Watch this when you have a spare 20 minutes. I tell you now it's worth it to get the thoughts thinking. Done? Now, what you think...?
For those of you that are "going to do it later" it is a short film about "The Story of Stuff". It's quite "American" (not that there's anything wrong with that it's just sometimes as Brit I forget they are for real but that is so my bad) in it's statistics and approach and has a lot of loaded comments to make but if you can watch it and be a bit open minded then I think it has some important messages.
Maybe you don't believe... maybe you take it with enough of a pinch of salt and a "how can I know it's true" attitude to disregard it... maybe you just don't know what to do with the information and feel a little bit like you can't make a difference anyway... maybe you have already challenged yourself in this and have a cohesive response... maybe you are running outside screaming and shouting at the world to stop in their tracks and CHANGE! Do tell.
I will let you how I feel some time but it's this or nothing as a post tonight and I want to get the ball rolling...
Showing posts with label Social Morality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Morality. Show all posts
Monday, November 17, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Don't Let The Man Get You Down
Now, I know that the issue I am about to address isn't specifically about men being in the wrong. Nor is it always about women being attacked (though I think most would agree they they bear the brunt of it). But "The Man" doesn't necessarily mean people with willies, just a mechanism that is controlling The World, so the title stays.
I have talked about this several times before. Like here and there. But this is going to be a bit of a remix so don't run off, please!
I am becoming ever increasingly passionate about issues pertaining to women stuck in the world, being forced into an unobtainable mold with superficial expectations. There is SO MUCH more to humanity than that and it is SO not what God says it is about. Sure attraction comes into relationships and God created beauty and loves it, I know that, but having seen what the world is saying and how it is controlling, nay destroying lives, I think it is time we stopped. "We" as a race would be incredible. "We" as a faith group - can we settle for less?
Eating disorders are KILLING people in the minority, taking over and disrupting lives in a much larger proportion not to mention other kinds of disorders (tanorexia for example, addiction to plastic surgery...) and consumerism gets US ALL. (Watch this - it's a cool film and yet of course it is still both advertising and about beauty products!)
Every time we acknowledge a "flaw" and stress over it we are guilty of:
a) the dismissal of the person God made us to be, and
b) being distracted from what is actually important.
There are many things tied in here, enough to write a book about (watch this space...!) and definitely you can say to me that it is a fine line to balance keeping healthy with not caring at all; that self control comes into it; that God wants us to be the best we can be. I know and I may or may not address these things and others at some later time [for sure you can still please tell me what you think about them, I'm very much working this out as I go]. However, today I just want to say that it is time those of us in the church (as C.S. Lewis describes it: a terrible army across time and space) at the very least get out of that mind set.
We are allowing consumerism to take over and I have met very few people, and certainly am not one myself, that are totally above the worldly attitudes of attraction. There is also another debate in here as to how much preferences (still ideally kept internalised in my view) are acceptable given that, while we all seem to "fancy" different things, if our ideas come directly from our exposure to the world's view of what is and isn't "beautiful" maybe we just need put some of those aside. I don't know, sometimes I really don't know.
What I do know is that it is hard to be a "normal" person who is aware of all the judgment that flies around, that if it wasn't for Jesus' love for me I wouldn't be able to ignore it so well and that even so it can still be a struggle some days.
We need to rise above it. Christians and non- alike. We need to stop whoever baddie we believe in, be it "The Man" or "The Devil", from winning this battle and inserting insecurity and judgment into our hearts. We need to break out of the trap that tells us to dedicate time and money to insignificant nay unhelpful things. We need to stop harbouring ideas that alienate people and make them not love themselves as they should. As God does. I need to change my set of standards entirely and rethink what it is that God would say when he saw me walk into a room. What image He wants me reflect back in a mirror, not what other people want and not what I want.
It is a challenge. I don't know how to start really... Any thoughts? Do I set a budget on my moisturiser or just stop using it altogether?! First off I need to stop accepting the things I see, the things I hear, the things I think, the things I say... as, well, acceptable. The one thing I do know is that being in the place of constantly trying to live up to these expectations sucks really really hard and I am SO glad to not be there anymore.
One or two people said they liked it when I wrote poems so here's one I made earlier. You can stop reading now if you don't like it so much, I won't mind. I won't know! It's an early draft and I'm not sure about how the punctuation captures the lilt so you may have to use a bit of imagination...
