Ok... I know that at first glance this may seem like a controversial topic to be discussing at all... especially in March, but I promise that it's not. You see, most of the known world is on Facebook and in December 2009 I was invited to join a group with the above title. I'm not generally a "joiner", so I went to have a look to see what it was all about and discovered that a concerned (and growing) group of individuals had started the group to keep Christ in the Festive Season. I couldn't agree more, so I joined.
Fast forward to December 2010 and a friend of mine posted a status on Facebook that asked what the big deal is... after all, Happy Holidays was the same as Merry Christmas... right? Wrong. There is actually a big difference although I agree that the general sentiment can be considered the same. When I stated as much in a comment, my friend indicated that in the USA it has become "Happy Holidays" so as not to insult other religious groups. It got me thinking. Are these other religious groups worried about offending Christians? Why is it that in a Christian country (the USA), there is so much concern about insulting other religious groups and yet, in my own country (South Africa) also a Christian nation, we don't feel the same need to change our traditions?
I've discussed this with people over the past few months and there have been a few suggestions as to why this is. The main theory that emerged over drinks one balmy afternoon was that the USA has become somewhat renowned for removing Christ from just about everything over the past decade. We've all had countless emails from friends and family over the years lamenting the fact that any reference to Christianity and God are being systematically removed from institutions like court houses and government offices. Worst of all... from schools. The theory being that immigrants with other religious beliefs may be offended. Well - I'm about to say something that may well offend a lot of people, but I hope that you will continue to read and that by the time you've read to the end of this blog, you will understand that it's NOT intended to offend anyone. If you were to move to a Muslim or Jewish or Buddist or Hindu country - or even just to a predominantly Amish area - THEY would NOT change their country, their religious beliefs or their laws to make YOU feel better or less offended. Nor would you expect them to... in fact - chances are, you'd respect their right to have their own beliefs... So why are Americans falling over themselves to change the religious beliefs that they left Europe to be free to enjoy? If I move to a Muslim country, I can still be a Christian...
The answer to the question of why we - as South Africans - don't fall over ourselves to "mollycoddle" each other was surprising in its honesty and simplicity... You see... Here in South Africa, we have 9 Provinces and 11 Official Languages... Yes, you read that correctly, 11 official languages! It certainly holds us to our unofficial slogan of "Rainbow Nation". However, it's the statistics that they don't push in the media that are applicable here. You see, we are a Christian Nation. Christianity is the official religion and we swear on bibles and believe in God. However... we also openly and happily wish our friends on their religious holidays, eg Eid Mubarak or Happy Chanuka and in return, they wish us a Merry Christmas. You see, we're open to the fact that we all have our own beliefs and while we may not always agree on the details... we respect the differences that make up our country. We don't feel the need to try to be completely "neutral" in order to show that. I'm proud of the fact that we are a country with a veritable encyclopedia of religions and yet we aren't afraid to celebrate our individual beliefs openly!
So... I guess what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't be afraid to uphold your own beliefs. As a Christian, you should be saying Merry Christmas. If your non-Christian friends are offended that you've used that phrase, then they are the people with a bias, the ones with an issue. After all, you're hardly likely to be wishing them a Merry Christmas, so how does it affect them? If you're a Muslim in a Christian country... you're just as entitled to celebrate your religion... That is the freedom that America has always stood for and the freedom that South Africa seems to have achieved with grace and aplomb.
Something to think about...!
Until next time...
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Sunday, August 15, 2010
It's For The Best...
You know... mankind is a curious microcosm, filled with so many contradictions and double standards, that if you were to really sit down and think about it, it would drive you mad. We have a curious habit of holding people to different standards and different levels, of making emotional decisions or logical ones, of lying to ourselves and to others; of condoning insensitivity towards people in the name of protecting other people's rights. We're a messy, complicated, unpleasant race. On the whole. What has got me ranting? What has made me feel so negative tonight? Well... there is one particular double standard that has me all worked up... Euthanasia!
