Having developed a new love and respect for New York over the weekend, I must plan my visit to London for April and make sure I can find enough to excite and interest the offspring whilst we are there. Hopefully we wont have too much rain to spoil our walks out and about.
What might be a good idea is to approach my planning more as a teacher than a tourist. Randomly moving about London to see different things without focus and attention might be distracting, so I'm thinking of teaching them about the Tudors. (I don't think either of them have encountered the Tudors in their Soical Studies classes yet, so this will be a good start for them).
Before we leave for England, I'll find some stories for them, so they can learn about the Tudors. Then, once in London, we'll go to the places that make them come alive. First we will visit Hampton Court Palace, haunt of King Henry VIII. If it's a nice day, the gardens are nice to walk around, and, of course, there is the maze which ought to be usable in April. The palace itself is a masterpiece of Tudor architecture and one of my favourite "stately homes". We will see for ourselves how royalty lived back then.
Next we'll visit the Tower of London where we'll see Traitor's Gate, Tower Green (where two of Henry's wives were executed, as well as Mary Queen of Scots and others), and the tiny cells in which some famous prisoners were kept for many miserable years.
Later we'll visit the Museum of London to learn about the development and growth of London through the ages, and perhaps we'll also visit Shakespeare's Globe but that will depend on how tired we are!
Finally I want to take them to Madame Tussauds to see the waxworks. I haven't been there in donkey's years and it's another of my favorite places. Last time I was there, I tried to pay a waxwork figure in the gift shop, thinking it was a real person!
I might well take them to the Science Museum or the Victoria and Albert Museum which are two of my favourites and which are also free and we'll definitely do the London Eye. Oh what fun! I can't wait!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
New York! New York!
I've just returned from my first visit to the Big Apple in 25 years and found it a very different place. Back then it was a hot, dirty, noisy and slightly scary place (not least because it was August, I was only 23 and addicted to American police dramas). This time it was chilly, clean, less noisy and felt as safe as I'd feel anywhere. Of course it was February but sightseeing in Times Square after midnight was magic!
Here is a selection of my favourite photos from the weekend.
1. The Apple store from inside the entrance.
2. Me and Him on 5th Avenue.
3. Chrysler Building and Grand Central Station
4. Same again, only closer. Love this one.
5. Love this one too - about 12:30am on Sunday Feb 15th, Times Square. People were posing by the heart for their Valentine's Day pictures.
6. 30 Rock. I love all the Art Deco design in Rockefeller Plaza
7. Last time I was in NY I went up the Empire State Building. This time I was able to photograph it. Ironically, last time, I was irritated by the World Trade Center because it was so big it spoiled the views. This time there was a clear view across and I was sad that I have no photos of the Twin Towers.
8. Zoomed in on Central Park and beyond.
9. What were once tall buildings... I like looking for the old amongst the new.
10. Reflections - a great design trick giving the illusion that the building isn't really there.
There wasn't time to see or do much more than this. We spent a lot of time sitting at tables in restaurants, talking and catching up. In between we probably walked about four miles Saturday evening and another mile or two on Sunday before we had to leave the city and head back north. I can't wait to go again - and I can't believe that I haven't been before.
Here is a selection of my favourite photos from the weekend.
1. The Apple store from inside the entrance.
2. Me and Him on 5th Avenue.
3. Chrysler Building and Grand Central Station
4. Same again, only closer. Love this one.
5. Love this one too - about 12:30am on Sunday Feb 15th, Times Square. People were posing by the heart for their Valentine's Day pictures.
6. 30 Rock. I love all the Art Deco design in Rockefeller Plaza
7. Last time I was in NY I went up the Empire State Building. This time I was able to photograph it. Ironically, last time, I was irritated by the World Trade Center because it was so big it spoiled the views. This time there was a clear view across and I was sad that I have no photos of the Twin Towers.
8. Zoomed in on Central Park and beyond.
9. What were once tall buildings... I like looking for the old amongst the new.
10. Reflections - a great design trick giving the illusion that the building isn't really there.
There wasn't time to see or do much more than this. We spent a lot of time sitting at tables in restaurants, talking and catching up. In between we probably walked about four miles Saturday evening and another mile or two on Sunday before we had to leave the city and head back north. I can't wait to go again - and I can't believe that I haven't been before.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Being Young
My cousin mentioned to me yesterday that he is a firm believer in the "18 'til I die" ethos. I don't know if that's possible. I have spent half my life trying to grow up and now that I'm middle-aged I sometimes think my teenage daughter is more mature than I am. I definitely feel my body is now aging a lot faster than I am, which is rather annoying. When my daughter had her friends over last weekend I wasn't sure how to behave. Stupid really. My inner 18-year-old wanted to go in and laugh and talk with them, join in their fun and get to know them. I felt that they weren't so different from me after all. But the 51-year-old parent was less sure and kept her distance. She didn't really talk or interact with them at all for fear that the daughter wouldn't like it, plus she felt responsible for seeing that there was no inappropriate behaviour. I felt uncomfortable because I know I'd rather have been with them than being an adult in the other room.
