Personal
Pearl Jam Kicks Ass
I've always liked some of Pearl Jams' songs but it was mainly their more "mainstream" stuff:
- Wish List
- Last Kiss
- Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
- Better Man
I always thought their other stuff was too "weird" but now I'm an absolute Pearl Jam freak. My favourite album is "Backspacer" and, specifically, these songs just kick ass :)
- Gonna See My Friend
- Got Some
- The Fixer
- Johnny Guitar
- Just Breathe
- Amongst the Waves
- Unthought Known
- Force of Nature
- The End (Beautiful, deep song. Your girlfriend/wife will cry.)
- Push Me, Pull Me (Vitalogy Album)
Go check these out on YouTube or iTunes and enjoy :)
A word of gratitude
I've been sick for almost a week and I've learned a few things as a result:
1. Slow down.
2. Appreciate the things you can do because you'll miss them when you can't.
3. Slow down.
4. The world can live without you for 2 days. Take the time off to recuperate properly or you'll just stay sick.
5. Slow down.
I'm so thankful for: My wife who brought me medicine (and fed it to me in bed) and who spent time cooking me a pot of delicious soup (that I devoured in a day!) and who loves me even when I'm snotty and smelly and don't want sex ;)
I'm also thankful for my programming skills and how I can use them to feed us every month and keep a roof over our heads. I take this for granted and I shouldn't.
And, weird as it may seem, I'm thankful for temporary sickness that brings me lessons like this. I feel amazing knowing that my body is winning and I can do normal things properly again. This week is going to be an amazing week! So thank you to that big powerful energy that surrounds us (you know who you are ;)) and to my soul who reminds me of who and what I really am :)
Dealing with Dog Aggression
We had some dog aggression issues a while ago. So I bought a dog training course (with eBook, videos, etc) that teaches you how to train a dog properly. What they say is that you need to train your dogs on a daily basis and assert a safer pecking order. Usually a younger but larger dog will be aggressive to assert his dominance and so it's safer for you to assert him as the alpha dog in your household's pack.
(Humans first, then alpha dog, then the rest).
The way you do this is by feeding your new alpha dog first then, when he's done, the others eat. You also put them on leads and make sure YOU walk through doorways first, then him, then the others. And so on and so forth. What this does is it helps him feel secure in his position of alpha dog and prevents him from picking on the others because he no longer feels the need to protect his position. If you don't do this, and prefer to allow a smaller (albeit older) dog act as the alpha dog, you risk your smaller dog's life. (As a bigger, stronger dog wins, most times)
(Humans first, then alpha dog, then the rest).
The way you do this is by feeding your new alpha dog first then, when he's done, the others eat. You also put them on leads and make sure YOU walk through doorways first, then him, then the others. And so on and so forth. What this does is it helps him feel secure in his position of alpha dog and prevents him from picking on the others because he no longer feels the need to protect his position. If you don't do this, and prefer to allow a smaller (albeit older) dog act as the alpha dog, you risk your smaller dog's life. (As a bigger, stronger dog wins, most times)
Our first dog, Tumbles, is our little baby (and so she was the alpha dog) but our second dog, Romy, who we got 1 year after we got Tumbles, outgrew her and started being very aggressive towards her. We eventually had to separate them.
Though it pained us, we slowly started training them so that Romy was alpha and Tumbles not. It has made a HUGE difference in their relationship. Tumbles is now more subdued around Romy and Romy doesn't feel the need to assert her dominance. They play together without hurting each other and can safely share the yard without any issues.
Though it pained us, we slowly started training them so that Romy was alpha and Tumbles not. It has made a HUGE difference in their relationship. Tumbles is now more subdued around Romy and Romy doesn't feel the need to assert her dominance. They play together without hurting each other and can safely share the yard without any issues.
We had an incident the other day with food but that was my bad. (I chucked some tasty scraps out the window without first separating them, and watching them as they eat).
The main thing is to understand that everything you do around your dogs is "training" them in some or other way, so you have to train yourself first, then them. And remember that blame always rests on you, first. They can only do what you allow them to do through training or lack of training.
The main thing is to understand that everything you do around your dogs is "training" them in some or other way, so you have to train yourself first, then them. And remember that blame always rests on you, first. They can only do what you allow them to do through training or lack of training.
You can buy the dog training course I used here. It's not too expensive and it's very helpful and you can email the suppliers direct for personalised help with a specific issue. I highly recommend it!
