Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope … and that enables you to laugh at all of life’s realities.
[Theodor S Geisel (Dr Seuss)]
Category Archives: thoughts
Chemistry is …
I moved to London in 1973 to study Chemistry at University College, London. Here, if nothing else, I learnt that at degree level, Chemistry is Physics, Physics is Maths and Maths is impossible.
[Martin Dixon, Chairman of Subterranea Britannica]
I can tell Martin that it doesn’t change at post-grad level either! Except possibly to add that Maths is Computing.
Deep Thought from Osho
I’ve recently picked up a couple of books by the mystic teacher Osho* and have been flicking through them. This is from his volume Intimacy; it seems strangely relevant:
This society is a power-oriented society. This society is still utterly primitive, utterly barbarian. A few people – politicians, priests, professors – are dominating millions. And this society is run in such a way that no child is allowed to have intelligence. It is a sheer accident that once in a while a Buddha arrives on the earth […] Somehow, once in a while a person escapes from the clutches of society. Once in a while a person remains unpoisoned by society. That must be because of some error, some mistake of society. Otherwise society succeeds […] in destroying your trust in yourself. And once that is done, you will never be able to trust anybody.
* Better known to those of us brought up on a diet of 60s/70s culture as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.
The Atheist's Prayer
I found this somewhere on the intertubes the other day and thought it should be more widely known.
The Atheist’s PrayerOur brains, which art in our heads,treasured be thy name.Thy reasoning come.Thy best you can do be done on earth as it is.Give us this day new insight to help usresolve conflicts and ease pain.And lead us not into supernatural explanations;deliver us from denial of logic.For thine is the kingdom of reason,and even though thy powers are limited,and you’re not always glorious,you are the best evolutionary adaptationwe have for helping this earth now andfor ever and ever.So be it.
Just for Fun Meme
Just for Fun Meme, originally uploaded by kcm76.
1. Project Manager Pig, 2. (another kind of) self-portrait, post (flesh/blue) self, 3. Music to My Ears, 4. EthnicRR India, 5. 365.153 – looking glass, 6. My Swearing Fridge, 7. one cherry, 8. WHY I LOVE MOM, 9. Persian Carpets, 10. I’m not just a music freak. I can read too!, 11. Tomatoes, 12. Rosa Tuscany – Old Velvet Rose
This turned out, quite unexpectedly, as an interesting colour progression!
Questions & Answers:
1. What is your occupation right now? IT Project Manager
2. What color are your socks right now? Flesh, ‘cos I ain’t wearing any
3. What are you listening to right now? My ears
4. Who is the last person you talked to on the phone? Robin in India
5. What is the last movie you watched? I don’t do films, so I don’t have a clue
6. How do you vent anger? By swearing
7. Cherries or Blueberries? Cherries, every time
8. When was the last time you cried? When the Floss cat died
9. What is on the floor of your closet? Carpet
10. What did you do last night? Read
11. What are you most afraid of? Not having money and health
12. What is your favorite flower? Old roses
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.
London Bridge Sheep
Earlier in the week around 500 Liverymen and Freemen of the City of London, many dressed in their royal blue robes and straw boaters, exercised their 11th century right to herd their sheep across London Bridge into the City without paying the bridge toll.
The procession was lead by Lord Mayor of the City of London, and part-time sheep farmer, David Lewis. He was accompanied by his official bodyguards, the Company of Pikemen and Musketeers, in their uniform which dates from the time of King Charles I.
While I was aware of this ancient right, I was not aware that it was ever exercised, and I’m delighted it is! It is these strange and ancient rights which add so much of the colour and eccentricity to English (British) life and sadly too many are being abandoned.
Further reports at, inter alia, Times Online and Daily Telegraph.
And further photos from cliffpatte at Flickr.
Hat tip Jilly at jillysheep.
Quote of the Day
Today’s Quotation of the Day:
It seems that the Republican Party in the United States has made an audacious bid to retain power by running Mr Burns and Marge Simpson as candidates for president and vice-president.
[John Doyle, TV critic, in his 2 September 2008 column]
Well it cracked me up, anyway.
Zen Mischievous Moments #144
Yesterday we were briefly in Rochester and stopped to have afternoon tea (well, tea and cake, not the full works with cucumber sandwiches, scones and jam, vicars, etc.) in the cathedral tea shop. I ordered a coffee for Noreen and a large pot of tea for me only to be told:
I can’t do you a large pot of tea, but I can do you a pot of tea for two.
Duh?!
Car Meme
Car Meme, originally uploaded by kcm76.
1. white and blue 68, 2. The Magic Flying Carpet, 3. Blue Heron Rayon Metallic (Blue Violet), 4. Supersonic Doubledek, 5. campus, early morning, snow, 6. frogish robot drives monster truck, 7. Tandem Flight into the Night, 8. tourist 4018, 9. IHC Hospital thru Main Rotor, 10. MGA through a river, 11. White Pegasus, 12. Spread your wings and fly away…
As I don’t drive (I never have and probably now never will) a slightly wacky, fantasy-esque, contribution this week. 🙂
The Questions & Answers:
1. What make or model was your first car? Pale blue Alfa Romeo Formula 1, circa 1960
2. What would be your dream vehicle? Magic carpet
3. What is your favorite color for a car? Metallic blue
4. What is your favorite speed to drive? Supersonic
5. Where is the stupidest place you’ve ever parked your car? In the village of War Drobe
6. Stick or Automatic? Robot-drive
7. What has been your favorite vehicle that you’ve owned? Tandem
8. How old were you when you got your drivers license? 4018
9. What is your favorite feature on a car/vehicle? Rotor blades
10. You’re going on a road trip – what vehicle would you rent if anything was available for you? MGA; and yes they did exist, quite some while before the much more famous MGB
11. Does your car have a name, if so what is it? Pegasus, unless you can think of a better name for a magic carpet!!
12. What one feature is a deal breaker in buying a car, ie: if the car doesn’t have it you won’t buy it? Wings; to go with the rotor-blades of course!
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.
Quote: Bicycles
Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There’s something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym.
[Bill Nye, The Science Guy]