Destrukcija

Svaki put me iznenadi i rastuži ljudska potreba za uništavanjem nečijeg rada, nečijih misli, nečije kreative. Zato valjda i imamo toliko otpada na Zemlji.

O novosadskoj babi, nekada (relativno) davno…

Novi Sad, Vojvodina, leto, pre više od dvadeset godina, vraćam se s posla nakon prepodnevne smene na radiju.
Bus broj 7 se vuče kroz gradsku gužvu, krene, stane…

Dobrohotna starija žena, obučena u topli vuneni džemper, ruku punih torbi s povrćem i delicijama s pijace, čvrsto se drži za rukohvat u busu i kao i ostali putnici, uključujući i mene, pokušava da održi ravnotežu.

U jednom trenutku, nešto izleće pred autobus i vozač iz sve snage gazi kočnicu.

U tom istom trenutku moj nos se strelovito zaputio ka znojavom potpazušju gorepomenute dobrohotne starije žene.

Ispostavilo se da znoj nije bio samo od tog dana…

About Existence

The mere fact that you exist makes you worthy of anything you want.
Your existence and wothiness are more fundamental than any beliefs you may have about them. (They exist prior to any beliefs about them.)

About Doubt

“Doubt” is not a lack of trust.
It is a TOTAL TRUST in an undesirable or unpreferred reality.
You do not need to “develop” trust, since you are always 100% TOTALLY TRUSTING in SOMETHING.
You only need to FOCUS your trust on a preferred reality, rather than non preferred one.

About Love, Guilt and Hate

Love is knowing the deservability and worthiness of all.

Guilt is the belief in one’s total lack of deservability and the belief in one’s worthlessness.

Therefore, Guilt is the opposite of Love.
Hate is not the opposite of Love.

Hate is Love processed through judgment.
Hate is the polarized opposite of Love, but still implies deservability.

O verskim praznicima

Kada god se nešto desilo Isusu – mi se najedemo i napijemo.

O Božiću i Novoj Godini

Oni divni dani kada ništa ne radi, kada se svi guraju u prodavnice kao da sutra ne postoji, kada je na ulicama gužva, kada sa anksioznim nestrpljenjem iščekujemo početak pucnjave (jer ništa bolje ne odražava duh Božića od petardi i buke od koje se ne čuješ kako misliš…).
Pa onda – guranje po trgovima, zadimljenim kafićima, trošenje novaca na ogromne količine hrane koje potraju još koji naredni dan, sve do novogodišnjeg posta…

Sretan Božiiić! Sretna Nova Godinaaaa! Jeeeeejjjj!!!

GSP Beograd

Bus 88, ka Novom Beogradu, danas oko 10:20, starija žena i vozač autobusa vode razgovor…

– Majstore! Majstoreee! Što niste stali na prethodnoj stanici, trebalo je da izađem?
– (mukla tišina, majstor se pravi lud)
– (bakica malo čeka i dolazi do njega): Majstore, molim vas, zašto niste stali na prethodnoj stanici?
– Morate da budete kod vrata!
– Ali htela sam da izadjem…
– Ne, sedeli ste, video sam vas!!!

Žena je odustala i sela na sedište. Vozačevo lice je zračilo osecajem trijumfa.

I ništa. Nikom ništa.

A kontrolorka spopada putnike za kartu čim udju u bus.

Komšinica i pacovi, čin treći

“Pre neki dan čula je strahovito lupanje u oluku. Da se nije, komšija, vaša mačka pojurila sa pacovima?! Lupanje oko 4 ujutro je bilo strahovito!”

“Ne komšinice, verovatno da nije.”

“Kako znate?”

“Pa sasvim sam siguran da niti moja mačka niti pacovi nisu niti komandosi,
niti umeju da lete, pa da sa moje terase skoče na oluk koji je ukoso prema napolje oko dva metra od moje terase.”

“Aaaaa!”

O pacovima

Komšinica, vrata pored, već nekoliko dana usplahireno kuca i zvoni na vrata i zrači me kako pacovi ulaze u zgradu i to mogu da urade i preko moje terase.

Naime, pošto ja nisam montirao nikakvu fensi svetiljku, nego imam obično sijalično grlo koje sam tu zatekao, pacovi ulaze tako što se provlače kroz rupu kojom kabl izlazi iz zida.

Takođe, bez obzira što imam živu i prilično glasnu mačku u stanu, pacovi će ući kroz otvore u kupatilu i pojesti i mene i celu zgradu ljudi.

Pacovi su, inače, trovani.

Još jedan kišni dan

Kiša je počela da pada pre nego što sam se probudio vođen neodoljivom željom da idem u WC. Valjda zato što je oluk pukao po sred moje terase, pa kapanje vode u mlazu stvara uslovni refleks.
Potom sam shvatio da sam sinoć džaba prostirao veš da se osuši.

Nije ni vreme za šetnju. Čak je i mački dosadno. Spava kao top.

Kafa i uživanje u kiši kroz prozor ovaj put. Vrlo verovatno i neki IDM.

Podseća ova nedelja na stvaranje sveta. Valjda je i tad bila kiša pa Bog rešio da odmori jedan dan.

Ponovo je subota

U stanu je tišina, doduše prekinuta samo jednom kada je zaboravni komšija pritisnuo taster za zvonce umesto tastera za svetlo. Mačka curi po peći. Ranac se pre koji sekund sam od sebe pomerio i namestio, valjda kako mu više odgovara, međutim, nisam čuo ni jedan avion od jutros. Mir je kao da će svet da eksplodira za koji trenutak. Čak se ni dete iz stana iznad ne dere kao da mu deru kožu. Ćuti. Možda su ga najzad odrali. A meni je najzad jasno šta fali na ovoj slici. Odoh da napravim malo jaču kafu. Bez nje svet nije isti.

Zakasneli bizarni vikend događaji

Topla voda kaplje na sudoperu. Već je napunila neku teglu koju me mrzi da operem. Voda kaplje i sliva se i sa spoljne strane prozora. Oblaci su tmurni napolju. Prirodno, palim svetlo, sijalica eksplodira, izbije osigurač, UPS krene da pišti, mačka pada sa prozora u otvoren kompjuter, zakači repom ventilator, zaurla od bola i otrči na svoje mesto na jastuku na peći, postavljenim tu samo za nju. Ja sam samo podigao osigurač i zamenio sijalicu. Proleteo je avion.

