The Books of the Living

Multicultural gems of wisdom (equals rambling)

2006-10-26T01:14:00.000+03:00

Chinese fortune cookie, made in Germany, thinks that With reflection and sensitivity you surely get to your aim. All truths are simple. Perhaps a Swedish herring could reveal the part about figuring out the aim. Meaning of life cannot be work. Yet it is, for some, not sure how I feel about becoming one of them. Temporary solutions have a tendency to become permanent.

Transhumanism

2006-08-31T17:48:00.000+03:00

I recently attended three lectures at TransVision 2006 conference about Emerging Technologies of Human Enhancement, organized by the World Transhumanist Association. I'm linking here the abstracts from Is Life Extension an Enhancement? and Technological Evolution.

One of the lecturers, Dr. Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D. and a biogerontologist, says there's a chance the first human to live a 1000 years old has already been born. Let us amuse ourselves for a while and consider this. I suspect most will say that would be a catastrophe of overpopulation - which, as you know, is becoming a reality already, regardless of the future possibilities of life extensions. This is an issue humanity will have to resolve one way or another in any case. Even if the first human to live a 1000 years had indeed been born already, it would take some great amount of time before these technologies could be put to use to benefit the rest of the humankind. This in turn gives us a fair amount of time to solve the overpopulation problem, which, and I can't emphasize this enough, we'll have to solve anyway. So why wait till we've got everything figured out - I have faith in the on-going evolution of the creative spirit of the humankind, so to say.

Another lecturer pointed out the concern some seem to have of becoming very bored if having to live that long. "Well", he said, "if life is boring, then certainly death is going to be even more boring!"

I overheard someone at the conference say Finland has the largest amount of WTA (World Transhumanist Association) members in relation to population number. Somehow this wouldn't surprise me. Most Finns I know are extremely enthusiastic regarding questions on life, death, and the possibility to better their lives, keeping ethics in mind. The following is directed to someone dear to me, who just the other day commented how I am not critical about things I get excited about. I believe any scientist in the world who ever made any significant breakthroughs had to first overcome criticism - of their own and of others. It is the brave enthusiastic mind that makes miracles happen.

To see is to believe

2006-07-30T22:36:00.000+03:00

Marking any transition by making a physical change in the environment helps the transition become permanent. Sometimes it's as simple as changing the places of the furniture, which is also great for freeing any energy blocks. The mind believes what it sees, and can thus be visually manipulated. In short: esthetics matter.

Vacation was superb, and although I'm now going back to work, I'll still have all the free time I need for various subjects of interests, such as becoming immortal and hmm, possibly rich.

Lapland

2006-07-23T22:30:00.000+03:00

Did some serious hiking with one of my best friends, as well as on my own. Lots of entertainment provided by...

...drowning in the lakes...

...animal encounters...

...forests so far the eye can see...

...peatlands...

...and much more.

Decoding

2006-06-12T23:12:00.000+03:00

Less knowing, more feeling! is the call of the day. Gladly yet reluctantly I let go of all pretention of knowing, presuming, supposing, predicting, foreseeing, of having any idea on what are my or anyone else's limits - there might be none. I'm starting to believe in the infinite sea of possibilities all humans carry inside of them, infinite shapes and forms they can choose to have. They can become anything they decide to, even if they don't know what exactly have they decided.

When there's not much more left to do, it is time to feel.

Other than that, been watching movies about teens: Teresa Fabik's Hip hip hora about early teens and Larry Clark's Bully about late teens. Such passionate creatures, those teens.

Imperfection is beauty

2006-05-22T01:51:00.000+03:00

Physically looking at things from different angles opens new (event) horizons. My city has such beauty when looked at from roof-level.

As have people, who will forever remain slightly imperfect, regardless of their efforts. These marks of imperfection in looks and characters fascinate me to no end.

Finland, 292 points. Sweet!

Just cruise

2006-05-02T19:59:00.000+03:00

Theme cruises are good fun!