Look at me
Look at me straight
In my eyes my ass, don’t hesitate to tell me what you think
My face my teeth my clothes, what lies beneath
It’s all fair game.
I’ll be ashamed or feel a queen
Or somewhere in between,
Depending on your dreams
View my soul
Then judge the whole package as it were
Do I ring your bell
or deviate from the curve?
Normal, a cycle on the machine?
Or a sign that all is well with me.
What parameters are these?
Indeed! What the hell
Look at me straight
Tell me I’m ok
With a word a look a smile a touch
I need to know that I’m enough
Don’t hesitate
All of me, right here, right now
On a plate
For the joys and for the sorrows
In sickness and health
Till death do us part, or the fire wanes in your heart
Is it death already?
Or was that here from the start.
More’s the pity
If only I’d been pretty.
I have talked about this several times before. Like here and there. But this is going to be a bit of a remix so don't run off, please!
I am becoming ever increasingly passionate about issues pertaining to women stuck in the world, being forced into an unobtainable mold with superficial expectations. There is SO MUCH more to humanity than that and it is SO not what God says it is about. Sure attraction comes into relationships and God created beauty and loves it, I know that, but having seen what the world is saying and how it is controlling, nay destroying lives, I think it is time we stopped. "We" as a race would be incredible. "We" as a faith group - can we settle for less?
Eating disorders are KILLING people in the minority, taking over and disrupting lives in a much larger proportion not to mention other kinds of disorders (tanorexia for example, addiction to plastic surgery...) and consumerism gets US ALL. (Watch this - it's a cool film and yet of course it is still both advertising and about beauty products!)
Every time we acknowledge a "flaw" and stress over it we are guilty of:
a) the dismissal of the person God made us to be, and
b) being distracted from what is actually important.
There are many things tied in here, enough to write a book about (watch this space...!) and definitely you can say to me that it is a fine line to balance keeping healthy with not caring at all; that self control comes into it; that God wants us to be the best we can be. I know and I may or may not address these things and others at some later time [for sure you can still please tell me what you think about them, I'm very much working this out as I go]. However, today I just want to say that it is time those of us in the church (as C.S. Lewis describes it: a terrible army across time and space) at the very least get out of that mind set.
We are allowing consumerism to take over and I have met very few people, and certainly am not one myself, that are totally above the worldly attitudes of attraction. There is also another debate in here as to how much preferences (still ideally kept internalised in my view) are acceptable given that, while we all seem to "fancy" different things, if our ideas come directly from our exposure to the world's view of what is and isn't "beautiful" maybe we just need put some of those aside. I don't know, sometimes I really don't know.
What I do know is that it is hard to be a "normal" person who is aware of all the judgment that flies around, that if it wasn't for Jesus' love for me I wouldn't be able to ignore it so well and that even so it can still be a struggle some days.
We need to rise above it. Christians and non- alike. We need to stop whoever baddie we believe in, be it "The Man" or "The Devil", from winning this battle and inserting insecurity and judgment into our hearts. We need to break out of the trap that tells us to dedicate time and money to insignificant nay unhelpful things. We need to stop harbouring ideas that alienate people and make them not love themselves as they should. As God does. I need to change my set of standards entirely and rethink what it is that God would say when he saw me walk into a room. What image He wants me reflect back in a mirror, not what other people want and not what I want.
It is a challenge. I don't know how to start really... Any thoughts? Do I set a budget on my moisturiser or just stop using it altogether?! First off I need to stop accepting the things I see, the things I hear, the things I think, the things I say... as, well, acceptable. The one thing I do know is that being in the place of constantly trying to live up to these expectations sucks really really hard and I am SO glad to not be there anymore.
One or two people said they liked it when I wrote poems so here's one I made earlier. You can stop reading now if you don't like it so much, I won't mind. I won't know! It's an early draft and I'm not sure about how the punctuation captures the lilt so you may have to use a bit of imagination...
Look at me
Look at me straight
In my eyes my ass, don’t hesitate to tell me what you think
My face my teeth my clothes, what lies beneath
It’s all fair game.
I’ll be ashamed or feel a queen
Or somewhere in between,
Depending on your dreams
View my soul
Then judge the whole package as it were
Do I ring your bell
or deviate from the curve?
Normal, a cycle on the machine?
Or a sign that all is well with me.
What parameters are these?
