We live in strange days: natural disasters: economic chaos: political upheaval: terrorism: Scotland warmer than Mexico in the last week of September. Things that can’t be forecast or satisfactorily explained; complicated, unfathomable, such things are mysteries of life, the universe and everything. Living in times like this you become accepting, used to them, somehow inoculated against their effects to continue with your own world-weary view until eventually something truly earthshattering arrives.
Like this morning.
It's early, we're still in bed. On the bedside unit my wife's mobile phone beeps a signal that a text message has arrived. Groggily, she reaches out and picks up the phone squinting at it through sleep drenched eyes. Who could be texting at this time on a Saturday morning?
“Thanks so much for the birthday present. I'll buy something nice with it. We're going to have a birthday meal for the family after the holiday, so hopefully we'll see you there. Thanks again.”
Now you might be thinking that this isn't really an earth shattering experience, but you'd be wrong. This is a thank you text from a teenager. Before lunchtime on a Saturday morning. It's not in text speak and therefore I can clearly understand it. And it's from an 18 year old boy!
There are things in the world which are mysteries and there are things in the world which just should not be. These confuse and confound me, warp my understanding, skew perception and shake my grasp on reality. I've spent 52 years coming to terms with the world, fixing it to a structure so I can see more clearly, so it can fit my expectations and let me announce my occasional weighty, profound and illuminating critiques.
Happenings like this morning make me feel like I know absolutely nothing.
The curmudgeonly TwistedScottishBastard has thrown down the gauntlet and nominated 'Crivens Jings' to complete a challenge. Nominated blogs have to create a list of the following:
What's your most beautiful post.
What's been your most popular post.
What's been your most controversial post.
What's been your most helpful post.
Which posts success has surprised you most.
Which of your posts do you feel didn't get the attention it deserved.
Which post are you proudest of.
I also have to select five other blogs to take the challenge too, so I nominate the following five blogs to take part if they feel they would like to:
Dougies blog. (Because he complained so much that I missed him off the list the last time. lol)
'Indigo Roth'. (Simply because sometimes you find a hidden gem of a blog that deserves a wider audience. I'm in awe of the way this guy's mind works – and that some of his choice characters are talking badgers.)
'Coastkid'. (Because I like the fact he's a bike geek, is enthusiastic about where we both live and because he makes great wee films – any of which he can post instead of a written article. And also because he buys me the occasional beer!)
'Letters to the world'. (Because she 's always worth a read – and she led me to Indigo!)
Here's my compilation, which I confess has taken a few days musing:
What's my most beautiful post?
Tricky, after all – how the heck would I know? I suppose I'd have to go for 'Whiskers At Dawn' as it's a personal favourite.
What's my most popular post?
Thankfully this one is easy thanks to blogger stats– although it would also be high on my list for the most surprisingly successful post. 'Black Agnes'
What's my most controversial post?
Again, this is tricky – I don't think I do controversy! I suppose I'd have to go with this one. 'The Devil's in the Detail'
What's my most helpful post?
Crikey! Makes me realise I'm not that helpful either! From a very short list – it would have to be this. 'Contact'
Which posts success has surprised me?
From a very long list it would have to be this one - simply because it was difficult to write and didn't quite get down what I was feeling at the time and yet I got immediate good feedback from some kind people. 'Fear, Reflected' .
Which post hasn't had the success it deserves?
Tricky to answer when the footfall on the blog isn't particularly high. Personally I'd go with this one. 'Am Freiceadain Dubh'
Which post am I most proud of?
I'm quite proud of them all because before starting this blog I've never written anything – even my teenage attempt at a diary lasted for two inconsistent weeks of drivel – but I think I'll choose this one simply because it comes from the early days of the blog and was probably the first time I realised I could connect with my emotions and get them onto the page semi-effectively. 'Connections, Coincidence and Claret'
