Sundown Strolls

Last Saturday Night I was DJing at a friends flat party which ran into the early hours of Sunday morning. I walked home about 5.45 AM and got home about 6am. It had been a while since I had walked anywhere at that time of morning, the last time probably being after one of my Uni night outs or on a boys holiday abroad.

But this prompted a a familiar feeling that I hadn’t felt for a while. I like this time of day. In summer and spring, this time of morning tends to be bright, and theres something calming about the quietness of walking through the empty streets. Theres a silence I am not used to, living in a town centre, I am used to hearing the hustle and bustle of cars and buses, pedestrians and the like, filling the roads and the streets.

But in that fifteen minutes, nothing. Sheer silence. Maybe its the lack of distraction. No cars racing 3 times the speed limit, to avoid. No loud groups drawing attention to themselves, or car horns tooting. I seem to notice things I wouldn’t at any other time of day. Its a unique scene.

I also love a winter nights walk to the shop etc. When everyone has returned home from work etc, to their cosy homes. There are less cars on the road, and theres another calm that comes over the town.

Its an unusual feeling, one thats hard to explain. Its something that just comes over me in those moments, and I could walk around for hours. Maybe its the only opportunity I have to completely control my own pace. Not be dictated by pressures such as work, home, and financial pressures as well as working round others and the traffic etc. No distractions such as TV or internet and an opportunity to ponder around and have thoughts entirely to myself.

I don’t know if anyone else likes this?. What do you like about it?.

Is there another time of day etc that you get this feeling about ? .

Blo88er

A Jealous Thank You Letter

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Green-Eyed Monster.”

“Write an anonymous letter to someone you’re jealous of.”

Dear …..

First of all, its not the money. What you do comes with that,  but its not about the lifestyle. You are the best there is, potentially the best there has ever been.

Every week, sometimes twice, you step out in front of tens of thousands of people, and are showcased to tens of millions. They chant your name, wear it on their backs. They come to one of the worlds most best known venues, and create its wonderful atmosphere. They come for many reasons, the experience, your team, the opposition. But if you eliminate all of these different reasons to find one area of common ground. One thing they have all come to see with equal excitement, expecting thrills, something they will never see anywhere else. This one thing they want to say ” I have seen”  That something, is you.

They expect from you. They believe in you. What you have different from all others is that you can deliver. When everyone else turns to you, you find a way.

My respect for you is a shared respect, with my own father, and my Grandfather. We talk at lengths about the feats you have achieved, the near miracles you have performed. Watching you is one of the only things we always make time to do together.  I thank you for that. We came to see you,  live and in person and like the others I described above, we expected from you, and believed in you. You gave us everything we could have hope for.

To see what a game is like through your eyes, with the speed of your thoughts and the technique you display. You can find others from in near impossible angles, and that feeling of knowing that you, unlike most others, can do it must be something.  To be surrounded by opposition, with almost no way out, and then calmly work your way through. To score the goal that changes games, seasons, history,  when none else could find a way. To do it almost every game.

I am jealous that no matter how good my very best is, or was, I will never experience one hour with the gift that you have. I assume it cannot be easy. There must be immense pressure at times and times where you loose faith that you can do it all again. But I thank you, for giving me that feeling. That little urge of excitement I get, each and every time you receive a ball at your feet. That I get to turn to my father, my grandfather, and watch their mouths wide, in amazement at what you have just performed, and then share a moment of celebration together.

You, Lionel Messi, do so much more than just kick a ball.

Blo88er

A list of Maybe. A list of Maybe Not

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Third From the Top.”

Head to “Blogs I Follow” in the Reader. Scroll down to the third post in the list. Take the third sentence in the post, and work it into your own.

The sentence I landed on came from –  https://teenontheinternet.wordpress.com

“I’m not sure if this will happen.”.

This one got me thinking.. about all the things I would like to see in my future, however realistic, however silly, all possibilities.

I get married next year, and following that I like most would love to have kids. I like most would also like that promotion at work, which would see m and my family comfortable and financially stable. But I am to thinking about those type of possibilities, I wont want to be that serious. What are the little things that would just provide little moments of delight.

1. I would love to see Celtic football club win a European trophy again. I remember the UEFA cup final, I hear all about the Lisbon Lions, but I would love to watch my team lift a european trophy once again.

