Debate: Birds

I've been encourageing bird-life into our garden - the seed, nut and suet-filled coconut balls have been a major hit, as have the seed-feeders. The bird table - crafted from an old Christmas tree trunk, found sticks, and the bases of three plant pots - is like a bird shopping mall. However! Pigeons are dominating and, whilst it's nature's way, I want to see more Coal Tits and the little birds.

Should I let nature rule the nut and seed roost, or should I intervene with feeding devices that bar the bigger birds?

Right Now: Snack, Drink?

Right now there is a butler at your elbow, immaculate damask napkin over his arm, silver tray in hand, offering you a drink and/or snack of your choice. Anything, from any season or country in the world. What would you choose?

Experience: Active

Through our youthful years we may have interests that we don't get round to acting upon - be they in relation to work, rest or play. In adulthood, we are likely to have fewer excuses for not getting round to acting upon these.

Share with us an activity or experience that sat on the backburner for a long while, but that you have, did or are pursuing in adulthood. (Or mention something that is to be pursued)

My starter at 10am: I recently took up Fencing.

Picture Response #16

Who are these people? What are they doing? Where in the world are they?

Tell: Voices

Occasionally, I am caught by surprise. Someone who I will see from afar as likely having a big horrible gruff voice will have that of an angel, whilst persons who I see as distantly blissful will prove to have the audio bearing of a truck with grinding gears. My point, or rather my enquiry:

Tell us of a voice or voices that you like a lot - that you could perhaps listen to talking about almost anything. Perhaps there is a specific person (doesn't have to be famous), or an accent, or a person whose clarity of speech (and thought) melts your very meltables. Your sharing would be lovely.

As an aperitif, might I offer up Stephen Fry, Kirsty Wark and Matthew Parris.

Debate: Balance?

Moderation and balance are over-rated. Excess can provide useful learning experiences by enabling us to push our own boundaries and those of others. If we were all, always, moderate and balanced, the world would be a very dull place.

Discuss.

Right Now: Simile

Concoct a new simile, taking the form:

'Right now, I'm feeling as _________ as a _________.'

My version: Right now, I'm feeling as hairy as the Sugar Puffs monster.

Experience: Illness or Injury

Please share with us a happy memory of illness or injury.

Picture Response #15

Take a look at the picture below.

Does this wood pile remind you of any particular time, place, person, sound, or experience? If so, do share.

Tell: Name

Is there a name you like, but which you would never give to a child? What is it? Why do you like it? And, if you like it so much, why would you not bestow it upon your precious first-born?

Debate: Summer

The year is 2008: Summer of Love or Love of Summer?

Right Now: Headline

If a tabloid journalist was writing an article on the last hour of your life (that's 'last' as in 'most recent', not 'last' as in 'final'), what would the headline be?

Experience: Character

Experience tells you that what is a good enough judge of character?

Picture Response #14

Could this be the one-eyed view of an insect? Or a fish? Or was the photographer hiding somewhere? In an old pipe, or a ship with a porthole? And why?

Tell: Captivated

When was the last time that you felt captivated? What was happening?

Debate: Time Is Money

'Money-rich, time-poor.'

Time to change, or time to stop bleating?

Right Now: Sound

With the exception of any voices, what can you hear right now, and what would you like to be able to hear right now?

Experience: Not Boring

Is there an experience you can always repeat without even a twinge or a tickle of boredom?

Picture Response #13

You're visiting an elderly friend or relative when there comes an unexpected knock at the door. Kindly, you get up to answer it. Peeping through the spy-hole before you unlock, you see this:


What's going on?

Tell: Big Brother

Senior television executives have asked, nay, begged you to be on the next series of Big Brother. They think you would create wonderful viewing material. Why do they think this? Do you agree or refuse? Why?

Debate: Nee-mail?

It is vitally important that we have regular 'no email' days.

Discuss.

Right Now: Not Quite Right Now

What were you doing one hour ago?

I was fast asleep in bed. Wish I still waszzzzzzzzz.