Poems I love (8)

I'm cheating a little here with more than one poem - it is more a 'poet I love'. The fabulous Emily Dickinson was a prolific poet; the website Famous Poets and Poems lists a catalogue of nearly 1,800 poems! As a teenager (and who didn't at some point flirt with poetry during that turbulent time of life) I was very much influenced by her style. Her poems are sometimes long and sometimes short; she has a very distinctive voice though. Here are two of my favourites.

My life closed twice before its close

My life closed twice before its close --
It yet remains to see
If Immortality unveil
A third event to me

So huge, so hopeless to conceive
As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven,
And all we need of hell.

Two crosses - "my life closed twice"

I'm Nobody! Who are you?

I'm Nobody! Who are you?
Are you -- Nobody -- Too?
Then there's a pair of us!
Don't tell! they'd advertise -- you know!

How dreary -- to be -- Somebody!
How public -- like a Frog --
To tell one's name -- the livelong June --
To an admiring Bog!

I went for the question rather than the frog!

The Crystal

No, not one of those.The Crystal is a 'sustainable cities initiative' - a sort of interactive science museum, located on the edge of London's Victoria Dock. It is a good excuse to take a trip on the Emirates Airline or on the DLR - located as it is just north of the river and just west of the ExCeL.

The building itself is an impressive sight, especially on a sunny day. You can watch reflections of clouds rolling by as you catch the sunshine glinting from on of the angular façades or watch reflections of the cable car pass by.


Even though it is half term this week we arrived an hour after the doors opened and it was fairly quiet inside. You are handed 'swipe cards' which interact with the exhibits and directed upstairs to 'The Pumpkin' for an introductory movie. This is quite something. Mostly images and sounds; the theatre is quite small and the film is projected onto a curving wall and an equal amount of floor. With cinema screen levels of sound it is an immersive experience.

The rest of the exhibit, whilst beautifully presented did lack structure. It was hard towards the end to figure out if we'd seen everything (especially as I'd put the map in the Wheelie-Walker!). It would make a great day out for children as everything was extremely interactive; and as the Better-half observed over lunch it was great to see so many children becoming aware of sustainability at a young age. If your knowledge/awareness of sustainability is starter level then you could probably spend at least half a day at The Crystal. The Better-Half watches a lot of science shows and reads a lot of science articles so he is well versed in things sustainable, and me, well I'm a Chartered Environmentalist so it is my job to know these things.

I particularly enjoyed the 'build your own building' exhibit - I was most upset when I only got a 'B' rating - but a quick change of one aspect gave me an extra percentage point and the 'A' that I deserved!

The Crystal

A set by nat_mach

01/11/12 - Day out at The Crystal

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NFL International Series

Wembley Stadium

NFL International Series - London Game 6.

28th October 2012

St Louis Rams host the New England Patriots.

 

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The game was back to it's normal timing this year, the clocks having gone back on Sunday morning.
 
The NFL Game at Wembley seems to demand that there be some sort of tale attached. This year was no different. It had all been perfectly planned until the Better-Half noticed that the tiresome Half Marathon was taking place the same weekend. We already have the London Marathon. Go take your noisy little run to North London somewhere - Hampstead Heath is nice. I digress.
 
The start and finish of aforementioned run were at The O2. Although the roads were open earlier than threatened it seemed unlikely we'd get a cab to the underground. So we went through the tunnel to Canary Wharf. Neither us nor the taxi driver knew where access to the station was and we ended up at the 'no lift' entrance which was very helpful with the wheelchair and all. At least we got a cab, the first company I called declined to send a cab to Charlton because of the stupid run.
 
Old hands now at navigating the wheelchair from the station to the stadium; even managing to avoid the ramp by using the secret lift. This happily brought us out right by our entrance and the special wheelchair door.
 
We found a nice wheelchair height ledge for the drinks and began our annual team bingo, played as a competition this year. Despite taking an early lead I eventually lost to the Better-Half who even managed the elusive Cleveland this year! We saw a good mix of people, including some Packer cheese-heads (yes, wearing cheese hats) and some Olympic staff. I confused everyone wearing my Giants hoodie and my new Jaguars beanie and Jets scarf!
 
We missed the pre-match entertainment (as normal) but arrived in time to see the home team take the field and the National Anthems. Lessons learned this year and the flags were formed from carrier bags which cannot later be turned into paper aeroplane missiles. Good thing too.
 
It was cold, it started to rain and we were damp. The game was a white-wash. The Patriots annihilated the Rams. Annihilation to the point that the crowd, who are usually very good at supporting the 'Home' team became most un-British and ceased to support the underdog!

 

We were ready for home well before the appointed hour of the return cab. So, even colder and damper by the time the vehicle arrived.

 

Despite the weather and the less than stellar game, it was still a top afternoon out.

Sunday Social (21)

Linking up with Ashley and Neely for the Sunday Social

• What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid? (pictures??)
  Halloween wasn't much of a holiday when I was a child - we did have a few parties; but there weren't really costumes and stuff. This is me aged eight dressed as a witch; I think that I probably must have drawn the mask myself (!).
  

  

  Little witch!

• If you could go back and dress up as something what would it be?
  I think I'd go with the witch again, but just do it a bit better!
•   Favorite costume as an adult? (pictures)
  This is as near as I have of a photo of me in a Halloween costume as an adult (ish). This is from my University days!

  

  Some kind of witch!

  I did once go to a Halloween Party dressed as Marilyn Monroe (see below) I made the dress myself out of white swing bin liners. It was about fifteen years ago when smoking was still allowed in pubs, and my dress was set alight by a cigarette and withered. Lucky I was wearing a gym outfit underneath!

  

  By Stephen Witherden, via Wikimedia Commons

• What is your favorite Halloween candy?
  A friend once bought me back some candy corn from a visit in LA. Probably the only real Halloween candy I've ever had. I liked it though.


• What is your favorite Halloween memory?
  Pumpkins! I love pumpkins! Every year I carve pumpkins... I'm getting more ambitious. I now have to pumpkins every year. One for a traditional Jack O'Lantern and one for art work!
  
  
  
• What's your favorite scary movie?
  I don't really do scary movies... in fact I've seen very few horror movies. I think I'd have to go with the 'Scary Movie' series as they are funny and not too scary!

What I found there... (3)

Here are some more wanderings from that sunny Sunday morning whilst the house was asleep (apart from the cat and I) and I went looking, and really seeing.

In addition to our kitchen my MiL has her own kitchen just off the dining room (also known as Casper's playroom!). It is where we often gather to have a chat as a family, the Better-Half, MiL, Casper and I.

The lace curtains and the poppies make beautiful shadows

My MiL has a fondness for poppies!

This is actually a cat dish - shunned by all our cats

A Mardi Gras cat perhaps?

We love black cats we do!

This is the cat food cupboard!

Oh look, Casper. Good spotting point for squirrels!

I am most jealous of these mosaic tiles. I'd like them in my kitchen.

I'd like the red too -- but I have a blue floor!

Yes, the cat is following me. MiL likes magnets too!

Much more co-ordinated this part of the house!