Helping The Disabled: Including Me

When it comes to receiving Disability Living Allowance in the UK, do marches and outspoken voices really do what is necessary to help those in need, or do we need something else?

Tonight, I thought, perhaps, letters to Her Majesty, at Buckingham Palace might be on the cards...

They have called upon us to serve our Country more than once: isn't it time we called upon them?

Anyone who can write such a letter is welcome to aid and assist me...

PS... 20th October 2012

I've just watched the lunchtime news on the BBC iPlayer.  I see some trades unions are calling for a general strike!

I say: "Bring it on" and "Bring down the coalition government!"

Do you agree?

Medicinal Woes

Have you ever heard of these popular phrases: “A little bit of what you fancy does you good” Or: “What makes you bad makes you better.”  Or: “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

These time-honoured clichés ran through my mind just a short while ago, after reading the attached patient information leaflet to a prescribed drug. My mind, then asked: “Is the Doctor trying to heal me, or kill me; by offering me such a remedy?”

At first, it was laughable.  Then seriousness and logic surfaced and it wasn't found to be quite so funny any more.  In fact, it was both frightening and Concerning, despite the fact that these drugs are rigorously tested before being released to the general public, through GP's or general practitioners.

The more common effects were first to be noted.  May cause: Stomach ulcers, stomach bleeding, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, indigestion, diarrhoea, wind (OMG!), and constipation!  Other side effects attached to the more common issues, were: general allergic reactions, including inflammation of the skin or lungs (there goes the breathing!), asthma, and difficulty in breathing (I may need the last rites), swelling of the lips, face, and neck (no kissing or love bites for a while!)  Skin reactions such as rashes, itching, dermatitis (eczema), blisters and purple discolouration (they may as well put my in the coffin now!), aggravation of digestive problems, such as: Colitis "and" Crohn’s disease.  

Finally, may cause fluid retention (I'm bursting already, where's the loo!) and swelling of the ankles or feet (honey, fetch my slippers, I can’t walk any more!)

The uncommon side effects were just as mind-boggling…

Feeling weak, cold, fever, abnormal dreams (Jeeze) panic (so that’s why I have the shakes, and I thought it was the DT’s after my drinking session last night).  Mood swings include paranoia (is it me, or is the wife staring at me?) and depression, with increased heart rate (OMG – note to myself: when I remember, where did I leave the ski mask, and the axe!)

The final passage is interesting to say the least:  “If any of these side effects become serious, or if you notice any side-effect “not listed,” please tell your Doctor immediately! (Are “they” kidding?  How do you define: "not listed?")

Meanwhile, I’ll just leave a few bodies here and there, in the hope that someone notices just how much I’ve changed, and offers to help… before I kill them all!

Please read all information supplied with medicines carefully, and follow the instructions as given, otherwise you won’t become as nuts as me, and enjoy life!

When I'll Be Dead

When I’ll be dead, 

your tears may flow, 

But I would not know!

Care for me now.

When I’ll be dead,

You’ll send flowers, 

but I would not see!

Send them now.

When I’ll be dead,

May be you’ll say words of praise, 

But I would not hear

Praise me now.

When I’ll be dead,

You'll love me pure,

But I would not feel, 

Love me now.

When I’ll be dead,

You’ll forgive all my faults, 

but I would not know!

So Forgive me now…

Gargoyles

Legend believes a huge dragon once lived in a cave near the left banks of the river Seine and that it preyed upon ships and swallowed them up along with the people of Rouen, in France.  

In the hope of appeasing "La Gargouille," as the dragon was called, the people of Rouen would sacrifice a convict to it every year until a Priest named Saint Romanis freed the town folk by slaying it in the 7th century. The townspeople built a huge fire to destroy the creature's body, but its head and neck failed to burn because they were accustomed to heat, so they were separated from its body and mounted on the side of a nearby Church wall, thus giving birth to the first gargoyle waterspout, or so the story goes.  St. Romanis, in exchange for his services rendered, asked that a Church be built in his honour, and that all the local people be baptized.

Is it... A gargoyle or just grotesque?

While all gargoyles might be considered grotesque, all grotesques are not considered gargoyles. If it serves to drain water from a building, it's a gargoyle.   If it does not, it is either a stone carving, or a grotesque, or more commonly, a chimera (an imaginary fire-breathing monster typically represented as a combination of a lion’s head, a goats body, and a serpents tail).

Myth versus Legend versus Superstition

Since the bloody reign of La Gargouille came to its inevitable end, gargoyles have decidedly became less intimidating, but superstition still holds the key to keeping evil spirits at bay and serves as a mild form of protection nowadays. In fact, gargoyles have proven themselves to be useful on more than a few occasions, useful as flying monsters in art paintings, as a nemesis for knights in shining armour, and just as interestingly, as tall tales and fables aimed at children’s minds as an entertaining scary-story. 

Gargoyles were believed to come alive at night, in the same manner akin to the flying "equally batty" vampire, and, in order to protect the lives of their human servants entrusted with their care, they would need to return to their perches or coffins before daybreak, or face total-destruction by Gods Light.

Gargoyles discovered on church buildings were often believed to be evil creatures frozen in time and encased in stone; when one had laboured long enough in the service of God, it earned its release and was then allowed to enter the church and later, heaven.

Some people actually believed gargoyles to be sin that was made real, then captured and encased in stone. Other gargoyles, such as lions and dogs, were believed to be spiritual forces of good, forever vigilant and watchful over their human custodians.

Furthermore … Did You Know?

Work on the la Cathédrale de Notre Dame de Paris (the cathedral of Our Lady of Paris) began in 1163 when the first corner-stone was laid, and its construction was finally completed around 1345 - 182 years later. 