Indeed! What the hell
Look at me straight
Tell me I’m ok
With a word a look a smile a touch
I need to know that I’m enough
Don’t hesitate
All of me, right here, right now
On a plate
For the joys and for the sorrows
In sickness and health
Till death do us part, or the fire wanes in your heart
Is it death already?
Or was that here from the start.
More’s the pity
If only I’d been pretty.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Muffin Anyone? Only if it's "skinny"
I have kept silent for too long about how ruddy bloody crap the world is. Well today a good bit of old fashioned sharing of exasperations has led me to write this post. That and procrastination to avoid the fact I have a seminar to prepare for (quaking in fear... us mathematicians are not used to this).
And today the issue is going to be women, or dare I say the way in which we are objectified, pressurised and downright defiled by society.
Now, before you guys out there start complaining about this and say that men get there fair share of it from women, I know. I've seen the aero advert. I'm not claiming this is the guys fault or even a one way mechanism, simply that right now I have a bone to pick on the behalf of my gender and I'm not quitting until at least one lady stops shaving her legs.
I was having a conversation with a new friend I've made in Bristol. I'd like to take a minute to say a big "howdy and hello there" as I just sent her a link (after she twisted my arm :-P). She is a pretty cool chick and I think we have a fair amount of stuff in common. One of which is anger! But I digress. The subject of muffin tops came up...
Now for those of you that don't know what these are, and I hope that you don't because by having it in your vocabulary it simply means you have been exposed more than you ought to the crapness of media, it is the bit of your belly/sides/back that overhangs trousers at the top. Like a muffin. Now I for one think they sound a lot sexier when they are known as love handles. For two, however and more importantly, I think that if the same people that write articles about muffin tops (oh yes, this is considered newsworthy) hadn't introduced trousers that were so ridiculously low slung the wearer could not bend forward without exposing herself and half of that ever so sexy not-at-all low rising thong (g-string), then the whole phenomenon would not exist!
The sad truth is though, that instead of giving the sound advice to getting rid of muffin tops - buy a pair of trousers that fit - magazines are proporting all kinds of diets and exercises plans to generate women that spend all their time, money and energies obsessing after things that are not achievable and not supposed to be. The self-esteem of the lovely ladies in society has sunken so low as a result of the impossibility of the task that they set standards for themselves that allow the less than lovely members of society to use and abuse them. Consumerism rapes their pockets, men rape their bodies and the lies of who they are suppose to be are screaming so loudly and repeatedly in their ears that there is no space for the quite truth of a woman.
The truth that I can't help believe lies in places like this: Proverbs 31. If we could all aim to live out that character I am convinced that the pain we see demonstrated in eating disorders, unwanted pregnancies, abusive relationships, control issues, low self-esteem, self-harm, psychotic bitchiness etc etc I could go on would subside; I am convinced that the world would not be able to help slackening it's grip on the hearts of the daughters of Eve.
I don't want to start a discussion about women is the church, looking at contentious arguments about jewellery, dresses, head coverings and speaking out. Not 'cause I don't want to talk about it, not at all! Just now is not the time and I have, I confess, a lot more learning and thinking and listening to do about all this stuff. I do know, however, that as I reform my ideas on what sets aside a woman of the Kingdom from women of the world, that somethings have got to change.
What? I am not yet sure. Is it sufficient to sometimes go out with hairy legs or do I need to stop mosturising too? Maybe these things have no significance if the heart attitude is changed? I do know that as long as I pay any heed to what the WAGs are doing (Wives And Girlfriends, a distressing term coined by British media to describe the horrifying iconography of the partners of footballers in all their emaciated glory) or for even one second accept as truth what the media purports as necessary or significant, I will lose sight of my WOG (I couldn't help myself!) role model and as such the whole crux of my true feminine identity.
And today the issue is going to be women, or dare I say the way in which we are objectified, pressurised and downright defiled by society.
Now, before you guys out there start complaining about this and say that men get there fair share of it from women, I know. I've seen the aero advert. I'm not claiming this is the guys fault or even a one way mechanism, simply that right now I have a bone to pick on the behalf of my gender and I'm not quitting until at least one lady stops shaving her legs.
I was having a conversation with a new friend I've made in Bristol. I'd like to take a minute to say a big "howdy and hello there" as I just sent her a link (after she twisted my arm :-P). She is a pretty cool chick and I think we have a fair amount of stuff in common. One of which is anger! But I digress. The subject of muffin tops came up...
