Well, I've been feeling a little under the weather, so will reply to all your wonderful arguments on the Opportunity post later on. I think I need as much brain power as possible to tackle that one!
Saturday was a wacky day.
I was roused from deep sleep by the sounds of whistles and drums. It sounded like a full marching band was crossing the street in front of my house. Turns out that it was really only 4 drums and a cymbal, and it was 3 blocks away, but still...
Lemme tell you, drum sound really carries down empty streets. It was only 9:30 on Saturday morning and much too early to be awake! But my curiousity got the better of me. I had to know what the hell this sound was, and why a drumline was marching through the streets of downtown Toronto. I dragged myself out of bed and onto the balcony in my furry slippers, looked down and saw a steady stream of runners passing by. It was the Sporting Life 10K race, complete with drum accompaniment for encouragement! It was an interesting way to start the weekend, to say the least.
Later on that evening, I went for my own run on the waterfront. On my way back, I had to cross under an underpass, and got stopped at the lights. I saw some motion out of the corner of my eye. So I turned and looked across 4 lanes of traffic to the sidewalk on the other side. The guy on the other side, in running gear, paused, looked over, and immediately broke into a breakdancing routine - popping, locking and moonwalking. I couldn't help but laugh and applaud. He gave me a bow, the light turned green, and with that, we were both off and running in opposite directions.
I love little pieces of weirdness like that!
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Opportunity
This is a reply to Furtheron's comment on Caste System below. I started writing a reply, but it got really long and turned into a sorta post, so I figured I'd just make it into one!
Most societies are structured like this. The sad fact is that we build our societies on the backs of people who have less. And it's not just with different races. Rich and powerful women will build their lives on the backs of poorer women, just like restaurants will save their "best" positions for the majority. How many maids do you think are caucasion? How many waiters do you think are black?
I see what you're saying though, and I agree with you to some extent. If we're really honest about it, it's clear that this kind of wide-scale change, would lead to the crumbling of our civilization as we know it. But that doesn't mean we can't look at ways for it to improve. I'm an idealist, and I tend to see the potential/possibility of something - my own rose-coloured view of the world. Besides, I think that dialogue about this stuff is important. Let's think, argue and debate. I mean, how are we supposed to change things, if we can't talk about it?
Essentially, I think it's a question of opportunity. Why should we assume that the immigrant who comes from a poor country is happy to make less money? And is it okay to pay them less because they are happy about it? Shouldn't we all have equal opportunity and access? I mean, how many Arab, Pakistani and Indian professors do you have driving cabs? How many engineers from China are packing boxes? Do you really think that they wouldn't prefer to be making more money, supporting their families, and contributing to society? I don't think that just because they are willing to do those jobs, that it is okay for the majority to just hand the scraps over to them. (Of course, underlying all of that is the question of gratitude in a spiritual sense - but I'm not even gonna go there...) We all lose when this happens. They are weakened and disenfranchised, and we don't get to benefit from their talents, skills and energy.
Some people will argue that minorities and immigrants have equal opportunity here in Canada or the US or in the UK, but really, how are you supposed to create social change when you're working 2 jobs, going to school part-time and trying to put food on the table? Would you be able to do it? It's a basic Maslow's Hierachy of Needs thing. If your physiological and safety needs are not taken care of, how are you going to get anywhere close to self-actualization?
It's difficult for disempowered and marginized people to have a voice. And it's up to us to make sure they are heard.
Most societies are structured like this. The sad fact is that we build our societies on the backs of people who have less. And it's not just with different races. Rich and powerful women will build their lives on the backs of poorer women, just like restaurants will save their "best" positions for the majority. How many maids do you think are caucasion? How many waiters do you think are black?
I see what you're saying though, and I agree with you to some extent. If we're really honest about it, it's clear that this kind of wide-scale change, would lead to the crumbling of our civilization as we know it. But that doesn't mean we can't look at ways for it to improve. I'm an idealist, and I tend to see the potential/possibility of something - my own rose-coloured view of the world. Besides, I think that dialogue about this stuff is important. Let's think, argue and debate. I mean, how are we supposed to change things, if we can't talk about it?
