Profounder and Profounder!

In light of the fact that the last few posts on here have been, well, let's face it, rather pointless - I mean, two blogthings in a row - what's all that about(?); I have decided that it is necessary to make this next post either intellectually stimulating, theologically pioneering, politically revealing or historically enlightening... and perhaps even a combination of all four.

.....I have now been sitting here for more than ten minutes and have realised that I don't know anything stimulating, pioneering, revealing or enlightening - either intellectually, theologically, politically or historically... so instead, here is a picture of my rabbit.










Gracie - the world's best rabbit

I am now going to go and read a very big book so that I might have something interesting to say in future!

Slush Muppet Part Two!

In light of my recent slush reflections, when I came across this one I thought it'd be quite interesting/amusing/bizarre! Had my inner cynic got the better of my inner romantic I wondered? Well, it seems not quite...

You Are A Realistic Romantic

It's easy for you to get swept away by romance... But you've done a pretty good job keeping perspective. You're still taken in by love poems and sunsets You just don't fall for every dreamy pick up line!

Are You Romantic or Realistic?

A Post of Intellectual Depth

Your Hair Should Be Purple

Intense, thoughtful, and unconventional. You're always philosophizing and inspiring others with your insights.

What's Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

Purple eh... I think it probably has been in the past!
That's about my intellectual level for this evening... what other amazing insights can I find out about myself? : )

Add-on: Intense: Hmmm, I don't like the sound of that; Thoughtful: I hope so; Unconventional: Quite possibly! Philosophizing: Well, that might be stretching it a little - in my dreams! Inspiring: Rolls around on the floor laughing!

Gentle...Humbug...Familiar...Rice Pud*

I am wending my way into Monday as gently as I can - this being my first day in over a week of being properly up, dressed and about - after a delightful week's holiday... feeling terrible! (Bah humbug as they say!). The familiar and secure words of Morning Prayer were such a good way to begin a day such as today - and now I'm sitting here with a bowl of rice pudding (and big dollop of jam) trying to ensure I don't run out of steam before I even get going!

By the way, having been reflecting fairly deeply (for me) over the last few posts I thought it was about time for something inane... like rice pud. I might pop back and revisit the wandering bollards later too.

*Well how do you give a title to that!?

Slush Muppet!

You can blame the nature of this post on recent conversations on the Ship of Fools, though perhaps it would have been most fitting to wait until Valentine's Day or some other suitably love-linked occassion to post this little reflection.
I am one of those people who delights in a good love story... a happy ending... a fine romance, and all that sloppy palaver. I was chuffed to bits recently to hear that a long-single friend has met someone and got engaged; I can watch chick flicks 'til they come out of my ears (er, if you see what I mean); I get totally caught up in the moment when Marianne* stands on top of the hill spouting Shakespeare in tears, "...love is not love which alters when it alteration finds nor bends with the remover to remove; O no, it is an ever fix-ed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken...". Blimey, that's brilliant stuff! And then there's the Proclaimers and their 500 Miles... how amazing that someone could write those words for another. But the thing is, the point of this ramble, is that I don't think I can remember what it feels like to be on the receiving end of sentiments like that. And so at the same time, I'm also a total cynic!
I'm so grateful that over the years I've come to know God's love, expressed in incomparable depth through the life and death of Christ - I'm not sure how a total slush muppet like me would manage without the knowledge of that love. And that's something I hope for for all my fellow singletons - that depth of love and acceptance that is perfected in God (and reflected in human love) but wouldn't a nice happy ending, Darcy style be cool too!

*Sense and Sensibility in case you were wondering!

Thank God... And No Offence Intended

I've just sat down here with the required cup of tea and am toying with what to write. In my mind, for some reason, is a shouldn't-really-be-called-a-poem that I wrote a few years ago, entitled 'Today I feel like an arse* again!' I only showed this ridiculous combination of words to one friend a fairly long time ago and that just added to the sentiment expressed in the title! I can remember times past when at the end of many a day I would think back over things I'd said and things I'd done, analyse the wotsit out of them, and feel like a complete idiot. I was talking to a younger someone about this recently... and realised that either through increasing (not that much, I hasten to add) age or growing and journeying with God - and most likely a combination of the two - I don't torture myself anymore. It's wonderful to get to a place where you can accept your mistakes, you can let people think of you what they want to think of you, being more concerned about Christ and what he thinks, where you can get to the end of a day and pray through, with God, the things that embarrass or concern you instead of wrapping them round a big stick and beating yourself up with them? I think I finally started believing in God's acceptance and love of me, in his ability to take the rubbish I produce at times and make something of it and in the truly miraculous concepts of forgiveness, change and new starts. I don't think I've stopped to thank him for a while... so I'll do that now.

