John McEnroe, he wasn't that mad!!

So, this is the story i wanted to write the last time i posted a blog story, the previous blog story just kinda jumped out of me, so i went with it and that was that.

And now this...

Still on the tennis thing people, the Australian open is still going on, so it's still tennis, tennis, tennis in Melbourne, as you know i went to a few games one night, 2 weeks ago, people wanted to know what i thought? So, I'll try and explain.

Lleyton

One of the games i saw featured Lleyton Hewitt, i had Gold class tickets, a prime view, pretty good, or so it would seem?

One of the advances tennis has made over the years is that they now include camera technology, it would appear tennis has 'embraced' this technology, much like how they do in cricket to view the line calls, and from what i could gather, each player can request the new technology to check if the ball was in or out.

A game of In and Out, this one in!

And they do check the line calls, all the time! White lines clear your mind, John nearly list his, where was this technology when he needed it?

What was interesting throughout the game was even though most calls that seemed out, most of them were actually in, and i started to think about John Mac Enroe, how could you forget that fellow?

Could you forget this?


I was thinking maybe John had a very keen eye, maybe he was right all along, maybe the tantrums were justified? Maybe everyone else was wrong, like the man said?

A quick glance of my program informed he had quite a history here in Melbourne? It would appear the Melbourne open was the first tournament to introduce a 3 strikes rule, no one told John of this rule, his third strike being when he told the umpire to

'Go home and fuck your mother'

And maybe, just like baseball, he was out, game over for John that year and he was sent marching for an early shower.

I bailed out of the place myself after 3 hours and 15min, how anybody could stay longer, or be interested is hard for me to fathom? I'm glad i went, why anybody would go a second time, it completely beyond me? I would rather go insane, thank you very much!

Serena Williams was on after Lleyton Hewitt's game, but as the time was ticking on, my interest was dwindling further and further, dammit I felt like i was getting old!

I would rather...

I got out while the going was good, i would rather watch cricket, and that saying something, coming from me!

I gave my ticket to some guy that was watching the game outside, later i realised the ticket was my tram ticket, if i got a fine, it would have been from the same people that i got the ticket in the first place, Yarra trams!

It is only funny, because i didn't get asked for a ticket, oh the laughs, i can allow myself, now, who knew fare evasion could be so much fun?

How, someone could be interest in a ball flying back and forwards, that's not your own, was a bit beyond me too? I wasn't going voice my disapproval any further other than vote with my feet, and now that i think of it, that's the only kind of voting i ever do, i could have voted on the Triple J, hottest 100, dammit!!

I could have made a difference!!

Maybe, playing tennis is more fun than watching it? In the same way playing Ska music would be better than listening to Ska music?

News just in, God hates ska too!!

Ska and Tennis, if there is a hell, would it would he a combination of both those two?

Tennis fever has hit Melbourne like the plague!

The Australian tennis open is on and everyone has gone tennis....mad!

Yesterday while on a bike ride through Kew, one of the many well-to-do suburbs in Melbourne, i saw a top of the line BMW being driven, nothing unusual there, not in Kew anyways, mummy is wearing her tennis outfit, the daughter is wearing the same matching tennis outfit, smaller size of course. Interesting...

Now, i'm no Doctor, but it was then i realized that a fever hit the town.

All the symptoms are of 'Tennis fever', but i think it will last for the next 2 weeks, then it will lie dormant, like a Taliban sleeper cell for another 52 weeks?

So, there is my first problem with the sport of tennis, it attracts a certain kind of person, the kind of person i dont come in close contact with, not in their own surroundings, but lets be open minded people!

I was thinking, since i could, and the Tennis is on, i should at least experience it and see what the big deal was, after all, i might like it?
And if i didn't what the harm, i could leave at any time? At least if i went and experienced something new, i wasn't going to get something new sitting at home, not on TV anyways, just re-runs of old TV episodes.