You see, this is the situation... I have an ill relative with advanced Alzheimer's. I also have a beloved cat with a problem liver which could prove fatal. Now - most people (mostly those who are not animal people) would argue that these are two very VERY different situations, but I beg to differ. You see, when it comes to my beloved cat - for whom I will fight every step of the way - the chances are that there will come a point where my Vet will take me aside and gently suggest that the level of pain / discomfort / quality of life has reached a point where it is best to have her put to sleep. Now, when it comes to my much loved relative - who I would fight for every step of the way - there will never come a point where that same suggestion will be made. There will never be a moment where a kindly Dr will take us aside and tactfully suggest that the level of pain / discomfort / quality of life has reached a point where it would be best to "put her to sleep"... as it were.
Ok - so most of you would point out that there is a difference between animals and people, but everyone who has ever had a beloved pet that has had to be put down will know what it is that I mean when I say that the words "it's for the best" really are NO comfort at all. In fact, to be honest, I think that it is a horrific double standard to say that we are trying to help our animals "die with dignity" and doing what "is best for them", but we allow our sick, dying and aged people to linger long past a point where they have no bodily control, are brain dead and have no quality of life whatsoever. In fact, we condemn those who would "put them to sleep" because we consider that to be murder. Now - do NOT get me wrong here. I am not suggesting for one moment that we go around murdering people. I am simply commenting on the fact that we have this double standard.
I think that - in much the same way as we will try every last option at our disposal to save a relative, we should do everything in our power to fight for our animals. They cannot talk and they don't get to make any choices for themselves, but as their humans, shouldn't we try harder? Do more?
I don't want either of them to die. Ever. Unrealistic, but true. Knowing this, I also know that I will push my vet to try anything and everything that he can. I need to know that I have tried absolutely everything in my power to help. I need to know that this terrible decision, this heartbreaking choice that I may be forced to make, is a final option and not just the "easiest" one for everyone else. And when my relative dies - as needs age and circumstance means that they must - I need to know that everything was done for them too. I don't like change and I dislike death and I don't cope well with either of them.
So you'll have to forgive me for wanting to put them off for as long as possible.
Until next time...
You see, this is the situation... I have an ill relative with advanced Alzheimer's. I also have a beloved cat with a problem liver which could prove fatal. Now - most people (mostly those who are not animal people) would argue that these are two very VERY different situations, but I beg to differ. You see, when it comes to my beloved cat - for whom I will fight every step of the way - the chances are that there will come a point where my Vet will take me aside and gently suggest that the level of pain / discomfort / quality of life has reached a point where it is best to have her put to sleep. Now, when it comes to my much loved relative - who I would fight for every step of the way - there will never come a point where that same suggestion will be made. There will never be a moment where a kindly Dr will take us aside and tactfully suggest that the level of pain / discomfort / quality of life has reached a point where it would be best to "put her to sleep"... as it were.
Ok - so most of you would point out that there is a difference between animals and people, but everyone who has ever had a beloved pet that has had to be put down will know what it is that I mean when I say that the words "it's for the best" really are NO comfort at all. In fact, to be honest, I think that it is a horrific double standard to say that we are trying to help our animals "die with dignity" and doing what "is best for them", but we allow our sick, dying and aged people to linger long past a point where they have no bodily control, are brain dead and have no quality of life whatsoever. In fact, we condemn those who would "put them to sleep" because we consider that to be murder. Now - do NOT get me wrong here. I am not suggesting for one moment that we go around murdering people. I am simply commenting on the fact that we have this double standard.
I think that - in much the same way as we will try every last option at our disposal to save a relative, we should do everything in our power to fight for our animals. They cannot talk and they don't get to make any choices for themselves, but as their humans, shouldn't we try harder? Do more?
I don't want either of them to die. Ever. Unrealistic, but true. Knowing this, I also know that I will push my vet to try anything and everything that he can. I need to know that I have tried absolutely everything in my power to help. I need to know that this terrible decision, this heartbreaking choice that I may be forced to make, is a final option and not just the "easiest" one for everyone else. And when my relative dies - as needs age and circumstance means that they must - I need to know that everything was done for them too. I don't like change and I dislike death and I don't cope well with either of them.
So you'll have to forgive me for wanting to put them off for as long as possible.
Until next time...
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Portrayed as Equals?
