Love Desire Happiness. As we grow old…

 

 

Growing old is mandatory but how long does it take for a man to grow up?

Finally, I’ve found all of them I’ve been looking for. Five unique beings, five different life paths while sharing one thing in common: in deliberately missing something in life–marriage–they’ve left a deeper print on others’ life as well as on their own hearts, for better or for worse.

“I paid women to hear me say I’m a loser, that I’m not good enough and failed to find the right woman.”

“No arguments.” That’s how they have managed their distance relationship for over forty years. “I was 46. I danced with her that night, and we’ve been dancing ever since.”

“Just look around. If you know the marriage is gonna end what’s the point of getting married?”

“I’ve found my love of life but she couldn’t return.”

“No matter how old you grow, deep inside you’re the same.”

54, 86, 61, 63, 66.

I don’t know how these elderly men will lead my features in the end but as I listen more, feel more, and look deeper into their eyes, I found my heart contracting with my own inner pains, resonating with these lovely bachelors’ unusual stories.

The reason why I want to talk to older people is because they’ve come to an age that there’s little fear or pressure of telling the truth. They don’t have to think of anything better to say than what reality is.  They’re nicer, wiser, warmer people to be with, whatever past they have had. After all, they’ve chosen the life they want, even if it may not be as satisfying as their childish dreams. But then again, whose life is?

Thanks to every participant and those who have helped or tried to help. I’m glad to lend a faithful ear.

In search and research of older confirmed bachelors

                                      Jesus-A very confirmed bachelor.    Creative Commons.

I’ve learned not to trust men’s words, they are “nothing but dust in the wind”..for they would probably be the one who doesn’t want to be disturbed for a couple of weeks because of watching tennis match; or too tired to have an interview as planned after gardening; or suddenly vaporized and ignored all your efforts to remain contact while yesterday he was still saying he needs someone just like you..

It’s too easy to make a solemn promise so keep your word wisely. You never know how fast you might break it as well as someone’s heart.

That’s what came up to me first after months of trying to study and get hold of some elder confirmed bachelors. But, doesn’t it sound a bit too pessimistic? If this is really all about it, I’d probably have dropped my topic long time ago.

“Love is patient, love never ends.”

These are only the symptoms or superficial obstacles likely to happen between any two human beings, woman-woman, woman-man, man-man. But they become magnified and worsened more than often between two sexes for some peculiar reasons. No wonder so many relations end up in failure..

To complete my first sentence..it’s what he or she does that we should really care about. He might say a lot of things, contradictory sometimes even, but he will never really let the beloved ones down by forgetting a kiss goodbye or an understanding smile or not helping out with something urgent and so on.

The above mentioned men who somewhat disappointed me are, nevertheless, some most lovely and intelligent men I’ve found during the past few months. They know how to take care of themselves and enjoy the company of good friends too. They engage themselves in meaningful activities such as reading, jogging, going to concerts, gardening, and working.. Above all, they are life-loving and interesting people to be with. They remain single but it doesn’t mean they let everything go, or more accurately they didn’t let themselves go recklessly. I’m waiting to be amazed by their singledom experiences.

Even Bible says so..

Surprising, even Paul said in Corinthians that it’s right to marry while it’s better to be single (so as to better serve the God?).

As for the bitter or sweet words? Let it be gone with the wind. The smile on their face and the look of caring eyes are what you should truly remember.

OK, chicken soup for the soul for myself during this hardest period of time. Last but not least, I need one more contributor!!! Everybody can you please help ask around? Deeply appreciated!! (desperate)..

Photographing the people of Penarth

A Penarth photographer has recently started a new project, taking portraits of local people. His subjects are from all walks of life, from town councillor to butcher. All the pictures are presented in black and white.

Nick Treharne is a freelance who has been working as a photographer for over twenty years. He was inspired by a friend and started to take portraits of people who live and work in Penarth. He called the project as simple as Penarth People. So far it’s been going on for over three months and everyone who’s involved in the project has been very supportive to this idea.

 

Unlike many people who think it would be difficult to approach people, Nick has sometimes just walked into the door of a shop, asking the barber or whoever is working there whether they would like to have a photograph taken. Since it’s a very small town and almost everybody knows anybody, his project soon got spread out and interesting people are introduced to him by his subjects.

 

In his spare time, Nick also does work as a musician. He plays guitar with his friends and they sometimes perform in a club he runs. “Music is my life”, Nick says, like photographing, it speaks about who he is as a creative person.

RSPB try to protect migrant birds in Malta

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is working with a Maltese charity BirdLife Malta, trying to stop spring hunting of migrant birds and finch trapping. 

                                                                        Photo: Creative Commons

Two weeks ago, the hunters won a tiny in the spring hunting referendum, 50.44% to 49.56%, and Malta is the only country in the European Union to allow spring hunting for recreational purposes.

Thousands of migrating birds and resident birds are shot during the spring and autumn. Campaigners accuse hunters mainly for two reasons, one is a huge decline of turtle doves and quails, the two species allowed for hunting , another is the illegal killing of other protected species during migration period.

Lenke Balint, partner development officer in the RSPB who was also engaged in the Maltese referendum, said they have planned works to encourage future campaigns. They will keep lobbying at the local and EU level with the BirdLife Partners; monitor illegal shooting and gather more evidence to support fighting against spring hunting; raise public awareness about the importance of protection of the birds and so on.

“I don’t think Malta is singular in claiming that this (hunting) is a tradition”, said Lenke, suggesting that it is a general Mediterranean practice while countries like Spain and Italy have banned this already. “Just because it’s a tradition doesn’t make it right,” she said.

Like thousands of conservationists, Ruth Chircop, a social activist in Malta, was very disappointed by the result. But she said the referendum itself is significant since this was the very first time for Maltese to vote for something they want themselves.