My new house mate got a ticket from work, corporate reserved seats, gold class and he asked me

'I'm busy, would you like to go to the tennis instead of me?'

Boy, would i!! The chance to mingle with lots of rich people? Observe them in their own habitat, GOLD CLASS, and no ass, those people can afford surgery, personal trainers and food that doesn't kill you in the long term.

I would feel like David Attenborough, i had this chance to closely observe, document these elite talking monkeys, on a floating rock in the universe and bananas? This species have plenty of bananas, dont you worry about that one, they have more than enough!

David and some monkeys that dont say a single word, that's probably why some people put them in cages?

 How could i say no? So i went, one of the striking things about tennis is how everyone is so happy there, what was the cause? Could tennis give that much happiness, if so, i had to have some happiness too, please i will do anything!

Now, I passed a house yesterday, one of many with a tennis court in Kew, flood lit of course, obviously it's a game you can play at night too, very versatile is tennis!

But you never see or hear anyone playing in those places, usually they are big empty places, with at max 2 people and a little dog and it occurred to me!

The real reason people play tennis?

Of course! If i was strolling around all day in my loafers, why would i want to bend down and tie up shoe laces? Shoe laces are a pain, ask anybody that goes out to work or has to go running to maintain their weight because they cant afford surgery?

I need a reason to tie shoe laces, i need a tennis court, then i have a reason, of course, it actually make sense!

It's a bit of work lacing these up, but it's worth it!

Tennis shoes have great support, not just any support, they have 'Lateral support' to...

Hold the foot steady, not a pair in which your feet feel insecure when you're moving. You'll not only move better, you'll also prevent tennis injuries.

Life before tennis and tennis injuries?

I get it, it make so much sense, hip hip hurray for tennis!!

David Sedaris, me and Tom Robbins

It's not a dogs life, it's a monkeys, i tell yea!!

So, i went to see David Sedaris last night, with Cassie...Wassie.

David did his gig, it was pretty good, my 2nd ever book readings, the first was Kinky Friedman.

Kinky


After telling Cassie i would go and the tickets were bought by her, i read somewhere how stupid it was to go to a book reading to hear a book being read by an author, when you could do it yourself, alternatively we could have waited until the movie came out, anyways we went, here's my take...

After the gig, we left, i noticed some people queuing up outside the theatre for a book signing, i had my library book, so i stood in, I was 5th in the queue, until someone pointed out, 'the queue is that side' , so i switched and 5th place became 2nd place, hip hip hurrah!!

David came out and the book signing was on, so when it came my time i wiped my sweaty hand said hello and shook his hand, it just seemed like the right thing to do and i handed over the book i brought along, that was stamped 'Property of the city of Yarra', a book of the people, a library book!

Now, David wasn't as interested in meeting me, as i was of him, ok, that's ok, that's no biggie, any Brain-iack can tell you this was to be expected, he meet that many people, i'm just another guy!

Anyone that knows, that hangs out with famous people will tell you, what a disappointment it is, it's not worth it.

Phil Lynnott, being Irish felt like a pint of Guinness to this man

One of my friends was telling me how his mate met Phil Lynnot many years ago on Patricks st, Cork, the fan in question had every album, he didn't have a record player, that didn't matter, he was die hard, Phil was walking along the street with a chick, with ear phones on, which he took off, briefly, only to utter 'Fu*k off'. The guy was gutted, and Phil kept on walking, so you can see, the delima facing fans, is summed up nicely in that little antidote.

I told David Sedaris, if i saw him on the street i was going to say

'Hi, your my favorite author....Tom Robbins'

Tom Robbins

I got a puzzled look from him, obviously he was the star of the show, he was probably thinking how the hell was Tom Robbins stealing my lime light? Tom was probably asleep in Seattle at the time too!

David Sedaris didn't get it, maybe the funny guy pestle i put him on was a little bit too high, after all, David used to spend a lot of time being high, maybe the air in the room was a bit thin, it couldn't have been altitude?

