Global Warming - or just Climate Change

Apparently, "global warming" sounds more negative than "climate change", that is why the George W. Bush administration pushed the concept of "climate change", to sound more neutral. I personally think "global cooling" sounds much worse, though. Indeed, we are experiencing extremes, incredibly hot seasons and freezing cold wind storms. As we are now approaching Xmas (sorry for the underscore, Blogger lives its own life now), thinks got quite chilly all of the sudden. So yes, this phonomenon suggest there is no global warming.
I however resonate with the fact, that temperature extremes as they are deviating from the norm now, are a serious problem. A problem not directly for us, yet. We still have heating systems and air-conditioning. But a problem to the ecosystems on which we so directly depend on - on the breeding season of birds and mammals, the dissolving of the bottom of the food chain due to the acidification of sea waters, the hunger and frustration in developing countries that will come back to us just like a boomerang.
But to come back to the core of the problem (the above are mere consequences of the changing climate): so many from Al Gore, through Prof. Stern, Jim Hansen and Bill McKibben and Pachauri have said it: It is not the tempreature deviations in themselves that are the root of the problem, but the increasing number of CO2 equivalent particles per million (ppm) in our atmosphere that is the driving force behind the tamperatue shift. And whereas in the past CO2 ppm has been fluctuating, never to the extent as it is now. And another thing, whereas in the past tempereture change was the driver of CO2 ppm increase, now it is the other way around: even if we stop emitting now, CO2 ppm will stay in the atmospthere and drive temperature up (and down). And nature will not come to check in with the weather man every morning what kind of weather we would like on a given day: what scientists provide us now with are estimates. We cannot know the exact change. And thus we cannot prepare for its consequences.
Now that is a real loud alarm, a call for action. If somedoby tells you that they still do not believe in climate change, please refer them to one of the many websites:
http://www.occ.gov.uk/activities/stern.htm
www.unfccc.org
www.350.org
http://www.ehow.com/how_2155972_convince-global-warming-skeptic.html

Road trip to Copenhagen

Our trip to Copenhagen was too amazing! In the beginning it looked like a true road trip - not knowing the way to our destination, not having the the address of the famous SHIP 15, or of the Klimaforum. Nevertheless, we made it - always knowing only 1 step ahead what will happen.
As we entered the Meshwork space the next day and started hosting conversations, our experience started taking on another dimension: we met people with activist agendas, with deep scientific knowledge, some with great passion and energy and others with restlessness, a need to act. I heard stories of people cutting Xmas holidays in order to be able to come to CPH, people who had to made serious choices about their budgets to be able to walk onthe 12 December to Bella center. No wonder some went to the space of desperation when the demonstrations turned violent. The streets were (and today still are) filled with energy - both anger, hope and restless excitement. We are all watching the news every day with hope for breakthrough...today the news also reflected frustration - talking about technicalities instead of focusing on the vision. Who can make a difference? Who can initiate a fundamental shift in people's thinking, in the system?
We all can do something, we all have choices to make, networks in which we can raise awareness. The road trip turned into an inspiring experience of opening people's minds and sharing information and knowledge and that turned into a reflective time in which we all looked into a mirror to ask - What piece of the puzzle am I really? Do I live up to it? People have so much passion and energy, and find it sometimes so difficult to channel it! We have seen scientists believing they have the answer to renewable energy questions, business people saying that we just do not have our green marketing well figured out, and lots of people who came in pointing fingers and politicians and left with being open to take their share of the work on. When you see people shifting around you, when you feel you can actually contribute to that shift, you all of the sudden realize you're shifting as well, you enter a flow of which you know the desired destination, but nothing else.
I am still in that flow, despite having returned to Amsterdam and knowing my daily duties and carrying them out as they should be. It is a strange feeling, as if I was still on the boat, as if I still had to define the ground under my feet. It's an experience that is hard to explain, but that is an eye opener.
So, tomorrow is that last day of the COP 15, I will not be there, I will be in Amsterdam writing an article about greening supply chains. And one about leadership. How did my hands get so full all of the sudden with work that I see the sense in? I guess it is true, when you find your true passion and talent, you get grounded and things will come to you. Or you will reach out to things that have always been around but you never fully appreciated them.
So, no I will not be in Copenhagen tomorrow, just as so many other people. I will be here, trying to make my piece of the puzzle happen.
What will you do tomorrow to make sure the days after it will be even better? For the long term.

Dr. Rauni Kilde

I just discovered this lady full of conspiracy theories, claiming to understand the world, the meaning of life and the extraterrestrials. Now, it would be a stretch to say I fully agree with what she is saying, or that she is unique in her opinions, but I would agree that listening to her pulls one out of the box. She offers a perspective that requires the listener to re-frame, to think about norms and social structures differently. I particularly liked the word "synthetic telepathy" which is mind control in her words.
I find telepathy sometimes works without one thinking of it. It's always natural. And it's also rare. I like it without wanting to explain it, just enjoying it and smiling when it happens. Synthetic telepathy sounds like acrylic underwear. (I am allergic to synthetic textiles and get a rash from them. Obviously, underwear having full contact with skin is the worst of the worst.) Synthetic telepathy is for my an oxymoron.
Nevertheless, Ms. Kilde's explanation of near death experiences put for a moment something that is so complex to even start thinking about into a clear, comfortable concept. You can watch her on youtube, but only if you have time and if you look at it as "an interesting perspective" rather than take it in word by word.
Sometimes I wonder about all these competing social theories, motivational speakers, enlightened leaders etc. on one hand and Kim Jong-il and Chavez and....many people I do not know by name on the other end of the spectrum. It's even hard to believe that we are the species. Or would it be all about marketing and blurred communication channels and we are ultimately all striving for goodness?

