The Quarterly

By now it may have become apparent to you loyal readers that this blog is neither punctual or frequent. Yes I do listen. However these are things that I cannot change unless you wish to see a drop in the *high, high* quality of these written works.

This year however there will be more of a theme for each...lets say month.

January: I will be thinking about relevance in our lives and also in society. How can we be more relevant?

February: The topic of application will crop up. Can we apply ourselves more? Who can we look to for motivation? And indeed in a life where death is most certain, why should we bother?

March: Renewal of life goals and what you want to accomplish in life. Is this where I saw myself 2 years ago? Will I ever accomplish anything worthwhile/memorable?

And that concludes this part of the quarterly update. Remember to Keep on reading, enjoy your life and tell your friends where you learnt it all...yes school!

One Positive

There have been many things a Mr. Cameron from the ‘Government’ has done and said. However, on the issue of financial aid to countries abroad I find myself agreeing; if not vigorously. It is ‘for a dead man walking’ a step in a better direction. He has come too far, too quickly for it ever to be a step in the right direction, but I’ll let that slide for now.

Charity begins at home. Harsh words for some, I am aware, but as good old Abe Lincoln said “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. Once we have sorted out our own debt, once we have doused the fires, stemmed the tides and dammed the rivers, will we have enough of a foundation to stand on. How many millions have been poured into foreign aid? Where is the difference? I can only see the richer grow richer, while the needy try and endure.

Look through your town, your city; how many lives could be drastically improved with £67 million poured into community efforts? Once the quality of life for every man, woman and child in England is equal then can we reach, ever the stronger, abroad. Once the safety and security of every teenager, every pensioner, and every helpless baby is assured then we can muck in for the nations. Once we all realise we are human can we start behaving that way.

I once lost faith in Mankind. There were too many people trying to burn the world, trying to inflict pain, for any of the good deeds to matter. Don’t make my mistake. I have Hope now, that we can make the World better, even if it means moving street by street. It will take as long as it takes; the world is changing and people need to start growing up before they are swept away by the tides. Now is a time to get to know your neighbours and show them you care.

Vising

Or to be more precise (re)vising can be at times a seemingly tiresome affair that may feel like it is accomplishing very, very little. However, the brain is an advanced and extremely complex and unusual organ, that still baffles scientists; so who knows what goes on in there.

"You can only try your best" is what I tend to hear at college, but what about when your best isn't good enough?
1 Corinthian 2:14-16 Go look it up right now!
We have the mind of Christ! Isn't that amazing? Thinking short term here, that means i can remember AND understand all my work and revision for the exams that are facing me. No mountain of work is too big for God...He is God!

Look to God and the answers will become clear to you. No journey undertaken with the right mindset and blessing from God will fail. Even though at times it can appear to be hopeless stand tall and trust your God, for there is always Hope; and where there is Hope there is Faith.

Matthew 17:20 states that with Faith as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Nothing is impossible in Faith.

But now we have to understand the right application of Faith. You cannot simple fly because you want to. The application of Faith must achieve something of purpose, either in your life or the lives of others to be brought closer to God.

What then can I do? Well you want good grades, or a promotion, or even to get on better with someone. Well heres a newsflash, God may not give you want you want. He will however give you what you need; and if you approach the situation in the right way, all will fall into place. So God may give you a promotion in order that your family is more financialy secure, or that you can exercise your talent as being a leader...the possibilites are limitless. But as I said earlier...you may not. And it's in these times we must cling to God and actively seek out His plan for us. It may take a long time, but thats where Faith comes into play again. And where there is Faith there is Growth.

Ramblings

For some strange reason I'm finding writing quite hard at the moment [so bear with me]; stories, poems, blogs have slowed down. Perhaps it's due in part to this emotional journey I'm on. Some things have changed, I've grown...and the shifting of life from one area of comfort to an unknown is looming [University]. A question I have always wrestled with is "Am I ready?", but that's just being selfish of me, I'll never be completely ready for anything. I may as well give it a go rather than spend an entire lifetime being fully prepared. Life cannot develop without unforeseen consequences and challenges that we have to overcome. Shame no-one i talk to seems to feel the same way.

