The Mexican Fisherman

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Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, “Only a little while.”

The American then asked, “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”

The Mexican said, “With this I have more than enough to support my family’s needs.”

The American then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15 to 20 years.”

“But what then?” asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions?…Then what?”

The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

Unknown Author.

I often think about this and it just reminds me what’s important.

You’re welcome!!

Kabbalah and I

Some people are scared of the unknown. Some people are scared of “different”. I have grown up and matured over the last eight years like you wouldn’t believe and this has been partly though understanding and identifying this.

We as humans can be like lemmings. This is the “norm” and it’s always been done like this. My father never did it so why should I. If we call carried on doing that we would still be living in caves. Think about it.

I have spent a lot of time reading and searching for what I believe to be some sort of answer to the meaning of life. Sounds a bit “far out” but we all do it. It’s basic animal instinct to find “your place”, somewhere “comfortable”.

I have found my meaning, or as I understand it at least. I am actually very happy being the person I am. Am. Not was. I went on “my journey” because something was amiss. Namely my place in my “society” and the relationships I had with those closest to me.

I have read texts on Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and the source of a lot of my comfort and views on life which is Kabbalah.

I like to think of it like the Pick ‘n’ Mix.

I took, what I consider to be the good bits. Things, lessons, stories and rituals from all of them. Mostly Kabbalah though.

It works for me.

I’m sure not a lot of you know much about Kabbalah. Perhaps that Madonna is a follower. Some crazy sect. I sub religion of Judaism and not for you. I probably thought some of those things eight years ago when I picked up my first book in WH Smith.

I would invite you to read some of the Kabbalah books however I would stress that I do stick to the “Berg” family. Some of the books out there can be very confusing and too in depth. The Berg family seem to have the skill of “translating” the text into easy to understand English and lessons that in large make sense.

Take a look at the following links:

I Might be Wrong: Click Here

Happiness: Click Here

Personal Power: Click Here

Read it. Don’t read it. I read it and it changed my life.

There is a link to religion but don’t be put off by this. I am not religious but I took what I wanted out of Kabbalah and I still do. I don’t perhaps expect you to get it from these couple of links. I have read some nine books on the subject and some of them more then once or twice.

Most of you will think that it’s more of the same from me. I don’t think so. This is what I have based my life on for the last eight years. It it this journey that I have attempted to describe in one of my other blogs, Ere Kenty: Sensationalist. Perhaps based on some of the feedback I haven’t done this very well but I will look at it again.

Don’t get me wrong there are bits of Kabbalah that I don’t understand, parts I don’t agree with and some bits that I just find silly.

If you do read it, read it with an open mind. Don’t stop at the first silly bit you come to. Or the first mention for religion or god. Give it a go.

I am perhaps sending this out to offer some sort of explanation as to my thought process.

Yes I am random and bizarre and insane and a disaster waiting to happy and some of you so politely put it. I like that. I’m OK with that.

It beats mundane. Some people are scared of change or different.

I also owe a large part of what I want out of life to a fable, or story, that I will share with you later today or tomorrow.

I am not lazy or unwilling to work. I am certainly not going to give up on my Daughter like some of you have suggested.

Far from it.

Not that it’s any of your business but I plan on paying the bills and paying my way. But I want to be rich in other areas of my life.

Giving my Daughter time.

Giving my Daughter attention.

Allowing both myself and my Daughter the freedom to express ourselves and make ourselves happy.

To not spend so much time at work.

To not spending so much energy through worry and stress and politics.

To stop wishing my life away. “I just need to get through to the weekend” for 52 weeks a year.

Are you happy doing what you’re doing? Would you not change if their were another way?? Some people are scared of change and different. I am giving myself the opportunity of doing sokething else. Seeing if there is another way.

I don’t think that’s mad!! I think doing things that make us so unhappy for most of our lives if bloody insane!!

Have a look. I am happy to speak to people although I am no authority on it.

Despite what some of you think about me I am actually very approachable and gert nice.

Tether Thy Garden

The last 24 hours have been interesting to say the least.

Working towards the Simple Living does however mean shedding some of the “litter” and letting go despite how painful it is and how much it might hurt others. I have found it very liberating to be honest and I feel so much better. I do appreciate that some people have found it quite a shock though, however.

