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  • July 08, 12:08 PM

    THE MEASURE OF DISTANCE

    ‘I have been asked to speak on some aspects of academic or human freedom. Freedom without opportunity is a devils gift, and the refusal to provide such opportunities is criminal. The fate of the more vulnerable offers a sharper measure of the distance from here to something that might be called civilisation.

    While i am speaking, 1,000 children will die from easily preventable disease, and almost twice that many women will die or suffer serious disability in pregnancy or childbirth for lack of simple remedies and care. UNICEF estimates that to overcome such tragedies, and to ensure universal access to basic social services, would require a quarter of the annual military expenditures of the developing countries, about 10 percent of U.S. military spending.

    It is against the background of such realities as these that any serious discussion of human freedom should proceed.’

    Introduction to the annual Davie Memoril Lecture given by Noam Chomsky in May 1997.
  • July 06, 03:00 PM

    THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION

    Writing for The Progressive in 2005, an ageing man shaped his words this way ‘We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts appeared before us, startled us, and then caused us to question beliefs that were strongly fixed in our consciousness - embedded there by years of family prejudices, orthodox schooling, imbibing of newspapers, radio, and television. This would seem to lead to a simple conclusion: that we all have an enormous responsibility to bring to the attention of others information they do not have, which has the potential of causing them to rethink long-held ideas.’

    These words came from a man born in a Jewish immigrant family in Brooklyn. His parents with limited education helped with this reading by sending a coupon and 25c to the New York Post for each volume of Charles Dickens collected works - 20 in all. He went through school - engaged in the creative writing program that was set up by the poet Elias Liberman - the principle at the time; and at 18 started to work at the Brooklyn Naval Yard. As Zinn explained ‘In my world, kids didn’t go to college at the age of eighteen. They went to work.’

    History records prominently his role in the Academia realm, an activist in the Civil Right Movement, Anti Wat commentator, protestor, and pursuer of peace. A life’s journey that has many avenues of exploration and learning - and in this short write up; two comments made by Zinn that reflect the more hidden development away from the cameras and spotlight.

    The first being from his time in the Navel Yards, where along with three other young workers sought to club together to help organise those workers who were excluded from the traditional unions. ‘I’ve always thought that the most effective college education comes outside of the classroom. I was in the shipyard for three years and I was educated about work, and about class, and you might say I developed a kind of class consciousness.’*

    The second during his time as a professor at Spelman College during the Civil Rights Movement. Commentating about those seven years ‘are probably the most interesting, exciting, most educational years for me. I learned more from my students than my students learned from me.’*

    Howard Zinn was born in 1922 and died January 2010 - author of over 20 books, activist, professor and historian.


    * Jacob M Appel 2004 - Chronicling lives from Spelman College
    * UC Berkley: Interview 2001 - Conversations with History; Institute of International Studies
  • June 08, 12:24 PM

    LIFE’S CONTRIBUTION

    ‘Grant to us, O Lord, purity of heart and strength of purpose, that no passion may hinder us from doing Your will, and no weakness from doing it; that in Your light we may see light clearly, and in Your service find perfect freedom; through Christ our Lord. Amen.’

    ‘I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning “What can get through such snares?” Then I heard a voice saying to me “Humility” ’.

    A prayer and a quote from two different people - living in two different ages and locations. Yet their lives intercrossed in a moment of reflection that brought their individual journeys into a complimentary tapestry that continues to encourage many to this day.

    Saint Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430) is probably best known for two things; his writings, such as ‘Confessions’, and being the patron saint of brewers. As a young adult, he excelled in education and enjoyed the excess of some of his questionable decisions in his pursuit of pleasure. The commitment of his mother in prayerful petition, as well as the sermons of Aurelius Ambrosius (Saint Ambrose), brought Augustine to the moment of reflection that crossed his life with the writer of the quote above. As he reflected on the life and journey of Saint Anthony the Great, he set his gaze upon living a life in pursuit of Christ, outworked in purity - a charitable and loving journey that has both inspired and brought comfort to many.

