Ace of Pentacles. Money. The ongoing thread of it in this life; the ongoing, evolving relationship; as in fear of, desire for, puritan attitudes about it. Denial of desire for, because of judgements. Expectations of what is right and wrong about getting it. Expectations and judgements about what is right and wrong about the use of it. Status connections. Judgements and expectations regarding

moola are mind-boggling in their encyclopaedic enormity. Nothing wrong with money, surely, nothing intrinsically? It's all down to attitude. People make a religion of getting gelt, put certain others on a pedestal for choosing to deny themselves much of it. Fear of it, well, fear of making a ballocks of dealing with the stuff, not having any. Grew up with parents who went hungry because of lack, before the British welfare state really kicked in; and they passed the ideas that developed, because of those experiences around, onto me I suppose. All those notions of the moral way to get it. Ideas about class, income level, occupation, but it’s wrong to make it an end in itself, having it; and it’s wrong to want to much, well actually its wrong to want; and then over and above that, the idea that it really is incorrect to spend anything its absolutely necessary; and then if you can do without, without stealing, do without. To not save money is a form of evil that can only result in an eternity in the flames of hell, and of course the wonderful idea that’s present in society that people with lots of money are superior to people with less, although folk who are bohemian can get away with not having much. Something I’ve pondered before, but as always these days , as soon as I start writing something I’m staring into a sea of notions that are attached. God I've opened a door in me by writing this short piece.

Two of Pentacles. Such a pleasing image, to me, the light and space, and despite science-fiction imagery it reads as completely plausible, although of course isn't. Wonder if some one whose that physically capable, has that commitment to learning to balance in that way, carries that into life, carries that poise into living. My inclination would be to say yes, but it's considered surmise, although to exercise

considered surmise and be aware that one is doing so is balanced. On a bus one Sunday afternoon, with a longstanding friend, the bus stopped, because of the traffic, by a spot in the city, which is much favoured by skateboarders ( Seems to me reasonable to connect this particular version of the Two of pentacles to skaters). Well the area was teeming with them, all teenage lads; and I was waxing enthusiastic about skating, then suddenly realised I saw all manner of admirable qualities in them. Dedication, commitment, balance, and exercising and development of a skill, the sort of skills that might be exercised, developed for a circus. You know, tumblers, jugglers, tight rope walkers. Turns out my friend had been an enthusiastic skater as a teenager and he’s one of life's good eggs, although I don't know if there’s a connection between his good eggary and the fact that he was a skater.

Not long after, I read an article, (apologise for not being able to quote the source. Can't find it online. ) an interim study which suggested that low key and major crime ratios amongst these kids was considerably lower than amongst non skater's. Call them baby urban Zen warriors and reckon most of them are at worse, well some of them don't always seem to know when and where to stop. Good to see spontaneous meditation happening so early in life. Good luck guys.

Three of Pentacles. Have been part of the world of art, as a practitioner, for so long that the mystique has gone (although I remain engaged.), but this image, for a moment, threw me to that place I inhabited before I took up painting, when I was in awe of artists and craftspeople. Always seemed such a glamorous and exciting pursuit , and realise now that I, we, see, saw the artist

