Under the Owls is a Leeds teen festival of music and live art in Millennium Square. Entry was Free with a Breeze Card and £3 without. The event is brought to you as part of Breeze Arts Festival by Leeds City Council, East Street Arts and Leeds Beckett University, supported by Leeds Community Foundation, Ann Maguire Fund & PRS for Music Foundation. We were there with Live Arts Bistro and East Street Arts, The Real Junk Food Project and others.
There was a steady stream of teenagers, families and younger kids giving this day in Millenium Square a friendly atmosphere. Bouts of pouring rain. We covered the teapots but forgot about the spouts…so some slightly damp questions inside some of the teapots as the day went on. No matter. We had some greta conversations. here’s a little of what I remembered discussing…
When do you laugh at yourself? All the time. Thats a recipe for happiness i think, to laugh at yourself.
Is it fair? I think its tight when people take the mick out of you for being somewhere or because of what you are wearing or who you are. yeah i don’t think thats fair at all.
Do you count? Sometimes I think I do, sometimes not.
What makes you hopeful? people. Young people especially. Events like this where i see people making difference in their own way.
What stops you in your tracks? Kids. A beautiful view. Extremes…I guess literally obstacles do.
Where do you draw the line? Everybody draws lines differently. I think I would draw the line at harming another person….biggotry, xenophobia…Sometimes you don’t know until you’ve crossed someone’s lines that you have gone too far.
When is enough enough? Its always enough. What we each have in this moment is enough – we have everything we need. eastern philosophies say life is not about the destination but more about the journey. Life is more like a piece of music or a dance, so its always enough. it’s always now. Its the ups and down and every moment that’s important.
What’s your favourite word? Serendipidous…thats a good word. I like so many words, my favourite word today has to be mapping as thats what I’m doing…mapping the connections at East Street Arts.
Do you think before you speak? Always. I’m trying to find ways to think less.
What’s your favourite thing? Definitely picnics. I like picnics a lot. Any kind really. I thinks hugs might be on my list of favourite things. Oh yes i would definitely have hugs at my picnics. Sounds like my kind of picnic.
What is love? I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I think sometimes i mistake friendship for romantic love…or at least people i maybe should have kept only as friends i mistake for lovers. I pick the wrong people generally. Not suitable for lovers. I think its quite easy to love people…perhaps easier than most people think. I used to think of it as this very precious thing that I could only express in a very exclusive and unique moment….that if it was everyday it wasn’t valuable. know I tell as many people as i can as often as I can how much i love them. Why not?
Questions and comments added…. How can people accept differences in other people more? When do you tell someone you love them? Tell someone you love them. 
