Thursday, August 20, 2009

a little glimpse inside my head

photo credit: sabin + little pink sony cybershot, singapore

this is how my brain feels at the moment. it's shooting thoughts in every direction. it's been one of those days. tons of new input. meeting lots of new people. much laughter and storytelling over a nice dinner and a couple glasses of wine. i was seated next to a french guy, a sweet romanian girl, a charming norwegian girl and a woman from singapore. i love that my field is really, really international. and that people have so many stories to tell. tho' surprisingly few of them included ships. however, the afternoon was full of them and i realized once again that ships make my molecules hum in perfect alignment.

strangely tho', as the dinner part of the evening was ending, i found myself violating my own cardinal rule: "what are you gonna remember?" i actually turned down going along with the group of people who decided to go in search of a wine bar for the sake of the poor sad french guys who had had to settle for an australian red at dinner because i wanted to come back and write about my day. yes, blogging has in fact taken over my life. but i think it's not a bad thing.

it was a long, intense day of observations.

: : having a religion with a lot of restrictions makes life unnecessarily difficult and just seems made-up, artificial and absurd. it is, however, fascinating to watch. the extremes to which people will go not to live a so-called normal life are astonishing.

: : whoever invented the whole vision-values concept thing is an evil genius. never has so much time been devoted to so much made up crap.

: : what do we miss out on by not giving ourselves over, but holding ourselves aloof and cynical? and by we, i mean me.

: : overheard: "it's like choosing between pest and cholera." i think i'd take pest. no wait, cholera. see? it's hard.

: : i'm troubled at how worldwide perception of the word "sustainability" differs. it can make my chest constrict and my left eye twitch when i let myself, just for brief moments, take in the enormity of the gap in understanding of this notion between the various peoples of the world. in those brief moments of pure, white terror, i truly fear for the world sabin will inherit.  the planet will undoubtedly be fine, but will we?

: : shipping is the most schizophrenic combination of wildly creative innovation and stodgy conservatism. i can't think of anything else like it.

: : it strikes me as a little difficult to be a thin, neat, sockless loafer guy in shipping.

: : i've always wanted one of these in my house. not the boat, just the woman. isn't she cool? neruda had one.


what did you observe today?

18 comments:

Katie said...

That being the underdog and shocking everybody is much more fun than protecting a good reputation and being expected to do well all of the time.

I want a ship mascot too. But where would I put her?

Cyndy said...

My sister had a figurehead in her house. Maybe the one thing she has ever owned that I really, really wanted. She had to make a sudden move to another house, and the figurehead got broken in the process (as did my heart). Sigh...

Sabin has your photographic eye, for sure, especially for colors. Lovely. Maybe THAT's what she wants to be when she grows up (I have not forgotten those questions!)

I, too, enjoy that you are in the shipping industry, especially since I live your life vicariously. After I describe you (and your writing house, of course), I love to add that little tidbit of "..and, oh, she writes for a shipping magazine! Yes, ships. Big boats." It always gets the most amazing responses!

We must meet in person, so that people will stop thinking that I am making you up!!

Ravi Warrier said...

Where do I begin?

Well, the woman on the boat, looks like a really conservative super girl! I am sure it definitely looks like that once the boat moves. :)

Restrictive and orthodoxy religions can get a little binding. But then, people are free to define whatever religion they want, and at least in this day and age, I suppose, they have the freedom to choose which one to follow (or not).

So, what else is new on the blog camp? What is it anyway? Is it like a formally organized group of bloggers, visiting places just for new ideas to blog about; or is it just some friends and you? I want to go to blog camp, sound fun! :)

Well, enjoy yourself. Expecting a lot of nice pictures of UK and a guide to places I can visit (will be there for a whole year next year).

Ciao.

Ravi.
http://musingsof.raviwarrier.com

kristine said...

Julocha, I have had a glass of wine and a limoncello, so you will allow me, I think, to be a un pocito sentimental. I just clicked on the link to your blog, thinking "ah, it is so nice to always know that Julocha wil have something nice for me to read". I am a little jealous of you guys and all your blog camp antics, getting to know each other personally. Sadly I cannot ever go to blog camp because I have a canon. You guys would all bully me. (I read Polly's blog, too, you know).

Anyway. I am not sure whether I understand all your observations. However, I think I agree with at least a few of them. So that's something. I didn't get to go to Oslo this summer, although I was planning to. I hope you enjoyed it. (Btw is the pest and cholera thing a norwegian saying or is that international?? I grew up hearing it, but I am unsure.)

Boutique By Bonnie said...

How lucky to have a chance to be stimulated by so many truly different people.

bored.mind said...

haha. i love observation #2. so im not crazy after all. i totally agree, vision-values are such crap, and i never said it out loud because im afraid the people might give me the evil eye and just throw me in the loony bin.
sabin takes great pictures (makes me wanna not post my pics anymore c:), she really takes after you. have a great day julochka!

Anonymous said...

i realised today that if i put my mind to it, i can get my way with my boss - i managed to get him to agree to me working just two hours a day for the next fortnight, without any changes to my pay etc. how cool is that!?

Char said...

I had thoughts but they went out my brain...can I just say great shot and be done with it because it's 11:24 and it might just possibly be too late for me to think much.

and it is a great shot...so you know, that's a no brainer.

Cwybrow said...

I will never take a nother photo again...or at least, not proudly!

M M said...

Julie - thanks for showing me how to live in the moment. thank you.

Delwyn said...

Hi Julie

I am glad you had a fun camp at Bee's - how could you not. And I am also glad that you posted today about shipping because I also included a special ship in my post and...well...just come and see...

Happy days

SE'LAH... said...

love your observations and photos. The first one is simply phenomenal. You are blessed, my dear lady, with an eye for true beauty.

kristina - no penny for them said...

saw this and thought of you (as in carrying around cameras and making self-portraits in mirrors):
http://onebluewren.wordpress.com/

:)

Bee said...

Like so many of your posts, I feel like there is an essay (at least) in each one of your observations. I was reading a book review a few days ago - an update of the Gaia theory from James Lovelock - and he believes that the earth will change and survive, but most of our species will not make the journey with it. (It reminded me of The Road, actually.) Sustainability: you are so right about that word.

p.s. A woman cannot live by experience alone. You DO also need the Wordsworthian moments of recollection in tranquillity.

Bee said...

Also, I'm thinking that I need one of those women for the prow of my blue Volvo. :)

Cyndy said...

"A woman cannot live by experience alone. You DO also need the Wordsworthian moments of recollection in tranquillity. " I love this!!

I heard someone say recently that we don't truly enjoy our vacations until we get home and look at the pictures. It is then that we recollect and reflect...

paris parfait said...

That Sabine is one talented young photographer! As for your observations, wise words to ponder.

Anonymous said...

Ooh, I'd like one of those women, too!

And I like how you turned this into a list. You know how I feel about those things. ;)