Major wars generally happen every 80 years.
It's not time that is relevant. It's the people.
Time doesn't click that way. People do.
Time does not exist. It is an illusion people created to bring structure to their existence.
Here's why wars have to happen every 80 years.
A generation is defined by a group of people born roughly within a twenty year period. It takes four generations to completely forget the problems of its 80 year old predecessors.
We raise our kids the way we wanted our parents to raise us. We fix the deficiencies of the past and thus create new ones unknowingly.
These deficiencies repeat themselves every four generations. It's like the earth needs 365.25 turns before it completes one cycle around the sun.
We need four generations to return to our starting point as a civilization.
In Strauss-Howe's book "Fourth Turning", the authors demonstrate how every major crisis was started when a "Hero" generation comes of age.
The hero generation hasn't been seen since they fought the Nazis.
Heros have re-emerged in the millennial generation.
Why can Donald Trump win the US election?
He offered in the last election and nobody took him serious.
His message is as obnoxious as her hairdo. His arrogance hasn't subdued. He promises the exact same things as he did four years ago.
But this time, people are listening.
Some might think that everyone's tired of the same old political rhetoric.
Trump might be considered a breath of fresh air that way.
Four years ago, the hero generation wasn't ready to influence the rest of the population.
Now they are. Some of them are 33 years old.
The Hero generation is biting at the bit to get into a fight. They don't want to talk about fixing the world like their "Nomad" parents did before them.
They are going to fix it.
North America is about to go through a major crisis. Nothing like it has never seen in 80 years.
The Heros are lining up.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Friday, November 27, 2015
Musing of a troubled mind
The harder I try, the harder it gets.
The faster I run, the farther I move away from my goal.
I don't know if this makes any sense, but everything I was taught about trying might be wrong. Remember when we were younger, our teachers would encourage us by saying, "You just need to try harder".
Yoda says there is no try, just do.
I know what I want.
I've been sending mixed messages.
Because I'm in conflict with what I want and what I need to do.
Does anyone else out there ever feel like they are settling in order to get what they need.
I don't believe strong enough that everything will be ok without total effort.
I have tried to believe before without result.
There I go again, using that messy "T" word.
Once in my life, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted. I chased it until I got it. It took me 22 months to get it. The lesson I learned was persistence was the key to achievement. Interestingly enough, the thing I got wasn't what I wanted. I sold it after 7 years only to put me in the exact position I was 10 years ago.
Am I going crazy?
I don't think anything comes easy. I think challenges are God's way of asking us if we are serious about our wishes.
Challenges are a person's way to self-select out of an opportunity.
I do this all the time with people who want to work with me.
Why wouldn't God use the same strategy on me?
I don't want to survive. Anyone can do that.
I want to thrive.
I want to leave something on this earth after I die.
My wife thinks my desire is primal. She thinks our inability to have biological children drives my fire to create something else.
Could it be that an inability to plant a seed drives a desire to make something else remarkable?
Awesome Aline is smart in the way of these things.
I think she's right.
The faster I run, the farther I move away from my goal.
I don't know if this makes any sense, but everything I was taught about trying might be wrong. Remember when we were younger, our teachers would encourage us by saying, "You just need to try harder".
Yoda says there is no try, just do.
I know what I want.
I've been sending mixed messages.
Because I'm in conflict with what I want and what I need to do.
Does anyone else out there ever feel like they are settling in order to get what they need.
I don't believe strong enough that everything will be ok without total effort.
I have tried to believe before without result.
There I go again, using that messy "T" word.
Once in my life, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted. I chased it until I got it. It took me 22 months to get it. The lesson I learned was persistence was the key to achievement. Interestingly enough, the thing I got wasn't what I wanted. I sold it after 7 years only to put me in the exact position I was 10 years ago.
Am I going crazy?
I don't think anything comes easy. I think challenges are God's way of asking us if we are serious about our wishes.
Challenges are a person's way to self-select out of an opportunity.
I do this all the time with people who want to work with me.
Why wouldn't God use the same strategy on me?
I don't want to survive. Anyone can do that.
I want to thrive.
I want to leave something on this earth after I die.
My wife thinks my desire is primal. She thinks our inability to have biological children drives my fire to create something else.
Could it be that an inability to plant a seed drives a desire to make something else remarkable?
Awesome Aline is smart in the way of these things.
I think she's right.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Funny-Weird or Funny-Haha
I sit here and I write about my cat walking by my sofa. He's a funny kitty. Actually he's not that funny. He's never once told me a joke.
He's funny-weird, not funny-haha.
We're all a bit weird, don't ya think?
It's our weirdness that makes us unique.
It's our weirdness that embarrasses our kids.