I often wonder how, as a parent and a so-called responsible adult, I am supposed to behave. When I was a teacher I was told that one really had to put on an act. Always in the back of my mind was a warning I got when I was a student teacher: "you can't let them win". Looking back, I received some bad advice and I should have ignored it, but I rally couldn't think for myself. I don't think I ever learned that I'd have done a lot better if I'd been more flexible, but there was always the fear that I would lose control and "they" would "win".
Being a parent is even harder than being a teacher. I want to be "firm but kind" but I seriously doubt that it works for anyone whose children won't go to bed, pick up their things, eat their dinner or comply with some other minor request. My children think I'm too serious, over-critical, dull, weird (that's a given) and too concerned with manners. They're usually right, but if I stop caring how they speak to me or each other or other people, they'll "win", I'll lose control and then I'll be labelled as a bad mother whose children are rude. In truth, my children get lots of freedom and I don't nag as much as I should and as a result we live in a pigsty and their rooms are often worse.
My children don't know that the person they know as "mum" isn't the real me. The real me laughs more than she cries and enjoys her friends and her hobbies, and hosts parties. The real me doesn't really care that the kids' rooms are a mess (unless they are dirty) and wants them to go out and have fun and be adventurous. Unfortunately in the back of my mind I can 'see' and 'hear' my mum and many other mums keeping a clean house, cooking, shopping and going to work full time. I don't remember our house being as messy as this one and I would never have been allowed to go out with holes in my clothes or torn hems (at least, not until I was a teenager and it became fashionable). My children don't know that when I suddenly start to get really strict it's because I feel guilty that I've allowed them to go around with scruffy hair and torn clothes and that a "real" mum would make sure that the house was always clean and the family would always eat and enjoy the food she cooks for them.
So, going back to my title, "Being Young", I think it's time I stopped trying to behave like a grown-up and let people take me as I am. Especially my family. I know that my children are surprised that I get as addicted to video games as they do and that my iPod has become permanently attached to my person and that I can't even leave the room without it. As far as the rest goes, I'll try to do better as a parent and be less heavy-handed (metaphorically). If the kids can't laugh with me and see the funny side of something, I'll let it go. If they do something to upset me, I'll let that go too. I won't even worry about their manners so much any more*; they'll have to find out for themselves that good manners have a place, even in 2009. I want them to see more of the happy 'me' and less of the "can't let them win" teacher. I've already made many, many mistakes and I don't want to wait until it's too late to change.
* I wrote this several hours before publishing and I managed to break that new rule at least six times in the space of two hours!! I probably should have included the proviso that I could only do this if they were willing to put other people's feelings before their own and could learn to think before they speak!
I often wonder how, as a parent and a so-called responsible adult, I am supposed to behave. When I was a teacher I was told that one really had to put on an act. Always in the back of my mind was a warning I got when I was a student teacher: "you can't let them win". Looking back, I received some bad advice and I should have ignored it, but I rally couldn't think for myself. I don't think I ever learned that I'd have done a lot better if I'd been more flexible, but there was always the fear that I would lose control and "they" would "win".
Being a parent is even harder than being a teacher. I want to be "firm but kind" but I seriously doubt that it works for anyone whose children won't go to bed, pick up their things, eat their dinner or comply with some other minor request. My children think I'm too serious, over-critical, dull, weird (that's a given) and too concerned with manners. They're usually right, but if I stop caring how they speak to me or each other or other people, they'll "win", I'll lose control and then I'll be labelled as a bad mother whose children are rude. In truth, my children get lots of freedom and I don't nag as much as I should and as a result we live in a pigsty and their rooms are often worse.
My children don't know that the person they know as "mum" isn't the real me. The real me laughs more than she cries and enjoys her friends and her hobbies, and hosts parties. The real me doesn't really care that the kids' rooms are a mess (unless they are dirty) and wants them to go out and have fun and be adventurous. Unfortunately in the back of my mind I can 'see' and 'hear' my mum and many other mums keeping a clean house, cooking, shopping and going to work full time. I don't remember our house being as messy as this one and I would never have been allowed to go out with holes in my clothes or torn hems (at least, not until I was a teenager and it became fashionable). My children don't know that when I suddenly start to get really strict it's because I feel guilty that I've allowed them to go around with scruffy hair and torn clothes and that a "real" mum would make sure that the house was always clean and the family would always eat and enjoy the food she cooks for them.
