Lauren's Latest Poses

So here is a collection of images of Lauren, which I know my mother has been waiting patiently for! Prepare your eyes for the coolest baby in the Blogosphere...

At 22 months old, Lauren is remarkably clever, speaking the occasional full sentence, and doing all the things a naughty baby does. And she loves the National Geographic magazine just like her daddy!

Nessun Dorma

Giacomo Puccini began working on the opera 'Turandot' in 1920. The opera's final duet was all but finished in 1924 when he was tragically struck with throat cancer. Travelling to Belgium to see a specialist, he died as a result of the surgery and never got to hear his opera including the finale, 'Nessun Dorma'. The song became famous when Luciano Pavarotti belted it out during the World Cup in Italy in 1990 as the tournament's theme song. Pavarotti's performance of the 'Nessun Dorma' is now further immortalized by the great tenor's sudden demise on September 6th, 2007.

Nessun Dorma, meaning 'Nobody shall sleep', is one of the most difficult songs to sing as it contains two of the highest notes in the tenor range - B4 followed by A4. This fantastic song is made to sound ludicrously easy by Maestro Pavarotti, the man from Modena. His unmistakable face is the facade to an even greater unmistakable voice, a distinctly unique and thrilling tone that has delighted millions with absolute awe and wonderment.

Those who blindly mumble lyrics sung by popular artists who barely know how to sing without the help of machinery, really can't appreciate genuine talent. The racket of today's pop songs is an awful (and ever-increasingly, immoral) show designed to lower standards of morality and virtue. I need mention just the disgusting 'Pussycat Dolls' or 'Lady Gaga' and you soon get what I mean.

Luciano Pavarotti's rendition of Nessun Dorma is real music, uplifting, touching, spiritual, classical, timeless. As you follow the link to observe his 1994 performance in Los Angeles, you will feel the ultimate passion in his voice, on his face, in the applause of the crowd.

This is the real music. The real singing. Nothing else matches up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VATmgtmR5o4

A Miracle

Over at the west quarter of the sky, a dark, deep blue expanse lingered. But signs of dawn were materializing across the heavens towards where the Sun would make its first appearance around an hour later. A collection of stars yet dazzled brightly in the 6:30am sky. Venus was clearly visible too, larger and more circular than its twinkling neighbours. A half moon hung in the canopy directly above, a soft glow emanating exactly around its circumference.

Panning across the morning panorama was like being in two places at once. The dark of night on the right, smoothing out into the light blue tinged with yellows, oranges and pinks signifying the new dawn, on the left.

One cannot fully appreciate a sunrise until one has waited through the dark.


The miracle of observing the mechanisms of night transforming into day with ones own eyes is definitely the best way to start a day.

The flowers wait silently each night, through long, dark hours, to eventually suck up and soak in the first, purest shafts of sunlight at daybreak. I envisioned them taking a long, deep breath and slowly releasing, being energised and nourished by the power of the Sun.

If being at one with nature is experiencing what nature experiences, then I've participated gladly this morning. I know how the flowers feel. Waiting through the dark to catch the first glimpse of light is a miracle of the ages, just as powerful, just as rewarding today, as ever.

Behold the delicate intricacies of this unusually stunning flower.

*If one thinks the day of miracles is over, one must simply arise a little earlier*

Chelsea vs Man. Utd

It's the big one today - table-topping Chelsea versus 3-time champions Man. Utd. Chelsea are in mean form at home whilst the Red Devils have lost twice on their travels and are not at their best.

I worry for ManU in this one simply because of late they haven't performed well against the other members of the top four. However, against Chelsea they have done alright, beating them 3-0 at Old Trafford last season and getting a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

I don't think it's because of the loss of Ronaldo that ManU seem a little laboured at the moment. They're just having a slow start and can only get better as they click into gear. They will miss the calming presence of Rio Ferdinand at the back, but Jonny Evans has proved to be a more than suitable replacement. With Rooney and Berbatov restored to the starting line-up, they will give Chelsea a tough test.

Darren Fletcher will be a vital figure in midfield for Alex Ferguson's men. He will look to nullify the threat of Lampard and Ballack, thereby cutting off the supply to Drogba and Anelka. Likewise Ballack and Lampard will look to take advantage of a shaky midfield the same way Liverpool did a fortnight ago. The midfield battle will be the key area.

Dare I predict a result against Man. Utd? I'm afraid so. I don't want to be over-confident on this one, but if this fixture was a few months later I would go for a ManU win or at least a draw. However, it is more likely that Chelsea will take this match 2-1, but for once in my life I would love to be wrong!

Whatever happens tonight, it should be a fierce fight between England's best two teams. And the old dog Fergie may just have a trick or two up his sleeve for this one.

Dengue Fever

Yesterday a couple of health officials dropped by to check for any standing water in the house as a result of somebody close by contracting Dengue Fever. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, making Dengue a serious threat.


In the evening, a bunch of men came by and spent around half an hour 'fogging' the entire apartment block and surrounding houses. They blasted repellent in all of the drains, sent plumes of it up stairwells, and flooded houses, gardens and the entire street with these smelly clouds of smoke. They certainly know how to attract an audience!


Wafts of smoke even filtered through the outline of our firmly bolted front door. They wore full face masks and used huge machine guns to take care of their business - a sight we would never behold in England!

"The Mosquito Exterminator"