when I thought about writing a blog, I had to think what to write about. had no idea of course. but knew what I didnt want to write about. It shouldnt be me complaining about something i dont like and it shouldnt be about trying to convince people to think like me.
It should be funny and make people think at the same time. Easy to read, and to understand. not so long and not so smartassly written
sex, religion, politics? still a bit taboo and chances are, if you're reading this, you know me and you know my views already.
my daily life? ok here we go: woke up at noon, ate some rice, went for a walk. done.
love? not sure what it is or how it works, I know how oxytocin works; but that doesn't sound very romantic..
peace and happiness? yeah, that sounds good. that's what people need at the end of the day, no matter where you're from, where you are or what you think; we all just want to be happy. So that's soemthing that brings of us all together. We all want to love and be loved, we want affection and kindness.
that could work.
Some years ago, while in china, I found myself in front of a class, lecturing on business for some reason. Sometimes more than 50 university students per class.
So my lectures were usually about marketing, negotiations, customer service or stuff like that.
I always prepared thoroughly, and tried to make it fun, but I found out that it didn't really matter what i said on the lecture, when I ask them if they had any questions, either during or after the lecture; the questions will NEVER be about business.
Questions would be something like: *Can you tell us something about your travels? *Have you ever been to africa? *Have you been to other countries in asia? *How many countries have you been to? *What's your favorite country? *Where are you going after China? How can I make money to travel? How much do you spend while you travel?
Of course there was always some odd ones too, like: *Do you have a girlfriend?/*How many girlfriends have you had? *Do you like chinese girls? *can you sing a song for us? *Why are you not wearing trousers?
But usually, most of the questions were about traveling. My students were not interested in business at all. They just took business english because they thought would help them get a "good job" and that way they could save up some money to travel.
That made me realize I had much more in common with my students that I thought. We all just wanted to be free, travel, and be happy. And the reason why they were taking that class, was the same reason why I was teaching it in the first place!
I also couldn't care less about bussiness, but if I got into the rat race for a few months I would be rewarded with some freedom tokens that could be later exchanged for leisure time.
I was lucky that I seldom got a curriculum and was usually told to do whatever I wanted
as long as the students were happy, THEY didn't care about business, and I didn't care about business, so we usually ended up talking about
travels or silly stuff for the rest of the week.
to be continued
November 27, 2011
November 26, 2011
Ideas 1: no-violence
Due to the recent events in the US, protests, police brutality, arrests, pepper spray, etc. I found myself forced to re-analyze my own thoughts to see if I can understand it a bit more. And will try to do it as systematically, and objectively as I'm able to right now.
STEP 1: Where do I stand now?
As for today, I'm 27 years of age and in my mind* I can't just justify engaging in any kind of violence, not physical nor verbal. Can't justify it it under any excuse either ( like as a sport/entertainment, on self defense, punishment, retaliation, etc)
* yeah, I know, there's no mind (not yet at least) there is brain, and we sometimes call mind to some functions the brain performs.
STEP 2: Why?
Makes sense, if no one is violent there's no reason to fight or hate each other and and we can just be happy.
STEP 3: When did I learn about the idea?
ghandi, dalai lama??
STEP 4: so how long does it take for an idea (once proved effective) to get implemented in our daily actions and thoughts?
Ok here's the tricky part, we all know the theory for many good ideas like this one, we know it makes sense and we should implement it. but yet we don't.
In theory we know we shouldn't smoke, drink, gamble, get stressed, be violent, etc, but yet we keep doing it.
We know we should be nice to people, eat healthy, exercise, but we don't. So what's wrong with us?
It seems it takes a long time for our brain to assimilate something we haven't learned in our childhood or or contradicts something we have learned as children.
Some ideas can't be incorporated unless some other idea is already learned. something like updating a software.
in my head at least, this non-violence idea can't run unless i had previously learned or seen the disasters that violence caused. recognizing the violent patterns in our society (understanding why I was violent) and know or at least imagine that there's another option, and then make the change. This slow process, took me something like 6 years.
STEP 5: How is this related to the violence on the occupy movement?
Well, now traveling back in time and paying a visit to the 15 old me. I would justify and engage in violent actions literally ever day.
I would think the penal system. army and police forces are a good thing. and punishment is the only option to "solve crimes".
And going back a bit further to when i was 12 and younger, i remember fighting with toy guns, army men, playing violent videogames and watching violent movies, getting beaten up and bullied at school, at home and living in a stressful, violent city where i had to watch my back constantly.
SO.. had I taken a different path along the road, I would be the one holding the baton or the pepper spray right now.
We are who we are now not just because of our upbringing, but because of a billion different variables.
I think I got caught up in my own thoughts and couldn't make the point here, the point was learning to incorporate ideas into our life and the difficult process of it. I'll follow up soon.
STEP 1: Where do I stand now?
As for today, I'm 27 years of age and in my mind* I can't just justify engaging in any kind of violence, not physical nor verbal. Can't justify it it under any excuse either ( like as a sport/entertainment, on self defense, punishment, retaliation, etc)
* yeah, I know, there's no mind (not yet at least) there is brain, and we sometimes call mind to some functions the brain performs.
