by AJ/Skald
1:40. Im ten minutes late but dont care. Ive learned to milk my lunch breaks as long as possible. The thought of returning to the cash register feels unbearable. Six more hours of torture to go. Six more hours of harassing customers to buy "readers advantage" cards. Six more hours on my feet. "I hate these mother-fuckers" I growl, and punch the dashboard of my van. I huff, get out, and head back to work at Barnes & Noble.
--------------------
The Tao of Steve: Be Desireless, Be Excellent, Be Gone.
Its also the Tao of the Free Agent Hobopoet, a recipe for increased power and autonomy.
Part one, desirelessness: largely a function of reducing your need for work... and best accomplished by simplifying your life.
Part three, going: Usually an easy step for Hobopoets. We love to leave jobs, to trade up, or to hit the open road. Everytime I do so, I feel a surge of euphoria.
That leaves Part two, excellence: A stage I rarely write about. It means what you do, you do magnificently.
Many job/work/career gurus advocate a discipline and willpower approach to excellence. They advise you to work work work at it. I get this vibe from Tom Peters sometimes; the notion that excellence is a difficult and arduous thing.
I take a different approach. To me, excellence grows from bliss. I see painful striving as a symptom-- an indication that the path doesnt have heart.
So I advocate a reverse approach. I say, "Laziness First". Dont try harder, do less. Loaf. Contemplate. Take three years off from "real jobs" (or more if you can). Discover what you love to do.
Once you discover those things, excellence emerges. You may expend time and energy- but it rarely feels like striving. You pursue excellence for its own sake, for the joy and magnificence of immersing yourself in what you love to do.
Im lazy when it comes to doing other people's work... ie. Barnes & Noble. Put me in that kind of situation and Im the king of slackers (and proud of it!). But Im not lazy when it comes to MY OWN work. I love teaching, for example, and want unparalleled excellence for every class. But because I love it, the energy I expend creates euphoria... and feels nothing like the drudgery of other jobs.
Im lazy, but I believe in excellence for its own blissful sake. I also believe in the practical benefits: When you exude excellence you find yourself in greater demand. That gives you more leverage, more autonomy, and more options-- in other words, more freedom.
Pursuit of excellence, doing someone else's work, feels like slavery... working for the devil.
But pursuit of excellence, on your own blissful path, feels liberating.
------------
Five minutes till class starts. I review the lesson in my head, trying to identify key points. I rehearse the story. I cull it for useful language and interesting actions. I imagine the gestures and actions Ill use to demonstrate it.
Then I bound into class. Im on stage and the performance has begun. I rip into the story. I jump, shout, and hustle... pour my energy into the students for the next hour and a half. I feel euphoric and alive.
..........
Friday, April 29, 2005
Teaching English
by AJ/Skald
I get many emails from people asking for advice on teaching... folks who plan to teach abroad but have no experience. Usually I post that sort of info on my teaching blog. But so many people ask, I figured Id include a couple of recent posts to give an idea of the teaching methods I recommend. For more detailed info, see my teaching blog.
The post below gives a short example of TPR Storytelling... a technique which uses stories to teach vocabulary and grammar in the target language (in this case, English).
---------------------------------------
Recent Post to Effortless Language Acquisition
That, more or less, is a story I used for Monday's classes. Its taken from Blaine Ray's book, Look I Can Talk. The story went reasonably well. Not great. Not bad. Most students listened, but not with rapt attention. But they learned the language and grammar within it.
Blaine Ray and Contee Seely both recommend using exaggeration to boost the memorability of stories. Its excellent advice. I found that a few changes make a big difference.
For Wednesday's and Thursday's classes, I changed the story... added exaggeration:
OK, its not genius,... but the second story is much more exaggerated and much more interesting.
And what a difference. Students were more attentive and reactive. Their retellings were more dynamic. They seemed to remember the story more easily.
This shouldnt be surprising. A good story evokes strong images, and is full of conflict and emotion. The first story had much weaker images and little emotion. The revision contains more drama, a powerful twist (off with the nose), and more excitement.
What Ive learned: Using stories from TPRS books is a great time saver (very important to me at my current job). It also helps teachers new to the technique (like me) guage the appropriate vocab and grammar level. It seems more effective, however, to modify these stories-- inject more exaggeration and personalization, than to use them as-is.
"He cuts off his nose", I yelled. I grabbed my nose and made gushing sounds for blood. Then I moved towards the class and pretended to spray blood onto them. They laughed and recoiled.... absorbed in the story. "Aha", I thought...."Ive got em".
...........
I get many emails from people asking for advice on teaching... folks who plan to teach abroad but have no experience. Usually I post that sort of info on my teaching blog. But so many people ask, I figured Id include a couple of recent posts to give an idea of the teaching methods I recommend. For more detailed info, see my teaching blog.
The post below gives a short example of TPR Storytelling... a technique which uses stories to teach vocabulary and grammar in the target language (in this case, English).
---------------------------------------
Recent Post to Effortless Language Acquisition
There is a baby. He walks to the fridge. He takes out ice cream, chocolate, and milk. He carries them to a table. There is a bowl, knife, and banana on the table. He picks up the knife and cuts the banana into pieces. He puts the pieces into the bowl. Then he puts the ice cream on top of the banana. He pours milk into the bowl.
He doesnt have a fork. He doesnt have a spoon. So he eats with a knife. He gets food on his face, his chest, and his arms. He gets food on his shirt and pants. His mother comes into the room and screams. She takes him to the sink and washes him. Now he is a clean baby. The baby is happy and so is his mother.
That, more or less, is a story I used for Monday's classes. Its taken from Blaine Ray's book, Look I Can Talk. The story went reasonably well. Not great. Not bad. Most students listened, but not with rapt attention. But they learned the language and grammar within it.
Blaine Ray and Contee Seely both recommend using exaggeration to boost the memorability of stories. Its excellent advice. I found that a few changes make a big difference.
For Wednesday's and Thursday's classes, I changed the story... added exaggeration:
There is a fat American baby. He has a cowboy hat and two guns. He walks to the fridge and takes out ice cream and milk. He carries them to a table. There is a knife, a bowl, and a banana on the table. He grabs the knife and cuts the banana into pieces. He puts the pieces into the bowl, and puts ice cream on top of the banana. Then he pours milk into the bowl.
He doesnt have a fork or spoon. So he eats with a knife. Suddenly, he cuts off his nose. He screams! His mother comes into the room and screams! She grabs him (and his nose) and takes him to the hospital. The nurse sews his nose back on. The baby is happy and so is his mother.
OK, its not genius,... but the second story is much more exaggerated and much more interesting.
And what a difference. Students were more attentive and reactive. Their retellings were more dynamic. They seemed to remember the story more easily.
This shouldnt be surprising. A good story evokes strong images, and is full of conflict and emotion. The first story had much weaker images and little emotion. The revision contains more drama, a powerful twist (off with the nose), and more excitement.
What Ive learned: Using stories from TPRS books is a great time saver (very important to me at my current job). It also helps teachers new to the technique (like me) guage the appropriate vocab and grammar level. It seems more effective, however, to modify these stories-- inject more exaggeration and personalization, than to use them as-is.
"He cuts off his nose", I yelled. I grabbed my nose and made gushing sounds for blood. Then I moved towards the class and pretended to spray blood onto them. They laughed and recoiled.... absorbed in the story. "Aha", I thought...."Ive got em".
...........
Pilot Projects
by AJ/Skald
My chest felt tight. I put the book down and tried to breath more slowly. "What is going on?", I thought to myself. The book's title: "Ten Years of Living In Cars and Loving It", by Craig Roberts (THE bible of car living). My pulse was racing.
Roberts' book electrified me. But, inexplicably, I also felt terrified. Terrified because I seriously considered taking the plunge: moving out of my apartment into a car.
Those hoping to make radical shifts in lifestyle often feel overwhelmed by the prospect... by the enormity of the task. This has certainly been the case with me. Im subject to grand visions and ridiculous notions. But those thoughts turn from inspiring to frightening when I think of putting them into action.
The car living experience taught me a valuable way to bypass the fear and move forward: pilot projects.
In other words, I try the change on a very tiny scale and/or for a short period of time.
I was inspired by Roberts book but had many doubts. Could I do it? What if I was miserable? Would it be safe? When I thought of making this wholescale change, questions like these flooded my thoughts.
So I inititated the Nissan Stanza experiment. I had accepted a job in Japan. So I decided to quit my American job three months in advance, and live in my car during that time. I would give it a try for 90 days only.
That made the change seem manageable and doable. Putting a short timeline on the experiment eased my fears.
I saved plenty of money to fund this experiment. I didnt want to contend with a money shortage at the same time (living in a car for the first time would be enough of a challenge).
And the experiment was a huge success. While not always comfortable, I was never miserable. Most of my fears evaporated like phantoms. I enjoyed three lazy months in Athens, GA. I read books, wrote, met homeless people, played Ultimate frisbee, played disc golf, walked in the park, ate at restaurants. I bathed in the river.
And I gained tremendous confidence. Confidence that propelled me into a much longer van-living experiment once I returned from Japan.
Gandhi wrote "Experiment with your life". Its good advice, and a great mental stance to take.
That stance breaks the "success" / "failure" dichotomy, and helps rid us of fears. View changes as experiments, rather than "decisions", and you no longer feel trapped. A "lets see what happens if I do this" approach encourages us to live like philosophers (or true scientists,... or artists).
When faced with a monumental urge to change, or a huge goal,-- consider a test run... a pilot project.
Try that new freelancing enterprise on a micro scale first... with just one or two clients. Get rid of a percentage of your stuff and move into a little cheaper apartment. Wander for three months and see if it suits you. Dab your feet in the waters,... test it out... make a trial run.
The confidence gained by these mini-experiments will launch greater journeys than you ever imagined.
Bedding down on the plywood bunk, I turned to pet my dog, Athena. "Goodnight". She put her head down and sighed... a strangely human mannerism. I peeked through the burlap curtains on the car's side windows. Downtown Athens was quiet. I laid back and thought of my perfect hobopoet day... a day spent doing exactly, and only, what I wanted to do.... the sublime fruits of my first car living experiment.
I echoed Athena's sigh and nodded off.
........
My chest felt tight. I put the book down and tried to breath more slowly. "What is going on?", I thought to myself. The book's title: "Ten Years of Living In Cars and Loving It", by Craig Roberts (THE bible of car living). My pulse was racing.
Roberts' book electrified me. But, inexplicably, I also felt terrified. Terrified because I seriously considered taking the plunge: moving out of my apartment into a car.
Those hoping to make radical shifts in lifestyle often feel overwhelmed by the prospect... by the enormity of the task. This has certainly been the case with me. Im subject to grand visions and ridiculous notions. But those thoughts turn from inspiring to frightening when I think of putting them into action.
The car living experience taught me a valuable way to bypass the fear and move forward: pilot projects.
In other words, I try the change on a very tiny scale and/or for a short period of time.
I was inspired by Roberts book but had many doubts. Could I do it? What if I was miserable? Would it be safe? When I thought of making this wholescale change, questions like these flooded my thoughts.
So I inititated the Nissan Stanza experiment. I had accepted a job in Japan. So I decided to quit my American job three months in advance, and live in my car during that time. I would give it a try for 90 days only.
That made the change seem manageable and doable. Putting a short timeline on the experiment eased my fears.
I saved plenty of money to fund this experiment. I didnt want to contend with a money shortage at the same time (living in a car for the first time would be enough of a challenge).
And the experiment was a huge success. While not always comfortable, I was never miserable. Most of my fears evaporated like phantoms. I enjoyed three lazy months in Athens, GA. I read books, wrote, met homeless people, played Ultimate frisbee, played disc golf, walked in the park, ate at restaurants. I bathed in the river.
And I gained tremendous confidence. Confidence that propelled me into a much longer van-living experiment once I returned from Japan.
Gandhi wrote "Experiment with your life". Its good advice, and a great mental stance to take.
That stance breaks the "success" / "failure" dichotomy, and helps rid us of fears. View changes as experiments, rather than "decisions", and you no longer feel trapped. A "lets see what happens if I do this" approach encourages us to live like philosophers (or true scientists,... or artists).
When faced with a monumental urge to change, or a huge goal,-- consider a test run... a pilot project.
