Bywyd Un Dyn / One Man's Life

Welsh nationalism - the real thing and the "plastic" fake

2011-09-05T00:01:00.001+01:00

He who sees enemies where there are none is no better off than he who cannot recognise an enemy when he sees one.

Sometimes I get sick and tired of hearing certain people blaming all our country's problems on the English. True, centuries of English misrule has done us a lot of harm, but we are now in a position where Wales once again has its own government. We are the ones who choose that government, we are the ones who can influence the policies of government at local and national level. The Welsh Assembly and the Welsh Government are answerable to the Welsh people. We have gained a measure of political independence, and provided that it is the will of the majority of the Welsh people, full independence will come in time.

Our country will become what we make it. Blaming the English for all our problems may give certain people a convenient scapegoat, but it also absolves those same people of the responsibility we all have to make our country the place we want it to be. I would say that most of the problems facing our country now are of our own making. It is up to us to work together to improve things in Wales. Adopting a siege mentality and blaming all our problems on the English solves absolutely nothing. In this present day, our greatest enemy is not the enemy without; it is the enemy within.

Do we want to see the Welsh language survive and thrive? The solutions will be found in Wales, among the Welsh people. Do we want political independence? Again, that decision will be the decision of the Welsh people, not of the English. Our country will become what we make it.

Forgive my ranting, but I do get rather annoyed with the siege mentality of so many "plastic nationalists" or "armchair patriots". By that term I mean those who constantly prattle on about fighting back against the English, indulge in a little bit of metaphorical sabre-rattling over their beer, look back fondly on the days of the Free Wales Army, but actually do nothing that is of any real use. The time for military action against the English came to an end a long time ago. If and when Wales regains its independence, we will need to work together with our closest neighbour, England, as equals and friends. Hatred of the English is not only counter-productive, it is as racist as the insults to Wales that certain plastic nationalists get all hot under the collar about (but again, without doing anything of note about it).

I'm a Welsh patriot and nationalist, and extremely proud of that fact. However, I believe in what has been termed by some polycentric nationalism, which holds that my nation is equal to but no better than others, deserving full political independence but without domination of others. I have to make that clear, because when the word "nationalism" is used, some people conjure up images of the monocentric nationalism of 1940s Germany, 19th century England etc, which is really just another term for imperialism, the belief that one's nation is superior to others and the desire to subjugate "inferior" nations. That sort of "nationalism" is anathema to me, and I would fight against it tooth and nail. I am firmly committed to a polycentric nationalist vision of Wales. We are no better than anyone else - whether Welsh, English, Scottish, Somali, Chinese or whatever else, we are all human beings and none of us is intrinsically better than the others.

Do you want the Welsh language to thrive? Join Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg and actually do something to help make that vision a reality. Report abuses of language legislation to the Welsh Language Board, or the Commissioner who will soon replace them. Write letters to the press to raise awareness. Join our campaigns of non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to protect the language. Be pro-active.

Do you want political independence? Join or vote for Plaid Cymru, and also engage in the ongoing necessity of winning the hearts and minds of our fellow countrymen and women who, for whatever reasons, are still sceptical of the idea of independence for Wales. That sounds more boring than some of the fantastic visions of guerilla warfare and striking back at the English that some plastic nationalists talk incessantly about, but it's through such unglamorous things as these that the metaphorical battle will be won. As I once heard a prominent activist within the nationalist movement say, "Rhaid ymladd brwydrau'r presennol, nid y gorffennol," which translates as, "We must fight the battles of the present, not of the past."

What Wales needs most is for its people to wake up from their apathy and realise that we can only build our nation together. We all have a responsibility to take part. Rousing speeches and plastic nationalist sentiment are all very well, but in the end they accomplish nothing in the real world. Sabre-rattling may look and sound impressive, but it's peaceful and hands-on activism that will really change things.

Yes, we should remember our national heroes and martyrs. We should remember Llywelyn, Glyndwr and all those who shed their blood for our country. We should remember Tryweryn and resist any repeat of the terrible events that led to the drowing of Capel Celyn. It is right and fitting that we should do so. Plastic nationalists, though, hark back to a mythical golden age so much that they miss out on the reality we are faced with today.

Llywelyn and Glyndwr are long dead. The people they fought against are also long dead. There is no Welsh monarchy any more, and even if there was I would campaign for its abolition because I am a republican. Llywelyn and Glyndwr were great men of their time, but their time is past. Living in the past accomplishes nothing.

What's the point of this rant? My bottom line is this: if you call yourself a nationalist, get involved in the unglamorous business of building our nation and reinforcing our culture. Don't waste your time being a plastic nationalist, looking and sounding like the real thing but accomplishing nothing. Cut the rhetoric and get your hands dirty for the cause.

Llythyrau yn y wasg

2011-08-27T01:26:00.000+01:00

Mae hi wedi bod yn amser hir ers i fi ysgrifennu yma! Dylwn i flogio'n fwy aml, rwy'n meddwl.

Rwy wedi cael 2 lythyr wedi eu hargraffu yn y wasg yn ddiweddar, un yn y Western Mail ac un yn Y Cymro. Dyma nhw yn eu holl "ogoniant".

Yn Y Cymro:

Annwyl Olygydd –

Ar ddydd Mawrth 23ain Awst, roeddwn i yn Llys Ynadon Caerdydd i gefnogi Jamie Bevan, a gafodd ddedfryd o garchar am ei ran yn yr ymgyrch gyfredol i sicrhau dyfodol dichonadwy i S4C, yr unig sianel deledu Cymraeg yn y byd.