Confusing weather

There are certain habits we have in different seasons of the year. Now, in late November, we wear warm clothes, each heavier food, get used to the sun going down earlier, one just adapts to fall in anticipation of winter, secretly looking forward to the Spring next year.
But this year the weather seems to be way too moody - one day a massive wind storm, super heavy rain, the next day almost 20 degrees and a blue, sunny sky.
The other day we were sitting on the couch, eating chestnuts sent especially from Portugal (they were delicious, but try not to think about their carbon footprint). It was a warm night. It´s odd to eat chestnuts when it´s so warm, I thought.
So I decided, there is no other way, I will go to Copenhagen and will talk to Mr/Ms Weather and tell them that this is no way of getting us into the calm winter mood. Not to even mention Sinterklaas and Christmas. It´s all around the corner and climate change seems to be changing our inner climate. I do not feel Christmas-y at all. It saves me money on the Christams presents I am not buying, but for the rest, it makes me feel like I should be feeling something I am not.
Stop global warming, give us the white Christmas back!

Going to Copenhagen

The world's eyes will be on Copenhagen in 3 weeks. Countries will gather again to come to an agreement about curbing CO2 emissions while ensuring economic growth. This is a crucial event that a more sustainable future depends on.
Hundreds of thousands of people will be going to the Danish capital - some to meditate and send positive energy, others to demonstrate for an even better outcome, and many more to participate at some of the numerous side events.
I would love to be in Copenhagen, to feel the energy of this crucial moment. But let's think about this logistically: all of these enthusiasts of cutting emissions will produce a massive carbon footprint by going to Copenhagen. Also, the city will have to provide food and shelter to at least double of their usual population. What a stress this will be...ensuring public safety, the usual flow of life ....
Now, I really would like to be there, but will only go if I can play a volunteer / facilitator role at some of the side events, to have the feeling that there is more to "being there".
I would love to say, "Hope to see you there", but this is a choice everybody has to make for themselves. Me too :-)

The lobster and the leather jacket

Since I am currently not working full time, I have the time to contemplate. One of my favourite activities, only sometimes my brain seems to overheat :-)
So, last night in Dutch class my classmate said (we were doing some grammar exercises): Ik heb nog nooit zeekreeft gegeten. (I have never eaten a lobster.)
And I thought, how wonderful! There is a small drive this person has, a small dream that he could fulfill if he really wanted (there are some accessible restaurants in town with great seafood). But he chooses to dream of it rather than going for it. Well, I think if you never eat lobster in your life, your life shall not be dull and grey due to that fact.
I also have a dream. Small and silly. I would like a leather jacket. And every season in the shops of Amsterdam there are about 10 new models. But I never buy one. I always convince myself that I do not actually need it (which is by definition, true). So I keep dreaming of it, but maybe I will never get one. And I feel comfortable with it.
Because (apart from wanting to see businesses become much more connected to their environments), I have a small dream and it makes me feel human. It makes me wish for it and play with the feeling, trying to not let the "want" take me over.
And of course, again, both the lobster and the leather jacket are really not basic products we need for everyday survival.
There are people out there going to sleep hungry and wearing our long forgotten given-away clothes.
Lobster and a leather jacket - how far fetched these concepts may be for them. How superfluous to a happy life!

Taking energy for granted

With the arrival of the rains and the cold season to Amsterdam, I returned home in the afternoon, hoping to turn up the intensity of the heating system. Oh, and a hot shower would have been nice, too. Nevertheless, the heating system refused to response. I called the plumbers. They came and said we were lucky not to have exploded, the whole system needs to be fixed. I asked how long, he said a few days.
It took over a week. In this week, I went to the gym a few times to take a shower, for the rest, I was heating up water in a pot, mixing it with cold water and pouring it in small dosages over myself. After the "cleaning procedure", there were no warm clothes to put on, no warm corner to sit in. So it was hot tea and a thick blanket that kept us going. After a few days I almost got used to this solution.
And then, one sunny autumn morning, the heating system started to work again. And now I am getting used to the luxury of a warm apartment and the possibility of taking a shower any time I feel like it! It is all here, in this 39 square meters. Warmth, internet, connection to the outside world, all possible entertainment gadgets, best food one could wish...what an extremely comfortable life we lead!
And the whole experience made me appreciate the energy supply each household in this country has. Made to understand that things we here take for granted, are actually not granted by far to everybody, everywhere.
And indeed, from a global perspective, it indeed is a luxury!

The role of profit in the triple bottom line

The triple bottom line stands for people, planet and profit. Economy should function in service of these three Ps if it is to function successfully in the long term. If it is to function sustainably.
Yesterday I heard somebody say that "I'm willing to conduct business sustainably, if I can make a lot of money on it". Hm, I was intrigued. Sustainability and profit. What is their interrelation? I have thought about it a lot already, and the statement I just heard was not in line with my conclusions.
Nevertheless, profit is important, I agree, too. But can it be a driver of sustainable business? I still have my doubts. If a business is conducted in service of the people and without harming the planet, it should ultimately generate profit. Right. I agree with this approach. Profit is a consequence of sustainable conduct, and not the driver of it.
That is what makes profit in the triple bottom line different for me from business as usual.
And yes, investments into "greening the business" should bring about returns. Profit is the oil of the 3Ps. I wonder how many businesses are already thinking along these lines. And how many of them will make it to the Fortune 500. Will there still be a Fortune 500 in a responsible, sustainable world?

The lights...

Yesterday I had the chance to see the premiere of the La Bayadere ballet in Amsterdam. It was breathtaking, what an amazing performance! I was taken into a fairy tale land and felt like the whole world would be so much more elegant if we all danced around in ballet moves. Well, I guess it will not happen, but it was still a nice thought.
At times the stage was full of dancers, all in amazing costumes and fantastic focus on their pieces. Then there were moments of solo dancing. During one of these moments I realized that the light always followed perfectly the moves of the dancer, even though they changed direction quite abruptly. Yet not one mistake - the light always followed them.
And that was natural. Unnatural would be if the light lost the dancer. The person in charge of the lights remained invisible throughout the play, yet his work was so crucial to the success of the overall performance.
The invisible, yet crucial ingredient for the success reminded me of Jean Monnet of who those interested in the history of the European Integration know a lot. He did a big part of the preparation of the ECSC, yet did not push himself into the spotlight. I consider him kind of a "servant leader". And the same is valid for the person in charge of the lights last night. There are many more people who we do not see, but who make our lives so much smoother.
I really admire them for staying in the back and guiding us from there instead of carrying a flag in the front. I even hope to be like them!

