gone, gone, gone

From six months ago, anger then, just a resdiual feeling now ...

Driving to my last day of work I played this track from the Alison Krauss and Robert Plant album 'Raising Sand'.

The line 'gone, gone, gone, coz you done me wrong' seemed appropriate.

Glad to be gone. Now let's move on.


For more information ...
raising sand

peek and boo look for work

Somewhere in this land. Early morning. A tree around which two swallows dance in flight. Enter Peek.

Peek: (Shouts) Do you believe in me? (Waits for a few seconds, listening, listens again, wait for a few more seconds, then exits.)

Enter Boo.

Boo: (Shouts) Do you believe in me? (Waits for a few seconds, listening, listens again, wait for a few more seconds.)

Enter Peek.

Peek: I thought someone responded.

Boo: To who?

Peek: To me, who else

Boo: You're not the only one.

Peek: I know that, there would be no problem if I was.

Boo: It could have been to me.

Peek: So there was a response then?

Boo: Not to you!

Peek: To you?

Boo: No, not to anyone. Not from anyone.

Peek: Having you been looking for long?

Boo: Too long and yet not long enough.

Peek: I know that feeling, it's not even the work itself you look for after a while.

Boo: No? It is for me, what more does a man need.

Peek: Yes, but there is something else also, that feeling of belonging and worth.

Boo: I just need the bread.



(Light moves across the stage.)

Peek: Oh! There might be some life here.

Boo: There might be, who knows?

Peek: Ah! Something will turn up, it always does.

Boo: Does it?

Peek: Eventually, yes.

Boo: Eventually, (pause), yes.

Peek: The start, you know, that is all we need.

Boo: Yes, but why does it feel like the end to me.

Peek: That'll be you and your misery.

Boo: And you and your misery, what does it feel like?

Peek: Ah! To hell with yeah! I think there is some life around here yet.

(Light moves across the stage.)

Peek: See, there you go, it could be the start.

Boo: Oh, it'll be the start alright, shall we try again?

Peek: Ok, that's the lad, I'll go first.

(Peek moves forward stage three steps, waits, looks around, waits some more.)

Peek: (Shouts) Do you believe in me?

(Waits for a few seconds, listening, listens again, wait for a few more seconds. Boo moves forward stage three steps, waits, looks around, waits some more.)

Boo:(Shouts) Do you believe in me?

(Waits for a few seconds, listening, listens again, wait for a few more seconds.)

Peek: I thought there was something there, like a low hum, a reassuring sound, an engine just ticking over perhaps or the fan in an oven.

Boo: Or a heavy door closing, or a book. Yes, that was it, a heavy book closing, a big one, mind you, one of importance.

Peek: Will we try again?

Boo: We will. We will try again, what else is there to do?

Fade to black.


For more information ...
peek and boos discuss optimism
peek and boo discuss the simple life
peek and boo discuss life and meaning
peek and boo discuss thought and action
peek and boo discuss existentialism
peek and boo discuss writing
peek and boo discuss god
peek and boo discuss power

not falling but flying

Nobody heard him, the mad man,
But still he was groaning:
I was stretching more than you thought
And not falling but flying.

Poor sod, he always liked fooling
And now he is falling
It must have been too hard for him to stick to the regular job
They said.

Oh, no no no, he was always too high anyways
(Still the mad one lay groaning)
I stretched too far all my life
And not falling but flying.

Apologies to Stevie Smith.


A sort of inverted interpretation of Stevie Smith's poem. It doesn't quite add up but still it seemed quite apt at the moment.

For more information
Not waving but drowing
icarus

if you go down to the wood today again

Walking again with my son in the woods it is great to observe the small things and the big things. The small things include beautiful snow drops (galanthus nivalis) sadly hanging their heads and seeking comfort in clusters.

Spring encourages the shoots but the roots have kept a firm grip through the recent gales.

Some others have not fared so well. I am not sure what the cause of death was for these two young fellows but even though myxomatosis is common in this area they lack its symptoms.

Returning to the trail the signs of spring soon show up again, I am not sure but this may be either a type of a violet or pink purslane (claytonia sibirica).

Of course there is always the garbage to pick up!

But then we can return to enjoying the hermaphrodite flowers of the hawthorn (crataegus monogyna).

Here is a male on top of a female frog (rana temporaria), she will lay around 1000-3000 eggs over the course of a few days. I guess he is just along for the ride!

Life and death and life again, all on a short walk in the woods.
The small things and the big things.

