Month: June 2024

Flat Earthers

Ian Hunter1 Comment

I had a brief encounter with FaceBook

for a few years I was part of this community

collecting friends and liking their posts

but then I became disillusioned

I did not appreciate the way my feed was being manipulated

algorithms were deciding what I should see

with the sole objective of keeping my attention

so they could push more ads into my feed

at first I just stopped posting but then I stopped reading

next I deleted facebook from my phone and computer

eventually I closed my account

it was a great relief to break free

now I make my own choices of what to see

its not just FaceBook that uses algorithms

YouTube does the same thing

using artificial intelligence to determine what keeps you interested

this might be harmless for the majority of the population 

but its a different story for individuals with strange beliefs

without social media these people generally remain isolated

they typically browse the internet for conspiracy theories

algorithms feed them more conspiracies 

eventually they latch onto one like believing the earth is flat

these individuals find comfort in joining a community of flat earthers

research has shown that most flat earthers stumbled upon the conspiracy via social media

what kind of world are we creating for our children and grandchildren?

Fire pit

Ian HunterLeave a comment

fire pit 

hypnotic attraction

dancing flames

changing patterns

bright colors 

intoxicating heat 

crackling fire 

billowing smoke

sit close

feel heat

smell burning

watch flames

bring friends

drink wine

play music

sing songs

feed fire

tell stories

tall tales

nocturnal ritual

totally spiritual

fire dies

flames subside

heat gone

wine finished

bed time

fall asleep

vivid dreams

dancing flames

satanic rituals

virgin sacrifice

burning flesh

evil spirits

wake up

cold sweat

burning aroma

smell clothes

smoke reek

collateral damage

wash everything

dreams forgotten

fire pit

Lets play ball in the park

Ian HunterLeave a comment

a boy walked down a busy city street

staying very close to his mother

clutching the ball tightly

on their way to play in the park

cars buses and trucks noisily sped by 

the boy was oblivious to the traffic

his mind was fixed on playing ball in the park

his mother took a call on her cell phone

the ball slipped from the boys hands

he stopped walking as the ball went down

it struck his foot and bounced up in an ark

the ball was heading for the road

everything went into slow motion

the boy reached out towards the ball

he was stepping towards the road

his eyes focused solely on the ball

his mother was talking on the phone

but for some reason her instincts kicked in 

she spun round and saw the ball in the air

and her son following it towards the road

she lurched towards the boy

grabbing the hood of his coat

pulling him back away from the road

they both spun round and fell in a heap

as they sat on the sidewalk 

they both watched the ball in slow motion

it bounced once in the road

then landed under the wheel of a passing truck

a loud bang signaled its total destruction

the shredded remains smashed into the road

the boy looked deep into his mothers eyes

they went shopping for a new ball

A recipe for making memories with good friends

Ian HunterLeave a comment

Taking fresh the scallops from the fridge

Rinsing them before gently patting dry

Delicately seasoning with salt and fresh ground pepper

Squeezing the juice from a whole orange

Cutting another into thin slices

Shaving the zest off the orange peel

Peeling a few cloves of garlic

Heating a well loved cast iron frying pan

Adding a splash of extra virgin olive oil

Waiting until the oil is super hot

Tossing in the scallops quickly 

Listening to the rapid sizzle

Searing them quickly on both sides

Pulling them out to set aside

Tossing in the garlic and browning it

Stirring in a few shots of rum

Deglazing the pan as the alcohol burns off

Adding the orange juice and a chunk of butter

Sprinkling in the orange zest

Turning down the heat as it reduces

Putting the scallops back in for a few seconds

Adding a few chili flakes for good measure

Scooping everything into a beautiful serving dish

Adding a dash of orange zest just for fun

Decorating with chopped parsley and orange slices

Squeezing a fresh lemon over the entire dish

Serving to smiling happy faces

Bringing rice and vegetables to the table

Pouring a fine wine in acute anticipation

Breathing in the exploding citrous aroma

Taking that first bite with eyes almost closed

The party in the mouth begins

Soft fleshy scallop meat with seared edges

Dancing with the juicy citrus orange sauce

The garlic and chili flakes demand to be noticed

Chewing releases more flavors

The wine starts flowing and the conversation flows faster

Making memories with good friends

where did the silence go

Ian Hunter1 Comment

Sometimes you just want silence

Escape from all the noise

Turn off the radio

Close all the windows

Lower the blinds

As you get closer to silence

Even the quietest noise becomes deafening

Clock ticks like a drum

Airplanes scream from the skies

The phone rings like a firehouse alarm bell

Somebody is hammering next door

Its not going to work

Fill the bath with water

Put in earplugs

Submerge your head

Noise still travels through water