    Saint Anthony the Great (251 - 356) was born into a wealthy family. Challenged by the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me”, at the age of 34 he sold everything he owned, gave the proceeds to the poor and ventured into the desert to live as a disciple, learner and worshiper.
    His outworking of life brought great respect and honour; leading him to be asked to contribute to the First Council of Nicea; a contribution that greatly helped deal with a potentially damaging situation that had arisen around some people’s interpretation around Christ’s divinity. As his death approached, he requested his body be buried in an unmarked grave and secret grave; thus alleviating any temptation for his body to become an object of earthly worship.
  • May 19, 11:55 AM

    AN ACT OF REMEMBRANCE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

    The Keswick Convention began in 1875. Dreamt up by T. Battersby (Anglican) and R. Wilson (Quaker), their banner over the meetings being ‘All One Under Christ’. Some 27 years later we find two Welsh ministers, J. Rhys Davies and D. Wynne Evans attending the convention, speaking of ‘how 13 Welsh people had met one day at the 1896 Convention to pray that God will give Wales a Convention for the deepening of spiritual life; and from that time on, they had been holding this petition before the Lord.’*

    A series of connections, conversations and overlapping journeys then took place that led to the Llandrindod Wells Convention in 1903. Such as three ministers who had committed to gather daily for prayer, pursuing to get themselves right with God. Seeking help, they contacted a well known London minister who was able to meet up with them due to this upcoming Convention in Wales.

    One of those three ministers was W.W. Lewis, a man that had influenced Joseph Jenkins who in turn opened up a discourse ‘to deepen our loyalty to Christ’. The result of one of those meetings being the famous and far reaching testimony of Florrie Evans who simply but powerfully declared that ‘I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart’.

    Other characters make reference to the lasting impact of the Llandrindod Convention, one of them being Seth Joshua, an evangelist within the Forward Movement of the Calvinistic Methodist Church. Who later in 1904 held a number of missions across Wales, including the one where his deep and personal prayerful plea to Christ to ‘bend me’ so touched a man called Evan Roberts, that it became his own prayer and motto ‘Oh Lord, bend me’.


    * chp2 Penn-Lewis, J: The Awakening In Wales And Some Of The Hidden Springs (1905)
  • May 14, 11:21 AM

    ‘YOUNG RITCHIE’ OF THE PRAYING KIND

    In John G Lake’s 1935 radio lecture on ‘Adventures in Religion’, he brought to people’s attention the story of Raymond Ritchie.

    ‘Young’ Ritchie as he was known, suffered from tuberculosis and struggled to fit in with expectations being put upon him by those around. As he started to get absorbed in prayer, his family and close friends began to get worried; increasing their pressure on him to fit into a regular work pattern. An observer who recognised what was stirring in Ritchie’s heart offered one of their rooms for him to live in, while another person helped with food costs.

    Alongside this evolving journey, the Great War began and an epidemic of the flu followed. Thousands died across America, and ‘Young’ Ritchie became stirred to pray for people - and many were healed. The Medical Department took notice, and asked him to pray for their sick soldiers. He accepted their request.

    He continued to devote his life to prayer and the continuation of healing meetings.


    * pg:526 Lairdon, R: John G Lake, The Complete Collection Of His Teachings (1999): Whitaker House
  • May 10, 11:22 AM

    MARY OF THE VALIANT SIXTY

    ‘The Valiant Sixty’ was a phrase coined by John Handley for the first Quaker missionaries, that were in fact sixty six names; fifty four men and twelve women. Made up of mainly tradespeople, this band of ordinary people carried the Quaker message of Godly integrity in all aspects of life to the United Kingdom, Europe, America and Asia.

    The lady that took this message to Asia was Mary Fisher. She was a passionate and young maid servant who in the past had found herself imprisoned in York Castle for arguing with a minister of religion*. As persecution grew against the Quaker movement with legal powers increased for arrest, stripping to the waist and publicly flogged; Mary Fisher was also the first Friend who suffered under this new act*.

    She had joined with a number of other missionaries to work in America, but could not escape the inner urge to reach the Sultan of Turkey. Braving the journey, she arrived finding that no-one dared introduce her to him; as if the Sultan was displeased (which was very probably due to her not preparing any gifts for him), then the introducer would lose his life.

    Eventually granted access, the whole court assembled and treated her as an ambassador as she declared that she had a message from God. After she spoke, the Sultan acknowledged that this was a word of Truth and that she should be treated as an honoured guest. Later, she returned to England.

    She continued to do missionary work and support, until her death in 1698.



