I'm off to the Hellfire Club tonight. What is the Hellfire Club you might ask? I really can not say.
Hee, hee ... the mind boggles doesn't it?
29 November 2007
Dull technical reports
I'm writing a fairly dull technical report and I fear my brain might implode. Dull ... dull ... dull. Any suggestions for shoring up said brain - it might be very messy if implosion arises?
Funny enough this is analogous to stars, nuclear reactions prevent the star from collapsing under its own gravity. When the star runs out of elements to fuse gravity takes over and (if the star is big enoug) .... bang! Supernova - the biggest firecracker in the universe.
This would suggest that the resulting mess arising from implosion correlates to how big my head is - hmmm. Back to dullness ...
Funny enough this is analogous to stars, nuclear reactions prevent the star from collapsing under its own gravity. When the star runs out of elements to fuse gravity takes over and (if the star is big enoug) .... bang! Supernova - the biggest firecracker in the universe.
This would suggest that the resulting mess arising from implosion correlates to how big my head is - hmmm. Back to dullness ...
Find that school ... Friends Reunited :-)
Schools - I think I went to too many of them. As a child we moved around quite a bit, we seemed to move house most years and often when we moved it was outside of the catchment of a school I was attending and naturally I changed school again.
I only went to one high school although we did move most years when I was there. We did actually move out of catchment but I convinced my parents that I could still get to the school on my own steam.
Until I was about 13 I was an only child so I don't have a anybody really to peg those early years to. My Dad died last year and my Mum has this year recovered from cancer. I realised that it would be good to track my earlier years while I can still remember them.
Trying to remember the names of schools - very difficult. Then I hit the jackpot, I discovered my old stamp collection that had loads of envelopes showing all our addresses. These addresses together with Friends Reunited and ... bingo! Well, almost ... I think there might be one or two schools I've forgotten particularly in England. Here is the list:
?
Radford Primary School (England)
?
Sapcote CofE Primary School (England)
Cardigan Primary School (Wales)
St Dogmaels Primary school (Wales)
Lamphey Primary School (Wales)
Pembroke Dock Junior School (Wales)
Cosheston Primary School (Wales)
Martin Primary School (South Africa)
Warner Beach Senior Primary School (South Africa)
Amanzimtoti High School (South Africa)
Of course I don't expect anybody to remember a transient child through their school but it has been good to be able to make contact with school friends from my last two schools.
My kids have a totally different experience, they all went to/go to the same primary school and will likely go to the same secondary school. Going to so many different schools has probably had an affect on my schooling but not as much as you might think it would. Parents today get so worked up over which school to send their children to and I think they forget how adaptable and resilient children are. I think I'm evidence of that ... although I'm sure a few of you would say how I might prove the contrary point :-)
Oh yes, and isn't Friends Reunited very useful - an excellent research tool.
I only went to one high school although we did move most years when I was there. We did actually move out of catchment but I convinced my parents that I could still get to the school on my own steam.
Until I was about 13 I was an only child so I don't have a anybody really to peg those early years to. My Dad died last year and my Mum has this year recovered from cancer. I realised that it would be good to track my earlier years while I can still remember them.
Trying to remember the names of schools - very difficult. Then I hit the jackpot, I discovered my old stamp collection that had loads of envelopes showing all our addresses. These addresses together with Friends Reunited and ... bingo! Well, almost ... I think there might be one or two schools I've forgotten particularly in England. Here is the list:
?
Radford Primary School (England)
?
Sapcote CofE Primary School (England)
Cardigan Primary School (Wales)
St Dogmaels Primary school (Wales)
Lamphey Primary School (Wales)
Pembroke Dock Junior School (Wales)
Cosheston Primary School (Wales)
Martin Primary School (South Africa)
Warner Beach Senior Primary School (South Africa)
Amanzimtoti High School (South Africa)
Of course I don't expect anybody to remember a transient child through their school but it has been good to be able to make contact with school friends from my last two schools.
My kids have a totally different experience, they all went to/go to the same primary school and will likely go to the same secondary school. Going to so many different schools has probably had an affect on my schooling but not as much as you might think it would. Parents today get so worked up over which school to send their children to and I think they forget how adaptable and resilient children are. I think I'm evidence of that ... although I'm sure a few of you would say how I might prove the contrary point :-)
Oh yes, and isn't Friends Reunited very useful - an excellent research tool.
28 November 2007
1973!! But ... but ... how?
James Blunt sings a song set in 1973 yet he was born in 1974! Am I the only person this irritates. Every time I hear him singing this song I think but you weren't even around in 1973.
It's as bad as living next door to Alice for 24 years ... waiting for a second chance! How irritating. What kind of guy was that?
Sigh ... I feel better now, I got that off my chest. I really shouldn't bother, I really shouldn't ...
It's as bad as living next door to Alice for 24 years ... waiting for a second chance! How irritating. What kind of guy was that?
Sigh ... I feel better now, I got that off my chest. I really shouldn't bother, I really shouldn't ...
In Facebook I am
I have a Facebook account - postings are rarely longer than a sentence, then you do a quiz.
27 November 2007
What to believe?
My mentioning of 'His Dark Materials' reminded me of how angered Christian groups are about the books.
This brings me to my religious beliefs? Oh dear, how this has caused me so much trouble in my life. Atheist, Agnostic, Spiritualist (a close family member was even a medium), Christian, even Missionary, Preacher ... what do I believe now? I'm not saying much about that right now - I've got to have learnt something from experience.