PS: There's also a free ebook on "Leadership Training in Dogs" available @ www.getpuppies.co.za. (Another site of mine). Check it out if you don't want to buy the full course yet. It doesn't cover everything but it can help a lot if you follow the steps outlined in it.
PS: There's also a free ebook on "Leadership Training in Dogs" available @ www.getpuppies.co.za. (Another site of mine). Check it out if you don't want to buy the full course yet. It doesn't cover everything but it can help a lot if you follow the steps outlined in it.
At Last! I'm an Internet Millionaire!
"Remember, a monthly income of R1000 from an automated knowledge product is akin to having R150K in the bank, earning interest for you. So, if you are earning about R7K a month from these sort of sales (through a variety of means, maybe), you are effectively an internet millionaire, receiving the interest on R1M in the bank, for which you do not have to work." - Frank MullerIf you do the math, keeping in mind that Capitec Bank offers savings accounts with a per annum interest rate of 8%, it works out. With that in mind, I've been an internet millionaire for a few months, then :)
Sure, I don't own the Viper RT/10, the huge flatscreen TV or any of those other things that I might normally associate with being a millionaire but I do have a lot of free time. I took yesterday off to spend with my wife to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. I generally only get in the office at 10am. I seldom spend more than 2-3 hours at a time in the office at a time because I take longish breaks for lunch, my USN shakes, and so on.
In fact, if it wasn't for my debt, I might actually stop working at the tender age of 27.
I recognise that I still have a ways to go but it feels good to know that, on some levels, I have arrived!
Having said all that good stuff, I also figured out today, thanks to my income spreadsheet, that I work too hard. This month, if I do nothing else at all, I will still earn over 50% of my required income via passive income source and yet, I have still booked up just under 100% of my time with "normal" work. It would appear that someone is having trouble letting go of the work-life! We won't mention any names but he looks, sounds and acts JUST like me. Silly rabbit.
You Can't Escape Your Destiny
I was born "Honorio Bartolomeu De Sousa". Honorio, if you look it up, is Portuguese name meaning "honorary one" or "honorable one".
However, the kids I grew up with couldn't quite pronounce it so, later in life, I shortened it to just "Norio". It's what my family called me (as my real name, Honorio, is pronounced more like Oo-norio). It was easier to write, easier to spell and, well, just made sense.
Of course, it's still to much for most people to get, especially over the phone, so maybe I'll just shorten it to 'N'. We shall see.
Anyhow, I've lived most of my adult years (all 7 of them) being called 'Norio' without thinking much of it.
I later found out (by Googling myself) that 'Norio' is a common (not popular, just common) Japanese name. I never took it further than that but it was an interesting thing to know.
And today, I found out, by visiting http://www.norio.be, that my name means "man of principles.
I wanted to confirm that so I Googled it a bit and found this site, which says it means "lawful man":
http://www.japanese-names.org/?meaning-of=norio
As it turns out, I do tend to be quite a lawful, principled kinda guy. Sometimes to the surprise and frustration of some of my friends.
So I've come to the conclusion that, try as we might, we cannot escape our "destiny". I don't really believe in a god-given destiny but I do believe in a destiny that I give myself and it seems obvious to me that I gave myself the destiny of being a lawful, principled, honorary kind of guy. I'm not sure what that's worth but, hey, at least I now know better than to fight it :D
However, the kids I grew up with couldn't quite pronounce it so, later in life, I shortened it to just "Norio". It's what my family called me (as my real name, Honorio, is pronounced more like Oo-norio). It was easier to write, easier to spell and, well, just made sense.
Of course, it's still to much for most people to get, especially over the phone, so maybe I'll just shorten it to 'N'. We shall see.
Anyhow, I've lived most of my adult years (all 7 of them) being called 'Norio' without thinking much of it.
I later found out (by Googling myself) that 'Norio' is a common (not popular, just common) Japanese name. I never took it further than that but it was an interesting thing to know.
And today, I found out, by visiting http://www.norio.be, that my name means "man of principles.
I wanted to confirm that so I Googled it a bit and found this site, which says it means "lawful man":
http://www.japanese-names.org/?meaning-of=norio
As it turns out, I do tend to be quite a lawful, principled kinda guy. Sometimes to the surprise and frustration of some of my friends.
