Ponder Post: Discoveries

Here are some discoveries, made up completely in my head whilst lying awake with a rotten cold all week, I have, erm, discovered. 


Number1. The Reason we all like snow.


We may moan constantly about snow- the threat of snow, the falling of snow, the gridlock caused by a millimetre of it, and then the big thaw. We even have those terms- Big Freeze (like as if we are going to have to prepare to see yettys roaming and the sudden migration of Polar Bears), and Big Thaw. 


It must be a dull news month in media land, frankly.


Because we all grumble, but we all find an excuse to throw at least one snow ball, or build a snow man. I did this after leaving school and prior to having children, actually. 


I now know why.


To my mind, I think we see snow as our sand. We pay lots of money to go and sit on a sandy beach and build sand castles. So snow is the English version of sand and playing in sand.  And we all go out in minus x conditions to build stuff. I wont even go into the site on Facebook last year which was for people to post pictures of rude snow sculptures. 


It may be cold, but its fun. Or at least it is in my house.


Discovery 2: The best feeling on a cold morning.


No, its not a pumpkin spiced double shot skinny mocha latte from Cafe Posh shop (although I do like a latte, I find it hard to part with more than I pay for a jar of Kenco for one hot milk and coffee drink).


Radiators. Stick your clothes on them. The ones you'll be wearing that day. Then stick them on. 


Bliss, instant toasty warmth. And if you leave it until the last minute to get dressed, and then plonk your coat over the top, it keeps you toasty for longer. Seriously.


Except mind the zip of jeans, they get quite warm. 


Discovery 3 People will buy any old tat if you make it sound good.


I am, at the moment, selling the entire contents of my house to fund the purchase of a pair of Take That tickets. Well, not quite all my house but all the clothes I haven't worn for years and had kept in case I lose about 4 stone and go back to a size 8/10 like I was pre-Littlest. So, my Ronit Zilkha lace corset top (worn once), my Villa Dress, all my little New Look tea dresses and a particular fave long purple Indian made one off Nomads maxi dress have been sold.


As well as a few old books, DVDs and PC programmes, a very old laptop and lots of old toys which were too young for the Bratlings. 


What have I made? Close to £200. 


I have no idea how that is possible, when you consider we're all meant to be skint in recession. But yep, everything I thought would sell for peanuts hasn't. One PC programme, which I think Elder was given by the pub up the roads Landlord sold for £16 and £8.51 respectively. I don't think I'll ever complain about pub night ever again.


I am also replacing my Take That collection, which got left behind in the move from Kent. So if anyone has anything from their childhood, let me know! Especially tour stuff! Cheers.


Discovery 4: Bernard Matthews existed.


I know, who knew? 


I thought he was like Mr Kipling, Mr Soft and Ronald McDonald. I felt quite bad when it came on the news he had died. This will make more sense when you read my guest post over at Beckicklesie's brilliant blog! I think I'm there on 4th December.


So, there you go, 4 little discoveries. 


What are yours?

Ponder Post: Not the Religious blog

Hmm, she says pondering....


I had an email today.


I get rather a few, what with having 3 email addresses. 


There is my Family Panel one.


There is my Freecycle one.


And there's my, erm, other personal stuff and Online shopping one. The one comments for this blog go to.


In my Family Panel one, which is by far the busiest (and fullest- I have like 500 odd emails sitting idle, I started well with little folders with sections depending on what the email was about. And then I just forgot. I need an email equivalent of a hoover).


I get sent emails about all sorts. Invites to events for new socks. Or new snacks.


I get offers of stuff to review- which I open and then designate to you lot who jump in on Twitter. 


*In fact that'll be growing shortly and my blog may not be so frequently updated- cold is playing havoc with my arthritis in the joints of my fingers, as I type this my two little fingers are splayed out to the side and rigid.  So typing is pretty much not the most fun at the moment.


I also get Press Releases disguised as "Feature Ideas" which, put politely, is people who write a bit about a product or website or safety thing (which then tells why we must have this new product), and then "suggest" you may like to re-jig about 3 words and plonk it on your site, thus giving them something (eg advertising) effectively for nothing.


I know a lot of bloggers, new and old, get these, and some don't know how to reply. Some ignore them. A few, myself included, reply with our advertising rates and then hear nothing back. 


But today I got one from a Scientologist website.


Scientologist's for those who don't know, are a religious group, who have amongst their number Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. 


The late L Ron Hubbard (1911-1986) founded the religion in 1952 as a successor to the Dianetics, and according to Wikipedia: 


"Scientology teaches that people are immortal spiritual beings who have forgotten their true nature"


Now, thats all well and good. If thats what you believe in then more power to you. 


Religion escapes me. 


Yes I spent however many years at school learning about the major and some of the minor religions that the world has to offer. About the theory of Darwinism over Creationism. But religion has not touched my life. Yet.


I say yet because I'm open to learning about it all- after all religion pretty much shapes the world we find ourselves occupying.


But, I wasn't sure what the point of the exercise was to ask me, who has never once to my knowledge mentioned anything to do with religion here, to write about it.


My knowledge of Scientology is very lax. I heard about it when Katie Holmes was meant to give birth in silence as it was mocked from here to the ends of every chat show the Western World over. I have learnt more from Wiki this evening. Such was my poor knowledge I thought it had something to do with those red bits of wool Madonna was wearing a few years back, which put me in mind of when my 3rd year teacher used to tie a piece of string to my wrist if I had to remember something, but apparently that's something else entirely.


So, its hard to know how to reply.


They are a religion, so its not appropriate in my self appointed blog guidelines to reply with my rates. And would I want to write about it if I was being paid? Well, no.


The problem is that if one was to start writing about religion, well, one would have to write about them all, for fear of upsetting everyone. For the worry I may offend by not writing about every single one. Or alienate some readers.


I have got opinions of religion, but I don't believe a blog, unless you are a blogger who writes with the tag of "(Insert religion here) Blogger", which I have only as yet seen US bloggers do, is perhaps the right place for those opinions.


Religion by its very nature has many sides- some people are objective, like myself and think that there is something there for us- like when we offer a prayer up when the other half finds out how much stuff we have bought off of Ebay, or how many toys we have hidden round the house. (Quite a lot and quite a few in my house respectively). Or those who go to their religious centre quite a bit, or every week without fail. To some it offers great comfort, at all or sometimes. And that in itself is why religion, whatever thing you chose to believe in, is "good", if in times of hardship or suffering you have that little thing that spark that keeps you feeling warmth or comfort or safe. Then that's good right?


But to ask me to write about it. Half of me wants to email and ask why I was asked to write about it, and the other bit thinks its one for the delete folder.


What do you think? Did you get this email? What would YOU do?