What's so surprising is that people who know me who read this posting are likely convinced I fall into any one of the boxes above, except perhaps the Spiritualist one.
The problem is my timing ... it's not very good. As an example, when I lived in South Africa at about 18 years of age, I helped arrange a beauty competition. It was quite a success and in particular I arranged a date with a beautiful model. The date went well until she brought up her beliefs over dinner. She was on the journey to becoming a Christian and I was not, in fact I was pretty much an atheist ... needless to say we didn't have another date. However, a few months later and we would have got on so much better - my lousy timing! Our beliefs were out of kilter. I do hasten to add that about six months later I did meet my lovely wife ... that was superb timing :-)
This is the main problem I see with religious beliefs (or lack of them) is that it polarises us. The only time it doesn't is when we say we just don't know - good old agnostics! That said, I don't really subscribe to the view that religion has caused a great deal of woe in the world. We're essentially tribal and it doesn't matter what the banner is we sit under we'll still fight and bicker with all the other tribes. But it does seem to me that when we sit under a religious banner that the vast majority of people go on to lead good lives. So religion seems to be a good concept and whether you believe that that is how God intended it or whether evolution has brought us to this point something seems to be right about it. By the way, please don't be offended by the tribal analogy - I am referring to everybody including me as being tribal.
But back to my religious beliefs, as you must concede that this posting had started out as a bit of oblique navel gazing. There are many reasons why my spiritual journey has been so eventful and I have some rather interesting tales. Would I have chosen a different path? No, I don't think so - often these journeys are more about finding yourself than a religion or even God. It would be such a boring world if we all believed the same thing and despite what I said earlier it would be no fun arguing with a world of agnostics. I am very happy to say that I have used God/religion as a crutch through significant portions of my life and why would that ever be a problem? If you have a religious belief then I trusted in God, if not then I tapped into my inner strength - the fact is it worked/works ;-)
Next year I'm continuing to study astrophysics - the universe is truly a strange and awesome wonder. The more I glimpse (this is about all I can manage) of the strangeness of the quantum world, other dimensions and the universe, the more I sense a chasm in our understanding. To read only in the last week of the suggestion that the hole in the universe detected by radio astronomers in August is the imprint of another universe is amazing. Then to read the theory that the act of 'observing' this might have affected the future of our universe is pretty startling. This is the strangeness, that merely observing at a quantum level has an affect, that something can come out of nothing, that I'm even here writing this in the first place. It is as if, through us, the universe is trying to understand itself, remarkable. I didn't intend that to sound so ... 'cosmic', but it did and it is - I guess. Incidentally, I think 'studying astrophysics' is quite good timing - for a change! So much is going on in this field at the moment that we seem to be discovering new information almost monthly, the chasm's still there though, there just seems to be a lot to discover.
Anyway, I could ramble on all evening and I daresay I've been talking to myself. I hope I've cleared up one thing - don't assume you know what my beliefs are :-)
This brings me to my religious beliefs? Oh dear, how this has caused me so much trouble in my life. Atheist, Agnostic, Spiritualist (a close family member was even a medium), Christian, even Missionary, Preacher ... what do I believe now? I'm not saying much about that right now - I've got to have learnt something from experience.
What's so surprising is that people who know me who read this posting are likely convinced I fall into any one of the boxes above, except perhaps the Spiritualist one.
The problem is my timing ... it's not very good. As an example, when I lived in South Africa at about 18 years of age, I helped arrange a beauty competition. It was quite a success and in particular I arranged a date with a beautiful model. The date went well until she brought up her beliefs over dinner. She was on the journey to becoming a Christian and I was not, in fact I was pretty much an atheist ... needless to say we didn't have another date. However, a few months later and we would have got on so much better - my lousy timing! Our beliefs were out of kilter. I do hasten to add that about six months later I did meet my lovely wife ... that was superb timing :-)
This is the main problem I see with religious beliefs (or lack of them) is that it polarises us. The only time it doesn't is when we say we just don't know - good old agnostics! That said, I don't really subscribe to the view that religion has caused a great deal of woe in the world. We're essentially tribal and it doesn't matter what the banner is we sit under we'll still fight and bicker with all the other tribes. But it does seem to me that when we sit under a religious banner that the vast majority of people go on to lead good lives. So religion seems to be a good concept and whether you believe that that is how God intended it or whether evolution has brought us to this point something seems to be right about it. By the way, please don't be offended by the tribal analogy - I am referring to everybody including me as being tribal.
But back to my religious beliefs, as you must concede that this posting had started out as a bit of oblique navel gazing. There are many reasons why my spiritual journey has been so eventful and I have some rather interesting tales. Would I have chosen a different path? No, I don't think so - often these journeys are more about finding yourself than a religion or even God. It would be such a boring world if we all believed the same thing and despite what I said earlier it would be no fun arguing with a world of agnostics. I am very happy to say that I have used God/religion as a crutch through significant portions of my life and why would that ever be a problem? If you have a religious belief then I trusted in God, if not then I tapped into my inner strength - the fact is it worked/works ;-)
Next year I'm continuing to study astrophysics - the universe is truly a strange and awesome wonder. The more I glimpse (this is about all I can manage) of the strangeness of the quantum world, other dimensions and the universe, the more I sense a chasm in our understanding. To read only in the last week of the suggestion that the hole in the universe detected by radio astronomers in August is the imprint of another universe is amazing. Then to read the theory that the act of 'observing' this might have affected the future of our universe is pretty startling. This is the strangeness, that merely observing at a quantum level has an affect, that something can come out of nothing, that I'm even here writing this in the first place. It is as if, through us, the universe is trying to understand itself, remarkable. I didn't intend that to sound so ... 'cosmic', but it did and it is - I guess. Incidentally, I think 'studying astrophysics' is quite good timing - for a change! So much is going on in this field at the moment that we seem to be discovering new information almost monthly, the chasm's still there though, there just seems to be a lot to discover.
