And isn’t your life extremely flat with nothing whatever to grumble at! (W.S. Gilbert)

We must, however, acknowledge, as it seems to me, that man with all his noble qualities… still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin. (Charles Darwin)

The more humanity advances, the more it is degraded. (Gustave Flaubert).

Since I no longer expect anything from mankind except madness, meanness, and mendacity; egotism, cowardice, and self-delusion, I have stopped being a misanthrope. (Irving Layton)

The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist. (George Bernard Shaw)

I only go out to get me a fresh appetite for being alone. (Lord Byron)

The Bible tells us to love our neighbours, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.  (G. K. Chesterton)

As scary as it is, who really knows what is beyond?

Death is not an event in life: we do not live to experience death. If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but timelessness, then eternal life belongs to those who live in the present.
Ludwig Wittgenstein

Magic has power to experience and fathom things which are inaccessible to human reason. For magic is a great secret wisdom, just as reason is a great public folly. PARACELSUS

Both in thought and in feeling, even though time be real, to realise the unimportance of time is the gate of wisdom. BERTRAND RUSSELL

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. CARL SAGAN

Imagination is the one weapon in the war against reality. JULES DE GAULTIER

The logic of worldly success rests on a fallacy: the strange error that our perfection depends on the thoughts and opinions and applause of other people!  A weird life it is, indeed, to be always in somebody else’s imagination, as if that were the only place in which one could at last become real! THOMAS MERTON

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.  But without it we go nowhere. CARL SAGAN

To live is the rarest thing in the world.  Most people exist, that is all. OSCAR WILDE

Logic will get you from A to B.  Imagination will take you everywhere. ALBERT EINSTEIN

The universe is transformation; our life is what our thoughts make it. MARCUS AURELIUS

To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead. BERTRAND RUSSELL

Musings on Music, Love, Life and not only

**********************************************************************************

“Love is a drama of contradictions.”
— Franz Kafka

“Life’s splendor forever lies in wait about each one of us in all its fullness, but veiled from view, deep down, invisible, far off. It is there, though, not hostile, not reluctant, not deaf. If you summon it by the right word, by its right name, it will come.”
— Franz Kafka (Diaries of Franz Kafka 1914-1923)

“And I leave my post of observation and find I have had enough of this outside life; I feel that there is nothing more that I can learn here, either now or at any time. And I long to say a last goodbye to everything up here, to go down into my burrow never to return again, let things take their course, and not try to retard them with my profitless vigils.”
— Franz Kafka (The Basic Kafka)

“Beyond a certain point there is no return. This point has to be reached.”
— Franz Kafka

“All I am is literature, and I am not able or willing to be anything else.”
— Franz Kafka

From correspondence with my friend.

************************************************************************

I:

[…]  I don’t like Salsa music.

************************************************************************

He:

There is no salsa music; under 80% of world songs you can dance salsa. Term “salsa music” is created by people, who don’t understand concept of dancing.

************************************************************************

I:

Since it is clearly not a compliment, should I consider it as an invitation for a fight?  LOL

[…there was a link of a song, not a Salsa one…]
This one is not Salsa.  And I like it whatever your opinion might be.  Taste is always a personal matter.  I think.

You are stuck in an adolescent stage; I will send you the explanation once I have it.  Stop teaching the world, relax and enjoy today and NOW.

************************************************************************

He:

“You are stuck in an adolescent stage” – thank you for this – because this is the highest compliment possible.

The problem is that most of the people (99.99% period) never pass this stage (not only “stuck”) – they are born old – and that is the main problem of mankind - people are old – cannot learn, enjoy, evolve – and if they cannot do that, guess, who they are – right – they are our old friends – idiots.

By the way, who told you that I don’t enjoy life – this is exactly what I am doing all the time (probably, even too much) – because I am in “adolescent stage” of my life.

I see, you have last time some taste to have little fight with me – it is OK – the most important that it entertains you (I hope).

Regards & kisses (if allowed).

