The Sandwich

I think I have decided that my blog languishes too long between updates. It’s not the first time I’ve thought that, in fact I probably think it a couple of times each week – despite often having ideas for things to write they never seem to fit with the themes I’ve decided on, or if they do I never get around to finising off the writing part of blogging. So today’s idea is to relax on the focus and just update on a more personal level more often and let the “better” updates sit alongside a hopefully more productive output – afterall blog categories and tags are there for folks who want to filter what they read into more focussed topics.

And therefore, in the spirit of writing whenever the mood takes and including more personal blog updates I offer up this entry, The Sandwich. Being vegetarian (and a rather fussy eater) makes sandwich choices very simple: I like white bread, cheese & tomatoes. The bread is the most important part, I’d eat good bread dry with water every day and be happy, the cheese & tomato are simply there to qualify as a sandwich and anything extra added is considered a luxury treat. So there you have it, a personal fact revealed in a spontaneously written blog entry. I shall in future attempt to maintain this high standard of excitement – promise!

The Sandwich by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

Providing two of my five-a-day in the cucumber & tomato. Providing five days worth of white bread in two slices but quite stingy with the cheese I think – only enough for a mild heart attack.

A Fly Cuppie O’ Tea

A Fly Cuppie O' Tea

A Fly Cuppie O' Tea A nice mug of tea is always good for contented smiles.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

This is the first photo taken with a brand new camera, about thirty seconds after the battery had fully charged for the first time (lucky I had an attractive subject across the room).

It is also the first photo taken as part of my new Photo Blog project!

Not Animal, Not Vegetable, Nor Mineral

I’ve always been fascinated by Fungi since I learned of their rebellion against the “plants & animals” view of living things & taxonomy. Since then I’ve learned to love the common supermarket chestnut mushroom as an almost vital ingredient when cooking. Pizza isn’t pizza without mushrooms, pasta dishes only ever lack them because I eat so many during preparation that the cost becomes prohibitive!

So it’s slightly unusual for me to think that this year is the first time I’ve taken time to try seriously photographing them – even now I have very few in my collection. Which is a shame as I think they look amazing when you get right down in the dirt to shoot them from a low angle rather than the easier “looking down at” viewpoint.

This evening then, I offer up two favourites of my mushroom photos so far – the first from a pine forest near Aberdeen & the second, much more earthy, from Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow.
[flickr ids=2821400483,2995710387]

That Silly White Band

So, what’s it all about? Folk are wearing them all over the place: celebrities keep cropping up wearing them and giving a little spiel during the ad breaks on telly and trailers at the cinema; even Alternative Nation has one stuck up there in the corner to annoy you.

Is it just a trendy new fashion thing? Or is there some worthwhile meaning behind it? Is it just a bunch of bandwagon jumpers? Or are these folk actually on to a good thing?

Is it – what we really want to know – is it, in actual fact, cool?

Well, I think so, and I’m far from alone. When you visit the Make Poverty History website you’ll find no “click to donate” buttons, no “direct debit donation” links. In fact, there’s nothing there that’s asking for your money at all. Strange, no? You were expecting requests to divvy up some beer money to help, weren’t you?

Well, no: all they’re asking for is your support; just for you to agree that making the poorest people in the world a little richer is a good idea. All they want is your voice joining with others around the world this year to say that you believe in making poverty history and that, really, so many children dying from poverty when there just isn’t any need is a pretty poor show. And just not rock ‘n’ roll.

So go on off to their website. Click the ‘Get Involved’ link and do all the online stuff to show support; if your funds can stretch to buying a stamp print out the postcard and send it off as well. There’s some great information and links around the site if you fancy learning more – they have all the ad movies there for you to watch as well if reading isn’t your thing.

And basically, that’s it. If enough people support it then governments have to listen, so spread the word to others – encourage their support and you can feel good about yourself, job well done. You’ll have helped to feed the poorest and most in need and still have all the spare change in your pocket – how can that be a bad thing?

The truth of the matter is that all together those silly white bands may just help to improve the lives of hundreds of millions of people if governments make the right decisions. That’s not really such a silly thing after all.

It could maybe just change the world. Now that is definitely cool.

Make Poverty History website: http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/

MPH is the UK-based campaign of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty alliance: to find out more in other countries visit http://www.whiteband.org/

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