Dear Friends in Blogland,
Just had to tell you about this radio station. It is really good.
http://www.kcdx.com/listenOnline.php
Play it loud - non stop rock music without ads. Obviously you get the odd duff tracks but sometimes you'll get five or six real good ones in a row. Loads of Beatles, Hendrix, and so on. Right now I'm listening to the Beach Boys and the drugs are really kicking in!
Love it.
See ya
Tom909
Quiz question for Betty without using fucking google ok. Who sang the song in my post title?
PS Love you Pammy
PPS Now it's Canned Heat, On the Road Again - effing brilliant, high as an effing kite.
PPPS Love you Oirish merican
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
ByeBye for Now
Oh my, I'm coming very close to closing my blog. Squashing two lives into 24 hours is a bit hectic. The main reason I am going to shut up shop is I don't get round to visiting and commenting on my friends blogs any more and to be fair, if you don't do that, unless your some famous person, why the hell should anyone ever visit your blog.
I did 14 months, not a bad stint for a spaced out old hippy with half a brain.
I might be back if circumstances change.
My love to all my friends, everyone on my list and a few others. And special thanks to Vicus, who got me started, and Betty who I visited to the end, Awaiting, who should write a book, and Pammy and Kindness for being so cuddly and loyal to the end. Love you all.
XXXX
I did 14 months, not a bad stint for a spaced out old hippy with half a brain.
I might be back if circumstances change.
My love to all my friends, everyone on my list and a few others. And special thanks to Vicus, who got me started, and Betty who I visited to the end, Awaiting, who should write a book, and Pammy and Kindness for being so cuddly and loyal to the end. Love you all.
XXXX
Monday, February 05, 2007
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
A daily dose of Virtual Sex
Just checking to see if anyone is out there. Mind you these days virtual and real are all blending into one aren't they. Did anyone ever ask you, when you were tripping, 'where does the earth end and the sky begin?' God that was a tough one - spun me right out.
And I just have to use this small area of cyberspace to register my utter dissappointment that Jack didn't win Big Brother. How pathetic that the British public yet again got well and truly duped by the media and put everything right by voting Miss Perfect Shilpa as the winner. Don't get me wrong, she's a nice bird, I'd give her one, but how lame to have a whole series from start to finish basically orchestrated by the redtops.
I was getting quite enthusiastic about the way we were using our democratic rights to confound these tv shows. I mean when we voted for that fat bird to win that singing competition, now that was good. And for a while it did start to look like we were cottoning on that it is actually more fun to go against the programme makers and the tabloids, but sadly we're right back in there now. Go on you fuckers, tell us who you want to win and we'll all trot out there and vote for them. Yuk!
And I just have to use this small area of cyberspace to register my utter dissappointment that Jack didn't win Big Brother. How pathetic that the British public yet again got well and truly duped by the media and put everything right by voting Miss Perfect Shilpa as the winner. Don't get me wrong, she's a nice bird, I'd give her one, but how lame to have a whole series from start to finish basically orchestrated by the redtops.
I was getting quite enthusiastic about the way we were using our democratic rights to confound these tv shows. I mean when we voted for that fat bird to win that singing competition, now that was good. And for a while it did start to look like we were cottoning on that it is actually more fun to go against the programme makers and the tabloids, but sadly we're right back in there now. Go on you fuckers, tell us who you want to win and we'll all trot out there and vote for them. Yuk!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Happy Fairies Part Two
Quote of the day supplied by my good friend Wolf in Second Life.
Opinions are like arseholes - everyone's got one.
I have lived my life thinking about this kind of stuff and it fascinates me. Sorry everyone but I could go on and on talking about it, and as it's my blog so I'm going to.
I take your point Kropotkin, and also Richard. But how about this for an idea, and actually it is pretty much what I believe. This world ain't never going to be perfect - that's it's nature. We can strive to improve it, and I'm not saying we shouldn't, but the fact is people will always want what they can't have, people will always get something they want then decide they want some thing else, or they will lose it or it will change. Know what I mean. Or some twat comes along and takes it from you, or there is some accident and it gets buggered up or destroyed. Just trying to cover all the options here, but you get the drift what I'm saying.
And I know it's like this cos I'm like it too. Get one woman and want another, get a field and want the one next to it, it's just man's nature. So, that's why I'm into inner peace, cos peace, real peace, just doesn't fucking exist out there. You get the odd good day for sure, but it won't be long before your mind comes knocking at the door telling you something ain't quite right.
But yes, I agree, it should be as good as we can get it. No-one should be starving and no-one should be fighting wars. We should be able to do better than that. And that's why I'm going into politics/dissappearing up my own arsehole (delete which doesn't apply) - yeah, both of them.
Opinions are like arseholes - everyone's got one.
I have lived my life thinking about this kind of stuff and it fascinates me. Sorry everyone but I could go on and on talking about it, and as it's my blog so I'm going to.
I take your point Kropotkin, and also Richard. But how about this for an idea, and actually it is pretty much what I believe. This world ain't never going to be perfect - that's it's nature. We can strive to improve it, and I'm not saying we shouldn't, but the fact is people will always want what they can't have, people will always get something they want then decide they want some thing else, or they will lose it or it will change. Know what I mean. Or some twat comes along and takes it from you, or there is some accident and it gets buggered up or destroyed. Just trying to cover all the options here, but you get the drift what I'm saying.
And I know it's like this cos I'm like it too. Get one woman and want another, get a field and want the one next to it, it's just man's nature. So, that's why I'm into inner peace, cos peace, real peace, just doesn't fucking exist out there. You get the odd good day for sure, but it won't be long before your mind comes knocking at the door telling you something ain't quite right.
