hey - working at home today.
Mashing my inbox and prepping gigs for the week.
The sun has been beaming at us today
but not smiled on me I regret to say.
I have been hidden away .........

My life is riddled with observations to make.
I wan to learn from every human,
every interaction,
every body movement.

Once you start to awaken,
no one can ever claim you again for the old patterns.
Now you realise how precious your time here is.
You are no longer willing to squander your essence
on undertakings that do not nourish your true self;
your patience grows thin with tired talk and dead language.
You see through the rosters of expectation which promise you safety
and the confirmation of your outer identity.
Now you are impatient for growth,
willing to put yourself in the way of change.
You want your work to become an expression of your gift.
You want your relationship to voyage beyond the pallid frontiers
to where the danger of transformation dwells.
You want your God to be wild
and to call you to where your destiny awaits.
John O'Donohue

My greatly missed friend says some beautiful words.
Matched by the mans life lived.
He encouraged us to live life
break the mould of the so called normal
and live.

Part of that process is listening and observing.
Questions can be influential too!

I spend time with groups of humans.
There is one, sometimes two, who really engage with others.
They are the ones who are intent with their listening -
which is always displayed in the body frame.

These humans are good to be with.
They help a group to bubble not squeak.
A group can function or not.
So can a team.
These dynamics just don't happen.
They are created by one or more individuals.

I clicked this after working with one group::
The awareness was raised, the work began to help individuals to get in contact with their own feelings. Then, being able to articulate them, they managed to release these feelings and be aware that they are simply, but importantly, signals, NOT something to avoid.

The awareness moved on to developing the skill of being able to use their own 'self awareness' to progress to being better able to understand the feelings of young, vulnerable humans who they work with.

When a group climbs those steps into openness - each person will start to take steps of risk for their own development. It just needs one to break the mould. The social norm where a group stays in superficial 'group think'. Sacrificing freedom for security. Then, only then, will we start to awaken. New awareness flows. New skills follows. We step into a place called beautiful, with a place for you to reside.

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.
It is the source of all true art and science.
He to whom this emotion is a stranger,
who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe,
is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.
Albert Einstein

hello you blogfriend
(and never leave the 'r' out of 'friend')

We have had an invasion this sunny day in London Town -
but yesterday was not ok - with rain again like so often recently in the UK.
I have just cut the tip of my index finger, is that the first one?
For a two finger typer like me - that is a real pain.
Blood on the keyboard!

I have just washed the final dishes after the invasion.
Joan tripped off to bed,
as usual - she does most of the work
(what a damn fine cheesecake she made wow)
I burned the sausages, and I forgot I eat one -
and I have stopped eating meat!!
Hope my gut is ok tomorrow!!
(alarm alarm)

We have had the Level Five group here, on Saturday,
and on Sunday all the families who could make it.
Yes - some of them were just 16 years when we met
but now some have their very own children.
WOW, that's the second wow, how they have grown
since they last stepped into Wilson Mansions Gardens.

It was just remarkable - both days.
Saturday we just sat around and we all had one hour.
In that hour the BHP talks and we ask questions.
Out flowed cliché, facts, opinions, feelings and (L5)
full on openness to suit what they/we can undertake at this time.
Beautiful

It may strange for you
but we are 28 years old at doing this undressing.
It is beautiful.
I feel honoured that these guys asked me questions
so many
and listened.
And asked for more.
(I felt a twinge of guilt too -
It was such pleasure - I felt guilty!)
It was beautiful ..........


The day ended by us going out for an 'Indian'
and a fine one it was.

Today was a bustling BBQ - me the Chef,
dominated by children as they lived life.
They bounced on the trampoline
eat the food, (I feel so honoured that they eat my food!),
fingered my macs, joined in on the jokes,
exchanged hugs and such mature warmth
(I felt honoured) - that sort of day.

I have some great pix.(always click each one to enlarge)
Only a few here - more to come on this page this week ........

When you see your L5 friends grow up over 28 years
then their kids grow into physical giants,
(and strangely - I, myself, have not aged!
just more experienced!!)
THIS is something special ........

Your friends??
You and your friends ........
Burst the boundaries of comfort zones
to be with them
to look into their eyes
to read those facial muscles
to observe their slumped attention giving frames.
to Love em love em - while you can
and
AND
make some more friends out of enemies .........

Michael Franti & Spearhead

Mainstage Friday

After headlining the closing night of Greenbelt 06 - one of the most memorable and infectious gigs the Festival has ever experienced – we're delighted that Michael Franti and Spearhead have agreed to return, this time to play the opening night headline slot. We can't wait.

Greenbelt Festival

1 Giant Leap

Mainstage Sunday

Forget six degrees of separation; 1 Giant Leap takes the music of the world and makes everything join up. Musical visionaries Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman took a laptop and a DV camera round the world to create a unique audiovisual snapshot.

