Keeping a journal

by Tom Monks

French word ‘Jour’ means day – Listening to the wise (reading the wise (more on who they are another time)) – They tell me to journal – They exhort me to journal – They point out the benefits of journaling – I need to listen and start doing – Think blogging is a form of journaling but wondering if I should physically write my thoughts in a notebook – Have loads of them lying virgin and waiting for words – Any thoughts? – Private journaling or public blogging? Help me out ! – Barely manage to blog – Could both be possible? Remember telling someone i trusted that i was afraid of blogging – Afraid of exposing myself or hurting others – Maybe journaling in a notebook better – Whatever – Putting thoughts down in words seems important to me now

by Tom Monks

Someone who had an important impact on my life

Teacher – Name Brendan McNulty – He was (is) a Sligo man – Had him in Primary school St Canice’s, Finglas from 1st class until 6th class – That’s six years – a huge length of time (for a six year old) – Must have been until 1971/2 – So from six to twelve – I remeber him as a good/nice man – Great teacher and very very patient – Happy he taught me and happy to remember him – Remember crying in 1st class one day – Don’t remember why – He handled it – When i think of it a young Sligo man teaching young boys from Finglas and succeeding (Still know some of my fellow pupils) – Memories …. Sligo produced some talent …

More on Silence

by Tom Monks

Paul Simon in the news today – He wrote a great song in the 1960’s – ‘Sound of Silence’

Does Silence have a sound – Well it does for me – It’s when Awareness can be apparent and what could be more important than being aware .. Of Onself, Of Consciouness

Some quotes jumps out at me

Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again…”

With my ‘self-friend’ I can reflect

People talking without speaking / People hearing without listening…

Lovely to be able to talk/commune with speaking and hear, just hear

Silence is golden is another well known phrase

And also a famous song

There are Beatle’s songs – Sgt Peppers –

by Tom Monks

First real album I ever bought or that I’d admit to having bought 🙂 –

Some great songs –

‘Lovely Rita’ – How come the beatles knew my mother?

‘When I’m sixty four’ – Used to be on the other side of that!

‘Getting better’ – Everytime – Hopefully true – Still trying

‘Strawberry fields for ever’ – Have visited those fields – Lovely

‘With a little help from my friends’ – We all need that

A day in the life – “woke up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head” – (No point these days) – Made my way downstairs and had a cup and looking up I noticed I was late …” A day in the life!! – James Joyce made a good book about that

We get to that piece of art and the rest of that great song soon

If Murakami can use song lyrics as inspiration then it should be good enough for me too

Further thoughts

by Tom Monks

I do have further comments to make on ‘Does Art help’

There is no doubt here that Art helps – Whether admiring a piece in a gallery or creating oneself. For a while I kept a journal of artistic activities – That could be visit to cinema, gallery, play or creating a piece of pottery – Seems so important to insert these sort of activities into a daily life – Have done some drawing and painting and even pottery classes over last 3 years or more – Time to create some of my own work – Project for summer … if weather would only improve. As the wise one said there is no bad weather only bad equipment – 2 days writing – That’s an artistic endeavour – Will try to keep it all going

That’s for next few days –

How did I get here?

by Tom Monks

Quoting from a famous Talking Heads song in mind – From 1980

And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself, “Well, how did I get here?”

Needing to write … The fingers can express what voice can’t sometimes

Nearly 2 years since last post here

Nearly 10 years since last chemo session – That bit over For now.

Over a year since last CT – Messes with your head!

Nearly about to retire completely – Have been retired but keeping a finger in for last few years. Well hanging up the old keyboard and mouse next week. Long career in IT, Long time working, Longer than most I suspect.

So how did I get here? – To be honest – I will be writing about that soon – At present thinking about how am I going to get there (wherever that might be) – Haven’t read over much of earlier posts but know there was talk of art, philosophy, writing and that is how it will continue.

Mr Shiloh left a few weeks ago and still crying for him – He did as he was meant to and got me thru’ a cancer journey. Need to figure the rest out without him.

Be kind to each other

by Tom Monks

Over a year since I posted – Despite my aspiration to do some craretive writing. Lost a long time friend (we had been close friends since school) To cancer what else. In June ….

End of June I went to a gig (Vigar St for those who know it). Noted the following the next day ….

Had a lovely evening yesterday Patti Smith Amazing woman and concert – Saw Paul there – During the gig had to go to bathroom upstairs – A stranger – a young woman crossed me on stairs and saw I was struggling a bit – She asked if I was ok – Told her ok just catching my breath – ‘hate dat’ she said and gave me a big hug – Lovely encounter The power of a hug from a stranger is great – Even just a smile can make a difference – Think Lilly (School of Philosophy) spoke to us a few years ago in class about ´random acts of kindness’ That was one such act – Be kind to each other