*in case it's absolutely necessary, in this context, arse = absolute bloomin' idiot, or something along those lines!

Going Back

I'm not very good at going back! I have lived where I'm living now for nearly two and a half years. When I moved here the place wasn't unfamiliar as I already had extended family living in the area (so there had been many childhood, and more recent visits over the years) and it's not far from where home was anyway. And so now, here is home. I'm happy here, we've settled well here, I love my church community - and the wider community here. And that's funny because I've felt that way before, and a couple of weeks ago I got to spend a day at my old church, in my old town - where I grew up, spent a great chunk of adult life, and where my parents still live. It felt rather peculiar because it's a place of such significance for me... the church where I grew in my faith and found out that God cared about me, a place full of happy memories and people I love and have been loved by. And, of course, it's not just the church - but the many memories (both happy and sad) attached to that place - a (big) part of me was formed there.

The Quiet Day itself provided food for thought by way of the speaker (reflecting on the duties and the joys of ordained ministry) as well as ample opportunities for quiet reflection and time to wander. And wander I did, delighting (with that odd tinge of sadness) in the many times I'd headed out from the back of the church, down the fieldside lane towards the far barn with TeenSon (when he was ToddleSon!) and the children I used to look after. Sometimes to see the newly born lambs, sometimes with friends on a Sunday afternoon wander. It is a time and place packed full of memories - and I find it a moving experience to go back.

It's not the only place either. There are other places I've lived, become attached to, moved away from - and feel somehow sad to revisit despite them being packed with happy memories. What a strange thing. I think I'm good at making 'here' (wherever here might be) home, perhaps that has something to do with it? Perhaps I leave a little bit of my heart in each place - better make sure it doesn't become shrivelled in that case!

Whatever the 'answer' I'll reflect on the words of St. Paul... "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus" because going back can be strange - something I need to work on.

Intriguing!

Yesterday someone found this little spot on the blogosphere by searching for "someone who stepped into a parallel universe in leicester" and very oddly enough - the Teapot was number 1 on Google's list!

If that was you then 'welcome' (I suppose it's unlikely you found what you were looking for - though this place does resemble some sort of barmy parallel universe at times!).

John Peel Day

If you've wandered by looking for the traffic island bollards... then just keep scrolling down, past 'all things Peel'! Today is 'John Peel Day' (woohoo - to steal back from myself part of a Ship of Fools thread title). So, today, here, you will find all things Peel, in honour of the great man. But first, something by way of a disclaimer/explanation/excuse! I just wanted to say that remembering someone for their influence and inspiration, for the music they championed and for their focus and dedication to a job they loved, as well as for the compassion they showed to so many (thinking Home Truths here) and just, well, for being very interesting (despite what John seemed to think about himself), doesn't make all 'fans' unrealistic or idealising (idolising) loonies! I wonder if John Peel's family sometimes smile to themselves when we all go rambling on, as they think of the man they actually knew, who was most likely (like the rest of us) far from perfect? I've said a prayer or two for them today - even though of course, it won't take just one day like this to get them thinking about the man they love[d]. This post will undoubtedly grow as the day goes on... so please pop back (good job it's my day off!). And so having said all that, off I go with all things Peel...

First, has to come the theme tune for the day... The Undertones' Teenage Kicks which I will undoubtedly play very loud, repeatedly today... and TeenSon will no doubt say at least once, "you're not playing that again are you?" (It has been said before!). So, here it is... what a classic!

YouTube - Undertones - Teenage Kicks

And the tally of how many times I've played it today: 6

When John died there were a load of documentaries made or re-shown about him and his life - I watched as many as I could and taped a few... which of course I'm bound to watch again today. There's also some great stuff around on the internet... I'll dig out some links I've enjoyed later, but for now here's the (radio) documentary from last years' 'Keeping it Peel' day...