Roedd llawer o bobl yn y llys i gefnogi Jamie, ond yn amlwg absennol o blith y cefnogwyr oedd unrhyw gynrychiolwyr o S4C ei hun. Rydym ni yng Nghymdeithas yr Iaith wedi bod yn ymgyrchu’n ddiflin yn erbyn y toriadau didostur arfaethedig i gyllid S4C ac yn erbyn gadael i’r sianel gael ei thraflyncu gan y BBC. Teg yw gofyn, felly, ble mae’r gefnogaeth gan S4C tra bod aelodau Cymdeithas yn ymgyrchu dros ei bodolaeth barhaol. Roedd Jamie Bevan yn fodlon aberthu ei ryddid er mwyn yr achos, ond prin iawn y clywir unrhyw ddiolchiadau o gyfeiriad y bobl sy’n gweithio yn y swyddi mae Jamie ac eraill wedi bod yn ymdrechu i’w hachub. Rhag eu cywilydd!

Bydd Cymdeithas yn parhau gyda’r ymgyrch. A fydd cynrychiolwyr S4C yn dechrau dangos tipyn o asgwrn cefn a dechrau achub eu cam eu hunain, yn lle dibynnu ar bobl eraill i wneud y gwaith brwnt drostynt?

Ni all Gymdeithas yr Iaith ennill y frwydr hon ar ei phen ei hun. Mae angen i gymaint o bobl â phosibl, boed yn Gymry Cymraeg neu beidio, i gael gwared ar eu difaterwch ac uno gyda ni yn yr ymgyrch. Mae’n bryd i bob un ohonom ddeffro a sefyll yn erbyn y bygythiadau i’n sianel ni. Byddai’n dda pe bai rhai o swyddogion S4C yn sefyll gyda ni yn y bwlch yn y dyfodol.

Barry Taylor
Cadeirydd, Cell Caerffili/Blaenau Gwent, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

Yn y Western Mail:

SIR – On Tuesday I was in Cardiff Magistrates’ Court to support Jamie Bevan, who was given a prison sentence for his part in the ongoing campaign by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg to secure a viable future for S4C.

There were many people in court to support Jamie, but conspicuous by their absence from among the supporters were the representatives of S4C itself.

This, sadly, is nothing new. We in Cymdeithas have been campaigning tirelessly against the proposed draconian cuts to S4C’s budget and against its loss of independence to the BBC, but what support have we received from S4C as we campaign for its continued existence?

Jamie Bevan was willing to give up his freedom for the cause, but what thanks did he get from those whose jobs he strives to save? None that I know of – which is to their shame.

Cymdeithas alone cannot win this battle. The fight does not belong solely to us. We need as many people as possible, whether Welsh-speaking or not, to shake off their apathy and unite with us in the campaign.

It would be nice if some of S4C’s staff and officials were among our number in future.

BARRY TAYLOR
Chair, Caerffili/Blaenau Gwent Cell, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

Arolygiad

2010-09-11T23:06:00.000+01:00

Mae'r tymor newydd wedi dechrau, ac mae'r plant wedi bod yn ôl yn yr ysgol ers wythnos erbyn hyn. Mae fy nosbarth newydd yn fwy na ddosbarth y llynnedd.

Cafodd y pennaeth alwad ffôn ddydd llun diwethaf - bydd ein hen ffrindiau o Estyn yn ymweld â ni ddechrau mis Hydref. Ie, ry'n ni'n mynd i gael ein harolygu! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Panic!

I'm back with a new blog!

2010-07-15T18:48:00.002+01:00

It's been a while since I posted here, and quite a lot has happened in that time.

Perhaps the biggest thing for me is that my religious views have changed - or rather, disappeared. I am now a born-again atheist.

I have a new blog that reflects my new way of thinking. Click on the picture below to read my thoughts there.

New article about the threat to the language

2010-01-08T15:15:00.002Z

Head over to WalesHome.org to see my article on the threat of second homes and immigration to the Welsh language. Comments are welcomed.

Western Mail letter

2009-12-30T13:11:00.002Z

Dyma gopi o lythyr a argraffwyd yn y Western Mail heddi (Rhagfyr 30ain).
Here's a copy of a letter that was printed in the Western Mail today (30th December).

Sir,

DC Evans ("Daubing's a crime", 22nd December) wrote that "daubing buildings with anti Welsh slogans is ... offensive and unacceptable". Leaving aside the fact that Osian Jones' slogans were not anti-Welsh, we regard the way the large high street chains and supermarkets ignore our language, even in areas where Welsh is the majority language, as much more offensive and unacceptable.

Nobody wants to break the law, but when the law is unjust and there is no legal way to make our point without being completely ignored, unfortunately such non-violent direct action sometimes becomes necessary. The Welsh language is not the optional extra some people seem to think it is. Neither is it a leisure activity for consenting adults only. For many people it is the language of the home, the language of the community.

We are not trying to get preferential status for the Welsh language; all we want is proper equality and bilingualism. Cymdeithas yr Iaith campaigns for the rights of Welsh speakers to services in our own language in our own country. Surely that's not unreasonable. Sadly, the new Welsh Language LCO will do little to ensure that the high street shops provide this.

Barry Taylor

Chair, Caerffili/Blaenau Gwent Cell
Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

Happy Christmas!