                                          Ruth Chircop Maltese activist.         Photo: CNP.

Original Text: http://jomec.co.uk/cjsnewsmaij/news/rspb-try-to-protect-migrant-birds-in-malta 

Beyond the image of St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17th, a celebration in honour of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland for bringing Christianity there. He was born in Wales around AD 385.

  Maria Gibbs, Carl Gibbs, Joe Wilkinson and Kate Birtles. Photo: Kate Birtles

But the festival kicks off early in Cardiff with thousands of Irish people gathering here on Saturday for the rugby match. They celebrate all things Irish, with music from bagpipes, laughter, and of course Guinness, a traditional drink of Ireland.

People are dressed in green with three-leaved shamrocks, the national emblem of Ireland. The clover-like plant was used by St. Patrick to explain how the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit could exist as separate parts of the same being.

                                                                                Barry Kenny.       Photo: CNP.

While it is celebrated in the whole of Ireland, Barry Kenny (pseudonym), an architecture Masters student, says the way people are dressed is a stereotyped image of the old Irish people.

The stovepipe hats, for example, are part of a typical festive costume for most Irish. But Kenny says, “I can’t view Irish people flouncing about in stovepipe hats nowadays in anything other than a negative light.”

Hear more about what people say here.

Original Text: http://jomec.co.uk/cjsnewsmaij/news/beyond-the-image-of-st-patricks-day 

What is the cure for Greece?

As talks continue this week between Greece and other Eurozone governments, we see a list of reforms that Greece submitted as required. But just days ago Greece was on the edge of leaving the Eurozone, or known as Grexit.

Camera: Shirley Hu

Various concerns have been rising out of this still existing threat. What’s the future for Greece and EU largely affects every Greek individual and even other parts of the union like Germany.

Euro Bills. Photo: Hans Braxmeier. Creative Commons

Alex Koroniadis who comes from Greece said he’s come to the UK due to the crisis back home, it really influences his personal life; he’s using parents’ money and also has to be a bar tender to support his life here.

German master student Frank Schellbach raised a question ‘ what’s the cure?’. While Alex confidently believes in the left wing party like millions of his people back home, Frank says EU is loosing its integrity if it allows Greece to make the rules.

Alex Koroniadis and Frank Schellbach. Photo: CNP

Apart from disagreements, both of them  said the whole Europe is a unity and needs to keep stable. When faced with difficulties, the better choice is to solve it together but not giving up.

Original Text: http://jomec.co.uk/cjsnewsmaij/news/what-is-the-cure-for-greece 

Former model was refused to preach

Tracy Trinita.   Photo: CNP

Tracy Trinita, a former supermodel from Indonesia and now a born-again Christian, came to Cardiff University for one of a week-long series of talks. She revealed some conflicting values between the fashion world and religion.

She says she was once refused to preach in a church because she’s a woman.

Like Tracy, Michelle Tepper is from the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics(OCCA). She was also at the meeting and she says women still often find it difficult to speak publicly.

The image of women being presented in reality and the fashion industry has always been controversial.  Tom Cozens is one of the Oxford theology students at the meeting. Like many other young men, he thinks it’s more like a test of time regarding women’s appearance and characters, but are they really contradictory?

 

 

The talks are collaborated by Cardiff University’s Christian Union and the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics.

 

Photo: CNP

Original Text:  http://jomec.co.uk/cjsnewsmaij/news/fomer-supermodel-talks-about-women-in-conflict  

Did you hear Özgecan’s scream?

Burcu Bartu and Bikem Ozturk.                 Photo:CNP

Burcu Bartu and Bikem Ozturk are two Turkish master students at Cardiff University. They have been outraged by the murder of a 20-year-old psychology student Özgecan Aslan in their home country. They are planning a demonstration outside the Student Union for the next seven days.

Ms. Aslan was allegedly killed by a bus driver. She was brutally stabbed and burnt after resisting the driver to rape her. Her death has caused mass protests in different parts of Turkey on Saturday. Hundreds of thousands of women rallied on streets in cities of Ankara, Istanbul and  Mersin, the victim’s hometown.

Did you hear Özgecan’s scream?              Photo:CNP

Like all the other Turkish women,  both Burcu and Bikem believe they have had enough of violent attacks on women and there should be more severe and effective legal punishment in place. To show their support, they decide to gather more Turkish students to stage a protest in the following week.

Even though it feels much safer in Cardiff according to Burcu and Bikem, the report of Violent Crime and Sexual Offences, 2013/14 by Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows a record of 64,205 sexual offences last year, the highest figure since 2002/03, which the ONS said reflected that victims are increasingly willing to tell the truth.

Echoing the release of ONS, the Violence and Society Research Group in Cardiff University has just caught people’s attention by a £1m project. It develops smart cameras that can detect and alert the police of violence on the streets especially at night when crimes usually take place.

Original: http://jomec.co.uk/cjsnewsmaij/news/did-you-hear-ozgecans-scream-reactions-to-murder-of-woman-in-turkey

A Christmas that will always be remembered

Cardiff Christmas market 2014(click to see video)

The very first Christmas for me that celebrates in a Western country. The friends I met, the feast we made together and so on and on….These good memories will be a lasting treasure for good. : )

As for the video, it’s supposed to be one of our homework but turned out an interesting little gift for myself as well. Viva Jomec, miss school already. 😛

Food of the World–Weekly event by Open House

Levon Chorbadjian-International students worker

Food prepared by both students and Open House organizers

International students in the themed event

International students in Cardiff will have an opportunity tonight for a welcoming event by Open House. It is a weekly activity run by a group of Christians from Heath Evangelical Church on every Friday night.