I was over at a friend's place last week. The kids played and I watched my friend spend over 3 hours in the kitchen baking and preparing food for visitors coming the next day.
I was amazed at her serenity and contentedness. How can somebody be calm and happy when cooking is taking up so much of their time? (I'd just go down to woolworths, buy a couple of bbq chickens and then do something else.) Does my friend cook happily because she is more godly than me? Because she loves her family more than I love mine?
By the time I left I was thinking to myself, "She must feel so frustrated. She's worked hard all day and has got nothing done!"
Then I caught myself. Nothing?!? Actually, she has made a magificent birthday cake, a pavlova and numerous other things. Why doesn't that count in my mind?
Then I came up with my theory.
The main-game theory.
The main game is an activity that gives a day purpose. The main game will differ from individual to individual and may change over time. A person may have several main games, but engagement in a main game is necessary for an individual to feel that she has accomplished something.
My friend was happy because for her cooking was the main game. The day had purpose and meaning. She had achieved the main game.
Cooking is not the main game for me. I could make six fantastic birthday cakes (actually, I couldn't) and I still wouldn't feel that the day was redeemed. My main game is something else.
What is the main game for you? What do you rush through in order to engage in it?
Showing posts with label a random thought. Show all posts
Showing posts with label a random thought. Show all posts
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
dreaming of jupiter
On Friday, the year 4 class I taught was learning about space. One girl (whose name sounded like a singular form of this product, so what hope was there?) was particularly getting on my nerves because she saw nothing interesting in the topic. I love reading about space. How could she not find the gas giants fascinating?
Jupiter is my favorite planet. It is by far the biggest. Twice as big as all the others combined. It's basically all gas. I imagine sinking down through denser and denser atmosphere. What would happen when you reached the core? Gravity would have pulled you that far... then what? They have some wild weather on Jupiter. But how would a wind storm feel when you're already in thick gas? Jupiter has really long years (12 Earth years) and short days (about 10 hours long). That makes about 10,512 Jupiter days in a Jupiter year. Time would be a different thing.
See? It's fascinating. I feel sorry for that particular girl. If you can't find joy in space, what interest is there in life for you?
A couple of years ago, I was thinking about Jupiter and spun this fairy-tale like song lyric. I still like it. Jupiter is a kind of dream land and at the same time a figure who herself dreams...
Jupiter Dreaming
“Slip through worlds away awhile,”
Said sparkling eyes, defiant smile.
“Away to where impossible is true.”
“Jupiter, so far away,
Tomorrow there is yesterday.
And I can be with you,
And I can be with you.”
Jupiter dreaming...
Laughing, sinking through the air
I kissed her lips and kissed her hair
And watched as moon by moon came spinning by.
“Who cares for water, earth, or trees?”
She said, “Who cares for air to breathe?
For I am here with you,
For I am here with you.”
Jupiter dreaming...
Grown up thoughts inside my head
Drowning dreams until they're dead
And Jupiter a million miles away.
But still she dreams and will arise
Her golden light will fill the sky
And I will be with her,
And I will be with her.
Jupiter dreaming...
SAR 2007
Does space do it for you? Where is your dream land?
Jupiter is my favorite planet. It is by far the biggest. Twice as big as all the others combined. It's basically all gas. I imagine sinking down through denser and denser atmosphere. What would happen when you reached the core? Gravity would have pulled you that far... then what? They have some wild weather on Jupiter. But how would a wind storm feel when you're already in thick gas? Jupiter has really long years (12 Earth years) and short days (about 10 hours long). That makes about 10,512 Jupiter days in a Jupiter year. Time would be a different thing.
See? It's fascinating. I feel sorry for that particular girl. If you can't find joy in space, what interest is there in life for you?
A couple of years ago, I was thinking about Jupiter and spun this fairy-tale like song lyric. I still like it. Jupiter is a kind of dream land and at the same time a figure who herself dreams...
Jupiter Dreaming
“Slip through worlds away awhile,”
Said sparkling eyes, defiant smile.
“Away to where impossible is true.”
“Jupiter, so far away,
Tomorrow there is yesterday.
And I can be with you,
And I can be with you.”
Jupiter dreaming...
Laughing, sinking through the air
I kissed her lips and kissed her hair
And watched as moon by moon came spinning by.
“Who cares for water, earth, or trees?”
She said, “Who cares for air to breathe?
For I am here with you,
For I am here with you.”
Jupiter dreaming...
Grown up thoughts inside my head
Drowning dreams until they're dead
And Jupiter a million miles away.
But still she dreams and will arise
Her golden light will fill the sky
And I will be with her,
And I will be with her.
Jupiter dreaming...
SAR 2007
Does space do it for you? Where is your dream land?
Friday, April 3, 2009
questions
Why can't we all assume the best of each other?
Why do we always think that we are right?
Why doesn't everyone have balanced opinions like me?
Why do brilliant men have egos as big as planets and as fragile as glass?
Why can't we all just get along?
Why hasn't the earth stopped spinning?
Why does God put up with us?
Why is Luke Skywalker so uninspiring?
Why is there only one series of Firefly?
Why don't we make any progress?
Why does wickedness taste so good?
Why is the finish line so far away?
Why do I go to bed so late?
Why am I writing this post?
Why do we always think that we are right?
Why doesn't everyone have balanced opinions like me?
Why do brilliant men have egos as big as planets and as fragile as glass?
Why can't we all just get along?
Why hasn't the earth stopped spinning?
Why does God put up with us?
Why is Luke Skywalker so uninspiring?
Why is there only one series of Firefly?
Why don't we make any progress?
Why does wickedness taste so good?
Why is the finish line so far away?
Why do I go to bed so late?
Why am I writing this post?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
'this will hurt me more than it will hurt you'
We say it or think it when we're doing something (we believe to be) for someone else's benefit or for some higher good. But is it true?
Sometimes. Like when we pull the kids away from the computer after the 3rd hour. They are hurting because they've been robbed of one amusement. But my house has gone from happy to sad, quiet to noisy, harmonious to aggressive, tidy to messy all in the space of a few minutes. I'm hurting more! Or so I think.
But perhaps not. Because when I impose my discipline (or whatever) on others I'm in the power position. Even if it's unpleasant, I'm still the one calling the shots and there is something in that that makes the pain different.
Sometimes. Like when we pull the kids away from the computer after the 3rd hour. They are hurting because they've been robbed of one amusement. But my house has gone from happy to sad, quiet to noisy, harmonious to aggressive, tidy to messy all in the space of a few minutes. I'm hurting more! Or so I think.
But perhaps not. Because when I impose my discipline (or whatever) on others I'm in the power position. Even if it's unpleasant, I'm still the one calling the shots and there is something in that that makes the pain different.
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