Friday 26 March 2010

Tuesday 23 March 2010

Question: Are you capitalizing off this? (in repspect to a YouTube post).

@s10458 Q. Are you capitalizing off this?

This is a good question. The short answer is yes, but of course that is only part of the answer. The majority of posts we get are positive and heart warming and people are genially interested in updates.

I set myself some moral guidelines over two years ago and I am happy to say I have not broken these in any aspect. We have not ‘sold out’, we do very few interviews and television appearances by choice. We do not advertise on the pages over and above the standard things offered by YouTube despite daily requests. We save any monies earned as we view it as the boy’s future. We have not changed as a family.

The word capitalise means 'to draw advantage from'. Yes we do that and I have answered on this basis. I do not think there are many people who would not draw advantage from something that falls in their lap. However we have not ‘taken advantage’ and we have not really done anything more than we would have done without the YouTube interest. If you meant capitalise in any other context then you should disregard my answer.

A minority of people say we exploit the boys. The definition of exploit is ‘to employ to the greatest possible advantage’ or ‘to use selfishly or unethically’. Another definition is ‘to advertise and promote’. Had you used this word and meant either of the first two then firstly I would not have bothered to answer your question but if I had to answer I would have said no. I hope you can see this from the paragraph above. Do we ‘advertise and promote’. Well actually we don’t do this either. I have only once sent out a message to people on YouTube when I have put a new clip up and the only other places you would find links are on the blog, Facebook and Twitter for those who subscribe.

The problems I see are that people struggle to actually understand the words they are using (especially with relation to other more appropriate words) and therefore are not able to understand answers they may get in the correct context. Words are used because other people have used them there appropriateness is not necessarily a concern. People assume their view and understanding of the world is either the same as everyone else’s, the only view possible, or both. I also see people unable to review something objectively, i.e. without bringing in their own preconceived prejudices of what is right or wrong. The English language is rich and subtle. However in these times we live in people seem to struggle to understand anything within the boundaries of extremes.

To some I am sure they have no idea what I am talking about. Those are the people who leave comments that I have to clean up later.

Sunday 21 March 2010

Charlie's 4th Birthday Party

What a busy couple of weeks. Saturday was Charlie’s 4th Birthday party and it seemed to take weeks to organise. Charlie wanted a Knight themed party. So we thought it would be great if all the children who wanted to be knights had similar looking tabards, swords and shields. Princesses with similar tiaras and wands! This started two weeks before with stencilling, cutting, painting, gluing, drawing, sewing etc. In addition we had some material chainmail suits made for Harry Charlie and Daddy to wear under our tabards. However the results were great with about eighteen little Knights running around most of which wore the tabards and about eight little princesses.

Charlie chose a red lion emblem which I painted metallic red. Harry wanted gold and Jasper got the first one I made in silver.

Merlin wondered around turning parents into frogs.

We had a crossbow event, making shields and tiaras, a Knighting Ceremony, musical thrones, Merlin said (although I think Merlin had vanished so it was renamed King Charlie said), Sleeping Dragons and a few more to boot. The house and a marquee in the garden were adorned with knights, flags, bunting etc.

Lots of food and cake.

Other children and teddies faces blurred

I just wished I had had a little more time to take more photos of all the events. Maybe some other parents did I can add a few later.

Have a great 4th Year Charlie :)

Wednesday 10 March 2010

Harry, Charlie and Jasper's new home


Not sure if they are going to have a comfortable night


Still it's all their own handiwork :)

We are not sponsored by GAP. This is an unintentional promotion :)

Thursday 4 March 2010

If you like this film could you vote for it

Hi all

I do not often ask things of the people who visit us however ever on this occasion I am

Could you visit this clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wILTkc08VyA

and if you like it vote for it here

http://www.reed.co.uk/film/ at the bottom called "The Papal Workplace"

The film was made by one of the guys who came to film Harry and Charlie for a viral show last year. The one where the boys are being interviewed behind the desk.
http://www.youtube.com/HDCYT?gl=GB&hl=en-GB#p/u/2/KFBE6aqBRPQ

I also love the clip :)

Thanks loads

I have never been so glad a tunnel came along

Charlie and I (dad) went riding on trains yesterday (into London and about). As usual Charlie spent 45 minutes on the mainline asking question after question. Funny how all the other passengers pretend not to be listening. However as you can imagine some questions are harder to answer than others, here is a transcript from the start of one interaction;

Charlie: Daddy, why do you not want to be dead (this was a general question as opposed to me saying I'm going to die)
Daddy: Well, when you die everything ends
(Charlie shuffles about playing with the small shelf by the window)
Pause
Daddy: That is unless you...
Charlie: Wow a tunnel, look Daddy we are in a tunnel
conversation continues about tunnels..........

Just for all you theologians out there we neither encourage or discourage in equal measure big bang theory or Genesis. Space and stars catch Harry's attention more. Noah's ark and the good Samaritan grab Charlie's attention more :) I was going on to explain the concept of Heaven and Hell as I normally do, however as you can tell it makes little difference.

Tunnels are great things. Thanks Tunnel.