    * pg:16 Vipont, E: George Fox And The Valiant Sixty (1975): Hamish Hamilton
    * pg:55 Vipont, E: George Fox And The Valiant Sixty (1975): Hamish Hamilton
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  • July 13, 04:55 AM

    Unique And Complimenting

    Two characters, firstly William Cameron Townsend a missionary with a heart for the translation of the Bible. His summer schools that were training missionaries in linguistics (Summer Institute of Linguistics), were pushed to the limit. Added to that, Townsend felt a call upon him to ‘Call upon Me and I will answer you and thrust forth workers into every unreachable tribe in Mexico, small and large.’ Yet funds were running short, and with the outbreak of World War Two, many fields had started to become closed. 

    He wrote to many he knew ‘How many of you would be willing to help open up a new station next autumn, giving at least one month of your time to this task?’ Knowing this was a big jump from the 44 workers he had to almost 100, he believed that God had given him assurance of the 50 new workers.

     

    The second character was Della Brunstetterm.

     

    She was teaching French at the University of Oklahoma, but had become fascinated with the Cherokee language - wanting to learn, then write it down into a modern script so that it could be taught to others around. After a few failed attempts at getting to grips with the translation into phonetic characters, a companion told her of a group of people that had started a Michigan summer session school so that they could learn from the beginning again with the language. 1941 saw her first attendance to this group that was called the ‘Summer Institute of Linguistics’.

     

    After the summer session had ended, she saw that the missionary motivation of this group that made that time ‘a wonderful summer, spiritually and intellectually’, was also limited due to its space and rustic living conditions. Della petitioned the Board at her University to hold these lessons in their grounds, and it granted the space.

     

    The first sessions kicked off in the University in 1942, and it didn’t take long before this work grew due to the classes being open to the public and its prime location for many Indian tribes to visit and share in its work. By the ninth session, 130 students had attended these courses from over 32 states and 12 countries. Also 51 people responded for the call of workers to Mexico.

     

    S.I.L continued its partnership with the University until 1987, and to this day carries on supporting Wycliffe Bible Translators. It also produces Ethnologue, a web and print publication that is a database which includes many lesser known languages.

     

     

     

    * pg:122 Wallis, E.E & Bennett, M.A: Two Thousand Tongues To Go (1959): Hodder & Stoughton 

    * pg:125 Wallis, E.E & Bennett, M.A: Two Thousand Tongues To Go (1959): Hodder & Stoughton

     

    visit : Smithyman blog site

     

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  • July 12, 09:38 AM

    The Responsibility To Bring To The Attention

    Writing for The Progressive in 2005, an ageing man shaped his words this way ‘We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts appeared before us, startled us, and then caused us to question beliefs that were strongly fixed in our consciousness - embedded there by years of family prejudices, orthodox schooling, imbibing of newspapers, radio, and television. This would seem to lead to a simple conclusion: that we all have an enormous responsibility to bring to the attention of others information they do not have, which has the potential of causing them to rethink long-held ideas.’

     

    These words came from a man born in a Jewish immigrant family in Brooklyn. His parents with limited education helped with this reading by sending a coupon and 25c to the New York Post for each volume of Charles Dickens collected works - 20 in all. He went through school - engaged in the creative writing program that was set up by the poet Elias Liberman - the principle at the time; and at 18 started to work at the Brooklyn Naval Yard. As Zinn explained ‘In my world, kids didn’t go to college at the age of eighteen. They went to work.’

     

    History records prominently his role in the Academia realm, an activist in the Civil Right Movement, Anti Wat commentator, protestor, and pursuer of peace. A life’s journey that has many avenues of exploration and learning - and in this short write up; two comments made by Zinn that reflect the more hidden development away from the cameras and spotlight.

     

    The first being from his time in the Navel Yards, where along with three other young workers sought to club together to help organise those workers who were excluded from the traditional unions. ‘I’ve always thought that the most effective college education comes outside of the classroom. I was in the shipyard for three years and I was educated about work, and about class, and you might say I developed a kind of class consciousness.’*

     

    The second during his time as a professor at Spelman College during the Civil Rights Movement. Commentating about those seven years ‘are probably the most interesting, exciting, most educaitonal years for me. I learned more from my students than my students learned from me.’*

     

    Howard Zinn was born in 1922 and died January 2010 - author of over 20 books, activist, professor and historian.

     

     

    * Jacob M Appel 2004 - Chronicling lives from Spelman College

    * UC Berkley: Interview 2001 - Conversations with History; Institute of International Studies

     

    visit : Smithyman blog site

     

     

    Permalink

  • July 11, 01:49 PM

    The Measure Of Distance

    Introduction to the annual Davie Memoril Lecture given by Noam Chomsky in May 1997.


