How many times has this happened you today?
You settle down and you feel really relaxed. Slightly tired maybe. You close your eyes. You drift off into a deep and satisfying sleep. Dreaming perhaps. Perhaps not.
And when you open your eyes at the end of this slumber, you sit up, thinking you're in your bed and its morning. A second later and your brain has engaged itself. Its not the morning, its 6.15pm. And you are on the couch after a 15min snooze, not in your bed after a 6 hour sleep.
To answer the question I posed of you earlier, it happened to me once today.
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Manhandling My Card
Im really pretty tired folks. But I promised myself that I'd write something on this thing every day. Some manner of garbage. So as I fight to keep my eyelids from drooping......I'll tell you a small story
Was in the supermarket earlier. Buying milk. And a cake thing. Got to the checkout. I stick my card in the device. It makes a beeping noise. And then something happened which made me feel almost violated.....
The thick-fingered cashier put her grubby fingers on my card, shook it from side to side (so that it bent a bit) and then ripped it out. She treated it like it was some inanimate object. Which it was of course! It was only my debit card....but I felt really personal about it. She then slammed it back in the machine. If my little delicate card had cracked then I would have shed a tear. I know it was over-sensitive of me to care so deeply but still. A little bit of caution wouldn't go amiss.
So thats when I said to her.....
"Watch it sausage fingers, thats my card you've got there. Be a little more gentle with it will you. Its not indestructible you know, you know you cant just...."
And I whined on like this for a while more and she stared at me coldly, chewing her chewing gum.
And then I left.
And now im tired.
Til Next Time
Keep Rambling
mr chux
Was in the supermarket earlier. Buying milk. And a cake thing. Got to the checkout. I stick my card in the device. It makes a beeping noise. And then something happened which made me feel almost violated.....
The thick-fingered cashier put her grubby fingers on my card, shook it from side to side (so that it bent a bit) and then ripped it out. She treated it like it was some inanimate object. Which it was of course! It was only my debit card....but I felt really personal about it. She then slammed it back in the machine. If my little delicate card had cracked then I would have shed a tear. I know it was over-sensitive of me to care so deeply but still. A little bit of caution wouldn't go amiss.
So thats when I said to her.....
"Watch it sausage fingers, thats my card you've got there. Be a little more gentle with it will you. Its not indestructible you know, you know you cant just...."
And I whined on like this for a while more and she stared at me coldly, chewing her chewing gum.
And then I left.
And now im tired.
Til Next Time
Keep Rambling
mr chux
Monday, 8 December 2008
Playground Fighting
There was a time not so long ago when I went to school. And, although not a violent pesron by nature, I do vividly remember the nervous excitement which resonated around the playground as a couple of pupils slugged it out in a fight.
I remember one particular occasion when the "two best fighters" at my school got into a conflict. These two were widely regarded as the most fierce and brutal of street-fighters in the whole school. I shall call them Bob and Tom (I prefer to keep their identities anonymous, if you please). Bob and Tom had a mutual respect for each other.
They were cut from the same cloth. They bullied younger kids, stole their lunch money only to gamble it all away. These kids were only 11 or 12, Im not claiming that they killed anyone. No, they left that for their late teenage years....
Bob and Tom seemed to operate in different territories. Like big commercial giants, they seemed to have a memorandum of understanding that their business dealings should not cross. And thus for all of my time at school these two ne'erdowells occupied parallel universes of chaos.
Until the fateful day of which I have begun to describe. Sadly I cannot recall the precise cause for the fight. But much like the Israeli-Palestine conflict, the underlying roots are masked in subplots and counter-accusations and in the end no one is sure how it all began.
Suffice it to say that it did begin somehow. "Bob and Tom are fighting!" was the shout from the crowds. And everyone, from those who abhorred the very idea of fighting to blood-thirsty boxing veterans, they all ran to see the show. There were so many pupils encircling the two fighters, about 7 rows of spectators, it made it hard to see anything. No one really took sides in this contest, both were despised equally.
Like all good things in life, it was over way too quickly. In a flash there were teachers everywhere, dispersing the crowds. Bob and Tom were led away to the Headmaster to explain themselves. Classrooms all over school were filled with gossip and talk of the great fight. Some people claimed to have seen it all and were later found out as liars. Some speculated as to the cause and others gave their views on who had won.
In the end it was undecided as to who was the Best Fighter in the school. But some of us realised that we like a good fight now and again. A little injection of excitement into an otherwise mundane day at school.
Thats what I'm talking about.
mr chux
I remember one particular occasion when the "two best fighters" at my school got into a conflict. These two were widely regarded as the most fierce and brutal of street-fighters in the whole school. I shall call them Bob and Tom (I prefer to keep their identities anonymous, if you please). Bob and Tom had a mutual respect for each other.