But yes, I agree, it should be as good as we can get it. No-one should be starving and no-one should be fighting wars. We should be able to do better than that. And that's why I'm going into politics/dissappearing up my own arsehole (delete which doesn't apply) - yeah, both of them.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Happy Fairies
Pammy, Pammy, Pammy, it's January and its wet and windy and I'm pretty much on my arse looking after all the animals I have foolishly made myself responsible for - writing nice fluffy heartwarming stuff right now ain't easy. Hang in there babe, I promise the next post will be about bunnies, and fairies, and cuddling up nice and warm together, and being in love, and getting surprise cheques through the post, and the sun shining in winter, and people being kind to each other, and the planet being happy because everyone is looking after it, and all politicians waking up one day and thinking, 'right, I'll retire now, cos actually I'm making a right ballsup of this', and everyone just plain and simple feeling good inside and and and.....
Awwwww go on then, just for you I'll abandon my serious post and continue talking about nice stuff for a while longer ok.
One day there was a little happy fairy and he had no idea that there was horrible stuff going on in the big wide world. He lived in a little hole between the roots in the base of a big oak tree. Not so far away he had a little fairy girlfriend who he had been going out with ever since they had left fairy school. They had always liked each other, ever since junior fairy school, but they were both very shy and it was ages before either of them had the courage to ask each other for a date.
It was coming to the end of the final school term and the happy little fairy realised that it was a now or never situation. He knew tha once he left school he would no longer see his girl every day and the thought of that was breaking his heart. So on the very last day he plucked up his courage, and while they were waiting for the bus back home, he said, 'Little fairy girl, you are very special to me and I would really like to keep seeing you after we finish school'. The little fairy girl went bright red and looked down at the floor and went very very quiet. The happy little fairy's heart sank. He just knew he had done a wrong un and wanted to die on the spot. Oh my god, if only he could turn the clocks back just five minutes. Why had he ever even thought she might be even remotely interested in him. A huge lump rose up in his throat and he could feel the tears coming into his eyes and he just wished more than anything that he had kept his mouth firmly shut.
By now there was a huge group of fairies at the bus stop and he was beginning to feel more embarrassed than he had ever felt in his whole life. Somehow everyone seemed to know what was happening and it was all starting to feel a bit like a scene out of a shakespearian play. And then after what seemed forever the the little fairy girl raised her head and looked him straight in the face. Slowly slowly she gave him this oh so sweet little smile. And suddenly everything changed for him - suddenly his whole world came together again and his little smile came back to his face.
Ever since that day the happy little fairy has gone to see his gal every day. They usually just sit and talk crap. He is a happy little fairy now.
But dont forget little fairy, everything in this world is temporary, true happiness, really true happiness, does not come from this world, it comes from within. So take care cos if and when things fall apart it's gonna hurt real bad.
Awwwww go on then, just for you I'll abandon my serious post and continue talking about nice stuff for a while longer ok.
One day there was a little happy fairy and he had no idea that there was horrible stuff going on in the big wide world. He lived in a little hole between the roots in the base of a big oak tree. Not so far away he had a little fairy girlfriend who he had been going out with ever since they had left fairy school. They had always liked each other, ever since junior fairy school, but they were both very shy and it was ages before either of them had the courage to ask each other for a date.
It was coming to the end of the final school term and the happy little fairy realised that it was a now or never situation. He knew tha once he left school he would no longer see his girl every day and the thought of that was breaking his heart. So on the very last day he plucked up his courage, and while they were waiting for the bus back home, he said, 'Little fairy girl, you are very special to me and I would really like to keep seeing you after we finish school'. The little fairy girl went bright red and looked down at the floor and went very very quiet. The happy little fairy's heart sank. He just knew he had done a wrong un and wanted to die on the spot. Oh my god, if only he could turn the clocks back just five minutes. Why had he ever even thought she might be even remotely interested in him. A huge lump rose up in his throat and he could feel the tears coming into his eyes and he just wished more than anything that he had kept his mouth firmly shut.
By now there was a huge group of fairies at the bus stop and he was beginning to feel more embarrassed than he had ever felt in his whole life. Somehow everyone seemed to know what was happening and it was all starting to feel a bit like a scene out of a shakespearian play. And then after what seemed forever the the little fairy girl raised her head and looked him straight in the face. Slowly slowly she gave him this oh so sweet little smile. And suddenly everything changed for him - suddenly his whole world came together again and his little smile came back to his face.
Ever since that day the happy little fairy has gone to see his gal every day. They usually just sit and talk crap. He is a happy little fairy now.
But dont forget little fairy, everything in this world is temporary, true happiness, really true happiness, does not come from this world, it comes from within. So take care cos if and when things fall apart it's gonna hurt real bad.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Sunday Morning Sermon No.47
And it came to pass that I was sitting at the computer......
So I was thinking about this organic food question right. Now I know there are 7 billion of us little tiny souls on this planet and I am imagining that they all feel fairly similar to me - that is, that my life is pretty important to me. I know some of you guys think something happens after this life, but you can't prove it, so for now all we really know for sure is that we have this one. So on that basis, you really want to make the best of it, yeah.
But it's a tough call isn't it, well I find it tough anyway. Like walking through a minefield in a way - anything can happen anytime. People get pregnant, babies get born, people run off and leave you, people get ill, people die, you get ill, you die. Sounds like a real bunch of fun doesn't it. So how come we can have a laugh with all this shit going down - but somehow thank god we can.
So what the fuck has this got to do with organic food - fuck all really, that post just stirred up a whole load of serious shit in me and sorry guys, it has to come out somewhere. Can't risk dumping it on the mrs - she thinks I'm dull enough already.
So how to make the best of your life - that is the question. Yes, and here is the answer ok, and it is yours for free. How do I know this is true? It is, right, accept it. I have thought about it a lot and I have tried it out and it is definitely true ok. Does it work no matter what? Yes it does, but it ain't always so easy so you have to practise it.
So here it is - are you concentrating?
Be Here Now (or you'll miss it).