2. Perform in front of a crowd. I am a keen guitar player, and I also sing from time to time. I am likely nothing more than average, but to perform in front of a crowd, and have them enjoy it, would be a wonderful buzz for me. Im not sure I will ever be ready for this however.

3. Travel. I want my soon to be wife and I to travel a little. We have been on holidays together, and I have been on boys holidays before that, but I mean proper travel. Tic of the top places on our list that we would love to see. I picture visiting Rome and seeing the coliseum, picturing it at the time of the roman empire. I picture Greece, in the time of those ancient philosophers I read everyday.

I think of dining in Paris under the fireworks, and looking down agin only to be in New York for new year or St Patricks day.

4. I long for the day I get to wait for my dad outside his work, leaving for the last time, off to a life of retirement.

5. I long to play Football ( Soccer) in front of a stadium of people again. ( this one is already scheduled )

6. I tend to keep a journal. I write an everyday account of my life, but I also write down my thoughts on current affairs and philosophical ideas that I have. I find the ideas help me approach life the right way. I  picture someone finding my journal, many years after my death, and finding it insightful. I want the reader to pass it on to another, and hope that this opens their minds to my way of approaching life and can in any small way effect their life.

7. At the end. I want people to have enjoyed my company, having felt that I was always trustworthy and a person to rely on. I would like people to think I lived my life in the right way.

These are all just thought, maybe one day realities. These are just some of the things, that if lived, would be little extra memories or legacies that I hope in some way would have made my life matter, even if just to me and those I hold close.

Blo88er

Ideal

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Study Abroad.”

If you were asked to spend a year living in a different location, where would you choose and why?

I have recently gained an interest philosophy and have since started reading a few of the many original philosophical works. I ideally like to read these when as alone as possible, to dedicate it full attention and to allow my thoughts to wander uninterrupted.

I genuinely believe I have already gained from this, and my stressful days appear less stressful when ended, tucking into a good few pages of philosophical thought and allowing this to develop thoughts of my own. It has changed my usual daily approach in which I was always thinking ahead, worrying about what is to come, and to so easily forget why it is so important to live in now.

Therfore if I could choose somewhere to go away and spend my time studying, I know where I would choose …

Somewhere like Bora Bora (above), St Lucia or Tonga. I can imagine sitting on that rock, with a refreshing drink, reading Descartes or Aurelius, contemplating their conclusions, studying the depths of my inner thought  and exploring and forming my own opinions on the world and of life. Yes, this is a different type of study, a different type of learning, but doesn’t it just sound like an ideal life?

I will remember that the past is gone, and is no longer a reality, that the closest we will ever get to what is yet to come, is this moment we are in jut now. The future doesn’t exist until it becomes present, meaning that it is no longer future. I would remember that I control the present, therefore am controlling what I otherwise thought of as my future, and how my past so heavily relies on how I choose to live just now.

I would keep this thought in mind, and as night falls I would go here …

I would drink ( why not ), I would laugh, I would converse. I would become merry, I would slowly think ahead to the relaxation of tomorrow and then quickly remember that I was missing out on the present, and therefore effecting the fun I will have in future, remembering the past ,of the previous night. Doesn’t it seem that time is always overlapping and the past , present and future are all so heavily reliant on the others. I would remember this, and because of that I would remember that there is only one of these three that I can control right now. The present.  So I would converse some more and have another drink.. until the future became present and my thoughts were those of the past, and the sun began to rise.

Some mornings I would wake early, maybe take a swim. Then I would walk out onto the lower platform below..

I would sit with my feet tangling over the side, hopefully with my fiancé by my side and laugh about the night before. Then I would remember that it was in the past , but allow more time for laughter, as why enjoy the present if you can’t allow it to positively effect your future.

Then I would swim out to my rock once more, and move onto the next chapter…

Don’t worry about tomorrow. It isn’t here yet.

Blo88er

Three doors – Suggestions?

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Just a Dream.”

“You’re having a nightmare, and have to choose between three doors. Pick one, and tell us about what you find on the other side.”..

For this one I don’t want to suggest the three doors and what lies behind them. I would like others to suggest what may lie behind the three doors I have to choose from. So please, make a suggestion and I will answer as open and truthfully as I can.

