Lance Greenfield's Blog, page 75
September 25, 2015
I’m listening to this…you are now: maybe?
Listen to the lyrics. Whoo!
Originally posted on dorne whale - my inner child:
I work better listening to music and this afternoon Annie Lennox is serenading me. I love her Diva album and this track in particular… Cold.
Click on the link if you want to see this great video.
Thanks for visiting.
Dorne x
September 22, 2015
Writer’s Quote Wednesday – Appreciation
Image borrowed from Silver Threading’s blog
This is my latest contribution to Writer’s Quote Wednesday, hosted by Colleen Chesebro of silverthreading.com. This week, I also want to link it back to Ronovan’s Be Wonderful on Wednesday (#BeWoW) share. I encourage you all to follow these links to discover some stimulating posts.
Once again, I must ask your forgiveness for being a little self-indulgent by using one of my own quotes. However, I feel justified in doing so. As I read the lovely, appreciative comments from Colleen and others following my midweek quote and motto last week, I positively glowed with happiness and satisfaction. The warmth that I felt reminded me that:
As we go through life, we are often quick to criticize. If somebody is rude to us, or gives us bad service, or the food that we eat in a restaurant is not up to our expectations, we might tell the person who inflicted that bad experience upon us. Almost always, we tell some of our friends and family about how awful that person or service or food was.
“This meal is cold.”
“You made me wait far too long”
“I don’t appreciate being spoken to in that way.”
The effect of such criticism may be shame, anger, bad feeling and, occasionally, remedial action resulting in future improvement.
If we are so free with our criticism, surely we should be equally free with our praise and appreciation.
If you think that somebody has given you good service, or has presented delicious meal to you, or looks great today, or you think that their painting, book or singing is wonderful, or if they have pleased you in any way whatsoever, TELL THEM!
Don’t you feel good when somebody tells you that what you have done or said has made them happy? Of course you do!
Always remember how good you feel when somebody appreciates your efforts, and reflect that feeling as you walk through life today letting people know that they have pleased you. Don’t keep it to yourself. Share your satisfaction and make then glow.
“Everyone appreciates being appreciated.”
Writer’s Quote Wednesday: Michael Morpurgo.
If we give our children the freedom and latitude to be creative without limits, they will inspire us with their creations. You can see some of the wonderful outputs of children in this post.
I particularly love the batik. I lived in North Borneo when I was a child, so this is a bit of a nostalgic journey for me. I ran around in batik sarongs most of the time.
Originally posted on kyrosmagica:
This week I’m thrilled to be joining in Colleen’s Writer’s Quote Wednesday.
Here’s the link to find out how to join in this open community of quote enthusiasts: http://silverthreading.com/2015/09/16/writers-quote-wednesday-george-carlin/
My contribution for Colleen’s Writer’s Quote Wednesday is this gem of pure wonderment from Michael Morpurgo.
Encouraging young people to believe in themselves and find their own voice, whether it is through drama, writing or art is so important in giving young people a sense of self-worth. Michael Morpurgo.
I absolutely believe this is true, and the photograph below, (which I’ve edited with Michael Morpugo’s quote,) is taken from my youngest daughter’s art work when she was still at primary school.
It is nice to keep a copy of these little artistic endeavours on my blog as they bring back memories of when the girls were little, that seems such a long time ago now! Both of my daughters are pretty arty, my eldest enjoys…
View original 383 more words
September 21, 2015
Review: Burial Rites
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Many people have summarized the story contained in this book already, so I won’t bore you with further description of what it is about.
I listened to the audio book, on the recommendation of my long-term Goodreads friend, Chrissie. I am so happy that she made that recommendation and that I followed it.
Both the writing and the narration are superb.
Allow me to deal with the narration first. Morven Christie had obviously worked extremely hard with an Icelandic tutor to get all of the pronunciation exactly right. At least it sounded completely authentic to me. Her diction, her elocution, was perfect. Of course she was reading one of the best pieces of fiction to hit our bookshelves in recent years, but she did so with flawless execution. Her voice totally captures the listener.
