18 years ago today, I was baptized, formally and personally entering into the Baptist tradition of the Christian faith. I was eighteen at the time. In the Baptist tradition, baptism is a public, external profession of an internal reality: that I claim my faith in Jesus Christ as my own and am committing to a life of following Him.

(Note: the Baptist perspective on baptism is far from universally shared among Christians, and I myself hold to it very lightly today).

Image: I share my story of coming to faith before my baptism.

My baptism took place in the presence of a mixed audience: some of the Indian families from the community I was part of, many of the students with whom I had relationships through the Christian college ministry I was actively involved in at the University of Louisville (including my future wife!), and some members of Heritage Baptist Church in Owensboro, Kentucky, the church under whose care I had been exploring my personal faith.

I remember the circumstances of my baptism being somewhat unusual. In the tradition I was entering into, baptism would typically take place within the local church body through which someone had come to faith and been ministered to. This was what I witnessed for many of my peers who were making their faith their own through the same act. My circumstances, however, were a little different.

My baptism was hosted through a gracious arrangement with Clifton Baptist Church, a local church in Louisville, facilitated by Heritage Baptist Church, which was nearly two hours away. Due to complications outside of my control in becoming a member of a local church (a topic better suited for private conversation), I would not formally become a member of a local church in Louisville until joining Sojourn Church the following year.

The circumstances of my baptism reflected something distinctive about my journey into the Christian faith. I had come to faith not primarily through the ministry of a local church body, but through a mix of ordinary relationships that had a significant influence on me. Through these influences, I believe I came to faith personally in July 2007, about 16 months before being formally baptized.

One of these influences was a community built around an ecumenical fellowship, originally organized by a few Indian families who had migrated to Louisville, Kentucky, in recent years. I started attending this fellowship not because I was particularly interested in exploring faith, but simply for community and to make more friends with others my age who were there with their families. While it certainly started there, I believe God began to use that space to invite new kinds of questions and curiosity within my own soul about what it means to live a life well lived, as a teenager on the cusp of adulthood.

Another was through a friendship with a neighbor in my apartment complex who was a graduate student at the local Southern Baptist seminary at the time. This friend, in God's providence, had a love for the people of India and would become more involved with the Indian fellowship I mentioned above. Through his friendship, kindness, and wisdom as I explored what being a Christian would mean to me personally, along with the support of his home church, the aforementioned Heritage Baptist Church, I was offered the time, space, and agency to explore faith more openly, even if my involvement with the church directly was limited by the physical distance. This friend is who baptized me!

A third was through a kind, gracious neighbor, a single mom at the time who was often a source of wisdom and kindness to me and my family through the challenges that came with migrating across the globe to a new country. She became a good friend to my mom and was a source of welcome wisdom to me, especially during moments when tensions were high between my parents and me, and I needed to step outside the house and talk to someone other than my parents about something we disagreed on. She modeled sympathy for my perspective, but was also skilled at helping me see things from my parents' perspective, something that has long been a difficulty in my relationship with my parents. I recall her asking me questions, rooted in her Christian faith, that invited me to reflect more deeply on my own life and what I believed and wanted my actions to reflect.

Finally, while I sadly do not remember the name of the person I had this interaction with, I am indebted to a tender, personal, and pivotal conversation I had at the hospital where I was volunteering during the summer before my senior year of high school.

My mom worked at this hospital as an ER nurse, and she wisely thought it would be a better use of my time to serve there rather than remain idle at home during the summer. I remember being responsible for visiting patients in a particular ward to check in, refill water pitchers, offer refreshments, magazines, or newspapers, and see if they needed anything the hospital staff could help with. This was a sobering experience for me, as it reminded me of my own mortality, seeing others in their old age or in poor health dealing with the limits of their own bodies.

One day, one of the patients I was tending to was an older woman who was particularly kind and asked me to sit with her to chat for a little while. I obliged, moved by her warmth, and shared a little about my story and where I found myself about a year after moving to the country. She was brave enough to ask me about where I was spiritually, which came at quite a providential time, given that I was already being moved on this topic by the influences I mentioned above.

She then shared something of her own story of Christian faith, the details of which I sadly don't recall, but concluded with an invitation for me to consider the faith for myself. I remember how much it moved me to hear this from someone so much older than me, who was able to speak of the joy she had in her faith, even while suffering from something that had left her bedridden in the hospital.

I am deeply grateful for all these people, places, and experiences, and for how I have been formed by them. Looking back, what stands out to me is not just that these people shared their faith with me, but the ways in which they did so. They took an interest in me, made room for my questions, and extended friendship, kindness, and care as I was still finding my way.

18 years later

Since joining Sojourn Church in 2009 as a 19-year-old, a year after my baptism, I have spent the last 16 years as a member of local churches in the Southern Baptist tradition, or in nondenominational churches that were, for all practical purposes, Baptist in their theology and culture. This was a tradition I came to call my own – not simply one that was handed down to me through family or heritage.

Sadly, for far more years than not, the early experiences and relationships I have chronicled here have not been followed by commensurate experiences within the local churches where I was formally committed to. The kinds of relationships that were so formative in bringing me into the Christian faith have often been the very things I have struggled to find within the communities where I have sought to live out my faith.

For a little over a year now, my wife and I have been doing some exploring about what the future of being Christians might look like for us, especially as it relates to the local church. I've written more about where we're at on that journey in a separate post, Limping Toward Belonging.

It's bittersweet to reflect on this as we find ourselves in a place where we are probably walking away from the Southern Baptist tradition and culture in which we have both been deeply embedded, in search of other traditions that might have more room for us to be seen, known, and valued more truly than we have experienced previously.

While I am hopeful that this journey taking us elsewhere is the right step for us, it still comes with waves of grief when I reflect on my early journey into faith, the hopes I had at the time that have gone unmet, and the desires that remain unfulfilled when it comes to being a meaningful part of a church community.

It's not entirely clear to me yet what sort of transformation has come as fruit of our time in the churches we have been part of. But at the very least, this season has given me a greater appreciation for the journey through which I first came to faith. And it has pushed me to be the kind of person who reflects the actions and hearts of those who have been there for me at my crossroads.

I find myself returning today to the people, experiences, and stories from that earlier season of my coming to faith, before I ever formally belonged to a local church. In many ways, those memories have become a deeper well to draw from than much of what followed in the years since.

