So over the last few days the snow arrived with all the vengeance of a fully grown Siberian tiger, who had maliciously pounced on its prey, using its entire weight to knock out its victim, causing it to enter a comatose state.
And now we waddle precariously down the street, awash with melting snow, which is reminiscent of a multitude of tiny rivulets, winding their inevitable way between the cracks in-between the cobblestones, who due to their liberal dusting of salt are dry and easy to walk upon as you amble slowly through the centre of town, inching closer to your eventual destination, Starbucks.
But in this arctic blast of late winter, spring being three weeks away, the natural elements remind me that the order of life is as it should be. For there beneath the soles of your covered feet, nature is stirring, awaking, slowly reaching upwards to reward us with an artist's palette of many differing hues. The snowdrop will be the first to arrive, followed by the daffodil, crocus, and the array of flowers that hug the warmth of the surface. Then we'll feel good, delighted by the joyful presence of Mother Nature and her blessings.
It'll of course remain both cold and cool, deluges of rain all too common and bothersome, winds seeking to rip through your wrapped up frame. Such things won't matter much, a mere and momentary inconvenience because the warmer weather will reach us sooner rather than later. Time will be relative and shorter because when you add autumn and winter together, that's six months long and seemingly endless dark, dank and dreary months.
Yet I like autumn and winter, they're dying and dead months. Perhaps to most people they're the most morbid of the annual season merry-go-round. Perhaps so, but I look upon them as no different to periods of sleep, followed by a rumbling growl, quickly chased by a lunatic growth and manic frenzy of activity. Then comes corpulence everywhere. Trees are resplendent, varied, magnificent and tributes to nature's architectural wonders, a feat man tries to replicate with the pomposity of his character, defeated by his vainglorious nature. Finally, the trees shed their clothes, each leaf serves to feed the next generation, to amaze us with its final colourful flourish, until such time each specimen is as naked as you or I.
Yes, we may pass through the seasons, make of them what we will, but autumn and winter are my favourite time. Those six months are restful, there's an eternal peace to them. Like a pair of old slippers, they fit comfortably into life and its ever present scheme. Unlike former friends they never let us down. They're predictable, equipped with a sameness that doesn't disappoint. They're honest, unable to deceive and lie. They remain as they always are, and there is much comfort to derive from such honest pleasures.
As for the melting snow, heading for the drain by the side of the road, disappearing into the endless rabbit warrens of the sewer system, it will be no more, maybe in a few days time, and I'll be sad to see it go.
An individual stroll through life, often taking an amusing view, or sometimes a little more serious one, depending on the mood.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The Occupy Movement
It's been quite some years, 30 years or thereabouts, where I was anything but pessimistic about the state of the world. Yet now I feel enthused by the Occupy movement, and the fires of hell burn deep once again. As my dear friends will tell you once you got me on the subject of politics I'd climb aboard my hobby horse and mostly rail against the capitalist system, largely because of my deep abhorrence of it.
For me, capitalism has always been a 'black & white' subject, driven by my own practical experiences and the injustice that went along with that. Such thoughts that I had were moulded by long stretches of my own life living in relative poverty, brutally at times, and living in a hierarchical class structure where opportunity wasn't a given, or more often than not denied, my abhorrence and blinkered view firmly held sway. And that's the very point of it all, when you cloak yourself with a heavy mantle of political persuasion you fail to see the wood for the trees.
Despite that, I now find myself questioning such a naturally blinkered view because I've discovered there's a different way of looking at capitalism, one that largely is inspired by a young man, who for the last few days has kept me glued to my chair due to his reporting of the events taking place in Zugatti Park, or Liberty Platz as it should be more correctly referred to. His name is Tim Pool, and the most refreshing service he's done to this ancient cobwebbed brain of mine, is to blow the bloody things away.
As someone who who makes a lot of use of the web for any number of reasons, mostly to do with learning and self learning, I've often remarked how joyous the learning process is by the endless examples of young Americans and their selfless behaviour in patiently explaining the joys and headaches of technology; such young enthusiastic minds have saved me an enormous amount of time, for which I'm eternally grateful, which brings me back to Tim.
