TONY ON LEFT ALONE
Posted by anthonynorth on June 20, 2009
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GURU TONY
Left Alone
Do you want to be left alone to get on with what you want? Are
you fed up of being told what to do? Most of us feel like this, but
the world crowds in on us. Yet what would it be like if we could
just do what we wanted? Left to our own devices, I suspect we’d
only find our desires. And we would soon get bored of those. And
the next destructive urge would be just around the corner.
My Columnists
Eye On the World
The ‘Y’ Files
BRIT NEWS: Official report of MPs
expenses released, mainly blacked out.
So much for freedom of information. Who do
they think they are?
CRIME NEWS: A UK trial is going ahead of 4 robbers without a
jury. The 4th trial, others were nobbled. Still no excuse to take
away jury. Shame.
GREEN NEWS: Report out of global warming effect
on UK. Lots more heatwaves by 2080. Rising
sea levels. Must prepare now, but
will we? Doubt it.
THE CRIME POST
It would be criminal not to read it
ASSIMILATION
If you want to join, be the same,
As we exist and acclaim,
Our way is how ‘we’ want to be,
No room for you, individually,
And listen kid: if you’re not in our gang,
You run the risk of us going: bang!
THE PERFECT CRIME
Fiction: It had happened before. Indeed, Brad had told Greg when
it was proposed that they wouldn’t get away with it. But Greg was
a good talker and it was decided that each would murder the other’s
problem. The appointed night came and Brad did the deed, solving
Greg’s problem. And at about the same time Greg got to work on
solving his. Mindst you, this proved much easier. One phone call
to the police was all it took.
VISION OF CRIME
I saw the murder, I saw it all,
Felt the pain, watched him fall,
‘Twas in a dream my vision came,
Including the cad who is to blame,
I saw him yesterday before going to bed,
To see him again, in the mirror, I dread
© Anthony North, June 2009
TONY’S MUSE on … BREAKFAST
Him Outside is trying Friday Questions for the first time. The question
today is: Are you a breakfast eater? If yes, what is your typical
breakfast? Well, he would love a full English every day – bacon, egg,
sausage, tomato – though he’d say no to black pudding. As it is, he
sticks to bacon (grilled) and egg (scrambled), with a bit of wholemeal
bread – and all on a little plate. Infact, he eats five little meals a day.
Never feeling hungry, never full, he’s been on this diet for years now,
and it is one of the best things he did to combat his cfs. Breakfast is,
of course, the most important meal of the day. Skip this and your
stomach is rumbling almost as soon as you start work; and you can
guarantee you’ll never catch up with the eating, no matter how much
you eat. Breakfast is, quite simply, the starting point for a diet. ‘Cos
sometimes, to really diet, you just have to eat right.
Quilly said
Left Alone — today on the radio they played an old Billy Joel song and I remember my cousin being funny and phoning in to the radio station and dedicating the record to her mom — who would never know because she doesn’t listen to that kind of music — only that day she happened to be driving my cousin’s car to the shop, and didn’t change the radio station. Dedicated to her, by her daughter, she heard:
I don’t need you to worry for me cause I’m alright
I don’t want you to tell me it’s time to come home
I don’t care what you say anymore, this is my life
Go ahead with your own life, and leave me alone
Assimilation — I taught in a high risk school in a high crime neighborhood. I went out one day and discovered my car had been tagged by the gang. One of my students said, “Miss, that’s good. That means the gang likes you and they’ll protect you.” I said, “No, Juan, that’s bad. It means every other gang will shoot at me!”
The Perfect Crime — no, no, no — that wouldn’t work. Greg has Brad arrested, and Brad tells all. Both still go to jail.
Vision of Crime — nice twist.
Musings on Breakfast — I was losing weight well when eating several small meals a day. I never got overly hungry so I never over ate. Now I am off that regimen and the weight is back.
anthonynorth said
Hi Quilly,
Oh dear, that was a bad radio moment. Loved what you said about the gang – so true; not literally of course
I’m not sure both would go to jail in the story. They may know it, but there’s no evidence. I think he’d get off.