Make you mind not move

We are constantly on the run from somewhere to some other place that turns out to be as we expected it. We are constantly trying to absorb information, sometimes in an unfiltered way that than causes random ideas to not fit in any mental framework we have until it gets lost again. It's colors, sounds, impressions, feelings, desires, regrets, tasks, responsibilities, deep thoughts, religious commitments, etc. - thoughts constantly flying through our head, some returning after a few hours, most of the time in a disconnected (list-like) way.
What are your plans for the weekend? Where do you want to go for holidays? What will you get for who for Xmas? How will you find your next job? Why are they playing this music on tv?
Constant flow of questions - this is a place I often find myself at. At mental movement. I do not want my brain to go idle and just hang out in my head because it's kinda warm and cozy in there. I am constantly dumping information in it, often even pushing it to make connections between individual pieces of information.
Well, I am not good at listening to podcasts and to iPods, though, so the outside - in flow is not constant. At least not through my ears.
And today I saw this Poonja video about "making your mind not move". It is unlikely that I can do it for a long time. Yet when you just stop for a moment when I am in the middle of a zillion things, all of the sudden I felt like a boat at the haven, like I have arrived and things got really calm around me. What a great feeling. Things will come to you, to me, even if we are not constantly trying to fit it into our existing frameworks.
Just let it emerge. And make sure your mind is present to spot it.

Network based economy = Tribes?

Seth Godin's best seller talks about organising ourselves into "tribes". And this is indeed something we naturally do lately. We live in a network based economy, not to be confused with clientelism. It's just functional.
Large service provider institutions often let us down. So we look for solutions outside the "prescribed pathway" - through talking to people who know people who may have an answer to our question.
I find this great and would like to encourage others to do this: look around to see who is in your network and see what value added can you bring to them and vice versa. Networks are also open, thus the different networks one belongs to can become interconnected through one of their members. Over time more and more overlap will be discovered and more networks will be connected into each other. Organically, naturally, elegantly.
This may be something YOU have always been aware of and built on, but I am just in the process of discovering how it works. I feel I always had the opportunity to connect people who had common needs or interests, but never really looked at it from a systemic perspective.
And now I do.
It is beautiful. It reminds me of Garrett Lisi's Beautiful theory of everything on TED. And of Margaret Wheatley. Everything seems to be falling in its place in a seeming chaos.

Language law

As many of you may have heard, there is a language law debate in the country of my citizenship - in Slovakia. Many say it is against the minority I belong to - against the Hungarians. This is a value laden conversation that I would like to avoid.
What I would like to address, though, is the fact that languages are living, dynamic systems that evolve and change by the minute. They are means that connect us, not something we should consciously use as a tool for dividing us and building mistrust based on it. How backward is a law that requires citizens to spy on each other and report each other to the "language police". The closest that comes to mind for comparison in George Orwell's 1984.
As a matter of fact, the world is still full of stereotypes and prejudice. I catch myself every now and then building a false assumption, even though I really do not intend to do so. Dividing ourselves into native speakers and non-native speakers who may make a mistake and should be penalized is no way a step forward. In the Netherlands an extreme right party demands the government to report on the "cost of each foreigner". I am a foreigner and pay 42% taxes each month on my salary. Can I at least not be pointed at as a free rider of the system? Can we stop creating buckets that we throw people into and create demands on them to prove our power?
Just the fact, that somebody raises the question of a language law or wants to establish my costs as if I was a ton of waste is really not helping my fruitful co-existence with the majority (which is another "bucket" I am using now).
Can we stop this, please? We claim to be the developed Europe of the 21st century. Can we then please refocus on fixing global challenges rather than creating new ones?
I am in a way grateful for the Czech saying "What, are you a Hungarian?"which is used when somebody does not make sense. Once somebody asked me this question and I innocently answered "Yes, I am."Which basically meant admitting I have no idea what I am talking about. Interesting perspective, to see somebody makes fun of your nation. And they don't even mean it in a bad way. But some damage could be done with it, even unintentionally.
Maybe it's time to pay more attention to the power of languages and their role in our co-existence.

Matching goodwill with the right occasions

Sometimes when I walk on the street and see an old lady coming home from shopping with her bag, opening her door and going home to a place she loves, but where she is probably alone, I feel like offering her a smile, or something that would make her smile. I find most old people so wonderful, so fragile, so beautiful.
Sometimes, when I wish I had a flower to offer them, I do not have the flower at hand. The opportunity to offer is there, but the object to offer is not. The occasion does not lead to a happy ending.
Since we receive a bouquet of fresh flowers at our office every Monday and the flowers are still fine by Friday, I sometimes take them with me in order not to leave them in the empty office for the weekend, but offer them to somebody, who may appreciate them. A fortnight ago I did the same. I took the flowers and we went to a small town for a Friday afternoon walk. I held the flowers in my hand and was keeping my eyes open for an opportunity to offer them to somebody.
We walked, and walked, stopped for a drink and continued the walk. At some point I even went up to people (not necessarily old ladies arriving home) and offered them the flowers. But nobody wanted them. After hours of walking and drinking some white beers in Haarlem (not the one in NYC, the one in The Netherlands), I returned home with the flowers in my hand. They still looked beautiful in our living room, but I really wanted to offer them to somebody.
And this is what I learned: you cannot walk around with presents in your pocket all the time, and also cannot expect that once you have something to offer, somebody will be interested in receiving it from you. And that's the order of things.
To let the feeling of willing to give fill you, even if your intention cannot materialize. Maybe next time.

Professionalism in bike repair

Not using bikes as one's primary means of transport in Amsterdam is no fun. With having and using the bike comes the occasional theft and regular repairs. I have my favourite bike shop. I always buy and get my second hand bike fixed at this particular shop. First I was a student and they had great prices, cool reputation and surprisingly good quality. Until one day the quality of services sterted to decline and the prices crept up. So that last time I went there I was already thinking of looking for a new bike shop, since they messed up again. I got there, ready to voice my frustration over the decline in the quality of services. But I was faced with a guy leaning over the bike and apologizing for any possible delay. My brake was not working. He was fixing it by taking the whole brake structure apart to really see where the problem was. While doing so, he said it's like working on an instrument, listening to it, taking care of it, understanding the problem and reconstructing the thinking of the previous bike repairer to really come to the core of the issue. He said it's like preparing to play the instrument, to play a symphony. Only a good and fit instrument can play well.
Needelss to say, my anger vanished. All I could see a guy passionate about what he was doing. He is an artist in fixing bikes. Of that I was convinced. (And my bike works pretty well now, too.)
Once the brake was fixed and I got a bonus bell ( I did not have one before, which was painful at times of cycling through downtown) I asked how much I owed him. And he said that the least he could do for having to put up with the recent decline in quality is not to charge me.
Now this really got me. I forgot I ever thought about leaving this bike repair shop. If you ever wonder about what authentic marketing is, this is the best example of it I have seen in a loooooong time!

