Saturday Catch-Up - 5th January 2019

Yes, I'm trying something just a bit different this year. Because I want to get back to blogging. I am sorry to say this has taken a bit of a back seat to other things lately. So I'm trying to commit to a catch-up post at least once every week...

I'm blogging less, because I am spending more and more time in the car, driving. I used to do quite a bit of blog writing on the train. But at least I've got away from commuter train delays!

I'm blogging less, because I've not been in the best of health, and to be honest my heart just hasn't been in it. But I'm now told that I'm responding well to treatment.

I'm blogging less, because quite frankly I've been a bit disheartened by a good many things that have happened during 2018. Some of these are obvious, they've been splashed over the newspaper headlines...  Some of these have been a little, shall we say, closer to home. The way certain things have turned out, the way certain people have reacted to me and mine. But I still remember the words of  Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Lean not on your understanding. Mmmm. I don't understand a whole host of things that happened during 2018. I didn't like them, either.

This is a New Year. Let's start again. And do things a little differently....

Blog Feedback - November

Here's a few of the more curious comments left on my blog over the last calendar month. All of these are anonymous, so I have no idea who left them. Not a clue. Some of these make a bit of sense, but only some ...

"It's like you read my thoughts! You seem to grasp a lot approximately this, like you wrote the e-book in it or something. I think that you could do with some percent to force the message home a little bit, but instead of that, this is magnificent blog. A great read. I will definitely be back."

"Greetings! I've been reading your blog for some time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Atascocita Tx! Just wanted to say keep up the good work!" 

"A person necessarily assist to make severely articles I might state. That is the very first time I frequented your web page and so far? I surprised with the research you made to create this actual publish extraordinary. Excellent activity!" ...and what an extraordinary choice of words...

"Pretty nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wished to mention that I've really enjoyed browsing your weblog posts. In any case I'll be subscribing to your feed and I'm hoping you write again very soon!"


"I visited many blogs but the audio quality for audio songs existing at this website is genuinely fabulous." Gee thanks ... uh, there aren't any audio files on this site... :)

"Hey there! I know this is kinda off topic but I'd figured I'd ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa? My blog covers a lot of the same subjects as yours and I think we could greatly benefit from each other. If you might be interested feel free to send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Awesome blog by the way!" Wow, thanks. If only this message wasn't left anonymously... how can I possibly send you an email if you don't leave me an address? 

Blog Feedback

All of these comments were left on my blog over the course of the last month. Feedback on my site is of course very welcome, but some of the entries don't seem to fit in to the topics discussed. It's almost as if they are simply 'cut and paste'. Rather than delete them, here they are. Cut and paste, back at you. Comments awaited...

"First of all I want to say awesome blog! I had a quick question in which I'd like to ask if you do not mind. I was curious to find out how you centre yourself and clear your head before writing. I have had difficulty clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out. I do enjoy writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend to be lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or hints? Kudos!"

"I used to be recommended this website by means of my cousin. I'm not sure whether this submit is written by way of him as no one else know such targeted approximately my trouble. You are incredible! Thank you!"

"Hi, this weekend is nice in favour of me, as this occasion I am reading this wonderful educational article here at my residence."

"We stumbled over here by a different web address and thought I might as well check things out. I like what I see so now I'm following you. Look forward to looking at your web page for a second time."

"A person necessarily assist to make seriously articles I would state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and up to now? I surprised with the analysis you made to make this particular put up extraordinary.
Magnificent process!"

Hang In There!

Yeah, I know I haven't posted in a while.

Life's been busy. Have needed to pay attention to my family and friends.

I'll try and get back to some regular posts in the next few weeks.

Hang in there!

Clickbait!

It's been quite a reflective week for me. And one where I've come to a couple of quite disturbing conclusions.

And it all started when I began to take a closer look at other people's blog posts and Facebook accounts, in order to review them for what we now call clickbait.

It's an internet term which is defined (Oxford University Press) as: content whose main purpose is to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link to a particular web page.

Now, the idea is to drive traffic to your website, blog or even your Facebook wall by saying something deliberately outrageous or controversial.

