Reflections on a Past World...About a month ago, I wrote a piece on the legacy. Not the car, but the thing that you leave behind when you're gone. What is someones legacy? What do they leave for others to remember them by.
Some people create works of art to leave behind. We've all seen the great masters, and the works that they left. We've also seen those Goodwill specials that are sold for less than a pack of mediocre gum. Those artists had big plans for greatness, but sadly have been relinquished to some dusty corner at the back of a stale smelling 2ND hand store.
What I'm getting at is this blog. Will this be my legacy? Like the great writers in days of yore, would people look at my pieces of writing and examine it critically and see what 'period' of my life I'm in? I know John Keats has a collection of letters he wrote that show different parts of his life and aspects of his life. Will "rawlio's World" be my opus to future generations?
Given, like Saturday Night Live, I had my good entries and my bad entries. I'm even afraid to admit that the past year or so (maybe more) has been pretty mundane and brutal. Again, who cares what I did, and where I went.
Actually, looking back at some posts, it's pretty interesting. but there is a lot of boring stuff to sort through.
Anyway, I am trying write more interesting prose just to liven this up. I aways have great ideas when I'm in the car, which is why I want to start a podcast, but until I get the necessary equipment, I'm gonna have to settle on this.
damn, I'm slightly pointless in this entry...
To get back on track, how is one judged when they go? is it the works they leave behind, or is it the contribution they leave for future generations to attain? Is it my job to pass on information to future to heed, or is it for me to divulge life's lessons as they unfold and hope that someone can use it for some good in the future?
Defininatly something to think about.
Labels: legacy, rant
Is Society breeding morons?This is a question that I've had for a while now. Maybe I'm in the part of my life where I think that the younger generation is not really that smart, and that they're not as 'savvy' in terms of many things.
but is this really their fault? Is it that they're not more educated a fault of theirs, or their surroundings?
Nature vs. nurture seems to be the call of the modern day slacker. "It's not my fault, it's
's fault!".
I know that technology makes things much easier than it used to be, and due to that fact, it seems people are not understanding why or how things work. I know that I really like my CD player, but do I know how it works?
I understand the principle, but to actually create one, no, I don't. Maybe my parents would say the same things about me. I don't learn anything, and that computers have made things much easier.
Sure, I don't have to type on an old typewriter and I'll have spell-check do it's thing on this passage to ensure I have proper spelling. But there's that understanding that I need to do it that I seem to notice that people lack.
It's the deeper understanding and appreciation of where things come from is what I miss.
Maybe I'm getting crotchety in my day.
"Kids, these days...don't know a thing!"Labels: rant
Is this really Creative?
This has been a question that I have had on my mind for quite some time. At work, we've been challenged to think 'outside of the box.' Now, what does this mean, and how does this look?
Places want you to be more 'creative' and 'forward' thinking, but they'll give you the paramaters to work within and then the tools they want you to use.
Maybe I'm wrong, but doesn't this defeat the purpose of the getting out of the box? And even thinking outside the box needs some refining.
What I'm really trying to get at is the whole notion of teaching creativty. Is this truly possible? Can you teach someone to be creative? I understand you can nuture this gift and offer tools and ideas how to promote creativity, but to actually teach a person to be creative? Is it possible?
I still hold that it cannot be taught. It's like that intanglible thing that cannot be defined. You can have creative ideas, but to teach creativity seems almost too abstract.
I know that I am creative, and I find myself relying quite heavily on my creativity. And I'm actually afraid of hitting a 'block' where I'm no longer creative. The day I fear most in my life is when I cannot rely upon my creativity to get me out of a situation. I view my creativity as a well, and I'm afraid that I've been dipping and taking too much without replenishing. I am acutally afraid of having it run dry. Is this possible? I'm not sure. Can this happen? Again, not sure. However, I do believe that I use it alomst everyday, and I thank my lucky stars that I've not hit a creative Block.
Oh, don't get me wrong. I've hit times where I couldn't think of something, where I was afraid my creativety had run dry. But after a few days of something, it all came back.
So, can one teach creativity? I don't think you can. But I do believe you can nuture creativity, and help people become creative. But if osmeone doesn't innately have a sence of creativty, Tehre's no way you can teach it.