Greenbelt Festival

José González

Mainstage Saturday

José González's story is rare in modern pop – a heartening case of the artist resisting the vicissitudes of musical fashion to carve out a unique, intimate style that is all his own, then defiantly following his muse all the way to the top of the charts.

Greenbelt Festival

Fightstar

Mainstage Monday

Splicing emo and metal influences, Fightstar’s music encompasses the delicate and the dark. "That blend of aggression and tenderness is the most important thing to us," says frontman Charlie Simpson. Drop in some good looks and great musicianship and you’ve got yourself an unbeatable formula.

Greenbelt Festival

Roll Jordan Roll - with Abram Wilson & The Delta Blues Project, feat. Kingdon Choir : The Kingdom Choir , Abram Wilson

Mainstage Sunday

With the combined might of Abram Wilson & The Delta Blues Project and The Kingdom Choir, Roll Jordan Roll is a powerful musical drama telling a remarkable true story.

Greenbelt Festival

Seth Lakeman

Mainstage Saturday

Seth Lakeman, the West Country-born singer and songwriter credited with bringing folk music to a whole new audience since his 2005 Mercury-nominated album, Kitty Jay, has just released his eagerly anticipated fourth album, Poor Man’s Heaven, on June 30th 2008.

Greenbelt Festival

The Ian McMillan Orchestra

Talks 1 Sunday

Take an ensemble of weird and wonderful instruments, add some charming, wistful, haunting tunes, stick a Barnsley-accented poet on top, and you’re halfway to imagining what the Ian McMillan orchestra sounds like.

Greenbelt Festival

Emmanuel Jal

Tickets for Greenbelt 08

Click here to book online now (and pay no booking fee). Save up to 10% by booking before 31 July '08.

2008-06-12 14:52:17 Greenbelt Festival

Lineup

José González and Seth Lakeman - among the latest acts booked for the music bill. Click here for more.

2008-06-12 14:52:17 Greenbelt Festival

Head of Operations

Greenbelt is looking to recruit a new member to its senior management team ...

0000-00-00 00:00:00 Greenbelt Festival

Here comes the sun

Is an online communal collage of visuals we're aiming to generate in the run-up to this year's Festival, using this year's theme as our inspiration.

0000-00-00 00:00:00 Greenbelt Festival

Keep in touch ...

... with the latest news and gossip in the run-up to Greenbelt - by email, text and Twitter!

0000-00-00 00:00:00 Greenbelt Festival

Children's Festival

Volunteers needed for this vibrant team - helping all the little Greenbelters have a great time this summer.

2008-06-12 14:52:17 Greenbelt Festival

Helping the helpers

Platform 2 is a new DFID scheme offering young adults who could not usually afford to volunteer abroad the chance to do so. Louise Tickle reports.

2008-06-12 14:52:17 Greenbelt Festival

Podules are go

Immerse yourself in one of Jan Niedojadlo's scupltures onsite this year. Click here for more.

'Children in Conflict' at Greenbelt 08

See renowned war artist John Keane's latest work at Greenbelt this year, courtesy for Christian Aid.

Steve Tiplady in Pinocchio

Puppets have come a long way since Pinky and Perky! The man who is largely responsible for that life-giving journey is Steve Tiplady.

Pip Wilson

Pip Wilson is a Beautiful Human Person who became an Adult when he was 40.

Greenbelt Festival

Turning the Tide

Turning the Tide is a Quaker programme that promotes the understanding and use of nonviolence for social change.

Jane Corbett & Ann Roach

Ann and Jane have been working together in West Everton in Liverpool for well over 20 years now. They are passionate about their community, the lessons they've learnt and their community's dreams.

Greenbelt Festival

John Swinton

John Swinton holds the chair in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom. He is also an honorary Professor at Aberdeen's Centre for Advanced Studies in Nursing at Aberdeen University.

I made a list of the things I do.
work/mission/making love - sort of things
The range of things.
Must refer to my notes about this
I don't want to stretch my memory at the end of a long day.

I have had a pasta and red wine
good catch up with Joan
now with wallpaper tv
of the MTV kind and
laptop on my knee
I am blogging for you .......

I have one of those iLap things
it holds the laptop up from my knees
stops the burning
ventilation blogging
and a couple of cushions built in.

The mac has been with me on the tube today
backpack - heavy
but no back pain which is given by a shoulder bag.
It has all my presentations
Keynote - which is a sort of powerpoint
but with legs wings and wheels on.
I sync my iPhone to it
providing it with music, photos, iCal, the diary,
and they all sync through this machine.
.................. get a mac - and fly.......

Have spent most of the day in 1on1
being with humans
talking/listening/coaching/loving
of course.
I believe a recent 'Investors in People' visit
commended the sort of role I play.
1 on 1's with a range of staff,
always confidential, never reporting to Management.
and training - facilitating all sorts.

