NaRocRockin’ Developments…
As of today I shall be contributing the odd post over at the mighty Blog Pound. See, the other day I received what can only be described as “an unexpected e-mail”. Why? Because the subject line read… “An unexpected e-mail”. I was, admittedly, pleasantly surprised.
The email came from Someone Living, the omniscient proprietor of the collective that is the Blog Pound. It asked if I’d “like to become part of The Pound and write a little something for us from time to time”.
After thinking about it for a day, I gladly gave my consent. “No pressure”, said Someone Living. Initially I was slightly concerned about taking on another blogging effort but thought fuck it. A change is as good as a rest and all that jazz.
I do like the Blog Pound and those who contribute to it and comment there. So I gladly accepted the offer and promised to be “vaguely regular”. I hope that’ll do.
In other blogging news… The Lives Of Others is back. The blog that is, not the dark and moving East German Secret Police drama.
I was always a fan of The Lives Of Others blog. It really was/is an inspired idea. It had some really frank, honest and courageous posts the likes of which you’d never see on people’s own personal blogs. However of late the site had gone fairly quiet. Maybe because its group of anonymous contributors had simply posted all they could.
But now I’m glad to see it’s back and with some welcome changes having been implemented. The goalposts have been shifted. But in a good way. The Lives Of Others is now an open forum where anyone can post whatever they like and still remain anonymous and untraceable. An anonymous postbox if you will. So let’s see how much we’re willing to reveal about our inner selves.
Go here for more info and to post the posts you could never otherwise post. If you get my drift?!?
The world is broken…
Mad Max & Dog
This morning I read a post by Darren over at the Mighty Pound. It’s a bit doom and gloom, which is fine, but it certainly provides food for thought. As does a particular comment by Jo which goes a little something like this….
We continue to work on ourselves and mastermind our own evolution…. I don’t think we’ve got much time left.
All of this set me thinking. About humanity. And, of all things, about our existence . You see I also just finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy which hasn’t helped. It’s a profoundly affecting yet miserable aul read. Stunningly savage and beautiful. It describes a journey taken by a father and his young son over a period of several months, across a post-apocalyptic landscape. Civilization has been wiped out and, apparently, most life on earth.The attention to detail and imagery evoked are remarkable. It sets you thinking. As does Darren’s post and Jo’s comment.
Plus yesterday I saw on the news that a Saudi oil tanker had been seized by Somali pirates off the coast of Kenya. Madness. “The world has never seen anything like this,” Andrew Mwangura, co-ordinator of the East African Seafarers’ Association, told Reuters. And according to FoxNews, Admiral Michael Mullen, the U.S.’ top military officer in the region said he was “stunned” by the reach of the Somali pirates. “I’m stunned by the range of it, less so than I am the size,” said Admiral Mullen. The pirates are “very good at what they do. They’re very well armed. Tactically, they are very good,” he said.
I wonder are we going to hell in a hand cart? I have visions of a Waterworld / Mad Max-type post-apocalyptic dystopia.
But I’m reminded of an Après Match sketch. The one with U2. “The world is broken. Bono make it better”. Have a look. To lighten the mood. Forget about post-apocalyptic dystopias and Somali pirates for a moment.
A tactile maelstrom…
Over at The Blog Pound recently there was a post by nvgvup called Things I really like . Funnily enough, it referred to things what people like. I commented on it but, ever since, have been thinking of things I like. Tactile things. Sensual things. Such as…
The beauty of light at golden hour
Clumps of dried Autumn leaves and how they feel when you kick them up in the air
The smell of a turf fire burning on a Winter’s evening
The flicker and romance of candlelight
The character inherent in a good strong handshake
Chilled breath and the crunch of frost underfoot on a Winter’s morning
It dawned on me that most of these are seasonal, traditional, natural. A lot of them relate to childhood memories and the like. They’re all heartening, real; things you can’t necessarily buy. And I guess that makes me happy.
