So, my last week at my job. Am I sad? Sorrowful? Depressed? Perhaps a little wistful? Not really. Am I glad to get out of here? Yes, in a way. I'm glad to leave this stupid, pointless work. I'm glad to know that I won't be working for the evil, soul-destroying corporation. I'm glad that I won't have to trudge through countless pages of gibberish anymore...
But to be quite honest, I'm going to miss the people I've worked with. In spite of the trivial, meaningless, unnecessary work that I was forced to perform, those I worked with have made it bearable. They're a great bunch, and if anything they managed to keep me smiling all day. Although some would contend that's not a very hard task in itself!
Point is, I'm going to miss them.
I'm going to miss their silly little comments, their corny jokes, their little nicknames for each other, their names! I swear to God, just there a couple of guys passed my desk talking to each other. One was asking if the other had heard about the meeting this afternoon.
"Yeah, Chain Gang was telling me"
Hold on...Chain Gang?? Within this company, is a guy called Chain Gang. Chain Gang. Granted, I'm probably spelling it wrong and its supposed to be spelt something along the lines of Xyyinn Jyanggey or something. But however you spell it, it doesnt change the fact that sitting at a desk within a small cramped cubicle, up to his eyeballs in charts and graphs, with his little glasses perched on the end of his little nose, is a man called Chain Gang. *sigh*
Or then there are the Germans who work in the same office as me. Extremely tall fellows, I'm talking 7 feet tall maybe 8! Well, maybe not, but you get what I mean. Tall, straight men who march instead of walk. Who lift their knees above their chests when marching from cubicle to cubicle. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating there as well, but you get my drift. Straight backs, tucked in shirts, maximum efficiency. Rolf is the big boss and as everyone should know, the big boss should never smile! If something can be said seriously, why in the world would anyone choose to say it with a smile??!! NEVER!! We don't SMILE when there's work to be done!! PAH!! Let the wall FALL before I smile in the face of targets and deadlines... oh wait. It's been down since '89? Dammit! (If you don't know what I'm talking about, click here) Seriously though, I don't think he feels comfortable smiling. Still, that doesn't stop me smiling at him! And you know what? I think secretly, he really likes it. Its like a release of all this pent up energy when finally he has a valid reason to smile at someone. 'What did you want me to do?? SHE smiled at me!! I HAD to smile back!!' Olaf is quite the opposite. Always ready for a joke, always smiling, I actually think that sometimes he feels he may be betraying Rolf. Betraying the stereotype of the serious, efficient German. And you know, strangely enough his smile always disappears when he hears the strong, sturdy, purposeful march of Rolf coming down the hall! Ah, how they entertain me.
And what about the Egyptians? Now, there's a fun group! If something can be said with a smile and a joke, then WHY would someone make the rational choice to be serious? They laugh, they joke, they shout, they scream. Yes, they don't talk, they shout. And it's great! It brings life into the place! Hey! I haven't seen you in 3 minutes!! How have you been?? Hows everything?? Have a coffee! We'll get onto that report later!! Not to worry, Not to worry. There's still 10 minutes before the deadline. With God's help we'll get it done. Ah, I'm exaggerating here, they're extremely hard workers. But I think it's great how Arabs still keep a firm hold on formalities, on pleasantries. It's so important I think. Good manners are so important to me, and should be important to everyone. Unfortunately, it seems that many people are forgetting what it means to have manners [we'll leave that for another post!]. Among Arabs, it's normal to greet someone everytime you see them. No matter if you just saw them 5 minutes ago, and every 5 minutes for the past hour, you still acknowledge them! To pass someone without saying hi is a huge insult. I remember when I moved to Ireland, people used to think I was mentally retarded. I kept asking them how they were! 'Um, I'm still the same as when you asked me a half hour ago'. No work is too important that formalities can be cut out in order to get straight to the point, and if you ask me, that's the way it should be all over the world. I remember a story I read in a book called "Understanding Arabs" (check out a short review here) about an American nurse working in a hospital in Saudi. She called up an Arab doctor to ask a question and when he answered she got straight to the point. "Ahmed, I need to order more swabs, who should I call?" "Ok Miss Jones, but first tell me, how are you today?" How are you today! It's so simple, but many feel that in order to be perceived as professional, they must refrain from taking a personal interest in their workmates. How wrong they are. I know Rolf loves it when I ask him! :)
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Puppets On A String
This one should be familiar to some who read my blog. I wrote this about a year ago, maybe more, and actually started it in a Juris class. Those who went to Juris with me won't be surprised, that class was mind-blowing. Well, it was to me anyhow!
What we know as reality is really just fiction
Our perceptions of the world a cumbersome restriction
You are not you, I am not me
Each day we become who we want to be
Perhaps we have dreamt up this world we reside in
Perhaps these ideas are us realising
That there is nothing upon which we can depend
There is no one reality, do you comprehend?
Do we not feel alive at night when we sleep
Who's to say this 'awakeness' is any more deep?
Our lives become a handful of memories
Scenarios as faint as our nighttime reveries
And yet we continue day after day
Believing our lives a moldable clay
Which we can reform this way and that
Totally reshape at the drop of a hat
Oh foolish fools that we have become
Marching in time to the same old drum
With State and Society providing the beat
Generic beliefs moving our feet
We are no more individual than we are real
Our god is Authority and before it we kneel
Choice, Chance, it's all the same
We're the lifeless figures in a golden frame
Wealth, Riches, Material Possessions
Hiding the sadness of our oppression
On the beach of life we are mere grains of sand
Puppets on a string; But in whose hands?
Some other poems I've posted on this blog can be viewed here, here, and here.
What we know as reality is really just fiction
Our perceptions of the world a cumbersome restriction
You are not you, I am not me
Each day we become who we want to be
Perhaps we have dreamt up this world we reside in
Perhaps these ideas are us realising
That there is nothing upon which we can depend
There is no one reality, do you comprehend?
Do we not feel alive at night when we sleep
Who's to say this 'awakeness' is any more deep?