Subota

Mačka stoji u ćosku kuhinje i gleda u jednu tačku na podu na kojoj ne postoji ništa što bih ja uspeo da vidim. Razgovaramo.

– “Mačko, šta je bilo? Zasto bleneš u jednu tačku i glumiš da sam te oterao u ćosak, a nisam?”
– “Me-ke-ke”.

Migrena me je prošla jos jutros.

More duša

U moru se upravo odražava hiljade malih sunaca. Podseća na gomilu ustalasanih duša u svojoj nepreglednosti. I baš kao i svi ljudi, svaki talas je mali odsjaj jednog velikog Sunca iznad.

Čudo u svemu tome nije samo prelep prizor, već i saznanje da je celo postojanje stvoreno u sličnim obrascima, koji, dok ih posmatra oko koje želi da vidi, postaju skoro savršeni izvor saznanja.

Šesti dan

Logika će te dovesti od tačke A do tačke B. Mašta će te dovesti svuda.
Mašta je važnija od znanja. Jer, znanje je ograničeno na ono što poznajemo i razumemo, dok nam mašta omogućava da obuhvatimo čitav svet i sve što će ikad biti moguće naučiti i razumeti.

Dve rečenice kojima sam započeo tekst, ili neke slične, rekao je slavni Albert Ajnštajn. I baš te dve rečenice su uvod u ono što sam ovog, šestog dana, naučio.

Posmatrao sam razliku između tehnike koju je grupi polaznika pokazivao Učitelj, mog intelektualnog shvatanja te tehnike i moje moći i usklađenosti da tu tehniku fizički izvedem.

Kako se ovaj novi svet polako otvara preda mnom, tako mi je sve jasnije da sve ovo već negde u dubini znam, ali, uopšte, ljudi su majstori samoograničavanja, a ja sam jedan od školskih primera.

I eto, sada dajem sve od sebe da naučim da to više ne budem.

Peti dan

“Bilo koji stav ili shvatanje najbolje se proverava lakoćom njegove odbrane.” – moje reči od pre neki dan u jednoj napetoj situaciji na poslu.

Tek nakon nekog vremena, kada sam provrteo u glavi ovu rečenicu koja mi je u trenutku potpuno bez napora pala na pamet i koju sam izrekao pred ljudima na sastanku, shvatio sam koliko je tačna i primenljiva na svaku situaciju. U redu, možda sam pristrasan, ali rekao bih da su treninzi Aikidoa imali sigurno velikog udela u njenom nesvesnom stvaranju.

Trenirajući sa “starijim” kolegama (navodnici jer su starije kolege uglavnom mlađe od mene godinama, a stariji iskustvom) shvatio sam kroz praksu kako postoje tri glavna stanja svesti i tela. Popuštanje, odupiranje i živa relaksacija.

Kada popuštamo i um i telo su nam nekako mlitavi i mislimo “Ufff, tako je teško i nemoguće. Mrzi me da se pomerim, a ovaj će ionako da me baci na pod…”

Kad se opiremo – “Šta bilo?! TI ćeš meni nešto da pričaš! Muahaha! Sad kad te bacim na pod ima da brojiš zvezde!”

Ali ono najlepse je kada dođe do situacije: “Ah? Napao si me? Sve će biti u redu, ne brini. Ustvari baš lepo od tebe! A da li bih mogao da te zamolim da legnes na pod i miruješ neko vreme tamo? ” – “napadač” odgovori: “Vrlo rado, evo, samo za tebe, i jedan lep okret preko glave”.

Cela stvar koja bi inače bila konflikt – prođe lagano, graciozno i lepo.

Svi su na neki način uradili šta su namerili, a pažnjom i obzirom prema partneru (čak i ako on nema obzira prema tebi), niko nije povređen! Kažem na neki način, jer je napadnuti sasvim sa lakoćom “ubedio” napadača da je napad koji je namerio skroz bez veze i da je mnogo lepše vertikalno se kretati ka podu. Skroz zanimljivo i skroz povezano sa prvom rečenicom ovog teksta.

Naravno, šalim se i pomalo u priču ubacujem začine, u realnim situacijama nije uvek baš tako. Pre svega ne treba odlutati u iluziju da je ovo jedini način.
Ali sada je realna situacija da se treba lepo izraziti, a i kada gledam Učitelja i ostale kada pokazuju tehnike koje učimo – kao da kroz pokrete upravo ovako pričaju.

I ova poslednja situacija, kada su svi opušteni ali ne i mlitavi, kada jedan drugom prenose znanje i energiju, kada svi mi učimo kako se pravilno “priča” sopstvenim telom i kako se pravilno i etično misli svojom glavom i kako se ta dva rade istovremeno – nešto je što sam (vrlo) polako počeo da shvatam, kao zarđala mašina na koju su upravo sipali ulje, ali treba vremena da se pokrene i da se to ulje ravnomerno rasporedi među zupčanicima…

Svaki početak je težak, ali na prvom času sam saznao da je Aikido put. Rekao bih da je ovde slučaj da, iako do cilja nikad neću stići, upravo put “ono što se broji”.

Hvala na značajnim životnim lekcijama, celom instruktorskom timu, ponosan sam što učim od svih Vas.
A vi koji čitate – nikad nije kasno da počnete i vi.

I – ukoliko ste uživali u čitanju – rekao bih da sam dobro uradio jednu Aikido tehniku…

Četvrti dan

Na trenutak
žedan
tako blizu vode
Pustinja se čak i ne nazire

Mark Twain’s 9 Tips For Living An Awesome Life

1. Approve of yourself.

“A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.”

If you don’t approve of yourself, of your behaviour and actions then you’ll probably walk around most of the day with a sort of uncomfortable feeling. If you, on the other hand, approve of yourself then you tend to become relaxed and gain inner freedom to do more of what you really want.

This can, in a related way, be a big obstacle in personal growth. You may have all the right tools to grow in some way but you feel an inner resistance. You can’t get there.

What you may be bumping into there are success barriers. You are putting up barriers in your own mind of what you may or may not deserve. Or barriers that tell you what you are capable of. They might tell you that you aren’t really that kind of person that could this thing that you’re attempting.

Or if you make some headway in the direction you want to go you may start to sabotage for yourself. To keep yourself in a place that is familiar for you.

So you need give yourself approval and allow yourself to be who you want to be. Not look for the approval from others. But from yourself. To dissolve that inner barrier or let go of that self-sabotaging tendency. This is no easy task and it can take time.