Locally we have an advert for a certain insurance company which I will not name. Of course, if you live locally, you will soon be able to work out exactly which company I am referring to, but I will ask that you not say the name :-) After all, I have no desire to be sued. However, I don't have a comment about them specifically, but rather, I am going to use this advert as an example of a point I'd like to make.
The premise of this series of adverts is that the husband and wife in question do not insure with this company, but really should. In all the adverts, the husband is portrayed as somehow "less". He is physically small and looks timid. He cowers before his wife who is portrayed as a loud, large and aggressive woman. The actors are physically representative of their characters and the man is the embodiment of a doormat. The ultimate terrified "yes dear" guy. So what is my problem? Well, let us examine the imagery created by these commercials (both print and TV... possibly radio but I don't listen).
Most people chuckle at the adverts, but imagine for a moment that the roles were reversed. Imagine that the wife was portrayed as a thin, small, timid, scared woman. Now imagine her husband portrayed as a large, loud, aggressive man. Not so funny any more is it? You see, if the advert had been set up that way, it would remind us too clearly of the abusive nature of relationships and all the "anti-woman abuse" activists would be up in arms at the glorification of the abuse of women. There would be complaints on every level and the company and ad agency would have had to retract the ad probably within a day or two of it starting to air. After all, heaven forbid that we appear to be in favour of abusing women either verbally or physically or psychologically!
Still don't see what my issue is?? Well, what are we saying about the men in our lives? By portraying them as weak, terrified of us, verbally abused by their wives, what lessons are we teaching our youth? What message are we sending to our men? That we want them to be weak and sad? I certainly don't want a man like that. Why is no-one upset about this advert portraying abuse of men in a pseudo-positive light? Ok. So I admit that I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but I have fairly strong opinions. You see, I HATE the word "chairperson" or "the chair". It is the chairman. God is not a "she" or a "they" to placate your delicate sensibilities, he is a He. So why aren't we portraying men and women equally without issue? After all, if we cannot portray the abuse of women (quite rightly), why is the abuse of men considered funny?
I'm not trying to undo all the work of passionate women's libbers or anything, but I feel quite strongly that I don't need a word to be changed so that I can feel secure. I feel just as powerful as a man when I am chairman of a committee, in fact I feel somehow less empowered by being called "the chair". Women have come so far over the past century and more and yet we still feel threatened by the silliest things - we get wrapped up in these little things instead of celebrating the power we have. You cannot expect the world to bend it's entire will to yours just because you have boobs and then still expect a man to open all your doors and pull your chair out for you. It's a double standard. Like the ad.
Women have reached the top in so many fields - industry, military, arts, etc - and yet we still feel threatened by the emptiness of the names that things have. We insist on labels which are gender non-specific or feminine and what we fail to realise is that by doing this, we draw more attention to our differences rather than to our similarities.
It's a situation that makes me chuckle even as it frustrates and annoys me.
Until next time...
The premise of this series of adverts is that the husband and wife in question do not insure with this company, but really should. In all the adverts, the husband is portrayed as somehow "less". He is physically small and looks timid. He cowers before his wife who is portrayed as a loud, large and aggressive woman. The actors are physically representative of their characters and the man is the embodiment of a doormat. The ultimate terrified "yes dear" guy. So what is my problem? Well, let us examine the imagery created by these commercials (both print and TV... possibly radio but I don't listen).
Most people chuckle at the adverts, but imagine for a moment that the roles were reversed. Imagine that the wife was portrayed as a thin, small, timid, scared woman. Now imagine her husband portrayed as a large, loud, aggressive man. Not so funny any more is it? You see, if the advert had been set up that way, it would remind us too clearly of the abusive nature of relationships and all the "anti-woman abuse" activists would be up in arms at the glorification of the abuse of women. There would be complaints on every level and the company and ad agency would have had to retract the ad probably within a day or two of it starting to air. After all, heaven forbid that we appear to be in favour of abusing women either verbally or physically or psychologically!
