Neither Money or Love make the world go round

Money doesn't make the world go round. Love doesn't either.

It's fashion that causes the planet to spin. That... and pop music.

Didn't you know? Where have you been?

I'd love to tell you this is as close as you are likely to get to hearing a preposterous statement this week. I rather fear, though, that you have heard several already.

The best such announcements are, of course, always made by people who have no idea how ridiculous they sound.

Tolerance is really what makes the world go round.

So is not love, nor money, and not much of musical fashion either but ...

Tolerance aha...! I am tolerant enough to run my truck over the ridiculous and remain with a happy smile sitting on top of the world... :)

Continue read...Neither Money or Love make the world go round...

Are you paying me attention?

Listening and Talking

If one could only teach the English how to talk and the Iris how to listen, society here would be quite civilized… Oscar Wilde

How to truly listen – actively, positively listen.

Listening is not waiting for the other person to finish so that we can say what we want to say. Listening is not preparing what we want to say while the other is speaking.

Listening is taking a deep breath and clearing ourselves so that we can be receptive to hearing what the other is saying – without interrupting. Listening is letting the words, feelings and intuitions of the other enter into our inner space so that we have the possibility of knowing without words.

No man was ever wise by chance – Seneca

There seems to be a one-to-one positive correlation between wisdom, listening, and humility.

The wisest people are the most humble and skilled listeners. Somehow listening, wisdom and humility seem to form an unstoppable tripod of basics for good living.

• Good listeners have the ability to listen to themselves. They are not selfish or self-centered in their self listening, they are simply attentive. They are attentive to the small stirrings within themselves that allow them to know themselves and be in tune with themselves.

• Good listeners listen to their God, their Higher Power, their Creator or the Universal Wisdom that sustains and informs us all.

• Good listeners listen lovingly to others, finding something of importance in everything that is said.

• They listen to nature, knowing that the utterings of the world around them are older than any of us and need to be heeded if we are to live in balance and harmony.

Then there is talking

When we talk, we have a sacred responsibility for everything that comes out of our mouth. We have an obligation to speak clearly, truthfully, and succinctly so that what we convey has the best possible chance to be understood.

We can be somber, funny, entertaining or serious and we are responsible for our words if we want others to listen to us.

Most of the time I listen and I tend to listen more than what I should causing me a lot of unhappiness as I tend to go out off my way to help out my talker. My restriction should be; "wait until the talker asks you to act", I am too impulsive.

One thing I need to improve is my talking, I let go loose my pent up feelings all at once, take it of leave it otherwise, I practice "sensible talking".

Check out your listening and talking skills…

Continue read...Are you paying me attention?...

"honest" lies become mistakes

He told lies, then he called his lies mistakes and he still calls himself an honest person.
I am sure that where there is honesty there is no room for untruth.
His "mistaken honesty" has destroyed his integrity and career what a way to go, all those invested years building up a clean reputation gone under the drain for what?....
just pure straight
"honest lies"

I lied, but I'm basically honest, says Einfeld
By Anna Patty

MARCUS EINFELD has spoken on camera about his fear of going to jail and begged for forgiveness for lying about his unpaid speeding fine.

While admitting his guilt, the former Federal Court judge tried to defend his integrity as a basically honest man who made a "mistake" by lying.

In an interview recorded before his sentencing on Friday to two years of non-parole custody, the 70-year-old said he was prepared for prison.

"I don't know that anybody … who's never done it before, like me, can be ready for it, but I'm as ready as anybody can be … I've been told you need to have special protection; people don't like judges much, especially judges who've presided over criminal cases," he told the ABC's Four Corners. The program screens tonight.

Breaking a two-year silence, he spoke of remorse and a desire to rebuild his reputation.

"I'm desperately sorry for what I did," he said. "I'm sorry to my family, my elderly mother and my children. I'm sorry to the public at large because they have been my audience over the years.

"I lied. I can't say it any simpler than that. I told a lie, which was a disgraceful thing to do and for which I have been paying ever since. I'm being frank as is humanly possible. I think Australian people are pretty good at forgiving people who come clean."

When the former justice's car was photographed by a speed camera on January 8, 2006, travelling 10kmh above the speed limit, he gave a sworn statement that a friend, Teresa Brennan, was driving, despite his knowledge that she had been dead for three years. "It's probably more shameful than the driving," he said. "She was a wonderful person and for me to use her name is more hurtful than anything else."

Four Corners follows Einfeld in the days leading up to his sentence while he still hoped the testimony of his supporters would persuade the Supreme Court judge, Bruce James, against a jail term.

"They are going to prove that … these offences of mine are out of character, that I'm a person of integrity," he said.

In defending his character, he said: "I don't think I'm the slightest bit dishonest. I just made a mistake."

SMH

Continue read..."honest" lies become mistakes...

Indecisiveness

It does not matter what path you take,
but it does matter if the path you are taking
is something that you are believing is appropriate.

Nothing is more damaging to you than
to do something that you believe is wrong.

So which way shall I go?
the good or the bad?
both look appealing so far...

Continue read...Indecisiveness...

Thinking of You once more

From Gary a penpal and a close friend.
"From his last stop before Freedom
he wishes me Happy Birthday"

Even the rich have to go through a batch of less luck at any time in their lives. I was fortunate to go through my lesser time after I reached half century... and well kept.

One day you think you are the owner of the world, I had huge plans for the next 3-5 years. Work-wise I had positioned myself at a top level where I could choose at pleasure. I simply needed the time to complete some of my dreams but overnight I went unwell.

