I really hate it when people humour me.
I have some strange thoughts sometimes, people may even go so far as to say all the time, and granted I do believe in things that much of the severly misguided public have been conditioned to think are stupid. But you know what, if you don't agree with me, please tell me. Tell me you think its an idiotic idea and that I'm a mad woman who probably has a million stray cats following me around...I don't care! It wouldnt be too far from the truth and its alot better than just nodding and smiling.
I have a cat called Fluffy. She's no ordinary cat, even though her name may imply some sort of ordinariness if you will. She's super intelligent, and I would even go so far as to say that she's a cat genius. I sometimes feel that we havent given her enough chances in life you know. She has the talent and brains to be whatever she wanted to be. A fire-fighter, a surgeon, an actress, a model, a spokes-cat for the UN!! She could do it all and still have time for a cat nap in the afternoon. And yet...why do people have such a hard time believing this? Why is it so hard to believe that animals can be so intelligent? Ok, I'm not actually serious when I say she could be a surgeon...her paws just wouldn't be able to hold that scalpel too good. But when people smirk and humour me when I tell tales of her intelligence, I feel I must hold firm and say with a resounding YES that I fully believe she could be a neurosurgeon if the thought so came upon her. It's the principle of the thing.
Animals are no less smarter than humans and alot of them are smarter than some humans I know. So there! Fluffy is a genius and I defy anyone to prove otherwise. In the meantime... let's talk about telepathy!
Friday, March 10, 2006
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Battle Of The Sexes
Back when I started this blog, I posted on a little something I called Role Reversal. Click here to read it. I brought up the question of whether, in our modern society, women, in their quest to break free from male domination, have succeeded in reversing traditional gender roles and have indeed begun to dominate the men!
Today, I'd like to make some attempt at talking about something slightly more serious than what fruit you are! Today, I'd like to talk about equality...well to an extent anyhow.
It really annoys me when women insist on being treated like men. This, it seems, is their idea of "equality". Can they not see that by these actions they are indirectly affirming the dominance and emminence of the male gender? By placing as a prerequisite of being treated as an equal human being, the condition of being treated like a MAN, we are inadvertently placing men in a superior category to women. We are saying that, yes, we acknowledge that men are superior to women, and therefore we demand that you treat us as a man in order that we may achieve the same level of superiority as the average man.
Superiority? What superiority? Men may rule the world, but women rule the men. A woman who is confident with herself, with her sexuality and with her femininity will understand that although men may be in possession of the token position of power in this world, it is really the women that wield the most power. The importance of being a woman is immeasurable, and it really upsets me to see so many women today deny themselves the pleasure of their femininity in order to become more like these men they hold such aspirations to imitate.
When I studied Feminism, I was browsing a second hand bookstore and came across this amazing book written by one George Gilder, entitled "Men and Marriage" (Check it out here, make sure you scroll down and read the reviews!). Unlike the suggestion of the title, the book is not about getting a man to marry you. Instead, this book deals with differences between the genders, deals with problems in society caused by these differences and most importantly, deals with the problems caused by feminists upsetting the delicate balance of the sexes and setting in mortion events which are leading to the destruction of society.
Perhaps you might feel that the effects of feminism are being exaggerated, however, it cannot be denied that irreversible changes have been brought about by the denial and ignorance of womens powers of femininity, and these changes are slowly but surely leading to devasting effects on society as we know it.
Gilder makes alot of valid arguments, however I will deal with just one of them here. From the outset, there is an imbalance between the sexes. Women possess what he calls "sexual superiority" over men. They go through pregnancy, breast feeding and greater bonding with the children as a result. Their monthly periods are a continuous reminder to them that, as a woman, they possess the ability to continue the human race so to speak. While any man can provide the sperm, the role of the woman is much more important in reproduction. Men are replaceable in such situations. One man can impregnante a whole town! While men have less control over their sexual urges, women can control theirs somewhat more, and in doing so can control those of their men. Through their sexual superiority, women encourage men to look toward the future.
In such ways, women from the outset are superior to men. There is an imbalance between the sexes.
In order to achieve balance, a forte must be created for the men. An area in which the men will excel, will be superior to women and therefore achieve balance between the sexes. Enter Society. Men became entrusted with providing for the women and children. They were given social superiority in order to offset the imbalance caused by the sexual superiority of women.