    ‘I have been asked to speak on some aspects of academic or human freedom. Freedom without opportunity is a devils gift, and the refusal to provide such opportunities is criminal. The fate of the more vulnerable offers a sharper measure of the distance from here to something that might be called civilisation.

     

    While i am speaking, 1,000 children will die from easily preventable disease, and almost twice that many women will die or suffer serious disability in pregnancy or childbirth for lack of simple remedies and care. UNICEF estimates that to overcome such tragedies, and to ensure universal access to basic social services, would require a quarter of the annual military expenditures of the developing countries, about 10 percent of U.S. military spending. 

     

    It is against the background of such realities as these that any serious discussion of human freedom should proceed.’

     

    Visit : Smithyman blog site

     

    Permalink

  • July 10, 04:51 AM

    The Young Ritchie Of The Praying Kind

    In John G Lake’s 1935 radio lecture on ‘Adventures in Religion’, he brought to people’s attention the story of Raymond Ritchie.

     

    ‘Young’ Ritchie as he was known, suffered from tuberculosis and struggled to fit in with expectations being put upon him by those around. As he started to get absorbed in prayer, his family and close friends began to get worried; increasing their pressure on him to fit into a regular work pattern. An observer who recognised what was stirring in Ritchie’s heart offered one of their rooms for him to live in, while another person helped with food costs.

     

    Alongside this evolving journey, the Great War began and an epidemic of the flu followed. Thousands died across America, and ‘Young’ Ritchie became stirred to pray for people - and many were healed. The Medical Department took notice, and asked him to pray for their sick soldiers. He accepted their request. 

     

    He continued to devote his life to prayer and the continuation of healing meetings.

     

     

    * pg:526 Lairdon, R: John G Lake, The Complete Collection Of His Teachings (1999): Whitaker House

     

    visit : Smithyman blog site

     

    Permalink

  • July 09, 04:53 AM

    Mary Of The Valiant Sixty

    'The Valiant Sixty’ was a phrase coined by John Handley for the first Quaker missionaries, that were in fact sixty six names; fifty four men and twelve women. Made up of mainly tradespeople, this band of ordinary people carried the Quaker message of Godly integrity in all aspects of life to the United Kingdom, Europe, America and Asia. 

     

    The lady that took this message to Asia was Mary Fisher. She was a passionate and young maid servant who in the past had found herself imprisoned in York Castle for arguing with a minister of religion*. As persecution grew against the Quaker movement with legal powers increased for arrest, stripping to the waist and publicly flogged; Mary Fisher was also the first Friend who suffered under this new act*.

     

    She had joined with a number of other missionaries to work in America, but could not escape the inner urge to reach the Sultan of Turkey. Braving the journey, she arrived finding that no-one dared introduce her to him; as if the Sultan was displeased (which was very probably due to her not preparing any gifts for him), then the introducer would lose his life.

     

    Eventually granted access, the whole court assembled and treated her as an ambassador as she declared that she had a message from God. After she spoke, the Sultan acknowledged that this was a word of Truth and that she should be treated as an honoured guest. Later, she returned to England.

     

    She continued to do missionary work and support, until her death in 1698.

     

     

    * pg:16 Vipont, E: George Fox And The Valiant Sixty (1975): Hamish Hamilton

    * pg:55 Vipont, E: George Fox And The Valiant Sixty (1975): Hamish Hamilton

     

    visit : Smithyman blog site

     

     

    Permalink

  • July 08, 04:48 AM

    An Act Of Remembrance That Changed Everything

    The Keswick Convention began in 1875. Dreamt up by T. Battersby (Anglican) and R. Wilson (Quaker), their banner over the meetings being ‘All One Under Christ’. Some 27 years later we find two Welsh ministers, J. Rhys Davies and D. Wynne Evans attending the convention, speaking of ‘how 13 Welsh people had met one day at the 1896 Convention to pray that God will give Wales a Convention for the deepening of spiritual life; and from that time on, they had been holding this petition before the Lord.’*

    A series of connections, conversations and overlapping journeys then took place that led to the Llandrindod Wells Convention in 1903. Such as three ministers who had committed to gather daily for prayer, pursuing to get themselves right with God. Seeking help, they contacted a well known London minister who was able to meet up with them due to this upcoming Convention in Wales. 

