Before the sun sets sets on 2007, and before all of the memories fade.
Before all of the mobile networks and e-mail links are jammed with goodwill trafic.
Before i potentially have too much to drink, can't get online or lose my mobile phone,
I am wishing you and all of yours a brilliant start and then continuation of 2008.
And just remember to not make resolutions as all they become is excuses to be broken, whereas the private little pledges we make to ourselves or loved ones are so much more meaningful........
Monday 31 December 2007
Sunday 30 December 2007
29th December
Today -
I spent today at "family" as it is Christmas, and we must all see our family and friends. Everyone was fine and the children were good until the evening when they went a little off the rails. However between 11am and 7pm they were good and this is a good record for them!!!
And the rant.......
On the radio today, on a certain phone in, around the London area (it is a BBC station, so go figure!!) a person, and i use this term loosely, phoned in to a concerned radio presenter (a lady who is well known and was in the jungle.) talking about weight and obesity.
The caller, who was aggressive and arragant to the extreme, claimed to be 38stone - yes thirty eight stones - in weight and just 29 years old.
The caller said he ate 4 Big Mac meals and drank loads of soda a day. He claimed to be very happy with this and himself. He claimed that he couldn't leave his sofa anymore and that was fine and good.
The presenter was stunned, as myself and i am sure most listeners were, and tried to ask questions of the caller. He was merely aggressive. After a few moments the caller was cut off and the presenter made a few apologetic, and stunned noises, before going on.
The question remains was this a genuine call? Was it someone just taking fun of the obese? Should the presenter have ended the call?
If it was genuine, how has anyone allowed themselve to reach 38Stone, and claim to be happy? i am large, i was 23Stone. I am now much less!! but even i who could quite happily munch through all sorts of food would question 38stone. I know from bitter experience that i was not happy when i was a lot bigger, i just had a lot thicker skin than now.
What has caused this person to be this large? Who is he convincing of his happiness? us or himself?? I may be "fragile" right now, and i may take on board comments that i should laugh off. Maybe fatter i was protected and more relaxed as i felt "who cares," but when i die i will choose and i will not have weight dictate this. Surely this excessive weight is not good or any answer.
And so i defy this caller, and assuming it is real, to explain the hows and whys so we can understand. I invite this caller (or anyone else) to comment on this post so i might have a better understanding. I am not a "faith healer" or counsellor type, however i would love to discuss this and offer answers and questions i might have as, what i thought, was a very large person, and one who still feels large. If i can help or understand 1 person then actually i will feel i have given something back.........
I spent today at "family" as it is Christmas, and we must all see our family and friends. Everyone was fine and the children were good until the evening when they went a little off the rails. However between 11am and 7pm they were good and this is a good record for them!!!
And the rant.......
On the radio today, on a certain phone in, around the London area (it is a BBC station, so go figure!!) a person, and i use this term loosely, phoned in to a concerned radio presenter (a lady who is well known and was in the jungle.) talking about weight and obesity.
The caller, who was aggressive and arragant to the extreme, claimed to be 38stone - yes thirty eight stones - in weight and just 29 years old.
The caller said he ate 4 Big Mac meals and drank loads of soda a day. He claimed to be very happy with this and himself. He claimed that he couldn't leave his sofa anymore and that was fine and good.
The presenter was stunned, as myself and i am sure most listeners were, and tried to ask questions of the caller. He was merely aggressive. After a few moments the caller was cut off and the presenter made a few apologetic, and stunned noises, before going on.
The question remains was this a genuine call? Was it someone just taking fun of the obese? Should the presenter have ended the call?
If it was genuine, how has anyone allowed themselve to reach 38Stone, and claim to be happy? i am large, i was 23Stone. I am now much less!! but even i who could quite happily munch through all sorts of food would question 38stone. I know from bitter experience that i was not happy when i was a lot bigger, i just had a lot thicker skin than now.
What has caused this person to be this large? Who is he convincing of his happiness? us or himself?? I may be "fragile" right now, and i may take on board comments that i should laugh off. Maybe fatter i was protected and more relaxed as i felt "who cares," but when i die i will choose and i will not have weight dictate this. Surely this excessive weight is not good or any answer.