I remember a moment when I was embarrassed of my parents. I was 13. I was invited to my first house party. My parents dropped me off at the end of the street at my request so none of my friends would see them. But little did I know, there were three girls walking on the other side of the street when my dad stopped. They were going to the same party. I was frozen with fear. My dad always did shit to get a laugh out of people.
They all said hi to my parents. Dad pulled out his comedy routine and the girls giggled. Not sure if they giggled because of the awkardness or if they actually thought he was funny.
Now that I'm older, I've come to appreciate him much more. He is funny. The stupid teenager in me couldn't see that past his hormones.
That's too bad! It was a waste of good times between father and son.
I'm traumatizing my kids today doing the same stupid shit my dad pulled on me.
I think I'm funny.
They don't.
I hope one day they do.
Am I funny-weird or funny-haha?
Who knows for sure?
He's funny-weird, not funny-haha.
We're all a bit weird, don't ya think?
It's our weirdness that makes us unique.
It's our weirdness that embarrasses our kids.
I remember a moment when I was embarrassed of my parents. I was 13. I was invited to my first house party. My parents dropped me off at the end of the street at my request so none of my friends would see them. But little did I know, there were three girls walking on the other side of the street when my dad stopped. They were going to the same party. I was frozen with fear. My dad always did shit to get a laugh out of people.
They all said hi to my parents. Dad pulled out his comedy routine and the girls giggled. Not sure if they giggled because of the awkardness or if they actually thought he was funny.
Now that I'm older, I've come to appreciate him much more. He is funny. The stupid teenager in me couldn't see that past his hormones.
That's too bad! It was a waste of good times between father and son.
I'm traumatizing my kids today doing the same stupid shit my dad pulled on me.
I think I'm funny.
They don't.
I hope one day they do.
Am I funny-weird or funny-haha?
Who knows for sure?
Monday, November 23, 2015
The meeting of a lifetime
Anyone who meets me for the first time will think I'm shy. I tend to listen and not speak.
Confidence is not a skill I lack.
Except when it came to courting girls in my youth.
I got around the problem with alcohol. Large doses of it...
Except when it came to one specific girl.
We worked together. I walked by her everyday at the front desk and hurriedly whispered "hello" on the way to my cubicle. She was pretty, but I did not know her.
My friends told me great stories about her.
She was out of my "league".
My two best friends wanted to go camping. They were living together so any camping was going to end up with them getting cuddly, while I sat coldly on the other side of the campfire. Having been down the third wheel path with them before, I declined the invitation unless we brought another person, preferably female.
They invited the front desk girl, who immediately accepted. Intimidated by her beauty, I asked my friend to drive with me while his girlfriend and the front desk girl drove in a separate car.
We arrived at the campground, laughed, joked, played some stupid games and drank. We had two tents: one for the lovebirds and one for me and the front desk girl. That's a lot of pressure for two strangers. So we drank and talked while the lovebirds expectedly cuddled on the other side of the campfire.
I was nervous. I drank a bit too much. Yet I remained a gentleman. My mom would've been so proud. Once we got back to the tent, I curled into my sleeping bag at farthest side of the tent so as not to offend or scare off my new roommate. As I slowly slipped into sleep, I noticed my companion didn't have a pillow. With a pillow and an extra blanket, I offered her mine. At first she refused, but once she realized I wasn't going to take "no" for an answer, she took it. I didn't need the benefit of a pillow. The alcohol helped soothed me into a dreamy sleep with the extra blanket nestled beneath my head.
That night sparked a friendship. Although she smelled like other girls, she was different.
A few weeks later, she called me to go see a movie. It still sounded like a friendship, but other "girl" friends had never done that.
At the moves, she asked if I wanted to play tennis sometime. After tennis, he asked if I wanted go to dinner sometime.
I think about that time and wonder what I was thinking. She clearly liked me. But history tells a story the present does not always know.
In each moment, it wasn't clear if the front desk girl wanted a friend or a boyfriend. So as much as I was really enjoying her company, I played it cool. I had been down the confusing road of friend versus boyfriend before. I was happy to have a new friend and didn't want to ruin a good thing by pushing the wrong buttons.
So in my non-aggressive way, the front desk girl wasn't sure if I was interested in her.
I invited her over to watch a movie at my apartment. I popped in a movie starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. I had no idea what "Bridges of Madison County" was about. About ten minutes into the movie, I rubbed I my elbow. I played a lot of softball that summer and tendonitis had crept into my right elbow.
The front desk girl offered to rub it for me.
Boom! Now I knew she liked me.
You never have to sell to someone who is willing to buy.
She started to rub my sore elbow and leaned in for a magical touch of the lips. She leaned in and I'm sure someone started playing a harp in the room.
Our first kiss was in a basement apartment watching a movie about a middle aged woman's internal struggle of loyalty versus adultery.
Two months later I proposed marriage to the front desk girl.
