Clever …

Welcome to the 21st Century!

“Do you begin to see, then, what kind of world we are creating? It is the exact opposite of the stupid hedonistic Utopias that the old reformers imagined. A world of fear and treachery and torment, a world of trampling and being trampled upon, a world which will grow not less but more merciless as it refines itself. Progress in our world will be progress toward more pain.”

If you don’t believe me, look around you next time you walk down the street and count the CCTV cameras watching, recording your every step. Or read the newspaper or listen to the news and see which civil right has been criminalised today in the name of freedom and democracy purporting to protect those very rights and freedoms that are being eroded.

(The quote at the start, by the way,
is from George Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-four’)

The annual spendfest is over so now what?

So here we are, middle of January, the annual spendfest is a distant memory and I am looking forward with trepidation to the economic gloom. I work in retail, for an Apple Premium Reseller [we sell Apple computers, peripherals, iPods and related stuff for those who don’t know what that means]. Frankly, I was amazed at the frenzy of spending that went on last month leading up to Christmas. What recession? We had as good a Christmas as last year, actually better by a small margin. Very nice for me as I hope my January pay cheque will confirm!

But now, we are sliding fast into the promised slump. We are seeing a 75% drop in people coming into the store and this is reflected by a fall in sales. I do remain fairly optimistic though: last year we were a new store having opened in the October before Christmas. No-one knew we were there. Now I’d like to think we have become something of a fixture with regular customers coming back and new people finding us. We’re also finding more & more people coming into the Apple fold as they get increasingly fed up with the hassles of owning a Windows computer or are swayed by the burgeoning iPod & iPhone user base to try Apple computers.

Whether my optimism will continue as the year progresses is a matter of conjecture but for now, it’s gloom but not yet doom!

Treatment needed for my resistentialsim!

I can’t draw to save my life. Instead, I take immense pleasure in creating word pictures with my writing. I know I fall into the cliché trap and my metaphors are worthy of an Amnesty International investigation! Be that as it may, I love playing with words and to that end, and to bring this pointless introduction to a welcome end, here are some new, obsolete and obscure words that should save you paragraphs of unnecessary explanation. Now to find out how to get treatment for my resistentialsim!

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NB: The average adult recognizes 30,000 to 50,000 words, but only uses 10,000 to 15,000. However, there are actually about 1 million words in the English language!

1. BOANTHROPY – A type of insanity in which a man thinks he is an ox.
2. CHANTEPLEURE – To sing and weep at the same time.
3. DIBBLE – To drink like a duck, lifting up the head after each sip.
4. EOSOPHOBIA – Fear of dawn.
5. EUGERIA – Normal and happy old age.
6. EUNEIROPHRENIA – Peace of mind after a pleasant dream.
7. EYESERVICE – Work done only when the boss is watching.
8. FELLOWFEEL – To crawl into the skin of another person so as to share his feelings, to empathise with.
9. GROAK – To watch people silently while they are eating, hoping they will ask you to join them.
10. GYNOTIKOLOBOMASSOPHILE – One who likes to nibble on a woman’s earlobes.
11. HEBEPHRENIC – A condition of adolescent silliness.
12. IATROGENIC – Illness or disease caused by doctors or by prescribed treatment.
13. LAPLING – Someone who enjoys resting in women’s laps.
14. LIBBERWORT – Food or drink that makes one idle and stupid, food of no nutritional value, `junk food’.
15. MEUPAREUNIA – A sexual act gratifying to only one participant.
16. NEANIMORPHIC – Looking younger than one’s years.
17. ONIOCHALASIA – Buying as a means of mental relaxation.
18. PARNEL – A priest’s mistress.
19. PERISTEROPHOBIA – Fear of pigeons.
20. PILGARLIC – A bald head that looks like a peeled garlic.
21. PREANTEPENULTIMATE – Fourth from last.
22. RESISTENTIALISM – Seemingly spiteful behaviour manifested by inanimate objects.
23. SUPPEDANEUM – A foot support for crucifix victims.

The Quad Arts Centre, Derby, UK

The Quad Arts Centre, Derby, UK

Originally uploaded by Myrddin the Wicca Man

Opening in late September, 2008, this extraordinary building will be the centre of the Arts scene in Derby. Housing the Metro Cinema as well as other venues, it is intended to be the arts hub of the City.

The design is what I call ‘abstract cubist’ (from someone who knows as much about architecture as a fish knows about quantum physics!!)

It is not exactly in keeping with the other buildings in the area but, sad to say, that’s pretty much par for the course in Derby!

The Quad Arts Centre, Derby

Rick Wright, now playing at the Great Gig in the Sky

Richard Wright

Pink Floyd have been one of my favourite bands since I can remember being interested in popular music. I have been lucky enough to see them twice: in 1977 (Empire Pool, Wembley, London) on the Animals tour and again in ‘94 at Earl’s Court, London.

The sudden & unexpected loss of Rick Wright is so sad but thankfully his music is his legacy that we can continue to enjoy for a very long time.

Cat Philosophy!