Our lives become a handful of memories
Scenarios as faint as our nighttime reveries
And yet we continue day after day
Believing our lives a moldable clay
Which we can reform this way and that
Totally reshape at the drop of a hat
Oh foolish fools that we have become
Marching in time to the same old drum
With State and Society providing the beat
Generic beliefs moving our feet
We are no more individual than we are real
Our god is Authority and before it we kneel
Choice, Chance, it's all the same
We're the lifeless figures in a golden frame
Wealth, Riches, Material Possessions
Hiding the sadness of our oppression
On the beach of life we are mere grains of sand
Puppets on a string; But in whose hands?
Some other poems I've posted on this blog can be viewed here, here, and here.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Who's Been Sitting In My Chair??!!
This morning I came into work, early might I add, back to a desk that someone else had definately been using since I was last here. I felt like I stepped into Goldilocks and the 3 Bears...
Someone had definately been sitting at my desk. There was paper littered around, pens opened, post-it's all over the place:
"Who's been sitting at my desk?"
Has that ever happened to you? Someone else just decided that your desk looked like a nice enough desk to take over for an afternoon. Decided to put their grubby paws all over your phone, all over your papers, all over your things. I sat down, and was about a mile over the desk! Someone had been toying with the height of my chair, and whoever he was, he had been freakishly tall!
"Who's been sitting in my chair?"
I tidied up my desk, re-adjusted my chair, turned to my phone and...I swear to God, laying next to my phone was a half-eaten, opened, jar of honey!!!!
Could this job get any stranger??!!
Someone had definately been sitting at my desk. There was paper littered around, pens opened, post-it's all over the place:
"Who's been sitting at my desk?"
Has that ever happened to you? Someone else just decided that your desk looked like a nice enough desk to take over for an afternoon. Decided to put their grubby paws all over your phone, all over your papers, all over your things. I sat down, and was about a mile over the desk! Someone had been toying with the height of my chair, and whoever he was, he had been freakishly tall!
"Who's been sitting in my chair?"
I tidied up my desk, re-adjusted my chair, turned to my phone and...I swear to God, laying next to my phone was a half-eaten, opened, jar of honey!!!!
Could this job get any stranger??!!
Angelic Inspiration
I am not ready, Lord I'm not
Prepared to settle with my lot
Forgo my hopes, desires and dreams
Still the waters of my lifes streams
For what should I make this sacrifice?
I ask you why I should pay this price
For Stability? Routine? Domestic Bliss?
Ah Death! I'd sooner accept your kiss
This can't be all that life will be
To live in chains and never be free
Chained to traditions and expectations
Blinding myself to my situation
Believing that I have my autonomy
Solely controlling my destiny
Ah, what a fool I am and I should be
If I close my eyes to this tragedy
And blindy follow where they have all gone
Ignoring my caged hearts desperate song
If I should refuse to search for love
Be indifferent to the wonders of heaven above
Why then I would simply be fooling myself
Remaining rooted upon my shelf
Angels above please show me the light
Help me have courage, honour and might
Courage to soar to spiritual heights
Honour to do what I know is right
And finally Might, so I may be strong
And resist the temptation to be strung along
I owe it to myself to be true to me
To be all that I ever wanted to be.
I didnt win that competition, so I'm posting some of the poems I entered. Here's one that I wrote last June, just after graduating.
Prepared to settle with my lot
Forgo my hopes, desires and dreams
Still the waters of my lifes streams
For what should I make this sacrifice?
I ask you why I should pay this price
For Stability? Routine? Domestic Bliss?
Ah Death! I'd sooner accept your kiss
This can't be all that life will be
To live in chains and never be free
Chained to traditions and expectations
Blinding myself to my situation
Believing that I have my autonomy
Solely controlling my destiny
Ah, what a fool I am and I should be
If I close my eyes to this tragedy
And blindy follow where they have all gone
Ignoring my caged hearts desperate song
If I should refuse to search for love
Be indifferent to the wonders of heaven above
Why then I would simply be fooling myself
Remaining rooted upon my shelf
Angels above please show me the light
Help me have courage, honour and might
Courage to soar to spiritual heights
Honour to do what I know is right
And finally Might, so I may be strong
And resist the temptation to be strung along
I owe it to myself to be true to me
To be all that I ever wanted to be.
I didnt win that competition, so I'm posting some of the poems I entered. Here's one that I wrote last June, just after graduating.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Sick Bed Within The Firm
There is this guy in my office who has been sick for the last week. Well apparently anyhow.
I say apparently because, the only evidence of this "sickness" is his constant moping around and continuous complaining! You'd swear he was on his death bed the way he's been carrying on.
The long face, the half-closed eyes, the slow labourous shuffle, the polite little sniffle every now and then. It's enough to drive anyone crazy! He's been on this anit-biotic, that anti-biotic, this painkiller, that painkiller, 2 tablets 3 times a day, 3 tablets 2 times a day...you name it he's done it. And yet, do you think he's actually finished any of these courses of tablets??NO
Do you think he's taken them at the times he's supposed to have taken them??NO
I called him on it today, and some way or another he blamed that on his doctors. I say doctors because he has been to several!!
What is particularly annoying about it all is that they guy probably isn't all that sick really. He's probably got a little tickle in his throat and from that has deduced that he's got some life-threatening throat disease. Or virus as he keeps referring to it as. If it's not the bird flu one then keep quite! Honest to God, anything for a little bit of sympathy huh? If he had to put up with monthly cramps and what not I don't know how he'd survive. Probably wouldn't really, would he?!
I say apparently because, the only evidence of this "sickness" is his constant moping around and continuous complaining! You'd swear he was on his death bed the way he's been carrying on.
The long face, the half-closed eyes, the slow labourous shuffle, the polite little sniffle every now and then. It's enough to drive anyone crazy! He's been on this anit-biotic, that anti-biotic, this painkiller, that painkiller, 2 tablets 3 times a day, 3 tablets 2 times a day...you name it he's done it. And yet, do you think he's actually finished any of these courses of tablets??NO
Do you think he's taken them at the times he's supposed to have taken them??NO
I called him on it today, and some way or another he blamed that on his doctors. I say doctors because he has been to several!!