It happened at a board meeting, I came out not knowing who I was. I took a long time to bring my body to respond to 45% normality, and since them I have been trying to heal back to normality, I still need to go about 5% and I will be PERFECT as usual.

During the convalescing period I had to work my mind and my spirit, well I tell you that my spirit needed more attention than my body. I had to start finding my inner-child and when I found it, I had to wake up quickly as my inner-child loved shopping and it loved to be in charge of the credit card too… but as I did not want to upset it and run away I went along… those were the days until I learned I was the parent and my inner-child had to do as I instructed.

I came across the right people, at the right time and places and one lent me a book by Jerry Jampolsky “change your mind change your life" (http://www.jerryjampolskyanddianecirincione.com/)

For a while I followed the New Age crystal healing, herbs, aromatherapy and the many other pleasant and relaxing therapies. I loved being around spiritual people, I felt good but during the overnight period I lost all my peaceful environment and I was desperate to find it…

Jerry in his book talked about love… loving people… aaaaah whaaaat… he had to be crazy, but I kept reading the book as I had nothing else to do… at a point he mentioned to offer love to prisoners. But Jerry was not the only author I read that mentioned the same practice, Wayne Dyer brings it out in few of his books (I read most of his books – I love that man)… so prisoners… hmmm - visiting… hmmm.. are they kidding? The idea I grew up about someone in prison was “stay away from prisoners, bad people, they will kill you..” but that is not the reality, as now I know there are many in prisons for crimes committed by others. Prisoners are just people who loose their freedom to move around.

FEAR, Mr Fear was ruling my life and visiting a prisoner was overruled, ok it had to be another way and the road was shown to me. I found Foreign Prisoners run by Kate Danes (www.foreignprisoners.com/ ), Kate still has a long list of prisoners looking for penpals and that is how I started. I also have prisoners from poor countries hoping for help from foreign penpals and donors at Burmese Prisoners Abroad (burmesepa.blogspot.com) (feel free to visit the blog please).

I picked one name from Kate's list, he is from Holland, Frank was in Japan for trafficking and given 14 years at the age of 26 I think… it was a tip toeing experience for me, I had not idea what was going to happen after I wrote a postcard. He couldn't kill me through a letter but the fear was there. Frank is the friendliest happy guy, he speaks perfect English and his world knowledge is very advanced. He knows more about Australian history than I do, well that is because the Vikings came here hehehe.

Frank introduced me to Gary from UK also doing trafficking experience in Japan. They were separated and sent to different prisons. Both of them are now at home completing their sentence times.

Meanwhile the friendship has grown stronger. Writing to prisoners needs a bit of skill and I had none by then. It is very emotional to read their living experiences as it is wanting to send some comforting words to lift their spirits, but as Jerry and Wayne said, when we send love we receive love and love guided me. I am talking about UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

Frank is a spiritual man while Gary is more the easy going relaxed musician and both were influential in my personal and spiritual healing.

With Gary now in UK, everything is going as planned, because from this end I had to help him continue dreaming and in a way that monthly letter was some sort of a tender pillow.

For me it became a distant-close relationship at the end, Gary has approximately 5 months to complete his time and go on parole, today I received my first Birthday Card and is coming from Gary.

He is excited that he is so close to freedom and he has gone into open prison, he will be allowed to go abroad on holidays whilst on parole and he is looking forward that time. That was a beautiful gift I received as well as he is still holding to his dreams…

Will I ever meet them? Who knows, maybe only if we want to meet then the opportunity might present itself, then it would be nice to sit and enjoy the friendship the 3 of us have built under very restricted circumstances.

Meanwhile geography has become a pigment of our imagination we are in contact part of our days or overnight.

I thank you Gary for remembering me on my Special Day.

Continue read...Thinking of You once more...

Red Bull

Been to the grand prix lately? I attended the formula1 in 1992, the last race held in Adelaide, my first time in the city, it was a glorious time.

Being my first time to a car racing event I expected action flashing moving cars with the continuously boom rooom rooom. At times it was boring as most of the cars went in group and it took long minutes before they made the full circle to be able to see them again, at other times it was breath taken adrenaline pumping with each turn and take over they offered us, amazing experience.

I was fascinated by Ayrton Senna, his driving was so neat whenever he approached the sharp corners his driving was so smooth making the rounds nice and clean, it felt like he was caressing his girl, so gentle. Nigel Mansell was in his best but his curves were very cringing. Even though being my first experience I tried to enjoy it as much as possible. And it went for 3 days but I endured the other two days shopping in Adelaide.

Sadly Ayrton left the dearly beloved few years back and Nigel retired. Now I will be focusing on the current crews… I hope you enjoy the speeding this year.

Now Moe, why do you think I like Red Bull?

After 1992 I followed the races every now and then, in the past 9 years I have been away from the TV but today my eye caught Mark Webber. I hope Mark makes a nice come back on 29th, all the best to him.

RED BULL time now… no wonder some gals in SP love red bull drinks, the high adrenaline they get from their sips I wonder who are they looking at…? Tuh tuh tuh naughty naughty.

Photo: tall dark and handsome; MarkWebber and SebastianVettel.

Continue read...Red Bull...

Taliban took another boy from us

The casket of Australian Corp. Mathew Hopkins arrived this week and right after the news Sergeant Brett Till, 21yso was killed in Afghanistan, our second within a week, so far we have 10 soldiers killed within the past year and half. What are we doing there? What sort of business have we got there?

Continue read...Taliban took another boy from us...