Try that new freelancing enterprise on a micro scale first... with just one or two clients. Get rid of a percentage of your stuff and move into a little cheaper apartment. Wander for three months and see if it suits you. Dab your feet in the waters,... test it out... make a trial run.
The confidence gained by these mini-experiments will launch greater journeys than you ever imagined.
Bedding down on the plywood bunk, I turned to pet my dog, Athena. "Goodnight". She put her head down and sighed... a strangely human mannerism. I peeked through the burlap curtains on the car's side windows. Downtown Athens was quiet. I laid back and thought of my perfect hobopoet day... a day spent doing exactly, and only, what I wanted to do.... the sublime fruits of my first car living experiment.
I echoed Athena's sigh and nodded off.
........
Thursday, April 28, 2005
The Blissful Tropics
by AJ/Skald
Kicked back with a pipe... to my left a buzzing green mountain washed in darkness. A Sea shadow rolling to my right; stars above. Ahh Thailand.
Im ready to return to the tropics. Life wasnt perfect. I had my ups and downs. But I was happier there than any place in recent memory (5-10 years). Bangkok, for sure, got to me: frazzled, irritable on occaision... and the NOISE! Thats when the islands and the mountains called.
In Thailand I had access to euphoric plants. In Thailand I could indulge my movie habit almost every day ($2 movies!). I ate well. I visited temples. I lounged on beaches and rode scooters to villages.
It was always warm, almost always sunny. I had fewer money concerns. I could live, meagerly, off a writing income.... and live well off teaching and writing combined.
In Thailand I had transcendent visions. In Thailand I discovered innovative teaching methods.
Joseph Campbell wrote, "Follow Your Bliss, where ever it takes you".
My bliss resides in the tropics.
My bliss is calling me back to Thailand.
.......
Kicked back with a pipe... to my left a buzzing green mountain washed in darkness. A Sea shadow rolling to my right; stars above. Ahh Thailand.
Im ready to return to the tropics. Life wasnt perfect. I had my ups and downs. But I was happier there than any place in recent memory (5-10 years). Bangkok, for sure, got to me: frazzled, irritable on occaision... and the NOISE! Thats when the islands and the mountains called.
In Thailand I had access to euphoric plants. In Thailand I could indulge my movie habit almost every day ($2 movies!). I ate well. I visited temples. I lounged on beaches and rode scooters to villages.
It was always warm, almost always sunny. I had fewer money concerns. I could live, meagerly, off a writing income.... and live well off teaching and writing combined.
In Thailand I had transcendent visions. In Thailand I discovered innovative teaching methods.
Joseph Campbell wrote, "Follow Your Bliss, where ever it takes you".
My bliss resides in the tropics.
My bliss is calling me back to Thailand.
.......
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Unemployment
by AJ/Skald
Ahhh... what a great quote. "The absurdity of 90% of existing jobs...", doesn't that sum up most employment? Your average Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, McDonalds, corporate office jobs come to mind. I've worked plenty of jobs like that and they are indeed absurd. Boring. Monotonous. Useless.
I celebrate developments like Amazon.com,.... do I really need a poor slob to ring up the books for me?
The problem-- without these absurd activities, a great many people would starve- given the current system. Not sure what the mega "solution" is... but for starters, a simpler life helps.
A radically simpler life makes part-time work livable. I did it myself when van living. I had a very comfortable life working part time at Roly Poly and also teaching English. I worked less than 20 hours a week but ate very well, had a social life, and even saved money.
Then there's the young homeless professional plan... wherein you work fulltime, but only half the year (or every other year). However you slice it, half the work is necessary.
And it doesnt feel like a hardship. Once you begin simplifying, you find that most of the junk you spend money on is unecessary and unfulfilling anyway. All those gadgets-- they dont bring happiness beyond a fleeting thrill.
People do this differently, but I advocate a slow and gradual approach. Start whittling down a tiny bit at a time. Move to a slightly cheaper apartment. Get rid of a few things, a few clothes. Trade in the new car for a used car.
Take a break whenever you feel you are depriving yourself. Dont force it. Once comfortable at the new level... set out to simplify a little more. Thats how I did it. It took a few years. But eventually I lived in a Nissan Sentra! Not that Im selling that option, but it shows how far you can go. And its always a comfort to me knowing I did it-- Knowing I could do it again, if necessary.
Whatever level you stop at, youll find that your needs are fewer while your options have increased. Your need for work is lessened. Your options for leisure, fun, travel, art, friends, family, etc. have increased. And thats what its all about.
.......
If a household gets a washing machine, you never hear the family members who used to do the laundry by hand complain that this "puts them out of work." But strangely enough, if a similar development occurs on a broader social scale it is seen as a serious problem -- "unemployment" -- which can only be solved by inventing more jobs for people to do.-- Ken Knabb
Proposals to spread the work around by implementing a slightly shorter workweek seem at first sight to address the matter more rationally. But such proposals do not face the fundamental irrationality of the whole social system based on market relations. While reacting to one manifestation of this irrationality (the fact that some people work long hours while others are jobless), they tend at the same time to reinforce the illusion that most present-day work is normal and necessary, as if the only problem were that for some strange reason it is divided up unequally. The absurdity of 90% of existing jobs is never mentioned.
Ahhh... what a great quote. "The absurdity of 90% of existing jobs...", doesn't that sum up most employment? Your average Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, McDonalds, corporate office jobs come to mind. I've worked plenty of jobs like that and they are indeed absurd. Boring. Monotonous. Useless.
I celebrate developments like Amazon.com,.... do I really need a poor slob to ring up the books for me?
The problem-- without these absurd activities, a great many people would starve- given the current system. Not sure what the mega "solution" is... but for starters, a simpler life helps.
A radically simpler life makes part-time work livable. I did it myself when van living. I had a very comfortable life working part time at Roly Poly and also teaching English. I worked less than 20 hours a week but ate very well, had a social life, and even saved money.
Then there's the young homeless professional plan... wherein you work fulltime, but only half the year (or every other year). However you slice it, half the work is necessary.
And it doesnt feel like a hardship. Once you begin simplifying, you find that most of the junk you spend money on is unecessary and unfulfilling anyway. All those gadgets-- they dont bring happiness beyond a fleeting thrill.
People do this differently, but I advocate a slow and gradual approach. Start whittling down a tiny bit at a time. Move to a slightly cheaper apartment. Get rid of a few things, a few clothes. Trade in the new car for a used car.
Take a break whenever you feel you are depriving yourself. Dont force it. Once comfortable at the new level... set out to simplify a little more. Thats how I did it. It took a few years. But eventually I lived in a Nissan Sentra! Not that Im selling that option, but it shows how far you can go. And its always a comfort to me knowing I did it-- Knowing I could do it again, if necessary.
Whatever level you stop at, youll find that your needs are fewer while your options have increased. Your need for work is lessened. Your options for leisure, fun, travel, art, friends, family, etc. have increased. And thats what its all about.
.......
Heart
by AJ/Skald
Doesnt that get to the core? What an excellent question to ask about any undertaking, any enterprise.... "Is this a path with heart?" Its a question Ive asked myself about my job-situation in Japan (my answer, unfortunately, is "no"). Its a question Ive asked about teaching in general ("yes"); and about travel ("yes"), writing ("yes"), life in Thailand ("yes"), and my personalized mix of zen-taoism-shamanism ("yes").
Its a lack of heart that leads me to condemn big business, fundamentalist Christianity/Islam/Judaism, and Republicans (often overlapping groups).
People can tolerate a great deal of adversity when on a path with heart. They will fight, they will move mountains. They'll display integrity, strength, determination, and boldness.
I believe that most people yearn for such a path. They yearn for a noble cause. They yearn for something grand and magnificent. But most are trapped in jobs.. and by extension lives.. without heart. They appear listless. They appear dull. They appear lazy. "Appear", but not "are".
A great resevoir of energy slumbers. Social work taught me that. I witnessed its awakening on several occaisons...
So while I often vent my rage at the wage-slavers and drones of America, Inc...... I do so because Ive glimpsed the possible. People have so much more than given credit for. So much genius sleeps there.
All thats needed-- an ounce of inspiration, a glimpse of noble purpose, a modicum of faith in them, and a path with heart.
Supply these, and get out of the way. Supply these, and be ready for miracles.
............
For me there is only the traveling on the paths that have a heart, on any path that may have a heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge for me is to traverse its full length. And there I travel--looking, looking, breathlessly.- From The Teachings of Don Juan, by Carlos Castaneda
Doesnt that get to the core? What an excellent question to ask about any undertaking, any enterprise.... "Is this a path with heart?" Its a question Ive asked myself about my job-situation in Japan (my answer, unfortunately, is "no"). Its a question Ive asked about teaching in general ("yes"); and about travel ("yes"), writing ("yes"), life in Thailand ("yes"), and my personalized mix of zen-taoism-shamanism ("yes").
Its a lack of heart that leads me to condemn big business, fundamentalist Christianity/Islam/Judaism, and Republicans (often overlapping groups).
People can tolerate a great deal of adversity when on a path with heart. They will fight, they will move mountains. They'll display integrity, strength, determination, and boldness.
I believe that most people yearn for such a path. They yearn for a noble cause. They yearn for something grand and magnificent. But most are trapped in jobs.. and by extension lives.. without heart. They appear listless. They appear dull. They appear lazy. "Appear", but not "are".
A great resevoir of energy slumbers. Social work taught me that. I witnessed its awakening on several occaisons...
So while I often vent my rage at the wage-slavers and drones of America, Inc...... I do so because Ive glimpsed the possible. People have so much more than given credit for. So much genius sleeps there.
All thats needed-- an ounce of inspiration, a glimpse of noble purpose, a modicum of faith in them, and a path with heart.
Supply these, and get out of the way. Supply these, and be ready for miracles.
............
Size Matters, part 2
by AJ/Skald
Lets look at this business problem (or busy-ness as Sunwalker puts it) with more careful language. Could it be that business, per se, is not the problem.
For example, when I rail against the evils of business, I usually have a fairly large bureaucracy in mind. I think IBM, GE, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, and Microsoft. Or I think of local monsters such as large construction firms. I rarely think of the small enterprises in my local neighborhood. In fact, I love my local coffee shops. I love my local cafes. I love my local bookstores. And hardware store. And the artists selling their pieces on the sidewalk.
Im not alone. When folks attack Capitalism, usually they (like me) attack corporate capitalism. I've never heard an activist decry the evils of sole proprietorship or the corner mom and pop store. Corporations appear to create the worst evil.
Corporations can grow very large-- and they primarily exist for the purpose of avoiding responsibility. As a legal entity, the prime motive for establishing a corporations seems to be the avoidance of personal responsibility. Shareholders are protected from loss... their personal assets remain safe. Likewise, they gain legal protection. Imagine if every stockholder...however small... was held liable for the actions of the corporations they partly own! Imagine if they had to fit the bill for bankruptcy or legal fees... proportionate to the number of shares they owned. Perhaps folks would think more carefully about their investments. Perhaps ethics and human decency would play a greater role in their investment strategy.
Size is the other component. There are certainly small corporations,... but foulness and general evil seems to grow as the corporation does. Your local coffee shop seems benign and charming. They threaten no one. But Starbucks appears like a monstrous behemoth... deliberately sinking local enterprises through economic might and little else.
Which brings me, again, to the famous rule of 150. Maybe we are hard-wired for certain sized organizations. Below 150, we can retain our humanity.... communication remains natural.... responsibility is direct and personal. Beyond 150, things break down. Responsibility becomes diffused. Bureaucracy and rigidity increase. The organization begins to swallow people. As it hits 300, 500, 1000, and more... these trends accerate. Until we arrive at Wal-Mart, DuPont, GE, McDonald-Douglas, Phillip-Morris, McDonalds--- organizations devoid of heart or soul. Monsters feeding off war, pollution, exploitation, union busting, sweat shops, craving, and insecurity.
Could it be that small is indeed beautiful. As simple as that? Might many of the problems that seem intractable disappear with a re-organization of scale?
---------
Lets look at this business problem (or busy-ness as Sunwalker puts it) with more careful language. Could it be that business, per se, is not the problem.
For example, when I rail against the evils of business, I usually have a fairly large bureaucracy in mind. I think IBM, GE, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, and Microsoft. Or I think of local monsters such as large construction firms. I rarely think of the small enterprises in my local neighborhood. In fact, I love my local coffee shops. I love my local cafes. I love my local bookstores. And hardware store. And the artists selling their pieces on the sidewalk.