Perhaps what we are looking for now and seeking to grow in ourselves is not all that different from what I was fortunate enough to encounter back then: ordinary people who made room for me, took an interest in my life, and helped me find my way.

#faith #community #church

Nog even dit

Nog even dit. Kent u die uitdrukking 'zitten in de herfst van hun loopbaan of zelfs leven' daar krijg ik de kriebels van omdat je er dan van uit moet gaan dat er ook een winter komt en vervolgens weer lente, dus de loopbaan of het leven begint na deze fase weer opnieuw, steeds weer, sterft tijdelijk af om daarna weer de successen aan een te rijgen, weer herbegint als Jezus maar dan zonder hemelvaartje naar pappies paradijs. Dat kan toch niet, het is gewoon op, je komt niet meer vooruit, iedereen loopt je voorbij, mept je van het speelveld, ziet je aftakelen, inzakken en dergelijke, het end is nakende, het bureau lonkt, je zit straks aan het stuur of in een bestuur, of je maakt je klaar voor de laatste keer van zus en zo, maar een ding is duidelijk je loopbaan verliest niet zijn blaadjes om ze dan later opnieuw aan te maken, ja, oke, je gaat dus niet terug naar de eerste dag in het peloton, klaar, einde ene loopbaan of de totale en of einde van je rondjes meemalen om de zon, op naar over en sluiten, donder op met die uitdrukking de herfst van, oké, in de papiermolen ermee, uit de bek vissen voor je het zegt en terug gooien in de zee van stomme gezegdes en andere onnozele zaken, zoals bijvoorbeeld die van de slang en de appel, heeft u weleens een slang appels zien eten, is er ooit een fruitslang geweest, voor de uitvinding van de tuinslang dan, nou, nee, dat dacht ik wel, dus hier is ergens een idioot geweest die dacht ik ga twee, eigenlijk 3, dingen combineren die helemaal niks met elkaar te maken hebben en daar maak ik een ontzettend ruk verhaal van, een babbelende slang, een pientere appel en een meisje gebakken uit een rib... kom op mensen doe een keer dicht dat lul de behanger boek.. we hoeven toch niet iedere dag te bewijzen dat we ontzettend dom zijn, sla eens een jaar over.

Zo dan ga ik nu de Disney verfilming zien van de Disney tekenfilm Vaiana... blijkbaar was er iets heel erg mis met de tekenfilm en ik wil graag weten wat, want waarom zou je anders twee keer dezelfde film maken, heel snel na elkaar, Spiderman, Batman en Superman zijn al veel vaker opnieuw gemaakt maar daar zat meer tijd tussen en daar hebben ze heel last van het marvel multiverse virus, heel lastig als je niet meer weet waar je bent, wie je bent en waarom je steeds dezelfde films maakt.

Have you ever woken up feeling stiff, even after getting a full night's sleep? Maybe your back feels uncomfortable after sitting at work, your shoulders become tight during the day, or you feel tired whenever you try to stay physically active. These little problems can slowly affect your daily routine and make activities you once enjoyed feel difficult.

Many people blame these feelings on busy schedules or getting older, but everyday habits also play an important role. Spending too much time sitting, avoiding exercise, and ignoring muscle discomfort can affect the way your body moves.

The good news is that you don't need to become a fitness expert to start taking better care of yourself. Finding the right combination of movement, strength training, and professional support can help you work toward a healthier lifestyle. This is where https://flexologystudios.com/sports-therapy/ becomes an interesting option for people who want to improve their physical well-being and enjoy everyday activities with greater confidence.

Are Your Everyday Habits Making Your Body Feel Tired?

Think about a normal working day. You wake up, check your phone, get ready, travel to work, and spend several hours completing different tasks. By the time you return home, exercise is probably the last thing on your mind.

Unfortunately, this routine can leave very little room for physical activity.

Sitting for extended periods, looking down at screens, and repeating the same movements throughout the day may contribute to muscle tightness, poor posture, and reduced flexibility.

You might notice that your neck feels uncomfortable after working on a laptop or your lower back becomes stiff after a long drive.

These experiences are worth paying attention to. Making time for movement can help you develop healthier habits and support better physical function.

Physical Therapy Is Not Just for People With Injuries

Many people think physical therapy is only necessary after an accident, surgery, or serious sports injury. However, it can also help individuals who want to improve mobility, strength, and everyday movement.

Physical therapy focuses on understanding how your body works and identifying areas that need attention.

A qualified physical therapist can assess your movement patterns, discuss your concerns, and recommend suitable exercises or treatment techniques.

Depending on your individual condition, physical therapy may support people dealing with:

• Back and neck discomfort
• Muscle stiffness and tightness
• Sports-related injuries
• Limited joint mobility
• Balance and coordination difficulties
• Post-surgical rehabilitation
• Challenges with everyday physical activities

The aim is to help individuals improve their physical abilities and become more comfortable with daily movements.

Pilates Makes You Pay Attention to Your Body

Pilates is different from many traditional workouts because it focuses on controlled movements rather than speed or heavy lifting.

It combines breathing, flexibility, balance, posture, and core-strengthening exercises. Each movement encourages you to understand how your body responds and how different muscles work together.

Even simple exercises can challenge your muscles when performed with the correct technique.

Build a Stronger Core

Your core muscles help support your body during everyday activities. Walking, bending, lifting, and maintaining balance all involve these important muscles.

Pilates includes exercises that target the abdominal muscles, lower back, and pelvis to help improve strength and stability.

Improve Your Flexibility

Tight muscles can make simple movements uncomfortable. Pilates incorporates stretching and controlled exercises that may help improve flexibility and range of motion.

With regular practice, you may find certain movements becoming easier and more comfortable.

Develop Better Posture

Long hours spent sitting at a desk or looking at a mobile phone can encourage poor posture habits.

Pilates helps develop body awareness and strengthens muscles that support proper alignment. It also encourages you to become more conscious of how you sit, stand, and move.

Work on Your Balance

Good balance is important at every stage of life. Pilates exercises challenge your stability and coordination, helping you develop greater control over your movements.

Why Combine Physical Therapy With Pilates?

Physical therapy and Pilates have different approaches, but they can complement each other when used appropriately.

