Saw Inception and got a few thoughts:
1. Your subconsciousness is not controlled by feelings alone. Any part of your brain is connected to the prefrontal cortex. As much as consciousness is not entirely located there, we can (unlike animals) override various instinct-like behaviour with conscious decission-making. (Commenting on the film's statement that sub-consciousness is entirely controlled by emotions.)
2. Feelings are in part learned from tangible experience and the conscious mind can assess such.
3. Feelings and ideas can be controlled and consciously developed.
But they got these two points right:
1. Guilt will hunt you down (break through your concept of reality) until you release it.
2. Projections of people become pale shadows and will eventually centre themselves towards the projector for better, worse or for error.
What can you learn from it?
1. Release guilt for you and others. You've got only one life to live.
2. God dreams, projects and creates people better than any people can. The creator must be higher than the created to maintain abundant creativity in the created.
3. Confess the problem when it arises, or it (in the film: she) will find you and remind you of what you did and have not yet confessed and put behind.
4. Put complex mazes behind! Your life (children signifies broader: family) must be lived in faith and expectation, not in fear!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Things I Read at Night
I had just gone to bed one night and my brain started spinning (as always) and I just had to get back up again and pick this book out of the bookshelf. Adam Smith’s ‘The Wealth of Nations.’ I had some half-quotes playing in my head, and I just had to read them again. I love this stuff so much! It makes me laugh and it fuels me with energy. I really hope it blesses you! Really! -feel my sharp eyes and listen, I’m not having a laugh with you! Lots of people let this pass them by with a laugh knowing that it was written in the 1770’s. But I am telling you, if you get this under your skin you walk away stronger. If you understand it and act it you will be progressive and responsible and people will say: “I didn’t think they made’em this way any more!” It’s needed more than ever, so wipe the laugh off and only laugh again when freedom tickles your chest from within! Then laugh, fearlessly and lovingly! And if freedom tickles you from the inside when you read this: raise up for you are called to responsibility! We’ll all die. What will you do first?
Political economy, considered as a branch of the science of a statesman or legislator, proposes two distinct objects: first, to provide a plentiful revenue or subsistence for the people, or more properly to enable them to provide such a revenue or subsistence for themselves; and secondly, to supply the state or commonwealth with a revenue sufficient for the public services. It proposes to enrich both the people and the sovereign. (ISBN: 978-0-679-40654-1, pp. 374)
and:
Every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest his own way, and to bring both his industry and capital into competition with those of any other man, or order of men. The sovereign is completely discharged from a duty, in the attempting to perform which he must always be exposed to innumerable delusions, and for the proper performance of which no human wisdom or knowledge could ever be sufficient; the duty of superintending the industry of private people, and of directing towards the employments most suitable to the interest of society. According to the system of natural liberty, the sovereign has only three duties to attend to; three duties of great importance, indeed, but plain and intelligible to common understandings: first, the duty of protecting the society from the violence and invasion of other independent societies; secondly, the duty of protecting, as far as possible, every member of the society from the injustice or oppression of every other member of it, or the duty of establishing an exact administration of justice; and, thirdly, the duty of erecting and maintaining certain public works and certain public institutions which it can never be for the interest of any individual, or small number of individuals, to erect and maintain because the profit could never repay the expense to any individual or small number of individuals, though it may frequently do much more than repay it to a great society. (ISBN: 978-0-679-40654-1, pp. 620)
And thus starts and ends Adam Smith’s 4th book in his famous work ‘The Wealth of Nations.’