Im not alone. When folks attack Capitalism, usually they (like me) attack corporate capitalism. I've never heard an activist decry the evils of sole proprietorship or the corner mom and pop store. Corporations appear to create the worst evil.
Corporations can grow very large-- and they primarily exist for the purpose of avoiding responsibility. As a legal entity, the prime motive for establishing a corporations seems to be the avoidance of personal responsibility. Shareholders are protected from loss... their personal assets remain safe. Likewise, they gain legal protection. Imagine if every stockholder...however small... was held liable for the actions of the corporations they partly own! Imagine if they had to fit the bill for bankruptcy or legal fees... proportionate to the number of shares they owned. Perhaps folks would think more carefully about their investments. Perhaps ethics and human decency would play a greater role in their investment strategy.
Size is the other component. There are certainly small corporations,... but foulness and general evil seems to grow as the corporation does. Your local coffee shop seems benign and charming. They threaten no one. But Starbucks appears like a monstrous behemoth... deliberately sinking local enterprises through economic might and little else.
Which brings me, again, to the famous rule of 150. Maybe we are hard-wired for certain sized organizations. Below 150, we can retain our humanity.... communication remains natural.... responsibility is direct and personal. Beyond 150, things break down. Responsibility becomes diffused. Bureaucracy and rigidity increase. The organization begins to swallow people. As it hits 300, 500, 1000, and more... these trends accerate. Until we arrive at Wal-Mart, DuPont, GE, McDonald-Douglas, Phillip-Morris, McDonalds--- organizations devoid of heart or soul. Monsters feeding off war, pollution, exploitation, union busting, sweat shops, craving, and insecurity.
Could it be that small is indeed beautiful. As simple as that? Might many of the problems that seem intractable disappear with a re-organization of scale?
---------
Memories of A Day In The Life in Thailand
by AJ/Skald
My grip tightens as the motorcycle speeds towards oncoming traffic. We weave left to avoid a car, then cut right to the curb-- jump it at a low point, walk the bike over the median, and hop onto the main highway. I hold onto the bar behind the seat and try to relax, but my chest feels tight. The moto-taxi driver guns the accelerator.
Twenty minutes later, he slams the brakes in front of my school. I shake my hands, get off the bike, and hand him 80 baht (about $2 dollars). My legs wobble as I head into the building-- I've survived another commute in Bangkok.
I'm early so I dash to the cafeteria for a quick bite. Its 10 am so I opt for "Khai Jeaw" (omelette). I douse the omelette in chilli powder, chilli oil, and ketchup and snicker as I realize what I've done-- my tastes are turning Thai.
The bell rings and I stroll to class.
Five hours later, Im done teaching. And though I enjoy teaching English, the truth is-- its a means to an end. My real love is travelling and living abroad. I enjoy teaching, but I love Thailand.
I hoist my pack and walk to Lumpini Park. An array of food tents line the edge of Lumpini. Thai friends introduced me to one in particular-- which makes the best Som Tam (spicy papaya salad) in the city. Making Som Tam is an art form,... even in Bangkok it can be difficult to find good stuff. A little too much sugar, or oil, or tamarind, or lime, or chilli.. and the balance of flavors is lost. But properly made, its divine.
I sit and use sparse Thai to order Som Tam with a side of Khao Niaw (Sticky rice). I request "mai sai gung, khap" (no shrimp please)-- but the owners know me and have already started my order.
Its been another blistering day in the city, but a tarp shades the tables and the sun is going down. I sip water while I wait, kick back, and watch people stroll through the park. When the order comes, it lives up to reputation. My eyes and nose water from the chillies. I drink a liter of water, wipe my nose, pat my belly, and smile as I try to imagine the bland food I favored at home. But memory fails.
Charge for the meal...... 50 baht.. just over a dollar.
When I first arrived, I thought often of home. But 16 months later, I never think of The States. Thailand's rhythms, flavors, sounds, and colors have captured me. I feel no nostalgia or homesickness. I can't imagine returning to the hectic grind. I don't miss the bland food or the dulling routine, nor the highways or stripmalls.
At its best, this is what living abroad is all about. Its the magic of not knowing what to expect day to day. Its the exhilaration of new smells, sights, sounds, tastes and sensations. Its the joy of learning something new everyday... and the frustration of unlearning what we accept as "common knowledge".
Of course, living abroad is not for everyone. Those who value stability, security, and comfort may find the experience extremely frustrating. Life is rarely predictable in another country. Simple tasks-- finding a restaurant, renting a movie, getting a phone-- often turn into challenging ordeals.
For my first five months in Bangkok, I could not properly pronounce the name of my neighborhood. Every time I said, "Bangyikan", taxi drivers stared blankly... or waved me away. I grunted, I tried every possible variation of pronunciation, I gestured, I spoke slowly. Nothing worked.
For five months I settled for "Khao San Road", a backpackers spot every driver knew--and walked 25 minutes from there to my home.
Then one day, inexplicably, and with no change I could discern, I said "Bangyikan" and the driver motioned me in. From then on, they always understood.
---------
From Lumpini park I flag a taxi and stop at the Baghdad Cafe to meet friends. Crowded among small round tables, grimy walls, tattered tapestries, and a mix of tattooed Thais and grungy foreigners-- we smoke flavored tobacco from 4 foot water pipes. A blue haze fills the narrow room-- an air of debauchery hangs in the air. We lean against the wall and lounge.
Two hours later, we walk home.
As we cross the Pinklao bridge I catch the gold and glitter of The Grand Palace-- it dances in the night sky. Further downriver, spotlights torch the stone spires of Wat Arun Temple.
A barge slides under the bridge as I turn for one last glance at the temple.
And another typical day in Bangkok comes to an end.
.............
My grip tightens as the motorcycle speeds towards oncoming traffic. We weave left to avoid a car, then cut right to the curb-- jump it at a low point, walk the bike over the median, and hop onto the main highway. I hold onto the bar behind the seat and try to relax, but my chest feels tight. The moto-taxi driver guns the accelerator.
Twenty minutes later, he slams the brakes in front of my school. I shake my hands, get off the bike, and hand him 80 baht (about $2 dollars). My legs wobble as I head into the building-- I've survived another commute in Bangkok.
I'm early so I dash to the cafeteria for a quick bite. Its 10 am so I opt for "Khai Jeaw" (omelette). I douse the omelette in chilli powder, chilli oil, and ketchup and snicker as I realize what I've done-- my tastes are turning Thai.
The bell rings and I stroll to class.
Five hours later, Im done teaching. And though I enjoy teaching English, the truth is-- its a means to an end. My real love is travelling and living abroad. I enjoy teaching, but I love Thailand.
I hoist my pack and walk to Lumpini Park. An array of food tents line the edge of Lumpini. Thai friends introduced me to one in particular-- which makes the best Som Tam (spicy papaya salad) in the city. Making Som Tam is an art form,... even in Bangkok it can be difficult to find good stuff. A little too much sugar, or oil, or tamarind, or lime, or chilli.. and the balance of flavors is lost. But properly made, its divine.
I sit and use sparse Thai to order Som Tam with a side of Khao Niaw (Sticky rice). I request "mai sai gung, khap" (no shrimp please)-- but the owners know me and have already started my order.
Its been another blistering day in the city, but a tarp shades the tables and the sun is going down. I sip water while I wait, kick back, and watch people stroll through the park. When the order comes, it lives up to reputation. My eyes and nose water from the chillies. I drink a liter of water, wipe my nose, pat my belly, and smile as I try to imagine the bland food I favored at home. But memory fails.
Charge for the meal...... 50 baht.. just over a dollar.
When I first arrived, I thought often of home. But 16 months later, I never think of The States. Thailand's rhythms, flavors, sounds, and colors have captured me. I feel no nostalgia or homesickness. I can't imagine returning to the hectic grind. I don't miss the bland food or the dulling routine, nor the highways or stripmalls.
At its best, this is what living abroad is all about. Its the magic of not knowing what to expect day to day. Its the exhilaration of new smells, sights, sounds, tastes and sensations. Its the joy of learning something new everyday... and the frustration of unlearning what we accept as "common knowledge".
Of course, living abroad is not for everyone. Those who value stability, security, and comfort may find the experience extremely frustrating. Life is rarely predictable in another country. Simple tasks-- finding a restaurant, renting a movie, getting a phone-- often turn into challenging ordeals.
For my first five months in Bangkok, I could not properly pronounce the name of my neighborhood. Every time I said, "Bangyikan", taxi drivers stared blankly... or waved me away. I grunted, I tried every possible variation of pronunciation, I gestured, I spoke slowly. Nothing worked.
For five months I settled for "Khao San Road", a backpackers spot every driver knew--and walked 25 minutes from there to my home.
Then one day, inexplicably, and with no change I could discern, I said "Bangyikan" and the driver motioned me in. From then on, they always understood.
---------
From Lumpini park I flag a taxi and stop at the Baghdad Cafe to meet friends. Crowded among small round tables, grimy walls, tattered tapestries, and a mix of tattooed Thais and grungy foreigners-- we smoke flavored tobacco from 4 foot water pipes. A blue haze fills the narrow room-- an air of debauchery hangs in the air. We lean against the wall and lounge.
Two hours later, we walk home.
As we cross the Pinklao bridge I catch the gold and glitter of The Grand Palace-- it dances in the night sky. Further downriver, spotlights torch the stone spires of Wat Arun Temple.
A barge slides under the bridge as I turn for one last glance at the temple.
And another typical day in Bangkok comes to an end.
.............
Monday, April 25, 2005
Wild Divine
by AJ/Skald
Found this one on Bruce Eisner's Vision Thing, a fascinating blog I can't plug enough.
In a recent post he describes a new bio-feedback software game. The game uses bio-feedback instruments and your PC to teach meditative relaxation techniques. By working through the game, you learn how to quickly control your body rhythms (such as pulse)... techniques with obvious benefits in the real world. Deepak Chopra is associated with the project.
I may give the software a spin... if so, Ill post a review.
Here's a link:
Wild Divine
......
Found this one on Bruce Eisner's Vision Thing, a fascinating blog I can't plug enough.
In a recent post he describes a new bio-feedback software game. The game uses bio-feedback instruments and your PC to teach meditative relaxation techniques. By working through the game, you learn how to quickly control your body rhythms (such as pulse)... techniques with obvious benefits in the real world. Deepak Chopra is associated with the project.
I may give the software a spin... if so, Ill post a review.
Here's a link:
Wild Divine
......
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Insanity
by Skald
The mystic dances in the sun,
hearing music other's don't.
"Insanity," they say, those others.
If so, It's a very gentle,
nourishing sort.
--A Post-It Poem taken from Rumi
------
"Gentle and nourishing insanity", does that not describe the Hobopoet path.. whatever form it takes? Strictly speaking, insanity is extreme deviation from the norm. If everyone heard voices, itd probably be thought "normal"... and dullards who heard nothing might be considered mentally deficient.
Much that passes for sanity is little more than conformity- a fact recognized by most non-conformists. Its considered "crazy" to question conventional wisdom and even crazier to go against it. Most people cant fathom a person who actively avoids "work" and a "career". Nor can they fathom a distrust of money, nor a loathing of monotony.
They think it crazy to indulge odd pleasures that have no profit (ie. the post-it poet).
For most folks, the average hobopoet is crazy. Maybe not "psychiatric ward" crazy... but certainly weird, undesirable, and perhaps scary.
This is especially so if the hobopoet extends their non-conformity to appearance.. by wearing "odd" clothes, or sporting shaggy hair, or a long beard, or piercings, or tattoos. Such people experience a great deal of discrimination... discrimination that is considered not only acceptable, but desirable.
Which is why I choose a stealth approach. Normally, I sport a very clean cut appearance.....
As a result, I am never hassled by police... never hassled by dimwitted clerks.... I glide smoothly among the drones and they never suspect.
When I returned to Georgia from Asia three years ago... I had long curly hair and a bushy beard. I wore Thai and Indian clothes. During my first month, I was pulled over by the cops twice... both times for bogus reasons ("crooked license plate"). African-Americans and Latinos, no doubt, will know what Im talking about.
Once I cut my hair and returned to wearing jeans and collared shirts, I was never pulled over again (in two years time).
