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2024, Winter

It’s strange to think that more than twenty years have passed since the Millennium and that I remember the event well.

Twenty-four years on, nothing has changed – and yet, everything has.

Another year. The weather is raw and bitingly cold. Early sunsets, late dawns. London saw a sprinkling of snow at the start of the week.

This week, I started some new piano repertoire and stayed busy studying French German, and Russian, despite the bleak weather outside

I also made a collage of photographs taken during the last twelve months.

Till next time!

Posted on by lawrenceez

Thirteen Years Ago

It seems a bit late to wish people a Happy New Year – although I do wish this. Many of my friends had Covid during the Festivities. I can imagine the bleakness that isolation must have brought. Still, I hope that 2022 improves and that we can experience the newness and wonder of another year.

I suppose I would link my New Year greetings with my blogging anniversary. Thirteen years ago (January 2009), I began this blog with WordPress, unsure of what to expect. The time has passed swiftly. Time often does.

So what have I learnt during the thirteen years?

First, the Internet offers countless opportunities for expressing creative writing, music, photography, essays and others interests or concerns – often free or for a small price. It’s amazing and a privilege. I’ve corresponded with people from all over the world through WordPress. It’s wonderful, a gift.

WordPress provides a publishing platform. However, we should adopt a ruthless editorial eye to what we choose to share. Online material is still publishing and the author or blogger ought to pay attention to what they promote, especially in regards to personal information. Posting details of a birthday party, for instance, provides the public with a date of birth, along with other vital information. Those details should remain private. Think carefully before you click on Publish. Prune. Edit. Restrict. Pause and consider.

Second, sharing media online involves communication and communication always involves others. We may publish content but we must also engage. The online community resembles a global community of sorts, and we should respect this and benefit from it.

For me, WordPress offers a virtual equivalent of the traditional printing press, and with much promise. We can write or promote whatever we like, our efforts limited only by our imagination. What a great opportunity.

I wish everyone a good 2022 and trust that we will continue blogging meaningful content through WordPress and sharing our aspirations while staying safe.

Posted on by lawrenceez · 4 Comments

Afternoon Siesta

post New Year
exhaustion
a siesta

the tension fades
drifting away

fleeting images come and go

scenes of childhood
whispers of mist
the touch of the sun
cairns and castles and rugged terrains

sea and grass
wind and rain
cliffs and meadows and ice cream vans

the afternoon siesta
a childhood remembered

© Lawrence Estrey 2021

Poetry

Posted on by lawrenceez

Another Year, And Some Wisdom

Another year approaches. 2018. The past decade has gone quickly.

What lessons did I learn during 2017? Taking time out at least twice a day to practise breathing exercises. As soon as I neglected the exercises, my stress levels rose and kept on rising.

The exercises should be simple. Slow and easy breathing moving towards a longer exhale. Breath counting. Pursed lips breathing. Ocean breath. Coherent breathing (equal length inhales and exhales) at five or six breaths per minute.

Ease. Regular practice, five to ten minutes, twice a day. People can choose any of the exercises or combine. There are no rules – although people with medical conditions will need to seek advice on contraindications (usually this applies to breath holding or to more energetic breathing techniques not listed above).

Happy 2018.