time difference

Amazon bought Goodreads

2013-03-30T22:58:00.000-04:00

"Amazon announced Thursday that it will acquire Goodreads, the popular social network for books, for an undisclosed sum." - Mashable

I hope Goodreads' website and mobile app will improve. I know, Amazon is a successful business, but they don't seem to be caring about their looks. I think Goodreads can be refined, even though I already love it as it is. Do you think Amazon will make our Goodread experience better?

War is peace in 1984

2013-02-01T20:33:00.002-05:00

"'To tell you the truth -' He sat down awkwardly on the bench opposite Winston.
'There is only one offence, is there not?' he said.
'And you have committed it?'
'Apparently I have.'"

1984, George Orwell

Many were recommending George Orwell's "1984". As soon as a picked the book from the library, I started reading. It is a depressing novel, but I forgive the author. He is trying to make us think about the questions we might have found philosophical, irrelevant, too abstract and uninteresting. Now it was imaginary, yet horrifying possibility.

What is freedom? What is peace? What is strength?

The party in novel says:

War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.

How often do we agree?

Or what is a difference between truth and falsehood? How often do we think no distinctions exist, no black and white?

While reading, I was often reminded about Soviet Union. There are simply too many similarities, but don't loosen up, the novel also reminds us of our present. Orwell gives us a hint what's concerning.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from the novel.

"It was like trying to make a move at chess when you were already mated."
"Always yell with the crowd, that's what I say. It's the only way to be safe."
"If you kept the small rules you could break the big ones."
"To push an inconvenient person over a cliff solves nothing."
"He moved from thoughts to words, and now from words to actions."
"If you loved someone, you loved him, and when you had nothing else to give, you still gave him love."
"Inefficient nations were always conquered sooner or later."
"Imprisonment without trial, the use of war prisoners as slaves, public executions, torture to extract confessions, the use of hostages and the deportation of whole populations - not only became common again, but were tolerated and even defended by people who considered themselves enlightened and progressive."
"The confession was a formality, though the torture was real."
"We have cut the links between child and parent, and between man and man, and between man and woman. No one dares trust a wife or a child or a friend any longer. But in the future there will be no wives and no friends. Children will be taken from their mothers at birth, as one takes eggs from hen."

Happy New Year!

2012-12-21T10:42:00.000-05:00

Wish you all a happy New Year!

While most of us are making year's plans, I will also take time and see how good really the 2012 was for me. Except visiting Georgia, I accomplished all my goals. Honestly, I was not aware of it, till I viewed in my dairy the whole 2012-to-do list. Therefore I am feeling good now, optimistic, that starting from today I have a chance to work on my new goals, and old and new dreams.

Beginning was weird. I had no map of where I was heading. Like Thumbelina I often found shelter, sometimes I was discovered, but at the end I had to keep moving towards my aspirations not caring on what others think I need to be or need to be doing.

Finally, all little arrangements, such as getting a ship and a map, have been made ;) We are heading towards 2013, happy holidays!

For the record, secrets you are welcome to know

I made a discovery:

World is still the same weird place, remember old ages?
Life goes on
I love my life
All of these happens again and again.

I was not able to read 24 books, but I read at least 14. [I need to lower my expectations ;) ]
I was not able to write 200 blog posts, but I am happy with 70. Important is to improve my English and manage to communicate.
Get to know Caucasus Peace Forum.
I was not able to publish 12 short stories, but I published one and wrote several drafts. It's not really about writing, but about what I have to say.
Still working on second edition of Georgian Language Basic Course, hopefully it's ready by the end of January.
I don't know how it happened, but I am taking beautiful photos. I printed one as a poster recently.
Braveheart is still my most favourite movie.
I am making to do lists every day.
Starting a new course in January.
Without freedom you can't really breath.
Library is my temple.
My heart and mind are my only authorities, I really mean it.

Now, we still need to stay focused please :) and next year's plans are:

What are your plans for the 2013?

Reviewing the 'blink'

2012-12-05T18:30:00.001-05:00

When I read fiction, I am really in no hurry. I do want to enjoy the story: see all flowers, tears, and butterflies; hear the heroes inner voice, rustle of leaves; smell the fresh sea, granny's made marmalade, or lies.

I can't say the same for non-fiction. Generally I start reading the book with specific question in mind. I want to get to the point asap. Did we already get there? I don't want to have to read the same stories again and again, sorry.