And so i defy this caller, and assuming it is real, to explain the hows and whys so we can understand. I invite this caller (or anyone else) to comment on this post so i might have a better understanding. I am not a "faith healer" or counsellor type, however i would love to discuss this and offer answers and questions i might have as, what i thought, was a very large person, and one who still feels large. If i can help or understand 1 person then actually i will feel i have given something back.........
Thursday 27 December 2007
Todays Rant
It is only fair that today i also have what i feel is a justified rant............
I took the children earlier this afternoon to our local park. My eldest 2 went off to play football on the field whilst my youngest (4 years old) stayed in the playground with me enjoying the swings, slide and other rides.
The playground also had a large family in-situ - everyone from Grandad to Grand Children, including mothers and fathers. The family were very typical "well to do" people with children called Edward and Sebastian. No doubt the mothers or aunts were called Sophie!!
In fairness the sister in the family remained outside the playground with the her beagle dog. Very commendable, the dog is outside the playground, on a lead and in the park. The same park where the children play football, ride bikes and run around. The same piece of park where the adjoining house (with young children) has a gate into it.
The sister was told by the mother that the children didn't use this part of the park, a great statement as it was empty just then.
This is the park that runs around the new playground that we all spent a long time raising money for earlier this year, and Cheri Blair opened. So the grass surrounding the playground is the exact area that ALL THE CHILDREN USE as they play "tag" and similar children's games.
So why has the dog handler now let her dog foul the area and defecate all over it? Why is she concerned that her dog only seems to have loose stools in the afternoon, and not in the morning or evening, but apparently unconcerned that children will now get covered in this mess? Why are the accompanying parents, with young children, or the grandfather, seemingly not worried about their children?
Having voiced an opinion to this let me explain why.............
I asked the dog handler to put the mess in the "poo bins" provided, i was told she couldn't pick it up as the stools were loose, wouldn't therefore be placeable in the bag she had with her. Her family - fathers and all - stayed silent!! i suggested that when the children were covered in mess i would send them round to hers.
And here is the clincher and reason for the silence - i was told this was fine as she lived miles away so how could the children bring round dirty clothes anyway!! now i have to assume that the silence implies that everyone was from a long way away and as the mess is not on their doorstep why should they care. The dog handlers beligerance was great to see!!!
I care, i have children who are like magnets for mess, however smelly, i don't want poorly children, i don't want unhappy children and i don't want ruined clothes and shoes, and i don't want other local parents to suffer through this inconsiderate nature
Maybe i seem like a do gooder, maybe i rant too much, but i feel strongly about this, and i feel it displays a typically blase nature by certain parts of society.
Let me know how you all feel about this, and maybe, and i don't know how, but maybe we can change a little part of this dire attitude............
I took the children earlier this afternoon to our local park. My eldest 2 went off to play football on the field whilst my youngest (4 years old) stayed in the playground with me enjoying the swings, slide and other rides.
The playground also had a large family in-situ - everyone from Grandad to Grand Children, including mothers and fathers. The family were very typical "well to do" people with children called Edward and Sebastian. No doubt the mothers or aunts were called Sophie!!
In fairness the sister in the family remained outside the playground with the her beagle dog. Very commendable, the dog is outside the playground, on a lead and in the park. The same park where the children play football, ride bikes and run around. The same piece of park where the adjoining house (with young children) has a gate into it.
The sister was told by the mother that the children didn't use this part of the park, a great statement as it was empty just then.
This is the park that runs around the new playground that we all spent a long time raising money for earlier this year, and Cheri Blair opened. So the grass surrounding the playground is the exact area that ALL THE CHILDREN USE as they play "tag" and similar children's games.
So why has the dog handler now let her dog foul the area and defecate all over it? Why is she concerned that her dog only seems to have loose stools in the afternoon, and not in the morning or evening, but apparently unconcerned that children will now get covered in this mess? Why are the accompanying parents, with young children, or the grandfather, seemingly not worried about their children?
Having voiced an opinion to this let me explain why.............
