Exquisite misery?

This really did make me laugh, not what the promotor intended Im sure. Theres this guy called someone Wynd who runs a club called "Crying nights" He promotes it under the title of Loss...a night of exquisite misery. He gets all sorts of acts in , all of whom do really sad or doleful things and music that is supposed to make you cry.At midnight he brings out onions and the patrons chop them just to make sure they get their moneys worth!!
He says he had 500 people through the doors last week and that crying is good for you.
I do so agree that I feel better after a good cry but I feel 100x better than that after a good laugh!! I just wonder...who would go out and spend money to be made sad?

Evolution or Creation? Why do we have to choose?

I watched an old film the other day...when I should have been lesson planning....called "Inherit the wind" It was a true story from 1925 about a teacher who was prosecuted for teaching Darwinian evolution. Spencer Tracy and Gene Kelly made the film great but the point for me was that nothing much seems to have changed as far as certain politicians are concerned.
Now, Im a scientist AND a believer. Why is it assumed that these two points of view are mutually exclusive? I believe in Darwinian evolution...whats to believe...the proof is there for all to see.I also have absolutely no hang up about being descended from apes. (Some humans have evolved less than others on this score!) Any scientist worth their salt will tell you that there are still big gaps to be filled and that no one truly can say what started the expanding universe from a singularity. Its just that , thats what happened.
I believe in God, Jesus Christ , his teachings and that he played a hand in our creation.No doubt in my mind.What I DONT believe is that every word of the bible should be taken literally, especially when it has been translated many times by men, not divine entities.
Why then are creation and evolution considered to be poor bedfellows?
Take off the blinkers please, all you play boys and play girls who are NOT gonna change my world. A little lateral thinking outside the box, open mindedness, look at the proof.Its NOT blasphemous to believe in Darwin and spirituality is NOT a fairy story. I know that Douglas Adams reckoned that " Proof of God denies faith and without faith he is nothing therefore he doesnt exist" but that was just the babel fish. Faith is faith and no one can take that away from you.Someone said, and he is so right, that many people are suffering from spiritual poverty right now. Get your heads together guys instead of banging the rocks and stop being so scared of the unknown.

The dentist ....almost

Today was the day I was to have my expensive dental crown work done.I had already cancelled once because of the bug but went over to Greenford today to have the evil deed done.The dentist almost fell over himself to cancel when I said I still wasnt completely right.He tried to kid me it was because I "needed to be completely fit or it would be hard for me" In reality it is because our NHS dentists now have this stupid budgetary constraint put on them by the government and he has run out of money! So I made another appointment for April (new budget will be in by then) and went and had scrambled eggs and bacon with my Dad in the local cafe.A much better deal I think.

Karma...I wish my name WAS Earl.

Phone rings last night...Mum...Its Chris...Ive just run over a cat.What shall I do?
He was very upset, the poor lad. All I could suggest was to check and see if it was dead or alive.Not much to be done for a dead moggy, sad tho it is , but a live one....
While he was about to check, another car finished the poor creature.
Ive written this as its epitaph and I do believe animals have souls even tho the christian bible doesnt.
So, spare a few moments to send up a prayer for this little mog, whatever your faith may be.
Also, why is this happening to Chris right now? Karma? Hmm, I believe that only when I choose to.

What a day!!!

I had deferred visiting my sister /cousin in Swindon because of the germ but today I was determined to go. The past few days have been fraught one way or another so I was determined. As I left the drive I felt a kind of bump so I pulled over to the side of the road, yep, a flat.Drove back into the drive and decided to change it myself.What am I ? A woman or a mouse? I can do this.
Just in case, I got Nick, the youngest, out of bed to assist with the beefy stuff.
In the pouring rain, we changed the tyre between us, checked the pressures and off I went.
5 miles down the road, on the M4, on the way to Swindon, in the pouring rain, the windscreen wiper motor packs up. **** **** ****!!!!
I Creep off the motorway and phone the good old AA.They came within the hour , couldnt fix it, kept blowing fuses, needs a garage, £150 worth!!!
How to get home? AA man suggests he will follow me home.Which he duly does, leaping out every few miles to wipe my windscreen for me.
Now the trouble is, I had to avoid the motorway and , me, Im navigationally challenged at the best of times but with no clear view of anything, no chance.
An hour later (it was about a 7 mile trip as the crow flies but this crow went via Timbuktu) we arrived at my front door. He stayed to check and replace the fuses, have a cuppa and then went off.
I went back to bed and slept for two hours.
I hope tomorrow is better.