from outside, and in a relationship, in relationships with an audience. Being an artist from inside is not like that ( Musicians, classical artists, work with orchestras mostly, but not exclusively. Rock musicians work with others mostly but not exclusively, work for large audiences.) but painting and writing are solitary pursuits and there is little direct interaction with spectators. Had no way of knowing, taking up art, and writing; (both came after meditation began), was to start down a road that's got further and further away from what I will, for the sake of speed, call the mainstream world ( The world of extraversion, that revolves around holding down a 9 to 5 job and probably going regularly to a pub or bar.) Was a very sociable guy, when younger, before meditation, before art came to this life, and took ages to come to terms with the drive to explore these, new to me, activities, and the pull of the old life; a life which had lost its flavour, which had given me so much of a sense of identity, such a sense of place and in which I had come to feel so stifled. Meditation, art and writing are a lone road and extraordinarily fulfilling, have coloured life since, led me down unexplored, by me, avenues, near to , but not in, the psychological co-dependent city I once inhabited. ( se quote below) It happened once that a Chinese master had an American It happened once that a Chinese master had an American It happened once that a Chinese master had an American It happened once that a Chinese master had an American disciple. When the disciple was going back the master gave him a present,disciple. When the disciple was going back the master gave him a present,disciple. When the disciple was going back the master gave him a present,disciple. When the disciple was going back the master gave him a present, a a a a small carved wooden box, and he said, "One condition always has to be small carved wooden box, and he said, "One condition always has to be small carved wooden box, and he said, "One condition always has to be small carved wooden box, and he said, "One condition always has to be followed; if you give this box to somebody else, then tfollowed; if you give this box to somebody else, then tfollowed; if you give this box to somebody else, then tfollowed; if you give this box to somebody else, then the condition has to be he condition has to be he condition has to be he condition has to be fulfilled. Promise... because I have been fulfilling this promise, and this is not a fulfilled. Promise... because I have been fulfilling this promise, and this is not a fulfilled. Promise... because I have been fulfilling this promise, and this is not a fulfilled. Promise... because I have been fulfilling this promise, and this is not a new thing, it's a venew thing, it's a venew thing, it's a venew thing, it's a very ancient thing and for many, many generations the ry ancient thing and for many, many generations the ry ancient thing and for many, many generations the ry ancient thing and for many, many generations the condition has been fulfilled."condition has been fulfilled."condition has been fulfilled."condition has been fulfilled." The disciple said, "I will fulfil it." It was such a beautiful thing, so valuable, so The disciple said, "I will fulfil it." It was such a beautiful thing, so valuable, so The disciple said, "I will fulfil it." It was such a beautiful thing, so valuable, so The disciple said, "I will fulfil it." It was such a beautiful thing, so valuable, so ancient, he said, "Whatsoever the conditioancient, he said, "Whatsoever the conditioancient, he said, "Whatsoever the conditioancient, he said, "Whatsoever the condition...."n...."n...."n...." The master said, "The condition is simple: you have to keep it in your house The master said, "The condition is simple: you have to keep it in your house The master said, "The condition is simple: you have to keep it in your house The master said, "The condition is simple: you have to keep it in your house

facing east. And this has always been done, so be respectful to the tradition."facing east. And this has always been done, so be respectful to the tradition."facing east. And this has always been done, so be respectful to the tradition."facing east. And this has always been done, so be respectful to the tradition." The disciple said, "This is very simple, I will do it."The disciple said, "This is very simple, I will do it."The disciple said, "This is very simple, I will do it."The disciple said, "This is very simple, I will do it." But when he put the box facing east, then he came to understand that it was But when he put the box facing east, then he came to understand that it was But when he put the box facing east, then he came to understand that it was But when he put the box facing east, then he came to understand that it was very difficult, because his whole arrangement in thevery difficult, because his whole arrangement in thevery difficult, because his whole arrangement in thevery difficult, because his whole arrangement in the drawing room became drawing room became drawing room became drawing room became absurd. That box facing east would not adjust. So he had to change the absurd. That box facing east would not adjust. So he had to change the absurd. That box facing east would not adjust. So he had to change the absurd. That box facing east would not adjust. So he had to change the whole arrangement of the drawing roowhole arrangement of the drawing roowhole arrangement of the drawing roowhole arrangement of the drawing room to be harmonious with the box. But m to be harmonious with the box. But m to be harmonious with the box. But m to be harmonious with the box. But then the whole house became absurd, so then he had to change the whole then the whole house became absurd, so then he had to change the whole then the whole house became absurd, so then he had to change the whole then the whole house became absurd, so then he had to change the whole house. Then the gardhouse. Then the gardhouse. Then the gardhouse. Then the garden became absurd! Then he felt exhausted. He wrote to en became absurd! Then he felt exhausted. He wrote to en became absurd! Then he felt exhausted. He wrote to en became absurd! Then he felt exhausted. He wrote to the master: "This box is dangerous! I will have to change the whole world the master: "This box is dangerous! I will have to change the whole world the master: "This box is dangerous! I will have to change the whole world the master: "This box is dangerous! I will have to change the whole world -------- because if I also change my garden, then next it will be the neighbourhood...." because if I also change my garden, then next it will be the neighbourhood...." because if I also change my garden, then next it will be the neighbourhood...." because if I also change my garden, then next it will be the neighbourhood...." And he was a man of sensitivity, that's why hAnd he was a man of sensitivity, that's why hAnd he was a man of sensitivity, that's why hAnd he was a man of sensitivity, that's why he felt like this. e felt like this. e felt like this. e felt like this. OshoOshoOshoOsho The Mustard Seed: My Most Loved Gospel on JesusThe Mustard Seed: My Most Loved Gospel on JesusThe Mustard Seed: My Most Loved Gospel on JesusThe Mustard Seed: My Most Loved Gospel on Jesus Chapter #11Chapter #11Chapter #11Chapter #11 Chapter title: Choose the EternalChapter title: Choose the EternalChapter title: Choose the EternalChapter title: Choose the Eternal