What is particularly annoying about it all is that they guy probably isn't all that sick really. He's probably got a little tickle in his throat and from that has deduced that he's got some life-threatening throat disease. Or virus as he keeps referring to it as. If it's not the bird flu one then keep quite! Honest to God, anything for a little bit of sympathy huh? If he had to put up with monthly cramps and what not I don't know how he'd survive. Probably wouldn't really, would he?!
Men Don't Really Think, Do They?
I think it's so funny the way alot of guys change their attitude to you the minute they get a girlfriend!!
Suddenly they're not as friendly, they don't joke around as much, they don't pay as much attention to you as before. It's very funny really because it shows that they initially were so nice to you because they fancied you. Which, if you think about it, is pre-dominantly the reason most guys become friends with a girl in the first place! There are exceptions of course, and quite honestly there's absolutely nothing wrong with fancying one of your friends, but I have a little bit of advice.
Guys, it would be alot smarter to stay the same with us even after you've gotten yourself a girlfriend. Even if you're still all buddy, buddy with us, we can notice the difference! By doing so, you're showing that your fondness for us was as a result of our wonderful personalities, our charm, our wit, and had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you fancied the pants off us. Doing so, you're increasing your chances that you may yet woo us when it doesnt work out with your girlfriend and you're back wanting to be "good friends" again!
Unfortunately for them, men really don't think alot of the time!
Suddenly they're not as friendly, they don't joke around as much, they don't pay as much attention to you as before. It's very funny really because it shows that they initially were so nice to you because they fancied you. Which, if you think about it, is pre-dominantly the reason most guys become friends with a girl in the first place! There are exceptions of course, and quite honestly there's absolutely nothing wrong with fancying one of your friends, but I have a little bit of advice.
Guys, it would be alot smarter to stay the same with us even after you've gotten yourself a girlfriend. Even if you're still all buddy, buddy with us, we can notice the difference! By doing so, you're showing that your fondness for us was as a result of our wonderful personalities, our charm, our wit, and had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you fancied the pants off us. Doing so, you're increasing your chances that you may yet woo us when it doesnt work out with your girlfriend and you're back wanting to be "good friends" again!
Unfortunately for them, men really don't think alot of the time!
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
KAPOW! BAM! ZAP! BANG!
Anyone ever asked you what Superpower you'd like to have if you could? Most people think of the more conventional powers- X-Ray vision, Ability to fly, Invisibility, Super-Human Strength!
If you're a little rusty when it comes to the super-powers out there, check them out here!
They're all well and good, but what about if you could make up your own superpower?? Think of what you could do!!!! What would you do??!!
I never even thought of the possibility of making up our own powers until last night, when myself and the one and only Mark Pieri were talking about superhero powers. You know, as you do and all! Thing is, he had come up with an amazing power! One that you probably wouldn't think of, unless you're Mark, but one that upon contemplation is one kick-ass power!
Get this, the Ability to Make People Laugh at Will....
Think about it. Think of the consequences of having the power to diffuse any bad situation with laughter. No more wars! No more fights! A truly ingenious power Mark, hats off to you! Unfortunately we're not all as inventive as Mark, so here's a test to find out which Superhero you would be.
I must admit though, I'm a little peeved that "Superhero" has been described in Wikepedia Encyclopedia as a fictional character! Listen, they exist ok! And even if they don't in the literal sense of the word, don't you think it would be SO much more fun if they did!
Someone steals your purse, Spiderman to the rescue! A bomb is dropped on Iraq, Superman changes super-quick inside the nearest phone booth, flies out, catches the bomb and zooms up to outer space so that it can blow up without destroying the Earth!
BAM! KAPOW! ZAP!
And the COSTUMES!!!!!!!!
What am I doing sitting here, I need to get out there get a costume made and become....!!!!
hmmm well give me a while to think of what I wanna be. In the meantime, The Sagernator and I have some Earth-Saving plans to put into action!
ZAP! BANG!
If you're a little rusty when it comes to the super-powers out there, check them out here!
They're all well and good, but what about if you could make up your own superpower?? Think of what you could do!!!! What would you do??!!
I never even thought of the possibility of making up our own powers until last night, when myself and the one and only Mark Pieri were talking about superhero powers. You know, as you do and all! Thing is, he had come up with an amazing power! One that you probably wouldn't think of, unless you're Mark, but one that upon contemplation is one kick-ass power!
Get this, the Ability to Make People Laugh at Will....
Think about it. Think of the consequences of having the power to diffuse any bad situation with laughter. No more wars! No more fights! A truly ingenious power Mark, hats off to you! Unfortunately we're not all as inventive as Mark, so here's a test to find out which Superhero you would be.
I must admit though, I'm a little peeved that "Superhero" has been described in Wikepedia Encyclopedia as a fictional character! Listen, they exist ok! And even if they don't in the literal sense of the word, don't you think it would be SO much more fun if they did!
Someone steals your purse, Spiderman to the rescue! A bomb is dropped on Iraq, Superman changes super-quick inside the nearest phone booth, flies out, catches the bomb and zooms up to outer space so that it can blow up without destroying the Earth!
BAM! KAPOW! ZAP!
And the COSTUMES!!!!!!!!
What am I doing sitting here, I need to get out there get a costume made and become....!!!!
hmmm well give me a while to think of what I wanna be. In the meantime, The Sagernator and I have some Earth-Saving plans to put into action!
ZAP! BANG!
Monday, February 20, 2006
Rain! Ah, How I've Missed Thee!
Finally it's raining! Never realised that I actually missed the rain until this morning, when I stepped outside and walked straight into a puddle! Ah...how I've missed those soaked jean-ends!
The thirsty earth soaks up the rain,
And drinks, and gapes for drink again.
The plants suck in the earth, and are
With constant drinking fresh and fair.
Abraham Cowley (1618-1667)
The thirsty earth soaks up the rain,
And drinks, and gapes for drink again.
The plants suck in the earth, and are
With constant drinking fresh and fair.
Abraham Cowley (1618-1667)
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Am I Really A Blonde?!?
Someone just asked me if I worked in NEXT. Perplexed, I answered no and asked if there was someone who worked in NEXT that looked like me??