Essentially, I think it's a question of opportunity. Why should we assume that the immigrant who comes from a poor country is happy to make less money? And is it okay to pay them less because they are happy about it? Shouldn't we all have equal opportunity and access? I mean, how many Arab, Pakistani and Indian professors do you have driving cabs? How many engineers from China are packing boxes? Do you really think that they wouldn't prefer to be making more money, supporting their families, and contributing to society? I don't think that just because they are willing to do those jobs, that it is okay for the majority to just hand the scraps over to them. (Of course, underlying all of that is the question of gratitude in a spiritual sense - but I'm not even gonna go there...) We all lose when this happens. They are weakened and disenfranchised, and we don't get to benefit from their talents, skills and energy.
Some people will argue that minorities and immigrants have equal opportunity here in Canada or the US or in the UK, but really, how are you supposed to create social change when you're working 2 jobs, going to school part-time and trying to put food on the table? Would you be able to do it? It's a basic Maslow's Hierachy of Needs thing. If your physiological and safety needs are not taken care of, how are you going to get anywhere close to self-actualization?
It's difficult for disempowered and marginized people to have a voice. And it's up to us to make sure they are heard.
My IQ - Ani DiFranco
When I was four years old
They tried to test my I.Q.
They showed me a picture of 3 oranges and a pear
They said, which one is different?
It does not belong
They taught me different is wrong
I sing sometimes
Like my life is at stake
Cause you're only as loud
As the noises you make
I'm learning to laugh as hard
As I can listen
Cause silence
Is violence
In women and poor people
If more people were screaming then I could relax
But a good brain ain't diddley
If you don't have the facts
We live in a breakable takeable world
An ever available possible world
And we can make music
Like we can make do
Genius is in a back beat
Backseat to nothing if you're dancing
Especially something stupid
Like I.Q.
For every lie I unlearn
I learn something new
I sing sometimes for the war that I fight
Cause every tool is a weapon -
If you hold it right.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Caste System
Yesterday, I went to the Hothouse Cafe's brunch buffet with my friends, May, Holman and Jackson. I've always enjoyed the brunch there. It's bright and sunny and you have fresh waffles and made-to-order omelettes admidst the sounds of a live jazz band.
I was just through my first satisfying plate of sausages, eggs, bacon and mussels, when I noticed something very unsettling. All of the busboys were brown! Of either Indian or Pakistani descent, I can't say for sure. I can say for sure that all the waiters were white. I ranted to Holman a bit about discrimination, and being the calm Aquarius that he is, he started looking around the restaurant for evidence of this fact.
Holman: See look! There's a white guy in a black shirt. He's a busboy too. They're not all brown.
Me: Where? Are you sure?
Jackson: Um, no. I think he works behind the dessert table.
So unfortunately, I was right. Every single waiter in the restaurant was white and every single busboy was brown. And I'm sure this sort of division plays out across the entire restaurant industry. I'm guessing that there are plenty of short order cooks, dishwashers and busboys that are visible minorities. They are always behind the scenes, cleaning up, cooking, essentially being servants. This discrimination plays out in high end restaurants too...except of course in that situation, you can be 90% sure that your waiter will be a man.
I am constantly amazed by the subtle caste system we have here in Canada, and frankly, I find it very disheartening. Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, yet this sort of thing still happens. And is in fact, prevalant. And if it can happen here, what is happening in places that are less liberal, less multicultural?? It's a frightening thought.
I was just through my first satisfying plate of sausages, eggs, bacon and mussels, when I noticed something very unsettling. All of the busboys were brown! Of either Indian or Pakistani descent, I can't say for sure. I can say for sure that all the waiters were white. I ranted to Holman a bit about discrimination, and being the calm Aquarius that he is, he started looking around the restaurant for evidence of this fact.
Holman: See look! There's a white guy in a black shirt. He's a busboy too. They're not all brown.
Me: Where? Are you sure?
Jackson: Um, no. I think he works behind the dessert table.
