Peter came to Sassenach country last week and, amongst the usual (and some not so usual) drama, we ended up (after many a delightful pub lunch) at Colchester Zoo. I'd like to start by saying that, yes, I do consider myself a huge hypocrite as I don't think, having pondered on this for the past few days, that zoos are good things.
Now, I loved seeing elephants and tigers and meerkats and giraffes and monkeys and the snuffliest bears in the world (sun bears- they just lol (not LOL) around like they're in bed on a Sunday waiting on someone to bring them up a cup of tea) and all the other animals I wouldn't get to see had some retarded human being (at some point in the chain) not decided to snatch these poor critters from their natural environments but really, when I think about it, it's just all wrong.
The Orang-Utan really brought it home to me, as if the sloth hadn't been enough (more on him in a minute...). He was sat in a glass box, trying to eat a banana, with people staring in at him and taking his photo, banging on his window.... I've never seen such sad eyes.... I felt like the poor bastard was being violated. He looked like he knew there was a better life for him, somewhere, but that he'd lost all hope. Now, I know this may constitute 'normal' for him, but it's uncomfortable to watch, it's weird- and having paid £32 (for 2) in order to ensure that this craziness continues, I feel really bad.
The sloth, in absolute contrast to its reputation, was industriously turning the branches of a tree into a launching platform in order to scope out his prospects of escape. What struck me later is that he probably does that every day.... Living in hope that one day, if he just climbs high enough, he might just find a hole big enough to squeeze out through and that's it! "Ha! Nothing will stop me now......!"
Most of the animals seemed quite docile and content, mindlessly eating the food provided. The monkeys seemed the happiest (or the most deranged, I suppose....) swinging around making the most of their shit situation... However, the penguins were so conditioned to respond to humans as food-bearers that they couldn't even enjoy their pseudo-environment... They'd turned the tables and were huddled together, staring at the children peeking in at them, pressed right up against the glass following their every move... obsessively, unthinkingly seeking that morsel of fish that would fulfil them so they could get on with their (pretty miserable) lives......
I can't believe I forgot the elephants. Elephants never forget. And the bloody elephant is the very beast who planted this whole idea for the blog in my head... Go figure.... I have never seen such an act of faith in one's abilities and the resultant rewards to be reaped as when I saw an elephant stretching and balancing its weight in the most ungainly, and perilous, manner to reach for the grass (which is always greener) which was on the other side of a wall, completely invisible to it and halfway down an embankment. Imagine an elephant on tiptoes, leaning as far forward as it can whilst blindly feeling around with its trunk, which is also stretched to absolute capacity. Unless you've seen this, you probably can't but try anyway. Hilarious, tragic and inspiring in equal measure.
But what for us? With our 'freedom'? The saddest thing of all is that we're all animals, trapped in a very big zoo...... But which one are you?
Peace and Love.
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Leap. And the net will appear. Hopefully.
Never one to act irrationally or whimsically (at least, not to my mind...) I decided yesterday to stop waiting for the family in Dubai to decide my future and booked a one-way flight to India. This is not as random as it first appears, my journey of self-discovery did initially begin as a search for 'me' and my origins.... So, father rediscovered, now it's time to rediscover the land of my fore(Grand)fathers. Surprisingly logical, I would say....(though, to be honest, I only noticed this pseudo-logic after I'd confirmed that, yes, I am sure...).
I leave on the first of September and am extremely excited. Though, truth be told, I have very little idea as to what lies in store. Which is just how like it. (I'm going to live with and teach street kids 40km from Jaipur, more than that I don't know). I do know that a lot of people don't get it, won't get it, don't want to get it.... Whatever...But, it cannot be overstated that life is nothing if not an adventure and that "the only unchangeable certainty we have is that nothing is unchangeable nor certain."