A friend asked what projects regarding self development am I undergoing at the moment. I laughed a little, as it's very true there never seems to be a project-free moment (she's the same). In that rather comatose state of body & mind I thought of two:
1) Cutting down on criticizing a lot (secretly in my mind) - it's only about projecting personal issues to these objects of criticism anyway. Would be more beneficial to face the things that get on the nerves.
2) Coming to terms with permanent unsureness of everything.

And, usually by the time I can communicate thoughts I'm almost done processing them. So new projects ahead then.

Listening to Emmi: One time

The alien within

2006-04-21T23:16:00.000+03:00

I'm trying to solve which are worse and which are better: to feel like an alien, to be considered an alien by others, to erroneously be paranoid about being considered an alien, to be paranoid about feeling like an alien. I'm sure it all has to do with egocentricity.

Nothing a lengthy jog or a workout in the gym can't fix.

The ability for verbal communication is a miraculous advantage. Even a small child can convey the most complex of thoughts with the deepest philosophical content to anyone who speaks the language. Not to forget the important things, such as explicitly (and if necessary, loudly) expressing personal likes and dislikes.

Fuels

2006-04-12T21:43:00.000+03:00

Neste Oil starts selling 98 octane bio petrol Futura 98 next week (the original date April 10 was postponed). The bio component is ethanol, currently imported to Finland from abroad. Lännen Tehtaat is planning to start ethanol production for bio petrol in Säkylä, integrating it with feed industry. According to this news, the alcohol beverage company Altia is considering the same for their factory in Koskenkorva.

Different bio fuels are listed and rated here in the latest issue of Voima.

Meanwhile, I should do something about the bent spokes of my bicycle and buy a helmet. I've heard of friends (and their heads) saved by the helmet, so I figured I might as well stop risking head injuries.

I'm looking forward to a weekend with family, which includes three darling nieces. Would be nice if there'd be some of planet Earth left for them to live on.

Cozy lazy

2006-04-09T23:55:00.000+03:00

Saw Peter Ustinov's Romanoff and Juliet (1956) by the Finn-Brit Players. Lively actors (my favorites being those of Evdokia Romanoff and the Archbishop) and the corny message of love and peace - worked.

"Was Karl Marx ever in love?"

The company of truly dear friends visiting far and near topped the comfortably lazy weekend. My thanks! The weekend was exceptional, too, as on Saturday I got to move around in a car and on Sunday watched a film in the tv. Haven't got neither of the gadgets myself; the public transportation around here fortunately being as excellent as it is, and the tv being addictive and mostly full of bs - so I threw mine away some years ago. If I'll ever learn to use it in small doses only, I might consider taking it back. So far, haven't had any particular reason or need to test that.

Der Sandmann is calling.

Step into the time machine

2006-04-06T21:14:00.000+03:00

My neighbour's playing Morcheeba. Gotta be happy about their taste.

Recently I made a time travel to my grandparents' home in the countryside. Both ceased to exist in this world long ago. I sank deep, deep into memories, and was able to bring back a lot that was forgotten. Details of the interior, a small mirror on the wall, a basement I didn't remember was there, the steep stairs to the upper floor, secret passageways and dusty closets. The fresh, white and tidy feel in my grandmother's room, the wooden and slightly messy feel in my grandfather's room. Outside fields, bushes, strawberries. A well that still worked. A hole in the ground, big enough to go inside, once used for storing potatoes. Sand roads you could run back and forth, the siblings taking turns in pushing and riding this wooden cart. My strongest memory there is of being happy, as every place and day promised an adventure.

A party I just got to attend, by the way, was excellently transformative, as always!

Catching fish

2006-03-28T22:04:00.000+03:00

Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma is having an exhibition ARS 06 - Sense of the Real, with 40 artists/collectives from 24 countries. After seeing the exhibition I went back to review some of the art works that had stayed with me, this time with commentaries. Nifty. I have to say it by far was worth the ticket and a couple of hours. Too bad Inner Force, real time interactive computer animation from EEG brain wave, was out of order. Might have to go back just for that if they'll get it fixed.