So unfortunately, I was right. Every single waiter in the restaurant was white and every single busboy was brown. And I'm sure this sort of division plays out across the entire restaurant industry. I'm guessing that there are plenty of short order cooks, dishwashers and busboys that are visible minorities. They are always behind the scenes, cleaning up, cooking, essentially being servants. This discrimination plays out in high end restaurants too...except of course in that situation, you can be 90% sure that your waiter will be a man.
I am constantly amazed by the subtle caste system we have here in Canada, and frankly, I find it very disheartening. Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, yet this sort of thing still happens. And is in fact, prevalant. And if it can happen here, what is happening in places that are less liberal, less multicultural?? It's a frightening thought.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Political Compass
I got this from Furtheron's blog.
Unsurprisingly, I'm a Social Libertarian that leans to the Economic Left. I'm pretty much in the same place politically as the Dalai Lama.
My political compass
Economic Left/Right: -5.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.13
Unsurprisingly, I'm a Social Libertarian that leans to the Economic Left. I'm pretty much in the same place politically as the Dalai Lama.
My political compass
Economic Left/Right: -5.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.13
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Incomplete Manifesto for Growth: 16-30
Bruce Mau's Incomplete Manifesto for Growth Continued...
16. Collaborate. The space between people working together is filled with conflict, friction, strife, exhilaration, delight, and vast creative potential.
17. ____________________. Intentionally left blank. Allow space for the ideas you haven’t had yet, and for the ideas of others.
18. Stay up late. Strange things happen when you’ve gone too far, been up too long, worked too hard, and you're separated from the rest of the world.
19. Work the metaphor. Every object has the capacity to stand for something other than what is apparent. Work on what it stands for.
20. Be careful to take risks. Time is genetic. Today is the child of yesterday and the parent of tomorrow. The work you produce today will create your future.
21. Repeat yourself. If you like it, do it again. If you don’t like it, do it again.
22. Make your own tools. Hybridize your tools in order to build unique things. Even simple tools that are your own can yield entirely new avenues of exploration. Remember, tools amplify our capacities, so even a small tool can make a big difference.
23. Stand on someone’s shoulders. You can travel farther carried on the accomplishments of those who came before you. And the view is so much better.
24. Avoid software. The problem with software is that everyone has it.
25. Don’t clean your desk. You might find something in the morning that you can’t see tonight.
26. Don’t enter awards competitions. Just don’t. It’s not good for you.
27. Read only left-hand pages. Marshall McLuhan did this. By decreasing the amount of information, we leave room for what he called our "noodle."
28. Make new words. Expand the lexicon. The new conditions demand a new way of thinking. The thinking demands new forms of expression. The expression generates new conditions.
29. Think with your mind. Forget technology. Creativity is not device-dependent.
30. Organization = Liberty. Real innovation in design, or any other field, happens in context. That context is usually some form of cooperatively managed enterprise. Frank Gehry, for instance, is only able to realize Bilbao because his studio can deliver it on budget. The myth of a split between "creatives" and "suits" is what Leonard Cohen calls a 'charming artifact of the past.'
The conclusion on my next post.
16. Collaborate. The space between people working together is filled with conflict, friction, strife, exhilaration, delight, and vast creative potential.
17. ____________________. Intentionally left blank. Allow space for the ideas you haven’t had yet, and for the ideas of others.
18. Stay up late. Strange things happen when you’ve gone too far, been up too long, worked too hard, and you're separated from the rest of the world.
19. Work the metaphor. Every object has the capacity to stand for something other than what is apparent. Work on what it stands for.
20. Be careful to take risks. Time is genetic. Today is the child of yesterday and the parent of tomorrow. The work you produce today will create your future.
21. Repeat yourself. If you like it, do it again. If you don’t like it, do it again.
22. Make your own tools. Hybridize your tools in order to build unique things. Even simple tools that are your own can yield entirely new avenues of exploration. Remember, tools amplify our capacities, so even a small tool can make a big difference.
23. Stand on someone’s shoulders. You can travel farther carried on the accomplishments of those who came before you. And the view is so much better.