To those who wonder; when Mr. Smith says the sovereign is “completely discharged” from the duty of “superintending” the industries, he is not advocating a laissez-faire attitude á la extreme liberalism, then he would not consider the marked-corrective function of taxes in other parts of his work; nor would he advocate free and compulsory primary education at the state’s expense 230 years ago! If you see Smith trough the googles of Marx, Smith is made to look like the devil. If you look at Marx through the googles of Smith, Marx makes little applicable sense and appears rather paranoid! “Money will try to keep you down (or up, accordingly)!” he would say. No Baby, it is not that simple I say! You stand up and take responsibility and utilize the diversity of society to create an extremely creative, balanced and responsible breeding ground for activities that “proposes to enrich both the people and the sovereign.” Not just the sovereign, Charles the 1st! Not just the people, Marx (though I don’t agree that’s what you do! And where diverse business activities should be your progressive source of new income, a uniform grey mass with no new initiatives will slack behind!), for it is like General Douglas MacArthur said: “The lack of skill in the officer directly endangers the lives of followers and comrades, as well as his own… An army without trained leaders is a contradiction in terms.” (ISBN: 0-13-147021-3, pp.150) A people without a sovereign or whatever he would translate to in other systems, is an economic danger to itself! And further: “Training distinguishes an army from an armed mob.” (ISBN: 0-13-147021-3, pp.152) A people that holds its leaders accountable for irrelevant details before actions has been taken in the modern media age, like a mob of share-holders in a stock-exchange traded company, are as faithless an self-destructive as a soldier who tries to argue with his commander on an order on the frontline under fire. You vote! You respect the honourable outcome that represents us all! Then you believe! That is the essence of parliamentarian indirect democracy. And any captain who believes himself a general is as stupid as a politician who thinks himself a King! Respect your culture, respect your Royals, respect your constitution! For from your distinctness you gain value in the marked-place and (only) through the transparency of your society, trade and prosperity can grow. If you find yourself in such a society, think yourself blessed and you are wise!
Freedom. Heritage. Love. Future. Greatness. Responsibility.
Freedom tickles inside the chest by the words of Adam Smith and I love it!
…and at last I went to bed.
Political economy, considered as a branch of the science of a statesman or legislator, proposes two distinct objects: first, to provide a plentiful revenue or subsistence for the people, or more properly to enable them to provide such a revenue or subsistence for themselves; and secondly, to supply the state or commonwealth with a revenue sufficient for the public services. It proposes to enrich both the people and the sovereign. (ISBN: 978-0-679-40654-1, pp. 374)
and:
Every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest his own way, and to bring both his industry and capital into competition with those of any other man, or order of men. The sovereign is completely discharged from a duty, in the attempting to perform which he must always be exposed to innumerable delusions, and for the proper performance of which no human wisdom or knowledge could ever be sufficient; the duty of superintending the industry of private people, and of directing towards the employments most suitable to the interest of society. According to the system of natural liberty, the sovereign has only three duties to attend to; three duties of great importance, indeed, but plain and intelligible to common understandings: first, the duty of protecting the society from the violence and invasion of other independent societies; secondly, the duty of protecting, as far as possible, every member of the society from the injustice or oppression of every other member of it, or the duty of establishing an exact administration of justice; and, thirdly, the duty of erecting and maintaining certain public works and certain public institutions which it can never be for the interest of any individual, or small number of individuals, to erect and maintain because the profit could never repay the expense to any individual or small number of individuals, though it may frequently do much more than repay it to a great society. (ISBN: 978-0-679-40654-1, pp. 620)
And thus starts and ends Adam Smith’s 4th book in his famous work ‘The Wealth of Nations.’
To those who wonder; when Mr. Smith says the sovereign is “completely discharged” from the duty of “superintending” the industries, he is not advocating a laissez-faire attitude á la extreme liberalism, then he would not consider the marked-corrective function of taxes in other parts of his work; nor would he advocate free and compulsory primary education at the state’s expense 230 years ago! If you see Smith trough the googles of Marx, Smith is made to look like the devil. If you look at Marx through the googles of Smith, Marx makes little applicable sense and appears rather paranoid! “Money will try to keep you down (or up, accordingly)!” he would say. No Baby, it is not that simple I say! You stand up and take responsibility and utilize the diversity of society to create an extremely creative, balanced and responsible breeding ground for activities that “proposes to enrich both the people and the sovereign.” Not just the sovereign, Charles the 1st! Not just the people, Marx (though I don’t agree that’s what you do! And where diverse business activities should be your progressive source of new income, a uniform grey mass with no new initiatives will slack behind!), for it is like General Douglas MacArthur said: “The lack of skill in the officer directly endangers the lives of followers and comrades, as well as his own… An army without trained leaders is a contradiction in terms.” (ISBN: 0-13-147021-3, pp.150) A people without a sovereign or whatever he would translate to in other systems, is an economic danger to itself! And further: “Training distinguishes an army from an armed mob.” (ISBN: 0-13-147021-3, pp.152) A people that holds its leaders accountable for irrelevant details before actions has been taken in the modern media age, like a mob of share-holders in a stock-exchange traded company, are as faithless an self-destructive as a soldier who tries to argue with his commander on an order on the frontline under fire. You vote! You respect the honourable outcome that represents us all! Then you believe! That is the essence of parliamentarian indirect democracy. And any captain who believes himself a general is as stupid as a politician who thinks himself a King! Respect your culture, respect your Royals, respect your constitution! For from your distinctness you gain value in the marked-place and (only) through the transparency of your society, trade and prosperity can grow. If you find yourself in such a society, think yourself blessed and you are wise!