Four of Pentacles. God you’re a miserable looking so and you’re backed into a corner. Is their a connection? Back against the wall, protecting your possessions, protecting yourself and your money and possessions with money. The idea floats that you were bullied as a lad. Did you bring it on yourself, was it because you were different?. Came across a guy on the Internet a

year or so who gave me the impression of someone who would have been picked on, but also of an individual who wasn't so much bullied as expected abject submission from those around him, at a very young age, and his victims got together and saw him off. Can look back at those days, see so much of that stuff is no big deal. All part of tumble and rough of life, growing up, learning, preparing for next thing. Not that I knew that then, and on reflection some children, kids, did seem to instinctively know how to handle life more readily than others. (However I am recalling that some of those who did seem to get through school easily and looked like when they left everything would fall into their laps, made a mess of things, and kids who seemed to flounder pulled it all together magnificently later, so there you go!) Attended eleven schools and even more addresses, which coloured my outlook. Grew up making far too much of a lot of small things than was necessary. Oddly enough the mother was moved from school to school, seven times, and is much the same. Also got something out of it, a facility for moving on, letting go. Useful ability in these times. Hadn’t ever been involved with anyone, apart from immediate family, for more than three years until I was about twenty seven or twenty eight years old, but there is no such thing as a life as it should be, only the life we get.

Five of Pentacles. How did it ever come about that we had so many people in the UK, and more particularly, here where I live, people who I, we now recognise as homeless, because they sell the 'Big Issue', because of the way they behave, because of the way they look, because we see them with 'Big Issue' sellers, people who are apparently homeless or so lacking in life skills they have no roof over their heads, and even more to the point, it's become

normal, so much a part of the way city life is, and obviously much the same in other cities and towns. Been going on for about 15 years, in a very noticeable way. Occurs to me that what made these guys so visible was the introduction of the 'Big Issue' (magazine for homeless folk to sell). They were always around, but unseen. Often get the impression of them, that despite the hardship of living as they do, they have something going that’s positive and seen unconsciously or otherwise, as positive to them. Get the impression they have a sense of belonging, to a tribe. They seem to me to look out for each other and I just realised what it is I’ve seen in them. They interact in the way nurses do. Nurses in hospitals are so used to being surrounded by an ever changing stream of patients they behave as though what went on between them was behind closed doors. Irving Goffman in his book 'Presentation of Self in everyday life'. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Presentation-Self-Everyday-Life/dp/0385094027/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228050946&sr=8-1 refers to this as backstage life, and nurses and homeless people live their backstage life in front of others. Don't feel condemning of them, but it's hard for me to get it, and I am someone who's fallen on his arse over many things, many times and learnt from it. I, like so many left my parents home not long after leaving school, moved into a flat, then got on with looking after myself. Learnt to cook, get the laundry done, manage money and keep my pace clean. Skills I, like many I guess, take completely for granted. Invaluable life skills, life enhancing basic skills. Had a brief spell in my early twenties when I got rather bogged down over money, but it was brief, and didn't involve much, although at the time I reacted as if it was the end of the world and then that was it, the nearest I’ve ever come to such difficulties.

Six of Pentacles. A fashion victim, although it might be interesting to have a few individuals on the streets dressed like this. Would brighten the world. People generally, and men in particular, don't wear enough colour. The image is obviously a variation of the Waite Smith version, but for me celebrity dealing with supplicant devotees is its present and immediate message.

Is the celebrity thing actually any different to how it’s always been, or is it just the media becoming aware of its own awareness of celebrity, and consequently making even more fuss than ever? They are almost treated the way royalty were in the Fifties, the same but different, because royalty wasn't abused in those days, although there are so many of them ( celebrity royals) it's really strange they have such mystique. I mean they are 'Ten a penny.' Got into a lift in a hotel in my twenties with a celebrity, a big British name. I pretended I hadn't noticed him, being so cool, whereas he smiled at everyone, well the other three people. Ha ha, and on another occasion saw a film star who I thought the sun shone out of, from my schooldays; and couldn't restrain me from saying something to him. Was extremely apologetic, concerned about intruding, but he was friendly and seemed genuinely pleased at my pleasure in meeting him and getting to talk. Then most recently the Conservative party conference was in the city and I saw a lot of people I recognised. Politicians and television types. Many of whom were younger than I; and I just felt a bit detached from them, didn't see them as high status or anything in the way I suppose I might have when younger. I, of course, have a lot of respect for my own opinions, which includes an awareness of the limitations of same and am not impressed or particularly disrespectful of people in those situations, although the fact that they were Conservatives meant that I consider most of what they say a load of old ballocks.