Two years after that, I married the girl of my dreams.
The little front desk girl is not only my wife, she's also my business partner, the mother of my children and to this day my best friend.
Who would've known that a whispered hello would result into a lifetime of meaning?
Confidence is not a skill I lack.
Except when it came to courting girls in my youth.
I got around the problem with alcohol. Large doses of it...
Except when it came to one specific girl.
We worked together. I walked by her everyday at the front desk and hurriedly whispered "hello" on the way to my cubicle. She was pretty, but I did not know her.
My friends told me great stories about her.
She was out of my "league".
My two best friends wanted to go camping. They were living together so any camping was going to end up with them getting cuddly, while I sat coldly on the other side of the campfire. Having been down the third wheel path with them before, I declined the invitation unless we brought another person, preferably female.
They invited the front desk girl, who immediately accepted. Intimidated by her beauty, I asked my friend to drive with me while his girlfriend and the front desk girl drove in a separate car.
We arrived at the campground, laughed, joked, played some stupid games and drank. We had two tents: one for the lovebirds and one for me and the front desk girl. That's a lot of pressure for two strangers. So we drank and talked while the lovebirds expectedly cuddled on the other side of the campfire.
I was nervous. I drank a bit too much. Yet I remained a gentleman. My mom would've been so proud. Once we got back to the tent, I curled into my sleeping bag at farthest side of the tent so as not to offend or scare off my new roommate. As I slowly slipped into sleep, I noticed my companion didn't have a pillow. With a pillow and an extra blanket, I offered her mine. At first she refused, but once she realized I wasn't going to take "no" for an answer, she took it. I didn't need the benefit of a pillow. The alcohol helped soothed me into a dreamy sleep with the extra blanket nestled beneath my head.
That night sparked a friendship. Although she smelled like other girls, she was different.
A few weeks later, she called me to go see a movie. It still sounded like a friendship, but other "girl" friends had never done that.
At the moves, she asked if I wanted to play tennis sometime. After tennis, he asked if I wanted go to dinner sometime.
I think about that time and wonder what I was thinking. She clearly liked me. But history tells a story the present does not always know.
In each moment, it wasn't clear if the front desk girl wanted a friend or a boyfriend. So as much as I was really enjoying her company, I played it cool. I had been down the confusing road of friend versus boyfriend before. I was happy to have a new friend and didn't want to ruin a good thing by pushing the wrong buttons.
So in my non-aggressive way, the front desk girl wasn't sure if I was interested in her.
I invited her over to watch a movie at my apartment. I popped in a movie starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. I had no idea what "Bridges of Madison County" was about. About ten minutes into the movie, I rubbed I my elbow. I played a lot of softball that summer and tendonitis had crept into my right elbow.
The front desk girl offered to rub it for me.
Boom! Now I knew she liked me.
You never have to sell to someone who is willing to buy.
She started to rub my sore elbow and leaned in for a magical touch of the lips. She leaned in and I'm sure someone started playing a harp in the room.
Our first kiss was in a basement apartment watching a movie about a middle aged woman's internal struggle of loyalty versus adultery.
Two months later I proposed marriage to the front desk girl.
Two years after that, I married the girl of my dreams.
The little front desk girl is not only my wife, she's also my business partner, the mother of my children and to this day my best friend.
Who would've known that a whispered hello would result into a lifetime of meaning?
Sunday, November 22, 2015
All Nazis were German
Not all Germans were Nazis.
Just like not all white people are Klan members.
There are assholes in every race or religion. I used to have an asshole neighbour. It didn't mean everyone on my street was like him.
And the same goes for Muslims.
To classify an entire group of people into a category based on colour of skin, race or religion is by definition racism.
Why do some of our "so called" friends do this?
They are afraid.
Or, maybe the shroud of their actual beliefs come out when they are stressed. Just like orange juice comes out of an orange when we squeeze it. Maybe some of the people we know are just plain racist.
Fear can cause people to do crazy things.
Do you know what is the opposite of fear?
Faith.
These are crazy times. But we must not be afraid of what "might" happen.
Fear is not given to us. We create it. Terrorist can't create fear. They can only set the stage. Fear has to be manufactured by us. It's an emotion.
To be afraid is our fault. Stop blaming the assholes.
In these trying times, it is now more important than ever to have faith that everything will be ok.
And if it isn't?
Death is inevitable.
If some asshole decides to bomb my house, run me off the road or behead me, I have to accept my fate. But I won't be afraid. I believe the likelihood of it happening is so small. It's not worth the worry. Life too short. I will live until I no longer can't.
I'm not afraid of terrorists. I'm afraid of the people I have known my whole life succumbing to a fear that isn't real.
Paris was a tragedy. Assholes did that. I sympathize with the French.
Kenya happened six months earlier. Assholes were responsible for that too. No one changed their Facebook profile picture in support of the Kenyans who lost their lives.