STEP 2: Why?
Makes sense, if no one is violent there's no reason to fight or hate each other and and we can just be happy.
STEP 3: When did I learn about the idea?
ghandi, dalai lama??
STEP 4: so how long does it take for an idea (once proved effective) to get implemented in our daily actions and thoughts?
Ok here's the tricky part, we all know the theory for many good ideas like this one, we know it makes sense and we should implement it. but yet we don't.
In theory we know we shouldn't smoke, drink, gamble, get stressed, be violent, etc, but yet we keep doing it.
We know we should be nice to people, eat healthy, exercise, but we don't. So what's wrong with us?
It seems it takes a long time for our brain to assimilate something we haven't learned in our childhood or or contradicts something we have learned as children.
Some ideas can't be incorporated unless some other idea is already learned. something like updating a software.
in my head at least, this non-violence idea can't run unless i had previously learned or seen the disasters that violence caused. recognizing the violent patterns in our society (understanding why I was violent) and know or at least imagine that there's another option, and then make the change. This slow process, took me something like 6 years.
STEP 5: How is this related to the violence on the occupy movement?
Well, now traveling back in time and paying a visit to the 15 old me. I would justify and engage in violent actions literally ever day.
I would think the penal system. army and police forces are a good thing. and punishment is the only option to "solve crimes".
And going back a bit further to when i was 12 and younger, i remember fighting with toy guns, army men, playing violent videogames and watching violent movies, getting beaten up and bullied at school, at home and living in a stressful, violent city where i had to watch my back constantly.
SO.. had I taken a different path along the road, I would be the one holding the baton or the pepper spray right now.
We are who we are now not just because of our upbringing, but because of a billion different variables.
I think I got caught up in my own thoughts and couldn't make the point here, the point was learning to incorporate ideas into our life and the difficult process of it. I'll follow up soon.
November 25, 2011
Winter is here
Some time ago I realized if I wanted to keep having this
lifestyle I would have to make some sacrifices and clothes was one
of them .
Long distance walking/cycling/hitchhiking, trespassing, dumpster diving, squatting, treasure hunting, outdoor sleeping, and changing CS hosts every week for a year or more couldn’t be done with a 10 kg backpack or luggage.
For optimum flexibility it had to be reduced to 4 kg or less. And it had to be a day pack, so I don’t look like a tourist and can blend in places like libraries, shopping malls, restaurants, parks, or anywhere you can find free food, bathroom, internet and a place to crash, which is usually everything you need.
But the laptop is already 1kg, and if I didn’t have it I couldn’t
send couch requests, so would have to sleep outside, and you usually need water
which is like half a kilo, that leaves 2.5 for 3 pairs of underwear, 2 pairs of
socks, a spare shirt and some mortal combat action figures.
FINISH HIM!!!
In winter I would have to wear everything i have and in summer i would have to get rid of the winter stuff.
Small price to pay for the flexibility of going anywhere, anytime, sleeping everywhere and not damaging my spine. sounds logical, practical.
So when this winter came in korea, I had to find some winter clothes, right? But i couldn't buy them new, because that would be adding more pain to the planet, because of the massive waste of resources it is required to produce and transport all those new stuff, while most people have many jackets and things they dont need and dont use, everyone has a spare jacket or jumper and usually are happy when i ask them, because it means i trust them. Is not that I'm cheap or anything, just trying to save the planet you know ;D
but being flexible it means you have to wear antyhing you can get your hands on, either you like the color, or not, its too big or too small, infested with fleas. This year was good though, I asked my friend Taekyung which i had knew for a while so i knew would be happy to help me and was quite clean, so hopefully no body lice this year.
See you guys next year!
So she showed up with a jacket and a pullover, I tried them on and was like "how are YOU doing? ;) "
People started to notice at more, specially female people, on the street and on the train girls were looking at me, and when i noticed it they would look away or look down shyly, I knew that sign because that's what I'd do when there's very cute girl; and if they were in groups they would look at me and giggle.
It was the jacket! it had to be the jacket, right?
I think it was the fact that it was quite fluffy so it did a good job in hiding my skinny arms, so when I looked on the mirrors of the subway station I thought "so handsome!!" and then I came back to myself and realized how shameless i was. Always preaching about spirituality and self development, saying i want to be more modest and humble and beauty is on the inside and then admiring myself in the mirrors, so hypocritical!
but now I'm feeling myself again, kinda, or maybe i think too much.
FINISH HIM!!!
In winter I would have to wear everything i have and in summer i would have to get rid of the winter stuff.
Small price to pay for the flexibility of going anywhere, anytime, sleeping everywhere and not damaging my spine. sounds logical, practical.
So when this winter came in korea, I had to find some winter clothes, right? But i couldn't buy them new, because that would be adding more pain to the planet, because of the massive waste of resources it is required to produce and transport all those new stuff, while most people have many jackets and things they dont need and dont use, everyone has a spare jacket or jumper and usually are happy when i ask them, because it means i trust them. Is not that I'm cheap or anything, just trying to save the planet you know ;D
but being flexible it means you have to wear antyhing you can get your hands on, either you like the color, or not, its too big or too small, infested with fleas. This year was good though, I asked my friend Taekyung which i had knew for a while so i knew would be happy to help me and was quite clean, so hopefully no body lice this year.