Syd the Cat	Sox, the lady cat

You may or may not know that I am blessed by being allowed to share my life with two cats, ‘Syd the Cat’ and ‘Sox’, the lady cat, the latter who, truth be told, belongs to my son. In that spirit, the following pithy epithets reflect many of the truths of cat ownership:

“One cat just leads to another.” Ernest Hemingway

“Managing senior programmers is like herding cats.” Dave Platt”

Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will piss on your computer.” Bruce Graham

“There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast.” Unknown

“Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.” Anonymous

“Cats are smarter than dogs. You can’t get eight cats to pull a sled through snow.” Jeff Valdez

“In a cat’s eye, all things belong to cats.” English proverb

“As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat.” Ellen Perry Berkeley

“Dogs come when they’re called; cats take a message and get back to you later.” Mary Bly

“Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to a good many ailments, but I never heard of one who suffered from insomnia.” Joseph Wood

“People who hate cats will come back as mice in their next life.” Faith Resnick

“There are many intelligent species in the universe. They are all owned by cats.” Anonymous

“I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.” Hippolyte Taine Beth-

“No heaven will not ever Heaven be; Unless my cats are there to welcome me.” Unknown

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” Albert Schweitzer

“The cat has too much spirit to have no heart.” Ernest Menaul

“Dogs believe they are human. Cats believe they are Gods.”

“Time spent with cats is never wasted.” Colette

“Some people say that cats are sneaky, evil, and cruel. True, and they have many other fine qualities as well.” Missy Dizick

“You will always be lucky if you know how to make friends with strange cats.” Colonial American proverb

“Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want.” Joseph Wood Krutch

Freedom and Loss

(a parallel piece to ‘Angel’s Keep‘)

“You may go now.
Come, let me loose your bonds.
Yes, caress the scars: there, soothing, isn’t it?
Why, you’re trembling …
Are you cold?
Not afraid, surely?
You’re free now.
Here, let me brush your golden hair from your eye, wipe the tear from your cheek.
Your face is cold; take my cloak.
I can see the question in your eyes: why now? Why now after so long?
It is time, that’s all, time for you to go.

There’s the door;
stand and walk toward it;
I shan’t stop you.
There is no lock; it will freely let you pass.
See, it opens willingly.
Now pass through, I will not follow.”

I turn to face the moon framed in the cold stone arch
and watch you soar across Her face into the darkness …

Oleander Fair

Oleander fair;
your head resting on a verdant bank
with starkest lilies for your pillow
reflecting the harsh sunlight to light your grey eyes.

Oleander fair;
your lips painted with the bluest flush
parted in innocence
and perfect teeth lilly-white.

Oleander fair;
your skin a porcelain etched with fine lines of ruby blue
so faint no more than wisps
painted by an artist’s touch.

Oleander fair;
soft breasts so still
no rise or fall
to disturb the tranquil air and calm.

Oleander fair;
face framed by the darkest of red
that flows in rivulets around the veil of hair
matted with such scarlet streaks now frozen in time.

Oleander fair;
cruelty that belies
such beauty
cannot remain free.

Oleander fair;
at my behest was it done
my hands so stained
with the mark of your demise.

Oleander fair;
the starkest lilies
reflecting the harsh sunlight
to dance upon my silver steel.

(c) 2005

White Lillies – a gothic love story

When first I saw you,
you were lying on a green bank laughing at the sky
as you watched the clouds scud by
and you saw all kinds of shapes in those clouds
and gasped in awe as the myriad of birds
soared and wheeled through the clouds.

Your laugh skipped across the distance between us
like magical notes from a faery harp.
The sunlight lit up your golden hair
making diamonds out of the shafts of sunlight
as you turned your head to and fro
making the sunbeams dance to your tune.

And about your head was a halo of white lilies …

When next I saw you
you were hand in hand with your love
walking into the sunlight from the grey stone church.
Your brocade of white entwined with golden thread
sparkled like a million gems.
Your face was bright and alive with smiling eyes
and your golden hair fell down around your face
catching the sunbeams.
And ringing out their joy, the church bells pealed for you.

And in your hand was a bouquet of white lilies …

I saw you again
on that same green bank laughing with joy
as your golden child frolicked in the warm summer sun,
her childish laugh mingling with your own in angelic harmony.
You grasped her up and, wheeling her skyward,
faces upturned, letting the sunbeams play around you
and then, holding her close, you sank to your knees
cradling the babe, letting the love flow out and around you both.

And in the child’s small hand was grasped a single white lilly …

The next time I saw you
you were quietly sitting in the late summer sun
comfortable in your chair watching the golden sun flame red
as it sank below the distant horizon.
Your golden hair now not so vibrant
and your face etched with the many years of your long life
yet when you smiled at the glory of the setting sun, the sparkle of your eyes
was not dimmed at all.

And around your feet grew a field of white lilies …

The last time I saw you
I gave you my hand and, with fingers entwined,
we walked away from the sombre crowd whose tears flowed like pearls
as the stark white coffin was lowered into the ground.
And looking into your face I saw you again
as you were that first time,
your golden hair that fell as rivulets
around your now pale, sad face.
I took that face in my hands and gently kissed your lips,
no more than a whisper, like a gentle spring breeze teasing the blossoms.
Still hand in hand, we looked back at the sad scene and then turned and walked into the light.

And all about your grave lay white lilies.

© 2006