The Speckled Goat
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Three well deserved points at Highbury last night in what is my last game of the season. A fantastic Jose Antonio Reyes strike from a near perfect ball issued by little Cesc Fabregas gave us the three points and kept that tiny, miniscule glimmer of light shining for the title. What we need now is for Chelski to choke.
Not going to happen is it. But whilst it is still mathematically possible we can hold on to the scintilla of sparkle. At least until Saturday.
Do you remember those world record attempts with all the dominoes? I used to love to sit and watch those episodes of 'Record Breakers' when they had those ones on there. The patience and determination of those people was astounding if you think about it. To tip just one started a whole cavalcade of topples, one after the other, in the most intricate of patterns. Then there were the times when they had set up hundreds of thousands of them and a cockroach would creep in the night before and knock them all down. That must have been heartbreaking.
But so satisfying for the cockroach.
We used to have a toy where lots of domino type things were attached to a plastic rack and you just flipped them all up then knocked them all down. Not so much fun. Not so satisfying as watching everything you have worked for go exactly according to plan.
If you do not put the effort in, if it wasn't you that did all the work, then things lose their shine in my opinion. Clearly it isn�t so for everyone. Some people it seems, like to be the one to come in at the end and push them all over, smile and say 'didn't I do well' - I think it takes a good person to bite their tongue and say nothing. After all, as long as you know the truth then it is ok right?
Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Little Andy Elson on the news that they are expecting their first baby in August!
It seems to be that it has been a long old winter. The weather has not been all that bad I suppose, there have been worse years. I just feel like it has ticked along for what seems like forever, no sun, nothing to bring a smile, long, dark, dismal days. The same old routines, never broken. Go to work in the dark, get home in the dark, not noticing the light of the day as it barely seems to register in your mind. As with yesterday, the weather today is dull and grey and uninspiring. Rain tapping on the windows albeit more gentle than in previous days, a dark sombre sky, no sunlight getting through.
However as I left the staffroom this morning, in the flowerbed on the playground a little bunch of crocus' were seated. They all smiled up at me as I passed, glowing gleefully purple, yellow and white. It was like one of those films where the director uses black and white except for the tiniest of details. They radiated out at me and made me stop to look. I all to often think about nothing but the negative, forget that there are brighter days to come. Just lately I have noticed things enkindling and after the long dark dormancy of the winter. It is nice to be reminded that I am still alive.
It does not take a lot. It is the little things :)
Reaching thirty has made me reconsider a few things. Firstly, why did I think it was such a big deal but also, in the way that most birthdays do, about what has happened in the last year.
There are times when you have to drop the old dead wood don't you think? You keep a grasp of things as you think they are part of you, when really, what is the point? If it doesn't make you happy then simply chip it off, tap away at it with a little rock hammer. Forget it. You do not need things that just weigh you down. If you tap hard enough, sometimes the rubbish falls away and what is revealed underneath is more shiny, more sparkly, more glittery and a whole lot more valuable.
Shame those little hammers are so sharp.
For a while now I have been living in one of those. In fact, I would say most of my life. There have been a variety of reasons for it, none of which I will list here. If you know me well, then you will no doubt be aware of some of them. It is difficult at times, to let those defences down, as when you do, someone inevitably wheels in a wooden horse. I have had a couple of conversations of late, where friends of mine have taken opposing sides on the argument. If you resist, then you are potentially losing out, if you acquiesce then out pop a gang of excitable Greeks, waving spears and shouting and you find yourself in rather a sticky spot. I can see merits in both viewpoints. I can also see, that sometimes you get no choice in the matter. Now I am not saying that there are any such choices to be made at this current time. I am not suggesting that there are a bunch of chaps in chitons rapping on my door and offering me equine gifts but the words from the poem keep springing back to mind...
'Start a huge, foolish project,
like Noah.
It makes absolutely no difference
what people think of you.'
Noah, as it turns out, was not so daft. If the rains had not come, then what of it? He would have had an interesting shaped house and could have repositioned himself as a zookeeper. Where was the risk? It is not like vicious, vengeful woodworm had holed themselves up inside a horse, ready to leap out and chomp their way through the ark is it?
Doing huge, foolish things means taking risks. If Noah had 'gone with the flow' and let it all wash over him he not be such a happy chap. Do I have to decide now? Can I not just hide away in my redoubt just a little longer?
I watched an excellent film last night. Having discussed classic films that they seem intent on remaking, along with ones they should just leave well alone...Nik mentioned 'Twelve Angry Men'. For those who have not seen it, (I doubt there are that many, I always seem to miss these things) a synopsis of the plot can be found here.
It is not often that a film draws out strong emotions from me, (other than if it should include feet or spiders of course) This one did however, I was angry with them and frustrated by their opinions along with their initial refusal to listen to eachother. I found it tense and emotional. I thought the way it was filmed was superb. Sidney Lumet's use of focus on tiny details to add to the tension, along with wider shots to make you feel you were seated at the table with them, was excellent. I thought the dialogue was gripping and intelligent. I was transfixed. So thanks Nik for sharing that with me. They just don�t make films like that anymore! Sadly it wont appeal to many people these days as it is not packed with special effects, expletives and a dumbed down 'explanation' of what is going on for the American audience.
If you haven't already, watch it. If you have, watch it again, remind yourself just how good a film it is. How a simple plot, expertly filmed with a superb dialogue is better than churned out formulaic special effects, expletives and violence.
No doubt I am late with this link and someone not so far away will point out they have seen it, in fact they 'saw it, like, 5 years ago or something' but it made me smile, I like them :) This is a site I like also.
All is quiet in the goathouse today, the breeze is blowing through the open window, the cats lay sleeping at my feet, soft purrs emanating from bundles of warm fur. I have a list of things to do as long as my arm, however the peace and calm of the day is too much of a distraction, perhaps a walk to the beach is a fairer bet?
It is hard to believe they are forecasting snow when the sky above the bay is so beautifully blue.
These spiritual window-shoppers,
who idly ask, 'How much is that?' Oh, I'm just looking.
They handle a hundred items and put them down,
shadows with no capital.
What is spent is love and two eyes wet with weeping.
But these walk into a shop,
and their whole lives pass suddenly in that moment,
in that shop.
Where did you go? "Nowhere."
What did you have to eat? "Nothing much."
Even if you don't know what you want,
buy _something,_ to be part of the exchanging flow.
Start a huge, foolish project,
like Noah.
It makes absolutely no difference
what people think of you.
Rumi, 'We Are Three', Mathnawi VI, 831-845
...Happy Birthday to Nik for last Wednesday, no more teasing me about being thirty now! Thank you for a very pleasant, throttle free day :)
Today it seems, is All Fools Day, also known as April Fools Day. Originally something to do with the change to the Gregorian Calendar and those who then 'forgot' and did not celebrate New Year on the correct day, I believe. There are no doubt many other reasons behind it.
There are many famous hoaxes - These are supposedly the Top 100 However, none of my mother's feature in that list and she deserves the number one spot.
My mother's top three:
#1 - Putting a note in my empty lunchbox at primary school that said 'April Fool'. There was no lunch...just the note. She had in fact paid for a school dinner but I was too shy to ask the scary dinner lady so I just cried and remained convinced that I would starve all day :)
#2 - Sewing up the arms and legs on Dan's Pj's when he was camping.
#3 - Putting women's underwear in Dad's briefcase for work.
There were many, many more over the years, most of which we can remember with a smile :) Thanks Mum.
