notes & news, October 2024

31 October 2024

The end of the month

HALLOWEEN

in book 3/1, shaping

Davie is eight, Kuruk is seven

Davie chuckled, snuggling into his cushion. ‘Next year I want to be a nature explorer.’
‘But they aren’t scary,’ Kuruk said and put the glass of water back on the bedside table.
‘They should be! So we stop pretending that we don’t need nature.’
Kuruk sat back on his heals. ‘You’re right. We can invent a monstrous nature explorer!’
Davie sat up. ‘Yes! It’s a monster that gets more boils the more we destroy and poison nature. We can cut into the monster so it has huge scars.’
‘And blood!’
‘It can’t breathe.’
‘And poo!’
‘It limps.’
‘And boils with loads of puss!’
‘Yes, it will be the most vile, stinking creature!’
‘A perfect mirror of what humans do to nature.’
‘And below the costume, below all the puss, it’s incredibly beautiful.’
‘Yes!’ Kuruk shouted and jumped on the bed.
‘Yes, yes, YES!’ Davie shouted, took Kuruk’s hands and they jumped—
‘HEY!’
The boys stopped jumping, quickly slipped under their bedcovers and shut their eyes.
Nitis looked at them, half grimacing, half smiling. ‘I like your new monster. But it’s very late already. Do I have to stay here or can you calm each other and sleep? Davie has to get up very early.’
‘Yes, Daddy,’ Kuruk whispered.

© Charlie Alice Raya, book 3/1, shaping, arrivals & shaping, Halloween chapter

There will be more Halloween in book 3/1, shaping, which will be published on 28 November 2024 >

Find ghost photos on the Charlie Alice Raya photography website >

24 October 2024

I feel strangely proud to announce that I am slowing down. I’ve been pretty driven since September, ever so often slipping back into overworking.

It is great that I can work too much again. I personally prefer it to not being able to work but, no make that a big BUT I don’t want to fall back into the old traps. And when I do, I want to get out as fast as possible. I wasn’t fast this time, but the moment I took the decision this morning, I smiled and a load of something just fell off me.

What are the consequences of slowing down? For one I have changed the dates for the upcoming publications. The new dates are as follows:

28 November 2024 – book 3/1, shaping
16 December 2024 – book 3/2, shaping
15 February 2024 – book 3/3, shaping
17 February 2024 – book 4/1, building

These new dates don’t just allow me to wrap my days around nine, at the latest, I will also have more time to continue to add key content to this and the other websites, to make contacts and network for the various projects, offers, invitations and ideas, and to tinker on the kind of Make it happen stories which can help us to divest from fossil fuels, restore biodiversity, deal with our traumata and more. By the way, for all of these stories, I welcome co-writers and co-creators.

Also, I’m looking for actors who would be interested in joining the cast for a recording of the Christmas chapter in book 3/2, before Christmas, or live on Christmas Eve.

Well, it’s just past nine now. I’d better wrap up.

Have a great evening.

If you have any comments, requests, suggestion or questions or if you’d like to join me for one of the projects, please, get in touch: contact@charlie-alice-raya.org.

Charlie Alice Raya, 24 October 2024

21 October 2024

Today’s notes

Until the publication of book 3/1, shaping, you won’t hear much from me, though I might upload some of the new video material.

If you have any comments, suggestion or questions, please, get in touch: contact@charlie-alice-raya.org.

Until then, take care, rethink, shape, dare, don’t give up nor in

Charlie Alice Raya, 21 October 2024

14 October 2024

Today’s notes

Recently, I frequently published notes, but for this week, I will opt out to focus on two main projects: polishing book 3/1, shaping, which will be published on 31 October, and producing more videos with extracts from all books, and maybe (if I like the results) I will also do short clips about my offers, my projects and the challenges I will issue.

Maybe I’ll add some notes in between, but it’s more likely that you won’t hear from me again before the weekend or before next week.

If you’d like to get in touch, please, do. It might take some days before I respond, but I’d be happy to hear from you.

Charlie Alice Raya, 14 October 2024

13 October 2024

Today’s notes

I used to build websites for clients (2012-2019), and I did workshops with them so that they could add content themselves. One of the things, I kept repeating was to always check links, forms and every plug-in function. Never assume that something works.

It’s funny how we can preach these things and then forget about them in our own work. I uploaded a number of free downloads to some of my websites, weeks ago, and I only discovered yesterday that some of these downloads don’t work. And I cursed that I hadn’t checked them.

When I fixed the problem, today, I noticed something else. My fault had been not to check whether the file would download, but there was something else at play. These downloads used to work perfectly, just the way I inserted them, but the known and proved method didn’t work any more because one of my plug-ins had made a change that blocked my files if I inserted them in the formerly usual way.

Why am I telling you all this technical stuff? Because there are two things that are applicable to many areas of our lives. Number one: never believe, always test, always make sure that something really does what it is supposed to do. Number two: only because something worked yesterday, doesn’t mean it still works today. In some cases, you can fix what causes the disruption. In other cases the disruption is actually a valuable change, and it is advisable to find a different route for what you want.