Still don't see what my issue is?? Well, what are we saying about the men in our lives? By portraying them as weak, terrified of us, verbally abused by their wives, what lessons are we teaching our youth? What message are we sending to our men? That we want them to be weak and sad? I certainly don't want a man like that. Why is no-one upset about this advert portraying abuse of men in a pseudo-positive light? Ok. So I admit that I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but I have fairly strong opinions. You see, I HATE the word "chairperson" or "the chair". It is the chairman. God is not a "she" or a "they" to placate your delicate sensibilities, he is a He. So why aren't we portraying men and women equally without issue? After all, if we cannot portray the abuse of women (quite rightly), why is the abuse of men considered funny?
I'm not trying to undo all the work of passionate women's libbers or anything, but I feel quite strongly that I don't need a word to be changed so that I can feel secure. I feel just as powerful as a man when I am chairman of a committee, in fact I feel somehow less empowered by being called "the chair". Women have come so far over the past century and more and yet we still feel threatened by the silliest things - we get wrapped up in these little things instead of celebrating the power we have. You cannot expect the world to bend it's entire will to yours just because you have boobs and then still expect a man to open all your doors and pull your chair out for you. It's a double standard. Like the ad.
Women have reached the top in so many fields - industry, military, arts, etc - and yet we still feel threatened by the emptiness of the names that things have. We insist on labels which are gender non-specific or feminine and what we fail to realise is that by doing this, we draw more attention to our differences rather than to our similarities.
It's a situation that makes me chuckle even as it frustrates and annoys me.
Until next time...
Saturday, July 24, 2010
World at our Feet!
There's an interesting trend that I've noticed through my travels on Facebook... Almost all the people I went to school with now live around the world, with a small percentage still living local (like me) :-) I'm not sure if it's something new for our generation or if it's just more noticeable due to social media. You see, with our parents and grandparents, the chances were that when they left school or college or perhaps left a company where they worked, they would have lost touch with each other or at least, most of them would have. Some - close friends - would have stayed in touch through potentially ever decreasing quantities of letters and cards or perhaps not. Things are a little different with our generation... and it's changing things for the generations above us too!
Let us examine social media like Facebook and Twitter, even MySpace. They allow us to grab glimpses into the lives of people that we knew. Sometimes these glimpses are as brief as the flashes you'd get between passing train carriages, offering us an incomplete image of the person on the other side. Other times, people are too happy to park us outside their front window and share absolutely everything with us. Either way, we are able to search for names from our past and peep in on them at random. Perhaps we go along "adding" people to our Facebook friends list - often forgetting that there are people on there that we wouldn't want privy to our secrets and day-to-day lives. It also makes it glaringly apparent that many of our "friends" have (with apologies) "Boldly Gone Where Many Have Gone Before".
Some left when we were still at school, boldly carving out new lives for themselves after their parents whims have dragged them around the world. Others couldn't wait for that last Matric exam before they were throwing darts at a map. A few chose to Au pair or study briefly overseas, only to fall in love - with either a person or the country or simply the lifestyle. At any rate, seeing "UK", "Canada", "Switzerland", "Mexico", "Brazil", etc, etc as their "home cities" certainly brings home to those of us back here, that we're still here. The question is this... were we left behind or did we choose to stay?
I can only speak for myself... and I chose to stay. I love my friends, my home, my family and the environment in which I find myself. Don't get me wrong, I would be happy to live overseas, but I would never do it without my family around me. Do I feel as if I've missed out? No. I made a choice to live the life I live and although I loved the year I spent overseas (yes, I did it too... 6 months with family there too and 6 months alone), I am loving the experiences I've had in my own back yard. So, no, I don't feel as if I've missed out. Sometimes though, I wonder what it must be like to live their lives. Like getting to try on a character in a movie :-) But it never feels real. I live in Cape Town and I love this town. There isn't anything better than the diversity of being able to get from the beach to the farmlands in under an hour or disappear into the mountains for a healthy retreat. This city is a vacation destination of note, but far more than that, it's my home. The place where my blood moves at the right speed and the very dust motes in the air are familiar.
And if I ever feel as if I need to do something different? No problem, I can experience the world vicariously through the talented and wonderful eyes of my Facebook friends. It's something that older generations are embracing each day and although the world continues to shrink second by second, it's now totally at our feet!
Until next time...
