Chrstmas Day! Even the most hardened athiest will admit religions do good holidays and Christmas is one of the best. I'm sure there are still some Christians who think the day is all about celebrating the birth of Christ, but these days they are in a minority. All over the world Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Pagan and Athiests are using the day as an excuse to relax, over?
I like the strange mixture of the modern Christmas, the remnants of religous ritual, the concealed Pagan symbolism, the vulgar commercialism and the kitsch nostalgic imagery of robins, snowmen and stagecoaches. I like the licence to overindulge.
Good news everyone!
The Saviour has been born!
No. This news is much more interesting. I let Professor Elizabeth Moore know about the latest developments in my Burmese Guinea Pig Theory. It had been in her class I first mentioned the topic and instead of telling me to shut up she encouraged me to find out more.
She very kindly replied and passed my message on to Paul Sochaczewski, a writer friend of hers who has spent a lot of time in South East Asia.
I like the strange mixture of the modern Christmas, the remnants of religous ritual, the concealed Pagan symbolism, the vulgar commercialism and the kitsch nostalgic imagery of robins, snowmen and stagecoaches. I like the licence to overindulge.
Good news everyone!
The Saviour has been born!
No. This news is much more interesting. I let Professor Elizabeth Moore know about the latest developments in my Burmese Guinea Pig Theory. It had been in her class I first mentioned the topic and instead of telling me to shut up she encouraged me to find out more.
She very kindly replied and passed my message on to Paul Sochaczewski, a writer friend of hers who has spent a lot of time in South East Asia.
He is very interested in the guinea pig story and I have an invitation to hear his lecture on Alfred Wallace at The Royal Geographical Society when he visits the UK in January.
Coincidently I had been given a splendid ediion of Wallace's letter for Christmas!
His email also contained a wealth of other interesting stuff, too much to write about here, but he has an interest in mythical elephants and asked me to send my pictures from Luang Praban. He also enclosed some pictures of exquisite statuettes of female Ganesha figures he owns. I don't want to post them without permission and I cannot find anything similar online. What makes these special is the unusual grace and delecacy of the elephant headed figure.
So that is all very exciting, as is the fact I have my visa now and my flight to Sulawesi is booked for February.
I am now going back to sleep for an hour or so hoping that Liz will prepare breakfast.
Thanks for the cards and Christmas emails. There is something very nice about an email greeting pinging its way in early on Christmas morning.
I hope you all ha