2009-12-24T22:18:00.001Z

But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

(Luke 1:30-33)

A very happy Christmas to you all!

Nadolig Llawen!

2009-12-24T22:15:00.001Z

Felly dyma'r angel yn dweud wrthi, "Paid bod ofn, Mair. Mae Duw wedi dewis dy fendithio di’n fawr. Rwyt ti’n mynd i fod yn feichiog, a byddi di’n cael mab. Iesu ydy’r enw rwyt i’w roi iddo. Bydd yn ddyn pwysig iawn, a bydd yn cael ei alw’n Fab y Duw Goruchaf. Bydd yr Arglwydd Dduw yn ei osod i eistedd ar orsedd y Brenin Dafydd, a bydd yn teyrnasu dros bobl Jacob am byth. Fydd ei deyrnasiad byth yn dod i ben!"

(Luc 1:30-33)

Nadolig llawen iawn ichi i gyd!

Stuck in limbo

2009-12-12T23:49:00.002Z

Back in September, when I wrote my earlier post about having swine flu, little did I know that it would leave me with longer-term problems. I recovered from the flu within a couple of weeks, but the exhaustion and shakiness didn't go away. It turns out that I have postviral fatigue syndrome, brought on by the swine flu. Yes, have, not had. It's still there, affecting every aspect of my life. I haven't been able to work since the start of September. I can't go mountain biking or dancing because I don't have the strength any more. I can't walk more than a short distance without getting very tired. If I do too many things in a day or over-exert myself, I end up feeling very ill and having to take a few days lying down to recover.

If you have the opportunity to get the swine flu vaccine and you're wondering whether or not to get it, let my case be a warning to you. Even so, I consider myself lucky - people have died from swine flu, so for me just to be left with this is definitely the lesser of two evils.

Jac y ci / Jac the dog

2009-09-24T03:01:00.002+01:00

Dyma Jac, fy nghi, yn chwarae gyda phêl sy'n rhy fawr i ffitio yn ei geg!

This is Jac, my dog, playing with a ball that's too big to fit in his mouth!

Pigs might fly...

2009-09-23T01:51:00.004+01:00

It's been a while since I wrote on here in English, so I thought I'd better pull my finger out and write something.

I currently have a lot of time on my hands but I'm unable to do anything with it. I've been ill with swine flu for two weeks (hence the title of this post - think about it), and although I'm over the worst of it I'm still unwell and still off work. Every little thing I do makes me exhausted and shaky. Even walking up or down stairs is a major effort. When I finally recover I think my body's going to have a bit of a shock when I start dancing and mountain biking again. I haven't had any exercise at all for two weeks and counting!

I've missed out on a lot of things because of this stupid illness. Not least of those is my new part-time job as a Welsh to adults tutor, which I have yet to start because of the flu even though I should now be into my second week. I've also missed out on a dance competition for which my dance partner and I had been preparing for weeks. Some friends from the same dance class as us came second in the competition, which was great to hear, but I feel cheated of the chance to see how well we could do. We might have beaten our friends or they might have beaten us, but either way it would have been better than lying down at home feeling ill instead of dancing. Bleh.

I'm well enough now to feel bored, but not well enough to do anything about it. Roll on next week, when I should be able to go back to work.

Cell newydd Cymdeithas yr iaith

2009-09-02T22:19:00.002+01:00

Cynhelir cyfarfod cychwynnol Cell Caerffili a Blaenau Gwent ar nos Lun y
14eg o Fedi yn y Sirhowy (Wetherspoon's), Stryd Fawr, Y Coed Duon NP12 1BA
am 7pm.

Mae map yma.

Os oes gennych unrhyw beth yr hoffech ei weld ar yr agenda, e-bostiwch fi
neu ffonio fi ar 07815 134622.

Os oes ffrindiau gyda chi a fyddai'n hoffi mynychu'r cyfarfod, anfonwch yr
e-bost hwn ymlaen atyn nhw.

Os nad ydych yn aelod o Gymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg eto, cewch ymaelodi ar
ein gwefan.

Mae Glenn wedi sefydlu blog newydd i'r gell, ac mae grwp Facebook gyda ni hefyd.

Gig Cymdeithas yr Iaith

2009-09-02T17:22:00.000+01:00

Dechrau cell Cymdeithas yr Iaith

2009-07-23T23:52:00.004+01:00

Rwy'n bwriadu dechrau cell Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg yn ardal y Coed Duon / Sir Gaerffili. Mae cell newydd yn dechrau yn Abertyleri hefyd. Os hoffech ymuno ag un o'r celloedd hyn, gadewch neges yma neu gysylltwch â'r Gymdeithas yn uniongyrchol.

Preserve the Union - a guide for unionists

2009-07-16T18:18:00.002+01:00

Replace the words "Scotland" and "Scottish" with "Wales" and "Welsh" and this is just as relevant here as it is in Scotland.

Agwedd gwrth-Gymraeg

2009-05-21T20:12:00.004+01:00

Ffrwydrodd ffrae fawr ar Facebook yn ddiweddar wrth i rai aelodau o'r teulu geisio fy ngheryddu am y drosedd enfawr o ysgrifennu nodyn yn Gymraeg, ar fy mhroffil fy hun, oedd eisioes yn ddwyieithog! Atebais i mewn ffordd hollol resymol, rwy'n meddwl, ond mae hanes gyda'r aelodau yna o'r teulu o fynd dros ben llestri a chyn hir roedden nhw'n galw pob math o bethau arna' i a fy chwaer, ac yn waeth na hynny, yn awgrymu y byddai fy niweddar dad wedi cytuno â nhw! (Dim ffordd - doedd e ddim yn or-hoff ohonyn nhw!)