Had a very expressive weekend. Which Lord of the Rings -character would you be? Even though I possess some human as well as elf-like characteristics, I can also strongly relate to Gollum. Despite the inner struggles, he's so freaking happy!

Sensitivity

2006-03-23T21:54:00.000+02:00

Different circles of friends and acquaintances can create a situation, where you mostly do certain things with certain people, and where you comfortably slip into a fixed role, switching between them whenever necessary. My happiness has grown exponentially ever since I eased up on clinging to those self-created roles, and began to share a little of all of my identities in different social environments. This reminds me to keep sensitive to others' identities as well, as people usually are more what they seem.

This is not to say that you should be able to do everything, and communicate on every level, with each friend. Nope, as long as there's some common ground for exchange of ideas then that's enough.

Movie week continues: yesterday it was Friends with Money. I quite like Frances McDormand, there's something about her - had that something in Fargo as well. The plot in FwM though, well, can't even remember the plot, but some of the characters moved me.

Unijorinoita

2006-03-22T21:39:00.000+02:00

Näin unikoosteen, jonka puolivälissä olin keikahtaa tuolilla rytäkällä muiden niskaan, ja joka päättyi kuskittoman bussin kyydissä olemiseen. Kuski vain keräsi kamppeensa ja siirtyi muina miehinä käytävälle seisoskelemaan, bussin kiitäessä eteenpäin. Etsin katseellani hätäjarrua (ei kai semmoisia busseissa olekaan?), jonka paikallistettuani huusin sen vieressä horjuvalle että kiskaisee siitä. Ei reagoinut. Joten itsehän sinne oli mentävä, bussin keikkuessa puolelta toiselle. Jarru oli seinässä kiinni oleva kahva, jota kiskoessa seinästä tuli narua, narua, ja lisää narua, ei mitään vaikutusta bussin nopeuteen. Jarrun vieressä seisova tyyppi sanoi jotain hätäistä, mistä en saanut selvää. Heräsin.

Jep, joka suuntaan muka pitäisi revetä eikä se ole ihan hyväksi pidemmän päälle (mopo karkaa käsistä). Uni ei kylläkään kuvannut nykytilannetta, vaan ennakoi tulevaa, tai siis hiukan ennakkoon varoitteli että pitää muistaa ottaa iisisti. Kiitti, otanpa sit.

Olisi muuten hauska kuulla, voittiko kukaan mua tuossa kuolema-testissä! Aikooko joku ruoja elää vanhemmaksi? Mää oon kilpailuhenkinen, lähen heti lenkille, syön rutosti vähemmän eineksiä ja teen tuplasti enemmän kunnon ruokaa, jos näin kävi. :-D Toisaalta, emmietie hotsittaisko täällä enää sitten hirmusti haahuilla, jos kaikki kivat tyypit ois jo mullan alla.

Luck-a-delic

2006-03-22T00:51:00.000+02:00

One person's luck, another one's disaster, or was it luck after all - can't always tell whether you're being very lucky or totally out of it. Go see Woody Allen's Match Point and you know what I mean.

Been having fun with bureaucracy. Bureau-crazy. What would happen if bureaucrats of the world would just decide to stay home one day? Chaos? Or nothing at all; it might even go unnoticed. No-one calls themselves a bureaucrat anyway, there's just the regulations and people doing their best to interpret them. I think I'm secretly a wannabe-bureaucrat, as I like doing things by the book.

A friend tipped off about an online death test in Helsingin Sanomat (unfortunately in Finnish only). Scroll down and click on Deadline on the right hand bar (comes with good music, so better do this at home with speakers on). It says my luck runs out around the age of 81. Not too bad, although could probably add some years by getting back to doing regular physical training. Or by smoking and drinking like there's no tomorrow; apparently that has worked for some.