I’ve been on that diet for about five years now. I decided that the only way to do it is for life. I couldn’t eat a big meal now.
Linda may said
G’Day Tony,
Left alone.
I was looking forwards to being left alone and becoming anonymous when I moved to a bigger place from a small town and soon learnt that I just became lonely. We all need people, even when we get busy sometimes we might think we want to be alone but we really don’t like it when we are. Or rather, I didn’t.
Linda may said
Opps! back again to add comment to assimilation.
No i don’t like that. I want to be an individual. At least I try to.
We are tempted to be one of the gang every day with clothes, fashions, behavior, keeping up with the Jones’s. I don’t like that.
SandyCarlson said
Thinking about wanting to be left alone to do as I please…. As summer vacation begins, I am caught between what I must do to earn some money (edit), what I want to do, and that greatest of pleasures, being with my daughter. Somehow the tension between these three things holds it all together for me. Creates structure.
Linda G said
Hi Anthony,
Funny you wrote about to be left alone & to assimilate. I’ve been thinking about both lately. Mainly the different types of personalities involved. Some people need to be around others & if they aren’t they feel lonely. Some people need to be alone & if they are around people too often they feel stressed. I have both types in my family & we don’t understand each other as well as we should. I fall into the latter group & some folk probably consider this way of life very selfish.
As for breakfast- I’ve never eaten it – but a brunch is ok. I actually get nauseous if I have to eat first thing in the morning & my Mom said I was this way as a child too. Strange.
anthonynorth said
Hi Linda,
Yes, being alone can be lonely, indeed. I’m not sure that the individual actually exists. As well as fashion, etc, drawing you into a crowd, we are very much defined by our culture, society, etc. We can only be ‘individual’ on these terms, I think.
Hi Sandy,
Yes, that structure is important – so very important.
anthonynorth said
Hi Linda,
I think I have a bit of both mentalities. I can be the life and soul of a party – cfs accepted – and also enjoy solitude. I really don’t know which one I lean towards most.
Of course, Jung argued that for true balance we need equal measure of extraversion and introversion. I guess I must be balanced
Linda G said
Hi Anthony,
I took a personality test based on Jungian principles at
http://www.mypersonality.info/personality-types/
On the day I took it I came out an ISFG (protector/guardian). As you like Jung also, you may enjoy taking the test- that’s how I was lured in.
anthonynorth said
Hi Linda,
I’ll have to give it a go. As for Jung, maybe one day he’ll get his rightful place in history. Once, we accept holism alongside specialisation, it will be almost guaranteed.
Twilight said
I’d not be thrilled to be left completely alone, but on the other hand I’d not be thrilled to be constantly part of a madding crowd or demanding group of any kind. One-on-one, side by side is my ideal, with only occasional crowd scenes…..oh, and yoghurt and banana for breakfast.
Your Crime News about the trial without jury sounds like fodder for a TV drama!
James said
im a INTJ – The “Strategist”
anthonynorth said
Hi Twilight,
Yes, that about sums me up I suppose – apart from the choice of breakfast
The trial will be terrible. Yes, they’ve had problems protecting the jury, but this is not impossible. The jury is such a vital part of freedom, and even in such exceptional circumstances it should not be done. ‘Cos next time it won’t be quite so exceptional – and in no time at all it will be common place.
Hi James,
A thoughtful mind, then – planner. Do you play chess?
Lilibeth said
Whatever is nobbled?
anthonynorth said
Hi Lilibeth,
Obviously a Brit term. It means people associated with the robbers have got to jury members, threatened them, etc.
Selma said
I wonder what would happen if some of us were left to our own devices. Would our baser natures come to the fore? Or would we be better off for it? You pose a very interesting question there!
lucy said
hi Ant..cute SS!
im off to have a look at your other bits of fun..
Jamie said
Read up on the trial without a jury. Fascinating that the connections are such that the safety of the jurors and/or their families could not be guaranteed to prevent tampering.