Strange muffled sounds but still no silence

Desperate to breathe

You consider your options

Drown in the bathwater

Or drown in the intense noise outside

You wait until your lungs are imploding

Your breath sounds like a hurricane

Loud noises fill your head

Close your eyes and it gets louder

You decide on a new strategy

Stop listening and ignore all the noises

It works for a short while

Until your thoughts start shouting inside your head

Summer meadow

Ian HunterLeave a comment

In the heart of summer lies a meadow so grand

Where wildflowers bloom and butterflies prance

The sun shines bright gently warming the land

As nature puts on a glorious vibrant dance

The grass sways gently in the warm breeze

A symphony of green and gold

The air filled with the buzzing of bees

Nature’s beauty to behold

Birds sing sweetly from the trees

Their melodies filling the air with natural sounds

A harmonious chorus that carries on the breeze

An orchestral delight to entertain these grounds

The meadow is alive with colors so bright

Purples, yellows, reds, and blues

A masterpiece painted in the soft light

A canvas of nature’s vibrant hues

Children laugh and play in the meadow so inviting,

Running through the fields of pure green grass

Their joyous shouts explode like thunder and lightening

A picture of innocence you could never surpass

As the sun begins to set in the west

Casting a golden shroud over the meadow

Nature’s beauty at its very best

A sight that will forever in your mind’s eye echo

In the summer meadow time stands still

A moment of peace and tranquility

A place where nature works its will

A sanctuary of harmony and serenity

So here’s to the summer meadow so sweet

A place of beauty and grace

Where nature’s wonders all meet

A precious enchanting magical space

cosmic dust

Ian HunterLeave a comment

Billions of years ago a huge cloud of cosmic dust wandered around The universe

These dust particles joined together and became so big they collapsed into a star we call the sun

Dust clouds swirled around the sun and eventually condensed into planets including the one we call earth

Chemicals in the atmosphere combined when lightening struck forming the building blocks for living organisms

Through evolution, many life forms thrived and a species we call humans emerged

Today we occupy almost every part of earth consuming its resources to generate energy for warmth and growing food to nourish us

Eight Billion people now live on this planet, many in poor conditions without access to clean water or a sustained food supply

Every day 100,000 new babies are born and 50,000 people pass away

Future generations will face big challenges as the world population grows

Wherever you are today take a few moments to marvel at the miracle of your journey from cosmic dust to a living being

Take a few deep breaths, be humble, smile then hug somebody

 

think about this when you wake up tomorrow

Ian HunterLeave a comment

upon waking there is a very brief moment 

when consciousness replaces dreaming

you regain control over your thoughts

after surrendering them during sleep

there is that short period of realization

of who and where you are now

perhaps some relief from your bad dream

or regret that your good dream had to end abruptly

to be truly at peace with yourself

and to wake up smiling every day

you must let your consciousness be free to come and go

without anxiety or fear of whats on the other side

Thought for the day on aging

Ian HunterLeave a comment

When I was young, anybody over 50 was considered old

60 was very old and 70 was ancient

I can remember my 60 year old grandfather sitting in a chair drinking tea

I never saw him moving around

He just sat in a chair all day like a very old person

My views on age have changed significantly as I have matured

I cycle with guys in their 70’s and 80’s who are true athletes

They train hard and cycle over 100 miles every week

I socialize with interesting folks who travel extensively and seek adventures well into their 80’s

A few years ago I saw Fleetwood Mac in concert

Most of the long serving band members are in their 70’s but they jumped around that stage like teenagers

The massive screens showed them all to be smiling and having fun, why else would they be performing on the road after many decades

I am not a rock star but I have no desire to spend the rest of my life sitting in a chair drinking tea

Wherever you are and whatever your birth date, I wish you an active, meaningful and productive day

No cable

Ian HunterLeave a comment

We had a contractor digging in our yard today

He was carefully avoiding the areas marked for utilities

Then he cut through our cable for TV and internet

He showed me the markings were over 2 feet away

The cable company said they will repair the broken cable tomorrow

Having no cable means we have no wifi, internet or TV

You forget how much you rely on these things

Until they suddenly disappear

I could not upload anything from my laptop

Our music streaming went down

We could no longer access any smart devices from our phones

The security cameras went offline

We had to cancel video chats with family

I had to write this post on my phone and upload it through a cellular network

My efforts to incorporate and image of the broken cable all ended in failure and error messages

I do hope we get normal service resumed soon