Freedom. Heritage. Love. Future. Greatness. Responsibility.
Freedom tickles inside the chest by the words of Adam Smith and I love it!
…and at last I went to bed.
Autumn's Coming!
We just had the most awesome Rocknations youth conference on in Church ever! …so far! One night some of us boys that were serving went off to get some food down at Nando’s, after our duties were over. I was gonna take the train home to Leeds and had to run to catch it. Good company makes you wanna stay for just a little longer. Long enough to have to run for the train afterwards. It was great! A drizzle of rain in the air and pitch dark! Reminding me of so many nights in the mountains…
It was then I felt it! I think I wrote about this topic last year too. Just for a fraction of a second it was there! The wet and chilly air revealed something distant, something that was not quite there yet. -Something that could be felt from very far away. Autumn!
I got excited! I’m quite tuned to these things after years in the outdoors. -And I love Autumn so much! Everything sounds different, the music is different and I pick out other records from the shelf. -Just intuitively. I was born in the Autumn, my beloved little sister were born in the Autumn, I love Autumn!
Maybe I feel a special expectation this year, since I spent so much time home in Norway earlier this year.
Lately I have found myself waking up in the morning not knowing which country I am in. I see the light and am not even half awake. I turn around in bed and think: that’s my window… mmm, light… there’s my wardrobe in Norw… (old steam engine going by on the train-line down the road) wake! England.
I really want to be here! But I really want to be back home at the same time. I used to say: “Anywhere, as long as something is happening there!” Right now I need to make something happen. But still there’s a sense of future and unachieved potential in both places. It feels like there are mountains of the mind to climb in both places. And new things are happening indeed. The people I meet, the arts-exhibition Haj and I have put on, new perspectives, Church…
I found something I had written in one of my journals a year ago. I was proclaiming that I was gonna stay in the UK and giving reasons for why! It made me happy to see it again. I just need to stick with the programme. Just that the programme seems to be extending to two countries. Not that I mind. Then I can wake up and go: light, window… mmm… morning, in Norway? UK? And I could be wrong and right with different answers every so often.
It was then I felt it! I think I wrote about this topic last year too. Just for a fraction of a second it was there! The wet and chilly air revealed something distant, something that was not quite there yet. -Something that could be felt from very far away. Autumn!
I got excited! I’m quite tuned to these things after years in the outdoors. -And I love Autumn so much! Everything sounds different, the music is different and I pick out other records from the shelf. -Just intuitively. I was born in the Autumn, my beloved little sister were born in the Autumn, I love Autumn!
Maybe I feel a special expectation this year, since I spent so much time home in Norway earlier this year.
Lately I have found myself waking up in the morning not knowing which country I am in. I see the light and am not even half awake. I turn around in bed and think: that’s my window… mmm, light… there’s my wardrobe in Norw… (old steam engine going by on the train-line down the road) wake! England.
I really want to be here! But I really want to be back home at the same time. I used to say: “Anywhere, as long as something is happening there!” Right now I need to make something happen. But still there’s a sense of future and unachieved potential in both places. It feels like there are mountains of the mind to climb in both places. And new things are happening indeed. The people I meet, the arts-exhibition Haj and I have put on, new perspectives, Church…
I found something I had written in one of my journals a year ago. I was proclaiming that I was gonna stay in the UK and giving reasons for why! It made me happy to see it again. I just need to stick with the programme. Just that the programme seems to be extending to two countries. Not that I mind. Then I can wake up and go: light, window… mmm… morning, in Norway? UK? And I could be wrong and right with different answers every so often.
