Antenna
Monday 15 June 2020
Sunday 14 June 2020
Saturday 13 June 2020
Friday 12 June 2020
Thursday 11 June 2020
Wednesday 10 June 2020
Tuesday 9 June 2020
THE MAGIC MONEY TREE (PART 2)
...Daisy rose from her desk, stared out of the window, and exhaled long and hard. This wasn't a fantasy any more, this magic money tree was real, and it was starting to drop more apples!
Turning back to her writing desk, Daisy opened the left-hand draw and pulled out a scruffy old notebook, brown with the stains of an exploded can of beer in a Singapore locker. Slowly, methodically, she began to compile a list of names. Dad. Her brother Dan in New Zealand. Jo in Bristol. Steve in Regensburg. EstÃbaliz in San Sebastian. Sarah, wherever she might be right now! The ten people who Daisy was closest to in all the world but who had no contact with each other - especially not Dan and Dad. It was important that they were the spokes of the wheel and she was the hub. She didn't want any of her inner circle comparing notes...
Over the next few days, Daisy went to work. £100,000 was deposited in a bank account in Wellington, another hundred grand transferred to a Bavarian account. The same princely sums winged their way to the Basque Country and several UK accounts. Daisy smiled to herself. Only nine million quid left. Impending bankruptcy! She imagined what might happen next. It promised to be fun.
But a few days passed and absolutely nothing happened. In fact, the silence was deafening. Daisy called Dad for a chat, but he obviously hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. Then, the following evening, the phone rang excitedly. It was Sarah. And from the tone of her voice, she had some dramatic news...
Turning back to her writing desk, Daisy opened the left-hand draw and pulled out a scruffy old notebook, brown with the stains of an exploded can of beer in a Singapore locker. Slowly, methodically, she began to compile a list of names. Dad. Her brother Dan in New Zealand. Jo in Bristol. Steve in Regensburg. EstÃbaliz in San Sebastian. Sarah, wherever she might be right now! The ten people who Daisy was closest to in all the world but who had no contact with each other - especially not Dan and Dad. It was important that they were the spokes of the wheel and she was the hub. She didn't want any of her inner circle comparing notes...
Over the next few days, Daisy went to work. £100,000 was deposited in a bank account in Wellington, another hundred grand transferred to a Bavarian account. The same princely sums winged their way to the Basque Country and several UK accounts. Daisy smiled to herself. Only nine million quid left. Impending bankruptcy! She imagined what might happen next. It promised to be fun.
But a few days passed and absolutely nothing happened. In fact, the silence was deafening. Daisy called Dad for a chat, but he obviously hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. Then, the following evening, the phone rang excitedly. It was Sarah. And from the tone of her voice, she had some dramatic news...
Monday 8 June 2020
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
Out today on Bandcamp
Twelve tracks
Forty-three minutes
Electric guitars
Acoustic guitars
Bass guitars
Keyboards
Drums and percussion
Cellos
Trumpets
Multi-tracked vocals
Songs that swim beneath the surface
Songs that get under your skin
https://fireseed.bandcamp.com/album/more-than-meets-the-eye
Twelve tracks
Forty-three minutes
Electric guitars
Acoustic guitars
Bass guitars
Keyboards
Drums and percussion
Cellos
Trumpets
Multi-tracked vocals
Songs that swim beneath the surface
Songs that get under your skin
https://fireseed.bandcamp.com/album/more-than-meets-the-eye
Sunday 7 June 2020
LEARNING IS EVERYTHING
Learning is...