Er mwyn i'r neges fod yn glir: fydda' i BYTH yn ymddiheuro am ysgrifennu neu siarad Cymraeg. Rwy' wedi gweithio'n galed i ddysgu'r iaith, iaith sy'n gynhenid i'r ardal hon (a fy nheulu i) yn wreiddiol, ac rwy'n mynd i'w defnyddio!

(Mae'r aelodau o'r teulu yna wedi cael eu dileu o'n rhestr ffrindiau i erbyn hyn.)

Fideo arall o rali Cymdeithas yr Iaith

2009-05-21T20:08:00.001+01:00

Hawl i Fesur Iaith Cyflawn

2009-05-20T23:11:00.002+01:00

I'r rhai nad oedden nhw'n gallu bod yno, dyma fideo o uchafbwyntiau rali Cymdeithas yr Iaith ar Fai 16.

Rali Mai 16, 2009: Hawl i Fesur Iaith Cyflawn from Cymdeithas yr Iaith on Vimeo.

Buddug

2009-04-01T23:41:00.002+01:00

RIP Buddug, 2000 - 2009.
(She's the darker ferret on the left. The other, Sally, died some time ago.)

Good news and bad news

2009-03-31T17:04:00.003+01:00

The bad news is that Buddug, my favourite ferret, died last night.

The good news is that I've found out that my job is safe, as someone else has taken voluntary redundancy.

Needless to say, I have rather mixed emotions at the moment.

I'm not dead...

2009-03-30T17:31:00.002+01:00

...just in case you were wondering. I've just had too much other stuff on my plate to keep up with blogging. I hope to be back to it in the near future though, hopefully with good news regarding my job. I should find out this week what's going on in that regard.

Er serchus cof

2009-03-01T12:36:00.002Z

Pen-blwydd hapus, Dad. Rwy'n dal i weld dy eisiau di.

A good month for music

2009-02-21T23:44:00.003Z

So far this month I've seen Kee Marcello with Eden Rising (with a friend of mine on rhythm guitar), Testament (only caught the end of their set, unfortunately), Megadeth and Judas Priest. It's been a great month for live music in these parts!

Mountain biking

2009-02-21T23:32:00.004Z

I went for a bike ride with my friend Luke this morning. We ended up on the top of Mynydd Machen, which has great views for miles all around.

What I really wasn't expecting was that it was sunny and warm enough for me to be in my shirtsleeves even at the top of the mountain (though it was a bit windy). I mean, it was snowing heavily last week and the week before! What is up with the weather this month?

Dedicated to the England rugby team

2009-02-14T23:47:00.002Z

Da iawn, Cymru!
Well done, Wales!

25 random things about me

2009-02-07T03:30:00.000Z

I've seen quite a few people do this lately, so I'm going to jump on the bandwagon. Feel free to comment, or to have a go yourself!

1. My favourite milkshake flavour is strawberry.
2. I have an Iron-Age Celtic triskele design tattooed on my right arm.
3. I was Welsh boxing champion in my teenage years.
4. I used to train and spar with the legendary Joe Calzaghe.
5. My favourite beer is either Brains Gold or Brains SA Smooth, depending on my mood.
6. I have had more and worse injuries from playing badminton and dancing than I ever had from mountain biking and playing rugby (and I played in the front row!)
7. I won the Planet LeRoc Wales Dances with Strangers competition last year.
8. The last book I read was "Cofio Grav" (edited by Keith Davies).
9. It's common for me to switch languages from Welsh to English and back again several times in a conversation (and even in one sentence).
10. The first pet I remember from my childhood was a mongrel dog named Pooch.
11. I am allergic to amoxycillin.
12. I have been to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
13. I represent the first generation of my father's family not to work underground.
14. I have a terrible fear of heights.
15. I don't like celery.
16. I have had articles published in an American newspaper.
17. My favourite band is Iron Maiden.
18. I once climbed up Masada at 3 am to watch the sun rise over the Dead Sea.
19. I have visited the holiest sites of Judaism and Christianity, and the second holiest place of Islam. I have also visited Hindu and Sikh places of worship.
20. I can recite 2 chapters of the Qur'an in Arabic.
21. I have prayed in Hebrew at the Western Wall.
22. I scored 149 on an official IQ test, but have scored much higher on unofficial ones.
23. I own six ferrets, four of whom have the same name (Rocky).
24. I like the taste of rabbit meat, especially in a curry.
25. I'd love to learn West Coast Swing.

Mesur Iaith Cyflawn - mynnwch fwy i bobl Cymru!

2009-02-03T10:32:00.000Z

Eira / Snow

2009-02-03T09:10:00.004Z

Rwy'n hapus iawn heddiw. Mae eira trwm wedi bod yn cwympo dros nos, ar ben yr eira a gwympodd ddoe, felly mae'r ysgol wedi cau. Fel canlyniad, mae gyda fi ddiwrnod mas o'r gwaith!

I'm very happy today. Heavy snow has been falling overnight, on top of the snow that fell yesterday, so the school is closed. As a result, I have a day off work!

Welcome to Wales

2009-01-24T14:25:00.002Z

Mae'r fideo'n dweud y cyfan.
The video says it all.