Let us examine social media like Facebook and Twitter, even MySpace. They allow us to grab glimpses into the lives of people that we knew. Sometimes these glimpses are as brief as the flashes you'd get between passing train carriages, offering us an incomplete image of the person on the other side. Other times, people are too happy to park us outside their front window and share absolutely everything with us. Either way, we are able to search for names from our past and peep in on them at random. Perhaps we go along "adding" people to our Facebook friends list - often forgetting that there are people on there that we wouldn't want privy to our secrets and day-to-day lives. It also makes it glaringly apparent that many of our "friends" have (with apologies) "Boldly Gone Where Many Have Gone Before".
Some left when we were still at school, boldly carving out new lives for themselves after their parents whims have dragged them around the world. Others couldn't wait for that last Matric exam before they were throwing darts at a map. A few chose to Au pair or study briefly overseas, only to fall in love - with either a person or the country or simply the lifestyle. At any rate, seeing "UK", "Canada", "Switzerland", "Mexico", "Brazil", etc, etc as their "home cities" certainly brings home to those of us back here, that we're still here. The question is this... were we left behind or did we choose to stay?
I can only speak for myself... and I chose to stay. I love my friends, my home, my family and the environment in which I find myself. Don't get me wrong, I would be happy to live overseas, but I would never do it without my family around me. Do I feel as if I've missed out? No. I made a choice to live the life I live and although I loved the year I spent overseas (yes, I did it too... 6 months with family there too and 6 months alone), I am loving the experiences I've had in my own back yard. So, no, I don't feel as if I've missed out. Sometimes though, I wonder what it must be like to live their lives. Like getting to try on a character in a movie :-) But it never feels real. I live in Cape Town and I love this town. There isn't anything better than the diversity of being able to get from the beach to the farmlands in under an hour or disappear into the mountains for a healthy retreat. This city is a vacation destination of note, but far more than that, it's my home. The place where my blood moves at the right speed and the very dust motes in the air are familiar.
And if I ever feel as if I need to do something different? No problem, I can experience the world vicariously through the talented and wonderful eyes of my Facebook friends. It's something that older generations are embracing each day and although the world continues to shrink second by second, it's now totally at our feet!
Until next time...
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Wash, Rinse, Repeat if required...
Ok, so at first glance, this may seem like the simple instructions on the back of the shampoo bottle aaaaaaaaand... you'd be right. BUT, they are also a fairly simple instruction for life and dealing with some of what it throws at you. How? Well... I'll tell you.
You see, so many times, life throws obstacles in our way. They're designed to trip us up or throw us off course, but it doesn't need to be that way at all. It is always possible to find away to either go around it or survive it! Don't believe me? Well... suffice it to say that I've had my fair share of rough "road tests", but I'm still here. So... what do I recommend? Well, it would be nice if there was a general purpose "band aid" solution to all the problems life could throw at you, but there simply isn't. There are however ways that you can prepare for the unexpected.
Ok... there are your general problems. These would be things like not getting that dream job, gaining a few extra kilograms, or your best friend making a move on the guy you like (but didn't tell her about). These things can hurt you, sometimes even lay you flat, but I promise it's not going to kill you. What you need to do is allow yourself a short period of time to mourn, be pissed off, get mad, whatever you need to do. Then, take a bit of time to recover and - here's the pertinent part - GET OVER IT!! If necessary, repeat step 1 (mad, sad, etc) and then ... stop. See... Wash, Rinse, Repeat (if required).
You're wondering if this will work with the bigger stuff? Well - sure. Don't believe me? Ok. So what would be the "big stuff"? Boyfriend cheated on you with his ex? Best friend moved in on your recent ex and married him? Boss is a total bitch who emotionally destroyed you until you quit your job? People you trusted have cut you out of their lives and treated you like dirt? Would that about cover it? You guess? Well, if you're not sure... Ok, so we're agreed that this would be the big stuff. Is it going to hurt you? Well, sure. Probably badly, but let me tell you a little secret. It definitely won't kill you. How can I be so sure? Well, some of these "big things" that I listed are things that I've been through personally and I won't lie. They hurt. Badly. But I'm still here and I'm actually stronger than before. No kidding.