The milk of human kindness

Hello again my faithful diary.I havent been on because of the dreaded bug, yes, still!
Here I am now. You know when things havent gone well, everything seems to be conspiring against you? Heres a little example of how we all touch peoples lives without realising it and small deeds of kindness lift your spirits.
Chris, the eldest, phoned me from Paddington station last Tuesday to tell me his wallet had been stolen while he was in a pub near college.He always phones home, I think its just to get some sympathy and advice, not that there was much I could do other than make some calls for him.He was pretty down as you may imagine .Although if the thieving ******** were expecting cash they picked the wrong guy! Hes always broke.
It did contain his bank and credit cards as well as gym membership , driving license . insurance documants. Anyway, cut to the chase.Everything was cancelled, he didnt starve and he got his car filled so it wasnt that bad.On Saturday, his documents arrived in the post, just the cards and papers, no wallet.A letter accompanied them....
"Dear Chris
I send you your cards back.I am sure you will be glad to get your cards.I found them where I work.I work at London Lite near Victoria bus station.I would like to be your friend if you are interested.If you are not I would not waste your valuable time. Please ring this number......
Razad Hasan"
Chris phoned the number, was greeted with "A salaam walecum" and thanked the guy profusely. He is going to meet him in London to give him a reward, unsolicited I might add.

It just touched me.This bloke is a newspaper vendor, doesnt have much money, doesnt speak
English too well, and goes to the bother of sending this back to Chris.
There really wasnt anything in it for him other than a good deed.
The web of life.
Walecum Salaam my friend Razad.Peace be upon you.

A non pilates night

No pilates tonight, dammit, its the last beginners class too. This is because I still have the germ and it has left me with chest pains.It may just be all the coughing but anyhooo (thats Ned Flanders) I dont feel like seeing the woman and listening to her prattle on.Helen is going to beg for me to ensure I get into the intermediate class.
Fingers crossed.
Work tomorrow, unless I go to the doc.We'll see.
Half term next week.Yippeeee!

Life on Mars

Series two...love it...tonight....9pm...terrestrial...catch it.....be there or be square.

Omid at the Beck

Im nearly better, just got a cold and sneezes and a sore nose now.

Went to see Omid Djalili at the Beck theatre in Hayes last Thursday.Hes on a tour of small theatres with his "No Agenda" tour.Apart from the theatre being like a sauna, it was a brilliant evening.He is a supremely funny man who still has the common touch.Draws upon and makes fun of all stereotypes, including his own, with only the very politically correct who would take offence. He is British/Iranian and you must know who he is?! Heres a pic in case you dont.

Remember the Mummy and Gladiator? As he put it , he was the "arab scumbag" Catch him if you can . You wont stop laughing. Watch out for the audience participation, dont sit in the front row!!

Well, I didnt go.

As Ive just said, I didnt go to work.I had planned to recover gently at home.A little light tidying and cooking.Plus much book reading and some naps but...the eldest was also sick with a bad chest infection so I ended up ministering to him.Thats what mums are for isnt it?
(Mind my halo on your way out!)

24 ...the new series

Well, whilst Ive been ailing Ive still managed to watch TV, who doesnt?

And Ive been pleasantly surprised by the new series of 24.I thought the last one was such rubbish I gave up watching. So far , this has been a tad more believable, even if it will be Jack and only Jack who saves the USA from a nuclear holocaust.

What will happen next week?

Someone has taken his mobile phone! His own brother!!

Now, for a normal mortal that would be a nuisance , a hindrance , an inconvenience maybe .

But for Jack......well...end of civilisation as we know it I guess!!

Watch this space.

As soon as Im back.......!!

I go down with the dreaded H5 N1 (only kidding, just normal gastric flu, tweet tweet). It really is quite a beautiful organism. Look at the pic.

Im feeling a bit better now so I wont bore you with my illness.Rather my musings...

To go or not to go? To work tomorrow that is.

I am feeling better but my sources tell me that loads are off still which means a bad day for me as I will have to cover.

Now, I am very conscientious, cant remember the last time I had a sick day but..and this is a big but....I dont feel up to covering someone elses class with a five minute look at the plans when Im not up to scratch.

So, I will see how I feel tomorrow.

Thanks for listening.