24. Avoid software. The problem with software is that everyone has it.
25. Don’t clean your desk. You might find something in the morning that you can’t see tonight.
26. Don’t enter awards competitions. Just don’t. It’s not good for you.
27. Read only left-hand pages. Marshall McLuhan did this. By decreasing the amount of information, we leave room for what he called our "noodle."
28. Make new words. Expand the lexicon. The new conditions demand a new way of thinking. The thinking demands new forms of expression. The expression generates new conditions.
29. Think with your mind. Forget technology. Creativity is not device-dependent.
30. Organization = Liberty. Real innovation in design, or any other field, happens in context. That context is usually some form of cooperatively managed enterprise. Frank Gehry, for instance, is only able to realize Bilbao because his studio can deliver it on budget. The myth of a split between "creatives" and "suits" is what Leonard Cohen calls a 'charming artifact of the past.'
The conclusion on my next post.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Dispersed
I thought I would make a note of this historic day. For the first time EVER, the members of my family are in different, separate locations. There's always been at least 2 of us in the same city at the same time. But today, we are scattered all over the place!
I'm home, here in Toronto, blogging away.
My sister's home in Calgary, holding down the fort.
My brother just finished climbing Machu Piccu, and is on his way to Costa Rica.
My mom's visiting a friend in Edmonton.
And my dad is travelling through Korea and China.
It feels strange, like unseen threads of myself, parts of my tribe, are dispersed all over the world.
I'm home, here in Toronto, blogging away.
My sister's home in Calgary, holding down the fort.
My brother just finished climbing Machu Piccu, and is on his way to Costa Rica.
My mom's visiting a friend in Edmonton.
And my dad is travelling through Korea and China.
It feels strange, like unseen threads of myself, parts of my tribe, are dispersed all over the world.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Incomplete Manifesto for Growth: 1-15
I've always loved this, and try to live by it as much as possible. This is Bruce Mau's Incomplete Manifesto for Growth.
1. Allow events to change you. You have to be willing to grow. Growth is different from something that happens to you. You produce it. You live it. The prerequisites for growth: the openness to experience events and the willingness to be changed by them.
2. Forget about good. Good is a known quantity. Good is what we all agree on. Growth is not necessarily good. Growth is an exploration of unlit recesses that may or may not yield to our research. As long as you stick to good you'll never have real growth.
3. Process is more important than outcome. When the outcome drives the process we will only ever go to where we've already been. If process drives outcome we may not know where we’re going, but we will know we want to be there.
4. Love your experiments (as you would an ugly child). Joy is the engine of growth. Exploit the liberty in casting your work as beautiful experiments, iterations, attempts, trials, and errors. Take the long view and allow yourself the fun of failure every day.
5. Go deep. The deeper you go the more likely you will discover something of value.
6. Capture accidents. The wrong answer is the right answer in search of a different question. Collect wrong answers as part of the process. Ask different questions.
7. Study. A studio is a place of study. Use the necessity of production as an excuse to study. Everyone will benefit.
8. Drift. Allow yourself to wander aimlessly. Explore adjacencies. Lack judgment. Postpone criticism.
9. Begin anywhere. John Cage tells us that not knowing where to begin is a common form of paralysis. His advice: begin anywhere.
10. Everyone is a leader. Growth happens. Whenever it does, allow it to emerge. Learn to follow when it makes sense. Let anyone lead.
11. Harvest ideas. Edit applications. Ideas need a dynamic, fluid, generous environment to sustain life. Applications, on the other hand, benefit from critical rigor. Produce a high ratio of ideas to applications.
12. Keep moving. The market and its operations have a tendency to reinforce success. Resist it. Allow failure and migration to be part of your practice.
13. Slow down. Desynchronize from standard time frames and surprising opportunities may present themselves.
14. Don’t be cool. Cool is conservative fear dressed in black. Free yourself from limits of this sort.
15. Ask stupid questions. Growth is fueled by desire and innocence. Assess the answer, not the question. Imagine learning throughout your life at the rate of an infant.
Numbers 16-30 on my next post.
