God, Love, Faith And Equality

I use “God” to mean a life force or being that is the patron of something like, Dionysus with wine and partying or Hera with home and marriage. Not just the Bible God.

God is an abstract being. The belief in God is shared by many. To all those that believe in God he is real but is interpreted differently as is his manifestation.

Love is an emotion, an abstract. It is only real to those that have experienced it. Love is shared by many and they believe in it. There's people in the world that don't know what love is, and don't believe it's true because they've never experienced it.

In both cases God and love, just because a person doesn't believe in it doesn't make it any less valid for the people that do.

I can't hold up a photo graph of God and say this is God. I can show you a photo of me practicing my beliefs and say This is how I show God is real to me. I can show you a photo of me and my soon to be wife battering lumps out of each other for a laugh and you'd not think we “love” each other. However, if I show you us on our wedding day holding hands and sharing a kiss, it'd be a different story. For us love is present in both photo's. But, in both you can't see love. You see what signs of love we share. Context is a massive part in life.

If you have to preach a faith or love it doesn't make it anymore real for none believers. It only validates it more in the minds of those that believe in it. If anything it widens the gap between people that don't share a faith – (weather it be, they don't have one or have a different one).

Faith hinders true human equality, if we didn't have a multitude of faiths then we'd all be equal. But, we do have many faiths, as humans we need to work on equality regardless of our own faith. Stop throwing mud at other humans that have different beliefs from us. Slamming a Christian because they believe homosexuality isn't equality. It's in equality. Equality allows us all to have our own thoughts, feelings and personalities. By virtue, if you slam someone for their thoughts etc you're stopping them having equality. You may not agree with their opinions and wish to find out more about their bases. However, it doesn't make their choices any less valid than yours. We are all humans, we are all different. Equality is all about being different and not being judged upon those differences. At least that's what it means to me. It may not be the dictionary definition but the dictionary is a rule book for words. Language is fluid like it moves and develops new directions.

For true equality we don't need faiths but we need to embrace the fact that everyone has their own version of faith.  

Interview: With Alternative Rock Band - Under A Banner

So, with no further ado, here are the “inspired” questions I put to Under A Banner and Adam's very open responses.

Q: Who would you consider yourself to be similar to, or are you that alternative that you can't size yourselves up against any mainstream artists?

“We have been variously compared to Frank Turner, The Levellers and New

Model Army to name just a few.  I'm aware of the last two (we've even

supported N.M.A) but, still to this day, I've never heard any Frank

Turner.  I always tell people we're a mostly acoustic blend of what we feel

has been the best alternative music of the last 40 or so years.”

Q: Other than general life and your emotions, who or what inspires your music?

“Nature in all its majesty is a big inspiration, as are politics, people

and thousands of other emotions and abstractions.  I respond lyrically to

anything and everything that's worthy.”

Q: Do you feel as a two person band you're taken any less serious?

“Although Jonny and I are the core of the band, we almost always, play as

a full band, with electric as well as acoustic instruments. These include

guitars, keys and violin.”

Q: What are your musical aspirations; do you want to headline at a major music festival or is it all about the music not the “being known” that's important?

“Whilst it is primarily about the music, we'd love to play some big

music festivals and large venues around the world. The chief ambition is

to play music for a living.”

Q: Time for a cheesy one! If you could perform with anyone either live or recorded, whom would you choose and why?

“Honestly, I'd love to perform with a 10 piece orchestra like one of my

favourite bands Ambrozijn. I'd also like to record with the

backing of celtic harpists and an Indonesian Gamelan orchestra!”

Q: Finally, what special message have you got for the world?

“I think that artists with special moral messages sometimes have

questionable motives; they sometimes share these to assuage their guilt.

It would be arrogant of me to try and tell people how to behave. It would

be great if folks could just be nice to one another.  Beyond that, eat

fresh fruit and veg, read a lot and listen to Under A Banner ;)”

Brilliant answers, and hopefully the questions weren't to cheesy.

To find out where Under A Banner are playing and hear some of their great music head to their website, NOW!

They frequently Tweet freebie tracks and links to their great work too - @UnderABanner. They're now on Facebook too. 

Poem: That Peaceful Moment or Joyous Banter

In that one moment in everyday when all falls dead

Do we keep the serenity and leave the play and joking to the birds in the surrounding trees

Maybe it'd be more appropriate to join them in their jolly banter and larking

Rolling and flapping with out nest mate

Chirping and screeching as we hop and bounce

Just like the birds we can be heard from far but

People don't come to see us even though we are just as natural as the eagle and swan.