So I was thinking about this organic food question right. Now I know there are 7 billion of us little tiny souls on this planet and I am imagining that they all feel fairly similar to me - that is, that my life is pretty important to me. I know some of you guys think something happens after this life, but you can't prove it, so for now all we really know for sure is that we have this one. So on that basis, you really want to make the best of it, yeah.
But it's a tough call isn't it, well I find it tough anyway. Like walking through a minefield in a way - anything can happen anytime. People get pregnant, babies get born, people run off and leave you, people get ill, people die, you get ill, you die. Sounds like a real bunch of fun doesn't it. So how come we can have a laugh with all this shit going down - but somehow thank god we can.
So what the fuck has this got to do with organic food - fuck all really, that post just stirred up a whole load of serious shit in me and sorry guys, it has to come out somewhere. Can't risk dumping it on the mrs - she thinks I'm dull enough already.
So how to make the best of your life - that is the question. Yes, and here is the answer ok, and it is yours for free. How do I know this is true? It is, right, accept it. I have thought about it a lot and I have tried it out and it is definitely true ok. Does it work no matter what? Yes it does, but it ain't always so easy so you have to practise it.
So here it is - are you concentrating?
Be Here Now (or you'll miss it).
Sunday, January 07, 2007
2007 Competition Time
I once narrowly missed out in a blogging competition on winning a virtual caravan . I was so gutted, as I'm sure were all the other losing contestants, that I have decided to give you all another opportunity to win a similar prize. In one of my fields there is an actual real caravan, yes a real one, which I have been told dismantled would be worth at least £50 scrap value (prize to be collected by the winner at their own cost). Anyway, Good Luck everyone.
To win the prize you must answer both questions correctly - obviously first correct answers win, but to avoid the post falling flat on its arse as soon as the correct answer comes in, any amusing response can be proclaimed the actual winner above the correct answer. So don't forget, even if you don't know the answers, just by leaving a comment you are still in with a chance to win this superb prize.
Obviously in a competition with such an outstanding prize, to avoid dissappointment I would advise early entry - readers of my blog will know this is something I have long been in favour of.
So here we go.
Who said
'Avant-garde is French for bullshit'
Which movie is the following quote in
'A woman needs a reason to have sex, a man just needs a place'
Happy New Year
To win the prize you must answer both questions correctly - obviously first correct answers win, but to avoid the post falling flat on its arse as soon as the correct answer comes in, any amusing response can be proclaimed the actual winner above the correct answer. So don't forget, even if you don't know the answers, just by leaving a comment you are still in with a chance to win this superb prize.
Obviously in a competition with such an outstanding prize, to avoid dissappointment I would advise early entry - readers of my blog will know this is something I have long been in favour of.
So here we go.
Who said
'Avant-garde is French for bullshit'
Which movie is the following quote in
'A woman needs a reason to have sex, a man just needs a place'
Happy New Year
Monday, January 01, 2007
2007 here we go wheeeee!
OK, I'll start off my new year's blogging with my new years resolution, and NO, it is not to shag as many women as possible - that didn't even cross my mind. Anyway, I couldn't put that on my blog could I, I am happily married and my wife reads my blog so that would be akin to suicide, and anyway I'm too old for that, and it would all get horrendously complicated, and I can't be bothered. No, my resolution this year is to ride my horse as much as possible and work my arse off. Yes I have decided that I am going to give one more year of my life (should it be granted in full by the almighty) to working with horses as much as possible.
See, the problem I have is that I am a lazy git, and I just find it so easy to sit here on the computer, or sit and chat to the Mrs, or chat to friends, or just sit and drink tea and coffee, or go out and have lunch in my favourite little cafe, or even just sit and watch telly. And before you know it I have a full life, or maybe a better description would be a life full. None of these things earns me any money, and all of them help me dissappear off the radar of this world.
So just one more time, one more gargantuan effort to sell myself and my skills to this world. Remodel my website, shedule a load of clinics, keep my eyes open for deals to make money on, keep my eyes open for horses to make me look good.
Aw Shucks, I really can't be bothered, or can I. This is going to be a tough one to keep - no, fuck it, I can't do it. Fancy going out for a coffee darling.
See, the problem I have is that I am a lazy git, and I just find it so easy to sit here on the computer, or sit and chat to the Mrs, or chat to friends, or just sit and drink tea and coffee, or go out and have lunch in my favourite little cafe, or even just sit and watch telly. And before you know it I have a full life, or maybe a better description would be a life full. None of these things earns me any money, and all of them help me dissappear off the radar of this world.
So just one more time, one more gargantuan effort to sell myself and my skills to this world. Remodel my website, shedule a load of clinics, keep my eyes open for deals to make money on, keep my eyes open for horses to make me look good.
Aw Shucks, I really can't be bothered, or can I. This is going to be a tough one to keep - no, fuck it, I can't do it. Fancy going out for a coffee darling.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
A Brush with the Fuzz - an occasional series - No. 3
First, I just want to set the record straight on something that has been bugging me for a few years. The first Glastonbury festival was not in 1971. It was in 1970. It was also at Michael Eavis's farm in Pilton but somehow the whole event has been swept under the carpet in festival folklore.
My friend Jo had gone a couple of days before with a large quantity of dope. Me and another friend Desmond were in Aylesbury on the friday night without any dope at all, and we so so wanted to get to the festival. It was late and we were walking back from the pub to Des's house. On the forecourt of this garage was an old mini van - I walked up to it and opened the door, and unbelievably the keys were in the ignition. We jumped in and I started the engine and away we went.
After sometime Des climbed in the back to have a sleep and I just carried on driving towards my goal. I was driving through Bath and feeling pretty pleased at the progress we had made so far. About two in the morning disaster struck - we got pulled over by the cops. I slid the window open (remember those windows) and Mr Plod asked me all sorts of questions - where I was going, how long I had owned the vehicle, my name and address - I answered the whole lot, lying through my teeth to every one - came up with a brilliant false name and address in Dunstable without so much as a hesitation.