And if I am sure of what i have to do, then by a 'little help from above' and with my love for God and his plan [and all the rightly deserved respect there] then surely [Romans 8:28-31] 28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

I will go for it, rather than waste a lifetime in contemplation. Why? Because i want to try for God and I have faith. I want to enjoy myself and make Him smile, at the same time. So if I appear a little random, a little loud, a little crazy, a little unique...it's because I am and I know I am and I am comfortable with myself. And I'm doing it for the betterment of people so they have something to cheer them up rather than a year of sadness.

And now on to something a little less related. Yes, a tangent. I found it quite odd after writing a few poems that people and websites said "it's good to be surrounded in what you are doing", in this case to read poetry before writing it. I didn't find it hard to write poetry, and to me reading other peoples poetry was an optional step which I am yet to take. So where are my poems now? Well my friends are reading them, then i can bring in the 'system' and get them published. YAY!

Necessities of Living

O.K. so it has been a while and I've been busy thinking...or more precisely revising for exams. But that's cool we need exams to test the knowledge that has sunk into our brains to see if we can remember it at pivotal moments [like exams].

There is one point though that nearly everyone seems to come back to. "If we are going to get jobs where we can always check out our writings or statements, why can we not use revision notes in the exams? We will never have to undergo them again, so why the pain?" And I can completely understand where you are coming from, but if that happened the people who don't try very hard would be able to get higher results and, as bad as it sounds, that would hit employers very hard in the future.

Think about it, if they can't be bothered remembering a few facts now and undergoing a little pain, then in the future where the choice is clearer they just wouldn't bother.

Now i know i sound very pessimistic and harsh in most respects but for a society and economy to function EVERYONE has to pull their weight. if we don't then the worlds stagnates and global development and well as social and personal falls. Meaning that we end up with a planet full of wasters who try to live life with as much pleasure and as little pain as possible. But if you undergo, the necessary pains of life at the right times, in the end it will all be worth while.

Another One...Again?

Welcome to a new year, and what do we have to show for it? What developments have been made since this time last year? There have been a few good things, there have been a few bad things, but overall it's been a great year. So the question is "what are we going to do differently this year?" Hopefully it will be something life-building, like spend more time with family or just becoming a friendlier person. I however am going to concentrate on keeping up with old friends and strengthen the friendships I have already. I would hope that they would also be willing to spend more time with a crazed madman like me...even for a little while.

So here is to the new year and what to expect from it.
[Let's try not to break the Country again]

A Pass on Truth

Why is it that we get so entangled by emotions? We want to tell people how we feel but, inside we are embarrassed or ashamed of what we have to say.

If there is one lesson I want to show to the people it is this:
'never be ashamed by your love, for love itself is a pure creation. It has innocence, forgiveness and above all it seeks truth. For when truth and love are united as one, there is no power that can overcome that universal truth'
Let not love be an idea, let it be a way of living and let those you care about know that you love them.

So back to the question; why is it that we get so entangled by emotions? The answer lies in several places and i think each one is different to the type of person. It may be that you are insecure and are scared of people picking you apart, but remember love overcomes fear. It may just be that you feel the time is not right. Fair enough. Everything has its time, but don't put it off because of fear. For you may end up waiting too long and missing the chance. Or it could just be solid doubt. Do i really like them? Do they feel the same way? Well if you never tell them you will never know how they feel.

Yes love is kind and completely enrapturing. But it takes guts to admit real love. It takes an inner strength that dosen't come about easily, to show someone you care.
A real relationship will involve you fully. It will involve every aspect of your life coming under some type of scrutiny. But do not shy away for a bold heart IS a strong heart in love

The People Responsible

Are you listening, are you paying attention? This world is changing, and at this very moment in time, not for the better. We allow the public to be bullied and harassed by the Government, while they hide behind their piles of money and the deficit. Yes people voted the current Prime Minister in, but that's only because they believed in his party's original policies.
Lets get things clear. Cameron holds all the power in the Government (well whats left), while Clegg changes his steadfast beliefs as quick as the wind changes, so he's always agreeing with Cameron. Clegg does nothing. He has no influential effect, he just gets his face on TV.
I'm not saying that Labour are the sinless, rightful party to run the Government, but at least they cared more about people in general. With Cameron, its let the rich dine heartily and let (or should it be make) the poor hold up the table.
A friend of mine complains that i moan too much about the Government. Well i wouldn't if their standard of living (3 LARGE houses, extravagant lifestyles, limitless money) was available to everyone. You have to be born into money, to be a member of Parliament. I wouldn't even moan if it was voluntary, and something deeply wrong has to in motion, if people don't want to live under 'the Government'.
It is meant to be a foundation where the best standard of living is made free for all. Where society develops as one and goes through troubles together. We are in a divided nation. No wonder life is so bloody hard, what they call freedom, is what we called slavery. I'll let you make your own parallels.