    One of those three ministers was W.W. Lewis, a man that had influenced Joseph Jenkins who in turn opened up a discourse ‘to deepen our loyalty to Christ’. The result of one of those meetings being the famous and far reaching testimony of Florrie Evans who simply but powerfully declared that ‘I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart’.

    Other characters make reference to the lasting impact of the Llandrindod Convention, one of them being Seth Joshua, an evangelist within the Forward Movement of the Calvinistic Methodist Church. Who later in 1904 held a number of missions across Wales, including the one where his deep and personal prayerful plea to Christ to ‘bend me’ so touched a man called Evan Roberts, that it became his own prayer and motto ‘Oh Lord, bend me’.

    * chp 2 Penn-Lewis, J: The Awakening In Wales And Some Of The Hidden Springs (1905)
     

    visit : Smithyman blog site

     

    Permalink

  • July 07, 04:42 AM

    Life's Contribution

    ‘Grant to us, O Lord, purity of heart and strength of purpose, that no passion may hinder us from doing Your will, and no weakness from doing it; that in Your light we may see light clearly, and in Your service find perfect freedom; through Christ our Lord. Amen.’

     

    ‘I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning “What can get through such snares?” Then I heard a voice saying to me “Humility” ’.

     

    A prayer and a quote from two different people - living in two different ages and locations. Yet their lives intercrossed in a moment of reflection that brought their individual journeys into a complimentary tapestry that continues to encourage many to this day.

     

    Saint Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430) is probably best known for two things; his writings, such as ‘Confessions’, and being the patron saint of brewers. As a young adult, he excelled in education and enjoyed the excess of some of his questionable decisions in his pursuit of pleasure. The commitment of his mother in prayerful petition, as well as the sermons of Aurelius Ambrosius (Saint Ambrose), brought Augustine to the moment of reflection that crossed his life with the writer of the quote above. As he reflected on the life and journey of Saint Anthony the Great, he set his gaze upon living a life in pursuit of Christ, outworked in purity - a charitable and loving journey that has both inspired and brought comfort to many.

     

    Saint Anthony the Great (251 - 356) was born into a wealthy family. Challenged by the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me”, at the age of 34 he sold everything he owned, gave the proceeds to the poor and ventured into the desert to live as a disciple, learner and worshiper.

    His outworking of life brought great respect and honour; leading him to be asked to contribute to the First Council of Nicea; a contribution that greatly helped deal with a potentially damaging situation that had arisen around some people’s interpretation around Christ’s divinity. As his death approached, he requested his body be buried in an unmarked grave and secret grave; thus alleviating any temptation for his body to become an object of earthly worship.

     

    visit : Smithyman blog site

     

    Permalink

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  • July 23, 08:59 AM

    We call it a Kehillah Kedoshah

    We were part of each other's lives. If someone was about to slip, someone else could catch them.
    That's the critical idea behind a congregation. We call it a Kehillah Kedoshah - a sacred community.


    * Mitch Albom - Have a little faith.

    Permalink

  • July 21, 06:03 AM

    Keeping to the constant.

    From both the type of work i do, and also from my interests and hobbies; i come across diverse and differing approaches to the understanding and outworking of faith. Some that i agree with, some that excites me and some that i query. Some that i don't understand, some that i disagree with - but in each one, a constant remains that overshadows all debate, comment and reaction. The constant of a life's embracement to the cross.

    I like how Pete Wilson (from Without Wax) put it when commenting on a book that he said had ticked him off. I have put in bold a line that seems to sum it all up.

    I’m currently reading one of the most controversial books I’ve read in a while, it’s called 'Mere Churchianity'. This book has ticked me off so many times as I’ve read through it, but it’s also convicting me along the way.  While I disagree with some of what the author says I’ve also found myself at other times wanting to stand up and cheer.
     
    I wish the author, Michael Spencer, was still living (he died this past April right before the book was released) because I think I would have enjoyed sitting down with him over dinner and discussing his ideas on Jesus, community, and the Church. It’s been a while since I’ve found someone I so passionately disagree with at times and yet somehow still understand where he’s coming from. I might be wrong, but I think we would have been good friends.