So, going back to my title, "Being Young", I think it's time I stopped trying to behave like a grown-up and let people take me as I am. Especially my family. I know that my children are surprised that I get as addicted to video games as they do and that my iPod has become permanently attached to my person and that I can't even leave the room without it. As far as the rest goes, I'll try to do better as a parent and be less heavy-handed (metaphorically). If the kids can't laugh with me and see the funny side of something, I'll let it go. If they do something to upset me, I'll let that go too. I won't even worry about their manners so much any more*; they'll have to find out for themselves that good manners have a place, even in 2009. I want them to see more of the happy 'me' and less of the "can't let them win" teacher. I've already made many, many mistakes and I don't want to wait until it's too late to change.
* I wrote this several hours before publishing and I managed to break that new rule at least six times in the space of two hours!! I probably should have included the proviso that I could only do this if they were willing to put other people's feelings before their own and could learn to think before they speak!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Goddess Moon
A blue-pink winter sky, a serene moment captured by an old school chum who inspires more than she knows. Look up once in a while and take a moment to breathe, enjoy, and be thankful for all the good in the world. Thanks for the inspiration Kaz,
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Life's a Long Song
I'm sure the world doesn't wish to read my pontifications. I for one would rather gather pearls of genius dropped via the ethernet by Stephen Fry or Clive James. Perhaps, like me, you are also interested in people you actually know, or might know.
The thought for the day is that all those sayings about life being a journey and not a destination, etc., etc. are actually quite true. Having reached the great age of fifty-one I feel at liberty to share what I have found to be true about Life.
1. Life occurs in phases. Some are planned and prepared for (such as marriage) while others are not (such as death of a loved one)
2. Some phases are eagerly anticipated and enjoyed while others are to be endured. None of them are predictable.
So far I am in what I consider to be the 4th phase of my life.
Phase the First:
Childhood. The time when you don't know you're born, when life was good and (you later learn) was still good when it was bad. It's the bad that makes you appreciate the good.
Phase the Second:
Adolescence. In my case, the transition between childhood and adolescence was jarringly punctuated with a sledgehammer, by the death of my father. This phase was, to put it mildly, full of sunshine and tears, but a more accurate description of my emotions is that I alternated between breath-taking joy and the most devastating feelings of melancholy. Again, with hindsight, it was neither of those extremes, but a teenager's life back then could be, and often was, a soap opera.
Phase the Third:
Freedom. Going to college, getting in debt, ignoring letters from the bank, going home pleading poverty, getting a job, paying taxes, going on holiday with friends, making friends, losing friends, facing the cost of living, acquiring Stuff, acquiring More Stuff, having to answer to no-one (except the boss and the bank manager), learning to be independent.
Phase the Fourth:
Middle age. In my case this meant getting married, moving to America, having babies, acquiring Even More Stuff (and then gradually coming to realise I don't want most of it), making a home and realising I'll never have my dream home. Then realising that my dream home is where there is love, laughter, gratitude, contentment and appreciation for all that is good. Then realising that the rest of my family isn't there yet and having to be a parent.
Phase the Fifth:
Older than my parents. A year from now I'll be the same age as my dad (at the time he died). Can't predict that phase.
The thought for the day is that all those sayings about life being a journey and not a destination, etc., etc. are actually quite true. Having reached the great age of fifty-one I feel at liberty to share what I have found to be true about Life.
1. Life occurs in phases. Some are planned and prepared for (such as marriage) while others are not (such as death of a loved one)
2. Some phases are eagerly anticipated and enjoyed while others are to be endured. None of them are predictable.
So far I am in what I consider to be the 4th phase of my life.
Phase the First:
Childhood. The time when you don't know you're born, when life was good and (you later learn) was still good when it was bad. It's the bad that makes you appreciate the good.
Phase the Second:
Adolescence. In my case, the transition between childhood and adolescence was jarringly punctuated with a sledgehammer, by the death of my father. This phase was, to put it mildly, full of sunshine and tears, but a more accurate description of my emotions is that I alternated between breath-taking joy and the most devastating feelings of melancholy. Again, with hindsight, it was neither of those extremes, but a teenager's life back then could be, and often was, a soap opera.
Phase the Third:
Freedom. Going to college, getting in debt, ignoring letters from the bank, going home pleading poverty, getting a job, paying taxes, going on holiday with friends, making friends, losing friends, facing the cost of living, acquiring Stuff, acquiring More Stuff, having to answer to no-one (except the boss and the bank manager), learning to be independent.