Funny old business. (That’s a cliché isn't it?) Humans put people on pedestals and demonise them and we do it on a mass scale and we do it more locally within our circles, cliques. The rhythms of human interaction on a small to large scale.

Seven of Pentacles. Nothing like it is there? That sense of satisfaction that can follow hard work, that can follow having given something the best shot; then just living that warm glow of achievement, until the impulse to go into something else happens. Creativity manifesting is wonderful. I, like most people, didn't appreciate my own, until it began to show in more formal way, as in I became an artist,

and as I went deeper into such things I began to see, find creativity had had happened long time before then. (also began to learn to value myself, and then, becoming formally creative was part of that process.) Worked in the retail trade from late teens until near twenty four, in management. My very successful, but brief, it looks now, fling with a formal career and when I worked like that, given the choice between doing something the orthodox way, as it had always been done, or spontaneously coming up with something new, unless stopped, I always went to the latter. After I 'dropped out', I discovered the joys of cooking and it wasn’t until years after I got into painting that I began to realise I approached preparing food, with the same spontaneity, enthusiasm as I approached painting. Was responsible for setting up a community centre during my twenties. Got paranoid. (That's a joke, but I'm convinced that paranoia is connected to creativity. The more creative a person is the more potential for paranoia. Dark and light always go together. The only way to fix that is to bring formal meditation in with creativity and then creativity goes to new levels.) Reckon everybody’s creative , but not everybody’s capable of producing art that will make them famous, so there’s a question. Yes. No?. Some people it seems to me plainly make art because they want to be seen to be artists (and why not?!) and others make art because they can't help themselves. Sure it is at its most rewarding akin to a child’s play learning.

Eight of Pentacles. What are you saying? That when utterly involved in making something, in a creative act, its like being a kid. Yeah. Can go along with that. Nothing like it is there?. Total involvement. An immediate project, like now; spontaneously writing something in response to an image. The times in life when I was most at one, most full of joy, most alive, enthusiastic, are, and always

have been, when involved in an ongoing project, or projects which engage creativity; and projects don’t happen unless they engage creativity. When I'm painting I generally seem to work in series. Might work a cycle of paintings over a period of nine or 10 month's, and that becomes the immediate focus of life enthralling engaging. Worked in the retail trade early twenties, a time of monumental highs and lows. The highs always correspondent to some, often mundane, assignment, coupled with an outpouring of creativity and enthusiasm. Periods when it felt I could do no wrong. Have heard it called the zone. I call it being on a roll. A guy I know said of that place everything becomes so economical. Beautiful phrase. When the roll I was on ended would feel bereft, lost, not that I had the perception, the language, the awareness to articulate it like that at the time. Have a feeling, in retrospect, that being on the roll would raise expectations and the reason I had got into it in the first place was because I had none and expectations intrude. Just seen a thread running through this life, that appears to go back to about 5 or 6, or 7, which became more and more obvious as I got older. A thread of enthusiasm, overt engagement with ongoing project. Just noticed this pattern, writing this down, in a way I’ve never made a connection before, and when I added meditation into the equation it went temporarily into abeyance and about three years later began to appear, to manifest more and more intensely and that continues.

Nine of Pentacles. Idyllic or what?! Especially feeling the way I do right now. Went to a small and very intense, terrifically good fun get together last night, eight until late. I'm shattered, comfortably weary, preparing to go out for a walk along the nearby canal on my own. I'll buy a paper eventually in the International Convention Centre and then have coffee. Being a saturday morning the place will be

empty and I’ll have it to myself. The joy of solitude after a good intense spell of right companionship. Connect myself and my modest western material existence to this image. It’s an expression of wealth as enjoyed by so many in the west. The hawk can easily be seen as a pet. I and this woman lead such privileged lives. Unlike most of the human beings on the planet we don't have emaciated bodies because we cant get enough to eat. We don't have most of our teeth missing because we don't have access to dentists, because we don't know about toothpaste and toothbrushes and we can routinely afford such things. We wear good quality comfortable clothes, that we look and feel good in, that we can afford and still eat, unlike most of the world's population. I and this lady are so safe in our environment we can enjoy solitude without fear, afford to keep a pet (I don't actually) and we are healthy because of electricity, gas, good sewage systems, buildings to keep warm in and health care. We are so wealthy we can afford the luxury of taking it easy when we wake because we don't need to spend a day foraging, struggling for existence in a horrifically harsh world. It's a beautiful grey misty morning and because of western technological prowess I am leaving my flat well fed and well dressed, secure and safe and because it's available to so many I don't stand out, but compared to most of the world's population I am wealthy beyond their dreams.