I dont advocate either approach.... but the more you break from societal norms,.. and the more criminal your activities become (psychedelic drugs, car living, activism, etc.), the more valuable a stealth approach seems.
Most people seem more concerned with the appearance of non-conformity than the actual practice. If you look like them, most will assume you are like them.
.........
The mystic dances in the sun,
hearing music other's don't.
"Insanity," they say, those others.
If so, It's a very gentle,
nourishing sort.
--A Post-It Poem taken from Rumi
------
"Gentle and nourishing insanity", does that not describe the Hobopoet path.. whatever form it takes? Strictly speaking, insanity is extreme deviation from the norm. If everyone heard voices, itd probably be thought "normal"... and dullards who heard nothing might be considered mentally deficient.
Much that passes for sanity is little more than conformity- a fact recognized by most non-conformists. Its considered "crazy" to question conventional wisdom and even crazier to go against it. Most people cant fathom a person who actively avoids "work" and a "career". Nor can they fathom a distrust of money, nor a loathing of monotony.
They think it crazy to indulge odd pleasures that have no profit (ie. the post-it poet).
For most folks, the average hobopoet is crazy. Maybe not "psychiatric ward" crazy... but certainly weird, undesirable, and perhaps scary.
This is especially so if the hobopoet extends their non-conformity to appearance.. by wearing "odd" clothes, or sporting shaggy hair, or a long beard, or piercings, or tattoos. Such people experience a great deal of discrimination... discrimination that is considered not only acceptable, but desirable.
Which is why I choose a stealth approach. Normally, I sport a very clean cut appearance.....
As a result, I am never hassled by police... never hassled by dimwitted clerks.... I glide smoothly among the drones and they never suspect.
When I returned to Georgia from Asia three years ago... I had long curly hair and a bushy beard. I wore Thai and Indian clothes. During my first month, I was pulled over by the cops twice... both times for bogus reasons ("crooked license plate"). African-Americans and Latinos, no doubt, will know what Im talking about.
Once I cut my hair and returned to wearing jeans and collared shirts, I was never pulled over again (in two years time).
I dont advocate either approach.... but the more you break from societal norms,.. and the more criminal your activities become (psychedelic drugs, car living, activism, etc.), the more valuable a stealth approach seems.
Most people seem more concerned with the appearance of non-conformity than the actual practice. If you look like them, most will assume you are like them.
.........
Stretching
by AJ/Skald
In the spirit of stretching my assumptions, I embarked on regular reading of Tom Peters' blog... which is dedicated to passion, innovation, (and all that jazz)-- in the business world. At first I was pleasantly surprised to find such words thrown around by a business consultant. I allowed for the fact that I may be wrong about the business world... or at least a small slice of it.
But lately Ive grown weary of reading the site. The more I read, the more I feel that the hype is smoke and mirrors. Most commenters to the blog are working for corporations that are anything but radical or humanizing. And most posts concern bland corporate gossip.
I also find an in-built faith in advertising and marketing.... pursuits that Aldous Huxley dubbed the dark opposites of the Perennial Philosophy: for their sole concern is to increase craving... that sickness which most mystical traditions identify as the root cause of suffering.
There are a few standouts on the site. Tom Asacker is one. Trevor Gay is another. But for each one like them, the business world is filled with a thousand money grubbing bastards-- who would gladly dump toxic waste in their neighbors' water supply-- if it'd add another 1% to quarterly profits.
And there are another 5000 who dont care about anything; they just shuffle along to collect their paycheck. They never question anything, never examine the organizations they work for, never wonder if there could be a deeper purpose to life. They do what they are expected to do.
And so I have found little passion, very little innovation, and no inspiration.
My picture of the business world is bleacker than ever.
........
In the spirit of stretching my assumptions, I embarked on regular reading of Tom Peters' blog... which is dedicated to passion, innovation, (and all that jazz)-- in the business world. At first I was pleasantly surprised to find such words thrown around by a business consultant. I allowed for the fact that I may be wrong about the business world... or at least a small slice of it.
But lately Ive grown weary of reading the site. The more I read, the more I feel that the hype is smoke and mirrors. Most commenters to the blog are working for corporations that are anything but radical or humanizing. And most posts concern bland corporate gossip.
I also find an in-built faith in advertising and marketing.... pursuits that Aldous Huxley dubbed the dark opposites of the Perennial Philosophy: for their sole concern is to increase craving... that sickness which most mystical traditions identify as the root cause of suffering.
There are a few standouts on the site. Tom Asacker is one. Trevor Gay is another. But for each one like them, the business world is filled with a thousand money grubbing bastards-- who would gladly dump toxic waste in their neighbors' water supply-- if it'd add another 1% to quarterly profits.
And there are another 5000 who dont care about anything; they just shuffle along to collect their paycheck. They never question anything, never examine the organizations they work for, never wonder if there could be a deeper purpose to life. They do what they are expected to do.
And so I have found little passion, very little innovation, and no inspiration.
My picture of the business world is bleacker than ever.
........
Friday, April 22, 2005
Tune In
by Skald
More good stuff from Robert Anton Wilson:
"The Bohm model (of Quantum Physics) seems to undermine our traditional dualism of consciousness and matter. In (this model) information permeates all localities. And information that has no locality sounds a great deal like the Hindu divinity Brahma, the Chinese concept of Tao, Aldous Huxley's Mind At Large, and The Buddha Mind of Mahayana Buddhism.
'The Buddha-Mind is not God', Buddhists continually explain, and Occidentals blink, unable to understand a religion without 'God'. But Brahma, in Vedic Hinduism, does not have any of the personality, locality, temperment, or gender of Western 'Gods' and like Buddha-Mind, seems to mean a kind of non-local implicate order, or informatin without location.
Dr. Evan Harris Walker goes further. A physicists, by the way-- he has developed a model in which 'consciousness' does not exist locally at all but only appears localized due to our errors of perception. In this model, our 'minds' do not reside in our brains but non-locally permeate and/or transcend space-time entirely. Our brains, then, merely 'tune in' this non-local consciousness (which now sounds even more like Huxley's Mind At Large). "
-------
That last line evokes Tim Leary's famous exhortation to 'tune in'... and it hints to me at whats going on during my own inner journeys (with salvia, mushrooms, ganga, etc.).
My best current metaphor for these ally drugs: they function like a broadband connection to Mind At Large... faster and wider access than the typical 'dial up' connection I normally have.
More information gets in. But Im still stuck with the same processors once I return to mundane consciousness. Thus the weird and wild flow of information can seem difficult to understand and can take a long time to sort out.
It could be that schizophrenics (for example) likewise have a broadband connection... only it functions without their conscious control... they may have difficulty 'tuning out' the rush of information (and thus returning to mundane consciousness). Huxley and Lang, among others, have suggested exactly that.
......
More good stuff from Robert Anton Wilson:
"The Bohm model (of Quantum Physics) seems to undermine our traditional dualism of consciousness and matter. In (this model) information permeates all localities. And information that has no locality sounds a great deal like the Hindu divinity Brahma, the Chinese concept of Tao, Aldous Huxley's Mind At Large, and The Buddha Mind of Mahayana Buddhism.
'The Buddha-Mind is not God', Buddhists continually explain, and Occidentals blink, unable to understand a religion without 'God'. But Brahma, in Vedic Hinduism, does not have any of the personality, locality, temperment, or gender of Western 'Gods' and like Buddha-Mind, seems to mean a kind of non-local implicate order, or informatin without location.
Dr. Evan Harris Walker goes further. A physicists, by the way-- he has developed a model in which 'consciousness' does not exist locally at all but only appears localized due to our errors of perception. In this model, our 'minds' do not reside in our brains but non-locally permeate and/or transcend space-time entirely. Our brains, then, merely 'tune in' this non-local consciousness (which now sounds even more like Huxley's Mind At Large). "
-------
That last line evokes Tim Leary's famous exhortation to 'tune in'... and it hints to me at whats going on during my own inner journeys (with salvia, mushrooms, ganga, etc.).
My best current metaphor for these ally drugs: they function like a broadband connection to Mind At Large... faster and wider access than the typical 'dial up' connection I normally have.
More information gets in. But Im still stuck with the same processors once I return to mundane consciousness. Thus the weird and wild flow of information can seem difficult to understand and can take a long time to sort out.
It could be that schizophrenics (for example) likewise have a broadband connection... only it functions without their conscious control... they may have difficulty 'tuning out' the rush of information (and thus returning to mundane consciousness). Huxley and Lang, among others, have suggested exactly that.
......
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Freeters
by AJ/Skald
Its not all bleak workaholism here. While most Japanese work insane hours,... there is an underground rebellion against this.
They are called freeters. These are Japanese who deliberately avoid careers. They work part time jobs. They work full time jobs with no career path. Unlike most, they drift from job to job. When they want a long break, they quit.
In fact, often they not only quit... they leave. This reminds me of a line from Henry Miller, "The French dont quit, they leave". In other words, no notice, no resignation letter....
Many freeters take this approach. When they tire of a job, they simply dont show up again. Ive exercised this option a number of times myself and it is quite nice... something free, easy, and liberating about it. Quitting and giving notice often feels like asking permission... as if you are an indentured servant begging to be released.
So many freeters leave. They leave in order to travel. They leave in order to indulge in a hobby. They leave in order to study a subject that fascinates them (Ive got a few freeters in my English classes).
Many go abroad for short or long periods of time.
In essence, they are Japan's part-time hobopoets.
Which goes to show that even in the most work-enslaved country in the world.... there are alternatives.
......
Its not all bleak workaholism here. While most Japanese work insane hours,... there is an underground rebellion against this.
They are called freeters. These are Japanese who deliberately avoid careers. They work part time jobs. They work full time jobs with no career path. Unlike most, they drift from job to job. When they want a long break, they quit.
In fact, often they not only quit... they leave. This reminds me of a line from Henry Miller, "The French dont quit, they leave". In other words, no notice, no resignation letter....
Many freeters take this approach. When they tire of a job, they simply dont show up again. Ive exercised this option a number of times myself and it is quite nice... something free, easy, and liberating about it. Quitting and giving notice often feels like asking permission... as if you are an indentured servant begging to be released.
So many freeters leave. They leave in order to travel. They leave in order to indulge in a hobby. They leave in order to study a subject that fascinates them (Ive got a few freeters in my English classes).
Many go abroad for short or long periods of time.
In essence, they are Japan's part-time hobopoets.
Which goes to show that even in the most work-enslaved country in the world.... there are alternatives.
......
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
RAW
by AJ/Skald
Ive always been a late bloomer... so no surprise its taken me so long to read Robert Anton Wilson. I just started his book Quantum Psychology and all I can say is, "holy shit".
What a goddam great book!
Here's a little blurb, hardly the most interesting, but the one I just opened the book to:
"One virtually never hears 'MAYBE Jesus was the son of God' or 'MAYBE Islam is a false religion'. People ignore the quantum MAYBE because they have largely never heard of quantum logic or Transactional psychology, but they also ignore it because traditional politics and religion have conditioned people for millenniums-- and still train them today-- to act with intolerance and premature certainty. In general, people judge it 'manly' to pronounce dogmatic verdicts and fight for them, and to admit quantum uncertainty seem 'unmanly'. Feminism often challenges this machismo, but, just as often, certain Feminists appear to think they will appear stronger if they speak and behave as dogmatically and unscientifically as the stupidest, most macho males. "
I struggle with this conditioning myself. Ive noticed that the most dogmatic writing typically gets the most attention.... and seems the easiest to write in a fit of passion. Thus, when I say 'Americans are fat-ass retards'... thats guaranteed to get a reaction and often seems to boost my chances of selling an article. Something like 'Americans often appear like fat-ass retards to those living in other countries' is much more accurate, but doesnt carry the same punch.
Most people crave certainty. We've been trained to think in black and white. We want 100% certainty. Christians say, "Jesus IS Lord", despite the complete untestability of the statement. Likewise, Im inclined to say things like "Christians are morons".... but of course this carries the same stamp of ridiculous certainty.
Its a big leap from surface understanding to absorbing these realities. Its not easy to retrain your mind to think in degrees of MAYBE.... in terms of probabilities and percentages and outright "I have no fucking idea". One would think that 'I don't know' was the most dreaded phrase in the English language. But its probably the most honest.
Zen/Taoist Masters have long recognized this. Much of zen practice seems designed to destroy certainty in the student whenever it crops up. "So you think you know huh?".... wham! out comes the rug from under your feet.
