Mess about with Stylesheets…
As yet not happy with it… but have to go to a Tupperware Party (gak).. Check back in for updates later
Keeping up with Popular Culture
Not being one to shrink from conversation with the masses I have been finding myself at a bit of a loss in not being able to discuss things like The Da Vinci Code and the latest Harry Potter volumes.
So, I have not been blogging as I have had, as they say, my nose in a book.
My impressions of Da Vinci code as a novel were favourable. I do find it amusing that people are turning it into a gospel of sorts… fascinating… But the pace was good, and it will make an interesting movie though quite why they want to make a movie out of a book that EVERYBODY has read is quite beyond me…
Anyway… then to Harry.
I am a long time Harry fan actually, much to the dismay of some of my colleagues (I work in a church right?? (and Flick for that matter)). I was never denied the pleasures of any kind of book as a child and all of us were encouraged into all kinds of literature (ok, with the exception of s*xual content…) without fear of undue influence from ‘The Other Side’.
So one may wonder why it is that none of my family have turned into S*tanists and why we all seem none the worse for wear for having read such things as Roald Dahl’s slightly objectionable short stories and various tales of wizadry and witchcraft such as the Hobbit and LOTR. Maybe the other influences in our home were more, well, influential. I certainly learned early not to believe everything that you read… even in the newspapers. (No offence intended to you fishsoup!!)
Happy Post
It arrived!!!! Thanks to Fishsoup my parcel arrived on Friday… What great fun to get a package in the mail. Not nearly enough of it done in these days of emailing…
Anyway the happy package contained.
Some of Fishsoups writings taken from the illustrious publication for which she works.
A Lush Bath Bomb which I plan on trying out tonight.
Marks and Spencers Pig Candy which escaped as soon as the bag was opened… I shouldn’t have let them out in the office…
Chocolate Coins which have all been spent *grin*
A Monet Postcard… he’s my favourite painter… how did you know??
A little wooden cross from Kitgum Uganda a place which A) I have heard of, and B) is significant because one of our church members runs an orphange there!!! Perfect!
A gorgeous face mask from a fancy spa…
Earl Grey tea… how’s that for English??
A key ring from M.I.L.K with a gorgeous picture on it.
A Rose Candle.
All in all quite a bounty!!! Thanks Fish. It was great fun opening the package and pulling out all this cool stuff!
One Year On
It hardly seems credible to me that I have been doing this for a year.
A whole year.
It is mysterious indeed that I have never been able to support a diary in a book with any regularity at all; a week maybe but no more, and yet, a journal that amounts to the same thing has gone on for a year and seems likely to go on to another… maybe more!!
My friends are fairly mystified as to the appeal of this blogging phenomenon. It has caused me to pause for thought as to why I do it. On the face of it, t is somewhat strange to reveal so much of one’s life to strangers and yet this has felt like a totally natural thing to do!
Over the course of the year I have been greatly encouraged by the support I have received as part of the blogging community, I have made friends, people I would never have ‘met’ otherwise and this has enriched my life greatly… I have explored Orthodoxy along with Ian, I have been prodded to sing more by Semele and I have laughed out loud at Yay’sTales. With honorable mentions of course to Smudgie and Jack… (yes, of course and Everyone Else!!!) It’s marvellous to be part of this community!! Really marvellous. I have learned so much, laughed as we have swapped faith stories, and family stories, and celebrated life… with all it’s perils and pitfalls and tragedy and comedy!! When it all comes down, that’s what friendship’s about isn’t it?
I guess the appeal for me about writing this journal goes beyond the community aspect. I simply write about me. My thoughts and feelings, my successes and failings. So while I have maintained the blog because of the community of the readership I really only write it for me.
That means what I write is simply for my benefit, and I derive a great deal of benefit from writing my thoughts down, it helps me solidify what I am feeling, sifting the good from the bad.
Some process life by drawing I guess, others by playing piano or mowing the lawn… Me? I process in text… So, while you hear a great deal about my life you don’t hear it all, the stuff that doesn’t get processed in public does in fact get processed in text… just in the old fashioned, hand written kind!!! And a lot less regularly!
However as this is feeling a bit garbled.. and not really very helpful at processing my thoughts about blogging (because it’s midnight here…)
What I really want to say is simply: Thanks.
For reading along, for praying, for meeting up, for playing WISE, for the laughs, the tears and for the community.
Because sometimes, even with our brilliant homes and families and church fellowships we need people who are outside of our usual sphere to make us open our eyes to a bigger world than the one we live in.
And better still to help us laugh at it.