The question, that enticed me into reading the blink was "Is making blink decisions as dangerous as I think it is?" And, as much as you may hope to hear yes or no, the answer is 'it depends' as you probably expected.

Well said:

"We believe that we are always better off gathering as much information as possible and spending as much time as possible in deliberation. We really only trust conscious decision making. But there are moments, particularly in times of stress, when haste does not make the waste, when our snap judgments and first impressions can offer a much better means of making sense of the world."

Malcolm Gladwell

Basically, to conclude in my words the rest, your blink decisions can be the best, says the author, unless they are not, cause you were influenced by anything in the world to make that specific conclusion. Usually experts make best blink decisions, unless of course they were influenced by inner or outside circumstances. And sometimes not experts do better then experts except the times when experts do better at making right snap judgments.

...You probably think that I have not enjoyed the book at all, but that's not true. I did enjoy it till p.98. I was even excited, but then battles started, guns were fired, margarine was very popular somewhere on this planet and my patience was gone forever. I guess that's the limit I can read about the blink decisions. The book could be a great article in a magazine or even a book with less pages in it. Rustaveli said …

I kept reading even though I was quite bored. I wanted to give the book a chance to win me over, but there was nothing at the end so exciting. I was exhausted, bleeding on the field of wasted time. But I still learned few things, one of them: writing more is not always best.

How is your project progressing?

2012-11-13T00:38:00.001-05:00

“Quit or be exceptional.”

Whatever we are doing, we need to look forward. Looking back time after time and checking our progress can be helpful as well. In fact, when facing huge obstacles we are no longer seeing what’s next. We find ourselves in the dip as Seth Goding, author of 'The dip' describes it.

“The dip is the long slog between starting and mastery.”

Because one of my project was not really moving forward, I started to think about what was holding me back and how to fix it. To be honest, I believe that I have wonderful instincts on what to do, but this time I wanted to prove to myself that the choice I was going to make was better than all the available other choices. Therefore I took my time to read the book.

The dip helps evaluate current status of a project, and depending on it suggests either to quit or to stick. The author explains that being in the dip is not a bad thing. Contrary, it is an opportunity to brainstorm and make things better. He encourages people to quit and discourage them to do so at the same time. Basically he suggests that every beginning is exciting, but if you want to succeed, you need to overcome this 'dip' that follows each joyful beginning. Only few hold to their plans and ideas, while many give up. Consequently, there are only a few of those who succeed.

“A woodpecker can tap twenty times on a thousand trees and get nowhere, but stay busy. Or he can tap twenty thousand times on one tree and get dinner.”

Godin encourages to abandon the approach that don't work or don't work well, but not the aims. Those, who adapt to realities are the winners, while people who neither quit nor change are wasting their time and energy. He recommends to strive being the best in the chosen field in order to succeed. And it is not a mission impossible if we consider that there are many different micro-markets on the globe, as Godin suggests.

“The opposite of quitting isn’t “waiting around". No, the opposite of quitting is rededication. The opposite of quitting is an invigorated new strategy designed to break the problem apart.”

How to win Georgian Public

2012-10-15T03:29:00.000-04:00

Following post explains how to win elections in Georgia or generally, hearts of the Georgian public. I am sure it will help you in the upcoming elections, but I hope and pray that it won’t.

I am not Shewardnadze, Saakashvili or Ivanishvili, who can surely tell us more precisely how to win the public, but I will write my impressions on how it seems to be working.

Desperation
First, you need to know your battle field. There are different kinds, but no worries, in Georgia there’s been only one so far: desperation. We find ourselves in a hopeless situation because of ‘the reasons all know well’, as our recent history books love to say. There’s nothing to suggest that situation will be different during the next elections. Can someone be better than Ivanishvili? Chances are, not. So get ready for the next stop desperation.
Most of elections have been won by someone, simply because people were eager to see some new faces in power. Anyways, I would say, if you are alive on the election day, why not to start a celebration?

Make yourself a solution
Georgia has many problems. Instead of talking about solutions, personalize them, say YOU are the solution. This way you avoid discussing complicated issues, making false promises or any promises at all. You will contribute to saving energy that discussions, thinking and making arguments usually take.

Involve God
God helps. It’s always good to involve him. Making a photo with the head of Georgian Church guarantees the best results. Show up in the church and light up a candle. Did someone see a dream that you were on a white hoarse as the St. George killing the evil? Let him or her share the story with the public.