So what happens when women come along and insist on taking the place of men in society? When women insist on being the providers instead of the men? Men feel emasculated. Their purpose in life is gone. They have no reason to exist, if you will. (Realise I am slightly exagerrating in order to get the point across). Gilder goes on to point out that in such cases, men have nothing controlling their 'barbaric' and 'irresponsible' urges. They begin to wreak havoc on society. See the ghettos in America. Or street gangs. Are you telling me that if those men had families to support they would be sitting around on their asses pointing guns at whoever pissed them off? No, they wouldn't.
It's an interesting theory, and I would recommend that, if you're interested in the battle of the sexes, you should try and get your hands on a copy of Gilder's "Men and Marriage". I think Amazon has a few second hand copies for less than $3.
Point is, men and women are fundamentally different. Men are physically stronger, there's no use in trying to deny that. And because women are physically weaker, over the generations we have had to evolve intricate ways of controlling them not by using our brawn, but using our brains and the sexual superiority given to us by mother nature. I have no time for women who insist on being treated as an equal to men. I am not unnequal, but I am a woman. I accept and embrace my differences, and I will not accept a man treating me like one of the boys.
Today, I'd like to make some attempt at talking about something slightly more serious than what fruit you are! Today, I'd like to talk about equality...well to an extent anyhow.
It really annoys me when women insist on being treated like men. This, it seems, is their idea of "equality". Can they not see that by these actions they are indirectly affirming the dominance and emminence of the male gender? By placing as a prerequisite of being treated as an equal human being, the condition of being treated like a MAN, we are inadvertently placing men in a superior category to women. We are saying that, yes, we acknowledge that men are superior to women, and therefore we demand that you treat us as a man in order that we may achieve the same level of superiority as the average man.
Superiority? What superiority? Men may rule the world, but women rule the men. A woman who is confident with herself, with her sexuality and with her femininity will understand that although men may be in possession of the token position of power in this world, it is really the women that wield the most power. The importance of being a woman is immeasurable, and it really upsets me to see so many women today deny themselves the pleasure of their femininity in order to become more like these men they hold such aspirations to imitate.
When I studied Feminism, I was browsing a second hand bookstore and came across this amazing book written by one George Gilder, entitled "Men and Marriage" (Check it out here, make sure you scroll down and read the reviews!). Unlike the suggestion of the title, the book is not about getting a man to marry you. Instead, this book deals with differences between the genders, deals with problems in society caused by these differences and most importantly, deals with the problems caused by feminists upsetting the delicate balance of the sexes and setting in mortion events which are leading to the destruction of society.
Perhaps you might feel that the effects of feminism are being exaggerated, however, it cannot be denied that irreversible changes have been brought about by the denial and ignorance of womens powers of femininity, and these changes are slowly but surely leading to devasting effects on society as we know it.
Gilder makes alot of valid arguments, however I will deal with just one of them here. From the outset, there is an imbalance between the sexes. Women possess what he calls "sexual superiority" over men. They go through pregnancy, breast feeding and greater bonding with the children as a result. Their monthly periods are a continuous reminder to them that, as a woman, they possess the ability to continue the human race so to speak. While any man can provide the sperm, the role of the woman is much more important in reproduction. Men are replaceable in such situations. One man can impregnante a whole town! While men have less control over their sexual urges, women can control theirs somewhat more, and in doing so can control those of their men. Through their sexual superiority, women encourage men to look toward the future.
In such ways, women from the outset are superior to men. There is an imbalance between the sexes.
In order to achieve balance, a forte must be created for the men. An area in which the men will excel, will be superior to women and therefore achieve balance between the sexes. Enter Society. Men became entrusted with providing for the women and children. They were given social superiority in order to offset the imbalance caused by the sexual superiority of women.
So what happens when women come along and insist on taking the place of men in society? When women insist on being the providers instead of the men? Men feel emasculated. Their purpose in life is gone. They have no reason to exist, if you will. (Realise I am slightly exagerrating in order to get the point across). Gilder goes on to point out that in such cases, men have nothing controlling their 'barbaric' and 'irresponsible' urges. They begin to wreak havoc on society. See the ghettos in America. Or street gangs. Are you telling me that if those men had families to support they would be sitting around on their asses pointing guns at whoever pissed them off? No, they wouldn't.
It's an interesting theory, and I would recommend that, if you're interested in the battle of the sexes, you should try and get your hands on a copy of Gilder's "Men and Marriage". I think Amazon has a few second hand copies for less than $3.