Ten of Pentacles. Ran into an acquaintance in the city a few weeks ago; hadn't seen each other for years,(she’d been out of the country with her family, and, as I discovered, recently returned). With her was a young man, with a very short beard, glasses. He was holding the hand, solicitously and focused, of a toddler. Then I realised who he was, and that I’d been one of his many babysitters when he was a kid, on a number of occasions, after B had

separated from her partner. We were both(B and I.) part of a sprawling large crowd; and after the break up B got a lot of support, including an endless supply of babysitters. Sam was a most amiable and easy going kid ,great fun to be with; and he’s now a daddy. Then he recognised me, froze, reached out and gave me a hug, said my name in an amazed and delighted way. He’s still amiable and he bent down and picked up the little boy, turned so that they both could look me in the face and said 'this is my friend. He used to look after me when I was little', and then he added. ' you can be a grandfather if you will. Nathan hasn't got one', then Nathan, as kids do, held out his arms to me, to be taken up, and I took him and stood there in one of those quiet still moments, surrounded by the crowds of the city and none of us spoke for moment or many.

It was a most extra ordinary instant to me. Don't see myself as of a grandfathers age. my own , at the time, and looking back, seemed so very old, and in a very particular way. Life was much harder for his generation and he was probably worn out by the time he was my age. Then, the other day, Lyn and I talked about being grandparents. That it's not just a biological thing, it's also a role, and its changed. The way people interact with each other in cities, in the UK has altered so very much in the last 30 years. We’re both part of a Liberal ‘'Bohemian' crowd of immigrants,(Post graduates and such, who came here for University.) that sprawls all over the city, not confined to any particular area, where relationships end and start probably more readily than in stable and long standing communities, communities which are indigenous to the city, and roles such as grandparent don't work amongst us in the same way. Suspect we are all, regardless of age, much more friends of each other than anything else; and Sam, Nathan, Sally and B are coming round for a meal next week, so can begin to enact my role of Granddad to Nathan.

Page of Pentacles. Usually these cards say something to me immediately, something that throws me into my own life, and with this nothing comes. Really am into writing something, not fudging, so this self referential not screed must do as a start. Quietly idyllic scene. A kid at play has found something, and that something, even though its completely ordinary, shines and is treasure to her.

Had a little museum when I was a seven year, when we lived on the Naval estate in Yeovil. ( Recently mentioned the school I attended during that time.) The museum was just bits and pieces of interesting things that looked like treasure to me at that age. Chunk of quartz. An iridescent beetles wing. Swans feather. Ravens feather. Polished stone. Playing card. Dried plants I’d never seen before. Bits of polished coloured glass. An adult would have looked at it and thought it rubbish ( That reminds me of a story. Here in Birmingham a friend of mine was commissioned to make street art for a somewhat bleak underpass. He duly put his work up. Not his best I have to say; and not long after it went up council workers came along and ripped it all down. They apparently thought it was just some rubbish kids had put up. Friend was big enough to laugh. That's why he's a mate really.) Have just made a connection between the little 'museum' I had as a kid and the flotsam shelf which I started when I moved to the flat eleven years ago, completely spontaneously. It's grown in an organic way. Got five trays on it as well, and is covered with bits and pieces I’ve found when out and about on the streets. Small objects. A stone with a pig carved into it. A tiny brass pig. Book of Polish matches. A small paint box; a number of feathers. Bits and pieces of cheap glitter jewellery. First time I've made a connection with that kids stuff. Hm!