KB said
At times, I crave a little solitude. Time on my own rejuvinates me and helps me deal better with the other people around me later on.
anthonynorth said
Hi Selma,
Thanks for that. I suppose the answer depends on the mentality and strengths of the experiencer.
Hi Lucy,
Many thanks. And I hope you enjoy yourself
Hi Jamie,
In my view the tampering is due to failures by the police. Over recent years a new politically correct hierarchy has taken over and they’re more interested in tampering in society than getting on with their real job. And English justice is suffering because of it.
Hi KB,
Yes, I share a similar view myself.
The Dark Lord said
Loved your poem… assimilation..
It has a charmingly brisk pace and oodles of wry humor!
anthonynorth said
Hi The Dark Lord,
Thanks for the kind words, and welcome.
Sandy said
So nice to be past the point of worrying about fitting in!
AD said
when ever i come here i sure am expected to have my jaw dropped and yet again
wonder experience readin it
Click Here For My Scribbling
sue said
like your take on “assimilation” — even when willing to assimilate new comers are not always welcome!
anthonynorth said
Hi Sandy,
I think it comes as we mature – less to prove, I suppose.
Hi AD,
Thanks for the lovely comment. Always appreciated
Hi Sue,
Many thanks. This is quite true.
Beth Patterson said
Anthony–
Really liked your assimilation poem–it fits with mine, so it has to be good, right? How’s that for assimilation…
And your ‘left alone’ dialectic hit home as well. Your muse is telling tales, did you know that? You might want to shorten her leash, or assimilate her or something. Smiles!
anthonynorth said
Hi Beth,
My muse is an uncontrollable little beast
The point in your comment is obviously a case of great minds, and all that.
Quietpaths said
Well, mine too so how is that? this kind of assimilation occurs on the grand scale and in the micro I’m believe.
anthonynorth said
Hi Quietpaths,
It seems quite a few of us are as one today
SandyCarlson said
Your assimilation poem offers insight into the nature of intolerance. Assimilation as survival skill.
Fledgling Poet said
Very clever, as always…I really enjoyed your Vision of Crime. And I completely agree with your thoughts about breakfast/eating habits. :~)
anthonynorth said
Hi Sandy,
Indeed. It is often like that unfortunately.
Hi Fledgling Poet,
Thanks for that. Yes, I’m a big breakfast person.
quinbrowne said
you manage to get so much said every day… amazing.
anthonynorth said
Hi Quin,
A very kind comment. Many thanks.
Maggie said
At times it is puzzling how a wonderful different person wants to change just to be part of a “gang”
and is satisfied to just play, (follow the leader)…
anthonynorth said
Hi Maggie,
Indeed, but peer pressure – culture itself – is a powerful thing. So easy to redefine us, unless we remain very strong.
Dee said
ASSIMILATION – so sad that we live in a world where people would rather belong to something like that than stand alone.
THE PERFECT CRIME – cool twist!
VISION OF CRIME – no escaping from that is there
Oatmeal. Everyday…
Carry On Tuesday #5 and SS #168
anthonynorth said
Hi Dee,
Thanks for the comment. Yes, social pressure almost demands conformity – so sad, really.
Tumblewords said
Strong Assimilation piece – it’s more truth than not, isn’t it? What strangeness humans carry.
Tammie said
assimilation: a well written poem on a face of humanity that I have often struggled with.
gabrielle said
Here we have the Fed refusing to tell us where whom and how much they gave to the banks. They just can’t remember or it’s a security risk. They will get back to us.
Assimilation – conformity and the lure of the pack. I have a teenager and it’s painful to watch.
Lunch is breakfast.
Always such a thought provoking read. Thank you!
anthonynorth said
Hi Tumblewords,
I often think it’s our strangeness which defines us most.
Hi Tammie,
Thanks for that. Yes, sometimes it gets difficult.
Hi Gabrielle,
Many thanks. My wife and I brought up 7 kids, so we know those teenage years very well.
Edward S. Gault said
Assimilation appears to be a rough business!
Enjoyable poem!
anthonynorth said
Hi Edward,
Thanks for that. Obviously I’ve had too much influence from the Borg