Promise roses and dreams
People no longer marry those, who only talk about dreams and roses, but in Georgia you can get our vote, definitely. We love romantic politics.

To conclude, if you are able to be around, recognize desperate situation, make yourself a hope of the public, involve God, and read aloud poetry (or let someone else do the job on your behalf, it's the same). And while you work on it, I will be hoping for a real change in our society, in the way we think about democracy and exercise it.

Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

2012-09-17T16:15:00.000-04:00

Erin McGuire

Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ became one of my most favourite books. It is wonderful piece of art and activism. Politics, women's role in the society, religion, the dangers of ideologies, so many interesting aspects are brought into this heartbreaking story. Even though the regime described in this speculative story doesn't really exist, not every street on our planet is sunny. Some events, that are taking place in the novel, are not too far from our lives' realities.

The main hero, Offred finds herself in a new regime, where divorce is illegal. She as a second wife of Luke, looses him and her daughter. Offred also knows nothing about whereabouts of her mom. New system demands from her to accept her new role, without any rights and bear children for other, more ‘decent’ families, elite.

Characters in the novel are very believable. From Moira, to Offred, to Aunt Lydia, Offred’s mom, they all have different voices. This was making reading the novel even more interesting. The plot is also captivating, but I was disappointed at the end to realize that life just happens to Offred. She seems kind of passive, doing nothing. Maybe that’s life? Then I was thinking about what WE are doing to change something we dislike?

What was extremely uplifting in this horrifying story is that Offred, whatever her real name was, kept unbroken in her heart. She was strong inside her powerless life. She just kept waiting, like a flower, for a sunshine. Offred still had the ability and courage to take so much negativity and stay herself.

The family, whom she was serving, were only able to see their perspective. Everything seems different I guess from the angel where you believe you are special and deserve special treatment. How could Offred do this to us, they thought.

Aunt Lydia was most devilish personage. She reminded me Asineta, Ann Coulter and some other people you’ve never heard of. I don’t know anyone though who fully resembles her. I guess this can happen to anyone, who accumulates hate in herself, lets it rule her mind and starts believing it’s all OK.

I am not sure how, but I felt sentences were rhyming. I was not reading but gliding on the railway like a train. Each word was followed by the word that was perfectly matching. So I read the story very fast.

The cover and the title of the book would never make me want to read it though. I had to remove ugly art to be able to touch the book.

This work has changed my idea about Margaret Atwood. She is now my favourite writer. As a person I always liked her.

Have you read the book too. What did you like about it? Do you know who are the people whom she dedicates her work?

Let's get serious about writing

2012-09-14T16:15:00.000-04:00

If you'd like to write, you need to write. Even in my free time I had excuses like I have too busy life, I need to write emails, answer emails, check twitter, read #cdnpoli and #Caucasus, knit scarfs for upcoming winter etc. Result? My notebook was empty. I was procrastinating. My life is busy, but I don't have to hide in it. I needed to fight my tasks, get things done on time and then find time for writing too. I realized, it was now or never situation.

Now (free)writing is on my calendar, 20 minutes early in the morning and 20 min before going to bed. Once a week I take two hours for rewriting and editing. But I still needed to do few more things:

create a writing space
buy notebooks for different type of writing
improve my grammar
get a book on creative writing
and inspirations somewhere (art, books, nature etc)

Now I write a lot, and I am accomplishing something. I've only published one short story though.

What are you writing? How is your work going? Any suggestions you would like to share?

Trashing your city

2012-09-02T12:40:00.002-04:00

Eleven years ago seeing people throwing garbage on the streets of Tbilisi really annoyed me. I can't understand how is that so many care how they, others or things look like and then dump garbage on a face of their own city. In Germany things were very different. If you were careless enough to throw garbage on the streets, there was always a good chance that someone would come to you and demand from you to take care of your garbage. Some consider leaving their bio trash in nature acceptable, as nature can take care of recycling. However things like cigarettes, plastic bags, plastic cups etc are difficult for the nature to recycle. Recently a blue heron with a red mesh net caught around its bill has been found dead in Ottawa. It is a good example of us creating nets of troubles.

When I first visited Ottawa's downtown, I was quite surprised to see streets full of trash. I didn't know what to think about it. It made me feel at home, on dirtiest corners of Tbilisi. People say now Tbilisi has changed a lot cause people have changed their behaviours. Here in Ottawa though you can see on a daily bases beautiful lady, modern, very stylish, shamelessly dumping her trash on the street right in front of everyone as if this was a very normal thing to do. I guess it is, if most of us think so.

