Round the Herne

  My reading of Harlan Ellison's dark short story "Hitler Painted Roses", which appeared in his anthology Strange Wine (1978). It has a rather bleak view of the Afterlife and our fates. Thought this would be a suitable entry for the Halloween season. This is a trial use of my new microphone and a different format for storytelling - so people can just listen and don't need to look at my face! If this seems to be a popular format, I will record more stories as just audio without any visual element. It's all new ground for me, so see how it plays out. The intro/exit music and artwork was created by my friend Jay Chooi who understands these things (I certainly don't!).

 Some reflections on Jung's archetype of the Eternal Child for the October discussion of the Suffolk Jungian Circle (and anyone else who wants to listen). For Jung, this was both a positive archetype that keeps the psyche young and vital, but also a potential neurotic pitfall into which the emotionally arrested adult could lapse.

  My reading of the final chapter of Gore Vidal's "Julian" (1962) and a reflection on some of the themes in the novel and what it has to say about society both then and now. It's an excellent book, highly recommended and, like all great works, stimulates more questions than it answers. Without spoiling anything, this final chapter is a reflection by one of the key figures in the book on life after the Emperor Julian has died and Christianity reasserted itself. Even though it was penned in 1962, this book raises issues that are still relevant in 2024.

 As part of my job I organise various public conferences and seminars. This year we are trialing a few online mini courses in social sciences, starting with three evenings introducing some sociological theories and ideas. These are free to participate in, but you will need to let me know that you want to take part so the Teams link can be sent out. The first of these seminars takes place tonight at 7.30pm and is followed by another session next Tuesday evening and the one after that. The weekly topics are below. If you want the link, drop me an email at robin.herne@easterneducationgroup.ac.uk (the under-16s will need parental permission to tune in). What’s the Big (sociological) Idea – these virtual sessions explore major sociological theories: Week 1: Max Weber, Emile Durkheim and the Functionalists; Week 2: Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler, and Feminism; Week 3: Michel Foucault and Postmodernism.

 A recording for the Suffolk Jungian Circle monthly discussion - which this month will be on Jung's theories about dreaming. If anyone would like to join the virtual discussion group, it is free to do so - just let me know that you would like the link.

  A recording of several poems ("Invention of the Otter" by Miriam Darlington, one by Sable, "Looking Glass River" by Robert Louis Stevenson, "Heaven" by Rupert Brooke, and one by myself) read out previously at a ritual to honour the River Gipping. It would be interesting to hear from others if they conduct ceremonies to honour their local rivers, lakes, or other water ways.