Blo88er

Thinking out Loud – (In English)

I had a funny thought today whilst travelling home from the office. I heard two people having a conversation in a different language, possibly Italian. I was thinking how I am impressed at those people who can speak a number of different languages, and some so fluently.

It must take some amount of time and dedication to learn  new language, one that you have not been brought up with, one that breaks the rules of the language you know.

It got me thinking. The Italian couple I over heard on my commute, hear each other in Italian, the same as I do. But they also think in Italian, assuming this is their native language. I think in English, I can so some basic thinking in French, but my mind automatically translates this.

If there is anyone reading this who is fluent in a few different languages, please share.. Do you think in the language of you native tongue? or do you sometimes think in a foreign language ?. What decides which language you think in? .. If you are having a conversation with someone in a foreign language, do you think in your own and translate before you speak.

Thinking about this (in English), is what lead me to my final thought on language with thought. One I cannot get my head around. If I speak to my dog, he recognises certain words, only because he associates them with a certain behaviour. But .. when he hears me say something and he follows the behaviour or action I have commented.. how does he think?

If animals do not speak, and do not communicate verbally, how do they think?. If they do not have a spoken language, then what language do they think in? Do they not have conscience ? Do they not think but only do or do not?.

What do you think ?

Blo88er

Undo

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Undo.”

If I could take a trip back in time, straight to the moment something was invented, and stop the person who was creating it, and ensure that it was never completed, I know what I would choose.

It makes me feel ill, even when I look at it. Some enjoy it, and will not understand the reasons I have for totally and utterly detesting it.

Its smell makes my stomach turn, and I get that feeling in my through and gut, that If I don’t take a step way, I may just vomit.

I don’t know who invented it, or what they were thinking. But coleslaw is the thing i would choose.

What a horrific invention indeed.

Blo88er

Cash Control

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Think Global, Act Local.”

One thing that has always fascinated me is that the whole world is controlled by money. They estimate there is around $60 Trillion in the world, which is as we all know, not split anywhere near fairly across the globe.

Many countries struggle through poverty, unable to feed its people, never mind provide them with homes and health care. Even in some of the worlds wealthier countries there are still people who live in a level of poverty, unable to keep up with the rest of societies income, meaning they struggle to have any standard of life or support their families.

There does have to be a hierarchy, that I can understand. In order for currency to work, not everyone can have an even share, or there would be no point in it. However, what I can’t comprehend is how this hierarchy is structured.

I work with extremely hard working people everyday. People that the our business relies on. I see the stress of their day to day roles, all to pay a few bills and afford to eat. They basically break even every month.

Then you have sports stars, whom I have no doubt train hard, and many of which are wonderfully talented. However, some of the people I work with also play those sports, and after a long shift in work spend hours training hard. But we pay these stars, small fortunes, every week. The average Barclays Premier League footballer earns £30,000. Thats per week.

On average an NBA player makes $5.15million per year.

The part of this I cannot understand is that in the modern day world, we have new medications, we have an almost unlimited source of food, yet there are people in some developed countries who still struggle to afford these most basic of resources.

As many of us are aware that there are about 1 billion children in the world living in poverty.

If you walked down your local high street today, and you seen a young child lying on the side of the road, cold and hungry, to the extent that they were clinging on to life, would you just walk past and leave them sitting, even though you are in a perfect position to help them ?.

I don’t think many people would.

Let change the scenario. A friend has just arrived at your house and tells you, “apparently there is a young child out there, cold, hungry and in a very bad way”. Would you just close the door behind them and forget about this.

I don’t think many people would.

But we do. We all do. Every single day. We all know the kid exists. The only difference is that they are not sitting on a street near our homes.

The world has food, it has medication, but it refuses to provide this because of money, because of worth. We have replaced the worth of human life, with our own place in the hierarchy. We have the medication to help so many of these people, but we don’t. We have put ourselves in this position, one which is so very difficult to get out of.

im not going to tell you to go and give lots of money to charity. I’m as guilty as anyone for buying something I don’t really need instead of giving that money to make a real difference. But think about this. We simply refuse to help. That tells us something very important about our society.

Blo88er

Burning Down the House

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Burning Down the House.”

