See the World Through the Eyes of a Child

What wonder when we were children and our life knew no limits. Woodland, forests & farms seem to stretch forever with no borders. The countryside around me was limitless & small streams held large trout under little rocks & you could easily catch them with your bare hands.

I always wanted to see what was over the horizon or on top of the next hill or at the edge of the forest. This curiosity has thankfully stayed with me.

However once you get older, the boundaries creep in, you see the forest as a dark dangerous place, you see the realities of life, you see the limits.

Om Kolthoum

Now that I have a 20 cd box set of Om Kolthoum do I value it more than those dodgy audio tapes purchased in Buraidah under the counter with the added danger of loss of life for listening to music.

The Saudi Wahabi version of the Taliban were very powerful in the area I worked in & I could not even wear short sleeve shirts in the 50 degree heat.

The elephant in the room

Am I the only one who does not see the elephant in the room or the emperors new clothes? I just don’t get Mumford & Sons.

People whose opinion I respect keep telling me how great they are & how much I would like them.

I have tried listening to them many times, but I can only suggest they are mildly interesting.

Leah Gordon

I am deeply impressed by the voodoo/haiti images by Leah Gordon & I wish to investigate further. I thank the ‘Wire’ magazine for exposing me to these images.

Car Boot Contents

1 pink rucksack

2 pairs of walking boots (muddy)

1 purple goretex jacket

1 crucifix

Pair of black shoes

1 greek wooden block calendar

Steering fluid

Water

Far too many empty shopping bags for recycling

I am reminded of the boot of my Toyota Cressida during Gulf War One & my emergency escape kit.

Pomegranates

Eating mangos while grooving to the superb 60s Persian compilation ‘Pomegranates’ takes me right back to Iran at a slightly later period, in the early 70s, when it was still under the grip of the Shah.

After travelling through Yugoslavia & Turkey, I was astonished at the sheer modernity of Tehran. It just shows what you can do with oil wealth, even although you are involved in horrendous wars, pay attention Scotland!

It was odd getting stoned on the bus to Meshed, no I don’t mean stoned like that, but having missiles thrown at the bus, should have been a signpost of the religious intolerances to come. Being mindful that this is not what is present in the Koran.