You see... the best way to prepare yourself for the unexpected is to be sure of what YOU expect from people and life and yourself and also what YOU would like people to remember about you. Sound complicated? Not really. I always refer to it as behaving like an adult instead of like a petulant, spoilt child. And that isn't really always that easy. Basically, how you choose to deal with something will dictate how your brain processes it and how your emotions will handle it. I'm not kidding. Someone cheating on you does not require you to scream and shout and throw things. That is something we see in the movies and that doesn't make it right. Are any of those reactions going to change what happened? No. I'm not suggesting that you not be mad, just that you handle things in a rational, grown up way. Telling the person how you feel in clear, succinct manner will be just as effective and ultimately.... it kinda makes the other person feel worse. They know they've hurt you, but when you're almost nice about it, it's worse!
At the end of the day, you can walk away from any of these situations having expressed yourself as strongly as is needed without losing the core of your self-respect! How does it help you? Well, by NOT losing your cool and freaking out, you actually entitle yourself to be "ok". To get over it a bit quicker and easier and you don't raise your blood pressure through the roof. You still need to go through the stages... Be angry, be totally p'd off, be sad, be heartbroken or simply broken and that stage will take as long as it will take. But then you need to "rinse" and move on! Months down the line, not only do you respect yourself, but chances are that the people around you will respect you too and they may even learn from you.
If this seems a bit complicated... Then there's a song for you that you can adapt to fit what you need... "I'm going to wash that (insert here) right out of my hair" :-).
Until next time...
You see, so many times, life throws obstacles in our way. They're designed to trip us up or throw us off course, but it doesn't need to be that way at all. It is always possible to find away to either go around it or survive it! Don't believe me? Well... suffice it to say that I've had my fair share of rough "road tests", but I'm still here. So... what do I recommend? Well, it would be nice if there was a general purpose "band aid" solution to all the problems life could throw at you, but there simply isn't. There are however ways that you can prepare for the unexpected.
Ok... there are your general problems. These would be things like not getting that dream job, gaining a few extra kilograms, or your best friend making a move on the guy you like (but didn't tell her about). These things can hurt you, sometimes even lay you flat, but I promise it's not going to kill you. What you need to do is allow yourself a short period of time to mourn, be pissed off, get mad, whatever you need to do. Then, take a bit of time to recover and - here's the pertinent part - GET OVER IT!! If necessary, repeat step 1 (mad, sad, etc) and then ... stop. See... Wash, Rinse, Repeat (if required).
You're wondering if this will work with the bigger stuff? Well - sure. Don't believe me? Ok. So what would be the "big stuff"? Boyfriend cheated on you with his ex? Best friend moved in on your recent ex and married him? Boss is a total bitch who emotionally destroyed you until you quit your job? People you trusted have cut you out of their lives and treated you like dirt? Would that about cover it? You guess? Well, if you're not sure... Ok, so we're agreed that this would be the big stuff. Is it going to hurt you? Well, sure. Probably badly, but let me tell you a little secret. It definitely won't kill you. How can I be so sure? Well, some of these "big things" that I listed are things that I've been through personally and I won't lie. They hurt. Badly. But I'm still here and I'm actually stronger than before. No kidding.
You see... the best way to prepare yourself for the unexpected is to be sure of what YOU expect from people and life and yourself and also what YOU would like people to remember about you. Sound complicated? Not really. I always refer to it as behaving like an adult instead of like a petulant, spoilt child. And that isn't really always that easy. Basically, how you choose to deal with something will dictate how your brain processes it and how your emotions will handle it. I'm not kidding. Someone cheating on you does not require you to scream and shout and throw things. That is something we see in the movies and that doesn't make it right. Are any of those reactions going to change what happened? No. I'm not suggesting that you not be mad, just that you handle things in a rational, grown up way. Telling the person how you feel in clear, succinct manner will be just as effective and ultimately.... it kinda makes the other person feel worse. They know they've hurt you, but when you're almost nice about it, it's worse!
