a search for sanity or..........
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Can you see...it is written everywhere
Posted: June 29, 2008, 2:45 pm by gal africana
Ok...that sounds a tad like I'm on drugs...hmmm...dono why I said that...especially seeing as I'm making things more suspect by featuring a Beatles song...written by John Lennon.
Anyway, the take home message is..."turn off your mind for a few secs everyday....since what its telling you is mostly a ball of hogwash"....wait, I'm not winning any fans with that message am I?
I think I need to turn off MY mind lol
Bugger! I believe someone out there gets me :-)
Tomorrow never knows - Beatles
Turn off your mind, relax
and float down stream
It is not dying
It is not dying
Lay down all thought
Surrender to the void
It is shining
It is shining
That you may see
The meaning of within
It is being
It is being
That love is all
And love is everyone
It is knowing
It is knowing
That ignorance and hate
May mourn the dead
It is believing
It is believing
But listen to the
color of your dreams
It is not living
It is not living
Or play the game
existence to the end
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
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I'm getting it...slowly
Posted: June 29, 2008, 2:32 pm by gal africana
"So is it possible to see the limitations of thought and give it its right place, and therefore giving the right place to thought brings about clarity - right? We mean by right place - the art of that intelligence which comes through investigation, through exploration, that art - the very meaning of that word is to put everything where it belongs, put everything in our life where it belongs, and to find out where it belongs you need tremendous intelligence. "- J. Krishnamurti
"I gave way to delight, as mystics have for centuries when they peeked through the curtains and discovered that this world- so manifestly real was actually a tiny stage set constructed by the mind. We discover abruptly that everything we accept as reality is just social fabrications." - Timothy Leary, 1966
Now!? How on earth do I control this mind? -
Moods from a journey home
Posted: June 27, 2008, 5:59 am by gal africana
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Deutschland ist im Finale. Yaaaaaaaaaa!
Posted: June 26, 2008, 2:43 am by gal africana
I'm freaking doing virtual cartwheels and flashing my boobs right now!!!! That was FANTASTIC! Anyone have a ciggy??? That's how good! :-)
Turkey played a formidable game but I have a feeling that their strategy has been to save the best for last...I was getting so freaking mad with Germany for being so darn slow in the 1st half, until it hit me...they were anticipating Turkey's attacks in the last innings of the game.
Bloody bloody hell...I'm so high now.
And officially in love with Schweinsteiger and Klose...*sigh* -
UK working-holiday visas
Posted: June 24, 2008, 12:40 am by gal africana
My last post on the Danish mentality actually got me thinking that I should try other playing fields...see if the grass is greener. There's lots of lovely things about Copenhagen...salaries are high, the city is MY HOME!, but the people...*shudder shiver spasm*.
I've always had the UK working-holiday scheme at the back of my head, and will now take advantage of it, but I'm not sure if most folks are aware of its existence. Thought I'd post it here just in case someone else needs some inspiration.
Requirements- You must be single, or married to someone also eligible for a working holiday visa and plan to take a working holiday with you.
- You must not have dependent children aged five or over during your stay in the UK.
- You must show proof of sufficient funds in your bank account. UK Immigration does not specify how much 'sufficient funds' are. However, the idea is to show that you won't get into financial trouble and rely on public funds to support you. You can do this best by having approximately 2500 GBP (AUS$6000) and a return ticket. If you only have a one-way ticket, you will need to have more funds in your bank account.
Eligibility: you are eligible to apply for a UK working holiday visa if you are a citizen of a Commonwealth country and are aged between 17 and 30 years inclusively. -
A taste of the Danish mentality!!! Even I'm shocked!
Posted: June 23, 2008, 12:43 pm by gal africana
1. You shall not think that you are special
2. You shall not think that you are of the same standing as us
3. You shall not think that you are wiser than us
4. Don't fancy yourself as being better than us
5. You shall not think that you know more than us
6. You shall not think that you are more (important) than us
7. You shall not think that you are good at anything
8. You shall not laugh at us
9. You shall not think that anyone cares about you
10. You shall not think that you can teach us anything
The Jante laws (Janteloven in Danish) are considered an important part of Danish culture, and the underlying force underneath the numerous! unwritten laws that govern Danish social and professional interactions with everyone. This website explains why the laws exist and is in my view, the current state of mind of many Danes, especially those who have NEVER left little sweet safe Denmark:
"Human beings are social beings. Our instinctual innate angst keeps us together in a safe social circle. As such, we are ensured survival from the inherent dangers in life, in this community with written and unwritten laws. When an individual in the community, sticks his nose out and challenges the community laws and way of thinking, we feel angst. We don't like that. Thats why the Jante laws arose."