Sgymraeg ym Morrison's

2009-01-18T00:37:00.003Z

Roeddwn i ym Morrison's yng Nglyn Ebwy rhai dyddiau’n ôl, a gwelais fod y labeli ar eu caws yn ddwyieithog. "Da iawn," meddyliais, ond pan edrychais i ar y Saesneg hefyd, dyma beth welais i.

Felly ydy'r caws yn aeddfed neu'n fwyn?

Wrth gwrs, mae gan archfarchnadoedd fel Morrison's hanes o anwybyddu'r Gymraeg, neu ddarparu ambell arwydd Cymraeg tocenistig. Dyma enghreifftiau o'r hyn mae Morrision's yn eu galw'n "arwyddion Cymraeg".

Lies, Damned Lies

2009-01-17T23:37:00.001Z

When I was a child
I was led to believe
That England’s history was ours;
That we were British, not Welsh;
That Welsh was a dead language.

When I was a youth
I was led to believe
That we should respect the Queen;
That Labour was our saviour;
That we should obey English laws.

Now I am a man
I have come to perceive
That all they had told me was wrong;
That Wales is too precious to lose;
That “Britain” is a lie.

Gwennwys

Death

2009-01-14T22:17:00.001Z

When I left work today I decided to visit an old chapel, high on a hill, that is familiar from my childhood. Like most churches and chapels of a certain age, it is surrounded by a graveyard. I quite like visiting old cemeteries because there's something peaceful about them, and it's a good thing to be reminded of mortality occasionally. Sometimes the older graves have a verse or a poem on them as an epitaph.

The above picture is the gravestone of Thomas Morgan of Llaniddel (Lllanhilleth), who died in November 1896 aged 55. The language is Welsh, which was the language of the majority of people in this area when Thomas Morgan was alive. The epitaph (with poor spelling!) reads:

MEDDWL DYN WRTH FYNED HEIBIO,
FEL 'R WYT TITHAU MINNAU FUO.
FEL 'R WYF INNAU TITHAU DDEUI,
COFIA DDYN MAE MARW FYDDI.

Translated into English, it means:

Think, man, while going past,
As you are I used to be.
As I am you will become,
Remember, man, that you will die.

It struck me that every single grave in that graveyard contains the mortal remains of someone who once lived, loved, was loved, laughed, cried, worked hard, experienced joy and suffered hardship. They were just like me, with their own daily challenges and, undoubtedly, a love of life equal to my own. And now every single one of them is dead. The only signs that they were ever here at all are the fading scars on the landscape caused by the coal mining industry in which most of them were employed, and a collection of lichen-spotted gravestones in various stages of erosion.

When Thomas Morgan of Llaniddel died, no doubt there were grieving family members and friends who felt his loss keenly. I know he was married because his wife, Jane, is buried in the same grave, having died at a later date. No doubt she loved him and treasured his memory after he was gone. However, Thomas Morgan's wife and friends all died as well, one by one, as the world grew older and time marched on. With them gone, the only memory of Thomas Morgan is an inscription on a slab of sandstone written in a language that few people in the village of his birth now understand.

Death has no meaning. Death has no nobility. It is cruel, merciless and final. No-one escapes it. It's possible (though by no means certain) that I could live another forty or fifty years, but one day, sooner or later, I will die. Eventually there will be no memory that I was ever here. All the joy, sorrow, love, heartache, work and play that now characterise my life will, at that point, be meaningless. As far as this world is concerned, I will no longer exist.

Will I go to be with the Lord after I die? I believe so, but there is absolutely no proof. The atheists would say that I will simply cease to be when I die. There is as much evidence for their position as there is for mine, which is to say none at all.

Whether death really is the end or not, in earthly terms it is absolutely final. Our life here is cruelly short. Nobody gets out alive.

What should we make of all this? My thought is this: life is short and those we love are with us for all too short a time, so make your life count. Focus on living a good life in the here and now, and on being as good and kind and loving as you can to those who enrich your life now, because neither they nor you will be here forever and once you're gone, you will all too soon be forgotten.

A morbid preoccupation with death may be unhealthy, but it's a good thing to remind ourselves occasionally that this life doesn't last forever.

MEDDWL, DDYN, WRTH FYNED HEIBIO ...

Long drive

2009-01-10T01:24:00.003Z

One more sleep, then I'm going to have to drive to Enfield (near London) and back in one day, a round trip of about 340 miles. I'm helping my sister move back to Wales.

I am so not looking forward to such a long drive.

Y Nadolig / Christmas

2008-12-27T22:27:00.002Z

Mae Sam a fi wedi bod yn dioddef o'r ffliw dros y Nadolig. Bleh.

Sam and I have been suffering with the flu over Christmas. Bleh.

Tynged yr Iaith? (Rhan Dau) / The Fate of the Language? (Part Two)

2008-12-19T23:16:00.005Z

Advancing years have seen me falling sick,
A palsy has me groaning in my bed,
I've lost the strength to walk without a stick
And former friends believe that I am dead.
Yet slowly I can feel my strength return -
I soon will venture out beyond the door,
And presently will cause a flame to burn
And blaze within my ancient hearth once more.
The old, familiar rooms beneath the dust
To former comfort soon shall be returned.
My friends are coming back to scour the rust;
The broken timbers soon shall all be burned.
Then I'll have the strength to leave the ghetto,
Screaming out the cry: Fe godwn eto!*

Gwennwys

*"We shall rise again!"