Labels: creativity
Memories on Being Sick.So, for the past few days, I was sick. I got the Flu. I had a really high fever. I had no energy nor the will to blog.
But I'm feeling much better now. But laying in bed in my fevered state, I was thinking about the choices one makes, and how some small act has such huge consequences.
This is not really going on my last diatribe about small things make the difference, but now that I think about it, yeah,this has the same vein as that, but a slightly different arterial direction.
I was trying to figure out how or where did I pick up this flu. Was it at work? Was it at the gym? did I touch something I shouldn't? Should I have not itched my nose after touching many different things in the span of an hour? What, oh what could it have been?
If I had maybe had Purell in my possession, could I have avoided missing 2 days of work and feeling like death was on it's way up on the elevator? Could my one small decision given me a slight cold instead of a full blown flu?
It's amazing that these small things manifest themselves into bigger things, but when you look at it in hindsight, it's really nothing. When I look back at the past few days, I'm OK, and it was no big deal. But during my illness, there was nothing more pressing than my current state of affairs. I tried to watch the news, but I could only think that I had it much worse because all those people on TV had no fever, nor did they feel like their body was going to explode.
But once you get past it, you realize that it wasn't really that bad. I guess the old adage of "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger" is true.
Which turns this entire entry on its side, and changes where I wanted to go completely.
And back to those people on the news; I see these people who endure hardships day after day, week after week, but they persevere. They seem to come out OK, maybe a bit scratched and off-set, but they come out of it. I'm positive they would have hoped not to ever have had gone through whatever turmoil they faced, but if they survived, and lived to tell about it (and on the news!), then they are better for that.
Which makes my whining and complaining about my flu pretty insignificant, and that Linda was right. I'm a big baby, and that I should suck it up.
OK, maybe I'm still a bit sick, and this is the post-flu rant...
...yeah, I'm going to bed.Labels: flu, Linda, rant
103.7 !!!
Yeah. That was my temperature for the past few days.
I'm feeling much better. My current Temperature is: 98.2.
More interesting posts soon.
Labels: flu, Linda
This is all I want to say on the topic...
Yes, I saw. Yes, I read the news. Good for her.
(printed and created with Linda's Permission)
Labels: britney, shaved head
Changes that are subtle.
I'm a day behind, but I was really busy today at work. So, here are my thoughts.
I was driving in this morning and I noticed that it was quite bright. Yes, I know that the winter's coming to an end, and that the sun will be rising earlier and earlier until the Solstice occurs.
This has been such a gradual change, I didn't realize it until this morning when it was noticeably brighter out and quite bright this morning.
I always kick myself in the derriere because I hate not noticing these small changes. Not getting all "Chicken Soup" on you or this blog, but it is ALWAYS the small things that make the difference.
One thing in my profession which I often forget is that I can and do make changes on a small scale. Of course I would love to change the world, or the parts that encounter me, but I usually forget that there's the few people or things that I do have a profound effect on.
And not noticing takes a toll on me. I find myself sometimes banging my head against the proverbial wall more often than not because I didn't make a bigger difference than I wanted to.
I'm reminded of the story my brother used to tell when he was a Student Leader way back when. It was the story of the starfish.
I don't ever tell him that this story creeps up on me subconsciencely quite often, but Here's how it goes,
...
There was a person on the beach, walking along. It was early in the morning, and the tide was going back in. As he walked along, he noticed some starfish on the sand. Seeing many starfish laying there all along the beach, he thought that they would die if they didn't get back into the water. There were hundreds stranded from the tide.
This disturbed him a bit, but he kept walking. He saw another person on the beach, frantically throwing starfish back in. Watching this person do this, the man chuckled to himself that the person was quite silly, as they couldn't save all the starfish.
He finally reached the person, and asked them, "Why are you throwing starfish in? You can't possibly save them all. Why bother even trying? Does it even matter?"
The person paused his pursuit, and looked at the man. He responded, "that is true, I can't possibly save them all, but what about the ones I do save? I'm sure it matters to them."
Yes, I can't save the world. Do I wish I could? Of course. Any person would be foolish to say they wouldn't. But would I try? Hell, yes. Can I make a huge difference on the world? I wish I could. Do I make a difference on some, or the few individuals? I hope so. I sure do.Labels: changes, Jasse, Solstice, Starfish
What people are after, and the Karmic Retribution Machine.In my line of work, I meet all kinds of people, and the area I work, I usually meet them from the lower Socio-economic strata.
