POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD

THE VERDE WORD

This article is simply an expression of my thoughts on the power of writing.  

I see writing to consist of three elements both of which work in tandem to produce something to read and think about.

Firstly, I see writing as being an expression of an idea generated from our personal mind.

Secondly, I see writing as being the physical action of using words expressed with grammar whilst inputting the tone or colour of the piece being written.

Thirdly, the most important thing is that in writing, the writer or author holds the focus on a particular thought or idea based on personally obtained experiences or knowledge.

If a writer produces an article or story without taking into account their personal life such as who they are, life experiences, the demographic or society in which they live as well as emotions, attitudes etc and their opinions, there would not be such a vast array of articles to read in books, newspapers or online such as web sites or blogs as there are now.

If every writer draws upon all their personal knowledge, experience and intellectual capacities then we can all learn so much more and perhaps become more informed, educated and a less violent society.

Every human has a voice and expression of ideas and many are very different in their subject matter and context.  Every individual writer expresses themselves differently.  That they do is of immense value.

Unless we openly and honestly express ourselves and  remain educated we are not be able to inform or educate despots that education is necessary for all nations to enable them to proceed to become a democratic society free of fear. 

If boys and girls do not become educated they will continue to be ruled by the power of the gun and fear.  And murder, rape, mutilation and kidnapping of children for the express purpose of vicious personal gain will continue to occur.  As long as nations allow thugs and murders to remain, the more that nation will continue to slip further into poverty whether financial, intellectual, psychologically or otherwise.

  

Using Words Wisely

The power a writer holds at their fingertips, in their hearts or brain is far reaching if not unlimited.

We may write for pleasure, we may write because we have to, but if we all write something that in it's own small way makes someone think, consider and perhaps Be motivated to write something as well, the message stick will be passed around and we have the power to change the past and effect change and future history.

Holding the power in your hands or fingers as they float over those small black keys gives you, the individual, the capacity to use the tools of modern communication to help wipe out fantasists who steal, murder, put into slavery, rape, use for personal pleasure, sell for prostitution, or mutilate for fun, children, girls and boys who all they want is an education and a good life and future for themselves.

We as writers have the capacity to make our feelings heard and put forward logical arguments that will encourage governments and neighbour countries to join forces to wipe out ignorant, murderous, animal, child murdering, child raping bastards in the world who purport Allah told them to inflict atrocities. What utter bovine excreta that is!

Put your fingers to work, write something with intent that informs on the power of information and education whilst showing how stupid are those that rule using violence.  This is best done and the message has more hope of succeeding if it is done without offending any race, religion or faith.

It is also wise to not mention the names of people or fanatical groups as this would add to their publicity and boost their ego.

Write your thoughts based on your educated viewpoint and spread the word.

For Humanity.

Verde.

POWER OF THE INDEX FINGER

THE VERDE WORD

Within our civilised and non-civilised world of our own and other nation communities there are a number of insane people, mad fanaticists, extremists, murderers and others of a similar ilk who feel their actions are both necessary and appropriate to promote a particular viewpoint or cause.  Thus, because of the large number of citizens the TV news media attract, this is the bad guys tool of choice for the promotion of their cause.

Those of us, being the majority of the populous, are regular in our habits of watching the news on television. Night after day, day after night, sometimes by habit or by being hooked in or enthralled watch the same video events a number of times from a media organisation such as Reuters, AAP etc. that is broadcast on different stations.  The film is the same, sometimes edited regardless of the TV station.

So, if you are like me and like to watch different news broadcasts on alternate stations to gain a more intelligent, international or local perspective, we still end up watching the same murder, torture, bashings and inhumanities many times. Sensibilities are attacked.

Due to the repeating nature of TV news, on one evening, we may watch the same piece of film on at least four TV stations.  Additionally, each TV station as a promotional strategy for their news, show bits of film: before the news as an 'introduction'; 'coming up' (at least twice); the news item itself often with the film shown more than once; and again towards the end as a 'what you missed' item. In other words, the same piece of film within 60 minutes is shown at least 4 times on the one station.  If we generally watch  news on 4 stations, which is what I used to do, this means that in the same evening we see the same atrocity a minimum of 24 times.  Bear in mind, this is only one news item.  Twenty four times?  Yep!