Documentary - John Peel Day 2005

Ok, that's a right load of listening... here's something to watch. Peely loved Glastonbury and there are some fantastic bits to be seen...

Peel at Glastonbury

Classic Peel: "Really, since I was about 30 I've had no ambitions to do anything other than what I do. So if I drop dead tomorrow I couldn't really complain to be honest. I mean, I hope I don't you know 'cos there's going to be, like, a new Fall LP next year, and things like that you know, and I want to hear that so it's just mere nosiness that keeps me going... thinking, you know, if I stay alive another day, will the man from the security van turn up with a box of records from some importer in London? You know, it's just babyish stuff like that that keeps me ticking over."

Peeling Back the Years - from the BBC archives (scroll down to click and play).

And then of course, there was Radio 4's 'Home Truths' - unbeatable Saturday mornings with Peel, and some...err, rather interesting characters!

A random month of 'Home Truths' with Peel.

And then of course there's the books... I went straight out and bought them as they appeared:
First, Mick Wall's John Peel A tribute to the much-loved DJ and broadcaster.
In having a quick look on Amazon, and then further afield, for the picture I discovered that it's not out there to be found - just a few piccies of the paperback. I came across some reviews - scathing, and some discussions - questioning (the withdrawal of the book?). Interesting. It seems the book was rushed out in a hurry not long after John's death... and really that shows in it's quality.

Then there's Michael Heatley's John Peel A Life in Music. As the title suggests, this one covers John's career in the music industry. Available from Amazon. I've given up trying to post a piccie of it... after four attempts, Blogger finally saw fit to allow it onto this page - but the picture's layout had a margin surround the size of... err, something very big, so it didn't work here (probably a clever ploy to stop people like me pinching the picture and posting it on their blog!).

And, last but by no means least, there's John's own autobiography Margrave of the Marshes. Also available from Amazon... Definitely worth buying! As you're probably well aware, John died before he completed the book and so the second half is written by Sheila. Excellent.

They're the ones I've bought... I'll have to start looking around for more!

Breeding Bollards...

Update: I noticed today that the latest lot of sparkly replacement bollards on the traffic island have gone - vanished - wandered off!! Hmmm, if the Highways Agency start finding themselves short of bollards then they're not having 'mine' back until after I've started rearranging, decorating and photographing them for our idle amusement! Better go and check the garden... make sure the bollards aren't breeding!

(If you've got no idea what I'm on about then just scroll down the page a bit... yep that's it, just after (before?) John Peel!)

Big Drum Roll Please...

For those of you who are unaware [tut tut tut], tomorrow is
JOHN PEEL DAY. I am warning you now. John Peel - the legend!

The Continuing Saga of the Bollard(s)

You will be aware if you have read this, that I have recently acquired two rather large traffic island bollards (pictured above in their temporary home of my garden). A nice man at the end of the Police telephone "we deal with all kinds of random situations and nutters" line, assured me that he had been onto the Highways Agency and that they would come and collect their bollards - which as you can see are in pretty good nick, despite their adventures of late. Well, as of nearly a fortnight later, I still have my bollards (hereafter known as lumi and nous!).

TeenSon is still quite keen to give one of them a new home in his bedroom (TeenDen) as it would make an unusual piece of modern furniture... though I have pointed out to him that lumi and nous have most likely seen action as Public Conveniences (their previous home being on a well-used local home-from-the-pub, staggering route - just like 'Gate' who generously guards our driveway and offers a similar service on Saturday nights). Despite this he is still keen to give them a wash down and comfortable new home!

Neil has also suggested that they might make interesting lamps for my living room (aka lounge... we are common!) - a worthy suggestion indeed.

And so now I invite you also to make your suggestions as to the future use of lumi and nous. I think we'll make it a decent sort of competition (if you get into the spirit of things) so please make note of the following before diving in with ideas...

a) All suggestions to be do-able in our house and/or garden (I am not making a public exhibition of myself - well no more than usual anyway!)

b) I will attempt to carry out your suggestions and photograph them in action wherever possible, and of course keep you updated right here.

c) If there are enough suggestions and piccies to justify it, a vote and then winner will be announced at some later date and a prize will be awarded in due course. (And the prize will not be lumi and/or nous, unless you particularly request them!)