************************************************************************

I:

It makes me laugh.  I passed the stage of criticizing everyone & everything long time ago.  I was joking about fighting.  Frankly, I feel wiser than you and according to the theory of soul evolution; I am three stages further than you.  Don’t worry, there are people ahead of me – I still have a long way to go and suffer evolving.  That is why I said I will send you the info, once I have it, you wouldn’t believe me, of course, but it is not my goal to persuade.  But it requires reading. LOL

But I don’t feel superior.  To anyone.  I like people and they like me – it is genuine.  Passion & compassion go along way, so do love & kindness.

"Now the Sirens have a still more fatal weapon than their song, namely their silence... someone might possibly have escaped from their singing; but from their silence, certainly never." — Franz Kafka

The reason I say you don’t enjoy life is that is how I see you.  Maybe it is not the image you want others to have… but it is for you to discover your own reflection.

Kissing in virtual space is fine, but in real life, I guess, these things are taken care of.  You know what is my love mystery?  It is passion.  I cannot go long without it.  It is passion for everything, for love, for life, for music, for dancing. I have no time for teaching world how wrong it is.  Besides, I don’t think the world is wrong or people are idiots for that matter.  Even my seven-year-old son is capable of saying things that amaze me.

We went to see an adult movie, never mind why, and it was a romantic comedy.  He asked me what a romantic comedy was and I said it was a funny movie about love.  You know what he said?  “Mom, there is nothing funny about love”.  There.  Then he cried during the movie when Julia Roberts wanted to leave the guy she was in love with.  It was priceless.  Love is always good answer and if there is no other meaning of life, love is a good one.

By the way, if you are a true Leo, that should be your thing – LOVE (besides being a teenager, LOL).  Am I wrong?  Don’t take it as insult, my son is Leo and he lives up to the promise of being full of LOVE.

All right, I am going for a walk – to enjoy the weather and the beauty of my favourite month & season.

Source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lillyanlilac/2763359010/

Without music, life would be a mistake.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/silkegb/2603299033/in/set-….70432/

“Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.”

-Immanuel Kant

Source: http://www.thelifechangeexperiment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/decision-making-processes1.jpg

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing” (Helen Keller)

Remembering the art of reframing  -  life is not a struggle, but an adventure.  So, forget about nothing, it is too much of an abstract idea.  Life cannot be nothing, but we can perceive it differently.  “Get a life!” say some.  It is, of course, not only rude, but also absurd.  All of us are alive; the question is what to do with those lives.  That is a matter of choice.  When we make choices, we make decisions and control our lives to a certain degree.  Correction.  Not to a certain degree, we are in total control, yet most of the time completely unaware of it.  I am trying to change my view on how to make decisions.  There is one post I made on making decisions,

http://www.altrealm.com/english/chapters/2009-07-26/jvs-wise-10-steps-in-decision-making/

But when I compared it with the strategy suggested by Anthony Robbins, I see that he is more relaxed about choices.  The most important part is to reach the destination, the route is less crucial.  Besides, we cannot possibly know all the outcomes of all the alternatives.  So we make decisions based on the information we have, which is always insufficient, inaccurate and “a subject to change without notice.”

Harness the Power of Making Decision

Anthony Robbins “Awaken the Giant Within”, Chapter 2, page  48

Remember the true power of making decisions.

It’s a tool you can use in any moment to change your entire life.  The minute you make a new decision, you set in motion a new cause, effect, direction, and destination for your life.  You literally begin to change your life the moment you make a new decision.  Remember that when you start feeling overwhelmed, or when you feel like you don’t have a choice, or when you feel like you don’t have a choice, or when things are happening “to” you, you can change it all if you just stop and decide to do so.  Remember, a real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken new action.  If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.

Realize that the hardest step in achieving anything is making a true commitment – a true decision.

Carrying out your commitment is often much easier than the decision itself, so make your decisions intelligently, but make them quickly.  Don’t labor forever over the question of how or if you can do it.  Studies have shown that the most successful people make decisions rapidly because they are clear on their values and what they really want for their lives.  The same studies show that they are slow to change their decisions, if at all.  On the other hand, people who fail usually make decisions slowly and change their minds quickly, always bouncing back and forth.  Just decide!