Now for those of you that don't know what these are, and I hope that you don't because by having it in your vocabulary it simply means you have been exposed more than you ought to the crapness of media, it is the bit of your belly/sides/back that overhangs trousers at the top. Like a muffin. Now I for one think they sound a lot sexier when they are known as love handles. For two, however and more importantly, I think that if the same people that write articles about muffin tops (oh yes, this is considered newsworthy) hadn't introduced trousers that were so ridiculously low slung the wearer could not bend forward without exposing herself and half of that ever so sexy not-at-all low rising thong (g-string), then the whole phenomenon would not exist!
The sad truth is though, that instead of giving the sound advice to getting rid of muffin tops - buy a pair of trousers that fit - magazines are proporting all kinds of diets and exercises plans to generate women that spend all their time, money and energies obsessing after things that are not achievable and not supposed to be. The self-esteem of the lovely ladies in society has sunken so low as a result of the impossibility of the task that they set standards for themselves that allow the less than lovely members of society to use and abuse them. Consumerism rapes their pockets, men rape their bodies and the lies of who they are suppose to be are screaming so loudly and repeatedly in their ears that there is no space for the quite truth of a woman.
The truth that I can't help believe lies in places like this: Proverbs 31. If we could all aim to live out that character I am convinced that the pain we see demonstrated in eating disorders, unwanted pregnancies, abusive relationships, control issues, low self-esteem, self-harm, psychotic bitchiness etc etc I could go on would subside; I am convinced that the world would not be able to help slackening it's grip on the hearts of the daughters of Eve.
I don't want to start a discussion about women is the church, looking at contentious arguments about jewellery, dresses, head coverings and speaking out. Not 'cause I don't want to talk about it, not at all! Just now is not the time and I have, I confess, a lot more learning and thinking and listening to do about all this stuff. I do know, however, that as I reform my ideas on what sets aside a woman of the Kingdom from women of the world, that somethings have got to change.
What? I am not yet sure. Is it sufficient to sometimes go out with hairy legs or do I need to stop mosturising too? Maybe these things have no significance if the heart attitude is changed? I do know that as long as I pay any heed to what the WAGs are doing (Wives And Girlfriends, a distressing term coined by British media to describe the horrifying iconography of the partners of footballers in all their emaciated glory) or for even one second accept as truth what the media purports as necessary or significant, I will lose sight of my WOG (I couldn't help myself!) role model and as such the whole crux of my true feminine identity.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Let's talk about sex, baby
My dad was good friends at university with the man that made the rubber ring around the bottom of a condom. Isn't that funny? He apparently blames Jo Brand for getting made redundant. This is because they also made femidoms, the sales of which plummeted when she called them sleeping bags for mice!
Oh the hilarity.
Got me wondering about condoms though and, whilst not wanting to sound too catholic, I'm thinking about how beneficial they have actually been to humanity?
I mean, back in the day guys just used to spill their semen if they didn't want to get a girl pregnant...
Ok, I may have stooped a little low there. I apologise for grossing people out and I know that in a lot of ways (not least for people that are in commited relationships, nay marriages, and don't particularly want to get pregnant or do it the bible way) contraception is almost definitely a gift from God. I am also aware that somewhere somehow we have gotten ourselves into a viscious cycle. In the UK the campaign to get kids to use protection is called RESPECT and can be seen here: part I and part II. I find this incredibly frustrating (though I think I might be the only one) and wrote a rant about it all on Facebook time ago (pre-God I might add). So, lets have a read...
I am fed up...
...of the British advertising campaign that is encouraging kids to use condoms when they are practising promiscuous sex. I get that condoms are better than not-condoms but really you do not get "respect" for using them. You just don't get AIDs or pregnant. Stop trying to get down with the kids so that you can reach them on their level and then try and help them by sticking a plaster on a severed limb. They need to learn from people they really can "respect" how they can best live their lives and then maybe just maybe they won't be endangering themselves every time they feel the urges of puberty and don't have a clue how to deal with it. Isn't it time we took the next generation of Britain seriously and start looking out for their emotional, and dare I sat spiritual well being, not just tackling it based on the philosophy that "we better make sure they don't cost the social and health system too much" and calculate that TV ads and free contraception will cost us less in the interim.