2. Your limitations may just be in your mind.

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

So many limitations are mostly in our minds. We may for instance think that people will disapprove because we are too tall, too old or balding. But these things mostly matter when you think they matter. Because you become self-conscious and worried about what people may think.

And people pick up on that and may react in negative ways. Or you may interpret anything they do as a negative reaction because you are so fearful of a bad reaction and so focused inward on yourself.

If you, on the other hand, don’t mind then people tend to not mind that much either. And if you don’t mind then you won’t let that part of yourself become a self-imposed roadblock in your life.

It is, for instance, seldom too late to do what you want to do.

3. Lighten up and have some fun.

“Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.”

“Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.”

Humor and laughter are amazing tools. They can turn any serious situation into something to laugh about. They can lighten the mood just about anywhere.

And a lighter mood is often a better space to work in because now your body and mind isn’t filled to the brim with negative emotions. When you are more light-hearted and relaxed then the solution to a situation is often easier to both come up with and implement. Have a look at Lighten Up! for more on this topic.

4. Let go of anger.

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”

Anger is most of the time pretty pointless. It can cause situations to get out of hand. And from a selfish perspective it often more hurtful for the one being angry then the person s/he’s angry at.

So even if you feel angry at someone for days recognize that you are mostly just hurting yourself. The other person may not even be aware that you are angry at him or her. So either talking to the person and resolving the conflict or letting go of anger as quickly as possible are pretty good tips to make your life more pleasurable.

5. Release yourself from entitlement.

“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.”

When you are young your mom and dad may give a lot of things. As you grow older you may have a sort of entitlement. You may feel like the world should just give you what you want or that it owes you something.

This belief can cause a lot of anger and frustration in your life. Because the world may not give you what expect it to. On the other hand, this can be liberating too. You realize that it is up to you to shape your own life and for you to work towards what you want. You are not a kid anymore, waiting for your parents or the world to give you something.

You are in the driver’s seat now. And you can go pretty much wherever you want.

6. If you’re taking a different path, prepare for reactions.

“A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.”

I think this has quite a bit of relevance to self-improvement.

If you start to change or do something different than you usually do then people may react in different ways. Some may be happy for you. Some may be indifferent. Some may be puzzled or react in negative and discouraging ways.

Much of these reactions are probably not so much about you but about the person who said it and his/her life. How they feel about themselves is coming through in the words they use and judgements they make.

And that’s OK. I think it’s pretty likely that they won’t react as negatively as you may imagine. Or they will probably at least go back to focusing on their own challenges pretty soon.

So what other people may say and think and letting that hold you back is probably just fantasy and barrier you build in your mind.

You may find that when you finally cross that inner threshold you created then people around you may not shun you or go chasing after you with pitchforks. :) They might just go: “OK”.

7. Keep your focus steadily on what you want.

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.”

What you focus your mind on greatly determines how things play out. You can focus on your problems and dwell in suffering and a victim mentality. Or you can focus on the positive in situation, what you can learn from that situation or just focus your mind on something entirely else.

It may be “normal” to dwell on problems and swim around in a sea of negativity. But that is a choice. And a thought habit. You may reflexively start to dwell on problems instead of refocusing your mind on something more useful. But you can also start to build a habit of learning to gain more and more control of where you put your focus.

8. Don’t focus so much on making yourself feel good.

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.”

This may be a bit of a counter-intuitive tip. But as I wrote yesterday, one of the best ways to feel good about yourself is to make someone else feel good or to help them in some way.

This is a great way to look at things to create an upward spiral of positivity and exchange of value between people. You help someone and both of you feel good. The person you helped feels inclined to give you a hand later on since people tend to want to reciprocate. And so the both of you are feeling good and helping each other.

Those positive feelings are contagious to other people and so you may end up making them feel good too. And the help you received from your friend may inspire you to go and help another friend. And so the upward spiral grows and continues.

9. Do what you want to do.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Awesome quote. And I really don’t have much to add to that one. Well, maybe to write it down and keep it as a daily reminder – on your fridge or bathroom door – of what you can actually do with your life.

Treći dan

Sublimirati iskustvo trećeg dana bilo je obiman ali zabavan proces. Eto i ovo pišem dan kasnije. Inače u životu volim da posmatram stvari oko sebe i učim i prihvatam najbolje iz onoga što sam video. Ovaj dan je bio zanimljiv, jer sam najviše naučio upravo iz posmatranja i razgovora.

Posmatrao sam decu koja vežbaju, još nedotaknuta svakodnevnom borbom za egzistenciju, tako prisutnu u današnje vreme. Dobre su šanse da netaknuti i ostanu i to je za veliko poštovanje.

Posmatrao sam starije kolege, pozitivnog stava i nasmejane, uprkos svemu tome. Treba li bolji odraz životne snage ?

Razgovarao sam sa Učiteljem – čovekom koji kroz svaki, pa i najobičniji razgovor saopštava mnogo toga i bez reči.
Razgovarao sam i sa njegovom decom, sada takođe Učiteljima. Živi dokaz da čovek živi ono što podučava.

Evo šta sam naučio, sažeto u nekoliko rečenica:

Shvatio sam da je dug put koji treba preći da bi se došlo do prisutnosti sklada.

Ali, ako misliš o tome kako tačno treba da hodaš putem, neće ti biti prijatno i život će odjednom postati vrlo komplikovan, jer ćeš u realnosti slediti tuđi put.
Ako prestaneš da misliš i jednostavno kreneš putem, odmah ti postaje lakše i počinješ da formiraš, doživljavaš, shvataš i realizuješ svoj put. Tako rasteš.

Značaj puta je u učenju, promeni i rastu, bez konflikta.
Ljubav treba da isijava iz tvoje unutrašnje tišine i tvoje svesnosti sveta oko tebe. Nežna, a ne sputavajuća. Ona se povećava uzajamnim uvažavanjem i nesputavanjem (sloboda je imaginarna stvar). Počinješ da prihvataš drugu osobu kakva jeste, bez ulaganje napora da je promeniš. Dozvoljavaš joj i svestan si da je druga osoba gospodar sopstvenog prostora, sopstvenog unutrašnjeg univerzuma, baš kao što si ti gospodar svog domena.

Imam utisak da što više ljudi bude svojevoljno razmišljalo na ovaj način, to će manje biti konflikata u svakodnevnom životu a više srećnih i uspešnih ljudi.

Svi vole da skacu po blatnjavim baricama (drugi trening)

Napolju jos lije kisa.