All the time this was going on Des was hidden in the back under a blanket - I really didn't want them to find him - he was the most disreputable looking character and for sure his appearance would have guaranteed a drug search. Yet again the gods were with me and Plod carried on his way. I drove on a few miles, woke Des up and decided we needed to abandon the mini and get lost pretty quickly ourselves. We got to Shepton Mallet, found a car park, dumped the van and ran. Looking back in hindsight I have to say we panicked unnecessarily there - the chances of that cop checking to see if I'd been telling the truth were pretty slim really.
So we got to the festival and found Jo and this time it was a disaster - the dope was duff.
Again just for the record, the stage was a load of boards on bales of straw. Topping the bill were Quintescence - just one of the many fantastic bands around at the time. Absolutely fucking brilliant.
I spent the weekend with a beautiful girl called Mony who I had met a few months before down in St Ives. At the time she was with another guy, so I was pretty chuffed to find her on her own at Glastonbury. You know those split seconds in life when it could go either way - guess they're every moment if you think about it - but that moment I said goodbye to Mony, can't believe I did that, even to this day.
My friend Jo had gone a couple of days before with a large quantity of dope. Me and another friend Desmond were in Aylesbury on the friday night without any dope at all, and we so so wanted to get to the festival. It was late and we were walking back from the pub to Des's house. On the forecourt of this garage was an old mini van - I walked up to it and opened the door, and unbelievably the keys were in the ignition. We jumped in and I started the engine and away we went.
After sometime Des climbed in the back to have a sleep and I just carried on driving towards my goal. I was driving through Bath and feeling pretty pleased at the progress we had made so far. About two in the morning disaster struck - we got pulled over by the cops. I slid the window open (remember those windows) and Mr Plod asked me all sorts of questions - where I was going, how long I had owned the vehicle, my name and address - I answered the whole lot, lying through my teeth to every one - came up with a brilliant false name and address in Dunstable without so much as a hesitation.
All the time this was going on Des was hidden in the back under a blanket - I really didn't want them to find him - he was the most disreputable looking character and for sure his appearance would have guaranteed a drug search. Yet again the gods were with me and Plod carried on his way. I drove on a few miles, woke Des up and decided we needed to abandon the mini and get lost pretty quickly ourselves. We got to Shepton Mallet, found a car park, dumped the van and ran. Looking back in hindsight I have to say we panicked unnecessarily there - the chances of that cop checking to see if I'd been telling the truth were pretty slim really.
So we got to the festival and found Jo and this time it was a disaster - the dope was duff.
Again just for the record, the stage was a load of boards on bales of straw. Topping the bill were Quintescence - just one of the many fantastic bands around at the time. Absolutely fucking brilliant.
I spent the weekend with a beautiful girl called Mony who I had met a few months before down in St Ives. At the time she was with another guy, so I was pretty chuffed to find her on her own at Glastonbury. You know those split seconds in life when it could go either way - guess they're every moment if you think about it - but that moment I said goodbye to Mony, can't believe I did that, even to this day.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Bad Acid Trips - an occasional series - No.1
It was a beautiful 1968 summers evening and I was working at CBS records sorting out the returns from the shops. Many of these records were faulty and it was our job to play them and see if the supposed fault was in fact true. Often it was no more than an excuse for people to return records they had bought but didn't want to keep. We kept a log of all the returns and then had to throw them in a skip outside.
Well, as you can imagine throwing away Bob Dylan records in perfect order was not an easy task, and it didn't take us long to work out that our meagre wage could be very greatly enhanced by a little bit of what these days we would call recycling. I won't go into the details except to say that just for those few short weeks I had more money than I knew what to do with - just wads of it in every pocket.
We spent the evenings at a couple of pubs in the centre of town. We had what was known in those days 'quite a cool scene' going at those pubs, and there was always a lot of excitement. Loads of drink, loads of dope, and loads of girls - for me as a young guy it was like being in heaven. Anyway to cut a long story short, that night I was well away and we were all outside sitting on the pavement having a great time. My mate Jo came up to me and slipped me a tab of acid, and said, 'bout time you tried one of these Tom'. Well, dropping acid wasn't really in my plans but he caught me with my defenses right down and I popped it on the spot.
Do you know, my only recollection of that first trip was sitting on the pavement looking down at this huge shiny black boot about the size of a football. I looked up to see a policeman's cute little red face under an enormous helmet with a huge silver badge on it. He was looking down at me and he politely asked me to move into the side to make a bit more room for people to walk by. I clearly remember thinking 'Oh shit, this could be bad. I have no idea what is going on at all, and I'm pretty sure I need to stay just here right now'.
What seemed like forever passed by and finally he walked on his way - thank the lord, the gods were with me that night.
Well, as you can imagine throwing away Bob Dylan records in perfect order was not an easy task, and it didn't take us long to work out that our meagre wage could be very greatly enhanced by a little bit of what these days we would call recycling. I won't go into the details except to say that just for those few short weeks I had more money than I knew what to do with - just wads of it in every pocket.
We spent the evenings at a couple of pubs in the centre of town. We had what was known in those days 'quite a cool scene' going at those pubs, and there was always a lot of excitement. Loads of drink, loads of dope, and loads of girls - for me as a young guy it was like being in heaven. Anyway to cut a long story short, that night I was well away and we were all outside sitting on the pavement having a great time. My mate Jo came up to me and slipped me a tab of acid, and said, 'bout time you tried one of these Tom'. Well, dropping acid wasn't really in my plans but he caught me with my defenses right down and I popped it on the spot.
Do you know, my only recollection of that first trip was sitting on the pavement looking down at this huge shiny black boot about the size of a football. I looked up to see a policeman's cute little red face under an enormous helmet with a huge silver badge on it. He was looking down at me and he politely asked me to move into the side to make a bit more room for people to walk by. I clearly remember thinking 'Oh shit, this could be bad. I have no idea what is going on at all, and I'm pretty sure I need to stay just here right now'.