Anyway, I could ramble on all evening and I daresay I've been talking to myself. I hope I've cleared up one thing - don't assume you know what my beliefs are :-)
What's in a title?
I enjoyed reading 'His Dark Materials' and I'm looking forward to the release of the film adaptation of the first book, 'The Golden Compass'. What I don't understand is why we have to have different book titles on different sides of the Atlantic? It must have something to do with marketing but does it really make that much difference?
I'm an electronics engineer and I have come across the view that products sell better in the US that have a number rather than a name! I've always found this hard to believe but what do I know?
I mean, why in the US would the title 'The Golden Compass' be preferable to the title 'Northern Lights'? Are other parts of the book changed as well?
All the same, I am looking forward to the film.
I'm an electronics engineer and I have come across the view that products sell better in the US that have a number rather than a name! I've always found this hard to believe but what do I know?
I mean, why in the US would the title 'The Golden Compass' be preferable to the title 'Northern Lights'? Are other parts of the book changed as well?
All the same, I am looking forward to the film.
Mirrors and bodies
Mirrors. Mirrors everywhere! ... and I can assure you that I do not have an image problem but I can't understand why there are so many mirrors at our local gym? Stand in the right place and you see an infinite number of sweaty, puffing, red faced, straining bodies working and grunting there way to um ... perfection?
But such a fascinating place - all the interesting people.
You get those who bounce from piece of equpment to the next, playing a kind of pin ball. Have a go on this, have a go on that and bounce out the door again.
There's the couple of friends chatting away on the exercise bikes peddaling at a snail's pace ... on and on they go ...
The superfit granddads! So very impressive, I've a very long way to go before reaching such an enviable level of fitness, but then I've some time before becoming a granddad (I hope). Very inspirational.
Pot bellied body builders. They always appear to be hurting. They seem to spend hardly any time on aerobic fitness and load the weights on all the resistance machines.
The young guys flexing there muscles, looking in the mirrors checking this muscle, that muscle. So blatant and confident, I always reserved my body inspections for the bathroom. Glancing over at the fashionably dressed young ladies - trying to catch an eye.
The young ladies, I try not to look and definitely refrain from catching an eye. It's not good for me to talk about this group for obvious reasons but I do have to say that those mirrors don't help ... it's so very difficult to look anywhere without looking at somebody at the wrong moment.
It's a lot easier when I visit the gym with Mrs Jenks but alas she's not very well tonight so I shall head down by myself, gulp!
Why do I do it? We're trying to keep up with our growing boys, skiing in a month's time, general health, a bit of vanity too.
But a huge reason for me is that this year I've been introduced to a new asthma treatment and for the first time I can exercise without wheezing. You can't imagine how exciting this is for me. I've never been able to run long distance and it became particularly worse when I was about 14/15 when I had quite bad pneumonia. The problem was at school I didn't realise I had asthma so I just tried harder to get fit ... it helped but never quite worked. The new treatment 'is' working very well :-)
I must say that I don't have bad asthma just exercise induced asthma. This also includes coughing and laughing induced asthma - very irritating. That's about the level of it really, irritating. I just kept away from triggers which doesn't mean I didn't exercise, I just limited the type of exercise or extent, but now ....
Trouble is when I removed the asthma symptoms I was left with a lower level of fitness and that's how I started going to the gym.
Next year I'd really like to try some running.... Tonight I'm going to the gym and I shall ignore the mirrors, and the young ladies too - it's not too difficult as they ignore me too ;-)
What’s your experience of gyms?
But such a fascinating place - all the interesting people.
You get those who bounce from piece of equpment to the next, playing a kind of pin ball. Have a go on this, have a go on that and bounce out the door again.
There's the couple of friends chatting away on the exercise bikes peddaling at a snail's pace ... on and on they go ...
The superfit granddads! So very impressive, I've a very long way to go before reaching such an enviable level of fitness, but then I've some time before becoming a granddad (I hope). Very inspirational.
Pot bellied body builders. They always appear to be hurting. They seem to spend hardly any time on aerobic fitness and load the weights on all the resistance machines.
The young guys flexing there muscles, looking in the mirrors checking this muscle, that muscle. So blatant and confident, I always reserved my body inspections for the bathroom. Glancing over at the fashionably dressed young ladies - trying to catch an eye.
The young ladies, I try not to look and definitely refrain from catching an eye. It's not good for me to talk about this group for obvious reasons but I do have to say that those mirrors don't help ... it's so very difficult to look anywhere without looking at somebody at the wrong moment.
It's a lot easier when I visit the gym with Mrs Jenks but alas she's not very well tonight so I shall head down by myself, gulp!
Why do I do it? We're trying to keep up with our growing boys, skiing in a month's time, general health, a bit of vanity too.
