autumn is most definitely here! it looks beautiful if you”re in the countryside, still, i”d rather have russet gold leaves masking the wet concrete streets.
the times they are a changing. i have been free of the world of bureaucratic institutions as of friday the 10th october. and i”m feeling that i might just be coming back to life. i have grand plans to launch into the life of a freelancer: i”m hoping to be able to spend my time doing interesting and intelligent things I choose, and being inspired. Some spirit and verve is needed, the creative juices have been flowing, they just need tapping! So self-discipline: that “thing” i have shirked, and feared, and hid from for so long - it”s time to face the demon. It can”t be that bad, can it?
And if i can do it, then so can anyone. I”ll then hopefully be able to join all those successful souls on the self-motivational bandwagon, by explaining how i went about it. so let”s see!
I have just finished reading East of the Sun, by Julia Gregson - a lovely birthday present. i got this last weekend. I”ve just finished it now..such fantasic imagery: i love these kinds of books about india, they make me want to go and soak in the colours and vivid smells myself.
I am currently reading the Gnostic Gospels by Dr. Elaine Pagels. Fascinating. I wishI had been reading this- oh sometime in the last 10 years? Still -better late than never. Sometimes you find you have been so submerged..
Congrats on stepping off the beaten path onto your own! What kind of freelance stuff you thinking of pursuing?
Good luck with your freelance work!
Hi,
I like your blog - so I thought this may interest you:
I run the organisation ‘Dialogue with Islam’ (www.dialoguewithislam.org) which facilitates discussion between Islam and the West
I have some complementary VIP tickets on our next event re Freedom of Speech. We have invited a panel of 4 muslims who either for or against freedom of Speech against Prophet of Islam
Thanks
Shahinoor
Freedom of Speech: Where do Muslims Stand?
Islam and Muslims remain under an intense media spotlight, this
attention however is not always welcomed by Muslims. Some have taken
offence with what they see as provocation rather than genuine
artistic creativity and free expression. The Satanic Verses some 20
years ago, the more recent Danish Cartoons and this year’s novel on
the wife of the Prophet have attracted much criticism. Yet calls for
censorship sit uncomfortably in liberal secular democracies where
freedom of speech is seen as bulwark against the state deciding for
us what we can and cannot read. The right to offend, whilst not an
obligation, is seen as a fundamental civil liberty.
So where should Muslims stand on free speech? Are they too sensitive
to criticism? Or are they simply opposing what they see as the
desecration of their revered personalities? How do Muslims explain to
essentially secular societies their sense of the sacred? How is it
possible to reconcile these two principles - the love for free speech
and the respect for religion? Should Muslim books deemed offensive to
people of other faiths also be banned? Who should decide? Should
Muslim groups oppose free speech at a time when some are having their
own free speech threatened under anti-terror legislation? Does the
recent controversy surrounding comments made by Russell Brand and
Jonathan Ross show that ultimately it is public opinion that
determines what is acceptable speech?
Join us for a lively debate and discussion between some of the
leading personalities within Britain’s Muslim community:
Shaykh Tauqir Ishaq - Hijaaz College
Asim Siddiqui - City Circle
Sajjad Khan - Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain
Inayat Bunglawala - Muslim Council of Britain
Chaired by Matthew Taylor - Former Political Advisor and Chief
Executive
of the RSA
Date: Friday 5th December 2008
Time: 7.00pm
Venue:
The Toynbee Hall,
28 Commercial Street,
London E1 6LS
Nearest Station: Aldgate East
For further details contact:
Email: dialogue_with_islam@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.dialoguewithislam.org
Admission: £3.00
Seating is limited. Please book in advance via email or phone to
avoid disappointment.
Organised by Dialogue with Islam
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hello everyone..sorry for the lack of responses - some coming back to life that was! thanks leon and leighton - its all a bit scary still. leon- basically i quit my job and am going to use my experience of public policy, ‘development’ and the third-sector in an independent way rather than at the whims of bosses - whilst many organisations have decent ‘agenda’s and mission statements - the reality always seems to get murky. we end up doing projects creating partnerships all chasing the same small bit of money, and focused on counting our outputs. the goals are great - but somehow the process is getting in the way. yet at the same time, there’s so much innovation and creativity out there - its ridiculous that we can’t do a better job of harnessing it. so that’s what i’m looking to get my teeth into - with the networking and knowledge society that we are creating, we should be able to get somewhere!
Shahinoor -that was a great event, I am sorry I have not responded to your email -(black hole in comms) I’ll be doing that in the next few days.
Shaun - sounds good!
hi sonia your mobail number
my nymber 01916008237