home
kindergarten
school
college
university
lifelong
family
community
work
play
entering the arena
the school of hard knocks
developing critical faculties
making connections
joining up the dots
building a coherent picture
design, architecture and engineering
politics, economics and psychology
sociology, philosophy and anthropology
asking the right questions
not being afraid of difficult answers
hands-on
reading books
listening to podcasts
paying attention
cultivating empathy
readiness
a curve
dialogue and debate
making mistakes
acting on feedback
not making the same mistakes
vulnerability
taking risks
having the courage to fail
picking oneself up and trying again
cultivating curiosity
examining hobby horses
listening to new stories
going over old ground
being able to see in new ways
moving from A to B
or from A to Z
imagination
seeing further
digging deeper
reaching higher
not waiting for permission
a baby step forward
a quantum leap
a paradigm shift
patience
passion
perseverance
tenacity
grit
home
kindergarten
school
college
university
lifelong
family
community
work
play
entering the arena
the school of hard knocks
developing critical faculties
making connections
joining up the dots
building a coherent picture
design, architecture and engineering
politics, economics and psychology
sociology, philosophy and anthropology
asking the right questions
not being afraid of difficult answers
hands-on
reading books
listening to podcasts
paying attention
cultivating empathy
readiness
a curve
dialogue and debate
making mistakes
acting on feedback
not making the same mistakes
vulnerability
taking risks
having the courage to fail
picking oneself up and trying again
cultivating curiosity
examining hobby horses
listening to new stories
going over old ground
being able to see in new ways
moving from A to B
or from A to Z
imagination
seeing further
digging deeper
reaching higher
not waiting for permission
a baby step forward
a quantum leap
a paradigm shift
patience
passion
perseverance
tenacity
grit
Saturday 6 June 2020
DICTIONARY OF CONFUSING CONCEPTS
Arena - The place where we lay ourselves and our work on the line
Art - The intention to share and display original work which is received by others
Aunthenticity - Unfiltered and unexamined behaviour [see Integrity]
Blame - The discharge of pain and discomfort
Clarity - Communicating intentions and expectations precisely, showing kindness and compassion for others
Connection - A combination of empathy and sonder [see Sonder]
Courage - A willingness to stare down fear and risk failure
Critic - A detached person who attacks from outside the arena while being unwilling to fight inside it[see Arena]
Dip - An inevitable but temporary loss of energy or enthusiasm in the middle of a worthwhile project or journey of personal growth
Empathy - The willingness to walk a mile in another person's shoes
Fatigue - An embodied response calling out for self-care and rest
Fun - A barely-remembered sense of play and enjoyment locked away in the distant past
Gratitude - The recognition of the essential contribution of others to our endeavours
Integrity - When what we believe, do and say are all in perfect alignment
Listening - Actively processing the words of another person without interrupting or formulating one's own response
Showing up - Regularly and consistently entering the arena, even in the most difficult circumstances [see Arena]
Silence - A tool for listening to others and holding space
Sonder - The moment of realization that other people are living a life equally as rich, vivid and complex as one's own [See the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows]
Sympathy - Feeling emotionally affected by the difficult emotions of others [see Empathy]
Art - The intention to share and display original work which is received by others
Aunthenticity - Unfiltered and unexamined behaviour [see Integrity]
Blame - The discharge of pain and discomfort
Clarity - Communicating intentions and expectations precisely, showing kindness and compassion for others
Connection - A combination of empathy and sonder [see Sonder]
Courage - A willingness to stare down fear and risk failure
Critic - A detached person who attacks from outside the arena while being unwilling to fight inside it[see Arena]
Dip - An inevitable but temporary loss of energy or enthusiasm in the middle of a worthwhile project or journey of personal growth
Empathy - The willingness to walk a mile in another person's shoes
Fatigue - An embodied response calling out for self-care and rest
Fun - A barely-remembered sense of play and enjoyment locked away in the distant past
Gratitude - The recognition of the essential contribution of others to our endeavours
Integrity - When what we believe, do and say are all in perfect alignment
Listening - Actively processing the words of another person without interrupting or formulating one's own response
Showing up - Regularly and consistently entering the arena, even in the most difficult circumstances [see Arena]
Silence - A tool for listening to others and holding space
Sonder - The moment of realization that other people are living a life equally as rich, vivid and complex as one's own [See the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows]
Sympathy - Feeling emotionally affected by the difficult emotions of others [see Empathy]
Friday 5 June 2020
TENSION
Creating unhealthy tension
In the red corner
In the blue corner
Stepping on toes
Treading on eggshells
Ruffling feathers
Putting a foot in it
Putting the boot in
That sick feeling in the gut
Creating healthy tension
Prompting change
Using silence
Opening up space
Making a commitment
Investing time and money
Setting deadlines
Asking questions
How might I...?
Finding good in others
Taking a risk
Laying it on the line
Sharing work
Posting on Facebook
Writing a blog post
In the red corner
In the blue corner
Stepping on toes
Treading on eggshells
Ruffling feathers
Putting a foot in it
Putting the boot in
That sick feeling in the gut
Creating healthy tension
Prompting change
Using silence
Opening up space
Making a commitment
Investing time and money
Setting deadlines
Asking questions
How might I...?
Finding good in others
Taking a risk
Laying it on the line
Sharing work
Posting on Facebook
Writing a blog post
Thursday 4 June 2020
CHOICES
Being or having?
Learner or certificate?
Process or product?
Teaching or delivering content?
Uniqueness or conformity?
In context or decontextualised?
Personalisation or one-size-fits-all?
Centre or periphery?
Transformation or deficit?
Empowerment or marginalization?
Belonging or othering?
We or us and them?
Learner or certificate?
Process or product?
Teaching or delivering content?
Uniqueness or conformity?
In context or decontextualised?
Personalisation or one-size-fits-all?
Centre or periphery?
Transformation or deficit?
Empowerment or marginalization?
Belonging or othering?
We or us and them?
Wednesday 3 June 2020
BATTLE OF THE HEMISPHERES
LEFT BRAIN DOMINANT
Detail
Certainty
Closes down
Generalizes similarities
Explicit
Standardization
Disembodied
Breaks down into parts
Bottom-up processing
Building blocks of language
Literal understanding
Knowledge
RIGHT BRAIN DOMINANT
The big picture
Uncertainty
Opens up
Notices differences
Implicit
Originality
Embodied
Reassembles into wholes
Top-down processing
Idiom and metaphor
Humour
Wisdom
Which hemisphere will triumph?