My first Exhibition. Ever!
Leeds, August 10th 2010, Late at Night
Last night at the arts exhibition is over and we’re packing down tomorrow. We had a nice local chap popping by tonight who was into Nick Drake. And you can just imagine what I’m listening to right now! No particular track was haunting me, I just wanted to hear the sound again!
The exhibition has been going well and we’ve gotten lots of nice feedback. I’ve been thinking of doing something like this with my photographies for a long time and was really blessed when Haj asked me if I wanted to do a joint exhibition with him! It’s the first exhibition I’ve ever taken part in so it was a bit of a new experience.
It was fun seeing the synergy in the room between Haj’s wall and mine. Our pictures look very different, but I think they work really well together. Both conceptually and visually.
It’s almost gonna be sad to pick it all down, but I’ll be a little bit smarter when I do than when we set it up. I’ve learned some new things. And probably more than ever, I’ve lived some new dreams.
Thanks to all the great people that came to the events! You all made it worth it! And thanks to the very nice staff at The Clock Café who gave some much appreciated and unexpected compliments!
http://H-Happening.blogspot.com/
Feeling: thankful!
Last night at the arts exhibition is over and we’re packing down tomorrow. We had a nice local chap popping by tonight who was into Nick Drake. And you can just imagine what I’m listening to right now! No particular track was haunting me, I just wanted to hear the sound again!
The exhibition has been going well and we’ve gotten lots of nice feedback. I’ve been thinking of doing something like this with my photographies for a long time and was really blessed when Haj asked me if I wanted to do a joint exhibition with him! It’s the first exhibition I’ve ever taken part in so it was a bit of a new experience.
It was fun seeing the synergy in the room between Haj’s wall and mine. Our pictures look very different, but I think they work really well together. Both conceptually and visually.
It’s almost gonna be sad to pick it all down, but I’ll be a little bit smarter when I do than when we set it up. I’ve learned some new things. And probably more than ever, I’ve lived some new dreams.
Thanks to all the great people that came to the events! You all made it worth it! And thanks to the very nice staff at The Clock Café who gave some much appreciated and unexpected compliments!
http://H-Happening.blogspot.com/
Feeling: thankful!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Coming back to the UK
I flew down to London and had never landed at Gatwick Airport before. I was struck by how tidy and relaxed everything was compared to Heathrow and immediately liked it. But the coin had a flipside. We waited for ten minutes or more in the plane because they couldn’t find the dude who was gonna drive the bridge to be attached to the air-craft for us to alight. And then in the passport control they had loads of checkpoint-desks, but less than a handful of positions open so the queues were long to say the least. After a while it picked up though. They saw that there were too many people for the few gates and slowly opened a few more, but then we had been there for a while. Gatwick was nicer and more relaxed than Heathrow both for better and for worse. Modern comfort with Mexican siesta-time efficiency!
I took the train in to St. Pancras and met Shzr Ee outside the national library. We had some food in the sunshine and talked about near and far. She had just come back from fieldwork in East Asia. A hot day in London and I could almost fool myself to feel like I was back in South East Asia for a moment. I had stuffed my hand luggage inside my big backpack and it was warm enough to trek around with! Shzr Ee wondered if I had packed all my survival gear in there, but was excited to hear I had packed some Norwegian breads from mom.
The night before in Norway I had looked online at train tickets from London to Leeds. I was trying to book quite late and I ended up taking a bus instead, since it was more than 70 Pounds difference between the two alternatives. Two and a half hours on a train against four and a half on a bus… I knew which one I thought I would prefer. The swift efficient comfort of the train sounded tempting, but I was in for a treat. Seeing the land from the road is different. I remember taking a bus through the Czech countryside once, on a stretch where I was used to taking the train. We went through villages, on farm-roads and came closer to where people lived. Many modern roads are built on top of several hundred years old foundations. People have walked them for centuries and hence you find the natural demographics of people in those same natural geographical lines. Planes, hills, valleys, woods, rivers… -where people live and have always lived. Railroads are usually cut right through the landscape in the most efficient way and planned to minimize the interference with local settlements and everyday life apart from its stations. Seeing a country from a road and from a railroad teaches you different things. Or at least shows you different impressions. Like an impressionistic painting, fragments of green and yellow fields mixes with blue skies and white clouds, farmhouses, towns, cities, the manmade and the natural and becomes one nice big blur to a tired traveller. Swift, linear, efficient and interrupted lines from the train; softer, calmer, more winded and following society and geography’s natural paintbrush more from the bus. Two different views and I was in no hurry anyway. Never mind we got stuck in the London traffic and spent an extra hour to get out, I enjoyed the trip.