I asked the dog handler to put the mess in the "poo bins" provided, i was told she couldn't pick it up as the stools were loose, wouldn't therefore be placeable in the bag she had with her. Her family - fathers and all - stayed silent!! i suggested that when the children were covered in mess i would send them round to hers.
And here is the clincher and reason for the silence - i was told this was fine as she lived miles away so how could the children bring round dirty clothes anyway!! now i have to assume that the silence implies that everyone was from a long way away and as the mess is not on their doorstep why should they care. The dog handlers beligerance was great to see!!!
I care, i have children who are like magnets for mess, however smelly, i don't want poorly children, i don't want unhappy children and i don't want ruined clothes and shoes, and i don't want other local parents to suffer through this inconsiderate nature
Maybe i seem like a do gooder, maybe i rant too much, but i feel strongly about this, and i feel it displays a typically blase nature by certain parts of society.
Let me know how you all feel about this, and maybe, and i don't know how, but maybe we can change a little part of this dire attitude............
Christmas - A brief overview of my time.......
Well Christmas has been, whether we believe, try to ignore, or just enjoy the couple of days. The expectation leading up to Christmas has possibly dampened the adult enthusiasm, and media advertising means children can now make a fuss to go shopping for items "Santa didn't bring."
However i have to state that Christmas for me was enjoyable. I think my 3 children were happy with "Santas choice" and even my 10 year old thanked me and his Mother for a nice day. Today we have been to the sales briefly, and as expected or 7 and 10 year olds were a little fractious asking for games and toys, but actually they were not too bad. And so with New Year approaching and Christmas so far survived let's see what the next few days bring.
Now yesterday was Boxing day, and the children have been give a Wii (stupid name!!). Now firstly thank you to my Brother In-Law and his Fiancee for buying this item, now the children think they are sports experts.
I also have tried this game. i tried golf - initially i was awful, and then the way the game works suddenly clicked!! It is no good watching the screen of the TV and trying to work with that you have to think that you are on the golf course and ignore the screen. My scores tumbled from 10+ shots per hole (how awful), to Pars and Birdies. I felt that a Bogey was a failure. And so i advise that the only way to succeed on a Wii is to forget you are at home, believe you are in situ, on the course, in the bowling alley etc and then blast away. My only additional advice is send the kids to bed, do not tell them what you are doing and then at a later date kick ass!
However i have to state that Christmas for me was enjoyable. I think my 3 children were happy with "Santas choice" and even my 10 year old thanked me and his Mother for a nice day. Today we have been to the sales briefly, and as expected or 7 and 10 year olds were a little fractious asking for games and toys, but actually they were not too bad. And so with New Year approaching and Christmas so far survived let's see what the next few days bring.
Now yesterday was Boxing day, and the children have been give a Wii (stupid name!!). Now firstly thank you to my Brother In-Law and his Fiancee for buying this item, now the children think they are sports experts.
I also have tried this game. i tried golf - initially i was awful, and then the way the game works suddenly clicked!! It is no good watching the screen of the TV and trying to work with that you have to think that you are on the golf course and ignore the screen. My scores tumbled from 10+ shots per hole (how awful), to Pars and Birdies. I felt that a Bogey was a failure. And so i advise that the only way to succeed on a Wii is to forget you are at home, believe you are in situ, on the course, in the bowling alley etc and then blast away. My only additional advice is send the kids to bed, do not tell them what you are doing and then at a later date kick ass!
Reply to Comment
As much as i would love to help with translation i have no understanding of other languages!!! However i look forward to reading your proposed book and i will propose your idea - Thank you for taking the time to look and answer.
The Prince of Peace
The Prince of Peace
Monday 24 December 2007
Male Bookclub!!
Yesterday (23rd December) was a day i was unable to add to this "rant", however i can now and i am avoiding Children's excitement..........
Friday was a "boys night out" and we sat around laughing and joking and generally just enjoying the company of others. Some of the conversation was very light and involved a number of jokes and stories that may have been the truth or a version of the truth. Some of the conversations were very deep, black and heavy. But above all it involved a small number of Fathers, spending a few hours together and not having any of the distractions of home or the worries of day to day living being in our forefront.