Physical therapy focuses on improving movement, addressing physical limitations, and supporting recovery. Pilates adds controlled exercise that can help develop flexibility, muscular strength, and body awareness.

For example, someone experiencing recurring back discomfort may benefit from a professional assessment to understand possible movement problems. Based on their condition, a physical therapist might recommend strengthening exercises and introduce appropriate Pilates movements.

Similarly, someone recovering from a sports injury may need rehabilitation before returning to more demanding physical activities.

Combining these approaches can provide a structured way to work toward individual goals. However, exercises should always be selected according to a person's physical condition and abilities.

You Don't Need to Spend Hours in the Gym

One reason people avoid exercise is that they imagine it requires a strict schedule, expensive equipment, and hours of physical effort.

In reality, building a healthier routine can begin with simple activities.

You can start by taking short walks, stretching appropriately, and including regular movement breaks during your working day.

Different people may also have different reasons for exploring physical therapy and Pilates.

Office Workers: Sitting for long hours can affect posture and flexibility. Appropriate movement exercises may help support better mobility.

Busy Parents: Looking after children and managing household responsibilities can be physically demanding. Building strength may help with everyday tasks.

Older Adults: Suitable physical activities can support balance, strength, mobility, and independence.

Fitness Beginners: Pilates offers an opportunity to learn controlled movements and gradually develop physical confidence.

Active Individuals: People who enjoy sports may want to work on flexibility, stability, and movement quality.

The best starting point is one that matches your current abilities rather than trying to follow someone else's fitness routine.

Small Changes Can Improve the Way You Feel

You don't need to completely change your lifestyle to become more active. Small improvements can make physical wellness easier to maintain.

Here are some simple habits worth adding to your day:

• Take short walking breaks between work sessions.
• Avoid sitting in the same position for too long.
• Practice appropriate stretching exercises.
• Pay attention to your posture while working.
• Stay consistent with your physical activity.
• Allow your body enough time to recover.
• Choose exercises that match your fitness level.

These habits may seem simple, but they can help you become more aware of your physical needs.

Remember that consistency matters. A comfortable routine you can follow regularly is often more useful than an intense workout plan that becomes difficult to maintain.

Professional Guidance Can Make a Real Difference

Every body is different. Two people may experience similar discomfort but have completely different movement patterns and physical requirements.

This is why personalized support is important.

A qualified professional can evaluate your condition, understand your goals, and recommend suitable exercises. This is especially valuable for individuals managing injuries, recurring pain, or mobility limitations.

With https://flexologystudios.com/sports-therapy/, individuals can explore the connection between professional physical care and mindful movement. The focus is on developing healthier movement habits while working toward realistic fitness and mobility goals.

Rather than choosing random exercises online, professional guidance can help you understand which movements are appropriate for your needs.

Start Giving Your Body the Attention It Deserves

It's easy to spend the entire day taking care of work, family, and other responsibilities while forgetting about your own physical health. But your body supports everything you do, from completing everyday tasks to enjoying time with the people you love.

You deserve to move comfortably, feel stronger, and enjoy activities without constantly worrying about physical limitations.

You don't have to make dramatic changes overnight. Start with manageable steps, stay consistent, and seek professional advice when needed.

A healthier lifestyle isn't about pushing yourself beyond your limits. It's about understanding your body, making time for movement, and choosing habits that help you feel better every day.

Last week, my family and I went to a kids hair salon not too far from our home. I usually dread it because my older one doesn’t like haircuts ever since his first one. I was surprised my younger one was the complete opposite.

Calm. Makes me wonder if my sons have opposite personalities. I’ll see until my younger one’s next haircut.

#children #family #haircut

The train this morning was one hour delayed. I stood in the chill autumn air, by the train station, watching the sun rise over the tracks, fingers frozen.

I thought then, that the sky looked as if someone just poured a bunch of dirty watercolours and pink over the paper, like even God couldn’t be bothered to render the sky properly on this fine day.

And I am now back on my way home, black windows and I am lulled in the train car like some sort of baby. Looking at these other people who could’ve been my friends maybe? In another life or this life,

Dozing a little bit, uncertain how long I have been sitting here, contemplating.

Was this a day well spent? Who knows!

Do you consider these forks in the roads, so much in life is just luck, be it good or bad. I would’ve been a train driver, maybe, had I not met my wife when I did.

Or I could’ve worked with forklifts at the postal terminal if I didn’t become a UNIX man instead.

And I have no clue what I would’ve felt then

And I wouldn’t have been the same person even

Maybe

It is all very transient, I think.

Mhmm

The Democrats must not squander their victory

Image by Ivča from Pixabay

Not everything went well yesterday. Washington passed a law that will make girls sports as demeaning and terrible for cis girls as much as for trans girls. Some girls will prefer not to play at all, accomplishing the Right’s main goal of damaging women’s rights. Trans boys and men continue to be left out of these conversations even when we’re making progress for trans people in sports. While actions like Washington’s directly harm trans people, the goal is and always has been to harm women. Among cis women, BIPOC will always face the worst outcomes of these actions because the definition of “normal” is always pegged to whiteness. This action won in one of the “lefty” states. Even our strongholds are not immune to the fascist tool of defining out groups and using them as a cudgel to manipulate The People into harming their own interests.

Expect (and prepare to fight) more anti-trans laws and regulations. Too many who betrayed us had too good results yesterday so the festering turd of those aching to betray us will be emboldened by the cry of “it’s what the voters want.”

We the people overcame gerrymandering and voter suppression by sheer numbers. Those we send to Congress must take radical action to ensure the voice of the people is never again threatened by anti-democracy forces. The Democrats must do the work they failed to do when Biden was in office. We must make a new and stronger Voters Rights bill to guarantee that every eligible voter is automatically registered, voting day is a federally recognized and mandated holiday with full pay, and each district is not gerrymandered.

Roe must be enshrined into federal law. We must pass our first real law granting the right to privacy at the federal level, learning from the failures of the GDPR so that we can have the best privacy law in the world. We must have a right to repair law to protect Americans from disposable electronics that are designed to be prone to failing prematurely. And we must have universal healthcare.

As Jessie Gender recently reminded us, we’ve been through this cycle before: Democrats win, squander their victory, and leave Americans as desperate as ever, leading to another wave of GOP victories.