Phase the Fourth:
Middle age. In my case this meant getting married, moving to America, having babies, acquiring Even More Stuff (and then gradually coming to realise I don't want most of it), making a home and realising I'll never have my dream home. Then realising that my dream home is where there is love, laughter, gratitude, contentment and appreciation for all that is good. Then realising that the rest of my family isn't there yet and having to be a parent.
Phase the Fifth:
Older than my parents. A year from now I'll be the same age as my dad (at the time he died). Can't predict that phase.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Time to make a proper announcement
Having announced the existence of my previous blog only a couple of months ago, I've been reluctant to announce this one lest people should be irritated by me. However, I like this one better because it's nice and smooth to work with and most people should be able to view it with ease. So, whether you have been reading this from the beginning (way back when I started this two weeks ago) or whether you have just joined me, 'Welcome to the better blog'.
Now I feel the need to communicate my every move and thought, and also know about other people's. I'm Twittering, Blogging and Facebooking and I daresay if another method of sharing my dull world with the universe should happen to come my way, I'll probably add that too. At least now I've got the three things I am using connected, so my one-line updates will be done through Twitter and in-depth stuff will be here. My goal is to get 'back' with my old friends in the UK and try to make it feel as though I'm not quite so far away, as well as step up communications with my local friends and stave off some of the cabin fever that the winter inevitably brings. However, what disappears with all this interconnection is the freedom to always write exactly what is in the forefront of one's mind because of fear of spoiling a surprise, causing offence or simply sharing Too Much Information. Fortunately most of my life is an open book so don't come here looking for scandal. There is a risk of this becoming simply a day by day description of the mundane and banal but since I'm interested in my people and I hope they are interested in me.
I've noticed that I use cliches and stock phrases way too much - to the point where I'm embarrassed to own them. In fact it means that actually I don't own them and that there is nothing original in my writing. (I do enjoy gathering snippets of wit to toss casually into conversation, passing them off as my own, but to actually write them down is another matter entirely.) I have many learned and talented friends who have had their writing and research published and whose books can be found on Amazon. I'm very proud of them and their hard work and quite surprised that such intelligentsia would have time for me. It makes me feel a bit inadequate because while they've been so busy, I've been faffing around and have little to show for my time - except a hundred and fifty unfinished projects.
I hope you enjoy the blog and I hope you will comment.
x
Now I feel the need to communicate my every move and thought, and also know about other people's. I'm Twittering, Blogging and Facebooking and I daresay if another method of sharing my dull world with the universe should happen to come my way, I'll probably add that too. At least now I've got the three things I am using connected, so my one-line updates will be done through Twitter and in-depth stuff will be here. My goal is to get 'back' with my old friends in the UK and try to make it feel as though I'm not quite so far away, as well as step up communications with my local friends and stave off some of the cabin fever that the winter inevitably brings. However, what disappears with all this interconnection is the freedom to always write exactly what is in the forefront of one's mind because of fear of spoiling a surprise, causing offence or simply sharing Too Much Information. Fortunately most of my life is an open book so don't come here looking for scandal. There is a risk of this becoming simply a day by day description of the mundane and banal but since I'm interested in my people and I hope they are interested in me.
I've noticed that I use cliches and stock phrases way too much - to the point where I'm embarrassed to own them. In fact it means that actually I don't own them and that there is nothing original in my writing. (I do enjoy gathering snippets of wit to toss casually into conversation, passing them off as my own, but to actually write them down is another matter entirely.) I have many learned and talented friends who have had their writing and research published and whose books can be found on Amazon. I'm very proud of them and their hard work and quite surprised that such intelligentsia would have time for me. It makes me feel a bit inadequate because while they've been so busy, I've been faffing around and have little to show for my time - except a hundred and fifty unfinished projects.
I hope you enjoy the blog and I hope you will comment.
x
Friday, February 6, 2009
Friday Night Thoughts
Gosh it's hard to write with so many distractions! The TV is on, the next room is full of teenagers playing games and I don't seem to be able to focus on what to write. Listening to them really reminds me of the youth club I went to at my church when I was 14 and 15. We met every Wednesday in the community centre from 7.30 to 9.30. Usually there was at least one organised activity but the rest of the time we played records and danced, or talked or played table tennis or some other game. It was probably hard work for the adults involved and I don't know that we ever really thanked them for their efforts. Anyway - these kids seem to be having a lot of fun tonight. They're laughing and joking and in high spirits. I feel old.
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