And so to the "rant" ................
One of the discussions and subsequent decisions we made was to form a "mans" bookclub. The only qualification for joining is that you must be male!! The idea is to meet every few months, in a local hostelry, purely as a good meeting place, discuss the previous book we all agreed upon and then decide on the next book to read and discuss.
Current ideas for the 1st book are very varied -
Friday was a "boys night out" and we sat around laughing and joking and generally just enjoying the company of others. Some of the conversation was very light and involved a number of jokes and stories that may have been the truth or a version of the truth. Some of the conversations were very deep, black and heavy. But above all it involved a small number of Fathers, spending a few hours together and not having any of the distractions of home or the worries of day to day living being in our forefront.
And so to the "rant" ................
One of the discussions and subsequent decisions we made was to form a "mans" bookclub. The only qualification for joining is that you must be male!! The idea is to meet every few months, in a local hostelry, purely as a good meeting place, discuss the previous book we all agreed upon and then decide on the next book to read and discuss.
Current ideas for the 1st book are very varied -
- The Bible
- The book about how all religions mesh together
- The Beano Annual
- Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
- Horid Henry
- Wilbur Smiths
- The Koran
- The Kite Runner
- The Dark Trilogy
- Terry Pratchet
As we can see a number of themes exist, we can see what our children are getting for Christmas!! We can see a religious theme as a great source of dicussions, but maybe too spiritual!! We can see a great novel theme.........
I think we have to review where we all read - on trains, on planes, in hotels, in the toilet(!!). if we read the Koran in some of these places e mjay get arrested, if we read a tome on a train or plane we might get strange looks, and in hotels the only thing in the drawers is normally a bible!! As for reading in the toilet............
But we all feel that the Book Club is a great idea, and so i invite any suggestions for books, i invite new members and i am sure we can also form some sort of internet book club, and if you feel madness has set inm tell me. I welcome ALL comments..........
Friday 21 December 2007
Destitute..............
Today is the 21st of December and there are now only 4 days until the great Christmas event. By this time on Tuesday, the kids will have had presents, there will have been a few fights, the in-laws will have joined the party and if not already the Main Meal will be under way or about to start. Oh what joy, Oh what a cynical me!!!
And now the Rant........
On the radio today they were going on about homeless beggars and do we give them money or just ignore them. Do we offer to take them to buy food or drink?
It is usually possible to tell if someone is swinging the lead and actually earning a fortune begging.
There are a lot of people who are fairly destitute and the few coppers we have might just be a help. We are all looking at the "down and outs" as we call them in disgust, horror or pity, but not once do we ask why they are there, or how can they actually be helped? Does puting an alcoholic in prison actually help the real cause of the problem, does anyone actually look as to why that person is seking oblivion? The same goes for people on the streets.
Why are these people actually on the streets? What has hapened in their past to have caused this, have parents just thrown them out, has something more sinister happened?? What has really caused them to view this lifestyle as a better alternative?
Every single one of us are actually a lot closer to this life than we realise. We may be very poor or very rich but in reality every single person is but a step away from the streets. Fortunes can be lost very quickly, and a life alone can easily be viewed as preferable, regardless of how it can be achieved.
A while a go a beggar was outside a station in London, we all kept our heads down and walked on. And then he said something that made me stop in my tracks - he said that we ignore him, so we don't see him and as such we can deny he is real.
This statement he made, without shouting it, without anger, just as a statement was possibly the most honest thing i ever heard. I went back and thanked him for making me think. I only had a few pounds on me but i gave this him.
His answer was to thank me, he said the money was unnecessary (although i left it with him!!) for having heard him, acknowledged him, and to have realised the truth he was stating......
This man on paper had nothing, i say that he had everything because he had truly understood what is all to often felt by those more fortunate.
Today i am teetering myself, however, i am still trying because i am not yet ready to become invisible because it suits many others. I for 1 very rarely now just pass on by, cross the road or ignore, as i for 1 can now understand.
Can you???????
And now the Rant........