Bas kao i svaki put kada covek nesto odluci, saopsti to celom svom mikrokosmosu, nastaje neka vrsta zadrske. Sve krene nekako lepo prvog dana.

Drugog dana uvek bude nekog iskusenja, kao da je celo postojanje odlucilo da proveri da li stvarno zelis to sto si rekao da zelis. Tako je bilo i ovaj put. Drugi trening, na koji sam dosao pun odusevljenja sa prvog, postavio je pred mene nova iskusenja.

Kosmos je svoje pitanje o mojoj resenosti danas postavio koristeci moja donja ledja – kada god bih krenuo da se uvijam u kukovima, kicma bi me veoma bolno podsetila: “Nisi se pomerao vise od 10 godina! Krc! Uh! Da li si zaista siguran da i sad to zelis?” Ja bih stao, rekao sam sebi “Da, zelim” i nastavio dalje. Takav ‘razgovor’ se nije, naravno, desio jednom. I znam da ce se desiti jos dosta puta sve dok se ne dovedem, kako bi to bankari rekli – na pozitivnu nulu… sto me dovodi do sledece stvari koju sam naucio promisljajuci trening u glavi na povratku kuci:

Ponovo sam uzivao u kisi, uzgred, i ponovo sam pun energije, iako sam umoran. Odlicna kombinacija koju sam pomalo zaboravio, bivajuci u poslednjih 10 godina uglavnom samo (mrtav) umoran. Nego, da se vratimo na temu…

Krenuo sam kuci i kolega sa posla koji mi inace pravi drustvo na treninzima, s obzirom da je padala jaka kisa, nekako se nije usudjivao da krene prema kuci.
Ali, ako ne krenes – neces ni stici, pa sam se setio svoje jakne koja vapi za masinom za ves i rekao sebi: “Samo ces kod kuce dodati prasak i preskociti predpranje”. Tako sam i uradio.

Krenuo sam uprkos kisi i zanimalo me je kako ce razumniji kolega da reaguje. Na moju radost, krenuo je za mnom, on pod kisobranom, ja pod svojom vapijucom jaknom. Neko vreme smo tako isli i onda je on naprosto odustao, iako je licilo da je imao nameru da sa mnom dodje makar do tramvajske stanice. Kako god bilo, pozdravio sam ga i nastavio put. Dosavsi do tramvajske stanice nailazim na sledecu probu:
Kisa pada. Ne. Kisa lije kao iz kabla. Lije i kao da kaze “Muahahaha! Sad si gotov, stoj tu, prikovan ispod sicusnog krova stajalista, dok ja ne prestanem, a nemam nameru to skoro da uradim. Eto, bas necu!”
I gledam ljude koji poslusno stoje tu. Cekaju. Pokisli i promrzli. Gospodja pored mene nervozno gleda na sat. Tramvaja nema. Nema. Nema. Kisa lije. Ceka.

Uzimam jaknu, stavljam je na glavu da ne pokisnem bas skroz, jer jos nisam naucio kako da odbijam kisne kapi od sebe (polako, bice i to, al’ da se snadjem za pocetak) i krenem.
Trebalo je neko vreme da stignem do sledeceg stajalista koje znam, sednem u autobus i dodjem do kuce. Svi ostali su ostali na stanici, a kisa je jos padala.

U autobusu sam se dosetio – svaki put nevezano za vrstu situacije, covek je neko ko radi (tehniku) ili neko nad kime se radi (tehnika). Kada radis – rekoh sam sebi, gledaj da uradis do kraja. Kad se nad tobom radi imas izbor: da se, kao vecina, opustis i prepustis, da ti se radnja, kakva god da je, samo desi, dok ti stojis i radujes se ili kukas nad sudbom kletom. Ili da aktivno pratis sta se desava i u datom trenutku, na osnovu informacija koje imas, odreagujes i postupis tako da se aktivno priblizis svom cilju.
Taj moj cilj je u tom kisnom trenutku bio da, umoran, mokar i gladan, stignem kuci i zadovoljim gladne krike svog blagoutrobija (jeste, tako je zvucalo).

Tako sam i ucinio, evo me kod kuce.

Jos jedan dan – ispunjen ucenjem. Jos jedan kraj dana – ispunjen zadovoljstvom.
Da ne spominjem skoro deciju radost zbog sljapkanja po baricama.

Prvi dan

Posle ne bas prospavane noci, a potom i napornog dana na poslu, danas sam uz kolegu bio na prvom treningu.

Sedenje na ‘japanski’ nacin je dovelo do toga da me bole stopala. Samo zagrevanje mi je stvorilo bol u misicima.
Osecao sam se prilicno trapavo gledajuci iskusnije clanove kako treniraju. Utvrdio sam da sam prilicno stegnut i sav nekako zgrbljen.

Posle treninga sam izasao iz sale i utvrdio kako pada kisa. Po toj istoj kisi sam, bez kisobrana, odsetao do autobuskog stajalista, seo onako mokar u autobus osvetljen ckiljavim svetlom i dosao kuci.

Ali…

Naucio sam da je dovoljna zelja da se zapocne put i volja da se taj put nastavi.
Naucio sam, “sasvim ok za prvi trening” kazu , neke nove ‘tehnike’.
Upoznao sam nove prijatelje koji zele da pomognu i nauce te necemu bez podozrivih pogleda i sa bezgranicnom strpljivoscu.

I sto je najvaznije: uzivao sam i sa treninga izasao odmorniji, relaksiraniji, srecniji i spremniji za sutra nego sto sam na njega usao.

Ona kisa posle mi nije smetala ni najmanje, ustvari – uzivao sam sto pada. Umesto loseg svetla u autobusu primetio sam kako je grad nekako lep kad pada kisa i kako je bas dobro sto nema mnogo svetla pa mogu da gledam napolje i primetim grad.

Heaven and Hell

People who believe in God are blaming the Satan or other evil spirits that because of them, humanity was expelled from the Heaven.
Satanists blame God for the same thing.

Both groups are partially right, for we are in Hell. There is no greater hell than this hell on Earth.
There is also no better place to purify yourself.

However, nobody had expelled us from Heaven. We have all voluntarily went out.
We can all voluntarily go back in, too. But we have decided not to.

We prefer to live our lives in fear of mistakes, fear of challenges, fear of thinking, fear of feeling.
We like better to be mediocre, than to strive higher.