The only health warning that I would add to my high praise for Morven, is that it is not a book to listen to whilst lying on a sunbed, as I was. Her voice can easily send you to sleep!
I paused after the second CD and listened to the rest of the book in my car on the way to and from work. Luckily, I remained awake long enough to stay on the road until I reached my destinations. Thus, I was able to enjoy the whole book in about five days.
Now on to the writing itself.
Hannah Kent, as she acknowledges at the end of the book, she has been assisted by so many people in her meticulous research of the various accounts, and of the official documents, relating to the last execution in Iceland in 1830. That effort has paid off.
The author admits that some of the accounts are contradictory and that there were many differing opinions surrounding the case at the time. By weaving an historical fiction around the threads of those account, Hannah Kent has managed to present a neutral case, neither siding with the convicted murderer, Agnes Magnusdottir, nor against her. Feelings ran high at the time. Some of the population despised her, even labeling her as a witch, whilst other doubted her guilt, or at the very least sympathised with her motive.
Somehow, in her writing, she manages to get right inside the heads of all of the main players, including the victims. As a “reader”, you can actually feel their sentiments. Not only that, but the relationships between the people in nineteenth century Iceland, how they lived, how they endured the hardships of their lives as owners of crofts and as servants of such farmers, the weather conditions, the barren landscape, the value of each small possession, the importance of their animals and harvests, the impacts of society and religion, are all brought to vivid life. An amazing, three dimensional image of all of those elements is built up in one’s mind to such realistic levels, that one feels a part of it.
There is not much more that I can say, without going into the details of the story, and doing what I promised not to do: summarizing it.
All I can say to you in conclusion is that, if you do not follow my recommendation to read, or listen to, this book, then you are missing a huge opportunity. You simply must put it on your to-read list and promote it to somewhere near the top. Trust me!
September 20, 2015
Tribute to Nicki Wallis
Andover Advertiser front page: Friday 18 September
Tragically, a very good friend of my wife’s died on Monday 7th September. She was only 33 years old, and Joy had known her since she was just seventeen. I knew her too, but not as closely as Joy, who worked with her at Tesco Metro in Andover. They hugged and laughed on an almost daily basis. Nicki always had a smile on her face, and she was a truly inspirational character, even more so since her fateful diagnosis.
The following is the tribute that appeared in the local newspaper, the Andover Advertiser, this week.
THE family of a popular Andover mum who tragically lost her battle against a rare form of bowel cancer aged 33 have paid tribute to the woman “who never gave up”.
Nicki Wallis, of Artists Way, died last Monday surrounded by friends and family at the Countess of Brecknock Hospice in Andover.
Bailey, Nicki, Charlie and David
Mrs Wallis, mum to Charlie, nine, and Bailey, six, had battled with a rare form and aggressive form of bowel cancer, known as BRAF mutated colorectal cancer, for 10 months after initially being diagnosed last November.
Despite facing just a 20 percent chance of survival, and suffering from the disabling effects of her medical treatment, the brave wife to husband David and much loved daughter of parents Lynn and Scott Carruthers continued to fight on. Mrs Wallis, who worked as a retail manager at Tesco, even featured in the Advertiser in August with her Race for Life team, consisting 70 supporters, who raised over £10,000 for cancer research.
Mother, Mrs Wallis, said, “She was always positive, right to the end.”
Mrs Wallis’s Race for Life efforts earned her a spot in the final of this year’s Pride of Andover Awards, due to be held in November.
Nicki (right foreground) and some of her Race for Life team
Husband, David, said “I would try to discuss future plans with her just in case the worst did happen, but she would never accept it.
“She was such a supportive and loving wife, an amazing mother and my best friend”
Tearfully, he added, “I’ve heard the expression, ‘she was the best of us,’ and I think that she was.”
Mum, Lynn Carruthers, also paid tribute to her cherished daughter.
She said, “She was someone who would walk into a room and brighten it up.
“She was so popular with everybody and someone who would always put anyone before herself.
“And she was so, so proud of all her boys, not just Charlie and Bailey, but David as well.”