This, too, is a feature of shamanic traditions. The most basic power of psychedelic entheogens seems to be their ability to destroy certainty. They present realities so weird and wonderful that they call everything we accept as common sense into question. I dont undersand my salvia experiences, for example. Probably thats because I search for a linear meaning in them.
Perhaps a fairly straightforward message resides in them.. something tied to my average reality. But if nothing else, these experiences have taught me one very very powerful lesson:
The universe/mind appears far weirder than I ever imagined.
........
Ive always been a late bloomer... so no surprise its taken me so long to read Robert Anton Wilson. I just started his book Quantum Psychology and all I can say is, "holy shit".
What a goddam great book!
Here's a little blurb, hardly the most interesting, but the one I just opened the book to:
"One virtually never hears 'MAYBE Jesus was the son of God' or 'MAYBE Islam is a false religion'. People ignore the quantum MAYBE because they have largely never heard of quantum logic or Transactional psychology, but they also ignore it because traditional politics and religion have conditioned people for millenniums-- and still train them today-- to act with intolerance and premature certainty. In general, people judge it 'manly' to pronounce dogmatic verdicts and fight for them, and to admit quantum uncertainty seem 'unmanly'. Feminism often challenges this machismo, but, just as often, certain Feminists appear to think they will appear stronger if they speak and behave as dogmatically and unscientifically as the stupidest, most macho males. "
I struggle with this conditioning myself. Ive noticed that the most dogmatic writing typically gets the most attention.... and seems the easiest to write in a fit of passion. Thus, when I say 'Americans are fat-ass retards'... thats guaranteed to get a reaction and often seems to boost my chances of selling an article. Something like 'Americans often appear like fat-ass retards to those living in other countries' is much more accurate, but doesnt carry the same punch.
Most people crave certainty. We've been trained to think in black and white. We want 100% certainty. Christians say, "Jesus IS Lord", despite the complete untestability of the statement. Likewise, Im inclined to say things like "Christians are morons".... but of course this carries the same stamp of ridiculous certainty.
Its a big leap from surface understanding to absorbing these realities. Its not easy to retrain your mind to think in degrees of MAYBE.... in terms of probabilities and percentages and outright "I have no fucking idea". One would think that 'I don't know' was the most dreaded phrase in the English language. But its probably the most honest.
Zen/Taoist Masters have long recognized this. Much of zen practice seems designed to destroy certainty in the student whenever it crops up. "So you think you know huh?".... wham! out comes the rug from under your feet.
This, too, is a feature of shamanic traditions. The most basic power of psychedelic entheogens seems to be their ability to destroy certainty. They present realities so weird and wonderful that they call everything we accept as common sense into question. I dont undersand my salvia experiences, for example. Probably thats because I search for a linear meaning in them.
Perhaps a fairly straightforward message resides in them.. something tied to my average reality. But if nothing else, these experiences have taught me one very very powerful lesson:
The universe/mind appears far weirder than I ever imagined.
........
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Doing Fine
by AJ/Skald
I could be grinding it out in a 40 hour a week office job in the States: up at the crack of dawn, commute in a tin box (stop and go traffic all the way), trapped in flourescent hell for 8 hours, chained to a desk, surrounded by lobotomized drones,....counting the minutes till 5:00pm.... then another hour or so of traffic..... home to a crappy microwave dinner, watch the boob box, soak up nationalistic propaganda, gulp microwaved food, then off to bed.
Repeat every day of my miserable life.
I actually experienced that routine several summers during undergrad. I had a scholarship from IBM and thus got (supposedly) primo intern positions every summer. Its as close to hell as Ive ever come.
Maybe those summers were pivotal. Perhaps they planted a seed of terror in my subconscious-- a horrifying fear of living that way for the rest of my life. If so, I suppose I should be grateful for the experience.
Cause no matter how bad things get on the road, its always better than corporate servitude. Given the choice between a hospital bed in Jodhpur, India (puking and shitting every 30 minutes) or a day working in an office... Ill take the dysentary & India every time.
And the same goes for Japan. The job here sucks (no surprise).... but a bad day here kicks the shit out of a "good" day of corporate monotony back home.
Sometimes I forget this. I lose perspective. I forget just how good Ive got it. Forced to do a bit of pimping for cash-- I howl like a baby burned by boiling water.
Meanwhile Im in a fascinating new country, making new friends, eating new foods, and learning something new everyday. Im not chained to a desk. Im not locked in an office. Im not selling my soul for an arms dealer, or polluter, or sweat shop, or union buster. Im not whoring for Boeing, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, or Texaco.
My situation is frustrating only relative to my highest ambitions. Relative to the everyday life of most Americans... Im living a dream. Im travelling the globe and getting paid to do so. Im making money teaching my native language and writing freelance. More or less, I go where I want to go, when I want to, how I want to......
This is the first time Ive worked full time in the last three years- and Im still exploring a new place while doing so. Ive got a best friend who is as nomadic as I am... and who is my constant travel partner. Ive got job possibilities and offers from all over the world (teaching) and can write from anywhere.
Im not a full time freelancing hobopoet yet... but compared to the majority who are trapped in corporate servitude-- Im doing just fine.
........
I could be grinding it out in a 40 hour a week office job in the States: up at the crack of dawn, commute in a tin box (stop and go traffic all the way), trapped in flourescent hell for 8 hours, chained to a desk, surrounded by lobotomized drones,....counting the minutes till 5:00pm.... then another hour or so of traffic..... home to a crappy microwave dinner, watch the boob box, soak up nationalistic propaganda, gulp microwaved food, then off to bed.
Repeat every day of my miserable life.
I actually experienced that routine several summers during undergrad. I had a scholarship from IBM and thus got (supposedly) primo intern positions every summer. Its as close to hell as Ive ever come.
Maybe those summers were pivotal. Perhaps they planted a seed of terror in my subconscious-- a horrifying fear of living that way for the rest of my life. If so, I suppose I should be grateful for the experience.
Cause no matter how bad things get on the road, its always better than corporate servitude. Given the choice between a hospital bed in Jodhpur, India (puking and shitting every 30 minutes) or a day working in an office... Ill take the dysentary & India every time.
And the same goes for Japan. The job here sucks (no surprise).... but a bad day here kicks the shit out of a "good" day of corporate monotony back home.
Sometimes I forget this. I lose perspective. I forget just how good Ive got it. Forced to do a bit of pimping for cash-- I howl like a baby burned by boiling water.
Meanwhile Im in a fascinating new country, making new friends, eating new foods, and learning something new everyday. Im not chained to a desk. Im not locked in an office. Im not selling my soul for an arms dealer, or polluter, or sweat shop, or union buster. Im not whoring for Boeing, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, or Texaco.
My situation is frustrating only relative to my highest ambitions. Relative to the everyday life of most Americans... Im living a dream. Im travelling the globe and getting paid to do so. Im making money teaching my native language and writing freelance. More or less, I go where I want to go, when I want to, how I want to......
This is the first time Ive worked full time in the last three years- and Im still exploring a new place while doing so. Ive got a best friend who is as nomadic as I am... and who is my constant travel partner. Ive got job possibilities and offers from all over the world (teaching) and can write from anywhere.
Im not a full time freelancing hobopoet yet... but compared to the majority who are trapped in corporate servitude-- Im doing just fine.
........
Spring Cleaning
by AJ/Skald
Always scanning... fishing for eye contact. Hoping to save the world from boredom. At times its a doomed mission. Monotony enchroaches. The eyes dull. Sounds grow muffled.
The alluvium of experience gathers thick. Life becomes a burden. Predictable. Cheap. Thick and heavy.
Without periodic cleansing, this is the natural progression. Is it such a surprise that most old people are bitter and fearful?
The doors of perception must be cleansed. This is an essential human act, long recognized by ancient cultures.... long neglected by civilized ones.
They tell us that this is an age of information. Most speak these words proudly. But there is much danger in such an age. Information is often a code word for opinion... and opinion clouds the mind. Clouds it in a blue-coat dream.... a prison of concepts.
Our task is to awaken. Through meditation. Through choiceless awareness. Through herbal allies. Our minds need Spring cleaning as much as our homes.
Simply cease to cherish opinions.
.............
Always scanning... fishing for eye contact. Hoping to save the world from boredom. At times its a doomed mission. Monotony enchroaches. The eyes dull. Sounds grow muffled.
The alluvium of experience gathers thick. Life becomes a burden. Predictable. Cheap. Thick and heavy.
Without periodic cleansing, this is the natural progression. Is it such a surprise that most old people are bitter and fearful?
The doors of perception must be cleansed. This is an essential human act, long recognized by ancient cultures.... long neglected by civilized ones.
They tell us that this is an age of information. Most speak these words proudly. But there is much danger in such an age. Information is often a code word for opinion... and opinion clouds the mind. Clouds it in a blue-coat dream.... a prison of concepts.
Our task is to awaken. Through meditation. Through choiceless awareness. Through herbal allies. Our minds need Spring cleaning as much as our homes.
Simply cease to cherish opinions.
.............
Succeed Now!
by AJ/Skald
"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."
--Michelangelo
Pulled that quote off Tom Peters site... its one of those "insanely great" cliches. So, so true. For all those living desperate, bored lives, is not aiming too low the problem. Most of these folks are reaching their goals. They are doing well financially. Their careers are going well. All those little goals are being met.
But what happened to the big ones... those lofty principles that once excited them? What happened to the dream of traveling the world? Of being an artist? Of making movies? Of writing?
Maybe you are one of those people who gave up. Maybe you think its too late now. But its not.
I started my hobopoet life at age 33. Until then I was ploughing along,... vaguely disatisfied. I talked of wanting to see the world. I talked of wanting to be a writer. I talked and talked and talked, but stayed in Georgia (and SC) and tried to establish a "career" as a social worker.
Then it hit me. I could talk or I could do it. I was struggling in yet another miserable job. I was bogged down with debt. I felt trapped. Trapped by the IDEA of responsibility. Trapped by my fears.... of other people's opinions, of failing.
And then something snapped. I converted my Nissan Sentra into a living space, moved out of my apartment, got rid of 90% of my shit, and became a hobopoet car-dweller. I declared bankruptcy.
Several months later, I moved to the hinterlands of Japan. I was lonely... and became depressed. But I had a lot of time to think. I began writing and decided to train myself to be a writer no matter how long it took, no matter how bad I was, no matter how much rejection I got. Id become a freelance article writer--- or fail gloriously in the attempt.
And then something curious happened: momentum. These decisions built on each other... strengthened my confidence.... inspired me to greater boldness. I set off on a wandering journey in Asia. I returned home and lived in my van. I moved to Thailand. I moved to Hiroshima. I wrote and actually sold a few articles.
Looking back, its so obvious. All that was required was the courage to do it. Im no Jack Kerouac or Hemingway. Anyone can learn to write and sell articles. And Im no Basho either. Anyone can imitate my travels.. and go much farther.
"Mind forged manacles", as Emerson wrote, are what bind us. Its fear that stops us. Its conditioning.
The important battles are internal. The initial journey begins inside.
Fight those battles. Make that journey.
Step onto the open road.
Dare to fail gloriously in pursuit of your bliss.
Do that and you will find, in fact, that there is no failure.
The attempt, the process, and the journey itself are what's important.
With your first step, you have already succeeded.
.........
"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."
--Michelangelo
Pulled that quote off Tom Peters site... its one of those "insanely great" cliches. So, so true. For all those living desperate, bored lives, is not aiming too low the problem. Most of these folks are reaching their goals. They are doing well financially. Their careers are going well. All those little goals are being met.
But what happened to the big ones... those lofty principles that once excited them? What happened to the dream of traveling the world? Of being an artist? Of making movies? Of writing?
Maybe you are one of those people who gave up. Maybe you think its too late now. But its not.
I started my hobopoet life at age 33. Until then I was ploughing along,... vaguely disatisfied. I talked of wanting to see the world. I talked of wanting to be a writer. I talked and talked and talked, but stayed in Georgia (and SC) and tried to establish a "career" as a social worker.
Then it hit me. I could talk or I could do it. I was struggling in yet another miserable job. I was bogged down with debt. I felt trapped. Trapped by the IDEA of responsibility. Trapped by my fears.... of other people's opinions, of failing.