At the end of the day, you can walk away from any of these situations having expressed yourself as strongly as is needed without losing the core of your self-respect! How does it help you? Well, by NOT losing your cool and freaking out, you actually entitle yourself to be "ok". To get over it a bit quicker and easier and you don't raise your blood pressure through the roof. You still need to go through the stages... Be angry, be totally p'd off, be sad, be heartbroken or simply broken and that stage will take as long as it will take. But then you need to "rinse" and move on! Months down the line, not only do you respect yourself, but chances are that the people around you will respect you too and they may even learn from you.
If this seems a bit complicated... Then there's a song for you that you can adapt to fit what you need... "I'm going to wash that (insert here) right out of my hair" :-).
Until next time...
Saturday, July 03, 2010
4th July 2010
Where flies the flag of freedom,
Turn your head and we’ll be there.
We’re the soldiers who stand between you
And a world that isn’t fair.
We stand here shoulder to shoulder,
Our arms we bear with pride.
We know this too we shall overcome,
For our brothers are by our side.
So as you celebrate your freedoms,
With your barbeques and good cheer.
We’re standing on the frontlines,
Just remember we’re still here.
And when at night you go to sleep,
Unafraid and safe in bed.
Remember it’s we who face the dark,
Who face the danger in your stead.
So each day let’s thank the soldiers,
And all other armed forces too.
They’re the ones to whom you owe it all,
They’ve secured it all for you.
©Jo Originals - July 2010
(any unauthorised use is a copyright infringement)
Turn your head and we’ll be there.
We’re the soldiers who stand between you
And a world that isn’t fair.
We stand here shoulder to shoulder,
Our arms we bear with pride.
We know this too we shall overcome,
For our brothers are by our side.
So as you celebrate your freedoms,
With your barbeques and good cheer.
We’re standing on the frontlines,
Just remember we’re still here.
And when at night you go to sleep,
Unafraid and safe in bed.
Remember it’s we who face the dark,
Who face the danger in your stead.
So each day let’s thank the soldiers,
And all other armed forces too.
They’re the ones to whom you owe it all,
They’ve secured it all for you.
©Jo Originals - July 2010
(any unauthorised use is a copyright infringement)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
On Writers and Writing...
I'm about to make a confession...
I am a ... reader!
Anyone who has seen the walls of floor to ceiling books in my home will testify to the fact that this is hardly a surprising revelation. In fact, it has nearly come between me and men in my life. I simply could never have a lifetime relationship with someone who doesn't love to read. They don't need to be quite as "taken" with it as I am, but they certainly need to understand the compulsion that can send you into a bookshop on pay day only to emerge several hours later a little high on the fumes of "new book" smell, clutching your purchases (only the truly disciplined can come out with only one book) close to your chest as you hurry home (cursing traffic) and settle yourself comfortably on the sofa with a beverage and book. You emerge hours later from a world far more diverse than your own or perhaps just the same, but with Jimmy Choo's, Champagne breakfasts and an endless supply of glitz and glamour.
I don't know where my passion for books began. I suspect it started with well-read bedtime stories lovingly presented to my young and impressionable mind by parents who both loved the escapism and education offered by the written word. There truly is no lesson you cannot learn, or any destination you cannot escape to with a book! Not all passionate readers are writers and not all writers are passionate readers, but I feel sure that you cannot have one without the other in some measure... At least... I can't. For me, they're intertwined too closely to be separated.
Words have magical powers all of their own and to be able to move people with your words, is a gift. From a love of reading, often comes a desire to write, to leave something "more" behind. The desire to be a writer and to move others with your words. Almost from the minute I learnt how to recognise letters, how letters arranged and re-arranged themselves into words and the puzzle of the partnerships between the words, the magic of the written word had me totally enthralled. I wrote many stories - more bad then good, I'm sure - and then I added poetry to my repertoire. I was only 9 or 10 so you can imagine that the subject material wasn't too complex, but I loved the sense of satisfaction in completion, of conveying an emotion or image to the reader - even if it was just my Mom :-)
As time passed, I kept writing, I couldn't help it. It was an addiction of sorts. A rush if you like. I was asked once, "Why do you write?" There is no simple answer. I'm sure for everyone it's different. For me, it's something that I can't avoid, even if I wanted to (which I most certainly don't!)... You see, the words are in my head waiting. They don't know if they're destined to be part of a poem, a short story, a blog or a letter, but they're always there, whispering seductively to my subconscious. I know this because words have almost always been there when I need them... I open my mind and let them flow and there they are. As if I planned them to be 'just so' the whole time.