    Permalink

  • July 21, 04:22 AM

    Working to make better decisions

    Came across this report in a recent HBR article, about how Pixar work to make better decisions. Two efforts stood out - 

    * Pixar uses a process for "postmortems" on the major aspects of movies after they're completed. Ed Catmull described it as "like taking cod liver oil," but the company insists on it anyway. During the postmortems, the team involved in the film is asked to come up with five things they'd do again and five things they wouldn't do again. Postmortems not only surface the information but also help to prevent the problems from festering among team members. Catmull comments that because people are starting to game that postmortem process, Pixar is thinking of alternative approaches.

    * Employees are encouraged to make and admit mistakes. Randy Nelson, the director of Pixar University, says, in the book 'Mavericks at Work': "It's the heart of our model...giving people opportunities to fail together and to recover from mistakes together."

    Permalink

  • July 20, 08:32 AM

    Classic Al Green performance

    One of those all time classic Al Green performances of 'People Get Ready'.

    Permalink

  • July 20, 08:25 AM

    Change the world: BabyFace & Clapton

    Still carries magic after all these years.

    Permalink

  • July 17, 06:21 AM

    Another classic line from Boris

    I've got more chance of being reincarnated as Elvis Presley or an olive.

    When asked about his chances of becoming Prime Minister. (Daily Telegraph Saturday 17th 2010)

    Permalink

  • July 15, 11:26 AM

    The importance of the 'common'.

     
    Ivan Illich using a great visual example of roads to explain the importance and vulnerability of 'common' spaces in our lives. Link to the full article below quoted text.

    'This change of attitudes can be illustrated better if we think about roads rather than about grasslands. What a difference there was between the new and the old parts of Mexico City only 20 years ago. In the old parts of the city the streets were true commons. Some people sat on the road to sell vegetables and charcoal. Others put their chairs on the road to drink coffee or tequila. Others held their meetings on the road to decide on the new headman for the neighbourhood or to determine the price of a donkey. Others drove their donkeys through the crowd, walking next to the heavily loaded beast of burden; others sat in the saddle. Children played in the gutter, and still people walking could use the road to get from one place to another.
     Such roads were not built for people. Like any true commons, the street itself was the result of people living there and making that space liveable. 
    In the new sections of Mexico City, streets are no more for people. They are now roadways for automobiles, for buses, for taxis, cars, and trucks. People are barely tolerated on the streets unless they are on their way to a bus stop. If people now sat down or stopped on the street, they would become obstacles for traffic, and traffic would be dangerous to them. The road has been degraded from a commons to a simple resource for the circulation of vehicles. People can circulate no more on their own. Traffic has displaced their mobility.'

    Permalink

  • July 14, 11:58 AM

    Hope is like a tomato fight.

    In one of those strange moments - you know the ones - that catch you off guard with a sledge hammer that promptly drops on your foot. I came across an old album that i used to play religiously in my 20 somethings. It was a soundtrack from a one season only TV Show called 'The Heights'. The programme was a simple set up - the story of a young band and their journey in life, complete with a song in each episode - Aaron Spelling at his best.

    During its short life, i would watch this programme with the passion and intensity that would clothe a participant of the 'La Tomatina' festival - which is not as strange as you first might think. Both consist of a strange focus on a seemingly pointless task - one has an amusing interaction with tomato fighting in Valencia, and the other, an invitation to a storyline that has more holes in it than Liza's bucket, fearful haircuts, and a script that mixes Beverly Hills 90210 with the intellect of Neighbours.

    My short and thankfully very brief interest in this old album, brought to light again why i first got into the TV programme. Excuse me while i just don my philosophers hat - it was the underlying inspiration i found to pursue the hopes and dreams that lay within.
    Hope is not just about words - a noun that we adopt into our vocabulary. Underneath the sparkly rhetoric lies a subtle invitation. An outstretched hand to participate in its journey and discover the multi facetted gem that it is. Each side, each dimension, is unique. Sometimes easily outworked and explained, sometimes more embarrassingly remembered in old playlists and conversations - yet it is an invitation worth accepting in all its bravery and madness.

    Like the tomato throwers of Valencia, sometimes its hard to explain why you are about to participate in this bizarre and amusing show. One could point to the fun of pelting your neighbour with a ripened piece of fruit, while others could allude to the historical nature of it being around since 1945 and outliving the ban of Francisco Franco. But i would like to think that in the madness of pursuing our hopes; our interaction is likened to one of the ideas of why this whole festival first started - a group of townsfolk disgruntled with the council, decided to pelt their governors with tomatoes. A contagious action that echoed throughout histories timeline - encouraging both proaction with life's politics and the craziness of our own imagination.

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