Tynged yr Iaith? (Rhan Un) / The Fate of the Language? (Part One)

2008-12-19T23:12:00.003Z

Bury me deep beneath the stubborn sod
And place a stone of granite overhead.
Dark silence reigns where in years past I trod;
I lie now in a dark and stony bed.
The life within me slowly ebbed away,
And slowly did I take my leave of home,
Until I passed, unmourned, one evil day
To history, and death beneath the loam.
No choirs of men with voices raised in song
To mark the lonely passing of my speech -
The darkness comes to choke the Land of Song
And put my voice forever out of reach.
I once was great, revered by one and all;
Now there's no sign I ever lived at all.

Gwennwys

Yes, I do sound like that...

2008-11-30T00:30:00.003Z

For those of you who may not know me personally, this is what I sound like speaking both Welsh and English. Underground. In a Neolithic tomb. As one does.

Language

2008-11-22T21:44:00.005Z

Why do I insist on using the Welsh language in preference to English when I can? The reason is summed up nicely by a quote I saw in the letters page of today's Western Mail, attributed to Winston Churchill:

"The language of the conqueror in the mouths of the conquered is forever the language of the slave."

How ironic that such a thing should supposedly have been said by an English leader.

Criminal me

2008-11-20T20:51:00.005Z

A friend sent me the following text message today:

If you saw me in a police car, what would you think I was arrested for? Answer me then forward to see how many crimes you get accused for (sic).

I decided this could be fun, so I forwarded the text. These are the replies I got.

1. Poaching or rape.
2. Inciting hatred by humour.
3. Being an Englishman.
4. Murder (of the person responsible for comment #3!)
5. Arrested by the comedy police for awful joke telling.
6. Drunk & disorderly.
7. Criminal damage - like defacing public highway signage.
8. Grievous bodily harm.
9. None. I'd wonder what was wrong.
10. For mooing without due care and attention.
11. Stalking Rachel Stevens.
12. For being a nutter.
13. For cycling without due care and attention.
14. Speeding.

Brawd Dafydd ap Gwilym

2008-11-08T13:01:00.006Z

Mae bron pawb sydd yn deall Cymraeg, yn ogystal â llawer o bobl hyddysg ym maes llenyddiaeth o’r tu allan i’r gymuned Gymraeg, wedi clywed sôn am y bardd enwog o’r bedwaredd ganrif ar ddeg, Dafydd ap Gwilym. Ni wybyddir llawer am ei dad, Gwilym Gam ap Gwilym ab Einion, ond yn ddiweddar darganfuwyd tystiolaeth gref bod ganddo fwy nag un mab.

Yn gynharach eleni, darganfuwyd casgliad o hen farddoniaeth mewn twll tywyll mewn hen goeden fawr rhywle yng nghefn gwlad Ceredigion, wedi ei lapio mewn croen gafr wahanglwyfus, mewn bocs â’r gair “aflan” arno. Mae’n debyg bod rhywun wedi gwneud ei orau i’w losgi, ond er rhyddhad ysgolheigion, dim ond darnau bach rhuddedig sy’n tystio bod hwn wedi digwydd. Yn y croen yr oedd casgliad o bedair cerdd ar ddeg, ac ar waelod pob un mae’r un peth wedi cael ei ysgrifennu: “Bob ap Gwilym Gam ap Gwilym ab Einion yskrivenodh hwn.”

Er bod y darganfyddiad hwn yn un pwysig a hanesyddol, mae’n debyg bod dawn Bob ap Gwilym yn wannach o lawer na dawn ei frawd enwocach. Gellid dweud yr un peth am ei sillafu hefyd.

Roedd Dafydd a Bob yn rhannu’r un cariad at ganu serch, ond hyd yn hyn ni ddarganfuwyd cywydd serch i ddafad ddu gan Dafydd ap Gwilym. Yn anffodus, ysgrifennodd ei frawd cyfeiliornus yr union beth. Cyfeiriwyd at y gerdd fel “Cywydd y Ddafad” oherwydd dyna beth ysgrifennodd Bob ap Gwilym fel teitl y gerdd, ond mewn gwirionedd, nid cywydd ydyw o gwbl. Mae hyd yn oed y gair “rhyddiaith” yn anaddas i’w disgrifio, gan nad yw iaith Bob ap Gwilym yn llifo’n rhydd o gwbl (ac eithrio ei chymharu â dolur rhydd). Yng ngeiriau’r bardd ei hun:

O thavad thu a’th cynphon dhengar a’th wyneb cute,
Ble royes i vy welly boots?

Ni sylweddolwyd o’r blaen bod dylanwad y Saesneg ar lenyddiaeth Gymraeg cyn gryfed yn y bedwaredd ganrif ar ddeg ag ydyw yn yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, ond mae’r dylanwad hwnnw’n gwbl glir yng ngwaith Bob ap Gwilym. Mae’n debyg ei fod wedi treulio cyfnod yng nghymoedd y De-orllewin yn ystod ei flynyddoedd cynnar, ac mae tafodiaith Saesneg yr ardal (er bod siaradwyr Saesneg yn y cymoedd yn brin iawn ar y pryd) wedi effeithio’n gryf ar ei waith. Yn wir, gwnaeth Bob ymdrech i ysgrifennu yn Saesneg ar un adeg, a ffrwyth yr ymdrech honno oedd ei gerdd Ai dw leic tôcin Inglish, Ai dw.

