008 - Slæmur Hlutur og Öldrun Draumur..

A crossroads isn't a pretty place to be. Two roads either side and an inevitable change of direction. It feels lately like I've been grappling with little more than a shadow of my own reflection. I guess this 'blog' entry comes out of a lull period just after finishing my PGCE, where the arduous task of finding secure employment has long since begun and where the frantic rush of the last few months has left a huge void in my daily routine. Even booking a simple holiday has become a minefield of potential disasters (don't ever let LastMinute.com convince you their services are anything other than long-winded, though that's probably in the majority my own fault. It will always be made difficult when you can't decide where to go..). Still, hanging about in one place never got anyone anywhere did it. I've lost count now of the number of websites I've browsed, hotels I've checked out, and cheap flights I've investigated and interrogated only to find that at some point down the line things just don't quite seem to add up. Back to the drawing board on the holiday front has been approached so many times I'm beginning to wonder whether the aforementioned crossroads is tying itself in ever repeating knots and circles like an elaborately mirroed figure of eight. No matter which direction you take you always end up back at the start point eventually, and at no point can you trust entirely in what you are seeing.

As anyone reading this with even a slight knowledge of me will know, I've been itching desperately for a few years now (hold your jokes) to travel to Iceland. This has only been magnified intensely by the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull this year, and the apparent impending eruption of big sister volcano Katla. It seems almost nonsensical for me to find this a perfect holiday destination when most people dream of peace and relaxation, and the beach and perfect tide. For me though Iceland still holds that sort of tranquil beauty, but is once again awake with the sort of vibrance and natural splender that only such an extraordinary land could dream to offer. Such is my interest for this incredible place, it took me a good 15 minutes to decide on a photo to go with this section, because everything for me to choose from couldn't sum up everything that Iceland has to offer. Volcanoes, the northern lights, glaciers, geysers, culture, an entire country where everyone is on first name terms, incredible scenery.. I'll end this section before my anger at my bank balance ends up scrawled into this post irreparably. So then, holidays. Any suggestions?

Another thing that has crossed my attention lately (possibly due to me having more free time to think and ponder now I have finished for summer) is my interest in Psychology, and particularly the Psychology of the people around us day to day. The distinct differences and also amazing similarities between people never ceases to surprise and interest me, so much that people watching when walking through town has become an ever-amusing game to play. In particular, the complex systems for reasoning for beliefs that people use also perplex and intrigue me. There's been a few points over this last year when during any sort of minor or heated debate the opposing party has presented their logic and argument with an interesting sense of reasoning. Sometimes this reasoning has made me take stock of other perspectives and arguments, and has completely taken me aback with surprise, yet at other times has seemed to me so obviously flawed and constrained by 'faith-beliefs' that I have found it hard to accept. We care too much about books written by our fellow man, yet I also continue to admire those people who can find blind faith in any sort of pursuit or ideal even in defiance of the evidence that may be stacking against them. They have at least, found their path through the crossroads..

'Dazed and Confused'
Sandlefish