1. Allow events to change you. You have to be willing to grow. Growth is different from something that happens to you. You produce it. You live it. The prerequisites for growth: the openness to experience events and the willingness to be changed by them.
2. Forget about good. Good is a known quantity. Good is what we all agree on. Growth is not necessarily good. Growth is an exploration of unlit recesses that may or may not yield to our research. As long as you stick to good you'll never have real growth.
3. Process is more important than outcome. When the outcome drives the process we will only ever go to where we've already been. If process drives outcome we may not know where we’re going, but we will know we want to be there.
4. Love your experiments (as you would an ugly child). Joy is the engine of growth. Exploit the liberty in casting your work as beautiful experiments, iterations, attempts, trials, and errors. Take the long view and allow yourself the fun of failure every day.
5. Go deep. The deeper you go the more likely you will discover something of value.
6. Capture accidents. The wrong answer is the right answer in search of a different question. Collect wrong answers as part of the process. Ask different questions.
7. Study. A studio is a place of study. Use the necessity of production as an excuse to study. Everyone will benefit.
8. Drift. Allow yourself to wander aimlessly. Explore adjacencies. Lack judgment. Postpone criticism.
9. Begin anywhere. John Cage tells us that not knowing where to begin is a common form of paralysis. His advice: begin anywhere.
10. Everyone is a leader. Growth happens. Whenever it does, allow it to emerge. Learn to follow when it makes sense. Let anyone lead.
11. Harvest ideas. Edit applications. Ideas need a dynamic, fluid, generous environment to sustain life. Applications, on the other hand, benefit from critical rigor. Produce a high ratio of ideas to applications.
12. Keep moving. The market and its operations have a tendency to reinforce success. Resist it. Allow failure and migration to be part of your practice.
13. Slow down. Desynchronize from standard time frames and surprising opportunities may present themselves.
14. Don’t be cool. Cool is conservative fear dressed in black. Free yourself from limits of this sort.
15. Ask stupid questions. Growth is fueled by desire and innocence. Assess the answer, not the question. Imagine learning throughout your life at the rate of an infant.
Numbers 16-30 on my next post.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Six Degrees
On Good Friday, my friend Em and I went to McDonald's for a greasy, guilt-inducing breakfast. We ordered our sausage'n'egg McMuffins, and then moved to the side to await our salty feast. We giggled away as we read our horoscopes and discussed the events of the past week.
Em and I are always giggly together, like little girls. I have come to realize that this closeness comes from a profound connection between our "inner children." Hanging out with Em is like playing. When we're together, it always feels like we're about to embark on some grand adventure. Even if we're only going to McDonald's. We have the innocence of two little kids out to explore the brave new world, and it's always a lot of fun.
"Hey, do you guys know if Eaton Centre is open today?"
We turned to see a tall young man, smiling and looking at us inquiringly. While we weren't able to answer his question definitively, we did end up having a strange conversation with him about V for Vendetta and astrology. Standard fare when Em and I are together. Our order came up and that was that. Or so we thought.
Fast forward to Saturday night.
I went to this great new lounge/club in my neighbourhood to celebrate the launch of a friend's book. After a few hours inside, we headed outside for a break. Lo and behold! Who was standing at the door, but the guy from McDonald's! Talk about a coincidence! His name was Shaun.
Shaun ended up coming inside and hanging out with us for awhile. Now, here's the really weird part. As we were sitting in the club chatting, Smelly Belly looked over curiously. And then looked over again.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, "You're my next door neighbour!"
It turned out that Shaun knew quite a few of the same people as we did. I love it when this kind of stuff happens!
Em and I are always giggly together, like little girls. I have come to realize that this closeness comes from a profound connection between our "inner children." Hanging out with Em is like playing. When we're together, it always feels like we're about to embark on some grand adventure. Even if we're only going to McDonald's. We have the innocence of two little kids out to explore the brave new world, and it's always a lot of fun.
"Hey, do you guys know if Eaton Centre is open today?"
We turned to see a tall young man, smiling and looking at us inquiringly. While we weren't able to answer his question definitively, we did end up having a strange conversation with him about V for Vendetta and astrology. Standard fare when Em and I are together. Our order came up and that was that. Or so we thought.