What seemed like forever passed by and finally he walked on his way - thank the lord, the gods were with me that night.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll (especially sex)
So did you hear about the two antique dealers who got washed up on a desert island with a chippendale cabinet, They got very rich over the years selling it back and forward to each other over and over, making a profit on each deal they did.
Last night my wife and I were invited out to dinner with a few old friends - of course I really didn't want to go, being the miserable unsociable git that I have become over the last 50 or so years on the planet, but actually I really enjoyed the whole evening. I do have to be a little careful at events like this cos I have this thing where if I drink too much wine I get very loud, and start to say a few things without thinking too much about the consequences. See normally I am a very quiet guy who considers his words and weighs up exactly what each situation can take in the way of humour, politics, religion or whatever. There are only a few people who really ever hear what I truly think about things - I've got few enough friends as it is.
Anyway, one interesting discussion centred around my inability to understand how wealth is created. I have thought about this for a long time (like for years), even to the point where I have actively sought out and questioned people who call themselves economists, but to date I still don't understand how it happens. It could just be that I am simply not smart enough to get this I guess.
But thinking about those two guys with the Chippendale cabinet - that is kind of the situation we are in isn't it. We have these resources that we buy and sell, and wealth gets created, but I just can't understand where it comes from. See if someone in our local hippy town comes up with some new fad, like emotional whatever techniques, and some other guy goes and buys it for £60 an hour, he's got to get that £60 from somewhere, so he has to sell something he does to get his money, but those people that buy whatever he is selling have to sell something themselves to get their money, and so on and so on. So the original guys new idea is creating wealth, but that money to buy it off him has to come from somewhere. So I reckon someone somewhere has to be losing out badly. Wealth can't come from nowhere. My hunch is it coming from explotitation of the third world - I bet the profit is coming from exploitation of labour, just like Karl Marx said all those years ago.
Just tell me if I'm wrong, one of you clever fuckers out there.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Sweet Baby Jesus - some highlights of my life
Do you know, and this is God's honest truth right, once I was making love to a woman and that's what she cried out. That brought a smile to my smug little face.
But on a more serious note, I once hit a six into the river at Lustleigh cricket ground - now that was satisfying cos I hated those bastards. That was not the only good thing that happened to me as far as the glorious game was concerned. I was once top scorer in a house match at my goddam awful grammar school that I went to. I hated the games teacher and he hated me so it was very satisfying to walk off the field top scorer and 'not out' and look him in the eye and smile. What a sweet day.
One day when I was at Home Park with my two boys, the officials were drawing out the half time lottery, and my son quietly said to me, 'Dad, we've won'. Picking up that cash after the match and sharing it between me and all my kids was fun.
Seriously now, and this is an important highlight here, so concentrate ok, working out that how you feel can be more about what is happening inside you rather than what's going on in the crazy outside world. Boy, that made a big difference to my life I'll tell you.
And finally, and I can't say getting married to my wife was the happiest day of my life, but as she is standing here looking over my shoulder at what I type, I'd better just say, it was one of the best days and I love her.
See ya.
But on a more serious note, I once hit a six into the river at Lustleigh cricket ground - now that was satisfying cos I hated those bastards. That was not the only good thing that happened to me as far as the glorious game was concerned. I was once top scorer in a house match at my goddam awful grammar school that I went to. I hated the games teacher and he hated me so it was very satisfying to walk off the field top scorer and 'not out' and look him in the eye and smile. What a sweet day.
One day when I was at Home Park with my two boys, the officials were drawing out the half time lottery, and my son quietly said to me, 'Dad, we've won'. Picking up that cash after the match and sharing it between me and all my kids was fun.
Seriously now, and this is an important highlight here, so concentrate ok, working out that how you feel can be more about what is happening inside you rather than what's going on in the crazy outside world. Boy, that made a big difference to my life I'll tell you.
And finally, and I can't say getting married to my wife was the happiest day of my life, but as she is standing here looking over my shoulder at what I type, I'd better just say, it was one of the best days and I love her.
See ya.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
The Family Motto
Today I was about to go outside to start my jobs when I realised I needed a pee. I had already laced up my boots so I thought rather than take them off or risk being caught walking through the house with them on, I'd take a pee in the yard. I have this little spot where I generally pee, it's round the back of a shed and the view from there across the valley is quite inspiring first thing in the morning. Of course the price you pay for a view is the wind and boy do we catch it up here. I actually really like the wind - it keeps people away from the place which suits me cos I hate people (most of them, not you obviously).
So anyway, I take a look at the view, and got ready to take my pee. Then without so much as a thought, I turned a 180 to get the wind onto my back. Nothing is a substitute for years of experience and the satisfaction of seeing your pee streaming out in front of you can only fill you with gratitude. Wisdom my friends comes with age but only if you want it.
So there you are, the secret of my success is out. Feel free to share the simple pleasure that comes from observing the one simple rule of life. Don't piss into the wind.
So anyway, I take a look at the view, and got ready to take my pee. Then without so much as a thought, I turned a 180 to get the wind onto my back. Nothing is a substitute for years of experience and the satisfaction of seeing your pee streaming out in front of you can only fill you with gratitude. Wisdom my friends comes with age but only if you want it.
So there you are, the secret of my success is out. Feel free to share the simple pleasure that comes from observing the one simple rule of life. Don't piss into the wind.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Ten days with Mark Rashid and some other stuff.
Home at last after a 12 day break. Slept in my own bed last night which was such a relief. No painful springs coming through the mattress, and no drunks walking outside the window, and no police sirens throughout the night. The last 4 nights in that Watford B&B were a bit on the torturous side for my tired body.
