Go on

Do you:

do things in such a way to uplift people, make them feel good?

Or:

Do things in such a way to cause them to feel lousy about themselves?

Sometimes, people mask the latter with terms such as 'tough love', or 'honesty is the best policy', or 'I need to let the person understand.', or 'I am doing this for his/her own good.', and assorted sayings, are mere justifications, in my books. I know I am not a saint, that I am guilty of the above justifications as well, very much guilty. Afterall, I am only human, and boy, do I have shortcomings. But at the very least, I try not to take pride in doing so.

The fact is this: In everything, yes, EVERYTHING, you can choose to uplift people. All the above could be achieved as well, if not even better, if done right. Love? Check. Honesty? check. Make someone understand? Check. For their own good? Check. I wonder how we got to a point where we think that causing people to feel bad is good for them.

It's simple, really. It really doesn't take much to find the silver lining in every cloud. No matter what is going on, there is a silver lining, something good that can be found and said. It just requires a shift of perspective. And a tonne of patience and self-control not to react to your negative feelings, that's all. Like I said, simple. But not easy.

On a somewhat related note, since when has complimenting someone, praising someone become so unnatural? It is one thing to pay flippant compliments, or insincere ones, or compliments just so that you can gain something out of it. But yet, in the midst of avoiding coming across as 'glib', or 'smooth', or manipulative, I think we have lost the art of really paying people sincere, heartfelt, no-strings-attached compliments.

I am sure everyone has enough of the world telling them that they are not good enough, that they are unworthy. So go on, do something different, and make someone feel good today.

ROY jeans

Alrighty, just put in my order for a pair of ROY denim's 5 pocket jeans. My first 'Made in US' jeans, with American denim, and entirely handmade by one single person to boot! Can't wait. First pair of the year, not that I need any more.

So, I have just entered into a pact with Feli, and by proxy, you -4 million readers of my blog:

I will NOT buy any more jeans until 2 years later, July 2012.
EDIT: PACT CAN BE BROKEN, AND IS ABOUT TO BE....

Now, this year was chosen for a special reason: If the world ends in 2012, as so many people are saying, then I don't need a pair of jeans, or any clothes for that matter. If the world doesn't end in 2012, which is contrary to what many people are saying, then I get to celebrate by buying a new pair of jeans, if I so desire. (In case you didn't get it, I just used a literary device called "sarcasm" in that little sentence above, about the world ending in 2012. Please, I don't know when the world is going to end, and neither does anyone.) .

Lousy Blogger

So, quite evidently to those who frequent my blog (yeah, you -4 million people. Yes, NEGATIVE 4 million people, because nobody comes to my blog), you will have noticed something different about my little corner on the Internetzzzz... Yes, you got it on the first try: I changed the flavour of pizza. This situation calls for a Sarc-Mark.

Anyway, I was just experimenting with the new templates that Blogger offers. Well, guess what? I can't get back my old template anymore. So I decided to stick with this plain and (I like to think) minimalistic template. If it hurts your eyes, blame Blogger. Good night world, not that you care.

Something broke

Something broke
But you didn't know
Time, and life flows on
But caught in amber
Like pristine glass
But cobwebbed and broken
Used to be part of my world
But torn now with a widening chasm
Like a rock, or a great big oak
But now like wind, like smoke
Something broke
But you can't see
Maybe like this, it's meant to be
But maybe, just maybe.

Wilderness

That dry acrid air
That mind-numbing routine
That endless walk
That lack of purpose
That loss of destination
That fading hope
That tired soul
That despairing heart

And yet, a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

PBJ hot soak

So, I decided to give my PBJs a hot soak. Boiling water now. Carry on with your life.

Tomorrow

Maybe things will get better when I get up tomorrow.