Ottawa is a beautiful city and heartbreaking to see so many streets in this shape, even though city is cleaning the streets every day. How many of us are not caring? One might say this is not the end of the world, but what about the reasons? Are they not important as well? Who are we, what are we going through?

Security for peace of mind

2012-08-01T13:10:00.001-04:00

There are all type of viruses. Some collect our data, some hack our websites and accounts. When you have some troubles with your computer, it’s not a bad idea to check it for viruses. Your options are:

purchasing an antivirus (Kaspersky, Sophos, Norton, Mcafee, AVG)
getting technical support
running free version of e.g. AVG and Sophos

You need peace of mind to deal with life’s other, more important challenges.

My tree is gone

2012-07-31T18:00:00.000-04:00

I come out on my balcony and

there's the emptiness greeting me. No wonder, cause my tree is missing. The tree was healthy and shelter for squirrels and birds, and my imagination. Now it is gone and I don't even know why. It's weird that everyone around is so much into nature and all things bio. It seems like environment is on everyone's mind, but ...oops, trees are cut, oil is spieled and so on.

The hunger games

2012-07-24T00:40:00.000-04:00

Khatia Caroline's photo

After watching the movie, I decided I had to read the book too. Few ideas made me think that the story had more to it than just hunting and gathering. And I was right. Reading 'The Hunger Games' was breathtaking. While I was reading journey of Katniss, I was telling my own story in my mind. We all have our purpose and mission in life, even if it becomes blurry in time.

The story setting is unreal. Players from the districts have to fight one another until there's one survival left alive. This way the Capitol wants to remind the districts that past rebellions will continue having consequences for them. Despite all, you can find the real world somehow reflected in the book: Different realms that exist in poor and reach people's lives, straggle for a survival, love, kindness, fashion, food, conflicting interests, conflicts, instinct, power of love and it's weaknesses, desire to support and so much more. I enjoyed the book and it's best book I've read so far. I am fascinated by the author. Not only is she interesting, it seems we share some common ideas and opinions on so many things. Many thanks to Suzanne Collins for this wonderful work!

Buddhuza's songs, real deal!

2012-07-06T17:13:00.003-04:00

Like what you see? Please share.

I was one of the first fans of Buddhuza. His songs helped me feel good about life, despite all troubles, let's have some fun. And time after time I was enjoying his songs more and more. In the beginning he had only few songs, but he kept surprising me with new ones, interesting ideas, and what a wonderful friend I found.

Follow @Buddhuza and be inspired.

Please join Levan's facebook page. Your friends should get a chance to listen to his songs and so you.

A review of 'The Next 100 Years'

2012-06-25T00:07:00.001-04:00

With his book ‘The Next 100 Years’ George Friedman wants to convince us that we must expect unexpected. The book is about geopolitics and the events that will shape the 21st century. To prove that relaying on common sense is wrong when we are guessing world’s future, he looks back in history, where unpredictable events changed geopolitics. The book must be exceptionally interesting for those who would like to know what makes nations go to wars, but at the same time it will be probably most disappointing for all those who hope for a future without bloodshed and poverty.

American age
According to Friedman the fears of declining United States are like a passing clouds as in reality U.S. is emerging as a centre of gravity of the global system. Just 4 percent of the world’s population is the producer of 26 percent of world’s goods and services. It is the largest energy producer and has large land per person. However, for the author, the main element of U.S success is its military power, especially its navy. Who controls worlds seas dominates world and currently, as stated by Friedman, no other country has a navy like U.S. That can easily bare the cost of controlling an adjacent body of waters.

War against a super power
But what about the challenges, such as U.S. engagement in wars? For instance, forces which U.S built against USSR in Afghanistan have turned against their creator once the Russian army was defeated. The result of the confrontation is that rebel forces are repressed. “Anger does not make history. Power does.” Though America hardly won anything, it did achieve its strategic goal: to engage and destabilize its enemy for a long time. Events that are defining moments for some nations have been just temporary and not as critical incidents for the global power.

Population, computers, and culture wars
Technology will tremble old institutions and give rise to new social conflicts. But saying ‘nay’ to the U.S. technology is like ignoring modern economy.

