Terry Lloyd's Blog, page 21

Passion for Poetry.

Poetry is an art form that can both entertain and stretch the imagination. Throughout history it has been a way to pass on expression of thought, cultural appreciation and a legacy of dialect. As poetry can allow for feelings to flow far more freely, it can be an enjoyable challenge, if one cares to participate in placing, capturing and shaping their ideas into a form of readable verse.

It is true that for quite some time I was under the impression that poetry needed to rhyme. However poetry is a type of literature that evokes imagery, an emotional response through language and can depend greatly upon meaning, sound and patterns. While rhythm and rhyme can feature in poems, poetry itself does not have to regulate to rhyming and a free form can be the method used to jot ideas down. For me, I find it rather disconcerting to utilise that particular method, as in my mind something does not seem quite right. I like to link and shape my stanzas according to my ideas and how I feel that they progress, by way of associative and sometimes humorous, language.

Appreciating poetry is a very personal thing and of course some poems will be more popular than others. The performance of poetry can greatly influence the audience and certain pieces of poetic literature simply suit best to a vocal demonstration of it. Personally, The Lion And Albert by Marriott Edgar born in 1880, will always create a chuckle and even more so when reading or hearing the sequel poem Albert’s Return. I urge you, if you are not familiar with the poetry of this poet, to read other works by the same author.

On a different style, I would suggest reading The Tyger by William Blake as it can stimulate the awesome prowess and majesty that lies within that powerful form of animal life. Poetry can be a tool with which to teach about possibility and it can equally provide profound parallels between that of old and new, wild or tame, day and night.

There are many stirring poems and one comes to mind in that of Rudyard Kipling’s If. If you can keep your head while others are losing theirs… Implications can be found throughout this motivational and almost inspirational statement about what it takes to be the person of the moment. How morality, a sense of conviction and code of behaviour can help you to make sense of the world and give you an opportunity to aid others.

However if you prefer a more sombre tone, Edgar Alan Poe’s The Raven and A Dream Within a Dream would surely do the trick. In the work of this poet, the imagery and vivid interpretation of thought, makes it difficult not to comprehend how the written word can delve into the mind. A poet with an ability to enhance on a play of atmosphere and the use of environment to develop dramatic and diverse masterpieces.

I think having a passion for poetry is very fortunate because it can stimulate the senses. Poetry is a world of art that can give untold pleasure and a field of activity to fire the imagination. If you have not written a poem yourself, then I encourage you to have a go. You never know what you can do, until you try.

Unusual Animals.

One of the main occupations of science is to classify everything, and this is probably to make some understandable tree of knowledge as for how things are. A question occurred to me, what happens when there is a species of animal that simply does not conform to a particular branch?

There are quite a few, of what could be described as unusual animals, ones that do not fit in with conventional formation. Take the world of water, unique species of fish would be the first thing that comes to mind. You might ask why are there mammals, such as whales, dolphins and porpoise in the sea? Then there are molluscs, such as octopus and squids that not only have ample arms but three hearts as well. Back on dry land or almost, how about the platypus with its duck bill, no teeth or stomach and ability to lay eggs? This species of animal is far from stereotypical, with a beaver like tail and webbed feet, a poison claw on its rear leg, and in between it has a waterproof, fury body.

Most things that can fly, could be birds or maybe do not be so sure. When coming across bats, which are mammals that are also equipped with a sonar sensing ability, they have an awesome skill of flight with wings made up of stretched skin. This is something that I would think of as more like the ancient pterodactyl. A most striking feature is the history of bats, as this can be traced back
over fifty million years and let me tell you, that dwarfs even that of our own human heritage.

What could be the answer as to the success of more unusual species of animals? I can only assume that it is, if you have a good form of body fitness and lifestyle, why change it? Natural diversity is the tool of the future and for sustaining blood lines. It is not surprising to have creatures that bridge the gap in established classification of species, and strength, agility and quirky survival traits can all come about as a result. Unusual and astounding as these species can seem, the animals themselves often have a part to play in their own generation’s legacy but something to consider is that it can also be forces outside of the creature’s own capabilities, that have a vital influence on its potential development.