He said no, but said that since I was sitting in that desk he thought that I was...
He walked away and then it hit me...
NEXT stands for Network EXcellence in Training!!!! Some program they have going on here.
I sometimes wonder if I'm really a blonde!
He said no, but said that since I was sitting in that desk he thought that I was...
He walked away and then it hit me...
NEXT stands for Network EXcellence in Training!!!! Some program they have going on here.
I sometimes wonder if I'm really a blonde!
Looking For A Pin To Burst His Bubble!
I'm trying to come up with the best way to tell him I'm leaving work earlier than he thinks I'll be. Initially, if you'll remember, I told him I'd be staying in AD a 'couple of months'. Somehow, he took this to mean that I would be working here for a 'couple of months'. Since I've started, I swear to God, he's been adding weeks on to my intended stay. First it was 2 months. Next it was 3 months. Then it was mid-March. THEN he starts telling his boss that I'll be staying 'till April, maybe longer??!!@!!! I mean, is he sane? Does he have his wits about him? More importantly...can he count???!!!
I have absolutely no intention of staying here 'till April. It's hard enough dedicating myself to dragging myself in here tomorrow! Thing is, I couldn't very well correct him in front of his boss, who is (for the benefit of Ismail) in charge of many legal departments! So there I was, a young, freshfaced, motivated assistant, seemingly intent on working my way up the ladder (oh, if only they knew!) sitting in on some meeting, interrupting my boss and saying "well actually JB you've got it wrong. Absolutely no intention of staying here that long! HA! Over my dead body actually! In fact, I'm counting the days until I'm out of here. So, no, you're wrong there buddy, nope won't be staying here that long! Maybe another week or so, you know, depends on my mood and all. Just wanted to clarify that to the big boss over there and make you look quite silly. ooh that rhymes with willy. haha oh never mind! so no, won't be staying here that long. yeah, amazing isn't it how we got the wires crossed there isn't it? quite funny really! well, I think so. haha ahem, yeah, didn't mean to interrupt there, no no, by all means keep going... pre-emptive non-disclosive multilateral contracts you say?"
Wouldn't really have been a good move... so i've kept quiet and well, now I just need to come up with the perfect way to burst his ever-growing bubble.
I have absolutely no intention of staying here 'till April. It's hard enough dedicating myself to dragging myself in here tomorrow! Thing is, I couldn't very well correct him in front of his boss, who is (for the benefit of Ismail) in charge of many legal departments! So there I was, a young, freshfaced, motivated assistant, seemingly intent on working my way up the ladder (oh, if only they knew!) sitting in on some meeting, interrupting my boss and saying "well actually JB you've got it wrong. Absolutely no intention of staying here that long! HA! Over my dead body actually! In fact, I'm counting the days until I'm out of here. So, no, you're wrong there buddy, nope won't be staying here that long! Maybe another week or so, you know, depends on my mood and all. Just wanted to clarify that to the big boss over there and make you look quite silly. ooh that rhymes with willy. haha oh never mind! so no, won't be staying here that long. yeah, amazing isn't it how we got the wires crossed there isn't it? quite funny really! well, I think so. haha ahem, yeah, didn't mean to interrupt there, no no, by all means keep going... pre-emptive non-disclosive multilateral contracts you say?"
Wouldn't really have been a good move... so i've kept quiet and well, now I just need to come up with the perfect way to burst his ever-growing bubble.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
A Pointless Job and A Living Mouse
Oh my God I hate this job. I hate it so much I cannot describe it. It's sucking the life out of me. It's so annoyingly idotic and if I have to stay here one more minute I think I'm going to scream. I have to leave it, if only for my sanity. I have to go NOW. I'm packing my bags and I'm going, and if anyone asks me why, I shall answer: It is because I must.
I will not work anymore for a company that insists on me chaining my prehistoric stone age lap top to my desk and makes me take it home every night chain and all. They should be paying someone take this piece of junk off their hands. As I type the mouse has decided of its own accord not to work. My lap top's mouse is on strike people! My lap tops mouse has a mind of its own, which is more than I can say for the majority of employees here. Now I'm definately leaving!
I will not work anymore for a company that insists on me chaining my prehistoric stone age lap top to my desk and makes me take it home every night chain and all. They should be paying someone take this piece of junk off their hands. As I type the mouse has decided of its own accord not to work. My lap top's mouse is on strike people! My lap tops mouse has a mind of its own, which is more than I can say for the majority of employees here. Now I'm definately leaving!
Is Racism An Inherent Human Trait?
Something happened last night which really annoyed me. Something happened which confirmed what I already knew...that the problems in this world stem from the inability of most people to accept things which, to them, seem abnormal. Which to them seem strange. Which to them seem laughable. Is anyone in a position to laugh at the customs and traditions of other cultures? Are Western conventions so superior to others that the mere thought of anything that does not conform is enough to drive a grown man to sniggering? Last night, a group of us were discussing the fact that it looked like it might rain. In AD that's quite a big event. I asked one of the guys if he knew whether the people had prayed for rain yet. For those who don't know, in the UAE it's common for people to pray for rain during the year. Rain rarely falls, and in order to encourage rain, the people hold special prayers that ask God to grant forgiveness and send rain. Strangely enough, it usually rains very soon after such prayers. Whether or not this is as a result of the praying is up to you to decide.
Sure enough, a Belgian man in the group turned towards us and, trying unsuccessfully to restrain his laughter, asked us to repeat what we had been talking about. What? Pray for rain? What a stupid idea! They don't pray for rain in Belgium, therefore it's unbelievable for him to think that this may happen elsewhere in the world! Anyhow, needless to say a look from me shut him up. He annoyed me so much, it was the most I could do to restrain my reaction to a withering stare and the question "Do you find it hard to believe that people can influence events around them Christophe?" He mumbled something or other and went quiet, but it just pained me to think that a 28 year old 'man' (I use the term loosely here) could be so opposed to accepting the differences that come with different countries. Many people move countries and then complain when it's different than where they came from! What did they expect? If you are unable to accept that they may 'do things differently there', then you should never have gone!
