Saturday 29 December 2007

A long break...

And I don't mean DD's arm or Amanda's knee!

Life seems to have overtaken blogging for the last few weeks. Maybe I've just had nothing much to say...

Not that I have too much to say today, apart from Happy New Year to everybody.

And with that, the thoughts turn to resolutions. I'm no big fan of New Year's resolutions, mainly due to my complete inability to stick to them. But I was interested to read of the psychologists analysis of them, what works, what doesn't etc etc.

So for men, we seem to be playing up to the 'can't multi-task' stereotype by saying that we do best if we have one very specific resolution and concentrate on that. We also need to break our goals down into small manageable steps so we don't get disheartened by too high a mountain to climb.

Not to be outdone, women have to live up to one of their stereotypes and talk a lot about their resolutions to other people, enrolling them to help, support and encourage.

It also seems to be important not to leave it all til New Years Eve.

So, to back this up, I thought we could use the blog as a public service broadcast tool.

I have one very specific resolution (no multi-tasking whatsoever required) that I have already decided on (well in advance of New Years Eve), have lots of small intermediate goals towards achieving the big one, and I'm not going to tell you all what it is (not being a woman - at least last time I checked).

For you women out there, you can tell us all about any resolutions you want to, and will, I'm sure, receive much virtual support and encouragement in achieving your goals for 2008.

For the guys, pick one thing and don't tell us what it is...

Tuesday 11 December 2007

Ha ha ha!

Laugh? I nearly cried.


Now Professor Richard Dawkins thinks he is a 'cultural Christian'. He has spent a good deal of the last decade or more having a go at Christians (and those of other faiths) culminating in his latest book which I understand labels all believers in God as deluded. Not wanting to add to his wealth I haven't read it myself...but I think the basic message as reported in the media is quite clear without reading it.


Well, I'm afraid I've got some bad news for the professor...he is one of the deluded ones too if he thinks that there is such a thing as a 'cultural Christian'.


This is actually one of the biggest delusions around. Christianity is about faith not culture. Islam is about faith not culture. And it pretty much goes for all religions too. Including atheism. And as you know, I see atheism as a matter of faith and therefore also a religion.


I wonder why people, especially atheists like Dawkins, want so badly to associate themselves with the word 'Christian' even if 'only' in a cultural sense when they say they don't believe any of it? Nagging doubts, maybe? Hedging your bets?


Perhaps he hasn't thoroughly thought it through after all...

Monday 10 December 2007

Dog (collar) gone

I just wanted to say a quick word of support for the actions of Archbishop John Sentamu on Sunday - if you didn't see/hear it he has cut up his dog collar and refuses to wear it again until Mugabe has gone from office.

It may only be a symbol but I certainly think it's a better one than the symbol that many others have given and continue to give by doing absolutely nothing.

Sunday 9 December 2007

Sports personality?

I used to be a fan of the BBC Sports Personality. It always seemed to be given to someone that embodied sportsmanship, excellence, endeavour and commitment. Now I'm sure that recent winners and placeholders do indeed exhibit these characteristics. And who am I to criticise a royal, a local boy racer done good or two blokes from Wales/Manchester that could definitely lay me out with one punch?

What bothers me is that under my, admittedly very strict, personal definition of 'sport' developed during my teenage years, neither an activity that involves an equine quadruped doing the majority of the work nor a savage display of pugilistic brutality qualify. So under my rules, neither a horse rider nor a boxer can ever rightfully be the 'Sports' Personality of the Year.

This year's event ran particularly contrary to my rules, with all 3 of the trophy winners representing what I call 'pastimes' rather than sports -two savages and a man who relies on millions of pounds worth of technology...

I know they are all very dedicated. I know they are all very fit. I know they all do stuff that I can't. But that's not enough to make it sport. Not in my book.

Discuss. (Or doesn't anyone else care?)

Thursday 6 December 2007

What was he thinking?

The 'missing' canoeist, that is.

I understand what he was thinking at the time. Devious and underhand and fraudulent, very probably...yet to be proven, innocent until proven guilty and all that. But understandable.

No, what I want to know is this - why did he turn up in a police station now? Why not stay in Panama? Nobody would have been any the wiser...what was he thinking?

Monday 3 December 2007

House addict!

It really does say something when the best option for TV viewing is the original pilot episode of House. Again. It wasn't repeated long ago, they've run out of other episodes to show so now we're back at the beginning again. But then who's complaining? Cameron was hot in the first place and still is. It's good background noise while I'm printing some other stuff out and 'working' on the laptop.

Back in the semi-real world, I finished my novel synopsis today. Condensing 93,000 words down to a 750 word summary has been quite a challenge. The first three chapters have been edited to the 'I'm happy to send them out' stage. So there's no stopping me now. Well, except for editing the other 9 chapters, agents rejections, publisher rejections if I get an agent to accept me, and then if I'm really lucky, critic rejections! I'm looking forward to those - because at least that means the thing is published and out there!