The bus finally stopped just around the corner from my house. I was back and had missed the English winter but gained the Norwegian one instead. Six months since I set my feet here the last time and now it is summer. I took my keys out and held the door opener in front of the sensor. “Bliiip” and the door went up. I checked my mailbox and it wasn’t too full cause Lara had been here emptying it for me not long ago. I went into the lift and found that the “close the door button” had stopped working. Apart from that everything was like before. Or almost… I looked into the big wall-to-wall mirror and thought, “what am I doing here?” Sure, I know I’m off to my friends wedding in a couple of days, but apart from that. Why have I not yet let go of England? I thought I looked different. The mirror looked different as well. We were both the same as ever, but not quite. I left this place as a recently graduated student and came back as a…? Every time I’ve come back before I’ve had an agenda. That’s even why I got this place. “Mind the gap,” cause that’s where I am now.
I walked into the apartment and felt the sweet smell of home. It’s like Louis in “Interview with the Vampire” returning after centuries to a new age. My work-desk, instruments, loudspeakers, mixer and computer-screen were all covered in light cloth by my best 19th century abilities as to not dust down, and it looked quite nice. Like coming back from holiday when I was a kid or seeing a Victorian period drama where the character returns to his summer-residence. From the look of some of my slightly faded books by the window I should have included my bookshelves in the scheme as well. Anyway, all my life as I knew it was covered by white and light yellow cloth and I liked it so I kept it. –At least for a few days till after I had written this so I wouldn’t forget how it felt. The bigger question is if I will remember how it used to feel, the things I’ll see when I remove the cloth. I need something new to remember!
I took the train in to St. Pancras and met Shzr Ee outside the national library. We had some food in the sunshine and talked about near and far. She had just come back from fieldwork in East Asia. A hot day in London and I could almost fool myself to feel like I was back in South East Asia for a moment. I had stuffed my hand luggage inside my big backpack and it was warm enough to trek around with! Shzr Ee wondered if I had packed all my survival gear in there, but was excited to hear I had packed some Norwegian breads from mom.
The night before in Norway I had looked online at train tickets from London to Leeds. I was trying to book quite late and I ended up taking a bus instead, since it was more than 70 Pounds difference between the two alternatives. Two and a half hours on a train against four and a half on a bus… I knew which one I thought I would prefer. The swift efficient comfort of the train sounded tempting, but I was in for a treat. Seeing the land from the road is different. I remember taking a bus through the Czech countryside once, on a stretch where I was used to taking the train. We went through villages, on farm-roads and came closer to where people lived. Many modern roads are built on top of several hundred years old foundations. People have walked them for centuries and hence you find the natural demographics of people in those same natural geographical lines. Planes, hills, valleys, woods, rivers… -where people live and have always lived. Railroads are usually cut right through the landscape in the most efficient way and planned to minimize the interference with local settlements and everyday life apart from its stations. Seeing a country from a road and from a railroad teaches you different things. Or at least shows you different impressions. Like an impressionistic painting, fragments of green and yellow fields mixes with blue skies and white clouds, farmhouses, towns, cities, the manmade and the natural and becomes one nice big blur to a tired traveller. Swift, linear, efficient and interrupted lines from the train; softer, calmer, more winded and following society and geography’s natural paintbrush more from the bus. Two different views and I was in no hurry anyway. Never mind we got stuck in the London traffic and spent an extra hour to get out, I enjoyed the trip.
