Organic-Ally

Last Tuesday some of the boys in son's school showcased their piano skills. This usually means playing some boring exam piece they've spent the last six months practising. Along came one of his mates who did not attend the rehearsal but decided to come on to play ... wait for it ... Star Wars (one of the tunes from). It was a hesitant performance, but never mind. It was brave. Yesterday son came home to say another promising pianist in his class wants now to play the theme from 'ET' at the next concert (we're talking May 2011, OK?). Son asked if it was OK for him to loan friend his John Williams book. "We are not allowed to make a photocopy for him, are we? So I've better let him borrow my book." I felt really proud of my son who thinks about whether it is right to photocopy copyrighted material. I would rather he does not let his friend borrow his book for a whole year, thank you very much. And should his friend choose to photocopy from it, we might n...

Had a most illuminating chat with son last night. He was reading the book Stick Up for Yourself: Every Kid's Guide to Personal Power and Self-Esteem. A gain. Why? I asked. "O well, you know, my self-esteem is at an all-time low." Something to do with being ranked in "C" team at cricket. But you came in top at skiing, I said. "Yeah, but that is all forgotten," (ie by the other boys in class). Then he went into the technicalities on how to bowl a cricket ball and how he was often criticized, and we drifted into talking about his preference to use the right hand for some tasks and the left hand for some tasks. Clearly having a very strong left hand has given him an advantage in piano playing. Obviously, I said, your brains must be a bit confused when it comes to bowling a cricket ball. Ah! That explains why you are so good at skiing, I said. You use both left and right sides of the body equally when skiing. Face on son shows a lightbulb has gone on. Did s...

Not yet. But it was good to meet a mother from my toddlers group last Saturday. She was at my son's school "Open Day". She told me she would always remember what I said to her, many moons ago. Apparently she was trying to tell her son -- who was happily chattering away -- to shut up. Apparently I said to her that it is OK to let toddlers chatter away. Apparently I said that "we spend all their first months encouraging them to talk, and then when they start talking we tell them to keep quiet. It must be confusing to the poor child." For whatever reason this young mum remembered this, and my face -- for I don't think she knows my name -- will always be associated with that "advice" I gave her. I didn't think it was the right time and place to mention that we must also teach our children that "there is a time and place for everything", under heaven, if I might add.

From the Telegraph today: "Meanwhile, more evidence emerged of the painful cuts in public spending which are set to come in across the board whoever wins the election. It was revealed that secret plans have been compiled by NHS bosses which would see thousands of training posts for doctors and nurses axed after the election, despite claims from ministers that front line services would be protected if Labour were re-elected. "Thousands of training posts have been earmarked for closure in cutbacks planned by the government." Who are these 'NHS bosses'? Trim the layers of bureaucracy, not stop training medical staff, I say.

This election has been so lacking in ideology. Max Hastings calls this the "ostrich election" as politicians and voters alike bury their heads in sand and hope that the real problems we face would just go away. It is like a toddler putting his little hands on his eyes and saying, "You can't see me now." Then toddlers grow up and realize, hey, other people can still see them even when they covered their eyes. So, too, we must grow up. None of the major parties seem to have any undergirding ideology in the recent years. There is no real 'vision' for this society. Everywhere there is just a bit of tinkering here, a bit of polyfiller there. Meanwhile the voters want lower taxes, higher benefits, higher pensions, better schools, better health care, better transport, but how do we pay for that? Many taxpayers (of which I'm one, just as women, of which I'm one) do not mind paying taxes to help those most in need. We don't even mind helping those wh...