I’m really going off Christmas. When I think of “Christmas” as just December 25th I have a load more holidays. Suddenly the 24th and 26th aren’t eaten up by last minute shopping, tidying or em, tidying up again. They’re just days after all; plain old ordinary days and I like thinking of them like that. I’m not a grump around Christmas, but I do seem to have managed without any decorations, trees or even presents for 2018. Just having my family around for a meal is all I need, and I don’t even mind which meal it is!
I read (and recommend) Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari earlier this month. The author talks about our “shared imagination” that is the framework for much of our world, and beliefs such as Christmas (and other religious high days) are included. It’s one of the many arbitrary dates which exist only in our agreement and with that I have officially become an old lady (got off my lawn you damn kids!!).
Kristy’s birthday brunch with the Barnaos, Youngs, Parkers and a Pugh or two.
David, Tandia and Simon on the Nintendo Switch for digestion-sake.
“Sapiens rule the world because we are the only animal that can cooperate flexibly in large numbers. We can create mass cooperation networks, in which thousands and millions of complete strangers work together towards common goals.
One-on-one, even ten-on-ten, we humans are embarrassingly similar to chimpanzees. Any attempt to understand our unique role in the world by studying our brains, our bodies, or our family relations, is doomed to failure.
The real difference between us and chimpanzees is the mysterious glue that enables millions of humans to cooperate effectively.”
Christmas Brunch - everyone in attendance and lots of brekkie foods.
“This mysterious glue is made of stories, not genes. We cooperate effectively with strangers because we believe in things like gods, nations, money and human rights. Yet none of these things exists outside the stories that people invent and tell one another.
There are no gods in the universe, no nations, no money and no human rights—except in the common imagination of human beings. You can never convince a chimpanzee to give you a banana by promising him that after he dies, he will get limitless bananas in chimpanzee Heaven.
Only Sapiens can believe such stories. This is why we rule the world, and chimpanzees are locked up in zoos and research laboratories.”
Cosy home
The living room is so “not cosy” at the moment. In a burst of enthusiasm while the kitchen was being gutted we started pulling off the wall paper and built-in fireplace in the living room. Then we found the wallpaper in particular quite hard, so we stopped. Now we have this stripped wall aesthetic and knowing us, it’ll be like this for another 25 years!
End of counter with vintage Junghans clock and random old barometer, along with Tivoli radio’s home until the shelves are installed.
But the kitchen is fantastic. It’s cosy and lovely and even has light shades now I finally made a decision. The dining room pendant light ended up being the very first one I liked. It kept with me through all the shops and all the Pinterest boards - I just loved it from the start so over the Christmas break we bought it (on sale! oh yeh!!) and I am so happy with it.
Chrome and glass pendant dining room light - kind of looks like an upside-down snare drum.
Vehicular status
So now I own two Mini Coopers. What am I? A millionaire?? The 2004 Mini that was involved in the accident at the end of last year just came home from the panel beater just the other day. Getting parts for European cars takes time, apparently. That or maybe because I’m wasn't screaming on the phone it took an entire month to get my car back.
It didn’t really matter because I bought a newer Mini in the meantime. What a difference ten years makes in automobile technology. The newer car has sat-nav, auto-everything, a smart sunroof, a fabulous stereo system. I’m soooo happy with it. Now I need to sell the 2004 car but now it’s back it feels like I’m trading in a puppy or something. It’s a great little car and I hope it ends up with a good home.
Whimper.
2004 vs 2014 Mini Coopers.