Dad, Scott Carruthers, added, ” She was a real people person.
“The biggest disappointment for her with the cancer was that she couldn’t be with people as much as she wanted to be.
“She had such a large group of friends and was so popular.”
Mrs Wallis’s funeral will take place at Basingstoke Crematorium at 10.15 am on Tuesday, 22nd September.
The family have requested that only relatives bring flowers and that friends and acquaintances instead make a donation to the Countess of Brecknock Hospice.
Advertiser readers are also able to donate to the Countess of Brecknock Hospice by supporting Susan Thornton, who took part in the Great North Run on Sunday in memory of Mrs Wallis.
Visit www.justgiving.com/TeamNickiGNR.
Please re-post, re-blog, re-tweet, like and comment. Nicki deserves to be widely known. She was lovely.
Photos borrowed from Nicki’s Facebook page.
Could you love a robot?
Re-blogged from the fascinating BBC iWonder series. To view the original, click here.
From the movie Ex Machina (2015)
The robots are coming. In fact, they are already here, taking roles that once only humans could perform. Though we are still a far cry from sci-fi, we are already used to interacting with robots – at the supermarket self-checkout. In Japan, they are already being used to provide care for the elderly.
If a robot could be built to be as sensitive and caring as humans can be, would you want one? They could enter our lives so totally that we might even fall in love with them.
It’s time to think about robots: what they can do for us and what they might mean to us before we get in too deep.
The robots we could love
Imagine a world where robots with artificial intelligence (AI) take the place of humans. Science fiction writers and film-makers have tried to do just that. These four thought provoking films examine worlds where humans have relationships with artificial intelligence – for better or worse.
CLICKABLE: A new kind of love
Today the idea of someone loving a robot may seem strange or even utterly wrong. Yet over history, opinions of what are morally acceptable actions and what are not have changed constantly. There may be no reason to think our attitude to loving an artificial intelligence will be any different.CLICKABLE: The issues of robot relationships
Click on the image to see the choices on the BBC article
Our relationships with AI robots will bring up a range of new issues. These will include the possibility or reducing quality of life and exploitation of both humans and robots. By considering these issues now we can save ourselves from misery and heartache in future.
How will society react?This could be the biggest ethical decision of the 21st Century. When the time comes, will you embrace the robots?
Flick across to the original article to vote on how you would react and read some opinions on what might happen next.
September 19, 2015
A Coloured Lullaby
Originally posted on Thoughts by Mello-Elo:
Here’s a little poem to make you cackle. The slang is South African.
Hush little laatjie don’t you cry,
Daddy gonna steal you a GTI,
and if that GTI don’t torque,
Another GTI, I will stalk.
And if the stalking don’t go to well, ,
Daddy’s gonna steal you a Caravelle,
And if that Caravelle can’t make tricks,
Daddy’s gonna jack you a VR6,
And if that VR6 won’t fly,
Daddy’s gonna knock a BM from a Sandton guy.
And if that BM’s sound is kwaai,
Da lenz cherries will go with you to elke braai,
And if the cops ask why?
Daddy will buy the docket from the police spy,
And if all these things still make you cry,
then you not my laatjie ,
Your mom told me a lie…….
September 16, 2015
Review: The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel
The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel by Anthony Horowitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
From the first word, the style, the tone, the characters, the language, the inter-twining of plots and sub-plots and the little puzzles and deductions in which Holmes has always excelled, are all faithfully and skilfully adhered to by Anthony Horowitz. The result is superb and delightful.
The author even takes great care to avoid the use of diminutives in exactly the same way as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. For example, he writes “has not” rather than “hasn’t.” This minute attention to replication of the original detail is a real winner for me.
The storyline is believable and strikes at many levels. Victorian London’s atmosphere and society are splendidly portrayed, even down to the sights and smells of that era.
What starts out as a simple case for Holmes is wonderfully narrated by his devoted companion, Dr Watson, as events lead them both into increasingly dark and sinister scenarios. The characters are developed to just the right levels, appropriate to their roles, and one feels a both sense of empathy with the victims and, simultaneously, revulsion and anger towards the perpetrators of such dastardly deeds.