Philosophy and Me.

Philosophy and me, could be described as an epic tussle of scientific thought and relative human action, theoretic knowledge and practical consequence. Philosophy has long held a particular intrigue for me. I love the potential that philosophy contains. My personal view of philosophy is shaped by the value that the ideas have on my thinking, and I can remember even as far back as late childhood, questioning the why behind social constructs for conduct and the implications of it.

When thinking about the importance of philosophy, Socrates stands out for me and this is due to the Socratic form of questioning, in the pursuit of establishing a truth of any strongly held belief. Socrates taught that knowledge of oneself is important. He also had a specific view on how to attain contentment.

Einstein’s contribution to the understanding of material things can not ever be understated. Energy and mass are bound in the formula, of Energy Equals Mass that is multiplied by the speed of light times the speed of light. Energy and matter can not be created or destroyed but changed. If that was not enough to philosophise over, there is now a theory of relativity that has opened a new aspect of how things behave in different forms of motion.

The universe has boundaries of comprehension, and a glimpse into the enormity of it, was revealed by the American astronomer Edwin Powell Hubble. This occurred when it was shown that tiny clusters of dust and light were in fact more and more galaxies. Another important fact that captures my mind, is due to the change of light colour from distant objects the relative motion of them can be ascertained and this has proved conclusively that the entire universe is expanding. This is a generalisation, as a very few galaxies are moving on a collision course relative to each other. Even more interesting, is the further the galaxy is from each other the faster they are travelling. There are a great many more factors that one can consider when thinking about the age of the universe and for me, there is a sense of being a unique pioneer, contemplating the science behind the philosophy.

The beauty of science is that once new information is gathered the model of reality is adjusted accordingly. In line with this practice, Einstein withdrew his Cosmological Constant theory that had been proposed to counter the pull of gravity. Although Einstein considered it to be his greatest blunder, later in the nineteen nineties the idea was actually proposed again to explain the effect of dark energy on the expansion of the universe.

Just as the knowledge of the universe has increased, so too has the understanding of the diversity of life. Charles Darwin published the principals of evolution and that has historically proposed and shown the adaption of life to the changing pressure for survival.

Even though it is not a classified idea, the continental drift and oxygenation of the world, does for me have a very powerful influence on forming my thinking. It helps to form my thought patterns as to make sense of how things work.

As in science, ideas need to be tested or revised and so do philosophical concepts. Plato believed the key to understanding, is how one perceives the world and there is a structure of forms. At the top of a pyramid like shape is the form of good, and below that sub categories, all of which are striving for perfection. On that bases, he did not believe in democracy but thought that philosopher kings should be supreme in directing society.

Many scientists and philosophers have been searching for a universal truth, as if that concept simply and undeniably has to exist. I have come to the conclusion, that no single belief or authority necessarily has all the answers. Instead each claim should be able to pass investigation. There are gaps in science and areas where new discoveries replace old ideas. The important point is over time more of the gaps are being answered and can help to influence the discovery of new thoughts and capabilities.

Adventures.

Certain significant and specific events are destined to become the highlights of passing years. At the actual time of the event, nothing might be further from the mind but the sensation of immense joy sustained in those brief but meaningful experiences.

Many years ago the bus company ran a weekend fixed fee, unlimited travel ticket. That made it possible for excursions into the surrounding countryside and even a visit to zoos and places of interest. Fully prepared for my adventure, as a little boy I had been eagerly laden with excitement, sandwiches and a drink. Impatiently I sat on the bus, anticipating the arrival to my chosen point of interest.

