With the cloud watching resolution assigned to me yesterday by the online New Year Resolution generator, I decided to put in a commitment to the cause. As I got done with my daily grind of work & household chores last evening, I took out some time to go cloud watching. In my backyard, of course! Just as I was beginning to enjoy the blue sky, Mother Nature decided to turn hostile. Everything suddenly became dark and it started to drizzle. The drizzle soon changed to heavy rain which has continued till today morning with flashing lightening and loud thunderstorms. It has poured all night without even one second of break in between and the day right now at 9:00 AM still looks like it hasn't started yet. For the first time, in several years, I have seen hail falling in Punjab. The lawn is starting to become white and it's reminding me of the first snow day from my Penn State college days. So much for my cloud watching! But hey, at least I tried.
The clouds (or overcast sky) from my backyard this morning
You might think I am stupid for taking cloud watching as a serious business, but did you know that there are several people in the world for whom this truly is a serious hobby? Take for example, The Cloud Appreciation Society. They are a non-profit organization with about 29,000 members from all over the world who believe that "life would be dull if we had to look up at cloudless monotony day after day." Their manifesto continues on to say that clouds "are nature's poetry" and that "they are for dreamers and their contemplation benefits the soul. Indeed, all who consider the shapes they see in them will save on psychoanalysis bills." The society's members include people such as pilots, photographers, painters, astronomers, wildlife conservators, general nature lovers, philosophers, writers, people looking to relax, de-stress & find peace and even a pyrrenean sheepdog named Dibba - their only non-human member. You too can become a member and join the club by paying £5.00 + postage. Once you are a member, they send you a personalized certificate, badge and occasional cloud related emails.
So, whenever the rain stops today, I think I am going to try this cloud watching thing again. I mean it's the cheapest hobby ever, so why not? Plus, I think it's pretty important to connect with Nature every once in a while. It keeps your mind refreshed and brings a strange kind of peace and tranquility to your soul. So, my advice to you (whether or not you asked for it) is to give this a shot. Tonight, go find an open area - a place where you can just lie down on your back and look upwards to the blue sky. Close your eyes, take in a deep breath and fill your lungs with tons of fresh oxygen. Then, open (your eyes, obviously) and let your imagination drift and run wild. Be sure to come back and tell me what you saw in the sky. Perhaps a monkey scratching its back? :)
You might think I am stupid for taking cloud watching as a serious business, but did you know that there are several people in the world for whom this truly is a serious hobby? Take for example, The Cloud Appreciation Society. They are a non-profit organization with about 29,000 members from all over the world who believe that "life would be dull if we had to look up at cloudless monotony day after day." Their manifesto continues on to say that clouds "are nature's poetry" and that "they are for dreamers and their contemplation benefits the soul. Indeed, all who consider the shapes they see in them will save on psychoanalysis bills." The society's members include people such as pilots, photographers, painters, astronomers, wildlife conservators, general nature lovers, philosophers, writers, people looking to relax, de-stress & find peace and even a pyrrenean sheepdog named Dibba - their only non-human member. You too can become a member and join the club by paying £5.00 + postage. Once you are a member, they send you a personalized certificate, badge and occasional cloud related emails.
So, whenever the rain stops today, I think I am going to try this cloud watching thing again. I mean it's the cheapest hobby ever, so why not? Plus, I think it's pretty important to connect with Nature every once in a while. It keeps your mind refreshed and brings a strange kind of peace and tranquility to your soul. So, my advice to you (whether or not you asked for it) is to give this a shot. Tonight, go find an open area - a place where you can just lie down on your back and look upwards to the blue sky. Close your eyes, take in a deep breath and fill your lungs with tons of fresh oxygen. Then, open (your eyes, obviously) and let your imagination drift and run wild. Be sure to come back and tell me what you saw in the sky. Perhaps a monkey scratching its back? :)
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