Shriek!!!!! I actually live with these people!!!
Over the years, I've found that these laws make Danes some of the most rigid and inflexible, excruciatingly annoying people to work with, especially if they have no clue what they are doing. They have this wonderful ability to exude " superior cluelessness"...you'll be the one with the knowhow and you'll STILL not be able to convince the clueless Dane that you know what you're doing...or you'll expend half your creative energy doing so. This is mostly because their dear laws, make them feel superior to others even when they have no reason to be. If you do meet a Dane who knows his s*** he'll most likely patronize you from here to Calcutta and back.
I read an article in the Danish paper, siting advantages of the implementation of these laws and I felt like climbing a coconut tree and doing a mad dance at the top, with yodeling to boot.
The article was featured in one of the largest national newspapers, and is called "The Jante laws are firmly engraved in our (the Danish) consciousness"!!! And according to one of the researchers interviewed:
"The positive thing about the Jante laws is that it strengthens the feeling of being equals and the feeling that we are a homogenous society. This gives an arena for a lot of dialog, debate, and the freedom to question how we do things. It is also good for innovation and creativeness. The negative thing about the Jante laws is that it allows people to hide in the shadows."
Hmmm... too busy *doing mad dance on top of coconut tree*....can anyone define delusion?
or....??
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wohooooo России вон!
Posted: June 22, 2008, 3:37 am by gal africana
Another fabulous game!!! I'm exhilarated, jumping out of my skin bloody happy!!!
Was the only nutter cheering for Russia in the aussie bar, but who cares, they won 3:1. Yeah baby!!! And in the 2 E.T.....what a stresser! The 3:1 win was well deserved as well!
Croatia lost :-( and are out...and my next bet after Croatia was Russia aaaaand Russia won!!!! wohoooooo!!!
So now Germany will win against Turkey!!! Cant wait. -
Thinking about thinking
Posted: June 21, 2008, 7:41 pm by gal africana
Or in other words, being conscious.
Four chapters into "A New Earth. Awakening To Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle and I'm putting more and more effort into being conscious and present in my life. It's becoming easier, but I hardly want to make it sound like it's a piece of cake...it isn't...the results of being present, are however, very much like eating really good cake, which for me is heavenly :-)
My biggest issue, when I started reading this book, was figuring out what the purpose of the ego is. After reading a budhist quote that said that making the ego "good" never works, I was very confused and wanted to immediately know, what good the ego does and why we have one. I haven't been able to answer those questions yet...BUT, I've gotten to know the ego a little better (all egos are structurally the same, mine yours...Hitlers....yeah dude! not kidding...that's why it's good business to know the silly bastard).
According to Tolle, and I'm finding this to be true as I practice his teachings, The ego:
Thrives on faultfinding and complaining. These two favorite pastime of many, me included, imply that the person complaining is "right" and boosts the egos strength. Frightening to think about. I reflected on this and thought about the life that complaining and faultfinding takes on, once one starts....it's as if it's fun to continue and impossible to stop. These two actions, have in reality, no true power in them, other than empowering the ego, as one can factually acknowledge a mistake and not dwell on making a situation or a person "wrong". The compulsion to complain and find fault is so strong in me sometimes, it feels like an unstoppable physical force!
I've been practicing the act of being aware of this force, when I'm complaining...noticing this thing that is making me want to whine and moan...be right...make someone else wrong, be superior because "I" (the ego) can see the wrongness of something that the "other" in their inferior state can't see.
Being aware, according to Tolle, disempowers the ego, and I'm finding this to be true...because once I understood my motivation for complaining...I do it less...and for shorter sessions at a time...I'm still doing it...but knowing why I'm doing it, makes it easier to stop the force of it.
Is motivated by need to stand out, be special, be in control, need for power and attention. haha...the being special thing is ALSO one of my favorite pastimes. I derive so much "self" from being the only black person among my friends, that I actually feel resentful of other black people we meet! There, I've said it! I'm special, I stand out and I'm one of a kind, unique, by virtue of my race...as long as I'm the only black person around...I didn't realize I had it this bad until recently. It's all very sad really.
I think that my sense of style has also developed largely out of the need to stand out and be special...*biting nails* tragic!
And again, my only powerful action, is being aware of the resentment and the need to be special...when it is in play. I find that recognizing those feelings makes them ebb away faster...
It frightens me so, that I derive self esteem from these fleeting unstable things...