On the radio today they were going on about homeless beggars and do we give them money or just ignore them. Do we offer to take them to buy food or drink?
It is usually possible to tell if someone is swinging the lead and actually earning a fortune begging.
There are a lot of people who are fairly destitute and the few coppers we have might just be a help. We are all looking at the "down and outs" as we call them in disgust, horror or pity, but not once do we ask why they are there, or how can they actually be helped? Does puting an alcoholic in prison actually help the real cause of the problem, does anyone actually look as to why that person is seking oblivion? The same goes for people on the streets.
Why are these people actually on the streets? What has hapened in their past to have caused this, have parents just thrown them out, has something more sinister happened?? What has really caused them to view this lifestyle as a better alternative?
Every single one of us are actually a lot closer to this life than we realise. We may be very poor or very rich but in reality every single person is but a step away from the streets. Fortunes can be lost very quickly, and a life alone can easily be viewed as preferable, regardless of how it can be achieved.
A while a go a beggar was outside a station in London, we all kept our heads down and walked on. And then he said something that made me stop in my tracks - he said that we ignore him, so we don't see him and as such we can deny he is real.
This statement he made, without shouting it, without anger, just as a statement was possibly the most honest thing i ever heard. I went back and thanked him for making me think. I only had a few pounds on me but i gave this him.
His answer was to thank me, he said the money was unnecessary (although i left it with him!!) for having heard him, acknowledged him, and to have realised the truth he was stating......
This man on paper had nothing, i say that he had everything because he had truly understood what is all to often felt by those more fortunate.
Today i am teetering myself, however, i am still trying because i am not yet ready to become invisible because it suits many others. I for 1 very rarely now just pass on by, cross the road or ignore, as i for 1 can now understand.
Can you???????
Thursday 20 December 2007
Christmas is Coming - And very quickly!!
Well, here we are again, today is the 20th December, we survived the birthday of Alex, we survived everyone descending on us to wish him well, and now we start the rush towards Christmas Day. My children are totally unmanageable, and my eldest is beyond unmanageable and can only be described as horrid!!!
If Santa is watching then there is a real risk of the 3 children being on the wrong "list".
So here i am today i am in my office - 200 miles from home - for the day to ensure i have everything boxed off, cheques signed, new broadband sorted and all done and ready!!
On the personal front i have now been to Tesco the other night, midnight the other night, but what a great time to go!! you could count the paying customers on one hand and if the item wasn't on the shelf the staff went and found it. My only complaint (i have to have one) was that the cages and stuff for restocking took over vast amounts of room and it made getting round sometimes a problem. I suppose if i am stupid enough to go shopping at midnight, then i have to expect Tesco to get in my way, unless they want to do all my shopping for me........
But on a serious note, Christmas is now very close. Online shopping is virtually over, the Easter Eggs are ready in the shops and sales have started. So what do we do?? shall we bemoan the time of year and the future or shall we just say "what the heck" and just enjoy what we have and will be, as well of the time of year - Carols, Christmas food, rosy faces and friends and family droppng round with Seasons Greetings.
Bah Humbug or Yummy another Humbeg to eat!! you choose, me - i guess the time to be ready to jump off the bridge is coming to an end, and now is the time, and the future is ready, to be grabbed with both hands, enjoy and smile about. Who knows to quote a famous line "next year we will be millionaires"
If Santa is watching then there is a real risk of the 3 children being on the wrong "list".
So here i am today i am in my office - 200 miles from home - for the day to ensure i have everything boxed off, cheques signed, new broadband sorted and all done and ready!!
On the personal front i have now been to Tesco the other night, midnight the other night, but what a great time to go!! you could count the paying customers on one hand and if the item wasn't on the shelf the staff went and found it. My only complaint (i have to have one) was that the cages and stuff for restocking took over vast amounts of room and it made getting round sometimes a problem. I suppose if i am stupid enough to go shopping at midnight, then i have to expect Tesco to get in my way, unless they want to do all my shopping for me........