We've been regularly watching Mark work for about six years now and we pretty much model our horsework on his. Mark is unique among horse trainers that I have ever seen in that he appears to genuinely never see the horse as a separate confrontational being. Every situation is dealt with from the point of view that the horse is trying his best with the information he has available, to give us what we want. There is never any attempt to bully anything into or out of a horse - everything that is done is done to help the horse in a way that the horse can logiclly understand, and always with the total aim of working without causing fear or confusion in the horse.
Because we have spent hours studying Mark's work, and years working ourselves trying to use a similar approach, it is always interesting when people start to ask questions along the lines of, 'well, how do you deal with your horse when he tries to take the mickey', or 'well, my horse is really naughty so....', or 'my horse is always trying to make a fool of me'. All these examples are concepts that are very very common amongst horse people, teachers and trainers throughout the world, but now to us, we see as complete and utter nonsense.
It is a fact that if you make it clear to the horse what you want him to do, and you offer the incentive of safety, security, and softness in return, then virtually every horse will willingly come through with the goods in the best way he can at the time.
The whole experience of studying in these clinics is very interesting - watching 20 plus different horses in eighty lessons over 10 days can feel a bit like being in a marathon at times - there aren't many people hanging in there like we do, and there are quite a few who don't stay long. But there is something going on which you can only really see over time. There is a theme underlying all the work - the theme of softness in the horse and the handler, and after a while you start to see it as the very real thing that is holding the whole thing together. To wander in and watch a couple of hours is obviously worthwhile, but the danger is you walk away with a few techniques in your mind, or some kind of snapshot judgement, instead of the real experience underlying the whole situation.
So that's the horsemanship, but there's more. Mark is a very interesting guy who makes no secret of the fact that there is more to life than horses. For him it is a way to be the human being he wants to be. Mark takes a very disciplined approach to what he does and also to quieting and training his mind. This is doubly interesting to me because I completely relate to what he is talking about in terms of the goal, and to a degree I use the same approach in the way I work.
But seeing Mark and the way he approaches his life always stirs stuff up in me way beyond the horses. For me (cos I am a lazy git) I have long ago abandoned all attempts at any plan of self-discipline in my life - I approach my life second by second without any code of behaviour or plan of action. I take every decison whenever it happens at the time it faces me with whatever information I have available at the time. Since I have been going along like this, so far things have been working out pretty fine really. Not a lot has changed in terms of what I actually do because actually I reach much the same decisions that I used to reach when I had a moral code or a plan of action. So for instance, here is an extreme example, suppose I get the chance to run off with a beautiful woman (dream on I hear you say), in the past I wouldn't have taken it up cos of my moral code - nowadays I wouldn't take it up cos of the pain and confusion it would cause (of course I don't know what i would actually do for sure until the moment I make the decision).
I no longer have to think about moral issues or make judgements about stuff I can't work out. I try to live my life from my heart and not from my mind. To me it feels like freedom and it so suits a lazy sod like me.
We've been regularly watching Mark work for about six years now and we pretty much model our horsework on his. Mark is unique among horse trainers that I have ever seen in that he appears to genuinely never see the horse as a separate confrontational being. Every situation is dealt with from the point of view that the horse is trying his best with the information he has available, to give us what we want. There is never any attempt to bully anything into or out of a horse - everything that is done is done to help the horse in a way that the horse can logiclly understand, and always with the total aim of working without causing fear or confusion in the horse.
Because we have spent hours studying Mark's work, and years working ourselves trying to use a similar approach, it is always interesting when people start to ask questions along the lines of, 'well, how do you deal with your horse when he tries to take the mickey', or 'well, my horse is really naughty so....', or 'my horse is always trying to make a fool of me'. All these examples are concepts that are very very common amongst horse people, teachers and trainers throughout the world, but now to us, we see as complete and utter nonsense.
It is a fact that if you make it clear to the horse what you want him to do, and you offer the incentive of safety, security, and softness in return, then virtually every horse will willingly come through with the goods in the best way he can at the time.
The whole experience of studying in these clinics is very interesting - watching 20 plus different horses in eighty lessons over 10 days can feel a bit like being in a marathon at times - there aren't many people hanging in there like we do, and there are quite a few who don't stay long. But there is something going on which you can only really see over time. There is a theme underlying all the work - the theme of softness in the horse and the handler, and after a while you start to see it as the very real thing that is holding the whole thing together. To wander in and watch a couple of hours is obviously worthwhile, but the danger is you walk away with a few techniques in your mind, or some kind of snapshot judgement, instead of the real experience underlying the whole situation.
So that's the horsemanship, but there's more. Mark is a very interesting guy who makes no secret of the fact that there is more to life than horses. For him it is a way to be the human being he wants to be. Mark takes a very disciplined approach to what he does and also to quieting and training his mind. This is doubly interesting to me because I completely relate to what he is talking about in terms of the goal, and to a degree I use the same approach in the way I work.
But seeing Mark and the way he approaches his life always stirs stuff up in me way beyond the horses. For me (cos I am a lazy git) I have long ago abandoned all attempts at any plan of self-discipline in my life - I approach my life second by second without any code of behaviour or plan of action. I take every decison whenever it happens at the time it faces me with whatever information I have available at the time. Since I have been going along like this, so far things have been working out pretty fine really. Not a lot has changed in terms of what I actually do because actually I reach much the same decisions that I used to reach when I had a moral code or a plan of action. So for instance, here is an extreme example, suppose I get the chance to run off with a beautiful woman (dream on I hear you say), in the past I wouldn't have taken it up cos of my moral code - nowadays I wouldn't take it up cos of the pain and confusion it would cause (of course I don't know what i would actually do for sure until the moment I make the decision).
I no longer have to think about moral issues or make judgements about stuff I can't work out. I try to live my life from my heart and not from my mind. To me it feels like freedom and it so suits a lazy sod like me.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Away with the Fairies
My apologies to any readers of this blog for the utter lack of entertainment you will find within it.