Is characterized by feelings of bitterness, indignation, irritation, impatience, jealousy, envy, boredom, discontent, fear, anxiety, unhappiness, entitlement, rightness.... So what to do when one experiences those feelings? Become aware of the feelings in you...instead of becoming the feelings. Now this is a concept that is hard to explain...but really becoming aware, that e.g. "ok...now I'm feeling unhappy"...removes you from the trance called utter unhappiness...make sense? Sometimes when I'm unconsciously unhappy...I'm completely lost in the emotion, and thus unable to do anything about it, I become blind to everything but my unhappiness. Awareness of the negative state brings about a certain perspective, I find, that allows for powerful action towards changing the state. I find, that I become aware of the negative feelings in me, I'm more empowered to move out of the negative state...it's as if I'm looking down on the feelings and doing something about them from a different platform....sometimes I'll just be aware...and not be able to do anything else but be aware of them.
My understanding now, is that the ego gives us a false sense of "self" derived from the above things and states and many other passing unstable forms and states that I have not covered here...the true self and realization is, believe or not, that "We are"...basta. No more no less. Understanding this is key in living a happy life.
There's lots more about the ego....cant fit it all here...I recommend finding literature on the subject...Tolle might not be everyone's cup of tea...I personally find his teachings easy to digest and follow...but there are other teachings out there that cover the subject.
Tolle's words:
"The ego isn't wrong, it's just unconscious. When you observe the ego in yourself, you are beginning to go beyond it. Don't take the ego too seriously. When you detect egoic behaviour in yourself, smile."
But to detect it, you must know it. Get to know your ego, folks :-)
As it is, sayings such as the one below, and my parting words...are beginning to make more sense to me.
Reality alone exists - and that we are. All the rest is only a dream, a dream of the One Mind, which is our mind without the 'our'. Is it so hard to accept? Is it so difficult to assimilate and to live? - Why Lazurus Laughed by Wei Wu Wei -
Wohooo Deutschland gewonnen!
Posted: June 20, 2008, 4:17 am by gal africana
I just experienced the funnest (in retrospect), most exhilarating, nerve wracking 4 minutes of my life! Those last moments of that game, with Portugal having 99.9% possession , (felt bloody well like it!) were HELL!
Absolutely fantastic game! And now my second team is in the semi finals! Yeah Baby! I will be praying for and visualizing their win from this moment on!
The new ruling men in my life:Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose
:-)!!!
Rooting for my third team: Croatia, tomorrow!!!! -
My first meme ever!!!!
Posted: June 16, 2008, 2:28 pm by gal africana
Thanks to tDA.
Eight Things for Which I Have a Passion
Friendship
Molecular Biology
Fashion and Design (Interior Design)
Reading
Dancing
Spirituality
Having fun and being happy and sharing that joy/fun
Practicing the spirit of abundance
Eight Things I’d Like to do Before I Die(this a bit like my bucket list, I'm getting carried away here though...)
Travel to Japan and China and now one of the Indonesian Islands…preferably a remote one.
Own my own clothing and shoe line
Contribute to HIV and MS research
Own and have my whole family living in their own homes (I come from a small family)
Win a salsa competition (wohoooo)
Own the latest S class Mercedes
Use my life to inspire others
Own a small world class art deco hotel in Kenya (corr! We’re getting ambitious!)
Eight Things I Say a Lot
(sometimes I’ll say all eight in one go)
Noooo
Really?
Seriously?
Really? Seriously?
mmmmm…
Er…..
Er….seriously? dude!
Oh fuck!
Eight/Ten Paper Back and Audio Books I Have Read/Heard RecentlyEat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert ( have already blogged about this one)
In Sheep’s Clothing by George K. Simon and Stalking the Soul by Marie-France Hirigoyen (great book on how to deal with manipulating people)
Why Men Marry Bitches by Sherry Argov (blame JKA bookshop, it was either that or some safari book full of animal pics ;-{, having said that, I quite enjoyed the book and would recommend it ;-) perfect funny read for an eight hour flight. It's also quite fun to get people to notice the name of the book and watch their reactions...had to hide it though when I transited in Brussels and ended up sitting opposite some Nigerian guys...one of them had already tried to pick me up at security...right in the middle of me taking off my boots!!!)
Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins (Brilliant teachings…gets one to think and act bigger and better…and is not part of the “I’ll crash everyone who stands in my way” school of thought that is advocated in society)
Get the Edge by Anthony Robbins (Loving this too, everyday wisdom, designed to make one live a more conscious and fulfilling lfie)
The Verbally Abusive Relationship by Patricia Evans (Great book for women coming out of verbally/emotionally abusive relationships)
Nothing bad ever happens in tifanny's, Under the Duvet and Further Under the Duvet by Marian Keyes Oh the humor in these books is to die for! I'm not an incarnate Marian Keyes fan, but these three books are actually a chronicle of her life and I just love her journalistic style in these books...she had me laughing so hard that I was always falling off chairs on the train/bus, had to eventually stop reading the fecking books in public.
Eight Movies I Have Seen Eight Times(seen almost eight times…eight times is a LOT!)
Pretty Woman
Shawshank redemption
How to lose a guy in 10 days
Pride and prejudice
Lord of the rings
The Matrix
The Last Boyscout
Crash
Eight/Three People Who Should Do This Meme(you’re the only other bloggers I know who haven’t been tagged yet. So humor me ;-))
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The Peaceful Warrior
Posted: June 12, 2008, 6:53 pm by gal africana
This perfectly brilliant movie (in my opinion) is based on Dan Millmans book "The peaceful warriors way". I will be getting the book asap.
There's a really spooky (in a nice way) story about how I ended up watching it....It was recommended to me by tDA (loving the acronym btw :-) ) after I left a comment on his blog...Thing is he hasn't watched the movie but thought I'd like it anyway...and whadayaknow...I DO!
I'm at a turning point in my life, a huge one, and I've been asking some huuuuuge questions which, as I've alluded to before, are being answered in a manner of different ways. This movie is a bucket full of answers for me....so tDA you've officially become one of the channels through which the universe/life is answering me! Thank you and (at the risk of seeming all frufru) thank you universe/life!
So this is what the bucket is full of....these marvelous inspiring words...:
Take out the trash! The trash is any thoughts that are keeping you from the only thing that matters, this moment, here, now. And when you truly are in the here, now, you'll be amazed what you can do and how well you can do it. (this message is coming to me from all over the place now...so this is my purpose for now...)
Life's three rules
paradox: life is a mystery, don't waste time trying to figure it out.
humor: keep your sense of humor, especially about yourself, it is a strength beyond all measure.
change: nothing stays the same.
Death isn't sad, the sad thing is that most people don't live at all.
The people that are the hardest to love are the ones that need it the most. (this is a toughie)
Every action has it's price and pleasure. Knowing both sides, a warrior becomes realistic and responsible for his actions.
A warrior acts, only a fool reacts.
Knowledge is not the same as wisdom, wisdom is doing!
My three favorite ones:
The first realization of a warrior is not knowing.
A warrior is about absolute vulnerability.
There are no ordinary moments!!! (none! every single moment is magical and only here now....)
Be inspired folks :-)
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you...
Posted: June 12, 2008, 3:28 am by gal africana
have me
tumbling
messily tortuously endlessly
over this granite rocky scarp
when i fight
when i don't
I'm tumbling
over soft silky velvet
embraced, caressed
only to land
in your arms
where I adore you
with my eyes and heart
and want
for nothing. -
hebu pack your viragos my dear
Posted: June 11, 2008, 10:26 pm by gal africana
because
we've sat in this place for too long
time to get the move on
from this
shame
fear
guilt
cant you see?
everything working perfect gal
it's time to go!
the sun is shining
the birds are calling
the beach is waiting
go!!!!! -
Same same
Posted: June 10, 2008, 3:31 pm by gal africana
I just finished "Eat pray love" by Elizabeth Gilbert and in true gal style, I'm raving about it. I've written about the book before, but at the time I was having a hard time picking out an excerpt that I really really liked and was loving the whole book equally.
However, in the book I have encountered things/ideas that I will take away with me and hold closely to my heart...like little gold trinket gifts. I personally enjoy the idea of having a favorite word, in any language one prefers.
Mine is "beautiful/beauty" and not only in the physical sense but on metaphysical, spiritual level as well and with the full acceptance that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder...and appreciating that by being curious about others perception of beauty...so that i not only enjoy that which I, in my limited knowledge, deem as beautiful, but that I can see beauty through the eyes of others.
My favorite character in the book is Ketut Leyir, the medicine man from Bali. I love the idea of this ageless, toothless gentle wise man, and loved what he had to say...reading about him was like having my very own wise medicine man in my room...
My favorite excerpt:
Ketut on meditating into several planes of consciousness and ending up in heaven.
"Liz: Have you ever been to heaven , Ketut?
He smiled. Of course he has been there.
Liz: what was it like?