Not saying I'm from a better or higher place, but I think I grew up in an Lower-middle class family. My parents were hard workers, and provided the best they could for my brother and I.
So, back to my rant: a colleague has been dealing with a person who doesn't really follow the rules, and lets this type of thinking and permeate through her life and to the lives of others. In fact, she only follows the rules and tries to hide behind them when dramatically appropriate, so to say.
She was supposed to perform a task by a certain date. She was late, but her task was accepted 2-3 weeks after everyone else has completed theirs. Because of her tardiness, she has been put in a less desirable position and is 'very upset' because she views it as a punishment or some kind of retribution for her inaction.
Is my colleague justified in doing this to her? The consensus that he has found is that he is within his rights to do so. If person A and Person B complete something on time and well, and then Person C comes along very late and does it with less than a spectacular performance, wouldn't the bias and better things go to Persons A and B? Wouldn't this be justified in terms of following the rules?
So, what does this have to do with the Lower echelons of the Socio-economic strata? Well, why is it the few that make it awful for the rest? It seems that those who don't have much complain the most for not having much, yet don't want to work for what they deserve? Again, this is only a few people.
Yes, the argument goes for people of all levels and positions in society. I know that you will always find those who think that the world owes them a favour, and they always demand more than their fair share.
I just sometimes wish I was privy to the Karmic powers that be and see what happens to those who take more than they receive.
I know it's bad, but I do derive guilty pleasures from finding out those who do wrong to other pay at the end.
Does this make me bad? No. In fact, it strengthens my belief the the world does enjoy equilibrium, and will exert factors to main this balance.
Labels: karma, rant
Blog about Linda
So, Linda reading my blog was wondering where she was?
So, this blog is about Linda. She kinda hurt her back a few days ago, and has been in pain.
She's getting better, which is nice.
Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people.
Go to Yahoo! Answers. Labels: Linda
Post Valentine's Day and a Social Experiment in which I would not want to explore...Valentine's Day went off without a hitch. I got Linda some flowers at work, which were her favourite. Yes, I purposely didn't mention what I was thinking for her Valentine's day present because I didn't want to spoil her surprise.
But back to reality. I was thinking today about someone I know. When I first met them, I really liked them. They were pretty quirky and interesting, and always had a cool story or happenstance to share.
As I got to know them, it seemed to change. They weren't so quirky to me, nor were they interesting at all. They seemed to be after something, or going for something, and to me, seemed like the wrong way.
What makes this even more bizarre to me is that I don't even have an idea of what this person wants or is trying to achieve, but the feeling I get is that they're doing it wrong. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid, but I don't really think so.
Where does this come from? I've noticed that I have this innate ability to really get the worst from someone. Maybe I've talked about this in my blog, but if not, here's my theory.
Everyone is born with a reason, and a purpose, and/or a talent. It is possible to possess all three, or varying degrees of these three (the list is not exhaustive, and I'm sure there are more, but these three come to mind). Mozart was born with an amazing talent for music. Steve Jobs was born with talent and a purpose with his company. Gandhi was born with a purpose. The list of examples goes on...
Me? I seem to have the talent for bringing out the true colours in someone. My reasons have always been that I've been on the receiving end of some foul discourse from a person who is usually held in high esteem with their colleagues. To others, this person seems to be the epitome of calm, the grand Poo-bah of self-control, etc. But to me, fire and brimstone seems to fly freely from these people. This has happened numerous times in my life, that the few 12-15 times I can quickly recall seem to be more than a coincidence.
I seem to find or bring out the truth from someone and have them completely lose their cool. Then, they usually dislike me more because I've now made them look imperfect in front of others, which usually occurs through no fault mine. If I poked, prodded and instigated an attack, I could understand. But in all of these instances, it was just me being who I am.
Some have argued that I'm not very nice and that it's that implicit fact that brings out the ugly truth in someone. Others say that the people that this happens to are very similar to me and that two exact/similar personalities cannot co-exist.