Go, save a child....a voice from Darfur

I just watched on TED Emmanuel Jal's talk. When in doubt about the future of war children, watch this one: a former war child who received help and never forgot what happened to him, but is asking us all to understand that the most horrifying news never reach us. That we are not fully informed. He gives an account of his "big picture" and despite his recent fame remains humble and thanks those who helped him get his life back after the terrors of war. And he sings...he sings his pain since talking about it is too painful.
The simplicity of the message is powerful: give us the tools, educate people, give them the chance to decide. I cannot replicate his message, but can ask you if you have 18 minutes to watch his message. Do you?

Global Oneness Project

What are we one with? Are we nothing but cosmic energy? Maybe by definition...but for our every days, this may be a bit of a stretch.
So what are we one with? With ourselves. Our family? Our friends? Our neighborhood? All humans of the world? Even with animals? And plants? With the whole living community?
Hm...ok, let's say we are. By definition.
An abstract definition, that is.
Despite not feeling every day connected to all people we meet, the ability to "zoom out" and think about others inhabiting this planet as us, as parts of a bigger whole that we are all part of is a very enriching experience. It helps me understand that as long and we'll be striving to maximize the well being of one part of the whole whereas the well being of the whole is increasing slower, we actually cause a decrease to the well being of the "non privileged" part of the whole. Nevertheless, we remain a whole. Thus we are damaging ourselves in the long term. Simple as it is, we often forget this and only believe what we can see or count right away.
The Global Oneness Project is about connectedness for me. For you it may be a message of harmony, tribalism, sustainability or something completely different. You can always find out more at www.globalonenessproject.org. But remember, pass it on, do not keep the inspiration to yourself only.

Transitions

The "transitions" theory by William Bridges is a simple tool I find very useful when dealing with change - not by choice. If you chose to change something in your life, you feel like you are in the driver seat. You made the choice, you have your future mapped out and you are excited.
On the other hand, when change is imposed on you, you feel ...down. Like being dumped, evacuated from your home, losing your job, something that at first sight worsens you overall well-being. So the first stage there is about ending, losing, letting go. About feeling locked in, angry, not feeling in control at all. After looking at the situation for some time and spending some time "down", most of us go into a neutral zone of not having any strong feelings, of "floating". You stop looking back with so much passion, but are not ready yet to look forward to the exciting new opportunities awaiting you. Until one day you wake up, and you feel like you have a plan. You will meet your friends again and talk about your situation, you'll open up to input from the outside. You'll map out the next steps and start building your future. Ultimately, you'll feel again like you're in charge.
The good news is that in the end we are all happy about the change. Only in the non self-induced change we go through a "down" period. And this is not necessarily bad, since it's nice to retreat and reflect a bit when coming to crossroads. The only way out is through :-)

A layman's view of 5 days off

July 15-19 2009. Five days off festival in Melkweg and Paradiso. Let me tell you how I experienced it. And I may not be the expert on electronic music, so do not expect insider gossips :-)
So, on the 15th (Wednesday night), Santigold's concert started 2,5 hours later than foreseen. But we ran into acquaintances and had a chat, so waiting wasn't that bad. Having learnt from my last experience, I told tall people who were hoping to stand in front of me to let me go in front since I am the shortest around. The Brooklyn born singer finally came on stage and gave a great show, I even recognized a few of her songs. She had 2 dancer girls with her on stage who were very cool!
We then went to see Jamie Lidell. Apparently, we were lucky to arrive too late since th first half was ...way too improvisational, thanks to the amount of light drugs consumed before the performance. But what we sw was great. And then still had a few beers with other friends we ran into.
Thursday - we only went to see Simian Mobile Disco, where the combination of very machine like sounds and flashing white neon lights made me feel nauxious after 2 minutes. My 2 hour afternoon nap may have added to the confusion of my bodily functions.
Friday - they would have to pay me to go to the festival
Saturday - after a very informal exhibition opening in a restaurant in Jordaan, we headed to Meklweg to see Crystal Castles. Starting late as usual. But the music had some traces of melody and was heavily inspired by the 80s punk movement in Germany (but these guys are from Australia). The gig had great energy, the singer jumped into the crowd, people reached the party mood. I did not even mind the flashing neon lights any more. Then we went to see Chris Cunningham. Due to technical problems, the concert started late. At least here they gave us a reason for stating late. :-) The show was short, the main focus was on the VJ work more than on the music. Very provoking, politically incorrect images. Great fun.
So, food time came and after having some delicious french fries in the supercrowded Leidseplein area full of happily drunk teenagers enjoying the freedom of Amsterdam, we headed back to see Dr. Lektroluv. A green guy, basically. You have to keep you audience excited, so you just paint yourself green. And have headphones in the shape of an old timer phone. The music was classical electonic (techno), not too heavy, quite enjoyable. People randomly couplig up. Well, that's the whole point, right? Started on time, finished even later. Nice job!
On the way home we stopped at Paradiso to see Deadmau5. A guy with the fanciest equipment, super skinny (I wonder who takes care of these people's diet / lifestyle), with a big black plastic mousehead on his head. Kinda awkward, I would say. Crowd in ecstasy! (The music was actually good, but it wasn't music by definitoin, only some mixed beats predefined and remixed on the spot.) I appreciated the improvisation. The blond babe on the stage walking around was kind of cute, too. But the flashing neon lights starting giving me a serious headache again. I felt like the 5 days off were over for me.
Sunday - writing a blogpost about the 5 days off. Oh, I think I lost my ring. It's nice to watch some light movies ... no more dancing today... maybe next year.
The thing is, you can't really get into the festival mood if you have to show up at 9am at the office the next day. Festivals should really be outdoors, away from urban areas where people can just camp. I guess that was the idea. But than lazy bums like myself though "I want a convenient festival" and they created one right downtown for us. So I guess I should not complain...