Perspective is required.

I’m not Spud out of “Trainspotting”. Or Paul Kaye off of “It’s All Gone Pete Tong”. I know my story is and will be as colorful and cinematic but I can’t really help the path that I’m on. I am pretty pleased that I did that thing where you decelerates a moving object such as car or boat by converting its kinetic energy into another form of energy and then it ruddy stops accelerating. Er summit. And I don’t care if that’s wrong Ere Jonboy!!

And there’s the point. I still had, and have, self control. Enough to talk to people. Listen to people. My Friends. I did some mega thinking which was a bit like an Microsoft Excel Formulate Calculation Thesis er summit.

I used skills and words that I have read and exercises that were borrowed me. Although they are borrowed skills and things that are kept and passed on. And I shall.

I would like to apologise to those who I have perhaps caused concern but I am, as somebody said who knows who they are, “a disaster waiting to happen”. Fair. I would tell you the same. I am probably somehow already craving for my next chapter of disaster. I dread to think!!

I have done a lot today and I’m a million miles from where I was last night but there is still work to be done. By all of us.

On to the next lesson and the next person to have a problem. And I shall (try) not judge them and be there for them as most people have for me.

It’s going to be me again isn’t it!!

I do very much appreciate all of you and the kindness you have shown me and whilst I love you all gert loads, this is all a bit gay innit. I don’t deserve most of the things that have been said about me although I do accept “talented” and “soon to be award winning”.

Speaking of which I recently got up to about 30 visits in one day on one of my blogging discussion forum networks. An acorn is a small thing from which an oak er summit grows. Clever but not my work. Somebody else said that but I dig it.

I really hope everybody reading this has such an acrylic life that they don’t ever do wrong or say wrong or think wrong or masterstroke off. That’s brilliant. And if not realise people do make mistakes and Par Fours and accept this. I love these two groups which is why I am Friends with most of you.

For some people, including myself on many occasion, I do often remind myself of some words that I put in the following order.

Tether thy garden before mowing mine. Matt Kent. 2010.

Losing It

You all know that look. Maybe you don’t. The look that says: “You’re going mad!!”.

I have seen it before. Many times. It may usually happens when I have introduced something new. An album. A new tablet that one may have found at Glastonbury two years ago on my first visit. I’m not keeping count.

My last ex-girlfriend also had the very same look on her face when I mentioned anal sex.

I do know that look!!

Mad though?? I know that it is I who has perhaps put words in “their” mouths but I know that look. I guess being signed off of work with stress hasn’t helped. Or the fact that I haven’t left the house for more than 15 minutes in over a week.

Mad?? Me??

It doesn’t help either that I do and say and think “random”. Best thin since sliced bread sometimes. The “mad one who chat’s loads of bollocks”. It’s quite common for the same person to have those same feelings about me. In the same afternoon.

Somebody once told me: “You have always managed to cause me extremes emotions, one minute very happy and the next sad and sometimes just very frustrating. I’m not actually sure how you do it but it’s quite a skill”.

I seem to have that effect on most people!!

And so, again, the same things happen when I announced some time ago that I was to give up my relitavley well paid job in Financial Services and take things easy. For how long would be anybody’s guess.

I want to peruse other interests. Writing would be one. Event management and promotion. More charity work and doing unto others. Spending more time with my Daughter whom I adore.

I know that look!!

Based on my own opinion, people were expecting me to say one thing, see above, and do another, not doing the above. I could sense a feeling of “OK Matt/Kenty/Daddy”, you do that, there there (pat me on the head).

Today I have lost my job. Through redundancy in the end as luck would have it. I get to lose the job that I didn’t want and would go so far to say as loathed, and got a lump sum in my pocket. Not much. But more than had I just quit (another calculation/master stroke by yours truly and therefore: mad?? me??).

I am looking for work. I have today updated my profiles on both Monster.co.uk and LinkedIn.com.

Both say the same thing though. No stress. Three to four days a week. Want to pursue other avenues. Good people skills.

Sure I’m mad. I’m really mad in the head. I’m really mad in the head for wanting something other than working my socks off for little reward (in terms of many things which would certainly include financial, sense of acheivement and quality of life plus many others), and being unhappy in my job and then to die.

Mad?? Me??