It is funny that we can stand up and say "kids think about drugs, don't just take them cause your mates are and they are enticing", but when it comes to sex not even the 'grown ups' are prepared to think that maybe sometimes we ought not indulge. I mean, yeah it's natural, but so are pregnancy and disease and they seem like pretty good indicators of the significance of the act - it both creates and destroys life and we have come up with a thin latex film to protect ourselves from the consequences. We live in an "if it feels good do it and science is working on ways to reverse the natural consequences" basis.
I am not sure who this type of sex is safe for. It seems merely to be 'preserving' modern society's lifestyle choices and now the kids want to do it too we have had to justify it for them so that we can carry on guilt free. Today's youth are vastly uneducated, unloved, undisciplined, unguided and yet thoroughly overstimulated; and we choose to use television advertisements to offer them frankly shit advice, in place of the parental and wider community support that they are lacking.
There you have it. Idealistic rantings of an ineffective, condescending nature. The videos, terrible as they may be, are at least trying to do something about it; which is more than can be said for me :-(
Oh the hilarity.
Got me wondering about condoms though and, whilst not wanting to sound too catholic, I'm thinking about how beneficial they have actually been to humanity?
I mean, back in the day guys just used to spill their semen if they didn't want to get a girl pregnant...
Ok, I may have stooped a little low there. I apologise for grossing people out and I know that in a lot of ways (not least for people that are in commited relationships, nay marriages, and don't particularly want to get pregnant or do it the bible way) contraception is almost definitely a gift from God. I am also aware that somewhere somehow we have gotten ourselves into a viscious cycle. In the UK the campaign to get kids to use protection is called RESPECT and can be seen here: part I and part II. I find this incredibly frustrating (though I think I might be the only one) and wrote a rant about it all on Facebook time ago (pre-God I might add). So, lets have a read...
I am fed up...
...of the British advertising campaign that is encouraging kids to use condoms when they are practising promiscuous sex. I get that condoms are better than not-condoms but really you do not get "respect" for using them. You just don't get AIDs or pregnant. Stop trying to get down with the kids so that you can reach them on their level and then try and help them by sticking a plaster on a severed limb. They need to learn from people they really can "respect" how they can best live their lives and then maybe just maybe they won't be endangering themselves every time they feel the urges of puberty and don't have a clue how to deal with it. Isn't it time we took the next generation of Britain seriously and start looking out for their emotional, and dare I sat spiritual well being, not just tackling it based on the philosophy that "we better make sure they don't cost the social and health system too much" and calculate that TV ads and free contraception will cost us less in the interim.
It is funny that we can stand up and say "kids think about drugs, don't just take them cause your mates are and they are enticing", but when it comes to sex not even the 'grown ups' are prepared to think that maybe sometimes we ought not indulge. I mean, yeah it's natural, but so are pregnancy and disease and they seem like pretty good indicators of the significance of the act - it both creates and destroys life and we have come up with a thin latex film to protect ourselves from the consequences. We live in an "if it feels good do it and science is working on ways to reverse the natural consequences" basis.
I am not sure who this type of sex is safe for. It seems merely to be 'preserving' modern society's lifestyle choices and now the kids want to do it too we have had to justify it for them so that we can carry on guilt free. Today's youth are vastly uneducated, unloved, undisciplined, unguided and yet thoroughly overstimulated; and we choose to use television advertisements to offer them frankly shit advice, in place of the parental and wider community support that they are lacking.
There you have it. Idealistic rantings of an ineffective, condescending nature. The videos, terrible as they may be, are at least trying to do something about it; which is more than can be said for me :-(
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Love and Lies in the COOP Carpark
I am learning Romanian.
Luckily it is quite similar to French. I hope to be able to have a bit of a conversation with my fat friend who sits outside the COOP sometime before I leave.
I know it sounds pretty judgmental, but when she tells me she has 4 children and a dead husband it sounds so convenient. I mean, that's a great testimony for a beggar lady, right? Perfect sob story. OK, that last paragraph sound terrible and it was mostly designed to shock. My point here is, apart from the fact that I am a bit of a bitch and too tired to know if this is pushing the boundaries too much, I don't tend to believe people that are asking me for money on the street.
But, the thing is. It is OK if they lie. Infact, it is OK if anyone lies to me. I am not going to mind and my default position will probably be to believe you even if it is ridiculous. I don't mind the fact that I am gullible. The decision I have come to is this: as long as it won't break my heart I don't have a problem believing you. That extends to personal safety I suppose but is far less day to day. The point is, I don't have time or right to judge and question everything someone says. If it is important I will do so, else feel free. My hope is to try and show love to people despite whether they are being honest or kind of anything else like that. So feel free to scam me out of money or time or anything else I don't value spiritually. I will still feel like I was doing my bit as Jesus-the-first-time-round and you can take the crap when He comes back.
