Good Times, Bad Times

What's the old saying; stop the world I want to get off?

Reading the newspaper every morning I realize now puts me in quite a horrid mood. Here I am trying to start the day and seeing only bad or worse headlines with my breakfast cereal. My son recently had to do a project for school where he had to look at the newspaper and find one good/inspiring story and one bad/disaster type story and contrast them (where they were placed in the paper, the tone of the news etc.) We were very hard pressed to find any "good" stories.

I am going to try to stop reading the paper in the mornings (except for the comics) to see if it makes my outlook any brighter. It may be seen as closing my eyes to the suffering in the world, but I find I am almost hungering after these types of stories. I am like those spectators at car accidents, unwilling to leave the scene. Once the bizarre need to see these stories lessens, as I don't think it totally disappears, then I'll start up again

Working Man

Working too hard sometimes has the unintentional effect of turning a person into two people. The work person who is steady, dependable, always smiling and "gets things done" and the other person who goes home and opens and closes the fridge door seventeen times looking for the same item.

The Finer Things

A bottle of wine, good food, superior friends with excellent conversation and the children occupying themselves. Paradise.

Sit and Write

One of the most difficult aspects of this blog has been to actually write anything that may be of interest to anyone. It sometimes takes a while to get the engine running and often it just splutters and fails.

In order to kick-start the writing I went back and re-visited the aims I had when initially starting this space and I realized that I don't have to actually write anything interesting at all...and I certainly don't have to write something that may interest someone out there (assuming there is anyone out there).

I just have to sit and write.

So here you go.

Political Movement - Part 2

Yesterday's title to the post I made not only came from within the posting but from travelling the blogoshpere and seeing how many political writings there are out there.

It seems to me that they're only preaching to the converted or talking to themselves, and so the mis-interpretation goes on.

Political Movement

The internal politics of a large company is an awesome sight to behold. Just don't get caught in the way.

The Four G's

I used to work in a job that involved dealing with the public in a very public place.

All sorts of people would approach me for assistance and many would tell me their stories.

An elderly black man once came up to me and asked me a question.

"Do you know the secret to success in life" he asked.

I should have said yes and hoped for him to move on but I replied in the negative.

He said "Four words. Guts, guile, gall and glamour."

Then he smiled and walked away.

Fault Lines

There is an axiom that says what we find most at fault in others is the fault we actually see (or don't yet see) in ourselves. I would add that sometimes we also find fault in others due to something we lack in ourselves.

How then to stop finding fault in others:

1 - acknowledgment - there is an issue
2 - allowance - this is my issue
3 - revealing - this is the issue
4 - understanding - this is why I have the issue
5 - letting go - this is what I can do about the issue

Take her for a spin, let me know how she handles.

The Supreme Humourist

Of course, ever since I complained about dreaming too much I can't recall any of the myriad number of dreams I've had.

Methinks there is a presence in the universe with a very unique sense of humour.

The Last Page

And sometimes when I've stared at the computer screen much too long, I click here.

Us and Them

The kids tested my/their limits today. Multiple times. In fact they blew right past the limits and headed into interstellar space.

It's quite amazing how we can allow someone so pint-sized to rule our emotional condition. I mean, here we are, experienced adults, with stressful working lives that don't cause us to lose control as much as when a tiny miniature us pushes the right button. Suddenly all the strategies go out the window and we become them.

I know, I know, it's just part of growing up.

Just The Way You Are

I've noticed that with some people the more immersed they become in a book the more their personality changes to reflect some aspect of the book.

For example I've noticed that if I read too much fantasy or science-fiction I am more apt to daydream or take on primitive chivalric actions.

I've noticed a friend becoming more austere and severe when she started to read Through the Narrow Gate, a book about Karen Armstrong's time as a nun.

But in some traditions they would say we become the things we are.

Do Unto Others

"It is always difficult to forgive people we have harmed."

Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase p.146

To all those who fit the bill (you know who you are).

Inspiration

Going over the last few posts I realize I'm falling into the bloggers trap. Just about every blog out there has this samey "I'm so sad", "Why won't she go out with me", "Boo-hoo, look at me I'm so cool because I'm so jaded, depressed etc." tone to it.

I'll try to do better, I promise.

Feelings

Today's feeling - Grab the covers and pull them over my head while the world passes by.

Life

Life is like that.

One moment of pure beauty and peaceful movement.

Then, chaos and disaster.

Then peace and beauty once again.

This time with scars.

Questions?

An opportunity arises.

Now, how to go about figuring out what to do.

Questions:

What do you need, I mean really need, to maintain the life that makes you happy. Better yet, what do you need to be fulfilled. Why take this opportunity, what does it mean to you personally and professionally. How will it change you and if it does is this change what you really, and I mean really, need.

