Actually one should never say that they will never do anything, just as one should never hate anything.
For over a month when I returned to Scotland I didn't keep up with my Blogworld. It was not because I didn't want to but because I just couldn't allocate enough time amongst all the other things that I also wanted to do.
I went into town on Friday morning to get a birthday card for an old friend because I thought that I could get a more appropriate one than one of the hundred or so that I have in my desk drawer (yes really). I could not. Nor could I get any inspiration for a present - I really am hopeless. So I went to The Woodlands for a coffee and to write the card and some postcards as well so that they could catch the Friday post.
It was a bit odd being in The Woodlands without a companion. Two things struck me: the number of people whom I knew (and therefore spent time chatting to and catching up with) and the fact that there was only one other person out of a pretty full gathering who was male (a visitor from Lincolnshire I think I was told).
A person to whom I chatted for some time came to the Island two years after I did (we worked in the same organisation) and she also did a stint lecturing in the University at Palmerston North in New Zealand. So we always have a lot to chat about.
The thing we both have most in common, though, is something neither of us have enough of: TIME.
Someone else that I met mentioned how much time dragged for him these days. That made me think.
I often see the saying "When God made time He made plenty of it." Actually I would suggest that time, per se, is simply a dimension in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future. It can also be used to measure of durations of events and the intervals between them. So it's really a tool that man uses rather than something made.
Anyway, I digress, if God did make time, then either he didn't make enough or, as far as I am concerned, He gave us far too many things with which to fill it.
Such as writing rather esoteric and unnecessary posts like this one which could have been summarised as "Never again will I go for 6 weeks without keeping up with Blogland because it takes sooooo long to catch up!"
It is impossible or almost to catch up with blogging once one gets behind. Best just to start anew.
ReplyDeleteIt's Grand Prix day as well.
And for once, Adrian, it was an interesting Grand Prix as well!
Delete"Time waits for no man" so take advantage of any that comes your way.
ReplyDeleteI love multi-tasking, in that way I feel I am getting an edge on Father Time.
Basically I split my time: Time for me and time for others.
That is so very 'you' Virginia.
DeleteIt is hard to catch up so we must try very hard not to get behind!
ReplyDeleteTime seems to be moving faster now that I am older. No one tells you this, you have to find out for yourself.
Oh Kay. You've obviously led a sheltered life. I was constantly told that when one got older time went more quickly. I think Cj and I have both blogged on the subject too. I think the point may be that people tell us but we can't really understand until we get here and it actually happens.
DeleteGod? Who (s)he?
ReplyDeleteMy latest aaaarggghhhh! is at folk, who talk of greek or roman gods as 'mythological'. Two definition of mythological are 1) Of, relating to, or recorded in myths or mythology, and 2. Fabulous; imaginary.
The first definition seems to me circuitous. As for the second, which god has been proven to be real, except to those who imagine her/him? The greeks and romans believed their gods existed, which is all that is required for a god to exist...at least for those, who believe.
As for time as we know it...minutes and hours, I heard a speech which suggested that it existed only when trains became common. At that stage, we needed a common time, so that we'd know when the train was due to arrive or leave (or in modern parlance, in Britain at least, when it is supposed to arrive or leave). Until then, it was 'morning', 'afternoon', 'evening' and 'night'. On that theme, it has been said that people look at their watches to see what time it isn't rather than what time it is.
'Esoteric and unnecessary' apply equally to comments as to blogs. Dinnae fash yersel'.
You remind me of a friend who used to say that when God made Man She was only practising. Another friend always points out that most Christians are atheist to a degree because they only believe in one god. Many religions and cultures believe and believed in many gods. Therefore the difference between the complete Atheist and a Christian is only one god. As for time in times past people went to bed when it got dark and got up when it got light. Time meant little. Life was structured around nature.
DeleteYou should be given an award for your efforts, Graham. I don't think I've come across anyone who does a better job of managing to keep/catch up with their Blogworld at the same time as travelling as much as you do in the 'real' world. It's a bit unfair really that you can't be allotted double time... ;) I often get asked (since my early retirement) what I do to "pass the time" and after all these years I still never know how to answer that question, because it never (or rarely) fit into my way of thinking. Most days Time seems to pass just fine on its own, not requiring all that much effort from me!
ReplyDeleteThanks Monica. I think that your last sentence is one of the most quotable ones I've read for a long time.
DeleteWe all have 24 hours every day, don't we? And what activities we choose to fill these hours is largely up to ourselves. OK, take a kid growing up in the slums of Kolkata, then most of those 24 hours will be dedicated to sheer survival, but referring to the average person (if such a person exists), it's a neat 3 x 8 division: 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work, and 8 hours of "free time". Only in the past 20 years or so has the line between work and free time become thinner; many people I know do at least occasionally work from home, and those hours are interspersed with things they'd otherwise do before or after work. Also, some people (including myself) are lucky enough to have jobs they really enjoy, which makes work almost feel like leisure.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, back to you, Graham: As others here have said in their comments, you really deserve an award for catching up with blogland! What would happen if you didn't? Nohting much, I assume; Earth would remain in orbit, and people would just keep blogging...
Thank you Meike for a much needed dose of realism.
Delete...and I meant to add that those of us who love both your posts and your comments on our own posts would miss you dreadfully, if you did NOT catch up!
DeleteAwe shucks Meike. Thanks.
Delete