After one such childhood forage into the world of nature, sitting on the bus, I became aware of a constant and unpleasant irritation covering most of my body. On investigation, it was after pulling my trouser leg up that I could see lots of tiny little marks that were very itchy. Almost like an involuntary action, I could not stop my self scratching, even though it did nothing to alleviate the incredibly annoying irritation or the curious looks that I was getting. It unfortunately seemed that the journey home took forever, and as I squirmed on my seat, I felt uncomfortable for every bit of it. Upon reaching home, it was only after a vigorous shower and a change of clothes that things started to get better. The exuberance of a bus ride into an intriguing yonder had meant that I was far from careful with my trek into the awesomeness of a natural location. On reflection, would it have made a difference if I had noticed the tiny creatures hidden under the blanket of brown dead leaves, that were inches thick?

Pleasant times, one might ponder? Of course the awe of nature will forever be treasured in memories of the stillness and majesty of reminiscent cathedral structures, seemingly sculpted in the edifice of the top most branches, all meeting to form long naturally folding and unwinding avenues. At times, the motionless picture of beauty in many a countryside scape can be interrupted by a regular haunting call of a bird. As the time of day passes, instead of piercing glimpses of sunlight and colour, the atmosphere slowly might well begin to shift and change. Shadows could begin to merge into an ominous darkness. It is arguably at this point that things might be about to become really interesting. I checked my watch on one particular occasion and in the dim light of the tree lined landscape, it was difficult to see clearly. It signified to me that the day was drawing to its close and it was time to leave the forest, for the bus home. With confidence I set off along the trail until I reached a clearing where several avenues converged. I realised that I should have reached the bus stop, but I had already been walking for some time. The horror of my situation caused a sick feeling. How could I have been so foolish as to lose my way? The time was getting near to when the last bus was about to depart. Breaking into a flat out panic, running and sweating I made my way back to the clearing. The only problem then, was that I did not know which was the right avenue, to take.

Surely I thought, there must be something different in the avenue that I may have noticed. I peered into each avenue but the gloom was making it difficult to see anything. At least I knew which routes were wrong, but in my state of confusion I grew increasingly unsure about everything. In the end with time running out I closed my eyes and chose one of the avenues in part instinct and part random guess, but it was after walking for a while longer that with great joy, in front of me was the precious bus stop.

A sense of adventure has taught me, in life it may be necessary to have some downs in order to fully appreciate the happy times. There might well be some risks before the relief and a few skills learnt along the way. Adventures do not always mean the same to everybody, but for me the best ones entail meaningful and motivating revelations about the possibilities in life.

Consequences.

A short study of philosophy could start with the idea, everything that exists is thus enabled by a previous action. However there is a line of thought that argues, there might only be an independent, sole, self activated first action and claims that an endless series of subsequent actions is not possible.

In thinking about the concept of consequences, one can not help but think of the age old, perplexing question of what came first? In schools to various social settings have individuals debated the nature and parameters of consequences. If for argument’s sake, you pose the notion of when did a first action take place, it can broaden out into quite an intriguing and theoretical set of possibilities.

If it is necessary to take a supposed beginning point, of say the universe, then there is the potential problem question to consider. Did a first action occur directly before the universe or millions of actions before that event? In fact, it does not matter whether it was a first action or a series of actions, as actions by themselves it could be argued that they have no intension. Therefore a conclusion might be that the universe occurred without any intention for its existence.

Actions may have consequences, but whether they are beneficial or not will depend on many other circumstances, for instance as is associated to the great oxygenation event on earth. When thinking about sets of circumstances and consequences, these following statements do come to mind.

The solar system is a product of countless actions with no discernible intension.
How things exist is dependant on natural events and then they become a specific item.
However specific, items can evolve with the ability of actions with intentions.
Planets are observed to move in a predictable way but can be disrupted by near collision with other objects in the universe.
The fact that there is life on earth is due to many unintentional events.
The earth, like the universe, survived the process of being.
Life has evolved due to hospitable conditions that happen to be on earth.
How long life lasts will depend on future consequences.
As in the past, over ninety nine per cent of all species of life on earth, are estimated to have passed away. That is believed to be in the region of five billion species.