Plus, I kinda feel like if I learn Romanian they will find it harder to lie to me. I mean, everyone has a level of guilt right? I am just trying to tap into their; play them at their own game!
Seriously though. Beggars are people too and I am trying to get past my capitalist middle class attitude that gets pissed at a system that will never really shit on my affluent parade 'cause I will never really have any problems in that area and if I did, maybe I'd appreciate the help. I think that we are all identical particles put into different forcefields and shooting in a multitude of directions. Who knows what their next resultant force will be...?
Luckily it is quite similar to French. I hope to be able to have a bit of a conversation with my fat friend who sits outside the COOP sometime before I leave.
I know it sounds pretty judgmental, but when she tells me she has 4 children and a dead husband it sounds so convenient. I mean, that's a great testimony for a beggar lady, right? Perfect sob story. OK, that last paragraph sound terrible and it was mostly designed to shock. My point here is, apart from the fact that I am a bit of a bitch and too tired to know if this is pushing the boundaries too much, I don't tend to believe people that are asking me for money on the street.
But, the thing is. It is OK if they lie. Infact, it is OK if anyone lies to me. I am not going to mind and my default position will probably be to believe you even if it is ridiculous. I don't mind the fact that I am gullible. The decision I have come to is this: as long as it won't break my heart I don't have a problem believing you. That extends to personal safety I suppose but is far less day to day. The point is, I don't have time or right to judge and question everything someone says. If it is important I will do so, else feel free. My hope is to try and show love to people despite whether they are being honest or kind of anything else like that. So feel free to scam me out of money or time or anything else I don't value spiritually. I will still feel like I was doing my bit as Jesus-the-first-time-round and you can take the crap when He comes back.
Plus, I kinda feel like if I learn Romanian they will find it harder to lie to me. I mean, everyone has a level of guilt right? I am just trying to tap into their; play them at their own game!
Seriously though. Beggars are people too and I am trying to get past my capitalist middle class attitude that gets pissed at a system that will never really shit on my affluent parade 'cause I will never really have any problems in that area and if I did, maybe I'd appreciate the help. I think that we are all identical particles put into different forcefields and shooting in a multitude of directions. Who knows what their next resultant force will be...?
Monday, June 16, 2008
Cheeky Bast*rds!
What is with the whole "FREE" pricing for air flights?
I've been getting all excited about Ryanair's winter flights sale and having defo got the travel bug I thought maybe an end of term jaunt across to mainland Europe would not be a bad idea.
Currently tossing up between Vienna, Austria and Katowice, Poland. Vienna appeals 'cause I loved it and it has real significance to me now. Plus I reckon it would be beautiful in winter and anyway it defo needs a revisit at some point (particularly without the football fans). Katowice is just a combination of the fact that it sounds a bit like my name and it is in Poland (cool). I have no idea whether it is a nice place to go but it is somewhere new and so would be a bit more exciting to rock up to... that and I think I may end up adopting an Eastern European child at some point (Could that be more of a glib statement? There is reasoning behind but it is quite complicated, not that interesting and I have been writing posts that are too long recently) so want to get more of an affinity with the place/people.
Then of course Ryanair pull the stunt of say "from" in tiny letters and generally being really busy on their website (last day of sale) which is making it less and less appealing, the harder it gets.
But if I do get through to the website and find some decent prices, does anyone have an opinion? And feel free to challenge me on the seemingly obvious immorality of flight in general. It is sooo tempting but I rather think that I should be making a stand. That said I am not a vegan and one can find some fabulous reasons to be; not least the slaughtering of 2 day old male chicks just 'cause they were born the wrong sex (though it is hard for me to judge any industry that deems being male 'wrong'! Lol, just a girl power moment... you know I don't mean it: GRIN).
If I don't get round to booking maybe I will pretend that I am being moral about it. Do you think people will buy that?
I've been getting all excited about Ryanair's winter flights sale and having defo got the travel bug I thought maybe an end of term jaunt across to mainland Europe would not be a bad idea.