But a huge reason for me is that this year I've been introduced to a new asthma treatment and for the first time I can exercise without wheezing. You can't imagine how exciting this is for me. I've never been able to run long distance and it became particularly worse when I was about 14/15 when I had quite bad pneumonia. The problem was at school I didn't realise I had asthma so I just tried harder to get fit ... it helped but never quite worked. The new treatment 'is' working very well :-)
I must say that I don't have bad asthma just exercise induced asthma. This also includes coughing and laughing induced asthma - very irritating. That's about the level of it really, irritating. I just kept away from triggers which doesn't mean I didn't exercise, I just limited the type of exercise or extent, but now ....
Trouble is when I removed the asthma symptoms I was left with a lower level of fitness and that's how I started going to the gym.
Next year I'd really like to try some running.... Tonight I'm going to the gym and I shall ignore the mirrors, and the young ladies too - it's not too difficult as they ignore me too ;-)
What’s your experience of gyms?
17 January 2007
Puppy and Loft Conversion
So we have a dog now.
We had always said that we would get a dog but that wanted to wait until my youngest son was old enough. He's 9 now which we felt was 'old enough' but more importantly my eldest is 14 ... gulp! In just 4 years he will be 18!!! It was that realisation that prompted us to get a dog. We were concerned if we left it any longer then he would not have had the benefit and enjoyment of seeing a puppy grow up.
As I was saying, we have a dog now ... we also have a loft conversion that we are very pleased with :-)
Where am I going with this? Patience please.
We had the loft conversion done because I used one of the bedrooms intended for my sons as an office (I work from home). So, I now have an office and my sons all have their own bedrooms - very good and my three sons? :-) :-) :-)
When you get a puppy it is advised that you spend time with them and not leave them alone.
But:
My office + puppy = bad idea as puppies chew cables, books, in fact just about everything!
So ... I now work in the kitchen! I might add that the puppy is happy and contented ... oh well!
We had always said that we would get a dog but that wanted to wait until my youngest son was old enough. He's 9 now which we felt was 'old enough' but more importantly my eldest is 14 ... gulp! In just 4 years he will be 18!!! It was that realisation that prompted us to get a dog. We were concerned if we left it any longer then he would not have had the benefit and enjoyment of seeing a puppy grow up.
As I was saying, we have a dog now ... we also have a loft conversion that we are very pleased with :-)
Where am I going with this? Patience please.
We had the loft conversion done because I used one of the bedrooms intended for my sons as an office (I work from home). So, I now have an office and my sons all have their own bedrooms - very good and my three sons? :-) :-) :-)
When you get a puppy it is advised that you spend time with them and not leave them alone.
But:
My office + puppy = bad idea as puppies chew cables, books, in fact just about everything!
So ... I now work in the kitchen! I might add that the puppy is happy and contented ... oh well!
11 January 2007
Back?
Hmm.
Sorry about the dust that has gathered on this blog. So much for how therapeutic I find writing a blog!
Oh well, here I am for now. What happened?
A combination of things really ... I haven't mentioned it on my blog before but my Dad died of cancer in March last year. Then a few months later I found out my Mum had cancer and she has been undergoing chemotherapy. The good news is that a few weeks ago we found out that the cancer seems to have gone. My Mum is still receiving chemotherapy but the future is looking much brighter.
I didn't particularly want to discuss this on my blog but it was not all that easy to write about much else ... but that is only a suspected reason for no posts since September.
Other things?
I've been trying to make headway into a long story I am writing (it would seem a bit precocious to call it a novel) ... okay, I have to admit it's not very long yet ... but it will grow. Sadly, unlike plants, it doesn't grow very much when kept in a dark drawer.
Growth - reminds me of our puppy! We now have a Border Collie puppy called Fleet. Border Collie puppies are medium sized dogs, yes? Well our puppy's father was called Hercules!! :-s
More later, time for tea and bed. At least I've cleaned the dust off.
Sorry about the dust that has gathered on this blog. So much for how therapeutic I find writing a blog!
Oh well, here I am for now. What happened?
A combination of things really ... I haven't mentioned it on my blog before but my Dad died of cancer in March last year. Then a few months later I found out my Mum had cancer and she has been undergoing chemotherapy. The good news is that a few weeks ago we found out that the cancer seems to have gone. My Mum is still receiving chemotherapy but the future is looking much brighter.
I didn't particularly want to discuss this on my blog but it was not all that easy to write about much else ... but that is only a suspected reason for no posts since September.
Other things?
I've been trying to make headway into a long story I am writing (it would seem a bit precocious to call it a novel) ... okay, I have to admit it's not very long yet ... but it will grow. Sadly, unlike plants, it doesn't grow very much when kept in a dark drawer.
Growth - reminds me of our puppy! We now have a Border Collie puppy called Fleet. Border Collie puppies are medium sized dogs, yes? Well our puppy's father was called Hercules!! :-s
More later, time for tea and bed. At least I've cleaned the dust off.
13 September 2006
Another thing I do ...
I've never actually mentioned this on my blog before but I'm a Cub Scout Leader, yep, Jenks is an Akela! I've always been a touch reluctant to divulge this on my blog but I have a suspicion that most people that venture here know who I am in the non-blog world. I suppose I fear been stereotyped, I don't think I'm a stereotypical Cub Leader but that's difficult to judge (well, if I wasn't judged I will be now - own goal Jenks!).
