19 April, 2009
Work Harder AND Smarter
How about this article as an inpiration for Entrepreneurs. Are you a Lifestyler or a Hustler?
Me? I’m a hustler (aww, yeah!). I escape 9-5 by working 8 to 8. I work weekends. When I’m not working, I’m thinking about work. Sound bad? Maybe we have different ideas of what work is. Work has no negative connotations to me. It’s equally rewarding as it is inspiring; equally exciting as it is relaxing. I always have my eye on the prize: making things better all the time for our company, for our community and for our customers. It’s not that I have no life, hustlers are expert life-multitaskers. They recognize that ideas or opportunities can arise at any time, and they’re always prepared. Ever seen Gary Vaynerchuk speak or watch WLTV? Hustler. Ever notice how Marc Ecko always has 100 things going on at a time? Hustler. Hustlers work smarter and harder.
29 January, 2009
Dream of Forgiveness
What characterises the human race more, cruelty, or the capacity to feel shame for it. I’m lonelier and wiser now, and I know it isn’t cruelty or shame that characterises the human race. It’s forgiveness that makes us what we are. Without forgiveness, our species would’ve annihilated itself in endless retributions. Without forgiveness, there would be no history.
Without hope, the would be no art, for every work of art is in some way an act of forgiveness. Without that dream, there would be no love, for every act of love is in some way a promise to forgive. We live on because we can love, and we love because we can forgive.
- Roberts, Gregory David (2003) Shantaram
22 November, 2008
Beautiful Mine
Every time I see you, the film of high heels and silver plates runs through the void. You can’t ease what the pain divides, and I don’t want this state of mind. You are a stress factor that I can’t handle, while at the same time I prostitute myself trying to understand you. It is hard to be strong when I crave you like I do.
At the core is the ruthless and emotionless change within a day. Where is the smile, open heart and willingness to involve? Now, all I see is distorted dreams in silence. No vital signs just the violence. Please, push me away because I can’t do it myself.
18 November, 2008
The Peace Is My Culture
I was thinking about another kind of soul, one that runs through every one of us, no matter where we come from. It’s the pure, essential truth of what each of us is, and can achieve. All my life I’d been a fighter. I was always ready, too ready, to fight for what I loved, and against what I deplored. In the end, I became the expression of that fight, and my real nature was concealed behind a mask of menace and hostility.
They nailed their stakes into the earth of my life, and marked it with a new name, Shantaram – man of peace. Whether they discovered that peace or created it, the truth is that the man I am was born in those moments. The better man that, slowly, and much too late, I began to be.
- Roberts, Gregory David (2003) Shantaram
17 November, 2008
The Soul Has No Culture
I was falling a sleep. At that very moment she came and touched my shoulder. Reached out to comfort me; only there and then did I see and feel the torment of what I’d done, and what I’d become. My heart broke on its shame and sorrow. I suddenly knew how much crying there was in me, and how little love. I knew, at last, how lonely I was.
But I couldn’t respond. My culture had taught me all the wrong things well. So I lay completely still, and gave no reaction at all. But the soul has no culture. The soul has no nations. The soul has no colour or accent or way of life. The soul is forever. The soul is one. And when the heart has its moment of truth and sorrow, the soul can’t be stilled.
I clenched my teeth against the stars. I closed my eyes. I surrendered to sleep. One of the reasons why we crave love, and seek it so desperately, is that love is the only cure for loneliness, and shame, and sorrow. But some feelings sink so deep into the heart that only loneliness can help you find them again. Some truths about yourself are so painful that only shame can help you live with them. And some things are just so sad that only your soul can do the crying for you.
- Roberts, Gregory David (2003) Shantaram
2 November, 2008
Zeitgeist Addendum
Tonight I watched the hyped film Zeitgeist Addendum (watch it here). It is a very eye opening and thoughtful film. I must say, I am very pro capitalism ideas of motivating people from inside and giving them incentives to work to make their life better. I don’t believe that state managed world would never survive because of the sloth people will endure eventually.
Zeitgeist Addendum argues “there should be no states”
The internet is opening the world to mash up culturally and economically. We are opening our world to new information. In addition, as we speak the monetary system is about to collapse. I believe, within the next couple of years, the world will start to accelerate away from the monetary system, where the system is for the profit. Not for the people. I think it could be for both. Monetary system worked in the old world where technology could not take away scarcity. Today it is outdated, because of the still emerging information and technology revolution.
Is the solution towards the ideas the Venus Project states in Zeitgeist Addendum? Maybe, maybe not. That does not matter. The film’s strength is that is makes you think.
However, the film does have its weakness. One issue it does not cover is power. Ultimately, people do not look for money or easy living, they look for power. And we should not be naive to believe, that even with all needs provided, people would live in harmony with no power hungry individuals emerging.