The bus finally stopped just around the corner from my house. I was back and had missed the English winter but gained the Norwegian one instead. Six months since I set my feet here the last time and now it is summer. I took my keys out and held the door opener in front of the sensor. “Bliiip” and the door went up. I checked my mailbox and it wasn’t too full cause Lara had been here emptying it for me not long ago. I went into the lift and found that the “close the door button” had stopped working. Apart from that everything was like before. Or almost… I looked into the big wall-to-wall mirror and thought, “what am I doing here?” Sure, I know I’m off to my friends wedding in a couple of days, but apart from that. Why have I not yet let go of England? I thought I looked different. The mirror looked different as well. We were both the same as ever, but not quite. I left this place as a recently graduated student and came back as a…? Every time I’ve come back before I’ve had an agenda. That’s even why I got this place. “Mind the gap,” cause that’s where I am now.
I walked into the apartment and felt the sweet smell of home. It’s like Louis in “Interview with the Vampire” returning after centuries to a new age. My work-desk, instruments, loudspeakers, mixer and computer-screen were all covered in light cloth by my best 19th century abilities as to not dust down, and it looked quite nice. Like coming back from holiday when I was a kid or seeing a Victorian period drama where the character returns to his summer-residence. From the look of some of my slightly faded books by the window I should have included my bookshelves in the scheme as well. Anyway, all my life as I knew it was covered by white and light yellow cloth and I liked it so I kept it. –At least for a few days till after I had written this so I wouldn’t forget how it felt. The bigger question is if I will remember how it used to feel, the things I’ll see when I remove the cloth. I need something new to remember!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Memories of conversations in Singapore pt.2
December 2009
The Yin Family took me out eating one of the first days when I was back. We went to this Chinese restaurant that I had never tried before. The restaurant had great food and a good variety of set-menus that could be shared on one table.
We had just told the lady that was serving us what we wanted to order. She then turned to James and said in Chinese that if we couldn’t finish all the food they brought us, the restaurant could provide take-away boxes for the rest. James replied and I couldn’t understand the words, but he shook his head as in “no thank you, that won’t be necessary.” Then he continued and turned towards me. Ah, got it! “Don’t worry with the take-away, the tall blonde chap can finish!” I must say I was quite happy with that! It’s a good compliment on any day, but further taking into consideration that James is an army officer, it was one of the best compliments in a while! (They’re usually not unfamiliar with eating…)
Save plastic boxes! Save the environment! Bring Harald!
The Yin Family took me out eating one of the first days when I was back. We went to this Chinese restaurant that I had never tried before. The restaurant had great food and a good variety of set-menus that could be shared on one table.
We had just told the lady that was serving us what we wanted to order. She then turned to James and said in Chinese that if we couldn’t finish all the food they brought us, the restaurant could provide take-away boxes for the rest. James replied and I couldn’t understand the words, but he shook his head as in “no thank you, that won’t be necessary.” Then he continued and turned towards me. Ah, got it! “Don’t worry with the take-away, the tall blonde chap can finish!” I must say I was quite happy with that! It’s a good compliment on any day, but further taking into consideration that James is an army officer, it was one of the best compliments in a while! (They’re usually not unfamiliar with eating…)
Save plastic boxes! Save the environment! Bring Harald!
Memories of conversations in Singapore pt. 1
December 2009
I was walking around in the Arab quarter of Singapore. The sun was getting low in the sky and the afternoon was drawing to a close in not too long. I was looking for Ishani and Maria. We were going to meet and go to Ambrosia shisha-bar in Baghdad Street. Ishani had text’ed me the name of a street they were currently walking along and I tried to look for it. I thought I knew where it was but couldn’t find it, so I decided to ask someone.
In the 5-foot-walk outside a Persian carpet shop I found two guys sitting and talking. One on a chair with his back towards the street, and one on top of a massive stack of carpets. The one on the carpet-pile nodded towards me to signal to his friend who now turned around and asked how he could help me.
“I’m looking for this street,” I said. “Maybe you can help me?”
Turned out he didn’t know where it was neither. Then the conversation quickly turned.
“Do you need a carpet?”
(Me looking surprised by the sudden topic-change.)
“I have many nice carpets here, we could find one that you’d like.”