I asked him if he could write what i wanted, i didn't expect it, maybe be he saw himself as the writer and it was 'Take it or leave it' writing?

What i wanted him to write...i wrote it out myself first, just to prove that the pen wouldn't explode!

My minder, don't leave home without one

He then asked me
David S: Who did you come with?
Me: My friend Cassie?
Translation:
Are you allowed out at this hour by yourself?

Spider pants?

Then he said
David S: Are those spider web's in your pants?
Me: Huh?
David S: Where did you get them?
Translation
Did you dress yourself, or did your mummy dress you?

Maybe i wasn't on his level, it was looking more like the jeans were the hot topic and i hadn't worn them in 2 years

I was trying to think, yeah, yeah i got them in Malaysia?

The man reason i wore them was because i fixed the button, now they don't fall down and seem to have lost a bit of weight in the last few years, the new button has moved quite some distance, it was the last thing in the world i wanted to talk about

And then it was goodbye, the book signing production line, would have made Henry Ford proud.
So much for David Sedaris i though? Maybe i could have made the opener a bit more relative to the things in his life?

Like, one of his last stories in the reading was about how his computer got stolen in Hawaii, he lost a years work because he thought the usb flashing light was somehow backing up his files.


They made a show about tracking down crack heads in Hawaii

I could have pointed out, Hawaii s the crack head capital of the US of A, ask Dog the bounty hunter, some crack head got $50 for his laptop and a years worth of his writing and so far he hasn't made a cent off of me, with my library book's, am i worse than a crack head?

I really was ripping him off, what else was he to do, but show his distaste? I have read 'A brave new world' too recently, i should be all about consume, consume.

Buy, buy, then bye, bye, bye! 

Being pratical has no place in this consumer day and age!

It left me thinking, David Sedaris is a funny guy on paper and when he has about 6 months to edit and re-edit his stuff, nice going, but not exactly the kinda freestyle living, writing and talking i seem to favor. He might not have been too impressed with me not purchasing a book like all the other consumers, but does he know there's a recession on?

Maybe he's read it somewhere? It's not like he could hear whispers from the villa he resides in? Oh, dont make me laugh?

A man of the people?

Obviously i should have started off by telling him he was the greatest? But i didn't. But yesterday i was looking through some books and i saw one by Edward De Bono called 'Teach yourself to think' and then maybe i did?

I had a bit of a caprice, and then something happened, i saw the encounter in a different light.

Caprice = A sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior.

Obviously, he was on stage, he is the star of the show and as soon as he gets off, i tell him he might be 2nd rate, compared to Tom Robbins, but i thought everyone knows this? This should be normal for anyone!

But what he did was very good, now that i think about it? On stage and off stage, i got up-staged and now i'm laughing.

Some people believe when you meet someone it's because they are supposed to teach you something, when the student is ready, the teacher appears, i don't know if the chicken or the egg appeared on the scene first, but i certainly learned a lot form this brief encounter.

Dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit

He, obviously amused himself by confusing me with stupid questions, enough to be polite and move on to the next person in the queue, it was a master stroke. It took me a while to get it, but now i'm laughing and laughter is the beginning of wisdom.

As Tom Robbins would say,

'If you cant get any enlightenment out of a situation, you might as well get some laughs'

  I got the laughs, but only the next day

Now the question is, if i ever do meet Mr Tom Robbins, should i take it, or should i just say, or go watch some ducks in the park? Maybe the answere will be obvious to me?

Maybe i'd say...

'Tom, i bought the book, just sign it and let me go about my business for Fu$ck sake!'

Foxes, owls, rabbits and mathematics in a forest...WTF?

Do you like to think about things?

So, I've started reading a book called 'The mathematics of life', it's been on the floor of my room for about 2 weeks, and I've been getting around to picking it up, and in the last few days i have been getting into it, more and more, it's good stuff!

Now, here's the part in the show where, i would normally google the book, just to see what other people think, maybe I'm going mad, but I've been having quite a few 'Eureka!!' moments, minus the bath tub.