Point is, men and women are fundamentally different. Men are physically stronger, there's no use in trying to deny that. And because women are physically weaker, over the generations we have had to evolve intricate ways of controlling them not by using our brawn, but using our brains and the sexual superiority given to us by mother nature. I have no time for women who insist on being treated as an equal to men. I am not unnequal, but I am a woman. I accept and embrace my differences, and I will not accept a man treating me like one of the boys.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Know What It Means To Be Effortless
Tao Te Ching said:
"Practice not-doing, and everything will fall into place".
How true that is. How true, and yet how difficult to grasp. The human mind seems to feel that in order to get anything done, one has to expend energy. One has to exert oneself.
It's true that some things deserve alot of thought, others require much concentration, indeed many things we do must be done with skill and precision. But, the longer I spend on this earth, the stronger I feel that the best things happen when you let them happen. You perform your best when you act effortlessly, and without strain. You do things you never thought you could do when you don't try so hard.
If I try to sing something and I find it doesnt really suit my voice that well, I strain and I push my voice and to be honest it sounds terrible. But the minute I sit back and let the song come forward without push, without effort, its just comes...naturally.
Last night at salsa, I couldnt get some moves. I tried and tried, and they just wouldnt come. But when I cleared my head, stayed calm and just moved without thinking, they came to me perfectly.
When you want something in life, it usually comes to you when you dont try and push it. True you need to work for what you want in life, but if its not coming to you straight away, dont worry, keep doing what you're doing, dont stress, and trust that if its meant to be it will.
Lieh-Tze tells us:
"If you understand what it means to be effortless, then there is nothing you cannot do. You can be yin or yang, hard or soft, short or long, round or square, hot or cold; you can live or die, float or sink, strike a high pitch or low, appear or disappear, take on colourations of black or yellow, become sweet or bitter, and be fragrent or pungent. By knowing and doing nothing, you can know all and do all."
"Practice not-doing, and everything will fall into place".
How true that is. How true, and yet how difficult to grasp. The human mind seems to feel that in order to get anything done, one has to expend energy. One has to exert oneself.
It's true that some things deserve alot of thought, others require much concentration, indeed many things we do must be done with skill and precision. But, the longer I spend on this earth, the stronger I feel that the best things happen when you let them happen. You perform your best when you act effortlessly, and without strain. You do things you never thought you could do when you don't try so hard.
If I try to sing something and I find it doesnt really suit my voice that well, I strain and I push my voice and to be honest it sounds terrible. But the minute I sit back and let the song come forward without push, without effort, its just comes...naturally.
Last night at salsa, I couldnt get some moves. I tried and tried, and they just wouldnt come. But when I cleared my head, stayed calm and just moved without thinking, they came to me perfectly.
When you want something in life, it usually comes to you when you dont try and push it. True you need to work for what you want in life, but if its not coming to you straight away, dont worry, keep doing what you're doing, dont stress, and trust that if its meant to be it will.
Lieh-Tze tells us:
"If you understand what it means to be effortless, then there is nothing you cannot do. You can be yin or yang, hard or soft, short or long, round or square, hot or cold; you can live or die, float or sink, strike a high pitch or low, appear or disappear, take on colourations of black or yellow, become sweet or bitter, and be fragrent or pungent. By knowing and doing nothing, you can know all and do all."
Sunday, March 05, 2006
On A Mission
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the bees are buzzing and i'm officially unemployed again!
ahhhh the sweet smell of satisfaction!
Its gooooood!
So what have I done to mark the occasion? What have I spent each morning doing since I handed in my notice? It's amazing isn't how things always seem alot better when you're not doing it. When I was but dreaming of these days they seemed filled with promise.
Filled to the brim with endless possibilities.
A healthy breakfast, perhaps a quick workout, a chapter written in the novel I'd start, shopping, a spot of baking, perhaps a little trip to pool to swim a hundred laps or so, with just enough time to squeeze in a bit of saving the world before lunch!
Brilliant! Unfortunately, things never really do work out the way you plan do they?
So far, I have tried unsuccessfully both days to drag my lazy ass out of bed. Manage to get myself into the shower, and then thats when it hits. The laziness sets in...and I slowly begin to remember why I wanted to work in the first place!
So today marks the last day of laziness and boredom! Starting tomorrow...my life and my house are getting a complete makeover. I'm going on a major shopping spree, with the money I earned thank you very much! I cut so much off my hair last week, now its time for a new look to match the new hair! Watch out Mom because I'll be turning the house upside down...havent used it in the last week? It's outta here!! I will take no prisoners! This is WAR!