Someone once said – if your path is too easy, then there is a good chance that you’re going the wrong way.
And I firmly believe that.

Wizard’s Rules

Primordial rule:
“Seek the truth not through others, but through yourself.”

1. “People are stupid, they will believe something because they want it to be true; or because they’re afraid it might be true.”

2. “The greatest harm can result from the best intentions.”

3. “Passion rules reason, for better or for worse.”

4. “There is magic in sincere forgiveness; in the forgiveness you give, but more so in the forgiveness you receive.”

5. “Mind what people do, not only what they say, for deeds will betray a lie.”

6. “The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason.”

7. “Life is the future, not the past.”

8. “Deserve victory”

9. “A contradiction can not exist in reality. Not in part, nor in whole.”

10. “Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one’s self.”

11. “You can destroy those who speak the truth, but you cannot destroy the truth itself.”

Real life and real death

Today I was traveling back home from job on foot and looked at the people that were driving on a bus. Not sure, but it looked like it was warm and cozy in there, but nevertheless, I got stunned by the dead faces I saw in there. They were standing still and staring out. Just as if they don’t go home, but like it’s their final journey. Then I looked upon myself and felt my chains have left me…

It seems that the only way not to be chained in this life is to leap out of this existence. More you leap out – less the impact on your inner peace.

To be out of your body and out of your logical mind is called death, although I’m not sure is that the death, or this what most call living is the real death.
I’ll stick with the widely spread explanation. “Civilized” one. For the sake of discussion.

I have chosen to die in this life.
And until something or someone again gives me the reason to live and to be shackled, I believe I’ll choose to stay dead. Out of logical mind. Out of body with at least the better part of me.
I guess I’ll even put the effort not to be dragged in again, unless I wish it so. That’ll be the day.

I suggest you, noble reader, try the same. Leap out and try not to come back. Maybe it’s the only lesson we need to learn.

Real love

Being able to look directly at the Sun with your eyelids fully open and without your eyes being hurt and all until you start seeing a channel between you and the Sun itself.
It is possible and beautiful.

Night

Tonight, everybody seems to be where they want to be.
Me? I’m just making music and have a toothache.

Battle and faith

It’s interesting. Betrayal has such a powerful grip on the mind. It’s almost like a python. It can squeeze out all other thought, suffocate all other emotion until everything is dead except for a rage. I’m not talking about anger. I’m talking about rage. I can feel it right here like it’s gonna burst. I feel like I wanna scream. Right now, matter of fact.

But it’s not the problem you’ve been betrayed. You’ve been helpless. And when you have finally been able to do something – you’ve let us all down.

About the Ultimate Path

The ultimate battle, or path in every life ends once you are victorious over yourself.
Not before. Not after.
It is up to everybody, however, to make himself aware of the reality of such moment in the sea of everyday illusions.

Meditation on light and darkness

It seems that I have been in darkness of my own mind for a long, long time.

It found exceptionally easy for itself to build extremely bad situations for me just because it seems that I haven’t allowed myself (or perhaps I was, simply put, lazy)… anyway – I haven’t allowed myself to take charge and control.

Now that I at least begin to work on that, it seems that it got used to the power it had and won’t so easily let it go.
Bloody corruptionist!

Had I make so big mistake not to kill it long time ago? Should I kill it now?
Will I have a minute of happiness until I do? And when I do?

Is the nothingness the only fulfillment?

Enduring

Every warrior of the light has been afraid to enter a combat.
Every warrior of the light has betrayed and lied in the past.

Every warrior of the light has lost faith in the future.
Every warrior of the light has trodden a path which was not his own.

Every warrior of the light has suffered because of unimportant things.
Every warrior of the light has doubted that he is a warrior of the light.

Every warrior of the light has failed in his spiritual obligations.
Every warrior of the light has said yes when he meant no.

Every warrior of the light has hurt someone he loved.

That is why he and she are warriors of the light:

They had endured all this without losing the hope to improve.

Flowing Mirror – Ogledalo koje izmiče

Look at it
At the very center of your attention span

When it’s still
It will present the reflection admirably

Yet as always
The mirror is flowing away

(So must you. Follow it and don’t stand still.)

—————–

Pogledaj ga
U središtu tvoje pažnje

Kada je mirno
Pokazaće ti savršeni odraz

Ali kao i uvek
Ogledalo se izmiče

(Moraš i ti. Prati ga, ne stoj u mestu.)

Tired world

Today, while I was travelling back home from job, I have silently lowered my consciousness and reached out with my inner self.
I only found how, unfortunately, the world is devoid of the light of real humanity.
I  so wish for this to change.

Dihydrogen Monoxide

A student was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical “dihydrogen monoxide.”

And for plenty of good reasons, since:

it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting
it is a major component in acid rain
it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
accidental inhalation can kill you
it contributes to erosion
it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.

Forty-three (43) said yes,
six (6) were undecided,
and only one (1) knew that the chemical was water.

The title of his prize winning project was, “How Gullible Are We?”

He feels the conclusion is obvious.

Dos and don’ts for new worshipers

Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God.
First fill your own house with the Fragrance of love.

Go not to the temple to light candles before the altar of God.
First remove the darkness of sin from your heart.

Go not to the temple to bow down your head in prayer.
First learn to bow in humility before your fellowmen.

Go not to the temple to pray on bended knees.
First bend down to lift someone who is down-trodden.

Go not to the temple to ask for forgiveness for your sins.
First forgive from your heart those who have sinned against you.

Path

When the five senses and the mind are still, and reason itself rests in silence, then begins the path of the supreme.

An interesting comparison

“The probability of DNA chains putting themselves together exactly in necessary order to become alive is about the same as if Guteberg would toss the hand grenade onto his printing press and after the explosion all the letters would be in their place for the printing of the Holy Bible.” – Unknown author

Enlightenment

Enlightenment is not imagining figures of light but making the darkness conscious.

Hell

As soon as he died, a man found himself in a very beautiful place, surrounded by all the comfort and beauty that he had dreamed of.

A figure dressed in white came up to him and said, “You are entitled to anything you want.”

Enchanted, man did everything he had dreamed of during life. After many years of pleasure, he sought out the figure in white. He said that he had experienced everything and that now he needed a little work to make him feel useful.

“That’s the only thing I cannot get for you,” said the figure in white.

“But I’ll spend eternity dying of boredom! I’d much rather be in hell!”

“And where do you think you are?”

About virtues and vanity

A Zen master had hundreds of disciples. They all prayed at the right time, except one, who was always drunk.

