Staring

Stare, stare, stare.
That's all I do at work some days, when I'm not into a book.
Stare at the trees. Stare at the tree trunks.
Stare at the road, stare at the sky.
Stare at the fast cars zooming by.

Staring is therapeutic and meditative. We should all do it for an hour everyday. That's what I would require of everyone if I was queen of the world.

Grindstones

I think I would rather actually operate a grindstone instead of using it as a metaphor. Sounds way more interesting and exciting, not to mention good for my muscles. Here's a picture of one:

http://www.hampshirecam.co.uk/longparish/longparish_grindstone.jpg

It is sunny outside, and green all around. Looks like heaven. People don't realize that the real grindstone is way more fun that the negative association they make with it to refer to their career paths. Seriously.

Notes on Solitude Part II

No, solitude cannot be had in a world that does not want to leave you alone. Exploitation exists on every level of society, and everyone with any power demands your time and energy with the threat of homelessness and starvation. There are very few people in the world who are not control freaks or attention hogs, your "loving families" included.

Livelihood

Lately I have been preoccupied with trying to decide what career path to take. There are too many options out there fraught with risks both monetary and social that prevent me from taking a concrete step in any direction. My philosophical and political leanings certainly don't help the matter. I believe most careers are bullshit that require expensive bullshit education so we get hired by bullshit corporations. I am cynical and skeptical of almost every career out there except family farms which is not an option for someone like me who neither has the money nor the connections to start a farming business. I like simplicity and straightforwardness and farming seems to be the only thing that matters -- it is about making food so you can survive and thrive. It is a direct meaningful link to livelihood.

Making 8.50 an hour is not adequate if I want to live an independent life while maintaining a certain lifestyle. I need Internet connection, I need a car, I need healthful organic food. Those things cannot be had at $1000 a month without strict budgeting and stress. In a better world, the need for those things would not exist. Better public transportation and city infrastructure would make having a car unnecessary and without the existence of a handful of corporations in control of all the food production of the world without regard for nutrition or health, the word "organic" wouldn't be part of the modern lingo.

Thinking about making a living in a sick world depresses me.