Currently tossing up between Vienna, Austria and Katowice, Poland. Vienna appeals 'cause I loved it and it has real significance to me now. Plus I reckon it would be beautiful in winter and anyway it defo needs a revisit at some point (particularly without the football fans). Katowice is just a combination of the fact that it sounds a bit like my name and it is in Poland (cool). I have no idea whether it is a nice place to go but it is somewhere new and so would be a bit more exciting to rock up to... that and I think I may end up adopting an Eastern European child at some point (Could that be more of a glib statement? There is reasoning behind but it is quite complicated, not that interesting and I have been writing posts that are too long recently) so want to get more of an affinity with the place/people.
Then of course Ryanair pull the stunt of say "from" in tiny letters and generally being really busy on their website (last day of sale) which is making it less and less appealing, the harder it gets.
But if I do get through to the website and find some decent prices, does anyone have an opinion? And feel free to challenge me on the seemingly obvious immorality of flight in general. It is sooo tempting but I rather think that I should be making a stand. That said I am not a vegan and one can find some fabulous reasons to be; not least the slaughtering of 2 day old male chicks just 'cause they were born the wrong sex (though it is hard for me to judge any industry that deems being male 'wrong'! Lol, just a girl power moment... you know I don't mean it: GRIN).
If I don't get round to booking maybe I will pretend that I am being moral about it. Do you think people will buy that?
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Little bit of an understatement
Today when I went to French we spent the whole evening making CDs! I shouldn't admit to this 'cause it is a little bit cheeky but my teacher has the most amazing collection of worship music and I am a little bit on the sparse front so she got all excited about me burning my own. It was only 2 and I'll buy them as time goes by I promise... Anyway, I've invested my emotions and staked my reputation on this, surely I don't need to put down cold hard cash just yet?
Being facetious aside, I did it. Judge me. The fun part is that I got to put stickers all over the sleeves and we literally spent 2 hours making up a Noah's ark scene on one and putting typical 'lady' favourites on the other (kittens, flowers and the silhouette of a women holding a parasol). Not very relevant but very cute and there were some tract stickers too.
So then, when I showed it to Robyn, the best bit happens. Reading aloud from one of the stickers I say:
"A cheerful heart is like a good medicine."
...and she says:
"Ooooh, it's got little sayings on it."
Yes Robyn, little sayings. Did you know they've put them together in a book called Proverbs? Then that got put in an even bigger book that you have chosen to build your life upon.
Bless her!
One other thing I liked about the CD making was seeing a group called Watermark. I got all soppy, what with me being "watermarked" now. Getting baptised was so the right thing to do and I have even had my first resisting of a major temptation! Whoop!! (As opposed to whoops...)
Final observation on this topic. The song with Graham Kendrick feat. Matt Redman. Talk about a collaboration, big names from across the decades, like some kinda bangin' Timberland track mixing up the styles but always keeping it slick.
Christian music. I am looking forward to discovering you...
Being facetious aside, I did it. Judge me. The fun part is that I got to put stickers all over the sleeves and we literally spent 2 hours making up a Noah's ark scene on one and putting typical 'lady' favourites on the other (kittens, flowers and the silhouette of a women holding a parasol). Not very relevant but very cute and there were some tract stickers too.
So then, when I showed it to Robyn, the best bit happens. Reading aloud from one of the stickers I say:
"A cheerful heart is like a good medicine."
...and she says:
"Ooooh, it's got little sayings on it."
Yes Robyn, little sayings. Did you know they've put them together in a book called Proverbs? Then that got put in an even bigger book that you have chosen to build your life upon.
Bless her!
One other thing I liked about the CD making was seeing a group called Watermark. I got all soppy, what with me being "watermarked" now. Getting baptised was so the right thing to do and I have even had my first resisting of a major temptation! Whoop!! (As opposed to whoops...)
Final observation on this topic. The song with Graham Kendrick feat. Matt Redman. Talk about a collaboration, big names from across the decades, like some kinda bangin' Timberland track mixing up the styles but always keeping it slick.
Christian music. I am looking forward to discovering you...
Friday, May 9, 2008
Hobophobia
So, that could not be more politically incorrect or judgmental. In fact, it may not even be relevant to what I wanted to say but I like how it sounds so it stays.