The master was growing old. Some of the more virtuous pupils began to wonder who would be the new leader of the group, the one who would receive the important secrets of the Tradition.

On the eve of his death, however, the master called the drunkard disciple and revealed the hidden secrets to him.

A veritable revolt broke out among the others.

“How shameful!” they cried in the streets, “We have sacrificed ourselves for the wrong master, one who can’t see our qualities.”

Hearing the commotion outside, the dying master remarked:
“I had to pass on these secrets to a man that I knew well. All my pupils are very virtuous, and showed only their qualities. That is dangerous, for virtue often serves to hide vanity, pride and intolerance. That is why I chose the only disciple whom I know really well, since I can see his defect: drunkenness.”

(from Paolo Coelho’s blog – http://www.paolocoelhoblog.com)

Let the glass fall!

The professor begun the class by taking the glass full of water in his hand. He picked it up and lift it in the air and asked:

– What do you think… how heavy is this glass?
– 50 grams, 100 garms.. 125 grams, 300 grams – students tried to guess.
– The truth is – said the professor – I have no clue myself. And until we measure it, we won’t be sure. But the purpose of my question was something else. What will happen if I hold this glass up in the air, let’s say for a couple of minutes?
– Nothing – replied one of the students.
– All right. How about an hour?
– Your hand will start to ache – replied another one.
– That’s quite correct. But then, what will happen if I just hold it like this the whole day? – professor insisted.
– Your hand will start hurting more and more, then your muscles will paralyse because of the pain. In time, you’ll have to go to see the doctor. – replied the same student.
– Very good! – said the professor calmly – And while all of this is happening, do you think that the weight of the glass had changed?
– Not in a bit! Of course not! – the students replied in choir.
– Then what is the source of the pain in my arm and muscle spasms?

Students were now suddenly quiet. Confused. It was one of these riddle situations and all together were thinking hard to find an answer.

– What should I do in this situation to get rid of the burden and pain in this situation? – professor asked all of them.

After some more silence – the answer came:

– You should drop the glass!

Professor nearly jumped.
– Yes, that is the answer! Let the glass go! Drop it! The same thing happens with your problems and your heavy thoughts. To think of them for a couple of minutes is normal and nothing is wrong with that.
If you do, however, hold them in your mind for the longer periods of time, you will feel the pain. If you persist in holding them, you’ll be paralysed. You won’t be able to do anything else.
It is very important to think of and to draw the conclusions from the things and situations that happen in your life, but it is even more important to know how to liberate your mind from them at the end of the day. How to let them go, how to drop them before you get to sleep.
You’ll save yourself from the lots of stress and strain and every morning you’ll wake up fresh and shiny.
You will feel that you’re filled with a new strength and you will cope up with your problems with more ease, whatever your situation may be.

About an ordinary man

A man met an angel in the desert and gave him water.
“I am the angel of death and I came to get you,” said the angel. “But as you were kind, I will lend you the Book of Destiny for five minutes; you may change what you want.”

The angel gave the man the book. As he was leafing through its pages, the man began reading about the lives of his neighbors. And he got discontented,
“These people don’t deserve such nice things,” he said. With the pen in hand, he began worsening the lives of each one.

Finally, he reached the page of his destiny. He saw his tragic end, but as he prepared to change it, the book disappeared. Five minutes had already passed.
And right there, the angel took the man’s soul.

Three types of people

Pessimist complains about the wind.
Optimist expects the wind.
Realist adjusts the sails.

Friends and success

The real Friend is a person who induces the positive thoughts and feelings in you.

Whoever does not – is not your friend.
The art of life is not to think of them as of your enemies.

Making the real Friends out of them, however, is your ultimate success.

Quote

“You cannot play god and then wash your hands of the things that you’ve created.
Sooner or later the day comes when you can’t hide from the things that you’ve done anymore.”
– John Cavil

Scorpion and a fox

One day scorpion was heading on its way and stumbled upon the river.
That was an impassable obstacle for it, and so it started thinking how to go across.

Conveniently, at that time, the fox was coming to the river, too, planning to go across.

“Please allow me to jump on your back and carry me across the river. I’ll be in debt to you always” – said the scorpion.

“Why should I do that ?” – replied the fox – “you are going to sting me and I’m going to die”

“Please help me” , said the scorpion, “I’m not going to sting you, because if I do, you’ll die and I am going to drown, too”.

“Hm… you have the point” – fox replied. “All right, I’ll help you. Here. Jump on my back.”

The scorpion jumped on the foxes back and in the next moment, the fox started swimming over the river.
When they were half way across, scorpion suddenly stung the fox.

Feeling that her life is fading out, with her last breath, fox asked the scorpion:
“Why have you done that? Now you are going to die, too…”
“Yes, I know… but this is my instinct and it is a part of my nature. I found that I can not go against that” – scorpion replied.

They both died.

Chief Seattle – year 1853

“The President in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. But how can you buy or sell the sky? the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?

Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every meadow, every humming insect. All are holy in the memory and experience of my people.

We know the sap which courses through the trees as we know the blood that courses through our veins. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters. The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the dew in the meadow, the body heat of the pony, and man all belong to the same family.

The shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water, but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you our land, you must remember that it is sacred. Each glossy reflection in the clear waters of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people. The water’s murmur is the voice of my father’s father.

The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst. They carry our canoes and feed our children. So you must give the rivers the kindness that you would give any brother.

If we sell you our land, remember that the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all the life that it supports. The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also received his last sigh. The wind also gives our children the spirit of life. So if we sell our land, you must keep it apart and sacred, as a place where man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow flowers.

Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth.

This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.

One thing we know: our God is also your God. The earth is precious to him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its creator.

Your destiny is a mystery to us. What will happen when the buffalo are all slaughtered? The wild horses tamed? What will happen when the secret corners of the forest are heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills is blotted with talking wires? Where will the thicket be? Gone! Where will the eagle be? Gone! And what is to say goodbye to the swift pony and then hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival.

When the last red man has vanished with this wilderness, and his memory is only the shadow of a cloud moving across the prairie, will these shores and forests still be here? Will there be any of the spirit of my people left?

We love this earth as a newborn loves its mother’s heartbeat. So, if we sell you our land, love it as we have loved it. Care for it, as we have cared for it. Hold in your mind the memory of the land as it is when you receive it. Preserve the land for all children, and love it, as God loves us.