I believe that philosophy is shaped by knowledge and understanding. It is only after thinking through proposed ideas that a true picture of reality can be found.

Garden Surprise.

Life can have many surprises and a most interesting occurrence happened recently in my back garden. Unknown to me, I was about to encounter a small visitor that also did not realise my presence, as it was occupied in traversing the top of the wooden fence of my garden. It nimbly ran across the narrow top of the fence, only to disappear up into the surrounding trees of the adjacent ground. You may have guessed that I am talking about none other than a squirrel. This particular member of the species was coloured a sort of mixed brown, with a magnificent fluffy tail laying flat and in length, was just as long as its body.

Nature can be both beautiful and tragic as my next little surprise was on another day that I noticed something rather odd. There appeared to be overhanging from the gutter some tail feathers of a bird. The odd part of the scene was that the feathers did not move, even when I got up close and was making a bit of a noise, nothing stirred. After a little time, I decided to get a ladder to investigate. Both startling and strange, I was not prepared for what I saw next. I had assumed as it had just been raining and some rain water was dripping from the side of the gutter that the blockage might be a dead bird. In fact a mystery was about to begin, for there was no bird’s body in the gutter at all, but there was two attached bird wings. I carefully removed and disposed of the bird wings, but wondered how could such a thing occur? How could it be that for a bird to intact lose both its wings? My daughter being of a resourceful nature, began investigating the mystery.

In response to the question of how and who, various culprits came to mind. Maybe a fox or owl, but they could not account for the surgical removal of the wings and without any damage having been done to them. The wings had been cleanly and precisely cut off, or so it had seemed, and this clue led to the discovery of Raptors.

In the wild, Raptors can include many birds also known as Birds of Prey. The most common in the UK is the buzzard and it is recognizable with broad, rounded wings and a short tail and neck. The vulture, osprey, sparrowhawk, Red kite, goshawk, owl and falcon are raptor birds but each can have a particular trait associated to it. Osprey for example catch and rely on a diet mainly of fish, while an owl can swallow its food whole. Neither fit into the category of our mysterious culprit, and none of the others were known for detaching wings of their prey either.

The real to life who done it, turned out to be a peregrine falcon. They are quiet rare and have a habit of after dispatching their victim, reducing the weight of their prey and with meticulous dexterity use their scissor like beak to remove the unwanted bird’s wings. They can reach a speed of two hundred miles an hour in their attacking swoop, and can display impressive natural skills in the wild.

It is the way of things that life and death all play a part in the epic, ultimate struggle for survival. Whether you are a predator or prey, life can be a showcase for an ability to thrive and survive. Concealing and revealing skills and natural abilities at that right time can be a very important part of a species making a smart impression on the ways of the wild.

Changing World.

When I look out the window and see blue sky, some white fluffy clouds and maybe even a rainbow, it is a surprise to learn that at one time things were a great deal different than they are now. The theme of this little piece is world change and actions that can be intentional or without intension.

Approximately two point seven billion years ago was the start of the production of oxygen and it took about one hundred million years before enough oxygen was produced for the start of air breathing life. Before that time there was bacterial life that could survive without oxygen, but due to ocean microbes there came a time when through the process of photosynthesis, oxygen as a waste product could be produced. A full day at that time lasted six hours, as the earth was spinning faster and since then its spin is slowing down.

All life is vulnerable to catastrophic events and there has been many annihilations of different species. When the dinosaurs disappeared, except for birds, there was an opportunity for other small species to flourish. Dinosaurs disappeared about sixty five million years ago and first appeared about two hundred and forty million years ago. That is quite impressive when compared to human origins.

If I was to look out the window of prehistory, the weather may well have been cold and icy. In the distance I would probably have been able to see several creatures by the name of Ardipithecus. These creatures walked erect on two legs and would have been making their way to more hospitable terrain. Of the many species in early hominids, Ardipithecus is truly the bridge of apes to humans. With long arms stretching down to the knees and hands that were half ape and human, the face was flatter and more human like. Shorter and lighter, with a much smaller skull and brain capacity compared with modern man, these beings would have been seen at a time that was about four point four million years ago.