Realize that decision-making is a kind of act in itself, so a good definition for a decision might be “information acted upon”.  You know you’ve truly made a decision when action flows from it.  It becomes a cause set in motion.  Often the effect of making a decision helps create the attainment of a larger goal.  A critical rule I’ve made for myself is never to leave the scene of a decision without first taking a specific action toward its realization.

Make decisions often

The more decisions you make, the better you’re going to become at making them.  Muscles get stronger with use, and so it is with your decision-making muscles.  Unleash your power right now by making some decisions you’ve been putting off.  You won’t believe the energy and excitement it will create in your life!

Learn from your decisions.

There’s no way around it.  At times, you’re going to screw up, no matter what you do.  And when the inevitable happens, instead of beating yourself into the ground, learn something.  Ask yourself, “What’s good about this?  What can I learn from this?”  This “failure” may be an unbelievable gift in disguise if you use it to make better decisions in the future.  Rather than focus on the short-term setback, choose instead to learn lessons that can save you time, money, or pain, and that will give you the ability to succeed in the future.

Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.

Once you’ve decided who you want to be as a person, for example, don’t get stuck on the means to achieving it.  It’s the end you’re after.  Too often, in deciding what they want for their lives, people pick the best way they know at the time – they make a map – but then don’t stay open to alternate routes.  Don’t become rigid in your approach.  Cultivate the art of flexibility.

Enjoy making decisions.

You must know that in any moment a decision you make can change the course of your life forever: the very next person you stand behind in line or sit next to on an airplane, the book you read or page you turn could be the one single thing that causes the floodgates to open, and all of the things that you’ve been waiting for to fall into place.

If you really want your life to be passionate, you need to live with this attitude of expectancy.

[…]

Know that it’s your decisions, and not your conditions, that determine your destiny.  Before we learn the technology for changing how you think and how you feel every day of your life, I want you remember that, in the final analysis, everything you’ve read in this book is worthless… every other book you’ve read or tape you’ve heard or seminar you’ve attended is worthless…unless you decide to use it.  Remember that a truly committed decision is the force that changes your life.  It’s a power available to you in any moment if you decide to use it.

Prove to yourself that you’ve decided now.  Make one or two decisions that you’ve been putting off: one easy decision and one that’s a bit more difficult.  Show yourself what you can do.  Right now, stop.  Make at least one clear-cut decision that you’ve been putting off – take the first action toward fulfilling it – and stick to it!  By doing this, you’ll be building that muscle that will give you the will to change your entire life.

You and I both know that there are going to be challenges in your future.  But […] if you’ve decided to get past the walls, you can climb over them, you can break through them, you can tunnel under them, or you can find a door.  No matter how long a wall has stood, none has the power to withstand the continued force of human beings who have decided to persist until it has fallen.  The human spirit truly is unconquerable.  But the will to win, the will to succeed, to shape’s one life, to take control, can only be harnessed when you decide what you want, and believe that no challenge, no problem, no obstacle can keep you from it.  When you decide that your life will ultimately be shaped not by conditions, but by your decisions, then in that moment, your life will change forever, and you will be empowered to take control…

Source: http://www.jettobox.com/

Pontificating

Remembering is another form of suffering.  Remembering that success is a journey, not a destination, what shall I have in mind?  The past, the present, or the future?  Keep your eyes on the goals.  There have not been set yet.  That is the worst part – I don’t know what exactly I want, but I do continue my journey because I am still alive.  Or maybe I am still alive because I do continue my journey and my journey is my success.  I don’t feel successful.  I should imagine being successful.  What do I do in the meantime, yes, between pretending being successful and figuring out what success actually means for me?