If one TV station has four similar news items (which they generally do) such as war in  the Ukraine, murder in Melbourne, shootings in Sydney and perhaps a car accident where a child or someone died, on the one station it is possible within a period of 60 minutes to view inhumane blood guts and despair at least 24 times during the same hour on the same tv station.

News????  You want news?  You want to know what is going in the world?  You do have a right to know.  Sure, we all do, it is our right to know and I will defend journalists and their work, but, I take exception to the number of times we watch such things over and over. Once or twice is enough.

Television stations say they play it extra times for people who have just got home from work?  Sure, but a minimum of 24 times in a hour?  Come on!

Do we want this?  Do we need this?  Do we really really need this?

If you watch 4 TV news shows a day, this means in one day you will view the same film footage of real life murder and human atrocities 96 times!

Ok, say we only watch TV during the week days that is, 5 days a week.

This means that over those 5 days over 52 weeks of the year, we viewing these atrocities, murders and crimes against humanity at the rate of:

480 a week = 24,960.  That is in one year!!!!

In one year, without realising it, you have watched and perhaps subjected your children and loved ones to 24,960 murders.  I repeat for emphasis: twenty four thousand nine hundred and sixty times!  

Ok, I hear you, I hear you.  You only watch the news once a day five days a week.

That still subjects the senses to only 1,040 murders and brain numbing violence a year.

You're doing good, you have cut your children down to experiencing only 1,040 of these atrocities a year.

I think it is good for children to see the news so they can be informed young people and give them an honest perspective of the world, but seeing violence of this type 1,040 times a year?  Come on!

Once a day is enough.  365 times a year or, watch TV news that is not exclusively sensationalist. 

Does non-sensationalist news without a hidden bias exist?  

I don't know, I have exercised the Power of my Index Finger.

I place my index finger in a horizontal position and push.

Off.

I ask the question, with the repeated shootings, bashings, violence, murder and mayhem on our streets, could the news services on television be a promoter of human atrocities because we are becoming desensitised and no longer feel shocked.  Do we feel "oh well, another murder 'ho hum'?"

I can't help but feel that if many more of us simply turned the TV off or changed the station when any form of violence was on TV, we might make greater inroads to a safer and more peaceful society.

By us as citizens turning off the repeated bloody news items that provide a forum for the promotion of bloody minded fanaticists and their atrocities, would that lessen their message getting through and therefore the media would be less of a tool for mad people's inhumanities?


Off.


Verde

COCKATOO CRAZIES

THE VERDE WORD

Australia is abound with many marvellous marsupials, creepy crawlies, reptiles and some seemingly crazy birds.  There have been much Australian published poems on the subject of our fauna such as Mad Jack's Cockatoo and The Spider from the Gwydir. 

Australians have very strong leanings towards our kangaroos, koalas and cockatoos.

Now, cockatoos are not just cockatoos, there are black cockatoos, the Major Mitchell cockatoo, Sulphur crested cockatoos just to name three species.

Being the city gal who has only ever spent a school holiday on my uncle’s farm many years ago, I have always felt the pull of the bush with its gum trees of eucalypts, soil, rocks, mountains and anything to do with nature.

I had sold my house and needed somewhere to live for a short time. 

With difficulty finding a house where my lovely ginger cat could come with me was difficult as rental properties which allowed animals were rarely found. The only place I could find for my little girl and myself was a country house on a corner block on the edge of a rural village.

The village had a population of about 300 and it was surrounded by much wide open space with the normal collection of farm animals, houses, cows, sheep, alpaca and of course, kangaroos.  The area also has a number of artisans and vegetable growers.

The house was not flash, to me it seemed more suitable as shearer’s quarters.  However, it was large, I could see for miles, I could walk to town, a vet was nearby, as was an historic church and, handy as anything, the cemetery was also just down the road.  There were a few times I would sit on the veranda watching a funeral as people walked from the church to the cemetery.  I did not think I would need it for my purposes, but sometimes I would visit, walk around the tombstones talking to everyone.

