“The first truth about awareness… is that the world out there is not really as we think it is. We think it is a world of objects and it is not… It’s not as solid and real as our perception has led us to believe, but it isn’t a mirage either. The world is not an illusion, as it has been said to be; it’s real on the one hand, and unreal on the other… We perceive. But what we perceive is not a fact…, because we learn what to perceive.” - Don Juan, from The Fire From Within by Carlos Castaneda. “T” ( Thomas Joseph Walton AKA West Cheshire Lad) used to talk about this subject at great length. He would describe the biological function of the human eye, and how it receives light through the iris which then hits the retina, and from there light is translated by the human brain into what we perceive as being exterior to that brain (and ourselves.) “T” would go on to say how quantum physics has long-since demonstrated that our perception of objects around us is flawed, in that every thing

1) What if it doesn’t work? If re-animation following cryonic suspension fails, then I’ll be dead and therefore oblivious to the inevitable process of decomposition - just as is any other corpse. 2) What if your body is re-animated but meanwhile you’ve reincarnated into another body? I always was good at multi-tasking. Seriously, why assume that Mind (or Higher Consciousness if you prefer that term) is restricted to one location? Or that Mind cannot flit instantly from one location to another - time and space being relative to Mind. Observe your own behaviour for proof of how little time you spend being truly conscious of your own body and your immediate surroundings. Most people run on auto-pilot most of the time. Maybe one body could run on auto-pilot while the Mind was in the other body doing something more interesting. Besides, I don't have a fixed belief in reincarnation.  It's an interesting possibility and an engaging philosophy, but there is no evidence to pro

My latest batch of homemade jam - apple and cherry, in this instance - straight from the pan and waiting for wax-paper seals.  The apples were from our garden; the first time we've had a decent crop from this young tree.  There is still some fruit on the branches, as yet unripened. I make my own jams so they're totally free of synthetic colours and other additives.  Made properly, unopened preserves can be safely stored for years.  It's a pleasant feeling to know the household cupboards are well-stocked. I also enjoy maintaining old traditions.  Preserving foods for the coming winter months is a task which has been observed for millennia.  These-days we're so used to simply popping out to the shops 24/7 that on the rare occasions that there's been some kind of hold-up in the supply chain, people started panicking within only a few days.  Maybe we should think about becoming a little more self-reliant?  We've become so dependent on others, on a complex co

Why settle for some vile excuse of a burger which tastes like a fried carpet tile when for minimal effort you can enjoy homemade burgers? Easy Meals - Homemade Burgers

Rosa gallica, also known as the apothecary's rose or Rosa mundi, is in full bloom right now in my garden. It was one of the most-painted roses in Renaissance art, and was cultivated by Romans then later by monks for its alleged medicinal values. I grow it simply because its fragrance is divine.  Surely that is reason enough, hmm?

http://www.learn4good.com/games/kids/ufo.htm 'Tis silly, but deliciously so.