Should you have come across one of the downloads that didn’t work, I apologise for the inconvenience. As far as I know all links are working now.

Here are some links to the free downloads which are on offer:

• Introductions to the business ideas the Hub, dot. and book stations can be downloaded on their respective pages and on the overview page easy town vision.

• An introduction into ideas for towns and cities with a purpose, plus a preview of book 1, beginning and the story Casey’s bookshop can be downloaded on the towns and cities international website.

• An introduction into the easy town story’s sex talk can be downloaded on the website We need to talk about sex.

• And last but not least, the catalogue Charlie Alice Raya photography, Fine Art Prints, limited editions, can be downloaded on the website Charlie Alice Raya photography.

If you ever come across a broken link, I’d be grateful to hear about it. Thank you very much and have a pleasant day and a pleasant week.

Charlie Alice Raya, 13 October 2024

12 October 2024

Today’s notes

Ever since I read the highly recommendable book ‘We will not be saved’ by Nemonte Nenquimo, I’ve made some efforts to change my relationship to insects. Until then, insects were something to flick away, though I haven’t killed any deliberately in years. But when I read that Nemonte Nenquimo used to keep pet lightning bugs inside her mosquito net, something in my mind stirred.

I remember being a team leader in a tent camp for teenagers, in my religious time, and being so tired at night that I didn’t freak out about the small spiders in my sleeping bag. But the thought that it could be OK and safe to share space with insects every night was novel, and it made me curious.

The next times, I travelled to my magical lake, I paid the butterflies, bees and bugs a lot more attention. I remember rescuing a big greenish bug from the lake, watching dung beetles, seeing a bark beetle for the first time, even though I have photographed bark for years, and back home saving a butterfly from our staircase. Each of these encounters gradually made me lose my resistance and aversion towards insects. Instead I began to observe them, and I was reminded that in order to connect, we need curiosity and we need to see the other, be it an insect or a person.

With some insects, fear is a factor and when I had a cake in the old town of Waren, I made another discovery. Instead of pushing the wasps away, I watched, filmed and photographed them. They where not a bit bothered by my curiosity and by now, I feel completely relaxed in their presence. I did a video of a wasp which I’ll upload when I’ll take some time for the other videos, too.

Today, was a bit different. The weather was so nice that I took a longer noon break and sat in my park, reading some of the bits I wanted to edit later. And then a dragonfly landed on my pages. Now, I don’t know about you, but I have a high respect for these creatures, and I can’t say I felt terribly at ease, even less so when it returned several times and eventually settled on my trousers.

I’ll be honest, I was tempted to get up and run. But I didn’t. Instead I took pictures (I didn’t think of using the video) and witnessed how the dragonfly came back with a freshly caught fly.

I still have a lot of respect for dragonflies, but again I experienced how curiosity enabled me to overcome fear and how wonderful it is to take that moment to actually look at these amazing creatures.

It also helped to read up on dragonflies and to learn that they can’t sting and only bite when very distressed. Plus, the bite is apparently not dangerous for humans. Mind you, that fly looked pretty beaten.

Charlie Alice Raya, 12 October 2024

9/10/11 October 2024

Today’s notes

For the next days, I will focus on book 3/1, shaping, which I want to publish on 31 October. A few more days and the next draft should be completed, and I can begin with the polishing work. That’s when I’ll set aside some hours for the websites and for making contacts again.

Monday night, I discovered something unexpected that made me both angry and actually opened a few doors.
I slept badly that night and the next day was a bit of a mess, but then I read parts of book 3/2, shaping, the Christmas chapter and the one that follows, and I was again amazed how my work always builds me up, strengthens me and helps me to get focus.

I wonder whether it’s the same for readers. Book 1, beginning, needs a bit of stamina to get into, but once I’m halfway through, it’s hard to put down. In book 2/1, travelling, it’s still possible to put down the book at the end of a chapter, but once I’m halfway through the China chapter in book 2/2, I never want to stop, but that means to read, at least, through one night.

Charlie Alice Raya, 9 October 2024

5 October 2024

Notes on yesterday

The Baltic Sea was great, yesterday, strong winds, foamy waves, first grey then the sky opened, sunshine, expanse. There was walking, waffles, thinking, planning, espresso, fish sandwich, resting, ice-cream, more walking on the beach, video tests, dancing, plunging into the waves, more thinking, some puzzling, relaxing and back to the train station.

A special thanks go to Skillet for their album Unleashed. I had so much fun letting it all out, splashing into the water, dancing with the waves. I probably looked ridiculous, but I loved it.

I played around with video ideas. The wind was too strong for good sound, but I might still upload some of them next week.

Today’s notes

It’s tedious paperwork day today.

With the weather getting predominantly grey here, I’ll be gone again, tomorrow, the last slightly cloudy day for a week, according to my weather app. I still feel hungry for more ocean, though I’m more of an Atlantic person, especially around the Outer Hebrides, but tomorrow I’ll return to my lake. It’s closer, only a two-hour train trip, and I love it there. I’ll test some more video ideas. The sound was good there, last time I tried.