So, rather than live within my uncomfortable comfort zone- a routine of wake up, coffee, check email/facebook, go to work, go to the pub, go back to work, have a glass of wine, go home, check email/facebook, sleep.... (Ok, I skipped a few important bits- I do (thankfully for the rest of you) shower and get dressed every day...And eat rather too many times to include in this list for repetitions' sake...But you get the general idea) and bemoan the fact that 'bloody Dubai still haven't got in touch....I though I'd better take action. And yes, Maximo, I do still have to wait until September, but at least I made a decision. And took the first step towards change. So shut up! I also have many things to do between now and September (including my 10 day silence) like go to Barca and Greenbelt and to see Mos Def and Pygmalion and my Grannies.... So, yes. September is perfect. Let's just hope that this little certainty doesn't go changing on me. Apparently AirMiles are non-refundable....
I don't mean to litter my thoughts with other people's quotes but I'd probably be accused of ripping them off if I tried to paraphrase in some way so.... "Become the change you want to see in the world" (Gandhi). I'm not gonna stop trying to change the world, but I am going to (little by little) become the change I'd like to see.... And hope that I may inspire others to do the same.
I guess my point is, if there's something you want to do, something you want to change, do it. Now. Tomorrow might be too late. As for me... September better not be.....!
Peace and Love.
I leave on the first of September and am extremely excited. Though, truth be told, I have very little idea as to what lies in store. Which is just how like it. (I'm going to live with and teach street kids 40km from Jaipur, more than that I don't know). I do know that a lot of people don't get it, won't get it, don't want to get it.... Whatever...But, it cannot be overstated that life is nothing if not an adventure and that "the only unchangeable certainty we have is that nothing is unchangeable nor certain."
So, rather than live within my uncomfortable comfort zone- a routine of wake up, coffee, check email/facebook, go to work, go to the pub, go back to work, have a glass of wine, go home, check email/facebook, sleep.... (Ok, I skipped a few important bits- I do (thankfully for the rest of you) shower and get dressed every day...And eat rather too many times to include in this list for repetitions' sake...But you get the general idea) and bemoan the fact that 'bloody Dubai still haven't got in touch....I though I'd better take action. And yes, Maximo, I do still have to wait until September, but at least I made a decision. And took the first step towards change. So shut up! I also have many things to do between now and September (including my 10 day silence) like go to Barca and Greenbelt and to see Mos Def and Pygmalion and my Grannies.... So, yes. September is perfect. Let's just hope that this little certainty doesn't go changing on me. Apparently AirMiles are non-refundable....
I don't mean to litter my thoughts with other people's quotes but I'd probably be accused of ripping them off if I tried to paraphrase in some way so.... "Become the change you want to see in the world" (Gandhi). I'm not gonna stop trying to change the world, but I am going to (little by little) become the change I'd like to see.... And hope that I may inspire others to do the same.
I guess my point is, if there's something you want to do, something you want to change, do it. Now. Tomorrow might be too late. As for me... September better not be.....!
Peace and Love.
Monday, 2 May 2011
Obama, Osama, it's all the same....
I awoke this morning bleary eyed, and very late, to be told "the world is a very different place from when you went to bed..." As my mind tried to process what the hell could have happened, I uttered the word 'how?' "They've captured, killed and buried Osama Bin Laden." What? I burst into tears. And no, I'm not a terrorist, nor a muslim, just a person. A part of humanity. As we all are. Like it or not.
Ok, so I'm feeling a bit premenstrual and I know that Osama Bin Laden's many acts of violence against both muslims and non-muslims cannot be defended nor accepted but, it's just all so wrong. When muslims celebrated (though many, many more did not) the attacks on the twin towers (sorry, but I am still not convinced this even was Osama's masterminded plan, but that's not actually relevant right now...) they were condemned by the propaganda machine that is Washington and their behaviour cited as 'proof' that all muslims are extremists and enemies of The West.
Today, spontaneous parties erupted all over America in response to the news of this 'monsters'' assassination. Murder. What the fuck? Since when did murder, judgement, non-forgiveness, the upholding of division, fear and hatred become things to be revered and celebrated in our societies? Why is murder by one side a terrible heinous crime, but something to be rejoiced in by the other? What has the world actually gained today? Safety? Reassurance? Security? I, for one, am neither feeling safer, reassured nor more secure in the knowledge that our Governments (let's face it, we're all America's bitches... Except maybe China....) think that murder, war and violence and the associated poverty, grief and destruction are necessary, acceptable tools to control resources, people and outdated systems of power.