At the end of the day you need courage and faith in yourself to grasp opportunities but the questions above help you to understand the why.

Nothing Much

When all is said and done...good night!

Sport

Last night I witnessed a man yelling at two boys just after a football practice. The boys were around eight years old.

He wasn't yelling about their lack of enthusiasm for the practice or disregard for the coach's instructions. He was yelling at them because they kept calling over to where he was sitting and trying to draw his attention to what they were doing.

I'm not sure if the inner emotion that led to the outward display of anger was motivated by embarrassment but I'm sure it wasn't motivated by love of sport.

More like lust of sport.

The Middle

Middle of the week and already wish it were Friday.

Projects at a standstill. Office politics to play. Higher-ups to appease. Meeting after meeting after meeting, then ten minutes to actually get any work done.

Some of the perils of the modern work environment.

Oh, give me clear, transparent colleagues and guidelines and I'll give you productivity.

Reading 101

The post I made the other day about reading books at specified times of the year brought back to me two other books that I read every year around the same time.

The first is Albert Camus' L'Etranger. I always read this in the autumn, just as the children are heading back to school. It might seem odd because the book mostly takes place in the hot Algerian summer, but this novel reminds me of French class in grade 11 where the teacher introduced me to this classic of existentialist writings. Although I now understand that Camus himself would have given it another label, absurdist perhaps, reading the novel always takes me back to being young and impressionable to outsiders and writings about outsiders.

The second is Hemmingway's complete short stories. The stories would seemingly concern themselves with decay which most associate with the fall or winter but I always read these in the spring as it brings me closer to the Michigan forests and Spanish cafes of the book. This collection also helps me to understand the expression "hide in plain sight" as it seems to me that was what Hemmingway was doing in these stories. Scratch a little on the surface of the hunting expeditions and you may find the wounded boy underneath.

I thank the teachers, friends and strangers who introduced me to these and many other works.

Let Go. Move On.

This person just refuses to let go. Walks around with a permanent grumpy expression, almost a pained look. Doesn't adhere to the usual niceties, good mornings and such. Dominates meetings with roadblocks and objections. And never brings constructive recommendations to the table. It's always can't do this, can't do that. Beginning to once again bug me immensely. Read: piss me off.

Calm down. Count to ten. Put yourself in their shoes, see things from their viewpoint. Try to understand why they are the way they are. Let go of your expectations of this person. Think about why you need them to act/talk/behave in a certain way. Let go. Move on.

When my head explodes I'll come looking for you Siddhartha.

Time and a Word

Every winter, between Christmas and New Year's, I read the Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies. The opening chapter begins during the winter with snow falling and two boys tobogganing on a hill. Many other scenes in the novels take place in a winter that can only occur in small town Canada; cold and dreary but with a sense of fierce pride at being able to bear the discomfort and survive another day. It just feels right to read it around that time of year.

In the Ear of the Beholder

Whenever I find my son listening to rap or hip-hop, or my daughter listen to Britstina Idol, I sigh and remind myself of the time my dad came into my room while I was listening to The Wizard by Black Sabbath, stayed for a few seconds and walked right out without saying a word.

We Don't Need No Education

My son has been sick for a few days and hasn't been able to attend school. I went to the school to see about getting his homework so he wouldn't fall behind. I was told that teachers do not like to collect and give out homework for children who have missed class regardless of the reason...

That's right, let's punish the children...

It astounds me that a parent who has taken the time to show interest in the education of their child is rebuffed in this matter and yet we are constantly told that parents aren't controlling or have enough of an influence in their children's lives.

This saddens me.

I Say

It is better to be kind than to be right.

Same As It Ever Was

My sister-in-law can't understand why I read the same book more than once, or watch the same movie several times.

I tell her it's because what I bring to the book or movie or any art may be different each time because I have moved on from the person I was.

Even in the space of a week.

A book read today and the same book read tomorrow each offer something different perhaps even unique.

And even if I haven't moved on, I have.

Back to the Garden

Back to work again. Feel more tired than when I took my time off. The holidays were...difficult. And now it's back to full-speed, damn the torpedoes capitalism. How I long for simpler days. But of course they were never simple, just less cluttered with non-essentials...

Try, Try Again

All right, so the previous days' post wasn't a true Haiku. It didn't have any references to nature, didn't impart any hidden truth, and wasn't in Japanese. It did however stay true to the 5 - 7 - 5 syllable count which although an arbitrary confinement in the English language, does allow for a certain discipline of thought when writing. It is a type of poetry that has value in focusing the mind.

I should try to do more.

Oh, the horror!

Haiku - 1

night, whispers are heard
alone they seem to strengthen
don't listen they say

Miles Beyond

"How are you going to rehearse the future?"

Miles to Wayne Shorter, quoted in Miles Beyond by Paul Tingen, p.14.

Happy New Year everyone and you too!