My lovely cat and I were in the settling in period.  She was rather frightened a lot because she had never seen so much 'nothing', so much open space.  She was a domestic cat, free to a good home and brought up in suburbia.  Besides this, she was ten years old and her eyesight was beginning to fail, as was her hearing, but, she always found her food...all day. I suppose she may have been considered a country cat because she grazed.

She was not familiar nor accustomed to country fauna.  She had never seen a cow, horse, tortoise, rabbits nor chooks.  She has seen a number of cockatoos and other native birds, but not as abundant as those in the bush.

Next door there was a pony, across the road horses were grazing, at the rear of our yard was a chook pen and early in the morning and late afternoon...in fact, almost anytime, rabbits were out doing whatever rabbits do just hippty hopping around.  I still don't think she saw the tortoise walking down the road.  Things moved slow in our village.

Our house had a raised veranda along one side facing the street in which was high electricity wires spread from pole to pole.  Nearby, in our yard was a very large 50 feet pine tree.  The pine tree was a favourite hangout for the very many cockatoos and was their preferred bed for the night.  I estimate there were at least fifty cockatoos resident in the pine tree.

One afternoon, I saw the most amazing event with those crazy cockatoos.  I had never seen it on TV nature progams,videos, online, in bird books or even for real, I had not even heard of it.  I tend to think that what these crazy cockatoos were doing may have been a particular local thing in our pastoralist area.

What I am about to tell you I feel is either totally unique or, I am too much of a city gal.

This story exhibits that all animals, especially these cockatoos can find solutions to life problems.

CRAZY COCKATOO SOLUTION

After a few days of torrential rain, an absolute deluge, the cockatoos left their pine tree and stood on the power lines running along the street.  They were flapping and squawking and general carrying on with the social things cockatoos do with their mates.

All of a sudden, one cockatoo still clinging onto the power line, fell forward hanging by his feet and begun flapping his wings, like flying upside down but hanging on by his feet.

Well, blow me down, another copied him, then another and another and so it went on so that at least 20 cockatoos were hanging upside down flapping their wings.

Then I saw it!  Cockatoos are mimics and copy others.  It only took one to start them off.

One cockatoo swung into a standing position on the wire, outstretched his wings, his feet loosely attached to the wire, fell forward and commenced rapidly flying in circles up and over, up and over again and again and again the wire very fast!

As I say, with his feet still attached, around and around and around and around the wire. Then a few more did it too.  

Then, the whole mob of cockatoos, at least 20 stated doing the same thing.  All hanging by their feet, wings outstretched and flying around in the wire in circles, up and over up and over up and over again and again and again whilst hanging on with their feet!

It was the most incredible thing I have ever seen!

What were they doing?  They had come up with a brilliant way of flying and flapping their wings whilst being stationary.  Why?  They were drying their wings!

I think this is brilliant!

___________________________________

Often, solutions to a problem are driven by necessity, they may not need deep thought, advice from others nor the formation of a committee, team or group of mates to work it out because underneath it all, in our mind, our gut feelings or even our heart, we intrinsically or by intuition know the true answer and can solve problems or issues by ourselves.

By asking others for either advice or confirmation, it can cloud the issue.  When you have found the solution and solved the problem, does it not align with what your gut feelings or intuitions were telling you in the first place?

Trust yourself, the only one who really understands the issue and consequences of the final outcome is you. 

If you need to speak to someone about a solution, the best person are your parents because most parents who have their kids well being at heart, don't have any hidden agenda and are less likely to fabricate, or lie. Of course there is granny, but make sure she understands the issues at stake.  Or, go ask a cockatoo.

Like the cockatoos in rapid rotation around the electricity wires, they used their innate intelligence and gut instincts and solved the problem.  Following, examples based on experience from others, the big birds probably taught the younger birds by example.

Squawk..squawk squawk

 Verde

LOVE NEVER LOST

In life, we meet many people; we relate, commence loving relationships and form a union.  

With providence or synchronicity we meet the person with which we become one.  Many of us do not find ‘the one’ and some of us do.

Sometimes, the person we are supposed to meet in this life simply does not appear.  So, as a compromise, we form a relationship with someone who is similar to us, holds similar interests, lifestyles and ways of being and we are happy and content.

