Personal Blogs

We are all children of God 

with his help
and our hard work

We will mature.

Gill Burrell

⚘🌼🌺🌻

I am currently studying E302. English Language and Creativity.

Since starting with the OU
I have amassed quite a good collection of text books on Language learning. Starting with Arts and Language. I also have a lot of dictionaries that I have bought over the years and a lot of music books& CDs both classical and contemporary.

 In literature I am fond of reading  the Classics Jane Eyre, Wuthering heights, Little Women, Anne of Green gables, Emma, Pride and predjudice. Dickens Great expectations, Bleak House, and A Christmas Carol. I also like CS Lewis and Tolkien. Poems by Blake, Wordswoth and Keats also the Oxford book of Poetry. (Various poets.) Including Emily Dickinson.

I also like the French books-  in french of course! Germinal, Zola. Madame Bovary La Tentation de Saint Antoine by Flaubert some of Maigret series by Simenon in french, En Attendant Godot  by Samuel Becket,  Albert Camus La peste, l'etranger et La Mort heureuse
Balzac My Cousin Bette, le Père Goriot
Le Conte de monte cristo, by Dumas,  Le Petit prince.
Some Poetry books Les Fleurs du Mal by Baudelaire
and A Book of French Song (in french) by Bernard Minssen. As well as the french feminist writer Simone de Beauvoir. 

 I haven't  yet read all of the French books,  just a few of them,  but hopefully I will get through them all eventually.

      📚📚📕📒📖🖍✒✏🖍
These are just some of the books I have bought over the last five years,  from the Oxfam bookshop  in the city, for just around a couple of pounds each!! Cheap huh?

The term is here, it's just begun
I find 'Student home" and get logged on.
I have a browse through unit one
Familiarising myself with what's to come

I listen to audios watch videos too
Taking notes with pens of red, green, yellow and blue
There really is a lot to do
Before I can start on unit two

I take my time and rest in between
And Test myself on what I've seen
Learn technical words and phrases too
Then Reading, understanding, and TMAs to do!

🖍📚📖📒✒🖍✏
Gill Burrell

As the cool night air
Blows upon my skin
And I walk this lane
I forget my pain

I have turned the page
On the distant rage
As the dark clouds race
O'er the pale moon's face

Why am I still here?
This is my fate
There is no more hate
I belong in this place.

Gill Burrell

🌼🌺🌻⚘

                     🌍 ⚡

Revelation 11 v 18

 "The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Bible
(New King James version)

🏡       📚      🚚

My books for E302  have arrived at last! It is 5.30pm!  I think I must have been one of the last deliveries on yodel's list.  I suppose we do live out in the sticks a bit, thats probably why it took them so long!

I will be spending this evening having a good leisurely browse through these 4 lovely books. They feel reassuringly heavy,  all loaded with the knowledge and information that somehow I have to absorb! 

 I will treat them like a good rich meal,  and take out small bitesize chunks of knowledge,  just a little at a time,  because I do not want to get indigestion of the brain! lol!
But I am sure they will be very interesting and satisfying for me to read. I am looking forward to it immensely!

Glad I took a walk earlier on,  as I will now be indoors for the rest of the evening , engrossed in my new books!
No tv for me tonight!

It thundered and rained today, just a little bit of each,  but it feels much fresher and cooler, than it has done lately, so much better now to think more clearly as I read through my new books this evening.

🌺💐🌼⚘🌻🌾

Today was a great day,  because a small part of the module was revealed on line OU student home page, on my lap top computer. First, I went to Student Home,  then on left hand side I scrolled down to the module, which in my case was E302, and clicked on it and so I had a little preview of what is to come on my course, well at least for unit 1.

As yet it is not fully interactive, but I was able to read about what Unit 1 entails. I must say I am very interested by what I have seen so far,  and I managed to understand a little bit more of what it  is about. I am looking forward to reading, from the two reading books  (A)- about 'Wolf Hall' by Hilary Mantel 
Reading (B)-The Folk Artists of Bengal. Chitrakar team. Looks incredibly interesting! and I can't wait to get started on E302 Language and Creativity on 2nd October. Going to get note taking already! Getting really excited about studying now!  

😄😄👍

Today I was happily humming a little tune,  because I am feeling in quite an upbeat mood. My son gave me a new music book with music from 70s and 80s, so I am really looking forward to playing some of the little pieces in this book, whenever I get some spare time.

