hello world @ blog

"...and they raised a glass once more. So pleased with themselves and all their accomplishments. No one saw the frightened shadows searching for their tortured souls and stolen identities in all the misunderstood mayhem of the festivities" Aran my 7 year old nephew  (or is he 8?) was really taken aback by the reply I gave him to the question "What do I want for christmas?" "Nothing" I said to him "Nothing?" he exclaimed. You could read him like a book from that moment.  Aunty Rubi is definitely mad! For much of the year I have long pondered the word "want" I have witnessed these questions to me: What do you want out of life ? What do want of the future? What do you want from me? Is this what you want ? These are questions I have been asked throughout the course of my life and every time my answer will be "I want nothing" But surely you must want something? Everybody wants something. Even if you don't ...

"Come fly with me. Lets fly, lets fly, lets fly " Frank Sinatra Last  week saw the return of business trips back to Dusseldorf again. Avid readers following my random ridiculous rants will recall I have been here many many times before. Germany calling, Germany calling On my return journey a wonderful thing happened... so wonderful that it made my year.  Just when I start to convince myself humanity is losing its battle to survive. The will power and freedoms of individuals beliefs are withering and waning away... something wonderful happens. Random Acts of kindness by stranger onto stranger I had arrived earlyish to Dusseldorf airport. Found my favourite airport bar taken my seat when my favourite barman recognised me immediately and welcomed be back having not seen me for oh at least 2 months now. The usual was ordered and devoured whilst being serenaded by the resident piano player. Yes I like all things around me to be just perfect in ...

These past few days we have been blessed with a wonderful view of a Super Moon. Did you see it? Big, bright and magically attractive it was. This the most alluring heavenly body I can see but cannot touch. I never tire of looking up at the Moon. A super, full, half, crescent, waxing, waning moon; any moon phase there is, the magnetic pull  is always there to be drawn and gaze up in wonder, then lose yourself to the cosmos. Yet for every time I look up at the moon, I am convinced I am the only one on Planet Earth looking up at the moon; that precise moment in time. Its just me and you Moon. Is it because I have grown up as Moon Child?  Bad Moon Rising by Credence Clear Water was Number 1 the day I was born. Bad Omen ? I think not. 1969 what a year! The telescope that sat behind the living room sofa was a permanent fixture through my childhood. Where with great excitement to open up,  delayed with lots of waiting around for assembly and focusing before you were allo...

There they go .... The Bohemians Here they come..... Machine Man A heated debate has started. It has been brewing  for some time now. I really hope there will be answers. But a natural inclination to play Devils Advocate means the debate will propagate for a while, I fear.  The question itself  somewhat philosophical, somewhat profound. Can the Soul and Ego co-exist in perfect Symmetry? ...Thursday,  I eagerly looked out of the train window, Desperately scanning and searching  the meadows beside the picturesque River Kennet. I was looking for the herd of cows I had seen this morning. There they are! In almost the same formation I saw earlier. Nine sitting cows clustered together looking in one direction only; up at the one standing cow, who looks on at them. With a supreme air of authority, standing cow looks down at them.  Is standing cow there by divine authority or by intelligent design? Is this the same standing cow from this morning ? via ...

Yes those were our instructions. We heard them loud and clear. Nobody in carriage D of the 07.43 London bound train from Norwich was to utter a word about it. All of us had silently sworn ourselves to the secrecy. " Its just between me and you Pippa , do you understand ?" spoke the women sat across the isle from me into her mobile. Pippa must have been in absolute agreement for her reply was prompt "That's perfect, really perfect! Not a word now Pippa" The revealing pre-cursor conversation with Pippa had interestingly started just before we had approached Manningtree in Essex. A picturesque part of my journey to London; often I look up from my laptop and out onto the estuary. My eyes follow the inlet of the meandering River Stour, from the deep mudflat tributary swirls, out to the great expanse of the North Sea, as far as the eye can see. Here I always breathe in a calming breath, before the mad day mayhem takes its hold. But on this particul...

“Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Atticus Finch tells Jem and Scout. For the Mocking Bird is a beautiful creature and sings only for you. A long time its taken me to complete the reading of Harper Lees iconic novel - To Kill a Mocking Bird. So eloquently and beautifully written, with a story that works on so many levels today. We see the story through Scouts eyes, a young girl, fast losing her innocence as a world of rights and wrongs play out before her and she slowly sees  the world through the Mocking Birds eyes. The Mocking Bird - symbolises the innocence of the characters who are derided, mocked and even killed just for being themselves, in a conformist society which fails  to understand them. A society with deep seated prejudice towards them, for this is the way society behaves and heaven forbid if you step out side of the symmetry of the...