God help anyone who gets in my way...I'm on a mission! Wonder how long it'll last? ;)
ahhhh the sweet smell of satisfaction!
Its gooooood!
So what have I done to mark the occasion? What have I spent each morning doing since I handed in my notice? It's amazing isn't how things always seem alot better when you're not doing it. When I was but dreaming of these days they seemed filled with promise.
Filled to the brim with endless possibilities.
A healthy breakfast, perhaps a quick workout, a chapter written in the novel I'd start, shopping, a spot of baking, perhaps a little trip to pool to swim a hundred laps or so, with just enough time to squeeze in a bit of saving the world before lunch!
Brilliant! Unfortunately, things never really do work out the way you plan do they?
So far, I have tried unsuccessfully both days to drag my lazy ass out of bed. Manage to get myself into the shower, and then thats when it hits. The laziness sets in...and I slowly begin to remember why I wanted to work in the first place!
So today marks the last day of laziness and boredom! Starting tomorrow...my life and my house are getting a complete makeover. I'm going on a major shopping spree, with the money I earned thank you very much! I cut so much off my hair last week, now its time for a new look to match the new hair! Watch out Mom because I'll be turning the house upside down...havent used it in the last week? It's outta here!! I will take no prisoners! This is WAR!
God help anyone who gets in my way...I'm on a mission! Wonder how long it'll last? ;)
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Never Argue With A Fool
"Never argue with a fool; They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience!" How true that saying is. How unfortunate that most fools think they know it all; How unfortunate that since they believe they know it all, most fools are stubborn as hell; And how unfortunate indeed that our world seems to be immensely over-populated with class-A fools!
How unfortuante indeed.
How unfortuante indeed.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
An Epiphany and A Cheese Sandwich
This morning, around 5 am, I woke up with a revelation.
A revelation beyond all revelations. An epiphany; A divination; A vision. The truth manifested itself before me, and I was born again! Well, maybe not, but it was pretty strange!
In my dream, I was handed a book. And without opening this book, I instantly gathered the essence of its message, of what it was telling. My eyes popped open, I was wide awake, and for reasons I could not grasp I just knew I had to write this message down before it escaped me.
Was it a strangely vivid dream? Was it just my brain coming up with ideas in my sleep? I don't know, but what I do know is that, at 5 am, this seemed pretty big! Before my sleep filled eyes I was being handed an oscar, a grammy, a nobel prize for all categories rolled into one, a cheese sandwich. I dont know where the cheese sandwich fitted in, maybe I was hungry.
Point is, this is MY idea. I've got a law degree, so if any idea-stealing person decides to steal this here idea which I am about to reveal to you, I shall personally hunt him (or her) down, squeeze them till their eyes pop out, then sue them and take everything they have. Simple as that.
Last night, it was revealed to me why so many tragedies and disasters are raining down upon us now. The answer, my dears, is....SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. Yes, a theory that has been put forth many times, but not this way.... listen closely.
As a race, we have become so dependant on oil. Oil for everything. From washing our clothes, to cooking our food, to electricity, to communication, to transportation. Ok look, I'm not a scientist, but I do know that we have evolved into beings that would be unable to survive at our present state without oil. Oil is running out. Countries are blowing other countries up for their oil-look at Iraq. Oil hungry Americans stealing all their oil. Point is, in another decade or so, we will have nearly run out of all oil reserves. In another 50 years who's to know what's to become of us?? These disasters are the worlds way, our way, to ensure that less people will have to deal with this ultimate crisis that we will be facing in the not so distant future. It's the earths way of ensuring only the fittest survive. That, at the end, only those who are able to live without being dependant on oil will survive. Our only hope for survival is to come up with alternative fuels. Yes, you know that already. But these disasters are the earths way of telling us again. Its way of drilling the point into our brains. I was given the answer, now spread the word my messengers, spread the word.
Strangely enough...this sounded ALOT better at 5 am!
A revelation beyond all revelations. An epiphany; A divination; A vision. The truth manifested itself before me, and I was born again! Well, maybe not, but it was pretty strange!
In my dream, I was handed a book. And without opening this book, I instantly gathered the essence of its message, of what it was telling. My eyes popped open, I was wide awake, and for reasons I could not grasp I just knew I had to write this message down before it escaped me.