About forty to fifty thousand years ago there were three species of humans competing for survival. Evidence of this is in modern day human DNA. Evolution is not like a row of dice toppling on each other but a bush with twigs ending with extinct species.

The world itself is argued to be a result of unintentional actions from tiny pieces of evolved star mater that due to natural process over time have become a bulging off centre, spinning rock.

Although invisible, there is a continuous change in the magnetic strength and polarity of the earth’s magnetic field.

I believe that there are natural forces without intension and subsequently over time more actions in the form of agents with intension. However the consequences of intended actions may result in unfortunate repercussions. The elephant in the room is global warming.

The unintentional production of oxygen was beneficial to some life, although poison to others.

The demise of dinosaurs gave the opportunity for small and diverse life to flourish.

Life adapts to changing environment and although for some, the change is too drastic or fast, it could be suggested that in the long term new life has the opportunity to thrive and prosper.

Burning Rubber.

Happiness comes in all types of ways and for me I recollect a time as a toddler when my father would give me a short ride on his Triumph motor bike. I was perched on top of the seat, straddling the petrol tank and situated right in front of my father. I could just about grasp the handle bars, but boy I felt the rush of the wind and the powerful throb and deafening roar of the six hundred cc engine. My right foot rested on the knob of the gear lever which was fastened to the side of the petrol tank. For those short few and significant moments I indeed was king of the road. At the end of the ride I was lifted down to the path and turned to see my father, who had goggles and a soft leather fur lined helmet like the second world war aeroplane fighter pilots would have worn. He had leather gauntlets, boots and if raining a heavy oil skin coat. At that time nobody wore crash helmets and seat belts for cars had not been invented.

Another joyous occasion when I truly felt like I was burning rubber was the first time I realised I could float. I owe a great thanks to my wife who gave me the confidence to do the unthinkable and just lay back in the swimming pool, push up with both feet while keeping my body tense enough to become horizontal and remain upon the water surface. It was so easy to master it and after so many years wasting time grasping the side bar of multiple pools and kicking like fury, it had accumulated in numerous attempts that never resulted in anything. I would encourage people who have trouble learning how to swim, to try floating on your back first and that will conquer part of the fear of water.

As children we felt no embarrassment for daydreaming yet as adults daydreaming may not be practised as much. However for me occasional daydreaming is a positive activity and stimulates the creation of ideas. Raring to get going, my thoughts and concepts can roar into actuality when I engage in this activity. I do make a point of choosing a place and time that is most suited for this kind of mindful technique, because at this time it is enjoyable, stimulating and motivating to review past exhilarating times but it can simultaneously allow me to look forward for the opportunity to create more meaningful life content.

Everybody’s own experiences of motivation can differ and be relative to circumstances, choice and appeal. My own dad’s prowess in vehicle skills was not always the same as mine, and our achievements in terms of how much progress we made in different arenas of enterprise and entrepreneurship have both overlapped and differed. What I do know is that there are certain times in life when young or old, we can really feel as if we are burning rubber and those are the moments when we can grab on to, either through exploring new experiences, places, situations or simply by basing our future success upon that richness from the past.

Reactions and Responses.

How much do we know about ourselves in the physical sense? The biological attributes that people can refer to in this capacity could be that of action and response, fight or flight and reflex reactions.

When it comes to natural reactions and instantaneous response, just say you were crossing the road and a car blares its horn, multiple actions throughout the body can subsequently occur of which someone might not even be aware. Even in those first few seconds, there can already be a rush of adrenaline that starts to make its way around a body and all the muscles could tense in anticipation of being ready for action. This is the sympathetic system which has taken charge of the resources for survival.