I've been very lucky to grow up in a society where many nationalities and cultures live together. Being half Irish and half Jordanian, I had the advantage of being born into a family where there was no such thing as "this is the way it's done and that's it". A mix of religions, a mix of habits, a mix of languages, a mix of cultures. I grew up in the UAE, where the majority of people were expatriates. My friends were from all over the world, each with their own accents, their own backgrounds, their own religions and beliefs. Was it beneficial to me? Yes, it was, because from a young age I understood that there were many different people in the world, and that just because someone was different did not mean that they were in any way inferior or superior. I'm not saying that there is no such thing as racism or prejudices.
Personally, I believe that discrimination of some form or another is inherent to all human beings. I remember bringing up that point in a Jurisprudence class once. That racism is inherent, that just because anti-discrimination laws are in place that does not mean that discrimination will not exist. It's human nature to instinctively award a higher prestige to certain groups over others. I argued that nothing we could do would ever rid the world of racism, of prejudices, of discrimination. My professor asked me how we could use such a logic? Would that logic be satisfactory if for example you were to say that everyone is a pedophile and that nothing that could be done would stop people being pedophiles and therefore, it was an inherent human nature? I don't think I came up with an answer then, but I remember being annoyed with myself towards the end of the class because with all due respect to him, his argument was flawed.
I am not saying that all people are pedophiles, you must understand that was just a random example. But let's say that they are. Let's say that inherent in human nature is the desire to be a pedophile. Do you honestly think that the implementation of laws would rid the human race of this trait? No it would not. It would ensure that they never commited obvious acts of pedophilia, but it would not sway their desire to do so, and their belief that they were entitled to do so.
To bring into action anti-discriminatory laws does not rid the world of their generic prejudicial beliefs. Indeed, it does not have the effect of immediately cutting short their racist opinions. Instead, such laws ensure that they be prevented from acting in a way that would obviously point toward their inherent discriminatory views. Therefore, in the same way that pedophiles can be prevented from commiting pedophilic acts, inherent racism can be subdued by the enforcing of anti-racist legislation. Just because I am saying that racism is inherent, does not mean that I am saying that we cannot control it. What I am saying is that even though we can ensure that the public in general do not commit racist attacks or behave in a manner that betrays their lack of objectivity, we cannot control the fact that they may personally hold racist beliefs and ideas. We can control their actions, but we cannot control their thoughts. (although I should bring up in another post soon that the technology does exist with which our thoughts and feelings can be controlled. I know. I had the same reaction as you.)
The only way forward in this world is to change the way people react to their thoughts. There will always be some sort of prejudicial beliefs within the minds of humans the world over. On that point we can do nothing. What we can do is encourage people to be more open and accepting of others. To understand that the whole world cannot be the same, and to next time curb the laughter and take the time to appreciate and learn about the customs of others.
Sure enough, a Belgian man in the group turned towards us and, trying unsuccessfully to restrain his laughter, asked us to repeat what we had been talking about. What? Pray for rain? What a stupid idea! They don't pray for rain in Belgium, therefore it's unbelievable for him to think that this may happen elsewhere in the world! Anyhow, needless to say a look from me shut him up. He annoyed me so much, it was the most I could do to restrain my reaction to a withering stare and the question "Do you find it hard to believe that people can influence events around them Christophe?" He mumbled something or other and went quiet, but it just pained me to think that a 28 year old 'man' (I use the term loosely here) could be so opposed to accepting the differences that come with different countries. Many people move countries and then complain when it's different than where they came from! What did they expect? If you are unable to accept that they may 'do things differently there', then you should never have gone!
I've been very lucky to grow up in a society where many nationalities and cultures live together. Being half Irish and half Jordanian, I had the advantage of being born into a family where there was no such thing as "this is the way it's done and that's it". A mix of religions, a mix of habits, a mix of languages, a mix of cultures. I grew up in the UAE, where the majority of people were expatriates. My friends were from all over the world, each with their own accents, their own backgrounds, their own religions and beliefs. Was it beneficial to me? Yes, it was, because from a young age I understood that there were many different people in the world, and that just because someone was different did not mean that they were in any way inferior or superior. I'm not saying that there is no such thing as racism or prejudices.
Personally, I believe that discrimination of some form or another is inherent to all human beings. I remember bringing up that point in a Jurisprudence class once. That racism is inherent, that just because anti-discrimination laws are in place that does not mean that discrimination will not exist. It's human nature to instinctively award a higher prestige to certain groups over others. I argued that nothing we could do would ever rid the world of racism, of prejudices, of discrimination. My professor asked me how we could use such a logic? Would that logic be satisfactory if for example you were to say that everyone is a pedophile and that nothing that could be done would stop people being pedophiles and therefore, it was an inherent human nature? I don't think I came up with an answer then, but I remember being annoyed with myself towards the end of the class because with all due respect to him, his argument was flawed.
I am not saying that all people are pedophiles, you must understand that was just a random example. But let's say that they are. Let's say that inherent in human nature is the desire to be a pedophile. Do you honestly think that the implementation of laws would rid the human race of this trait? No it would not. It would ensure that they never commited obvious acts of pedophilia, but it would not sway their desire to do so, and their belief that they were entitled to do so.
To bring into action anti-discriminatory laws does not rid the world of their generic prejudicial beliefs. Indeed, it does not have the effect of immediately cutting short their racist opinions. Instead, such laws ensure that they be prevented from acting in a way that would obviously point toward their inherent discriminatory views. Therefore, in the same way that pedophiles can be prevented from commiting pedophilic acts, inherent racism can be subdued by the enforcing of anti-racist legislation. Just because I am saying that racism is inherent, does not mean that I am saying that we cannot control it. What I am saying is that even though we can ensure that the public in general do not commit racist attacks or behave in a manner that betrays their lack of objectivity, we cannot control the fact that they may personally hold racist beliefs and ideas. We can control their actions, but we cannot control their thoughts. (although I should bring up in another post soon that the technology does exist with which our thoughts and feelings can be controlled. I know. I had the same reaction as you.)