No excuses really - I'm just one in ten billion human beings on the planet, sadly one of the more boring ones. I did hear a joke the other day but I can't remember it. I do have one joke but I think I may have used it in an earlier post. But for new readers here it is again.
How do you get a nun pregnant?
Anyway, I'm away this week watching and learning loads of useful stuff from my favourite horse trainer. Done four days so far and six more to go. I'm not going to bore you all with the details but suffice to say, and this is surely a good lesson for life too, generally speaking, the more gently you go the better result you get.
When I get back I will catch up and comment on all my buddies blogs, I promise.
No excuses really - I'm just one in ten billion human beings on the planet, sadly one of the more boring ones. I did hear a joke the other day but I can't remember it. I do have one joke but I think I may have used it in an earlier post. But for new readers here it is again.
How do you get a nun pregnant?
Anyway, I'm away this week watching and learning loads of useful stuff from my favourite horse trainer. Done four days so far and six more to go. I'm not going to bore you all with the details but suffice to say, and this is surely a good lesson for life too, generally speaking, the more gently you go the better result you get.
When I get back I will catch up and comment on all my buddies blogs, I promise.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Tom909s guide to Bossy Women
Dontcha just love em!
So here are my top four rules of how to deal with bossy women. And just remember, I am a man of some experience in this area - right now I have my wife Sarah, my SL girlfriend Rosie, and Pammie, plus my two daughters all going at me.
Hopefully these rules will be of use to all you guys who, like me, just roll over far too easily when a pretty lady comes up to you and, oh so sweetly, tells you what to do.
Rule number one, which is an absolute must, for god's sake never ever let it get to the list stage. Once you have a list I'm not sure there is any way back. It is a very basic fact of life that there is no end to a list of jobs, so don't even try.
Rule number two, and this is also very important, hand over all power on any decisions that make no difference - with some women just this simple act alone is enough to fulfil all their bossy needs.
Rule number three, if things start to get bad and you start to get really serious instructions to do difficult stuff, one very important tactic that can be very effective, is to just say yes, promise some imminent action but kind of not do a lot. This is by far a better approach than going in for a confrontation that you will almost certainly lose.
Rule number four, always be real generous with the love you give to your lady. This can deflect so much hassle, and they like this so much they often forget how good you are at doing all those little annoying jobs around the place.
So here are my top four rules of how to deal with bossy women. And just remember, I am a man of some experience in this area - right now I have my wife Sarah, my SL girlfriend Rosie, and Pammie, plus my two daughters all going at me.
Hopefully these rules will be of use to all you guys who, like me, just roll over far too easily when a pretty lady comes up to you and, oh so sweetly, tells you what to do.
Rule number one, which is an absolute must, for god's sake never ever let it get to the list stage. Once you have a list I'm not sure there is any way back. It is a very basic fact of life that there is no end to a list of jobs, so don't even try.
Rule number two, and this is also very important, hand over all power on any decisions that make no difference - with some women just this simple act alone is enough to fulfil all their bossy needs.
Rule number three, if things start to get bad and you start to get really serious instructions to do difficult stuff, one very important tactic that can be very effective, is to just say yes, promise some imminent action but kind of not do a lot. This is by far a better approach than going in for a confrontation that you will almost certainly lose.
Rule number four, always be real generous with the love you give to your lady. This can deflect so much hassle, and they like this so much they often forget how good you are at doing all those little annoying jobs around the place.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
A love letter to Pammie
Dearest Pammy
I know I've kind of covered this before a bit but I still think about it a lot. I guess it's because when I read your posts I see how your life is and has been so different to mine, and yet somehow we are dear friends. I will never change for anyone, not even for you Pammie babe, so I take my hat off to you for not judging me and for accepting me as I am.
I dont know if you are interested or not but here are some key points from my life so far. Really I'm doing this so that you can maybe get to know me better, and get a bit of a picture of why I am like I am - no other reason - and certainly I accept that in the great spectrum of human existence, my life has been an utter privilege.
At the age of 13 I first got drunk (on rough cider)
At the age of 17 I had my first girl, and 'All you need is Love' was released
At the age of 18 I smoked my first joint, dropped my first acid tab, and my first son was born
At the age of 20 I kind off started to realise that the real important stuff going on in this life was within me.
At the age of 21 I was sitting on a beach in India stoned out of my brains
At the age of 22 I gave up using drugs (almost anyway)
At the age of 23 I got married and my first daughter was born
At the age of 28 I had four beatiful children (5 if you count my first son)
At the age of 30 I was divorced
At the age of 31 I married my present wife, and our son was born
At the age of 45 I met my first son who I had only ever seen for two hours when he was one.
So Pammy, that's enough of this self-indulgent crap. I just wanted you to know why I think the way I do. I have so loved my life so far.
love
Tom909
I know I've kind of covered this before a bit but I still think about it a lot. I guess it's because when I read your posts I see how your life is and has been so different to mine, and yet somehow we are dear friends. I will never change for anyone, not even for you Pammie babe, so I take my hat off to you for not judging me and for accepting me as I am.
I dont know if you are interested or not but here are some key points from my life so far. Really I'm doing this so that you can maybe get to know me better, and get a bit of a picture of why I am like I am - no other reason - and certainly I accept that in the great spectrum of human existence, my life has been an utter privilege.
At the age of 13 I first got drunk (on rough cider)
At the age of 17 I had my first girl, and 'All you need is Love' was released
At the age of 18 I smoked my first joint, dropped my first acid tab, and my first son was born
At the age of 20 I kind off started to realise that the real important stuff going on in this life was within me.
At the age of 21 I was sitting on a beach in India stoned out of my brains
At the age of 22 I gave up using drugs (almost anyway)
At the age of 23 I got married and my first daughter was born
At the age of 28 I had four beatiful children (5 if you count my first son)
At the age of 30 I was divorced
At the age of 31 I married my present wife, and our son was born
At the age of 45 I met my first son who I had only ever seen for two hours when he was one.