People write for a multitude of reasons. We write to be read. We write because we have something to say. We write to make money. We write to incite, to inspire, to apologise, to mollify, to educate or to raise awareness. Sometimes, we write simply to escape. We write for a thousand reasons, but mostly - if we're honest - we write to be heard. To leave some small part of ourselves behind.
So... I'm working on the novel. Between 1 500 - 3 000 words in a session! I'm lead by the characters in my imagination, appearing almost fully formed in the swirling words that reside there. Words that swirl and form and then disappear, only to reappear in other sentences, in other paragraphs, breeding more and more words as we go. More than 30 000 words in, I have no idea where this journey will take me. It may take me on a grand adventure or end up simply being something I've accomplished in life. Either way, the answer to the question "why do you write?" is simple for me...
...I write because I'm a writer. It's who I am, not what I do.
Until next time...
I am a ... reader!
Anyone who has seen the walls of floor to ceiling books in my home will testify to the fact that this is hardly a surprising revelation. In fact, it has nearly come between me and men in my life. I simply could never have a lifetime relationship with someone who doesn't love to read. They don't need to be quite as "taken" with it as I am, but they certainly need to understand the compulsion that can send you into a bookshop on pay day only to emerge several hours later a little high on the fumes of "new book" smell, clutching your purchases (only the truly disciplined can come out with only one book) close to your chest as you hurry home (cursing traffic) and settle yourself comfortably on the sofa with a beverage and book. You emerge hours later from a world far more diverse than your own or perhaps just the same, but with Jimmy Choo's, Champagne breakfasts and an endless supply of glitz and glamour.
I don't know where my passion for books began. I suspect it started with well-read bedtime stories lovingly presented to my young and impressionable mind by parents who both loved the escapism and education offered by the written word. There truly is no lesson you cannot learn, or any destination you cannot escape to with a book! Not all passionate readers are writers and not all writers are passionate readers, but I feel sure that you cannot have one without the other in some measure... At least... I can't. For me, they're intertwined too closely to be separated.
Words have magical powers all of their own and to be able to move people with your words, is a gift. From a love of reading, often comes a desire to write, to leave something "more" behind. The desire to be a writer and to move others with your words. Almost from the minute I learnt how to recognise letters, how letters arranged and re-arranged themselves into words and the puzzle of the partnerships between the words, the magic of the written word had me totally enthralled. I wrote many stories - more bad then good, I'm sure - and then I added poetry to my repertoire. I was only 9 or 10 so you can imagine that the subject material wasn't too complex, but I loved the sense of satisfaction in completion, of conveying an emotion or image to the reader - even if it was just my Mom :-)
As time passed, I kept writing, I couldn't help it. It was an addiction of sorts. A rush if you like. I was asked once, "Why do you write?" There is no simple answer. I'm sure for everyone it's different. For me, it's something that I can't avoid, even if I wanted to (which I most certainly don't!)... You see, the words are in my head waiting. They don't know if they're destined to be part of a poem, a short story, a blog or a letter, but they're always there, whispering seductively to my subconscious. I know this because words have almost always been there when I need them... I open my mind and let them flow and there they are. As if I planned them to be 'just so' the whole time.
People write for a multitude of reasons. We write to be read. We write because we have something to say. We write to make money. We write to incite, to inspire, to apologise, to mollify, to educate or to raise awareness. Sometimes, we write simply to escape. We write for a thousand reasons, but mostly - if we're honest - we write to be heard. To leave some small part of ourselves behind.
So... I'm working on the novel. Between 1 500 - 3 000 words in a session! I'm lead by the characters in my imagination, appearing almost fully formed in the swirling words that reside there. Words that swirl and form and then disappear, only to reappear in other sentences, in other paragraphs, breeding more and more words as we go. More than 30 000 words in, I have no idea where this journey will take me. It may take me on a grand adventure or end up simply being something I've accomplished in life. Either way, the answer to the question "why do you write?" is simple for me...
...I write because I'm a writer. It's who I am, not what I do.
Until next time...
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