Er nad yw gwaith Bob ap Gwilym cystal â gwaith ei frawd hŷn, Dafydd, roedd e’n rhagori arno mewn maes lle mae Dafydd yn enwog, sef y ffordd yr oedd yn cael ei reoli gan ei libido, a oedd yn llawer cryfach na libido Dafydd. Fel y tystia llinell o’i gerdd Ai dw leic tôcin Inglish, Ai dŵ:

Ai lyrnd tŵ toc teidi leic wot iw dw dŵ
So ddat Ai can get intŵ iŵyr nicars tŵ.

A hefyd, o’i gerdd Gwragedd Parchus Llanbadarn Fawr:

Beth iw’r poynt mewn myned allan nos Sadurnn
Os ni allav gael bunc-yp gyda merch o Lanpadarn?
Guell gennyf hysgrivenny englynion anodh gyda chynghanedh chymhleth
Na mynd adrev cyn y wawr heb gwmny geneth.

Wrth gwrs, er bod y bardd yn cyfeirio at “englynion anodd gyda chynghanedd gymhleth”, amheuir bod y bardd eilradd hwn hyd yn oed yn gwybod ystyr y termau englyn a cynghanedd.

Ni orffennwyd “englyn” olaf Bob ap Gwilym. Ysgrifennwyd nodyn ar waelod y llawysgrif gan rywun anhysbys:

Bu farw Bob ap Gwilym heddiw, y diwrnod cyntaf o Fawrth, anno domini 1376. Diolch byth.

Great gig!

2008-11-02T02:19:00.003Z

I went to a gig tonight. A friend of mine had managed to get a pair of free tickets from someone he knew who couldn't make it, so who were we to refuse? Anyway, we had a great time. The opening band weren't all that good (worth exactly the price we paid for the tickets!) but the other two bands were excellent.

Second up came Stone Gods, whose album I have and who I liked even before the gig.

Then the headliners, Airbourne, who I confess I didn't really know much about before the gig, having only heard two of their songs.

All in all, a good night - and for free!

Pen-blwydd / Birthday

2008-10-27T01:03:00.003Z

Rwy'n un flwyddyn yn hy^n heddi. 36 oed yn barod! Ble mae'r amser yn mynd? Er gwaetha'r costochondritis, rwy'n bwriadu joio fy hunan heddi!

I'm one year older today. 36 already! Where does the time go? Despite the costochondritis, I intend to enjoy myself today!

A visit from an old 'friend'

2008-10-22T20:34:00.002+01:00

Just when I thought my health was on the way up, I've been hit by costochondritis again. I've been off work today, feeling like someone's been alternately hitting my chest with a hammer and trying to prise my ribs out with a crowbar. I sincerely hope this attack doesn't last long!

Now THIS is what I call music...

2008-10-11T23:47:00.003+01:00

I'm unashamedly unreconstructed in my musical taste. I actually like a very wide range of music, ranging from folk music to classical to blues, but most of all I like my music loud, heavy and guitar-driven. I thought it would be appropriate to post some of my favourites here.

First up, a song by the very best band ever to exist - this is Hallowed Be Thy Name by Iron Maiden.

Here's Judas Priest with Electric Eye

If you liked that one, here's their lead singer, Rob Halford, with his imaginatively named band, Halford, with Resurrection:

Here's Dio, with Holy Diver:

The mighty Slayer with Raining Blood:

Now for Burnt Offerings by Testament:

Here's Detonation by Trivium:

If you've made it this far and liked all the music, you're obviously one of us. Welcome to the metal fraternity!

Videos of my local MTB trail centre

2008-10-11T23:12:00.002+01:00

Here's a video of a rider on my local trail (the Twrch in Cwmcarn) that shows, more eloquently than mere words, why it's essential to wear a helmet when mountain biking.

Here's one showing the start of the freeride track at the top of the Twrch trail.

And here's one showing the Mynydd Mojo downhill track at Cwmcarn, which I don't dare attempt yet, though I'm aiming to have a bash at it at some point in the future, when I've improved a bit more as a rider.

ANOTHER new blog!

2008-10-09T00:12:00.001+01:00

This blog-creating business could get out of hand. I've just created yet another blog! This one's not just for me, though. The idea is for several people to post to it and get involved in discussion there.

It's basically a Bible study blog. If you're interested in that sort of thing, feel free to drop by. It's called the Open Bible Blog.

Small Worlds

2008-10-05T21:13:00.002+01:00

I've recently got hooked on Small Worlds. Why not give it a try? My screen name there is Barry Cymro.

You can go there (to my Temple of Anubis room) by clicking below.

Nationalism and language

2008-10-05T19:07:00.000+01:00

I am unashamedly a nationalist.

When some people hear the word "nationalist", they immediately start scaremongering and talking about the "nationalism" of Hitler, Stalin et al. To me, that's quite offensive, as the kind of nationalism to which I hold is as far away from that sort of ideal as the East is from the West. Those guys subscribed to monocentric nationalism, which is basically the idea that one's own nation is better than all others. That leads to imperialism and denigration of all other nations and cultures - and, in the most extreme cases, to genocide. I, on the other hand, along with most Welsh nationalists, subscribe to what is known as polycentric nationalism, or the belief that my nation is equal to other nations and should therefore have the same measure of self-government and international standing as other nations have. It is the nationalism of a small country, conquered centuries ago by our neighbour (England) and still under its control despite a small measure of devolved government, wanting to run its own affairs and be free from the remnants of imperialism inherent in the "British" system. I don't believe my nation is any better than other nations, but I do believe we should have the right to run our own affairs. That's why I vote for Plaid Cymru in elections, and indeed used to be a member of the party when I had the time to devote to it.

