Living in the Country...

You Should Live in the Country

You are laid back, calm, and good at entertaining yourself. You don't need an expensive big city to keep you busy. You'll take the peaceful life over the stressful life any day of the week.

Where Should You Live?

Seems I'm living in the right place, then.

Hat tip to Jane for this piece of perceptive silliness...

The Just One Book Meme

Thanks (?) to Diane, who gives the rules as:

Books are scarce in the world. They are illegal in some provinces. They are not easily replaced if not impossible to replace if lost in many if not most circumstances. If you can replace a book or buy one it is usually through the black market at astronomical costs that you cannot afford. Yet you have been able to maintain one of the best collections in the world. If your entire library was about to burn up (think of the firefighters in Fahrenheit 451 invading your home) and you could only have one* book to take with you other than the Bible, what would that be and why?

Simple Rules: Answer the question. Offer one quote that resonates with you. Tag five people whose response is of genuine interest to you and inform him or her that they have been tagged. Cheers!

*And it cannot be an entire series of something, that’s cheating.

Arrgh!

Has to be Julian of Norwich, in Sheila Upjohn's tremendous translation, All Shall Be Well. Can't be anyone else, really. Not even St. Francis, or St. Isaac of Nineveh, or Thomas Traherne, or Charles Williams, or Tolkien, or Philip Pullman, or Br. Ramon, or, or, or...

Enough!

But I'm not going to tag anyone, Diane. I never can. So if anyone reading this wishes to put themselves through this utterly miserable experience, be my guest. Just let me know whom I've haunted with this horrible thought, so I can offer appropriate penance...

Tagged...

Padre Mickey, Panama's answer to d'Addario Strings, has tagged me for what seems to be a remarkably silly meme. He was tagged by a dog, by the way.

It is the Middle Name meme. Of which I have two... H' mm.

Here are the rules:

1. You have to post the rules before you give your answers.
2. You must list one fact about yourself beginning with each letter of your middle name. (If you don't have a middle name, use your maiden name or your mother's maiden name).
3. At the end of your blog post, you need to tag one person (or blogger of another species) for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged.)

OK...

J - Jan, with whom I fell in love pretty nearly at first sight, though it took me two years to admit it!

O - Ovation, by far and away my favourite acoustic guitar maker.

H - Hairs, cat, which are the main feature of our home. Black ones (Figgy's), white ones (Lulu's) and ginger ones (also Lulu's). I am usually decorated with an assortment of all three colours.

N - Nine, my size in shoes. (UK sizes, that is.) It's also my favourite number, for some reason I've never fathomed.

 

G - Guitar - like Padre, I play six-string, and bass as well, but mainly 6-string electric.

U - University - never actually went to one, as such. Art School, yes; Agricultural College, yes. (Though not at the same time.)

Y - Young. Some say I never was. I've always been sort of grave and thoughtful, even at my craziest.

 

I can't tag seven other people. I shan't. I rebel. If seven readers of this would like to consider themselves tagged, be my guest. If this is you, then there yer go... Just leave me a comment to tell how it happened...

Good morning...

You're the time of day right around sunrise, when the sky is still a pale bluish gray. The streets are empty, and the grass and leaves are a little bit sparkly with dew. You are the sound of a few chirpy birds outside the window. You are quiet, peaceful, and contemplative. If you move slowly, it's not because you're lazy – it's because you know there's no reason to rush. You move like a relaxed cat, pausing for deep stretches that make your muscles feel alive. You are long sips of tea or coffee (out of a mug that's held with both hands) that slowly warm your insides just as the sun is brightening the sky.

Strangely enough, that is precisely my favourite time of the day!

(Nicked from the Byzigenous Buddhapalian)