#USPOL #BlueWave #Democrats #Democracy

nous sommes cailloux cherchant leur juste agencement

mais posés là de tout notre grave poids englués dans l'asphalte

en vaine attente du puissant torrent qui saurait nous rouler comme ballons dans l'herbe

nous rouler dans l'herbe

---

photo © Anemone Nemorosa @SensitiveSyl@beige.party

Tech Missteps & Lost Opportunities

There I was, shooting the breeze with my old mate Duncan over a Sunday braai, the smoke curling up into the African sky as we chewed the fat about life, tech, and everything in between. Duncan wasn’t much of a talker—quiet bloke, kept his cards close—but when he did open up, it was worth listening. Tragically, he took his own life during the COVID pandemic, just another statistic in that godawful mess. Hit me hard; he was a proper buddy, and I had no inkling of the demons he was wrestling with inside. Rest easy, boet.

Our chat that day veered into why Madge Networks, a company where we had both worked at back in the day, went tits up. I’d scribbled about it before, but hashing it out with Duncan brought it all back. My take? Madge had a solid solution in hand and went hunting for a problem to fit it, all while piling on one bad strategic call after another. Truth is, when a company craters like that, it’s never just one reason—it’s a bloody avalanche of them. You’ve got the obvious surface-level cock-ups, the mid-layer blunders propping those up, and then, if you dig deep enough, the root causes lurking at the bottom. No single villain in the piece, but a chorus of them singing in harmony toward disaster. I’ll lay out my two cents here, but I encourage anyone reading this to chip in—the full picture’s probably a group effort.

If you’re hunting for the gold standard in tech brain farts, look no further than Kodak. They bloody well invented the digital camera, the very thing that gutted their film empire, but they were too busy squeezing every last drop from their legacy cash cow to spot the digital tsunami barreling down. That wave also smashed Polaroid, another innovator caught flat-footed. Madge was like a precursor to that duo: they nailed Token Ring networking to perfection but should’ve pivoted hard into silicon for the Ethernet and WiFi juggernauts on the horizon. Instead, they dabbled in mergers and acquisitions without the street smarts that made Cisco kings of that game. Ironically, Cisco did float an offer to buy Madge, but it got knocked back. As we say out here on the Highveld, “Eish!” What a missed shot.

My own run-in with Madge kicked off in ‘93 or ‘94, installing their FDDI adapters into NetWare SFT III servers. They were the only ones that didn’t crash the whole setup—rock solid. From then on, I was a Madge fanboy through and through. As that guy from Remington shavers said, “I joined them.”

Any yarn about Madge has to circle back to their “Switching to ATM” fiasco. It sounded dead clever at the time, sophisticated, even, but it was clumsy as hell and completely missed the boat on the desktop market. Silicon for everyday connectivity was never heading ATM’s way. Back then, the big debate raged between Token Ring and Ethernet, and the verdict was Ethernet won out. But let’s be real: users ditched both for wireless radios—WiFi steamrolled the lot. Funnily enough, today’s Ethernet tech borrows more from Token Ring than you’d think, especially on the fibre side, where standards trace back to FDDI (remember that relic?). As an aside, one of Ethernet’s dumbest holdovers is its tiny frame size—pathetic, really. Token Ring was streets ahead in design on that front and plenty others. And get this: now we’ve got Ethernet rings per G.8032 specs. Talking rings, Token Ring’s source route bridging was a masterpiece compared to Ethernet’s limp transparent bridging. It let you build massive Layer 2 domains without broadcasts melting everything down; Ethernet had to lean on Layer 3 to catch up.

All that sweat poured into Token Ring MACs? In hindsight, Madge could’ve redirected it to ride the storage or wireless wave that was cresting. The real driver wasn’t video or those Jetsons-style fantasies pushing ATM—it was high-speed storage needs. ATM touted QoS as its killer feature, but Ethernet cracked that nut with higher-level protocols and shaping, all at a fraction of the cost thanks to years of price drops. These days, most priority multimedia traffic runs on traffic shaping—not as fancy as ATM’s QoS blueprint, but it gets the job done. Sometimes. I’m into SD-WAN and know it well. In the last few years those shaping protocols have improved with an example being fq-codel and CAKE.

Then there was that late-’90s idiocy: some ponytail in marketing decided to overhaul the corporate identity. Changing your look never boosts sales—it’s a fool’s errand that only lines the pockets of ad agencies. No company’s pulled it off without a hitch, yet they all queue up to try. Classic case? Coke’s New Coke debacle; they had the muscle to backpedal, but Madge? Not so much. Ditching those lightning bolts for brown cardboard boxes? Utter tripe. Went from unique and punchy to bland as dishwater.

And don’t get me started on the Lannet acquisition in 1995. When I chatted with folks there later, they swore blind they were an Ethernet outfit through and through. Madge, though, heard what they wanted and jammed a square peg into a round hole. Mismatch from the jump, and it showed—Lannet got spun off and sold to Lucent by ‘98.

By 1997, the writing was on the wall: Madge slashed 700 jobs—a third of the workforce—scrapped their ATM push entirely, and shuttered their San Jose HQ to retreat back to the UK. They admitted to overreaching without the resources to duke it out with the big dogs. The company limped on but finally folded in 2003, another victim of Ethernet’s relentless march. Hindsight’s 20/20, but Madge’s story’s a cautionary braai-side tale: innovate or die, but pick your battles wisely, or you’ll end up just another tech fossil in the dust.

Ronald Bartels | LinkedIn | Instagram

When its not a flock

Humans have long been captivated by birds, not just with their graceful flights and vibrant plumage, but also through the whimsical and often poetic collective nouns assigned to their groups. These terms of venery, originated in medieval England as part of hunting traditions, where knowing the proper name for a gathering of animals demonstrated one’s sophistication. Many trace back to the 15th century, appearing in works like The Book of Saint Albans, a collection of hunting lore attributed to Juliana Berners. Over time, these names have evolved, some drawing from observed behaviours, superstitions, or sheer linguistic creativity. These are the ones which are more than the generic flock of birds.