Fast forward to Saturday night.
I went to this great new lounge/club in my neighbourhood to celebrate the launch of a friend's book. After a few hours inside, we headed outside for a break. Lo and behold! Who was standing at the door, but the guy from McDonald's! Talk about a coincidence! His name was Shaun.
Shaun ended up coming inside and hanging out with us for awhile. Now, here's the really weird part. As we were sitting in the club chatting, Smelly Belly looked over curiously. And then looked over again.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, "You're my next door neighbour!"
It turned out that Shaun knew quite a few of the same people as we did. I love it when this kind of stuff happens!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
The Vinyl Monstrosity
This is my old couch.As you can see, it's a lovely mustard yellow colour, and made of a sticky, sweaty, pleathery vinylish type material. I'm not exactly sure what it is. I do know that it's disgusting. It was a hand-me down from a friend that moved back to Germany a few years ago. I took it despite it's monstrous appearance, because I'd just bought a condo after a year of unemployment. How that works, I'm not sure. Still, it happened. So there I was, in a beautiful condo in the heart of downtown Toronto. Nine foot concrete ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, stainless steel appliances - a dream come true.
With no furniture except an old futon, a table and 2 chairs, it was pretty empty. Until of course, that couch arrived. But hey, what're you gonna do? I had to have something to sit on, and couldn't afford to buy a new couch.
Well!
This is my ultra sexy and stylish new couch. I am pleased to report that the vinyl monstrosity has finally been retired. The last time I saw him, he had been stolen from the garbage dumpster, and was being loaded into someone else's moving truck. I was amused by the sight to say the least.I hope he serves his new owners as well as he served me.
Farewell vinyl monstrosity. I wish you well.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
The Words of Strangers
"Finally, caught up with you!" he says, laughing, as he rollerblades by.
Through panted breaths, I laugh with him, squinting under the brilliant azure of the afternoon sky.
Swish. Swish. Swish. Arms swinging smoothly. Then he is gone, lost in the distance. The sun obscuring my vision.
He was being kind. Yesterday, I went for my first run of the spring season. I am not a natural runner under the best of conditions, so the first time is always really tough for me. I was running really slow, and labouring pretty hard when he passed me. I was ready to quit.
His words of encouragement spurred me on. I pushed on for a few extra painful minutes, before stopping satisfied and proud of myself.
It reminded me of something that happened to this guy I knew a few years ago. I wouldn't call him a friend now, but he was then. He was a friend in the way that people who enable each other are friends. We partied pretty hard together. He was part of a group of friends on a downward spiral. A few of us made the choice to stop and move forward. A few of us didn't. They are lost forever.
Back then, it was just about the party. We were dabbling, being rebellious, having fun. Except him. He was a hard case. There was a darkness and sadness in him that we couldn't touch. He was always in a drug-fuelled state of depression or anger, running desperately from himself. At one point, he sunk so low, that he decided to kill himself. The only thing that stopped him, were the words of a stranger.
He walked into a convenience store to buy smokes, and the clerk behind the counter looked at him, and said, "today, the sun shines only for you." I don't know why he said this. Perhaps he could sense his despair.
Words. They make a difference.
Through panted breaths, I laugh with him, squinting under the brilliant azure of the afternoon sky.
Swish. Swish. Swish. Arms swinging smoothly. Then he is gone, lost in the distance. The sun obscuring my vision.
He was being kind. Yesterday, I went for my first run of the spring season. I am not a natural runner under the best of conditions, so the first time is always really tough for me. I was running really slow, and labouring pretty hard when he passed me. I was ready to quit.
His words of encouragement spurred me on. I pushed on for a few extra painful minutes, before stopping satisfied and proud of myself.
It reminded me of something that happened to this guy I knew a few years ago. I wouldn't call him a friend now, but he was then. He was a friend in the way that people who enable each other are friends. We partied pretty hard together. He was part of a group of friends on a downward spiral. A few of us made the choice to stop and move forward. A few of us didn't. They are lost forever.