Without getting into a philosophical discourse on Quantum Mechanics in the Macro World, I can see this happen. Again, my findings are purely empirical. This is a study that I don't wish to explore voluntarily, but the facts that I have deduced are from my own humble experience.
Why is it me? That's my question. Maybe my purpose in life is to be that 'truth-Sayer' in the world. Again, not a purpose I would enjoy to have but I can see a place. Why couldn't it be something cool, like "making a lot of money and helping others, while still maintaining a good lifestyle, or even better: innate Leadership, where I can be in charge, sit back and watch the action happen?
I could dig that.
Happy Valentine's Day.Y'know, whoever is the anonymous who posted a comment to my blog last night, Thank you.
I'm going to refer you to that comment and ask anyone who's interested in the history of Valentine's Day to give that a read.
That was a fantastic entry. Thanks.
And as a side: Yeah, lots of snow. Funny thing is that I didn't have to clean my car of snow, as it was all piled on the sides. However, the snow drifts and roads were brutal.
Good Luck getting to work, and if you didn't, cuddle up with your favourite person and enjoy a nice warm Valentine's.
I'm at work, so there's none of that for me. :P
Pre-Valentine's DayYeah, so tomorrow's a few big things. It's apparently supposed to be a big snowstorm. Currently as I look out my window, it's lightly slowing.
We shall see.
And it's Valentine's Day. The day in which you show and declare to the one you love that you are, in fact, in love. Again, interesting.
Did the card companies kinda push this one? Was it really those who were in love decided to make this the day?
Again, who knows. And I saw that there is an
'Anti-Valentine's' Day group saying that it's just another day.
Do you really need a day/group/site for this? C'mon. It's just a secular event that is just as ambiguous and meaningless as Ground Hog's Day. I did a search, and didn't find as much resistance to that as Valentines.
Again, I'm in a happy relationship. When I was single, I didn't really do much for Valentine's. My single friends and I would go to the bar, or something. I remember one year I went to the gym, as I knew it was a day that not many people would be going. Again, did I feel lonely or like a loser? Nope.
I was single for a really long time. I enjoyed being single. Yeah, sure, there were times I would have liked to have had someone to share things with, but for the most part, I enjoyed my single days. And I used to get upset (or mad) at people who judge you upon your ability to have a 'girlfriend' or 'boyfriend'. It seemed to someone with low esteem that having a boy/Girl-friend made them better or more superior than others.
What I found most entertaining was that they usually were picking from the bottom, and/or settling on someone who could put up with them.
I had certain criteria and standards I wanted to meet, and going below would not make me happy.
Again, any fool can go to a bar, pick up and take someone home for whatever. It all depends upon how low you want to set your standards.
I'm not harping or getting down on someone who does that, but if that makes you happy, so be it.
all in all: Have a good Valentine's day. Tell your Loved one how you feel. But Don't just do it on a day like Feb 14th because it's the thing to do. You should do it everyday.
And if you don't have a loved one, or a special person in your life to share today with: Lies. You have them. it's you. Go enjoy yourself. Besides, only you really knows how to make you feel good.
Weekends...Yeah, it's over. Gone. Like the Dodo, and maybe as elusive.
Jeepers, that's pretty poetic on a cold and chilly monday. My day started in the cold because the guy who's supposed to open the front door was sick and the replacement was late.
Ugh.
Then, although this being a shortened workweek for me, there are so many conflicts that it'll be a tad difficult to get done.
I have some things to do after work, and I hope to get to the gym so I can get back into my routine.
I can feel my body diggin' going back to the gym, but the schedule is making it difficult. This week should be fine.
And Valentine's day is coming up. What am I doing? Good Question :)
Bored, or making up for lost blogging?
I was reading somewhere that the 'blog' world has taken a significant decrease. A few years ago, everybody and their mothers were blogging. Blogs by new moms, expecting fathers, students (elementary through Ph. D), plumbers, computer experts, every kind of critics, etc.
Now, apparently people have gotten tired of ths media and have stopped. Is this true? Well, I've been guilty of not blogging for a week or so at a stretch. Even my friends who blog (on the right side of this page) have been lax every so often.
I've been in a bit of a lull as to what to write about. I rant in my head, and in my car, and to poor linda who has to listen to my verbal leakage. Why not complain here? this was where I was suppossed to talk, rant, and inquire.