Ketut: Beautiful. Everything beautiful is there. Every person beautiful is there. Everything beautiful to eat is there. Everything is love there. Heaven is love.
........
Liz: Have you ever been to hell?
He smiled. Of course he has been there.
Liz: what was it like?
Ketut: Same like heaven. Universe is a circle Liss. To up, to down...all same, at end.
Liz: Then how can you tell the difference between heaven and hell?
Ketut: Because of how you go. Heaven you go up, through seven happy places. Hell you go down through seven sad places. This is why it is better for you to go up Liss.
Liz: You mean you might as well spend your life going upward through the happy places, since heaven and hell, the destinations, are the same?
Ketut: Same-same. Same in end, so better to be happy on journey."
Better to be happy on the journey folks.
Oh there is so much more, so little space....if you do decide to read the book...come back and tell me about it :-) -
The beep line
Posted: June 10, 2008, 5:13 am by gal africana
closing in
and then for a while, not
the resistance
increasing in ohmic strength
gradually
now the shrill screams
impossible to hear
excruciatingly loud
tearing bloody
I don't know
I really want to know
quietly, violently, I cant
beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep
.
...beep...beep...beep
Rebirth? -
Nogen gange
Posted: June 7, 2008, 12:09 pm by gal africana
Synes jeg at jeg er en lille sjov fætter.
Det synes jeg bare.
Det var bare det jeg vil sige. -
I don't know what I'm doiiiiing...
Posted: June 6, 2008, 8:41 am by gal africana
But as far as the UEFA 2008 championships are concerned, I'm a Czech. Yup...after careful :-P deliberation, that's my team (and no! the deliberations did not include the thought of cute men in shorts...for once...besides I'm very loyal to Beckham..uh...wait...was.....was very loyal...I'm going to need to find a replacement...oh what a delightful task I have ahead of me...hihi). This is all thanks to SK (a German girlfriend) who'se decided to go football mad and introduce all her friends to the delightful game.
My introduction included the words "2 goals....one ball...11 men score here and the other 11..score there" with me interjecting..."goal...as in?" "ball! as in?"..."score?". Seriously, every one of those words has another meaning that in my head makes lots of sense...funny sense! The guys walking behind us and listening in on our conversation were very amused!
Now as for the cute Beckham replacement..... -
More Eckhart Tolle
Posted: June 5, 2008, 7:46 am by gal africana
Oh I cant get enough of Tolle's teachings about "practicing the now". I've only watched the first part of this interview and I've come away with something beautiful.
He talks of how practicing the power of now can empower our relationships because we learn to be the space for others to be.
By learning to be consciously present in the now we let others be as we allow and accept them as they are in the present moment, without labeling them, judging them, trying to change them, without being lost in our heads preparing what we are going to say next or impatiently waiting to get a word in.
I've been able to do this a couple of times...shutting off my thought processes when I'm with others and choosing to consciously be part of their experience, and I've found that people have reacted by being more open with me. I'm only scared that this more serene person is a far cry from the noisy chatty person I usually am...and maybe a tad more boring?
But I like allowing others to be and not perceiving them through the mental noise of all my pointless thoughts...it feels true and loving. -
He said...
Posted: June 4, 2008, 8:39 pm by gal africana
I have a very good Ugandan friend who says the most unbelievably hilarious things! In my opinion. I find it quite refreshing to talk about relationships with platonic guy friends...the perspective is so freakingly different from the way women see things, sometimes I wonder how relationships work AT ALL.
Mo', as I call him, gave me some insight on what he thinks of danish women:
"It's like when you see a great toy in a toyshop. You buy it, get home excited...play with it for a while...and discover that it's not all you thought it was...so you start looking for the extra features (he's now mimicking this act of looking for the extras by flicking he's phone this way and that way, ends up giving up and looks at me with a slight shrug)...."
I was DYING of laughter!
Then we got to talking about a good friend of his, who is dating an Indian girl. Mo actually thinks the relationship is one of the best he's seen to date...but this is what he says about his friend:
Mo: I genuinely believe he is happy, but deep down I know that he is not
Me: Er???? WHAT?
Mo: He just doesn't know he's not happy
Me: So then he's happy?
Mo: Yeahhh...you could say so....it's a bit like what Rumsfeld said "There are known knowns. There are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we now know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don’t know."
Me: (raising one eyebrow and thinking....righhhhhht) LMAO!
I had a great time. Tx Mo!!!! This one's for you! x
Blah blah blah
Fish cakes
Alas a fish cake.
Yet more fish cakes
Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.
The end of the fish cakes
