Excuse any bad grammar or spelling mistakes in this post. I have my left hand in a support because I've sprained it. I could take it off to type, but I've already removed it once to play the piano (I'm teaching myself; I've got to two handed pieces now!) and now I have to be a good girl, so that it actually heals.
The frustrating thing is that I can't practice my flute or saxophone really. Playing piano and flute is manageable, though it makes my hand ache, but alto flute and sax are just to heavy. So I'm behind on my practice :( At the moment I'm trying to learn this beauty http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69P81SAKXpU
I can't play it that well yet. Having an injured hand is a decent excuse for poor playing :')
This being a decent British Blog, I should mention the minor historical event yesterday, the wedding of the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I went to a village party (bit dull, boring food, but lots of bunting and people) to watch it on the big screen. It was absolutely stunning, and I felt a reasonable amount of genuine love for our monarchy reading it. Britain's constitutional monarchy keeps us grounded in our past while still being progressive; watching the wedding created this sense that we're a family land, rather than a political state. When push comes to shove, it'll be the monarchy the people rally around, not the celebrity icons or squabbling parties.
The referendum on the Alternative Voting system (as opposed to first past the post) is approaching and I'm not sure that, if I had a vote, I would know where to put it this time. I think that the Proportional Repersentation system would be a good representation of where Britain's votes go, improving the skewed pattern of constituencies, but the AV is not PR. (FYI: we already have AV in one of Britain's legislative houses; the General Synod of the Church of England, which is an equal body to the houses of commons and lords, elects by AV) I can see how AV might and might not work, and that it would in some senses be more democratic...but it also looks like and expensive distraction from the real issue is PR. What are politicians afraid of? When a 'landslide majority' means thirty or fourty percent, it is obvious the system doesn't work. Politics is a mean business.
With all the disasters and wars erupting across the world at the moment, it can be easy to forget the long term crises still needing our attention. Christian Aid have a really good advert at the moment of a child, with roots stretching down into the soil below her, each attatched to a point about the roots of her poverty. So many charities work tirelessly all year, running emergency response teams (charities like WorldVision are still active in Haiti, for example), campaigning and lobbying, running projects and raising awareness. I did my work experience in WorldVision two years ago and I was stunned by the generosity and passion everyone has for their objectives: they still need your help, money or prayers or campaigning or whatever little thing you can do. Just adding your signature to a petition is great. There are times when I feel sceptical about whether we can truly make a difference in the 'broken world', but then I see these people, 'the visionary company of love' holding firm against everything that's thrown at them. You're one of those people to, so, go ahead. Make a difference!
Sheesh, I've been rambling. I started with an idea of philosophising some nonsense about how we create internet personalities, and the growing importance of linking your social networking to join the hordes of human who exist au-web. Given how rambling, this post has already been, I think I'll leave that rant for today.(Note how I've linked my twitter and blog...eh? :D )
Life is a rollercoaster and I'm heading for a few sharp swoops. But you know what? I'm an adrenaline junkie.
God Bless x
Joanna.