So Pammy, that's enough of this self-indulgent crap. I just wanted you to know why I think the way I do. I have so loved my life so far.
love
Tom909
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
One day in History
Wake up at 5.45.
Sit for one hour focussing my mind away from thought and onto the life within me.
Get up and log in to Second Life. Spend two hours talking to my friend who had just been dumped by her SL boyfriend. Couldn't really cheer her up much but arranged to talk again at lunchtime.
8.00 Take my wife a cup of tea in bed.
Have my breakfast - two slices of home-made organic wholemeal bread with organic spread and marmalade on, and two mugs of tea.
Go outside and feed the lambs. Bring my horse in and give him a feed. Spend about an hour grooming my horse and trimming his feet. Do a really good job.
11.00 Have a coffee.
Sharon and Maureen arrive to work with the horse they are buying from us. I help them for a while. We longline the horse up the road to get her used to traffic and to teach her to walk forward on cue.
1.oo Spend more time with my SL friend - she is a lot happier now. My wife Sarah brings me my lunch which I eat while I am sitting at my computer.
After lunch we go out and I trim Sarah's horse's feet and then we go and worm a sheep that has an obvious problem - being organic we are not allowed to routine worm, we can only worm in obvious cases of necessity. I feed the cats in the barn.
Sarah spends the rest of the afternoon working on her book on the computer. I do some research into some machinery we need on the farm. I feel tired so I take a nap - I've been doing this now for a few days, I'm really starting to enjoy my afternoon naps - my Dad naps too so I feel good about it.
Wake up and check my blog and those of my blogging friends, especially Vicus who is one of my oldest buddies. See this thing about a day in history and decide I should join in.
Spend an hour writing my post.....
For the purposes of completing a day, the rest of the day is what I think is going to happen. If it is dramatically different I will tell you tomorrow.
Sarah is going well on her book so I make supper. Tonight I make a rice and vegetable cheese bake - yummy! We eat pretty much 100% organic and we love our food. Afterwards we have a smoothy made from banana, apple, yoghurt and soya milk - yummy.
After supper Sarah watches telly and I go on Second Life. Just so you know, I have a little character on there who I roleplay - he is quite like me in some ways but quite different in others. I meet up with my SL friends, especially my little character's SL girlfriend Rosie who comes from Arizona USA. I love these little friends that I have on SL - they come from all over the place and we have really good chats about all sorts of stuff. Sometimes it is so funny I role about laughing, other times it is very sad, other times it is serious, sometimes stuff about politics, or often philosophy with my friend Wolf. Most days we have lots of banter and lots of stuff about relationships. We know each other so well - it is frighteningly real at times.
Sarah goes to bed about 10.30 and by the time I get up to bed at about 12.30 she is fast asleep. I climb into bed and lie by her side. I listen to her breathing and thank God for giving me a wife I love and for allowing me to experience this creation.
I am soon fast asleep.
This post has been sent to - One Day in History - see Vicus Scurra for link.
Sit for one hour focussing my mind away from thought and onto the life within me.
Get up and log in to Second Life. Spend two hours talking to my friend who had just been dumped by her SL boyfriend. Couldn't really cheer her up much but arranged to talk again at lunchtime.
8.00 Take my wife a cup of tea in bed.
Have my breakfast - two slices of home-made organic wholemeal bread with organic spread and marmalade on, and two mugs of tea.
Go outside and feed the lambs. Bring my horse in and give him a feed. Spend about an hour grooming my horse and trimming his feet. Do a really good job.
11.00 Have a coffee.
Sharon and Maureen arrive to work with the horse they are buying from us. I help them for a while. We longline the horse up the road to get her used to traffic and to teach her to walk forward on cue.
1.oo Spend more time with my SL friend - she is a lot happier now. My wife Sarah brings me my lunch which I eat while I am sitting at my computer.
After lunch we go out and I trim Sarah's horse's feet and then we go and worm a sheep that has an obvious problem - being organic we are not allowed to routine worm, we can only worm in obvious cases of necessity. I feed the cats in the barn.
Sarah spends the rest of the afternoon working on her book on the computer. I do some research into some machinery we need on the farm. I feel tired so I take a nap - I've been doing this now for a few days, I'm really starting to enjoy my afternoon naps - my Dad naps too so I feel good about it.
Wake up and check my blog and those of my blogging friends, especially Vicus who is one of my oldest buddies. See this thing about a day in history and decide I should join in.
Spend an hour writing my post.....
For the purposes of completing a day, the rest of the day is what I think is going to happen. If it is dramatically different I will tell you tomorrow.
Sarah is going well on her book so I make supper. Tonight I make a rice and vegetable cheese bake - yummy! We eat pretty much 100% organic and we love our food. Afterwards we have a smoothy made from banana, apple, yoghurt and soya milk - yummy.
After supper Sarah watches telly and I go on Second Life. Just so you know, I have a little character on there who I roleplay - he is quite like me in some ways but quite different in others. I meet up with my SL friends, especially my little character's SL girlfriend Rosie who comes from Arizona USA. I love these little friends that I have on SL - they come from all over the place and we have really good chats about all sorts of stuff. Sometimes it is so funny I role about laughing, other times it is very sad, other times it is serious, sometimes stuff about politics, or often philosophy with my friend Wolf. Most days we have lots of banter and lots of stuff about relationships. We know each other so well - it is frighteningly real at times.
Sarah goes to bed about 10.30 and by the time I get up to bed at about 12.30 she is fast asleep. I climb into bed and lie by her side. I listen to her breathing and thank God for giving me a wife I love and for allowing me to experience this creation.
I am soon fast asleep.
This post has been sent to - One Day in History - see Vicus Scurra for link.
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