It's been connecting a few of the dots in my brain, just when you think you're not all that bright, the switch's go off in your head, and all of a sudden the lights are on and people are home, it's a whole god damn party, tell you!!
       
There is a basic principle...

'Unrestricted growth will always outstrip resources'

 It's nothing new, it came from Thomas Malthus, in 1826, in his essay on the Princlple of populations.

Where has that happened recently? Well, the economic crisis that has been happening all over the place for one, where little or no restrictions were placed on financial institutions in the good old USA, it would appear (to me) what happened is a natural fact, since not many people now a-days are in tune with nature, it took a lot of people by surprise, you should have occupied your brain sooner folks!

I remember reading once any thing you find in nature is realistic thing to base your happiness on. i.e Sunrises and sunsets, if you like the odd sunset, well that is a nature, if it makes you happy, there is a good chance you will be happy every day, sounds simple?

A realistic expectation, that can be found in nature

Now, sterile cities, where people work on the 34th floor, well not many animals go to work in places as dense like a city (bees maybe?), at that altitude (condors?)

I'm thinking of condor bee's right now, maybe that's just me?

It's just not natural, it makes no sense, but some people would define working on the 34th floor in their career of choice as success, or at least part of a success, but it's not natural and i should know, i was one of them!

Phrase or phase?

Anyways, the idea of having a career is only about 500 years old, according to Tom Robbins, before that we were hunters and gathers and always on the move, only recently have people settled and stayed in the same place. Maybe having a career is just a phase mankind is going through.

Back to unrestricted growth, where have i heard that recently?
In America, the energy companies are the ones that set the limitations on themselves, and because of this the government is involved in warfare which is essentially a resources grab, due to their own unrestricted growth.

It makes sense!
Populations of living creatures, if their growth is not restrained by lack of food or predators, grow geometrically, the modern word is 'exponentially, it was all written in 1826 folks!

When the growth is based on available food and resources, population grows slowly, linearly.

Now, a scenario in the 'Mathematics of life' was presented of Foxes, owls and rabbits in a forest

Peek a boo, i see you!!

Question: What would you think the biggest threat to rabbits would be?
Answer: Other rabbits, competing for the same resources.

To me, this explains fashion and all it entails, how people behave in cities, their vanity and so on, that doesn't bother thinking about, until now, are they are rabbits?

Maybe they would go well in a stew?

 Fashion, it's not just about looking like a whore!

The rabbits that win the competition survive to breed and their abilities may be passed on to future generations

Fashion is not about looking good for the opposite sex, it's about looking better than your peers, the competition!!

Competition between foxes and rabbits may happen where rabbits learn to run faster, but then foxes may learn to run faster too (not such an exciting point?)

Indirect competition between foxes and owls may happen, where there maybe not enough to eat, they may not even be aware of each others presence, but they know they are hungry.

Might leave these two out of the stew?

Natural selection is not putting one species against another. It happens in the context of thee surrounding environment, the entire ecosystem.

I love this point...
The Eco system determines the context in which they compete.

To me this is why i live where i live, and not anywhere else.

Motion of water is random, it has a tendency to go down with gravity, but what the water does in bulk is not just determined by gravity, but also by the landscape in which it flows.

And, i was wondering, why a book on Mathematics would be so interesting to me? This is a question posed by others when 'What are you reading?' was asked.

Everybody's asking the question!

The answer came from a very unlikely source, it would appear

Now, i've been following  Jon Mercer and he says some interesting things

A simple right-brain/ left brain technique to diffuse anxiety, panic and other negative emotions.

So, it would appear i have been using a different part of my brain while reading this book on Mathematics, and it's relaxing.

More quotes from Jon...

"The golden rule of personal development...“Do more of what works, and less of what doesn’t.”

Additional i realize how my phone stresses me out, so i will be leaving it at home from now on. It just doesn't work for me, swimming, reading and bike ride do, so i'll do that.