In 1548 rioting damaged many of its features.  In 1786 a statue of St. Christopher dating back to 1413 was destroyed.  During the French revolution in 1793 many of the cathedrals treasures were either plundered or destroyed.  Statues of the biblical kings of Judah, thought to be the Kings of France, were beheaded.  Some of those heads were found during excavation work in 1977 and are housed at the Musée du Cluny.

The Second World War also caused considerable damage to the cathedral when many of its stained glass windows were damaged by stray bullets.

In the end, it was the Gargoyles that saved Notre Dame Cathedral, and I bet you didn’t know that?

The Meaning Of Life?

Few things in our existence can be more perplexing than trying to understand, or comprehend the meaning of life: and in opening it for perusal, I would like to ask the following: Have you ever wrestled with the meaning of life in your mind?

If so, did you ever come to a conclusion, or possible answer, or did you like so many others have done so before find it impossible to gain entry through the last few doors, and so left the topic, pending, so to speak.  If you thought about it, what did the thoughts and images in your mind conjure up?

Was it something religious, spiritual, a familiar locale of helping others, a time when you were sad and wished you could change it, or do something about it now?  It's all too familiar, isn't it?

When pondering on this subject many things came to mind, and one by one they were discarded, for they simply did not seem to enlighten the subject.  During the process, I came to the conclusion that the meaning of life meant many things, and that all were unique in their own way, and identifiable with oneself.  Therefore, a solution, and it may be a solution, it may even be the correct conclusion, is that the meaning of life, is nothing more than a series of perfect moments.   Perfect moments that when you think back in time make you smile, make you happy, and make you sad.  Moment’s that you will always remember and never forget.  Great times, bad times, times when you just stood there, molded in one place, struck with awe.  Moments that should be lived and relived as often as possible, in order to learn from.   These to me are the true meanings of life, and they are many.

 What are your thoughts on this subject, can you add more, have you found other interpretations? Are those interpretations yours alone, or can they be shared by others?

It may be interesting to follow another's thoughts on this subject...

This Morning

This morning, for some strange reason, my thoughts returned to the past…

That part of a time long ago when life was “oh so simple” and, when everything was at peace with the world, except for yours truly!

Thoughts of school and of the teachers, whom were part of my life, were running amok, so to speak.

Chuckling at the many thoughts that were bubbling up to the surface reminded me of a time long gone by – a time when I was frowned upon, for many strange reasons.

Thinking back, I tend to believe those teachers had psychological problems and disorders – they were definitely disturbed in some way, and the problem, as I recall it, was always directed at me – perhaps it’s because 'they' were unrecognised at the time as as manic-depressives – it’s certainly worth a little thought on the subject: just a little thought, mind you…

Just because they were getting paid to do a job that was considered difficult “some of the time,” didn’t give them the right to label me as, “disruptive, a nuisance, shows no interest, is tone-deaf, or causes mayhem in the classroom when not supervised!” 

In all honesty, I think they went too far in ‘over-exaggerating’ their claims, their dilemma, if that is the most apt description!

Personally, nowadays, I can see where the problem lies.  Yes, it was their fault, and, it will always be their fault.  They, as providers of education, should have seen my true genius emerging, not the tyrannical rascal they so loved to watch with beady-eyes. 

Whose fault was it that I was born with a mind akin to Einstein? 

Just because I knew more of the subject matter than they did, did not give them the right to cause disruption in my ordered existence, or to label me with names of such disrepute.  Their attitude scarred me for a very long time – thankfully though, I am well over it and them, by now.

When you think back to your years of schooling and instruction, didn't you find yourself in the same boat?

Weren’t you labelled as some kind of misanthrope, too?

Surely, I couldn’t have been the world’s only disruptive person – there must have been others?

If, by sods law, only fifty percent of us were Einstein’s during those time periods, then surely that presents a lot of very strange teachers out there?

What do you think, or were you little Ms or Mr. Prim Proper?

The Rats Are Coming: The Werewolves Are Here!

Funnily enough years 2011-12 are fast becoming recognised as years of Civil disobedience and, quite naturally, it isn’t our problem. Our problem, looking at it the only way we can, down a very sharp single-edged knife edge, is civil obedience.

Quite naturally, “our problem” is that we’re so obedient, all over the world, that we do it all the time without a second thought.  We do it in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and mass cruelty to every living breathing creature on our planet.  And, because there really is no end to our short-sightedness isn’t it time we all awoke from our long slumber and had a good sniff at the stench surrounding us?

We, the obedient ones of society, we the sane, even allow ourselves to be hoodwinked and, we accept it daily, year in year out, without question or pause for thought – from those we put into power to protect us, and most of all, “to serve us.”

Every time we vote for a politician or their party we repeat the process.  We instinctively know that we’re going to get kicked in the teeth or the balls, so why do we do it, and more importantly, why haven’t we done something about it, before now?

We watch televised arguments in progress; we see what a particular party is going to do about something that is irking it.  Oddly enough, no matter how many people will get hurt from the process, isn’t it strange how no one from the other so called “do-gooder” parties stands up to be counted, and says, “Enough is enough, stop this madness, now.  “We” are here to help our countries people, not hinder or hurt them at every turn in the road – and at every other chance we get!”

There is talk of changing the voting system, and yes, it does need changing, it’s so out-dated it belongs in a museum with the other relics of the past, as well as many other “up-and-coming” Grotesque Ogres’ of the future.

Perhaps in the not too distant future the people of a country will have a voice via a voting process.  It isn’t enough to just simply mark a name with an “X” and vote someone into office, we the people need to take the reins and stay in charge – of everything and all party spokespersons.  Every major decision that affects the people should be voted on by the people, not by the politicians who think they have our rights at heart.

This would be a fair and just method of maintaining the status-quo, don’t you think?