The only way forward in this world is to change the way people react to their thoughts. There will always be some sort of prejudicial beliefs within the minds of humans the world over. On that point we can do nothing. What we can do is encourage people to be more open and accepting of others. To understand that the whole world cannot be the same, and to next time curb the laughter and take the time to appreciate and learn about the customs of others.
A Manager In Diapers
Men never grow up do they? Just as its a fact that women are terrible drivers, it's also a fact that men never grow up. Granted, in each of these theories there is bound to exist an exception or two, but so far I have yet to experience execeptions in either. Just as in every adult male there exists a three year old little boy keeping score and throwing tantrums, in every female there lurks an overly cautious, annoyingly careful driver. Is there anything we can do about it? Probably not.
There exists a manager within this God-forsaken corporation of which I am a part of for the time being, who is being odd with me simply because I refused to accept his job offer. I refused his offer, and now that I'm back here temporarily working for someone else, he's acting like a spoilt brat. Don't you hate people like that? Must they so decidedly laugh in the face of professionalism? When I was here last time, he didn't care that my current boss wanted to give me a job. No, he wanted me so he completely overlooked my boss and purposely ignored the fact that my boss had offered me a job first. This manager also chose to ignore the fact that the job he was offering me concerned only a portion of what I had studied. Now that I've "snubbed" him in favour of someone else he's acting like a little girl. I just met him in the lift now, and even though he's about 30 years older than me, I felt like his mother. I almost sighed and mumbled "they're a terror at this age aren't they?" I just wish he would grow up! Because at the moment the urge to pull out the wooden spoon and give him a well-deserving smack on the bottom is overwhelmingly strong! Unfortunately, he might like that. And well, we can't have that now can we? ;)
There exists a manager within this God-forsaken corporation of which I am a part of for the time being, who is being odd with me simply because I refused to accept his job offer. I refused his offer, and now that I'm back here temporarily working for someone else, he's acting like a spoilt brat. Don't you hate people like that? Must they so decidedly laugh in the face of professionalism? When I was here last time, he didn't care that my current boss wanted to give me a job. No, he wanted me so he completely overlooked my boss and purposely ignored the fact that my boss had offered me a job first. This manager also chose to ignore the fact that the job he was offering me concerned only a portion of what I had studied. Now that I've "snubbed" him in favour of someone else he's acting like a little girl. I just met him in the lift now, and even though he's about 30 years older than me, I felt like his mother. I almost sighed and mumbled "they're a terror at this age aren't they?" I just wish he would grow up! Because at the moment the urge to pull out the wooden spoon and give him a well-deserving smack on the bottom is overwhelmingly strong! Unfortunately, he might like that. And well, we can't have that now can we? ;)
Friday, February 17, 2006
Batman&Warrior Princess vs. The Valentine Lovers
Dear Lord above, I thought this kind of pain wasn't possible. I can't move, I can't walk, I can't breathe, I almost can't talk. Muscles I didn't even know I had are aching. I'd rather not sit down, because there's a chance I may not be able to get up again.
So what did I do to inflict this sort of torture upon myself? Scale the highest mountain? Rescue a kitten from a burning blaze? Single-handedly defeat an army?
Nope... I just played tennis. Yes, tennis. Tennis. I know! Tennis. Did anyone know how many muscles you used playing that game? Give me a moment, let me move about a bit, I think I may be able to give you an exact number. I think I'm gonna have to start working out again!
Unfortunately Batman and Warrior Princess didn't win. It's alright though, they're working on a battle plan for next time. The Valentine Lovers had better watch out... 'somebody's gonna get a hurtin' real bad" (Russell Peters anyone?)
So what did I do to inflict this sort of torture upon myself? Scale the highest mountain? Rescue a kitten from a burning blaze? Single-handedly defeat an army?
Nope... I just played tennis. Yes, tennis. Tennis. I know! Tennis. Did anyone know how many muscles you used playing that game? Give me a moment, let me move about a bit, I think I may be able to give you an exact number. I think I'm gonna have to start working out again!
Unfortunately Batman and Warrior Princess didn't win. It's alright though, they're working on a battle plan for next time. The Valentine Lovers had better watch out... 'somebody's gonna get a hurtin' real bad" (Russell Peters anyone?)
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Live!
How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterwards...
I think we all need to learn how to slow down a bit. Slow down a bit and enjoy life. Life's passing us by. Every minute we spend rushing to be on time, every second we spend worrying about what people will think, everytime we put off doing something we want to do off until when we're "not so busy"....its all pointless. We're not living. We're putting life on hold. We're eating without savouring, we're hearing without listening, we're speaking without talking, we're doing without experiencing. Our "living" is a slow and painfully boring death. Let's live!
Whatever you have really really wanted to do today but have been putting off....go out and do it now! Leave your cubicle and go make a snow angel outside, ask that cute girl in your office out, jump up on your desk and start doing the funky chicken, laugh out loud right now! Whatever it is just do it!!
(zenasthoughts does not in any way support the commission of any illegal offences, and will not be liable for any actions taken by zenasthoughts' readers in reaction to this post!)
I think we all need to learn how to slow down a bit. Slow down a bit and enjoy life. Life's passing us by. Every minute we spend rushing to be on time, every second we spend worrying about what people will think, everytime we put off doing something we want to do off until when we're "not so busy"....its all pointless. We're not living. We're putting life on hold. We're eating without savouring, we're hearing without listening, we're speaking without talking, we're doing without experiencing. Our "living" is a slow and painfully boring death. Let's live!
Whatever you have really really wanted to do today but have been putting off....go out and do it now! Leave your cubicle and go make a snow angel outside, ask that cute girl in your office out, jump up on your desk and start doing the funky chicken, laugh out loud right now! Whatever it is just do it!!
(zenasthoughts does not in any way support the commission of any illegal offences, and will not be liable for any actions taken by zenasthoughts' readers in reaction to this post!)
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Speakez-Vous English??!!
I sometimes wonder how in the world people who obviously have no idea how to speak, read or write English are allowed to draft contracts...in English! I mean, do they actually think the sentences they have constructed make sense? Do they really think that their points have come across to the reader? Do they know what points they want to make? Do they know how to write????