Jon says...

Whatever you pay attention to will expand in your life. You invite it to become a bigger part of your experience. So make sure you focus on really awesome things!

Cool, thats all i need to know, reading you loud and clear, i now know what to do :)

 What are you going to do Mr Wrabbit?

Listen to the inner voices...some call it... Intuition

So, as always i start to write, i dont know where i'm going to go, but i know i'm going somewhere and thats all that matters, we need to go and that is that.

So, i begin and i get an idea, that's all it takes, as long as i get ideas, i know i'm alive, if i have the ideas and i'm broke that's ok, cashed up and no idea, that spells trouble!

So, i had a look at my stats, for this blog and they gave totally different pictures, totally.

So, when i look on google i get this

8 people in the last month checked my blog out? Are they kidding?

I haven't published much recently, it's no biggie for me, but whats interesting is when i look through blogger, i get a totally different story.

Through blogger i get this...

Today: 187
Yesterday 166:

The funny thing is, since i am a software tester, i probably could find out what the problem is and report it to them? Maybe the world need's me, in a professional capacity, but i digress...

What occurred to me, was how sometimes there are the voices in your head and there are the voices in other people's head and there are conflicting views of the same stories, completely, depending on peoples experiences in life and what's been going on in their lives, up until now.

What are you on about, you say?

Well, it has occurred to me that, since i haven't been working much in the past year, i have completly changed my ways, in some ways i've changed, i dont spend so much $$, i do things that dont cost much $$, i have time and i make time for the important things, i do tons of reading, i dont drink so much.

Getting a few $$ from the government has been great too, after all i'm playing by their rules, looking for work, work hasn't happened, but the sun is shining and i enjoy every day.

It occurred to me how people who make the most $$ are the most resentful when they people with little money enjoying themselves, especially in the summer, it drives them crazy, which will give you an indication of how shallow they are.

If your not happy in your own life making lots of $$, why complain about people less fortunate that yourself, after all, they do have less $$?

Unless, unless of course, deep down you know it's not about $$, and the empty void in yourself is getting deeper and deeper? Which would make you laugh?

One of the happiest guys i know of, is a guy that lives in a squat, he dumpster dives for food, he busks for money for tobacco and wine, he doesnt have a worry in the world and the world is full of wonder to him,only because he's not full of answers.

The past year has been a bit of a wake up call, for me.

I have come more in touch with my intuition, i can see others that haven't had the same exposure and i can say i've come a long way, from where i was anyways. Cutting back on the beer has helped too, in a big way, why did it take me this long to listen to my intuition?

Introducing Emma (not just a pretty face)

Yesterday, i was telling Emma, how before i always felt like i had too much money and i wanted to be in the situation where i couldn't do what i wanted to do, why?

'Because i dont get paid until Wednesday!!'

Folks, that day has come, and to rectify it, i sold some investments, $$ problem fixed, for now.

My attitude to money has been resolved too, it only took a year of not working and nearly 35 years of my life, in all to do it.

I'm not so $$ carefree, but making $$ is not important, when your not spending lots of $$, i feel i have a lot more in common with the people i hang out with, as a result, and that's what i was after.

I've gone from polar opposites and now i'm where i want to be, where i need to me, mentally and physically, 2 different ways of thinking and what's changed, not much, except me and that's all that needed to change, for things to change and for me to progress, just the way i wanted and the running and swimming has been great too.

Above all, the whole experience has made me a more compassionate person to those less fortunate than myself, i know better to behave in a better way, to people, some of whom have not been as luck as myself to have had the experiences i've had, good and bad, to lead me to where i am today.

It shocked me over Christmas as to how out of touch and un-compassionate some people i met were, but i knew the difference!

Animals are doing it

In the Brisbane flooding last year, i read a story of a snake that was normally a predator to frogs, truly amazing stuff!

Now more than ever and for that, i am really grateful to be me and not them, or who i was or might have been had i not have had all the experiences, over the last year.