look, it may be a new bird, a
flower, a loose roof tile, a newly dug hole, who knows? Look! and think about
looking pay attention to your surroundings they matter.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>At least once in Life: Start your own Business<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>I always thought
that owning a business was what other people did. I was wrong. It’s possible
for anyone to start their own business and while you'll probably do
badly at first you'll learn quickly. It’s a very effective education
possibly as good as college. Everything useful I've learnt
was learnt from doing. That said; I've had some amazing
teachers. They're not always in school,
though: they're everywhere. A friend I made at work my parents, friends, brothers,
sisters, grandparents, uncles and aunts my wife, even you, my children.
Teachers are everywhere, if you're willing to learn. Realise everyone
has the potential to teach you something even if it's how not to do something!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Change is Good-: Learn to be Good at Change<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<i>Change
is something you can guarantee will happen. Learn to let go of “things” and
learn to have a flexible mind. <span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Don't get stuck doing what's
comfortable don't shut out what’s new or uncomfortable. Accept
change and it will be better for you it’s a part of life go with it and relax
you might just find you like it.</span><b><o:p></o:p></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><i>Let Life be Amazing<o:p></o:p></i></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><i><br /></i></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Life can be amazing if you don’t shut it out. People are
amazing if you don’t shut them out. Be willing to accept that hurt sometimes
comes with an open heart,(you’ll survive)that’s how to experience the best of
life. Success is cool but not as a rule to live by unless it’s about success
in love and family. Love your family, friends, co-workers, stranger, your brothers
and sister, humanity. Love even those that think they are your enemy let them
make that choice though you must never do so. Love the animals we treat as
friends and food but most of all; Love You! There’s a song called ‘The
Greatest Love of All’ by a singer called George Benson, download it and learn
the words by heart, okay?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And Always Remember this:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.6pt; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I LOVE YOU WITH</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">EVERY ATOM OF MY BEING!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 24.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">DAD :)</span></span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 14px;">©Agides</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://twitter.com/AndyAgides" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS5m18Z3X3AXoi1_6lr6tY97HHjI86BgOVmb8E9-tLDqdj9Px-e" style="line-height: 19.6pt;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Follow me on Twitter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</h3>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-62654298236841871032013-04-27T19:57:00.001+01:002015-12-11T19:17:43.750+00:00Albion<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr253OppFg3clPxpTnxlx-oPYEUYd5XnWpgbZEpvrJSmmU48FnB-OHAWtWL8vHoqTQamTyrfHkB-919ofLWeqAXVu1Bus-JOtO1efxkji9xKR2Tw-w823HfytcPcsFf4AzMwbgUNPIKFD/s1600/free-wallpapers-for-mobile-download017-Bad_Baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr253OppFg3clPxpTnxlx-oPYEUYd5XnWpgbZEpvrJSmmU48FnB-OHAWtWL8vHoqTQamTyrfHkB-919ofLWeqAXVu1Bus-JOtO1efxkji9xKR2Tw-w823HfytcPcsFf4AzMwbgUNPIKFD/s400/free-wallpapers-for-mobile-download017-Bad_Baby.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;"> ENGLAND'S DREAMING?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Apologies to Rupert Brooke, <o:p></o:p></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before you cry think upon this for free</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That there are corners of some child’s minds</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That are forever failed by family. There shall be</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In those hoped rich minds a sickened brain congealed </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A mind of loins born, shaped, made to despair, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
gave at once mans prejudices to love, his ways to follow;</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A child of parents breathing poisoned air,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
washed by ignorance, "blest" by sons of sorrow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And think, this child mans evil led astray,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A pulse in the perverted mind, un-bless</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
gives back somewhere the pain of parents given</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
their frights and hounds; ‘mares sad as the grey</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
and violence learned of fiends; and hatefulness,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
in hearts at pace; under an England riven.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
©Agides <span style="font-family: "wingdings 2";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638486228334108605.post-292418001779139792013-04-27T01:22:00.000+01:002016-04-06T22:54:55.063+01:00Seeing through Smog. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Oh God not another self indulgent woe is me bloody blog about the D-word! </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Well yes and hopefully no. It is of course about me my thoughts ideas influences and of the things that I am. A person that like many others suffers mood swings. I know that many will suffer more and others less. I know some will care deeply and others care less. I just felt that 4 years after intending to start a blog I ought to settle down and do something about it so here goes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">So why Pea-Souper? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Well I read a lot of the </span><span style="line-height: 14px;">on-line</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> "self help/save me I'm lost" type web sites looking for solutions to my "Problem"many of them ask about how you describe your lowest mood.A popular one being the "black dog" first referenced by Winston Churchill when describing his own mood swings.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">I never feel like my feelings are divorced from me and existing in another being like that, I see mine as a struggle to see to see a way through to see answers solutions or conclusions. I gather that's a very male thing,solving it sorting it working it out. When I can't see it I imagine it feels like I am losing sight my view blocked by a smog the deeper the low the thicker the smog. At my lowest "A Real Pea-Souper". This is how Londoner's used to refer to the dense clouded cover that would fall upon cities like theirs in 1950's a fog so thick you could almost imagine cutting holes in it with a knife. Of course as mood improves I feel the fog thinning and lifting. When it's gone I'm on song pumped, keen ready for action </span><span style="line-height: 14px;">rejuvenated</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> reborn fan-bloody-tastic! </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Oh dear; calm down son!</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">So I intend to write thoughts, ideas, poems, bit's of prose, the odd image probably. We shall see. I will be linking to sites that have information advice or just fun stuff about mental health in its broadest possible meaning. I have been an on-line advocate for several sites and my twitter will show a large number of M.H. charities</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> organisations and support groups as well as my interest in Autism ( inspired by a phenomenal blog I found). Dogs (I am a volunteer puppy socialiser for Hearing Dogs UK).</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">There will be an underlying theme of mood and it may well drive the bulk of content. My personal hope is that it will prove cathartic and that it will help me connect with people. Something that my condition is preventing me from doing as I would wish. If others get something from it that will be a bonus and my G.P will be pleased as he has been suggesting I write for a very long time! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 14px;">For the first posting I will add a piece of poetry (I use the word loosely I know) and an image I borrowed from the internet and a borrowed quote attached to it.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 14px;">I tweet occasionally and you can follow me by clicking on the link below, </span><span style="line-height: 14px;">I will tweet each new entry. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 14px;">If you've read this then thank you. I hope it was okay if so add me on twitter or link to the site, and thanks again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56sb3ct15mA_17fTHgHDitobMi3Ptq8GKBpErDLKDAG5vtICOFMiHZHyPKcVnURi5XYQ0ALFs7umza9qLhwighWcdA5sAs0T8BHrp1Wv1pnaJVKIOdp7cZq_ySyNiHdJF71YGiJwOsmE/s1600/Thats+how+I+want+to+feel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56sb3ct15mA_17fTHgHDitobMi3Ptq8GKBpErDLKDAG5vtICOFMiHZHyPKcVnURi5XYQ0ALFs7umza9qLhwighWcdA5sAs0T8BHrp1Wv1pnaJVKIOdp7cZq_ySyNiHdJF71YGiJwOsmE/s640/Thats+how+I+want+to+feel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">©</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Agides</span></span></div>
Agideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219993189814358923noreply@blogger.com