Morning Thoughts From A Devon Sitting Room

When I sit down to write my Morning Thoughts I have no idea what will pop into my mind or the route my thoughts will take, sometimes making connections that surprise even me! My diary entries simply record what is on my mind and reference many years of personal knowledge, insight and experience ‘off the top of my head’ rather than any other source. I also like to keep them brief; they are not essays after all!

I write my Morning Thoughts (and many other items) on Substack and, if I find the time, I also copy and paste them onto this – my personal website. Please consider subscribing to my Substack page – colinjanderson.substack.com – it’s free! The sheer volume of lies, misinformation, hate and advertisements on Facebook has been getting me down, so the more family and friends who subscribe to my Substack page the sooner I can close down my Facebook page.

  • University for Life?

    Following on from yesterday I came to think that it would be a good idea if a university education was for life. In general, when we leave university we become cut-off from latest thinking, academic journals and cutting-edge debate. Sometimes our job can ensure we continuosly update ourselves using the foundation and tools that university…

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  • Egocentric Worldview?

    My mind, as it so often does, made an unusual and unexpected connection this morning. A phrase used by Nick Clegg triggered memories of a Psychology module that formed part of my postgraduate studies in 2004. Are you egocentric, homocentric or biocentric? And is that important?

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  • Bland Tomatoes!

    A lot of thought on my mind this morning. I wonder why that happens? Anyway, I found myself reminded of some quite nice tomatoes purchased at the weekend, and how factory farming and supermarkets have reduced choice.

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  • Play. Repeat.

    It is not unusual for a song to pop into my head – from where I know not – and which sometimes nags until I actually play it. But this morning’s song is unusual: a 14-minutes epic that I have played at least once a year since 1975, and which is just as relevant now…

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  • Blissful Retirement?

    April showers continue for a 6th. day but I am enjoying retirement, dull though it might appear to an observer.

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  • Merguez or Beer… or Both?

    I must visit town at lunchtime to pay the bar tab I forgot to pay on Wednesday! That’ll teach me. But, I could do with a few ingredients to go with some rather good Merguez I picked up the other day. I am rather looking forward to it…

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  • Simple Pleasures!

    After a poor night’s sleep due to mulling over the major problems facing humanity I need to snap out of it and enjoy simple pleasures while I can.

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  • Distant Relatives?

    It seems that a relative of mine has died – at the age of 57. I shall be meeting up with my mother at noon to get the details. However, travelling to Port Glasgow is just not feasible, no matter how much we might want to make the journey.

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  • Horses & Coffee!

    Grey sky, bright sunshine, rain showers, washing machine spinning, cappuccino policy, stagnant economics and, to cap it all, where do I put the clothes horse?

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  • Book/Film?

    Having just finished reading a book I find myself staring at my library and wondering what I should read next. Umberto Eco is beckoning and I am reminded of the 1986 film The Name of the Rose with Sean Connery that seems to have sunk without trace, despite being a good film.

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  • Descale!

    I found myself descaling this morning – on a whim rather than out of necessity. My coffee machine and kettle are now descaled and, as I was working on them, I was thinking how quality does not always mean good functionality.

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  • Pizza!

    It struck me that in many ways my diary since retirement is recording my gradual decline in physical and mental health. Not a bit of it! Some things get better as you age, and my enjoyment of good food – and tonight’s pizza treat, is greater than ever!

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