Hagley Park helps me fight diabetes - and - cicada & the english language

My mind is eclectic.  Just as when I meditate it's sometimes hard to keep my mind on one topic - a monkey mind it was called when I studied Theravada Buddhism at Wat Suan Mohk in Sthn Thailand. Well, so it is too when I go walking in Hagley Park - which is right on my doorstep and is a powerful tool in my 'getting fitter-losing weight-fighting-diabetes' regime.

This morning was no different. MP3 plugged in, I headed off for an hour walk and this time I was thinking about cicada. Its only been in the past few days that the ground (in Christchurch, NZ) has been warm enough for the cicada to emerge from the ground and start making a noise to attract mates - and of course being in  a park I had suround sound of cicada's singing. So, what my mind was thinking, is it the temperature that made them emerge? Or was it the good rainfall we had a week ago that allowed the ground be soft enough for them to dig their way out and up the tree trunks overnight, shed their skin, and fly off. I need to google all these questions and follow-up these thoughts! (I have added these links so you too can find out - if you want to - however maybe I'm the only one who has such a monkey, questioning, mind!)

As well as these thoughts I was also listening to Radio New Zealand (National) which had a fascinating programme on the English language .. the progrmme describes it as Julian Burnside talks to Chris Laidlaw about 'Wordwatching: field notes from an amateur philologist' (Scribe Publications), and the need to be aware of the misuse of language in the service of sinister purposes - whether political, ideological, social, or personal. Julian Burnside, QC, is an Australian barrister who specialises in commercial litigation and is also deeply involved in human rights work, in particular in relation to refugees. Go to the Radio NZ website to listen to the interview here  - or on the link above for any of the many great interviews that happen daily via podcast.