Was it a strangely vivid dream? Was it just my brain coming up with ideas in my sleep? I don't know, but what I do know is that, at 5 am, this seemed pretty big! Before my sleep filled eyes I was being handed an oscar, a grammy, a nobel prize for all categories rolled into one, a cheese sandwich. I dont know where the cheese sandwich fitted in, maybe I was hungry.
Point is, this is MY idea. I've got a law degree, so if any idea-stealing person decides to steal this here idea which I am about to reveal to you, I shall personally hunt him (or her) down, squeeze them till their eyes pop out, then sue them and take everything they have. Simple as that.
Last night, it was revealed to me why so many tragedies and disasters are raining down upon us now. The answer, my dears, is....SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. Yes, a theory that has been put forth many times, but not this way.... listen closely.
As a race, we have become so dependant on oil. Oil for everything. From washing our clothes, to cooking our food, to electricity, to communication, to transportation. Ok look, I'm not a scientist, but I do know that we have evolved into beings that would be unable to survive at our present state without oil. Oil is running out. Countries are blowing other countries up for their oil-look at Iraq. Oil hungry Americans stealing all their oil. Point is, in another decade or so, we will have nearly run out of all oil reserves. In another 50 years who's to know what's to become of us?? These disasters are the worlds way, our way, to ensure that less people will have to deal with this ultimate crisis that we will be facing in the not so distant future. It's the earths way of ensuring only the fittest survive. That, at the end, only those who are able to live without being dependant on oil will survive. Our only hope for survival is to come up with alternative fuels. Yes, you know that already. But these disasters are the earths way of telling us again. Its way of drilling the point into our brains. I was given the answer, now spread the word my messengers, spread the word.
Strangely enough...this sounded ALOT better at 5 am!
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Don't Piss Off A Giraffe
Some things I've learned today:
A giraffe can kill almost any animal by using its neck and head as a club.
Checking your email every 5 seconds doesnt increase the chances that someone will email you.
Checking your watch every 5 minutes doesnt make time go any faster.
Popeye's four nephews are called Pipeye, Peepeye, Pupeye and Poopeye.
No piece of square, dry paper can be folded more than 7 times in half.
The only 15 letter word that can be spelt without repeating letters is "uncopyrightable".
Drinking water makes you want to pee.
A giraffe can kill almost any animal by using its neck and head as a club.
Checking your email every 5 seconds doesnt increase the chances that someone will email you.
Checking your watch every 5 minutes doesnt make time go any faster.
Popeye's four nephews are called Pipeye, Peepeye, Pupeye and Poopeye.
No piece of square, dry paper can be folded more than 7 times in half.
The only 15 letter word that can be spelt without repeating letters is "uncopyrightable".
Drinking water makes you want to pee.
Monday, February 27, 2006
First Generation American
It's amazing who you meet and what you learn wherever you are. Last night, I went Salsa Dancing with a friend. First time, but I was up there shaking my tail feather with the rest of them! :) Unbelievable fun! This guy and I got talking, and it turned out he was from Houston, Texas. A tall, handsome black guy with a booming voice and a personality to match. He was asking me where I was from, and so on, but when I asked him if both his parents were from Houston, he said no no. haha They're expats. That's it. No elaboration. Nothing. Suffice to say, I knew something wasn't quite right.
Anyhow, he introduced me to this annoyingly bad dancer called Winston, who tried to latch on to me for the night. Thats the good thing about Salsa, you can Salsa away from people! On another note, why have all the [two] Winston's I've met in my life been annoying? And more importantly, why do people make the rational decision to name their sons Winston?!!?
Winston let slip that Kenny, the Texan, was half American half Nigerian. You should have seen the look on his face. He was embarrased. I asked him which one of his parents was Nigerian? Both, he said, I'm first generation American.
First Generation American. No Generation Nigerian?? Is American the nationality you hide behind when you want to forget your own? When you're embarrased of where you've come from? When you feel that its in your best interests to ignore where your parents came from, to ignore their story, to ignore your roots?? It struck me as strange, and somewhat sad, that he would choose to gladly shout from the rooftops that he's from Houston. That he's from a country who's public policy has resulted in the destruction of countries, lives and races of people. That he's from a city that can claim to be home to the money-hungry vultures that supported and orchestrated the illegal and unnecessary war on Iraq. That he would choose to deny the rich history of his parents land, albeit a history of recent violence, bloodshed and unrest. That he would be content to accept the measly few hundred year history of America, a history that that is both short and not very impressive. That he would choose to pledge allegiance to a country that once forcibly took men from his homeland and used them as slaves. More importantly, that he would be embarrassed to tell people where his parents are from. I'm not saying that Nigeria is better than America, its a matter of opinion, and seeing as I have lived in neither country, it's an opinion I feel I am in no postition to hold.