Feminism or Humanism

I felt relieved when surfing the web I realized that there are actually many people out there wanting to rename "feminism" into "humanism". The thing is, we talk a lot about the emancipation of women on the labour market - wanting equal conditions as men. Ok, that seems to be working out, more and more women get senior positions, great, this species called "women" seems to be reaching the level of men on the professional scene. As if we were a different species.
Ok, let's not go there.
However, what I persoanlly find still very frustrating is how women / men are treated (mistreated) in their private domains. All the pictures, postcards, jokes, comments about women, about their sex are so accepted. At least here, where I live. And now women turned sex into a sport, make jokes about men, treat them as a tool of their pleasure. Female supremacy.
I still find that this misses the point.
It's not male vs. female. This is not the conversation we should be having. Not one being more celebrated and better than the other.
Feminism should be replaced by humanism in the sense of mutual respect and appreciation of genders. We are different, but we so beutifully complement each other in our thinking, approach to life, past and future and our environment.
I believe that as long as we're not having an egaliatarian (not literally meant) conversation, that kind of thinking, we are still going around pretending something we fundamentally know is not right and keep missing out on great opportunities for a jollier world.
I like people regardless of their genders. Most of the time. The way we were brought up marks us for ...most of our lives. But maybe we can unlearn observing the world through a "gender lense".
Let's get started?

What a silly day! I am starting to believe we're really doomed...

Today, on 8th July 2009 the G8 leaders met in l'Aquila. Great. They decided not to waste time and start discussing measures on climate change - to arrive to Copenhagen later this year with a plan. Fantastic. Chinese leader leaves because of ethnic unrest at home. Bad news.
Negotiations start: Obama presents plan on radically cutting emissions in the developed and developing world. Sounds very exciting. But not to the developing world. The money promised in Bali has not come to them yet. They need proof of our commitment. They want $ 150 billion per year until 2020. Nothing sounds too much after the bailout money to me...
Achim Steiner, CEO of UNEP has a plan: the global consumption of oil is cca 100 million barrels a day. (If driving a car for 1km emits 160grams of CO2, you don't want to know what damage 100 million barrels a day can do. And that's just 1 single day.) Oil prices are now at $65. Not so long ago they have reached $135. And we still used it. Thus out demand flexibility is not all that price dependent in the short run if it comes to oil. Anyways, Achim Steiner suggests we add an additional $10 tax per barrel. And in 150 days you generate $150 billion. The money needed to get these guys (BRIC) going. Of course, it's not this plain simple, but it's DOABLE.
Straightforward, solution oriented. You put the moeny on the table and then can start talking again about fixing the climate.
It's already quite late. If we miss out on the opportunity in Copenhagen to reach an agreement, we've officially agreed to ... put an end to human race on Earth. Our choice.

On Competence

When one starts their career, they are unsure of things they say, tend to listen rather than share input and opinions. Just recently, I have had the honor to meet some people from the world´s undebatable number 1 consultancy. We were talking about one of the global crises humanity is currently facing. I thought to myself: I care about this issue, but these guys are the best in the world in their capacity, they are the most competent to lead the trend of research / action.
So I stayed put. Until I started listening deeper and realized, that these guys have the numbers right no doubt, but they have the passion missing. And without deeply caring for a topic, you cannot see the big picture and its nuances . Without doing so, no comprehensive and effective action is possible.
They may have been the most competent in "hardware" - the facts, but lagged behind in contextualizing, understanding the subtleness of certain approaches and issues.
Bottom line, we need to join efforts if we want to stand a chance in fixing the system. But will we join efforts? I wish we did, but for some reasons our history does not seem to suggest that we will. Nevertheless, let´s not extrapolate history but build a new future! With competence on the hardware and software alike :-)

Channeling energy & Horses

I feel ups and downs and look for the recipe to avoid them. I mean, I really don´t mind ups, but when I´m down, it´s better not to be around me :-( People have been telling me for a while to manage my energy, so I tried some yoga lessons, which was good for my back pain, but since I failed at looking at my own thoughts as if they were just passing in front on my eyes, it did not help me let go of things and centering my energy.
I thought that was ok. It still feels ok, when I am up. But not when I am down.
And today I heard another simple reason why I should find a way to manage my energy: So, when I am down, I feel like I am without any energy at all. But then I cannot pull myself up. Which sucks. Coz you´re down and you stay there. Not the coolest place to be, that´s for sure.
So, today I had the chance to focus on a problem and talk to a horse. Well, the horse wasn´t listening, but I was trying to make it walk around me, even trot. First the horse pushed its face into mine. Apparently, I wasn´t authoritative enough. It´s difficult to think straight and act authoritatively with a horse in you face, I can tell you that. So, ok, after some calming down and spending time to center my energy, the horse started walking. But not the way I wanted. After an hour, though, I felt pretty relieved, when I told the horse to gallop and it did. Bottom line, when you center your energy and tell the horse to do something, it does it. When you pretend to be an authority, the horse pushes its face into yours. Horses feel when you pretend to be something or when you really are "it".
Learning of the day: Work with horses and you´ll learn to channel you energy.
Or the other way round: Any time you start feeling that your energy is leaving you, imagine thatthere´s a horse you want to gallop around you. Focus on it. It will help you center your energy and prevent you from deflating completely from one second to the other...
Hehe, let´s see if it works for me. Will give an update later this year :-)

The Traffic Light Button

If you have spent some time in Amsterdam (an the same may apply to many other cities of the world), you know the buttons you are meant to push by the traffic light so that it eventually turns green for your direction. There are different types of buttons, but the most common one is a button you press and without receiving any minor light or sound signal, you wait for the traffic light to turn green. Most of the time, waiting seems to long and you press it again. Or just keep pressing it or keep pushing it with a 20*/sec frequency until the light turns green.
In theory, just one push is enough. The problem is, that since you not not receive a signal back, you keep wondering if your "action" will cause any "reaction".
On mornings when its not raining, I find this "button pushing" an interesting metaphor for several moments in our everyday, when you "inject energy" into something, but do not know for a long time, if it's worth it. If your investment (not necessarily monetary) will have its returns, if your efforts are worth it. Interestingly enough, I find it a good tool to help me understand why businesses often think in short terms. Long terms, without immediately knowing if your efforts are worth it can be excruciating. I am an impatient type. Maybe it's an illusion to think that I would think in long term if I was to lead a company.
But I like to entertain this illusion.