The new fault lines
George Friedman mentions the most unstable spots in the world:

Pacific Basin
Eurasia
Ultimate framework of Europe
Islamic world
US-Mexico relations

Later Friedman discusses all fault lines in depth. While most nations are unable to resolve problems and are drowning, U.S. is capable of overcoming all its hurdles. He sees Chine falling apart. For Russia he prognoses that its military will collapse once more shortly after 2020. While Friedman brings arguments to support his vision, sometimes conclusions just feel like wishful thinking. However, the book is extremely valuable to understand the world politics and it shades some light on the past and current events. Why does Georgia strive to be part of NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and why is Russia so resistant? What did hold USSR together and why restoring its lost spares of influences is vital for Russia’s survival. What are all the world’s conflicts and wars really about?

A new world emerges
In future Friedman sees new countries emerging, who might challenge the U.S. itself. Those are: Poland, Japan and Turkey. Although in past strong navel was key element of military success, in future it will be stars who will decide countries fates … not in a traditional, but in a different way. From stars will be controlled unman air crafts that can hit any target on the planet quicker than it was ever possible. Even though protected and empowered by the U.S. The national interests of emerging countries might be treated by the interests of their protector. To defend themselves they will need to do something. However, according to Friedman any fights and coalitions against the U.S. will be defeated and will have to bare harsh consequences. There will come the ‘Golden Decade’ of the U.S.A. and will continue until 2080. Later on Mexico will start emerging as a potential new global power.

Conclusion
The author doesn’t mention fresh water problem and other complications that could hold world back from reaching the stars. Will civilization keep moving forward leaving people (within or outside the borders) in disasters behind? Another interesting issue is that world will have one super power. As this is unprecedented, no one can really say how it will differ from the multi polar world of the past balancing the competition among global powers.

Strangely no importance is given to Canada. Regarding the Caucasus region, one can read between the lines that whatever the cause of its nations, their fight can only change whose spare of influence the region is. Caucasus is groped with the Balkans, and Arab world as region of never ending rivals and conflicts. As such, our battlefields serve as stimulants in bigger games on the world stage. While no one has unlimited power, and we are certainly not claiming globe’s gravity, we have an ability to decide who we are. Changing attitudes towards each other can reshape everything. Peaceful Caucasus is possible, when there’s determination and believe. And let’s keep in mind the words of Alan Kay that the way to predict the future is to invent it.

Paintings need a new home in Ottawa

2012-06-09T18:36:00.001-04:00

Moving from city to city, from country to country or from one apartment to another includes losing things. At least my moving does. I have no idea where some of my paintings are. I can't even guess the country. However ones with me definitely need a new home.

Yesterday I checked the paintings, made photos and posted them here for sale. I am not a famous artist and my paintings are no good investment (I don't think their price will ever reach millions ;) ), but they are unique, each with its story. ...Anyway, you can have them if you like. If you live in Ottawa, you can pick them up.

View all paintings.

0 debt is best

2012-05-30T12:52:00.004-04:00

I believe that 0 debt is best. I grew up in the society where you needed to create surplus to afford anything. If I needed to get new cloth, new toy, pay for my school, university, anything, you name it, me or my parents needed to put money a side or already have it. Once we would collect the amount that was needed, I could go ahead and buy things. I lived with the same understanding in Germany. I was studying and finding part time jobs to support my study. I was paying for each semester I was taking and after graduation all my bills were paid off. I struggled, was not easy, but not impossible.

Arrived here I quickly noticed, had to, that society breath and thinks differently this regards. I had to get a credit card I don't wanted, cause I had to show my credit rating to get a cell phone (weird, for the cell phone? really?) and to be able to rent an apartment. I felt it was unjust not to be able to buy a cell phone without having a credit card, but anyway I did and surrender.

With 0 debt you are free person, but with debt you are somewhat stuck. Problem is though, that here everyone finds it easy to grad the money from the bank. Let's say if I want to buy home and it costs $700.000 I won't buy it cause I have no 700.000 surplus yet. If also others won't buy it, prices will get realistic. However here you can pay 10.000 and get 'your' home. If it ever be your home, you still don't know for the rest 30 years or more. And if it doesn't, your kids will be going in a same cycle of hope thereafter, hopefully with success though.

Banks have it best. Price is not dropping. As I already mentioned one reason is that there's always buyer since people find it OK to borrow from the banks huge amounts. Why should price go down, when there's just right competition? Salaries however are not going up. And that's even better for the banks, now you have to borrow even more.