They were cut from the same cloth. They bullied younger kids, stole their lunch money only to gamble it all away. These kids were only 11 or 12, Im not claiming that they killed anyone. No, they left that for their late teenage years....
Bob and Tom seemed to operate in different territories. Like big commercial giants, they seemed to have a memorandum of understanding that their business dealings should not cross. And thus for all of my time at school these two ne'erdowells occupied parallel universes of chaos.
Until the fateful day of which I have begun to describe. Sadly I cannot recall the precise cause for the fight. But much like the Israeli-Palestine conflict, the underlying roots are masked in subplots and counter-accusations and in the end no one is sure how it all began.
Suffice it to say that it did begin somehow. "Bob and Tom are fighting!" was the shout from the crowds. And everyone, from those who abhorred the very idea of fighting to blood-thirsty boxing veterans, they all ran to see the show. There were so many pupils encircling the two fighters, about 7 rows of spectators, it made it hard to see anything. No one really took sides in this contest, both were despised equally.
Like all good things in life, it was over way too quickly. In a flash there were teachers everywhere, dispersing the crowds. Bob and Tom were led away to the Headmaster to explain themselves. Classrooms all over school were filled with gossip and talk of the great fight. Some people claimed to have seen it all and were later found out as liars. Some speculated as to the cause and others gave their views on who had won.
In the end it was undecided as to who was the Best Fighter in the school. But some of us realised that we like a good fight now and again. A little injection of excitement into an otherwise mundane day at school.
Thats what I'm talking about.
mr chux
Sunday, 7 December 2008
The Miserable Quotient (MQ)
Can I just say something here? I'll be as brief as I can?
Thanks.
What it is, is this. Have you noticed that some people are just miserable, pure and simple. Not in the sense that they dont spend any money but miserable in the sense that nothing excites, enthuses or enthralls them? They have a pessimistic outlook on life which, if one is not careful, can be passed on to others like an infection. Not only are they themselves miserable but they glean some satisfaction from invoking similar sentiments in others.
Let me explain.
Everyone and anyone is expected to be a bit moody from time to time. Its only natural. And some people are unfortunate enough to suffer from illness which blunts their outlook on life. But leavning these considerations aside, there is a healthy level of misery out there in the world. From people with families and/or lovely partners and great jobs. So much indifference and a lack of joy! There are people who, if placed on a Carribean island with the people of their choice would soon complain about the sand itching their feet. Who don't ever appreciate what they've got until its gone. And even when it is gone they are too busy moaning and being miserable to realise.
Dont get me wrong, I have been miserable in the past. But I cannot help to think there is some law of nature, some physical principle which states that The Miserable Quotient (MQ) must out balance The Optimistic Quotient (OQ) by a factor of ten. The level of misery in a given system must be ten times that of joy, else we all die of happiness.
Impatient shoppers in queues, moaning about things which cannot be controlled. People who perpetually moan about the weather. The weather!!!! Good god of Thunder! Wear a jacket, buy an umbrella, stay indoors! Far be it from me to sound sanctimonious, but you all have a house to go to, you're not living in a mudhut or sheltering under a bridge this evening.
Sports fans, who base their affect soley it seems on the outcome of a commercialised sporting contest. Whose whole weeks are rendered sad and blue if their team loses at the weekend. Get a grip lads. Yes, I have felt the tinges of pain and agony when my team has lost. But it is nothing more than a fleeting moment. Monday morning and my emotional being is restored to its former self. And this doesn't make me a proper fan you say? What garbage say I. Moreover, wallowing in self-pity will not in any way affect the result of the game.
So what am I trying to say here, what is the crux of my rambling?
Im trying to say - okay - there are times when we feel down, down in the dumps. But take stock to analyse if the cause of this downturn is of great importance. Take solace in some close friends. But dont be one of these people who seeks to bring others down to their own level of indifference and emotional emptiness. Dont be the child on Christmas Day who opens their present in front of excited parents only to grimace and complain that this was not what they wanted.
I have a message for you miserable people out there. I am pumping up the joy stereo today, blasting out the feel-good tunes. The MQ is going to take a nose dive folks, check it out on the global stock markets. And dont be superficially optimistic. Dont pretend to be happy when you're not. Cause the genuine joy-givers can see right through that.
I think Ive said what I want to say.
Til Next Time
Keep Rambling
mr chux
Thanks.
What it is, is this. Have you noticed that some people are just miserable, pure and simple. Not in the sense that they dont spend any money but miserable in the sense that nothing excites, enthuses or enthralls them? They have a pessimistic outlook on life which, if one is not careful, can be passed on to others like an infection. Not only are they themselves miserable but they glean some satisfaction from invoking similar sentiments in others.
Let me explain.
