Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Foggy, foggy, foggy, blimp



I'm sure it wasn't foggy when I got up this morning, but when I left for work 'twas foggy indeed. I couldn't see even a hint of the city as I crossed over Morell Bridge.  Luke said it wasn't foggy when he left for work very early this morning either, so it must have rolled in just for my photographic pleasure. Thanks, fog!

It amazes me how quickly fog can disappear. Five minutes after I took the above photo, the sun had penetrated the fog and almost burnt it all away. There was a little wisp still hanging about the top of Eureka Tower, and the sun was bouncing off the tower onto the fog. 




It took longer to clear outside the CBD though. 

 Looking out my office window about 10.30

I saw another sight out my window in the afternoon. Another blimp! This time a red one, which flew around and around in a very tiny loop, and then it was gone. What is it with blimps and their odd behaviour? Or am I having blimpy hallucinations? I had a lawyer at my desk when I first saw it. 

Lawyer: Blah, blah, blah...
Me (interjects, points out window): Ooh, look! A blimp!
Lawyer (glances out window): Blah, blah, blah...
Me (thinks): What's wrong with you? It's a blimp! A red blimp! 

Sigh. He's only about 25, probably too young not to care about appearing young. 


I was going to mention the quote by CS Lewis about putting away childish things, but I couldn't remember the exact wording, so I asked Google. I found the whole passage the quote comes from. I've never seen it in its entirety before. 
Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.
Probably best I don't tell the young lawyer his development is arrested. 

4 comments:

Lindy said...

Hi Jayne. I think we agree on attitudes to growing up and growing old. I am 15 years older than you and my own mother is still waiting for me to grow up. I really think it is a bit late now.

cloudbusting2 said...

Now that was a freaky bounce. Splendid views from your office.

missjane said...

Hiya; I'm another Melbournian Jane - I found your blog while looking for fellow Etymologicon lovers. I'm a bit jealous that you are yet to read the blog for the first time: it's even more fun, I think.

I've been lurking for a bit but just wanted to say how much I love that shot of the light bouncing off the fog! Amazing.

Jayne said...

Hi Piggy. Hehe. I think my mother is still waiting for me to grow up too...or at least produce a grandchild. Not much chance of either!

Hi cloudbusting2. The view from my office is great. I particularly enjoy it in the late afternoon around sunset. I can't see the sun setting, but the golden glow it casts on the city is lovely.

Hello Jane! And welcome! Always nice to meet other Ja(y)nes who live in Melbourne and love The Etymologicon! I say that like it's happened before... I'd actually forgotten about the website, so thanks for reminding me. I wonder if we should start an Etymologicon fan club?