I always drink in their strengths
and vulnerabilities.
I learn so much - just little things
but lots of them.

Tomorrow I am working at home
then the week-end visit by the Level Five group.
It will be majestic.
Level Five is all about getting undressed
undressing the soul ......

I read about three hours on d tube
Magazines, newspapers, books and
articles ripped from magazines.

I read this today - it fits my work
life, L5 and, I believe, that big journey called faith ........

1. Emotional literacy is love-centred emotional intelligence.
2. Loving (oneself and others) and being loved (by oneself and others) are the essential conditions of emotional literacy.

3. The capacities of loving and accepting love, lost to most people, can be recovered and taught with five precise, simple, transactional exercises.

4. In addition to improving loving skills, emotional literacy training involves three further skills of increasing difficulty; each one is supported by a further set of transactional exercises.

5. These skills are:
a. Speaking about our emotions and what causes them,
b. Developing our empathic intuition capacity, and
c. Apologising for the damage caused by our emotional mistakes.
Practice of these specific transactional exercises in personal relationships at home with friends and at work with others, will, over time, produce increased emotional literacy.

With these exercises you can become a more loving person, a person who feels love toward people and is able to love passionately in a sustained way—a person who is able to be affectionate with friends and friendly with others.

You will be better able to recognise, express, and control your emotions; you will realise when you are angry or joyful, ashamed or hopeful, and you will understand how to make your feelings known in a productive manner.

You will become more empathic and will recognise the emotional states of others and respond to them compassionately.

You will be able to take responsibility for the emotional damage caused by your mistakes and apologise for them effectively. Instead of undermining and defeating you, your emotions will empower you and enrich your life and the lives of those around you.

I think that is good stuff - it stimulates me ......

So - I send you love.
It maybe with a few touches of these keys but
it is the sort of love that wants for you
all that is beautiful
(That means the Rose
AND the Thorns!)

You are beautiful

hope you can believe it - better still - feel it.......

I don't know what to blog about.
thinks
I am too tired for thinking
thinks

Feelings
I need to think how I feel
best way is 5 words::
1 tired
2 satisfied
3 deep
4 encouraged
5 adrenaline less

1 I have stopped, I feel no pressure to 'do'.
2 I feel satisfied and purposeful after having lunch with Karen and talking all things Greenbelt
And meeting with my publishers regarding new products for the Autumn term and beyond. Over six in all.
And some good work done with clicks and phone calls.
3 I feel on the edge of discovery. I learn every day and usually one diamond stays in the bag of rocks. How do we discover more and more from the immense awareness which awaits ........... and I am not talking about knowledge.
4 I am encouraged because bookings are coming in for next term and beyond. My employment work continues to stimulate and then I have all the freelance stuff. love it.
5 This clicking has brought my mind more alive. Thinking positive does something to the soul.

I have started deliberately thinking positive when I think critically of humans I bump into - or observe. Interesting process. It changes me and importantly, my communication with these precious humans.

Went to see my homeopath yesterday. It's all about these crumbling nails I have and these gut attacks. You may remember that I was diagnosed with having Helicobacter in my stomach. Stuff that in your jumper or in google!
She said something which was particularly mind grabbing. She says of me::

'A peacock eats poison which gives it its colour'

'All that is necessary
for the triumph of evil
is for good men
to do nothing.'
Edmund Burke

"I'm not too concerned with what I am going to do.
I am more interested in who I am becoming.
I want to be a lover of God and people."
Shane Claiborne

Some humans are bored with life.
Some don't know what to to do.
Life is not satisfying
Life is a routine.
Life is ..............

I find that I am in love
Not with one person
Only.
I am in love with all human kind.


When I am with persons
I just want to love them
I don't know how to do
I just want to do it
So I do it.

The Widows Mite.
I was talking with Mr Singh during the Sunday night curry.
He is a great man of wisdom.
Sometimes difficult to understand.
He says himself, he is not good with English.
If you listen hard
gems of wisdom appear
factory of pearls.

We talked about the rich man
who went to church and threw in lots of coins
making a large noise on the metal plate
and then the Widow
who gently laid down the smallest coin
but
but
but
it was all she had ..............

That was a Jesus story
'Who gave the most?' he said ......

Mr Singh is broke.
He has started three building site jobs in the last six weeks
all of them, he has lasted three days.
Prejudice, tribalism ........
and for no good reason that he knows
nor was he given a reason ......
Before that he had worked on one big London site for 18 months.
Now rejected and it hit him hard x 3 .........

We talked a lot
and about that Widow.
The quote I used below
and 'Level Five Communication.
"Those with empty hands
cannot bestow any charity.
They cannot give anything
but themselves".