Everyone and anyone is expected to be a bit moody from time to time. Its only natural. And some people are unfortunate enough to suffer from illness which blunts their outlook on life. But leavning these considerations aside, there is a healthy level of misery out there in the world. From people with families and/or lovely partners and great jobs. So much indifference and a lack of joy! There are people who, if placed on a Carribean island with the people of their choice would soon complain about the sand itching their feet. Who don't ever appreciate what they've got until its gone. And even when it is gone they are too busy moaning and being miserable to realise.
Dont get me wrong, I have been miserable in the past. But I cannot help to think there is some law of nature, some physical principle which states that The Miserable Quotient (MQ) must out balance The Optimistic Quotient (OQ) by a factor of ten. The level of misery in a given system must be ten times that of joy, else we all die of happiness.
Impatient shoppers in queues, moaning about things which cannot be controlled. People who perpetually moan about the weather. The weather!!!! Good god of Thunder! Wear a jacket, buy an umbrella, stay indoors! Far be it from me to sound sanctimonious, but you all have a house to go to, you're not living in a mudhut or sheltering under a bridge this evening.
Sports fans, who base their affect soley it seems on the outcome of a commercialised sporting contest. Whose whole weeks are rendered sad and blue if their team loses at the weekend. Get a grip lads. Yes, I have felt the tinges of pain and agony when my team has lost. But it is nothing more than a fleeting moment. Monday morning and my emotional being is restored to its former self. And this doesn't make me a proper fan you say? What garbage say I. Moreover, wallowing in self-pity will not in any way affect the result of the game.
So what am I trying to say here, what is the crux of my rambling?
Im trying to say - okay - there are times when we feel down, down in the dumps. But take stock to analyse if the cause of this downturn is of great importance. Take solace in some close friends. But dont be one of these people who seeks to bring others down to their own level of indifference and emotional emptiness. Dont be the child on Christmas Day who opens their present in front of excited parents only to grimace and complain that this was not what they wanted.
I have a message for you miserable people out there. I am pumping up the joy stereo today, blasting out the feel-good tunes. The MQ is going to take a nose dive folks, check it out on the global stock markets. And dont be superficially optimistic. Dont pretend to be happy when you're not. Cause the genuine joy-givers can see right through that.
I think Ive said what I want to say.
Til Next Time
Keep Rambling
mr chux
Saturday, 6 December 2008
Open Invitation
If you are one of the 2 billion people worldwide who use the internet then this message is for you.
Hi,
Take a seat. Can I get you something to drink? Cup of tea? Glass of mineral water? Here, let me take your jacket, it can get warm in here. Should I turn the heater off? Yeah sure, whatever suits you. I would open the window but the rain splashes on my screen and anyway....
You interrupt me? Ask me to get to the point? How rude?!
Glad that you stumbled upon my page, in all seriousness. I feel like I know you? Didn't you used to go to school in.... Nevermind. We can talk later. I can talk for days. Sometimes without stopping for air. Sometimes I talk to thin air. Where was I? Oh yeah.....
You meandered over to my little part of the global community known as the internet. And if you've read this far you might as well continue, you're one of the good guys. This is my little turf of electronic soapboxing, my place where I spout my wisdom and recycle my garbage. Feel free to comment, to chastise, I welcome the chase.
But for now it is late, I have made my bed and i shall lie in it. But before I do so, i will take a peek around other blogs in this region, maybe say Hi to my neighbours.
Til Next Time
mr chux
Hi,
Take a seat. Can I get you something to drink? Cup of tea? Glass of mineral water? Here, let me take your jacket, it can get warm in here. Should I turn the heater off? Yeah sure, whatever suits you. I would open the window but the rain splashes on my screen and anyway....
You interrupt me? Ask me to get to the point? How rude?!
Glad that you stumbled upon my page, in all seriousness. I feel like I know you? Didn't you used to go to school in.... Nevermind. We can talk later. I can talk for days. Sometimes without stopping for air. Sometimes I talk to thin air. Where was I? Oh yeah.....
You meandered over to my little part of the global community known as the internet. And if you've read this far you might as well continue, you're one of the good guys. This is my little turf of electronic soapboxing, my place where I spout my wisdom and recycle my garbage. Feel free to comment, to chastise, I welcome the chase.
But for now it is late, I have made my bed and i shall lie in it. But before I do so, i will take a peek around other blogs in this region, maybe say Hi to my neighbours.
Til Next Time
mr chux
Debut Typings
Im a great believer in the spontaneous.
Combustion.
Engines.
You know, when things just flow.
I cant type so much in this, my debut posting in my new online venture. My hands are covered in crisps, my mind is distracted by loud but entertaining music. I write this only to see how it appears on the page, is it to my liking?
Hope to see more of you.
Til Next Time
mr chux
Combustion.
Engines.
You know, when things just flow.
I cant type so much in this, my debut posting in my new online venture. My hands are covered in crisps, my mind is distracted by loud but entertaining music. I write this only to see how it appears on the page, is it to my liking?
Hope to see more of you.
Til Next Time
mr chux
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