Sheila continues to excite my literary appreciation brain cells.

One day, Plath then more proulx.

more power to sheila, I say!

_{Personally I am doing ok, gentle readers. Funny how everywhere I go I meet someone special from days of yore. A big picture has emerged, and I have to accept the change the big picture means to moi. The Gospel reading at Holy Mass today was the appendix to St John, it's 27 years to the day give or take 24 hours I guess, that the import of that reading first grabbed hold of me, and I now apreciate more and more what it is to walk with the Lord.}

Rev Mosy Madugba is coming to Canberra for the Prayer, Nations and Government 2008 gathering in the Great Hall of Parliament House, on 22, 23 and 24 June.

Googling, as one is wont, I found his wife Mrs Madugba has written a number of books, two quotes from her that I really like:

"We also need to know that pruning does not necessarily mean removing what is bad. It involves cutting away the good and even the better so that we might enjoy the best. This is God''s desire for us".

"There is no place in the whole Bible where God promised us a trouble-free journey to heaven, a journey without pains, hassles and problems of life".

NOICE! VERRRY VERRY NOICE!

Crawled out of bed sub sunrise this morning and off to Church thence to a mens breakfast. I need more male energy in my life. Or do I?

email Russian style, if you want to imitate or emulate it, in your part of the world, the shopping list includes:

- 162 meters of gray tape
- 45 lego pieces
- 32 sticks of plasticine
- 18 brushes
- 18 square meters of batten
- 12 cans of spray paint
- 10 liters of white paint
- 4 reams of paper
- 2 kilograms of millet porridge
- 1 printer
- 1 hair dryer
- 1 mop
- 1 saw

Only in books has mankind known perfect truth, love and beauty.
- George Bernard Shaw


"The books will always be there.
If we give up many other distractions, we can turn to them. We can browse among the millions of words written and often just what we find can nourish us, enlighten us, strengthen us - in fact, be our food just as Christ, The Word, is also our food."
Dorothy Day

"The books will always be there. If we give up many other distractions, we can turn to them. We can browse among the millions of words written and often just what we find can nourish us, enlighten us, strengthen us - in fact, be our food just as Christ, The Word, is also our food." Dorothy Day

From Auschwitz, a Torah as Strong as Its Spirit

taking it to a personal level:

Ein Mann kann mit jeder Frau glücklich werden, solange er sie nicht liebt.

2true

'tis funny how life goes and comes around in circles.

I have moved to the southern end of Canberra, where I would have liked to have lived back in '89. I am mixing with the folk I would have been involved with as well. Not my time but God's time.

There is nothing more secure than abandoning ones self to God.

or as someone else says 'the safest place in the world is found when we place our trust in God'

it's all good, even though the weather has turned into winter within 2 days of Anzac day....

some rain which is good, and snow high up the ranges...

TORRRCCCCCHHHHH LIGHT!!!!
A week ago steel barricades went up on Canberra streets in preparation for the Olympic Torch relay.

Very early this morning busload after busload disgorged thousands of people from Sydney.

Over the 10 mile or so route, there were interesting examples of democracy in action.

Protestors supporting human rights in Tibet and Burma were outnumbered by Chinese supporters.

Some Chinese supporters were thuggish in their behaviour surrounding protestors and kicking and screaming at them. Fortunately the police intervened several times to allow the surrounded protestors escape.

Unfortunately at the concert protestors were basically escorted away, and were not allowed to continue with their activism.

However, other Chinese, particularly students, were dignified, pleasant and amicable.

A sea of red flags diluted the presence of Free Tibet protest flags.

It was heart-warming to see some Chinese in yellow T-shirts calming Chinese who were aggresively attacking verbally protestors.

Isolated incidents of Chinese physically assaulting protestors, snatching Free Tibet flags and breaking the sticks attached to the flags occurred.

Australians ranged in behaviour from saying that sport should be separated from politics, to others saying that protestors were well within their civil rights to make their protest.

A Buddhist nun, walking slowly along a road, holding a banner for a free Tibet, and chanting quitened Chinese activists who had been abusing protestors, and other Buddhists joined in the chant, a memorable moment, that had a deep affect on all who watched it.

A huge police presence did much to maintain the peace, and it is worth noting that 8 arrests compared to 76 at the Skyfire firework celebration indicate the police were not over zealous.

At Commonwealth Park the Australian and Chinese national anthems were sung with much gusto, and the crowds enjoyed the following concert.

As dusk quickened over the national capital, the barricades were being put back on trucks and the streets returned to normal.

The Olympic Torch symbolises something that cannot really be attained in the world, but at least today in Canberra sport, politics and activism and national pride intersected.

People were exposed to differing viewpoints and memories result.

FREE TIBET!

buy it, just buy it, read it, and ponder.

If you don't enjoy it, let me know, and I'll ponder...

shamelessly stolen from becky of Arabia:
Quotes Part IV
From The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes it interesting

It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary

To realize one’s Personal Legend is a person’s only real obligation

People learn early in their lives what is their reason for being – maybe that’s why they give it up so early

The boy felt jealous of the freedom of the wind, and saw that he could have the same freedom. There was nothing to hold him back except himself

Dreaming gives me something to live for

Sometimes there’s just no way to hold back the river

Never stop dreaming. Follow the omens.