Anyway, that's not the main point I wanted to make. The main point is concerned with the Welsh language.

Why am I so pro-Welsh language when I was raised in a monoglot English-speaking home? Why did I take the trouble to learn the Welsh language to fluency when the majority of people in the community in which I live speak only English? The simple answer is this: because I am Welsh. The language is the one thing that is exclusively ours, and we should keep it alive and treasure it as the core of our culture and heritage. There is a saying in Welsh: Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon (a nation without a language is a nation without a heart).

As far as I am concerned, even though English was the language I spoke at home as a child, it is not my language. It is a foreign language, albeit a beautiful and useful one. My language, as a Welshman, is Welsh. I use Welsh in preference to English in official correspondence, and if I ever become a father, my children will be raised to speak Welsh as their first language. My wife, who is English, is also enthusiastic about this - in many ways she's "gone native" since marrying me and moving here, which can only be a good thing. She's eager to learn the language, and has already managed to pick up a few phrases, though her current illness keeps her from learning the language properly because her concentration is affected too much. The eventual aim, whether or not we have children, is for Welsh to become the language of our home.

Of course, there is another language, or rather dialect, which is exclusive to this part of the world: Wenglish, namely the dialect of English spoken here in the Valleys of South Wales. That's the dialect I naturally speak, though when I'm speaking with people from outside Wales I tend to switch unconsciously to standard English because they would be unlikely to understand me otherwise!

Sgymraeg

2008-10-05T03:13:00.000+01:00

Pan oeddwn ym Mharc Coedwig Afan yr wythnos diwethaf, gwelais yr arwydd yn y llun uchod ar ddechrau un o'r llwybrau beicio mynydd. Roedd safon y Gymraeg ar rhai o'r arwyddion dros dro eraill yn y Parc yr un mor wael, hefyd.

Pam, pam, PAM nid yw pobl yn cymryd gofal i ddefnyddio Cymraeg cywir ar eu harwyddion yn lle cael dim ond dwyieithrwydd tocenistig?

(O.N. Cafodd y llun ei argraffu yn Golwg, yng ngholofn Jac Codi Baw, yr wythnos yma.)

Mountain biking

2008-10-05T02:47:00.001+01:00

I'm actually taking a break from mountain biking this weekend, primarily because I'm not too well (nothing particularly bad, but I'm just not well enough for cycling). However, over the last few months I've really caught the bug again, after not getting on my bike for 4 or 5 years before this summer, and I'm usually out on the weekend and at least once mid-week, getting in as many off-road miles as I can.

I'm already seeing an improvement in my general strength, stamina, overall fitness and riding skills. Maybe I'll see a bit more weight loss in the near future as well. I hope so. Either way, it should have a positive knock-on effect on my dancing, which can only be a good thing.

It's already costing me money, as things tend to break or need updating from time to time when you're abusing them by riding off-road. It's well worth it though, as it's a great way to work off the frustrations of the week through sheer physical effort.

Last weekend, with my cousins Kevin and Paul, I rode a couple of the routes at Afan Forest Park - specifically the Wall and Penhydd trails. Add to that the local route (to the top of Mynydd Machen) that I rode on the Friday, and I did around 40 miles of off-road cycling last weekend. My legs and arms really felt it on Monday! I had a real sense of accomplishment though, as I've never ridden that far before - certainly not off-road, anyway. We've also ridden the Twrch trail in Cwmcarn a few times, as it's pretty local to us.

I've had a few crashes and injuries, including heavy bruising to the chest and deep lacerations to my right calf, but as I improve I find that I'm coming off less and less. I'm beginning to have a bit of confidence in my own ability now, even if I do have a few battle-scars on my leg to show off!

Yn y dechreuad...

2008-10-05T02:30:00.000+01:00

Croeso i fy mlog newydd.

Rwyf wedi bod yn blogio ers tipyn ar Honest Faith, sy'n bennaf yn trafod fy meddyliau ar Dduw, Cristnogaeth, a'r eglwys. Er fy mod i'n bwriadu parhau gydag Honest Faith, roeddwn i'n meddwl mai syniad da fyddai cael blog arall am bethau mwy personol amdanaf i fy hunan. Efallai bydd pobl sy'n fy adnabod o Honest Faith yn gweld ochr arall imi o'r blog hwn. Neu efallai bydd neb yn dod yma, sy'n iawn hefyd!

Bydd rhai o'r pyst yma yn Saesneg, a rhai yn Gymraeg. Efallai byddaf hyd yn oed yn cyfieithu o un iaith i'r llall o dro i dro. Cawn weld.

In the beginning...

2008-10-05T02:13:00.001+01:00

Welcome to my new blog.

I've been blogging for a while over at Honest Faith, which is primarily concerned with my thoughts about God, Christianity and the church. While I plan to continue with Honest Faith, I thought it would be a good idea to have another blog for stuff that's more about me personally. Maybe people who know me from Honest Faith will see another side of me from this blog. Or maybe nobody will come here, and that's fine too!

Some of the posts here will be in English, and some will be in Welsh. I may even translate a few from one language to the other, on occasion. We'll see.