France is a world economic superpower. Kenya's gift to the world is marathon runners.
People were affected by both terrorism acts.
Brown, Black or white, there are assholes everywhere.
It's time we stop worrying about what could happen. We could die tomorrow. We don't need a terrorist for that.
Just because there are a bunch of assholes in the world doesn't give us the right to increase the population of them.
Put crazy away. There's enough of it already in the world. Let's be more humane to each other.
Just like not all white people are Klan members.
There are assholes in every race or religion. I used to have an asshole neighbour. It didn't mean everyone on my street was like him.
And the same goes for Muslims.
To classify an entire group of people into a category based on colour of skin, race or religion is by definition racism.
Why do some of our "so called" friends do this?
They are afraid.
Or, maybe the shroud of their actual beliefs come out when they are stressed. Just like orange juice comes out of an orange when we squeeze it. Maybe some of the people we know are just plain racist.
Fear can cause people to do crazy things.
Do you know what is the opposite of fear?
Faith.
These are crazy times. But we must not be afraid of what "might" happen.
Fear is not given to us. We create it. Terrorist can't create fear. They can only set the stage. Fear has to be manufactured by us. It's an emotion.
To be afraid is our fault. Stop blaming the assholes.
In these trying times, it is now more important than ever to have faith that everything will be ok.
And if it isn't?
Death is inevitable.
If some asshole decides to bomb my house, run me off the road or behead me, I have to accept my fate. But I won't be afraid. I believe the likelihood of it happening is so small. It's not worth the worry. Life too short. I will live until I no longer can't.
I'm not afraid of terrorists. I'm afraid of the people I have known my whole life succumbing to a fear that isn't real.
Paris was a tragedy. Assholes did that. I sympathize with the French.
Kenya happened six months earlier. Assholes were responsible for that too. No one changed their Facebook profile picture in support of the Kenyans who lost their lives.
France is a world economic superpower. Kenya's gift to the world is marathon runners.
People were affected by both terrorism acts.
Brown, Black or white, there are assholes everywhere.
It's time we stop worrying about what could happen. We could die tomorrow. We don't need a terrorist for that.
Just because there are a bunch of assholes in the world doesn't give us the right to increase the population of them.
Put crazy away. There's enough of it already in the world. Let's be more humane to each other.
Friday, November 20, 2015
The mask
We played together
We laughed at the same jokes
We cried when life looked us in the eye
We drank and were merry
But do you know me
How could you?
I barely know myself
I've been wearing a mask my whole life
Hiding from the world
Hiding from you
Hiding from me
And all I want is escape
The life I live is not my own
It is yours, in which I play a role for you to see
I desire to be free
Like an eagle
Majestic, king of the wind
Living a life of extraordinary luxury
With no consequence
Life is dark
Life is lonely
Life is short
You think you know me.
You know my mask
I wear it well.
We laughed at the same jokes
We cried when life looked us in the eye
We drank and were merry
But do you know me
How could you?
I barely know myself
I've been wearing a mask my whole life
Hiding from the world
Hiding from you
Hiding from me
And all I want is escape
The life I live is not my own
It is yours, in which I play a role for you to see
I desire to be free
Like an eagle
Majestic, king of the wind
Living a life of extraordinary luxury
With no consequence
Life is dark
Life is lonely
Life is short
You think you know me.
You know my mask
I wear it well.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Need vs Want
You can't always have what you want.
But if you try sometimes.
You get what you need.
Balancing life's priorities with life's desires are two different fish.
It's like comparing a brook trout to a tuna.
We do what we need to do in order to get what we want to do.
The responsible adult struggles with this compromise.
We live a life of desires, through a life of necessity.
Compromising individuals find happiness in life's little treasures. Those who will not compromise live a life of misery and bliss. Life's little treasures are found in life's style. And you can't have lifestyle without style.
There is no middle ground. The smart choice is compromise.
But there's a cost to compromise. It cannot be measured through inaction.
The drug of desire pushes the unsettled into action.
The smoke of need hides our true intentions.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I don't know. I'll tell you when I grow up.
But if you try sometimes.
You get what you need.
Balancing life's priorities with life's desires are two different fish.
It's like comparing a brook trout to a tuna.
We do what we need to do in order to get what we want to do.
The responsible adult struggles with this compromise.
We live a life of desires, through a life of necessity.
Compromising individuals find happiness in life's little treasures. Those who will not compromise live a life of misery and bliss. Life's little treasures are found in life's style. And you can't have lifestyle without style.
There is no middle ground. The smart choice is compromise.
But there's a cost to compromise. It cannot be measured through inaction.
The drug of desire pushes the unsettled into action.
The smoke of need hides our true intentions.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I don't know. I'll tell you when I grow up.
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