And then something snapped. I converted my Nissan Sentra into a living space, moved out of my apartment, got rid of 90% of my shit, and became a hobopoet car-dweller. I declared bankruptcy.
Several months later, I moved to the hinterlands of Japan. I was lonely... and became depressed. But I had a lot of time to think. I began writing and decided to train myself to be a writer no matter how long it took, no matter how bad I was, no matter how much rejection I got. Id become a freelance article writer--- or fail gloriously in the attempt.
And then something curious happened: momentum. These decisions built on each other... strengthened my confidence.... inspired me to greater boldness. I set off on a wandering journey in Asia. I returned home and lived in my van. I moved to Thailand. I moved to Hiroshima. I wrote and actually sold a few articles.
Looking back, its so obvious. All that was required was the courage to do it. Im no Jack Kerouac or Hemingway. Anyone can learn to write and sell articles. And Im no Basho either. Anyone can imitate my travels.. and go much farther.
"Mind forged manacles", as Emerson wrote, are what bind us. Its fear that stops us. Its conditioning.
The important battles are internal. The initial journey begins inside.
Fight those battles. Make that journey.
Step onto the open road.
Dare to fail gloriously in pursuit of your bliss.
Do that and you will find, in fact, that there is no failure.
The attempt, the process, and the journey itself are what's important.
With your first step, you have already succeeded.
.........
Young People
by AJ/Skald
Its an old cliche... an older man with a younger woman. This is a situation that, for some reason, sends many "older" women into a rage.
Well, Im living that cliche and not for the reasons most women think. No, Im not after a perfect nubile body. No, I dont want control. No, I dont need to be looked up to. No, it doesnt boost my ego. I, in fact, am wildly attracted to strong, confident, wild women.
The simple truth is, most women (and men!) my age bore the shit out of me. Most people don't age well. Their bodies grow flabby; and their minds too. They slip into monotonous routines... become obsessed with security and stability. Their brains calcify and creativity drains away. So too does their enthusiasm and passion.
Most people my age (37) are pathetic... half-dead. They have no curiousity... no engagement with life. They have nothing to talk about but their routine jobs, their kids, or their mundane complaints. They tire easily.
They no longer want to dance, or explore, or experiment. They fear the unknown.
I prefer younger people.... whatever their chronological age. I want to associate with people who are excited to be alive... who view the world with fresh eyes,... who question,... who wonder,.... As Kerouac said, I prefer the ones who burn bright.
People with energy and enthusiasm. People who despise monotony and will not tolerate it. I have a few friends like this who are my age or older. But they are rarities.
Most people die long before they die. Its a process I dont completely understand. Why do people succumb so easily to boredom? Why do they settle for shit-routines? How can they live the same day, day after day, for years?
"Most men live lives of quiet desperation" wrote Thoreau. He was right, of course. But why? Why do they kill their dreams so quickly?
I've been accused of "never growing up". I consider it a compliment.
Because "Growing up" is nothing but a code word for cowardice.
At the age of 37, Im surrounded by boring, half-dead cowards who never dared to live.
And that is why I don't date women my age.
......
Its an old cliche... an older man with a younger woman. This is a situation that, for some reason, sends many "older" women into a rage.
Well, Im living that cliche and not for the reasons most women think. No, Im not after a perfect nubile body. No, I dont want control. No, I dont need to be looked up to. No, it doesnt boost my ego. I, in fact, am wildly attracted to strong, confident, wild women.
The simple truth is, most women (and men!) my age bore the shit out of me. Most people don't age well. Their bodies grow flabby; and their minds too. They slip into monotonous routines... become obsessed with security and stability. Their brains calcify and creativity drains away. So too does their enthusiasm and passion.
Most people my age (37) are pathetic... half-dead. They have no curiousity... no engagement with life. They have nothing to talk about but their routine jobs, their kids, or their mundane complaints. They tire easily.
They no longer want to dance, or explore, or experiment. They fear the unknown.
I prefer younger people.... whatever their chronological age. I want to associate with people who are excited to be alive... who view the world with fresh eyes,... who question,... who wonder,.... As Kerouac said, I prefer the ones who burn bright.
People with energy and enthusiasm. People who despise monotony and will not tolerate it. I have a few friends like this who are my age or older. But they are rarities.
Most people die long before they die. Its a process I dont completely understand. Why do people succumb so easily to boredom? Why do they settle for shit-routines? How can they live the same day, day after day, for years?
"Most men live lives of quiet desperation" wrote Thoreau. He was right, of course. But why? Why do they kill their dreams so quickly?
I've been accused of "never growing up". I consider it a compliment.
Because "Growing up" is nothing but a code word for cowardice.
At the age of 37, Im surrounded by boring, half-dead cowards who never dared to live.
And that is why I don't date women my age.
......
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Damn Impressive
by AJ/Skald
Sitting at Mihara Shinkansen station, munching on a piece of bread. Im tired from a very long day of teaching. My mind is blank as I gnaw on a slice of whole wheat. I feel a slight vibration in my chest.....
Suddenly a rolling shotgun blast pounds my chest. A bullet train (shinkansen) rockets through the station. I gag as the thunder hits my ears full on. The train is a blur, I can't make out individual windows. I nearly drop the bread.
And then its gone. "Holy shit" I say aloud.
I'd ridden a shinkansen from Hiroshima to Mihara that morning. But sitting inside, I had no feel for the speed and awesome power of the thing. You feel like you're on a normal train... countryside slides by, the ride is smooth. In fact, I was disappointed. I'd heard of Japan's famous bullet trains, but the morning commute felt mundane.
Seeing one from the outside, about 15 yards away as it blasted past, is another story. Truth be told, it scared the shit out of me. Those things MOVE.
Chalk it up to an elementary lesson in relativity. If you want to experience this marvel of Japanese technology,... do so from closeup, on the OUTSIDE.
Soon my shinkansen arrived. I settled into a well-padded chair next to the window and watched the mountains roll by. Once again I lost perspective. I knew we were moving FAST, but it didnt feel like it.
The trip from Mihara to Hiroshima took under 30 minutes. By normal local train, its over 90 minutes. By car/bus, two hours. My mind wandered and I imagined a shinkansen network in Georgia. What if such a train connected Athens, Atlanta, Gainesville, Savannah, and Augusta? Athens to Atlanta in 20 minutes!
Of course, its a pipe dream. I realized that these issues are connected... the bicycle paths, the wide sidewalks, the extensive train network, the streetcar system, the buses, the monorail, and the shinkansen. These things weren't slapped down in a haphazard manner. They form a very complete public transportation system.
Therein lies the problem with Athens, Atlanta, and Georgia as a whole. Athens, for example, may or may not put down a few bike paths and paint on a few bike lanes. But even if they do, it will be nothing but a patchwork.... a lane on Milledge Ave, the Greenway.... here a little, there a little,...
Not surprisingly, these additions will do little to alter the transportation habits of most Athenians... because the system as a whole will remain the same. And that system is designed for a car monopoly. A real bike system would require a total rethinking of the city's transportation network. It would require paths, widened sidewalks, underpasses, bridges, bike parking decks, etc., etc. A complete SYSTEM would change habits... dramatically. But its not bloody likely. The big money is in road construction, slash and burn development, and sprawl.
But its nice to be here and know that another way is possible. Listen to the Georgia good old boys and you'd think a good bike/train/bus system was impossible. They pull their hair and cry "impossible".
But really, its quite easy. Logistically, its much easier than the current mess of auto roadways. The scales are smaller and cheaper and simpler. What's missing are the will, integrity, and imagination.
Of course, politician-businessmen are not known for the latter two.
..........
.........
Sitting at Mihara Shinkansen station, munching on a piece of bread. Im tired from a very long day of teaching. My mind is blank as I gnaw on a slice of whole wheat. I feel a slight vibration in my chest.....
Suddenly a rolling shotgun blast pounds my chest. A bullet train (shinkansen) rockets through the station. I gag as the thunder hits my ears full on. The train is a blur, I can't make out individual windows. I nearly drop the bread.
And then its gone. "Holy shit" I say aloud.
I'd ridden a shinkansen from Hiroshima to Mihara that morning. But sitting inside, I had no feel for the speed and awesome power of the thing. You feel like you're on a normal train... countryside slides by, the ride is smooth. In fact, I was disappointed. I'd heard of Japan's famous bullet trains, but the morning commute felt mundane.
Seeing one from the outside, about 15 yards away as it blasted past, is another story. Truth be told, it scared the shit out of me. Those things MOVE.
Chalk it up to an elementary lesson in relativity. If you want to experience this marvel of Japanese technology,... do so from closeup, on the OUTSIDE.
Soon my shinkansen arrived. I settled into a well-padded chair next to the window and watched the mountains roll by. Once again I lost perspective. I knew we were moving FAST, but it didnt feel like it.
The trip from Mihara to Hiroshima took under 30 minutes. By normal local train, its over 90 minutes. By car/bus, two hours. My mind wandered and I imagined a shinkansen network in Georgia. What if such a train connected Athens, Atlanta, Gainesville, Savannah, and Augusta? Athens to Atlanta in 20 minutes!
Of course, its a pipe dream. I realized that these issues are connected... the bicycle paths, the wide sidewalks, the extensive train network, the streetcar system, the buses, the monorail, and the shinkansen. These things weren't slapped down in a haphazard manner. They form a very complete public transportation system.
Therein lies the problem with Athens, Atlanta, and Georgia as a whole. Athens, for example, may or may not put down a few bike paths and paint on a few bike lanes. But even if they do, it will be nothing but a patchwork.... a lane on Milledge Ave, the Greenway.... here a little, there a little,...
Not surprisingly, these additions will do little to alter the transportation habits of most Athenians... because the system as a whole will remain the same. And that system is designed for a car monopoly. A real bike system would require a total rethinking of the city's transportation network. It would require paths, widened sidewalks, underpasses, bridges, bike parking decks, etc., etc. A complete SYSTEM would change habits... dramatically. But its not bloody likely. The big money is in road construction, slash and burn development, and sprawl.
But its nice to be here and know that another way is possible. Listen to the Georgia good old boys and you'd think a good bike/train/bus system was impossible. They pull their hair and cry "impossible".
But really, its quite easy. Logistically, its much easier than the current mess of auto roadways. The scales are smaller and cheaper and simpler. What's missing are the will, integrity, and imagination.
Of course, politician-businessmen are not known for the latter two.
..........
.........
The Journey
by AJ/Skald
Process, not product, is what ecstasy is all about. Business wants to sell us products. They are product obsessed: End results....The bottom line.
But in life its process, the flow, that engages us. Thats why art, music, sports, sex, games, parties, and dancing are so damn fun. And why a focus on results kills the enjoyment (think of those hyper-competitive assholes who must always win to be happy; they are instant killjoys).
In play the results dont fucking matter. Dancing is fun just for the sake of dancing. Shooting a video is a blast, even if the end product is of terrible quality. Whitewater rafting is great fun while you're doing it; getting to the end is a let down.
Its the ride that matters. Not "winning" or "losing". Winning & losing are goals that only emotional retards focus on.
This is the fundamental flaw of business and businessmen. Its why they are, as a general rule, so intellectually stunted, so cold, so heartless, and so lacking in joy and imagination.
This is what drives me nuts about business. They don't give a damn about what they are doing. Nothing is done for its own sake-- always for something else... always for some diabolical goal or concept (namely, money). Your average businessman cant imagine doing something for its own sake, regardless of its profit potential. Suggest that they do so and they go berserk... start frothing at the mouth and gibbering about "the market". How do people become so far removed from their humanity?
Hobopoets recognize that the journey is THE thing-- the ONLY thing. There is, in fact, no end. Even death is but a journey: the biggest and most mysterious of all.
Thoreau recognized this. He wrote that travel is the fundamental archetype of our lives-- for what is life but a process of going from, to. Ever onward.
When a zen master was asked for the meaning of life and enlightenment, he responded,
"Walk on".
"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent upon arriving" --Lao Tzu
.....
Process, not product, is what ecstasy is all about. Business wants to sell us products. They are product obsessed: End results....The bottom line.
But in life its process, the flow, that engages us. Thats why art, music, sports, sex, games, parties, and dancing are so damn fun. And why a focus on results kills the enjoyment (think of those hyper-competitive assholes who must always win to be happy; they are instant killjoys).