I'm no expert (clearly) politics-wise, but I know that killing people is wrong. Whoever you are. Whatever they did. As Ghandi said (and this quote has been bandied about a few times today, at least...) 'an eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind...' Maybe we are blind. Or forgetful. Or stupid, unthinking sheep who quietly (or not so quietly judging by the scenes in NYC) accept whatever the powers that be tell us in order to maintain the status quo... Maybe we'll wake up soon and realise that, actually, people are people. We all fuck up. Some of us royally. Some of us catastrophically.... To err is to be human an aw that... I just don't quite understand why some of us are allowed to fuck up, time and time again for the 'greater good' (ahem... America... Bullshit...) whilst others are murdered or persecuted for their pursuit of the same. We're all just following our own dreams, right? As crazy as they may be.
So, Obama, the president-of-African/Islamic-descent (Thanks for the clarification, Pete) who has not only been responsible for declaring war on Africa (albeit in a slightly less blatant way) but now too for taking out a 'Muslim leader' (he wasn't, he grossly misinterpreted the teachings of Islam. Clearly.) is the champion of the West. Out of these two men, seeking the same end (power, wealth, status, the adoption of their ideals and ideas...), he is the one that won through. For now. Until his puppet masters decide that, like Bin laden (previously Osama was embraced as a Saudi 'hero' by Raegan's administration....) he has served his cause, at least.
We live in crazy times. Though, despite that, it was nice of them to put off the release of this 'world-changing' information until after the nuptials of Wills and Kate, wasn't it?
Peace and Love.
Ok, so I'm feeling a bit premenstrual and I know that Osama Bin Laden's many acts of violence against both muslims and non-muslims cannot be defended nor accepted but, it's just all so wrong. When muslims celebrated (though many, many more did not) the attacks on the twin towers (sorry, but I am still not convinced this even was Osama's masterminded plan, but that's not actually relevant right now...) they were condemned by the propaganda machine that is Washington and their behaviour cited as 'proof' that all muslims are extremists and enemies of The West.
Today, spontaneous parties erupted all over America in response to the news of this 'monsters'' assassination. Murder. What the fuck? Since when did murder, judgement, non-forgiveness, the upholding of division, fear and hatred become things to be revered and celebrated in our societies? Why is murder by one side a terrible heinous crime, but something to be rejoiced in by the other? What has the world actually gained today? Safety? Reassurance? Security? I, for one, am neither feeling safer, reassured nor more secure in the knowledge that our Governments (let's face it, we're all America's bitches... Except maybe China....) think that murder, war and violence and the associated poverty, grief and destruction are necessary, acceptable tools to control resources, people and outdated systems of power.
I'm no expert (clearly) politics-wise, but I know that killing people is wrong. Whoever you are. Whatever they did. As Ghandi said (and this quote has been bandied about a few times today, at least...) 'an eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind...' Maybe we are blind. Or forgetful. Or stupid, unthinking sheep who quietly (or not so quietly judging by the scenes in NYC) accept whatever the powers that be tell us in order to maintain the status quo... Maybe we'll wake up soon and realise that, actually, people are people. We all fuck up. Some of us royally. Some of us catastrophically.... To err is to be human an aw that... I just don't quite understand why some of us are allowed to fuck up, time and time again for the 'greater good' (ahem... America... Bullshit...) whilst others are murdered or persecuted for their pursuit of the same. We're all just following our own dreams, right? As crazy as they may be.
So, Obama, the president-of-African/Islamic-descent (Thanks for the clarification, Pete) who has not only been responsible for declaring war on Africa (albeit in a slightly less blatant way) but now too for taking out a 'Muslim leader' (he wasn't, he grossly misinterpreted the teachings of Islam. Clearly.) is the champion of the West. Out of these two men, seeking the same end (power, wealth, status, the adoption of their ideals and ideas...), he is the one that won through. For now. Until his puppet masters decide that, like Bin laden (previously Osama was embraced as a Saudi 'hero' by Raegan's administration....) he has served his cause, at least.
