snaphots of my week

Do You Wanna Go Large? ...
it was remarked on recently by a friend that he struggled to read my blog because the text was too small ... so in the interest of keeping everyone happy and until he gets stronger glasses i will type a little larger ... just thought i would explain in case you thought i was suddenly shouting or trying to make a really vehement point

The Land Of The Free ...
so the elections in the USA are done and dusted and everyone i know seems to be happy with the result ... i think i am pretty happy about it but it's hard to tell really ... not only does the subject have the same effect on my brain as when two people in my presence start discussing maths in the kind of voice i reserve for a great song ... i.e. enthusiastically and passionately ... but american politics is a blank to me ... wife and i are able to watch The West Wing and get totally wrapped up in the storyline and care desperately what happens to Josh & Donna ... then every now and then there is a plot twist and a discussion between characters about some fascinating ... edge-of-your-seat-american-politics-themed ... dramatic point and we look at each other ...shrug and say ''merican politics thing' ... can't grasp it ... don't wanna grasp it ... has zero impact on my life ... (and before you reach for your keyboard - save your fingers it will make no difference

Joining The Fools ...
have been playing on the Ship Of Fools site recently ... many years ago ... back when dinosaurs roamed the earth ... holy joes hosted the first anniversary party of SOF ... i have always avoided the site as entertainment as i have always felt it would be crowded with the kind of people who would make me bring my work home ... as in engage me in fascinating theological debate for hours ... i get enough of that thank you without spending my evenings doing it ... i was wrong ... they have been a great group of people to get to know ... funny... intelligent ... supportive and welcoming ... if only church were like that (put the keyboard down!) ... i recommend it ...

Call Me ...
if you have msn messenger (they call it windows live messenger now) or yahoo messenger please send me your info so i can add you to my list ... it struck me the other day that i have been using it for years and i hardly have any friends on my list ... no not because i don't have any friends ... i just forget to find out their info ... it is such a great way to stay in touch ... a quick word now and then as we pass like digital ships on the worldwide surf is great fun ... and if you have a webcam we can talk and see each other ... just like they promised we would be able to about twenty years ...sheesh they took their time sorting that out ... (advertsing plug) (cheesy 'merican voiceover)i chat with my friends all over the globe using msn you should try it :)

Dear Screwtape ...
i have recently started an email relationship/discussion/friendship (i dunno what phrase to use ... the modern world throws normal descriptions into the air) ... with a teen ... an intelligent funny engaging teen but still a teen ... it makes me feel old because you try so hard not to adopt the tone of a wiser ... better traveled ... seen it all done it all uncle figure ... and i fret how anything i write is read ... on a selfish note i realised i get so much from the experience and i also realised some of the reasons why i do ... the young have so much energy and see things so brightly ... if you hang out with friends your own age they get jaded and cynical ... they start having babies and get tired and housebound and i realised that this ongoing discussion with a boy who i am slowly getting to understand and know is fascinating ... it forces me to look at things from his perspective ... take a different angle on a world i thought i understood ... makes me engage with music/films /books that i have never heard of ... and the delight when we discover a shared passion is a nice moment ... i guess we should try and do it more not just with the young but true understanding of a different perspective gives 20/20 vision ...as Billy Connelly is fond of saying ... Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes, after that who cares... you are a mile away, and you've got his shoes :)