At one stage, Holmes enters into such a perilous situation that one wonders how on Earth he can ever extricate himself safely. Of course, knowing Holmes of old, the reader is confident that he will escape the danger, but it is difficult not to be consumed by Watson’s sense of despair. It is so real!
I very much enjoyed the typically precise deductions and explanations of Holmes along the lines of telling people, including Watson, of recent events in their lives: where they had been and what they had been doing. Horowitz captured these in exactly the same way as Sir Arthur had managed in the original stories. Absolutely stunning!
The conclusion is exciting and fast-paced. Possibly, this is at odds with the original series, but it can be excused because it seemed to fit so well with all that had gone before, and it would be difficult to imagine a better way to end this particular story.
The notes that Horowitz provides at the end of the book are extremely interesting, but I would encourage any reader to leave them until after they have read the whole story. In a way, I hope that this is a one off, but if Horowitz were to change his mind and write another Sherlock Holmes book, I would be first in line to order my copy.
Highly recommended to all.
Writer’s Quote Wednesday – Prejudice
Image borrowed from Silver Threading’s blog
This is my latest contribution to Writer’s Quote Wednesday, hosted by Colleen Chesebro of silverthreading.com. This week, I also want to link it back to Ronovan’s Be Wonderful on Wednesday (#BeWoW) share. I encourage you all to follow these links to discover some stimulating posts.
Please forgive me for being a little self-indulgent this week, and also for being greedy.
I feel the need to use one of my own quotes which I feel is very appropriate to the times in which we are living, and especially in Europe. I want to combine that with my own personal life motto which I formulated when I was fifteen years old. So I am giving you two for the price of one, and the price you must pay is just to read this post, so it is almost free.
These follow on from the quote that I used last week from Thomas Edison:
“Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.”
My own quote for this week is:
“I only have only one prejudice, and that is against those people who are prejudiced.”
Diversity
It upsets me that there is so much open prejudice in the world these days, much of it whipped up by the media and by politicians. I am very happy to have travelled, lived and worked all over the world. I have witnessed much. Being an emotional man, I can be equally stirred to tears by witnessing great acts of kindness as I can by seeing gross cruelty. I make no apologies to regular readers of my blog for repeating that statement.
I am very proud of my step-mother, Sheila Greenfield, who was the founding headmistress of the very first integrated school in Northern Ireland: Lagan College. Her ethos has always been, “There will be no prejudice, of any kind, in my school!” What she is saying does not just cover race, colour and creed, but also covers physical and mental ability and disability. It also covers every other difference between two humans that you could possibly think of, no matter how trivial.
Integrated schooling in Northern Ireland has made a huge contribution to the peace process in that troubled province. My belief is that it is one of the major keys to eliminating conflict throughout the world. So PLEASE, let’s have no prejudice!
Care for them all
And now for the motto that I promised to share with you all at the beginning of this post. The event that prompted me to conceive my personal motto occurred on one of the many occasions that I ran away from home as a teenager. I found myself in a South East Asian city outside a beautiful palace. This was the first time that I ever noticed a huge contrast between rich and poor. I cried for about two hours before spending all the cash that I had in my pockets at the market to buy some of these people a few bags of food.
As I made my way home, with my tail suitably between my legs and my eyes still filled with tears, the following came to me:
“One world, one people: care about them all.”
You’ll see this motto repeated at the foot of my profile on this blog.
September 10, 2015
You’ve waited long enough!
It’s time for another time-travelling coach tour!
The last five tours have taken us to:
Stonehenge during its construction: meeting the foreman
1920’s New Orleans
Macedonia in 338 BC to meet Aristotle and the young Prince Alexander (the Great)
Syracuse in the mid-third century BC to meet Archimedes
Vienna in 1801 to meet Ludwig van Beethoven
First Century AD Britain to visit Queen Boudica on the eve of a great battle
So now the time has come to decide upon our next destination and time slot.
Dear passengers, please make your preferences known in the following poll.