And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it

There is a force that wants you to realize your Personal Legend; it whets your appetite with a taste of success.

God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left for you.

Urim – white stone – no

Thummim – black stone – yes

The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon (never forget what is true and dear to you)

Making a decision was only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.

The desert is a capricious lady, and sometimes she drives men crazy

The closer one gets to realizing his Personal Legend, the more that Personal Legend becomes his true reason for being.

Intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of Life

People need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want

When you want something with all your heart, that’s when you are closest to the soul of the universe

All things of manifestations of one thing only

Because people become fascinated with pictures and words and wind up forgetting the Language of the World.

If he pushed forward impulsively, he would fail to see the signs and omens left by God along his path.

Don’t be impatient. Eat when it’s time to eat. And move along when it is time to move along.

He felt the urge to go out into the desert to see if its silence held the answers to his questions.

Always heed the omens

The secret is here in the present

All of us know that whoever believes in dreams also knows how to interpret them

To die tomorrow was no worse than dying on any other day.

You already know all you need to know. I am only going to point you in the direction of your treasure

Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. You’ve got to find your treasure so that everything you have learned along the way makes sense.

Life attracts life

Are you a man of the desert knowing that you have to go away in order to return?

The omens will abandon you because you’ve stopped listening to them.

One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.

I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.

Listen to your heart

In pursuing your dreams, you might lose everything you’ve won.

The fear of suffering is worse than suffering itself.

Strongest qualities – courage, enthusiasm

Be aware of the place where you are brought to tears. That’s where I am, and that’s where your treasure is.

The path was written in the omens and there was no way I could go wrong.

We are Australians!
Following on from the 2020 Summit, when the headlines are buzzing with an equal and reconciled republic, the nation's best-known performers have come together under the name of The GetUp Mob to release a new version of the Paul Kelly classic "From little things, big things grow". Already today it's splashed its way into the nation's papers. Let's make it a number one hit!

If together we top the charts, this message will rocket around the country's airwaves and TV screens on high rotation to an audience of millions and it costs you just $1.69 online to achieve that goal. Our power is in numbers, our message can inspire reconciliation. Click here now to view it (for free) and buy the world's newest history-making song:

Make this a hit

An author whome I sell, has written this:
Humanity reflected in the diversity of books Brian Doyle April 21, 2008
They have faces, of course — covers for what is inside. Often the cover belies the interior, just as the bright alluring faces of people often hide the seething and confusing stories beneath them.
And they have spines of various strengths and tensile pliability like we do. Spines that sag and crack and creak, spines that are wonderfully strong and flexible for a few decades and then invisibly deteriorate and lose their glue. They have arms too, so to speak — a book opened wide very like arms flung open. And their back covers, so dense with explanation and blurb, look very like the hirsute backs of heads;.
continues here

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you," - Nietzsche.

There is a Gary Larson cartoon that shows two old women looking out of a window at a monster. One says to the other, “Calm down, Edna. Yes, it is a giant hideous insect, but it may be a giant hideous insect in need of help!”

I'm feeling gutted and at the end of the road, once again!

Life continues to change. Time to stop being a doormat!

May I take to heart and mind and soul and deep within my guts; Robert Murray M'Cheynes' advice: It is far better to begin with God—to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it is near another.

again and again Cher comes to mind:
If I could turn back time
If I could find a way I'd take back those words that hurt you and you'd stay

I don't know why I did the things I did I don't know why I said the things I said
Pride's like a knife it can cut deep inside
Words are like weapons they wound sometimes.

I didn't really mean to hurt you I didn't wanna see you go I know I made you cry, but baby


If I could turn back time
If I could find a way
I'd take back those words that hurt you
And you'd stay
If I could reach the stars
I'd give them all to you
Then you'd love me, love me
Like you used to do

If I could turn back time

My world was shattered I was torn apart
Like someone took a knife and drove it deep in my heart

Another day, drove three hours and got to Sydney,
Mary met me and drove me down to Newtown and dropped her car off at her place, with awesome views of the east side of Sydney.
Then a quick prayer to St Anne to find us a man, and a taxi man drove us to the Great Hall at the University of Sydney, where we sucked champagne and enjoyed munchies at the book launch.
Thence onto a bus back to Newtown and a visit to Graeme at work and got some $$$.
To a Mexican restaurant and more champagne and great food.
Another taxi back to the hotel and a quick blog before collapsing into bed before the drive home.
Mary is a delightful woman, wounded by love but finding her own way. More power to her!

There be dragons
where you least expect them,
no use fighting or running,
the secret is to jump on their back
and ride them.

dragon_rider

Gentle reader, the synchronicity/serendipity stakes are raised:

Whilst continuing my informal online education which in recent weeks has involved much Jungian pyschology, shadow work and enneagram research, I stumbled upon Mr Integral Pysch again, and realised that he mentions my beloved protagonists Yuri and Lara.

Interestingly I was at a talk on forgiveness run by the Canberra School of Practical Philosophy, and dear old doc zhivago got mentioned there.

Enough coincidences: I AM going to buy the book.

best male version???