Anyway, I only did 6 months of Scouting as a child. I got involved as an adult (so they say) when I 'helped' out at a Cub camp about six years ago ... Since then I've been a Pack Assistant, member of the Group Executive, Assistant Cub Scout Leader, Assistant Group Scout Leader, Group Scout Leader and now Akela. Now those titles probably mean very little to you non-Scouting folk as they meant little to me six years ago, what is interesting is would you employ somebody who has jumped jobs so many times (all in the same group I might add). I think they should fire me ... please!
Only kidding ;-) It's actually very rewarding and quite a stress reliever, or maybe it's more of a stress 'replacer' - working on the principle that a change (in stress) is as good as a holiday. Guess it's a good thing I'm not a psycho therapist or councillor ... I just work with kids. Gulp!
But don't worry, I'm okay - trust me. The kids have a great time (I don't think they come across people like me at school); if you don't believe me take a look at our programme for this term http://www.cookhamscouts.org/rs_programme - good hey? The product (I must admit) of all my assistants but I do try to pass it off as my own work - at least I have conscience.
So it's Cubs tonight - sigh! They should just fire me, really they should.
Anyway, I only did 6 months of Scouting as a child. I got involved as an adult (so they say) when I 'helped' out at a Cub camp about six years ago ... Since then I've been a Pack Assistant, member of the Group Executive, Assistant Cub Scout Leader, Assistant Group Scout Leader, Group Scout Leader and now Akela. Now those titles probably mean very little to you non-Scouting folk as they meant little to me six years ago, what is interesting is would you employ somebody who has jumped jobs so many times (all in the same group I might add). I think they should fire me ... please!
Only kidding ;-) It's actually very rewarding and quite a stress reliever, or maybe it's more of a stress 'replacer' - working on the principle that a change (in stress) is as good as a holiday. Guess it's a good thing I'm not a psycho therapist or councillor ... I just work with kids. Gulp!
But don't worry, I'm okay - trust me. The kids have a great time (I don't think they come across people like me at school); if you don't believe me take a look at our programme for this term http://www.cookhamscouts.org/rs_programme - good hey? The product (I must admit) of all my assistants but I do try to pass it off as my own work - at least I have conscience.
So it's Cubs tonight - sigh! They should just fire me, really they should.
Why do I blog?
For me writing is therapeutic (although I do seem to forget that it is) and putting together a posting and commenting on other postings sort of keeps me in the habit of writing. But I’m not sure that that alone would be enough. I could write (and occasionally do) in private. I could send more emails. What is so compelling about writing a blog?
This question was further highlighted to me only the other day. A good friend of mine could not understand why I ‘wasted’ my time writing a blog. “Hardly anybody reads them”, he said, he’d been listening to a Radio 4 programme about blogs and it had obviously been a bit negative. I was quite surprised how strongly he felt about it. Why did he and others feel so negative about blogs and … why do I write a blog?
Sometimes I write and it’s a bit like graffiti, sort of “I’m here world”. Other times it’s because I’ve got to get something off my chest or I’ve felt strongly about something – although I often don’t finish these postings, I seem to have lots of scraps of postings waiting to be picked up. But more often than not I write about my observations or what has amused me – I don’t particularly write for a response but I do look forward to one … and of course, that response is a connection.
What is so refreshing about this connection is that we often have no access to the normal sensory cues that trigger prejudice – I’m sure Clarice brought this up in an earlier post or comment. We can communicate freely with another human – well, I think they’re human (shudder)… not even that prejudice exists!
So I write my blog because I like to communicate … that’s a fairly human need so I don’t see why anybody should get upset. So why be negative?
I think that we are used to associating the audience one has with power. As people move up in status or maybe I should say ‘celebrity status’ they gain a wider audience. This wider audience allows their message to be heard, their ideas to be propagated or their products to be sold. I believe the blogosphere effectively short circuits the celebrity status and gives many people a platform to say whatever they like and ‘they haven’t even earned it dear’. It’s the same jibe celebrities often make of reality TV celebrities. Somehow our world believes that a columnist, actor, singer, games show host etcetera all have the right to a greater audience because … they are celebrities. The blogosphere judges blogs purely on content alone, content that has not been edited, content whose only bias is that of the author’s. This might be seen to erode the power base of those that tap into their audience for gain, for good or for bad. The blogosphere becomes a threat, so it is ridiculed. Of course, it could also be that it is ridiculed because it is not understood.
But if those that ridicule or are negative about blogs really stop and think, they will see that the expansion of the blogosphere is positive – people all over the world are starting to write! Writing what they feel, fear, believe, see, hear … unhindered communication. Writing in sentences, playing with words – but most of all, thinking and (I say it again) communicating. So the blogosphere is making people ‘think and communicate - that can’t be bad ;-)
This question was further highlighted to me only the other day. A good friend of mine could not understand why I ‘wasted’ my time writing a blog. “Hardly anybody reads them”, he said, he’d been listening to a Radio 4 programme about blogs and it had obviously been a bit negative. I was quite surprised how strongly he felt about it. Why did he and others feel so negative about blogs and … why do I write a blog?
Sometimes I write and it’s a bit like graffiti, sort of “I’m here world”. Other times it’s because I’ve got to get something off my chest or I’ve felt strongly about something – although I often don’t finish these postings, I seem to have lots of scraps of postings waiting to be picked up. But more often than not I write about my observations or what has amused me – I don’t particularly write for a response but I do look forward to one … and of course, that response is a connection.
What is so refreshing about this connection is that we often have no access to the normal sensory cues that trigger prejudice – I’m sure Clarice brought this up in an earlier post or comment. We can communicate freely with another human – well, I think they’re human (shudder)… not even that prejudice exists!