So I've come to the conclusion that, try as we might, we cannot escape our "destiny". I don't really believe in a god-given destiny but I do believe in a destiny that I give myself and it seems obvious to me that I gave myself the destiny of being a lawful, principled, honorary kind of guy. I'm not sure what that's worth but, hey, at least I now know better than to fight it :D
We Have ADSL - At Last!
Imaginet.co.za is cooking with gas. I signed up online and had connection login details within a minute. I phoned their support team 3 times and, each time, a knowledgeable techie helped me as far as he could. The problem finally turned out to be Telkom-related but, to be fair, Telkom sorted it out in 3 minutes as well.
So I'm a happy camper.
iBurst has been giving me headaches for quite some time. I suppose I delayed the move to ADSL because I thought it would be painful and take forever but, boy, was I wrong!
I opted for a 384kb line and, I have to admit, it feels on-par (or perhaps slightly slower) than iBurst. When it comes to downloads, the speed difference is quite noticeable but, for normal browsing, Gmail, Google Calendars, etc, it's fast! And, best of all, consistent.
iBurst really lives up to its name - you get "bursts" of speed. With ADSL - it seems to be one fairly constant stream of decent speed.
However, the real test will come tomorrow, when I try and work using this connection. I'm confident it'll be fine but I'll try to avoid counting these chickens before that hatch. (Whoops - too late!)
So I'm a happy camper.
iBurst has been giving me headaches for quite some time. I suppose I delayed the move to ADSL because I thought it would be painful and take forever but, boy, was I wrong!
I opted for a 384kb line and, I have to admit, it feels on-par (or perhaps slightly slower) than iBurst. When it comes to downloads, the speed difference is quite noticeable but, for normal browsing, Gmail, Google Calendars, etc, it's fast! And, best of all, consistent.
iBurst really lives up to its name - you get "bursts" of speed. With ADSL - it seems to be one fairly constant stream of decent speed.
However, the real test will come tomorrow, when I try and work using this connection. I'm confident it'll be fine but I'll try to avoid counting these chickens before that hatch. (Whoops - too late!)
Relief! Hawks Replace Scorpions
Just saw this on www.sagoodnews.co.za:
Followed by...
Can they investigate corrupt government officials? Who knows but I'm still confident that they'll do the country good in terms of bringing down drug and theft syndicates.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa officially launched the Scorpions replacement, to be known as the Hawks, at a function in Midrand on Monday.
Followed by...
Mthethwa said almost all the investigators from the Scorpions (the Directorate of Special Operations) moved over to the new unit.
Can they investigate corrupt government officials? Who knows but I'm still confident that they'll do the country good in terms of bringing down drug and theft syndicates.
My Spiritual Beliefs and Michael Jackson
It feels a bit strange to still be so sad about Michael Jackson's death. I never knew him personally and the people around me all seem to be getting on just fine. So why am I still sad?
Ignoring your emotions is a recipe for disaster, so I've had to pay them some attention this weekend to try and understand what's going on inside me.
So, why am I mourning Michael Jackson?
First of all, my spiritual belief is that we are all God. That is to say that there is no God that exists outside of us because there is no "out there" or "in here". We are all just one massive creative energy, exploding outwardly and then coming together again, over and over again.
So that means that MJ is God. Much like my thumb is Norio. So is my pinky. It doesn't mean that my thumb governs my body but it is as MUCH a part of me as any other part.
Having said that, each one of his songs that struck a chord with me did so because it was God talking to me. Much like God talks to me through the movie I'm watching on TV, the book I'm reading on the loo & my wife bitching at me for not doing something I said I would do.
It's both profound and simple all at the same time. How can I *not* be God, how can MJ *not* be God if I believe that we are all God.
It's like ignoring a painful sensation in your thumb. That painful sensation is there to let you know that you hurt yourself and need to take care before you get an infection. An infection that, depending on the circumstances, could kill you.
So now you hopefully understand my belief.
Back to MJ. "Man in the Mirror", "Heal the World", "The Earth Song" are all messages from a part of God for us to wake up and smell the roses. Take care of yourself, take care of your earth and, as Ghandi would say, "Be the change you wish to see in the world".
* (See foot notes for my thoughts on his other songs)
So the first reason is that I feel a certain sense of loss that the messenger has died. The message, for me, was "Love and care for one another and the planet you're living on."