Identities

2006-03-19T20:03:00.000+02:00

Went to the Amos Anderson Art Museum to see an exhibition of the work of Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939), a Czech artist of the art nouveau style. Posters of the actress Sarah Bernhardt (e.g. La Dame aux Camélias aka Camille (suom. Kamelianainen)), who was also a dancer, writer and a visual artist among many other things, made Mucha world-famous overnight. This picture is one of Mucha's lithographs, called Lorenzaccio. I especially liked the various series he had created of seasons, times of day, precious stones, arts, flowers; depicting them all through elegant female forms.

Been thinking about identities lately. It occurred to me that often by the time one has one's own current identity figured out, and starts projecting it outwards (by looks & appearance, opinions, interests, etc.), it is already outdated. At least for me inner processing takes an exhaustive long time and mostly I'm not highly aware that such processes are undergoing, or I can't point out exactly what is at the core of these processes. The conclusions the subconsciousness has come to then pop into the conciousness rather unexpectedly. Possibly people with more solid and constant identities only rarely come accross with this outdatedness matter, but I wouldn't have it otherwise either. There really is great thrill in questioning of identities and roles. I view that as a constructive, mature attitude towards living; you're not forever caged to express yourself via one identity only.

F-f-f-friday

2006-03-17T16:46:00.000+02:00

Sometimes you get what you ask for so easily that it surprises you - especially when you're prepared to get less and to have a loooong discussion/argument even for that little. Happened to me at work today.

Oh snow melt melt melt away. Remember what used to be the best thing about spring? -Jumping in puddles and making small pathways to direct the stream of water... Gotta do some of that this spring.

A friend is coming to town for tonight, which is very cool. Have a happy smashing weekend everyone!

Workaholic

2006-03-16T18:58:00.000+02:00

First thought when waking up: work. Last thought when going to sleep: work. Half of waking time spent in: work, with the lovely exception of weekends. My dear brother sure was right to warn about the treadmill I was stepping on ;-) Good thing I happen to like most of the work I do, so far.

I've noticed yet another curious paradox: I'm both a workaholic (gotta do it all!! gotta have it perfect!! gotta do more!!) and a Very Lazy Person. Somehow it's different doing things when someone tells you to do them (and your paycheck and future career prospects kinda depend on it too), then doing things because you tell yourself to. The former is easier. Really, it should be the other way around. What am I, a slave with no autonomous will?? But then again, it was my very autonomous decision to go after that particular job in the first place. I guess on a grander scale I do manage to pull myself in certain directions, even though it doesn't always show in details: like, am I ever going to have a fantastically tidy apartment? Doubtful.

Another soul vanished

2006-03-15T22:05:00.000+02:00

I heard someone I knew had passed away. I hadn't gotten to know this person, and had only talked with him in a group, not privately. But he did cross my mind today, before hearing the news. It could be just me, but it does seem news like this are becoming more frequent with a quickening pace, with each passing year. Natural, since the older I get the more people I get to know, and the older we get, well, our bodies haven't evolved to keep themselves alive eternally.

Despite the fact you can never be sure how many heartbeats you have left, humans tend to make plans. Some of my new plans currently include becoming a photographer, and a drummer and/or guitarist. Say, within the next 3-5 years?

Patterns

2006-03-14T23:47:00.000+02:00

Saw Palindromes by Todd Solondz today. I rather liked the real feel of the people. Someone behind me whispered (That's disgusting) at the last scene, when an overweight boy was having sex, with sweat dripping from his face. Well how fresh of a look did you expect then, he was involved in a heavy physical activity, plus overweight, duh.

And yeah I do think we remain the same, regardless of how old we get, still stuck with the same habits and patterns. So gotta learn to enjoy it then.

What else --- oh yes, I'm at awe at how extremely different people can be, and yet each type so likable because of their own personal characteristics.

Start the start

2006-03-14T00:35:00.000+02:00

Today the guru says: Days are coming to an end, so better start bringing that enthusiasm and hard-core positivity into ye lives. Don't die a miserable bastard, die a silly goof.

Felt calm, useful and chipper most of the day. There's nothing quite like sharing of essences and sparks of consciousness. If only over-criticalness (of ideas, people, the self, universe) could be overcome; oh well, got some time still to keep practising.