In play the results dont fucking matter. Dancing is fun just for the sake of dancing. Shooting a video is a blast, even if the end product is of terrible quality. Whitewater rafting is great fun while you're doing it; getting to the end is a let down.
Its the ride that matters. Not "winning" or "losing". Winning & losing are goals that only emotional retards focus on.
This is the fundamental flaw of business and businessmen. Its why they are, as a general rule, so intellectually stunted, so cold, so heartless, and so lacking in joy and imagination.
This is what drives me nuts about business. They don't give a damn about what they are doing. Nothing is done for its own sake-- always for something else... always for some diabolical goal or concept (namely, money). Your average businessman cant imagine doing something for its own sake, regardless of its profit potential. Suggest that they do so and they go berserk... start frothing at the mouth and gibbering about "the market". How do people become so far removed from their humanity?
Hobopoets recognize that the journey is THE thing-- the ONLY thing. There is, in fact, no end. Even death is but a journey: the biggest and most mysterious of all.
Thoreau recognized this. He wrote that travel is the fundamental archetype of our lives-- for what is life but a process of going from, to. Ever onward.
When a zen master was asked for the meaning of life and enlightenment, he responded,
"Walk on".
"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent upon arriving" --Lao Tzu
.....
Tom Peters On Free Agency
by AJ/Skald
Below is an excerpt of an old Tom Peters article. I've skipped over some of the corporate jargon but this still gives a good idea of his ideas on the "free agent" economy.
I think they are excellent ideas, but I see free agency only as an intermediary step. What we are all gunning for is freelancing.... total freedom from bosses and accursed "jobs". Still, speaking from experience I can say that free agency is a helluva lot more fun than traditional wage slavery.
Below is an excerpt of an old Tom Peters article. I've skipped over some of the corporate jargon but this still gives a good idea of his ideas on the "free agent" economy.
I think they are excellent ideas, but I see free agency only as an intermediary step. What we are all gunning for is freelancing.... total freedom from bosses and accursed "jobs". Still, speaking from experience I can say that free agency is a helluva lot more fun than traditional wage slavery.
Your next step is to cast aside all the usual descriptors that employees and workers depend on to locate themselves in the company structure. Forget your job title. Ask yourself: What do I do that adds remarkable, measurable, distinguished, distinctive value? Forget your job description. Ask yourself: What do I do that I am most proud of? Most of all, forget about the standard rungs of progression you've climbed in your career up to now. Burn that damnable "ladder" and ask yourself: What have I accomplished that I can unabashedly brag about? If you're going to be a brand, you've got to become relentlessly focused on what you do that adds value, that you're proud of, and most important, that you can shamelessly take credit for.--Tom Peters
When you've done that, sit down and ask yourself one more question to define your brand: What do I want to be famous for? That's right -- famous for!
Everyone is saying that loyalty is gone; loyalty is dead; loyalty is over. I think that's a bunch of crap.
I think loyalty is much more important than it ever was in the past. A 40-year career with the same company once may have been called loyalty; from here it looks a lot like a work life with very few options, very few opportunities, and very little individual power. That's what we used to call indentured servitude.
Today loyalty is the only thing that matters. But it isn't blind loyalty to the company. It's loyalty to your colleagues, loyalty to your team, loyalty to your project, loyalty to your customers, and loyalty to yourself. I see it as a much deeper sense of loyalty than mindless loyalty to the Company Z logo.
I know this may sound like selfishness. But being CEO of Me Inc. requires you to act selfishly -- to grow yourself, to promote yourself, to get the market to reward yourself. Of course, the other side of the selfish coin is that any company you work for ought to applaud every single one of the efforts you make to develop yourself. After all, everything you do to grow Me Inc. is gravy for them: the projects you lead, the networks you develop, the customers you delight, the braggables you create generate credit for the firm. As long as you're learning, growing, building relationships, and delivering great results, it's good for you and it's great for the company.
That win-win logic holds for as long as you happen to be at that particular company. Which is precisely where the age of free agency comes into play.
The second lesson is one that today's professional athletes have all learned: you've got to check with the market on a regular basis to have a reliable read on your brand's value. You don't have to be looking for a job to go on a job interview. For that matter, you don't even have to go on an actual job interview to get useful, important feedback.
The Internet Job Search: Japan
(originally published by Transitions Abroad)
by Skald
Getting a good job in Japan can seem difficult and intimidating. However, by following a few basic procedures, it is possible for anyone with a college degree to do so.
The difficult thing about obtaining a job in Japan is that most applicants are not currently living there. Japanese schools receive a flood of emails for every job they post. How do you stand out from the crowd? How do you conduct an effective job search from a distance? How do you weigh job listings and job offers?
Actually, its not too difficult. By doing a few extra things, you will rise above the masses and obtain a teaching job.
WEB SITE
A web resume is a powerful tool for job searchers. While you will be emailing a standard cover letter and resume, only a limited amount of information can be included in these formats. A web resume allows job seekers to sell themselves in a more powerful and thorough way.
Web resumes are easy to set up by using one of the free blogging sites, such as Blogger (http://www.blogger.com). Simply go the the site and open an account. Be sure to include a photo. When you email schools, always include a link to your web resume and mention that it contains your photo.
BACKGROUND READING
Do some reading. Many applicants have no teaching experience and are not trained English teachers. This is not a problem for many conversation schools. However, a bit of background knowledge will help you stand out from other applicants. It pays to do some minimal research.
Most conversation schools claim to prefer a "natural approach" (although few understand what this means). Therefore, it makes sense to read about this approach so you can discuss it intelligently during a phone interview (or email correspondence).
For a brief overview, go to my teaching blog, Effortless Acquisition:
http://www.effortlessacquisition.blogspot.com . This site contains sample web resumes, links to internet job boards, a guide for new English teachers, warnings, good and bad experiences in Japan, and information about teaching techniques. Click on the link labelled "An
Effortless Acquisition Curriculum" for a description of effective "natural methods".
Next, go to Dave's ESL cafe: http://www.daveseslcafe.com and read the teacher's forums. These contain a wealth of lesson plans, games, and suggestions from working English teachers all over the world.
Scanning the above sites will give a bit of background knowledge and enable you to talk intelligently about teaching. You will also get an idea of what you are in for.
BE PROACTIVE
While job boards can be useful, a proactive approach is the best job search method. Pick a few cities or regions you would like to live in. Then target schools in those cities. By doing this I received several job offers from schools that were not yet advertising their openings. In fact, this may be the most efficient means of finding a job.
Go to the Japanese Internet Yellow Pages at http://english.itp.ne.jp/index.html
By entering a city and the subject "language schools" you will get a list of schools in that particular area. Many will list email addresses and web addresses. They also list phone numbers.
Send an email with an intro letter, a link to your website, and your resume to every school that has an email address. If you have time, send a paper letter and resume to those schools which do not list email addresses. If you can afford it, the best technique is to call them.
Stress any teaching experience you have, and any travel or living abroad experiences. Stress your flexibility. Stress your enthusiasm.
INTERNET JOB BOARDS
There are a number of internet job sites that advertise jobs in Japan. These are good sources, but they contain as many sleazy schools as good ones. You must be careful when responding to ads. Read the job requirements carefully.
The following websites regularly carry job postings for Japan.
National Links:
Ohayo Sensei: http://www.ohayosensei.com
Daves ESL Cafe: http://www.daveseslcafe.com
Jobs In Japan: http://www.jobsinjapan.com
JALT (has university teaching positions):
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/jobs/
The above sites carry job listings Japan wide, and are a good place to start. Below are a few regional websites. Many of the jobs on these sites are part time- but they do carry full time listings as well.
Regional:
Get Hiroshima: http://www.gethiroshima.com
Kansai Time Out: http://kto.co.jp/new/modules/news
Kansai Flea Market: http://www.kfm.to/
Respond to job postings by email. Include a short introductory letter. In the letter, mention that your photo is available on your website (for example: http://www.yourwebsite.blogspot.com ). By mentioning the photo and including a link, you are likely to draw employers to your site-- where they will see the additional
information you have included.
Paste your resume at the bottom of the email, in the body of the email itself (don't send as an attachment).
INTERVIEWS
The purpose of most interviews is to see if you can express yourself clearly in English. They'll also be looking for enthusiasm, flexibility, and a specific interest in Japan. Emphasize these traits during the interview.
You will also get a chance to ask questions. Be sure to ask about the number of teaching hours per week. Also ask for the email addresses of current teachers.
PICK A SCHOOL
Based on the answers to your questions, choose a school that fits. Be especially wary of schools that demand more than 20 hours a week of teaching. Be wary of schools that will not give contact information for teachers at their school. Be wary of schools that have an extremely rigid teaching system or claim to have a "secret" curriculum.
Otherwise, good luck!
...........
by Skald
Getting a good job in Japan can seem difficult and intimidating. However, by following a few basic procedures, it is possible for anyone with a college degree to do so.
The difficult thing about obtaining a job in Japan is that most applicants are not currently living there. Japanese schools receive a flood of emails for every job they post. How do you stand out from the crowd? How do you conduct an effective job search from a distance? How do you weigh job listings and job offers?
Actually, its not too difficult. By doing a few extra things, you will rise above the masses and obtain a teaching job.
WEB SITE
A web resume is a powerful tool for job searchers. While you will be emailing a standard cover letter and resume, only a limited amount of information can be included in these formats. A web resume allows job seekers to sell themselves in a more powerful and thorough way.
Web resumes are easy to set up by using one of the free blogging sites, such as Blogger (http://www.blogger.com). Simply go the the site and open an account. Be sure to include a photo. When you email schools, always include a link to your web resume and mention that it contains your photo.
BACKGROUND READING
Do some reading. Many applicants have no teaching experience and are not trained English teachers. This is not a problem for many conversation schools. However, a bit of background knowledge will help you stand out from other applicants. It pays to do some minimal research.
Most conversation schools claim to prefer a "natural approach" (although few understand what this means). Therefore, it makes sense to read about this approach so you can discuss it intelligently during a phone interview (or email correspondence).
For a brief overview, go to my teaching blog, Effortless Acquisition:
http://www.effortlessacquisition.blogspot.com . This site contains sample web resumes, links to internet job boards, a guide for new English teachers, warnings, good and bad experiences in Japan, and information about teaching techniques. Click on the link labelled "An
Effortless Acquisition Curriculum" for a description of effective "natural methods".
Next, go to Dave's ESL cafe: http://www.daveseslcafe.com and read the teacher's forums. These contain a wealth of lesson plans, games, and suggestions from working English teachers all over the world.
Scanning the above sites will give a bit of background knowledge and enable you to talk intelligently about teaching. You will also get an idea of what you are in for.
BE PROACTIVE
While job boards can be useful, a proactive approach is the best job search method. Pick a few cities or regions you would like to live in. Then target schools in those cities. By doing this I received several job offers from schools that were not yet advertising their openings. In fact, this may be the most efficient means of finding a job.
Go to the Japanese Internet Yellow Pages at http://english.itp.ne.jp/index.html
By entering a city and the subject "language schools" you will get a list of schools in that particular area. Many will list email addresses and web addresses. They also list phone numbers.
Send an email with an intro letter, a link to your website, and your resume to every school that has an email address. If you have time, send a paper letter and resume to those schools which do not list email addresses. If you can afford it, the best technique is to call them.
Stress any teaching experience you have, and any travel or living abroad experiences. Stress your flexibility. Stress your enthusiasm.
INTERNET JOB BOARDS
There are a number of internet job sites that advertise jobs in Japan. These are good sources, but they contain as many sleazy schools as good ones. You must be careful when responding to ads. Read the job requirements carefully.
The following websites regularly carry job postings for Japan.
National Links:
Ohayo Sensei: http://www.ohayosensei.com
Daves ESL Cafe: http://www.daveseslcafe.com
Jobs In Japan: http://www.jobsinjapan.com
JALT (has university teaching positions):
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/jobs/
The above sites carry job listings Japan wide, and are a good place to start. Below are a few regional websites. Many of the jobs on these sites are part time- but they do carry full time listings as well.
Regional:
Get Hiroshima: http://www.gethiroshima.com
Kansai Time Out: http://kto.co.jp/new/modules/news
Kansai Flea Market: http://www.kfm.to/
Respond to job postings by email. Include a short introductory letter. In the letter, mention that your photo is available on your website (for example: http://www.yourwebsite.blogspot.com ). By mentioning the photo and including a link, you are likely to draw employers to your site-- where they will see the additional
information you have included.