However, if someone enters our life and we feel immense love that is all encompassing and evolving into something very beautiful whilst brushing and stirring the rouge velvet of our very deep souls, we know that this love was destined for us both since the evolution of time.

We both know we are destined to spend not only this life together, but perhaps the next.

We both know, or feel we have known each other in a past life yet were not able to be together.

When the opportunity has occurred again in this current life, both know that opportunity must be taken with outstretched hands, both offering, holding and treasuring the others heart.

_________________________________________

  

It is very sad when two souls being deep in their love find that one or the other needs to withdraw.  However, upon a partner removing themselves from the relationship, the love does not cease.  

Once we love as deeply as Maurice and Olivia, there is no turning back. Those involved in love like this must move forward.

No matter how deep the love, in our heart mind and soul, we think of them every day.

Throughout the night, their image, voice, emotions, mannerisms and times spent together, pass through our sleep.

We never forget and forever remember and continue to adore, yearn and value the absent person that still remains the love of our life.

Love today like you’ve never loved yesterday or may love in the future.

Love is Never Ever Lost.

VERDE

HOT DOGS

THE VERDE WORD 

This article is not about food rather, it is about freedom in the clothes we wear.

Sometimes in life we have little choice in the clothes we wear. It may be because of our occupation such as military, law enforcement, clergy or education such as school uniforms, the faith we follow such as wearing a hijab, our recreational pursuits such as baseball uniforms or, even wearing our club football jerseys while watching the game.

When we wear clothing that is identified with an occupation, education, faith or hobby, we are proud of and identify with our organisations.  This is rightly so as generally it is a matter of personal choice.

However, when we consider those who are forced to wear uniforms, such as prison inmates, or cultural expectations such as in some Middle East and Asian nations, women must wear a head covering, have long sleeves, or ensure no portion of skin showing.  In some nations, there can be religious or cultural expectations that men must wear a head covering and/or grow facial hair. 

If the above people had a choice, would they choose to be unlabelled or unbadged as belonging to a particular occupation, cultural, national, religious or faith identity?

In the past we may have been a person of uniform however there were times when there is a need to be incognito.  Then of course, there are the occasions when we are glad to get home and into the jeans, trackpants and sneakers, or in my case, my hot dog slippers.

My Hot Dogs

How wonderful it is that we have a choice of clothing to wear and, the freedom of expression. 

When we were kids, did we not wear our Mickey Mouse Club pullovers and ears, or dress like Superman, Batman or even a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?  This is the same thing, we often dress not only in required uniforms, but also dress to reflect our personal interest or passion.

 I have recently read and also have been told by some Muslim ladies that by wearing their hijab, in public, people tend to avoided making eye contact.  Some people even pretend to not notice the hijab wearer and this tends to make Muslim women feel almost invisible.

It is like being an overweight person in a shop.  Quite often shop staff attempt to either see straight through the overweight customer pretending they are not there or hide so they don't have to serve them and consequently, the overweight person feels almost invisible.

I wonder if it is the same for people who wear Indian, Islander or any other cultural derived clothing, do they tend to feel invisible as people try to not look at them.

Do we tend to avoid looking at people of whose culture we are unfamiliar, or even those who have a different lifestyle?  Why do we avoid eye contact with people who dress or appear different than what may stupidly seem normal.  Do we allow ourselves to feel uncomfortable in their presence?

There is no such thing as normal because each and everyone of us are so wonderfully diverse and different!

RELIGION AND NATIONALISM

Westernised female tourists from developed countries may be frowned upon when visiting some countries if they do not respect local custom on dress...which in some areas is law.

In some countries, although whilst in public, the displaying of dressing and behaving according to religious tomes and laws, I understand that citizens have no choice if they want to avoid trouble and avoid being maligned by family and friends.  Yet, although the folks in these countries certainly have freedom of expression of dress, if females want to wear jeans and a shirt in private, they can, but they can be made to feel very uncomfortable or at the very least, frowned upon if they appear in public in those same jeans and shirt.

We in westernised nations have the freedom to dress and go pretty much where we like, how we like and when we like however, it is not always so everywhere else in the world.