As we are part of the land, you too are part of the land. This earth is precious to us. It is also precious to you.

One thing we know – there is only one God. No man, be he Red man or White man, can be apart. We are all brothers after all.”

Mirrors

I am not sure who had said this before, but I have (again) came to believe that existence around us is only a reflection of our consciousness.
More of this existence we had created by ourselves – more it will reflect us.

Inner peace

You see this goblet? For me this glass is already broken. I enjoy it; I drink out of it.

It holds my water admirably, sometimes even reflecting the sun in beautiful patterns. If I should tap it, it has a lovely ring to it.

But when I put this glass on the shelf and the wind knocks it over or my elbow brushes it off the table and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’

When I understand that the glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious.

Expect the glass to break.

And accept it.

You won’t change inevitable facts — they will happen, eventually. And if you expect it to happen — even see it as already happening, before it happens — you won’t get so upset.

You won’t overreact. You’ll respond appropriately, but not overreact.

You’ll smile, and think, “I expected that to happen. The glass was already broken. And I accept that.”

You’ll have peace of mind. And that is a welcome surprise.

Very short and very beautiful story about human ambitions

One day a schoolteacher asked everyone in the class – “What would you want to be when you grow up?”

One pupil said they want to be a professor, another said “a doctor”, another one ” a soldier”… “engineer” … “spaceman”…

When it came to the last one – he said “I want to be happy”.

“I’m afraid that you haven’t understood my question” – teacher replied.

“Yes, I understood it correctly, but I’m afraid you do not understand life” – replied the boy.

About the success

I have found this on a GoDaddy Website and it is said by Mr. Bob Parsons – its founder. It is about 16 of his rules in life. Interesting reading.

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone.
I believe that not much happens of any significance when we’re in our comfort zone. I hear people say, “But I’m concerned about security.” My response to that is simple: “Security is for cadavers.”

2.Never give up.
Almost nothing works the first time it’s attempted. Just because what you’re doing does not seem to be working, doesn’t mean it won’t work. It just means that it might not work the way you’re doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn’t have an opportunity.

3. When you’re ready to quit, you’re closer than you think.
There’s an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: “The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.”

4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be.
Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of “undefined consequences.” My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, “Well, Robert, if it doesn’t work, they can’t eat you.”

5. Focus on what you want to have happen.
Remember that old saying, “As you think, so shall you be.”

6. Take things a day at a time.
No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don’t look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.

7. Always be moving forward.
Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.

8. Be quick to decide.
Remember what General George S. Patton said: “A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow.”

9. Measure everything of significance.
I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.

10.Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.
If you want to uncover problems you don’t know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven’t examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.

11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you’re doing.
When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance.
Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.

12. Never let anybody push you around.
In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you’re doing as anyone else, provided that what you’re doing is legal.

13. Never expect life to be fair.
Life isn’t fair. You make your own breaks. You’ll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).

14. Solve your own problems.
You’ll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you’ll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: “You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others.” There’s also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: “A wise man keeps his own counsel.”

15. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.

16.There’s always a reason to smile.
Find it. After all, you’re really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother.
He always reminds me: “We’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time!”

Narrow minded people

When God was giving the brain to the people he did the best job possible. Everybody thinks that he/she has enough. This is an old saying that I remember from the time when I was a kid. I haven’t quite caught its meaning until I have grown up, but the really interesting fact is that more I look at people – more I see that this saying was nothing but the naked truth.

You might ask yourself why, and I won’t even try to explain.

As my friend once said – “When some people come to you – you grab yourself by the head. When some other people come to you – you kiss them in their heads.” I must add – the former are seen much more often.

Old story about Feng Shui and Karma

Businessmen from Harbin to Hong Kong spend ungodly sums on feng shui. After consulting the most sought-after geomancers, they build artificial waterfalls in front of their office buildings, and plunk massive jade carvings in their foyers, all to direct good fortune their way. They’re gambling that all this good feng shui will cancel out the bad karma of breaking contracts and other commercial skullduggery. But as this ancient story shows, all the mystical qi-directing in the world doesn’t overcome the force of our actions.

So, here it goes…

Thousands of years ago there was a feng shui master famed not just for his skill but also his fiery temper. One sweltering summer he got a commission from a rich family to assess a burial site, in a range of mountains far from his home.

It took him five days of hiking to reach the site and another day to complete his work. After resting in a mountain cave, he packed up his geomancer compass and writings and trudged off on the long trek home. The going was exceedingly hot, and by the second day of the return journey he had run out of water. He was out of the mountains and saw rich fields of rice ready to be harvested, but could discern no wells.

He did see a young woman with three children in the distance, working a field, and so he headed towards them. The woman and children all ceased their labors, winnowing the stalks of rice, to stare at the feng shui master and his fine clothes.

“I beg of you, kind lady, a bowl of water. I’ll never make it back to my home alive unless I have some water.”

The woman hurried to the shade of a nearby tree, and hoisted a large pitcher of water, which she uncorked and poured into a wooden bowl. But before giving the bowl of water to the feng shui master, she tossed a small handful of chaff on the water’s surface.

The hotheaded master felt a surge of fury well up. He snatched the bowl from the woman without a word or sign of gratitude. Try as he might to gulp the water, he had to continually blow away the chaff in the water to the side, and drink it in small sips. Convinced that he had been gravely insulted, he plotted revenge as he drank.

“Where do you live?” the feng shui master asked the kind woman.

“In that hut at the edge of the field, with my three sons,” replied the woman. “My husband died some years ago. With these sons of mine to feed and care for, life is difficult. We are poor, but we work hard and manage.”

The feng shui master gazed off at the hut for some time and the land surrounding it. “It’s no surprise you have to work so hard and fare so poorly,” he told the woman. “The feng shui of your house is most unfortunate. As long as you dwell in this place you will know only poverty and naught of prosperity. But I can help you. On the other side of that mountain lie an abandoned field and a ramshackle old house. The land needs cultivating, and the house many repairs, yet the feng shui there is superb. I recommend that you move your family there as soon as possible.”

Both the woman and her sons bowed to the master and thanked him over and over for his sage advice. He simply hefted his bags and set off down the road without a word in reply. Not a twinge of remorse did he feel for sending them off to a “Five Ghosts Death Site”, a place so exceedingly inauspicious that it would be a miracle should one of her sons live to reach manhood. The master felt it fitting retribution for the insult he had suffered.