This is what I've been contemplating as I've been correcting, re-correcting and swearing at contracts that go something along the lines of this
" If Trustees shall desire in pursuance of this Article to pay money for benefit of person who is minor or it incapacitated the may pay they same to any other person (legally authorised to receive they same on behalf of minor or incapacitated) for that purpose without being bound to see to it that I have absolutely no idea what the hell I'm talking about and am systematically speaking out of my ass while copying and pasting these clauses from contracts that were written in English by Spanish speaking monkeys on the island of Crete in 1909
ahhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
This is what I've been contemplating as I've been correcting, re-correcting and swearing at contracts that go something along the lines of this
" If Trustees shall desire in pursuance of this Article to pay money for benefit of person who is minor or it incapacitated the may pay they same to any other person (legally authorised to receive they same on behalf of minor or incapacitated) for that purpose without being bound to see to it that I have absolutely no idea what the hell I'm talking about and am systematically speaking out of my ass while copying and pasting these clauses from contracts that were written in English by Spanish speaking monkeys on the island of Crete in 1909
ahhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
What Do You Think Love Is?
Everyone has a different idea as to what 'love' is exactly. No two ideas are the same. Does love at first sight exist, or is it just lust? Is there a difference between romantic love and friendly love? Is one more real than the other? Is it truly possible for humans to be monogamous? Is love for more than one person any less genuine than love for just one? Is the person who gives his heart away easily a fool? Or is he intelligently taking as much part as he can in what can be the most wonderful experiences of your life? Many questions, many answers. I asked Mossop what he thought, and here's what he said: "Love is a mystery Zena, supposedly it can be anywhere anytime..."
That's true..you never know where it might be. And most of the time, you find it in the most unexpected places and in the most unlikely people.
So I ask, What do you think Love is?
That's true..you never know where it might be. And most of the time, you find it in the most unexpected places and in the most unlikely people.
So I ask, What do you think Love is?
Valentines Day
I really felt that I couldn't post today without making some reference to what day it is. If you don't know, shame on you. You either couldn't give a toss or else have been asleep the past couple of days while everyone else has been getting that Valentine fever. I know, what's the big deal about it? Still though, before I go on let me wish you a Happy Valentine's Day. Don't know if you celebrate it, but judging by the reactions of everyone I've seen today, it seems like the entire world just loves the whole idea about a day dedicated to love. And it is a great idea. To have one day dedicated to the people you love. To have one day in the year when you get to tell someone that you love them, or indeed even that you like them. But I ask you, has Valentines Day lost its meaning?
Does real romance still exist behind the billions of cards, the countless pesticide infected roses, the dozens of shoppers elbowing each other out of the way to get the last heart shaped box of additive-filled, chemically-coloured, sugar-coated goo that is most supermarket chocolate? Could it possibly exist? Has real love been completely drowned out by the stench of artificial affection? Has the society we live in made us so cynical that there exists no chance for any of us to truly give our heart and soul anymore?
I think it's wonderful to tell someone you love them, and even more importantly I think that it's vital to show someone you love them. But showing it does not mean buying them as much stuff in as many shades of pink and red as you can! That's not love. That's commercial love. It's like you're saying, right, I need to let you know that I love you, even though if you judged the strength of my love on my attitude towards you it would fall somewhere between "hate you to death" and "where's my gun". So how will I do it? Will I change my ways and be loving and caring towards you? Or will I just buy an outrageously large card and a life-size red mass of, what's supposed to represent a heart, shaped foam? Hmmm... I know...It's a tough one! Still though, the first would involve putting in an effort and actually changing my appalling personality. In this age of instant gratification, it's alot more appealing to choose the foam!
I would much rather if someone took the time to do something meaningful for me. To make something with their two hands. To write something for me. To search and search for something that I wanted but couldn't find. Even if they bought me something that they just knew I would love. An action that took time, an action that paid testament to the love behind it.
I went shopping for cards this afternoon and dear Lord, we stepped into the shop....a sea of RED. The place was filled with frantic shoppers on their lunch break searching for that meaningful present for their loved one. Suprisingly most of them were men. Although, to be quite honest I think that has a lot more to do with dread at the probable consequences of inaction on such a special day rather than a genuine desire to buy half dead flowers for their girlfriends.
Still though, I suppose we should give them some bit of praise. No matter how inadequete the action in the world of romance, at least they're trying. And let's face it...we all know we're going to stop by the teddy bear factory on our way home this evening! Sometimes, you've just got to conform.
Does real romance still exist behind the billions of cards, the countless pesticide infected roses, the dozens of shoppers elbowing each other out of the way to get the last heart shaped box of additive-filled, chemically-coloured, sugar-coated goo that is most supermarket chocolate? Could it possibly exist? Has real love been completely drowned out by the stench of artificial affection? Has the society we live in made us so cynical that there exists no chance for any of us to truly give our heart and soul anymore?
I think it's wonderful to tell someone you love them, and even more importantly I think that it's vital to show someone you love them. But showing it does not mean buying them as much stuff in as many shades of pink and red as you can! That's not love. That's commercial love. It's like you're saying, right, I need to let you know that I love you, even though if you judged the strength of my love on my attitude towards you it would fall somewhere between "hate you to death" and "where's my gun". So how will I do it? Will I change my ways and be loving and caring towards you? Or will I just buy an outrageously large card and a life-size red mass of, what's supposed to represent a heart, shaped foam? Hmmm... I know...It's a tough one! Still though, the first would involve putting in an effort and actually changing my appalling personality. In this age of instant gratification, it's alot more appealing to choose the foam!
I would much rather if someone took the time to do something meaningful for me. To make something with their two hands. To write something for me. To search and search for something that I wanted but couldn't find. Even if they bought me something that they just knew I would love. An action that took time, an action that paid testament to the love behind it.
I went shopping for cards this afternoon and dear Lord, we stepped into the shop....a sea of RED. The place was filled with frantic shoppers on their lunch break searching for that meaningful present for their loved one. Suprisingly most of them were men. Although, to be quite honest I think that has a lot more to do with dread at the probable consequences of inaction on such a special day rather than a genuine desire to buy half dead flowers for their girlfriends.
