Christmas special

 

Ho ho ho! This wasn't the kind of Christmas entry you would of expected a year back don'tcha think but it says a lot about how I feel about me that it's here

This year was a load of fun as got to know a number of others online who have this more still a child thing about them and I had found ways of letting that out at work too which made things less of a problem than they had been in the past.

The other crazy thing was my sister in law came on over and both of us were singing and making actions to along to that great rockin' number Wombling Merry Christmas by the Wombles as it was on the local radio station as she arrived! This didn't phaze her partner either.

One thing I missed for long time was a tradition of boxes containing a selection of candy usually chocolate children always have presented to them and this year the Hello Kitty selection box put in an appearance.

As well we had annuals and this year I had the Beano annual a comic I grew up with remaining a barrel full of child like fun I could sit on the floor and read. I like Minnie The Minx and the Bash Street Kids.

I also like the Dandy with Korky the cat, Bananaman and Desperate Dan and had this years annual too.

The initiated know I love reading not withstanding the difficulties I have with both holding books and also with my reading abilities and so I had this years Jacqueline Wilson annual which apart from having some drawing sections, also has some new short stories to read and I adore her books loads.

After going out to eat, I watched Ratatouille on the tv which was fun as for some reason I'd missed seeing it at the local movie theatre and made a note to get the dvd as anything that funny could help on either rainy days or when I'm not well.

Haydn string quartets

 I do love classical music and I had two new recordings by the Takacs Quartet of Haydn's String Quartets Op 71  & 74.

They are strongly regarded by The Sunday Times and The Strad magazine.

Teasing and Bullying: Some thoughts

Sometimes I feel like talking about more important questions and today I'm talking about teasing and bullying.

Sometimes it can be hard for people especially children to tell when someone is said to be teasing or when it it is they are being bullied. This can in some situations lead to a "Zero tolerance" approach being adopted but that of itself doesn't make it any easier to judge what's what and may not be so effective anyway in teaching people the control we need in our social relationships.

For instance sometimes what we call teasing acts a glue linking us together in much the same way as gossip can help in understand what really is going on.

Personally I see nothing wrong with playful teasing where everyone is in on the joke. But when someone feels humiliated by attacks on their appearance, beliefs and inadequacies, then it's little consolation that the person who is doing the teasing was "only kidding".Having some judgment about who is really being hurt, as opposed to benefiting and maturing by the process is a must.

It's true when something changes in character, by degree, it does become difficult to ascertain precisely when the critical point occurs. 

On the continuum from 'affectionate teasing' to hateful verbal abuse, mistakes will be made however making things so restrictive in what we may say does reduce depth of our exchanges as well as adding an awkwardness to anything less than entirely affectionate.

For most people from around the age of 10 onward we learn to read more into what people are saying and doing reading faces, tone of voice, posture and so on so we can tell if what they are saying is meant to come over as a joke between us or if they are being deliberately mean.

Actually the absence of this is very visible in forums where great mythunderstandings can easily form! 

Mean certainly has to be dealt with as either parents, teachers or even forum moderators to make sure they understand what they are doing is hurting and maybe make some restitution .

Equally some need to be encouraged to stand up for themselves like the person who frequently get their 'worms' wrong and find others laugh at them for it or picked on because of their background both things we may not be able to change (and when it comes to colour why should any of us?)

It's all about balance I feel.

My Teddy

 

My teddy bear Theodore The Bear, got covered in nasty wet stuff  a few weeks back and I had to carefully wash and clean him up. Do you know what it feels like to have stuff land above you head soaking your arms right through? He says it gives him the shivers to tell you the truth but anyway Tammy sorted me out and let's me sleep on the bed though today they've put the spare overs and that on. I've never see his friends bear never mind had tea with them.(sigh)

I have a few companions too

BFN, everyone. Theodore

Christmas recollections

While arrangements around Christmas including writing that all important letter to Father Christmas to get to the North Pole continue one thing I remember about Christmas were the trips up to my Nan and Grandad's around that time as they were fitted in with shopping being just a few miles away.

I'd spend time with him helping out with the gardening or going with him to get plants while on other occasions he'd swing me on the garden swing at the top end of the garden terrifying Mum as my co-ordination is pretty lousy as I'd enjoy it in my t shirt and shorts.

It was there our family parties with cousins were held not least one just after Boxing Day for which we'd be scrubbed up protesting in the way as boys just do about the very idea of being scrubbed up and having to dress tidily as we played Kerplunk, Battle stations and the like together while the grown ups watch Darts from Jollies night club just on the south side of our city region or snooker.

Another thing I loved around then was Shari Lewis's Lamb Chop sock puppet show that was shown on national television at the time as I loved puppetry, practising with old grey socks we'd worn out.