Mr Singh always pays for the curry.
Insists.
I was pleased when, on Sunday morning,
he agreed I could pay for the evening curry.
We talked about Richard and Jen
how one day they will be sitting at the same table.
(Much and deep love to you two -
I printed off all your blogs for Mr Singh)
At the end of the meal
He forced his last pound notes upon the waiter
and refused to let me pay.
Mr Singh is broke.
Yet he gives his last.................

Blob Novel 1

by Ian Long
Pip Wilson

Share This Report this item Preview this book View Back Cover Publisher: blobtree.com Copyright: © 2006 Ian Long and Pip Wilson Standard Copyright License Language: English Country: United Kingdom Edition: First Edition

Download £2.76 Paperback book £5.76 (12892 kb) Download: 1 documents , 12892 KB Printed: 46 pages , 8.26" x 11.69", saddle-stitch binding , black and white interior ink Description: The Blob Novel is unlike any other. There are no words, like 'The Snowman' but it goes one step further. Each page is open for discussion and tells a different part of the story. At the end of the comic tale, a page is set aside for each writer to describe their feelings about each character. This opens up the opportunity for many different interpretations of the events inside. The story covers topics that range from family dynamics, anger management, resentment, jealousy, death and mourning. The beauty of the comic is that it can be used over and over again to stimulate group work.

Picture a child filled full of feelings unable to fathom
Being treated like a social leper and as invisible as a phantom.

Let me start the years 1995 when my freedom was supposed to be written
But being invisible on the roads in my home my freedom weren’t given
So had nothing handed
Took nothing for granted
Took nothing from no man
At the age of ten I had to be my own man

So when freedom weren’t given I had to take it
Moms favourite vase because I starved for attention I had to brake it
But my life relating something like a playground
A load of round and rounds
A lot of messing around
Craving for the foundation to keep my feet firmly on the ground
And smiles seen as expensive luxuries so it’s cheaper to wear a frown

From curried chicken and homemade macaroni and cheese cooking in moms kitchen
Always being told not to be no one’s slave the times are over for cotton picking
A life without god so bibles weren’t anywhere to be found
Always getting the belt, shoe anything she could get her hand around
Just for play fighting with my siblings and one of us was loud

I got shouting instead of a kiss and a cuddle
I simply feared saying something wrong so I just stared and mumbled
But that was just the methods of a heartbroken mother
All because of my cheating father
We thought we were bad but it was simply because being faithful why couldn't he be bothered
So after him getting kicked out by mama
Instead of him getting all the consequences we got the drama

The saying goes what goes around comes around so why did It seem like I always got the karma
Maybe she wanted to see me go mad but why me
Could it be I behaved just like my daddy

The life of a single mother bringing up three boys must have been cold
Lonely because none of the hopeless dads got involved
Just left her with three boys and expected her to cope all on her own
When I saw how strong mom was I had no reason to moan
She had a well paid job raised three guys on her own

But at the age of 14 I changed I yearned for articulation
Truly believing I was designed for sophistication
Suit to suit long winded conversation
Not to be used as a mere tool to get money from my dad “moms way of manipulation”

The madness was surreal and often lead to frustration
Simple stuff like playing basketball felt like a vacation
It was only then when I felt some sort of relation
That’s why I’m undefeated and to beat someone effortless regulation
No matter what situation
This was my freedom this was my emancipation
Just like when America signed the independence proclamation

Benefits of being invisible no one sees you so there’s no conversation because no one’s looking
My dad weren't one of my hero’s
But he was cooler than seven sub zeros
He showed me the art of cooking
But it was my mother when my grades slipped that gave me the ass whooping
But I knew It was her way of saying i was loved
whether from my mum, my Nana, or my grandpa joyfully watching from above

When it came to the age of seventeen there were girlfriends
My poor heart was never on the mend
How many times I thought it was meant to be
Thinking that I could once be L.O.V.E.D
Well at least be in L.O.V.E
But sooner turned like an unripe apple being taken to early off a tree
Just like my childhood which brought along more misery
Now tell me a person’s childhood is as happy as can be
And I’ll show you no matter sibling or in a relationship LOVE weren’t meant for me

But never the less
After being made homeless
And had suffered so much stress
I found the YMCA
Although my first perception of it was gay

But then realising they were helping to change these
Generation of babies
who ended up in there because of abuse, drugs, or even because their parents were lazy

Always being told they love me loads
I’m so glad now I got involved
So now I can truly say behold
A once invisible child stands before you both brave and bold
They gave me the ball and showed me the goal
Slam dunk!

Thanks YMCA for taking me out of that alluded zone
For a love you have shown I would never have known
And within Christ I would never have grown
So tell the world YMCA makes adults out of lost children
Thanks YMCA, Leon, Evan, Jim, all of you for listening and especially Pip Wilson.
Thank you




Matthew
June 2008