Beyond the World of Appearances

Swimming against the current

Living the good life

After coming back from Germany & some time for reflection I have realized that I am living the good life...

Usually New Year's resolutions are not really popular with me but this year I wanted to make a change for the better and decided to focus on certain areas. And I have to admit that the year 2007 started pretty good.

I finally started doing things I always wanted to do but never had the time, energy or resources:

1. Fit for fun
there is still room for improvement but I am back on track and I do enjoy exercising

2. Arabic classes
just after I got back from my holidays I signed up for an Arabic course and today will be my first class - I am sooo excited!!!

3. Ecological food print
I am more aware of the implications of my own actions and tried to come up with innovative & well known ways of decreasing the usage of resources (water, electricity, emissions, paper etc.). Small simple things do make a difference but I know I can do much more!!!

4. Healthy eating
I always enjoyed cooking but after a long day at work, cooking becomes more annoying than relaxing. To enjoy more healthy food and to boost my energy level I treated myself with a food steamer. Its a great invention and makes cooking so easy ;-)

5. Traveling
Traveling means the world to me. I always loved traveling and will always love it! This is the one thing I spend all my pocket money on when I was younger. Having been deprived from it for the last 2 years this year will see me going places again!!!
On the agenda so far - South East Asia, Egypt, Oman & Germany

There is only one area where I am a little bit more than just behind – Glimmstängel
My conscience tells me I should stop it but I am not sure if I want to stop it…

Living the good life!!!

My favorite modern fairy tale

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Mari, who lived in a small country called Marila. The special thing about Marila was that every citizen was born with an implanted set of spectacles with yellow lenses. These spectacles made everything Mari could see appear in a friendly yellow, but she couldn't take off her spectacles.

One day she decided to live for a while in the neighboring country called Azuro. The Azurans were also born with implanted spectacles, but with blue lenses! Because of the different color of their spectacles, Mari saw things differently than the Azurans - yellow instead of blue. But Mari was well prepared before she left for Azuro, she learned a lot about different colors of spectacles. After some time she managed to put on some blue spectacles, not exactly the same tone of blue the Azurans had, but very close. By and by, she was able to see things like the Azurans, but only partly: Because she couldn't take off her yellow spectacles, she had to wear her new blue spectacles on top of her own yellow ones - and everything appeared to her in green!

Even the blue spectacles could not be taken off again, not even after she returned to Marila, and by understanding more about the perspective of the Azurans, she developed a new perspective on her own culture as well.

Labels: Inspirational

Frosty cheeks & delicious treats for taste buds & senses

It's that time of year again when mulled wine is brewing, candles lighting up every house, the air is carrying scents of lemon, cinnamon and ginger, fireplaces are glowing, a second skin wraps the world in frost and lets the surrounding appear in a white coat. All hearts are flying and smiling faces meet you everywhere.

It's the most wonderful time of year!!!

The x-mas tree is standing, the presents are in process & the only thing which is missing is a cold day at the Christmas Market. What would I give to immerse in the sensational atmosphere. ..

And what would x-mas be without a lovely x-mas tree!!! Here is our piece of jewellery...

Inspired by his courage & passion...

Today’s issue of "7 days" has a very touching & inspiring article about Amer (10) who is participating in the Asian Games in Doha for his home country Iraq:

"I want to be like them," he said, pointing to the Japanese and Chinese champions who are sharing most of the gold medals at the Asian Games this week. "I want to win for Iraq."

His coach [Sarmad Mohammed] said that conditions in Iraq were tough for the little Amer who can only train once a week in Iraq's only 50-metre pool.
"It's good for us to compete here," he said. "When we are training in Baghdad it's too dangerous. Sometimes he shows up and can't train because the heating has been turned off," said Sarmad. "With all the problems in Iraq, he is a courages boy."

Iraq has three swimmers - all school age - competing in Doha and Sarmad admits it's been tough for them as they have competed only once in the last year at a competition in neighboring Kuwait. [...] Amer is the most promising and began the long haul to stepping up his speed by setting a personal best in the 100m backstroke on Tuesday. He also competed in the 100m backstroke and his final race, the 200m individual medley yesterday.

It was a harsh learning experience. His time of 2min 55.32 seconds was long way off the fastest time of 2:04.62 set by Japan's Hidemasa Sano. "Yesterday I swam a personal best and I am pleased about that" said Amer, who returns home [...] on Friday.

Conditions are so bad in Baghdad that he believes his future as a swimmer may lie abroad. "I would like to train in another country if possible so I can improve and get a better time. Who knows, maybe one day I will be able to win a gold medal for Iraq [...] this is what keeps us going."

Seeing his passion, determination & enthusiasm just moved me to tears. I admire his courage and hardship especially under the poor training condition & hope that he will grow stronger to win a gold medal for his country.

All we think of is what shall we do during our spare time and where should we go clubbing in the evening and what food would please as best. It's time for re-focusing!

Labels: Inspirational