Let’s start with one of the most infamous: a murder of crows. This term likely stems from folklore associating crows with death and omens, as they were often seen scavenging battlefields or around carcasses. The word “murder” evokes their supposed propensity for mobbing and killing weak members of their own kind, though this behavior is more myth than fact. It first appeared in English literature around the 15th century. Closely related, an unkindness of ravens or a conspiracy of ravens draws from similar dark associations. Ravens, like crows, were linked to mischief and ill omens in medieval times; “unkindness” may refer to legends of ravens abandoning their young, while “conspiracy” hints at their intelligent, scheming nature. These terms were popularized in The Book of Saint Albans.

Moving to waterfowl, a gaggle of geese applies when they’re on land, evoking the noisy, chaotic sound they make— “gaggle” comes from Middle English for babbling or cackling. In flight, however, they become a skein of geese, referring to a thread or yarn, perhaps inspired by the V-shaped formation resembling a skein unwinding. These distinctions highlight how context-specific many collective nouns are, with roots in Old English observations of bird behavior. Similarly, a lamentation of swans captures the mournful trumpeting calls of these elegant birds, a term from the medieval era that poetically anthropomorphizes their sounds as sorrowful cries.

For raptors and predators, the names often evoke power or strategy. A parliament of owls is one of the most evocative, linking to ancient Greek mythology where owls symbolized wisdom (accompanying Athena, goddess of reason). The “parliament” suggests a wise assembly, though its modern popularity surged with C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. It may have earlier roots in Chaucer’s Parliament of Fowls.

A wake of vultures (when feeding) alludes to a funeral wake, given their role as scavengers circling death; this term emerged from observations of their feeding habits in the 19th century or earlier. A cast of falcons borrows from falconry, where “casting” means releasing birds to hunt, a practice documented in medieval hunting texts. Less common but striking are a brigade of martial eagles, perhaps inspired by the military connotation of “martial” (warlike) and their aggressive hunting in groups, though its exact origin is obscure and may be a modern invention based on behavior.

Shorebirds and waders have equally descriptive terms. A siege of herons refers to their patient, besieging stance while hunting fish, first noted in The Book of Saint Albans. A flamboyance of flamingos perfectly captures their vivid pink hues and showy displays, with “flamboyance” deriving from French words for flame or flair, likely coined as flamingos became more studied in zoos and wild habitats.

A dive of kingfishers evokes their plunging hunting technique, a more recent term based on direct observation rather than ancient lore. An irritation of hadedas are those creatures in our gardens here in South Africa who drive us nuts. An impi of lilac-breasted rollers who are venerated by the Zulus. A sneer of penguins as they look like butlers. A squadron of seagulls as they bomb in unison. A strafe of fish eagles as they fly in when hunting fish. A shag of turtle doves, just because. A tsotsi of cuckoos as they always stealing. A camouflage of Piet My Vrou’s as you can never find our see them. An ambush of Kieviets, as that is what they do! A state capture of Indian Mynahs because of the Guptas. A haunting of sacred ibises as that are flying ghosts. A dazzle of sunbirds as the catch the sun. A catwalk of Hoopoe, because they prance like models. A skinder of Secretary Birds, because that is what a pool of typists do.

Among smaller birds, personality shines through. A descent of woodpeckers describes their habit of spiraling down tree trunks, a name from noting their vertical movements. A charm of hummingbirds reflects their enchanting, jewel-like appearance and hovering flight, when these new world birds gained popularity in Europe. A scold of jays nods to their loud, scolding calls when alarmed, while a mischief of magpies highlights their thieving, playful reputation in folklore. A trembling of finches may refer to their fluttering wings in flight, and a quarrel of sparrows captures their noisy disputes over food or territory—these terms often stem from 16th-17th century naturalist writings.

More exotic or regional names include a plague of grackles, alluding to their large, invasive flocks that can overwhelm areas like a biblical plague, a term popularized in North American birdwatching circles. A confusion of guinea fowl describes their disorganized, panicky group behavior, originating from African introductions to Europe in the Renaissance. A congregation of weaver birds straightforwardly refers to their intricate woven nests forming communal colonies where they sing like members of a church. Rarer still are a peloton of hammerkops, borrowing from cycling jargon for a tight group (hammerkops look like cyclists with helmets), and a dive of kingfishers, as mentioned earlier.

These collective nouns remind us of the rich interplay between language, culture, and nature. While some have ancient roots in superstition and hunting, others are modern inventions inspired by behavior. My personal favorite has to be a flamboyance of flamingos—it’s just so vividly fitting for those leggy, pink spectacles strutting through shallow waters, bringing a touch of extravagance to the avian world. Whether you’re spotting a murder in the treetops or a gaggle on the pond, these names add a layer of delight to birdwatching.

Ronald Bartels | LinkedIn | Instagram

Awkward

It was one of those balmy Jozi evenings, just as the world was tentatively shaking off the grip of the COVID pandemic. I’d been invited to dinner at the home of an old school friend in Parktown, that venerable suburb where grand Herbert Baker-designed homes still stand like silent guardians of a bygone era, their red-tiled roofs and stone facades dotted along tree-lined streets. The invitation promised a low-key gathering—nothing fancy, just good food, wine, and conversation to reconnect after the isolation of lockdowns. Little did I know it would devolve into one of the most surreal and uncomfortable encounters of my adult life.

The guest list was small: my friend, his father (a warm, retired businessman with a penchant for marketing), and a neighbor named Rex, a retired South African judge who’d hung up his robes a few decades earlier. Rex was in his eighties, sharp-eyed and impeccably dressed in a crisp shirt and trousers, exuding the kind of authoritative presence that comes from years on the bench. At first, the evening unfolded pleasantly. We sat around a wooden dining table laden with homemade bobotie, fresh salads, and a robust bottle of local Pinotage. Conversation flowed easily—reminiscences about school days, the quirks of Parktown’s history, and the shared relief of emerging from pandemic restrictions. Masks were off, vaccines were in, and there was a palpable sense of normalcy returning.

But as the main course gave way to dessert, the tone shifted. Rex, perhaps emboldened by a second glass of wine, steered the discussion toward the pandemic itself. What began as mild skepticism quickly escalated into a full-throated rant about conspiracy theories. “It’s all Bill Gates’ doing,” he declared, his voice rising with conviction. “That man’s not content with his billions—he wants to control the world, Illuminati-style. The vaccines? Just a ploy to track us, make more money, and play God with humanity.” He went on, citing vague “sources” from fringe online groups and social media echo chambers that amplified such nonsense, painting Gates as some shadowy puppet master behind global events using microchips hidden in vaccines.

