CBrajkovich Ramblings

This is an image from the student protest (which has expanded beyond its original scope) in Quebec, Canada. What had started out as a protest on tuition increases has now become a protest for people’s right to protest. All because of a new loi spéciale, Bill 78, that was passed to stop the protests from continuing without prior police approval. It should be easy to see why this is a problem. What’s worse is that it’s happening all over the world by previously democratic governments, including the United States. We are seeing that normal just doesn’t work (in too many places from personal observation).

If you can get Canadians to protest (known for being peaceful – stereotype, I know that we’re all different), then you know that you’re going down the wrong path in legislation. And this brings me to my own dilemma. I have waited all of my life for government to improve, so that all of life improves, but it doesn’t. However, things have gone so far off the track that voting in the 2012 elections is particularly appalling. Why does it feel like we only have a choice between democrats or republicans (why capitalize what isn’t capital)? Looking at the choices on offer is really looking at the bottom of the barrel past the scrapings. I know that this is the reason why so many people do not take the time to vote. It’s not that they don’t care. It’s that they don’t care for the choices on offer. Continue reading →

So I’m taking a rare day off because, well, I need the day to think. As do we all. This is Memorial Day in the United States, which typically is a day of remembrance for those who paid the ultimate price to ensure that we all had a future.

Perhaps the best way to celebrate their sacrifices is to think hard about how we need to remake our world. I speak about it a lot here and at the Urban Times. My latest gives you a little clue of the vision that is radiating inside my head. I won’t be satisfied until I can finally live in a world that I would choose…wholeheartedly. I’ve been waiting my entire life to see it happen. And right now, the tremors are starting to shake the world. But it’s not tremors of fear (though that’s there as well). It’s tremors of joy. Because one by one people are choosing to build things that blow reality out of the atmosphere.

That would be the best way to celebrate the biggest gift they gave to us all. A life for a life. A dream for a memory. A vision of a glorious future that is unlike anything we could have imagined. And our imaginations are flowing in all directions, past the stagnation of the normal. So, just keep building that world where we all work together as one. Ignore the haters. Join the dreamers. You won’t regret it.

Enjoy the day – and think….HARD.

You’ve seen that person stomping around you, and you try not to get their attention. Everyone’s walking on egg shells around this person, and talking behind their back. But few people make the effort to look past the shouting epitaphs to find out the truth behind the emotive bombs. And there’s always more than meets the eye. Problems go deeper than the surface unpleasantness.

Yes, it’s not professional to take the attitude to work, but we’re all human and have done that too many times to count. It’s not like you can shut life off until you manage to get your coping skills back under control. Things or people will piss you off in life everyday. Even the most civil person will have moments of Hulkiness. It’s why we all relate to the story about Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde. It’s all part of who we are – even the perkiest cheerleader can have claws.

It’s strange that some companies have HR departments who do little to find out why someone is acting out towards the people surrounding them. First of all, no one wants to work in a tense environment. Secondly, your company’s reputation can suffer if that person starts attacking people from outside (like vendors). Thirdly, the HR department is supposed to be trained in personnel interactions and crisis management. And yet, employees continue to suffer around bad tempered people who poison the atmosphere.

It’s not always a black-and-white situation. Sometimes, a personal event could be overwhelming that unhappy person. Sometimes, it’s a lifetime of unhappy events. And sometimes it’s because they are dumped on with no protection from their superiors. Maybe their life could be full of all three issues, or worse. We all have the ability to interact with others on a multitude of levels.

Sometimes, we have to take it upon ourselves to put ourselves into that person’s shoes to figure out what’s bothering them. It won’t be easy, and we might get our heads bitten off. But just maybe, that person is waiting for someone to notice that they’re in trouble (and they have few places to turn to for help). A few minutes alone with them might do them a world of wonders. It’ll definitely do wonders for everyone else who’s been at the receiving end of the verbal darts. Life already drops a lot on our heads. We need to help each other get through it by simply acknowledging that the other person is also human.

Even when they don’t act like it…

I had to share this priceless image precisely because it’s a teaching moment teaching an important point. That the words spoken came from Frank Zappa and deviates from the innocence of this 50’s style image makes it all the more perfect. Yep, deviation is the mother of all inventions (he he – names really do have meanings).

So, by all means, practice deviation if it breaks your work out of its doldrums.

– thanks Piccsy for this thought

It’s special when you find a picture that compels you to think hard. This image taken at Amasra, Turkey and shared by Reddit is one of those for me. It’s not only peaceful, but it shows us the beauty of living respectfully with nature. It’s this kind of image that speaks loudly against all of those marketing images for travel. We don’t have to go out and destroy pristine habitats just so that we can vacation comfortably. If you’re going to travel into an undisturbed area, then leave it as you found it. As a matter of fact, that holds true for built-up environments. Respect the fact that it’s been around that area a whole lot longer than you have. It’s their home. Treat it like the treasure that it is. Because habitats like this are increasingly rare, and that fact has a lot to do with humanity.

Just saying…

I’m sorry but this image was just too adorable not to share. And it’s a perfect ending (get it?) to the work week for some, and the entry to fun time for all. Plus, it can actually have all sorts of meaning, depending on how you’re feeling. But, if you want to share a butt of a joke, there’s nothing cuter than this HAMSTER BUTT!

ok, silliness over. Now go get ready for some fun.

– And thanks Reddit for this hilarity