Queen of Pentacles. These cards are a reworking of the Waite Smith pack and generally speaking, especially in the minor Arcana follow those pretty closely. This is one that follows that pack and I always see the quintessential mother figure here, which almost certainly, it occurs, here and now, says something about how my own mother behaved towards me as a child, says something about personal experience, but

I also see the wise woman archetype, although in this deck she looks younger than I expect; and that disc she's holding triggers imagery of the spinning wheel, which often accompanies the classic, and of course also alludes to an image and archetype of the witch, the old witch. (Disney uses, and probably has set the standard for portrayals of those archetypes.) The quintessential mother stuff. It all seems so long ago and I’m reluctant to write about it. I’ve been surprised how willing I am generally to put pen to paper regarding fairly personal issues and post it online, (although knowing the limitedness of the audience makes it easier.) Where I am about my mother has changed so radically and in a way that I could never have conceived. She was terrific. Straightforward and decent, and then when I was in my early thirties she had a breakdown and I became, in as much as I could, the carer, the nurturer. Then my father went and for three years I trekked backwards and forwards from where I lived to where she was, looking out for her and then he died and she had another breakdown and turned into a psychotic maniac with murderous tendencies. (She attempted to knife me on a number of occasions, amongst other things) and for fifteen years she has been varying degrees of what is called insane, a word I detest making use of; alternating between murderously violent and smotheringly inappropriate mumsy behaviour, or as often as not acting as though we were married, she being the wife of the husband she treats like a child. Pretty heavy stuff really .Must say it feels helpful to write it down, all though loyalty to that person who was so important is a bit compromised.

Knight of Pentacles. Are these horses not amazing? This fellow completely dominates the image; and the rider is inconsequential, a hanger on. He or she doesn't look strong enough, big enough to handle such a large animal. Fortunately for he/she that horse has a very amiable look. I've seen a heavy horse in real life, only twice as I recall. The second time was when I visited an

uncle who was dying of cancer, stayed with the brother. Hadn't seen the uncle for years and had very good feelings about him; so I suppose I went to say goodbye. It was also the last time I had quality interaction with the brother and his family; over twenty five years ago now. Hadn't realised the latter before . On the Sunday after visiting said Uncle, who looked so much older than he was ( Its a shock to see someone affected that way, especially when their has been a long gap over getting together) but who rallied enough to show how pleased he was I’d made the effort, particularly as he felt people had increasingly avoided him because they couldn’t deal with his soon to be demise. The brother, nephew and I had a day out together, just doing things. We played squash and teenage nephew was delighted at my energetic nearly forty year old enthusiasm. After a drink I was then taken to buy apples and driven off to meet Saucelita and Bill, two heavy horses. ( The names had been given by nephew and brother.) who were regularly in a giant paddock near Horsham. The visits from the pair were so regular I discovered that the horses recognised them. Love to be so close to animals, and the more unusual the creature, to me, which lets face it, being a city dweller is anything that’s not a cat or dog really;’ and I'm usually extremely moved by the proximity, even more so when they’re friendly. Then the first time was in the Seventies, at a heavy horse show. That was held in Canon Hill Park. ( May have been a one off because I’ve no memory of it ever happening again) My immediate crowd of hip cool sophisticated twenty something's abandoned sophistication and spent a glorious couple of hours at the show, revelling in the proximity of those fantastic heavy horses, and they were so very heavy and huge. Good to write something of a memory like this. The richness of life. Oh yeah!

King of Pentacles . Feel so warmed by this image, by this guy. He looks to me like someone in fancy dress, but that smile seems genuine. Guess the artist worked from photographs in some, or all of the cards, presumably taken by herself, of people she knew, or people who modelled for her. The court cards all look to me as if they’re paintings of photographs. He’s Bacchus is he not? Dionysius? Gods of

pleasure and let's party. Father Christmas; and I haven’t made the connection between they and he before. He’s the ghost of Christmas present in ‘A Christmas Carol‘. Always lived with a bit of a puritan streak. Felt a tad defensive about enjoying myself. Northern English Methodist connections, like a lot of liberals really, but I’ve come across one or two people in the life, who this card makes me think of, who seemed to be so able to enjoy, so at ease, without getting into excess, about good things of life. Never been particularly materialistic I can see now. Other things, apart from making the effort to get more money to get more things drew my attention, but I've always lived well, albeit modestly in western terms, which takes me neatly into something I touched upon recently. What is wealth? Had a room in a house when I was at university, and the guy who owned it had an income ten times greater than mine, but because of the size of his mortgage, the amount he spent running a car, and his work required he had a good one, the fact that the work demanded long hours, which interfered in organising shopping, lead to the bizarre situation where he was actually worse off than me. I managed money well, didn't run a car and didn’t have a huge mortgage, had time to organise myself. He would pay 60p for a tin of beans when I had the time to get one for 20p. So telling about money and money management skills and what constitutes wealth.