Still though, I suppose we should give them some bit of praise. No matter how inadequete the action in the world of romance, at least they're trying. And let's face it...we all know we're going to stop by the teddy bear factory on our way home this evening! Sometimes, you've just got to conform.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Review of Tom Waits' "Closing Time"
For a bit of a change, I'm posting an album review I just finished for a magazine in Ireland. It's a monthly thing and this month I've chosen to start reviewing debut albums of some of musics legends. I've begun with Tom Waits' debut album "Closing Time", and for those who've read my past reviews, if this falls a bit short blame it on the fact that I've been trying to research and write it at work! Even been listening to the album here! Enjoy (I've left out the general intro). Oh and if anyone has any ideas as to who I could look at for next month, keep those suggestions coming.
Tom Waits is probably best known to most people as the man with the voice rougher than sandpaper. His voice characterizes his work and makes it very difficult for the more casual listeners to get into it. Indeed, his gravelly voice was once described by the MusicHound Rock Album Guide as sounding like “it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months and then taken outside and run over with a car”. As a result for those who listen to Waits, they either love him or hate him. Within his voice, his music and his lyrics, they either find something significant or nothing at all.
For myself, Waits had been praised left, right and centre by a lot of people I knew. Not realizing that his work steadily became darker and quirkier with the passage of time, I got a hold of “Beautiful Maladies” and to be honest was not at all impressed by him. I had jumped into the deep end, and without any knowledge of his past work and the persona he had constructed for himself, I had nothing to keep me afloat. There ended my delving into the world of Waits until a friend gave me a copy of a couple of his songs, including “Tom Traubert’s Blues”. I was intrigued. It was unlike anything I had ever heard before and I wanted more. Where better to start than at the beginning of his career?
“Closing Time” was released in 1973, ironically the same year as legend Bruce Springsteen released his first album “Greeting From Asbury Park”. Perhaps Waits would have been more successful in his early years had artists like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen not been discovered. At that time, Cohen was at the heights of his popularity and it would have been forgivable not to be open to discovering the poetry that was Waits. Waits was realistic. No long-winded metaphors, no cheap sentiments, no fake romanticism, just poetry so realistic it almost hurt. Some commented that Waits somehow managed to “evade clichés, or at least make even the clichés seem right”.
For those who are more familiar with his later work, “Closing Time” is miles away from it, both in terms of content and in terms of the state of Waits’ voice at the time. His vocals on this album are almost “clean”. Indeed, “Closing Time” has been described as his “freshest vehicle of self-expression.” Nevertheless, it is mature and it is this maturity that is important, because it must be remembered that Waits was only 22 at the time. In the track “Martha”, Waits tells story of a man who calls up his old lover 40 years later to tell her he still loves her. The song is full of imagery and sentiment, and the fact that a guy in his twenties can communicate an old man’s genuine and sincere feelings with so much emotional power is amazing. It, in itself, serves as evidence of Waits’ capability both as a musician and a storyteller.
Waits’ debut album isn’t flashy. In fact, it’s beauty lies in its simplicity. It is probably the friendliest Tom Waits album you could buy, and is an excellent introduction to his work. It has been described as being an “immensely natural and humble album”, but do not be fooled because, typical of Waits, these songs are of late-night loneliness. An album written for anyone who has had their heart broken and has lived the ensuing days in a bar. It’s a beautiful blend of blues and jazz with a hint of country thrown in for good measure. However, unlike his later work, in “Closing Time” his songwriting certainly could not be described as being eccentric. Yes, he still portrays the world that lies on the other side of the tracks, the world of freaks, drunks and nobodies, but he presents it in an almost less imposing way than on his later albums. “Closing Time” marks the beginning of the surfacing of the sound of the “shifting, unruly chaos that lurks beneath the plastic, smoothed out surface of American life”, and announces the arrival of a talented songwriter whose “self-conscious melancholy can be surprisingly moving”.
Is it worth it? Is it advisable to buy an album released 23 years ago, by a man who many politely refer to as ‘bit strange’? Yes. Yes it is. “Closing Time” is significant if only to offer the listener a chance to catch a glimpse of Tom before the Tom Waits persona took over. A chance to see behind the surreal, larger than life “Tom Waits” character that is clearly a role. Yet, by creating this role Waits underlines what we should already understand. That “art” is something apart from the one who makes it. He himself once said that: “The stories behind most songs are less interesting than the songs themselves.” Indeed, the myth-laden smokescreen of tall tales and storytelling acts as a safeguard, ensuring that family, music and an ever-inquisitive public can peacefully co-exist. Many would consider an album such as “Closing Time” to be the beginning and end of their artistic growth. Fortunately, Waits didn’t, and with each passing album came some aspect of growth in his style, in his lyrics, in his voice. In fact, the overall change is so remarkable that for those who only know his later work, the side of Waits portrayed in “Closing Time” may leave them bewildered. It is light years away from Waits’ schizophrenic Eighties’ period, and there is no way that you could predict the bizarre twists and turns of his career when listening to these simple tunes. It is a record that strips away the artistic garments that have been piled upon poetry in the past. The album is a return to basics, and an album that I shall be certain to return to again and again. Waits makes you realize that sometimes, being the most conventionally popular artist is not necessarily the best thing to be. He shows you that within the ugliness of life, there exists a beauty that does not fade simply because it’s just that little bit harder to see.
Tom tells a story that once when his children were young they asked him why he didn’t have a straight job like everyone else. He answered them this way: “In the forest, there was a crooked tree and a straight tree. Everyday the straight tree would say to the crooked tree, ‘Look at me. I’m tall, I’m straight and I’m handsome. Look at you. You’re all crooked and bent.’ They grew up in that forest together, and one day the loggers came. They saw the crooked tree and the straight tree and they said ‘Just cut the straight trees and leave the rest’. So the loggers turned all the straight trees into lumber and toothpicks and paper, and the crooked tree is still there, growing stronger and stronger everyday.”
Quite a fitting way to describe the man himself, don’t you think?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)