Pedigree

Recently I have started building a family tree on ancestry.co.uk .  It's turning out to be a lot of fun.  One view is called your pedigree, like a prize bull or a Crufts winner.  What is fascinating to me is that I am naturally predisposed to having an affinity with the name McDermott, my father's name, his father's name etc. My great grandparents, the earliest was born around 1880 and the most recent died in 1978 (I met at least two of them), like most peoples' great grandparents they had 8 different birth names.  Each of these names is as influential on me as McDermott, so for posterity here they are:

McDermott  "a famous royal and noble Irish surname"  :-P

Gladden  "the Old English C.7th word "gloed", probably means 'the people of the merry, joyful one'"

Sherman  "this famous surname is English, it was originally an occupational surname for a cloth-finisher" 

Chambers  "is of French origin, and is an occupational name for an officer charged with the management of his lord's private living quarters"

East  "is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is derived from the Olde English pre C.7th "east", east, and is topographical for someone who lived in the east"

Chawner  "of early medieval English origin, and is an occupational surname for a maker or seller of blankets"

Bowyer "an English occupational name for one who made or sold bows"

Atkinson "This famous surname is regarded as being of Anglo-Scottish origins, although with Norman antecedents - Son of Adam"

So purely on the origins of my great grand parents' surnames I am, 12.5% Irish, 62.5% English/Anglo Saxon and 25.0% Norman/French. 

Share and share alike

An interesting phrase, so obvious in meaning that you don’t have to think about it. This weekend I have been moved to think about sharing. In a previous blog I touched on “The Tragedy of the Commons” and “Enlightened Self Interest”, so philosophically at least I am familiar with the concept of sharing and sharing often being in one’s own best interest. I like to think of my self as a generous person, I never shy from the bar on entering a pub with a group; I like to make sure all people have their fair share or pay their fair cost. So why then, when I am asked to share a small piece of desert with my wife, am I moved to say “no”?

Logically this makes no sense, I bought a piece of caramel shortbread on Friday larger than I would normally have and when my wife asked if she could share a bit, my instant reaction was, “if I’d known that, I would have bought two pieces”. Clearly working on the premise that I would eat any of hers that she was unable to finish but ignoring the fact that the small 10% of the total piece that she was asking for was probably the same amount as the surplus on my piece over the average size – having indicated to the shop assistant to give me the largest visible piece. Obviously my life partner and mentor took the opportunity to explain my mistake and much later, when I had calmed down, I did feel the incongruity between my response to this request and my belief in Enlightened Self Interest. It is probably an infant behaviour pattern that has not yet evolved a more appropriate response mechanism in adulthood. Yes, I admit it, I was being a child.

Grand National on Saturday

I’ve just picked us a horse each at random from a sweepstake for the Grand National on Saturday!

Will	Big Fella Thanks    (8-1)
Dad (Jim)	Vic Venturi   (20-1)
Mum (Anne)	Backstage (25-1)
Ellie	Eric’s Charm (40-1)

Prizes 1^st £24 , 2^nd £10,  3^rd £4 , 4^th £2

Good luck McD’s J

It's a real weepy

I went to see Avatar with the family at the weekend.  I couldn't help a "Wossy" style review on Twitter trying to apply for the role of Film 2010 host.  I still haven't read any reviews or any hype, I confess I actually thought it was something to do with a TV series that the kids watch and I have joined them occasionally.  In fact it tuned out to be a fabulous movie and not related to the TV show at all.  I feel that my response to the movie will be forever affected by one particular factor, that moved me so profoundly that I need to, "share with the group".

Not long after my daughter was born she developed a lazy-eye and a squint.  She was very young when she was diagnosed primarily due to the vigilance and professionalism of the GP Surgery.  This is her when she was in the middle of patching.  A practice that in some cases can correct the problem.  In Ellie's case it didn't and ultimately she needed surgery.  In the lead up to the surgery, a traumatic experience for any parent, we were advised that Ellie would never have binocular vision.  Her plans to be an airline pilot were thrown in to chaos but more importantly as a parent we were quite shocked that she would have a lasting permanent effect due to our intervention.

We had that unenviable situation of choosing the lesser of two evils.  Over the years we have not made an issue of this deficiency in her vision, but in the main we have avoided buying "Magic Eye" books or going to 3D movies.  Avatar was in 3D.  We agonised and debated over the best approach - should we avoid making her feel different, will she get upset with everyone else going ooohh arrrrhhh?  We weren't sure and in the end decided that we would explain the potential deficiency in her vision and then hope she could cope with the movie and want to give it a go.  She did.

So the movie starts, I note that its not the same as the TV show and get thumped by one of the kids and soon we settle back in to an auditory and visual extravaganza.  All the time my wife and I have one eye on Ellie to see her response.  The story starts to evolve and, as I said on Twitter, its clearly a modern day parable extolling Eco awareness.  In fact it is truly stunning visually and you soon find yourself absorbed in to the characters.  We reached one part where we began to experience the elemental presence of nature as some supreme force for good.  It was moving and slightly emotional, as spores from the tree of life were floating all around, they were literally (apparently would be more accurate) all around us and then in the soft light, with the pleasant tones of the melodic sound track caressing us, Ellie reached up and tried to grab one of the spores.

Gulp, I'm crying again writing this.  Whats wrong with me I'm 41 and I seem to be loosing control of my emotions.  Yes my daughter has 3D vision.  Either binocular or more likely she has developed sophisticated coping mechanisms that allow her to perceive 3D.  Either way she is able to make the most of the new wave of 3D entertainment that will come our way this year.  I shall probably have to return to Sky HD in the near future.  BT have got me for 12 more months!