So I write my blog because I like to communicate … that’s a fairly human need so I don’t see why anybody should get upset. So why be negative?
I think that we are used to associating the audience one has with power. As people move up in status or maybe I should say ‘celebrity status’ they gain a wider audience. This wider audience allows their message to be heard, their ideas to be propagated or their products to be sold. I believe the blogosphere effectively short circuits the celebrity status and gives many people a platform to say whatever they like and ‘they haven’t even earned it dear’. It’s the same jibe celebrities often make of reality TV celebrities. Somehow our world believes that a columnist, actor, singer, games show host etcetera all have the right to a greater audience because … they are celebrities. The blogosphere judges blogs purely on content alone, content that has not been edited, content whose only bias is that of the author’s. This might be seen to erode the power base of those that tap into their audience for gain, for good or for bad. The blogosphere becomes a threat, so it is ridiculed. Of course, it could also be that it is ridiculed because it is not understood.
But if those that ridicule or are negative about blogs really stop and think, they will see that the expansion of the blogosphere is positive – people all over the world are starting to write! Writing what they feel, fear, believe, see, hear … unhindered communication. Writing in sentences, playing with words – but most of all, thinking and (I say it again) communicating. So the blogosphere is making people ‘think and communicate - that can’t be bad ;-)
12 September 2006
Dusty apology
(Drops out of loft and brushes off dust, cobwebs, spiders and such life that lives up there). I've been clearing our loft for a loft conversion, so been quiet here but noisy up there. Posts and comments will follow but I must go back to my loft a few more times as scaffolding, skip and crane threaten.
09 September 2006
Razorblades
Gathering some toiletries for our supermarket trolley tonight my youngest son (aged 8) and I found ourselves facing the razorblades. He looked at all the different types of razors and spotted the ladies razors.
"Are those ladies' razorblades?"
It's funny how all the possible directions the conversation might go start flashing through your mind at once. You can sense the 'fight or flight' instinct kicking in, but it's your 8 year old son ... and you know that all the people around you have heard the question and are deliberately hovering to wait how this parent will deal with this 'one'.
"Umm, yes they are ladies' razorblades."
Wait for it ....
"Do ladies have beards then?"
OK, so I chicken out,
"Well, I suppose some do."
But this is nothing compared to explaining the vending machines in men’s toilets. I remember my Dad telling me that you got chewing gum out of them! I could just imagine saying that to my younger son in front of my two eldest sons who are both in Secondary School.
When my youngest son did ask the question, "What are those Daddy?" the Gents were full! Needless to say both my eldest sons smirked and eagerly waited for my response. But I'm sorry, I chickened out again,
"We're late we've got to go now!"
"Bu..."
"Mum's waiting for us outside"
"Wha..."
"Come on", grabbing his hand and not making eye contact. I know I failed but I panicked - but at least I didn't say it was chewing gum. Could you imagine how embarresing it might be in later life?
"Hey Jenks, do you know where I can get some gum?" ....!
-------------------
Anyway, talking of razor blades (I can't work out if it's two words or one and I can't be bothered to check so I shall randomly use both versions) just where will it all stop? How many blades can you fit in one razor? Six blades seems to be the present record. The number of blades seems to be going up exponentially!
Now I have to admit that I was bought one of the six blade versions on the weekend - my previous razor only had half the number of blades. It's a little misleading as they actually have five blades for cutting. They try to romanticise what the sixth blade is for - sideburns, beard trimming but the real reason is because five blades PLUS a massive moisturising strip means you can't shove the razor high enough to cut the facial hair just below your nose. This would be a serious problem left unchecked as you would start to get a thin line moustache just below your nostrils.
Now, take my word for it, it is very hard to remove this facial hair with a nose hair trimmer (goodness, I'm going to have people peering up my nostrils now). This is because the hair is flat against the skin and nose hair trimmers aren't good at those types of hairs. This is where the sixth blade comes in - you revert to a single blade just below the nostrils.
Now this could be very dangerous for those young men (and women - for my youngest son) who are not practised at using a single blade. Look out for the cuts just below the nostrils ... this will be the indicator of those who have succumbed to advertising seduced by the promise of beautiful women stroking your smooth chin ... of course I wasn't, it was bought for me - by a very beautiful woman I might add, my wife.
Does your partner borrow your razor? Don't go there Jenks ...
And I won't.
I was going to say more about razors but I'm getting a bit bored of the topic and I can't see it making much difference to the world.
Why do I write so much rubbish? I agonise over comments I will make on Robert Sharp's blog or Clarice's blog, all of whom are clever young people - and then I'm scared off when I think of tackling their sharp intellects as it just seems to show me up as some sort of middle aged oaf - which I'm not, I don't think. Then I read that Clarice is referring to herself as being old on another’s blog, and that makes me feel archaic! But I have a suspicion that one or two people reading this will be higher up the age stakes than me ;-) I have yet another suspicion that they won't want to talk to me anymore either.
Rob, (referring to his post) the world is indeed divided into two groups of people - those who are older than you and those who are not.
I think that I better go to bed so that I don't embarrass myself any further. I'd copy this post as I shall probably edit when I reread it. Goodnight.
"Are those ladies' razorblades?"
It's funny how all the possible directions the conversation might go start flashing through your mind at once. You can sense the 'fight or flight' instinct kicking in, but it's your 8 year old son ... and you know that all the people around you have heard the question and are deliberately hovering to wait how this parent will deal with this 'one'.
