Euphrosene Labon

Finally finished my notes of the Istanbul/Ephesus trip.

If anyone´s interested in reading more, they can be found here.

The drawings will have to wait. Mountains of washing have taken precedence. Forgot it was a Bank Holiday yesterday and wondered why the delivery office and dry cleaners were closed. Am off to the hospital tomorrow for that minor biopsy (terrible word for check up of unusual lump).

The corner image is of Our Lady - for more information, you will need to read the Snapshots of Turkey.

Euphrosene Labon Mind Body Spirit Artist Author Writer

Euphrosene´s Gallery of Contemporary Spiritual Art & Cartoons

Istanbul, Ephesus, Bank Holiday, Our Lady

Mon 19: The Jan Moir palaver made me dig out some reference material on same sex relationships that I had written about in an issue of Floreo NEWS. Except, annoyingly, all the links have gone.

The gist of that scientific research (which I can´t remember much about now) was that species become same sex (as opposed to having a preference for homo-sexual relations) prior to dying out… as a species.

The internet has a different view, opining that same sex is either for population control or because war brings out excess testosterone or for kin selection. The general agreement seemed to be that the human species can switch its sexual circuits, ie we are capable of bisexuality, rather than having a preference for one sex, for sex, all the time - if you see what I mean.

Well they´d die out if that was the case … unless science stepped in. And guess what?

In my current spiritual incarnation, I do believe in legal partnerships to protect relationships, but am religiously old-fashioned and think `marriage´ is one between a man and woman, ideally for procreation - also the old-fashioned way. Survival of this species, for what it´s worth.

While fascinated by life created in a test tube, I do wonder what strange sentients are being generated in labs around the world, hence having a preference for the old-fashioned way although nurture and nature can and does still create its Hitlers.

That said, in my spiritual opinion, the human species is undergoing serious change, which our grandchildren will probably be witness to. I just hope I am not around as human automatons are annoying enough without emotionless robots and other kinds of chimera taking over the world.

Meanwhile, someone tweeted a link to an article by Lionel Shriver which made me laugh. Grim laughter really. It´s a novel "all about the emotional complexities of inheritance".

Shriver adds: "My younger brother, … stopped speaking to me for two years, although - more’s the pity - that didn’t stop him from firing off a series of outraged letters, just as my parents did. Since this was before any of us was online (and I shudder to contemplate the flurry of scathing, five-times-a-day tit-for-tat had we been writing emails instead), for weeks I received indignant screeds in the post that ran to six or seven pages - single-spaced."

I have indeed had emails about my `stupid blog´ and a few have tested me rather deeply. Yet I only write some of the things said to me, and my reaction. Indeed this blog is predominantly for my reactions, and presumably my failings on my spiritual journey. Although it could just as well be about the challenges created by others in my closer and distant worlds.

Life coaches would say we attract them to us. Possibly. The more I think of that chestnut though I feel these are challenges we allow (rather than attract) from habit or guilt or misplaced loyalties. The latter is often the case with those who support political parties from cradle to grave or stay in one faith without question or any spiritual evolution.

Families and friendships need to evolve or they die. Habits of disrespect have to change or the relationship eventually fails - unless one is a masochist.

Shriver does add - as indeed I have, on countless occasions - that all views are purely subjective. This is how I perceive things. I do try to be scrupulous with the truth though, even subjectively, so I try to write in a much milder form than what is actually internalising within me.

If poor communication or what I see as bad behaviour upset me, I honestly try to mention it without describing how I really feel: the anger, the hurt, fighting negative desires for retribution and so on.

And I accept that my humour or actions also have similar effects. A joke (in my mind) about music caused offence, it seems. Yet if I really wanted to be offensive about a situation or a person, it would be very easy to let rip.

The difference, to me, is the continuous drip of negativity. Endlessly repeated untruths or misunderstandings eventually kill love and affection. Repeat something often enough and even reasonable people will believe it is true.

Dad always used to say I was the honest one; `too sincere´ was another thing he said about me. In fact, I recall him telling me more than once that sometimes lying could be a good move.

I may not tell everyone everything, but I can assure all my readers, if I have done or said something amiss, I would admit to it if asked. So if I say something is NOT true, it is NOT TRUE.

Being single has many benefits. On the down side, if there are issues with any NandDs, all of whom are more than capable of sticking up for themselves, they get their male folk to harass me as well. I am staggered they cannot see how that is a kind of bullying.

In the corner image is the one which a NandD thought was of me crying. The other is the next one that Dad took, seconds later. More like fed up, than crying or upset. Why do people get things so wrong? And I include the rude remarks made about me at the recent wedding. And repeated TOO MUCH ever since.

Euphrosene Labon Mind Body Spirit Artist Author Writer

Euphrosene´s Gallery of Contemporary Spiritual Art & Cartoons

Jan Moir, Floreo NEWS, chimera, Dad

Sun 13: It´s been many months since the witch has screamed for her familiar, but it started again this morning. God alone knows where the mangy mog has been all this time - hopefully not in my garden. I expect the evening squawks will be restarting too. Voices carry in the stillness and quiet but that doesn´t seem to stop the selfish cow. Sigh.

Meanwhile, journalists have long fascinated me. Their influence is, or was, once enormous. Perhaps the internet is changing all that. Perhaps we proles are beginning to notice exactly how low in calibre most of them actually are.

On one forum, I have noticed frequently lacklustre writing getting peer pats on the back, as if they have written something worthy of the Nobel Prize.

The other day, I read a bylined piece which was so staggeringly bad, it is beyond me how a national newspaper could have allowed it into print.

Proofing is regularly diabolical (`meets´ for `meats´ was one I spotted today; incorrect spelling of Prince Harry´s porcine beauty another) and, apparently, one sub left in the name of one of those thuggish children who tortured another child. Isn´t that something ALL journalists should know as a rule, regardless of whether they are trained in legal law or not?

Later: am still having intermittent existential issues. I think it could be because the Big E is not responding in ways I would recognise.

All those long years ago, I accepted this life and, whatever happens, as part of some bigger divine plan. Even my tiny bit part is important in an invisible way.

But the ego is also important. It provides the drive that would otherwise turn us all into passive molecular blobs. And it´s the ego that needs reassurance and respect; the ego needs feeding and nurturing with a touch of luxe. Yet, despite the many things to be thankful for, my life seems to be a continuing drift, interspersed with events - not all welcome.

Some of that existential angst comes from not being understood. So I shouldn´t really be surprised when my art isn´t either. Even the humour in my cartoons seems to go over some heads. Perhaps it is because the cartoons are really only there to make people think - not guffaw.

Back off to indulge in some self-pity now.

Okay a bit more self-pity.

Euphrosene Labon Mind Body Spirit Artist Author Writer

Please visit my art gallery.
E-cards are on the house.

mangy mog, journalists, Nobel Prize, existential, Big E, divine plan, ego, existential angst