My Attempts At Tanka Poetry

The aim is to have no rhyme, I was board and thought why not try a little LGBTQIA and the rest of the letter poetry, to fill out this Sunday evening - here's my attempts

She put on his, dress

Then danced all night with her, man's lover

He, wasn't Into her kind

They both knew it, was a lie

Their lips would never mention it though

She bought him some trousers

She could wear them with no, questions

It'd be harder if mirrored

She loved her, like he loved her

Words not to exchange just meaningful deep looks

They were opposites, but repelled

Love was never likely to happen here

Man, man and women, women

They're both the same but completely polar

When together with another one, despair relents

DVD vs Blu-Ray My Views

Some may say it's because I'm a skin flint but others would say and correctly it's because I was sceptical about the hype.

However, I've now upgrade to Blu-Ray.

Why? As a blind person you'd think it'd be pointless upgrading but – I retain some functional vision and with this I can see the difference between DVD and Blu-Ray. Also there seems to be a substantial difference in audio quality too.

With DVD the colours are more pronounce, vivid and bold. Although you know they are real people, you also know the colours aren't quite natural.

With Blu-Ray, the colours are less of everything above thereby giving a more natural look. The increased resolution gives a much sharper and window like image.

The audio is slightly less tiny. I know this can be down to the equipment the audio comes out of but, with DVD, I found the sound levels weren't set the same way as with Blu-Ray.

Since it's been sometime now after the launch of Blu-Ray you can get a reasonable Blu-Ray player for roughly the same price as a good DVD player. The best deals as ever are to be had on the usual sites eBay and Amazon and such like.

Of course, to put my claims to test you can buy a triple play movie and compare the quality between, DVD/Blu-Ray and Digital (on the computer).

Now, with Blu-Ray Player and an external Blu-Ray drive you can now even play Blu-rays on Mac.

Wedding Part... Second Last Bit...

As I write this it's fifteen weeks and four days to “the big day”.

In the past few weeks we've finalised a plan as far as we know what we want exactly now. We've still got to work out timings and other minor stuff.

We've got a photographer, videographer and registry office all booked. The dresses bought and all the accessories to be bought but these are already decided upon. The transport is agreed upon just to book it (this coming week) – oh, and not forgetting the rings! These will be got next week. We were going to get bespoke rings but with the limited budget and short time left it'd just be another thing to worry about. We may however get bespoke rings when we get normal married in 2015 :)

We've reverted to the “medieval” sort of style, if you don't know what this is then either look it up or stay tuned for photographs in 16ish weeks time!

Lee Richardson Videographer

Chris Parkins Photographer

Dress Maker

Wedding All Change

Don't worry we're not calling it all off and going our own way! 

The new outfit plan is a Prince Charley style blouse with the flared cuffs a black waist coat green tartan skirt (not kilt) with black tights and brogues.

It looks so much better than our first "get up" which would of been over kill for a reg office and more formal than jeans etc!

However, the dilemma now is. Since i was a small kid I've never 'done' the whole pretty dresses and stuff. So, for me to wear a skirt out is like "just punch me in the stomach". 

I have been trying to revamp my wardrobe and make it slightly more overly feminine for ages but revert to my comfort clothes. I can't bring myself to dispose of all my favourite "garbs". 

It's not like I'm even bothered about my figure or appearance. It seems to be a mental block!

I should maybe point out - yes, we were going to wear dresses in the first instance but that was different because the skirt was long (makes no sense I know!). We, decided we want the skirts to be just above the knee because Maxi skirts in tartan wouldn't look so good and anything in-between would be even worse!


I'm super fine with make-up, heals and pretty tops but really need some help with this.

So, any one that has faced this, have you got any advice!

Using Hotmail with Mac Mail Client semi IMAP

Ok, Windows Live Hotmail doesn't have IMAP function for Mac Mail client – but...

If you want to have your e-mails dropped onto your desk top this is what I've done.

Firstly get signed up for iCloud if you're not already.

I say use iCloud because I'm too lazy to see what other e-mail providers support IMAP other than GMail. Anyhow,

Simply:

1. Create an iCloud account profile in the Mail app. Mail > Preference > Account tab > Fill in the boxes. Ding, that's step on done.
2. Go to hotmail and enable forwarding. Options > More Options > e-mail forwarding > insert e-mail address you want it to be forwarded to click save. Ding step two done.
3. Double check, the frequency with which your mail is check by the Mail app this is in Preferences under the General tab. I've got mine set to every minute!

If you've already had or got a Hotmail account on your Mail client use it's 'out” serve route for the iCloud profile. This will send replies using your hotmail address.