I listened politely at first, but as someone who’d built much of my career around technology, I couldn’t let it slide unchallenged. “With all due respect, Judge,” I interjected calmly, “I’ve spent my entire professional life using, supporting, and deploying products that originated from Bill Gates’ company. Microsoft has been a cornerstone for so many of us. Gates? He’s just a plain old nerd at heart—a brilliant one, sure, but his philanthropy, especially in medical causes, strikes me as genuine. He’s poured billions into fighting diseases like malaria and polio, not to control the world, but to make it a better place. It’s about giving back, not some sinister plot and there are no microchips floating in vaccines.”

The room fell silent for a beat. Rex’s face reddened, his judicial composure cracking like thin ice. Then, without warning, he leaned forward and barked, “Fuck off.” The words hung in the air, crude and jarring, utterly out of place in this refined setting. My friend froze, fork midway to his mouth; his father cleared his throat awkwardly, staring into his plate. I blinked, staring back at Rex, wondering if this was the onset of senility or just a flash of unchecked temper. Had the pandemic’s isolation frayed his edges, or was this the real man beneath the robe?

The rest of the evening limped along in strained politeness. Dessert was eaten in near silence, punctuated by forced small talk about the weather and local events—anything to avoid the elephant in the room. As I drove home later, winding through Parktown’s shadowy streets, I couldn’t shake the unease. How had this man, entrusted with presiding over courtrooms and dispensing justice, harbored such irrational beliefs? How could someone so unbalanced in temperament have wielded the gavel, deciding fates with the weight of law? It was a stark reminder that titles and authority don’t always equate to wisdom or restraint. In the end, that dinner wasn’t just awkward—it was a window into the fragility of reason in an age of misinformation.

But, hey, the world is full of those.

Ronald Bartels | LinkedIn | Instagram

Christmas

As December rolls in, like clockwork, I dust off my well-worn copy of Love Actually and settle in for the ritual viewing. It’s the quintessential Christmas movie, one that never grows old, with its heartfelt message of love, connection, and holiday magic distilled into pure Christmas essence. For me, Christmas isn’t just a holiday, it’s a tradition that seeps right into my bones, a visceral pull that feels as innate as breathing.

Being German by heritage, I suppose I’m a tree worshipper at heart, a bona fide tree hugger with roots that run deep. My earliest act of arboreal devotion was to a wild fig tree that sprawled outside the window of the dusty farmhouse where I spent my youth. I’d gaze at it for hours, imagining it as a guardian spirit. And it’s no exaggeration to say this reverence is in my blood; our family has over 500 years of documented history intertwined with Christianity, tracing back to the very door in Wittenberg where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses, sparking the Reformation. That legacy pulses through me, even if my own beliefs has evolved.

Growing up in New Hanover, the local Lutheran church embodied the season’s splendor. Each year, a massive pine tree would be hauled inside and positioned proudly beside the altar, a towering symbol of evergreen hope. It wasn’t adorned with modern electric lights but with real candles, each one carefully ignited using a match affixed to a long stick—a ritual that filled the air with the warm flicker of flame and the faint scent of melting wax. The sight was mesmerizing, almost sacred. Afterward, the church’s brass band would strike up hymns, their notes resonating through the pews like a communal heartbeat. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the church bazaar became a highlight, bustling with stalls selling handmade ornaments—delicate glass baubles, wooden carvings, and glittering stars that we’d hang on our own trees at home.

No Christmas memory is complete without visits to my grandmother Bertha, whose kitchen was a haven of holiday delights. She’d serve her traditional Butterkuchen, that buttery yeast cake dusted with sugar and almonds, alongside Zirupskuchen, a syrupy treat that melted on the tongue. Those flavors are the very taste of Christmas for me, evoking warmth and nostalgia in every bite. Even now, living in Johannesburg, I scour the shops each December in search of authentic Lebkuchen—those spiced gingerbread cookies that transport me straight back to my roots.

My parents would put on a Boney M cassette in the Mercedes Benz. We would listen endlessly to “By the Rivers of Babylon”. I’m still transported to the back seat of that car, wedged between my boet and sis every time I hear that song.

My sister shares this passion for the season and takes charge of our family gatherings, orchestrating a sumptuous dinner on Christmas Eve. We skip the fanfare of Christmas Day altogether, honoring the German custom of celebrating on the night before, the Heilige Nacht, or Holy Night. If possible, we seek out a church service where we can join in singing “Silent Night,” its melody wrapping around us like a familiar embrace. The tears come unbidden, rolling down my cheeks without shame, a release of all the accumulated joy and melancholy of the year.

At its core, Christmas for me is about giving—everyone deserves a present, not something extravagant, but a token that’s personal and meaningful, chosen with thought and care. And here’s my confession: for all the Christian heritage in my veins, Christmas isn’t truly religious to me. Sorry, Jesus—it’s something deeper, more primal, woven into my DNA. It’s a potent brew of ancestral echoes, a pause for reflection amid the whirl of life, blending the simple pleasures of tree hugging and Süßigkeiten—the sweets that make the season sparkle. I suppose some might brand me a heretic for saying so, but by choice, I’d leave my Christmas lights twinkling all year round. Their soft glow is too beautiful to confine to just one month. That’s me—unapologetically enchanted by a primitive festival’s enduring magic.

My favourite apostle is Thomas who would always go to first principles, and Christmas is not about the myths but being nice as the first principle.

Window shopping

As a young boy growing up on our family farm in the rolling hills of KwaZulu-Natal, the simple rhythms of rural life shaped my world as I learned the land’s secrets from my father’s calloused hands. But come December, a magical ritual broke the monotony—the annual pilgrimage to Pietermaritzburg for window shopping. This wasn’t just any outing; it was our prelude to Christmas, a shimmering promise of the holiday’s joy wrapped in the cool evening air. The town lay about 30 kilometers away, a journey that felt like crossing into another realm, where the dirt roads gave way to bustling streets alive with lights and laughter.