Well, no more putting off the tedious work.

Charlie Alice Raya, 5 October 2024

4 October 2024

Today’s notes

I hope someone from New Zealand or Australia sees this and thinks: Ah, finally someone in Europe remembers that today starts at a different time in most places on the planet.

Well, to be honest, I’m off to the Baltic Sea for a day trip later today, and since I leave at ten to six, there is no way I’ll write a note in the morning.

On the train, I’ll be working on book 3/1, 15 October. It’s the grand opening of the Compound’s Front House. Mudiwa & Rose do their fun live coverage again. Andy tries to be cool with Natasha. Jack is shooting a new movie. And Alice is on the phone with all sorts of people who want or don’t want all sorts of things. The phone calls are fun to write because they allow for short snippets into the minds of very different people: politicians, business people, activists, journalists, lobbyists and other players from outside of the town project.

Once on Usedom, which is an island in the north/east corner of Germany, I will treat myself to soaking up the salty air and to feeding my eyes on the sea’s expanse. Maybe I’ll have a ice cream, too. Oooh, maybe I’ll take a plunge.

I want to test some video ideas while walking from Ückeritz to Zinnowitz, something like fourteen or fifteen kilometres. If it goes well, you might find some of the material late on Saturday (Berlin time).

The last time I did this tour was in the week before my operation (double mastectomy), nearly a year ago.

I actually wanted to go on Wednesday as a treat for my birthday, but the weather wasn’t even a bit inviting. Now I think, this trip will be both a birthday treat and a sort of closing another chapter in the recovery process, maybe even saying goodbye to the island.

Wherever you are on our amazing planet, have a good day and take care.

Charlie Alice Raya, 4 October 2024

3 October 2024

Today’s notes

I’m off to the peace demonstration in Berlin.

Evening note.

(Insert a big sigh.) I am not good with demonstrations, and this one was particularly strange, though I came across some nice people.

Maybe I’ll take some time this winter and invent the kind of peace demonstration I would enjoy and feel comfortable with.

It definitely wouldn’t include shouting, finger pointing, booing, absolute demands or us and them narratives, nor would it be about agendas by specific groups.

It might have some breathing sessions, maybe even some yoga bits, and it would have discourses. Yes, I think it would be a lot about asking questions, about exploring together but also about bonding and making peace there and then. Experiencing and demonstrating what peace and connections can look like. Or something like that.

As I looked at the posters and banners, I was reminded why I chose to write The end of all wars and not something like Making peace.

At first it was a subconscious choice. I wanted to explore the roots of war not the features of peace. But when I noticed that I hardly used the word peace in the story, I gave this point more thought. I realised that these are two distinct ways of approaching the topic of wars. You can demand peace, you can explore what makes a peaceful attitude, you can create a vision for peace or hope for peace. Or you focus on war, what it is, why it is, what makes it attractive, what are the justifications, which are the underlying narratives and how could it be ended once and for all?

Charlie Alice Raya, 3 October 2024

2 October 2024

Today’s notes

Birthday.

For decades I dreaded this day. The day of my birth was not positive. So what is there to celebrate?

Yesterday, I thought: I’m done with dreading this day. I refuse to be dragged down by the past, by the mistakes made by others.

I am.

I am Charlie Alice Raya.

I want to live, love and laugh.

I will remake this day.

This day will no longer be a point of the year where all dark clouds draw together, where the past sneers at me.

It will be a day to be, live, love and laugh.

It will be a day to look ahead, to smile in anticipation, to enjoy the tingle of excitement about all the ideas that are dancing in my mind.

It will be a day to reject the past, the darkness.

A day to embrace life, love and laughter.

And a day to look ahead to another year of exploring, experiencing, unearthing and living.

Evening note.
I smile. It’s been a good day.
I thought earlier, that I am fine and actually happy today is not just the result of a decision I took last night. It’s actually been a long road, which started in 2012, I think.
While I tend to credit the last fifteen month for leaps in healing and strengthening my body and soul, it’s really been many small steps before that which also played a role.
Looking at myself now, I smile. I know that there is still some way to go, and I guess that to some extent there will always be a road ahead. But today, I’m just grateful and happy that I’m finally in a place where I have the strength, peace, love and confidence to be all that I am.

Charlie Alice Raya, 2 October 2024

1 October 2024

Today’s notes

When I opened this website on the 16th August 2024, I wrote that I was almost back after a long period of recovery from overwork, cancer and a double mastectomy. Some time in September, I changed this to about to be back.

Today, I mark as

I am back!

A bit tired after weeks of working to get the new websites into shape, the other websites updated and the first of four books published. A bit thoughtful about some recent events and in view of the several roads I could take. A bit cautious not to expect too much all at once. But

I am back!

And despite a few things, I am curious about tomorrow and every day afterwards, about readers and thinkers and other explorers. And I look forward to every bit of living, laughing, dancing, shaping, unearthing and everything else that’s out there and inside of me.

September 2024

In September I wrote most notes on the The end of all wars website where you can still find them.

news September 2024, The end of all wars >