I have often said how much I like waking up at the peaceful early hour between the tides of policemen and thieves. I can lie on my bench and let the thoughts and ideas that race through my head off the leash to run in barking circles around the litter strewn park inside my skull.
Later in the day when I am up and doing things it can be an exhausting, even depressing, with all the yapping, whining and knocking things off low tables with its tail.
But at 4am it brings a kind of freedom to let the dog go.
This morning there were thoughts about looseness.
I once gave a loose woman a lift. When the car hit a bump she just fell to pieces. I had to sweep her up into a dustpan and stick all the pieces together.
Unfortunately I stuck her mouth on upside down and ever since she has been depressed. *
I think I am generally in favour of looseness. Tightness and looseness have very powerful cultural and emotional meaning. Tightness is generally good; with the exception of 'tight-fisted'; and loose bad.
I could not think of a single phrase in which loose had a positive meaning. Yet it has plenty of positive synonyms; relaxed, free, easy, free rein and so on.
Loose living and easy living are very different, yet easy girls and loose girls are very similar - in my limited experience. Why is this? There seems to be the implication of power and control again, but I think it goes beyond gender into a kind of fear of anarchy and disorder often expressed by those who hold power, or profit from upholding the status quo.
Can anyone come up with a positive association for the word 'loose'?
I like to think of this blog as a tight ship with loose cannons.
* As Alec Smart will no doubt point out this is very similar to the lines in a circa 1962 Round the Horne. "She was tall and loose-limbed. So loose-limbed one of her legs fell off and rolled behind the sofa."
But Alec, several generations have grown up since 1962. They won't know that.
I stand on piled up dwarves, Alec, on piles of dwarves!