I don't know about you though, but I'd prefer to say I was from Nigeria.
Anyhow, he introduced me to this annoyingly bad dancer called Winston, who tried to latch on to me for the night. Thats the good thing about Salsa, you can Salsa away from people! On another note, why have all the [two] Winston's I've met in my life been annoying? And more importantly, why do people make the rational decision to name their sons Winston?!!?
Winston let slip that Kenny, the Texan, was half American half Nigerian. You should have seen the look on his face. He was embarrased. I asked him which one of his parents was Nigerian? Both, he said, I'm first generation American.
First Generation American. No Generation Nigerian?? Is American the nationality you hide behind when you want to forget your own? When you're embarrased of where you've come from? When you feel that its in your best interests to ignore where your parents came from, to ignore their story, to ignore your roots?? It struck me as strange, and somewhat sad, that he would choose to gladly shout from the rooftops that he's from Houston. That he's from a country who's public policy has resulted in the destruction of countries, lives and races of people. That he's from a city that can claim to be home to the money-hungry vultures that supported and orchestrated the illegal and unnecessary war on Iraq. That he would choose to deny the rich history of his parents land, albeit a history of recent violence, bloodshed and unrest. That he would be content to accept the measly few hundred year history of America, a history that that is both short and not very impressive. That he would choose to pledge allegiance to a country that once forcibly took men from his homeland and used them as slaves. More importantly, that he would be embarrassed to tell people where his parents are from. I'm not saying that Nigeria is better than America, its a matter of opinion, and seeing as I have lived in neither country, it's an opinion I feel I am in no postition to hold.
I don't know about you though, but I'd prefer to say I was from Nigeria.
Giving MC Hammer A Run For His Money!
Just sitting here thinking how unfair it is that MC Hammer just started a blog this month (click here to see it) and is already getting hundreds of comments. I know, I realise that it's MC Hammer, and it's unbelievably cool that he's blogging! I also realise that because its MC Hammer people will read his blog, tell their friends about it and comment. But it really is so unfair that many other blogs go unnoticed. That others have to work for years, blogging every day, churning out seriously talented material, in order to get to where he's gotten in just over a week. Let's take fafblog for example. There is amazing stuff on this. Genius in fact. And yet, it took them three years to make it to the top of the blogs list on blogspot. Hammer got there in a week! It's not fair, but then again, the last word that can describe life is fair.
It's not fair that the rich seem to be forever getting things for free, when the people who need those things could onlu dream of getting them for nothing. That celebrities, who can afford whatever they want, are always the people being given freebies. That someone would consider taking an influential person for dinner, but would never dream of taking a poor person in need of food for the same dinner.
When guys complain that its not FAIR that they have to pay for everything on dates, they should remember that its not really fair that women have to put up with periods, have to go through 9 months of pregnancy, a painful labour, and not to mention the sleazy stares of most men their entire life. Life isn't fair.
But to be fair to him, Hammer does seem to have a brain. His blog really isn't bad so far. It's a look into his personality, into his thoughts...I just hope its not a publicity stunt for his album which is coming out in a couple of months.
In the meantime, pass on my blog to everyone you know! Let's see if we can give Hammer a run for his money!! And if not, well, at least we've tried.
It's not fair that the rich seem to be forever getting things for free, when the people who need those things could onlu dream of getting them for nothing. That celebrities, who can afford whatever they want, are always the people being given freebies. That someone would consider taking an influential person for dinner, but would never dream of taking a poor person in need of food for the same dinner.
When guys complain that its not FAIR that they have to pay for everything on dates, they should remember that its not really fair that women have to put up with periods, have to go through 9 months of pregnancy, a painful labour, and not to mention the sleazy stares of most men their entire life. Life isn't fair.
But to be fair to him, Hammer does seem to have a brain. His blog really isn't bad so far. It's a look into his personality, into his thoughts...I just hope its not a publicity stunt for his album which is coming out in a couple of months.
In the meantime, pass on my blog to everyone you know! Let's see if we can give Hammer a run for his money!! And if not, well, at least we've tried.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Germans, Egyptians and Cotton Swabs!
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! :)
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! :)
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!
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