How intelligent are you?

Rasie your hand if you would not like to be considered as an intelligent person. Since we all want to come across as intelligent people (IQ wise), no wonder Facebook came up with an IQ test. Everybody comes up with short IQ tests. So often that even if you actually dislike these tests, one day you catch yourself trying to fill one out online.
Same goes for me. The other day I was going to take an instant IQ test online. Having answered 9 questions, a message pops up saying I am really stupid for having thought that 9 questions can determine my real intelligence.
Ok, fair enough.
So, today I decided to set up Google Analytics for my blog - I wonder how many people actually visit my blog. But I never read a manual, I am smarter than that. And I could not install the application. So my colleague who is a knowledge management expert asks me "Have you read the manual?". I get furious, but still I read it. Good. Now I know in principle how to do it. Another 30 minutes of trying...frustration. So my other colleague, hands on and considerate, asks me, "Why don't you wait until we have time to help you and then we can do it much faster - rather than you wasting your time now".
Well, in my part of the world, you know best and hate relying on other people's knowledge. So I went like "I can do it, don't you worry". And I ultimately did it. All by myself. With the manual open. Tremendous satisfaction. I knew I could do it. I just wasted some time :-)
Then I thought that this was not very intelligent of me. I did not minimize my efforts. I was stubborn. But I succeeded in the end. Did this equip me with a skill that will eventually make me feel even more intelligent?
I wonder.
And then, my favourite: emotional intelligence. Coz I have loads of it - so I thought, anyways. I am helpful. Helpful is being nice. Doing things for other people. Doing the same things that I hate it they offer me. Hm...So I upset people? I frustrate them sometimes with my helpfulness. Oh, does that mean that since helpfulness is not directly related to emotional intelligence, I just turn out to be ... not emotionall intelligent as I thought I was? I am not as structured and straightforward as I could / should be?
Another revelation. I really enjoy challenging my assumptions (I build several hundred assumptions a day). Today is a constant refaming and I smile to myself and wonder about intelligence.
I hope this post does not come across as an environmentally conscious one. Because it's not supposed to be about that :-)
It's simply about the intelligence and the lack of it.
As one of my Facebook freinds said the other day:
Artificial intelligence cannot replace natural stupidity.
Strong statement, but I really liked it (since I of course do not belong to either of the groups referred to in the statement :-)

Staying with it

If I say "Stay with it", does it ring a bell?
I see all these amazing and energizing people around, wanting the change, being the change. Most of them are from Generation Y. And then I look at the generation of the Flower power and of the Spring of 1969. And now I see corporate faces, not embracing the energy and efforts of the current pioneers of change. I wonder why?
Do people "lose it"? Why don't they "stay with it" - with their passion, energy, commitment? Where do we "lose it" on the road?
Well, of course not everybody loses it. But those who truly stay with deep humanistic values, do not often make it into the board rooms. They built their local communities, schools, groups of friends. That is where they bring about change. They are not quite as high leverage people as CEOs. But the truly connected people may not dream of becoming CEOs. Since career doens't really truly matter.
It looks like we have two streams: those who lose it and become heads of major organisations and those who don't lose it and never make the system turn around. Well, this is what I have observed in the older generation.
So the question is: how can our generation make sure that the strems do not split: that people "stay with it" and become high leverage individuals.
Or: is that really the way at all?

Life expectancy

I am somewhere between 20 and 30 years old. Much closer to the 30 than to the 20, by the way. As I was trying to convince myself last night at the gym to move my muscles (and the rest of my body) a bit, I just randomly observed the other visitors of the gym. Aged between cca. 19 and 75. Do I try to work out a bit to live longer? (And also not to have the backpain from sitting in front of my Toshiba 8 hours a day.) I think ultimately the wish to live a longer life is at least part of the package.
So today I looked up on wikipedia (where else :-)) how did life expectancy develop over time. I found out I would be heading towards the upper limit of average age in Classical Greece, Classical Rome, Medieval Britain or the Pre-Columbian North America. In the Neolithic and Bronze age, I would probably be dead by now...
So there's a lot to appreciate! Even the soft wrinkles appearing on my forehead (that I keep flattering myself about - due to the amount of thinking I do :-)).
I asked myself how long I would like to live? As long as I am happy and healthy, of course. How selfish...but true!!! And I expect to be healthy because I keep fit and drag my tired body to the gym every now and then :-)

Taking pictures at concerts

I have left my buoyant metatheoretical clumsiness behind for a day. We went to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs concert in Paradiso. Awesome!
Except for the people who were taking pictures with flashes throughout the concert (and especially documented the roadies before the concert very miticulously). Man, if I was the artist, I wouldn't be able to concentrate. I would probably want them out of the room!
And then my other favourite thing is taller people with a hiardo taking up at least 1/3 cubig meter standing in front of you (you being me, 160 cm with shoes on). So first you don't see a thing. Then you have your face and mouth full of the hair of the other person in front of you who is having a blast. And once they start jumping and pushing each other, you start wondering why bother going to a concert next time.
Not that I could enjoy the parformance ....
Now, from a metatheoretical perspective, I should have let go and melt into the flow of the crowd to experience the oneness. It seems, even though I wish it wasn't so, my oneness with my surroundings still has a clear limit.

