..... as usual it was a great experience because of the humans present ...... the dynamic of being with people with a range of skills and talent .... I love it and want to be in this place ....... and as well ....... we have a product called Greenbelt which churns the soul of many ........ and that includes me .....
bBeautiful
bBlessed
bhp
........ as of yet I have not said what my favourite album of 2004 is.
Over the w/e I have counted all my 2004 cd's ......... 22 in a pile.
Hmm - the dim person thought ..... some of my 'top of the pile' ones are not even here?
I searched the home and then da dimness faded and I looked at my Purchased-on-line list and - there I found a further 10 albums including some now in my top ten!
see some of them here;
http://pipwilson.com/Pages/Music.html
Well here we go - decision time ....
1 For the first time ever I cannot decide on one winner. Last year I chose the Amie Winehouse album - in it's beautiful imperfection, because it was a stand out.
This year I have chosen in first place;
Mos-Def ..............'The New Danger"
and
Jill Scott ..............'Beautifully Human'
Mos-Def
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stuff is still being plumbed ...... it is beautiful and yet tough to listen to in parts ...... (it is hip hop after all.) It has some fab hooks and themes and some of the lyrics ....... like this bit in the Intro;
"Champion Requiem"
Peace, peace whats up y'all this is Mos Def
And this is a message to the people
If you see or hear goodness from me
Then that goodness is from The Creator
You should be thankful to The Creator for all of that
'Cause I'm not the architect of that
I'm only the...the recipient
If you see weakness or shortcoming in me
It's from my own weakness or shortcoming
And I ask The Creator and the people to forgive me for that
Thank you Brooklyn, Thank you World
Yeah, yeah there it is
Turn my voice up in the top a little bit
It feel good to be back"
A wonderful album if you are prepared to take the risk because you may not like it and will need multiple replays ........
Jill Scott
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She asked me about the album title and I suggested 'Beautifully Human' ....... just jesting! But the title is perfect for me. Loveitloveit!
And the lead single from the album is sung with such gentle power and energy that reeks purpose and ...... freedom ..............
I played that track at Greenbelt 2004 when I entered a iPod x 3 trax competition ...... and it blew us all away ............. hear these lyric sample;
Golden
"I'm taking my freedom
Pulling it off the shelf
Putting it on my chain
Wearing it round my neck
Taking my freedom
Putting it in my car
Wherever I chose to go
It will take me far
I'm living my life like it's golden x 10
I'm taking my own freedom
Putting it in my song
Singing it loud and strong
Moving all day long
I'm bagging my freedom
putting it in my soul
I'll be be happy with y'all
Letting my joy unfold
I'm loving my life it's Golden x 10
I'm holding on to my freedom
Can't take it from me
I was born to it - comes naturally
I'm strumming my own freedom
praying to God in me
Representing his glory
hope he's proud of me"
I will have to go ...... I am getting emotional ............
....... I am living my life like it's GOLDEN ........
More here;
http://pipwilson.com/Pages/Jill%20Scott.html
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...... I picked up an old parker fountain pen and doodled with the old thing. I found myself doodling 'jesus jesus jesus'.
I used to doodle like that years ago for years. Jesus in many different ways.
What do you doodle?
Now-a-days ........ I tend to do lists ........ when I turn from clicking da keys to my two A5 pads which hang around indoors (or my wee top pocket book which travels with me always) - I usually do a list.
Sometimes the list of jobs gets no further than the list of jobs!
I have been listing my BMS objectives. - that is Body Mind and Spirit in YMCA speak.
I am big on feelings - but that usually is a journey of self discovery - long road eh?
I am aware that my last blog was opinions.
Opinions can be boring as hell.
Humans who give you opinions, not requested - their communication can be as boring as hell.
Here I am giving opinions which you have not requested hmmm.
In 'Level Five' terms;
Level one is 'cleche' - primetime boring as hell. - but ok as a starter with strangers!
Level Two is 'Facts' ....... zzzzzzzzzz
Three - 'Opinions' ......... said enough about them ...
Level Four - 'Feelings' ......... I strive to learn and practice this ....
Level Five - 'total openness' and not boring at all but unachievable - but nice trying.
Feelings help me start on the journey of 'where I am at' = REALITY.
Then the BMS options need to flow for me.
I put half a stone on over Christmas and it is only falling off slowly.
I worked out in the YMCA Gym for about 12 years but not at all for the last year. My assessment is - that is not good pipman!
I walk a bit as I commute - with a stinking big back-pack - that is good. Maybe I need lead boots too!
With daughter 'A' doing that programme for TV called (Googl--e confus e coming up) Yo u r wat u stinking e at ....... she keeps advising me that I need to be a lot smarter about the exercise and of course the eating ... ..................