Said all these, I really don't know how one person can brake the cycle that has been well established here. I also don't believe that society with debt till dead is truly free. If I had 50.000 debt, I am sure I couldn't easily decide where to live, move, go, change careers, experiment, take risks. I couldn't afford to respond to @TVO's question. My debt would define who I am and what I do. I don't think with $700.000 debt I would have time to be engaged and follow politics, research, read, or paint as I like unless these activities would make me earn my remaining debt. If you ever had a debt, you know how it differs from the stress of not having enough money. While you have not enough (unless you have at least something) you can adjust and make less expenses, while with the debt YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE MONEY. And now I remember Charlie Chaplin's speech in "The Great Dictator", we are not machines.

I believe in making surplus and going ahead and buying things. For home some needed 10 years to get the amount, for study part-time job must be enough. (Semester fee in Germany was ca. 120 Euro, now they increased it to 500, but still possible to pay.) I only understand borrowing in emergency situation, for instance no work, health complications, no other way.

Glebe garage sale

2012-05-27T03:23:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun today at Glebe garage sale. I wish our streets were always full of life and people as it was today. Usually I don't really enjoy shopping but this garage sale seemed to me more then just a trade. I don't know why, but today I felt how trade brings people together. Experience differs from reading in books someone else' findings.

I wanted to live the moment and also to be observer and take photos. I must admit that doing both together is kind of difficult. Making good photos requires time and attention. Making photos and shopping at the same time is not a smart combination. Anyway, I got some good deals, and few nice photos too.

We have some musicians, graduates of political science, award winning authors and kindest people in the neighborhood. You know, you get a chance to talk with people and learn something about them.

Among all the items, books were the cheapest deal. Starting from $0.50 to $3. I got few fiction and some non-fiction on communication, democracy, Canadian foreign policy...interesting stuff.

I love life! :)
more photos here.

A child working in the mines

2012-05-21T01:41:00.000-04:00

This photo inspired me and I was suddenly singing this song at my piano. I know, many of you don't deserve accusations, but many of us do. I witnessed how children were working in Pakistan and felt helpless. I wish I had done something. I also believe that change must come from within society, and I hope it will. Those of us who don't belong to the society, can contribute too; It's horrible crime to be ignorant.

Your horse is running like a drum

2012-05-21T01:16:00.001-04:00

It's only abroad I heard about Shamil. Strange how little we learn in schools about the region we live in.

One day I discovered that Carleton University had a book about the end of the defence of the Caucasus. Even though book was huge and interesting, I am sure I still don't know all the engels of this story or all about Shamil. But I was inspired by him. I guess I am fascinated by heros. My favorite movie is 'brave heart' despite numerous valuable movies I watched on Gogi Gvakharia's and TVO's Saturday movie nights.

Shamil and the war for a defence of the Caucasus inspired me to compose this melodie. Anyone, able and willing to improve it, is welcome to contact me personally. As I said, I am full of ideas, but not an expert in everything.

Your horse is running like a dream, (or drum?)
You are defending who you are.
Your sky is blue and forest dark,
Your people know how to survive.

Supporting

2012-05-20T17:35:00.000-04:00

Peace, Education, and Development in the Caucasus

To be born free

2012-05-15T15:49:00.000-04:00

I don't get philosophy behind money. Don't be alarmed, I do get what's making profit, but what is it for? Why do I have to invest my life's energy in something I don't really need in hope to get one day what I really want. What's, by the way, is anyway in nature - water and wonderful blue sky. What is the philosophy behind creating desires in people to have money? Many write songs and poems about how negatively money influences our lives, but can we have serious discussion about it? Oh, I am not going to start a revolution (especially not with having questions without answers;) ), but I should be allowed to question weirdest ever things. Is there alternative ways of living?

I feel I was born free with my dreams and desires and then someone decided I was suppose to be poor. There's money (with the head of the King on it) you 'absolutely need' to survive since the day you are born. And you are born into a cycle, where you have no time for dreams; First, you need to make money. But for what the hell do I need it?

If everyone needs money, those who have and control it, control your dreams and life. If in a society without money other values would influence decision making (good or bad), now it's so much about money. Whether it's legit lobbing, PR campaign or illegal corruption, money has so often last word. But does money care about your future? or will it be ashamed if economy crashes on your head? I don't think so. So why do we keep giving it so much importance in our life? If we had not enough worries, now I have to pray for economy so it does not get sick and tired of me :) When I hear in news cries to save economy, and how helpless are people devastated, I wander what kind of Frankensteins we played and what type of monsters created. Isn't money there to create inequalities? Looks and walks like it (playing here with Elvis' song).