The alternative to this is change to a gmail or iCloud account fully and wave bye bye to your hotmail and enjoy IMAP on you iMac (or other model of Mac, just iMac rhymes).

Plus side to my way is there's no email address to change on every website you have it registered on. The down side is that it's 5 minutes of your life you'll not get back. The down side can be offset by fast forwarding the adverts on a TV show you've recorded or getting your hands on Bernard’s Watch ;).

Mac Alarm Clock & How To Stop Startup Chime On Mac

If you're a little "geeky" like me :) you might like this post.

There are three parts to this:

1. Silents the startup chime on the mac.
2. Get the Mac to come on at a set time.
3. Get iTunes to function as an alarm clock.

Part One: This bit is really easy.

Download Psst click here (http://www.satsumac.com/Psst.php). Once this is downloaded install it and your off. At the minute though not all models are supported. You can tell them weather yours is or isn't using the application.

Part Two: Presuming you've got Psst installed and working.

Head for Applications > System Preferences > Energy Saver. Once in Energy Saver click on the padlock to unlock (if locked) then click on the Schedule button on the right hand side.

In here you can decide weather you want your alarm to be on every day, certain days, just the weekend or just the week days. Here you can also set it to turn off at a certain time too.

Make your choices hit the OK button and then lock the padlock again to save your changes.

Step Three: The slightly “geeky” bit.

Go to Applications > Utilities > AppleScript Editor and open it!

To make iTunes work as an alarm clock I used the following script.

Tell application “iTunes” to play playlist “Your Playlist Name”

Hit complete and then save it as an application.

When saving scripts save them to a place you're going to have to go out of your way to delete them. I've got mine in a subfolder in documents.

Go into iTunes and create a playlist of the same name used in the app you just made. Put the radio stations or tracks you want to hear first thing in it.

So far so good.

Now to make it all come together. Head to System Preferences > User Groups > unlock the padlock > Login Items

Click on the plus symbol on the bottom left and navigate to your application. Set it as the top thing to come on when you turn on. This is probably the point where I should tell you that this application will run every time you start the computer up. So if you don't want everybody knowing your love for Aqua's Barbie Girl probably best not to have that on your playlist first!

Lock the padlock to save the changes making sure your application is checked first.

Restart your computer to see if it's worked.

If it hasn't worked check each step and element out.

It worked for me but if it doesn't work for you or it send your machine into total melt down causing your computer to connect by accident to the CIA/FBI server and delete everything that's not my truck of poop to deal with. i.e. I take no responsibility for anything you do to your computer even if you follow my instruction.

Religion Is The Real Abuser

It has only just occurred to me.

The biggest risk to the development isn't the LGBT community but religion!

Parents have the right to remove their child from any lesson that involves the teachings of another religion. Surely, this doesn't give the child the ability or access to learn abut other faiths and determine if the religion of their “choice” is the one they wish to follow.

It also leaves them ignorant and less knowledgable about other faith groups.

Schools are currently supposed to teach relationship and sex education that is relevant to all pupils. In my experience they only taught about “straight” relationships and all the stuff that comes with it. Given the cries of parents when a teen girl wants to keep a unplanned pregnancy is “you're a child you don't know what you want”. Isn't it more logical if both straight and LGBT relationships and so on are taught at school by default. If they are too young to keep a child how can they be sure they are heterosexual? Like it or not the school bully could be the biggest “Homo' in the school but has to hide it because he doesn't want bullied himself because others are ignorant.

Unplanned pregnancies obviously aren't a concern for a same-sex couple. But STDs are so why leave the LGBT kids with no relevant education as such. Obviously, the same rules apply “if you ain’t playing with it and someone else is put something on it” goes for Gay and Bi folk but for lesbians/Gay Females this is a little less easy to understand in the same context. Not only this but I'm sure we've all said, “why are we learning about geometry, when will I ever need it' this goes for a child that believes and may well be gay at the time of his/her education. Then when the time comes to use that “geometry” you're stuck because you've not bothered to remember it.

Sheltering children in my mind is abuse in it's own right. Obviously unless we're talking about harm then that's vital – but we're not we're talking about opening a young mind to the world in a controlled environment. Where questions can be asked safely and they don't need to go and find things out in a dodgy world called cyber-space. Admittedly the thought of asking questions about “gay things' maybe daunting but if, people know that it's not wrong to question things that fear may be lifted.

For a strong society we need to be open to all things. I've been exposed to lots of different countries, types of people and religions. I for one am very grateful for it. My dad has a saying that I believe to be very true: “If it doesn't upset the horses, nobody gets hurt and they consent – it's up to them what they do”.