The writer wants your reactions, because he wants you to click on their link or go to their site to read more; he wants you to make more and more comments. This all feeds into the stats to their site.

The problem comes with the fact that it's a form of manipulation. You're being played, enticed to learn more in a way that benefits the site owner. Any means is fair game, just as long as it works. Benefits may even be financial... some website owners get quite good money from advertising revenue from their website (I don't. I dislike advertising so don't want it on my blog).

However, I've discovered that it doesn't end there.

You can apply that same sort of thinking to other aspects of life.

In the past, I used to listen to a lot of talk radio, until I got so fed up of all the negativity that I used to hear. But now, I realise that many talk-show hosts are doing the self-same thing. Stirring up controversy just to build up listenership... 'clickbait' on the radio...

And I suppose that you see it on the front pages of the popular press, where controversial headlines are placed on the front page to increase readership. It's what they used to call 'yellow journalism', where a good headline will always take precedence over legitimate or well-researched news... or even the truth.  Anything just to sell papers. (sigh)

And today was the saddest realisation of all.

I realised that one of my colleagues was doing the exact same thing to me. Deliberately saying outrageous and offensive things to try and goad a reaction from me.

He didn't. However, it all came out tonight in a massive ball of rage, which I'm trying to channel into this blog post to get it out of my system before I go to bed tonight.

I Should Have Said...

I don't usually do 'snappy comebacks'. You know, just the right set of words for those 'spur of the moment' encounters with members of the public. I had one of those moments this past Friday. Couldn't think of what to say...

Finding 'le mot juste' at the drop of a hat is not particularly something that I am gifted in.

I love to choose my words carefully, relishing in the complexity of the English language. I wouldn't say I am an expert wordsmith, however I'm 'improving with practice'. I do have a knack for writing; jotting down what I need to say, embellishing it, changing the order of the words in the sentence, changing it again, proofing, and rewriting until I am happy with the finished product. This very blog entry took me two minutes to devise, but two whole days to get right before it was ready to post!

Oh well... perhaps next time...

Slowing Down To Be With God

 

Do you know, I love the coffee shops in the City of London. It gives me a chance to have a break from the hustle and bustle of City life - some of the things that happen really test my patience. I need to get away, to find a place of calm...

My main aim to use the wi-fi in the coffee shop - to catch up with some of the Christian blogs that I regularly follow. If I choose my venue wisely, I can usually find a cosy little nook with a comfy armchair, take off the specs, plug in the headphones and surf away.

It gives me a chance to slow down and spend some quality time with my Lord.

I wish I could have more than an hour for lunch, sometimes...

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. – Psalm 37:7

Reading This Blog

Unfortunately, Google Reader is being discontinued. The news was announced a few months ago, but the service actually ends on 1st July 2013. Which is just over a month away.

It's a real shame, because I've been using Google Reader to keep up with all the blogs I follow (over 150 at last count!). I guess that many people may follow this blog through Google Reader. And I don't want to lose you...

May I suggest that you give Feedly a try? Just click here. Feedly has devised a quick way to transfer all of your Google Reader blogs so you can follow them on Feedly. And, it’s free to use.

Don’t miss out.

Integrity: How Honest Should I Be?

I've blogged quite a bit here in the past about integrity, and following a discussion on the same subject in Bible Study earlier this week, feel challenged to get some further thoughts down in writing.

Now, I've always tried to be as honest as I can be in this blog, but bearing in mind that this is a public forum I have always held back from commenting about things that are a bit too close to home. Really personal stuff, about my family, my work. It's a shame I feel I can't share because that sometimes eats away at me. You can understand that, can't you?

It's funny what the act of writing this blog has taught me. It's revealed and established a strength that I had buried deep within me. Talk to me face to face and I stumble, get tongue-tied. Sit me next to a keyboard and I can write 'till the cows come home - I can emote, compose and rejoice with ease about a variety of topics that interest me.

However, there's a limit. If it's stuff that hurts me, is just a little too personal, or that I find difficult to share, it probably won't get mentioned. It's simply too close to home. Or if I do mention it, it's so heavily encoded that it makes little sense to anyone (except to me and my Lord!). There's an example here.