By the way - watch the programme this week with the new series - boost the ratings ...... and think healthy ..... I am trying ....
The mind bit ......... I get some considerable sustenance from reading - alongside all the stimulation of working with humans for a living - as a my mission. I need new patterns here.
The spiritual ..... hmm ...... the only thing I have doodled is to look at my thanking and my weeping. I find myself yearning with God for the things/issues/humans in my face ......... that is the natural in and out pouring of my soul. I am not such a 'formal' prayer or worshiper ......... I will continue he doodling .........
Maslow ....... different than L5 which is a model of communication to help us to be effective at ALL levels - here with old Maslow ...... we aim for the top and that is wholeness it seems to me ........ hmmm
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...... the horror stories go on don't they?
The destruction has been visible from tv cameras ever since Christmas ...... the more personal stories are coming at us - in your face - and rightly so. I am disturbed still - and rightly so. The funds flow out from us and out to those in need. It demands a response.
The two organisations I trust are;
Y Care International
- the UK based world wide ymca fund for such responses ..... and wonderfully engaging and re-sourcing Professionals and volunteers on the ground since day one.
Christian Aid
- who are doing their stuff in co-ordination with other agencies including Churches.
If you want to give further ...... I posted more details of both these good and effective agencies below ....... seems ages ago.
I am disturbed about other things ....... but will leave that for another time.
So many parts of our world in pain when I am ok .......
Roots
The Greenbelt Wing & A Prayer Weekend 05 is now booking!
11-13 February, High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, Herts.
Fab place and easy to fly to or just a twinkle off the M25 ..... easy from Norway!
TONY CAMPOLO TO JOIN US ON THE FRIDAY EVENING AT THE WEEKEND!
He is on after me on Friday ...... could say I am the warm up act!!
A little piece of Greenbelt in the midst of winter for Greenbelt Angels, like you .... Featuring:
* Robert Beckford
* Dr Daleep Mukarji
* Milton Jones
* Andy Harrison
* Ben Okafor
* Note for a Child
* Tony Campolo!
See Greenbelt website for booking form.
Set in 40 acres of lawns, parkland and woodland and close to the M25, main line railway station and Stansted Airport, the Wing & A Prayer weekend will be an intimate away weekend for all of you.
* Robert Beckford: Black theologian, DJ, broadcaster, Birmingham University lecturer, presenter of Channel 4's God is Black, and Radio 4's Clash of the Sound Systems and author of Jesus is Dread, Robert will be taking us back to our roots in preparation for our Tree of Life festival 2005.
* Milton Jones: Perrier award-winner and the unrivalled king of surreal wordplay, Milton is one of the UK's best stand-up comedians. "The comic other comics bring their parents to see," as he was described at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2004.
* Ben Okafor: Moving effortlessly between the best of African reggae, classic folk protest songs in the vein of Bob Marleyâ??s Redemption Song, and driving reggae beats, Ben will bring a unique blend of soul and passion to the weekend.
* Dr Daleep Mukarji: Director of Greenbelt's partner Christian Aid, Daleep is the presently Chair of the Trade Justice Movement coalition, and will be stirring us up over the weekend.
* Andy Harrison: After first perfoming this one-man play at GB03, Andy now brings his emotive piece to our weekend away.
* Note for a Child: Fresh from Stage 2 success at this year's festival, Cambridge-based duo Note for a Child will beguile us with their otherworldly beauty.
Plusâ?¦ workshops, a full children's programme, a songwriters' circle, communion, time to relax, to be chilled, challenged, inspired, and refreshed.
Book now. Runs from dinner on Friday evening to tea on Sunday afternoon.
Download your copy of the booking form and go for it eh?
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+ Food for thought
Working with any budding young chefs? If so, they may be interested to know that Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurant, based in North London, is currently recruiting 20 trainees with a passion for food! The deadline for applications is 31st January 2005 and application forms can be found and submitted online at:
LINK URL: http://www.fifteenfoundation.org.uk/
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stunning and fab ...... I saw a whole line of pix as I travelled down an escalator in London Town .......... humans - full on face ...... the pix I like.
They were all of humans who do not fit the stereo-type 'beauty' ...... and yet look fab and fit my philosophy to a tea.
It is all an ad for soap I believe ...... but under the web-site link of ...... realbeauty.co.u or something and I love it ....
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What's been done in the name of Jesus
What's been done in the name of Buddha
What's been done in the name of Islam
What's been done in the name of man
What's been done in the name of liberation
And in the name of civilization
And in the name of race
And in the name of peace!
Everybody loves to see justice done on somebody else."
- "Justice" by Bruce Cockburn