Tim is the product of Capitalist America, and he knows that the system he is a part of is broken. When listening to him he speaks with clarity, purpose and unbiased objectiveness. As he reports on the events around him, he does so because he cares deeply that his country is being ripped apart by the very failure that once made the USA an economic 'superpower'. More importantly he's extremely aware of the corruptness that runs like a torrential torrent through the last bastion of democracy, the media or 'Fourth Estate.' As you listen to Tim you hear behind the voice a calm reasoning of the events taking place, a maturity beyond his worlds and own world view. He knows that capitalism, in its present form, no longer provides any answers. Listening to him you realise that his 'voice' is the reasoned American one, searching for answers capable of bandaging the wounds and scars of battle. Above all he knows that the 'American Dream' must become something entirely different.
Tim believes in democracy, he also believes in some form of capitalism that is beneficial beyond the American borders. Tim, and many of his peers, know intimately that the world is no greater than a global village. As I sit watching him reporting from New York, he reaches out to the rest of the world and they become involved. There have been times when his constant reporting has driven him to the point of collapse, as on Wednesday last, yet the world responded by showing its care, and perhaps love.
Tim is the future. He may get that future wrong. But what the world needs now more than anything are reflective minds that can make a real difference in some way, however small that difference. From me Tim, sitting in Germany 6,000 miles away, thank you for the opportunity of being in your company, and helping 'old dogs' think again.
Tim can be found here: http://wearetheother99 & @Timcast (Twitter)
For me, capitalism has always been a 'black & white' subject, driven by my own practical experiences and the injustice that went along with that. Such thoughts that I had were moulded by long stretches of my own life living in relative poverty, brutally at times, and living in a hierarchical class structure where opportunity wasn't a given, or more often than not denied, my abhorrence and blinkered view firmly held sway. And that's the very point of it all, when you cloak yourself with a heavy mantle of political persuasion you fail to see the wood for the trees.
Despite that, I now find myself questioning such a naturally blinkered view because I've discovered there's a different way of looking at capitalism, one that largely is inspired by a young man, who for the last few days has kept me glued to my chair due to his reporting of the events taking place in Zugatti Park, or Liberty Platz as it should be more correctly referred to. His name is Tim Pool, and the most refreshing service he's done to this ancient cobwebbed brain of mine, is to blow the bloody things away.
As someone who who makes a lot of use of the web for any number of reasons, mostly to do with learning and self learning, I've often remarked how joyous the learning process is by the endless examples of young Americans and their selfless behaviour in patiently explaining the joys and headaches of technology; such young enthusiastic minds have saved me an enormous amount of time, for which I'm eternally grateful, which brings me back to Tim.
Tim is the product of Capitalist America, and he knows that the system he is a part of is broken. When listening to him he speaks with clarity, purpose and unbiased objectiveness. As he reports on the events around him, he does so because he cares deeply that his country is being ripped apart by the very failure that once made the USA an economic 'superpower'. More importantly he's extremely aware of the corruptness that runs like a torrential torrent through the last bastion of democracy, the media or 'Fourth Estate.' As you listen to Tim you hear behind the voice a calm reasoning of the events taking place, a maturity beyond his worlds and own world view. He knows that capitalism, in its present form, no longer provides any answers. Listening to him you realise that his 'voice' is the reasoned American one, searching for answers capable of bandaging the wounds and scars of battle. Above all he knows that the 'American Dream' must become something entirely different.
Tim believes in democracy, he also believes in some form of capitalism that is beneficial beyond the American borders. Tim, and many of his peers, know intimately that the world is no greater than a global village. As I sit watching him reporting from New York, he reaches out to the rest of the world and they become involved. There have been times when his constant reporting has driven him to the point of collapse, as on Wednesday last, yet the world responded by showing its care, and perhaps love.
Tim is the future. He may get that future wrong. But what the world needs now more than anything are reflective minds that can make a real difference in some way, however small that difference. From me Tim, sitting in Germany 6,000 miles away, thank you for the opportunity of being in your company, and helping 'old dogs' think again.
Tim can be found here: http://wearetheother99 & @Timcast (Twitter)
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Check out this wonderful love story! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hckrig2BwNY&feature=topvideos_music http://bit.ly/puRWpz
Saturday, September 24, 2011
A great discovery, check this band out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtZJf_3kmEA http://bit.ly/qSmk4G
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
For all the baby boomers out there here's a blast from the past! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwLRppxfg7g http://bit.ly/owP4le
Monday, August 29, 2011
English Support Services is now available to SMEs and individuals for English language training/teaching, English language support (front and back office), proofreading and consultations. Contact ESS at englishsupport.de@gmail.com http://bit.ly/pPOZC1
Sunday, August 28, 2011
About the most useful thing Fox News has ever done! http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/27bGVI/www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/08/09/14-household-uses-for-beer http://bit.ly/oELx7e
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