Back then, it was just about the party. We were dabbling, being rebellious, having fun. Except him. He was a hard case. There was a darkness and sadness in him that we couldn't touch. He was always in a drug-fuelled state of depression or anger, running desperately from himself. At one point, he sunk so low, that he decided to kill himself. The only thing that stopped him, were the words of a stranger.
He walked into a convenience store to buy smokes, and the clerk behind the counter looked at him, and said, "today, the sun shines only for you." I don't know why he said this. Perhaps he could sense his despair.
Words. They make a difference.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
9-5
I recently made a commitment to being on time for work. For 2 years, I was able to bend the will of management to my schedule, and come in at 10:30. I'm not exactly sure how. Still, it worked for me. I am a noctournal creature by nature. My mind and body truly wake up around 11PM every night. My most creative hours are definitely when it's dark outside, as many all-night editing sessions would attest to. And back in my party days, the breaking of dawn was cause for great disappointment. I didn't want to go home!
But ever since I took on the mantle of permanent government employee, the demands to come in on time have increased exponentially. I am exhausted. It's killing me. I am not designed for this! However, I have decided to stop fighting the establishment on this. I have been putting too much of my energy into something destructive, rather than constructive.
Still. It burns me. As far as I'm concerned, we live in a 24 hour world. I wonder when cultural norms will catch up to our technological capabilities? Why can't I work from home? As long as the job is getting done, why should I have to sit at a desk killing time? Is it so that all the timeservers in the world can feel better about the absolute monotony of their lives? What a waste of resources. It probably takes me 2 hours a day to do all the work I need to do. Some days, I do NOTHING. If we all had the freedom to serve the world with that extra time, what kind of changes could we create?
And if you really think about it, society would run much better on a 24 hour clock anyways. Traffic would decrease, people would be less stressed, and we wouldn't feel paralyzed, exhausted and depressed all the time. Instead, we'd be able to contribute in a way that's real.
But ever since I took on the mantle of permanent government employee, the demands to come in on time have increased exponentially. I am exhausted. It's killing me. I am not designed for this! However, I have decided to stop fighting the establishment on this. I have been putting too much of my energy into something destructive, rather than constructive.
Still. It burns me. As far as I'm concerned, we live in a 24 hour world. I wonder when cultural norms will catch up to our technological capabilities? Why can't I work from home? As long as the job is getting done, why should I have to sit at a desk killing time? Is it so that all the timeservers in the world can feel better about the absolute monotony of their lives? What a waste of resources. It probably takes me 2 hours a day to do all the work I need to do. Some days, I do NOTHING. If we all had the freedom to serve the world with that extra time, what kind of changes could we create?
And if you really think about it, society would run much better on a 24 hour clock anyways. Traffic would decrease, people would be less stressed, and we wouldn't feel paralyzed, exhausted and depressed all the time. Instead, we'd be able to contribute in a way that's real.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Birthday Pic
Well, I'm feeling pretty lazy about posting right now, so I thought I'd share a birthday dinner pic with you.
This is at Flow in pretentious Yorkville. The restaurant was beautiful, service was great, but it was way overpriced! Martinis were $18, tea was $6, and my latte was $12! Twelve dollars for a latte if you can believe it, and it wasn't even that good!! The lobster and crab ravioli appetizer for $22 came with a grand total of THREE average sized pieces. Sigh. That's Ruth, Mariana, Me, Em, Sasha and Mel.
The dessert plate on the other hand, was absolutely beautiful, and tasty too!! That gelato was soooo good.
This is at Flow in pretentious Yorkville. The restaurant was beautiful, service was great, but it was way overpriced! Martinis were $18, tea was $6, and my latte was $12! Twelve dollars for a latte if you can believe it, and it wasn't even that good!! The lobster and crab ravioli appetizer for $22 came with a grand total of THREE average sized pieces. Sigh. That's Ruth, Mariana, Me, Em, Sasha and Mel.
The dessert plate on the other hand, was absolutely beautiful, and tasty too!! That gelato was soooo good.
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