"Umm, yes they are ladies' razorblades."
Wait for it ....
"Do ladies have beards then?"
OK, so I chicken out,
"Well, I suppose some do."
But this is nothing compared to explaining the vending machines in men’s toilets. I remember my Dad telling me that you got chewing gum out of them! I could just imagine saying that to my younger son in front of my two eldest sons who are both in Secondary School.
When my youngest son did ask the question, "What are those Daddy?" the Gents were full! Needless to say both my eldest sons smirked and eagerly waited for my response. But I'm sorry, I chickened out again,
"We're late we've got to go now!"
"Bu..."
"Mum's waiting for us outside"
"Wha..."
"Come on", grabbing his hand and not making eye contact. I know I failed but I panicked - but at least I didn't say it was chewing gum. Could you imagine how embarresing it might be in later life?
"Hey Jenks, do you know where I can get some gum?" ....!
-------------------
Anyway, talking of razor blades (I can't work out if it's two words or one and I can't be bothered to check so I shall randomly use both versions) just where will it all stop? How many blades can you fit in one razor? Six blades seems to be the present record. The number of blades seems to be going up exponentially!
Now I have to admit that I was bought one of the six blade versions on the weekend - my previous razor only had half the number of blades. It's a little misleading as they actually have five blades for cutting. They try to romanticise what the sixth blade is for - sideburns, beard trimming but the real reason is because five blades PLUS a massive moisturising strip means you can't shove the razor high enough to cut the facial hair just below your nose. This would be a serious problem left unchecked as you would start to get a thin line moustache just below your nostrils.
Now, take my word for it, it is very hard to remove this facial hair with a nose hair trimmer (goodness, I'm going to have people peering up my nostrils now). This is because the hair is flat against the skin and nose hair trimmers aren't good at those types of hairs. This is where the sixth blade comes in - you revert to a single blade just below the nostrils.
Now this could be very dangerous for those young men (and women - for my youngest son) who are not practised at using a single blade. Look out for the cuts just below the nostrils ... this will be the indicator of those who have succumbed to advertising seduced by the promise of beautiful women stroking your smooth chin ... of course I wasn't, it was bought for me - by a very beautiful woman I might add, my wife.
Does your partner borrow your razor? Don't go there Jenks ...
And I won't.
I was going to say more about razors but I'm getting a bit bored of the topic and I can't see it making much difference to the world.
Why do I write so much rubbish? I agonise over comments I will make on Robert Sharp's blog or Clarice's blog, all of whom are clever young people - and then I'm scared off when I think of tackling their sharp intellects as it just seems to show me up as some sort of middle aged oaf - which I'm not, I don't think. Then I read that Clarice is referring to herself as being old on another’s blog, and that makes me feel archaic! But I have a suspicion that one or two people reading this will be higher up the age stakes than me ;-) I have yet another suspicion that they won't want to talk to me anymore either.
Rob, (referring to his post) the world is indeed divided into two groups of people - those who are older than you and those who are not.
I think that I better go to bed so that I don't embarrass myself any further. I'd copy this post as I shall probably edit when I reread it. Goodnight.
05 September 2006
Dog on the Run
Another photo taken on our holiday - this one was taken by eldest son (borrowing my camera again). It's one of a series of photos of a dog playing on the beach - good isn't it? :-)
04 September 2006
03 September 2006
Plums - an admission
I was reading the Kitchen Witch's post on Plums and I feel I have an admission to make ... especially after reading all the comments ...
We have a plum tree that is/was heavily laden with fruit (it's too dark outside for me to see) but I'm afraid that this year the birds and the - well, wildlife will feast on them. We have no time as our loft will shortly be converted, sorry.
When we first moved to our house our plum tree only gave us a handful of plums (if that) each year. It was very sad and my mother-in-law told me that it had some sort of disease, should just be cut down as it would never bear much fruit. This was, I should add, after I suggested that all it needed was a tender prune (my answer to all gardening problems I'm afraid).
Well, it was a challenge - my mother-in-law said ‘never’ and I though it just might. Why do I descend to such competitiveness? I duly looked up how to prune plum trees waited patiently for the right time and … pruned.
Next season it had so many plums the branches bowed under the weight. One of the branches actually broke! When next my mother-in-law visited we took her round our woeful garden (I’m afraid it is – well a bit, ‘woeful’ might be a touch of an exaggeration) her eyes set upon our tree with all its wares and she told us that … you know I can’t remember, I just felt very smug and that’s all that counts.
Ever since then the tree has bore us large quantities of fruit. I do not know if it is the initial pruning or perhaps the ‘threat’ of future prunes that causes our plum tree to be so generous. However, the plums do not always fair well and have gone mouldy or delivered us prunes instead.
But we have little time now for plums (or prunes) as our own fruit seem to drain so much of our time turning us into said prunes instead. Today we cleared their bedrooms (three males I should add) and it is a wonder the garden hasn’t grasped at the opportunity of extending there too. But it is cleared (pruned) and my wife and I feel satisfied even if we had to resort to an Indian takeaway for dinner. But the plums will remain in the garden for the wildlife this season …
We have a plum tree that is/was heavily laden with fruit (it's too dark outside for me to see) but I'm afraid that this year the birds and the - well, wildlife will feast on them. We have no time as our loft will shortly be converted, sorry.