Reduction is Gain

Politicians will lie and they will backstab and they will do whatever it takes to (in England anyway) become Prime Minister. While convincing the public that they have the people’s interests at heart, rather than the massive pension on which each Prime Minister can retire. “Any former Prime Minister is entitled to half his £194,250 salary index-linked against inflation for the rest of his life.” This is a direct quote from
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ianmcowie/100005545/number-10-defends-gordon-browns-gold-plated-pension/
for those who are interested. Oh and don’t forget the £2 million worth of assets they get as standard. It just shows that any man who is ‘chosen’ (don’t forget we don’t really live in a world of freedom – see 1984 by George Orwell) to ‘run’ the country will probably not make much difference, considering their first aim is ‘to look after number 1’. Any decision a Prime Minister makes probably comes from a higher authority that chooses to be invisible, while still manipulating the country for the gain of power.
So the question is, why does the general public let it continue? Because a large percentage of us are afraid of change. We are scared of the impact of change, which we are responsible for. The government has succeeded in making the general public feel unable to run the country, so any decision we make will be the wrong choice, but for us as individuals it will be the most bearable choice. We have to believe we can do what they do, but better, in order just to overcome their pressurization.

The Climb

From now on my motto is going to be "Achieve the impossible, then the hard things come easily". Why? Because that's how i want to live my life. I want to step out of my comfort zone and do things that most people only dream of. Of course i don't hold any sort of illusion that I'm the best at all things as I'm clearly not. i simply say that if you keep trying at something you will succeed and understanding will come. Thus the harder problems can be tackled easily and you may have already defeated them in seeking an answer to the impossible.
Sometimes it takes knowledge of the topic but if you keep stretching yourself you will achieve more and knowledge will come. But it ALWAYS takes commitment and time.

Ha! What Government?

There are a few things that have to be said. The 'Government' in England brings children up with the ideas that you should keep promises, that you should tell the truth; that your word is your bond. However, when it comes to the political those "P.I.P's" (People In Power) forget that and keenly back stab and lie to the grand population, oh and each other. "Well politics is a dirty game" someone told me. But are the lives of thousands of people really something to play around with? Is it not time that these spoilt little rich kids, who grew up to run a country, learn the meaning of the words; poor, needy, cold, starving? Is it not time that a group of people who know what they are doing ran the country? OR is the English population just going to sit back and let the biggest injustice we have ever known happen right under our noses? The Lib Dems once promised an end to broken promises, now the poorest people in the country have to pay the most to get England out of this cesspool of debt that the rich people got us into already. Are you going to sit there while those greedy people make the problems worse? OR are you going to stand with the people against the injustice are we going to cry out with a united belief that we want an end to the days of suffering? If so; start the revolution, and help Britain's poorest to live the life they should be living without all this political jargon. The people has the right to speak and actions must be taken.

Vengeance and bloodshed

Do nothing in spite. For a decision made in spite is no decision at all. Shedding blood only leads to more bloodshed, and in that sense no blood is good blood. The hardest thing to do is not to plot your revenge (for revenge is worth nothing, there is only more bloodshed) but to simply walk away and forgive the person. Am i crazy? perhaps, but holding up all the vengeance for every 'bad' (in your view) act committed against you, leads to you collapsing under their weight of the thoughts. Ruining your life. Simply tell them you forgive them and take the high road. Do not be coaxed back into fighting, for war solves nothing.

Winning in the long run

Have you ever been persecuted by someone who's will was completely set against your own?
If you want to stop them and make it seem like they have won, then do this. Continue practicing your actions in the way you would normaly, but when you are finished set it to look like how they would want you to leave it. Making it seem like you have conformed to their way, just practice your way in privicy and the enemy wont hunt you any longer.
Breaking out against an oppresive will isn't easy, you must find your reason. Your pillar of strength on which you can rest, so that each exploit will only futher rally you to break free.
If you can show the oppresor that you are stronger than them, but you don't harm them, then they may leave you alone. But if they don't then a stronger course of action is required.