The Call

I should be doing something, but am not sure what it is and where to start. So I get involved in all kinds of small projects, initiate this and that, but always keep some distance. Because the thing is, I have not quite yet found the moment that would trigger my transformation, that would kick start me on my journey to....not sure where to.
I am no Susan Boyle on XY's got talent, I am no mum who realised that her kid did not fit in the conventional education institution and thus opened an alternative school, I am also no Stephen Hawking not being able to really speak and yet showing humanity new dimensions of knowledge. I feel I should go out there and seize the opportunity. But as soon as I take the first step, I become unsure of my true deep passion for what I want to do. Or...does this true deep passion matter at all? I have already felt is maybe too many times and forgot which one was the greatest and the lasting one...
I really need to discover my "way of expressing" myself, even though it won't be singing, painting or playing an instrument...There is too much locked inside of us, I really admire people who can let it out...
And in the meanwhile I'll wait for that moment, that call, when I just look around and start seeing the connections, the interlinkedness of all that has always been there, but I have been oblivious to.
What is it that helps you express yourself? And have you had the "enlightning moment"? What changed afterwards?

How are you?

Well, there are many answers to this questions, even though most of the time we say "fine, thanks".
This time the question is actually about your personality. There are so many diagnostics you can use to find out more about yourself. For a bunch of these tests, go to the TIME magazine, to find out how you are, who you fit best with professionally, what incentive structure works for you, what are your strengths and pitfalls. This all sounds great and I understand it's value added for my professional development, but I cannot help it but feel "boxed". You are type XY and thus this is how you are, how we'll treat you in order to get you where you need to be....
Well, I do not know myself too well, but think that over time I'll take several diagnostics to help me in my path, I have just not yet figured out, how to avoid feeling trapped in my "type".
Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Change your thinking

... or at least challenge it. And by saying WorldChanging, nobody expects you to take the burden of changing the world on your shoulder. Rather read their mission: "...we believe that real solutions already exist for building the future we want. It's just a matter of grabbing hold and getting moving. "
Is it naive to think we all wish for a certain kind of future? How much longer will green remain hip and attract people and who will be the people who want to integrate sustainability into the core of being and decision making? And how will that happen?
Anyways, an interesting and inspiring "positive news" website is at World Changing.
Enjoy making a difference. Or just go outside and enjoy the sun :-)

Sustain your energy

I think with the spring cleaning came also the idea of cleaning up the inside - not quite a detox, more like revisiting old forgotten ideas and initiatives. So, once upon a time I wanted to make an exhibition on Europe (taking pictures of things that contain the word Europe in their name - such as EuropCar, Europa Bank and many many others). I never got round to it. Then I started a blog on adaptation to climate change. Passionate as I still am about the adaptation to climate change, I have totally neglected my blog. I also wanted to learn how to play the piano. And then the guitar. But I hve not done either.
People say you have to force yourself to do something for 100 days, every day, and then it will become a habit. My problem with doing something for 100 days in order for it to become a habit is that if I do X, there are millions of other things I may want to do in that time, but I am not doing those things, because my habit now is X. And we can only fit a limited anount of habits into our 24hrs per day, I am afraid. So how should one convince him/herself that X is really important and a worthwhile investment of our time and should make it a habit and sustain the energy and passion for it?
I am asking this now as I have caught myself having a bunch of relatievly new habits and I am still not convinced I want to keep them. But they might come in handy in the longer term. So, carpe diem or let´s get organized?

Just beacause I'm nice, don't assume I'm dumb

This is the title of an article in the Harvard Business Journal from February 2009. I found it yesterday and realized how true, yet odd it is, that being nice (or at least trying) makes one look harmless, too sweet and naive, and not necessarily worth being promoted or listened to. Once we meet somebody, we assess them - and we see warmth and competence as inversely related. So if somebody sees you as competent, they won't expect you to offer them a coffee at the office when you make yourself one.
I wonder why that is so. In my ultimate frustration I can just say they are rude and lack good social education and humility. Other call them competent.
Suit yourself. I just feel very motivated now to prove this stereotype wrong. There are smart and beautiful blond women, too. Let's get over our outdated paradigms!!!
Thank you :-)

ACT Responsible

I love ads. Creative ones. And it frustrates me to see on tv how it's "scientifically" proven that one one cheese is better than the other. They are so full of preservatives, anyways. So, recently I came across ACT Responsible, which stands for Advertising Community Together. The ads they make are creative, fun, and for a purpose. Just check them out at http://www.adforum.com/affiliates/creative_archive/2007/ACT/simglist.asp

So that what?

As anybody else, I also get sometimes very stuck in loops of dreaming and giving up. But in order to make things happen, one has to get over the "passive" loops and move into action. Which I fail to do most of the time :-) But every now and then I realize there are simple formulas out there that could help, such as the one I just read in Dutch recently. So, once you have an idea and you what to make it happen and asked yourself the question "So that what?" - e.g. I want to make XY happen in order to impact my community in ABC way - you can develop your project around the 7 (Dutch) Ds:
Dromen - Dream
Denken - Think
Durven - Dare
Doen - Do
Doorgaan - Keep on doing
Delen - Divide
Doorgeven - Pass on
This sounds like it can ensure the decentralised continuity and growth of truly beneficial projects. Such as the Global Oneness Project. More on this later :-)

Long time no write

... no time.
Time spent on things I wish I actually did not spend time on. Many new creative ideas. Nothing is materializing. And the world goes round! Then times come when you meet those who are dear to you and have a great time together, but do not really have the space to have longer conversations with clearer conclusions. Then you realize there are unfinished projects at work, then you realize that you aren't devoting enough time to your home, your food, your health, basically nothing around you gets the attention it deserves. Step on the break. No effect.
Sleep less. Works, but productivity goes down. Call your mum, catch up with friends, clarify old misunderstandings, plan you summer holiday, plant a tree, build your community...oops, forgot to stay in touch with friends again.
What is so wrong with us?
Oh, adopt a child on distance since you do not have the time to go there ant build a village for them and provide them with safe drinking water....oooh, the summer is here, time to go out with friends. I still haven't finished the book I started reading months ago, even though it's one of the greatest books I ever came across. I should not be updating my blog right now but
1) finishing a proposal
2) taking a shower
3) cleaning the apartment
4) trying to catch up with friends
5) reading about environmental finance
6) enjoying the first spring sun
7) figuring out what to cook for friends who are coming over for dinner tomorrow
8) sewing my boyfriend's socks (oh, how ashamed I am when he takes his shoes off ....)
9) my back hurts, I should go to the gym. skipped yoga class on Wednesday again....
What a circle of should do, need to do, want to do...and I should also listen to the podcasts of getting things done. But I am ...not always up to noise. Sounds. I just like silence. And lots of light. And I like to see the end of me task list. I guess for that I should fundamentally restructure my life and go to a farm and be energy independent, have a bunch of solar panels, lots of flowers, a figue tree and a couple of orange trees, have a distant view of the sea and big piano that I want to learn to play and get down to it.
Great dreams!
Daring ones. And I hope somewhat positive ones. I am willing to share them. Would you like to join?