When we first moved to our house our plum tree only gave us a handful of plums (if that) each year. It was very sad and my mother-in-law told me that it had some sort of disease, should just be cut down as it would never bear much fruit. This was, I should add, after I suggested that all it needed was a tender prune (my answer to all gardening problems I'm afraid).
Well, it was a challenge - my mother-in-law said ‘never’ and I though it just might. Why do I descend to such competitiveness? I duly looked up how to prune plum trees waited patiently for the right time and … pruned.
Next season it had so many plums the branches bowed under the weight. One of the branches actually broke! When next my mother-in-law visited we took her round our woeful garden (I’m afraid it is – well a bit, ‘woeful’ might be a touch of an exaggeration) her eyes set upon our tree with all its wares and she told us that … you know I can’t remember, I just felt very smug and that’s all that counts.
Ever since then the tree has bore us large quantities of fruit. I do not know if it is the initial pruning or perhaps the ‘threat’ of future prunes that causes our plum tree to be so generous. However, the plums do not always fair well and have gone mouldy or delivered us prunes instead.
But we have little time now for plums (or prunes) as our own fruit seem to drain so much of our time turning us into said prunes instead. Today we cleared their bedrooms (three males I should add) and it is a wonder the garden hasn’t grasped at the opportunity of extending there too. But it is cleared (pruned) and my wife and I feel satisfied even if we had to resort to an Indian takeaway for dinner. But the plums will remain in the garden for the wildlife this season …
26 August 2006
Gone, back in a week! Please feel free to look around.
Off later today for a week in Wales, all five of us Jenks - a bit of walking, cycling, swimming, damn buidling, sight seeing, etc. etc. Got to pack though, I hate packing. My family hate me packing too! I'm afraid I tend to get a bit ratty - I shall try to remain calm today.
Anyway, if you find yourself here (and it seems not that many people do) then please feel free to have a look around but please don't break anything. See you later ;-)
Anyway, if you find yourself here (and it seems not that many people do) then please feel free to have a look around but please don't break anything. See you later ;-)
24 August 2006
Jenks on Light Bulbs - trying our best!
Did you know that in the UK Philips energy saving light bulbs are now subsidised? So it's a good time to change over energy saving light bulbs. The stick type you can get for 99p and the warmwhite globe type cost £2.80 - have a look at Lamps2udirect .
Lamps2udirect have lots of other types of energy saving replacement light bulbs including ones to replace golf ball bulbs, spots and there's even a dimmable sort that works with a regular switch. I've still had no luck replacing GU10 bulbs though and the golf ball replacements have a light that is not quite as warm as incandescent bulbs. The spots are good and you can get quite small energy saving bulbs now. If you need more convincing about changing bulbs take a look at ban-the-bulb . We placed an order for a range of energy saving bulbs and we're trying them in different places around our house. At this stage I can't see us changing all our incandescent bulbs but we're trying. If you have any suggestions of good replacement bulbs then let me know.
Energy saving lights are ideal for outside lights but please endeavour to purchase lighting that direct light downwards. A sky full of stars is both beautiful and awe inspiring - the natural world does not end at the horizon, it extends high above us. We really need to save the night sky for future generations. Have a look at the International Dark-Sky website for further inspiration. If you're passionate about nature and conservation, don't forget the stars above you.
I say this with a tinge of guilt - I still need to change our front light. With all the building work we are planning I've not got round to changing it , but I do keep it off. I suppose this saves energy but I could do this better with a PIR (Passive Infra-Red) sensor ... but I really must change it soon after our garage work is done and fit a PIR sensor.
More on energy saving in later posts ...
Sorry but there was a big chunk missing from my earlier post - must be Gremlins in my Blog!
Lamps2udirect have lots of other types of energy saving replacement light bulbs including ones to replace golf ball bulbs, spots and there's even a dimmable sort that works with a regular switch. I've still had no luck replacing GU10 bulbs though and the golf ball replacements have a light that is not quite as warm as incandescent bulbs. The spots are good and you can get quite small energy saving bulbs now. If you need more convincing about changing bulbs take a look at ban-the-bulb . We placed an order for a range of energy saving bulbs and we're trying them in different places around our house. At this stage I can't see us changing all our incandescent bulbs but we're trying. If you have any suggestions of good replacement bulbs then let me know.
Energy saving lights are ideal for outside lights but please endeavour to purchase lighting that direct light downwards. A sky full of stars is both beautiful and awe inspiring - the natural world does not end at the horizon, it extends high above us. We really need to save the night sky for future generations. Have a look at the International Dark-Sky website for further inspiration. If you're passionate about nature and conservation, don't forget the stars above you.
I say this with a tinge of guilt - I still need to change our front light. With all the building work we are planning I've not got round to changing it , but I do keep it off. I suppose this saves energy but I could do this better with a PIR (Passive Infra-Red) sensor ... but I really must change it soon after our garage work is done and fit a PIR sensor.
More on energy saving in later posts ...
Sorry but there was a big chunk missing from my earlier post - must be Gremlins in my Blog!
My messy desk
I took this photo a few days ago as a start to develop a blog that, hopefully, will be a bit more interesting than a few boring blue/grey dots! I'm not sure if I will use it but I thought it probably describes a fair amount about me (and how messy my desk gets). What surprised me looking back at it is how many little clues there are about some of my interests. Yes, my hat is on my desk but it's normally a bit further to the right - I can never figure out where to put it so it sits on my desk!
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