Anyway, this rambling blog entry eventually leads us to a question, and it's a simple one to ask. I understand that you need to possess integrity, therefore not lie to others. Sure - but what about 'not telling the whole truth'... (Caution: here I'm going to open up a little, be warned. Can't do this face to face, but as it's only you and me, dear reader, that's OK)

It might be something simple, like saying "I'm fine" when people ask how you are. When you are really... not...

It might be something more complex, like remembering the negative reaction you got from people at work when you told them last time all the things you got up to at the weekend - so, you don't stop doing it, but you stop telling them about it...

Even worse, it might be one of those days when you've gone from one voluntary commitment to another without a break; gone without a rest because you want to ensure a particular job gets done. Because without you, it won't get done!

Or when you go out of your way to help out a friend - even though you can't really spare the time. Is that OK?

I think it is - it's going the extra mile (see post here). Because if I told the truth - the whole truth - to family and friends they would try to stop me.

Is that integrity?

Blogging on the move

I can't stand commuting. It's tedious, time-consuming and there's too many tetchy travellers! I'd rather drive - but that's not an option at the moment.

However, today I discovered a new essential to have. One that makes my daily commute much more bearable. It's the Blogger app for the iPod!

Now I can gather my thoughts together for this blog straight away. Together with my Bible app, my Facebook app and my music collection, I have practically all I need in one place now!

And I wrote this entire post whilst on the 17:08 from London Cannon Street!

What's The Point?

I have always liked listening to the opinions of others. This all started in my teens, when I started listening to late night talk radio; I have found it helpful to shape my own views by listening to extremes of opinion. Nowadays, I seem to find myself reading other people's blogs. This tends to follow the same extremes!

One main theme that seems to recur in blog writing (usually when people have had a hard day, and are letting off steam) is to question the meaning of existence, crying out to those who want to hear "What's The Point?".

I have bad days, too. Tuesday was pretty awful in many ways; today has just been frantic! However, I find that my beliefs equip me with the tools that I need to see me through the bad times. It doesn't cushion you from these extremes. Just because you have a faith, doesn't mean that you're immune. We have the same bad days as others. How we handle these days is the key to victory. Just listen to this:

Ephesians 6:10-13 (New International Version)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

11 Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Here's a collection of quotations that I have picked from these other blogs on the same subject.

"Life is mostly froth and bubble,

Two things stand like stone,

Kindness in another's trouble,

Courage in your own."- Adam Lindsay Gordon

"What do we live for; if it is not to make life less difficult to each other?" - George Eliot (a pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans Cross)

"Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds us down or polishes us up depends on us." - Thomas L. Holdcroft

There's a truth or two in there, if you look for it. And if anyone is listening...

Blogging along

It's interesting to get people's reactions to the fact that I have my own blog. I don't make a habit of advertising the fact - if I tell two people in a month, that's a lot. I also keep a link on my Facebook page for those who are interested in that sort of thing. But that's about it for publicity. I mentioned it to someone today, which is why it's fresh in my mind.

Sometimes you have to explain to your friends what a blog actually is; other times, they know already and are intrigued as to what I might say. Perhaps they'll find out a little more about me, what makes me 'tick'... I just find the whole exercise of putting these stray thoughts of mine down in writing to be very therapeutic. It appeals to the frustrated writer in me.

Hopefully they may inspire someone else!

One year on...

It's just about a year now since I started 'blogging' - 2nd July 2008 was my first attempt at it - and I have found it quite a useful exercise. The discipline of taking my thoughts, having to structure them and put them down in print has really helped me get things into proportion. And more...

You see, it's rekindled a few yearnings from the dim and distant past. I've always had a love of the printed word, but my need to write kind of got buried along the way. When I was at school there was always a possibility that I could have gone to journalism college - but that never worked out and I ended up in an office. I used to write short stories in my late twenties (usually light-hearted and packed with bad puns), which got published in some SF fanzines (usually under a pseudonym, I've never been comfortable with fame). When the kids came along, other things always got in the way.

Blogging has changed all that. Now I'm heading towards my fifties and looking for a new challenge. Perhaps I need to dust off the mighty word processor and have another go?