We live in crazy times. Though, despite that, it was nice of them to put off the release of this 'world-changing' information until after the nuptials of Wills and Kate, wasn't it?
Peace and Love.
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Ay-o, I'm tired of using technology....
Well, that's not strictly true seen as how I'm using a rather snazzy laptop to type this on, but I love that song and it kind of fits with my thought for today.... Last night, I was asked, by a very lovely friend, the kind of question that, many moons ago, I would have found myself asking and obsessing over. The story goes.... "I went on a date last week, it went really well, we had a bit of a smooch afterwards and exchanged text messages... he said that he'd had a lovely time, that we should do it again. The following day we texted (when did this become a verb..?) a couple of times and then on Friday, I texted him asking if he was getting in the spirit of the royal wedding. He replied 'you want to marry me already? LOL' (I hate LOL) so I responded 'no, I'm just at work (she works at a nursery) making crowns with the kids.... do you want to go for a few drinks on Monday?'
Then, nothing. No more texts since Friday morning. And the dreaded question, why do you think that is?"
I don't know. I don't care. Maybe he's lost his phone. Maybe he secretly wanted to marry you already. Maybe he's already married. Maybe he's died in an horrific accident. Or hung himself because he thinks he's unattractive and un-marriable. He is, after all 39 years old.... Maybe he's just playing games. Does it actually matter? Ok, so you like the guy, but really? Why waste time and energy analysing the contents of text messages and snippets of conversation? Now, I'm not having a go at aforementioned lovely friend I am merely trying to make her realise that, actually, other people's actions are 1) uncontrollable and 2) quite irrelevant. All you can do in life is decide how you will respond to something. So, choosing to stress out and analyse and pontificate is all very well and good but you must see that you are only succeeding in driving yourself crazy. You are awesome, believe it (All of you...). You don't (shouldn't) need validation from some guy, or girl, or anyone else. I've said many times, fuck what society says, live your life, have fun.... Relax. I know you've a 16 year old girl to think about, but wouldn't you rather she saw her Mum cope with all of life's (very) minor setbacks in a positive and balanced manner? Shouldn't she learn that people are people with their own lives to lead, regardless of what we may want them to do or not do...?
I think so. And I also think that, at least once a week, everybody should leave their phone off for a whole day, stay off facebook and email and spend time with themselves doing something that they love. Sunbathe naked in the garden. Read a book. Go to a museum. Eat out. Do something. All by yourself.
Peace and Love.
Then, nothing. No more texts since Friday morning. And the dreaded question, why do you think that is?"
I don't know. I don't care. Maybe he's lost his phone. Maybe he secretly wanted to marry you already. Maybe he's already married. Maybe he's died in an horrific accident. Or hung himself because he thinks he's unattractive and un-marriable. He is, after all 39 years old.... Maybe he's just playing games. Does it actually matter? Ok, so you like the guy, but really? Why waste time and energy analysing the contents of text messages and snippets of conversation? Now, I'm not having a go at aforementioned lovely friend I am merely trying to make her realise that, actually, other people's actions are 1) uncontrollable and 2) quite irrelevant. All you can do in life is decide how you will respond to something. So, choosing to stress out and analyse and pontificate is all very well and good but you must see that you are only succeeding in driving yourself crazy. You are awesome, believe it (All of you...). You don't (shouldn't) need validation from some guy, or girl, or anyone else. I've said many times, fuck what society says, live your life, have fun.... Relax. I know you've a 16 year old girl to think about, but wouldn't you rather she saw her Mum cope with all of life's (very) minor setbacks in a positive and balanced manner? Shouldn't she learn that people are people with their own lives to lead, regardless of what we may want them to do or not do...?
I think so. And I also think that, at least once a week, everybody should leave their phone off for a whole day, stay off facebook and email and spend time with themselves doing something that they love. Sunbathe naked in the garden. Read a book. Go to a museum. Eat out. Do something. All by yourself.
Peace and Love.
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