Detail
Certainty
Closes down
Generalizes similarities
Explicit
Standardization
Disembodied
Breaks down into parts
Bottom-up processing
Building blocks of language
Literal understanding
Knowledge
RIGHT BRAIN DOMINANT
The big picture
Uncertainty
Opens up
Notices differences
Implicit
Originality
Embodied
Reassembles into wholes
Top-down processing
Idiom and metaphor
Humour
Wisdom
Which hemisphere will triumph?
Tuesday 2 June 2020
WALKING IS A REVOLUTIONARY ACT
I used to think that cycling was a revolutionary act
Great exercise
Pollution-free
No sedentary commute to work for me
No - or at least less - road rage
Whooping for joy as I sailed downhill past a queue of static cars
The faces of their drivers locked into a tense grimace
I would often write some of my best songs on these journeys
Lyrics and music dropping unbidden into my lap
As I threaded my way along the dappled paths of Selly Oak Park
Feeling like a cipher for some higher musical authority
But two months into quarantine and my feelings have changed
It is walking that is truly revolutionary
To trundle along at three miles per hour in this turbocharged world
This seems like true rebellion
Instead of being a blur the ground is clear beneath my feet
The lens has been cleaned to help me see more clearly
No need to slam on the brakes to stop and inspect an interesting find
Easy to do an impromptu litter-pick
No problem navigating a steep path strewn with tree roots
Or taking a meandering detour through woodland terrain
Today I stopped to chat to my old neighbours on a grassy path through a meadow
On a bicycle I would never have struck up a conversation with Mick* the park attendant
Walking is showing the finger to the car industry
Walking fills my head with ideas
Walking is comfort to the mind
Walking is balm to the soul
Walking is a joy
[*Not his real name]
Great exercise
Pollution-free
No sedentary commute to work for me
No - or at least less - road rage
Whooping for joy as I sailed downhill past a queue of static cars
The faces of their drivers locked into a tense grimace
I would often write some of my best songs on these journeys
Lyrics and music dropping unbidden into my lap
As I threaded my way along the dappled paths of Selly Oak Park
Feeling like a cipher for some higher musical authority
But two months into quarantine and my feelings have changed
It is walking that is truly revolutionary
To trundle along at three miles per hour in this turbocharged world
This seems like true rebellion
Instead of being a blur the ground is clear beneath my feet
The lens has been cleaned to help me see more clearly
No need to slam on the brakes to stop and inspect an interesting find
Easy to do an impromptu litter-pick
No problem navigating a steep path strewn with tree roots
Or taking a meandering detour through woodland terrain
Today I stopped to chat to my old neighbours on a grassy path through a meadow
On a bicycle I would never have struck up a conversation with Mick* the park attendant
Walking is showing the finger to the car industry
Walking fills my head with ideas
Walking is comfort to the mind
Walking is balm to the soul
Walking is a joy
[*Not his real name]
Monday 1 June 2020
LAUGHING GAS
My early morning walk through the wildflower meadow
Has turned into an impromptu litter-pick
Beside an inadequate-looking receptacle
Overflowing with the excesses of a sunny weekend
I chat to my brand new friend, Mick*
As he bags up the cans and plastic bottles
The ice cream wrappers and the fast food cartons
The park attendant tells me he's just cleared up a chuckle of laughing gas canisters
Strewn across the car park where the Old Barn** used to be
Before it was set ablaze in an arson attack
Mick likes his job more than I was expecting
The Council is currently paying him full-time wages for part-time work
Mick's loving his long afternoons in the garden
Lying in a hammock with a beer or three
Courtesy of the UK taxpayer
This is especially interesting to know as England stares down the barrel of Austerity 2.0
Laughable really!
[*Mick's identity has been protected for obvious reasons]
[**The Old Barn was erected by the Cadbury family in the 1920s]
Has turned into an impromptu litter-pick
Beside an inadequate-looking receptacle
Overflowing with the excesses of a sunny weekend
I chat to my brand new friend, Mick*
As he bags up the cans and plastic bottles
The ice cream wrappers and the fast food cartons
The park attendant tells me he's just cleared up a chuckle of laughing gas canisters
Strewn across the car park where the Old Barn** used to be
Before it was set ablaze in an arson attack
Mick likes his job more than I was expecting
The Council is currently paying him full-time wages for part-time work
Mick's loving his long afternoons in the garden
Lying in a hammock with a beer or three
Courtesy of the UK taxpayer
This is especially interesting to know as England stares down the barrel of Austerity 2.0
Laughable really!
[*Mick's identity has been protected for obvious reasons]
[**The Old Barn was erected by the Cadbury family in the 1920s]
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