And the second reason I feel such a great loss is: because we are all one, Michael Jackson really was (is) my friend. When I was crying, as a child, in my bedroom and not understanding the world (or my parents, or the death of my dog or the death of my grandfather...), the comforting words and voice coming out of my tape player were coming from a friend, far away.
His energy, while he was alive, swept across most (if not all) of the earth. He was trying hard to help people around him even though - or maybe BECAUSE - his own life wasn't perfect.
That energy connected with me and many of my friends. And closure will come to me from realising that the energy is still with us. It's no longer focused in a single, physical place but it's there.
Most of my spiritual beliefs (about 95%) come from the book series "Conversations with God". I don't claim them to be "the way" but they are "my way". Reading those books awakened a truth inside me that made them feel right when other spiritual beliefs didn't. That's my only reason for believing what I do - it feels right. Well, that and it gives me closure :)
So, with that, I'll try and remember that MJ is still around. Still a part of us. He's done his bit in the world and now he has changed form. Diluted but still there.
* The other songs? Well that fits into my belief that we are here to experience ourselves/ourself as the all that is. The only way to do that is by forgetting what we are and experiencing it afresh. So God is (and we are) the love, the hate, the sex, the abstinence, the cheating, the faithfulness, etc.
And the biggest gift we can give ourselves is unconditional love for ourselves, the people around us and the world in which we live. It's not easy but it IS blessed and you feel it, each time you get it right :)
Ignoring your emotions is a recipe for disaster, so I've had to pay them some attention this weekend to try and understand what's going on inside me.
So, why am I mourning Michael Jackson?
First of all, my spiritual belief is that we are all God. That is to say that there is no God that exists outside of us because there is no "out there" or "in here". We are all just one massive creative energy, exploding outwardly and then coming together again, over and over again.
So that means that MJ is God. Much like my thumb is Norio. So is my pinky. It doesn't mean that my thumb governs my body but it is as MUCH a part of me as any other part.
Having said that, each one of his songs that struck a chord with me did so because it was God talking to me. Much like God talks to me through the movie I'm watching on TV, the book I'm reading on the loo & my wife bitching at me for not doing something I said I would do.
It's both profound and simple all at the same time. How can I *not* be God, how can MJ *not* be God if I believe that we are all God.
It's like ignoring a painful sensation in your thumb. That painful sensation is there to let you know that you hurt yourself and need to take care before you get an infection. An infection that, depending on the circumstances, could kill you.
So now you hopefully understand my belief.
Back to MJ. "Man in the Mirror", "Heal the World", "The Earth Song" are all messages from a part of God for us to wake up and smell the roses. Take care of yourself, take care of your earth and, as Ghandi would say, "Be the change you wish to see in the world".
* (See foot notes for my thoughts on his other songs)
So the first reason is that I feel a certain sense of loss that the messenger has died. The message, for me, was "Love and care for one another and the planet you're living on."
And the second reason I feel such a great loss is: because we are all one, Michael Jackson really was (is) my friend. When I was crying, as a child, in my bedroom and not understanding the world (or my parents, or the death of my dog or the death of my grandfather...), the comforting words and voice coming out of my tape player were coming from a friend, far away.
His energy, while he was alive, swept across most (if not all) of the earth. He was trying hard to help people around him even though - or maybe BECAUSE - his own life wasn't perfect.
That energy connected with me and many of my friends. And closure will come to me from realising that the energy is still with us. It's no longer focused in a single, physical place but it's there.
Most of my spiritual beliefs (about 95%) come from the book series "Conversations with God". I don't claim them to be "the way" but they are "my way". Reading those books awakened a truth inside me that made them feel right when other spiritual beliefs didn't. That's my only reason for believing what I do - it feels right. Well, that and it gives me closure :)
So, with that, I'll try and remember that MJ is still around. Still a part of us. He's done his bit in the world and now he has changed form. Diluted but still there.
* The other songs? Well that fits into my belief that we are here to experience ourselves/ourself as the all that is. The only way to do that is by forgetting what we are and experiencing it afresh. So God is (and we are) the love, the hate, the sex, the abstinence, the cheating, the faithfulness, etc.
And the biggest gift we can give ourselves is unconditional love for ourselves, the people around us and the world in which we live. It's not easy but it IS blessed and you feel it, each time you get it right :)
My Tribute to Michael Jackson
My favourite musician while I was growing up was Michael Jackson. I was thoroughly obsessed with his music, his dance moves and his general persona. There wasn't a single song of his I didn't adore and this love for his music has stayed with me into my adult years.