But on a serious note, Christmas is now very close. Online shopping is virtually over, the Easter Eggs are ready in the shops and sales have started. So what do we do?? shall we bemoan the time of year and the future or shall we just say "what the heck" and just enjoy what we have and will be, as well of the time of year - Carols, Christmas food, rosy faces and friends and family droppng round with Seasons Greetings.
Bah Humbug or Yummy another Humbeg to eat!! you choose, me - i guess the time to be ready to jump off the bridge is coming to an end, and now is the time, and the future is ready, to be grabbed with both hands, enjoy and smile about. Who knows to quote a famous line "next year we will be millionaires"
Tuesday 18 December 2007
Today is Alex's Birthday
Well, here we are - the 18th December - and he is 7. Despite everything, despite his over opinionated views on lots, and despite the fact that he is far, far too intelligent and has an unnerving ability to work things out, he is 7 today and although i moan and groan about all he does and says he is "my middle child" and i remain proud of him and all he does. We do quite often have lots of laughs together and he is very ticklish - especially when i am driving!!!
And so the rant - can we remember being 7? how different were things then? did we not in the early 80's have so much more freedom and was the world really safer, or did our parents have different expectations and we (at 7) were not aware of the bad world around us, whilst at the same time the media hype was so much less that we didn't really follow much anyway.
At 7 life revolved around bikes, the local park, hide and seek and the river Thames at the end of the road. Our biggest decision would have been sausages or fishfingers, if we got a choice, and our Christmas lists would have had stuff like Lego and Action Man on, and not computers and GameBoys. Also Wagon Wheel biscuits were bigger!!
So the question is, has life really changed (for better or worse), or were we just protected from the bad things as we protect our children? Were our expectations for gifts as stressful to our parents then as our childrens wants are to us now? Was Christmas as much of a worry as it is now?
You can't help thinking that maybe we had rose coloured glasses and our parents protected us. In 20-30 years time will our children say the same as us and will their children expect that much more like no doubt ours do now?? Will Wagon Wheel biscuits be smaller still??!!!
We protect our children and nuture their views. We may shout at them, we may get frustrated by them, they may now how to really wind us up, however, they are still our children and nothing will change that and the basic fact, that actually, and i know from my own thoughts, that really if the truth be known we are probably not wound up by them, instead we are all scared for their future and what this holds for them to deliver upon, in much the same way that our own parents felt way back when we were 7.
I am now late 30's, i only wish i realized this a long while ago and acted upon it then. So to my Mother i thank you for everything that i always believed was stupid, interfering or whatever and thank you to my Late Father who was probably in his own way backing up my Mother even after they split up. I can only hope my children say the same sort of thing in 20 years time!!!
Let me know any thoughts that you may also have..............
And so the rant - can we remember being 7? how different were things then? did we not in the early 80's have so much more freedom and was the world really safer, or did our parents have different expectations and we (at 7) were not aware of the bad world around us, whilst at the same time the media hype was so much less that we didn't really follow much anyway.
At 7 life revolved around bikes, the local park, hide and seek and the river Thames at the end of the road. Our biggest decision would have been sausages or fishfingers, if we got a choice, and our Christmas lists would have had stuff like Lego and Action Man on, and not computers and GameBoys. Also Wagon Wheel biscuits were bigger!!
So the question is, has life really changed (for better or worse), or were we just protected from the bad things as we protect our children? Were our expectations for gifts as stressful to our parents then as our childrens wants are to us now? Was Christmas as much of a worry as it is now?
You can't help thinking that maybe we had rose coloured glasses and our parents protected us. In 20-30 years time will our children say the same as us and will their children expect that much more like no doubt ours do now?? Will Wagon Wheel biscuits be smaller still??!!!
We protect our children and nuture their views. We may shout at them, we may get frustrated by them, they may now how to really wind us up, however, they are still our children and nothing will change that and the basic fact, that actually, and i know from my own thoughts, that really if the truth be known we are probably not wound up by them, instead we are all scared for their future and what this holds for them to deliver upon, in much the same way that our own parents felt way back when we were 7.