So she showed up with a jacket and a pullover, I tried them on and was like "how are YOU doing? ;) "
People started to notice at more, specially female people, on the street and on the train girls were looking at me, and when i noticed it they would look away or look down shyly, I knew that sign because that's what I'd do when there's very cute girl; and if they were in groups they would look at me and giggle.
It was the jacket! it had to be the jacket, right?
I think it was the fact that it was quite fluffy so it did a good job in hiding my skinny arms, so when I looked on the mirrors of the subway station I thought "so handsome!!" and then I came back to myself and realized how shameless i was. Always preaching about spirituality and self development, saying i want to be more modest and humble and beauty is on the inside and then admiring myself in the mirrors, so hypocritical!
but now I'm feeling myself again, kinda, or maybe i think too much.
Intro
You: Hey Bruno, how are you? How is Korea?
Me: Hey! Yeah, not bad. korea’s awesome!
You: so.. what’s up with this, you decided to write a blog? How come?
Me: well, It often happens that I meet someone new and after we talk for a while, they ask me if I have a blog or I write about travels or about me, a diary or something, and usually my answer would go something like:
You: cool! And what do expect to get out of it?
Me: Maybe something like a therapy-- to let things out, you know, so new things can come in--try to take an objective look at my life--self-criticism (hopefully)—maybe learn to laugh at myself a bit more—kill some time—improve writing/editing skills—avoid responsibilities (like I needed an excuse for that!) and maybe even get to know myself a bit better.
You: What is morphing jar?
Me: a card in yu-gi-oh
You: What is yu-gi-oh?
Me: an anime, trading card game, videogame
You: what’s an “anime”???
Me: Japanese cartoon, like pokemon.
You: oh, you’re a bit of a geek aren’t you?
Me: well.. a bit.
You: are you gonna write about your sex life?
Me: probably not.
You: why not? Are you gay?
Me: what??? No, what makes you think that?
You: well, everytime I see you, you are wearing pink, giggling, talking and acting like a girl. You don’t like sports, you hang out with girls, wear accessories, you like pop music and I think last week you were wearing make up.
Me: make up? No way!
You: ok, I made the last one up, but the other ones are true.
Me: I get that a lot actually, but maybe I’m confident enough about my sexuality that I don’t need to play by society standards or stereotypes and I can just do whatever I want.
You: ..or maybe you’re gay.
Me: maybe.
Note: Morphing Jar was the name chosen when i decided to write, but then I changed it for Bruno's public diary, anyone knows why?
Me: Hey! Yeah, not bad. korea’s awesome!
You: so.. what’s up with this, you decided to write a blog? How come?
Me: well, It often happens that I meet someone new and after we talk for a while, they ask me if I have a blog or I write about travels or about me, a diary or something, and usually my answer would go something like:
-“not interested,
have no time”
-“my life is quite
boring actually, I just play videogames all day”
-“can’t read, I’m illiterate” (then ask for some spare
change)
-“I’m not good at writing, wouldn’t know what to write about”
-“who would care about my life” and then they say -“I would
care, that’s why I’m asking you, duh!”
And they have a point of course, but I think I wouldn’t read
about someone like me, so why would they?
Lately though many people who read my comments in forums or
groups said I had a gift for writing and I should work on it, so I decided to
give it a try.
You: cool! And what do expect to get out of it?
Me: Maybe something like a therapy-- to let things out, you know, so new things can come in--try to take an objective look at my life--self-criticism (hopefully)—maybe learn to laugh at myself a bit more—kill some time—improve writing/editing skills—avoid responsibilities (like I needed an excuse for that!) and maybe even get to know myself a bit better.
You: What is morphing jar?
Me: a card in yu-gi-oh
You: What is yu-gi-oh?
Me: an anime, trading card game, videogame
You: what’s an “anime”???
Me: Japanese cartoon, like pokemon.
You: oh, you’re a bit of a geek aren’t you?
Me: well.. a bit.
You: are you gonna write about pokemon in your blog?
Me: probably yes, sometimes, but not just about pokemon.
You: are you gonna write about your sex life?
Me: probably not.
You: why not? Are you gay?
Me: what??? No, what makes you think that?
You: well, everytime I see you, you are wearing pink, giggling, talking and acting like a girl. You don’t like sports, you hang out with girls, wear accessories, you like pop music and I think last week you were wearing make up.
Me: make up? No way!
You: ok, I made the last one up, but the other ones are true.
Me: I get that a lot actually, but maybe I’m confident enough about my sexuality that I don’t need to play by society standards or stereotypes and I can just do whatever I want.
You: ..or maybe you’re gay.
Me: maybe.
Note: Morphing Jar was the name chosen when i decided to write, but then I changed it for Bruno's public diary, anyone knows why?
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