It is suggested that those of us who have the right to wear what we like, go where we want, with whom we want and, are able to express our opinion without fear of being harmed, are indeed most fortunate to live in a semi or fully free democratic society.

It is very likely that those of you who are reading this live in a free society.

When you have a day when you change your clothes a few times before deciding which is the most comfortable for your mental place, or mood you are in, give a thought that the luxury of wearing what you like and when you like is an expression of personal freedom that comes with a true democratic society.

So, while trying your shirts on for the day, think about others who are not so free and forbidden by religious, national law or threatened by subversive possible persecution if they wear other than prescribed dress.

Celebrate freedom of democracy, thought, speech and, the right to represent yourself as you feel inside.  And wear your metaphorical hot dogs.


Verde
∞

SALT

THE VERDE WORD

This week's article is about salt in it's various forms and how we may use it as an example to conduct our mental and physical lives sparingly.

As I was saying in my last post entitled 'Oh Celery...'  we as human, animals and others would not survive without food.  I was also saying that food tastes so much better if we put some admiration and appreciative thought towards it.  However, as celery or courgettes or any other food may taste wonderful, in order to provide new flavours, aromas and interest to food, we also add spices and herbs.  So, although this article has Salt as the focal point, it is another example of common daily practises that  we may use salt as an analogy in our personal lives.

There are many types, styles and uses for salt.
There is pouring salt both with iodine and without, there is sprinkling salt, salt flakes, salt rocks that also may be bought smoked or unsmoked, and even pink rock salt from the Himalayas.

Three examples of Pink Himalayan salt: sprinkling salt, salt flakes and salt rocks. 

We may include salt whilst cooking or spread and sprinkle on our food afterwards.

Sparingly casting very fine pouring salt over meals helps to add flavour and taste that may be missing.  Alternatively, small flakes or chunks rock salt may also be cast over the food.  The difference is, do you want the taste of salt throughout your meal or, having the infrequent crunch and taste that adds occasional bits that add a sudden burst of surprise, interest and pleasure and perhaps, a more memorable occasion and meal?

Life is like this, infrequently experiencing occasional bits of everything is more pleasurable than having it all the time, because by having it all the time it becomes expected, the novelty is lost.  It also may not be looked forward to as much because it is habit and, by having it all the time you get used to things and the flavour and do not notice the subtle nuances.

We, in our lives are similar when dealing with family or personal events, issues and problems.

As a parent we know we wear ourselves thin.   We try to look after babies, small children, teenagers, older youth, husbands, wives, lovers, grandparents and other family members and friends.  On top of this, we hold down part or full time jobs, attend university or college also part or full time, whilst attempting to look and care for everyone in the immediate and not so immediate family.

We run here and there, are on the phone, communicating with everyone trying to ensure all their needs are looked after.

In effect, to use the salt on food analogy, to those around you, are you the salt sprinkled all over the food, the  salt flakes with a less dispersed flavour or, the rock salt with the occasional crunch?

If you are the sprinkled salt, you can cover all situations and problems all the time, but the input of your time is sparing and may have less of an effect and following, achieving less of an impact and positive outcome for those you are trying to look after.  In contrast, if you are the rock salt, you can only cover some of the situations but your efforts are more intense and drain your mental and physical energies however, it has a higher possibility for a positive outcome for others, not so much you.

However, if you choose to be the salt flakes and take the middle line, you are able to be more effective because you are less spread around and also less hit and miss, as per the rock salt.

Consider looking at situations and judge which folks around you need the most immediate attention, assistance and care. Then tackle everyone on an as needs priority basis.

Everyone can be taken care of, but it is not necessary to need to know the whole story about everyone, or continual updates, instead, just look after the main issue but make yourself available on a 'just in case things get worse' basis.  

By minimising the amount of time, effort, energy and angst, not to mention all the hours spent in bed at night worrying about everyone, after a good nights sleep, you will be in a much better physical and mental place to look after all those you love and still continue your daily functions and requirements such as work an study and, whatever else.

So, are you pouring salt all over and doing a less than perfect job, or sprinkling rock salts hoping to hit randomly and help those folks, or, casting your salt flakes with evaluated targets with the object of prioritising to help the most needy?