The effects of the body’s nervous system can mean that subsequent to any shock, feelings and symptoms can manifest at a later stage. Delayed or latent physical responses can be completely natural and required ways for the body to deal with an occurrence. It can be quite common following a shock, for people to experience fatigue or emotional outbursts. Coping mechanisms in the body may well result in feeling a little weary or a need to sit down for a short rest. In these specific moments it can be useful to implement certain beneficial relaxation techniques.

Allowing the body an opportunity to repair and rest after a difficult or challenging experience can be vital to attaining good health. After closing the eyes and relaxing all muscles, try just listening to your slow, systematic breathing in and out. At this juncture, self awareness of the breathing process could turn into subconscious activity and it is quite possible to experience the need for a short nap. That is when the parasympathetic system has taken over control. This is a significant part of the autonomic nervous system.

If people feel a lack of energy, it could be a build up of stress. An accumulation of anxiety that we are not aware of could at certain times of stress take place and this can be detrimental to the body’s ability to maintain a physical sense of wellness. Personally, I have found that deliberately setting a time to regularly sit down and relax both body and the mind when possible, is a way to focus on improving how I feel. Even a few simple minutes of targetted relaxation can help to ensure that stress levels in the body do not start to become excessive.

Another important factor in looking after the body in terms of reactions and responses, is getting enough restful sleep. This significant practice allows the parasympathetic system a chance to repair and grow throughout the body. It is only in deep sleep that the accumulation of waste build up in the brain can be efficiently and effectively disposed.

Reactions and responses are fascinating. The body has a lot of ways with which to physically reply, when the situation poses a difficult or unexpected scenario. I find just slowing my breathing down through my nose and when breathing out, take a little longer emphasis on the time than when breathing in, will tip the balance in favour of assisting the parasympathetic nervous system.

Although the autonomic nervous system is independent of our conscious thoughts, people still have the power to address the situation. It is, for example when tension or stress is felt, that how it is dealt with can make all the difference.

Stories That Excite.

What is it n the human psychology that seems to determine, when it comes to entertaining the young, the first choice for many classic literary flights are horror stories. Of course they are not known under that title but that of what I think of as slightly horrifying historic children’s rhymes and verses.

Thinking back to my early years, and I can still feel the tension and awe as those inspired literary moments had me hooked. I was left open mouthed over the telling of Little Red Riding Hood. That particular tale was usually followed up by The Three Little Pigs and just to put me off my breakfast, the story of The Three Bears usually did the trick. Mind you, I still like porridge just at the right temperature!

At the time, it did not occur to me to question the logic of Jack and the Beanstalk or if it is quite alright to steal the giant’s gold? Should we be cheering over the dispatch of the terrible blood smelling giant and when the giant is in pursuit of Jack to regain his property, do we not lack any sense of justice on his part? After all, he was not the one to initiate all the fuss in the first place and he certainly did not invite anybody to trespass and steal. However climbing down the bean stalk in a hurried and horrific pursuit of the thief, this introverted tale of law and morals, clearly indicates and highlights the namesake of the story as the hero of events.

There can come a time when children can play a harmless game of ring a ring of roses, a pocket full of poses, a tissue a tissue we all fall down. There is a certain macabre reality of present day life as children are temporarily in a cocoon of innocence and are not aware of the true consequences of life and death.

I remember the fun and enjoyment of being in the queue of children in a circle playing oranges and lemons, the bells of St Clemens. We waited excitedly to pass under the arms of two children who clasped their own hands together, only to then raise their arms over the heads and hope they did not reach the point of chop of their head. Those caught, would leave the queue and so on, until there was no one left in the circle.

At the time, did the full implication of what the games depicted have any influence on the future development of the participants? I do not think so, as it was the fun of the game that was the point of the activity for me and many of my playmates.

Childhood is a special time to enjoy imagination without the pressures of reality to dampen the activity of play. As long as people with maturity can distinguish the consequences of their actions, impressions of culture and history can play a vital role itself, in how children’s minds and thoughts can be cultivated.