I am now late 30's, i only wish i realized this a long while ago and acted upon it then. So to my Mother i thank you for everything that i always believed was stupid, interfering or whatever and thank you to my Late Father who was probably in his own way backing up my Mother even after they split up. I can only hope my children say the same sort of thing in 20 years time!!!
Let me know any thoughts that you may also have..............
Monday 17 December 2007
Marks and Spencer
17th December - Again!!
Here is another rant, am i the only person having trouble with M&S and buying stuff online right now. M&S don't seem to know what is being delivered and not and M&S are totally unapproachable!! To add insult to injury they have had the cheek to send me a mail today advertising their last orders tomorrow for Christmas! they cannot sort out last weeks orders how can they deal with tomorrows!!!
They have just left me pitting feathers, am i alone??
Here is another rant, am i the only person having trouble with M&S and buying stuff online right now. M&S don't seem to know what is being delivered and not and M&S are totally unapproachable!! To add insult to injury they have had the cheek to send me a mail today advertising their last orders tomorrow for Christmas! they cannot sort out last weeks orders how can they deal with tomorrows!!!
They have just left me pitting feathers, am i alone??
A New Blog
Hello,
Welcome to a new Blog. Here is just an area to let off steam and air views. They may be about anything and i am sure we all have a view on most things be it current affairs or something as trivial as how big Wagon Wheel biscuits are - and i am sure they are smaller - but within reason it all goes!!
So here is a start about Christmas.......
There is a week left before the big days start and am i alone this year in thinking something here is wrong...... Well i think not, everyone i speak to is also very cheesed off by the whole thing and the expectations that peer pressure and media adverts have started, for those of us with children this is worse!! every parent i know is trying to keep Santa and Christmas alive whilst worrying stupid about the expectation our children and others have and how to meet this. Let us be honest how many of us can really afford Wii's, PS3's, Computers and R/C stuff ??
Now i am not religious and my 3 boys (10, 7 and 4) can make up their own minds about things
BUT
Welcome to a new Blog. Here is just an area to let off steam and air views. They may be about anything and i am sure we all have a view on most things be it current affairs or something as trivial as how big Wagon Wheel biscuits are - and i am sure they are smaller - but within reason it all goes!!
So here is a start about Christmas.......
There is a week left before the big days start and am i alone this year in thinking something here is wrong...... Well i think not, everyone i speak to is also very cheesed off by the whole thing and the expectations that peer pressure and media adverts have started, for those of us with children this is worse!! every parent i know is trying to keep Santa and Christmas alive whilst worrying stupid about the expectation our children and others have and how to meet this. Let us be honest how many of us can really afford Wii's, PS3's, Computers and R/C stuff ??
Now i am not religious and my 3 boys (10, 7 and 4) can make up their own minds about things
BUT
- Whether or not we believe around 2000 years ago something happened
- Whether there really was a Jesus i guess we won't know, if he was the Son of God again we won't know.
- We celebrate the birth of a certain Baby on the 25th December, and the legend and story of his life has survived for over 2000 years and a whole religion is founded upon it.
- Now, somehow the story surrounding Jesus, or a great writer like modern day J K Rowling or Phillip Pullman did a great job, survives as possibly the greatest stories ever told
- Whether or not we like the idea something occured and the foundation of modernism is based on this - Christians believe, others don't. Individuals believe, others don't.
And so to Today, now, December 17th 2007.
I am not suggesting we all rush off to Church, i am not suggesting we all go to Christmas Mass. Indeed although married to a C 0f E wife i was brought up Jewish and now in my late 30's don't actually follow anything anymore.
But surely Christmas gives us a chance to "step off the roundabout" and just spend a few days being with our families and friends and celebrating whatever, but more importantly, enjoying the company of whoever - Friends, Family, Strangers or just Ourselves.
Maybe if we all stopped worrying about expectation and how to solve problems these generate, and taught the same message to our kids, maybe, just maybe, we will stand a chance of getting through Christmas and actually enjoying it and reflecting on the year passed rather than the blind panic of when do the shops open again so we can get the kids (or whoever) more presents that they now want!!
That is it todays rant over...........
I would love any views you all have on this or any other subject. And thank you for listening to me.
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