There are quite a few homeless people (or at least those scruffier than me) in Geneva and particularly around Cornavin one can feel like they are running a bit of a gauntlet. After a few conversations on the topic and questioning of my own view point I have rather recently decided to embrace a culture of giving and just say Yes. I mean, there are many arguments for why not but I sort of reasoned it down to the fact that they are poor and sad and want money, I have some to spare and think that showing love to fellow man is a nice thing to do. It's not really my money anyway (yes, I am the ring leader of an organised crime agency, hence location...). Plus who am I to say what they should do with it, if you lived on the streets maybe you would want to get drunk too. [Please feel free to fervently bash my flippancy I can happily debate this for hours.]
Anyway, it is easy enough for me to fish in my small change purse, dole out the silvers without missing the cash and the benefit is a warm fuzzy feeling. I'm not trying to buy a smile (which is good 'cause seldom does it get one) but it is pointless to try and deny that when we do things for other people it does feel nice.
I quite like local beggars too, they are a characteristic of a place and evoke a feeling of familiarity in the same way that the jet d'eau or giant floating football do; but today something so extraordinary happened that I did pause and say hang on mate, there is a line and that's just rude. Fortunately it was so hilarious that it leaves me with no lasting grudge.
I was walking to town to buy a train ticket ('citing but another story) and was in the park just behind the station when this guy on a bench asks me for some money. I am a bit rubbish in these situations and often pull the "I don't understand but I do care card": smile, thrust a token amount of jangly their way and wish them a good day (Queen of Glib). To my shock and hindsighted delight, the gentleman reviewed what I had offered (admittedly not that much, maybe only about 1CHF altogether) and returned to me the 5cent pieces.
Maybe he felt patronised; like the performers in Covent Garden who announce that this is their art so please don't bother if you aren't giving a pound or more. Sitting on that bench may not look like fire juggling but he sure had perfected it.
The ironic thing is, the week before when I had lost my card (turned up in the COOP btw, when I thought to ask for it 10 days later, which was nice) I had collected all my coinage together. Those 5cent pieces were what I had considered my salvation when I was temporarily without income.
So I guess it goes to show that no matter your 'status' in life you can still sit firmly above it. I'm not sure I am the hobophobe in this situation. Maybe Swiss vagabonds are just a little bit weller-to-do.
There are quite a few homeless people (or at least those scruffier than me) in Geneva and particularly around Cornavin one can feel like they are running a bit of a gauntlet. After a few conversations on the topic and questioning of my own view point I have rather recently decided to embrace a culture of giving and just say Yes. I mean, there are many arguments for why not but I sort of reasoned it down to the fact that they are poor and sad and want money, I have some to spare and think that showing love to fellow man is a nice thing to do. It's not really my money anyway (yes, I am the ring leader of an organised crime agency, hence location...). Plus who am I to say what they should do with it, if you lived on the streets maybe you would want to get drunk too. [Please feel free to fervently bash my flippancy I can happily debate this for hours.]
Anyway, it is easy enough for me to fish in my small change purse, dole out the silvers without missing the cash and the benefit is a warm fuzzy feeling. I'm not trying to buy a smile (which is good 'cause seldom does it get one) but it is pointless to try and deny that when we do things for other people it does feel nice.
I quite like local beggars too, they are a characteristic of a place and evoke a feeling of familiarity in the same way that the jet d'eau or giant floating football do; but today something so extraordinary happened that I did pause and say hang on mate, there is a line and that's just rude. Fortunately it was so hilarious that it leaves me with no lasting grudge.
I was walking to town to buy a train ticket ('citing but another story) and was in the park just behind the station when this guy on a bench asks me for some money. I am a bit rubbish in these situations and often pull the "I don't understand but I do care card": smile, thrust a token amount of jangly their way and wish them a good day (Queen of Glib). To my shock and hindsighted delight, the gentleman reviewed what I had offered (admittedly not that much, maybe only about 1CHF altogether) and returned to me the 5cent pieces.
Maybe he felt patronised; like the performers in Covent Garden who announce that this is their art so please don't bother if you aren't giving a pound or more. Sitting on that bench may not look like fire juggling but he sure had perfected it.
The ironic thing is, the week before when I had lost my card (turned up in the COOP btw, when I thought to ask for it 10 days later, which was nice) I had collected all my coinage together. Those 5cent pieces were what I had considered my salvation when I was temporarily without income.
So I guess it goes to show that no matter your 'status' in life you can still sit firmly above it. I'm not sure I am the hobophobe in this situation. Maybe Swiss vagabonds are just a little bit weller-to-do.
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