Paste your resume at the bottom of the email, in the body of the email itself (don't send as an attachment).
INTERVIEWS
The purpose of most interviews is to see if you can express yourself clearly in English. They'll also be looking for enthusiasm, flexibility, and a specific interest in Japan. Emphasize these traits during the interview.
You will also get a chance to ask questions. Be sure to ask about the number of teaching hours per week. Also ask for the email addresses of current teachers.
PICK A SCHOOL
Based on the answers to your questions, choose a school that fits. Be especially wary of schools that demand more than 20 hours a week of teaching. Be wary of schools that will not give contact information for teachers at their school. Be wary of schools that have an extremely rigid teaching system or claim to have a "secret" curriculum.
Otherwise, good luck!
...........
Lessons Learned
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
How to Avoid a Terrible Work Situation
Originally published by Transitions Abroad
by AJ/Skald
"We're not teaching another class until we get paid". The teachers room boiled with angry foreigners. Korean staff ran to and fro in a panicked frenzy. Underlings scurried between the owner's office and the break room.
Our pay checks were late again... four weeks late at this point. Finally, we'd had enough: Enough insults, enough threats, enough broken promises.
Each time a Korean staff member entered the room, an angry chorus of English shouted them down. "Tell him we aren't teaching until we get everything he owes us".... "Tell him no more cameras in the classroom". We were mad as hell and we weren't gonna take it anymore.
Unfortunately, teaching abroad isn't always pretty. There are a lot of ugly situations out there. A lot of sleazy employers. A lot of freaks. A lot of broken promises. In fact, most English teaching jobs fall into the "bad" and "ugly" categories.
Most teachers are lured abroad by visions of exotic travel, exploration, and lucrative contracts. But more often than not, things end badly. Most teachers leave with a bad taste in their mouth not only for the job, but for the country. A bad job quickly sours the entire experience.
Some teachers stick out their contract and grow increasingly bitter. They vent their frustrations on web boards... or in bars. Others break contract and leave-- often in a flurry of conflict and argument. Another popular option is the "midnight run"-- the day after pay day, the teacher boards a plane and disappears.
Can the bad and ugly be avoided? Is it possible to find a good English teaching position?
It certainly is, but its not easy. Like most job seekers, employers do their best to paint a good picture. They rarely volunteer unflattering information. Some do this subtlely, while others blatantly lie. If you are applying from your home country, it is very difficult to screen the truth from the lies. In fact, it is
impossible to be completely sure.
But there are some basic precautions.
The best strategy is to ask a lot of questions. The following are essential:
1. How many hours will I be in the classroom per week (exactly)?
2. How many hours will I be expected to be on location (office, school) per week?
3. Are there any required extracurricular activities? (Many schools host mandatory parties, summer camps, winter camps, etc.).
4. What percentage of teachers typically complete their contract? (High turnover is a very bad sign).
5. Have you had any conflicts or arguments with teachers? (Most have. Beware schools that try to paint a perfect picture).
6. Have pay checks ever been late? (Obviously a VERY bad sign).
7. Are teachers observed? (Many schools constantly observe teachers and create a very tense working environment).
8. Do you have cameras in the halls or classrooms? (A sign of paranoia and a controlling management style).
9. Do you have split shifts? How much will I travel each week? (You may "only" be teaching 20 hours per week, but if the first class is at 9am and the last ends at 9pm, it feels like you are working much more).
10. What days will I have off?
11. What teaching methods do you use? (Beware any school that claims to have a "secret" or "special" curriculum, as this is often a sign of a get-rich-quick mentality. Also beware rigid guidelines and formulas).
12. What kinds of materials are available to teachers?
13. What kind of educational background do the management and owner have? (Usually they are businessmen with no background in education whatsoever- not a good situation).
14. Do you provide any orientation or training? (Beware schools that do not. Will you be thrown into a class, jet-lagged and clueless, two days after you arrive?)
***15. Can I have the email addresses and phone numbers of three of your current teachers? (The more the better, as it gives you a more honest picture of the school).
THE LAST QUESTION IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. You must talk to foreigners who are currently teaching at the school. Any school that refuses this request should instantly be crossed off. Some schools may give contact information for foreign managers. Do not accept these. You must contact teachers, not managers.
Obviously, shady school management will not answer questions honestly. It is vital to contact SEVERAL current teachers and ask all of the questions above. They too may fudge, but if you read between the lines a clearer picture will emerge.
Another strategy is to check blacklists and grey lists. These are web boards that list disreputable schools in various countries. Korea, in particular, has a large number of dedicated blacklists. So many, in fact, that the best advice may be to avoid working in Korea completely. Search the lists for schools you are considering. Post a question to the board... ask if anyone has had problems with the
school you are considering. While this may yield results, blacklists are notoriously unreliable. Just because a school is not on the list does not mean it is a good one. Most bad schools, in fact, will not be found on any of the blacklists.
Here are a few blacklists (again, do not rely solely on these):
English School Watch (International)
http://englishschoolwatch.org/notebook.php
Mark's ESL Blacklist (International)
http://marksesl.com/forums/cgi/access/black-white_lists.cgi
Hogwon Blacklist (Korea):
http://www.geocities.com/hagwonblacklist/
Buxiban.com (Taiwan & China)
http://www.buxiban.com/
Also, for a general overview of a particular country, including common problems, see the teachers' forums at Dave's ESL Cafe:
http://www.daveseslcafe.com
Once you receive a contract, examine it carefully. Does it carry complicated and detailed restrictions? Does it carry built in punishments for "misbehavior"? This is a sign of past conflicts at the school. It is a sign of a hostile working environment. Be wary of such contracts.
Another important part of the contract is the section on sick leave and vacation. Read this very carefully. Does the school offer several days of sick leave out right? They should. Do they require a doctor's note for every day missed? They should not. Is sick leave paid? It should be.
Regarding vacation: can you take vacation when you choose or are vacation days predetermined by the school? Are meetings and training days scheduled on holidays? Scour the contract for these details and ask more questions if necessary.
Working abroad is difficult. Its never easy to adjust to a new culture, new job, new social environment, and new home all at the same time. Its difficult to leave behind friends and family. These adjustments are hard enough with even the best job. However, they are next to impossible when compounded by an ugly employment situation.
Do not jump at the first job offered. Take your time. Ask questions. Compare job offers. Research. Be especially careful about Korean positions.
The English industry is full of cheats, opportunists, petty dictators, and outright liars. Always be wary. Always be skeptical.
Good jobs do exist. But in many countries (Korea, China) the bad and ugly are the majority. Do your homework.
.........
How to Avoid a Terrible Work Situation
Originally published by Transitions Abroad
by AJ/Skald
"We're not teaching another class until we get paid". The teachers room boiled with angry foreigners. Korean staff ran to and fro in a panicked frenzy. Underlings scurried between the owner's office and the break room.
Our pay checks were late again... four weeks late at this point. Finally, we'd had enough: Enough insults, enough threats, enough broken promises.
Each time a Korean staff member entered the room, an angry chorus of English shouted them down. "Tell him we aren't teaching until we get everything he owes us".... "Tell him no more cameras in the classroom". We were mad as hell and we weren't gonna take it anymore.
Unfortunately, teaching abroad isn't always pretty. There are a lot of ugly situations out there. A lot of sleazy employers. A lot of freaks. A lot of broken promises. In fact, most English teaching jobs fall into the "bad" and "ugly" categories.
Most teachers are lured abroad by visions of exotic travel, exploration, and lucrative contracts. But more often than not, things end badly. Most teachers leave with a bad taste in their mouth not only for the job, but for the country. A bad job quickly sours the entire experience.
Some teachers stick out their contract and grow increasingly bitter. They vent their frustrations on web boards... or in bars. Others break contract and leave-- often in a flurry of conflict and argument. Another popular option is the "midnight run"-- the day after pay day, the teacher boards a plane and disappears.
Can the bad and ugly be avoided? Is it possible to find a good English teaching position?
It certainly is, but its not easy. Like most job seekers, employers do their best to paint a good picture. They rarely volunteer unflattering information. Some do this subtlely, while others blatantly lie. If you are applying from your home country, it is very difficult to screen the truth from the lies. In fact, it is
impossible to be completely sure.
But there are some basic precautions.
The best strategy is to ask a lot of questions. The following are essential:
1. How many hours will I be in the classroom per week (exactly)?
2. How many hours will I be expected to be on location (office, school) per week?
3. Are there any required extracurricular activities? (Many schools host mandatory parties, summer camps, winter camps, etc.).
4. What percentage of teachers typically complete their contract? (High turnover is a very bad sign).
5. Have you had any conflicts or arguments with teachers? (Most have. Beware schools that try to paint a perfect picture).
6. Have pay checks ever been late? (Obviously a VERY bad sign).
7. Are teachers observed? (Many schools constantly observe teachers and create a very tense working environment).
8. Do you have cameras in the halls or classrooms? (A sign of paranoia and a controlling management style).
9. Do you have split shifts? How much will I travel each week? (You may "only" be teaching 20 hours per week, but if the first class is at 9am and the last ends at 9pm, it feels like you are working much more).
10. What days will I have off?
11. What teaching methods do you use? (Beware any school that claims to have a "secret" or "special" curriculum, as this is often a sign of a get-rich-quick mentality. Also beware rigid guidelines and formulas).
12. What kinds of materials are available to teachers?
13. What kind of educational background do the management and owner have? (Usually they are businessmen with no background in education whatsoever- not a good situation).
14. Do you provide any orientation or training? (Beware schools that do not. Will you be thrown into a class, jet-lagged and clueless, two days after you arrive?)
***15. Can I have the email addresses and phone numbers of three of your current teachers? (The more the better, as it gives you a more honest picture of the school).
THE LAST QUESTION IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. You must talk to foreigners who are currently teaching at the school. Any school that refuses this request should instantly be crossed off. Some schools may give contact information for foreign managers. Do not accept these. You must contact teachers, not managers.
Obviously, shady school management will not answer questions honestly. It is vital to contact SEVERAL current teachers and ask all of the questions above. They too may fudge, but if you read between the lines a clearer picture will emerge.
Another strategy is to check blacklists and grey lists. These are web boards that list disreputable schools in various countries. Korea, in particular, has a large number of dedicated blacklists. So many, in fact, that the best advice may be to avoid working in Korea completely. Search the lists for schools you are considering. Post a question to the board... ask if anyone has had problems with the
school you are considering. While this may yield results, blacklists are notoriously unreliable. Just because a school is not on the list does not mean it is a good one. Most bad schools, in fact, will not be found on any of the blacklists.
Here are a few blacklists (again, do not rely solely on these):
English School Watch (International)
http://englishschoolwatch.org/notebook.php
Mark's ESL Blacklist (International)
http://marksesl.com/forums/cgi/access/black-white_lists.cgi
Hogwon Blacklist (Korea):
http://www.geocities.com/hagwonblacklist/
Buxiban.com (Taiwan & China)
http://www.buxiban.com/
Also, for a general overview of a particular country, including common problems, see the teachers' forums at Dave's ESL Cafe:
http://www.daveseslcafe.com
Once you receive a contract, examine it carefully. Does it carry complicated and detailed restrictions? Does it carry built in punishments for "misbehavior"? This is a sign of past conflicts at the school. It is a sign of a hostile working environment. Be wary of such contracts.
Another important part of the contract is the section on sick leave and vacation. Read this very carefully. Does the school offer several days of sick leave out right? They should. Do they require a doctor's note for every day missed? They should not. Is sick leave paid? It should be.
Regarding vacation: can you take vacation when you choose or are vacation days predetermined by the school? Are meetings and training days scheduled on holidays? Scour the contract for these details and ask more questions if necessary.
Working abroad is difficult. Its never easy to adjust to a new culture, new job, new social environment, and new home all at the same time. Its difficult to leave behind friends and family. These adjustments are hard enough with even the best job. However, they are next to impossible when compounded by an ugly employment situation.
Do not jump at the first job offered. Take your time. Ask questions. Compare job offers. Research. Be especially careful about Korean positions.
The English industry is full of cheats, opportunists, petty dictators, and outright liars. Always be wary. Always be skeptical.
Good jobs do exist. But in many countries (Korea, China) the bad and ugly are the majority. Do your homework.
.........
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