It is impossible to help everyone and be on top of what is happening. Look after yourself first, otherwise your health and well being will suffer.  By placing your own personal health and well being at risk and becoming ill through doing or worrying too much, you will end up helping no one. 

Moral:  Use your physical and mental energies like salt flakes.

Verde

∞

OH CELERY...

THE VERDE WORD

Oh Celery, how I love thee, let me state thy ways!

Celery, my beloved Celery, I love thy appearance with green luxurious leaves and long, strong stalks.  I love thy sweet, earthy but slightly tangy aroma with a hint of wild rich humus soil in a forest.  I love thy touch as my hand caresses thy leaves, thy stalks whilst enjoying the solidity and feel of veins under my fingers. I relish thy woody sound as I remove thy stalk from thy bunched body allowing a loud woody scrunching sound as I make the separation.  Celery, You are an organic orgasmitron.

Yes Celery, I adore you, I venerate you.

You come from greatness, you attract greatness, Celery, you are greatness.

You are my love.

VALUING THAT WHICH GIVES LIFE

This article is about valuing all food that we grow, cook and imbibe.

We may take a can from the cupboard, open it, throw the contents into a saucepan, heat and eat.
We may take the meat, veggies, anything from the garden or fridge with our mind on our coming meal.

There are times when we think about nutrition when hunter-gathering at the markets or supermarket whilst selecting fruit and vegetables.  However, do we think and truly value and love the food we prepare and serve?

Foods is the most important thing in our human life.  Without their vitamins, minerals and moisture etc., we and other animals would die.  We need food for survival.

We may have a love-hate relationship with corporate or multi-national companies that invest in the food industry.  We may also feel the same way with cage, pen or other animal or fish lot farming.  As well, we may also have negative feelings towards the use of chemicals used during vegetable farming as well as freeze storage of our food.



FOOD PRODUCTION


Farmers and food producers of protein and vegetable based products place a lot of themselves into their product.  Farmers in particular arise very early in the morning and either observe their vegetable or animal domain, they walk the crop, field and paddocks.  Farmers talk to their plants and animals and they ensure they are fed, nourished and watered.  Farmers love what they are doing, it gives them pleasure and a meagre living otherwise they would not be in the industry.  Farming is a very hard, long and difficult job with little guarantee of sustainable crops or profits.  Farmers love their environment and products and therefore it is not only preferable but also desirable that we as consumers appreciate not only the farmers efforts but also, their products.

Animals and plants long before the planting, growing and processing process began, embarked on their life journey before the pre-seed or pre-embryonic stage began. They were alive and as all things, plants and animals (including us), came from somewhere and are going somewhere.  At the micro-organic or quark stage everything lives, grows and keeps on growing.

As we consume food for nutrition and energy, which we as animals need, the foods or substances we imbibe continues forever.  The sub-atomic particles help to process and feed our bodies and when waste substances are ejected, those particles still continue to live and give life to other organics.


MAKE LOVE TO FOOD

When preparing food, think about it.

Place the vegetables, fruit, meat or cereals or other on the chopping board, lets say courgettes.

Pick up the courgettes, feel their weight and texture, smell their earthiness, feel their skin.  Think and see them as a wonderful organic plant that came from a sub-organic particle, grew to a seed, were planted and grew.

Those lovely courgettes enjoyed the rain as it fell.  The courgette roots in the subterranean underground explored and reached out through millions of years of soil. Who knows, those same little courgettes you are holding in your 21st Century hand, could well be growing and nourished by soil that was once a plant or tree over 20 million years old.  So, in your hand you are holding a nourishing food that has been in production for a very long time.  Think about it.

Place those courgettes on the chopping board and keep in mind where they came from, what they came from and where they are going.

As you take the knife in hand, feel the courgettes and allow your hand and mind to be tender.
Give them love, mentally appreciate them, enjoy thinking how beautiful they will taste and how wonderful it is that we may cherish and nourish our body with their vitamins.  Be accepting and grateful.

The courgette has given you it's life.  Your life will continue on and be helped by a courgette.  I promise you, by placing more emphasis and thought on your food during preparation, it will taste so much more delicious.

Bon Appetite

Verde