Money?
The love of money is the root of all evil. It is a potent, corrupting drug which, because it can be allied to power, can undermine any institution no matter how well protected and noble its principles may be. It rots virtue.
The poorest need it, but cannot access it. The richest have it, but cannot slake their thirst for more. Those in the middle think they deserve their place on the ladder of wealth and cannot see through the ‘Myth of Meritocracy’.
How would you describe yourself to someone?
This is difficult to answer, I think, because there is a temptation to say what we hope we are. Or wish we were. Or, the person we aspire to be and occasionally achieve on our good days.
And there’s also a danger in defining ourselves by our roles, our work, or our hobbies. I’m a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend, a cyclist, a musician, a cook, a writer, a blogger, and other stuff. They are what I do, but the ‘I’ behind all that activity remains distant or obscure.
Having read the above, it’s safe to assume that; 1. I think too much. 2. I’m a bit pretentious. 😀
Generation Gap
What traditions did your parents have that you have dropped? My parents grew up during WWII. I was born in 1959 into a rather different world. We used to talk about the ‘generation gap’. This described the seismic fissure that took place between the culture my parents grew up in and the one I did.
The big difference was money, as in disposable income. This led to me enjoying much more varied; entertainment, holidays, clothing, restaurants, music, education opportunities, etc, than they could ever access. I grew up in a different world, and a lot of the wisdom they could have passed on became dated.
Yet, the important lessons of family life and good parenting are immutable. Personal sacrifice, nurture of children, real love, a sense of humor, the importance of honesty, and faithfulness. I think (I hope) I have been true to their inspirational examples, even in a changed world.
Growing Up
I don’t believe there is a moment in life after which you are ‘grown up’ and before which you weren’t.
Maturation is incremental. Of course, big experiences move us on. They can be pivotal but, equally, reflecting on them after the event is key to growth.
Anyone who claims at a certain point, ‘Aha! That’s it. I’m there. No more growing up to do’ is suggesting life has nothing more to teach them, which I don’t think could be true. They may have given up on life, which is very possible.
What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?
I think it might be the word ‘things’? Or, maybe it is that I can’t answer this question very easily. I can’t reliably go for one activity and say ‘Ah! That makes me happy every time’. The truth is, everything is a little different each time experience it. To take an example.
I am learning to play classical guitar. I play it most days but, whilst I often enjoy the learning process, it is also difficult, and I get frustrated with my mistakes. Also, it’s hard. It’s rare I play a piece and think that I played it spot on, and that made me happy. I enjoy performing in public, but I haven’t done that for a few years now. I think because I can’t be bothered.
The company of my wife often makes me happy. We make each other laugh. The same goes for my son. But, of course, we may worry about our loved ones from time to time. I like a nice beer, and I’m going to have one in twenty minutes while I’m making pizza. And I do like pizza? Sometimes more than others. I like cycling, but I prefer going down hills to up them. I like a nice cup of tea, but I wouldn’t say it brings me happiness.
A beautiful view! Yes. That always makes me happy. I never tire of beauty in nature. One down, four to go. I’ll dig out a photo of Valtos beach in Parga, Greece. Now for that beer…
The Bible isn’t a Book
It’s a collection of books. It’s a compilation of texts written over, approximately, 1000 years. Prior to the written period some of the earliest books rely on an older oral tradition. Several Bible stories such as The Flood, are re-writes of older texts; Noah is Utnapishtim in the Sumerian ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’.
Genesis has at least four separate authors who edited each other’s work. Whole chunks of Genesis are in more ancient texts. Moses can’t have written the Pentateuch, he dies before the end of the story. There are two parallel ‘history’ sections in our Bible. One is from the Jerusalem tradition, the other is from Shechem, following the fall of the northern kingdom.
The Gospels are not biographies of Jesus and tell us little of the historical man. There are some historical bits in them. They are handbooks of Christianity. They explain about God, worship, morality, and other things for an audience of Greek and Roman pagans who know nothing of monotheism.
Jesus was a faithful Jew, a Rabbi, and if you read anything in the New Testament which contradicts Judaism rest assured, Jesus didn’t say it. The Jews did not kill Jesus, the Romans did. The Jewish death penalty was by stoning, the Roman’s crucified.
Paul did not write all the letters accredited to him in the New Testament and some that are actually by him are compiled from extant, fragmented, texts.
Mistakes People Make when visiting a Country
Most countries have their tourist ‘must see’ destination(s). The reason for their popularity is that these places are special. So, yes, do visit them. You’d be mad not to. Go to London and see the Houses of Parliament. In Paris, don’t avert you eyes when the Eiffel Tower comes into view; it’s grand. If you go to Barcelona and don’t visit the Sagrada Familia, well. I don’t know what to say.
My first point is obvious; do the big stuff. Tick it off your bucket list. But, there’s more to Italy than Rome, there’s more to Rwanda than mountain gorillas. Every country has some level of diversity in its landscapes and cities. I’ve often found that the most memorable parts of a vacation were not in the planned script. They happened off the beaten track, and they nearly always involved people. It’s people that are the big attraction.
I always try to meet the locals and talk to them, if I can. Explore the back streets, stop in out of the way villages and towns. Try the local food as served and prepared by locals. If you only eat in your All Inclusive Hotel, you pretty much might as well have stayed at home. And for God’s sake do not seek out the nearest MacDonalds because it’s familiar, predictable and safe; it’s also garbage.
I write a travel blog, you can click on the image to visit it. I don’t do it for money, though I do advertise my books on it. Much of it is about where my wife and I have been, but there’s also some thoughts on how to plan and book holidays. I would suggest you avoid all inclusive resorts unless the only option. At the Red Sea that’s mostly all there is, and they’re fine. Also, avoid package holidays if you can. They can be cheaper and I’ve used them,. But usually they are more expensive than booking your own transport and accommodation. Using sites like booking.com enables you see a different side of a resort, or town, or even country. Read reviews, ask questions on chat forums related to the place.
As for visiting the UK? Don’t pack your bags till you have checked the weather forecast; you can get three seasons in one day. Don’t just visit London, the rest of the country is rather different. I’ve written about several UK options, you can read about them on my blog site. English cuisine is among the worst in the world, consequently we have thousands of great restaurants specialising in food from everywhere else on earth.
Have a great holiday.
John Poulton: Books 