Sustainability twisted

So the other day I paid a visit to my former employer. I was walking down the corridor, greeting acquaintances and new recruits. I have noticed that they were largely ladies in the office. After all, this is an NGO. At some point I had to realize that out of the 20 women I have seen, 3 were pregnant. Hm, I thought to myself, in this place they must have an excellent maternal leave policy. I could not help it but mention to the HR director. Right when I did so a girl who has just started working gave me a laugh. She said:"You wish, when I started I had to sign a paper stating that I am not planning to have a child in the next two years!" I looked at the HR director with dibelief, saying: "I had no idea that an NGO promoting sustainability in the world can offer such unfair labour conditions. This is unsustainable." She smiled back at me saying:"And do you think it is sustainable for me to keep chasing talented young people and once they start working here they just go on maternal leave? Well, I do not think my labour conditions would be sustainable if I had to constantly keep recruiting new people."
I have to admit, she had a point. It is interesting how sometimes the individual sustainability (fair labour conditions of the HR director) go against the sustainability of the bigger unit (general labout conditions at the organisation). Hm...I guess eventually more men may start working at this NGO.

Wants and Needs

The entire science of marketing is set up to satisfy our needs, but also our wants. To turn our wants into perceived needs. To come up with something that we were perfectly happy without and first turn in into a desire and ultimately make us believe that we cannot go on without it.
The financial crisis has numerous negative sides, no doubt about it. People losing their homes, jobs, their future...many people are faced with conditions that they may have not thought would ever be possible. When one has to give up their lifestyle, they have to revisit the deeper self and re-evaluate the values, the needs and desires. It is possible that many of us will realize that there are many things we got used to using, but ultimately, they were not our needs. Simply our desires. A Magnum Temptation cannot qualify as a need. Food and drinking water does. As long as not everybody on the planet has access to it, why are we constantly coming up with more "potentially desired" products and turning our back to those who pay the price of our lifestyle?
I have to admit, that Magnum Temptation does taste great... Could it turn into a perceived need? Is the financial crisis the right time to revisit our definitions of wants and needs?

What we say - What we feel - What we do

I am using this picture even though I probably should not, as it is not mine. I feel bad, but I still do it. I say (write) the truth, because I think by lying I could get into much more trouble. What I do, feel and say are totally not aligned. I hope the holy tantric man in the picture is better off in this case. Making music is a much more enriching experience than talking. Believes me, who cannot play any instrument.
So anyways, the point is that sometimes we do things with a good intention, but it does not come across that well. At other occasions, we have the best talk, but simply would not move to action. And then there are the times when we say what we feel and we do it and we feel great about it. I would have to examine my memory a bit to discover when was the last time that happened, since more recent and not so positive experiences are currently obscuring my view (memory) of my glorious moments in the past ;-)
Anyways, happy Valentine's day to everybody!!!
Today is however Friday the 13th and somehow I feel it ...

Love is the new money

What a ridiculous comment, no? I saw it in the newspaper this morning and thought, how pathetic. And then I thought of the value of love and the value of money. And their measurability (which caused a bit of a headache since money is much easier to measure than love).
So then I looked at it again: Love is the new money.
Money used to have a value (an agreed one). Love has an absolute value. Love is a safe bet. Real, authentic, caring, connected LOVE. It's like an alternative currency that will never lose its value. Love (when money looses out on its importance) is becoming the new money. The sentence in itself suggests a paradigm shift.
A radical change. It seems that impatient idelists, like myself, wait every day for the paradigm shift. And by the way, if you allocate money with love, there would be no global South. Neither global North. Hmmm...there you go, food for thought

Creativity and Innovation

Did you know that 2009 is the European Year of Creativity and Innovation? Well, now you know :-) The official ceremony marking the commencement of this year took place in Brussels where at Vienna Vegetable Orchestra gave a concert (http://www.gemueseorchester.org/). It is a worthwhile experience to listen to a small piece by them on youtube.
I like this initiative because it comes across as a fresh approach to celebrating nature. Not only does vegetable feed us, but it provides us with leisure, with beauty. I guess most musical instruments were inspired by vegetables. And fruits. And animals. All the natural things surrounding us. It's a "back to the roots 21st century edition". It's creative and innovative, yet not tech. It's elegant, it's simple, it's natural....I am just not sure the artists eat the vegetable after they paly music on it...even if they don't they have my vote!

Professions

It is interesting to see how over time some professions disappear (the traditional hand labor) and others take their place (mainly in the service industry). Imagine somebody having worked at the counter giving our refunds for returned bottles in the grocery store. Just think about working there for years, knowing your customers by name, being part of the "grocery store community". Then one day they bring in the machines that sort the bottles and print receipts that allow your for a discount at the cashier. The person who worked at the counter is not needed any more. A machine has replaced him. Every day new machines seem to be taking jobs over from humans. I have to admit the washing machine is nice, I do not mind not having to wash the clothes in a river by hand. Machines are supposed to make our lives easier. To allow us to do other things that we otherwise would not have time for. But to what extent to they make us feel useless and superfluous and in the end just make us spend more time staring at the TV/PC screen and indeed be passive and superfluous in some respect?

New Year's Resolution

So, another year is over. This was a pretty exciting one for me. My first real job, my professional and personal learning, living happily with my boyfriend, being surrounded by great people, traveling a bit, having no REAL concerns in life.... Except for the question marks around the future. But those we always have, right?
Actually, all I wanted was to enter 2009 without any due to-dos from 2008. I think it worked quite well. But in order to maintain continuity, of course there were many things overlapping from 2008 to 2009.
This year I would like to read more, do more cultural stuff, speak less and learn to give and receive more and better feedback. And figure out how to bring "connectedness" to life in everything I do. I may need some guidance on this front.
How about you?