You are house is burning down, but you have time to save five items, which five items do you choose ..

I think the first item I would grab would be my phone. I like the majority of people fortunate enough to live in a place where we can so easily access technology, rely very much on my phone. I have an iPhone, its with me every single moment of every single day, besides when playing sport etc. It my main method of communication with the world. It is a worrying thought how quickly I react when I feel a weightless pocket, where my phone should be, and how quickly my heart begins to beat in the worry that my phone may be lost. Its sad .. I can admit that.. its more than that.. its kind of pathetic.

Secondly, sticking to the theme of technology, I would grab my MacBook. I often refer to it as “the best thing I have ever Purchased”, which may be a bit dramatic, but its a luxury that i have come to enjoy.

I would also grab my acoustic Guitar. Again, another Luxury, but one of the things that gives me the most joy. Playing music, whether it be to myself or to friends and family, its something I love.

It is likely this next item would already be on my person but if not, I would ensure to take my favourite watch. The watch was a gift from someone very special. Not only is it a cool ass watch, but there is a lot of meaning behind it and its one of the symbols of that relationship.

Lastly I think I would grab my car keys. Mostly because it would allow me to get to my parents or a friends.

All of the things I have picked are replaceable to an extent. You can get a new phone, or Laptop. You can buy a new guitar, maybe even one with a better sound. The next watch I buy will tell the time the same way that my old one had. However, each and every item (maybe except the car keys), has a personal meaning to it.

The phone because there are so many memories stored on it. Pictures and videos from time with friends and family, pictures that may not be recoverable if not on the phone ( I’m not a frequent user of I Cloud). The laptop, because it was the first expensive purchase I made entirely on my own, without any support, and now on a full earning wage. I was something I had always wanted. The guitar because it was my first “Real Guitar”. The first guitar I really made music on, and the first guitar that my family finally believed that our family wasn’t cursed when it comes to musical instruments. The watch speaks for itself.. it has great sentimental value.

There are probably far more efficient or exciting things I could have chosen.. but these are the items that come to mind ..

What would you choose ? …

Blo88er

Give up tomorrow – “Paco Larranaga” – Netflix

I have an interest in documentaries, usually I will watch those in the crime genre, and within this, those that explore serial killers, murders and the court trials that follow. I just finished watching “Give up Tomorrow” on Netflix, a documentary that explores the prosecution of Juan “Paco” Larranaga, of murdering the Choing sisters on the 16th July 1997. He was convicted alongside seven others, however the film focuses mostly around Paco’s story.

I don’t have time this morning to go into all of the details within the film itself,and the arguments it proposes, you can watch the documentary for that, but what I can take time to say it convinced me… I strongly believe the innocence of the accused, and think the evidence is overwhelmingly in favour of his story.

There seems to be so many suspicious circumstances , from the behaves of the judge ( given that his closing statement opens by quoting how the media referred to the case, which would have had him thrown out of court here in the UK for being influenced by the media), to the character of Davidson Rusia, who confessed to the murder, and placing the others at the crime scene and guilty of the crime, who then walked free, only to have an unusual relationship with the deceased girls family, in particular the mother

The mother herself is an unusual character, Thelma Choing, who apart from the unusual sympathy she had for Rusia, has many other unconvincing traits and moments throughout the film.

The story is one of mass corruption, which is so plain to see to anyone watching the events, but we never see real justice being served. Why when everyone can see that Paco is innocent, has nothing really been done. This one opened my eyes to how remarkable corruption can be, that even when we know the level and outcome this led to, that no-one will stand up and doing anything about it.

Then again maybe I’m wrong. Maybe my mind has been corrupted by the documentary itself, maybe the director behind it needed a story and left out the concrete evidence. I don’t think so, not in this case. There is too much that supports Paco’s innocence.  But its an important consideration to make, as it is always possible. Never juts believe because the source appears to be reliable.

Either way.. I think he is innocent, and if that is the case, what a horrible and terrible crime. Pack will be 61 when he is due for release, he was 19 when convicted. He will have lost so many years of his life for nothing. How many other are there, that have either lost their lives or have not been allowed to live freely, for something they had no involvement in? .. its a frightening thought.

Have a watch, let me know what you think ..

Blo88er