Ten years passed by the time the feng shui master had cause to be in the area again. Remembering the family he had cursed, he made a point of stopping by to witness their ill fate. As he approached their house, the woman, older but still graceful, and quite prosperous looking, came out and bowed to him.

“I don’t suppose you remember me.”

“Of course, master. How could we forget one as kind as you? Since moving to this new place our lands have been uncommonly fruitful. Out of the abundance I have sent two of my sons to study for official posts, and my third son will soon take a wise old tutor. Won’t you come in and allow me to prepare a feast to thank you?”

Not long after, the feng shui master sat full of salted duck, roast pig, and a dozen other dainty viands. He gazed in bafflement at the plastered walls and rich furnishings. “How could this have transpired?” he wondered. “The site is still a magnet for the worst kind of feng shui, and I don’t see any charms about with which she could protect herself.”

At wit’s end, he confessed to the woman. “When I was thirsty, you gave me water. But instead of giving me pure water, you tossed chaff in just to spite an old man. That’s why I sent you here, to a place of ill omen, a Five Ghost Death site. Yet you and your family prosper. This goes against everything I’ve ever learned.”

The woman listened, her eyes wide, but in the end threw her head back and laughed. “Don’t you see? It was an extremely hot day, and I could see what a state you were in. As thirsty as you were, you would have gulped the cold water as fast as you could, and most likely have dropped dead from the shock. With the chaff in, you had to blow on the water and sip it slowly. I was only trying to spare you from harm.”

At last the feng shui master understood.

“I am an old fool. I sent you to an evil place, yet no lasting evil can come to you. Each and every day Heaven and the Buddha bless you for your kind heart and benevolent actions.”

Just a thought…

After the complete darkness, even the smallest light looks like a Sun.
It is important, however, not to indulge yourself in believing in illusion that it is really so.
One should rather keep improving that source of light in every moment of one’s existence.

10 things your IT guy wants you to know

1. If you ask me technical questions please don’t argue with me because you don’t like my answer. If you think you know more about the topic, why ask? And if I’m arguing with you…it’s because I am positive that I am correct, otherwise I’d just say “I don’t know” or give you some tips on where to look it up, I don’t have the time to just argue for the sake of it.

2. Starting a conversation by insulting yourself (i.e. “I’m such an idiot”) will not make me laugh, or feel sorry for you; all it will do is remind me that yes, you are an idiot and that I am going to hate having to talk to you. Trust me; you don’t want to start a call that way.

3. I am ok with you making mistakes, fixing them is my job. I am not ok with you lying to me about a mistake you made. It makes it much harder to resolve and thus makes my job more difficult. Be honest and we can get the problem resolved and continue on with our business.

4. There is no magic “Fix it” button. Everything takes some amount of work to fix, and not everything is worth fixing or even possible to fix. If I say that you just need to re-do a document that you accidentally deleted 2 months ago, please don’t get mad at me. I’m not ignoring your problem, and it’s not that I don’t like you, I just cant always fix everything.

5. Not everything you ask me to do is “urgent”. In fact, by marking things as “urgent” every time, you almost ensure that I treat none of it as a priority.

6. You are not the only one who needs help, and you usually don’t have the most urgent issue. Give me some time to get to your problem, it will get fixed.

7. Emailing me several times about the same issue in the same day is not only unnecessary, it’s highly annoying. Emails will stay until I delete them, I won’t delete them until I’m done with them. I will typically respond as soon as I have a useful update. If it is an urgent issue, let me know (see number 5).

8. Yes, I prefer email over telephone calls. It has nothing to do with being friendly, it’s about efficiency. It is much faster and easier for me to list out a set of questions that I need you to answer than it is for me to call and ask you them one by one. You can find the answers at your leisure and while I’m waiting I can work on other problems.

9. Yes, I seem blunt and rude. It’s not that I mean to, I just don’t have the time to sugar coat things for you. I assume we are both adults and can handle the reality of a problem. If you did something wrong, I will tell you. I don’t care that it was a mistake, because it really makes no difference to me. Don’t take it personal, I just don’t want it to happen again.

10. And finally, yes, I can read your email, I can see what web pages you look at while you are at work, yes, I can access every file on your work computer, and I can tell if you are chatting with people on an instant messenger or chat room (and can also read what you are typing). But no, I don’t do it. It’s unethical, I’m busy, and in all reality you aren’t all that interesting. So unless I am instructed to specifically monitor or investigate your actions, I don’t. There really are much more interesting things on the internet than you.

Little story about the sparrow, cow and cat

Once upon a time, there was a little sparrow. He was just an average sparrow, flying around and stuff.
It was a cold winter day, but our sparrow was flying around very cheerfully. After all, he had a bunch of food in his warm nest and was pretty happy about that.
As he wandered around, he didn’t mentioned that it’s getting darker and colder, and before he realized it, he found himself lost on the outskirts of the big woods…

He sat on the branch and started thinking what to do, but since it was dark, he couldn’t find his way home. So he sat, hoping that someone will arrive and help him out.
Noone came and it just got colder and darker…

After many hours, our little sparrow felt that his strength is wearing out, and by time, he felt sleepy. Little did he know that when you feel sleepy on a big cold – it’s not a good sign. Not at all.

Finally, exhausted, he lifelessly fell on the ground. He saw a bright light coming out from the sky and he knew he was dying. He felt quite comfortable and warmth started spreading through his body. He felt that he is lifting up to the sky, to the light and finally he heard beautiful music followed by a…

“Splat!”

The big cow, without even noticing him, just eased on her stomach (or should we say “laid her brick”) on our little sparrow who was on the ground.

“Other than the smell, it’s not bad at all” – said our little sparrow once he got warm and cozy below the cow’s shit.
A hour later, he even started the joyful chirping. He was a happy sparrow, thankful to his destiny and good fortune.

What he was about to learn soon is that a cat was walking around in his vicinity. That, itself would not be a big problem, but alas, cat was very hungry.

So, cat, who heard the joyful chirping, also thanked her destiny for being good to her and providing such an easy meal.

“It smells like shit, it looks like shit, but it’s actually delicious” – cat was thinking for herself. She dug out and gulped our little sparrow. Poor sparrow didn’t saw it coming.

Our story ends here, but there are couple of facts to learn from it:

1. The one who shits on you is not necessarily your enemy.
2. It’s not always bad to be in deep shit.
3. The one who takes you out of the deep shit is not necessarily your friend.
4. When you are in the pool of shit – keep your mouth closed and do be quiet.