Jesus said give Caesar what belong to Caesar. I mean he really offered no solutions this regards, but possibility of creating your bubble world, where you have/exercise the right values and forget about the brutality of a real world. Simply, he said to obey the Caesar and give him what he is after and only care for your soul. To me it sound like just giving up, saying that this world can't be better, pray for better world in a paradise.

Lenin said that he wanted to help folk, but instead of changing whole idea of economy, he just saw the solution in collective ownership bundled with collective work and collective responsibility. Still, if it is money what rules, everyone wants to have more of it and things doesn't really work. Sorry, I lived in Soviet Union but never read Karl Marx. Later after soviet crash it was a sin to read it, but I might seek some advice from his books now. I don't care where good ideas come from, important is to find them.

So as you see, I never experienced different life and never heard about any alternatives. I think aboriginal people of Canada lived without money, but now not many can say for sure how that life was. I would like to learn though more about it. ...I am just wondering how it is to be born not poor but free.

Google email peace

2012-05-14T21:42:00.000-04:00

Since I created my first email in circa 1998, process of checking emails has evolved. In 90s I just needed to check it once a week, once a month would be OK too, but now I check my emails on a daily bases. Number of emails I receive from whole world has rapidly grown. And how long does it take to read them all everyday? It could take my whole day, but we get smarter too, right?

Create filters

Google has ability to prioritize your emails, but that's not smart enough for me. I work on different projects and there are many emails that are important, however, only on certain days. Creating labels and filters saves my day. E.g. I have 'toRead' label for those type of emails I just need to read for my information. We can let those emails skip the inbox and land in 'toRead' folder straight away. Why not to read them when we feel urgent need to be informed?

For each project I have different folders/labels. I don't need to read important emails related to Project1 asap, but only on Mondays. Therefore they can land to Project1 label, skip inbox and appear in sidebar list only when new email has arrived.

some folders in my email. enjoy გადაგრევენ ;)

All email I receive and I don't need to answer urgently can go to 'follow up' folder. I can replay everyone on one rainy and windy day. ...Even if my mailbox is full and there is a danger of mailbox-burst, I notice nothing and miss nothing that's important.

Playlist

2012-05-01T17:33:00.001-04:00

okeane by Khatia Caroline on Grooveshark

Calendar

2012-05-01T17:28:00.001-04:00

January
1 - New Year
7 - Christmas
? - Winterlude

February
7 - Davit's Day
14 - Valentine's Day
17 - St. Patrick's Day

March
8 - Women's Day

April
1 - April Fool's Day
7 - Khareba

May
9 - Europe Day
13 - Mother's day
14 - Tamar's Day
21 - Victoria day
21 - Defeat of the Caucasus
26 - Independence day od Georgia
28 - Amnesty International

June
1 - Open Window Day
1 - St. Nino to Georgia
17 - Father's day

July
1 - Canada Day
13 - Svetickhovloba

August
1 - Civic Holiday
28 - Mariam's Day
30 - Ana Politkovskaia's Birthday

September
3 - Labour Day
12 - Batumi International Film Festival

October
8 - Thanksgiving

November
2 - International Day of 'I miss you'
5 - Donating warm cloth day
8 - Ilia Chavchavadze's Birthday
11- Remembrance Day

December
15 - Birth of the Canadian flag
23 - Don't Drink and Talk Awareness Day
31 - New Year's Eve

Painting Amedeo Modigliani's paintings

2012-04-22T18:32:00.001-04:00

Usually I paint because I have something to say. Nothing to say? - no painting. My drawing skills are not amazing, probably cause my main goal is not to paint well, but to communicate. Occasionally sharing ideas via drawings makes me quite happy.

Today though I need to paint for a different reason, to clean my brain from all the mess of the week and relax my mind. Therefore I was looking for inspirations on the net and in my magazines. On google art project I came across Amedeo Modigliani's 'Young Woman in a Shirt'. It looks wonderful. And what you think about this face? I think I can try it with my watercolors. Yes, that will be interesting.

Here's my version of Modigliani. I know, it feels and looks unlike original. Therefore doesn't metter what you paint, always comes across what you are saying.

Watercolors
Khatia Caroline