Tuesday 15 February 2011

So we'll never forget.

While we're all reeling from the charade of supposed romance that is Valentine's Day (aka Hallmark Day), here's a guy who totally understands what romance REALLY is. That moment, captured forever.


I also love this photo, though am slightly put off by the guy on the left. At least the chap next to him had the decency to avert his eyes!

Monday 14 February 2011

Words, artfully arranged to air the mind.

Hey, peeps. Long time no see! Sorry for going AWOL - that whole 'working too hard, playing too little' thing reared its ugly head again around August and led to a near-crippling bout of FML syndrome. I think I'm out of it now, though, and I've resolved to blog more often (if only to keep myself sane!).

Here's my first offering of 2011 - a bunch of 'get off your arse and enjoy yourself' motivational doodahs. Not highly original, I'll grant you, but it's things like these that have been helping me to see the beauty in life again.
























Come summertime I'll definitely be doing this. My counting partner of choice would be my lovely friend Lizzie - she's got a great eye for the precious, silent treasures in life.



Oh yeah, I'd almost forgotten - I'm in control here! ME! It's always baffled me that other people seem to believe they're so stuck in their lives, like the home they've created, friends they've made and job they've won are some kind of terminal disease. No matter who you are, what you do, there's nothing to stop you standing up right now, walking out of the door and never coming back - leaving all your books and underwear and responsibilities and running away to create an entirely new you.

It IS possible, but it's probably an unwise and cowardly way to deal with the stresses of life. But if such a radical change is possible, how hard can it be to make all the tiny little changes necessary to transform the life you have now into something richer and more nourishing? Sometimes all we need are tiny tweaks rather than a vast overhaul.

Hmmm... this one really got me thinking. It reminds me of a quote I found yesterday by Thomas B Macaulay: "The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out." If that's the case then I dread to think what my real character is! I'd definitely steal stuff, but small, inconsequential stuff that wouldn't harm anyone. I'm fairly sure that nicking flowers from a local park (thus never having to pay for flora again and always having a fresh-scented home) is rather different to robbing a bank.

I actually rather like the me that I am when nobody else is looking, but I often wonder if she's a person many people would recognise as being 'me'. She alternates between impulsiveness and dullness, makes bad decisions and gets caught up in the spiderweb of her own head. And I'm not sure she truly trusts anyone fully, especially not herself. I'm cool with that, but I'd imagine most other people wouldn't be.

And finally, because it was Valentine's Day yesterday...

Live hard. Love hard. Don't compromise, or waste your love on those who don't burn for you in the same way.

That is all.

Em x