I keep reading self-help books.  Most people say that I read all the wrong books, but let them say whatever they want.  This new book that I picked and put a lot of hope into is “Awaken the Giant Within” by Anthony Robbins.  I will be journaling my experiences from now on, because I have a feeling that there are some positive changes in my life.  A lot of setbacks, too, but…   But we shall judge life by the results, or not judge, or maybe judge, but not by results…  Let the journey continue…

“Deep within man dwell those slumbering powers; powers that would astonish him, that he never dreamed of possessing; forces that would revolutionize his life if aroused and put into action.”  (Orison Swett Marden)

 

“A consistent man believes in destiny, a capricious man in chance.”  (Benjamin Disraeli)

 

 

“Man is born to live and not to prepare to live.”  (Boris Pasternak)

 

 

“Man is not the creature of circumstances; circumstances are the creatures of men.”  (Benjamin Disraeli)

 

 

“Nothing can resist the human will that will stake even its existence on its stated purpose.”  (Benjamin Disraeli)

 

 

“Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth – that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too.”  (Johann Wolfgang Goethe)

 

 

“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor.”  (Henry David Thoreau)

Source:  http://www.smashingapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/love-vectors.jpg

I have copied this article from LavaLife for one reason only – to come back to it a year later and see “Were the predictions even close to reality?”

Source: http://click.lavalife.com/horoscopes/ll1/2Sxy/8/scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Ruling Planet: Pluto
Symbol: Scorpion and Phoenix
Element: Water
Color: Red

Forget hibernating like a bear! In the New Year you haven’t got a moment to waste. The planetary movements for 2010 are vital to your personal growth and will help you release past beliefs and hindrances and awaken forgotten dreams so that you may enter into a new cycle of personal and professional success. This particular year will be one of transformation on an emotional and spiritual level, and quality of life should be your goal. 

Inspirational yet challenging planetary movements during the first half of 2010 will weed out unhealthy relationship and situations and inspire your creative and realistic ambitions. But the big news is that Jupiter will transit Pisces for most of the year. Whether you’re in a committed relationship or single, you are in for a lovely, romantic cycle. Jupiter’s transit of intuitive and sensitive Pisces gives you the creative edge and makes others remember why they love you.

Between April and July, Saturn will give you confidence in the future and set your curious mind on fire. If you can’t get away, take an online course, spend lunch in the museum or volunteer for a seminar or new assignment. Whatever you do, don’t allow this time to slip by without learning something new, meeting a few interesting people or adding to your résumé.

Jupiter will make a quick sojourn into Aries between June and September, creating an opportunity for you to expand in your present work situation or take on a few more responsibilities or part-time work that will lead to even bigger opportunities.

A friendship or partnership could hit a troubled spot in April, primarily over finances or creative differences and you may decide to part ways. But if you have second thoughts, why not step back and allow time to work his healing magic?

This year, Dr. Denis Waitley’s affirming words could inspire your belief in the endless possibilities of life: “There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist or accept the responsibility for changing them.” 

 

 

And who is going to be the lucky guy? Well, I doubt it is going to be a Water Bearer, but who knows…

 

 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Ruling Planet: Uranus
Symbol: Water Carrier
Element: Air
Color: Violet, blue and pastels

Dear Aquarius, your life has been in the throes of transition for so long that you may wonder if you should trust fate when it offers you the keys to success and happiness. During this transitional year amazing support for your ideas or projects will come from surprising sources. Your assignment will be to open your mind and heart to the endless possibilities of life.

Your social skills will come in handy this year. Networking, new friends and throwing around ideas with colleagues will open the door to a new job, a juicy assignment, client or desired move.

Between May and August, your ruler Uranus will be under the influence of the enthusiastic and ambitions sign of Aries. This sojourn will give you a glimpse into 2011, when you will begin a new journey toward fulfilling a goal or ambition. Step out of your routine, travel, volunteer for a new project, try a new career path or take classes that will enhance your skills or résumé.

Use this energy wisely and you will make an investment that will help you reach a destination, which today eludes your wildest dreams.

The warrior planet Mars continues his disruptive transit of your house of partners until June. This dramatic planet can turn small disagreements into major arguments. At work, stay mindful of those with fragile egos or argumentative personalities and you will avoid being pulled into their personal dramas.

Venus’s presence in your sign between January and February will give love a chance to bloom. Between July and August, Cupid will shoot a few arrows your way. If you catch one, hold on because your sector of true love and commitment in 2011 is beyond beautiful, brilliant and defiantly worth the wait.

“Never be afraid to try something new.  Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.”  – Author Unknown