For more information ...
wandlebury

ladybirds and ladybugs again

Crossing the pond from Canada to the UK some friends still stay close. I was reminded this weekend that in Canada we used see the 'two spotted ladybug' (adalia bipunctata).

Another ladybird, the harlequin (harmonia axyridis succinea) was introduced to North America in 80's to control aphids who were damaging the pecan crops. It is now the most widespread ladybird species in the US and has already invaded much of northwestern Europe. It arrived in Britain in summer 2004 and in my bathroom early yesterday.

So the next time you dig into some pecan pie, think of the harlequin and his profilicacy.



For more information ...
ladybirds and ladybugs
harlequin survey
harlequin ladybird

if you go down to the woods today

I went with my son for a two hour walk in a woods close to our home recently and in the spirit of 'giving something back' I decided to pick up any rubbish I came across.
Below is just a selection of what I gathered.

Pieces of plastic, some domestic in nature presumably from other walkers, some from fertilizer bags from the adjacent farmland.

Yuck! tissues.

The mentality of someone who has finished with a lighter or battery and decides to throw it away astounds me. Presumably the sunglasses len was lost accidentally whilst walking.
Of course, it is crucial to keep hydrated when hiking!

Oh yes! and keep your energy levels up with some sweeties!

Transparent plastic is easily missed but not when there is lots of it thrown about.

The brown plastic thing is a protective cover for saplings that have been planted, it does a useful job but it too in the end becomes litter. The other stuff is some aluminum foil and wire.

Orange peel will decompose within a 2 year time frame but the yellow balloon and green tennis ball a dog has chewed will take longer.

Oh yes! Did I mention that if you walking make sure to keep hydrated something with lots of sugar should do the trick!

If you go down to the woods today, don't mess it up!

For more information ...
magog trust

recommended reading

Here, in descending order, are my top recommendations from my 2007 reading.

1. Jimmy Corrigan, the smartest kid on earth by Chris Ware
find out more here
"the best graphic novel I have read, some of the pictures present complex familial histories in a way I have never seen before, a great central character and depth of emotion"

2. Agile Estimating and Planning.
find out more here
"a great and hugely pragmatic book for those looking to adopt an agile method for software development"

3. Imperium by Robert Harris
find out more here
"an easy but gripping read with a powerful attention to detail that brings life to ancient Rome"

4. The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell
find out more here
"comprehensive, clear and good science that makes for a convincing argument regarding nutrition"

In 2005 just one work of fiction made it into my top 5, last year it was three, in 2007 it falls back to two. In 2007 I read 28 books (13 fiction, 16 non fiction) [2006-35 books(19 fiction, 16 non-fiction), 2005-35 books (5 fiction, 30 non-fiction)].

Of the 28 I read this year 6 were graphic novels so overall my reading has reduced a little and the amount of fiction I have read has increased also, both good things.



Complete 2007 reading list ...
Listed below are the books I read in 2007, books in bold type may also be worth a look.

Flashman in the great game - George MacDonald Frazier
The Acme Novelty Library Vol. 16 - Chris Ware
Quimby the Mouse - Chris Ware
The Acme Novelty Library - Chris Ware
Ice Haven - Daniel Clowes
The Acme Novelty Library Vol. 17 - Chris Ware
How to Haiku - Bruce Ross
Presense - Peter Senge, C. Otto Scharmer, Joespeh Awonski, Betty-Sue Flowers
The Great Learning - Master Nan Huai Chin
Pompeii - Robert Harris
The 10 minute coach - Fiona Harris
5 Myths of Consumer Behaviour - Csaba Tarnai
The manual of the warrior of light - Paulo Coelho
The inmates are running the asylum - Alan Cooper
The Coaching Bible - MacDonald Jago
Pilgrimage: Adventures of the Spirit - Editied by Jean & James O'Reilly
Happiness: Lessons from a new science - Richard Layaard
The illustrated encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom - Gill Farmer Halls
Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching - Aldis & Lombardo
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
You can heal your life - Louise L Hay
Can do, how to achieve personal change and growth - Ben Tiggelaar
The Devil and Miss Prym - Paulo Coelho
The form of things - A.C. Grayling
Veronkia Decide to die - Paulo Coelho
The Valkyries - Paulo Coelho
The Zahir - Paulo Coelho
The 3 signs of a miserable job - Patrick Lencioni
Round Ireland with a Fridge - Tony Hawkes


For more information ...
2006 recommended reading
2005 recommended reading