What is Life?

Is it a time allotment given to us to fill? How much of this time allotment do we use trying to figure out what it is? The answer is: it just is. We try to "find ourselves" when we already ARE; we fill it with questions and analysis, instead of LIVING it.
As we approach the upper edge of our time allotment, with nearly no time left, we throw our questions and analysis in the garbage and we LIVE. Why not do this when our time allotment has lots and lots left? Because we are "taught" to behave in certain ways; we are taught that there are expectations to be filled; we are taught that LIFE has demands and rules. Does it? Does LIFE have demands and rules? The only demands and rules I can agree to are simplified in the Ten Commandments, and I am not a religious person. Or, my mother's favorite saying: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Other than that, breathe freely, enjoy whatever gives you pleasure, fill your time with appreciation of everything that inspires awe, do what makes you feel good about yourself.
No matter how long your individual time allotment is, it is always too short, so USE it; do not abuse it.

Guiding Social Behaviors

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Guiding Social Behaviors

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Social Interaction

Are parents responsible for the behavior of their grown children?
You are invited to friends for dinner. A grown son or daughter of the hosts is at the table. He/she speaks in strident, dismissive and belligerent tones. The hosts pander to the son/daughter, while you feel exceedingly uncomfortable. You try a change of subject, hoping the offspring will not enter the conversation, but he/she continues the attack mode.
What are the social expectations of a) the hosts and b) the guests in such a situation? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
At Slideshare, I found (and agree with) the following information: www.slideshare.net/.../guiding-social-behaviors - United States.

2010: It's raining technology!

Who can keep up with the technologies we already have, and those which will imminently rain down on us: personal DNA to protect our writing; A dip in nanotube ink turns ordinary office paper into a high-energy electrode; Advances in antiaging drugs, acoustic brain surgery, flu vaccines--and the secret to IQ. www.technologyreview.com
Just a nano-drop in the inventor's bucket... here comes the deluge! Not only do I find it nearly impossible to keep up from an information standpoint, I cannot imagine being able to understand how many of these new technologies work. But then, I do not understand how my Alpha MITO works or my iPhone, but I do enjoy them tremendously.

New Year: why so much excitement?

Happy New Year! Parties, e-cards, toasts... why all the excitement? It is all encompassed by the word "new." We love "new." We can forget about the "old" and, for a moment, envision "better." Why is a new day, a new month not as exciting? Imagine awakening to a world that appreciates EVERY NEW DAY! Happy New Day... 24 hours of NEW breath, new opportunities, new thinking, new energy. An entire day belonging to each individual, allowing us to make the most of it if we so wish. We can choose to make it the best day ever... Not HUGE choices like at New Year, but tiny little ones: I can smile at strangers, I can think new and different thoughts and explore them, I can put positive effort in to my work, I can appreciate the fact that I breathe freely, I can listen to new music, I can help someone just for the fun of it, I can try to see people I know from different angles and maybe find more attributes in them to make me feel good... Every single day I have the power to fashion the day as I will. Tomorrow is promised to no one, but TODAY is yours! Make it the BEST... and if you are given yet another day tomorrow, make it even better.
Here is wishing you all a wonderful day and a wonderful 2010.

Anti

While writing "An Apricot Tree in Africa," I thought I was writing a coming-of-age narrative. A reader pointed out that it was a book fighting for human rights. Thinking about this statement, I have to concede that there is a lot of truth to it. My brain appears to be wired in such a way, that it is difficult for me to comprehend any "anti."
Of course I feel revulsion for all perpetrators of violence against blameless humans, but the hatred for "the other," the blind following of "statements of fact," (the Jews killed Jesus) or following delusional or political or power-hungry people, I cannot come to terms with.
In the South Africa I grew up in, Africans were considered stupid and lazy, yet they were trusted with bringing up the white children, keeping the houses of the whites clean and shining, cooking, laundry and all and any tasks that came to mind. The Africans were not allowed to sit on a chair in the houses of the white people; they sat on the floor.
The Jews were not allowed to join golf clubs. The "colored" people had their own transport, as they were forbidden to ride on buses meant for the white population. If people find all these "laws" acceptable, I remain the odd man out.

I have been running around the internet and I am exhausted! I have been visiting blogs of authors, book marketing blogs, and any blog to do with writing... Enough! I need a holiday. I came across an "unrelated to literature and its myriad convolutions" blog, which I thought was eye-opening, and wanted to share with you:
www.haifadiarist.blogspot.com.

My novel is now in the hands of an editor and instead of agonizing over how much of it is going to be left intact, I have decided to plot the next one. This is great fun! Living in one's imagination and creating a plot and characters allows me to forget the laundry (which is now living a life of its own), forget to eat (which in my case is positive), and to forget... oh shucks! Yeah, I'd better get going on the NB part of my to-do list!