The fact of the matter is the Michael Jackson was :( an amazing artist. He pushed the envelope and gave 110% of himself at all times.
I remember when he came to SA. We didn't have the money to go to his concert and we were visiting a friend close to Ellis Park (where his Joburg concert was held) and it was horrible to hear my idol so close and yet so far away.
Each one of his videos told a story, each one was a production in itself. The man did everything to his absolute best abilities and it showed.
Watching his concerts on TV was always a mesmerising experience for me and it was always sad when it ended. I would sit and wait in front of the TV - hoping for an enchore.
He was passionate about changing the world for the better and he sang about it, loud and clear. From "Heal the World" and "Earth Song" to "They Don't Really Care about Us" and "Black or White".
As a child, I wanted to be him, I wanted to meet him, I wanted to dance like him and sing like him. As an adult, I love his music and always will. I would have loved to have met the man that changed the world in so many ways and with an amazing childlike innocence that was, in my humble opinion, largely misunderstood by the world at large.
I think I owe my passion for music (and musicianship) to Michael Jackson. Thank you and rest well.
You'll always be remembered.
Edit: How I'll Always Remember the King of Pop:
Edit: These Songs Changed My Life...
- The Man in the Mirror
- Black or White
- The Earth Song
- Heal the World
Edit: Other Amazing Songs that will Always Mean Something Special to Me...
- Ben
- Stranger in Moscow
- I Just Can't Stop Loving You
- Liberian Girl
- Remember the Time
- Will You Be There
- She's out of My Life
What did MJ mean to you?
The fact of the matter is the Michael Jackson was :( an amazing artist. He pushed the envelope and gave 110% of himself at all times.
I remember when he came to SA. We didn't have the money to go to his concert and we were visiting a friend close to Ellis Park (where his Joburg concert was held) and it was horrible to hear my idol so close and yet so far away.
Each one of his videos told a story, each one was a production in itself. The man did everything to his absolute best abilities and it showed.
Watching his concerts on TV was always a mesmerising experience for me and it was always sad when it ended. I would sit and wait in front of the TV - hoping for an enchore.
He was passionate about changing the world for the better and he sang about it, loud and clear. From "Heal the World" and "Earth Song" to "They Don't Really Care about Us" and "Black or White".
As a child, I wanted to be him, I wanted to meet him, I wanted to dance like him and sing like him. As an adult, I love his music and always will. I would have loved to have met the man that changed the world in so many ways and with an amazing childlike innocence that was, in my humble opinion, largely misunderstood by the world at large.
I think I owe my passion for music (and musicianship) to Michael Jackson. Thank you and rest well.
You'll always be remembered.
Edit: How I'll Always Remember the King of Pop:
Edit: These Songs Changed My Life...
- The Man in the Mirror
- Black or White
- The Earth Song
- Heal the World
Edit: Other Amazing Songs that will Always Mean Something Special to Me...
- Ben
- Stranger in Moscow
- I Just Can't Stop Loving You
- Liberian Girl
- Remember the Time
- Will You Be There
- She's out of My Life
What did MJ mean to you?
My New Hobby: Fishies
A few months back my brother in law gave me his old fish tank plus a bunch of accessories. I hadn't done anything with it till this past Sunday when I cleaned it all up, put in some gravel and filled it with water.
Yesterday I put the pump in and got a bulb and plugged it all in. It's sooo pretty and the whole exercise cost me: R11 for the bulb :P
(Actually, it cost Tanya R11. She bought the bulb for me as a gift. She loves supporting my hobbies. I adore my wife :))
I'm waiting a week for the water to cycle before I stick some fishies in but, in the meanwhile, here's a pic of my pretty tank. I'm so proud of it. I think it's uber stylish!
Any of my readers into fishies? Got tank pics?
Yesterday I put the pump in and got a bulb and plugged it all in. It's sooo pretty and the whole exercise cost me: R11 for the bulb :P
(Actually, it cost Tanya R11. She bought the bulb for me as a gift. She loves supporting my hobbies. I adore my wife :))
I'm waiting a week for the water to cycle before I stick some fishies in but, in the meanwhile, here's a pic of my pretty tank. I'm so proud of it. I think it's uber stylish!
Any of my readers into fishies? Got tank pics?
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