Back to basics, I say.
oh, by the way: New links on the right: Rich's site. he's the anonymous person (z), and my Yahoo Calandar (what's Rawl doing). It's my way of trying to be more organized. i'll have some or most of my scheduled appointments and things I do.
do you guys really care? Probably not. BUt if you secretly like to peek into my cyber-calendar, have a look.
Cold and the Canadian Winter
Y'know, I was born in Canada. Given, my genetics are of the West Indian persusion, I think I'm more adapted for the colder weather. I like the cold. Sure, i don't like the bitterly cold, but that can be said for the brethren who love the heat.
Some like the hot weather, but again, there's a limit.
What I've noticed a lot is that people are complaining about the cold and are not dressed for the weather. They constantly say that it's really cold, and that this country and that country is better.
Sure, Canada has it's ups and downs, but for the most part, it's pretty good. As well, the first settlers had to contend with the weather. The Aboriginals were quite happy with the weather, and they knew that if you were prepared, it's tolerable.
If it's cold out, wear a jacket with gloves. Hats are really warm. Wear 'em. I've gotten into wearing Long Johns. Man, those are toasty. It's not really that cold here compared to other places, but it's nice to be comforable.
Gloves, hats, jackets, and whatever to keep you warm. That's the key to these canadian winters.
Labels: Canadian winters, rant
My secret admirer...
well, he's not secret..
i'll try to get his link up today or tomorrow...
Share your photos with the people who matter at
Yahoo! Canada Photos
Oh what to do?I like being pretty cryptic.
Why? 'cause you never know who's gonna read this.
I am pretty sure nobody at work reads this. My friends and family read this (Sometimes), and I would like to thank those who don't really know me who read this when I post.
Again, It's a nice feeling.
Yeah, many an idea starts from this blog, and few get done. Sure, it's a 'blog', and maybe a wishlist. I kinda started this blog a few years back to be my journal. I know I don't get that personal, and I've taken heat from time to time about some posts by certian individuals, but what can you do?
Anyway, I'm looking at doing something that needs to get done in the next 3 weeks. I've been considering this for a few years now, and now I'm gonna kick my own Derrier to go and do it.
I'll not mention it until I find out what the fruits of my labour have produced.
what else?
Sean: Hang in there! it's good that February is short.
Chris: Phillipe is neat..
Jasse: Damn you in Miami.
Jen: uh huh....steve started and quickly stopped his blog... Oh, what's 1st cook Anyway?
Linda: No mention of you today! :)
and if you read this, send a comment..
Here's an idea....
Too bad, the link doesn't work.Chris and I, a number of years back thought of writing or making a TV show. We didn't know how to pitch it, nor did we know where to go.
Too bad this link doesn't work.
How to Pitch a show/idea to the CBC.
Cold Blue Mondays.
...and a rant about Weekends....
So, as per usual, and for the next 25-odd years, this will be my thing...
Back to work. Yeah, until there's a shift in what we do and how we work, Monday's will always be the toughest day to get too.
Which reminds me. I remember a few years back (well, more than a few!) where I was really hating the weekends because of what would happen to me. Without getting into details, i was in a relationship where I would always get into a fight and it would always invariably be my fault. Hence, any time spent with this person was just awful beacuse I would never be able to go more than 14 hours (yes, I timed it) without being at fault for something.
I remember dreading Friday evenings, and Loving Monday mornings, where I would look forward to being at work.
Yeah, that changed quickly when I left that relationship.
Again, as my friends know, I used to always live for Fridays. I remember I was always out on a friday night for like 7 years in a row. I was home maybe 2 of those fridays beacuse I was too sick to go out.
Man, I loved weekends.
And I still do.
Check out my Slide Show!
Does the slideshow work?
Finally, it's friday...Well, it's friday night. I'm home right now, just trying to figure out what I'm going to do.
Linda and I were going to go skating at the "Adult Skate", but she's currently sleeping on the couch.
I wanted to go get some breakfast stuff for breakfast, but I'm again, debating what to do.
Do I wake linda, go skating, and then get breakfast? Do I just go and get some eggs?
Decisions...
But to make this blog something interesting, I got an email from Jen that Steve Campbell has restarted his blog.
How often will he post? that's going to be the question.
