Originally published April 2010 My son and daughter are both still at the ‘Why?’ age. However they recently gave me a taste of my own medicine. When asked why they were pretending to be hamsters in the imaginary game they were playing the 3-year-old answered, ‘Oh, just because!” This made me wonder, am I killing their curiosity? And got me thinking about the absurd… Continue reading just ‘because’
Old Blog
Republished from my old blog circa 2010
climate change: cause and effect, and effect
Sadly, while this post was originally published in 2009, the situation is largely the same. I only hope Extinction Rebellion will have a greater impact. Attended another climate change conference this week (and watched the Age of Stupid). Some excellent presentations on social science approaches to changing individuals’ behaviour in order to minimise their carbon emissions.… Continue reading climate change: cause and effect, and effect
may, can, could, should, ought, must
I remember a particularly pedantic Religious Education teacher at school, who if asked, “Can I go to the toilet please” would answer, “I would imagine you are physically able to do that.” He would only give you permission if you said “May I go?”. Similarly, work with a good project manager and you soon learn to be… Continue reading may, can, could, should, ought, must
paradoxical proverbs
‘A wise man knows he knows nothing’ but if he knows nothing how does he know. Some more proverbial paradoxes: The pen is mightier than the sword but Actions speak louder than words Faith will move mountains but Doubt is the beginning of wisdom Clothes make the man but Never judge a book by its… Continue reading paradoxical proverbs
before
A poem made from proverbs Age before beauty,The calm before a storm,The darkest hour,Is the last before dawn. Look before you leap,Pride before a fall,Tears before bedtime,Before after, is before. Don’t cross your bridges,Don’t count your chickens,Don’t cast pearls…don’t run. As clouds gather,Before the storm,Before after, is before. Couldn’t fit my favourite ‘before’ proverbs in: Engage brain before… Continue reading before
son to sun
A poem from popular proverbs: A son is a son till he takes a wife,a daughter is a daughter all her life. He that would the daughter win,Must with the mother first begin In the mother he can behold,How his wife will look when old, For a wife’s work is never done,While he just works… Continue reading son to sun
