Mystery

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Hubby played a prophet in one of the Mystery Plays a few years ago. It was outside but his big booming voice could be heard by the audience sitting on the green. He could project his voice over the traffic noise. If he had been bought up in a more middle class environment I’m sure he would have been an actor. But mental health meant he struggled to remember all his words. We also did the local amateur panto together. He got a pretend Oscar one year for most enthusiastic entrance (or something like that). He was a marvellous, memorable man.

Sarcastic humour

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I wanted to explain sarcasm, then I saw this sign! British people are quite sarcastic also called ‘sarcy’ ‘taking the pis*’, ‘taking the pee’ ‘taking the mik’or ‘mikky’. We often love to make a sarcastic joke of things. For instance pointing out trump means to fart loudly (break wind) in this country. We find that amusing.

I think some countries just don’t get it, their humour is more literal. That may go to explain why it can be harder to understand each other’s languages and empathise with each other.

Some parts of Britain can be even more sarcastic I think the Midlands are particularly like this? They play with word sounds and make puns and skits that will cause fits of laughter for some but not others. It’s good to have a laugh!

Freedom should be fair.

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What does freedom mean to you?

Freedom should go hand in hand with equality. The right to speak out about problems in society, to try and eradicate things like torture and violence and wars. To reduce poverty and share resources and responsibilities more fairly. And also allow religious freedom as long as it doesn’t discriminate against others.

I know it’s impossible. Human behaviour makes selfishness and greed almost impossible to avoid. But we should try. Some rich people create foundations to make their wealth go to the poorest, the most needy. They show up the other wealthy millionaires and billionaires as people stifling equality and freedom.

Freedom is the ability to learn. To understand, to share knowledge. To show we are more than bluntly uncaring primates. Perhaps our anticedents with simpler lives may have been happier than modern humans can ever be. I am a naive idealistic person but I do care.

Cappuccino and a muffin.

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I do like drawing in my little sketchbook. It’s getting full of pictures and poems and some short stories.

This morning a friend took me out so we had a cappuccino and a muffin. It was lovely to have a chat. I decided to draw what was on the table so here’s the result. I like crosshatching to add shape and shade to make it more 3 dimensional.

We were talking to the waitress and and she saw my sketches. She said that she used to be good at art and sometimes shows her children how to do things. I suggested she get a little sketchbook to start drawing in again, I hope she does.

Retirement!

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What is your career plan?

Playing mahjong

I’ve worked long and hard

Given work some welly

Retirement would be fine

I mean resting and learning

New things.

I’m semi retired now

But I’m below retirement age

Which keeps moving on

I would have retired four years ago

Except they changed the rules…

Ah well at least I can.

Trying to do a self portrait

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Not right yet, eyes too close together, my nose is too long. But it’s getting there slowly. I need to try and make the eyes slightly smaller too. I tend to paint self portraits straight on although I might try and do a three quarter profile one instead as it can be more dynamic. This took about an hour and a half. In acrylic on canvas.

VE celebrations

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80 years ago, on the 8th of May 1945, Hitler was defeated in the second world war. But that was only in Europe, the war actually ended on 2nd September of the same year when Japan surrendered.

It’s significant that it is the 80th year as it is  probably the last time that many veterans from the war will be able to celebrate it because if they were 21 (start of adulthood) when they joined up they would be 101 or older now.

Memories fade but this is a way to remember the joy of the ending of the conflict, although not for everyone. We should remember those that were injured or wounded, either in the military or civilian. Those that were made homeless or those that lost relatives and friends. I’m glad and sad in equal measure.

Communication or not?

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I have a good friend who has become slightly obsessed with a subject. She is determined to get her point of view across but I fundamentally disagree with her. I said as much on a post today but she wasn’t impressed. I can’t get her to understand you shouldn’t tar everyone with the same brush. Not everyone is the same, not everyone of a certain type of person will act in a specific way.

She started to talk about someone and I pointed out that my examples were not that person and I wasn’t going to describe or identify them. I don’t think that’s the right thing to do in public.

So why talk about communication? Well it’s that thing about nuance. Unless you write exactly the right words it’s hard to get your point across. Typing and texting don’t show emotions so maybe physically talking to that person might get your message across better than in writing. At the moment I’m nervous to respond to her, I  don’t want to lose her friendship.