I smiled and said I that I was back for holidays and a friends’ wedding and that I didn’t live here anymore. Hence, I would probably not need a carpet at the moment, but thanks!
“Where do you live Sir?”
“Right now I live in the UK.”
“Maybe you’ll need a carpet in the UK? I can fly it for you!”
“Really!?”
I was surprised to hear that a small local shop behind a 5-foot-walk by Arab Street in Singapore shipped internationally. But hey! Internet age, bulk ships and big aeroplanes… It didn’t exactly take me three months on a sail-ship to get to this part of the “far orient” neither, so maybe I should have some more faith in his logistics. Curious I asked:
“Do you do international deliveries?”
“Huh!?”
“Do you fly goods internationally as air-cargo with a freight company or something?”
“No no no no no!” he replied with a big smile and a thick Indian accent.
“I fly it for you!”
He made a hand-move as to hold the tip of the carpet up in font of him while sitting on it.
“Ahh! Like Aladdin’s magic carpet?”
“Yes, yes! My carpets are magic!”
All of us were laughing pretty well by now.
“Well, thank you! I will let you know if I need any carpets in Europe!”
It was sad to leave. Both fellows were really funny and if I had stuck around, who knows, maybe I would have learned the ancient skill so few today master: to fly a Persian carpet! But I had to find Ish' and Maria. Maybe I should come back for a lesson one day. Indian and Arab traders are great on making deals, so maybe I could suggest something like:
“Ok, if I buy these carpets and don’t bargain the price, you give me flying lessons! And if I come back with my friend and he buys carpets I get more lessons! OK?”
Firm eye contact! Don’t give in! Prepare for handshake and you should have it nailed!
I was walking around in the Arab quarter of Singapore. The sun was getting low in the sky and the afternoon was drawing to a close in not too long. I was looking for Ishani and Maria. We were going to meet and go to Ambrosia shisha-bar in Baghdad Street. Ishani had text’ed me the name of a street they were currently walking along and I tried to look for it. I thought I knew where it was but couldn’t find it, so I decided to ask someone.
In the 5-foot-walk outside a Persian carpet shop I found two guys sitting and talking. One on a chair with his back towards the street, and one on top of a massive stack of carpets. The one on the carpet-pile nodded towards me to signal to his friend who now turned around and asked how he could help me.
“I’m looking for this street,” I said. “Maybe you can help me?”
Turned out he didn’t know where it was neither. Then the conversation quickly turned.
“Do you need a carpet?”
(Me looking surprised by the sudden topic-change.)
“I have many nice carpets here, we could find one that you’d like.”
I smiled and said I that I was back for holidays and a friends’ wedding and that I didn’t live here anymore. Hence, I would probably not need a carpet at the moment, but thanks!
“Where do you live Sir?”
“Right now I live in the UK.”
“Maybe you’ll need a carpet in the UK? I can fly it for you!”
“Really!?”
I was surprised to hear that a small local shop behind a 5-foot-walk by Arab Street in Singapore shipped internationally. But hey! Internet age, bulk ships and big aeroplanes… It didn’t exactly take me three months on a sail-ship to get to this part of the “far orient” neither, so maybe I should have some more faith in his logistics. Curious I asked:
“Do you do international deliveries?”
“Huh!?”
“Do you fly goods internationally as air-cargo with a freight company or something?”
“No no no no no!” he replied with a big smile and a thick Indian accent.
“I fly it for you!”
He made a hand-move as to hold the tip of the carpet up in font of him while sitting on it.
“Ahh! Like Aladdin’s magic carpet?”
“Yes, yes! My carpets are magic!”
All of us were laughing pretty well by now.
“Well, thank you! I will let you know if I need any carpets in Europe!”
It was sad to leave. Both fellows were really funny and if I had stuck around, who knows, maybe I would have learned the ancient skill so few today master: to fly a Persian carpet! But I had to find Ish' and Maria. Maybe I should come back for a lesson one day. Indian and Arab traders are great on making deals, so maybe I could suggest something like:
“Ok, if I buy these carpets and don’t bargain the price, you give me flying lessons! And if I come back with my friend and he buys carpets I get more lessons! OK?”
Firm eye contact! Don’t give in! Prepare for handshake and you should have it nailed!
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