We’d pile into the Mercedes—my parents, siblings, and I—after supper, when the sun dipped low and the night sky began to twinkle like the decorations we’d soon behold. Pietermaritzburg, with its colonial charm and vibrant energy, was a far cry from our isolated homestead. The main streets pulsed with holiday cheer, shops aglow with festive displays that drew crowds like moths to a flame. But none captivated us more than Stuttafords and John Orrs, the grand dames of the retail scene. Their windows were masterpieces: elaborate tableaux of twinkling trees, mechanical Santas waving merrily, and piles of wrapped gifts that sparked endless “what if” dreams in my childish mind. We’d stroll from one to the next, pressing our noses against the glass, oohing and aahing as the displays unfolded like storybooks come to life. My mother would point out the elegant dresses, my father the sturdy toys, and we’d all imagine what treasures might find their way under our modest tree back home.

Those evenings were pure enchantment, but one particular Christmas Eve outing etched itself into family lore, recounted at every birthday and holiday gathering thereafter with equal parts horror and hilarity. I was not yet going to school, and was wide-eyed and overwhelmed by the urban spectacle. As we lingered before John Orrs’ magnificent window—a veritable winter wonderland of faux snow and animated reindeer—nature called with urgent insistence. Being a farm boy through and through, accustomed to relieving myself against a tree or in the open fields without a second thought, I saw no issue with the matter. So, right there on the bustling sidewalk, I sidled up to the window, dropped my shorts, and let loose a stream against the glass. To my innocent logic, it was as natural as breathing; the city lights reflected in the puddle at my feet like some impromptu holiday art installation.

The gasps from passersby were immediate, but it was a stern-faced lady nearby who broke the spell. She turned to my mortified mother, who was frozen in shock, and quipped dryly, “At least he shook it.” My parents whisked me away amid apologies and stifled laughter, the incident becoming an instant legend. Back on the farm, it was retold with embellishments—how the window nearly steamed up, or how I waved cheerfully to my reflection mid-act. Even now, decades later, as we gather around the table, my sister inevitably pipes up with, “Remember that time in Pietermaritzburg?” and the room erupts in chuckles. It was a lesson in the clash of worlds: the untamed freedom of rural life meeting the polished propriety of the city. In those windows, I didn’t just see holiday dreams; I glimpsed the boundaries of my own innocence, forever marked by a boy’s bold blunder.

Ronald Bartels | LinkedIn | Instagram

Redefining disabled

The world is obsessed with labels, and few words carry as much unintended weight as “disabled.” It’s a term that’s thrown around casually in medical forms, policy discussions, and everyday conversations, but what does it really mean? At its root, “disabled” suggests a fundamental lack, incapability, brokenness, or deficiency. It paints a picture of someone who is inherently less than whole, forcing them into a perpetual battle to prove their worth against the so-called “able-bodied” norm. But here’s the truth: no one is truly “disabled” in the way this word implies. We’re all navigating life’s challenges, and physical or cognitive differences don’t equate to incapacity. Instead, they often forge extraordinary resilience, creativity, and strength.

Think about it: every day, we all have to prove ourselves. The entrepreneur pitching their startup, the artist unveiling their work, the parent juggling chaos, none of us get a free pass. Why, then, do we burden some with a label that screams limitation from the start? It’s time to retire “disabled” and embrace a narrative of human potential. Let’s look at some real-life heroes who shatter this myth, proving that what society calls a “disability” is often just a different path to greatness.

Stephen Hawking | The Mind That Defied Gravity

Take Stephen Hawking, the brilliant physicist whose name is synonymous with black holes, the Big Bang, and the very fabric of the universe. Diagnosed with ALS as a young adult, Hawking gradually lost the use of his limbs and voice, relying on a wheelchair and a speech synthesizer. Yet, did this make him “disabled”? Far from it. He authored A Brief History of Time, a bestseller that made complex cosmology accessible to millions. He held the Lucasian Professorship at Cambridge, the same chair once occupied by Isaac Newton. Hawking’s intellect soared beyond physical constraints, challenging our understanding of time and space. He once quipped, “My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.” If that’s “disabled,” then sign me up for the club. Hawking wasn’t limited; he was liberated by a mind that refused to be confined.

Lord Nelson | Victory on the High Seas, One Arm at a Time

History is rife with examples, and few are as swashbuckling as Admiral Horatio Nelson. The British naval hero lost sight in one eye during the Siege of Calvi and had his right arm amputated after the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Battle-scarred and physically altered, Nelson could have retired to a quiet life. Instead, he led the Royal Navy to decisive victories, most famously at the Battle of Trafalgar, where he crushed Napoleon’s fleet and secured Britain’s dominance at sea. Nelson’s famous signal, “England expects that every man will do his duty,” wasn’t uttered from a place of pity or concession, it was a rallying cry from a leader who embodied unyielding determination. His “disabilities” didn’t hinder him; they became part of his legend, proving that true capability lies in strategy, courage, and will.

Douglas Bader | Reaching for the Sky, Legs or No Legs

One story that hits particularly close to home for me is that of Douglas Bader, the RAF fighter pilot whose biography, Reach for the Sky, I’ve devoured multiple times. Bader lost both legs in a flying accident. Doctors said he’d never walk again, let alone fly. But Bader, with his trademark grit, fitted himself with prosthetic legs and badgered his way back into the cockpit. By World War II, he was commanding squadrons in the Battle of Britain, piloting Spitfires with acrobatic flair and racking up multiple aerial victories. Captured by the Germans after being shot down, he even attempted multiple escapes from POW camps, once famously trying to climb out using his artificial legs as leverage. Bader’s life screams defiance: “No matter what, you can achieve.” As a Spitfire ace, he wasn’t just participating; he was excelling in one of the most demanding arenas imaginable. Fuck yeah, indeed—that’s the spirit that turns obstacles into fuel.

These aren’t isolated cases. The list of such trailblazers is endless: Frida Kahlo, who channeled chronic pain into revolutionary art; Beethoven, composing symphonies while deaf; or modern icons like Paralympic athletes who redefine speed and strength. What unites them isn’t a shared “disability”, it’s an unwavering refusal to let circumstances define their narrative.

The Personal Lens | One Eye, Infinite Perspectives

On a more personal note, living with one eye changes things. Depth perception shifts, your brain rewires to adapt, and everyday tasks like driving or catching a ball require a bit more finesse. But at its core, it’s not a deficit, it’s a distinction. It makes you rare, forcing a unique way of seeing the world (pun intended). You notice details others miss, anticipate movements differently, and build resilience that “two-eyed” folks might never need. It’s a reminder that differences aren’t disabilities; they’re superpowers in disguise. Society’s labels try to box us in, but embracing our uniqueness unlocks potential we didn’t know we had.