Still, the point of the film is that it is time for a new system. I agree. We are no longer living in a world where scarcity is an issue. Human society has means to provide everything for everybody, from energy to transportation and food. if we just could take away the power hunger.
Could we live in a world where cultures mash up to produce individual opinions and little notions about places, people, behaviors. About the good and positive issues human mind truly wishes to have. In a world where no war is fought because there is no scarcity?
Free your mind.
8 October, 2008
Helsinki – Home Sweet Home
refurbishing
“Act one was when we met, I loved you at first glance
You read your line so cleverly and never missed a cue
Then came act two, you seemed to change and you acted strange
And why I’ll never know
But I’d rather go on hearing your lies
Than go on living without you”Elvis Presley
So in this situation those words of Elvis can be thought to mean for falling in love with a girl, or falling in love with a place. Beside falling in love with girls, I always want to fall in love with a city. To see if I can grow my roots there. Helsinki was the town I fell in love with for the first time, second London, third New York. However, the real love seemed to be in my hometown of Lappeenranta. Still, once again I feel the need to be on a run away from the memories hitting hard. Man never learns?
“You look like an angel,
Walk like an angel
Talk like an angel
But I got wise
You’re the devil in disguise
Oh yes you are”Elvis Presley
Why a man has to run looking for something and when the world turns, suddenly be hungry again. One has to walk the streets again, learn to steal and suddenly the cold wind breaks again. When can a man stand tall and proud?
Helsinki, I beg you, do not betray me.
26 July, 2008
Number #1 Political Lyrics
Kanye West
‘Diamonds Are Forever’
Diamonds are forever
They’re all I need to please me
They can’t stimulate or tease me
They won’t leave in the night
Have no fear that they might
Desert me“Diamonds are forever forever forever”
Throw ya diamonds in the sky
If you feel the vibe
“Diamonds are forever forever forever”
The ROC is still alive
Everytime I rhyme
“Forever and ever!”
For ever ever? for ever ever? ever ever?
Ever ever? ever ever? ever ever? ever ever?Good Morning, this ain’t Vietnam still
People lose hands, legs, arms for real
Little was known of Sierra Leone
And how it connect to the diamonds we own
When I speak of Diamonds in this song
I ain’t talkin bout the ones that be glown
I’m talkin bout Rocafella, my home, my chain
These ain’t conflict diamonds,is they Jacob? don’t lie to me man
See, a part of me sayin’ keep shinin’,
How? when I know of the blood diamonds
Though it’s thousands of miles away
Sierra Leone connect to what we go through today
Over here, its a drug trade, we die from drugs
Over there, they die from what we buy from drugs
The diamonds, the chains, the bracelets, the charmses
I thought my Jesus Piece was so harmless
’til I seen a picture of a shorty armless
And here’s the conflict
It’s in a black person’s soul to rock that gold
Spend ya whole life tryna get that ice
On a polo rugby it look so nice
How could somethin’ so wrong make me feel so right, right?
‘fore I beat myself up like Ike
You could still throw ya Rocafella diamond tonight, ’causePeople askin’ me is I’m gon’ give my chain back (uh)
That’ll be the same day I give the game back (uh)
You know the next question dog ‘yo, where Dame at?’(uh)
This track the Indian dance to bring our reign back (whoo!)
‘wassup wit you a Jay man, are ya’ll okay man?’[Jay-Z]
Yep!
I got it from her ‘ye damn!
The chain remains, the game is intact
The name is mine, I’ll take blame for that
The pressure’s on, but guess who ain’t gon’ crack? [laughs]
Pardon me I had to laugh at that
How could you falter when you’re the rock of gibraltar
I had to get of the boat so I could walk on water
This ain’t no tall order, this is nothin to me
Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week
I do this in my sleep,
I sold kilos of coke, (so?) I’m guessin’ I can sell CD’s
I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man
Let me handle my business, damn!
Kanyeez you got me, Freeway and Foxy
YG’, Teairra Mari, Petey watch me
Bleek could be one hit away his whole career
As long as I’m alive, he’s a millionaire
And even if I die, he’s in my will somewhere
So he can just kick back and chill somewhere, oh yeah
He don’t even have to write rhymes
The Dynasty like my money last three lifetimes
Shirley Bassey was in the rear sayin exactly
What I was sayin practically my whole carreer
The diamond is forever, I been mindin’ this forever
Now the Louis Vuitton Don’s timin’ couldn’t be better
People lined up to see the Titanic sinkin’
Instead we rose from the ash like a phoenix
If you waitin’ for the end, the dynasty signed
And what seemed like forever is a mighty long time
I’m young, bitches
Goodnight!
