It was hot on Sunday morning. It was, in fact, so hot that neither Jacqueline nor I felt like going out birdwatching. We instead went to the walled garden of the Poets House Hotel in Ely and drank coffee, after coffee, after coffee, and just talked.
There is a joke within our relationship that when I asked Jacqueline out, I asked her if she "wanted to continue this conversation over dinner", and the conversation has never ended since then. There is a lot of truth in that.
One consequence of that conversation appeared yesterday, here. Another is a three-part series on pedagogy that I began on Substack this morning, because that feels like the place where a discussion of this sort belongs.
Let me provide some background, though. Within the next week or so, I will celebrate 20 years as a blogger. I have now been creating content on YouTube for more than two years, and in both cases, the exceptional nature of this publishing is that the content is produced daily. Our research suggests that I might be one of only a handful or so of people in the world to have done that for twenty years.
Despite that, the process of writing and producing content has never become routine. There is no fixed formula for how or why I produce material on any given day.
Sometimes it is an obvious reaction to events.
On other occasions, and this morning provides an example, the content arises because of issues that I have been thinking about. That, right now, seems particularly important when so much of the news agenda, serious as it often is, appears tediously predictable and devoid of hope.
The discussion on this occasion did, amongst other things, focus upon where inspiration comes from and what motivates it. That is the basis for this series, which will be published over the next week. It is an attempt on my part, more than ably assisted by Jacqueline, who has observed and quietly contributed to this process over the years, to both explain and understand what makes me want to present material to you each and every morning.
The first article in the series is entitled “Ooh, it makes me wonder”. Given that I know many readers here are of a certain age, the origin of that line requires little explanation, but it was, in fact, almost the first input I made into our conversation, and it is appropriate that it is the focus of the first article because it describes where this process begins, and why.
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Definitely of a certain era. What a lovely description of how your relationship started and still is. I can’t help thinking that if we had more such partnerships our world would be a happier place.
Much of what we are missing with neoliberalism is deep long-term strategic thinking. I believe it is coming back, but not in mainstream. We need people like Zack able to connect with deep thinkers and translate the ideas into workable policies and communicate them in a way the public can understand. I see what you do a bit like what my scientific research colleagues did when I worked at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology developing models that fed into EA flood forecasting models etc. Often trialling and verifying new ideas before looking at anything operational. We need to allow ideas to flow and be mulled over before they can be formed into policy.
Much to agree with and thank you
I have always thought that the proper and important role for politicians is to explain and promote to the general populace the ideas and recommendations of experts. Sadly, over the past few decades politicians have begun to imagine that they are the experts. The reach of control facilitated by the Internet has exacerbated that problem. Let’s hope that Polanski starts to revert that trend; on present showing that could be possible.
“Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run there’s still time to change the road you’re on”
Oooh, yeah! Ooh, ooH, Yeah! Ah yes, I remember it well.
I’m a few months younger than you and one of my great regrets is that I have no photograph of myself at the time (I was 20 or 21 and both tall and skinny) when I had my long hair permed to look remarkably like Robert Plant, if only for a few days.
In later life my job was to be one of the first people to teach the engineers experienced in analogue broadcasting the new and mysterious world of digital TV and radio. I particularly noted in your piece today the words “What does happen in that case, and what I notice when something I have written or said seems to have landed, is that someone’s certainty has shifted.” I liked to start my standard lecture on the wonders of transmitting digital information by wireless telegraphy with the words “Today I’m going to prove two things. One, the speed of light is pathetically slow, and two, in our world there is no such thing as digits”. That usually got people’s attention and questioned their certainty just enough to keep them awake for at least the beginning of what I had to say.
Enough from me. Nostalgia’s not what it used to .
🙂
Why is there a Stairway to Heaven but a Highway to Hell
There is a metaphor somewhere………..
All roads to ruin are paved with gold. Getting out of the cave requires climbing. Which is rather different thing than walking a road. Ladders, ropes and stairs are all valid. We gotta get out of this place … There is a better life for me and you … I know it … You know it.
@John Boxal
In a possible answer to your question, as Jesus says in Matthew 7, vv 13-14
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
I’d suggest those who speak of “a Stairway to Heaven but a Highway to Hell” have possibly subconsciously had this striking saying in mind.
Thanks
“Then I saw that there was a way to hell even from the gates of heaven” John Bunyan, Pilgrims Progress.
Reform / Restore = raising flags along a Highway To Hell
Green/SNP/Plaid = maybe not a Stairway To Heaven, but possibly a stepladder at least…
Lab/Cons/LibDem = determinedly on a Road To Nowhere…
🙂
Whilst I would be reluctant to say the original could be improved on, this version by Heart with Jason Bonham (John’s son) on drums along with a full gospel choir is absolutely brilliant:
https://youtu.be/LFxOaDeJmXk?si=aMLPGGPZJLrkYWSu
Thank you for all you do and all your content for which I for one am most grateful – I am now a much more enlightened amateur than if it were not for this blog.
Many thansk – and I much enjoyed watching that
As a ‘Zeppelin fan it makes sense to me, although Robert Plant’s well known taxman rant at a gig put me off them a bit for a while.
My favourite is ‘In the Light’ from Physical Graffiti – a wicked discordant mystical riff to learn on an album full of wicked riffs.
But – thinking of the women in our lives as you are, may I recommend In Through the Out Door’s ‘I’m Gonna Crawl’ – a lovely, slow rock waltz and a tribute to our better halves everywhere.
Very good. I have not heard that for years.
Ah, 1971. I was 20. The music was amazing. I thought it would always be that way.
Indeed
Oh, well. In for a penny……… Back to being serious after this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6mhze8a3Pk