Redefine

Disabled is a word that creates barriers where none need exist, fostering pity instead of empowerment. Instead, celebrate the human spirit’s adaptability. Whether you’re Hawking unraveling the cosmos, Nelson commanding fleets, or Bader soaring through dogfights, the message is clear: capability isn’t about perfect bodies—it’s about unbreakable minds and hearts.

Ronald Bartels | LinkedIn | Instagram

From the Mid-American Conference.

Today's game of choice finds the (3-5) Ball St. Cardinals football team traveling to Hadley, Massachusets to play the (4-4) UMass Minutemen. This game has a comfortable start time scheduled for 6:00 PM CT and I hope to be able to listen to the radio call of all 4 Quarters before heading to bed.

And the adventure continues.

Dromentemmers Beurs in het UHS

Wilt u meer weten over goed dus tam dromen. Heeft u last of kent u mensen die last hebben van wilde dromen kom dan naar de Dromentemmer Beurs in het Universeel Handelsgebouw van Smægmå.

Zelfs de wildste dromen doven ze daar vakkundig uit, verwijderen ze uit u slaap en zelfs dagdromen, op die manier leert u dromen zoals het hoort, veilig, geruisloos, gewaardeerd door de gemeenschap van goeden en hun goederen. Wilde dromen zorgen vaak voor vreselijke gebeurtenissen of een gestoorde rem slaap, u ogen worden veel te driftig in die krappe kassen.

Bij de beurs voor dromentemmers komen wel 400 vaklieden allen bezig in zeer uiteenlopende technieken om dromen terug aan banden te leggen, in de lucht te houden, zodat ze handelbaar blijven en niet langer ontsnappen aan alle droom controle mechanismen opgericht om juist dat te voorkomen. Niet iedere droom is geschikt voor het nachtleven, kan uitkomen, mag dat ook niet. Onze markt kooplieden weten alles over goede getemde dromen en ook over alle foute wilde, kennen het verschil, de regels rondom dromen in het wild. Wat je moet doen zodra een droom wild wordt, wanneer je moet ingrijpen en bij welke persoon aanwezig of werkzaam bij een van de bij de beurs aanwezige standjes je moet aankloppen om verergering ervan in te tomen.

Wilde dromen zijn een groot gevaar voor onze totaal cultuur en moeten ten eerste gemeden worden, ten tweede eenmaal toch daar gecontroleerd worden, en ten derde verwijderd uit ons systeem. Elke dromentemmer is in tenminste een van deze opties gespecialiseerd. De beurs is behalve nuttig ook gezellig, er zijn rustige artiesten voor op de achtergrond, eten dat door anderen voor je wordt klaar gemaakt, geserveerd zomaar gewoon voor je geld, er zijn leuke winkeltjes voor een groot scala aan apparaten allemaal heel onnatuurlijk ontstaan uit goedkeurenswaardige getemde dromen, diverse uitbaters van vooraf gedroomde tamme dromen die je zo kunt kopen en dan later thuis op het gepaste moment op bank of bed zonder enig gevaar met je hart gerust gaan liggen dromen. Deze beurs is geschikt gemaakt voor alle leeftijden (aanbevolen) een heerlijk uitje voor alle risico mijdende gezinnen, alle gezinnen dus.

De entree is 36 euro voor (jong) volwassenen, 10 voor kinderen van 6 tot 14, 7,99 voor kinderen tot 6, en gratis voor honderd jarigen, baby's en zeer rustige, normale huisdieren.

Let wel, voor entree moet u langs onze beveiliging door de dromenscanner mochten er restjes wilde dromen worden waargenomen kunnen wij u sommeren huiswaarts te keren of u kunt eventueel een paar uur verpozen in de quarantaine kelder tot al het wild gedroomde uit het lichaam is verdwenen en dan alsnog volledig gezond alles leren om dergelijk leed in de nabije toekomst te voorkomen.

Tot zo dan, bij de Dromentemmers Beurs in het UHS. Droom net, Droom tam!

11.4.2026

朝携清露行 暮落斜阳归 问霞君远渡 漠寞若浮舟

How to Solve Word Problems Without Getting Confused

By Andrew Collins, Founder of Calc Solver

Word problems confuse many students, and usually the math is not the hard part. The hard part is translating a story into numbers. Once you learn a reliable method for that translation, word problems become ordinary problems with a few extra sentences.

Read Twice Before Writing Anything

The most common mistake is rushing to calculate after one fast read. Read the problem twice. On the first read, get the story: who is involved, what is happening. On the second read, hunt for the math: quantities, relationships, and what is actually being asked. Two slow reads save far more time than one fast read followed by a wrong solution.

Underline the Numbers and the Question

Mark every number and its unit: 12 apples, 3 boxes, 4 dollars per box. Then mark the exact question — what single value must you find? Many students solve for the wrong thing because they never isolated the question. Writing the numbers and the question separately turns a paragraph into a clear starting point.

Translate Words Into Math

Math has a vocabulary. “Total” and “combined” usually mean add. “Difference” means subtract. “Each” and “per” usually mean multiply or divide. “Twice as many” means multiply by two. Learning these signal words turns translation from guessing into a routine. When a sentence confuses you, rewrite it in your own words first, then translate that simpler version.

Solve in Small Steps

Big problems become easy when split into small steps. If a problem has several stages, solve one stage at a time and label each result. Do not try to hold the whole chain in your head. Write each step down, even if it feels obvious. Written steps are easy to check; mental chains are easy to lose.

Check Against the Story

When you get an answer, read it back into the story. Does it make sense? If a problem asks for the number of students and your answer is 2.5, something went wrong — people do not come in fractions. If an answer should be smaller than the starting amount but yours is bigger, recheck your operation. This final reality check catches more errors than any other habit.

Practice With Steps

Word problems improve with practice, but only if you practice the method, not just the answers. A free step-by-step platform like calc solver shows the full working of a problem, so you can compare your translation and steps with a correct solution and see exactly where your reasoning diverged. Read twice, translate carefully, solve in steps, and check against the story. Follow that routine and word problems stop being confusing — they become the most satisfying problems to solve.