Life and Forever

I do in my day-to-day life talk to a lot of people. And in conversations it is clear to me that a good amount of people I talk to think life is 100% of their existence. They think that there is nothing beyond this life and that no matter what they do there will be no grander plan. But I don’t believe this. I believe that after we die we have an eternal spiritual existence in a world of paradise; that we live on Earth in preparation for our spiritual lives. But not only is it preparation, its education and practice of skills that make us worthy to live in such a paradise. In fact I would say that life is only a facet of the jewel of existence. And even though it makes our existence more valuable, it’s still only a small part. We have to concentrate more on the entirety of the jewel rather than the facet, and that is very hard. But here are some tips.
Think selflessly and show people you have concern for them.
Don’t be afraid to express your emotions.
Be happy and find joy in all that happens.
Don’t worry about anything, for it won’t make your life longer.
Express equality and fairness in all you do.
And love the people around you. We are all humans together and if we can’t show each other love, then what do we amount to?

Those Who Remember

Where would i be if it wasn't for my friends? I wouldn't be doing this that's for sure. I firmly believe that the life I've lived with my friends has made me so much more of a real person. I'm bolder, I've become more random and crazy, and i find life is full of so many good unexpected things. So here's to the guys and girls who have helped me become myself. Lets hope it lasts another eighty years!

Living After

I am not worried about the future. For i know, wherever i will be, that it is the place i am meant to be at. Yes I've had friendships in the past. Some have continued while others have faded away, but i know that we will all meet again someday under better circumstances. And we will remember that old bond and our lives will change as we discover more than we could ever dream about. Friendship, one of the powers that can change the world.

Duty

When it comes to the heart of the matter, what is duty? It is a moral commitment to someone or something. Parents have a moral commitment to their children. And i do believe that this older generation should have a duty to ensure that the next generation knows exactly what it is doing in the world. So i put this to you (the public). Do you have the wisdom/the understanding to show the children? Do you also have the ability? Then it is your responsibility to show them how to live life for the best. How to get through still breathing, and how to enjoy every second of it.

Continuity

You know what is unusual about blogging? It has to be done everyday. It has to be continuous. Now for simple things like going to work, or the toilet even; repetition is easy. But blogging, it puzzles me. I sit down and try to think about things to blog about, dynamic points of view, interesting thoughts; but usually i end up with jargon. So where to begin? I can safely say I'm always in the wrong place for blogging when I'm hit (or slapped even) by inspiration. There isn't a computer, i don't have paper, and so on. So I try to remember what i was thinking, but I get distracted really easily so I forget. And that's OK it happens to us all, and i learn and start to carry around paper and a pen. Original thoughts will always be yours, but if you have the signed and dated paper to prove it your in a much more confident place. So write down your ideas, record your thoughts and opinions and make sure no one can take them away. For we are all individual people and inspiration always takes us somewhere.

Just Typical

A friend of mine recently got a letter from his bank saying basically that he hadn't used his account in 15 years and if he didn't prove that he knew about the money in his account; it would be taken off him. Now that is just typical of the government. It was his money in the first place, but now they tell him (they don't ask) they tell him, they are taking his money and using it for 'good causes'. Now considering the state of the 'economic climate' the only 'good causes' i can think they are talking about is that huge debt the country is in. And who's fault was the debt in the first place, eh? The banks. So they rob us, tell us what they will do with our money and all so they can have billions of pounds in their accounts.

The Right Way

*Sorry this post is so late by the way. I'm finding it hard to write down ideas at the moment*


Have you ever mistook something for something else? A friendship for love, a statement for an insult; the list goes on. I have. And it can come as quite a shock when you realise your view of the situation is wrong. It takes time for things to heal over, because as people we want to take a step back and think about the relations with the people involved. The only way to sort a situation out is to sit down and speak. Speak the truth, but also search for a resolution where either; both parties come away unharmed and again friends, or a situation where both parties gain knowledge and understanding as well as the other things stated above.

The latter is the hardest. For to learn requires being taught, and unless you can cast away all emotion and learn alone it is normally the other person who must teach you. And of course you must teach them. And here arises a very diverse problem, 'how can you learn from the person who you are confronting?' You must think like them. And i stress here that you only think, you do not act, you do not become them; you merely think like them. So you can understand the situation they are in with you. Thus you can together work toward a resolution. It may not be pretty and it will take time. But showing compassion, by understand them can gain you a friend along the way.