 However, this will not be for long as my books will be soon arriving one of these days,  for my next module E302. English, Creativity and language. (Level 3) for  BA in language studies. Once my course starts I will be very busy. I think I am going to really enjoy this module a lot, as I like creative writing and poetry, but I don't expect it to be easy!

Husband and son have gone out for the afternoon for a walk, so I better have a little musical session while I still can! 

Best wishes and happy studying!

               🧏‍♀️  🎹🎙🎼🎶

Do not be overcome by evil, 👿

but overcome evil with good.😇

⚘🌼🌺🌻🌾

    Climate  🌍 and capitalism

Capitalism is at the root of most of the environmental problems we face today, and also it is also the biggest obstacle to implementing the solutions.

When we see the priorities of capitalism (to make the rich even richer) we can see why politicians have failed to seriously reduce emmisions.

Capitalism is a barrier to reducing emmisions, not simply because of the system's historic reliance on fossil fuels, but also because of its reliance on market forces.

As an economic system Capitalism is incompatible with human aspiration for sustainability.  It is a global economy that requires expansion and increasing exploitation. We will have to operate in a fundamentally different way than we do now, 
by concentrating on the real needs of people on providing jobs that are not wasteful or destructive to the planet,  that only profit a few already rich people,  but jobs that benefit the ordinary people to provide them with a good living.

A Co-operative worldwide commonwealth would put an end to the unchecked power and authority exercised by both governments and corporate powers.
New technology, transportation and communication will facilitate a world in which the entire population could participate in the creation of a sharing society.
Perhaps, if we come to understand how to deal with climate change and the consequences of the pandemic it will be the irreversible tipping point for the great social change which is needed.

Many activists groups and others may consider this proposition of a world without states and borders, markets, prices or money as something for science-fiction writers.

I would see this as a more humane system. Imagine a society where each individual has the means to live a life of dignity and fulfilment,without exception;  where all members of society are guaranteed a decent standard of life; and where the environment is protected and rehabilitated. 

Just a thought! 

Utopian dream? 🏞🌄🌅

Ref. ALJO

I just wanted to be someone, more than somebody who wipes noses, mops up sick, supports someone to walk, talks to them,  cleans, cooks, does washing and takes someone to the loo. Not that there is anything wrong with this work. I still like it and respect this occupation of being a carer because it is a true vocation.  I have done this job for many years, but now  I wanted to do something else,  to add to my knowledge of what I 've already learned about life,  especially now in my later age of life and I feel the gentle hand of Jesus on my shoulder.

I thought that I am sure I could learn more about the world, and about other peoples, other cultures. I wanted to learn languages, politics, society. Literature, writing, Music, Arts and technology en route.
First, to learn about language to start with, to learn how to communicate better in my own language,  and in the French language. I just chose french language because I had holidays in France in the past, but it could quite easily have been Spanish, Italian or any other European language.

There is a world out there, not just my village, my town, or my country. I wanted to see the world and learn about it. I don't want to be a narrow minded, ignorant, proud or stupid person. Or those who think they know it all but actually they don't! Unfortunately I have met a few people like that in my time!
I had decided to study with the Open University as I had heard of its very good reputation, and how you can come from a humble background and still achieve a good Education.

I am willing to put in the time and effort it takes to study,  and  to (hopefully) eventually pass a degree. I think It is a lot about time management. Finding time to set aside for studying the chosen subject and to give my complete undivided attention to it,  for a set amount of time.

I am now on level 3 of my degree in languages, French and English.
I am enjoying my studies,  and learning lots of interesting things, and not just about language, for it encompasses other subjects too along the way, such as the environment, history, literature, art ,music and other subjects, these all seem to be connected.

 Interestingly some of these subjects all seem to link together in someways. It has become a great learning experience for me, and one that I would definitely recommend to others. The Open University has opened my eyes to see new perspectives on the world. Best wishes to all and good studying!

2 Corinthians 4:16 ESV. So we do not lose heart ❤️. Though our outer self is wasting away , our inner self is being renewed day by day.

We all have our daily struggles whether it be our own health or the health of our family.  A problem to solve at work or home. God can give us the courage and wisdom. 🙏 Peace.

🌻🌺🌼🌸🌾