Food For Thought.

Roberto Matta.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Matta 

Over the weekend I talked to several friends on the telephone, as a result the conversations have given me a lot to think about.

Thoughts about widely diverging topics, one of which was the idea of campaigning for men who abandon their children to be jailed.

After talking with a friend who mentioned this idea, I thought about it and decided that it reconfirmed for me once again why I was totally opposed to prison changing behaviour.

Prison does not in my opinion stop people from offending, all it does is punish and warehouse offenders, jailing men for not being good fathers is not I think a good idea.

Men contrary to popular belief are not the only ones to leave their children, women also abandon their children, something that does not get mentioned often.

Perhaps community service orders where parents could work on community-based projects as well as parenting courses might be more beneficial than detention in prison.

The other was about an unpleasant incident being able to upset somebody so much that they could become quite prejudiced about the country in which it happened.

I think it is quite understandable that somebody should be wary after something unpleasant happening to them, but not prejudiced against the country.

Even that I can understand happening, especially if depressed, or under pressure, bad experiences can have quite an effect.

There have been times when I have had to have a good think about my reactions usually once I've thought about why it happened I've been able to deal with the situation much better.

The last was about birthdays, and whether or not to celebrate them, apart from a brief period in the 1980s when I was depressed I love celebrating my birthday.

I think it is a lovely thing to do especially because it is an excellent reason to invite close friends, acquaintances as well as new friends to join in.

Years ago I would try and avoid my birthday, then I began to enjoy them again, especially the ones since I met Richie in 1989.

One thing that used to worry me was getting too much attention, it made me feel self-conscious now I realise that I enjoy it very much.

My upbringing was all about being modest, self-effacing and not speaking until spoken to, not asking but waiting, all of which were recommended as virtues.

In the years after leaving home I realised that none of these things were virtues in fact they were as far as I could see the total opposite.

All those so-called virtues are as far as I'm concerned seemed to be just means to curb individuality and freedom of expression.

I'm all in favour of individuality, freedom of expression and enjoying every moment possible, any reason for having a party with friends is good.

Sadly No Progress.

German Art

Yesterday was a good day, not as busy as some of my Birthdays in the past.

But nevertheless it was a pleasant day with a few surprises.

I now have 4 big bunches of flowers plus 4 small roses in pots adorning my bedroom.

The hyacinths in one bunch really scents the room up nicely, love their scent, it really is the first delightful scent of spring.

Got quite worried about Ton's visit today, so much so could not get off to sleep, and ahd to wake my darling and ask for a sleeping tablet.

This got me to sleep with no problem and next thing that I knew it was 10 ama nd Richie had opened the curtain.

Ton arrived some hours later at 1 pm and had a quick look to see if the ting cut/skin tear had healed but no it was the same.

He always noted that it is not infected and looks healthy just no progress.

Then Ton observed how Richie puts the band around me in order to ho0ist me out of bed.

He saw thei whole process, saw Richie p-lacpign me in the chair and adjst me, at every stage he could see nothing untoward was happeneing.

Richie si fully aware of the factl that there mu ct be no pressure on the tear adn ther eis no0ne.

Tonl could see nothing kthat might be causing presspure ont eharea and stopping the tear from healing.

Phew! we were all relieved it was over when it was, Ton went off to the RCA with photos to show the doctors.

Quite lieky Dr Smit will come with him next week, so two menw ill eb coming yb to loook at my tiny wound.

For now I can relax knowing Richie does it all excellently.

Blimey! it is already Monday 28 December.

Blimey it is already Monday 28 December, doesn’t time go by quickly, guess it always did, just there were times when it seemed so very slow.

This is when you are getting to understand how things work; this is when you did not know that every year the big events happen at the same time.

Like birthdays and Christmas and New Year and of course Easter and mid summer, and in Trinidad Divalli and other festivals.

And once you have experienced these events several times, you start to remember them and you start to create a schedule or map for your reference.

After awhile when you get older, you pretty much know when things will happen and time seems to speed up.

It of course just passes at the same speed as it always did and always will it is just my perception is different at 8 than it was at age 8.

It has been a bright, cold day today, according to the weather forecast it is set to get very much colder.

We could have snow and ice for the New Year, that is when we usually get it here and not before Christmas like this year.

In 1981, it was a very cold winter, my first here in Amsterdam; I could not work out how come there were so many people wearing mountaineering boots in such a flat country.

When it got cold I totally understood and quickly got a pair of stout climbing boots, which kept my feet warm.

It snowed before Christmas in 1981 and it stayed until end of February, so I really did need those stout walking boots.

Still need warm footgear just not mountaineering boots, with thick sole just ones with a thick lining.

Going to post this and enjoy watching the dogs lying peacefully in their beds and the sound of a few children playing outside.

It is 4.30 pm and it is still light which is lovely.